The Hill You Die On is comprised of some of the coolest cats in Scranton, PA. Of note, Barber Jim (James Simon) from Loyalty Barber Shop and Craiger (Brian Craig) from The Bog, who also recently joined the Loyalty ranks! Jim is often responsible for my ridiculously good looking hair and Craiger is often responsible for me chugging too many beers at The Bog.
I want to start by saying something that has nothing to do with music. Both of these guys should be role models for anyone starting a business. I look up to both of them immensely. They’ve created strong brands, they have customer loyalty (pun intended), the quality of the product they put out is beyond comparison and they’re corner stones of the community. They’re also just fucking great guys. Take notes. We’re all about community and positivity here at The Point After Show. These guys are primes examples of that and I’m so happy to be able to highlight them.
If we’re being 100% honest, I was slightly nervous before listening to this EP. I’m a big fan of these guys on a personal level, but I wasn’t sure how I would feel about the music. Brian sent me a text a few days ago and described it as “doomy metal,” while someone else told me they were a “death metal” band. I tend to avoid doomy and deathy music. That stuff generally isn’t “easy” listening. When I hear doom metal, I instantly think of the band Impending Doom. That’s just where my brain goes. My anxiety starts to raise and I think of double base pedals, guttural-groaning screams and blast beats.
GOOD NEWS! I had no fucking idea what doomy metal meant. Listen, I’m a sports guy and THE music guy. But, I’ve never claimed to be a big metal guy. Fortunately, The Hill You Die On is absolutely amazing. The EP is reminiscent of a “classic” or “Southern” metal sound. Which, I apparently love. I’ve had these songs on repeat for 24 hours. There are so many influences that pop out when listening to the songs. I hear 90’s metal/rock vocals, akin to something along the lines of the Toadies, while musically there’s no denying the influence of Metallica/Megadeth/Mastadon. But, it’s hard for me to put my finger on a direct comparison. Metal purists who listen to Metallica will appreciate appreciate The Hill You Die On, while people like me, who listen to fringe bands like Valient Thorr and He Is Legend will also fall in love.
Here’s an example of what I was expecting…