Ascaris at the Larimer Lounge

Ascaris is the genus of a variety of intestinal roundworm. Appropriately enough, the Denver band adopting such a gruesome moniker brings together the abrasive outrage of death metal and the aggression of hardcore. Instead of that resulting in a giant ball of razory bad vibes, however, Ascaris (due at the Larimer Lounge on Saturday, April 25) allows its music to breathe, with flurries of precise melodies and vocals that change off between a growly roar and more conventional singing. It shouldn’t work, but it does, because the music is written with enough range and flexibility to subtly shift moods and textures without compromising a core heaviness. Likewise, Ascaris has technique to burn but never comes across as self-indulgent — just intense and edgy, as any band of its ilk should be.