Knocked Loose is easily one of my favorite bands because of their energy both on record and live. They have a distinct sound that anyone can recognize (mainly Bryan Garris’ voice), but also their heavy hitting riffs. Immediately when you listen to them, it’s like they are in your face and barking at you. They don’t hold anything back on any of their songs. There has been some debate on what genre they are and people have different reasons to justify both. Some believe they are a metalcore band, while others believe that they are a hardcore band. I can see how they could be considered both – either hardcore or metalcore – because of their sound. I would argue that they are metalcore because of Garris’ vocals, but I would say that they are hardcore because of their chunky 2-step riffs. Now, people disagree with me and that’s okay, this is simply my opinion.
Granted, I have no idea what any genre any band is for 3 reasons: one, there are too many sub-genres of music. Two, the technicality of what qualifies a band as a particular genre is baffling and confusing. And three, I really don’t care what genre any band is. If it’s heavy, then I like it. When I play Knocked Loose during my set, I play them in my hardcore (The Meat Grinder) simply because they fit the overall sound of that set more than my metalcore (Diamond Cuts) set. But putting genres aside, in the scene, we can agree that Knocked Loose is awesome and no matter what genre they are, you can jam out to it and have a good time.
Knocked Loose is from Oldham County, Kentucky, formed in 2013 and are currently signed to Pure Noise Records. They released their first studio EP, Pop Culture, in 2014. They also did a split release with Damaged Goods on No Luck Records. And in 2016, the band dropped their first full length titled, Laugh Tracks. They released their second full length in 2019 titled, A Different Shade of Blue. You can hear the evolution of the band just by listening to their music; primarily on their newest record. Their sound is angrier and darker, which I really like. They still have their signature breakdowns and Garris’ very familiar voice.
They have gotten a lot of attention, here, recently, and for good reason. They have been on stacked line-ups such as tours with A Day to Remember, Every Time I Die, Parkway Drive, and Thy Art is Murder. They have also been on a few Warped Tours and also played a handful of festivals. I got to see them when they played at Epicenter in Rockingham, NC last May. If you haven’t seen them live, I definitely recommend that you do. They sound the same live and their energy will wear you the hell out.
Knocked Loose is one of my mom’s favorite bands, too; after she got into a fender bender and her tooth got knocked loose. She was laughing at the fact that she used their band name and it was accurate! She finally got to see them at Cat’s Cradle in Carrboro last month and she was not disappointed.
Members:
Bryan Garris – Vocalist
Cole Crutchfield – rhythm guitar, and backup vocals
Isaac Hale – lead guitar, and backup vocals
Kevin Otten – Bass
Kevin Kaine – Drums
Favorite songs: Guilded By the Moon, Forget Your Name, All My Friends, Separate, and Counting Worms
Have you seen Knocked Loose? What are some of your favorite songs?
Stay Metal,
THE SAW