MuteMath

Defining MuteMath’s sound is daunting. The band’s songs feature lush, synth-laden rhythms that at times chug persistently alongside post-New Wave rock riffs. Other times, ambient backdrops and soundscapes sweep through haunting down-tempo tracks that, for lack of a better word, can only be labeled ballads. All variations along this spectrum surface in the band’s fifth and latest release, Armistice. It’s definitely not a pure rock or alternative album, but neither is it electronica per se. The band members don’t do much better with the terminology: “I can’t [describe our sound],” frontman Paul Meany says, “especially after this record.” It’s little wonder they had a tough time putting the disc together in the wake of the buzz garnered by their previous efforts. But after a long and arduous process — during which an entire set of songs was indefinitely shelved — Armistice was finally released in August. Now MuteMath finds itself once again where it belongs: on the road.