THE AMERICAN PLAGUE

"Yeah, it's like this," James "Jaw" Alexander says as he listens to the catchy title track from Heart Attack, the third full-length release from Tennessee rock trio The American Plague. "To me, this is what rock radio should be playing, not the bullshit that's on 90% of the time." Spend a few minutes with Alexander, bassist Dave Dammit and drummer Tilmon Navare, and it's obvious their reverence for rock's rich past is just as strong as their vision for its potential present. It's only fitting that Heart Attack would draw its influences from classic rock and earlier genres, including rootsy rock'n'roll that permeated the American music scene in the 50s and 60s. "I like singles," Alexander says. "I like loud guitars and songs with hooks in them. A lot of earlier rock groups had it right - they made their point in under three minutes, and then they got the hell out."
Released on Valentine's Day 2008 (2/14), Heart Attack is a culmination of hard work, frustration and introspection. The album contains some of the band's most recognizable music to date, thanks to a sonic lift from producer Ryan "Tater" Johnson, guitarist of native-Knoxville rockers and Universal / Republic recording artists 10 Years. Heart Attack sees the return of The American Plague's trademark post-apocalyptic bend on songwriting, present on several tunes like "Far & Away," "Last Drop" and "Animal Mother," but what may take fans by surprise is the peppier tracks. Rockers "Made In the Shade," "Heart Attack" and "Let It Roll" are semi-new territory for the band, although the familiar sonic weaving of Alexander, Dammit and Navare makes the songs feel like a perfect match. "I went through a lot of different emotions when I was writing this album," Alexander says. "We've all grown as musicians, as a unit and as individuals, and we weren't scared to let the writing take us places we hadn't been before." When asked if the new songs can hold their own against fan favorites like "Highwayman" (God Bless the American Plague, 2006) and "Past the Machine" (The American Plague, 2001), Alexander doesn't mince words. "This is the best one we've done, to date... and we ain't done yet."
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Recent reviews:
"THE AMERICAN PLAGUE give us Heart Attack and what a way to go. This is good old fashioned, 100% pure grain, down and dirty American rock’n’roll, and by the sound of it, you’re gonna die happy! Heavy rock at it’s best!"
- New York Waste
"[The American Plague] bring back back the mastercraft of hook-filled songs delivered in under three minutes... the pounding drums, wailing guitar and foot-stomping bass is the perfect soundtrack for rebellion as three-chord punk collides with retro rock in a compact space."
- The Cutting Edge
"[The American Plague] haven't lost anything off their punch. This southern-fried take on 70s hard rock (Kiss and AC/DC come to mind first, but the list is long) is highly addictive. And like anything with killer riffage and crackling drumwork, listening is always better when pinning the volume knob."
- Aiding and Abetting
"There's radio sheen all over this stuff but it's got a bit more kick than the majority of music you're going to hear on the modern rock idiot box. The Hellacopters' By the Grace of God comes to mind with shades of AC/DC, early 90's Social Distortion and even 80's hair metal. Hard driving energy flows suite in the blood of like minded body rockers including the title track and the instantly ear-catching "Animal Mother" ... [The American Plague] nail the full house with "Servant's Day", which is nothing more than full on 80's power pop with a rock n' roll edge that delivers a chorus that I can't get out of my head ... it's just an extremely well done pop song with better hooks and better guitar work than anything toting a multi-million dollar contract these days. And answer me honestly ... who can't relate to a song that echoes the woes of working for the man 24/7?"
- Hellride Music
"...a stealthy hard-rock antennae into the post-AC/DC American bar band scene. Melodic vocals, coasting guitar riffs, and naughty breakdowns give The American Plague some boasting rights."
- Smother Magazine
"Whatever happened to classic rock 'n' roll? In at least one case it's still alive and well in Knoxville. The American Plague's new album Heart Attack is new music that channels the spirits of great rock 'n' roll bands from the Flamin' Groovies to Lynyrd Skynyrd to AC/DC to a certain rock band that takes it name after Music City and a part of the female anatomy ... the group's songs are about the time-tested stuff: Love, sex, bad attitudes, lousy jobs and the valiant attempt to have a good time whatever the cost. When the band launches into "I Can Relate" or the title cut, you can just feel the brain cells happily snuffing it, even without the beer."
- Knoxville News Sentinel
"The American Plague ditch the heavy-throttle leather-and-chains metal-punk in favor of fat grooves and blistering blues licks on their new album, Heart Attack... [it] isn’t a departure, but it does increase the ratio of shout-along hooks to barreling riffs, with a distinct bias for radio- and stadium-friendly choruses."
- Metro Pulse
"...Heart Attack is the sound of a band cutting away the fat — trimming down to a lean, mean, rock 'n' roll machine that plans on emptying both barrels of its musical shotgun into the face of fans and critics alike."
- The Daily Times
"Classic rock with a twist... 'Made in the Shade,' with its great rock 'n roll guitar riffs, and 'Last Drop,' with its terrific backbeat and catchy vocals, stand out..."
- The Celebrity Cafe
"The American Plague have returned with a third installment of RAWK to add to their already brilliant discography. The new disc is entitled Heart Attack and it brings us back to the times when Rock was Rock and it was really fun to turn on the radio."
- Black Angel Promotions
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