The Saskatchewan Black Sabbath

Reignwolf’s Jordan Cook is standing like a surfer on a wave, the toes of his Chuck Taylors gripping the speaker. A microphone cord is wrapped around his neck and down his arm, the head of the mic is cradled in his palm and his other hand plays guitar. He sounds like an army of men, but in reality, Cook is a one-man militia—he doesn’t have a manager and his three songs on Spotify hardly qualify as a record. He seemingly came from out of nowhere (Saskatchewan) to become one of the most talked about live performers on the festival and club circuits. “We’ve spent this past year lighting fires in as many places as possible. Just having the chance to play music every night is obviously a major blessing,” Cook emails from Japan. Indeed, in a few short months, Cook’s bluesy, stoner-metal live gigs have ignited the full gamut of the music industry, from bloggers to crusty stage managers. “It means a ton to me seeing some of the same faces at multiple shows—when people are traveling like us to the next gig, that’s something to be excited about.” Like a great jazz musician, Cook follows instinct rather than form. “I’ve never really given my live approach much thought. With Reignwolf, it’s always been about how we feel. I’ve always liked the idea that—at any point—shit can go right or wrong.”