The Best New Music by Colorado Musicians Released in January

It's a new year, and that means new music from Colorado creatives. Tune in to the latest offerings from January: From a fuzzed-out psychedelic-rock single and an extra-heavy dose of "nu-core" to an intoxicating pop song and new EPs, these releases showcase not just a wealth of local talent, but the diversity of sound coming from Denver and beyond.

Without further ado, here are some of the best releases from the first month of 2024:

Mind Incision
“Torn”
After coming together in 2022, Mind Incision has consistently dropped singles, particularly leading up to its debut show earlier this month at the Bluebird Theater. In preparation, the group started the year with new song “Torn,” shared on January 5 via Music Gallery International, as part of a dual release alongside “Tattered” (December 29).

Mind Incision — which comprises Jason Neil (vocals), Jon Maggard and Kyle Loucks (guitars), Aeon Cruz (bass), and Kelly Morse (drums) — traces its roots back to late-1990s nu-metal and early 2000s metalcore. The members, who have experience in former local bands such as Arcanium and Less Than Under, like to call what they’re doing “nu-core,” and don’t lean too heavily one way or the other.

“Torn” is more of a mid-tempo banger, but it still shows what Mind Incision is all about.

Pink Fuzz
“Ain’t No Friend”
Ever gotten the urge to just saddle up, rattle and roll down a desert highway on a chopper, hot wind blowing in the heat, and leave all your problems in the rearview mirror? If so, holler “Hell, yeah, brother!”

Or you can just listen to “Ain’t No Friend,” the latest single from Denver desert rockers Pink Fuzz (released January 5 via Speed Demon Records), and daydream at your desk about cosplaying as a free-spirited biker.

With brother-and-sister duo John and Lulu Demitro, along with drummer Forrest Raup, Pink Fuzz has become the Mile High equivalent of Queens of the Stone Age since forming in 2017. Showcasing Lulu's hypnotic vocals and John's fuzzy guitar tone, “Ain’t No Friend” is a tripped-out psychedelic tune that goes full throttle from start to finish.

Draghoria
“Nadir”

Greeley thrash band Draghoria has been around for over a decade and shows no signs of slowing down, as evidenced by "Nadir," the single the five-piece dropped on January 5, from new EP Asunder (January 19 via Natu Productions).

The group’s penchant for breakneck speed, including soaring solos, is on full display across “Nadir,” offering a perfect preview of what can be expected from Asunder, the followup to 2022 album Dangerous Species.

While there have been some lineup changes over the years, Draghoria currently includes Ben Riggs on vocals, Ron Carrillo on lead guitar, John Colucco on bass, Alex Carrillo on drums and Ryan Nevins on second guitar.

Empire Demolition
Defenestration

The two words that best describe Defenestration — the debut EP from Denver trio Empire Demolition, which the band released independently on January 12 — are “pure chaos.”

Clocking in at just under twenty minutes, the five songs that make up the incendiary EP draw heavily from the playbooks of scathing grindcore groups such as Napalm Death and Portrayal of Guilt.

Formed in 2022, Empire Demolition is the musical coalescence of Justin Redington (vocals and bass), Kendrick Lemke (guitar and vocals) and Nicholas Herrera (drums). Lemke and Herrera played in bands together in Florida up until 2017, then resumed their musical partnership in Colorado at the end of 2021. Redington rounded out the trio, which had only hit the stage live once, at a print shop in Lakewood, before its release show at the hi-dive this month.

Hollow Head
“I Can See You”

Denver’s Hollow Head, originally a folk-rock duo featuring Michigan transplants Jimmy Adame and Elliott Miller, is now a full-fledged alternative-rock band. With the additions of multi-instrumentalists Ian Gerrard and John Baldwin, the group is readying the release of its self-titled sophomore album by sharing the first single, “I Can See You,” independently on January 17.

In describing the record, which comes out in May, Hollow Head proclaims it "a rock album” inspired by the grunge explosion.

“This album is a testament to our goals as musicians and music lovers,” the band shares. “We recorded the entire album with our audio engineer, Andy Reed of the Verve Pipe, in six days in an Airbnb in Fairplay with the goal of making an honest, instrumentally minimal, cohesive rock album that is reminiscent of a musical revolution once found in ’90s grunge.”

Benton Crane
“Invisible Child”

Boulder independent music maker Benton Crane plans to stick to his ambitious New Year’s resolution of releasing one new song each month until August. He kicked off 2024 by sharing “Invisible Child” on January 23.

A “powerful anthem for the millennial generation,” as it’s being described, the indie-rock song is Crane — who also co-founded Alabama jam band Ice Station Zebra — further declaring and celebrating his individuality as an artist.

“With this song, I am striving for a sound that feels unapologetically genuine as I step into myself as an artist,” he says. “Even if that means my art isn't for everyone, I want to convey the message: ‘This is who I am, take it or leave it.’”

Probes
You Were Gone
Probes started as a pandemic project between three friends — Matt Rinehart (bass), Matt Lamoureaux (vocals) and David Saylor (drums) — who were just looking to kill some time until they could hit the stage again together in previously established bands such as Chew Thru and Voideater.

But the sludgy noise they managed to create took hold, and the trio just released its fourth EP, You Were Gone (January 26), in as many years. Like the ones before it, You Were Gone features three songs of distorted dissonance, including the six-minute-plus “birthdeathday.”

While the record is out this month, Probes is prepping for a proper release show on February 2 at the recently reopened HQ.
Grace DeVine
"Faded Film"
If there's one thing Grace DeVine guarantees, it's serving phenomenal pop ballads with thought-provoking, earnest lyrics. After releasing the dreamy EP Taste of Heaven in September, the Denver-based singer-songwriter is keeping the hits coming with her song "Faded Film," which she released January 19. The soaring single is layered and anthemic, maintaining the nostalgic yet hopeful tone evoked by DeVine's powerful pipes. With the release, DeVine continues to prove her artistry as a pop star to keep your eyes and ears on.

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