Band Of The Week

Band Of The Week: Holy Wars

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There are so many bands, artists and records these days, it’s hard to keep up at times. Every so often though, there is one among the bunch that truly stands out and makes you turn up the volume and rock out. A couple months back, I was very intrigued by a video post a reader put up on instagram of a band he saw (should out to Derek Scott aka dubsdotla). That band was Holy Wars and I’ve been hooked ever since. The sounds emitting with the rumbling of bass, atmospheric guitars, industrial tinges, bits of grunge, dark pop sensibilities and a punk attitude, have made Holy Wars a band that really steals your attention and keeps it. Led by singer Kat Leon and guitarist, Nicolas Perez, Holy Wars is taking the scene by storm and rightfully so. Their live performances have become cathartic expressions of passion and art and the live sound that is emitted from the stage is both bombastic and full of desire. It’s pretty intoxicating listening to this band. Upon first listen to Holy Wars, you will be hooked and rightfully so.

 

Holy Wars- Welcome To My Hell:

 

 

Holy Wars Video Playlist:

 

 

Band Of The Week: Clint Lowery

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Clint Lowery of Sevendust is gearing up to release his debut solo album God Bless The Renegades next year (January 31st to be exact). This is the first release he’s put out under his own name. His other solo related projects all had names attached to them be it Hello Demons, Meet Skeletons (which is pretty damn awesome) as well as Call Me No One (the band he started with Morgan Rose of Sevendust). On this album though, it’s all Clint, with the exception of the drums, which were played by Wolfgang Van Halen. So far, two songs have been released from the album, “Kings” and the title track “God Bless The Renegades.” These songs share a bit of the similarities you’d find in Sevendust but, it’s a bit of a departure from that style. Instead, it’s more rock driven but, full of melody. Clint to me has always been the secret weapon in Sevendust, and on this release, he gets to spread his wings a bit more and experiment with things that normally you wouldn’t find on a Sevendust album.

 

Clint Lowery- Kings:

 

 

Clint Lowery- God Bless The Renegades:

 

Band Of The Week: Bent Knee

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Ever since my musical journey began at a very young age, I’ve been intrigued by bands that are very experimental and artsy. Perhaps it’s because I fell in love with The Velvet Underground at a very, very young age (I have my mom to thank for that one). So, these days when I hear something that is a bit off kilter or out there, I am drawn to it in some strange way. Which brings me to Bent Knee. This band is pretty damn cool and full of things you wouldn’t expect. Drawing inspiration from multiple places like pop music, prog rock, jazz and the more avant garde, Bent Knee have really made their place among the best bands you’ve probably never heard but should be listening to. Their new album, You Know What They Mean, is an album that could be described as being ahead of its time but, I prefer to think of it as an album that is innovative, full of great vocals, wicked arrangements, and killer songs. Bent Knee is the type of band too that provides the listener with a real sense of not playing it safe. Instead the more you listen to them, the more you start to get drawn into everything in a sort of trance that expands your mind in a very awesome psychedelic way. I personally can’t wait to see and hear what this bands continues to do for many albums to come. They are definitely a band to watch out for.

Bent Knee- You Know What They Mean:

Band Of The Week: The Wraith

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Over the last few years, I’ve thoroughly enjoyed the resurgence of post-punk.  There have been a bunch of bands that have really nailed that sound and vibe and have cemented a place in my rotation. Recently, I was introduced to another post-punk styled band that has really grabbed my attention. They are called The Wraith and they are badass. Influenced and inspired by bands like Killing Joke, Samhain and T.S.O.L., The Wraith have taken the post-punks sound and added a bit of cool Death Rock/Punk vibe to their sound. Frontman Davey Bales, has a distinctive voice that delivers the goods. The other members of the band, which includes former Blink-182 drummer Scott Raynor and Brit bassist Paul Rogers, have given the music and songs the darkness and depth needed to make the songs shine. Their new album, Gloom Ballet (out November 29 via Southern Lord) was produced by Mat Mitchell, who has worked with Love And Rockets, The Flaming Lips, Meat Puppets, King Crimson and Puscifer to name a few. The first single released from Gloom Ballet, “Wing Of Night” has the right attitude and gusto that will have you inadvertently dancing and wanting to mosh at the same time. The future is not as gloomy as their name might suggest. The Wraith are going to be leaving their mark for sure.

The Wraith:

 

 

 

 

Band Of The Week: Return Fire

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When it comes to metal music, people always tend to focus on the guitar playing and vocals but, there are 2 other elements that really shouldn’t go overlooked, the drums and bass. When you look back through the history of metal, the impact of those two instruments, it’s without a doubt that those are the true driving forces. Think about it, Sabbath, Priest, Maiden, Metallica, Megadeth, etc, all those bands had such killer rhythm sections that were the ultimate driving force. I’d like to bring your attention to a band called Return Fire led by drummer Joe Nunez, who you might recall as one of Soulfly’s former drummers. His new band, Return Fire is a pretty thrashtastic return to the fold. Armed with a sound that hits on all the right grooves a la Slayer, Pantera, Napalm Death, Prong and even a bit of a Helmet vibe, Return Fire is the real deal. Their debut album is loud, fast and ferocious. If you are a fan of this style of metal, I really think you’ll dig this.

 

Return Fire- Return Fire:

Band Of The Week: Drug Church

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Remember the days of reading the liner notes and seeing the list of bands that are thanked and then checking out the ones you didn’t know? It’s always a pleasure and fun to come across bands that people in other bands you dig like. Not too long ago, I saw a posting on Instagram from Riley of Thrice talking about the band Drug Church. So, I did what I do, and checked them out. Needless to say, I enjoyed what I heard. Drug Church is a post-hardcore band hailing from upstate New York. Their sound is a mix of hardcore punk, alternative rock and a tinge of grunge. Think of it like this, if Black Flag (Rollins era), The Jesus Lizard and In Utero era Nirvana all somehow made music together, you’d get a pretty close resemblance to what Drug Church sounds like. The band was started by Self Defense Family singer Patrick Kindlon. Since their inception, they have released three full length studio albums, and a handful of EP’s and singles. Their most recent album, Cheer, is one of the coolest albums I’ve heard in a long time. It’s a very focused and powerful album as well as experimental. Cheer is the type of album that will leave you wanting to go right back to the first song after its over. The lyrics that accompany the music are smart and and thought provoking with enough of a sarcastic approach to make them really stand out. From the live videos I’ve seen of the band, they are one of the more exciting bands to see live. A band like Drug Church is a much needed breathe of air in a musical climate of today that is dominated by so much manufactured crap. So, do yourself a favor and take a listen to this great band!

Drug Church- Cheer:

 
Drug Church on Audiotree:

 

 

Band Of The Week: Greet Death

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It’s always interesting when bands take different genres and mix them together. The end results are at times questionable but, when a band finds the right pairing, it all comes together. There is a band that has caught my attention that has mixed shoegaze and sludge in a way that not only works, it feels right too. Greet Death, a three piece band from Flint, Michigan, are releasing a new album, New Hell, on November 8 (via Deathwish Inc.). The first couple songs released are just a glimpse of the lush and full melodies,  dreamy guitars, and punchy rhythms that drive the poetic lyrics to soaring heights. The groups debut album, 2017’s Dixieland, showed that Greet Death are here to leave a lasting impression and that they did. New Hell looks to pick up where their debut left off, while expanding upon their sound to reach a new level.
Greet Death- Do You Feel Nothing? (from New Hell):

 

 

Greet Death- Strange Days (from New Hell):

 

 
Greet Death- Dixieland:

 

 

Band Of The Week: Northlane

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Australia has produced some very awesome bands over the years. From AC/DC, Rose Tattoo, INXS, and Silverchair. Well now they have another one to add. I’d like to introduce you to Northlane. The band formed in 2009 and has released 5 studio albums including their latest, Alien, which is one hell of a great album and is on my top list for 2019. The band got their name from a song called “North Lane” by the band Architects which appeared on the latter’s album Ruin. Over the years, the band worked to define their sound and through a few lineup changes, it appears they have finally found all the right pieces. Their new album Alien, finds the band evolving a bit more than previous albums and on this one, they have embraced the more experimental and alternative side of what they are capable of. Throughout the album you can find traces of industrial, prog, and even a little EDM. It’s the album that will lead them into the next part of their career. From the live footage I’ve seen of Northlane, they sure seem to have a very energetic and pulsating show. It’s been fun to listen to Northlane starting with this new album and then going backwards and seeing how much they really have progresed. They are definitely one of the newer bands worth checking out.

Northlane- Alien:

Band Of The Week: Seizures

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Late last year I went to see Cult Leader and God Mother at The Satellite and the opening band, Seizures, completely blew me away. I was totally intrigued by this band and their performance and I had to know more. I had previously described them as having this really cool early Thrice vibe ( a la Illusion Of Safety) mixed with a bit of Botch and The Dillinger Escape Plan. I still stand by that only now, I’ve heard “In A Valley Of Twilit Meres” new song from their upcoming album Reverie of the Revolving Diamond, and there is so much more to this band than just that. Seizures is a band that offers the heavy music world a whole lot of awesomeness. By mixing post hardcore, mathcore and bits of jazz, they have a sound and style that is ferocious and brutal yet delicate and oddly soothing. Seizures is the type of band that today really needs. They have all the right pieces from being absolute beasts live and their quality of music and songs really shine. Give Seizures a moment of your time and you’ll see why I think they are a band you should be in the know of!

 

Reverie Of The Revolving Diamond:

 
The Sanity Universal:

 

Band Of The Week: Fake Figures

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A few years back, I went to a house party show out in the boonies of Los Angeles. While I was there to see a specific band, there was another band that peaked my interest that evening. Looking at them as they played, I realized certain members were from other bands that I used to really dig. Their set that evening was quite excellent and they had me hooked at that point. The band I’m talking about is Fake Figures. Hailing from Southern California and featuring members of bands such as Atreyu, Hotwire and Scars of Tomorrow, Fake Figures has been making their presence known with their music that mixes bits and pieces of metal, alternative and punk with a bit of a 90’s tinge. Since the bands inception, they have released two EP’s with their third one on the way. Fake Figures have also been an MTV Buzzworthy band as well as being featured in magazines like Revolver and Alternative Press. Most recently, they have released a couple songs from their forthcoming EP. The songs “Hole In The Sky” and “Bury The Hatchet” are quite the rockers and the type of songs that when played live, will be very impactful. Fake Figures are a band that deserve your attention. Especially if you are searching for a heavy rock band that will rattle your ears!

 
Hole In The Sky:

 

Bury The Hatchet:

 

They Must Be Destroyed EP:

 

Hail The Sycophants EP: