BRING ME THE HORIZON, ASKING ALEXANDRIA, OF MICE AND MEN, We Came As Romans, Alesana, Emmure, ISSUES, LetLive, Crown The Empire, We Butter the Bread With Butter, Fit For A King, Within The Ruins, Oceano, LIONS LIONS, Comeback Kid, Hundredth, Counterparts, Being As An Ocean, Hearts and Hands, FOR TODAY, Attila, Thy Art Is Murder, This Wild Life, InDirections, Volumes, Sworn In, Idlehands, Chiodos, Born Of Osiris
Las Palmas Race Park
03/12/2014 01:00 PM CDT
$57.00 - $155.00
buy tickets
BRING ME THE HORIZON
'Sempiternal' is available from
iTunes: http://smarturl.it/semp_bmth_digi_dlx
BMTH Store: http://smarturl.it/semp_bmth_store
Biography
Formed in Sheffield in 2004, BRING ME THE HORIZON have gone from hyped youngsters, winning the Kerrang Award for Best British Newcomers in 2006, to one of the world’s most exciting and unique new bands, currently bringing their individual brand of heavy music to sell out crowds all over the world.
2013 is the year you will hear one of the most exciting albums of recent times- ‘Sempiternal’. The fourth studio album by platinum selling metal giants Bring Me The Horizon. ‘Sempiternal’ is out on April 1st (April 2nd in US).
This year has already seen everyone from Q Magazine to the Times newspaper claiming a resurgence of British metal, with Bring Me The Horizon leading the charge.
The Sheffield five piece recorded ‘Sempiternal’ over a three month period with super producer Terry Date (Linkin Park, Deftones, Soundgarden). The album is an embracing ride through soaring vocals, supercharged melodies and what can only be described as spine tingling metal anthems . The band recently released a short album teaser which can be viewed here - http://vevo.ly/XjEd3N
Bring Me The Horizon ended 2012 on a high note, headlining Alexander Palace in London last November as part of the Warped Tour. They start their touring year with shows in Australia and South Africa in February and March, followed by some low key shows in the UK through April/May.
‘Sempiternal’ is available now to UK fans to pre-order exclusively through the bands website, fans will have the chance to order a limited edition deluxe album bundle plus the opportunity to order tickets for the upcoming UK tour 48 hours before they go on general sale. For other territories- please keep your eyes peeled on the facebook as preorders for your region will be available soon!
ASKING ALEXANDRIA
ASKING ALEXANDRIA are poised for worldwide domination in 2013 as they have a lengthy, headlining European tour in Jan/Feb, a new full-length album in the spring and a mainstage Download Festival performance.
To say that 2012 was a breakout year for the UK's ASKING ALEXANDRIA would be a massive understatement as the group headlined massive, six-week long sold-out European and North American tours, which was capped off with a slot on the Rockstar Mayhem Festival emerging as one of the fest's most talked about artists.
Amidst a slew of recent speculation regarding their stability, ASKING ALEXANDRIA, undoubtedly proved to all naysayers that they are one of the genre's most exciting, ground-breaking and heralded artists as their critically acclaimed new album, Reckless and Relentless, debuted at #9 on the Billboard Top 200 charts scanning an impressive 31,449 units. This monumental accomplishment also simultaneously marked the biggest first week sales for any artist in the history of Sumerian Records.
The album's stunning debut quickly caught the attention of mainstream media across the globe resulting in their national television debut on the ABC late-night talk show "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" They spent the summer of 2011 on the Warped Tour mainstage and emerged as one of the festival's most talk about performers. Throughout this timeframe they also graced the covers of such major publications as Alternative Press, Guitar World and Kerrang!
This is controversial, unapologetic hard rock at its very finest and you ain't seen nothing yet.
OF MICE AND MEN
After recording "Someday Came Suddenly" and touring some with Attack Attack Austin left the band. After leaving, Austin decided to start something new on his own. He asked one of his best friends Jaxin Hall from New Zealand, to join him and be apart of whatever he did next. The two, got their friends in Though She Wrote, to help them write and record the song "Seven Thousand Miles for What?" they had been working on. The next day they posted it and made this myspace. Five days later the inevitable happened. They joined up with the two people that had stood by them since day one. Rise and Artery were always considered family, and after hearing the song, they accepted us into theirs.
Solidifying the line up with Valentino Arteaga from Lower Definition on drums, Shayley Bourget from Chapters and Covette on guitar and vocals, and Phil Manansala from A Static Lullaby on guitar, Of Mice & Men have already recorded their debut album to be released in February 2010 and have hit the road nonstop!
We Came As Romans
Tracing Back Roots OUT NOW! Pick it up at iTunes here: http://smarturl.it/WCARTBR
Alesana
The crowd is still screaming at a sold out show in Anaheim, California as the sweetcore phenomenon known as Alesana exits the stage.
"I don't think I'll ever get used to this," says frontman Dennis Lee as he tips back the last wallow of his water bottle. "Seeing kids go crazy like that thousands of miles away from home reminds me that I have the best job in the world." Crowd response like this is something that the six-piece from Raleigh, North Carolina is quickly becoming accustomed to all over the country and other parts of the world: and this is only the beginning.
The band's debut full length record On Frail Wings of Vanity and Wax is built around a dynamic, emotionally charged, three guitar, three vocal attack. "We're all about dynamics, both musically and vocally," says vocalist/guitarist Shawn Milke about why the band elected to employ three guitarists and three vocalists. "We don't try to be like anyone else or to be something we're not. By having six members we are able to pull off the same guitar and vocal harmonies in a live setting that we have on the record."
Forming in November of 2004, Alesana has always focused a great deal of their attention on having an energetic and memorable live show. The raw, honest intensity of the band's performance on stage has played a huge role in their growing popularity over the last year and a half. "Our music is always fun," says drummer Jeremy Bryan. "There isn't a single night on tour that I don't have a blast on stage. We give everything we have each and every night and it is a great feeling to see that same energy increasingly coming back from the crowd everywhere we go...and always play 'til you puke." Having already completed tours with Chiodos, From First To Last, Bayside, The Devil Wears Prada, and Drop Dead Gorgeous the band is ready to continue hitting the road hard and strong. 2007 saw the band play 325 shows in 365 days and 2008 is looking to be no different. Alesana is embarking on a world tour playing shows in the US, Canada, Mexico, England, Germany, South America, Japan, and Australia. In addition to their international travel, the band is headlining the Vans Warped Tour all summer long on the Smartpunk Stage.
In June of 2005, Alesana released their debut EP, Try This With Your Eyes Closed on Tragic Hero Records. After selling nearly 3,000 copies of the EP at shows and online, the band hit the studio with friend Kit Walters to co-produce and record their first full length record On Frail Wings of Vanity and Wax. After nearly two months of round-the-clock writing, self-conducted pre-production, and two solid weeks in the studio, the band felt they had finally locked up the exact sound they were striving to achieve. The record did a soft release which included being sold at smartpunk.com where it remained in the top 10 for a solid year. The success of the record prompted Fearless Records to come check out the band live near their headquarters in California. Less than one month later, the band was signed to their new label. "We feel very at home with Fearless," says guitarist/vocalist Adam Ferguson. "I feel like I can pick up the phone anytime and call anyone on the entire staff. Plus, with a smaller roster of bands than some of the other labels out there, it feels more like family." Bassist Shane Crump adds, "Our label takes just as much pride in our success as we do. It feels good to know that we can make the people who work for us so proud of what we accomplish." Fearless re-released On Frail Wings Of Vanity And Wax in March 2007 and record sales are pushing 50,000, having never dropped below 400 records in any single week since being released.
In January of 2008, Alesana began work with producer Steve Evetts (Senses Fail, Story Of The Year, Saves The Day, Every Time I Die) on their new record Where Myth Fades To Legend, scheduled to hit store shelves everywhere in June. "Everything we have done on the road and accomplished as a band is here on this record," says Shawn. "We are proud of the concept, the lyrics, the music, simply everything." The recording process found the band working around the clock for three months straight. Four weeks of finalizing the writing, three weeks of pre-production, and six weeks in the studio led to the completion of what the band calls, "everything we ever envisioned our music being."
Where Myth Fades To Legend is Alesana at its very best. Following the footsteps of On Frail Wings of Vanity and Wax, the band elected to continue its thematic approach to lyric writing. Many of the tracks on the new record are based on the fables of The Brothers Grimm and other famous fairy tale stories. "People reacted so well to the greek mythology theme with our first record," recalls Dennis. "It was so much fun writing with a theme so we decided to continue the approach on the new record."
It is very apparent during the entirety of Where Myth Fades To Legend that the band is playing straight from the heart. "Shawn used no vocal auto-tuning at all," states guitarist Patrick Thompson. "He wanted to be honest with himself and with the fans so he pushed and pushed until it was done right, without the help of any trickery. Our producer, Steve, pushed all of us. We are all stronger musicians coming out of the studio."
The bands first single off of the new record is entitled, "Seduction." "We based the lyrics on The Maiden Maleen, a tale of The Brothers Grimm about a girl who is trapped inside of a tower left with enough food to survive for only one year," explains Shawn. "She finally escapes to find that her one true love is with another. Dennis and I couldn't think of a better tale to discuss the trials of temptation and jealousy than one where the main character battles starvation and loneliness only to be left with nothing."
With the sincerity of their lyrics, the energy of their music, and the passion of their live show, there is no doubt that Alesana will fight its way into your stereos and into your hearts.
Emmure
It's a respect issue and growing up in Queens, NY you either have to kill or be killed. EMMURE have embraced this ideology and have grown stronger as a result. However, instead of taking out their aggressions in negative ways they channeled their collective angst into their music to create a propulsive blend of unabashed aggression and intensity that the youth across the world embrace with open arms.
EMMURE keep it simple and straight-forward, but this coupled with vocalist Frankie Palmeri's brutal openness and honesty connects to people on a level that few others can. Everyone has demons and dark sides to their lives, but this group shows that everyone deals with these types of issues and that there are productive ways to let it all out. EMMURE have gained the loyalty of the metal community and legions of rabid fans, but make no mistake if you disrespect them you will be left sleeping with the fishes.
ISSUES
featuring Tyler Carter and other former members of Woe, Is Me
LetLive
letlive. is one word
They are your son's heroes and your father's strong armed surrender. The twinkle in your daughter's eyes and the wight knuckles beneath your wife's satin gloved hand. They stole the professor's books, the gutter's good looks, and now they want your kids. Cultured on punk's brashness, metal's brutality, and confidence born in the cracks of Ingelwood's side walks. Here you have it- LETLIVE. Four years after their sophmore release, the expansive and raucous Speak Like You Talk, LETLIVE. has suffered the growing pains that is the burden of any artist. Having to accept the reality that the life of the musician is only becoming harder to realize let alone manage. That there will be no Ivy league M.B.A. to fall back on. The gap on the resume won't be easily explained away. It is all glory for the chosen few whose pedigree ensures the successes of top 40 radio darlings. After four years and many a lineup change the band has coalesed into a few young men well aware of the crap shoot that is the modern music industry. While media moguls and their minions are scrambling for swill, like pigs at a trough, frenzied for one last taste of the fiscal glory they've enjoyed by hocking cardboard and paper mache' to the lowest common denominator...Letlive are betting on themselves, and they are all in, with far from nothing to lose.
Lands will be laid waste if Letlive's hunger is not satisfied for the God's of good music demand it; sacrements of swagger, sacrifice of the masses. With the blessings of former tour mates, Bleeding Through, LETLIVE. will be bringing the blood and sweat of their violently cathartic live show to the studio this summer, bracing for a winter release that is sure to serve as a true testament to something much greater than a "good album". These men exhibit a potential the arts have been desperately pining for for far too long. This is the assurance of change, the tipping point of a revolution.
Crown The Empire
It’s true: A picture does paint a thousand words, even if the artist uses sound—rather than pigment and pencil—to create that image. For the Dallas-based outfit Crown The Empire, that means making music on a level rarely seen nowadays, combining visual aesthetics, theatrical sonic textures and thought-provoking lyrics for an audio experience that takes the listener on a wild ride of epic proportions. And they’re just getting started.
Armed with The Fallout, the band’s recent full-length debut, Crown The Empire are bringing a high-energy, visually stimulating and thematically engaging side to post-hardcore, that’s already created a massive buzz for the still-embryonic outfit. Set amid a charred post-apocalyptic landscape, listening to The Fallout is an unforgettable excursion into the imaginations of its makers.
“We wanted this music to constantly make you feel what we were feeling and what we were writing about, whether it’s the softer or heavier songs,” explains Andy Leo, “We were trying to make it the sound of what you should be feeling; if you were watching a movie, this would be the score.”
Crown The Empire—which includes vocalists Andy Leo and David Escamilla, guitarists Brandon Hoover and Bennett Vogelman, drummer Brent Taddie and bassist Hayden Tree—formed in Dallas, Tex. in 2011, after Leo connected with Hoover and Tree, with the goal of starting a new project. Taddie and Vogelman—both discovered through videos of them playing covers on YouTube—joined later that year, and those early efforts led to the November 2011 EP Limitless. Then in March 2012 second vocalist Escamilla was added to the fold, solidifying the lineup as it currently exists, giving birth to the band’s full-length debut, The Fallout, released November 2012. Over the past two years the band has toured both nationally and abroad, with slots on the recent Our Last Night run, the 2013 Take Action tour with The Used, select dates with Falling In Reverse, and a U.K. run with Pierce the Veil. Crown The Empire were also recently featured on the cover of Alternative Press’ annual “Bands You Need To Know” issue.
Sequestered in Michigan with famed producer Joey Sturgis (The Devil Wears Prada, We Came As Romans, Miss May I), the band spent August and September of 2012 laying down the intricate compositions that comprise The Fallout, recording well through the night on most evenings. A painstaking process by all accounts, Leo says he spent six weeks living in Sturgis’ basement, subsisting on ramen noodles and microwave meals, but couldn’t be happier with the results. Sturgis is known for both his sparkling sonic touch, as well as his knack for adding cinematic elements to the music, and both qualities help make The Fallout shine.
“Joey didn’t change much song structure-wise; he mainly made it sound good,” explains Leo. “We have a more defined approach of what we want an album to sound like, and Joey is the perfect producer for that. We wanted all this real sound, and he captured that.”
“What would be left behind at the end of the world? Metal, gears…The bass booms on the record have explosions in them, and glass breaking, and gears turning over, sounding like a broken-down industrial park,” says drummer Brent Taddie, regarding the album’s end-of-world vibe. “There would be power grids, wires, steel left behind. All those explosions, the heavy parts, the aggressive vocals are breaking down the end of the world. The strings, the clean vocals are kind of the harmony coming through, but the guitar, the kick drum, the explosions—that’s supposed to be the destruction…the end of the world.”
The dark and cinematic soundscape that pervades The Fallout reflects the album’s post-apocalyptic theme, which actually began as a metaphor for a failed relationship. Leo says the idea came about after a member had broken up with a girlfriend, later realizing the full impact of his decision. Using some poetic license, the split was transformed into a global doomsday-inducing event.
“Her friends kept saying, ‘You ended her world,’” Leo remembers. “I was sitting around with a Brandon, telling him about it, and we decided, what if it did actually end the world with that breakup? From there, we started building this idea of the end of the world, and built a setting for it around this theme of being alone and faced against people. It all spawned out of a breakup, but it turned into this huge, massive world.”
Perhaps no track on The Fallout conveys this central them more than “Memories Of A Broken Heart.” Although one of the softer moments on the album, Leo says the lyrics are especially impactful in the record’s overall context. “That song has the perfect syllogism for the end of the world and the breakup. It talks about both,” says Leo. “I was outside and thought of the idea for the lyric ‘I stand on the ash of all I’ve ever loved.’ I was so stoked, because we’d already come up with the idea for the end of the world being a breakup. That line was about the ashes of a building, or the ashes of relationships.”
To date the band has released two music videos to accompany the The Fallout’s release: a two-part series for the tracks “Oh Catastrophe” and the title track. The visual story arc in the two videos conveys a tale of star-crossed lovers separated by differences in ideology, rather than being united by love.
“We came up with this idea of a weird Romeo and Juliet thing, with people not making the tough choices and arguing over things like religion, and all these things that at the end of the world wouldn’t matter. Somebody’s gonna be wrong,” says Leo. “I was thinking of how stubborn someone could be to see the end of the world not ending the way their book said it would, and still trying to argue. In the video, there’s this idea that love—this couple—could disband the army that was trying to keep them apart. They couldn’t see the love that was in front of them.”
With The Fallout still fresh, Crown The Empire have an extensive tour itinerary planned for the coming months, with a headlining run booked for spring and a slot on the Rise Records Tour (alongside labelmates Like Moths To Flames), then a full slate of dates on this summer’s Vans Warped Tour. Leo says as the group continue to build momentum, they plan on making their live shows progressively more elaborate and cinematic, further bringing Crown The Empire’s evocative brand of music to life.
“We’re constantly talking about new backdrops, new cabinets, new gear…how we can sound better. Eventually we want to be talking about what kind of rigs can we build on stage, what kind of lighting can we bring, what sort of pyrotechnics. That’s a huge part we love, that a lot of the bands have lost out on: the idea of a big festival for your eyes and not just your ears,” says Leo. “I think the shows will take a whole new level in the future. They’re always going to just get bigger.”
We Butter the Bread With Butter
German musical hybrid, We Butter The Bread With Butter (WBTBWB) have announced a North American headline tour for 2014. The 25 date trek (to happen in Feb and March) will find the band hitting both coasts and comes on the heels of their highly successful U.S. tour which just wrapped this fall. Joining them on the upcoming dates is Lions Lions (Century Media Records) and Honour Crest (Rise Records). Among the stops is an appearance at the highly-anticipated South By So What?! festival in Texas.
The band is touring in support of their latest full-length offering (and first official album release in North America) Goldkinder. The album, which boasts mixing assistance by the legendary Stefan Glaumann (Rammstein, Apocalyptica), takes WBTBWB's distinct heavy rock sound interjected with elements of metal and electro-pop to new heights. It's a sound that has won over U.S. heavy music tastemakers like Metal Sucks, HeavyMetal.About.com, Revolver Magazine, Metal Underground, Metal Insider, Guitar World, and CraveOnline, with the latter two premiering music videos in support of the album.
A true testament to the band's appeal in North America, though, was made evident when the full-length Der Tag an dem die Welt unterging cracked the iTunes Top 50 upon its digital release in 2010. This result is even more impressive when considering that this feat was accomplished without a domestic label, English lyrics or any U.S. appearance by the band.
Fit For A King
There is a common phrase amongst sportscasters that certain athletes “play the game the right way” – their fundamentals are so sound, their skill set so honed that they could be considered a case study in the most proper way to approach the sport they represent.
Tyler, Texas based newcomers FIT FOR A KING just might represent how that metaphor applies to a band. By forging ahead on their own path, making music well beyond their years, making it from the heart, and laying waste to their peers in the process, FIT FOR A KING have created a thing to marvel at - an impressive independent campaign that exemplifies the way “the game” should be played by an upstart band.
The hotly tipped metalcore band has been elbowing its way onto the national scene as a full-time touring outfit, cultivating fans at an alarming clip with a crushingly heavy, artful take on the genre that gives subtle tips of the hat to bands as diverse as THE ACACIA STRAIN, CIRCA SURVIVE and LINKIN PARK. The band’s passionate music, coupled with an explosive live show, has made FIT FOR A KING a sensation in the independent music scene.
Following several years of relentless DIY touring and a well-received, independently released album (2011’s Descendents), FIT FOR A KING are reaping the benefits of their hard work. Last July the industrious group was signed by Solid State Records, who quickly ushered the band into the studio to record their label debut Creation/Destruction, and take their already surging career to new heights.
Recorded with esteemed producer Andreas Magnusson (OH, SLEEPER, HASTE THE DAY, BLACK DAHLIA MURDER), Creation/Destruction is at once the fulfillment of a longtime dream for FIT FOR A KING, and just the first step in what is sure to sure to be an incredible journey for a band with massive potential.
“Words cannot even express how excited we are to join the Solid State family,” vocalist Ryan Kirby says. “We grew up listening to Solid State bands and for us to actually be on this label is the best feeling we've had as a band. We'd been waiting and holding off on labels for so long until we felt we had the right one, and we absolutely do.”
“We can definitely feel the momentum starting to build. Our fans were super excited for us and we have seen a big increase in the growth of our fan base in the past six months,” Kirby continues. “Longtime fans can expect a more energetic, hard hitting album with the same passionate lyrics that we like to bring to the table. And what some fans may not expect is just how heavy and dark this album gets lyrically and musically.”
Like a future-star athlete ready to prove his worth after a high draft position, FIT FOR A KING are ready to deliver with the release of Creation/Destruction. Sports metaphors notwithstanding - this is a band that knows how to play the game the right way and one that will be converting fans nightly.
Start filling out those Rookie of the Year ballots now.
Within The Ruins
Within The Ruins represent the pinnacle of what is possible when a band keeps their feet firmly rooted in the foundations of modern death metal, chews upon tidbits of classic thrash and all the while reaches upward to grasp toward new creative heights of their own design with hunger, skill and confident craftsmanship.
Within The Ruins set out to be faster, heavier and more accomplished with each release and their new alum, Elite, achieves that goal, earning its title in spades.
Audiences at South By Southwest, The Bamboozle, The New England Metal and Hardcore Festival and across the country on the Summer Slaughter festival tour as well as runs with a diverse list of bands that includes Shadows Fall, Impending Doom, August Burns Red, Carnifex and Emmure have come to know the Massachusetts based powerhouse for their intensity, dexterity and mind-blowing melding of multiple metal subgenres which somehow sounds uniquely their own.
Weaned on the guttural sounds of Floridian death metal chaos, the blackened ice of frigid Norway, the New Wave of Swedish Death Metal, the Big 4, progressive Noisecore mathematics and birthed from the same Massachusetts stomping grounds as the architects of the New Wave of American Heavy Metal, Within The Ruins creates challenging, devastating and comprehensive heavy metal sounds that encompass everything they’ve been and everything they are looking to become.
Thanks to fast, energetic, catchy, harmony filled compositions and deathly vocals (that are actually decipherable despite their forceful delivery), Within The Ruins have quickly distinguished themselves from the deathcore, metalcore and other overstuffed subgenre packs across two previous full-lengths, an EP and the unstoppable Elite, their brand new powerhouse for Good Fight/Entertainment One.
Utilizing all of the skills they’ve honed over the past decade, Within The Ruins crafted their new full length with producer Josh Wickman. Elite is the sum total of all that has come before but maximized leaps and bounds forward simultaneously. As the name would suggest, the songs on Elite are top notch, beyond the norm and completely untethered to the generic status quo of mediocrity that prevails in certain quarters of the metal genre. Within The Ruins work hard to be the best they can be, with dedication and perseverance unrivaled by most fly-by-night bands.
“Feeding Frenzy” is a direct attack on the trend following transients who overcrowd the music community, those who (as the song declares) are eating themselves alive. Within The Ruins very much believe in and support active involvement, vs. passive standing around. “Ataxia II” picks up where the instrumental from Invade left-off. “Absolute Hell” addresses some of the harsher realities of life on the road for a touring band, slugging it out and making strong commitments to your art.
The musical chemistry projects birthed in the laboratory of Within The Ruins are decisively serious, but the boys in the group carry on the equally important metal tradition of having a good time, blending beer and riffs with easy going charm and camaraderie with other bands and their fans. Fun, craziness, partying and leaving dumbfounded smiles on the faces in the crowd remain high priorities in their crew.
Within The Ruins are refreshingly authentic, feverishly committed and have proven that they will endure. Filled with power, deserving of utter respect, armed with concise compositions and technical might, Within The Ruins will not be stopped.
Oceano
Conceived in 2006, this talented young band comprises of former members of several Chicago metal outfits, and together are rapidly becoming one of the standouts of the Chicago extreme metal scene. Describing themselves as one of the angriest bands on Earth, OCEANO channel this through their music, creating in the process some of the heaviest, most guttural and all-out brutal music to be found anywhere. Having already completed numerous successful tours playing with the likes of Hatebreed and Suffocation, OCEANO are constantly growing in popularity and with a record deal under their belts, are now ready to spread their path of destruction far and wide, and will be soon levelling a town near you."
LIONS LIONS
For decades, "hardcore" and "post-hardcore" have become synonymous with dogma. For a scene that prides
itself on protesting society's perceived ills (e.g. racism, vice, commercialism), it ironically embodies another of
humanities least desirable traits: exclusivity. So it's quite refreshing when a band emerges from such a scene
singing the tune of open-mindedness and inclusivity and living a life that embraces both. "It's important to us, as
artists not to limit ourselves or our audience" states guitarist and founding member Brandon Davis. "Inspiration
can be found where you'd least expect it."
LIONS LIONS has lived this mission statement from Day One and have spread their message through relentless
touring, winning over fans one by one via their incendiary and acrobatic live show. Formed in 2008, when Davis
left his band Vanna, the lineup that would become LIONS LIONS began to take shape. Fueled by a desire to create
music of a different style, Davis reached out to a number of like-minded friends and artists and found that within
this intimate circle – Jon Kay on bass, Isaac Vigil on guitar and Danny Poulin on vocals – he had found his band. A
month into practicing, the band name was born. "Lions live together, hunt together, eat together – pretty much
do everything together. Needless to say, that's pretty much the way we are as friends, so when the word 'lions'
was brought up, it just stuck."
LIONS LIONS had the good fortune of playing a sold-out bill for their first show and have rarely looked back, self-
releasing their "Direction" EP and hitting the road for a slate of local and regional shows. Catching the eye of
indie Panic Records, LIONS LIONS released From What We Believe in 2010 and took to the road the following year,
touring the East Coast and then embarking on a full US tour. While in Reno, they met a guy named Joshua Herzer
who would prove invaluable; when the band's original singer Danny Poulin departed, Herzer tried out for the
position and became a part of the pride.
For LIONS LIONS' debut release on Hollywood Waste Records To Carve Our Names, Shep Goodman and Aaron
Accetta (Bayside, Forever The Sickest Kids, Get Scared) approached the band to produce. While To Carve Our
Names retains the relentless pace of their previous releases (which includes 2011's The Path We Take), it also
takes time to breathe. "Shep and Aaron helped us become better songwriters," states Davis adding. "They helped
us focus on the songs and really zone in on what aspects make a great song."
Although the Goodman and Accetta polish is apparent with songs like "The Rights Steps," "Grounded," and "Our
Colors," longtime fans need not worry about the band losing its edge: "Stable As Stone" and "Carry On" feature
some of the band's heaviest riffs to date. "Our record has a little bit of everything. We've always been open to
taking chances and exploring different genres so this album is no different," states Davis.
With To Carve Our Names in the can and the band out of the studio, LIONS LIONS goes back to what they do best:
hit the road. The band has toured North America with fellow road warriors For Today and We Came As Romans
and in 2011, they played Bamboozle and the Warped Tour. 2012 is already shaping up to be a banner year for the
band on the road, with full US runs with both Sleeping With Sirens and Comeback Kid on the books, LIONS LIONS
are prepared to work tirelessly to promote their new album and "carve their name" into the scene.
"The title of the record is about making your mark. Whether you're an artist, grocery store clerk, lawyer, or
gardener, it's important to leave an impression. Touring and recording music is our way of doing that."
Comeback Kid
Since dropping their debut full-length, 2003’s Turn It Around, COMEBACK KID has been an undeniable staple of the hardcore community. Each subsequent release has built upon the foundation of its predecessor while continually experimenting with and incorporating new musical elements from beyond the confines of modern hardcore. Five seconds into the band’s latest release, Symptoms + Cures, though, it’s made clear that this time around, COMEBACK KID has pushed their output to a new plateau.
Originally formed in 2000 by members of Winnipeg, Canada’s underground music scene, COMEBACK KID has amassed a catalog of four full-length international releases along with a live CD/DVD. Says vocalist Andrew Neufeld about the band’s origins: “We wanted to keep the intensity from our other bands or those we looked up to at the time, but also took influence from ‘90s skate punk and more melodic acts.” He continues: “We wanted the music to be heavy, but the vocals were meant to incorporate a bit more melody than was found in traditional hardcore. Still, I don’t think we knew how far we could go with it at the time.”
The band’s sophomore effort, 2005’s Wake The Dead, affirmed their position atop the heap of modern hardcore bands; however, when writing commenced for 2007’s Broadcasting…, vocalist and founding member Scott Wade announced his departure from the group, finding Neufeld abandoning his axe to take over vocal duties. But Broadcasting… didn’t miss a beat. With Neufeld more than capably filling Wade’s shoes, CBK delivered a powerful record that was undeniably COMEBACK KID while incorporating further-developed musical ideas and a more colorful vocal performance.
Having delivered their pure and passionate brand of hardcore to fans around the world since 2002, COMEBACK KID released a live CD/DVD package dubbed Through The Noise in 2008. On top of accurately relaying the intensity and attitude of a CBK performance through a 17-song set list comprised of favorites from the band’s three previous releases, it also included an hour-long documentary entitled Our Distance that shared the band’s story to date. Since then, the band has dominated stages on several continents and worked on an array of other projects, musical or otherwise, all while composing the fourth COMEBACK KID record.
Officially dropping August 31st, 2010, Symptoms + Cures is the latest offering from the lineup currently consisting of Neufeld on vocals, founding members Kyle Profeta on drums and Jeremy Hiebert on guitar, as well as guitarist Casey Hjelmberg and bassist Matt Keil.
The album is firmly rooted in the brand of hardcore that its three predecessors helped established, yet incorporates more musical layers and vocal variance than we’ve heard from the band thus far. “We really found our mesh with Andrew singing,” says Profeta about the effort. “Our last album was more of a ‘feeler.’ We were just getting in the mode of Andrew becoming our front man. With Symptoms + Cures, we’ve really found our sound with him and we’re all really excited about it.”
Trademark elements of the band’s sound are abundant on Symptoms + Cures – gang vocals, half-time bridges, and tastefully-placed breakdowns among them. However, the record also features a more dynamic vocal performance than we’ve previously heard, weaving a much harsher and urgent vocal delivery with sing-able passages, not to mention new musical expansions that stray from the straight-up simplicity of hardcore.
Still, these new elements only serve to enhance, not overpower, the core of COMEBACK KID’s sound – and this is assuredly a COMEBACK KID album.
Once the record’s been delivered to the masses, COMEBACK KID will embark on a world tour, hitting North America, Europe, Asia, and South America and sharing stages with acts like Madball, Sick Of It All, Four Year Strong, A Wilhelm Scream, Parkway Drive, Bleeding Through, and others. Says Neufeld: “It’ll be nice playing with some new bands as well as some of our hardcore heroes – bands we all really respect.”
While fans will undoubtedly find much to embrace in Symptoms + Cures, it’s notable that the band members themselves believe this to be the pinnacle of their cumulative output. “It’s a good feeling that despite how long we’ve been doing this, we can still get so collectively excited about our music,” shares Neufeld. “We love doing this. There’s no better feeling for any of us than being in a room, losing our minds, and watching others lose their minds to the music.”
Hundredth
HUNDREDTH | OUR LATEST EP "REVOLT" IS OUT NOW VIA MEDIASKARE & NO SLEEP RECORDS.
Counterparts
Counterparts have come quite a long way since their formation in 2007. With a fan base that has progressively expanded beyond their home province, the young artists have toured Canada relentlessly since March 2009. The band's upward trajectory truly took off after the release of their debut full-length, Prophets, in February 2010. The Verona Records release turned heads across the country, as well as past its borders. The record proved to be an immediate hit among fans of the hardcore genre, simultaneously garnering praise from scene luminaries and newcomers. Its impact was bold and far-reaching, going so far as to earn the band several award nominations throughout Ontario. The positive response caused the band's touring regimen to quickly increase in intensity, with a slew of tours taking place both at home and in the United States alongside prominent hardcore acts such as Shai Hulud and It Prevails. At a point when most bands would take time off to relax, Counterparts proved themselves once again to be as hardworking as they come. In November 2010, the band released a split EP alongside Ontario-based hardcore unit Exalt. The EP was another instant hit among fans, and proved that the band still had plenty left to offer, both musically and lyrically, that had not been showcased on their debut.
In October 2011, Counterparts released The Current Will Carry Us via influential independent label Victory Records. The sophomore LP saw the band pursuing a more raw, straightforward sound, and achieving a new level of honesty through their lyrics. Tossing any idealistic rhetoric aside, TCWCU offers listeners an extremely introspective listening experience that depicts the band in their most sincere, vulnerable state. While the album marks a clear thematic departure from its predecessor, its unrestrained aggression makes an emotional impact that's even more genuine. The record's reception easily exceeded the expectations of the band members, landing them a selection as one of Alternative Press' "100 Bands You Need To Know In 2012" and solidifying plans for the group's first ever expedition into Europe, in which they would bring their unforgettable live presence to listeners who'd spent years anxiously awaiting the opportunity.
If there's one thing that's abundantly clear about Counterparts' career, it's that none of the success – the building of an incredibly passionate and supportive fan base – has come about without a great deal of struggle and sacrifice. Like many bands who strive to do things on their own terms, Counterparts have had to face adversity in many different forms, including being stricken down by legal sanctions, having their touring vehicle obliterated, and having to cope with the ill-fated return of a founding member. Counterparts' story, while perhaps still in its infancy, has been one of a constant battle to find stability in an increasingly unpredictable music landscape. Nonetheless, the band have consistently proven themselves to be steadfast in the face of any impediment that comes their way. After years of dutiful exertion, the band are finally entering an era in which the future looks bright, and they've been able to reach this plateau without once compromising any aspect of their art. Through sheer hard work and dedication, Counterparts have been able to overcome innumerable obstacles in order to hold on to their elusive dream. Armed with heart and hope, Counterparts plan on spreading their music and message as far and wide as humanly possible in the coming years.
Being As An Ocean
Being As An Ocean is an American Post-Hardcore band from Alpine, California. The band was founded by its current members in January 2012, and works with producer Brian Hood in Nashville, Tennessee. They are signed with InVogue Records and distributed by Warner Music Group. Their debut record "Dear G-d…" charted at #27 on Billboard Heatseekers, supported by tours both in the US and the UK.
Hearts and Hands
“There’s no holding back,” proclaims Alex Lyman of Hearts & Hands. “We write and record how we feel and what we hear. In every song, you’ll find something different. There are no walls, no boundaries, and definitely no rules.”
That boundlessness makes the Salt Lake City, UT group’s self-titled debut EP for The Artery Recordings/Razor & Tie so intriguing and irrefutable. Siphoning hardcore, metal, electronic, pop punk, and even a little classical into five dangerously dynamic songs, the group—Lyman, Garrett Garfield, and Chelsea Grin singer Alex Koehler—surprises at each turn. As a result, falling into their collective grip is as blissful as it is brutal.
In 2010 while working as a guitar tech for Chelsea Grin, Lyman began toying with what would become the very first Hearts & Hands song. On the trek home from the All Stars tour, he penned “We’re Not Alone” in his head. Casually sharing the idea with Garfield and Koehler, both of them wanted to sing on it immediately.
“Their response was overwhelming,” Lyman recalls. “I actually couldn’t believe it. Alex was excited to try things that aren’t typical of Chelsea Grin, Garrett added his touch, and I brought my pop punk background. After that first song, we quickly decided that this was a project that needed to be taken seriously, which led us to where we are now.”
During 2011, the trio found time to enter the studio with Stetson “Bucket” Whitworth [Chelsea Grin] handling production and Bertrand Poncet [Chunk! No, Captain Chunk!] mixing and mastering. Pulling from a broad spectrum of influences that ranges from Coldplay to MxPx to Whitechapel, they tapped into something undeniably unpredictable.
First single “Choices” slips from a kinetic punk intro into a battering verse before spiraling out through an orchestral bridge. Koehler’s signature guttural screams provide the perfect counterpoint to Garfield’s entrancing clean melodies, giving the track a dynamic sense of duality.
Lyman goes on, “The song is about all of the choices you make in life. All of our inspirations come together in the music to create something different. Every choice you make has an effect on the rest of your life. That’s a heavy concept. ”
Speaking of “heavy”, the EP opener “Revenge” blasts with bloodthirsty guitars and shrill growls. It’s certified moshpit-ready. “The song couldn’t be any other way,” affirms Lyman. “It’s definitely the angriest and most emotional track we’ve got. It’s written about how Garrett’s girlfriend of two years broke up with him and got engaged a week later. It delves into the natural, innate urge we all experience when someone stabs us in the back. You want to prove to that person it was the worst mistake ever.”
In 2012, Hearts & Hands inked a deal with The Artery Foundation and Razor & Tie, and they’ve got their sights set on recording a full-length and touring full-time. In the meantime, Lyman has one important goal for the band’s music.
“I hope people enjoy it,” he finishes. “There’s a lot of blood, sweat, and tears that went into this. Take it in and embrace how it makes you feel. If that happens, then we’re on the right track.”
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FOR TODAY
"We don't do this band because it's fun or to become popular, we do it because we have to. This is all about sharing our beliefs and our devotion through our music. That's one hundred % why this band exists." says For Today frontman Mattie Montgomery.
That kind of conviction has served him and the band well. Formed in 2005, the Christian group from Sioux City, Iowa is one of the metalcore movement's most popular acts. They have found a passionate audience with their blend of face-ripping vocals, tech-heavy guitar parts, towering choruses and fervent lyrics. Sure, other groups are trying to pull off a similar formula, but no one is doing it better than For Today.
"We joke around about this, but most metalcore bands play something that is in between metal and hardcore, but we play songs that are half metal and half hardcore," Montgomery offers. "We have songs that are straight-up metal, with Cradle of Filth-type vocals, and then the next part will just be this slowed-down, Terror-inspired part. We just love playing both styles of music, and try our best to mesh those two worlds."
You won't find better evidence of For Today's dynamic songwriting than on Immortal, the band's new album. The 11-song collection finds the quintet pushing their sound into a new direction with a fresher sense of melodicism creeping into their music. But Montgomery explains that they also stayed true to what For Today's legion of fans have come to know and love about the group's sound: "Musically, the album's title track has some stuff going on in it that is definitely new for us. It's got a melodic thing happening that reminds me of Thrice and Shelter a bit. But when it comes down to it, our fans want the heavy stuff. They want that low end driving pulse and rhythmic thing that For Today is known for, and we deliver that on this record."
Anyone who has ever been to a For Today show knows the special connection the band's fans have with their lyrics. Whether they're performing at a huge theater or a club, the entire room is singing – no – screaming along with every single word. On Immortal, Montgomery delivers more of life-affirming lyrics that For Today are known for. "Fearless," the album's first single, drives the group's message home more than any other moment on the record, offering the line, "We are fearless ones/we will not be afraid."
When asked which song on Immortal he thinks will surprise For Today fans the most, Montgomery hesitates for a moment, "That's a tough question, but I'll have to say a song called "Foundation." That track actually features the most clean-singing we've ever had in one song. The song has a really anthemic feel that comes alive with Ryan's [Leitru, also lead guitarist] vocal parts. "Foundation" is just a big-sounding song. I can't wait for people to hear it!"
Immortal, For Today's fourth album and first for Razor & Tie, was produced by Will Putney (Lamb of God, Suicide Silence) who also manned the boards on their 2010 Breaker album. "At this point, Will is almost like another member of the band. He knows our sound better than anyone else out there and doesn't take any crap from us," laughs Montgomery. The album also features three guest artists: Sonny Sandoval from P.O.D. on "The Only Name," Jake Luhrs from August Burns Red on "Set Apart," and Tommy Green from Sleeping Giant on "Under God." For Today's three previous albums – Ekklesia (2008), Portraits (2009) and the aforementioned Breaker – have sold more than 75,000 copies, combined.
Montgomery feels that For Today's music needs to be more meaningful to their fans than just an outlet for teen angst. "I meet a lot of the kids that come to For Today shows and I've realized that a lot of them don't have strong father figures in their lives," says the singer, who is also a married father. "Whether it's through divorce, death, or their fathers just being emotionally detached, they need someone to enter their lives and tell them, "I love you and I'm proud of you." That's something that is really important for me right now. I want to be someone in these kids' lives that is an example worth following, and more importantly, let them know that I see the value in them and what they do."
For Today has delivered their positive message to the masses, playing over 1,000 shows on five continents, since their formation in 2005. The band has shared the stage with everyone from The Devil Wears Prada and We Came As Romans to Emmure and August Burns Red. But as popular as For Today is poised to become, Montgomery's heart remains in one place: "No matter how popular we become, we'll never downplay our faith and relationship with God."
"Across the earth, we stand as one. We are not dismayed by the darkness that surrounds us here, because we know that when all hell closes in, if we stand and fight, we are not alone. Though we walk through the valley of the shadow of death, we will fear no evil for you are near." For Today
Attila
Party death metal rockers Attila formed in their hometown of Atlanta in 2005, meeting each other at their high school and through mutual friends. Their mutual love of music (and partying) brought the guys together to form what would eventually become the fourth imprint on the Artery Foundation/Razor & Tie joint venture, Artery Recordings.
When the guys set out to name their newly formed band, they knew they were looking for a simple, one word name that didn't imply the typical death metal cliché terms such as "blood, dying, and darkness." One day they found themselves in a bookstore passing around a book about Attila the Hun, and so Attila was born.
Over the years Attila has gone through a few lineup changes, but founding members Fronz and Sean have remained a constant staple. For the past two years, the band has consisted of Fronz (vocals), Nate (guitar), Chris (guitar), Sean (drums) and Paul (bass). This lineup really brought together Attila's sound and image that they are known for today. The band began touring full time and as of summer 2010, has been on the road almost non-stop for two years.
Attila released two prior albums, Fallacy and Soundtrack To A Party, on Statik Factory Records, and have previously toured with Arsonists Get All The Girls, See You Next Tuesday, Chelsea Grin, America Me, and We Are The End. RAGE, Attila's Artery Recording/Razor & Tie debut will be released May 11, 2010, and is a unique mix of heavy music infused with elements that make each song fun to listen to and put the listener in the mood to party. "The title can be perceived in many ways, one obviously being a state of extreme anger, and the other being the slang meaning – to party! I have always been a fan of play-on-words and double meanings, and that's what drew me to this title more than anything," Fronz commented.
While Attila certainly evokes thoughts of partying, the band is trying to expand the public's immediate thoughts about party metal through RAGE. They describe the album and their overall take on music as a way of letting loose and having fun, and allowing the listener to take away that message in whatever context they find fitting. As Fronz said, "All we want is for the listener to have a fun experience, and that is the main message behind RAGE."
Thy Art Is Murder
Rising from the unhallowed wastes of Western Sydney, extreme metal outfit Thy Art Is Murder have carved a trail of bloody mayhem since their inception in 2006. With an acclaimed EP and debut album in Infinite Death and The Adversary to their name, the band have traversed the highways and autobahns of Australia, the UK and Europe on a relentless crusade to destroy every venue and audience they can with like minded peers in a who's who of heavy metal.
2012 brings a new ritual offering of darkness from the five piece. Simply titled Hate, the band's second full length is the pointed result of Thy Art Is Murder's growing dissatisfaction with all aspects of modern life - political, religious, social and environmental - everyone is to blame. Fusing the blasting technicality of metal luminaries The Black Dahlia Murder with thunderous breakdowns and the intensity born of their nascent hometown scene; the blackened grandeur of Behemoth and the pit churning groove of Tampa originators Morbid Angel and Cannibal Corpse, the furious musical arrangements provide a bloody canvas for vocalist CJ McMahon's outpourings of bile.
No strangers to stoking controversy and criticism, the band have not toned down their art for the sake of palatability and have introduced a morose melodicism into their maelstrom - the rumination before pulling the trigger. With their best work to date ready to be unleashed on an unsuspecting world, Thy Art Is Murder will once again take to the road to unleash the Hate with one simple message - get in the pit or get out of the way.
This Wild Life
This Wild Life is an acoustic duo from Long Beach, CA. Writing songs that hail to the past emotions of Dashboard Confessional and the new feelings of City and Colour, they have created a sound, vibe, and presence that sets them apart from their stripped down acoustic peers.
Oddly enough, both Kevin Jordan (Vocalist) and Anthony Del Grosso (Guitar) were raised as drummers from a very young age. Anthony moved out to Long Beach from his hometown of Pittsburgh, PA to pursue a career in drums. After meeting Kevin and starting a pop punk band, they realized that their true talent laid in their acoustic renditions and performances. Between Kevin's melodic vocals and Anthony's beautiful fingerpicking, they discovered a sound that began to find it's way to fans worldwide through organic and viral promotion. Releasing two EP's and several singles independently, their fans have been instrumental in spreading the music and creating a buzz anticipating a full length record.
Lis