Regime Noir
Los Angeles, California, United States | SELF
Music
The best kept secret in music
Press
The MySpace page, now so ubiquitous as an entry-level portal into the industry, offers the potential fan an important first glimpse into a band's aesthetic soul. Within its templated audio-visual confines, four MP3s, some amateur videos, photos and a bio local duo Regime Noir (www.myspace.com/regimenoir) do themselves proud.
Their military-garbed home page, manifesto-like words and images"Remember the Past" above a photo of the McCarthy hearings, "Pray for Salvation" atop a religious fresco) and Cold War aura suggest a thinking band without beating us over the head. They include George Orwell and Jean Cocteau as top friends there's message, but mystery too.
Of course, it's the music that makes a chance cyber meeting with Regime Noir such a nice surprise: serious, best-kept-secret talent. Making good on their claim to be born from the dystopia found in the streets of downtown and East L.A. Regime Noir marry ultra-articulate bass lines, swaths of post-punk/new-wave guitar and frantic faux-flamenco flurries and add imploring emo vocals dipped in juicily exotic harmonies. Beats are urgent and garagey; hand-percussion is of the streets and in the moment. Mood is confrontational yet palatable; there's melody, momentum and a genuine sense of flab-free sonic purpose. They recall Mars Volta, with proggy structures and multicultural mashups, but so do Fugazi and Gang of Four.
To date, Regime Noir as documented in four impressively emotive live vids (complete with deft mystery drummer) have mostly played Eastside and Hollywood dives and loft parties. Hopefully they shake off the siege mentality that seeps from their page (and keep the site updated with upcoming shows), because the band makes some gorgeously adventurous and authentic sound. - LA WEEKLY
Discography
2006- Demo EP (Last Procession, The Reputation, All Hail, March of the Brave, Struts and Blades)
Photos
Bio
Regime Noir is reflective of the city of Angels. No, not Hollywood, or the Westside, but true Los Angeles. They are born from the rubble of dystopian clashes found in the streets of downtown and East LA, where a sound is formed in the garages, backyards, and living rooms outside of the glitz and glamour. Where there exists a community of people that feed off of each other and are forced to coexist together until a whole entity is created. Regime use these influences and watch them coalesce into a sonic identity not heard in the trendy clubs or the gilded circles of LA socialites. Their sound is heard on the turntables and cassette decks of the eastside and everywhere the true heart of the city resides. Regime Noir is composed of Israel's fierce flamenco-punk guitar riffs, Chris' array of pulsating bass notes, and Steve's aggro prog drumming. Mixed in with keys, samplers and various hand percussion this 3 piece sends a wall of rhythmic sound and in your face energy not heard since the days of early LA punk.
Regime has been proud to have shared the stage with Suicide Club, Gliss, Bloodcat Love, Tygers of Wrath, Nico Vega, Free Moral Agents, World Inferno Friendship Society, Bullet for Dali, and Xanimo. They have appeared at Club Moscow, The Viper Room, Hang the Djs, The Echo, The Scene Bar, and The Hear Gallery.
Links
