Donella Drive share new single from upcoming album, young San Antonio band echoes At The Drive-In's punk-prog intensity

“They take quite a musical journey (a la At the Drive-In) through post-rock mellowness, post-hardcore angst, a bit of groovy doom and some 90s alt rock passion, with strong, clear vocals leading the way.” — Decibel Magazine

"The band's chief strength is its ability to take a varied musical approach without shaving the hard edges from its sound." -- San Antonio Current

San Antonio, TX band Donella Drive share a new single from their forthcoming album Axon today. Punk News launched the track "Death Animation" earlier HERE. The song "Death Animation" is now available to hear/share on all DSPs HERE. 

Decibel Magazine previously shared the lead single HERE. The song "Mindless Embryonic" is available on all DSPs HERE. 

Combining elements of alternative metal, post hardcore, and progresssive rock, San Antonio outliers Donella Drive cannot be categorized by a singular label. Consisting of songwriters Aidan Escalante (lead vocals/guitar) and Andrew Salazar (bass/backing vocals). Donella Drive has expanded upon the previous boundaries of their work since their inception in 2012. Brothers Escalante and Salazar originally formed the band with the desire to create a sonically engaging music that pushed the rock medium in a new direction. 

In 2015, Donella Drive released their first album Anomalous, followed by tours where they opened for legendary acts such as Megadeth, Deftones, and Scorpions, as well as contemporary bands such as Dead Poet Society, The Callous Daoboys, Protest The Hero, Hail the Sun, He Is Legend, Scary Kids Scaring Kids, and Upon a Burning Body. Noteworthy changes such as Escalante’s shift to lead vocals, amplified their sound and led them to create Bloomer in 2020. 

Donella Drive remains tenacious in challenging themselves in their pursuit to elevate their music and diverge from commercial endeavors, which is evident in their current EP release “Ozell”, and their first full length album Axon releasing in August 2025.

Their single “Keep You Waiting” recently peaked at #24 on The Billboard Rock Indicator chart as well as peaking at #10 on The Foundations Chart. The band was also a finalist for The Battle For Wacken Festival and performed at The Viper Room in West Hollywood in 2022.

Axon will be available on August 22nd, 2025. Pre-orders are available HERE. 

DONELLA DRIVE LIVE 2025:

08/15 San Antonio, TX - The Rock Box

08/16 Houston, TX - White Oak Music Hall

Artist: Donella Drive

Album: Axon

Record Label: self-released

Release Date: August 22, 2025

01. My Name is Axon

02. Simian Transmission

03. Mindless Embryonic

04. Terlingua

05. Stir the Echoes

06. External Gazer

07. Past Inside The Present

08. Polychromatic Dream

09. Death Animation

10. Information Superhighway

Austin psych-punk GUS BALDWIN drops new solo single, announces The Sketch tour w/ Bass Drum of Death

"Genre-agnostic quartet with classic rock energy and brassy punk politics... channeling the raw energy of punk." -- Austin Chronicle

“ARTIST OF THE MONTH, March 2025: Infectious garage rock energy. A furious mix of ferocious guitars, a technical knock-out rhythm section, and lyrics that would make all of the legendary Beat Poets howl in approval.” — KUTX

"Kick ass to bombastic levels." -- Cosmic Clash

“Noisy, fuzzy punk with a distinct pop sensibility… Full of energy and anger while also managing to be a lot of fun.” — New Noise Magazine

“‘Credit Card’ is lo-fi, nervy, and filled with that off-kilter energy that runs through all of Baldwin’s best work.” — Psychedelic Baby Magazine

Austin artist Gus Baldwin shares a new solo single "Credit Card" today on all platforms. The song features contributions from 2 members of his band The Sketch, with whom he also announces new Fall 2025 tour dates supporting Bass Drum of Death."Credit Card" premiered earlier via Psychedelic Baby Magazine HERE, and is available to hear/share on all DSPs HERE. 

Gus Baldwin & The Sketch launch August headlining tour dates in the Southeast (including Muddy Roots Fest and Evolution Festival). See all tour dates below, tickets are HERE. 

Gus Baldwin & the Sketch was the Artist of the Month for March at local NPR affiliate KUTX. Read the interview HERE. The band was also featured in a front cover story in alt weekly paper the Austin Chronicle. Read the feature story HERE. 

The band released their full length debut album The Sketch on January 31st. Hear & share The Sketch on all DSPs HERE. Order on LP and cassette with instant download on Bandcamp. 

Gus Baldwin is a singer/songwriter/ex-hippie/part-time punk hailing from Austin, TX. After a stint holding down drums for Dallas surf punk legends Sealion in high school, Baldwin went on to form the Psych Pop combo Acid Carousel, which he led for 6 years and 20-something releases before departing the band on Halloween night 2021.

Since leaving Acid Carousel, Gus has made a name for himself as a solo artist in Austin, constantly performing as a singer/songwriter, one man garage band, or with his band The Sketch. Quickly releasing a string of titles on his own GetWithIt! Records imprint, including the EPs THRILLER II, and Live Bugs, as well as a slew of singles, Gus established himself firmly as the godson of Texas rock'n’ roll. 

Teaming up with former Acid Carousel bandmates, and other friends, Gus formed The Sketch in 2022 with Lucas Martins, David Rawlinson, and Trey Gutierrez. Embracing the aggression of dirty punk, the looseness of garage, and the charm of power pop, The Sketch quickly established themselves as new cornerstones of the fading Austin rock scene. Recording their debut LP in one marathon day of recording in LA in the spring of 2024 with engineer Joey Oaxaca (White Reaper, Starcrawler), The Sketch is the culmination of Baldwin’s vision, manifested through the raw power of The Sketch themselves.

Baldwin splits his time as a frequent collaborator with The Black Angels and with the likes of Christian Bland & The Revelators as well as The UFO Club with Night Beats frontman, Danny Lee Blackwell.

"Credit Card", a double A-side single is available on streaming and download HERE. The Sketch is available on LP, cassette and digital, released on January 31, 2025. Orders are available HERE. 

GUS BALDWIN & THE SKETCH LIVE 2025:

07/26 Austin, TX - Mohawk Austin - Hot Summer Nights 

08/26 Denton, TX - Rubber Gloves

08/27 Memphis, TN - Hi-Tone Cafe

08/28 Atlanta, GA - The EARL

08/29 Cookeville, TN - Muddy Roots Festival

08/30 Nashville, TN - The Basement

08/31 New Orleans, LA - Saturn

09/27 St Louis, MO - Evolution Festival 

10/30 Houston, TX - White Oak Music Hall *

11/01 Dallas, TX - Ferris Wheelers *

11/02 Austin, TX - Empire Control Room *

11/04 Albuquerque, NM - Launchpad *

11/05 Phoenix, AZ - Valley Bar *

11/06 Los Angeles, CA - The Roxy *

11/07 San Diego, CA - Brick by Brick *

11/08 San Francisco, CA - Brick and Mortar *

11/10 Sacramento, CA - Harlow’s *

11/12 Seattle, WA - Madame Lou’s *

11/14 Portland, OR - Dante’s *

11/15 Boise, ID - Shrine Social Club *

11/17 Salt Lake City, UT - Urban Lounge *

11/19 Denver, CO - Marquis *

11/20 Ft Collins, CO - The Coast *

11/21 Lawrence, KS - The Bottleneck *

11/22 Columbia, MO - Rose Music Hall *

* w/ Bass Drum of Death

Artist: Gus Baldwin

Album: "Credit Card" single

Label: Permanent Teeth Records

Release Date: June 26, 2025

01. Credit Card 

02. Credit Card (w/ Sex Talk)

Artist: Gus Baldwin & The Sketch

Album: The Sketch

Label: Permanent Teeth Records

Release Date: January 31, 2025

01. Part I

02. Part II

03. Part III

04. Itch 

05. Steady on It

06. Luxury Television 

07. Slacker’s Prom

08. (She’s Gone) Arigato 

09. Beautiful Delilah 

10. What the Freaks Say

11. Sympathy for Sunday

On The Web:

linktr.ee/gusbaldwin

instagram.com/buddy_gus

gusbaldwin.bandcamp.com

permanentteethrecords.bandcamp.com