A Place to Bury Strangers are aptly named. They inter listeners under a sonic shroud of strategically crafted feedback. Having seen the band open for Nine Inch Nails in Houston back in August, I arrived at the Bowery Ballroom armed with the most decibel-reducing earplugs sold at Walgreens. This purchase enabled me to actually hear the music, which sounds smartly executed when it’s not causing aural discomfort (hence my “pain-punk” classification of the band).

True to form, guitarist/vocalist Oliver Ackerman performed his signature de-stringing and swinging of his guitar at the end of the set. What makes the band particularly unique, though, is drummer Jay Spruce’s ability to accompany the other instruments’ feedback. For the guitar and bass throughout much of the songs, not a lot is going on. But, Spruce finds rhythm where there should be none and unearths nuances in the noise. As a trio, the band are keenly attuned to each other’s effects-laden improvisations—which are far more enjoyable when the listener’s ears are safely stuffed with hot pink plugs.