Trail VS Russia was a math rock band from Vancouver, British Columbia who, despite breaking up and reforming various times throughout the early 2000s, only ever released one album in 2001. The band also recorded a second album at Brackendale Arts Centre in Squamish, BC in 2005 but never released it. The band was an instrumental trio and "resisted all attempts by [their] naysayers to add a vocalist".
Despite their unfortunately small body of work, Trail VS Russia was incredibly talented and on point which is evident in their only released album. Sharp, angular guitar riffs, complex and fast-paced drum beats mixed with a slight post-rocky sound at times make for an interesting listen. The band is definitely best described as math rock but it has a more approachable, less abrasive sound than a lot of math rock does. It's an album you can actually sit and relax to which I find isn't always the case with the more abrasive, experimental math rock.
I stumbled upon their 12" in Vancouver and had no idea what it was but was instantly intrigued by the woodcut silkscreen on the cover. I took a chance on it and really loved it. They sound a little like a slightly tamer Lustre King and even have some Slint esque elements to their sound. And they were right, no vocalist was needed, in a case like this it may have just taken away from the instrumentals of the album which are what really blew my mind.
The Anvil 12" 2001 (One Gold Ruble)
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