Nearly a year ago today, Philadelphia power trio No Stayer released their debut EP, Rogue, on a very limited cassette pressing via über-local, tape-only Philly label Suicide Bong. (Don’t worry, digital copies are available on Bandcamp). Don’t be fooled by the Zdzisław Beksiński artwork on the cover, though; this is a power-trio fully content to bring back the old-school sounds of heavy metal.

While No Stayer is primarily reminiscent of a Motörhead / Black Sabbath hybrid, a crusty punk influence also spills into the mix, thanks to a terrific mastering job from Brad Boatright of From Ashes Rise. Indeed, the band came out a bit ahead of the curve, delivering powerful, classic sounds well before 2015—which I’ve dubbed “The Year of Heavy Metal’s Return.” But unfortunately, the band’s “devil may care” punk attitude ultimately kept Rogue off the radar screens of many of the big publications and release lists, but they’ve lain some terrific groundwork for material to follow. (Should they ever decide to issue a full-length, that is…)

So far this year, we’ve seen bands like Speedtrap, Night Demon, Visigoth and Crypt Sermon embracing a wide variety of influences from heavy metal’s roots. No Stayer beat them all to the punch, though, and fits right into that landscape. It’s a perfect recreation of the old school with modern punk influences. If you missed out before, it’s time to catch yourself up.

-Manny-O-War