Lay of the Cid - CD Review - playing Mac's (Lansing) 3-22

Self-titled EP out now /

Lay of the Cid - on myspace

with: Zach Guy - Vocals/Bass Mike Lomerson - Guitar Nick Swanson - Drums/Vocals

Lay of the Cid sound like chaos – but you can bang your head to it…you can also shout along to it…you may also be able to be possessed by it. It’s not punk, it’s not metal, it’s not even that freaked-up kind of indie squall, but lovers of all three will give a knowing grin at the spastic sort of sinewy rock style brought by this Detroit (by way of Waterford and Grand Rapids) trio. The listener’s thrown from side to side like a frail knock-kneed quadruped on roller skates inside a freight train’s caboose – the rhythm explodes at every other measure with shattered cymbals, in a tight, focused, yet demolition-ready drum style; meanwhile the bass takes no back seat, and often waves its way around in these almost funky declarations – and the guitar goes from cosmic to cutting; spacey surf punk chords flare into almost black-metal toned battle cries and psychedelic solos. The EP features anthemic punk with snaky vocal shouts, that shift to driving rock n’ roll setting a steady backbeat and then stretches into more freaky experimental realms….recalls hardcore as much as it does urban-folk and metal and a bit of reggae and funk –

A hazy middle ground band (genre-wise) to be sure…but for punks and metal-heads…or for the indie rockers who only try those hats on every other Sunday, this would be a refreshing spin. Among Faith No More, Bad Brains and Sublime, I was also going to name drop Detroit-based Child Bite, as a reference point - hesitatingly at first, but…then figured it would be appropriate considering the two just played a show together at the Elbow Room last week. Lay of the Cid play Mac’s Bar (Lansing) Mar 22 and the Mixtape Café in Grand Rapids, Mar 26.

www.myspace.com/layofthecid