Band Of The Week

Band Of The Week: Big Jesus

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So many bands try to capture the true essence of their sound on record. Not too many can achieve that without studio tricks. One of the exceptions to the myth is Atlanta, Georgia’s Big Jesus. This four piece has a knack for big melodies, large walls of sound, and silky vocals. Their debut full length ONE, has all the above and then some. The first track on the album “Cold Fire” has a rhythmic heaviness that has a Cave In feel to it. The song “Again” has a chunkiness that is almost sludgy. “Shrimp” is a more mellow mid tempo jam that has shows off the more delicate side of the band. Closing out their album is “Heaviest Heart,” a song that has a sort of Deftones feel to it’s approach. Their all together sound is deeply rooted in the great alternative bands of the 90’s. Lyrically all the songs are deep and meaningful. This band is truly on the right track and have the material to take on the masses.

 

http://bigjesus.bandcamp.com/album/one

https://www.facebook.com/bigassjesus

http://www.thebigjesus.com/

 

By: Brian Lacy

Band Of The Week: New Cathedral

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Melody and rhythm are the driving forces of music. When done properly the combination of the two brings out something special. Tampa, Florida’s New Cathedral have managed to do just that. Their new E.P. entitled Ghost has the right amount of melody and passion behind it’s songs. This four piece has a sweet blend of sweeping clean guitars, heavy crunchy bass and subtle thumping drums. Vocally they are able to capture the passion of the lyrics. The conviction in which they play with is undeniable. Songs like “Holy Ghost,” “Emerald Eyes,” and “Wolves” have a more hard rock vibe to them while “Stay” shows the more delicate nature of the band without taking away from their hard edge.

New Cathedral have what it takes to make an impact on many people. Their sound is accessible yet still maintains the integrity of what melodic hard rock should be. A lot of the radio rock bands that are out there should take a page from New Cathedral and play with honesty and heart.

 

 

http://newcathedralband.com/

https://www.facebook.com/NewCathedralFL

 

By: Brian Lacy

Band Of The Week: Destroy Judas

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Creating something epic is no easy task. The dedication it takes to create music with so many moving parts and to be able to connect the lyrics to match is over whelming at times. Luckily there are a few bands that have been able to do that and make it look easy, Neurosis and Isis for example. Destroy Judas is one of those bands. Combining their influences of doom metal, ambient noise, and crust punk, they have created a very deep and thought evoking band. Their debut Wake is full of just what I described. At times it might be construed as depressing but in the most positive of ways. There is a connection between the music and lyrics that really sits well beneath your skin. The drums and bass create a rhythmic foundation that sways and can be earth shattering. The guitars can go from the most subtle sounds to pummeling. The ambient touches really add a dark element that is mixed in perfectly. Vocally the prowess of the growls and soft cleans help guide along the epic nature. The four tracks on the album are all in that vein and unrelenting. The journey that Destroy Judas takes you on is powerful and epic.

 

http://destroyjudas.bandcamp.com/

https://www.facebook.com/destroyjudas

Band Of The Week: City Of Ships

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In this quiet resurgence of artistic rock that we are currently in, a lot of previous overlooked bands (Failure, Hum, Shiner, etc) are finally getting their due and have influenced countless new bands. Now enter City Of Ships into the fold. Having been around awhile and making a mark for themselves, their blend of hard rock and post hardcore is undeniable and captivating. As a three piece that packs this much of a punch is spectacular. Their last album Minor World (released by Translation Loss) is 10 songs deep of nothing but raw emotion, and well thought out melodies. Songs like “Clotilde” “Low Countries” and “Chainman” are heavy and have melody running through it constantly. Currently City of Ships are working on their new album to be released in 2014.

https://www.facebook.com/cityofships

http://cityofships.bandcamp.com/

By: Brian Lacy

Band Of The Week: Hidden Amongst Us

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Los Angeles has a rich history of bringing together musicians and forging a bond musically that many strive for. Hidden Amongst Us is one of the more recent stories. Brought together by their love of bands like Soundgarden, Black Sabbath & Alice In Chains and a common bond in their outlook on life and society, New Yorker’s Michael Grgas on guitar & Ken Colosa on bass, vocalist/SoCal native Evan Michael Mentone and Kentucky-bred drummer Joseph Yabao formed Hidden Amongst Us to rectify those issues.

HIdden Amongst Us has recently completed mixing & mastering 2 debut EP’s with Matt Hyde (Monster Magnet, ASG, Deftones, Slayer). Their first of the 2 EP’s Echo, is full of heavy melodic rock. The first track “Disappear” is full of chunky riffs mixed with a very tight solid rhythm section and powerful vocals make this a great lead in track. The rest of the EP is relentless in its groove and heaviness.

This group are on to something, and their use of melody really helps to tie it all together. Especially when lots of bands seemed to have lost that touch.

 

http://hiddenamongstus.com/

https://www.facebook.com/HiddenAmongstUs

http://hiddenamongstus.bandcamp.com/

By: Brian Lacy

Band Of The Week: Interstelar

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There are lots of bands out trying to do the whole stoner/sludge rock thing. Few can really do it justice. Enter Interstelar who can. Formed in 2010 in Los Angeles this group of guys have taken their influences of Kyuss, The Cult, Black Sabbath and mixed it with a bit of shoe gaze a la My Bloody Valentine. They released their debut EP in 2011 and are currently recording for a new release with Warren Riker (producer of Down 1-3). Musically they show how tight they are. The guitar tone is not so dirty that you can’t hear the notes, and the solos are intricate yet simple as to not take away from the rhythmic nature of the genre. The bass tracks blend perfectly with the drums. Vocally there are times as though Ian Astbury and Maynard got morphed into one. Their new track Hold It takes them up a notch and shows their craft as songwriters and has a bit more melody. Interstelar are one band in the genre that should not go unnoticed!

https://www.facebook.com/interstelarLA

http://interstelar.bandcamp.com/

http://interstelar.com/

By: Brian Lacy

Band Of The Week: (Damn) This Desert Air

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There truly is a great deal of great music that has gone unheard. In this day and age of DIY mentality its a shame that so many have to go unheard my the masses. Enter (Damn) This Desert Air, hailing from New Jersey. They were formed in 2007. They have a distinct melodic rock sound that is infused with space rock riffs and post-hardcore. Picture Quicksand, Failure, Hum, and Stone Temple Pilots all together. (Damn) This Desert Air have appeared on numerous compilations, samplers, tribute album appearances on both the Failure and Hum Tributes. (Damn) This Desert Air have had their previous albums/E.P’s mixed by Brian Virtue. Their most recent album Pyramids is catchy and infectious. The opening track “Hanger” is full of melodic hooks. The song “Slave” takes the direction of space rock and shows the more delicate side the band all the while keeping their hard edge. The album also includes a cover of Quicksand’s “Shovel.”

(Damn) This Desert Air have melded their influences into something that is loud and booming yet doesn’t take away from the purity of the songs. They are really on to something, and hopefully can make their way out to the West Coast for some shows.

https://www.facebook.com/damnthisdesertair

http://damnthisdesertair.bandcamp.com/

By: Brian Lacy

Band Of The Week: Anakin

There is a resurgence of solid atmospheric rock music. A slew of underrated and unappreciated bands from the 90’s are finally getting their due now. Failure and Hum are 2 that are constantly brought up as influences. It’s not surprising the impact they’ve had after listening to Anakin. Formed in Kansas in 2008, Brad Chancellor and Chris Rosenthal took their love for space rock and shoe gaze and created something with integrity and an artistic sensibility. In 2011 Anakin was approached to record a song for a Hum tribute album.  The duo released their debut album Random Accessed Memories in 2012 as well as the EP Emergency Broadcast System in 2013, both of which were engineered by Eric Graves (guitarist from the band The Esoteric…Side note The Esoteric’s album Subverter is awesome!).  Their new song Control Alt Delete from their upcoming album is chock full of the spacey shoe gaze that they’ve come to make their own. In all the songs Anakin has created the vocals and lyrics are honest and comforting with a layer of sheen to caress the listener. Musically the guitars pack a crunch without sounding too distorted. The rhythm section is tight and pushes the music as it should. The dense keyboards create the spacey and ambient sound without taking away from anything else. Anakin has found a way to pay homage to their influences all the while pairing them into a sonic explosion of melody and heaviness.

http://anakinmusic.com/

https://www.facebook.com/anakinmusic

http://anakinmusic.bandcamp.com/

By: Brian Lacy

Band Of The Week: Sidewave

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Hailing from San Francisco is Sidewave. Their music is best described as a cross between shoe gaze, post hardcore and alternative. Pretty much if you can picture Failure, Siamese Dream era Smashing Pumpkins, and Hum mixed together then you can get a glimpse of how Sidewave sounds. Their most recent release “Big Time” is full of lush sounds and powerful guitars and drums. the vocals are sail through each song in a soothing way as to not distract from the music. The songs “sundrop” “illusion of light” and “new attack” are quite provocative. Sidewave are the real deal with something to show and tell everyone.

https://www.facebook.com/Sidewave.music

http://sidewaveband.com/

By: Brian Lacy

Band Of The Week: Mossbreaker
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Every week, I keep coming across great music. This week is not any different. Mossbreaker is this weeks Band Of The Week. Hailing from Los Angeles, this 4 piece has been playing together since 2010. They have released 4 track demo as well as their “Separation Anxiety” 7″ which came out in early 2013. Their influences include Nirvana, Failure, Pearl Jam, Fugazi, Hum, Neil Young, Shiner, Led Zeppelin, Black Flag, Black Sabbath, Quicksand and many more. Mossbreaker has a great knack for incorporating melody and raw feeling into their songs. The 2 songs on their 7″ really grab the listener and does what any good 7″ does. It leaves you wanting more.  From their live videos, one can tell that their songwriting ability is grand. I’m looking forward to seeing what they come out with next.
By: Brian Lacy