Genre:Rock
Open Hand is a force to be reckoned with on the American rock landscape. Always difficult to classify, but ultimately born out of the post-hardcore music of the late nineties, grunge, post-grunge, stoner rock, emocore, and all the Black Sabbath, Soundgarden and Nirvana worship that comes with those scenes, all are big influences on the sound of Open Hand, along with a surprising touch of prog, thanks in no small part to band frontman/songwriter Justin Isham's longtime love of King Crimson, early Genesis, and Robert Fripp. The band's 2005 release ‘ You and Me’ brought Isham's Crimson and Peter Gabriel influence, combined with an infectious pop-rock sensibility, to the surface and comparisons to Live and Taking Back Sunday filled the press. Through time, the band has forged ahead constantly melding genres and growing musically. Both “The Dream” (2000 / Trustkill Records) and “You and Me” (2005 / Trustkill Records... co-produced by Open Hand & Paul Malinowski of Shiner) made serious impacts and begged the question, “Is Open Hand the next big thing?” Extensive touring turned the rest of the world on to their live experience. After a quick label change, the group released “Honey” (2010 / Anodyne Records). The record, co-produced by Open Hand & Hum frontman Matt Talbot, pushed further the limits of what a rock band is supposed to be by incorporating new styles and arrangements. The band stripped down from a lush 7-piece, complete with back-up singers and keyboards, to a blistering power trio. Never to fall in to easy classification, with the new line-up the band released a 10 minute collage track titled “Mark of the Demon” (2011 / Blacktop Records) that serves as somewhat of a history time capsule of Open Hand.2016 sees the band with a fresh batch of new songs guaranteed to blow the minds of past, current, and future Open Hand fans.