Sun God: The band "just happened."

If you catch Sun God live, you'll notice two things. One is that the band's loud, and not in an offensive-to-seniors sort of way, but in an I-really-wish-I-had-picked-up-earplugs-on-the-way-here kind of way. Marshalls push air with sheer abandon while the drums hit your chest just as hard as your eardrums, and the bass punches out heavy and detailed lines over the beat.

The second thing you'll notice is that if you've spent any time involved in Cleveland's local music scene in the past seven or eight years, singer-guitarist Kevin Jaworski looks really familiar. You might just think it has to do with the distinctive curly 'fro or the instant bad-ass appeal of the Flying V guitar slung over his shoulder, but it probably has more to do with his musical resume.

Over the years, Jaworski has played guitar in seminal Cleveland hardcore act Nine Shocks Terror, indulged his pop sensibilities in long-term local faves Machine Go Boom, sat behind the skins for noisemakers Self Destruct Button, and brought the rock with Giant Eagle among many others. Sun God, however, marks Jaworski's return to "chief songwriter" status, a title he hasn't held since his time in Cripple Kid during the late '90s.

"A good portion of the groups I've been in were other people's bands that I joined while in progress, but Sun God I formed myself," says Jaworksi. "I would have formed a band like this eight years ago had the right people been available. I mean, sometimes I just want to beat the shit out of some drums and not really have to think, but I do enjoy the way things work now."

The other Sun God members are no rookies to the scene either. Guitarist Josh Durocher-Jones, bassist Pete Levine and drummer Marc Russo have played in, or are still playing in, bands like Insurrect, No Peace and Mystery of Two. Still, the sound of Sun God is a departure for all of the members. It's a sound that Jaworski never really had the chance to explore in past bands.

"Sun God is a little bit of what I set out to do and a little bit of what just happened," says Jaworski. "I obviously know what kind of songs I write and I had an idea of what I wanted it to sound like, but once the lineup was set, Josh, Marc, Lonn and later Pete all added, and continue to add, things I never would have thought of, and that is the way I think it should be."

While most bands fail to properly answer the dreaded "describe your sound" question with any validity - lofty adjectives and inapt comparisons show a healthy imagination and knowledge of music history, but that's about it - Sun God got the descriptors right. On its MySpace page, under the "sounds like" heading, the band labels itself as "arena-punk. But in a good way." It's deadly accurate.

Sun God plays the sort of music Steven Albini would have produced 15 years ago. The four-piece's songs are crashing, blaring and jagged rockers infused with punk rock's ethos and the ability to show that hooks can still catch an ear even when they're filthy and rusted. The result is the sort of bullshit-free energy and drive bands like Hüsker Dü, Drive Like Jehu and even Albini's own Big Black have exhibited over the years.

"I think the most obvious influences are of the '80s post-punk variety," says Jaworski about the band's inspirations. "Stuff like Mission of Burma, Squirrel Bait, Wipers and Dinosaur Jr."

Maybe Sun God hasn't gained the fame or notoriety of Jaworski's other bands yet but if a show opening for ...And You Will Know Us By The Trail Of Dead is any indication, it seems to be well on its way. By combining the zeal and fury of past bands like Nine Shocks with a well-crafted melodic knowledge, and the shredding guitar work of Durocher-Jones (did I mention he was in Insurrect?), Sun God is the type of band that's able to bombard listeners with massive volume and power without all the posturing or focus on image. In other words, it's arena punk at its finest.

Sun God, Appomattox, Conduct: 9 p.m. Friday, March 21, Tower 2012, 9521 Madison Ave.

Hot Rails

To Hell with the Hot Rails (self-released)

www.myspace.com/hotrailsmusic

"I'm the ripper; I rip it up all night/I get to rip it/I keep it nice and tight," intones spastic Hot Rails singer Ken Janssen on the opening track on the hard-rocking local band's debut. In a song that features constipated vocals and plenty of (I shit you not!) cowbell, the band simultaneously invokes the sloppy garage rock of the Stooges and the made-for-commercial radio approach of AC/DC. The dueling guitars of Jamie Rychak and Dave Molnar rip through many of the tracks here, turning "Fever" into a balls-to-the-wall rocker and making "Bottom of a Glass" every bit as nasty as its subject matter (essentially, taking pride in being a social outcast). There's nothing complicated about "Bitchin' Hour," a call-and-response anthem about partying hard that would make Andrew WK envious. While To Hell... is clearly a guitar album, the rock-solid rhythm section gets to show off its chops during moments of "Still Got It" and "2 Tuff." With Cobra Verde/Breaker drummer Mark Klein handling the engineering and local graphic artist Jake Kelly providing the spot-on illustration of the band that's in the liner notes, the album's a homegrown effort that makes use of some of the city's better talents. Clearly rooted in '70s rock and metal, Hot Rails are hardly derivative. They somehow manage to make all those gnarly guitar-centric bands they channel (Uriah Heap, Judas Priest and even ZZ Top) sound hip again. - Jeff Niesel

Hot Rails perform with Lions, Living Stereo and Devil Moto at 9 p.m. Saturday, March 22 at the Beachland Tavern (15711 Waterloo Rd., 216.383.1124). Tickets: $5.