Category Archives: Albums & EPs

Celtic Vocalist Leah to Release “Ancient Winter” Winter-Themed Album on November 15

After a crowdfunding campaign that far exceeded the goal, symphonic/Celtic vocal goddess Leah has revealed that her upcoming winter-themed album, Ancient Winter, will officially see release on November 15.

Says Leah, “Now that the crowdfunding campaign is complete, I’m really excited to focus on the release of this album in November. My closest colleagues have told me this album might be some of my best work yet. Regardless, I hope this new music will make the coming winter season much more magical.”

Ancient Winter features eight tracks – five of which are originals and three traditional century medieval songs that Leah puts her own unique touch on. The album offers a slight departure from Leah‘s traditional symphonic metal into a more atmospheric, ethereal sound. It is a more earthy sounding album filled with new instrumentation such as fiddles and uilleann pipes, which give it a beautiful harmony of middle eastern feeling and Celtic folk and fantasy. Ancient Winter proves Leah‘s ability to venture into musical realms beyond metal.

Ancient Winter represents a new approach to holiday music as it celebrates winter themes in a way that is sure to give it a wider appeal. This is not simply a “Christmas album” but rather an emotional journey into transcendent ideals that will inspire any listener from anywhere.

Ancient Winter Tracklisting:

The Whole World Summons
Light of the World
Upon Your Destiny
Redemption
The Messenger
Gaudete
Puer Natus
Noël Nouvelet

For Ancient Winter, Leah tapped a top-notch talent cast of musicians, including Troy Donockley (Nightwish), Anna Murphy (Cellar Darling), Shir-Ran Yinon (Eluveitie), Oliver Philipps (Everon, Phantasma) and renowned string musician Rupert Gillett. This diverse lineup adds an international flavor to the album alongside Leah‘s beautiful vocals.

A variety of bundle packages will be available soon HERE. Watch the lyric video for “Redemption,” the first single from Ancient Winter, HERE:

About Leah:

Leah has amassed a generous and dedicated fanbase that has allowed her to crowdfund three of her five recordings without the assistance of a record label. Leah‘s first four albums, Of Earth and Angels (2012), Otherworld (2013), Kings & Queens (2015), and The Quest (2018) are a rapturous blend of a symphonic metal style carefully spiced with Celtic, folk and fantasy. Her emotive vocals are often compared to Loreena McKennitt, Tori Amos and Sarah McLachlan.

Leah – described affectionately by her fans as “the metal Enya” – hails from the coast of British Columbia, Canada, and is inspired by Celtic and world music influences such as Clannad and Enya to European symphonic and progressive metal influences. Her debut self-released album Of Earth & Angels received international critical acclaim, including landing the “The Best Symphonic Metal AlbumMetalstorm Award for 2012. Her 2013 release, Otherworld, is a five-song Celtic-metal masterpiece, mixed by ChristianMoschusMoos at SPACELAB in Germany (Delain, Everon, Imperia) and features the vocals of guitar legend Eric Peterson (Testament/Dragonlord) on the ethereal metal track “Dreamland.” 2014 was very successful year for Leah as she raised over $27,000 through Indiegogo via her fans to record and produce her heaviest album, Kings & Queens, which was eventually released in early 2015 through Inner Wound Recordings. The album received dozens of four and five-star reviews, and helped her gain thousands of new fans around the world. Leah raised over $87,000 in 30 days via Indiegogo and her shop to launch last year’s The Quest, again released via her own independent record label, Ex Cathedra Records, along with Inner Wound Recordings. The Quest received 5-star reviews and critical acclaim.

Leah Online:

Website | Facebook | YouTube
Instagram | Twitter



Global Superstar and Queen of Christmas Mariah Carey Announces Special Limited Engagement Holiday Tour To Celebrate The 25th Anniversary of Her Debut Christmas Album

Today global singing and songwriting icon Mariah Carey has announced an exclusive limited engagement holiday run with her “All I Want For Christmas Is You Tour“, presented by Hallmark Channel. This tour marks a special milestone in the legacy of Carey’s beloved album, Merry Christmas, which celebrates its 25th anniversary this holiday season. Mariah will bring an extravagant, festive outing that only she can deliver to limited cities across the U.S. this winter. Her special run of can’t-miss shows will bring out the festive spirit in fans of all ages.

Presented by Hallmark Channel, Holiday Extravaganza Kicks Off November 22nd

Produced by Live Nation, the exclusive holiday run will kick off November 22nd in Las Vegas and travel the east coast starting December 7th in Atlantic City before making stops in Washington D.C., Uncasville, and Boston. The tour will wrap December 15th in New York, NY at Madison Square Garden – which is the first time Carey will perform her Christmas show at the venue.

The All I Want For Christmas Is You Tour will be filled with Carey’s most recognizable hits, as well as the internationally celebrated music from Carey’s Merry Christmas album, re-releasing on November 1st, in recognition of the 25th anniversary (to the day!) of the album’s original release date.

The new 2-CD deluxe edition of Merry Christmas includes the original album, plus a bonus disc featuring previously unreleased live tracks from Mariah’s 1994 St. John The Divine Benefit Concert, rare remixes, a brand-new, festive rendition of the “Sugar Plum Fairy” and additional seasonal tracks. Various configurations include D2C products, 7” and 12” vinyl, cassette singles, CD and digital configurations. The original album and the ubiquitous “All I Want For Christmas Is You” were both recently certified 6x platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). Pre-orders for the Deluxe Anniversary Edition are available HERE. Watch “All I Want For Christmas Is YouHERE.

Mariah Carey will offer her fan club members first access to tickets with a presale starting Tuesday, October 1st at 10am local time through Thursday, October 3rd at 10pm local time. Fans who pre-order the Deluxe Anniversary Edition of Merry Christmas will receive an exclusive pre-sale code valid from Tuesday, October 1st at 11am local time until Thursday, October 3rd at 10pm local time. Citi is the official presale credit card of the tour. As such, Citi cardmembers will have access to purchase presale tickets beginning Wednesday, October 2nd at 10am local time until Thursday, October 3 at 10pm local time through Citi Entertainment. For complete presale details click HERE.

Tickets for the east coast dates go on sale to the general public starting Friday, October 4th at 10am local time HERE.
Tickets for the Las Vegas dates are on sale now HERE.

Portion of Proceeds To Be Donated to Toys For Tots; Fans Encouraged to Bring Unwrapped Gifts to Donate At Each Stop

$1 from each ticket sold will benefit Toys for Tots, a 72-year national charitable program run by the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve, which provides happiness and hope to less fortunate children during each Christmas holiday season. Unwrapped toys will also be collected at each event for donation to Toys for Tots.

Mariah’s continued record-breaking achievements, celebrations and surprises are expected to escalate for the 2019 Holiday Season.

Mariah Carey All I Want For Christmas Is You presented by Hallmark Channel Tour Dates – Tickets on sale Friday, October 4:

12-7-19  Atlantic City, NJ Hard Rock Live at Etess Arena
12-9-19  Washington, DC The Theater MGM National Harbor
12-12-19  Uncasville, CT Mohegan Sun Arena
12-13-19  Boston, MA Boch Center Wang Theatre
12-15-19  New York, NY Madison Square Garden

Mariah Carey 2019/2020 Las Vegas Dates– Tickets on sale now:

All I Want For Christmas Is You presented by Hallmark Channel

11-22-19  Las Vegas, NV The Colosseum at Caesars Palace
11-23-19  Las Vegas, NV The Colosseum at Caesars Palace
11-27-19  Las Vegas, NV The Colosseum at Caesars Palace
11-29-19  Las Vegas, NV The Colosseum at Caesars Palace
11-30-19  Las Vegas, NV The Colosseum at Caesars Palace

The Butterfly Returns

2-14-20  Las Vegas, NV The Colosseum at Caesars Palace
2-15-20  Las Vegas, NV The Colosseum at Caesars Palace
2-19-20  Las Vegas, NV The Colosseum at Caesars Palace
2-21-20  Las Vegas, NV The Colosseum at Caesars Palace
2-22-20  Las Vegas, NV The Colosseum at Caesars Palace

Mariah Carey Online:

Website | Facebook | Twitter
Instagram | YouTube



The Faim Release Long-Awaited Debut Album, State of Mind, Today Via BMG

Los Angeles, CA — Emerging Aussie four-piece, The Faim, have released their long-awaited debut album, State of Mind, today via BMG. The full-length effort is available to stream and download HERE.

State of Mind Track Listing:

1. Tongue Tied
2. Humans
3. Summer Is a Curse
4. Beautiful Drama
5. Buying Time
6. Infamous
7. Amelie
8. Words Apart
9. Where the River Runs
10. State of Mind

Created over the course of two years with numerous songwriters and producers, the record includes a collection of songs that showcase a vast range of styles and tones. Upbeat anthems like “Humans,” “Summer Is a Curse,” and “Beautiful Drama,” reveal the group’s skill at crafting resonant pop-rock hits, while “Tongue Tied,” “Buying Time,” and “Amelie” are saturated with fiery rock riffs. Melodic closing tracks, “Where the River Runs” and “State of Mind,” also underscore the quartet’s knack for authentic and raw songwriting. Overall, the album shows a band on the ascent, and a group of musicians who are all about making genuine songs that bring people together to create a community.

“We can’t believe that our debut album, State of Mind, is finally out! This record has been a long time coming and highlights our development since the writing process began a few years ago,” says The Faim.State of Mind is a huge step for the sonic direction of our band, delving into territories that push the boundaries of what we’ve experimented with previously. We hope that people find something special and unique in these songs and enjoy them as much as we do!”

Currently on the cover of Rock Sound Magazine and fresh off of a successful headline run across the U.K. and Europe, The Faim will be heading back out on the road in celebration of State of Mind this fall. The outfit will first embark on a massive co-headline tour across the U.S. with fellow Aussie band, Stand Atlantic. Live Nation’s Ones To Watch and The Noise are confirmed to present the entire run of dates. The trek kicks off next week on Tuesday, September 17 in Houston TX and plays in 25 total cities nationwide, including major stops in Atlanta, New York, Boston, Philadelphia, Chicago, and Los Angeles. After a short break, the band is set to close out the year with another batch of headline dates overseas. A complete touring itinerary can be found below, and all tickets can be purchased on The Faim’s official website HERE.

Over the past year, The Faim has amassed a strong following around the world, to say the least. To date, the group has played 183 shows across 16 countries, in addition to performing at European festival staples including Reading & Leeds, Lollapalooza Berlin, Download, and Slam Dunk. They’ve also sold out shows in London, Sydney, Amsterdam, and Hamburg, toured globally with PVRIS, Andy Black, and Sleeping With Sirens, and collaborated with the likes of John Feldmann, Pete Wentz, Mark Hoppus, Josh Dun, Ashton Irwin, and more. “Summer Is a Curse,” the title-track from their critically acclaimed debut EP (2018 via BMG), has become a bona fide hit in Germany, hitting #12 on the airplay charts after being played 24,000 times on German radio that year. The earworm, which appears in a Jeep commercial in France, hit #2 at radio in the Czech Republic. The Faim also scored the soundtrack to Coca-Cola‘s global advertising campaign for Coke Zero, which was shown in 18 countries worldwide.

The Faim Tour Dates:

United States


9/17 – Houston, TX @ HOB Bronze Peacock *
9/18 – Dallas, TX @ HOB Cambridge Room *
9/20 – Atlanta, GA @ The Loft *
9/21 – Tampa, FL @ Crowbar *
9/22 – Jacksonville, FL @ 1904 *
9/24 – New York, NY @ Gramercy Theatre *
9/25 – Pittsburgh, PA @ The Rex Theater *
9/26 – Baltimore, MD @ Metro Gallery *
9/28 – Boston, MA @ Once Ballroom *
9/29 – Philadelphia, PA @ Voltage Lounge *
10/1 – Detroit, MI @ The Shelter *
10/2 – Cleveland, OH @ The Foundry *
10/4 – Indianapolis, IN @ Hoosier Dome *
10/5 – St. Louis, MO @ Fubar *
10/6 – Chicago, IL @ Chop Shop *
10/7 – St. Paul, MN @ Amsterdam Bar & Hall *
10/9 – Denver, CO @ Marquis *
10/10 – Salt Lake City, UT @ Complex *
10/12 – Seattle, WA @ The Vera *
10/13 – Portland, OR @ Roseland Theater *
10/14 – Sacramento, CA @ Holy Diver *
10/16 – Phoenix, AZ @ Crescent Ballroom *
10/17 – San Diego, CA @ Soma *
10/18 – Anaheim, CA @ Chain Reaction *
10/19 – Los Angeles, CA @ The Echo *

Europe & The U.K.

11/22 – Madrid, Spain @ Kithai ^
11/23 – Barcelona, Spain @ Sala Laut ^
11/24 – Toulouse, France @ Rex ^
11/25 – Paris, France @ Maroquinerie ^
11/27 – Zürich, Switzerland @ Dynamo Werk 21 ^
11/28 – Dornbirn, Austria @ Conrad Sohm ^
11/29 – Dresden, Germany @ Pushkin ^
12/1 – Copenhagen, Denmark @ Pumpehuset ^
12/3 – Hamburg, Germany @ Uebel & Gefahrlich ^
12/4 – Munich, Germany @ Technikum ^
12/5 – Cologne, Germany @ Die Kantine
12/7 – Birmingham, U.K. @ O2 Institute ^
12/8 – Manchester, U.K. @ Academy 3 ^
12/9 – Glasgow, U.K. @ SWG3 Warehouse ^
12/11 – Cardiff, U.K. @ The Globe ^
12/12 – Portsmouth, U.K. @ Wedgewood Rooms ^
12/13 – London, U.K. @ Electric Ballroom ^

* Co-Headline w/ Stand Atlantic
^ Headline

The Faim (pictured L-R):

Sam Tye / Guitar
Josh Raven / Lead vocals
Linden Marissen / Drums, percussion
Stephen Beerkens / Bass, keyboard

Follow The Faim:

Website | Facebook | Twitter
Instagram | YouTube


Featured photo (top) by Michelle Grace Hunder




Rock Icons Green Day, Fall Out Boy, And Weezer Announce Global Stadium Hella Mega Tour

Today Green Day, Fall Out Boy, and Weezer, three of the biggest acts in rock music, announced they will be heading out on the road together for the first time ever on The Hella Mega Tour presented by Harley-Davidson. To celebrate the tour reveal, all three bands will perform a historic show tonight at the legendary Whisky A Go Go in Los Angeles.

The global tour kicks off June 13, 2020 in Paris and will visit cities across Europe and the UK throughout the month including Glasgow, London, and Dublin. Produced by Live Nation, the 20-city North American outing will bring the bands to some of the most renowned stadiums including Dodger Stadium, Wrigley Field, Citi Field, Fenway Park, and more. Beginning July 17 in Seattle, WA, the outing makes stops in Houston, Miami, Toronto, New York and more, before wrapping August 29 in Philadelphia, PA. More dates will be announced. The Interrupters will appear as special guest on the tour.

View Tour Dates Below

Harley-Davidson and rock & roll have been synonymous throughout history,” said Neil Grimmer, President of Brand for the Harley-Davidson Motor Company. “So it’s only natural for Harley to present the most epic, full throttle rock tour in history!”

Concert-goers will see and experience the newest Harley-Davidson motorcycles, including the fully electric LiveWire and their new, exciting lineup of electric bicycles.

American Express® Card Members can purchase tickets before the general public beginning Monday, September 16 at 10am local time through Thursday, September 19 at 10pm local time. Tickets will go on sale to the general public beginning Friday, September 20 at 10am local time through Ticketmaster. VIP packages will be available next week.

Tonight will mark the beginning of a three-day music takeover on ABC’s Jimmy Kimmel Live!, with a first ever TV performance of the new music from Weezer followed by Fall Out Boy tomorrow night and Green Day on Thursday. All episodes begin at 11:35pm on ABC and can be found here. Additionally, each of the band’s new songs were serviced to all Rock and Alternative Radio stations today and will be featured once an hour on a three hour loop all day with Cumulus, Entercom, and iHeart radio chains.

In celebration of this announcement, all three artists are also thrilled to announce new singles which will be a first taste of their respective forthcoming albums. All three singles are available now and the respective albums are available for pre-order:


Green Day

Green Day
| Photographer:
Pamela Littky

Five-time Grammy Award-winning Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductees Green Day unleash their brand new single “Father Of All…,” which is the lead track on their forthcoming thirteenth studio album of the same name, out February 7, 2020 on Reprise / Warner Records.

Formed in 1986 in Berkeley, CA, Green Day is one of the world’s best-selling bands of all time, with more than 70 million records sold worldwide and 10 billion cumulative audio/visual streams. Their 1994 breakout album Dookie, which sold over 10 million and achieved diamond status, is widely credited with popularizing and reviving mainstream interest in punk rock, catapulting a career-long run of #1 hit singles.

Entertainment Weekly calls Green Day, “The most influential band of their generation,” while Rolling Stone attests, “Green Day have inspired more young bands to start than any act this side of KISS, and that doesn’t seem to be changing.”

In 2004, Green Day released the rock opera American Idiot which captured the nation’s attention, selling more than 7 million copies in the U.S. alone and taking home the Grammy Award for Best Rock Album. Mojo declared “It’s exhilarating stuff, the kind of record that sets new parameters as to what is possible from a punk rock’n’roll band in the 21st century.

In 2010, a stage adaptation of American Idiot debuted on Broadway to critical and commercial acclaim and now they’re taking the world stage once again with their new album and Hella Mega global stadium tour. Green Day will also be performing solo dates in 2020- click HERE for all dates.

Pre-order Father Of All… HERE | Listen to “Father Of All…HERE


Fall Out Boy

Fall Out Boy
| Photographer:
Brendan Walter

Multi-platinum selling, Grammy-nominated Fall Out Boy’s new single “Dear Future Self (Hands Up)ft. Wyclef Jean will be featured on their forthcoming record Greatest Hits: Believers Never Die – Volume Two, out November 15 via Island Records.

The song marks the band’s first new music since the August 2018 release of the three-song Lake Effect Kid EP, a love letter to their hometown city of Chicago that featured the full version of the band’s previously unreleased title track demo along with two new songs “City in A Garden” and “Super Fade.” In January, Fall Out Boy was featured on the gold-certified track “I’ve Been Waiting,” a collaboration from Lil Peep and iLoveMakonnen.

Fall Out Boy’s seventh studio album M A N I A debuted at #1 on the Billboard 200 in January 2018 and garnered a GRAMMY nomination for Best Rock Album. Their worldwide tour in support of the record included a hometown show at Wrigley Field.

Pre-order Believers Never Die – Volume 2 HERE

Listen to “Dear Future Self (Hands Up)HERE


Weezer

Weezer
| Photographer:
Sean Murphy

Multi-platinum, GRAMMY award-winning Weezer’s new single “The End of the Game,” produced by Suzy Shinn, will be included on their forthcoming 14th studio album, entitled Van Weezer, due out in May 2020. The inspiration for this album derives from the deepest roots of Weezer – metal!

What has metal got to do with Weezer, you ask? In his earliest years, Rivers was a huge KISS fan; Brian was a big Black Sabbath fan; Pat worshipped at the altar of Van Halen and Rush; Scott loved Slayer and Metallica. The last time this vein of harder rock was mined by Weezer was on their much-loved 2002 album Maladroit; Van Weezer is primed to take that album’s sonics many steps further courtesy of producer Suzy Shinn.

The End of the Game” is Weezer’s first new song since this year’s release of Weezer (The Black Album), as well as their covers album, Weezer (The Teal Album), whose streaming numbers have surpassed 100 million. Weezer has sold 10 million albums in the U.S., and over 35 million records worldwide since their debut album’s release in 1994. Their catalogue has included such mega-hits as “Buddy Holly,” “Undone (The Sweater Song),” “Say It Ain’t So,” “El Scorcho,” “Hash Pipe,” “Island In The Sun,” “Beverly Hills,” “Pork and Beans,” and more.

Pre-order Van Weezer HERE | Listen to “The End of the GameHERE


Tour Dates

The Hella Mega Tour Europe & UK Dates:

6/13/20 – PARIS, FRANCE La Defense Arena
6/14/20 – GRONINGEN, NETHERLANDS Stadspark
6/17/20 – ANTWERP, BELGIUM Sportpaleis
6/21/20 – VIENNA, AUSTRIA Ernst Happel Stadium
6/24/20 – GLASGOW, SCOTLAND Bellahouston Park
6/26/20 – LONDON, ENGLAND London Stadium
6/27/20 – HUDDERSFIELD, ENGLAND The John Smith’s Stadium
6/29/20 – DUBLIN, IRELAND RDS Arena

The Hella Mega Tour North American Dates:

7/17/20 – SEATTLE, WA T-Mobile Park
7/21/20 – SAN FRANCISCO, CA Oracle Park
7/24/20 – SAN DIEGO, CA Petco Park
7/25/20 – LOS ANGELES, CA Dodger Stadium
7/28/20 – COMMERCE CITY, CO DICK’S Sporting Goods Park
7/31/20 – ARLINGTON, TX GLOBE LIFE FIELD
8/1/20 – HOUSTON, TX Minute Maid Park
8/5/20 – MIAMI, FL Hard Rock Stadium
8/6/20 – JACKSONVILLE, FL TIAA Bank Field
8/8/20 – ATLANTA, GA SunTrust Park
8/11/20 – MINNEAPOLIS, MN Target Field
8/13/20 – CHICAGO, IL Wrigley Field
8/15/20 – PITTSBURGH, PA PNC Park
8/16/20 – HERSHEY, PA Hersheypark Stadium
8/19/20 – DETROIT, MI Comerica Park
8/21/20 – WASHINGTON, DC Nationals Park
8/22/20 – NEW YORK, NY Citi Field
8/24/20 – TORONTO, ON Rogers Centre
8/27/20 – BOSTON, MA Fenway Park
8/29/20 – PHILADELPHIA, PA Citizens Bank Park




Tool Claims #1 Spot on Billboard Top 200 as Fear Inoculum Reigns Over Worldwide Charts 

Los Angeles – Tool celebrates their third consecutive #1 debut on Billboard’s Top 200, with Fear Inoculum (RCA Records) reigning over the U.S. sales charts, selling 270,000 units.

The news of Fear Inoculum’s impressive debut comes amidst news stories of the album release being met by lengthy lines at retailers as music lovers clamored to get a copy of the limited edition, physical version of the CD. The spectacular, groundbreaking packaging boasts a 4” HD rechargeable screen with exclusive video footage, charging cable, 2 watt speaker, a 36-page booklet and a digital download card.

The Coalition of Independent Music Stores (CIMS) released a rare statement, describing the event-like album release: “Several stores had well-attended midnight sales on Thursday (it was my store’s first midnight sale in 10 years). When we returned to work on Friday morning, there were lines at the door… the Tool release was the biggest thing to hit retail in years.”

The success wasn’t isolated to the U.S., with the album debuting at #1 in Australia, Norway, New Zealand, and Belgium, as well as Top 5 debuts in the UK, Germany, The Netherlands, Ireland, Italy and Finland.

Critically, the album was met with equal enthusiasm. NPR proclaimed Fear Inoculum was worth the 13-year wait,” NME awarded the 10-track offering a perfect 5 star score, The Atlantic dubbed it “precise and devastating,” Revolver declared it “a masterpiece that will be dissected for years to come” and Entertainment Weekly said the collection is “deeply satisfying, both as a distinct artistic statement and as accidental fan service to a base that expects nothing less than unflinchingly unique artistic statements.”

News of the Fear Inoculum’s impressive debut follows the announcement of Tool’s first North American tour in support of the album.

Tool North American Tour Dates:

  • October 13 Sacramento, CA Aftershock Festival
  • October 15 Denver, CO Pepsi Center
  • October 16 Denver, CO Pepsi Center
  • October 18 Salt Lake City, UT Vivint Smart Home Arena
  • October 20 Los Angeles, CA Staples Center
  • October 21 Los Angeles, CA Staples Center
  • October 23 Glendale, AZ Gila River Arena
  • October 25 San Antonio, TX AT&T Center
  • October 27 Houston, TX Toyota Center
  • October 29 Tulsa, OK BOK Center
  • October 31 Milwaukee, WI Fiserv Forum
  • November 2 Indianapolis, IN Banker’s Life Fieldhouse
  • November 3 Chicago, IL United Center
  • November 5 Cincinnati, OH US Bank Arena
  • November 6 Cleveland, OH Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse
  • November 8 Pittsburgh, PA PPG Paints Arena
  • November 9 Detroit, MI Little Caesars Arena
  • November 11 Toronto, ON Scotiabank Arena
  • November 12 Toronto, ON Scotiabank Arena
  • November 14 Boston, MA TD Garden
  • November 16 Newark, NJ Prudential Center
  • November 18 Philadelphia, PA Wells Fargo Center
  • November 19 Brooklyn, NY Barclays Center
  • November 21 Uncasville, CT Mohegan Sun Casino Arena
  • November 22 Atlantic City, NJ Boardwalk Hall
  • November 24 Raleigh, NC PNC Arena
  • November 25 Washington, DC Capitol One Arena
Tool By Travis Shinn
Tool | Photographer: Travis Shinn

Tool formed in 1990, releasing four multi-platinum studio albums: Undertow (1993), Ænima (1996), Lateralus (2001) and 10,000 Days (2006); two EPs: 72826 (1991) and Opiate (1992) and the limited-edition boxset Salival (2000). The band has won three GRAMMY Awards®: Best Metal Performance (1998, “Ænima”), Best Metal Performance (2002, “Schism”) and Best Recording Package (2007, 10,000 Days).

Tool Is:

Danny Carey (drums)
Justin Chancellor (bass)
Adam Jones (guitar)
Maynard James Keenan (vocals)

​​​​​​​Tool Online:

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

Bella Lune Release Their Sixth Studio Album “Stardust”, Title Track Music Video

Phoenix-based dreampop/darkwave group Bella Lune just released a new album, titled Stardust, on September 01, 2019. The album features 14 new original songs and is 59 minutes long. The album is a return to original form, with post-punk bass-lines, dreamy guitars, analog synthesizers, violin and ethereal vocals. Stardust is available on bellalune.bandcamp.com now! It will be on Spotify and other online distributors on September 15, 2019.

Several songs on the new album, including “Stardust“, “Charade“, “A Wish” and “Doomed“, have been well-received in clubs and on internet radio recently. Fans of The Cure, Clan of Xymox, Cocteau Twins, The Chameleons, Siouxsie and the Banshees, Drab Majesty and Lebanon Hanover will enjoy this album.

Stardust Tracklist

1. Stardust
2. Out of Time
3. Head in the Sky
4. The Trap
5. Unbearable
6. What’s Next
7. Charade
8. Doomed
9. Nothing Left
10. A Wish
11. How High
12. Games We Play
13. Stuck
14. Within Reach

Bella Lune also just released a music video for the title track,
which is streaming on YouTube!

The CD release party for Stardust will be at Club Shadowplay on September 21, 2019 at Rips Bar in Phoenix, AZ. Fuchsia and Hurley will be doing a post-punk, darkwave, dreampop & alt 80s DJ set at the event.

Biography

Bella Lune is an electronic/darkwave/dreampop band and dark alternative DJ duo that formed in 2007 in Phoenix, Arizona, USA. They have performed on three continents and released six full length studio albums. The band incorporates elements of electronic, post-punk, indie, synthpop, trip hop, shoegaze, and ethereal music to create a dreamlike trance throughout their sound. 

Bella Lune Online:

Website | Bandcamp | Facebook
Instagram | YouTube

Featured photo (top) by Jeremiah Toller

Tool Releases First Album in 13 Years, Fear Inoculum; Announces North American Tour

Los Angeles – Fear Inoculum, Tool’s fifth studio album, and 2019’s most anticipated release, is available now. Listen HERE.

Tool’s Fear Inoculum is a masterpiece to be dissected for years to come.” – Revolver

The news arrives as the band announces a six-week North American tour, launching the trek on Oct. 13 at the Aftershock Festival. Tickets are on-sale Sept. 6 at 10 am local time, with a limited number of tickets will be available to Tool Army members on Sept. 4. Tool Army information, as well as VIP package details, can be found HERE.

Fear Inoculum is a beast of an album” – Consequence of Sound

Fear Inoculum’s release caps off over a decade of speculation and anticipation, with confirmation of the release arriving in May as the band flashed “August 30” from the stage as they performed two new songs: “Descending” and “Invincible.”

absolutely gobsmacking” – Kerrang!

As August arrived, Tool released their back catalog via digital service providers, seeing Opiate, Undertow, Ænima, Lateralus and 10,000 Days rack up in excess of 20 million streams in the subsequent 48 hours and occupy the top five spots on iTunes’ Top 10 Album Charts. 23 years after its initial release, Ænima re-entered Billboard’s Top 200, arriving at #10, with Lateralus (#16), 10,000 Days (#18) and Undertow (#19) landing in the Top 20. Tool’s debut release, 1992’s Opiate EP, made its Billboard chart premiere, arrived at #59. The band also broke records that week: taking four of the top five spots on Billboard’s Hard Rock Albums chart (the first act to achieve that feat upon digital release) and claiming 15 (of 25) spots on Billboard’s Rock Digital Song Sales chart.

A languid and blissful work.5 Stars NME

The title track arrived as details surrounding the collection surfaced, including a limited-edition CD version of Fear Inoculum. The collectible offering, which was conceived by and directed by Adam Jones, features a 4” HD rechargeable screen with exclusive video footage, charging cable, 2 watt speaker, a 36-page booklet and a digital download card. A list of retailers who have remaining stock of the groundbreaking package can be found HERE. A vinyl release will be announced soon.

TOOL’s Fear Inoculum is a transcendent return” – SPIN

Tool Fear Inoculum Cover
Fear Inoculum Cover

Tool North American Tour Dates:

October 13 Sacramento, CA Aftershock Festival
October 15 Denver, CO Pepsi Center
October 18 Salt Lake City, UT Vivint Smart Home Arena
October 20 Los Angeles, CA Staples Center
October 21 Los Angeles, CA Staples Center
October 23 Glendale, AZ Gila River Arena
October 25 San Antonio, TX AT&T Center
October 27 Houston, TX Toyota Center
October 29 Tulsa, OK BOK Center
October 31 Milwaukee, WI Fiserv Forum
November 2 Indianapolis, IN Banker’s Life Fieldhouse
November 3 Chicago, IL United Center
November 5 Cincinnati, OH US Bank Arena
November 6 Cleveland, OH Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse
November 8 Pittsburgh, PA PPG Paints Arena
November 9 Detroit, MI Little Caesars Arena
November 11 Toronto, ON Scotiabank Arena
November 12 Toronto, ON Scotiabank Arena
November 14 Boston, MA TD Garden
November 16 Newark, NJ Prudential Center
November 18 Philadelphia, PA Wells Fargo Center
November 19 Brooklyn, NY Barclay’s Center
November 21 Uncasville, CT Mohegan Sun Casino Arena
November 22 Atlantic City, NJ Boardwalk Hall
November 24 Raleigh, NC PNC Arena
November 25 Washington, DC Capitol One Arena

Tool formed in 1990, releasing four multi-platinum studio albums: Undertow (1993), Ænima (1996), Lateralus (2001) and 10,000 Days (2006); two EPs: 72826 (1991) and Opiate (1992) and the limited-edition boxset Salival (2000). The band has won three GRAMMY Awards®: Best Metal Performance (1998, “Ænima”), Best Metal Performance (2002, “Schism”) and Best Recording Package (2007, 10,000 Days).

Tool Is:

Danny Carey (drums)
Justin Chancellor (bass)
Adam Jones (guitar)
Maynard James Keenan (vocals)

Tool Online:

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram


Featured photo (top) by Travis Shinn



Mike Patton and French Composer Jean-Claude Vannier Share The Track “Browning”

Mike Patton (Faith No More, Mondo Cane) and renowned French composer Jean-Claude Vannier, share the final glimpse into their new album by way of the album track “Browning” ahead of the release of Corpse Flower (Ipecac Recordings, Sept 13). Listen to “BrowningHERE.

Patton and Vannier prove to be a perfect match.” – 8/10 UNCUT

A variety of musicians, both in Los Angeles and Paris, took part in the recording of Corpse Flower with the Los Angeles team including Smokey Hormel (Beck, Johnny Cash), Justin Meldal-Johnsen (Beck, Air, Nine Inch Nails) and James Gadson (Beck, Jamie Lidell). The Parisian players are Denys Lable, Bernard Paganotti (Magma), Daniel Ciampolini, Didier Malherbe, Léonard Le Cloarec and the Bécon Palace String Ensemble. The lyrics for “Ballad C.3.3.” are drawn from Oscar Wilde’s “The Ballad of Reading Gaol” poem, which was initially published using the name C.3.3.

Corpse Flower is available now for pre-orders HERE, including special embossed versions featuring Kenro Izu’s stunning cover photo. The album will be available on 180gram colored vinyl, a CD digipak and digitally.

With seemingly no end of ambrosial atmospherics and devilish sense of humour, Corpse Flower is sophisticated, adventurous pop music. Seductive and opulent, it also delights in being crass. As proud of its stench as it is of its blooms, the record is perfectly framed.” – 5* RECORD COLLECTOR

Corpse Flower Track List:

Ballade C.3.3
Camion
Chansons D’Amour
Cold Sun Warm Beer
Browning
Hungry Ghost
Corpse Flower
Insolubles
On Top Of The World
Yard Bull
A Schoolgirl’s Day
Pink and Bleue

Mike Patton’s resume is virtually limitless, having kicked off his musical career as a teenager in the band Mr. Bungle, joining Faith No More in 1989 and going on to create a smorgasbord of bands and solo releases including Fantômas, Tomahawk, Mondo Cane, Dead Cross, Lovage and Peeping Tom. Jean-Claude Vannier, born in Paris during World War II, The Guardian dubbed him “the sound sculptor in Serge Gainsbourg’s shadow,” referencing his extensive work with the French musician including Histoire de Melody Nelson. His career has spanned nine solo records, countless contributions to film and TV scores, and his influence has been cited by numerous musicians including Beck, Pulse, Portishead, Massive Attack, Air and Tricky.

Mike Patton shall be performing two Mondo Cane shows in Italy during the summer – dates and details below.

Mondo Cane Live Dates:

Aug. 31 – Prato, Italy @ Prato Piazza Duomo
Sept. 2 – Milan, Italy @ Teatre degli Arcmboldi

Mike Patton Online:

Facebook

Featured photo (top), Corpse Flower cover by Kenro Izu



Tool Stream Fear Inoculum Title Track; Pre-orders Available

Los Angeles — Fear Inoculum, the fifth studio album from Tool, arrives on Aug. 30 via RCA Records. Stream the album’s title track HERE.

Continuing their affinity for pushing the boundaries of physical packaging, the GRAMMY Award® winning outfit has created a deluxe, limited-edition CD version of Fear Inoculum. The collectible offering, which was conceived by and directed by Adam Jones, features a 4” HD rechargeable screen with exclusive video footage, charging cable, 2 watt speaker, a 36-page booklet and a digital download card. Pre-orders for both the special package and digital downloads are available HERE. A vinyl release will be announced soon.

Tool Fear Inoculum Cover

The 85-minute collection was produced by Tool, with Joe Barresi engineering and mixing the release. Barresi also worked with the band on 10,000 Days.

The song stream and pre-order news arrives as the Los Angeles band recently made several of their previous releases, Opiate, Undertow, Ænima, Lateralus and 10,000 Days, available for the first time on digital service providers. The releases racked up over 20 million streams in the first 48 hours of release, as well as quickly claiming five spots on iTunesTop 10 Albums chart.

Tool formed in 1990, releasing four multi-platinum studio albums: Undertow (1993), Ænima (1996), Lateralus (2001) and 10,000 Days (2006); two EPs: 72826 (1991) and Opiate (1992) and the limited-edition boxset Salival (2000). The band has won three GRAMMY Awards®: Best Metal Performance (1998, “Ænima”), Best Metal Performance (2002, “Schism”) and Best Recording Package (2007, 10,000 Days).

Tool Is:

Danny Carey (drums)
Justin Chancellor (bass)
Adam Jones (guitar)
Maynard James Keenan (vocals)

Tool Online:

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram


Featured photo (top) by Travis Shinn



Emerging Modern Metal Outfit Absence of Despair to Release New Album, “Desolate”, on 9-13-19

Providence, Rhode Island-based modern metalcore upstarts Absence of Despair have made waves in the scene since their formation in 2008, but are set for national acclaim with their brand new album, Desolate, scheduled for release on September 13, 2019. The album features 12 brand new, heavy-hitting anthems that showcase this hard working up-and-coming band’s undeniable raw talent. Ripping, intense metal grooves blended with addictive hooks poise Absence of Despair‘s Desolate as an undeniable metalcore favorite of 2019.

Desolate pre-orders are available here via the band’s website, and will be available via all digital retailers very soon.

Desolate album artwork

Today, Absence of Despair are thrilled to reveal the first single cut from their upcoming album, entitled “Bite My Tongue”. Fans can witness the brand new, high octane music video for the headbang-inducing track now:

Watch New Music Video for “Bite My Tongue”

The “Bite My Tongue” video was shot by Matty LaBonte of Crown Media Collective.

Bassist Rob Bryant says:“The main concept of the video is to not be taken over by anxiety, but to overcome, and breakthrough it. Crown Media Collective did a fantastic job on the video. They were able to purge the anxiety concept well with the static televisions placed around us.”

Desolate immediately bursts into a brutal assault of fast-paced grooves on the album’s opener, “ESC”, and continues to traverse a melodic-yet-darkened metalcore landscape on tracks like “Bite My Tongue” and “Godkiller”. Anthemic tracks such as “Fearless” and “This Reckoning” solidify the band’s keen ability to write unforgettable hooks without sacrificing sinister riffage, while “Lost & Hopeless” provides an example of Absence of Despair‘s more extreme side. Beyond these tracks, there’s even more to love on Desolate.

Vocalist Joe Reynolds says: Desolate is focused on gaining the strength to look at obstacles in your life and overcome them. Each song represents a different side or emotion of a person and tells the story of what’s going through their head. At the end of the day, we want the listener to find meaning in themselves and the world around them.”

Desolate was recorded, mixed and mastered by Josh Schroeder (For The Fallen Dreams, King 810, The Color Morale) at Random Awesome Studios in Midland, Michigan.

Bassist Rob Bryant says:“Josh Schroeder really brought possibilities to light for us musically, helped shape the songs the way we needed them to be, and brought us out of our comfort zone. He pushed us, and helped us push ourselves into creating what we feel is our most dynamic and heavy hitting project yet.”

Desolate Track Listing:

1) ESC
2) Bite My Tongue
3) Wild
4) Godkiller
5) Fearless
6) Lost & Hopeless
7) This Reckoning
8) Die Primitive
9) Shadowbreaker
10) I Am Catastrophe
11) The Skin We Live In
12) Pathwalker

Absence of Despair will perform at the Providence, Rhode Island date of the Summer Slaughter tour, taking place on August 2 at Fete Music Hall. For more information, visit this link. The band is currently booking fall tour dates in support of Desolate.

Absence of Despair endorses Fishman, GHS Strings, Empire Ears, Coldcock Whiskey, InTune Guitar Picks and Sennheiser.

Stay tuned for more tracks and videos coming from Absence of Despair soon!

Absence of Despair Is:

Joe Reynolds: Vocals
Tyler Caruso: Guitar/Vocals
Dillon DeSimone: Guitar/Vocals
Rob Bryant: Bass
Mike Perrotta: Drums

Absence of Despair Online:

Website | Facebook | Twitter
Instagram | YouTube

Featured photo (top) by Eric Hooker (Hook U Photography)