iPunke Renegades - Test Icicles

Test Icicles don’t get what all the fuss is about. Sitting in the dressing room before the latest stop on their UK tour they are completely bemused by the hype building around them three days before the release of their debut single ‘Boa vs. Python’. Guitarist Dev Hynes laughs, “as soon as people come and see us, from the moment we get on stage they’ll realise its all rubbish.” Fellow guitarist Rory Atwell puts things into perspective, “No one really knows who we are still. The first single isn’t out yet. If there is hype it shouldn’t really be there yet.” It is, and no matter how much they try to distance themselves from it they’re quite possibly the hottest band in the country right now.

So why all the hype around a band only on their first single? Well, for starters there’s the genre bending, pigeonhole-defying noise that they concoct. Music journalists have been falling over copious amounts of verbs and adjectives in their attempts to pin Test Icicles down with little success. When approached on the subject Atwell muses “if people can’t work out what we sound like it’s probably a good thing I reckon.” Gonzo noise-punk firebrands is one description, spazmo hardcore experimentalists is another but, ****, you could go on all night.

This often baffling blend of sounds and styles that permeates the bands material derives from the fact that their influences are almost endless. “I like a lot of stuff. I haven’t found anything that’s disgusted me,” explains Dev, “There’s some stuff we have in common like the spaz stuff, GSL stuff. I listen to lots of metal, a lot of post post hardcore. Punk, Hip Hop, dance stuff. Ex Models kind of stuff. Slipknot.” The list goes on and by the time he’s finished all Rory has left to say is “Same kind of shit,” but really there was nothing else he could have added.

Then there’s the manic live shows which see them swapping instruments and vocals with wild precision and where audiences are likely to hear anything from “shredding metal solos” to “disco house beats,” and have “the best/worst time of their life,” says Dev. He also adds that he wants fans to “walk away and be like, ‘****, see that move that guitarist did. I’m gonna do that in my Screamo band when we play.’ That’s what I want them to think.” Expect to see him throwing shapes on stages throughout the UK for the next couple of months.

Rory Atwell has less lofty ambitions, “Hopefully it’ll be amusing at the very least, if not maybe more than that, who knows.” The shows haven’t been going to plan in the last week, however, “Started off well but rapidly went down hill,” says Rory. “We played really badly on all the shows,” Dev butts in, “we haven’t really played in a row as much as usual. We’ve played two shows then a day off so we haven’t had time to get into it. We’re just kind of constantly lethargic.” In fact it turns out the highlight of the tour so far isn’t any of the gigs but a trip to a Hooters restaurant that morning, Rory gleefully recollects, “Yeah, that was fun. Classy place, we got a nice picture with the lovely ladies of Hooters.” One for the scrapbook then.