“Riff City. Equal parts hard rock and smoky stoner metal, Talons is practically made to destroy your speakers.”
METAL INJECTION

“Sidewinder came out of nowhere. A sophomore album from some New Zealand unknowns was not in my cards for a list-threatening endeavor, but Talons completely blindsided me. There is so much swagger in these 8 tracks, so much groove and attitude. The riffs are unstoppable, the vocals even more so. And the band makes it all sound so simple, so natural, fitting together so well yet including enough surprises and inventions it doesn’t get old fast. There may be too few great stoner bands, but with the release of Talons, Sidewinder has become one of them.”
ANGRY METAL GUY

“It’s got swathes of monumental grooves across the eight new songs, and you can sense the spirits of Church of Misery and Kyuss being summoned from the depths of wherever they may lie. […] If this is a sign of things to come, then I’m jumping on board the Sidewinder train.”
THE SLEEPING SHAMAN

“Talons is one of those albums that you can totally chill out to, immerse yourself in, and then just let the sound waves completely wash over you.”
METAL EPIDEMIC

“With a light, bluesy opening that gives way to crushing riffs, all the while being guided by a powerful, bluesy femme vocal, this is a unique and powerful track that’s as devastating as it is beautiful.”
NEW NOISE MAGAZINE

“Difficult second album? Not with this evidence.”
POWERPLAY MAGAZINE

“If you want an enticing mix of doom, psych, stoner, metal, blues with plenty of substantial riffs along route, then look no further than The Land of the Long White Cloud’s Sidewinder.” ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
MAXIMUM VOLUME MUSIC

“Even when things are quieter and more dreamy, the band knows how to impress. Their psychedelic blues almost puts them on par with genre veterans like Blues Pills or Jex Thoth, and while Sidewinder haven’t had a big hit yet, Talons could well be it.”
METAL HAMMER DE

“Talons is a bone-dry, stoner-doom-blues rocker which is a credit to the genre…” and is in no way inferior to the forefathers of the genre.” ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
METAL ONLY

“Talons’ is an album that with any luck will catapult the career of Sidewinder into the stratosphere.”
THE RAZOR’S EDGE

“Sidewinder is taking no prisoners with this one – a big sound through and through.”
DOOMED & STONED

“With the grungy elements of their sound dialled slightly back and the heavy blues elements ramped up to a respectable eleven, Sidewinder have, with Talons, made an album that is a true reflection of its title, a gripping tome with the ability to lift you up to unprecedented heights of enjoyment.”
DESERT PSYCHLIST

“Hear all that masterful drum work, that blistering resounding bass and those howling guitars. Such a freaking good album!”
STONERHIVE

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PRESS INFO:

Since their formation in Wellington back in 2021, NZ heavyweights Sidewinder have always summoned the biggest riffs and most monumental of grooves possible to carve their own path out from the underground.

In a short space of time, they’ve proven themselves to be an integral part of the burgeoning NZ hard rock/stoner scene and this summer they return to the fray with their eagerly anticipated follow-up to their 2022 debut, Vines.

Due for release this August, Talons is a breathtaking byproduct of their tight, high-energy performances and sold out shows with bands like Orange Goblin and Sasquatch. A swirling tempest of bluesy southern rock and grunge in keeping with the quintet’s heavyset approach to sonic exploration, it draws on influences that span decades, from the hard-driven strut of Kyuss to the spirited sensibilities of Church of Misery.

“We’re really excited for this album,” explains guitarist, Ben Sargent. “It’s a lot darker and heavier than our last. There are some monster riffs throughout, some great psych and doom sections and plenty of that eerie, swampy blues thing we do too.”

Featuring new vocalist Jem Tupe; guitarists Ben Sargent and Thomas Rousell, bassist Sean Fitzpatrick and drummer Grant Lister, Sidewinder is primed and ready to bring it all home in the most spectacular of fashions, with their, “wall of riff-heavy psych, with lashings of delta-blues”.

Produced by James Goldsmith (Beastwars, End Boss, Planet of the Dead) and mastered by Will Borza (Deftones, Smashing Pumpkins), just one listen to new single ‘Disarm the King’ showcases just how heavier, darker, and more powerful they’ve become.

“’Disarm the King’ is a hard hitting, high octane, riff driven song that draws a lot of influence from the Louisiana sludge scene. It’s something different that we’ve hinted at in the past, but a full send into that genre was long overdue.”

Talons is out now on Wyrmwood Records.

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