Black Ends

Black Ends is Nicolle Swims (guitar, vocals) and Ben Swanson (bass). They hail from Seattle, which is obvious once you hear their music: a heady mixture of gnarled guitar chords, bombastic volumes, slimy textures, and Swims’ unique guttural croon. They call it gunk pop, an evolution of grunge that’s filtered through a modern lens, perfectly at home in the era’s panopticon of paranoia and overstimulation. It’s Black at the core but resonant within all hearts.

In 2020 Black Ends broke out via Stay Evil, an EP engineered by legendary Seattle producer Jack Endino that earned high praise from both influential outlets (KEXP, The Alternative, Post-Trash) and individual voices (Anthony Fantano, early grunge proponent Everett True). Their debut LP Psychotic Spew achieved the #1 spot on Seattle Times’ Best Washington Albums 2024 list. In its wake, the band have shared high-profile bills with the likes of Bikini Kill, Otoboke Beaver, Shonen Knife, Skating Polly, Living Colour, English Teacher, and Pretty Girls Make Graves. Whether at home or abroad, they make converts out of whoever finds them.