Ever So Android w/ Monsterwatch & I Will Keep Your Ghost
High Dive, Seattle, WA
07.02.16

Everett’s chill-inducing electronic duo I Will Keep Your Ghost opened the night, bathed in cool light, pumping out their wavy, atmospheric tunes to a receptive crowd. Their spacey wall of synths and 80’s-tinged electric guitar riffs made nostalgia feel modern, so easy to listen to without being surface, so full of layers that the crowd dove right in. Their simmering tracks were a buzz-worthy way to kick off the night.

Following that, we took a turn for the heavy with Monsterwatch, who, out of the gate, are ripping Seattle a new one. There was head-banging, rat masks, mosh pits, and massive rock. For a pretty new band, all the elements are in place to see these guys take off. The crowd was crammed against the stage, the alt-punk four piece reveling in the energy. Their music was aggressive, but not without a relatable groove, and their passion relentless.

The night’s headliner did nothing to dissipate the growing sweatiness of the room, instead walloping the crowd with their dynamic electro-rock power. Ever So Android took whatever air was left in the High Dive and swallowed it into a massive soundscape of heavy beats and soulful terror. The band – now a three-piece – delivered a full-caliber performance.

From the get go, vocalist Hope Simpson took no prisoners, delivering emotionally raw lyricism with eye-opening vocal prowess. She also dove off the stage, mooned the crowd, climbed the drum kit, and yanked guitarist Drew Murray around by the hair. Murray, besides driving home the brooding guitars, is the mastermind behind the intricately-crafted electronics of the band.

The catchy-as-hell tracks were a gut-bomb of gritty, honest instrumentation, mashed from the body of hip hop, shreds of heavy metal, and the swagger of soul. Add in the perfectionist beats of Ben Hilzinger on the kit – bringing the bottom end to the forefront – and what we got was rock-heavy shredding with sharp intention and guttural authority. The band played through tracks from their previous work – like their 2015 full-length Disconnect – as well as promising new material that got just as much love. They topped it off with a three-song encore that didn’t leave a dry armpit in the room.

Review and photos by Stephanie Dore

Ever So Android, Monsterwatch, and I Will Keep Your Ghost