How a Twilight Zone episode inspired a decade-spanning experiment in chaotic mathcore music
In short: Formed by accident in New Jersey, The Number Twelve Looks Like You became a cornerstone of mathcore by rejecting genre constraints. Named after a dystopian television episode, the band spent years blending jazz fusion, noise rock, and extreme metal before navigating a six-year hiatus and a triumphant, genre-defying return.
The band originated in 2001 when Jesse Korman, Chree Conger, and Justin Pedrick connected through shared social circles. Initially operating as a bass-less project called And Ever, the group underwent a rapid evolution. Korman, who began as the drummer, eventually transitioned to a vocal role, while Conger moved to the drum kit. They adopted their distinctive name from a specific episode of The Twilight Zone, signaling an early interest in the surreal and the unsettling.
Musically, the group is defined by an aggressive refusal to remain static. Their sound has been categorized across post-hardcore, screamo, and metalcore, often incorporating the complex time signatures and dynamic shifts reminiscent of Frank Zappa or Japanese noise rock. Guitarist Alexis Pareja, a classically trained musician, draws heavily from jazz fusion icons like John McLaughlin and Robert Fripp, while Korman’s vocal approach was refined under the guidance of coach Melissa Cross. This eclectic foundation allows them to integrate influences as diverse as Miles Davis, Pantera, and Michael Jackson.
The band’s trajectory has been marked by significant volatility. After releasing influential albums like Nuclear. Sad. Nuclear. and Mongrel, internal friction led to a complete breakup in 2010. However, the group reunited in 2016, eventually releasing their first album in a decade, Wild Gods, in 2019. Throughout their career, they have maintained a commitment to pushing boundaries, with Pareja noting that the necessity to avoid repetitive riffs and predictable structures is what keeps the project vital. By consistently seeking out new sonic territories, they have managed to sustain a career that balances technical precision with a dark, dystopian aesthetic.
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