Gideon Video Debut, Benefit Show
Gideon have just released the video for “Virtue,” the first single from their Facedown Records’ debut Costs (Mar 2011). Gideon were ranked among Alternative Press Magazine’s “100 Bands To Know in 2011” and they continue to make their mark with an appearance at last month’s Facedown Fest and now releasing their debut video directed by Drew Russ. Gideon will be playing a benefit show Friday, June 3rd with all proceeds going to help five families in the Birmingham community that lost everything in the recent tornado. Details on that show can be seen here. The band also has an exclusive shirt design available in the Facedown online store, proceeds from all sales of the shirt to benefit the families as well. Pick one up in a bundle with the new cd for just $5 more.
August Burns Red Post Stream Of New Track
Genre giants AUGUST BURNS RED are gearing up to release one of the most anxiously awaited hard rock albums of 2011 – a colossal effort entitled Leveler – available in stores and online June 21st in both regular and deluxe editions.
Today, the band gives the public the first taste of Leveler by streaming the lead track ‘Empire’ on its Facebook page. “‘Empire’ is a pretty intense song and we feel it starts the album out with a bang,” explains guitarist/principle songwriter JB Brubaker. “My favorite part is the melodic section in the middle with the group singing. We’ve never done anything like that before and it makes the song special for me.” For those who think the s-word (singing) means the band has “mellowed” out, be warned: ‘Empire’ is a blistering track that sets the stage for an album that is unquestionably heavier than the band’s lauded 2009 breakout Constellations. Similarly, detractors should be warned that the band isn’t content with recycling past tricks. “Putting out a fourth record is a little scary because we obviously have our sound figured out at this point, but we don’t want to put out a record that just sounds like a redux of our previous albums,” explains guitarist JB Brubaker. “Our tastes are always evolving as musicians and we’ve been motivated to progress as a band and push ABR in different directions, while maintaining the characteristics that made us the band we are in the first place.” A number of pre-order bundles are available now for Leveler in a variety of packages including the special edition and vinyl packages. Fans can choose bundles which include extras from a pre-order exclusive t-shirt to AUGUST BURNS RED baseball cards.
Times Of Grace Tap Matt Bachand For Bass
Times of Grace, featuring former Killswitch Engage singer Jesse Leach alongside current Killswitch Engage guitarist Adam Dutkiewicz, are pleased to announce that Matt Bachand, guitarist extraordinaire of Shadows Fall, will serve as the touring bassist for the band’s upcoming trek across Europe as well as its much anticipated return to the US market. Times of Grace will serve as main support for Underoath on the forthcoming American trek dubbed “Illuminato(u)r.” Since Shadows Fall have toured with Killswitch Engage many times and since both bands came up together in the burgeoning Massachusetts metal scene in the early part of the ‘00s, it makes complete sense for Bachand to strap on the bass and step into this role. Bachand is taking over for Daniel Struble, who is unable to make the particular road trip due to personal matters he must imminently address; Struble, who was a member of KsE’s one-time labelmates Five Pointe O, played bass on the band’s first-ever US tour last Winter. Guitarist Joel Stroetzel, also of KsE, and drummer Dan Gluszak constitute the rest of the touring lineup for these upcoming treks. Clearly, it remains all in the family for Times of Grace. “Losing Daniel was a blow to the Times of Grace camp, but we knew he had to do what was best for him and his family,” said Leach. “Having Matt show interest in joining the touring lineup could not have been a better fit! I have been a fan of Matt’s voice and guitar work for many years. I am honored and very stoked to have him join us on tour to play bass and sing backup vocals. Matt is a great guy, and someone Adam, Joel and I have all known for years. Personality-wise and as a musician, it clicks so well. I am certain Matt will add a great vibe and bring his own style to the live show!” Bachand concurred, saying, “I am very excited to be a part of Times of Grace. Not only will it be great to get onstage with some old friends, but I am looking forward to something new musically as this role as bassist will be a very different experience from my role as guitarist of Shadows Fall.” Adam D. also weighed in on Bachand, saying, “I’ll miss the crap out of Dan, but I’m so stoked to be bro-ing down with our longtime beer-swilling bassist bud Bachand. Come out to the shows and prepare to flex!”
Megadeth Part Of Military Tribute
ROCKSTAR ENERGY DRINK MAYHEM FESTIVAL, the heralded hard rock and metal event of the summer, is swiftly becoming the heavy music fans’ summertime rite of passage. The festival will make a 26 date trek across the country beginning on July 9th at the San Manuel Amphitheater in San Bernardino, California. The ROCKSTAR ENERGY DRINK MAYHEM FESTIVAL is proud to announce ‘METAL OF HONOR’, an awareness and fundraising effort focused on the needs and challenges of our active duty military, veterans and their families. The ROCKSTAR ENERGY DRINK MAYHEM FESTIVAL has partnered with Hope For The Warriors® and The Pathway Home, both national not-for-profit organizations. ROCKSTAR ENERGY DRINK MAYHEM FESTIVAL producers John Reese and Kevin Lyman state, “Giving back and showing gratitude to those that have sacrificed for all of us and those who continue to sacrifice is the message we want to spread.” “Hope For The Warriors® is thrilled to be a part of the ROCKSTAR ENERGY DRINK MAYHEM FESTIVAL and to work with these patriotic bands and their fans,” states Robin Kelleher, President of Hope For The Warriors®. “Just as these bands collaborate, we are proud to collaborate with the Pathway Home and other nonprofit organization that support our military families.” A portion of the proceeds of each ROCKSTAR ENERGY DRINK MAYHEM FESTIVAL ticket sold will go to Hope For The Warriors® and The Pathway Home to further aid them in continuing their necessary work. In addition, the ‘METAL OF HONOR’ awareness campaign will include wrapping one of the tour’s semi trucks with logos of the charities, providing nationwide exposure on major highways throughout North America for over six weeks, and a text-to-donate campaign to encourage our patrons to donate as well as inviting radio stations across the nation to get involved by offering each of them their own text word. Additional social media outreach efforts will be utilized to bring the message to rock music lovers worldwide. ‘METAL OF HONOR’ will also have an onsite presence at each festival date highlighting Hope For The Warriors® and The Pathway Home along with other ways the patron can get involved in their own communities. “The Pathway Home is excited to partner with the ROCKSTAR ENERGY DRINK MAYHEM FESTIVAL in helping us bring further awareness of the impact of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) and other combat-related stressors on military personnel who have served in Iraq and Afghanistan,” states Fred Gusman, MSW / Founder and Executive Director of The Pathway Home. “We’re incredibly grateful to the thousands of fans and the ROCKSTAR ENERGY DRINK MAYHEM FESTIVAL team who may not know that their passion can help us be part of the solution for those military personnel who face the diagnosis of PTSD and TBI.”
Tour Dates:
7/9 – San Bernardino, CA
7/10 – Mountain View, CA
7/12 – Auburn, WA
7/13 – Nampa, ID
7/15 – Phoenix, AZ
7/16 – Albuquerque, NM
7/17 – Englewood, CO
7/19 – Maryland Heights, MO
7/20 – Cincinnati, OH
7/22 – Mansfield, MA
7/23 – Montreal, QC
7/24 – Hartford, CT
7/27 – Holmdel, NJ
7/29 – Burgettstown, PA
7/30 – Bristow, VA
7/31 – Camden, NJ
8/2 – Virginia Beach, VA
8/3 – Raleigh, NC
8/5 – Tinley Park, IL
8/6 – Clarkston, MI
8/7 – Noblesville, IN
8/9 – Oklahoma City, OK
8/10 – Dallas, TX
8/12 – Atlanta, GA
8/13 – Tampa, FL
8/14 – West Palm Beach, FL
Mat Kearney Drops New Single
Mat Kearney’s new single “Hey Mama” is out now and is the first single from his new album – Young Love – due out August 2011 on Universal Republic. “Hey Mama” is a catchy, clap-inducing tune perfect for summertime drives, so it’s no surprise that it’s already taking off on commercial radio. The Nashville by way of Portland musician recorded Young Love in Nashville with his longtime friend and producer Robert Marvin as well as Jason Lehning. The new album is Mat’s fourth full-length studio release and the follow up to 2009’s City of Black & White. Audiences are probably already familiar with Mat’s infectious tunes as he’s had several hit songs from past releases including “Nothing Left To Lose,” “Undeniable,” “Closer To Love,” and “All I Have.” And he seems to be a favorite among music supervisors who have featured his songs in Grey’s Anatomy, Vampire Diaries, NCIS, Friday Night Lights, 30 Rock, and Gossip Girl among many others. In addition, he’s toured with several notable artists including John Mayer, Sheryl Crow, Keane and Train.
Before There Was Rosalyn Post New Song
Before There Was Rosalyn have posted a new song on their facebook page. Here’s a note with the lyrics from frontman Carlos Salazar: “We (Before There Was Rosalyn) have released a demo version of the title track to our upcoming release, entitled “Hypocrites”. If you are the kind of person that enjoys knowing what it is that bands sing & scream about, I have posted the lyrics for you below:
No dying man hides from the truth.
No man scoffs at God in death, in plague,
or famine. No man hopes or dreams of
emptiness as they slip away a last and quiet
breath. Hypocrite, when will you learn?
You are but a speck of dust in the wind.
Are you the man willing to lay down his
life or are you the serpent that whispers
curse God and die? I know my heart is weak
like the light from the setting sun
but I swear I know You’re still there. Though I
fade with time, I know that You are forever.
My God is not mocked. Though I fade with
time, He does not. Oh, the grave waits silently,
patiently, and safely for us all but let it find me
not a coward or a liar and not a day
before the Son Of Man calls me home.
Switchfoot Put Feet Where Their Name Is
The Switchfoot Bro-Am Presented By Hurley will take place on Saturday, June 18th, at Moonlight Beach in Encinitas, CA. The surf contest/beach concert is the centerpiece in a weekend full of activities conceived by GRAMMY® winning rock band SWITCHFOOT to give back to their local community and benefit the San Diego and Oceanside chapters of StandUp For Kids, a national nonprofit volunteer outreach organization dedicated to making a difference in the lives of at-risk, homeless and street kids. The line-up for the concert will be announced soon. Since its inception in 2005, the Bro-Am has raised more than $400,000 for San Diego-based children’s charities. Last year’s event was the most successful to date, drawing over 7,500 attendees and raising more than $135,000 for the local chapters of StandUp For Kids. While admission to the beach event is free, funds will be raised at an Auction Night Soiree (set for June 16 at a private residence), as well as through sponsorships, beach vendors and an after-party held on the evening of June 18th at the Belly Up Tavern in nearby Solana Beach (tickets on sale next week). “The Bro-Am has been my favorite day of the year ever since we started it back in ’05,” says SWITCHFOOT’S Jon Foreman. “To see our hometown come together to help out a deserving group of kids is an incredible experience. The StandUp Kids are true survivors, unsung heroes who have endured so much. The Bro-Am is our chance to celebrate their journey: a day at the beach with friends, surfing, and a little rock and roll. Last year was our biggest year ever, and we hope to top it again this year.” David Bakelman, CEO, StandUp For Kids, notes, “StandUp For Kids is again proud to be chosen as the recipient of the proceeds from this year’s Bro-Am. Jon, Tim, Chad, Jerome and Drew show the true commitment of impacting homeless youth in Southern California. They have shown a tireless effort to help homeless youth, one at a time, and are an inspiration to our volunteers and homeless youth.” San Diego-based Sustainable Waves, which utilizes the renewable energy sources of the sun to deliver 100% pollution-free concerts, will again provide cutting-edge solar-powered sound and staging for the Switchfoot Bro-Am. By using solar power rather than a diesel generator or grid power, the Bro-Am will avoid emitting approximately 1,000 lbs of CO2 into the atmosphere (the equivalent of not driving your car approximately 1,100 miles or the annual sequestration of 66 trees). Four-person surf teams secure their participation via sponsorship donation to StandUp For Kids. This year’s teams will include riders representing Hurley, Billabong, Surfer Magazine, Transworld Surf, Surf Ride, Jetpilot, AKA and Shaper Studios Surfboards as well as members of SWITCHFOOT. For the second consecutive year, the Bro-Am will also feature a junior division in the surf contest. Rather than a financial donation, the youth teams that collect the most clothing donations will win a spot to compete. The beach day will also feature a nerf surf jousting exposition and an expression session.
For additional details about the Switchfoot Bro-Am Presented By Hurley, please visit:
switchfoot.com/c/bro-am
MCMB’s Joe Lengson Releases Debut Novel
Reaching far beyond his home on stage alongside his band mates in the hardcore Christian heavyweights MyChildren MyBride, Joe Lengson has spread his literary wings and released Sleeping in Parking Lots, a novel about love, faith, struggle and the road that can easily be prepared to such hits as blue like jazz . In fact, Lengson wrote the book all over the world while on tour with his band which gives the book a wide array of documented experiences that instantly put the reader right in the story. Though initially, the book began as a hobby, Lengson felt called to dedicate his writings to anyone who struggles with love, loss or accepting God. Sleeping in Parking Lots is an engrossing piece of literature that shares tips for living a life on the road, dealing with relationships while following such an unconventional career path and all the expected hardship that come a long with simply growing up. The novel will be available in eBook format on the Apple iBookstore, Amazon Kindle, and the Barnes & Noble Nook. It will also be available in paperback format through Lengson’s personal website, as well as his publishing company. The book can also be picked up at MyChildren MyBride’s merchandise table on tour.
Red Cord Signs Your Chance To Die
Red Cord Records is proud to announce the signing of South Carolina’s melodic death metal band YOUR CHANCE TO DIE. Playing together since 2007, this female fronted band has created a sound blending death metal with hauntingly beautiful melodies to develop music that is truly unique. YCTD has a great live show that employs passion and a brutal sound that will leave you breathless and begging for more. In 2009 YCTD self-released, their first full-length album and since that time has been working with renowned producer Jamie King (Through the Eyes of the Dead, The Human Abstract, Between the Buried and Me) on their second full-length album Suscitatio Somnus. Suscitatio Somnus will be unleashed on August 16, 2011.
YOUR CHANCE TO DIE is:
Melissa “Missi” Avila – Vocals
Oscar “Coca” Avila – Guitar
Daniel Todd – Drums
Joshua Crawley – Bass
Chase Crouch – Guitar
Reform The Resistance Release New Album
REFORM THE RESISTANCE is pleased to announce today’s physical release of their new album The Truth is Dangerous on Wuli Records. The album was released digitally on April 26th, 2011. The Truth is Dangerous was completed in October 2010 and was produced by REFORM THE RESISTANCE vocalist/guitarist Jason Moncivaiz. The entire album was recorded and produced in Moncivaiz’s personal studio, with exception of the drums which were recorded in Chicago, IL at Gravity Studios. Fans can purchase the album now at iTunes, Amazon, and at local record stores! The band recently filmed new music videos for the tracks ‘Kill Lies’ and ‘Tonight We Ride’. Shot and directed by Ben Montiero, ‘Kill Lies’ was filmed in Nashville, TN and ‘Tonight We Ride’ was filmed in Chicago, IL. The videos are currently in the editing process. Stay tuned for updates on the releasing of the videos! REFORM THE RESISTANCE is comprised of former Justifide members Jason Moncivaiz (vocals/guitar) and Sambo Moncivaiz (bass) of Phoenix, AZ and drummer Ryan Dugger (drums) of Nashville, TN. The creation of REFORM THE RESISTANCE represented freedom within their songwriting, as well as the ability to be themselves. With the skill to mesh influences, all while creating a new sound and speaking their minds, REFORM THE RESISTANCE offers a breath of fresh air amongst carbon-copy bands. Wuli Records is a full-service record label, independent recording, merchandising, publishing and promotion company. Owners Louis Svitek and Ryan McGuire are dedicated to artist development and final recorded product distribution. Wuli Records owns and operates two studios in the Chicago area, Sviteknolgy Studios and Studio Ten23, and these self-described studio rats know that a first class recording is imperative to creating quality sounds. Wuli Records is known for kick-starting the career of American Idol winner Lee DeWyze by releasing two of his first independent records. Wuli Records is also the current record label for The Redd and The Waking. Label co-owner Louis Svitek is known for his position as guitarist in the groups M.O.D., Ministry, Mind Funk, and more.
Farewell Flight Puts Out Split EP With Deas Vail
Label mates Farewell Flight and Deas Vail join forces to release a split EP available digitally on June 7 from Mono vs Stereo. EP tracks: 1. Deas Vail – Sixteen 2. Farewell Flight – Out for Blood 3. Deas Vail – Gone (exclusive) 4. Farewell Flight – Ten Steps In (exclusive) Farewell Flight’s ‘Out for Blood’ is from the album of the same name coming out on July 12. Deas Vail’s ‘Sixteen’ gives you a sneak listen of what to expect from their upcoming self-titled album release coming out on September 6. Farewell Flight’s ‘Ten Steps In’ and Deas Vail’s ‘Gone’ and are exclusive tracks only available on this EP. ‘Out For Blood’ Track Listing:
1) Sailor’s Mouth
2) Begin Again
3) Over
4) Out For Blood
5) American Will Break Your Heart
6) Cruel
7) Widower
8) Indianapolis
9) Phones
10) Robe
11) A Lullaby For Insomniacs
12) Slow
Smoking Popes Hit The Road
Alkaline Trio has announced their 15th anniversary tour, inviting Smoking Popes (one of their greatest influences) to join them. Smoking Popes built a relationship with their legion of fans and fellow musicians by melding raw songs about bittersweet heartache with soaring melodies, power chords and punk spirit. Inspired by the Popes, Alkaline Trio emerged onto the scene and have built an immense cult following. Matt Skiba, vocalist of Alkaline Trio,said, “The Smoking Popes were a good band that only wrote good songs. They have always been a big influence on Alkaline Trio and are a huge reason a lot of us started bands in the first place.” The Smoking Popes and Alkaline Trio have recently released new albums. Smoking Popes released, This is Only a Test, which is their first ever concept album, exploring the life of a fictional high schooler. This is Only a Test is perfect proof that their sparkling lyricism and ineffable charm is still intact. The tour kicks off July 10th at the Slowdown in Omaha, Nebraska.
©2011 HM Magazine All Rights Reserved
More news from last week:
still fresh (as far as you know)
About the Author
