ALICIA WAGNER CALZADA | 210SA CONTRIBUTOR The Grasshopper Lies Heavy experiments with loudness mixed with melody.

THE BAND: The Grasshopper Lies Heavy

THE MEMBERS: James Woodard (guitar), Mario Trejo (bass), Chris Martinez (drums)

THE SOUND: “Loud” is all the band cares to label it, or “amp 'n' roll.” More specifically, Grasshopper is experimental rock specializing in heavy, droning instrumental jams, often grounded by a solid melodic line. These are densely textured sonic explorations loaded with reverb, echo and distortion effects.

THE WEB SITE: myspace.com/grasshopperliesheavy

THE ALBUMS: The Grasshopper Lies Heavy (2006); GUN (Forgotten Empire Records, 2007); SOFT NOISE (to be released April 1 by Forgotten Empire Records)

THE BACKGROUND: Woodard founded the band in 2005, naming it after a line from the Philip K. Dick novel “The Man in the High Castle.” Martinez came in about a year ago, and Trejo joined the group in November. Trejo (formerly of dance band Reader) and Woodard also play in the experimental ambient band The Islands and the Sea, and Martinez (formerly of the punk group So Unloved) plays bass in the Austin rock band Great Northern Guns.

WHERE TO SEE THEM: Rock Bottom Tattoo Bar, 1033 Avenue B, on Thursday, March 13; the Warhol, 1011 Avenue B, at Friday, March 14; Red 7, 611 E. 7th St., Austin, on Sunday, March 16

THE 210 TAKE: The Grasshopper Lies Heavy pushes musical boundaries until it destroys them. GUN consists of six real songs and 48 tracks of nothing but beeps; SOFT NOISE's three meandering ambient tracks incorporate sounds produced by holding up cell phones and iPods to a guitar pickup. Don't try to understand Grasshopper. Just let it roll over you, which it's going to do, anyway.

Jessica Belasco | 210SA Contributor