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5 Awesome Bands You Won’t Hear on the Radio

John Benson

by John Benson in News

Updated Jan 17, 2018 · 9:39 AM PST

If you’re like me, you’re of the opinion that corporate radio has sucked for most of the last four decades.

If you’ve spent the better part of your lifetime listening to the payola rotations of your local top-40 station, then do yourself a favor and expand your horizons. Start judging bands and artists based, not on Youtube views, but instead on the merit of their creativity and sound.

Of course, finding those bands can be difficult. In the internet age, anyone with a melodica and iMovie can put music to the web.

But fear not! We’re here to help. Here are five awesome bands – and their latest offerings – to get you started:

 

Faith No More – Sol Invictus

A quarter of a decade has passed since Mike Patton and company briefly garnered national attention with hit single “Epic,” but there’s still a good chance you’ve never heard of – or anything by – the band that inspired and influenced the likes of Nirvana, Metallica, and Alice in Chains. Sol Invictus is Faith No More’s first new album in 18 years. Its discordant rhythms, oddball time signatures, and unique songwriting are bound to satisfy old fans while attracting a new generation of experimental rock listeners.

 

Silverstein – I Am Alive In Everything I Touch

Warped Tour veterans Silverstein are back with their eighth studio effort, I Am Alive In Everything I Touch, which finds the hardcore outfit screaming and singing in familiar fashion. The latter is definitely a compliment. Silverstein’s lack of radio airplay stems from their steadfast approach that hasn’t waned in 15 years.

 

Tech N9ne – Special Effects

Rapper Tech N9ne enjoys a healthy-sized cult audience that is eating up his latest album, Special Effects. It features guest appearances by everyone from Corey Taylor and B.o.B to Lil Wayne, 2 Chainz, T.I., and Eminem, yet the horrorcore specialist innovator still isn’t getting radio play. Don’t let that stop you from .

 

The Sun Explodes – The Calm, The Storm

Relatively new on the North American scene, U.K. progressive metal band The Sun Explodes is teasing head-banging audiences with their new five-track EP, The Calm, The Storm, which bounces between heavy and aggressive to tender and even (gasp!) melodic. The quintet offers a fresh sound to the tired metal world.

 

Arcturus – Arcturian

Any metal fan will tell you the real-deal can be heard across the pond in Europe. Take Arcturus for instance. The Scandinavian supergroup is back with new album Arcturian, which further explores the nuances of Norwegian metal. Specifically, there’s an accessibility heard on the new album that will open the eyes (and ears) of stateside metal fans unfamiliar with the underrated Arcturus.

 

So there you go, five awesome bands you won’t hear on the radio. Now put your headphones in, shut out the world, and give them the attention they deserve!

 

(Photo credit: Silvio Tanaka from Sao Paulo, Brazil (Mike Patton – Maquinária – 11/07) [CC BY 2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons. Photo has been cropped.)

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