Puppy

An English alternative metal trio called Puppy unleashes potent rock that merges the crushing guitar work of the Big 4 thrash acts, Weezer’s melodic sensibility, and Smashing Pumpkins’ experimental edge, even though the band’s playful name might suggest otherwise. Throughout the latter half of the 2010s the group refined this hybrid sound, which finally surfaced on their first full-length release, The Goat, in 2019.

The band came together in 2014 once Polterghost dissolved, prompting vocalist/guitarist Jock Norton and drummer Billy Howard Price to enlist bassist Matthew Rickelton and steer the new project toward both alternative rock and heavy metal. Their opening single, the Weezer-esque “Forever,” surfaced in 2014 and was soon joined by “The Great Beyond” on the self-titled EP that closed out the year. Matthew Rickelton exited shortly afterward, and Will Michael assumed bass duties. With the lineup refreshed, the trio unveiled “Entombed,” now emphasizing thicker riffs and a detuned nu-metal character; that track preceded the summer arrival of the Vol II EP.

In 2017 Puppy secured a deal with Spinefarm and spent subsequent months touring the U.K. while laying down “Demons” and “Black Hole.” Both 2018 singles appeared on the band’s proper debut album, The Goat, issued in January 2019 through Universal/Spinefarm. Production was split between Tom Dalgety, whose résumé includes Ghost and Royal Blood, and Neil Kennedy, known for Creeper and Boston Manor.