Oxes

This south-side of Baltimore trio of Natalio Fowler (guitar), Marc Miller (guitar), and Chritopher Freeland (drums) want their reputation to precede them and as part of the Baltimore Rowdy Collective they go about throwing cogs in the wheel of everyday life. This attitude enters their musical vision as brutal, endlessly changing instrumental math rock with a tendency towards metal antics. Song titles such as "Horses are OK" mock the seriousness of the band's scene — hardcore and nu-metal. On-stage they stand on black boxes, carry wireless guitars, and confront crowds while delivering what seems to be improvisational but is actually highly organized music. Their first recording was a single of Reptilian and then a split CD with Chicago's Big'N. Some of the songs off the CD EP show up on the 2000 self-titled release on Monitor Records, most notably "And Giraffe, Natural Enimies," the band at their heavy-ended best.