II

METZ - II
Critic Score
Based on 21 reviews
2015 Ratings: #237 / 1021
User Score
Based on 136 ratings
2015 Rank: #299
Liked by 5 people
May 5, 2015 / Release Date
LP / Format
Sub Pop / Label
Noise Rock / Genre
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CRITIC REVIEWS

100
DIY

Despite the demands of being such an intense experience Metz’s greatest trick might be in creating an album that can offers something for everyone who’s interested in torturing their speakers.

85
The Line of Best Fit

The overriding aesthetic is one of immediacy and turbo-fuelled levels of energy accompanied by buzz saw guitars, fuzzed up bass and steamroller drums. 

80
Drowned in Sound
The whole record is a dizzy, punk joy- taking itself far less seriously than most proper hardcore bands, whilst sounding twice as aggressive as any of them, and with better tunes.
80
Alternative Press

II hits like a concussion grenade, and you’ll revel in the damage long after the room’s been cleared.

80
Loud and Quiet
Bigger, faster, louder, stronger – in many ways ‘II’ is everything the band’s second record ought to be.
80
Exclaim!

II possesses the thrills of the original but boasts a few new subtle differences to mark itself as a worthy sequel.

80
The Skinny

Social anxiety has rarely sounded this thrilling.

80
The 405

II does not attempt to reinvent the wheel, but instead just straps rockets onto both sides and lets it fly. And boy, how high it goes.

80
SPIN

It’s common for bands bent on destruction to dial things back as they move ahead, but METZ has no such designs. II, like the record that preceded it, is still a seasick and unyielding document of brutalist experimentation.

80
NME

The Canadian trio attack with a more varied array of instrumentation, including synths, tape loops and samples of found sounds, but don’t expect subtle intricacy – ‘II’ is heavier, darker and more abrasive than ‘Metz’.

80
AllMusic

There's something genuinely artful in the way Metz has constructed II, and the band's apparent smarts don't dull the effect of this music, but instead make it even more dangerous, like a serial killer with a medical degree.

80
PopMatters

Their atypical hardcore weaves between math rock precision and dirty grunge riffs, conflicted about both embracing simple pleasures and getting mired in existential angst, and II is the internal fight sprung to searing, spectacular life.

75
Consequence of Sound

Listening to METZ II is an overwhelming experience. It may take a few listens to soak in all the vitriol and venom, but it’s worth the effort.

75
A.V. Club
If that self-titled first outing was like picking at a scab, Metz’s second effort is equivalent to ripping off a Band-Aid. Either way, it’s still music to bleed to.
70
No Ripcord

It’s undeniable that for whatever lack of originality one could argue, II unquestionably equals its predecessor in potency and vigor in just about every way, and will still be one of the most ferocious and laser-focused rock records you’re likely to hear all year.

70
Rolling Stone
The record twitches with the flying-off-the-rails urgency of the band's live shows as Metz sandblasts the industrial precision of their first album into a nastier, more shambolic attack.
67
Pitchfork

By sticking so closely to the script laid out by their debut, II is the one thing punk rock should never be: careful.

allonlevin72
69

The hype around this band was a turnoff for me for years, probably because I felt there were better noise bands out there that weren't getting the same recognition. That said, after finally giving Metz a chance I do regret holding out for this long. Metz II seems to only have one gear (total punishment), but what they have to offer isn't bad by any means. I'm gonna remain optimistic that some of the other albums will have more of the variety I'm looking for (in addition to the punishment).

th_initiator
81

▲ = Acetate, The Swimmer, Spit You Out, Landfill, Wait in Line, Eyes Peeled
▬ = I.O.U, Nervous System, Kicking a Can of Worms
▼ =

Guigss
86

This time their brutality became accessible and the intense guitar riffs ruled the entire territory, asking us to sit and wait until the last breath of Edkins words.

th_initiator
81

▲ = Acetate, The Swimmer, Spit You Out, Landfill, Wait in Line, Eyes Peeled
▬ = I.O.U, Nervous System, Kicking a Can of Worms
▼ =

allonlevin72
69

The hype around this band was a turnoff for me for years, probably because I felt there were better noise bands out there that weren't getting the same recognition. That said, after finally giving Metz a chance I do regret holding out for this long. Metz II seems to only have one gear (total punishment), but what they have to offer isn't bad by any means. I'm gonna remain optimistic that some of the other albums will have more of the variety I'm looking for (in addition to the punishment).

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Track List

1Acetate
3:55
70
2The Swimme
2:41
60
3Spit You Out
4:49
65
4Zzyzx
0:34
5I.O.U.
2:52
60
6Landfill"
2:42
65
7Nervous System
2:09
65
8Wait in Line
3:16
65
9Eyes Peeled
2:33
60
10Kicking a Can of Worms
4:19
60
Total Length: 29 minutes
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Added on: February 17, 2015