Tuesday 23 February 2016

ANTHRAX - Band discuss working with Jon Donais



Thrash legends ANTHRAX are set to release their new album For All Kings this Friday, Feb 26th. In anticipation of the release, the band have just posted a new trailer discussing what it was like working and recording with their latest addition, lead guitarist Jon Donais. Watch as the guys explain all, here:



Track list:

01. You Gotta Believe 02. Monster At The End 03. For All Kings 04. Breathing Lightning 05. Suzerain 06. Evil Twin 07. Blood Eagle Wings 08. Defend Avenge 09. All Of Them Thieves 10. The Battle Chose Us 11. Zero Tolerance

Pre-order limited edition formats of For All Kings HERE

'Evil Twin' can be purchased via iTunes, HERE.

Musically 'Evil Twin' is a full-on thrash-metal tune that blasts off with a raging guitar riff, accelerates expeditiously and is completely uncontrollable.

"Yeah, that opening riff is really evil", states the band's Charlie Benante. "We had done a lot of touring with DEATH ANGEL and EXODUS, so I was in a really thrashy state of mind when I starting writing the riffs for that song. I think along with Scott's lyrics and Frank's melodies, we came up with a really great, old school thrash metal feel."

...And as bassist Frank Bello puts it, "it's a song that begs to be played live".

Lyrically the track unapologetically denounces the self-righteous religious extremists who spread their bloody terror under the guise of a holy war.

You represent your discontent Slaughtering the innocent Insolence You're no martyrs

"I was very affected by the Charlie Hebdo massacre as I have been with all of the shootings that have taken place at schools and movie theatres", said ANTHRAX's lyricist Scott Ian. "I can't figure out what would cause someone to think that was the right thing to do. 'I'll show the world, I'll make my God happy.' It's just such bullshit. I'm not bagging on religion, that's not my intent, but people who go to that extreme, who feel they have become judge, jury and executioner over their fellow man because you or I don't believe the same thing they do, I think that's the 'Evil Twin' of humanity. Writing words about that is my only catharsis."

Beginning in the autumn of 2014, ANTHRAX took their time in the studio recording the follow up to their Grammy-nominated, critically-acclaimed 2011 album, Worship Music. The band recorded around 20 original songs, almost twice as many as they had ever brought into the studio in the past. In terms of how the new music sounds, Bello states, "The thing about ANTHRAX...we have this heavy, thrashy music and Joey's powerful and melodic vocals. I love heavy music but I also love melody, so the challenge is to blend them together so they sound like ANTHRAX. I think we've done a really good job of that on the new album."

TEXAS HIPPIE COALITION to Release 'Dark Side of Black' on April 22nd via Carved Records



After reaching a new level of recognition with their last album Ride On and a position on the 2014 Rockstar Energy Drink Mayhem Festival, gritty southern metal four-piece TEXAS HIPPIE COALITION are back with their fourth full-length Carved Records album, Dark Side of Black, to be released on April 22, 2016. Embracing southern roots while exploring a heavier sound than ever before, Dark Side of Black achieves a murky, groovier feel while not straying too far from THC's tried and true brand of rugged outlaw rock.

Dark Side of Black was recorded at Boot Hill Studio in Corinth, TX and Valve Studios in Dallas, TX with producer Sterling Winfield (Pantera, Hellyeah, Damageplan).

"Dark Side of Black is our heaviest album to date for sure," states THC vocalist Big Dad Ritch. "We've learned a lot having made four full-length albums prior. We're trying to use that knowledge we learned to make an album that can maintain what Ride On and Peacemaker bring to the table, yet we wanted it to lend itself more to the power that is the RED DIRT METAL of Rollin and Pride of Texas. So it feels like Pride meets Peacemaker. Top shelf THC meets bottom shelf liquor..."

Although TEXAS HIPPIE COALITION are experts at their trade, recording Dark Side of Black wasn't easy at times. THC drummer Timmy Braun comments on his physical struggle while recording the album, having just recovered from a serious infection shortly beforehand. He feels, perhaps, that this struggle influenced his recording style overall.

"About Dark Side of Black, I have never had such a difficult time completing an album in my life," begins Braun. "I say that because my first session I had just got out of the hospital. It was difficult for me to walk let alone play a drum kit. After being in bed for literally two weeks I felt a bit out of shape. Then for the second session my hand was swollen to almost twice its size because of an injury! I couldn't make a fist let alone play a drum kit. However, I'm hoping the vibe I was able to create will have a special flavor that I wouldn't have been able to offer had my life been in order, per say. In other words, tough times make for better art!"

Guitarist Cord Pool adds, "Between tweaking our writing style and being influenced by personal things, Dark Side of Black leads the listener a step closer to the darker and heavier side of what we have to offer."

Dark Side of BlackTracklisting:

1. Angel Fall 2. Come Get It 3. Dark Side 4. Gods Are Angry 5. Hit It 6. Into The Wall 7. Knee Deep 8. Rise 9. Shakin' 10. Villain

Stay tuned for more Dark Side of Black information, tracks and videos coming soon from TEXAS HIPPIE COALITION.

In celebration of the album's release, TEXAS HIPPIE COALITION will venture out on a U.S. headline tour with support from fellow Texas namesakes and natives Sons of Texas. The "Dark Side of Black" tour will begin its first leg on April 29th in Shreveport, LA and visit a total of 26 cities before ending at River City Rockfest on May 29th. The tour will include five spring festival stops (these will not include Sons of Texas). Before the tour, the band will perform two headline dates, one of which will act as their official album release party.

Tickets for the first leg of the "Dark Side of Black" tour go on sale this Friday, February 26th at 12:00pm ET via thcofficial.com. See below for a full listing of tour dates.

TEXAS HIPPIE COALITION Tour Dates:

Headliner w/ local support:

22-Apr - Colorado Springs, CO @ Black Sheep 23-Apr - Denver, CO @ Herman's Hideaway - Official Album Release Party

"Dark Side of Black" Tour w/ Sons of Texas:

29-Apr - Shreveport, LA - Riverside Warehouse 30-Apr - Atlanta, GA - The Masquerade - Hell 1-May - Jacksonville, FL - Metropolitan Park - Welcome to Rockville 3-May - Knoxville, TN - The Concourse at The International 4-May - Richmond, VA - The Broadberry 5-May - Lancaster, PA - Chameleon Club 6-May - Winchester, VA - Blue Fox Billiards 7-May - Concord, NC - Rock City Campgrounds @ Charlotte Motor Speedway - Carolina Rebellion 8-May - Virginia Beach, VA - Shaka's 10-May - Cambridge, MA @ Middle East Upstairs (NO Sons of Texas) 11-May - Poughkeepsie, NY - The Chance 12-May - Manchester, NH - Jewel Nightclub 13-May - Rochester, NY - Montage Music Hall 14-May - Flint, MI - The Machine Shop 15-May - Louisville, KY - Trixie's Tiger Room 18-May - Pittsburgh, PA - Hard Rock Cafe 19-May - Fort Wayne, IN - Piere's Entertainment Center 20-May - Battle Creek, MI - The Music Factory 21-May - Columbus, OH - MAPFRE Stadium - Rock On The Range 22-May - Libertyville, IL - Austin's Fuel Room 24-May - St. Louis, MO - The Firebird 25-May - Omaha, NE - Chrome Lounge 26-May - Des Moines, IA - Wooly's 27-May - Lawrence, KS - Granada Theater 28-May - Pryor, OK - Catch The Fever Festival Grounds - Rocklahoma 29-May - San Antonio, TX - One AT&T Center Parkway - River City Rockfest

Coast Modern return with a delightful new earworm "Animals"



Coast Modern arrive with second single "Animals" streaming now on Pigeons and Planes

"Los Angeles duo Coast Modern made a huge splash with their debut single “Hollow Life.” It’s got around 400,000 streams on SoundCloud and almost a million on Spotify, and they’re keeping that momentum going with new single “Animals.” The song is full-bodied and warm, with a lighthearted bounce and a soaring melody perfect for this transition out of the winter months. " - Pigeons and Planes



Catch Coast Modern on tour:

MARCH 17 - MARCH 20 - SXSW - AUSTIN, TX MAY 14 - UNTAPPED FEST - AUSTIN, TX ​JULY 23 - MO POP FEST - DETROIT, MI

US tour with The Wombats:

JUNE 14 - UPSTATE CONCERT HALL - ALBANY, NY JUNE 15 - COLLEGE STREET MUSIC HALL - NEW HAVEN, CT JUNE 18 - AMOS' SOUTHEND - CHARLOTTE, NC JUNE 20 - MUSIC FARM - CHARLESTON, SC JUNE 21 - CENTER STAGE - ATLANTA, GA JULY 9 - POWER & LIGHT - KANSAS CITY, MO JULY 11 - DELUXE AT OLD NATIONAL CENTRE - INDIANAPOLIS, IN JULY 12 - FIRST AVENUE - MINNEAPOLIS, MN JULY 13 - METRO - CHICAGO, IL JULY 18 - THE READY ROOM - ST LOUIS, MO JULY 19 - CANNERY BALLROOM - NASHVILLE, TN AUGUST 1 - CRESCENT BALLROOM - PHOENIX, AZ AUGUST 3 - THE FONDA - LOS ANGELES, CA AUGUST 5 - THE OBSERVATORY - SANTA ANA, CA

+ more festivals and tour dates to be announced...

CROSSFAITH UNVEIL 'XENO UK & EUROPEAN TOUR 2016' EP



To celebrate the XENO World Tour hitting the UK & Europe, Crossfaith are excited to release a special five-track EP featuring their tour-mates drum‘n’bass‘n’riffs pioneers The Qemists, genre-mashing wrecking crew The One Hundred and the utterly ferocious Counting Days.



The EP features Crossfaith’s storming new single Wildfire, a collaboration with Benji Webbe of Skindred, and the stunning Dance With The Enemy, available digitally for the first time.

Of the tour and EP, Crossfaith frontman Kenta Koie said:

“The #XENOWORLDTOUR is about to kick off in Europe and the UK and we’re bringing some sick bands with us, so we thought we’d give you all some tunes!...

Our boys The Qemists are one of our favourite bands to listen to, and we’ve all been big fans of The One Hundred since we first heard them. And Counting Days are the best heavy band around right now, so this tour EP is going to blow your mind!"

The tracklisting for the XENO UK & European Tour 2016 EP is as follows:

1. Crossfaith - Wildfire (feat. Benji Webbe from Skindred) (taken from the album Xeno, UNFD 2015) 2. Crossfaith - Dance With The Enemy (previously unreleased) 3. The Qemists - No More (taken from the forthcoming album Warrior Sound our March 04, Amazing Record Co 2016. Pre-order now at theqemists.lnk.to/WarriorSound) 4. The One Hundred - Unleashed (taken from the Subculture EP, UNFD 2014) 5. Counting Days - Die Alone (taken from the album Liberated Sounds, Mascot Label Group 2015)

Catch Crossfaith on the road in March

Counting Days 16th - 20th The Qemists 22nd - 31st The One Hundred - All dates

16th Southend Chinnerys 17th Portsmouth Wedgewood Rooms 18th Brighton The Haunt 19th Cardiff Y Plas 20th Plymouth The Hub 22nd Leeds Key Club 23rd Reading Sub 89 24th Wolverhampton Slade Rooms 25th Liverpool o2 Academy 2 26th Manchester Academy 2 28th Glasgow King Tuts 29th Sheffield Corporation 30th Norwich Waterfront 31st London Electric Brixton

VALLEYS Announces U.S. Headline Tour with Of Tyrants and Rumours



Modern progressive/experimental metal group VALLEYS recently released their debut full-length concept album, Experiment One: Asylum. In celebration of the album release, VALLEYS is pleased to announce their upcoming 17-date U.S. headline tour, the Experiment One: Asylum Tour, fueled by COLDCOCK Whiskey. The tour kicks off April 1st in Chesapeake, VA and features support from Of Tyrants and Rumours. The tour will end on April 20th with VALLEYS supporting The Contortionist in Greensboro, NC (this date will not include Of Tyrants and Rumours).

In addition, VALLEYS will perform at the Greensboro, NC date of the Sumerian Records 10 Year Anniversary tour on February 29th, also featuring Born of Osiris, Veil of Maya, After The Burial, Erra, and Bad Omens.

See below for all currently confirmed tour dates.

VALLEYS Tour Dates:

2.29 - Greensboro, NC @ Greene Street Club (Sumerian Records 10 Year Anniversary also feat. Born of Osiris, Veil of Maya, After The Burial, Erra, Bad Omens)

Experiment One: Asylum Tour:

4.1 - Chesapeake, VA @ Riffhouse Live 4.2 - Carrollton, GA @ Alley Cat 4.4 - Orlando, FL @ Bombshell's Tavern 4.5 - Melbourne, FL @ Boondock's Live 4.6 - Mobile, AL @ The Alchemy Tavern 4.7 - Bryant, AR @ M.F. Metal Music 4.8 - Evansville, IN @ Sorties Arts and Music 4.9 - Cincinnati, OH @ Rake's End 4.10 - Warren, MI @ The Ritz 4.11 - New Haven, IN @ Carl's Tavern 4.12 - Buffalo, NY @ Broadway Joe's 4.13 - Providence, RI @ Firehouse 13 4.14 - Bridgeport, CT @ Two Boots 4.15 - Woodbridge, CT @ Amity Teen Center 4.16 - Philadelphia, PA @ Kung Fu Necktie 4.17 - Knoxville, TN @ Longbranch Saloon 4.20 - Greensboro, NC @ Greene St. Club (VALLEYS only, supporting The Contortionist)

Support band Of Tyrants will perform a one-off date on April 18th in Virginia Beach, VA at Shaka's Live.

Visit these local venues to purchase Experiment One: Asylum Tour tickets.

Order your copy of Experiment One: Asylum via iTunes now! Experiment One: Asylum tells the story of main character Asylum, who battles with multiple-personality disorder stemming from a dark personal tragedy. Each track on the album explores a different personality, weaving the listener through a mind of severe mental illness with a dynamic, heavy soundtrack.

COLOUR OF NOISE Premiere New Music Video 'Can You Hear Me'



UK classic rockers COLOUR OF NOISE to release their new single 'Can You Hear Me' on Friday 26th February, the song is taken from their proudly ballad-free, self-titled debut album, released on December 4 via Colour Of Noise/Townsendmusic. The new video can be viewed below.



‘Can You Hear Me‘ tells a story of a person who is lost and crying out for help. Depression takes many forms, and affects one in three of us. In fact, musicians are particularly prone to this,” says Bruce John Dickinson.

“The song describes that feeling of not quite ‘getting through’, or not really being heard; not understanding fully why the world has turned so grey, or how pain has become an attendant part of every second in the day. Crying out for help and needing to be free from the weight of anxiety and depression. The video shows the band trying to reach the psychotherapist via different methods of communication and the frustration of this process. The psychotherapist only gives the vaguest indication of offering a solution, but we are left finally with an empty chair, and therefore no hope of redemption… leading to the conclusion that we must ultimately help ourselves.”

COLOUR OF NOISE have issued a limited run of 100 CD singles, signed and numbered, featuring a B-Side with the single ‘Head On’ taken from the Live EP ‘Colour of Noise Live In London’.

COLOUR OF NOISE will be supporting Toseland on tour this March. Singer Matt Mitchell looks forward to the tour: “For me personally, it’s such a joy to be making a noise again in 2016 and to think we can do this in such a spirit of community and shared love of music. It’s gonna be two high energy bands giving it all. We look forward to catching up with fans and friends, and making new ones – Good times!”

The band features Bruce Dickinson who you may remember as the Guitar player in Little Angels, Matt Mitchell the singer from Furyon, Randy Nixon (Magic Bullet/Jeevas), Dan Electro (Magic Bullet Band) and Silent Ben Daniel on bass.

Tour Dates March 2016

13 MARCH BRIGHTON THE HOPE 14 MARCH CARDIFF THE GLOBE 15 MARCH BIRMINGHAM O2 ACADEMY 2 16 MARCH MANCHESTER SOUND CONTROL 22 MARCH LONDON THE BORDERLINE 23 MARCH CAMBRIDGE THE PORTLAND ARMS 24 MARCH LEEDS THE KEY CLUB 25 MARCH GLASGOW STEREO CAFÉ 26 MARCH NEWCASTLE THINK TANK

THE QEMISTS Sign to FiXT for North American Release of New Album ‘Warrior Sound’ due out March 4, 2016



Brighton-based quintet THE QEMISTS have signed to FiXT for the North American release of their forthcoming album, ‘Warrior Sound’ on March 4, 2016. With a diverse, yet alluring sound, The Qemists are an intriguing musical enigma: five musicians who are equally as drawn to the dance floor as they are performing live rock, or building tracks on the computer. They are drum and bass aficionados who believe their hurtling breakbeats sound best under big muscular metallic guitar riffs.

Their fearless genre-mashing has already garnered them a sizable following across the globe, scoring a previous number one album in Japan and playing to audiences of over half a million people in Poland. The first single, “Run You” was featured in the worldwide trailer for Arnold Schwarzenegger’s film Terminator Genisys, and has been playlisted by UK’s Team Rock, Kerrang! Radio, Scuzz and more, reaching #6 on the Kerrang! Rock chart. Setting their sights on bringing the new album to North America, The Qemists knew they needed to team up with a label who understood a hybrid, multi-genre approach to music. They immediately aligned themselves with FiXT - the home of label-owner Celldweller, along with a diverse roster of artists from Blue Stahli to The Algorithm.

Having grown from three to five members, ‘Warrior Sound’ is The Qemists’ first album since the addition of full time frontmen Olly Simmons (formerly of cult metal band Collisions) and rapper/MC Bruno Balanta. The band has teamed up with a number of diverse artists for collaborative features on ‘Warrior Sound,’ including Hacktivist on the brilliant up-tempo “Jungle,” Japanese metallers Crossfaith, whose singer Kenta Koie is featured on “Anger,” and UK grime MC Ghetts on “No Respect.”

This March, The Qemists will join Enter Shikari on a European tour, and have landed a main support slot on Crossfaith’s upcoming UK tour. Pre-Orders for 'Warrior Sound' are available now via iTunes and the FiXT web store.



‘Warrior Sound’ Track List:

1. Our World 2. Jungle (feat. Hacktivist) 3. Run You 4. Anger (feat. Kenta Koie) 5. New Design 6. No More 7. Push The Line (feat. Charlie Rhymes) 8. We Are The Problem 9. Let It Burn 10. Warrior Sound 11. No Respect (feat. Ghetts) 12. Requiem About THE QEMISTS:

The Qemists - Dan Arnold, Bruno Balanta, Liam Black, Leon Harris and Olly Simmons - are a real live tour de force. Proof of this has been seen on recent tours with Korn and Enter Shikari, one off shows with the likes of Skindred, and stand-out festival performances at Download, Breakout, and Butserfest. The band are now primed and ready to unleash their latest album, Warrior Sound, which binds their respective influences and styles together naturally into one progressively cohesive and solid sound. In short, The Qemists have finally arrived.

About FIXT:

FiXT, the brainchild of Klayton, the internationally-renowned artist/producer Celldweller, is a forward thinking independent record label serving a group of world-class electronic, alternative, and hybrid artists. The FiXT label roster includes: The Algorithm, Blue Stahli, Celldweller, Circle of Dust, I Will Never Be The Same, The Qemists, Richy Nix, Scandroid, SeamlessR and Voicians.

Cypress Hill announces 25th anniversary World tour & New Fan Club



The Almighty Cypress Hill will be celebrating 25 years of smoked out music greatness throughout 2016. Today we are proud to announce the first leg of our 25th Anniversary World Tour as well as the brand new Official Cypress Hill Fan Club.

TOMORROW the first Cypress Hill Fan Club Pre-Sale and VIP tickets will go on sale AND all those that purchase a ticket or VIP package will be given a 6 month membership to the Official Cypress Hill Fan Club. The pre-sale begins 2/24 at 10am local time.

Click For All Fan Club & Pre-Sale/VIP Ticket Info

TOUR DATES

4.19 – 1stBank Center – Denver, CO 4.20 – Bill Graham Civic Auditorium – San Francisco, CA 4.22 – Sweetwater 420 Fest – Atlanta, GA **4.23 - Tipitina's - New Orleans, LA **4.24 - House of Blues - Houston, TX **4.26 - The Aztec Theatre - San Antonio, TX **4.27 - House of Blues - Dallas, TX **4.29 - Track 29 - Chattanooga, TN 5.1 – Welcome To Rockville – Jacksonville, FL **5.3 - Revolution - Ft. Lauderdale, FL **5.4 - Jannus Live - St. Petersburg, FL **5.6 - Soul Kitchen - Mobile, AL **5.7 - The International - Knoxville, TN 5.8 - Carolina Rebellion - Charlotte, NC 6.10 – Festi’neuch Neuchatel Openair – Neuchatel, Switzerland 6.11 – Nova Rock Festival – Nickelsdorf, Austria 6.24 – Festival des Artefacts 2016 – Strasbourg, France 6.25 – Festival Free Music – Montendre, France 6.26 – Solidays Festival – Paris, France

** = Pre-Sale & VIP Tickets go on sale 2/24 @ 10am local time. General on sale 2/26.

***Official Cypress Hill Fan Club launch will be in Summer 2016. Fans will be contacted on how to redeem their membership when the club launches.***

More dates to be announced soon...