An increasing number of hard rock bands these days are consumed with being so different that they lose track of who they are and what style of music sells. The philosophy of trying to create music that is so unique and genre-free often results in a generic, manufactured sound, which leads to a lack of acceptance. On the contrary, EAT THE GUN, with their "easy on the ears" new album, "Howlinwood", knows exactly who they are and their target audience is everyone who likes good hard rock n' roll. Instead of trying to create a new genre, this band continues to write and record music that appeals to the masses and there's no question it's completely genuine.

EAT THE GUN, a powerful trio hailing from Germany and consisting of Hendrik Wippermann on vocals and guitar, Gereon "Gerry" Homann on drums, and Peter Bergmüller on bass, is worthy of any hard rock fan's attention. Although endless amounts of passion and talent are easily discernable throughout each release in ETG's catalog, "Howlinwood" is special. With an 11-song musical rollercoaster ride of radio friendly, finely crafted rock, their sound could best be described as an eclectic mixture of THE WHITE STRIPES and DANKO JONES, with the rhythmic infectious pop structure of FOO FIGHTERS.

This release is rich in straightforward, catchy hard rock with a tinge of punk-style riffs and beats. There are power chords and leads, anthem-style sing along moments, and choppy groove infused head-banging tendencies, as well as beautiful harmonic melodies and infectious choruses. When you strip back the layers of this trio, you get three extremely talented musicians; but what sets these guys apart is their songwriting prowess. At a time when the music industry is increasingly watered down, EAT THE GUN, with a fine collection of great songs, has the opportunity to make their way as far as their promotion team can take them. Any past successes they have acquired, and any future successes they achieve, will most definitely be attributed to their songwriting ability.

EAT THE GUN delivers a style of music, via "Howlinwood", that will satisfy a broad spectrum of hard rock fans and should be labeled "a band to watch" in the future.<