November 2022’s Rock Release Radar

Every Fall season the rock and heavy music scenes manage to flourish from a number of fantastic LP and EP releases. For whatever reason, October through the end of November seem to be the sweet spot for these releases especially for up and coming artists in particular. With that being said, the list below features 4 newer artists who are currently making strong moves in their own respective rock scenes, whether it’s metal, indie-rock, hardcore, or punk. Each of these bands are vastly different in their own right, but they each share commonality in having brought something sonically engaging and intuitive to the ever growing rock genre.

Fleshwater – We’re Not Here to Be Loved

Bearing a familiar yet strikingly unique metallic melancholy, Fleshwater debut their amalgamative alt-metal bliss with their LP, We’re Not Here to Be Loved (via Closed Casket Activities). If Deftones and hardcore’s own Vein.fm were to combine forces it’d sound something like Fleshwater, which makes sense given that Fleshwater is comprised of Vein.fm’s Anthony Didio (guitar and vocals) and Matt Wood (drums). However, Fleshwater’s debut record is hauntingly good in how it reformats typical alt-metal tropes for a hardcore and punk crowd. Fleshwater had already made a lasting impression with their 2020 single “Linda Claire,” which has since garnered over 1.5 million streams, but with We’re Not Here to Be Loved they’ve proven there’s more nuance to be found in alternative heavy music.

For fans of: Vein.fm, Deftones, and Converge.

Pile of Love – Flake on the Future

For fans of less aggressive rock, Pile of Love are offering up a delightful dose of fun fueled indie-rock on their latest EP, Flake on the Future. The band is somewhat of a supergroup in its own right, as it features members from the hardcore powerhouse Drug Church and pop punk’s own The Story So Far and State Champs. However, the result of this collaboration is something that has hints from each of these bands, particularly with spurts of quirky guitar leads and a hard hitting rhythm section, but the warm vocal melodies and stripped down indie-rock approach help Pile of Love carve out their own imprint. Flake on the Future is an an easy listen and addictive EP, and one that’ll have punk-rockers grooving with a smile.

For fans of: Turnover, Drug Church, State Champs, Citizen

L.S. Dunes – Past Lives

Featuring members from punk and emo greats My Chemical Romance, Circa Surive, and Thursday…is there much more that needs to be said about L.S. Dunes? It’s almost as if an AI saw When We Were Young festival and then decided to develop an elite tier emo-rock supergroup. This is essentially what can be heard on L.S. Dunes’ debut LP, Past Lives (via Fantasy Records) — top notch emotive rock that often hits with a powerful punch of post-hardcore. It’s what fans of My chemical Romance and Anthony Green could have ever hoped for and then some, and with their debut L.S. Dunes has seemingly shown their musical chemistry is a match made in heaven.

For fans of: My Chemical Romance, Saosin, Paramore.

Soul Blind – Feel It All Around

Easily one of the most exciting debut records this year, Soul Blind are bringing back grunge rock but with a modern hardcore twist. The band’s debut LP Feel It All Around, (via Other People Records) is executed with pristine songwriting and a production quality that you’d expect from only established rock outfits, but it delivers far more than what most tenured rock bands could ever hope for. There’s a tangible and organic energy to Soul Blind’s sound and a general feeling of excitement when listening to their long awaited debut, and that’s exactly what makes it such a noteworthy release. Feel It All Around is a unifying bridge for 90’s rock lovers and modern hardcore fans, making it an essential record for the vast majority of rock connoisseurs.

For fans of: Alice In Chains, Nothing, Superheaven.