This three-piece from Detroit rocks that unmistakable 1970s Detroit sound — right in the vein of Cactus, Foghat, UFO, and Budgie — all bands they cite as influences. And they nail it. It’s rare these days to find a record that sounds like genuine old-school classic rock, but that’s exactly what this is.

The lineup is impressive too: drummer Mike Alonso (Flogging Molly), Kevin Roberts (The Meatmen), and Ross Westerber (50 Foot Pipe). It’s wild seeing guys from hardcore and punk backgrounds turning out such pure, vintage rock ’n’ roll — but then again, a lot of those old hardcore heads grew up on classic rock.

Across eight songs in about an hour, Winds of Neptune deliver riff-heavy, hard-driving, blues-drenched Detroit rock that feels both nostalgic and alive. This is the kind of record you didn’t know you needed until it hits.

If you’ve been drowning in walls of distortion from doom and blackened thrash bands, this one’s a breath of fresh air. Trios always seemed to capture that 70s rock magic — and Winds of Neptune fit right into that lineage.

A highly recommended surprise gem. Pick up their self-titled debut on Small Stone Records and turn it up loud.
 

Bassist/vocalist Ross Westerbur commented:

“This record is the culmination of a road that started in [guitarist] Kevin [Roberts]’s basement with us jamming Deep Purple and Jethro Tull songs. The band and the songs kind of emerged organically from there, and it’s very cool to see a record come out of that same process. Although we won’t stop jamming Deep Purple and Jethro Tull tunes anytime soon.”