DYSRHYTHMIA'S MUSICAL CLASH
Band fuses punk, metal with jazz

by Ron Gonzales for the Albuquerque Weekly Journal

The problem with music writers has always been that many times, it is impossible for them (myself included) to properly classify a band's sound.
Take the band Dysrhythmia, which is signed to a label (Relapse Records) of predominantly grindcore groups, has little in common with most of those groups, and has been described as sounding like avant-garde jazz punk or atmospheric, progressive rock.
"There's certain bands that we are compared to, where I can't even see the comparison." said guitarist Kevin Hufnagel. "Sometimes people pick bands that are popular, like Primus. But most of the time, people don't think of obscure bands, which is where I think we draw our influences from."
Part of what throws listeners off, according to Hufnagel, is the band's approach, which does not include a vocalist.
"People light see it as limiting," said Hufnagel of the band's sound. "People like to hear lyrics and melodies. But at the same time, having no vocals leaves it open."
That leaves the band's sound open for interpretation, precisely. On this year's "Pretest", it's first release for Relapse, Dysrhythmia combines the energy of punk rock with the dissonance of a metal band while adding an element of free jazz. Yet with the freewheeling sound the band propagates, don't be tricked into thinking that Dysrhythmia (which, according to Webster's Dictionary, means "an abnormality in an otherwise normal rhythmic pattern") is a jam band of sorts.
"The songs are pretty structured and thought out, and pretty much performed the same every night," Hufnagel said. "There is room for improv, but most of the stuff is in its place. The goal is to always make it sound structured, but at the same time coming from the top of our heads."
Needless to say, Dysrhythmia has turned many heads in its short career, with its fresh take on music, despite the fact that it often shares the stage with more extreme-sounding bands.
"I think we're pretty used to playing with bands that are heavier," said Hufnagel with a chuckle. "I kind of know what to expect now. But it seems to go over well. We've had a few hecklers too, but that actually makes the show better."