So far, so good, you might say; and, I’d be inclined to agree with you, because it seems that there is sufficient interest to motivate me in writing these articles. However, the idea I had for an article on an entire scene seems to have fallen flat on its face, with no interest shown. I’m looking for some bands that are a little zany, and if you can suggest either another band, or your own, please do so. I can be contacted via
email and
my myspace page. The publicity for unsigned bands and artists should not end with this column. Your suggestions and spreading of the link to this article is paramount to the artists’ success; it is with this thought that I leave you to enjoy this month’s article.
Mark Suffolk is the lead guitarist for Midlands band, the
Hard Luck Saints .
Mark Suffolk plays rock ‘n’ roll guitar as it should be played. His riffs are very boogie woogie, and his soloing skills leave the listener with something tasty to mull over. The band’s EP:
Life,
Death,
Sex and
Whiskey is anything but contrite, and if you’re looking for unapologetically raucous rock ‘n’ roll in the vein of
Motorhead,
ACDC or the
Backyard Babies, you will be hard pressed to find an unsigned band with a front man as exciting as
Alex De-Gruchy. What I like best about the
Hard Luck Saints is that the music is played with an intensity that is tangibly lacking in modern music. Any band can write a song called Acceleration, but not many sound like they are accelerating; that endears the Hard Luck Saints to anyone. Sure, the band does incur certain problems, a distinctive originality being one of them, but in the event, it doesn’t matter, because the band adds its own touch to the music of its influences. This is bolder than indie, and I can assure you that if Tuesday is The New Friday, it’s because the
Hard Luck Saints are playing at a venue near you.
· Rating: 7
This month I have been fortunate enough to encounter two bands with the rawness that I enjoy most. The comparisons shall be inevitable between both
The Hard Luck Saints and
The Resistors. In contrast to the
Hard Luck Saints, the
Resistors are based in London.
Playing a brand of music inspired by punk legends
The Damned and
Black Flag establishes the
Resistors’ cutting edge, and listening to
Defaulter, one wonders just how intense the band’s live show can get. In any case, it must be far from boring. Ed, the guitarist, is not afraid of putting his foot down on his effects pedal, and, in combination with Geoff’s rhythm bass playing, ensures that the
Resistors are always moving. That is paramount to any band’s success, and
The Resistors really set the bench mark in that respect. The Resistors must provide nightmares for fortune tellers everywhere; there is no sense of prescience to the music, and with influences as far reaching as
U2 and Depeche
Mode, the raw punk edge is tempered my melody, talent, and
Karl’s ebullient vocals.
· Rating: 9
No, my special metal edition of this column was not a one off. I shall continue to feature metal bands, because I have realized that I quite like them sometimes. This time, I would like to introduce
Hyperion, from Pittsburgh. Vocalist,
Rick, has superb diversity and is able to alternate between both melodious singing and screaming. Guitar duo--
Chuck and
Jeremy—both fit the part well and the interplay that the duo conveys is startlingly restrained and tasteful. Another plus-point for
Hyperion is that the band has no fear in taking on a metal instrumental.
Metallica is often referred to by pundits and bands as the apex of the metal instrumental, and whilst I cannot claim that
Hyperion matches the orchestral magnificence of
Cliff Burton’s masterful compositions, the band does not fail to impress.
Hyperion’s classic foundations belie the band’s modern credentials; with or without my endorsement, this band should get a lot of heads nodding in approval. The overwhelming question, however, is whether this delectable band can rock hard enough for the slow nod to permeate to a head banging audience.
· Rating: 8
Stigmata might be the name of a somewhat controversial 1999 film, but it is also the somewhat generic name of a band from
Singapore. Generic name aside, the band is quite intriguing. It remains ambiguous to me as to whether or not the band is signed, but I have decided to press on, because a band that has popularized metal in
Sri Lanka deserves recognition. Suresh, vocalist and front man, does his best to emulate the voice of arguably metal’s best:
Ronnie James Dio. He does not accomplish this, but the influence of
Dio even in
Sri Lanka is apparent;
Suresh’s vocals do branch out a bit, and it seems that the intense screams do belong to him.
My Malice is arguably the exemplary track featured on the band’s myspace; and it does sound particularly malicious. The band’s sound is somewhat unrefined in places; for a metal band heading for its third album, this might not be welcomed with open arms, but this is an article for the unrefined. Another criticism to level is that there are some sections of songs that are beyond cheesy, but this far from detracts from
Stigmata’s iridescently gleaming musicianship. I’m not convinced that the band members are ‘viciously good looking’, but the music does it for me, and that’s what I’ll leave you with.
· Rating: 7
Should you have an artist to recommend for future editions of this article, you can contact me at: sam.agini@ultimate-guitar.com. My myspace page is www.myspace.com/samrgini. Thank you for reading my ramblings.
/ my profile 
thanks for the feature about us. and we are from sri lanka
pure sri lankan metal at its best****