Since forming in 2001, Minus the Bear have been on the cusp of making it big. Thanks to an all-star roster featuring former members of beloved local outfits like Botch, Kill Sadie, and Sharks Keep Moving, the band walked into fans' and critics' arms before they played a note together.

What's kept them in the spotlight, though, is their relentless work ethic and a steady flow of dependable releases. In six years they've released two full-length albums via local label Suicide Squeeze as well as a few EPs. Earlier this year the band also put out an album of remixes that features new versions of songs from 2005's Menos el Oso as interpreted by artists and DJs like Plan B, J. Clark (of Pretty Girls Make Graves), and IQU.

Aside from the remix record, the band have been fairly quiet this year, but the Bear's winter hibernation wasn't for nothing—the band just finalized their full-length follow up to Menos. Planet of Ice was produced by former MtB full-timer Matt Bayles and will be released later this summer.

Even more notable than the new material (at least to me, but I'm easily entertained), is the journal the band kept on their MySpace page during the recording process. Curious fans have had a chance to read not only about the band's new "nine-minute epics" and "baby-making music" as they're being created in the studio, but members of MtB have also hilariously shared their takes on pointless topics, like local eateries (they're pro Palace Kitchen and Rom Mai Thai) and grocery stores (Whole Foods freaks Erin out). Being locked up in a studio for hours on end can make ya pretty crazy, but it sounds like it's paid off.

"The music sounds very organic to me," says frontman Jake Snider via their website. "We've been on this intense musical journey the past few months and this new record is going to be expansive... but catchy. Everything is bigger and seems, at least to me, more dramatic than the last record."

They've been a buzz band since their incarnation, getting tagged as "the next big thing" and "one to watch." But with a history of hard work behind them and an upcoming record that's potentially their best, Minus the Bear will finally graduate from next big thing to real thing.

Minus the Bear, the Can't See, Chin Up Chin Up at the Vera Project Thurs April 26, 7:30 pm, $14 with Vera card/$15 without, all ages.