PopHorror Let's Get Scared
Newcomers Smith’s Grove released their debut single from their debut album. The video for “Strong” was released on April 24th. Since then, they have seen a steady stream of views on YouTube. Smith’s Grove dates back to 2022. In the beginning, vocalist Dave O’Neal, bassist Jon Keller, and drummer Zach Kelly played in a band called Bury Your Brother. When the band split up, the trio recruited Jimmy Butler on guitar and formed Smith’s Grove, which has been writing music since.
Find Your Strength
Their new album is coming soon and was mastered by Howie Weinbeg, who had also worked with Limp Bizkit and Metallica. The band created a new genre of mixing Nu Metal with modern hardcore. The new single Strong proves that fact. When I first heard the song, I was instantly reminded of our small hardcore scene in my area growing up. Bands that molded the modern scene, such as Terror and Hatebreed. However, in a genre of tough attitudes, the song promotes a different idea of what strength really is. While the video is a borderline parody, the band says there are different ways to be strong.
This is what the band had to say about it.
“Strong” is a song about perseverance. Every single one of us has faced some form of adversity, and life does not discriminate. “Strong” is a celebration of victory over that adversity, and a reminder that we ourselves are responsible for (and capable of) overcoming any obstacle that may place itself in the cross hairs of a true survivor. We remind ourselves that we must succeed, and we fight on.
Saving A Genre
Inspired by horror and nu metal, the band is powering through the ranks. In the 90’s we witnessed crossover, which was a mix of hardcore and rap; hardcore and metal is something new. It’s something that could overpower “metalcore” bands with heavy-hitting originality. I look forward to seeing what happens for Smith’s Grove in the future.
Smith’s Grove is a breath of fresh air, we have been dealt some crap hands in modern heavy metal; however with bands like Smith’s Grove we have a chance to rebuild. We have a band that is not only inspired by horror movies. You can clearly see that inspiration with a name like Smiths Grove (The sanitarium in Halloween, 1978). The band also mastered a forgotten genre that was overpowered by pig squeals and incoherent growling. Nu metal had an unfair exile, and has recently been pushing back through bands such as Korn and the infamous Limp Bizkit, returning; maybe there is still hope.
In The End
We will find out, even if I am not a Limp Bizkit fan at all, I want to see the genre make a comeback, with bands like Smith’s Grove, we can have hope for the future. Until their album release, the band intends to release a new single, “Herd Immunity,” featuring Eric Abyss from metalcore band Traverse the Abyss, in the near future, while we wait for the album release.
The band is also gearing up for their first show on May 24th in Somerdale, New Jersey.
