FOR TODAY CONFIRMED FOR THE 2012 VANS WARPED TOUR

National Headlining Tour Confirmed This Spring

New Full-Length Album Slated For Release In 2012

Van’s Warped Tour today unveiled Christian metalcore band For Today as one of the latest acts confirmed for next year’s touring festival.  The Razor & Tie band will perform the entire nationwide run, from June 16^th through August 20^th.  Other bands announced for the Warped tour include label mates Chelsea Grin and Vanna, as well as bands Bayside, Sleeping With Sirens, Memphis May Fire, and Mayday Parade.  Tickets are available HERE for the Van’s Warped Tour.

For Today will also kick off  their 2012 nationwide headlining “Fight The Silence Tour” presented by HK Army and Substream Magazine.  The tour kicks off March 9^th in Nashville, TN and runs through the end of April and will make stops throughout the country including the Never Say Never Fest, SXSW and New England Metal & Hardcore Festival before concluding on April 22^nd (tour dates below).  The tour features additional support from A Skylit Drive, Stick To Your Guns, MyChildren MyBride and Make Me Famous.  Click HERE to watch a tour video with more info on the “Fight The Silence Tour.”

For Today is currently in the studio this week with producer Will Putney to work on their fourth full-length album to be released via Razor & Tie in Spring 2012.  Putney (Lamb Of God, Suicide Silence) previously worked on For Today’s 2010 release Breaker.

For Today formed in 2005 and has since released one EP and three full-length albums.  The hardcore-influenced metal band is known for their non-stop touring, high energy live performance, and unrelenting message.  Having played over 1000 shows in five continents, For Today has toured with Emmure, We Came As Romans, Winds of Plague, The Devil Wears Prada.  The band headlined the Scream The Prayer Tour 2010 with Maylene and The Sons of Disaster and also was on the Motel 6 Rock Yourself to Sleep Tour with We Came As Romans this past year.  To date, For Today has sold over 65,000 albums in North America.  As forthcoming about their faith as they are about their musical prowess, For Today have become widely known as one of modern metal’s most technically proficient bands.  For Today is Mattie Montgomery (lead vocals), Ryan Leitru (lead guitar, vocals),   Brandon Leitru (bass), Michael Reynolds (rhythm guitar), and David Morrison  (drums, percussion).

FOR TODAY

HEADLINING TOUR DATES
3/9 Nashville, TN @ Rocketown
3/10 Douglasville, GA @ The 7 Venue
3/11 Jacksonville, FL @ Murray Hill Theatre
3/12 Pensacola, FL @ American Legion Hall
3/14 Mission, TX @ Never Say Never Festival
3/17 Dallas, TX @ South By So What Festival
3/20 Tucson, AZ @ The Rock
3/21 Anaheim, CA @ House of Blues
3/23 Simi Valley, CA @ 118 West
3/24 San Diego, CA @ Soma
3/25 Sacramento, CA @ Ace of Spades
3/28 Iowa City, IA @ Blue Moose
3/29 St Paul, MN @ Station 4
3/31 Joliet, IL @ Mojoes
4/1 Louisville, KY @ Expo Five
4/3 Memphis, TN @ New Daisy Theatre
4/4 Tulsa, OK @ Marquee Theatre
4/5 Sauget, IL @ Pop’s
4/6 Dayton, OH @ The Attic
4/8 Buffalo, NY @ Xtreme Wheels
4/11 Toronto, ON @ Annex Wreckroom
4/12 Montreal, QC @ La Tulipe
4/13 New York, NY @ Gramercy Theatre
4/14 Allentown, PA @ Crocodile Rock
4/15 Sayreville, NJ @ Starland Ballroom
4/17 Raleigh, NC @ Lincoln Theatre
4/18 Charlotte, NC @ Amos
4/19 Richmond, VA @ Kingdom
4/20 Poughkeepsie, NY @ The Chance
4/22 Worcester, MA @ New England Metal & Hardcore Fest (FT/STYG)

FOR TODAY

EUROPEAN HEADLINING TOUR DATES
4/25 – Bochum, Germany – Matrix
4/26 – Berlin, Germany – Comet
4/27 – Dessau, Germany – Beat Club
4/28 – Meerhout, Belgium – Groezrock Festival
4/29 – Stuttgart, Germany – Pirate Satellite Festival

2012 VANS WARPED TOUR

Dates HERE

LINKS

www.myspace.com/fortoday

www.facebook.com/ForToday

https://twitter.com/fortodaybandyoutube

http://razorandtiepublicity.com/artistpage.php?artist=242

FOR TODAY ANNOUNCE NATIONWIDE HEADLINING TOUR DATES

New Full-Length Album Slated For Release In 2012

(New York, NY) – Christian metalcore band For Today are kicking off 2012 with the nationwide headlining “Fight The Silence Tour” presented by HK Army and Substream Magazine. The tour kicks off March 9^th in Nashville, TN and runs through the end of April and will make stops throughout the country including the Never Say Never Fest, SXSW and New England Metal & Hardcore Festival before concluding on April 22^nd (tour dates below). The tour features additional support from A Skylit Drive, Stick To Your Guns, MyChildren MyBride and Make Me Famous. Click HERE to watch a tour video with more info on the “Fight The Silence Tour.”

For Today will also team up with several social justice organizations and sponsors to help raise money and awareness to help their cause. The mission statement of the Fight The Silence Tour is as follows: “There is no more revolutionary force on earth than a group of young people who are united and focused on one common goal. It’s our heart’s desire to provide a platform and a venue for the initiation of a scene-wide culture shift. The blind have lead the blind for too long now, so we issue this charge to all who will stand with us: It’s time to change this system, not to fit in to it. You were born to fight the silence.”

For Today will enter the studio this week with producer Will Putney to begin working on their fourth full-length album to be released via Razor & Tie in Spring 2012. Putney (Lamb Of God, Suicide Silence) previously worked on For Today’s Breaker, their 2010 release.

For Today formed in 2005 and has since released one EP and three full-length albums. The hardcore-influenced metal band is known for their non-stop touring, high energy live performance, and unrelenting message. Having played over 1000 shows in five continents, For Today has toured with Emmure, We Came As Romans, Winds of Plague, The Devil Wears Prada. The band headlined the Scream The Prayer Tour 2010 with Maylene and The Sons of Disaster and also was on the Motel 6 Rock Yourself to Sleep Tour with We Came As Romans this past year. To date, For Today has sold over 65,000 albums in North America. As forthcoming about their faith as they are about their musical prowess, For Today have become widely known as one of modern metal’s most technically proficient bands. For Today is Mattie Montgomery (lead vocals), Ryan Leitru (lead guitar, vocals), Brandon Leitru (bass), Michael Reynolds (rhythm guitar), and David Morrison (drums, percussion).

For Today Tour Dates

3/9 Nashville, TN @ Rocketown
3/10 Douglasville, GA @ The 7 Venue
3/11 Jacksonville, FL @ Murray Hill Theatre
3/12 Pensacola, FL @ American Legion Hall
3/14 Mission, TX @ Never Say Never Festival
3/17 Dallas, TX @ South By So What Festival
3/20 Tucson, AZ @ The Rock
3/21 Anaheim, CA @ House of Blues
3/23 Simi Valley, CA @ 118 West
3/24 San Diego, CA @ Soma
3/25 Sacramento, CA @ Ace of Spades
3/28 Iowa City, IA @ Blue Moose
3/29 St Paul, MN @ Station 4
3/31 Joliet, IL @ Mojoes
4/1 Louisville, KY @ Expo Five
4/3 Memphis, TN @ New Daisy Theatre
4/4 Tulsa, OK @ Marquee Theatre
4/5 Sauget, IL @ Pop’s
4/6 Dayton, OH @ The Attic
4/8 Buffalo, NY @ Xtreme Wheels
4/11 Toronto, ON @ Annex Wreckroom
4/12 Montreal, QC @ La Tulipe
4/13 New York, NY @ Gramercy Theatre
4/14 Allentown, PA @ Crocodile Rock
4/15 Sayreville, NJ @ Starland Ballroom
4/17 Raleigh, NC @ Lincoln Theatre
4/18 Charlotte, NC @ Amos
4/19 Richmond, VA @ Kingdom
4/20 Poughkeepsie, NY @ The Chance
4/22 Worcester, MA @ New England Metal & Hardcore Fest (FT/STYG)

LINKS

www.myspace.com/fortoday

www.facebook.com/ForToday

https://twitter.com/fortodaybandyoutube

http://razorandtiepublicity.com/artistpage.php?artist=242

CONTACTS:

Razor & Tie Media Relations
(212) 598-2255 press@razorandtie.com

www.razorandtie.com

www.razorandtiepublicity.com

]]> http://www.hmmagazine.com/2012/01/for-today-announce-headlining-tour-3/feed/ 0 http://www.hmmagazine.com/2011/12/for-today-announce-headlining-tour-2/ http://www.hmmagazine.com/2011/12/for-today-announce-headlining-tour-2/#comments Fri, 23 Dec 2011 21:43:57 +0000 Doug Van Pelt http://www.hmmagazine.com/?p=16472

FOR TODAY ANNOUNCE NATIONWIDE HEADLINING TOUR

New Full-Length Album Slated For Release In 2012

Christian metalcore band For Today are kicking off 2012 with the nationwide headlining “Fight The Silence Tour” presented by HK Army and Substream Magazine.  The tour kicks off on March 10^th and will make stops throughout the country including the Never Say Never Fest, SXSW and New England Metal & Hardcore Festival before concluding on April 22^nd.  The tour features additional support from A Skylit Drive, Stick To Your Guns, MyChildren MyBride and Make Me Famous.  Full tour dates will be announced soon.  Click HERE to watch a tour video with more info on the “Fight The Silence Tour.”

For Today will also team up with several social justice organizations and sponsors to help raise money and awareness to help their cause.  The mission statement of the Fight The Silence Tour is as follows: “There is no more revolutionary force on earth than a group of young people who are united and focused on one common goal.  It’s our heart’s desire to provide a platform and a venue for the initiation of a scene-wide culture shift.  The blind have lead the blind for too long now, so we issue this charge to all who will stand with us:  It’s time to change this system, not to fit in to it. You were born to fight the silence.”

For Today will enter the studio on January 6^th with producer Will Putney to begin working on their fourth full-length album to be released via Razor & Tie in Spring 2012.  Putney (Lamb Of God, Suicide Silence) previously worked on For Today’s Breaker, their 2010 release.

For Today formed in 2005 and has since released one EP and three full-length albums.  The hardcore-influenced metal band is known for their non-stop touring, high energy live performance, and unrelenting message.  Having played over 1000 shows in five continents, For Today has toured with Emmure, We Came As Romans, Winds of Plague, The Devil Wears Prada.  The band headlined the Scream The Prayer Tour 2010 with Maylene and The Sons of Disaster and also was on the Motel 6 Rock Yourself to Sleep Tour with We Came As Romans this past year.  To date, For Today has sold over 65,000 albums in North America.  As forthcoming about their faith as they are about their musical prowess, For Today have become widely known as one of modern metal’s most technically proficient bands.  For Today is Mattie Montgomery ( lead vocals), Ryan Leitru (lead guitar, vocals),   Brandon Leitru (bass), Michael Reynolds (rhythm guitar), and David Morrison  (drums, percussion).

LINKS

www.myspace.com/fortoday

www.facebook.com/ForToday

https://twitter.com/fortodaybandyoutube

http://razorandtiepublicity.com/artistpage.php?artist=242

Heavy music, the undeniable presence of God and unbearable heat are all synonymous with Cornerstone Festival. This year the annual festival did not disappoint as it accomplished the impossible: in a place where the heat made you feel like you were in Hell, there was no denying God was there.

Pulling through the front gate Thursday, the sights were unforgettable. People walking around with guitars and singing praise songs, people on the side of the road playing music for by passers, a guy covered in boxes to resemble a giant cross all gave the feeling Cornerstone would be an adventure.

One new aspect of the festival this year was the artist meet and greet center where fans could meet some of the week’s top artists. Classic Petra, Resurrection Band, Flatfoot 56, Leper, Brian “Head” Welch were just a few of the artists who took time out of their busy days to talk to fans and sign autographs.

The gates opened Tuesday for people to set up camp and there were a few performances Tuesday and Wednesday but the belly of the action started on Thursday.

Don’t Wake Aislin put on an interesting show at the Raging Storm Records tent in the early afternoon. Their mixture of rock and poetic spoken word between songs served for a great way to start off Cornerstone Festival. Another small band, The End All from Springfield, Missouri, put on a very energetic show at the Texas stage, entertaining the crowd with a heavy cover of Justin Bieber’s “Baby.”

Thursday night’s main stage package had the theme of “The Jesus Rally,” which featured some of the pioneers and legends of the Christian rock. Servant, Barry McGuire, Daniel Amos, Randy Stonehill, E Band, Resurrection Band, Phil Keaggy and Classic Petra all took part in the festivities.

E Band, who was Greg Volz’s band prior to Petra, was perhaps the surprise of the main stage, since there were numerous people who didn’t know who they were. This was also the first of two sets Volz would sing that night, the second coming with Classic Petra.

Their set featured a cover of “Jesus is Just Alright” and the Petra hit “The Coloring Song.” Throw in Volz’s moving and emotional testimony and E Band was an early favorite.

As the night got later, more people flocked to the main stage to see Resurrection Band. The husband-wife combo of Wendi and Glenn Kaiser tore it up, rocking fans’ worlds with hits like “House is on Fire” and “Right on Time.”

Perhaps the most highly-anticipated of the rally’s lineup was Classic Petra. Even though it had been 25 years since this lineup had played together before this tour, it was as if no time had passed. The legendary rockers sounded impeccable, playing their “Back to the Rock” album in near-entirety.

With Volz running amuck on stage, John Lawry shredding the keytar, and Bob Hartman playing the guitar better than ever, one thing is for sure- Petra is back and good as ever.

Next it was off to the Encore stage at 1 a.m. for the final show of the night, Flatfoot 56.

The Chicago-based celtic punk band put on a whale of a show. Coming to the stage dressed as super heroes, they knew how to work the crowd.

Circle pits, stage dives and stage rushes were bountiful during Flatfoot’s show as were people on the ground. End the show with a celtic punk version of “I’ll Fly Away” and “Amazing Grace” and Thursday was a success.

Friday was by far the hottest day of the weekend, so hot that it was hard to sleep later than 8 a.m.

Mornings were best spent sitting at a camp site, reading some scripture and listening to the praise and worship music easing its way down to you from the morning worship service. What a way to start each day, right?

The Sacred Eternal kicked off the action as part of the New Band Showcase, and stole the show from the other acts on the showcase that day.

A Life Set Apart, The Letter Black and Write This Down all played strong sets.

Sarah Anthony of The Letter Black’s screaming could probably be heard from the Encore stage as she hit the stage with a thunderous roar. She also took time to explain a few songs and interacted with the fans nicely.

They finished their dynamic set with a beautiful Metallica cover.

Perhaps the surprise of the day was For Today. After Write This Down wrapped up, fans had already began packing the main stage mosh pit.

Then the hurricane hit (much to the fear of the kid dressed like a hot dog who got caught next to the circle pit).

The sound of “Seraphim” from their latest record “Breaker,” hit. As if it were reflex (those who have been to a metal show knows the energy that comes with this), the large crowd began singing at the top of their lungs. This would continue for the entire set, making For Today an early favorite.

As if that wasn’t enough, Brian “Head” Welch was up next, and he put on one heck of a show, crazy and entertaining.

Head interacted with the crowd, making jokes throughout and showing personality.

At one point he walked down the catwalk and laid down, joking with the crowd that he didn’t want to go on after For Today because he’s old and it was too hot, then asking a man in the front row if he was doing okay with the heat.

His daughter, Jennea was there, too, and since it was her birthday, he sang her a “cover” of “All the Small Things” by Blink 182, explaining how she’s going through a Blink phase.

However his cover was more of a mockery, whiney and high-pitched. Very funny and entertaining. He ended his set with an instrumental KoRn medley of “Got the Life,”“Here to Stay” and “Freak on a Leash,” complete with his signature crouched over style of playing and his light brown braids flying around his head.

In the middle of the set, he disappeared for a little bit, only to come back to stage shouting “Die, Religion, Die,” and going into the song of the same title.

The final song he sang was “Blind,” another KoRn classic, which, for any KoRn fan in attendance was a trip to see.

P.O.D., back with their original lineup, capped off the main stage with jam packed with classic favorites like “Southtown,”“Youth of the Nation,”“Boom” and “Alive.”

Frontman Sonny Sandoval, now without dreadlocks, was full of energy, interacting with fans and at one point even coming into the crowd.

A giant “Rio” beach ball surfed its way across the mosh pit, adding even more excitement to the already high-energy show.

After P.O.D. finished it was off to the Sacrosact Records stage to catch some Phinnehas.

Phinnehas is a relatively new band, very similar to a mixture of Demon Hunter and Lamb of God.

With their frontman holding onto the tent post and hovering over the mosh pit and their bass player jumping all over the stage, Phinnehas made it easy to forget it was after midnight.

With exhaustion setting in from the heat, it was back to the campsite to recouperate for what was shaping up to be a very busy Saturday.

After sitting at the campsite reading some scripture and listening to some more praise music from one of the many worship services, I was summoned from my campsite by the sound of System of a Down’s “Toxcity.” Only this time it was with a female singer.

Intriguing.

Come to find out, it was a band I had seen the previous day, named Witness7.

Witness7 is a band out of Branson, Missouri whos lead vocalist sounds freakishly familiar to Lacey Mosely of Flyleaf. For a small band who is relatively unknown, they were very established on stage and have all the potential to be on a big stage at Cornerstone in the coming years.

While walking around to find the next show, a gorgeous Misfits sound came from the Solace tent. Turns out it was a Misfits cover set….by Showbread. Showbread and Misfits, what could go wrong, right?

Nothing, the set was intriguing and very crowd-friendly. Showbread took Misfits requests from the fans during the entire set, even taking time to endorse bottled water.

The surprise of the day, performance-wise, was Every Knee Shall Bow. This band features a 12 and 13 year old on guitar and bass.

I was skeptical at first, as were most people I’m sure, but when they started shredding, my jaw dropped and I was in awe. Those kids know how to rock, look for them to burst onto the big stages soon.

Playing main stage was Manafest. Manafest, though more rap than rock, took the stage and made it his, proving he deserved to be there.

Riding a skateboard to the mic and then moving and rapping, it was definitely a spectacle to be seen and he quickly won people over.

8 p.m. came and saw the crowd at the Arkansas stage grow in a number indescribable. People were backed up behind the road. Why?

Because Norma Jean showed up and played a surprise concert. That’s right, Norma Jean, and they brought insanity with them, and the main stage security. There were rumblings around the over-capacity crowd that the stage or tent may go crashing down from mere craziness.

The second the music hit and like reflex people began jumping on stage and stage diving. From the stage it was a sight to see. People crowd surfing and trying to get as close as possible.

Blindside and Anberlin wrapped up the action on main stage Saturday night. Both were two of the more anticipated sets of the day. Blindside, with their Euro-rock, opened slowly and some of the fans weren’t too fond of their opening but they rebounded well and had the crowd moving and rocking out for the rest of the show.

Anberlin opened with the name on their backdrop being spelled wrong but the focus was quickly diverted away from that when people noticed the triple drummers they had on the opening song.

Anberlin had the crowd’s attention and energy from the start to finish of their set, and after that, it was off to see A Plea for Purging.

On the way there, however, there was a sound coming from one of the tents, turns out it was the sound of Leper. Leper is tough to put into words.

Frontman and guitarist Skot Shaw dresses in all black with a black veil over his head and the music is very dark and slow but with prominently Christian lyrics. Very cool, with candles lit and skulls adorning the front of the stage the tent was packed with people enjoying the music.

A Plea for Purging and A War of Ages wrapped up the night at the Encore stage, both giving loud, hardcore sets that had the crowd moving. With all the energy and adrenaline going during the performance, it was tough to get to sleep afterward.

Sunday started with a great performance by These Hearts. With their high energy and united stage moves, it was hard to tell this was their first official tour.

Before There Was Rosalyn was rumored to play a set that night but due to a Community Gathering at main stage, their set was cancelled, much to the disappointment of many fans.

The Great Commission kicked off the Scream the Prayer Tour at the Underground Stage, giving an outstanding performance. They took time out from their set to tell the crowd they wouldn’t go to Hell for having tattoos, piercings or listening to loud music and that God doesn’t hear the sound, he hears the words and what’s in our hearts.

Even though their set was short as the opener for the tour, they were obviously a crowd favorite.

Close Your Eyes and Sleeping Giant also played great sets with one of Close Your Eyes’ guitar player’s straps breaking, forcing him to sit on his amp the entire time.

Sleeping Giant took time before the show to bless the stage crew through prayer and then blasted their way into complete domination through distinct Christian lyrics.

Gungor wrapped up main stage with a worship musical experience with emotional poetry. Gungor opened with a three person string set with two violins and a cello. Michael Gungor alternated frequently between acoustic guitar, electric guitar and banjo. He also had an African American woman come on stage speaking extremely emotional Christ poetry that brought a tear to most of those in attendance as fireworks went off in the background.

Then it was back to main stage for The Chariot, which was also the last set of the entire festival.

I had heard all kinds of stories that day about The Chariot. In 2010, the story is that Josh Scogin, the frontman, climbed the amps and stage dove. In 2009, they set their equipment on fire…on purpose.

Needless to say, people were expecting complete destruction and insanity and that’s just what they got. They started their set and two members immediately catapulted themselves into the crowd.

In the middle of their set, they took an intermission and talk music band Listener came on stage and had the crowd clapping, cheering, dancing and tee peeing the entire tent to commemorate Listener’s 1,000th show.

After a few songs The Chariot came back on to obliterate whatever energy the crowd had left.

The giant Rio beach ball from the P.O.D. show made another appearance in the tent for The Chariot, which probably wasn’t a good idea.

People started the crowd surfing, just as they do at every other show, security pulling them out in the multitudes.

The show ended with The Chariot smashing pieces of their gear and giving it away to the mosh pit and inviting everyone to the back for free donuts after the set.

Razor & Tie is pleased to announce the addition of Christian metalcore juggernauts For Today to its expanding label and publishing rosters. The Sioux City, Iowa based band will hit the road this fall / winter with The Devil Wears Prada, Whitechapel, and Enter Shikari for a national U.S. tour (dates below). The band is already in the writing stages for its forthcoming new studio album which will be released in 2012.

“We can’t even begin to explain how excited we are to join the Razor and Tie roster.  The label has shown tremendous confidence in their ability to continue developing us as a band, and to build on the foundation we’ve set,” said For Today lead singer Mattie Montgomery. “Anyone who follows our band should know, this changes nothing about our commission or our passion.  This means that, as we continue to proclaim the nearness of hope for the nations of the earth, from this point forward, we will do so with greater force, presence, and prominence than ever before.”

John Franck, Senior Vice President of Marketing for Razor & Tie comments, “We’re thrilled to welcome For Today to the R&T family. The band’s incredible energy and positive message is a well needed breath of fresh air.”

For Today formed in 2005 and has since released one EP and three full-length albums: Your Moment, Your Life, Your Time EP (Self-Released 2006), Ekklesia (Facedown Records, 2008), Portraits (Facedown Records, 2009),  Breaker (Facedown Records, 2010).  Having played over 1000 shows in five continents, For Today has toured with Emmure, We Came As Romans, Winds of Plague, The Devil Wears Prada. The band headlined the Scream The Prayer Tour 2010 with Maylene and The Sons of Disaster and also was on the Motel 6 Rock Yourself to Sleep Tour with We Came As Romans this past year. To date, For Today has sold over 65,000 albums in North America.

The hardcore-influenced metal band is known for their non-stop touring, high energy live performance, and unrelenting message. As forthcoming about their faith as they are about their musical prowess, For Today have become widely known as one of modern metal’s most technically proficient bands.  For Today is Mattie Montgomery ( lead vocals), Ryan Leitru (lead guitar, vocals), Brandon Leitru (bass), Michael Reynolds (rhythm guitar), and David Morrison (drums, percussion). The band is managed by Shawn Keith of Sumerian Entertainment and represented for touring by Matt Andersen of The Pantheon Agency.

For Today is the latest addition to independent label Razor & Tie’s expanding Rock roster that includes such artists as All That Remains, Norma Jean, Chelsea Grin, Attila, Saves The Day, and many more. The New York City-based label is one of the fastest growing independent record companies in the United States, and has garnered both Platinum sales and Grammy awards in its 20-year history.

For Today – Tour Dates with The Devil Wears Prada, Whitechapel, and Enter Shikari

Nov 3 – Milwaukee, WI – The Rave
Nov 6 – Chicago, IL – House of Blues
Nov 7 – Minneapolis, MN – Epic
Nov 8 – Winnipeg, MB – The Garrick
Nov 10 – Edmonton, AB – Edmonton Events Centre
Nov 11 – Calgary, ALB – MacEwan Ballroom
Nov 13 – Vancouver, BC – Rickshaw Theatre
Nov 14 – Seattle, WA – Showbox SoDo
Nov 15 – Portland, OR – Roseland Theatre
Nov 17 – San Francisco, CA – Regency Ballroom
Nov 18 – Santa Cruz, CA – The Catalyst
Nov 19 – San Diego, CA – Soma
Nov 20 – Los Angeles, CA – Club Nokia
Nov 21 – Tempe, AZ – Marquee Theatre
Nov 23 – Magna, UT – Saltair
Nov 25 – Denver, CO – The Summit Music Hall

Nov 26 – Oklahoma City, OK – Diamond Ballroom
Nov 27 – Dallas, TX – House Of Blues
Nov 28 – San Antonio, TX – Backstage Live
Nov 29 – Houston, TX – Warehouse Live Ballroom
Nov 30 – New Orleans, LA – House Of Blues
Dec 2 – Tampa, FL – The Ritz Ybor

Dec 3 – Ft. Lauderdale, FL – Revolution
Dec 4 – Lake Buena Vista, FL – House Of Blues
Dec 5 – Atlanta, GA – The Masquerade
Dec 7 – Charlotte, NC – Amos’ Southend

Dec 8 – Richmond, VA – The National
Dec 9 – Silver Spring, MD – The Fillmore – Silver Spring
Dec 10 – Philadelphia, PA – Electric Factory
Dec 11 – Sayreville, NJ – Starland Ballroom
Dec 13 – New York, NY – Best Buy Theatre
Dec 14 – Worcester, MA – The Palladium
Dec 15 – Montreal, QC – Metropolis
Dec 16 – Toronto, ON – Kool Haus
Dec 17 – Royal Oak, MI – Royal Oak Music Theatre
Dec 18 – Cincinnati, OH – Bogarts

LINKS

www.myspace.com/fortoday

www.facebook.com/ForToday

CONTACTS:

Kerri Brusca / Jenna Rosen   Razor & Tie Media Relations
(212) 598-2255 / (212) 598-2293
kbrusca@razorandtie.com / jrosen@razorandtie.com www.razorandtie.com

www.razorandtiepublicity.com

Day two of Purple Door kicks off as festival attendees slowly trickle back in to the fairgrounds. It’s a cool vibe at Purple Door. There is a good mix of people, both young and old all here to experience a great day of music & art.

The band Breezewood plays to a still waking up crowd, but does a nice job warming up the crowd with their catchy choruses.

The Road To Milestone was a very nice surprise. If I had to describe them in one sentence I would say, picture the Backstreet Boys with a chip on their shoulder. Catchy hooks and choreographed moves that got the crowd jumpin’. The guy playing the Apple computer played it with conviction and as though it had 6 strings. The electronic samples sprinkled throughout added a very cool element to their music.

Ace Augustine killed it. They seemed to have quite a following singing along to many of their songs. The pit came alive during their set complete with mohawks, gas masks, and I think I even saw a mime doing their thing in their somewhere:)  Lancaster, PA has become quite a hotbed for some hardcore heavyweights. Ace Augustine contributes to the pool of Pennsylvania talent in a big way!

Indie rockers Mike Mains & The Branches played the Relevant Stage to a packed house. The straight up rock n’ roll sound and well crafted songs made this a stand out band that I will definitely follow more closely.

Ascend The Hill from Florida & The Ember Days from New Zealand were there for one purpose; to bring us into the presence of the Lord. It was a very spirit filled time focused on the goodness of God, his love, his grace, and his wonderful mercy to his children. I left the worship experience with a greater appreciation for the heart of our Heavenly Father. There is something aboutworshipping with the masses. It did my heart good. Real good.

As Hell Retreats from Hendersonville, TN and I The Breather from Hagerstown, MD both lit up the LBC stage with a high energy metal core show. There was no shortage of low end, ribcage rattling tones to keep you on your toes all throughout their shows.

I stopped by the Come and Live Lounge to hear an interview with Aaron Gillespie formerly with the band Underoath. He shared the journey that God has taken him on over the past couple of years, to leave the comfort of Underoath and move into the unknown in obedience to God. He shared how lives are being changed because of his willingness to say  “yes” to God. A little later Aaron and his piano player led worship for a packed out audience. It was raw, genuine, and simple. Aaron sang his heart out in front of a stripped down drum kit, playing guitar and the kick drum during most of the set. It was very unique, and it worked. It worked very well.

For Today was the stand out band for me this weekend for a number of reasons. First of all, well because they rock. And rock hard! They embrace the crowd and give tons of opportunities for crowd participation. And the crowd participated in full force. Second of all, Mattie is a gifted and passionate communicator of God’s Word. He knows the Bible and it’s obvious that he “smokes what he sells.” He is passionate about awakening this generation to make a difference for Christ. As they walked off the stage after their last song, the crowd began to cheer for an encore. Mattie and guitarist came back on stage and dedicated their encore to Jesus and led the crowd in a worship song telling Jesus, “He’s worthy.”

Mattie got back up on stage shortly after their show and preached a powerful 45 minute message on developing a deeper faith. He gave an opportunity for people to respond to the challenge of going after deeper faith, and many people went forward to indicate that they wanted their life to make a difference for Christ!

Because of the rain, the party was brought indoors for the remainder of the festival. Unfortunately, I had to leave a little early so I could be in good shape to preach Sunday morning. I wasn’t able to catch Project 86, Disciple, or Underoath – all of which I’m sure delivered an incredible show for the crowd. It’s been fun to report from Purple Door Festival 2011. Until next time. Peace.

Saving Grace To Release The King Is Coming
Saving Grace have signed to Facedown Records for the release of their brand new full length studio album entitled The King Is Coming. The Facedown debut will be recorded with the band’s long time friend and producer Zorran Mendonsa who engineered both of Saving Grace’s previous albums Behind Enemy Lines and Unbreakable. The band states, “We are extremely pleased to announce our partnership with what we consider to be the most important label and ministry in heavy music. It has been an honor and privilege to have the support of Jason and the Facedown Family since we released Unbreakable in the US in January last year and we couldn’t be happier about putting the new record out with Facedown.”
Jason Dunn of Facedown Records adds, “It has been a privilege to get to know and work along side the guys in Saving Grace. Their hard work, determination and integrity shine through in how they live and in their music, and we are blessed to be able to partner with them.” The band heads into the studio in Gisborne City this August and looks forward to an early winter 2011 release date for The King Is Coming. Facedown Records is also making Saving Grace’s first full length release Behind Enemy Lines available digitally worldwide for the first time. Behind Enemy Lines was the band’s first international release back in 2008, and according to the band, “We are still very proud of the release and can’t wait to make it available again digitally.” The digital release of BEL will be available July 12.
For more information on Saving Grace, visit:
facebook.com/savingxgrace

August Burns Red Post 4th track From Leveler
With little more than a week to go until the anxiously awaited release of AUGUST BURNS RED’s Leveler, the band continue to tease fans by streaming yet another new track, entitled ‘Poor Millionaire’. While the early buzz has been on the band’s introduction of new elements and expansion of their experimentation, ‘Poor Millionaire’ is a song that will appeal to both old and new fans alike. Guitarist JB Brubaker explains: “While pushing the boundaries of ABR was important when writing Leveler, it was equally important us to not abandon what we as a band and what the fans think of as the ‘core ABR sound’ and that’s why songs like ‘Poor Millionaire’ are just as important to the album as more experimental tracks like ‘Internal Cannon’”. Stream the song here.

Mat Kearney News
As Mat Kearney kicked off a US tour in Nashville recently at the Ryman Auditorium with Owl City, he’s thrilled to announce the details and reveal the cover art for his fourth full-length studio album – Young Love – due out August 2nd on Universal Republic. The new album was recorded in Nashville with his longtime friend and producer Robert Marvin as well as Jason Lehning and is the follow-up to 2009’s City of Black & White. For Young Love the Nashville based, Oregon born artist expanded on his sound and approach by incorporating beats and grooves into his songwriting. The result is ten addictive honest heartfelt songs including “Hey Mama,” a catchy, handclap-inducing tune that is the first single from the set. This infectious song currently available via all digital retailers is on its way to being a summertime hit as it climbs its way up the charts, currently Top 40 at Hot AC and Top 20 at AAA. Catch Mat Kearney live as he kicks off a big US tour tonight in Nashville, TN at the renown Ryman Auditorium (dates below) and check out Young Love on August 2nd on Universal Republic.
Track Listing:
1. Hey Mama
2. Ships In The Night
3. Count On Me
4. Sooner Or Later
5. Chasing The Light
6. Learning To Love Again
7. Down
8. She Got The Honey
9. Young Dumb And In Love
10. Rochester
Tour Dates:
6/20 – Montreal, QC
6/21 – Toronto, ON
6/23 – New York, NY
6/25 – Philadelphia, PA
6/26 – Boston, MA
6/28 – Indianapolis, IN
6/29 – Detroit, MI
6/30 – Grand Rapids, MI
7/1 – Columbus, OH
7/2 – Mount Union, PA
7/11 – Kansas City, MO
7/12 – Denver, CO
7/13 – Salt Lake City, UT
7/15 – Seattle, WA
7/16 – Vancouver, BC
7/17 – Portland, OR
7/19 – San Francisco, CA
7/21 – Los Angeles, CA
7/23 – Pomona, CA
7/25 – Houston, TX
7/26 – Grand Prairie, TX
7/27 – Austin, TX
7/29 – Chicago, IL
7/30 – Minneapolis, MN

Strike First Signs Altars
Colorado Springs’ metallic hardcore band Altars has come to Strike First Records. The band formed early in 2010, recording demos and touring in true DIY fashion. Altars wanted to be heard, and so they joined forces with Josh Schroeder at Random Awesome Studios (Legend, For Today, A Plea For Purging) to record their debut EP later that same year. Now, fearless to share their creations, Altars brings their passion for heavy music and their EP Opposition to Strike First Records this summer.
Check out two songs from their EP here:
facebook.com/AltarsHC

For Today To Release Vinyl Albums
You can now pre-order the vinyl versions of For Today’s first 2 albums, Ekklesia and Portraits here. Each pressing is limited to only 700 copies and 2 different colors of vinyl are available for each album. Ekklesia will be pressed on red vinyl (200) and clear vinyl (500) and Portraits will be pressed on gold vinyl (200) and green vinyl (500). Digital download cards will be included in each album, and a free 17” x 22” For Today poster will be included with each order. Make sure to get your pre-orders in as these are sure to sell out quickly!

Facedown Day At Sonshine Fest
Facedown Records always had a great time attending Sonshine Festival in Willmar, MN. Whether it’s watching the bands, hanging out with people, or drinking Caribou Coffee, it’s always a good time out there. Facedown is happy to announce that they have teamed up with Sonshine Festival for an official Facedown Day on the HM Stage. It will be Thursday, July 14 and the line-up will include For Today, War Of Ages, A Plea For Purging, Hands, Your Memorial, Onward To Olympas, Gideon and Hope For The Dying. Make sure to come and hang out with them, it’s guaranteed to be a great time. As always, they’ll have a Facedown merch table set up with tons of great deals from all of their bands.

Jason Gluskin Art Series Released
Contemporary “Rock N’ Roll” artist, Jason Gluskin, has just released his first limited edition series of printed artwork on canvas now for sale in the West Village of New York City and on jasongluskin.com. “Over the past few years art collectors have purchased most of my original artwork. I’ve been flattered by the response. I wanted to offer these pieces in a limited run on high-quality canvas.” Said Gluskin. This series is available in New York City at The Paint Box Gallery, located on Hudson Street at Christopher Street in the West Village, as well as direct through Jason Gluskin’s website. The price per piece is $325 per canvas and $425 for custom/ hand-painted prints on canvas. “I want to make sure my work is available in some form to anyone who wants access. Art and music are so important to making the world a brighter place.” Jason will have a solo art show at The Bergen Performing Arts Center in Englewood NJ for the month of August, as well as a show in Times Square in December 2011 at the Bread and Roses Public High School for the Arts. Gluskin’s work has been classified as energetic, whimsical, colorful and musical. His vibrant works on canvas are inspired by the rhythm and flow of urban life. Jason has been dubbed a “Rock N’ Roll Painter” by the press as he has painted Jazz, Rock, Blues, Dance and other various music-themed compositions.

David C Cook Acquires Integrity Music
Effective June 1, 2011, David C Cook and Integrity Media reached an agreement whereby Integrity Music became part of the David C Cook family. The decision to acquire Integrity Music was motivated specifically by David C Cook’s desire to expand its global impact in the area of worship. Per the agreement, David C Cook has acquired only those assets specific to Integrity Music. Integrity Media, based in Mobile, AL will still exist consisting of Integrity Direct, Integrity Worship Institute, and the international companies in the UK, South Africa and Singapore. Industry veteran C. Ryan Dunham, formerly David C Cook’s senior vice president of sales and marketing, will serve as president of Integrity Music, effective immediately. “At David C Cook we are committed to the Great Commission. Our mission is to ‘Equip the Church with Christ-centered resources for making and teaching disciples who obediently transform today’s generations.’ We are delighted to have Integrity Music join the David C Cook family in serving the body of Christ,” states Cris Doornbos, CEO of David C Cook. “The acquisition of Integrity Music makes sense from both a ministry as well as a business standpoint. Both organizations are widely respected for their international reach and their worship music catalogs,” states Ryan Dunham, Integrity Music president. “David C Cook is no newcomer to the worship music ministry. In 1993 Cook acquired Kingsway, a worship music company in Eastbourne, England, and partnered with EMI Christian Music Group to produce the Thank You Music song catalog. Kingsway artists include Matt Redman, Tim Hughes, Brenton Brown, The City Harmonic, and many others whose original songs are shaping the way a world-wide generation of Christians experiences worship,” continues Dunham. Integrity Music has profoundly influenced the worship music culture over the past 24 years. “Cris Doornbos and I share a deep passion for serving the global church and for the role worship music plays in making disciples around the world,” says Integrity co-founder and CEO Michael Coleman. “As Integrity prepares to celebrate 25 years in ministry, I look forward to seeing the expanding impact of Integrity songs and products around the world.” The acquisition benefits David C Cook by adding an even greater variety of worship titles to the organization’s current offering. It will also benefit Integrity worship artists and writers by providing a fresh perspective and an ownership structure as part of a nonprofit with an expanding realm of influence. Most importantly, it will provide the global church more options than ever for meaningful worship. “I am honored that Michael Coleman, a man whom I highly respect and who has meant so much to the worship music movement, has chosen to entrust us with Integrity Music’s worship catalog,” Doornbos says. “Our vision for Integrity Music songs and recordings is to see them sung by people in their native languages in churches all over the world.” Integrity Music will operate independently within David C Cook as a Strategic Ministry Unit and be relocated to the company headquarters in Colorado Springs after a transition period of 3 months. Distribution of Integrity Music products in the U.S. will continue through Provident-Integrity Distribution and Columbia and Sony Music Distribution.

Paramore Update
Paramore’s new song ‘Monster’ is featured on the upcoming Transformers: Dark of the Moon – The Album, which is out June 14th. Click HERE to download ‘Monster’ on iTunes now. The film hits theaters June 29th. Paramore announced several international shows recently. Take a look below at the upcoming dates in Hong Kong, Spain, Indonesia and more! Tickets for most of these shows are now available, so pick up your ticket and start planning your trip to see the band!
Tour Dates:
7/3 – Hradec Kralove, CZE
7/4 – Warsaw, POL
7/6 – Karlskoga, SWE
7/8 – Turku, FIN
7/9 – Oeiras, POR
7/11 – Madrid, ESP
8/14 – Chek Lap Kok, HKG
8/17 – Bali, IDN
8/19 – Jakarta, IDN
8/21 – Kallang, SGP

Farewell Flight Hitting On July 12
Harrisburg, PA melodic indie-pop rockers Farewell Flight look forward to their debut CD for Mono vs. Stereo ‘Out For Blood’ produced and mixed by Grammy-winners Mitch Dane and Vance Powell, available digitally and at tour stops starting July 12. Comprised of singer Luke Foley, bassist Robbe Reddinger, lead guitarist Brian Campbell, and drummer Marc Prokopchak, Farewell Flight has played nearly 700 shows from coast to coast over the last five years and has no plans of stopping, the band strives to impact others with intelligent lyrics and smart song structures, while providing a stirring live performance that resonates with any crowd. Farewell Flight’s ‘Out For Blood’ is the fourth release from Mono vs. Stereo, a partnership between Gotee Records and Relient K.

Royal Tailor Debuts Music Video
Pop/rock band Royal Tailor (Essential Records) has been hard charging toward last week’s release of its national debut project, Black & White (5/31). The band continues to promote the album by launching a music video for “Make A Move,” while the record itself is making an impact on multiple sales charts. Adding to the album’s momentum are early sales numbers, with Black & White debuting at No. 1 on the iTunes Christian & Gospel Albums chart. The record also reached No. 21 on iTunes Top Albums chart, which includes projects of all genres. Black & White landed at No. 6 on SoundScan’s Current Contemporary Christian Overall Chart as well. The disc’s title track, “Black & White,” was selected as iTunes “Discovery Download” from May 31 to June 7, a coveted spot that highlights new music from up-and-coming artists by offering a free single to listeners. Produced by Aaron Lindsey, Chuck Butler, and Daniel Kinner, Black & White showcases Royal Tailor’s distinctive musical blend, highlighting influences that range from Bruno Mars to Maroon 5 to Michael Jackson. The result is 11 high-energy tracks that make audiences want to dance, pray, shout and sing along. Royal Tailor is currently debuting new music from Black & White on the road, having just wrapped up the 20-city “The Overcome Tour,” which also featured Fireflight, After Edmund and Hyland.

©2011 HM Magazine All Rights Reserved

More news from last week:

still fresh (as far as you know)

Eleven years ago in April of 2000 Jason Dunn of Facedown Records had the label’s first ever Facedown Fest. Ten Fests, two venues, and sixty-three band later…

Facedown Records are a force to be reckoned with. Facedown Fest has been a place where the Facedown fam and Strike First clan have their first show in California. Bands like Clear Convictions, Hope For The Dying, The Burial, and Messengers. Bands have also made it their farewell show, like xDisciplex A.D, Seventh Star, xDeathstarx, and this year Call To Preserve. Facedown Fest has always been a showcase of the talent, hard work, and family of the bands and the staff of Facedown Records.

Our new home state favorite Messengers opened the whole fest., and they showed California that Texas Spirit-filled hardcore is alive and well. They fit their whole EP Anthems minus the instrumental track (”Domicile”) plus two cover songs (one being N.I.V’s “My Beliefs”) into their twenty-five minute set. They where well received by fans and family.

Making their first Facedown Fest appearance like many bands this year … all the way from Middle Earth (aka New Zealand) Saving Grace took the stage by storm with mordorcore style of metal and hardcore.

Hope For The Dying played three new songs off their new record Dissimulation, and nailed everyone of them.

I was stoked see Your Memorial finally. Seeing songs of Atonement live is amazing.

I could take the rest of this report and tell you the wonders of My Epic. Playing mostly songs off of their highly acclaimed record Yet. They were a breath of fresh air, and a great break from the metal and hardcore. Plea’s drummer Aaron Eckerman helped give the song “Untitled” some extra heavyness.

I just became a fan of Onward To Olympas with their newest record, and they did not disappoint live.

Hands is one of my favorite bands on the label. I only get to see them a few times a year, so seeing them at Facedown Fest was very special to me. They debuted a  new song called “Water” off their record Give Me Rest that is out now.

It was one big party for Plea as singer Andy told family and friends they where going to re-sign with Facedown.

I did not know the extent of War of Ages funny side till I saw their Starbucks mock-up shirt taped to the back of Your Memorial’s scrims. Opening with the title track of their latest record Eternal, War of Ages laid down all the hits ending their set with the crowd favorite “All Consuming Fire.”

With a sold-out night two newest members to the Strike First clan Dynasty started the fest off right with prayer and a hip hop intro. These boys showed us that they are keeping the origins of Facedown beginnings alive.

I was put in my place as Gideon showed us why they are sitting at the big boys table.

It was the first time Take It Back! played Cali with their new new singer Keevan. Like always, I teared up watching this passionate performance.

Like My Epic A Hope For Home was a nice break from the heavyness. I was stoked to finally see their new song song “Firewind” live.

The band that helped get Facedown their street cred Overcome reminded us of what we miss from this new generation of metalcore,a raw passionate live show.

It was a fond farewell to Call To Preserve. Playing songs from all three albums. It was a great way to end their fourth Facedown Fest.

Seeing ITMOL co-headline and only being on the label for two years was crazy.

It was a mind blowing sight to see eight hundred plus For Today fans chant in unison “Oh take your flame ignite the world” before any music had been played. It is true that, if you are faithful with the little, you will be ruler over many things. For Today is a great example of that. From being at the kids table three years ago to being able to carve the turkey at Christmas dinner. For Today announced  that 2011 was their last Facedown fest. They are not breaking up. Just moving on up to the east side.

Rob Shameless not crying...

Copyright ©  2011 HM Magazine. All rights reserved.

Day Of Vengeance On Tour With Becoming The Archetype
Day of Vengeance will be touring in support of Becoming the Archetype on the MYTHBUSTOUR this April and May. . Be sure to pick up Day of Vengeance’s Red Cord Records’ debut album He Who Has Ears (Available on iTunes and at the Red Cord Records’ store.
Tour Dates:
4/22 – Jacksonville, FL
4/23 – Clermont, FL
4/24 – Kissimmee, FL
4/26 – Hammond, LA
4/27 – Houston, TX
4/28 – Waco, TX
4/29 – Joplin, MO
4/30 – Agape Fest
5/1 – Decatur, IL
5/2 – Newark, OH
5/3 – Hagerstown, MD
5/4 – Crofton, MD
5/5 – Charlotte, NC
5/6 – Marietta, GA
5/7 – Madison, AL

Download Free Facedown Fest Sampler
Facedown Fest 2011 free sampler download, including tracks from bands playing this year’s Fest. You can download your free sampler at Amazon. Songs from For Today, War of Ages, Hope for the Dying, A Plea for Purging, In the Midst of Lions, and many more! Facedown Fest is coming to The Glasshouse in Pomona, CA April 8-9.

Family Force 5 Announce Spring Tourantula
After nearly a year long break from playing the clubs, a successful trek through Europe and hitting the studio to start production on their summer 2011 CD release Family Force 5 is excited to give their fans a sneak listen of what’s to come as they embark on TOURtantula with special guests Stereo Skyline, Swimming with Dolphins and Since Forever, dates kick off on April 15. As an added bonus a limited amount of attendees in each market will be lucky enough to purchase the golden ticket to the ARACHNOCOUSTICA pre-show event that includes an acoustic set by Family Force 5, a meet-n-greet with the band and an autographed VIP laminate. Later on in the evening the band will plug-in and give the crowd a taste of what they can expect from FF5’s upcoming summer CD release, this tour will be the first time the new tracks will be premiered in front of an audience. Also available at these shows will be a limited edition 3 track EP featuring all new songs.
Tour Dates:
4/15 – Atlanta, GA
4/16 – Tallahassee, FL
4/17 – Jacksonville, FL
4/19 – Birmingham, AL
4/20 – New Orleans, LA
4/22 – Houston, TX
4/23 – Arlington, TX
4/25 – Austin, TX
4/26 – Tulsa, OK
4/28 – Memphis, TN
4/29 – Nashville. TN
4/30 – Knoxville, TN
5/1 – Raleigh, NC
5/3 – Baltimore, MD
5/4 – New York, NY
5/5 – Philadelphia, PA
5/6 – Boston, MA
5/7 – Lancaster, PA
5/9 – Pittsburgh, PA
5/11 – Detroit, MI
5/12 – Chicago, IL
5/13 – Milwaukee, WI
5/14 – Minneapolis, MN
5/15 – Kansas City, MO

For Today Releases New Video
For Today have released their much anticipated video for “Seraphim” from the album Breaker. Directed by Drew Russ and shot in the woods south of Orlando, FL, the actual filming of the video turned into an 18 hour work day. Russ says, “I wanted to do something unique for For Today without losing the intensity of the song. Along with being a high-energy song, “Seraphim” also has a very epic feel. I wanted to push for production that conveyed the grand nature of the lyrics.” And that’s just what Russ did. The costumes and props were all created by hand with some pieces taking a full month to fabricate. The masks on the four beasts were all hand crafted from molded leather and Russ himself built the altar and rigged the pyro effects. Check out the video here.

Fallstar Debut Album Hits
Visit comeandlive.com right now to download the album that’s been garnering rave reviews from all over the globe. Emerging from Portland, Oregon, Fallstar’s Reconciler. Refiner. Igniter. has been called raw, progressive and one of the best releases of 2011 so far. The band has opted to give away the album as a free gift through Come and Live! so enjoy this gift and if you feel so inclined, donate a buck or two! It’s your choice! Fallstar is:
Chris Ratzlaff/Vocals
Justin Haag/Guitar
Bryan Ratzlaff/Bass
Jason Brown/Guitar
Cody Carrier/Drums

Affiance Sucks At Video Games
Cleveland’s newest metal phenomenon, Affiance, have taken to the plastic guitars and drums and FAILED their OWN song “Call To The Warrior” on RockBand! Watch the video on YouTube and if you think you have the chops, download the song and try it yourself. Singer Dennis Tvrdik commented saying, ”How did I get a 98% singing to my own voice?!? That’s kind of… inaccurate. Ha Ha” while guitarist Brett Wondrak said, “We had an absolute blast playing the song, but I think I will stick to playing my real instrument.” The band promises to try harder next time and score at least a 90%! They are now hard at work perfecting their own song and keeping it safe. Guitarist Dominic Dickinson checked in to say, “We forgot we were only playing a game! Ha Ha. It felt so real and we kinda made a mess…” Affiance will take part in the “Never Back Down Tour” with It Prevails, Life On Repeat, and We Are Defiance. Dates are below and will have the band playing throughout the Midwest, East Coast, and down South. The band is excited to get back out on the road and hit some of the cities they played with Memphis May Fire in December.
Tour Dates:
5/8 – Denver, CO
5/9 – Jefferson, SD
5/11 – Minneapolis, MN
5/12 – Steger, IL
5/13 – Springfield, IL
5/14 – Riverview, MI
5/15 – Dayton, OH
5/16 – Huntington, WV
5/17 – Buffalo, NY
5/18 – Albany, NY
5/19 – Manchester, NH
5/20 – Ronkonkoma, NY
5/22 – Allentown, PA
5/23 – Vineland, NJ
5/24 – Fredericksburg, VA
5/26 – Charleston, SC
5/27 – Pompano Beach, FL
5/29 – Pensacola, FL
5/31 – Pasadena, TX
6/1 – Austin, TX
6/2 – San Antonio, TX
6/3 – Dallas, TX
6/5 – Mesa, AZ

Rend Collective Experiment A Smashing Success On Tour
Hailing from Bangor, Northern Ireland, Rend Collective Experiment released its international debut Organic Family Hymnal to widespread critical acclaim. A movement of 20-somethings that began in Ireland and spread across Europe before hitting the Americas has now officially added the U.S. to its groundswell as tens of thousands of worship music fans experience the infectious Rend Collective Experiment on its first U.S. national tour with Chris Tomlin that began Feb. 15 and has already logged 23 sold out events. Wrapping up April 16 in Seattle, WA, the 30-city major market “And If Our God Is For Us…” tour also features Louie Giglio with special guest Christy Nockels. Charting a unique course, Rend Collective Experiment is a group of friends collectively wondering how to make sense of the conundrum of life, God and community. What Rend Collective Experiment’s members add to the conversation are melodies, harmonic progression and lyrics that are scriptural and contemporary, fresh and ancient. The resulting mix has sparked Rhapsody to name the band among the Top 5 Christian/Gospel artists to watch in 2011 as Gospel Music Channel named Organic Family Hymnal among the “Best Albums of 2010.” Here is what some of those attending the tour have said about the band on its Facebook page.

Intense Millennium Update
Intense Millennium have a lot in store for 2011 through Roxx and their own label. Strictly Stryper the April edition is set to debut this weekend! Be sure to check out our affiliates and tune in for Stryper news, reviews and tons of Stryper music and related items! Even a new HM Rock Report from Keven Crothers! Then stay tuned for the May Edition where we will have not 1 but 2 very special guests visiting with us! We added some more really cool bonus tracks to the ‘Chasing A Cure LP’ and even some guest drumming from none other then the one and only Carmine Appice! And a couple of cool new demo tracks as LNJ gear up towards their 2012 release! These demo tracks should keep you wanting more! We have also set May 17th as the official release date for the Limited Edition EP! All pre-orders will have in their hands before the official release date and we still have a few of the Limited Edition guitar picks left if you act quickly! Also if you are just learning about Liberty N Justice and want to pick up a copy of their latest Retroactive Records release ‘Light it Up’ the first ten people that go to the Roxx site can pick up a copy of their latest release for just $5. We announced to you earlier that we were very proud to welcome our latest act to the Roxx Records family by way of Jump ship Quick! Well now we are very excited to announce that Leanor Ortega Till from Five Iron Frenzy is now on board to produce the bands debut full length CD! Jump ship Quick plays an excellent form of Punk rock music that is sure to excite fans of the early day Punk scene and features former members of Focused and Ultimatum! Vengeance Rising ‘Destruction Comes’ and Deliverance ‘What A Joke’ will be available the first part of April! Up next we have a remastered and expanded version of David Benson’s ‘Purpose of the Cross’ set for May 31st release. And coming later this year we have releases from The Sacrificed, Under Command, Hawthorn and Cry Holy!

A Past Unknown Signs To Red Cord Records
Red Cord Records is excited to announce the signing of Cedar Falls, Iowa metalcore band A Past Unknown. After releasing their 2010 demo a year ago, A Past Unknown is set to release their Red Cord debut, To Those Perishing. The album was recorded by Jamie King, (For Today, Alesana, Between the Buried and Me) at The Basement Studio in North Carolina, the album captures the heavy and melodic presence with emotion-filled lyrics striving to show the world what hope is truly about with the power and love of Jesus Christ. Expect To Those Perishing to be released in June of 2011. A Past Unknown has never been a band to hold back, especially when it comes to interacting with their fans. As a result, crowd participation has become a defining staple during their intense live shows. With their summer release of To Those Perishing, A Past Unknown is set to start touring non-stop. Catch them this summer at Cornerstone and Lifefest.
You can listen to “What If You’re Wrong” on their Facebook Page.

Satellites & Sirens Get Two Dove Nominations
It’s been a whirlwind start in 2011 for Satellites & Sirens and it’s only a few months into the new year! Let’s start with two impressive Dove nominations for the band, Rock/Contemporary Album Of The Year (2010 self-titled debut CD) and Rock Recorded Song Of The Year (“Anchor”) that is featured on their innovative 80’s infused self-titled project and the song shot to #13 on the CHR chart. “We are all honored and excited to be nominated for two Dove Awards,” Satellites & Sirens. “it’s encouraging for all of us, as we’ve spent the last year touring in support of our record. To be nominated alongside such well established and successful artists is an amazing blessing. Additionally, our moms are proud.”
Besides receiving their first Dove nominations in two major categories, Satellites & Sirens recently signed with one of the hardest working and artist friendly management firms in the industry, Eaglemont Entertainment (Jason Gray, High Valley). Led by industry veteran, Jeff Berry, the company offers a hands-on approach to management that is developed to support the personality of each artist. “We are so excited to be working with Satellites & Sirens,” says Berry, Vice President of Eaglemont Entertainment. “I’ve been following the group for several years, ever since I was introduced to them when they were recording their first album. I’ve always been interested in working with them from day one. They are a great live band, They have a great work ethic, and I truly feel that the best days are still to come.” “Having known Jeff Berry for years now, we are excited to be able to work with him and the whole Eaglemont Team,” adds Satellites & Sirens. “The team is highly motivated and supportive of who we are as a band and as individuals. We believe that God is bringing pieces of the puzzle together to create a rewarding year for the band and Eaglemont.”

Jesus Culture’s Jake Hamilton Releases CD/DVD
Intense rock worship artist Jake Hamilton releases his full-length CD/DVD, Freedom Calling, on Jesus Culture Music May 17 with marketing and distribution through Kingsway and EMI CMG respectively. Following his internationally acclaimed debut, Marked By Heaven, Hamilton’s Freedom Calling includes 11 new worship songs, video of three songs from the live recording at Jesus Culture Atlanta, and a 30-minute in-depth, behind-the-scenes feature of his life, music and ministry. An artist and activist whose passion is to help raise up a generation to sing songs of revival in the nations of the earth, Hamilton has been catalytic in the start of several ministries in his hometown of Rancho Cucamonga, CA while recording with Jesus Culture Music out of Bethel Church in Redding, CA. Bringing his music and message to churches and conferences coast-to-coast over the last few years, Hamilton desires to see God’s Kingdom manifest in power as his people encounter Him in worship. I long to give the Body of Christ a language for reformation and revival through melodies that will be carried on for generations,” says Jake Hamilton. Taking his hard-hitting melodic messages on tour, Jake Hamilton will feature the new music at the “Freedom Calling” Worship Night with Jesus Culture Band and Banning Liebscher May 17, which is being held at Club Nokia in Los Angeles. “The sounds and lyrics of this album, as well as the message that Jake carries, will captivate your heart and awaken a deep passion to pursue intimacy with Jesus while living with courage and boldness,” says Banning Liebscher, Jesus Culture director. “Jake Hamilton’s new album, Freedom Calling, is not only a journey of passionate worship, but a prophetic declaration that will awaken a generation to the love of God and the cause of Christ in the earth.”

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