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During my decades of digging through numerous musical styles, I've encountered a lot of bands that didn't really get the attention and popularity they deserved. Somehow they fell victim to the success of bands that weren't even that good. So for today's "Songs With Stories", I decided to plunge into the vast history of the musical universe to dig up gems that should have been massive hits.
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...
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
When I first heard this song, back when MTV was still a music themed television company, I immediately thought these guys would become the next big thing. It was 2001, nu-metal was making its way to the top. Bands like Linkin Park & Limp Bizkit appeared on the biggest stages with hits like 'Rollin', 'My Way', 'Papercut' and 'In The End'. For me, 'I'm Not Trading' by Sunna was way better than any of the previously mentioned songs. The anger, the despair, the industrial elements, everything was stronger than any other nu-metal band could produce. The balance between guitars, drums and electronics was perfect and the vocalist was one of the best in the genre.
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.
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
When I first heard Croatian rockers Stonebride, they blew me away. At that time, I was co-owner of a metal bar and these guys rocked our little stage. Although they never used the term "stoner rock", they became a reference in that particular scene. Their groove, there fuz-out sound and their immersive atmosphere was everything I was searching for at that moment and, along with Monkey 3, Stonebride became a genre-favorite.
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.
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
This one might have something to do with the fact that Sweater was a local band who never got to break through because Belgium had some other acts to push first. Acts like dEUS, who released their smasher 'Worst Case Scenario' in the same year, or Noordkaap and Channel Zero. Internationally, 1994 was a big year for rock music with the release of songs like 'Zombie' by Cranberries, 'Basket Case' by Green Day and 'Come Out And Play' by The Offspring.
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.
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
If someone asked me, "what is your all-time top-10 of rock ballads"? This one would undoubtedly be in there. In fact, for me, the whole 'Songs For Insects' album is one of the best pieces of progressive metal ever recorded. This song has been with me since I heard it first in 1992 or 1993 and it has been a reference for rock ballads ever since. The heavy songs are brilliantly written pieces of metal, often dissonant but always adventurous.
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 :-)
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
This is one of the bands that I will always keep pushing, simply because it's my all-time favorite and a personal reference to adventurous music. Although this Dutch instrumental industrial rock act has enjoyed some success in the nineties, they completely vanished from the stages in the new century. In 2009, they hesitantly returned with the album 'What You See Is What You Get', followed by 'Merchants Of Air' (no, that's not a coincidence...) in 2012 and the amazing 'Stern' in 2014. Yet, gigs are scarce, which is too bad.
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.
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.
Serge
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