Rhode Island garage punkers, Gymshorts, are preparing for a showcase at this year’s SXSW festival, bringing their loud, aggressive rock halfway across the country.  Familiar faces in Austin, the band’s signature rasp has been heard by festival goers since 2015.  Raw and unfiltered, you can check out Gymshorts’ organic, primordial punk rock at Hotel Vegas at Volstead on 3/18.  Hit the link below to hear their latest EP, Wet Willy.  –Brian Varneke

 SXSW 2017 is officially under way, so we figured we’d take the opportunity to showcase a few of the New England acts making their way to the mecca of Austin, TX. Connecticut rockers Ovlov are getting ready to bring their brand of fuzzy, lo-fi alt-rock to a horde of new fans in Austin.  Their last full release, 2013’s am, is a shining offering to the genre, a powerfully dynamic album that is straightforward rock, without getting dull.  Check them out at The Velveeta Room in Austin, TX on 3/17. -Brian Varneke

 Taking home the Juror’s prize for Best Emerging New England Punk/Metal Artist of 2016 is Boston punk quartet Choke Up.  Their latest, Black Coffee, Bad Habits, is 14 tracks of anthemic emo-hardcore that will have fans in the pit, screaming lyrics at the top of their lungs.  Dynamic and tight, the quartet flexes their range, seamlessly transitioning from folksy slow jams like "Polka Dots" to blistering punk in "Woke Up Drunk", both standout tracks on the record.  Check them out below.  Special shout-out to Tigerman Woah for keeping it a close race in the poll. –Brian Varneke

 Connecticut natives, Polluter, have been named Best Emerging New England Punk/Metal Artist of 2016 by our reader’s poll.  One of the tougher candidates to categorize, Polluter fits uneasily within the ranks of their punk and metal colleagues.  Showcasing elements of both genres, with splashes of jazz, R&B, spoken word poetry, and more, the six piece band creates their own definition of modern rock.  Their latest, Live Decay, is a potpourri of driving guitar riffs, sultry sax interjections, tight grooves, and pretty much anything else you could think of. –Brian Varneke 

Earlier this year, experimental indie-rock trio XR Tabs was chosen by our panel of jurors as New England’s Best Emerging Indie Rock Act of 2016.  Their unique, ambient soundscapes create a visceral response from the listener, fostering feelings of uncertainty and discovery.  Their new material is a collection of lo-fi science experiments gone right. Experience them live at Aurora Providence on 3/22 with Jesse the Tree, featuring photography by Ky Van Seltzer and artwork by Madison Eva.  -Brian Varneke

2017 is going to be a big year for Replacire.  The Boston-based metal outfit is set to release their sophmore LP, Do Not Deviate, on March 17th via Season of Mist, and the band will be kicking off an east coast tour–sweeping their muscular riffs and sinister doomscapes across the Atlantic seaboard.  We sat down with guitarist Eric Alper to talk about the album and to get an exclusive taste of their track "Act, Re-Enact".  Of the new song, Alper remarks, "Out of all the songs on the new record Act, Re-enact is the most straight-ahead. This song combines consistent grooves and a catchy song structure while maintaining the eccentricities and rhythmic stabs that make a Replacire unique."  See below for the full interview and track stream. 

For new fans, who is Replacire?  Can you tell us a little bit about yourselves?

Replacire is an extreme metal band from Boston Mass, we formed in 2009 and have recently signed to the label Season of Mist, who will be releasing our new record in March.

The new album, Do Not Deviate, is about to drop.  Your last release was The Human Burden in 2012.  How has the band grown since the last album, and how does the new release represent who the band is today?

We’ve definitely gotten heavier.  With this type of music, you’re always trying to push yourself as a musician.  The tempos go up and the riffs get a little trickier.  Something that was hard to pull of on the first record is your new comfort zone so you need to step out of that to progress. During the recording of The Human Burden I discovered that my strength was rhythm playing, mainly in my picking hand. So a lot of my contributions include string skipping and fast downpicking. In short, the band is more extreme.

The album is full of impressive technical musicianship, while at the same time keeping a strong emphasis on the integrity of the songs. Is it a challenge trying to strike that balance?

Thank you, thats something thats very important to us. Once we come up with the material that makes up the song we spend most of the time on arrangement, making sure the song winds up and releases in a pleasing way.

Can you describe what your creative process is like? Does it change from song to song? And do you find that lyrics or riffs come first?

The music has always come first for us. We all contribute riffs and have this big pile of material to draw from. Once we start working out ideas new parts are created through brainstorming. We then move on to arrangement, we come up with a name for every part and lay it out on a whiteboard. We try different arrangements until we have it flowing like a song. We try hard to avoid being linear or just riff sandwiching parts together. If you analyze the parts, often they’re all connected in some way, some are more obvious than others. Lyrics are the last step.  

What are you hoping people take away from the album? Is there a central message/concept?
The lyrics are fairly metaphorical, often dealing with existential dread and the power of the mind. But honestly they’re very open to interpretation. Like most art I’m hoping the fans can find their own way to interpret and enjoy it.

In three words, how would you define your sound?

Weird, cerebral, metal.

 

What can we look forward to seeing/hearing from Replacire in the future?

We’re hoping to play shows and tour as much as possible in support of the new record. Hopefully some playthrough videos as well.

 

If you were going to go on tour, what dream artists would you love to be playing with?

Man there’s so many great bands its tough to choose. All the bands on the Season Of Mist roster are sick and it’d be an honor to tour with any of them, especially Gorguts! Outside of that, Behemoth and Meshuggah put on such amazing live shows, I could see that being a lot of fun. Also, I’m a big fan of Cattle Decapitation, it’d be amazing to be able to watch those guys every night.

 

Are there any artists in the NE area that you’re really excited about?

Fuming Mouth and Lord Almighty are a couple really great bands in the area right now. Scalpel, Obsidian Tongue, and Pathogenic are also some amazingly talented metal bands.

 

What are your biggest non-musical influences?

Mostly the need to create….and whiskey. 

 

 

For more info, including upcoming tour dates, click here.  -Brian Varneke

 

 

Photo credit: Tom Couture

 

 

 

 

Our reader’s have spoken once again and New Haven’s melodic alt-rock act, Chaser Eight, has emerged victorious as their pick for Best New England Emerging Alt-Rock/Garage Artist of 2016. Chaser Eight keeps things stripped down on their new release Been Lost Dreaming, while keeping their classic alt-edge that fans will expect.  Self described as "Joat Jett meets the Killers at a Foo Fighters show", the band finds a balance, incorporating those influences and injecting their own flavor, sometimes soulful, sometimes aggressive.  Check out chasereight.com for more info and hit the player below for their latest. -Brian Varneke

 With 7.5 votes, Crumb‘s, laid-back grooves have won over our panel of jurors, earning them the title of Best Emerging New England Folk/Soul Artist in our overall poll.  Their dreamy, introspective psych-funk vibe brought Crumb to our attention back in November and we’re thrilled they are getting the recognition we feel they deserve.  Their music is easy to get lost in, while maintaining interesting instrumentals and perfectly understated vocals to keep you engaged, if that’s your thing.  Check out their latest release below. -Brian Varneke

 Boston troubadours, Strangers by Accident, are hitting the road next week, on their musical pilgrimage to SXSW.  Formed by duo Brian Sousa and Amy Wynne in 2015, Strangers is a beautifully minimalist take on modern indie-folk.  It’s the kind of sound you can carry around in a suitcase, intimate and earnest.  The band employs a timeless, old-school respect for songwriting that will keep their music resonating with new fans in Austin this March.  Check them out at one of their MA tour dates:  3/4 at Toad in Cambridge and 3/6 at Bishop’s Lounge in Northampton. -Brian Varneke 

 The Deli readers have spoken, choosing Connecticut songwriter Frank Viele as the best emerging New England folk/soul artist of 2016.  A cocktail of classic soul/RnB, alt-rock, and a dash of country twang, Viele earns a place alongside artists like Ray Lamontagne and The Black Crowes, keeping the roots alive and well.  Check out the dates for Frank’s current US tour here and stay tuned for more poll results! -Brian Varneke

 After a whirlwind year of recording and touring, Boston pop-punkers Tighticus Finch have flown from the nest as Cardinals.  Equipped with a new acoustic EP, Aftertaste, duo Emily Ronna and CJ Rarela are putting the proverbial (and literal) band back together, harnessing the energy of Finch and the mature emotional content that comes with a year of new experiences.  The highlight track for us is "Of Montreal", a ballad that puts Ronna’s vocals to the test (which she passes).  Check them out live at Bungalow Bar & Grill in Manchester, NH with Woven in Hiatus, Paper Monsters, Hours North, and The Grebes. -Brian Varneke

The environment in which an album is recorded can often have a strong effect on a band’s music.  It can also, on occasion, alter the perception of the listener.  Such is the case for Boston indie-rockers Jack Romanov in their new EP, The Smoking Room Sessions: I, recorded, mixed, and mastered in an East Boston funeral home.  The captivating sound of the quartet is amplified, creating a mixed atmosphere of curiosity, melancholy, and introspection.  The first of four EPs to be released in the coming weeks, volume 1 is enough for us to pay close attention to future output from the band.  Check out the album link below and let us know what you think. -Brian Varneke