10 Bands That Deserve More Attention
Say who?
It is a known fact that not all rock bands that have produced good music throughout the years are in of the “mainstream loop”. Not many music fans would know that some of the really creative bands have managed to live under the radar, just getting by playing live shows here and there. Others have just decided to make the music studio their home, creating unique records. Some just weren’t lucky enough to get the big break. Although the advent of modern music streaming platforms such as Spotify has aided music lovers with heaps of musical group choices, these bands we got here are just some of the awesome underrated rock bands you should start listening to.
10) Giuda
Giuda is a group from Italy known for their glam rock sound. Having inspirations such as Slade, Gary Glitter, and Sweet, it is unsurprising that they make music known as “Vintage Glam.” Two of the members of this trio, the band’s vocalist Tenda and Lorenzo, who play guitar, were notable figures in the Italian punk scene before diving into alternative/neo-glam rock music. Some music critics point out that they dress up like Slade in their earlier days. They have produced 3 albums over the course of a few years, “Racey Roller” being their first and most famous work. Their energetic, positive, earthy, and nostalgic sound has slowly garnered more and more international attention, and there’s no stopping their prolific song writing anytime soon.
9. Live
During the post-Kurt Cobain Nirvana in the 1990’s, there was a band who was just as talented and counterculture as Nirvana themselves but was more under the radar than the famous grunge bands of the 90s: Live. It’s a pretty common word but kind of uncommon to be used for a band’s name. Like the Irish super group U2, Live rose to the top of the music scene with music that is “anthemic, idealistic, and overtly spiritual.” Band members, Ed Kowalczyk, Chad Taylor, Patrick Dahlmeimer and Chad Gracey, had their humble beginnings in Pennsylvania. The trio are known to be talented writers of poetic verses and memorable choruses. In 2009, the band went on hiatus while lead singer Kowalczky made a solo album. Eventually, Ed decided to leave the band for good and was soon replaced by Chris Shinn. Nonetheless, they have reunited with Kowalczky for their 2017 tour.
8. Khaizer Orchestra
Hailing from Norway, this sextet has been celebrated for their unique instrumentation. The band has not only drawn inspiration from stringed arrangements but also from Eastern European music. Their beginnings can be traced back from the 1990s, when Jan Ove Ottesen and Geir Zahl decided to form the band along with Helge Risa, Wind Storesund, Terge Vinterstoen and Solheim. Eventually, they scored a record deal under Scandinavian label Broiler Farm. Aside from creating eye-catching music videos, they have also established themselves as the premier pop rock band in Norway. Their intense, cathartic, and atmospheric tunes have landed them numerous musical awards. They continued to make record-breaking music for a couple of years until deciding to take an indefinite break in 2013.
7) Alcest
Initially starting as a solo project, Alcest was formed in 1999 by Neige, an artist with black metal roots. Neige, who was a renowned multi-instrumentalist in his own right, he convinced fellow musicians Hegnor and Arguth to form a band. The French-born group is an offshoot of the British shoe-gaze movement, a sub-genre of indie music. 8 albums later, 3 of which were produced and mixed by themselves, they have made their mark in both local and international scenes, collaborating with artists from SlowDive and Sigur Ros. One notable record, the 2005 EP release of “Le Secret” was born out of Neige’s interest with the “otherworld.” In 2015, they recorded Kodona, their 5th studio album, which drew its inspiration from the Japanese animated show Princess Mononoke.
6. Slowdive
In 1989, five friends from Reading, Berkshire in England (where the Reading Music Festival is held) formed the band Slowdive. Their music is described as a combination of “ dreamlike harmonies and psychedelicized layers of guitar, led to inevitable restrictive classification.” The band was originally founded by vocalist Rachel Goswell and guitarist / songwriter Neil Halstead who were childhood friends in Reading. Original members included drummer Simon Scott, bassist Nick Chaplin, and lead guitarist Christian Savill. A part of the shoegaze/indie movement, SlowDive’s music drew from sounds of dub, ambient-techno, and folk-rock. One of their songs,” Allison”, was described as a “dream haze of a song.” After the release of their album Pygmalion, members one by one left the band to pursue individual musical careers. Fortunately, the group reunited in 2014.
5. Persefone
This progressive death metal band hails from Andorra. Yes, Andorra. Where is this magical sounding place in the world, you may ask? Well, it is a tiny principality situated between France and Spain in the Pyrenees mountains. And in this tiny independent principality exists Persefone, a metal rock band you must know about. Founded in 2001 by original members Carlos Lozano Quintanilla, Jordi Gorgues Mateu, Toni Mestre Coy, and Xavi Perez, the band name was derived from the Greek Mythology queen of the underworld, Persephone. Their greatest influences would be iconic death metal bands Arch Enemy, Dark Tranquility, and In Flames. Their debut LP Truth Inside the Shades had a worldwide release and was available in Japan, Russia, and the US. Their latest album Aathma was just released last February 2017.
4. Slapshock
Heavy metal, rock, and hip hop go along very well together, and that’s what Slapshock, the Philippines’ premier heavy metal band, do best. The band was formed while members Lean Ansing, Jerry Basco, Lee Nadela, Chi and original vocalist Raymond Munsayac were students at the University of the Philippines.
The band has garnered countless of awards and have toured both locally and even internationally as well! Slapshock’s sound is heavily influenced by both heavy hard metal and American East Coast rap. The band already has six studio albums under their belt and is scheduled to release their latest album in late 2017. They have sustained local commercial success in their native Philippines.
In 2014, they signed under BMBX Entertainment, a label owned by Black Eyed Peas’ Apl.de.ap. who is also half-Filipino.
3. Biffy Clyro
Biffy Clyro is the cream of the rock crop in Scotland. The Scottish trio formed in 1995 in Kilmarnock, East Ayrsgire when guitarist Simon Neil whi was only 15 that time met 20-year old Boyan Chowdry who also plays guitar. They then decided to recruit drummer Ben Johnston and his twin brother James Johnston and played gigs under the name “Skrewfish”. Original guitarist Boyan Chowdry left the band in 1997 and the resulting trio continued to be successful in the music scene, having released a total of seven studio albums, with their fourth studio album Puzzle peaking at number 2 in the UK album charts and was certified platinum. Their 2009 album Only Revolutions was achieved double-platinum status in the UK. In 2013, Biffy Clyro headlined the famous Leeds & Reading music festival.
2. Grinspoon
When people hear Aussie rock, they might immediately think AC/DC or even the more indie Silverchair. Well there’s another rock band living down under that’s just as talented as their more mainstream counterparts. Grinspoon from Lismore, New South Wales in Australia is a platinum selling post-grunge rock band formed in 1995 by lead singer Phil Jamieson, guitarist Pat Davern, bassist Joe Hansen, and drummer Kristian Hopes. The band was formed during a casual pub jam in Lismore and first got their big break after being the first ever winners of Triple J’s Unearthed competition when they were just teenagers. The origin of the band’s name comes from Dr. Lester Grinspoon who was a psychiatry professor at Harvard. Dr. Grinspoon was one of the first doctors who supported marijuana for medical use. In 2013, the band took an indefinite hiatus to do “adult stuff” but are now back together and are celebrating the 20th anniversary of their debut album Guide to Better Living.
1 . HIM
Hailing from Helsinki, Finland, this gothic rock band is one of Europe’s most commercially successful international rock bands. Vocalist Ville Valo and bassist Mikko “Mige” Paananen formed the band in 1991 under the name His Infernal Majesty. This band also has had quite a history, breaking up first in 1993, then reuniting at 1995 adding new members keyboardist Antto Melasniemi and drummer Juhana “Pätkä” Rantala under the new name, HIM, an acronym of their original moniker. Their 2005 album, Dark Light charted in fifteen countries and is their most successful album to date. Dark Light was certified gold in the United States, making HIM the first Finnish group to ever break in the US charts. Their follow up album Venus Doom, released in 2007, peaked at number twelve at the US Billboard charts. HIM is currently on their farewell tour which they announced along with news of their disbanding on March 5, 2017. The band’s run lasted a total of 26 years.
