Single – Blame it on the Rain
Release Date 11th April 25
Review by Linda McDermott
Hearts and Hand Grenades are a no-nonsense hard rock band out of Buffalo, NY, and if you’re into heavy riffs, gritty vocals, and that classic wall-of-sound energy, you’re going to want to keep them on your radar.
Mike Bress – Rhythm Guitar
Stephanie Wlosinski – Bass and Lead Vocals
Kenny Blesy – Lead Guitar
Cory Michalski – Drums
Their journey kicked off with an amazing break, in 2019, when they landed a gig at the Variety Kids Telethon, opening for none other than the Goo Goo Dolls. After their set, Robby Takac (from the Goo Goo Dolls) came up to them and basically said how much he enjoyed their music and asked them if they wanted to record at his studio.” Naturally, they took him up on the offer and produced a four-song EP called ‘Wait,’ which they released later that year.
Then the pandemic hit, but instead of sitting around, the band got to work and recorded their first full-length album, ‘Turning to Ashes’ which they released in Jan 2021. It’s tight, and punchy and full of heavy hooks and big choruses, and it definitely got some love from the press, with Classic Rock Magazine, Power Play and the likes featuring it.
They didn’t stop there. Once things started opening up back in 2021, the band was right back in the studio with Justin Rose to work on album number two, ‘Between the Lines.’ This one leans even harder into the band’s aggressive side, ten tracks of straight-up hard rock, no filler tracks. It was picked up by Eclipse Records and that helped solidify their place in the rock scene.
Live, Hearts and Hand Grenades bring the heat. They’ve done multiple US and UK tours, including a spot at the UK’s Hard Rock Hell – Sleaze Festival. They’ve also played some big U.S. rock festivals alongside the likes of Drowning Pool.
Most recently, they dropped their third album ‘Where I Begin’ in January 2024 through Eclipse Records. And with a UK tour lined up for 2026, booked by TowerRok Band Management, it looks like they’re just getting warmed up.
Choosing to do a cover as their latest single, Mike says“Hearts & Hand Grenades are known for doing things a bit out of the box. When deciding to do a cover, we look for a few small things. The song must not have been done before in the style of Rock and/or Metal. We also look for a song that was an enormous hit at the time. Blame it on the Rain lined up and we decided to run with it.”
With this song the band have taken that late 80’s pop sheen and dragged it through the dirt in the best possible sense. It’s grittier, heavier, and somehow way more emotional.
Stephanie’s vocals really carry the weight here. She doesn’t just sing it, she owns it, bringing a raw, no-nonsense energy that gives the song a whole new life. The band back her up with huge guitar riffs and pounding drums that swap out the original’s glossy production for something way more intense and alive.
What’s great is they don’t lose the heart of the song; it’s still in there. The melody’s still recognisable, and if you were around in the 80’s for the original, and I was, you might agree with me that the song is now solid, more defiant, more brooding and more rock!
Look out for Hearts and Hand Grenades when they come to the UK next year because I think they will blow you away.
Video
Breathe Into Me
Burn
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