Anthrax’s FRANK BELLO Announces Debut Solo EP with Rare Bird

Then I’m Gone Includes Scored Audiobook with excerpts from his autobiography

Then I’m Gone EP + Vinyl Audiobook Official Promo Video:

Photo: Jeremy Saffer

Frank Bello and Rare Bird proudly present the famed Anthrax bassist’s debut solo EP, Then I’m Gone. Issued as a deluxe gatefold split 12”, the EP contains three songs alongside excerpts from his 2021 autobiography, read by the author and accompanied by additional new music.

Bello performs all instruments (except drums) on “Then I’m Gone,” “It Won’t Be Long,” and “See Me Now,” as well as the score accompanying the narrated pieces, each selected and read from the book released with Rare Bird last year, Fathers, Brothers, and Sons: Surviving Anguish, Abandonment, and Anthrax.

“I revisited some really dark times in my life when I was writing my book, and writing these songs was the result of reliving them,” explains Bello, who appears on every Anthrax release since 1985. “Music has always been a great outlet for me as a coping mechanism. I felt it was a good time to put out these songs for people who connected with the book and maybe some who haven’t yet. Thanks for listening!”

A cornerstone of the legendary “Big 4” of metal alongside Metallica, Megadeth, and Slayer, Anthrax has sold over ten million albums, traveled the globe countless times, and collaborated with a diverse list of creative icons, including Public Enemy, Keanu Reeves, and the late “Dimebag” Darrell Abbott. Fathers, Brothers, and Sons details the tragedy and triumph of the music industry and Bello’s intense personal life.

Like the book, the songs on Then I’m Gone are intimate, revealing, and powerful. Then I’m Gone EP deluxe gatefold vinyl is available for preorder now in limited-edition purple and white/purple splatter variants, as well as standard black vinyl, direct through Rare Bird (www.rarebirdlit.com) and Experience Vinyl (www.experiencevinyl.com).

All Preorders include a digital download code with the full vinyl audiobook in the sealed vinyl jacket and a monthly email with links to audio, video, instrumentals, and bonus material.

Then I’m Gone is scheduled for release on November 4, 2022.

Tracklisting:

Side A: “Then I’m Gone,” “It Won’t Be Long,” “See Me Now”

Side B: “First Kiss,” “Compass Point,” “See Me Now [Revisited]”

ABOUT FRANK BELLO:
Frank Bello is among the most respected, talented, and charismatic musicians in hard rock. A diehard New Yorker, Bello joined Anthrax shortly after the release of the band’s 1984 debut and has appeared on every Anthrax release since, including classic albums like Among the Living (1987), Sound of White Noise (1993), and For All Kings (2016), totaling well over ten million in album sales around the world. Anthrax cemented a place in metal history as part of the “Big 4,” alongside Metallica, Megadeth, and Slayer. In 2011, the band was honored with special proclamations from the city on “Anthrax Day in the Bronx” at Yankee Stadium. Bello was briefly the bassist in Helmet and fronts Altitudes & Attitude as both singer and guitarist. He’s appeared on Law & Order in a small role and played himself on Married… with Children and Newsradio. Fathers, Brothers, and Sons: Surviving Anguish, Abandonment, and Anthrax was written with Joel McIver.

KILLING JOKE ANNOUNCE LORD OF CHAOS EP

WATCH THE VIDEO FOR THE TITLE TRACK HERE

As the Doomsday Clock hits 100 seconds to midnight, the original Killing Joke lineup announces the Lord of Chaos EP, marking their first new material in seven years. Killing Joke confirm that all hope is probably lost — or at least missing — with their first new studio material in over seven years.

Enter the Lord of Chaos EP, featuring two brand new recordings, plus two re-workings of songs from the confrontational UK band’s last studio album, 2015’s Pylon.

“I’ve never known anything like the time we are living in now; not since the Cuban Missile crisis but now in comparison we have multiple flash points. Lord of Chaos is about complex systems failure, when technology overloads and A.I. misreads the enemies’ intentions,” says Dr. Jaz Coleman.

The Lord of Chaos EP will be available on CD, digital, and three vinyl formats.

Watch the video for the title track here.

LORD OF CHAOS EP TRACKLISTING:
“Lord of Chaos”
“Total”
“Big Buzz” (Motorcade Mix)
“Delete In Dub” (Youth’s Disco 45 Dystopian Dub)

Tracks 1 and 2 were produced by Killing Joke and mixed by Tom Dalgety and they set the tone for the band’s next studio album, currently being worked on in Prague.

Meanwhile, Tracks 3 and 4 give a fresh spin to numbers from the Pylon album — “Big Buzz” having been re-mixed by Dalgety and Nick Evans, and “Delete” getting the full dub treatment courtesy of Killing Joke’s Youth, who has a long treatment treatment courtesy of Killing Joke’s Youth, who has a longstanding reputation in this area.

Singer Malia J Talks About Her Cover of Nirvana’s “Smells Like Teen Spirit” and Her Upcoming Debut EP “Reflections”

Malia J is a singer, songwriter with nearly 2 million views on YouTube and an astounding 3 million streams on Spotify. Malia J’s works have appeared in series such as “The Handmaid’s Tale”, “Night Stalker: The Hunt for a Serial Killer” and most recently Marvel’s “Black Widow” starring Scarlett Johansson. Media Mikes had the chance to speak with Malia J recently about how she got her start in music, the idea behind her style and her upcoming debut EP titled “Reflections”.

Adam Lawton: Can you give us some background on how you first became interested in music?

Malia J: When I first got involved with music goes back to about the time, I was four years old. My mom heard me singing in the car and thought that I had a voice like an angel, so she immediately put in voice lessons. As I got older, I sang in choir and in middle school I took up the oboe. During this I got scholarships to go to Interlocken Arts Academy during the summers and continued to sing at my local church. While I was doing that, I met a touring artist by the name of Paul Wilbur. I was singing and playing oboe and he asked me to go on tour with him. While on tour I realized that I just didn’t want to only do singing and oboe. During the tour one of the lead singers had gotten sick and that’s when I realized how much I enjoyed singing lead. When I got home that’s when I made the decision that I wanted to be a professional musician.

AL: At what time did you start writing your own material?

MJ: I had started writing while I was out on tour. About halfway through the tour I started opening for Paul Wilbur. Paul gave me the opportunity to choose a guitarist to come along with me, so I invited this guy I really like but when it came time to head to Italy this guy didn’t end up going. I was very upset that I had gotten stood up. I started writing about my feelings towards these events and ended up picking up the guitar since this guy didn’t show up.

AL: Were you writing primarily based off your orchestral experience?

MJ: I would say a lot of it came from me journaling. I wanted to make what I was writing down into music and add melody to these entries and poems. I think being classically trained gives you an extra layer of knowledge when it comes to music. During the time you are training you spend many hours working on music. I think that training certainly helped me with my song writing.

AL: At what point did the idea of re-working popular songs into your own style come about?

MJ: That came around the same time as when I was covering these songs. I was living in Los Angeles and writing pop songs. I knew I wanted to be an artist and write songs. These pops songs were the typical kinds you hear on the radio but, they just weren’t clicking with the labels or people I would show them to. From there I started covering songs with a darker production style and that really started coming together when I met Think Up Anger. At the time he was just doing sound effects for different productions and we decided to do a song. I laid the song out in this dark way and he produced it so that’s how the sound was created.

AL: How does the writing and arrangement process work for you?

MJ: I generally start with deciding what song we are going to cover. I will then lay it out on the piano or guitar. From there I will take it to a producer, and they will start adding all the eerie sounds. I like to experiment as much as I can but the key to the song is very important. I always want to make sure that I am staying true to the meaning of the song.

AL: How do you go about selecting a song?

MJ: “Smells Like Teen Spirit” started out as an experiment. We had already done a couple other songs in this style and I had the idea to try this Nirvana song. It’s one of my favorite songs and Think Up Anger thought it was a good idea. That choice came out of loving that song so much. Other times Think Up Anger and I choose songs based on if we think they could be creepy or not. (Laughs) With music lyrics can be dark and emotional yet have fun production behind them. I tend to lean toward songs that are cool and beautiful that even after we make them creepy people will still recognize them.

AL: When did the option to have these songs submitted for film use come along?

MJ: When we started doing these Think Up Anger and I both agreed that it could be fun to send these songs out for use in films and television. We sent them first to a couple different companies and trailer houses. The first one I ever got was for Discovery Channels “Racing Extinction” which is part of Shark Week. What’s cool is I think we were one of the first people to experiment in this way. We like to call it “Cine-Pop”.

AL: I know you are working on releasing your debut EP. Can you tell us about that?

MJ: Having been creating now for many years I believe these are the best songs I have put together. Lots of things inspire me. From heartbreak and anxiety to female empowerment those are all topics I cover. The most recent song written for the EP was done after learning about black widows and that’s titled “She’s the One”. The production is very similar to that of “Smells Like Teen Spirit”. There are songs some songs that have more pop elements to them as well. I worked with an incredible song writer named Charlie Midnight. He wrote the song “Living In America” that James Brown sang. I met him on the Sunset Strip one day and we decided to work on this song “If You Had Me”. I am very excited about that one.

AL: Aside from the upcoming EP release do you have any other projects in the works that we can be watching for?

MJ: I have two music videos’ coming out one of is for “Smells Like Teen Spirit”. That one is being edited as we speak. Everyone is working hard to get this video out. The other video is going to be for the single I choose and that will be an original song. I also have a livestream with Amazon that is scheduled for August 10th at 2pm PST. I am very excited for that.

For more information on Malia J you can visit @Maliajmusic across all social media platforms and at her official website at www.maliajmusic.com

GWAR To Release Acoustic EP “The Disc With No Name” May 28th

Stripped Down, Unplugged Version of “Fuck This Place” Streaming Now

We are just a mere three months into the year, but 2021 truly is shaping up to be the year of the Bohab! Following the announcement of GWAR’s “Ragnarok” Rye and their brand new CBD line “Bud of Gods,” your Lords and Masters have yet another surprise up their sleeve. May 28th will see the release of “The Disc With No Name,” via Pit Records. The EP is a limited edition 12” picture disc. It is available for purchase at GWAR.net and indie retailers.

The Disc With No Name” features unplugged versions of four GWAR classics, completely reimagined and rearranged with acoustic instruments. The idea to release the EP came during last year’s quarantine following the band’s heart wrenching, emotional and ridiculous acoustic performance for The A.V. Club during their quarantine sessions. With this release, the band looks back wistfully on eons of murderous rock and roll and the lonesome time of the great GWARANTINE of 2020. Listen to the unplugged version of “Fuck This Place” HERE

Lead singer Blóthar the Berserker had this to say: “During the quarantine of 2020 I spent long, lonely days with my hand down my pants, hiding out in a fortress made entirely of rolls of toilet paper, drinking hand sanitizer and watching ‘1000-Lb Sisters’… which is business as usual for me. So I was relieved when I got the call to lay down some vocals on “The Disc With No Name.” We recorded this record over the telephone, which was fine with me, because I can’t stand to be in the same room as the other members of GWAR.” 

In other GWAR news, the alien overlords have teamed up Puck Hcky for an exclusive live of GWAR hockey jerseys. The jerseys are available for purchase HERE.

“The Disc With No Name” Tracklisting:

Side A: Fuck This Place Gonna Kill You
Side B: I’ll Be Your Monster The Road Behind

THE WHITE SWAN: Atmospheric Sludge Rock Trio Featuring Members Of Kittie And More To Release Nocturnal Transmission EP This Fall; New Video Playing At Revolver

“…a gauzy, atmospheric brand of sludgy doomgaze…” — Revolver

View / Share THE WHITE SWAN’s “In Love And Ritual” Video HERE.

London, Ontario-based atmospheric sludge rock unit THE WHITE SWAN, spearheaded by Kittie’s Mercedes Lander, will release their entrancing Nocturnal Transmission EP September 18th.

The EP’s four tracks see the trio – Lander with Kira Longeuay and Shane Jeffers (Bloodmoon Collective) — wearing their collective heart on their sleeves, delivering over twenty minutes of sprawling, melodic sound waves. In December 2019, the band recorded three songs and a cover (Tracy Bonham’s “Tell It To The Sky”) of what can only be described as love songs. Lander has penned lyrics that chronicle the joy, desire, longing, and eventual feeling of completeness that comes with a romantic relationship. From the night drives through the snow in the early days, right through to the handcrafted guitar built as a wedding gift from her now husband, the intricacies of true love permeate every moment of Nocturnal Transmission

Reprising a long-time creative relationship with producer Siegfried Meier, Lander felt both at home and re-energized by the familiarity and collaborative nature of their work. Recording took just two days, retaining many of the hallmarks of THE WHITE SWAN‘s earlier output, but adding a slightly polished sheen to the proceedings. With vocal layering and touches of psychedelic synths adding textural elements to the songs, the result is an enveloping experience of fuzzed out guitars and molasses-like melody. Describing Nocturnal Transmission as a “turning point” for the band, the album art by collage artist Caitlyn Grabenstein reflects the feeling of standing on the precipice, staring into the unknown. Acknowledging that there will always be a constant sound to THE WHITE SWAN, Lander states that their main intention is to “grow and grow.” With an ever-developing sound and a solid combination of creative musicians in their ranks, Nocturnal Transmission is the latest in what is sure to be an ever expanding back catalog of triumphs. 

In advance of the release of Nocturnal Transmission, the band is pleased to unveil a video for opening track, “In Love And Ritual.” Now playing at Revolver, Lander elaborates, “‘In Love And Ritual’ is about finding the person that completes you and the journey of realizing how having that person in your life teaches us to become brand new; kind of like a rebirth of feeling and emotional connection. I really wanted to create space with this song, keeping the roller coaster of dynamics in the forefront with a touch of chaos running in the background. Having the lyrics and melody build with the music and really complement each other.” 

View THE WHITE SWAN’s “In Love And Ritual,” courtesy of Revolver, at THIS LOCATION.

Nocturnal Transmission will be released digitally and on limited edition vinyl via War Crime Recordings. For preorders go to THIS LOCATION.

Nocturnal Transmission Track Listing:

1. In Love And Ritual

2. Nocturnal Transmission

3. Purple

4. Tell It To The Sky (Tracy Bonham cover)

THE WHITE SWAN:

Mercedes Lander – drums, vocals, keyboards, guitar

Shane Jeffers – guitar

Kira Longeuay – bass

THE DAMNED SHARE DETAILS OF FORTHCOMING THE ROCKFIELD FILES EP

BAND SHARES VIDEO FOR FIRST SINGLE “KEEP ‘EM ALIVE” — WATCH
CLIP WAS SHOT FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF A BUMBLEBEE

In 1980 and 1981, The Damned went to Rockfield for a series of sessions that eventually became The Black AlbumThe Friday 13th EP, and Strawberries. Their time there produced some of The Damned’s greatest musical moments and memorable stories of horses, cows, vampires, rifles, and Lemmy. 

In 2019, The Damned returned to Rockfield studios to record the first new music since 2018’s Top 10 Evil Spirits album.

The new The Rockfield Files EP will be released on October 16 via Search And Destroy Records/Spinefarm/UMG. Pre-orders are live here

Keep ‘Em Alive,” the first single from The Rockfield Files EP, is available now with an accompanying music video shot from the perspective of a bee going about its business. Watch it here

Bees are essential for pollinating crops, and in turn, human survival; 17 species are reportedly endangered in the UK — keep ’em alive! 

During the recording of the EP, the lineup included three out of the four The Damned members that were at the original sessions — David VanianCaptain Sensible, and Paul Gray. There was also Monty Oxymoron on keyboards and Pinch on drums. Unbeknown to the band, this was to be the last recording with the long time drummer Pinch, who departed The Damned after their legendary show at The London Palladium last Halloween. 

For the first time, Tom Dalgety (Royal Blood, Rammstein, Ghost) took over the producer duties for the EP. He also mixed the tracks at his studio in Bath. 

THE ROCKFIELD FILES EP TRACK LISTING:

“Keep ‘Em Alive”

“Manipulator”

“The Spider & The Fly”

“Black Is The Night” 

The EP will be available in Black & Psychedelic Swirl Limited Edition Vinyl.

CD Review: Behemoth “A Forest” EP

“A Forest”

Behemoth

Metal Blade Records

Tracks: 4

Our Score: 4 out of 5 stars

On May 29th Polish death metal legends Behemoth will release a new EP titled “A Forest” via Metal Blade Records. Dark and demonic, the EP consist of four unique tracks which instantly pull you away from the ongoing chaos of 2020 and is a welcomed taste of new Behemoth music.

The title track “A Forest” is very little like The Cure song you may be accustomed to. The phantom spirit of the original is still there, however Behemoth have managed to lace it with their own brand of black metal infused energy. Along with the help of Shining front-man and recognizable demon caller, Niklas Kvarforth, the songs very much stands on its own and fits right in to the bands catalog. 

The live version of “A Forest” is from the Merry Christless 2018 show in Warsaw, Poland and again features Niklas Kvarforth. Though not a bad inclusion there is nothing really different from the studio recording, besides a small dose of Behemoth’s live energy. The remaining two tracks are unreleased songs from the “I Loved You At Your Darkest” album sessions. “Shadows ov Ea Cast Upon Golgotha” is probably my favorite track on the EP and better than some songs on ILYAYD. Inferno’s drumming is relentless from the beginning and adds fist-pumping adrenaline to the otherwise less extreme release. “Evoe” is more akin to other tracks on ILYAYD and probably would have felt repetitive if included on that album. It works well here, but reminiscent of other more recent Behemoth offerings.

“A Forest” certainly is different, yet classic Behemoth at the same time. Niklas Kvarforth’s vocals on the title track and live version help make this release something truly unique while the other two new songs are worthy additions even if they do echo the band’s last album. Overall a great EP which is very much appreciated during this crazy time in history. It’s reassuring to know we can count on Behemoth to make things a little crazier for us all.

Track Listing:

1.) A Forest (The Cure Cover)

2.) A Forest (The Cure Cover) [Live from Merry Christless Warsaw Poland December 2018]

3.) Shadows ov Ea Cast Upon Golgotha

4.) Evoe

Behemoth announces new EP, ‘A Forest’; launches video for title track (featuring guest vocals by Shining’s Niklas Kvarforth)

On May 29th, Behemoth will release a new EP, A Forest, digitally worldwide (with additional physical copies available for purchase). For a preview of this 4-track collection, a video for the title track – a cover version of The Cure‘s classic “A Forest” – featuring guest vocals by Shining‘s Niklas Kvarforth, can be viewed at: https://youtu.be/wYZdaYobCSU

Front-man Nergal comments: “Covering music outside of metal is a challenge – covering legendary music is an even greater challenge…that is what drove us throughout this process. A lot of bands try it and a lot of bands fail; subjectively, I love the outcome and it ranks amongst my favourite Behemoth covers alongside Killing Joke‘s ‘Total Invasion’ and Siekiera‘s ‘Ludzie Wschodu’. 
For the second time in 2020, I’ve recruited Niklas Kvarforth from Shining. Niklas’ psychotic appearance, attitude and vibe was a key element to our representation of the music and the only man who could give the performance the same depth as the original. 
On top of this, the ‘A Forest‘ EP contains two brand-new Behemoth songs, ‘Shadows Ov Ea Cast Upon Golgotha’ and ‘Evoe’. The tracks act as a continuation on from ‘ILYAYD‘ – no more, no less. We hope this brings some respite for anyone struggling during these strange times on our planet! Stay safe, stay positive, Hail Satan!”

Pre-order A Forest now at: behemoth.lnk.to/AForest

A Forest track-listing
1. A Forest (feat. Niklas Kvarforth) 
2. A Forest (Live from Merry Christless, Warsaw, Poland, December 2018) [feat. Niklas Kvarforth] 
3. Shadows ov Ea Cast Upon Golgotha
4. Evoe 

Behemoth released their latest full-length, I Loved You At Your Darkest, in 2018 to critical acclaim. I Loved You At Your Darkest marked a milestone in the history of the band, being not only their most successful album, but also an audiovisual masterpiece: from its detailed, blasphemous artwork, to the highly vicious and at the same time deeply emotional tracks, Behemoth once again played with fire – and ignited a wildfire burning the narrowminded bigotry of Christianity down to the ground. 

Stream and purchase I Loved You At Your Darkest now at: https://behemoth.lnk.to/ILYAYD

DAD BRAINS Releasing New 7″ EP ‘Dadditude’ on June 14

(Out Digitally on June 7)First Single “Fathers Day” Now Streaming
“Father’s Day” Official Music Video

California punks Dad Brains return with their latest 7″ colored vinyl/EP ‘Dadditude’ on June 14. The 4 track EP will be available digitally via all DSPs on June 7th.

Vinyl is on sale starting this Friday, May 31 athttps://shop.piratespressrecords.com/.

Frontman Pat Pedraza says, “I’ve never heard of a Fathers Day song in my life, so I was like, hey, we might actually do something original???? Hahahaha. As most of us know, it’s kinda challenging to be original nowadays. I couldn’t ask for anything more with this video and the fun we had shooting it. Families, friends, and kids getting together, kids playing instruments, getting food and water balloons launched at us, and a 20-year-old with a camera filming it…This was the highlight of my musical career so far!!!!

This band of new dads/longtime musicians (members have been in bands such as No Motiv, The Missing 23rd, Creep Division, and The F-ing Wrath) started out as a creative outlet to share the trials, tribulations, and awesome-ness of dadhood. Their 2018 self-titled EP caught on with listeners and a legion of like-minded moms and dads, which led to the split ‘MerryX-Mas’ EP with fellow punk parents The Ramoms, released last winter.

With their latest EP ‘Dadditude’, Dad Brains continue to mine their shared experiences of fatherhood on new tracks that examine the fears, anxieties and sheer joy that all parents experience.

Dad Brains will be playing a pair of local Ventura, CA shows around the release of “Dadditude” on June 14 and 16. See show flyer below.

Track Listing:

Daddy Guilt

Little Things

Dadditude

Father’s Day

Dad Brains:

Patrick Pedraza-Vocals

Matt Kash-Guitar

John Crerar-Drums

Craig Kasamis-Bass

Myrkur Announces “Juniper” EP Out 12/7, Unveils Video for title Track

MYRKUR ANNOUNCES NEW JUNIPER EP OUT 12.7 ON RELAPSE RECORDS
UNVEILS VIDEO FOR TITLE TRACK – WATCH “JUNIPER” HERE

CONFIRMS ROADBURN 2019 ‘FOLKESANGE’ PERFORMANCE

Danish composer, vocalist and classically trained multi-instrumentalist, Myrkur, unveils her powerful new ballad and video, “Juniper”. Director Philippe de Grenade, gorgeously captures her ethereal performance on 16mm film as she stuns listeners with an infectious chorus and lush string arrangements.

Myrkur is Amalie Bruun. For her forthcoming Juniper EP, she’s joined forces with Jaime Gomez Arellano (Ghost, Paradise Lost, Solstafir, Cathedral) at Orgone Studios in Bedfordshire, England. The album’s B-Side, “Bonden og Kragen”, is a solo reinterpretation of a traditional Danish folk song from the 1600s. Together, both tracks exquisitely display Myrkur’s eclectic sound and captivating personality. A limited edition of the 7″ will coincide with the digital release, December 7th on Relapse Records. “Juniper” is available now on all streaming services and you can pre-order it here.

Myrkur’s 2017 sophomore album ‘Mareridt’, was released to soaring, worldwide critical acclaim from NPR, Rolling Stone, FACT, The Guardian, Revolver, Paste, Decibel, Kerrang! and many more. Since then, she’s toured the globe, including direct support slots for The Smashing Pumpkins, Marilyn Manson, Enslaved and more. Myrkur is currently on her first headlining European run and has confirmed a performance at Roadburn 2019. Check below for a full list of dates.

Photo: Jacob Top Møller

MYRKUR LIVE DATES:

12/03: SE Stockholm, Vasateatern 04/12 – NO Oslo, John Dee #
12/05: SE Gothenburg, Pustervik #
12/07: DK Aarhus, Voxhall #
12/08: DK Copenhagen, Pumpehuset (Sold Out) #
12/10: PL Poznan, U Bazyla #
12/11: PL Krakow, Kwadrat #
12/13: HU Budapest, Durer Kert #
12/14: AT Vienna, Arena #
12/16: NL Tilburg, 013 KZ #
12/18: UK London, The Dome #
12/19: UK Bristol, The Fleece #
12/20: UK Nottingham, Rescue Rooms #
12/21: UK Glasgow, CCA #
12/22: UK Manchester, Gorilla #
04/11: NL Tilburg – Roadburn Festival ^
07/14: PL Bolkow Castle, Castle Party
08/09 – 08/10: CZ Jaromer, Brutal Assault

# – Jo Quail supporting
^ – Myrkur: Folkesange

The White Swan Reveal New Single, “Inamorato”. EP Set for Release in September

THE WHITE SWAN Reveal New Single, “Inamorato”
LISTEN HERE

Canadian doomy sludge rockers THE WHITE SWAN are excited to share the second single from their upcoming new EP, “Touch Taste Destroy”, due September 7, 2018. While “sticking to the core thickness and melodic resonance” (The Obelisk) that THE WHITE SWAN are known for, the new track “Inamorato” takes the EP to the next level.

Listen to “Inamorato” now here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uGAuZBhgbN8!

Pre-order “Touch Taste Destroy” on digital download or special limited-edition vinyl here: http://smarturl.it/TheWhiteSwan

THE WHITE SWAN will hit the road this Fall as they embark on a series of headlining dates across Eastern Canada stretching into the Midwest U.S..Catch them at one of the below shows!
8/31 Windsor, ON – Phog Bar
9/5 Champaign, IL – Blips & Chitz (w/StagHorn & Close The Hatch)
9/6 Dayton, OH – Blind Bob’s (w/Close The Hatch)
9/7 Decatur, AL – The Jam Shop (w/Close The Hatch & I Am The Law)
9/8 Murfreesboro, TN – Autograph Rehearsal Studio (w/Close The Hatch & I Am The Law)
9/29 Montreal, QC – Piranha Bar

Stay in touch with THE WHITE SWAN online for new music, shows and more at:
http://www.thewhiteswanband.com/
https://www.facebook.com/thewhiteswanband/
https://www.instagram.com/thewhiteswanband/

Calpurnia Release Debut Single “City Boy”, New EP to Be Released on Royal Mountain

CALPURNIA RELEASE DEBUT SINGLE “CITY BOY”
NEW EP TO BE RELEASED THIS SPRING ON ROYAL MOUNTAIN

Photo Credit: Calm Elliott-Armstrong

Calpurnia’s story is how teenage rock dreams are meant to unfold: four friends, all raised on a healthy diet of the Beatles, Nirvana and David Bowie, and a deep love for their respective instruments, retreat one day to a basement and begin jamming together. They cut their teeth on some cover songs and then, with just enough confidence and a dose of adolescent enthusiasm, they write and record their own tunes. And the results are nothing short of stunning. “It was kind of destined to be,” Finn Wolfhard says of the almost serendipitous genesis of the rough-and-tumble Vancouver-based indie-rock foursome he formed with three of his now-closest friends. “We all just really clicked. And when I’m passionate about something,” the singer-guitarist adds of Calpurnia, who this spring release their self-titled debut EP via Royal Mountain Records, “I like to get it done as quickly as I can. There’s not a lot of wasting time. I love just going for it. Go big or go home.”

Today, the band has given us a taste of what is to come from their debut EP which was recorded in Chicago this past November with Twin Peaks’ frontman Cadien Lake James serving as producer. The video for “City Boy” was directed by Josiah Marshall, bassist from Whitney, who captured the band while they were making their record.

Calpurnia will be touring this summer in support of the EP including the recently announced Royal Mountain Music Festival at Raspberry Farm in Ontario where they will share the stage with Mac DeMarco, U.S. Girls and more.

More on Calpurnia….
The band – which in addition to Wolfhard includes lead guitarist Ayla Tesler-Mabe, a six-string prodigy whose bedroom-shredding viral videos have earned her legions of fans on social media, bassist Jack Anderson and drummer Malcolm Craig – all grew up within walking distance of one another. But it took Wolfhard – best known as one of Hollywood’s hottest young actors thanks to his role as Mike Wheeler on Netflix’s hit series “Stranger Things – meeting Craig on the set of Canadian punk rockers PUP’s “Guilt Trip” music video for things to finally spring into motion. In short order, the pair met Tesler-Mabe at a music summer camp, and she quickly introduced them to Anderson, her close childhood friend and bassist. “And as soon as we started rehearsing it was just insane,” Anderson says of the quartet’s instant personal and musical chemistry. “It was kind of unbelievable. Like a gift.” Once they played their first official gig together, it was a done deal. “We had all the adrenaline we needed,” Craig says. Where they’d previously played cover songs, “after the response we got,” Craig notes, “we were like, “Let’s record some of our own music!””

For more info on Calpurnia checkout their Facebook Page at https://www.facebook.com/Calpurniatheband/

Greta Van Fleet Guitarist Jake Kiszka Talks About the Bands New EP “From the Fires”

Greta Van Fleet burst onto the rock music scene in early 2017 with their debut EP titled “Black Smoke Rising”. By September the track “Highway Tune” was topping the Billboard charts. To capitalize on this momentum the band has released a second EP titled “From the Fires”. Media Mikes had the chance recently to speak with the bands guitarist Jake Kiszka about the bands new EP, their recent tour with Halestorm and the bands plans for 2018.

Adam Lawton: Can you give us some back ground on Greta Van Fleet and possibly tell us some of your influences?

Jake Kiszka: With Josh, Sam and I being brothers our influences are very similar. We were exposed to music at a very early age. I remember going on trips and listening to bands like The Allman Brothers. We had access to the same vinyl collection so I think that had a lot to do with what we are doing now. Danny also was in to a lot of the same music. Around the time I got into high school I started bringing friends over to jam and eventually Josh would start coming out and singing then a little later Sam started coming out and playing bass. A short time after all that happened Danny started coming over and was basically the last piece of the puzzle.

AL: Can you tell us about the bands new double EP “From the Fires”?

JK: We had put out “Black Smoke Rising” and we still had a bunch of songs that we had either written or recorded so to showcase some other elements of our playing we dipped into those songs. We also wanted to cover some material from a one of our influences Sam Cooke. We had those songs and some live tracks that we picked from for this release.

AL: How does your work on this release compare to that of your debut EP?

JK: The first EP was a spread of songs we had written over the course of five years. “Highway Tune” was actually the first song we had ever written followed by “Safari Song” about a year later. “Flower Power” was another song that was written about two years into the group’s existence and “Black Smoke Rising” was written right before we were set to go in to the studio and record.

AL: What type of process does the band have for song writing?

JK: We write in a lot of different ways. A lot of times one of us will bring something to the table and then we all decide if it is something we want to work on. That’s when the four of us really start to contribute to making one piece of music. We all bring things in to the writing process so it tends to vary.

AL: You guys just wrapped up a tour with Halestorm. Can you tell us about that experience?

JK: It was fantastic! Seeing people singing our songs and just rocking out was really great. I don’t think that was something any of us really expected as our sound is a bit different. The whole experience of that night after night was shocking and humbling.

AL: You guys have a string of sold out shows lined up through December. Can you tell us your thoughts on that?

JK: That’s another thing that was not expected. We really didn’t figure all those shows would sell out so quickly. It’s going to be a great thing that takes us right up until the holidays and then after that we plan to head into the studio in January to record our first full length album.

AL: What can we be expecting from that new album?

JK: The album will probably be another spread of both newer and older material that we have written at different points in time. We hope to have the album done early to mid 2018. With everything that has happened for us this past year we have gained some resources that will help us take things further with this new album. We will be looking to hit bigger venues and festivals as well as hitting some new countries also.

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Jeff Caudill talks about his new EP “Reset the Sun”.

Former Gameface front man Jeff Caudill is back with a new EP titled “Reset the Sun”. The six track EP is a bit of a departure from Caudills emo/rock sound and Media Mikes had the chance to speak with Jeff recently about the new sound, the special Record Store Day release of the EP and his summer tour plans.

Adam Lawton: Tell us about the new EP set to release on Record Store Day?

Jeff Caudill: It’s a concept record, an alt-country road record. The story is about about guy who made some questionable life decisions and is struggling with forgiveness and starting over – and the idea that no matter how far away you go, you can always come back.

AL: Was this release originally designed to be for RSD?

JC: No, but I’m really happy that it worked out this way. I’m a total vinyl nerd and I love Record Store Day so this is kind of the best thing ever. I’m releasing this EP on my own label, Fortunate Son, but my friends at Revelation Records are helping with distribution. They submitted it for RSD and it seemed that the stars aligned.

AL: Being this project is quite different from your work with Gameface were you nervous about exploring new genres?

JC: Well, I’ve always loved this kind of music. Even in Gameface I kind of leaned into the ‘twang’. I put out a couple solo records before this that have a more singer-songwriter vibe so I’ve been working towards this. But yeah, if people are expecting Gameface, they might be wondering what’s going on.

AL: What was it that appealed to you to go the way of the singer/songwriter as opposed to starting a new band?

JC: I’m always writing songs. It’s what I do. I just don’t get paid to do it. The way my life is these days, it makes more sense to just keep going and let the band members come and go as they may. Keeping a band together is tough. I’m enjoying playing with new people, and I enjoy playing solo. I think the solo artist thing allows for more versatility and freedom.

AL: Are there plans to tour behind release?

JC: I hope so. I have some tentative summer plans for some solo acoustic shows on both coasts. I’m also getting a backing band up to speed now too so who knows? As long as I’m playing music in some capacity, I’m happy.

Guitarist Alex Grossi talks Maps to the Hollywood Scars and their new EP “Vol. 1”

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