I’ve said it countless times; I just love music that freaks me out a bit and sounds like something from a nightmare. For me, bands like Pop.1280 are a prime example of this and to be able to find bands that carry the same heaviness and obscure sound is something I’m always looking for. Flat Worms are a band I can happily place next to Pop.1280 for so many reasons. However, this piece isn’t based on comparisons- it’s just sheer admiration.
Flat Worms are loud, insane and are quite frankly, one of the best bands to have come out in a hell of a long time. Sure they have a Garage Rock sound, but there is something else there. Something quite industrial like. The music sounds like a madman going on a rampage, and I love that. I love how unsettling their sound is, and how it makes you feel like you’ve heard something you possibly shouldn’t have. I love the mystery surrounding them. When bands have virtually no online presence, I respect that a hell of a lot. You have to work at finding music to truly move you, and Flat Worms really make you work for it.
I’m not really sure how long they’ve been making music for, but last year they released their debut record which is evidently just the outline of how brilliant they are. They make you want to trash stuff and if you’re feeling festive about being chaotic- tear down some Christmas trees and bin off tradition. Flat Worms have this magnetic rowdy sound that brings out a side of you that other bands can’t get to. They make you want to make your own noise, or just play their sounds ridiculously loud. That’s the only way to listen to a band like this- as loud as possible.
Although I likened them to Pop.1280 earlier, they really do not sound like anything else I’ve ever heard before. I love the rage and passion in the songs. I love how the songs sound like a brawl in a bar, and how they have this unapologetically ferocious sound. It’s like a feral animal roaming free at night, fucking anyone up who gets in its way.
I’m curious about their live shows. Anyone who has seen Flat Worms live is bloody lucky. Imagine being that close to something so off the wall and brilliant. You’d probably leave feeling a bit deaf, but also smug in knowing that you’ve witnessed a bloody phenomenal band. There’s just three (I think) of them, but they make enough noise to make you feel like you’re listening to an orchestra of noise. They have this brilliant and effortlessly cool sound, and the darkness that flows in and out of the songs is remarkable. The lyrics are clever, and take you aback in some instances (Followers is a strong example of this.) Their music is made to be played loud, and for you to just lose yourself in. Flat Worms are easily one of the most exciting bands around, and with just one record out they have made something worth paying close attention to, and of course becoming healthily obsessed with.
If you’re looking for a band to blow your mind, and to make you feel like you’ve been let in on the world’s biggest secret- Flat Worms are for you. Play them loud; it’s the only way. I hope Red Hot Sand becomes your obsession like it has become mine. It’s over 5 minutes of brutal noise that just sets them apart from anything else you’ve heard in a long time.
Los Angeles is home to some amazing bands that I have fallen in love with over the years, and I can quite happily add Flat Worms to my list. I love the sheer rawness they have, and how they just don’t fit into any genre of music at all. They stand out and above, and I really love and admire that about them.
I hope they become louder and louder, because they are band that we are all in need of.