What do you get when you mix two ounces of Joe Strummer-like political anger topped off with the guitar tones of Johnny Marr? The socialist alt-rock cocktail of your dreams.
The Soviet Influence: a socialist alt-rock trio that appeal to nostalgic listeners while refusing to become stale, combining 60s-era protest themes with the post punk, new wave and modern styles of the everchanging indie rock genre.
Name-checked by Alan Cross, Obscure Sound and Divide and Conquer, the band has three full-length albums under their belt, the latest released in 2021 titled Socialism: An Introduction.
With styles that evoke the likes of Radiohead, Matthew Good and The Talking Heads, The Soviet Influence effortlessly combines progressive political messaging with neo-vintage sounds, labeling the band as a stand-out amongst their competition- and an act to keep your eye on.
Latest
We are honoured to have our song, These Chains, on this wonderful compilation in support of the land defenders at 1492 Land Back Lane. Every penny goes to support the efforts of indigenous people to protect their lands.
In support of BLM Canada, the Toronto Prisoner's Rights Project, Pasan, and prisonerjustice.ca we have released Abolition Now! All proceeds from this 5 song EP will be dontated to these organizations to assist in their efforts to fundamentally change the criminal justice system in Canada. You can stream it everywhere or download it here.
We are very excited to share this fundraising compilation we are part of with such fantastic musicians as The Burning Hell, Skye Wallace, Friday Empire and others.
100% of proceeds from the sale will be donated to the Toronto Prisoners' Rights Project. The money supports their efforts to provide grants to prisoners and ex-prisoners to help with various needs. The state of our criminal justice system is embarrassing and we firmly believe that prisoners deserve human rights. They currently have over $250000 worth of requests. Check out and download Musicians For Mutual Aid.
The Catastrophe is our latest single. This song was produced by Mat Leppanen at Animal Farm studios in London, England. The song's powerful chorus is a rally call for action against the impending climate catastrophe. Songwriter and singer, Peter Snow, calls the song "a damn pop hit about the death of our planet." As a B-side the band reimagined Radiohead's The National Anthem by including sounds related to the COVID-19 epidemic.
Our new album Thieves of Joy is out. A rocking tribute to worker's rights, anti-violence, and anti-capiatlism. You can get it here.
Set Me Free is an 8 song collection taken from our performance at the Toronto Prisoner's Rights Project Benefit concert. The set features some of our favourties as well as brand new material that was unreleased at the time. You can download it here. You can stream it here.
Upcoming Shows
THursday June 9th - TORONTO ontario - sneaky dee's
friday August 26th - toronto ontario - Seespace
friday September 30th - Hamilton Ontario - the killroom
Mass Propaganda & Disinformation
"Moody, passionate and elegant indie-rock anthem. It is burning with passion and desire as the rhythm gyrates and swells beneath the layers of burning guitars and harmonies and passionate vocals - it is emotionally charged and electric.
Barry Gruff
There are great moments on The Price of Vigilance. The production and performances often got me excited. I look forward to hearing what The Soviet Influence does on future releases.
Graham Hall
"I hear something Thom Yorke-ish mixed with elements of...I'm not sure. Gord Gano's vocals from The Violent Femmes? Good spooky stuff, to be sure."
Alan Cross
"Oh Not Tonight" has some New-Wave nods, Post-Punk elements with gritty and politicly charged lyrics. There's nostalgia in abundance here buried within the cut, with elements you'd expect to hear from the 'Golden Age of Grunge' such as crunchy guitars you'd hear in a Nirvana cut, you've also got Peter's distinctive and haunting vocals, with a solid driving backline ensuring that the track never drops below thrilling.
It's All Indie
You're taken on quite the journey while listening to "Socialism: An Introduction", all while being handed impressive vocal and instrumental work, unique transitions, and on point production. Our personal favorite from the album "Oh Not Tonight" is a great summary of the power this band yields. Not only is this a representation of Indie Rock at its finest, it's also a track that shows off the singers vocal skills - reminiscent of Matt Bellamy or even Anthony Green.
Havoc Underground
THE SOVIET INFLUENCE PACKS AN ENRAPTURING ROCK EXPERIENCE
Captured Howls
"'Rust' has a lulling earwormy quality that gets to you on repeated listenings, also carried by a nice acoustic guitar, a remote but lovely lead guitar line, and affectingly intimate vocals."
Dennis Pilon
"Guitars expand from bare rhythm accompaniments to twangy, melodic leads, as the emotive vocal presence revs up. The vocal presence throughout reminds fondly of Manic Street Preachers’ James Dean Bradfield. A slick guitar solo approaching the two-minute mark also adds effectively to the song’s tone and allure."
Obscure Sound
This politically charged alt-rock group describe their sound as "death-consciousness".
Sarah's Hotspot
As part of our ongoing mission to be socially involved, The Soviet Influence is excited to be part of the Musicians for Mutual Aid Compilation in support of the Toronto Prisoners' Rights Project. The record features new music from the band along with tracks from Skye Wallace, The Burning Hell, Sean Bertram, Friday Empire, Davita Guslits, Joni Void + Jerry Quickley, and Kayla Hagerty.
The album will be available on August 7, 2021. There will also be a special streaming launch featuring performances by The Soviet Influence, Friday Empire, Joni Void, and Skye Wallace.
The Toronto Prisoners' Rights project is "a volunteer organization of former prisoners, people with loved ones inside, activists, front-line workers, artists, researchers, educators and students. We engage in direct action, public education, and mutual aid to shed light on the harms caused by incarceration and connect prisoners with social, financial, legal and health supports. We are committed to abolition and building sustainable communities rooted in community care, transformative justice, and accountability."