It has been proven time and time again everything is cyclical. Such in life, in the world of music Rock-n-Roll many changes have transpired through the years, but more often than not, many us return to earlier iterations of the style as our bedrock. In a modern era where it seems many are fascinated by technology, artificial intelligence and what it can do for them, there are some bands which rather strip back all the nonsense and get down and dirty… like Return to Dust.
Based out of Los Angeles, California, this relatively new band has already made quite an impact in a short span of time. Utilizing the shiny world of social media to their advantage, in June of 2023 they posted a clip of their song “Belly Up” on Tik Tok and it earned them a whopping two million TikTok views over the course of a weekend! Rather astounding considering their brand of Rock-n-Roll does not fit any current trends, it is further proof that most only know what they hear or see, so if a band dares to try something different, they may get noticed.
Such in the case with Return to Dust, for those still unfamiliar with them, their sound is best described as a blend of ‘90s Grunge with early 2000s Post-Grunge. In case this may seem like a contradiction, let us just say it would be easy to imagine them fitting in alongside the likes of Alice in Chains, but also others who came after, like Seether, or lesser known, but very high-quality acts like Full Devil Jacket, U.P.O., Dust for Life, or Liquid Gang. Taking these examples into consideration, Return to Dust creates a dark mood with their music that relies more on raw, gritty emotion, opposed to the tiresome aggression of what some other Hard Rock bands are doing these days.
Exciting to hear, many have already been awakened from a deep slumber of boredom to discover Return to Dust exists. In fact, fully enthralled in a digital world, the TikTok success led to over 3.1 million streams across Digital Service Providers, 57K Spotify Monthly Listeners, plus much more. Building something strong, in July of 2023 they released the EP The Black Road (featuring the hot single “Belly Up”), and in November of 2023 the announcement came down that they would be playing their first festivals ever in May of 2024; Welcome to Rockville down in Daytona Beach, FL, before Sonic Temple in Columbus, OH. Truly a bold step forward for a young band, going into these appearances the buzz was big, and even more so with the release of their debut album weeks prior.
Perfectly plotted, or just the universe working in a devine manner, their self-titled debut album emerged on May 3rd consisting of several tracks from the 2023 EP, added up to eleven solid tracks of heavy, raw Rock music. Now, you could say that Return to Dust is just an imitation of a style of Rock done better by the originators. However, that is not the case, because while these guys certainly have a throwback sound, their approach is real, songs are well-crafted, and each performance is from the heart. Currently configured as a quartet, upfront is the passionate co-vocals of Guitarist Matty Bielawski and Bassist Graham Stanush, complemented by the thick, raw, but atmospheric guitars of Sebastian Gonzalez, and drumming of newest member London Hudson. Sounding full and powerful, here is the kicker, these guys are barely out of high school, but showing musical maturity beyond their years.
Now as everything moves forward, there is simply no telling where Return to Dust may go. Set to hit the road with Sevendust this coming fall, it was most recently announced they would also be acting as support for Chevelle for eighteen dates from July into August. So, if you are looking for some Hard Rock that makes you feel alive again, it is imperative you be one of the first to catch on with Return to Dust.
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