Formed in 1992 at the height of the alternative rock explosion, Tokyo-based four-piece Wrench have gone on to outgrow the genre and establish a unique identity which refuses to be pigeon-holed. Centering on singer Shige' ferocious presence and bassist Tomohiro Matsuda's monster chops, Wrench serve up a heady stew of hardcore, industrial and digi-rock. Releasing their first mini-album in 1994 on the indie ZK imprint, the band created a stir with their first full album Black Holiday in 1996. They also scored a coup when techno god Ken Ishii and hip hop star DJ Shakkazombie remixed their song "Sora" in 1997, allowing them to crossover into the club scene from the rock scene. Later in 1997, their second album Wandering In The Emptiness appeared boosting their popularity even further. In 1998 they appeared at punk/indies omnibus event Air Jam, performing before a crowd of 30,000. In 1999, their third release Blue Blood Blue came out, marking their signing with major label Victor/Happy House. The much-anticipated new Wrench CD, Sky, Liquid, Men, hits the stores on June 21.

Wrench play Club Quattro on July 1 and at Air Jam on August 26. See listings for details.