SARTELL, Minn. – The much-anticipated “Let It Burn” EP from Adam Hammer & the Impact has finally arrived.

“We don’t play the blues. We play the ‘black and blues,’” Hammer said of the band whose five-song CD officially hit the shelves Jan. 25, 2011 in Central Minnesota and online at www.CDBaby.com.

The CD, independently released through Hammer’s Hammered House Productions, is available in Central Minnesoat at the Electric Fetus and Rocktown Music in St. Cloud and The Local Blend in St. Joseph. CDs and mp3s are available worldwide at www.CDBaby.com/Artist/AdamHammertheImpact and on iTunes, Amazon and other online outlets.

Adam Hammer & the Impact’s signature “black and blues” sound is what happens when you put an alternative acoustic singer/songwriter together with a traditional folk and blues musician, a bassist from a screamcore band and a jam band drummer who’s more often a hardcore guitarist.

Hammer’s band features long-time collaborator Dave Cofell on harmonica and slide guitar, Cody “Scribbles” Jergenson on bass and Jon Schulte on drums. The side project band got together to play some of Hammer’s darker songs that just don’t fit in with his more intimate arrangements.

“I had these drop-tuned, bluesy songs that captured more of my dark side and they didn’t exactly fit with my singer/songwriter stuff like ‘Starshine’ and ‘Broken Like You’ that is planned for my upcoming full-length release,” Hammer said.

The songs were recorded at Hammer’s studio and Rockhouse Productions (rock legend Bobby Vee’s studio) in St. Joseph, Minn.

“Let It Burn” is the first of two releases from Hammer planned for 2011-12. His follow-up full-length CD, “Broken Like You,” is currently in production. Release is set for March 2012.

“Broken Like You” Demo tracks were released on the “From the Basement” EP in August 2010. Karl Leslie, St. Cloud Times music junkie, wrote of the disc, “The opening 'Starshine' grabs the listener with a catchy piano and guitar hook. 'Underwater Love Song' is cool and almost haunting in its delivery.”

After a break from the road, Hammer and Cofell will take their song-for-song show on the road in 2011 touring behind "Let It Burn" and previewing the new upcoming CD. The full Impact band will occasionally make appearances as well.