Who? Brent Knopf (guitar/ keyboards/glockenspiel), Justin Harris (bass/guitar/sax), and Danny Seim (drums) have been raising Portland, OR’s collective heart rate for about five years with mad scientist music as Menomena. Their sophomore full-length, Friend and Foe, drops via Barsuk Jan. 23.

What's the Deal? Menomena's secret recipe combines the Hold Steady's holy-rolling pomp and Bloc Party's tuneful post-punk in a buzzing and beeping digital meat-grinder they call Deeler. What swims the band against the stream of other blogged-about indies, though, is the look of terror in their eyes. The music, though familiar, comes across bellows-wise, with growling moans and thudding footsteps jiving against climaxing gasps, until all the sounds become one act of exhilarating percussion.

Fun Fact: On their first national tour, Menomena traveled in a 1977 Dodge Sportsman RV. "Systems that failed (and had to be replaced) during the tour included the following: tires, muffler, brake master cylinder, exhaust manifold, windshield wipers, horn, side-view mirrors (both fell off)," Knopf told SPIN.com. "Oh, and did I mention that there were two fires? Not one. Two. This vehicle promptly earned the moniker 'RV Danger.'" DANIEL ARNOLD

Now Hear This:
Menomena - "Wet and Rusting" DOWNLOAD

Talk: Is Menomena your friend or your foe? COMMENT

On the Web:
Menomena at myspace.com