What’s up, rockers? It’s Bandcamp Friday! What is Bandcamp Friday, you ask? Bandcamp Friday is the first Friday of every month where Bandcamp waives their normal fee so that more money goes directly to the artist. That means it’s the best day of the month for you to support independent artists. Here’s just a small sampling of some of the artists you can support today when your money goes even farther.
Healer of Bastards
Healer of Bastards are a thrash/skate punk band out of Birmingham, U.K. Today they release their latest album, Simpler Times, on Horn & Hoof Records, which is streaming on their label’s Bandcamp where you can also order the record on vinyl.
The album starts with “Choose Your Battles” which immediately launches into hardcore fury with classic energy and vocals that alternate between skate-punk snottiness and hardcore screaming. Then “Living Free” shows off a little bit of thrash punk with, at times, some borderline metallic vocals. “Not Set to Stun” has a similarly complex thrash sound with hardcore yet mathy drumming that can stop on a dime.
The wonderfully titled “Die, Die, Die, Nazi Bastards” is very blunt and harsh in a classically punk way. The brief “No Help is Coming” starts out with a very classic, basic punk style before abruptly bringing in thrash elements and shredding metal solos. “Misdirected” ends the album with a Propagandhi-esque thrash punk tune and a great sense of melody.
Follow Healer of Bastards on Facebook for future updates.
Disorientation
Disorientation are a symphonic dark metal duo from Montreal, Québec. Today they release a three-song EP called Survival Mode which is streaming on their Bandcamp right now.
Opening track “Dissociation” is a dark and foreboding metal track with some stark contrast in the classical elements, especially in what sounds to be a French horn which becomes surprisingly central to the song. But it’s when that French horn goes away and is replaced with thundering sludgy guitars that the song gets really bizarre, and in a very interesting way.
The middle track, “Jaded,” is similarly striking in being a powerful and epic metal song with a classical-style horn section. The harshly screamed femme vocals add a lot to this EP as well. Finally, “Dark Side” opens on the horns once again, this time by themselves, before the metal guitars come in and the horns and guitar have to co-exist side by side. Anyone who loves powerful metal and classical music will love this unorthodox fusion project.
Follow Disorientation on Facebook and Instagram for future updates.
Sowl
Sowl is an ambient drone act out of Friborg, Switzerland and they have a new album called Breaths which is streaming right now on their Bandcamp.
Breaths is made up of only two tracks, both of them over 20-minutes in length, entitled “Should I Breathe…” and “…Into the Flames.” While it’s clever that the two track titles form a single sentence—or, to be more specific, a single question—what’s more fascinating is the way the two long, drone soundscapes become like an inhale and an exhale, the breaths, if you will. And, while they at times create a sense of an anxious mood, the entire composition ends in a more hopeful way, as if to look towards the future with skeptical optimism.
Family Worship Center
Family Worship Center is a soul group out of Portland, Oregon. If their name sounds like the name of a frightening cult, that’s the point of the joke (or at least I hope it’s a joke). They recently put out their debut LP Kicked Out of the Garden and it’s streaming right now on their Bandcamp.
The album starts with “The South” which has an infectious grove and gospel elements to make for a moving and evocative track. Then “Stella” slows things down a bit to create more of a sexy, slow grove of a track. “Hellfire” brings back some of that gospel, which you wouldn’t think would jive that well with the horn section, but they go together nicely. “Snake Dance” has a borderline ska beat and some really gorgeous horn playing with soulful vocal performances.
The album ends on its own title track, which is a sort of classic-rock-meets-gospel tune that makes you want to throw up your hands and shout “Hallelujah” whether or not you’re a believer. The guitar solos on this track are just absolutely soaring and joyous. Check out this album if you want to have a good time.
Follow Family Worship Center on Facebook and Instagram for future updates.
The Cola Heads
The Cola Heads are a punk band out of Toronto, and they recently put out a new album called Bottoms Up on Cursed Blessings Records. It’s streaming right now on their label’s Bandcamp.
Opening track “Pop Up” starts with a long intro with a bluesy, echoey guitar that slowly builds up to a classic punk style with raging guitars, catchy pop hooks, and a snidely angry vocal delivery. “Choked Up” then comes in much faster, with more of a frenzied beat, and a simple punk guitar riff that will still get stuck in your head. “Demon Let Me Go” creates a sort of mysterious and foreboding mood in the verses that give way to an almost joyous and liberating chorus.
“Be My Predator” harkens back to the proto-punk stylings of MC5 but with a more hardcore punk style drumbeat. “Kayleigh” is a synth-heavy punk song with a mesmerizing pop hook in the chorus. Closing track “Killer Bee” has a sense of hopeful melody that’s reminiscent of The Replacements or Hüsker Dü. Really this album is all over the place in terms of the different styles of punk represented, and that’s always good to see in a punk album.
Follow The Cola Heads on Facebook and Instagram for future updates.
—
There are plenty more bands to check out and support this Bandcamp Friday. Please do your part to support independent artists like these.
Photo courtesy of Family Worship Center
