The Best Unsigned Band in America is…? Help Us Decide!
The Toilet Ov Hell is on a ridiculous quest. We want to find the best unsigned band in each state of the United States of America. But that’s not all.
Each state winner will get a feature on Toilet Ov Hell where we highlight their sweet jamz. When we find the best band in each state, we’re gonna make them fight each other to declare one state (and band) the best in the nation! Will it be a doom band out of Dubuque or a Sioux City symphonic metal band that wins? I dunno, but I can’t wait to find out.
This absurd idea was inspired by TOH reader Mon*Star. I’ll let him take it away:
Howdy, flushers! Longtime reader of ‘that other blog’ but only recent commenter Mon*Star here. Scourge of the SilverHawks, leader of the Limbo Mob… Ok, I’m just a guy in Pittsburgh that couldn’t think of anything better than obscure nostalgia for his handle.
It’s been great seeing the Toilet become an instant community of metal brethren from the get go, and when the idea popped into my head for this feature I was pleasantly surprised at the reception from atop the throne. We all want to post our favorite obscure bands to the comments of each article, relevant or not, so I thought the opportunity might exist to not only share little known bands, but a specific kind of little known band – the one in our backyard.
Each city has a metal scene, some thrive and some flounder, and within each scene are the bands that make it go. The hard working groups supporting smaller national tours, playing to friends in empty bars, putting on shows for other groups from other towns, and piecing together the scratch to make a record or tour themselves every once in a while. I wanted to know about the bands where YOU are, the bands that don’t have a reach beyond their Facebook or Bandcamp page and the string of small venues they play on weekends.
This is not meant as a slight against any of these groups, this is how they become the ones we drool over on these pages. This is Skeletonwitch gigging around in tiny Athens, Ohio before turning themselves into relentless road warriors until finally headlining their own kick ass tours. This is Mastodon meeting at a local High on Fire gig and deciding to get together and jam before going on to become the brainy prog metal icons of our time. Hell, this is Metal Skool going from playing dead Monday nights on the Sunset Strip to transforming into Steel Panther and touring with Judas Priest. I’m sure there are countless other examples… because it’s how every band we listen to made good.
Here’s how this will work:
- The writers and commenters here at the Toilet will listen to your submissions and determine the best unsigned band in each state.
- We will give every state-winner a feature on Toilet ov Hell where we highlight what makes them the best in the state.
- When all 50 states are accounted for, we’re throwing all of them into a bracket and determining the best unsigned band in the USA (and by extension, the greatest state in the union).
Instructions:
- If you want to nominate a band, leave a comment below with the band, the state, a place to listen to the music and WHY you think they’re the best band in the state.
- If you want to submit your band, email us at toiletovhell@gmail.com. In the subject line, include the state you hail from. In the body, give us a link to a place where we can stream your tunes.
- Are you an unsigned band that plays some form of metal/punk/experimental? Submit! If you’re the only band on your buddy Todd’s record label, you can still submit. If your band sucks, don’t submit!
What’s left to say? Help us find the best unknown band in the US! We’re ready to drink from the firehose!
