REVIEW: Minus the Bear's "Planet of Ice"

This is a re-publish from my old blog. Original publication date: 7/19/2018.

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So recently, Minus the Bear announced that after seventeen years, they would be going their separate ways after completing their previously-announced tour which turns out is titled (cue drumroll) their Farewell Tour.

Now, this is a crushing blow to someone like myself, since I’ve been a fan since discovering them roughly a decade ago. I still remember hearing their single “Knights” for the first time when my roommate introduced me to them in a small apartment we shared so long back in memory.

I’ve always enjoyed how the group produced a style that danced a fine line between melodic, post-hardcore, and EDM. Each release had something new and interesting, even if the entire album didn’t bowl me over, knock me off my feet, or make me react in any other type of cliched expression.

Yep, that's where Seattle is. I'm smart. I know.

In light of the news of their impending dissolution, I’ve decided to extend my ear into the past to share my feelings about one of their crowning moments: it was 2007, and the Seattle-based rock group met major success with Planet of Ice. This was an album which brought out the best of everything the band is known and celebrated over: strong vocals, cleverly-layered guitars, progressive passages, and, of course, lyrics about sexual encounters.

But despite the fact that even the band’s name is a reference to a sexual encounter (look it up), the lyrics were hardly the strongest point of the band. Tracks such as “Burying Luck” and “When We Escape” were enough to draw in outsiders, for sure, with strong songwriting featuring beautifully-layered guitars. But it was songs like “Part 2” and “Dr. L’Ling” with their build-ups and linear progressions which made me love this LP.

Speaking of linearity, most songs segue into each other, often in the cleverest of ways. This makes the experience something worth hearing in one solid session, whether you’re sitting down in a chair or a driver’s seat.

Vocalist Jake Snyder’s voice finds the perfect locale in the mix of the instruments, as he’s neither too passive or intrusive in delivery. The bass and drums are perfectly fitted, often showing their strong points. The guitars, while cleverly crafted, also have mastered the art of sampling, which is especially evident in “Knights,” where the main chopped riff in the refrain is catchy as hell. This acceptance of digital effects helps make the keyboards feel welcomed as well, as they add an extra dimension of ambiance.

And that’s what this album is really about: a balance between chaos and order, which the instrument section weaves in and out of flawlessly. “When We Escape” and “Double Vision Quest” are two prominent examples of this. The group is able to switch between nuance and abrasion without warning, often resulting in a daring tale that the music can tell without need for vocals, though the singing is always a welcome addition.

With all things considered, Planet of Ice is a classic rock album that shines in an era where rock bands with bold ideas are almost never heard in the mainstream. And while this album is now over a decade old, it’s still, in my opinion, a welcome entry into any music-lover’s library.