187 Calm

(Sesha Press)
by J. Lianna Ness

After toiling for three years in obscurity, this dark, brooding, quasi-Goth metal trio from San Francisco has finally started to get the notoriety they deserve. On their self-titled debut, 187 Calm offer six reasons why they’re so remarkable. “Finalize” is a bass-thick, moody, atmospheric opus with airy vocals and echoing guitars.

“Coathanger” has a fade-in intro that bursts into an aural assault of throbbing bass, big percussion and guitar noise that sounds like breaking glass. “Sangre” is a creepy piece that evokes a feeling of impending doom. In fact, all the songs on this disc sound spacy and Cimmerian. After opening for bands like Killing Joke, Type O Negative, Biohazard and Kyuss, 187 Calm are ready for the big leagues.