Hunters

The Brooklyn-based grunge-rock band Hunters centers on the duo of Izzy Almeida and Derek Watson, who share both a romantic partnership and the group’s creative core. Almeida’s upbringing bridged Albuquerque and Rio de Janeiro, while Watson’s childhood near Philadelphia included frequent wrestling matches with his father; despite those divergent paths, the pair discovered a common passion for the Melvins, Sonic Youth, the Stooges, and the Cramps after meeting at a Chinatown arcade in 2009. Watson was then active in the noise project Realms, yet he and Almeida quickly began composing material together. Performances at spaces such as the D.I.Y. hub Death by Audio, paired with independent cassette and 7" releases, paved the way for the 2011 EP Hands on Fire, produced by James Iha. The lineup expanded to a quartet in 2012 when drummer Gregg Giuffré and bassist Thomas Martin joined, and early the next year Hunters secured a deal with Mom + Pop Records. Rejoining Iha, the band completed its self-titled debut, issued in October 2013.