Concert Review: Ace Frehley

“Ace Frehley Tour 2016”

Ace Frehley, Simo
Saturday, September 24th 2016
Magic City Music Hall, Binghamton, NY

Our Score: 4 out of 5 Stars

The original Space Man himself Ace Frehley landed in Binghamton, NY on September 24th to perform at the Magic City Music Hall. The Rock and Roll Hall of Famer is out in support of his most recent studio release titled “Origins Vol. 1” a collection of covers handpicked by Ace himself. Though Ace had not performed in the Binghamton area since 2000 the Broome County fans certainly hadn’t forget about the man from Jendel.

 
Starting of the night were the blues tinged jam band Simo. Hailing from Nashville, TN the group performed a writhing 35 minute set which helped get the night underway. Front man JD Simo didn’t waste much time interacting with the crowd as he and his band mates let the music do the talking. The power trio all seemed quite well versed in their instrumentation as each song the band performed featured lengthy solo areas that each member filled in with ease. The band closed out the set with an energetic rendition of Joe Cockers “A Little Help From My Friends” which easily garnered the largest applause from the assembled crowd. After a momentary set change Ace Frehley and his band would hit the stage as echoes of Ace’s song “Fractured Mirror” played over the PA system. The band kicked off the night with “Rip It Out” from Frehley’s 1978 solo album setting the tone for the night’s adventure. The set touched on almost all of Ace’s solo works as wells as some of the material he wrote during his days with Kiss including “Parasite”, “Rocket Ride” and “Strange Ways” which features bassist Chris Wyse on vocals. Another highlight of the nights was “2 Young 2 Die” from Ace’s “Trouble Walkin’” album featuring guitarist Richie Scarlett on vocals.

Despite a few out of key moments and a couple tempo issues the band still put on a solid performance which the audience in Binghamton seemed to really enjoy. With the chances of Ace returning to Kiss growing slimmer and slimmer with each passing day the 65 year guitarist is showing no signs of slowing down anytime soon as a solo artist, Nor should he as he is still able to get up on stage and put on an entertaining show night after night. There are still just a few more chances to catch Ace this year so if he is coming to your town or one nearby I highly recommend you get yourself a ticket as soon as possible.

Ace Frehley Set List:
(Fractured Mirror Intro)
1.) Rip It Out
2.) Toys
3.) Emerald (Thin Lizzy Cover)
4.) Parasite
5.) Love Gun
6.) Snowblind
7.) Sister
8.) Rocket Ride
9.) Bring It On Home (Willie Dixon Cover)
10.) Rock Soldiers
-Bass Solo-
11.) Strange Ways
12.) New York Groove
13.) 2 Young 2 Die
14.) Shock Me
-Guitar Solo-
15.) Cold Gin
Encore
16.) Detroit Rock City
17.) Deuce

Eric Johnson hits the road to support first all acoustic solo album “EJ”

ERIC JOHNSON HITS THE ROAD TO SUPPORT FIRST
ALL ACOUSTIC SOLO ALBUM TITLED EJ

Tour Kicks Off At Jackson, MS’ Duling Hall on October 5 And Wraps In His Hometown of Austin, TX At The Paramount Theatre on November 19

Austin, TX – Eric Johnson will hit the road next week in support of his first acoustic solo album titled EJ. Thirty years after his breakthrough solo release ‘Tones’ brought him national recognition, the new release showcases nine original compositions and four covers. Johnson shares, “Ever since I was young, I’ve played piano and acoustic guitar in my private life. This type of music has always been a part of me, but I never showcased it on any kind of bigger level, like a full acoustic record. With EJ, I just decided to be more honest with myself and everybody, and show more of my personal side.”

Johnson, long known for his painstaking approach to making records, used a much more immediate attack for the self-produced EJ. “Almost all of that material was cut live,” Johnson explains. “Some of the songs I actually sang and played at the same time – just live in the studio. Recording this way gave it more of an honest realism and organic emotion. Especially on the acoustic, you just have to get in there and play.”

On the original compositions “Wonder,” “Fatherly Downs,” and “All Things You Are,” Johnson frames his voice with his prized 1980 Martin D-45, a gift from his late father. He plays the steel-string on his superlative instrumentals “Once Upon a Time in Texas,” “All Things You Are,” and “Song for Irene.” He conjures the beautiful, pensive tones of “Serinidad,” another original instrumental, on a Ramirez nylon-string guitar. A spirited steel-string arrangement of Simon and Garfunkel’s “Mrs. Robinson” rounds out the solo guitar tracks.

Johnson recasts another Simon and Garfunkel favorite, “Scarborough Fair,” for voice and piano, and plays piano on the originals “Water Under the Bridge,” “November,” and “Wrapped in a Cloud,” an ensemble track with acoustic bass, cello, drums, and percussion. In a move that’s sure to surprise his fans, Johnson rearranged Jimi Hendrix’ “One Rainy Wish” for guitar and piano, capping the performance with a jazz-inflected piano solo. Rounding out the record is Johnson and guest guitarist Doyle Dykes’ superlative cover of Les Paul and Mary Ford’s 1951 classic, “The World Is Waiting for the Sunrise.”

Throughout his career, Johnson has approached music as a healing force, a way to enhance a listener’s consciousness and conjure joy and inspiration. “That’s what I’ve always appreciated most about other artists,” he says. “Some artists inspire us to wake up and get back to the clarity of consciousness. With this record, I’m trying to do that too, because I appreciate it so much in other people.”

Confirmed appearances include:
10/05 Jackson, MS Duling Hall
10/06 Atlanta, GA Center Stage
10/07 Rocky Mount, VA Harvester Performance Center
10/08 Elkins, WV Mountain Stage
10/09 Cleveland, OH Music Box Supper Club
10/11 Oakmont, PA The Oaks Theater
10/12 Annapolis, MD Rams Head On Stage
10/13 Richmond, VA Tin Pan
10/14 Sellersville, PA Sellersville Theater
10/15 Westbury, NY The Space At Westbury
10/16 Washington DC The Hamilton
10/18 Fairfield, CT StageOne
10/19 Fall River, MA Narrows Center For The Arts
10/20 New Brunswick, NJ State Theatre
10/21 Beverly, MA Cabot Theatre
10/22 Cohoe, NY Cohoes Music Hall
10/23 Shirley, MA Bull Run Restaurant
10/25 New York, NY Highline Ballroom
10/26 Londonberry, NH Tupelo Music Hall
10/27 Norfolk, CT Infinity Hall
10/28 Brownfield, ME Stone Mountain Arts Center
10/29 Londonderry, NH Tupelo Music Hall
10/30 Pawling, NY Daryl’s House
11/01 Ferndale, MI The Magic Bag
11/02 St. Louis, MO Old Rock House
11/03 Minneapolis, MN Dakota Jazz Club
11/04 Milwaukee, WI Back Room @ Colectivo Coffee
11/05 Chicago, IL City Winery
11/06 Nashville, TN City Winery
11/09 Charlotte, NC McGlohan Theatre
11/10 Durham, NC Carolina Theatre
11/11 Charleston, SC Charleston Music Hall
11/13 Asheville, NC Diane Worham Theatre
11/15 Clearwater, FL Capitol Theatre
11/16 Ponte Vedra Beach, FL Ponte Vedra Concert Hall
11/18 New Orleans, LA House of Blues
11/19 Austin, TX Paramount Theatre

Album Review: Against Me! “Shape Shift With Me”

“Shape Shift With Me”
Against Me!
Total Treble Music
Producer: Laura Jane Grace, Marc Hudson
Tracks: 12

Our Score: 4 our of 5 stars

Against Me! is back with their seventh studio album title “Shape Shift With Me”. Produced by front-woman Laura Jane Grace and Marc Hudson the album features 12 brand new tracks which are being released via Total Treble Music. The album is the bands first new studio album since 2014’s “Transgender Dysphoria Blues” and is the follow up to the bands 2015 live album “23 Live Sex Acts”.

Against Me! have been moving at what seems like a relentless pace since the release of “Transgender Dysphoria Blues” in 2014. Between playing countless shows all around the globe, releasing a live album in 2015 and now with a new studio album to add to their resume the band seems to be firing on all cylinders. “Shape Shift With Me” further verifies that statement as the album despite clocking in at just under forty minutes bolsters quality song writing and performances which make you want to listen to this album over and over again. From the catchy choruses of “Boyfriend” and “Crash” to the seethe “Delicate, Petite & Other Things I’ll Never Be” and the rockabilly like rumblings of “Haunting, Haunted, Haunts the album is a diverse yet cohesive listen that grows on you the more and more you listen to it.

Though the latest offering from the band didn’t grab me right away like their two previous studio releases “Shape Shift With Me” over timed seeped into my senses and after a few full listens I found it to be the only thing I wanted to hear when it came time for some listening enjoyment. Don’t let the albums brief run time or the redundant opening track “ProVision L-3” sway your first responses as this is an album that needs a little breathing time and requires more than one or two listens before it settles in but, once it does it will quickly become a favorite.

Track Listing:
1.) ProVision L-3
2.) 12:03
3.) Boyfriend
4.) Crash
5.) Delicate, Petite & Other Things I’ll Never Be
6.) 333
7.) Haunting, Haunted, Haunts
8.) Dead Rats
9.) Rebecca
10.) Norse Truth
11.) Suicide Bomber
12.) All This (And More)

Concert Review: “Make America Rock Again Tour”

“Make America Rock Again Tour”

Trapt, Saving Abel, Saliva, Alien Ant Farm, Crazy Town, Tantric, 12 Stones
Friday, September 16th 2016
Tag’s Summer Stage, Big Flats, NY

Our Score: 2 out of 5 Stars

Trapt, Saliva, Saving Abel, Alien Ant Farm, Crazy Town, Tantric and 12 Stones all made their way to the quaint town of Big Flats, NY on September 16th as part of the “Make America Rock” tour. Despite the tour package boasting some of the biggest artist of the early 2000nds the night came up short making for a rather dull concert experience.

 

Taking the stage first was the group 12 Stones. The group probably had one of if not thee toughest spot on the bill as concert goers were still filing into the spacious outdoor venue and also waiting in line for their choice of tasty beverages so, needless to say the attention at this time was focused elsewhere. Despite these obstacles that band still appeared to give their all and should be commended for their efforts. Next up was the group Tantric whose song “Breakdown” dominated the airwaves in 2001 and still receives regular play to this day. The groups set seemed to be plagued by technical difficulties making vocalist Hugo Ferreira hard to hear almost the entire set. Luckily the technical setbacks did little to kill the crowds growing momentum though and the group forged ahead with their 5 song set. Crazy Town would be up next and surprisingly I thought had the best set of the night. Not only did the group display a tremendous amount of energy but they also appeared extremely well rehearsed which made their set undoubtedly my favorite of the night.

 

Alien Ant Farm was next on the bill and put on a performance that sort of had people scratching their heads. The bands front man Dryden Mitchell awkwardly milled about the stage while his band mates remained relatively immobile. Even during the bands hit cover of Michael Jackson’s “Smooth Criminal” the band seemed less than interested in being there making their 7 song set list about 7 songs too long. The latest incarnation of Saliva which now consists of Wayne Swinny, Paul Crosby, Bobby Amaru and Brad Stewart would be up next and easily had the second best set of the night. Despite having a soft spot for the bands original line up the current bands configuration did a solid job as they blasted thorough their list of hit songs which included “Always” and of course “Click Click Boom” which closed out the nights set. Mississippi natives Saving Abel would be up next and put on a performance that sort of followed suit with the evening as it came of flat and at times a bit forced. Vocalist Scott Austin’s attempts to be the “crazed front man” were pretty lame and did little to entice the crowd who by this point of the night were running on fumes. However they did come alive briefly for the bands performance of the hit song “Addicted”. Trapt would close out the night this evening which in my mind was a bit questionable however, it was what it was and away the band went with a set that was just as flat as the previous bands performance. Of course the crowd appreciated hearing “Head Strong” but other than that both the band and the remaining crowd seemed to force themselves through the remaining moments of the night.
When a lineup of bands that all had their fair share of hits and exposure join together for a tour after having been away from the public eye for some time you would hope that each of the bands come out swinging and with their best feet forward. Sadly that was not the case for the “Make America Rock Again” tour. Despite solid performances from Crazy Town and Saliva the remaining 5 act seemed to do little for the medium sized audience who ventured to Big Flats making me wonder if everyone had gotten their money’s worth. I can’t say I would be down for checking out another show however if you want to throw caution to the wind and a little cash as well the tour will be out on the road through mid October for you to check out.

 

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Album Review: Charred Walls of the Damned “Creatures Watching Over the Dead”

“Creatures Watching Over the Dead”
Charred Walls of the Damned
Metal Blade
Producer: Jason Suecof
Tracks: 9

Our Score: 3.5 out of 5 stars

“Creatures Watching Over the Dead” is the latest release from the heavy metal group Charred Walls of the Damned. The band which features Tim “Ripper” Owens, Steve DiGiorgio, Jason Seucof and Richard Christy has laid down 9 brand new tracks which pull from each of the member’s diverse history in both the modern and classic heavy metal genres. Produced by guitarist Jason Suecof and released via Metal Blade Records on September 23rd “Creatures Watching Over the Dead” is sure to make up for the five year lapse between release from the group which first debuted in 2009.

If you are looking for a near perfect mixture of both new and old heavy metal then the latest offering from Richard Christy’s Charred Walls of the Damned is right up your alley. Extended gaps between releases can often be detrimental to a bands sound and or its members however Charred Walls of the Damned sounded better than ever. Songs like the albums opener “My Eyes” and “Reach into the Light” explode out of the gate with reckless abandonment while tracks such as “Afterlife” and “Lies” which both start off with melodic acoustic intros which give way to the groups new meets old style of metal providing a unique listening experience

For those familiar with the members various other projects the material contained on “Creatures Watching Over the Dead” will come as no surprise. Each of the bands 4 members appear to have given their all making this album as the album’s 9 songs have something for everyone. From thunderous double bass, ripping guitar solos and soaring vocal passages. The latest from Charred Walls of the Damned is a solid package.

Track Listing:
1.) My Eyes
2.) The Soulless
3.) Afterlife
4.) As I Catch My Breath
5.) Lies
6.) Reach Into the Light
7.) Tear Me Down
8.) Living in the Shadow of Yesterday
9.) Time Has Passed

Be sure to check out interview with Charred Walls of the Damned drummer Richard Christy in the interview portion of the site.

CD Review: Ghost “Popestar”

“Popestar’
Ghost
Loma Vista Recordings
Tom Dalgety

Our Score: 4 out of 5 Stars

Ghost continues to thumb its nose at metal purists with their latest EP. If you’re hoping for a return to the heavy doom metal that was “Opus Eponymous” you’re going to continue to be severely disappointed in Ghost’s current direction. “Popestar” drops the same day as they begin their new North American tour. The EP may come as a reaction to the newfound attention the gimmicky Satanic band from Sweden got after nabbing a Grammy earlier this year for the single “Cirice”. An appearance on the Late Show with Stephen Colbert before Halloween doesn’t hurt either.

Unlike their last EP, “If You Have Ghost,” “Popestar” comes with a fresh song that’s a suitable follow-up to the mellow progressive rock/metal album “Meliora”. The new song, “Square Hammer,” blasts out of the gate with a cheesy horror organ tune with rock drumming underneath. Once the guitars kick in, there’s an infectious catchiness to all the instruments firing off seamlessly. At no point does “Square Hammer” feel like a chart topping metal song, but a catchy rock tune that could easily sneak into the Top 40 of any pop station. That is if it wasn’t for the allusions to Satan.

The chorus of “Square Hammer” is something that’ll have fans singing and chanting along like they’re at an arena rock concert. The hokeyness of the song, Blue Oyster Cult-like guitar solos, almost mask that this song is about fully submitting to the Dark Lord instead of passively giving the thumbs up to Satan. The band has even dropped a music video to accompany the song, featuring an homage to 1920’s Dracula and the inherent cheesiness that the band has been from day one. Asking listeners to give in to Satan has never been so poppy or catchy.

The EP then gives us a breather by sliding into the simplistic, but head bobbing “Nocturnal Me,” originally by Echo & the Bunnymen. The post punk guitars for this song are tuned heavier and make it a moodier. The post-punk music is an easy mold for Ghost to fit into. It’s a song that allows for atmospheric evil to permeate and eat up five minutes very quickly. I can see Trent Reznor hearing this song and kicking himself in the head for never covering it.

The oddest choice for this EP comes next on “I Believe,” originally by Simian Mobile Disco, which is like a contemporary Pet Shop Boys, but without the 80’s charm. “I Believe” may grow on me, but it only features heavy synthesizers, R&B guitar plucking and light drumming. It may serve as a brief segue between the two halves of this EP. The four minutes doesn’t go by fast enough, but on a solid play through of this EP, it feels more like an unnecessary break between the two halves of this EP.

The heaviest the band gets on this EP is covering a Eurythmics song on the next song. They take British pop band’s soul single, “Missionary Man” and crank the guitars and drums to 11. Vocalist Papa Emeritus III keeps the soul vocals intact and the band does their best to turn the blues riffs into breakdowns that melt in between the rhythmic metal chugs. Hearing Papa Emeritus III with a southern twang to his voice is enough to check out this song.

The EP ends on an oddly inspirational sounding track, “Bible” originally by Imperiet, a short-lived Swedish post-punk band that I’ve never heard of and you probably haven’t either. The gospel chorus, sweeping drums, toned down guitars, soft acoustic guitar, and heavenly organs are incredibly misleading. Once you get down to the lyrics of this sucker, you’ll realize how critical it is religion, power, government and humanity’s hypocrisy. It’s a beautiful song that’s haunting and deserves repeated listens with your volume knob all the way to the right on your speakers.

“Popestar” is another solid outing for the band. Ghost is known for “replacing” their lead singer with a new persona for every new album. This EP is certainly a farewell to Papa Emeritus III, which feels fitting with how much this EP feels like a crisp summarization of what made Ghost a hit on the American scene in the past year with the personification of Papa Emeritus III at the helm. Their fearless tackle of pop music with their traditional doom metal sound is highlighted on “Popestar” It’s a wonderful counterbalance between the stingy headbanger crowd and the passive metalhead who dabbles in other genres. The EP title is a reference to the criticisms by some that they musically “sold out” by going for a more mainstream sound, but also a statement that they’re going to continue to push metal into new boundaries with their newfound fame.

Track Listing
1.) Square Hammer
2.) Nocturnal Me (Echo & the Bunnymen cover)
3.) I Believe (Simian Mobile Disco cover)
4.) Missionary Man (Eurythmics cover)
5.) Bible (Imperiet cover)

 

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Rumer Willis discusses her upcoming “Over the Love” tour.

Rumer Willis may be the daughter of Hollywood heavy weights Bruce Willis and Demi Moore however her own career is nothing to be ashamed of having appeared not only in a number of television series and films but she also enjoyed a successful stint on Broadway as well. Rumer’s latest project has her singing front in center on her debut music tour which is being called the “Over the Love” Tour. Media Mikes had the opportunity to talk with Rumer recently about the upcoming tour and her foray in to music.

Adam Lawton: Can you give us some background on your relationship with music and your decision to start performing live?

Rumer Willis: I have been singing since I was very young. I think I spent quite a bit of time coming up with the best way for me to outlet my music. There have been actors and children of successful parents who have tried to come out and do an album after they have been successful at something else. I always wanted to make sure that when I did do that that I did things right. I didn’t try to put something out there just to have something out. I wanted to make sure that how I present myself is truly what I want to share with people. I feel what we are about to do really represents myself.

AL: What can you tell us about your upcoming debut tour?

RW: I got the idea after performing at a place called the Café Carlisle. A friend of mine mentioned that I should think about doing a full tour as he thought it could totally work. I had never really thought that something like that was possible with me carrying the whole thing. When we started looking more in to the idea and things started to come together we got more and more excited. I never thought I could do music like this or that there was an audience for it. Each show should be really great as it won’t just be me up there singing. I plan to talk a little bit about the songs and explain a little bit about what they mean to me.

AL: How did you go about putting your band together and also selecting the songs for the show?

RW: The band is made up of people I have done shows with before and they are all friends of mine. The songs I selected are more cabaret and jazz type songs. Those are where my normal musical interests are. Even on a daily basis I listen to those types of music. I think there is something to be said about music that really captures emotion. All the songs I picked make me feel something when I hear them and hopefully I can deliver the same response to the people in the audience.

AL: How has performing in a band setup compared to you performing on Broadway?

RW: On Broadway along with the singing there is also a lot about acting as well so it’s a package. There are a lot of things to look at during a Broadway show. Everything is moving very fast and is very colorful. When you are doing a show with a band it’s just you. You have to be more vulnerable and be able to connect with the audience. It’s almost like you are having a conversation.

AL: Overall what has been your transition like moving from film to music?

RW: For me in a weird way it never felt like I was transitioning from one thing to another. Both music and acting have always both been my passion. Thankfully I never was really forced to choose one or the other. I do think figuring out which projects to be in and auditioning was a lot easier than figuring out how I wanted to put myself out there as a musician.

AL: Are there plans to do more shows after this first initial run?

RW: With this first tour I wanted to make sure I played enough places to where I could give people a good idea as to what I am about. I didn’t want to bite off more than I could chew for a first tour so we are going to be figuring out what works and what doesn’t as we go along. My philosophy for this whole thing is not to get too big for my britches. Just because someone says they are a good singer or puts on a good show doesn’t mean they really are or can. You have to prove to people that you are worth their time. At the end of the day I want people to come out and just be able to have a great time.

AL: With a new season of “Dancing With The Stars” just starting and you being a past Mirror Ball champion what are your predictions for this year?

RW: I think that Val and Laurie are a very strong team. I think that Laurie is very talented and they have a really strong chance of winning. I am definatley behind them one hundred percent.

For a list of tour dates be sure to check out http://www.Overthelovetour.comfor a complete listing and info

Charred Walls of the Damned’s Richard Christy talks about the bands latest album “Creatures Watching Over the Dead”

Richard Christy may be best known for his work on the Howard Stern radio show however long before his antics made him a regular fixture on the long running show Richard was a heavy metal drummer for bands like Death and Iced Earth. In 2009 Richard formed his latest group Charred Walls of the Damned. The group’s current lineup which along with Christy features Jason Suecof, Steve DiGiorgio and former Judas Priest front man Tim “Ripper” Owens are set to release their fourth studio album titled “Creatures Watching Over the Dead” on September 23rd. Media Mikes had the chance to speak with Richard recently about the new album and its creation, possible tour plans and this year’s hot Halloween trends.

Adam Lawton: Can you give us some background on the new album?

Richard Christy: The new album is called “Creatures Watching Over the Dead”. It has nine songs on it and it’s been five years since the bands second album. I took quite a bit more time with the writing on this one than the previous two. A lot of that has to do with Brian Slagel from Metal Blade Records who is real cool about letting us take our time when getting an album out. He really understands our schedules and knows how busy we are all. Aside from the schedules I wanted to take the extra time because with song writing there is always a learning process. Just like with anything else the more time you spend doing it the better you start to get at it. I went through each song to make it the best I possibly could. I initially ended up writing 24 songs between the last album and this one. I had always heard about bands writing a bunch of material and then picking the best from that and with this album we were able to do that as well. I always do pre-production for the albums so during that time Jason Suecof and I picked what we thought were the best 9 tracks and those are what took in to record. It took about a year to get everything recorded from there.

AL: What type of process did you have for selecting the 9 songs that make the album?

RC: That’s what the great thing is about having Jason as our guitarist and producer. When he hears these songs fresh for the first time he is able to pick the ones pretty quickly that catch his ear. For me it’s hard to choose as I wrote them and am a little too close to the song to be objective. Jason has a great ear for songs and melody. He is also a really great song writer. I told him the ones that catch his ear right away are the ones we should go with and that is kind of how we did it. When we finally got together for pre-production we started tweaking the nine songs a little further so we had them exactly the way we wanted them on the album. By the time we get in the studio we are pretty much set to go which allows things to flow pretty smoothly.

AL: With you doing a majority of the songwriting where do the other members fit in during the creative process for a new album?

RC: The other guys in the band have total creative freedom. I basically give them the blue print and then have them add to it or make changes if they need/want to. I am not a good bass player or singer. I can do enough to get what I am hearing in my head out but with Steve Digiorgio and Tim “Ripper” Owens those guys are great and can just go crazy. When we go in to record the guitars and drums are already done so I tell those guys just go as nuts as you want to go. I love when Steve matches stuff up to my drum fills. When we do the vocals we are generally all there and we work together with Tim. Jason is great with vocal patterns and melodies so usually what happens is if we can’t come up with something better than what I put down on the demo or everyone really likes what I did on the demo we will go with that but, I like to get Tim and Jason’s ideas for the vocals first and then we just pick the best of those ideas.

AL: The album has sort of a dark title however a majority of the vocals are rather positive. Was this something that happened consciously or did those themes develop more naturally over the course of writing?

RC: I guess it’s sort of a conscious thing. I am a pretty positive person. I have tried to write lyrics about more brutal subjects or what’s going on in the news. When I was in Burning Inside I would write about horror movies and things like that but with getting older these days I like to think about things that make me happy. It’s not that these lyrics are about it being a nice sunny day but I try and make the lyrics about stuff I have experienced and also about things that inspire me. I write about a lot of stuff I see just living in New York City and walking the streets there. I find it’s easier for me to write and things flow better when I am writing about something that means a lot to mean. I do try and write things in a way that doesn’t make them sound too happy or cheerful. I want things to sound cool but at the same mean something to me and to other people.

AL: Can you tell us a little about the album art?

RC: Being a huge fan of Halloween I came across this really great photographer by the name of Pumpkin Rot. He has a website called www.pumpkinrot.com where he showcases his photos of these scenes he sets up where he lives in Pennsylvania. One day I saw a cool picture of his and I decided to just email him and ask if we could use that picture for the album art. He was totally cool about it and with the name of the band and that photo I thought it fit very well together. The title of the album actually comes from me staring at that picture trying to come up with a title for it. I also wanted to come up with something that started with the letters CWOTD to fit in with the theme of our previous album titles. I have been asked if there was some sort of deep meaning to the cover but really it’s just a picture that I liked which I came up with a cool sounding title for. (Laughs)

AL: A lot can happen when a band takes an extended amount of time between albums. Were you ever worry about the effects that it could have not only on the band but also your fans?

RC: I don’t think there was anything that difficult for us as we are all a little bit older as are our fans. I also don’t think the extended time between albums is as much of an issue with metal fans in general. For me once you’re a metal head you are always going to be a metal head. If a band that was around in the early eighties comes out with a new album today I would still be in to checking it out. I am very open minded as a metal head. The culture as well as social media has changed a lot since our last record but we are not really a trendy band. We are a band that has aspects of having a modern metal sound but we also have a very classic metal sound to us as well. We try to blend all that together. Because of all that I don’t think we as affected by changes and trends going on. In fact I think it may have helped us. A lot of people weren’t sure if we were still going to be together but I think people are pleasantly surprised that there is a new album coming out. I think also because all the guys in the band myself included have other projects that keep us busy people may have thought we would do just one album and be done but, we are now on our third album with the same line up and people are seeing this is a legitimate thing. I think those five years as helped us. They say absence makes the heart grow fonder.

AL: What does touring look like for this release?

RC: It is something that really depends on our schedule. I am excited because have been asking me a lot about if and when we are going to be playing. It shows me people do want to see us and it’s something that I really want to do. Hopefully it is something we will get to do. Festivals would seem to be the best option for us because of all our different schedules. We played Orion Fest with Metallica for our last album and that was amazing! We did a two week tour run for the first album which was awesome as well. We can’t promise anything just yet as we don’t have anything booked but it’s something we definitely want to do. I am really hoping we get to do some stuff. With all of us living in different places we have to make sure all of the logistics will work for everyone so something can happen.

AL: Knowing that you’re a big fan of Halloween and with the day just around the corner what do you think will be some of this year’s hot trends?

RC: Definitely anything having to do with the show “Stranger Things”. I have watched that series twice now all the way through and can’t stop listening to the soundtrack as well. I have been listening to it since August when it first came out. I think anything having to do with that show is going to be big. Also with this being an election year I think there is going to be a lot of Donald’s and Hillary’s. I have heard that the sales of masks determines the election. I want to say that the last few elections have in fact been determined by who sold the most masks. Pumpkin Beers are going to be big again this year as well as haunted houses. I think you will start to see more of the “extreme” haunted houses where you have to sign a waiver to go in because the actors can touch you and stuff. People seem to always be looking to take things to the next level. Me personally I will just stick to the ones where people jump out at you and that’s it. I don’t need people’s hands in my mouth or something like that. (Laughs)

For more info on Richard Christy and Charred Walls of the Damned be sure to check out www.richardchristy.com

 

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Book Review: Keith Morris’s “My Damage: The Story of a True Punk Rock Survivor”

“My Damage: The Story of a True Punk Rock Survivor”
Author: Keith Morris w/ Jim Ruland
Da Capo Press
Hardcover: 309 pages

Our score: 4.5 out of 5 stars

Keith Morris is known the world over as the real deal, a seminal figure in hardcore punk, revered by any fan of the genre. As a co-founding member of Black Flag and as the front man for the seminal west coast punk band Circle Jerks “My Damage” is a memoir that covers not only covers Keith’s forty-year history in music but also his struggles with his health and drug use, told straight through the eyes of someone who shared the stage with just about every major figure in the industry.

From page 1 to page 309 “My Damage” keeps the reader’s attention making this a hard book to put down. Through candid accounts of Black Flag/Circle Jerks front man Keith Morris’s early struggles within the Hermosa Beach community to the reincarnation of “FLAG” close to 40 years later the book covers immense ground in an easy to follow format which for readers who may not be as familiar with Morris’s work is a great feature. The books drive matches that of the author as it moves quickly and is unrelenting in details. No matter how edgy or unsettling the story may be Morris pulls no punches and tells the story as it was from his perspective. No phony names or reader friendly versions here folks.

The sheer realness of “My Damage” makes this book appealing to not only punk rock music fans but to readers looking for a candid takes-no prisoners approach to storytelling. Keith cuts out the unneeded drab and quickly gets to the guts of his life and his experiences in the music business. At times over shadowing those story is his struggles with drugs and alcohol which at several points made me question just how the author is still with us and able to recount his journey in detail he does. “My Damage: The Story of a True Punk Rock Survivor” is a must read for biography and music fans.

 

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Concert Review: Freedom To Rock Tour

“Freedom To Rock Tour”

Kiss, The Dead Daisies
Monday, August 29th 2016
Blue Cross Arena, Rochester, NY

Our Score: 4 out of 5 Stars

Kiss blasted in to the Blue Cross Arena in Rochester, NY on August 29th as part of their Freedom to Rock 2016 summer tour. Along with the make-up clad Rock and Roll Hall of Famers was veteran rock super group The Dead Daisies. After an 18 year hiatus from the “Flower City” Both bands brought their A game to the near capacity crowd proving their return was long overdue.

Kicking off the night were The Dead Daisies a group whose current roster is made up former Motley Crue vocalist John Corabi, Whitesnake guitarist Doug Aldrich, fellow Whitesnake drummer Brian Tichy, former Ted Nugent/Thin Lizzy bassist Marco Mendoza and Australian guitarist David Lowy. The group seemed to be the perfect opener for the assembled Kiss Army as the band’s sound was the perfect blending of both classic and new rock tones. The hour long set featured original material from the group’s latest album “Make Some Noise” along with a sprinkling of covers which included a beefed up rendition of the Credence Clearwater Revival classic “Fortune Son” along with an in your face version of The Beatles “Helter Skelter” which the fans seemed to really dig. The set was fast paced as singer John Corabi and crew wasted little time addressing the crowd which in my opinion only added to the appeal of the group as they seemed to definitely be all about the music and their performance. After a thirty minute change over Kiss would take the stage where they proceeded to hold court for the next 90 minutes. This tours staging was much more scaled back than that of the previous “Monster” tour however the group performed just the same if not better than in subsequent years. The nights set list included a lot of the group’s staples including “Detroit Rock City” and “Love Gun” but also included lesser played songs like “Flaming Youth” and “Psycho Circus”. Despite a few missed vocal lines by Gene on “Cold Gin” and Paul’s voice starting to show it’s age the New York City natives did a solid job of transporting the crowd back to the groups 1970’s glory days.

From start to finish Kiss’s “Freedom To Rock” tour was a well oiled machine that provided an enjoyable concert experience for people of all ages. For the hardcore Kiss fans there may not have been enough diversion from the bands stock stage/set performance however for the band to still able to pull of this type of show in their 60’s is an impressive feat in its self. If your city is one of the few remaining on this season’s run then do yourself a favor and grab some tickets and get there early as you won’t want to miss either bands performance.

The Dead Daisies Set List:
1.) Whole Lotta Sabbath (Whole Lotta love/War Pigs mashup intro)
2.) Mexico
3.) Make Some Noise
4.) Fortune Son
5.) Lock n’ Load
6.) Long Way to Go
7.) Join Together
8.) The Last Time I Saw the Sun
9.) Devil Out of Time
10.) Helter Skelter

Kiss Set List:
1.) Detroit Rock City
2.) Deuce
3.) Shout it Out Loud
4.) Do You Love Me
5.) I Love It Loud
6.) Flaming Youth
7.) Bass Solo/ God of Thunder
8.) Psycho Circus
9.) Shock Me/Guitar Solo
10.) Cold Gin
11.) Lick It Up
12.) War Machine
13.) Love Gun
14.) Black Diamond
Encore:
15.) Beth
16.) The Star-Spangled Banner
17.) Rock and Roll All Nite

Slayer release “Pride In Prejudice” as the final chapter in the “Repentless” Video Trilogy

AND THEN THERE WERE THREE…

SLAYER’S “PRIDE IN PREJUDICE”

COMPLETES THE BRUTAL
REPENTLESS VIDEO TRILOGY

LOS ANGELES, CA – Tuesday, September 6, 2016 — A convicted prisoner on death row…a cookie-cutter, white-bread family unit putting up the Christmas decorations… two worlds, lightness and darkness colliding…white supremacists…ruthless murders…Slayer’s “Pride in Prejudice” music video.

Directed by BJ McDonnell

Produced by Felissa Rose

Edited by Ed Marx and Andrea Porter

Director of Photography – Eric Leach

Tony Gardner/Alterian FX for Special FX Makeup

Jason Trost (“Hatchet III”) – Wyatt

Danny Trejo (“Machete,” “From Dusk Til Dawn”)

Bill Moseley – the Dad (“House of 1000 Corpses,” “The Devil’s Rejects”)

Caroline Williams – the Mom (“Sharknado 4: The 4th Awakens”, “Hatchett III”)

Richard Speight, Jr. – returning as the ultimate Bad Guy (“CSI,” “Jericho,” “Supernatural”)

Filmed during the winter of 2016 in the mountains of Wrightwood, CA

“I’m particularly excited about this third video,” said McDonnell, “because we played with stylistic differences with the trilogy. Where one video plays like an action film, this third one is more of a dramatic piece. The final story takes us into a world that is especially sinister in tone, with the dark and the light colliding. The conclusion is visually cinematic and harsh, with Slayer conducting us through it all with ‘Pride In Prejudice.'”

“It was a pleasure working with BJ on this project,” said Slayer’s Kerry King. “Slayer is notorious for letting the artist be the artist, the producer be the producer, and the director be the director, etc. By doing this we get a completely unique perspective that never really strays far from our own. Get ready for video three. It’s my favorite!!”

*****

SLAYER AND THE “REPENTLESS” VIDEO TRILOGY

With the premiere of “Pride in Prejudice,” Slayer completes the Repentless music video trilogy.

The first video, “Repentless,” was released 9/11/15 and has accumulated more than 9.8 million views to date. It introduced us to Wyatt, the eyepatched rebel inmate (Jason Trost/”Hatchet III”), and a host of nefarious prisoners played by some of today’s most iconic horror film actors including Danny Trejo/”Machete,” “From Dusk Till Dawn”, Tony Moran/”Halloween’s” Michael Myers, “American Poltergeist,” Derek Mears/”Predators,” “Friday the 13th,” Tyler Mane/”Halloween,” Sean Whalen/”Men In Black,” “Halloween II,” and Vernon Wells/”Mad Max 2,” “Commando,” “Weird Science.” “Repentless” was shot at the Sybil Brand Institute in East Los Angeles and has Slayer performing the song in the prison yard while a riot breaks out, blood flowing in abundance, inmates and prison guards brutally slaughtered.

From the very first frame, “You Against You,” the gore, the violence, the carnage begins and just never ends. While the second video in the trilogy, it is the prequel to “Repentless,” telling the story of the circumstances that led to Wyatt’s erroneous arrest and imprisonment. Slayer’s performance for “You Against You” was shot at a graveyard of jets, airliners and helicopters in California’s Mojave Desert.

“You Against You” premiered 3/16/16 and has accumulated more than 4.8 million YouTube views.

The “Repentless” video trilogy was conceived and directed by BJ McDonnell who directed the 2013 horror film “Hatchett III.” His rich resume as a motion picture cameraman includes “Jack Reacher,” “Tomorrowland” and “The Interview,” and just wrapped filming for the upcoming “Annabelle 2.”

In September 2015, Slayer released Repentless, the band’s 12th studio album, the first without founding member Jeff Hanneman and first with producer Terry Date, to widespread rave reviews and the highest chart debut of the band’s career. The band – Tom Araya/vocals & bass, Kerry King/guitars, Paul Bostaph/drums and Exodus/Slayer touring guitarist Gary Holt – has toured near-non-stop since the album’s release, and heads out on the road starting September 9 with a seven-week North American trek with Anthrax and Death Angel. This fall, Dark Horse Comics will publish a three-issue comic book series based on McDonnell’s original concept for the “Repentless” video trilogy and written by Jon Schnepp. In addition, October will see the release of Slayer’s “Cradle To Grave” BMX Bikes/Subrosa four-bike collection. Comprised of the Slayer Balance, Slayer 20, Slayer 26 and the Slayer Urban Terrain Bike, all are intended for BMX riders to “use and abuse.”

Slayer Official Website

 

Concert Review: Gwar B-Q 2016

GWAR B-Q 2016
Lamb of God, GWAR, Against Me!, Dillinger Escape Plan, August Burns Red, Lagwagon, EyeHateGod, Murphy’s Law, Eat The Turnbuckle, The Death of Rock ‘n Roll, Occultist, Mobile Deathcamp, American Nightmare, Brain Tentacles, Sawyer Family, Ramming Speed.

Date: August 20, 2016
Venue: Hadad’s Lake, Richmond VA

Our score: 5 out of 5 stars

The 7th annual GWAR B-Q took place on August 20th and again proved why it is the summer’s premier destination place for Bohabs from all over the globe. The humble setting of Hadad’s Lake in Richmond, VA again played host to the event which featured a variety of events, vendors, food and of course plenty of music. Headlining this year’s event along with hosts GWAR included fellow Richmond natives Lamb of God, Dillinger Escape Plan and Against Me!

With temperatures creeping towards triple digits and with a thick layer of humidity permeating the festival grounds we weren’t quite sure how things were going to play out for the day’s festivities. Thankfully the intergalactic overlords of GWAR had everything in check to ensure all those in attendance didn’t have their day cut short due to the extreme heat. Throughout the medium sized 1950’s era water park were plenty of food and drink vendors eager to help keep you going throughout the day. Prices were very affordable which made it easy to part with your all mighty dollars in that bottled “Gwater” ranged from $1/$2 and beer (PBR talls and Oderus Ale) was $4/$6. The food also was in the single dollar ranges making this hand’s down the festival with the cheapest concessions.

The event featured 3 different stages which all varied in size and for the most part each had ample viewing room. The only one that I found to not have enough space at times was the “Slutman Pavilion”. The smallest of the three stages became quickly cramped for energetic sets by bands like Occultist and the aggressive in your face; wrestling meets metal antics of Eat The Turnbuckle. At times the crowd spilled out the sides into the festival walkways which did cause some holdups when transitioning between the two larger stages. Also littered about were a variety of merchandise tents include one from Gwar slaves Bob Gorman and Matt Maguire and another from GWAR’s very own manager the one and only Sleazy P. Martini. Other musical high points from the day included powerful sets from Louisiana’s EYEHATEGOD which featured guest vocalist Phillip H. Anselmo of Pantera/Down fame. The group laid down a solid set of sludgy, doom metal that had the crowd worked into an utter frenzy. Despite the absence of vocalist Greg Puciato(due to a flight cancelation), Ben Weinman and the rest of Dillinger Escape Plan blasted through a unique set of music which feature a guest saxophone player along with a member of the crowd who was brought up to fill in for the absent member. Against Me! could have possibly been considered the odd man out on this bill which featured mostly metal acts but surprisingly enough was a big hit with the fans and, easily one of my favorite performances of the day. The band sounded and looked great while their set featured both classic material and a handful of new tracks which will be on the group’s new album due out in September. Event hosts GWAR would commandeer the stage next and within seconds of being announced by manager Sleazy P. Martin the sweat and dirt covered crowd was painted blue and red by a host of sprays and splashes. There were no safe zones this day not even in the backstage area which made for a wet but fun time which no one but GWAR can provide. Closing out the festivities were none other than Lamb of God. From the time the band first took the stage till the last notes of their set rang out the crowd was a bevy of excitement and energy. Hovering over head was a massive dirt cloud created by the large crowd who varied in color (ranging from blue to red and all point in between), wetness and thanks to the available water park varying levels of clothing making for one of the most unique LOG crowds I have ever seen. Randy Blythe and company gave there all which the crowd certainly appreciated and in my opinion capped off a perfect day.

As more and more European type festivals start to pop up around the States it can be hard to figure out which ones are the real deal and which ones, well to put it bluntly just plain suck! I am here to tell you the GWAR B-Q is one hundred percent legit. From the cool location and amenities to the low priced concessions and impressive musical line-up it was damn near impossible not to have a good time. Yes this festival might cater to a certain genre or specifically “hardcore” GWAR fans however there is plenty of fun to be had even if you don’t fall in to one of those categories. No matter what you look like, where you come from or what you are into if you go to a GWAR B-Q your going to find tons of cool people, off the wall activities and great music which will create memories that last a life time.

Jag 13 of Eat The Turnbuckle discusses the bands latest EP “The Great American Bash Your Head In”

Eat The Turnbuckle is a heavy metal band hailing from Philadelphia, PA. Despite being from “The City of Brotherly Love” the groups sound and stage show which features elements of extreme wrestling couldn’t be further from the cities well know moniker. The band recently released a new EP titled “The Great American Head Bash In” and Media Mikes had the chance to speak with the bands vocalist Jag 13 to discuss the new EP, the group’s intense stage shows and their plans for the remainder of 2016.

Adam Lawton: Is Eat the Turnbuckle a band who wrestles or, wrestler that play in a band?

Jag 13: It’s kind of both honestly. Some of the older guys in the band used to wrestle and Shlak one of our guitarists wrestles now for CZW. For me personally I have always been into both wrestling and music. Philadelphia has always been a great town for wrestling and when I was younger I remember the WWF coming through a lot. I got to see the whole ECW thing come into play as well. With music I think that’s something almost everyone gets in to at a young age so I have been in to both for as long as I can remember.

AL: What can you tell us about the bands most recent EP?

Jag 13: We did “The Great American Bash Your Head In” for our most recent tour. We try and have new material out each time we go on the road. If we know we are going to be heading out at a certain time we start writing and putting things together. This EP has 5 new songs which have been going over really well so far. We only did one show here in the states on this run with the rest of the dates being over in Europe. We did about 22 shows over there and wrapped things up with our performance at this year’s Gwar B-Q inn Virginia. We were actually supposed to do one other show however we had to cancel due to our drummer having a broken ankle. He actually broke it the second day of tour and finally went to the hospital on the fourth day of the tour. He had a cast on but didn’t miss one show. Like a dummy he took the cast off when we got back home and things got messed up even worse.(Laughs)

AL: Speaking of the Gwar B-Q. This was the second time you guys have been asked to play. How did this year’s event differ from the previous year you performed?

Jag 13: The first time we played they had us going on pretty early. Something happened with the doors and we ended up playing to a small group as a lot of people were stuck at the gates. I think the reception from those who saw was really good and the fact that a lot of people who wanted to see us couldn’t helped with us getting asked back this year. This year was off the hook! We played the Slutman Pavilion which was a lot of fun. I think I would prefer playing that stage over one of the bigger stages. We have sort of gotten used to playing on smaller stages but even if we were on the bigger stage things would have definitely spilled over. (Laughs) A bigger stage means we have to do bigger gimmicks!

AL: With your show incorporating extreme/hardcore wrestling elements and references what was the European reception like being that type of wrestling isn’t as common there?

Jag 13: I think those things were why we have caught on so well over there. They don’t have the hardcore and extreme matches in their wrestling shows so this is something new for them. We had people coming up to us after the shows who weren’t fans of the music but they came out to check out the wrestling. We played a lot of smaller countries over there and those people just ate it up. They loved watching the shows. We did a festival in the Czech Republic where they actually got a wring for us. Shlak ended up wrestling the Champ from the league there in a death match. It was in front of about five thousand people and it was just crazy. Both the guys needed to get stitched up afterwards.

AL: What type of planning goes into one of your shows being that not only are you performing musically but you are also including wrestling elements as well?

Jag 13: We argue a lot. (Laughs) Right before the show we sort of get the lay of the land and plan out what we are going to do. At the same time we have work with the venue to make sure we know what we can and can’t do. Like when we did the Gwar B-Q you can’t have any glass. Every show is a little different so we have to just go with the flow. People have been really accommodating. We have all been in bands that have crazy stage shows. That’s how we all came together. Philadelphia has a history of violent shows so we sort of just fit in to that. When things started to get a little more PC within the scene myself and Shlak started gathering guys who still wanted something crazy.

AL: Do you ever feel that the graphic nature of your shows limits your audience?

Jag 13: We have had shows cancelled due to people finding out about our shows and in turn not wanting anything to do with it. At this point I have become so used to that type of thing that it doesn’t bother me. If they don’t want us, they don’t want us. We have a pretty good booking agent who lets all the places know what type of show we put on. Some of the show we have done in the past we just showed up and started going at it. (Laughs) That tended not to work out real well for any one.

AL: With your drumming being laid up with an injury does that end the year for you or do you still have things plans?

Jag 13: We don’t have anything planned until October then after that we don’t anything planned until spring time of next year. We have some bids in on tours that we think will work well for us here in the states so we have our fingers crossed.

For more info on Eat The Turnbuckle be sure to check out the bands official website at www.facebook.com/eattheturnbuckle

Death Valley High frontman Reyka Osburn discusses “CVLT [AS FVK]”

Reyka Osburn is the vocalist/guitarist for the California based goth/rock band Death Valley High. The group is set to release their second full length album on November 4th 2016 titled “CVLT [AS FVK]” and Media Mikes had the pleasure of speaking with Reyka about the albums creation, the addition of guitarist Sean Bivins and the group’s plans for 2016/2017.

Adam Lawton: Can you give us some info on the band and how everything came together?

Reyka Osburn: Death Valley High was sort of born out of my previous band Tinfed. Things had sort of begun to get a bit watered down towards the end of it. I wanted to keep doing a project that was going to be darker so eventually Tinfed disbanded and I kept going with the start of Death Valley High. When the band first started I had some people from the previous project on board but when we started playing live was when I started to get new members in the band as I continued to flesh things out. It really just grew from there.

AL: What can you tell us about the band’s new album which has sort of a unique title?

RO: We were looking for something that was us. We were all having sort of a tough time pin pointing where we were at so we thought that by blending the night culture that we love with dance/death rock/goth clubs with the hardcore scene which we also love. “Cvlt [AS Fvk]” was a morphing of several ideas we put together from various ideas.

AL: What has the addition of guitarist Sean Bivins been like for the group?

RO: We had been having Sean come out on tour with us so when it was time to record everything felt very natural. It was great to have Shawn help fill things out while still being able to keep our signature tone but with something a little more. We were able to mix in some more modern tones which were really cool. It was great for us as a band to have all this new stuff put together before going in to record.

AL: How did your partnering with producer Ulrich Wild come about for this record?

RO: Ulrich had approached actually and we just hit it off. He asked what we were looking for which led to us talking about some of his previous work with White Zombie. He told us about how he did those albums and things ended up being a lot of fun. We were able to throw any ideas at him and if it was worthy of keeping he would make it work. Ulrich was willing to give things his best sot to make sure we got what we wanted. I feel you can hear all the work we put into this record and the relationship between the band and Ulrich as well.

AL: How did you go about choosing “Warm Bodies” as the album’s first single?

RO: All the songs are my babies. “Warm Bodies” was one we completed later on in the recording process. We got everything laid out and people started just gravitating towards that song. We started playing the song live to test it out and crowds were definitely in to it so we ran with it. I think there is a bunch of great single worthy tracks on the album which makes me question if this one is the strongest but we have gotten a lot of good feedback thus far with this track.

AL: Have you started to map out any touring plans to support the release?

RO: We have some European things happening along with a few other things which are being scheduled for both this year and next. There are talks of both tours and a few festival dates as well.

For more info on Death Valley High be sure to check out their official Facebook page at www.facebook.com/deathvalleyhigh

Chart-Topping Rap Duo TWIZTID to Drop New Full-Length Album “The Continuous Evilution Of Life’s ?’s” on January 27, 2017

Chart-Topping Rap Duo TWIZTID to Drop New Full-Length Album The Continuous Evilution Of Life’s ?’s on January 27, 2017

A TWIZTID First: Supporters Exclusively Surprised with New Album Details via The Green Book Re-Issue Booklet, Out Last Friday

PLUS: The Green Book Vinyl Includes Download Card for New Single “Are You Insane Like Me?”

The Continuous Evilution Of Life’s ?’s Pre-Orders Begin Black Friday 2016 via www.TwiztidShop.com

Supporters of 11-time Billboard chart-topping rap duo TWIZTID were treated to a special surprise when opening the booklets of their pre-ordered The Green Book re-issues that were delivered on last Friday’s release date of August 19th – the title and release date of TWIZTID’s upcoming 12th release, entitled The Continuous Evilution Of Life’s ?’s was revealed! The new full-length album will be the duo’s second released via their own Majik Ninja Entertainment label and pre-orders will go live on Black Friday – November 25, 2016 via www.TwiztidShop.com. The Continuous Evilution Of Life’s ?’s will hit stores on January 27, 2017.

TWIZTID recently announced their massive 2016 fall tour, the “Spooktacular Horror Show”, beginning on September 28 in Minneapolis, MN and visiting 30+ cities before coming to a close on Halloween night in Sauget, IL. The “Spooktacular Horror Show” tour will feature special guests Mac Lethal, Zodiac Mprint (Blaze and The R.O.C.), Lex The Hex Master, Menage 2 Sobriety and Godz Of Kaos. See below for currently confirmed “Spooktacular Horror Show” dates.

Tickets and VIP Packages are on sale via www.Twiztid-Shop.com. VIP Packages include a pre-show Meet and Greet with TWIZTID, Zodiac Mprint and Lex The Hex Master. They also include a VIP pass, 24×36 poster, hat pin, Majik Ninja Entertainment sampler, Get Twiztid CD, Mutant Remixed And Remastered CD, TWIZTID live DVD and three black and white 8×10 promotional photos that VIP’s can get signed by TWIZTID at the VIP Meet and Greet.

TWIZTID on the “Spooktacular Horror Show” 2016 Fall Tour

9/28 – Minneapolis, MN @ Cabooze

9/29 – Kansas City, MO @ Riot Room

9/30 & 10/1 – Denver, CO @ The Roxy Theatre

10/2 – Salt Lake City, UT @ The Complex

10/4 – Sacramento, CA @ The Boardwalk

10/6 – Los Angeles, CA @ The Union Nightclub

10/7 – Las Vegas, NV @ LVCS

10/8 – Phoenix, AZ @ The Marquee Theatre

10/9 – Albuquerque, NM @ Sunshine Theater

10/10 – Oklahoma City, OK @ Farmers Market Event Center

10/11 – Houston, TX @ Scout Bar

10/12 – New Orleans, LA @ Southport Hall

10/13 – Marietta, GA @ The 120 Tavern and Music Hall

10/14 – Richmond, VA @ The Broadberry

10/15 – Boonsboro, MD @ Boonsboro Event Center

10/16 – Worcester, MA @ Worcester Palladium

10/17 – Philadelphia, PA @ The Trocadero

10/18 – Clifton Park, NY @ Upstate Music Hall

10/20 – Buffalo, NY @ Vpub at The Villager

10/21 – Morgantown, WV @ Mainstage Morgantown

10/22 – Cleveland, OH @ The Agora Theatre

10/23 – Newport, KY @ Madison Theater

10/24 – Clarksville, TN @ The Warehouse

10/25 – Knoxville, TN @ The Concourse at the International

10/26 – Columbus, OH @ The Alrosa Villa

10/27 – Louisville, KY @ Diamond Pub and Billiards

10/28 – Kokomo, IN @ Front Row Live

10/29 – Chicago, IL @ Portage Theater

10/30 – Detroit, MI @ The Majestic Theatre

10/31 – Sauget, IL @ Pop’s

In addition to the new album details, supporters who bought the The Green Book re-issue vinyl edition were treated to a digital download card featuring the first single off of The Continuous Evilution Of Life’s ?’s, entitled “Are You Insane Like Me?” The track will be available for streaming soon.

The Continuous Evilution Of Life’s ?’s will feature 12 all new tracks, primarily produced by longtime TWIZTID producer Seven. However, the new album features four tracks with a clear hard rock influence – a crossover genre TWIZTID has successfully dabbled in for over a decade. The four aforementioned tracks were produced by famed goth rock frontman Davey Suicide and his keyboardist Needlz. An official tracklisting will be revealed soon.

TWIZTID states, “We’re blessed to still be putting out records… I like to think that’s because we put out good music that continues to entertain and amaze. This new record is another level of our continuous evolution. We are the question marks!”

The Continuous Evilution Of Life’s ?’sproducer Davey Suicide adds, “Needlz and I have been writing songs together for five years now. So when TWIZTID mentioned they wanted to have a rock industrial aesthetic in this album, we were pumped to contribute our musical influences to this.”

 

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