Survival Knife’s “Loose Power” Is Tense, Fresh, and Anything But Predicatable

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Survival Knife
Loose Power
Glacial Pace

Folks who have belatedly discovered the great ’90s northwest band Unwound via its current reissue series will want to know about Survival Knife. Reuniting Unwound alumni Justin Trosper and Brandt Sandeno, this high-powered quartet updates their tense, knotty music without a hint of tedious nostalgia. Ranging from social commentary to confessional angst, the taut songs on Loose Power offer a surprisingly fresh hybrid of punk, metal and even progressive rock, incorporating influences from Metallica to Chuck Berry into their flexible sound. In the starring role, Trosper remains a compelling frontman, whose stoic vocals and twisty guitar riffs never settle into a predictable groove, revealing new facets with each hearing.