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.

THE BLACK DAHLIA MURDER launches new video for "Threat Level No. 3"

Ready to kick off their USA headlining tour this April, THE BLACK DAHLIA MURDER is now launching a new video for the track, 'Threat Level No. 3', taken from their recently released album, 'Abysmal'. Written, directed, and animated by Adam Avilla.



Adam Avilla comments: "It isn't often that a band that you have listened to for fifteen years approaches you and wants you to draw four minutes of sheer madness for their new record. It's insane. Such a great honor. And the song rips!" THE BLACK DAHLIA MURDER's Trevor Strnad (vocals) comments: "Adam has done an amazing job of bringing the fiendish character behind 'Threat Level No. 3' to life in all his despicable glory. This is by far the best video we've ever brought forth and the best part of all…You don't have to look at our ugly faces once!"

Brandon Ellis will join THE BLACK DAHLIA MURDER on the road as the band's touring guitarist and replacement for Ryan Knight, who amicably parted ways with the group. In regards to his departure, Ryan Knight comments: "After nearly 7 years with The Black Dahlia Murder, I feel the time has come for me to step down and focus on other aspects of my life. The decision to leave was very difficult, yet necessary I feel for me to ultimately be happy and keep moving forward. I feel very lucky to have had the best band-mates/crew (past and present) to traverse the world, guzzle beers, and bring the rock with every night…Thank you guys, I'd like to give a HUGE thank you to all our fans for being so cool to me over the years, and all the hardworking people over at Metal Blade Records for their support, and general badassery. In the meantime, I'll still be teaching guitar, working on new music, and just getting pretty domestic in general. Thanks again!"

Trevor Strnad (vocals) adds: "When Ryan first joined the band, he drove from the hospital where his first child had just been born to begin practicing and writing with us, on the eve of the recording of our 'Deflorate' album. In his years with the band, he made a lot of sacrifices to be with us and uphold our insanely demanding touring and recording schedule…He always gave us 100 percent, and for that I thank him. He is an incredible musician and creative force…It was exciting to make new material with him, and his wealth of knowledge has left its stamp on the band's music forever. I always knew that his time in the band would be limited, and it has now come time for him to go home and be with his family. Ryan, being the stand-up dude that he is, told us of his plans to leave the band more than a year ago, and with heavy hearts we began to plan for The Black Dahlia Murder's future. We admire that Ryan went to such lengths to make his departure as easy on the band as possible, even going as far as to help us find a talented leadsman in Brandon Ellis - who has been lending us his tremendous guitar skills on the current TBDM tour…Knight is one of my best friends and I wish him the best in everything he does. He will always have a place here in the TBDM family. I look back at our time together with nothing but gratitude."

Last Bullet Releases "Sin" Music Video

Toronto based Hard Rock band Last Bullet have released a music video for their new single "Sin". Envisioned, edited and co-directed by frontman Bryan Fontez, "Sin" was filmed in the 24th floor attic of Toronto's historical landmark the Fairmont Royal York Hotel (the 1929 built setting for Saw 5). The celebrity destination hotel, where Jim Morrison scratched his name in the same attic wall where the video was filmed, required the band carry all of their equipment up 700+ flights of stairs.



In many ways the world has become a dark, cold and detached place to live. Prejudice, ignorance, materialism and a lack of empathy are beginning to divide us and cast a dark cloud over everything. "SIN" was written from a cynical but very realistic point of view, about all that is wrong with modern society. The metaphor and lyrical imagery depict not only a set of misguided values and priorities, but a life that is being manipulated by corporations, products, content and more. - Bryan Fontez

About Last Bullet:

Here's the thing. I could use this moment to give you a cookie-cutter style, formulaic blurb about all of our accolades, accomplishments, tours and experiences, using a ton of adjectives to describe how cool we are and why you should listen to our music, but I'm not gonna insult you like that. Instead I'm just gonna shoot straight with you, and assume that you'd like to know the truth about our band, so here goes...

We try our absolute hardest to embody every single aspect of live rock music that people genuinely love. We are lovers of music ourselves, and we enjoy being entertained more than anything. We believe that every live show is it's own unique experience that is governed by the setting, acoustics and energy of the crowd. We believe that every song should sound better than it does on the album, every single time, and that solely playing your instrument - no matter how well - is a massive disrespect to your audience. We put the onus of responsibility on ourselves to get your feet stomping, your hips shaking and your head banging. We live and die by that creed.

Last Bullet is more than just a band, it's an experience. We might play rock, but our music is for everyone. We don't care how you look, where you're from, or what you listen to, we will catch your attention and keep it, while raising both your pulse and the temperature of the venue. If that also happens to encourage an epidemic of stink-face, casual sexual encounters or increased bar sales, then so be it.

With a burning passion to make a career out of what we love doing, we've been able to accomplish some truly amazing things in the 7 years that we've been together. Most recently we've been hard at work on our new EP, in an attempt to produce the best music we've ever made. As easy as it is to be biased of your own work, we truly believe in what we've been able to accomplish in the studio with our friend Brian Moncarz recently, and we genuinely feel optimistic about the future of these songs and ultimately, this band.

Super American (ex. I Can See Mountains) Release 'Golf Pop' EP

Super American rose from the ashes of beloved Buffalo, NY indie rock outfit I Can See Mountains (Panic Records) and recently released their debut EP, Golf Pop.

Somewhere stuck between the dogs days and a smirk, Super American spawned with an ultimate intention of building a creative platform, allowing an opportunity for the band to be open and honest with themselves- a outlet for trying new things in a new fashion.

For fans of acts like The Front Bottoms & Tokyo Police Club, Golf Pop potentially serves as the soundtrack to making dinner with your someone special.

Golf Pop is now available on Spotify and Bandcamp.

Recorded at GCR Audio in Buffalo, NY with Jay Zubricky (Pentimento, Head North) and mastered by Jesse Cannon (Basement, Man Overboard) at Cannon Found Soundation in NYC.

Track Listing

1. Push Ups 2. Love to Hate 3. On Top of the World 4. Charles Cheatham 5. Airway

UPCOMING SHOW:

Saturday, 2/20 -- Buffalo, NY @ Nietzsche's

BROKEN TEETH HC -sign with Nuclear Blast & announce debut album

After stirring up the European underground intensively for the past months, Manchester-based hardcore young-bloods BROKEN TEETH HC have now inked a worldwide record deal with Nuclear Blast.

The band's debut album, 'At Peace Amongst Chaos', will be released on May 6, 2016.

Commented the band: "This is something we never thought/expected to happen when we started writing music all them years ago. It's a huge step forward for us as a band and as individuals, we're all super excited to see what happens when we release this LP with Nuclear Blast Records. It's all too surreal to have our band name next to some of our favourites like HATEBREED!"

Broken Teeth are just about to embark on a European Tour with legends SICK OF IT ALL and TERROR.

Stay tuned for more information.

BROKEN TEETH HC is:

Dale Graham - vocals Adam Kelly - drum Dave Egan - guitar Matt Weston - guitar Nial Moran - bass