Off Minor / Killie - Split

off minor australian tour flier.

Off Minor's latest 'world tour' should be seen as an impressive feat for such a relatively unknown band. prominently known as half of the former emo juggernaut Saetia, Off Minor are certainly more mature and sophisticated when compared to their deceased counterpart Hot Cross. noted descriptions of their sound usually fall in the "jazz influenced hardcore" side of things with the group's sound having a large portion of instrumental prettiness. enough about what the group sounds like though, back to Off Minor's self professed "last tour". when we consider that the average age of the group is somewhere in the late twenties or early thirties it is impressive that three individuals that have been involved in hardcore for so long have not become jaded or unrelevant. Off Minor has been making some of the most provoking hardcore since their inception and their most recent output released during the Japanese portion of their world tour is simply just more proof of their success.

off minor / killie split

the Off Minor / Killie split presents the listener with two excellent examples of how far the emo scene has come since just 2000. Off Minor places two previously released tracks with one new one from their "Some Blood" sessions. Killie keeps their side very compressed with one short track and one very lengthy one. "Some Clown" which previously was released on the Off Minor / My Disco split is probably the groups best song to date. definitive in its interplay between manic drumming, beautifully tempered guitar, and pulsing bass Off Minor is able to craft a gorgeous mixture of chaos and cool. where Off Minor's previous records seemed to deal with a good portion of self depreciation (especially 'The Heat Death of the Universe' which will be discussed later.) the songs present on this split seem to be a bit more politically conscious. 'Abbatoir' is a short explosion of vegan knowledge, a haiku on the criminality of how people are willing to treat other people, animals, etc. Jamie Behar guitarist and lead vocalist asks;

'when will the world see things this way?
perverse perspectives still pervade.
we're left cold by blood that's lost.
it cries out from the ground.'

falling back into their usual topics Off Minor ends their half of the record with 'Everything Explicit' which deals with the issue of how to resolve something with someone who you no long talk to. the track is notable for its sonic relation to the early post-hardcore scene evoking a Fugazi, Drive Like Jehu, or Unwound comparison. although none of those bands could ever craft anything as melodically beautiful as the bridge in the track. to discuss Killie their half of the record seems to evoke a cross between Envy and Daitro. not something entirely original, but as a counterpoint to the Off Minor sound it works well to have such an aggressively sincere band bounce off the more artsy composed New York group.

killie

continuing with the over arching Off Minor theme of this post i must discuss 'The Heat Death of the Universe'. this record was probably my first exposure to the emo sound and i really haven't found anything i think really compares to it. the sonic and lyrical content is unrivaled in aggressive music and everything about it is just perfect. Off Minor's skill, originality, and vast appreciation of various genres help their expressions reflect technical prowess, as well as allow them to be an emotional outlet. the dynamic buildups and crescendos found on this album are prefect sonic reinterpretations of the bipolar nature of the overlying concept of the album. it is perhaps telling that Off Minor have never been as calm or as resolute in terms of their approach to creating music since the making of this album. songs like "Monday Morning Quarterback" toss and turn through beautiful near jazz style arrangements into some of the most aggressive and abrasive hardcore ever released. the untraditional approach taken to their respective instruments helps Off Minor output the same type of cathartic release normally found in only hardcore and transpose it into fully instrumental pieces that don't mock the current post-rock trend of build-up and release, but instead dredge into elastics and personal realms of musical exploration. Off Minor's music is not able to be expressed as "epic" at any point of "The Heat Death Of the Universe" because it is always collapsing in on itself to represent something much more selfish and single minded; its band members own experiences.

off minor's 'the heat death of the universe'

lyrically "The Heat Death of the Universe" speaks in a style of poignant haikus. 'Staring Down the Barrel of Limited Options' openly addresses the issue of suicide;

'facing this inevitably,
that i could never begin to understand.
what is it you see staring down the barrel of limited options?
what goes through your mind as you make the decision to end all decisions?
never say everything will be ok.'

the theme is prevalent all over the record with the second track 'This is a Hostage Situation" dealing with the neediness of people. the hatred of people that unconditionally attach themselves to things that are simply not everlasting.

'this hand on this gun to my head is my own and these are my demands:
if you leave me, take me with you, i am nothing without you.
people who need people are the wretchedest in the world.'

an ode to individuals who find themselves solely existing for the purpose of serving their spouse or whatever form their significant other should take. 'The Heat Death of the Universe' represents a philosophical journey that deals with a variety of the band's own views on everyday issues. the aggressiveness and calmness of daily life is reflected in this music and that is why it holds such an important spot in my heart. it should be considered one of the most ample examples of 21st century music. with a heart-on-the-sleeve attitude and obvious appreciation of numerous sub-genres, this album clearly represents how music has evolved, evoking the aggressive nature of '80s hardcore, the personal awareness of the '90s, and finally adopting the new method of beauty and chaos that is defining the '00s music scene. Off Minor is certainly a derivative of the things around them, but due to their members' appreciation and originality, they've been able to create a perfect emotional reflection of their feelings and that is all that this album needs to succeed.

off minor

Off Minor / Killie - Split (2008)
Off Minor - The Heat Death of the Universe (2002)