Steel Wool, the rising shoegaze outfit from Los Angeles, have officially arrived with the release of their self-titled debut EP—out now on cassette and digital via indie label Bug Body. Equal parts dreamy and destructive, it’s the kind of record that feels like it was born in a cloud of reverb and left to ferment in a DIY garage show.
And honestly, that’s not far from the truth.
The band—Sean Lissner (guitar/vocals), Jaden Amjadi (bass/screaming), Sam Schlesinger (guitar), and Evan Landi (drums)—got their start in Evan’s bedroom studio and quickly carved out a name for themselves in the LA underground. Think sweaty backyard shows, house party chaos, and plenty of love from local radio stations like KCRW and KXLU (yes, they even did a live session).
So what’s the vibe of the EP?
In a word: fuzzy. But not just that. There’s depth and atmosphere too. Fading opens like a slow dive into a dream before crashing into a wall of glorious feedback. Another Sunday and Tired Movements drift in a melancholic haze, with Lissner’s plaintive vocals stretching across ambient, bittersweet melodies. And Heaven or La Brea? That one goes full throttle—from jangly indie anthem to full-on noise freakout.
The band launched the EP with a release show at El Cid in Silver Lake back in April, joined by kindred spirits bedbug and standingandlookingaround. If you missed it, don’t worry—Shambling History caught the whole thing on video, including surprise covers of Lit’s “My Own Worst Enemy” and Natalie Imbruglia’s “Torn.” Yes, really.
So, who exactly are Steel Wool?
They describe themselves as a “collision of sound experiments wearing the borrowed work uniform of rock music,” and honestly, that nails it. With backgrounds stretching from DIY punk to metal to bedroom pop, they’re not aiming for clean genre lines. Instead, they’re blending shoegaze, jangle pop, screamo, folk, and whatever else bubbles up in the sonic stew.
As the band puts it:
“The EP is a first step in five directions… staking our flag in land we’re still yet to entirely survey.”
Wherever they’re heading, we’re in.
Stay connected with Steel Wool:
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