Ice-T (or Ice T), is an American rapper and actor. He is active in both hip hop and heavy metal. Ice-T began his career as an underground rapper in the 1980s and was signed to Sire Records in 1987, when he released his debut album Rhyme Pays. The following year, he founded the record label Rhyme $yndicate Records (named after his collective of fellow hip-hop artists called the “Rhyme $yndicate”) and released another album, Power (1988), which would go platinum. He also released several other albums that went gold, including The Iceberg/Freedom of Speech… Just Watch What You Say! (1989), O.G. Original Gangster (1991) and Home Invasion (1993).
Ice-T co-founded the heavy metal band Body Count in 1990, which he introduced on O.G. Original Gangster, on the track titled “Body Count”. The band released its self-titled debut album in 1992. Ice-T encountered controversy over his track “Cop Killer”, the lyrics of which discussed killing police officers. He asked to be released from his contract with Warner Bros. Records, and his follow-up solo album, Home Invasion, was released through Priority Records. Ice-T released two more albums in the late 1990s and one in the 2000s before focusing on both his acting career and Body Count, who have released eight studio albums to date, the latest being 2024’s Merciless.
Max McNown creates the kind of songs that perfectly soundtrack our most intimate moments: times of intense heartache and tremendous loss, immense upheaval and life-changing revelation. Within just a year of teaching himself to play guitar, the Oregon-bred, Nashville-based musician turned out three EPs spotlighting his emotionally potent yet nuanced lyrics—an element beautifully displayed on his breakout single “A Lot More Free,” a track that landed on Billboard’s Emerging Artists chart and greatly expanded his grassroots following. Anchored in the charmingly warm vocal presence he partly honed by busking at the beach in Southern California, McNown’s debut album Wandering brings an even deeper sense of purpose to his songwriting—and, in turn, reveals his extraordinary capacity to ease the mind and strengthen the soul.
At 23, McNown has already been on a storied musical journey. Taking control of his future and drawing inspiration from his brother who was bravely fighting cancer, McNown packed his bags and drove from remote Oregon to Southern California. From there, videos of him busking on a pier made an impact online and eventually grew into a legion of supporters on TikTok.
After attracting interest from major TV talent shows, McNown auditioned for one and then decided it wasn’t for him, and gracefully turned them down as he knew he needed to walk his own path. His loyal fanbase then helped McNown amass 80 million streams and a spot on Billboard’s Emerging Artists chart with his breakout single, “A Lot More Free,” which was recently #1 on the TikTok Breakthrough USA chart.
When wrestling with inevitable moments of self-doubt in the creative process and his fast moving career, McNown looks back to insight shared by his mother. “When I was younger I sang around the house all the time—I’d sing in the shower or before I went to bed, I’d always sing in the car,” he says. “My mom used to tell us growing up that singing means you have a happy heart. Even if the song’s about something difficult or painful, I still have a happy heart when I sing.
Nick Karcher is back with his most vulnerable release yet. “In Another Life” (out April 25) marks a major sonic shift for the pop punk artist, trading distortion and punchlines for acoustic guitar, piano, and raw, gritty vocals. The track builds from a stripped-down ballad into a soaring rock anthem. Hailing from Chicago, Karcher turned heads in summer 2024 when pop-punk legends We The Kings jumped on a remix of his breakout single, BIOTU . Released in July, the track didn’t just create waves—it dominated Spotify’s All New Rock editorial playlist and racked up over 200,000 streams across all platforms in record time. With multi-platinum producer Michael Bono (renowned for his work with Blink-182 and Avril Lavigne) steering the ship, Karcher delivered a string of electrifying singles that cemented his place as a rising voice in pop-punk. Tracks like “Mr. Obsessive” a fiery, unapologetic breakup anthem reminiscent of Avril Lavigne’s golden era, and “Second Chance” a heartfelt collaboration featuring Joey Fleming of In Her Own Words, show Karcher’s dynamic range. Together, these releases have amassed over 200,000 streams and earned him coverage in tastemaker outlets like New Noise Magazine and idobi Radio. Now, with industry co-signs, a growing catalog of infectious hits, and a steadily building fanbase, Nick Karcher isn’t just staking his claim—he’s proving he’s here to stay.
Revered for use of reverb-laden guitar work, creative synth structures, and dynamic vocals akin to the style of many shades of 80’s and early 90’s pop-darkness. Hailing from Sacramento, California. The lineup includes – Ean Clevenger (vox/programming), Barry Crider (guitarist), David Wright (synth/drums) , & Kyle Vorst (bassist).
In late 2017, Creux Lies completed their first full-length album via Cleopatra, “The Hearth”, recorded at the creative fantasy-land known as Earthtone Studios (Tera Melos, So Stressed!, King Woman) in their home city under the creative care of producer/engineer extraordinaire Patrick Hills.
Seminal performances for Creux Lies include appearances at WGT, Absolution Fest, Murder of Crows NY, and several other shared stages and tours with a roster of notable acts such as AFI, The Soft Moon, Clan of Xymox, Drab Majesty, Soft Kill, Gene Loves Jezebel, Actors, Vowws, Twin Tribes, and others. Creux Lies is poised for 2021 with the release of their second full-length via the international Freakwave label. Headlining performance antics will ensue promptly. Catch them soon on tour throughout the reaches of the planet.
From synth pop to indie rock, Dutch Cove combines sapphic yearning and tension with a sprinkle of tongue-in-cheek lyricism. What does that say about her?
The Band “Knott Us” was birthed from Knotty Luxe Arts Foundation, a 501(c)3 charitable organization that provides free performing arts education and training for youths ages 12-18. This dynamic performance band is comprised of multicultural pre-teens and teens who have wowed audiences all over our great state of Illinois. Their setlist consists of classics originally performed by Aretha Franklin, Santana, Chuck Berry, BB King, Queen and Al Green just to name a few. So, if you’re looking to take a toe tapping, finger snapping, sing-a-long musical journey down memory lane, then Knott Us is your band of choice. This band has been dubbed “The Young Band with An Old Soul!”
Wretched Blessing is a band formed in Chicago by KV and RA in 2023 as a close and fully collaborative duo. It is an intentional and unrestrained effort to explore the vast spectrum of metal, punk, and experimental music without microgenre commitments.
From the shadowy desolated woods of Borlänge, Sweden and the rusting urban lechery of Amsterdam, The Netherlands comes Dödsrit, a maelstrom of soul tearing blackness and cacophony.
Dödsrit entered the worldly realms in 2017 as a sole venture that would produce both the self-titled debut in that same year and the subsequent ‘Spirit Crusher’ in 2018. Following this second full-length, the project expanded into a full-fledged group with the addition of three new members, a change that would sharpen the band’s course into the potent force that stands today.
Whether painting landscapes of storming riffs, crescendos of pulsing intensity, or immersing mournful wails, Dödsrit’s crushing devotion to the visceral element in men and nature allured from its very inception. While rooted in the Black Metal milieu, the group’s sonic traits expand wide and beyond, from repetitive and atmospheric upsurges of misty ambiance to melancholic yet triumphant infused outbreaks, a pallet of sorts that provides this journey with an uproar of emotions. Such features find their most precise outcome on their latest opus, ‘Nocturnal Will’, a step forward in the direction of the abyss, and a definitive illustration of Dödsrit’s treacherous display of ghastly emanations for and to the strife and suffering of our feeble world, and it’s nocturnal flame.
Few artists in recent memory have swept through the dark underground with the excited fervour that Lamp of Murmuur has achieved since first appearing with a string of demos in 2019.
Despite the project’s quick rise to renown, little is known about the band except that the project hails from Los Angeles, CA, and is led by an enigmatic man known as M.
There is no shortage of raw black metal projects around the world but the way that M. approaches the genre sets Lamp of Murmuur on a different path than many of its contemporaries. With two albums already under his belt (and a third one set to be released early in 2023) M.’s explorations in black metal stray enough to keep his approach fresh and mysterious, without compromising the extreme core of the project.
Starting as a fairly orthodox one-man endeavor, it was soon apparent that behind the ghastly mist of rabid riffs and ominous synths there was a far more complex and enigmatic beast dancing behind a veil of shadows.
After the gothic explorations in “Heir of Ecliptical Romanticism” (2020) and “Submission and Slavery” (2021), the project seeks to redefine itself once again with “Saturnian Bloodstorm”.
Lamp Of Murmuur’s new album is a statement of might and power, destroying all preconceptions the project had made in the past, while also serving to cement its position as a driving force in modern-day underground metal.
Blackbraid is a solo indigenous black metal project from the depths of the Adirondack wilderness creating music as raw and powerful as the mountains from whence it came…
The music of Blackbraid is inspired by the forces of nature in the land around us, overpowering emotions of rage and sadness, and the deep spirituality of the project’s creator, Sgah’gahsowáh; a southern native raised in the mountains of the northeast. His stage name was chosen to honor the Mohawk land which inspires much of Blackbraid’s music.
Blackbraid is a fiercely independent artist, viciously carving a new and inspiring path for indigenous people & underground musicians alike.
Arlie is a band created by singer-songwriter, composer & multi-instrumentalist Nathaniel Banks. It began in summer 2015 as a solo bedroom project and grew to incorporate a full-band live show by fall 2016. Since Arlie started playing live, Adam Lochemes and Carson Lystad have been part of the performing ensemble on drums and guitar, respectively. Ryan Savage joined on bass in 2018. During the pandemic and the year prior, everyone involved in the group wound up going through some of the hardest times of their lives, in one way or another. But despite some major setbacks and challenges, they managed to come together and finish a debut full-length album as a team, with Ryan and Adam as co-producers alongside Nathaniel, Carson as a trusted go-to perspective, all together bringing a new batch of Banks’ songs and demos to full fruition. After finishing the record, the group added Noah Luna to the performing ensemble as a backing vocalist and multi-instrumentalist to complete the live show.
Sylvia Dieken is a queer, independent Minneapolis based singer songwriter and multi-instrumentalist. She takes inspiration from artists like Phoebe Bridgers, Lucy Dacus, Taylor Swift, and Elliott Smith. Her lyrics feel nostalgic and specific while the instrumentals derive from americana, folk, and indie rock influences.
Shravan Raghuram is a musician, visual artist, videographer, artist manager, event organizer and indie workaholic based in Chicago, IL. Raghuram’s project ‘When the Wall Breaks Down’ is an exploration into the areas between artist and audience, and the ideas between cosciousness and the subconscious. ‘When the Wall Breaks Down’ is many things: a YouTube channel, a DIY cassette tape label, a music blog, and, on nights like these, an improvisation-based musical venture.
Now making music in Philadelphia by way of small town Texas, Grace Gardner is pushing the boundaries of the singer/songwriter genre with thoughtful, self-done production. Their writing takes on an evocative nature, unafraid to “say the ugly thing” while making well-crafted observations and takeaways in their lyrics. While their music adopts many of the genre’s characteristics, Grace found inspiration in their parents’ taste in 70s and 80s rock, in the folk roots of their southern upbringing, and in the jazz they were surrounded with while residing in New Orleans.
Grace’s inspirations started with eclectic powerhouse women from the 1970s — namely Carole King and Stevie Nicks. The works of Sara Bareilles, Brandi Carlile, and KT Tunstall swarmed through their wired earbuds in middle school. As Grace started honing in on their own musical style, finding the intersection between soft rock, indie, and folk, she’s taken even more inspiration from artists like Madison Cunningham and Adam Melchor.
Grace incorporates live complex instrumentation with experimental (by way of self-learned) production. Grace plays ten instruments – primarily and most fondly, guitar – and weaves orchestral, brass, percussive, sampling, and software-based elements into their creations. Along with being a singer, songwriter, and instrument player, Grace is also a producer, music educator, composer, and arranger.
Mean Street is Chicago’s ultimate tribute to Van Halen formed for the love of America’s mightiest rock band. Our show promises to bring relentless energy & driving passion celebrating timeless music together!
A politically-driven, dirty ska band out of Flint, MI. Some people around Flint decided to start a ska band as part of their midlife crisis. Songs were written to be danceable and get your ass shaking, while simultaneously singing about dark themes including police brutality, Rick Snyder poisoning children, overdose, death, and mental illness. What happened to my hairline? Get off my lawn!
Jesus Coyote is an attitude and guitar driven garage rock trio out of Chicago, IL. Blending catchy hooks, powerful lyrics, and a raw and aggressive sound, the band delivers a high energy experience that is both familiar and undeniably new.
Moonroof is an indie pop band from Philadelphia, PA featuring Dave Kim (vocals), Dan Rendine (drums), Kevin Randolph (bass), and Johnny Fordyce (guitar).
Founding members Dave, Dan, and Kevin met while attending Bloomsburg University, where they played open mics and other events and bonded over their love of bands like The 1975, Two Door Cinema Club, and The Killers. After college, the band moved back to Philadelphia, adopted the name Moonroof, and began releasing music and playing shows across the Philadelphia area.
In 2018, Moonroof released the song Honey Honey, which has now earned over 1 million streams. Moonroof also won a contest by Philly radio station Alt 104.5 in 2019 and opened for The Lumineers, Death Cab for Cutie, Grouplove, Phantogram, and others at the station’s 12th Birthday Show.
In 2020, Moonroof signed with Philadelphia label Free Dive Records and, in October 2021, released their debut EP Dream State. The EP debuted as the #2 alternative album and #6 album overall on Apple’s top 200.
Following Dream State’s release, Moonroof expanded the reach of their live show with performances at festivals and venues across the Northeast and Midwest. In November, Moonroof released the EP TOMOS.
This year, Moonroof is working on their first full-length album and touring across the U.S. The band completed a tour of the Midwest this Spring and has released three singles from their upcoming album—Bottle It Up, Bad for Me, and Buzz.
KILLING ADDICTION is a death metal band from central Florida with an established name in the old school death metal genre. The band’s debut LP, titled Omega Factor, is considered a minor classic of American death metal, which led to their follow-up recordings Dark Tomorrow (EP), Fall of the Archetypes (full-length and limited-edition EP), and the most recent, When Death Becomes An Art (EP, 2014).
“Edge of Thorns” is a Tribute to Savatage that formed in 2023 from a group of six Chicago musicians. Bringing you some of the biggest hits and fan favorites from the Criss Oliva years 1983-1993 “Edge of Thorns” brings you the heavy riffs, soaring melodies and dynamics that make Savatage the powerhouse band they were. “Edge of Thorns” was first showcased at Tribute Island in Kenosha Wisconsin the summer of 2023. Since then they have been playing shows in and around the Chicagoland area. “Edge of Thorns” are made up of members:
Dan Milka – Lead Vocals ( Krisis )
Scott Davidson – Drums ( The Suffering, Judas Rising, Heaven and Hell, Rebel Radio )
James Noble – Guitar ( Krisis, High Alert )
Lothar Keller – Guitar and Vocals ( The Skull, Legions of Doom, Sacred Dawn )
Will Hart – Bass Guitar ( Convoy, Judas Rising )
Kristy Tallica – Keyboards and Vocals ( Damaged Justice, Judas Rising )
Comedic Rock/Kazoo Metal/Party Folk from Flint Michigan! Here to LIBERATE your ears from the terrorism of modern day music! NEW ALBUM IN 2025! For fans of Alestorm, GWAR, Nekrogoblikon, Psychostick, Green Jelly, Tenacious D, Gloryhammer, and Weird Al.
Isolation Tank Ensemble is a cinematic, instrumental, progressive 6 piece hailing from Louisville, Kentucky. Their full-bodied, dynamic sound, overlapping polyrhythms, and interweaving melodies will satisfy an adventurous ear
Face Yourself is an independent transcontinental modern Deathcore band that was founded with members from New York, New Jersey, Colorado, and France. Face Yourself has established themselves in the modern Deathcore era with throwbacks to the early Myspace Deathcore era mixed with their own unique sound that consists of nothing but sheer relentlessness.
In 2023 Face Yourself made their debut release in the form of their Self-Titled EP which was quickly followed up that same year with their Death Reflections and Tales of Death EPs.
If time is a flat circle, then 2 things are true: 1) Deathcore’s return was inevitable. 2) Andrew Baena, Johnny Ciardullo, Cooper Lagace and Travis Regnier were destined to form another band.
The quartet killed off predecessor Galactic Pegasus’ djenty metalcore as their writing trended deadlier. So intense was Carcosa’s devotion to death that the body was still warm when they started.
Their June 2020 unveiling and release of the ‘Absent’ EP 2 months later took them from disregard of to mastery over death.
Carcosa stare into the abyss—knowing everything happens in cycles but with the nihilistic knowledge everything ends. Their name, as well as the black, yellow and spiral-laden imagery, were inspired by ‘True Detective.’
One could argue their lyrics and sound came from the hopeless mind of Rust Cohle. The music borders on apocalyptic but accepts the bleak end as the twin of the hopeful beginning. It’s the kind of doom-and-gloom through which The Acacia Strain and Chelsea Grin channeled their brutality, tempered with the futuristic noises of contemporaries like Brand of Sacrifice.
The lyrics on debut LP ‘Anthology’ don’t follow the tragic journey of their debut, but the collection renews its endless loop construction. The new release drops on the year anniversary of its predecessor (8/19) and the final track seamlessly segues to the opening of both.
Though done intentionally for ‘Absent,’ on ‘Anthology’ it happened without conscious thought; time is a flat circle, indeed.
ten56. came of of the gates swinging and haven’t stopped since the release of their first industrial laced banger ‘Diazepam’ post pandemic. Proving to be more than just a flash in the pan, the French / English quintet surprised the industry by taking their first album around the globe, yet show no signs of slowing down. With an imposing image and unpredictable sound that demands attention; it’s difficult to know exactly where ten56. will go next, but the world is watching and the answer to the question is never too far away…
Embark on a journey through the darkness as Zwielicht weave tales of forbidden realms. From the haunting depths of “Obsessis A Daemonio” to the chilling echoes of “Symphony of a Dying Star”. Enter a realm where “Forgotten Kings” rise, plagued by the curse of “Pest,” while the enigmatic “Nordlys” lights the path to redemption. Brace yourself for the raw intensity and brutality of “Mortal Shells” and surrender to the poem of “Zwielicht.” Prepare for a symphony of agony, where arrogance meets despair. This is the immersive and captivating world of Zwielicht.
Let us embrace a new era of darkness by bringing the “black” into blackened heavy music. Join us on the way down to infernal gates of hell to be rebirthed back to life. The album contains the most mind-bending variety of different heavy musical influences and sounds. Epic symphonic orchestras accompanied by slam breakdowns; this will have it all. Inspired from metaphors written by nature, death, and inner demons.
Off Season, regarded as the Midwest’s loudest band, provide furious riffs and chest-slamming performances. The two-piece rock unit comprises drummer/vocalist Quinn Wilson and guitarist Christos Poulos. Working with their producer, Paul Bennett, they have recently dropped their new single “FACELESS” to high praise locally and from online fans. With Off Season’s innovative take on the new wave of rock music, they have quickly established themselves as a leading group in the local rock scene of their hometown and region. Quinn and Christos are gearing up to head back into the studio to work on more long-awaited music and eventually, their first EP.
Canadian mixed-race mixed-gender duo Mares of Thrace deal in a brand of heaviness that draws as much from noise rock and hardcore as it does from the doom metal they’re commonly grouped with. The band came roaring back to life in 2022 after a considerable hiatus; while 2012’s The Pilgrimage (released on Canada’s Sonic Unyon Records) catapulted them onto the world stage, garnering a premier on Pitchfork and praise in Decibel, Terrorizer, Metal Hammer, and countless other outlets, their current era is fast eclipsing it. Their relentless schedule in support of 2022’s The Exile saw them tour the USA, Canada, and Europe (including a full tour with UK doom legends Conan, and stints with Bell Witch, Dopethrone, and KEN mode) and headline a showcase at new “North American Roadburn” festival Prepare the Ground.
The band’s new incarnation sees vocalist and guitarist Trez (hailed as “absolutely riveting, an unrivaled monster of a frontperson” by Exclaim! Magazine; a professional illustrator, she also creates the album, merch, and poster art) joined by Casey on drums, a multi-instrumentalist and audio engineer whose bona fides include being tapped to replace Gene Hoglan in Zimmer’s Hole.
2025 looks to be their most ambitious year yet, as they prepare to release their fourth full-length album–The Loss– on illustrious joint Toronto-Reykjavik label Artoffact Records (home of Kaelan Mikla and Gggolddd).
Michael Meyers is a Chicago-based comedian. He has traveled throughout the country doing stand-up including being a featured performer at the Limestone Comedy Festival. In November of 2020, he released his second album, which was a socially distant stand-up experience. “From Afar” went to number three on iTunes propelling him to be the nation’s top bug noise comedian. His dry delivery and soothing voice will make for a stand-up experience you might soon forget.
Clarence Tilton stands at the crossroads of Americana and Heartland rock, blending tube amps, Telecasters, and the wide-open landscapes of Nebraska into a sound that feels both timeless and fresh. “Americana programmers take note,” says Music Row of the band, whose layered harmonies and recent collaboration with country legend Marty Stuart have garnered attention across the country.
Formed in 2014 from Omaha’s storied rock scene, Clarence Tilton is led by brothers Chris and Corey Weber, who grew up in a small town (1,000 people, 10,000 cows), learning guitar on borrowed instruments and bonding over influences like Neil Young, Son Volt, The Allman Brothers, The Flying Burrito Brothers, and James Gang. The five-piece band features co-songwriter Paul Novak (guitar, vocals), Jarron Wayne Storm (drums, vocals), and Craig Meier (bass). Their music, rooted in family legacy and small-town life, balances raw alt-country grit with rich, melodic hooks.
Clarence Tilton has released three full-length albums, Clarence Tilton (2015), Start Already Lost (2019), Queen of the Brawl (2025), and an EP, Word Rolled In (2018).
Critics describe Clarence Tilton as a band that “has cultivated a sound that speaks to both the heart and the head.” The group’s approach to storytelling has reached new heights with “Fred’s Colt (feat. Marty Stuart)” from their newst album Queen of the Brawl, which has been described as “more than just a song; it’s a statement — a declaration of Clarence Tilton’s rightful place in the canon of modern Americana.”
Buddy Hollow are a band of Indie Rock/Americana veterans from Chicago. They are:
-Jamie Bachmann: vox, rhythm guitar
-Mike Bradburn: bass
-Chet Hartin: bass, pedal steel, lap steel, keys, accordion
-Greg Newman: drums, percussion
-Drew Weir: lead guitar
Their debut Ep was recorded by Michael Hagler (Wilco, Neko Case, Waco Brothers) at Kingsize Sound Labs, Chicago.
Zaq Baker’s original music is featured in 2024 film How to Break a World Record; as keynote at Youth Mental Health Day, a conference of 730 attendees; and in magazine cover stories, talk shows, festival headlines, and numerous podcasts and radio interviews. Zaq Baker’s quirky, verbal, intricate, earnest catalogue brings pop-punk and emo to the piano with a major flair for synthpop and theatre.
Zaq’s debut novel, Unspectacular — a Chicago music story — has been met with gracious praise in its first two months in the U.S. and UK. Unspectacular is available online, in sixteen bookstores, and at three bakeries.
Zaq’s brand-new single “bri” expands on a variety-loaded catalogue of three full albums, two EP’s, eight standalone singles, a rockumentary, and four concept music videos, of which the top have each garnered more than 83k views.
Leilani Kilgore delivers fiery, blues-infused rock with a raw, unapologetic edge. Armed with searing guitar riffs, sultry vocals, and a stage presence that commands attention, she blends classic grit with modern aggression.
Chutes is the Indie Rock project of Minneapolis artist Ryan Kemp. First formed as a solo project during quarantine, Chutes soon assembled a full live band that began playing in the summer of 2022. Since their first show at 7th Street Entry they have found their place in the Twin Cities music scene with their energetic and captivating performances.
Chutes blends many genres, mixing Indie Rock energy and intimate lyricism wrapped in a layer of fuzz and saturated nostalgia. Chutes melodies feel timeless, like a song you’ve always known, yet fresh with its forward thinking and DIY spirit.
Greg Taylor is the singer and main songwriter for Holy Joke, an indie rock band based in Chicago. Greg’s songwriting sensibilities are shaped by a deep love of americana, folk, country music, and the indie rock of the past two decades. Holy Joke’s most recent release, a self-titled EP, is their first release as a full band.
