Former Gear Gods EIC Chris Alfano throws down on his probably 10 pounds of koa Schecter in this playthrough for NY in 64‘s “50 Lbs of Ash”. The song comes from the band’s new album The Gentle Indifference of the Night, out right now on Magic Bullet Records.
Chris says of the playthrough,
I suppose adding cats to your playthrough video is like throwing down “Being a Motherfucking Sorcerer” in Cards Against Humanity – it’s an easy win that gets old fast. So after this video (and the next that I filmed at the same time), I’ll have to rotate in some other internet gimmick. Maybe we can bring planking back? It’s been a while.
Anyway, this tune is a real hoot to play, probably the most fun out of anything on the record. It has atonal sections, harmonies, holding 4/4 over some 5/4 syncopation, generally just good times all around.
An astute observer may notice that this sonically differs from the LP. I wanted to feature the actual audio from the playthrough, so I couldn’t use Scott Evans’ fantastic album mix, instead needing to attempt my best facsimile. I think I have more compression on the drums than he used, but he’s welcome to fly over from the West Coast and fight me about it.
In general the audio is from the up-close shot. Since I’m not some fancy multiple-camera-owning dude, I had to just play the song two more times for the other angles that featured Lola and Willow (with special guest appearance by Waffles the Dog). I’ll admit to cutting over to the audio from those takes a couple times when the performance was cleaner, but let’s keep that secret between the two of us.
We promise not to tell.
The follow-up to 2015’s self-titled debut documents NY IN 64 pushing their sonic template to new heights, realizing an even more refined and uniquely inspired style of instrumental hardcore aggression. The hooks are bigger, the musicianship has broken through the ceiling, the dynamics are deeper and far more textured. The album’s guitars and bass were recorded by Chris Alfano at Volume Fact, the drums and additional guitars recorded by John Ferrara at Portrait Recording Studios. The record was mixed by Scott Evans at Antisleep Audio, and mastered by Nick Zampiello at New Alliance East, and its layout completed with photography by Justin Hock and layout by the band and Brent Eyestone. With six new movements, The Gentle Indifference Of The Night is a triumph of an album that truly sounds like no other.
The Gentle Indifference Of The Night is out now on translucent blue vinyl and all digital platforms; order the LP at the label webshop HERE and find digital/LP order options at Bandcamp HERE.
NY IN 64 unites current and former members of New Jersey bands, You and I, The Assistant, Capacities, East Of The Wall, The Postman Syndrome, Argonauts, El Drugstore, This Ship Will Sink, Black Kites, and others, the band founded by Justin Hock and Thomas Schlatter, who were both part of cult ‘90s screamo band, You And I. After taking a fifteen-year hiatus from writing music together, the two began laying down the framework for this new outfit, recruiting Chris Alfano and Seth Rheam, both veterans of many acts, most notably current members of East Of The Wall. Barren of vocals, the band’s music seamlessly melds the vibrant, youthful vigor of punk and hardcore with challenging and provoking elements of progressive and post-rock, injecting the energy and enthusiasm of a basement show into a more refined musical composition.
