Chicago quartet Grendel is one of those post-punk gloomy atmospheric type of bands that you'd really expect Wicker Park to produce a lot more of. They do the unhappy Disintegration-era Cure by way of Siouxsie thing, with a brief stop to pick up some Morrissey. That's not to say that the band is derivative or uninteresting at all. (hey, Siouxsie, the Cure and Morrisey are all great bands), it's just that with them acting so morose and all, you'd expect them to be English or something. Grendel is blessed with two talented lead singers and songwriters; Adam Nelson and Catherine Noble share the duties. The alternating male and female lead vocals allows Grendel some depth and gives them the opportunity to expand beyond easy Brit-gloom comparisons. In addition to Nelson and Noble, Matt Acheson plays bass and Jeff Lee plays drums.
Their eponymous debut was self-recorded, -produced, and -released on their own Q Sound Records. In addition to the label, the members own and run their own recording studio, Q Studios (it also featured original drummer Payton Towe, one of the founding members of the badn, who left the group in 1998).
Though they do play moody, brooding rainy day type rock, on several tracks, they are able to successfully blend the power and almost symphonic fullness of Sisters of Mercy and the catchy irreverent pop of the Sugar Cu be or early Bjork solo recordings.
Over the past two years, their 1st CD has received solid (if not earth-shattering) air-play nationwide-- mostly on college stations. They have a new CD, Scratch out on Husk/Clermont Records.
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