Wednesday 13 December 2017

HEDGE FUND TRADER

BandHEDGE FUND TRADER
GenresPunk / Hardcore / Screamo / Skramz / Powerviolence / Black Metal / Thrash / Crust
Related artists?.
CountryHamilton NEW ZEALAND
Years Active2017-present
Song: "One For One"
Album: "No Birds"
Year: 2017
For fans ofCloud Rat, Plague Walker, Tetola93, Fucking Invincible, Mahria, Lord Snow, Commuovere, This Land Is Now Dead, Yung Nat$, Punch, Kodos, Melt Banana and Pinocchio 964 aka PROPER SCREAMO.
Label(s): Self Released / Zegema Beach Records
This post's artist is from the December 2017 Mix. This is track #3.
You can download: the December 2017 Mix#12 right here or get the new January 2018 Mix#1 here.

When I first moved to Dunedin, New Zealand my good friend Jörg introduced to me one of his favourite Kiwi bands. They are a three-piece by the name of HEDGE FUND TRADER, as his band Yung Nat$ were set to play shows with them in both Christchurch and Dunedin, which I got hella stoked on after jamming 'Discography'. Fast forward to two weeks before the Christchurch show, and Yung Nat$ had to pull out from making the four hour trek from Dunedin. To my utmost delight, the band I'm in/was in Swallow's Nest was asked to take their place. We met and played with them in Lyttelton on October 13th, 2017 and it was great (show linked here, a bit past halfway down the post). We then played the next night alongside both HEDGE FUND TRADER and Yung Nat$ and it was one of my favourite shows here. Actually, in terms of lineup it was my favourite. On this night in particular I was fucking blown away (show linked here, three quarters of the way down the post). We asked if the band wanted to do a split tape with us, to which they graciously accepted, so look for that in early 2018 on Zegema Beach Records as both bands have their songs recorded already.

HEDGE FUND TRADER don't just have a great band name, but their debut EP was hilariously titled 'Discography'. It opens with the raw, caustic and violent "They Live", which reminds me a bit of the final Tetola93 record but with more of a black metal vibe, especially those haunting screams. "I Am Two" lasts just 42 seconds, while "Fire Walk With Me" barely eclipses the 30-second mark, as both songs tear through with astounding force and a lot of noise. "Nothing to Show" is a good track but the epic closer "and i made up lies so that they all fit nice" takes the cake. After 50 seconds of explosive instrumentals the song seemingly kicks back, only to be pulled into the swells of devastating waves of metallic hardcore. The palm-muted guitar times itself with crashing drums and throat wrenching screams for another minute and a half before being led out with dual screams, feedback and the occasional eruption of four, deathly notes. Good god this song is unreal.

A few days prior to our shows together, HEDGE FUND TRADER dropped their phenomenal second EP titled 'No Birds'. Regardless of being much better recorded and produced, the songs are much more complex, diverse and engaging. Opener "Introduction to No Birds" is two minutes of subdued, clean and relatively distant sounding chords with vocalist Kelly and guitarist Michael screaming layered lightly on top, and is one of my favourites from the new tape. The opener's abrupt ending catapults the listener headfirst into the shortest and perhaps the most screamo sounding of HEDGE FUND TRADER's current recordings with "An Emptiness". I am aware that vocalist Kelly is studying Mandarin and going to China to study very soon, so it isn't surprising that the third track is not titled in English, but instead "妇女能顶半边天". For the third straight song Michael's sick backup vocals make an appearance, and Kelly's ability to jump back and forth from harsh screams (think Cloud Rat) to yellin' (nods to Cerce and Yung Nat$) is remarkable. "Stay" is ballistic, with Kelly dipping in and out of shrieking and yelling while drummer Adam goes fucking bananas. Closer "One For One" is my pick for this stellar new EP, as it combines everything that makes the band great. Plus, it has more prodigious, imposing and towering riffs that could topple cities, as well as that apocalyptic and screamy second-half.

I'm writing and posting this on my first day after living in New Zealand. I'm quite sad upon leaving such an amazing place. But, good goddamn, I fucking love HEDGE FUND TRADER. And by this point, chances are you do to.

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DISCOGRAPHY

2017 - Discography cassetteEP (stream/donate/download here) [buy ZBR's last copy here]
2017 - No Birds cassetteEP (stream/donate/download here)

2018 - Swallow's Nest split (possibly 4-way) cassetteEP

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(2017) HEDGE FUND TRADER - "One For One" (from 'No Birds')

(2017) HEDGE FUND TRADER - "Introduction to No Birds" (from 'No Birds')

(2017) HEDGE FUND TRADER - "An Emptiness" (from 'No Birds')

(2017) HEDGE FUND TRADER - "and i made up lies so that they all fit nice" (from 'Discography')

(2017) HEDGE FUND TRADER - full set (from Oct. 14th, 2017 Dunedin show)

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HEDGE FUND TRADER additional links

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