Exclusive Track Premiere: Sumerlands, “The Guardian”

Traditional heavy metal bands (often simply called “heavy metal” in today’s lexicon — when did that happen?) are like bagels: most of them are generic and shitty, but when you get a good one that’s the REAL DEAL you just know it.

In our analogy, Sumerlands are like a New York bagel, but the bagel shop is in Philly because that’s where they’re from, and… shit, this analogy is deteriorating in a hurry. But you know full well what we mean: the world has been flooded with dozens of mediocre trad metal bands over the past few years, and most of them are horribly mediocre — that extends to signed and local pub bands alike.

Sumerlands are not one of those bands, and you’ll get why immediately upon pressing play on their new single “The Guardian,” premiering exclusively through MetalSucks. Those melodies and riffs, expertly constructed, with equal doses of Judas Priest and early Motley Crue; the vaguely Sabbath-influenced, but not overly so, vocals; the big, fat hooks.

Sumerlands just signed a deal with Relapse Records and they’ll release their self-titled album on September 16; pre-order here.