Scorching
fires out west have been dominating the landscape, filling the air with smoke
and ash in the last month or so. Bandcamp has been ablaze for other reasons.
Last round I featured some of the best of bandcamp mid-year recap. This round
I’m going back to showing off some of the new finds that keep the year moving
in a positive direction. At some point you’d think it would start slowing down,
but the music just keeps releasing and it blows my mind every time. Check out
the latest batch of Bandcamp Bonanza face melters.
Second Coming of Heavy – Chapter 6: Kayleth
/ Favequaid
Splits seem
to be gaining traction as of late. Ripple has not only taken the special
edition split vinyl to the next level, they have done it with class. Look at
the art package that being featured on each chapter by Ghosttown Graphics. It’s
just insane and to know that the splines will create an image when stacked
together at the end of the 10 chapter saga, it begs for complete discography
collectors to hop aboard. Each chapter features two up and coming heavy rocking
bands. Chapter 6 is on fire.
Chapter 6
brings us another round of bands with their first appearance on Ripple. This is
a perfect combination of atmospheric riffs and high octane rock songs. Kayleth
bring the expansive grooves straight from outer space while Favequaid deliver
us an undisputed punky grit layered with tasty chops. It seems each Chapter
brings a new favorite. The saga gets better and better and the artwork is
intense. Cannot wait to receive my OBI vinyl edition and complete the entire
set.Favorite track: Favequaid - Everytime.
Sun Rider – III
Another band
with exquisite artwork in their catalog, Sun Rider bring a sludge stained
stoner metal to the party with monster riffs and scarred vocal tones that
combine to make a heavy blues album that comes out similar in output to the
band HARK, but less progressive and more bluesy. Check out their entire
discography and you’ll be considering hitting that buy button on the vinyl even
though the shipping is insanely pricey.
Howling Giant – Black Hole, Space Wizard:
Part 2
Now here is
a band to keep your eyes on. These dudes from Nashville know how to write a great song and
keep it accessible with a wide range of polish, but they also know how to
maintain a heavy ass energy. I just can’t say enough good things. Each release
that comes out of these guys brains is a new favorite. Part 2 is intense.
Howling
Giant return with Part 2 of the BHSW saga launching rocket fueled riffs beyond
the atmospheric boundary of standard hard rock fare. Astronautical fuzz echoes
over metallic solos as the progressive harmonies consume by way of
gravitational force. Part 2 is a gorgeous and monolithic slab of stoner metal
that'll have you begging for more. Keep your eyes on these guys. They're going
places.
The Last Coyote – Gunfighter Tales
I found
these guys using the method of checking the bandcamp new section by genre, and
randomly stumbled over these guys.
This is
the kind of music I yearn for. Sifting through the bandcamp vaults today The
Last Coyote makes its presence known. Gun smoking melodies crackle with bluesy
strums and outlaw wales across the western prairie like a flaming ring of
mountain fire.
Between the Lines – Between the Lines
This is
refreshing and suffocating at the same time. There were parts that had that 15
years old nostalgia going on, yet it stands out in the field of hard rock.
The bass
slaps like a sack of balls against a kilted thigh as the dark, brooding groove
hymns Between the Lines of crunchy distorted rock and goth enhanced grunge. For
fans of Tool and freaks alike, this debut will steamroll your expectations of
an Irish rock band.
Hair of the Dog – This World Turns
Last but
certainly not least Hair of the Dog came out with a new album this year. I am a
huge fan of this band which required that I pre-order the vinyl to go with the
first two albums I scrounged together last year. Pretty stoked on this new one,
it gets better every time you play it and I find it ranking high on many
year-end lists’
Hair of
the Dog is the type of band you can play in the morning to ease the bangover
from witnessing their show the night before. This World Turns exemplifies all
that is heavy rock taking the band to future cult classic status and showing no
signs of losing hide. The melodies echo lean distorted glory with progressive
riffs, bar worthy balladry and intricate snarls of rock and roll fury. Can't
deny this as one of the best hard rock albums of 2017. Vinyl ordered. Just look
at those colors on the cover. This is the full package. Favorite track:
This World Turns.
That ought
to keep you busy for a bit. I’ve got more on deck for future Bonanza Bonanza
features and it shows no signs of slowing down. Let it burn!
-The
Huntsman
Comments