Hard Chiller Band

Hard Chiller is a musical project formed by Steve Choi (RX Bandits / The Sound of Animals Fighting) and Joe Vannucchi (From Indian Lakes). Hard Chiller is an outlet for the duo's lifetime of musical consumption and inspiration. The project's debut EP, Heavy Cell, showcases a constant theme of juxtaposition. The EP skillfully blends old and new, pretty and dark, hard and chill. Choi and Vannucchi knew instinctively that they would lean into what makes them feel good to hear and play in this project. The result is a sound that is both heavy and dreamy, dense yet light. Rounded out by Casey Deitz (The Velvet Teen) on drums and Roger Camero (The Warriors, No Motiv) on bass, their debut EP is out June 28th on Born Losers Records.

Heavy Cell EP:

Full length coming soon. Updates below from Joe Vann:
9/11/24: I just finished writing the vocals on a full Hard Chiller album.

12/13/24: In the meantime, a Hard Chiller record is being mixed/mastered and should be out early next year. It is really good, and really heavy. We signed with Wassermann and will definitely be playing shows. I am pumped for everyone to hear it. It has been a great way for me to scratch an itch in a different sonic space than my career has led me to mostly. It's the type of stuff I listened to as a kid, but I get to sing over stuff that some insane musicians are writing.

1/24/25: The Hard Chiller record is mixed/mastered and off to be pressed. New music should be coming in the next couple months and then we will be playing shows.

 

Insane that there's an MXPX logo sticker and no ice cube one

 

Word

 

First Hard Chiller dates announced for this fall:

 

wish they were coming anywhere near me.

Are some members of HC also in TSOAF?

 

Yeah. Steve Choi

 

New album announced and a new single:

 

Nice been hyped for this one since they teased an album a while back, sounds great so far

 

Wow, great single

 

Love this new track, but hope the album versions of the EP songs are new recordings. I love that EP too, but would prefer something fresh especially with "Flowers" being the closer

 

I didn't even realize they threw all 4 of those songs on here... kinda lame.

 

Not going to hate on them for it, they're good songs, only about a year old, it's a common practice for a first album, and we still get 7 new ones.

 

on the bright side, at least you can get all their songs on one piece of wax now (if you're into that sorta thing)

 

I have the Clouds EP on vinyl and I already pre-ordered this one.

 

I'm really looking forward to seeing how these guys are live - I know they absolutely have the talent and musicianship, but Joe Vann is typically so reserved on stage the last few years that it's hard to imagine what his stage presence will be like in this type of band.

I have full faith in him/them though and am stoked for the rest of the album

 

I liked that EP but admittedly did not spend enough time with it to be exhausted by any stretch that the songs made the LP as well. Would be sick to hear them re-recorded though

 

From Joe's patreon on the new Hard Chiller single:

"I love this song, it reminds me of something on the hard rock stations in 2002 I would have heard in a car ride. My big sister would have put this on a burned cd for me.

When Choi sent this song to me, I was instantly inspired and finished it within a day or so. It was the first of the new songs that I was hyped on and it felt easy to write vocals on.

The only guitars on the entire album I tracked is the "solo" on this song after the first chorus. I heard it in my brain and did it in about 15 minutes. That's kind of how this project works.

I love the lyrics on this one too. Love using video game terms like "hit box" and all that. Very loose and fun. The rest of the record has some fun Elden Ring references and such."

 

The single is really cool, but I'd be interested to know what bands Joe is referencing in terms of "something on the hard rock stations in 2002" other than Deftones, because I want to listen to them.

this sure ain't System of a Down or Linkin Park.

Maybe it's just Deftones.

 

Maybe Finch or Smile Empty Soul