Although Freedom Hawk were founded in 2003 when vocalist and guitarist T.R. Morton, bassist Mark Cave, and drummer Lenny Hines first began jamming together in the Virginia Beach, Virginia area, the group's sound serves as a time capsule to the 1970s' hard rock aesthetic, in no uncertain terms. And once guitarist Matt Cave (brother of Mark) joined the fold the following year, the band got down to the serious business of rehearsing and performing, duly resulting in the independent 2008 release of its debut album, Sunlight, followed just one year later by an eponymous mini-LP through Meteor City. Both releases enjoyed positive press and helped grow the band's fan base, bringing Freedom Hawk to the attention of leading stoner rock label Small Stone, which unveiled their third effort, Holding On, in the summer of 2011. ~ Eduardo Rivadavia