This Little Underground

After four years of smaller releases, Orlando punk band 430 Steps had finally completed and released their debut album (Citizen of Nothing) in 2020. They’d just begun touring to promote it when COVID shut down everything. In the period that ensued, though, they channeled all that time and frustration forward into creating a whole new, even bigger album. And something transformative happened along the way.

The just-released, 12-song Lights Out LP is easily 430 Steps’ most prismatic work to date. While they’ve shown metal edges before, their main thrust has been classic hardcore. This time, those metal ribs are even more pronounced, with some thrash onslaught, hard-chugging riffs and even burning solos appearing throughout. The overall recording is a much fuller sound for them that packs a deep low-end kick more befitting a metal record.

The high-def dimension here renders 430 Steps’ attack with more muscle and detail than ever before. Some of those details further distinguish this record. There are moments where they shift gears mid-song without warning to reveal even more unexpected peeks of melodic rock, grunge and even electronic music (“Toxic Wall”).

Those detours, however, are brief. Even through all this newfound kaleidoscope, the tenor here is primarily beast mode. They may explore, but they’re not fucking around. This is 430 Steps’ most furious and locked-in record yet. No matter how densely they pack their sound, they blast it straight down the barrel good and hard.

Lights Out now streams everywhere.

Maserati, Vestis, Dearest: Athens indie band Maserati have been fine-tuning their

retro-futurist Autobahn rock for over two decades. But now they’re re-emerging in a synthwave age where the sounds of 1980s cinema have infiltrated the mainstream. Considering where Maserati are right now sonically, the stage is more set than ever for the mighty return of their roborock.

Be sure to catch the notable local openers as well. Vestis is an offshoot of the amazing Fond that deals in spare gothic folk, and Dearest builds extraordinarily textured rock one loop and layer at a time. (8 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 17, Will’s Pub, $15-$18)

Media Control, Jeanwilder: If you like your dream-pop with a splash of shoegaze then, damn, your musical palate’s as curiously specific as mine. Well, this bill is tailored to those very exacting specifications. Over the past few years, Central Florida’s Cathedral Bells have really dialed in their blend of pristine jangle-pop and light shoegaze ether to become perhaps the first famous nonspiritual thing to come out of Cassadaga. With a deft mixture of soft moods and sharp hooks, the gaze-pop of Brooklyn tourmates Surf Rock Is Dead threads a nearly identical needle. This show will also be a good opportunity to check out the chunky shoegaze rock of new, excellently named Orlando band Jeanwilder. (5:30 p.m. Friday, Nov. 18, the Social, $15)

Wynn/Wynn Friday: In terms of talent concentration, there’s probably no greater power couple in Orlando music than leading Americana light Hannah Harber Wynn and Southern rock messiah Thomas Wynn. They’re each powerful solo artists in their own right and have built their sterling names independently of one other. This special engagement, however, is a chance to see those forces together up close and personal. A win-win indeed. (7 p.m. Friday, Nov. 18, Lil Indie’s, free)

AAHZ’s Thanksgiving Eve: Oh, Thanksgiving dinner with extended family’s gonna be extra fun this year in this political climate and fresh off the midterms. Might as well treat yourself and sweat out the dread the night before at this old-school dance tradition. Orlando’s seminal housemusic event AAHZ will reconvene again to drop the classic bass. AAHZ resident DJs Kimball Collins and Dave Cannalte will be joined by an all-star lineup of DJ Icey, Andy Hughes, John Debo, Baby Anne and Tony Faline.

After shakin’ dat azz all night long, you’ll be way too spent and satisfied to bother trying to explain PLUR to your MAGA uncle over the dinner table. (8 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 23, the Beacham, $30-$75)

BY BAO LE-HUU

430 STEPS | PHOTO BY MONICA BLANCO

baolehuu@orlandoweekly.com orlandoweekly.com ● NOV. 16-22, 2022 ● ORLANDO WEEKLY 49