Even though The Receiver start their “Decades” off slowly, the repetition of the opening compositions on “Sober Hands” will give listeners some starting ground. The depressing arrangements that are commonplace during “Sober Hands” feel like an expansion of the music during Peanuts’ specials. There are hints of indie rock that are placed in the hopper as well, but the one thing that is most dominant during the early stages of…
Veteran Ukrainian doom/death act APOSTATE released Trapped in a Sleep late last year on Black Art Records and listeners lucky enough to have experienced it are still thawing out and paying contractors for the repairs to their damaged souls. A collection of dynamically composed songs that combine doom’s crushing despair with death’s frightening aggression in a way that continually captivates, Trapped in a Sleep is a work that is strangely…
Yet another hardcore/emocore band, but one in which the yin and yang of hard and light, metal and emo are blended equally well, a la Avenged Sevenfold and The Black Maria. Everything is arranged perfectly on The Reason’s opening track, “Reclaiming the Throne”. The odd tempos and staggered drum beat of “The Joke & The Gentleman” allows for a very emotive, almost acoustic-rock styled track to blossom into an incredibly…
Isolée’s long-awaited third LP ‘Well Spent Youth’ is set for release on Pampa Records. He will also be touring the globe with dates including: 11.02.2011 / ES / Barcelona / Nitsa / Mini- Mutek 12.02.2011 / TR / Istanbul / Club tba 19.02.2011 / DE / Leipzig / Distillery 26.02.2011 / AT / Graz / Dom im Berg / Elevate Weekender 04.03.2011 / FR / Paris / Social Club –…
While the promo information about The Real McKenzies tour them as a mix between the Sex Pistols and Scottish folk legend Robbie Burns, I just don’t happen to see this connection. Sure, if you want to call the Sex Pistols and the McKenzies related because they both play a fast style of music, sure. However, I would say that as a whole, The Real McKenzies have a sound that draws…
The massive expedition will invade 30 North American cities, engulfing the continent in a clockwise vortex over the next six-and-a-half weeks. As NACHTMYSTIUM’s first major tour of 2011, and first tour since their massive North American headlining tour with Zoroaster, The Atlas Moth and Dark Castle last fall, these dates will showcase the unit unveiling much of the material on last year’s incredible Addicts: Black Meddle Part II album which…
Global pop superstar Ke$ha has done it again. After dominating 2010 with hit after hit, she kicks off 2011 in the same fashion. Her first North American headlining tour – the “Get $leazy” tour is completely sold out. She has had three #1 songs on the Billboard Hot 100 chart (“TiK ToK”, “Your Love Is My Drug” and “We R Who We R”) and her new single “Blow” impacts radio…
Enough bands across the world do the style of emo/hardcore that Razor Crusade so faithfully reproduce on “Infinite Water”, but Razor Crusade’s music should not be dismissed as wholly unimaginative and mediocre. Rather, the pop-influences that Razor Crusade show on a track like “Our Planet is Intimate” shows a distinctive move towards a different sound and set of influences than most of the other bands to don the emo-hardcore tag.…
March 23 – Kingston, ON @ Stages March 24 – Ottawa, ON @Capital Music Hall March 25 – Montreal, PQ @ Le National March 26 – Oshawa, ON @ The Green Bottle March 27 – Barrie, ON @ The Mansion March 29 – Thunder Bay, ON @ Crocks March 30 – Winnipeg, MB @ WECC March 31 – Yorkton, SK @ Agri Pavillion April 1 – Edmonton, AB @ Avenue…
We received two different sets of weight training gloves in the space of a week, and we’re providing some insight into the Gripad Gloves today. The first thing that can be said about these is that you do not need to break the bank to buy a pair – from their own web site, you can buy a pair for $16. In regards to the unique style required by weight…
Southern California’s renowned independent rock label, Epitaph Records, announces today the signing of Raleigh, North Carolina based rock sextet Alesana. In a deal inked in late 2010, Alesana plans to release their fourth studio album in late 2011. The group is currently on a US tour with former Epitaph band Escape The Fate. “We are very proud to officially announce that we have signed with Epitaph Records,” says guitarist Shawn…
There are only four tracks on this album, which usually means that individuals will have a hard time trying to figure out exactly how a band like Raze To Ashes operates. A number of individuals (such as the previously-reviewed Cody Marks) have been able to go forth and create something coherent in four tracks, but by large, this is not something that typically happens. Raze To Ashes start off their…
For fans of the sixties Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea, the release of this DVD set is both a happy and a sad event. The show finally has its last few episodes brought to the DVD format, but that’s exactly it – there are no more parts of seasons to be released. The show did not lose a step despite being on the air for four seasons; “Nightmare”…
In the last few months I have been inundated with middle eastern-influenced material, whether it be Reza or the new Jon Hassell album. Raquy and the Cavemen’s “Jordan” album is another album that can be categorized as such, and the fusion track that opens up the disc “Graovsko” mixes progressive rock to the ancient forms of music that come out. The only problem about “Graovsko” is the incredibly long track-length…
Feb 24 – RIBCO – Rock Island, IL Mar 3 – Subterranean – Chicago, IL w/ The Bad Sons, Abinthe & the Dirty Floors, The Unstoppable Co. Mar 11 – Gramophone – St. Louis, MO w/ Uncle Lucius More on Waterstreet Waterstreet is a four-piece band with frontman Evan Hand, guitarist Joe Shadid, bassist Mike Crusen and drummer Rob Gould. They have recorded 3 albums with the most recent being…
Marcus Miller has been on eir own for about thirty years now. 2013 marks the 30th anniversary of eir debut, “Suddenly”, while “A Night in Monte-Carlo” captures eir live side. While there have been more famous recordings in Millers career (one has to remember that ey did stints with both Miles Davis and Luther Vandross), I contend that this is eir most soulful and affecting. A track like “Blast!” speaks…
There are not many artists that do a reggae style that have made it big in the last few years. The style of Akon is moderated through a number of other styles, and Shaggy has been in the public eye for well over a decade. Rankin’ Scroo, even though this is an album from six years ago, is trying to make it big in this day and time. The disc’s…
Apex Manor are celebrating the release day of their debut album, The Year of Magical Drinking, with a new video for “My My Mind” and new East Coast tour dates! Directed by Jonathan Singer-Vine, the cousin of band member Adam Vine, the video for “My My Mind” features bloody heartache in the gritty desert. “My cousin happens to be an incredibly talented video director (Nick Cannon, Marty Mcfly), and he…
Randy is a band that has been around and they seem to change up their sound with each subsequent disc; if individuals were looking for a style approximating The Mars Volta (as evidenced by the similar artwork, they will be disappointed). Randy starts off “Randy The Band” with a pop-punk track that is influenced by bands like The Dickies and The Lillingtons; that is to say, music that is perfect…
Feb 10 – Washington, DC – Verizon Center * Feb 11 – Uncasville, CT – Mohegan Sun Arena * Feb 16 – Denver, CO – Ogden Theatre */ Feb 17 – Salt Lake City, UT – In the Venue */ Feb 19 – Seattle, WA – Showbox SoDo */ Feb 20 – Vancouver, BC – Commodore Ballroom */ Feb 22 – Reno, NV – Knitting Factory */ Feb 23 –…