Hank.

Illinois' Hank. (sic) shreds. The period after the name is a bit too precious, but you probably picked up their EP The Venture for free on Bandcamp so there's not much cause for complaint. Think early Dinosaur, pre-Dinosaur Jr. even -- or non-Barlow Sebadoh. Plus a touch of Primus eclecticism. Punk, pop, hard-core torpor mixed with the sweetest Allman Brothers licks you could imagine. A little rough around the edges, but that's what you get when you record an album in a basement in a single day. The musical chops are unmistakable and the three-piece has a natural rock trio chemistry. Will someone get this band into a real studio, please? - QRO Magazine

Bit of a two in one for this review, folks. Hank is a math rock, post-hardcore band from Champaign, IL. To sum up the sound of this band would be taking the math rock style of a band like Polvo and intertwining it with post hardcore/emo style bands like At The Drive-In and Sunny Day Real Estate, all making up a group of very angry sounding young men. This review covers Hank’s two releases: their debut EP, The Schrader, and second EP release, The Venture.

First off: The Schrader EP. The Schrader starts off with the track “200F8” an angry “call to arms” track that propels this EP into high gear and showcases the skilled playing and math rock tempo changes this band is capable of. The key track of this EP is “Dry The Whistle”. This song showcases the very tight rhythm section this band has (bassist Darwin Keup and drummer Nelson Cowan) and closes with a very abrasive steady-going guitar work sure to ensue some head banging.

The second EP released, titled The Venture, continues the hard edged math rock style of the last. The Venture starts off with “Peas,” an undeniable song with a hurtling drum beat and, yet again, very tight bass line. Being two tracks shorter than their first EP, the missing songs are made up for with the lengthy, nearly all-instrumental jam, “That’s a Fact,” at the end. It is solid track and very likely my favorite from this new, up-and-coming band.

If you’re a fan of math rock and emo (especially on the more emo spectrum), this band is definitely worth checking out. From their propulsive instrumentation to their shout-heavy passionate vocals and lyrics, this band is a pretty undeniable force. They may be shouting “THIS IS NOT WHAT I WANTED!” on track “Bodhi Dharma,” but for many, Hank could be just the band people are looking for.

The Schrader – 79/100
The Venture – 76/100 - Midwest Action

This recent EP by Hank. was recorded "in one day in a cramped basement," and a sort of tension arises from the work that reflects that in the best way possible. The final track, "That's a Fact," teaches us that it's perfectly reasonable to enjoy an experimental emo song that happens to come in just short of eight minutes long. In the case that you enjoy something a little bit more traditionally emo, their Schrader EP certainly won't disappoint you. - The Math Rock Blog