The Hooplas are a modern progressive rock group from Ocean City, MD. Twin brothers Adam (Vocals/Guitar) and Ben Martin (Bass/Vocal) started the band. While their musical influences might not be identical, they share the love of making music. Musicians Cody Bush (Lead Guitar/Vocals), Lovechile (Drummer) and Seth Paul (Synth) round out the band’s roster and form the unique, fresh sound that defines The Hooplas. From their “American Junk EP” comes the band’s latest single “Midas Touch”.The musicianship on this single is impeccable.
Flawless guitar riffs changeup like Adam’s voice, from wall-shaking, twin guitar rhythm crunch, to the divine solos straight from the depths of heavy metal and punk influences. This, in addition to turntable driven choruses, and time-signature switch ups.
Any question marks over whether this band has unrivaled fury are smashed right out of the park on “Midas Touch”. The blasts are furious and the riffs are bludgeoning, but they’re always controlled and harmonic.
And while Adam shows his vocal prowess with a powerful melodic lyric delivery, the band’s collective musical snarl makes for a riotous amalgamation of aggression. Whilst the band forges a wall of sound, the harmonious tone of their music shines through.
The Hooplas’ ability to play on so many differing emotions is one of their defining features. Pure rock zest and engaging euphoria are at either end of their musical spectrum and they deliver a blend of both with expertise.
This is my first listen to The Hooplas, and “Midas Touch” sounds like a statement of intent from a band that circumnavigates single genre comparison. The best thing about this is that it doesn’t feel forced or fake; this is a band that is in cathartic mode, dispelling any skeptics.
The Hooplas carry enough clout to satisfy the mainstream whilst keeping pure rock heads happy. The Ocean City collective are masters of their craft and they show that there is plenty of unaddressed talent left in the tank.
This track holds its own in a pretty watered down market and deserves your full attention. What sets The Hooplas apart is what each member brings to the band. On the surface they are your usual heavy guitar, bass, and drum band. But, the deeper you go sonically into their music the more you start to hear the little performance nuances that really fill out their sound.
It is amazing to hear the dual guitars playing as rhythmically tight as they do, and the amount of melody the band is able to squeeze into their songs without sounding cheap and cheesy. The question is: “What’s not to love about The Hooplas?” They simply make great music.