| From coast to coast and across the entire heartland in between, America yearns for some good old fashioned rock �n roll. Nowhere is that more evident than with the rise of the three bands in the spotlight for this new feature on StonerRock.com. While we all know that stoner rock�s roots lie in the California sun and western desert wastelands, the genre has expanded its reach far beyond, both musically and geographically. From the midst of the vast flatlands and wide expanses of cornfield in Iowa come the bone rattling attack of Des Moines heroes On A Pale Horse. Also hailing from a land chock full o� cornfields come Devil To Pay with an awesome array of straight ahead rock hooks that have enough power to fuel a winning car at their hometown�s most famous event, the Indianapolis 500. Continuing our trek across the heartland to the East Coast, we find Greatdayforup rocking clubs in Albany, New York. These three bands are likely to cause enough mayhem in the near future to cause the authorities to keep a close eye on them, but that�s not the main reason On A Pale Horse, Devil To Pay, and Great Day For Up are on the first Three To Watch feature on StonerRock.com. The main reason is that they all are tearing it up live in support of excellent CD releases and gaining legions of fans along the way.
On a Pale Horse
Band
Aaron Peltz: vocals
Josh Brainard: guitar
Jerry Spargur: guitar
Jeremy Easley: bass
Nick Svoboda: drums
Discography
Black Is Not the Darkest Colour (Mushroom Cloud, 2004)
Website
www.onapalehorse.com
Perhaps one of the most obvious signs I have found of the recent success of On a Pale Horse is that upon entering an OAPH fansite (www.oaph.cjb.net), I was greeted with a lovely error message stating that the site had surpassed its daily bandwidth transfer allowance. I guess that means someone�s paying attention. That should come as no surprise to anyone who has heard OAPH�s latest Mushroom Cloud Records release, Black Is Not The Darkest Colour. Fans of southern fried stoner sludge like Corrosion of Conformity and Alabama Thunderpussy will definitely appreciate the twin guitar attack on that disc. The album has recently picked up distribution all over the world in Canada, Europe, and Russia. Radio stations have begun spinning their tunes in bigger cities across the country. They were even invited to perform at the local Sam Goody�s in Ames, IA. Unfortunately, the show was cancelled before the band could unleash their terror on the good capitalists of the North Grand Mall.
That setback aside, all of the members of OAPH are ready to bring their live attack to audiences across the country and around the world. Their live shows are already the stuff of legend to folks in the Iowa local scene. Lead singer Aaron Peltz belts out his intense vocals with reckless abandon and guitarists Josh Brainard and Jerry Spargur unleash their raucous riffs with frightening fury and accuracy. The rhythm section is just as solid with bassist Jeremy Easley and drummer Nick Svoboda holding down the groove that really makes the band stand out above the rest of the southern stoner rock pack. Their live sound is represented pretty well on their debut release. In order to maintain that intensity the band recorded this album live and in only four days.
The band is currently preparing to record their second album and playing shows across the Midwest. On A Pale Horse are up and coming heroes in the sub genre of southern stoner rock and are well worth checking out in person or on disc anytime or anywhere you get the chance.
Greatdayforup
Band
Michael Vitali: guitar
Dave Lahaie: bass
Michael Diaz: vocals
Jared Krak: drums
Jay Sunkes: guitar
Discography
Solace/Greatdayforup Split CD (Underdogma Records, 2004)
God Loves a Sinner (Curve of the Earth, 2003)
Website
www.greatdayforup.com
If you were to ask Greatdayforup bassist Dave Lahaie about the local upstate New York scene he just might adopt his best Confucius voice and say to you, �It is, how you say� Not so good! If you don`t play hardcore around here, it is extremely hard to get people to come out to shows.� It�s hard to believe that a band as good as Greatdayforup would have a hard time getting anyone to come out for shows, but then again that just illustrates the state of popular American rock music. GDFU aren�t letting that stop them from ripping ass to whoever is lucky enough to catch their set.
Many stoner rock fans have become acquainted with the band via the recently released split EP (Underdogma Records) with heavy hitters Solace. Those who already had their debut, Godlovesasinner (Curve of the Earth Records), knew what to expect from the Albany, NY five-piece on their half of the album. Catchy grooves with plenty of crunch that are considerably more refined and tasteful than many of their stoner rock counterparts. With this band, it�s not all about excesses of volume and weed. Rather, it�s about making good songs with plethora of hooks that just will not leave your head after several listens. Some have even said that they have a (gasp!) poppy sound. I think the menacing riffage and vocals of �Siempre,� the closing track to Godlovesasinner, should calm any fears heavy stoner rock fans have.
With not one but two releases generating plenty of buzz, a spot on the upcoming SHoD VI Festival in Youngstown, a couple of songs about to appear on upcoming high profile compilation albums (about one of which Lahaie is �sworn to secrecy.�), and new material on the way in the form of a new full length album, it certainly appears that there are many great days ahead for Greatdayforup.
Devil to Pay
Band
Steve Janiak: guitar, vocals
Rob Secrist: guitar
Matt Stokes: bass
Chad Prifogle: drums
Discography
Thirty Pieces of Silver (Benchmark Records, 2003)
Website
www.deviltopay.net
Billy Gibbons once said in his own inimitable way, �I�m bad� I�m nationwide.� That about sums up Devil to Pay pretty well right now, too. Certainly if you�ve heard their Benchmark Records release, Thirty Pieces of Silver, or seen them live you know they�re bad. And now, as of August 10, they are nationwide. As in their disc is being distributed nationwide. Yep, you can even go to everybody�s favorite purveyor of shiny silver plastic consumer porn Best Buy and pick it up. (But why do that when you can just order it from the All That�s Heavy Store?)
The band describes their own sound as �couple scoops of stoner with some doom and a groove on top." I�d say that�s about right. From the Karma to Burn-inspired instrumental riffage ofThirty Pieces� opening track, �Mouthful of Spite,� to the wickedly cool intro riff of �Angular Shapes,� and on to the doom encrusted closing track of �Valley of the Dogs,� this band turns those scoops into hellacious blend of whiskey spiked Kool Aid. As bone crushing as this release is, some would say that the album doesn�t capture the live fury of the band. It is that live assault that propelled the band to a victory and $10,000 prize in an Indianapolis Battle of the Bands. Perhaps there has been no finer example of that live prowess than at June�s Templars of Doom Festival in Indy. As lead vocalist Steve Janiak put it, �You couldn`t ask for a better audience of heavy music freaks.� Any freaks who think they need to check can find them in the lineup to SHoD 6 coming up in September or on tour with Conifer later that month.
Devil To Pay will be a godsend for anyone who�s worn out their Kyuss, COC, and Karma To Burn discs or who is still trying to figure out what the hell happened to Metallica. Fine doom laden stoner mayhem is what you can expect out of these guys for a long time to come.
These three bands are making names for themselves across the country with each of their unique takes on rock. From the southern stomp of On A Pale Horse, to the well-constructed hooks of Greatdayforup, and finally to the sonic fury of Devil to Pay, there is something to each of these bands that every stoner rock fan will enjoy. However, the best is definitely yet to come from the three. As they each gain experience, fans, and the support of the stoner rock masses, they are all likely to become forces to reckon with on the stoner rock scene. Expect many awesome albums from each of these bands in the future. That is why they without a doubt are three bands to keep an eye on in the years ahead.
- J.T. Cole (Burnthesun)
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