The Murder and the Harlot

An excerpt from The Travel Journals of Lawrence Holiday:

10/10/2010:

TMATH:

The Murder and the Harlot. What more can I say? I remember choking out the words "It's…so…beautiful" in a voice barely above a hoarse whisper. It was then that I realized that I had at last found what I have been searching for. I had finally reached the peak of my self imposed, ever-climbing, musical mountain!

Whilst standing atop the summit I lowered my judgmental gaze towards the earth below. As a claw-shorn river of clouds drifted over the land, I am reminded of the haunting words of Charles Dickens. For after bearing witness to this synesthetic event, I fully accept that I shall never again return home. I shall never again be the man I once was.

There are plenty of buzz-words and allusions I could use to describe the entity that is TMATH. In some instances I would call it "Progressive Hard Rock. At other times, the term "Modal Jazz-like Thrash-Metal," comes to mind. Perhaps the best words to describe this fearsome, sonic, monstrosity is "good old fashioned heavy shit with a healthy dose of pop sensibilities." But even then, none of these empty descriptions do justice to their dynamic, genre-bending, soundscapes.

When asked, not even the band members themselves can define in words a specified definition of their work. Some may see this inability to label their sound as a weakness, but this is not the case. It is in fact one of TMATH's greatest strengths. No one can describe their sound, not even the artists themselves. There are no true words to capture it. It cannot be explained. It can only be experienced. It can only be felt. And it is an experience that I shall regretfully, never regret.

Farewell for the meanwhile,
L. Holiday