UK-rock band Neck Deep is back and better than ever with their newest track “STFU“, their first new music in two years – following 2020’s All Distortions Are Intentional – and their first self-released music in a decade since the band’s original demos. With heavy guitar riffs and driving drum fills, the new single feels like a callback to the band’s early days, whilst still pushing them in a new and exciting direction.Recorded with Andrew Wade, who last worked with the band on 2015’s, Life’s Not Out To Get You, the band describes the thumping pop-punk song as “somewhat of a return to our roots, and a return to what we do best.” With singer, Ben Barlow, adding, “As the world was falling apart at the time, and only seems to have worsened recently, it felt right to satirize the decline of society in typical punk fashion. Looking at the world through a screen and being lured into the impending sense of doom that’s overcome us all.”
The band’s ability to find humor in challenging times, came in handy when their planned video shoot for the song with director, Max Moore, hung in the balance. What should have been a three-hourflight to Louisville ended up as “three cancelled flights, eight hours in an airport, a $5000 taxi, a magical stray dog with a taste for gas station hot dogs and a twelve hour drive,” Barlow explains. “Don’t ever say we haven’t busted our asses for this! And don’t tell me I look tired in the video!” he laughs.
Neck Deep is returning to the United States after their successful fall 2021 tour. The band will be supporting Blackbear at Red Rocks Amphitheater in Morrison, CO, on March 31 alongside State Champs and MOD SUN. Neck Deep will also be co-headlining Sad Summer Fest this summer, starting in Sacramento, CA, on July 8 and making stops throughout the country before ending in Milwaukee, WI, on August 6. Neck Deep is also slated to perform at When We Were Young Festival in Las Vegas, NV, on October 22, 23, and 29. More information and tickets for all shows can be found at www.neckdeepuk.com/live
Neck Deep leapt from side project to full-time band in 2012. Across four albums, the band struck a chord with a burgeoning audience, quickly heralded as leaders of a resurgence in hook-heavy punk, with an immediate accessibility and fun attitude combined with genuine concern for issues like loneliness, depression, and anxiety. The instant relatability of the band’s songs and overall approachable attitude endeared them to a new and incredibly passionate generation, with devotion to rival the biggest titans of melodic rock.
Over the last decade, they’ve gatecrashed the charts, both at home and internationally, sold hundreds of thousands of records and concert tickets, graced magazine covers all over the world and toured with some of the biggest names in the business in the process. As the band enter their second decade as a band, you’d continue to be foolish betting against the boys from Wrexham.
Upcoming Neck Deep tour dates: May 31 – MORRISON, CO, US – Red Rocks Amphitheatre + July 8 – SACRAMENTO, CA – Heart Health Park ^ July 9 – ANAHEIM, CA – City National Grove Of Anaheim ^ July 12 – DALLAS, TX – Gilley’s ^ July 13 – HOUSTON, TX – White Oak Music Hall – Lawn ^ July 15 – ORLANDO, FL – Orlando Amphitheatre ^ July 16 – ATLANTA, GA – Coca-Cola Roxy ^ July 19 – PITTSBURGH, PA – Stage Ae Outdoors ^ July 20 – PITTSBURGH, MI – The Crofoot Festival Grounds ^ July 22 – NEW YORK, NY – The Rooftop at Pier 17 ^ July 23 – WORCESTER, MA – Palladium ^ July 24 – BALTIMORE, MD – Pier Six Pavilion ^ July 26 – COLUMBUS, OH – Kemba Live Outdoor ^ July 27 – NEWPORT, KY – Promowest Pavilion ^ July 29 – ASBURY PARK, NJ – Stone Pony Summer Stage ^ July 30 – PHILADELPHIA, PA – Mann Centre ^ August 2 – CLEVELAND, OH – Jacobs Pavilion ^ August 3 – LEWISTON, NY – Artpark ^ August 5 – MILWAUKEE, WI – The Rave/Eagles Club ^ October 22 – LAS VEGAS, NV – Las Vegas Festival Ground * October 23 – LAS VEGAS, NV – Las Vegas Festival Ground * October 29 – LAS VEGAS, NV – Las Vegas Festival Ground *
+ with blackbear ^ Sad Summer Festival * When We Were Young Festival
Caledonian metal pioneer SAOR is now premiering the official music video for the brand new song, “Beyond the Wall,” which is taken from its upcoming fifth full-length album, ‘Origins!’ The song and video, which was created by Guilherme Henriques, can be found at THIS LOCATION.
SAOR mastermind Andy Marshall comments: “‘Beyond the Wall’ refers to the Antonine Wall which ran across the central belt of Scotland to keep the Caledonians/Picts at bay. The song is about their freedom, as they were not under Roman rule and the beauty and mystery of the lands beyond the wall.”
‘Origins’ is due on June 24 via Season of Mist, making it SAOR‘s debut to the label! Inspired by the myths and tales of the Scottish highlands, ‘Origins’ takes the listener deep into the ancient heartlands while delivering SAOR‘s signature hybrid of atmospheric black metal and folk.
Pre-orders for ‘Origins’ are live in the shop HERE. Pre-save the record across all streaming services HERE.
Tracklist: 1. Call of the Carnyx (06:58) 2. Fallen (05:04) 3. The Ancient Ones (07:54) 4. Aurora (08:24) 5. Beyond the Wall (06:13) [WATCH] 6. Origins (06:44) [WATCH] Total: 0:41:17
SAOR means free, without obligations, unconstrained. All of these characteristics are intrinsic to the music of SAOR, the musical entity spearheaded by sole member Andy Marshall. As a lone wanderer proudly shouting the tales and myths of his people, his culture and his region from the tops of misty Caledonian mountains for the wind to carry, Andy has carved a solitary, yet strikingly inspiring path with SAOR ever since Roots, his first album laid deep… roots, indeed!, way back in 2013.
A decade about to be completed which is now about to witness the release of a fifth full-length, a decade in which Andy and SAOR have almost single-handedly made us all feel a little bit like Scots at heart, regardless of our own individual origins, such is the passionate and almost visual way that this musician delivers his profoundly atmospheric hybrid of black and folk metal, peculiarly described as Caledonian metal. “I used to play in some local bands, but I never really liked writing music with other people,” Andy recalls of his initial, formative times as a musician, beginnings that already hinted at the future road that would be taken. “There were too many opinions and arguments about the direction of the music. I have always preferred writing music alone.” As such, his musical and conceptual vision could be developed steadily, undiluted and unrestrained. Free, without obligations, unconstrained. “I was really into black metal and folk metal at the time I wrote Roots,” the Scot reveals, somewhat unsurprisingly. The components for his musical edifice are clear – it’s in the personality of their seamless mix, and in the Scottish fog that surrounds it, that the unique magic lies.
“There were plenty of Scandinavian bands singing about their history, culture, roots… but there were no Scottish bands. I thought this was kind of weird because we have such an interesting history, and quite gloomy and epic landscapes, much like the Scandinavians. Since I grew up around traditional Scottish music and was a huge fan of film soundtracks, I used those influences and tried to merge them with atmospheric black metal, folk metal and other sounds. It was quite a natural fit for me. I live very close to mountains, beautiful forests and lochs, and I spend a lot of time on the Isle of Skye, so you can guess where my inspiration comes from. I’ve also been interested in Scottish history from a young age. I’m no expert, but I take inspiration from reading about the past and always feel connected to it.”
Established as a singular voice and presence in the metal and folk underground with Roots (“it might sound corny, but it’s the ‘roots’ of SAOR and the Caledonian metal sound,” Andy jokes. “You can hear some of the typically Scottish melodies on it that would become more prominent in future albums.”), Andy Marshall forged on, and follow-up Aura appeared less than a year later. Though it contains some of the most appreciated hymns in his entire discography, the Scottish musician, ever a perfectionist, has mixed feelings about it. “I was never a huge fan of the production and performances on this one,” he shrugs. “It felt rushed. Funnily enough, it became one of the most popular and well received SAOR albums. People seem to love the somewhat ‘muddied production’ because it gives the album character. We still play songs from this live and they go down really well. ‘Pillars of the Earth’ is one of my favourite SAOR songs.” With apologies to Andy, we do side with the masses on this one – and would even throw the hallowed name of Bathory as an example of how “muddied production” and “character” are two concepts that can indeed go hand in hand, treading a fine but clear line throughout the history of metal.
Perhaps avoiding another rushed effort, Guardians took two years to appear as the third chapter in the ongoing saga that is the SAOR discography. Definitely leaning even more to the side of folk, it’s a work of rare emotional depth within the genres it touches, even if our man is, once more, rather unfazed and focused on the technical aspects of the recording. “I think it’s a natural progression from Aura, but with a slightly improved sound. It focuses more on my folk/Celtic influences. Some would say the folk metal element is more prominent due to the amount of bagpipes, tin whistles and other folk instrumentation used on this album,” he muses. However, not even his author can deny the power of this album’s highest moments. “’Hearth’ is one of the most popular SAOR songs and ‘Tears of a Nation’ always goes down well in a live setting.” Sound considerations aside, it was clear by then, circa 2016, that SAOR was a living, breathing entity, evolving and exploring. Like that recurring metaphor of the lone wanderer that seems so perfect we cannot let go of it. Free, without obligations, unconstrained.
The period between albums ever-lengthening, as if each step into the world of SAOR requires a bigger period of reflection and maturing to take the next one, Forgotten Paths would only appear in 2019. A worthy wait, however, as the evolutionary step was by far the boldest, bravely defying imaginary style constraints and showcasing an atypical and engaging approach to the overall “folk” super-genre. “My most open and accessible album,” Andy admits without hesitation. “There’s definitely a hint of post-metal creeping in on this one and a little less black metal. Neige from Alcest provided guest vocals on the title-track, which was an honour. This is around the time I started using the term Caledonian metal to describe my sound. I think it sums up my music and the themes perfectly.”
As live appearances were beginning to be much more frequent and SAOR a constantly demanded name on more notable events, the world decided to throw us all a pandemic curveball, which halted the victorious march of Andy and his stage cohorts for a while. However, you wouldn’t expect a period of isolation to ever hold back a musician and a project that are, by definition, and even by many of the feelings by them evoked, isolated, would you? And it most certainly did not. “From 2019-early 2020 we had a pretty hectic time touring and playing festivals, so I actually really liked the first few months of lockdown. I got a chance to relax,” Andy says. “But when the government decided to stop us from travelling, even leaving our local area, it was horrible.” Also, the end of 2020 brought an unexpected gift of recognition, as SAOR won the “Best Metal” Category at the Scottish Alternative Music Awards (SAMAs). Humble as ever, Andy thanked the band’s manager Joe, his stage comrades and Season of Mist, and added that “it’s been a tough year, so this award means a lot.”
Even better than recognition and accolades, from these difficult times, the new album, Origins, appeared. And for their first album in three years, and their premiere for Season of Mist, we wouldn’t expect anything other than… the unexpected. A counter reaction of sorts to the more meandering and even “accessible” direction of the previous records, perhaps inspired by its main theme of the Picts (a group of peoples who lived in what is now northern and eastern Scotland during Late Antiquity and the Early Middle Ages) and their fierce battles, Origins comes across as a more raging, black metal-infused effort, copiously evocative in its imagery and even melancholic in places, but decisively strong and abrasive at the same time. “This album is a lot more guitar driven,” Andy confirms.
“During the pandemic I listened to a lot of classic heavy metal and I think you’ll hear the influences on the dual lead guitars and solos. I also wanted this to be my heaviest album with emphasis on the riffs. My harsh vocals have changed from deep growls to more of a black metal style. Since the subject of the album is the Picts, I wanted a pagan theme throughout, and so that aspect is a lot more prominent than in the previous albums. I also used instruments such as the Carnyx and tribal drumming to convey that feeling.” One of the strongest songs on offer, the opener in fact, “Call of the Carnyx”, is in fact about the Carnyx itself, the ancient Celtic war horn, and it conveys like never before the feeling that it must have been to hear its resounding bellow, calling the Pictish warriors to battle. A moving homage to the legacy of the Picts, Origins guides us through their gods, their fallen heroes who died protecting their families and land, and what still remains of their identity in the Scottish people of today.
As much as we have food for thought, assured and guaranteed entertainment and inspiration for the months to come as we listen to and explore Origins and its themes, its creator is naturally already moving on. Andy doesn’t need much to create the worlds SAOR albums inhabit, and his most powerful tool is always with him. “I don’t need to be in one particular place to write or be inspired,” he explains. “I do have my own little office/studio in my home where I write music and lyrics, but it’s nothing special. My imagination is the most powerful tool for SAOR.” Not only do we vehemently agree, we would even say that imagination is the most powerful tool, always, for everyone. The one untamed weapon we all possess and can use at all times. Free. Without obligations. Unconstrained.
Chart topping, horror themed outfit, Ice Nine Kills are proud to announce the inaugural edition of a brand new horror convention, SILVER SCREAM CON. Curated by the band, the convention will celebrate all things horror and will take place August 26th – August 28th at The DoubleTree Boston North Shore Hotel in Danvers in the band’s home state of Massachusetts. Featuring genre icons:
Kane Hodder (Jason from Friday the 13th 7-10 – Hatchet) Nick Castle (Original Michael Myers from John Carptenter’s Halloween) Skeet Ulrich (Scream, The Craft, Riverdale) James Jude Courtney (Michael Myers from Halloween 2018, Halloween Kills & Halloween Ends) Danielle Harris (Halloween 4 + 5 – Hatchet – Rob Zombie’s’ Halloween 1 + 2) Twiztid Spencer Charnas
And more to be announced for a packed weekend of exclusive photo ops, celebrity signings, discussion panels, scary-oke and an intimate live show from Ice Nine Kills. Tickets are on sale now at silverscreamcon.com
Speaking on today’s announcement, Ice Nine Kills creative visionary and frontman, Spencer Charnas shares:
“The Silver Scream Con will bring horror fanatics and INK fans from all over the world together to celebrate their love of on-screen slaughter. This is the chance for our loyal psychos to not only interact with the band, but to meet the incredible stars of the very films that our music pays tribute to.”
Ice Nine Kills put their bloody fingerprints all over THE SILVER SCREAM CON and pay homage to the celluloid classics that first possessed singer Spencer Charnas as a kid. In 2022, that demented love blossoms into the first INK-curated horror convention!
At the first-ever SILVER SCREAM CON, movie lovers, casual fans, and INK’s beloved “psychos” will chop it up in August with the stars and stars of legendary horror franchises, including meet-and-greets, photo-ops, cosplay, live music, and surprises.
Today, critically acclaimed British rock band Asking Alexandria has released a new single via Better Noise Music. The band has dropped the latest version of their song “Faded Out” with Sharon den Adel of Within Temptation, a track that describes devastating sadness. They also premiered a chilling official music video for the song, which is set to appear on the soundtrack for THE RETALIATORS, a Better Noise Film already receiving praise, out this fall. After ten years of recording their music separately, the band, who sparked new energy and a drive for creating when they reunited in Nashville during quarantine to make their latest album, are now excited to continue this musical journey with this new collaboration. The British rockers, currently on tour across the United States with Grammy-nominated band Nothing More, recently released their Never Gonna Learn EP titled after their second single off of their acclaimed fall 2021 album See What’s On The Inside, in addition to a new song with Maria Brink from In This Moment. See below for a full list of dates. Watch “Faded Out (ft. Sharon den Adel of Within Temptation)” HERE.
Directed by Michael Lombardi, the official music video is a creative play on the wildly popular Apple TV+ series Severance, interspersed with scenes of Asking Alexandria and Within Temptation performing the song. Similarly to THE RETALIATORS, the visual follows the journey of a man who’s suffered a tremendous loss, as he awakens to a colorless existence and descends into a bloody subhuman universe. Watch the video HERE.
Sharing his excitement about their new single and collaborating with Sharon den Adel of Within Temptation, Ben Bruce said, “Faded Out is just one of those songs with an infectious energy and groove! I remember it coming together in the studio and thinking “I can’t wait to play this live.” Fast forward a couple of months and I’m being told that Sharon of Within Temptation wants to sing on the song with us, and the level of excitement and nostalgia running through my body was immeasurable! When I was 14 or 15 years old, I waited in line at Virgin Megastore to meet Within Temptation at a signing and I handed Sharon a demo of my band. Adding Sharon’s vocals to the song and teaming up with Within Temptation is a huge honor for us and it also brings a whole new dimension to the song. I can’t wait for the fans to hear this collaboration and I can’t wait for it to be featured in The Retaliators movie!”
Sharon also gave her thoughts on the collaboration, “We’ve been blasting metalcore playlists through our speakers to gain a bit of fresh inspiration for our side, and Asking Alexandria is amongst the top bands we have been spinning over the past years. Their songs are heavy and melodic at the same time, therefore it was a no-brainer when they asked us to join them on “Faded Out!” We are evenly honored to be a part of this amazing song and we hope everyone will love it as much as we do! Enjoy!”
The band has seen massive success with their seventh full-length studio album See What’s On The Inside, a passion project for the band who fell back in love with making music and with being bandmates while writing and recording together in Nashville for the first time in a decade. The album debuted on Spotify’s top 10 in both the US and the UK upon release. They ended 2021 by celebrating their first-ever #1 at U.S. active rock radio with hit single “Alone Again.” The song had the biggest first streaming day and week in the band’s history, and was a fitting first offering from their latest album. Their second single “Never Gonna Learn” initially received attention from Loudwire, BraveWords, and others upon its release, with many outlets praising the song’s immediate catchiness and declaring it a destined-to-be fan favorite.
Earlier this year, the band announced they’d be heading out on a spring 2022 North American tour, along with Nothing More, Atreyu, and Eva Under Fire. Catch Asking Alexandria in Birmingham today and in Nashville, Denver, Atlanta, New Orleans, and other cities throughout the tour, which ends in Houston, TX on June 19. For tickets, a full list of upcoming live shows, and more information, please visit: https://www.askingalexandria.com/. See a full list of dates of the upcoming tour below.
UPCOMING TOUR DATES May 20 – Birmingham, AL – Avondale Brewing Company May 21 – Daytona Beach, FL – Welcome to Rockville* May 23 – Pittsburgh, PA – Stage AE* May 24 – Rochester, NY – Main Street Armory* May 25 – Silver Spring, MD – The Fillmore May 27 – Montclair, NJ – The Wellmont Theater May 28 – Wallingford, CT – The Dome at Oakdale May 29 – Reading, PA – Theatre at Santander Arena* May 31 – Cincinnati, OH – The Andrew J Brady Music Center June 1 – Nashville, TN – Marathon Music Works June 3 – Chicago, IL – The Riviera* June 4 – Indianapolis, IN – Egyptian Room @ Old National Centre June 5 – Cleveland, OH – Agora Theater* June 7 – Detroit, MI – The Fillmore Detroit June 8 – Madison, WI – The Sylvee June 9 – St. Louis, MO – The Pageant June 11 – Omaha, NE – The Admiral Theater June 12 – Denver, CO – Fillmore Auditorium June 13 – Salt Lake City, UT – The Complex June 15 – Anaheim, CA – House of Blues June 16 – Phoenix, AZ – The Van Buren June 18 – San Antonio, TX – Tech Port June 19 – Houston, TX – House of Blues
In 2022, with 20 years and a strong collection of masterful, acclaimed albums to their name, Irish post-rock maestros GOD IS AN ASTRONAUT come full circle with a live studio output, The Beginning Of The End, due out on July 15, 2022 via Napalm Records. Recorded at Windmill Lane Recording Studio in Dublin, Ireland on October 3, 2021, the album features modern transformations of all of the songs from their debut album, 2002’s The End Of The Beginning, encompassing each track’s evolutionary changes throughout the band’s years of live performances while allowing the original melodies and songwriting to shine through.
Stage classics such as “From Dust to the Beyond” and “Route 666″ can be heard in a new light, with clear, transformative variations originally heard during the band’s captivating live performances now incorporated. Plus, in addition to these live expansions, technical advances have been applied to each track. Originally limited to just a keyboard sequencer and an Akai S3000 sampler on The End Of The Beginning, 20 years later on The Beginning Of The End, the band seizes the opportunity to breathe new life into these live versions, allowing them to bring more feeling, experience, equipment and expression to the music and songs.
“When we recorded the “The End of the Beginning” we only had limited equipment,; we couldn’t even record full live performances,“ bassist Niels Kinsella reveals. “The Beginning of the End gave us the opportunity to perform the whole album live and allowed us to bring more feeling and expression to the music and songs. We’re very excited to share this with everyone.”
Today, GOD IS AN ASTRONAUT have premiered a brand new music video for the otherworldly, re-recorded single “From Dust to the Beyond”; a song that has even been aired on MTV and now perfectly balances the band’s melancholic post-rock manner and a menacing yet dreamy atmosphere.
Watch the new GOD IS AN ASTRONAUT video for “From Dust to the Beyond” HERE:
Says Torsten Kinsella:“From Dust to the Beyond was written in 2002, inspired by the futile wars of the past and how we are doomed to repeat our mistakes and ironically we are now seeing the same unfold once again!”
The release of The Beginning Of The End could not be more relevant than in these current dark times. War themes are strikingly evident on songs such as the aforementioned “From Dust to the Beyond”, as well as album title track “The End of the Beginning” – named after a quote credited to Prime Minister Winston Churchill during the WWII era. Influenced by the chaos and futility of war, these themes are also reflected on the album’s cover, created by the band in collaboration with returning artist David Rooney. Featuring a war-torn concert hall and a piano, the art is a defiant message reflecting that the power of music transcends war and time.
GOD IS AN ASTRONAUT’s upcoming releaseprovides a sonic snapshot of the evolution of the Irish post-rock band over two decades. Made enthralling and memorable with live momentum, The Beginning Of The End belongs in every well-curated post-rock record collection!
The Beginning Of The End will be available in these varying formats in various territories: -1CD Digisleeve -2LP Gatefold BLACK -2LP Gatefold GOLD – limited to 300 -2LP Gatefold MARBLED ORANGE TRANSPARENT & BLACK – limited to 500 -Shirt & 2LP Gatefold in Black -Shirt & Digisleeve -Digital Album
The Beginning Of The End track listing: 01 The End of the Beginning 02 From Dust to the Beyond 03 Ascend to Oblivion 04 Coda 05 Remembrance 06 Point Pleasant 07 Fall from the Stars 08 Twilight 09 Coma 10 Route 666 11 Lost Symphony
ALEXISONFIRE have unveiled the latest single from Otherness, their first full-length album in over 13 years.
“Sans Soleil” features earnest and deeply heartfelt lyrics penned by guitarist Wade MacNeil, with an impeccable vocal performance from Dallas Green.
Says singer George Pettit, “Wade came in with the lyrics for this song around the same time he had been working on the Dooms Children record and I feel like it shows. The Dooms Children album touched on a lot of things extremely personal to Wade and this song is definitely in that vein.” MacNeil elaborates, “This song is about hanging onto hope during the heaviest times. Healing and letting go. Dreaming of a future where all this hurt is behind you.”
Otherness will be released on June 24 via Dine Alone Records. The album features 10 new songs including the explosive first single, “Sweet Dreams Of Otherness” and previously released “Reverse the Curse.” The album was produced by AOF and mixed by punk stalwart Jonah Falco (Fucked Up, Chubby and the Gang). Watch the video for “Sweet Dreams Of Otherness,” directed by the inimitable actor/director Jay Baruchel (LOL: Last One Laughing Canada, Goon, This Is The End, Random Acts of Violence) here.
Pre-orders for remaining physical variants are still available here. Each vinyl variant is 2×12″ with a Gatefold jacket and printed inner sleeves.
OTHERNESS TRACK LISTING: “Committed to the Con” “Sweet Dreams Of Otherness“ “Sans Soleil“ “Conditional Love” “Blue Spade” “Dark Night of the Soul” “Mistaken Information” “Survivor’s Guilt” “Reverse the Curse“ “World Stops Turning”
ALEXISONFIRE ON TOUR: 5/19 — Nashville, TN — Marathon Music Works 5/20 — Atlanta, GA — The Eastern 5/21— Daytona Beach, FL — Welcome to Rockville 5/23 — New Orleans, LA — House of Blues 5/25 — San Antonio, TX — Paper Tiger 5/27 — Houston, TX — White Oak Music Hall 5/29 — Dallas, TX — So What!? Music Festival 6/3 — Leeds, UK (headline) — Slam Dunk Festival 6/4— Hatfield, UK (headline) — Slam Dunk Festival 6/15—St. John’s, NL — Iceberg Alley Performance Tent 6/16—St. John’s, NL — Iceberg Alley Performance Tent 7/2—St. Catharines, ON — Born & Raised Concert Series 7/3—St. Catharines, ON — Born & Raised Concert Series 7/13—Ottawa, ON — RBC Bluesfest 2022 7/14—Montreal, QC — MTELUS (SOLD OUT) 7/15—Montreal, QC — MTELUS 7/16—Québec, QC — Festival D’éte (With Rage Against the Machine) 7/21 — Boston, MA — Roadrunner 7/22 — Silver Spring, MD — The Fillmore Silver Spring 7/23 — New York, NY — The Rooftop at Pier 17 9/23-25 — Birmingham, AL — Furnace Fest 9/14 — Cleveland, OH — House of Blues 9/15 — Detroit, MI — The Fillmore 10/4 — Los Angeles, CA — Hollywood Palladium 10/5 — San Francisco, CA — The Warfield Theatre 10/6—Sacramento, CA — Aftershock 10/8 — San Diego, CA — SOMA 10/9 — Anaheim, CA — House of Blues
Alexisonfire —alongside City and Colour, Dine Alone Records, and Live Nation Canada — recently announced a must-see, 4-day concert event that will take over Montebello Park in the band’s beloved hometown of St. Catharine’s from June 30 to July 3. In celebration of their 20th Anniversary, AOF will be giving fans a special treat. Today, the band announce they will perform their self-titled debut album front-to-back for the first time ever live on Sunday, July 3. This will be the only opportunity to catch Alexisonfire perform in Southern Ontario in 2022.
Tickets for the Born & Raised Concert Event are available via ticketmaster.ca. Alexisonfire and City and Colour have partnered with PLUS1 so that $1 from every ticket sold will be donated to the Indspire Building Brighter Futures Scholarship program.
A continuous thread through the fabric of Alexisonfire is the state of otherness. Otherness drew us all to spaces where a band like this could be formed. We attract the type of individuals that have all felt the sensation of being strange or unique. Perceived or otherwise, otherness has followed us through childhood, adolescence, and into our adult lives. It drives our tastes and proclivities. It bonds us with ourselves and others. And make no mistake, even at our most domestic and mundane moments, we are true outliers. —Otherness mission statement
Otherness is the band’s most cohesive and self-actualized record to date. For those who need a refresher, AOF released four hugely successful studio albums, all Music Canada Platinum-certified: Alexisonfire (2002); Watch Out (2004); Crisis (2006); and Old Crows/Young Cardinals (2009). Crisis debuted at #1 on the Top 200 Soundscan (Canada), and Old Crows/Young Cardinals debuted at #2, and charted at #9 on the US Billboard Independent Album chart. The number of albums made outside of Alexisonfire by different band members over the years — including City and Colour, Dead Tired, You+Me, Dooms Children, and Billy Talent — could fill several record store bins.
The mix of classic Alexisonfire and newfound textures of “Sweet Dreams of Otherness” became a roadmap for the rest of the record. Dallas Green’s engaging croon; the urgent attitude of Wade MacNeil; the heavy bellow of George Pettit; all anchored by a mix of vulnerability, confidence, iconoclasm, and celebratory recklessness. As every Alexisonfire song persistently expands and contracts, bassist Chris Steele and drummer Jordan Hastings remain impossibly tight, locked into unrelenting swinging grooves.
Alexisonfire produced Otherness themselves in roughly a week. They kept it a “family affair,” working closely with folks who’ve been with them for years. Writing took place at the Dine Alone Records clubhouse. The album includes organ, keys, and pedal steel from Green’s longtime collaborator Matt Kelly. Jill Zimmerman and Darren “Jeter” Magierowski (who is also Steele’s cousin) engineered, at Jukasa Recording Studios.
“The biggest difference is the space we are all in. We were all really thrilled to make a record, and it was such a respite from what was going on in the world. It felt like life could be beautiful,” MacNeil says. “We were supportive of one another. Everyone was in such a good mood. It was such a treat to be able to do it again.”
As Revolver noted in 2019, “It’s hard to overstate the influence Alexisonfire had in post-hardcore through the mid-2000s, their combination of singing and screaming setting the blueprint for many artists to come.” Five guys playing aggressive rock (with no less than three of them singing and screaming) grew to a hockey-arena headlining phenomenon while pushing and pulling between spirited guitar leads, melodic might, and emotional weight.
“As much as we love playing the old songs, we don’t want to be a nostalgia act. The only reason to come back is if we feel we still have something to say,” Pettit insists. “We spent so much time on the road thinking that if we stopped, people would lose interest. But when we went away, it only got bigger. We all carved new paths for ourselves, so coming back to Alexisonfire is a purely enjoyable creative venture. Something special happens when we get in a room together.”
Multi-platinum selling rock band Switchfoot has shared a new B-Side, the title track of their most recent album, “interrobang” (B-Side.) When the group’s acclaimed 2021 album interrobang was released last summer, the title track was missing; now fans can hear the album’s psychedelic, three-dimensional title song for the first time. Listen HERE.
“Interrobang is a song that lives up to its title, raising up more questions than answers,” remarked lead singer, Jon Foreman. “Rather than fighting against the chaos, interrobang embraces the unknown. The uncomfortable. The dissonance. The tension. Abandoning the illusion of control.”
Last month Switchfoot shared “I need you (to be wrong),” a single remix with indie-pop group loveytheband. Listen to “I need you (to be wrong) (lovelytheband remix)” HERE. Watch the visualizer HERE.
Switchfoot: Jon Foreman (vocals, guitar), Tim Foreman (bass), Jerome Fontamillas (keys, guitar) and Chad Butler (drums) will hit the road this summer for a major tour across America—for the very first time—with Collective Soul. Fans can expect to hear favorites that span Switchfoot’s illustrious 20+ year career including selections from the interrobang, released in August of last year.
The shows kick off in Gary, IN on July 15th and includes a hometown date at Cal Coast Credit Union Open Air Theatre in San Diego, CA on August 24th. In addition, the tour includes stops at the YouTube Theatre in Inglewood, CA, and Palladium Times Square in New York. The 40+ date tour wraps up on September 25th in Dallas, TX.
SWITCHFOOT AND COLLECTIVE SOUL SUMMER TOUR:
Fri 7/15 Gary, IN Hard Rock Casino
Sat 7/16 Council Bluffs, IA Harrah’s Council Bluffs – Stir Cove
Sun 7/17 Maryland Heights, MO Saint Louis Music Park
Tue 7/19 Cleveland, OH Jacobs Pavilion at Nautica
Wed 7/20 Columbus, OH KEMBA Live! – Indoor Music Hall
Sat 7/23 Fond du Lac, WI Fond du Lac Fair
Sun 7/24 Wabash, IN Honeywell Center
Tue 7/26 Newport, KY PromoWest Pavilion at OVATION
Wed 7/27 Midlothian, VA Chesterfield AfterHours
Sat 7/30 Grantville, PA Penn National Racecourse – Hollywood Casino
Sun 7/31 Hampton, NH Hampton Beach Casino Ballroom
Tue 8/2 Silver Spring, MD The Fillmore Silver Spring
Wed 8/3 Huntington, NY The Paramount
Thu 8/4 New York, NY Palladium Times Square
Sat 8/6 Webster, MA Indian Ranch
Sun 8/7 Pittsburgh, PA Stage AE
Mon 8/8 Jackson, MI Jackson County Fairgrounds
Sat 8/13 Billings, MT MetraPark – First Interstate Arena
Sun 8/14 Denver, CO The Mission Ballroom
Mon 8/15 Sandy, UT Sandy City Amphitheater
Wed 8/17 Jacksonville, OR Britt Pavilion
Sat 8/20 Paso Robles, CA Vina Robles Amphitheatre
Sun 8/21 Saratoga, CA The Mountain Winery
Tue 8/23 Inglewood, CA YouTube Theater
Wed 8/24 San Diego, CA Cal Coast Credit Union Open Air Theatre
Fri 8/26 Henderson, NV Sunset Station Outdoor Amphitheater
Sat 8/27 Flagstaff, AZ Fort Tuthill Park – Pepsi Amphitheater
Mon 9/5 New Haven, KY The Amphitheater at Dant Crossing
Wed 9/7 Cary, NC Koka Booth Amphitheatre at Regency Park
Fri 9/9 Charleston, SC The Riviera Theater – Sottile Ballroom
Sat 9/10 Atlanta, GA Cadence Park Amphitheatre at Chastain Park
Sun 9/11 Nashville, TN Grand Ole Opry House
Tue 9/13 Jacksonville, FL Florida Theatre
Wed 9/14 Clearwater, FL Ruth Eckerd Hall
Fri 9/16 Orlando, FL Hard Rock Live
Sat 9/17 Pompano Beach, FL Pompano Beach Amphitheatre
Sun 9/18. Tallahassee, FL Donald L Tucker County Civic Center
New Orleans’ band Cane Hill have shared the video for the new song “A Form of Protest,” which is now live.
It’s one of the heaviest Cane Hill songs… ever.
“‘A Form of Protest’ is our first release of a new era for Cane Hill,” the band says. “It marks the transition between what we’ve been to what we will become. Poised in rage and frustration caused by ‘the powers that be,’ this song welcomes you into our relentless and uncompromising future.”
Speaking of the future, the band has announced its signing to Out of Line.
“We’re excited to be partnered with Out of Line for our future releases,” the band states. “After releasing music independently with great success during the pandemic, finding a team that’s as excited about Cane Hill as the band is should help open some new doors for us to release our art creatively.”
Cane Hill will also embark on a headline tour this spring. All dates are below. Get tickets here.
CANE HILL ON TOUR: WITH AFTERLIFE + MOODRING: 5/27 — New Orleans, LA — Parish @ House Of Blues 5/31 — Scottsdale, AZ — Pub Rock 6/1 — Anaheim, CA — Chain Reaction 6/2 — Reno, NV — Cypress Reno 6/3 — Salt Lake City, UT — The Urban Lounge 6/4 — Grand Junction, CO — Mesa Theater 6/5 — Denver, CO — HQ 6/7 — Minneapolis, MN — 7th Street Entry 6/8 — Chicago, IL — Reggie’s Rock Club 6/9 — Detroit, MI — The Sanctuary 6/10 — Louisville, KY — Zanzabar 6/11 — Cleveland, OH — The Foundry 6/12 — Pittsburgh, PA — Preserving Underground 6/14 — Hartford, CT — Webster Theater 6/15 — Brooklyn, NY — Kingsland Bar & Grill 6/16 — Baltimore, MD — Metro Gallery 6/17 — Richmond, VA — Canal Club 6/18 — Greensboro, NC — Blind Tiger 6/19 — Atlanta, GA — The Masquerade 6/20 — Nashville, TN — The End
Renowned punk act Bayside has today released their haunting new single, “Strangest Faces.” The song premiered last week on Sirius XM Octane and is out now via Hopeless Records.Fans can watch the music video below. Bayside will be on tour starting next month with Thrice. Tickets and VIP packages are available at baysidethrice.shofetti.com.
“Writing riffs and making heavy music is fun,” shares front man Anthony Raneri. “We’ve always had that kind of influence and we leaned into it a lot more with Interrobang‽. We wanted to see how far we could take injecting heaviness and riffs into melodic punk music.
He continues: “I saw Thrice on a day off from tour in 2002 and I’ve loved them since. Can’t wait to be on this tour and have a great band like Thrice making us up our game every night.”
“Strangest Faces” marks the band’s first new music since 2019’s Interrobang‽, which secured the #5 spot on the Record Label Independent chart, as well as #6 Current Rock, #9 LP Vinyl, #10 Current Digital, and #14 Current Albums. It also broke into the Billboard Top 200.
Last year Bayside celebrated more than two decades with the 21 Years of Really Bad Luck anniversary tour. For the past 21 years, Queens-based Bayside has represented a lifestyle, a counterculture, and a deeply held conviction, diverse in thought and background but united by a shared desire for authentic expression. At their core, Bayside is a band that has constantly proved that music is not about gimmicks and ephemeral trends, but a timeless reflection of our lives and our times. It is through this timelessness and consistency that they continue to cultivate a cult-following that lives and breathes everything the band creates.
Bayside has always focused on creating songs that are relevant to people who want substance, rather than being relegated to one genre. And while many bands would coast on their past success, Bayside rejects the premise and proves time and again that the best is yet to come.
Upcoming Tour Dates with Thrice 6/3 – McKees Rocks, PA @ The Roxian Theater 6/4 – Worcester, MA @ The Palladium (Bayside Only) 6/5 – Bethlehem, PA @ Steel Stacks 6/6 – Cleveland, OH @ House of Blues 6/8 – Albany, NY @ Empire Live 6/9 – Silver Spring, MD @ The Fillmore 6/10 – Sayreville, NJ @ Starland Ballroom 6/11 – Hartford, CT @ Webster Theater (Bayside Only) 6/12 – New York, NY @ Pier 17 6/14 – Ft. Wayne, IN @ Piere’s 6/15 – Chicago, IL @ Radius 6/16 – St. Louis, MO @ The Pageant 6/17 – Kansas City, MO @ Truman Theater 6/18 – Denver, CO @ Mission Ballroom 6/20 – Dallas, TX @ House of Blues 6/21 – Austin, TX @ Emo’s
Additional Dates 7/7 – Patchogue, NY @ Great South Bay Festival 7/8 – Wilmington, DE @ The Queen 7/9 – Virginia Beach, VA @ Elevation 27 7/10 – Carrboro, NC @ Cat’s Cradle 9/25 – Louisville, KY @ Louder Than Life 10/9 – Sacramento, CA @ Aftershock 10/22-23 – Las Vegas, NY @ When We Were Young Festival 10/29 – Las Vegas, NY @ When We Were Young Festival
After making its triumphant return to the seas in 2022, ShipRocked—the ultimate rock music cruise vacation—expands to six days for its 13th sailing from January 22-28, 2023.
Falling In Reverse tops the bill for ShipRocked 2023 – joined by a co-headliner to be announced in early June – plus Nothing More, Skillet, Suicidal Tendencies, Motionless In White, Grandson, Ayron Jones and over a dozen others, including the return of ShipRocked‘s resident all star band The Stowaways. Also on the Carnival Magic’s initial manifest for the January 22-28, 2023 sailing are Bad Omens, Bones UK, BRKN LOVE, D.R.U.G.S., Dropout Kings,Fame On Fire, Giovannie and the Hired Guns, Lilith Czar, Nonpoint, Nova Twins, Red Jumpsuit Apparatus, Wage War, Wargasm and Zero 9:36, with more to be announced. Look for The Stowaways‘ 2023 roster to be announced #soon.
ShipRocked 2023 departs from Port Canaveral, Florida with stops at Half Moon Cay in The Bahamas, Grand Turk in Turks & Caicos Islands, and Dominican Republic’s Amber Cove. A very limited number of staterooms are still available at www.ShipRocked.com and a waitlist option will be offered once the cruise is sold out.
Jonny Hawkins of Nothing More said, “We’re really stoked to get back on ShipRocked and see everyone. We’re going to have a new album out by the time this rolls around. Can’t wait to play it for everyone. Let’s do this!”
Skillet said, “We are thrilled to be playing ShipRocked next year! Can’t wait to take a cruise with our fans and rock out at sea!”
“Announcing the ShipRocked lineup is like Christmas morning, every year! Everyone likes to open their packages and get just what they asked for, so we try our best to book as many of the artists that we know our guests have on their wish lists – but also give them something they weren’t expecting that we know they’ll love,” said ShipRocked producer and creator Alan Koenig of ASK4 Entertainment. “Falling In Reverse and their co-headliner, who we’ll announce in early June, have been heavily requested for a number of years, and we couldn’t be more excited for them to make their ShipRocked debuts in January. In addition to the ‘big gifts’ we’ve got a number of amazing presents and stocking stuffers for our SR23 kids to enjoy, including several fan faves and some incredible up-and coming-artists. It’s gonna be a very Merry ShipRocked!”
A floating music festival, a rock & roll summer camp held in the dead of winter, a family reunion for the growing number of ShipRockers who have forged lifelong relationships out of a shared passion for music (and an occasional bucket of beer) – ShipRocked is the premier rock music vacation, offering dozens of performances and unique collaborations, artist-hosted events and activities, theme nights, and ample opportunity for fans and bands alike to unwind and create new friendships in tropical paradise.
ShipRocked 2022 featured performances from over 20 artists including Lamb Of God and Corey Taylor, plus Steel Panther, Badflower, Avatar, P.O.D., 10 Years, Nonpoint, Drowning Pool, Dead Sara, Escape The Fate, Ayron Jones, Goodbye June and more, as well as artist-hosted events and activities at sea and on the beaches of Playa Mia in Cozumel, Mexico.
The annual ShipRocked Cancer Sucks Charity Auction, hosted by Lamb Of God’s Art Cruz and Butcher Babies’ Heidi Shepherd, raised nearly $70,000, bringing the all-time total to more than $800,000 raised for cancer research. Two lucky guests even joined Art Cruz for an onstage photo during Lamb Of God’s closing night set after outbidding others for the opportunity, which was paired with a Lamb Of God drumhead and more.
Metal Edge appraised the jubilant spirit of ShipRocked 2022: “The days were wondrous, the nights were epic, and the Gulf Of Mexico may never be the same…Rock hard? We did it. Vacation harder? Mission accomplished.”
Throughout the year, ShipRocked’s community of “ShipRockers”–as well as others from around the world–are staying connected via “Making Waves – The ShipRocked Podcast,” which launched in 2020 and is available for free through iTunes, Spotify and Google Podcasts. “Making Waves” features interviews with ShipRocked alumni artists, as well as other top music artists, actors and entertainment industry experts. It’s distributed via Sound Talent Media / Evergreen Podcasts and is hosted by Chad Nicefield and Justin Press.
