Belgian/Dutch outfit Drive Like Maria first gained traction after claiming victory in the Dutch portion of the Global Battle of the Bands in 2005 and placing second overall at its London finale. That exposure quickly led to a deal with the Belgian-founded PIAS imprint. Built around the trio of Bjorn Awouters on guitar and vocals, Nitzan Hoffmann on guitar, and Bram van den Berg on drums, the group issued its debut album Elmwood in 2009. A substantial touring schedule followed, placing the band on stages at Pukkelpop, Lowlands, and Mjarktrock while sharing bills with Motörhead, AC/DC, and ZZ Top, whose style left a clear imprint on the music. Dutch radio’s frequent spins of the opening single “I’m on a Train” further boosted the record’s reach.
For the next album the band chose an underground studio and invited several guests into the sessions, including De Staat’s Jop van Summeren, Intergalactic Lovers’ Lara Chedraoui, and Italy’s string ensemble Badabimbumband. Veteran producer John Agnello, known for work with Kurt Vile, Sonic Youth, and Dinosaur Jr., handled the final mixes. The self-titled sophomore release appeared in 2012, followed the next year by the live album Howl.
The third project took an unconventional shape as a triptych: the EP Creator surfaced in April 2016, the EP Preserver arrived that September, and the complete album Creator Preserver Destroyer reached stores in January 2017.
