Somewhere in life I've realized something tragic. And honestly, I don't know if this is a general truth, or just something that relates to me and my life. But often times, the bands that are the most important to me, go unnoticed. Either unnoticed or they don't reach their potential. Tamiroff, The Newlywed Intercoastal, Bad Cops, Knife Crazy, etc. Awake/Sever The Hands is in this list, if not right at the top. The first time I got word of this band was after a show Bad Cops, Ladies & Everyone and The Mandate Of Heaven played the day before Halloween. It was 2004 I believe. We were walking from the Westcott down to Munjed's and I was talking to Jim. In the conversation he mentioned his new band and ended up giving me a link to their website. I really liked Awake. It was cool to hear Jim doing music in Brooklyn. And it was cool music. A mathy screamy post hardcore type band. Definitely not like just another Bad Cops. Awake eventually ended up playing a show armory square, downtown at a bar (i cant remember the bar's name) that very few people went to. But i was there and I loved them. At the same time i started playing in the band One Hundred Metronomes. We played a bunch of shows with Awake. Later they changed their name to Sever The Hands. One Hundred Metronomes eventually went on indefinite hiatus, but L&E continued the band relationship up until the band broke up. The members went on to do more bands. Jim and Damian did Monolith with Bad Cops bassist Jon Peters while John did his solo project Explorer, Conquerer (eventually changing the name and becmoming known as Weightlessness). Monolith broke up because of distance issues. Jim got really into his solo project Rejouissance, Damian moved away and John continued with Weightlessness. Nowadays, Jim is still doing Rejouissance along with some other projects. Damian moved back to Syracuse and started the band Tailings. And John got married, though I'm sure he continues to make music. I guess what I'm trying to say is, time goes on and on, and this band is still important to me after all these years. They bring to mind a time in my life when things weren't that terrible. When things were fun and bands that were good musically were friends and played shows with one another. I'll never forget Sever The Hands. And I'll never understand why they never got the recognition and respect they deserved as a band. My only hope is that I can show Sever The Hands to people now, and have them enjoy the band. Here is everything they recorded...
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