by RAF KATIGBAK

“When my ankle heals, everyone is fucking dead!” warns Jordan Dare, frontman for the four-man sonic assault team known as Shiverdown. Anyone who has witnessed these heavy music heavyweights in action knows what Dare is talking about. “Sure we like recording,” he continues, “but live is where we set it off, that’s where we really fuck shit up.”

The band has indeed been fucking shit up at home and abroad (if you count Valleyfield) for the last two years. Call their music what you will - weird, hard or heavy - just don’t call it nu-metal. “I hate that term,” reveals Dare. “It’s fuckin’ gay.

“We don’t really want to be stuck in that category, we’re into doing shows with other different types of artists like a hip hop act. Just to open up people’s minds a little.” While Dare’s aversion to the term is understandable, their sound no doubt appeals to fans of the genre.

What sets Shiverdown apart from most of their generic nu-metalhead counterparts is their energetic and constantly shifting sound that brings together the band’s multitude of influences. Dare has been a DJ and producer at the forefront of the drum & bass and electro scene for a number of years. Bassist Blake Stacy is himself an accomplished hip hop producer, guitarist Ben Ayotte comes from a straight up rock ’n’ roll background while drummer Lewis Levesque cut his teeth with seminal Montreal punk band Genetic Control. The result? A ferocious blend of metal, intelligent, complex rhythms, and drop-tuned melodies guaranteed to punish punters hardcore. “There’s a real progressive influence,” says Dare. “You’ll never catch us playin’ straight rhythms.” :

“It’s a lot of work. But to break down some doors you’ve got to just keep plugging away.” :

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