Posted on: September 11, 2009 Posted by: anfnewsacct Comments: 0

Having wrapped sold-out shows in nine countries around the globe–U.S., U.K., Japan, Germany, Hungary, Austria, Czech Republic, Belgium and the Netherlands–electronic, punk and hardcore alchemists ENTER SHIKARI return September 4 to the U.S. for a 20-city fall tour. Next, the St. Albans, England heavyweights–renowned worldwide for their incendiary live experience mixing arena-rock showmanship and punk theatrics–will continue their worldwide domination with an October headlining trek with The Devil Wears Prada, to be followed by a high-profile November tour with electronic trailblazers The Prodigy.
ENTER SHIKARI have partnered with DGC/Interscope–through their own U.K. label Ambush Reality–to officially release their new album COMMON DREADS in U.S. stores this coming spring 2010. The group digitally released the album this past June, and ALTERNATIVE PRESS magazine offered up this praise in an early review:

“At their most ambitious (‘Solidarity’), ENTER SHIKARI manage some unholy amalgam of the Streets’ Mike Skinner, the Prodigy, nu metal, screamo and what sounds like the London Boys Choir, with each element cranked to 11 on the bombast meter. Songs like ‘Juggernauts’ (one of the year’s best singles, with singer Rou Reynolds sounding not just defiant, but terrified, as he goes toe-to-toe with imperialism) and “Wall” should not only turn stadiums into mosh pits–they throw the more abrasive stuff (the grime-through-a-cracked-looking-glass ‘Zzzonked’) into sharper relief. You’d have to be one black-hearted bastard not to smile when Reynolds bellows earnestly, ‘It’s glorious outside.'” (Dan LeRoy, August 2009)

For COMMON DREADS–the follow-up to their 2007 U.K.-gold-certified album Take To The Skies, which debuted at #4 on the U.K. charts–the group teamed with veteran producer Andy Gray (U2, Tori Amos, Korn, Gary Numan). The album is a soundtrack for the current generation on a mission to define the era in which it was born: one of recession, paranoia, state control and the fallout of decades of accelerated capitalism; and on the other side, an era of hope, creativity, humanity, hedonism, irreverence and fun. COMMON DREADS has already garnered the group new fans and widespread critical acclaim from outlets as diverse as the BBC and Absolute Punk:

BBC: “Highlights are fabulously catchy first single ‘Juggernauts,’ swelling grower ‘Wall,’ teenage anthem ‘Hectic’ with its computer-game-esque melody and the unexpectedly twinkly and lovely ‘Gap InThe Fence.’ The album is packed with anthems too–‘The Jester’ is Blur’s Parklife… And ‘No Sleep Tonight’ is a hardcore reply to Faithless’ ‘Insomnia.”
–Sophie Bruce, (6/8/09)

Absolute Punk: “Everything about COMMON DREADS is bigger and more realized. “Antwerpen” is catchy whilst still scraping our knees with pissed-off “La La Las”; “Hectic” moves forward on the legs of Reynolds’ much-improved electronics. It’s a dance party for the end of the world. And f**k me for typing that, but COMMON DREADS reminds me why loud music succeeds so readily. It’s an avenue to let it all go, and COMMON DREADS is an outlet of mammoth proportions.”
–Blake Solomon, (5/31/09)

Mojo: “A portentous Star Wars-styled spoken intro about the evils of consumerism segues into big metal riffs on ‘Solidarity,’ Mike Skinnerish raps on ‘Juggernauts,’ then drum’n’bass breaks, euphoric rave keyboards, church choirs and anthemic choruses, all sung with a committed vocal ferocity by Roughton Reynolds. The end effect is like an ADD-compiled mixtape about the ills of globalization, and therefore possibly the true sound of the British suburbs, 2009.”
–Ben Myers, (7/2009)

This week on FUEL TV’s “The Daily Habit,” the group–ROU REYNOLDS (lead vocals/electronics), RORY CLEWLOW (guitar/backing vocals), CHRIS BATTEN (bass/vocals) and ROB ROLFE (drums)–performed the COMMON DREADS lead single “Juggernauts” as well as the genre-bending “Antwerpen.” Check out the group’s two-song live performance on the show:

“Juggernauts” http://www.fuel.tv/music?bcpid=5807873001&bclid=1390018585&bctid=35422301001

“Antwerpen” http://www.fuel.tv/music?bcpid=5807873001&bclid=1390018585&bctid=35423788001

ENTER SHIKARI are veterans of both America and Europe’s top festivals including the Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival, the Download, Reading and Leeds Festivals and Summersonic, among many others. Recently, the band was nominated twice for “Best Live Band” and “Best British Band” at the 2009 KERRANG! Magazine Awards.

ENTER SHIKARI U.S. tour with Alesana, The Bled, Asking Alexandra and Broadway

9/11 Fargo, ND Aquarium
9/12 Milwaukee, WI Rave
9/13 Lemont, IL Jaguar Club
9/14 Grand Rapids, MI The Intersection
9/15 Indianapolis, IN Emerson Theatre
9/16 Louisville, KY Headliners
9/17 Dayton, OH The Attic
9/18 Toledo, OH Headliners
9/19 Erie, PA Forward Hall
9/20 Altoona, PA Eldolyn Hall
9/21 Syracuse, NY Lost Horizon
9/22 Winooski, VT Higher Ground
9/23 Poughkeepsie, NY The Chance

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