"Bend is so good that it doesn't have to "find" a discrete audience: it will make one for itself. Bend will appeal to indie rockers looking for a little teeth in their music, and it'll satisfy the head-banging itch for anyone looking to get loud. " - Tom Alexander, Post-Trash

Today, Crag Mask share their self-released, sophomore album Bend.

Zackery Abramo on Bend:

"Being in a band in a c-class market state is extremely tough to break out of no matter where you exist in the United States, but Connecticut is it's own sort of special place.

"Existing right in between two cities that have been the birthplace of many successful and beloved indie bands of the past few years, it's hard enough to get good touring acts through Connecticut, let alone get locals into the scene that already exists. Despite how insular the scene here is, it's extremely fertile with amazing bands. It's just hard for it to not feel like a drive through state at times. Secret Plane was written in response to this.

"It also deals with a challenge we and many other bands face where we get written off as just a "heavy" band. a lot of the time we are too heavy to play with indie bands, and too soft to play with heavy bands. The song is about navigating all of this and trying to carve out a space where we fit in. And is it all really worth it?"

Crag Mask started as the sonic vision of guitars/vocalist Zackery Abramo. He conceived the band after departing Boston's burgeoning indie-pop darling's Vundabar, and since returning as their bassist , and moving back to New Haven, Connecticut.

After rediscovering long forgotten demos he tracked in high school, Abramo drafted an eclectic selection of local DIY veterans to fill out the line-up: Guitarist: Zayne Couch, bassist Phil Lord, and drummer Jason Rule. Presented with the demos, the band began to develop Abramo's distinct take on rock and roll. The collaboration culminated in their full-length debut 'Loom' in 2017, (on GAWK records/Super Wimpy Punch). Since then, they have been bestowing their uniquely branded sound to the eastern half of the US on multiple tours.

Their sophomore album, Bend , was recorded in the later part of 2018. The album sonically expands on Loom in many ways. Their gloomy sound still unfolds into heavy hitting sections that groove and bend, all while maintaining a catchiness that acts as a thread through their non-traditionally structured tunes. On Bend, the band pushes their distinctive grooves to all sorts of strange and satisfying territories.

Stream Bend Below: