The Challenger Deep, The Challenger Deep

“Where did you go when I needed you most?” — it’s a fitting lyric from The Challenger Deep, a post-punk/sludge band from San Diego who recently released their self-titled debut EP but then had to split up when family responsibilities called their guitarist/vocalist back home to the East coast.

The Challenger Deep’s self-titled EP is a collection of five strong songs that leaves you wondering what the band could’ve accomplished if they were able to continue on. The songs are noisy, full, and hard-edged, and usually have a strong central riff to come back to after exploring a variety of musical tangents. Their sound is in the same vein as Drive Like Jehu and Fugazi. Drummer Gregg Geradi does a fine job of keeping everyone together, while bassist Andy Kondrat adds interesting low tones that are perfect companions for Rob Trout’s guitar riffs. The songs are mixed so all the instruments can be heard and they take turns coming to the forefront. The lyrics and vocals, however, are by design in the background and pretty minimal as to not distract from the music but instead to add just enough feeling and emotion.

The EP’s intro song, “Historian,” is short and intense, grabbing your attention. Then comes “Convent Station,” which is quick-paced, too, but winds all over the place and gets right into the vocals, with the drums accenting all the changes. The next song, “Bad News,” is more pensive and relies on the bass during the verses before kicking into a big hook on the choruses. The fourth song, “3-5-3,” builds instrumentally with a staccato, regimented feel, then bursts into a few lines of lyrics shouted at the end. The EP ends with “Cipher,” which repeatedly steps on the gas throughout, with a maniacal riff that the whole band follows skillfully through crazy hairpin turns.

The recording of this EP from The Challenger Deep shows musicians who are talented and mature and who really play off each other well. In interviews with Jim Ruland at Razorcake and McHank’s Perpetually Twelve Internet Show, the band seems surprised by the attention they’ve garnered and say they just started playing music together “for fun.” They also kind of shunned the lyrical and vocal responsibilities, but Trout took them up when they couldn’t find a front man. Personally, I think he should own them, as the lyrics that are discernible are interesting, showing there is some thought process going on. Just with that, they’ve got most bands out there beat.

The Challenger Deep has here a quality five-song debut EP that I’d recommend. Just be warned: like they sing on their song, “Convent Station,” they’ll leave you asking, “Where did you go when I needed you most?”