NYS Music 202​1

Tag: alternative rock

  • Soul Blind Aim to Please with new EP “Third Chain”

    Soul Blind is out to impress us once again. The Hudson Valley based alternative rock band has released their new EP Third Chain on Other People Records. Drawing from The Smashing Pumpkins, Alice in Chains, and Deftones, Soul Blind releases a nostalgic track that mimics something out of the 90s.

    The newly released music video captures the band performing in a kaleidoscope of swirling colors through a fisheye lens. If that doesn’t give you 90s nostalgia then maybe Justin Sarica and Finn Lovell’s entwined guitar riffs will remind you of The Smashing Pumpkin’s sheer rock groove.

    Soul Blind

    This track also reminds us the endless range of what the rock genre truly encaptures. Steve Hurley on drums is the foundation urging the beat forward urging nothing but a head-banging session leaving the listener engaged, asking where the melody will head to next. Third Chain gives us the original hard rock we have come to know and love while still having an original sound. Soul Blind’s other tracks including “Misplaced” and “Phantom Pool” continue delving into the lessons crucial relationships teach us about ourselves. Jon Markson and Adam Cichocki recorded each track ensuring a lush wall of guitars mixed with divine vocals.

    The EP serves a lot of self reflection lyrically, as well as the emotional turbulence within personal relationships. ALl three songs reflect different feelings, but come together in the same world. Sonically we think these songs show some diversity in our sound and a clear example of our range of what can be expected from future releases, especially going into our first full length.

    Soul Blind

    Soul Blind is working toward becoming a household name and are on their merry way. In 2018, the group made their debut with the Willpower EP, followed by Untitled later that year with a handful of promo singles in 2019. Don’t just take our word for it. No Echo, Stereogum, and New Noise Magazine have released praising reviews gloating about the band. Opening for the likes of Vein, All Out War, Death Threat, Fiddlehead, Praise, Anxious, Modern Color and One Step Closer solidify their hardcore stardom.

    Third Chain is streaming now and available for purchase here.

    Be sure to check out Soul Blind’s East Coast tour with Koyo. Tour dates can be found below.

    9/17/2021 – Poughkeepsie, NY @ APEX Studios w/ Restraining Order
    9/18/2021 – North Haven, CT @ The Cockeyed Crow w/ Restraining Order + Rule Them All + End It
    9/19/2021 – Oakdale, NY @ Shakers Pub
    9/20/2021 – Philadelphia, PA @ The Fire w/ Webbed Wing
    9/21/2021 – Greensboro, NC @ Gate City Garage
    9/22/2021 – Columbia, SC @ New Brooklyn Tavern
    9/23/2021 – Jacksonville, FL @ Archetype w/ Magnitude + Point Of Contact + Kharma
    9/24/2021 – Brandon, FL @ Noisebox w/ Magnitude + Point Of Contact + Kharma
    9/25/2021 – Tallahassee, FL @ The Bark w/ Magnitude + One Step Closer
    9/26/2021 – Pensacola, FL @ American Legion w/ Magnitude + One Step Closer
    9/27/2021 – Atlanta, GA @ The Dog House
    9/28/2021 – Richmond, VA @ The Camel w/ One Step Closer 
    10/09/2021 – Brooklyn, NY @ Gold Sounds w/  No Pressure, Koyo, Victory Garden, Charity 
    10/30/2021 – New Haven, CT @ State House w/ Narrow Head + Waveform

  • Esquela Releases Fully Remote Produced New Album “A Sign From God”

    Based in Bovina, NY, Esquela released their fifth studio album A Sign From God on June 25th. The album features 10 tracks, produced by Eric “Roscoe” Ambel, and was recorded entirely remotely throughout the COVID-19 pandemic which prevented members from getting together to record during the Spring and Summer of 2020.

    Esquela
    Esquela, via bandsintown.com

    Over the course of several months, Finn wrote all the songs on the record, except the final track, “Wait For Me” which utilized a poem by Konstantin Simonov and was arranged musically by Becca Frame and Brian Shafer. He then sent bits of songs to Roscoe, involving Keith Christopher on bass, Brian Shafer on guitar, Becca Frame on vocals and Matt Woodin on guitars and mandolin, and Mike Ricciardi on drums with the audio engineering accompaniment of Jeff Stachyra. Their individual parts were woven together by their brilliant engineer, spinning a 70’s style overdub in a completely remote 2020 world.

    Once the reality of COVID 19 hit us, nobody knew what was going to happen and for how long our normal routines would be disrupted. Since I was homebound for the duration – I decided that I should get my home recording studio up and running again. After weeks of technical frustration– I was finally able to get my home setup cobbled together with a Universal Audio Apollo interface and my MacBook, using Protools recording software.

    Bandleader John “Chico” Finn

    Amidst a race war and global pandemic, the album captures the cultural conversation surrounding the time, including addressing sensitive topics that unfolded during the year like racism, sexual assault and climate change. The first track on the album, which premiered ahead of the others, addresses climate change and humanity’s impact on Earth. “Not In My Backyard” was inspired by a conversation that transpired between Finn and a friend about fracking in West Virginia. Between the rhythmic guitar riffs and pulsing drum beat, a larger message lies at the core of the song.

    The bottom line is that energy is cheap right now…in order for the climate to improve will mean people will have to pay more for their energy source, and I am afraid it won’t happen anytime soon, sad to say.

    John “Chico” Finn

    Premiering as Esquela’s first album since 2017, the band chose to tackle pressing issues about the world, spreading a message while telling a narrative throughout each song. The last song, “Wait For Me,” has a more stripped sonic atmosphere with soft acoustic guitar and less processed vocals. The song tells the story of Konstantin Simonov and a poem he wrote as a homesick Russian soldier during World War II. Esquela uses the poem as a vessel to acknowledge racism in the deep South, much like the French village of Oradour Sur Glane destroyed by Nazis within the poem.

    Esquela

    With Esquela, challenge brings creativity. The album is a true testament that challenge breeds creativity amidst the pandemic. Even prevented from taking a band photo all together for the cover art, they crafted a creative solution to replicate images of them in a fun illustration pictured below. While COVID-19 forced the members to send over the tracks individually, the cohesiveness of these tracks expands beyond Roscoe’s phenomenal work as a producer. These songs tell a narrative about what we need to change as a society in 2020 (and now, its roots have spread into 2021).

    The album is now available on Bandcamp or Spotify, with a music video for “Not In My Backyard” on Youtube.

  • Record Heat Drops Scorching New EP “1”

    Record Heat, formerly known as Spirit Animal, is back with a new 3-song EP titled 1 out on March 12. “Nathan” and “Just Hits” are previously released tracks, with brand-new closer “Networks.” Produced by Nolan Lambroza, 1 has an industrial, ground-shattering, alternative-rock sound.

    Record Heat
    Record Heat’s NST Album Art

    The opening track “Nathan” booms into headphones with a huge grimey bass sound and commanding, catchy vocals. The beats are redolent of “Believer” by Imagine Dragons and “Black Skinhead” by Kanye West, delivering a powerful energy that is cinematic and danceable. One could imagine a live show with pyrotechnics and a zealous crowd. “Couldn’t really say that I’m the patient type,” lyrically encompasses the strength of this song.

    “Just Hits” opens with a mysterious synth line and a techno beat that kicks in with a groove. Steve’s vocals are confident, almost rapped, giving the song a quick, invigorating aura. There is a spoken-word prechorus that induces reflection about nature: “We came from the sky / We came from the trees.” The song morphs into a bravado-filled chorus, with idiosyncratic production. The manipulated vocals, sirens blaring, and synth motif coat the song in a bold color palette. Record Heat knows that they are hot stuff.

    The newest track on the EP is the closer “Networks.” It opens with a jangly percussive bar and instantly adds groovy guitars. The energy is infectious immediately. The song criticizes networking and its inherent artifice; Record Heat are not in search of fortune and fame – even stating “The music industry sucks” as an ad-lib – they are artists, here for music, not commerciality. “Networks” is an anger-tinged indie dance track. It’s a powerful track in less that 2 minutes and 30 seconds. Record Heat’s new EP “1” is a whirlwind of confident, experimental, industrial rock. Their sound is refreshing, and you can listen to it on March 12th on all streaming services. You can find more about Record Heat on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.