Horse Bodies, like the centaur creatures that inspired the band's name and some of the songs, is magical. And by magical, I mean bad ass - mostly rock, with a '70s lean, part punk and maybe even a sprinkle of folk and blues. Horse Bodies is the type of band that gives you chills.

I'm not the only one who digs this band. Horse Bodies has been galloping its way around the winners circle: it landed the title of "Best Live Band" at the 2012 Olympia Music Awards; it's in the running to play Warped Tour 2013, and it is advancing in the Hard Rock Rising finals.

Thursday, April 11, Horse Bodies members Hawk Foxman, Zach Walters, Andrew Lippincot and Kevin Strand take the stage at the Hard Rock Cafe in Seattle for the final round of Hard Rock Rising, a global competition, where one band takes the title, $10,000 worth of gear and gets to tour Hard Rock Cafes around the U.S.

If Horse Bodies beats the three other bands April 11, it will win $250 cash, a $250 gift certificate to the Hard Rock and will be placed in an online voting competition with 89 other U.S. bands. One band will then be voted on to advance to the global level of competition, where it will be flown to London to show off its stuff for the final global round.

"We're pretty nervous," says Lippincot, Horse Bodies' bass player. "This could make our career."

The band has been working hard the last six years, touring the coast, pumping out an EP, Terror Train, and recently finishing up a music video, set to be released next month.

"It's been interesting to see what kind of heads we turn," says Lippincot, who tells a tour story when Horse Bodies performed for the Hell's Angels and an old biker with a big beard shouted from the crowd, "You're pretty damn good for being so young."

The band has also caught the eye of plenty of locals; its fan base is growing. Each show the band plays has an awesome vibe, with a lively on-stage performance as well as plenty of movers and shakers in the audience.

Lippincot credits the band's rise to its tenacity and style.

"We've been trying for so long, and I think a lot of it has to do with the style of music; its completely different from anything else," he says.

He also believes Horse Bodies fans contribute to its success, specifically its last win in the first round of Hard Rock Rising. 

"It's great that all our friends and fans could come, I think it helped us win," he says. 

If you can't make it to Seattle for the Hard Rock competition, check out Horse Bodies' Olympia show at McCoy's, Friday, April 26. Keep an eye on Spew for Hard Rock Rising news.

HARD ROCK CAFE, 8 P.M., THURSDAY, APRIL 11, ALL AGES, NO COVER, 116 PIKE ST., SEATTLE, 206.204.2233

MCCOY'S CAVERN, 9 P.M., FRIDAY, APRIL 26, 9 P.M., $3, 420 FOURTH AVE., OLYMPIA, 360.352.0696