HÄXAN – Band Of The Month – February 2022
Written by Tony Wilson on January 31, 2022
It was another very close run contest this month with the winner being decided by the audience vote, which strongly favoured our winners… 
“A tour de force, impressive. ‘White Noise’ is a brilliant Hard Rock debut album!” – Fireworks Magazine
Powerhouse rock outfit Häxan have an impressive array of live shows and festivals under their belts including: Download Festival, Planet Rockstock, Bloodstock Open Air, Status Quo, The Subways, Electric Size, Phil Campbell, Monsters of Rock Cruise (USA), Rock the Boat Cruise (Australia), Hard Rock Hell, and many more. In 2020, during the pandemic, the band unleashed their highly anticipated debut album ‘White Noise’ to critical acclaim from the press and fans alike. 2021 saw Häxan return to the live circuit with sold out headline shows and show stopping performances at prestigious UK festivals.
With ‘White Noise’ the Welsh rock trio delivered one of the best hard rock albums of 2020! Featuring the powerful lead single ‘Skeletons’, the debut album showcases a carefully curated collection of songs that hard rock fan will land see Häxan discovered by new audiences worldwide.
Recorded at Stompbox Studios in Wales, ‘White Noise’ was produced, mixed, and mastered by Todd Campbell (Phil Campbell and the Bastard Sons) who helped Sam (vocals/guitar), Harriet (bass), and Jess (drums) reach a higher level with their music. ‘White Noise’ is a collection of songs that showcase the very best of Häxan right now; every song is unique but each is distinctly defining who the band is.
Häxan played a great opening set on our 21st birthday show at Nambucca on November 6th last year and a full 4 hour livestream of that show with sick sets from Häxan, Sweet Crisis, These Wicked Rivers, Dead Man’s Whiskey and Myke Gray will be aired on our twitch channel later this month.
In 2022 Häxan are set to return to the live circuit with a slot at HRH and an extensive UK tour with Swedish rockers, Thundermother… not to be missed! Check here for dates and tickets on Bandsintown
And what about second and third place?
I said it was close and we have Bad Llama and Tuskar tied in second place!
Bad Llama are a British alternative rock/metal band originating from the Midlands. The group consists of Kyle Jordan (lead vocals), Lewis Hutchings (bass), Adam Neilson (drums), and Sam Wyatt (guitar). With Kyle Jordan’s heartfelt vocal delivery and thought-provoking lyrics, combined with an eclectic blend of heavy and melodic musicianship, the group continue to develop a very unique and recognisable sound. Complimented by a consistently explosive and passionate live performance, Bad Llama are are becoming an exciting prospect among the unsigned circuit.
For Drummer/Vocalist Tyler Hodges and Guitarist Tom Dimmock, Milton Keynes based Tuskar is an unshakeable chemistry that they share both live and in the studio. Their unmistakable energy and ferocity has marked them out as UK sludge metal’s most exciting prospects.
Following their monolithic EP’s Arianrhod (2017) and The Tide, Beneath the Wall (2018), Tuskar’s new studio album and Church Road Records debut ‘Matriarch‘ is a masterclass in sonic mass, their defining display of atmosphere and aggression.
Recorded by Joe Clayton at No Studio and mastered by Audiosiege, the record swells with density – first single ‘Grave’ demonstrates this in spades, closing out
the album with trudging swathes of riffs and drums, balancing between driving speed and moments of seismic doom. The band tread the line of influences from Baroness, YOB and High on Fire.
‘Matriarch’ is a fierce and bold collection of tracks that move Tuskar into far
higher climbs, injecting a much needed dose of energy into the UK metal scene
whilst being no stranger to meticulous songwriting and psychedelia. If there’s any
justice in modern metal, then Tuskar should firmly be at the helm.
May Headline Tour with support from Soden
11th – Star & Garter – Manchester
12th – Record Junkee – Sheffield
13th – Electrowerkz – London
14th – Exchange – Bristol
15th – The Crauford Arms – Milton Keynes
Tickets – https://bnds.us/dm8ca2
Expect to hear all three bands lots across TotalRock in October and find out more about our previous winners if you are looking for some new band inspiration.
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