Barn Burner

Montreal's Barn Burner have only been active for a few years, and have but a single CD to their name, but their blend of metal, heavy blues, and alternative rock is quite compelling. The quartet of vocalist/guitarist Kevin Keegan, guitarist Marc Doucette, bassist Nick Ball, and drummer Taylor Freund crank up a riff machine reminiscent of classic <a href="spotify:artist:5M52tdBnJaKSvOpJGz8mfZ">Black Sabbath</a> or <a href="spotify:artist:568ZhdwyaiCyOGJRtNYhWf">Deep Purple</a>, but with twin lead guitar lines that recall <a href="spotify:artist:6biWAmrHyiMkX49LkycGqQ">Thin Lizzy</a>. They also draw from slightly more modern influences, sounding a little bit like fellow 2000s hard rock/metal acts like <a href="spotify:artist:3kDriIhqNulTiUuGfLR3Wd">Saviours</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:3RxjSLIz5osqOhGarH9lFV">Priestess</a>, and <a href="spotify:artist:7DsHjgFLzkU3nNjJlcAkKY">Early Man</a>, and there's a dash of alternative rock to their sound, particularly in Keegan's vocals, which occasionally sound like <a href="spotify:artist:62sC6lUEWRjbFqXpMmOk4G">Fugazi</a> co-leader Guy Picciotto. The group signed to <a href="spotify:search:label%3A%22Metal+Blade+Records%22">Metal Blade Records</a> in 2009 based solely on live shows and demos, having no prior releases. Their debut CD, Bangers, was released at the beginning of 2010. ~ Phil Freeman, Rovi