These Arms Are Snakes

This Is Meant to Hurt You (Jade Tree)
by Tim Den

For a Seattle band, These Arms Are Snakes sure do sound like they’re from DC. Girls Against Boys’ seductive beats, sinewy guitar lines, Engine Down’s staccato rhythms… Only giveaway that these guys are from the Pacific Northwest is the once-in-a-while guitar hammer-ons that characterized Botch. There’s manic energy here, but not blind enthusiasm like that of The Blood Brothers. Instead, These Arms Are Snakes carefully calculate their tantrums quite well: Always in time for that surprise punch in the face.
(2310 Kennwynn Rd. Wilmington, DE 19810)