Under Pressure

posted in: Artist Features • Rock

 

If you doubt the healing power of rock, look no further than the musicians who travel overseas and the troops who flock to see them. Whether or not the treacle lasts, at least for an hour or two no one’s thinking about war. The Stellas, out of Charlotte, North Carolina, are one of the many bands who have brought the rock to the armed forces, touring Southwest Asia and the Middle East in 2009. One can imagine the kind of catharsis that took place with the band’s brazen brand of rock and roll. In Stereo begins with drums that sound like they’re being beaten to death in a warehouse, quickly followed by snarling, snaking guitars and the low-throttle threat of bass. There’s an undercurrent of urgency here, but singer Adam Middleton keeps his cool, at least until the chorus. The Stellas’ raw, feral garage rock is pressure-cooked to perfection”just right for blowing off steam.

“In Stereo (2011)” – The Stellas