Evanescence is out today with “Better Without You,” the next official single from their upcoming album The Bitter Truth (BMG), out March 26th, their first of all-new music in ten years. Listen to “Better Without You” HERE.
An f-you to the forces that have attempted to hold her back, “Better Without You” is bandleader Amy Lee’s unapologetic declaration of independence. With mammoth vocals and a metal heart, the song follows previous singles “Wasted On You” and “Use My Voice.”
“Better Without You” was teased with an interactive digital puzzle that fans were challenged to solve in order to hear a snippet of the song. Watch this space for more surprises in store leading up to ‘The Bitter Truth.’
About The Bitter Truth – out March 26th on BMG The Bitter Truth is an epic, band-driven collection inspired by struggle, loss and overcoming within the (often bitter) realities of the 21st century and our world. The band’s first original LP in ten years and since singer Amy Lee began a family, it’s a return-to-force – and one hell of a rock and roll album. The already-released songs have received early accolades from Elle, Billboard, SPIN, American Songwriter, and more, and showcase the “ferocious and hymnal” (The New York Times) sound that made Evanescence a household name, as well as the drama and powerhouse vocals that made Amy Lee “one of rock’s definitive voices” (Rolling Stone).
A video album review on You’re Welcome, the seventh studio album from A Day To Remember. After a massive delay and an attempt to fuse what’s currently trending in music with the band’s original sound, will everyone be saying “Thank You” to the group’s You’re Welcome?
Click below to watch and scroll below to hear music from the new album.
A Day To Remember – You’re Welcome | Album Review
A Day to Remember (often abbreviated ADTR) is an American rock band from Ocala, Florida, founded in the spring of 2003 by guitarist Tom Denney and drummer Bobby Scruggs. They are known for their amalgamation of metalcore and pop punk. The band currently consists of vocalist Jeremy McKinnon, rhythm guitarist Neil Westfall, bassist Joshua Woodard, percussionist/drummer Alex Shelnutt and lead guitarist Kevin Skaff.
You’re Welcome is the upcoming seventh studio album by American rock band A Day to Remember. It will be released on March 5, 2021 and is set to be the bands’ first release under major label Fueled by Ramen after spending six years as an independent band (with assistance from Epitaph Records for the distribution of Bad Vibrations) after leaving and the eventual lawsuit against former label Victory Records. The album will also be the first new release by the band in 5 years, marking the longest gap between two albums in their entire career. The album was produced by Colin Brittain and vocalist Jeremy McKinnon.
The Podcast That Rocked for 3/2/2021. Discussion on the new albums You’re Welcome by A Day To Remember and NIRATIAS by Chevelle, Rammstein accidentally making a new album, Download Festival canceling and announcing plans for 2022, and more.
Chevelle VS ADTR: Who Will Deliver To Their Fans? | The Podcast That Rocked
The Podcast That Rocked on Spotify
Discussion Topics: -Two big rock albums come out from Chevelle and A Day To Remember. Which one will make respective fans happier? -Rammstein say that they used quarantine time to get together and have fun in the studio, ending up with a new album. -Download Festival 2021 has been postponed to 2022 and headliners have been announced. -Smith & Myers announce an early tour that could start touring for other bands. -Tom DeLonge says new Angels & Airwaves album is coming. -Ivan Moody makes some strange posts about his recent road behavior. -Billboard Mainstream Top 3, and more.
Raybearer ~ An African Inspired Fantasy Adventure | Dominic Noble
Thanks to everyone who joined us live on YouTube and Twitch. Make sure to join us on New Music Night on Twitch this Sunday at 7pm EST as we play the new songs that came out this past week and have votes on each track we hear!
A video album review on For Those That Wish To Exist, the ninth studio album from UK’s Architects. How does an album with a warming hit in a time when everyone is set on destroying themselves?
Architects – For Those That Wish To Exist | Album Review
Architects are a British metalcore band from Brighton, East Sussex, formed in 2004 by twin brothers Dan and Tom Searle. The band now consists of Dan Searle on drums, Sam Carter on vocals, Alex Dean on bass, and Adam Christianson and Josh Middleton on guitars. They have been signed to Epitaph Records since 2013.
For Those That Wish to Exist is the upcoming ninth studio album by British metalcore band Architects. It will be released on 26 February 2021 through Epitaph Records. The album was produced by Dan Searle and Josh Middleton.
High Fidelity ~ Lost In Adaptation | Dominic Noble
What did you think of the new Architects album? Leave a comment on the YouTube video and let me know. Be sure to check join us for New Music Night on Twitch this Sunday at 7pm EST. Two hours of new music in rock, alternative, metal, etc. We’ll be discussing each song and live voting on if the track gets the thumbs up or thumbs down.
New Orleans band CANE HILL have delivered the gloriously devilish and sanguine video for the new song “God Is the Enemy.”
The track completes their Krewe De La Mortsong collection. It began with “Power of the High,” which dominated the Devil’s Dozen on SiriusXM’s Liquid Metal for weeks on end, and “Kill Me,” which was deemed by Revolver as “one of their heaviest songs yet.”
“‘God Is the Enemy’ is an honest comment on contemporary Christians and their skewed views of living Christ-like,” says vocalist Elijah Witt. “From the hypocrisy of the church shielding its abusive history (and their present) to the blatant racism, control of women’s bodily autonomy using the bible as a scapegoat — it’s obvious that the followers of Christ have gone astray. ‘GITE’ implores you to imagine how the religious world would react if someone claimed to be the son of God again.”
The Podcast That Rocked for 2/23/21. Discussion on the ongoing lawsuit by Vicky Cornell against the remaining members of Soundgarden, Corey Taylor’s thoughts on new rock artists, Metallica’s muted performance on Twitch, and more.
Soundgarden VS Vicky Cornell | The Podcast That Rocked
The Podcast That Rocked on Spotify
Discussion Topics: -Vicky Cornell, widow of Chris, is suing toward revenue made from past Soundgarden material and claiming the buyout over past recorded materials against touring revenue and merchandise is inadequate. -Corey Taylor is saying that new rock artists need to do something fresh. Everything now is stale, safe, and has no identity. -Metallica bitten by the DCMA takedown issue while performing live on Twitch for Blizzcon, resulting in their audio being replaced with folk music. -New album updates from Dropkick Murphys, Shinedown. -Billboard Mainstream Rock Top 3
High Fidelity ~ Lost In Adaptation | Dominic Noble
Thanks to everyone that tuned in live on YouTube and Twitch. Sorry about the technical difficulties but it looks like Streamlabs was having issues again. Hopefully it’ll be sorted out next time. Join us for New Music Night this Sunday at 7PM EST!
High Fidelity ~ Lost In Adaptation | Dominic Noble
Thanks to everyone who who gave feedback on one-hit wonders over the past few months. This will be the last video I do for a long while on the subject. Stay tuned for more and join us on Twitch for New Music Night every Sunday at 7PM EST!
Getty Images For Thumbnail: Brett Anderson – Patrick Fraser Kris Roe – Tim Mosenfelder Ronnie Winter – Larry Marano
Dropkick Murphys are preparing to release their 10th full-length studio album, Turn Up That Dial, April 30 via band-owned Born & Bred Records. The album was produced by Ted Hutt and is available for pre-order, with the new single “Middle Finger” out now.
As previously announced, Dropkick Murphys will preview some tracks from Turn Up That Dial when they virtually reunite with fans around the globe for their Dropkick Murphys St. Patrick’s Day Stream 2021…Still Locked Down to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day on Wednesday, March 17 at 7:00 PM ET / 4:00 PM PT. The free streaming online concert – with no in-person audience – will be simulcast worldwide via www.DKMstream.com and will feature Dropkick Murphys performing socially distanced on an arena-sized stage with a full LED screen and a brand new video show.
With the 11 tracks on Turn Up That Dial, Dropkick Murphys celebrate the simple pleasure of music, the relief and release from worry that comes when you “turn up that dial” and blast your troubles away. “On this record, the overall theme is the importance of music, and the bands that made us who we are,” explains DKM founder and co-lead vocalist KenCasey. “We just hope [the album] takes people’s minds off their troubles. We’re so fortunate and grateful to be in the position to share a little happiness in our own way. Our gratitude levels are off the chart. 25 years ago, somebody bet me 30 bucks I couldn’t form a band with three weeks’ notice to open for his band. As kids, we’d never been out of New England and here we are – we’ve made ten records and have been all over the globe. If there’s a message to this album, it’s ‘put your fist up and play it loud.’”
Over the last two years, following a surgery, bassist/co-lead vocalist Casey stopped playing, passing bass duties to longtime friend and road crew member Kevin Rheault. With Casey off his leash and free to roam the front of the stage with co-lead vocalist Al Barr, a new, powerful dynamic has ignited between the two. After a couple hundred shows of the untethered duo shredding stages all over the world, their long-standing vocal trade-off explodes out of the speakers better than ever on Turn Up That Dial.
Volume cranked, heads held high, smiles wide, eyes on the prize, Dropkick Murphys charge forward with the same spirit that brought them here in the first place…yet with a new determination and exuberance that brings both the live show and this album to the next level.
Hunkered down at home during the pandemic, Dropkick Murphys staved off depression by leaning on the music and leaning on each other. As they have since 1996, they began throwing down rousing tracks that span the gap from punk rock ragers to melodic, Irish-inspired tunes.
Working out of Q Division Studios in Somerville, MA with longtime producer Ted Hutt, they recorded Turn Up That Dial in shifts of two members at a time. For the final weeks of recording, Hutt ran the sessions via video conference from his studio in LA. For background vocals, the guys set up separate mics in five different rooms so they could all simultaneously sing safely. “We were all looking at each other out the window, at least,” recalls Casey.
Dropkick Murphys steamrolled their way through the album with a string of anthems, starting with the title track. “Turn Up That Dial” lays bare the whole point of the collection in the first verse: “You’re my inspiration, you got something to say /Now turn up that dial ‘til it takes me away.” It’s easy to imagine the band members thinking back to their teenage selves: blasting The Clash on a Walkman, feeling their favorite bands were sticking up for them more than anyone else in the world. This album is fueled by those bands that captured the energy of the streets, distilled life’s complexities to raging choruses, and were constant companions.
On the new single “Middle Finger,”Al Barr spits out the verses with an evil, tongue-in-cheek grin, as the track explodes into the chorus, “I could never keep that middle finger down.” Not one to shirk responsibility, Casey offers this reflection: “Thinking of my younger days, I made things a lot harder for myself than they needed to be – and still pay for some of those mistakes now.”
The band closes the album with a tribute to Al’s late father Woody Barr on the moving tribute “I Wish You Were Here.”Turn Up That Dial waves goodbye with accordion, bagpipes, and a drum march. “Al’s dad was just an incredible man,” Casey explains.“He and Al had a very special bond. To watch Al grieve his death was heartbreaking. He persevered through it, even when we had to go back on the road, away from family. He kept his head held high. We’ve never ended an album with a slow song, but we had to end it with a tip of the cap to pay our respects to Woody and so many others. It’s a moment to stop, count our blessings, and remember those who we’ve lost, including the 400,000-plus people to this virus.”
In good times and bad times, we turn to music. Our record collections and playlists carry us through any hardships, adversities, and trouble the world throws our way. When you press play, the pain just goes away. It’s why we listen in the first place. And that’s what Dropkick Murphys set out to do – and definitely accomplished – on the new album Turn Up That Dial. They boot in the front door of 2021 with a record that punches you square in the face and says, in the words of Ken Casey, “Get up, get out of those sweatpants you’ve been wearing for the last year…better times are ahead – LET’S F-in’ GO!!”
“We’ve all done plenty of lamenting, so the main goal was to keep this fun,” Caseyleaves off. “The darker the times got, the harder we fought to uplift with this music. Whatever we’re potentially giving to fans, trust me, they’re giving it to us tenfold. Now, turn up that f*cking dial.”
While awaiting the release of Turn Up That Dial, join Dropkick Murphys to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day during Dropkick Murphys St. Patrick’s Day Stream 2021…Still Locked Down, which is presented by Boston-area tech company Pega (a leading provider of digital transformation software) and sponsored by YOU. Instead of charging for tickets, the band will “pass the virtual hat” to take donations to help support their efforts to keep paying their employees, and a portion of donations will go to charity as always. Those who donate in advance or during the stream (via www.DKMstream.com) will see their name scroll across the ticker at the bottom of the screen during Still Locked Down.
Dropkick Murphys have a long history of giving back and finding creative ways to connect with fans, and they’ve continued this tradition throughout the pandemic. On St. Patrick’s Day 2020, just as COVID-19 was hitting critical mass in the United States, Dropkick Murphys held their Streaming Up From Boston live stream event in lieu of their normal Boston Blowout St. Patrick’s Day celebration. To date, it’s been watched more than 13 million times across platforms, was featured on CBS This Morning Saturday, CNN, NBC Nightly News, The Late Show With Stephen Colbert, and in the Wall Street Journal, and raised more than $60,000 through the band’s charitable organization, The Claddagh Fund.
In May 2020, they masterminded the historic Streaming Outta Fenway live stream presented by Pega. Taking the infield at Fenway Park instruments in-hand, it stood out as the first-ever music event without an in-person audience at a major U.S. sports venue, and the first music performance directly on the infield at Fenway. Bruce Springsteen joined on the Jumbotron for a two-song “Double Play” of DKM’s “Rose Tattoo” and his “American Land.” Most importantly, they hauled in $700,000-plus to benefit charities such as Boston Resiliency Fund, Feeding America®, and Habitat for Humanity, Greater Boston.
Dropkick Murphys are: Al Barr (lead vocals), Tim Brennan (guitars, tin whistle, accordion, piano, vocals), Ken Casey (lead vocals), Jeff DaRosa (guitars, banjo, mandolin, vocals), Matt Kelly (drums, percussion, vocals), James Lynch (guitars, vocals), Kevin Rheault (touring bassist) and Lee Forshner (touring bagpipe player).
Boston-based hard rock outfit ABOVE SNAKES have partnered with KNOTFEST.com for the release of the band’s new music video. Fans can check out the premiere of “I Feel Bad” exclusively at the link found here.
Speaking exclusively with KNOTFEST about their new single, Above Snakes frontman Johnny Skulls shares, “The premise of ‘I Feel Bad’ is me talking to myself; questioning if I can go on and succeed through the eyes of my new self. Can I be the person I need to be without getting pulled under by the dark hands of my past?
“I Feel Bad”, which is preceded by the band’s 2020 offerings “Adrenaline” and “Never Alone”, will be available on Spotify and Apple Music TOMORROW (Feb. 19th).
After years spent grinding in the ever-dimming lights of Hollywood, vocalist Johnny Skulls and guitarist Dax Dabs opened their eyes and realized what so many never do: ”why the f*ck are we trying to do it THEIR way?” At that moment, what once felt so distorted and lacking in its luster was now crystal clear. And with nothing but the open road and their own volition staring back at them, the two joined forces after years of friendship and returned to where it all started.
In 2019, the duo found their way back home to Boston and began working relentlessly on a new project: Above Snakes. They would soon partner with producer Kile Odell (Fozzy, Through Fire, Awake At Last) and in the summer of 2020, the band released their debut track “Adrenaline”, which quickly earned Spotify placements from the likes of Loudwire and Hopeless Records. “Adrenaline” was soon followed by their next single “Never Alone”, and a massive placement on the “Rock Hard” playlist on Spotify.
Following the release of their latest single “I Feel Bad”, Above Snakes will return to the studio in March with producer Kile Odell to complete their debut full-length record.
NIRATIAS stands out as the band’s most pummeling and provocative record yet. Teaming with longtime producer Joe Barresi [Tool, Queens of the Stone Age], Chevelle recorded throughout 2019 and 2020 and pieced together an intriguing and inimitable body of work, with themes that will reveal themselves over each track. The album artwork is by Boris Vallejo. The famed and award-winning artist is responsible for the posters used for films like Knightriders and National Lampoon’s Vacation, as well as iconic 70’s and 80’s science fiction novel covers and magazines (such as Heavy Metal).
Throughout their career, Chevelle have transformed rock music as tried-and-true outliers. The multiplatinum Chicago rock band have generated nearly half-a-billion streams, earned seven number one hits, and sold out shows worldwide. Their catalog spans the double-platinum Wonder What’s Next highlighted by the double-platinum smash “The Red” and platinum “Send The Pain Below” as well as the platinum This Type of Thinking (Could Do Us In)and gold Vena Sera. They’ve landed four Top 10 debuts on the Billboard Top 200, including Sci-Fi Crimes [2009], Hats Off to the Bull [2011], La Gárgola[2014], and The North Corridor [2016]. The latter two each captured #1 on the Top Rock Albums Chart.
With NIRATIAS, get ready to lift off with Chevelle as they elevate into another stratosphere in 2021.
