Scene & Unheard: Portland Issue #24

New bands prove that metal is making a comeback

By Megan Holmes
Published: June 1st, 2005 | 2:25pm

Band: Fact Or Fiction
Players: programmer-guitarist-vocalist Radio Sloan and vocalist-guitarist Nicole Georges
Influences: The movie Alice by Jan Svankmajer and H.R. Pufnstuf
Sounds like: Self-proclaimed “operatic science metal.” The kind of band that Jack and Sally from The Nightmare Before Christmas would have perform at their wedding.
Stats: Sloan was a member of the Need, and Georges writes a zine called Invincible Summer, the first eight issues of which have been collected in an anthology by Tugboat Press.
URL:radiosloan.com

Band: Swan Island
Players: guitarist Torrence Stratton, guitarist Aubree Bernier-Clarke, drummer-vocalist Vera Domini, bassist-vocalist Bob E. Kendrick, vocalist Brisa Gonzalez
Influences: Devo, Prince, Pat Benatar, Heart
Sounds like: If the B-52’s formed a math rock band
Trivia: Kendrick runs 16 Records and was a member of the band Shemo. Bernier-Clarke played in Half-Seas-Over with Kristina Davies of Davies Vs. Dresch.
URL:16records.net

Band: Pom Pom Meltdown
Players: bassist-vocalist Haley Weiner, guitarist-vocalist *winner*, and drummer-vocalist Terrica Kleinknecht
Influences: Jaco Pastorius, Slint, Sappho
Sounds like: Appleseed Cast plus early Metallica, but with chicks
Trivia: All three members have volunteered or taught at the Rock ’N’ Roll Camp For Girls. Weiner played on The Haggard … with Haley 7-inch (16 Records), and *winner* received a full golf scholarship from Portland State University.
URL: pompommeltdown.tripod.com