DESTRUCTOR

Destructor, Cleveland, Ohio’s legendary premier power/thrash band, return to Auburn with their new 2003 “Sonic Bullet” release. The extended EP contains 46 minutes and 9 tracks of ripping, over-the-top, pounding Destructor-style molten heavy metal!

Auburn president Bill Peters’ first encounter with Destructor was seeing the band perform their very first ‘live’ show in 1984 at The Pop Shop, a club managed by Chris Andrews and located beneath the historic Cleveland Agora. Already working with bands such as Breaker and Shok Paris at the time, Peters fell in love with the band’s untamed energy, great songwriting, wild spirit and charismatic stage presence. The Cleveland metal scene was dominated at the time with ‘technically’ great sounding bands. Many questioned why Peters would choose to work with a band such as Destructor and how he could possibly record and capture the band’s energy in the studio. After all, Destructor were considered to be one of the area’s most ‘anti-technical’ of bands at the time. Despite the rough edges and regardless of the criticisms, Peters had a vision that Destructor could develop into something special and saw something in them most of his industry peers did not. He took a chance and moved forward, signing Destructor to his Auburn label in 1984. The band entered Suma Recording Studios to begin recording their debut album with engineer Paul Hamann at the helm. Destructor’s “Maximum Destruction” album, released the following year in 1985 on Auburn Records, is considered by many to be an underground metal classic and quickly silenced the critics. It became Auburn’s biggest seller and catapulted the band to international success in the metal underground. The album was licensed to Roadrunner Records in Europe several months after the initial release and later reissued by Listenable Records in 1999. Destructor’s crushing ‘live’ performances in the area, both headlining and opening for national acts such as Anthrax, Slayer and Megadeth, became legendary. The band received rave reviews and full features in prestigious metal publications like Metal Forces, Kerrang!, Hit Parader and Metal Hammer. In 1987, Destructor entered Beachwood Studios with engineer Jim DeMain to begin recording their second album “Decibel Casualties”. The album, along with Jag Panzer’s “Chain Of Command”, was going to help launch a joint venture between Auburn and major label Island Records. Unfortunately, both projects never saw the light of day. Several months into the Destructor recording sessions, bass player Dave Iannicca was innocently murdered on January 1, 1988. The incident devastated both the band and Auburn president Bill Peters, who had been a good friend of Dave’s over the years. Coping with losing a ‘family’ member was very difficult for everyone to overcome. Destructor needed time to recover from the tragedy and were in no condition to begin playing music again. Peters struggled with his emotions and his dealings with Island Records, who took more of a business stance on the whole situation. Peters eventually decided to walk away from the entire 3-year label deal. It was a tough decision but the right one he felt to make at the time.

Over the next several years, Destructor struggled to keep things going. They went through several bass players trying to move forward but the chemistry continued to be missing. During these years of uncertainty, the band did manage to go into the studio and finish one song from the “Decibel Casualties” sessions, “Storm Of Steel”, for Auburn’s 1990 “Heavy Artillery” compilation. The compilation was dedicated to Dave Iannicca. Unfortunately, the revolving door of bass players continued to take its toll, forcing the band into hiatus in the early 90’s. Destructor resurfaced in 1999 when Listenable Records reissued the “Maximum Destruction” album. Inspired by the rejuvenated interest from the reissue, Destructor entered the studio in 2000 to begin recording new material. After hearing the final mixes, Listenable expressed no interest in releasing the album and decided to drop the band from the label. Bass player frustrations continued to haunt the band and the album was never released. A song from those sessions, “The Triangle”, appeared on the Heavy, oder was!? “Metal Crusade-Vol. IV” compilation.

Finally in 2002, Destructor connected with Boulder bass player Jamie Walters. Although several years younger than the band members, Jamie had been a long time Destructor fan and had seen the band on a number of occasions over the years. Both parties hit it off immediately and Destructor were back on track. Jamie was the missing piece to the puzzle the band had searched for so long and hard. Then in January of 2003, Destructor and Auburn officially reunited. The two parties had been talking for nearly a year and had been unofficially working together since the summer of 2002. Peters challenged the band to write new material and the band delivered with an amazing batch of originals that followed in the same tradition as the “Maximum Destruction” album.

Destructor entered 609 Recording with engineer Don Depew (Breaker) in the Spring of 2003 to record “Sonic Bullet”. The EP, released in the Summer, includes 5 new recordings (“Sonic Bullet”, “Heavy Artillery”, “Silent Enemy”, “Blackest Night”, “Master Of The Universe”), two tracks from the previously unreleased 2000 sessions (“G-Force”, “The Triangle”) and two ‘live’ tracks recorded in 2002 at the Classic Metal Festival (“Pounding Evil”) and at the band’s opening set for Slayer in Cleveland (“Iron Curtain”). The Summer of 2003 has seen a lot of activity from Destructor on the concert front. They performed at two major festivals, the BW&BK “6-Pack Weekend” in Cleveland (headlined by Candlemass and Trouble) and the Bang Your Head in Balingen, Germany (headlined by Twisted Sister and Dio), and opened the Iron Maiden/Dio/Motorhead Cleveland tour date. The band are currently finishing up writing new material and plan to enter the studio next year to begin recording a new full-length.

DESTRY

DETHWARRANT

DETROIT DANNY & THE HELLRODS

DFM

DEUCE

Deuce Funk Monsters are Chicago’s funk stalwarts. Their organic mix of electronic-based funk has been a staple on Chicago’s underground music scene since 2010. Using a healthy mix of digital, and analog instruments the group has evolved into a unique hybrid monster! 

DEUS ABSCONDITUS

DEVILOCKS

DEVILOCKS are a MISFITS worship band comprised of members from SKA/ROCK bands from CHICAGO, ILLINOIS. Formed in 2006, the DEVILOCKS’s intent was to perform MISFITS songs as closely to the original recordings as possible. DEVILOCKS perform annually during the Halloween season and have had the privilege to play MISFITS songs to hundreds of “fiends”.

The DEVILOCKS’s playlist consist mainly of “Danzig” era songs with a dash of “Graves” here and there. With 30 songs and counting, we are sure you’ll hear your favorite tune.

DEVILS PIE

DEVILS WHOREHOUSE

DEVIN MILLER

From Rick Saunders at the Deep Blues blog: “Devin Miller ain’t nothing but trouble. He’s a hellraisin’, honkytonkin’, ‘stone lovin’, guitar slangin’, singin’ songwritin’ babyfaced grandson of a pig farmer. Twenty-five percent equal parts Jerry Lee, Keith, R.L., Hank, Elvis, Carl, Johnny, and Jack. That adds up to two hundred percent all American badass.”

DEVON KAY & THE SOLUTIONS

We were born, Now we are here. We sometimes get boners.

DEVOURMENT

Devourment is a brutal death metal band and was formed in 1995 after demise of local Dallas based death metal band Necrocide by drummer Brad Fincher and guitarist Braxton Henry (both from Necrocide) along with vocalist Wayne Knupp.

DEXATEENS

DEXTER

While DeXter (Chicago) originated in 2002, the current lineup came together in 2010. Original band members Drew Heckman and Thomas Pace continue to mix disturbed-pop song writing with clever progressions and distinctive vocal harmonies. In addition to this foundation, the newest band member Sean McGarry and incumbent drummer John Noyes (The Nubile Thangs, Gooey) bring with them dynamic skills that expand the bands’ musical palette. In May 2009, DeXter (with then guitarist Jeff Hilbert) proudly released a follow up to their 2003 debut album: “Before [The Space Between] After”. The sophomore offering: “Locus of Control”, is a well-rounded collection of music featuring strong songwriting, potent vocals, as well as infectious rhythms and riffs. DeXter once again collaborated with Matt Denny and Rob Ruccia of Chicago’s Uptown Rcording Studios to produce this memorable Indie-Rock record.

Over the past decade, DeXter has rocked such great Chicagoland venues as The Petrillo Band Shell, Martyrs’, Reggie’s Rock Club, Evanstion S.P.A.C.E., Elbo Room, and many more. 2013 promises to be another productive year for the boys as they continue to bring their high-energy live outings to venues all over Chicago and the midwest. In addition, the production of the band’s 3rd studio album is nearly complete. A 2013 release date is expected for the dark, electric-driven “Blue Shadows”.

DEXTEROUS ROY

DGAF

DI NIGUNIM

DEADLANDS

DEADNIGHT

Forged in the Chicago underground in 2003, DEADNIGHT began as a two-piece studio project with the goal of creating music that is memorable and timeless. With their ferocious old-school thrash riffing, screaming guitar solos and haunting atmosphere, DEADNIGHT’s blackened sound is truly unparalleled. After releasing their debut album “Messenger of Death” in 2008, the band has gained international recognition throughout the underground. “What DEADNIGHT does in terms of melodic guitar is more closely related to what DISSECTION was doing about a decade ago; the guitar leads, while melodic, are distressing and melancholic as opposed to upbeat and harmonious.

DEADSET

DEADSPACEPILOTS

DEADSTAR ASSEMBLY

DEAF CHILDREN PLAYING

DEALS GONE BAD

What do you get when you mix the chugging rhythms of Jamaica, the energy and emotion of American Motown, and the overthe-top pub/rock of the Pogues? Now in their 14th year, Deal’s Gone Bad is touring extensively with its strongest and most consistent line-up in its history. With elements of ska, rocksteady, reggae, and American soul, DGB is sure to please on the dancefloor as well as on their fourth release to date, “The Ramblers” on Megalith and Jump Up! Records (March, 2007). Although the band draws its influences from classic Jamaican (Desmond Dekker, Jimmy Cliff, Ken Boothe) and American (Otis Redding, Sam Cooke, The Temptations) artists, the sound is a uniquely modern combination, unlike anything else on the scene today. Deal’s Gone Bad will appeal to fans of both soul and Jamaican music, as well as anyone looking for a turn on the floor or a song in their hearts. While “The Ramblers” is a testament to the strength of the songwriting, as well as the close-your-eyes-and-its-Otis voice of Todd Hembrook (his first record with the group), it is in live performance where the boys truly shine. Deal’s Gone Bad shows are a combination of soul rave-up and island dance party, with the force and energy of any punk band worth their salt. Lace up your dancing shoes and slip into your sharpest suit or pencil skirt, Deal’s Gone Bad is coming to your town so get ready!

DEANNA DEVORE

DEAR ADORA

DEAR AND THE HEADLIGHTS

DEAR CHICAGO

DEAR LANDLORD

DEAR LIFE

DEAR NOEL

DEARLY BELOVED

DEAS VAIL

DEATH ANGEL

Not every band can live up to a legacy but every once in a while a group exceeds expectations by pushing boundaries in a genre they’ve helped create. DEATH ANGEL is one such band and with “Killing Season” they have raised the bar for themselves as well as maybe even creating a new genre most aptly described as “thrash n’ roll.” Produced by Nick Raskulinecz (Foo Fighters, Rush, Velvet Revolver, Shadows Fall, Stone Sour) at Studio 606 in Northridge, CA, this is DEATH ANGEL’s most sonically devastating record to date.

Among the youngest bands ever to storm the metal genre, DEATH ANGEL have come to be known as one of the most influential bands to emerge from the thriving Bay Area Thrash Metal Scene in the early 1980s, an era where one could catch Cliff Burton (Metallica) at the front of the stage at Ruthie’s Inn banging his head to Death Angel’s inventive style, and speedy, complex arrangements.

In 1986, a DEATH ANGEL demo produced by Kirk Hammett (Metallica) titled Kill As One sparked the interest of Enigma Records. The band was soon signed and the band’s debut, The Ultra Violence, was released in 1987. Drummer Andy Galeon was just 14 years old at the time. The album was a full-frontal assault on the ears, buzzing with the group’s youthful energy, and The Ultra Violence sold 40,000 copies in just four months. Another innovative recording, Frolic Through the Park, followed, marking DEATH ANGEL’s evolution both lyrically and musically. “Bored,” another track from the band’s second release, highlighted the cutting-edge band’s inventive dynamics, and won a spot on MTV’s “Headbanger’s Ball.”

Geffen Records was impressed enough with DEATH ANGEL’s television premier to offer the band a deal, and DEATH ANGEL became the first band of their breed to appear on the major label’s roster. At Geffen, the band released what is widely regarded as one of the most original and accomplished thrash metal albums ever recorded, Act III. The record pushed the limits of the genre to create something truly unique, a definitive work that is essential to any metal fan’s music collection. Death Angel’s masterful songwriting ability was once again on display nationwide in 1990, as the videos for “Seemingly Endless Time’ and ‘Room With a View’ saw heavy rotation on MTV.

DEATH ANGEL’s world tour between 1986 and 1990 included two sold-out tours of Japan. In fact, nearly every date on the Act III World Tour were sold out to capacity, a remarkable achievement for any band, but particularly stunning for such a young group, not to mention one comprised of cousins.

DEATH ANGEL’s trajectory to fame was tragically cut short in 1990, when the band’s tour bus crashed in the Arizona desert. Drummer Andy Galeon was critically injured, and would need more than a year to recover. During this downtime, vocalist Mark Osegueda left the band and moved to New York to pursue a life outside of music. The remaining members went on to form The Organization, and released two full-length albums under that name. The “O,” as they came to be known, toured extensively throughout the United States and Europe, including two appearances at Holland’s famed Dynamo Open Air Festival, a support slot on Rob Halford’s “Fight” tour, and as the main support for a Motorhead tour in Europe.

The “O” disbanded in 1995 and the members split up into various projects. DEATH ANGEL wouldn’t resurface again until 2001 to perform at a cancer benefit for frontman Chuck Billy (Testament) called “Thrash of the Titans.” The response was so great that many offers came quickly in 2002, beginning with a “secret” gig in San Francisco, and sold it out under the psuedo name, “Kill As One.”

The next year saw DEATH ANGEL supporting Metallica at the Fillmore in San Francisco as well as supporting Anthrax and Halford in the US. What began as a gathering of positive vibes for a friend turned into a full time mission to continue a journey that began so long ago. In 2004 Death Angel released their long awaited fourth studio disc, The Art of Dying; on Nuclear Blast. A natural progression from Act III; the new album delivered straight Thrash Metal with diverse musicality to rave reviews worldwide. The band hit the road to support T.A.O.D., embarking on an extensive tour with festival appearances in Germany, Belgium, Italy, Finland, Mexico and Japan. The group found themselves sharing the bill with many of their early influences from UFO to Alice in Chains, The Exploited to Guns n Roses!

DEATH BEFORE DISHONOR

DEATH BY STEREO

Since their inception in 1998, DEATH BY STEREO has been balancing consciousness and chaos with their unique genre-bending amalgam of hardcore, metal and punk. Previously, the band released their last five studio records via Epitaph, Indecision and Serjical Strike Records. DBS, as they are known by many of their loyal followers, have assembled a worldwide fan base built upon a seemingly endless international tour schedule, with enough passport stamps to make many of their contemporaries jealous. They have shared the stage many times over with the likes of Slipknot, AFI, Serj Tankian, Avenged Sevenfold, and Rise Against, just to name a few. They have headlined some of the biggest and best festivals around the world (Germany’s “With Full Force”, Belgium’s “Grozerock”, U.S.’s “Warped Tour” and Colombia’s “Rock Al Parque”). Having toured in over 20 countries is an accomplishment few bands of any stature can lay claim to.

DEATH IN THE PARK

DEATHMAPS

DEBELLO

DEC8DE

dec8de (pronounced: decade) is one of the Chicago area’s premier cover bands, paying homage to the first wave of alternative music: classic hits featured on MTV’s 120 Minutes & Post Modern shows, CMJ/NME music magazines, Sirius/XM radio’s popular 1st Wave channel, and all your favorite John Hughes movie soundtracks.
Delivering an enthusiastic and energetic show, dec8de delivers these songs true to their original form while incorporating their own personal touch and style. The band draws their set from synth-based and guitar driven bands that helped define the genres known as ‘Alternative’, ‘Post Modern’, ‘New-Wave’ and ‘Brit-Pop’ music.
Members of dec8de have performed on stages throughout Chicagoland including Cubby Bear, Metro, Reggie’s, Schuba’s, Durty Nellie’s, Penny Road Pub, Double Door, and House of Blues, as well as across the Midwest.
Playing a wide variety of New Wave, Brit-Pop and Post-Modern favorites from artists like The Cure, The Smiths, New Order, Echo & the Bunnymen, Depeche Mode, R.E.M., Duran Duran, U2, Blur, Psychedelic Furs and many more, dec8de delivers the Classic Alternative experience. Don’t be the last one to the party. Check out the alternative to the average cover band: dec8de!

DECAY

DEE THE SHOGUN

DEEN ANBAR’s ORGAN TRIO

DEEP SLEEP

DARK TRANQUILLITY

Darkest Hour

DARKEST HOUR

A bastard child born of the mid 90s punk/metal/hardcore movement, Washington, DC’s DARKEST HOUR combine the passion, energy, and soul of punk/hardcore with the style, speed, vengeance and fury of melodic speed/thrash/death metal.

DARKEST HOUR have helped defined the entire New Wave of American Metal sound as one of the pioneers of modern metal/core. A sound that gave the metal and hardcore/punk world the revitalization it surely needed. This style blended the raw, hardcore punk of the 80s, with the Scandinavian death metal of the 90s and forged a sound that would later become the template for modern metal.

Since their inception 23 years ago, Darkest Hour has released 9 studio full lengths (via 11 different record labels), appeared in major motion pictures, US television shows, video games, and have toured the world extensively covering 6 of the 7 continents.

Darkest Hour is: Mike Schleibaum – Guitar John Henry – Vocals Nico Santora – Guitar Aaron Deal – Bass Travis Orbin – Drums

DARKFALL

DARKRED

DARMATA

DAS KAPITAL

DASTARDLY

.The marriage between old west folk and the ambiguous genre of “indie rock” makes the songs of Dastardly a palatable playlist for those who aren’t normally attracted to cowboy crooners. In fact, by the sound of the screaming girls heard at Subterranean, we’re pretty sure the band was responsible for converting quite a few pop princesses into banjo loving broads. Experimental enough to feel fresh but traditional enough to feel familiar even to first timers, Dastardly is band that asserted itself as notable early in the game and now can enjoy the steady rise to local fame they’re guaranteed. ..—reviewsic.com……Dastardly is a Chicago outfit that plays americana music with just the right ratio of “sticky-sweet” to “fuckin’ shit up.” Every note is deliberate and controlled, but just barely masks an urgent and immediate sense of existential, frantic terror that must be slowly driving them mad. ….-am3r1cank1ds.tumblr.com…. ….Their indie-folk, Americana sounds is perfect for a 2010 Hoedown (meaning PBR and cigarettes). The band has no shortage of instruments including lap steel, dobro, or accordian. Their tunes have a top side of bluegrass, finger-lickin’ pickin’, but there’s always a seemingly modern undercurrent whether it’s the echo-y lead guitar line of “Excercises In Self Loathing” or the big, tribal beat outro of “Brief Thoughts On Death” ..—loudlooppress.com..