Pistola

Much like the brooding, all-over-the-map rock of groups like Sparta or Lo-Pro, Pistola writes songs that exponentially exceed the abilities of most of their hard rock contemporaries. This music is brash yet melodic, borderline experimental yet accessible - an extremely impressive effort from a relatively young band. - Shut Eye Records

This is heavy rock via ‘90s major label post-hardcore sound with very strong and deep lead female vocals that come off in an unintentional Sleater Kinney or PJ Harvey way. This is not a bad thing by any means. Pistola has a very strong style that sounds amazing, but may not catch everyone’s ear right away. However, I am curious as to what’s next for these guys. - Punk Planet

Doing justice to the general attitude of hometown NYC, Pistola’s powerful seven-track release showcases an excursion of excellent musicianship, passionate performance, and unpretentious hard rock histrionics. There’s an impressive coating over the entire affair that yields a muscular yet bluesy tone, as songs like “Gone” evoke Concrete Blonde by way of Quicksand. Juxtaposing post-hardcore’s sonic firepower with a turbulent hard rock sensibility that bands like Rollins Band and Queens of the Stone Age employ, Pistola’s secret weapon is vocalist Patricia Gradin, a chanteuse that mixes the souls of PJ Harvey, Chrissy Hynde, and Robert Plant while the band’s caustic backdrop follows suit. Dramatic, dynamic, and enchanting, HOLD FOR BLISS is a hypnotic offering that oozes with coarse hard rock heroics. - Americore Magazine

Pistola sounds BIG. Inspired as much by Helmet and Tool as by Soundgarden and Smashing Pumpkins, the NYC quartet bestrides Hold For Bliss like the colossus on the cover of Queen's News of the World. Guitarist George Podolak gracefully pounds massive riffs into the firmament while bassist Alan Dooley and drummer Randy Satarsky keep the rhythms appropriately thunderous and bottom heavy. Amazingly, singer Patricia Gradin soars over the din like a dragon, her strong, clear voice giving monsters like "Fail Me" and "'Til 3 AM" real conviction. Seven puny songs don't seem like enough to contain Pistola, but after half a dozen body hits, you may not be able to take any more. - High Bias

Goddamn. Pistola will kick your fucking ass. It's that simple. Believe it. Know it...Trust me.
A beautiful display of raw passion. A tornado of frenetic, chaotic energy from start to finish. You will not hear a more intense, sincere, display of unrelenting drama...maybe ever - or until you see them live.
Propelled by intricate drumming and volcanic bass throbbings that hammer a violent threat - a tribal warning preparing you for the oncoming assault: guitars that build, heave, crash and slice like waves of grenades and glass. And the voice - that voice! A guttural howl with the power of hell - a thunderstorm being sucked through the devil's megaphone and amplified right into your psyche like a fist to your third eye.
Imagine sitting up in the sleeper of an old beat-up semi-truck on a cross-country trip in the middle of the night on a long, lonely road to nowhere with PJ Harvey at the wheel and Perry Farrell and Johnette Napalitano riding shotgun having a loud, drunken, dark, sexually-charged intellectual conversation about childhood trauma that quickly turns into crazy argument over why nobody thought to stop for more cigarettes, while Jesus Lizard & K's Choice play really loudly in the trailer with a unrelenting vengeance, pushing the conversation to a it's screaming peak until PJ says, 'fuck it!' and drives the whole rig right off a cliff. That's kinda what Pistola feels like. A viscously-sweet, daring assault on your dark emotions.
Beautiful. Intense. Pure.
Patricia Gradin is the epitome of a raw, passionate singer. Bar none. Rock, country, folk, opera? Fuck you - this beautiful voice covers it all with the kind of power you only wish your rock divas/falsetto operatic metal-heads had. Uncompromised. Focused. Honest. She's coming at you with all the force of a fist-fight and the rage of a revolution.
By the grace of all things good, she's accompanied by a band of incredible musicians that understand and complement her so perfectly that you'd think that maybe something got right with music again...and it has. With George Podolak working magic on the guitars, Alan Dooley pummeling the bass and Randy Satarsky beating the fuck out of the drums, this band absolutely proves that bold, uncompromising music with integrity and intensity still exists.
Seamlessly-produced by Pistola and Joel Hamilton (Unsane, Frank Black, Ani DiFranco), you'll find yourself jonesin' for more 'Bliss' right away. At first, the overwhelming power knocks you down and then while you're staggering to your feet the lyrics start kicking in. Again, knocking you flat on your ass. The lyrics come at you slow, but after repeated listenings you're fairly well convinced that this chick ain't fucking around and you really want to hear what she has to say. A voice that mounts and grows and explodes. From Tori Amos whispers to a Grand Ole Opry twangs, she's all over the place while fitting the song perfectly at all times. Again, nothing but beautiful, graceful energy.
The recent singles 'Drive' and '’Til 3 AM' have been hitting the radio lately. If you haven't heard these incredible songs, then call your local radio station and demand them now.
Make no mistake Pistola is gonna shoot your soul so full of holes, you may never recover.
For more information on the band, sample songs and upcoming shows visit: www.pistola.us - Crave Magazine