A unique mix of blues, bluegrass, punk, folk and metal infused in a folk esq style of music. Folk with an edge is what most people say about Florida’s “Phantom” folk band Swamp Rats.
City Newspaper, Rochester, New York-
“One genre couldn’t even begin to describe Florida-based trio Swamp Rats. The style contains bits of modern train-hopping punk yet is heavily influenced by traditional bluegrass with folk underpinnings — uniquely blended with metal riffs and mucky Southern blues. Each musician plays multiple instruments, so you’ll hear specks of acoustic guitar, banjo, mandolin, stomp box, washboard, and despondent lyrics of life experience and the road.”
Blending a road-tough attitude into his own brand of high desert honky punk –– gritty vocals and honest lyrics laid over his take on traditional and outlaw country music, LWM lives for playing music on the road.
Formed in 2012, The Dead South have recorded and released three albums. Their most recent album “Illusion&Doubt” charted at #2 on the Bluegrass US Billboards and won Best Saskatchewan Album of 2016. Their debut album “Good Company”, first released in 2014, Is still on the US Alternative Albums and Canadian All Categories Top Album charts, while their official music video to “Good Company” has millions of views on YouTube.
Straight Up Country – No Chaser. Three time Outlaw Female of The Year Nominee and 2017 winner of Dale Watson’s Ameripolitan Music Awards, Seattle’s own Darci Carlson delivers a throwback, honky tonkin’, true country affair. This ain’t no vanity act – this is no non-sense, high energy Country Music with a Rock n Roll edge that is both unique and refreshingly honest. Darci knows her way around an acoustic guitar and a classic country ballad while staying true to her northwest roots. Her smokey-sweet, lived in voice, like the after taste of a fine whiskey, has been compared to greats such as Janice Joplin, Stevie Nicks, and Tanya Tucker. She is currently on tour promoting her 2017 Self Titled release which includes her single “Wild a Reckless and Crazy” as well as her rendition of Outlaw Hero Hank Jr’s “Outlaw Woman”. Darci Carlson is also an actress and model well-known for her role as ‘The Girl’ in the 2012-2015 Gang of Outlaws Tour with ZZTOP. She is also known locally as the Lead Guitar Player for the Seattle based girl fronted Pop Punk band The Dolly Rottens.
Lo grey is cut straight from the fabric of the ‘blue collar, south side’ music scene. Music has been soft and safe and desperately needs some grit. MIke Flaherty (Loudmouth, No One) and Paul Kratky (Slauter Xstroyes) set out to put together such a group. Flare met up with Mike (Jesus and the Devil, Twin Wrecks the Memory). Immediately, there was connection and knew this was going to be something explosive and tough. All that was needed was Larry Renault (Head On, Kindred). Nothing more be said. We are lo grey.
Striking you with heavy riffs, raging vocals and a thunderous rhythm section, it isn’t hard to give into the lo grey. Destructive in what they do, lo grey is a force that needs to be seen in their element on the stage.
The Age Of Truth is a band, a brotherhood and a mission. Four brothers-in-arms from Philadelphia united in the singular pursuit of making the most honest heaviness this broken world can handle. As our modern lives bathe us in constant unraveling lies and deceptions, the truth in the heaviness they create makes them clean.
With a fully stocked arsenal of riffs wrapped in a tone of honey dipped Satan, The Age Of Truth blends fuzz and diesel fuel with elements of heavy blues, stoner rock and psychedelia. The perfect soundtrack for a barroom brawl that they know only as…the heaviness.
“Reddened blades and broken shields; shattered limbs and headless foes.”
Thorr-Axe was formed to give praise to conflict and conquest; to revel in victory and remember the fallen. Since 2007, Thorr-Axe has been an immutable force of nature in heavy music, blending sludge, black metal, and traditional heavy metal to forge something to be reckoned with. 2011 saw the release of their debut album, Wall Of Spears, engineered by Bob Fouts (The Gates Of Slumber, Apostle Of Solitude). In 2015, Thorr-Axe release Gates Of Winter, a heroic concept album in the vein of the Icelandic Sagas in its scope. Teaming up with Archarus in 2017, the two bands joined forces to release “The Hobbit Split”, telling the narrative of J.R.R. Tolkien’s timeless masterpiece in their own respective ways.
Bear witness.
Praise for “Gates Of Winter”:
“…an early contender for best of 2015 and shows that blackened doom metal, as an art form, has a lot left to say. These are tracks that are going to rip your face off and leave your body torn apart, a twisted husk of its former self.” -Two Guys Metal Reviews
“There’s an icy grimness in the atmosphere, a freezing river that courses through the songs. The band blends together the vibrating tremolo-picked motifs of black metal with the heavy, stalking riffs of doom and the bleak rumble of sludge — and the melodies are much more sombre and serious than beer-soaked and rollicking.” -No Clean Singing
“The title track lumbers with frozen limbs like Jack Torrance in The Shining, with a similar spine-tingling animal roar to back it up…” -Ninehertz
Riding on the wave of consecutive heartbreaks, The Sneeks’ sound vividly expresses the frustrations of young love. With their commanding and charismatic shows, they bring crowds a unique punk/indie/alternative sound that is hard to forget. Impact 89FM’s Jacob Nevin said:
“With all the charm and familiarity of that ex you can’t stop hooking up with, the Sneeks put on a show that’s always over the top and to be remembered. It’s the kind of music that makes you sweat, but you can never towel it off.”
It’s been a busy first year for The Sneeks. They released their debut studio album, Sneek Attack, and are playing several venues around the Michigan region including headlining at local venues like The Loft and Mac’s Bar, all while continuously rocking the local house party scene. Sneek Attack is now available on iTunes and all major streaming services. It gives new wave a new car smell.
John Zorn was born September 2, 1953 in NYC and has been in touch with the creative environment of downtown New York most of his life. Drawing on his experience in a variety of genres including jazz, rock, hardcore punk, classical, klezmer, film, cartoon, popular and improvised music, John Zorn has created an influential body of work that defies academic categories.
He has been a central figure in the dowtown scene since 1975, incorporating a wide range of musicians in various compositional formats, his experimental work in rock and jazz with the bands NAKED CITY, PAINKILLER and MASADA earning him a large cult following.
His early inspirations include American innovators [Ives, Varèse, Cage, Carter and Partch], the European tradition of [Berg, Stravinsky, Ligeti, Boulez and Kagel], soundtrack composers [Bernard Herrmann, Ennio Morricone and Carl Stalling], avant-garde filmmakers such as [Harry Smith, Jack Smith, Kennet Anger, Stan Brakhage and Jean-Luc Godard], Ontological-Hysteric Theater director [Richard Foreman], experimental rock and jazz as well as avant garde theater, film, art and literature.
He established the Tzadik label in 1995, opened The Stone performance space in 2005 and has published and edited five volumes of musicians’ writings under the title Arcana.
He tours extensively with his various ensembles, playing a great variety of music and his works are performed worldwide by rock bands, improvisers, jazz musicians and classical ensembles. He has received numerous commissions from among others, the Kronos Quartet, the New York Philharmonic, EOS Orchestra, Netherlands Wind Ensemble, Brooklyn Philharmonic, Bayerischer Staatsoper, WDR Orchestra Koln and American pianist Stephen Drury.
He has been awarded the William Schuman Award for composition from Columbia University, the Cultural Archievement Award from the Foundation for Jewish Culture and is a MacArthur Fellow.
Billboard and radio chart topping, award-winning, international reggae-rock sensation Roots of Creation, are a touring powerhouse.
Whether on the festival circuit, performing at jam and reggae-rock favorites like Camp Bisco, Gathering of The Vibes, California Roots, Jungle Jam and Closer to the Sun, or sharing the stage at sold out shows with some of their diverse influences including Slightly Stoopid, The Wailers, and Michael Franti, reggae/rock/dubtronica band Roots of Creation (RoC) offers up a high-energy, infectious live music experience. Their mix of reggae riddims, conscious lyrics, spirited horn lines, and electronic beats makes crowds move and has their loyal underground fan base (RoC Family) and street team (Universal Soldiers) travelling the distance to pack venues from coast-to-coast.
Roots of Creation’s most recent release, Livin Free (2016), debuted No. 1 on both the Billboard Reggae and the Relix/Jambands.com Radio charts. Livin Free is a triple record that includes three versions of each song–studio, dub, and acoustic that features guest performances by Melvin Seals (Jerry Garcia Band), Marshall “Ras MG” Goodman (Sublime, Long Beach Dub Allstars), the Rubblebucket horn section, Billy Kottage (Reel Big Fish), Grammy-nominated Pato Banton (Sting, UB40), and others. Additionally, the album welcomes guest production by Yeti Beats (Rebelution, Slightly Stoopid).
Now RoC has taken on a unique new project: Grateful Dub. Combining their longtime love for reggae-dub style music and the Grateful Dead, RoC reworked some of the world’s favorite Dead tunes into a new studio album. RoC had the pleasure of working in the studio with the legendary 5-time Grammy winner Errol Brown who was Bob Marley’s engineer and now Rebelution’s live sound engineer for this project. Grateful Dub is also being performed live in its entirety at festivals, theatres, and clubs around the country, and features rotating special guests including Melvin Seals (JGB), Scott Guberman (Phil Lesh) full horn sections, and others. Grateful Dub captures the spirit and magic of the Grateful Dead, while laying it down reggae-dub style.
White Boy And The Average Rat Bands first album was released in 1981. It is highly sought after by collectors world wide and sells for $250-$500 per copy.
The band has been written about in books such as “The Acid Archives”,”Heavy Metal The Vinyl Years” etc. as well as many underground blogs and web-sites.
Just Google the bands name.
Mike Matney reformed the now legendary band in the fall of 2011 and on
Feb.4th 2012 the band debuted at “The World Famous Whisky A-Go-Go in
Hollywood, CA. The band is currently a featured story in Los Angeles largest music publication L.A. Record.
…And so it came to pass…
In the year of Thirteen of Satan’s third millennium, a new force rises to defend the ways of old. Bewitcher is the ancient black flame of magic, mayhem, freedom & liberation, burning in blatant opposition to the laughable norms of this modern age. Instead, they look to that bygone era, before it’s pollution by imitators of a lesser intention, when heavy metal in all it’s glory truly represented the tenets it was founded upon.
May your children be corrupted, may your foundations
be shaken, may your mundane existences be forever altered, for this spell cannot be broken. Fall, obey and beware the curse of the Bewitcher!
Do you like Barbarian Tales, Swords and Sorcery, and strange, post-apocalyptic realms where magic and science combine? Do you like to rock the fuck out? Then Mega Colossus is your band!
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.
