In the fiercely oversaturated landscape of modern “Indie Rock”, long overrun with “Sub-genres”, “post” this and that, and “inserthipcatchphraseoftheweek-core”, it is all the more impressive when a band comes along and truly defies convention, a feat all-too evident in the finely tuned sound of New Jersey’s Oh The Horror. On their debut LP Hands Pressed Against the Glass, OTH bring the world a new hybrid; equal parts aggression, melody, and all-out aural insanity - the kind one would expect from a band with song titles like “How to F**k a Model” and “How to Kill an Actress”. And although Oh The Horror are undoubtedly a heavy band, that is only one part of the equation. Drawing influences from bands like the Deftones, The Mars Volta, Glassjaw, and Radiohead, Oh the Horror has sculpted their own vision of Hard Rock: Brutal, yet catchy vocals play upon groove-oriented riffs and ambience, leaving just enough room for progressive motifs and hyperactive breakdowns, painting the band a personality all their own. Oh The Horror signed to PLAY THE ASSASSIN RECORDS in the summer of 2005, on the success of 2 self-funded releases and a steady stream of regional touring. And although the band had formed a mere two years earlier, their unmistakable chemistry shines throughout Hands Pressed. Says vocalist Rollins “Everyone had either been in other bands together or played with bands that our current members were in. We've all known each other since we were kids. Of course there's the fact that we're all in a band that we believe in. That right there is the greatest chemistry a band's members could have. If you believe in what you're doing as a whole, then you come to really respect each part of the machine” And the OTH machine has continued to grow, steadily building a huge following through stunning live shows, word of mouth, and internet buzz (the band has over 14,000 friends on MYSPACE). And while OTH is currently enjoying the type of buzz a lesser band might spend their entire career chasing, Rollins maintains their current successes have been an organic process with a simple explanation. “The fans from our other bands stuck around to see what this new band was all about, and I guess they liked what they saw because our crowds have just been consistently growing each show we play. I guess it helps that we like to hang out with the people that come to see us play after the show. Some bands do that, others don't. We're definitely a fan-friendly band. “ *Please visit www.ohthe.com or www.myspace.com/ohthehorror * “Oh the Horror meld the art rock exploration of Tool with the blistering metallic screams of Sweden’s Blindside” – METAL MANIACS "Not in a long time has a local act come out this heavy or this strong... OTH kicks a whole lot of a**! Finally, South Jersey has something to brag about again!!!" - Matt Geiser - WDBK - Blackwood, NJ "Hands Pressed Against the Glass" is proof that America can still churn out some good metal that doesn't sound like a complete In Flames or At the Gates rip-off. A total kick a** record!” - Brandon Cheatham - KCAC - East Camden, AR "Hands Pressed Against The Glass (Play The Assassin) by Clint Goulden It's hard to dictate what passes for metal these days, but I have to give iTunes credit for giving it its best shot. I suppose anything that includes some melody with a second poor son-of-a-b**ch coerced into the screaming role if "you guys want to make it?" would be where the line is drawn. In all honestly, Hands Pressed Against The Glass is a lot better than some post-hardcore out there, and surprisingly, Jersey's Oh The Horror give us ten tracks that vary from the aforementioned description to blue-stagelight and audience lighter-holding (or ahem, cell phone-holding) fodder when they open for My Chemical Romance. It's not at all bad, and they might even have me believing they're onto something at times, like when "Protocols" makes you look at the track listing more than once. But this only comes after a sea of regurgitated screeching has come to a seize. "A Song To Close Doors To" should be definitely be spun, and there are plenty of other slick breaks and Misfits riffs that deserve some second chances. It must be a Jersey thing. The influences run aplenty - spacey slow jams and Chino Moreno yelps aflood - is when OTH seem to be at their best show. Unfortunately, this record is coming after even From First To Last have turned a corner, and they too were come latelys. I'll be the first to say there's a lot of potential here; it's just a matter of doing something with it. Please do.! - Lollipop Magazine