Category Archives: Publicists

Albums, Kataklizmic Design, Reviews

Georgia Train’s I do — A Naked Introspection of Relationships

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About a decade ago, I was first introduced to Georgia Train as part of a two-piece band named Bitter Ruin. From the moment of first hearing the track that introduced me to them on Myspace, “Trust”, their dramatic music had the ability to connect with my mental and emotional state. Released on May 1, her 10-track solo album I do is no exception, as it resonates deeply on personal levels.

(Please check Bitter Ruin out.
They are mind-blowing and deserve all of the love in the world. )

I have developed many of my own website projects over the years that never quite took off, and one of them was a alternative/goth fashion and feminist website called Mistress Ravine – which I created in my early 20s. On that site, I had an Advice & Opinion blog that I intended to help educate young women, and put a spotlight on artists that I felt deserved recognition. For that blog, I wrote an album review for Bitter Ruin, and it’s funny to think back and wonder how much of my track-by-track dissection of Hung, Drawn, and Quartered may have possibly missed the mark when it came to interpreting the songs. It is, of course, a given that listeners will always apply their own understanding from their unique realities to tracks, yet I have thought back on it over the years a bit self-critically. Listening to Train’s commentary after having already listened to I do about seven times since its release, it is fascinating to learn the true meaning and the headspace behind the songs — it’s so much more intricate than what I tend to assume… so much more potent.

While in quarantine, Train produced this album herself, regarding which she comes across as humble and intentional in her commentary. Her solo work differs from Bitter Ruin’s past work in that it is less theatrical, or to use a word from her commentary, flamboyant. To be forthcoming, I wasn’t sure whether I would connect with the album in the same way as their past work when I heard teaser clips. However, the maturity and sophistication of I do do parallel my evolution and speak to me. The album having been recorded at home and serving as an introspection on love and marriage, it is a uniquely authentic, raw listen. However, do not go into this album expecting a series of mere love songs.

I do is, to me, an album of healing and acceptance. When we fight “to the death” to make a relationship work, it’s as if we stick our fingers in our ears, unfold our blinders, and charge forward. We feel righteous, we feel we are doing a good thing, the loving thing, and yet in actuality, we may be more doing harm than good. That is one of the most difficult things we can ever face. Sometimes, music is the key to revealing the truth, to waking us up. Sometimes we need a song to give us a poignant message (or more bluntly, hit us over the head with it) that compels us to simply utter a self-aware “ouch.”

Train, who is known — with no exaggeration — for her vocal acrobatics (a bit trite, but such an apt phrase), also has an impressive vocal range. You will catch her voice flying high, as well as dipping deep, throughout the album. Often, she flutters around in a falsetto, though any old Bitter Ruin fan knows how she can belt that chest voice (a favorite example being “Leather for Hell” — a unique rock song for Bitter Ruin). Her graceful singing on I do is a perfect fit for the very private conversation she is having through her music. 

That is not to suggest that the album lacks intensity — to the contrary, my favorite track from the album, titled “Pressure”, crescendos and inspires heartache.

“Did I put too much pressure on you to be the one I can lean on?
Maybe I was wrong to”

The following track, “Shatter”, paints a picture of the unintentional self-harm we participate in out of desperation to repair a broken relationship. The song is a twisted knife in the heart of anyone that has been in this situation, yet serves as commiseration.

“On my knees finding pieces of the shatter,
these tiny cuts don’t matter
Work all night just to put us back together,
I swear I’ll make us better”

“Marry This” is a unique, nuanced track that addresses the way people that commit to each other inevitably change — a topic I have yet to see Disney tackle.

“I didn’t marry this (don’t know what it is, don’t know what it is),
I need to know what this is.”

The most beautiful song on the album is, in my opinion, “White Snow”. In the commentary, it was very interesting to hear who she states influenced the track. (Speaking of Disney, I can imagine Frozen’s Elsa singing this song. Though, with all due respect, this song is meant for Georgia Train, not Idina Menzel.)

“Unholy”, with a gospel style chord progression, has the perfect sound for the closing track. If you listen to the commentary, it is mind-blowing how quickly it was written and recorded. It is the only track on the album that addresses sexuality, but as an intellectual study of sexuality — something I have never heard in a song before. Within the Gregorian chanting, she sings in a language which I was trying to pinpoint as either Italian or Latin, and it turned out to be neither. Find out what it is in the commentary.

I do is an album for listeners who like music to draw out their emotions. It is for those who like to ruminate on their relationships, or to analyze the psychology of love and behavior. (Ok, so, it’s made for me.) It fluctuates between grief, regret, desperation, ambiguity, fear, and hope. It is unlike any other I have heard, and I am very grateful it is in my life now.

I do – with track-by-track commentary- album cover

Among many things, the album is about musing on what has transpired in relationships, the uncomfortable truths about relationships we do not often hear in pop culture, struggling to understand, confronting tough realities, and coming to terms. Over the commentary, Train explains how some of her personal experiences inspired certain tracks, how songs evolved, her intentions and stylistic choices, how she reclaimed some of her music, and so much more. The commentary makes the album feel that much more whole, and I think it’s especially significant to include with a quarantine release. I absolutely support the idea of the commentary for future releases.

I highly recommend not only purchasing the version of the album with the commentary on Bandcamp, but for just a bit more, support Georgia Train by purchasing her full digital discography. Either way, you can get it here.

A Message from Georgia Train

A Few Recommendations: 

  • If you can, listen to the album with noise-cancelling headphones over your ears to experience it intimately.
  • If you are able, please purchase it even if you have access to Spotify.
  • If you purchase the commentary, you can do what I do and stream the regular version of the album on Spotify as well for a tiny bit of extra support!
  • Check out my favorite Georgia Train song, “Get Out” — another belter:
  • Follow her on social media:

Georgia Train Online

Bandcamp | Facebook | Instagram
YouTube | Twitter | Spotify

  • CHECK OUT BITTER RUIN!!! They released the track “Caution to the Wind” last year after about 5 years of hiatus, and two more this year! They’re one of my all-time favorites, and I am thrilled to finally have the opportunity to share them on Burning Hot Events.
Bitter Ruin
| Photographer: Scott Chalmers
Albums, Kataklizmic Design, Reviews

REVIEW: In Case of Emergency Break Glass Ceiling: On Fiona Apple’s Fetch The Bolt Cutters

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“We must kill the false woman who is preventing the live one from breathing.”

— Hélène Cixous

We do this to women. We expect a performance, and the exact one we desire, on demand: Manic Pixie Dream girl, vixen, maiden, mother, crone. We want to dial a number, press a button, swipe right, and order up exactly the kind of woman we want. We box women in, pigeonhole them; we do not let women evolve, and we do not let them be. And by we, I do not mean men; I mean the entire world. We ask women to stuff their whole selves, containing multitudes, into boxes, so that we might more easily handle them. Well, Fiona Apple has fetched the boxcutter and the bolt cutters, too.  

At first listen of Fetch the Bolt Cutters, I myself am guilty of this. I was unnerved by the seemingly random acoustics that permeate the album, that seemed to bookend each track. I wanted to hear the contralto register, the impressive range and moody piano ballads of Tidal, the aggressive lyrical onslaught of When the Pawn. I wanted Fiona Apple to repeat a performance of the woman she used to be, a self she has since outgrown.

Fiona is not going to put on a mask for us. We’re asking her to remain the victim, angry at the world while she’s now a self-actualized, grown-ass woman, wandering around her house using whatever’s around her to express herself, to make music. Apple will never make another Tidal, and we shouldn’t want her to, because she is not just revisiting her pain, but growing through it. She shares herself with us rawly and authentically in this album, and it is a sin to ask of her anything else, any former selves she’s outgrown.

Evident from the opening track “I Want You To Love Me,” Fiona did come to play with us hoes; she’s exploring a playful sound that’s only grown since The Idler Wheel, one in which, rather than reigning herself in, she’s ending the track with yips and some sort of high-pitched dolphin sound. This intensifies in the title track “Fetch the Bolt Cutters,” and by this third song, I was fully like, “What is she doing?” There is so much barking sprinkled through the end of the track, the listener will wonder if it’s coming from a neighbor. That’s it, though: she’s using what’s around her — her house and her own world, her pet even — to bring us in. It is a strange joy, one that fully embodies the idea of cutting loose.

(Burning Hot Events earns from qualifying purchases.)

Through the album, sonic experiments abound, the extent of which, at one point, made me think Fiona Apple’s sound is now like dog slobber to cat people. What to do with this mess? It devolves into at best jazzy, at other times wholly chaotic noise. Apple is a few rattling cans away from a straight-up noise project.

Yet, her lyrics, as ever, continue to land, a punch right in the gut: “I know a sound is still a sound around no one”, and in “Under the Table”: “I’d like to buy you a pair of pillow-soled hiking boots/To help you with your climb/Or rather, to help the bodies that you step over along your route/So they won’t hurt like mine”. By the time she intones the titular, “Fetch the bolt cutters/ I’ve been in here too long” there is no question that this is not about us. Being a musical audience is passive, a spectator sport, and Apple has worked too damn hard to shut up, not now. She doesn’t speak the truth, she spits it out like hot grease.

Arguably her most vulnerable album yet, we begin to see places where Apple has untangled the threads enough to weave together something new. In a recent interview in Vulture, Apple admitted that past perfectionism fenced her in:

“If you grow up and you’re praised a lot for being special, rather than for making an effort, you end up later in life being afraid.”

Being gifted, and being expected to call up a gifted performance in perpetuity, was a prison that kept her from appreciating her own efforts, from experimenting, made her afraid to try. What we hear in Fetch the Bolt Cutters is Apple finally feeling free to roam, to play.

In “Relay” which Apple actually started writing at 15, there are glimpses into what’s been ruminating in her mind. “Evil is a relay sport/When the one who’s burned/Turns to pass the torch” Basically, hurt people hurt people. Fiona Apple’s music, for so long, has spoken especially to survivors of assault. We could watch her rage, hear her croon vitriol in a way that elevated hurt into something divine, and made good art. Survivors need to see examples, like Apple, of someone not only overcoming their hardships, their assaults, but using them to create something new. This is how they stop being victims.

I was reminded of Marina Abramović while listening to this album, specifically her art project that involved sorting and counting thousands of grains of rice. Participants had breakthroughs, visions, and powerful transcendent experiences. What Apple has done with this album—using her house as instrument, showcasing her friends and pets — it is clear she has found her own meditation in an emergency, has built a cathedral with all of these avant-garde sounds to house her voice, which has now become its own instrument. 

Starting with “Newspaper,” the album’s sound takes on a focused quality, infused with bluesy rhythms. Her lyrics are, somehow, increasingly introspective when she near-growls about “trying not to let my light go out” and the track feels meditative, in a way. Apple is finally focusing on relationships that matter, both her relationships with other women and her relationship with herself. This was hinted at in track two with “Shameika,” and it comes to full bloom now. (“yet another woman to whom I won’t get through”) 

Much of the tonal shift, I believe, we see from Apple in Fetch the Bolt Cutters comes from a new perspective on her part, one of reconnecting with relationships with other women in her life. It’s essential to see other women free to express themselves, and Apple is pointing out this is a continual struggle. Patriarchy has long divided us against each other, taught us to shame, police each other and internalize misogyny, in order to better conquer. 

By the time we get to one of the standout tracks from this album, “Heavy Balloon”, which is frankly incredible, this track best displays the shift that has taken place in Apple.

She has not kept it a secret that being assaulted early in life majorly affected her sense of self, and surviving being raped at 12 years old led to a lifetime of eating disorders and body image issues. These are ways survivors attempt to regain control, an agency that was stolen.

“Heavy Balloon” is filled with personification, identifying with plants (“I spread like strawberries/I climb like peas and beans”). It has a mouth-feel, nourishing, as it contains imagery of fruits and vegetables, not in a final form, but growing; Fiona has learned to love the body she lives in by understanding it, listening to it, communicating with it. (“I’ve been sucking it in so long/That I’m busting at the seams”) Apple is finally dealing with the things that have held her in—mainly, herself.

“You get dragged down, down to the same spot enough times in a row,
The bottom begins to feel like the only safe place that you know.”

If there’s one thing I can say for Fetch the Bolt Cutters, is that Apple eases us into the heaviest shit. Not that she’s ever taken some turn to saccharine, ever only scratched the surface, but there is a build up to the line “Good morning/You raped me in the same bed your daughter was born in/Good morning” in the track “For Her.” Apple has reconnected with her own anger in Fetch the Bolt Cutters, and she admits the irony that in doing so, she’s created her most upbeat-sounding album. There are really no slow, sad ballads here. In an interview, she confesses she finally feels anger towards the man who assaulted her as a child and realized making excuses for others fails to hold them accountable. There is a decided connection between Apple’s righteous, justified anger and finally being able to fully, freely express herself. She feels free. 

By the time we reach the end of the album with the final track “On I Go”, this journey that is Fetch the Bolt Cutters has come full circle. Welcome to the Order of Saint Fiona, a sanctuary in which it is revealed to us that the highest transformation is severing the ties that bind us and weaving them to make art, art that connects. Wabi-sabi for the skeptical. From the beginning of the album and the ragtime saloon sound of the opening track to a near-growling in the middle with “Newspaper”, or the waltzy “Cosmonauts” to hymn-like refrains with the final track, we get to hear what it sounds like when a musical heroine stands up herself and marches to the beat of her own drum (or wall, or countertop, or whatever). 

Some have made connections between this turn for Apple, a new sound, and that of Radiohead, mainly in terms of albums that exist as a coherent whole, a complete organism—one which grows on the listener. It is accurate that Fetch the Bolt Cutters has a progression, a purpose, a message. And it is true that Apple has made use of what’s around her to create, a DIY ethos, in a way that is punk as fuck, in the canonical sense of the word.

Still, I fear I am failing Fiona Apple with this review, as I too want to offer a perfect tribute to a woman who demonstrated to me what it looks like to rise from the ashes, that moments of rage are not only justified, but holy. As I’ve long suspected, words fail us when we need them most. Apple herself has said that Fetch the Bolt Cutters is about liberating voice, but no, actually, much more than that; that’s not precise enough. Much has been made of her various states of well/unwell, lots of gazing at her mental health, but this album shows what beauty and art can come from a woman alone in a locked room — the antithesis of yellow wallpaper.

Still, there is caution that comes with labeling Fiona Apple as “finally free”: to do so would stuff this iteration back into that box, asking it to hold still. This is a woman we’ve watched, seen and heard, cut herself loose over and over, inspired us to call it like we see it, shown us resilience by not “shutting up” and now MacGyvered her way into an album wholly original, purely hers, and sorely needed.

Pre-Order the Vinyl – Out July 15, 2020

Fetch the Bolt Cutters Tracklist

  1. I Want You to Love Me
  2. Shameika
  3. Fetch the Bolt Cutters
  4. Under the Table
  5. Relay
  6. Rack of His
  7. Newspaper
  8. Ladies
  9. Heavy Balloon
  10. Cosmonauts
  11. For Her
  12. Drumset
  13. On I Go

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Albums & EPs, Earshot Media, News

San Diego’s Hey, Chels Release Debut Full-Length, Everything Goes

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Now Streaming and Available as FREE Download on Bandcamp

San Diego’s Hey, Chels have released their debut full-length Everything Goes digitally for FREE on Bandcamp. The LP is also streaming on DSPs and will be released on vinyl later this year via Brainworm Records.

The band says, “Our reasoning is that we don’t feel right asking for money right now with the current state of everything. If you feel like helping the band out, share us with a friend, add us to a playlist, share us on your socials, we would very much appreciate it.”

A music video for the new track “You’ve Got You Now” is streaming here:

The follow up to the band’s well-received 2019 self-titled EP, Everything Goes was recorded by Pat Hills at Earthtone Studios in Sacramento, CA.

Due to the current state of the world Hey, Chels had to cancel all tour plans but will be back out as soon as it’s safe again.

Hey, Chels – Everything Goes
| Cover Art by SICKPLEASURE

Everything Goes Track Listing:

  1. Clear
  2. Crumbling
  3. Masterpiece
  4. Pulse Check
  5. You’ve Got You Now
  6. Okay
  7. Everything Goes
  8. Floating Through Days
  9. Tough
  10. Away

About Hey, Chels

Hey, Chels

Hey, Chels is what you get when you spend 10 years of your life working for a degree you’ll never pay off. It’s realizing the whole world is terrible, while also serving as a reassuring pat on the cheek that everything is going to be ok. It’s a warm summer day and a cold winter night. Hey, Chels is a four-piece rock n roll band from San Diego fronted by Jax Mendez (New Way On) and featuring Stephanie Presz (The Newports) on drums, Kevin White (Squarecrow) on guitar, and Ricky Schmidt (Western Settings) on bass.

Hey, Chels Online

Bandcamp | Facebook | Instagram
Twitter | Spotify

Kataklizmic Design, Media, Music Videos, Reviews, Videos

REVIEW: Arshenic’s Brooding “Where Did You Sleep Last Night” Music Video

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Arshenic

Arshenic’s new single and music video for “Where Did You Sleep Last Night” was released on April 12th and can be enjoyed on any listening format. It is a beautifully haunting cover of the classic Lead Belly song. Arshenic is a melodic metal band from Poland, formed in 2007 by the vocalist and songwriter, Oliwia “Ofilia” Bartuś-Staszak. The other current members of the band include electric guitarist Włodzimierz “Vlad” Czuba and drummer Bartosz Staszak.

The name of the band is a reference to arsenic, which is generally thought of as a poison, however it can also be a cure. The duality between the strong female vocals, both singing and screaming, matched with clean and distorted guitars, powerful bass, and zestful drums, with a pinch of cellos, electronics, and orchestral sounds rounding out the background can be heard throughout the group’s catalogue of songs.

The music was produced by Dawid Gorgolewski, Studio Osso. The music video’s script was written by Ofilia, and Creo Official was the video producer.

As the video begins, the camera focuses on the coastline near a wooded cliff. It briefly transitions to Ofilia facing the camera wearing a gas mask — a perfect reference to the meaning of the band name — while cradling a black and white cat in her arms.

Returning to the coastline, the camera follows Ofilia as she sings and walks along an empty coastline wearing a black dress, a crystal necklace, a belt with three pentagrams, skeleton tights, and black combat boots as waves crash near her feet. The instruments, her voice, and the beach give the video a nostalgic vibe. Interspersed slow-motion footage of her footsteps lends itself to an ominous atmosphere in the video, paired with the brooding tone of the song.

Włodzimierz “Vlad” Czuba (Guitars), Arshenic

The instrumentalists are slowly revealed during the music’s buildup. Closeups zoom in on black-gloved hands sliding on the guitar with a skeleton head on the frets. The drummer plays while wearing a white gas mask with the eyes covered in black Xs. The electric guitarist wears a black mask with silver studs covering all but his eyes with a backward baseball cap on his head. The band members wearing masks stare deadpan at the camera.

Bartosz Staszak (Drums), Arshenic

As the melody sways, Ofilia walks down a dirt path in the woods wearing another gas mask, the hood of her black dress up, with scenes cutting between the woods and the beach. The transitions of water breaking over the sand and clips of rocks with the soft music are soothing. 

As the song explodes, Oflilia walks through a graffiti-covered hallway of an abandoned building. These clips are entangled with footage of a forbidden romance, lit by a red-hued light.

The scenes cut back and forth with fluidity. The musicians flicker with high-speed cuts as they play with intensity — a duality of pacing between this point and the beginning, matching the vocals and instrumentals. The video concludes as it began, pulling away from the deserted coastline.

Many elements of this video can certainly speak to viewers that are currently practicing social distancing during the pandemic. Whether that was the intention or not, the video is an emotionally evocative, powerful watch that rolls out slowly and leaves the viewer impacted.

Arshenic’s latest album, Final Collison, released by Sliptrick Records, came out in August of 2019. With their new single out now, hopefully, there’s a new album coming out sometime in 2020. Until then, “Where Did You Sleep Last Night” will be playing on repeat.

Fans can find out more information about upcoming shows and announcements through the band’s website, Instagram, and Facebook page.

Arshenic Online

Website | Instagram | Facebook | Twitter



Adrenaline PR, New Bands / Artists, News, Tracks

Atmospheric-Prog Rock Act Itayil Reveals Debut Single, “Bloom”

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“Bloom,” the first single from Itayil, the atmospheric-prog rock solo project of CanaItayil Reveals Debut Single, “Bloom”dian musician David Chunn, is available today. Listen to the song now exclusively via Sea of Tranquility here.

“This song reflects on the finite nature of life, and how nothing is constant,” Chunn says. “Just as quickly as we learn and grow, we forget and the light leaves us, similar to a flower in bloom.”

Translating to “in between,” Itayil is a word that resonates with Chunn on a personal level, both in terms of lifestyle and musical influences. A scientist by day and musician by night, Chunn blends sounds from various genres to create melodies that capture the meaning of Itayil.

In a swirl of ethereal soundscapes, with “Bloom” Chunn creates an immersive experience that ventures beyond sound and into the mind. Trained in piano and guitar, Chunn is a self-taught vocalist who cites Alcest, Tesseract and Tame Impala as influences.

“But I’m constantly trying to find new inspiration in any genre,” he adds.

Chunn previously served as vocalist for Calgary-based band Vallite and has appeared as a guest on tracks by Every Hour Kills, Depths of Titan and Gaia.

Itayil Bloom Art

“Bloom” is available today via Itayil’s Bandcamp and major digital music providers.

Itayil Online:

Facebook | Instagram | Bandcamp


Albums & EPs, Earshot Media, Music Videos, News

Lucky Boys Confusion Get Nostalgic on New Video “Arizona Stand”; For The First Time, Debut Album on Vinyl

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Video Features Archival Footage from the Last 15+ Years

Lucky Boys Confusion and Mutant League Records have dropped an unofficial music video for LBC’s song “Arizona Stand.” The track appears on the limited-edition double vinyl release of the band’s 1998 debut album Growing Out Of It, which is out today. Featuring archival footage of the band from over the last 15+ years, the clip was edited by Alex Zarek.

View “Arizona Stand” Here:

1998 Debut Album Growing Out of It Out Now on Vinyl for The First Time Ever

Available for the first time ever on vinyl, the collectors edition deluxe double LP is limited to 500 copies and includes other fan favorites such as “Fred Astaire” and more. The record includes a double insert with song-by-song liner notes from the band.

LBC Growing Out of It LP
  • Pressing Info:
  • 200 copies – Solid Orange
  • 300 copies – Blue & yellow starburst

Purchase the Limited Edition Growing Out of It Vinyl here.

Lucky Boys Confusion Online:

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram


Adrenaline PR, Music Videos, News, Tracks

Ferocious “Beauty-Core” Trio GFM (Gold Frankincense & Myrrh) Debut New Video for Joey Sturgis-Produced Single “Taking Over”

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GFM (Gold Frankincense & Myrrh), a trio of teenage sisters who have already mastered the art of balancing a Paramore style of melodicism with a Slipknot-like ferocity, have debuted a new video for the single “Taking Over.” “Taking Over” is premiering today, exclusively via Alternative Press.

“’Taking Over’ is a song about standing up for yourself and for others,” says bassist/vocalist Maggie English. “We’re not taking no for an answer and nothing is going to stand in our way. The time to join Team GFM is now before it’s too late.”

Visualizing the young band’s sound, which they have dubbed “beautycore,” director Dale Resteghini juxtaposes images of military tanks emblazoned with GFM’s pink logo with aggressive performance footage of the band in their trademark pink GFM cheerleader uniforms, as the sisters proclaim, “Get up, stand tall If we fall, then we fall together/Take your shot, the best you got/We won’t stop, and we’re taking over.”

“The girls crushed the video,” Resteghini says. “I love helping hot new bands breakthrough the noise. One listen to the single ‘Taking Over,’ I knew I had to do this. These young girls have already shown they can handle the rigors of tour life and are destined for greatness!”

The Joey Sturgis (Of Mice & Men, The Devil Wears Prada, Attack Attack!, Asking Alexandria) produced “Taking Over” is the second single from an upcoming EP.

“Prepare to hear GFM at their heaviest,” says Sturgis. “Working on this song was all about capturing the girls at their heaviest moment, shattering your ears while allowing their melodic ability to continue to shine through the rubble.”

Catch GFM Now on the First Ever Social Media E-Tour

While spending time at home during the quarantine, the trio is finding unique ways to connect with Team GFM. GFM is hosting the first ever “e-tour,” virtually touring a variety of different social media pages and platforms. The first round of tour dates have been announced on GFM’s social media pages, with more dates quickly being added. An entire acoustic performance will be featured along with a Q&A session during each livestream. Additionally, fans with a good eye will notice a phone number within the artwork for “Taking Over.” This Easter egg is an active number that is being used as fun and unique way to interact with fans.

“Taking Over” is available via Apple Music

GFM Taking Over Artwork

GFM’s first album, Identity Crisis, was released in 2016, followed by Oh, The Horror! in April 2019. After touring the US multiple times, the group headed overseas to Germany in 2018, where their energetic performances established GFM as a festival favorite. A new EP is scheduled for release this spring.

(Burning Hot Events earns from qualifying purchases.)

The first single from the EP, “I Don’t Need Your Fantasy” was released earlier this year. Listen to the track here.

Members of GFM are endorsed by PRS Guitars, Sinister Guitar Picks, Schecter Guitars, SJC Drums, Sabian Cymbals, 64 Audio, Orange Amps, Gator Cases, Enki USA, Pig Hog Cables, Coffin Cases, TUK Footwear, Cheerleading Company and Boathouse Sports.

GFM Is:

  • CJ Sanders English – Guitar, Vocals
  • Magdalene “Maggie” Rose English – Bass, Vocals
  • Evie “LuLu” Louise English – Drums, Background Vocals

GFM Online:

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram
YouTube | Patreon | Bandsintown

Music Videos, News, Speakeasy PR, Tracks

Baroness Share “Tourniquet (Socially Distant)” Video

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Baroness share a new video for the song “Tourniquet”. Dubbed “Tourniquet (Socially Distant)” the footage features the four band members playing the six-and-a-half minute song at their respective homes, showcasing the band’s ability to both socially isolate and come together to share the message of unity amidst the COVID-19 crisis. Watch the video here.

The band issued a collective comment:

“Hey everyone! Here’s an as-live-as-possible performance of ‘Tourniquet’ that we made over the course of a couple days during this period of isolation.

We have all maintained a rigid policy of social-distancing since becoming aware of this pandemic; which has unfortunately deprived us of our much preferred means of playing music. Throughout this crisis, the overall safety and responsibility of our global human community far outweighs the individual value of any show, festival or tour. We’re refocusing and redoubling our energy to adapt to this situation as it unfolds.

As difficult as it seems to navigate the effects of this virus, the isolation has not stripped us of our passion for Baroness’ music. Playing music so far from our bandmates will never be particularly natural. However, the experience of making this video through emails, texts and phone calls has been a powerful reminder of how inspiring and invigorating music can be in times of stress, struggle and confusion.

We hope you enjoy this performance. It isn’t meant to highlight musical perfection or precision. Personally, it serves as a reminder that, no matter what situation we face, we are still able to enjoy friendship, family and community through something as simple as a song. Isolated but never alone… Baroness.”

The video closes with a message to fans: “Be safe. Be good to each other. Act with personal and civic responsibility. We’ll see you again soon.”

“Tourniquet” is featured on the album Gold & Grey, which arrived in June of 2019 with Stereogum saying the collection “is the best thing Baroness has ever done… a masterpiece,” NME declaring it “a work of art in the truest sense of the word” and NPR, noting the synchronicity between Baroness’ music and imagery, observing that “Gold & Grey feels like a callback to the heyday of the rock album as art object.” The 17-track release debuted atop Billboard’s Hard Rock Albums Sales and Independent Albums’ Charts and found the band gracing the covers of both Revolver and Kerrang! magazines. Baroness has taken fans behind-the-scenes into the making of the Dave Fridmann (The Flaming Lips, At War With The Mystics) produced album, releasing an 11-part web series dubbed “Making Gold & Grey”. Watch here.

The Philadelphia-meets-New York based band have grown to be one of rock music’s most critically-revered as well as one of the most inventive artists of the modern era with each release in their kaleidoscopic canon seeing the band further defining their unique musical vantage point. Baroness’ catalog of studio recordings is: Gold & Grey (2019), Purple (2015), Yellow & Green (2012), Blue Record (2009), Red Album (2007), A Grey Sigh in a Flower Husk (Split LP, 2007), Second (EP, 2004) and First (EP, 2004).

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Baroness Is:

  • John Baizley (vocals/guitar)
  • Gina Gleason (guitar)
  • Nick Jost (bass)
  • Sebastian Thomson (drums)

Baroness Online:

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Kataklizmic Design, Music Videos, Music Videos, News

Songwriter Mark Greenawalt Self-Makes “Don’t Cry Angel” Video While in Quarantine

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PHOENIX — Singer-songwriter Mark Greenwalt took the opportunity to make a music video during the government mandated stay-at-home policy. With a crew of one, he propped his prosumer camera on a tripod to film himself at the piano and behind a guitar playing his original song, “Don’t Cry Angel.” The video was released on his YouTube channel on April 4th, Greenawalt’s 53rd birthday.

The Making of the Video

He co-wrote the song with songwriter Angel Pizzaro in 2011. Pizarro presented the heart-felt lyrics about a personal friend of his who had tragically passed away. The songwriting team crafted the story to discuss the relationship between a new angel and the grieving friends and family they have left behind. “It seemed to have a message,” he said, “for people to relate to who are suffering from losses during our current pandemic.”

The chords and melody of the song were developed while Pizarro sat with Greenawalt at his piano nearly ten years ago. The opportunity to record the song came from a mutually beneficial relationship with the Conservatory of Recording Arts and Sciences (CRAS) in Phoenix, who needs bands and musicians to help their students learn the ropes of professional recording techniques. The core players in the session were Pizarro on drums, Webb Pickersgill on bass, and Greenawalt on keyboards, guitars, and vocals. Student engineer, Daniel Armijo, later stated that he ended up getting a grade of 97 on the project and a song was born.

While in the studio, Greenawalt had shot some video of Pizarro playing drums. “It wasn’t the greatest of quality,” he said, “but it seemed to be a good way to get started on the music video.” There wasn’t any usable footage of Greenawalt and Pickersgill from the studio, and at this point Pickersgill had moved to Colorado to be a game director with Deck Nine (Life Is Strange). Pickersgill, however, was very interested when asked if he would be willing to film himself playing the song. “I’ll bring my bass to work”, he said, “and just ‘Milli-Vanilli’ a few takes on video for you.”

When it was time for Greenawalt to perform his sequences, he envisioned singing in front of a stained glass window. At a loss for where to find one that he could record in front of, he went to YouTube to find a DIY way to make his own. After a trip to the hobby shop to get glass paint and faux leading, he created a mosaic image of angel wings with sun rays reminiscent of the Arizona state flag.

Watch Mark Greenawalt’s Time-Lapse Video

Another project behind the scenes was getting the overhead shots of the piano. For this, Greenawalt build an iPhone carrier and hung it from fishing string over a raised backdrop stand. The raising and lowering was accomplished by reeling the string around a rotating electric drill bit. “It seemed to be a good idea,” said Greenawalt, “but most of the footage was shaky and unusable. It was worth a try and a few clips actually made it into the video.”

Overhead shot of Mark Greenawalt playing the piano

“I wanted to include an aerialist in the video who would be spinning up high in hoop,” he said, “And I envisioned filming them over water and wearing angel wings. With the quarantine if full swing, it didn’t seem like I was going to have the opportunity to get that footage.” The eureka moment came when he found a video on a friend’s page on Facebook that was as beautiful as he had envisioned. I wasn’t over water and aerialist Dakoa O’Kane wasn’t wearing angel wings, but the imagery was stunning. He reached out to videographer Glen Goldblatt for permission to use the footage was thrilled when it was granted. This footage ended up being the bookends of the fade in and fade out of the video.

Aerialist Dakoa O’Kane footage by Videographer Glen Goldblatt

Greenawalt had a guest vocalist come to his home studio to record some harmony vocals on the song after the initial recordings at CRAS. She also “sang” some angelic whispers saying, “Goodbye, I’ll be waiting for you.” This was such a feature in the song that it seemed important to have it performed in the video. Keeping social distancing to a minimum, Greenawalt reached out to his daughter-in-law Savannah Greenawalt to play the part of the angel in the video. There were just a few short takes of her behind the stained glass and some extreme closeups of her singing the harmonies and it was a wrap for Savannah on the home “set.”

Savannah Greenawalt behind Mark Greenawalt’s handmade stained glass window

The rest of the shots were self performed and filmed by Greenawalt in his living room including a “martini shot” of him playing a “keytar” in the recently renovated tile bathroom. He culled on his knowledge from his day job as a lighting designer to successfully illuminate the sets and his brief education from film classes at The Film School at Scottsdale Community College for the editing process.

The video was completed in time for a premiere on the evening of his 53rd birthday where friends and family joined in on the chat to speak with songwriters Greenawalt and Pizarro.

“Don’t Cry Angel”

  • Written by Mark Greenawalt and Angel L. Pizarro Jr.
  • Future-Class X Publishing, ASCAP
  • Faded Periwinkle Publishing, ASCAP

Mark Greenawalt is both a Senior Concert Photographer and part-time Music Journalist for Burning Hot Events! See his concert photography here, and writing here.

Mark Greenawalt Online

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Instagram | YouTube | Patreon


Adrenaline PR, Music Videos, News, Tracks

Italian Melodic Metal Band Ravenscry Releases First Video from Upcoming Album, “100”

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Italian alternative metal band Ravenscry has revealed a video for the first single, “Maybe,” from the upcoming album, 100, set for release on May 15. The “Maybe” video was directed by Salvatore Perrone (Fleshgod Apocalypse, Bring Me the Horizon).

Watch “Maybe” Here:

“‘Maybe’ is a sort of manifesto of the human condition,” says vocalist Giulia Stefani. “It talks about resilience, willingness and finding a way to carry on without any doubt. We hope that anyone listening to this song can find the same energy that we feel in it. ‘Maybe’ it will help somebody to find his/her inner strength.”

“Maybe” is available via Distrokid here.

100

The female-fronted, melodic metal band is launching back onto the global metal scene with the highly anticipated 100. Featuring dramatically soaring vocals, bone-shaking rhythms and dark songwriting, for nearly a decade this fierce group has been hooking millions of listeners worldwide with their infectious anthems. Their first album in three years, 100 attests to Ravenscry’s bold return. With more energy, more melody and even smarter lyrics, 100 stays true to the core of Ravenscry’s sound while remaining accessible enough to hook even more new listeners. Sincere, intelligent and brutally honest — the album sums up the human experience to a tee, from epic highs to soul-crushing lows.

100 was produced by Ravenscry, mixed by Roberto Laghi (In Flames, Hardcore Superstar) and mastered by Dragan Tanasković (In Flames, Dark Tranquillity). The album features artwork by Spanish artist Mario “Aégis” S. Nevado.

Ravenscry 100 Artwork
100 Album Artwork

100 Track Listing:

  1. Maybe
  2. Binary
  3. The Gamer
  4. The Door Inside
  5. The Entertainer
  6. Destination: Nowhere
  7. Light You Up
  8. Leader
  9. Paper Boat
  10. All My Faces
  11. The Gatekeeper

Pre-order 100 now via the Ravenscry webstore here.

About Ravenscry

Ravenscry first made a mark on the world in 2011 with their debut album, One Way Out, and began steadily grinding their way up the ranks of the global metal scene. In 2014, the band spearheaded a campaign to raise awareness about violence against women with the release of The Attraction of Opposites and the single “Alive,” released on International Women’s Day. 2017 saw the release of the concept album The Invisible, which told a complex and mystifying coming of age tale, followed by numerous European festival appearances and tours with Angra and Geoff Tate’s Operation: Mindcrime.

Ravenscry Is:

  • Giulia Stefani – Vocals
  • Mauro Paganelli – Guitar
  • Federico Schiavoni – Guitar
  • Andrea “Fagio” Fagiuoli – Bass
  • Simone “Simon” Carminati – Drums

Ravenscry Online:

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Telegram | Twitter