The best rock today comes from Stonewall Noise Orchestra, hailing from Borlänge, who released their fourth album “Salvation” a couple of weeks ago. It’s the first album I listen to with this band, which I’m happy for, because this was just right up my alley today.

They have created a great mix of classic Sabbath-inspired hard rock, glam rock elements and stoner rock, changing the inclination to the various influences from song to song, which gives a varied track collection, fun to listen through and unpredictable, which I like. The melodies are the protagonists on the album, I’d say, where the band seems tho have just right touch to create melodies that feel right for the purpose and to make fascinating choruses. The album appears to be worked through thouroughly, and I can’t find a weak link among the songs; it feels like every track has been cared for in it’s own right and been allowed to flourish. As it should be, but you have to pull it off also, which I think the band have managed to do here.

Stonewall Noise Orchestra’s site – on Facebook – on Spotify – on Wimp

Die Die Die

Automobilist is a new pleasant band acquaintance for me. So far, they’ve released an EP with four songs, “The Collapse”, which shows their garage-sounding rock, somewhat odd and different, with surprising twists and turns in the songs, but still with simple, efficient rock-punkish choruses. The early Talking Heads comes to my mind, also because of the singer’s sometimes talk-singing style, which feels rather close to David Byrne’s.

Automobilist on Facebook – on Spotify – on Soundcloud – on Bandcamp

The indie rock band Class of Kill’em High, hailing from Norrköping, impressed me a couple of years ago. So it’s great to see that they’re back with a new two-track single, and that they’re also planning a few more sinlges before they release their debut album. Here’s “Big Sleep”.

Class of Kill’em High’s site – on Facebook – on Spotify – on Wimp – on Bandcamp

The quartet Vrak released their debut EP in the end of December. Four songs with dark, foreboding rock that spans from the epic grande to early Sabbath-sounding retro vibes. I really like their basic dynamic sound with guitars that have just the right crunch and great vocals from Josefin Finér.

Vrak on Facebook – on Spotify – on Wimp – on Bandcamp

I Dream

Some years ago (2005) The Hellacopters declared that Rock & Roll Is Dead on the album with the same name. The Hyper Actives, hailing from Stockholm have put on their super hero suits, though, in an effort to revive the genre on their debut album “Rock’nRoll Lives Again”. And when they race down the street in their high-speed Hyper-Active-mobile, fueled with adrenaline, joy of playing and rock energy, it’s easy to believe them. I don’t headbang, but I can feel it in my stomach, I start singing along with the catchy choruses, arms and legs begin to move and we bang our beer bottles hard against each other making the beer spray all over our clothes.

They have a lot in common with The Hellacopters, maybe more in their common roots rather from how they sound. The glam rock from the eighties can be sensed in the energy and the melodies, but most of all I feel the air from the straight three-chord rock and punk that once made me pick up my air guitar in my boy room and dream that I was a rock star, listening to and singing “High Voltage”, “Sheena Is a Punk Rocker”, “Wine Women and Song” and why not “Tutti Frutti”?

The Hyper Actives consist of the trio Jonte Skogsbrand (guitars, backing vocals), Jens Holst (vocals, bass) and Danne Berg (drums). They are planning the release of two EP:s during spring with material that was recorded during the album sessions, and in Summer they start working on the next album.

The Hyper Actives on Facebook – on Spotify – on Soundcloud

The Promised Land
Rock’nRoller Man