Tag: album

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Music Music News

Circa Survive DIY Album Details


American band Circa Survive have announced the release of their fourth full-length album, ‘VIOLENT WAVES‘, due out on August 28th. The five-piece band recorded and self-produced the eleven-track album earlier this year at Studio 4 in their hometown of Philadelphia and will be self-releasing the album using direct-to-fan distribution, a step away from thier previous endevaours with Equal Vision and Atalntic Records.

In conjunction with Topspin Media, The Uprising Creative and Firebrand, the band has built a web delivery system that will allow them to deliver their new album directly to fans without any record label or distributor involvement. The band – who’s style is rooted in progressive-rock and punk- have a close relationship with their fans and believe this method as the best way of connecting with them and establishing the future of Circa Survive in the current economic climate.

Guitarist Colin Frangicetto comments:

“Collectively we’ve run the gamut from working with really small DIY labels to big indies all the way to a major label. The band has learned a ton from each of those experiences and at this point feel confident in our ability to successfully produce, release and promote a record on our own. There’s really nothing more satisfying to us then bringing our vision to the world in this way.”

Vocalist Anthony Green added:

“By choosing to download our music directly from us, you are choosing to give our band a future and directly supporting us and our families.”

A variety of bundle options are available including deluxe vinyl packaging hand-painted by the band members, or for just $5 fans can purchase the digital version of Violent Waves.

Orders can be made directly through the band here.

Expect an album review and UK/Euro show announcements to follow here at Crossfire.

Words: Emma Wallace

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Music Music News

As I Lay Dying Album and Tour News


After dominating the Rockstar Energy Drink Mayhem Festival Tour in the US alongside Slipknot, Slayer and many others, metalcore heroes As I Lay Dying have announced details of thier sixth studio album…

‘Awakened‘ will drop on September 25th with a UK/Euro tour to commence in the following month.’ Awakened‘ was recorded in the Blasting Room in Fort Collins, CO with renowned rock producer Bill Stevenson (Descendents) and mixer Colin Richardson (Bullet For My Valentine). The track listing for the follow up to 2011’s ‘Decas EP‘ and 2010’s ‘The Powerless Rise‘ is as follows:

1. Cauterize
2. A Greater Foundation
3 .Resilience
4. Wasted Words
5. Whispering Silence
6. Overcome
7. No Lungs to Breathe
8. Defender
9. Washed Away
10. My Only Home
11. Tear Out My Eyes

Pre-orders can be made now via Metal Blade Records.

Below are the tour dates for As I Lay Dying (with Trivium, Caliban, Upon A Burning Body). Tickets are on sale now from all usual outlets.

OCTOBER
15th Manchester, Ritz
16th Glasgow, ABC
17th Birmingham, Institute
19th Bristol, Academy
20th Norwich, UEA
21st London, Shephards Bush Empire

Words: Emma Wallace

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Music Music News Preview

The Story So Far Album and Tour News


If you are into the heavyweight variety of pop-punk (think Four Year Strong, Set Your Goals), The Story So Far are definitely ones to check out. The Californian band were one of the highlights of this years Slam Dunk Festival and are noted as one of the most promising acts on the circuit right now.

The band have just announced they will release a new album, ‘Under Soil and Dirt’ on the 8th October 2012 via Pure Noise. It is reported ‘Under Soil and Dirt’ captures the highs and lows of coming of age, relationships and friendships presented in a heavy, yet catchy format. If single ‘Quicksand‘ is anything to go by, ‘Under Soil and Dirt‘ will certainty be worth picking up. The track listing for the album is as follows:

1. State and Minds
2. Roam
3. Quicksand
4. Swords and Pens
5. High Regard
6. Daughters
7. Mt. Diablo
8. Four Years
9. Rally Cap
10. Placeholder
11. Closure

The Story So Far are back on our shores this November playing the UK leg of Warped Tour as well some shows with New Found Glory and a trio of headline gigs. Catch the band at the following dates:

NOVEMBER
Thurs 1st Margate, West Coast Bar
Fri 2nd Coventry, Kasbah
Sat 3rd Bournemouth, Sound Circus
Sun 4th Nottingham, Rock City (w/New Found Glory, Less Than Jake, and Man Overboard)
Mon 5th Manchester, Academy (w/New Found Glory, Less Than Jake, and Man Overboard)
Tues 6th Leeds, University (w/New Found Glory, Less Than Jake, and Man Overboard)
Weds 7th Glasgow, Barrowland (w/New Found Glory, Less Than Jake, and Man Overboard)
Thurs 8th Norwich, UEA (w/New Found Glory, Less Than Jake, and Man Overboard)
Fri 9th Cardiff, University Great Hall (w/New Found Glory, Less Than Jake, and Man Overboard)
Sat 10th London, Alexandra Palace (UK Warped Tour)

Words: Emma Wallace

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Features Interviews Music

Interview: Sharks

With influences ranging between The Clash, The Buzzcocks, Joy Division and Black Flag, the Leamington Spa quartet, Sharks, are right up our street. We caught up with the James Mattock (lead vocals and guitar) and Andrew Bayliss (guitar) backstage at Hevy Festival before their set to discuss their album ‘No Gods’, signing to Rise Records and their plans for the future…

So for those who don’t know much about Sharks, if you could describe your band in three words, what would you say?

James: God I don’t know….

Andrew: Well, I’m going to go all cheesy and say, ‘Rock. And. Roll’. Sounds so cheesy I know, but it does sum us up quite nicely.

You’ve been on tour with some awesome bands, who would you say are the most inspiring bands you’ve toured with?

James: Oh I don’t know, there are so many… but Social Distortion was cool. Gallows, The Gaslight Anthem…

Andrew: We’ve been so lucky with tours, we’ve had some really good ones. We’ve had a mixed bag, lots of different genres and plenty of big names.

You’re signed to Rise Records, they are currently famous for their metalcore bands, although they do have some sweet punk bands like The Bouncing Souls. What was it that swayed you to Rise Records?

Andrew: They were just very enthusiastic and passionate about wanting to put out our records. We were a little skeptical at first because as you say their roster does lean more towards metalcore, and at the time they hadn’t signed The Bouncing Souls and other bands like that. We were one of the first bands for them to sign that was different to what they had been doing but they were so passionate we went with it.

James: Yeah, we knew of their aspirations to branch out and we were proud to be the band they wanted to branch out with, so yeah, we just went for it! They are a very good label if you want to attempt to crack America. So far they’ve helped us a lot. The only negative thing about signing to Rise Records is that people might see our video on Rise Records Youtube etc and then be a bit confused, like,’Hang on, this doesn’t sound like Of Mice & Men, where the fuck is the breakdown?!’.

Andrew: We were just enthusiastic for people to hear the record, and Rise really wanted to get it out there. We’re pleased to have signed to them.

How has the overall reception been for your latest record ‘No Gods’?

James: Overall its been great! Even these more sort of hardcore kids are into it, I’ve heard they regard it as their ‘chill out’ music, which is a little odd as essentially we are still a punk band! But whatever, as long as people are getting into it, that’s cool!

Andrew: I’m still really proud of that record. We went in with something that is the polar opposite to what we put out, but I think that’s for the best. Brian McTernan, the producer, really helped to reign us in and get a more focused sound, because to start with, looking back it was more of just a jam!

James: I can’t put my finger on it, there’s material that has inspired us from all over. Some really old stuff too. We wrote it over a few years, whereas the current record we are writing over a smaller time scale, like two months! So its hard to say what our influences were when its such a long time span. We were just aiming for a solid debut, a timeless guitar record.

Andrew: We wanted the production raw, we wanted to walk on that line between a nicely produced record and something that is still quite alive. Kind of like The Gaslight Anthem, although they definitely have a different sound, its that kind of guitar record.

Are there plans in the pipeline for new material and tours?

James: Yeah, its going good. I guess we are about half way through a record. We’ll aim for about 20 songs, then cut back.

Andrew: We want to get it wrapped up as quick as possible to keep the positive attitude going and get people to hear new stuff. As much as we like ‘No Gods’ we aren’t going to sit on it for too long.

James: We want it written by the end of the year, and I guess we’ll have to see where we are financially, we might have to record it ourselves. At the moment we are focusing on getting the best songs we can to get out there as quickly as possible.

Andrew: We aren’t on the road as much as we have been, so we are using all this down time to write. Although saying that, we are heading out to Australia soon which we are so looking forward to, and then Japan after that!

James: Hopefully we’ll have a UK/Euro tour soon, maybe November time.

WORDS: EMMA WALLACE

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Album Reviews Buzz Chart Music Reviews

Don Broco

DON BROCO
Priorities
[Search & Destroy Records]


Everyone loves a bit of catchy pop-punk from time to time, and Don Broco have offered some of the tastiest tracks of that variety to come from 2012 so far. The album opens up with title track ‘Priorities’, a great punchy start with lyrics that everyone can relate too… You know that friend that always ditches you as soon as they have a new partner? Well ‘Priorities’ is a tongue-in –cheek, patronizing outlook on those kinds of people.

In fact, Rob Damiani’s lyrics are a very matter of fact interpretation of trivial trials and tribulations that go on in every day life. Despite being so straight forward, the words aren’t just brushed away; they are easy to connect with making Don Broco’s album more engaging as a whole. However, there are also flashes of maturity with ‘Back In The Day’ commenting on the London riots. With similar intonation to Lower Than Atlantis’s Mike Duce (but with less of the arrogance and greater charm) Rob’s vocals add depth to ‘Priorities’.

Tracks such as ‘In My World’ are upbeat and uplifting, the guitar work could be compared to early Kids In Glass Houses whereas songs like ‘Actors’ sway more towards the punk side of pop and reflect bands like Transit, Title Fight and The Story So Far.

Full credit should be given to Don Broco for producing a truly pleasing album. With forthcoming festival appearances (including Reading & Leeds) and a UK tour with The Dangerous Summer, expect Don Broco to hit the big time right away.

WORDS: EMMA WALLACE

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Album Reviews Buzz Chart Music Reviews

Gallows

GALLOWS
S/T
(Venn/PIAS)
www.gallows.co.uk

So, your bicycle has been in the repair shop, getting a new front wheel fitted (the old one unexpectedly broke loose after six-odd years of loyal service). You’re excited, but slightly nervous, mainly because it’s an awesome bicycle, and you’re hoping that it’ll give you as much joy with the new wheel as it did with the old one. The guys at the shop say that this new wheel is pretty impressive, though, so you’re waiting with bated breath.

You’ve probably figured out the analogy by now. Gallows are back with album number three; their first with former Alexisonfire guitarist Wade MacNeil at the helm, and probably as good a riposte to their critics and doubters as we could have hoped for.

Make no mistake, this is a Gallows record through and through. From the moment ‘Victim Culture’ kicks in after a sinister spoken-word intro, those signature raw rock n’ roll riffs, squalling guitar solos and raucous gang vocals are all present in abundance, and sounding more muscular than ever. Frank Carter left large shoes to fill, but MacNeil proves himself more than capable; a hardcore screamer among the best of them, but able to hold a tune when it’s called for (most notably on the intro of the gloriously anthemic ‘Outsider Art’, which is sure to incite mayhem live).

None of this would matter much if the songs were substandard, but among the eleven tracks on offer here are some of Gallows’ best songs to date. ‘Everybody Loves You (When You’re Dead)’ matches anything from ‘Grey Britain’ or ‘Orchestra Of Wolves’ in ferocity alone; a stinging indictment of the ‘don’t speak ill of the dead’ mentality. ‘Depraves’ surfs in on a jagged Laurent Barnard riff before exploding into a carpe diem chorus that will have you howling along with conviction. Elsewhere, ‘Vapid Adolescent Blues’ and ‘Cult Of Mary’ are hardcore belters shot through with shards of melody, seething and writhing exactly as they should.

Long viewed as plucky underdogs who have survived (and prospered) through no little determination, it seems that the adversity of Carter’s departure has resulted in Gallows returning angrier and hungrier than ever. Mark my words: this bicycle has what it takes to go the distance.

They’ll be playing the Lock-Up Stage at this year’s Reading/Leeds festivals, before embarking on a full UK tour in October.

Words: Alex Gosman

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Music Music News New Releases Preview

Gallows announce tour & release

Gallows have burst back into the consciousness of the punk scene with the announcement of a new album, tour and FREE single download ‘Last June’ available via www.gallows.co.uk

The bands next full length release will hit the shelves in September, the 12 track record will be the bands first since the departure of Frank Carter and the arrival of former Alexisonfire man Wade MacNeil as vocalist. The album will be self-titled with the following track listing:

‘Victim Culture’
‘Everybody Loves You (When You’re Dead)’
‘Last June’
‘Outsider Art’
‘Vapid Adolescent Blues’
‘Austere’
‘Depravers’
‘Odessa’
‘Nations’
‘Never Enough’
‘Cult Of Mary’
‘Cross Of Lorraine’

In support of the release Gallows will be hitting the road and touring across the UK with the opener taking place at Brighton’s Haunt and the tour closing at Camden’s Underworld. Support will come from Feed The Rhino and Brotherhood of the Lake

OCTOBER
03 BRIGHTON Haunt
04 EXETER Cavern
05 BRISTOL Fleece
06 MANCHESTER Club Academy
08 NEWCASTLE O2 Academy 2
09 GLASGOW King Tut’s Wah Wah Hut
11 NOTTINGHAM Rock City Basement
12 SHEFFIELD Corporation
13 STOKE Sugarmill
14 WREXHAM Central Station
15 LEEDS Cockpit
16 PETERBOROUGH Club Revolution
17 BIRMINGHAM O2 Academy 2
19 LONDON Underworld

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Music News

Ex Gallows singer releases first Pure Love track

pure_love_bury_my_bonesEx Gallows singer Frank Carter has finally released the first offering from his new musical project Pure Love this week. Switching from raging hardcore to mainstream 80’s rock, this new song written with ex Hope Conspiracy member Jim Carroll has divided the Gallows fanbase like a marmite bomb and has more in common sound wise with Manic Street Preachers, Journey and The Darkness than previous mentors Black Flag, surprising many.

Watch the video of first single ‘Bury My Bones’ and if you like what you hear get a free download of the single here in exchange for some details.

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Album Reviews Buzz Chart Music Reviews

letlive.

Fake History
Epitaph Records

letlive.fake historyOn first hearing ‘Le Prologue’, the opening track to ‘Fake History’, it’s easy to assume that you’re about to hear a drawn out, suspense building intro track that you would’ve lost interest in before reaching any kind of semblance to a song… but no, letlive. write off the suspense and unleash an outrageous and calculated assault, aimed straight at your unsuspecting nervous system feet first with big fucking boots on. Before you know it, track two, ‘The Sick, Sick 6.8 billion’, has happened and it’s happened hard, and you don’t get a chance to breath until it’s over.

If you miss the time when Anthony Green was still in Saosin, and Glassjaw had just released Worship and Tribute, ‘Fake History’ is probably going to blow your mind. In terms of a post-hardcore record, it’s near perfect, and considering the fact that it’s basically an hour long, keeping the listener interested is a victory in itself. ‘Fake History’ achieves this with variety. Each track is a journey, both vocally and musically, and this allows the whole record to ebb and flow as a whole. Vocalist Jason Aalon Butler can belt out an ear-splitting scream, switch effortlessly to a whisper, and tops it off by holding those big notes in a way that Andrea Bocelli would most likely have busted a blood vessel or two. The drums on ‘Casino Columbus’ sound like thick, heavy artillery whereas tracks like ‘Lemon Party’ provide rhythms that’ll have your dancing shoes on in seconds. Sure, loads of bands can mix it up in an album, but what sets this apart is that it’s all presented so damn stylishly. All the musicians are solid and it’s undeniable that Butler’s vocal skills are slick as hell and more than accomplished.

If you were fortunate enough to see them at the Old Blue Last for their first UK headline show, then you won’t need convincing. If you missed it, fear not, for it seems clear that letlive. are a bomb that will be exploding into your lives, turning and rolling heads simultaneously, and ‘Fake History’ is lighting the fuse. This album is what you love about post-hardcore. It highlights everything that was good and exciting about the genre: unforgiving and impassioned vocal hooks, a rhythm section that is both restrained and relentless, all of which will get you singing, dancing and generally losing your shit.

Oli Knowles

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Music News

James Blake album art and tracklisting revealed

The heavily anticipated self-titled debut from James Blake is out on February 7th through ATLAS and today the artwork and tracklisting was revealed.

It’s exactly what we hoped would come from a producer who challenged what can be achieved in the EP department this year, something that even on first glance looks and sounds like a fully realised body of work that will perhaps redirect the London sound in a direction that favours singing and songwriting while maintaining that post-Burial fog that has so wonderfully provided the capital with its own soundtrack over the past few years.

The tracklisting is as follows:

1. Unluck
2. Wilhelms Scream
3. I Never Learnt To Share
4. Lindesfarne I
5. Lindesfarne II
6. Limit To Your Love
7. Give Me My Month
8. To Care (Like You)
9. Why Don’t You Call Me
10. I Mind
11. Measurements

Look out for a review soon as this record is almost certainly going to be a buzzer in our ears for a good portion of 2011. Enjoy the video to his breakthrough ‘Limit To Your Love‘ below.

James Blake – Limit To Your Love from James Blake on Vimeo.