Purity in genres is always nice, although when a hybrid unlike anything comes along, you cannot help but show interest. We have seen Rap, Pop, Country, Blues, and Classical come together with Heavy Metal, but how many can say they have ever seen Bluegrass join Heavy Metal? Chances are very few, but that is exactly what you find with The Native Howl.
An all-American collective of Michigan, The Native Howl is a group of musicians who unite the aggression of Thrash Metal with melodies of traditional Blue Grass. Formed back in 2013, the band -currently consisting of Alex Holycross (guitar, bouzouki, lead vocals), Jake Sawicki (guitar, banjo, vocals), Mark Chandler (bass, vocals), and Zach Bolling (drums, percussion) – have made their way as an independent act with four studio albums. Starting in 2013 with The Revolutions Dead, 2016’s Thrash Grass reached #4 on the Bluegrass Billboard Chart 2017, while 2018’s Out of the Garden and Into the Darkness peaked at #3 on the Bluegrass Billboard Chart.
Showing there is an audience for their style of music, the band broke into an even larger mainstream audience in 2022 when they were crowned winners of Hit Parader’s No Cover series competition. A big step forward, the award resulted in a contract with Sumerian Records that parlayed into supporting slots on tour for Gwar, Black Label Society, Airbourne, and Corrosion of Conformity. At this point more recognized than ever, the band emerged in 2024 with their anticipated Sumerian Records debut, Sons of Destruction.
Released on October 4, 2024, the new album is fired up and ready to show the world what The Native Howl is all about. As mentioned, a fusion of styles, there are some instances where the band’s Bluegrass Banjo picking is most prevalent and others where the mix of Folk, Hard Rock, or Metal stands out more. There are also some moments where the mood seems lighter than others, but by and large, there are deep, thought-provoking lyrics about humanity, what makes us who we are, and the conflict of our souls.
Creating detailed imagery of the American Wilderness, you cannot help but envision the songs featured on Sons of Destruction sung deep in the woods, somewhere along a river, a mountainside, or entrenched in a canyon just as the sun goes down. Intensified by the thoughts of ambers floating off a campfire, the leading vocals of Holycross go from gruff Southern twang to a deep bass-baritone at will, why each of the members of The Native Howl plays with a vigor that needs to be heard to believe. Admittedly not a style of music that will appeal to all fans of Rock and Metal, those who are apprehensive are urged to give The Native Howl’s music a try, because you are bound to find something speaking to your soul.
With Sons of Destruction including eleven songs, as mentioned, it dips and dives all over the map with tempos and style. Tracks like “Can’t Sleep” and “Mercy,” featuring dueling vocals with Halestorm’s own Lzzy Hale, offer rich vocal hooks. The latter is a track the band recorded for Out of the Garden and Into the Darkness, the inclusion of Hale added a whole new layer to it, and it fits well if you are familiar with Halestorm’s 2015 Into the Wild Life album where they pushed the limits of their Southern Rock side.
Beyond these two cuts, the title-track is a perfectly balanced approach of styles, but for many the true hook into Native Howl’s world will come with “In Death” and “Devil I’ve Become.” Looking at these last two a bit closer, the vocal performances are emotionally genuine, and the instrumentation flawlessly creates a haunting mood, especially with “Devil I’ve Become” where you can even hear hints of Alice in Chains. This is also successfully executed in their rendition of “God’s Gonna Cut You Down.” A traditional American Folk song recorded by everyone from Johnny Cash to Marilyn Manson, The Native Howl’s approach is mesmerizing in every way.
Overall, The Native Howl is a unique bunch. Reiterating, an initial listen may not immediately grab you, but it will if you open your ears and mind. For inventiveness, exceptional musicianship, and reminding us that the human condition is still real in a plastic modern world, Cryptic Rock gives Sons of Destruction 4 out of 5 stars.
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