Seeing Child Bite was a bizarre, unexpected experience. Trying to recall if I’ve seen a band successfully balance as many disparate elements as they did without becoming completely inaccessible, and I’m drawing a blank. Some bands live in the studio and fall apart the second they step on stage, and while Monomania is a great album in its own right, it doesn’t entirely capture how much Child Bite truly comes alive in front of a crowd. There’s an enormity to their sound and the idiosyncratic presence of each of the members is an unofficial fifth member of the band. They’re enormous and predatory, from the baleful rhythm section to Shawn Knight’s unremitting commitment to keeping the audience on edge. Hope you dig ‘em!

Child Bite can be found on Facebook and their site.

1. Who the hell are you?
Just your average TMNT wannabe’s. All 4 of us love pizza and actually live in a sewer.

2. Where’s your band from?
Delta City (Detroit)

3. How long have you been at it?
Child Bite started in 2005, but all of us were in bands before that, and bands before that…

4. No bullshitting, what’s your best song? What’s your worst? What’s the reason for each?
I would say “Abysmal Splatter” is our best song as of now. It’s really fun to play, has catchy parts but is still brutal. Nice representation of what we’re going for. Our worst song? I don’t like that question.

5. What have you put out? Who released it?
3 albums, a few EPs and a few split 7″s. Lately it has been half Forge Again (Chicago) and half Joyful Noise (Indy).

6. Why should people buy your album, or stream it at the very least?
Whether you like it or not, it is unique. If you’re into any of these bands it might sit well: Jesus Lizard, Dead Kennedys, Mr. Bungle, Melvins, Primus, Black Flag. Somewhere between punk & metal, with a “cavemen-playing-prog” vibe.

7. What are your future plans for the band?
West coast tour NOW! New EP this winter! Euro tour in the spring!

8. Do you play live? Do you plan to? Got anything lined up in the near future?
Day 2 of tour is at Ultra Lounge in Chicago. Thursday NOV 1st. Gonna rule!