The Über Rock Singles Club – Jaunty January (Volume One)

Curated by Monk

Happy New Year! Welcome to the first edition of the Über Rock Singles Club of 2022. We have managed to keep the Club up-and-running despite the numerous Covidications which we all have had to endure over the past 24 months, in order to bring you the hottest new sounds around. And once again we have another hitlist of superb sonic experiences to tickle your sonic senses, with a selection of my favourite tunes to have found their way on to the ÜRHQ deathdecks so far this month… Bearing in mind that, despite the new rock ‘n’ roll year still being little more than two weeks old, we received more than 400 submissions, it was not an easy task to whittle them down to this all-too-short playlist of just 15 musical gems…

I can honestly think of no better way to kick off this week’s selection than to leave the warmth of the club, don out welly boots and go mosh in a ‘Barren Field Of Fucks’… and it’s just as well the soundtrack for doing so is being provided by one of our favourite bunches of heavy metal lunatics. Yes, we’re talking, of course, about the ever in(s)ane Footprints In The Custard:

Next up, we’re paying our visit of the afternoon to Malibu Lou’s Rum Bar, where we’re being given a ‘Reason To Believe’ in the enervating power of high octane, punk rock n’ roll, which is exactly what The Pulsebeats deliver with this latest slice of ’77-fuelled, Ramones-evoking power pop which had us ‘Lookin’ Out’ for the arrival of their third album – which, fortunately for us, has just happened…

The club may have only just opened its doors but we’re already checking the ‘Hourglass’ as we plunge deep into the literate stoner-doom grooves produced by Dust Prophet, who draw as much on the spirits of Poe and Stoker as they do Electric Wizard and Clutch, with this, the latest taster from what is promising to be their very appetizing debut album, ‘One Last Look Upon The Sky’, which is due this coming Spring:

We’re back at the Rum Bar for a slice of garage-infused cowpunk courtesy of the beautiful sounding Miss Georgia Peach, who has teamed up with the guys from Nashville Pussy to produce the most insanely rockin’ country music you are gonna hear this year… well, it’s certainly blowing our minds…

Time for another change of mood, so who’s up for a slice of “goblin metal”? Well, we’ve been invaded by the genre’s favourite orcs, as the insane Nekrogoblikon have beaten down the bar doors to declare that ‘This Is It’ with the second single to be released from their upcoming ‘The Fundamental Slimes And Humours’ album, which is due to land, appropriately enough, on 1 April:

We’re delving deep into the retro-rock archives for our next offering, as the ridiculously prodigious Tony Reed has been dusting down old Stone Axe tapes with a view to releasing the project’s first album in more than a decade, albeit in the form of a collection of previously unreleased tracks and hidden gems. The first taster sees us ushered into the enigmatic and entrancing company of ‘Lady Switchblade’:

Christmas may now be a fading memory, but that doesn’t stop us enjoying a tasty little morsel of Turkey Vulture… the Connecticut duo are ruing the fact that ‘She’s Married (But Not Me’) as they twist the knife (sic) with the latest appetizer (enough already!) from their forthcoming third EP:

We head back down the US east coast to the swamps of Louisiana, where we find punk-fuelled alt-rockers Jestr, who are bringing a smile to our face, and our ears, with their first release of the new year, and the latest single from what is shaping to be their very impressive debut album:

A change in location and musical vibe now, as we head to Finland, which seems to have become something of a fertile breeding ground for quality progressive metal bands in recent years. Among the most prominent exemplars are the ever-impressive Amoth, who are about to celebrate ‘The Hour Of The Wolf’ with their new album of the same name. If this lead single, and title track (which features Pekka Montin of Ensiferum on guest vocals), is anything by which to judge, it is going to be one of the genre’s most highly anticipated releases of 2022:

We stay on the Scandinavian archipelago but cross the border to Sweden where we are receiving another history lesson from the mighty Sabaton. This time around, they are recalling the horrors of the “white war”, fought high in the Alpine border between Austria-Hungary and Italy during WWI, and which saw thousands of soldiers either freezing to death or buried beneath avalanches, their bodies never to be recovered. This is a typically bombastic yet poignant slice of power metal from the masters of the craft:

One of the most influential bands of their generation undoubtedly were The Hellacopters. Now, 14 years after they bid a “temporary farewell”, they once again are staring into the ‘Eyes Of Oblivion’ as they prepare to release their comeback, eighth album. If this title track is anything by which to judge, they’ve lost none of their attitude, insouciance, or ability to craft a catchy tune or ten…

Another Covid-defying border crossing next, as we head to Norway, where we are being urged to ‘Dance Like A Pink Flamingo’, thanks to those in(s)ane folk metallers by the name of Trollfest, who have actually put this forward as a potential Norwegian entry for the dreaded Eurovision Song Contest… well, I’d vote for it \m/

We head south to another archipelago, the Italian one, where The Human Tornado have been whipping up a veritable storm with their brand of groove rock. Having waited six years to follow up their debut album, they are telling us that ‘Love Is Demode’ with their soon to be released sophomore offering. In the meantime, they are wrapping us in their ‘Last Embrace’ with the second taster single:

Across the Atlantic we head again, this time to the USA’s Midwest, where we are embraced by Shield Of Wings, who are summoning us into the depths of their ‘Wetland’ with their powerful brand of symphonic metal, featuring a towering performance from Lara Mordian, who definitely has the makings of one of the future goddesses of the genre:

Our final selection actually comes to us via our South Carolina correspondent, Kris E, who stumbled across retro-loving fuzz punks Brandy And The Butcher quite by accident but was immediately impressed by their blending of old-school punk and hard rock, as well as their vigorous energy, describing this as “something you won’t want to miss”… Well, we didn’t miss out on the opportunity to close out this edition of the Singles Club in suitable style:

Well, that’s your fill for another session. Once again, you’ve drunk the pumps and the optics dry and exhausted our playlist… We’ll be back in two weeks’ time, fully reloaded and restocked and ready to once again bring you the best rawk ‘n’f’n roll in the Überverse. So, in the meantime all that remains for me to say is keep ‘er lit, keep ‘er between the hedges and keep on rockin’ with your favourite website \m/