Local Music Reviews
Various Artists
Utah Heavy Guitar Rock Vol. 1
HGR Records
Street: 03.23
Utah Heavy Guitar Rock Vol. 1 = a serious collection of hard edged local rock
The first release from Utah Heavy Guitar Rock Records is a free compilation with Volume 2 already at its heels. The aptly-titled comp of 10 artists is a stark eye-opener, showcasing some serious guitar chops as well as strong songwriting abilities. This comp features contributions from the longstanding and well-known The Street, a nicely metallic punch from Sonic Prophecy, a bombastically heavy cut from Meat, a punky anthem from Blinded by Truth as well as good guitar licks from The Fuzz Plugs and Drifen. While it’s not distributed at local music shops, this compilation can be snagged by actually checking out a local rock/metal gig. Plenty of tracks included on the comp rival the same old recycled junk you hear on major rock radio stations, and it’s also a firm reminder that local music fans always have an outlet to get their rocking fix on pretty much any given weekend.