Los Angeles certainly doesn't have a shortage of alternative bands on the scene, but there are those that stand out. One worth giving a listen to is throwback proggy grunge sounding The Undead Hearts, which is made up of Draven Midnight (guitar, bass, vocal), Blair Sinta (drums), and Ryan Canestro (additional strings). Their current EP, This is Our Last Ditch Effort, recorded at Ditch Road Records in Simi Valley, is a tasty blend of old school raw vocals and new school energy. The three tracks, two original songs and one cover, illustrate the versatility of the group, roaming from slow, melancholy tones to upbeat, kinetic rock tunes.
On "Committed," Draven starts out with some Paul Weller-ish vocals then descends into darker, more Tool-ish territory. It's an interesting mix of soft and heavy rhythms. On the next track, "Frozen Through and Callous," David Gamble joins them on guitar. This anthemic call and response song is awash in Radiohead fervor and ripe with clear arpeggios. A headbanger for sure. The cover of Failure's "Wonderful Life" is a bit of a departure from the band's usual sound, taking them into groovy hooks and adrenaline fueled rhythms. It definitely has that action soundtrack sound. Michael Eisenstein joins them on guitar on this one.
As a holiday treat, the band is offering a limited edition CD (pay shipping and gratuity only), as well as a free digital download. Act fast because only 100 CDs are available and only 1,000 free digital downloads. This is available from November 26-December 24. To check out this offer, as well as get more info on this burgeoning band, visit the band's website.
