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Vote In HM Readers' Poll
It's that time of year -- the Readers' Poll ballots have been counted ... and there's some hanging chad. You are being called upon to break the ties in several categories.
Go here and vote ... NOW!!! (thanks!)




Killswitch Engage News
Killswitch Engage, the most prolific of the burgeoning Massachusetts metal scene's exports, are proud to announce the recording of their as-yet untitled fourth album for Roadrunner Records. The album will follow 2006's As Daylight Dies, which is approaching Gold-status. 2004's The End of Heartache has achieved Gold certification. The fourth album is quite an anticipated event in the hard rock and metal scene and beyond, as evidenced by the fact that the band will appear on cover of Revolver Magazine's 2009 Music Preview issue, on stands December 23. Additionally, the forthcoming album was selected as one of Alternative Press' Most Anticipated releases of 2009. For the first time in their career, the band will work with an outside producer and have chosen Brendan O'Brien (AC/DC, Rage Against the Machine, Pearl Jam and Stone Temple Pilots, to name a few) to man the boards. KsE guitarist Adam Dutkiewicz, a noted producer in his own right who has recorded all of the band's previous albums, will be taking a co-producer role on this record alongside O'Brien. The band will record in both Georgia and their native Western Massachusetts. Roadrunner expects to release the record in Spring 2009. Killswitch Engage will spend the winter recording the album and will hit the road in the Spring for a major pre-release tour. Look for more details on that in the near future.




The Appleseed Cast Releases New Album In February
By now seasoned veterans of the independent music world, The Appleseed Cast is proud to announce the release of Sagarmatha, their sixth studio album and second release with The Militia Group. The album will be available on February 17, 2009. The Appleseed Cast recorded at Mixtape Soundlab and Toy Shop, with their own Christopher Crisci engineering, and later re-grouped with Ed Rose at Black Lodge Recording in Lawrence, KS for instrumental overdubs and mixing. The record leads The Appleseed Cast to the peak of their musical ability, into experimental post-rock, and often purely instrumental territory. Shortly before release, The Appleseed Cast will embark on a US tour, kicking off the festivities at Opolis in Norman, OK on February 4th. The Appleseed Cast began their musical career in 1997 in Southern California before signing to Deep Elm Records and relocating to Lawrence, KS the following year. With the release of The End of The Ring Wars on Deep Elm Records, The Appleseed Cast began their ascent to their current rank as well-respected musicians and trendsetters among their genre. They've since released Mare Vitalis (Deep Elm, 2000); Low Level Owls Vols. 1 & 2 (Deep Elm, 2001); Lost Songs (Deep Elm, 2002); Two Conversations (Tiger Style, 2003); and Peregrine (The Militia Group, 2006).
Sagarmatha (which is Nepalese for Mount Everest) track listing:
1. So The Little Things Go
2. A Bright Light
3. The Road West
4. The Summer Before
5. One Reminder, An Empty Room
6. Raise The Sails
7. Like a Locust (Shake Hands With The Dead)
8. South Facing Col
9. An Army of Fireflies




Emery Resigns With Tooth & Nail
Originally signed in 2003, the band that has been known for constantly pushing the boundaries of their genre and its duel frontman approach, Emery is proud to re-sign to Tooth & Nail Records this week. Formed in 2001 in South Carolina, Emery has released 3 full-length albums ("The Weak's End," "The Question," and "I'm Only A Man") in addition to the recently released EP, "While Broken Hearts Prevail." After selling more than 350,000 copies of their albums, Emery will release their fourth full-length, "...In Shallow Seas We Sail," co-produced by Aaron Sprinkle and Matt Carter (Emery's guitarist), in the summer of 2009. "Emery is the epitome of what Tooth & Nail Records stands for: hard work, great talent and amazing character," shares Brandon Ebel, President of Tooth & Nail Records. "Being able to put pen to paper and secure a future between Tooth & Nail Records and Emery is an honor, and Emery will remain one of our flagship artists for years to come." Emery has toured worldwide including at least three national tours each year, sharing the stage with Chiodos, The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus, Underoath, Alexisonfire, and currently Hawthorne Heights. The band will also travel to Australia in early 2009 to participate in the Soundwave festival. When the band is not touring, the members reside in locales across the country, including Washington, Illinois, Indiana, and South Carolina. Emery is composed of Toby Morell (Vocals, Bass), Devin Shelton (Vocals, Bass), Matt Carter (Guitar, Vocals), Josh Head (Keyboards, Vocals), and Dave Powell (Drums).
Check out their myspace:
myspace.com/emery




My Epic To Tour With Cool Hand Luke
Dreamt Music's My Epic have just confirmed tour dates with Cool Hand Luke for the month of January. My Epic will be touring in support of their Dreamt Music debut I Am Undone.
Tour Dates:
Jan 6 - Farmville, VA
Jan 7 - Columbia, SC
Jan 9 - Jacksonville, FL
Jan 10 - Douglasville, GA
Jan 11 - Pensacola, FL
Jan 13 - East Ridge, TN
Jan 14 - Nashville, TN
Jan 16 - Little Rock, AR
Jan 17 - Camdenton, MO
Jan 18 - Ownesboro, KY
Jan 19 - Anderson, IN
Jan 20 - Southgate, MI
Jan 21 - Mansfield, OH
Jan 22 - Crofton, MD
Jan 23 - Lynchburg, VA
Jan 24 - Burlington, NC
Check out My Epic here:
myspace.myepic




Red News
Rock band Red made an impressive first-ever appearance on R&R’s CHR chart this week with it's new single “Never Be The Same” debuting at No. 23. The band also made a special guest appearance on WAY-FM’s Total Axxess Thursday night. The show featured a live acoustic performance of "Already Over", the WAY-FM debut of "Never Be The Same" and a Red version of the Total Axxess staple "The Circle Bunny Song.”
For more information about Red, please visit:
myspace.com/dropofred




The Return Of Jeff Suffering
In 1998, Jeff Suffering and his band Ninety Pound Wuss changed my perceptions of punk rock. Up until then, safe pop punk was my world. He was and still is the best frontman I've ever seen. Jeff was raw, fearless and out of control. Jeff Suffering comes as close to a living legend as you will ever find rising out of the ashes of the late 90's Tooth and Nail empire. On Dec. 17th, Jeff will dust off his acoustic guitar to play his first show in two years at The INSOMNIAC FOLKLORE BIRTHDAY EXTRAVAGANZA. The night features an all-star cast of those inspired by Suffering's chaos.
Event: The Insomniac Folklore Birthday Extravaganza Featuring Jeff Suffering.
Artists: Insomniac Folklore, Jeff Suffering, A Plague of Angels, Destroy Nate Allen, Dudes Will Be Dudes.
Date: Wednesday December 17th
Venue: The Satyricon
Address: 125 NW 6th Street Portland, OR.
Ages: All
Cost: $7.00




Stria Signs With Raging Storm Records
Raging Storm Records proudly welcomes their newest family member, Stria. Hailing from Ocala, FL, Stria is currently recording with Vision Sound Recording Studios, whose recording credits include Red Jumpsuit Apparatus, Alicia Keys, and more. "Music is our passion, life and love." says lead singer Daniel Chapman. "All of us are passionate musicians, driven to always be better." Stria will be releasing their debut album with Raging Storm in early 2009, supported by an extensive US tour. Stria was formed during the summer of 2007 with one goal: Minister to others through the art of music. Now the trio from central Florida has taken the step into the Christian and mainstream music scene to ignite a project so powerful that everyone must stop to listen. Blending sounds and influences from hardcore to worship music, Stria combines heartfelt and vivid lyrics with gripping melodies and hooks.
Passion and power are delivered song after song, and the sincerity of the message is clear and hopeful. For fans of Skillet, Red, Finger Eleven, and Linkin Park, Stria is sure to entertain ears and eyes alike.
Check Stria out here:
myspace.com/striamusic




Members Of Switchfoot & Nickel Creek Collaborate
Jon Foreman of Switchfoot and Sean Watkins of Nickel Creek have joined forces on an exciting new collaboration called Fiction Family. Their self-titled debut album will be released on January 20 via ATO Records/Credential Recordings. Fiction Family will kick off a 21-date nationwide tour beginning January 13 in Ann Arbor, MI. Fiction Family is also offering a free download of the song "When She's Near" at fictionfamily.com when fans sign up for their newsletter. Both Fiction Family artists have achieved immense success with their respective bands. Jon Foreman is the guitarist and lead singer of the GRAMMY-nominated rock band Switchfoot, which has sold over five million records worldwide. Foreman has had considerable success as a solo artist as well. He released two double-EPs in 2007 to critical acclaim with the Philadelphia Daily News applauding his “...brooding, sensitive folk-pop...from the likes of Damien Rice and David Gray.” Sean Watkins is the guitar player and founding member of the GRAMMY award-winning trio Nickel Creek. Watkins has a weekly residency at the Largo in Los Angeles known as “The Watkins Family Hour,” which regularly features guests such as his sister and fellow Nickel Creek bandmate Sara Watkins, as well as Fiona Apple, John C. Reilly, Greg Leisz and Benmont Tench of Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers. The seemingly unlikely duo met a few years ago at a show featuring Wilco, R.E.M., Nickel Creek and Switchfoot. Over time, they began writing songs together, which quickly turned into a full-length album consisting of 12 original tracks written, arranged and recorded by Watkins and Foreman at their homes in San Diego. Since they are both vocalists and multi-instrumentalists, they often take turns singing lead vocals, and they both play several instruments on each song including guitar, bass, keyboards, percussion, baritone ukulele, piano, organ, mandolin, steel guitar, 12-string guitar and more. Nickel Creek fiddle player Sara Watkins is featured on a few songs as well. “It’s almost the ideal artistic setup,” Foreman explains, “because you don’t really care about timing or any commercial aspect. We figured it’d probably never come out and we’d probably never finish it. But, hey, we’ve got these songs, so we’re just gonna work on them when we feel like it.”




Bombworks Records Rereleases Lament album
Bombworks Records is happy to announce the reissue of Mexican death metallers Lament's sophomore album "Through the Reflection". Lament has been a stalwart in the Mexican underground extreme scene for quite some time. Starting out as a death / grind outfit called Beheaded, the band changed its name to Lament as it embraced a more progressive / melodic death metal sound. Lament followed up their debut album "Tears of a Leper" with "Through the Reflection", released on Finland's Little Rose Productions in 1999 in limited quantities. The album has a melancholy, almost doom-like aura about it, while maintaining more of a mid-tempo progressive thrash sound. The vocals have more of the shouty thrash feel with some death moments, and the bass playing is some of the most remarkable that you will ever hear on an extreme metal release, almost stealing the show and becoming the lead instrument. The drumming is also fantastic and very progressive, with many tempo and time signature changes, while also mixing in the band's Mexican heritage with some Flamenco influence. Overall, this is a very solid album that was unfortunately not heard by many due to its initial short run, and Bombworks Records is ready to let the world hear how great of an album this is. The release will feature all new artwork and, as a bonus, will also include the original 4-song Beheaded demo that was only ever previously available on cassette and provide a glimpse into Lament's brutal beginnings when they were playing all-out grind / death. The "Through the Reflection" Special Edition will be released in February 2009.
For more info:
myspace.com/lamentmex




Purple Door Festival Lowering Ticket Prices
In an ever-changing economy and music industry, Purple Door Arts and Music Festival, one of the nation’s premier Christian music events, is taking a bold approach to its 2009 Festival by offering more bands for a lower overall event ticket price. Additionally, the HM Stage will host performances on Friday night as well as all day Saturday and most bands on all stages will play longer sets. “Everyone at Purple Door knows that times are hard and we want to do our part to make things a little bit easier for our attendees, while thanking them for their support of the festival,” explains Purple Door Producer, Chris Strayer. “This year not only will we offer more bands and the addition of the HM stage Friday night but we will also offer lower ticket prices. All of the advance ticket prices are the cheapest they have been since 2005 and the gate price is the cheapest price since 2004.” In its 14th year, the annual arts and music festival will once again be held at Ski Roundtop in Lewisberry, PA August 14 and 15, and will play host to three stages of music, speakers an art gallery, skate park, paintball and much more.
Purple Door is also pleased to announce its initial line up for 2009. Artists slated to perform include:
Anberlin
Run Kid Run
Family Force 5
Shawn McDonald
Mewithoutyou
Deas Vail
Disciple
John Mark McMillan
Project 86
MyChildren MyBride
Lecrae
Becoming the Archetype
Fireflight
Reilly
Bradley Hathaway
Children 18:3
Seabird
Capital Lights
Nevertheless
Chasen
House of Heroes
Esterlyn
The Showdown
B.Reith
Spoken
Rainchildren
Speakers for the weekend will include Eric Timm of No One Under Ground and Renee Yohe, who inspired the organization To Write Love on Her Arms. Tickets for the Purple Door Festival are available now and can be purchased online at iTickets.com.




Larry Norman Movie To Premiere In San Jose, CA
David Di Sabatino, the compiler of The Jesus People Movement: An Annotated Bibliographical Resource and Guide, reports that FALLEN ANGEL: The OUTLAW LARRY NORMAN will have its premiere at the CINEQUEST FILM FESTIVAL in San Jose, CA:
Greetings,
I am pleased to announce that FALLEN ANGEL: The OUTLAW LARRY NORMAN will have its premiere at the CINEQUEST FILM FESTIVAL in San Jose, CA some time between February 25th and March 8th. The Cinequest festival is one of the major film festivals and we are pleased to be involved. The documentary received early acceptance earlier this week and was granted entry along with 15 other documentaries to the competition section where it will be up for various jury and audience awards. We will have a web site up very soon with more information on the documentary and some of the products associated with it. In the process of putting this film together, I approached Randy Stonehill to re-record some of the best songs from his early albums, such as Born Twice (1971), Welcome to Paradise (1976) and The Sky is Falling (1980). That CD project will come out on December 26th on Infinity Music. Much of the impetus to do this documentary was my love for the music created by Larry Norman and Randy Stonehill, so if you haven't heard this stuff, do yourself a favor. If you already have heard it, you know of what I speak, and should hear it again now that it has been updated. For more information about the PARADISE SKY CD go to infinitymusicdistribution.com/artists_randy_stonehill.htm. Frisbee continues to be played throughout the PBS network on various channels with late night time slots. But we received some great news recently that there is a chance for Frisbee to get a theater run in 2009, at which time we would go back into the editing room and put together a feature-length 90 minute version. There is also talk of a narrative biopic in the works. More news to follow.
Thanks for your continued interest and support as these stories continue to gain acceptance.
Sincerely,
David Di Sabatino




Skillet Named R&R's Top Artist Of 2008
Grammy®-nominated and Dove-Award winning band Skillet has a lot to be grateful for this holiday season as they have been named R&R's Top CHR Artist of the Year for 2008. On top of that, since R&R began publishing Christian Radio charts, Skillet has garnered more #1 songs from one recording (COMATOSE/Lava/Atlantic/Ardent/INO) than any other artist in the industry, with their 6 consecutive hits, "Rebirthing," "The Last Night," "Comatose," "Older," "Those Nights" and "Whispers in the Dark." This past weekend, Gospel Music Channel world premiered an exclusive version of Skillet's new, critically-acclaimed live CD/DVD project, COMATOSE COMES ALIVE. The show will aired on December 5th.
For more info on Skillet, visit:
skillet.com






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