BOTTLES+SKULLS

In 1999, a three-piece band bent on more than sweaty kitchens and half-night stands packed their bags and left small-town Florida, headed west for San Francisco, CA. In little time, the band (consisting of Brent Travis Jones, Johnny Hildo & Paul Scavuzzo) found the perfect backdrop for their brand of rock in the bay area. After releasing a debut 7" Amped the Fuck Up, the boys decided to import more guns from said small-town Florida, and with the arrival of Christian (guitar) the band became Bottles+Skulls. Playing relentlessly up and down the west coast, the band soon hooked up with local indie label Cheetah's Records to release their first full length album, Never Kiss the Wasp which has been heralded by fans and critics as one of the most blistering punk records of this generation. Armed with their new album, the boys hit the road for their first U.S. tour to spread the word and soon found themselves all over the college charts. Following up the now landmark album came another 7" entitled, I Am No One, He Is No One released on TKO Records. The band has recently appeared on multiple compilations, and is nominated for " BEST PUNK BAND" by the SF Weekly. With momentum building, B+S decided it was time for another full length album and headed to Seattle to record with long-time idol Jack Endino (Nirvana, The Dwarves, Murder City Devils). While recording its latest full-length, Born in a Black Light (Spring 2003), with Endino, the band tightened its songwriting and sound, producing a record that's 37 minutes of pure searing and flailing. Singer/guitarist Brent Travis Jones shouts distorted, adenoidal lyrics about bullet holes, the devil, television, girlfriends, and plastic bags (hey, it can't all be deep). Most compelling is when he touches upon universal themes: "I love death, death loves me / I'm begging death please / Please, please me / I love myself, myself loves me / I'm begging me please / Please, please me," he sings on "Please, Please Me," a good indication of how the band's lyrics mimic its fearless instrumental sounds. Jones and Guitarist Christian Erik rock the ominous axe tones, reminiscent of both Black Sabbath and Guns N'Roses, but far more vigorous. Meanwhile, bassist Johnny Hildo and drummer Scavuzzo make sure to provide solid beds of tight, aggressive rhythms. It's not easy to dispatch punk that's at once vicious, visceral, and intelligent and Bottles+Skulls does so almost effortlessly.