Once again a passing "so-and-so liked such-and-such" on Facebook randomly informs me of a great new band that I may not have encountered otherwise. "Past Shadows" is the lead track from the debut five-song EP from Richmond, VA's Hewolf. The lineup of Paul Burnette (bass/vocals), Johnny Throckmorton (guitar/vocals), and Erik Josephson (drums) has separately been involved with the likes of Darkest Hour, Alabama Thunderpussy, and Joyburner (to name but a few), and Hewolf finds the trio cranking out some hard-hitting and memorable heavy rock that definitely has its own feel.
In terms of breathing room, even more so than most trios, Hewolf is working with a warm yet stripped down recording that mixes the guitars a little more to the left and the bass a little more to the right, which really highlights how killer the rhythm section sounds, and allows those instruments to hold down some serious weight. Awesome vocals, too. Just good, strong singing that helps define the band's unique identity and adds a bit of catchiness amidst just the right amount of sludgy grit 'n' groove.
The EP was literally just released today, so it's far too soon to know what's next, but I'd certainly like to hear more from Hewolf. Check 'em out as a name your price download via Bandcamp, and hopefully you'll agree...
