Review / 200 Words Or Less
Oak & Bone
Oak & Bone

Hex (2009) Michael

Oak & Bone – Oak & Bone cover artwork
Oak & Bone – Oak & Bone — Hex, 2009

Oak and Bone hail from upstate New York, but when you listen to their debut 7" you would definitely not assume that by any guess. While their history is rooted in hardcore punk, the three-piece from Syracuse take a different approach to the style.

The 7" opens with "On Your Own or Not at All," which is a sludgy punk/grunge tune reminiscent of The Melvins. It's heavy and got a nice groove to it. "Build Walls" is faster and has some awesome chugging guitars; it highlights the band's hardcore background much more than the previous number. "Atavistic" is okay, but I definitely enjoy it least of all the songs. "Momentum" is another cut that boasts a sweet groove; I hear a bit of the very first Queens of the Stone Age record in there. It's definitely my favorite of the four songs found here.

I like the unique approach Oak & Bone take. It's a great combination of punk, metal, rock and roll, and hardcore. And the best part is that it's not really any of those genres. It's a mish-mash

an enjoyable mish-mash.

7.5 / 10Michael • July 29, 2009

Oak & Bone – Oak & Bone cover artwork
Oak & Bone – Oak & Bone — Hex, 2009

Recently-posted album reviews

Eater

The Lost 1978 Sessions
Cleopatra (2025)

Hopefully everyone reading this already knows that Eater was one of the early British punk bands. Forming in North London in 1976, Eater was one of the youngest bands in the burgeoning UK punk scene, with the members being aged 14-17 at the band’s inception. Eater issued a series of singles and one album for The Label between 1977-1978 before … Read more

Spark of Life

Plagued by the Human Condition
New Age Records (2025)

Spark Of Life hails from LA and has been around since the early 2000s. Their debut album dropped in 2003, but it took almost two decades to drop their newest album titled Plagued by the Human Condition. This album was released through New Age Records out of southern California, and it is worth checking out. If you’re familiar with New … Read more

The Dwarves

Sunshine, Lollipops & Rainbows
GREEDY (2025)

Sunshine, Lollipops & Rainbows is a live studio recording from 1989, released on picture disc earlier this year on limited vinyl for Record Store Day. Given that it came shortly before the release of Blood, Guts & Pussy, it's no surprise that it's heavy on songs from that record (10 of 14, if I've counted correctly). It's more primal than … Read more