Student led noise rock band Baltimore Avenue thrives on creative spontaneity.

The process of creating their seven-song debut EP, Static, included a whirlwind trip to Philadelphia, a visit to studios at Drexel University and collaborations with a friend from Baltimore hardcore band GASKET.

Baltimore Avenue is driven by this type of spontaneous energy, they follow an organic process when creating songs that later come to life through the band’s live shows around the College Park area.

The release of Static marks a milestone for the four University of Maryland students — frontman Kyle Cassell, drummer Rogelio Joya, guitarist Chase Francis, and bassist Wes Boone  — in a songwriting process that began last year.

“Static was very much a compilation of songs that we’ve been playing over the course of the past year,” said Cassell, a senior government and politics major. “A lot of that was just natural, bouncing off ideas and pretty much playing sounds that we liked.”

The live origin of the songs comes through on “Feel,” a track that features muddy guitars and vocals that sound like they’re coming through a wall, putting the listener into an intimate concert. 

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Their unchoreographed approach fuels the project, which features a variety of soundscapes that draw inspiration from shoegaze to hardcore musical styles.

The opening track, “Serendipity,” exemplifies this, featuring Joya’s catchy drum groove before launching into an explosive back half with heavy distortion and low vocals.

The track developed over the course of several practices as Francis, a sophomore government and politics major, added guitar riffs and the group refined the chorus.

The strategically designed tracklist is enhanced through the transition of “Dreams Deferred,” which Boone described as the EP’s most hardcore song, into the softer “Endlessly,” an entrancing piece the band saw as the project’s emotional climax. 

Versatility is Static’s strength. Its unpredictability lets it breathe and, at times, startles the listener to attention — like on “Expired Drive,” which rapidly shifts from loud distorted parts into chorus-laden, relaxed passages, then back again.

The members draw much of their inspiration from the songs that flood their music cycles. The track “Endlessly,” which features an atmosphere of guitars and keyboards that build into the middle and softly fade out at the end, mimics the structure of “Heroin” by The Velvet Underground. Boone cited Turnstile and other hardcore bands as inspiration for “Dreams Deferred.”

The lyrics on “Dreams Deferred” also carry a certain weight for the band, with lyrics that shout in the characteristic rebelliousness and unapologetic activism of the punk movement: “Democracy is just a name/ enemies of the USA.”

“A voice that does not necessarily say anything is taking the side of the oppressor,” Cassell said about his writing process for the song. “I try to write more inward facing, and that was definitely written outwardly.”

A fast-paced drum, rich bass line and a chugging guitar  perfectly match the energy brought forth in his songwriting.  

From the start, the band has been tied to this university’s preeminent radio station, WMUC.  They have cultivated a network of support for their music through the DIY house shows they play for the local community. 

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After coming together at a WMUC open house last year, someone suggested that they start a band. While the tone was lighthearted, the sentiment proved itself to be more than serious.

Static covers a lot but feels surprisingly sound. The band’s energetic, spontaneous process shines through in both soundscapes and lyrics.

A year after the band’s formation, Static is more than a collection of songs, it’s a snapshot of the band’s life over the months. The tracks were brought to life in jam sessions, refined through house shows and recorded onto the EP they call Static.