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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You should check out a band from Seattle called Curse of the North. I hear songs like “when the wind blows” and “red doom” and if gives me hope heavy rock and metal can hit radio and the indie markets and succeed.
You should check out a band from Seattle called Curse of the North. Songs like “when the wind blows” gives me hope heavy rock and metal can hit radio and succeed in what made people like us like metal in the first place.
Hey Eddie, totally stoked to hear you giving some props to Kyng both here and on TMS, I was totally bummed I missed them opening for Clutch in S.F. this last year, I think they were supporting on most of the tour dates, but not that show for some reason. There was, however a great band from England supporting them called Orange Goblin (I think Neil Fallon mentioned them when he was on the show), and I picked up their most recent disc “A Eulogy For The Damned” and it’s fantastic!!!
Here’s a few local bands from the California Bay Area (S.F./Oakland/San Jose) I’ve been turned onto in the last couple years that are killer bands. Check ’em out!
Zed – (not to be confused with “Zedd” which is a pop band I think). Their new album “Desperation Blues” just came out in August and it’s fantastic. They also have a previous album called “The Invitation” which is also great. These guys are great, very riff driven, with a lot of groove, and the vocals are powerful and gritty. I first saw these guys open up for the band I listed next and went ‘Who the f!@# are these guys?!?!” was instantly hooked! Here’s their website:
http://www.zedisded.com
Spiralarms – I first saw these guys opening at a club here in San Jose for Michael Schenker Group and they were killer (so was Michael! \m/). They just got signed last summer to SPV/Steamhammer and have a new album that recently came out called “Freedom” which is killer! They just finished a tour in Europe opening for Scorpion Child. Their first album “Highest Society” is only available through their website I think, but equally killer. Great vocals from Tim Narducci (formerly of Systematic) and killer guitarwork from Craig Locicero (Forbidden). Think Alice In Chains, Stone Temple Pilots, and Soundgarden combined with a pinch of 70’s ZZ Top and and a heaping dose of Sabbath. Killer songs, killer heavy sound, and great live band. Here’s their website:
http://www.spiralarms.com
Angerhead – This full on in-your-face thrash metal! They don’t have a full album out yet, but they do have a 3-song Demo/EP, and they recently released 4 or 5 more songs on YouTube, so I’m hoping a full-length disc is in the works. They have quite a few videos out there on YouTube. Songs to check out are “Buried Inside”, “Angerhead”, and “Pissed Off.” These guys have a crushing sound, very much in the vein of Pantera and Machine Head but with a little more thrash metal thrown into the mix. Killer stuff.
http://www.angerhead.net
Hey, Eddie – as a proud Austinite, I wanted to say thanks for championing Scorpion Child. They’re one of the best bands in town of any genre. I saw them a couple of years ago in a small club and thought, “This band has a lot of promise.” A year or so later they had some new members, a batch of great songs and a killer debut album, which you showed to the world on That Metal Show. I fully expect SC to hit Sword levels of success.
Another Austin metal act you might like is the psych/doom trio The Well. I think they’re gonna be the next Austin hard rock/metal act to hit nationally. As far as other (non-Austin acts) I think you should check out: Orchid (sort of a garage rock version of early Sabbath), Kadavar (bluesy psychedelic proto metal), Christian Mistress (NWOBHM-influenced street metal), Royal Thunder (psych-kissed heavy rock) and a trio of female-fronted doom bands I’ve recently fallen in love with: Demon Lung, the Wounded Kings and especially Windhand.
Keep up the good work!
Oh, and, like you, I forgot somebody notable – Sweden’s In Solitude. Hard to describe but very cool and very melodic.
It is awesome to me that you are out there promoting these up and coming bands. There are so many groups that never get noticed because of the over saturation of half assed groups. So to you Eddie i say “Thank You!”. As for bands that i think need some attention The Sword’s last 2 disc’s have been incredible. Clutch’s Earth Rocker in my opinion is one of the best records of 2013. I know they have been around a long time but they never really received the attention they deserved.time to throw a bunch of names out there in the hopes that some people will check them out…Red Fang, Kylesa,Black Water Rising , Vista Chino, Black Stone Cherry and one i am really excited about is KXM with Dug Pinnick, George Lynch and Ray Luzier. i could go on like this for days but this is your site Eddie and you really don’t need my help. Keep on Rockin’ Mr. Trunk!!!!