IS IT METAL, OR IS IT NOT? WHO GIVES A F*CK?

When is something metal and when is it not? What’s if it’s got metal riffs, metal melody and metal composition but is played entirely on acoustic guitars? What if it’s got none of those elements but has screamed vocals? You be the judge but try not to let genre classification get in the way of your enjoyment of these two excellent bands.

• What Hands Are For: Neatly between the post-punk aggression of At The Drive In and the atmospheric melodies of Dredg. Stream their entire new album …Please Believe Me at their Bandcamp page where you can also buy it for just five bucks.
• Mark Hawkins: What you’d expect of an album called Grandpas Guitars is exactly what you get: expertly crafted metal compositions played and arranged exquisitely with multiple layers of rhythm and lead acoustic guitars (and the occasional light electric). Excellent, excellent, excellent, from the delay-laden atmospherics to the EVH “Spanish Fly” cover (!). If you start listening to the album — streamable on Bandcamp and purchasable for name your price — I dare you to turn it off before it ends.