Fear, Emptiness, Decibel: Trap Them Cover Edge of Sanity and Hot Snakes for New Flexi!

Before there were blogs there were these things called magazines, and the only metal magazine we still get excited about reading every month is Decibel. Here’s managing editor Andrew Bonazelli…

Back in June, Kip Wingerschmidt raved about Trap Them’s fourth full-length, the provocatively-titled Blissfucker, concluding “I used to think of Trap Them as something akin to Converge Junior, but TT has totally come into its own to bring us one of the heaviest and most powerful albums of the year so far.”

Brutally ironic, then, that the band reaches the peak of its powers just as circumstances force them to take a major step back. As frontman Ryan McKenney told us in our July profile, “I am a very irresponsible person when we play … not paying attention caused a lot of head trauma. I started to have dizzy spells when we played, and headaches, and when we got home from the last tour, I finally decided to see the doctor. And basically I have advanced post-concussion syndrome.” Indeed, one of the most ferocious live acts in extreme music has been relegated to the status of studio band.

But make no mistake: Trap Them are still thriving in that regard—the latest examples blaring loud and proud on the Decibel Flexi Series. The grinding Seattle quartet takes on polar opposite influences, covering progressive death metallers Edge of Sanity’s “Feedin’ the Charlatan” and post-hardcore cult heroes Hot Snakes’ “I Hate the Kids.” Obviously, both tunes get a thick layer of Trap Them grime, but taken together illustrate what still makes this band so dangerous and gripping. Appearing on silver-on-black plastic, these covers were specifically recorded for Decibel during post-Blissfucker sessions. Only subscribers get the goods—so, subscribe to Decibel by 9am EST September 9 to ensure you get their darkest handcraft yet right here.