Doppelganger (Dig)

Melodic, uplifting vocals and harmonies, side-by-side with tortured, assaulting screams. Mathematically precise rhythms and complex fretwork, giving way to loose jam-inspired divergences. Pop-meets-punk-meets-metal-meets-rock in the unlikeliest of places: this is the musical crossroads where you'll find Washington State-based trio The Fall of Troy, skittering off defiantly in one direction after another, refusing to stick to any one established road. If it sounds like it all adds up to chaos, that's because it often does - but only in the same beautiful way as our own everyday experience. And with Doppelganger, their Equal Vision debut, that kind of musical experimentation and alternate perspective has enabled Thomas Erak (vocals/guitar), Tim Ward (bass/vocals), and Andrew Forsman (drums) to stand out right from the start. Given the chance to work on the new record with top producer Barrett Jones (Foo Fighters, The Melvins, Jawbox), the band jumped, and entered the studio in exactly the right mindset. "We didn't really go in there with a set sound in mind," says Forsman. "We just kind of figured it out on the spot. So the new album became more of a snapshot of us at the time than a posed picture." Which is fitting, considering that no two live experiences with The Fall of Troy are ever the same. Rather than plan out every aspect of their shows, the band leaves things open on stage, allowing for the music and the energy to take over. No one knows exactly when or how a song will change, or when the atmosphere will explode with electricity, until it actually happens. And while a record can't physically change from listen to listen, that sense of spontaneity remains a big part of what makes Doppelganger so powerful.