The Cold Stares are one of my favourite bands, Rocky sounding blues in drop D what more do you need not to mention the lyrics the story telling skills are phenomenal, The Cold Stares are one of the most compelling bands to emerge from the American Blues/Rock scene in years.
Hailing from Indiana, the duo of Chris Tapp (vocals/ guitar) and Brian Mullins (drums) with a recent addition of a bass player who I’m not sure of his name, and I struggled to find out when I researched it, have carved out a niche that marries gritty raw blues with hard-hitting rock edge.
Here is an example of what I have described.
Since their formation in 2009, they have captured the attention of fans and critics alike, thanks to their no-nonsense approach to songwriting, musicianship, and their ability to convey raw emotion and vivid story telling.
Chris Tapp’s guitar playing is excellent, Take it from me I’m a guitar player and his playing is brilliant, his lead playing is intense and aggressive with great vibrato, his rhythm playing is solid, the riffs he comes up with are amazing, I rate his playing! not only this but his voice is great too, Brian Mullins drumming is nothing short of ferocious, providing a thumping back bone of pure power and rhythm, The chemistry between the two makes a powerful chemistry which is why they are able to creat such a massive sound.
Here is an example of them playing a live set.
The Cold Stares are deeply rooted in blues as you can hear, you can also hear influences from Led Zeppelin, Muddy Waters, Howling wolf, what sets them apart is their ability to fuse these influences into something modern sounding fresh and uniquely their own, their songs tackle dark and heavy themes, battles with addiction, faith, heartbreak, and personal demons, but they are always laced with a feel of hope redemption and resilience.
If you haven’t heard them and your into Bluesy/Rocky type music I strongly suggest giving these guys a chance, they are a band I’ll listen to for the rest of my life.
Regards
Patrick.M