In the mid-2000s, Seattle was exploding with bands pushing genre envelopes: Schoolyard Heroes, Pretty Girls Make Graves, Kay Kay & His Weathered Underground, Mon Frere, Idiot Pilot, These Arms Are Snakes, The Blood Brothers, and so many more.

Among them were Minus the Bear, a phoenix band rising from the ashes of beloved Seattle hardcore heavy hitters Botch. Having more in common with technical math rock than hardcore, Minus the Bear carved out a space for themselves with intricate guitar work, buttery time signature transitions, and lyrical themes until then rarely heard outside of hip-hop.

It was at this time in Seattle’s bizarre 21st century history that the city really felt as though it was growing up, becoming an actual metropolis as opposed to a sleepy, post-grunge port town. South

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