HM News Update: Week Ending 8-10

Living Sacrifice Posts New Songs
Living Sacrifice has two new songs available for download. Here's what Jay Mindeman says of the tunes: I once read that Prince was the only artist who could make any instrument sound like percussion. Evidently, the author never listened to Living Sacrifice. LS has released two songs (for digital download only - I got mine off of itunes) to hold us over until their new album in the spring of 09. Both tunes are outstanding. Once again LS turns guitars and drums into a blunt instrument, a singular percussive force that is immediately distinguishable from any of their upstart followers. The first song, Deathmachine, starts out as a roar and rips into syncopated mayhem, punctuated by a snarling chorus that is both catchy and 100% metal. Song #2, The Battle, is even better. The guitar riffs sound like a maniacal rhythm machine programmed to sound impossibly complex and organically simple at the same time. Add in a punishing breakdown / solo section (complete with a hypnotic groove) you'll see why this quickly became one of my favorite LS songs ever. Download these songs now:
myspace.com/livingsacrifice

My Epic's I Am Undone Out Now
The soundtrack of a hopeful youth shimmers inside the unassuming three piece that is My Epic; and August 5th they released their Dreamt Music/Facedown Records debut full-length I Am Undone. My Epic have become the unforeseen antidote to apathy with song after song evoking raw emotion wrapped in a palpable tenderness. Soaring refrains and dynamic vocals breeze in and out of carefully sculpted songs with alternated softness and exuberance. When inspiration comes from beauty the result is anything but ordinary, and for My Epic the results are unforgettable. You can hear two songs from I Am Undone here:
myspace.com/myepic

Agraceful Readies August 19th Release
Melodic hardcore / screamo outfit from Dayton, Ohio Agraceful has posted “The Servants are Tongues of Fire Part 2” on their myspace, a new song off of their Sumerian Records debut album, The Great I Am, out August 19th. This is the fourth track from the album that they’ve allowed fans to preview on their myspace site with the intention of showcasing the different facets of Agraceful. They will be on the road until the start of October, first with Oh, Sleeper and then with label mates Sea of Treachery and I See Stars. To listen to the song as well as find more information on the band, their tour dates, and news on The Great I Am, go to:
myspace.com/agraceful

War Of Ages Tours With Hatebreed
Facedown Records is proud to announce War of Ages on tour in support of Hatebreed this fall. Beginning September 2nd after finishing their tour with Oh, Sleeper, War of Ages will begin a two-week series of dates with Hatebreed concentrated largely in the northeast. War of Ages released their new album Arise and Conquer on July 22nd and will be touring in support of it.
Tour Dates With Hatebreed, Emmure and Soilent Green:
Sep 2 Detroit, MI
Sep 3 Cleveland, OH
Sep 4 Lancaster, PA
Sep 5 Richmond, VA
Sep 7 Raleigh, NC
Sep 8 West Springfield, VA
Sep 9 Farmingdale, NY
Sep 10 Burlington, VT
Sep 11 Portland, MN

House Of Heroes Has Number One Single
House of Heroes is seeing huge momentum with their upcoming release The End Is Not The End including a #1 radio hit single, fall touring plans with Relient K, and over 1 million plays on their MySpace page. The End Is Not The End, the band’s second major label studio release, will be available at iTunes this September 23rd. The first radio single “In the Valley of the Dying Sun” recently nabbed #1 spots at both R&R Rock as well as CRW Rock charts. Comments Jake Scott of The Refuge Reactor (refugeradio.com), “House of Heroes has earned the title of artist by combining swift key and tempo changes with thoroughly narrative yet genuinely poetic lyrics, demonstrating that hit songs need not be the result of some worn-out formula for radio success. This track provides listeners with a much-appreciated display of true musical originality and inventiveness.” With three songs already available free online here, the full 15-song album will be at iTunes on September 23rd for $9.99. Fans will be also able to purchase the full album at House of Heroes shows starting September 18th. Upcoming tour dates for House of Heroes include two shows with the band Filter (8/8 in Bellefontaine, OH and 8/10 in Grand Rapids, MI), as well as a 25-city fall tour with Relient K.
Tour listings can be found online at:
myspace.com/houseofheroes

Brooke Barrettsmith Does Road Journal For Fans
Fans will have a chance to catch up with what new Essential Records pop/rock artist Brooke Barrettsmith has been doing while on the road. New video clips of her road travels and summer performances are now live on her website and on YouTube. Brooke is constantly updating her video journal with new footage, plus she recently created a Facebook page.
For more information, please visit:
brookerocks.com
youtube.com/brookebarrettsmith

Alakrity Releases Album Digitally
Independent pop/punk band, Alakrity, is excited to announce the release of their new, full-length album, Whatever Happened To Good TV?. The album is available now through iTunes, Rhapsody, Napster, eMusic, GroupieTunes, Amazon MP3 and Lala. "A great album is like a great recipe, really. You take a few hardworking musicians, an excellent producer, maybe a few nuts…all sprinkled with the love and support of our good families, and ultimately, that makes one sweet record to listen to," explains Alakrity’s lead singer, Phil Carper. “We had a great experience recording this album and had the opportunity to work with some pretty amazing people. We’re excited to get the music out there and hopefully impact some lives in the process.” Whatever Happened To Good TV? is all of the energy and excitement that fans have come to expect from Alakrity, while also addressing issues that young people may face in today’s world; the song “Good Luck, We’re All Counting On You” addresses high school students’ reluctance to share their faith, and “Just Words” emphasizes the value of life. This first full-length album was helmed by renowned producer Dan Needham (Everlife) and includes a special guest appearance from Petra’s John Schlitt on Alakrity’s cover of the classic song, “Beyond Belief”. “Alakrity exudes more energy, enthusiasm and dedication than any other band that I've worked with,” exclaims producer, Dan Needham. “Their combination of great hooks and raw talent will surely keep these guys on the scene for a long time to come!" Carper (guitar/vocals), Brad LeBaron (bass/vocals), Peter Murray (guitar), Joe Schwensen (guitar/keys/vocals) and Andy Lutz (drums) started making music together during high school in Beloit, Wisconsin where, soon after graduation, the band was signed to independent label, Spurgatory Records. They are also signed to an exclusive management contract with Robert Rodriguez of Robert Anthony Management. Alakrity hit the ground running with their first label release, You Are Here EP and in 2007 the band toured extensively, making stops at several summer festivals and taking home the grand prize in the Launchpad competition, a state-wide battle of the bands in Wisconsin.
For more information about Alakrity:
alakrityonline.com
myspace.com/alakrity

Ten Shekel Shirt Signs With APA
The Agency for the Performing Arts (APA) proudly announces the signing of Rounder Records’ recording band Ten Shekel Shirt to their Nashville based music division. Ten Shekel Shirt’s album Jubilee will hit stores nationwide on August 19th. Lamont Hiebert, the lead singer and songwriter of Ten Shekel Shirt, describes himself as an artist and an abolitionist. As an artist, he’s a gifted singer, songwriter and bandleader who evokes comparisons from Snow Patrol to Coldplay to Peter Gabriel for his richly textured music, emotive singing and thoughtful lyrics and who’s already sold 150,000 copies of his first two albums. The band’s first single from Jubilee, “Spark” is currently being worked to Christian CHR and A/C and in August will be taken to AAA as well. Mark Guynn, Head of the Christian Division for APA states, “To have the opportunity to work with an artist of Lamont’s caliber while at the same time helping further the cause of his Love146- anti-human trafficking organization, is like a ‘perfect storm’ of career and spiritual gratification all at once!”
For more information and future tour dates on Ten Shekel Shirt:
tenshekelshirt.com

The Showdown Releases New Track
Tennessee metallers THE SHOWDOWN have posted another brand-new track from their upcoming album, Back Breaker. “Hephaestus – The Hammer of The Gods” is streaming now on the band’s official MySpace and Purevolume sites. The explosive, highly anticipated album from THE SHOWDOWN will see an August 19 release date by way of the band’s new home at Solid State Records. Back Breaker is THE SHOWDOWN’s third full length release and first album on Solid State. Stay tuned for tour dates (alongside Norma Jean) and more as it unfolds.
For more information:
myspace.com/theshowdown
theshowdownmetal.com

Annie Moses Band Announces Holiday Album
The world-class musicians that comprise the five-member Annie Moses Band will release This Glorious Christmas on October 7, 2008 (Reunion Records). With the release of This Glorious Christmas, the all-sibling group makes its most stunning statement yet, telling the story of Christ’s birth, with a mix of original tunes and holiday classics, as never heard before. Annie Moses Band is an eclectic blend of classical, jazz and pop music that draws from the family’s three-generation musical journey, all the way from rural Texas to the halls of The Juilliard School. The Annie Moses Band is: Annie (lead vocals, violin), Alex (viola, background vocals), Benjamin (cello), Gretchen (violin, mandolin) and Camille (harp, piano). Jeremiah (guitar), the group’s 10-year-old brother, is currently working towards becoming a full-time member of the band. Through This Glorious Christmas, which was produced by Alex Wolaver and Robin Wolaver, mother to the children, the family group focuses on finding fresh and unusual musical elements surrounding the Christmas season, through the new songs. In fact, This Glorious Christmas contains a dizzying array of musical styles, ranging from a bit of Latin flair on “God Rest Ye Merry Gentleman,” to the 1940s big band sounds of “Red, White and Blue Christmas.” Holiday standards, such as “Go Tell It On the Mountain” and “O Come, O Come Emmanuel,” add a touch of the familiar to the project, but the Annie Moses Band’s indelible stamp is evident thanks to the arrangements of the sibling’s father, Bill Wolaver. “Christmas incites both happiness and reverence,” lead singer Annie Wolaver explains. “I hope people find that this album explores the miraculous event that inspired the ultimate good news of great joy – the birth of Jesus Christ. We really want it to be a ‘spiritual feast’ for all who listen; fully painting pictures and imagery in people’s minds and hearts.” As the Annie Moses Band continues recording (the band will release a non-seasonal album in early 2009) and touring, they are ever mindful of passing on the legacy given to them, to a new generation of musicians. After nearly every concert, parents come up and ask how their children can excel in the arts. In evidence of the band’s hope to raise up a generation of excellence among musicians in the Church, the Annie Moses Band has begun holding “Fine Arts Summer Academies” to share the depth of musical knowledge the band has to offer. Its most recent academy took place last week (July 14-18, 2008) in Memphis, Tenn. The Annie Moses Band dates back three generations to the sibling’s great-grandmother, who is the actual Annie Moses for which the group is named. Though she was a simple field worker in rural Texas, Annie recognized her daughter Jane’s profound musical talent and desire to learn more. Thanks to Annie Moses’ determination, Jane was able to excel musically, despite the family’s meager resources. Jane passed that same drive on to her daughter, Robin Wolaver, who in turned passed it on to her children. The family has taken its musical inheritance, passed down through its family tree, to create a distinctive musical world, all its own. In fact, Annie, Alex and Benjamin have been trained at the world-renowned Juilliard School, in New York City. This Glorious Christmas comprises the following 12 tracks (sequence subject to change): “Sussex Carol Vocal Intro,” “Sussex Carol,” “God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen,” “Bethlehem, House of Bread,” “What Child Is This,” “O Come, O Come Emmanuel,” “Little Baby,” “When The Christmas Baby Cries,” “We Three Kings,” “Go Tell It On The Mountain,” “It Came Upon A Midnight Clear” and “Red, White & Blue.” The Annie Moses Band is expanding its tour schedule with shows in America’s performing arts centers, taking the message of Christ and the legacy He’s given them beyond the walls of the Church.
For all upcoming tour dates and additional information, visit:
anniemosesband.com

PickRSet.com Holds Contest to Upgrade Mayhem Tickets (Underoath, anyone?)
PickRset.com, a website that works with bands to allow fans to pick the set list for their shows, has announced they will be partnering with the popular energy drink makers Rockstar and dinglife.com to bring you a new contest for fans to upgrade their tickets to Rockstar Energy Drink Mayhem Festival. To upgrade your tickets to Rockstar Energy Drink Mayhem Festival, log in to the website, select what Mayhem Festival show you are attending. They will randomly select two winners for each show to have their tickets upgraded, and the winners will have their names and usernames posted in the news section of the Rockstar Energy Drink Mayhem Profile and they will be emailed by the website to confirm their tickets. The fun does not stop there. They are conducting a second contest involving Rockstar Energy Drink Mayhem Festival. The user on the website with the most friends by August 19th, the end of the Rockstar Energy Drink Mayhem Festival tour schedule, will win a one of a kind Mayhem Blue skull snare drum, along with one piece of every Rockstar Energy Drink Mayhem Festival event merchandise. Two runners-up will also be selected, each winning one piece of every Rockstar Energy Drink Mayhem Festival event merchandise. All it takes to win is to have a PickRSet account, which is 100% free to setup. Make sure your full name is posted on your account as they will need it to add you to the guest list if you win. You can register an account here:
pickrset.com/register.php

Jonezetta Sets Eyes On September 16th
After two years on the road touring with the likes of Mute Math, The Whigs and Shiny Toy Guns (to name a few) promoting their debut album Popularity, Jonezetta gear up to release their sophomore studio album, Cruel To Be Young, out September 16th on Tooth & Nail. Produced by Aaron Sprinkle (Anberlin, MxPx, Pedro the Lion, the Almost) and recorded in Seattle at The Compound over the course of six weeks, this album, their second for Tooth & Nail, is the band's most engrossing and accomplished work to date. The approach taken to this record has allowed Jonezetta the clarity to pull out more sophisticated sounds. Each track flows brilliantly from one song to the next. Cruel To Be Young, is proof that Jonezetta have grown immensely as composers, musicians and lyricists in the two years since their last album.
See below for track listing:
1. Wide Awake
2. Holding On To You
3. Busy Body
4. Paint & Picture
5. Sick In The Teeth
6. Cruel To Be Young
7. Fur Coat (Roaming Like Animals)
8. Valentine"
9. Untitled
10. The Queen City Song
11. I Watched You, Out From Your Window

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