Cargo Records

A European Union

'Why not take two quite different bands, introduce them, out out a CD and then dance to it like bastards?', wondered the Captains Of Industry.

Why not? indeed. So they did.

Minus are from Reykavik, Iceland.
Favez are from Lausanne, Switzerland.

Minus are: Krummi / Frosti / Bjarni / Johnny / Bjossi
Favez are: Chris W / Guy Bee / Fabrice M / Yvan Lechef

The population of Iceland is 276,365
The population of Switzerland is 7,262,372

MINUS
Everything this groundbreaking five-piece commit to plastic is pure - in intention, in aesthetics, in delivery. Formed in 1998 as fresh-faced teenagers and inspired by bands like Ministry, Led Zeppelin and Refused, they quickly became leaders of Iceland's nascent hardcore scene, supporting passing heroes such as Fugazi and Sick Of It all and watching as their cult of followers expanded. Their brutal sound was first captured on 1999's 'Hey Johnny!', an album sung in their native Icelandic. Back then Minus were a blur of flesh and buzz-cuts - youthful negative energy laid bare - perfect yet constrained by the boundaries of the genre. During this time they also set up their own label, Msk (short for "mannaskitur", or "human shit").

A breakthrough came when 2001's 'Jesus Christ Bobby' album saw Minus switch to English (like it matters - the entire album is one crushing tsunami of bile!) and sonically step up a gear. Released on The Sugarcubes' Smekkleysa Records and produced by Ken Thomas and noise soundscaper Curver, 'Jesus Christ Bobby' was an exercise in aural extremities, a sound which can only be described as fuck-you-core, a genre of one that we've just this minute invented.

'Jesus Christ Bobby' introduced Minus to the world and garnered instant praise from the likes of NME, Metal Hammer, Terrorizer and Kerrang!, whose 5/5 review frothed that Minus create "a brilliantly abstract, tumultuous, paranoid squall - they're the most important noise band to emerge in years". Victory Records - America's leading hardcore label - immediately signed the band Stateside.

FAVEZ
Favez started out in 1990 as Favez Disciples (Chris W, Guy B. and some other nice guys). The name is either a homage to Steve McQueen's mechanic in the 1971 film 'Le Mans' or taken from the name of a English actor from the 30's, Leroy Favez. Nothing happened for a while. They changed drummers. They released their first prophetically-titled record 'And the World Don't Care' in 1993 and an EP called 'Arrogance' in 1995. Big local success and tours of Europe followed. Nothing else happened.

Not until 1997 'The Eloquence of the Favez Disciples' was released, Favez tour Canada and Fig joins on guitar. Nothing happened.

Then they changed drummers and shortened their name to Favez to mark the occasion. Things start to look up. At first, new drummer Fred couldn't hit all that hard, so the band record an acoustic album in 1998, 'A Sad Ride On the Line Again'. Some stuff that was meant to happen actually happens. Spotted with playing with The Delgados, Favez sign a three album contract with Stickman Records (Fireside, The Soundtrack Of Our Lives) for Europe and Doghouse Records for the rest of this mortal coil. They take off to Germany to tour with influential hardcore band Fireside.

Then things really start moving. 2000 sees the release of the magnificent
'Gentlemen Start Your Engines', recorded with John Agnello (Dinosaur Jr, Mark Lanegan) in Hoboken NJ. Fig quits playing to manage the band full time and Favez play every country in Europe and the USA. Twice. They like to tour.

Reviews compare Favez to: Jimmy Eat World, The Get Kids, Radiohead, Pavement, The Promise Ring, Superchunk, Dinosaur Jr, Hot Water Music.

Their bass player quits, in comes Yvan Lechef and Favez record a new album, a humbling homage to the beauty of their hometown. It is christened '(From Lausanne, Switzerland)'. Favez have a rule - never do the same thing twice. '(From Lausanne, Switzerland)' is a heavy-riffing, pounding album, influenced by two years of constant touring and shows an evolved towards a meaner, more aggressive mix of 70's hard rock and Y2K melodic hardcore. "A perfectly formed band to discover now," noted Kerrang! in a 5/5 review. "Fans of everyone from Foo Fighters to Deftones to Get-Up Kids should find something to sink their teeth into here,"

Fred quit, in came the magnificent Fabrice M. At some point 'emo' enters the Oxford English dictionary and post-Favez bands like Jimmy Eat World, Rival Schools and The Get-Up Kids and get popular.

Late 2003 sees Favez complete work on their new album 'Bellefontaine Avenue, produced, recorded and mixed entirely by the band and is rumoured to feature
Jean Michel Jarre-style laser flute solo's, the cheesiest heavy metal breaks ever known to mankind, pop songs and 60's studio effects like. It has been described as sounding like a punch up between "A-ha, Motörhead, Queen and Fu Manchu". Which is rather preposterous.

Track Listing

1. Ambiance of Hilarity (Minus)
2. Boys of Winter (Minus)
3. Electra Complex (Minus)
4. A Better Life (Favez)
5. Someday All This Will Be Mine (Favez)
6. It's Always Ten To Ten (Favez)