Abatis
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Abatis

San Francisco, California, United States | SELF

San Francisco, California, United States | SELF
Band Rock Alternative

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"A ground breaking dynamic opus that commands the utmost attention."

Prepare to get your ears rocked by some definitively well-orchestrated tunes. San Francisco’s own Abatis is a Rock/Fuzz/Garage band whose killer guitars, slamming drum sequences and penetrating vocals are as razor sharp as their namesake implies. Sean Wagner (lead guitar/vocals), Ben Lauffer (drums), and Stuart Masslehbrown (bass/vocals) have comprised a ground breaking dynamic opus that commands the utmost attention.

Abatis uses their remarkable instrumentalism as the catalyst to reach the listener as heard on the trashing rapid paced track “Brother” (I Hope You Can Run). Wagner’s guitar skills take center stage as chords slash through pronounced kicks and an infectious bass line with the precision of 300 Spartans attacking Persian enemies. Masslehbrown keeps it funky of the intense and sonically vivid “Set a Fire”. From the opening seconds, the prominent bass groove is the cement that holds this picturesque sculpture together. Lauffer punishes the drums like a red-headed step child on “Salt Hands”. His prevailing drum rolls and powerful cymbal/kick stabs land with the force and precision of artillery rounds excavating a battlefield. This is bona fide workout music at its finest.

If you’re like many who like me have trouble getting out of the start blocks in the morning, you should start your days off right with heavy doses of Abatis. Their infectious music will get you up and moving like a double shot of espresso chased mixed with copious amounts of sugar. You can get their latest offering “Electric Dead” on iTunes.
- Ampedsounds magazine


"Brand spanking new: Abatis, Electric Dead"

A well-produced debut album that actually delivers raw energy is a rarity these days when overly auto-tuned acts are the norm; but San Francisco based Abatis does it with their blaring, raucous offering, Electric Dead. Far more organic that the synth-pop sound that has been ubiquitous in recent years, Electric Dead recalls a louder, rowdier time when bands like Nirvana, Sound Garden and Stone Temple Pilots ruled the airways. Guitars made thick with reverb aided by a pounding beat that doesn't let up from the opening chords of "Horsefly" to the closing notes of "Electric Dead" the album satisfies the hungry-for-a-change listener with a big juicy sound. An impressive start for the band, whom have been together for just over a year, Electric Dead speaks to a bright future for these Bay Area rockers. - Stylewylde


""Do yourself a favor, play it loud.""



I’m lucky enough to be friends with these folk, and I will tell you firsthand, these hard-rock songs with dark blues soul will nearly tear your face off (and it will be so, so good).
... - Marty Fowler


""It's raw, and unrefined and I really enjoy it.""

There's a strong arguement to be made that Abatis is drinking the same water Blue Cheer did. The mellower stuff is great also. As much as there's room for comparison to Queens of the stone age, I hear more of their previous incarnation, KYUSS. It's raw, and unrefined and I really enjoy it.
- Alberto Rivera


""If ever there was a band that benefited from the sum of its influences, this is it.""

Also on the bill are SF fuzz rock up-and-comers Abatis, who are just finishing up a new album as well. If ever there was a band that benefited from the sum of its influences, this is it. The guys in Abatis have great taste - citing The Black Keys, Queens of the Stone Age and Wolfmother as their power trio of inspiration. The Forms may be the heart of this show, but Abatis are definitely the balls. - Tough Customer


"“fuzzy, loud rock, knocked out live, rough, and ready to kick some ass.”"

I just recorded and mixed the debut EP for Bay Area band Abatis at Prairie Sun last weekend. You can hear it on the reverbnation page right now, and should soon be able to purchase online – fuzzy, loud rock, knocked out live, rough, and ready to kick some ass. - Matt Wright (Studio Engineer,producer) - Prairie Sun Studios


Discography

"Abatis" - EP 2011

"Electric Dead" - LP 2011

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Bio

Abatis is a fuzz-rock, power trio from San Francisco. Listeners have compared them to the Black Keys and Queens of the Stone Age. Loud. Fuzzy. Catchy. Dynamic.

It all started when Sean Wagner (Vocals/Guitars) entered the studio in mid-2010 to record a new music project—the Arm Your Soul Tapes. Sean played every instrument, well, almost. He recruited Paul Hicks (By noise and rumor) for drum duty. After completing two tracks, he needed a band to bring the music to a live audience. So, in true rock’n’roll fashion, Sean turned to craigslist.org. Miraculously, Ben Lauffer (Drums) responded, and the two began rehearsing a handful of gritty, stripped-down, blues-rock songs. A few months later they added Stuart Maaslehbrown (Bass). Originally performing under the name The Outlets, the trio refined their bluesy sound. As they rehearsed, performed, and wrote together, that sound developed and transformed into something new—still gritty, still raw, but more intricate, melodic, and unpredictable.

With the new sound came a new name—Abatis.

For those of you who do not know what an abatis is, welcome, and prepare to be enlightened. An abatis is an ancient war mechanism. It is a defensive wall fashioned with fallen, sharpened trees. An abatis is the physical manifestation of the natural transformed into the ominous, the ingenious, and the epic. Need we draw the obvious parallels?

Under the new name, Abatis hit the San Francisco Bay Area scene. Hard. Crowds at historic San Francisco clubs like Bottom of the Hill and Red Devil Lounge were completely blown away, and demanded more. In reference to a recent show at The Rockit Room, music blogger Tough Customer writes, “If ever there was a band that benefited from the sum of its influences, this is it… The Forms may be the heart of this show, but Abatis are definitely the balls.”

Wasting no time to give the fans what they wanted, Abatis headed to Prairie Sun Studios to record their debut EP, Abatis – five loud, raw, infectious tracks. Matt Wright, chief engineer at Prairie Sun Studios describes the record as “fuzzy, loud rock, knocked out live, rough, and ready to kick some ass.”

Currently, the band is promoting their self-produced, LP "Electric Dead."