Brought up in Harrisonburg, VA, basements (though the bandmembers originally hailed from various cities in Virginia) and later based out of Richmond, Ultra Dolphins became known early on for their chaotic live show, which may or may not have included pyrotechnics, nudity, and stir-frying at one point or another. The power trio of drummer Frayser Micou, bassist/vocalist Tim Morris, and guitarist/vocalist Nate Rappole worked on perfecting a frantic, ferocious, and noisy combination of math rock and post-hardcore for fans of acts like Drive Like Jehu, the Boredoms, and Shellac. In March 2006, Ultra Dolphins issued the six-song EP Why Are You Laugh, which comprised music from two previous, by then out of print EPs. Their debut full-length, Mar, followed via Robotic Empire that fall; the lo-fi record saw an increased focus on songwriting amid off-kilter rhythms to produce a dizzying yet surprisingly cohesive collection of songs. The band bookended the release with lots of touring, both stateside and over in Europe. ~ Corey Apar