One of the great undiscovered Modern Rock bands of today.

Richmond, Virginia's Highway Saints must be one of the great undiscovered Modern Rock bands of today. The band's debut album is so good that it's hard to believe that they're not signed and that it's been put out independently.

Taking their influences from today's Modern Rock elite and combining it with elements of Classic Rock, HS seem to have hit on a winning formula. It certainly won't win any prizes for originality, but that's not the point and there's no doubt that given the pin sharp production and wealth of great songs, it's a feat that some bands fail to achieve even after recording four or five albums for a major label.

In Patrick Verdi they have a guitarist who, if he was in a more celebrated band, would be lauded for his ability. There's crunching riffs, solos and intricacies not normally associated with Modern Rock to the extent that songs such as the Nickelback-like 'Something For You', the thumping 'Build Me Up (Tear Me Down)' or the slow burning power of 'Through The Open Door' are given an extra lift. Add to Verdi's playing the superb vocals of Zach Grabill on Heavy Rock songs like 'By Your Side' or 'In This Moment' and you have the perfect combination.

This album has everything; the songs, the production, the personnel and an overall quality that makes them stand out from the pack. With only a few bands peddling this kind of fare at present, it's admirable that Highway Saints have stuck to their craft and thumbed its nose at current trends, formulas and bandwagons.

Mike Newdeck