So many times I am asked what new bands I like. To be honest for a while there wasn’t much for my personal tastes. Lot’s of aggression but not much in the way of songs. For me if it’s hard rock or metal I MUST like the singer and the music must have some sense of melody to it. It’s one of the reasons I don’t care for death or extreme metal. I can appreciate the energy, but for me, I don’t hear songs and not a fan of “cookie monster” voices. I’ve NEVER faked liking a band because everyone said I should or they were the new hip thing. That trend for me goes all the way back to being a little kid. Which is why I was routinely made fun of for liking bands like Kiss and others when they were very much thought of as “uncool”. But I must say I am very encouraged by some of the new stuff coming down the pike. There is this trend of no nonsense straight up riff based hard rock by a whole new generation of young bands. Essentially bands with members in their 20’s that sound like they are from 1973! Anti Mortem. Scorpion Child, Kyng, Monster Truck, Rival Sons, Witchcraft, and many others have recently peaked my interest. I don’t know which if any will come out of the pack and it’s too soon to see which will develop into truly great bands that stand the test of time. But at a time when hard rock and metal needs a new Appetite For Destruction to kick everyone’s ass and shake things up and help bring back rock, there are some strong signs on the horizon. I am rooting for all these guys and you will hear many on my radio shows sprinkled among the classics. New and classic rock acts still very much needs your help to break through. So keep an eye out for this stuff and spread the word if you like it. Hopefully one of them really hits and puts a charge in a fairly stagnant world lately for new hard rock bands.
What have you heard new you like? As always comments welcomed and encouraged here!
PS: I no doubt forgot others that I like. Perhaps the biggest challenge we have with so much music so available so easily is navigating what’s out there and remembering it! Another reason I still love CDs. Much easier to keep in your line of site when it’s a physical item vs an easily lost download, file or link.
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I really like the new Coney Hatch album “Four” – although the lyrics for some songs are kind of weak the production and musicianship are fantastic – it also includes a pretty good cover of Angel City’s “Marseilles” which is one of my favorite songs ever… the album sounds like mid/late 80’s melodic rock, and has been on steady “play” in the car for the last week….
timmratt,
Wow….. I haven’t listened to Coney Hatch in….. well…. a long time! Thank you for mentioning this. I am listening to it on spotify right now. It is absolutely awesome! I’m liking the song Boy’s Club right now. It will be in my Amazon shopping cart shortly.
Anytime I am introduced to a new killer album, it’s a GOOD DAY! THANK YOU VERY MUCH!
(do you ever listen to Harem Scarem? If not, give them a try… get MOOD SWINGS for a first taste). I believe they are another Canadian band. With Rush, Triumph, and Coney Hatch, you can’t go wrong.
On a little heavier tip, I have to mention STAR & DAGGER, with Sean Yseult from WHITE ZOMBIE, and Dava She Wolf (formerly Honey 1%er of CYCLE SLUTS FROM HELL). Their ‘Tomorrowland Blues’ record is out on Megaforce. They’ve put out 2 awesome videos, one called “Your Mama Was a Grifter”, an amazing tune which cops a total Russ Meyer/Faster Pussycat, Kill, Kill vibe for the visuals: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wjO4ZpIwgxk
And then there’s the dark and heavy “In My Blood”, which has a Stanley Kubrick/The Shining trip: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9PMuk2-zfoc
A must for TMS-heads, I’d say. The other band I like that’s dark but melodic is Ghost, and again, I love their look and imagery in addition to the music, which is spooky but very catchy. Good stuff.
Have you checked out Madman’s Lullaby from California? Just signed to Kivel Records and getting lots of attention. Opened for Michael Schenker to a sold out house two weeks ago. They’re considered a mix of Badlands and Tesla…check ’em out if you can! Here’s a video clip of their single release on Kivel, more coming soon (album “Unhinged” releasing March 2014)……http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qBG1V0vpcw4. Cheers Eddie, you rock! \m/
Scorpion Child really stood out to me. The singer and music sounds very , very similar to Dave King and Fastway , one of the most underated bands of the 80’s and one of my favorites . The singer isn’t as good as Dave and the music not quite as melodic but i’ll take it .
Agreed on Fastway sound
No problem, Eddie, look, Cookie Monster from Hades is not everyone’s cup of tea. Death Metal Heads have got to understand that not everybody goes ga-ga when Chris Barnes rants about the maggots that are infesting his gut. It’s an acquired taste. That’s why I’ll sometime spin Ghost, whose vocal stylings are are the exact polar opposite of the guttural growl.
Don’t hear the excitement in Ghost myself. I know the buzz is there but to me the songs don’t sound great and it’s not even that heavy and the vocals are thin. But that’s just me. Seems plenty do like them. Maybe it will grow on me but don’t hear it right now..