You can now listen to METZ II in its entirety in the U.S. and Europe via NPR Music’s First Listen [http://u.subpop.com/1EIJHPg], in Canada via CBC’s “First Play” [http://u.subpop.com/1OvbCa1] and in France via MOWNO [u.subpop.com/1HNKC1A]. The album will be available on CD/LP/DL worldwide Monday, May 4 from Sub Pop.
NPR Music says of the album: “It’s taken three years for singer-guitarist Alex Edkins, bassist Chris Slorach and drummer Hayden Menzies to release II, the follow-up to their Polaris Prize-shortlisted debut. In that time, the group has honed its sonic attack to an even keener edge — but it’s also broadened its horizons when it comes to studio wizardry and songcraft. That’s not to say METZ hasn’t always written solid songs. But the meat-and-potatoes thump of METZ has been stretched and restructured on II. The result is breathtaking — in the same way a fist to the solar plexus is…This isn’t just purgative music hell-bent on bloodletting and catharsis; it’s also carefully composed, with loving attention paid to fine detail and immaculate precision.”
Meanwhile, CBC Music offered this: “A punch to the gut. It’s an often overused cliché to describe loud, visceral music, but in the case of METZ, it couldn’t be more apt: this is music for your gut. And on II, the followup to METZ’s 2012 self-titled debut, the Toronto three-piece manage to land plenty of those gut punches, creating a soundscape of claustrophobic, ravenous guitar riffs awash in feedback and distortion, with drums that never let you catch your breath. You’ll feel it in your stomach as much as you hear it.”
METZ’s 2015 North American and European tour schedule in support of II has been extended and resumes May 1st in Toronto, ON at Lee’s Palace, running through September 6th in Dublin, IE at Electric Picnic. Along the way they’ll play shows with FIDLAR (May 11th-19th; May 21st-30th), Protomartyr (May 1st-2nd), and Bad Breeding (June 16th). Please find a complete list of tour dates below.
METZ II is now available for preorder through Sub Pop Mega Mart, iTunes, Amazon, and Bandcamp. The limited Loser Edition of the LP on colored vinyl will be available at select independent record stores, megamart.subpop.com, and from the band at their shows, all while supplies last. Additionally, two new T-shirt designs are available, both individually and as part of a bundle with purchase of the new record.
May 01 – Toronto, ON – Lee’s Palace^
May 02 – Toronto, ON – Lee’s Palace^
May 08 – Austin, TX – Levitation 2015
May 09 – Atlanta, GA – Shaky Knees Festival
May 11 – St. Petersburg, FL – State Theatre**
May 12 – Orlando, FL – The Social**
May 13 – Birmingham, AL – Work Play**
May 14 – Nashville, TN – Mercy Lounge**
May 19 – St. Louis, MO – The Firebird**
May 20 – Chicago, IL – Lincoln Hall
May 21 – Minneapolis, MN – 7th Street Entry**
May 22 – Minneapolis, MN – 7th Street Entry**
May 23 – Madison, WI – High Noon Saloon**
May 26 – New York, NY – Bowery Ballroom**
May 27 – Brooklyn, NY – Music Hall of Williamsburg**
May 28 – Washington, DC – 9:30 Club**
May 29 – Philadelphia, PA – Union Transfer**
May 30 – Boston, MA – Paradise**
Jun. 05 – Athens, GR – Plissken Fest
Jun. 06 – Thessaloniki, GR – Plissken Fest
Jun. 07 – Skopje, MK – Zdravo Mladi Festival
Jun. 16 – London, UK – Underworld^^
Jun. 17 – Brussels, BE – Botanique – Rotonde
Jun. 19 – Hilvarenbeek, NL – Best Kept Secret Festival
Jun. 20 – Scheesel, DE – Hurricane Festival
Jun. 21 – Neuhausen ob Eck, DE – Southside Festival
Jun. 22 – Leipzig, DE – Taubchenthal
Jun. 24 – Berlin, DE – Cassiopeia
Jun. 25 – Cologne, DE – MTC
Jun. 27 – Evreux, FR – Le Rock Dans Tous ses Etats
Jul. 10 – Montreal, QC – Piccolo Rialto
Jul. 12 – Quebec City, QC – Imperial De Quebec
Jul. 14 – Ottawa, ON – Ottawa Blues Fest
Jul. 21 – Cincinnati, OH – The Woodward Theatre
Jul. 22 – Columbus, OH – The Basement
Jul. 23 – Buffalo, NY – Mohawk Place
Jul. 24 – 26 – Oro-Medonte, ON – WayHome Music & Arts Festival
Jul. 27 – Milwaukee, WI – Cactus Club
Jul. 29 – Winnipeg, MB – Pyramid Cabaret
Jul. 30 – Saskatoon, SK – Amigos Cantina
Jul 31 – Calgary, AB – The Republik
Aug. 01 – Edmonton, AB – The Starlite Room
Aug. 03 – Vancouver, BC – The Rickshaw Theatre
Aug. 04 – Seattle, WA – Neumos
Aug. 05 – Portland, OR – Doug Fir Lounge
Aug. 06 – Salt Lake City, UT – Twilight Concert Series @ Pioneer Park* Aug. 09 – San Francisco, CA – Outside Lands
Aug. 11 – Denver, CO – Larimer Lounge
Sep. 04 – Larmer Tree Gardens, UK – End of the Road festival
Sep. 06 – Dublin, IE – Electric Picnic
* w/ The Kills ** w/ FIDLAR ^ w/ Protomartyr ^^ w/ Bad Breeding