TIER Releases "Backwood Blues": A Well-Rounded and Cinematic Debut Full-Length Album
TIER, a trio from Trier, Germany, creates a most theatrical spin on stoner rock that's sure to be one of the most unique renditions of the genre that you've heard. The band, composed of Fab (bass), Jan (guitar), and Jones (drums) very aptly calls their sound "Dark-Western-Stoner", a tone characterized by "powerful songwriting, multi-layered vocals, and a flair for the dramatic". What's more, TIER's wide range of influences, ranging from 90s/2000s stoner and grunge to blues to Southern rock, are all discernible within their one-of-a-kind style, creating a sound that's powerfully immersive and authentic. I could attempt to describe this specific tone for paragraphs upon paragraphs, but TIER is one of those bands that you truly have to hear for yourself to "get it".
TIER released their debut EP Dawner in late 2022 and has just released their first full-length album Backwood Blues on May 16, 2025 via the awesome Pink Tank Records. Let's get into it.
TIER - Backwood Blues
1.) Long Way Down
Long Way Down has the soul of blues and the undeniable twang of country western, but it has just as much fuzzy dimension by way of stoner rock. However, thanks to that deep bluesy spirit and some absolutely lovely, melodic vocals and harmonies, this track boasts a noticeable smoothness that gives it a lighthearted, feel-good vibe. I can easily envision myself crooning along to this one while on a summer drive.
2.) Bad Girl
Bad Girl has a delicious amount of dimension, beginning with a winding bassline and the rattlesnake-like sound of the vibraslap, kicking off the Southwestern influence. Sharp contrast comes into play with the echoing, weighty riffs of the choruses, reminiscent of stoner metal. However, just as quickly, the bright and sunny desert-hued verses lighten the mood again. The entire second half of the song is a soaring instrumental jam that really picks up the stoner/desert tones and runs with them.
3.) Hang 'em Up
Hang 'em Up (the second single released from Backwood Blues) makes absolutely no qualms about bringing the bluesy Western sound with gruff but impassioned vocals to match. In fact, the vibe is so contagious, you'll be stomping, clapping, and singing along to that catchy chorus before you know it. Even with all these wild West theatrics going on, you'll also notice the undercurrent of a killer stoner groove, featuring an intermingling of both low and buzzing and bright and soaring notes.
Like most TIER songs, Hang 'em Up tells a thought-provoking tale, this time about the townspeople getting the ultimate revenge on their very unempathetic and hypocritical town priest.
Fun fact: Hang 'em Up is actually a revamping of the song of the same name found on TIER's demo album.
TIER's YouTube visualizer for "Hang 'em Up"
4.) Entropy
Entropy brings the tempo and mood way up with some energetic, classic stoner rock: gritty at its core but simultaneously rising out of the dust with some vibrant guitar work and soaring vocals and harmonies. TIER's 70s rock influence can also be found woven into the fabric of this track, particularly in the groovy heavy psych jam that makes up its final third.
5.) Keep Sweet
Keep Sweet was the debut single from Backwood Blues, and you can read my initial reaction to it here.
Much like Hang 'em Up, his song addresses the hypocritical nature of religion. This time, clever use of contrast illustrates both the sweet honey and empty promises that are used to trap potential followers (via soothing, dulcet vocals and hushed instrumentals). This is alternated with a sudden drop of an all-encompassing coarseness from vocals and instrumentals alike in the choruses, used to depict the consequences of not "keeping sweet". The intensity in these choruses has a great stoner metal sound peppered with smooth and soulful vocal harmonizations of "In the name of the Loooooord..." Again: clever, clever contrast.
The official lyric video for "Keep Sweet"
6.) Bad Blood
Bad Blood skillfully utilizes building to create what's perhaps the most sophisticated rendition of dark Western stoner on the album while relaying a most unfortunate tale. The song begins on a sorrowful note, featuring morose, cautious instrumentals and a smooth but standout vocal. The song quickly swells in intensity, both in emotion and gravelly grit. About one third of the way in, TIER very suddenly drops in a wall of dense, heavy stoner sound (which I'm quickly learning is a very TIER thing to do, and I love it). Also true to form, TIER wraps up Bad Blood with a rollicking instrumental breakdown, this time filled with sorrowful wailing notes from the lead guitar.
7.) Æther Ride
Oh man, this one is FUN.
Æther Ride clearly demonstrates just how versatile TIER is, sounding like a different band entirely here (in a good way, of course). Glistening with energetic percussion, sunny guitar, and upbeat and melodic vocal, and a spirited bass groove to keep it all tethered, this track is gorgeously buoyant. There's also an unmistakable new wave aura present that I absolutely adore, as this style has an unparalleled knack for presenting music in a dreamy, lighthearted way with just a touch of darkness (beautifully demonstrated here by the prominent bass) and a hint of deeper meaning at its core.
8.) Execution Song
Execution Song wraps up the album by bringing TIER's Western influence to the forefront in a really powerful way. The song rolls through town with an ever-present posse of a rhythmic spur-like jangle, haunting vocal harmonies, and an ominous (but never overpowering) low rumble. The vocals are completely in character here, giving yet another smooth but gruff in all the right places performance. Overall, this creates an incredibly cinematic listening experience that paints an image of a passel of dusty cowboys begrudgingly trudging toward a public execution in the old West. One can easily envision the town looking upon this dark parade with morbid curiosity, a spectacle both somber and menacing.
Final Thoughts
TIER has an extremely impressive skill set.
On one hand, the band is incredibly talented when it comes to the theatrical presentation of their songs. By using a variety of layers and musical styles, and by knowing when and where to employ them, TIER creates an immersive, vivid storyboard for their listener. The band uses vocals in much the same way, applying everything from gentle melody to spooky harmonies to forbidding growls in order to portray different characters and illustrate contrast in each song. TIER delivers these elements in such a way that it's nearly over the top, but this also has a clever purpose: it not only grabs listener attention but allows one to better visualize and emotionally experience the scene and message the band is trying to communicate.
Conversely, dotted among the more cinematic songs are some lovely, infectious, and generally more lighthearted gems such as Entropy and Æther Ride, showing a totally different side of the band. The coolest part is that TIER is just as great at cranking out a feel-good stoner rock jam as they are a more serious epic; both types of song are created and performed with equal amounts of energy, passion, and attention to detail.
Lastly, being an enthusiast for good vocals, I have to mention and give TIER major props for the variety of voices they make use of on Backwood Blues. As alluded to earlier, the vocals are certainly adaptable; in fact, they're downright chameleon-like, changing form completely and without hesitation as the situation calls for. However, I was very impressed with just how good the vocals are across the board, not only for their acting chops, so to speak, but for their power and melody, especially when it comes to the cleaner singing here. And of course, I greatly appreciate the use of the vocal harmonies and especially how often they're employed; they add so much to the mood of the album and are the type that will give you that great experience of appreciative goosebumps.
TIER proves on Backwood Blues that they're a force to be reckoned with, prepared with an arsenal of skills and a plethora of creative talent that allows them to take an idea and build an extravagant (and downright catchy) song around it in a way that keeps their listener deeply invested. It's my greatest hope that these guys gain some traction here in the heavy underground (and beyond!), because I think they really have the ability to resonate with a wide variety of heavy music fans in a very meaningful way.
More About TIER
TIER is:
Jonas - Drums, Backing vocals
Fabian - Bass, Vocals
Jan - Guitar, Vocals
Fabian - Bass, Vocals
Jan - Guitar, Vocals
You can follow TIER and listen to their music at the following links:
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