Atom Driver (not to be confused with actor Adam Driver) is a band I’ve been following for quite a while, and it’s high time I featured them on this blog. The Brunswick, New Jersey-based trio play post-hardcore noise rock that’s loud, frantic and fun, and I defy anyone to keep still while listening to their music. Formed in 2016, the band consists of Mark Segal on guitar and vocals, Justin Ingstrup on bass, and Mike Polilli on drums. All three are seasoned musicians, having previously played with a number of New Jersey bands. In their own words, Atom Driver was “culled from the wreckage of three local faves: Buzzkill, Boss Jim Gettys and Good Clean Fun.”

They like to produce EPs with five tracks, and released two in 2017 – Slackjaw and In the West – both of which are absolute bangers. Two weeks ago (late January 2019) they returned with another kick-ass EP Here They Come, the Hornets, serving up 13 minutes of noise rock mayhem for our listening pleasure. They get right down to business with the hard-rocking “Give Up the Ghost“. Segal delivers thrashing riffs that rip through the airwaves, while Ingstrup lays down a solid foundation with his crushing bass lines and Polilli pounds the crap out of his drum kit. Segal practically screams the refrain “Waiting to exhale. It’s time that you give up the ghost!”

We’re scarcely able to catch our breath before they’re back at us with chugging riffs of gnarly guitars, buzzing bass and an avalanche of crashing cymbals on “Vultures“. These guys are beasts on their respective instruments, giving new meaning to the term ‘noise rock’ as they launch into “Damn Mr. Pluto“, a grungy punk rock-ish head banger. Segal’s furious riffs are jaw-dropping as he shreds his guitar nearly to the breaking point – this man can play guitar! Ingstrup’s funky bass riffs are hot as hell, and Polilli beats his drums like a wild man. I can’t quite make out the lyrics Segal is singing, but who cares really, as it all sounds fantastic.

It seems the guys are gonna slow things down a bit with the fourth track “We Are Whalers“. It starts off with a quiet little acoustic guitar riff, leading us to guess that perhaps we’re in for a gentle ballad, but at 0:14 seconds, the song explodes into a barrage of raging guitars and speaker-blowing percussion that continue for the rest of the track. It’s a delicious slice of exhilarating rock’n’roll confection, with strong punk elements. They close the EP on a tumultuous note with the bombastic “A Bunch of 5’s“, providing ample proof these guys are here to rock!

Here They Come, the Hornets is a terrific little EP that packs a helluva punch in its 13 minutes. If you’re a fan of guitar-driven and high-energy rock, you will like this EP. As for me, I love Atom Driver’s music, and hope they keep making more of it for us to rock out to.

Those of you in the New Jersey area can catch them at this upcoming show:

Thursday, Feb 28    Roxy And Dukes   Dunellen, NJ

Connect with Atom Driver on Facebook / Twitter / Instagram
Stream their music on Spotify / Google Play
Purchase on Bandcamp / iTunes