Haivyn is a female-fronted progressive rock band with roots in Los Angeles. They released their first album in 2008 and recently dropped two new singles: “The Man Who Sold The World” and “What Is Real.”
The band members are lead vocalist Denise Joy backed by Dave Paredes (guitars), Mario Arredando (bass) and Dustin Feldman (drums). Aside from prog, Haivyn also dabbles in punk, grunge, alternative and metal. The group has shared stages with powerhouse acts like Korn, Agent Orange, Zebra Head, Panic at the Disco and many others. Their list of laudatory articles, broadcasts and awards is seemingly endless. “The Man Who Sold The World” was originally released by David Bowie as both a song and an album before his years of true fame began. Most listeners now know it as one of the songs performed “unplugged” by Kurt Cobain just before his death. Haivyn of course plays their version with maxxed-out guitars and unrelenting energy, sort of a cross between Bowie and Cobain. As a fan of the original I don’t understand why the cover versions never feature the distinctive three-part modulation of the opening, instead concentrating only on the simple yet ear-wormy fuzz guitar riff. But that complaint aside, this version has a lot to recommend. Joy’s lead vocal is clearly female but also feels somewhat alien, which makes a lot of sense for a Bowie composition. She builds more power as she proceeds, followed closely by creative bass figures, galloping drums and unrelenting fuzz guitars. In the end it’s the sheer power of the song they’ve borrowed while clearly making it their own. The energy and instrumental arrangement of “What Is Real” is quite similar to the previous track, and thankfully there’s a cool music video featuring the band members performing. After a powerful uptempo start, the track takes an unexpected break to pull back the volume and feature Denise Joy’s singing mostly on her own (while visually being shown in a creek). I’m enjoying her voice much more in this natural setting as opposed to the otherworldly tones of the Bowie song. The loud-soft dynamic repeats again, with the second section built on a muted tribal beat by all members. Maybe it’s the video’s influence but this track makes clear that Joy is both the band’s center and its secret weapon. Two great songs and one awesome video make it clear where all the stellar press for this band comes from. See for yourself!
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