Unity is a Melodic Power metal band from Iowa. It was formed in November 2010 by Alonso “Zo” Donoso. Alonso decides to leave his previous band and starts a new musical project. Zo’s idea was to create music that was more European oriented and Melodic, yet powerful and raw.
Unity’s music could be described as Melodic Heavy Metal with European Power Metal influences. Unity takes influences from different bands and backgrounds to create something fresh but yet classic with catchy riffs and powerful melodies.
In order to get this project started, Zo had a challenging task ahead of him. Trying to find like-minded musicians to join forces in this new project in the Midwest wasn’t easy, but Zo’s determination and burning desire to continue his musical career helped him to complete the task.
The first to join the fold was old friend Tim Cummings on the drums (Ex-Dark Mirror). He has been keeping active for some time with a local cover band. After being asked by Zo his response to join Unity was automatic.
The next step was to find a talented guitarist that could satisfy Unity’s musical direction, Zo’s melodies and musical ideas. This individual had to have the ability to recreate the melodies in Zo’s head. Zo found Yasko Kajtazovic a local musician that had moved into the States a little over 3 years ago from Bosnia. He had been playing in a cover band named Yugoslavia. Yasko accepted to become part of this project. After rehearsing for several months the chemistry of these 3 individuals grew beyond limits and several songs were the outcome of dedication and great musicianship. But the line-up wasn’t completed yet; they needed a bass player talented enough to keep up with Yasko’s intricate melodies and riffs. After trying out several individuals, they finally found what they were looking for: Adam Amdor (Ex- dividezero.) was the last piece of the puzzle. Unity is now ready to take the Midwest by a storm and show the true meaning of Heavy Metal to the people around these plains.
Late 2012, Unity suffers a major shift in personnel, Adam leaves the band during the summer and soon after Yasko followed. Tim and Zo auditioned Arie Vandenberg and he joins the fold late 2012. Early 2013 two more members get added to the new line-up, Sean Oakes as Lead guitarist and Mark Allen on bass. This is a stronger unit than before. With this new line-up you will be able to hear some of the parts you could only hear while listening to the album at home. Be prepared as Unity takes you on a new musical ride!
The most extreme organ trio ever, Simulacrum is yet another wild new direction from Downtown Alchemist John Zorn, who continues to explore new worlds and new ensembles into his sixth decade. Zorn composed the music for their SIX TZADIK CDS in a creative fury in 2015-2016 and the band grew tighter with each new release. This rare live concert will feature a special program of compositions drawn from across their huge repertoire. Dramatic through-composed pieces that unfold with a cinematic logic, this genre bending music defies classification, touching upon metal, jazz, minimalism, atonality, noise and more.
Passionately performed by an unusual all-star trio of John Medeski (MMW), Matt Hollenberg (Cleric) and Kenny this is powerful and fascinating music that highlights the MENTAL in experimental!
What does Justin Moyar want his audiences to do? Reconnect. With music, with a message of unity.
Performing a theatrical presentation using different instruments, he loops a jazzy folk rock style that engages those in attendance to participate. With two albums under his belt, he now is working on his third. Opening up for noteworthy musicians like Bernie Worrell (Parliament, Talking Heads), Baby Gramps, Jim Avett, Michael Glabicki and Jim Donovan (Rusted Root), Jack Russell (Great White), Greg Garing, Hypnotic Clambake and many others, his music has received high praise from some of the industries finest. With over 18 years of experience writing and performing, he has a passion for live shows and the people he plays for.
The Magnifiers is a rock & roll outfit based out of the Chicago area, ready for time travel, the zombie apocalypse, and ready to rock!
20 SPOT
20 SPOT is an American hard rock trio from Chicago Illinois formed in 2004 by Ed Riley (Vocals, Guitar), Brian LaFlamboy (Drums), and later joined by Tony Medina (Bass) in 2017
In October 2009, guitarist Jason Ashcraft combined his love for Metal music and science-fiction into a singular vision that would become Dire Peril. The first year and a half were spent composing a bulk of the songs that would soon appear on the band’s 3 scheduled EP’s: “Astronomical Minds”, “Queen Of The Galaxy”, & “Through Time And Space”. Without a solid line-up in place Jason utilized a handful of musicians he knew from fellow bands to bounce ideas off of and perform live. The pattern of utilizing hired musicians continued into the studio when it came time to begin recording the album. The most notable of the group was bassist Jeremiah Bear who appears on the band’s debut and would eventually join the group’s ranks full-time. In 2011 writing for the album concluded and recording was in full force at Alien Productions Studios. The missing piece was a vocalist that could deliver the performance Jason was envisioning for this band. He quickly reached out to vocalist Norman Skinner (Skinner\ex-Imagika) and asked if he would be interested in lending his voice to the recording. After hearing a few samples of the songs Skinner agreed and began to construct melodies around the compositions and rework the lyrics supplied. The pairing of Ashcraft’s writing and Skinner’s vocals mixed brilliantly and Norman was the next member to agree to join the band on a full-time basis midway through the recordings. Drummer Ben Jackson was brought aboard to finalize the band’s line-up and live sound. In January of 2013 the band self-released the EP “Astronomical Minds” featuring 3 outstanding tracks as well as a cover of Blue Oyster Cult’s Classic “Godzilla”. The EP was met with open arms and rave reviews by both fans and critics alike. The band is currently performing live and putting the final touches on the 2nd scheduled EP “Queen of The Galaxy”. The album will be released Fall of 2014 and the 3rd “Through Time And Space” in 2015. The band is currently finishing up writing for a yet unnamed full length effort and a 2nd full-length concept CD is in the works as well. Fans of the band can be delighted knowing that a plethora of new music lay ahead for “Dire Peril”
Valinor Excelsior – Colombian Power Metal hailing from Tunja – Est. 2004
Valinor Excelsior (formerly Valinor) is a Colombian based band influenced by the classic sounds of Power Metal, which mix perfectly with progressive and experimental.
With more than 10 years of experience as a band under their belt, Valinor Excelsior reaffirms itself as one of the stand-out bands in the Latin American scene, gaining a space in the most prestigious festivals of the country and the invitation to share the stage with world class artists.
After numerous gigs, festivals, singles and two acclaimed album releases (Xenturia in 2016 and Universal Woman in 2017), Valinor Excelsior have in recent months signed to worldwide agency Metal Music Bookings and Management resulting in the announcement of shows with the mighty Tarja in Honduras and Guatemala. Stay tuned for more tour and releases news coming your way.
SIRENIA was formed by Morten Veland in January 2001. Morten’s musical work was already well known through his work with his former band Tristania, a band he co-founded back in the mid nineties. Being the main songwriter for this band he was a part of defining the gothic metal sound from a very early time on.
With SIRENIA his intention was to bring it to the next level, a task he succeeded to fulfil. Up to date SIRENIA has released 7 albums, an EP and several singles. Their albums have made it to the charts in 6 countries, receiving great reviews worldwide. Meanwhile their singles have topped radio charts in several countries. Their 8th album ‘Dim Days of Dolor’ will be released on the 11th of November 2016 by Napalm Records. ‘Dim Days of Dolor’ is a very diverse and complete album that sums up the bands career in addition to adding new and exciting elements. With this album the band shows that they have staked out their musical path and perfected their unique style. SIRENIA has also toured extensively in Europe, Central and South America, Australia for over more than a decade and performed at the biggest festivals in Europe on the same billing as huge acts like; Ozzy Osbourne, Iron Maiden, Aerosmith and Korn, to mention a few.
SIRENIA sounds like a mixture of gothic metal and rock with classical orchestrations, in addition to some elements from more extreme metal genres. Their sound have a solid base in the powerful drums and bass supported by massive rhythm guitars, dressed with atmospheric keyboards and
spiced with melancholic violins and 12-string guitars. The music is at all times melodic and groovy. The vocal styles are diverse and consist of female vocals, choirs, growls, screams, clean male vocals, whispers and samples. The songs are very intense and the atmosphere changes frequently. The lyrics are based on reflections on life, death, love, hate, paranoia, anxiety and mental decline in general.
The band has been through some line-up changes over the years, but has now settled with a fixed and strong line-up. Sirenia is: Morten Veland [guitars and vocals], Emmanuelle Zoldan [female vocals], Jonathan A. Perez [drums] and Jan Erik Soltvedt [guitars].
Saxon have never dealt in half-truths or incomplete missions.
With Sacrifice they filled your heads with heavy metal thunder, and now Saxon want nothing more than to crush them with their very own, hand-crafted, not-safe-for-children brand new album, Battering Ram. Not. A. Problem.
With Biff Byford singing as well as he ever has, Paul Quinn and Doug Scarratt making full use of the term ‘shredding’ with their guitars and the lock-steady rhythm of Nibbs Carter’s bass and Nigel Glockler’s drums, the future and the past crash together in an ear-scintillatingly engaging, raucous, melodic-yet-classically heavy ten songs collection which will instantly be hailed as a Saxon classic. The title track, with its delectable twin guitar assault heralding the album’s commencement, gives the listener an instant crack around the chops, whilst traditionalists will be delighted to hear such a perfect marriage of old, classic Saxon with the newer, fresher invective in such riff-fronted fare as “Destroyer” and “Stand Your Ground”, but there are still moments of space and exploration which fans will love.
“This one’s a natural progression from Sacrifice,” says Byford, “There’s a bit less rock’n’roll and a bit more ‘heavy’ on it. We wanted to keep focused on a style rather than moving around too much.”
Early in their career, Milwaukee, Wisconsin’s Morta Skuld accomplished the impressive feat of being signed by leading British independent metal label , but with no company showing similar interest in their homeland, they never quite managed to ascend beyond the underground death metal scene. Originally founded in 1989, Morta Skuld recorded and circulated two separate demos (1990’s Gory Departure and 1991’s Prolong the Agony) before pairing up with Rhode Island’s for a split single in 1993, which would duly get both bands signed to . Morta Skuld struck first, however, unleashing their Dying Remains debut later that same year and heading out on tour with genre fixtures like , , and , then repeating the pattern with 1994’s As Humanity Fades and 1995’s For All Eternity, which were followed by more rigorous roadwork in support of , , and others.
But, as mentioned earlier, none of these releases, though brimming with ably performed American death metal, made it into record stores unless imported from overseas, and so Morta Skuld’s frustrated members, Dave Gregor (vocals/guitar), Jason O’Connell (guitar), Jason Hellman (bass), and Kent Truckenbrod (drums), decided to link up with U.S.-based for the release of their fourth album, Surface, in 1998. Unfortunately, by then it was seemingly too late for the group, which was splitting at the seams. O’Connell was the first to bounce (or get bounced!), quickly followed by Truckenbrod, and after hiring a new drummer in former man Jason Mooney, the new trio renamed itself MS2 and sold out to nu metal before morphing yet again into a more groove-metal-oriented direction as , recording one EP and two albums in the late 2000s. The band’s early career dreams were compiled for posterity by in 2005’s Re-Surface: The Best of Morta Skuld, and in 2017 Morta Skuld resurfaced with founding member David Gregor (guitars/vocals), guitarist Scott Willecke, drummer Eric House, and bassist Al Lewandowski, and released their first collection of new music since 1997, Wounds Deeper Than Time. ~ Eduardo Rivadavia, Rovi
We are a 5 piece metal band from Chicago. We are made up of past members of Demolisher and Rooks. Check out our full length 688529, available now on Bandcamp/iTunes
After a decades worth of gaining and losing momentum with previous acts, the strings section came together the winter of 2015, vocals soon thereafter and finally drums. Operating alongside like minded personalities with similar passion for dark progressive metal amongst other genres, H I V E was formed. We released our first 4 track ep December 2016 and went on our first 30 day national tour as a band in May 2017. Then again trekking out to the west coast and back In September 2017. Currently hibernating through the severe Chicago winter, H I V E is writing, demoing, fine-tuning, and growing super ecstatic to release new music early 2018.
HO99O9 (Pronounced HORROR) is an experimental thrashcore rap, crossover punk band from New Jersey, formed in 2012. The band consists of vocalists theOGM & Eaddy.
The music has been described as combining hip hop, punk rock and noise. HO99O9 was formed in New Jersey by theOGM (Jean) & Yetti999 (Eaddy). The two first performed as Ho99o9 in November of 2012 where the energy was intense & infectious resulting in the music rapidly spreading throughout the underground world in the Northeast. Since then they’ve played with bands including Japanther, Cerebral Ballzy, NinjaSonik & many more .
Ho99o9’s often politically incorrect & disturbing lyrics which often cover subjects of blasphemy, necrophilia, drug use & truth to the 999 revelation have accrued them a cult of like minded followers.
Ho99o9 is currently finishing up their first full length record.
Mixing the roots of rock & roll, blues, & alternative music, Shaun Peace has a uniquely blended sound of acoustic and electric music that is unforgettable
Founded November 2011 after a meeting at a Hank III show.
Initial line-up was Zach Newton on vocals and drums, and Daniel Johnson on guitar.
Out of those jams, a decision was made to continue under the name Waft.
Beeg Newton (brother of Zach’s) joined the band on vocals, as did Ricky Tesner on bass sometime around April, 2012.
Chris Hunt joins on guitar in September, 2012, and leaves in November.
Beeg and Ricky depart at the end of 2012.
Dylan Snyder joins on guitar.
Waft plays as a 3 piece without a bass guitarist for a few months.
Adam Watson joins as bassist for a brief month-long stint in May 2013.
Zach Jeter fills in on bass for few weeks in July, 2013.
Alex Angell joins on bass and vocals in August, 2013.
Dylan leaves in February, 2014.
August 15th, 2014 sees the arrival of Adam Garrett on guitar.
Waft is now a 4 piece.
In a world where everything travelled at the speed of sludge, Brume were united by a love of the riff in San Francisco at the beginning of 2014. Jamie McCathie (guitar) moved to California, leaving his UK sludge band Gurt in London but knew as soon as he met Susie McMullan (vox/bass) they’d make music. Instantly bonding over bands like Sleep, Windhand and The Melvins the two got to writing. Arising from the fog came Jordan Perkins-Lewis (Drums), who’s unique ‘Mr Bungle’esque inspiration rounded out the songs, taking each idea and creating something beyond heavy. The trio headed into Sharkbite studios in Oakland (Sleep, High on Fire, Acid King) to create there first record at the end of 2014, combing fuzz soaked stoner metal, haunting ritualistic vocals and crushing slow and low doom.
In 2015, a crew of veteran musicians in Kingston, New York shared a passion to create powerfully original music. Shadow Witch drew musical influences from various directions, but their goals were simple – harness decades of experience into a cohesive, monstrous sound.
Considering members of Shadow Witch are known from previous bands such as Murphy’s Law, Hellride 102, Blue Coyote, Voodelic, Cold War Survivor, and The Blind Ambassadors, the velocity by which those goals were met is no surprise.
In August 2016, Shadow Witch released their first full-length album ‘Sun Killer’, to excellent reviews from the international heavy music community. The album is a diverse assemblage of songs pulling in doom, thrash, psychedelic and stoner metal, and they back it up with intense, explosive live shows to annihilate any listener hesitation.
While member resumes may have eased their footing inside the door of many venues, their future is unquestionably solid. Shadow Witch begins a new chapter in their music history with the official release of ‘Disciples Of The Crow’ on December 15, 2017, via Salt Of The Earth Records.
Shadow Witch returns with an amazing new release filled with mood, atmosphere, and killer riffs and vocals. Eight songs are all that’s needed to raise you above the light, surround you in darkness, and bind your ears, hearts, and mind as one.
Some artists want to shine a light in the darkness. Common Deer come with an arsenal of floodlights.
Music is a balm in anxious, isolated times. In the hands of this powerful Toronto quintet, it’s a vessel of uplift, a call for camaraderie, an act of resistance against jaded nihilism. Though not explicitly political, the lyrics of vocalists Graham McLaughlin (guitar, violin) and Sheila Hart (keyboards) reflect the zeitgeist: addressing the anxiety of the modern age, crying out for a sense of connection, driven by a sense of carpe diem that stems from personal tragedy. “Trying to create light in the darkness; it’s a mentality we share,” says Graham. They’re not blind optimists peddling escapism, though their live shows are joyous, celebratory affairs, rich with rousing, orchestral pop sound built for festival stages.
Common Deer began in 2013 with Graham, drummer Liam Farrell and multi-instrumentalist Adam Hart, who met while backing up a folk singer in Guelph, Ontario, where most of them were attending university. (Adam attended Wilfrid Laurier University for Honours Music Performance) Liam brought in his brother Connor to solidify the rhythm section, while Adam called on his sister, Sheila, to harmonize with Graham and add her own keyboards, lead vocals and her own songs. Previously, her creative outlet was poetry and short stories; Graham had been writing pop songs since he was 11. In both their harmonies and their shared leads, they create a male-female dynamic rarely heard in pop music outside of Stars, an admitted influence. As if two lead singers weren’t enough, competing for an audience’s attention is Adam, who juggles cello, synth and lead guitar; he is Common Deer’s not-so-secret weapon.Together with Graham, their string arrangements elevate the band’s sound beyond an everyday rock
band; as a rhythm section, Liam and Connor also take an orchestral approach to their arrangements. There is never a dull moment on stage at a Common Deer show.
Rather than rush their early demos online, it took Common Deer almost three years to prepare their first EP, recorded with producer Laurence Currie (Hey Rosetta!, Wintersleep) and released in January 2017. It was worth the wait, presenting a major new talent with the vivid sonic space they deserve to inhabit. The new follow-up EP, simply titled II, came together much more quickly: recorded in Toronto with Gus Van Go (Arkells, Whitehorse) over two weeks, balancing the energy of their live shows with electronic percussion, layered strings, and an increased synth presence. Their sense of ambition coalesces in the final track, “Gone,” which features a noir-ish new wave synth lead, a Drake-inspired beat on the verses, Beach Boys harmonies on the chorus, and a double-kick-drum beat on the outro that channels Liam’s hard rock influence and satisfies Adam and Sheila’s love of metal. The only weird thing about it is that it works.
It’s that same sense of ambition that has catapulted Common Deer from most-promising status to that of serious contenders. They’ve got talent, smarts, youth, the songs and the sonics to make their story an uncommon success.
The DePaul Blue Demons men’s basketball program is the NCAA Division I intercollegiate men’s basketball program of DePaul University in Chicago, Illinois. The team has competed in the Big East Conference since the league’s relaunch in 2013, after having been a member of the original Big East since 2005. The Blue Demons play home games at the new Wintrust Arena at the McCormick Place convention center on Chicago’s Near South Side.
LUICIDAL is 2 X- members of Suicidal Tendencies, LOUICHI MAYORGA (Bass) & R.J. HERRERA (Drums). Guitar MARTY RAMIREZ ( Damaged Kids) & MANDO OCHOA (Sick Sense) vocals. Playing old school ST hits composed by Louichi w/ new hits true 2 the old school sound
“Happy Time” is a group of pals that have a happy time playing eclectic, instrumental, party music together. Organized by bassist/producer/composer, Dan Wonsover, (with the help of his greatest pals and his fancy shmancy rolodex) Happy Time can consist of anywhere between three and twelve members per show, making each performance a unique experience.
Born in 1998 and growing up in Dallas, Texas, rapper/singer Cuban Doll began her climb to stardom as a model and social media presence, joining platforms like Twitter and Instagram in 2012 under the name Cuban da Savage and amassing thousands of followers. In 2016 she began releasing original music, already affiliated with rappers like Molly Brazzy, Asian Doll, and BandGang. Sometimes appearing under the name Cuban da Savage and sometimes going as Cuban Doll, she adapted to a mumble rap style and posted new songs and videos frequently. In 2017 she released her first mixtape, Cuban Link, and followed it with a shorter mixtape a few months later called Aaliyah Keef, which featured the viral single “Rat Bitch.” As her fame grew, she had a falling out with Asian Doll that turned into a very public beef, ending their friendship and resulting in various controversies and bickering between the two rappers on social media. ~ Fred Thomas
Mark Lettieri is a guitarist, composer, and instructor based in Fort Worth, TX. Proficient in a multitude of styles, he records and performs in virtually every genre of popular music with both independent and major-label artists. He also composes and produces original instrumental music under his own name.
A member of jazz/world group Snarky Puppy since 2008, he contributes as guitarist, as well as arranger and composer. The group has earned three GRAMMY Awards: Best R&B Performance (“Something” feat. Lalah Hathaway in 2014), and Best Contemporary Instrumental Album (Sylva in 2016, and Culcha Vulcha in 2017). Snarky Puppy tours constantly, having performed on every continent except Antarctica.
Lettieri has logged road miles with neo-soul icon Erykah Badu, gospel singer/actress Tamela Mann, and American Idol: Season 11 winner Phillip Phillips. He’s also performed with a myriad of other artists, including Nelly, Anthony Evans, Chrisette Michele, Myron Butler, N’dambi, Bilal, Pat Boone, and even comedians Dave Chappelle and Harry Shearer.
An in-demand session guitarist, recent work includes David Crosby, 50 Cent, Snoop Dogg, Eminem, Adam Levine, Kirk Franklin, Fred Hammond, Ledisi, Anthony Evans, Eric Roberson, Lecrae, Lupe Fiasco, Keyshia Cole, Xzibit, as well as numerous radio and television jingles. Lettieri is also a member of Team SKP, a production collective led by GRAMMY Award-winning producer Symbolyc One (Kanye West, Beyonce).
Since 2010, he has been a member of the house band for the Marcus & Joni Show, a Christian morning talk/variety show broadcast in 200 countries on the Daystar Television Network.
Lettieri has released three albums as a leader: Knows in 2011, Futurefun in 2013, and most recently, Spark and Echo in 2016 (Ropeadope Records). Spark and Echo climbed to #11 on Billboard’s Jazz Albums Chart, and #2 on iTunes’ Jazz Chart. Through tours with Snarky Puppy and social media network shares, these records have created a sizable buzz among fans of instrumental music worldwide. He performs frequently in a trio setting featuring a revolving rhythm section of world-class Dallas musicians, and has begun touring this music in the U.S., Europe, and Asia.
Born and raised in the San Francisco Bay Area, Lettieri came to Texas via Texas Christian University (TCU), studying advertising and public relations, and competing in track and field. A passionate guitarist since middle school, he began his music career in the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex area upon graduating from TCU. He resides with his wife, daughter, and two cats.
The Bigger Empty is a four-piece rock band from Chicago,IL. Its members include: Mike Felumlee (ex Alkaline Trio, Smoking Popes) on guitar/vocals, and Jim Steinkraus, Reuben Baird, and Kevin Baschen from the Chicago band Sketch Middle. This foursome has been playing together for several years as Mike’s solo act. During rehearsals for their upcoming album, the guys discovered they were sounding more like a band than a solo project, and so The Bigger Empty was born.
With a shared passion for straightforward, hard hitting pop-rock, The Bigger Empty are diving into the recording of their debut full-length album. The album is currently being tracked at Reuben’s studio Chicago Sound Lab with Reuben manning the console. The guys are very excited to share their musical vision with the world. Rock music just as it should be: pure, simple, and catchy. No skinny jeans, loafers, or neon shirts required.
“..Singer/guitarist Aly Jados roars, her gravelly vocals punctuated by beefed-up power chords and crashing drums, as she spins tales of shape-shifters and women who will “put you to shame.” The band’s 2016 self-titled EP is a crash course in what to expect. Get familiar.” – Jessi Roti, Chicago Tribune Chicago punk outfit Blood People wanna rock ya. Started by Aly Jados and Jeff Loehrke, their style of heavy punk rock can deliver chills and gut punches. Soaring vocals, gnasty riffs and thunderous rhythms galore. Come get cha some.
The Stolen is an alternative rock band from Old Bridge, NJ consisting of Dom Cuce, Rob Chiarappa, Kevin Smart, and Mike Chiarappa. The band’s nostalgic sound of late 80’s new wave rock blended with modern indie pop is nothing less of intriguing. Since forming, the band has provided direct support for acts like Neon Trees and The All-American Rejects. In addition, The Stolen has made appearances at festivals like Vans Warped Tour, South By So What, and Skate and Surf. The quartet released there sophomore EP ‘I’m So Dead’ in 2016, which caught the attention of many including MTV, who claimed that the EP “is the perfect pop-alt soundtrack to take you into the summer season.” In May of 2017, The Stolen put out their newest release titled ‘Fragile Heart’ which includes the groups most representative tracks to date including “Euphoric” and “West Coast”. The band is currently embarking on a national tour in support of the new release of “Fragile Heart”.
Featuring songs from Kent’s latest CD, All That American Night, with Marc Edelstein adding new dimensions on stand-up bass and harmony vocals.
“He’s a throwback to the guitar-toting country troubadours of yesteryear and at the same time a product of the rock and roll era, certainly the only performer of his kind in the greater Chicagoland area.” — Bill Dahl, author of The Art of the Blues.
Seminal avant-punk psychedelic outfit Chrome are considered to be the “Godfathers of what became the Industrial Rock movement” due to their groundbreaking experimentation in sound and raw energy. They “started a revolution in music” (Rockerilla Magazine, Italy 2011). Chrome is known for their de/re-construction of rock and roll, innovation, weirdness, found sound samples, hooks, pile driver rhythms and Helios Creed’s signature effects laden, Hendrixian, lysergic, layered guitar work and vocals. Their blend of raw energy and mind-bending audio manipulation influenced a wide range of musical genres, from the avant-rock of Sonic Youth and the Flaming Lips to Industrial rockers like Nine Inch Nails and Ministry. Theirs was “a Cyber-Punk vision of the future that came a decade before the term was coined” as psychedelic connoisseur Julian Cope put it.
Feeling the need for better, and more authentic New Orleans music in Chicago, Joe Goltz (Youngblood Brass Band, Mama Digdown’s Brass Band) set out to put together a group that could play reserved and raucous. From 1920’s Jazz to the bombastic beats of Rebirth Brass Band, the current members of High-Hat Second Line are veterans of some of the best Midwest brass bands and jazz groups. While Joe has moved to the east coast, his legacy lives on with the hand-picked talent that is High-Hat Second Line
BRAIN TENTACLES is a journey in improvised and structured experimental sound from three venerable scene veterans that will consume, evolve and then regurgitate ambiguous noise upon its listeners. Based off a trio of drums (Dave Witte), saxophone (Bruce Lamont) and bass (Aaron Dallison), the multi-state project formed spontaneously via a road trip in 2013 and toured with Melt-Banana before they even had a bassist – until they found Dallison on one of those dates. The group then signed to Relapse Records to prepare for their debut full-length. Like many of their avant-garde peers, BRAIN TENTACLES‘ compositions very nearly careen off the edge into total chaos, but unlike many of those same peers, the band possesses the self-awareness and rhythmic prowess to (usually) rein in the mayhem at the last possible section; an act that will stimulate your cerebrum while simultaneously smashing it in. The band has already played high-profile shows with High on Fire, Eyehategod, Melt-Banana, Iron Reagan and many more.
This year, the self-titled debut album from the mind-melting metallic jazz trio sees the threepiece weaving their way through twisted, seizure-inducing compositions that call to mind the insanity of John Zorn’s storied project Naked City and Mike Patton’s most erratic experiments. BRAIN TENTACLES are masters of tension: the album moves unpredictably from mathy chaos to ponderous, juddering grooves that warp time in their wake, darting from one extreme to the other via insane rhythms and truly progressive, expansive songwriting. Occasional vocals (including a guest appearance from Oxbow’s Eugene Robinson) lend an even sharper edge to the album, which is sure to blow away fans of instrumental and vocal-driven music alike. Produced by Sanford Parker (Minsk, YOB, etc) and features artwork by Jef Whitehead of Leviathan!
Like all good sludge bands, Sixes know their way around menacing feedback that will probably give you an irregular heartbeat (or best case scenario: tinnitus). -Nic Huber, Metal Injection
“If I could describe SIXES in one word, it’d be “Grindhouse.” Not because their craft is shabby, but because the approach to their core focus, even in this day and age, is taboo, violent, and abrasive.”
-Elizabeth Gore, Doomed & Stoned.
“This has all that a growing sludge fan needs: slow riffs – check, sandy growling bass – check, claustrophobic drums – check, feedback – check”
-Regnars Breikss, Shit Regnar Says.
“A powerful knockout session to your senses.”
-Marty Jones, Vitriol Inc.
“If you’ve got 10 minutes and want to have the foulness of your mood reinforced, the four-piece work in defiance of their regional climate to kick the shit out of your ears for a while. Sure enough, it’ll make your sunny day dark.”
-JJ Koczan, The Obelisk
Black Pyramid play doom with the rumbling down-tuned tones of stoner metal gods like Sleep, Electric Wizard, and High On Fire, but with the epic arrangements of old school metal and doom acts such as Black Sabbath, Pentagram, and The Obsessed.
Add to the sonic brew perfectly executed forays into vintage psych and progressive rock, along with the apocalyptic lyrical ravings about war, the occult, and general alienation, and you’ve got an accurate picture of what the band is all about.
Small in size yet big in sound, VOLK is Chris Lowe (electric guitar, vocals) and Eleot Reich (drums, lead vocals). Together they kick out a high-octane show combining politics, poetry, and pageantry. Cashville, is their first full-length release and the first to capture the full range of their cinematic style. VOLK’s music comes from an honest, authentic, and even vulnerable place; genre is tossed aside to allow the songs to be what they want to be. Messier, glitzier, and more punk than your average country band, VOLK is loud suits and loud amps, shiny dresses and shiny drum sets, growling tones and thunderous beats, East Texas and California, Nashville and Berlin. As Ray Wylie Hubbard put it, “if I’m ever short on attitude and badassedness . . . I know where to find some.” Since settling down in Nashville, VOLK has opened for such acts as The Dead South, Electric Six, Charley Crockett, Nekromantix, Supersuckers, and The Delta Bombers, to name a few.
Minneapolis-based Fret Rattles have been around the rock and roll block and feature ex members of Thee Viceroys, Dirty Robbers, F Knights, Six Six Crush, and many more over the past 25+ years. With that history in their back pocket the Fret Rattles bring their own approach to the sounds of late 60’s Detroit (MC5, Stooges), 70’s punk rock (Radio Birdman, Sonics Rendezvous Band) and the 90’s underground rock revival (Hellacopters, Dragons). The final result is straight-forward rock-n-roll that is not retro but instead alive, fresh and more relevant sounding than ever!
Don’t be a part of it; stand up and always question. And if you don’t, then you’re becoming the fuel for the evil engine…”
Used as a metaphor for pop culture’s vapid stranglehold on society, it is the evil engine that powers modern ideals and standards; Evil Engine is the resistance against such complacency with punk rock energy, heavy metal groove and aggressive female vocals, with unapologetically honest lyrics zeroing in on issues such as social responsibility, societal blight and the validity of theism, among other concerns of the human condition.
Evil Engine is an amalgam of punk rock and heavy metal artists with over 50 combined years of musicianship.
Kryssie Crisis (aka Kryssie Ridolfi) of DEADMANSWAKE have teamed up with Mike Skull (of live performances with 45 Grave) Jamie Booth (formerly of Indolent) and Colin Holmes (The Massacres, Crusader) to bring you a myriad of punk, reminiscent of the early California “skate punk” sound; from the “Suffer” era of Bad Religion to more contemporary first wave and Oi! bands in the likes of Cocksparrer, Slaughter and the Dogs and Stiff Little Fingers, with aggressive nods to the metal edge of Motörhead and Anthrax.
TOWN CRIERS is the brand spankin’ new hazed and unfazed garage-rock band that we’ve all been aching for. With two fresh ass singles boasting skyscraper-sized guitar riffs and soaring melodic vocals that take you to the higher plane, TOWN CRIERS is surely a name that you’ll be seeing more of.
TWO LEGENDS & A SON is the real Jamaica SKA experience, an all star trio starring Charley Organaire, Lester Sterling (Skatalites), and Sultan Ali, son of Prince Buster. Hear the golden age of ska come alive once again in this once of a lifetime cabaret showcase, this electrifying set includes scorching classics from The Skatalites, Prince Buster, and Charley plus more favorite original ska hits reinterpreted and improvised by the trio.
MALCOLM LONDON
Malcolm London called the Gil Scott Heron of his generation by Cornel West. TED Speaker. Poet. Educator. Activist. Rapper.
Originally from Lexington, KY, Sam Stucky reveals his Bluegrass roots through his folksy melodies and quick acoustic finger-picking, but is fully dressed in rock. Some of Sam’s modern influences are Manchester Orchestra, Bon Iver, and Night Beds. Join him in his more intimate acoustic set and hear themes of love, deconstruction, and self-worth.
Imagine an unmistakably unique band, active for several years, flying secretly under the radar of record labels, musicmedia and the wider public at large. Not possible in these modern times of unfiltered music availability and the information superhighway, you say? Meet New England’s 1476, America’s best kept secret in the realm of dark, atmospheric Art Rock!
Drawing from folk melodies, heathen spirituality and trance-inducing doom, Völur weave a hypnotic web of chthonic noise on the yawning gap of silence. A deep sound that moves through melodies, riffs and timbres slowly as a seeress chants rites for souls long past. Would you know more?
Völur is comprised of three non-violent individuals who are actively anti-racist, anti-sexist, anti-classist, anti-ablist and supportive of LGBTQ2 communities. We aim to celebrate a broad literary and cultural tradition amongst a global body of work.
LITTLE CHURCH
“Mixing soul, pop, and a little grunge, LittleChurch is able to reach many corners of the complex modern soundscape. The refined blend of sparsity, chaos, tenderness, and violence allows this Chicago three piece to make you move, think, and feel in ways both familiar and new.”
CJ RAMONE-BASS-VOCALS
STEVE SOTO-GUITAR-VOCALS
DAN ROOT-GUITAR-VOCALS
PETE SOSA-DRUMS
CHRISTOPHER JOSEPH WARD, BETTER KNOWN AS “CJ RAMONE,” IS AN AMERICAN MUSICIAN BEST KNOWN AS THE BASSIST FOR THE PUNK ROCK GROUP THE RAMONES FROM 1989 TO 1996.
HIS HOMETOWN IS DEER PARK, NEW YORK. HE REPLACED ORIGINAL BAND-MEMBER DEE DEE RAMONE, THOUGH DEE DEE CONTINUED TO WRITE SONGS FOR THE GROUP. CJ SANG MANY WELL-KNOWN RAMONES SONGS.
PRIOR TO JONING THE BAND, CJ WAS A MARINE AND A RAMONES FAN. HE WAS SEEN AS A BREATH OF FRESH AIR INTO THE BAND. JOHNNY RAMONE CLAIMED HE KNEW IMMEDIATELY WHEN CJ AUDITIONED TO REPLACE DEE DEE THAT HE WAS RIGHT; COMMENTING THAT CJ “HAD THE RIGHT LOOK.” WHEN THE RAMONES WERE INDUCTED INTO THE ROCK AND ROLL HALL OF FAME, ORIGINAL RAMONES DRUMMER TOMMY RAMONE CREDITED CJ WITH “KEEPING THE BAND YOUNG.” CJ RAMONE WAS THE YOUNGEST MEMBER WHEN HE JOINED BY 9 YEARS. CJ’S FIRST SHOW WITH THE RAMONES WAS ON SEPTEMBER 30, 1989, IN LEICESTER, ENGLAND, AND HE PLAYED WITH THE BAND UNTIL THEY RETIRED ON AUGUST 6, 1996.
AFTER THE RAMONES, HE PLAYED IN A BAND CALLED THE REMAINS, OR THE REMAINZ, WHICH WAS FORMED BY DEE DEE RAMONE, MARKY RAMONE, AND DEE DEE’S WIFE, BARBARA ZAMPINI (BARBARA RAMONE). HE ALSO PLAYED WITH HIS OWN BANDS LOS GUSANOS AND BAD CHOPPER. HE NOW TOURS ON HIS OWN AS CJ RAMONE WITH HIS FIRST SOLO ALBUM – RECONQUISTA.
CJ LIVES WITH HIS WIFE AND THREE KIDS. CJ IS ACTIVE WITH THE AUTISM COMMUNITY BECAUSE HIS SON HAS AUTISM. HE ALSO VOLUNTEERS HIS TIME AS A GUEST TEACHER AT THE SCHOOL OF ROCK IN FARMINGDALE, NEW YORK.
Run, the latest album from this French solo artist, was released After a bunch of mediocre rock band experiences, Bordeaux-based Talisco fortunately decided to find his own voice and write music to start his solo career. Colourful indie electro anthems à la Phoenix with a hint of folk are the outcome of this. Run, the latest album from this French solo artist, was released in 2014 and is an ode to escape and freedom.
No Funeral formed in 2011 in Minneapolis, MN. Due to several lineup changes the band did not play out until 2013. For the next year the original lineup (Kevin, Matt, Tim, Glenn) played several shows around MN, and WI and discussed the idea of a split LP with Livid. No Funeral also recorded a 3 song demo around this time that was never released.
In May of 2015 Tim and Glenn left the band and No Funeral went on a hiatus between 2015 – 2016 to sort out a new lineup. Several drummers later, Jeff (Kong) Moen (of Witchden, and formerly of Sourvein) joined in January 2016. The addition of Jeff was a breath of fresh air and the band wrote consistently as a three piece for the following months and in June of 2016 recorded “Misanthrope” with Dinis DeCarvalho. Kevin decided to started the D.I.Y. label Live Fast Die Recs (No Funeral Recordings) to release Misanthrope as well as future No Funeral recordings, rather than trying to find another label to release it. The Misanthrope release show was September 24th 2016, Misanthrope was limited to 100 cassettes and 50 CD’s. The album was repressed January 13th 2017 (second press of 100 cassettes).
December of 2016 saw the addition of 2nd guitarist Doug Saretsky (former Profane Existence writer and Guitar/Vocalist of Mpls death metal band Ashen). No Funeral started recording 2 songs (again with Dinis DeCarvalho) for the split LP with Livid (originally to be released on 25 Diamonds). Shortly after finishing the recording it was decided that Live Fast Die would release the LP. Another song was recorded in April for an upcoming Cvlt Nation compilation. The No Funeral / Livid split LP was released on 9/15/2017 (limited to 500 copies on 180 gram mixed colored vinyl). A special edition of the LP with hand screened covers and alternate artwork was sold at the release show at the Triple Rock in Mpls on 9/12/2017, it is limited to 43 copies.
No Funeral are currently writing for an upcoming 7 inch and a full length LP.
FISTULA was forged in 1998 by musical partners-in-crime Corey Bing and Bahb Branca. Over the years, FISTULA has released a seemingly endless barrage of studio albums and split EPs through numerous lineup changes featuring the creative talents of bands such as Sloth, Hemdale, The Disease Concept, Accept Death, and so many others. FISTULA is a band that is impossible to categorize, combining elements of remedial sludge, hardcore and a proverbial “bad case of the Mondays.” Nearing two decades of ear bleeding, FISTULA remains the the miserable kings of sludgecore.
In 1991, Terry Savastano, the former Disrupt guitarist, set out to create a new sound. Drawing from his early influences like Black Sabbath and Saint Vitus, Terry wanted the sound to be heavy, slower, and more miserable. The result was what the world knows as the seminal doom-sludge band, Grief, from Boston, Massachusetts.
Grief had a series of releases over the 1990s and into the early 2000s, along with a history of lineup changes and hiatuses. Terry, the band’s founder, remained one of the constant members until he left in 2005 to pursue new projects. Grief edged on with a different lineup for a while but was ultimately put to rest.
Upon meeting former Morgion and Keen of the Crow bassist Justin Christian in 2014, the two discussed Terry’s idea of the Come to Grief concept, named after the band’s debut full-length album Come to Grief (Century Media Records). It would be neither a reunion nor a revue of the Grief catalog. Instead Come to Grief would focus on early Grief songs written by or with Terry.
Terry and Justin started a search for a vocalist and a drummer. Jonathan Hebert was brought on board in early 2015 as a vocalist and guitarist. The three began rehearsing a solid set of songs. Also in 2015, Chuck Conlon, a former Grief drummer (including the full-length And Man Will Become the Hunted), completed the band. With an ever-expanding set of early Grief songs, the band also began writing and rehearsing new music to complement the Grief material.
spinning a mix of guilty pleasures and songs to make bad decisions to.
GAMMA GOAT
Gamma Goat is the result of 5 men with decades of experience in the original metal scenes, both disillusioned and fed up with projects in the past, deciding to create their own unapologetic and uncompromising music. Straddling Grunge, Stoner/Doom, and plenty of other sub-genres of metal and rock, Gamma Goat’s intention is to be heavy, but musical, and not to carry any pre-conceived notions. With influences too broad to list, they have a large library to draw from without adhering to any one vein. Gamma Goat prides themselves on loud, intense live performance that provide both atmosphere and invisible orange worthy riffs.
Snow Burial is a hard hitting post-metal trio from Chicago. Their music is melodic, rhythmic, and brutal.
Formed after a Shiner reunion show, Snow Burial established themselves in the midwest scene and released twin EPs: Oxblood : Siren, and Oxblood : Tides. Through promoting the EPs, and extensive midwest touring, the band earned a reputation for their crushing sound and performances.
Following positive reviews, tours, and airplay, the band released their inaugural LP, Victory In Ruin, in January 2016. Snow Burial continued touring the U.S. and the U.K. in 2017, featuring an opening slot for Scott Kelly and Sanford Parker’s project Mirrors for Psychic Warfare, with coverage from Metal Hammer magazine, and multiple blogs. In spring 2017, they proudly released a new song “Burn Down the Crown”, on the Unpresidented: DIY vs. Donald Trump benefit compilation.
In early 2018 they recorded at the famed Electrical Audio, crafting a split with Iowa City’s doom maestros Aseethe. The tapes are now available courtesy of Hand Of Death Records. The band was honored to play the acclaimed London Desert Fest in May, at the close of their 2nd European tour with Cornwall’s own Monolithian. Most recently they were excited to be a part of the first Forever Deaf Fest, a 2-day celebration of Chicago Metal.
Snow Burial are currently completing writing for their second full length, to be recorded at Electrical Audio in 2019.
IMPRECATION, originated in Houston, Texas in late 1991, was founded by Ruben Elizondo (percussionist) and Phil Westmoreland (guitarist). They recruited Dave Herrera (vocals), Mark Beecher (bass) and Victor Fernandez (guitarist). With this lineup, the band recorded their first demo CEREMONY OF THE NINE ANGLES in April 1992. IMPRECATION played many local and road shows with the demo being distributed through underground fanzines and radio. After the release of CEREMONY OF THE NINE ANGLES, the band lineup changed with Victor being replaced by adept guitarist, Wes Weaver….. By April 1993, IMPRECATION recorded SIGIL OF BAPHOMET, a 7″ 2- song EP, for Spain’s “Drown Productions”. After the release of the EP, Dave Herrera and Phil Westmoreland made the decision to leave the band. Mark Beecher took over as vocalist and long time friend Todd Smith joined the band on guitar….. IMPRECATION recorded another 3 song promo tape in August 1994, which has proven to be their most brutal and heaviest recording yet. All three soundtracks were released on a compilation CD titled THEURGIA GOETIA SUMMA on the Repulse Records label. The compilation CD continued to establish IMPRECATION’s arrangement of dark, black and death metal as a unique and original sound style all their own….. In 1996, Todd Smith departs from the band and is replaced by guitarist, Jim Case. Albert Rodriquez, keyboards, joined the group as well. With this line up, IMPRECATION recorded a 2 song demo for labels only. After much frustration without the chance of acquiring a recording contract to release their new music and irreconcilable differences amongst band members, IMPRECATION decides to part ways in 1998. …. In 2002, Ruben, Phil, Wes and Dave reunite for IMPRECATION to play the “Infernal Horde of Manifestation” Fest in Houston, Texas. Bass player, Mark Beecher, was not available to play in this event. The show was recorded live and released on cassette, which successfully sold 100 tapes. …. Now years later, IMPRECATION is back again working on new material to release 2 songs in 2009. The band will be recording in the studio within the next 2 months with the possibility of hosting a few shows as well. The 2009 lineup will be main writers guitarist, Phil Westmoreland and drummer / keyboard, Ruben Elizondo, lyricist and original vocalist, Dave Herrera, guitarist, Jim Case and on bass, Archfiend, who is the lead guitarist of the blackmetal horde, Adumus, from Houston, Texas
Like blood soaked entrails ripped from the disemboweled body of Christ, NunSlaughter assaults the senses with fiendishly morbid tales of the macabre. For the uninitiated, NunSlaughter is a seething boil of hard-core sound that has been festering beneath the skin of death metal for the past 33 years. Legendary in the death metal underground, NunSlaughter was one of the first American bands to harness this deathly form of music. Their raw sound and gut churning vocals are as demonic as ever.
Blood Incantation is an American death metal band from Denver, Colorado, formed in 2011. The band consists of vocalist and guitarist Paul Riedl, guitarist Morris Kolontyrsky, drummer Isaac Faulk and bassist Jeff Barrett.
Everything can be traced back to its roots. Sometimes, those roots are ignored, overlooked, unattended to, and uncared for. At the heart of American culture, the roots of African-American became nurtured through the historical beauty and ugliness of American society, and those cataclysmic experiences still resonate within our culture, mindset, and way of life. Die Wurzel explores black life post 1619 to the present day. It is designed to make you pause, think, and reflect on the black experience in America with a level of compassion and sensitivity that has made way for perceived cultural black norms deriving from African-American’s trials and tribulations. Jammed back with black musical roots: gospel, soul, jazz, funk, and rap, Die Wurzel is an intellectual, witty, and soul-driven musical journey that will hold a dear black in the heart of black urban society. Chicago-based Hip-Hop MC/Producer Neak, growing up in a gospel and soul infused household, developed an extensive discography that aesthetically reflected his soulful upbringing and love for golden era-esque style hip-hop–influences by hip-hop greats such as Nas, 2Pac, Common, MF Doom, Jay-Z, Lupe Fiasco, and Kanye West. Capturing the same soulful essence of his father; Robert Kelly of the 60s R&B soul group “The Kelly Brothers”, Neak’s musical releases currently stand at over 450K streams. Touring throughout cities such as New York, Vancouver (BC), Detroit, Seattle, Atlanta, Philadelphia, London (ON), Portland, St. Paul, Washington D.C., his creativity continues to evolve and adapts to reflect the signs of the times.
