SHELTER RED

While there are a ton of progressive rock/metal bands on the market right now, there haven’t been as many that have chosen to go the instrumental route and let their riffs and grooves speak for themselves. This is exactly the direction that Portland based Shelter Red has taken and they impressed back in 2005 with their debut album Masters Of The Universe. Almost four years later they have returned with Strike A Mortal Terror which offers seven songs of high energy instrumental progressive/math rock and metal that is both atmospheric and addictive. And while it’s likely that quite a few of you haven’t heard of these guys before, now is definitely the time to check them out.

Right from the start Shelter Red offers fast paced, atmospheric guitar riffs that are sure to impress. While the two members that make up this band aren’t interested in writing the fastest or craziest arrangements out there, what they do offer are fast paced and high energy riffs and melodies that are also technically complicated. Although the only instruments present on this album are guitar, bass, and drums, Shelter Red is able to get more sound out of these three instruments than most bands are able to get out of many more than that. Sometimes instrumental groups run into issues with being able to stay fresh and keep listeners’ interest throughout an entire album, but this duo has obviously thought of that as each song on Strike A Mortal Terror is constantly changing and offering something new. This is the type of progressive rock that one can put on, close their eyes, and go on an entrancing journey.

I’m rather surprised that Shelter Red isn’t more well known by now, as their blend of instrumental progressive rock/metal is technically impressive and addictive to listen to. Strike A Mortal Terror is an album I know I’ll be listening to for months to come, and anyone with a taste for the genre is sure to find this disc in their stereo on a regular basis as well. Hopefully it won’t take so long for this duo to offer listeners another album, but even if they do their sophomore release will still suffice many months from now.
http://www.soundvssilence.com/
Chris Dahlberg
April 01, 2009 - Chris Dahlberg

When I receive a CD and the promo materials use words like "completely original" and "phenomenal" to describe the music, I can't help but roll my eyes a time or two and chuckle. I can't even come close to counting the number of times I've read those terms, among others, but the music being described ended up sounding far less innovative than the one sheet would have me believe. Then along comes Strike A Mortal Terror, the latest release from Oregon's Shelter Red, with accompanying press exalting the progressive, technical aspects of the band's instrumental Heavy Metal. I'll admit that my curiosity was piqued before the first spin of the disc, given that the band is actually a two-man outfit comprised of Stephan Hawkes (guitars/drums) and Austin Crook (bass), but I was not at all prepared for the sonic immersion that I was about to experience.
Although the term progressive tends to turn off most metalheads, particularly when used to describe a wholly instrumental effort, in the case of Strike A Mortal Terror a significant emphasis is placed upon crafting songs that are not only technically complex but are also enjoyable to listen to. Shelter Red avoid labyrinthine riffs and instead focus on creating infectious, harmonized melodies that not only capture attention but retain it. Throughout the album I hear influences from some of the more atmospheric alt-rock outfits, such as Thrice and Arcade Fire, though the mesmerizing acoustics on Strike A Mortal Terror rely entirely on 6- and 4-string instruments without any keyboard assistance.
The mid-paced "This Is A Lost Ambition" serves as the best example of Shelter Red's novel formula. While the focus is on Hawkes' guitar, the song being essentially a four-minute solo, there is so much going on at so many different layers that the end result is a tightly woven aural shroud. A plucky riff starts off the track, but there's a haunting lead buried deep in the mix that snares the listener as the song builds into a kaleidoscope of sound. My favorite track is "Inferno", with its urgent bass lines, involved beat patterns, and captivating melodies. Crook's bass is quite prominent throughout the album, lending a certain Rush familiarity to the songs. That's not to say there's a "retro" quality, however. "Dejanira" has quite a modern metal edge to some of the riffs, and wouldn't be at all out of place alongside acts such as Disturbed or Sevendust, while the title track has a certain melodic Death Metal quality to it with tremolo riffs, double bass drumming, and thick bass runs.
I'm impressed by the level of skill displayed on Strike A Mortal Terror. Both Hawkes and Crook turn in flawless performances, with hats off to Hawkes for nailing such complex guitar and drum arrangements. Despite the intricate songwriting on Strike A Mortal Terror, the album is very easy to get in to and enjoy. It loses a little steam during the last two songs, but all-in-all this is definitely an album for fans seeking something fresh. - HARVESTMOONMUSIC.com

Strike a Mortal Terror, the second full length release of Shelter Red, proves again that instrumental music does not have to be slow, monotonous, or depressing. Although Shelter Red hail from Portland Oregon, the album was put out by Sound vs. Silence Records based in Salt Lake City, Utah as their second release together. Recorded and composed by Stephan Hawkes. Mixed by Jason Livermore. Mastered by Kriss Crummett. This is a great new instrumental hardcore album will establish Shelter Red as a band that can create original, intense music. - brutalnewmusic.com

Masters of the Universe. That’s quite a bold statement to make, especially on one’s debut album. Though we could dispute that claim, it is clear that the Portland trio create an epic, monolithic masterpiece. Eleven electrifyingly charged instrumental tracks blaze through this album, stopping at nothing as they blast through doors, walls, and whatever other obstacle may present itself. With full, rich instrumentation and a healthy amount of guitar effects, Shelter Red makes sure its entrance into the musical realm is a memorable one.

Don't confuse Shelter Red with a spineless instrumental band, for nothing could be further from the truth. Tapping into the vein of Pelican, The Oxes, and Dysrhtymia, Shelter Red is here to put on a concentrated rock show. The only thing the band is missing is a singer. Give them that and they would blowing away venues from Portland to New York City. Pounding away at the doors of the modern rock world, Shelter Red is a band you cannot afford to ignore.

Masters of the Universe is a devastatingly complex and exhausting album. After fifty minutes of constant audible bombardment, the only option left is to restart the album and bask in its magnificence. It's difficult to say where the high point of the album is, if one even exists. From track to track, Shelter Red builds up an intensity through rumbling, hollow bass lines and a lead guitar that just will not surrender. With guitar effects layering over the rich sonic landscape created by the dual guitar presentation, there's not much else that the drums can do except lay down one crushing drum beat after another to supplement the jagged guitar-driven structures. The resulting battle on the album is of monstrous proportions, but in due time it is clear who is the master of the universe.

"Eyes on the Floor" opens the album with a tantalizing guitar line, backed by big riffs and ravenous drumming. The song segues into a fury of guitar licks, fractured by the ever present bass drop which comes close to severing the track from its foundations and sending the guitar line spooling effortlessly onward. Three tracks later "The Legacy" enters. It begins innocently enough, dancing around the main prize with a soft approach, easing its way to big finale. Covered in an enchanting veil, "The Legacy" only reveals itself towards the middle of the song where it excretes a fury of sonic chaos that warps the structure of the song. Then, as if it had never entered the consciousness, it dissipates into a gentle calm after the storm. Next up is "De En Kah", an epic five minutes of music, if ever there was one. Janky guitars stake out the territory, which is quickly leveled by an explosive drumming performance. It almost feels as if "De En Kah" lashes out at the listener, attempting to collapse its space into the haunting depiction they create over the length of the track. Not everything is about crushing breakdowns, head turning pedal effects, and terrific craftsmanship on Masters of the Universe. Well, who am I kidding, yes it is. The last exemplory track is "Little Heaps of Dirty White". Opting for a more spacious foundation, Shelter Red is at their prime on this track. If there was a doubt about the vision of this band, "Little Heaps of Dirty White" wipes it clean, as there is enough energy contained in it to easily cover the span of a normal rock band's album. True to the way rock was meant to be played, Shelter Red bypasses any notion of this nonsensical acoustic last track, and instead exists the way they started, destroying anything and everything on their journey.

What is it that marks a great rock band? An uncompromising dedication to their craft. Shelter Red has that, and so much more. With a unique sound and presentation in the instrumental hard rock world, there's little to find fault with in Masters of the Universe. In their never-ending search for a vocalist, I can only hope that whomever finally lands the position doesn't compromise the wealthy of material the band possesses and lead them towards a vocally driven band. - decoymusic.com

I must say, Shelter Red is the most impressive Post-Rock band I've ever encountered. If you like early Mastodon, you'll love these guys. Their sound is like a slightly less aggressive Mastodon, but the instrumentation is so much better. These musicians are much more talented than Mastodon's. The band is an instrumental band, so there's no typical Sludge hardcore vocal yells, which is good, but the band would probably sound just as good with vocals. Overall, this band will hit you like a tank. I highly recommend this album to anyone who is a fan of Sludge and Post-Rock. - hallsofharlot.com

"Top 50 instrumental releases from 2005"
Shelter Red literally wastes no time blowing the doors wide open on Masters of the Universe. From the first chord the band is exploding full speed out into its musical space and destroying anything and everything that gets in its way. The acidic nature of the music decays as quickly as it is created--nothing has a shelf life of more than a few seconds here. This kind of invigorating, devestating music is what the instrumental world needs and Masters of the Universe is more than happy to provide just that. Shelter Red offers a superb album that is almost too good for a duo to perform. They might not be masters of the universe, but they have the hard rock gig down to a tee.
- thesileentballad.com