St. Louis metal trio Nest, led by Scour and Agoraphobic Nosebleed bassist John Jarvis, will release their Endeavors full-length on April 12 via Housecore Records, today unveiling the record’s cover art, tracklisting, and first single.
In the wilderness, countless species build nests. Such spaces provide protection and safe harbor for bees, termites, mice, hawks, and eagles alike. You may find some of them repugnant, while others merit admiration.
Vocalist, multi-instrumentalist, and producer John Jarvis has constructed a repository for extreme sounds and emotions in Nest. On one end of the spectrum, his grating riffs played with icy industrial precision and hardcore grit will leave you bloody, bruised, and breathless. On the other, his shoegaze hum bellows in a strangely soothing trance, bordering on blissful in the face of raw destruction. In 2024, this vision takes shape like never before on Nest’s fourth full-length LP and Housecore Records debut, Endeavors.
“There are gorgeous nests, and then there are hideous and gross things like rats’ nests,” he notes. “I wanted to make music with beauty in it, but also some ugliness and darkness. A lot can happen in between.”
A lifelong musician, Jarvis has quietly left his imprint on the underground as bassist for Agoraphobic Nosebleed, Fulgora, and Pig Destroyer. Moreover, his low-end shaped the sonic assault of Scour alongside a true murderers’ row of extreme metal luminaries fronted by Housecore Records founder and Pantera and Down vocalist Philip H. Anselmo. Drawing on influences as diverse as Helmet, Hum, Deftones, and Quicksand, Jarvis formally introduced Nest with his self-titled debut in 2020 followed by Pretense [2020] and Tipping Point [2021]. Signing to Housecore in 2023, he personally wrote, recorded, performed, and curated Endeavors over the course of a week in his hometown of St. Louis, Missouri. He harnessed unbridled energy during the sessions, packing intensity airtight into a concentrated punch.
“Run Ahead” storms out of the gate with a battering ram bassline and vitriolic screams, while “Commiseration” hinges on a dreamy wave of distortion topped off by grainy vocals. Off-kilter jazz chords echo through “Concept” as the dirge-y barrage melts into a searing guitar lead.
Elsewhere, first single “What’s The Issue” layers guttural growls above a fast-paced beat punctuated by jarring swells of distortion. The guitar, bass, and vocals snap in and out of focus as the drums ceaselessly pummel.
“It’s a punky song with a lot of space for the drums,” Jarvis elaborates. “I like to leave the lyrics up for interpretation, but this one, like most of my lyrics, came from a personal experience."
Stream “What's The Issue” below.
Endeavors will be released on CD, LP, and digital formats. Find pre-orders at the Housecore Records webshop here, or Bandcamp here.
Endeavors tracklisting:
"Run Ahead"
"Commiseration"
"Installed"
"Burn Clean"
"Ripe"
"Fickle"
"Round Up"
"Concept"
"What's The Issue"
"Plasticine"
"What's The Issue":
The band will open select shows on Pantera’s upcoming headlining tour beginning this weekend. With more performances and surprises on the horizon, Nest ultimately seethe and soar on Endeavors.
(Photo - John Jarvis)
