Wednesday 17 February 2016

Chef Chris Santos partners with Metal Blade Records to launch Blacklight Media label



Chris Santos, executive chef and managing partner of the New York City restaurants VANDAL, The Stanton Social and Beauty & Essex, together with Brian Slagel of Metal Blade Records, today announced the launch of Blacklight Media, a label focusing on hard rock and heavy metal. Blacklight Media's debut band, Good Tiger, led by guitarists Derya Nagle and Joaquin Ardiles, will help launch the label as they head on tour this March.

In addition to his status as one of New York's most well known chefs, Santos is a lifelong fan of hard rock and metal music. A longtime friend of Slagel's, Santos has worked to launch bands with Metal Blade Records in the past, preparing him to break into the industry and create an entity of his own.

Blacklight Media, a name created to expose talent that has been concealed and deserve the recognition of a larger audience, will work with high energy bands with a progressive unique sound. Blacklight will release music that possesses an extensive amount of melody, mixed with heavy ebbs and flow to catch the attention of its listeners.

"Starting a label of my own is truly a dream come true," said Santos. "Music has always spoken to me in a visceral, instinctive way, and I'm hoping to curate a blend of hard rock and heavy metal that is unique in every way. Similar to my cooking, I hope the music our artists create will be engaging, well rounded, and sometimes whimsical."

Partnering with Santos in the project is metal industry heavyweight Brian Slagel, who founded Metal Blade Records in 1982. The label is currently the oldest metal label in the industry at 34 years old and one of the largest independent labels in the world. Notably, Metal Blade is credited for launching the careers of bands such as Metallica, Slayer, GWAR, Cannibal Corpse, Amon Amarth, among others. Slagel brings this invaluable experience to the launch of Blacklight, a culmination of his long friendship with Santos.

"Chris Santos has been a good friend of mine for quite some time and his taste in music, as in food, is tremendous. He has turned me onto four bands who eventually signed to Metal Blade - the whole Metal Blade family is so excited to be working with him on this new venture," said Brian Slagel, CEO of Metal Blade Records.

The label's first signing, Good Tiger, will release their debut, A Head Full of Moonlight, on CD and LP via Blacklight Media on April 22nd. Featuring former members of Tesseract, The Safety Fire, and Architects UK, Good Tiger previously released the album digitally, with the first single, "Where are the Birds", being heard on BBC Radio 1; the music video (directed by Kim Taylor, produced by Compulsory) was seen on Kerrang TV, Scuzz TV, MTV Rocks and more throughout Europe. With a new label partner - and upcoming USA tour with Between the Buried and Me and August Burns Red in March/April - the band is poised to earn even more buzz in the music community worldwide. To view the "Where are the Birds" video and to pre-order A Head Full of Moonlight in various formats, please visit: metalblade.com/goodtiger

In regards to the signing, Good Tiger's Derya "Dez" Nagle comments: "It's very exciting to be working with such a driven and forward-thinking group of people. Chris and the rest of the team behind Blacklight Media are simply amazing. To be involved with the label from the offset, and chosen as their first signing is humbling. As a band we set out to create energetic, fun and interesting music, and I think those same qualities are reflected in the team we are working with."

To learn more about Blacklight Media, please visit www.blacklightmediarecords.com. Follow @BlacklightMediaOfficial on Facebook and Instagram and @BlacklightRecs on Twitter using #BlacklightMedia.

DOPE Launches Live Album Pre-Order & "Die Mother Fucker Die" Reunion Tour Campaign



Dope has launched a pre-order for the bands first ever live album, as part of the "Die Mother Fucker Die" Reunion Tour Campaign. The 21 track set was recorded live in Russia and features the classic Dope lineup of Edsel Dope, Acey Slade, Virus, & Racci Shay.

The live album celebrates the first time that this "Old School" line up has performed on stage together in more than 13 years. The first goal of the campaign is to fuel a Dope U.S. Headline tour, featuring the classic "Old School" line up.

The ultimate goal is to take the reunion tour around the entire globe throughout 2016. "The United Kingdom, Europe, Asia, and Australia are all part of the plan" says Edsel Dope. "We are all stoked with the insane amount of enthusiasm from fans asking us to bring this line up around the world"…. In addition to the live album, the band plans to film the entire tour, with the intention of creating Dope's first ever "Live DVD".

The DVD will also include tons of classic backstage footage, unreleased music videos, as well as various, never before seen clips spanning the bands entire career. Dope has put together some awesome, exclusive merch packages for the campaign, and everyone who participates will be recognized by having their name featured in the liner notes. The live album will ship in June and is exclusively available at: www.dopereunion.com

The album will not be available on iTunes or in retail stores.

In addition, the campaign features an in depth video interview with Edsel Dope, where he shares his personal feelings on the reunion tour, explains details of the Die MF Die campaign, and also gives an update on Dope's upcoming 2 part - studio album, Blood Money, which he personally promises will be released later this year via E1 Entertainment.

THE VIRGINMARYS REVEAL ALL ALBUM DETAILS & BRAND NEW SONG 'MOTHERLESS LAND'



Hailing from Macclesfield, England, The Virginmarys make anthems that scream with all the potent sound and fury of modern punk acts, brimming with the honesty of prime British rock of the early 1970’s, before the wizards and capes overcame the attack and dynamic.

The UK based three piece recently returned with a staggering new track, Into Dust, an erratic call to arms about the disillusionment and boredom that creeps into everyday life. With jagged riffs and an erratic bassline, the song bleeds with a sense of urgency that is impossible to ignore. The band arrived with an explosive video to match the track, on YahooMusic.

Now, the band return with new single, Motherless Land, on Consequence of Sound, which bleeds of "no-frills, honest-to-god British rock with an undeniable punk edge." The song comes from their forthcoming LP, Divides due May 6 via Spinefarm Records. Pre-orders for the new album launch on Friday, February 19.

DIVIDES album artwork



The Virginmarys will head out on an extensive US tour starting early March.