Black Pistol Fire - Don't Wake the Riot (2016) Hi-Res

A high-octane indie rock duo born in Canada and based out of Austin, Texas, Black Pistol Fire emerged in the early 2010s with an uncompromising amalgam of no-frills Southern rock, blues, and gritty garage punk. They found mainstream success with the release of their fifth long-player, 2017's Deadbeat Grafitti, which yielded the hit singles "Lost Cause" and "Bully." In 2021 the band unleashed their dynamic sixth long-player, Look Alive.
Citing Led Zeppelin, Chuck Berry, Nirvana, Buddy Holly, and Muddy Waters as inspirations, Black Pistol Fire was founded by Eric Owen (drums) and Kevin McKeown (guitar, vocals). The duo relocated from Toronto to Austin, Texas shortly after forming, and released their eponymous full-length debut via Rifle Bird Records in 2011. Big Beat '59 arrived the following year, and the band made a huge splash at the 2013 SXSW music conference, drawing comparisons to bands like the Black Keys, the White Stripes, and Band of Skulls, with the Huffington Post declaring them the "next big thing". A flurry of festival appearances followed, including performances at Lollapalooza, Austin City Limits, Bonnaroo, Sasquatch Music Festival, Shaky Knees, and Governor's Ball, as did their third studio long-player, 2014's well-received Modern Outsider-issued Hush or Howl. The blistering Don't Wake the Riot dropped in May 2016, again on Modern Outsider. Wasting little time, they returned the following year with the acclaimed Deadbeat Grafitti. The LP included the singles "Bully" and "Lost Cause," the latter of which shot to number one on the Canadian rock charts. The duo issued the muscular single "Hope in Hell" in late 2020 ahead of the arrival of their sixth full-length effort, Look Alive, which arrived in 2021.