Kevin Bronson on August 19th, 2015

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Once you get past the truly unfortunate but astrological band name, the fabric of Sextile fits pretty well in an era overrun by overly nice indie bands. Theirs is a primal, industrial take on post-punk, recalling the acerbity of the Fall and Suicide and the menace of bands like Killing Joke and Bauhaus. The quartet — Brady Keehn, Melissa Scaduto, Eddie Wuebben and Kenny Elkin — have only been together since November, but they quickly made the album “A Thousand Hands,” which is out Friday via Felte Records. “Can’t Take It” is a biting anthem for the bitterly frustrated, and “Smoke in the Eye” ratchets up that feeling to aploplexy. “Shattered Youth” isn’t so shattered but ground to smithereens, and “Mind’s Eye” suggests there’s an occult thing going on here. All add up to a mighty impressive (depressive) debut.

||| Stream: “A Thousand Hands” (full album)