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Welcome to the third day of 50 Bands in 50 Days, where we showcase 50 of the greatest bands coming out of the Pacific Northwest one day at a time, brought to you by GigTown! On the third day, NorthWest Music Scene said, “Let there be a great crossover thrash band from Seattle!” Today, we’d like to formally introduce you to one of the most kick-ass punk bands you’re gonna come across this year, Ex’s With Benefits.
A band whose sound perfectly blurs the line between new and old school rock, Ex’s With Benefits is the Seattle rock band to be on the lookout for. With Alex Vincent, former drummer of classic grunge heavyweight Green River, tearing things up on the drums, Ex’s With Benefits is a newer face in the Seattle rock scene that a lot of street cred right out of the gate. The band calls both Seattle and the Bay Area of California home, with an equal amount of members living in each place but make no mistake, they are Seattle to the core. With an in-your-face rock with a lot of influence from the worlds of hardcore punk, post-punk, grunge, crossover thrash, and hooky, radio-friendly skate punk groups from the 90s.
The Ex’s’ debut record Bad Hotel was released earlier this year. In our review of it, we said that it very well could be the Seattle album of the year, and nine months later, that statement still holds water. Nasty, distorted guitar-playing from Pascal Faivre does wonders to make the passionate, forceful vocals of frontwoman Dmitra Smith all the more empowering. Lyrically, the band holds nothing back, leading to a series of tracks that are unapologetic in putting forth their political ideology, and selling it with punishing guitar riffs and pounding drums.
Anyone in the mood for rock music that will leave you with both a concussion and something to think about, Ex’s With Benefits is your new obsession.
For Fans of: Green River, Bad Religion, Suicidal Tendencies
You can follow the band on Facebook and Twitter, and listen to and purchase their music via their website. You can also catch them live in Tacoma on December 11 at Jazzbones.
