Drape yourself in the flag or cloak yourself in the cross, but don’t reckon with the blood, just forget the ‘great unwashed’. I’m losing my shit with those who claim to speak in my name. Fuck that nationalist drivel, a convenient cover for oppression. No option but disavowal. No option but constant rage. I’ve given my mind to rejecting the lies and making a path away from ignorant minds. I’ve given my mind to rejecting the lies and making a path away from fearful eyes. ‘As soon as the generals and politicos can predict the motions of your mind, lose it, leave it as a sign to mark the false trail; the way you didn’t go’. [quote from Wendell Berry, ‘Manifesto: The Mad Farmer Liberation Front’]
For a decade I haven't worked out how to classify TToL or place them in a bucket - they always seem to stick out in my mind on their own little pedestal. I can't think of anyone who has the same style of technical musicianship as this incredible 4-piece. No Tether is truly a coming of age that blends pensive soundscapes with frenetic insanity. Chis-R
An EP of mostly pacy, fuzzy alt-pop/rock. The distorted noise is ably supported by dreamy vocal harmonies, which perfectly fit the mood and tempo. Short and sweet – I'm super impressed! Michael Reilly
Toronto band Respire deliver a post-hardcore tour de force on the largest scale possible, orchestrally rich and incessantly uncompromising. Bandcamp New & Notable Jan 6, 2021