Transparent Orange with Black & White Twist variant: Limited to 100 copies. As the dust settled on an impressive list of former endeavors, it was an unlikely series of human connections that sparked the inception of Assertion. After years of self-described music industry PTSD and disenchantment, drummer William Goldsmith (Sunny Day Real Estate, The Fire Theft, Foo Fighters), guitarist/vocalist Justin Tamminga (Blind Guides, Dying Trades), bassist Bryan Gorder united through a series of serendipitous events. Best described adjectively, the band’s debut LP, Intermission, is real, propulsive, and earnest – a cathartic experience that proudly does not nestle nicely alongside current bands – or really many releases at all from the last couple decades. Intermission conjures more connections to the heady grit and soaring grind of the 90’s. Driving guitars anchored by a frenetic rhythm section. A haunting vocal delivery concealing a heartfelt sentiment. Track-by-track, the record builds into a dark and heavy crescendo but unpredictably retreats into delicate and fragile moments in masterful ways.
01. DOWN INTO THE DEPTHS
02. THE LAMB TO THE SLAUGHTER PULLS A KNIFE
03. DEFEATED
04. THIS DREAM DOES NOT WORK
05. PUSHED TO THE LIMIT
06. DEEPER IN THE SHALLOW
07. THIS LONELY CHOIR
08. SUPERVISED SUFFERING
09. SET FIRE
