Biography

High-decibel hysteria, tight runtimes, batshit vocals, abandnameformattedlikethis: Pacmanthemovie are sasscore as they come. Much like their peers in what I’ve jokingly dubbed the sasscore-without-spaces circle (see also: SeeYouSpaceCowboy, wristmeetsrazor)—a batch of contemporary bands who, in the spirit of forebears like Blood Brothers and An Albatross, cast aside hardcore’s machismo tropes in favor of caustic, chaotic camp with math-rock influences. Their latest, Pacmanthemovie 2: Eat Lives, is a moshpit-ready spectacle that begs to be taken on the road ASAP, with a distinctive maniacal charisma all its own. The band’s piercing notes, misanthropic tongue-twisters (“I’ll be feeding bones in bulk with love”), and claustrophobic arrangements create a hostile atmosphere, but the confidence with which they lead us through them makes oblivion feel like a cartoon, albeit one you probably shouldn’t watch with the kids around. (To that end: “I’m one of a kind bitch, you’ll know me well,” off “PacManthem,” would make a pretty great catch-phrase for an Adult Swim villain.) Not that there’s any time to soak up the surroundings or decipher the lyrics: 11 songs and 20 minutes later, you’re sitting there with your ears ringing, wondering what the hell you just experienced. And that’s the fun of it. 
 -Zoe Camp