HYST LIST // Ten Bands to Keep Tabs On

There’s always at least one major band touring Australia at any given time.

Festival season is starting up and music news is constantly buzzing about the big names. But let’s take a step back and have a look at ten bands to keep tabs on in the next few months. Whether they’re going on tour, releasing an album or playing at a festival, these local legends are blazing their own path to success.

MORE: HALLOWEEN HYSTERIA 2018: A Celebration Of All Things Loud // DEAD OF WINTER 2018: A Real Live Dead One // REVIEWS: IMMORTAL: Northern Chaos Gods // PAGAN: Black Wash

The Dead Love

Back to back from plugging in at Dead of Winter in Brisbane to going on tour in August for their single Wake Up, The Dead Love are a rock band to get amongst if you like bands along the lines of
Violent Soho and DZ Deathrays. This Sydney based three-piece are ready to rock, so get down to one of their tour shows if you’re based in Melbourne, Wollongong, Sydney or Brisbane! Ed likes ’em, and he hates everyone.

Radolescent

Radolescent, made up of three Gold Coast guys are making noise, and making a lot of it with their newest release Drug Fiend released on July 6. The garage punk trio are expected to release an
album in (hopefully) the near future. Following the release of their EP Scrape Ya Plate, Drug Fiend is similar but different with catchy lyrics and equally as catchy and full sound as a band. To get a taste of Scrape Ya Plate check out the track FUKU right up there.

Sly Withers

Currently on tour supporting single Google Maps, Sly Withers pull heart strings with their elegiac lyrics and smooth guitars, similar to The Smith Street Band and Wil Wagner’s solo project, finding that perfect medium between the two. Single Nike Shoe off their self-titled album Sly Withers, is another great tune that showcases the bands ability. Raspy vocals really capture a Wagner-esque similarity. Have a look and get along to one of the Google Maps tour shows!

FLOSSY

Hitting the stage with Luca Brasi during their Stay Tour, FLOSSY are bringing back the Riot Grrl grunge movement of the ‘90s with tunes influenced by bands like Sleater-Kinney and Bikini Kill. Fronted by two Perth sisters, their songs sound like something out of the young adult cartoon Daria—angsty and witty. What could make them stressed? Uh, what about every single part of their lives

Better Half

After releasing their EP Maybe I Was Wrong later this year, Better Half will support Movements on their Australian Tour, alongside Eat Your Heart Out and Ambleside in Melbourne
as the local support act. Also finding themselves on the Spotify Rock Out playlist, this punk rock band is making a name for themselves with over 87,000 plays on their single Rest Your Head. Impressive.

The Beverly Chills

Labelling themselves as “Lo-Fi Goth Hardcore Surf Punk” The Beverly Chills is a crude mix between Hockey Dad, Dune Rats, Pantera (RIP Dimebag), all 90s everything, and post-bong couchbound comedowns watching rage. That’s while capturing the essence of a manic surf punk sound that Australia has somehow mastered. Fresh release No Friends dropped on Friday the 13th (spooky!), and scored plays from Home & Hosed on triple j, plus featured at gigs in Geelong (supporting Ocean Grove) and at the Cherry Bar in Melbourne. If you have not seen them, cancel all your plans and GO. They’re in LA right now working on album number two. Omg I can’t waaaaait

Shangrilá

Another local band getting on stage for the Movements Australian Tour is Shangrilá, a four-piece hardcore band from Perth. With their up-coming EP Love and Leaving and the release of their single of the EP Temptress, their new track is very different compared to their last album Wither released in 2016. Playing alongside other bands like Idle Eyes, Shangrilá’s newest EP Love and Leaving is quite the promising EP to end the year.

Driven Fear

Brissy’s very own hardcore unit Driven Fear are playing Halloween Hysteria (tickets here!) and we’re proud to have ’em on board because they’re gonna be ‘uge. Fusing ye olde hardcore and 90s skate punk with a ton of street cred (nearest contemporary Max Raptor comes to mind), 2016s’ Freethinker is destined to become a sleeper classic. Chuck it on, kick a flip, break a bone.—Tom Valcanis

The Pretty Littles

With their album Skeleton Run on the way and a tour coming soon, The Pretty Littles have been non-stop, just coming off another tour for their single Sober. Sounding similar to bands like
Bleeding Knees Club, The Pretty Littles have a surf punk vibe about them that you can’t shake off. Instead it makes you want to have a beer and sit in the sun as if it was summer.

Neighbourhood Youth

Another band with that Oz-flavoured surf-rock kind of sound is Neighbourhood Youth, coming up to tour time for their new single Stay Safe. As a good time tune it channels similar bands like Hockey Dad and Dune Rats. Hitting the South Coast for their Stay Safe Tour, they’ve got quite the catalogue to bring back the feeling of summer for a little while.

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