Have you ever discovered a band that’s been around for a long time and thought to yourself, “Wow, this is really my type of sound”? Well I have just had one of those moments. I have got the new albums from Southern metal act Texas Hippie Coalition, from Denison, Texas, USA. As someone who grew up on southern rock, heavy metal and country, this is a band that I instantly got into. Their sound was almost nostalgic to me, the bluesy riffs, the deep vocals, the vibe of going to a dive bar and listening to the local band with a beer in your hand. Yeah, that kind of band. It was something quite instant. I got quite the introduction as in 2026 the band has put out two brand new records. This is not a double-record, it’s two separate records that they’ve released at the same time. Which, I must say, is an interesting strategy. The two albums are Band of Outlaws and Stoned Cowboys. Which both sound pretty good to me. I know this type of music is not everyone’s cup of tea. To me though, both albums are just great listening experiences that immediately grabbed me and didn’t let go until they’d finished playing.
Since there’s no recommended listening order, I ‘ll just talk about them in the order I first played them through. The first record being Stoned Cowboys. The first thing I thought when I listened to this record is that they clearly have reverence for outlaw country music. You know, Waylon Jennings, Willie Nelson, Steve Earle, etc. Which is why I got that good feeling listening to this album. It brought me back to my childhood and listening to country music while sitting at my Dad’s computer. Obviously with the guitars and bass dialled to the rafters. The best way I can describe the record is your typical outlaw country record that’s been given a heavy metal make over. From a songwriting construction point of view, it’s basic. By that I mean it’s foundational, rootsy and these songs feel like they could be sung from the working class point of view. Like most country music it’s about taking the listener on a journey with a story. Then setting that story to music to make it digestible. This album certainly focuses on the outlaw themes and goes all in on the aesthetic. Singer, Big Dad Ritch, certainly has the vocals of a man who’s seen a lot that the world has to offer. He puts so much conviction into his voice. It’s almost like being told a story from an older relative. It just fits the vibe so much.
Stoned Cowboys also presents some excellent blues-like riffs. The production as a whole has this edge to it. It’s rough and coarse. Nothing feels out of place, the music just fits together so well. The riffs are broken with these wonderful guitar solos and licks provided by guitarist Corban Vincent, adding this third dimension to the music that keeps the track dynamic and interesting. Through the record, they manage to keep this thick and full tone that filled my headphones and speakers. When they drive the music to eleven and start bringing in the heavier elements, it feels full force and harsh. It took me off guard in a good way. On the track “Down Comes the Hammer” you get this in full force when the chorus comes into play. It just makes you want to groove and headbang. It does feel like the groove metal and southern rock songs of the 2000s, in a good way. This is contrasted with the more country vibe with songs like “Put The Gun Down”, while they still add the heavy, it feels a little more anthemic. No matter the track they manage to keep the story-telling presentation throughout the record. Which I liked.
So, let’s get on to Band of Outlaws. Which certainly feels like the heavier record of the two. Every song hits like a truck with the full force of the band being swung in your direction. Band of Outlaws feels more like a full on groove metal record with a heavier snap to the drums and with the guitars packing a little extra punch to the gut. Big Dad Ritch is putting so much more distortion into his vocals and it feels like a good move. Though it’s impressive that he’s able to switch between his two vocal styles across the two records to give them different vibes. This record has more of a crunch and bash to the production. The riffs have an awesome tone that feels like the distortion has been cranked up with the guitar solos getting the grunge metal treatment. The guitars get this really thick tone, dispensing with the delta blues sound and going more for a traditional metal sound. When I listen to Band of Outlaws, I feel like this is related way more to the heavy metal world. The muddy southern-rock sound feels a little more technical. The thing I notice a lot on this record is the drum work. The drums are always doing something fun and interesting. Drums usually act like the foundation of a metal sound; here, they’re their own untamed beast that delivers that punchy sound that cuts through the guitars and vocals. I think the songs that stand out on Band of Outlaws are “Burnt and Tattered” and the title track “Band of Outlaws”. Both have solid riffs and display Ritch’s vocals really well. The guitars sound so full, with the right amount of effects layered on top of one another to keep my interest.
I know that this type of sound is somewhat divisive. Whatever you want to call it, southern metal or groove metal, it sometimes loses people with the clash of styles. I find it so fun. It’s one of my favourite styles of music, and when it’s done well, like it is here, I think it can be quite effective. Clearly, this band has found their niche as have kept a following for 25 years now, and I can see why. I’m glad I’ve found them now, as this is the kind of music I can always get behind. I don’t think that these albums will change people’s minds about this genre; however, if you’re a fan of the genres of outlaw country and metal being fused, and you like other bands of a similar vein, I think Texas Hippie Coalition might scratch that itch.
Do I have any last words about these records? I think, overall, I prefer Stoned Cowboys. I enjoyed Band of Outlaws, in particular the songs I mentioned and a shout-out to the album closer “Just Like Johnny Cash”. I do think that Stoned Cowboys has more substance and more things that kept me coming back to it. For me, this band is kind of ideal. It has the three things that made me fall in love with music in the first place. The heaviness of heavy metal, the groove and vibe of blues music and the storytelling and lyrical conviction of country music. So, both records have got me on board. I might be late to the party when it comes to THC, but I think that I’ll stick around and see what they do next and obviously go back and listen to their older music.
CHECK OUT TEXAS HIPPIE COALITION: WEBSITE | SPOTIFY | YOUTUBE
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