Build Them to Break

Emerging from the depths of a moldy Tenderloin basement some time ago, alt-rock-punk powerhouse Build Them To Break continues to thrive among the ranks of the Bay Area DIY music scene. With their heavy melodic guitar tones, gritty bass lines, drums punching at breakneck speeds and distinct growling vocals, one gets a sense of their shared love for 90s punk influences and Midwest roots. Their songs weave tales of first loves and wasted youth in an ever-changing and often disappointing society, embracing the personal struggle to simply exist while the greater world feels like it’s falling apart.

Their sophomore album Lucky Strike released in 2019 on M Perfect Records, Nashville. It immediately explodes into the title track followed by 7 more solid numbers showcasing the unique strength of each member. Fronted by singer and bassist, Chris Shearer, the vocals deliver tightly syncopated lyrics in rhythmic phrasing and cadence with his bass steadily punching along. Lead guitarist, Charley Arents, accompanies on harmony backups while driving a wall of heavy guitar tone. Locking this all together while propelling it forward, is the deliberate and surgical precision-like drumming style of Kevin Rypma. After a year of nationally touring for Lucky Strike, the members were forced back to their Bay Area apartments and resigned to a routine of Zoom practices, Garage Band files and makeshift living room studios, much to the annoyance of their partners and downstairs neighbors. Never ones to waste a crappy situation, the past three years have been spent cultivating more mature and introspective material around social justice and mental health. The band was joined by guitarist Scott Kline (formerly of Offshore) in 2022 and looks forward to playing actual venues instead of in their bathrooms and secluded areas of Golden Gate Park. Their third album is scheduled for recording in Summer 2023, barring any further global pandemics.