I don’t get that many tips about metal and hard rock bands to the blog, so when I do get one, I’ll have to grab the opportunity to present it.  It’s the metal band Overworld who wrote me about their debut EP “Perfect Anomaly”, released in Spring. I don’t feel that at home in the genre to compare with other bands. I can see, though, that it’s pretty crowded with bands over the world in this genre, but I do think that Overworld have the qualities to stand out.

There’s an energy in their music that I can really feel and they also start out with solid songwriting in the five songs on the EP. Since I’m more of a hard rock listener than a metal fan I also appreciate the starting track a little extra bit, “Until We’re Dead”, which stands out among the other songs by sounding more like a hard rock song with metal influences than the other way around.

The band was started last year and they impress too through their communication with their fans. In a relatively short time they have gathered a solid rather big  enthusiastic fan base all on their own, so the energy and the ambitions doesn’t stop with their music.

Overworld on Facebook – on Spotify

Until We’re Dead

In the beginning of last yearwe wrote about Stone Carpet and their single “The Sound of a Thousand”. Now they’re back with an ambitious project, with the plan to release 4 EP:s during this year. On each EP they explore one of the different genres which have influenced them during the years.

First out in May was the three-track EP “Exordium”, where they set out for a more progressive direction. The song here below, “The Plan”, comes from this EP. In July the second EP “Narratio” was released; an EP that focus more on metal.

A fun project, and I’m quite curious about what the upcoming EP:s will be about, especially since it’s so well executed in these two first EP:s. You can listen to their music on Spotify and follow the band on Facebook.

The Plan

To the department of remarkable band names we can add the trio Sterile Hermaphrodite, hailing from Uddevalla. And the music is also remarkable, which you can hear on their latest EP, “Big Fat Pussy Club”, where they serve their own, nice version of stoner rock mixed with punk vibes and streaks of metal.

Listen more on their Facebook page, on Spotify or on Wimp.

Tangaboy

Whipping Princess was started by the bass player Karl Hinterleithner and the singer Jenny “Princess” Jonasson. The ambition was to whip together their own blend of soul, rock, blues, punk and metal and a first effort came earlier this year with the EP “Let You and Me Be One”.

It’s a somewhat uneven production but where a song like “State of Hate” stands out and sounds of garage-vibing hard rock with metal influences. The singer Jenny has a special tone and quite a strong voice and attitude, reminding a little of Dio in her expression.

You can listen more on Whipping Princess’ site or on Facebook.

State of Hate

Wraptors say that they don’t follow any rules. Of course that’s impossible, which they realize themselves as they add: “Well…maybe a few. But not on purpose…”

When I listen I’m beginning to understand what they mean. The sound in itself is not the odd thing about them, neither the riffs, but the songs, the melodies, the harmonies and how all this is arranged. In a way it feels like a post grunge rocker has joined a couple of progressive rockers, a Zappa fan and a metal guitarist, but they twist it, making it hard to make any direct genre-comparisons, even if I somewhere hear the influences.

Many times it feels kind of backwards, and sometimes when I think I just have gotten into a chord-melody sequence that feels “normal”, they make a hard turn and lure me away.

It’s their album “Held High” I’m listening to, a challenging album that requires attention and quite a few listens. I like challenges and I also liked this album, which was both fun and interesting to listen to. And I’m starting to get a hang of it now…

The albumet “Held High” is available on Spotify (and other services) and you can find Wraptors on Facebook.

Stoked On Stakes
To Beat a Beast