Bedlam Society down in the GTA(Greater Toronto Area, "for those of you in the hills and don't know"....that quote was an EDL reference...likely missed by one and all...ah well) have a bunch of new stuff up for your persual, including interviews with Thrice, The Fullblast and The Junction, as well as a slew of wide-ranging CD reviews. Oh, and videos from Every Time I Die and The Dillinger Escape Plan. Oh, and contests. Oh, and...just kidding. Hit up the site for some rock 'n roll attitude, baby.
Some Tooth & Nail Records news to pass along; namely, that Sullivan's debut album Hey, I'm A Ghost is out now as of this past Tuesday. Didn't really get much out of it myself, as it sounds very much like dozens of other bands at the forefront of the scene right now, but hey. Did you know their drummer is Phil Chamberlain, brother of Underoath vocalist Spencer Chamberlain? Me neither til this week.
Also with a new album out are Watashi Wa, aka Eager Seas; after a much-publicized and gossiped-about quibble with T&N about this album, which was originally to be released under the band name Eager Seas before contractual hassles interfered, it was decided to release it as the last Watashi Wa project. Either way, I've heard it, and it's quality.
T&N also has a new compilation out entitled You Can't Handle The Tooth. I love plays on words.
Kings To You(formerly Dismissed) have apparently signed a deal with a bigger West Coast label. Which label, precisely? More on that as it comes in. [Indie Vision Music]
A little mainstream rap news('cause that's clearly what y'all come for): Jay-Z has signed longtime rival-turned-compadre Nas to his Def Jam Records enterprise. The two "had beef"(I'm so white) for almost a decade, trading shots through their songs for all of north America and the world to hear, and now I guess peace has been achieved. Israel and Palestine could learn a thing or two here, I'm telling you! [truthexplosion]
Tour exploits featuring Comeback Kid and their pals? Right over here.
Word on the street is that the upcoming Poison the Well/Horse the Band tour will hit Ottawa - well, here's another I'd love to see; according to the good folks at lambgoat, Underoath will be headlining a tour with the aforementioned Poison the Well as well as newcomers As Cities Burn. The tour will run from May into June. Dates whenever they're available.
Pluto Records' The Jonbenet have finished their second album, called Ugly/Heartless. It'll be out in stores all over the place April 25th. I predict songs of negativity regarding the fairer sex(girls, for those who aren't getting it).
One of my recent favourites, War of Ages, are taking Hell Within out on the road:
2/3 Portland, MI @ American Legion Hall post 129
2/4 Clarksville, IN @ The Warehouse
2/5 Kansas City, MO @ El Torreon
2/6 Jefferson City, SD @ Jefferson Community Church
2/8 Ogden, UT @ Club Boomva
2/9 Reno, NV @ Reno VFW
2/10 Anaheim, CA @ Chain Reaction w/ No Innocent Victim, Deathstar
2/11 Redlands, CA @ Oasis w/ No Innocent Victim
2/12 San Diego, CA @ Adams Hall w/ No Innocent Victim
2/14 Austin, TX @ Redrum
2/15 Dallas, TX @ Red Blood Club
2/16 Oklahoma City, OK @ The Conservatory
2/17 Nashville, TN @ TBA
2/18 Augusta, GA @ Sector 7G
2/21 Clearwater, FL @ 688 Skatepark
2/22 Lakeview, FL @ Mad Hatters
2/24 Dover, DE @ The Venue w/ Your Eyes My Dreams
2/25 Annapolis, MD @ RTBC
2/26 Williamsburg, VA @ Jamestown Campsite
See this tour! Metal everywhere!!
Guitarist Lisa Marx is a busy woman; aside from being featured in the new issue of Revolver magazine as part of their Hottest Chicks in Metal cover story(niiiiice), she's also been in two bands in the last two years(Kittie and Scars of Tomorrow). Now, actually, she's joined her third band, transplanted Aussies Day of Tomorrow. They used to be hardcore band, but now they tour with Good Charlotte and CKY. Sheesh.
Not to be outdone by The Jonbenet, a whole slew of ex- or current Pluto Records bands are planning a mother of a tour running the entire month of April. Check it out: Society's Finest, Divide the Day, Imperial and the newly-reformed With All Sincerity. Quite a lineup. Keep an eye out for that one.
Essential Listening for today, January 27th, is Kelowna, British Columbia's The Bleeding Alarm. If you're into The Used and/or Story of the Year - and I can't say I particularly am, even! - check these guys out over here. Caaaaaatchy.
Hey, remember a band called Holland? They released one decently-received album on Tooth & Nail a few years back, then changed their name to The Lonely Hearts. Whether or not their insistence on creative control contributed to their recently-ended dormancy is up for debate, but their long-awaited first record under the new banner is gonna be out this year on the Nail. Oh, the controversy. [buzzgrinder]
More drama from the Zao camp(it shouldn't even be news anymore, but we do report news here): guitarist Russ Cogdell has apparently split with the band - for now. Is it really worth while asking questions like, "Well, how long?" "Where's he going?" "Is he coming back?" I mean, we'll all hear eventually anyway. Poor Zao. Word is that Cogdell suffered some sort of leg injury. The ignorance of the people on certain message boards talking about this is simply unbelievable. But editorials aside, best of luck.
The Militia Group poster boys Lovedrug were recently Spin magazine's Band of the Day on Spin's website. Word up. Good on 'em. Rock and roll. [phantomtollbooth]
Toronto rapper Manafest, who released his major-label debut Epiphany last fall, will be here in Ottawa February 10th to rock Kanata Pentecostal Church. Five bucks. Be there. I may have to pre-record my radio show in order to be at this one.
This Just In: Shallow Water Grave, who have a new album coming soon on Innerstrength Records, are pretty good. Listen up.
Just a few months after their debut album's release, Becoming the Archetype will soon part ways with guitarist Jon Star; his replacement will be Alethian master axeman Alex Kenis. The band will start writing new material - Kenis included - for their second album later this spring. [theprp]
My girlfriend loves them: Linkin Park have about fifty ideas for new songs kicking around as they head back into the studio. No timeline yet on when their third album might materialize.
June 20th will see the release of The Showdown's second album on Mono vs. Stereo Recordings; the working title - get ready for this one - is Power Snake. That's unbelievably awesome!!
Posted by mike at January 27, 2006 05:53 PM