Hampshire-based four-piece, The 109s, are here to put rock riffs back where they belong: loud and high in the mix, clawing and stomping their way through the speaker cones to grab listeners by the throat and pummel them into submission . . .
The 109s have taken everything good about Zeppelin, Sabbath, Royal Blood, AC/DC, Iron Maiden, MC5, The Stooges, Soundgarden and The Black Keys, and distilled from it a 100-percent-proof moonshine-mash that is all their own - a heady brew that kicks like a mule, burns like a mother, but has everyone asking for seconds . . .
The fantastic power of the band's music is led by vocalist Damian Shelley’s strong but nuanced delivery and impressive vocal harmonies, while lead guitarist, Matty Pritchard's short, high-octane solos reference everyone from Jimmy Page to J. Mascis.
Of course, none of this would be real rock if there wasn't a stunning rhythm section (Pete Smith, bass, and Steve Collings, drums) who deliver the precision-power and flair of legendary pairings such as JohnBonham and John Paul Jones, or Keith Moon and John Entwistle.
The band's song arrangements are always original and surprising, wringing every droplet of dynamism and groove from a single riff, before strutting seamlessly through a flurry of exciting changes that are strung together with the delicacy of dewdrops on a cobweb.
“High octane blues rock - very much my thing! Now I just need to see you do it live some time!” – Award winning crime novelist, Ian Rankin
A multi-talented artist, lead guitarist, Matty Pritchard, is also an author and member of the UK Crime Writers Association. He has published three novels in the UK to date - Scarecrow, Broken Arrow and Werewolf - under the name Matthew Pritchard, and was nominated for the CWA's Gold Dagger Award.
The 109s' eponymous debut album is due out October 7th
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