Rock Trio 4NZX Play to Receptive Crowd at Katie's

Long Island band the Forensics played three unique sets at Katie's of Smithtown Friday night, impressing friends as well as newcomers with their sound. A fusion of experimental and progressive rock with a heavy influence from electronic dance, the band (who also abbreviates the name as "4NZX') played a mix of originals and covers that were re-designed with a different tempo, extra guitar effects or a smooth transition into an extended, psychedelic jam.

Ryan Lawlor, a regular at Katie's, offered his appreciation.

"They're the first band that I've seen here that I've not wanted to ignore," he said of the Forensics, whose members hail from Stony Brook and Medford. "They played great music at a normal volume."

Citing influences from Daft Punk, Primus, Squarepusher, Radiohead and Rush, the band – formed in early 2009 by Tom Gronenthal (guitar/vocals), Andy Sansone (bass/vocals) and Nick Danger (drums) – opened with a stripped down, bluesy version of "Devil Inside" by INXS. But they quickly shifted into original instrumental jams and songs that included titles such as "Atmospheres," "Epoch," and "Body Rock."

Guitarist Gronenthal occassionally used a talk box to create the robotic vocal sound popularized by Peter Frampton. This was best heard during their cover of Daft Punk's "Around the World," which immediately encouraged the dancing of about a dozen people.

"While we do play a lot of music that is meant for people to dance to, we also focus heavily on our compositions," bassist Sansone said, referring to some songs that stretched to over ten minutes.

Fan and friend Jasmine Hislop has been to several of the Forensics' shows. "Everytime I see them they get better and better," she said.  "This time I heard something I've never heard before and songs that I have heard before that they turn around differently." Regarding them playing at Katie's, she added "I like [Katie's] cause they're up on a stage and I like the sound here and the fact that there's a dancefloor."

Drummer Nick Danger attributes the band's chemistry to a basic principle. "What keeps the Forensics rocking is friendship," he said. "We are all really good friends and thrive on comradery."