Hitman Fire Hard and Don’t Miss in Frenetic New Spin

The heavy scene in Canada is absolutely blowing up, guys! Every time I turn around, there’s something new and exciting coming out of The Great White North. Case in point: HITMAN. This may be your first ride with the high-octane stoner rockers, but it’s not the Nova Scotia band’s first trip ‘round the racetrack, by any means. Following their promising start in 2013, Whiskey Downfall, the band released The Preacher in 2014.   Now Doomed & Stoned is proud to bring you the world premiere of The Offering (Side 1).

Technically, this is the first side of the record, with the second side coming at us sometime in the near future. We don’t have to wait, though, because Side I stands quite well on its own merits. I’m reminded of Down’s Purple EP which came at us in two waves, as well. It’s not a bad point of comparison, actually, because Hitman’s The Offering (Side 1) is gritty, hard-hitting, and accessible, with a nice southern sludge aftertaste. Certainly, fans of Orange Goblin and Corrosion of Conformity will find plenty of sustenance here.

“We’ve poured our heart, souls (and wallets) into this project,” the band tells us, “and along with our amazing studio team are excited to bring you the first EP that feels truly representative of our band. We’re a stoner band who drinks too much and loves to party. Basically we just want fans to enjoy the music and live shows as much as we enjoy making the tunes and performing.”

There’s a hell of a lot of enjoy here, too, from the rambunctious opener ("Curtain Call”) to its rifftastic finisher (“Enchanted Wizard - Hail The Outro”). In between, there’s lots to love, like the smasher “Under The Weight” (my personal fav) and “Nero” (which was the first single to drop earlier this year). I just can’t get over how those dueling guitars sing. It’s a beautiful thing! Jordan “Sheriff” Rose (vocals), Corey Norman (guitar), Sylvain Coderre (drums), and Andrew Coutts (bass) are out to have fun and that spark of electricity is felt through the entire runtime.

Bottom line, The Offering (Side 1) is a fun, fiery, out-and-out rager that will keep you fueled for miles on the open road in these last days of summer (and beyond). It releases just in time for the weekend on September 14th and you can pre-order it here.

Give ear…

Some Buzz

Playing an energetic brand of stoner metal guaranteed to get your blood pumping and headbanging, Hitman have been unleashing their unique whiskey rock assault since 2011. Located in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, they have been gaining notoriety by playing hundreds of gigs along with festivals plus Rob Halford of Judas Priest supported the band by wearing a Hitman T-shirt onstage during a performance in Halifax in 2015. Talk about great exposure!

Sylvain Coderre (drums) started the project initially and reached out to long time friend Jordan Rose (vocals) to see if he’d be interested in fronting the band, who was followed by Andrew Coutts (bass). A week before their debut tour the band found themselves short on members so Corey Norman (guitars) stepped in, learned the setlist in a week, they hit the road with the solidified lineup.

With musical influences ranging from Black Sabbath to Pantera to Sleep, Hitman coins themselves as high energy, whiskey infused and stoner rock keen on punching out hard rock riffs.

In 2013, Hitman performed at the inaugural Maritime Metal and Hard Rock Fest in Nova Scotia, Canada and released their debut EP “Whiskey Downfall”. In 2014, they returned to the festival as headliners and dropped the second EP “The Preacher” which was re-released in 2015 with a bonus track. Continuing on this momentum, Hitman won their way to play at Warped Tour 2016 in New York through contest held by Live 105 FM. That year they also returned to headline the Maritime Metal and Hard Rock Fest again. With 3 EPs under their bullet belts, they continue to conjure a blend of stoner rock that is both familiar and fresh. With new music in the cauldron, “The Offering: Side 1” EP planned for release in 2018 followed by “The Offering: Side 2” in 2019, Hitman is poised to continue proving why they are one of Canada’s best up and coming acts.