News Update Week Ending 1-18
The Crucified Have Risen
The Crucified is back. Tooth & Nail Records has agreed to release / promote their new box-set that is set to release in March. Pillars of Humanity has been remixed and it sounds amazing. Check out their new website here.
Mae Launches Year Long Donation Campaign
After three full-length albums between both independent and major record labels and over 400,000 in lifetime sales, MAE have a new purpose and a new partner - their fans. With the help of the band's international community, MAE --lead vocalist DAVID ELKINS, guitarist ZACH GEHRING, AND, drummer JACOB MARSHALL, have embarked on a year-long journey to help those less fortunate and raise awareness about important humanitarian issues. Absent a label and management, the band is seizing the opportunity to redefine their success, change the lives of those in need, and spread their message through music and the MAE community. As a part of a year-long campaign, MAE will release a new song exclusively on their website every month during 2009. When fans visit the band's website--WHATISMAE.COM, they will be able to hear the music for free. Every song will be available as a digital download for a minimum donation of $1. For the duration of 2009, MAE will commit all of the profits from digital downloads to fund humanitarian projects that the band and their fans will be a part of all year long. MAE's first project is in conjunction with Habitat For Humanity International. The band's goal is to raise $65,000 in donations to fully fund the construction of a home for Rhonda Floyd and her three children in Newport News, VA. Throughout the course of the project, MAE will document their progress as a home for Rhonda and her family is built. On January 1st, MAE released the first of the year's twelve songs, THE HOUSE THAT FIRE BUILT, exclusively on their website. THE HOUSE THAT FIRE BUILT is a bombastic call to arms; a mission statement about how the band intends to work with their fans to build a greater community and a better world. Produced in conjunction with former bassist MARK PADGETT at Earthsound Studios in Chesapeake, VA, the song finds the band returning to their roots; the same studio where they recorded their 2003 breakthrough debut album, DESTINATION: BEAUTIFUL. The band will be joining Habitat For Humanity and Rhonda Floyd and her family at the groundbreaking ceremony for the family's new Habitat home on Monday, January 26th at 10:30 am and will perform an acoustic song to signify their commitment and partnership in the "MAE house."
Visit their myspace at:
myspace.com/mae
Mutemath To Perform On The Tonight Show
New Orleans-based eclectic/innovative rock quartet MUTEMATH has confirmed an appearance on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno this Thursday Jan. 15, 2009. The Grammy-nominated band will perform a brand new song entitled, "Spotlight," from the chart-topping Original Motion Picture Soundtrack, TWILIGHT, based on the Stephanie Meyers book which has become an international phenomenon. The soundtrack to the movie was released this past Nov. 4, 2008. The critically-acclaimed band are currently in the studio recording their 2nd Teleprompt/Warner Bros. Records album. Release is expected later this year. Details to be announced soon. MUTEMATH first came to national attention with their independently–produced breakthrough video for the song "Typical," – from their self-titled debut album-- which was filmed as a continuous one-take performance filmed entirely in reverse. The results resonated wildly and a massive internet community rallied around the band. The band's debut album had already attracted a loyal fan-base and their reputation on the club circuit as an exceptionally diverse and energetic live attraction had been established and documented on their first live DVD, FLESH AND BONES ELECTRIC FUN (Teleprompt/Warner Bros Records 2007). Alternative Press Magazine named MUTEMATH "The #1 Live Band To See Before You Die," in their annual "Best Of" issue last year. Over the past few years MUTEMATH have toured the globe, knocked-out audiences at nearly every influential music festival around the world and performed live on Letterman, Conan, Ferguson, and twice on the Jimmy Kimmel Show where the band made TV history last year as the first-Ever band to perform backwards, by recreating their "Typical" video performance live on a nationally televised network show. Again, the internet buzzed with excitement over the band's intrepid approach to forge new pathways with everything they do. Don't miss MUTEMATH this Thursday, Jan. 15, as they perform "Spotlight" which will also appear on their upcoming full-length album. The Tonight Show starring Jay Leno airs at 11:35pm. Check local listings for details. Set your TiVo's or stay up late, it's going to be memorable.
Check out their website at:
mutemath.com
Gwen Stacy Releases Six Bonus Tracks
Hard working Indianapolis group Gwen Stacy has announced they have digitally re-issued their Ferret Music debut album The Life I Know on January 13th. This version of the album contains six additional songs from the band’s EP prior to signing with Ferret. Two of the songs from the re-issue can be heard online for free as part of an Absolutepunk.net exclusive here. “I'm excited for kids to hear the old EP. I think it'll give them an idea of where we've come from and will help The Life I Know make more sense.” Drummer TJ Sego commented, “The songs really show the progression we made on The Life I Know and hopefully it will show them the growth we can make from The Life I Know to our next record.” The Life I Know, originally released in 2007, has shown steady record sales since the album was released, selling 14,000 copies to this point. The band’s consistent tour history and tireless desire to please the crowds has helped keep them fresh in the minds of music fans. Gwen Stacy spent very little time at home throughout 2008, playing alongside bands like Unearth, The Acacia Strain, Protest the Hero, My Children My Bride, Agraceful, Whitechapel, and Haste the Day. Gwen Stacy has also announced their new lead singer, Geoff Jenkins, formerly a guitarist/vocalist for Once Nothing. Sego spoke on adding Jenkins to their lineup, “He was a really close friend of ours before any talk of him joining the band and we knew he was a great screamer from his time in Once Nothing. We had our first show with him already and it went great, and I think the kids are going to love him.” Jenkins’ first tour with the band will be their headlining tour with Our Last Night, Vanna, and In Fear and Faith from January 16th through February 7th. The band will then gear up for their European tour with Poison the Well.
For information about the tours or the band, visit:
myspace.com/gwenstacy
Hundred Year Storm Adds "New Member"
Congrats to Hundred Year Storm's Bill McCharen and his wife, Nicole, on the birth of their son, Jude Alexander, born January 3rd at 8 pounds.
Dei Elithaeon Announces Permanent Singer
Australian tech death metal band Dei Elithaeon are pleased to announce that Mercury from Fearscape will be the permanent vocalist/lyricist for the band. Dei Elithaeon are currently working on a debut release expected to come out some time in 2009, with a sound best described as Suffocation meets Slayer meets Nightwish.
For a taste of what to expect, here a few pre production demos at:
myspace.com/deielithaeon
War Of Ages Wants You In Their Next Video
War of Ages will soon be shooting their 2nd video for All Consuming Fire and they want to make it a family affair. On Saturday, February 7th, at Forward Hall in the band's hometown of Erie, PA, the band will shoot a 'live' video and open it to the public. "We want this video to show our appreciation to all of you. If it wasn't for your dedication we would not be where we are today, so thank you very much!" says the band. Admission to the shoot is free and everyone is invited, all the band asks is that you come prepared to sing along.
Check them out here:
myspace.com/warofages
Blood & Ink Records Releases Yours For Mine's Debut
Blood & Ink Records has proudly released the debut full length Dear Children from Harrisonburg, Virginia's YOURS FOR MINE today all major digital vendors. Although YOURS FOR MINE technically did not form until 2006, the five members of this Harrisonburg, Virginia band have been creating music together in various groups for much longer. This long-time familiarity with one another has helped to foster their tight-knit and focused approach to music that has most recently culminated in their debut full-length, Dear Children. Often referring to themselves as "weekend warriors," YOURS FOR MINE have not let their hectic lives outside the band dissuade them from letting audiences hear their music across the country. Through numerous short tour stints, the band has ventured from New England to Texas and almost everywhere in between. This effective approach to touring has yielded wonderful results, both with a continually growing fan-base and a stability few bands achieve. For the recording of their debut Dear Children, the band worked with Caleb Keiter, a friend of the band who just happens to be an incredible engineer as well. Having worked with the likes of Death Cab For Cutie, Queens Of The Stone Age, and Billy Ray Cyrus (to name a few), Keiter's resume speaks to his exceptional skills behind the boards and Dear Children serves as proof. Maintaining this level of quality, YOURS FOR MINE enlisted Kim Rosen (Radio 4, Franz Ferdinand, Dashboard Confessional, Jeremy Enigk) of West West Side Music to handle mastering the album. The final result encapsulates the energy and creative foresight YOURS FOR MINE has sought in their music since their inception. With a spectacular album ready to be unleashed on the public, YOURS FOR MINE are sure to excite fans of aggressive, yet artful music everywhere.
Check out Yours For Mine here:
myspace.com/yoursformine
Christian Comic Arts Society Issues Call for Submissions
The Christian Comic Arts Society (CCAS) is excited to announce a call for sketchbook submissions for the 2009 CCAS Sketchbook to be distributed throughout the year. The Society also received confirmation from WonderCon 2009 and will be making its first appearance at annual event to be held in San Francisco, California from February 27 - March 1, 2009. Distributed at various conventions and events as well as online, the Christian Comic Arts Society Sketchbook is the prestigious annual showcase featuring outstanding artwork from Christian comics artists. All submissions are reviewed by the CCAS selection committee which selects the best artwork based on quality and thematic content for inclusion in the annual sketchbook. The Christian Comic Arts Society will also make its first appearance at WonderCon 2009 (Comic and Popular Arts Convention) which takes place from February - March 1, 2009 at Moscone Center South in San Francisco, California. The CCAS exhibition will be featured in the Small Press area of the convention in booth SP29. The recently launched CCAS Social Network site has quickly grown to 400+ members and features member created art, video, blogs, forum discussions, and more. Recent updates to the site include a special announcement from Ben Avery about the very popular ArmorQuest series, and new artwork from Sergio Cariello, Doug Klauba, Leon Garcia, and Carlos A. Rosado. Video content features micro-documentaries from Mark Carpenter of Dust Comics, Robert Luedke's "Eye Witness: Rise of the Apostle," and the soon to be released Crown of Life Comics project "David and Goliath" from Peter Gonzalez. The site also features ongoing forum discussions, and the latest industry news from Christian Comics International (CCI) by special arrangement with Nate Butler, also a member of CCAS.
More information about WonderCon 2009 can be found at:
comic-con.org
Fearscape News
After a refreshing year off the live stage, Australian progressive blackmetal giants Fearscape are pleased to announce their return and are working on a new e.p. for a potential 2009 release. The title at present is 'Nightmare Psalms' and will see the band move into a new and more brutal death/blackmetal direction, while retaining the sophisticated progressive elements which has seen the band score highly in secular reviews of their 2007 'Scent of Divine Blood'. Due to family and work commitments, drummer Paul Demitrivich has resigned from the band, drumming duties will be announced at a later date.
To hear the whole album 'Scent of Divine Blood' go to:
myspace.com/fearscape
Musical legend Patty Griffin will headline the annual VIP fundraiser for Grounded in Music taking place on Thursday, January 22nd from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. at the Gibson Guitar Showroom located at 3601 S. Congress Ave., Suite G400, in Austin. The event will kick off with a 7:00 p.m. performance by students participating in the local Grounded in Music program. Proceeds from this event will be used to purchase musical instruments for under-privileged youth, provide education in musicianship, teach music theory, as well as offer music-related opportunities outside of performance. $100.00 tickets can be purchased online at frontgatetickets.com or by calling (512) 389 0315. The event is open to the public.
Seventh Day Slumber Headlines Rock For Life Concert
Seventh Day Slumber is headlining the Rock for Life concert Thursday night (Jan. 22, 7-10pm) at RFL's Training and Activism Week. Also playing is Alakrity and My Brother's Pony. The event is free (donation requested to cover cost) and open to the public. Tell all your friends.
For more info about the event, go to:
RockForLife.org
Bombworks Records Signs Deus Invictus
Bombworks Records is proud to announce the signing of Deus Invictus. Hailing from the greater Atlanta area in Georgia, this 4-piece band plays a unique brand of progressive melodic thrash with death elements that is extremely technical and is willing to experiment. The band has been in existence since 2005 and has been through a few member changes before settling on their current lineup. Though all 4 members are seasoned musicians, the drummer, Jeff Carter, will be remembered by many as the drummer on The Chariot's first album and tour before leaving the band and helping to found Deus
Invictus. The music is at times ridiculously brutal while retaining a melodic underbelly, and the stellar musicianship, technical prowess, progressive tendencies (complete with lots of tempo / time signature changes, dynamic contrasts, and various "acts" in each composition) lead to a sound that borrows from many while also treading new ground. They are going into the studio to record their first full length (a concept album of over 1 hour of music) in January with Charles Clifton at Red Room 104 Studios with a release date set for mid-2009. With influences including bands like Carcass, Believer, Opeth, Death, Hypocrisy, Tourniquet, and Necrophagist, Deus Invictus is ready to storm onto the scene with a progressive thrash masterpiece.
You can check out Deus Invictus and a demo track at:
myspace.com/deusinvictus
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