World's Only Rock Band Fronted by a Parrot

Hatebeak

As someone with two African grey parrots, we were thrilled to find a rock band fronted by a nineteen year old Congo African grey parrot named Waldo. Founded in 2003, Hatebeak is a Baltimore Death Metal band comprising vocals by Waldo, Blake Harrison on drums, and Mark Sloan on guitar.

Hatebeak is strictly a studio project. No live music. No tours. We can just imagine the complications of trying to tour with an African grey parrot. Blake and Mark are accomplished studio engineers. Thanks to the power of modern digital recording technology, Waldo’s spontaneously-timed squawks and poetic lyrics could be captured and fine-tuned. Breaking out of the traditional confines of melody, Waldo creates a new vocal language. 

The band is signed to the Baltimore hardcore label Reptilian Records. So it's Death Metal. We went through a Heavy Metal phase years ago. You're probably wondering what a Death Metal band sounds like? We were too. Their sound is described as "a jackhammer being ground in a compactor." Ready for this? Here goes:

Beak of Putrefaction, Released 2004

Bird Seeds of Vengeance, Released 2005

According to the notes posted with the video: There are no intelligible lyrics, the vocals are that of an African Grey parrot doing senseless death-squawking. Can't get enough? Here's more:

Feral Parrot, Released 2007

We find the music strangely mesmerizing. Not sure if that's the sign of a deranged mind. Or what? But if you still can't get enough, Hatebeak has a new album in the works, The Number of the Beak. No word yet on the release date.