Hooded Fang are a Toronto rock band that incorporate a punk aesthetic both musically and in their approach to writing and performing. What’s most charming about them is their genuine spirit and their priority of vibe over sheer musical perfection.
They have fun and the audience has fun right along with them. They played a set of upbeat songs to a hungry crowd as part of the final ALL CAPS Festival on Toronto Island last weekend that led to the formation of a mosh pit that broke out at the front of the small stage at Artscape’s Gibraltar Point.
They use a standard band set up with guitars, bass and drums, but what sets Hooded Fang apart are their heavy use of the chorus pedal in the guitar parts. Singer and guitarist Daniel Lee in particular uses the pedal to the point where the parts he plays sound almost electronic at times. This idealistic group of young musicians also includes Lane Halley on guitar and occasionally trumpet, April Aliermo on bass and D. Alex Meeks on drums.
They comment about things like their distaste of misogyny and sometimes the intensity of their messages seems at odds with the chill personality of Lee in particular, both onstage and off. They don’t take themselves too seriously. Perhaps that’s why they keep their fans coming.
They have achieved a comfortable blend of creating music with meaning that’s also great to dance to, without being overly intense all the time.
Check out their music at hoodedfang.bandcamp.com after you get a taste below:
