Consider The End sound like a band still discovering exactly what they are capable of, and 'Strangelation' benefits greatly from that uncertainty. As the opening track from debut EP 'CTE', the song moves through shoegaze, alternative rock and slacker-rock textures without settling comfortably into any one of them. That fluidity gives it a sense of momentum, shifting between quieter, introspective passages and much heavier walls of sound while allowing the instruments enough space to retain their natural dynamics.
The Dallas-Fort Worth band have grown out of a local DIY scene where distortion-heavy Texas shoegaze has become a major reference point, but 'CTE' suggests they're already looking beyond imitation. Their approach folds in the melodic instincts of 90s alternative, the looseness of indie and slacker rock, and a more singer-songwriter sensibility that emerged as the line-up developed.
And 'Strangelation' captures that mixture particularly well. There's weight in the guitars, but the track isn't built around heaviness alone. The production preserves contrast, giving the louder moments more impact because the song is willing to pull back first. It's a dynamic movement that keeps the track from becoming one continuous wash of distortion.
There are the obvious reference points of Pixies, Radiohead, Dinosaur Jr, Hum and Deftones among them, but 'Strangelation' is most interesting when those influences stop feeling separate.
In all, Consider The End aren't presenting a perfectly defined microgenre just yet. But they are showing the moment it begins to take shape.
Have a listen to 'Strangelation' in the player below.