Rock should be played without frills. Screw the fancy effects and give me guitar, bass, drums and a Marshall stack and call it good. Playing a brand of metal that is reminiscent of Priest, Maiden and Sabbath, ESITU drink their whiskey straight without a chaser. But the Seattle-based quartet is definitely not a one-trick-pony as they interject melodic shades of the Cure and Massive Attack for a newfangled sound that is fresh. In the hot summer of 2002, the band took the stage for the first time and quickly gained a reputation as one of the hottest draws in the city.

Three years and countless gigs later, they released their debut, Psychometry. The following year they released The Last Three EP. Both discs showcase the band’s ability to take rock to the next level. Rather than relying on three-chord thrash metal in 4/4 time, the group toys with unusual progressions for a sophisticated spin on the genre. If you buy their debut, they will throw in the EP for free.

Pretty righteous, huh?

Check ’em out at myspace.com/esitu\">www. myspace.com/esitu.



[Hell’s Kitchen, Saturday, July 21, 9 p.m., $5, 3829 Sixth Ave., Tacoma, 253. 759.6003]