Hectagons
The Milestone
Feb. 18, 2012

Incorporating Between the Buried and Me's Dan Briggs into an experimental, progressive three-piece which combines sax, bass and drums, the anticipation for Trioscapes swept the Milestone on Feb. 18. When a side-project that intriguing, one might expect the band to dominate a show. Little did concert attendees know that Hectagons was en route to rage and would cap the night off with a tight set leaving witnesses in awe.

Following headliner Trioscapes, Hectagons had huge shoes to fill, but there was no hesitation in living up to the challenge. Quizzical looks appeared while each person in the crowd attempted to take in the meticulousness of the Charlotte band's upbeat, melodic instrumentals. Hectagons inspires nodding heads and rocking hips as the crowd takes in the music's psychedelic overtones of instrumental progression and indefinite passion.

From their beginnings in 2008 as a three-piece progressive, psychedelic-metal group, Hectagons have entranced their audiences, leaving people amazed. Over the past couple of years, through their constantly progressing techniques and incorporation of Justin Aswell on his Mashine, they have allowed the group to expand experimentally and through the addition of live electronic beat production.

As guitarist Buck Boswell grits his teeth, smiling in a sinister manner of release, he slays his guitar using a handful of delay pedals, leading the melodies as his hair flies behind him and flops in front of his face like a rabid cowardly lion. Beside him, Aswell massacres his Mashine, keeping the beat catchy and complex in order to meld with Rick Culp's intricate drumming. Korey Dudley is a beast in his own right, holding down the funky bass lines on his stand-up, jamming like a heavy jazz band with a stature to match the overly dominant instrument's presence.

Although Hectagons shined the brightest in their hometown, that's not to say Trioscapes wasn't of equal talent and originality. They, too, were amazing — a three piece of progressive jazz metal that entertained a large and enthusiastic crowd with heavy-hitting drums, screeching, melodic saxophone and funk-infused electric bass. They played a set that ended far too soon, at the height of everyone rocking out to the saxophone-infused jazz metal. However, at the end of the night it was Hectagons' show and their well-rounded sound which is as complex and solid as ever.