Gold-selling, billion-streaming rock band BEARTOOTH — Caleb Shomo, vocals; Zach Huston, guitars; Will Deely, guitars; Oshie Bichar, bass; and Connor Denis, drums — will release their fifth album The Surface on October 13 via Red Bull Records. Pre-order it here.
Like its predecessors, The Surface is an intensely personal and powerful journey for Shomo, who has never shied away from sharing his demons in his music and with his fans. However, the frontman has turned a corner with a more optimistic outlook and demonstrates exceptional growth as both an artist and a human being through the songs that comprise the album.
Today, the band has shared the new single “The Better Me (Feat. HARDY).” Listen here.
This epic collaboration is the product of the mutual admiration for each other’s work and their friendship. HARDY even spoke about looking to Shomo for advice on how to perfect his own sing/scream vocal delivery in a chat with Billboard.
“There are times where we feel like there is a way better version of ourselves somewhere deep inside that we need to find and bring back to the forefront of our lives,” shares Shomo. “This song is about going through the things that brought me to that conclusion. Simply put, I made a choice to be a better me.”
Additionally, all previously released tracks — “Riptide,” “Sunshine!,” “Might Love Myself,” and “Doubt Me” have tallied nearly 54 million total streams thus far.
Both Beartooth and HARDY are currently in the Top 15 on Active Rock radio charts in the US and rising! In fact, Beartooth’s “Might Love Myself” moved up two slots this week and is currently at #15 on the Active Rock radio chart, which is the fastest clip at which they’ve cracked the top 15 in their career.
THE SURFACE TRACK LISTING: “The Surface” “Riptide“ “Doubt Me“ “The Better Me” (Feat. HARDY) “Might Love Myself“ “Sunshine!“ “What’s Killing You” “Look The Other Way” “What Are You Waiting For” “My New Reality” “I Was Alive”
Grammy-nominated extreme power metal legends DRAGONFORCE have unleashed a standalone single, entitled “Doomsday Party”! The 80s rock influenced track is spiced up with hypnotizing retro video game soundscapes and epic guitar solos in true DRAGONFORCE manner. Formed in 1999, the London, UK based unit is known for their epic compositions, and the world’s fastest band’s signature lies in their masterful and lightning-fast guitar solos and inspiration drawn from a myriad of heavy metal styles and fantasy realms, blending 80s rock influences with infectious sing-along choruses and uplifting melodies.
DRAGONFORCE has hundreds of millions of YouTube video views and nearly two million monthly listeners on Spotify (with over 200 million streams on platinum-selling single “Through the Fire and Flames” alone). DRAGONFORCE’s fast-selling North American tour, which begins next month, will feature a fresh setlist and entirely new stage production! The band is joined by special guests Amaranthe, with additional support from Napalm Records labelmates NanowaR of Steel, as well as Edge of Paradise. Get your tickets now before they’re gone, and stay tuned for more new music!
Herman Li on “Doomsday Party”: “We’re super excited to unveil a brand-new DragonForce song after a wait of over 4 years! It was a tough decision to choose which of our new tracks to release first, but we decided on this one because it showcases a different facet of our music while still retaining the unmistakable DragonForce sound. The filming process for this video was a blast, and we had the opportunity to bring our vision to life in the city of Los Angeles, CA. Our hope is that metal fans from all walks of the genre spectrum will find something to enjoy in it. We can’t wait to play this live during our upcoming tour!”
North American Tour 2023 w/ Amaranthe, NanowaR of Steel + Edge of Paradise Oct 20 – Mesa, AZ – Nile Theater* Oct 21 – Albuquerque, NM – Revel* Oct 23 – Austin, TX – Empire Garage Oct 24 – Dallas, TX – The Granada Oct 25 – Houston, TX – House of Blues Oct 27 – Orlando, FL – House of Blues Oct 28 – Ft Lauderdale, FL – Culture Room Oct 30 – Atlanta, GA – Masquerade – Heaven Oct 31 – Charlotte, NC – The Underground Nov 01 – Baltimore, MD – Baltimore Soundstage Nov 03 – New York, NY – Palladium Time Square Nov 04 – Worcester, MA – The Palladium Nov 05 – Montreal, QC – MTelus Nov 06 – Toronto, ON – Danforth Music Hall Nov 08 – Cleveland, OH – Agora Theater Nov 09 – Detroit, MI – The Majestic Nov 10 – Chicago, IL – House of Blues Nov 11 – Minneapolis, MN – First Avenue Nov 12 – Lawrence, KS – Granada Theater Nov 14 – Denver, CO – Summit Music Hall Nov 15 – Salt Lake City, UT – The Depot Nov 16 – Boise, ID – Knitting Factory Nov 18 – Berkeley, CA – UC Theater Nov 19 – Los Angeles, CA – The Wiltern * no NanowaR of Steel
As they approach the biggest headline show of their career to date at London’s legendary Alexandra Palace, Sheffieldquintet, WHILE SHE SLEEPS share their brand new single ‘SELF HELL’, the title track to their long awaited sixth studio album, which will follow on March 15th, 2024.
Drawing upon a far wider palette of influences to create a sonic collage of each member’s musical passions, ‘SELF HELL’feels like a second debut album from a band who have become such a vital force over the past decade. This incarnation of WHILE SHE SLEEPS is uncompromisingly unpredictable, the riffs are still granite heavy, but this album sees them drawing upon more diverse influences such as Aphex Twin, Gorillaz, Bicep, TheProdigy and Kendrick Lamar.
Those influences have seen a broader range of instruments incorporated on ‘SELF HELL’, especially with vintage synths such as the Korg MS-20 and the Behringer TD-3. Just as importantly was their attitude. WHILE SHE SLEEPS were all raised in mining villages around Sheffield and remembered how Britpop surrounded the environment during their youth, its working-class swagger informing the album’s defiant nothing-to-lose and everything-to-gain spirit.
Sean Long says,
“The name of the album is the foundation of how we view ourselves and the world. Everyone has a subjective experience like no other. Yet the constant that binds us IS the differences between us and the fact that we are all suffering in our own way. Don’t be too quick to judge and demonize, your time will come for redemption or damnification.
“We’ve been drawing inspiration from an array of misfit artists far from where you would usually pigeonhole WHILE SHE SLEEPS. Each member has brought in a different perspective of inspiration so far apart in genre that it has left us with a very odd and satisfying sonic. WHILE SHE SLEEPS will continue to keep the world guessing on what we will do next. Not only for the fans but this is a spiritual venture that we have to keep alive, moving, and constantly in flux. We do this by scaring ourselves with things we are not supposed to do. Every. Single. Day.”
The single ‘SELF HELL’ demonstrates the sonic leap-forward that WHILE SHE SLEEPS are taking with the album. It does seemingly everything all at once – huge riffs, thumping big beat grooves, a maelstrom of synth textures, melodic vocals contrasted with bloody-throated screams and swirling backing harmonies – all in a way that remains coherent while pushing their boundaries to a maximalist new level.
The album was produced by their long-term collaborator Carl Bown and the band’s guitarist, Sean Long. WHILE SHE SLEEPS – completed by Lawrence ‘Loz’ Taylor (vocals), Mat Welsh (guitar), Aaran Mckenzie (bass) and Adam Savage (drums) – recorded the album during sessions at Metropolis Studios in London, Treehouse Studio in Chesterfield, and their own Six Audio in Sheffield.
Since debuting in 2012 with ‘This Is The Six’, WHILE SHE SLEEPS have gone from strength-to-strength, achieving a Top 10 breakthrough with “You Are We” as well as widespread critical acclaim for their most previous album, ‘Sleeps Society’.
They’ve consistently been a huge draw across European festivals, most memorably with an emotional return to the stage with 2021’s Download Pilot, a set that The Guardian described “as undeniably Pilot’s finest hour – if not the finest in the entire Download lineage.” Fewer than 500 tickets remain availableHERE for the landmark Alexandra Palace show. They will then play select gigs around Europe before hitting China, Japan, Taiwan and Thailand in December.
After the end of the color-themed albums, it’s clear Baroness are trying to not repeat anything done before and Baroness succeeded. STONE is sludge metal at its core but there are spoken word segments and peaceful melodies that make the album as peaceful as it is heavy. Songs like “Last Word”, “Shine” and “Anodyne” show how the typical rock and metal format of writing are not needed. Instrumentally STONE is fantastic. It’s brimming with creativity and across 10 tracks you can hear the limitless potential. It’s hard to compare this to past Baroness albums because Baroness went out of their way to make something different for themselves, but it’s great. Stone is proof that Baroness knows how to steer their ship into uncharted waters and come out sounding great. 9/10
Baroness is an American heavy metal band from Savannah, Georgia that has been active since 2003. Baroness play a mix of heavy metal styles, including sludge, progressive, and alternative. Stone is the sixth studio album by American heavy metal band Baroness. The album will be released on September 15, 2023, through the band’s independent label Abraxan Hymns and was self-produced by the band.
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No New Music Night stream this weekend as I’m traveling to Chicago for Riot Fest. Thank you all for checking this out and let me know what you think about the album on the Youtube Short page or on socials.
The Podcast That Rocked for 9/12/23. Discussion on Blue Ridge Rock Fest 2023 Aftermath, Wes Scantlin being a sad Puddle Of Mudd, Slipknot going viral, and more.
0:00 – Blue Ridge Rock Fest 2023 Aftermath 16:44 – Wes Scantlin Cancels Puddle Of Mudd Tour 18:29 – “Custer” From Slipknot Going Viral 19:18 – Aerosmith Final Tour Delayed One Month 20:11 – Thank you YouTube Members & Patrons
“I’m heartbroken to say I have received strict doctor’s orders not to sing for the next thirty days. I sustained vocal cord damage during Saturday’s show that led to subsequent bleeding. We’ll need to postpone a few dates so that we can come back and give you the performance you… pic.twitter.com/bDT8tqmEcP
From Google Bard: “The 2023 Blue Ridge Rock Fest will be held from Thursday, September 7 to Sunday, September 10 at the Virginia International Raceway in Alton, Virginia. The lineup for the festival is stacked, with Slipknot, Pantera, Knocked Loose, Lamb of God, Limp Bizkit, I Prevail, Lorna Shore, Coheed and Cambria, Avatar, Polyphia, and many more artists performing. The festival will also feature a number of side activities, such as a car show, a tattoo convention, and a wrestling event.”
Here are some of the details of the festival:
Dates: Thursday, September 7 to Sunday, September 10, 2023
Location: Virginia International Raceway, Alton, Virginia
Lineup: Slipknot, Pantera, Knocked Loose, Lamb of God, Limp Bizkit, I Prevail, Lorna Shore, Coheed and Cambria, Avatar, Polyphia, and many more
Following the recent release of their new, critically acclaimed #1-charting album BLACKOUT via Better Noise Music, rock vanguards FROM ASHES TO NEW have announced a headlining tour in late fall/early winter with support from rockers The Word Alive, Catch Your Breath and heart-hop artist Ekoh.
The 20-city tour launches November 11 in Boston at Big Night Live and will stretch across the Midwest before returning to make its final stop December 16 in FROM ASHES TO NEW’s home state Pennsylvania at Harrisburg Midtown Arts Center (HMAC). See full dates listed below. Tickets will be available for the general public on Friday, September 15 at 10:00 a.m. local time via the band’s website (https://www.fromashestonew.com/). A fan pre-sale is live as of today, September 12, to those subscribed to FROM ASHES TO NEW’s various socials and lists.
Vocalist Matt Brandyberry says: “Our new album ‘Blackout’ dropped recently and we knew we couldn’t finish 2023 without the ‘Blackout Tour.’ We are beyond excited to be headed out on our first headlining tour since 2022 and can’t wait to run it back with our friends in The Word Alive! We added Catch Your Breath and Ekoh because they have both been killing it and we know the FATN family will absolutely love them. This will be our biggest production and highest quality stage show yet, so get those tickets and get ready to tear it up this Nov/Dec.”
FROM ASHES TO NEW’s explosive blend of hard rock, hip-hop, electronic, and alternative music saw BLACKOUTland the #1 spot on several iTunes and Spotify Rock and Metal charts across the globe. Produced by Brandyberry, alongside longtime collaborators and producers Grant McFarland and Carson Slovak, BLACKOUTacts as a prequel to their 2016 debut album DAY ONE. Its 12 tracks include the band’s fifth Top 10-charting rock radio single “Hate Me Too,” (#8)which Top Shelf Music Magazine praised it for showcasing “From Ashes to New’s prowess in crafting emotionally charged narratives against a powerful musical backdrop, making it a fan favorite and a prime example of the band’s unique sound.” FROM ASHES TO NEW’s current radio single, “Nightmare,” is now in the Top 20 and growing. Stream and/or download BLACKOUT or grab a physical copy on CD, vinyl or cassette at https://fatn.ffm.to/blackoutalbum.
“THE BLACKOUT TOUR Pt 1” Tour Dates:
11/21 Portland, ME – State Theatre
11/22 Boston, MA – Big Night Live
11/24 Syracuse, NY – Sharkey’s
11/25 Sayreville, NJ – Starland Ballroom
11/26 Pittsburgh, PA – Preserving Underground
11/28 Indianapolis, IN – The Vogue
11/29 Ft Wayne, IN – The Clyde Theatre #
11/30 Flint, MI – Machine Shop
12/1 Harrison, OH – The Blue Note
12/3 Columbus, OH – Newport Music Hall
12/4 St Louis, MO – Red Flag
12/5 Fayetteville, AR – JJ’s
12/6 Oklahoma City, OK – Tower Theatre
12/8 Colorado Springs, CO – Sunshine Studios
12/10 Lincoln, NE – Bourbon Theater
12/11 Minneapolis, MN – Varsity Theater #
12/12 Milwaukee, WI – The Rave #
12/13 Chicago, IL – Concord Music Hall
12/15 Niagara Falls, NY – Rapids Theatre
12/16 Harrisburg, PA – HMAC
# From Ashes to New with The Word Alive & Ekoh only
Cybergrind. More than just a word, it’s a social media statement as much as it is a social faux pas. If you play anything from this genre of music to those unacquainted, expect some aghast reactions to the abrasive, bulldozing ear assault. With bits and pieces of mathcore, grind metal, nintendocore, and anything an artist sees fit, the genre has garnered a cult following within its resurgence in recent years. I got to attend a show earlier this summer with four groups, that being Bejalvin, Cocojoey, Thotcrime, and Blind Equation – it turned out to be one of the most inclusive, energetic shows in a sold-out intimate venue. Blind Equation teased a new album, and Death Awaits is now upon us. Teaming up with the prolific Prosthetic Records, let’s dive into the controlled chaos of emotional cybergrind.
Right off the bat in the title track, listeners will know if they want to hear more Blind Equation or be taken aback by the package deal. To set the soundscape, imagine the meshing of shrill screams, a synthesizer frenetically hitting riffs as fast as you can perceive them, double-bass thumping drums, all within the scope of a two-minute romp. Blind Equation’s take on cybergrind injects a feeling of old nintendocore staples like iamerror and Horse the Band through mystifying synth runs, but elevates the quality with a focus on melody structure and lyrical flexibility. This becomes prevalent in the closing lines of Death Awaits track “speedrunning life”: “My suffering is my own fault; Put me to rest, I’ve done this for too long; My suffering is my own fault; Repeating myself in every f*cking song”.
Autotuned hyperpop singing greets “you betrayed the ones you loved” with arguably the catchiest chorus on Death Awaits that I had the pleasure of hearing back at the Blind Equation show in June. There’s about 5 different drum patterns on this song, from blast beats to a four-on-the-floor coming about to compelling effect. “fade away” cranks the production cues up to 11 and has a BPM higher than my heart rate at the gym on cardio day to cap off the short-but-sweet tune. Breakbeats and growls make “choke” a strong midpoint for the record that doesn’t tamper too much with the winning formula, whilst making use of a bridge to pace the listener more comfortably than Blind Equation’s faster tracks.
Death Awaits benefits from features with New Zealand’s Deathtrippa and HexD artist Rat Jesu. The sense of comradery across this genre is captivating, as you’ll see artists hop onto each other’s songs quite often – Rat Jesu adds some vocal variety in “killing me”, whereas Deathtrippa in “suffering in silence” nearly steals the show with a seamless integration into the Blind Equation vibe. I had a double-take moment listening to “warmth”s amazing dance section come out of nowhere, getting a flashback to teenage me not knowing how to process when “Stick Stickly” did it. Closer “the last glimpse of me” knows its role and creates its soundscape as its basis, with the few lyrics proving consistency in the emotional cybergrind introspection and desperation.
Blind Equation are undoubtedly turning heads with Death Awaits. Some gut reactions to real emotional cybergrind comment sections include “I… i dont know how to feel. Its so weird and kind of laughable. But its actually really good at the same time.” and “Cybergrind.” The term “acquired listen” has never been so accurate, but fans of Blind Equation and similar artists are rabid for this stuff – with good reason, as Death Awaits is a non-stop barrage of insane synth, cacophonous screams, and blistering blast beats. It might not click immediately for some, but will reward those coming in with an open mind and have seen what cybergrind can accomplish through community. Death Awaits dropping on the same label as Pupil Slicer and Undeath, alongside Thotcrime, spells big things for this burgeoning collective.
The video below is a live stream discussing our experience at Blue Ridge Rock Fest 2023 as well as going over video footage and photos of what happened.
Scroll below the video for a written recap with photos and more.
Blue Ridge Rock Fest 2023 | The Good, Bad, and Extreme | Live Stream
Day One – Sept 7th, 2023
Hours before the main entrance gates opened, the shuttles and buses were working to bring attendees in. This was always an issue with Blue Ridge over the years but the festival and staff made sure to have enough people to get everyone from the parking lot. It was a noticeable difference for everyone and the happiness from most people showed.
The heat was brutal until roughly 5:30PM. There was little shade and water stations were hard to reach, but people stuck it out while watching The Ghost Inside, Highly Suspect, Vended, Psychostick, and Stitched-Up Heart perform throughout the festival grounds. With sunburn covering many over the hours, the festival was going along (outside of Vince Neal going over his set time by 13 minutes – jerk move).
Then came a light rain. It was the perfect relief from the heat. Then came the showers. Then the wind picked up along with a massive downpour and hail. A full evacuation was ordered and tens of thousands were forced to retreat to either the flooding campgrounds or to their vehicle. Blue Ridge has had issues in past years, but the significant issues for day one of the festival were bad luck and an incorrect weather forecast going into the day. They cannot control the weather.
Blue Ridge Rock Fest 2023 Day One
What Blue Ridge Rock Fest can control is having an escape plan for inclement weather. The venue had attendees far from parking. Meaning that people who were forced from the grounds by the thousands were also forced to wait in hale and a downpour in the middle of nowhere. That’s not even mentioning the massive damage to the campers and vendors that suffered greatly in the camping lots. This was a dangerous scene where thousands were stuck in the elements with nowhere to go for shelter.
It was around 8:40PM when messages from BRRF socials came in saying band gear was damaged due to the storm and sadly, day one ended early. You hate to see it, but I understand why people could not be let back in. The muddy festival grounds became a mudslide and it would have been clearly unsafe to return at full speed to the barricade for the final bands.
With the short time I had, I was able to meet with Caskets who are promoting their new album Reflections. They also told me a terrible joke about Taylor Swift.
I was able to shoot a song of Highly Suspect. This was the first time I had seen the band since before the pandemic. After the song, Terrible Johnny said to the Blue Ridge crowd that he hoped everyone would do drugs and have sex that night.
I was fortunate to see The Ghost Inside on their return at Blue Ridge Rock Fest in 2021. Seeing them two years later was fantastic and they sounded great. The problem was that before their set, Vince Neil went 13 minutes over his set time and that ate into The Ghost Inside’s set. Screw you, Vince Neil.
I was finally able to see Vended live after hearing several of their songs and playing them on our New Music Night streams. Seeing Slipknot prodigies and hungry young musicians working together to give an aggressive performance made me confident that Vended was going to do well.
Psychostick was a fantastic choice to have at a festival. You want a band that can make people sing along and have fun on Day One. Having the comedy band sing about counting, beer, and a sombrero is how you can make sure people get something light-hearted out of a festival experience.
This was also my first time seeing Stitched-Up Heart live. I met the band back in 2016 in New York City and have enjoyed their music, but never got to see them perform. I’m happy they made it to the main stage. Mixi also had line of the day when she asked the crowd “You all hot out there? **yeeaaahhhh** Well try wearing all this $#1+!” She had a good point.
After the evacuation and cancelation of the rest of Day One’s schedule, we returned to our car and then the hotel. We were hoping Mother Nature would somehow ease up on everyone.
The heat returned but the rain did not. While many campers and attendees did not return due to the damage from the weather on Day One (it really was that bad), there was still a massive crowd of over 40K that saw a complete day of music. Getting people shuttled in became a problem as so many people needed transportation from the car lots to the venue at roughly the same time.
Most of the bands were able to keep to their schedule. The heat was exhausting and the massive crowd for the main stage made getting around the festival grounds near impossible. The overflowing trash and port-o-potty situation for the public was as nightmarish as you can imagine. Unfortunately, the price-gouging situation at festivals continued at BRRF where everything was outrageously priced.
Conquer Divide stopped by to tell us their best pick-up line and talk about their new album Slow Burn. We apologize to all Mississippians.
Blue Ridge Rock Fest 2023 Day Two
Slipknot made the perfect exclamation point for Day Two. This was a significantly smaller stage than the band was used to performing on, but it somehow made everyone more in sync. The performance was fantastic and the crowd stayed for it all. Of the many things that can go wrong at Blue Ridge, Slipknot made sure something went right.
Sleep Token performed their largest North American show ever at Virginia International Raceway. Seeing the backup singers and hearing songs from Take Me Back To Eden performed live for the first time made for a great sunset experience. This performance also made a new fan out of my wife who now has an appreciation for Vessel and company.
I’ve covered several festivals that had Knocked Loose on the line-up but never was able to see them perform. I’m happy this was the first time I experienced Knocked Loose with tens of thousands behind me. I now understand the hype for this band live.
I was supposed to talk with members of Of Mice & Men before their set, but the extreme heat forced them to cancel all timeslots with the media. BRRF ’23 was the band’s first performance together in years and the crowd loved it. New music is supposedly on the way and the new song “Castaway” is solid.
I finally saw an Electric Callboy party live. Seeing thousands jump to “Tekkno Train” was an experience I won’t soon forget. I thought 2022’s Tekkno was great and hearing some of the songs live proved that the band isn’t just studio magic. Even if the set was delayed 20 minutes, I still am happy I saw it in person.
Crown The Empire made it to the main stage in the heat and helped open the day. I understand they are from Texas but they can keep that Texas heat where they came from. The crowd loved their set and one crowd surfer came to the front on an inflatable raft. That’s gutsy.
As unbearably hot as the day got, most things went according to plan. This might have been the most successful single day in Blue Ridge Rock Fest history. The shame of this single-day success is that it might be the last full-day Blue Ridge ever sees.
Day Three & Four – September 9-10, 2023
With massive storms through Southern Virginia on the radar, we woke up expecting a late opening for the park. We were informed by festival staff that no one was being allowed in besides production until the all-clear was given. Staff, vendors, etc., were not allowed on site. Mother Nature again attacked Virginia International Raceway causing more damage to the festival and camping grounds.
We were informed in the early afternoon that Day Three had been canceled. It was just after 5PM EST that we saw the post from Blue Ridge Rock Fest socials that Day Four would be canceled as well.
Below is a marked lineup of the bands that were able to perform at Blue Ridge Rock Fest 2023. As I said in the live stream, I was treated well by staff and security, but I also know I was in a unique position there. Many people worked massive hours over months to make this festival a true event and it indeed crashed out hard. I’m not here to spread rumors, but I wanted to point out everything that I saw or that there was footage of. We will see if Blue Ridge Rock Fest 2024 can come to fruition.
Aftermath:
As time has gone on, more footage on TikTok and other socials has proven the destruction caused at Blue Ridge Rock Fest and the unsafe/unsanitary conditions on festival grounds and campsites. Some of the scenes were quite chaotic. We don’t want to spread rumors that have no proof. The above TikToks help show actual footage and photos of what was going on. We aren’t sure if Blue Ridge Rock Fest will return at this point and are awaiting information about refunds. Below are several more TikToks not shown on our live stream to help confirm what happened at Blue Ridge.
The Los Angeles-based hard rock duo, Satellite Citi, have today released their latest video to accompany their recent single, “Anxious Hearts“. Fans can listen to the track HERE, and watch the brand new video HERE or at the link below.
Speaking on today’s single release, Anna Gevorkian (vocals/drums) shares:
“We had the honor of co-writing “Anxious Hearts” with some really incredible musicians, Taylor Carroll (Lit) and Arejay Hale (Halestorm). The concept of overcoming anxiety is really a universal one and lyrically we were able to come up with a message that we felt could resonate with so many different types of people. In a world where everyone is so divisive it feels necessary to write a song that cuts through all that.“
Sharing insight as the director of the “Anxious Hearts” video, Rosie Geozalian continues:
“We wanted to imagine what the future of entertainment and filmmaking might be like. You already have the algorithm personalizing your feed. You have AR + VR experiences becoming more and more immersive. We imagined a future “cerebral reality” experience that would be tailored to each person’s fears and anxieties. You go to the theatre and the cerebral reality glasses allow you to watch your own fears as a film — imagine exposure therapy as entertainment.“
With over 1.5 million streams on Spotify alone, it’s no surprise that Satellite Citi have returned with another successful single. “Anxious Hearts” was not only co-written by Lit‘s Taylor Carroll and Halestorm‘s Arejay Hale, but also produced by Mike Plotnikoff (My Chemical Romance, Three Days Grace, Papa Roach). The band has more exciting news on the horizon, revolving around new music and even a comic book that will accompany their next body of work. Be sure to stay tuned for more Satellite Citi news coming soon.
The Gaslight Anthem have shared their new song, “Little Fires,” available now at all DSPs. The song is taken from their eagerly awaited new album, History Books, out October 27 on their own Rich Mahogany Recordings label via Thirty Tigers. It was produced by GRAMMY® Award-winner Peter Katis (The National, Kurt Vile) at his Tarquin Studios in Bridgeport, CT. More than any of the band’s new songs to date, “Little Fires” reflects The Gaslight Anthem’s origins in punk rock. Furthering that connection, the track includes guest vocals from one of the genre’s current central figures: PUP frontman Stefan Babcock.
“‘Little Fires’ is like the opposite end of the spectrum from the frustration you feel in ‘History Books,’” says Brian Fallon. “It’s an empowerment song, about refusing to play along with the kind of people who always seem to be throwing a grenade into the room for no particular reason.”
History Books is Gaslight Anthem’s sixth full-length and first in nearly a decade, finding the New Jersey-bred band once again bringing their soulful breed of life-affirming rock n’ roll to explore everything from mortality and mental illness to the more precarious dimensions of human connection. In the glorious tradition of their seminal 2008 sophomore album, THE ’59 SOUND, the new LP matches its raw emotional power with the rich craft and wildly triumphant energy that has defined the band since its very start.
The album was announced in July with the release of its title track. The heavy-hearted song – which sees frontman Brian Fallon trading duet vocals with longtime band champion and fellow New Jerseyan Bruce Springsteen – was accompanied by an official music video (directed by Kelsey Ayres) streaming now on YouTube.
“When Bruce Springsteen said I should write a duet for us, I think my head exploded,” says Brian Fallon. “It will never get old to me that one of the greatest songwriters in the world, and one of my hero’s voices, will forever be captured in a song I wrote at a small wooden desk, in October, in New Jersey.”
The first song from History Books, “Positive Charge,” came out earlier in the year and was released with an official visualizer created by filmmaker Juliet Bryant (Death Cab for Cutie, Queens of the Stone Age, Beck) and is streaming now on YouTube. “It’s electrifying,” declared Rolling Stoneupon the song’s premiere. “Opening with a stomping drumbeat and a skronky guitar lick, the track’s dissonant attack is at odds with the optimistic message of the lyrics.” Stereogum agreed, writing, “‘Positive Charge’ is about wanting to live a little longer and love this life again, and it’s got the grand Springsteenian scope that makes the Gaslight Anthem so special.”
The Gaslight Anthem have already spent much of the year celebratingHISTORY BOOKS and their recent return to action on a sold-out North American tour. Headline dates resume September 16 at Grand Rapids, MI’s GLC Live at 20 Monroe and then continue through early October. In addition, The Gaslight Anthem is set for top-billed performances at a number of upcoming festivals, including Louisville, KY’s Bourbon & Beyond (September 14), and Chicago, IL’s Riot Fest (September 17). For full details and remaining ticket availability, please see www.thegaslightanthem.com.
Tracklisting:
1. Spider Bites
2. History Books (feat. Bruce Springsteen)
3. Autumn
4. Positive Charge
5. Michigan, 1975
6. Little Fires
7. The Weatherman
8. Empires
9. I Live In The Room Above Her
10. A Lifetime Of Preludes
THE GASLIGHT ANTHEM – US TOUR 2023
SEPTEMBER
15 – Louisville, KY – Bourbon & Beyond *
16 – Grand Rapids, MI – GLC Live at 20 Monroe
17 – Chicago, IL – Riot Fest *
19 – Cleveland, OH – House of Blues Cleveland
20 – Indianapolis, IN – Egyptian Room at Old National Centre
22 – Columbus, OH – Bluestone
23 – Chesterfield, MO – The Factory
24 – Madison, WI – The Sylvee
26 – Oklahoma City, OK – Tower Theater
27 – Wichita, KS – The Cotillion
29 – Sioux Falls, SD – The District
30 – La Vista, NE – The Astro
OCTOBER
2 – Denver, CO – Fillmore Auditorium
4 – Las Vegas, NV – Brooklyn Bowl Las Vegas
5 – Wheatland, CA – Hard Rock Live Sacramento
7 – Boise, ID – Knitting Factory Boise
8 – Spokane, WA – Knitting Factory Spokane
* FESTIVAL APPEARANCE
The Gaslight Anthem made their long-awaited return to the road last year with their first world headline tour in four years. Hailed by Kerrang! as “an amazing, career-spanning 21-song setlist…(that) celebrated all eras of their music,” the tour lit up stages across North America, Europe, and the United Kingdom before culminating in October with a sold-out homestate finale at Holmdel, NJ’s PNC Bank Arts Center.
The Gaslight Anthem is: Brian Fallon (lead vocals, rhythm guitar), Alex Rosamilia (lead guitar, backing vocals), Alex Levine (bass guitar, backing vocals), and Benny Horowitz (drums, percussion, backing vocals).
