SHAI HULUD TEAMS UP WITH NO SLEEP RECORDS ON UPCOMING RECORD

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July 23, 2015 – Los Angeles, CA – Huntington Beach independent label No Sleep Records announces today they’ve partnered with revered and influential Florida bred hardcore band, Shai Hulud.  Recently, the label leaked a new song from the band called “Colder Than The Cold World,” which will be featured on the band’s upcoming record and can be streamed now at http://bit.ly/1D4akIv. Fans can sign up at https://nosleeprecords.com/product/7789 for notifications about the upcoming release.
Statement From Shai Hulud:
“Warmth and gratefulness runs as deeply within Shai Hulud as cynicism and misanthropy. Since the band’s inception we have been very fortunate to have had the opportunity to affiliate ourselves with record labels we not only respect, but whose output helped shape both our band and our individual lives. This is something we could never take for granted. Having been respectively welcomed into the Revelation Records and Metal Blade Records families has been a boon, professionally, and personally, nothing short of a fanciful dream made real.
Come 2015, this continual windfall of opportunity led us to work with No Sleep Records, arguably a leading underground label with drive, heart and ethics. We have respected Chris Hansen and company years before No Sleep became a staple label who broke some important and game-changing bands. At risk of repeating a same sentiment, it’s an honor to have been brought into such a discerning and respectable fold – fully contradicting Groucho Marx’s classic take on membership.
As a band who came from less than nothing, recognizing we are not owed anything by anyone, our long and often arduous journey has been given seemingly inexhaustible secular blessings. It’s with inexpressible gratitude we announce our collaboration with No Sleep Records on the upcoming release. It’s the latest in a series of very fortunate events. Now, if we only had a fraction of such a blessing with tour vehicles, we’d truly be unstoppable.
Excelsiors, one and all.”
-Matt Fox / Shai Hulud
Shai Hulud formed in Pompano Beach, FL in 1995 and were originally signed to Revelation Records and featured a young, unknown singer Chad Gilbert, who would eventually go on to found New Found Glory. Over the years the band consisted of an array of musicians with Matt Fox (guitar) and Matt Fletcher (bass) being the longest standing members.
Shai Hulud’s legacy was cemented with the release of their 1997 debut full-length record, Hearts Once Nourished with Hope and Compassion, which received critical acclaim and influenced hardcore bands over the next decade. The band would follow their intrepid release with three more records, including their most recent, 2013’s Reach Beyond the Sun.
Now Shai Hulud begins the next chapter of their storied career in partnership with No Sleep Records. Follow the band at https://www.facebook.com/ShaiHuludUninc for more information and catch them on their current summer tour. Dates are listed below.
Shai Hulud Tour Dates:
July 22 – Milwaukee, WI – Borg Ward (w/Ghost Key, Cryptodira)
July 23 – Green Bay, WI – Lyric Room (w/Ghost Key, Cryptodira)
July 24 – Peoria, IL – The Brass Rail (w/Ghost Key, Cryptodira)
July 25 – Lakewood, OH – The Foundry (w/Ghost Key, Cryptodira)
July 26 – Amityville, NY – Revolution
July 28 – Lynchburg, VA – Parkview Church
July 29 – Greensboro, NC – Greene Street Club
July 31 – Tallahassee, FL – Pug’s Live (w/No Forty Winters)
Aug 1 – Atlanta, GA – The Masquerade (w/Bishop, No Forty Winters)
Aug 2 – Huntsville, AL – Lowe Mill (w/Bishop, No Forty Winters)
Aug 3 – New Albany, IN – New Albany Production House (w/Bishop, No Forty Winters)
Aug 4 – Chicago, IL – Reggies (w/Bishop, No Forty Winters)
Aug 5 – Detroit, MI – Sanctuary Detroit (w/Bishop, No Forty Winters)
Aug 6 – Indianapolis, IN – Emerson Theater (w/Bishop, No Forty Winters)
Aug 7 – Altoona, PA – The Anvil (w/Bishop, No Forty Winters)
Aug 8 – Erie, PA – Basement Transmissions (w/Bishop, No Forty Winters)
Aug 9 – Hartford, CT – Webster Underground (w/Bishop, No Forty Winters)
Aug 10 – Albany, NY – The Fuzebox (w/Bishop, No Forty Winters)
Aug 11 – New York, NY – Webster Hall (w/Bishop, No Forty Winters)
Aug 12 – Asbury Park, NJ – Asbury Lanes (w/Bishop, No Forty Winters)
Aug 13 – Fredericksburg, VA – KC’s Music Alley (w/Bishop)
Aug 14 – Columbia, SC – New Brookland Tavern (w/Bishop)
Aug 15 – Myrtle Beach, SC – Rockin’ Hard Saloon (w/Bishop)
Aug 16 – Jacksonville, FL – Burro Bar (w/Bishop)
Aug 17 – Pensacola, FL – Vinyl Music Hall (w/Lions Lions)
Aug 18 – Houston, TX – Walters (w/Lions Lions)
Aug 19 – El Paso, TX – Mesa Music Hall (w/Lions Lions)
Aug 20 – Scottsdale, AZ – Pub Rock (w/Lions Lions)
Aug 21 – San Diego, CA – Soma (w/Lions Lions)
Aug 22 – Bakersfield, CA – The Gate (w/Lions Lions)
Aug 23 – Anaheim, CA – Chain Reaction (w/Lions Lions)
Aug 24 – Salinas, CA – La Movida (w/Lions Lions)
Aug 25 – Portland, OR – Analog Cafe (w/Lions Lions)
Aug 26 – Seattle, WA – Studio Seven (w/Lions Lions)
Aug 28 – Edmonton, AB – Rendezvous (w/Lions Lions)
Aug 29 – Calgary, AB – Distortion (w/Lions Lions)
Aug 30 – Salt Lake City, UT – Metro Bar (w/Lions Lions)
Aug 31 – Denver, CO – Roxy Theater (w/Lions Lions)
Sep 1 – Oklahoma City, OK – The Conservatory (w/Lions Lions)
Sep 2 – St. Louis, MO – Fubar (w/Lions Lions)
Sep 3 – Lansing, MI – The Loft (w/Lions Lions)
Sep 4 – Guelph, ON – DSTRCT (w/Lions Lions)
Sep 5 – Gatineau, QC – Heart Fest (w/Lions Lions)
Sep 6 – Salem, NH – Salem VFW (w/Lions Lions)
For More Information:

After the Fact – Limit Break

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(c) 2014
Rating: ★★★★★★★☆☆☆

atf coverFlorida has been a stronghold for ska punk since the mid 90’s. Just check out the “Closer Than You” compilations that were released in ’96 and ’98 if you need proof. Florida ska band After The Fact fights to keep this legacy alive with their freshman release titled “Limit Break”.

The overall sound of the album is decidedly ska with heavy elements of punk, some screamo, and metal thrown in for good measure. Opening the record is “Sick as a Dog” which starts with guitar that immediately makes me think of MU330 and their big tune “LA”. The difference in this song, however, is that it soon kicks it up a notch with Reel Big Fish-style horn breaks, and Bosstones-esque vocals.

Lyrics are well written and songs are structured really well around the vocals. Clean backing vocals are everywhere on this album and if you’re anything like me you catch yourself singing along with them more than the main lines more often than not. The tune “Take a Hint” is a perfect example of the call-and-answer between the primary vocal line and gang vocals + horns that ATF does really well. There are some really sick guitar solos that blew me away and the layered harmonies made them even better.

With all of the good that’s in this album, there are some areas for improvement. Vocal performances sometimes seem pushed to their limits, horn blend is off regardless of solid performance by the players, themselves, and while listening through the CD I could occasionally hear the trademark click that can happen with digital editing.

With stand out songs like “Ridiculous” and “Last Fight”, ATF might just be going places if they continue to polish their sound. As someone who listens to a lot of ska (probably more than I should), I really enjoyed hearing all the influences that these guys have. I suggest you go like them on Facebook (at https://www.facebook.com/atffla) and check out if they’re playing a show near you.

THE TL;DR is..

After the Fact’s freshman album “Limit Break” scored 7/10 with me. The songs are killer and well written. The members are talented and bring some great moments to the album. That said, there are some recording issues that hold this back from being really top notch.

-Joe Ska