Month: February 2011

Freedom Assault – Welcome to 1984

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© 2010 Freedom Assault
[rating:2.5/5]

Welcome to 1984 is a newer (Oct 2010) release from multi-regional (both Maine and Arizona) “peace punk” band Freedom Assault. From the band’s website: “We are a political and socially conscience punk rock influenced band. We play mid to fast paced music with dual female and male vocals. We are Travis, Les, Brand-o and Rob.” The sound is very very garage/lo-fi with distorted hyper-fuzz guitar and drum over low-in-the-mix vox. A very DIY sounding effort indeed. I’m not saying that is a bad thing, I like raw music, but if you like a little more polish, Welcome to 1984 may not be for you.

The lyrics are passionate and topical focusing on things like animal testing, terrorism and, you know, zombies. The tracks are quick almost entirely clocking in at under the two minute mark, just fine for me. Actually you get eight songs in just around 14 minutes. (a bonus Queers cover if you are one of the lucky ones to have the pre-order download.)

Overall, I like the spirit and I like the intensity. However, I would like just a little bit more control behind the production. The mix seems out of balance, way to guitar heavy and way too muddy in a way that it sounds like somebody hit record on a jam box during band practice. That said, Welcome to 1984 is a decent blast of DIY punk rock.

–Jerry Actually

Tracks:
1)Many Will Die…
2)Terror Front
3)Zombies!!!
4)Terrorized
5)DIY Pride
6)Survival of the Richest
7)System Failure*
8)Life Dogmatic With Pat Robertson*
9)Live This Life**

tracks 1-3, 8:
Travis – guitar, bass, vocals
les – vocals
Brand-O – drums, back up vocals

tracks 4-7, 9:
Travis – guitar, vocals
les – vocals
Rob – drums
Fernando – bass, back up vocals

*Included on the digital download
**Included on the preorder digital download, written by the Queers.
You can visit their website read more about Freedom Assault

Ashers East Coast Tour

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Clearly determined to escape the cold, dark New England winter, Ashers (featuring Mark Unseen) will be embarking on a 17-date East coast tour, culminating in a week of shows in the Sunshine State.  Look for them to share the stage with The Creepshow, DSK, and label-mates Refuse Resist, as well as make an appearance at Love Suxs Fest with Common Enemy and Gloominous Doom.

In honor of this tour, Thorp Records is offering Ashers’ debut full-length CD, Kill Your Master, with a poster and sticker for just $6 through March 31!  http://thorprecords.merchnow.com/catalogs/ashers

ASHERS

Feb 18 Philadelphia, PA @ Shore House
Feb 19 Hamburg, PA @ Behler-Hein Legion Hall – Love Sux Fest
Feb 20 Baltimore, MD @ Saint Christopher’s
Feb 21 Harrisonburg, VA @ Blue Nile
Feb 22 West Ashville, NC @ The Get Down
Feb 23 Fayetteville, NC @ Black Cat Lounge
Feb 24 Savanannah, GA @ Wormhole
Feb 25 Jacksonville, FL @ Lomax Lodge
Feb 26 Ft Lauderdale, FL @ Monterey Club w/ The Creepshow
Feb 27 Orlando, FL @ Cameo w/ Refuse Resist
Feb 28 St Petersburg, FL @ Club Fubar w/ Refuse Resist
Mar 1 Miami, FL @ Eve w/ Refuse Resist
Mar 2 Tampa, FL @ Brass Mug
Mar 3 Atlanta, GA @ Purgatory w/ DSK
Mar 4 Charlotte, NC @ Milestone
Mar 5 Wilmington, NC @ Soapbox
Mar 6 Richmond, VA @ TBA

Blood for Blood – First US Show in 6 Years

Blood For Blood announces first US show in over 6 years and gears up for another European Tour

After a very successful European Tour in December 2010, as part of the 2010 Persistence Tour with Sick Of It All, Unearth Official, Evergreen Terrace and more, Blood For Blood announces that they’ll be performing at the New England Metal Fest on April 15th in Worcester, MA, which is the bands first US show in over 6 years.

A few days after this long-awaited US show Blood For Blood will kick off a short European run including a performance at Belgium’s Groezrock Festival on April 23rd. Blood For Blood will be joined by Crushing Caspars and My City Burning.

More European dates will be announced very soon.

Blood For Blood upcoming shows

April 15 – Worcester, MA / New England Metal Fest

April 20 – Bydgoszcz, Poland/ Estrada Stage Bar

April 21 – Berlin,Germany / SO36
April 22 – Haarlem, Netherlands / Patronaat
April 23 – Meerhout, Belgium / Groezrock Festival
April 24 – Stüttgart, Germany / Röhre

Metal & Hardcore Festival 2011

Rebuke – Wouldworks

[rating:2/5]
(c) 2010 Kickass Records / Disconnect Records

Somewhere in Gothenburg, Sweden, there is a mad punk rock scientist toiling away in his punk rock lab. His creation? Rebuke.

The latest album from the Swedish quartet, Wouldworks, is an aggressive hybrid of the band’s varied influences. The melodic Gothenburg metal style is painted all over the California punk sound, so much so that at times it leaves you wondering if In Flames was jamming with Bad Religion with the occasional hardcore yell thrown in from time to time. With more tempo and time signature changes than Metallica’s …And Justice For All, Rebuke seems not unsure, but unwilling to settle on which direction they are heading in, with the short punk-rock-length songs (the majority of the album’s songs are under 2:30) resembling a teenager flipping between 6 different TV channels in 1 minute. Not one song of the 13 ever starts with a distinct sound and sticks to it.

Simply put, remember when you used to take a cup at the soda fountain and put some of each different flavor in it? Yeah, it’s sorta like that (and it tastes worse than you remember).

In the end, Wouldworks could have been a decent metal-tinged punk album, but just gets too mired in its own ADHD to come together.

Getting to know Mall’d to Death

Mall'd To Death

Getting to know Mall’d to Death:
Where are you from and when did you get started?

We’re from the Twin Cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minnesota.  We first got started way back in late spring/early summer of 2009.

Who are you and who does what in the band?

Dani – drums and sometimes backing vocals
Tyler – bass and vocals
Dan – guitar and 2-inch tape

How would you best describe the sound?

Tyler: Melodic punk for the ADD Generation.

Dani: Sergei Prokofiev of punk.

Dream rock moment (real or not)?

Dani: Playing drums for Katy Perry. I guess that’s not a moment though.

Tyler: I’m not sure. Having our album [Can’t Make a Living] put out on GC Records and a vinyl release [out soon on Bitter Melody Records] is cool enough for me.

Still got day jobs?

Dani:  I just got laid off, actually. But I worked at a grocery store.
Tyler: Yeah.  I guess I default with the Chuck Dukowski philosophy claiming he’d rather work a day job for the rest of his life than ever become dependent on his music.

Any regrets?

Dani: Telling Tyler he could take credit for all the songs I wrote.
Tyler: Telling Dani he could take part in this interview.

Mall’d To Death’s latest release, Can’t Make A Living, is out now on GC Records

Getting to know Mall’d to Death:

Where are you from and when did you get started?

We’re from the Twin Cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minnesota.  We first got started way back in late spring/early summer of 2009.

Who are you and who does what in the band?

Dani – drums and sometimes backing vocals
Tyler – bass and vocals
Dan – guitar and 2-inch tape

How would you best describe the sound?

Tyler: Melodic punk for the ADD Generation.

Dani: Sergei Prokofiev of punk.

Dream rock moment (real or not)?

Dani: Playing drums for Katy Perry. I guess that’s not a moment though.

Tyler: I’m not sure. Having our album [Can’t Make a Living] put out on GC Records and a vinyl release [out soon on Bitter Melody Records] is cool enough for me.

Still got day jobs?

Dani:  I just got laid off, actually. But I worked at a grocery store.
Tyler: Yeah.  I guess I default with the Chuck Bukowski philosophy claiming he’d rather work a day job for the rest of his life than ever become dependent on his music.

Any regrets?

Dani: Telling Tyler he could take credit for all the songs I wrote.
Tyler: Telling Dani he could take part in this interview.

New Screeching Weasel MP3!

Finally! For the first time in 11 years, you can listen to a brand new Screeching Weasel song. Culled from the new album First World Manifesto, out March 15th, head over to Spin to download “Beginningless Vacation”.

That’s not all. Ben Weasel was recently interviewed by the MTV Music Book Club about his favorite piece of literature. And of course Screeching Weasel is hitting the road throughout 2011, with announced stops in Texas, the East Coast, and the Screeching Weasel 25th Anniversary weekend in Chicago. More dates to come!

FREE SXSW Party Hosted By Shirts for a Cure

Paint It Black, Fake Problems, BANE, Title Fight, Riverboat Gamblers Dave Hause and The Flatliners Are Set To Play A FREE SXSW Party Hosted By Shirts for a Cure

The Shirts for a Cure Project is very excited to announce this year’s SXSW day party will feature Paint It Black, Fake Problems, BANE, Title Fight, Riverboat Gamblers Dave Hause and The Flatliners. This FREE event will be held at Red 7 (611 East 7th Street) on Friday March 18th, doors open at noon sharp. Donations will be collected at the door and are strong encouraged.

This is the sixth year Shirts for a Cure has produced a showcase for SXSW.  Performers in the past have included My Chemical Romance, Hot Water Music, The Bouncing Souls, 7 Seconds, Circa Survive, Head Automatica, Lifetime and many more.  This years show promises to be one of the best.

There will be limited space at this event, so please arrive early to be assured entry.

www.syrentha.org

http://sfac.merchnow.com

A LOSS FOR WORDS SIGNS WITH VELOCITY/RISE RECORDS

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Velocity/Rise Records are proud to announce the signing of Boston’s own A LOSS FOR WORDS.

“We are so excited to a part of the Velocity/Rise Records family,” says A LOSS FOR WORDS front man Matt Arsenault. “Everyone at the label and every band on it has the same passion for and dedication to music that we do.  We couldn’t be happier.”

A LOSS FOR WORDS have released a special YouTube video to their fans about their recent signing to the Velocity/Rise Records family. Fans can view the video here.

The band are currently in the writing stages in between tours for their as-of-yet untitled Velocity/Rise debut, and will be recording with acclaimed producer Andrew Wade (A Day To Remember, Versa Emerge, Our Last Night) in May/June. The album is currently slated for a September release.

Prior to joining the Velocity/Rise Records family, A LOSS FOR WORDS have released a plethora of music that has garnered fans the world over. With their first self released EP, THESE PAST FIVE YEARS along with their highly successful cover album, entitled MOTOWN CLASSICS, and full length THE KIDS CAN’T LOSE, A LOSS FOR WORDS have put themselves on the map showing they have what it takes to make a serious impact.

A LOSS FOR WORDS are a group that shows no signs of stopping. These five guys are filled with such passion, dedication, and creativity, that everyone is taking notice. Members of such well-known bands as BAYSIDE, FOUR YEAR STRONG, and BANE regard A LOSS FOR WORDS as one of the hardest working bands in their genre today.

Continue reading A LOSS FOR WORDS SIGNS WITH VELOCITY/RISE RECORDS