Turn it Down: Hordes brings the noise to 4th annual Oigs Fest

Experimental trio to play all-day music fest with fellow heavy hitters

Saturday, Feb. 29 @ Mac’s Bar, 2700 E. Michigan Ave., Lansing. All ages, $13, $10 adv., 3 p.m.

Since its genesis 13 years ago, Hordes has mastered the art of cerebral sonic chaos and deafening drone resonances, and this weekend the trio unleashes that wave of intensity at the re-scheduled Oigs Fest 4. 

The annual all-day heavy-music fest happens Saturday at Mac’s Bar and showcases a long list of bands, including The Rock and Roll Bad Guys, Recorruptor and From Blue to Gray, to name a few. 

As for Hordes, the band remains avant-garde as ever in its refined approach to down-tuned post-punk and unconventional noise. A decade ago, City Pulse dubbed Hordes “Lansing’s most detached band,” and that’s a title the brooding band still holds. 

Over the years, Hudson and Howard have been the two constants in the trio, with Karinen being their latest member behind the kit. Just before the formation of Hordes, Hudson said he was cutting his teeth in the underground arts. 

“I’d been doing a lot of noisy, experimental stuff as Grey Earth,” Hudson recalls of his pre-Hordes days. “It wasn’t really a band, but I was learning how to get the sounds I wanted. I also briefly had a band called Weapons of Mass Destruction, which had a lot of stripped-down, crusty riffing. That prepared me more for guitar and vocals.

“Around 2007, Jon asked if I wanted to work on a new project,” Hudson added. “His band, Rattling Wall Collective, was winding down and he wanted to start his next thing.” 

While mining from shared favorite bands, like Joy Division, The Stooges, Throbbing Gristle and Godflesh, Hordes crafted its own signature brand of ominous, spontaneous sounds. But that loose, early template has evolved over the years to include a bit more structure. 

“At one point, we went from improvising our material to composing our material,” Hudson said. “But I’d like to believe it’s still coming from the same place. Most rehearsals begin with a brief warmup jam. If it feels right, Jon hits record and we keep going. We also bring ideas from home to see if they might fit. It can’t be too forced.”

For those in front of the stage, Hudson said Hordes has also stuck to its promise of melting faces. The band averages about one gig a month, and loudness is often the only consistency in their impulsive sets. 

“Live, we are a trio that believes in loudness,” he said. “Are we still “Lansing’s most detached band”? I hope our recordings capture that to some degree.” 

Hordes’ recorded legacy, thus far, comprises a stellar self-titled 2015 EP and a tall stack of other lo-fi releases. New tracks are also in the works and are set to be released via Silver Maple Kill Records, Karinen’s imprint. 

“I’d have to dig through the archives, but I think there’s about a dozen recordings,” Hudson said. “A lot of those are self-produced, homemade releases from our improv days. I would say we have three in our current style. We hope to record again very soon. I’m hoping for a full-length, but at least an EP. We are also planning on a split 7-inch with 1,000 Yard Stare.”

To stream the sinister sounds, visit hordeslansing.bandcamp.com or follow them at facebook.com/HordesLansing.