Hammer No More The Fingers

If indie rock has lost its soul, then Hammer No More The Fingers is here to save it.

The Durham-based trio, the roots of which go back to 1996 when drummer Jeff Stickley and guitarist Joe Hall first met in the sixth grade, plays un-ironic, high-enery rock. With just three instruments, the band channels the sound of early 1990s Chapel Hill rock bands like Polvo and Archers of Loaf, bassist E. Duncan Webster's favorite band.

"A lot of people say we sound like that era of Chapel Hill indie rock, but I think it's more of a subconscious thing," Webster said. "But that era of music-I still listen to it probably more than any new music."

Although the '90s rock influence is apparent, the band's sound is very much its own. Webster describes it as a combination of the Pixies' melodies and Red Hot Chili Peppers' rhythms. But as much as the band is indebted to the area's past scene, it is entrenched in the present. Webster also cites I Was Totally Destroying It, Embarrassing Fruits and other local bands as both friends and influences.

Though HNMTF, a Durham band, is labeled as having a Chapel Hill sound, Webster said the distinction between these geographic labels is empty.

"Saying you're a Chapel Hill band still carries weight," he said. "[But] I feel like Durham and Chapel Hill... are so connected. I consider them the same place."

Perhaps what defines HNMTF best is their live show. The three-piece plays one of the most consistently high energy shows in the area. It's an energy that Webster said "comes from within."

"We just try to have the best time we can and treat every show like it's our last show," he said. "So many people in the audience are our friends, and we just want to show off... and just let them have a really good time."