If Wichita Falls metal quintet New Realm were your Uber, expect them to pull up in a 1970s conversion van with a fantastic mural on the side, smoke pouring from the windows, and metal blasting at 135 decibels. A window sticker reads “Driver chooses the music. Passenger shuts their cakehole.”
You’re in for a wild ride, friend.
New Realm’s most recent show at The Iron Horse Pub was in support of fellow rock paragon Man the Machine, and from the beginning notes it was clear New Realm was there to set the bar high. Vocalist Brandt Holmes wasted no time leaping atop his monitor while he belted full-throated lyrics with his typical melodic and gritty voice.
New Realm’s brand of loud metal is heavy but sensible enough to be considered mainstream. We touched base with guitarist TJ Stephens, a founding member of the nearly four year old group, and he told us about his primary influence.
“The first time I saw Dimebag Darrell from Pantera play I knew I wanted to play metal,” he said via DM. “I went from not knowing anything about instruments at 19 years old to playing in a gigging band in one year, made possible by a strict 6 hours-a-day no breaks practice schedule. It’s all I did! There are so many great guitar players out there but Dime moved me and I still feel that for him today. RIP.”
Dime’s influence can be heard and felt in New Realm’s music with heavy, drop-tuned riffs and chugs in abundance.
Matt Skelton is the other founding guitarist of New Realm, and he told us the group found the third member of their nucleus in an unexpected place.
“Me and TJ started this in 2021 and found out we wrote together really well so we needed a bass player… we turned to my wife Autumn and asked ‘You’re wanting to learn an instrument right?’ We both started out as bass players, so we taught her everything we knew and had no idea she had such talent. She quickly caught on and became the awesome bassist you see.”
One of the first things we noticed about New Realm on this night is how tight they are, perhaps owing to their rhythmic history as bass guitarists. The group’s music is intricate and complex, with frequent time-changes, but Skelton, Venzor, Stephens and new drummer Louis Tucker don’t miss a step. If you’re the kind of person who likes to move your body in time with the music, New Realm lays down a groove that is impossible to resist.
Skelton and Venzor own and operate Studio 138 Tattoo studio as well, and with that as their primary vocation and new members Holmes and Tucker still finding their place in the band, time for recording is precious.
“We are wanting to record but don’t know when that will happen….me TJ and Autumn have 16 originals we have wrote but are waiting on Brandt and Louis to write their parts to the other 8 songs… then we feel like we would have enough material to play longer sets and record a few EPs and release them back to back,” Skelton said.
While we wait for New Realm to jump in the studio, we’d recommend you follow them on social media and see one of their live gigs at your first opportunity. They are quickly becoming one of the best metal bands in Texoma and beyond.
Have you seen New Realm? Tell us about it in the comments.
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New Realm is completely kick ass. I didn't realize how awesome they were! They really brought a powerful show to the IHP, we were all super impressed. I can't wait to hear the rest of their material. Good job y'all!!