Trail VS Russia was a math rock band from Vancouver, British Columbia who, despite breaking up and reforming various times throughout the early 2000s, only ever released one album in 2001. The band also recorded a second album at Brackendale Arts Centre in Squamish, BC in 2005 but never released it. The band was an instrumental trio and “resisted all attempts by [their] naysayers to add a vocalist”. 

    Despite their small body of work, Trail VS Russia was incredibly talented and on point which is evident in their only released album. Sharp, angular guitar riffs, complex and fast-paced drum beats mixed with a slight post-rocky sound at times make for an interesting listen. The band is definitely best described as math rock but it has a more approachable, less abrasive sound than a lot of math rock does. It’s an album you can actually sit and relax to which I find isn’t always the case with the more abrasive, experimental math rock. 

    I stumbled upon their 12" in Vancouver and had no idea what it was but was instantly intrigued by the woodcut silkscreen on the cover. I took a chance on it and really loved it. They sound a little like a slightly tamer Lustre King and even have some Slint esque elements to their sound. And they were right, no vocalist was needed, in a case like this it may have just taken away from the instrumentals of the album which are what really blew my mind. 

Discography

The Anvil 12" 2001 (One Gold Ruble)