As I write this, I want to start with a basic request: please, for the love of God and all things holy, stop comparing Fury in Few to 21 Pilots. Relating two radically different bands to each other based solely on both having the same number of members is such a shallow analysis. Those remedial comparisons should be left to Big Bird as he teaches pre-schoolers about similarities and differences on this week's episode of Sesame Street. Why is this only an issue with two-piece bands? No one was comparing the original line-up of Black Flag to the Beatles just because both bands had the same number of members. If you want to learn about a band that is comparable to 21 Pilots, please check out my write-up on Antlerhead—they're great. But that's not why we are here today. We're here today because Fury in Few, out of Atlanta, is unlike any band I have seen within the scene.
In fact, after Fury in Few finished their thrilling balls-to-the-walls set at Summit Music Hall, my husband turned to me and said, "Holy shit, that was incredible! How would you even describe them?"
To which I replied, "I think they sound like Avenged Sevenfold...but like...if Avenged Sevenfold didn't suck."
I wish analytics could tell me how many people quit reading this write-up after the last sentence. I am sure I would find that data amusing, especially since it is possibly the most factual sentence I have ever written. I have never been an A7X fan. However, even I must admit that The Rev was an absolutely incredible drummer who we lost entirely too soon. (Have you ever heard his ska-punk stuff?!?) But even before his untimely death in 2009, I always thought The Rev was A7X's one redeeming quality. Without him, A7X is just another boring bro-rock band trying to convince us that they're total badasses when they are actually, at best, blasé.
Avenged Sevenfold somehow suffers from the overly obnoxious combo of being both supercilious and superfluous. In an industry that tears women down for being "too extra," it's frustrating to see mediocre white men being exalted for being excessive. That being said, I understand the appeal. Sometimes you just crave the boisterous, unrestrained combination of infectious melodies, heart-pounding rhythms, and face-melting brutality that only modern metal can deliver. I get it.
But how does a band with only two members deliver the same level of ferocity without it feeling frivolous or superficial? In all honesty, it all comes down to doing more with less. Just like the White Stripes stripped rock music down to its most essential components, Fury in Few has taken the brutally seductive sound of the 2000s metal scene and scaled it down to its most raw, undiluted form. Fury in Few has managed to refine something most of us regard as a guilty pleasure. They filter away all the arrogance, blatant misogyny, and absorbedly excessive displays of toxic masculinity, allowing you to scratch that insatiably nostalgic itch without feeling guilty or gross.
When you only have two members in your band, your chemistry needs to be next level. Fury in Few is incredibly rhythmic in nature. Borrowing stylings from punk, heavy metal, stoner rock/jam bands, drummer Ryan Calatayud and guitarist Brayden Gomer have created a sound that is uniquely their own. This dynamic duo serves up some mind-bending musical syncopations and juxtapositions combined with tight transitions that can turn on a dime and sudden starts and stops.
With each song, Calatayud and Gomer continuously deliver a thrilling, high-octane rock 'n' rollercoaster of a ride that leaves you on the edge of your seat, craving more. Their remarkably catchy lyrics offer timely, unapologetic reflections of a society falling apart at the seams. Touching on topics like mental illness, escapism, unhealthy relationships, and struggling to self-actualize during the apocalypse, each gripping song is somehow more gratifying than gloomy. Meanwhile, Calatayud's absolute precision behind the drums perfectly complements Gomer's galvanic vocals and unvarnished rough-hewn guitar riffs. The result is an enchantingly deliberate entanglement of pure unrefined melodies with robustly powerful rhythms that defies convention yet is so inexplicably groovy that you might find yourself shaking your ass to songs like Knife Edge Death Match.
Intoxicating rich without being overly indulgent, Fury in Few will resonate in the echo chambers of the mind for days to come— especially if you are lucky enough to see them live. When faced with a sizable but somewhat apathetic Thursday night crowd, these consummate performers gradually warmed the audience with their electrifying set list that never lost an ounce of momentum.
From beginning to end, this dynamic duo was absolutely relentless in their effort to defy expectations while maintaining a sense of humility and humor as they interacted with the audience between songs. They fought tooth and nail to win over the crowd at Summit Music Hall that night and were ultimately successful. Fury in Few left the somewhat yuppy-ish crowd entertained and energized for the following two bands. Still, more importantly, they thoroughly enraptured the more discerning music connoisseurs that were present that night.
In closing, the aptly named Fury in Few is definitely #ontheradar and is only the second band to earn the honor of #cannotbemissed from Bands in the Bus. We are counting the days until we have the opportunity to see them perform again. Until then, check out their newest music video.
Until next time, stay safe in the pit.
P.S. You can help keep Bands in the Bus free for everyone and prevent the use of pay walls by donating when, how, and what you can to our cause. Your local music scene thanks you for your support.
