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.
132 Responses
Rival Sons are an outstanding band and put on one heck of a live show. They sound amazing live! Another new(er) band I just stumbles across is Kamchatka. They are an excellent blues based power trio from Sweden. They too sound like they came right out of theate 60s or early 70s. They just released their 4th record entitled “The Search Goes On.”
I was at your book signing in Milwaukee in Oct 2013. You recommended Scorpion Child. Been listening to them a lot. Check out Wayland from Michigan and Left With Tomorrow, young band out of WI.. Also been listening to Redlight King, Call Me No One, Kyng, Red Fang, and Texas Hippie Coalition. Not new but listening the hell out of Volbeat. Keep up the great work! Keep rockin’!
A Cincinnati band who has a really good sound is Electric Citizen. Same vein as Kyng (my personal favorite of these…great guys), Scorpion Child and others, with an outstanding female vocalist and great riffs. Also, Venomous Maximus out of Houston is just awesome.
Hey Eddie… you should really check out a band called paganpagans mind.
they started out in the late 90’s and are currently putting out a lot of good songs and albums.
Pagans mind it was supposed to be.