When the members of local rock trio Supernaut drove to San Jose’s Streetlight Records to drop off some CDs, the clerk asked them the million dollar question: What genre should we file this under? There were plenty of options—stoner metal, psych, punk, blues-rock—but to commit to just one seemed an impossible task.
“We don’t really have a genre that we play to, mostly,” says drummer Sean Niemann. “We’re not trying to get into a genre. We’re just trying to do whatever feels good to us. We’re open with our writing.”
In 2014, when Sean and his brother, Oliver (bass), started the group, Sabbath was a clear influence—“Supernaut” is a an early song by the classic metal band—but the group took wide influences that created something not typically associated with today’s Sabbath-influenced doom metal bands. The songs can speed up, and often reference more direct blues elements while getting fuzzier at the same time. It makes their music hard to pigeonhole, even for promoters.
“We are happy to play with rock bands or metal bands. Whatever works at the time,” Oliver says.
The group has released two records so far: a self-titled album in 2017, followed by The Green in late 2019. With a little bit of signal boosting from popular YouTube channel Stoned Meadow Of Doom, the group have moved several of both records, and have been able to trek up and down the West Coast on several occasions. Currently, they are working on a third record, which they hope to release later in the year.
“We’re hacking away, working hard, getting in there every day and grinding. Try and keep cranking out records,” says Sean.
INFO: 8pm. Thursday, Feb. 13, Felton Music Hall, 6275 Hwy 9, Felton. $9/adv, $11/door. 704-7113.
