BLIND GUARDIAN - Release Video For 'The Bard's Tale (In The Forest) (Revisited)' + Album "Somewhere Far Beyond Revisited' Out Now!

August 3, 2024

Right on time with their show at 2024’s edition of Wacken Open Air , German heavy metal legends BLIND GUARDIAN proudly present Somewhere Far Beyond Revisited which includes a complete re-recording of this classic as well as a live celebration of 1992’s Somewhere Far Beyond, a landmark record in the history of the band.

Somewhere Far Beyond Revisited, which was recorded in 2022 and 2023, is a refreshing and powerful tribute to one of the most influential albums in German metal history. It paved the way for BLIND GUARDIAN’s international career that is still going strong today and this re-recording impresses with all the class and quality these pioneers have been known and respected for since forming as Lucifer’s Heritage three decades ago.

Scroll down to watch a live video for the revisited version of their most popular track 'The Bard's Song - In The Forest' (50M+ streams)!

Somewhere Far Beyond Revisited is out today and can be listened to in full at any streaming service or purchased in physical form via the link below.

PURCHASE / LISTEN TO SOMEWHERE FAR BEYOND REVISITED
https://blindguardian.bfan.link/SomewhereFarBeyond-Revisited

WATCH THE VIDEO FOR 'THE BARD'S TALE (IN THE FOREST) (REVISITED)' Below:

AVAILABLE FORMATS

The album is being released as Limited Edition 3 Disc Digipak which contains an additional 2022 live version of the entire album on a separate CD and a Blu-Ray disc with the anniversary sets at Rock Hard Festival and Hellfest 2022.

Somewhere Far Beyond Revisited is also available as Gatefold LP with a 24-page LP booklet and as jewelcase CD as well as a digital album.

PURCHASE SOMEWHERE FAR BEYOND REVISITED HERE:
https://blindguardian.bfan.link/SomewhereFarBeyond-Revisited

ABOUT SOMEWHERE FAR BEYOND REVISITED

Right on time with their show at 2024’s edition of Wacken Open Air, BLIND GUARDIAN release of Somewhere Far Beyond Revisited, which includes a complete re-recording of this classic as well as a live celebration of 1992’s Somewhere Far Beyond, a landmark record for Germany’s heavy metal titans. After three albums on No Remorse Records, it was the band’s major label debut via Virgin Records and opened the doors to the Japanese market resulting in a wider availability and presence on the global metal scene. After finding the right balance of speed, heaviness, melodies, drama, and irresistible choruses on 1990’s Tales From The Twilight World, Somewhere Far Beyond honed this approach to perfection, evolving further on a conceptual level and increasing BLIND GUARDIAN’s sonic range. On Somewhere Far Beyond the band experimented with keyboards, orchestrations, and folk elements, the latter manifesting in the group’s best-known song and live staple, ‘The Bard's Song (In The Forest)’, whereas other tracks like ‘Ashes to Ashes’, the rapid ‘Journey Through The Dark’ or ‘The Quest For Tanelorn’ connected well with previous mostly fast-paced albums yet offered an additional push in dynamics.

Fast forward 30 years! Before releasing the much-lauded opus The God Machine in September 2022, BLIND GUARDIAN had been performing Somewhere Far Beyond in its entirety at Rock Hard Festival and Hellfest in the Summer of 2022 in front of tens of thousands of fans singing along to each track. Both shows were filmed and recorded professionally and aired via WDR and ARTE. For the limited triple-disc-edition of Somewhere Far Beyond Revisited, the Hellfest material was newly edited by the band’s long-time videographer Dirk Behlau using additional multi-cam footage. The idea of re-recording the album originated from the rehearsals for these shows as Hansi Kürsch explains in the detailed liner notes: “The original idea wasn’t to do a re-recording. When rehearsing for the anniversary gigs, the coronavirus hit and we couldn’t be certain that those shows would take place. We still wanted to celebrate the anniversary of the album and if we wouldn’t be able to include a live version, we initially thought we could at least record the rehearsals.” Not 100% satisfied with those rough versions, BLIND GUARDIAN decided to go all in, knowing the risk of being frowned upon by fans who consider re-recordings utter blasphemy. “We tried to recapture what we did in 1992 but compensate youth with skillful experience, though in a hungry way. We never discussed any major changes but with over 30 years of experience, and our current line-up, those ingredients already add a new flavor to it.” With the basic tracks recorded in a live setting, Somewhere Far Beyond Revisited is leaner and more focused on impact in terms of guitar arrangements yet retains all the harmonies and melodies essential to the original. “We finally ended up with this cool hybrid version”, André adds. “We combined how we play the songs today, but at the same time, really tried to retain that speed metal spirit of the early 90s!”

She Was the Carnation and the Rose Release New Album 'The Guardian Angel' Out Now!

August 3, 2024

Emerging band She Was the Carnation and the Rose is excited to announce the release of their debut single, "Birds Before Rain," from their debut album, The Guardian Angel, that released today, August 2, 2024. The music and lyrics for the entire album were crafted by Michael Seebold, who also took on the role of producer. The recording, mixing, and mastering were expertly handled by Dick Hodgin at Osceola Studios in Raleigh, North Carolina.

"'Birds Before Rain' is the first single and the first song written specifically for the album. It marks the commencement of our project and evokes moods of gray weather, somewhere between Opeth's Damnation and Tristania's World of Glass," says Michael Seebold.

WATCH "Birds Before Rain" (Music Visualizer) Below:

Also today, the band released the music visualizer for "Limits of the Wraithlamp District".

WATCH "Limits of the Wraithlamp District " (Music Visualizer):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E2iDv4OuypE

Formed during the late rainy months of 2023, She Was the Carnation and the Rose is comprised of singer Noémi Sárog, songwriter Michael Seebold, and drummer Bill Eagen.

Their debut album, The Guardian Angel, features five original songs that create a range of atmospheres from wintry to melancholic to serene. This album is also the first installment in the band's planned trilogy, known as the "stained glass" trilogy. Across these albums, listeners can expect a blend of dreamlike atmospheres, mellifluent and dark passages, and the occasional jazz nocturne or classical minuet.

She Was the Carnation and the Rose:

Noémi Sárog - Vocals

Michael Seebold - Guitars/Keys

Bill Eagen - Drums/Percussion

For More Information Please Visit:

https://www.shewasthecarnationandtherose.com/

A Night In Texas Releases New Album 'Digital Apocalypse' + "Mechanized Genocide" feat. Dane Evans of To The Grave Visualizer via Unique Leader Records

August 3, 2024

A Night In Texas has dropped their new album 'Digital Apocalypse' via Unique Leader Records and a new visualizer for track "Mechanized Genocide" featuring Dane Evans of To The Grave. Leading up to today, the band has shared "Apex Of Agony", "Welcome To The Gulag", and their latest banger, "Death Protocol". Speaking about the album, the band shares:

“'Digital Apocalypse' is the FINAL form of A Night In Texas. This release represents the culmination of a tumultuous and challenging creativity endeavor for the band over the last 2 years.

In essence, 'Digital Apocalypse' paints the picture of a grim and pragmatic society that has pigeonholed itself into a redundant and counterproductive existence. This record explores themes related to the complacent struggle between efficiency and self-sabotage, the enslavement of mankind by artificial intelligence and the potential malevolence lurking in our not-too-distant future.“

'Digital Apocalypse' is available now on all streaming platforms at the link here, and be sure to watch the "Mechanized Genocide" visualizer below.

BLACK SMOKE TRIGGER Release Debut Album; Drop New Single "Phantom Pain"

August 2, 2024

Black Smoke Trigger, the rising rock sensation from New Zealand, have today officially unveiled their latest record, "Horizons", alongside a new reverbant single, "Phantom Pain". Stream the brand new record HERE and watch the "Phantom Pain" music video below.

"Horizons" marks yet another groundbreaking moment in their career, showcasing Black Smoke Trigger's unique blend of hard-hitting riffs, anthemic choruses, and vivid emotional depth. With their latest single, "Phantom Pain" finds the band performing to a massive crowd, highlighting their electrifying energy and stage presence that have become their signature.

Speaking on today’s release, Charlie Wallace, guitarist of Black Smoke Trigger shares

"‘We are stoked to finally release 'Horizons' to the world. We poured our hearts & souls into this record. We've had fans who have waiting a long time and new fans who have just discovered us so it's an exciting time. The journey we went through to make this album was crazy, trips back and forth to the US, getting stuck in Mexico, producer Nick (Raskulinecz) traveling to New Zealand to finish the record turning my whole house into a studio... It was a wild ride and some of the best times of our lives. A couple of us went through personal struggles of losing parents during the process, which inspired the last track 'Promise', and everyone made big sacrifices to make this record a reality. We are very proud of this record, it's our best work yet!"

Black Smoke Trigger continues to ride the high of their dynamic rock, anchored by the distinctive guitar work of Wallace and the commanding vocals of Baldrick combined with their pummelling rhythm section courtesy of bassist Dan Fulton, and drummer Josh Te Maro. Fast becoming known for not only churning out certified 10/10, arena ready rock bangers, Black Smoke Trigger are also quickly garnering a reputation for creating incendiary and often death defying music videos.

Their previous single, "Sun Cries Red" followed the success of their earlier singles "K.M.T.L", "Proof of Life" "Perfect Torture" and “The Way Down”, the video for which saw the band perform atop the tallest building in the Southern Hemisphere whilst Wallace jumped off the edge, shredding a guitar solo whilst plummeting 630ft and has clocked up over 1.3 million views on YouTube. The release sees Black Smoke Trigger continue to deliver on their promise of high-energy rock music that's both entertaining and deeply relatable.

Prior to this new string of singles, the band put out track “Caught In The Undertow”, the video for which was also a feat of extreme conditions. Filmed at Muriwai beach in Auckland, New Zealand and at a helicopter crash testing facility in a 3.6M deep pool, the whole band performed much of the song underwater creating a stunning visual that has clocked up 3.2 million Youtube views and highlighting the band’s dedication to creating unforgettable visual accompaniments for their hard-hitting rock anthems.

ABOUT BLACK SMOKE TRIGGER

Black Smoke Trigger are led by Wallace (creator of the hugely successful Guitar Mastery Method) whose insane talent provides everything from delicate melodic motifs to face-melting shred solos and stadium-conquering riffs. They are fronted by incendiary vocalist Baldrick, whose impressive vocal abilities provide that indefinable, timeless rock n roll soul to the Black Smoke Trigger sound. Bassist Dan Fulton, and drummer Josh Te Maro round out the line-up, joining forces to create a powerhouse rhythmic backbone and one of the most bombastic and inventive rhythm sections of recent years.

With a rapidly growing fanbase, millions of streams, a reputation for raucous live shows and irrepressibly fearless approach to their craft, Black Smoke Trigger are poised to be the biggest and most thrilling entity to come from New Zealand since the Lord of The Rings movies. Just with more rock n roll and less hobbits.

ACCLAIMED DRUMMER PAT GESUALDO FEATURED ALONG ICONIC ROCKSTARS ON CHARITY CD TO HELP BRING FREE MUSIC PROGRAMS TO SPECIAL NEEDS KIDS

August 1, 2024

Acclaimed Studio/Touring drummer / Author / Clinician Pat Gesualdo has recorded the drum tracks on the Metal Hall of Fame All Stars CD/DVD. The charity project is a release from Deko Entertainment / ada / Warner Music Group, and helps bring free music programs to special needs children in health facilities and community centers. This once in a lifetime collaboration of rockstars is huge news for music fans across the globe!!

The Metal Hall of Fame All Star Charity CD features Rudy Sarzo, (Whitesnake), Bruce Kulick (KISS), Bob Daisley (Ozzy Osbourne, Rainbow), Chris Poland(Megadeth), guitarist Tony MacAlpine, and Chris Impellitteri (Impellitteri), It also features a jam from the Annual Metal Hall of Fame Celebrity Gala that includes Steve Vai (David Lee Roth), Geoff Tate (Formerly Queensryche), guitar virtuoso Joe Satriani, Bjorn Englan (Yngwie Malmsteen/Dio Disciples), Chris Poland (Megadeth), and studio/touring drummer Pat Gesualdo. Additional tracks feature outstanding performances by Mike Tirelli (Holy Mother), Mike Orlando(Adrenaline Mob), Derek Sherinian (Dream Theater) and Michael Romeo(Symphony X).

The Metal Hall of Fame All Stars CD/DVD is available as a box set which includes a CD/DVD, a Metal Hall of Fame Key Chain, and limited edition Artwork. The CD is available on all streaming platforms, and directly from Deko Entertainment, www.dekoentertainment.com.

“This is such an amazing project,” says Gesualdo. “Some of the greatest musicians of all time included on these tracks. The purpose of the project is to establish free music programs for special needs children, which helps them function daily.”

ABOUT PAT GESUALDO

Studio/touring drummer/author/clinician Pat Gesualdo has performed and/or recorded with members of various Columbia, Sony, Atlantic, RCA, and Paramount Pictures artists and special projects. He has also performed/record with numerous iconic musicians for the Metal Hall of Fame All Stars CD/DVD, a charity release that brings free music programs to help special needs children.

Gesualdo is the pioneer of the "Healing Art of Drum Therapy," and non profit organization D.A.D. (Drums and Disabilities). New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg and his Administration, and the New Jersey Education Commissioner, helped Gesualdo launch D.A.D. as a special education program in the communities.

Doctors, Psychologists, Neuroscientists, Special Needs Therapists, and Teachers use Gesualdo's pioneering Drum Therapy® techniques in schools, health facilities, and community centers in over 15 Countries. He is invited to lecture and perform at major universities, medical, music, and education conferences on a global level, and his research has been published in numerous media outlets. As one of the top disability experts, He is often asked by lawyers, senators and congressmen throughout the United States to help draft special needs legislation. Gesualdo wrote the first law in the United Sates that helps expand protection for the special needs population, and has overseen some of the highest profile court cases of abuse or neglect of special needs population.

Gesualdo is the author of the breakthrough book/CD "Drum Therapy, Healing With the Drumset.” (Alfred Music Publishing), which helps special needs therapists and drummers help their special needs patients and students. He was nominated to Who’s Who In America, performs and lectures in clinics/industry seminars on a global level, and is an artist/clinician for Pro-Mark Drumsticks and Zildjian Cymbals.

For more information, please contact 973-263-0420, or visit www.metalhalloffame.org, or www.patgesualdo.net

Singer / Songwriter Chris Housman is 'Laid Back' with Pals Brooke Eden and Adam Mac in New Video

July 31, 2024

Earlier today queer country artist Chris Housman released his latest music video for “Laid Back.” The track, written by Housman along with Emily Kroll and Christian Wood and produced by Wood, is featured on his critically-acclaimed debut album, Blueneck, and offers his take on the classic Country summer song.

Featured recently on “CBS Sunday Morning’s” digital platforms, Housman shares of the track, “I love Country music and feel-good beats, and ‘Laid Back’ encapsulates both of those to me. I wanted to write a song reminiscent of those quintessential drinkin’ and sunnin’ songs you’d have on repeat on the boat on a hot summer day.”

The new clip, directed by Ford Fairchild and produced by Rebecca Adler, premiered via YouTube with the out singer/songwriter hosting a live Q&A before sharing the video. Shot at Percy Priest Lake, the video finds Housman and friends, including fellow queer country artists Brooke Eden and Adam Mac, enjoying a day of fishing and fun in the sun.

“Filming the video for ‘Laid Back’ was exactly that…spending the day on the water having a great time with great friends. One of my favorite things to do,” shares Housman. “We borrowed Adam and his fiancé Lee’s boat nicknamed ‘She Ain’t Fancy But She Floats’ - an appropriately named vessel for a song about making the perfect lake day out of a little. I grew up loving Country summer songs, and I hope the video shows that beer, boats and fishing are for queer people too!”

Watch “Laid Back” Below.

Called “one of Nashville's most authentically soulful singer-songwriters “ by the Tennessean, the man USA Today declared a “gayme-changer” has brought together both a queer and country sensibility with his debut album that, to many, might seem at odds with one another. Yet backed by a rich six string sound, he delivers a classic twang infused with his Kansas baritone to gently, yet unapologetically, speak his truth at every turn. Listen to Blueneck HERE.

An NPR All Songs Considered Best Album pick noting, “…he is making beautifully crafted music that any classic country fan would love,” Housman co-wrote all 13 tracks on the album, offering a musical bridge for a divided time. Called “irresistible” by Rolling Stone, with “Good Morning America” praising him for “making waves,” and Billboard hailing him as a beacon for “outcasts in the genre,” Housman’s message is a simple one: “Country music is for everyone.” Given the over 6 million streams and 279,000 online followers for an independent artist, it's clearly a message that the world wants to hear.

The native mid-westerner’s country credentials go beyond his music though. He was born and raised in Hanston, Kansas, the epitome of small-town America with a population of just 200. His childhood was rooted in the rural and the conservative, growing up on a farm and living for Country music. “At 7 years old, I loved going to Country jam sessions with my family. I would get mesmerized by this guy Tom, who played fiddle,” recounts Housman, “At Christmas, I got a fiddle from Santa, and I picked it up and ran from there.”

His talent was quickly apparent, and by the age of 8, he was performing with the family band, playing in venues across the state. Over time he would add other strings to his bow, learning to sing, play guitar, upright bass, piano, saxophone, spoons, banjo, and even whistle at a competitive level.

“I played a ton of shows as a kid,” he recalls, “but my relationship with Country changed when I turned 18 and I came out as gay.” He moved to Nashville to attend Belmont on an academic scholarship and stopped playing for some time. “I thought, ‘I can continue to be comfortable and out and gay, or I can do country music, but I definitely can’t do both.’" For a while, that was that.

However, the world of country music never quite let Housman go. After years working behind the scenes doing copyright and licensing for other artists, Housman couldn’t ignore the call of the stage anymore. It was a freak accident that brought him back into the fold. In 2014, Housman broke his neck, a shock to the system that made him realize he hadn’t moved to Nashville to just work on other peoples' music. After a brief stint in a duo, he began writing and performing at colleges across the country solo.

In fact, a number of tracks on his debut album have already been resonating with fans. Title track “Blueneck,” a welcoming homespun manifesto that proudly declares “Y’all means all,” went viral on TikTok taking the burgeoning singer from 72 followers to hundreds of thousands overnight and hit No. 1 on the iTunes country chart, No. 4 on iTunes all-music chart, and peaked at No. 16 on the Billboard Digital Country chart.

Other previously released tracks like “Bible Belt,” an examination of religious trauma, and the fable-like “Drag Queen,” which celebrates a teacher of the year who goes from Michael to Michelle after hours, continued the dialogue between his genre and his lived experience. The clever wordplay and radio-friendly pop-country sounds made these songs instant hits with his rapidly expanding fanbase and expedited the release of his debut album.

“It feels like my life’s work. The thing I’ve been making since I picked up the fiddle at 7,” Housman effuses “It’s pretty upbeat and positive but it’s also my soul, my truth.”

The album’s recent release for “High Hopes” left Pride.com declaring Housman was “absolutely feeding us this summer” while the video for “Guilty as Sin” saw its music video premiere in Times Square through CMT with Queerty calling it "defiantly gay." A special moment to be sure for an independent artist. However, for Housman, the greatest gift has been the response from fans.

“I see a lot of people out there who grew up loving country music, but gravitated away from it because they didn’t feel welcome there anymore,” shares the tattooed troubadour. “When those people tell me I helped them finally feel seen in the genre…that’s already living the dream as far as I’m concerned.”

Housman is one of six participants in this year’s Equal Access Development Program, an intensive artist and management training initiative created by CMT and management company mtheory to support underrepresented voices in country music.

For more information, visit ChrisHousman.com and follow along on Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook@ChrisHousmanMusic and on X @ChrisHousman.

FORMER PRIDE AND FURYON VOCALIST MATT MITCHELL BRINGS HIS MATT MITCHELL AND THE COLDHEARTS TO NORTH AMERICA THROUGH DEKO ENTERTAINMENT

July 31, 2024

Matt Mitchell has been known as the voice of a few bands before carving out his solo journey under the moniker Matt Mitchell & The Coldhearts. AOR band Pride, Heavy Rock band Furyon, and Blues Rock band Colour Of Noise were all fronted by the British singer. With much praise from UK media Mitchell has received a wide range of print and online press for his new venture. BBC Radio 2 and Planet Rock are amongst the many radio stations that have championed Mitchell’s music.

The debut Coldhearts Album was born when Mitchell and his collective ventured to the iconic Rockfield Studios (Oasis, Bullet for My Valentine, Sepultura, Simple Minds) in Wales where they recorded the album featuring the popular ‘Black Diamonds’ & ‘Home’. Originally released in 2019 it is now getting its proper North American release.

Watch “Black Diamonds” Below:

It became clear that a sophomore album would at some point appear and Mitchell wrote and recorded new music with his band in the shape of Mission. The album was released and landed a place in the Official UK Rock Album Chart top 20! 2024 sees an exciting extended version Mission (Ultimate Edition) featuring 6 extra tracks.

Watch “Mission” here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GmKZOTyqw-M

Both are now being issued in North America through Deko Entertainment and as Mitchell states about them, “In between bands and projects I’ve always kept writing and recording. Co-writes and exploring different styles had been on going. In 2017 I had the idea to release solo albums under the moniker Matt Mitchell & The Coldhearts and ventured to the iconic Rockfield Studios in Wales and recorded the self-titled debut. A sophomore album soon followed in the shape of ‘Mission’. Both albums feature riff rockers to ballads and I’m excited to be releasing the albums in North America in 2024.”

Get your copies here: https://bit.ly/MATTMITCHELL

For more information, visit
https://www.mattmitchellmusic.com/
www.dekoentertainment.com
Deko Entertainment–Art Has Value

Koe Wetzel's '9 Lives' Debuts at No. 5 Country Album, No. 15 All-Genre as 'Damn Near Normal World Tour' Begins

July 30, 2024

Texan renegade singer-songwriter Koe Wetzel continues his meteoric rise with his latest release, 9 Lives, debuting at No. 15 on the all-genre Billboard 200 and No. 5 on the Billboard Top Country Albums chart (No. 2 among new releases, behind only the “Twisters” soundtrack), marking Wetzel’s fourth Top 10 entry. With 36,200 in total consumption, 9 Lives surpasses the debut week of his previous album, Hell Paso, which entered at No. 3 with 25,000 units in October 2022.

“We’ve been honing and growing a certain sound, and we’re hitting it: it’s what the people have been expecting from me, but we hadn’t gotten there yet,” reflects Wetzel about the album that is resonating with fans in an unprecedented way. “This weekend we saw thousands of people singing the lyrics to every single song from the time we get onto that stage until we were done,” he marvels. “When you see that, you realize what you’re saying means something to people – and that’s more important than anything.”

9 Lives also arrives at No. 3 on the Americana/Folk Albums chart and features Wetzel’s first two Hot Country Songs Top 10 hits, “High Road” with Jessie Murph (currently No. 9, having peaked at No. 8) and “Sweet Dreams” (currently No. 19, having peaked at No. 10). Additionally, these tracks are making waves on the Billboard Country Streaming Songs chart, with “High Road” at No. 7 and “Sweet Dreams” at No. 25, having also debuted on at No. 29 and No. 47 respectively on the all-genre Billboard Hot 100 chart.

“When we made music together, it was all about his heart, being honest with his feelings, and giving it the backdrop of confidence that didn’t feel like he was only being vulnerable, [that he was] also being a badass,” adds producer Gabe Simon in a conversation with American Songwriter about the new album recorded both in Texas and Tennessee. “It needed to be honest but also bulletproof.”

That backdrop of confidence was also on full display as Wetzel kicked off his Damn Near Normal World Tour with a sold-out weekend in his home state. Joining Morgan Wallen in performing to more than 50,000 fans on Friday, July 26 at the Dallas Cowboys’ AT&T Stadium, Wetzel then began his own headlining run in front of nearly 16,000 fans in Houston on Saturday, July 27. Photos from opening weekend of the tour that continues through mid-November are available HERE.

For more information and to purchase tickets to upcoming shows, visit KoeWetzelMusic.com and follow on Instagram and Facebook @KoeWetzelMusic, TikTok @Koe_Wetzel and Twitter/X @KoeWetzel.

About Koe Wetzel
Koe Wetzel never met a genre wall he couldn’t tear down: The Texas singer-songwriter has earned a rabid audience for his songs that mix country, rock, hip-hop, and even Nineties grunge. His 2016 album Noise Complaint endeared him to fans with its no- holds-barred lyrics about drunken nights, broken hearts and stints in jail, and included the Gold-certified hits “Love” (feat. Parker McCollum), “Something to Talk About” and the infamous “February 28, 2016.” Wetzel’s 2020 major label debut, Sellout, only furthered his legend with the Platinum-certified “Drunk Driving” and “Good Die Young” plus the Gold-certified “Kuntry & Wistern.” The 2022 follow-up, Hell Paso, hit No. 3 on Billboard’s Country Albums and spawned hits on both the country and rock charts, including the Gold-certified “Creeps” and “Cabo.” To date, Wetzel has 2.8 billion total streams and has created a genuine experience with his live concerts, which he describes as “total chaos.” In 2023 alone, he sold more than 275,000 tickets, and appeared for a third time on POLLSTAR’s Top Worldwide Tours. Wetzel has played prominent festival sets this summer and opened for Morgan Wallen on the superstar’s One Night at a Time Stadium Tour in Texas, while also headlining his own Damn Near Normal World Tour, currently underway. His new album, 9 Lives (Columbia), is available everywhere now as lead single “High Road” with Jessie Murph arrives as his debut Country radio single while also climbing both the Hot AC and Top 40 charts.

UK electro-goth iconoclasts HISTORY OF GUNS presents 'What's Buried (Will Rise)' from new 'Half Light' album

July 30, 2024

“Invisible hooks that will sink further in” ~ Auxiliary Magazine

“By far, the most inventive UK band to have got their hands caught in the Industrial threshing machine” ~ Mick Mercer

"Like Killing Joke and Nine Inch Nails, they’ve taken on new forms whilst remaining easily identifiable in their journey from goth rock to post-punk and darkwave to EDM and wider electro-goth hybrid territory. The tension of opposites that characterises much of their work propels it forth to an electronic beat, the vocals uncoiling, snake-like, atop a steady electronic catchment" ~ Amplify Music Magazine

“Polished, dramatic, full of poise and binding sentiment, and one of awesome sound and feeling” ~ Liverpool Sound and Vision

Hertfordshire-based industrial-postpunk legends History Of Guns. who were frontrunners of the UK's Wasp Factory / FuturePunk scene of the early 2000s, present 'What's Buried (Will Rise)' from their newly-released eighth album 'Half Light'.

On this album, founding members Del Alien (vocals) and Max Rael (keyboards, programming) are joined by guitarist Caden Clarkson (the newest member of History Of Guns) in exploring the human condition through various musical genres. Produced Max Rael, 'Half Light' was mixed by Max Rael and Caden Clarkson, and mastered by Pete Maher (U2, Pixies, Nick Cave, Depeche Mode, NIN).

Still crafting their unique meta-modernist Industrial sound 28 years since forming in Cheshunt, the new album (released via the Liquid Len Recording Company) was previewed by the singles 'No Longer Earthbound' and 'When You Don't Matter'. The new single explores the psychological repression experienced by non-conformists and the systematic amnesia that emerges from that, where only specific memories or groups of ideas are withdrawn from recollection.

"How well do we really know ourselves? The “introspection illusion" suggests that the way we view ourselves is probably inherently distorted. In terms of the conscious, the subconscious and the unconscious, how much of how we think and behave is driven by each aspect? Freud & Jung's theories of repression say that the more you try to bury something that happened, or some aspect of your self the more it will come back in some form or other as "the return of the repressed'," says Max Rael.

"As for the video, I've always been obsessed with that kind of high contrast black white look ever since I fell in love with Orson Welles. I was watching the recent adaptation of Patricia Highsmith's Talented Mr Ripley books on Netflix, and there's an episode where Tom and Dicky are out in this little two-man boat. Because the songs on 'Half Light' are aligned to the Greek Elements, I thought it'd be great to have this video in black and white, with shots of submerged objects floating to the surface. We had some help from ace director and VFX supremo Howard Gardner. I think the end result is intriguing, and a bit wrong, but hopefully wrong in a good way!"

The roots of 'Half Light' trace back to electronic tunes they had begun in 2008, surrounding the unpredictability of the future and elements of the novel that Max Rael is currently writing, exploring both inner and outer space. An album in three acts, the first four tracks make up Act One (opening a door), then 'Flashes of Light Pt. 5' walks through that door. Act Two closes with the album's most joyous point - 'Arcadia', with four tracks in the final act.

History Of Guns aims to create a strange alternative world where people can feel safe. This doesn’t mean the album is all joy. It has a lot of darkness in it, like life itself. History Of Guns embrace the dark as well as the light, bleakness and hope, as openly and unironically honestly as possible. Here you'll find songs about mental health, society, addiction, abandonment, different levels of reality and the struggle to keep going. Yet through this darkness, there remains underneath, a core of hope.

Del Alien - an original punk turned goth - is an anti-authority seeker of truth and the questions behind the questions. Max Rael is in love with the idea of using music to create a separate universe for creating stories and escaping into, was an autistic, music-obsessed child, absorbing a dozen genres before diving into trance after Britpop ruined the alternative scene.

History of Guns' 2004 single 'Your Obedient Servant' was championed by The Quietus and Mick Mercer among the “30 best goth singles of all time”. Taking hiatus in 2012, they released the album 'Forever Dying In Your Eyes' in 2022. Influenced by Killing Joke, PWEI, Bauhaus, Coil, Joy Division, Sisters of Mercy, Nine Inch Nails and Swans, History of Guns have played Whitby Gothic Weekend, as well as Futurepunkand Back to the Futurepunk events.

The 'Half Light' album is out now, available from fine music platforms, such as Spotify, Apple Music and Bandcamp.

ALBUM CREDITS
Produced by Max Rael
Mixed by Max Rael and Caden Clarkson
Recorded at Apollo Audio (Hertford), Soul Studios (Bishops Stortford)
Mastered by Pete Maher
Del Alien - vocals
Max Rael - keyboards, programming, guitars
Caden Clarkson - guitar
Andy Webster & Marnie from SPUCKTUTE - vocals on 'Never Give it Up'
Amon Ásentir & Mark Eris from Xykogen - vocals on 'Arcadia'
Arcadia Choir (Emma Mills, Priyanka O’Neill, Sohm O’Neill and Ninotschka G.) - vocals on 'Arcadia'
Nykky Spectre - vocals on 'An Invitation'
Cover artwork by Amara O'Neill
Video by Howard Gardner
Publicity by Shameless Promotion PR

PIG (a.k.a. Raymond Watts) releases 'Red Room' album via Metropolis Records, announcing North American tour

July 30, 2024

Raymond Watts a.k.a. PIG has released his new album 'Red Room' on CD and digitally via Metropolis Records and on vinyl via Armalyte Industries, and will be bringing the album to life through the colossal ‘Heroin For The Damned’ tourwith Curse Mackey and Unitcode : Machine. The 40-date itinerary follows a headlining set at Cold Waves XII in Chicago on September 28.

Following the 2022 album ‘The Merciless Light’, ‘Red Room’ is the sound of Watts beating the hammer of hope on the anvil of despair. But, far from being the dying light of decay, this is a spark, an ember and a torch in transition, lighting up the house of PIG before Watts burns it up and blows it down, cutting through yhrscaly rind to PIG's tender heart and soft underbelly.

Earlier, PIG shared the thunderous intro track ‘Crumbs Chaos & Lies’ featuring Alexis Mincolla (3Teeth) with a riveting video by the elusive visionary Ibex, and the lead track ‘Dum Dum Bullet’ with a penetrating video by E Gabriel Edvy for Blackswitch Labs. This anthem features a choir of iconic guests that include Chris Connelly (Revolting Cocks, Ministry), I Ya Toyah, En Esch (KMFDM), Emily Kavanaugh (Night Club), Chris Hall (Stabbing Westward), Burton C Bell (Fear Factory, Ascension of the Watchers) and Marc Heal (Cubanate).

Watts co-wrote much of ‘Red Room’ with Jim Davies of Pitchshifter, best known for his acidic and acerbic guitar lines on many chart hits by The Prodigy. Other guests include Chris Hall (Stabbing Westward), who delivers a soaring vocal performance on ‘The Sick Man's Prayer’, Watts' old KMFDM bandmate Günther Schulz (a.k.a. 'The Czar of Guitar'), who appears on the anthemic ‘Dirty Mercy’, and the great jazz trumpeter Enrico Tomasso (who has worked on and off with Watts for three decades), who brings his deft and delicate touch to ‘PIG Is At The Window’.

'Red Room' album order  https://pigindustries.bandcamp.com/album/red-room
Spotify https://open.spotify.com/album/0sQy98y0v0ApSR8MnzaMeW
Apple Music https://music.apple.com/ca/album/red-room/1743960219
'Dum Dum Bullet'  https://youtu.be/eA5y9tiF0Fs
'Crumbs, Chaos & Lies' feat. Alexis Mincolla (3Teeth)  https://youtu.be/HDpuAq9ONKU

Watts has had a stellar career since cutting his teeth in the mid-1980s industrial rock scene as a member of KMFDM. Apart from releasing 14 albums as PIG, he has toured with Nine Inch Nails, KMFDM and Einstürzende Neubauten, written music for fashion and film (Chloe, Marios Schwab, Halston, The Row), and even did sound design for the exhibition 'Punk: Chaos to Couture' at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York.

Watts also collaborated with the late fashion icon Alexander McQueen, who commissioned him (with John Gosling) to embellish the serene instrumental track ‘Inside’ (from PIG's 1999 album ‘Genuine American Monster’) for the soundtrack to ‘Plato’s Atlantis’. The show was reprised after McQueen’s untimely death in as the finale of ‘Savage Beauty', a posthumous retrospective that broke all records at both The Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Victoria & Albert Museum.

'Red Room' is out now, available on CD and digitally from fine online platforms, including Apple Music, Spotify and Bandcamp. On August 23, PIG will also re-release the seminal album 'Sinsation (Remastered)', originally released in the mid-1990s on Trent Reznor's label Nothing Records.

ALBUM CREDITS
Raymond Watts
Jim Davies
With: En Esch, Michelle Martinez, Günter Schulz, Chris Hall, Alexis Mincolla, Mike Watts, Enrico Tomasso, Anita Kyoda
The PIG choir: Emily Kavanaugh, Burton C Bell, Chris Connelly, Marc Heal, En Esch, Kanga, Susannah Doyle, Anita Kyoda, Chris Hall, I Ya Toyah, Jim Davies, Mark Alan Griffiths, Mike Watts, Jimmy Livingstone
All songs written by Raymond Watts / Jim Davies, except Tracks 8, 9, 10 (Raymond Watts) and Track 11 (Raymond Watts / Michael Watts)
Produced & mixed by Raymond Watts
Additional production by Jim Davies
Recorded & mixed at Ranch Apocalypse and Otherwise Studios
Additional recordings made in Sydney, Vancouver, Berlin, Los Angeles
Mastering by Tom Hall at Abbey Road
Artwork - Vlad McNeally
Photography – E Gabriel Edvy / Blackswitch Labs
Audio visual consultant - Mark Alan Griffiths
Publicity by Shauna McLarnon at Shameless Promotion PR

TOUR DATES (with Curse Mackey and Unitcode : Machine)
9/28/24: Chicago, IL, @ Metro
9/ 29/24: Minneapolis, MN @ Cabooze
9/30/24: Des Moines, IA @ Lefty’s Live Music
10/2/24: Milwaukee, WI @ X-Ray Arcade
10/3/24: Davenport, IA @ Raccoon Motel
10/4/24: Lawrence, KS @ The Bottleneck
10/5/24: Denver, CO Kulture Music Hall
10/6/24: SLC, UT @ Quarters
10/7/24: Boise, ID @ Visual Arts Collective
10/9/24: Eugene, OR @ John Henry’s
10/10/24: Seattle, WA @ El Corazon
10/13/24: Portland, OR @ Dante’s
10/15/24: Sacramento, CA @ Starlit Room
10/16/24: SF, CA @ DNA
10/17/24: San Diego, CA @ Whistle Stop
10/18/24: Las Vegas, NV @ Sinwave
10/19/24: Los Angeles, CA @ Catch One
10/20/24: Scottsdale, AZ @ Pub Rock
10/21/24: Albuquerque, NM @ Launchpad
10/23/24: OK City @ Beer City
10/24/24: Dallas, TX @ Three Links
10/26/24: Austin, TX @ Elysium
10/27/24: New Orleans, LA @ Santos
10/29/24: Pensacola, FL @ Handlebar
10/30/24: Orlando, Fl @ Handlebar
11/1/24: West Palm Beach, FL @ Respectable Street
11/2/24: Jacksonville, FL @ Underbelly
11/3/24: Greenville, SC @ Radio Room
11/5/24: Atlanta, GA @ Star Bar
11/6/24: Richmond, VA @ Fallout
11/7/24: Baltimore, MD @ Metro Baltimore
11/8/24: New York, NY @ STIMULATE
11/10/24: Millersville, PA @ Phantom Power
11/12/24: Cambridge, MA @ Middle East
11/13/24: Quebec City, QC @ L’anti Bar
11/14/24: Montreal, QC @ Cabaret Fous
11/15/24: Toronto, ON @ Lee’s Palace
11/16/24: Detroit, MI @ Smalls
11/17/24: Cleveland, OH @ Beachland Tavern

RYAN AND RORY’S SELF-TITLED DEBUT EP, AVAILABLE NOW

July 29, 2024

SiriusXM The Highway’s latest “Highway Find,” Ryan and Rory today release their highly anticipated self-titled debut EP. Joining the ranks of previous “Highway Finds” such as Luke Combs, Gabby Barrett, Parker McCollum, among others, Ryan and Rory’s debut features their buzzy party starter and a nod to the universal heartache band-aid “Pour Decisions.” Released earlier this year, Country Now declared the lively smash a “catchy, post-heartbreak summertime anthem.” Country Swag applauded that “the singer-songwriters are bursting onto the scene with a prime summer-ready song” and are “an act to pay attention to,” while MusicRow boasted that “Ryan and Rory are set to make major waves on the country music scene.” Listen to Ryan and Rory’s self-titled EP HERE.

Both immersed in music from a young age, Ryan Follesé is a Nashville native, 2X PLATINUM #1 hit singer-songwriter and American Music Award winner. Rory John Zak, from Raleigh, North Carolina, is a multi-instrumentalist singer-songwriter who has played over 300 shows per year since he was 17.

“We are so excited for everyone to hear these songs,” says Rory. “Each one was inspired by real-life people and situations we’ve experienced over the last few years. The songs speak to the lives we live, and we hope that they do the same for everyone who loves country music like we do.”

“We see this first batch of songs as our musical mission statement,” says Ryan. “Great country songs are what we are about, and we could not be prouder to start our journey with these six. They are for true country music fans - the greatest fans in the world."

Son of #1 songwriters Adrienne and Keith Follesé (Faith Hill, Tim McGraw, Martina McBride), Ryan co-wrote all six tracks on the debut, including five with his hitmaker family, while Rory added his masterful instrumentals and expertly smooth harmonies to Ryan’s robust lead vocals.

Kickstarting their catalog with a vivacious “Pour Decisions,” the EP exemplifies that vibrant, wide-open spirit with songs like “Drunk and Lonely,” a two-step singalong featuring dirt-floor dancehall vibes and Rory’s honky-tonk piano that would make Brooks & Dunn proud, “This Town,” a celebration of small-town dreams and freedom, and “State I’m In,” a rockin’ tale of regret that comes from chasing a lover across the country, only to find out that the entire passion-led journey was a dead end.

Rounding out the debut, the duo dial in on soul-stirring ballads like “Cowboy Cry,” a woeful she-done-him-wrong classic, and “Thanks Mama,” a song Ryan co-wrote with his dad, brother and sister as a surprise for his mom, whose wise advice narrates the touching track.

Up next, Ryan and Rory will open for Sam Hunt on Friday, August 23 in Memphis, Tenn. at Radians Amphitheater and on Saturday, August 24 in Gary, Indiana at Hard Rock Live. For tickets and tour updates, visit ryanandrorymusic.com.

Produced by Kevin Bard and Nick Zinnanti

*Produced by Dann Huff

Tigirlily Gold’s Debut Album ‘Blonde’ is Available Everywhere Now

July 29, 2024

“Tigirlily Gold spins everything true of the duo’s story and artistry into an album of sassy anthems.” – American Songwriter

“‘Blonde’ is charming and confident with fun 90s touches” – Entertainment Focus

“Tigirlily Gold has not only delivered an album that reflects their most authentic selves but also one that redefines girl group energy in country music.” – Country Now

Current Single “I Tried A Ring On” Hits Top 40 at Country Radio and Climbing

Reigning ACM New Duo of the Year Tigirlily Gold arrive today with their debut album, Blonde, via Monument Records. In many ways, the project is a culmination of the sister duo’s perseverance in chasing their dreams – showcasing a collection of songs both reminiscent of their five years spent entertaining the rowdy crowds on Nashville’s Lower Broadway, as well as the growth they’ve experienced while navigating love and loss in the mix. Listen to Blonde HERE.

“Our debut album is finally out in the world! We’ve spent the past 11 years working towards this moment, and to have this collection of music out feels amazing,” sisters Kendra and Krista share. “We truly feel like we’ve entered a new chapter of our career, kicking it off with the ‘Blonde’ era! Seeing fans reacting and choosing their favorites already is by far the best part.

“Blonde is all about embracing your inner confidence, being bold, wearing your heart on your sleeve, and having the ability to poke fun at yourself when life doesn't go your way. We hope after people listen to these 10 songs they feel like they’ve gained two more sisters in this world,” they add.

The debut hits as current single “I Tried A Ring On” becomes their second to reach Top 40 at country radio, and Krista and Kendra Slaubaugh are just getting started. Adding to a blockbuster year for the sisters, Country Now notes the album “reflects their most authentic selves” while American Songwriter opines the project “spins everything true of the duo’s story and artistry into an album of sassy anthems.”

The album follows the pair’s 2021 self-titled EP and 2023 Blonde EP and features a cover of the Leona Lewis hit “Bleeding Love,” a favorite in the girls live show, as well as original tracks like the seductive “Move On” which Country Now lauded as “sexy… bold… forward” as it celebrates making the first move. While “Hometown Song” highlights the more serious side of the sisters, describing the push and pull of both loving and hating where you come from.

To the sister duo, “Blonde” is a state of mind. “You can’t buy happiness, but you can buy hair like this/ It’s a Dolly Parton state of mind,” they sing on the song’s chorus.

Blonde embodies this infectious energy while introducing a new chapter for the North Dakota natives, showcasing their mesmerizing harmonies and adept songwriting alongside relatable stories. The women knew they wanted to create a bold and fearless album. In doing so, they also leave a part of themselves in every song.

For the latest information visit, tigirlily.com and follow along on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook @tigirlily and on TikTok @TigirlilyGold.

About Tigirlily Gold:
ACM New Duo of the Year Tigirlily Gold has been playing music together since they could walk, and officially formed their band in high school. Growing up, they crisscrossed the mid-west, growing a fierce fan base and selling out amphitheaters across their home-state of North Dakota. After moving to Nashville, they landed a weekly residence at Dierks Bentley’s Whiskey Row on Nashville’s famed lower Broadway. Playing four-hour sets, three to four nights a week, the sisters developed a performance style that’s not only captivating and fun but shows just how entertaining is in their blood. After releasing their original song “Somebody Does,” in 2021, the track topped the iTunes chart and Tigirlily Gold was signed to Monument Records. They released their self-titled, debut EP in July 2021, working with multi-Grammy Award Winner Shane McAnally, and hit the road with artists like Walker Hayes and Ashley McBryde. Now, the powerhouse duo has embarked on a new musical chapter with their debut album, Blonde –a deeply personal project that includes tales of love and loss alongside powerful anthems and songs of female empowerment – available now. Their debut single at country radio, “Shoot Tequila,” reached the Top 40 and found viral success with millions of views across social media, and millions of streams across platforms, as well as two CMT Award nominations earlier this year for Breakthrough Female Video and Duo/Group Video of the Year. Their much anticipated follow up single “I Tried A Ring On” is at Country radio now. After making their Grand Ole Opry debut and performing to a national audience on the “TODAY Show,” Tigirlily Gold is ready to bring girl group energy back to country.

Beasto Blanco Releases First New Album In 5 Years, KINETICA, Available Now;

July 29, 2024

Beasto Blanco’s brand-new album KINETICA, their first since 2019, is released now via COP International Records and available now through Bandcamp. In celebration of the new record, Beasto Blanco also releases a new single/video for “Diamond in the Dirt,” their most explosive and apocalyptic yet.

See the video for “Diamond in the Dirt” BELOW

Order vinyl and CD formats of KINETICA HERE

Beasto Blanco features the electrifying collaboration of Nashville-based shock rockers Chuck Garric (Alice Cooper) and high priestess Calico Cooper, delivering an instant knockout blow. KINETICA aspires to capture the visuals, energy, love, sex, sweat, robots, and raw animalistic essence that defines the band.

With an explosive sound and captivating visuals, the first two new singles “Run For Your Life” and “Lowlands” are the perfect balance of raw power and infectious melodies that showcases Beasto Blanco’s refreshing authenticity as a beacon of genuine, unapologetic rock ‘n’ roll. Both tracks were produced by Chris Harms / Lord of the Lost.

Beasto Blanco will also head out on a North American tour this September, supporting Lord of the Lost, where the new tunes can be heard live. Tickets and VIP packages are on sale now HERE.

As well, Beasto Blanco has been confirmed for appearances at several European festivals this summer, including Wacken Open Air, and the band will tour Europe in November with Dead Daisies – find all tour dates below.

BEASTO BLANCO 2024 TOUR DATES

Supporting Lord of the Lost

September 20 Cleveland, OH @ House of Blues

September 22 Minneapolis, MN @ Amsterdam Hall

September 24 Denver, CO @ Summit Music Hall

September 26 Phoenix, AZ @ Van Buren Music Hall

September 27 Los Angeles, CA @ The Roxy

September 28 San Francisco, CA @ The Independent

Summer Festival Appearances

July 29 Köln, Germany @Lofi

July 31 Munich, Germany @ Free & Easy Festival

August 1 Oberhausen, Germany @ Euro Summer Tour

August 3 Wacken, Germany @ Wacken Open Air

Tour with Dead Daisies

November 1 Hengelo, Netherlands @ Metropool

November 2 Sint-Niklaas, Belgium @ De Casino

November 3 Hamburg, Germany @ Grünspan

November 5 Cologne, Germany @ Essigfabrik

November 6 Munich, Germany @ Technikum

November 8 Dordrecht, Netherlands @ Bibelot

November 9 Bochum, Germany @ Ruhr Congress

November 10 Pratteln, Switzerland @ Z7

November 11 Paris, France @ Élysée Montmarte

November 13 Prague, Czech Republic @ Palac Akropolis

November 15 Budapest, Hungary @ Barba Negra

November 16 Vienna, Austria @ Simm City

November 17 Frankfurt, Germany @ Gibson

About Beasto Blanco

Rock and Roll born in the Mountain Mud and the Desert Sun ... Beasto Blanco was formed by Chuck Garric and Chris Latham. They set out to create a raw, powerful, rock ‘n’ roll band with a searing, theatrical live experience. Enter Calico Cooper, rock vixen and the spawn of Garric’s boss, legendary shock rocker Alice Cooper and a renegade German rhythm section and Beasto Blanco’s inimitable sound and image emerged. Blood, sweat, and gasoline are fueling Beasto Blanco’s explosive rock sound and captivating visuals. A band and an audience united in one inseparable union of musical thunder and sensational spectacle. Welcome to the world of Beasto Blanco. Whether illuminated in the spotlights of cavernous arenas or headlining packed theaters and clubs, the band’s mission is unwavering: To create an immersive experience where everyone is welcome to join an extended family whose support is unconditional and authentic.

Lineup:

Chuck Garric (long time Alice Cooper bassist) on guitars and vocals

Calico Cooper on vocals

Brother Latham on guitars

Jan LeGrow on bass

Sean Sellers on drums

About COP International

Now in its 32nd year, COP International’s expanding roster of artists includes Stabbing Westward, Azam Ali, Red Lorry Yellow Lorry, The Cassandra Complex, Blackcarburning, and Beasto Blanco. The label reached a turning point in 2019, teaming up with legendary producer John Fryer to form a production company under the COP International umbrella. Fryer is producing and engineering the majority of the forthcoming COP catalog and also working as A&R in helping to select appropriate acts. “The level of craftsmanship, artistic talent and meticulous attention to detail is what sets John’s work a world apart,” says COP International founder Christian Petke. "Our philosophy is quite simple: Find exceptional talent, don’t limit ourselves or the artists, and build a tribe based on the excellence of the releases. We have signed a couple bands that have major chart potential based on previous entries, and we are very excited about our projects for this year. Another thing that is rather important to us is a certain level of closeness and mutual appreciation we have as label and artist. It is our responsibility to provide a nurturing environment that allows the artist to focus on their craft. We support and shield them and provide the business machinery that will develop their full potential."

https://www.copint.com/

Find Beasto Blanco online:

Website: https://www.beastoblanco.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BeastoBlanco/?pnref=lhc

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/beastoblanco/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/BeastoBlanco

BEAUTY IN CHAOS releases fourth album 'Dancing With Angels' - Watch the video for 'Holy Ground' feat. Patrik Mata (Kommunity FK)

July 25, 2024

"Stunning musical and, in particular, six-string intricacy... layers of lush, ringing, occasionally grimy and often heavily effected guitars" ~ Guitar World

"Guitarist Michael Ciravolo assembled an all-star cast for his moody hard-hitting album... Intense" ~ Rolling Stone

"Hauntingly heavy and beautiful" – LA Weekly

"A dream team of musicians, taking us on a sonic journey that blends haunting melodies with crushing riffs. Catchy hooks, superb melodicism" ~ The Spill Magazine

LA-based collective Beauty In Chaos has released their fourth album 'Dancing With Angels' via 33.3 Music Collective, cementing their legacy for crafting captivating and imagination-stirring music with eight diverse, riveting tracks on offer. BIC has also just unveiled the video for 'Holy Ground', a lush offering, featuring Patrik Mata of seminal darkwave band Kommunity FK, that marks a thrilling departure from BIC's signature goth rock / postpunk sound.

Beauty In Chaos was formed in 2018 by guitarist Michael Ciravolo (formerly of Human Drama and Gene Loves Jezebel and currently President of Schecter Guitars) with Grammy nominated producer Michael Rozon (Ministry) as a revolving evolving sonic entity. To date, BIC has involved numerous luminaries from The Cure, Ministry, Cheap Trick, The Offspring, Gene Loves Jezebel, Marilyn Manson, Human Drama, Bauhaus, Nine Inch Nails, Van Halen, A Flock of Seagulls, dUg Pinnick (Kings X), ICE-T, guitar icon Zakk Wylde, Rolan Bolan, among others.

"The title was inspired by a painting from a talented German artist Maren Platzhoff, which also became the album’s cover. As Michael Rozon and I began writing the music for this release, I knew I wanted to blend artists from our first two releases with some amazing new members to our BIC family," says Michael Ciravolo.

This eight song release features BIC alumni Ashton Nyte, Holy Wars firecracker Kat Leon, and both Wayne and Cinthya Hussey. Ciravolo shares “I love bringing in ‘less famous’ but certainly no less talented artists to the fold, and I think this album does just that”. Leo Luganskiy (Strangelove), Julian Shah-Tayler (The Singularity), former Silence In The Snow frontwoman Cynthia Isabella, The Bellwether Syndicate’s William and Sarah Faith, and Patrik Mata (Kommunity FK) bring immense and diverse talents to 'Dancing With Angels'.

Ciravolo describes this album as sort of a "sonic regression and a sonic progression", noting “I meant this as a positive thing, taking some of the post-rock elements of our debut album, the stark dark bits that run through ‘The Storm Before The Calm' and the gothy dreamy-gaze of 'Behind The Veil’. It was definitely going a bit backwards to take a few steps forward!”

For its CD format, Ciravolo did something he has long wanted to do... joining songs together with musical interludes, which he's dubbed ‘Halos’. He explains, “These are unique soundscape interludes that sonically tie each song together, along with the album’s coda. I do have this… probably unrealistic romantic idea that the listener will give this album at least one top-to-bottom uninterrupted listen”.

The album's lead track 'Diving For Pearls' features The Mission's Wayne Hussey and Cinthya Hussey, his wife and partner in Archeometre. The ‘single version’ was mixed by legendary producer Tim Palmer (The Cure, U2, David Bowie, Robert Plant, HIM, The Mission) with a fab video created by Vicente Cordero / Industrialism Films. About Hussey's fourth collaboration with Beauty In Chaos, Ciravolo says this “may just be the best we’ve written together”.

As of July 24, 'Dancing With Angels' is available on limited edition multi-color vinyl and CD from the Beauty In Chaos store, where the ‘Diving For Pearls' limited edition CD single is also available. Digitally, the album can be found on Bandcamp, Apple Musicand Spotify. The first 100 vinyl copies come with two posters signed by the artists. Vinyl and CD purchases also include the full digital version of the album (with Halos and two bonus tracks).

Manchester's THE SPEED OF SOUND present Underground' single & release 'A Cornucopia: Victory' from trilogy marking their 35-year anniversary

July 24, 2024

"Buzzing fuzz guitar lines emerge from a delicate acoustic introduction to intersect with the crashing chords and the ‘bulbous pulsing’ rhythm section" ~ Record Collector Magazine

"it’s clear that the sonic kaleidoscope presented on The Speed of Sound’s new album is worth the wait - a musical compass in a direction we should all explore" ~ The Spill Magazine

“Unmistakeable sound a winning formula” ~ The Big Takeover

“A triumph of industry, imagination and talent, coolly novel and damned addictive” ~ Louder Than War

‘Unique and other worldly” ~ Vive Le Rock

“A form of Art-Pop that is wry, incisive, yet a deeply listenable examination of post industrial culture” ~ Rock At Night

"A riotous maelstrom of musical mayhem” ~ The Manc Review

Manchester indie rock / power pop outfit The Speed Of Sound present their new single 'Underground', the first stunning glimpse of the album 'A Cornucopia: Victory', the second disc in their three-album set 'A Cornucopia: Minerva, Victory, Bounty'. This trilogy makes for the band's second release via California's Big Stir Records.

Full of ambition, energy and melodic brilliance, the band is offering this new three-album collection as a deluxe edition on vinyl and CD. Earlier, they shared four singles from 'Minerva' - the hauntingly spacious 'Trickledown', the stratospherically vast 'The Great Acceleration', the uplifting 'Mind Palace', and 'West Wind', where a recklessly fast rhythm merges with a Wagnerian horn section.

Following 2021's critically acclaimed album 'Museum Of Tomorrow', the band returns triumphant, defiant and redemptive with this trilogy, marking their 35th anniversary. The first disc 'Minerva' displays joyous belligerence in the face of a dominant mainstream music machine. In contrast, 'Victory' is more laid back and relaxed while retaining an optimistic upbeat and lively feel.

Most music is never even recorded, and most recorded music remains unheard. 'Victory' is a celebration of this unheard underground music and the counterculture itself - music made for the pleasure of making it (rather than for artless corporate entities). This is music that sees the mere act of existence as both rebellion and also success.

The Speed Of Sound creates music laden with optimism and lyrical bite, tapping the DIY ethos of punk and the restless lust for experimentation of psychedelia. Formed in 1989 with a pre-history dating back to the day Andy Warhol died in 1987, their music has always been idiosyncratic, counter-intuitive and perpetually looking for something new. Today The Speed of Sound is made up of father and son John Armstrong (guitars and vocals) and Henry Armstrong (keyboards), Ann-Marie Crowley (vocals and guitar), Kevin Roache (bass guitar) and John Broadhurst (drums).

"Can you hear the unheard music? This is subterranean dance-rock with an insatiable groove in celebration of independent music. The theme of non-mainstream creativity is present throughout the three linked albums of A Cornucopia; 'Underground' is where it is all explicitly pulled together. Immunity from the toxic tentacles of major labels and ‘the music business’ gives a freedom of expression simply not possible from within the machine," says frontman John Armstrong.

"The ‘We’ stated in ‘We are the underground’ is a collective ‘We’ - not just The Speed Of Sound - instead the ‘We’ is made up of every single independent artist across the planet. Together ‘We’ are all the Underground and ‘We' are defiantly proud of our existence beyond the exclusive major label 'club’. ‘We’ have the power to just do our thing and get on with it!"

The 'Victory' album includes 14 wide-ranging pieces of unheard and highly contagious fresh and unexpectedly shape-shifting grooves. From the supremely danceable 'Underground' through the unabashed sensuality of 'Monsoon' to the gothic lounge jazz of 'Permafrost' and the strangely linked pairing of 'Apocalypse Acropolis' and 'Apocalypse Metropolis', they offer something special here.

From the hypnotic orange-and-sandalwood scented wisps of masala rock in 'Rock Paper Scissors', acoustic powered spaceflight 'in From The Cradle To The Stars' and the reckless garage punk punch of 'Go For It', it becomes clear. There is the data scraping warning of 'X-Y Axis', the post-nostalgia of 'The Same River',and swaggering rock with a pinch of Brazilian sway in 'A Walk By The Sea', while 'E to F' displays glam rock tendencies and a pinball metaphor before the soaring harmonies of 'Empathic Reaction' and ending with the triumphant shimmering elegance of 'Tranquility Falls'.

With their genre-defying style, The Speed Of Sound expand from their foundation of 1960s, punk and new wave influences, encompassing wide dynamic and stylistic variation, crossing borders and pushing boundaries at every opportunity. Their music bursts with experimentation whilst retaining hooks and melodic sensibility, plus sharp barbed wit, lyrical depth and all-pervading sense of joy.

As of July 23, 'Underground' isavailable everywhere digitally, including Apple Music,Spotify and Bandcamp, where 'Minerva' and the full trilogy 'A Cornucopia: Minerva, Victory, Bounty' can also be obtainedon CD or vinyl. The 'Victory' album will be released on September 20 and the'Bounty' album shall be released later this year.

CREDITS
All songs written by John Armstrong
John Armstrong - guitars and vocals
Ann-Marie Crowley - vocals and guitars
Kevin Roache - bass guitar
John Broadhurst - drums
Henry Armstrong - keyboards
Bob Dinn - trumpet and flugelhorn
Chris Guest - harmonium, vibraphone, organ, shakers, tambourine
Alex Armstrong - typewriter on 'Yet Another Tuesday'
Recorded, Mixed and Mastered at Vibratone Sound Studio in Manchester by Chris Guest, Adam Crossley and The Speed of Sound.
Main sleeve image: Purple Spaceman © Lina Landers 2022
Artist photographs by Shay Rowan
Publicity by Shameless Promotion PR

Get the single https://thespeedofsoundundunderground.hearnow.com
Spotify https://open.spotify.com/track/3auoVWzSnxGeive85kpZ1H
‘Victory’ album order https://thespeedofsound.bandcamp.com/album/a-cornucopia-pt-2-victory

Chicago's Evidence of a Struggle presents 'Keep It' - in defiance of harm, discomfort and damage

July 22, 2024

"Wonderfully cinematic, forward-thinking, open-minded, genre-hopping, rule-breaking... a symphony of sonics, subtlety and suppleness, and of the subverting of expectations" ~ Big Takeover Magazine

"'Keep It' is a relentless prowl of low rumbling concrete scattered with the glass shards of guitar and keyboards. The controlled chaos of the instrumentation is in slow motion... an epic feel, as well as the queasy sense of being drunk and disorientated in an dystopian landscape" ~ Joyzine

"Fascinating... This melodic journey expertly fuses the innovative textures of art rock with the insurgent spirit of alternative music... a complex and immersive auditory universe" ~ Post-Punk.com

"'The coolness of electric jazz, Krautrock-inspired post-rock and atmospheric art rock... a gripping and upbeat refined sound & thoughtful arrangement with sonic prowess"~ Amplify Music Magazine

"Chaotic and lovely" ~ Punk Rock Beat

Chicago-based artist Evidence of a Struggle presents the frustration-laden single 'Keep It', featuring vocals in a truly powerful spoken-word meets post-rock clash. The accompanying animated video was created by fellow Chicago visual artist John Airo.

Centred around the musings of multi-instrumentalist Rev. Billy Simmons, Evidence of a Struggle creates lush, cinematic, beautiful and sometimes chaotic compositions, having released his 13-track debut album 'Evidence of a Struggle' in 2023.

"I decided to sing or rather read and yell on 'Keep It' because life has recently brought many subtle and not-so-subtle signs to my attention. It was showing me that it isn’t this perfect, beautiful dream and that many of us have stopped listening and seeing. We’re taking and not giving, and like I, many have stopped talking, and it’s become murderous," says Rev. Billy.

"I’ve been acutely aware for a long time that we’re not really listening, not seeing... Most of us don’t see or hear each other, nature or our bodies. We employ so many outside elements to help us ignore all those things right in front of us that are harmful, uncomfortable, and damaging."

Launched in 2020 with Rev. Billy playing every instrument and recording from The Glue Factory studio, he joined forces with renowned sound engineer Sanford Parker (Voivod, Russian Circles, Yob, Eyehategod, Wovenhand, Darkthrone) for additional production, recording and mastering. The resulting album is a worthwhile journey, blending numerous sub-genres of the alternative music realm.

"This music was inspired by what was going through my mind during the pandemic. It's all a declaration of solidarity. Some heavy stuff happened right at the beginning of lockdown - with the world, with family, friends, and personally - that affected my outlook on life and how finite and fleeting it is. I realized how fortunate I was to do every little thing that I could do and that it wouldn’t last forever. I was creating music to show people that, even though everyone was going through a tough time, we could still create, share and communicate musically with people and work things out," says Rev. Billy.

"At that time, everyone was telling everyone else what was right and what was wrong, trying to tell people what to do, and not just for their safety, but because they didn’t conform to their way of thinking. There was so much chatter. It was like a bad dream and I didn’t want to become a part of that. I wanted to let the music paint a mental picture as an act of support for whoever listened - in whatever voice spoke to them personally. But then I felt like I also needed to start to use my voice to say the things that I think needed to be said (and let my music with my voice speak to the people it needs to speak to)."

Transforming into a musical chameleon at night, Rev. Billy's day to day entails running Rev. Billy's Chop Shop, a salon with a creative space that regularly showcases artists' work (declared by Chicago Reader as the city's best gallery). Earlier in his journey, Rev. Billy collaborated with RCA artist Ké and artists (like Urge Overkill) on Touch and Go, and other majors like BMG and Universal.

Evidence of a Struggle's next album involves numerous notable artists, including drummer Matt Walker (Smashing Pumpkins, Morrissey, of1000faces, Garbage, Filter) and bassist Alan Berliant (Chris Connelly, Mavis Staples, Saint Asonia), in addition to Solomon Walker (Liz Phair, Bryan Adams, Morrissey, Eastern Shadows, Year of the Rabbit).

'Keep It' is out now as a standalone single via Bandcamp. The 'Evidence of a Struggle' album is also available via Spotify, Apple Music and Bandcamp.

CREDITS
All music written by William P C Simmons V (aka Rev. Billy)
Performed by William P C Simmons V (aka Rev. Billy)
Produced by Sanford Parker
Loveless Publishing ASCAP
Videos by John Airo
Publicity by Shameless Promotion PR

Keep up with Evidence of a Struggle
Bandcamp | Facebook | Instagram | YouTube | Twitter | Spotify | Apple Music | Press contact

Keep up with Shameless Promotion PR
Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Press contact

Cocteau Twins vanguard Robin Guthrie unveils 'Atlas', a new EP of luminous soundscapes

July 22, 2024

Celebrated Scottish songsmith Robin Guthrie returns with the 'Atlas' EP, released via his Soleil Après Minuit imprint. This four-track offering immerses the listener in a series of newly-recorded instrumentals, gracing the listener with his ever present signature sound and atmosphere.

Nearly 45 years since founding legendary dreampop / ethereal wave band Cocteau Twins, Robin Guthrie has certainly been its most prolific member, offering a steady and stellar stream of material over the years with a production style and signature guitar sounds that have shaped multiple genres and generations.

This is Guthrie's first significant release since 2021's 'Pearldiving', marking the end of a nine-year hiatus and signaling his long-awaited return. In what was an intensive year for Guthrie releases, he also put out three EP's: 'Mockingbird Love', 'Riviera' and 'Springtime'.

"I got travelling again after the pandemic and that’s always a source of inspiration for me. I absorb a lot and get most creative when I have travelled." says Robin Guthrie.

"As for the title 'Atlas', I found an old radio and was struck with how many of the places on the dial no longer existed. I was attracted to the romantic notion that these places were very far away, not only in distance but now in time as well. The world seems a smaller and more familiar place nowadays".

Guthrie's approach to music seems akin to that of a painter or a photographer. The adept use of light and shade, melody and counter melody, the carefully and precisely arranged instrumentation, musical textures and colorings gives his music a depth and level of detail which marks a master craftsman.

In his time, Guthrie's output includes film soundtracks and collaborated with many outstanding people, the latest impactful release happening with 2021's 'Another Flower' with Harold Budd, released just a few days before Budd's untimely passing. They had also jointly composed the film scores for Gregg Araki's ‘Mysterious Skin’and ‘White Bird in a Blizzard’. Other notable collaborators include John Foxx, Mark Gardener, Telefon Tel-Aviv, Eraldo Bernocchi and Jay Jay Johanson.

He has produced and remixed countless artists, including Lush, The Veldt, A.R.Kane, Dif Juz, Chapterhouse, Felt, Mahogany and Violet Indiana, which he'd formed with Siobhan de Maré in 1999. More recently, Guthrie worked with Heligoland, Jack Colwell, Resplandor, Fawns of Love, Ummagma, Hatchie and Tamaryn.

'Atlas' EP https://robinguthrie.bandcamp.com/album/atlas-ep
Spotify https://open.spotify.com/album/1wiUvS4yhplQriQOCj8oxB
YouTube playlist https://tinyurl.com/Robin-Guthrie-Atlas-YouTube
'Pearldiving' album https://robinguthrie.bandcamp.com/album/pearldiving
'Springtime' EP https://robinguthrie.bandcamp.com/album/springtime
'Riviera' EP https://robinguthrie.bandcamp.com/album/riviera
'Mockingbird Love' EP https://robinguthrie.bandcamp.com/album/mockingbird-love

Guthrie shares, "It’s been a relief to finish the Cocteau Twins re-issues that I have been working on lately, as focusing on the past can somewhat crush the present. It is, therefore, with great pleasure that I’m releasing some new music. 'Atlas', in many ways, is the intro to my next EP, which will be out later this year ... It's a slow gentle re-introduction to my world. The next one picks up where this one finishes off."

'Atlas' is now available on CD, as well as digitally on all major platforms, including Apple Music, Spotify and Bandcamp, where Guthrie's rich back catalogue can also be found. Released via Soleil Après Minuit, it is distributed in North America via The Orchard and in Europe by Cargo. Guthrie is expected to release another EP later this year.

CREDITS
Written and performed by Robin Guthrie
Recorded, mixed and mastered by Robin Guthrie at his studio in Brittany
Album cover by Robin Guthrie, photographed in Angoulême
Released by Soleil Après Minuit
Catalogue Code: SM2401CD
EAN: 0767461008883
Robin Guthrie photos by Violette Guthrie and Jeanne Aimon
Publicity by Shameless Promotion PR

Keep up with Robin Guthrie
Website | Bandcamp | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Spotify | Apple Music | Press contact

Keep up with Shameless Promotion PR
Website | Facebook | Twitter | Soundcloud | Instagram | Spotify | LinkedIn | Email

Koe Wetzel's '9 Lives' Arrives

July 19, 2024

For nearly a decade, the name Koe Wetzel has carried with it an “if you know, you know” reputation. To a devoted cult audience, the Texas singer-songwriter has been a genre disrupter, mixing country with rock, hip-hop, and grunge; a live performer as powerful and unpredictable as a tornado; and a notorious party animal who never met a bottle of tequila he couldn’t finish. Wetzel remains all of those things, but on his new album 9 Lives, available now via Columbia Records, he proves that there’s more to his story — and that a mass audience awaits. Listen HERE.

Produced predominantly by Gabe Simon (Noah Kahan’s Stick Season) alongside a string of trusted collaborators like Josh Serrato, Amy Allen, Carrie K and Sam Harris (X Ambassadors), 9 Lives finds the Pittsburg, Texas, native showing off his versatility as a writer and his prowess as an interpreter of songs.

“The way Gabe Simon goes into making music, he cares so much about it,” Wetzel explains of his producer. “He comes at it wanting to get everything out of the songs. Gabe came in and extracted everything from me; he got me talking about stuff, everything going on in my life. Usually, I go in with all the melodies, and then write the lyrics. Not this time.”

Simon went for the jugular. Laughing, Wetzel says, “Every song we wrote or found, we kept. There was a freedom: we sat down and talked about the shit going on in my life. By pulling all of that out of me, going in the vocal booth, that’s how free I was – and the most open I’ve ever been. You can hear it in the songs.”

You can also hear the urgency. Recorded at legendary Sonic Ranch in the border town of Tornillo, Texas, as well as Melody Mountain in Stephensville, Texas, they had that Lone Star fire. Add sessions at Nashville’s Blackbird and historic RCA Studio A, it alchemized a rush to 9 Lives that’s palpable. Recorded largely live, the tracks went down almost as lightning fast as the writing, with eight of the songs written in a pair of three-day bursts; one in El Paso, the other in Nashville.

A bleary-eyed, scene-setting lament “Continued” turns into a full-on rocking country proposition. A kick drum pumps and a chicken-wire electric guitar drops a few notes as the swaggering “9 Lives (Black Cat)” leans into an unrepentant catalog of misadventures survived. Bar fights, rodeo clowns, preachers, dealers, the twins next door, cheap tequila, bathroom snow and “a 12-pack, two dime bags, flat-lined twice, just to come right back” make a vivid world that only the fearless survive. And so it goes…

“Every record’s almost turning a new leaf, always a left turn because of how honest I am. I want fans to know that there's a different side of me, not just the sex, drugs, and rock & roll Koe that they may have heard about online,” Wetzel says. “I've grown up a little bit. I’m no longer the 20-year-old kid that's partying down and getting thrown in jail all the time. 9 Lives reveals a vulnerable side that people may not be used to hearing.”

Grown does not mean completely settled down, though. For everyone who caught the lightning bolt that was the state-of-scrapping musician Noise Complaint, there’s rowdy singalong “Bar Song,” all the raw swerve’n’blister in the high-flying autobiographic “Twister,” the atmospheric truth-telling that defines his “Damn Near Normal” and barn-storming take on how he keeps running while missing that certain one in “Runnin’ Low.”

“I like to drink,” he says, owning the obvious. On a record that conversationally drops Ambien, Xanax, El Paso dust, blow, THC… he knows his way around the contraband in his songs. “It’s a family tradition. My dad’s side is all Southern Baptist: no drinking, no cursing – though he loved Creedence, ZZ Top’s ‘LaGrange,’ BTO, Petty. My mom’s Methodist: let’s party, go hard.

Wetzel’s diverse musical background is evident on one of the album’s most surprising tracks, a cover of the late XXXTentacion’s “Depression & Obsession.”

“I always loved that era of music – that Lil Peep era, XXXTentacion – he was one of my favorite artists out of that group,” Wetzel reflects. “I feel like there’s a lot of music that we didn’t get from him, so it’s kind of just a nod to him and I hope we did it justice.”

A Lone Star native through and through, he was also heavily impacted by Charlie Robison’s Good Times, the album arriving in Wetzel’s life as a Christmas gift in seventh grade. A Texas Music sensation who had signed to a major Nashville label then bailed, the songs, attitude and harder sound from Robison captured Wetzel’s imagination. He also gravitated to some of the deeper, soul-baring songs.

To homage that spark, Wetzel offers a minor-keyed strum that’s as much low-impact Nirvana as it is High Plains Drifter on “Reconsider.” That slow-moving lament comes from Robison’s Better Days, with Wetzel realizing along the way that it – like many Texas music classics – was originally by Keith Gattis.

“I thought Charlie had written a lot of them, but then I find out about Keith Gattis. I never got to meet him; he and Charlie died six months apart. I have so many emotions right now about all that, you can hear them.”

For a guy who is fully a man’s man, he also has that romantic tenderness that undermines his machismo. Whether Gabe Simon and Mick Coogan’s flowing tangle of how hard love is on “Hatchet” or his own smoky, haunted “Sweet Dreams,” the notion of love that might still be salvaged comes with a throb that pulls listeners in.

Just as potent is Wetzel’s ability to let go of the rope. Sometimes hilarious – the sweet pop/folk “Leigh” recounts his losing record with women, particularly those whose names all have that suffix in common: Haleigh, Baleigh, Kaleigh and more – and other times flat indifferent – the soaring “High Road” (with a version featuring rising star and labelmate Jessie Murph currently delivering as his Country radio debut) – he’s not afraid to get out of something that ain’t working.

That sense of self permeates 9 Lives, especially the closer, “Last Outlaw Alive,” with a ragged gravitas to the loping celebration of a dying way of life. Laconic doesn’t have to mean sleepy. Like the many vibes and rhythms on Wetzel’s album, he – and the players – deliver a spark.

“The thing about this album is writing can be grueling. But this time, after writing a song, there was always that adrenaline rush. What do you do with that? Put it into the songs, no matter how fast or slow.”

Having defined a rogue rock/cowboy ethos over his album, Wetzel found a new intensity. “Being on the road for so long, you start to think you’ve hit a plateau. You wonder, ‘Is this what I’ll be known for? Will these songs be what it’s all about?’

“I get a lot of joy playing the older songs. But you want to grow. I love playing those records I grew up on, so I understand. But I’ve been honing and growing a certain sound, and we’re hitting it. This is where the rest of it begins…”

For more information on all things Koe Wetzel and to purchase tickets to upcoming shows – including a hometown stadium show as he joins Morgan Wallen’s One Night At A Time World Tour in Arlington, Texas on July 26 and his headlining Damn Near Normal World Tour kicking off July 27 – visit KoeWetzelMusic.com and follow on Instagram and Facebook @KoeWetzelMusic, TikTok @Koe_Wetzel and Twitter/X @KoeWetzel.

About Koe Wetzel
Koe Wetzel never met a genre wall he couldn’t tear down: The Texas singer-songwriter has earned a rabid audience for his songs that mix country, rock, hip-hop, and even Nineties grunge. His 2016 album Noise Complaint endeared him to fans with its no- holds-barred lyrics about drunken nights, broken hearts and stints in jail, and included the Gold-certified hits “Love” (feat. Parker McCollum), “Something to Talk About” and the infamous “February 28, 2016.” Wetzel’s 2020 major label debut, Sellout, only furthered his legend with the Platinum-certified “Drunk Driving” plus the Gold-certified “Good Die Young” and “Kuntry & Wistern.” The 2022 follow-up, Hell Paso, hit No. 3 on Billboard’s Country Albums and spawned hits on both the country and rock charts, including the Gold-certified “Creeps” and “Cabo.” To date, Wetzel has 2.8 billion total streams and has created a genuine experience with his live concerts, which he describes as “total chaos.” In 2023 alone, he sold more than 275,000 tickets, and appeared for a third time on POLLSTAR’s Top Worldwide Tours. Wetzel will play prominent festival sets this summer and open for Morgan Wallen on the superstar’s One Night at a Time Stadium Tour in Texas, while also headlining his own Damn Near Normal World Tour. His new album, 9 Lives (Columbia), is available everywhere now as lead single “High Road” feat. Jessie Murph arrives as his debut Country radio single.

Chicago's REPENTANCE Support Swedish Metal Act ORBIT CULTURE on 8-19 in Detroit, MI and 8-20 in Chicago, IL

July 19, 2024

Chicago, Illinois-based metallers REPENTANCE have announced they will provide direct support for the Swedish metal act ORBIT CULTURE on 8-19 in Detroit, Michigan and 8-20 in Chicago, Illinois.

Check out the band's latest visualizer for "BURIED BY FEAR" taken from the sophomore release THE PROCESS OF HUMAN DEMISE Out Now!

Founded in 2018 by former SOIL and DIRGE WITHIN guitarist Shaun Glass and with a critically acclaimed debut album under their belts (God For A Day, 2020), REPENTANCEsoon became known for their distinctive heavy yet dynamic sound, packed with details, groove and intensity. Playing numerous shows with high profile acts such as TRIVIUM, DEVILDRIVER, JINJER, SKULL FIST, TOXIC HOLOCAUST, SACRED REICH and others, REPENTANCE have taken the heavy scene by storm and represent a sound, which is sure to obliterate fans of extreme music everywhere.

Repentance are:
Adam Gilley – Vocals
Shaun Glass – Guitar
Eric Burns – Guitar
Eric Karol – Bass
Brandon White – Drums

Find Repentance Online:

Find NOBLE DEMON online:

https://linktr.ee/nobledemon

Kittie's 'Spit' Leopard Picture Disc

July 16, 2024

Featuring massive hits “Brackish” and “Charlotte,” KITTIE’s debut album Spit catapulted them to fame with heavy airplay and MTV exposure. They rocked stages at Ozzfest 2001 and SnoCore Festival and toured with Slipknot, Chevelle, and Suicidal Tendencies.

Spit debuted at #79 on the Billboard Top 200 and topped the Heatseekers Chart, staying on the Billboard Top 200 for 37 weeks and achieving Gold status with over 650,000 units sold.
GET IT HERE