Band Of The Week

On The Rise: Ho99o9

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A couple months back a friend of mine suggested I take a listen to something. He wouldn’t tell me who it was until a few of the songs were over. As the final song finished, he asked what I thought. I said that was pretty cool and that I bet whoever it was would be pretty rad to see live as well. A couple minutes passed and he then told me it was this band Ho99o9 (aka Horror). I had heard the name before but never heard the music. At that point I sought out obtaining the album that he played me and I was sold. The album in question was United States Of Horror, which is also the bands debut studio album. Ho99o9 is a group that combines elements of hip hop, industrial, hardcore, and trip hop. Since their inception in 2012, Ho99o9 have been making a name for themselves with their explosive and adrenaline soaked performances. They’ve shared the stage with bands like The Dillinger Escape Plan, Street Sects, 3 Teeth and will soon be on tour with Korn and Alice In Chains this summer. Ho99o9 is the type of band that is needed at the moment. Just as things have gotten watered down by bands changing their style to match the atrociousness of groups like Imagine Dragons and Nickelback, Ho99o9 is the plague that is coming to rid us of all that garbage. I for one am very interested to see where this band goes and what sort of danger they bring back to the rock world. Ho99o9 is on the rise and rightfully so.
Ho9909- United States Of Horror:

Band Of The Week: 8mm

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Over the last couple of years I’ve really started getting back into electronic music. Though I’m still a bit picky when it comes to which sub-genres I dig on more. Thankfully I found a band that has all the elements of what I like about electronic music. I’m referring to the band 8mm. Founded by famed producer and mixer Sean Beaven and his wife Juliette, 8mm has been steadily making a name for themselves. You might have even heard some of their music in films and TV shows like “Underworld: Awakening”, “Dirty Little Liars”, “Mistresses”, “Grey’s Anatomy”, “Nip Tuck”, “Nikita”, “One Tree Hill”, “Shark”, “Cold Case”, “Moonlight”, “Mr. & Mrs. Smith” etc. 8mm is more than just great music for soundtracks, they have an element about them that stretches far past that. By combining trip hop, synth wave, and a little pop sensibilities, 8mm stands out among the rest. Their most recent release “Supercrush” has a very cool sexy dance vibe to it with some pop but it also has an edge to it that give it the toughness to be its own thing. Sean’s production work fits perfectly with the vibe of this band. There are certain moments that hark back to his days working with Marilyn Manson on Mechanical Animals. Juliette has a vocal style that is almost Manson-esque at times as well as a little Beth Gibbons from Portishead. 8mm is definitely a band that you should be blasting and having impromptu dance parties with.

 

8mm- Supercrush:

Band Of The Week (Updated): Spirit In The Room

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I’ve written about Spirit in the Room many times before and it’s because they are awesome and deserve your attention. This group is the brainchild of vocalist and multi instrumentalist Dennis R. Sanders and to put it bluntly, they are fan-fucking-tastic. Spirit in the Room has been described as “If Nick Cave, Lemmy, Elvis, Harry Dean Stanton and Iggy, had a child in a church gone mad.” I’d say that’s pretty spot on. Throw in a bit of The Doors, Black Sabbath and some very out there experimental bands and you have the recipe for what makes Spirit in the Room so damn good. Their live shows are volatile and full of piss and vinegar that will leave you talking about the band for days, even weeks to come. Today, February 8th, Spirit in the Room has released Volume 1 of their EP series. The three tracks on Volume 1, set a tone and leave you wanting a whole hell of a lot more. There is an energy about the new music from Dennis that truly feels inspired and makes a statement as to what this band is capable of. I personally can’t wait for the other parts to come out. It’s one of my most anticipated albums er EP’s of the year. Do yourselves a favor and take a listen to Spirit in the Room and let the music take you places you haven’t been. You won’t be sorry. 

 
Spirit In The Room- Volume I:

Band Of The Week: Moon Tooth

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The band I’m presenting to you this week is going to rock your world. They are heavy, aggressive, progressive and absolutely badass. I’d like to introduce you all to your new favorite band, Moon Tooth. Straight up, these guys are awesome. The four members of Moon Tooth, John Carbone (vocals), Nick Lee (guitars), Vincent Romanelli (bass) and Ray Marte (drums) are not only are they masters of their instruments and rip and shred but, their ability to write great songs makes them truly standout. They remind me a bit of Mastodon meets The Dillinger Escape Plan with a ton of melody and 70’s prog. Their 2016 debut album, Chromaparagon is pretty damn great from start to finish. I could use many adjectives to describe how good it is but, you should just listen and you’ll understand why Moon Tooth is great. Now in 2019, Moon Tooth is gearing up to unleash a new album entitled Crux (out March 29th). The first single released, “Trust” is the logical next step for the band and it crushes. The band worked with Lamb of God’s Mark Morton and producer Machine (Lamb Of God, Every Time I Die, King Crimson, etc) on Crux. Speaking on the new album singer John Carbone said “This album is about not giving up. It’s about the furious hope that brings fighters back to their feet again and again. Having answered the call to adventure, having grappled with what will surely be only the first set of trials, having sacrificed and lost so much, ‘Crux’ finds the band at a tipping point. There is nothing left but for the old life to die and the new, true life to begin.” A description like that shows that Moon Tooth are creating lasting music and albums with depth and true artistic expression. Personally, I’m stoked on Moon Tooth and can’t wait for this album and them to tour.

 
Moon Tooth- Trust:

 

 
Moon Tooth- Chromaparagon:

 

Tour Dates with Mark Morton and Light The Torch:

3/13 — Richmond, VA — Broadberry
3/14 — Philadelphia, PA — Underground Arts
3/15 — Toronto, ON — Lees Palace
3/16 — Montreal, QC — Astral
3/18 — Boston, MA — Brighton Music Hall
3/19 — New York, NY — Gramercy Theater
3/21 — Chicago, IL — Bottom Lounge
3/23 — Colorado Springs, CO — Black Sheep
3/25 — Los Angeles, CA — Roxy
3/26 — Phoenix, AZ — Club Red

Band Of The Week: Low Lives

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Over the last few years there has been a real resurgence of the 90’s sound. Rock bands are starting to really embrace the realness of guitars, bass and drums again. It’s quite nice to hear that quiet to loud noise again. One band I’ve had my eye on for a bit now has truly honed in on that style is the band Lowlives. They have this In Utero era Nirvana sound mixed with a bit of a Silverchair vibe to their sound. The gents in Lowlives have the quiet to loud dynamics down to a science and they have the right amount of melody added to it to make it modern and not stuck in nostalgia. In August of 2018, Lowlives released their Burn Forever EP, which was produced and mixed by Beau Burchell (Saosin, The Bronx, etc) and it’s quite the hard hitting listening experience. Lowlives from everything I’ve seen, are quite the live band as well. Their high energy and passion for what they’ve created emits through each member and out to the audience.

 

Lowlives- Burn Forever EP:

 

Lowlives- Maida Vale Session:

 

Band Of The Week: Deathchant
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There are a ton of people out in the world that keep saying “rock music is dead.” Well guess what, it’s not, not by a longshot. Recently, I came across a band that not only proves that rock music is alive and well but, also packs quite a punch. That band is called Deathchant and they kick major ass. They’ve been dubbed psychedelic rock, proto-metal, doom, stoner metal, noise-punk, hard rock, and everything in between, but if you ask them, Deathchant is just, “rock and roll with psychedelic influences.” I couldn’t agree more. Sure they have a “harder” edge to them but, they are rock n roll through and through. Their self titled debut release (out via King Volume Records) is a hard hitting, loud, bombastic record. There is a really cool melodic tinge to the songs and vibe to go along with the psychedelic atmosphere dripping along. Deathchant are the real deal. The album is full of the heaviness you’d want but also the right amount of melody to make this record memorable and standout.
Deathchant-Deathchant:

Band Of The Week: Greek Fire

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I find it quite fascinating when side projects become the full time project. Sometimes the music and feelings you get from working on something outside of what you’ve been doing for many years is just what you need to rediscover your love and passion for it all. There is a band called Greek Fire that has morphed into quite the band. Formed in 2008 by Philip “Moon” Sneed, Ryan Phillips (both formerly of Story Of The Year, though Ryan is no longer part of Greek Fire), Mark Joseph Roth, and Johnny Venus, Greek Fire have built a reputation for delivering enigmatic live performances and cinematic rock with soaring melodies. Since their inception, Greek Fire have been making a name for themselves with their Lost/Found EP, the full length Deus Ex Machina as well as their new albums Orientation and upcoming release, Broken. Greek Fire reminds me a bit of Muse before their transition during The Resistance album. There’s definitely a balance to  the rock element to go along with the electronic aspect.

 

 

Greek Fire- Orientation:

 
Greek Fire- Deus Ex Machina:

Band Of The Week: Wrong

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The 90’s sound has influenced and inspired so many bands. That distinct guitar sound or the was the bass rumbles to the way the drums punch, there is no denying that “that” sound changed the world. There is a band hailing from Florida, that has captured the essence of the 90’s sound and expanded on it in a very cool experimental and noisy sort of way. The band is called WRONG and they are badass. Made up of members of Torche and Kylesa, WRONG has taken inspiration from 90’s stalwarts Helmet and Unsane and made bombastic heavy rock. Their new album entitled Feel Great, is rifftastic and full of groove that will get your head banging and your feet moving. Wrong is unrelenting and aggressive yet they understand the dynamics of their craft.

 
Wrong- Feels Great:

 

Wrong- Pustile:

 

 
Wrong- Gape:

 

New Release: Memento- Legacy

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A while back I posted about how the band Memento was back and well, they officially are. The have released their first new song in many years and it’s fan-fucking-tastic. This new track entitled “Legacy” is one hell of a rocker. The vocals and lyrics of singer Justin Stewart Cotta are top notch. He hasn’t lost a step at all. The riffs and leads of guitarist Jason “Space” Smith are killer. He’s always had a knack for writing catchy yet riff-tastic jams. If this is just the beginning for what’s to come for Memento, then the future looks pretty bright. Welcome back gents!!!

 

Memento- Legacy:

 

 

Memento- Beginnings (Debut Album):

Band Of The Week: Street Sects

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Since the explosion of electronic music in the last decade, I’ve noticed a resurgence of industrial music, which makes me happy. Industrial inspired bands like Youth Code, Khost, and Fact Pattern have brought the style back and are killing it. Now, there is another band that is really taking industrial music to a different level and they are called Street Sects. Formed in 2013 by vocalist Leo Ashline and multi-instrumentalist Shaun Ringsmuth, Street Sects have taken industrial music and mixed in punk rock, ambience and chaos to create a sound that stands out among the others. Their new album The Kicking Mule (out October 26) has a style that is inspired by bands like Roxy Music and Brian Eno as well as Berlin-era Bowie and Pretty Hate Machine era Nine Inch Nails. The songs are intense and full of life. One listen and you’ll have the sudden urge to get up and move. Singer Leo Ashline’s vocals are reminiscent of the like of Brian Molko of Placebo and Low/Station To Station era Bowie. Street Sects are a band that have found their own niche with The Kicking Mule and have successfully created a sound that will instantly capture those listening.

 

Street Sects- In For A World Of Hurt:

 

 

Street Sects- The Drifter:

 

 

Street Sects- Still Between Lovers: