San Francisco’s Pins of Light resides in that murky musical shadow-territory of the nearly unclassifiable. They craft a brutal and intricate mélange of metal, punk and prog that isn’t quite any of those things. Pins of Light’s most progressive moments are more Motörhead than Mothers of Invention; their metal is more Pink Floyd than it is Priest; the elements of punk are a driving fistfight that’s entirely the band’s own. Singer and bassist Shane Baker, guitarists Jake Palladino and Ravi Durbeej, and drummer Phil Becker come previously (and currently) from such SF institutions as Dead and Gone, Night After Night, Hightower and Triclops! (among a slew of others).

The group’s debut album II was recorded by Kurt Schlegel (Jello Biafra & Melvins, I Am Spoonbender) and Phil Manley (TransAm, The Fucking Champs) at Lucky Cat Recording and mixed by Becker in the band’s hometown. Their live shows are a sweaty mess of flailing limbs, hair and crushed beer cans. It’s a joy to behold.