My first exposure to Colorado’s The Velveteers came at Download 2022 and they won more than a few hearts that day with their powerful sound. This tenacious trio have a magnetic charisma that has gained them admirers in Guns ‘N’ Roses and Smashing Pumpkins (to name but two high profile fans) and have left a trail of smoked stages in their wake. Album number two, A Million Knives, proves their debut was no fluke and finds the band sharpening their sound to a razor blade point and is another sure step towards global domination.

With their two drummer attack, The Velveteers are a hard band to ignore and they ensure that opening track ‘All These Little Things’ rampages from the speakers with some force. When I first saw Jonny Fig and Baby Pottersmith beating the skins, their synchronicity kind of freaked me out. Like the twins from The Shining, they seemed to have extrasensory perception and hit those drums in perfect harmony. It is from their tribal rhythms that the band derive much of their power and it’s the perfect backdrop for Demi Demitro’s guitar and vocals. In combination the three create a sound that’s far bigger than their constituent parts, yet there’s plenty of light to temper the band’s shade, namely Demi’s ethereal vocals which provide a necessary counterweight, but there’s denying the band’s sheer force and when they all lock in together they create a punch that could swing with Sabbath (and possibly win).

Being led by a pair of drummers gives The Velveteers plenty of opportunity to play with rhythm and that makes A Million Knives a constantly revolving affair. Subsequently, we get an insanely catchy disco groove on ‘Bound In Leather’, the white hot indie blast of ‘Go Fly Away’ alongside the pugnacious and punky ‘Suck The Cherry’. However, they also understand that sometimes less is more and insert huge white spaces that act as a foil to highlight and enhance the loud. It means that A Million Knives never becomes staid and no matter which way you turn, there’s a monster of a track to stare you down.

I wouldn’t be surprised if we see The Velveteers at Download again, next time as headliners.

• A Million Knives is released via Easy Eye Sound on 14th February 2025.
• Official Website | Facebook | Instagram | X | YouTube Channel

Track List:

1. All These Little Things
2. Suck The Cherry
3. See Your Face
4. Bound In Leather
5. On And On
6. Sweet Little Hearts
7. A Million Knives
8. Moonchild
9. Take It From The Top
10. Go Fly Away
11. Up Here
12. Heaven
13. Fix Me