When Matt Heckler belts out his vocals, sometimes it is fused with the almost frenetic playing of stringed instruments, and sometimes he goes back to a simpler time as he expresses himself through the Irish Sean-nós style. He developed his own sound as he is inspired by his musical influences like Flogging Molly and The Pogues, standard bluegrass, various gypsy-influenced European folk musical styles, and from the traditional storytelling steeped in the great Appalachian land he has called home for a while now.

When listening to him share his art, it is incredible to know that he is self-taught. Watching him live is an exceptional experience, as he switches seamlessly between banjo, guitar and fiddle, selecting which one best accompanies the story he has written. He does the same on his second album, Blood, Water, Coal.