They hail from St. Louis, Mo. Their last show at the New World earned them a Best of the Bay award, and their last album, Got This Feelin', was my third favorite album of 2005. They blend influences as disparate as Queens of the Stone Age and The Police into something all their own, and their name makes you wonder whether or not they're serious at all in their quest for true hard-rock majesty. Ladies and gentlemen … Riddle of Steel. Last time around RoS had to settle for a short middle-of-the-bill set; hopefully this time these three guys will play until they run out of material. Quality rock support comes courtesy of the always top-notch Sophomore Effort, the volatile (but very compelling) Guiltmaker, and rising Aestheticized Presents regulars Satsukos. I can't recommend this one enough.
This article appears in Mar 29 – Apr 4, 2006.