Alex Grossi is one of the busiest guitarists in today’s music scene. Some of his projects include the bands Beautiful Creatures, Hookers and Blow, Hotel Diablo and most notably Quiet Riot which he joined in 2003. Alex’s newest project Maps to the Hollywood Scars” recently released a new EP titled “Vol. 1” featuring former American Idol contest James Durbin. Media Mikes had the chance to speak with Alex recently about the new project and the recent addition of James to the Quiet Riot lineup.

Adam Lawton: Can you tell us about the new project Maps to the Hollywood Scars and, how you and James Durbin came together?

Alex Grossi: I had met James back in 2011 through a mutual business acquaintance when he was doing American Idol. We became friends during that time but lost touch for a few years. It wasn’t until James was doing a residency in Las Vegas recently that we reconnected and I started sending him demos. He was recording some great melodies and lyrics and the more we worked the better things kept getting. Eventually we have almost a dozen songs done. We decided to put out an EP to see how things would go and that led to us doing a second one and so on. Things happened very organically and we are very happy where things are at.

AL: What was the process like for working on the new EP titled “Vol.1”?

AG: I had been working on songs as they came to me for about a year prior. When I sent them to James he immediately got it and was inspired. There was really no set plan for anything but I had been demoing songs for about a year and finally found the right outlet for them. Having James come in has been great and also working with our producer AJ St James and Dizzy Reed who played piano and strings.

AL: How did Dizzy Reed become involved with the project?

AG: I have been playing in a cover band we do called Hookers and Blow for the past twelve or thirteen years. When we wrote the song “Death” I could just hear the string parts and piano parts. I sent him the song and asked him what he could add and what he sent back is what you hear on the record. He did a great job and nailed it.

AL: Are there any plans to tour behind this release?

AG: There have been some offers that have come in but with the both of us now being in Quiet Riot we have to work around that schedule and we would have to put a band together. Right now we are only going to do what makes sense for everyone as it’s hard to schedule something for spring and summer when we already have commitments with Quiet Riot. There has been talk of doing some late night television appearance but as far as a full blown tour we will probably only do a show here or there. It’s a side project and something that we want to keep special. We have plans but we just have to wait for the right time when everyone’s calendars line up.

AL: Can you give us an update on the recent Quiet Riot line-up change?

AG: We just announced James as our new singer and we are currently recording the new album with him titled “Road Rage”. We have bunch of new tour dates that just went up on the Quiet Riot website which will taking us all over the country and also to Canada. More shows keep getting added to it hard to keep up with them all. (Laughs) We are very grateful for the support which keeps us going.

AL: How instrumental were you in bringing James into the Quiet Riot fold?

AG: I was demoing the songs with James and during that time I was sending the tracks over to Frankie to check out. He has been very supportive of the project since I started it so when it came time make a singer change I offered to call James up and see if he would be interested. I called him up; he said he was interested and about two weeks later things were on their way. We did rehearsals and a photo shoot and that was it. It all happened very quickly. James is such a pro in that he came in prepared knowing all the songs and was ready to go. I am very blessed to play with such a great group of guys. We all get along great and I am really excited to get out there with this new lineup.

AL: What other projects are you currently working on?

AG: Back in 2002 I joined Beautiful Creatures replacing DJ Ashba. We recorded an album called “Deuce” which we just got the rights back to. We remixed and re-mastered that album along with adding a few new things. That is going to be released March 31st. We are calling it “Deuce Deluxe” it’s going to have a bunch of new stuff on it and it sounds really great. I also do a fun cover band with Dizzy Reed called Hookers and Blow which we will be doing some shows here and there. I also am working still with Steven Adler. Getting to see him play with Gn’R this summer was amazing.

For more info on all of Alex’s projects visit: www.alexgrossimusic.com

“Fear of Missing Out”
The Bombpops
Fat Wreck Chords
Tracks: 12

Our score: 4 out of 5 stars

San Diego punkers The Bombpops are set to explode with their first full-length album titled “Fear of Missing Out”. Released via Fat Wreck Chords the 12 track album is the follow up to the bands 2015 self released EP titled “Can of Worms” and hits with a sound and energy that harkens back to punks resurge in the 90’s.

Fat Wreck Chords has a long and fabled history as one of the independent leaders of punk rock music so whenever I get a chance to check out a new release from them I jump at the chance. Right from the albums opening track “Capable of Lies” to the closing notes of “All in a Day’s Lurk” the album is two parts nostalgia and two parts new as the 4 piece band consisting of Poli van Dam, Jen Razavi, Josh Lewis and Neil Wayne provide listeners with 90’s styled pop-punk fueled with modern day angst. Tracks like “CA in July”, “Watch Me Fold” and “Sweet for Sorrow” are definitely worth noting as they provide a perfect example of my previous statement.

If you were ever into bands like Dance Hall Crashers or Save Ferris then you definitely owe it to yourself to check out The Bombpops and their latest release “Fear of Missing Out”. Not only does the band/album provide a new take on a familiar sound each track’s catchiness is through the roof making it an album you can throw on repeat and listen to multiple times.

Track Listing:
1.) Capable of Lies
2.) CA in July
3.) Be Sweet
4.) Sweet for Sorrow
5.) Jerk
6.) FOMO
7.) I Can’t
8.) Watch Me Fold
9.) Forever Since
10.) Brake Lights
11.) Marry. Fuck. Kill
12.) All in a Day’s Lurk

“Season of the Witch”
John 5 and the Creatures
60 Cycle Hum
Producer: John 5
Tracks: 13

Our score: 4 out of 5 stars

World-Renowned guitarist John 5 and his band The Creatures are back with a brand new 13 track album titled “Season of the Witch”. The album (John’s 8^th as a solo artist) is being released via 60 Cycle Hum is the follow up to his 2014 release “Careful With that Axe”.

John 5 seems to be one of those guys who is constantly going and perfecting his craft. From his work with Rob Zombie and Rod Stewart to scoring films and appearing as a guest performer on dozens of albums each year the guy always seems to be playing. John’s latest offering “Season of the Witch” blends, twists and smashes a variety of genres leaving practically no musical stone unturned over the course of its 13 track, 37 minute run time. From the sample laden opener “Book of Spells”, to the Rush-esque “Guitar, Tits and Monsters and the layered back twang filled echoes of “Behind the Nut Love” listeners are take on a rollercoaster ride of sound and emotion as the virtuoso lets his guitar do all of the talking. Backed by an equally impressive band known as “The Creatures” consisting of bassist Ian Ross and drummer Rodger Carter the trio connects flawlessly providing an enjoyable listening experience.

Don’t let the albums brief runtime fool you as John 5 and the Creatures pack every ounce of musicality they can in to each and every second of “Seasons of the Witch”. Easily his most diverse solo effort to date John 5 showcases his ability and diverse tastes by blending country, funk, rock and metal with his love for the macabre into one cohesive package that provides listeners with something new each time you listen.

Track Listing:
1.) Book of Spells
2.) The Black Grass Plague
3.) Guitars, Tits and Monsters
4.) Now Fear This
5.) Behind the Nut Love
6.) Making Monsters
7.) Cr. Evil’s Spookshow
8.) Here’s to the Crazy One’s
9.) The Macabre
10.) Ddd
11.) Hell Haw I.G.R.
12.) Ode to Jasper
13.) Season of the Witch

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World-Renowned Guitarist JOHN 5 Releases New Album “Season of The Witch”, Kicks off solo tour in support.

“Season Of The Witch”, the brand new full-length instrumental solo album from world-renowned guitarist JOHN 5, is out now and can be ordered via iTunes, Amazon and John-5.com, or streamed via Spotify.

In celebration of the album’s release, JOHN 5 and The Creatures are kicked off their U.S. tour in Fife, WA on March 3rd. The tour will hit roughly 35 cities (with more potentially TBA), coming to an end in Chicago, IL on April 16. Tickets and VIP are available now – visit http://www.john-5.com/main/tour for more information.

JOHN 5 and the Creatures “SEASON OF THE WITCH” Confirmed Tour Dates:
3/3 – Fife, WA @ Louie G’s
3/4 – Everett, WA @ Tony V’s Garage
3/5 – Portland, OR @ Star Theater
3/9 – Sacramento, CA @ Harlow’s Restaurant & Nightclub
3/10 – San Jose, CA @ The Ritz
3/11 – Fresno, CA @ Fulton 55
3/12 – San Francisco, CA @ DNA Lounge
3/16 – Fullerton, CA @ The Slidebar Rock-n-Roll Cafe
3/17 – West Hollywood, CA @ Whisky A Go Go
3/18 – Las Vegas, NV @ Vamp’d Rock Bar & Grill
3/19 – San Diego, CA @ Brick By Brick
3/20 – Mesa, AZ @ Club Red
3/22 – Austin, TX @ Grizzly Hall
3/23 – San Antonio, TX @ Fitzgerald’s Bar & Live Music
3/24 – Tyler, TX @ Clicks Live
3/25 – Houston, TX @ Scout’s Bar
3/26 – Dallas, TX @ Trees
3/29 – Raleigh, NC @ Kings
3/30 – Charlotte, NC @ Neighbourhood Theatre
3/31 – Greensboro, NC @ Blind Tiger
4/1 – Wilmington, NC @ Calico
4/2 – Virginia Beach, VA @ Shaka’s
4/3 – Richmond, VA @ Capitol Ale House
4/5 – Cambridge, MA @ Middle East – Downstairs
4/6 – Derry, NH @ New Tupelo Music Hall
4/7 – Queens, NY @ Blackthorn 51
4/8 – Boonsboro, MD @ The Stage House
4/9 – Falls Church, VA @ The State Theatre
4/10 – Sellersville, PA @ Sellersville Theater
4/11 – Pittsburgh, PA @ Hard Rock Cafe Pittsburgh
4/12 – Cleveland, OH @ The Agora Ballroom
4/13 – Newport, KY @ Southgate House
4/14 – Indianapolis, IN @ Vogue
4/15 – Westland, MI @ The Token Lounge
4/16 – Chicago, IL @ Reggies

JOHN 5 online:
www.john-5.com
www.facebook.com/John5official
www.twitter.com/john5guitarist
www.instagram.com/john5official

SLAYER…LAMB OF GOD…BEHEMOTH…
Spreading The Apocalypse This Summer

LOS ANGELES, CA – Tuesday, February 28, 2017 — There are many perilous ways one can spend time off – Volcano-boarding down Cerro Negro, Nicaragua’s active volcano, or maybe bungee jumping from a helicopter over the bubbling crater of Chile’s Villarrica. How about a visit to Sao Paulo’s Snake Island, home of some 4000 golden lancehead vipers whose venom can melt human flesh, or shark diving without a cage in South Africa. But nothing is quite as hazardous or risky as a night in the pit at a Slayer concert. Add to that the ferociousness of Lamb of God and Behemoth, and you’ve got a Satan-approved triple bill of Biblical proportions.

The six-week expedition will rage across North America beginning July 12 in Bemidji, MN, winding up in Phoenix, AZ on August 20. Slayer and Lamb of God will also play Wisconsin’s Rock Fest 2017 (7/13) and Rock USA 2017 (7/15), and then meet up with Behemoth at the Chicago Open Air Festival on July 16. Tickets go on sale this Friday, March 3; log on to www.slayer.net/tour for all purchasing details.

JULY
12 Sanford Center, Bemidji, MN
13 Rock Fest 2017, Cadott, WI (Slayer and Lamb of God on this bill)
15 Rock USA 2017, Ford Festival Park, Oshkosh, WI (Slayer and Lamb of God on this bll)
16 Chicago Open Air Festival, Toyota Park, Chicago, IL (Slayer, Lamb of God and Behemoth on this bill)
18 Express Live!, Columbus, OH
20 Red Hat Amphitheater, Raleigh, NC
21 St. Augustine Amphitheater, St. Augustine, FL
23 Electric Factory Outdoors, Philadelphia, PA
25 Blue Hills Bank Pavilion, Boston, MA
27 Theater at Madison Square Garden, New York, NY
28 Pier Six Pavilion, Baltimore, MD
30 Municipal Auditorium, Nashville, TN

AUGUST
1 Providence Medical Center Amphitheater, Bonner Springs, KS
2 1stBank Center, Denver, CO
4 The Joint, Las Vegas, NV
5 The Forum, Los Angeles, CA
9 Bill Graham Civic Auditorium, San Francisco, CA
11 The Cuthbert Amphitheater, Eugene, OR
12 WaMu Theatre, Seattle, WA
14 Encana Events Center, Dawson Creek, BC CANADA
15 SMS Equipment Stadium, Fort McMurray, AB CANADA
17 KettleHouse Amphitheater, Missoula, MT
19 Isleta Amphitheater Albuquerque, NM
20 Comerica Theater, Phoenix, AZ

SEETHER ANNOUNCE U.S. TOUR DATES IN SUPPORT OF

“POISON THE PARISH” NEW ALBUM OUT MAY 12

Seether (Shaun Morgan — vocals/guitar, Dale Stewart — bass/vocals, and John Humphrey — drums) have revealed details for the Poison the Parish World Tour, which includes headline shows and major festival appearances throughout the spring and summer of 2017. The extensive touring plans come in support of Poison the Parish, their recently announced seventh studio album, set for release via Canine Riot Records on May 12, 2017.

Tickets go on sale Friday, March 3 at 10AM local time. Every ticket order will include a physical copy of Poison the Parish. Ticket and VIP package information can be found at here.

A portion of all tickets sold for the Poison the Parish World Tour will benefit the Rise Above Fund, which is a subset of Suicide Awareness Voices of Education, the largest suicide prevention organization in the country and the band’s partner on the Rise Above Fest.

Now in its fifth year, Rise Above Fest has expanded to two days, Saturday, July 22 and Sunday, July 23, 2017 at Darling’s Waterfront Park in Bangor, Maine. Performers include Korn, Shinedown, Stone Sour, Skillet, Halestorm, Falling in Reverse and more. For RAF tickets and information, visit Rise Above Fest.

Guitarist Clint Lowery of Sevendust will augment the band’s line-up throughout the upcoming trek, adding his signature axe-work to Seether’s new songs and deep repertoire.

Support acts for the tour include: Letters From the Fire (May 2 through May 27; July 16 through August 20), Through Fire (June 1 through June 7), Kaleido (May 2 through June 10), and Big Story (from July 16 through August 20).

“We want this tour to be exciting and different — a departure from what people expect from us, while retaining the qualities that make us unique, in order to entertain the fans. It’s going to be loud, heavy, old school Seether with a couple of twists thrown in to keep things exciting.”

Seether’s 2017 international tour dates will be announced soon.

SEETHER U.S TOUR DATES:
4/29 — Ft Meyers, FL — Monster Energy Fort Rock at JetBlue Park*
4/30 — Jacksonville, FL — Monster Energy Welcome to Rockville at Metropolitan Park*
5/2 — Lancaster, PA — Chameleon Club**
5/3 — Lancaster, PA — Chameleon Club**
5/5 —Tuscaloosa, AL — Druid City Music Hall**
5/6 — Nashville, TN — War Memorial Auditorium
5/7 — Concord, NC — Carolina Rebellion 2017 at Charlotte Motor Speedway*
5/9 — Asbury Park, NJ — Stone Pony**
5/10 — Asbury Park, NJ — Stone Pony**
5/11 — Wallingford, CT — The Dome at Toyota Presents Oakdale **
5/14 — Boston, MA — House of Blues**
5/16 — Clifton Park, NY — Upstate Concert Hall**
5/17 — Niagara Falls, NY — Rapids Theatre**
5/19 — Pittsburgh, PA— Stage AE**
5/20 — Columbus, OH —Rock on the Range 2017 at Mapfre Stadium*
5/22 — Grand Rapids, MI — 20 Monroe Live**
5/24 — Detroit, MI — St. Andrew’s Hall**
5/25 — Detroit, MI — St. Andrew’s Hall**
5/27 — Omaha, NE — Sokol Auditorium**
5/28 — Pryor, OK — Rocklahoma*
6/1 — Boise, ID — Knitting Factory Concert House***
6/2 — Portland, OR —RoZone Waterfront Stage — KFBW Radio Show*
6/3 — Seattle, WA — 2nd Annual Crazy Beverage Bash at Showbox SoDo*
6/5 — San Francisco, CA — The Fillmore***
6/6 — Anaheim, CA — House of Blues***
6/7 — Tempe, AZ — Marquee Theatre***
6/10 — Saint Louis, MO —The Pageant***
6/11 — South Bend, IN — The Bear’s Big Growl Six*
7/15 — Bridgeview, IL — Chicago Open Air at Toyota Park*
7/16 — Indianapolis, IN — Egyptian Room at Old National Centre^
7/18 — Cincinnati, OH — Bogart’s^
7/19 — Cleveland, OH — House of Blues ^
7/22 — Bangor, ME — Rise Above Fest at Darling’s Waterfront Pavilion*
7/24 — Baltimore, MD — Baltimore Soundstage^
7/25 — Baltimore, MD — Baltimore Soundstage^
7/27 — Philadelphia, PA — The Fillmore^
7/29 — North Myrtle Beach, SC — House of Blues^
8/1 — Oklahoma City, OK — Diamond Ballroom^
8/2 — Springfield, MO — Gillioz Theatre^
8/4 — Saint Paul, MN — The Myth^
8/5 — Milwaukee, WI — Eagles Ballroom^
8/6 — Peoria, IL — Limelight Eventplex^
8/8 — Kansas City, MO — Uptown Theater^
8/9 — Sioux Falls, SD — The District^
8/11 — Glendive MT — Dawson County Fairgrounds ^
8/14 — Boulder, CO — Boulder Theater^
8/16 — Wichita, KS — The Cotillion Ballroom^
8/17 — Dallas, TX — House of Blues^
8/19 — San Antonio, TX — The Aztec Theatre^
8/20 — Houston, TX — House of Blues^

*Festival Date
**Featuring Letters From the Fire + Kaleido
***Featuring Through Fire + Kaleido
^Featuring Letters From the Fire + Big Story

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AT THE DRIVE IN
“in • ter a • li • a”
OUT MAY 5 ON RISE RECORDS
NEW TRACK “INCURABLY INNOCENT” OUT NOW
NEW TOUR DATES ON SALE TBC

“As precise in its aggression as At The Drive In’s post-hardcore prog-rock has always been; it’s also a gauntlet thrown down”—THE NEW YORK TIMES

“Ladies and gentlemen, the band is back to… save the day.”—NERDIST

With praise still reverberating from December’s unveiling of “Governed By Contagions,” At The Drive In has issued another clarion call from its first album in 17 years: “Incurably Innocent” is the second track to be released in advance of that record, titled in • ter a • li • a, now available for pre-order and confirmed for release May 5 on Rise Records.

Pitting spacey phaser and thrash-y riffing against a sidewinder hook and siren wail, “Incurably Innocent,” described by vocalist Cedric Bixler-Zavala as “a song about sexual abuse and being able to finally speak out,” reveals additional facets of the kaleidoscopic in • ter a • li • a (Latin for “among other things”). Produced by Omar Rodriguez-Lopez and Rich Costey at Hollywood’s Sound Factory, the 11-song 41-minute in • ter a • li • a picks up where 2000’s Relationship of Command left off… and rockets off into myriad other trajectories as unpredictable as they are intense.

in • ter a • li • a’s release will be immediately followed by a new series of live dates beginning in At The Drive In’s native El Paso, Texas and including headline dates at the likes of the Bill Graham Civic Center in San Francisco, the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles and more. Le Butcherettes will support on the new dates (below in BOLD). For further information, updates and tickets, go to www.atthedriveinmusic.com/tour/

“in • ter a • li • a” tracklist:

NO WOLF LIKE THE PRESENT
CONTINUUM
TILTING AT THE UNIVENDOR
GOVERNED BY CONTAGIONS
PENDULUM IN A PEASANT DRESS
INCURABLY INNOCENT
CALL BROKEN ARROW
HOLTZCLAW
TORRENTIALLY CUTSHAW
GHOST-TAPE NO.9
HOSTAGE STAMPS

At The Drive In is Cedric Bixler-Zavala, Omar Rodriguez-Lopez, Paul Hinojos, Tony Hajjar and Keeley Davis.

At The Drive In
Live 2017

3/17/17 – New Orleans, LA – Civic Theatre
3/18/17 – Atlanta, GA – The Tabernacle
3/20/17 – Washington DC – 9:30 Club
3/22/17 – New York, NY – Terminal 5
3/25/17 – Boston, MA – House of Blues
3/27/17 – Detroit, MI — The Fillmore
3/29/17 – Toronto, Canada – Rebel (formerly Sound Academy)
5/6/17 — El Paso TX — County Coliseum
5/8/17 — Phoenix AZ — Marquee Theatre
5/9/17 — San Diego CA — Soma
5/12/17 — San Francisco CA — Bill Graham Civic Auditorium
5/13/17 — Los Angeles CA — Shrine Auditorium
5/17/17 — Mexico City — Pepsi Center WTC
6/7/17 — Austin, TX — Stubb’s
6/9/17 — San Antonio, TX — Aztec Theater
6/10/17 — Houston, TX — Revention Music Center
6/12/17 — Dallas, TX — South Side Ballroom
6/13/17 — Oklahoma City, OK — The Criterion
6/15/17 — Denver, CO — The Fillmore
6/17/17 — St. Paul, MN — Palace Theatre
6/18/17 — Chicago, IL — Aragon Ballroom
6/20/17 — Columbus, OH — Express Live!
6/21/17 — Cleveland, OH — Agora Theatre
8/15-17/17 — St. Pölten, Austria — FM4 Frequency Festival 2017
8/16-19/17 — Paredes De Coura, Portugal — Paredes De Coura Festival 2017
8/16-19/17 — Kiewit, Belgium — Pukkelpop Festival 2017
8/25-27/17 — Weatherby, UK — Leeds Festival 2017
8/25-27/17 — Reading, UK — Reading Festival 2017

LEGENDARY MISFITS GUITARIST DOYLE WOLFGANG VON FRANKENSTEIN ANNOUNCES US TOUR WITH ELEMENT A440

Currently wrapping up the European leg of the ABOMINATE THE WORLD Tour, DOYLE, the eponymous band of Legendary MISFITS guitarist DOYLE WOLFGANG VON FRANKENSTEIN has announced their first US dates of 2017, the first supporting their upcoming LP DOYLE II: AS WE DIE, in stores May 5th from EMP LABEL GROUP, and Doyle’s own MONSTERMAN RECORDS.

Doyle recently released a clip of “Run For Your Life”, the first track from AS WE DIE at the following location: https://soundcloud.com/emplabelgroup/doyle-run-for-your-life-clip

AS WE DIE will be available Worldwide on CD and LP May 5, and is currently available for pre-order from empmerch.com, including several international versions with alternate artwork configurations, including art by legendary horror/comic/album cover artist Mister Sam Shearon, known for his iconic works with Rob Zombie, Iron Maiden, Clive Barker, KISS, Ministry, Rammstein, X-Files, and more.

ABOMINATE THE WORLD TOUR 2017
EAST COAST INVASION

3/23/2017 The Reel Café Wilmington, NC
3/24/2017 Drunk Horse Pub Fayetteville, NC
3/26/2017 Fish Head Cantina Halethorpe, MD
3/29/2017 The V Club Huntington, WV
3/30/2017 The Warehouse Clarksville, TN
4/1/2017 Top Fuel Saloon Braidwood, IL
4/2/2017 Emerson Theater Indianapolis, IN
4/4/2017 Big Shots Valparaiso, IN
4/5/2017 Lookout Lounge Omaha, NE
4/7/2017 The Back Bar Janesville, WI
4/8/2017 The Rave Milwaukee, WI
4/9/2017 Outland Ballroom Springfield, MO
4/10/2017 Firebird St. Louis, MO
4/11/2017 Trixie’s Louisville, KY
4/12/2017 The Token Lounge Detroit, MI
4/13/2017 The Agora Cleveland, OH
4/14/2017 Diesel Pittsburgh, PA
4/15/2017 Gramercy NYC, NY
4/18/2017 Canal Club Richmond, VA
4/19/2017 Brighton Bar Long Branch, NJ
4/20/2017 The Reverb Reading, PA
4/21/2017 Montage Rochester, NY
4/22/2017 Loft Poughkeepsie, NY

ABOMINATE THE WORLD TOUR – EUROPE 2017

2/21 BADED, SWITZERLAND – WERKK
2/23 MADRID, SPAIN – SALA LEMON
2/24 BARCELONA, SPAIN – ESTRAPERLO
2/25 ROMANS/ISERE FRANCE – LA CORDONNERIE
2/26 ST JEAN DE VEDAS FRANCE – SECRET PLACE
2/27 PARIS FRANCE – GLAZERT

In addition to AS WE DIE, EMP/MONSTERMAN will release several limited edition vinyl configurations, as well as a CD reissue, of DOYLE’s Critically-acclaimed ABOMINATOR, and releases from DEAD GIRLS CORP., element a440, and more.

DOYLE, the current project of Von Frankenstein, with CANCERSLUG vocalist Alex “Wolfman” Story, and a current touring lineup rounded out by bassist Brandon Strate and drummer Brandon Pertzborn, continues the lineage of Doyle’s former projects, pairing crushing metal riffs with ferocious Punk Rock swagger.

GHOUL: Creepsylvanian Masked Misfits To Devour The Dead Across The UK And Europe On Tour

The Creepsylvanian masked misfits in GHOUL will devour the dead overseas on a near-two-week tour next week. Slated to commence on February 25th, GHOUL will feast on the entrails of the deceased though the United Kingdom, Belgium, Poland, Germany, and Austria, with an included stop in The Netherlands for an appearance at the Netherlands Death Fest.

Proclaims Digestor of the band’s latest incursion: “We are excited to travel once again through the socialist hellscapes of Europe. Cinch up your dirndles and prepare yourself for the impending bloodbath, you sausage eating noodnicks. GHOUL is coming and we can’t be reasoned with!”

GHOUL:
2/25/2017 Northumbria University – Newcastle, UK
2/26/2017 The Audio – Glasgow, UK
2/27/2017 The Doghouse – Nottingham, UK
2/28/2017 Temple Of Boom – Leeds, UK
3/01/2017 Underworld – London, UK
3/02/2017 Het Bos – Antwerpen, BE
3/03-05/2017 Netherlands Death Fest – Tilburg, NL
3/06/2017 Goldgrube – Kassel, DE
3/07/2017 Ciemna Strona Miasta – Wroclaw, PL
3/08/2017 Chemiefabrik – Dresden, DE
3/09/2017 Viper Room- Wien, AU
3/12/2017 Bastard Club – Osnabrück, DE

GHOUL continues to tour in support of their delightfully deviant Dungeon Bastards studio offering. Released via Tankcrimes in July 2016, the record consumed Billboard Charts upon its first week of release debuting at #11 on the Heatseekers Chart, #13 on the Top Vinyl Albums Chart, #13 on the Hard Rock Chart, and #27 on the Independent Albums Chart. The band also earned prime spots on year end lists globally including the #19 position of Decibel’s Top 40 Albums Of 2016.

“11 Short Stories of Pain & Glory”
Dropkick Murphys
Born & Bred
Producer: Ted Hutt
Tracks: 11

Our score: 4 out of 5 stars

Everyone’s favorite Bostonian punk band Dropkick Murphys are back with a brand new studio album titled “11 Short Stories of Pain & Glory”. The album (the bands ninth) is being released via the groups own Born & Bred label and features 11 tracks which were produced by Grammy Award winning producer Ted Hutt.

With a four year lapse since the release of 2013’s “Signed and Sealed in Blood” fans of Dropkick Murphys have had a bit of a wait for new material however with the release of “11 Short Stories of Pain & Glory” DKM has made up for that lost time. The album opens up with a mostly instrumental track titled “The Lonesome Boatman”. The track which features gang like chanting serves as sort of a rallying call announcing the bands return. I found this to be a fitting way to open the album given the gap between this album and the last. As you make your way through the albums 11 tracks you get a spattering blend of traditional and non-traditional instrumentation mixed with vocalists Ken Casey and Al Barr’s signature Boston snarl. Tracks like the upbeat “Rebels with a Cause” and the rawkus “I Had a Hat” are classic DKM in their subject matter and approach while the 1945 Rogers and Hammerstein show tune “You’ll Never Walk Alone” is given a folk/punk makeover that is new and fresh while still paying homage to the original. Another track worth mentioning is the somber “4-15-13” which is the bands heart-felt tribute to the victims of the Boston Marathon bombing.

“11 Short Stories of Pain & Glory” is everything fans of Dropkick Murphy’s have come to love about the band and their music. The only negative I really found was as the title suggests the album is a bit short. Clocking in at less than 40 minutes I seemed to be through all 11 tracks before I knew it, the upside is the albums diversity makes it easy to listen to multiple times through without it getting stale or redundant negating its short run time. No matter if you are a long time fan of the boys from Boston or a more casual listener the latest release from Dropkick Murphy’s surely has something you will enjoy.

Track Listing:
1.) The Lonesome Boatman
2.) Rebels with a Cause
3.) Blood
4.) Sandlot
5.) First Class Loser
6.) Paying My Way
7.) I Had a Hat
8.) Kicked to the Curb
9.) You’ll Never Walk Alone
10.) 4-15-13
11.) Until the Next Time

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DEVIN TOWNSEND PROJECT Announce US Tour Dates

DEVIN TOWNSEND PROJECT will return to the road in the US this year with a two week stretch of dates; some of which will see the band playing support for Opeth. The band continues to tour on the strength of their new record, Transcendence. Speaking about their upcoming shows in North America, Devin comments:

“Continuing on our run to support Transcendence, we are coming back to America for a quick run with Opeth and Gojira as well as some additional dates to get us to and from those shows. We are many places this year and are trying to make sure we take advantage of our geographic locations as we roll. The band keeps getting stronger and we look forward to seeing you there!”

DEVIN TOWNSEND PROJECT – Upcoming US Dates

Friday, April 28th – Pomona, CA @ The Glass House*
Saturday, April 29th – Flagstaff, AZ @ The Orpheum*
Sunday, April 30th – Albuquerque, NM @ Sunshine Theater*
Tuesday, May 2nd – St Louis, MO @ The Ready Room*
Thursday, May 4th – Cleveland, OH @ House of Blues*
Friday, May 5th – Pittsburgh, PA @ Mr Smalls*
Saturday, May 6th – Philadelphia, PA @ Electric Factory^^
Sunday, May 7th – Sayreville, NJ @ Starland Ballroom^
Tuesday, May 9th – Chicago, IL @ The Vic Theatre^
Thursday, May 11th – Denver, CO @ Red Rock Amphitheatre^
Friday, May 12th – Kansas City, KS @ Arvest Bank Theatre^
Saturday, May 13th – Indianapolis, IN @ Egyptian Room^
Sunday, May 14th – Cincinnati, OH @ Bogart’s**

* – Headlining with Thank You Scientist & ONI
** – Headlining with Thank You Scientist
^ – Supporting Opeth & Gojira
^^ – Supporting Mastodon, Opeth & Gojira

APPEARING AT ROCK ON THE RANGE, CAROLINA REBELLION & MORE

NEW ALBUM SEAL THE DEAL & LET’S BOOGIE AVAILABLE NOW

New York, NY (February 13, 2017) –VOLBEAT announce today that they will be heading on the road for their new North American tour with Metallica and Avenged Sevenfold. In addition, the band will appear at top festivals including Carolina Rebellion and Rock On The Range.

VOLBEAT will also launch a special Rebels & Angels fan club presale on Wednesday February 15 at 10am EST. General on-sale begins Friday, February 17th at 10am EST. The tour kicks off on May 10th in Baltimore, MD at M&T Stadium, and the full confirmed itinerary can be found below. This marks VOLBEAT’s very first stadium tour with Metallica stateside.

The group is touring in support of their sixth full-length album, Seal The Deal & Let’s Boogie [Republic Records]—which claimed #4 on the Billboard Top 200 and made history as “one of the highest Top 200 Album Chart debuts by a Danish artist.”  In addition, the album features two songs which hit Top 5 at Active Rock radio “Seal The Deal” and “The Devil’s Bleeding Crown,” which spent over 10 weeks at #1. Check out Seal The Deal & Let’s Boogie Here.

On the upcoming tour the band stated, “We’re honored to be invited back out on the road with our friends in Metallica, this time in the United States and with our friends in Avenged Sevenfold. This tour is going to be one for the record books!”

Produced by longtime collaborator Jacob Hansen and co-produced by frontman Michael Poulsen and lead guitarist Rob Caggiano, Seal The Deal & Let’s Boogie includes a total of 13 new tracks, reflecting their signature hybrid of rock prowess, metal power, blues soul, and rockabilly swing. The full tracklisting is included below.

VOLBEAT emerged from Copenhagen in 2000. Since then, they’ve tirelessly clawed their way to rock’s upper echelon with endless touring and a string of six beloved full-length albums. Recently, their 2010 album Beyond Hell/Above Heaven received RIAA Gold Certification which features hit singles “A Warrior’s Call” and “Heaven Nor Hell.” 2013’s Outlaw Gentlemen & Shady Ladies bowed at #9 on the Billboard Top 200 upon release marking the highest U.S. chart entry for a Danish Act since 1997. It also spawned the GRAMMY Award®-nominated“Room 24” [featuring King Diamond] and was certified Gold in Canada. They’ve been invited to support Metallica on the road worldwide in addition to show-stopping main stage turns at festivals such as Coachella, Download, Rock on the Range, KNOTFEST, and more.

Check out Seal The Deal & Let’s Boogie Here.

TOUR DATES:

May 07 | Charlotte, NC | Carolina Rebellion ^

May 10 | Baltimore, MD | M&T Stadium

May 12 | Philadelphia, PA | Lincoln Financial Field

May 14 | E. Rutherford, NJ | MetLife Stadium

May 17 | Uniondale, NY | Nassau Coliseum *

May 19 | Foxborough, MA | Gillette Stadium *

May 21 | Columbus, OH | Rock On The Range ^

June 03 | Kansas City, MO | Kansas City Rockfest ^

June 04 | St. Louis, MO | Busch Stadium

June 07 | Denver, CO | Sports Authority Field

June 11 | Houston, TX | NRG Stadium

July 05 | Orlando, FL | Camping World Stadium

July 07 | Miami, FL | Hard Rock Stadium

July 09 | Atlanta, GA | SunTrust Park

July 12 | Detroit, MI | Comerica Park

July 13 | Cadott, WI | Cadott Rockfest ^

July 14 | Oshkosh, WI | Rock USA Fest ^

July 16 | Toronto, ON | Rogers Centre

July 19 | Montreal, QC | Olympic Stadium

^ Festival Dates

*Avenged Sevenfold Not Performing

View All Tour Dates HERE

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“Eagles of Death Metal: Nos Amis (Our Friends)”
HBO Films
Director: Colin Hanks
Runtime: 83 min

Our score: 4 out of 5 stars

“Eagles of Death Metal: Nos Amis (Our Friends)” follows the American rock band Eagles of Death Metal as they recount their experience before, during and after the tragic terrorist attack at their concert in Paris on November 13th 2015. Directed by Colin Hanks the film spotlights the deep bond of friendship between co-founders Jesse Hughes and Josh Homme as well as the connection the band has with their fans. This relationship along with the groups feeling of responsibility to help Bataclan survivors deal with the physical and emotional wounds is the premise for “Eagles of Death Metal: Nos Amis (Our Friends)” and what brings the band back to Paris just 3 weeks after those attacks.

Sadness, anger, hope and happiness are just some of the emotions you will be exposed to by watching HBO Films latest documentary “Eagles of Death Metal: Nos Amis (Our Friends)”. The entire world was impacted by the terrorist attacks on November 13th 2015 none more so than those who survived it, the families of those who did not and the band who was playing on stage at the time of the attacks. Director Colin Hanks is direct in his approach as he does a great job capturing the emotions of the band and fans through candid interviews as they prepare to return to Paris just 3 short weeks after the attacks with hopes of unity and to provide some level of comfort to those still struggling with the lingering effects of the attacks.

More than just your typical behind the scenes rock doc “Eagles of Death Metal: Nos Amis (Our Friends)” delves deep in to not only the bands love of their fans but also the extremely strong bond between front man Jesse Hughes and drummer Josh Homme. Friendships this strong are a rarity and throughout the course of the films 83 minutes you can clearly see how this life long bond is transferred to crowds around the world. Even in the darkest of moments this relationship seems to serve as the foundation for the bands strength in moving forward. If you watch one documentary this year it should be this one.

“Eagles of Death Metal: Nos Amis (Our Friends)” premiers

Monday, February 13th @ 10pm on HBO.

DEFTONES and RISE AGAINST ANNOUNCE CO-HEADLINE SUMMER TOUR
North American Run Kicks Off June 9 In Chicago
Tickets Go On Sale To General Public This Friday, February 10

LOS ANGELES (Feb. 6, 2017) – Deftones will join forces with Rise Against this summer for an extensive co-headline tour. Produced by Live Nation, the North American run will kick off on June 9 in Chicago, IL at Huntington Bank Pavilion at Northerly Island. It will include shows at the Nikon at Jones Beach Theater in Wantagh, NY (June 13), Starplex Pavilion in Dallas, TX (June 27) and Concord Pavilion in Concord, CA (July 6). See below for itinerary.

“Every once in awhile you get to share the stage with a band so powerful they make you work harder. After conspiring for years, we’re excited to finally share the road with such an epic band. We can’t wait to put Deftones and Rise Against fans under the same roof in 2017,” said Rise Against.

Tickets will go on sale to the general public this Friday, February 10, at 10 AM local time. In addition to regular Deftones/Rise Against single ticket options, fans in select cities will have access to a special 3- or 4-show TICKET TO ROCK package, which will include a lawn ticket to multiple rock shows at select venues this summer. For full package listings and additional information, visit http://livemu.sc/TTR.

Deftones have released eight studio albums to date – including 2016’s Gore – and have sold over 10 million albums worldwide. “Hard rock thrives on conflict and chaos, and no band has found more beauty and soaring aggression within those ingredients than Deftones,” said the Los Angeles Times. The multi-Platinum, GRAMMY®-winning alternative rock band from Sacramento, CA is vocalist/guitarist Chino Moreno, guitarist Stephen Carpenter, keyboardist/samplist Frank Delgado, drummer Abe Cunningham, and bassist Sergio Vega. http://www.deftones.com

Chicago-based band Rise Against’s most recent album is The Black Market, which hit No. 1 on the Alternative, Top Rock and Hard Rock albums charts. Alternative Press awarded The Black Market four stars, noting, “Whatever meaning you take from them [the songs]…one thing remains solid—the sheer heart with which they were forged and the very visceral emotion they contain” and Kerrang praised the album as “a magnificent wake-up call.” Rise Against is Tim McIlrath (lead vocals/rhythm guitar), Zach Blair (lead guitar), Joe Principe (bass) and Brandon Barnes (drums). http://www.riseagainst.com

Deftones and Rise Against North American Co-Headline Tour

6/9 – Chicago, IL @ Huntington Bank Pavilion at Northerly Island

6/10 – Sterling Heights, MI @ Michigan Lottery Theater at Freedom Hill

6/11 – Toronto, ON @ Budweiser Stage

6/13 – Wantagh, NY @ Nikon at Jones Beach Theater

6/16 – Boston, MA @ Blue Hills Bank Pavilion

6/17 – Philadelphia, PA @ Festival Pier at Penn’s Landing

6/18 – Raleigh, NC @ Red Hat Amphitheater

6/20 – Charlotte, NC @ Charlotte Metro Credit Union Amphitheatre

6/22 – Tampa, FL @ MidFlorida Credit Union Amphitheatre

6/23 – Miami, FL @ Bayfront Park Amphitheater

6/24 – Jacksonville, FL @ Daily’s Place Amphitheater

6/26 – The Woodlands, TX @ The Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion

6/27 – Dallas, TX @ Starplex Pavilion

6/28 – Austin, TX @ Austin360 Amphitheater

6/30 – Denver, CO @ Pepsi Center

7/1 – Salt Lake City, UT @ USANA Amphitheater

7/3 – Seattle, WA @ White River Amphitheatre

7/6 – Concord, CA @ Concord Pavilion

7/7 – Chula Vista, CA @ Sleep Train Amphitheatre

7/8 – Las Vegas, NV @ Downtown Las Vegas Events Center

7/9 – Phoenix, AZ @ Ak-Chin Pavilion

MASKED INTRUDER PREMIERES NEW VIDEO FOR “FIRST STAR TONIGHT” AT PUNKTASTIC.COM

Enigmatic pop-punk misfits Masked Intruder have premiered a new video for “First Star Tonight” via Punktastic.com. The track is taken off latest EP Love and Other Crimes out via Pure Noise Records. The record is available for purchase at iTunes and at http://maskedintruder.merchnow.com/.

Watch the video for “First Star Tonight” now at Punktastic.com: http://bit.ly/2jAGooN

Masked Intruder will tour the UK with Me First and The Gimme Gimmes later this month.

For More Information:

https://www.facebook.com/maskedintruder