Phoenix hard rockers, Co-Op, have released their self-titled debut EP on all digital outlets via EMP Label Group/THC Music.

The 5-song EP, produced by Mike Bolenbach and Co-Op at Phoenix’s Full Well Studio, showcases the band’s aggressive, dreamy, stoner-infused brand of hard rock, marked by Cooper’s intense vocal delivery.

Co-Op, Dash Cooper (Lead Vocals), Court Stumpf (Lead Guitar & Vocals), Mark Savale (Drums), Justin Swartzentruber (Bass), and Kolby Peoples (Guitar) have been making noise in, and out of, their hometown of Phoenix for years, honing their craft as a must-see live act. From clubs to theaters to arenas, the band has commanded stages including many shows opening for, and even serving as an impromptu backup band for, Dash’s father, Rock legend Alice Cooper.

Dash Cooper and Mark Savale met early in their childhood and soon became close friends. As they grew up, they each began developing their own individual passion for music. And while vocalist Dash Cooper is a direct descendent of Rock royalty, without a doubt inheriting his father’s talent as a powerhouse vocalist and songwriter, he has developed his own distinct voice as a vocalist and performer.

Says EMP’s Thom Hazaert, “When I first became aware of Dash and the Co-Op guys, obviously, it seemed like a cool fit because of David’s (Ellefson) longtime relationship with Alice (Cooper), as well as the hometown Phoenix connection. I flew out to Arizona and saw the guys open for Alice at a huge outdoor Amphitheater, and it was just pure rock power. And once I really dove into the band and their music, and got to know the guys, it was all but a done deal. Dash is a tremendous talent, and an incredible vocalist. I was lucky enough to get to jump in the studio with them on this EP and lend a little extra production to a couple tracks, and it really came out killer. ”

EMP President (and Megadeth bassist) David Ellefson echoes those sentiments. “Alice Cooper took Megadeth out on our first big tour, and we’ve always had a great relationship. He wrote the foreword to my book. So when Thom started talking to Dash and the Co-Op guys, and we had the chance to sign them, it was a really cool opportunity to shine a spotlight on some incredible local Phoenix talent. And when I finally heard the finished EP, I was blown away.”

The original lineup played locally around Phoenix, but it wasn’t until they added lead guitarist Court Stumpf in 2012 that the band started building what would eventually become Co-Op. A graduate of Musician’s Institute in Hollywood, Stumpf pioneered Co-Op's new direction and sound. Taking influence from a wide spectrum of bands and musicians - from AC/DC and Led Zeppelin to Alice In Chains, Queens Of The Stone Age, Corrosion Of Conformity, even stoner legends Sleep (which a song on the EP is titled as a nod to) - Co-Op is forging a sound all their own, earning them accolades and fans from around the World. (One of those fans is Johnny Depp, who was photographed onstage several times with Hollywood Vampires, wearing his Co-Op shirt, leading to a flood of orders from around the Globe.) Not bad for a band releasing their first EP today.

Co-Op will release their debut full length via EMP in 2017, but for now check out the band at their CD release party tonight 12/2 at Joe’s Grotto in Phoenix.

Tracklisting:

“Desert Dreams”
“Theme For Ignorance”
“Overdrive”
“Old Scratch”
“Sleep”

“Sleep”: