Five Knives

Evictions, hooded masks, secret passwords, basement bootleg tiki bars, fire axes, superstar rappers...These spectacles-some planned, some not-were all part of the live shows that Nashville's Five Knives played throughout their hometown upon forming in 2012. "Our second show we played a rooftop and set off the smoke alarms. When the fire department turned up with axes during the set everyone thought they were part of the show," says programmer Nathan Barlowe. "We had our masks on; they had their masks on, they had their axes and people thought they were part of some kind of weird rave. It wasn't hard for us to book shows after that"

In the two years since Five Knives formed, they have gone from those secret basement shows to playing during Winter Music Conference and most recently, touring with Icona Pop. They have been named an MTV Artist to Watch, scored a Top 10 Billboard Club Chart Hit and had their songs remixed by Pretty Lights, Jauz, UZ, Damn Kids, Quintino and more.

But for Barlowe, singer Anna M'Queen, guitarist/programmer Zach Hall, and drummer Shane Wise, the idea was always to go about things a little differently, starting with the fusion of worlds that makes up their unique, varied sound.

"Our goal is to take the power and energy that all these DJs have right now and harness that as a band with songs, and to do it live," says Barlowe. "We aim to be the bridge of the DJ/EDM world into live bands." Hall continues, "Our goal is to have the power and energy of a live band, but to be as genre bending and flexible as a DJ in the way we present our music." Hall continues, "Hopefully in a way we are bridging the gap between what a live band and what a DJ does on stage."

After beginning their careers as pop songwriters, musicians-for-hire, and fronting other bands, Five Knives was created by Barlowe and Hall out of a pure sense of collaborative inspiration, an artistic passion project. The music was dark and brooding, but the pop elements helped it find a resonating groove, like Depeche Mode, The Bloody Beetroots, and contemporaries Crystal Castles. The addition of M'Queen as vocalist added a new dimension, and when the then-trio posted songs online, they were floored by the positive reaction. Commence the secret gigs, the third of which included the addition of Wise on drums, who they had found from a video on YouTube. Wise learned the songs in a day, blown away by the sound. "The songs were awesome," he says. "I thought, 'This is badass. Nobody in Nashville is doing this. I have to be a part of it.'"

For M'Queen, who came from a straightforward punk outfit, the chance to front Five Knives provided a fresh challenge. "Electronic music was really new for me," she says. "But it was so dark and vibe-y in just the right way. It was so much cooler than what I was doing." The boys gave her a crash course on emceeing, even nicknaming her "Rushin' Doll" for her punk rock tendency to speed through verses. A vocal star in the style of Gwen Stefani, Debbie Harry and Joan Jett was born.

They jelled quickly, propelled by their idea to release a new EP every month, complete with artwork and a live release show. "We meshed really well together," says M'Queen. "We work extremely well under that kind of creative pressure. It helped us become who we are." It would also help them gain notice from fans as well as labels, and the band signed with Red Bull Records in 2012.

The release of The Rising EP in 2013, a collection of their five favorite songs from those early EPs, continued the online buzz and the band soon after began writing their full-length debut. With so many different genres swirling in their music, choosing just the right mix was a challenge.

The result is 13 tracks of bombastic, heart-skipping density, raw power, and laser-honed electric bursts. The album opens with "Savages," a dance-ready anthem reaching for the rafters. "Dirty Souls," with its massive beat and chorus to match has already become a live favorite, "Sugar," is an ear-grabbing declaration of authority, especially from M'Queen, and "Money" is lyrically honest and in-your-face, a song that says what most people only think. "Oblivion" was the final song to make the album, a track they had originally shelved but that re-presented itself after Barlowe tinkered with it on his laptop. "It's so meaningful to me now," says M'Queen. "It's the only song on the record that showcases the prettier side of my voice. It's got that '80s Depeche-Mode feel, and it's super emotional to sing.

The disparate influences are apparent, but much like the way a great DJ can blend a set, Five Knives present a seamless album, with just enough variation to keep listeners wanting more. "We're constantly inspired by different things, and evolving," says M'Queen. "Music today is ever-changing and we want to blaze our own trail through that. That's been our challenge, and I think so far, so good."

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