FORMER PANIC AT THE DISCO BASSIST DALLON WEEKES
SIGNS HIS ONCE AND FUTURE BAND
I DONT KNOW HOW BUT THEY FOUND ME
TO FEARLESS RECORDS
Fearless Officially Debuts Double A-Side Single:
“Choke” and “Do It All The Time”
Catchy Concoctions of Art Rock, Space Rock and Alternative,
with Swaggering, Charismatic Pop Vocals

Dallon Weekes, long time Panic At The Disco bassist and one of the songwriters/ lyricists behind that band’s certified-Gold release Too Weird To Live, Too Rare to Die!, announces a global recording agreement between his I Dont Know How But They Found Me (IDKhow) project and Fearless Records. First up is today’s official release of the double A-side single “Choke” and “Do It All The Time,” its initial 2017 social media and TuneCore limited release, “Choke” accrued an astounding 5.7-million YouTube hits and 5.3 million Spotify streams, based solely on fan reaction and word of mouth; “Do It All The Time” makes its worldwide debut today.

From the band, “The hard working people at IDKhow are pleased to align with Fearless Records to unearth and uncover the rare and forgotten recordings of I Dont Know How But They Found Me. We look forward to rediscovering this long-forgotten music together and giving IDKhow a second chance. For the first time.”

“I Don’t Know How But They Found Me,” a piece of dialogue from the ’80s classic sci-fi film “Back To The Future,” is a musical entity with a conceptual backstory: a band from the late 1970s/early 1980s that got its start on a popular cable access talent show only to have its songs and music videos completely disappear, and fade into obscurity. And now, thanks to the advent of the Internet, IDKhow is seeing its performances and recordings being rediscovered – for the first time – by a world that finally just might be ready for them.

“I was in the middle of making a record when I came across this series of old cable access talent shows from thirty-something years ago,” Weekes explained. “It was this bizarre, low budget parade of the strangest people, and I couldn’t stop watching it. I wanted to be on this crazy show, which was of course impossible. That’s when the concept of ‘I Dont Know How But They Found Me’ began.

“Do It All The Time,” Weekes’ critique of the very popular “Do What Thou Wilt” philosophy that seems all too common today, is a brand new track, never even performed live, that was recorded in Los Angeles last month. “Choke” was recorded at Weekes’ kitchen table in 2016 and subsequently remastered for today’s release on Fearless. With a nearly non-existent budget, the recording was forged in large part by friends who made necessities like recording equipment available to Weekes. IDKhow live performances followed with Weekes enlisting professional drummer and longtime friend Ryan Seaman to play in secret around Los Angeles. As word got out, the duo would deny any involvement in the band, and would deny it even existed at all. This secret ‘deny everything’ policy quickly made each of their officially unannounced shows near-instant sell-outs. With an initial seeding of the project to Weekes’ half-million Instagram followers, IDKhow has accumulated a combined eight-million+ views on the IDKhow YouTube channel and 7.5-million combined Spotify plays.

Beginning tomorrow, IDKhow makes its first-time appearances at the Reading Festival and then the Leeds Festival, which will be followed by a handful of select headline shows in London, Manchester and Glasgow. Dates are below. A North American tour slated for later this year will be announced shortly.

AUGUST
25 Reading Festival, Reading, UK
26 Leeds Festival, Leeds, UK
28 O2 Academy 2, London, UK (headline/SOLD OUT)
29 Manchester Gorilla, Manchester, UK (headline)
30 King Tuts, Glasgow, UK (headline/SOLD OUT)

LAMB OF GOD Releases Animated Music Video for BURN THE PRIEST Cover of Ministry’s “Jesus Built My Hotrod”

Watch Now via http://jesus.lamb-of-god.com/

Legion: XX Available for Just $7.99 this Week via iTunes!

BURN THE PRIEST | Legion: XX | Out Now
Featuring Covers of Classics by Cro-Mags, Bad Brains, Big Black, Ministry, Melvins, Quicksand and More

RIAA-certified, Billboard chart-topping, five-time Grammy nominated Richmond, VA band LAMB OF GOD recently released their full-length covers album as BURN THE PRIEST, Legion: XX, via Epic Records. The album is a collection of songs reflecting the greatness of the classic punk, hardcore, crossover and noise artists that influenced them in their formative years, released in celebration of BURN THE PRIEST’s upcoming 20th anniversary.

LAMB OF GOD is pleased to reveal a brand new, Heath Bradley-animated video for their BURN THE PRIEST cover of the Ministry hit, “Jesus Built My Hotrod”. Watch the video now here: http://jesus.lamb-of-god.com/

Guitarist Mark Morton says about the track: “This was a benchmark song from the early 90s. We didn’t even originally plan on doing it – producer Josh Wilbur and I learned it real quickly and put it together. It turned out to be one of our favorite songs of the album. It features a side of Randy that people aren’t used to hearing. Nothing was planned, so it felt fun, and we just went for it.”

In conjunction with the video premiere, Legion: XX is now available for a special discounted price via iTunes! Make sure to grab your digital copy of Legion: XX for just $7.99 now via this link – but hurry – this sale price is only valid for one week: https://btp.lnk.to/legionxx/iTunes

While online, make sure to check out BURN THE PRIEST’s two other previously released videos from Legion: XX – for the Accused’s “Inherit The Earth” and Big Black’s “Kerosene”.

LAMB OF GOD may be one of the biggest bands in modern metal, but they will never forget where they came from. Mark Morton (guitar), John Campbell (bass), and Chris Adler (drums) formed the first incarnation of the band, BURN THE PRIEST, in the winter of 1994 after meeting four years earlier as students at Virginia Commonwealth University. Less than a year later, in the summer of 1995, they met vocalist Randy Blythe before adding Chris Adler’s brother, Willie Adler (guitar), prior to transitioning to LAMB OF GOD – and the rest is global metal history.

The tracks on Legion: XX are performed with the unmistakable precision that has kept LAMB OF GOD vital for two decades, but ultimately harks back to the raw, punk-driven sound first explored by four unsuspecting college students and a line cook-turned-vocalist in their beginnings as heavy music giants. Produced with Josh Wilbur at the helm, Legion: XX exhibits BURN THE PRIEST in their true element.

Additional stream/purchasing options for Legion: XX and pick up merch bundles now via http://smarturl.it/LegionXX. At the official store, you can also order a 7″ vinyl version of “Inherit the Earth” featuring a B-side of “In the Meantime” (originally performed by Helmet).

Legion: XX track listing:
1. Inherit The Earth (originally performed by the Accused)
2. Honey Bucket (originally performed by Melvins)
3. Kerosene (originally performed by Big Black)
4. Kill Yourself (originally performed by S.O.D.)
5. I Against I (originally performed by Bad Brains)
6. Axis Rot (originally performed by Sliang Laos)
7. Jesus Built My Hotrod (originally performed by Ministry)
8. One Voice (originally performed by Agnostic Front)
9. Dine Alone (originally performed by Quicksand)
10. We Gotta Know (originally performed by Cro-Mags)

LAMB OF GOD is about to close out their blazing direct support run on Slayer’s final world tour, featuring additional support from Anthrax, Testament and Napalm Death. Tickets and VIP packages are still available now via www.lamb-of-god.com.

REMAINING TOUR DATES
SEPTEMBER
1 Blue Ridge Rock Festival, Concord, VA *Festival
7 Force Fest, Mexico City, Mexico *Festival

Visit http://lamb-of-god.com for dates and information on LAMB OF GOD’s European tour with Slayer, beginning November 1.

ATREYU ANNOUNCE NEW ALBUM IN OUR WAKE OUT OCTOBER 12 VIA SEARCH & DESTROY/SPINEFARM
BAND DROPS TWO NEW SONGS – LISTEN TO “IN OUR WAKE” + “ANGER LEFT BEHIND”

Orange County mainstays Atreyu are pleased to announce their upcoming seventh studio album In Our Wake. The record is due out October 12 via Search & Destroy/Spinefarm.

The band has shared two brand new songs from the album – the title track, which is also a video, and “Anger Left Behind.”

“With this music video, we wanted our long time director friend Sean Stiegemeier and have him come up with something completely unlike anything we’ve done before,” states bassist Porter McKnight, offering some insight into the visual. “We wanted to leave the viewer with a feeling of ‘What the fuck did I just watch!?’ and then play it again to deduce what went down.

“Most of our videos have been story-based or life-based. But with this, we just wanted the subtle thread of humanity’s growth and decline. It starts with water, then earth, nature, cityscapes, then slowly decaying humanity. We have a choice as a species to start giving a shit about ourselves and the world around us, and what we choose to make of this life.”

Following a two-year tour cycle for 2015’s Long Live, Atreyu regrouped in Southern California and started sharing ideas for what would become offering number seven. Ceremoniously, they all agreed it would be the right time to reunite with producer John Feldmann who famously helmed Lead Sails and Paper Anchor.

In Our Wake sees Atreyu once again evolving. The first single and title track hinges on a slow burning, but bombastic percussive buildup before charging ahead with an undeniable chant and fiery fretwork.
“It’s a deep one,” says singer Alex Varkatzas. “We looked up to Chris Cornell and Chester Bennington, and their deaths were fresh during the writing process. It made us think of what we’ll leave in our wake. We have a choice to change the lives of others for the better.”

“The album title In Our Wake comes from the idea that every day we humans have two roads we can go down,” furthers McKnight about the deeper meaning rooted within the album. “Do you choose to inspire, uplift, and enhance each others lives? Or do you prefer to belittle, shit talk, and tear down each other down? With each choice made you leave a ripple that reflects across your community, then onto your city, to your nation, and eventually all across the globe. Who do you leave in your wake?”

“This album is sort of a happy place for Atreyu,” says drummer/singer Brandon Saller. ‘We’ve gone down many roads. We’ve always been a diverse band that tried new things but this is different. This is a whole new level.”

ATREYU ARE:
Alex Varkatzas – Vocals
Brandon Saller – Drums/Vocals
“BIG” Dan Jacobs – Guitar
Travis Miguel -Guitar
Porter McKnight – Bass

Related Content

• Concert Review: FOO FIGHTERS in Kansas City
• Special Edition Vinyl Review: King Diamond “Conspiracy,Them, Abigail, Fatal Portrait”
• Record Store Day Announces Titles for Weekend of Black Friday and Small Business Saturday
• Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival Reveals 2019 Lineup
• GWAR Announces “Use Your Collusion” Holiday Tour Dates!

REVIEW AND PHOTOS BY DAN LYBARGER

Michael McDonald

The Lied Center, Lawrence, Kansas

August 12, 2018

If there is a way to age gracefully, it might be to simply admit you’re no longer young.

Throughout his 90-minute set at the Lied Center at the University of Kansas in Lawrence, Kan., on August 12, Michael McDonald made no attempt to pass himself off as anything other than a 66-year-old man.

When he introduced vocalist Drea Rheneé, the former Doobie Brothers singer and keyboardist praised her chops and that she relieved the crowd from the “middle-aged ugliness” of the rest of the band. He added, “You’ll notice I said ‘middle-aged.’ Who am I kidding?”

With a crowd that was primarily within throwing distance of that number, that wasn’t a problem. Part of the reason McDonald can still put on a good show is that he and his tunes were always for grownups. In both his solo work and his songs with his former band, McDonald has always sung about heartbreak that’s long removed from the teenage experience. In “Real Love” and “What a Fool Believes,” McDonald softly laments he or someone else has broken up and that it has happened many times before.

This may explain why the songs still sounded good last Sunday night and why people who aren’t trying to recapture their youth can listen to him without embarrassment. McDonald’s smooth as marshmallows delivery doesn’t deserve the label of “yacht rock,” because his roots are in St. Louis where the river vessels look a little different.

As he performed new tunes from last year’s Wide Open album like “Hail Mary” and “Just Strong Enough,” McDonald’s voice cracked just enough to prevent his band from slipping into easy listening. For the latter he even stood up from his piano stool for a few seconds, giving the song a feeling of vitality that wouldn’t occur if he were sitting like the audience.

It also helps that McDonald still has his vocal chops and nimble fingers. When he broke into familiar tunes like “Minute by Minute,” he’d begin them by adding jazzy touches to keep the arrangements from seeming too robotic.

He also avoided hogging the spotlight. He’d usually leave the showiest solos to guitarist Bernie Chiaravalle, sax player Mark Douthit and keyboardist Pat Coil. The three put just enough of a sting in the arrangements to keep the songs from being mellow enough to induce napping.

Rheneé had the unenviable task of replicating Patti LaBelle’s verses during the Burt Bacharach/Carole Bayer Sager hit “On My Own,” which may be most ironically titled duet ever. Fortunately, she easily kept up with LaBelle’s vocal gymnastics.

McDonald’s midwestern drawl is surprisingly clearer than his singing voice, but his stage banter was remarkably sincere. Having grown up in the St. Louis suburb, Ferguson, Mo., his later performance of Marvin Gaye’s “What’s Goin’ On” was expectedly moving, and he was clearly aware the issues Gaye lamented are sadly still with us.

Thankfully, so is McDonald, who helped open the Lied Center’s 25^th anniversary on a high note.

Set list:

Yah Mo B There

Here To Love You

I Keep Forgettin’

Find It in Your Heart

Just Strong Enough

I Can Let Go Now

Sweet Freedom

On My Own

Hail Mary

Beautiful Child

Half Truth

Minute by Minute

What a Fool Believes

Encore

What’s Goin’ On

Taking It to the Streets

Related Content

• Concert Review: Descendents, Buffalo, NY
• Concert Review: “A Paranormal Evening with Alice Cooper” – Kansas City
• Concert Review: “Summer Slaughter” Syracuse, NY
• The Cure For Your Holiday Hangover, GWAR Live!
• Kansas City Concert Review – Brian Wilson

A Paranormal Evening with Alice Cooper

Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts ,  Kansas City, Missouri

August 6, 2018

REVIEW BY J.R. DEETER

First off, let me just say that if you get an opportunity to see a concert performance at the Kauffman Center in Kansas City you should absolutely do so…..it is fast becoming my favorite venue to see concerts.

I have always been a casual fan of Alice Cooper and the “hits.”  I admit I really didn’t know many of the album songs….ones long-time fans know, but for this show, it didn’t seem to matter.   I really enjoyed every minute of the entire playlist.

Opening with a non stop barrage of Brutal Planet, No More Mr. Nice Guy, Under My Wheels and Billion Dollar Babies, you could tell this was going to be an awesome night.   As promised, this was to be “ A Paranormal Evening” and the stage set delivered….ghoulish and dark….strange, frightening elements filled the space, everything from small doll sized things….a large box, from which minions provided several props to Alice throughout the night, including a dancing demonic creature, a shocking electric chair and, of course, a guillotine, which eventually was used for the beheading of Cooper, to the screaming delight of the near capacity audience.

The song Lost in America is now one of my favorites….this was one I hadn’t heard before. Same with Woman of Mass Destruction.  How could I have missed those over the years?

Poison…..Feed My Frankenstein….even a bit of a slow down for Only Women Bleed didn’t drop the level of energy of the band, or the level of love from the crowd for this 70 year old Godfather of Shock Rock.

There were a couple of “rest periods” when Alice exited the stage for the obligatory solos by members of the band….every one of them very entertaining and capable on their instrument.  A special shout-out to Nita Straus, kicking ass on lead and rhythm guitar while providing backing vocals.

Wrapping up the show with I’m Eighteen and the confetti filled rousing rendition of School’s Out left my ears ringing and my heart filled with joy.  I had finally experienced Alice Cooper, clearly not in his prime, but certainly still able to deliver a killer performance.

(My .5 deduction is for not playing 1977’s You and Me.  I’m a former 80’s DJ, and that was a staple JAM we played often…great tune.)

ACE FREHLEY RELEASES NEW
TRACK, “ROCKIN’ WITH THE BOYS”
ALL NEW SOLO LP, SPACEMAN, DUE OCTOBER 19, 2018

2018 TOUR DATES ON SALE NOW
PRE-ORDERS AVAILABLE NOW

Listen to “Rockin’ With The Boys” Here

Founding KISS guitarist and Rock and Roll Hall Of Fame member ACE FREHLEY has released a new song today called “Rockin’ With The Boys.” This is the second song Frehley has released this year, from his forthcoming all-new Spaceman album, due October 19, 2018, via Entertainment One (eOne). Frehley previously released the track “Bronx Boy” in April.

Spaceman, Frehley’s eighth solo LP, features nine new original tracks including a cover of Eddie Money’s “I Wanna Go Back,” a ripping power pop makeover of the original.

“No need to worry, I’ll be home soon, ’cause I’m rockin’ with the boys,” Frehley sings on “Rockin’ With the Boys,” which tells the tales of life on the road. Ace says he wrote the original version of the song back in KISS’s heyday in the ’70s. Both “Rockin With The Boys” and “Bronx Boys” are available on all streaming platforms today, and are iTunes instant grat tracks for fans who preorder the album.

In addition to Ace’s distinctive guitar sound on each track, Ace played bass on all of the songs on Spaceman except for two. The listener might recognize the mighty dinosaur growl of a bass tone belonging to Gene Simmons on the album opener, “Without You I’m Nothing,” which Gene also co-wrote, and “Your Wish Is My Command.” Both songs were recorded at Frehley’s home studio in Rancho Santa Fe, California.

Ace’s reconnection with Simmons and fellow KISS vocalist-guitarist Paul Stanley (who joined Ace on a cover of Free’s “Fire and Water” for 2016’s covers LP Origins, Vol. 1) might be chalked up to the fact that Frehley has been sober for more than a decade (he celebrates 12 years of sobriety in September). Ace’s clean living no doubt has a lot to do with his productive streak, which began with the release of his top 20 Anomaly album in 2009.
Spaceman (a title suggested by Simmons, himself) serves as the first collection of all new Frehley-penned material since 2014’s Space Invader, which debuted at #9 on the Top 200 Chart. The LP scored the highest charting position of any former or current KISS band member ever and marked Frehley’s first return to the Top 10 since KISS’s 1998 Psycho Circus reunion album.

Widely known as the original “Space Ace” and founding guitarist for 16 cumulative years (over 2 tenures) of the multi-platinum selling rock band KISS, Frehley is demonstrably the most popular original member. In addition to having the best-selling solo album career (vintage or current) among the original foursome, Frehley’s self-titled Ace Frehley, released in 1978, went on to sell over one million copies, producing the only Top 40 single, “New York Groove,” from any of the legendary KISS solo albums (peaking at #13).

Tour Dates
Aug 9, 2018 – Solana Beach, CA, Belly Up Tavern
Aug 10, 2018 – Las Vegas, NV, The Pearl at the Palms Casino
Aug 12, 2018 – Los Angeles, CA, The Greek Theater
Aug 17, 2018 – New Hope, MN, New Hope Cinema Grill – An Evening with Ace Frehley
Aug 18, 2018 – Detroit, MI, Hart Plaza, Motor City Music Festival
Aug 28, 2018 – Adelaide, SA, Australia, Adelaide Entertainment Centre
Aug 30, 2018 – Melbourne, VIC, Australia, Margaret Court Arena
Aug 31, 2018 – Sydney, NSW, Australia, Enmore Theatre
Sep 1, 2018 – Brisbane, QLD, Australia, The Tivoli
Sep 3, 2018 – Tokyo, Japan, Billboard Live (2 Shows)
Sep 4, 2018 – Tokyo, Japan, Billboard Live (2 Shows)
Sep 5, 2018 – Tokyo, Japan, Billboard Live (2 Shows)
Sep 6, 2018 – Osaka, Japan, Billboard Live (2 Shows)
Oct 31, 2018 – Nov. 5, 2018 – Miami to Key West and Nassau, KISS Kruise VIII
November 9, 2018 – Clearwater, FL, Capitol Theatre
November 10, 2018 – Melbourne, FL, King Center for the Performing Arts
November 11, 2018 – Miramar, FL, Miramar Amphitheatre

“Spaceman” Track Listing
1. Without You I’m Nothing
2. Rockin’ With the Boys
3. Your Wish Is My Command
4. Bronx Boy
5. Pursuit Of Rock and Roll
6. I Wanna Go Back
7. Mission To Mars
8. Off My Back
9. Quantum Flux

Pre Order “Spaceman” Here

Related Content

• Fall Out Boy Announces Comprehensive Career-Spanning Vinyl Box Set ‘The Complete Studio Albums’
• CD Review: Down By Law “All In”
• Halestorm and In This Moment Announce Co-Headline Tour Beginning April 30
• GAME OF THRONES® LIVE CONCERT EXPERIENCE TO RETURN FOR FALL 2019 NORTH AMERICAN AMPHITHEATER TOUR
• ANDY BLACK RELEASES “THE PROMISE” NEW ALBUM “THE GHOST OF OHIO” ARRIVES APRIL 12

2018 Tourage
Descendents, A Wilhelm Scream, Pavers
Friday, August 3rd, 2018
River Works, Buffalo, NY

Our score: 4 out of 5 stars

One of the biggest names in punk rock the Descendents kicked off another leg of their ongoing “2018 Tourage” tour on August 3rd at the River Works Complex in Buffalo, NY, The tour which first kicked off in April of this year and has the So-Cal punkers playing all around the US and various other countries through December. Also on the bill for the evening was the Massachusetts based A Wilhelm Scream and the Scott Reynolds (ALL) fronted Pavers.

Having never had the chance to see the Descendents before I jumped on the opportunity when it was announced they would kick off a new leg of their current “Tourage” tour in nearby Buffalo. The bands famous Milo logo adorned my skateboard growing up so it was great to finally see a band I had been following for so long. Opening up the show was former ALL front-man Scott Reynolds recently re-formed group the Pavers. Though the band had a couple rough spots during their thirty minute set Reynolds kept things moving like the seasoned veteran he is forging forward with a smile on his face which showed the growing crowd he and his band mates were there to have fun doing what they love performing tracks from the groups various albums. With little time between sets and down one member due to a missed flight A Wilhelm Scream hit the stage with a burst of energy that instantly ignited the multi-generational crowd. Vocalist Nuno Pereira worked the stage left, right and up and down for that matter as the front-man was in constant motion adding to the bands fast paced, frantic approach. Even if the band was starting out one in the hole you would have never know as the band sounded great and were extremely tight as they helped bring the crowds energy to an even higher level.

Last but not least the Descendents took the stage helmed by founding member drummer Bill Stevenson and long time vocalist Milo Aukerman. For the next ninety minutes the band completely shredded over thirty five classic Descendents tunes including “Clean Sheets”, “Coffee Mug” and the guitar-tastic “Coolidge”. After the bands initial twenty nine song set fans were treated to a mini ALL reunion when former vocalist Scott Reynolds joined the Descendents (Minus Aukerman) for renditions of the ALL songs “Fool” and “Dot”. Needless to say this caused the crowd (myself included) to go absolutely nuts. After the brief reunion Aukerman would return performing probably my two favorite Descendents tracks “Bikeage” and “Good Good Things” along with a handful of other great tunes before taking their bows and waving goodbye.

It was clearly a night of nostalgia and fun as each of the bands on the tour brought their own unique brand of punk rock to the near capacity Buffalo venue. With the Descenedents history stretching back to 1977 it would be expected for them to lose a step or two however the band sounds just as fresh and powerful as they did at their inception. With the tour running the remainder of 2018 you owe it to yourself to catch one of the many shows scheduled on the “Tourage” run as it is the perfect setting for ALL generations of punk loving fans.

Set List:
1.) Suburban Home
2.) Everything Sux
3.) Hope
4.) On Paper
5.) I Wanna Be a Bear
6.) Rotting Out
7.) Victim of Me
8.) Get the Time
9.) I Like Food
10.) Shameless Halo
11.) My Dad Sucks
12.) Clean Sheets
13.) Testosterone
14.) Van
15.) Nothing With you
16.) I’m Not a Punk
17.) Silly Girl
18.) I Don’t Want to Grow Up
19.) Who We Are
20.) Weinerschnitzel
21.) Myage
22.) Without Love
23.) Global Probing
24.) Coffee Mug
25.) When I Get Old
26.) Coolidge
27.) Thank You
28.) Descendents
29.) Fool (ALL Cover)
30.) Dot (ALL Cover)
31.) ALL
32.) No! All!
33.) ‘Merican
34.) I’m the One
35.) Bikeage
36.) Smile
37.) Good Good Things
38.) Pep Talk

Slayer, Lamb of God, Anthrax, Testament, Napalm Death
Tuesday, July 31st, 2018
Toyota Pavilion @ Montage Mountain, Scranton, PA

Our Score: 4 out of 5 stars

Thrash legends Slayer made a stop at the scenic Toyota Pavilion high atop Montage Mountain in Scranton, PA on July 31st as part of their 2018 final world tour. Now in its second leg the tour lineup features newly added Napalm Death and returning favorites Testament, Anthrax and Lamb of God giving fans plenty of metal music for their money.

Opening up the night was the veteran UK thrash band Napalm Death, having just joined the tour replacing Behemoth the band certainly had some very large shoes to fill. Vocalist Mark “Barney” Greenway hit the stage shaking and convulsing like a mad man as the four piece band from Meriden, West Midlands, England tore through songs such as “Suffer the Children”, “Scum” and “Dead” before closing out their early set with a cover of the Dead Kennedys song “Nazi Punks Fuck Off”. When an opening act exudes the amount of energy and furry that Napalm Death does you know right away that you’re going to be in for a very intense evening. The Bay Area’s very own Testament would take the stage next helmed by legendary vocalist Chuck Billy who sounded great as he belted out songs like “Brotherhood of the Snake” and “D.N.R. (Do Not Resuscitate)” which had the ever growing Scranton crowd frothing at the mouth only before being hit between the eyes with the formidable “Into the Pit” and “Over the Wall” which closed out the bands set. Each member of the group put on solid performances with a tip of the hat going to guitarist Alex Skolnick and drummer Gene Hoglan.

Anthrax would take the stage next with their signature New York sound and attitude that put on the map back in the 1980’s bassist Frankie Bello jump, ran and writhed like a demon spit from hell as the band performed tracks like “Caught In A Mosh”, “Madhouse” and the anthemic “Anti Social” which had the PA crowd on their feet and singing at the top of their lungs when cued by front man Joey Belladonna which certainly heightened the evenings intensity. After a quick set change Lamb of God would take the stage next flanked by their signature black and white single star flag side scrims. From the first note all system were go as the band chugged and thumped through songs like “Walk With Me in Hell”, “512” and “Laid to Rest” before closing out with the track “Redneck” from the bands “Sacrament” album. The band wasted little time between each song and really let the music do all the talking for which the crowd seemed to enjoy. Drummer Art Cruz did an amicable job filling in for Chris Adler who announced in late July that he would be sitting out this leg of the tour due to unforeseen circumstances. Though Cruz performed well was in fact handpicked by Adler there was just something different about the band without the veteran member.

Finally the clock struck 9:20pm and it was Slayers turn to take the stage for the final time at Montage Mountain. The stage which was now hidden behind a giant black curtain started to come alive with fire and smoke as the band found their places and the opening of “Delusions of Saviour” blasted through the speakers giving away to the curtain dropping and the band launching into the break neck paced “Repentless”, Vocalist/bassist Tom Araya sounded and looked great sporting a much slimmer look than when I last had the chance to see the group perform. Both guitarists Kerry King and Gary Holt were on their game this evening showcasing their precision on amazing performances of “Mandatory Suicide”, “Black Magic” and “Seasons in the Abyss” before closing out the night with the always formidable “South of Heaven”, “Raining Blood” and “Angel of Death” which serves as a homage to fallen guitarist Jeff Hanneman.

If you have never seen Slayer live I strongly urge you to do so now! The band will remain in the States through August before taking some time off prior to a full overseas tour. The band has stated this will be their last US tour so your time to see them is limited. If that alone doesn’t get you out to one of the few remaining shows then consider the stellar line up they bring with them as just one or two of these groups would make for a great night of head banging. Instead you get a total of 5 bands in all! Each of the groups on this bill give it their all from beginning to end and if you don’t end the night with either ringing ears or a sore neck then you clearly did something wrong.

Napalm Death Set List:
1.) Multinational Corporations
2.) Instinct of Survival
3.) Smash a Single Digit
4.) Standardization
5.) Suffer the Children
6.) Breed to Breathe
7.) Scum
8.) You Suffer
9.) Dead
10.) How the Years Condemn
11.) Nazi Punks Fuck Off

Testament Set List:
1.) Brotherhood of the Snake
2.) Rise Up
3.) Dog Faced Gods
4.) The New Order
5.) Stronghold
6.) D.N.R. (Do Not Resuscitate)
7.) Into the Pit
8.) Over the Wall

Anthrax Set List:
1.) Cowboys from Hell
2.) Caught in a Mosh
3.) Got the Time
4.) Madhouse
5.) Be All, End All
6.) Evil Twin
7.) Antisocial
8.) Indians

Lamb of God Set List:
1.) Omerta
2.) Ruin
3.) Walk with Me in Hell
4.) 512
5.) Now You’ve Got Something to Die For
6.) Engage the Fear Machine
7.) Blacken the Cursed Sun
8.) Laid to Rest
9.) Redneck

Slayer Set List:
1.) Repentless
2.) Blood Red
3.) Disciple
4.) Mandatory Suicide
5.) Hate Worldwide
6.) War Ensemble
7.) Jihad
8.) When the Stillness Comes
9.) Postmortem
10.) Black Magic
11.) Payback
12.) Season in the Abyss
13.) Dittohead
14.) Dead Skin Mask
15.) Hell Awaits
16.) South of Heaven
17.) Raining Blood
18.) Chemical Warfare
19.) Angel of Death

Vans Warped Tour 2018
Wednesday, July 25th, 2018
Darien Lake Performing Arts Center, Darien Center, NY

Our Score: 3 our 5 stars

The long running Vans Warped Tour made its final appearance at the Darien Lake Performing Arts Center on July 25th providing long-time attendees just one last opportunity to enjoy a day of fun in the sun while listening to a wide range of music acts. Though the day kicked off under foreboding skies it certainly didn’t stop eager fans from rushing through the gates in an effort to get one of the festival six stages which were spread strategically throughout the sprawling outdoor venue.

One of the last if not only traveling festivals in the United States announced earlier this year that after twenty plus summers 2018 would be the final run of the Vans Warped tour. The festival which began in 1995 served as the summer highlight for many alternative music fans like myself and even though this year’s line-up on paper wasn’t as stellar as years past there still was a little something for every era of warped tour fan. Right away you could tell that the day was going to be unique as the diverse crowds ranging from hoards of middle/high schooler’s to entire families and all ages in between were present and ready to take in the music. Highlights of the day included and earlier afternoon set by longtime Warped tour performers Less Than Jake whose set was full of fun upbeat moments which included water cannons and toilet paper blowers. Guitarist Chris Demakes even took time to thank the Buffalo crowd for all their support of the band and the tour going back to the days when the event was held in Le Salle Park. Other notable performances included a ten song set from Buffalo’s favorite sons Every Time I Die. The group which took the stage flanked by family and friends blistered the crowd with a high intensity, aggressive set which came to a close with guitarist Jordan Buckley crowd surfing on a cabinet top while playing the final notes of the bands closing song. As the day started to wind down I took in sets by crowd favorites Simple Plan who played a brief greatest hits set which was a lot of fun and included a bevy of black and white beach balls which was only fitting given the occasion. Shortly after we checked out sets by the Massachusetts based Four Years Strong, metal-core legends Unearth and the face painted duo of Jamie Madrox and Monoxide collectively known as Twiztid. There set was a nice break from the crunching guitars and thunderous double bass kicks as those were replaced by thumping bass beats and tongue and cheek lyrics which were quite comical. Before calling it a day we checked out the always energetic and entertaining Nekrogoblikon. The group performed a couple of songs of their most recent release “Welcome to Bonkers” before breaking in to their back catalog which consisted of “No One Gets Out Alive” and “Powercore”. The groups green skinned mascot John Goblikon made several appearances both on stage and off as he helped the band and fans get the most out of the shred-tastic thirty minute set.

As the sun started to set on the final Buffalo stop of the Vans Warped tour it made me think back to the previously attended years and the fun that was had. Often sun burned, sweaty and always with ringing ears memories from seeing bands like NOFX, Bad Religion and Rancid in the tours early years to more recent tours with bands like Masked Intruder, Of Mice and Men and Teenage Bottle Rocket. The Vans Warped tour really was the place to be during the summer and this one was no different and, while the tour may come to a close for the final time on August 5th in West Palm Beach, FL myself and thousands of other attendees will always have the memories that the Vans Warped tour set the stage for. So long Warped tour and thanks for the memories.

2018 Line Up:
3OH!3, Simple Plan, Mayday Parade, Asking Alexandria, We The Kings, Silverstein, Frank Turner, Reel Big Fish, Motionless In White, Senses Fail, Less Than Jake, Crown the Empire, Four Year Strong, Tonight Alive, Issues, The Amity Affliction, Every Time I Die, Chelsea Grin, State Champs, Real Friends, Don Broco, Unearth, Ice Nine Kills, Knuckle Puck, This Wild Life, Twiztid, As It Is, Chase Atlantic,In Hearts Wake, Deez Nuts, Waterparks, Wage War, MyChildren MyBride, The Interrupters, Broadside, Movements, Trash Boat, Palaye Royale, Nekrogoblikon, Grayscale, Kublai Khan, Dayseeker
Story Untold, Sleep On It, Assuming We Survive, Capstan, The Makeout, Doll Skin, Sharptooth, Farewell Winters, LIGHTERBURNS, Of Night And Light, Kaiser Solzie,The Toy Box Brigade

Fall Out Boy Announces Comprehensive Career-Spanning Vinyl Box Set
‘The Complete Studio Albums’

Modern Alt-Rock Pioneers Celebrate Their 15-Year Recording Career with a Seven-Album Collection on September 28 via Island/DCD2/UMe

Following their electrifying early morning performance of their hits “The Last of The Real Ones,” “Uma Thurman” and “My Songs Know What You Did In The Dark (Light Em Up)” in NYC’s Central Park for Good Morning America’s “Summer Concert Series” today (watch the full set here, including online exclusives “Champion” and “Centuries”), multiplatinum modern alt-rock pioneers Fall Out Boy have announced they will release all seven of their studio albums on vinyl as a lavish box set titled The Complete Studio Albums on September 28 via Island/DCD2/UMe. Spanning the band’s storied and wildly successful 15-years-and-counting recording career, the comprehensive collection contains all of Fall Out Boy’s best-selling studio albums, starting with the band’s 2003 pop-punk debut, Take This To Your Grave, including 2005’s career-defining double-platinum hit platter, From Under The Cork Tree, and capping off with their most recent album M A N I A which earned the band their fourth No. 1 record upon release this past January. This must-have on-wax collection also includes 2013’s combo Save Rock And Roll (PAX•AM Edition) for the first time ever on 12-inch vinyl. The Complete Studio Albums will be made available in two versions — a standard edition on 180-gram black vinyl, and as a limited-edition, 180-gram clear vinyl collection. View the unboxing video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Prlrcqdr07k

Pre-order The Complete Studio Albums on black vinyl: https://UMe.lnk.to/BlackVinyl
Pre-order The Complete Studio Albums on limited-edition clear vinyl: https://UMe.lnk.to/ClearVinyl

This extensive vinyl box celebrates the first decade and a half of the Chicago-bred band’s incredible career, showcasing all of Fall Out Boy’s iconic hits like the hard-knock manifesto “This Ain’t A Scene, It’s An Arms Race,” the muscular lament of “Sugar, We’re Goin Down,” the hard-stomping, fist-pumping singalong “My Songs Know What You Did In The Dark (Light Em Up),” the wistful shorthand lament of “Thnx fr th Mmrs,” and the immortalized directive of “Centuries,” among them.

Spread across 11 LPs, the records included in The Complete Studio Albums are all pressed on 180-gram black vinyl and come packaged in a beautifully designed shadow box along with an exclusive custom slipmat. The 1,000-piece limited-edition version includes all of the elements found within the black-vinyl box, but is instead pressed on 180-gram clear vinyl.

The 2LP version of From Under The Cork Tree is the Black Clouds And Underdogs Edition that was initially released in March 2006 with an expanded track list that added three new songs and two dance mixes. The aforementioned Save Rock And Roll (PAX•AM Edition) package contains all of the tracks from the original album plus eight songs produced by Ryan Adams that had been released separately in October 2013, six months after the initial album drop.

Fall Out Boy’s live prowess will be on full display when the band’s M A N I A tour kick offs on August 29 in Uniondale, New York. The 25-plus-date U.S. tour includes an extra special stop on September 8, when Fall Out Boy returns to their native stomping grounds for a special homecoming milestone event — namely, their first-ever headlining show at Chicago’s iconic Wrigley Field. Tickets for the tour are available now, and $1 from every ticket sold will go to the Fall Out Boy Fund benefiting charities all throughout Chicago. For more information and a complete list of tour dates, please visit https://falloutboy.com/tour

Some of the albums contained in the box set are also receiving individual releases on cool customized vinyl, including American Beauty/American Psycho (180g, with black & white swirl), Folie À Deux (180g opaque brown), From Under The Cork Tree (180g, with red & black split), and Infinity On High (180g clear with red splatter), all on October 26. Then, on December 14, Save Rock And Roll (PAX•AM Edition) takes center stage in two versions: standard 180g black vinyl, and 180g red vinyl with black smoky swirls.

Regardless of which version fans choose to experience the sonic wonders found within this all-inclusive box set, The Complete Studio Albums has been designed to be the ultimate Fall Out Boy collector’s item.

falloutboy.com
facebook.com/falloutboy
twitter.com/falloutboy
instagram.com/falloutboy

FALL OUT BOY – THE COMPLETE STUDIO ALBUMS [11LP 180-gram vinyl box set]

TAKE THIS TO YOUR GRAVE (1LP, 2003)
SIDE A
1. “Tell That Mick He Just Made My List Of Things To Do Today”
2. Dead On Arrival
3. Grand Theft Autumn/Where Is Your Boy
4. Saturday
5. Homesick At Space Camp
6. Sending Postcards From A Plane Crash (Wish You Were Here)
SIDE B
7. Chicago Is So Two Years Go
8. The Pros And Cons Of Breathing
9. Grenade Jumper
10. Calm Before The Storm
11. Reinventing The Wheel To Run Myself Over
12. The Patron Saint Of Liars And Fakes

FROM UNDER THE CORK TREE (BLACK CLOUDS AND UNDERDOGS EDITION) (2LP, 2005)
LP1
SIDE A
1. Our Lawyer Made Us Change The Name Of This Song So We Wouldn’t Get Sued
2. Of All The Gin Joints In All The World
3. Dance, Dance
4. Sugar, We’re Goin Down
SIDE B
5. Nobody Puts Baby In The Corner
6. I’ve Got A Dark Alley And A Bad Idea That Says You Should Shut Your Mouth (Summer Song)
7. 7 Minutes In Heaven (Atavan Halen)
8. Sophomore Slump Or Comeback Of The Year

LP2
SIDE C
9. Champagne For My Real Friends, Real Pain For My Sham Friends
10. I Slept With Someone In Fall Out Boy And All I Got Was This Stupid Song Written About Me
11. A Little Less Sixteen Candles, A Little More “Touch Me”
12. Get Busy Living Or Get Busy Dying (Do Your Part To Save The Scene And Stop Going To Shows)
13. XO
SIDE D
14. Snitches And Talkers Get Stitches And Walkers
15. The Music Or The Misery
16. My Heart Is The Worst Kind Of Weapon (Demo)
17. Sugar, We’re Goin Down (Patrick Stump Remix)
18. Dance, Dance (The Lindbergh Palace Remix)

INFINITY ON HIGH (2LP, 2007)
LP1
SIDE A
1. Thriller
2. “The Take Over, The Breaks Over”
3. This Ain’t A Scene, It’s An Arms Race
4. I’m Like A Lawyer With The Way I’m Always Trying To Get You Off (Me & You)
SIDE B
5. Hum Hallelujah
6. Golden
7. Thnks fr th Mmrs
8. Don’t You Know Who I Think I Am?

LP2
SIDE C
9. The (After) Life Of The Party
10. The Carpal Tunnel Of Love
11. Bang The Doldrums
12. Fame < Infamy
SIDE D
13. You’re Crashing, But You’re No Wave
14. I’ve Got All This Ringing In My Ears And None On My Fingers
15. G.I.N.A.S.F.S.
16. It’s Hard To Say “I Do,” When I Don’t

FOLIE À DEUX (2LP, 2008)
LP1
SIDE A
1. Disloyal Order Of Water Buffaloes
2. I Don’t Care
3. She’s My Winona
SIDE B
4. America’s Suitehearts
5. Headfirst Slide Into Cooperstown On A Bad Bet
6. The (Shipped) Gold Standard

LP2
SIDE C
7. (Coffee’s For Closers)
8. What A Catch, Donnie
9. 27
SIDE D
10. Tiffany Blews
11. w.a.m.s.
12. 20 Dollar Nose Bleed
13. West Coast Smoker

SAVE ROCK AND ROLL (PAX•AM EDITION) (2LP, 2013)
LP1
SIDE A
1. The Phoenix
2. My Songs Know What You Did In The Dark (Light Em Up)
3. Alone Together
4. Where Did The Party Go
SIDE B
5. Just One Yesterday (ft. Foxes)
6. The Mighty Fall (ft. Big Sean)
7. Miss Missing You
8. Death Valley

LP2
SIDE C
9. Young Volcanoes
10. Rat A Tat (ft. Courtney Love)
11. Save Rock And Roll (ft. Elton John)
SIDE D
12. We Were Doomed From The Start (The King Is Dead)
13. Art Of Keeping Up Disappearances
14. Hot To The Touch, Cold On The Inside
15. Love, Sex, Death
16. Eternal Summer
17. Demigods
18. American Made
19. Caffeine Cold

AMERICAN BEAUTY/AMERICAN PSYCHO (1LP, 2015)
SIDE A
1. Irresistible
2. American Beauty/American Psycho
3. Centuries
4. The Kids Aren’t Alright
5. Uma Thurman
SIDE B
6. Jet Pack Blues
7. Novocaine
8. Fourth Of July
9. Favorite Record
10. Immortals
11. Twin Skeleton’s (Hotel In NYC)

MANIA (1LP, 2018)
SIDE A
1. Stay Frosty Royal Milk Tea
2. The Last Of The Real Ones
3. Hold Me Tight Or Don’t
4. Wilson (Expensive Mistakes)
5. Church
SIDE B
6. Heaven’s Gate
7. Champion
8. Sunshine Riptide
9. Young And Menace
10. Bishops Knife Trick

FALL OUT BOY – 2018 MANIA TOUR DATES
August 24th- Reading UK @ Reading Festival
August 25th- Leeds UK @Leeds Festival
August 29th – Uniondale, NY @ NYCB Live, Home of The Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum
August 31st – Uncasville, CT @ Mohegan Sun Arena
September 1st – Hershey, PA @ Hersheypark Stadium
September 2nd – Buffalo, NY @ KeyBank Center
September 4th – Newark, NJ @ Prudential Center
September 5th – Pittsburgh, PA @ PPG Paints Arena
September 6th – Grand Rapids, MI @ The Van Andel Arena
September 8th – Chicago, IL @ Wrigley Field
September 9th – Columbus, OH @ Nationwide Arena
September 11th – Nashville, TN @ Bridgestone Arena
September 12th – Louisville, KY @ KFC Yum! Center
September 14th – Greensboro, NC @ Greensboro Coliseum Complex
September 16th – Orlando, FL @ Amway Center
September 21st – Kansas City, MO @ Sprint Center
September 22nd – Oklahoma City, OK @ Chesapeake Energy Arena
September 23rd – Austin, TX @ Frank Erwin Center
September 25th – El Paso, TX @ UTEP Don Haskins Center
September 26th – Tucson, AZ @ Tucson Arena
September 28th – Las Vegas, NV @ MGM Grand Garden Arena
September 29th – Anaheim, CA @ HONDA Center
September 30th – San Jose, CA @ SAP Center
October 2nd – Boise, ID @ Taco Bell Arena
October 3rd – Salt Lake City, UT @ Vivint Smart Home Arena
October 5th – Lincoln, NE @ Pinnacle Bank Arena
October 6th – Des Moines, IA @ Wells Fargo Arena
October 7th – Indianapolis, IN @ Bankers Life Fieldhouse
October 9th – North Little Rock, AR @ Verizon Arena
October 10th – New Orleans, LA @ Smoothie King Center

“Conspiracy, Them, Abigail, Fatal Portrait”
King Diamond
Metal Blade Records
Special Edition Vinyl Picture Discs

Our Score: 4.5 out of 5 stars

With the reintroduction of Vinyl back in to the mainstream many labels have starting re-releasing their back catalogs on titles which either were never available on vinyl or have been long since out of print. Metal Blade Records has been a big proprietor of this practice and their most recent re-releases come from the one and only King Diamond. Media Mikes had the chance to check out four of these releases (“Them, Fatal Portrait, Conspiracy, Abigail”) and needless to say we quite please with the listening experience.

Right out the box before even starting up my turn table I could tell that these four records were going to be something special. All of the albums are pressed on 180 gram vinyl and adorned with beautiful album artwork and photos on both the A and B sides. Probably my favorite of the lot was the photo of a growling King which graces side A of the “Conspiracy” LP. Another thing I notice about the artwork was that all the colors were very vibrant making the art work pop quite nice. Probably the best example of this is that of the seductive woman cloaked in fire on the “Fatal Portrait” album. Not only were these four albums great to look at the sound quality was top notch and consistent across each of the reviewed editions. Classis songs like “Welcome Home”, “Abigail”, “Halloween” and “Victimized” will tear through your speakers as the Kings signature falsetto screams shriek to new levels while the shred-tastic instrumentation blows your mind on an entirely different level.

Metal Blade spared no expense in the re-release of these four albums. The high quality vinyl makes for a tremendous sonic experience while the bold double sided art work provides a nice visual aspect as well. Both fans of the band and vinyl collectors will want surely want to check these out as they are some of the nicer re-releases I have encountered. Another cool thing is that some of these releases will be limited to only 2,000 prints making the collector factor quite high. If you’re into adding some true classic metal to your record collection or want to get these to display merely for the amazing art act fast as these surely won’t be around long.

“Conspiracy” Track Listing:
Side A
1.) At the Gates
2.) Sleepless Nights
3.) Lies
4.) A Visit from the Dead
Side B
5.) The Wedding Dream
6.)” Amon” Belongs to “Them”
7.) Something Weird
8.) Victimized
9.) Let It Be Done
10.) Cremation

“Them” Track Listing:
Side A
1.) Out from the Asylum
2.) Welcome Home
3.) The Invisible Guests
4.) Tea
5.) Mother’s Getting Weaker
Side B
6.) Bye, Bye, Missy
7.) A Broken Spell
8.) The Accusation Chair
9.) Them
10.) Twilight Symphony
11.) Coming Home

“Abigail” Track Listing:
Side A
1.) Funeral
2.) Arrival
3.) A Mansion in Darkness
4.) The Family Ghost
5.) The 7th Day of July
Side B
6.) Omens
7.) The Possession
8.) Abigail
9.) Black Horseman

“Fatal Portrait” Track Listing:
Side A
1.) The Candle
2.) The Jonah
3.) The Portrait
4.) Dressed in White
Side B
5.) Charon
6.) Lurking in the Dark
7.) Halloween
8.) Voices from the Past
9.) Haunted

Mark Vollelunga is the guitarist for the Texas based rock band Nothing More. The group’s latest single “Just Say When” (which is a bit of a departure from the bands heavier style) recently rose to number 16 on the Billboard Charts for main stream rock songs. Media Mikes had the chance to speak with Mark recently about the release, the bands current tour with Five Finger Death Punch and the bands plans for the remainder of 2018.

Adam Lawton: Can you give us some background on the band’s latest single “Just Say When”?

Mark Vollelunga: Personally I am really stoked and happy with how the song is doing. It is a bit of a different color for us. It’s nice to have something that is a little more bare bones and that is all about the lyrics and melody. The song really came about after having toured so much on our self titled release. Touring takes a strain on your personal life and it had started to cause some division for Johnny and myself. What I poured into the song was the idea of co-existing. Sometimes you use that spark or connection which can cause a point of staleness. It can be sad when you just co-exist with the love of your life. Not to be a complete dreamer and say that is completely realistic as we all go through dry spells. This song hits at that pinnacle point when you are not sure whether to hold on or let go.

AL: Was this song actually created while you were out on the road or was put together after you were back home and in the studio?

MV: It started when we were still on the road. I was listening to a lot more folk jam songs at the time and I came up with this start of the start and showed it to Johnny. We clicked on it right away and started putting melody to it pretty quickly. After that the song sat for awhile until we were jamming together one day. After that we finished it to the point of what you almost here now. When we were done we weren’t sure if the song really fit with the rest of what we had put together and it almost didn’t make the record. The song emotionally fit but sonically we just didn’t know if it was in the same vein. At the eleventh hour we thought it would be cool and different to include it and I am so glad we did.

AL: Being that this track was much different from your other material did you approach the initial writing process any differently?

MV: Writing for me is different every time. If I have a guitar part or lyric thing happening or Johnny has a wacky programming idea or interesting spiritual thought it all just depends. Other times it comes out us all sitting and jamming together. We try not to limit ourselves in any way. I think if you go through the same process every time things can get stale. Even though we are approaching the same thing we try to come at it from different angles in hopes of inspiring something neat and unique.

AL: At what point was the decision made to release this song as a single?

MV: Generally you try and go with a more emotional song on your second or third single. This song really appealed to everyone and the feedback we got from people was great. I think a lot of people have been at the point that the song talks about and they can relate to it.

AL: There is also a video for the song as well. Can you tell us a little about that?

MV: We got to do something different once again with this as well so it’s been another great experience. My wife recently got me interested in to contemporary/lyrical dance. She loves a lot of the dance shows which are on television right now. At first I thought they were kind of cheesy and I didn’t really get them but the more I watched them I learned to appreciate them. What I like is when the choreography matches with the emotion and mood of the song. That’s kind of what we tried to do with “Just Say When”. We some professional dancers come in and we made this great piece which is sort of out of our genre but we try to tie everything in through our lyrics. The others guys may have been a bit skeptical at first but after showing them some pieces that moved me and were very compelling they became interested in the whole thing.

AL: Can you tell us about the tour that the band is currently apart of?

MV: We are coming off of doing three festival shows with a bunch of different bands. We got to play with Stone Temple Pilots headlining one and Incubus headlining another. I hadn’t seen Stone Temple Pilots with their new singer yet and being able to do that was really cool. It was a trip down memory lane for sure. Currently we are out on the road with Breaking Benjamin and Five Finger Death Punch. We have toured with both of these groups before and they are seasoned bands that have a lot of wise words they can pass on to us. We definitely try to be sponges when it comes to stuff like that. We will be going all over the United States from now until September. After that we will be doing this great self help festival that A Day to Remember puts on in Detroit. After that we go back to Europe for a run with Of Mice and Men and Bullet For My Valentine. To end the year we will be touring Canada with Three Days Grace. All these tours are going to a lot of fun.

AL: What is it like being able to play with such a diverse group of bands on all these different tours?

MV: It’s awesome! I love that we can cater to our audience. If you are a metal fan, a rock fan or just an alternative pop person I feel there is a lot in our music that touches on all of those genres and it can be appreciated. At the end of the day a good song is a good song. I feel our society puts too much importance on the style of songs and where it needs to be lumped into. If you think about bands like The Beatles and Led Zeppelin who had so many different genres of music within their own sound I am proud that we can do that as well.

AL: Was it difficult for you starting out being that you were trying to be very diverse?

MV: Absolutely! It was difficult. In 2011 I think we had our first label interest. We did some showcases and I remember hearing back from one label on my birthday that we weren’t left of center enough. We were just too much in the middle of the road for some people. To us it’s always been if the song is good then that’s what we go with. It has been hard to gain belief and understanding at times from the music industry because of that. Put us in front of any crowd though and we will win people over.

For more info on Nothing More visit www.nothingmore.net

SHONEN KNIFE Are ALIVE! IN THE U.S.A
Full US Tour Begins August 28

Bringing with them the candy-coated conductivity of unforgettable melodies, the incandescence of inestimable headbanging, the buoyancy of a brilliant display, and the potency of pure punk rock – SHONEN KNIFE are ALIVE! In The USA.

Boasting a nearly 40 year career, these three luminaries of rock & roll have wielded fun and food-centered bops that earned them the love and respect of music goliaths like Nirvana and Sonic Youth. They’ve made their way from their home of Osaka, Japan to the United States many times, but this year they’re putting their personal affection for each and every city on display. Following the release of their tenacious live DVD/CD ALIVE! In Osaka (Released on Robby Takac of THE GOO GOO DOLLS’ Good Charamel Records), Shonen Knife have prepared to deliver that same hometown energy from Buffalo on August 28th to Brooklyn on August 31st, Chicago on September 9th, Los Angeles on October 5th, and so much more. Each city will have its own personalized and limited edition artwork available at the show, because for Shonen Knife, home is where the fans are.

Shonen Knife frontwoman Naoko comments, “Our first live album Live in Osaka was released in 2006, and was recorded at the same venue as this new one. After the first live album, we toured, released music constantly, grew as a band and improved. This year we would like to bring the fever from ALIVE! in Osaka on our US tour. Not only will we play songs from the record, but we are also preparing special rarely played songs from earlier albums to the present. Let’s have a fun time together!”

Shonen Knife “Riding On The Rocket”
From ALIVE! In Osaka
 https://vimeo.com/263652850

The DVD/CD ALIVE! In Osaka was recorded live at Juso Fandango in Osaka, Japan in December of 2017 and includes 21 tracks from the band’s nearly four decade long career as Japan’s most loved indie-rock import.

Frontwoman, Naoko, explained, “It is our first live album after 12 years. The drummer was changed from the last time. You can try to compare the new one with the last one. It might be interesting. The show was held in our hometown and of course everybody there was so excited. I hope you can get happy, fun and cheerful with this album.”

Featuring classics such as “Twist Barbie”, “Bear Up Bison” and “Sushi Bar Song”, newer tracks like “Jump Into The New World” and “Rock N Roll Tee Shirt” as well as a cover of Nick Lowe’s classic “Cruel to be Kind”, the band is captured in their true element, entertaining fans in the city that made them who they are today.

With incendiary and icon-building appearances on Lollapalooza, MTV’s 120 Minutes, Beavis & Butthead, Cartoon Network’s The Powerpuff Girls, as well as a well-received tribute to The Carpenters where they covered “Top of the World”, Shonen Knife have secured their rock solid cult status as they march into the future.

ALIVE! In Osaka is available as a limited edition CD/DVD set and digitally in audio and video formats for streaming and download.

Grab ALIVE! In Osaka here

TOUR DATES
08/28- Buffalo, NY – The 9th Ward
08/29- Philadelphia, PA – Johnny Brenda’s
08/30- Ithaca, NY- The Haunt
08/31- Brooklyn, NY – Brooklyn Bowl
09/01- Baltimore, MD- The Ottobar
09/03- Washington D.C. – The Black Cat
09/04- Pittsburgh, PA – Spirit
09/05- Columbus, OH- Rumba Café
09/06- Chicago, IL – Subterranean
09/09- Urbana, IL- Japan House Matsuri
09/11- Indianapolis, IN- The Hi-Fi
09/12- St. Louis, MO – The Ready Room
09/13- Kansas City, MO- The Riot Room
09/15- Denton, TX- Dan’s Silverleaf
09/16- Austin, TX- 3Ten @ ACL Live
09/19- San Antonio, TX – Sam’s Burger Joint
09/21- Albuquerque, NM – The Launch Pad
09/22- Tucson, AZ- 191 Toole
09/23- Tempe, AZ- Yucca Tap Room
09/24- Las Vegas, NV- The Beauty Bar
09/27- Sacramento, CA- Goldfield
09/29- Portland, OR- Dante’s
09/30- Seattle, WA- Tractor Tavern
10/03- San Fran, CA- Bottom Of The Hill
10/05- Los Angeles, CA – The Bootleg
10/06- San Diego, CA- The Casbah

CD TRACKLIST:
1. Pop Tune
2. Super Group
3. Banana Chips
4. Twist Barbie
5. Bear Up Bison
6. Bad Luck Song
7. Green Tangerine
8. Move on
9. Jump into the New World
10. Rock’n’roll T-shirt
11. Cruel to Be Kind
12. All You Can Eat
13. Sushi Bar Song
14. Wasabi
15. Ramen Rock
16. Riding on the Rocket
17. Buttercup (I’m a Super Girl)
18. Pyramid Power
19. Antonio Baka Guy
20. It’s a New Find
21. BBQ Party

DVD TRACKLIST:
1. Pop Tune
2. Super Group
3. Banana Chips
4. Twist Barbie
5. Bear Up Bison
6. Bad Luck Song
7. Green Tangerine
8. Move on
9. Jump into the New World
10. Rock’n’roll T-shirt
11. All You Can Eat
12. Sushi Bar Song
13. Wasabi
14. Ramen Rock
15. Riding on the Rocket
16. Buttercup (I’m a Super Girl)
17. Pyramid Power
18. Antonio Baka Guy
19. It’s a New Find
20. BBQ Party

Cannibal Corpse announces USA tour with Hate Eternal, Harm’s Way

After releasing their 14th studio album, Red Before Black, last year to critical acclaim, Cannibal Corpse is ready to head back out on the road this winter in support of it – this time, with Hate Eternal and Harm’s Way joining them on the bill. See below for all dates!

Cannibal Corpse tour dates
w/ Hate Eternal, Harm’s Way
Nov. 2 – Columbia, SC – The Music Farm
Nov. 3 – Asheville, NC – Orange Peel
Nov. 4 – Norfolk, VA – Shaka’s Live
Nov. 5 – Lancaster, PA – Chameleon Club
Nov. 7 – Burlington, VT – Higher Ground
Nov. 8 – Providence, RI – Fete
Nov. 9 – Jersey City, NJ – White Eagle Hall
Nov. 10 – Rochester, NY – Anthology
Nov. 11 – Columbus, OH – Skully’s
Nov. 13 – Grand Rapids, MI – The Intersection
Nov. 14 – Toledo, OH – Civic Music Hall
Nov. 15 – Bloomington, IL – The Castle Theater
Nov. 16 – Palatine, IL – Durty Nelly’s
Nov. 17 – Madison, WI – The Majestic Theater
Nov. 18 – Des Moines, IA – Wooly’s
Nov. 20 – Omaha, NE – The Waiting Room
Nov. 21 – Oklahoma City, OK – Diamond Ballroom
Nov. 23 – Corpus Christi, TX – House of Rock
Nov. 24 – Houston, TX – Warehouse Live
Nov. 25 – Baton Rouge, LA – The Varsity Theater
Nov. 27 – Lexington, KY – Cosmic Charlies
Nov. 28 – Pittsburgh, PA – Mr. Smalls
Nov. 29 – Indianapolis, IN – The Vogue
Nov. 30 – St. Louis, MO – Delmar Hall
Dec. 1 – Columbia, MO – The Blue Note
Dec. 3 – Memphis, TN – Growlers
Dec. 4 – Athens, GA – Georgia Theater
Dec. 5 – Orlando, FL – The Abbey
Dec. 6 – Ft. Lauderdale, FL – The Culture Room

“All In”
Down By Law
Kung Fu/Cleopatra Records
Tracks: 12

Our Score: 4 out of 5 stars

Punk rock staples Down By Law are back with a brand new studio album simply titled “All In”. The 11 track album is the bands first studio release in five years and features the group’s classic 90’s lineup of Dave Smalley, Sam Williams, John DiMambro convening for the first time in almost twenty years along with drummer Jack Criswell. “All In” will also be the bands first release since joining Kung Fu/Cleopatra records.

If you grew up in the reemergence of punk rock in the 1990’s like me then you most definitely are aware of Down By Law. With classic albums such as “Punkrockacademyfightsong” and “All Scratched Up” solidifying the bands place in the punk ethos long ago the group’s latest release “All In” continues to build on the bands thirty plus year career. The album is a blending of familiarity and freshness that both fans new and old will enjoy. From tracks like “Boredom” and “Undone” which feature thumping four on the floor rhythms to the Echo laden “Infatuation” and, the haunting closing track “Dear Fate” which at the start creeps along like a low lying fog before a perfectly timed solo helps transition to a slightly more upbeat back end which seemed to serve as the proverbial light at the end of the tunnel for the songs subject matter.

The reuniting of Down By Law’s classic lineup is on display from beginning to end with “All In” and they more than deliver! From catchy lyrics to upbeat instrumentation the group provides listeners with an album that is new and different while still retaining the elements which endeared them to fans over thirty years ago. No fancy studio tricks or filler tracks here. Down By Law brings it on “All In”.

Track Listing:
1.) Aperture
2.) Boredom
3.) Rebrand It
4.) Carousel
5.) End of Rhyme
6.) Undone
7.) Then and Tomorrow
8.) Infatuation
9.) Ride
10.) Mannequin
11.) Dear Fate