A River Forth

A stellar example of Web-savvy name-making, A River Forth has accumulated more than 2,000 documentable fans before releasing its first album. Instead of waiting for studio samples, the Lawrence-and-Topeka band smartly posts excerpts from its live shows on its eponymous MySpace profile page. No images of the group’s members appear on the site, but it’s not because they’re shy: Singer Adrian Hall stripped naked at his audition. Hall remains clothed during A River Forth’s concerts, but his confident stage presence confirms his lack of inhibitions. The group touts its unique blend of “insanity and sensitivity,” but whereas the latter quality surfaces in its lyrics, Hall prefers death-metal growls and tortured shrieks to crooning. Though unquestionably heavy, the backdrops never surge into shredding mode, instead plodding with ominous portent, especially during the breakdowns. Ambitious, talented and commanding an army of Internet pseudo-friends, A River Forth is bursting at the banks. — Andrew Miller