Top 5 On Friday – Planet Desert Rock (5 more bands to be excited about!)
Welcome to another segment of the Top 5 On Friday’s special Planet Desert Rock series. As we loom closer (less than a month away!) to the festival weekend, I have two more segments to post. You can read about the journey from the past three posts about Planet Desert Rock here (part 1, part 2, and part 3). Well, there have been some interesting changes to the show’s lineup since the initial announcement earlier this year. As one would might expect, several bands had to drop off the bill, but suitable replacements were swiftly found. I am going to cover five more bands that you should be excited about seeing at this year’s event. Next Friday, I will discuss the final six bands that are scheduled to perform. As the days move along, I find myself getting more excited for the Planet Desert Rock Weekend. I have been busy trying to listen and absorb as much music from some of the bands that I am least familiar with. So here are five bands that I am most definitely looking forward to seeing in Las Vegas.
FREEDOM HAWK
Freedom Hawk was one of the first bands added to this year’s event. They are a heavy, psychedelic, hard rock band from Virginia Beach, Virginia. Formed in 2003 byT.R. Morton on guitars and vocals, Mark Cave on bass, Brendan O’Neil on guitars, and Lenny Hines on drums, Freedom Hawk are a classic staple band in the heavy underground music scene. Their discography includes: 2008’s Sunlight, 2009’s Self Titled, 2011’s Holding On, 2015’s Into Your Mind, 2018’sBeast Remains, and 2022’s Take All You Can. I saw the band perform live once when they opened for 1000 Mods, on their last US tour a couple of years back. They are a great live band that I need to familiarize myself with more of. For one reason or another, Freedom Hawk has somehow slipped through the cracks for me, in terms of exposure. I have been listening to their stuff recently and they are a legit, great band!
https://freedomhawk.bandcamp.com
https://www.facebook.com/share/1PiC3g6Fdp/?mibextid=wwXIfr
BLACK WATER RISING
Black Water Rising is a hard driving heavy rock band from Brooklyn, New York. The quartet consists of Rob Traynoron on vocals and guitar,Johnny Fattoruso on guitar, Mike Meselsohn on drums, and Oddie Mclaughlin on bass. They have released a Self Titled album in 2008, followed by 2013’s Pissed And Driven, 2017’s Electrified, and their latest, 2025’s The Edge (review here). Black Water Rising is a great band that I have been digging since discovering them, this past summer. They have played at Planet Desert Rock in the past and I have no doubt that they will be fantastic for this year’s extravaganza.
https://blackwaterrising.bandcamp.com/music
https://www.facebook.com/share/1CmebFUvBL/?mibextid=wwXIfr
THE QUILL
When Sweden’s Huanastone cancelled out, I was very excited when John Gist recruited The Quill to fill in their spot from Sweden. I have been a big fan of The Quill for over two decades now. The current lineup consists of Magnus Ekwall on vocals, Christian Carlson on guitars, Roger Nilsson on bass, and George ‘Jolle’ Atlagic on drums.Their album discography includes: 1995’s Self Titled, 1999’s Silver Haze, 2002’s Voodoo Caravan, 2003’s Hooray! It’s A Deathtrip, 2006’s In Triumph, 2011’s Full Circle, 2013’s Tiger Blood, 2017’s Born From Fire, 2021’s Earthrise, 2022’s Live, New, Borrowed, Blue, and 2024’s Wheel of Illusion (review here). The band also released a reissue of In Triumph (Deluxe Edition) in 2025 (review here). The band has only been to the United States one other time over ten plus years ago for a west coast tour. I am super excited to seeThe Quill perform live and experience their amazing sound full on.
https://www.facebook.com/share/17eBZzhqye/?mibextid=wwXIfr
PARALYZED
Paralyzed is a German hard rock band that formed in 2019. Their sound is a mix of hard driven blues, vintage seventies rock, and elements of stoner. The quartet consists of Michael Binder on vocals and lead guitar, Caterina Böhner on organ and rhythm guitar, Philipp Engelbrecht on bass, and Florian Thiele on drums. They have released four full length albums including: 2019’s Hidden Sun, 2021’s Self Titled, 2022’s Heavy Road, and their latest, 2025’s Rumble & Roar (review here). Rumble & Roar came out on Ripple Music on May 9th and it’s fantastic! I was psyched when they were announced to play this year’s festival.
https://paralyzedband.bandcamp.com
https://www.facebook.com/share/1AapgoXqz2/?mibextid=wwXIfr
FAMILIARS
When Canada’s MOOCH dropped out of the event, the great white north’s vacant spot was filled by the Familiars. I had never heard of them before and started listening to their releases. They have an interesting sound of good hard rock with psychedelic and folk influences, with low and smooth vocals. The band members include Kevin Vansteenkiste, Jared MacIntyre, Anton Babych, and Aaron Goldstein. Their releases include: 2014’s Self Titled EP, 2016’s Migration EP, 2017’s This Water That is Warm (I Will Soon Join) EP, 2020’s All In Good Time, 2023’s Keep The Good Times Rolling EP, and 2024’s Easy Does It. I definitely need to spend more time listening to them but they do have a cool vibe and sound about them that is quite appealing.
https://familiarsmusic.bandcamp.com/music
https://www.facebook.com/share/17qaXPRcmb/?mibextid=wwXIfr
Well, that wraps up another segment of the Planet Desert Rock Weekend Festival report. Next week, the final six bands will be covered. Thanks for reading and I am so looking forward to this event! I have been excited about this all year now and in less than a month away, I will be immersed in some of the best heavy underground rock music ever. For tickets, please visit the link right here:
Freedom Hawk is one of my favorites. Less than one month to binge all this music ! Had The Quill on while reading this. Look forward to meeting up with you at this event.
Yes, I am super excited for all four nights of awesome music! I look forward to meeting you too, Chris. It’s gonna be a great time!