From the scorching heat on the edge of San Fernando Valley, come the Fay Wrays.

Somewhere between old school hardcore punk, noise and 90s garage sound you find the cleverly titled band wedging themselves into the world in their own special Fay Wrays shaped niche.

Fay Wray is a trio made up of Ben McEntee (guitars, bass, vocals), Paul Albert Harper (bass, noise), and Eli Reyes (drums, vocals) who have been making post punk music in Fresno since about 2006. Most recently they’ve released a 8 tracks in an album titled Stranger Confessor. An album that says, fairly loudly, you really might want to pay attention to us. Now.

The band has been known to cite influences as wide and varied as Dischord to Sonic Youth to Fugazi. Uncited? I can’t help but hear Rage Against the Machine and maybe even a touch of the Generals of punk, Black Flag. Intended or not, the diverse influences show. Their music runs the spectrum of all these influences, sometimes all in one song. Take the first track off their latest release, Confessor, “When We Storm the Gates We Will Sing This Song.” Successfully combining a rolling thump intro into what will eventually blow the walls (or gates) down. "Gates" is a piece that exemplifies Fay Wrays ability to switch it up and keep their work interesting; not just song by song but even within each song. Some tracks by the band rock heavy, rolling guitar riffs that make even the mildest mannered listener want to bang their head, just a little bit. Then in the next breath the music slips into a peaceful guitar and drum glide down through into atmospheric noise territory. And frankly…this is what atmospheric noise should be like.

Overall, that’s indicative of Fay Wrays style-not-a-style style. Even though heavy and hard tends to be an adjective that really fits for most of the work, clever tweaks of sound, amazing bass and smoothly handled guitar work keep the music interesting and the band moving forward through a genre overloaded with people who think they’re doing it right. Because up to now, Fay Wrays are.