Choke – Slow Fade: How I Learned To Question Infinity

It’s always nice to be reading a bio and there right on top it mentions your hometown in it. A local band that has finally made it big and gotten themselves onto a record label, even if it isn’t a huge one. So of course I was happy to see Choke‘s bio proudly state that they are from Edmonton, Alberta, my hometown. Over the last decade they have released 5 albums, four of which are on Smallman Records, and they are about to release their sixth album: Slow Fade: How I Learned To Question Infinity. Listening to it, I’m glad to say that they are a local band.

Their label describes them as “Tech Punk that Pushes the Limits of Musical Innovation,” and that’s a hard description to dispute. All of the songs clock in well after 5 minutes of play time, and yet none ever get boring or stale. Its a very experimental style of music that is nearly impossible to describe. Each song is full of incredible musical intricacies that come flowing through your speakers with clarity, precision, and power. They have been experimenting with different effects, and it comes through with each song on here. All over the disc you experience different fade ins and fade outs, different guitar riffs, all making for quite a large sound. Its very harmonious with mellow, slow riffs that fill the room slowly but efficiently.

Smallman describes them as one of the best punk bands in Canada right now, which is a little bit of over hype because they are far from the best punk band in Canada. But they are able to entertain you with their very solid sixth album, Slow Fade: How I Learned To Question Infinity, and I’m glad to say they are from Edmonton.