Bandcamp Friday March(es) On!

March is here and winter will soon be over (hopefully)! And with it comes the first Friday of the month AKA Bandcamp Friday: a day where Bandcamp waives its revenue share and all the money goes directly to the artists and labels. This particular BC Friday is a very strong one! As usual, I’ll share with you my five (and a few more) picks and recommendations to spend your hard-earned dollars and support hard-working bands/labels in the process.

First off, released last Friday via Dying Victims Productions, a fantastic old school metal/NWOBHM debut album by Austrian quintet Venator titled Echoes from the Gutter. If you enjoy Iron Maiden and Judas Priest’s brand of metal, then you’ll get a huge kick out of this thunderous record. You can get it here.

Second, also out last week is fellow Canadian Fuzz Rock band AAWKS (a slang term for an awkward person) and the first single off of their upcoming LP, titled “Space City.” It’s fuzzy and spacey as hell and it’s priced at only a Canuck buck, so show them some love over here.

Third, if you’re in the mood for some fuzzed out rock n’ roll straight out of New Zealand, Swamp Rat Collective just came out with a smokin’ track called “a.k.a. Rollergirl” as well as redux versions of two singles, “Dusk” and “Buzzsaw Disco.” You can pick up those groovy songs right here.

Fourth, last year saw the passing of Eric Wagner, the beloved ex-lead singer of Doom legends Trouble. His posthumous album, In the Lonely Light of Mourning, is now being released and from what I’ve heard of it so far, it’s a memorable document of one of rock, doom, and metal’s finest vocalists. You can get this gem here.

Fifth (and sixth, and seventh), the mighty Ripple Music label continues to be a dominant force in the realm of heavy rock. Earlier this week, a stellar “Name Your Price” compilation celebrating the upcoming RippleFest in Nantes was released. You can grab it here.

Today Ripple unleashes JIRM’s new album; I’ve had time to sample it and it was well worth the wait. Think Soundgarden meets Pink Floyd with an edge. You can pick up The Tunnel, The Well, Holy Bedlam right this way.

And if you’re looking to pre-order what is sure to wind up in my top five albums of 2022 at the end of the year, Stone Axe’s Stay of Execution comes out on March 18 and it’s an absolute masterpiece! I’ve spun the entire album twice already and it’s phenomenal! Eight instant classic songs featuring Tony Reed and Dru Brinkerhoff at the top of their game. Pre-order now via Ripple and get a couple of songs instantly right here.

That’s it for another edition of #BandcampFriday, folks. I hope I helped shine some lights on some well-deserving bands that truly merit your support, money, and ears. Treat yourself and help some great bands and labels by the same token, it’s a win-win situation. Have a rockin’ weekend and may it be filled with awesome music!