Bear Bones Premiere “Waitin’ Around to Die”; Announce Self-Titled Debut
Posted in audiObelisk, Reviews on March 19th, 2025 by JJ Koczan
Bear Bones will make their self-titled debut in the coming months on New Heavy Sounds. “Waitin’ Around to Die” (premiering below) is the first single to come from the album, and for those unfamiliar with Townes Van Zandt‘s original version, I won’t spoil the codeine-laced ending to the track’s three-and-a-half-minute downer narrative, which Bear Bones have given a full heavy workup.
Before we go any futher, I kind of dig in here, and if you want to skip it and go to the song, scroll down. If you hit the blue PR text, you’ve gone too far. Thanks.
Now then. Yes, these are dudes with a pedigree. Vocalist Rob Hoey is/was in Limb, while bassist Peter Holland is in Elephant Tree, guitarist Alex Clarke plays in Morag Tong and drummer Marco Ninni hails from Swedish Death Candy, so everybody’s been around for a while, playing standout bands from one of the world’s most densely populated undergrounds: London’s. They know what they’re doing sound-wise, recorded with Wayne Adams at Bear Bites Horse, and indeed, Hoey and Holland — who reportedly were the driving force behind initiating the project — approach the album with a mission of bringing modern heavy to classic blues.
The PR wire below namedrops Vanilla Fudge and the analogy is just about perfect. In 1967, a bunch of dudes who’d been around in other bands got together and put out a record of rock arrangements that was mostly covers. When Carmine Appice and company did it, it was more contemporary songs — and I have to say, if Bear Bones wanted to take on The Supremes‘ “You Keep Me Hanging On” for their next record as Vanilla Fudge famously did, I’d consider it a personal favor — and one original. For the eight songs of Bear Bones‘ Bear Bones, the source material has shifted from pop to classic blues. Hank Williams‘ “Ramblin’ Man” follows with due burl and an irresistable roll such that they reprise it at the end of the album, albeit in more minimal fashion.
That is to say, the album ends with just Hoey and Holland singing the chorus of “Ramblin’ Man” (which isn’t to be confused with the Allman Brothers‘ song) with some rough recorded handclaps for backing. That in itself mirrors the end of side A, where “Hear the Wind Blow” (which has been done by Burl Ives, among a folk song’s slew of others) unfolds far off the microphone in everything but a line of organ. Ninni‘s drums, Clarke‘s guitar are there, but farther back. Holland‘s bass punches through some, and Hoey‘s vocal is accordingly subdued for the quieter presentation, but the whole thing shifts the atmosphere of the record to speak directly to old blues recordings, like something John Lomax taped Lead Belly playing. Folk blues, which the turn is correct in implying is no less heavy, albeit in a different way.
A start-stop strut and gutted-out verse from Hoey unfolds for “St. James Infirmary” (a blues traditional) as a setup for the chorus which brings Susie McMullan of Brume as the first of three successive guest appearances that continue across the next two tracks. Jack Dickinson of Stubb — it’s been a while, but those records are still great — steps in on guitar for “Goin’ Down” (done notably by Freddie King), and Scott Black of Green Lung burns a hole in the universe on “Ridin’ Out.”
If that seems like an incongruous image — cosmic scorch on a record so pointedly heavy blues in its intention and fresh in its interpretation — you’re right, it is. But “Ridin’ Out” is the only original cut on Bear Bones. It’s eight minutes long and it’s got more in common with Hawkwind than Robert Johnson, who’s at- root behind a lot of what Bear Bones are digging into in their covers. The divergence works for two reasons. One, it’s completely over the top. By the time Black even starts in, the band are already jamming in a way that up to that point the record hasn’t moved at all. It’s a standout already. Then Black gets going and it’s wild. I don’t know shit about guitar technique to note what or how he’s making that instrument make that kind of noise, but the end result is a banger, and when you’ve got that, it makes it fit a lot easier.
Second, it goes back to where the project was coming from: Vanilla Fudge. Go back to their 1967 self-titled debut, it’s all over the place, and side B likewise goes nuts with jams and each track has a piece of “Illusions of My Childhood” in front of it, which is no more the lone original input for that band than “Ridin’ Out” is for Bear Bones — the interpretation and arrangement is part of the creative process here, whether a given song is loud or quiet, etc. — but doesn’t miss the opportunity to provide an extra bit of weirdness just the same. They could’ve written a pop tune to sit next to “Eleanor Rigby” and didn’t. Bear Bones could’ve put together a 12-bar blues and didn’t. It’s these choices that end up defining the persona of a record.
At this point I’ve gone on longer than I probably should for an album that’s not going to be out until I don’t even know when. But I meant what I said above when I called it a fresh take. That Bear Bones exist as a riff-worship heavy blues band from anywhere without being either a dopey masculine caricature (“Ramblin’ Man” notwithstanding, and that’s just so fun) or basically that but also ripping off Clutch is a thing to appreciate in itself. To material they didn’t write, they bring character, tone and intention. And with the moment of originality they allow themselves, they broaden the scope of the record in a way that despite everybody involved having plenty going on besides sure doesn’t make this album feel like a one-off.
But let’s let them play their first gig supporting the record before we start thinking longer term. April 4, the famed The Black Heart in Camden will host Bear Bones‘ initial proceedings, and as noted below, they’ve got friends lined up to appear as well. Good fun if you happen to be in the neighborhood or on nearby continents.
Oh, and this song’s been public on Bandcamp for like two and a half days at least, so if you’ve heard it and you’re like “screw this premiere,” right on. We’re all doing our best.
Either way, enjoy:
Bear Bones was born from a whiskey-fueled jam session between Rob Hoey (Limb) and Pete Holland (Elephant Tree), riffing on old blues tunes deep into the night. When they stumbled upon Vanilla Fudge’s 1967 debut album—packed with raw, soulful covers and a single original track—they found their blueprint. In true blues rock tradition, they set out to create something that felt just as authentic and unpolished.
The duo brought in heavy hitters from across the underground scene: Alex from Morag Tong, Marco from Swedish Death Candy, and Federica from Black Moth. As the sessions heated up at Bear Bites Horse Studios with the legendary Wayne Adams behind the board, more friends jumped in for the ride. Scott from Green Lung, Susie from Brume, and Jack from Stubb all laid down killer grooves, adding to the album’s gritty, old-school vibe.
With Wayne capturing the raw energy of the room, the result was pure magic—a true jam session that oozes vintage blues rock soul. No gimmicks, no gloss. Just pure, unfiltered sound straight from the gut.
Bear Bones is a doom-infused blues supergroup rising from the underground, featuring members of Elephant Tree, Limb, Swedish Death Candy, Black Moth and Morag Tong. Steeped in the raw soul of the blues and the crushing weight of doom, their sound is both haunting and hypnotic—where fuzz-drenched riffs meet smoky, melancholic grooves. With guest appearances from members of Green Lung, Stubb, Brume, and more, Bear Bones is set to shake the foundations of heavy music. With a new album on the horizon, this is just the beginning. The blues has never been heavier—welcome to Bear Bones.
First single “Waiting Around to Die” was written and originally performed by Townes Van Zandt.
Bear Bones will be performing The Black Heart, London on Friday April 4th. There will also be guest appearances during their set.
Support comes from Sky Valley Mistress, Okay You Win and Blue Tree Monitor.
Tickets: https://www.ourblackheart.com/events/2025/4/4/bear-bones
Bear Bones:
Rob Hoey – Vocals
Alex Clarke – Guitars
Peter Holland – Bass
Marco Ninni – Drums
