Who was once called “New York’s loudest band” but then got signed to the label with the ironic name, Mute? With context clues, you know we’re talking about A Place to Bury Strangers, which is sometimes abbreviated as APTBS. They’re a hardcore post-punk band from New York, whose music seems to get darker and more apocalyptic every year.

Their journey to success was a quick one, though there have been some bumps (like the inability to keep a drummer) along the way. The band, who is now on their third drummer, likes to keep their fans guessing. Even though they have plenty of albums with songs they wrote, they put out an EP in 2013 solely made up of Dead Moon cover songs. They’re the perfect band for when you’re having an intense day – or if you just enjoy intense music.

Making the Band

The band came together, unofficially, in 2002, when Oliver Ackermann met Jay Space and Jono Mofo. Ackerman had been playing with Skywave until a few years before that, and the other two were coming out of the band, Mofo.

They were all looking for something darker and more intense than their previous projects, and they started with the name. A Place to Bury Strangers is a lot darker than “Skywave” and “Mofo,” combined. They started gaining momentum in 2006, which is when they put out their first EPs. After they put out their self-titled debut with the Killer Pimp label, they got signed to Mute in 2009.

Onwards the Wall

Though they’re signed to a record label named Mute, the band didn’t stay quiet. They put out EPs along with studio albums, both of which kept their fans on their toes. Like being on your toes, in person? Check out the sounds of A Place to Bury Strangers and get tickets to their next show, here!