ASG - Dream Song

If you're unfamiliar with the skating or surfing scenes, or never played the Splatterhouse remake from around 2011 all the way through to the end credits, you might be thinking: "ASG? Who on earth are they?"

Well, let me tell you, friend, these North Carolinians have been knocking around the underground metal scene for over two decades now, quietly putting out some of the most brutal and beautiful riffs your eardrums have ever had the pleasure of experiencing. And it's not just the music that's impressive; they're also one of those bands that vibes like they'd rather be stuck in a mosh pit than posing for a fashion magazine (which, let's be real, is exactly where rock and roll was always meant to live).

Their sound is a masterful blend of Southern sludge, stoner rock, and good old-fashioned riffage. It's the kind of music that'll transport you to a dimly lit barroom deep in the South, whiskey-soaked patrons headbanging along to the beat. And yet, somehow, they manage to pack in enough melody to make it genuinely catchy. Think "Crazy Train" crashing into High on Fire at full speed.

Now, I know what you're thinking: "Who needs this much distortion and fuzz?" If your answer is a resounding "not me," then I'm afraid we have nothing further to discuss. But for those of us who crave something crunchy and catchy on this fine mid-March Friday, ASG is precisely what the doctor ordered (please note that the staff at RSOTW are not medically trained professionals)

Which brings us to our track of the week. "Dream Song" is the second track on their 2008 album Win Us Over, and it somehow manages to be a standout even on an already rock-solid record. And yes, it was deployed to glorious effect over the closing credits of the Splatterhouse remake ... offering you a rare and slightly embarrassing insight into what I was doing about 15 years ago.