If the last three decades of musical innovation have taught us anything it’s that the idea of ‘common timbre’ is fast diminishing. In 2007 a trio of young entrepreneurs took the process of synthesizing sound to a new level. Their original approach to techno/electro beats lit up the eyes of many in Seattle and they, in the wake of their sophomore release, have taken a place as one of the notable musical forces of the underground Northwest.

Truckasauras have made cinema out of music. The eerie, sometimes discordant, often harmonious relationship between atmospheric trance and grindcore techno has a sense of narrative in the way it evolves and moves throughout a given track. The onsets of their songs mysteriously allude to where the track might go without giving anything away. As the song progresses times of melodious unification, sparks of confusion and constant exploration culminate into a succinct ending.

Unlike the typical conception of atmospheric music, Truckasauras engage in frequent skittering arcade melodies that coalesce with the grind/electro bass to form a pseudo-industrial sound. The effect can be odd to digest at first, however the blend of harsh reverberations and playfully tuneful resonance has an earned partnership that can become quite addicting.

Their live shows are adorned with visual scenes of kitchy Americana. A movie reel in the backdrop cycles through 80’s wrestling footage, explosions, truck rallies and corny advertisements that occasionally – but not overly – synchronizing with the music. The band members themselves are outfitted in fisher vests and hanging American flags; a tongue-in-cheek exaggeration of the American stereotype. The delivery of these visual representations acts more as a portrait of the grotesque than a chastisement of it. However it is probably imprecise to pretend that their displays of Americana do not contain a sardonic side.

The nature of the cynicism does not seem to remove the band itself from skepticism. Rather, a sense of self involvement and harsh introspection is intuitively relayed in both their lack of tarnishing or tampering with the live accessories (aside from video editing) and in their unimposing demeanor. There seems to be no pedestal present. Overall it appears as though the true source of ill-content might be with cultural ‘yes men’, or those who take the facets of a culture for granted and unthinkingly.

The three performing band members move deftly around the stage, altering dials, adjusting slides, pressing keys and surprisingly toying with a modded Gameboy. Their intricate songs seem to require quite a lot of involvement and I’m not entirely sure how the songs come together so neatly in a live show, yet the net result is far more entertaining than a stationary, head-bobbing DJ. Their songs float around the room as agilely as the members themselves; gripping walls in a bold, forceful crunch and rising to the ceiling in a harmonious wail. Their music, and their stage presence, are an extension of theatre and an atmospheric display of cinema.

Truckasauras recently played at the annual Decibel Festival in Seattle however no additional concerts or tours have been mentioned to date. Next weekend I will be writing a cover of the Decibel Festival so check back to hear more about it.