Artist Of The Week - Anchor & Braille

It's been about three years since we've gotten an album from Anchor & Braille, the indie side project of Anberlin's Stephen Christian, but this week, on July 31st, the band's sophomore album will be released. The Quiet Life is a collection of haunting melodies and catchy percussion, certainly a maturation of sound since 2009's Felt. The Quiet Life is available now in stores and online through Tooth & Nail Records.

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Swimming With Dolphins are debuting a brand new song entitled "Sleep To Dream" off the forthcoming Water Colours, out May 17th. The song can be streamed here and is also available to buy on AmazonMP3 and iTunes. The pre-orders for Water Colours are up now as well, and the three different options, including a water color paint set, can be viewed and purchased on the Tooth & Nail Records online store. In addition to that news, be sure to catch SWD out on the road with Family Force 5 now, and at both Creation Festivals Northeast and Northwest this summer.
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You may have heard of Hyland lately from CRR, or perhaps heard their single "This Love Is Free" on your local radio station, but want to hear their new album, and in fact, own a copy yourself? Well, look no further! We will be giving away one copy of their upcoming Tooth & Nail Records debut album, Weights & Measures. To enter, just send in your name, email, and mailing address to contests@christianrockrocks.com. It's as simple as that! The contest will run until Tuesday, May 3rd, so be sure to enter soon!

Update: The winner has been notified and can be looking for their copy of Weights & Measures soon!
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Dynasty has released a new song from their upcoming Strike First debut Truer Living with a Youthful Vengeance. Go have a listen to "Way of the Wolf" here http://www.facebook.com/DynastyHC and then get entered to win a pair of custom Dynasty Nikes by pre ordering the new album.


The band will be releasing Truer Living...,  mixed and mastered by Paul Miner (H2O, Terror, Ignite), on May 24. Dynasty will be out promoting the new album with Call To Preserve on CTP's farewell tour this summer, dates TBA. 
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My Devil In Your Eyes

Artist: The Color Morale
Album: My Devil In Your Eyes
Release Date: March 8, 2011
Label: Rise Records

In the metalcore and post-hardcore scenes these days, there are of lot of same sounding bands out there, that don't show much creativity and variety. The same scream-sing-scream-breakdown formula  is something found in many of these bands as well. There are still a small amount of bands that can actually do metalcore/post-hardcore right, and The Color Morale are one good example. My Devil In Your Eyes, the band's Rise Records sophomore release, packs in plenty of down tuned riffs, growls, and well done clean vocals that aren't high and whiny, with a hopeful message of leaving hard things in the past behind and moving on.

Vocalist Garret Rapp's scream of "Dreams, are forever!" starts off the great opener "Nerve Endings." I couldn't have asked for a better starting track, as the song makes you want to dig further into the album. "Human(s)being" has a chorus that demands attention, with strong, commanding clean vocals, and "The Dying Hymn" hits hard with the poignant lyrics of "The world can't make you faithless, when faith is first, where is your faith?"

A message of hope is found on "Walkers," stating "We are not useless," which follows after a song dealing with tough issues in life ("Be Longing Always"). The album's most unique track, and perhaps its highlight, "Demon Teeth," is filled with a chaotic element, similar to Underoath, and an unexpected chorus full of great harmonies that comes out of nowhere. Some of the album's best melodic parts come on "Falling Awake" and "This Lost Song Is Yours," the latter being made up completely of clean vocals. A bit of ambience comes into play on the haunting closer, "fill;avoid," which poses the closing words "You made me from dust, but not dirt."

Overall: The Color Morale are showing to be one of the best up and coming metalcore/post-hardcore bands in the scene today, a statement proved on their sophomore release, My Devil In Your Eyes. A great vocal performance from vocalist Garret Rapp on account of both his growls and clean vocals, not to forget his honest and relatable lyrics, are pulled together with chugging riffs and blast beats. There are a few times throughout the album that I feel the breakdowns aren't always as strong as expected, and that the band would experiment more with the chaotic style of "Demon Teeth," but those things are my only complaints. The Color Morale have a bright future ahead of them, and will be sure to gain attention with their solid new effort.

Rating: 7/10

Tracklisting:

  1. Nerve Endings
  2. Human(s)being
  3. The Dying Hymn
  4. Be Longing Always
  5. Walkers
  6. Demon Teeth
  7. Falling Awake
  8. Quote On Quote
  9. This Lost Song Is Yours
  10. fill;avoid
(Buy Here)

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The lineup for this summer's Scream The Prayer tour has been announced. Norma Jean will be headlining, support from nine other bands, such as The Chariot and Sleeping Giant, which can be seen above. The dates have yet to be announced, but look for more info on the tour soon.
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COME&LIVE! RELEASES NEW ZEALAND {OUR STORY} DOCUMENTARY

Come&Live!'s first-ever tour/missions trip documentary is now posted online at comeandlive.com


The Come&Live! team, including artists Ascend The Hill and The Ember Days, spent 3 weeks playing, sharing and serving across the beautiful country of New Zealand. Join them as they journey over misty mountains, along picturesque coast-lines, through major cities and minor farming villages alike - all with the over-arching desire to love God and serve neighbors. The high quality, 33-minute documentary, produced by Andy Reale, depicts some of the ministry highlights and gives viewers first-hand accounts from those impacted by God's powerful acts through-out the tour.


Download the video for free or with a donation HERE. Stream it on Vimeo HERE.

ABOUT Come&Live!
Come&Live! is a 501(c)3 non-profit community dedicated to proclaiming the good news of Jesus. By joining hands with artists, we provide them with guidance, direction and accountability to model a life of genuine faith. Our focus is in promoting the only true enduring treasure - loving others and living like Jesus. We choose to share music and profit as a humble example of radical generosity. We live simply to give generously, encouraging others to do the same. Our prayer is that God would use us to Give. Love. Share. and Revive.
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This past week, Family Force 5 have been debuting new music off their upcoming full length album, coming later this summer. They are streaming "You Got It" in full on their Facebook page, as well as clips of "Dang Girl" and "Wobble". The band is also selling a limited run of their III EP which features all the aforementioned songs, on their online store. Be sure to catch Family Force 5 on the TOURantula currently, and on some of this summer's Warped Tour, as well as at a few festivals!
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Strike First is happy to welcome a new band to the family.  Ark of the Covenant play hard hitting, undiluted hardcore, and will be releasing their debut EP with Strike First this spring.

Connecticut seems to be a breeding ground for enduring hardcore bands, and Strike First's newest band Ark of the Covenant has come out swinging with that infamous CT brand of intensity and drive. Musically the band's influences span the heavy genres, but the NY and Boston hardcore scenes have the greatest impact on the band's writing as evidenced by Ark's signature breakdown barrage and two-step beats.

Ark of the Covenant's debut EP Separation was recorded at Silver Bullet Studio (Shai Hulud, Wrench in the Works) and will be released on Strike First Records May 10, 2011. Pre order your copy now! http://facedown.merchnow.com/products/preorders

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I discovered Hyland two years ago, after their then current radio single, "Til Death," caught my attention, while at many Christian rock stations.. A band who can actually do pop rock well, the Minnesota natives blend some rock fueled songs ("Fireworks," "Til Death"), with slower, acoustic elements as well ("This Love Is Free," "Coast To Coast"), for a solid debut album. Weights & Measures will be out May 3rd on the band's new home, Tooth & Nail Records, and will be an album worth giving a listen, from a promising up and coming band.
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GREAT AWAKENING RELEASES "SONGS IN SECRET" ON APRIL 26TH

Great Awakening will release their sophomore full-length album, Songs in Secret, on Tuesday, April 26th. The record will be available as a free download on the Come&Live! Web site (www.comeandlive.com).
The four brothers in Christ continue to operate with the same humility, honesty and depth that brought them together. Their latest endeavor is this sophomore album, a record housing 10 tracks. Songs in Secret exists to cultivate face-to-face conversations with the Lord in a secluded and highly intimate environment. Great Awakening wrote each lyric from their hearts as they put to music the words they speak in secret.

“We’re figuring out who we are as worshippers made uniquely in the image of God,” says Cole Johnson. “We’re just singing love songs to Jesus in the way that we actually talk to Him. We hope this leads people into a deeper love with Him.”

The intensely poignant lyrics on Songs in Secret create the picture of a child baring his soul to his father. It’s worship music that dares to go beyond the surface. In fact, it ventures deep to a place where time flies by and tears flow freely. Everything is stripped away. Passion and sincerity emanate from each and every carefully placed word and note. Great Awakening writes in hopes to inspire others to delve into their own secret place.

ABOUT GREAT AWAKENING:
Great Awakening is a four-piece band from Burlington, NC. The band formed when the friends started leading worship together for their church’s youth group. From there, they started writing their own songs, a string of unexpected string of events led them to sign with Come&Live! and they released Cities in 2009. Great Awakening is Zach Janicello (guitar/vocals), Cole Johnson (guitar/vocals), Ben Woods (bass) and Tanner Johnson (drums).

ABOUT COME&LIVE!:
Come&Live! is a 501(c)3 non-profit community dedicated to proclaiming the good news of Jesus. By joining hands with artists, we provide them with guidance, direction and accountability to model a life of genuine faith. Our focus is in promoting the only true enduring treasure - loving others and living like Jesus. We choose to share music and profit as a humble example of radical generosity. We live simply to give generously, encouraging others to do the same. Our prayer is that God would use us to Give. Love. Share. and Revive.
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Swimming With Dolphins' anticipated Tooth & Nail Records debut album, Water Colours, will be releasing on May 17th. SWD is finishing up their section on Abandon Kansas' album release tour currently, and will be heading out with Family Force 5 on the TOURantula in May. For more info on Swimming With Dolphins and the new album, you can go right here.
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Adam Young

All Things Bright and Beautiful, the forthcoming album from Owl City, has been pushed back to a release date of June 14th, just in time for a summer release. You can also sample four new songs from the new record on the album's site.
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AUGUST BURNS RED announce title and release date for new album


Leveler, the band's highly anticipated fourth album, to drop June 21st on Solid State Records

Announced as headlining act of 2011 Warped Tour

April 5, 2011 - Genre giants AUGUST BURNS RED are poised to release one of the most anxiously awaited metal albums of 2011 - a colossal effort entitled Leveler - available in stores and online June 21st.

For LevelerAUGUST BURNS RED re-teamed with super producer Jason Suecof, the man behind the board on their 2009 breakout, Constellations. The result is an album that pushes the band's sonic boundaries in every direction, and yet is an unquestionably heavier album than its predecessor.

"Putting out a fourth record is a little scary because we obviously have our sound figured out at this point, but we don't want to put out a record that just sounds like a redux of our previous albums," explains guitarist JB Brubaker. "Our tastes are always evolving as musicians and we've been motivated to progress as a band and push ABR in different directions, while maintaining the characteristics that made us the band we are in the first place."
AUGUST BURNS RED will take to the road as a mainstage act on this summer's Van's Warped Tour, which will deliver them to almost every major market in North America to bring Leveler's sonic spectacle directly to fans.

Leveler, the band's fourth studio album, is the follow up to ABR's breakout hit Constellations, which made waves when it landed at #24 on the Billboard Top 200. The lauded third album  whose sales have soared past 90,000  established in no uncertain terms that AUGUST BURNS RED was a leader of its genre, a band that quietly outsold, outdrew and garnered more praise than peers who'd been gracing magazine covers for years. It's not so quiet anymore. The fans and critics have spoken – loudly.

Upcoming Dates with SET YOUR GOALS and TEXAS IN JULY
Apr 5 - Winnipeg MB @ Garrick Center
Apr 6 - Saskatoon SK @ Louis
Apr 7 - Edmonton AL @ Starlite Room
Apr 8 - Calgary AB @ MacEwan Hall Ballroom
Apr 9 - Vancouver BC @ Rickshaw Theater
Apr 10 - Spokane WA @ Knitting Factory
Apr 11 -Seattle WA @ El Corazon

Other Upcoming Dates
Apr 14 - Anchorage AK @ Chilkoot Charlie's
Apr 15 - Anchorage AK @ Club Millenium
Apr 22 - Meerhout, Belgium @ Groezrock Festival
May 30 - Moscow, Russia @ Tochka Club
May 31 - St. Petersburg, Russia @ Glav Club
Jun 1 - Helsinki, Finland @ Nosturi
Jun 2 - Hassleholm, Sweden @ Siesta Festival
Jun 3 - Nuerburgring, Germany @ Rock Am Ring
Jun 5 - Nuremberg, Germany @ Rock Im Park
Jun 7 - Athens, Greece @ Kyttaro Club
Jun 8 - Istanbul, Turkey @ Balans Club

Warped TourJun 24 - Dallas TX @ Gexa Energy Pavillion
Jen 25 - Houston TX @ The Showgrounds at Sam Houston Race Park
Jun 26 - San Antonio TX @ AT&T Center
Jun 29 - Las Cruces NM @ NMSU Practice Field
Jun 30 - Las Vegas NM @ Plaza Hotel - Parking Lot
Jul 1 - Pomona CA @ Pomona Fairplex
Jul 2 - Mountain View CA @ Shoreline Amphitheater
Jul 3 -Ventura CA @ Ventura County Fairground at Seaside Park
Jul 6 - Bonner Springs KS @ Sandstone Amphitheater
Jul 7 - Noblesville IN @ Verizon Wireless Music Center
Jul 8 - Detroit MI @ Comerica Park
Jul 9 - Tinley Park, IL @ First Midwest Bank Amphitheater
Jul 10 - Shakopee MN @ Canterbury Park
Jul 12 - Darien Center NY @ Darien Lakes Fields
Jul 13 - Mansfield MA @ Comcast Center
Jul 14 - Scranton PA @ Toyota Pavillion at Montage Mountain
Jul 15 - Mississauga ON @ The Flats at Arrow Hall
Jul 16 - Montreal QC @ Parc Jean-Drapeau
Jul 17 - Hartford CT @ Comcast Theater
Jul 19 - Milwaukee WI @ Marcus Amphitheater
Jul 20 - Cleveland OH @ Blossom Music Center
Jul 21 - Camden NJ @ Susquehana Bank Center
Jul 22 - Burgettstown PA @ First Niagara Pavillion
Jul 23 - Uniondale NY @ Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum
Jul 24 - Oceanport NJ @ Monmouth Park Raceway
Jul 26 - Columbia MC @ Merriweather Post Pavilion
Jul 27 - Virginia Beach VA @ Verizon Wireless Amphitheater
Jul 28 - Charlotte NC @ Verizon Wireless Amphitheater
Jul 29 - Orlando FL @ Central Florida Fairgrounds
Jul 30 - West Palm Beach FL @ Cruzan Amphitheater
Jul 31 - St. Petersburg FL @ Vinoy Park
Aug 1 - Atlanta GA @ Aaron's Amphitheater at Lakewood
Aug 2 - Cincinnati OH @ Riverbend Music Center
Aug 3 - St Louis MO @ Verizon Wireless Amphitheater
Aug 4 - Council Bluffs IA @ Westfair Fairgrounds
Aug 5 - Denver CO @ Invesco Field at Mile High
Aug 6 - Salt Lake City UT @ Utah State Fairpark
Aug 7 - Phoenix AZ @ Ashley Furniture Homestore Pavilion
Aug 9 - San Diego CA @ Cricket Amphitheater
Aug 10 - Carson CA @ Cal State Dominguez Hills
Aug 11 - Marysville CA @ Sleep Train Amphitheater
Aug 12 - Nampa ID @ Idaho Center Amphitheater
Aug 13 - George WA @ The Gorge Amphitheater
Aug 14 - Hilsboro OR @ Washington County Fairgrounds
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Artist: FM Static
Album: My Brain Says Stop, But My Heart Says Go!
Release Date: April 5, 2011
Label: Tooth & Nail Records

FM Static have been around for eight years now, the pop punk side project of Canadian hard rock band Thousand Foot Krutch, made up of frontman Trevor McNevan and drummer Steve Augustine. The band's latest, My Brain Says Stop, But My Heart Says Go!, is a fun album that blends together the band's high energy pop punk tunes with some '80s' influences, and an emphasis of the pop in pop punk.

The opening two songs, the title track and "F.M.S.T.A.T.I.C," are reminiscent of their song "The Shindig," which closed out the '09' release Dear Diary. The title track starts off with crowd vocals, that are featured on a good amount of the album, and cowbell (because everyone loves some cowbell). McNevan shows off his rapping vocals, that he's done on earlier Thousand Foot Krutch material, on the song as well, and the next few tracks. The band's new anthem, "F.M.S.T.A.T.I.C," contains some cheerleader-like vocals in the beginning, and could be compared to Hawk Nelson's "Live Life Loud." Both "(Hey) I Want It" and "U Don't Know Me Like That" come off as sporting event anthems, and are songs to fuel a team's desire for winning.

The slow ballad "Lost In You" is something of a love song to God, and is very laid back, containing only a slow drumbeat throughout the verses. The band gives a slight nod to some of their earlier songs "Crazy Mary" and "Definitely Maybe" on "Black Tattoo," with storytelling lyrics and a comparable sound as well. "Last Train Home" takes a hopeful and nostalgic look back on a relationship, as does "Cinnamon & Lipstick." Catchy guitar riffs make up most of "Breaking Me Again," before moving into the piano and acoustic-driven closer, "Inside Out." The piano parts on the song add a modern piano-pop feel, one that FM Static executes quite nicely.

Overall: My Brain Says Stop, But My Heart Says Go!, the latest from FM Static, is a high energy, fun, feel good album that just begs to be listened to on a summer drive, cranked up with the windows down. A lot of the pop punk songs on the album bring to mind songs heard on movie soundtracks, from the late '90s' and early '00s', while the slower ballads are radio-friendly. While it may not be the band's best effort in their eight-year career, it is a fun one that brings with it an enjoyable listen.

Rating: 7/10

Tracklisting:
  1. My Brain Says Stop, But My Heart Says Go
  2. F.M.S.T.A.T.I.C
  3. (Hey) I Want It
  4. Lost In You
  5. U Don't Know Me Like That
  6. Cinnamon & Lipstick
  7. Black Tattoo
  8. Last Train Home
  9. Breaking Me Again
  10. Inside Out
(Buy Here)

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You may remember hearing the name Blood & Water, from when we reviewed their fantastic album In Character, but now our good friends over at Indie Vision Music are offering the whole album for free! That's right, you can download In Character until next Friday, April 8th, completely for free, no strings attached, right here.

In addition to that download, the folks over at Facedown Records are offering a free sampler of their many bands in honor of this year's Facedown Fest, including new songs from Hope For The Dying, Take It Back!, Gideon and Onward To Olympas, as well as some great songs from My Epic, Your Memorial and A Plea For Purging, to name a few. The 17-song sampler can be downloaded at AmazonMP3.
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The final album from Cool Hand Luke, Of Man, was released yesterday, and is available on AmazonMP3 and iTunes, and a hard copy can be purchased from the CHL online store. For information on Of Man, Cool Hand Luke, and what Mark Nicks will be doing after CHL is over, you can visit the new site set up for the album.
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Sweden's Blindside have posted a brand new song off their highly anticipated forthcoming album, titled With Shivering Hearts We Wait. The song is titled "There Must Be Something In The Water" and can be heard right here.
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Rockford, IL—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 PerishingA 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.

Watch an album teaser here.

A Past Unknown is:
Grant Lilly – Vocals
Dirk Wiese – Bass
Nick Powell – Guitar
Trevor Rozendaal – Guitar
Adam Aalderks – Drums

Follow A Past Unknown: