Nine New Bands to Watch (Part 1)

        As 2012 passes the halfway mark, and the last of the huge summer tours wind down, artists are beginning to go their separate ways. Some have entered the studio to produce, while others are continuing their touring extravaganza on a smaller scale. Nevertheless, with every summer, bands explode out of the woodwork, hoping for a shot at fame and glory. Most fail, but the few that succeed are the most innovative, the most talented, and the best of the newcomers. That, or they're Kellin Quinn.

           Christ. This is my salute to the summer's newest who have a unique take on their genre. In no particular order, here are ten artists I'm going to be watching closely for a while.

      1. Upon a Burning Body

           Charging out of San Antonio, Texas, with all guns blazing, the boys from Upon a Burning Body made their large-scale debut when they played Mayhem this past summer. Alongside genre staples like The Devil Wears Prada, and metal legends Slayer, the band's unrestrained aggression and flawless incorporation of technical elements gives their djent-tinged southern metal a unique punch that assaults your ears with its complexity and rhythm. With their sophomore album Red. White. Green released earlier this year, Upon a Burning Body quickly superseded the tired and hackneyed releases of deathcore titans Whitechapel and Chelsea Grin. Combining some of the silliest lyrics I've heard this year with a two-year rivalry with emo rockers Attack Attack!, Upon a Burning Body are one of the pre-eminent deathcore acts of the past year.

      2. Hands Like Houses
          While post-hardcore as a genre took a serious hit to its reputation this summer with the mainstream fame of Sleeping With Sirens and Pierce the Veil, gems remain in a genre that's beginning to show its age. With an intensity that's pulled off with minimal breakdowns and no screaming, Australian act Hands Like Houses are on the rise with a new take on post-hardcore that we haven't seen in a long time. With catchy rhythm, one hell of a drummer, and great lyrics, Hands Like Houses released their first studio album, Ground Dweller, in March of this year. Since then, they've had only a short amount of time to tour, but are set to open for Pierce the Veil and Sleeping With Sirens this fall. I wrote an extensive circlejerk about the band that you can read here. Bottom line: this is a stellar band that I hope gets much more attention.

       3. Art By Numbers
            At a cursory glance, Fresno, California progressive act Art By Numbers are nothing special. Another rock band with a vocalist yelling his heart out and a piano that's out of place, right? Wrong. Taking inspiration from genres as disparate and distinct as jazz and metal, and continuously displaying an affection for technicality (one of my secret pleasures), Art By Numbers are never content to play blocky, bar-chorded riffs. With a take on hard music that's reminiscent of Protest the Hero, time signature variations and swept riffs abound. As extreme newcomers to music in general, and with their unorthodox take on established genres, Art By Numbers' creativity and the epic feel of their debut album Reticence: The Musical is going to take them places.

      4. Refused
             "But idiotinremission!" you're saying, "Refused broke up in the 90s! Why the hell are they on a list of bands to watch?" Well, unless you've been living under a rock, you know that the seminal Swedish hardcore group reunited this year and began a world touring spree under the tagline 'Refused are not fucking dead'. Now, despite having no new material in over ten years, this was (and is) a completely unexpected move from the godfathers of most modern punk bands. Whether or not they choose to release some new material is up to them, but in any case, this is a move to watch. Refused's extreme-left political stance is definitely going to be at odds with today's climate, which will make the band's reunion even more interesting.

       5. Like Moths to Flames
            Welcome to the challenging world of metalcore, where if you add in too many breakdowns, you're a sellout, and too little, you're a pussy. Making a metalcore act unique and making it acceptable are two very different things that often are mutually exclusive. It's far too easy to pull a Rise Records and sign on to a hackneyed formula - money and recognition will easily come as a result. On the other hand, go off on your own and not only do you risk never getting signed, you risk rejection by the community you're trying to impress. That's why Ohio metalcore outfit Like Moths to Flames, at first, sounds like every other band in the genre out there. With a heavy emphasis on rhythm, but eschewing the traditional song structure of other artists, Like Moths to Flames do have their own take on the genre, but it's subtle enough to avoid attention. In layman's terms: Like Moths to Flames are unique enough to put themselves a cut above the rest of the rabble, but close enough to staples to prevent that from acting against them.

I'll finish off this countdown later this week, but for now, give these guys a try. You won't be disappointed!