We are only into April of 2020 and I have already been hearing some amazing new releases and discovered new (some are new to me) bands. It’s no surprise that they’re European (mostly Swedish) and that is a topic to be addressed later. Anyways, these are some fantastic fucking bands that I think everyone should be listening to. There is a Spotify Playlist at the end of this piece so be sure to check it out.
Lykantropi
This Swedish quintet is one of my favorite bands of the decade without a doubt. It is so hard to put into words just how much Lykantropi’s music has touched and moved me. There is something about them that you just have to hear for yourself. Lykantropi definitely has a classic, psych-rock kind of sound, but they have managed to keep their toes in the “now” to separate them from the pack of bands that exclusively sound “old” or “Sabbathy.” Lykantropi is a band whose songs are full of passion, heart soul, groove. There’s a darkness to their sound, but as opposed to the dark being a negative thing, it’s more like dark optimism. Ok, just listen to them.
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Children of the Sun
What do you get when you mix the music of Jesus Christ Superstar with the music of Hair and then add in the visual appearance of a ‘60s cult of kids who look like they’ll either love you or offer you up as a sacrifice to the gods of nature? Well, you get the Swedish collective known as Children of the Sun. I was made aware of this band last year with their debut full-length album Flowers and have been hooked ever since. The songs this band writes are far more mature for their own collective ages, and this is a band that I think anyone and everyone could attach themselves to. I am so excited to see what the future holds for fans of the band. Fire one up and join the family!
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Hallas
Hallas is a band that describes their sound as “Adventure Rock.” I honestly cannot think of a more appropriate and spot-on description of this band. Hallas fits more in line with a band like Horisant, but I feel that Hallas does it better (no disrespect, Horisant.) The vocals are an acquired taste, and honestly, you’re either going to like it or not. I personally love that it’s something different and cosmic as fuck.
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Dool
Dutch band Dool is a band that encapsulates nearly all of the things I love about music: great vocals, great song structure, spot-on performances, and lots of passion. Dool is said to have been born from the ashes of occult rockers The Devil’s Blood and Elle Bandita. Musically there is definitely a psychedelic aspect to their songs, but there is so much depth and atmosphere there. Sometimes, it’s proggy, sometimes it’s psychedelic, and sometimes it’s disturbingly dark.
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Hot Breath
Hot Breath is a guitar-driven juggernaut of a band featuring Jennifer Israelssons (formerly of Honeymoon Disease) on vocals/guitar. Israelssons’ street punk n’ roll style of singing reminds me a lot of The Donnas while musically Hot Breath seems to combine influences of such great guitar-driven bands like AC/DC, The Ramones, and Thin Lizzy just to name a few. Full of attitude and grit, Hot Breath is definitely “cruise with the top-down” or “rumble in the pub” soundtrack. Good ol’ rock n’ roll. Gnarly and uncompromising.
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Siena Root
For over 20 years, Siena Root has been delivering some of the most outstanding music I have ever laid ears on. Blues, funk, reggae, psych rock, and world music are just a few things you will hear in songs of Siena Root. Siena Root keeps things moving in such a way that regardless of what album you’re listening to, it never gets old. Their latest album The Secret of Our Time is the first album to feature vocalists Lisa Lystam and Zubaida Solid as well as their strongest material to date. Music for all moods, my friends.
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Hypnos
Jesus fucking Christ! That’s the first thing I exclaimed to myself after hearing the song “Get Out.” Graduating from the Deep Purple Academy with honors, Hypnos is completely over the top, in your face, and unstoppable. The vocals are very much a nod to Ian Gillan leading songs that pretty much sound like cocaine-fueled awesomeness. Some may say they sound a bit too much like Deep Purple, but hey, there are way worse bands to wear upon one’s sleeve.
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Mount Hush
Mount Hush, to me, is one of the most perfect 2 am bands. What do I mean by that? You know how after a long night out or after a great gathering of friends, you just need that particular band to bring it all down for you once everyone has left? Well, that’s Mount Hush. At times, I hear elements of Graveyard in their songs. That kind melancholy, soft yet intense music with guitar solos that sound like notes being picked out of thin air and vocals that are subtle and atmospheric yet transition to gruff, gnarly soulful rock n’ roll. This band has a bit of everything in there.
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