The Metal Byrds - Lights Out But the Sparks Back On

But from having no rock aspirations, that all changed when guitarist Sly Rye threw a party, and started blasting out some Guns N’ Roses. As she sang along - he stared, she shrugged, but it was the spark that lit the fuse.  What followed was a fast friendship, a pile of half‑forgotten riffs, and the beginnings of a band that blends grunge nostalgia with heavy, riff‑driven modern rock, blending Suzanne’s teenage soundtrack of Bush, Stone Temple pilots and the Chili Peppers with Sly’s classic record collection of Black Sabbath, Beatles and Elvis. He pushes the band heavier; she pushes them darker culminating in a perfect mix of raw riffage and moody atmosphere—stoner, doom, alt, grunge, all colliding together in three and a half minute tracks.

The Metal Byrds have just put out their latest album “Lights Out”.  An album that began with more of pop‑punk leaning akin to Green Day, but soon changed due to life events.  Suzanne suffered a major injury, was out of work, and sank into a long stretch of depression.

“You can see my mood in the whole album… it kind of got darker and darker.”  At one point she nearly quit music entirely. But Sly kept pushing, eventually reigniting that spark and what was once intended as their swan song (as the title “lights out” suggests) instead became a turning point, and much to their surprise has become one of their most‑played releases.

Onstage, Metal Birds are chaotic, charismatic, and loud. Suzanne commands the room.  Sly throws his guitar behind his head; their drummer tries to sneak prog into everything, but the eyes are on the singer!  But live music is struggling in Texas post‑COVID, much as it is across the world.  Venues are closing, crowds less inclined to watch the smaller bands, so the Metal Byrds have leaned even harder into recording.  To the extent that whilst Lights Out is still fresh, the band have already completed seven or eight tracks from the next untitled album (Suzanne had proposed calling it the “The Silence” but this was vetoed immediately by the rest of the band)  Apparently it’s loud. It’s raucous. And it’s nearly here.  The light are very much still on!

“Lights Out” by Metal Byrds is out now, from Bandcamp and other download/streaming services.