Escape From The Zoo

ESCAPE FROM THE ZOO

We’re a ska punk band!!

Members:
Jesse Sendejas – Guitar, Vocals
Veronica Sendejas – Mandolin, Vocals
Corey Page – Bass, Vocals
Jessamyn Cobb – Drums
Elliot Lozier – Bass, Drums, Vocals
Justin Paxton – Drums, Vocals

DJ ELLIVEN

Neville Allen aka DJ Elliven (Dee-Jay 11) bringing quality Sounds para la Cabeza Hip Hop, Soul, Funk, Top 40, House, Electronic..etc… Chicago. Follow me @DJelliven or Email me at neville.allen1@gmail.com

THE UNFORGIVEN

Born out of a desire to be the most exciting Metallica tribute band ever… Four veteran members of the Chicago metal scene, 3 of whom have collectively put in over 15 years in area Metallica tribute bands, are looking to have a little fun…. Metallica is what we were born to do. Metallica is the reason we play. Metallica is what we sound like when we write originals.. So that is what we are going to do. Play a bunch of Metallica songs and have a ton of fun doing it.

There is also a desire to be creative in this band as all of us come from original projects in one form or another. There will be some songs done in a slightly different manner and a bunch of other non-Metallica songs being done in a Metallica Style.. Or Metallica-ized if you will. Think of it more as a tribute to the Metallica style… Every show should be something unique.

I guarantee, you will be entertained…

r-o-e

R.O.E.

With his hometown of Chicago on his back and the sounds of soul in his roots, Brooklyn-based emcee R.O.E. blends an urban vibe with poetic lyricism and music that hits straight to the heart that will attract anyone with an affection for alternative hip hop.

ryan-brown-the-clergy

RYAN BROWN & THE CLERGY

The Clergy was est. on June 2016, it started with one man Ryan Mids Brown who had a vision to start a band/movement to uphold the great responsibility to create great music. The Following of The Clergy has said that their music has put them in scenes of movies, or hearing colors and seeing sounds. The clergy’s style is a variation of electronical-jazz/hip-hop/soul/fusion. On July 16The Clergy released their freshman record called “The Passage” which brings a musical way to journey through problems situations and trials. With the help of great inspiring musicians who has featured on the project such as, Shon Hinton, Quintin Gulledge, Lawrence “Blacksurfer” Farmer, Maison Guidry, Just to name a few. The Clergy will be touring in the summer of 2017 called the “Revolution Tour” changing each city and the aspect of music one city at a time

DJ LEVIN

HUNTSMEN

Whilst storytelling has been – and remains – at the core of all that HUNTSMEN is, they continue to dissolve the boundaries between metal and the more traditional modes of folk and country. Released March 13, 2020 to critical acclaim, their latest album ‘Mandala of Fear’ marries melody and progressive elements to create an undulating foundation to layer its dystopian missive on atop.

slapshot

SLAPSHOT

Slapshot was formed in 1985 by Steve Risteen (currently playing for the Boston hardcore/punk band Refuse Resist) and Mark McKay, formerly of Terminally Ill; Jack “Choke” Kelly, formerly of Negative FX and Last Rights and Jonathan Anastas, formerly of Decadence and DYS. Due to the reputations of its members, the band had a relatively high profile even before its debut; the zine writer Mike Gitter (who was also an A&R executive) wrote “Slapshot is a great live act”, before they had ever played in public.[1]
Diverging from their counterparts in the Boston hardcore scene, Slapshot decided to make the first album a 24 track recording as opposed to the usual 8 or 16-track hardcore album. To reduce costs, they recorded at night and completed the album in four sessions. Back On The Map was released by Taang! Records in 1986.[2]
The band’s lineup underwent a number of changes in its first few years, although its sound remained consistent. Jordan Wood, formerly of S.T.P. and later of Deathwish, joined as an additionalguitarist, but took over bass guitar when Anastas left the band to continue his education. This line up was featured on their sophomore release, Step On It (Taang! Records). In July 1988, Jamie Sciarappa, former bass player of SS Decontrol, joined the band and Jordan returned to his original slot as a second guitar player. This 5 piece line up recorded the 3rd record, Sudden Death Overtime (Taang! Records).[3]
As the band got ready to record the next record there was a significant line-up change. Jordan left the band returning Slapshot to a single guitar band and Jamie was replaced with Mark & Steve’s longtime friend Chris Lauria. Soon after, the band decided to fire Steve Risteen due to what they felt was a lack of guitar skill. It was a very difficult time for the band that is well documented in the Slapshot documentary “Chip On My Shoulder: The Cautionary Tale of Slapshot”. Mark McKay eventually also quit (and disconnected himself from the group personally as well) due to multiple issues including a lack of interest in the new material the band was writing.
Their 1993 album Blast Furnace (We Bite Records) was a move into sample-based industrial/metal/hardcore and only included one original member, Choke, along with a more metal-based backing band including Darryl Sheppard of Slaughter Shack, Barry Hite & Chris Lauria. Slapshot toured Europe that spring, and on the second date of the tour, they recorded a live album in Berlin called Live At SO36 (We Bite Records).
The following year there was another line-up change that resulted in Darryl leaving the band to be replaced by Mike Bowser. They recorded the Unconsciousness LP (We Bite Records) in Chicago with Steve Albini, ex-member of Big Black and producer for Nirvana.
In August 1994 Slapshot went off to Europe for a two-month tour with Ignite and a split 7″ single record was released to promote it. The tour kicked off at the Hultsfred Festival in Sweden on August 11 and ended on October 4 in Germany. Slapshot played 50 shows in 7 countries in 54 days.
Around the time Unconsciousness was being recorded tragedy fell upon the band. Ex-guitar and bass player Jordan Wood committed suicide. It was this moment that brought Mark McKay back into the group socially and ultimately back into the band.
With its most solid line-up in years Slapshot returned to the studio to record their heaviest album to date, “16 Valve Hate” (Lost & Found Records/Taang! Records) released in 1995. Less than a year later – with the same line-up – the band released “Olde Tyme Hardcore” (Taang! Records, 1996). This was a return to hardcore the way that the band thought it sound be and featured a cover of the classic SSD track “Get It Away”
In July 1997, Slapshot played what was to be their last concert in the United States for five years, in Plymouth, Massachusetts. They toured Europe in 1999, including a stop at the Graspop Metal Meeting in Belgium. In December 1999, a Slapshot tribute album called Boston Drops the Gloves: A Tribute to Slapshot was released by Flat Records (the label owned by Ken Casey of the Dropkick Murphys) and San Francisco-based TKO Records. The album included covers by 22 Boston bands.
In 2001, Slapshot issued a new album entitled Greatest Hits, Slashes and Crosschecks (King Fisher/Century Media) featuring re-recorded & re-mastered versions of classic Slapshot songs, which featured the only recordings of the band with David Link on bass and was the last recorded material with Mike Bowser on guitar.
In 2002 Slapshot played a 15 minute surprise set at The Hideaway in Cambridge, MA as part of a bill alongside Poison Idea, Kill Your Idols, Thumbs Up! and more. The overall reaction to the short set resulted in a full show being booked at The Hideaway for October 13, 2002. Unfortunately the club was forced to close just days before the show was scheduled to happen. On October 26, 2002 Slapshot was finally able to play a full set in the US for the first time in over 5 years. The show was the “6th annual Back to School Jam” in Framingham, MA and also featured Blood for Blood, Converge, Reach The Sky, Panic, No Warning, Some Kind of Hate and a very rare set by Stars & Stripes.
Around this time Mike Bowser decided to move to New York for a new job and after a guitar search that ended with Ed Lalli (currently singing for The Welch Boys) they returned to the studio for 2003’s Digital Warfare (I Scream Records) followed by 2005’s Tear It Down (Thorp Records),[4] along with several more European tours.
In 2006, Slapshot released a statement on their website announcing that the band was defunct. However, on June 30, 2007, they played at the Significant Fest 2007 in Clearwater, Florida. Also on the bill were Killing Time, 108 and Uppercut. In July 2008, they played a couple of dates in Europe, with a stop at the With Full Force festival in Leipzig, Germany. These were to be the last shows featuring Ed Lalli on guitar.
Slapshot played a show at Anchors Up in Haverhill, Massachusetts on November 8, 2008 with Ten Yard Fight, Step Forward, and Word For Word. This show was a warm up for the 2008 Winter Tour which brought the return of longtime guitarist Mike Bowser and reformed the classic Olde Tyme Hardcore/16 Vale Hate line-up.
Upon returning from the tour Slapshot played as part of the “2008 Hometown Throwdown” in Boston on December 28 at the Middle East with The Mighty Mighty Bosstones. One highlight of the show was Choke joining the Bosstones on stage during their cover of the Slapshot song “What’s at Stake”.
April 24, 2009 finally brought the world premiere of the long awaited Slapshot documentary film “Chip On My Shoulder: The Cautionary Tale of Slapshot”. It premiered at the Brattle Theatre in Cambridge, MA to a sold out audience as part of the Boston Independent Film Festival. Following its premiere the film was screened as part of a hardcore festival in Toronto Canada which also featured performances by Negative Approach and Supertouch. The film was also screened at the Salt Lake City Film Festival in August 2009. The film was directed and produced by Ian McFarland (Blood for Blood) and Anthony “Wrench” Moreschi (Ten Yard Fight) of Killswitch Productions and will be released on DVD by Taang! Records eventually (we hope).
After another line-up change (including Chris Lauria moving from bass to guitar) Slapshot headed back to Europe for 10 shows in August 2009 with the support of Frigate which features Chris Lauria of Slapshot, Linda Bean of Stars & Stripes and John Bean formerly of Bitter. The tour, dubbed the ‘2009 Replacements Tour’, went well but late 2009 still brought about another line up change.
The next line up of Slapshot included founding member Jack ‘Choke’ Kelly, longtime member Chris Laura (back on bass guitar), John Bean on drums and Craig Silverman (formerly of Only Living Witness & currently of The Enemy Within and the touring guitar player for Blood for Blood) on guitar. The band spent the first 1/2 of 2010 working on new material and hopes to have some new songs recorded before the end of the year. This line-up played the “Gallery East” reunion show in August 2010 after several warm-up shows in Europe.
In 2012, another lineup change brought Nick Charrette in to play bass.
June 6, 2012 The New 3 song EP “I Believe” will be released on TAANG! RECORDS it will be the 208th release for the label & the 11th release by the band SLAPSHOT on TAANG!
Ryan Packer joined on bass in late 2012.
the-green-waves

THE GREEN WAVES

We are The Green Waves a local band from Chicago who plays a mixture of rock and roll, grunge, and blues.

graveshadow

GRAVESHADOW

Graveshadow is a 2016 “Sammie” winning (Sacramento News & Review) symphonic metal band from Sacramento, CA. Graveshadow was originally conceived in the winter of 2012 by rhythm guitarist, William Walker. The line-up features Walker along with vocalist Heather Michele, lead guitarist Aaron Robitsch, drummer Roman Anderson, and bassist Ben Armstrong.

The Graveshadow sound is defined by crushing guitars, beautiful keyboard melodies, thundering bass, and earth shattering drums. Powerful operatic vocals shift into unearthly growls to create a rich and dynamic atmosphere that is ripe for storytelling. Whether it is a tale of personal struggle or of fantastical creatures, the listener is sure to find themselves immersed in a world apart.

In the winter of 2014, the band signed with Jeff Keller (now with The Artery Foundation) for management representation after releasing their debut EP and opening for thrash legends, Flotsam and Jetsam (whom Keller manages). Shortly after this, the band began work on a full length album. Emil “Nightmare” Nodtveidt from the Swedish industrial metal band Deathstars (Nuclear Blast Records) was brought in to mix and master the recordings that were produced by Matt “Hazmatt” Thomas. Adding to this, powerhouse vocalist, Ralf Scheepers of Primal Fear (Frontiers Records), was brought in to sing guest vocals on the Doctor Who inspired song “Blink”.

The band is poised and ready to leave a lasting impact within the metal community. With an electrifying stage show and a sound as large as the Dragons of Westeros, they are as talented as they are unforgettable.

THE TIMMYS

THE TIMMYS

The Timmys Midwest punk band that’s cool enough for school, if not TOO cool for it!

Ex Okays

EX OKAYS

Basement goons inspired by fast food and feelings

ALTERNATE FLOW

We’re Alternate Flow, from Chicago. All Original. We like to focus on the raw aspects of sound. We believe the best music is the kind that happens spontaneously in a garage banging your instruments. that feel.

FREAK ON A LEASH

Freak On A Leash was never intended to be more than a one time performance. A group of musicians ranging from Illinois and Indiana, came together to form Freak On A Leash for a one time gig on Saturday, December 8th at Another Hole In the Wall in Steger, Illinois. The event was a showcase for local musicians to perform an entire set as one of their favorite bands.

That entire set was well documented through a High Definition video and with the help of You Tube and Trashmouth Films, Freak On A Leash started to gain some major positive feedback. With a fresh tribute scene brewing in the Chicagoland area, Freak On A Leash decided to become a full-time project, in hopes of accomplishing something new and different.

It didn’t take the act more than a year to pick up steam and land themselves in some reputable clubs. Within three years of hard work, the band has managed to land the privilege to take the stage at such key spots as The Abbey Pub, Durty Nellies, The Cubby Bear, Mojoes and The Loft. In 2014, the band was given the opportunity to play House Of Blues in Chicago, leading to a headliner later in 2015 on the same stage.

With a few member adjustments and some fine tuning, the tribute band is preparing to take things to the next level. Expect things to get interesting very soon.

MISERY MACHINE

Misery Machine is a Chicago based tribute to Marilyn Manson (and The Spooky Kids).

firgun

FIRGUN

Firgun is an American indie-alternative duo from Chicago, Illinois, consisting of Phoenix Chayse Butler and Anthony Friedli.
shroom-factory

SHROOM FACTORY

Reggae inspired musicians based out of Chicago, IL

THE LAND BEFORE TIM

Face melting skacore from Chicago! Established Feb. 2014. We play shows and shitpost on the internet
the-bombats

THE BOMBATS

All Rocket Boosters and Astro Dudes beware, The Bombats are here to save your souls with rock and roll.

swellshark

SWELLSHARK

Swellshark is a Chicago-based duo incorporating smart lyrics, textural drumming, electric uke, loop pedals, beatboxing, and the occasional mouth trumpet. At times big and intricate, and at others quiet and intimate, the resultant sound crackles with both joy and intensity. Each member hails from a strong musical background. Henry Kellam (drums, bass, & beatboxing) gained experience in punk, classical, and jazz performance, and is the drummer of metal band Save the Son, who have performed at venues such as Bottom Lounge and Pub Yahoo. Shélan O’Keefe (vocals, guitar, & electric ukulele) began as a singer/songwriter and is an alumni of Girls Rock! Chicago, having played at Metro, Schuba’s, and The Vic. Together, they form Swellshark.

 The pair’s live debut, in October 2014, was opening for antifolk legend (and long-time Swellshark hero) Jeffrey Lewis, at Schuba’s Tavern in Chicago. Since then, Swellshark has played with the Australian duo Oxford & Co. at Township, poet Harold Green at The Promontory, and with local support at Martyrs’ and Debonair Social Club. In the summer of 2015, the band traveled to Iceland, spending over a month traveling the country to work on new material, film take-away style music videos, and busk throughout the various tiny towns they visited. “Songs From the Island,” Swellshark’s first official EP, was born out of these experiences and independently released a few months after their return. 2016 marks a new direction for the duo, who have begun to work on their first full-length album. With topics both playful and serious, covering betrayal, self-destruction, and PBS painter Bob Ross, Swellshark has many musical surprises in store as they continue to hone their live set and signature, off-the-cuff music videos.

bob-rok

BOB ROK

Bob Rok used to be an angel in the paradise of God. One day after working a double at this small Bar in Heaven, Bob got drunk and thought about going back to angel school. During a trip to the bathroom Bob bumped to a rather large man causing him to spill his beer. Bob demanded he and the guy step outside. When they got into the alley Bob realized it was God. Bob Fought him anyway figuring he could defeat aging deity with sheer will. Bob lost(badly) and because God wanted to be a dick about it he banished him to earth.
High Priest

HIGH PRIEST

High Priest is a 4 piece stoner doom band from Chicago, IL.

ROOBY MAN

Recording Artist ‍ Entrepreneur Investor Stock Market ‍ CEO New single “Wa gentan konnen

mcbeardo-horizontal-photo

MIKE “MCBEARDO” MCPADDEN

Mike “McBeardo” McPadden is the author of Heavy Metal Movies: Guitar Barbarians, Mutant Bimbos, and Cult Zombies Amok in the 666 Most Ear- and Eye-Ripping Big Scream Films Ever! (Bazillion Points). He also covers true crime for Investigation Discovery’s CrimeFeed; punk, metal, and classic rock for VH1; and stoner culture for The Kindland.com

Super Sonic Space Rebels

SUPER SONIC SPACE REBELS

“This sound is just what the doctor ordered. Totally different flow than anything out there. When I first started on it I thought…damn, they went Rockabilly. By the time it ended I was pissing on the stall in CBGB”. -Charles Browning (Club Owner, Concert Promoter).

WILEM “HURRICANE” SIMMONS

Born & bred in sunny Chicago, Wilem Hurricane Simmons & his band The Severe Weather Warning have been making goofy, heartfelt garage folk music in the city for a few years now. They’ve just recorded their first fully mastered EP “Enjoy Your Day” available on Spotify & Bandcamp, and are excited to play for you & have a few drinks. Oh, yep!

louda

LOUDA

LOUDA is a Chicago area recording and performing artist. Changing gears from the classical realm, LOUDA elevates her sound through scat and soul in her own songwriting and eclectic song cover choice.

vision-in-the-rhythm

VISION IN THE RHYTHM

Vision in the Rhythm Band from Chicago with an Alternative, Reggae, and World sound.

sammy-k

SAMMY K

Samuel Jacob Kalnitz, born in Atlanta, Georgia, is an American rapper representing young people trying to live up their dreams.
Artificial Brain

ARTIFICIAL BRAIN

Artificial Brain are a technical death metal quintet from Long Island, New York. Their core sound weds pummeling tech and death metal to the buzzing edges and Phrygian mode scales of black metal with an angular, dissonant edge and nearly subliminal growling vocals using science fiction themes as lyric inspiration. The self-released, three-track Demo 2011 presented the band with opportunities for regional touring while 2013’s Butchering Cosmic Giants EP won notice globally, netting them a record deal with Profound Lore. 2014’s long-playing debut, Labyrinth Constellation, was produced, mixed, and mastered by Colin Marston; it scored dozens of positive reviews for its bracing modern approach to death metal. 2017’s Infrared Horizon proved more experimental and wide-ranging, resulting in a prime slot on Cattle Decapitation’s tour. Founding vocalist Will Smith left the band in September 2021. He was replaced by vocalist Paulo Paguntalan for immediate touring, though Smith’s voice had already been recorded for material on 2022’s Artificial Brain. ~ Thom Jurek, Rovi

Cognitive

COGNITIVE

Technical death metal troupe Cognitive are back with Abhorrence, their fifth full length album and a tremendously worthy successor to 2021’s Malevolent Thoughts of a Hastened Extinction. This is the New Jersey powerhouse quintet at its brutal best – unrelenting riffs leave the listener stunned, while a wave of thoughtful, devastating lyrics washes over. The album is a turbulent, draining but ultimately fulfilling experience.

Cognitive started work on Abhorrence while touring Malevolent Thoughts of a Hastened Extinction, sending tracks back and forth to each other while trekking from one intense gig to another.

2024 promises to be a big year for Cognitive, as they take Abhorrence on the road and bring more people into their vile new world. 13 years after the release of their debut EP, the band’s fifth full-lengther sees them continue to make giant strides forward while retaining the elements of their past efforts that got them this far.

Abhorrence may provide therapeutic commentary about how messed up the world currently is, but also, ironically, provides a breath of fresh air. We’re all in this together, so catch Cognitive on the road this year.

done-in

DONE-IN

Illinois Hardcore

Late.

LATE.

Psychedelic/Progressive Sludge Metal from the collective areas of Joliet and Plainfield, IL. A documentation and study in the failings and triumph of man.

tanjiir

TANJIIR

Post-Rock/Progressive Metal

For fans of: This Will Destroy You, Explosions in the Sky, Russian Circles, Pelican, The Contortionist, Tesseract

paper-hero

PAPER HERO

Progressive metal from Chicago. Debut EP out now! Available on Spotify, Bandcamp & iTunes

flight-plan

FLIGHT PLAN

Flight Plan is a 4 piece pop punk band from Chicago, IL. The band was formed in 2014 and consists of Vocals and Guitar Mike Morrissey, Bass/Vocals Josh Palkin, Guitarist Kyle Trevino, and drummer Dave Cieck. You can download their debut EP “Followthrough” for free now.

school-of-rock-glenn-ellyn

SCHOOL OF ROCK (GLEN ELLYN)

Through our performance-based approach to music lessons, School of Rock students are more inspired to learn, more motivated to excel and more confident as a result. We teach guitar, bass guitar, keyboards, drums and vocals in an interactive environment.

burns-twins-x-kaina

BURNS TWINS X KAINA

Born and raised in Chicago, Kaina & Burns Twins were destined to work together. As a group, Kaina, Eddie, & Iz blend their distinct talents into ear candy you just can’t put down; each song is sweet and smooth as the last. Serving as a proper debut from Kaina & Burns Twins, sweet asl shows the group’s ability to construct dynamic, soulful music. This authenticity in sound may be attributed to just how organically the project came to be. In the span of only 3 months, what started as friends having fun by jamming out turned into a cohesive 6-track project and defined artistic direction.

nams-homeless

NAMS HOMELESS

Here is Nams Homeless first solo release since his previous EP “Chingaso” released Aug 30th 2015. This project is a Demo for a new sound that he has been working on for the past year. The demo represents a cluster fuck of emotions surrounded by static, depression, loneliness, anger, and tranquility. Here he is expressing the harmonic sounds of his own suffering (we all get lost along our way to wherever we’re going). This demo is also one half of another project Nams has instored for us in the distant future so please enjoy.

THE FREEDOM PARADOX

Hello world, We are The Freedom Paradox formed out of Downers Grove Illinois.  We have three members Ryan Drobnik (lead vocals/guitar), Megan Gilley (Vocals/Bass) and Nate Kay(Vocals/Drums).  Our sound can be described as punk but we take other influences from general rock, metal, hardcore, and many other sub genres.  We have a Single titled “Dead End” that can be found on SounCloud, band camp, YouTube, and our Facebook page.  Since May of 2015 we have been playing in venues around Illinois.  Get in contact with us, as we grow our fan base around The Untied States.

WAYSIDE STORY

Wayside Story is a Chicago-based pop-punk band formed in the spring of 2015. With the members desperately in search of like-minded people to play music with, each turned to Craigslist hoping to fill the void (basically online dating for musicians). As soon as Brian (vocals, bass) and Casey (lead guitar) met in 2013, their shared musical interests and edgy style of play quickly clicked and led them looking for others to create a full act. Once Casey found an experienced drummer in Corbin shortly after, the three would meet in the west loop on a regular basis to jam out to their favorites and begin writing their own songs. After a long search for right person, they finally brought on Kevin’s (vocals, rhythm guitar) skill and creativity to round out the four-piece.

Wayside Story began playing in a number of different venues around the Chicagoland area, quickly gaining interest and notoriety within the local music scene. In the fall of 2015, the band teamed up with producer Roye Robley to begin recording their first official EP in Hammond, IN. After dozens of trips to and from Hammond, as well as countless hours spent by Roye perfecting the mixes, Wayside finally released “Young Adult Fiction” on August 5th, 2016. The six-song EP, which instantly drew high praise from fans, helped the band to secure an opening gig at the House of Blues shortly after on August 14th, Wayside’s biggest show to date.

Wayside Story will be featured on a number of shows around Chicago throughout the fall to promote “Young Adult Fiction”, which is available on iTunes, Spotify, and Bandcamp.

MEST

Cousins Tony and Matt Lovato grew up across the street from each other in the Blue Island section of the south side of Chicago and began playing together at seven, borrowing instruments from Tony’s father, with Tony picking up guitar and singing and Matt playing bass. In high school, they hooked up with guitarist Jeremiah Rangel and drummer Nick Gigler. Tony came up with the band name Mest while looking at a case of Milwaukee’s Best beer.

Playing in local Chicago punk clubs, the group self-released their debut album, Mo’ Money, Mo’ 40’z. They got their first real break when Tony wrote to Goldfinger lead singer John Feldmann and got a response. After listening to a demo tape, Feldmann agreed to let Mest open for Goldfinger, got them a record deal with Maverick, and produced their major-label debut, Wasting Time, which was released in July 2000. A year later, Mest returned with a cameo-filled (Young MC, Save Ferris’ Monique Powell) spiky-punk second album entitled Destination Unknown. A self-titled third album, which included a cameo from Good Charlotte’s Benji Madden, appeared in June 2003.

A lengthy stretch of Warped Tour dates followed, which led to exhaustion for Mest and back surgery for Tony Lovato in particular. But the band soldiered on, and in autumn 2005 they released their fourth effort for Maverick, Photographs. After ten years together, Mest called it quits in early 2006. They went out on an appropriately titled final tour, So Long and Thanx for the Booze, that February alongside Allisterand Scary Kids Scaring Kids. A brief reunion a few years later set the stage for the band to get back together, and they toured as well as releasing the 2013 album Not What You Expected. ~ William Ruhlmann, Rovi

RECREATIONAL DRUGS

Recreational Drugs began as a side project of Matthew Frank (Their / They’re / There, Lifted Bells) & Joshua Sparks (Into It. Over It.) The new live band is comprised of Logan Bloom (Merit Badge), Adam Beck (Merit Badge), and Derek Craig (The Zero Years).
john-tudela

JOHN TUDELA

Been in many bands over the years, written hundreds of songs, and never really ventured off on his own. With former bands, John focused on vocals, guitar and writing but dabbled in many other areas of music such recording, percussion, bass and piano. So it’s no surprise that he is extremely capable of taking on a solo project such as this one! Well that time is now, John is currently recording an EP in which he will “Phil Collins” it up and record all the instruments himself. One can say it is a collectivesound of punk/alternative and of course he will throw in a little bit of experimental indie dance beats for all the ladies! Mostly, he is ready to write music and expand instrumentally that touches base on many life experiences as well as some he wrote just for all of you to relate to. Enjoy, spread the word, and support local music!

firer

FIRER

Top Choice Unadulterated No Coast Metal

LET 'EM HANG

LET ‘EM HANG

Four dudes from from the burbs of Chicago playing for the love of punk rock, drinking, and having a good time!!! Check us out and LET ‘EM HANG!!!

arcadia

ARCADIA

ARCADIA- Chicago base Metal band that has taken the hard road to success ,With the typical lifespan of Metal bands predictably short, the band’s future is understandably not written in stone. But the profound wisdom gained by its remaining members has set the tone for even deeper meaning to their music than before; concepts of hope, destiny, inevitability of change and the need to adapt, among other existentialist reflections, are all subjects to be explored by ARCADIA with their new material.

ARCADIA is eager to showcase their powerful new material to fans locally and across U.S. The band’s goal and focus on live shows and the determination, will to work hard is to deliver a new brand of metal/hardcore music to Chicago

caldera

CALDERA

Members
Ray Nelson ( Vocals )
VooDoo ( Guitars )
Wookie ( Bass )
Rob Saviano ( Drums )
city-of-caterpillar

CITY OF CATERPILLAR

One of the first bands to successfully merge post-rock and hardcore together, with complex and intense build-ups that led into bursts of rage and chaos, City Of Caterpillar’s short lived existence from 2000 – 2003 has had a major influence on the hardcore/punk scenes since the original release of this LP back in 2002.

blend-acoustic

BLEND ACOUSTIC

Are you ready to take your party to the next level? Blend plays songs you know by heart with breathtaking harmonies and a passion for engaging the audience.

the-body

THE BODY

On No One Deserves Happiness, The Body’s Chip King and Lee Buford set out to make “the grossest pop album of all time.” The album themes of despair and isolation are delivered by the unlikely pairing of the Body’s signature heaviness and 80s dance tracks. The Body can emote pain like no other band, and their ability to move between the often strict confines of the metal world and the electronic music sphere is on full display throughout No One Deserves Happiness, an album that eludes categorization. More then any of their genre-defying peers, The Body does it without softening their disparate influences towards a middle ground, but instead through a beautiful combining of extremes. No One Deserves Happiness is an album that defies definition and expectations, standing utterly alone.

Buford and King are outliers at their core, observing the world as if apart
from it. They strive for music without a category. They embody many
contrasts. They are open and playful as well as thoughtful and disciplined. Live, they deliver punishing volume and scale with their spare duo set up, expanding their sound through a complex set of effects on both guitar and drums. For records, they approach things entirely differently and expand their group in the studio to include Seth Manchester and Keith Souza from Machines with Magnets (their long-time studio), as well as Chrissy Wolpert of The Assembly of Light Choir. The list of instruments used on No One Deserves Happiness is an unexpected collection that includes 808 drum machine, a cello and a trombone. The band employs instruments in their unprocessed state for the simple beauty of the sound, and then in equal measure push them to their most extreme (for example, the sounds at the end of “The Fall and the Guilt” are created by a guitar and a cello). Because they create an entirely singular sound, The Body is in high demand for collaborations with artists across the musical spectrum, from The Bug to Full of Hell to The Haxan Cloak and beyond. They build albums that are as lush and dense as a rainforest and as unforgiving.

creepers

CREEPERS

Creepers is a band from the San Francisco Bay Area that formed in 2010. Originally consisting of Shiv Mehra (Deafheaven) on guitar and vocals and Daniel Tracy (Deafheaven) on drums, the duo performed around the Bay playing their own brand of surreal psychedelic rock. Eventually, they recruited guitarist Chris Natividad (Golden Drugs, Useless Eaters) and bassist Varun Mehra to complete the lineup. Their first LP “Lush” was released on All Black Recording Company in 2014.

In 2016, Andrew Oswald (Recorded Fell Voices, Ash Borer, Black Spiritual, +more) replaced Varun Mehra on bass and Ross Peacock (Mwahaha, Clipd Beaks) was added on synths and electronics. They are currently working on a release slated for 2017.

astral-blood

ASTRAL BLOOD

Astral Blood is a North American black metal band located in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The band features Andrew Rasmussen, Joe Waller, Nick Stanger, Brandon Petree, and Ben Fagerness. If you are a fan of Symphonic / Atmospheric Black Metal you will dig our sound. In Dec of 2014 we released our Self titled debut EP through Tridroid Records. We also put out 2 music videos not long after. Currently writing/recording the next record.