tag:www.sargenthouse.com,2005:/blogs/the-armed-news?p=2the armed news2024-03-28T08:22:46-07:00Sargent Housefalsetag:www.sargenthouse.com,2005:Post/73738082024-03-28T08:22:46-07:002024-03-28T08:22:46-07:00THE ARMED - LIVE AT THE METRO<div class="video-container size_xl justify_center" style=""><iframe data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="5X2Qp4_vq3U" data-video-thumb-url="" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/5X2Qp4_vq3U?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe></div><p>The Armed have released a free, hour-long concert video featuring their performance at Metro Chicago. The full film is streaming above on YouTube. An hour of insanity. An hour of The Armed. Check it out.</p><p>Production: Worldfare<br>Director: Christopher 'Zoz’ Gruse & Aaron Jones<br>Producer: Erin Carignan <br>DP/Color: Aaron Jones<br>Editor: Derek Swanson<br>Steadicam Op: Ray Rivard<br>AC: Rick Saliga<br>Camera Ops: Troy Bowman Jr., Luke Nelson, Jonathan Patterson, Jordan Payne<br>Mix: Derek Coburn<br>Lighting Director: Michael Castle<br>Tech: PJ <br>Solo Photographer: Jacob Mulka</p><p>The Daniels:<br>Ryan Abrams, Cay Allan, Rasky Bukowski, Daniel Burns, Ben Busald, Kutin Corbath, Will Corbin, Patrick Dignau, David Ducasse, Josh Fields, Matt Flynn, Keagan Fuller, Zachary Fusinski, Logan Gochanour, Audrey Horst, Jesse Johnson, Anthony Lanzetta, Ernesto Laureano, Tyler LeClair, Francisco Lujan, Rohan Mahadeven, Jezzy Maloney, Natalie Marlin, Sean McDonald, Joseph Menchaca, Seth Menter, Megan Menter, Amelia Morse, Chris Neeson, Max Nestorowich, Mike Niecmczyk, Joseph Pace, Gregory Pence, Zechariah Perez, Chris Prunotto, Zander Rose, Dan Roth, Scott Roychel, John Silva, Rosemarie Smith, Brent Stoner, Timothy Sullivan, Julie Sumata, Jeff Taylor, Pato Thornycroft, Luca Torretta, Jonathan Venlet, Kyle Walker, Arya Woody</p>Sargent Housetag:www.sargenthouse.com,2005:Post/73475662024-02-07T12:48:01-08:002024-02-07T12:48:01-08:00THE ARMED ON AMEOBA'S "WHAT'S IN MY BAG?"<img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/s:bzglfiles/u/159790/1f41d60ab8c5596172150800e84ff0ff1fd716ed/original/screenshot-2024-02-07-123914.png/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==" class="size_l justify_center border_" /><p>The Armed were featured on Amoeba's “What's in My Bag?” today. From Wolf Eyes to mall goth music, the picks are all over the place. Check out the full video below.</p><div class="video-container size_xl justify_center" style=""><iframe data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="1H2lFHsAXwk" data-video-thumb-url="" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/1H2lFHsAXwk?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe></div>Sargent Housetag:www.sargenthouse.com,2005:Post/73394592024-01-24T11:43:21-08:002024-01-24T11:43:22-08:00THE ARMED ARE GOING TO EUROPE IN 2024<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/s:bzglfiles/u/159790/77c806c3b50000413f5fd60d1c517424fa3dd0ee/original/efefeww.png/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==" class="size_m justify_center border_" />The Armed will be touring Europe in 2024. Prepare yourself. Tickets for headliners go up for sale Friday at 10 am local. All dates and tickets available <a class="no-pjax" href="https://linktr.ee/thearmedixi" target="_blank" data-link-type="url"><strong><u>HERE</u></strong></a></p><p><strong><u>THE ARMED EUROPE 2024</u></strong><br>30.5 - Barcelona, Spain - Primavera Sound Festival<br>1.6 - Clermont Ferrand, France - La Cooperative de Mai<br>2.6 - Nimes, France - Paloma<br>4.6 - Milan, Italy - La Santeria<br>5.6 - Lausanne, Switzerland - Les Docks<br>7.6 - Hilvarenbeek, Netherlands - Best Kept Secret Festival<br>8.6 - Paris, France - Le Trabendo<br>10.6 - Lille, France - L’Aeronef<br>11.6 - Leeds, England - Brudenell Social Club<br>12.6 - London, England - Outernet<br>15.6 - Helsinki, Finland - Sideways Festival<br>6.7 - Roskilde, Denmark - Roskilde Festival<br>8.7 - Hamburg, Germany - Knust<br>9.7 - Berlin, Germany - Hole44<br>10.7 - Warsaw, Poland - Niebo<br>12.7 - Trencin, Slovakia - Pohoda Festival</p>Sargent Housetag:www.sargenthouse.com,2005:Post/73345052024-01-15T16:58:16-08:002024-01-15T16:58:16-08:00THE ARMED ANNOUNCE 2024 US TOUR<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/s:bzglfiles/u/159790/d9aece521af575e0d864451a4a75c0083dc52266/original/march24admat-grid.jpg/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==" class="size_l justify_center border_" />The Armed have just announced nine more US dates for March 2024. If you haven't experienced them live, do yourself a favor. The energy is indescribable.</p><p>All tickets are on sale and available <a class="no-pjax" href="https://linktr.ee/thearmedixi" target="_blank" data-link-type="url"><strong><u>HERE</u></strong></a></p><p><strong><u>THE ARMED 2024 US TOUR</u></strong><br>3.17 Dallas TX - Cambridge Room at House of Blues<br>3.19 Nashville, TN - Eastside Bowl<br>3.20 Durham, NC - Motorco Music Hall<br>3.22 Orlando, FL - The Social<br>3.23 Atlanta, GA - The Masquerade<br>3.24 Richmond, VA - The Broadberry<br>3.25 Washington, DC - Black Cat<br>3.26 Pittsburgh, PA - Spirit Hall<br>3.27 Lakewood, OH - Mahall’s</p>Sargent Housetag:www.sargenthouse.com,2005:Post/72774702023-09-22T16:02:09-07:002023-10-16T07:53:47-07:00THE ARMED GO BEHIND THE SCENES WITH 'PERFECT SAVIORS' ALBUM ART - HUCK<p><a class="no-pjax" href="https://www.huckmag.com/article/behind-the-album-art-with-cult-enigmas-the-armed" target="_blank" data-link-type="url"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/s:bzglfiles/u/159790/383fbee531fa43cb9a8c9737d9cf93a4421150b8/original/huck.png/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==" class="size_xl justify_center border_" /></a></p><p>For Huck, The Armed explain the significance of their 'Perfect Saviors' album art. Read the full article <a class="no-pjax" href="https://www.huckmag.com/article/behind-the-album-art-with-cult-enigmas-the-armed" target="_blank" data-link-type="url"><strong><u>HERE</u></strong></a>.</p><p>Don't miss their US tour starting October 19, all tickets <a class="no-pjax" href="https://linktr.ee/thearmedixi" target="_blank" data-link-type="url"><strong><u>HERE</u></strong></a>.<br><br><strong>The Armed 2023 US Tour</strong><br>10/19/23 Los Angeles, CA @ El Rey !<br>10/21/23 San Francisco, CA @ Great American Music Hall !<br>10/23/23 Portland, OR @ Revolution Hall !<br>10/24/23 Seattle, WA @ Neumos !<br>11/16/23 Boston, MA @ Paradise Rock Club *+<br>11/17/23 New York, NY @ Irving Plaza *+<br>11/18/23 Baltimore, MD @ Baltimore Sound Stage *+<br>12/15/23 Detroit, MI @ St. Andrew’s Hall ^<br>12/16/23 Chicago, IL @ Metro ^<br><br>Supports:<br>^ Model/Actriz<br>* Spaced<br>! Shutups<br>+ Body Meat</p>Sargent Housetag:www.sargenthouse.com,2005:Post/72694132023-09-06T12:15:24-07:002023-09-06T12:15:24-07:00THE ARMED RELEASE HOUSE PARTY VIDEO FOR "MODERN VANITY"<div class="video-container size_xl justify_center" style=""><iframe data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="GS6RqBOBUbQ" data-video-thumb-url="" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/GS6RqBOBUbQ?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe></div><p>Following the release of their latest album <i>Perfect Saviors</i>, The Armed have dropped a surprise music video for “Modern Vanity," featuring footage from their recent house party performance. Check out the full video and listen to <i>Perfect Saviors </i><a class="no-pjax" href="https://lnk.thearmed.com/ta-ps" target="_blank" data-link-type="url"><u>HERE</u></a>.</p>Sargent Housetag:www.sargenthouse.com,2005:Post/72632532023-08-25T09:03:24-07:002023-08-31T15:54:52-07:00THE ARMED RELEASE NEW ALBUM 'PERFECT SAVIORS' TO OVERWHELMING RESPONSE<p><a class="no-pjax" href="https://www.nytimes.com/2023/08/21/arts/music/the-armed-perfect-saviors.html" target="_blank" data-link-type="url"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/s:bzglfiles/u/159790/d6e0c6942524e0db50b1c68559b4a5d3cfd311c8/original/eyjidwnrzxqioijwcm9klxnpac5zzwv0awnrzxrzdxnhlnvziiwia2v5ijoimtyymtuwzwqtodu0zi00nwi4ltg5otitymy4oge3yjcwnjhmiiwizwrpdhmiont9fq.png/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></a></p><p><span style="color:rgb(54,54,54);">The Detroit-based punk outfit has operated largely pseudonymously for roughly 14 years, preferring renegade one-off shows at gas stations or rec centers to tours. Its self-produced, highly weird music videos have a “Jackass”-meets-David Lynch aesthetic, with surprisingly advanced production values for an obscure Midwestern hardcore group. Its rare interviews read more as </span>absurdist gonzo journalism<span style="color:rgb(54,54,54);"> than traditional profiles: The Armed has shown up with </span>blunt-smoking<span style="color:rgb(54,54,54);"> bodybuilders or driving a $200,000 Porsche, handed out false or even </span>stolen identities<span style="color:rgb(54,54,54);">, and provided Hegelian philosophical tangents in response to basic questions like, “Who, exactly, is in the Armed?”</span></p><p>Full feature: <a class="no-pjax" href="https://www.nytimes.com/2023/08/21/arts/music/the-armed-perfect-saviors.html" target="_blank" data-link-type="url"><u>nytimes.com</u></a><a class="no-pjax" href="https://thequietus.com/articles/33315-the-armed-perfect-saviours-review" target="_blank" data-link-type="url"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/s:bzglfiles/u/159790/4a51891488cdecf1e4784856214378b1a37fdf3a/original/21armed-1-kqwz-videosixteenbynine3000.png/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></a></p><p><span style="color:rgb(51,51,51);">“An intense-looking chap is busting out some choreographed moves on a street corner. He has a bandaged hand and what appears to be a head injury. He might not be OK. Although the music is upbeat he dances with a grim concentration that’s a little more emotional breakdown than it is spontaneous joy. He’s also watching himself through binoculars while lip synching ‘Let me hear those lies…’”</span></p><p><span style="color:rgb(51,51,51);">Full review: </span><a class="no-pjax" href="https://thequietus.com/articles/33315-the-armed-perfect-saviours-review" target="_blank" data-link-type="url"><u>thequietus.com</u></a></p><p><a class="no-pjax" href="https://www.thelineofbestfit.com/albums/the-armed-perfect-saviors-gleams-with-ambition" target="_blank" data-link-type="url"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/s:bzglfiles/u/159790/4ac267b46ae775c1740e534ecd2d780b789ad432/original/the-armed-header-aaron-jones.png/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></a></p><p><span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);">"While not an exclusive concept, the idea surrounding The Armed’s fifth album is the truth. Peeling back the ruthless layers of hardcore distortion, the self-professed World’s Greatest Band are further revealing their subterranean pop core without forfeiting any of their principal frameworks. They’ve deftly evolved into a group that could, with the whipping crack of a lightning strike, take over."</span></p><p>Full review: <a class="no-pjax" href="https://www.thelineofbestfit.com/albums/the-armed-perfect-saviors-gleams-with-ambition" target="_blank" data-link-type="url"><u>thelineofbestfit.com</u></a><a data-link-type="url"> <span style="color:#000000;">[9/10]</span></a></p><p><a class="no-pjax" href="https://www.nme.com/reviews/album/the-armed-perfect-saviors-review-lyrics-tracklist-3486803" target="_blank" data-link-type="url"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/s:bzglfiles/u/159790/e1b0b95cf8b2bc88c9fbb3e0410dda1075228908/original/the-armed-2023-credit-nate-sturley-1392x884.png/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></a></p><p><span style="color:rgb(34,34,34);">"For years, Detroit’s </span>The Armed<span style="color:rgb(34,34,34);"> have been the strange, shady oddballs of the US’s bubbling hardcore scene. They’ve operated anonymously for their last three albums, up to 2021’s ‘Ultrapop’, which merged the feral mathcore of their earlier releases with arena-rock hooks — helping to set the stage for the current hardcore scene to become the dynamic, diverse force it is now."</span></p><p><span style="color:rgb(34,34,34);">Full review: </span><a class="no-pjax" href="https://www.nme.com/reviews/album/the-armed-perfect-saviors-review-lyrics-tracklist-3486803" target="_blank" data-link-type="url"><u>nme.com</u></a><a data-link-type="url"> <span style="color:#000000;">[4/5]</span></a></p>Sargent Housetag:www.sargenthouse.com,2005:Post/72535572023-08-07T10:06:40-07:002023-08-07T10:06:52-07:00THE ARMED DROP SURPRISE SINGLE "LIAR 2"<div class="video-container size_xl justify_center" style=""><iframe data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="jLzh7FK5CKY" data-video-thumb-url="" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/jLzh7FK5CKY?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe></div><p>The Armed have released a video for the latest single off of <i>Perfect Saviors, </i>“Liar 2”. They're currently supporting Queens of the Stone Age on their US tour with their own headlining dates kicking off in October.</p><p>Pre-order <i>Perfect Saviors</i>: <a class="no-pjax" href="https://lnk.thearmed.com/TA-PS" target="_blank" data-link-type="url"><u>lnk.thearmed.com/TA-PS</u></a></p><p><strong>Queens of the Stone Age tour (support)</strong><br>8/03/23 Detroit, MI @ Michigan Lottery Amphitheatre<br>8/04/23 Toronto, ON @ Budweiser Stage<br>8/05/23. Pittsburgh, PA @ Stage AE<br>8/07/23 New Haven, CT @ Hartford HealthCare Amp<br>8/08/23 Philadelphia, PA @ TD Pavilion at the Mann<br>8/09/23 Washington, DC @ The Anthem<br>8/11/23 Portland, ME @ Cross Insurance Arena<br>8/12/23 New York, NY @ Forest Hills Stadium<br>8/14/23 Washington, DC @ The Anthem<br>8/15/23 Raleigh, NC @ The Red Hat Amphitheater<br>8/16/23 Asheville, NC @ Rabbit Rabbit<br>8/18/23 Atlanta, GA @ Fox Theater<br>8/19/23 Nashville, TN @ Ascend Amphitheater</p><p><strong>2023 US Headline dates</strong><br>10/19/23 Los Angeles, CA @ El Rey !<br>10/21/23 San Francisco, CA @ Great American Music Hall !<br>10/23/23 Portland, OR @ Revolution Hall !<br>10/24/23 Seattle, WA @ Neumos !<br>11/16/23 Boston, MA @ Paradise Rock Club *<br>11/18/23 Baltimore, MD @ Baltimore Sound Stage *<br>12/15/23 Detroit, MI @ St. Andrew’s Hall ^<br>12/16/23 Chicago, IL @ Metro ^</p><p>Supports:<br>^ Model/Actriz<br>* Spaced<br>! Shutups</p><p>All tickets here: <a class="no-pjax" href="https://linktr.ee/thearmedixi" target="_blank" data-link-type="url"><u>linktr.ee/thearmedixi</u></a></p>Sargent Housetag:www.sargenthouse.com,2005:Post/72436952023-07-18T10:16:38-07:002023-07-18T10:16:38-07:00THE ARMED RELEASE "EVERYTHING'S GLITTER" VIDEO TO PRAISE FROM THE FADER, STEREOGUM, PASTE MAGAZINE & MORE<div class="video-container size_xl justify_center" style=""><iframe data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="T9DoQ72U3r4" data-video-thumb-url="" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/T9DoQ72U3r4?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe></div><p>The Armed have released their “Everything's Glitter” video for the second track off of their upcoming album <i>Perfect Saviors</i> out on August 25, 2023 via Sargent House. Check out the news below:</p><p><a class="no-pjax" href="https://www.thefader.com/2023/07/18/listen-to-the-armed-everythings-glitter-perfect-saviors" target="_blank" data-link-type="url"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/s:bzglfiles/u/159790/4d3278cbdd1a6d8728ec470e62ec114408f83ff4/original/the-armed-studio1-pr5.png/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></a></p><p>The Armed have shared a video for their latest single, "Everything’s Glitter." The song will appear on the band's forthcoming album <i>Perfect Saviors</i>, due out on August 25, and is accompanied by a video in which their live skills are on full display and captured in pastel colors.</p><p>Full article: <a class="no-pjax" href="https://www.thefader.com/2023/07/18/listen-to-the-armed-everythings-glitter-perfect-saviors" target="_blank" data-link-type="url"><u>thefader.com</u></a></p><p><a class="no-pjax" href="https://www.stereogum.com/2230403/the-armed-everythings-glitter/music/" target="_blank" data-link-type="url"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/s:bzglfiles/u/159790/5464081045fc26fd5fc5b2c65d2a900aacfcd1d0/original/unnamed-15.png/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></a></p><p>“Everything’s Glitter” starts with guitar feedback and keeps up an intense, hard-crashing drum attack throughout, but it’s also one of the poppier songs in the band’s catalog. They’re billing it as their version of arena rock, which makes some kind of sense, but to me it sounds like the Strokes gone Super Shredder. Singer Tony Wolski, who co-produced the album and directed the “Everything’s Glitter” video, offers his summary.</p><p>Full article: <a class="no-pjax" href="https://www.stereogum.com/2230403/the-armed-everythings-glitter/music/" target="_blank" data-link-type="url"><u>stereogum.com</u></a></p><p><a class="no-pjax" href="https://www.pastemagazine.com/music/the-armed/new-single-everythings-glitter" target="_blank" data-link-type="url"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/s:bzglfiles/u/159790/77b65af83ab5c7dfa8e3d4d7b4cda5460c55b0a9/original/everythingsglitter-singleart-2-min.png/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></a></p><p>Detroit hardcore collective The Armed have returned with another new single ahead of their new LP <i>Perfect Saviors</i>, which is set to arrive on August 25 via Sargent House. “Everything’s Glitter” follows lead single “Sport of Form,” and it’s a perfect montage of punk and glam rock. With a juxtaposition of delicacy and streamlined, hypnotic energy, The Armed have concocted something wholly unique here. “There’s drama on my tortured brow,” vocalist Tom Wolski sings. “Am I a caricature? There’s just a little between God and Clown. I wanna be an idol you adore.”</p><p>Full article: <a class="no-pjax" href="https://www.pastemagazine.com/music/the-armed/new-single-everythings-glitter" target="_blank" data-link-type="url"><u>pastemagazine.com</u></a></p>Sargent Housetag:www.sargenthouse.com,2005:Post/72348602023-06-29T17:44:12-07:002023-06-29T17:45:11-07:00THE ARMED ANNOUNCE NEW ALBUM "PERFECT SAVIORS" WATCH "SPORT OF FORM" VIDEO, PRE-ORDER & TOUR<div class="video-container size_xl justify_center" style=""><iframe data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="CDzYuADFO8M" data-video-thumb-url="" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/CDzYuADFO8M?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe></div><p>The Armed have released a video for “Sport of Form,” the debut track from their upcoming album “Perfect Saviors” out on August 25, 2023 via Sargent House.</p><p>Pre-orders for exclusive vinyl colors, CDs, and new merch are live in stores <a class="no-pjax" href="https://lnk.thearmed.com/TA-PS" target="_blank" data-link-type="url"><u>here</u></a>.</p><p><a class="no-pjax" href="https://lnk.thearmed.com/TA-PS" target="_blank" data-link-type="url"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/s:bzglfiles/u/159790/ecdf43bfbbeee1c65036d3bb5ab92550c87e011f/original/pos1.jpg/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==" class="size_l justify_center border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/s:bzglfiles/u/159790/533fbdb3816c8a413f22065794324f6ea62b2e5f/original/pos2.jpg/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></a></p><p><span style="color:rgb(67,71,76);">Don't miss their 2023 dates opening for Queens of the Stone Age or their headlining tour. Buy tickets </span><a class="no-pjax" href="https://linktr.ee/thearmedixi" target="_blank" data-link-type="url"><u>here</u></a><span style="color:rgb(67,71,76);">.</span></p><p><a class="no-pjax" href="https://linktr.ee/thearmedixi" target="_blank" data-link-type="url"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/s:bzglfiles/u/159790/06d0bf0196af5d9bf7efb89adcff455068f6dcc8/original/thearmed-tourposter.jpg/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==" class="size_m justify_center border_" /></a></p>Sargent Housetag:www.sargenthouse.com,2005:Post/72331672023-06-27T09:12:12-07:002023-06-29T14:14:38-07:00THE ARMED ARE THE FADER COVER STORY<p><a class="no-pjax" href="https://www.thefader.com/2023/06/27/cover-story-the-armed-perfect-saviors-interview-profile-2023" target="_blank" data-link-type="url"><img src="https://thefader-res.cloudinary.com/private_images/w_1440,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:best/thearmedlatestlatest_gljpdb/cover-story-the-armed-perfect-saviors-interview-profile-2023.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" alt="Cover Story: It’s the Armed’s World and Soon We’ll All Be Living in It" /></a></p><p><span style="color:rgb(34,34,34);">It’s springtime in Los Angeles and the Armed is about to take the stage. The elusive Detroit collective doesn’t perform very often and, since forming 14 years ago, has never played in this major city. People have traveled great distances to witness this rare appearance, and the anticipation in the room is starting to grow intense. A man approaches me in the crowd and slaps a red sticker on my chest that reads <i>HELLO MY NAME IS DAN</i>.</span></p><p><span style="color:rgb(34,34,34);">Full article: </span><a class="no-pjax" href="https://www.thefader.com/2023/06/27/cover-story-the-armed-perfect-saviors-interview-profile-2023" target="_blank" data-link-type="url"><span style="color:rgb(34,34,34);"><u>thefader.com</u></span></a></p>Sargent Housetag:www.sargenthouse.com,2005:Post/70884512022-10-25T12:18:28-07:002022-10-25T12:18:28-07:00ULTRAPOP and ONLY LOVE: The 50 Best Hardcore Albums of the 21st Century<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/159790/504189105a5fa96db9d127568bb01e7b47a21509/original/screenshot-2022-10-25-at-21-09-03.png/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==/b:W10=.png" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
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<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/159790/059b1270816b5cc9a67879dd974fddba976badf7/original/screenshot-2022-10-25-at-21-07-41.png/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==/b:W10=.png" class="size_l justify_left border_" /></p>
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<p> </p>Sargent Housetag:www.sargenthouse.com,2005:Post/70744862022-10-04T14:13:17-07:002022-10-04T14:13:17-07:00THE ARMED "LIAR" LIVE AT PITCHFORK MUSIC FEST 2022<p>The Armed perform "Liar" live in Chicago for Pitchfork Music Festival 2022</p>
<p> </p>
<p><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/CmjHHkpXZeA" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></p>Sargent Housetag:www.sargenthouse.com,2005:Post/70602682022-09-14T12:22:37-07:002022-09-14T12:22:37-07:00THE BLU-RAY OF THE ARMED ULTRAPOP LIVE AT THE MASONIC NOW AVAILABLE<p> </p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/159790/b69964d3397dd0294a98754c5741f260c8fba9db/original/306832101-489236973209875-8986278403213748528-n.jpg/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
<p>The film by The Armed "ULTRAPOP: Live at the Masonic" is available on blu-ray. </p>
<p>“Available for PRE-ORDER NOW. Trust us, seeing the film in all it's glory is worth going physical for this one. Included are glorious full-resolution versions of the "PARADISE DAY," "WITNESS," "NOWHERE TO BE FOUND," "HEAVILY LINED," "FT FRANK TURNER," AN ITERATION," + "AVERAGE DEATH" music videos as well so you can peruse the Dan Greene Saga before enjoying the film.” - The Armed </p>
<p>Digital download of the film is included with blu-ray purchase. </p>
<p>Shipping on or around September 30th. </p>
<p>Available <a contents="Hello Merch (US)" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.hellomerch.com/collections/the-armed">Hello Merch (US)</a> and <a contents="EVIL GREED (EU)" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://evilgreed.net/?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&gclid=Cj0KCQjw94WZBhDtARIsAKxWG-8NSXnX2uVo21PiEeWaWHhb7UY2jEKz09xpn8JRfCP-j8fRRQ_j1AUaAjQ3EALw_wcB">Evil Greed (EU)</a>. Both stores ship worldwide</p>Sargent Housetag:www.sargenthouse.com,2005:Post/70154252022-07-15T06:12:51-07:002022-07-15T06:12:51-07:00THE ARMED RELEASE ULTRAPOP: LIVE AT THE MASONIC SOUNDTRACK. WATCH A VIDEO FROM THE MOVIE FOR "MASUNAGA VAPORS"<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/159790/42bcf187800f8a879891745dd57e0999025fcaf7/original/thearmed-ulatm-standard-cover-small.jpeg/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" />The Armed have released the soundtrack for their narrative-driven, ground-breaking concert film, ULTRAPOP: Live At The Masonic Temple, available digitally and physically via Sargent House. A running combination of score elements from the film and live performances captured in Detroit's sprawling Masonic Temple, the soundtrack features live renditions of songs from their highly lauded LP, ULTRAPOP and cult-favourite, ONLY LOVE, and also includes their CYBERPUNK 2077 contribution “NIGHT CITY ALIENS". </p>
<p>The movie, which was only available to live stream for a short period of time around its 15th October 2021 debut, will come to Blu-ray and video streaming services on September 29th. </p>
<p>Part Lemonade, part Live at Pompeii and fully infused with a sense of Lynchian dread - the movie is a stunningly-filmed cinematic document of live performances taking place within the opulent chapels, imposing asylum rooms, full-size indoor handball courts, halls (and more) of the mysterious Masonic Temple of Detroit; a 550,000 square foot fortress in the heart of the city. Live performance and story-driven narrative melt seamlessly into one another, as the film confronts themes of identity, information warfare, the commoditisation of artistic products and the commodification of the artist. </p>
<p>ULTRAPOP, released in April 2021, received acclaim across the board, gaining the highly coveted Pitchfork Best New Music and praise from The New Yorker Magazine, Vulture, Stereogum, Revolver, AV Club, Fader, Bandcamp, Entertainment Weekly, Interview Magazine and so much more. Reaching the same extremities of sonic expression as the furthest depths of metal, noise and otherwise "heavy" counterculture music subgenres, it finds its foundation firmly in pop music and pop culture. A joyous, genderless, post-nihilist, anti-punk, razor-focused take on creating the most intense listening experience possible.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ZzpoSI5xKLQ" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></p>
<p> </p>Sargent Housetag:www.sargenthouse.com,2005:Post/69983212022-06-21T06:52:46-07:002022-06-21T06:52:46-07:00THE ARMED ANNOUNCE ULTRAPOP: LIVE AT THE MASONIC SOUNDTRACK + BLU-RAY AND MOVIE STREAMING RELEASE DATE<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/159790/42bcf187800f8a879891745dd57e0999025fcaf7/original/thearmed-ulatm-standard-cover-small.jpeg/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
<p>After an initial, limited release late last year of their narrative-driven, groundbreaking concert film, <a contents="ULTRAPOP: Live At The Masonic Temple" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://found.ee/ULATM">ULTRAPOP: Live At The Masonic Temple</a>, The Armed are now announcing the soundtrack release for it, along with release dates for Blu-Ray DVD + digital streaming. The OST will arrive on all streaming services and physically in stores on July 15th on Opaque Red vinyl via Sargent House. The movie, which was only available to live stream for a short period of time around its October 15th, 2021 debut, will come to Blu-ray and video streaming services on September 29th. </p>
<p>ULTRAPOP: Live At The Masonic soundtrack is a running combination of score elements from the film and live performances captured in Detroit's sprawling Masonic Temple and mixed by Zach Weeks at God City Studio. </p>
<p>This release features live renditions of songs from their highly lauded LP ULTRAPOP and cult-favorite ONLY LOVE, and also includes their CYBERPUNK 2077 contribution “NIGHT CITY ALIENS.” </p>
<p>Part “Lemonade,” part “Live at Pompeii” and fully infused with a sense of Lynchian dread - the movie is a stunningly-filmed cinematic document of live performances taking place within the opulent chapels, imposing asylum rooms, full-size indoor handball courts, halls (and more) of the mysterious Masonic Temple of Detroit; a 550,000 square foot fortress in the heart of the city. Live performance and story-driven narrative melt seamlessly into one another, as the film confronts themes of identity, information warfare, the commoditization of artistic products and the commodification of the artist. </p>
<p>ULTRAPOP, released in April of this year, received acclaim across the board, gaining the highly coveted Pitchfork Best New Music and praise from The New Yorker Magazine, Vulture, Stereogum, Revolver, AV Club, Fader, Bandcamp, Entertainment Weekly, Interview Magazine and so much more. Reaching the same extremities of sonic expression as the furthest depths of metal, noise and otherwise "heavy" counterculture music subgenres, it finds its foundation firmly in pop music and pop culture. A joyous, genderless, post-nihilist, anti-punk, razor-focused take on creating the most intense listening experience possible.</p>
<p> </p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/QK-NaeqvO-w" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></p>Sargent Housetag:www.sargenthouse.com,2005:Post/69297412022-03-23T06:16:18-07:002022-03-23T06:41:55-07:00THE ARMED NEW SHOW IN TORONTO<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/159790/b2537ced512bd9af5d20f5c3f6b684ca4e5491fa/original/img-4595.jpg/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
<p>New show added to The Armed 2022 dates. They will play in Toronto, Ontario at Lee's Palace. Tickets on sale on Friday March 25 12PM EST. </p>
<p>THE ARMED LIVE 2022 </p>
<p>March 26 - Los Angeles – The Regent W/ Illuminati Hotties </p>
<p>May 30 - Toronto - Lee's Palace </p>
<p>June 02 - Barcelona - Primavera Sound 2022 SOLD OUT </p>
<p>July 16 - Chicago - Pitchfork Festival </p>
<p>August 06 - Katowice - Off Festival 2022 </p>
<p>August 18 - Charleville-M - Cabaret Vert 2022 </p>
<p>August 20 - Bristol - Arctangent 2022 </p>
<p>Tickets / Info: <a contents="thearmed.com" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://thearmed.com">thearmed.com</a></p>Sargent Housetag:www.sargenthouse.com,2005:Post/69170732022-03-08T10:50:22-08:002022-03-08T10:50:22-08:00THE ARMED WILL PLAY PITCHFORK MUSIC FESTIVAL IN CHICAGO<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/159790/4fbe17b9c3765f4adbdc177aee83283cc44c7832/original/pitchfork-artistannounce-the-armed-instagram-post.jpg/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
<p>New shows added to The Armed 2022 dates. They will play Pitchfork Music Festival in Chicago and Cabaret Vert Festival in France: </p>
<p>March 10 - Brooklyn - The Armed W/ Liturgy At MHOW - SOLD OUT </p>
<p>March 26 - Los Angeles – The Regent W/ Illuminati Hotties </p>
<p>June 02 - Barcelona - Primavera Sound 2022 SOLD OUT </p>
<p>July 16 - Chicago - Pitchfork Festival </p>
<p>August 06 - Katowice - Off Festival 2022 </p>
<p>August 18 - Charleville-M - Cabaret Vert 2022 </p>
<p>August 20 - Bristol - Arctangent 2022</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Tickets / Info: <a contents="thearmed.com" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://thearmed.com">thearmed.com</a></p>Sargent Housetag:www.sargenthouse.com,2005:Post/68641552022-01-10T04:32:59-08:002022-01-10T04:34:20-08:00THE ARMED 'ADULT SWIM FESTIVAL '21' NOW AVAILABLE ON BANDCAMP<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/159790/18e26da3c4516544d33b1c73ad2ba0d68d6b0bc0/original/a1794127341-16.jpg/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" />The Armed "Adult Swim Festival '21" is now available on Bandcamp. The album was recorded live at the Masonic Temple in Detroit, MI for the Adult Swim Festival 2021.</p>
<p>Listen/Buy below:</p>
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<p style="text-align: center;"><iframe seamless="" src="https://bandcamp.com/EmbeddedPlayer/album=2505863925/size=large/bgcol=ffffff/linkcol=333333/tracklist=false/transparent=true/" style="border: 0; width: 350px; height: 470px;"></iframe></p>Sargent Housetag:www.sargenthouse.com,2005:Post/68597592022-01-05T06:47:46-08:002022-01-05T06:47:46-08:00THE ARMED JANUARY SHOWS MOVED TO MARCH<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/159790/dd911c52431dc895a6d0780868455ef2a39d4d25/original/271114988-10166503104085529-4778805505797956567-n.jpg/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
<p>The Armed’s January shows have been moved to March. </p>
<p>The new dates are: </p>
<p>DETROIT - MAR 5 </p>
<p>NEW YORK - MAR 10 </p>
<p>LOS ANGELES - TBA </p>
<p>Message from the band: “We don’t take the decision lightly and apologize if this has caused any inconvenience—but with the chances of these shows actually going off without a hitch over the next few weeks becoming more and more unlikely—we’d prefer to take control of the situation and prevent last-minute cancellations. We know many of you are traveling. </p>
<p>*LA is being figured out literally as you read this but we didn’t wanna wait and not give people enough time to adjust plans who were planning to come out to Detroit on Saturday already. We plan on giving you the date VERY very very soon. </p>
<p>All tickets for previous shows will transfer over. Support is being locked up and will be announced again ASAP. Refunds are available wherever you initially bought tickets if needed. </p>
<p>Again, we know this sucks BUT March is truly right around the corner. Take some time to further prepare yourself for the greatest day of your life, now just 8 weeks further down the road... </p>
<p>ALSO, we will be offering a free digital download EP of the Adult Swim Festival set via Bandcamp later this week for ticket holders. More on that asap.”</p>Sargent Housetag:www.sargenthouse.com,2005:Post/68247532021-11-29T16:27:21-08:002021-11-29T16:27:21-08:00THE ARMED ULTRAPOP 2022 RELEASE SHOWS<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/159790/f7e5b375d86a3f9a9ab33160fb29693f014211e6/original/262377333-10166386158395529-8000797272712445397-n.jpg/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
<p>The Armed ULTRAPOP release shows 2022. </p>
<p>January 8 - Detroit with J.U.S. </p>
<p>January 15 - New York with Liturgy </p>
<p>January 22 - Los Angeles with Show Me The Body + Zulu </p>
<p>Info/Tickets: <a contents="thearmed.com" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://thearmed.com">thearmed.com</a></p>Sargent Housetag:www.sargenthouse.com,2005:Post/68079682021-11-13T01:20:42-08:002021-11-13T01:20:42-08:00THE ARMED ADULT SWIM FESTIVAL FULL PERFORMANCE<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/159790/d4b024ce655101364a3b9703323f0744030a87bd/original/hq720.jpg/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" />Detroit based hardcore punk collective The Armed perform an exclusive set for the Adult Swim Festival.</p>
<p><strong>SET LIST: </strong></p>
<p>All Futures</p>
<p>Masunaga</p>
<p>Vapors</p>
<p>Bad Selection</p>
<p>An Iteration</p>
<p> </p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/l4uNzXnue1c" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></p>Sargent Housetag:www.sargenthouse.com,2005:Post/67817512021-10-20T09:38:03-07:002021-10-20T09:38:03-07:00GO DEEP INSIDE A MASONIC TEMPLE WITH THE ARMED FOR A FASCINATING CONCERT FILM<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/159790/bc7a69bed757a88b4af19ddb5ed1a9e14acacbfb/original/676f615b3a86d4783525e1faceecc039.png/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==/b:W10=.png" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
<p>It’s a truism that most musicians, when agreeing to be filmed in live performance, hope for nothing more than to capture the electric you-are-there frisson generated from a concert. Yet anyone who’s listened to a recording or seen footage of a show they attended knows that’s an impossible ask—and the best concert films generally try to use the cinematic medium to their advantage, creating something different from but as vital as the difficult-to-replicate sensation of watching a great artist perform in person. </p>
<p>ULTRAPOP: Live At The Masonic Temple, the new concert-meets-arthouse-whatzit film from conceptual hardcore band The Armed (which begins digital screenings October 15), splits the difference. There’s a linear but elliptical narrative running through the hour-long movie—as intriguing, and ultimately elusive, as the band itself—but there’s also the musical performances themselves, committed to tape via intimate and audience-free sets. And these are so vivid, immediate, and invigoratingly shot that they come close to that ongoing dream of re-creating the intensity of seeing a great band up close and personal.</p>
<p><em><a contents="Read the full review via&nbsp;www.avclub.com" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.avclub.com/go-deep-inside-a-masonic-temple-with-the-armed-for-a-fa-1847855103?utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=SocialMarketing&utm_campaign=dlvrit&utm_content=avclub">Read the full review via www.avclub.com</a></em></p>Sargent Housetag:www.sargenthouse.com,2005:Post/67607422021-09-29T05:09:33-07:002021-09-29T05:09:33-07:00THE ARMED RELEASE FIRST OFFICIAL VIDEO FROM ULTRAPOP: LIVE AT THE MASONIC TEMPLE. WATCH THE PERFORMANCE OF “WHERE MAN KNOWS WANT”<p style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/8oaa9YOKijY" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></p>
<p>In anticipation of their debut feature film — ULTRAPOP: Live At The Masonic Temple — due in October, The Armed have released an excerpt performance for “Where Man Know Want,” a feature track taken from their most recent album, ULTRAPOP. Filmed in the Tudor Room on the third floor of the Temple — the setting features beautiful chandeliers, incredible woodwork and meticulous hand craftsmanship — all of which is nearly impossible to see, as seven members of The Armed converge on a light-up floor amidst dense fog and a pulsating light show. The band evokes Tin Machine or early 90’s Lou Reed via matching steel Steinberger guitars and vintage Simmons drums and the performance concludes in such hysterics that viewers will instinctively want to stand near the back of the room. </p>
<p>Directed by Tony Wolski and presented by Sargent House ULTRAPOP: Live At The Masonic Temple the film is Part “Lemonade,” part “Live at Pompeii” and fully infused with a sense of Lynchian dread. Live performance and story-driven narrative melt seamlessly into one another, as the film confronts themes of identity, information warfare, the commoditization of artistic product, and commodification of the artist. The film also definitively shines a light on The Armed’s often-mysterious, collaborative structure—revealing an ever-changing lineup over the course of its runtime. The project is a stunningly-filmed cinematic document of live performances taking place within the opulent chapels, imposing asylum rooms, full-size indoor handball courts, halls (and more) of the mysterious Masonic Temple of Detroit; a 550,000 square foot fortress in the heart of the city. </p>
<p>Digital screenings will start 10/15, with a special in-person screening event happening the same day at Detroit’s El Club. Check <a contents="here " data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://ultrapop.live/">here </a>for full screening schedule. </p>
<p>Pre-Order ULTRAPOP: LIVE AT THE MASONIC TEMPLE Limited Vinyl: <a contents="https://www.hellomerch.com/collections/the-armed" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.hellomerch.com/collections/the-armed">https://www.hellomerch.com/collections/the-armed</a></p>
<p> </p>Sargent Housetag:www.sargenthouse.com,2005:Post/67607202021-09-29T04:51:41-07:002021-09-29T04:52:00-07:00THE ARMED WILL PLAY ARCTANGENT FESTIVAL 2022 <p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/159790/9a64168b0109e4439185ac967c00f12852b2b059/original/atg-artwork-final-10am-wednesday-29th-september.jpg/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
<p>The Armed will play ArcTanGent 2022. Tickets on sale now: <a contents="arctangent.co.uk" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://arctangent.co.uk">arctangent.co.uk</a></p>Sargent Housetag:www.sargenthouse.com,2005:Post/67455172021-09-14T07:09:13-07:002021-09-14T07:09:13-07:00THE ARMED ANNOUNCE DEBUT FEATURE FILM "ULTRAPOP: LIVE AT THE MASONIC TEMPLE"<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/159790/dbd08aa47c53ddd7125297f452605278018fc07b/original/9wweymdg.jpeg/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
<p>The Armed have announced their debut feature film ULTRAPOP: Live At The Masonic Temple, an incredible narrative-driven concert film directed by Tony Wolski, presented bySargent House. Digital screenings will start 15th October, with a special in-person screening event happening the same day at Detroit’s El Club. Check here for full screening schedule: <a contents="https://ultrapop.live" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://ultrapop.live">https://ultrapop.live</a></p>
<p>Part “Lemonade,” part “Live at Pompeii” and fully infused with a sense of Lynchian dread - the project is a stunningly-filmed cinematic document of live performances taking place within the opulent chapels, imposing asylum rooms, full-size indoor handball courts, halls (and more) of the mysterious Masonic Temple of Detroit; a 550,000 square foot fortress in the heart of the city. </p>
<p>Live performance and story-driven narrative melt seamlessly into one another, as the film confronts themes of identity, information warfare, the commoditisation of artistic product, and commodification of the artist. The film also definitively shines a light on The Armed’s often-mysterious, collaborative structure—revealing an ever-changing lineup over the course of its runtime as they perform tracks off The Armed’s break-out album ULTRAPOP, selections from their second LP, Only Love and CYBERPUNK 2077 single “Night City Aliens”. The movie culminates in the ultimate catharsis with the entire collective converging for the devastating closer ”On Jupiter.”</p>
<p>Pre-Order ULTRAPOP: LIVE AT THE MASONIC TEMPLE Limited Vinyl: <a contents="https://ultrapop.live/#merch" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://ultrapop.live/#merch">https://ultrapop.live/#merch</a></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/FmgEyUFd-sI" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></p>Sargent Housetag:www.sargenthouse.com,2005:Post/66679562021-06-23T07:16:12-07:002021-06-23T07:16:12-07:00GUITARIST TROY VAN LEEUWEN TALKS HIS GUEST APPEARANCE ON THE ARMED’S ‘ULTRAPOP’ // NEW NOISE MAGAZINE<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/159790/8a78b253a2f426d6038d242b31be5df4aede0b67/original/thearmed-1024x683.jpg/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
<p>ULTRAPOP—the latest record from the Detroit hardcore collective known as The Armed—feels frenzied, but it also features slicky catchy grooves. </p>
<p>The Armed blend scorching hardcore with caustic blasts of pop, soaking their musical ventures in distortion and effects that make the adrenaline-drenched album feel immersive and vigorous. The powerful sound is physically formidable, and the enlivening streaks of energy that rush through the album make it pop like a sudden dance party in the middle of a somehow neon-tinged thunderstorm. </p>
<p>On ULTRAPOP, out now via Sargent House, songs including “Masunaga Vapors” and “Where Man Knows Want” feature particularly whimsical apparent guitar lines whipping through the mix, while “A Life So Wonderful” and “An Iteration” hinge upon comparatively breathable and oddly danceable performances, like sudden rushes of emotionally oxygenating relief.</p>
<p>The album culminates, in part, with cathartically resounding rhythmic blasts on “Real Folk Blues”—where Troy Van Leeuwen, longtime guitarist for the California rock group Queens of the Stone Age, makes an appearance. </p>
<p>“I was entirely unfamiliar, but an extravagant monetary offer came in through my agent. It wasn’t awful, so I decided to go for it,” Van Leeuwen shares, discussing his connection with The Armed ahead of recording.</p>
<p><em><a contents="Full Interview via New Noise Magazine" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://newnoisemagazine.com/interview-guitarist-troy-van-leeuwen-talks-his-guest-appearance-on-the-armeds-ultrapop/">Full Interview via New Noise Magazine</a></em></p>Sargent Housetag:www.sargenthouse.com,2005:Post/66679512021-06-23T07:12:00-07:002021-06-23T07:12:00-07:00INTERVIEW: THE ARMED GUEST DRUMMER URIAN HACKNEY ON ‘ULTRAPOP’<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/159790/74350ea4616e14d6db68e4970d49fd0e8bba7771/original/the-armed-urian-1536x1024.jpeg/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" />LTRAPOP—the latest album from the Detroit hardcore collective known as The Armed—is ferocious, and part of that intoxicating frenzy comes from drummer Urian Hackney, who ordinarily performs as part of the rock band Rough Francis but recorded with The Armed for this new full-length effort.</p>
<p><em><a contents="Full Interview via New Noise Magazine" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://newnoisemagazine.com/interview-the-armed-guest-drummer-urian-hackney-on-ultrapop/">Full Interview via New Noise Magazine</a></em></p>Sargent Housetag:www.sargenthouse.com,2005:Post/66656312021-06-21T07:28:34-07:002021-06-21T07:28:34-07:00WHO THE HELL IS DAN GREENE? // INTERVIEW MAGAZINE<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/159790/eff3acfc28612aa54ff3c7d83cef91b290300062/original/logo-2.png/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.png" class="size_m justify_center border_none" alt="" /></p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/159790/0ddaf3088dcd0006c79565aa63e83580c8f82487/original/screenshot-2021-06-21-at-16-27-07.png/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==/b:W10=.png" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/159790/19f5ef9b241cbc00a9d33a7f2de95a64fbf93492/original/1-dan-greene-by-trevor-naud-scaled.jpg/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
<p>The Armed may be the most mysterious punk band in the world. The anonymous Detroit collective has collaborated with movie stars, finagled its way onto national TV, and duped media publications. Various semi-substantiated rumorsidentify the band’s puppet master as either Tony Hawk or a shadowy corporate ad agency. As a private detective who has unmasked instances of corporate malfeasance, hidden assets, and political corruption, I’ve seen my share of convoluted cases. None are quite like this band. When I trailed them in 2018, a carousel of “members—”some real, some fake— led me on a tour of midwestern fish markets, gambling dens, and ice cream parlors. </p>
<p>While stitching together various new threads of inquiry into the Armed, I stumbled upon a tape-recorded interview with their enigmatic ringleader Dan Greene. Greene has been the subject of much speculation—some believe he’s a shell spokesperson, or a character played by various people, or someone actually named Dan Greene who performs an exaggerated version of themselves, like a punk-rock Nathan Fielder. The truth is probably somewhere in the middle. </p>
<p>I would best describe my relationship with “Dan” as fickle, and my opinion of him as “suspect,” particularly as over the years, the band has presented multiple people as “Dan Greene.” But leading into their new album ULTRAPOP —a terrific blend of hardcore punk, noise, and yes, pop—I promised I would try to write a story dedicated to craft, rather than characters. Unfortunately, many of the recordings I made of those conversations were lost in a late night cell phone robbery outside of a McDonald’s (a story for another time), but these excerpts survived. As with many of my experiences with “Dan Greene,” within moments, this train is off the rails.</p>
<p><em><a contents="Full interview via interviewmagazine.com" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.interviewmagazine.com/music/dan-greene-the-armed-ultrapop#">Full interview via interviewmagazine.com</a></em></p>Sargent Housetag:www.sargenthouse.com,2005:Post/66612612021-06-16T10:46:36-07:002021-06-21T07:24:38-07:00"ON TAKING EGO OUT OF YOUR PROCESS" // THE CREATIVE INDEPENDENT<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/159790/40bc87507283a50c18c614c347a293f1c5227c10/original/screen-shot-2021-06-16-at-10-40-34-am.png/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==/b:W10=.png" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
<p> </p>
<p>The Armed's Adam Vallely sat down with The Creative Independent to discuss vitality in art and the conspiracies that surround the band, among other topics.</p>
<p>Read the full article <a contents="HERE" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://thecreativeindependent.com/people/musician-adam-vallely-on-taking-ego-out-of-your-process/" target="_blank">HERE</a></p>Sargent Housetag:www.sargenthouse.com,2005:Post/66546832021-06-09T15:42:45-07:002021-06-09T15:42:45-07:00"ULTRAPOP" FEATURED ON STEREOGUM - "BEST NEW ALBUMS OF 2021 SO FAR"<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/159790/da207ef1c4445f5da321863c862cd166bce2dd5c/original/50-best-so-far-2021-1623104692-1000x1000.jpg/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
<p>"It’s heavy and immediate, enough to break through an overstimulated modern mind and a stagnant pop landscape."</p>
<p>Read the full article <a contents="HERE" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.stereogum.com/2149054/best-albums-of-2021-so-far/lists/album-list/" target="_blank">HERE</a></p>Sargent Housetag:www.sargenthouse.com,2005:Post/66406412021-05-26T10:22:25-07:002021-05-26T10:22:25-07:00THE ARMED - ULTRAPOP US RELEASE SHOWS<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/159790/6c2a7b23dff4d2d584c893d4cb4cc17f895336ce/original/2022releaseshowposter1.jpeg/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
<p>The Armed ULTRAPOP US Release Shows: </p>
<p>01.08.22 DET - El Club <a contents="(tickets)" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.bandsintown.com/t/102631022?affil_code=js_sargenthouse.com&app_id=js_sargenthouse.com&came_from=242&utm_campaign=ticket&utm_medium=web&utm_source=widget">(tickets)</a></p>
<p>01.15.22 NYC - Music Hall of Williamsburg <a contents="(tickets)" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.bandsintown.com/t/102631025?affil_code=js_sargenthouse.com&app_id=js_sargenthouse.com&came_from=242&utm_campaign=ticket&utm_medium=web&utm_source=widget">(tickets)</a></p>
<p>01.22.22 LA - Belasco Theater <a contents="(tickets)" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.bandsintown.com/t/102631030?affil_code=js_sargenthouse.com&app_id=js_sargenthouse.com&came_from=242&utm_campaign=ticket&utm_medium=web&utm_source=widget">(tickets)</a></p>
<p>Tickets will go on sale tomorrow May 27. </p>
<p> </p>Sargent Housetag:www.sargenthouse.com,2005:Post/66394442021-05-25T05:31:57-07:002021-05-25T05:31:57-07:00THE ARMED WILL PLAY PRIMAVERA SOUND 2022<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/159790/ba66fa2cd7fa63804d33b7d26a51147bd35d1bb4/original/thear2.png/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==/b:W10=.png" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
<p>We’re happy to announce that The Armed will be part of the incredible lineup of Primavera Sound 2022. </p>
<p>Info/Tickets: <a contents="primaverasound.com/barcelona" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://primaverasound.com/barcelona">primaverasound.com/barcelona</a></p>
<p> </p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/159790/607c0ee15c16cc7d613366b4af78d2cb61a84a09/original/191341694-10165749274930529-7151380880418819426-n.jpg/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
<p><img src="safari-extension://C852CC6D-2F67-4793-BF27-CF5F99C45B16/93980a39/holaIconWhite.svg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" id="hola-icon-globe" style="top: 709px; left: 762px;" /></p>Sargent Housetag:www.sargenthouse.com,2005:Post/66353192021-05-20T05:44:33-07:002021-05-20T05:44:33-07:00INTERVIEW: BEN KOLLER TALKS HIS GUEST APPEARANCE ON THE ARMED'S 'ULTRAPOP'<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/159790/a45e2169f801caf84d48575ea1f9a6455fe15037/original/new-noise-logo-2.gif/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJjb250ZW50LnNpdGV6b29nbGUuY29tIn0=/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.png" class="size_m justify_center border_none" alt="" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/159790/913b6eb8fa9e498e32b4c890657d0eb596f58925/original/screenshot-2021-05-20-at-14-31-13.png/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==/b:W10=.png" class="size_l justify_center border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/159790/64c70c3f884b0027b4ec1a99024bcf3e69b87cf5/original/ben-koller.jpg/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" />From his longtime part of the Massachusetts metallic hardcore trailblazers Converge, to his roles in the heavy rock group Mutoid Man and the crust punk crew All Pigs Must Die, drummer Ben Koller is prolific. After recording for the 2018 full-length album Only Love from the ambitious Detroit hardcore crew known as The Armed, Koller returns for their latest full-length effort, ULTRAPOP.</p>
<p><em><a contents="Full interview via New Noise Magazine" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://newnoisemagazine.com/interview-ben-koller-talks-his-guest-appearance-on-the-armeds-ultrapop/">Full interview via New Noise Magazine</a></em></p>Sargent Housetag:www.sargenthouse.com,2005:Post/66333502021-05-18T05:13:38-07:002021-05-18T05:13:38-07:00INTERVIEW: ADAM VALLELY ON THE ARMED CODE AND LATEST ALBUM ‘ULTRAPOP’ // NEW NOISE MAGAZINE<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/159790/a45e2169f801caf84d48575ea1f9a6455fe15037/original/new-noise-logo-2.gif/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.png" class="size_m justify_center border_none" alt="" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/159790/9b0956e7f77430dfe8036e86935d9294971cf267/original/screenshot-2021-05-18-at-14-10-40.png/!!/b:W10=.png" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/159790/040c4e85b0a5cca35f96c351572fbf7fd659b106/original/the-armed-adam-1536x1024.jpeg/!!/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" />Many writers have tried to crack “The Armed Code.” They speculate one who is in the band, what is the intent behind it, and how it operates, among many other questions. Well, Adam Vallely is here to shed a little light on how the band functions, and his role in the functioning of said band.</p>
<p><a contents="Full interview via New Noise Magazine" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://newnoisemagazine.com/interview-the-armeds-adam-vallely-on-the-armed-code-and-latest-album-ultrapop/">Full interview via New Noise Magazine</a></p>Sargent Housetag:www.sargenthouse.com,2005:Post/66263302021-05-10T06:05:25-07:002021-05-10T06:05:25-07:00THE PREPOSTEROUS BRILLIANCE OF THE ARMED ON 'ULTRAPOP' // FAROUTMAGAZINE<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/159790/b4fc7597bdeedd54371b2744e798ac197e5993af/original/screenshot-2021-05-10-at-15-00-40.png/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.png" class="size_m justify_center border_none" alt="" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/159790/54d84434f844ba6569500eb486b9d6a5b32c06a4/original/imnftgja.jpeg/!!/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/159790/92c7abf0640d0cd7947162c720527446b1dbf0c4/original/screenshot-2021-05-10-at-15-01-11.png/!!/b:W10=.png" class="size_l justify_center border_" />Having as many members as a ska group, looking like a mix between Eric Andre’s house band, Street Sharks and an ASOS lookbook, Detroit’s The Armed have gone ahead and made the record of the year while simultaneously trolling, misleading and misinforming anyone and everyone whose taking an interest to them. No one is safe from their incredibly well thought out and put together videos, media stunts and surprise live shows worldwide. From strong-arming all kinds of weird celebrity choices to get in on the joke to crowdfunding for advertisement space in times square, The Armed have managed to come out swinging — pummelling strange industrial/metal/noise/hardcore like Slipknot and not even bothering with the masks and boiler suits.</p>
<p><em><a contents="Full review via Faroutmagazine" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://faroutmagazine.co.uk/the-armed-ultrapop-album-review/">Full review via Faroutmagazine</a></em></p>Sargent Housetag:www.sargenthouse.com,2005:Post/66241432021-05-07T06:33:33-07:002021-05-07T06:33:33-07:00DIFFICULT FUN: APRIL 2021’S BEST PUNK // SPIN<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/159790/9a38aa190e9efcc15f5ef2471b23c22be3724f65/original/screenshot-2021-05-07-at-15-32-13.png/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsInNtYWxsIl1d.png" class="size_s justify_center border_none" alt="" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/159790/bf9353e60e236d7b8e4641edb33e4132f051e7a6/original/difficult-fun-1-1619460280.jpg/!!/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/159790/2e9a836b32fa82efcf142cd222fc6feb05fe1c85/original/screenshot-2021-05-07-at-15-30-15.png/!!/b:W10=.png" class="size_l justify_center border_" />Few punk bands become industry darlings—abrasive sounds appeal to a limited, discerning demo—but The Armed has managed to captivate the attention of even the ficklest listeners. And while critical consensus is for chumps, there’s good reason to listen to ULTRAPOP. The elusive (it remains unclear who is in this band, or how even how many people perform in it) Detroit hardcore collective’s third album is dizzying genius, an at-times incomprehensible combination of strenuous feedback, chiptune-like MIDI, math-y shredding, and delicate melodies, just don’t mistake the latter for restraint. The album opens with acerbic power violence, an industrial noise assault for five disorienting seconds, quickly interrupted with seraphic vocal harmonies and twinkly synths. And that’s just track one. Come for the hype, stay for the Dragon Ball Z and Stéphane Breitwieser-influenced “Masunaga Vapors” and the Metal Gear Solid samples of “An Iteration.”</p>
<p><em><a contents="Full article via Spin.com" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.spin.com/2021/04/difficult-fun-april-2021s-best-punk/">Full article via Spin.com</a></em></p>Sargent Housetag:www.sargenthouse.com,2005:Post/66180932021-04-30T07:12:53-07:002021-04-30T07:12:53-07:00THE ARMED'S ULTRAPOP: MUSIC OF THE MONTH // THE QUIETUS<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/159790/1c09e606b4eb0d083b69db5d502439b62c93f40c/original/screenshot-2021-04-30-at-15-56-04.png/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.png" class="size_m justify_center border_none" alt="" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/159790/fa45fb642c2c477b1d09b9bd0b43c7a2ae343fba/original/screenshot-2021-04-30-at-15-56-13.png/!!/b:W10=.png" class="size_l justify_center border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/159790/ece3d966fa94e8ab199753d90ae632146a7c37a1/original/motmapril-1619730152-crop-550x550.png/!!/b:W10=.png" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
<p>The online cult of personality that The Armed have built around their music is a great deal of fun. Fans buy billboards in Times Square and commission murals in their honour, postulate conspiracies and theories in Facebook and Discord groups as they solve the puzzles the band have been laying for them across their career, and generally have a wholesome time. It's a mark of The Armed's deftness and intelligence that their fandom can remain both obsessive and inclusive at the same time, never bordering on the weaponised toxicity that has scarred 'Stan' culture elsewhere online. What elevates The Armed from the enjoyable to the essential, however, is the extraordinary strength of their art. The driving force behind all their fans energy is music that feels genuinely essential. Ultrapop as the band's Adam Vallely (almost certainly a pseudonym) explained to me last month, is an attempt to take the intensity of the hardcore music the band grew up on, and by injecting it with modern pop's forward-facing maximalism, up its energy even further still, emerging with a brand new genre from which the album takes its name. In the process, they’re gleefully undercutting the hypermasculine nonsense that can sometimes dog heavier music. Sneer at their ambition if you will, but they've succeeded in that mission. Ultrapop is as bold, dynamic and addictive an album as you'll hear all year. <br> </p>
<p><em><a contents="Full article via The Quietus" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://thequietus.com/articles/29911-music-of-the-month-the-best-albums-and-tracks-of-april-2021">Full article via The Quietus</a></em></p>Sargent Housetag:www.sargenthouse.com,2005:Post/66159922021-04-28T06:22:44-07:002021-04-28T06:22:44-07:00THIS IS CONSIDERED A BAND ONLY BECAUSE THAT'S HOW THE WORLD EXISTS. AN INTERVIEW WITH THE ARMED // UNDERTONE<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/159790/2e39942eef584e5b5683a3fe9720bdc83ae4b27a/original/screenshot-2021-04-28-at-15-17-02.png/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.png" class="size_m justify_center border_none" alt="" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/159790/182282f379f2f067a803ccba4e4e7f2620f01182/original/screenshot-2021-04-28-at-15-17-16.png/!!/b:W10=.png" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
<p>We’ve tried to do this interview for so long, I fell into a little deception that this band is known for. As nearly every journalist that tried to talk with The Armed during their ULTRAPOP promo cycle, I was set to talk with some Adam Vallely. Take a look on Instagram, and you’ll find a very nice guy who’s definitely a fan, is pretty aware or even a part of the joke but he’s not a part of the band. And yet for some time I thought I’m going to talk with him and felt pretty ok with that. You know, we’re talking about a band that supposedly pays actors for taking part in their promo shots and plays unannounced concerts on open-mic evenings. Talking with some nice but random guy about them wouldn’t be that weird. But then The Quietus released their interview with Adam and I knew almost everything. Except – of course – who am I going to talk with actually. Turned out “Adam” is one of their vocalists – the muscular guy acting as a frontman in their “ALL FUTURES” video. It was hard not to ask him about his diet and weightlifting (believe me, seems like every other journo did it) but I had too much pleasure listening to him talking with real passion about music, art, expectations, working in a 25-person multimedia project, Cyberpunk and… Zakopane. Sorry, not sorry.</p>
<p><a contents="Full interview via Undertone" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://undrtn.pl/2021/04/this-is-considered-a-band-only-because-thats-how-the-world-exists-an-interview-with-the-armed/"><em>Full interview via Undertone</em></a></p>Sargent Housetag:www.sargenthouse.com,2005:Post/66118342021-04-23T05:01:40-07:002021-04-23T05:01:40-07:00THE ARMED "BIG SHELL" - 10 SONGS YOU NEED IN YOUR LIFE THIS WEEK // THE FADER<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/159790/39f7ed90bbb6d8dcafd4a11aff924cf30290a377/original/screenshot-2021-04-23-at-13-56-48.png/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.png" class="size_m justify_center border_none" alt="" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/159790/c276efa6a880697565d939aef9a4a611b636a0c3/original/screenshot-2021-04-23-at-13-57-59.png/!!/b:W10=.png" class="size_l justify_center border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/159790/4d8c5504a9cd694c72e521c41e855006f2a4aca5/original/screenshot-2021-04-23-at-13-56-38.png/!!/b:W10=.png" class="size_l justify_center border_" />ULTRAPOP, the new album from The Armed, is a Rosemary’s Baby of Depeche Mode-esque synth pop, shoegaze, and death metal. The fangs barely retract for a moment across the project’s 12 tracks, with the intensity peaking right at the middle on “BIG SHELL,” track number six. The track begins with regal electronics and distorted vocals screaming with intensity of a star in Alice Glass’s orbit going supernova. A pure mass of noise follows, swelling and threatening to crush anyone foolish enough to stand in front of where it’s going. — JD</p>
<p><em><a contents="Full article via thefader.com" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.thefader.com/2021/04/22/best-songs-playlist-little-simz-jeff-rosenstock-satomimigae?utm_source=tftw">Full article via thefader.com</a></em></p>Sargent Housetag:www.sargenthouse.com,2005:Post/66103282021-04-21T13:28:18-07:002021-04-21T13:28:18-07:00The Armed: “Heavy music is supposed to be about subversion" // KERRANG<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/159790/99e846675fa95bdd0877f3aab2034f0186d85c45/original/screenshot-2021-04-21-at-22-24-40.png/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.png" class="size_m justify_center border_none" alt="" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/159790/2368b6bf2ca8eb564adb111ca06fde300bc9c78d/original/screenshot-2021-04-21-at-22-25-11.png/!!/b:W10=.png" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/159790/95993e426d98fdc64c14fc2fdb1c872699e560e4/original/screenshot-2021-04-21-at-22-25-03.png/!!/b:W10=.png" class="size_l justify_center border_" />Who exactly are The Armed? It’s a question that’s bugged the hardcore scene since the anonymous, amorphous collective first emerged from the Michigan underground with 2009’s self-released debut LP, These Are Lights. Separating the artist from the art has, for better or worse, become a hot topic over the years since, but rarely has it been so integral to an outfit’s mission – or executed with such absurd, outlandish verve.</p>
<p><em><a contents="Full article via Kerrang.com" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.kerrang.com/features/the-armed-heavy-music-is-supposed-to-be-about-subversion-its-become-about-finding-a-niche-subgenre-then-doing-cosplay/">Full article via Kerrang.com</a></em></p>Sargent Housetag:www.sargenthouse.com,2005:Post/66080132021-04-19T04:25:23-07:002021-04-19T04:25:24-07:00THE ARMED "ULTRAPOP" ALBUM REVIEW // BRING THE NOISE UK<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/159790/7d00e5b9790a801cfc5c10be87fad31344dd8f00/original/screenshot-2021-04-19-at-13-23-05.png/!!/b:W10=.png" class="size_l justify_center border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/159790/638c6ec41003cf08e94c8bfc0420226787e4c1d0/original/screenshot-2021-04-19-at-13-23-14.png/!!/b:W10=.png" class="size_l justify_center border_" />The Armed have built quite a reputation for being almost gleefully obtuse in terms of their existence. Given their previous stunts and strange things they have pulled, such as doing an entire tour consisting of playing open mic nights under different names and hiring actors to portray band members in publicity photos, you could be forgiven for thinking that they are once again misdirecting the audience in announcing their line-up for the first time.</p>
<p><em><a contents="Full review via&nbsp;bringthenoiseuk.com" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.bringthenoiseuk.com/202104/reviews/music-reviews/album-review-the-armed-ultrapop">Full review via bringthenoiseuk.com</a></em></p>Sargent Housetag:www.sargenthouse.com,2005:Post/66061512021-04-16T13:25:58-07:002021-04-16T13:25:58-07:00INTERVIEW: THE ARMED’S CARA DROLSHAGEN TALKS NEW ALBUM ‘ULTRAPOP’<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/159790/d4d51ec2231ae4432db3995a343c199aec8dac7e/original/screenshot-2021-04-16-at-22-21-57.png/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.png" class="size_m justify_center border_none" alt="" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/159790/700ebea9cf7ff4b6458f10df789917c7766c5e22/original/screenshot-2021-04-16-at-22-22-10.png/!!/b:W10=.png" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
<p>To that effect, the band enlisted noted producer Ben Chisholm (Chelsea Wolfe) for this album. For past releases, Kurt Ballou was the main producer. This time, the band decided to change it up a little bit, though Ballou still had a part in the album’s creation. </p>
<p>“Kurt is still very much the executive producer of this album,” Drolshagen says. “So, that hasn’t changed. As for Ben, he’s a genius who understands the math behind the music, and the opportunity to reconfigure its numbers in new ways, to find different solutions.”</p>
<p><em><a contents="Read the full interview via New Noise Magazine" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://newnoisemagazine.com/interview-the-armeds-cara-drolshagen-talks-new-album-ultrapop/">Read the full interview via New Noise Magazine</a></em></p>Sargent Housetag:www.sargenthouse.com,2005:Post/66058172021-04-16T06:59:07-07:002021-04-16T06:59:08-07:00SEARCHING FOR THE ARMED: HARDCORE PRANKSTERS FLIPPING HEAVY MUSIC ON ITS HEAD // REVOLVER<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/159790/fab96bee92e59941f2bc7534d630f680db89674f/original/screenshot-2021-04-16-at-15-56-33.png/!!/b:W10=.png" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/159790/07dde23af2cc07c884d893562676203829920a44/original/screenshot-2021-04-16-at-15-56-39.png/!!/b:W10=.png" class="size_l justify_center border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/159790/54d84434f844ba6569500eb486b9d6a5b32c06a4/original/imnftgja.jpeg/!!/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
<p>Clark Huge is in what can only be described as a compromising position. </p>
<p>I'm on a Zoom call with four members of the Armed, a Detroit hardcore collective who are as revered for their genre-bending intensity as they are notorious for taking journalists through a funhouse of deception: using fake names, hiring actors to pose as band members and responding to pointed questions with confounding non-sequiturs. Three of the members on the call are in relatively normal attire for an interview about their fourth album, ULTRAPOP, but their bodybuilding synth player is shirtless and face-down on a massage table while a woman digs her hands into his bare legs.</p>
<p><em><a contents="Full article via Revolvermag.com" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.revolvermag.com/music/searching-armed-hardcore-pranksters-flipping-heavy-music-its-head">Full article via Revolvermag.com</a></em></p>Sargent Housetag:www.sargenthouse.com,2005:Post/66058162021-04-16T06:55:49-07:002021-04-22T08:30:55-07:00THE ARMED SUBVERT HARDCORE NORMS THROUGH OUTRIGHT CONFUSION // BANDCAMP<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/159790/f5ddfbbc66f3ad5e65c87028062dae998b78eecc/original/screenshot-2021-04-16-at-15-53-44.png/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.png" class="size_m justify_center border_none" alt="" /></p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/159790/54d84434f844ba6569500eb486b9d6a5b32c06a4/original/imnftgja.jpeg/!!/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /><br> </p>
<p>When The Armed released their debut album Untitled in 2015, they humbly described themselves as a “punk rock band from Detroit.” But it became clear within just a few short years that such simplistic descriptions don’t adequately capture the surreal stunts and misdirection that surrounded the band. Figuring out who the band really was soon became the subject of debate on subreddits and internet comment threads. By the release of their 2018 album Only Love, bizarre theories about them had begun to circulate. Among them, the idea that the people in their press photos aren’t actually in the band; or that Convergeguitarist/producer Kurt Ballou is the project’s mastermind; or more broadly, that it’s all an elaborate hoax or performance art project. Everything the band did only furthered the air of obfuscation surrounding them: the absence of personnel listing in their liner notes, live shows featuring a “swamp monster” parading around the audience, a music video starring The Room’s (2003) Tommy Wiseau, and a single titled “FT. FRANK TURNER” with artwork depicting Frank Carter accompanied by a music video also starred the swamp monster.</p>
<p><a contents="Full article via Bandcamp.com" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://daily.bandcamp.com/features/the-armed-ultrapop-interview"><em>Full article via Bandcamp.com</em></a></p>Sargent Housetag:www.sargenthouse.com,2005:Post/66058142021-04-16T06:50:41-07:002021-04-16T06:50:41-07:00THE ARMED'S ULTRAPOP IS NAMED BEST NEW MUSIC // PITCHFORK<p> </p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/159790/f1124550da1d39da1f2006d72127161c88e22b6b/original/pitchfork.png/!!/b:W10=.png" class="size_l justify_center border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/159790/1dc9bf7349e2d4f56c0973e053e1ef76357cd7e7/original/screenshot-2021-04-16-at-15-47-13.png/!!/b:W10=.png" class="size_l justify_center border_" />The third album from the Detroit collective is an exceptional melding of hardcore, noise, and pop. Abstract concepts aside, the Armed makes thunderous and discordant music move with great finesse.</p>
<p> </p>
<p><em><a contents="Read the full review via Pitchfork" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/the-armed-ultrapop/">Read the full review via Pitchfork</a></em></p>
<p> </p>Sargent Housetag:www.sargenthouse.com,2005:Post/66058252021-04-14T00:00:00-07:002021-04-16T07:04:27-07:00THE ARMED’S ADAM VALLELY INVITES US TO EMBRACE THE CONFUSION THAT IS “ULTRAPOP”<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/159790/031216ab18a474968675309016837daa222e2849/original/screenshot-2021-04-16-at-16-02-04.png/!!/b:W10=.png" class="size_l justify_center border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/159790/043e6ca0cd8c2c0e50fc375d9c9a74aab6c7488c/original/screenshot-2021-04-16-at-16-02-16.png/!!/b:W10=.png" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
<p>For a band that’s only three albums into their career, The Armed are certainly carrying a lot of baggage. There’s plenty of fascinating literature about the group spread across the internet, none of which The Armed—who’ve always existed somewhere on a spectrum of anonymity—has really had much to do with beyond a little light instigation. The narrative surrounding the album cycle for 2018’s Only Love notably featured stolen Frank Turner recordings, a music video starring Tommy Wiseau, and a truly surreal profile in VICE that could easily be adapted into an HBO miniseries. Logically, in the age of Q, rampant conspiracy theories were soon to follow.</p>
<p><a contents="Full interview via Floodmagazine.com" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://floodmagazine.com/86997/the-armed-adam-vallely-ultrapop-feature/"><em>Full interview via Floodmagazine.com</em></a></p>Sargent Housetag:www.sargenthouse.com,2005:Post/66028872021-04-13T10:20:31-07:002021-04-13T10:20:31-07:00THE ARMED MAKE THEMSELVES KNOWN IN A BIG WAY ON 'ULTRAPOP' // EXCLAIM<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/159790/924da0f48da9ad24d8fce0656080334294db629d/original/exclaim-logo-svg.png/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.png" class="size_m justify_center border_none" alt="" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/159790/999fbf027197ec8a5be8c8fa30166ec6f3b6aad8/original/screenshot-2021-04-13-at-19-10-59.png/!!/b:W10=.png" class="size_l justify_center border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/159790/3c4207d487e543a873c8c045ae8a93fceddba91a/original/146587805-3418769311565943-3932218879299290073-o.jpg/!!/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" />The Armed are a band known for their elusiveness. The mystery surrounding the extreme group is made up of things like fantastical music videos, Ford commercial nods and intentionally deluding the media about who they really are, all for a greater artistic purpose. It works well for them, and it's all a part of the story that makes the Armed so intriguing, seemingly strivers for a future of music, culture and creativity that's as boundless as their collective vision.</p>
<p><a contents="Read the full review via Exclaim.ca" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://exclaim.ca/music/article/the_armed_ultrapop_album_review?&utm_source=TwitterEDC&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=EDCTwitter"><em>Read the full review via Exclaim.ca</em></a></p>
<p> </p>Sargent Housetag:www.sargenthouse.com,2005:Post/66025252021-04-13T01:00:09-07:002021-04-13T01:00:09-07:00ALBUM OF THE WEEK: ULTRAPOP - THE ARMED // REVIEW BY TREBLEZINE<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/159790/1f147baaa882edc5503ec215527297fdfa4963c6/original/treble-logo-obs.jpg/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_center border_none" alt="" /><br><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/159790/3c4207d487e543a873c8c045ae8a93fceddba91a/original/146587805-3418769311565943-3932218879299290073-o.jpg/!!/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
<p>Imagine: a monster truck bedazzled in rhinestones. Or maybe, rather, Freddy Krueger singing Lady Gaga. No, actually picture getting the wind knocked out of you by a pink stiletto. These are all crude approximations of what it’s like to listen to The Armed, a band with a sound that has been chiseled down to something precise and prehistoric: a sharp shiv of big hooks and bigger guitars. It’s aggro-pop equally appealing to those of us who want to mosh and those who want to scream along.</p>
<p><em><a contents="Full interview via Treblezine.com" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.treblezine.com/the-armed-ultrapop-review/">Full interview via Treblezine.com</a></em></p>Sargent Housetag:www.sargenthouse.com,2005:Post/66025242021-04-13T00:56:30-07:002021-04-13T00:56:30-07:00ULTRAPOP BY THE ARMED IS ONE OF THE 25 NOTABLE NEW RELEASES OVER THE NEXT TWO WEEKS // VULTURE.COM<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/159790/cbb55d22749a1ee3b11a4ec1250b3115670ae11b/original/screenshot-2021-04-13-at-09-49-57.png/!!/b:W10=.png" class="size_l justify_center border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/159790/9d2bdee4eb87ed6506d1b9365a6f9490cf362edd/original/screenshot-2021-04-13-at-09-50-03.png/!!/b:W10=.png" class="size_l justify_center border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/159790/2d3e063ba665106f1e8ffa5ee695977008b00ac9/original/screenshot-2021-04-13-at-09-50-21.png/!!/b:W10=.png" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
<p><em><strong>Ultrapop. Sugar and spice. </strong></em><br>Detroit’s the Armed follows its breakthrough 2018 set Only Love with Ultrapop, a daring collection that mixes the fury of hardcore punk and the disorienting riffage of math rock with a dollop of accessibility that spices up the hooks without diluting their intensity. The shift is both delicate and profound, and it’s bound to convert the unconverted. —Craig Jenkins <br>Sargent House, April 16.</p>
<p><em><a contents="Full Interview via vulture.com" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.vulture.com/article/best-new-tv-movies-books-music.html">Full article via vulture.com</a></em></p>Sargent Housetag:www.sargenthouse.com,2005:Post/65992242021-04-09T07:55:54-07:002021-04-09T07:55:54-07:00THE ARMED’S NEW WORKOUT PLAN // STEREOGUM.COM<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/159790/7f29d85c401873d75c9a33388bbcd5570170f8f1/original/screenshot-2021-04-09-at-16-49-10.png/!!/b:W10=.png" class="size_l justify_center border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/159790/8feb29801c585eaed556e60eced32b9fafaec1dc/original/screenshot-2021-04-09-at-16-49-15.png/!!/b:W10=.png" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/159790/93ad46cef8da0d5d2d4f299555d9d53806abcee1/original/146680925-10160486907658356-7166749213302950265-o.jpg/!!/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/159790/f7533cf5ddc19d64e899c62efc6860e64f6e611a/original/screenshot-2021-04-09-at-16-49-26.png/!!/b:W10=.png" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
<p>The Armed have occasionally frustrated but mostly fascinated the press with constant misdirection about their intentions and identity — the confounding post-hardcore collective’s exploits are well-documentedand worth reading in full, but the sum total portrays them as something like a Tony Hawk-funded ad agency staffed by dozens of people (possibly including Andrew W.K.). Or, possibly the brainchild of Dan Greene, who is actually Kurt Ballou. It was shocking enough that they broke character simply by showing up as themselves in the video for ULTRAPOP lead single “All Futures,” a preview of an album that basically imagines American Gladiators starting Broken Social Scene. More startling is that they looked like that too.</p>
<p><em><a contents="Full article via Stereogum.com" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.stereogum.com/2143439/the-armed-ultrapop-interview-diet-workout-training-bodybuilding/interviews/qa/">Full article via Stereogum.com</a></em></p>Sargent Housetag:www.sargenthouse.com,2005:Post/65968312021-04-07T06:20:34-07:002021-04-07T06:20:34-07:00I DON'T WANT TO KNOW WHO THE ARMED REALLY ARE // DAVIDANTHONY.COM<p> </p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/159790/f01a7197750efacf5768be9d7dc43ea53e169564/original/screenshot-2021-04-07-at-15-15-08.png/!!/b:W10=.png" class="size_l justify_center border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/159790/16c6f4a8b6b0f77037f7f1f99c16523a58937293/original/screenshot-2021-04-07-at-15-15-22.png/!!/b:W10=.png" class="size_l justify_center border_" />In January, I received a package in the mail. The return address was from Detroit, Michigan and the sender’s name was Kanye West. I knew exactly what this was before I even opened it, and it most certainly was not from Kanye West.</p>
<p> </p>
<p><a contents="Full article via&nbsp;davidanthony.substack.com" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://davidanthony.substack.com/p/i-dont-want-to-know-who-the-armed"><em>Full article via davidanthony.substack.com</em></a></p>
<p> </p>Sargent Housetag:www.sargenthouse.com,2005:Post/65960562021-04-06T13:48:31-07:002021-04-06T13:48:31-07:00AT Home with The Armed's Adam Vallely // DANOZZI.COM<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/159790/706cf4dfee9c9da6a045303dc188bbca21df5e17/original/https-bucketeer-e05bbc84-baa3-437e-9518-adb32be77984-s3-amazonaws-com-public-images-e109d97d-be95-498c-baf2-9054b4fb886b-1082x700.jpeg/!!/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" />A chat with the singer of the elusive band that's determined to push the limits of hardcore.</p>
<p><em>Full interview: <a contents="https://danozzi.substack.com/p/the-armed-adam-vallely" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://danozzi.substack.com/p/the-armed-adam-vallely">https://danozzi.substack.com/p/the-armed-adam-vallely</a></em></p>Sargent Housetag:www.sargenthouse.com,2005:Post/65898812021-03-31T05:06:03-07:002021-03-31T05:06:03-07:00THE ARMED RELEASE NEW SONG & VIDEO “AN ITERATION”<p> </p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/159790/45a23c247a530f0ad40693d1f1d33ec8aca433e8/original/4l8hfmjb.jpeg/!!/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" />Was the whole thing really just a dream? <a contents="The Armed" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://sargenthouse.com/the-armed">The Armed</a>, one of the most exciting and innovative experimental hardcore bands of the past decade say maybe it was via their new video for “AN ITERATION”. Featuring a voice-over and cameo from one of the most recognized voices in video game history, David Hayter -- the legendary voice behind Solid Snake in the Metal Gear Solid series -- the video watches the band’s Dan Greene as he comes to terms with the fact that The Armed may only exist in his head. A fever dream of sorts after one too many times falling asleep playing Metal Gear. A scattered timeline of past music videos that centered around Dan Greene, “An Iteration” is full of easter eggs from the band’s history as well Metal Gear Solid.</p>
<p><a contents="ULTRAPOP" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://smarturl.it/ULTRAPOP">ULTRAPOP</a>, available April 16th via Sargent House features work from Mark Lanegan and Queens of the Stone Age guitarist Troy Van Leeuwen, and is the first album co-produced by the band's own Dan Greene in collaboration with Ben Chisholm (Chelsea Wolfe). Kurt Ballou remains at the helm as executive producer. Ultrapop is the genre of music that said album features. It reaches the same extremities of sonic expression as the furthest depths of metal, noise, and otherwise "heavy" counterculture music subgenres but finds its foundation firmly in pop music and pop culture. As is always The Armed's mission, it seeks only to create the most intense experience possible, a magnification of all culture, beauty, and things.</p>
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<p style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/KtfqR3tTMB8" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></p>
<p> </p>Sargent Housetag:www.sargenthouse.com,2005:Post/65825042021-03-23T10:32:54-07:002021-03-23T10:32:54-07:00THE ARMED ON THE COVER OF NEW NOISE MAGAZINE N.57<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/159790/ea5c0735d5a5a957b5de68f8a05bb0569f3e9dac/original/164528447-10165477362455529-3001194422391524433-n.jpg/!!/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" />"The Armed are poised to unleash their genre smashing new record into the world and we’re proud to feature them on the cover of issue 57."</p>
<p>Full article via <a contents="New Noise Magazine" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://newnoisemagazine.com/cover-reveal-the-armed/?fbclid=IwAR3tKtifNL9fAMYY_XT565sTwHkE4m1DkdYCS8eUC3rUQOQ5HHY2NXeHnh4"><em>New Noise Magazine</em></a></p>Sargent Housetag:www.sargenthouse.com,2005:Post/65814532021-03-22T10:42:50-07:002021-03-22T10:42:50-07:00Maximum Intensity: An Interview With The Armed // The Quietus<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/159790/2f5bd66dde00c4cc44fc4115fa9385e32fe01f3e/original/screenshot-2021-03-22-at-18-38-23.png/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.png" class="size_m justify_center border_none" alt="" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/159790/4bd1f3817c2c4fcb41e4ea576028c91367c028a9/original/screenshot-2021-03-22-at-18-38-16.png/!!/b:W10=.png" class="size_l justify_center border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/159790/54d84434f844ba6569500eb486b9d6a5b32c06a4/original/imnftgja.jpeg/!!/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" />Patrick Clarke speaks to a member of notorious Detroit hardcore collective The Armed to discuss the band's cult-like following, how they underwent gruelling bodybuilding diet plans for the sake of art, and how they hope to re-draw the boundaries of hardcore music with new album ULTRAPOP. </p>
<p>Full interview via <em><a contents="The Quietus" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://thequietus.com/articles/29735-the-armed-band-interview-adam-vallely-dan-greene">The Quietus</a></em></p>
<p> </p>Sargent Housetag:www.sargenthouse.com,2005:Post/65697572021-03-10T03:09:49-08:002021-03-10T03:14:02-08:00"AVERAGE DEATH" by THE ARMED on the Sinister Sounds Playlist // Apple Music<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/159790/0c9d2adfe7fc7eefc4fb5d564aaf136ab36b0c49/original/192641666339-2.jpg/!!/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
<p>AVERAGE DEATH", the new single by The Armed was added to the Sinister Sounds Playlist on AppleMusic. </p>
<p>Listen to it <em><a contents="here" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://music.apple.com/us/playlist/sinister-sounds/pl.f72bb902f8684581bb26760069b50e43?i=1547727324">here</a>.</em></p>
<p>ULTRAPOP will be available via Sargent House on April 16th, 2021: <a contents="smarturl.it/ULTRAPOP" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://smarturl.it/ULTRAPOP">smarturl.it/ULTRAPOP</a></p>
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<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/159790/3c4207d487e543a873c8c045ae8a93fceddba91a/original/146587805-3418769311565943-3932218879299290073-o.jpg/!!/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>Sargent Housetag:www.sargenthouse.com,2005:Post/65638412021-03-03T10:10:45-08:002021-03-22T10:44:28-07:00THE ARMED NEW SINGLE 'AVERAGE DEATH' PRESS COVERAGE<h2 style="text-align: center;">THE ARMED NEW SINGLE 'AVERAGE DEATH' PRESS COVERAGE</h2>
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<p style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/O1TvrYAwrBY" width="560"></iframe></p>
<hr><p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/159790/f1124550da1d39da1f2006d72127161c88e22b6b/original/pitchfork.png/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsInNtYWxsIl1d.png" class="size_s justify_left border_none" alt="" /> "surreal, colorful new visual"</p>
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<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/159790/0cf270d46f66f4896545e0f9551832247b120fed/original/bv-1logo-new1.png/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsInNtYWxsIl1d.png" class="size_s justify_left border_none" alt="" />"Both the song and video are perfect examples of The Armed's "anti-punk," anti-genre approach, and it's getting us even more excited for ULTRAPOP, which is shaping up to be one of the most unique rock records released this year."</p>
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<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/159790/11ed9bf7f5f171653a19d1254d2f71f59fce3bba/original/stereogum-logo.png/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsInNtYWxsIl1d.png" class="size_s justify_left border_none" alt="" />"True to the nature of the music (and the video for “ALL FUTURES”), the clip for “AVERAGE DEATH” is something like a metal aesthetic filtered through the bright colors of Pop Art."</p>
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<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/159790/3993206e1261bbefe66a6815cc83dd9269a46f62/original/screenshot-2021-02-01-at-20-09-20.png/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsInNtYWxsIl1d.png" class="size_s justify_left border_none" alt="" />"From striking viral memes to packages sent to music media addressed from Kanye West, the band seems dead-set on mystifying and misdirecting like never before."</p>
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<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/159790/1f147baaa882edc5503ec215527297fdfa4963c6/original/treble-logo-obs.jpg/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsInNtYWxsIl1d.jpg" class="size_s justify_left border_none" alt="" />"The track is a hazy, but heavy blend of the group’s strengths, intensity with accessibility (not unlike “All Futures,” which we recently named an Essential Track), while the video clip, of the band’s own creation, depicts a colorful group of people in garish outfits, smashing cake into their faces. It’s a surreal, artful, wild ride."</p>
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<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/159790/eb9daacff4760e0dc418c979b7d98fdeed584145/original/unnamed.png/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsInNtYWxsIl1d.png" class="size_s justify_left border_none" alt="" /></p>
<p>"The Armed has been fascinating us for years."</p>
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<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/159790/9fb62ef446f41369c894b78608caaff1eca7dd2b/original/screenshot-2021-03-03-at-19-01-02.png/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsInNtYWxsIl1d.png" class="size_s justify_left border_none" alt="" />"As is always The Armed’s mission, it seeks only to create the most intense experience possible, a magnification of all culture, beauty, and things."</p>
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<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/159790/21769afed25348d89e0623af5eb280fc36b481d1/original/screenshot-2021-03-03-at-19-01-40.png/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsInNtYWxsIl1d.png" class="size_s justify_left border_none" alt="" /><br>"It's an experience that your senses will never forget"</p>
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<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/159790/2c4d5b0aa30b15da8bdf25173e01728a13b6de5f/original/screenshot-2021-03-03-at-19-03-58.png/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsInNtYWxsIl1d.png" class="size_s justify_left border_none" alt="" />"The track marries shoegaze guitars with hypnotically pounding drums to arresting effect. The video that accompanies the track is a surreal and colourful affair featuring Clark Huge, flame flowers and a number of other characters."</p>
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<p style="text-align: center;"> </p>Sargent Housetag:www.sargenthouse.com,2005:Post/65626022021-03-02T07:07:31-08:002021-03-02T07:07:31-08:00THE ARMED RELEASE NEW SONG AND VIDEO “AVERAGE DEATH”<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/159790/54d84434f844ba6569500eb486b9d6a5b32c06a4/original/imnftgja.jpeg/!!/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
<p>The Armed have released a new song and video “AVERAGE DEATH” from their forthcoming album ULTRAPOP. Featuring Clark Huge, flame flowers and a colorful cast of characters in incredible wardrobe and makeup--it’s a surrealist, pastel-colored vision of the future of pop that could have only been made by The Armed. The visual reflects the spirit of the album that that band’s Dan Greene describes as “the harshest, most beautiful, most hideous thing we could make." He adds, "We hope this video is equal parts mesmerizing and uncomfortable.” It features guest performances from Nicole Estill (True Widow) and singer Jess Hall. </p>
<p>ULTRAPOP will be available on April 16, 2021 on Sargent House. </p>
<p>Pre-Order / Stream / Download: <a contents="https://smarturl.it/ULTRAPOP" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://smarturl.it/ULTRAPOP%E2%80%8B">https://smarturl.it/ULTRAPOP</a></p>
<p> </p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/O1TvrYAwrBY" width="560"></iframe></p>
<p> </p>Sargent Housetag:www.sargenthouse.com,2005:Post/65616922021-03-01T07:52:59-08:002021-03-01T07:52:59-08:00THE ARMED. WATCH THE PREMIERE OF THE NEW VIDEO<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/159790/d50b2ca7cfbb4781780a99f8b81909b386d0d91c/original/154919775-10165361278170529-4718435044221594906-o.jpg/!!/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
<p>New single and video by The Armed will be out tomorrow, March 2, 2021. Watch the premiere at 10AM EST: <a contents="averagedeath.com" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://averagedeath.com">averagedeath.com</a> </p>Sargent Housetag:www.sargenthouse.com,2005:Post/65397072021-02-07T15:50:00-08:002021-02-09T18:21:10-08:00The Armed 'ALL FUTURES' Single Press Coverage<h3 style="text-align: center;">
<span class="font_large"><strong>THE ARMED NEW SINGLE 'ALL FUTURES' PRESS COVERAGE</strong></span><br><br><iframe class="justify_inline" data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="Fbo21aWFbhQ" data-video-thumb-url="https://img.youtube.com/vi/Fbo21aWFbhQ/mqdefault.jpg" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Fbo21aWFbhQ?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" height="360" width="600" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe><br>click outlet logo for feature</h3>
<p><span class="font_small"><a contents="" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://pitchfork.com/reviews/tracks/the-armed-all-futures/" style="" target="_blank"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/159790/f1124550da1d39da1f2006d72127161c88e22b6b/original/pitchfork.png/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsInNtYWxsIl1d.png" class="size_s justify_left border_" style="text-align: left;" /></a></span>"'All Futures' is melodic, technical, squelchy—it features Troy Van Leeuwen from Queens of the Stone Age and a hook that’s shiny and immense." – Pitchfork<br> </p>
<p><a contents="" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://ew.com/music/music-reviews/friday-five-pooh-shiesty-hayley-williams/" target="_blank"><span class="font_small"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/159790/527734770673d1e65d39ce3dfcb4667f25c228f8/original/1280px-entertainment-weekly-logo-svg.png/!!/b:W10=.png" class="size_s justify_left border_" /></span></a></p>
<p> "Lead single "All Futures" wildly features guitar work from Troy Van Leeuwen of Queens of the Stone Age, which is somehow the least interesting thing about it…It's pop music that doesn't sacrifice a modicum of hardcore's snaggletoothed aggression." – Entertainment Weekly</p>
<p> </p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a contents="" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.stereogum.com/2115164/the-armed-all-futures/music/" style="" target="_blank"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/159790/11ed9bf7f5f171653a19d1254d2f71f59fce3bba/original/stereogum-logo.png/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsInNtYWxsIl1d.png" class="size_s justify_left border_" style="text-align: left; " /></a></p>
<p>"...a satisfying noise-pop blitzkrieg all the same." – Stereogum<br><br> </p>
<p><a contents="" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.revolvermag.com/music/see-armeds-glorious-live-video-new-song-all-futures" style="" target="_blank"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/159790/3993206e1261bbefe66a6815cc83dd9269a46f62/original/screenshot-2021-02-01-at-20-09-20.png/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsInNtYWxsIl1d.png" class="size_s justify_left border_" style="text-align: left;" /></a>"Over the last 12 years, mysterious hardcore collective the Armed have fascinated and confounded with some of the wildest albums, live shows and videos in heavy music." – Revolver<br><br><br><a contents="" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.brooklynvegan.com/the-armed-announce-new-album-ultrapop-share-all-futures-live-performance-video/" style="" target="_blank"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/159790/0cf270d46f66f4896545e0f9551832247b120fed/original/bv-1logo-new1.png/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsInNtYWxsIl1d.png" class="size_s justify_left border_" /></a></p>
<p>“...The Armed walk the walk, as you can hear on ULTRAPOP's killer lead single "ALL FUTURES," which exists somewhere between noise punk and post-metal but really can't be pinned down and is mainly just a total sensory overload.” – Brooklyn Vegan<br><br><br><br><a contents="" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.pastemagazine.com/music/best-songs/best-new-songs-iceage-julien-baker/" target="_blank"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/159790/f35eb5976712a11c4c56ba989bc9403934c547f2/original/paste-mag.png/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsInNtYWxsIl1d.png" class="size_s justify_left border_" /></a>"The Armed’s instrumental firepower is in direct proportion to their ambition, as the song also seeks to catalyze <em>ULTRAPOP</em>’s namesake micro-genre, somehow managing to leave room for melody amidst its sweep-you-off-your-feet squalls of sound." – PASTE<br><br><br><a contents="" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.treblezine.com/the-armed-all-futures-essential-track/" target="_blank"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/159790/1f147baaa882edc5503ec215527297fdfa4963c6/original/treble-logo-obs.jpg/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsInNtYWxsIl1d.jpg" class="size_s justify_left border_" /></a>“The gang vocals, sonic treatments, the sheer momentum and force of the song is the best kind of endorphin rush, one that as much indulgent as it is transcendent.” – Treble</p>
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<p><br><a contents="" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://www.destroyexist.com/2021/02/the-armed-all-futures.html" style="" target="_blank"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/159790/36a922e07515e569314c94b04c7b159373923337/original/destroy-exist.png/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsInNtYWxsIl1d.png" class="size_s justify_left border_" /></a>"The first best thing about <em>Ultrapop</em>, the coming album by heavy punk genre benders, The Armed, is how much it's going to be confusing listeners who will be expecting something different based on the album's cover and title. The other best thing about it is how skillfully the music is being transformed into something weighty and frantic after having been steadily based on an indeed pop underpinning." – Destroy // Exist</p>
<p> </p>
<p><a contents="" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://glidemagazine.com/253233/the-armed-announce-new-lp-ultrapop-featuring-mark-lanegan/" style="" target="_blank"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/159790/406374fb22cacae1d6d7eca379d19418dcd64a59/original/glide-magazine.png/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsInNtYWxsIl1d.png" class="size_s justify_left border_" /></a></p>
<p><br>"<em>Ultrapop</em> is the genre of music that said album features. It reaches the same extremities of sonic expression as the furthest depths of metal, noise, and otherwise “heavy” counterculture music subgenres but finds its foundation firmly in pop music and pop culture. As is always The Armed’s mission, it seeks only to create the most intense experience possible, a magnification of all culture, beauty, and things." – Glide Magazine</p>
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<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>More press: <a contents="CONSEQUENCE OF SOUND" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://consequenceofsound.net/2021/02/the-armed-new-album-ultrapop-single-all-futures/" target="_blank">CONSEQUENCE OF SOUND</a> / <a contents="NPR" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.npr.org/2021/01/21/958840884/press-pause-and-hit-play-the-best-new-songs-you-missed-in-2021?utm_source=twitter.com&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=nprmusic&utm_term=music&utm_content=20210204" target="_blank">NPR</a> / <a contents="KERRANG!" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.kerrang.com/the-news/the-armed-announce-new-album-premiere-all-futures-single-and-live-video/" target="_blank">KERRANG!</a> / <a contents="METAL INJECTION" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://metalinjection.net/video/the-armed-announce-new-album-ultrapop-share-first-single-all-futures" target="_blank">METAL INJECTION</a> / <a contents="METAL SUCKS" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.metalsucks.net/2021/02/04/the-armed-announce-new-album-ultrapop/" target="_blank">METAL SUCKS</a> / <a contents="HE PRP" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.theprp.com/2021/02/04/news/the-armed-recruit-queens-of-the-stone-age-converge-etc-members-for-new-album-ultrapop-debut-all-futures-music-video/" style="" target="_blank">THE PRP</a></p>Sargent Housetag:www.sargenthouse.com,2005:Post/65398232021-02-04T15:41:47-08:002021-02-04T15:42:43-08:00The Armed "All Futures" Single Review // Pitchfork<p><a contents="" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://pitchfork.com/reviews/tracks/the-armed-all-futures/" style="" target="_blank"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/159790/f1124550da1d39da1f2006d72127161c88e22b6b/original/pitchfork.png/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.png" class="size_m justify_center border_" /><br><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/159790/8d3d96390cea081cb7c4c387e56c4f2ab4f2b5c2/original/screen-shot-2021-02-04-at-3-40-33-pm.png/!!/b:W10=.png" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></a>The Armed are a hardcore band that would love to be known as anything but. Over the past decade, the Detroit collective has added layer upon layer of synths, electronics, costumes, short films about an overly enthusiastic karaoke singer, conceptual live shows, subterfuge, and experimental auditions for Stone Temple Pilots with the idea of separating themselves from heavy music’s past and staking out a place in its future. It’s a risky move for a genre that has historically relied on convention, tradition, and scene politics. But with 2018’s Only Love, the Armed separated from the metalcore sound of their early years and grew into something bigger, noisier, more melodic—their deranged idea of what pop music could be. </p>
<p><a contents="via Pitchfork" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://pitchfork.com/reviews/tracks/the-armed-all-futures/" style="" target="_blank">Full feature via Pitchfork</a></p>Sargent Housetag:www.sargenthouse.com,2005:Post/65397082021-02-04T12:55:11-08:002021-02-04T15:52:07-08:00The Armed announce new album ‘ULTRAPOP,’ share “ALL FUTURES” & live performance video // BROOKLYN VEGAN<p><a contents="" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.brooklynvegan.com/the-armed-announce-new-album-ultrapop-share-all-futures-live-performance-video/" style="" target="_blank"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/159790/0cf270d46f66f4896545e0f9551832247b120fed/original/bv-1logo-new1.png/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.png" class="size_m justify_center border_" /></a></p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/159790/85b208b5ae72924599743430924064315925b171/original/145874603-3418769314899276-1470772423531628122-o.jpg/!!/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
<h2>
<span class="font_large">The Armed announce new album ‘ULTRAPOP,’ share “ALL FUTURES” & live performance video</span><br> </h2>
<p><a contents="Feature via Brooklyn Vegan" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.brooklynvegan.com/the-armed-announce-new-album-ultrapop-share-all-futures-live-performance-video/" target="_blank"><em>Feature via Brooklyn Vegan</em></a><br><br>Experimental punk collective The Armed have been one of the most unique heavy bands around for a while now (we named their last album, 2018's Only Love, one of the 100 best punk or emo albums of the 2010s), so it's very exciting news that they've announced a new album, ULTRAPOP, due April 16 via Sargent House (their first for the label). The once-mysterious band are now entirely open about their lineup (pictured above, though Converge's Ben Koller is also a member and not pictured), and the album also features high-profile guest appearances from Mark Lanegan and Queens of the Stone Age's Troy Van Leeuwen. Guitarist/vocalist Dan Greene co-produced the record with Chelsea Wolfe collaborator Ben Chisholm, and as usual, Converge's Kurt Ballou was executive producer.<br><br>"Crafting vital art means presenting the audience with new and intriguing tensions—sonically, visually, conceptually. Over time and through use, those tensions become less novel and effective—and they become expectations," Dan Greene says. "The concept of 'subgenre' becomes almost the antithesis of vitality in art—itself a fetishization of expectation. ULTRAPOP seeks, in earnest, to create a truly new listener experience. It is an open rebellion against the culture of expectation in 'heavy' music. It is a joyous, genderless, post-nihilist, anti-punk, razor-focused take on creating the most intense listener experience possible. It's the harshest, most beautiful, most hideous thing we could make."</p><!-- more -->
<p>That could come off as all talk in a lesser band's hands, but The Armed walk the walk, as you can hear on ULTRAPOP's killer lead single "ALL FUTURES," which exists somewhere between noise punk and post-metal but really can't be pinned down and is mainly just a total sensory overload. (It's also one of the songs featuring Troy Van Leeuwen.) Continuing the theme of no longer being a "mysterious" band, the video for the song is a live-in-studio performance video that puts the actual people front and center. It's very cool, and it's really making us wish live music would return soon. (They have Europe dates scheduled for this fall, which are listed below, fingers crossed that it's safe to tour by then.) Check it out below.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><iframe class="justify_inline" data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="Fbo21aWFbhQ" data-video-thumb-url="https://img.youtube.com/vi/Fbo21aWFbhQ/mqdefault.jpg" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Fbo21aWFbhQ?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" height="360" width="600" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe><br><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/159790/3c4207d487e543a873c8c045ae8a93fceddba91a/original/146587805-3418769311565943-3932218879299290073-o.jpg/!!/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
<p>The Armed Lineup <br>Jonni Randall - Vocals + Bass <br>Chris Slorach - Vocals + Guitar <br>Dan Greene - Guitar + Vocals <br>Adam Vallely - Guitar + Vocals <br>Dan Stolarski - Guitar + Vocals <br>Clark Huge - Synthesizers <br>Urian Hackney - Drums <br>Ben Koller - Drums <br>Cara Drolshagen - Vocals </p>
<p>ULTRAPOP Tracklist <br>ULTRAPOP <br>ALL FUTURES <br>MASUNAGA VAPORS <br>A LIFE SO WONDERFUL <br>AN ITERATION <br>BIG SHELL <br>AVERAGE DEATH <br>FAITH IN MEDICATION <br>WHERE MAN KNOWS WANT <br>REAL FOLK BLUES <br>BAD SELECTION <br>THE MUSIC BECOMES A SKULL </p>
<p>The Armed -- 2021 Tour Dates <br>10/09/21 - Bristol, England - The Exchange <br>10/10/21 - Birmingham, England - Dead Wax <br>10/11/21 - Dublin, Ireland - Whelan’s <br>10/12/21 - Manchester, England - YES <br>10/13/21 - Glasgow, Scotland - Temple of Boom <br>10/14/21 - Leeds, England - Temple Of Boom <br>10/15/21 - London, England - MOTH Club <br>10/16/21- Brighton, England - The Green Door Store <br>10/18 /21 - Antwerp, Belgium - TRIX <br>10/19/21 - Reims, France - La Cartonnerie <br>10/20/21 - Lorient, France - I’Hydrophone <br>10/21/21 - Nantes, France - Stereolux <br>10/22/21 - Rouen, France - Le 106 <br>10/23/21 - Paris. France - La Boule Noire</p>Sargent Housetag:www.sargenthouse.com,2005:Post/65395692021-02-04T11:08:22-08:002021-02-04T11:08:23-08:00THE ARMED ANNOUNCES ALBUM "ULTRAPOP" WITH LEAD SINGLE 'ALL FUTURES'<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/159790/3c4207d487e543a873c8c045ae8a93fceddba91a/original/146587805-3418769311565943-3932218879299290073-o.jpg/!!/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/159790/85b208b5ae72924599743430924064315925b171/original/145874603-3418769314899276-1470772423531628122-o.jpg/!!/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" />We’re happy to announce <em>ULTRAPOP</em> the new album by <a contents="The Armed" data-link-label="The Armed" data-link-type="page" href="/the-armed">The Armed</a> that will be available on April 16th via Sargent House. It features guest appearances from Mark Lanegan, Troy Van Leeuwen, Eva Spence, Kurt Ballou, <a contents="Ben Chisholm" data-link-label="Ben Chisholm " data-link-type="page" href="/ben-chisholm" target="_blank">Ben Chisholm</a> and many more. The new single "ALL FUTURES (ft. Troy Van Leeuwen)" is streaming now. Pre-orders for the album available now at Hello Merch and EU/UK EVIL GREED. <a contents='Live music video of "ALL FUTURES"' data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://youtu.be/Fbo21aWFbhQ" target="_blank">Live music video of "ALL FUTURES"</a> is also available now. <br>Listen/watch/buy: <a contents="www.smarturl.it/ULTRAPOP" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://www.smarturl.it/ULTRAPOP" style="" target="_blank">www.smarturl.it/ULTRAPOP</a></p>Sargent Housetag:www.sargenthouse.com,2005:Post/65345112021-01-29T17:03:20-08:002021-01-29T17:03:20-08:00Five Insane Theories About THE ARMED And Why You Should Care // Metal Injection<p><br><a contents="" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://metalinjection.net/editorials/five-insane-theories-about-the-armed-and-why-you-should-care-an-expose-on-the-high-art-of-hardcores-best-kept-secret?fbclid=IwAR3ub4ocr6OKzXbS4yJUhpTdcLyOVJpiAR4q-itBMhPoPLZ-xkjZVI_3Ru8" target="_blank"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/159790/eb9daacff4760e0dc418c979b7d98fdeed584145/original/unnamed.png/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.png" class="size_m justify_center border_" /></a><a contents="" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://metalinjection.net/editorials/five-insane-theories-about-the-armed-and-why-you-should-care-an-expose-on-the-high-art-of-hardcores-best-kept-secret?fbclid=IwAR3ub4ocr6OKzXbS4yJUhpTdcLyOVJpiAR4q-itBMhPoPLZ-xkjZVI_3Ru8" target="_blank"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/159790/939adff4ff712f8c2efa8f90ab0bca946c1481ff/original/screen-shot-2021-01-29-at-4-59-07-pm.png/!!/b:W10=.png" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></a><a contents="" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://metalinjection.net/editorials/five-insane-theories-about-the-armed-and-why-you-should-care-an-expose-on-the-high-art-of-hardcores-best-kept-secret?fbclid=IwAR3ub4ocr6OKzXbS4yJUhpTdcLyOVJpiAR4q-itBMhPoPLZ-xkjZVI_3Ru8" style="" target="_blank"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/159790/3e0255ecfd7d8f2df4462b3f26d1d1cc7ea9553b/original/screen-shot-2021-01-29-at-4-57-22-pm.png/!!/b:W10=.png" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></a>The Armed is a band pushing the boundaries of hardcore, math rock, punk, and even elements of pop. Their critically acclaimed 2018 Release, <em>ONLY LOVE</em>, garnered attention across mainstream and niche markets alike. But, through the adoration for their dazzling showmanship, intriguing misdirect, and polished exports, we’re merely touching the tip of the iceberg to the question on everyone’s mind, “Who the fuck are these guys?”</p>
<p>Recently a cult-like website has emerged entirely focused on unconfirmed band member, Dan Greene. In addition, a <a contents="Discord channel" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://discord.gg/FNXdeR58Ff" target="_blank">Discord channel</a> surfaced in which super fans have been engaged in voracious detective work ahead of the band’s anticipated follow-up.</p>
<p><a contents="Full feature via Metal Injection" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://metalinjection.net/editorials/five-insane-theories-about-the-armed-and-why-you-should-care-an-expose-on-the-high-art-of-hardcores-best-kept-secret?fbclid=IwAR3ub4ocr6OKzXbS4yJUhpTdcLyOVJpiAR4q-itBMhPoPLZ-xkjZVI_3Ru8" target="_blank"><em>Full feature via Metal Injection</em></a></p>Sargent Housetag:www.sargenthouse.com,2005:Post/64972022020-12-11T10:17:49-08:002020-12-11T10:17:49-08:00The Armed New Track "Night City Aliens" // Cyberpunk 2077 Soundtrack<p><a contents="The Armed" data-link-label="The Armed" data-link-type="page" href="/the-armed" style="" target="_blank"><iframe class="justify_inline" data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="ykXEppvKyog" data-video-thumb-url="https://img.youtube.com/vi/ykXEppvKyog/mqdefault.jpg" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ykXEppvKyog?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" height="350" width="600" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe><br><br>The Armed</a> is BACK with a NEW TRACK - "Night City Aliens" out NOW on the <a contents="Cyberpunk 2077" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.cyberpunk.net/us/en/" target="_blank">Cyberpunk 2077</a> Vol 1 Soundtrack along with many other favorites. Available for stream & on youtube: <a contents="https://youtu.be/ykXEppvKyog" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://youtu.be/ykXEppvKyog" style="" target="_blank">https://youtu.be/ykXEppvKyog</a></p>Sargent Housetag:www.sargenthouse.com,2005:Post/63056052020-05-05T10:55:36-07:002020-05-05T11:18:05-07:00The Armed "Only Love" Available For Pre-Order<p><a contents="https://www.hellomerch.com/collections/the-armed" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.hellomerch.com/collections/the-armed"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/159790/a7bcc6b6acf42dce8d1f8b4ce4b9eea6af82c02b/original/armed.jpg/!!/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></a></p>
<p>Sargent House has officially launched pre-orders for the reissue of The Armed's seminal album "Only Love". Available on traditional black vinyl and limited edition neon green. New shirt designs have also been added to the store. </p>
<p><a contents="US Store" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.hellomerch.com/collections/the-armed" target="_blank">US Store</a> (ships worldwide) / <a contents="EU Store" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://evilgreed.net/collections/the-armed" target="_blank">EU Store</a></p>Sargent Housetag:www.sargenthouse.com,2005:Post/62592792020-03-23T11:46:04-07:002020-03-23T11:46:04-07:00THE ARMED LAUNCH "ISOLATE/CREATE" PLATFORM // Revolver<p><a contents="" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.revolvermag.com/music/armed-launch-isolatecreate-platform-chelsea-wolfe-converge-pelican-more" target="_blank"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/159790/53a20035442b8490bd592b770c2e4e002765ab36/original/revolver-logo.jpg/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_center border_" /></a></p>
<h2>
<a contents="" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.revolvermag.com/music/armed-launch-isolatecreate-platform-chelsea-wolfe-converge-pelican-more" target="_blank"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/159790/7c44a4a18ee5bfcf28be74ac8cee113d77b91b2a/original/screen-shot-2020-03-23-at-11-33-51-am.png/!!/b:W10=.png" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></a><a contents="" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.revolvermag.com/music/armed-launch-isolatecreate-platform-chelsea-wolfe-converge-pelican-more" target="_blank"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/159790/bfeb8fe5481f8c3050815d5a2be5530488f15be9/original/thearmed-2019pr-2cropped.jpg/!!/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></a>
</h2>
<p>Last week, experimental post-hardcore collective <a contents="The Armed" data-link-label="The Armed" data-link-type="page" href="/the-armed" target="_blank">The Armed</a> released a rough mix of an unfinished track titled "<a contents="Apocalypse Song" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.apocalypsesong.com/" target="_blank">Apocalypse Song</a>," offering it up for fans to download and collaborate on while they stay home and social-distance themselves during the coronavirus pandemic. Other artists saw the project and wanted to take part. From that seed of an idea, the group has now launched an interactive platform they've dubbed <a contents="ISOLATE/CREATE" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.isolatecreate.com/" target="_blank"><strong>ISOLATE/CREATE</strong></a>. As of launch, <a contents="Chelsea Wolfe" data-link-label="Chelsea Wolfe" data-link-type="page" href="/chelsea-wolfe" target="_blank">Chelsea Wolfe</a>, Converge, La Dispute, Pelican, Slow Mass and others have all contributed stems, multi-track sessions, RPG games and/or video files to "spark creativity and inspire digital collaboration."</p>
<p>"It's easy to feel very helpless right now in light of recent global events," the Armed said in a joint statement. "With limited resources and income opportunities dwindling by the day, it's hard to know what exactly anyone can do to help. Well, according to science and simple math (two pretty solid authorities), the biggest thing most of us can do for each other right now is stay in and chill. This, of course, can have its own depressing implications. </p>
<p>"We've gotten together with some of our friends (virtually, of course) to perhaps make things just a little more bearable. And maybe even pretty great. </p>
<p>"ISOLATE/CREATE is a free resource that provides creatives (and fans in general) with access to digital assets to spark creativity and inspire digital collaboration, all while still practicing responsible social distancing and helping to flatten the curve. </p>
<p>"Right now, you can check out stems, full multitrack sessions and artwork files from Converge, Chelsea Wolfe, Deaf Club, La Dispute, Pelican, Slow Mass, yours truly and more. We hope to keep going with semi-regular updates from even more contributors to help all of us stay busy and creative on our own, together. </p>
<p>"So stay at home and make something cool. All for the greater good of stopping the literal apocalypse. </p>
<p>"Alright ... Let's all get to work."</p>
<p><br><em><a contents="via Revolver" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.revolvermag.com/music/armed-launch-isolatecreate-platform-chelsea-wolfe-converge-pelican-more" target="_blank">via Revolver</a></em></p>Sargent Housetag:www.sargenthouse.com,2005:Post/62524622020-03-17T11:32:01-07:002020-03-17T11:32:01-07:00The Armed "APOCALYPSE SONG" public collaboration<p><a contents="" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.apocalypsesong.com/" target="_blank"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/159790/eb724438b4400fa8b3cf427b23e8ded946380f77/original/90486104-10163575541530529-5018694853316313088-n.jpg/!!/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></a>The Armed has released a rough mix of their unfinished song "Apocalypse Song" for the public to download and collaborate on. </p>
<p>Go get creative <a contents="www.apocalypsesong.com" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.apocalypsesong.com/" target="_blank">www.apocalypsesong.com</a></p>Sargent Housetag:www.sargenthouse.com,2005:Post/58735212019-08-28T16:37:07-07:002019-08-28T16:37:07-07:00THE ARMED ON THE 50 BEST AMERICAN HARDCORE BANDS RIGHT NOW // KERRANG!<p><a contents="" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.kerrang.com/features/the-50-best-american-hardcore-bands-right-now/" target="_blank"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/159790/c9f097a607933b069fceb30b908f0cb547d39be6/original/3174-1504128269.png/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.png" class="size_m justify_center border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/159790/2da50b552287d0330b8fae7a8aecf236264adde2/original/best-american-hardcore-header.jpg/!!/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/159790/9168f86d758ee7d17de697bebb40979f5bd2f8b6/original/screen-shot-2019-08-28-at-4-25-48-pm.png/!!/b:W10=.png" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></a><a contents="(Full feature via Kerrang!)" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.kerrang.com/features/the-50-best-american-hardcore-bands-right-now/" target="_blank">(via Kerrang!)</a></p>
<h2><span class="font_large">15. <a contents="THE ARMED" data-link-label="The Armed" data-link-type="page" href="/the-armed" target="_blank">THE ARMED</a> </span></h2>
<p>The Armed are bending and breaking hardcore into something entirely new. The Detroit collective’s absolutely essential 2018 opus <em>Only Love </em>paints Botch-indebted hardcore erraticism with streaks of synths, pulsating drum machines, and shockingly hooky alt-metal vocal melodies. The band are infamous for their rotating lineup of (mostly) anonymous contributors, although Converge’s Kurt Ballou has been outed as the project’s orchestrator. Although there’s no shortage of mosh-worthy riffs throughout their varied discography, they’re one of the few bands on this list that are best absorbed in solitude through a nice pair of headphones. Their sound is incredibly detailed and you don’t want to miss a note.</p>Sargent Housetag:www.sargenthouse.com,2005:Post/57907992019-06-13T13:44:06-07:002019-06-13T13:44:45-07:00A Brief History of Mathcore In Ten Albums ft. Only Love // bandcamp<p style="text-align: center;"><a contents="" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://daily.bandcamp.com/2019/06/12/mathcore-guide/" target="_blank"><img src="https://66.media.tumblr.com/0f1cd56d471a94523d972def2f6cfbec/tumblr_inline_pt21bcMLkz1qbzv4w_540.png" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="image" /></a><br><span class="font_large">A Brief History of Mathcore In Ten Albums</span><br><iframe seamless="" src="https://bandcamp.com/EmbeddedPlayer/album=1291208293/size=large/bgcol=ffffff/linkcol=0687f5/tracklist=false/artwork=small/transparent=true/" style="border: 0; width: 100%; height: 120px;">ONLY LOVE by The Armed</iframe></p>
<p><a contents="(via bandcamp)" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://daily.bandcamp.com/2019/06/12/mathcore-guide/" target="_blank">(via bandcamp)</a><br><br><a href="sargenthouse.com/the-armed">The Armed</a><br><a href="https://thearmed.bandcamp.com/album/only-love">ONLY LOVE</a></p>
<p>Pseudo-anonymous Detroit collective The Armed specialize in two things: crazy music, and <a href="https://www.metrotimes.com/detroit/the-armed-have-a-message-of-love-perfectly-suited-for-the-disinformation-age/Content?oid=11685653">even crazier offstage antics</a>. It’s easy to let the latter overshadow the former, but if there were any doubts regarding the group’s dedication to musical experimentation, they were quickly quelled by 2018’s masterful Only Love. The whirlwind grooves of mathcore might be soldered into album’s DNA, but it’s the cyberpunk synths, atmospheric flourishes, and occasional pop melodies that make it an otherworldly listen.</p>Sargent Housetag:www.sargenthouse.com,2005:Post/57907972019-06-07T13:35:00-07:002020-03-23T11:51:20-07:00“FT. FRANK TURNER” on Best New Songs Right Now // Revolver<p style="text-align: center;"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/159790/53a20035442b8490bd592b770c2e4e002765ab36/original/revolver-logo.jpg/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_center border_" /><a contents="" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.revolvermag.com/music/6-best-new-songs-right-now-6719?fbclid=IwAR2VETsbcz2DV8w2SXRVOCQIAb0ds2Si-jPdWIOty7OFdpAqOkNBkMGBUHI" target="_blank"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/159790/a14019cc8419c0d83d2f9432362aff5188e47c8a/original/screen-shot-2019-06-11-at-4-45-23-pm.png/!!/b:W10=.png" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></a></p>
<p><a contents="via Revolver" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.revolvermag.com/music/6-best-new-songs-right-now-6719?fbclid=IwAR2VETsbcz2DV8w2SXRVOCQIAb0ds2Si-jPdWIOty7OFdpAqOkNBkMGBUHI" target="_blank"><em>via Revolver</em></a><br><br><strong>The Armed - "FT. FRANK TURNER"</strong> Obvious trolling aside, <a contents="the Armed" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.facebook.com/thearmed" target="_blank">the Armed</a>'s new track "Ft. Frank Turner" (it doesn't) is a vicious, bile-spewing sprint to the finish line with only brief breaks in the onslaught of aural violence. If it all seems too much to handle, don't worry: The piercing savagery doesn't overstay its welcome, but leaves an impression like a boot print to the forehead all the same.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="364" id="youtube_iframe" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/TXAbE870b8Y?feature=oembed&enablejsapi=1&origin=https://safe.txmblr.com&wmode=opaque" width="600"></iframe></p>Sargent Housetag:www.sargenthouse.com,2005:Post/57820912019-06-06T08:50:03-07:002019-06-13T13:35:44-07:00The Armed Signed to Sargent House + Video for New Song “FT. FRANK TURNER” // Pitchfork<figure class="tmblr-full" data-orig-height="173" data-orig-width="1000"><p style="text-align: center;"><a contents="" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://pitchfork.com/news/watch-the-armed-video-for-new-song-ft-frank-turner/" target="_blank"><img src="https://66.media.tumblr.com/b9488a71bdab3d3a5d995768cd77b6fa/tumblr_inline_psop7bHBHG1qbzv4w_540.png" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="image" /></a></p></figure>
<figure class="tmblr-full" data-orig-height="209" data-orig-width="801"><p style="text-align: center;"><a contents="" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://pitchfork.com/news/watch-the-armed-video-for-new-song-ft-frank-turner/" target="_blank"><img src="https://66.media.tumblr.com/38128c341a2d37c63d906e13583f131d/tumblr_inline_psop12WWsM1qbzv4w_540.png" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="image" /></a></p></figure>
<figure class="tmblr-full" data-orig-height="395" data-orig-width="790"><a contents="" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://pitchfork.com/news/watch-the-armed-video-for-new-song-ft-frank-turner/" target="_blank"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/159790/4913a51bcd0ed58c36677b26dd6d4606ea5263a3/original/the-armed.jpg/!!/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></a></figure>
<p><a href="https://pitchfork.com/news/watch-the-armed-video-for-new-song-ft-frank-turner/">(via Pitchfork)</a><br><br>Detroit punk/hardcore/experimental collective <a href="https://pitchfork.com/artists/32991-the-armed/">the Armed</a> have shared the music video for their new song “<a href="https://smarturl.it/FTFRANKTURNER">FT. FRANK TURNER</a>” (which came out yesterday, June 5, as part of <a href="https://www.adultswim.com/music/singles-2018/42">Adult Swim’s ongoing Singles series</a>). Check out the clip, directed by <a href="https://www.behance.net/tonywolski">Tony Wolski</a>, below.</p>
<p>Along with the music video, the Armed have announced that they’ve signed with <a href="https://sargenthouse.com/">Sargent House</a>. Check out the group’s upcoming tour schedule below.</p>
<p>“FT. FRANK TURNER” is the Armed’s first track since last year’s <a href="https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/the-armed-only-love/">Only Love</a>. The music video for that LP’s “<a href="https://pitchfork.com/news/the-rooms-tommy-wiseau-stars-in-the-armeds-new-video-watch/">Role Models</a>” starred Tommy Wiseau, director and star of The Room.</p>
<p>See where Only Love fell on Pitchfork’s “<a href="https://pitchfork.com/features/lists-and-guides/the-best-metal-albums-of-2018/">The Best Metal Albums of 2018</a>.”</p>
<figure class="tmblr-embed tmblr-full" data-orig-height="364" data-orig-width="600" data-provider="youtube" data-url="https%3A%2F%2Fyoutu.be%2FTXAbE870b8Y"><p style="text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" frameborder="0" height="364" id="youtube_iframe" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/TXAbE870b8Y?feature=oembed&enablejsapi=1&origin=https://safe.txmblr.com&wmode=opaque" width="600"></iframe></p></figure>
<p>The Armed:</p>
<p>07-06 Roskilde, Denmark - Roskilde Festival<br>07-12 Montmartin-Sur-Mer, France - Chauffer Dans La Noirceur<br>07-13 Upcote Farm, England - 2000trees Music Festival<br>09-12 Philadelphia, PA - PhilaMOCA<br>09-13 New York, NY - Saint Vitus<br>09-14 Boston, MA - Great Scott<br>09-20 Toronto, Ontario - Hard Luck<br>09-21 Montreal, Quebec - Turbo Haus</p>Sargent Housetag:www.sargenthouse.com,2005:Post/57813732019-06-05T15:41:00-07:002019-06-05T15:41:00-07:00The Armed release FT. FRANK TURNER via Adult Swim<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/159790/0737809b47955f3ef1e2e014968ba7f19d3a29ca/original/ftfranturner.jpg/!!/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" />The Armed have released a new song via <a contents="Adult Swim" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.adultswim.com/music/singles-2018/42?fbclid=IwAR26LykchJHTwB2sXQDtIF1gKNUlQZvIhKgh_JdTXVJ4fE2K8dv8iTkgA-w" target="_blank">Adult Swim</a> called FT. FRANK TURNER</p>Sargent Housetag:www.sargenthouse.com,2005:Post/57813882018-11-15T15:55:00-08:002020-01-13T17:59:01-08:00Baffling-but-brilliant hardcore mob The Armed up the weird factor in their new ‘Heavily Lined’ video // NME<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/159790/68316933a858ecd0c9b7e98fdad3936763108fe9/original/rev-nme-web-80px-1.png/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsInNtYWxsIl1d.png" class="size_s justify_center border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/159790/6fb37f2ce83f906fa6174a859994fee0cc8801e3/original/the-armed-heavily-lined-video-920x584.png/!!/b:W10=.png" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
<p><span class="font_large"><strong>No one really knows if this band even exist - but if they do, they're fucking essential</strong></span></p>
<p>Mystery’s played out, apparently. No one cares if you’ve got no press photos anymore, or if you go by a pseudonym or a single letter. Jungle did it best, and we’re all fed up with it, right? Wrong. Just ask The Armed. </p>
<p>There’s very little to know about The Armed, because any information they do give out feels like it could be a joke. Within the hardcore scene, they’re already near-legendary, their ‘Only Love’ LP warping the boundaries of the genre, while granting them the attention and adoration of iconic scene figures like Converge’s Kurt Ballou. Oh, and somehow, they appeared on a Ford advert. Nope, no idea how either. The whole thing would feel like an exercise in irony, if there wasn’t so much conviction backing their every move. They’re like the KLF, but with mosh-pits rather than money piles. </p>
<p>The closest anyone’s ever got to the group came with a recent Noisey interview, which, to be honest, only posed more questions. There’s countless cases of mistaken (or misleading?) identities, to the point where no-one can be totally sure the band even exists. On numerous occasions, the ‘members’ of The Armed (or possibly their stand-ins?) flat-out ignore questions and just say random sentences. There’s also this frankly incredible image: “The Armed’s guitarist is still wearing his swamp-leaf ghillie suit. He wore it the entire four-and-a-half-hour drive home, sitting in silence. No one laughs, jokes, or even acknowledges this.” Sure. </p>
<p>The Armed’s dedication to their art, though, is no joke whatsoever. From live shows which have already seen them pinned as one of heavy music’s very best bands, to an ongoing, surrealist, self-directed music video series, which feels more akin to the work of a Hollywood director than a hardcore band, they’re a group like no other around. Their upcoming UK tour is absolutely essential. </p>
<p>The video for ‘Heavily Lined’, premiering below on NME, is a harrowing watch. Predominantly soundtracked by glitched-out, skittish electronica, and depicting a haunted individual going about his everyday mundanity, it takes over 4 minutes for things to kick off. But my god, do they kick off.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><iframe class="justify_inline" data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="JhmBpAlKQxo" data-video-thumb-url="https://img.youtube.com/vi/JhmBpAlKQxo/mqdefault.jpg" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/JhmBpAlKQxo?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" height="420" width="600" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe></p>
<p> </p>
<p><em>full article via NME <a contents="here" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.nme.com/blogs/nme-radar/the-armed-heavily-lined-video-premiere-2402733" target="_blank">here</a></em></p>Sargent Housetag:www.sargenthouse.com,2005:Post/57715122018-07-27T15:55:00-07:002019-06-05T15:56:53-07:00"Only Love" on 'Some Screaming Albums for Summertime' // The Atlantic<figure class="tmblr-full" data-orig-height="418" data-orig-width="1200"><p style="text-align: center;"><a contents="" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.theatlantic.com/entertainment/archive/2018/07/some-screaming-albums-for-summertime/566090/" target="_blank"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/159790/55fa6e4c904d6001dc091cb133b18b9d6b839430/original/1200px-the-atlantic-magazine-logo-svg.png/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.png" class="size_m justify_center border_" /><br><img src="https://66.media.tumblr.com/fe4677f56085f290830835a1136a6de9/tumblr_inline_ps8k97Bvr51qbzv4w_540.png" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/159790/a548e39ea123c3dcbec68dd41892f898c616ccb4/original/lead-720-405.jpg/!!/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></a></p></figure>
<p>(<a contents="full article via The Atlantic" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.theatlantic.com/entertainment/archive/2018/07/some-screaming-albums-for-summertime/566090/" target="_blank">full article via The Atlantic</a>)<br><br>There’s a more gleeful take on that idea on <i>Only Love</i>, the bonkers new album by Detroit’s The Armed. Their second album creates the impression of a mosh pit at a carnival, or a building collapsing in glitter, or a sentient bot malfunctioning after its first ever mai tai.<br><br>The punishing sound at the heart of many of these songs—hummingbird-fast stammers of rhythm and screams—recalls Converge, the so-called mathcore pioneers whose guitarist produced Only Love. But elsewhere the music recalls pop and indie rock and “Flight of the Bumblebee.” Often, you’re left guessing whether you’re hearing guitar, keyboard, or kazoo.</p>
<figure class="tmblr-embed tmblr-full" data-orig-height="364" data-orig-width="600" data-provider="youtube" data-url="https%3A%2F%2Fyoutu.be%2FFIdUOFzSAxI"><p style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="364" id="youtube_iframe" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/FIdUOFzSAxI?feature=oembed&enablejsapi=1&origin=https://safe.txmblr.com&wmode=opaque" width="600"></iframe></p></figure>
<p>The total effect is frenzied ecstasy. On the opening one-two onslaught of “Witness” and “Role Models,” for example, the band’s competing firehoses of sound eventually cross streams into one triumphant gush. There are poppier efforts too, like “Fortune’s Daughter,” a slice of death-disco on which the bassist Cara Drolshagen shouts dyspeptically but another vocalist answers with a smooth and catchy chorus. On “Nowhere to Be Found,” the escalatingly tense arrangement of stuttering drums, ghostly vocals, and saxophones suggest what Radiohead might sound like if they were a hardcore band.</p>Sargent Housetag:www.sargenthouse.com,2005:Post/60973122018-07-07T17:50:00-07:002020-01-13T17:58:43-08:00Ben Koller on the Armed’s Only Love // Modern Drummer<p><a contents="" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.moderndrummer.com/article/july-2018-ben-koller-on-the-armeds-only-love/" target="_blank"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/159790/0b96aa4df5dfdd4a72caeeca954f396944b3f730/original/modern-drummer.png/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.png" class="size_m justify_center border_" /></a></p>
<h2 style="text-align: center;"><span class="font_large">Ben Koller on the Armed’s Only Love <br><a contents="" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.moderndrummer.com/article/july-2018-ben-koller-on-the-armeds-only-love/" target="_blank"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/159790/392c46ec543966acdeab47d6675413bbd0a5ff25/original/screen-shot-2020-01-13-at-5-50-49-pm.png/!!/b:W10=.png" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></a></span></h2>
<p><span class="font_xl">The constantly engaged metal-drumming madman gets conned into recording one of the year’s most brutally raw albums— with a few surprises.</span><br><br>On April 27 the Detroit-based hardcore/experimental band the Armed released <em>Only Love</em>, the group’s second full-length since its inception in 2009. For the new effort, the Armed recruited metal-drumming vet Ben Koller [Converge, Mutoid Man, Killer be Killed, All Pigs Must Die] to handle the album’s ruthless parts. After Only Love’s split-second synth intro, Koller and the band launch into a distorted barrage that endures throughout the record’s eleven tracks. On the effort, the group coaxes a chainsaw-like cacophony through time shifts, melodic breaks, and well-tempted resolutions—all with a clever grace. </p>
<p>Koller explains to MD that some surprising circumstances led to his involvement on the Armed’s newest release. “Kurt Ballou [Converge guitarist, owner of GodCity studio, and Only Love’s producer] had known the Armed for a while,” explains Koller, “since he’d recorded a previous album of theirs. I was sort of familiar with them and knew they were mysterious and total weirdos, which is right up my alley. Kurt informed me that they were doing a new record and that they’d love me to track drums for it if I had time. I was skeptical at first—it was short notice, and the recording would take place right in the middle of tracking drums for a new Converge album, which seemed [like it would be] pretty stressful. The selling point for me was that at one point I’d heard that Rob Trujillo from Metallica would be playing bass. This seemed weird and farfetched, but I believed it since another friend of mine had jammed with him for a project recently. </p>
<p>“It turns out,” Koller continues, “Rob was never involved in any capacity. When I showed up for the session asking, ‘Where’s Rob?’ Kurt looked at me like I was crazy. Also, the Armed had sent Kurt demos for the record and made him tell me they were Converge songs so that I’d start learning them. So essentially, I was conned into playing on this album. I was so taken aback by these weird tactics that I just went with it.”</p>
<p><br><em><a contents="Full feature via Modern Drummer" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.moderndrummer.com/article/july-2018-ben-koller-on-the-armeds-only-love/" target="_blank">Full feature via Modern Drummer</a></em></p>Sargent Housetag:www.sargenthouse.com,2005:Post/57715482018-06-13T16:00:00-07:002019-06-05T16:00:32-07:00Interview with The Armed // VICE<figure class="tmblr-full" data-orig-height="499" data-orig-width="1580"><a contents="" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.vice.com/en_us/article/d3kkea/getting-to-know-the-armed-the-most-unknowable-band-in-hardcore" target="_blank"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/159790/2b8fe767c11d1955d69e838a2a86ce652df4be49/original/vice-logo.png/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.png" class="size_m justify_center border_" /></a></figure>
<figure class="tmblr-full" data-orig-height="765" data-orig-width="1436"><a contents="" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.vice.com/en_us/article/d3kkea/getting-to-know-the-armed-the-most-unknowable-band-in-hardcore" target="_blank"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/159790/90616aeb4670e9ebb31361593f81a655b963daa7/original/screen-shot-2019-05-28-at-4-06-45-pm.png/!!/b:W10=.png" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></a></figure>
<figure class="tmblr-full" data-orig-height="316" data-orig-width="827"><p style="text-align: center;"><a contents="" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.vice.com/en_us/article/d3kkea/getting-to-know-the-armed-the-most-unknowable-band-in-hardcore" target="_blank"><img src="https://66.media.tumblr.com/b8f613174ad5df559deb888179ec9596/tumblr_inline_ps8lkzJ0i21qbzv4w_540.png" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" /></a></p></figure>
<p>(<a contents="via VICE" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.vice.com/en_us/article/d3kkea/getting-to-know-the-armed-the-most-unknowable-band-in-hardcore" target="_blank">via VICE</a>)</p>
<p>"I can’t play a show without a Chub,” says The Armed’s Dan Greene.</p>
<p>We’re hauling ass south on the Chicago Skyway, minutes from the Indiana border. Greene is driving a van—a good Detroit van, a Ford. He slithers a weather-worn hand through his tousled, receding brown mane. With the other hand, he sips on a hookah rested gently between the two front seats. He’s due onstage in an hour, in a laundry room-turned-punk-house on the opposite end of town. But he refuses to play the show without grabbing some Chubs from Calumet Fisheries.</p>
<p>Since 1928, the Chub has been a staple of the South Chicago fish diet. Its flesh is smooth. Its skin is shiny. It tastes like a whitefish-flavored tapestry. And it has a funny name: Chub.</p><!-- more -->
<p>“Hey, what do you think about this slogan for your article: You Can Always Be One Of Us?”</p>
<p>I shift in my seat, unsure whether Greene realizes the ironic dig at hardcore darlings Nails.</p>
<p>“Wait, sorry. One sec. I love this riff.” Greene cranks the stereo. It’s <i>LULU </i>by Metallica and Lou Reed, an album people generally agree is one of the worst recordings ever made.</p>
<p>“<i>Pumpkin blood! Pumpkin blood!</i>” Greene sings along with Lou Reed, getting the lyrics wrong. He does not laugh, smile, or indicate an iota of irony.</p>
<figure class="tmblr-full" data-orig-height="669" data-orig-width="1025"><p style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://66.media.tumblr.com/107995bd22f8e57c219359e690e681a4/tumblr_inline_ps8ln04nNl1qbzv4w_540.png" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" /><br><span class="font_small">Dan Greene, allegedly.</span></p></figure>
<p>I’d met Greene and a fellow The Armed member Cara Drolshagen at a Lightning Bolt show in Texas a few years back. Even then, the first night of our “friendship” had consisted of conversations like this—the kind where you’re not sure whether your new acquaintance is making fun of you, or is just daft.</p>
<p>I say “member” loosely because The Armed is a band that goes to insane and often inane lengths to misdirect, deceive, and toy with their audience. They’re an anonymous collective whose true members, if there are any, steer clear of the spotlight. Outside of Converge guitarist Kurt Ballou (who records and engineers their albums), and a few select collaborators, nobody knows who is involved in the band.</p>
<p>This includes my driver, “Dan Greene,” who, according to the rumor mill, might not be a real person, might be many people, or might be someone simply lying about their identity.</p>
<p>“Anyway… it makes sense to me as a slogan. We really just have one message, and we’re gonna be as loud about it as possible. <i>No solutions: only love.</i> We love you. You can always be one of us. You with me?”</p>
<p>Sure.</p>
<p>“I love you, Max. I love everyone.”</p>
<p>I gulp, unsure if Dan knows he just referenced a Kanye West tweet.</p>
<p>We pull onto the bridge and park outside Calumet.</p>
<p>Earlier this year I received a call from an agent at a major American publicity company. The agent, who represents a number of Coachella headliner-level artists, asked whether I’d be interested in profiling one of his clients, The Armed, as they prepared their third album, the pop-hardcore space-opera <i>ONLY LOVE</i>.</p>
<p>Through some strange connections and projects that had achieved varying degrees of nascence, I’d come to develop a friendly working relationship with this publicist. He knew about my love for The Armed—an excessively unmarketable band, who, with minimal resources and no label support, <a href="https://www.rollingstone.com/music/lists/10-new-artists-you-need-to-know-june-2015-20150625/the-armed-20150623">had duped <i>Rolling Stone</i> into publishing a press photo with two band members who were actually hired actors</a>, and would soon hoist a music video on Adult Swim <a href="https://noisey.vice.com/en_us/article/8xd7pk/tommy-wiseau-of-the-room-rocking-out-to-the-armeds-role-models-dressed-as-swamp-thing">starring cult disaster artist Tommy Wiseau</a> of <i>The Room </i>fame.</p>
<figure class="tmblr-embed tmblr-full" data-orig-height="304" data-orig-width="540" data-provider="youtube" data-url="https%3A%2F%2Fyoutu.be%2FR5n_1FNWvaE"><p style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="304" id="youtube_iframe" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/R5n_1FNWvaE?feature=oembed&enablejsapi=1&origin=https://safe.txmblr.com&wmode=opaque" width="540"></iframe></p></figure>
<p>The Armed had accomplished all of this behind a veil of anonymity: sending out possibly-faked press photos, scheduling interviews with major media outlets with people who aren’t in the band, self-producing David Fincher-quality surrealist videos, and releasing unplayable vinyl albums made entirely out of leaves. They’ve barely played shows—their last “tour” consisted of random, anonymous sets at open mic nights and trailer parks in the Midwest. They were more like a media cult than a band.</p>
<p>Most people would raise their eyebrows upon finding out that a Kurt Ballou-produced anonymous hardcore band was represented by the same people who handles the affairs of artists like Lil Yachty, Skrillex, and Daft Punk. But for me, this wasn’t the first red flag.</p>
<p>That came in January 2016, during a nightly gorging of <i>The Late Show With James Corden</i> and a commercial for Ford Motors came on. Two well-groomed normie teenagers drive around on a first date. The boy asks the girl what kind of music she likes. She rattles off a bunch of bands: “Do you know The Dropdeads? Protomartyr?” The boy flinches, unsure what to make of his date’s taste in underground punk.</p>
<p>The girl pauses, and with complete sincerity, finishes, “uh, The Armed?”</p>
<p>The couple settles on a hard rock riff by a fake band, “Proverbial Misfire,” they headbang, and the commercial is over in 15 seconds. The Armed, an underground chaotic mathcore band, were just name-checked in a Ford ad on CBS.</p>
<p>When I asked Kurt Ballou about this, and who was behind The Armed more broadly, he was in the midst of a session at his God City studio in Salem, Massachusetts, and dashed off a cryptic response. “The Armed could be anybody, or The Armed could be nobody.”</p>
<p>The Armed were a proper mystery for the disinformation age: an unknowable punk intrigue birthed into a flattened subcultural landscape, somehow operating within the highest levels of American media culture.</p>
<p>They’d also made two masterpieces in a row. 2015’s <i>Untitled</i> was a malevolent primal scream—a polarizing piece of modern-day hardcore pulp, propelled by a performance from the best drummer in the world, Nick Yacyshyn of Baptists. Their new album, <i>ONLY LOVE</i>, however, is something different, like a punk album made by people who had never heard of Converge or Dillinger Escape Plan. It evoked nostalgia through absurdity, the way <i>Hot Rats</i> or <i>Garden of Delete</i> did.</p>
<p>It's Andrew W.K. put through the washing machine, taking cues from bad albums by great artists and twisting Grimes-esque post-pop sensibilities into chaotic, malevolent new forms. And, once again, the band had enlisted the talents of a master drummer, Ben Koller, <a href="https://www.moderndrummer.com/article/july-2018-ben-koller-on-the-armeds-only-love/">who they’d tricked into doing the session</a> by telling him Metallica’s Rob Trujillo was booked to track bass parts.</p>
<p>“Trujillo was the big one,” Koller tells me over email. “But they also promised a dozen or so ‘surprise guests.’ The only thing of the sort was when Tommy Wiseau called Dan Greene for a video chat on Skype. [Wiseau] made Dan put the laptop next to me so he could watch me track ‘Luxury Themes’ for ‘research.’”</p>
<figure class="tmblr-full" data-orig-height="509" data-orig-width="1034"><p style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://66.media.tumblr.com/8c84ef5d38f13bf0b6cc11ca43540f8d/tumblr_inline_ps8lowrpIV1qbzv4w_540.png" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" /></p></figure>
<p>Live, The Armed is a bit like Slipknot. There are ten or so people packed “onstage” in the Chicago laundry room-turned-punk-house, completely buried in annoyingly thick clouds of BOG FOG smoke machine juice (they later tell me they use the same gear as Nine Inch Nails). Their Troy Polamalu-sized singer, Randall, barrels to the back of the room before the opening math-bash of “Future Drugs” has even kicked in. Cara, their more petite singer and sometimes-bassist, takes selfies with audience members with an agonizingly bright iPhone lamp attachment. Dan Greene wears a full-body ghillie costume—a suit made entirely out of leaves.</p>
<p>Within minutes of decimating the laundry room, we’re back in the van, bound for The Armed’s nexus point: Detroit.</p>
<p>There are two guys named Dan in The Armed, allegedly. The other Dan, Dan Stolarski, who may or may not actually be Dan Stolarski, sits in the back playing<i>Street Fighter 2</i> on his Nintendo Switch. He’s at least 50, balding, and tells me he works at Walmart, despite a quick Instagram search showing a “Dan Stolarski” looking more like a 20-something punk. Kenny, a Thor-haired man who wasn’t onstage with the band that night, drives. Kenny had appeared in promotional photos on NPR and Noisey, and allegedly, maybe, programmed synthesizers on<i>ONLY LOVE</i>.</p>
<p>Kenny looks 30, but tells me, quite calmly, that he’s 19. He switches the stereo from old Howard Stern Show episodes of Richard and Sal prank phone calls back to <i>LULU</i>.</p>
<figure class="tmblr-full" data-orig-height="681" data-orig-width="1002"><p style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://66.media.tumblr.com/6c95ef2c138ca103e19604c7b90bbdc7/tumblr_inline_ps8lqlGij71qbzv4w_540.png" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" /></p></figure>
<p>“You get into this weird trance state when you look at a bank of modules with no patch cable,” Kenny tells me. “I just sit and look at it, the empty holes. Just visualizing what the sounds look like. The colors and shapes. The numbers. And only when it speaks to me do I start patching.”</p>
<p>I mention that one of the most endearing qualities of <i>ONLY LOVE</i> is how, wherever there could have been a guitar line, the band replaced it with a synth.</p>
<p>“That’s the thing about synthesis,” he continues, completely ignoring what I just said. “It’s the combining of disparate ideas to form a new theory. In our case, building toward subversion. It’s subversive synthesis.”</p>
<p>Dan Stolarksi, who’s still playing on his Nintendo Switch, yells from the back. “You guys are a couple of clowns—like two clowns!”</p>
<p>I turn around. Next to the guy who might be Dan Stolarski, The Armed’s guitarist is still wearing his swamp-leaf ghillie suit. He wore it the entire four-and-a-half-hour drive home, sitting in silence. No one laughs, jokes, or even acknowledges this.</p>
<p>“Punk fucking rock,” says Kenny. He turns up the volume on <i>LULU</i>.</p>
<p>Am I being put on?</p>
<figure class="tmblr-full" data-orig-height="682" data-orig-width="1027"><p style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://66.media.tumblr.com/75f5fac2a53a909d212cdca6886dfcfa/tumblr_inline_ps8lruYNVH1qbzv4w_540.png" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" /></p></figure>
<p>The Armed asked me to exercise discretion about the enormous tri-level home out of which they operate, rehearse, and record, located minutes from downtown Detroit.</p>
<p>I stayed the week in a room filled with enough oddities to qualify as a Renaissance-era Cabinet of Curiosity. Directly above my bed were two large black-and-white oil paintings of Jeffrey Dahmer and John Wayne Gacy. That’s all I’ve been allowed to report.</p>
<p>While the rest of the band slept, I explored the building. Downstairs, in the rehearsal room, a Matthew McConaughey-looking amp tech in his mid-50s works on one of the band’s Ampeg heads. He introduces himself and hands me a business card: Dan. No shit. Another Dan.</p>
<p>We chat, and I learn that he’s been a longtime friend of the band, an ex-HVAC maintenance guy. I try, as subtly as possible, to glean new information. Is anything that’s been theorized about The Armed true?</p>
<figure class="tmblr-full" data-orig-height="684" data-orig-width="1010"><p style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://66.media.tumblr.com/ac385e76f74be0fee691ba57244d85df/tumblr_inline_ps8lt8696n1qbzv4w_540.png" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" /></p></figure>
<p>Dan the Amp Guy takes a huge pull off a big red vape pen and buries the room in a cotton-candy cloud. “Truth is harder than ever to decipher,” he says. “It’s like how, in all those old war movies, they’d talk about ‘the fog of war,’ you know? Too much stimuli, or fear. Your brain trying to keep up with changing scenarios. It fills in the blanks with incorrect information.” He takes a long pause. “That’s The Armed.”</p>
<p>Before I can unpack any of that, Dan Stolarski stumbles in—drearily, dreamily. He grabs a carton of orange juice from the fridge and drinks straight out of it. I mention the comparisons the band has gotten to cults, about speculation amongst “hardcore scene influencers.” I’d heard that the band is actually a secret art project of Andrew W.K., or Kurt Ballou, or both. I ask Dan the Amp Guy if there was ever a point person, a puppet-master orchestrating it all from the shadows.</p>
<p>“These guys ain’t a cult,” Dan the Amp guy responds, laughing. “But as long as I’m getting paid, I keep my mouth shut.”</p>
<p>“Take it up with HR,” jokes Dan Stolarski from the kitchen.</p>
<p> </p>
<figure class="tmblr-full" data-orig-height="614" data-orig-width="1005"><p style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://66.media.tumblr.com/e82f78aca0c8dcd7222a2eff1af0d3c3/tumblr_inline_ps8m2slqYT1qbzv4w_540.png" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" /></p></figure>
<p>“This’ll look great for your story.”</p>
<p>Randall and Cara are posing in a garage with a white Porsche GT3-RS. The stereo blares tunes by 70s avant garde Japanese saxophonist Kaoru Abe. A guy named Bob hangs back. Cara tells me, “Oh, he plays in The Armed sometimes.” Bob has, of course, never appeared publicly or been seen onstage with The Armed.</p>
<p>They hand me a camera and ask me to direct the shoot. The Armed sourced the $200,000 car specifically for this article, they say, to have “cool pics in a badass car.” When I ask Randall where he got it, he tells me, “This repo guy named Dan owed me a favor.”</p>
<p>We finish up and take off west on 8 Mile Road for the Northville Downs to do some weekday gambling at the last operating carriage racing facility in this part of the state. It’s a Tuesday and there aren’t any live races, but there are kiosks and cubicles throughout the facility where people can place bets on races happening around the country.</p>
<figure class="tmblr-full" data-orig-height="653" data-orig-width="1009"><p style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://66.media.tumblr.com/8e1507839bfb4c0cecc68ea75b47b5bb/tumblr_inline_ps8m47TJAY1qbzv4w_540.png" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" /></p></figure>
<p>Fluorescent-soaked, stacked with outmoded computer modules, and littered with the kinds of people who gamble on horse races not actually happening at the track they’re visiting on a weekday afternoon, the Northville Downs are an ideal venue for me to finally find the answers I’m looking for.</p>
<p>“Bob” grabs a couple beers and we post up to place our bets. <i>Judge Judy </i>plays on old Panasonic TVs dangling above the kiosks.</p>
<p>I talk to Cara, the one member of The Armed who seems genuinely engaged in my inquisitive peppering. I ask her the one question that’s been nagging at me the entire week: “Why love?”</p>
<p>She takes a long minute to think. “Because it’s the only surefire solution. It’s stupid and childish. Impossibly simple.”</p>
<p>Bob chimes in. “And, like, involuntary and stuff.”</p>
<figure class="tmblr-full" data-orig-height="684" data-orig-width="1006"><p style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://66.media.tumblr.com/c76cce0d9234de68db391b648ef8ad35/tumblr_inline_ps8m519bsm1qbzv4w_540.png" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" /></p></figure>
<p>“I like having fun,” Cara continues. “I take fun very seriously. The Armed is an open platform. At any given time, any of the participants can come and go as they please and make whatever contribution they want. As long as they are having fun. Freedom, fun, and fairness. That’s what this band is about.”</p>
<p>I’m getting tired of the endlessly puerile lengths The Armed is going to to keep me at a distance. I want an endpoint. I press her. What is the point of this band—strange machinations and Zodiac-level diversions included—in an era where media culture tells us to embrace our childish aesthetics because everyone is a star?</p>
<p>Cara thinks. “Love isn’t a point, though; it’s in progress,” she says, so assuredly that it felt like a line she’d memorized from a script. “I don’t think, in real life, the values we set for ourselves are concrete entities… they morph in time. But in every moment, love steadies the ship.”</p>
<p>Cara pauses for what feels like many minutes, and then looks me in the eye, through my soul. She holds contact. As she does, I realize that I’ve been asking the wrong question. It shouldn’t be <i>who</i> is The Armed, but rather, <i>why</i>.</p>
<p>Cara breaks contact.</p>
<p>“Let’s go get some ice cream!”</p>
<figure class="tmblr-full" data-orig-height="646" data-orig-width="1012"><p style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://66.media.tumblr.com/38d85c6f69d24adffcc767bd02190946/tumblr_inline_ps8m62N4qN1qbzv4w_540.png" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" /></p></figure>
<p>A few weeks later, I’m back in New York, down in Chinatown in the basement of the Surrogate’s Court, digging through wills for a totally separate research project. I’d dashed off a draft of this article and put it away to stew over, hoping to distance myself from an experience that I was convinced had been completely staged. Spending time down here, in a Beaux-Arts building with the dead, helped some.</p>
<p>My email buzzes. It’s Kurt Ballou. I had sent him a couple of follow-up questions that I’d hoped could lead to a pull quote or two.</p>
<p>I roll out of the archive of wills into a marble-coated bathroom and plop down on the toilet, salivating to read Kurt’s email. Within four words, I nearly dropped my phone in the bowl.</p>
<p>“<i>When I started the band I was thinking a lot about how the division between a band (or any known entity for that matter) and its audience has changed in the era of social media. The direct access can build close relationships within a community, but it can also create disproportionate senses of entitlement. My idea in creating this project was to disrupt that culture by forcing people to focus only on the content, not the creators, hoping it would usher in an era in creative culture where the work is more important than the workers</i>.”</p>
<p>“When I started the band…” Did anything else matter in this rambling email?</p>
<p>After this psychotic week of cryptic trips with nearly a dozen people all alleging involvement with The Armed, Kurt Ballou from Converge—one of the most influential artists in modern heavy music—just casually tossed off in an email that the band was <i>his</i> project. Years of speculation amongst fans, conspiracy theorists, critics, and bemired journalists had never sniffed a lede this good about The Armed.</p>
<p>Did they just pull a Keyser Söze on me?</p>
<p>My thumb scrolls miles through the city dump of my email account for a phone number I’d spoken to Kurt on a few years back. A gush of questions lies in wait. Is Kurt Ballou the Lou Pearlman of hardcore? If this is true, who else is behind The Armed?</p>
<p>Cell service is bad, given I’m in a basement. I dash into the hall, leaping up the stairs three at a time.</p>
<p>I pull up the number and call.</p>
<p>A dial tone, an answer, then a long, silent pause.</p>
<p>Click.</p>Sargent Housetag:www.sargenthouse.com,2005:Post/57715182018-05-01T15:55:00-07:002019-06-05T15:59:44-07:00"One Love" Album Review // Pitchfork<figure class="tmblr-full" data-orig-height="173" data-orig-width="1000"><p style="text-align: center;"><a contents="" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/the-armed-only-love/" target="_blank"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/159790/3ba18440315dad5f2c79511c2b0b75f7e718c2f8/original/pitchfork.png/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.png" class="size_m justify_center border_" /></a></p></figure>
<figure class="tmblr-full" data-orig-height="366" data-orig-width="981"><a contents="" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/the-armed-only-love/" target="_blank"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/159790/5be83338c8b00bccb7b2264a287882d3c75d92ff/original/screen-shot-2019-05-28-at-4-01-53-pm.png/!!/b:W10=.png" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></a></figure>
<p>(<a href="https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/the-armed-only-love/">via Pitchfork</a>)<br><br>The second album from the Detroit hardcore collective is as ambitious as it is effective. Noise, art rock, and a surprising amount of hooks are knotted within their chaotic maximalism.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><iframe seamless="" src="https://bandcamp.com/EmbeddedPlayer/album=1291208293/size=small/bgcol=ffffff/linkcol=0687f5/artwork=none/track=1979668476/transparent=true/" style="border: 0; width: 100%; height: 42px;">ONLY LOVE by The Armed</iframe></p>
<p>Part of the thrill of these 11 songs is that they often sound like they’re about to burst or implode, but they never lose their course. On repeat listens to <a href="https://pitchfork.com/artists/32991-the-armed/">the Armed</a>’s second album Only Love, you start to realize just how finely woven it all is—chaos careens off chaos, using the tracks before them as last-second momentum pushes before disappearing again, infusing what comes next with an extra shot of energy. From opening synth line to closing noise implosion, it’s part relay race, part punk-rock opera.</p><!-- more -->
<p>This feels like a pop record, albeit one with rabies. The Armed create nihilistic hardcore anthems that’ll find you shouting “Everything dies!” “Nowhere to be found!” and “Kill your heroes where they sleep!” The unexpected hooks are courtesy of the conceptual framework they created for the collection: The definitively punk/metal/hardcore band sought to write these songs as if they had never heard punk, metal or hardcore before, just trying to conjure the pop music of their formative years. They’re a band who’s covered Smashing Pumpkins in the past, their debut album Untitled included plenty of slower bits, and their interest in those other zones feels very genuine—which is the only way you can pull something like this off.</p>
<p>As might be expected, it’s hard to pin down the Armed stylistically. They create raw-voiced music that mixes hardcore dynamics, experimental electronics, and a smeared sense of melody. They have three people handling guitar, three vocalists (two male, one female), and variety of synthesizers and electronics besides the airtight rhythm section. They bring to mind a revved-up arty Liars circa Drum’s Not Dead, or maybe ’90s eccentrics Brainiac, or a more playful Converge. It’s, of course, foolish to compare a band this specifically themselves to another band; it’s maybe best to think of Only Love as one of those moments where you have leaky headphones and the sounds of traffic, car alarms, someone’s stereo blasting Fuck Buttons, and a kid crying combine to create a momentary orchestra in your brain.</p>Sargent Housetag:www.sargenthouse.com,2005:Post/57715142018-03-26T15:55:00-07:002019-05-28T15:57:46-07:00'Luxury Themes' Track Review // npr<figure class="tmblr-full" data-orig-height="98" data-orig-width="300"><p style="text-align: center;"><a contents="" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.npr.org/sections/allsongs/2018/03/26/596505943/your-body-may-not-be-ready-for-the-armeds-luxury-themes" target="_blank"><img src="https://66.media.tumblr.com/1e7582bce6307af0f7a909f97aa30981/tumblr_inline_ps8kw5SkrB1qbzv4w_540.png" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" /><br><br><img src="https://66.media.tumblr.com/443798343ecade2b2a83e53505722989/tumblr_inline_ps8kx27xRR1qbzv4w_540.png" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" /></a></p></figure>
<figure class="tmblr-full" data-orig-height="393" data-orig-width="700"><a contents="" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.npr.org/sections/allsongs/2018/03/26/596505943/your-body-may-not-be-ready-for-the-armeds-luxury-themes" target="_blank"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/159790/2878aaa161b00b1dd4374154753c47b532db96bf/original/thearmed-wide-e40088ccf7b5b12643aa9ff9b79dd73c92f77ce5-s700-c85.jpg/!!/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></a></figure>
<p>(<a href="https://www.npr.org/sections/allsongs/2018/03/26/596505943/your-body-may-not-be-ready-for-the-armeds-luxury-themes">via npr</a>)<br><br>Listen to any song by The Armed and it's like the band burned the punk rule book, stirred the ashes into a smoothie, sucked it up in a straw, vomited and gave it a title (but in a good way!). There's also a lot of mystery around this band. The group's members are unknown (that may not even be the band in the photo they provided) and live shows are performed <a href="https://thearmed.bandcamp.com/album/unanticipated">under different names</a>. The only certain thing about the experimental Detroit collective is its chaotic entropy.</p>
<p>If 2015's Untitled pushed hardcore to its extremes, then the forthcoming Only Lovealmost seems to engineer The Armed's deranged noise as normal. Throughout the record, produced by Kurt Ballou (Converge), frenzied screams and heart rates blast, beaten into oblivion, teeter in a fierce balance with delicate melodies and soaring guitar work. "Luxury Themes," believe it or not, is one of the prettier tracks, an intergalactic dumpster truck of hyperactive space-rock pummeled by guest drummer Ben Koller (Converge, Mutoid Man, All Pigs Must Die). That is until it transforms from a metallic Deftones croon into a unicorn-rainbow-grindcore-blast of shred and synth strings. Your body may not be ready.</p>
<figure class="tmblr-embed tmblr-full" data-orig-height="364" data-orig-width="600" data-provider="youtube" data-url="https%3A%2F%2Fyoutu.be%2FpdT1CxS7DEE"><p style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="364" id="youtube_iframe" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/pdT1CxS7DEE?feature=oembed&enablejsapi=1&origin=https://safe.txmblr.com&wmode=opaque" width="600"></iframe></p></figure>Sargent House