With the small yet burgeoning local music scene sweeping the city, Loudness War stands out from the rest with its garage rock sound.
Finance junior Matthew Urquhart and mass communication junior Stevie Spring both sing and play guitar, with junior information technology major Quinn Tull on bass and Ryan Welsh on drums.
The foursome met in high school, when they all attended St. Michael in south Baton Rouge. Urquhart explained they all played together at school, but Spring and Urquhart were the ones who wrote the material that eventually became the first album. The group learned the songs and began playing together about two and a half years ago.
Loudness War’s music can be defined as guitar driven.
“The guitars are very distorted; there’s lots of fuzz and we play very heavy riffs,” Urquhart said. “We try to write melodic vocal lines that are slightly inspired by psychedelic music. [Loudness War] is somewhere between psychedelic rock and doom metal.”
Loudness War is different than metal acts because of its melodies and songwriting. “Garage rock versus heavy metal is similar to the difference between Pantera and Nirvana,” Urquhart said. “Some riffs we play could be metal, but we have more melodic singing rather than the vocals typically seen in heavy metal.”
The band’s name comes from a recording industry term for how modern music is mastered at a louder level. Urquhart came across the term and said he felt it was a good fit for the band that is an accurate description of its overall sound, giving people an idea of what’s in store at their shows.
Spring and Urquhart write most of the songs.
“We don’t collaborate; it’s more of one of us making a demo and we record all the parts and then learn it if it’s good,” Spring said.
The band has made a home for itself in Baton Rouge; they group frequents the Spanish Moon and have done shows at the Atomic Pop Shop, The Varsity and many house parties.
One of their favorite shows to date was a party they hosted at their old house called “Warfair.” Loudness War has also performed at places in Lafayette and in New Orleans at various venues including many alternative bars.
Loudness War has definitely grown over the past few years, with their fair share of good and bad shows.
“Our worst show ever was in our early band days, on a rainy day in the middle of the week at The Library, where only my sister and her friend showed up,” Tull said. “But the bartender liked us, and came to one of our later shows at the Spanish Moon with his girlfriend so that was pretty cool and it wasn’t totally useless.”
“Regardless of the turn out, you still have to go out there and give the performance your all,” Urquhart said.
The final song on the band’s new album called “Rut” is, according to them, one of the most fun to play and is well-received by crowds because of the extended psychedelic jam at the end.
“Normally songs are two minutes and very succinct with definite parts and no improvisation beyond the occasional guitar solo, but when we close with this big improv jam, people really like it,” Urquhart said.
“We always say we’re going to do a tour,” Urquhart laughs. “But that’s not really my area of expertise. The ‘other’ band stuff is much harder. The main focus of the band right now is about writing more songs and making more music that is better than the last.”
“It’s hard to set up a tour and have it be successful,” Spring added. “Writing songs is just one aspect, there’s this social aspect that we still have yet to get our foot in the door.”
Yet, the band has local notoriety. They have played most popular venues in Baton Rouge and often team up with other local acts like Hydra Plane and Slounge.
The music scene of Baton Rouge includes many bands, but Loudness War brings garage rock to the forefront where others do not. “There are heavy metal groups but not a lot doing garage rock,” Urquhart said. “We have metal elements and are very loud and heavy, but we are not a heavy metal band.”
The band’s discography includes two albums and an EP. Loudness War’s third album, “The Miser,” dropped April 21 with 10 new tracks after the band went a year and a half without releasing music.
There was a release party April 22 at The Parlor for the new record. Loudness War was joined by special guest Hydra Plane.
The new album cover is equal parts cool and intriguing. It was taken in someone’s backyard and is intended to depict a mysterious figure floating and holding himself up by a guitar.
“It’s very green and wooded and slightly mysterious with maybe a medieval vibe,” Urquhart said.
Spring added, “It’s not a concept album, just about the music and how it sounds.”
Urquhart said he wants people to think, “That was sick!” after the show and leave with their ears ringing.
“I want people to have fun,” Urquhart said. “We try to give energetic live performances to get people into it and moving around.”
Loudness War has carved its place into Baton Rouge music, with a growing scene of people who are getting into their specific sound, leading to better shows and music.
Their long-awaited album “The Miser” can be heard on Bandcamp.
Local garage rock band Loudness War will be releasing their third album, "The Miser," on April 21.
