June 2011

NIGHTRAGE have revealed the following statement about their upcoming 5th album entitled "Insidious" which will be released on September 26th in Europe and a day later in North America.

The new NIGHTRAGE album is ready! We are extremely happy with the results and we look forward to sharing this music with all of you. Here is the journey thus far:

We recorded the music at Zero Gravity studios on Athens, Greece with our great friend Terry Nikas at the helm. He did a fantastic job and provided us with an amazing environment and atmosphere to make the best record possible.

Antony had the pleasure as well to work on the vocals in a very different setting with Ryan Butler at his Arcane Digital Recording studio in Arizona. Ryan has been assisting us with demo sessions since the last album and it felt very natural for us to try the final product with him. We then went to Studio Fredman located in Gothenburg Sweden for the mix and master. Our longtime producer Fredrik Nordstrom and Henrik Udd worked long and hard to make the best out of what we gave them.

We have recorded sixteen songs overall, and as we promised before our guest players actually need no introduction.

TRACKLISTING:

1. So far Away (Intro)
2. Delirium Of The Fallen (w/ Apollo Papathanasio of Firewind)
3. Insidious (w/ Tomas Lindberg of At The Gates/ Lock Up)
4. Wrapped In Deceitful Dreams (w/ Gus G of Ozzy Osbourne/ Firewind & Tom S. Englund of Evergrey)
5. Hate Turns Black
6. Sham Piety (w/ Tomas Lindberg)
7. Cloaked In Wolf Skin
8. This World Is Coming To An End (w/ Tomas Lindberg & Apollo Papathanasio)
9. Utmost Ends Of Pain
10. Poignant Memories
11. Hush Of Night
12. Poisoned Pawn
13. Solar Eclipse (Prelude) (w/ John K of Biomechanical)
14. Solar Corona (w/ Gus G & Tom S Englund)
15. Emblem Of light (Outro) (w/ John K)

Japanese Bonus Track and Digital only bonus:
16. Photograph (Def Leppard cover w/Apollo Papathanasio)

NIGHTRAGE is heading out for the "Frets Of Fury" full North America tour with their partners in crime FIREWIND, ARSIS and WHITE WIZZARD in the of the release of "Insidious":

October 9th, 2011 St. Petersburg, FL The State Theater United States
October 10th, 2011 Atlanta, GA Masquerade United States
October 11th, 2011 West Springfield, VA Jaxx United States
October 12th, 2011 New York, NY Gramercy Theater United States
October 13th, 2011 Manchester, NH Rocko's United States
October 14th, 2011 Montreal, QC Les Foufounes Electriques Canada
October 15th, 2011 Ottawa, ON Maverick's Canada
October 16th, 2011 Cleveland, OH Peabody's United States
October 18th, 2011 Joliet, IL Mojoe's United States
October 19th, 2011 St. Paul, MN Station 4 United States
October 20th, 2011 Winnipeg, MB The Osbourne Village Inn Canada
October 21st, 2011 Edmonton, AB Pawn Shop Canada
October 22nd, 2011 Kelowna, BC Sapphire Nightclub Canada
October 23rd, 2011 Vancouver, BC Rickshaw Theater Canada
October 24th, 2011 Seattle, WA Studio Seven United States
October 25th, 2011 Portland, OR Hawthorne Theater United States
October 26th, 2011 San Francisco, CA Slim?s United States
October 27th, 2011 Los Angeles, CA The Whiskey A Go Go United States

For more info check:
www.facebook.com/nightrage

Australia Rocks The Pier returns on Thursday, July 21st @7-10pm for a night of all-Australian music featuring Missy Higgins, Kim Churchill and Andy Clockwise.  The concert, sponsored by the Australian Consulate-General, Cotton On, Tourism New South Wales (NSW), and V Australia is part of the Santa Monica Pier’s Twilight Dance Series of free Thursday night concerts throughout the summer.

Missy Higgins has enjoyed phenomenal success with her irresistible melodies and heartfelt lyrics. The Los Angeles Times raves, “Missy Higgins has that radiance performers exude just as their stars begin to ascend” and Variety gushes that Missy writes “quality songs with cultural resonance – a true rarity in modern music." After touring the globe with her unforgettable live performances, Missy's highly acclaimed albums The Sound Of White featuring hit singles “Scar” and “Ten Days” and On A Clear Night featuring hits “Where I Stood” and “Steer” have sold over two million copies, landing Missy on the cover of Australian Rolling Stone magazine twice before she turned 25.  Missy is currently recording a new album scheduled for release in early 2012 with Nashville-based producer Brad Jones (Ron Sexsmith, Jill Sobule) and co-producer Australian musician Butterfly Boucher.

Kim Churchill’s soulful voice and beautiful harmonica melodies are indicative of his explosive style. With his trademark intricate fingerpicking and percussive beats on the body of the guitar combined with two-handed tapping intertwined with an earthy stomp box, he is a musical powerhouse. His songwriting reflects his coastal lifestyle with the surf at his front door and his nomadic life on the road.

Andy Clockwise is a Los Angeles-based Australian indie-rock import whose electric and raucous live shows have become a staple on the indie-rock scene. Clockwise's U.S. debut album The Socialite, released in April, has received critical acclaim. Clearly influenced by the likes of Nick Cave, Bob Dylan, Prince and Tom Waits, Clockwise blends rock, pop, synth and punk into self-described "schizo pop." His local success came after achieving national triumphs Down Under, including steady radio play and tours with bands like INXS and The Strokes' Julian Casablancas.

Australia Rocks the Pier is an exciting sampling of Australian contemporary music that will appeal, intrigue and broaden perspectives of Australia’s diversity, talent and culture. Last year beloved cult singer-songwriter Ben Lee headlined a memorable night of Australian music along with rising star Ry Cuming and celtic didgeridoo fusion band Brother for a crowd of over 10,000.

Known for its stunning beauty and an enviable laid-back lifestyle, Australia is a dream destination for those seeking a beautiful escape from the every day. Attendees at Australia Rocks the Pier will have the opportunity to win a fabulous 5-night vacation to Sydney, including a cruise on Sydney Harbour and a tour of the famed Sydney Opera House, courtesy of V Australia and Tourism NSW.

Chris De Cure, the Australian Consul-General in Los Angeles explains, “The Santa Monica Pier is a wonderful, iconic location and we received such an overwhelmingly positive response from audience and industry alike last year that we were very keen to help celebrate Australian artists again this year. The Twilight Dance Series is a great opportunity to share Australian music talent and cultural diversity with the people of Santa Monica and the wider LA community.”

Cotton On’s Elissa Holloway, Marketing and Public Relations Manager says, "Cotton On is very proud of its Aussie heritage, and we are thrilled to be a part of Australia Rocks the Pier for 2011."

www.missyhiggins.com
www.kimchurchill.com
www.andyclockwise.net


Epitaph's newest act Falling In Reverse have just released a brand new video off their debut album "The Drug In Me Is You" the title track for the video features frontman Ronnie Radke dealing with a trial and running from the cops! Expect the band to be hitting the road this summer and do a run of their own headlining tour this fall. Check out the video below.


There is no stopping the House Of Blues (Hollywood) when it comes to the sounds of music for this venue is built of three stories two of which consist of areas where bands can show their amusing talents. For instance the third floor known as the Foundation Room has a hidden room known as the Parish Room where local acts can play, interacting with the crowd in a more personal setting than your average gig.






Tonight the Parish Room would let local go getters Daybreak Ends take center stage playing a set that lasted 30 solid minutes of non-stop hard rock. Their set took tunes off their last 2009 EP release “The Self Unseen” and consisted of much newer hits off their yet to be titled follow-up to 2007’s debut full-length “Perfect Tragedy”.







The band was hidden in disguise by masks that were of rabbits of all things, quite a cute feature but secretly layered with an aggressive trait. The songs sung included such as "All Gemini Die Young", "Before I Drown", and much newer tunes that were so aggressive half the room was left in “awe” as to what they just heard. Frontman Greg told me after the band’s performance that they were ready to enter the studio in July and get down all that needed to be said and would be releasing the long-awaited follow-up soon after.

As such Daybreak End’s performance was solid and heavy never slipping up or giving up the music passion that these musicians have been known to create. 


There is no stopping the House Of Blues (Hollywood) when it comes to the sounds of music for this venue is built of three stories two of which consist of areas where bands can show their amusing talents. For instance the third floor known as the Foundation Room has a hidden room known as the Parish Room where local acts can play, interacting with the crowd in a more personal setting than your average gig.






Tonight the Parish Room would let local go getters Daybreak Ends take center stage playing a set that lasted 30 solid minutes of non-stop hard rock. Their set took tunes off their last 2009 EP release “The Self Unseen” and consisted of much newer hits off their yet to be titled follow-up to 2007’s debut full-length “Perfect Tragedy”.







The band was hidden in disguise by masks that were of rabbits of all things, quite a cute feature but secretly layered with an aggressive trait. The songs sung included such as "All Gemini Die Young", "Before I Drown", and much newer tunes that were so aggressive half the room was left in “awe” as to what they just heard. Frontman Greg told me after the band’s performance that they were ready to enter the studio in July and get down all that needed to be said and would be releasing the long-awaited follow-up soon after.

As such Daybreak End’s performance was solid and heavy never slipping up or giving up the music passion that these musicians have been known to create. 

Starting today, fans can check out the new AMON AMARTH music video for the track Destroyer of the Universe off the band’s latest release Surtur Rising. The live video, which is premiering exclusively on BlankTV, was shot on the band’s May 6th stop in Philadelphia, PA at the Theatre Of Living Arts by director David Brodsky of MyGoodEye (The Black Dahlia Murder, The Devin Townsend Project, Suicide Silence, Municipal Waste, Whitechapel, etc).

“This time around we wanted to catch the energy and atmosphere of a live show, so we simply went for a live video. We look forward to get back to North America in August to continue and fulfill the ‘Evening’ tour, meanwhile enjoy the video.” comments guitarist Olavi Mikkonen.


In a recap of the band’s last tour in the US, Concertconfessions.com opined: "What is most beautiful about AMON AMARTH's triumph of America is that it’s as pure as the music itself... Friends sharing with friends the magic of the music, that is a true token of success and judging on the reaction from Southern California on Easter Sunday 2011 – AMON AMARTH will have success for a very long time." The Washington Times applauded the band for leaving, “the sold-out crowd awestruck by [their] mastery of melodic death metal," About.com boasted, “I was highly impressed by AMON AMARTH’s stage presentation, which easily rivals that of bands that normally fill arenas," while Skullsnbones.com put it simply: "One band came and conquered Atlanta and their name is AMON AMARTH. Hailz!"

Don’t forget to catch AMON AMARTH live when the band returns to North America for the second leg of the “An Evening with AMON AMARTH” tour.

Scheduled to kick off in Vancouver on August 4, the trek will ravage its way through 21 cities, including several Canadian venues, and come to a close in Boise, ID on September 3. The first set will again feature the band performing the recently-released, critically-acclaimed Surtur Rising album in its entirety while the second will offer up mixed bag of tunes from their extensive catalog of Norse-inspired awesomeness.

An Evening with AMON AMARTH:

8/04/2011 Commodore Ballroom – Vancouver, BC
8/06/2011 MacEwen Hall – Calgary, AB
8/07/2011 Edmonton Events Centre – Edmonton, AB
8/08/2011 Odeon – Saskatoon, SK
8/09/2011 The Garrick Centre – Winnipeg, MB
8/12/2011 The Phoenix Theatre – Toronto, ON
8/13/2011 Metropolis – Montreal, QC
8/14/2011 Imperial de Quebec – Quebec City, QC
8/16/2011 Mr. Small’s – Millvale, PA
8/17/2011 St. Andrew’s Hall – Detroit, MI
8/19/2011 Ram’s Head Live – Baltimore, MD
8/20/2011 Starland Ballroom – Sayreville, NJ
8/21/2011 Water Street Music Hall – Rochester, NY
8/23/2011 Expo Five – Louisville, KY
8/24/2011 The Rave – Milwaukee, WI
8/26/2011 House of Blues – Houston, TX
8/27/2011 House of Blues – Dallas, TX
8/29/2011 Sunshine Theatre – Albuquerque, NM
8/31/2011 House of Blues – Anaheim, CA
9/01/2011 House of Blues – Las Vegas, NV
9/02/2011 The Complex – Salt Lake City, UT
9/03/2011 The Knitting Factory - Boise, ID

The eighth studio offering from one of Sweden’s finest death metal exports, Surtur Rising was released in North America on March 29, 2011 via Metal Blade Records and continues to reap praise from fans and critics alike. AMON AMARTH nailed a cover spot of the April 2011 issue of Decibel Magazine and earned a 9/10 rating from Outburn who commended the band for delivering “a collection that is brimming with beefy riffs, insidious melodies, and a truly epic sense of scale.” Fearnet.com agreed saying AMON AMARTH is now “at the head of the class,” Metal Review gave it a 9.2/10 score calling it “one of the band's very best releases,” while Metal Army America offered up a grade “A” review noting, “from the Stockholm-bred riff style to frontman Johan Hegg’s Cimmerian-esque performance as growler du jour, AMON AMARTH’s Surtur Rising proves to be an essential and defining listen for band and fans alike.”

Album site: http://www.surturrising.com/
Website: http://www.amonamarth.com/
Official Merch: http://www.victoriousmerch.de/
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/OfficialAmonAmarth
Twitter: http://twitter.com/amonamarthband
MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/amonamarth
YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/amonamarthofficial
LastFM: http://www.last.fm/music/Amon+Amarth

Athens, Ohio's SKELETONWITCH have announced "Forever Abomination," as the title of their new record, slated for a fall 2011 release. Be sure to check out ForeverAbomination.com for the latest updates on the album and pre-order. The band has been in Los Angeles recording the follow-up to 2009's acclaimed, "Breathing the Fire," with producer Matt Hyde (Slayer, Machine Head, Kreator) The album features the track "The Infernal Resurrection," the demo version of which appears as the B-side on the final 7-inch of a limited-edition vinyl trilogy (pictured below), which is now shipping from PROSTHETIC RECORDS' webstore.

The band will play two Midwestern shows -- their first with new drummer Dustin Boltjes -- before heading to Europe for a run of dates which include performances at several of the continent's biggest metal festivals.They will then be participating in a fall North American tour along with ARCH ENEMY, DEVILDRIVER and  CHTHONIC.

SKELETONWITCH's confirmed dates, as of now, are as follows:




7/27      Cleveland, OH - Peabody's Down Under w/ Obscura
7/30      Indianapolis, IN- Vollrath Tavern w/ Demiricous, Gates of Slumber
8/4       Dortmund, NW, DE- FZW Freizeitzentrum West
8/6       Wacken, GER- Wacken Open Air
8/8       Toulouse, FR- La Dynamo
8/9       Montpellier, FR- The Secret Place
8/11      Jaromer, Czech  Republic- Brutal Assault
8/12      Schlotheim, GER- Party San
8/13      Walton On Trent, UK- Canton Hall/Bloodstock
8/14      Nottingham, UK- Rock City
8/16      London, UK- Barfly
8/19      Dinkelsbühl, GER- Summer Breeze
8/20      Dinkelsbühl, GER- Summer Breeze
9/8       Baltimore, MD - Rams Head Live #
9/9       New York, NY - Best Buy Theater #
9/10      Worcestor, MA - Palladium #
9/12      Quebec, QC, Canada - Theatre Imperial #
9/13      Montreal, QC, Canada - Metropolis #
9/14      Toronto, ON, Canada - Phoenix Concert Theatre #
9/17      Winnipeg, MN, Canada - The Garrick Centre #
9/19      Calgary, AB, Canada - MacEwan Conference & Event Centre, University of Calgary #
9/20      Edmonton, AB, Canada - Edmonton Event Centre #
9/22      Vancouver, BC, Canada - Commodore Ballroom #
9/23      Seattle, WA - Showbox Sodo #
9/24      Spokane, WA - Knitting Factory Concert House #
9/26      San Fransisco, CA - Regency Center #
9/27      Los Angeles, CA - Club Nokia #
9/29      Phoenix, AZ - Marquee Theater #
9/30      Albuquerque, NM - Sunshine Theater #
10/1      Englewood, CO - Gothic Theatre #
10/3      Minneapolis, MN - First Avenue #
10/4      Chicago, IL - House of Blues #
# w/ Arch Enemy, Devildriver

SKELETONWITCH spent the past year and a half supporting"Breathing the Fire," which was recorded in Seattle with legendary producer Jack Endino (Nirvana, High On Fire, Soundgarden) and debuted at #151 on the Billboard Top 200 Chart and #2 on the magazine's Heatseekers' Chart. The band spent time on the road with Cannibal Corpse, 1349, Children of Bodom and The Black Dahlia Murder, among others, and appeared on 2010's Ozzfest.

Huntington Beach, Californians National Product have been on hiatus for the past three years no one knew what happened to them or if they would ever return. But now the truth has been revealed....

Frontman Danny Casler has been busy traveling the world and working on his new solo side project, Rescue as of January 2010 - but after fans inquired about his previous project National Product Casler filled everyone in. He says that he spoke with the rest of the guys and says that the band is still together and is in the process of discussing a new record.



This would be the follow-up to 2007's "Luna" release a deluxe version of that album was suppose to come about during the brink of the band's 2008 touring run according to an interview with Casler the night of a National Product's showcase that happened in Hollywood at the Knitting Factory, but that has not yet been re-released.

Follow up on all of the latest National Product news and current events via their Facebook, MySpace, and Twitter!