AVOID Shares "If It Hurts" Video

UNFD welcomed AVOID to its roster last year and the band shared its debut single for the label in the form of "BURN." Watch the video for the gnarly track here. 

Now, the band is kicking the door to 2025 open with the new single "If It Hurts." Loaded with raucous riffs and kinetic, industrial grit, it's the kind of track that fans will be clamoring to see the band perform live so they can mosh and sing along to the choruses, which will imprint themselves in your brain. The track teeters on an axis between trudging grooves and off-kilter electronics, speaking to the dynamics at the heart of AVOID's sound. Cymbal crashes match the intensity of a thick riff beatdown as the vocals alternate between vulnerable and vicious. Ultimately, the emotion overflows on a chantable chorus that's as incendiary as it is infectious, "And I don’t care if it hurts, you kept on making it worse, another memory burned away." It's the soundtrack for the moment you wave goodbye to your toxic ex in the rearview mirror once and for all.

Watch the visualizer below.

“Honestly, I think the song was really healing for all of us," explains singer Benny Scholl. "It's about accepting the past, whether it be good or bad, and moving forward, and we couldn't be more stoked with how it turned out.”"

If you are not yet familiar with AVOID, allow them to make your acquaintance.

AVOID answers the question "What if Dale Earnhardt, Guy Fieri, and Steve-O started a Spinal Tap cover band?" in spirit, ethos, and energy. And it kicks ass.

Hailing from the vibrant music scene of Seattle, this four-piece is on a mission to foster a sense of community through their genre-defying sound. Drawing from their hometown's rich musical legacy, AVOID craft a dynamic musical mix that captures the essence of nostalgia while pushing boundaries into uncharted territory. With NASCAR and Fortnite as their fuel, AVOID aim to champion inclusivity and revive the spirit of heavy music with a fresh, passionate approach.

Currently hard at work on their new album, set to drop in 2025 via UNFD, AVOID are ready to take things to the next level. Their upcoming release promises to deliver the same infectious energy and artistic flair that fans have come to love, while reminding us to have fun along the way. 

AVOID ARE:
Benny Scholl — Vocals
Nick Olson — Guitar
Chris Echols — Guitar
Paul Jaton — Drums

AVOID Sign to UNFD + Drop "Burn" Video

UNFD is thrilled to welcome AVOID to its roster.

To celebrate the new partnership, the band has shared the video for the new single "BURN." Watch it below. 

It's gnarly AF!

 
"We are so excited to share 'Burn' with the world," says vocalist Benny Scholl. "Personally, I feel like this is a great representation of a more mature version of our sound. We've been hard at work with these new tunes for the past couple of years now, and I couldn't think of a better way to introduce this next era of AVOID than this."

He continues, "'Burn' is a song about the internal battles we face sometimes. I feel like especially as an artist, but really just as people in general we all have our own experiences of facing the highest of highs, and also the lowest of lows, and sometimes I think we all just want to 'set it off, let it all burn' — how about that for a little lyrical callback!! I hope this song can be a positive light for everyone, but especially anyone that might be going through it a little bit right now."

He finishes, "'Burn' is honestly the most excited I've ever been to release a new song. I remember when [guitarist] Chris [Echols] and I were tracking the demo vocals in our tiny little apartment at like 1am annoying all our neighbors and not even remotely caring cause I was so beyond stoked with what we were coming up with. I hope you all enjoy jamming it as much as we did making it."

AVOID ARE:
Benny Scholl — Vocals
Nick Olson — Guitar
Chris Echols — Guitar
Paul Jaton — Drums

The Devil Wears Prada + Fit For A King Announce Winter 2024 Leg of Metalcore Dropouts Tour

SECOND SEMESTER KICKS OFF IN JANUARY

FIT FOR A KING + THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA are thrilled to announce the Winter 2024 leg of the Metalcore Dropouts Tour. The Fall 2023 leg wrapped up last week and the co-headline pairing is so good it needs to keep going!

The Metalcore Dropouts 2nd Semester Tour finds Counterparts returning as support, along with Avoid as openers. 

Leg 2 kicks off on January 16 in Kansas City and runs through February 24 in Minneapolis.

Tickets and VIP upgrades are available here and here and go on sales on Friday, October 27.

"When the Metalcore Dropouts tour started out with such a bang, we knew we had to keep the party going for all of the cities that we missed along the way," says TDWP's Jeremy DePoyster. "The shows have been absolutely psychotic and the hangs have been even better, and we are thrilled to be able to bring our buddies in Avoid along this time. These have been the best TDWP shows of our career, and the energy is pure chaos, insanity, and fun.  The Second Semester will be nonstop mayhem across North America — do NOT miss this tour!"

"Our time on Metalcore Dropouts was so incredible that we wanted to bring the show to even more cities," says FFAK's Ryan Kirby. "So behold… the second semester!"

THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA + FIT FOR A KING ON TOUR:
WITH COUNTERPARTS  + AVOID:
1/16 — Kansas City, MO — Uptown Theater
1/17 — Fayetteville, AR — JJ's Live
1/19 — Cincinnati, OH — Bogart's
1/20 — Milwaukee, WI — The Rave
1/21 — Cleveland, OH — House of Blues
1/23 — Buffalo, NY — Town Ballroom
1/24 — Albany, NY — Empire Live
1/26 — Harrisburg, PA — HMAC
1/27 — Huntington, NY — Paramount
1/28 — Sayreville, NJ — Starland Ballroom
1/30 — Hartford, CT — The Webster
1/31 — Richmond, VA — The National
2/2 — Raleigh, NC — The Ritz
2/3 — Myrtle Beach, SC — House of Blues
2/4 — Orlando, FL — House of Blues
2/6 — Corpus Christi, TX — Brewster Street Ice House
02/7 — Austin, TX — Emo's
2/9 — Tucson, AZ — Rialto Theatre
2/10 — San Diego, CA — Soma
2/11 — San Francisco, CA — The Regency Ballroom
2/13 — Boise, ID — Knitting Factory
2/14 — Spokane, WA — Knitting Factory
2/15 — Vancouver, BC — Commodore Ballroom
2/16 — Portland, OR — Crystal Ballroom
2/17 — Seattle, WA — Showbox SoDo
2/20 — Edmonton, AB — Midway Music Hall
2/21 — Calgary, AB — The Palace Theatre
2/23 — Winnipeg, MB — The Park Theatre
2/24 — Minneapolis, MN — The Fillmore

AVOID Drop New Single + Music Video "My World" And Announce New Upcoming Album 'Cult Mentality'

One of 2021's hottest breakout bands, Seattle's five-piece AVOID, has dropped their latest single and music video "My World". Not only that, but the band has also announced their forthcoming new album 'Cult Mentality' due for release on Friday, October 14 (via Thriller Records). Speaking on today's release, vocalist Benny Scholl commented:

“We’re so stoked to share this track with y’all. From the second we started writing it this has been one we’ve been excited about it. It’s a song to turn up loud and say “fuck it” to anything getting you down. In my humble opinion, it also shows off every side of the band and gives you a taste of a little bit of everything that’s coming with future releases. Blast this shit, and welcome to My World.”

Prior to today, AVOID previously shared "COWABUNGA" and "Split (Kill It)" which together have totaled over 237,000 streams on Spotify alone and over 108,000 views on YouTube. Watch the music video for "My World" below, stream the track here, and be sure to stay tuned for more AVOID news coming soon.

Catch AVOID's wild live show on the Obsidian Tour starting next month alongside Northlane, Silent Planet, and Loathe. For ticket information, please click here.

Obsidian North American Tour Dates:

July 13 - San Francisco, CA @ Great American Music Hall

July 15 - Portland, OR @ Hawthorne Theater Lounge

July 16 - Seattle, WA @ El Corazon

July 17 - Vancouver, BC @ Rickshaw Theatre

July 19 - Calgary, AB @ Dickens

July 20 - Edmonton, AB @ The Starlite Room

July 22 - Winnipeg, MB @ Park Theater

July 23 - Minneapolis, MN @ Varsity Theater

July 24 - Chicago, IL @ House of Blues Chicago

July 26 - Detroit, MI @ St. Andrew's Hall

July 27 - Toronto, ON @ The Danforth Music Hall

July 28 - Montreal, WC @ Theatre Corona

July 29 - Quebec, QC @ Imperial Bell

July 30 - Boston, MA @ Paradise Rock Club

July 31 - New York City, NY @ Irving Plaza

August 2 - Cleveland, OH @ House of Blues Cleveland

August 3 - Grand Rapids, MI @ Elevation @ The Intersection

August 4 - Columbus, OH @ The Athenaeum Theatre

August 5 - Pittsburgh, PA @ Mr. Smalls Theater

August 6 - Philadelphia, PA @ Theatre of Living Arts (TLA)

August 7 - Baltimore, MD @ Baltimore Soundstage

August 9 - Charlotte, NC @ The Underground

August 10 - Atlanta, GA @ The Masquerade - Heaven

August 12 - Fort Lauderdale, FL @ Revolution

August 13 - Tampa, FL @ Orpheum Theatre

August 14 - Destin, FL @ Club LA

August 16 - Houston, TX @ White Oak Music Hall

August 17 - San Antonio, TX @ The Rock Box

August 18 - Dallas, TX @ Amplified Live

August 19 - Lawrence, KS @ The Bottleneck

August 20 - Denver, CO @ Summit Music Hall

August 21 - Salt Lake City, UT @ The Depot

August 23 - Mesa, AZ @ Nile Theater

August 24 - San Diego, CA @ House of Blues San Diego

August 25 - Los Angeles, CA @ Regent Theater

ABOUT AVOID

Engaging, edgy, erratic, irreverent, wild, vibrant, fun… there’s certainly no shortage of adjectives to describe AVOID and their quest to fuel that feeling of being a part of something.

Evoking a nostalgia for the kind of music that seeps into your soul, the Seattle five-piece channel the musical legacy synonymous with their hometown while blissfully genre-hopping to create something entirely new. Good times with a message of inclusivity, with a drive to bring passion, innovation and provocation back to heavy music and pull in the community around it, AVOID crackle with the energy of a young act ready to take the world by storm.

While the world fell silent in 2020, the band seized the moment to make noise with the release of their attention-grabbing EP The Burner - and it got LOUD. Securing a sponsorship with NASCAR, the band had their music and band-branded vehicle in the official video game. Singer Benny Scholl went viral with his accidentally acapella rendition of the National Anthem at the NASCAR Vegas race, endearing himself to sports commentator Jim Rome who ran with coverage of the event for weeks.

New tracks “COWABUNGA” and “Split (Kill It)” are the start of something important, something defining - and AVOID are bringing everyone along for the ride. Hold on tight, it’s about to get weird.

AVOID are:

Benny Scholl - Vocals

Nick Olson - Guitar

Chris Echols - Guitar

Luke Ryder - Bass

Paul Jaton - Drums

Find AVOID Online

avoidkicksass.org

AVOID Drop Two Brand New Singles "COWABUNGA" and "Split (Kill It)"

One of 2021's hottest break out bands, Seattle five-piece AVOID, have returned with a bang today with the release of double single "COWABUNGA" and "Split (Kill It)" (out now on Thriller Records). Both tracks can be found on streaming platforms HERE. "COWABUNGA" also comes accompanied by an official music video which can be viewed below.

Speaking on the new releases, hyper-charismatic frontman, Benny Scholl shares

“We’re so stoked that Cowabunga is out to the world! I remember coming up with the initial idea on an acoustic guitar, it’s amazing to see what it’s turned into”

“Split is the in-your-face ripper! We wanted to show both sides of where AVOID is going next with the singles we put out, and we feel like this really helps set the tone (along with COWABUNGA) for what you're gonna get”

"COWABUNGA" and "Split (Kill It)" were both premiered on SiriusXM yesterday, on Octane and Liquid Metal respectively. The new tracks set the tone for a new era for AVOID, spreading their brand of infectious hedonism and injecting some magic into the mundane. They follow the band's last release, 2020's 'The Burner EP' which spawned massive singles "Song About James", "HEAT" and "HostAge At A BeAch House PArty". To date, AVOID have clocked up over 15 million global streams and 500,000 YouTube views.

AVOID are currently on tour across the US with Fit For A King, Silent Planet and Hollow Front. Full dates below, tickets available HERE.

3/16 – Denver, CO at Summit Music Hall

3/18 – Minneapolis, MN at Cabooze

3/19 – Belvidere, IL at The Apollo Theatre

3/20 – Joliet, IL at The Forge

3/21 – Detroit, MI at St. Andrews Hall

3/22 – Grand Rapids, MI at Elevation

3/24 – New York, NY at Gramercy Theatre

3/25 – Reading, PA at Reverb

3/26 – Albany, NY at Empire

3/27 – Worcester, MA at The Palladium

3/29 – Asbury Park, NJ at Asbury Lanes

3/30 – Pittsburgh, PA at Mr. Smalls

3/31 – Richmond, VA at Canal Club

4/1 – Greensboro, NC at The Blind Tiger

4/2 – Atlanta, GA at The Masquerade

4/3 – Tampa, FL at Orpheum

4/5 – Pensacola, FL at Vinyl Music Hall

4/6 – Houston, TX at White Oak Music Hall

4/7 – San Antonio, TX at Vibes Event Center

4/8 – Dallas, TX at South Side Music Hall

ABOUT AVOID

Engaging, edgy, erratic, irreverent, wild, vibrant, fun… there’s certainly no shortage of adjectives to describe AVOID and their quest to fuel that feeling of being a part of something.

Evoking a nostalgia for the kind of music that seeps into your soul, the Seattle five-piece channel the musical legacy synonymous with their hometown while blissfully genre hopping to create something entirely new. Good times with a message of inclusivity, with a drive to bring passion, innovation and provocation back to heavy music and pull in the community around it, AVOID crackle with the energy of a young act ready to take the world by storm.

While the world fell silent in 2020, the band seized the moment to make noise with the release of their attention-grabbing EP The Burner - and it got LOUD. Securing a sponsorship with NASCAR, the band had their music and band-branded vehicle in the official video game. Singer Benny Scholl went viral with his accidentally acapella rendition of the National Anthem at the NASCAR Vegas race, endearing himself to sports commentator Jim Rome who ran with coverage of the event for weeks.

New tracks “COWABUNGA” and “Split (Kill It)” are the start of something important, something defining - and AVOID are bringing everyone along for the ride. Hold on tight, it’s about to get weird.

AVOID are:

Benny Scholl - Vocals

Nick Olson - Guitar

Chris Echols - Guitar

Luke Ryder - Bass

Paul Jaton - Drums

Find AVOID Online

avoidkicksass.org

AVOID Premiere New Single "Song About James" + Enter Rotation at Sirius Octane

AVOID - Song About James Listen/Download - https://bit.ly/3gWN6z3 Featured on NASCAR Heat 5! - https://bit.ly/3eaA5jh Fight Meat Website - https://bit.ly/341...

New Studio EP 'The Burner' out Nov. 6th

Band Inks Sponsor Partnership with NASCAR Driver Joe Graf Jr.

Rising rock outfit AVOID are living up to their 'kick ass' ethos on the heels of a landmark week. Yesterday the band premiered their new single "Song About James" at SiriusXM OCTANE, where they have entered into rotation as an Accelerator Featured Artist. Today, AVOID has partnered with New Noise Magazine to unveil the music video for SAJ, which can be found right here. The unhinged and decidedly jocular video is the strongest offering to date from one of Seattle's most industrious new acts.

“Song About James” has already received strong coverage across Spotify and Apple playlisting, and is featured on the cover of Tidal’s Hybrid Theories playlist. Check it out HERE.”

In addition to "Song About James", AVOID are proud to announce that their new studio EP, titled 'The Burner', will see a November 6th release on Revival Recordings. For more details, keep an eye out on the band's website, https://www.avoidkicksass.org.

Speaking to New Noise Magazine about the new single + music video, lead vocalist Benny Scholl states,

“We’re so excited to share our video for 'Song About James'. This song has opened so many new doors for us. It’s really been a mind blowing experience. From being on the soundtrack of NASCAR HEAT 5, to debuting on Octane yesterday, and here unveiling the video on New Noise. We are thrilled to finally share this with our fans."

No strangers to the world of NASCAR and boasting two tracks off 'The Burner' being featured in the new videogame "NASCAR Heat 5", AVOID has partnered with NASCAR Racer and current driver on the Xfinity Series JOE GRAF JR. as a featured sponsor on his #08 car. For more details about Graf and the announcement, visit joegrafracing.com/news/

About AVOID

Exploding out of Seattle, WA, hotly-tipped hard rock five-piece AVOID have been rapidly making a name for themselves thanks to their electrifying live show and an unabashed experimental approach to music. The result is an alchemistic audio dose of heavy hedonism; the stamp of a young act unafraid to equally embrace both their innovation and individuality.

Forming in 2017, AVOID's debut full length 'Alone' (Revival Recordings) was released in 2018, garnering more than 1.5 million streams to date and strong Spotify playlisting support. The record debuted at #3 on Billboard's Heatseekers Pacific Chart.

AVOID is:

Benny Scholl - Vocals

Nick Olsen - Guitar

Luke Ryder - Guitar

Chris Echols - Bass

Paul Jaton - Drums

AVOID Online:

Instagram @avoidkicksass

Twitter @avoidkicksass

Facebook @avoidkicksass

AvoidKicksAss.org

AVOID Drop Music Video for New Single "Flashbang!"

AVOID - Flashbang! Listen/Download: https://bit.ly/3fdVIAv AVOID is featured on NASCAR Heat 5! https://bit.ly/3eaA5jh Connect with AVOID! → Facebook - facebo...

Announce "AVOID Racing League" in 'NASCAR Heat 5' via Twitch

Seattle, WA rockers AVOID have dropped a new single from their yet to be announced upcoming studio record. The track, titled "Flashbang!", is an unapologetic rager that evokes memories of house shows and young artists hungry to make their mark. Fans can check out the raucous music video for the track by clicking on the image found below.

ICYMI: Last week, AVOID dropped their cover of Foo Fighters "Weenie Beenie" in honor of the 25th anniversary of the influential group's self-titled debut

AVOID are thrilled to share that they have two songs featured in the new videogame NASCAR Heat 5, which was released this week. In honor of the occasion and in the spirit of their "worn on our sleeve" love of the sport, the band has announced that they are launching the "AVOID Racing League."

Starting July 14, Benny & Luke will host weekly races on their Twitch channel (twitch.tv/avoidkicksass) every Tuesday for the next ten weeks! Fans interested in competing can sign up by emailing avoidracingleague@gmail.com.

About AVOID

Exploding out of Seattle, WA, hotly-tipped hard rock five-piece AVOID have been rapidly making a name for themselves thanks to their electrifying live show and an unabashed experimental approach to music. The result is an alchemistic audio dose of heavy hedonism; the stamp of a young act unafraid to equally embrace both their innovation and individuality.

Forming in 2017, AVOID's debut full length 'Alone' (Revival Recordings) was released in 2018, garnering more than 1.5 million streams to date and strong Spotify playlisting support. The record debuted at #3 on Billboard's Heatseekers Pacific Chart.

AVOID is:

Benny Scholl - Vocals

Nick Olsen - Guitar

Luke Ryder - Guitar

Chris Echols - Bass

Paul Jaton - Drums

AVOID Online:

Instagram @avoidkicksass

Twitter @avoidkicksass

Facebook @avoidkicksass

AvoidKicksAss.org