KEN Mode

The Profile

KEN Mode is a Canadian noise rock/sludge metal band from Winnipeg, formed in 1999 by brothers Jesse and Shane Matthewson. They blend abrasive rhythms with post-hardcore tension and atmospheric interludes.

The name stands for “Kill Everyone Now” mode. Venerable was produced by Kurt Ballou and won the 2012 Juno Award for Metal/Hard Music Album of the Year.

A fervent, 5/5 salute to KEN Mode’s Venerable: abrasive sludge/noise rock with surgical drumming and lurching bass. The review spotlights tracks like Book Of Muscle, A Wicked Pike, and Never Was, praising Kurt Ballou’s expansive production and the band’s balance of violence and melody. Canada’s finest discomfort merchants, delivered with glee.