Appalachian sludge/stoner/thrash metal trio Bongfoot releases new single and music video »Raise Dale, Praise Hell«

Raleigh/Boone, North Carolina based sludge/stoner/thrash metal trio Bongfoot shares a brand new single and music video »Raise Dale, Praise Hell«, released on July 17th, 2026.

Listen to »Raise Dale, Praise Hell« on Spotify and other streaming platforms!

Bongfoot is a three-piece sludge/stoner/thrash metal band based out of Boone and Raleigh, North Carolina. The current lineup consists of Ryan Kovacs (vocals, guitars), Paris Lytle Jr. (vocals, bass), and Curry Davis (drums).

The trio describes their signature high-energy style as “Appalachian Thrash”. Despite a band name that suggests a slow, typical stoner-doom pace, they are known for a much faster, over-the-top, and aggressive execution. They creatively blend elements of sludge, thrash metal, punk, and bluesy, sleazy rock and roll into a charging sound.

Unlike many traditional stoner metal acts that focus strictly on fantasy or psych-rock themes, Bongfoot writes clever, hooky, and often tragic lyrics addressing modern social issues. Their songs offer sharp commentary on topics like capitalist exploitation and corporatocracy, wealth inequality and the climate crisis, the insecurities rooted in toxic masculinity, and what it means to be American these days.

Bongfoot has built a dedicated underground following across the Southeast through a series of releases, especially full-length albums »Bongfoot Lives!« (2020) – their breakout release featuring underground favorites like »War Dove«, »Atomic Chupacabra« and »Blood Orgy«, and »Help! The Humans…« (2024) – a comprehensive release expanding on their social-critique themes with standout tracks like »End Times«, »Amazon Death Factory/Spacefoot«, »Honey Bee« and »Kill The Hippies«.

Their latest single »Raise Dale, Praise Hell« (2026) serves as a blistering anthem that showcases the band’s blend of high-octane thrash, punk, and sludge. Bongfoot even shot the first-ever live-action music video for the track. The title plays on the famous Southern cultural idiom “Raise hell, praise Dale” (a tribute to NASCAR legend Dale Earnhardt). True to Bongfoot’s style, they twist this regional phrase into a loud, aggressive metal critique.

Bongfoot is:
Ryan Kovacs – Vocals, Guitars
Paris Lytle Jr. – Vocals, Bass
Curry Davis – Drums

Bojan Bidovc // music enthusiast, promoter, misanthrop and sometimes a journalist as well