News Update Week Ending 5-17
The Devil Wears Prada Ranks #11 On Billboard 200
The Devil Wears Prada’s new album “With Roots Above And Branches Below” debuted at # 11 on Billboard’s Top 200 Chart. The band scanned over 30,883 (31,152 RTD) albums within a week in the U.S. with initial reports that they sold over 15,000 copies the first day. This flurry of sales also landed the band as #1 on the Indie Rock Chart, #1 on the Hard Music Chart and #1 on the Christian chart. Speaking on the first week’s results Ferret Music/Channel ZERO’s Carl Severson said “Ferret Music and Channel ZERO endeavor to develop artists – be it via our label, management, touring or other companies. The music industry is far from dead and we’re excited to have talented, passionate, hardworking bands like The Devil Wears Prada working with us to prove Our thanks to everyone at The Independant Label Group, Artery, The Agency Group and everyone that hustles for music! Look forward to more big things from Ferret and CZ!" The Devil Wears Prada recently wrapped up their national headlining tour entitled “The Sweet Brag Tour.” Most of the 43 dates were sold out with some rooms holding as much as 2,000 people! (show listings below) The band is readying for a summer on the mainstage of Warped Tour. The new issue of Alternative Press has five pages devoted to the band and Revolver has four. AMP Magazine have placed the band on the cover of the new issue which ships this month and HM Magazine placed them on the cover of the April issue. On Friday 5/8th, The Devil Wears Prada were the musical guests on Fuel TV’s Daily Habit show where they performed on the air. Absolute Punk.net declared in their review of the new album “The Devil Wears Prada is the next big thing.”
Collective Soul On Tour This Summer
Multi-platinum rockers Collective Soul and platinum recording artist Gavin DeGraw will hit the road this summer on a co-headlining tour throughout the U.S. . The multi-city run kicks off June 22 at the House of Blues in Cleveland, OH. Green River Ordinance will join this tour as the opening act. Tickets went on sale 5/15th at both bands' websites, with fan club pre-sales for both artists starting earlier. This tour marks the first time both bands have toured together, but they have long been mutual fans. The tour announcement was also released via Twitter. Collective Soul frontman Ed Roland says, “We are excited to get back out on the road this summer, and are delighted it’s with Gavin. The band has always been big fans, and we look forward to some great shows.” Gavin DeGraw concurs, "Collective Soul is a great group of guys with a great sound. I partied with them in the fabulous city of Atlanta. It’s going to be an exciting tour and I am looking forward to it.”
Tour Dates:
6/22 - Cleveland, OH
6/23 - Fort Wayne, IN
6/24 - Indianapolis, IN
6/26 - Des Moines, IA
6/29 - Kansas City, MO
7/7 - Tulsa, OK
7/9 - Southhaven, MS
7/10 - Chicago, IL
7/11 - Columbus, OH
7/13 - Myrtle Beach, SC
7/14 - Lake Buena Vista, FL
7/15 - Ft. Lauderdale, FL
For more information on Collective Soul, visit:
CollectiveSoul.com
Zao's New Album Out Now
Hardcore legends ZAO have returned with their tenth release Awake? out now online, in Hot Topic and other retailers everywhere! The album was recorded
at Lambesis Studios with Tim Lambesis and Daniel Castleman and promises to grab the heavy music community by its ears and shake hard! It's available online at: ferretstyle.com/store and on iTunes. The band was recently featured on the cover of HM Magazine and in the article, guitarist Scott Mellinger commented on the album's theme, "Lyrically, Awake? is about how people think they know what’s going on, but, do they really know? Because, I think if they really did, they wouldn’t be as apathetic as they are."
Since October News
SINCE OCTOBER is currently prepping for an upcoming US tour, which features several dates with RED, as they continue to promote their latest album, This Is My Heart (Tooth & Nail). The album is currently available in stores, as well as iTunes for $5.99! In addition to their tour dates with RED, SINCE OCTOBER also has a ton of other great shows coming up including WRZX’s 5/Day (with Disturbed, Shinedown, and Saving Abel) and a string of dates in June with the other rising stars of Active Rock - Burn Halo, Veer Union & Halestorm. Singer Ben Graham commented on the band’s upcoming shows: “This is a really cool time for our band with all these shows coming up, and we’re extremely excited about the tour because we’ve got a bunch of east coast dates. We’ve played the west a lot, where we’ve been getting some great radio support, and it will be great to perform in front of crowds that haven’t seen us before. We take pride in our live stuff, because we come off even harder and better live than on a record. We’re not the kind of band that stands and sings. If you want to listen to the songs perfectly, stay home and listen to the records. If you want to see one energetic stage show, come out and see us!” SINCE OCTOBER is making a splash on radio right now, holding down the #27 spot on the Active Rock charts, with no signs of stopping! There are few who place honesty and vulnerability as their foremost virtues in artistry. After all, rock n' roll has been built on fantasies, imaginations, and the hype of cartoon-like demagogues. Yet, today, as the music industry itself searches for new voices, there seems to be a growing hunger among the public for something real, something beyond plastic personas and fake fluorescent skies. The music industry is crying out for an honest voice. SINCE OCTOBER has answered these cries with This Is My Heart. Though this is the band’s first label release, these four Bradenton, Florida stalwarts are far from freshmen. They sold over 5,000 copies of an independent release prior to signing to Tooth & Nail, and have toured extensively during the two-year stretch that has led them up to this point. Having shared the stage with Seventh Day Slumber, Pillar, Disciple, and Underoath, they have played over 300 shows in the past 24 months.
Tour Dates:
5/15 – Montgomery, AL
5/16 – Johnson City, TN
5/17 – Houma, LA
5/19 – El Paso, TX
5/20 – Albuquerque, NM
5/23 - Noblesville, IN
5/26 – Santa Rosa, CA
5/28 – Reno, NV
5/29 – Seattle, WA
5/30 – Spokane, WA
6/1 – Denver, CO
6/5 – Dallas, TX
6/9 – Louisville, KY
6/10 – Dayton, OH
6/11 – Flint, MI
6/12 – Detroit, MI
6/13 – Youngstown, OH
6/15 – Buffalo, NY
6/16 – Clifton Park, NY
6/18 – Northampton, MA
6/19 – Hartford, CT
6/20 – Allentown, PA
6/23 – Towson, MD
6/24 – Charleston, SC
6/26 – Nashville, TN
6/27 – Sauget, IL
6/28 – Green Bay, WI
For more info on the band, please visit:
myspace.com/sinceoctober
ABC I-views Author of '10 Things I Hate About Christianity'
ABC news correspondent Dan Harris interviewed author of the controversial new book ''10 Things I Hate About Christianity: Working Through the Frustrations of Faith.'' ABC is featuring former rocker, ex-pastor, and new writer Jason T. Berggren as the subject of two separate segments due to the national attention his book has been attracting with his candid approach to faith. According to author Jason T. Berggren, the Bible is boring, praying doesn't work, and Christians are self-righteous. Those are a few of the emotionally charged subjects Berggren answers for in the first of two interviews which debuted online this week on ABC's video news blog The Quick Fix. Berggren discusses openly the challenges he has faced over the 20 years of his faith journey as chronicled in his bold new book 10 Things I Hate About Christianity: Working Through the Frustrations of Faith. News correspondent Harris describes the book as "a fascinating and rather risky critique of Christianity." The assessment seems accurate based on recent comments gathering on ABC's site and around the web. Berggren openly admits hate is a very strong word and reveals that he wrestled deeply with using the term. In the end, he decided it was the best way to describe his angst-ridden frustration, which is how he justifies the use of the term. Berggren emphasizes that this is not a closed and bitter anger. It's the type of deep dissatisfaction that can be a motivator towards personal growth and forward momentum. Berggren highlights the sub-title when clarifying this, "It's working through the frustrations of faith." Berggren explains that he doesn't just point out problems in the 10 foundational areas of his faith that he has constantly had to work through over the last 20 years, but backs them with his own personal resolutions. He acknowledges that many 5/not come to the same conclusions, but the author feels that others will be helped in their own spiritual experience as they read about his. Check out the interview here.
Doug Van Pelt Gets Interviewed
Check out the interview that Hardcore Faith did with the editor, Doug Van Pelt. Good questions & great answers can be found here
Stryper To Preview New Album On iTunes
BIG3 Records has announced plans to “preview” Stryper's upcoming studio album Murder by Pride on iTunes. With this groundbreaking new promotion, Stryper fans will have an opportunity to purchase the album song-by-song, one week at a time, until the album's release on July 21, 2009. Since 5/5th, a new song from the upcoming album has be released on iTunes – for one week only – until the album's July 21st release date. Each week, the song will be replaced by another, giving fans a chance to purchase the complete album one song at a time until the album hits stores. Murder by Pride also includes a cover of the BOSTON song "Peace of Mind" featuring BOSTON guitarist Tom Scholz. “Peace of Mind” is already available on iTunes. Stryper will hit the road this fall with a 25th Anniversary Tour, hitting 50 cities in North America before going international in January and February 2010. Launching in September, the tour will be a two-set show. The first set will feature new Stryper material and include current bassist Tracy Ferrie, along with original members Michael Sweet, Robert Sweet and Oz Fox. The second set will feature all four original members, including original bassist Tim Gaines, wearing the original yellow and black stage outfits and performing the band's hits from the last 25 years. In 1984, Stryper broke on to the scene with their debut EP Yellow and Black Attack, and have since gone on to sell 8 million albums and tour the world spreading an inspirational message through their branded sound of rock songs, heavy guitars and pristine harmony vocals. The group's unprecedented 1986 album To Hell with the Devil went platinum and was named one of the “100 Greatest Albums in Christian Music” by CCM Magazine. In 2008, Michael Sweet joined legendary band BOSTON on vocals and guitar for their 54-city summer headlining tour of North America, performing the band's classic hits like "More than a Feeling," “Peace of Mind,” “Amanda” and “Don't Look Back.” BOSTON has sold over 30 million albums worldwide, including the band's 1976 self-titled debut, which has sold over 17 million copies to date and was the highest selling debut of all time. Sweet is currently in the studio recording the upcoming BOSTON album, due next year.
Sleep For Sleepers New Album Out This Week
Dreamt Music is proud to announce the release of Sleep For Sleepers "The Clearing". The sound of Sleep for Sleepers is best described as a hybrid of the grace and poise of Copeland with the energy and charisma of Number One Gun. "The Clearing" is out now and you can catch SFS on tour supporting the new album.
Tour Dates:
5/15 - Lodi, CA
5/16 - Elk Grove, CA
5/23 - Del Mar, CA
5/24 - Del Mar, CA
6/12 - Phoenix, AZ
6/14 - Pahrump, NV
6/20 - Twin Falls, ID
8/22 - Camas, WA
8/23 - Camas, WA
8/24 - Camas, WA
9/4 - Quincy, CA
9/5 - Quincy, CA
9/6 - Quincy, CA
For more information, go here:
myspace.com/sleepforsleepers
Retroactive Records Signs Jacob's Dream
Retroactive Records is honored to announce the signing of the mighty Jacob's Dream, a world leader in melodic, progressive power metal! Having already released three albums on Metal Blade Records this decade, as well as two independent releases, JACOBS DREAM is currently recording a new album, "BENEATH THE SHADOWS". The release is a concept album based on a story written by vocalist, Chaz Bond. The album will release later in 2009.
For more information, go here:
myspace.com/jacobsdream
Syrens Announce Tour Dates
Texas based chaotic metal band Syrens has announced their upcoming tour dates with Love Begotten running from 6/5 through 6/20 and a tour with North and Adai from 7/24 through 7/31! They band is also currently wrapping up the planning process for a short run with The Handshake Murders. “We’ve tweaked our live show a lot recently. We’ve got a new stage set that we’re working on and our live show is more terrifying; we’ve got a big drop banner behind us that glows while we play. We’ll definitely be playing new songs on the July tours.” Guitarist Bryce commented. They’re headed out on the road in support of their self titled debut EP which HM Magazine called, “A progressive onslaught of extreme metal”. You check out more from the band myspace.com/syrenstx
Tour Dates:
6/5 - Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
6/6 - Ft Smith, Arkansas
6/8 - Claremore, Oklahoma
6/9 - Chanute, Kansas
6/10 - Henryetta, Oklahoma
6/11 - Okmulgee, Oklahoma
6/12 - Grove, Oklahoma
6/13 - Ft Worth, Texas
6/14 - Waco, Texas
6/15 - Austin, Texas
6/16 - Mcallen, Texas
6/17 - San Antonio, Texas
6/18 - Shreveport, Louisiana
6/19 - Denton, Texas
6/20 - Kansas City, Missouri
7/15 - Waco, Texas
7/16 - Tyler, Texas
7/17 - Arlington, Texas
7/18 - McAllen, Texas
7/24 - Tucson, Arizona
7/25 - El Paso, Texas
7/26 - Austin, Texas
7/27 - Henryetta, Oklahoma
7/28 - Wichita, Kansas
7/29 - Kansas City, Missouri
7/30 - St Louis, Missouri
Free Music Download From Indie Vision
Indie Vision is giving away their new heavy metal compilation titled "Songs to Slay the Dragons To". The compilation features 28 bands & is free for download. You can find the digital download here. For more information on Indie Vision Music or to follow them, visit: twitter.com/ivmusic
Jon Foreman Joined The Darfur Fast For Life
Recording artist Jon Foreman joined the Darfur Fast For Life, following activist-actress Mia Farrow and Virgin Group Founder and Chairman Sir Richard Branson. A longtime activist and front man for multi-platinum selling rock band Switchfoot, Foreman will undertake a water-only fast, in order to raise awareness of the humanitarian crisis currently taking place in Darfur, as well as to encourage long-term U.S. Government actions to bring lasting peace to the people of Sudan. Foreman begins his three day fast today and is joined by U.S. Representative Donald Payne who is Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Africa and Global Health, and who has worked tirelessly to end the suffering in Darfur. Expressing his outrage at the situation in Darfur, Foreman said, “Can it be possible that right now, two and a half million people are waking up in camps and refugee camps having been driven from their homes by violent means? Under the same sun, could it be true that almost half a million people have died of starvation, violence, and disease over the past six years in Darfur? Is this true?! And if this is true, why has the media remained almost completely silent on the issue? Why has our government maintained it’s current stance of inaction?” Foreman follows Actress-Activist Mia Farrow and Virgin CEO and Founder, Sir Richard Branson and others in sharing their experiences during the fast through video and blog posts at fastdarfur.org.
Future Of Forestry's New Album Out Now
Credential Recordings artist Future of Forestry announces its Travel EP, a six-song collection releasing today. The first of a three-part series, Travel will be followed by Travel II and Travel III over the next twelve months. Future of Forestry debuts the series with Travel, songs that will provoke contemplation, encourage daydreaming, and deepen perspective on all things beautiful. The project combines both the intelligent rock ’n’ roll and thought-provoking lyrics that fans of Future of Forestry have come to love. Band founder and frontman Eric Owyoung wrote, played, recorded and produced all songs on the EP. A free download of “Traveler’s Song” will be available on the band’s Myspace page at myspace.com/futureofforestry. “The last few years of my life brought so many unexpected changes, some of them painful and some of them beautiful,” says Owyoung. “The album ‘Travel’ is my poetic narrative of learning how to listen to my heart and embrace what really matters.” Future of Forestry quickly made a name for itself following the release of its 2007 debut album Twilight. Taking listeners on a musical journey with its bright optimism and epic, sweeping euro-rock sound, the band left fans wanting more. Future of Forestry’s song “Open Wide” appeared on “Oprah’s Big Give” on ABC in April 2008 and songs “Twilight” and “Speak to Me Gently” were both featured in the ABC Family series “Wildfire.”
©2009 HM Magazine All Rights Reserved
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