Andrew Forsman, drummer for Fall of Troy, said he and this bandmates, bassist Tim Ward and guitarist Thomas Erak, just wanted to play some instrumental music when they first started jamming together.
"It was an interesting time," Forsman said by phone from a stop between Houston and Austin on the way to a South by Southwest gig. "We started playing and it wasn't the mellow stuff that we were thinking we would play. It sounded a little progressive and hard core. So we felt that was what we were going to play."
On the surface, said Forsman, Fall of Troy does not have a typical sound. "Some people who are not familiar with chaotic music like ours may not understand our music. We've had people tell us that the music was 'out there,' and non-structured. But in reality, it is. We know what we want and we do it."
That's evident in the band's most recent album "Doppelganger," released last winter. The album focuses on progressive, post-modern punk that, as Forsman said, "is a challenge for us to play." "We had all the songs, except for 'Act One, Scene One,' ready to record when we went into the studio. Originally Thomas wanted that song to be different with certain instruments. Then he stressed himself out and we ended up recording it as a band together the way we usually record. That was kind of funny."
Still, getting their sound just right was the most important goal for the album. "We always try to do better than the last album. It's a no-brainer. If we don't do better, we're not getting better."
The band called producer Barrett Jones to help. "Barrett is a lot older than we are," said Forsman who, along with the others, is in his early 20s. "And he has a good sense for music. He has a more mature outlook on what our sound could be and helped us get that sound."
The band just wrapped up its first headlining tour of the United Kingdom, playing sold-out shows throughout London. "That was great for us," said Forsman. "We didn't have any idea how well we were going to be received when we left the states. We didn't have any idea how well our music is liked over there.
"And the response blew us away."
If you go . . .
What: Poison the Well, Fall of Troy
Where: Avalon, 3605 S. State
When: Sunday, 7:30 p.m.
How much: $12
Phone: 467-8499 or 800-888-8499
Web: www.smithstix.com
E-mail: scott@desnews.com