LAKESHORE RECORDS RELEASES
‘UNDERWORLD AWAKENING’
SOUNDTRACK FEATURING EXCLUSIVE NEW MUSIC AND REMIXES FROM
EVANESCENCE, LINKIN PARK, THE CURE, MINISTRY, WILLIAM CONTROL, 8MM AND
MANY MORE

WITH EXCLUSIVE REMIXES BY RENHOLDËR (DANNY LOHNER)

VIDEO FOR “HEAVY PREY” BY LACY STURM OF FLYLEAF
TO PREMIERE TOMORROW, JANUARY 18 ON ROLLINGSTONE.COM

Lakeshore Records will release the soundtrack for UNDERWORLD AWAKENING digitally (iTunes and Amazon Digital) today, Tuesday, January 17 and physically January 31.  The film—due in theatres nationwide this Friday, January 20–is the first of the Underworld series to be shot in 3D.  Underworld Awakening is the fourth in the series which includes the 2003 film Underworld, the 2006 sequel Underworld: Evolution, and 2008’s series prequel Underworld: Rise of the Lycans.

The Underworld franchise has boasted top-notch lineups of rock, goth and industrial acts remixed for the soundtracks by Danny Lohner, a former member of Nine Inch Nails. He returns this time under the moniker of Renholdër (re d.lohner backwards) to remix tracks from Evanescence, Ministry, Linkin Park, The Cure and The Naked and Famous.

Also returning to the Underworld clan are Wes Borland’s Black Light Burns, Lacuna Coil, William Control (the side project of Aiden’s front man wiL Francis), Linkin Park (whose Chester Bennington contributed a track to the Underworld: Rise of the Lycans soundtrack), and three tracks featuring Geno Lenardo (ex-Filter guitarist), one of which is a collaboration with Lacey Sturm of Flyleaf on the lead track and it’s corresponding video, “Heavy Prey” which will premiere tomorrow on Rollingstone.com. Check out the soundtrack album preview video now at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1U4QmoM6STw

Underworld Awakening brings a stunning new dimension to the epic battle between the Vampires and Lycans, as the first film in the franchise to shoot in 3D. Kate Beckinsale, star of the first two films, returns in her lead role as the vampire warrioress Selene, who escapes imprisonment to find herself in a world where humans have discovered the existence of both the Vampire and Lycan clans and are conducting an all-out war to eradicate both immortal species.

Track Listing

Screen Gems and Lakeshore Entertainment present Underworld Awakening in theaters nationwide on January 20, 2012.  Underworld Awakening original soundtrack on Lakeshore Records will be available digitally on January 17^th and in stores on January 31, 2012.  Also available from Lakeshore Records are the soundtracks and score albums for Underworld, Underworld: EVOLUTION and Underworld: RISE OF THE LYCANS.

###

http://www.entertheunderworld.com/
https://www.facebook.com/UnderworldSoundtrack

Flyleaf Recording Cover Of “How He Loves”
During Flyleaf’s live show, they close their set with John Mark McMillan’s, “How He Loves.” In response to so many fans requesting this song, they’ve recorded Flyleaf’s live version from the Unite & Fight tour which will be released as a separate track on iTunes on 12/21.

Underoath Ready For January Tour
Just released last month via Solid State/Tooth & Nail, Ø (Disambiguation) is garnering UNDEROATH the most positive reviews of their career yet. See the strong critical reaction (listed below) for the disc which debuted at #1 on Christian chart, #9 on the digital chart and at #22 on the Billboard Top 200 with over 23,199 albums sold in its first week. Later this month, UNDEROATH will travel to Montreal to join forces with music video director Jodeb–who recently helmed Deftones’ “You’ve Seen the Butcher” clip–and shoot a video for the gorgeous, melodic track “Paper Lung.” In January, the group will launch a winter headlining U.S. tour with Thursday who will perform their Full Collapse album in its entirety on the trek; Animals As Leaders and A Skylit Drive will also be supporting the entire tour which will hit 34 cities in 6 weeks.
Tour Dates:
1/18 – Tallahassee, FL
1/20 – Houston, TX
1/21 – Austin, TX
1/22 – Dallas, TX
1/24 – Albuquerque, NM
1/25 – Tempe, AZ
1/26 – Los Angeles, CA
1/27 – Anaheim, CA
1/28 – Las Vegas, NV
1/29 – San Diego, CA
1/30 – San Francisco, CA
2/1 – Portland, OR
2/2 – Seattle, WA
2/3 – Spokane, WA
2/4 – Boise, ID
2/5 – Salt Lake City, UT
2/6 – Denver, CO
2/8 – Minneapolis, MN
2/9 – Chicago, IL
2/10 – Cleveland, OH
2/11 – Buffalo, NY
2/12 – Royal Oak, MI
2/13 – Toronto, ON
2/14 – Montreal, QC
2/16 – Pittsburgh, PA
2/17 – New York, NY
2/18 – Worcester, MA
2/19 – Philadelphia, PA
2/20 – New Haven, CT
2/22 – Washington, DC
2/23 – Charlotte, NC
2/24 – Knoxville, TN
2/25 – Atlanta, GA
2/26 – Lake Buena Vista, FL
2/27 – Ft. Lauderdale, FL

I The Breather Release Music Video
The Christian metalcore quintet, I THE BREATHER’s, highly anticipated debut full-length album, These Are My Sins, is now available everywhere. The stellar and highly energetic new video for the track, “Forgiven,” shot by up-and-coming director Chris Rodriguez, can be viewed here. I THE BREATHER are currently on the road across North America with As Blood Runs Black, Thick As Blood, Burning The Masses, In The Midst of Lions and King Conquer. Be sure to head over now to facebook.com/ithebreathe to view their entire tour schedule and to stream other new tracks.

Jars Of Clay 1000 Wells Video Gets Press
Multi-platinum, GRAMMY and GMA Dove Award-winning band Jars of Clay, together with friends and colleagues from its philanthropic non-profit organization Blood:Water Mission, will celebrate the completion of the Mission’s “1000 Wells Project,” as the 1000th functioning, clean-water well system is built in Sub-Saharan Africa. In commemoration of this milestone, the band will host a benefit show aptly titled the “Well:Done Celebration” featuring an evening of live music and stories on May 10, 2011, at Nashville’s historic Ryman Auditorium, with all proceeds going to the humanitarian outfit.
Throughout the evening, musical performances will be interwoven with video vignettes sharing the history, journey and forward-looking goals of Blood:Water Mission, with interviews highlighting the impact of the group’s work in Africa and the U.S. Jars of Clay’s lead vocalist, Dan Haseltine, will travel to Ndola, Zambia in January to visit some of the projects in the initial 1000 communities to collect personal stories of the lives impacted, to share at the upcoming benefit. In the last six years, Blood:Water Mission has served more than 600,000 people in 11 different countries with safe water, hygiene and sanitation and has opened four comprehensive care clinics that has served more than 26,000 people living with HIV/AIDS. Funds have been raised through nationwide community-led lemonade stands, car washes and other grassroots efforts. Several news sources picked up Associated Press’ print feature. In addition, the corresponding video segment has been featured by outlets including USA Today.

Undercover Re-releasing classic Branded Album
Few records contain the level of emotional resonance or impact that UNDERCOVER’s “Branded” did. After the entrance of new vocalist Sim Wilson, the band stepped up their game several notches. Having already begun to shed the earlier pop-punk sounds of their first two albums, the band’s fourth studio release showed immense growth and maturity as they shifted toward a layered rock sound, incorporating hard rock, new wave, heavier punk rock, and even gentle pop flourishes. The lyrics became more mature as well, touching on subjects like depression, battling temptation, rejection of God, and even a song about the crucifixion of Christ from the perspective of Pontius Pilate. All in all, perhaps one of the greatest rock albums of the 1980’s. On January 25th 2011 “Branded” will be released world-wide for the first time as a stand alone album on compact disc.
Track Listing:
1. I’m Just a Man
2. The Fight For Love
3. Where Can I Go?
4. Tears In Your Eyes
5. Pilate
6. Build a Castle
7. Cry Myself to Sleep
8. Prelude (Instrumental)
9. Darkest Hour
10. Interlude (Instrumental)
11. Come Away With Me
12. If I Had a Dream
13. I’m Just a Man (DEMO)
14. Tears in Your Eyes (Live 2000)
15. Cry Myself to Sleep (Live 2000)

We Came As Romans Announce Spring Tour Dates
We Came As Romans and Pierce The Veil have announced that they will be joining A Day To Remember and Bring Me The Horizon on a full U.S. and Canada. We Came As Romans are currently touring Australia and New Zealand alongside Megadeth, A Day To Remember, and more on the No Sleep Til Festival Tour. They will kick off 2011 on the Motel 6 Rock Yourself To Sleep Tour with For Today, The Word Alive, Woe Is Me and labelmates, Texas In July. Following the A Day To Remember tour, the Michigan-based sextet will continue their non-stop touring as they head back overseas for the 2011 Scream It Like You Mean It Tour in Europe.
Tour Dates:
3/10 – Philadelphia, PA
3/11 – Philadelphia, PA
3/13 – Worcester, MA
3/16 – Pittsburgh, PA
3/18 – Niagara Falls, NY
3/19 – Montreal, QC
3/20 – Toronto, ON
3/22 – Royal Oak, MI
3/24 – Chicago, IL
3/25 – Minneapolis, MN
3/26 – Kansas City, MO
3/27 – Denver, CO
3/29 – Magna, UT
3/30 – Spokane, WA
3/31 – Seattle, WA
4/1 – Vancouver, BC
4/2 – Portland, OR
4/3 – San Francisco, CA
4/5 – Fresno, CA
4/7 – San Diego, CA
4/8 – Tempe, AZ
4/9 – Tempe AZ
4/11 – Tulsa, OK
4/12 – Austin, TX
4/13 – Houston, TX
4/15 – Atlanta, GA
4/18 – Saint Petersburg, FL

Jeff Scheetz Jamming This Sunday
The 7th annual Jeff Scheetz band Christmas Concert for the Animals is Dec 19, 7pm at the Mission Theater at 5909 Johnson Drive, Mission, KS 66202. This is an all ages show, where ALL the money raised goes directly to local animal shelters. Over the years we have raised thousands of dollars for shelters and animal organizations that take care of our four legged friends that are not fortunate enough to have found their forever homes yet. The show consists of Rockin’ versions of your Christmas favs from Jeff’s “Christmas…at last” CD, along with some JSB tunes, and lots of special guests! Special guests this year include Dennis Laffoon and Janet Jameson from “Shooting Star”, and Brett Johnson from “Starlit Platoon”, as well as other “special” friends dropping by. There will also be a raffle there with some amazing prizes that have been donated for the event, all being organized by one of our sponsors, Paw Prints the Magazine! The success of this show relies on word of mouth and help from volunteers to spread the word. So please go to the webpage with all of the info on it regarding the show, and share that page with as many friends as you can gather! This is the only Christmas show we will be doing this year, so lets make it a successful event for homelss pets! Spread the word to not only your music loving buddies, but also to any animal lovers you know.

Haste The Day & Oh Sleeper Tour With Conditions
CONDITIONS are currently on the road with Haste the Day, Oh, Sleeper, and Our Last Night. The tour will take them through the U.S. until December 18th.
Tour Dates:
12/16 – Dayton, OH
12/17 – Grand Rapids, MI
12/18 – Indianapolis, IN

Red To Release Third Album
Essential Records’ two time GRAMMY-nominated hard rock outfit RED packs a potent sonic punch on its third project, Until We Have Faces, a record that leaps out of the speakers with a ferocity and complexity reflecting the band’s growth and intensity. The new album releases February 1, 2011. From the opening seconds of “Feed The Machine” through the final, contemplative moments of “Hymn For The Missing,” the four-man unit of vocalist Michael Barnes, guitarist Anthony Armstrong, bassist Randy Armstrong and drummer Joe Rickard shows both maturity and abandon can coexist within the various dimensions of rock RED inhabits. The new album’s overarching theme is a search for true identity, inspired by a number of sources, including author C.S. Lewis’ book of similar title, Till We Have Faces. The band itself is working through its own new identity – as a four-piece with the addition of drummer Rickard. Until We Have Faces takes listeners down the path of recognizing the hollowness of life until finding their true identity (revealed on “Faceless”), the idea of creative destruction unveiled in the midst of new life (found on “Let It Burn”), and simultaneously presenting the positive energy found even “in a world so cold” (explored on the infectious, melodic ballad “Not Alone”). Paired again with award-winning producer Rob Graves, Until We Have Faces features RED in its most musically intense place to date – “a combination of our first two records, but on steroids,” Michael Barnes notes – daring both RED and its fans to catapult into new rock territories. RED will push those boundaries, bringing its creative energy and high-octane live presence to next year’s Winter Jam tour, spanning nearly four dozen dates from January 7, 2011 in Chattanooga, Tenn. to the tour wrap-up April 3 in Peoria, Ill.
The band’s first single, “Faceless” goes for adds at CHR and Rock formats on Dec. 31, continuing RED’s powerful presence at radio, which has featured nine consecutive singles vaulting to No. 1 on the Christian Rock chart.

Flatfoot 56 Back On The Road
Rounding out what has been an unprecedented year in the band’s decade of existence, FLATFOOT 56 are gearing up to once again hit the road, adding some weight to a few of the season’s best tickets. First, Flatfoot will join with STREET DOGS for the fifth annual “Wreck The Halls” tour. Building on the momentum that accumulated throughout 2010, Flatfoot immediately charges into 2011 beginning a run of dates on January 4, 2011 with Phoenix, Arizona street punks Authority Zero. Running throughout the month of January and well into February, the quartet continues to solidify their reputation for being one of the hardest working bands in the genre. Releasing BLACK THORN in the spring of 2010, the band would debut at #2 on Billboard’s HeatseekersChart, in addition to achieving healthy positions on the Billboard Top 200, the Billboard Top Independent Current Albums Chart, Top Alternative Rock Chart, Top Rock Chart, Top Current Albums Chart and Top Internet Sales Charts. Married to the road, the band spent the majority of the calendar year touring in support of their Old Shoe Records debut. Performing abroad on the international festival circuit, supporting runs with the likes of Devil’s Brigade (Matt Friedman of Rancid) and Street Dogs, in addition to a critically applauded stint on the Vans Warped Tour, FLATFOOT 56 proved triumphant in every stop along the way. FLATFOOT 56’s broad appeal and universally inspiring themes have managed to resonate with people outside of the punk rock scope just the same. Producers of the FX Network hit Sons of Anarchy recently connected with FLATFOOT 56 to use not one, but six tracks from BLACK THORN in episodes of the latest season of the series. FLATFOOT 56 was also tapped to record the new entrance theme for the WWE’s (Word Wrestling Entertainment) Raw Champion, Sheamus and will also provide a track to the upcoming WWE movie, The Chaperone, featuring wrestler Triple H. As 2010 marks the 10-year anniversary for FLATFOOT 56, the latest album compacts the band’s celebrated history of eclectic and driving musical charge into thirteen tracks that highlight the pride of the working class and their Chicago roots. The release of BLACK THORN has sent a tidal wave of energy from FLATFOOT 56’s international mob following while being matched with critical praise.
Tour Dates:
12/17 – Boston, MA
12/18 – Harrisburg, PA
12/31 – Chicago, IL
1/1 – Chicago, IL
1/4 – Colorado Springs, CO
1/5 – Denver, CO
1/8 – Cleveland, OH
1/12 – Atlanta, GA
1/13 – Jacksonville, GA
1/14 – Satellite Beach, FL
1/15 – Phoenix, AZ
1/16 – Phoenix, AZ
1/19 – Beaumont, TX
1/20 – Dallas, TX
1/21 – Corpus Christi, TX
1/22 – Houston, TX
1/23 – Austin, TX
1/25 – Albuquerque, NM
1/27 – Tucson, AZ
2/04 – Dekalb, IL
2/05 – St. Louis, MO

Nephesh Signs To Nokternal Hemizphear
The Colombian-based symphonic black metalers NEPHESH are proud to announce that they have just signed a deal with American record label NOKTERNAL HEMIZPHEAR. Nephesh concocts a passionate metal fury encased within symphonic tragedies of epic proportions. “Hated by this World” is the hard-driving, soul-lacerating follow-up EP to their smashing debut full-length “Inter Armas Silent Leges” that was released on Nokternal Hemizphear in 2009. Released in two versions, the first release of the “Hated by this World” EP was unleashed at Nordic Fest in Oslo, Norway when the band played abroad on a mini world tour in late 2010. In early 2011, the USA version of the EP will be created with the orchestral version of “Lost Race” as the exclusive bonus track and altered artwork within the packaging.

©2010 HM Magazine All Rights Reserved

More news from last week:

still fresh (as far as you know)

Dustin Kensrue Releases Christmas Album
Dustin Kensrue’s Christmas music album, This Good Night Is Still Everywhere, is available now for the first time on limited edition vinyl. The solo, mostly–acoustic collection was originally issued as a digital-only release in 2008. This new vinyl edition features two bonus tracks, including a cover of mewithoutYou’s “A Stick, A Carrot & String.” For fans that previously purchased the digital album, the two additional songs will be available for individual download at all digital retailers. “I was really excited to be able to put this out on vinyl,” said Kensrue, “especially since we didn’t even have time to release it on CD before.” Only 1,000 hand-numbered pieces of vinyl will be pressed and will be split in two colorways – 500 red and 500 green. The package is $15 (plus shipping) and features brand new artwork, liner notes with track descriptions written by Dustin himself, includes a digital download card and can be purchased here. Kensrue, who is also vocalist and guitarist for Southern California’s Thrice, wrote, recorded, and produced This Good Night Is Still Everywhere, while mixing duties were handled by Thrice guitarist Teppei Teranishi. In December Kensrue will once again be joining Matt Pryor (The Get Up Kids, The New Amsterdams), Chris Conley (Saves The Day, Two Tongues) and Anthony Raneri (Bayside) for another Where’s The Band? tour on the east coast.
Tour Dates:
12/8 – Cambridge, MA
12/9 – Baltimore, MD
12/10 – Philadelphia, PA
12/11 – Brooklyn, NY
12/12 – New York, NY

Chapter 14 Is A New Band Featuring Chad Ackerman
Though Chapter 14 features two members of recently departed metal-core unit Destroy The Runner, 14 was in the works long before their tenure in Runner. Vocalist Chad Ackerman (who has also spent time as a guitarist in As I Lay Dying and vocalist in Austrian Death Machine) says “Me and Tanner [Sparks] were doing Chapter 14 full time before we were asked to join Destroy The Runner in 2006.” The original Chapter 14 also included future members of Confide, Chiodos and In Fear And Faith. Ackerman reveals “We did two full U.S. tours on our own, which I actually booked through MySpace and opened up for As I Lay Dying a number of times. The band had a following but we never got a chance to record so towards the end of Runner we were into recording these songs and touching them up with some of our newer influences.” The result is the forthcoming EP Like Trees In November which has Sparks taking on the role of guitarist, bassist and drummer recorded in his own Sparks Studios. Ackerman who is known for his soaring melodic vocals has delivered his best work here with a confident and powerful range. The music is technical with a post-hardcore attack and at times metallic drums pushing it forward but make no mistake this is vulnerable and emotional rock. Ackerman reveals “Chapter 14 is actually the most poignant chapter in my favorite book, Watership Down.” Watership Down is a popular novel written by English author Richard Adams about a group of rabbits who encounter death and destruction from all around them while searching for a safe home. “Chapter 14 [of Watership Down] is actually titled “Like Trees In November” and it’s in this chapter that the main rabbits go to persuade their friends to leave the rabbit farm where they live and warn them that the farmer who runs it will destroy them. However none of the rabbits on the farm believe the main characters and think that they are lying. The main characters have to leave their friends behind knowing it is their doom. While the songs on the EP aren’t entirely about Watership Down, relationships including the types that the rabbit shared are a central topic.” Producer Brian Grider recorded vocals and handled mixing and mastering on the EP at his own SCM Recordings. Long time friend Matt Geise of Lower Definition adds guest vocals to the song “Moth And Rust.”

Listen To New Affiance Song
Bullet Tooth will release the debut album “No Secret Revealed” from Cleveland’s own Affiance on November 30, 2010. “Affiance”, meaning to betroth in trust and confidence, is a name that can be taken to heart as these guys have banded together and endured every trial a new band faces. Affiance kicked down doors, shattering expectations, and broke the mold of how metal “should” sound, and are confident that they present a new breed of metal that is intense, with vocals that soar, and live performances that leave the harshest critics in awe. “We are very excited and we believe, with the help of Bullet Tooth, we will be able to work harder, push further, and accomplish more than we ever have before,” says Brett Wondrak (Guitar). The album is 10 songs of intricately written metal fused with harmonies and vocals that will leave the listener humming along after the first listen. Lyrically Affiance touch on political and religious themes, and lyricist and vocalist Dennis Tvrdik commented, “We are a band that strongly believes in the pursuit of truth and happiness. In order to achieve these ideals we must delve into concepts and that we often don’t want to think about. We hope that through our music we can inspire people to think for themselves and be pro-active in society”. The band wrapped up a recent full US tour with their friends in Across The Sun (Metal Blade) and No Bragging Rights (Blk Heart Group) and gained tons of new fans in the process. Most importantly, scoring a record deal. When Bullet Tooth Pres. Josh Grabelle saw the band on this tour, he said, “These guys were one of the best live bands I had ever seen. I truly needed to see them play live to make sure Dennis’ vocals weren’t studio magic, and they certainly weren’t! I was blown away. The whole band was incredible, and the songs on this album are gonna knock people’s socks off.” It should also be noted that the night Affiance played in NJ there was a hurricane with 60+ MPH winds and rain… proving nothing will stop Bullet Tooth from seeking out the best new music! Brett commented on the album, “Releasing No Secret Revealed is an incredible milestone for us. This album is basically the result of us locking ourselves in a room and not coming out until we had songs we all loved. It was pretty intense. Half the time we were productive and the other half we were ready to throw each other out the window. We really pushed ourselves, both musically and lyrically, and what we walked away with was better than any of us had anticipated. It was through the hardship and stress that we established our identity. This album is a testimony of how far perseverance and hard work can take you.” You can listen to two new songs from the forthcoming album “No Secret Revealed” on their Myspace page. Check out “Dissent!” (Featuring James Baney from The Devil Wears Prada) and “Call To The Warrior”.
The track listing for Affiance “No Secret Revealed” (November 30, 2010) is:
[Click on TRACK #4 to listen to it]:
1. Revelation
2. Call To The Warrior
3. Nostra Culpa
4. For Power
5. A Monster Fed
6. The Hive
7. A Reading From The Book Of
8. Der Fuhrer
9. Dissent!
10. Calculate And Control
Tour Dates:
Dec 2 – Toledo, OH
Dec 3 – Cleveland, OH
Dec 4 – Jamestown, NY
Dec 5 – Buffalo, NY
Dec 7 – Rochester, NY
Dec 8 – Bronx, NY
Dec 9 – Albany, NY
Dec 10 – Mt Airy, MD
Dec 11 – Linthicum, MD
Dec 12 – Raleigh, NC
Dec 13 – Johnson City, TN
Dec 14 – Cookeville, TN
Dec 15 – Nashville, TN
Dec 17 – Memphis, TN
Dec 18 – Plano, TX
Dec 19 – Fort Worth, TX
Dec 20 – Joplin, MO
Dec 21 – St Louis, MO
Dec 22 – Indianapolis, IN

In Due Time To Play Reunion Show
Hardcore greats kick out the jams again! Joe Friday said, “Just the facts, ma’am,” so here they are:
-It’s December 11th at Murray Hill Theatre in Jacksonville, Florida.
-Doors open at 7 PM and the show starts at 7:30 PM.
-Tickets are on sale now through the Murray Hill Theatre Web site and/or box office for $12 and tickets are $15 on the day of the show.
-The other bands are Our Finest Hour, The Red Baron and With Blood Comes Cleansing.
-It’s called Carly Fest, in honor of Carly Driscoll, who was diagnosed in February 2009 with rhabdomyosarcoma, a rare form of cancer, and passed away in September 2010.
-Proceeds from the show are being donated to St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital.
-Carly was a big fan of the band Copeland, who once played a set in her backyard.
-Carly studied creative writing in high school.
-In Due Time was formed in 2001 in Jacksonville, Florida.
-Strike First Records signed the band in 2003.
-In Due Time released two records on Strike First Records: 2004’s Back to Basics and 2005’s Final Showdown.
-In Due Time played their last show in May 2006.

House of Heroes Get All Christmasy
House of Heroes is gearing up for the holidays by lending tracks to two new Christmas compilation releases. ‘Tis The Season To Be Gotee, out now and the Warner Bros. release Gift Wrapped II: Snowed In, available November 23. 4. House of Heroes’ version of “O Come, O Come Emmanuel” is featured on Warner Bros. Records’ holiday album Gift Wrapped II: Snowed In, which features 11 brand-new recordings and five highly coveted and previously unavailable tracks, will be released digitally during Thanksgiving week. For more information on the project, visit the official press release at http://bit.ly/ctbkln. Gotee Records rings in the holiday with Tis The Season To Be Gotee Christmas compilation, available now digitally, and features 3 tracks from House of Heroes including a cover of the Mariah Carey hit “All I Want For Christmas Is You.” Picked as an ‘AP Recommends’ in the December issue of Alternative Press magazine, House of Heroes’ latest release SUBURBA, produced by Mark Lee Townsend (Relient K, Deas Vail) and mixed by J.R. McNeely (Versa Emerge, He Is We) is out now and has been selected as one of AmazonMP3.com’s 100 $5 Albums for November.

Visible School News
This note from the President, Ken Steorts, shares some cool news regarding their funding for moving into their new building: I have an amazing, special announcement: An anonymous donor has announced a challenge match for this week only. Until next Monday morning, any gift we receive will be matched dollar for dollar before our matching foundation match. That’s right, every dollar is matched and then that doubled amount is doubled again – 4x, this week only! That’s leverage of giving if you want to support what we are working on here in Memphis with young musicians! Penny jars and rock stars jumping on this cool and generous offer – Memphis never ceases to amaze me in generosity.
For more information on Visible School, go here:
visible.edu/intothecity

On The Orianthi Video Shoot With Lacey From Flyleaf
Take a look at the making of “Courage,” the new video from Orianthi and Flyleaf’s Lacey Mosley. “The idea for the music video was to really bring the lyrics to life by interspersing my and Lacey’s performance with images that we think project courage,” said Orianthi. The singer also let fans in on a secret – she’s not a very good driver. “We had lots of different scenes; the first one was set in an RV, driving around… thank god [Lacey] was driving, otherwise we’d probably end up in the closest tree!” Luckily for Orianthi she has her guitar to fall back on – “I love her playing guitar – I’ve never seen a girl play like her, she’s really strong and powerful,” Lacey shared.

To Write Love On Her Arms Promote Gifts
TWLOHA’s message has since grown enormously along with their recognition. To date, founder Jamie Tworkowski has been a guest on CBS Sunday Morning, MSNBC, CNN.com, NBC Nightly News with Brian Williams and MTV. TWLOHA had a 6-page feature in Rolling Stone Magazine along with articles in Paste, Seventeen, Teen Vogue, Alternative Press and more. TWLOHA won the mtvU Woodie Award in the “Good Woodie” category against artists such as Alicia Keys and Wyclef Jean and won a full-page ad in USA TODAY for their America Wants twitter campaign. Since their start in 2006, TWLOHA has donated over $700,000 to people dealing with depression and have answered over 150,000 emails and heard from over 140 countries of people seeking help worldwide.

Mr. Talkbox Signs To Save The City Records
Artist and performer extraordinaire, Byron “Mr. Talkbox” Chambers has signed with Seattle-based Save the City Records. The deal includes a number of future projects in addition to the label release of Chambers’ popular My Time CD today through Save The City Records/Provident-Integrity Distribution. “Byron brings energy and joy wherever he goes,” declares Derek Hoiem, president of Save the City Records. “His enthusiasm for life and his excellence shines whether he’s onstage with tobyMac or performing as a solo artist. Byron has brought his multi-faceted musical talents to many Grammy-winning and Dove-award winning platforms, and now we have a chance to showcase his career as a solo artist. He is a perfect fit in our artist family and he shares our passion for excellence in music and in ministry.” “I am very excited to partner with Save The City Records!” comments Chambers. “Derek Hoiem’s vision is exactly what I’ve been praying for to happen in this music industry — someone who’s cutting edge and excited about bringing new talent that can not only reach the church, but the world at large! So, let’s go!” The Orlando-born performer is no stranger to the stage or the recording studio. Chambers grew up in a musical household where he was exposed to everything from Gospel to Jazz, but the one particular sound that captured his heart and imagination was the Talkbox. He heard it used by R&B Funk Master Roger Troutman and knew immediately that he had to make it his own.His excellence as a writer, arranger, musician and performer opened doors for him, and Chambers soon found himself performing alongside such Gospel greats as Jonathan Butler, The Mighty Clouds of Joy, Fred Hammond, CeCe Winans, Kurt Carr and Bishop T.D. Jakes, to name just a few. Chambers’ career exploded with he was offered a shot at playing keys with mega-pop band *NSYNC, and he has since toured and performed with pop superstars like the Backstreet Boys, Britney Spears, O-Town, Gloria Estefan and Jordan Knight. But as heady as the bright lights of fame and fortune can be, it can also take a toll. Chambers took a good hard look at where his life was headed, and he didn’t like what he saw. He decided to step away from *NSYNC in order to focus more time on his wife and family. “God told me at the height of my blossoming career to leave the road and dedicate my life to him, and he would bless my music to minister to the world,” Chambers says simply. And God has been faithful to His Word. Chambers connected with hiphop superstar tobyMac and was featured on the Grammy-nominated, Dove Award winning projects Welcome to Diverse City and Portable Sounds. He won his own Dove Award for Hip Hop Song of the Year for co-writing the Group 1 Crew song “Movin.” He did guests spots for such influential artists as Martha Munizzi, O-Town and American Idol finalist Danny Gokey. “Byron ‘Mr. Talkbox’ Chambers has the unique ability to make brilliant music that not only motivates and inspires the heart and soul, but makes you wanna get up and dance!” says Gokey.
Chambers’ debut independent solo CD, My Testimony, impacted sales in more than 17 countries and went on to become one of CDBaby.com’s top sellers. Mr. Talkbox’s latest project, My Time, is set to impact an even broader audience, due to his new relationship with Save the City Records and Provident-Integrity Distribution. My Time has already made quite an impact with its first radio single, “Ground Zero,” cracking the Top 10 on the Rhythmic Charts. Jesus Freak Hideout declared, “Chambers expertly lays down the beats…leading to a very catchy and infectious record.” “Mr. Talkbox is bringin’ new flavor to our industry,” says tobyMac. “He has been on the road with me for over a year now and his heart is as big as his hooks. The Mac household has his CD in regular rotation. For real!”

As They Sleep Reveal New Track
Motor City metal act, As They Sleep, has updated their official MySpace and Facebook pages with a brand new song, taken from the band’s forthcoming full-length record, Dynasty, entitled, “The Darkest Ages”. “The Darkest Ages” joins three other recently revealed tracks from As They Sleep’s Solid State Records debut, which are currently streaming at their MySpace and their Facebook. Dynasty will hit stores later this month on November 22nd, and delivers a package of brutally heavy and savagely technical death metal, tied together with the help of powerhouse audio wizard, Jason Suecof (All That Remains, Chimaira, Demon Hunter). As They Sleep will support their sophomore effort on the road this December on the “Solid State Records: A Very Metal Christmas Tour”, alongside label-mates Living Sacrifice, The Showdown, Becoming the Archetype, and To Speak of Wolves.

Mike Farris Debuts High
Americana/Gospel artist Mike Farris’ new Entertainment One release, The Night The Cumberland Came Alive, debuts at #10 on the Billboard Blues Chart. The 6-song EP, released on October 26th, commemorates and celebrates the rebirth of Nashville, a city and its surrounding communities devastated by a “1,000 year” flood on May 1, 2010. Although short in length, it is not short on spirit, offering up “Farris’ trademark evangelical rock n’ roll,” as Steven Gaydos wrote recently in Variety. The project was recorded just weeks after the flood, as the people of middle Tennessee regained their civic pride and rallied to help their neighbors and rebuild. The Night The Cumberland Came Alive features an all-star cast of musicians including: Sam Bush, Kenny Vaughan (Marty Stuart), Ketch Secor and Gill Landry from Old Crow Medicine Show, Byron House (Robert Plant), as well as Ann, Regina and Alfreda McCrary (The McCrary Sisters), Derrek Phillips and Eric Holt from Farris’ own Roseland Rhythm Revue. The Night The Cumberland Came Alive, which Dustin Ogdin of No Depression called “some of the finest roots-rollicking soul and gospel you’re likely to ever hear,” rolls out a decidedly pre-war Americana sound while delivering a hopeful message of restoration. “Stylistically, pre-war American music has long been a passion of mine,” Farris says of the project. “Before the flood, we’d been searching for songs that would evoke the struggle and the victory of the working class, a sound rising up out of flesh and bone, of spit and spirit. But then, as a city, we were hit square in the gut by this unbelievable flood. And that sound meshed with the spirit of resurrection we saw rise up all over this area. When we gathered in that historic church to lay it all down, what happened was beyond our imaginations.” The title track’s lyrics deal directly with the flood, and Farris penned “Dear Lazarus” along with Ketch Secor just days before the recording. According to Mike, “Playing these songs—sight unseen, without so much as a lead sheet—and with such a dream team of musicians was the thrill of a lifetime. You can hear the passion. You can feel the love in the room. And I’m thrilled to release it to help this community get back on its feet.” This release comes hot off the heels of Farris’ recent GMA Dove Award for Best Traditional Gospel album of the year for 2009’s SHOUT! Live, a sweat-drenched document of his Sunday Night Shout residency dates at the legendary Station Inn in Nashville. The EP is also a continuation of the musical and spiritual journey that Farris began with his 2007 release, Salvation In Lights, which contributed to him receiving the 2008 Americana Music Association’s New & Emerging Artist of the Year award. The music is steeped in traditions explored on that record and widens the lens of the American treasure that it represents – roots, gospel and blues. A portion of the proceeds from the sale of the EP will be used to benefit the Downtown Presbyterian Church’s ministry to the homeless in Nashville, which seems fitting as the record was recorded in less than a day at that historic building. Mike Farris is performing select dates to showcase the material on the EP in addition to performing monthly with The Roseland Rhythm Revue as part of his Sunday Night Shout residency at the Station Inn this fall. He is currently working on the full-length studio follow-up to Salvation In Lights, which is scheduled to release sometime in 2011.
For more information, visit:
mikefarrismusic.net

©2010 HM Magazine All Rights Reserved

More news from last week:

still fresh (as far as you know)

Take a look at the making of “Courage,” the new video from Orianthi and Flyleaf’s Lacey Mosley.  “The idea for the music video was to really bring the lyrics to life by interspersing my and Lacey’s performance with images that we think project courage,” said Orianthi.

The singer also let fans in on a secret – she’s not a very good driver.  “We had lots of different scenes; the first one was set in an RV, driving around… thank god [Lacey] was driving, otherwise we’d probably end up in the closest tree!”  Luckily for Orianthi she has her guitar to fall back on – “I love her playing guitar – I’ve never seen a girl play like her, she’s really strong and powerful,” Lacey shared.

“Courage” can be found on Orianthi’s album Believe (II).  Visit Orianthi.com for additional information.

###

“Courage” BTS Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o8qRaRN_pGk

“Courage” Video Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fMw7YP4aPR0

Believe (II) Buy Link: http://bit.ly/btXoX0

NEW Photos, Bio: http://totalassault.com/assets/?team_id=396

Sufjan Stevens New Album ‘The Age of Adz’
It has been five years since Sufjan Stevens has put out his ground-breaking record Illinois. The second record in his 50 states series. We all where wondering how, could, and would Sufjan really pull this feat off. The years passed, and Sufjan confessed that the whole “states” project was a promotional gimmick that he never intended to finish. Now five years, one B sides record, a Christmas record, a movie soundtrack, and an EP later we get a brand new full length record called The Age of Adz’. This record seems to be a collection of Sufjans styles, from the electronic sounds in Enjoy Your Rabbit, to the smooth folk in Illinois. The record came out Oct 12th on Sufjan’s label, Asthmatic Kitty.

Songs to Slay the Dragons, Vol.2 Compilation Out Now
In this day and age of free music downloads, one website gives you some great music that is cutting edge and ahead of release dates. Indievisionmusic.com just put out two new downloadable compilations this week. Songs to Slay the Dragons, Vol. 2 is forty-four tracks of some of the best up and coming hardcore and metal. It includes bands such as Messengers, Close Your Eyes, Hundredth, The Gun Show, Thin Ice, Dependency, Sovereign Strength, I Am Alpha and Omega, Before There was Rosalyn, Saving Grace, Debtor, and Strengthen What Remains, witch was one of the Pick of The Litter bands in our Sep/Oct issue.

Third Day Album Debuts In Billboard Top 10
MOVE, the 11th studio album from multi-Platinum rock band Third Day, takes a spot inside the Top 10 on this week’s Billboard Top 200 Album Chart and No. 1 on the Billboard Top Current Contemporary Christian Chart. Produced by Paul Moak (Mat Kearney, Martha Wainwright), MOVE follows Revelation, which debuted at No. 6 on the Billboard 200 in 2008, and 2009’s CD/DVD Live Revelations, which won the band its fourth GRAMMY® earlier this year. Mac Powell, Third Day’s lead singer states, “We have such loyal and dedicated fans. We want to thank them for their support of our new project. After being in music for so long, it’s great to see that our words and music are still strongly connecting with our fans.” Recent reviews on Move in such outlets as USA Today and The Atlanta Journal Constitution draw comparisons to U2 and solid Southern Rock roots grounded in faith and conviction. The lead single “Lift Up Your Face” featuring the Blind Boys of Alabama is the group’s fastest rising single of their career to date reaching over 40 million in impressions at radio alone. Third Day will be sitting down with CNN at its Atlanta-based studio to discuss music, faith and life on the road while band members are home for a break from its sold out touring schedule. Third Day, ranked as one of the top touring bands by Pollstar, recently launched the AEG Live-sponsored “Make A Difference Tour.” Nearly 80,000 fans turned out for the first few weekends of shows and over 100,000 tickets have already been sold for the 20-city arena outing, which wraps up at Crown Coliseum in Fayetteville, NC on October 30th. See below for remaining dates. Over the past decade, Third Day has racked up 27 No. 1 radio singles and sold more than seven million albums, receiving two RIAA Platinum and eight Gold certifications. The band has won four GRAMMY awards, an American Music Award, 24 GMA Dove Awards and multiple ASCAP honors. The band has appeared on “The Tonight Show with Jay Leno,” “The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson,” “60 Minutes” and “Nightline” and been featured in The New York Times, USA Today and on the cover of Billboard, which called Third Day “one of the best rock bands.”

Orianthi Partners With Flyleaf’s Lacey In New Video
Australian singer/songwriter Orianthi has released a new music video for the song “Courage,” from her recent release Believe (II). “Courage is one of my favorite songs to sing live… It’s very spiritual and it takes you to a colorful place,” she says of the track, which showcases the rocker’s softer side and features friend Lacey of the band Flyleaf. “I had a great time making the video with Lacey. I love the setting and the colors that were used in this clip – very earthy and exactly the way I envisioned the video for this tune to be.” Believe (II) also features Orianthi’s hits “According to You” and “Shut Up and Kiss Me,” and is available in store and on iTunes. Visit Orianthi.com and follow her on Twitter for the latest updates.

Endeavor Media To Film “Uncle America” Documentary
The fine folks behind the hip HM commercial spots, the Owl City “Fireflies” video are certain to make a great documentary. From their blog: “I’m excited to announce that myself and a group of close friends are going to be heading over to India to film a documentary called “Uncle America”. My business partner and friend, Steve Hoover, has been planning a documentary for some time now about the work his friend Rocky Braat is doing. Rocky left America to go to India to serve orphans who have all been infected with AIDS. But the story goes further than that: I encourage you to read the full synopsis of the film. We want people to watch this film and humbly question the depth of their love for humanity. We have been inspired by Rocky, and only wish to create a conduit through which others can also be inspired. Most of all, we want to tell a story that takes us from a life destined for middle-American success to an impoverished orphanage and all the while repeats the idea that love is not a part time job. That love can do just as much good in Pittsburgh as it can in India. We are looking for assistance in funding the project. We don’t care about profit. Every single person involved in this project is working for free. We are attempting to get $8,000-10,000, the majority of which is travel costs for four crew members. When the documentary is complete, we will be selling a DVD, the proceeds of which will be sent to help the orphanage. We just hope that you take a moment to either download our proposal or visit our project page at Kickstarter to read about the full scope of the project. Our Kickstarter account offers some great incentives to donating such as DVDs, Shirts, etc. In addition to that, if you are in support of what we’re trying to accomplish, we ask that you forward this to friends, post it on Facebook or twitter, and just pass it along. We sincerely appreciate you taking the time to read through this and consider helping out with this project. Thank you!

The Chariot Post New Video Blog
Georgia’s THE CHARIOT and AOL’s Noisecreep.com have posted the first of four exclusive video blogs in preparation for the release of the band’s new album, Long Live, on November 22nd. he band will release three more exclusive blogs throughout the remainder of the month at to-be-announced locations. Stay tuned for more updates on where you can catch the next video blog! THE CHARIOT is pleased to announce their addition to the Peter Says Denim presented ‘Winterizer Tour’, featuring SILVERSTEIN, MISS MAY I, PIERCE THE VEIL, and A BULLET FOR A PRETTY BOY. The tour begins on Friday, January 7th in Clifton Park, NY. Make sure to see below for more dates!
Tour Dates:
11/12 – Harrisonburg, VA
11/13 – West Springfield, VA
11/14 – Providence, RI
11/15 – Hartford, CT
11/16 – Toronto, ON
11/17 – Montreal, QC
11/19 – Windsor, ON
11/20 – Kitchener, ON
11/21 – London, ON
11/22 – Ottawa, ON
11/23 – Kingston, ON
11/24 – Peterborough, ON
11/25 – Barrie, ON
11/26 – Brantford, ON
11/27 – Mississauga, ON
11/30 – Edinboro, PA
12/1 – Pittsburgh, PA
12/2 – Poughkeepsie, NY
12/3 – Garden City, NY
12/4 – Vineland, NJ
12/5 – West Chester, PA
12/6 – Virginia Beach, VA
12/7 – Raleigh, NC
12/8 – Corbin, KY
12/9 – East Ridge, TN
12/10 – Prattville, AL
12/11 – Douglasville, GA
1/7 – Clifton Park, NY
1/8 – Allentown, PA
1/11 – Toledo, OH
1/12 – Madison, WI
1/13 – Palatine, IL
1/14 – Iowa City, IA
1/15 – Springfield, MO
1/16 – Tulsa, OK
1/18 – Albuquerque, NM
1/19 – Tucson, AZ
1/20 – Las Vegas, NV
1/21 – Pomona, CA
1/22 – Orangevale, CA
1/23 – Reno, NV
1/25 – Colorado Springs, CO
1/26 – Kansas City, MO
1/27 – St. Louis, MO
1/28 – Lansing, MI
1/29 – Buffalo, NY

Blue Like Jazz Movie Project Sets Record
A 30-day campaign generated by two Nashville men to save the making of the feature adaption of “Blue Like Jazz,” based on the New York Times Bestseller of the same name, has now become the largest crowd-sourced creative project in American history. The “Save Blue Like Jazz” project raised $345,992 from 4,495 supporters, topping Kickstarter.com’s previous record of $200,641. Brooklyn, N.Y.-based Kickstarter.com is the world’s largest funding platform for creative projects. Filming began last week on Wed. Oct. 27 in Nashville, Tenn. and Portland, Ore. Marshall Allman (“True Blood,“ Prison Break”) is set to play the lead role of Donald Miller. Tania Raymonde (“Lost,” “Crash”), Justin Welborn (“Final Destination,” “The Crazies”) and Claire Holt have also been cast. The movie, directed by Steve Taylor, will be produced by Clarke Gallivan (Ruckus Film) and filmed by cinematographer Ben Pearson. “The crew in Nashville that didn’t have work until you helped us thanks you, the writers who really wanted to see their story on the screen thank you, our mothers thank you, the actors who live to bring other characters to life thank you, the musicians who will make the soundtrack thank you, the real life characters whose lives will be reflected in the story thank you, the people who were turning toward cynicism thank you, everybody who was about to give up before they heard this story thanks you, and I thank you,” said Donald Miller, author of Blue Like Jazz in a blog post on www.donmilleris.com on the last morning of the campaign, Mon., Oct. 25. After seeing the news on the author’s blog that the movie was being put on indefinite hold due to a lack of funding, two fans of Miller’s famous Blue Like Jazz, Zach Prichard and Jonathan Frazier, created a grassroots style effort to save the film with the launch of www.savebluelikejazz.com. One of the movie’s investors committed to matching the amount raised if their campaign reached $125,000. To see the original video post from Prichard and Frazier, visit www.savebluelikejazz.com. The website encouraged viewers to download and pass along “Save Blue Like Jazz” posters, place Twitter hash marks of #savebluelikejazz, “like” on Facebook and, most importantly, donate on www.kickstarter.com. Pledge incentives included recorded voicemails from Miller, “Associate Producer” credits in the film’s end titles, t-shirts, screening tickets, copies of Miller’s script, digital downloads, personal “thank you” calls from the film’s director and more. Miller’s Blue Like Jazz has sold 1.3 million copies to date, and the writing of the movie’s screenplay was highlighted in his latest New York Times Bestseller A Million Miles In A Thousands Years.

The Rocketboys Release New EP
Brandon Kinder, lead singer of the Rocketboys, describes Wellwisher not as a concept album but a concept experience. The musical collaboration and nomadic recording process, combined with the lyrical themes of unity, brotherhood and relationships, all contributed to and exuded from the final product. The Rocketboys are still “creating rich anthems that are as infectious as they are sincere” (Paste Magazine) with “clear, ringing guitars and full-bodied keyboard arrangements, hard-driving drum lines and well-practiced transitions between calm and controlled chaos” (Austin American-Statesman). The band has already begun writing its second full-length, which will expand upon what Wellwisher offers. The currently unnamed release will be out by summer 2011 and feature a bucket of brand new songs from the six-piece group. The band had tracks featured on a plethora of TV shows including 2010 Winter Olympic Games, The Real World, The Buried Life and Keeping Up with the Kardashians, among others.
For a few song from The Rocketboys, visit:
paperthinmedia.com/download/therocketboysanarrowplace.mp3

Seabird Release Christmas EP
Seabird is releasing a seven-song Christmas EP, Over the Hills and Everywhere. The EP is available now exclusively with iTunes. Over the Hills and Everywhere comes as a follow-up to the band’s release of the song “Joy to the World” which was featured on an episode of “Grey’s Anatomy” during last year’s holiday season. Songs included on the direct to iTunes ® EP include “Angels We Have Heard on High,” “Go Tell It On the Mountain,” “What Child Is This?” “Hark the Herald Angels Sing,” “O Come, O Come Emmanuel,” “Joy to the World” and “Silent Night.”
“I remember taking Aaron to see the Nut Cracker ballet one year when we were in our late teens. We both got dressed up in suits, headed down to Music Hall and lost ourselves in this magical classic,” admits Ryan Morgan. “We wanted to record the classics the way we would any other of our songs. After all, the lyrics are quite good and worthy of creative and inspiring music. I think it’s worked for us. We did two last year (‘Joy to the World’ and ‘Silent Night’), and our fans seemed to love them when we performed them in our set on our headlining tour last Dec. So we did five more this year that we are really pumped about.” Seabird will take their Christmas tunes to the road from the end of Nov. to mid Dec. on the “Over The Hills and Everywhere Tour” with opener Ben Rector.
For tour dates or more information on the EP, go here:
myspace.com/seabird

IVM Sampler Vol.1 Compilation Album Available Now
The second compilation is called IVM Sampler Vol. 1. This compilation has forty tracks from all sorts of bands like Blood and Water, The Ember Days, The Overseer, White Collar Sideshow, Grave Robber, Thirty-seven, and last but not least a brand new song from Craig’s Brother called “The Mistake of Caring”. The artwork was done by Matthew Shelton of The Wedding. Download the album here.

Proto-Kaw Not Broken Up After All
Proto-Kaw has announced that they are not broken up after all. From Kerry Livgren’s website: 10/17/10 – Well….after having announced the demise of Proto-Kaw, we are very pleased to say that the band has re-united and is presently at work on their unfinished (and presently untitled) studio album. It is scheduled for release this coming January.

©2010 HM Magazine All Rights Reserved

More news from last week:

still fresh (as far as you know)

Australian singer/songwriter Orianthi has released a new music video for the song “Courage,” from her recent release Believe (II). “Courage is one of my favorite songs to sing live… It’s very spiritual and it takes you to a colorful place,” she says of the track, which showcases the rocker’s softer side and features friend Lacey of the band Flyleaf.  “I had a great time making the video with Lacey. I love the setting and the colors that were used in this clip – very earthy and exactly the way I envisioned the video for this tune to be.”

Believe (II) also features Orianthi’s hits “According to You” and “Shut Up and Kiss Me,” and is available in store and on iTunes.  Visit Orianthi.com and follow her on Twitter for the latest updates.

###

“Courage” Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fMw7YP4aPR0

“Believe (II)” Buy Link

Twitter Link: http://www.twitter.com/orianthi

This Flyleaf show was different. The last three or four Flyleaf shows I’ve seen have caused me to either weep or want to weep. Those shows (SXSW 2008, ACL Fest 2008 and RevGen 2009) made me weep or want to weep simply because my heart was about to leap out of my chest in adoration and worship. It was like the room was anointed with the Spirit of the Living God. It was almost a tangible “cut-it-with-a-knife” presence that made it so easy to tell God I love Him and I had the strongest urge to just praise His Name. That’s some special stuff. That’s the kind of thing that bonds me to a group or band. I take my best guess and attribute that kind of thing – that kind of “anointing” – as simply the result of prayer. I think of it as a miracle. I don’t believe you can manipulate God and His Spirit to do your bidding like so much witchcraft or voodoo. To experience something like that is pretty special.

Tonight I felt the urge to weep, but it wasn’t the “worship God right now” variety. It was the moving passion and joy I felt from hearing the words of Lacey as she addressed the audience.

She explained the title of Flyleaf’s new album, Memento Mori: “…we shouldn’t be surprised that people die. We should be surprised that we’re all still alive.”

“…the great thing about waking up this morning is it’s a new day, a fresh start. You are so valuable…”

“You are SO important … and I believe that you were created with a purpose – that only you can fulfill.”

She was saying such affirming and hope-filled things (which are all true). It was beautiful to hear. And it was encouraging to realize how important and valuable it is for people young and old to be reminded of that. So many lies are whispered to us and it’s easy to believe those lies sometimes, like we don’t matter, like no one would care if we died, like we have no value, no purpose, no real destiny. When someone tells you the truth – that you do matter – it’s striking. It’s like a prophetic word in a way. It’s the truth and it’s a proclamation that part of our hearts were created to hear. Truth will resonate in the heart of a person that listens. I hope a lot of ears were listening tonight. That was so thrilling.

The intro to the show was fairly dramatic and full of dynamics. The lights on the outdoor stage at Stubb’s were swirling in the darkness, splashing patterns against the cloverleaf canvas that juts out over the stage like one of the three giant leaves of the infamous Sydney Opera House. The band chugged an intense and building rhythm that gave way to melodic chants of “…in the dark, in the dark, in the dark…” and the show was on.

Some of my observations were that Flyleaf played the bulk of material from their Memento Mori album. And then there was Pat Seals’ beard. Oh my gosh! That thing alone deserves a photo layout and a blog (or at least an entire zipcode). The thing is massive. Imagine Joaquin Phoenix on Letterman and add the raccoon eyes. He was, of course, launching off the metal crate boxes they planted at the edge of the stage.

It was neat to hear the dual guitars by Sameer Bhattacharya and Jared Hartmann, which complemented one another and filled up the sound. The simple white backdrop with the band’s name and memento mori album title was cool-looking and the set dressing itself was without much fanfare, but the lightshow was active and entertaining. They ended their show with a bang, playing “I’m So Sick” and “Fully Alive.” When they walked off stage, it was over. Even though the audience offered up the spirited yet obligatory “One more song!” chant, the moment was over and it was hard to imagine them coming out again after the hour-and-15-minute set with few interruptions. Flyleaf delivered. I hope that the words of encouragement will now take root and grow in the hearts of those in attendance.

Opening band Story of the Year were tight, talkative and melodic. At one point the guitarist led the band through a short romp of the Pantera classic “Walk.” The outdoor “yard” at Stubb’s was pretty full. Not at capacity, but enough people to make it crowded and let you know that you were at a concert.

© 2010 HM Magazine. All rights reserved.