Oak & Bone

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 / 10 — Michael