
The dig for these five songs also provided me with a trip through memory lane. A trip to the festivals I visited, to the countless of hours I spent in record stores, going through every alternative thing they had. This was fun article to write...
Sunna
Sunna, hailing from Bristol, UK, also appeared on the 'Hollow Man' soundtrack with another brilliant song, named 'Power Struggle'. They released three albums, toured with A Perfect Circle and Smashing Pumpkins but somehow Sunna got forgotten in time, hopelessly falling behind the Korns, Slipknots, System Of A Downs and so on. Now, even the world's greatest nu-metal tribute band, Bizkit Park, doesn't even play this song. Today, after listening to the song again, I would no longer place this in the nu-metal scene but directly into the industrial one, in good company of bands like Nine Inch Nails.
Stonebride
They spent a few days at our house before and after their show, drinking loads and loads of coffee and watching South Park and Family Guy on our television-set. It was great fun having them around but after they left, things got quiet around Stonebride until they returned with the album 'Heavy Envelope' in 2014 (read our review). I hope that these guys can finally find the way to the Desertfests and Roadburns. They truly deserve it.
Sweater
Sweater finished third on that year's Humo's Rock Rally, overtaken by Evil Superstars who would grow on to become one of the biggest acts from Limburg ever. For Sweater, the third place was followed by a few singles, including this uplifting rocker and the minor hit 'Love Birds'. However, due to musical difference within the band, front man Jo Smeets decided to pull the plug in 1999. The band made a t-shirt for this song as well, which was one of the first band shirts I ever bought.
Thought Industry
Thought Industry recorded five albums but eventually fell victim to musical differences and other issues within the band. They're on my 'too bad I never got too see them live' list, along with The Doors, The Ramones and few other acts.
Odd fact, the drummer for Thought Industry went on to form another underrated project, namely I Am Spoonbender. I didn't know that before I started my research for this article but now I like I Am Spoonbender even more :-)
Kong
Kong has a lot to teach to young instrumental rock bands today. For decades they have been able to tell elaborate stories without uttering a single word. They know perfectly how to make a ten minute anthem interesting and continuously changing. In my opinion, Kong is what the post-rock scene needs today, more variation, more tempo, more strange electronics and more immersive sounds.
In fact, I want these guys on Dunk! Festival more than any other band, and I want them in their four-stages, quadraphonic set-up. I can almost guarantee that they would play a gig that the youngsters will remember for a long time, if not forever (like pretty much every Kong gig I've seen so far). From rock over electronic dance music to jazz and ambient, Kong can do it all.
Their debut 'Mute Poet Vocalizer' was released in 1990 and a remastered edition just last year. Both albums will give you a decent impression what Kong are capable of but I suggest you just go to bandcamp and get everything they've ever released.