A random guy once labeled tHE POLES as “tectonic-rock.” Hell knows exactly what that means but the imagery is nice and it seems to fit. One thing is for certain; tHE POLES play subtly intricate rock that is that is moody, visceral, and heady in a slow-burn kinda way. As the name implies tHE POLES exude a multi-faceted aesthetic. They are simultaneously complex and minimalist, intricate and straightforward. tHE POLES will release their full length debut Twelve Winds on doubleplusgood records this Winter and embark of tours of the Midwest and Southeast. Twelve Winds was recorded in 12 days in a cabin in remote Appalachia and was engineered and mixed by Dropsonic’s Dan Dixon.

The Poles hail from the hollers and hills Asheville NC. They emerged on the Asheville rock scene in 2004 and quickly galvanized a steady regional following with a focused and defined sound. Elements of multiple genres merge and detach, a volatile crock-pot of emotion, invention, and restraint. Compared to bands as diverse as Pink Floyd and the Jesus Lizard they are a band of both breadth and depth, a rarity is this day of pre-packaged rock clichés. Signed to Minneapolis based label DoublePlusGood records in 2005 the band joined an already diverse roster including Self-Evident, Happy, The Means and The Willis. The Poles released their DoublePlusGood Records debut EP “As Above, So Below” in 2006. The Poles have toured extensively in the Southeast, Midwest and all points in between. They have raked in favorable press and have been featured on podcasts from Brooklyn to Barcelona.

Todd Lemiesz (guitarist/lead vox/songwriter) is the former drummer/bass player of H. Chinaski, a Wisconsin based art/math rock outfit. Once in Asheville Lemiesz spent the next four years writing and recording for local films (Ether, The Nudger) and performing with local heavyweights Lube Royale and Sex Patriates. Bruce Rogers (guitar/synth/vox) supplies the texture and tension. Todd and Bruce met while auditioning for another band and they basically ran off together. They went through a few incarnations, and they went through a lot of drummers. Drummer Jon McDuffie cut his teeth with the Athens, GA experimental/post-hardcore trio SciFu. He enjoys matching socks and awkward silences. Recent addition Matt Gentling (Band of Horses, Archers of Loaf, Manband) has allowed tHE POLES to expand their dynamics and sound to new heights.