tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-84805757525225712572024-03-13T14:25:54.105-04:00Christian Rock RocksAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13476651530190929655noreply@blogger.comBlogger656125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8480575752522571257.post-8746386599579542602012-10-16T20:19:00.003-04:002012-10-16T20:19:43.096-04:00Introducing Exiled Music Press<img height="317" src="http://sphotos-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash3/558630_212680262182357_1378122327_n.jpg" width="320" /><br />
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In July of 2009, I started Christian Rock Rocks as an outlet to review good Christian music, if that term even holds any true value anymore. It's been thrown around so much since its initial inception, and over the past few years, myself, along with many others, have begun to not use it so loosely anymore (I don't think I need to explain the on-going debates). That being said, Christian Rock Rocks will now become Exiled Music Press. <b>This is not a departure, only a new chapter in our journey</b>. The past three years have been amazing, starting out as a small blog and eventually getting to cover some of our favorite musical adventures, such as two years of New Hampshire's SoulFest, two years of the Vans Warped Tour, Haste The Day's farewell tour and the opportunity to create tangible relationships with many amazing bands, such as our great friends in The Ember Days and Phinehas to name a few. These are memories we will never forget, and we look forward to the ones to come.<br />
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With the name change comes some new territory for us. We will no longer exclusively cover Christian music. The usual material that we cover will still indeed be present, along with much more indie, punk, hardcore and everything in between. Concert photography, editorials on the music industry, and many more interviews will be available on the new site, and much more content overall will be posted (unlike our dormant state as of late).<br />
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Thanks to our readers for sticking with us, and for all the bands, labels, publicists and anyone else that has helped us out over the years. Most importantly, thanks to God for giving us chances I never would have dreamed of when starting this. Soli deo gloria!<br />
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- Brooks Ginnan, editor and founder.<br />
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<b>P.S.</b> You can now check out Exiled Music Press on <a href="https://twitter.com/empmag">Twitter</a> at @EMPmag! Our Facebook page should be live shortly, and of course the new site will be launching in late October at exiledmusicpress.com!Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13476651530190929655noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8480575752522571257.post-88423348641013929052012-09-26T11:27:00.000-04:002012-09-26T11:27:16.957-04:00Showbread's Cancer Out Now Through Come&Live!<img height="180" src="http://sphotos-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash3/533651_519547928059348_351675821_n.jpg" width="320" /><br />
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Ever-changing and always unpredictable, Showbread has spent more than a decade rowing against the current of music industry standards and expectations at a time when other acts are just trying to stay afloat. After ten years of international touring and four genre-hopping releases with indie giant Tooth & Nail records, Showbread made a tremendous shift (even for them) by partnering with the non-profit organization Come&Live! to release their ultimate musical departure <i>Who Can Know It?</i> in 2010, free of charge. So how does an often overlooked and hopelessly controversial act like Showbread follow up their own antics? The answer seems obvious: With an elaborately detailed, science fiction, glam-punk concept record.<br />
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<i>Cancer</i>, Showbread's latest studio outing, like Ziggy Stardust or The Wall before it, follows the story of a downtrodden and rebellious rock icon of a protagonist as he attempts to use a punk rock band to lead a revolt against inter-dimensional fascists called "The Principalities" in a not-so-distant American future. In the grand tradition of rock opera, <i>Cancer</i> skillfully runs the gamut of angst, aggression, irony and tragedy. Listeners will follow cryptic liner notes, expansive artwork and provocative lyrics across the detailed terrain of the album's fictional universe—which will ultimately crescendo with the release of a feature film in 2013.<br />
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Relentlessly ambitious, Showbread seem to have found in<i> Cancer</i> the perfect storm to accommodate their unusual tendencies. Musically, the record seamlessly blends every style previously explored in Showbread's lengthy discography, building narrative tension with raucous punk rock energy. <i>Cancer</i> resonates long after listening with hooks and catchy sing-along anthems and will have you dusting off the ol' library card to dig deeper into the philosophical, political and theological themes explored in each track.<br />
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Equal parts Sex Pistols, Pink Floyd and George Orwell, <i>Cancer</i> will prove to be a creative high-mark difficult for Showbread to top in terms of scale, zeal and sheer listenability. As the album rolls out, you'll find your fist in the air, and a chorus on your lips. Fight the cancer!<br />
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<b>Showbread's<i> Cancer </i>is now available as a gift from Come&Live! and can be downloaded <a href="http://comeandlive.com/downloads">here</a>.</b>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13476651530190929655noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8480575752522571257.post-38651620614093160502012-09-25T19:54:00.000-04:002012-09-25T19:54:18.051-04:00Propaganda Releases Excellent<img height="320" src="http://i154.photobucket.com/albums/s256/npgbrian/PropagandaExcellent.jpg" width="320" />
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(PORTLAND, Oregon) -- Humble Beast Records is proud to announce today's release of "Excellent," the new album from Propaganda. Distributed by Syntax, "Excellent" is available at all major digital retailers including iTunes and Amazon.<br />
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Highly anticipated by fans of Christian, Gospel and Hip-Hop alike, “Excellent” immediately jumped into the Top 5 on iTunes's Hip-Hop chart and Amazon's Christian & Gospel and Rap & Hip-Hop charts. <a href="http://humblebeast.com/">HumbleBeast.com</a> reported over 7,000 album downloads within the first 12 hours of release on their website alone.<br />
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“Excellent” features multiple collaborations, including appearances by label mates Beautiful Eulogy and Hi Society (and former Reach Records) artist Sho Baraka on the album’s first single, “I Ain’t Got An Answer.” Three music videos are planned to follow up the hit video “G.O.S.P.E.L.,” which has received over 1 million views on YouTube.<br />
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"This is the first time where I feel like everything clicked from the content, the concept, the sound and the design,” says Propaganda. “This album is the result of effective teamwork and I'm very thankful for everyone who played a role in making it happen. My hope is that the Lord is glorified and that the success of this record acts as a spotlight on the movement of creative artists who are using their talents to engage the culture and make much of Jesus."<br />
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With an uncompromising message intertwined with a relevant sound, the Los Angeles-based artist reaches across the spectrum of youth and pop culture. Bringing with him years of classroom teaching and community service experience, he is eloquently bold in the message of each song and never shies away from a strong poetic element in his music.<br />
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No stranger to the stage, Propaganda will hit the road again this fall, hosting and performing on the highly anticipated Unashamed Tour (<a href="http://www.unashamedtour.com/">www.unashamedtour.com</a>) alongside KB, Tedashii, Lecrae, Trip Lee, Pro, Andy Mineo and Thi'sl. He'll follow that with a tour of historic black colleges with Lecrae in early 2013. Propaganda has performed worldwide including tours in South Africa, Canada, United Kingdom and the USA, sharing the stage with such artists as Flyleaf, Skillet, POD, Newsboys, Third Day, Kirk Franklin, KJ-52, Rev Run and many more. Ever in demand, he has also been featured at high profile events such as the Catalyst Conference, DCLA, Legacy Conference and more.<br />
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<a href="http://www.humblebeast.com/">www.HumbleBeast.com</a><br />
<a href="http://www.facebook.com/Propaganda">www.facebook.com/Propaganda</a><br />
<a href="http://www.twitter.com/Prophiphop">www.twitter.com/Prophiphop</a>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13476651530190929655noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8480575752522571257.post-33787575833144022312012-09-21T19:58:00.000-04:002012-09-21T19:58:18.243-04:00Matt & Toby Announce New Album<img height="209" src="http://cdn.e2ma.net/userdata/19665/images/xlarge/scaled_e1348254619.png" width="320" />
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<b>TOOTH & NAIL RECORDS ANNOUNCES THE SELF-TITLED DEBUT ALBUM FROM NEW DUO MATT & TOBY</b><br />
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<b>SPECIAL LIVING ROOM SESSIONS ANNOUNCED</b><br />
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SEATTLE, Wash. –September 21, 2012 –Tooth & Nail Records announces the new group Matt & Toby and their self-titled debut releasing on November 20th. This is a musically adventurous band that is the vision of Matt Carter and Toby Morrell of heavy rock mainstay Emery. Fans do not despair, as they are not leaving Emery. Matt & Toby will be another avenue for the duo to make music. Music from Matt & Toby will range from the lighter side of Emery to elaborate and quirky full production acoustic and electronic music.<br />
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To celebrate the forthcoming release, Matt & Toby will be premiering an in-studio music video as well as a song from the album on their blog, un-learning. <a href="http://www.un-learning.org/">Click here</a> to check out the music video as well as the new track.<br />
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Matt & Toby’s intent is to be extremely interactive with their audience. Part of this intentional connection with their audience, Matt & Toby are going to be performing living room acoustic shows starting in October through November. “Matt & Toby In My Living Room” will be an acoustic show in private homes. These intimate evenings will be where the duo will be able to connect with their fans and talk about the songs on the release. Tickets can be purchased <a href="http://www.mattandtobyinmylivingroom.com/">here</a> along with more information. (Dates Listed Below)<br />
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Matt and Toby both hail from South Carolina before they relocated to Seattle to begin Emery in 2001 releasing their label debut in 2003. After 11 years, multiple worldwide tours and more than 450,000 albums sold, Matt and Toby are excited to have another venture to express themselves musically as “Matt & Toby.”<br />
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“Matt & Toby In My Living Room”<br />
October 15 Seattle, WA<br />
October 16 Bonney Lake, WA<br />
October 17 Portland, OR<br />
October 18 Corvallis, OR<br />
October 19 Medford, OR<br />
October 21 Sacramento, CA<br />
October 22 San Francisco, CA<br />
October 23 San Jose, CA<br />
October 24 Fresno, CA<br />
October 25 Paso Robles, CA<br />
October 26 Bakersfield, CA<br />
October 27 Baldwin Park, CA<br />
October 29 Pomona, CA<br />
October 30 Orange, CA<br />
November 2 Tempe, AZ<br />
November 3 Benson, AZ<br />
November 5 Colorado Springs, CO<br />
November 6 Littleton, CO<br />
November 9 Missoula, MTAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13476651530190929655noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8480575752522571257.post-44361847088135347902012-09-03T20:13:00.000-04:002012-09-03T20:13:02.716-04:00Paper Route Release "You and I" Music Video, Pre-Orders<img height="225" src="http://sphotos-b.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash3/544450_10151036158803350_1381393133_n.jpg" width="320" />
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Paper Route have released the new music video for their single "You and I," which comes off the upcoming album <i>The Peace of Wild Things</i>, which can be seen below. <i>The Peace of Wild Things </i>will be available on September 11th, but can currently be pre-ordered right <a href="http://paperrouteonline.com/">here</a>.<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/GavKw-yDo98" width="360"></iframe>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13476651530190929655noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8480575752522571257.post-65772101750877177452012-09-03T20:00:00.000-04:002012-09-03T20:00:20.826-04:00Anchor & Braille - The Quiet Life<img alt="The Quiet Life" src="http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51-JbsrUODL._SL500_AA280_.jpg" /><br />
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<b>Artist: </b>Anchor & Braille<br />
<b>Album: </b>The Quiet Life<br />
<b>Release Date: </b>July 31, 2012<br />
<b>Label: </b>Tooth & Nail Records<br />
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Over the past ten years, Stephen Christian has been a busy man. He's written a book (<i>The Orphaned Anything's</i>), co-founded the non-profit Faceless International, and toured the world as the frontman of renowned alt rock band Anberlin, along with maintaining his other music endeavor, Anchor & Braille. <i>The Quiet Life </i>is the band's sophomore effort, and their first with Seattle's Tooth & Nail Records, and is quite different from the debut <i>Felt</i>.<br />
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Instead of working with producer Aaron Marsh this time around, Christian worked with guitarist Micah Tawlks and Kevin Dailey (keyboardist of indie rock band Civil Twilight). <i>The Quiet Life </i>feels more vibrant than it's predecessor, strongly utilizing programmed beats and percussion throughout, along with a much more fuller sounding production quality. The album reaches into some indie pop territory on songs like the opener "Goes Without Saying" and "In With The New," while the grooving "Kodachrome" contains Euro-rock sensibilities. The album's closing three songs are undoubtedly its best, starting with the heartfelt piano piece "Hymn For Her," which alongside "If Not Now When" strikes an emotional chord, a lament of love. The slow, jazzy "Everybody Here Wants You" couples melancholy lyrics with a superb vocal performance from Christian, which segues into "Before I Start Dreaming," setting an ambient atmosphere, complete with a captivating string section that pull it all together to fitting end <i>The Quiet Life</i>.<br />
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<b>Overall: </b><i>The Quiet Life </i>is one of the best things I've heard from Stephen Christian to date, well accompanied by guitarist and backing vocalist Micah Tawlks. Anchor & Braille may have created the sleeper album of the year with their indie tapestry, and even though first listen wasn't all that I expected, <i>The Quiet Life </i>seems to get better and better with every listen. If you're looking for a fall soundtrack (even though the album released mid-summer), this album is the way to go, and hey, it's even on vinyl (everything sounds better that way, right?).<br />
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<b>Rating: </b>9/10<br />
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Reviewed by Brooks Ginnan<br />
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<b>Tracklisting:</b><br />
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<ol>
<li>Goes Without Saying</li>
<li>Knew Then Know Now</li>
<li>Find Me</li>
<li>In With The New</li>
<li>If Not Now When</li>
<li>Kodachrome</li>
<li>Collapse</li>
<li>Hymn For Her</li>
<li>Everybody Here Wants You</li>
<li>Before I Start Dreaming</li>
</ol>
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B008BSM1GY/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B008BSM1GY&linkCode=as2&tag=chrirockrock-20">(Buy Here)</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=chrirockrock-20&l=as2&o=1&a=B008BSM1GY" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /><br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13476651530190929655noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8480575752522571257.post-18280921433275197662012-08-31T09:51:00.004-04:002012-08-31T09:51:50.290-04:00From Indian Lakes to Release Able Bodies<img height="213" src="http://sphotos-b.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-snc7/398245_364066293646009_186426923_n.jpg" width="320" />
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After a nearly three year wait since the band's debut release, one of our indie favorites, From Indian Lakes, will be releasing their new full length album, <i>Able Bodies</i>, on November 13th. The band have released a new EP, which features two new songs ("We Are Sick" and "Breaking My Bones") at <a href="http://fromindianlakes.bandcamp.com/releases">BandCamp</a>, with a "name your price" deal of any amount which will go towards the funding of the new album. Another way to support the band is at their online store, which has a merch sale currently taking place, <a href="http://fromindianlakes.bigcartel.com/">right here</a>. The band's upcoming west coast fall tour dates with PK can be viewed below as well.<br />
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10/19/2012 Kuppajoe Fresno, CA<br />
10/20/2012 Guitar Merchant Canoga Park, CA<br />
10/21/2012 Chain Reaction Anaheim, CA<br />
10/24/2012 The Nile Underground Mesa, AZ<br />
10/25/2012 The Wire Upland, CA<br />
10/26/2012 The Box Office Las Vegas, NV<br />
10/27/2012 SLO Brew San Luis Obispo, CA<br />
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<iframe allowtransparency="true" frameborder="0" height="100" src="http://bandcamp.com/EmbeddedPlayer/v=2/album=4235101300/size=grande/bgcol=FFFFFF/linkcol=4285BB/" style="display: block; height: 100px; position: relative; width: 300px;" width="300"><a href="http://fromindianlakes.bandcamp.com/album/songs-from-indian-lakes">Songs From Indian Lakes by From Indian Lakes</a></iframe><br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13476651530190929655noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8480575752522571257.post-22900618906603932222012-08-28T13:47:00.005-04:002012-08-29T09:01:30.428-04:00The Chariot - One Wing<br />
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<b>Artist:</b> The Chariot<br />
<b>Album:</b> One Wing<br />
<b>Release Date</b>: August 28, 2012<br />
<b>Label:</b> Good Fight<br />
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Chaotic. Noisy. Odd. These are just a couple words that could describe <b>The Chariot</b>. But, so could Masterful. Original. Talented. So few bands can pull off the madness that is <b>The Chariot</b> and still create a work of art that is both disorderly and borderline genius. <b>The Chariot</b> does not shy away from being a heavy band. Though at the same time they value originality, and not sounding over saturated. This is the album <b>The Chariot</b> have wanted to create for a long time. <i>One Wing</i> is <b>The Chariot's</b> magnum opus.</div>
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<i>One Wing</i> has classic written all over it. From the first song to the last. Whether it is in "Forget" with it's blistering guitar riffs, or in "Speak" with Josh Scogin's passionate strained vocals. <b>The Chariot</b> finds so many ways of maintaining the familiar sound while expanding on it to give us a refreshing listen. <i>One Wing</i> never feels like it is the same song over and over. The dudes in <b>The Chariot</b> have really crafted a perfect experience. For example, "Your" is not the typical song <b>The Chariot </b>would write (or is it?). In "First" they feature an instrumental part that could be straight out of a John Wayne movie. The final song "Cheek" displays a speech from Charlie Chaplin's "The Great Dictator" all while accompanied by a lone guitar, a violin, and a drum beat.<br />
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There are so many great elements to each song, that it feels like a new album with every listen.<i> One Wing</i> is intended to be listened to in order, thus the track names. It gives a great listening experience when doing this. The lyrics flow better, and the music feeds off itself. <br />
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<b>Overall:</b> <b>The Chariot</b> have not abandoned their sound, they have refined it. If I didn't know it, I would think that <i>One Wing</i> was a greatest hits album. This album is full of classic and new sounds that are sure to please any fan of <b>The Chariot</b>, new or old. <b>The Chariot</b> have released one of the most brilliant heavy albums of the year, and possibly the best of their career. Long Live <b>The Chariot</b>.<br />
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<b>Rating:</b> 10/10<br />
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Reviewed by Tabor Brown<br />
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<b>Track listing:</b><br />
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1. Forget<br />
2. Not<br />
3. Your<br />
4. First<br />
5. Love.<br />
6. Speak<br />
7. in<br />
8. Tongues<br />
9. and<br />
10. Cheek.<br />
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/One-Wing/dp/B008YANZGY/ref=sr_shvl_album_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1346118303&sr=301-2" target="_blank">(buy here)</a>Taborhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11130640139510178329noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8480575752522571257.post-23244821936957597932012-08-27T16:06:00.006-04:002012-08-27T21:01:22.398-04:00The Classic Crime Chart with Phoenix<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-JifAz60zn2U/UDvUEdaRGlI/AAAAAAAAAYI/CRZDuHev_bg/s1600/TheClassicCrime_Band_Photo.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="210" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-JifAz60zn2U/UDvUEdaRGlI/AAAAAAAAAYI/CRZDuHev_bg/s320/TheClassicCrime_Band_Photo.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<b>The Classic Crime's "PHOENIX" Charts on Billboard and iTunes</b><br />
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SEATTLE, WA - What a difference a few months make. Not long ago the future seemed, at best, uncertain for The Classic Crime. Propelled forward by the success of their Kickstarter campaign, (incidentally the 9th most funded music project in Kickstarter history), The Classic Crime is presently in the latter portion of a successful West Coast tour, and have also managed to chart their self-produced and self-released album, "Phoenix," on both iTunes and Billboard. On iTunes the Classic Crime peaked at #3 on the Rock album chart and #24 on the overall album chart. On Billboard The Classic Crime charted as follows for the sales week ending August 19, 2012:<br />
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Top 200 (#130)<br />
Independent Albums (#22)<br />
Current Alternative Albums (#29)<br />
Current Contemporary Christian (#4)<br />
Top Hard Music (#15)<br />
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Charting an album in an incredibly crowded and competitive music space is no easy feat but going at it alone, without the full resources of a record label and still achieving this kind of success is a rarity. As if that wasn't enough this was also The Classic Crime's biggest selling first week for any one of their albums. The Alt Rock quartet from Seattle is shaping up to be the DIY Cinderella story of 2012.<br />
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"Phoenix is our rebirth," front man and songwriter Matt MacDonald reflects. "Conceptually, it's about the time spent in the ashes, between death and this new life, wondering if we'd ever get out. The whole process has restored our hope in the value of what we do. Our Kickstarter backers have revived our confidence in the fact that we are not alone and there is still work to be done."<br />
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"Phoenix" was largely written during the period of uncertainty prior to the band's Kickstarter campaign. The result is a thematic lyrical journey through the threat of hopelessness, which resolves in the ultimate payoff: a happy ending to a situation in which all seemed lost.<br />
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Ultimately, Phoenix is therapy. Therapy for The Classic Crime. Therapy for MacDonald. And hopefully, therapy for all those who face a hopeless scenario in their lives. It is the medicine that many need - an honest record from an honest, fearless band with genuine supporters.<br />
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The Classic Crime is Matt MacDonald (vocals, guitar), Alan Clark (bass), Robert "Cheeze" Negrin (guitar), and Paul "Skip" Erickson (drums, vocals). Their album Phoenix was produced by Matt MacDonald, engineered by Brandon Metcalf, mixed by Michael "Elvis" Baskette, and mastered by Ted Jensen. It was self-released on August 14, 2012.<br />
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<b>"PHOENIX" In Stores:</b><br />
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Physical copies of "PHOENIX" are available at these stores:<br />
Best Buy / BestBuy.com - <a href="http://bit.ly/phoenix_bestbuy">bit.ly/phoenix_bestbuy</a><br />
FYE / FYE.com - <a href="http://bit.ly/phoenix_FYE">http://bit.ly/phoenix_FYE</a><br />
Hastings / GoHastings.com<br />
Lifeway<br />
Amazon.com<br />
or your favorite local record store.<br />
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The album is also available online at:<br />
iTunes<br />
Bandcamp<br />
Amazon MP3Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13476651530190929655noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8480575752522571257.post-77028883406997278742012-08-23T22:18:00.001-04:002012-08-24T09:14:02.238-04:00Project 86 - Wait for the Siren<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<b>Artist: </b>Project 86<br />
<b>Album: </b>Wait for the Siren<br />
<b>Release Date: </b>August 21, 2012<br />
<b>Label: </b>Independent<br />
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After three years, and the departure of every member except lead vocalist and creator Andrew Schwab, Project 86 have come back with their first truly independent album, and their seventh album overall <i>Wait for the Siren</i>. To help make the new album a possibility Andrew enlisted the help of an all-star cast of friends including Bruce Fitzhugh (Living Sacrifice), Rocky Gray (Soul Embraced), Brian "Head" Welch (Love & Death), Blake Martin (A Plea for Purging), and The Wedding. Andrew said with this album he was able to take the reins of the creative process and make an album that he was really passionate about.<br />
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Project 86 has never been a band to pigeonhole themselves into one genre and this album shows even further branching of the musical wings. The album starts out with three kicking, hard-hitting rock anthems in "Fall, Goliath, Fall", "SOTS", and "Omerta's Sons". From the opening military-esque drums and wicked awesome guitar riff you know "Fall, Goliath, Fall" is going to be an instant fan favorite and a huge song, and then the drums kick in and the song jumps to a whole different level. Everything about the song gets your blood-pumping and your body moving. The energy stays at an eleven when "SOTS" kicks in with a deep growl from Andrew, and then comes the chorus and Bruce Fitzhugh and Andrew scream together it is scary good. The next song "Omerta's Sons" keeps up the hard rock style that many fans of P86 have come to love. "Off the Grid" takes on this really cool groove based sound throughout the verses and kicks in during the choruses. The high octane tunes keep rolling on until there is a curveball in the form of "Blood Moon" which takes on a much slower, and kind of hauntingly deep sound with the music never overpowering the super passionate and emotional vocals of the track. The song that sticks out to me musically is hand's down "Ghosts of the Easter Rising" there are some really weird instrumentals going on throughout the song, the song takes on a life of something you'd hear overseas and never expect from a hard rock band from Orange County, California but that's what makes the song so good. The album goes out with a bang with some amazingly driving drums and instruments that I don't know the names of, but it is so powerful even if you can't understand the words, and it builds up to...nothing! The song sounds like it's all about to come crashing down on you, and then it just ends, which I personally awesome.<br />
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Andrew's signature vocal styles are evident on every song. Clearly, when you hear his voice you know you've got a Project 86 album in your hands. His vocals are as strong as ever, and with the guest vocals it seems that the intensity of his screams have taken on a new life and gotten fiercer. There is a common theme throughout the album of good vs. evil as in the songs "Fall, Goliath, Fall" and "SOTS" which pretty clearly are about the battle of David and Goliath. Whereas many of the songs have to do with a more intrinsic and personal battle, as in people battling with themselves whilst trying to live their lives. One of my favorite lyrics comes from the song "Omerta's Sons" in which Andrew says "If we were brothers in cowardice/Are we enemies in bravery?" I don't know what it is about those lines but they just sent chills down my spine. Hopefully the hard rock fans don't skip over what may be the strongest and most worshipful song on the album, "Blood Moon" the chorus speaks of one's desires for Heaven and their longing for the love of the Lord; "Who will catch you if the engines fail?/Who will protect you if the trains derail?/Who will revive you if your oxygen ceases?/Who will provide you with a new heartbeat?" Just read those words, that is what having completely faith in God is all about. No matter what can go wrong, he will be there to catch you, to revive you, and to give you a new heartbeat if that's what's needed.<br />
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<b>Overall: </b>Andrew Schwab and friends have put out one of the band's strongest albums in a long time. There's not much to dislike about this album. For me <i>Rival Factions</i> and <i>Picket Fence Cartel </i>took a little bit of time for me to get into them, with <i>Wait for the Siren</i> I am instantly hooked, and find myself repeating the album multiple times a day, and each time the album gets better and better in every sense. There's something new I discover that I didn't notice before and that's what makes this a great and exciting album. With the creative freedom of basically being a one-man band and having no label looking over everything Andrew was finally able to throw the book out the window and just get as far out there as he wanted and it pays off instantly! Musically, <i>Wait for the Siren</i> may be the most diverse album Project 86 has released, but I'd also venture to say it may one of the best/strongest as well. Vocally, you know what you're going to get with Andrew but that doesn't change the fact that his vocals are spot on and completely convey the passion he experienced whilst making this album. Lyrically, Andrew continues the amazingly worshipful lyrics that made a huge comeback on <i>Picket Fence Cartel. </i>When it is all said and done <i>Wait for the Siren</i> will go down as one of the, if not the best Project 86 albums and should go down as the band's signature album. This is the album, Andrew has always wanted to make. Now with a live band behind him, Project 86 is hitting the road and I myself am excited to see/hear these new songs live.<br />
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<b>Rating:</b> 9 /10<br />
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<b>Recommended Tracks: </b>"Fall, Goliath, Fall", "SOTS", "Ghosts of the Easter Rising", and "Blood Moon".<br />
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Reviewed by: Michael Small<br />
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<b>Tracklisting:</b><br />
1. Fall, Goliath, Fall<br />
2. SOTS (featuring Bruce Fitzhugh of Living Sacrifice)<br />
3. Omerta's Sons<br />
4. Off the Grid<br />
5. New Transmissions<br />
6. Defector<br />
7. The Crossfire Gambit<br />
8. Blood Moon<br />
9. Above the Desert Sea<br />
10. Ghost of the Easter Rising<br />
11. Avalantia<br />
12. Take the Hill<br />
13. Wait for the Siren<br />
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Wait-Siren-Project-86/dp/B008A5H6AO/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1345664046&sr=8-1&keywords=project+86">(Buy Here)</a>xanatwohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00135083711523050001noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8480575752522571257.post-30510540580160919572012-08-23T10:08:00.002-04:002012-08-23T10:08:43.717-04:00Harp & Lyre Announce Tribes, New Lyric Video<img height="320" src="http://sphotos-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash3/557458_10151026245805905_1760514143_n.jpg" width="320" />
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Unsigned heavy favorite Harp & Lyre would like to announce their new record title and cover art. The much anticipated record, <i>Tribes</i>, will be coming this fall. In the meantime, the band would like to give fans a preview of what's to come.<br />
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Vocalist Tyler Carder had this to say about the new track from their forthcoming record Tribes.<br />
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“’Believe, Divide, and Find Yourself Alone’ is and intimate view of the Christian Church through the eyes of a believer looking to see a change in the false ideas and personal agendas of the body of Christ. It's not meant to elude the point to make a good song, but clearly states a problem and makes a point, and that point is relative to everyone by means of misrepresentation of what the body of Christ should ensue. It is a more real look at the institution that many of us attend on a regular basis and a call to move, to fight, to not settle in to a simple routine but to live out the belief you and I claim.”<br />
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Watch the video of "Believe, Divide, and Find Yourself Alone" below:<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/yEJ9adJRPzA" width="360"></iframe><br />
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13476651530190929655noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8480575752522571257.post-51565674067927920262012-08-20T16:34:00.001-04:002012-08-20T16:35:56.717-04:00The Modern Post - Grace Alone<img alt="Grace Alone" src="http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/61HLHND2vqL._SL500_AA280_.jpg" />
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<b>Artist: </b>The Modern Post<br />
<b>Album: </b>Grace Alone<br />
<b>Release Date: </b>August 14, 2012<br />
<b>Label: </b>Mars Hill Music<br />
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Less than a year ago, one of my all time favorite bands, Thrice, announced that they would be going on a hiatus after their farewell tour this spring, shortly after the release of the fantastic <i>Major/Minor</i>. However, there had been rumors and a few photos from frontman Dustin Kensrue's Twitter account that stated that he had been working on a worship album slated to be released this year, after moving to Seattle to lead worship at Mars Hill Church alongside Pastor Mark Driscoll.<br />
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Now, two months after Thrice's last show, Kensrue's new band, The Modern Post, have surfaced with a five song EP, entitled <i>Grace Alone</i>. The EP is full of '80s'-influenced rock, loaded with heavy bass and synth grooves that accompany Dustin's voice rather well. In fact, despite a new backing band and much different instrumentation than Thrice, Dustin feels right at home with The Modern Post.<br />
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<i>Grace Alone </i>covers three hymns, "Just As I Am," "Before The Throne," and "Amazing Grace." The former of the three really strays from the traditional version the most, due to its thick synths and airy guitars, while "Amazing Grace (God of Grave)" implements in a new chorus, similar to what Chris Tomlin did with the song. Another cover is done as well, being the lesser known "White As Snow," originally an acoustic, stripped down piece by Jon Foreman of Switchfoot, which here is translated into a slower, ambient song with a hazy chorus of "Wash me white as snow and I will be made whole." <i>Grace Alone</i>'s only original is its title track, an indie rocker with some very well written lyrics by Kensrue that convey the hope of the Gospel.<br />
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<b>Overall: </b><i>Grace Alone </i>is a good start for The Modern Post, with five songs of grooving synth rock that bring to mind the sounds of the '80s, something refreshing in the midst of worship bands out there that can get away with rehashing similar sounds repeatedly. If you've been a fan of anything that Dustin Kensrue has done in the past, or are looking for some new worship music that sets itself apart from what you may typically hear or think of with the genre in mind, then check out The Modern Post.<br />
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<b>Rating: </b>8/10<br />
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Reviewed by Brooks Ginnan<br />
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<b>Tracklisting:</b><br />
<br />
<ol>
<li>Just As I Am</li>
<li>Grace Alone</li>
<li>Before The Throne</li>
<li>Amazing Grace (God of Grace)</li>
<li>White As Snow</li>
</ol>
<a href="http://marshill.bandcamp.com/releases">(Buy/Listen Here)</a>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13476651530190929655noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8480575752522571257.post-1802975274474956822012-08-20T13:43:00.002-04:002012-08-20T15:09:13.963-04:00The Wedding Sign to Tooth & Nail Records<img height="213" src="http://farm9.static.flickr.com/8287/7824525450_c7c4036d89.jpg" width="320" />
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Rock outfit The Wedding have signed with Tooth & Nail Records and will release their label debut <i>No Direction</i> on September 25th.<br />
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The Wedding first formed in 2003 and despite a few lineup changes, quickly created a stir with their soaring rock anthems. The band finally hit its stride with the addition of front man Matt Shelton (formerly of Island Records’ Letter Kills.)<br />
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On the album’s title, Shelton explains, "No Direction" means cutting ties with the idea that you can prepare your life in such a way to keep you from danger. As C.S. Lewis said, it's an illusion of safety. We are meant to live life unabashed and free, and this can only happen in the face of danger; which to most is the idea of not knowing where you are going. It is when we have <i>No Direction</i> at all and still we press on, trusting that the great unknown will be our rescue and not the demise we are so fearful of. We went into making this record with complete reckless abandon. We tried to write the record that we wanted and needed to hear.”<br />
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"We are stoked to join the family at Tooth & Nail. It's exciting to get to make the records we want to make with so many good friends," says Shelton.<br />
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Consisting of 12 tracks, <i>No Direction</i> was produced by Jasen Rauch (Breaking Benjamin) at Harker House Studios in Springfield, TN, and features guest vocals by Dan Marsala of The Story Of The Year on the track “The Lesser Worth.”<br />
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<b><i>No Direction</i> Track Listing:</b><br />
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1. No Direction<br />
2. The End<br />
3. The Lesser Worth (feat. guest vocals by Dan Marsala of The Story of The Year)<br />
4. The Raconteur<br />
5. Hang on Love<br />
6. The Wildest Ocean<br />
7. Mors Tua Nos Vita<br />
8. Kill Any Excuse<br />
9. Heartbreak In Melody<br />
10. Don’t Let Me Down<br />
11. Young and Dangerous<br />
12. Distance and Resolution<br />
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<a href="http://www.theweddingrockandroll.com/">www.theweddingrockandroll.com</a><br />
<a href="http://www.facebook.com/thewedding479">www.facebook.com/thewedding479</a><br />
<a href="http://www.toothandnail.com/">www.toothandnail.com</a>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13476651530190929655noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8480575752522571257.post-42696369793879643902012-08-20T10:15:00.001-04:002012-08-20T15:44:17.205-04:00Children 18:3 - On The Run<img src="http://media.emicmg.com/artwork/project_covers/5099973088226/Chordant/cover.jpg" />
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<b>Artist: </b>Children 18:3<br />
<b>Album: </b>On The Run<br />
<b>Release Date: </b>June 19, 2012<br />
<b>Label: </b>Tooth & Nail Records<br />
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Over the past 20 years, punk rock has been the fuel for the teenager or 20 something who have searched for an escape from conventional pop or rock that flows through our radios and everyday pop culture. Since their first release back in 2008, Children 18:3 have constantly been crafting good punk music in the purest sense, and four years later, the band have truly found their niche with <i>On The Run</i>. While no real new musical ground is really broken, the sibling trio have created what is their most cohesive project yet.<br />
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"Moment To Moment" kicks things into gear with an steady tempo and the stand out line "Every task before you, is a challenge to succeed," which flows into an angsty chorus, full of harmonies between David and Lee Marie Hostetter, while Seth tears apart his section on the drums. An album highlight, "Bandits," is laced with adrenaline and never lets up its pace, which soon fades into the poppier "We'll Never Say Goodbye," fully fronted by Lee Marie, a bittersweet song about summer concluding at first glance, while the verses show something different, a song about the realities of moving on with life and maturing.<br />
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Complete with a quasi-hardcore breakdown and a cowbell section is the raging "What About Justice?," which even ends with a fantastic drum solo from Seth. "Jenny" almost feels like a Hawk Nelson song with its intro, yet eventually leads into classic Children 18:3 territory. Surprisingly, a ballad takes its place in the middle of the album, "Always On The Run," a delicate tune, which is something completely different for the band, and due to its dreamy sense, feels like something out of the '90s. While not too memorable, "I Tried To Do The Right Thing" and "Holding On" are both solid pop punk tracks, which lead up to another highlight; "Why Are You Afraid Of The Dark?" The song is very bass heavy, and Christian Lindskog (of Blindside) provides some guest vocals that feel very fitting with the dark atmosphere, which is eventually broken by the bridge, which has a refrain of "We'll Never Say Goodbye," and a little guitar solo as well. All in all, the end of <i>On The Run </i>is its best part, with the sporadic "Nowhere To Run" and the fun rocker "All In Your Head," which echoes elements of Family Force 5 at times, while the droning "Drifter" properly brings the album to an end.<br />
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<b>Overall: </b><i>On The Run </i>is Children 18:3's most mature release, and musically is spot on. There's moments of pure rock and punk goodness, while at others, poppier choruses and harmonies are used to accompany the album's sometimes introspective, sometimes anthemic lyrics. While there are a few forgettable songs here and there, <i>On The Run </i>is a very solid album, and is one not to be missed if you've been a fan of the band in the past, or if you're looking for some quality punk rock, which still exists.<br />
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<b>Rating: </b>8.5/10<br />
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Reviewed by Brooks Ginnan<br />
<br />
<b>Tracklisting:</b><br />
<br />
<ol>
<li>Moment To Moment</li>
<li>Bandits</li>
<li>We'll Never Say Goodbye</li>
<li>What About Justice?</li>
<li>Jenny</li>
<li>Always On The Run</li>
<li>I Tried To Do The Right Thing</li>
<li>Holding On</li>
<li>Why Are You Afraid Of The Dark?</li>
<li>Nowhere To Run</li>
<li>All In Your Head</li>
<li>Drifter</li>
</ol>
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0083GEXK6/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B0083GEXK6&linkCode=as2&tag=chrirockrock-20">(Buy Here)</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=chrirockrock-20&l=as2&o=1&a=B0083GEXK6" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /><br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13476651530190929655noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8480575752522571257.post-65123401859074630712012-08-16T11:01:00.001-04:002012-08-16T11:01:29.285-04:00The Chariot Streaming "in"<img alt="Song Premiere: The Chariot, “in”" height="206" src="http://images.altpress.com/uploads/feature_header_images/TheChariot-Aug12-620.jpg" width="320" />
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<br />
The Chariot have just debuted "in," the first song off of their upcoming album <i>One Wing</i>, over at <a href="http://www.altpress.com/features/entry/song_premiere_the_chariot_in">AltPress</a>. <i>One Wing </i>will be out on August 28th through Good Fight Music/eOne and can be pre-ordered <a href="http://goodfightentertainment.merchnow.com/search/?q=The+Chariot">right here</a> or at <a href="http://itunes.apple.com/us/preorder/one-wing/id549132559">iTunes</a>.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13476651530190929655noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8480575752522571257.post-77754248672136428092012-08-16T10:57:00.000-04:002012-08-16T10:57:08.532-04:00Hundredth Premiere New Music Video at AltPress<br />
<img height="213" src="http://gallery.mailchimp.com/7a3456f8b04296c2bc2430fd4/images/hundredthgroup1edited_email.jpg" width="320" />
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<b>HUNDREDTH</b>'s music video for "Weathered Town" has been premiered excusively on Alternative Press' web site and can be found here <a href="http://www.altpress.com/aptv/video/video_premiere_hundredth_weathered_town">http://www.altpress.com/aptv/video/video_premiere_hundredth_weathered_town</a>. The video was directed by Micheal Dean and features footage from the band's tour of Europe alongside Vanna. The song comes from the band's abum 'Let Go', which is availble in stores and online now from Mediaskare Records.<br />
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The band will be heading back out on the road alongside Defeater, Rotting Out, and Silver Snakes beginning August 27th; followed by another tour of Europe with Walls of Jericho, Death Before Dishonor, and Betrayal. Here are the band's upcoming tour dates:<br />
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w/ Defeater, Rotting Out, Silver Snakes<br />
8/24 Houston, TX - Walters on Washington<br />
8/25 Austin, TX - Red 7<br />
8/26 Dallas, TX - Club Dada<br />
8/27 Midland, TX - Pinebox<br />
8/28 Albuquerque, NM - Gasworks<br />
8/29 Mesa, AZ - The Underground<br />
8/30 San Diego, CA - Che Cafe<br />
8/31 Anaheim, CA - Chain Reaction (w/ Blacklisted)<br />
9/1 Anaheim, CA - Chain Reaction (w/ Blacklisted)<br />
9/4 Canoga Park, CA - Cobalt Cafe<br />
9/5 Camarillo, CA - Rock City<br />
9/6 Fresno, CA - CYC<br />
9/7 Berkley, CA - 924 Gilman<br />
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w/ Walls of Jericho, Death Before Dishonor, Betrayal<br />
9/10 Hannover, Germany - Musikzentrum<br />
9/11 Leipzig, Germany - Conne Island<br />
9/12 Solothurn, Switzerland - Kofmehl<br />
9/13 Esslingen Am Neckar, Germany - Komma<br />
9/14 Muchen, Germany - Backstage<br />
9/15 Usmate Velate, Italy - Un Tranquillo Weekend Di Paura Festival<br />
9/16 Saarbruken, Germany - Garage<br />
9/17 Paris, France - Glalzart<br />
9/18 Antwerp, Belgium - Muziekcentrum Trix<br />
9/19 Berlin, Germany - SO 36<br />
9/20 Cham, Germany - LA<br />
9/22 Koln, Germany - Essigfabrik<br />
9/23 Den Bosch, Netherlands - W2<br />
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13476651530190929655noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8480575752522571257.post-70770886936838427642012-08-16T10:47:00.000-04:002012-08-16T10:49:15.302-04:00Heath McNease Releases The Weight of Glory<img alt="The Weight of Glory: Songs Inspired by the Works of CS Lewis cover art" height="320" src="http://f0.bcbits.com/z/32/75/3275185640-1.jpg" width="320" />
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<br />
Inspired by the many books and literature of C.S. Lewis, the eclectic singer-songwriter Heath McNease has just released his new album, <i>The Weight of Glory</i>. The album can be steamed below, and can be downloaded for free or <a href="http://heathmcnease.bandcamp.com/album/the-weight-of-glory-songs-inspired-by-the-works-of-cs-lewis">purchased</a> with a variety of options, which include a hard copy, t-shirt or even the chance to bring Heath to your town!<br />
<br />
<br />
<iframe allowtransparency="true" frameborder="0" height="100" src="http://bandcamp.com/EmbeddedPlayer/v=2/album=4222857139/size=grande/bgcol=FFFFFF/linkcol=4285BB/" style="display: block; height: 100px; position: relative; width: 300px;" width="300"><a href="http://heathmcnease.bandcamp.com/album/the-weight-of-glory-songs-inspired-by-the-works-of-cs-lewis">The Weight of Glory: Songs Inspired by the Works of CS Lewis by Heath McNease</a></iframe><br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13476651530190929655noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8480575752522571257.post-54957562127188797222012-08-08T11:35:00.001-04:002012-08-08T11:38:03.787-04:00House of Heroes - Cold Hard Want<img alt="Cold Hard Want" src="http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51hWr7e0spL._SL500_AA280_.jpg" /><br />
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<b>Artist: </b>House of Heroes<br />
<b>Album: </b>Cold Hard Want<br />
<b>Release Date: </b>July 10, 2012<br />
<b>Label: </b>Gotee Records<br />
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To anyone that has said rock music is dying, they haven't heard House of Heroes. A beacon of hope in the midst of disarrayed radio rock, <i>Cold Hard Want </i>strikes at a time that is crucial. After a seemingly great discography, this new album takes things up a notch (if at all possible) and really goes all out with heart and grit, a much more edgier result than 2010's summer pop rock-laden <i>Suburba</i>. <i>Cold Hard Want </i>is also the band's first album with Paul Moak (Lovedrug, Third Day, Mat Kearney), adding in perhaps some of the raw, untapped energy that hasn't been evoked from the band since moments of <i>The End Is Not The End</i>.<br />
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House of Heroes' flawless harmonies come into play on the opening sounds of <i>Cold Hard Want</i>, speaking of "A Man Who's Not Afraid," which chillingly eases into the grungy, yet fluid riffs of "Out My Way," a bold declaration of both the touring musician and the working man, intertwined in one. The hand-clapping "Dance (Blow It All Away)" strikes as a poppier, Friday night jam, in typical HOH fashion, which segues into the aggressive "Remember The Empire," the heaviest the band has ever sounded, with a section that tows the line between a hardcore breakdown and chaotic shredding, captivated by a backing chorus of "ohs."<br />
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Surprisingly enough, "We Were Giants" kicks off with programmed beats, along with breezy acoustics that flow into a perfect summertime tune, guitar solos and all. The next two tracks, "The Cop" and "Comfort Trap," are tied together with the theme of a stereotypical suburban life, what it takes to achieve that, and the dangers of falling into its comfort. The rest of the album follows with some solid, catchy tunes, such as "Stay" with its infectious vibes and "Suspect" with clever hooks and a Black Keys-esque sound. The closing "I Am A Symbol" starts out as a slow burner, which eventually bursts into an ending of both chaos and triumph.<br />
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<b>Overall: </b>House of Heroes have proven on every release that they will never do the same thing twice. After the poppy <i>Suburba</i>, the band have struck back with a straight up rock and roll effort, titled <i>Cold Hard Want</i>, that from beginning to end carries the listener through catchy choruses, guitar solos, and plenty of harmonies, which HoH have always utilized to their advantage. If their past releases haven't convinced you, <i>Cold Hard Want </i>may just be the album that shows that House of Heroes are one of the best rock bands of the past decade, hands down.<br />
<br />
<b>Rating: </b>9.5/10<br />
<br />
Reviewed by Brooks Ginnan<br />
<br />
<b>Tracklisting:</b><br />
<br />
<ol>
<li>A Man Who's Not Afraid</li>
<li>Out My Way</li>
<li>Dance (Blow It All Away)</li>
<li>Remember The Empire</li>
<li>We Were Giants</li>
<li>The Cop</li>
<li>Comfort Trap</li>
<li>Touch This Light</li>
<li>Angels of Night</li>
<li>Stay</li>
<li>Suspect</li>
<li>Curtains</li>
<li>I Am A Symbol</li>
</ol>
<br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B008HVK0EA/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B008HVK0EA&linkCode=as2&tag=chrirockrock-20">(Buy Here)</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=chrirockrock-20&l=as2&o=1&a=B008HVK0EA" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /><br />
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<br /></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13476651530190929655noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8480575752522571257.post-62229276526849279302012-08-07T13:03:00.000-04:002012-08-07T13:03:20.209-04:00Derek Webb Releases Ctrl, Free Three Song Sampler<img height="320" src="http://sphotos-b.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash3/534459_10151768755910512_518261342_n.jpg" width="318" />
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Following up 2010's fantastic instrumental release <i>Feedback </i>and the controversial and thought provoking <i>Stockholm Syndrome</i>, Derek Webb has just released his new album, <i>Ctrl</i>,<i> </i>at his <a href="http://derekwebb.com/">website</a> a month before the retail release (on September 4th at iTunes, Amazon, etc.). A three song sampler of the album is also available via Noisetrade, and can be downloaded through the widget below.<br />
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<iframe frameborder="0" height="400" scrolling="no" src="http://noisetrade.com/service/sharewidget/?id=a0787df2-85b2-4f99-9136-079d23da6474" width="240"></iframe>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13476651530190929655noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8480575752522571257.post-90009068769074825402012-07-31T16:31:00.000-04:002012-07-31T16:52:16.242-04:00Capital Lights - Rhythm 'N' Moves<img src="http://media.emicmg.com/artwork/project_covers/5099907089626/Chordant/cover.jpg" />
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<b>Artist: </b>Capital Lights<br />
<b>Album: </b>Rhythm 'N' Moves<br />
<b>Release Date: </b>July 19, 2012<br />
<b>Label: </b>Tooth & Nail Records<br />
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<i>Rhythm 'N' Moves</i> is the sophomore release by Tooth and Nail's Capital Lights. Following the vastly successful <i>This is An Outrage</i>, which was released in 2008 and had a #1 single on the R&R Christian Rock charts ("Out of Control"), the group announced that they would be breaking up for personal reasons. This was not the last that their disappointed fans would hear from them though, and on December 24th, 2010 bassist and lead vocalist, Bryson Phillips, announced that the group would be releasing one more album, though they would not be touring behind it. Here it is, nearly four years from the day that <i>This is An Outrage</i> was released.<br />
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<i>Rhythm 'N' Moves</i> is definitely different than <i>This is An Outrage</i>. The band has always identified itself as pop-punk and <i>This Is An Outrage</i> sat very solidly in that genre. The album had a much grittier and punk feel than its successor, and was fun and "poppy," yet there were always layers of controversy, irony and wit in the lyrics. <i>Rhythm 'N' Moves</i>, though equally fun, lacks the luster and energy that <i>This is An Outrage</i> had. In addition to this the punk side of pop-punk feels almost non-existent on the new album, where <i>This Is An Outrage</i> was led by upbeat drums, stylisticly reminiscent of ex-relient K drummer, Dave Douglas and blink-182 drummer, Travis Barker, <i>Rhythm 'N' Moves</i> is led by a lot more acoustic guitar, snyth and even some auto-tuned vocals. The best way to describe the album would be reserved. It certainly has its moments, particularly in "Save the Last Dance," led by a strong drumbeat and a soloistic lead-guitar line, and "Honey Don't Jump," which comes close to the meaningful lyrics that laced every song on <i>This Is An Outrage</i>, but it doesn't, forgive the pun, hit all the notes.<br />
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<b>Overall: </b>Though I am hard on it, I still enjoyed the album, which is better than no album, which is what Capital Lights fans have been waiting for. Like I said before, the music is fun. <i>Rhythm 'N' Moves</i> is in my car and great for rolling the windows down, turning up the volume and just going.<br />
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<b>Rating: </b>6.5/10</div>
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Reviewed by Caleb Bestvater</div>
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<b>Tracklisting:</b></div>
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<ol>
<li>Rhythm 'N' Moves</li>
<li>Let Your Hair Down</li>
<li>Caroline</li>
<li>Coldfront Heatstroke</li>
<li>Newport Party</li>
<li>Honey Don't Jump</li>
<li>Say Hey!</li>
<li>Don't Drop Dead Juliet</li>
<li>Hey Little One</li>
<li>Save The Last Dance</li>
<li>Gotta Have Love</li>
</ol>
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B008817XG2/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=chrirockrock-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B008817XG2">(Buy Here)</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=chrirockrock-20&l=as2&o=1&a=B008817XG2" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /></div>
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<br /></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13476651530190929655noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8480575752522571257.post-77060500130233173302012-07-31T15:41:00.001-04:002012-07-31T15:41:47.053-04:00SoulFest 2012 Preview<img height="320" src="http://sphotos-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash3/551768_10150957227358690_576223757_n.jpg" width="320" />
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Last year, CRR ventured out to the town of Gilford, New Hampshire for a music festival named SoulFest. It was our first year, and it was amazing, and we will be going back this year! Below is a day-by-day breakdown of what to expect across the festival's five stages, including notable artists, speakers, and even a movie.<br />
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<b>Wednesday, August 1st: </b><br />
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Wednesday this year will contain a good collection of indie rock and worship bands, notably at the Inside Out Stage. The night will be headlined by Florida's Ascend The Hill, along with Abel, The Ember Days, and Walking Unity, with opening slots from upcoming artists such as Astoria. The Revival Stage will be led by Jeremy Camp and Plumb, and the Deeper Well stage will feature a joint set of Matt Maher with Audrey Assad, and young rock bands Fixus and Phao.<br />
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<b>Thursday, August 2nd:</b><br />
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Thursday is expected to be one of the biggest days, with SoulFest veterans Switchfoot headlining the Revival Stage, after the annual candlelight service, and with thousands of people, it is quite a memorable scene. The Inside Out Stage will also have its most intense day, full of hardcore and metal all day long, with artists such as Sleeping Giant, War of Ages, To Speak of Wolves, and many more. The Mercy St. Cafe will be the host of a late night dance party with New Zealand's Rapture Ruckus and Gabe Smith Pop Culture Icon. The newly revived Five Iron Frenzy are also set to make their first appearance of this year's festival at the Mountain Top stage as well.<br />
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<b>Friday, August 3rd:</b><br />
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Friday's Revival Stage appearances are sure to be one of the most energetic of the festival, with tobyMac and Family Force 5 taking their respectful places. Meanwhile, the Mercy St. Cafe will be showing the notable indie film Blue Like Jazz, with a Q&A session with director/musician Steve Taylor, which will be followed by a set from piano rockers The City Harmonic, who really impressed us last year with their unique live show. If you're into hard rock, the Inside Out Stage will be the place to be, with Brian "Head Welch's Love and Death taking the headlining spot, with vets Project 86, Write This Down, Run Kid Run, and Blessed By A Broken Heart to name a few.<br />
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<b>Saturday, August 4th: </b><br />
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Saturday morning will be the start of the SoulFest youth conference, and the day will see Casting Crowns, Kutless, and Lecrae at the Revival Stage, while the Inside Out Stage will present the recent comeback of ska, with Five Iron Frenzy, The OC Supertones, and rockers Children 18:3 and Hyland.<br />
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<b>We're certainly excited for SoulFest, and you can currently order tickets <a href="http://www.thesoulstore.com/">right here</a>, or pick them up at the gate as well!</b>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13476651530190929655noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8480575752522571257.post-55029815761832966822012-07-19T14:24:00.001-04:002012-07-19T17:12:50.363-04:00Wolves At The Gate - Captors<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51Xa4vvPjgL._SS500_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51Xa4vvPjgL._SS500_.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: black; color: white;"><b>Artist:</b> Wolves At The Gate</span><br />
<span style="background-color: black; color: white;"><b>Album:</b> Captors</span><br />
<span style="background-color: black; color: white;"><b>Release Date:</b> July 3, 2012</span><br />
<span style="background-color: black; color: white;"><b>Label:</b> Solid State Records</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: white;">Solid State has been a staple in terms of heavy christian music. Unfortunately, it also has lost some of it's greatest artists in the last few years (i.e. <b>The Chariot</b>, and <b>Norma Jean</b>.) However, lately Solid State has really started to kick it up a notch. With some of the recent "new breed" signings, Solid State has given us <b>The Overseer</b>, and <b>Wolves At The Gate</b>. Two bands that I believe will be shaping Solid State back in to the label it used to be.</span></span><span style="background-color: black;"><b style="color: white;">Wolves At The Gate</b><span style="color: white;"> has been on my radar for a couple years now. They released their EP </span><i style="color: white;">We Are The Ones</i><span style="color: white;"> last year independently, and it was instantly a hit for me. Their sound was not super unique, but they did have the maturity to come in to their own. When I heard that Solid State was signing them, I </span></span><span style="background-color: black; color: white;">was really excited to hear them expand on the mastered sound of the E</span><span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: white;">P. </span><i style="color: white;">Captors</i><span style="color: white;">, is som</span></span><span style="background-color: black; color: white;">ething really special.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: black; color: white;"><i>Captors</i> starts out with 'The Harvest', a song that captures so much emotion in the first few seconds, that you are immediately curious about what else this band could possibly do. Next is 'Awaken' which is a song that really showcases the clean vocals, and the outstanding lyrics. Guitarist Steve Cobucci handles the cleans, and is probably one the best singers in the genre. His vocals are crisp, passionate, and never overproduced. I am a huge fan of scripture based lyrics. By that I mean, I love when a band can take scripture and dissect a passage and put it in their own words. 'Dead Man' is another highlight on the album, again encasing great vocals with solid lyrics.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: black; color: white;"><i>Captors</i> keeps a good steady pace throughout, and never feels tiring, or overdone. There seems to always be something new in each of the tracks. Take the track 'Slaves' for instance. It starts out as a live acoustic track, and ends up being one of the most haunting and heaviest songs on the album. This album is very well balanced. Not top heavy, or back loaded which a lot of albums do. The closer 'Man Of Sorrows' finishes the album well by capturing the essence of the rest of the album. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: black; color: white;"><b>Overall:</b> <b>Wolves At The Gate</b> have released an album that is going to be a huge hit. Solid State's self proclaimed "new breed" of bands are going to make a statement. They are here to bring some originality to an already overdone genre, and do it with passionate lyrics and mature song writing. This is just the beginning for <b>Wolves At The Gate</b>, expect them to follow up an already outstanding album with an even stronger one. With what this album lacks, it is quickly made up by the passion these guys have for God.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: black; color: white;"><b>Rating:</b> 9/10</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: black; color: white;"><b>Reviewed by:</b> Tabor Brown</span><br />
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<b><span style="background-color: black; color: white;">Tracklisting:</span></b><br />
<span style="background-color: black; color: white;">1. The Harvest</span><br />
<span style="background-color: black; color: white;">2. Awaken</span><br />
<span style="background-color: black; color: white;">3. Morning Star</span><br />
<span style="background-color: black; color: white;">4. Dead Man</span><br />
<span style="background-color: black; color: white;">5. In Your Wake</span><br />
<span style="background-color: black; color: white;">6. Slaves</span><br />
<span style="background-color: black; color: white;">7. Step Out To The Water</span><br />
<span style="background-color: black; color: white;">8. Amnesty</span><br />
<span style="background-color: black; color: white;">9. Safegaurds</span><br />
<span style="background-color: black; color: white;">10. Through The Night</span><br />
<span style="background-color: black; color: white;">11. Man Of Sorrows</span><br />
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Captors/dp/B008A4O0XQ/ref=sr_shvl_album_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1342721824&sr=301-1" target="_blank"><span style="background-color: black; color: white;">(Buy Here)</span></a>Taborhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11130640139510178329noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8480575752522571257.post-57689971793915739282012-07-15T15:57:00.003-04:002012-07-15T17:18:34.171-04:00For Today - Immortal<img alt="Immortal" src="http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/61qzysgRFKL._SL500_AA280_.jpg" /><br />
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<b>Artist: </b>For Today<br />
<b>Album: </b>Immortal<br />
<b>Release Date: </b>May 29, 2012<br />
<b>Label: </b>Razor & Tie Records<br />
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The main thing I've always admired about For Today has been their unashamed faith in a scene that has been judged so much for its darkness and anger. In fact, I think that has been the key driving point behind their music. While oh so often For Today are classified as unoriginal, it can be insignificant, because at the end of the day, they make uplifting metalcore, that certainly focuses on message over originality. However, that being said, their new album <i>Immortal </i>does switch things up a bit. The band's typical breakdowns are still there, but are utilized a bit better as compared to their last album, <i>Breaker</i>, and many more melodic elements are implemented, such as clean vocals and brighter sounding guitar riffs, even a jazzy one (layered over frontman Mattie Montgomery's screams in "Immortal").<br />
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<i>Immortal </i>kicks off on a good note, with the sampled intro "The King" leading into the adrenaline-laced "Fearless," which boldly stands as a battle cry against the Devil, never letting up in its energy, which carries into "Stand Defiant," which cries out "Give me strength to stand when the battle rages!," following in the theme of spiritual warefare. "Foundation" uses clean vocals to its advantage, as does "Fearless," albeit in a much less typical scream-sing-scream fashion (in the former of the songs).<br />
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Three guest vocalists also make an appearance on <i>Immortal</i>, each prominent members of Christian rock and hardcore through the year; Tommy Green from Sleeping Giant, Sonny Sandoval from P.O.D. and Jake Luhrs from August Burns Red. "Set Apart," which features vocals from Luhrs, is perhaps another album highlight, and when Jake comes in, he not only kills it, but the overall feel of the music is very August Burns Red-like, perhaps not quite a coincidence.<br />
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<b>Overall: </b>Although not a perfect album, riding on the line of melodic metalcore, <i>Immortal </i>is quite a solid album. It's extremely worshipful lyrics offer encouragement to fight against the ways of the world, and to truly be fearless when in the face of suffering. Even though the album may have a bit more breakdowns and blast beats than my typical heavy music listening lately, it does a good job of overcoming my growing jadedness towards more typical metalcore and offers a good bit of diversity as well, rightfully placing For Today at the forefront of the ever falling and rising metal scene for years to come.<br />
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<b>Rating: </b>8/10<br />
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Reviewed by Brooks Ginnan<br />
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<b>Tracklisting:</b><br />
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<ol>
<li>The King</li>
<li>Fearless</li>
<li>Stand Defiant</li>
<li>Immortal</li>
<li>The Call</li>
<li>Foundation</li>
<li>Open Eyes</li>
<li>Under God (featuring Tommy Green)</li>
<li>Set Apart (featuring Jake Luhrs)</li>
<li>The Only Name (featuring Sonny Sandoval)</li>
<li>My Confession</li>
</ol>
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B008592ZSI/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=chrirockrock-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B008592ZSI">(Buy Here)</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=chrirockrock-20&l=as2&o=1&a=B008592ZSI" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /><br />
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<br /></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13476651530190929655noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8480575752522571257.post-32368478312713069542012-07-13T17:10:00.000-04:002012-07-15T17:18:02.994-04:00The Old-Timers - Soli Deo Gloria<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-EUfGGUzj8-o/UACC0kOyRII/AAAAAAAAAOo/2Ukbk1YePU8/s1600/Artist.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-EUfGGUzj8-o/UACC0kOyRII/AAAAAAAAAOo/2Ukbk1YePU8/s320/Artist.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<b>Artist: </b>The Old-Timers<br />
<b>Album: </b>Soli Deo Gloria<br />
<b>Release Date: </b>June 14, 2012<br />
<b>Label: </b>Thumper Punk Records<br />
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Three men; Dave, Don, and Matt from South Africa have come together to form a hardcore-punk band known as The Old-Timers. The band who record their albums in a very odd way, have come out with their latest high octane album, <i>Soli Deo Gloria</i>. This album was recorded be three men in three different cities and two different countries. Dave (vocalist) and Don (guitarist/bassist) live several hours apart from each other in South Africa, they recorded their parts and then sent them to drummer, Matt whom recorded his parts Idaho. The band states that their main purpose is to make music they love, and music that honors the Lord and they're not going to let anything including distance get in their way.<br />
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The first thing you notice about <i>Soli Deo Gloria </i>when you listen to it is that is has that vintage old-school punk vibe from the get go. Chugging guitars, high-speed drumming and non-stop energy. The album just flows from one song to the other with no pauses and no decline in the hyperactive energy. There's what some could call a "breakdown" in the song "On Hope" where almost all of the music, except one chugging guitar riff, drops out and Dave just professes his love for Christ and all he does for us. The music does get a bit repetitive and is almost drowned out by the yelling vocals of Dave. <i>Soli Deo Gloria</i> isn't going to win any awards for being the most original piece of music ever, and there isn't anything to really make it standout except the fact that is unique due to the straight old-school sound of the record.<br />
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The most hardcore thing about the album is Dave's vocals. He's definitely going for the old-school hardcore vocals. If you're looking for the newer "hardcore" style then you're looking at the wrong album. Everything about this album's vocals is old-school but that makes it unique because not a lot of bands are doing these old hardcore-punk vocal styles anymore. It's not so much screaming as it is Dave yelling the vocals, similar to<br />
Henry Rollins back in the 1980's. The band has no issue stating that this album, and the entire band's career is about honoring and loving Christ and it is abundantly clear on songs like "On Hope" in which Dave sings "There is no hope/Not a glimmer of hope/Outside of Jesus Christ/There is no hope/Not a fragment of hope/Without the cross of Christ." These three men know that the only hope for humanity is to give everything to Christ and they don't believe in beating around the bush about the topic in any shape way or form. Another great lyric comes from the song Turnbull ACs"; "My struggle is against my flesh/My struggle is against my flesh/Yeah my struggle is with myself/I wrestle with myself/The good that I would do/That I do not do/And the evil that I hate/That is what I do." to me this speaks about how no person is ever fully safe from the temptations of sin and evil and people will give in to them from time to time and you struggle with yourself because you know it's wrong but sometimes it feels right. Almost every song on <i>Soli Deo Gloria</i> has a distinct message of Christ and his love, with the exception of the fun song "Run in a Circle" which all about how fun, fun, fun it is to run, run, run in a circle pit.<br />
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<b>Overall: </b><i>Soli Deo Gloria</i> is an energetic as a ADHD teenager whom forgot to take their medicine this morning. The album has a very nice old-school vibe to it, which is nice to see people making sure these roots never die in this genre. The music is good, and I feel would bring a lot of chaos and circle pits in a live setting but it may lose a little in the CD/Digital setting. Vocally, there isn't much variation in the vocal stylings of Dave but his voice is good and fits into the old-school vibe that runs rampant through the album from start to end. The lyrics are full of messages of Christ's love and messages about how we need Jesus in our lives to save us from what this world is becoming.<br />
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<b>Rating: </b>7/10<br />
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<b>Recommended Tracks: </b>"This City", "On Hope", "Run in a Circle', and "Turnbull ACs".<br />
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Reviewed by: Michael Small<br />
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<b>Tracklisting:</b><br />
1. Intro/The Old-Timers Intro<br />
2. Adonai's Agape<br />
3. This City<br />
4. Posi Isn't Enough<br />
5. On Hope<br />
6. This State<br />
7. The Language Barrier<br />
8. Soli Deo Gloria<br />
9. Prescribed Rebellion<br />
10. Annals of Klepsis<br />
11. Run in a Circle<br />
12. Turnbull ACs<br />
13. This Decay<br />
14. Family (A Payer)<br />
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<a href="http://thumperpunkrecords.storenvy.com/products/398898-the-old-timers-soli-deo-gloria">(buy here)</a>xanatwohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00135083711523050001noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8480575752522571257.post-73597635524743710882012-07-10T15:18:00.000-04:002012-07-12T07:43:26.349-04:00Guest Editorial: The Year of Christian Hip-Hop<br />
<img src="http://v3.humblebeast.com/wp-content/uploads/be_sq.jpg" />
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This has been a huge year for Christian hip-hop, and we are only half-way through. We’ve had some releases that I’m certain will go down as some of the best in the genre’s history, and a few that deserve to, even if they end up fading from the eyes of many.<br />
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A few months back, everyone was buzzing about Lecrae’s <i>Church Clothes</i> mixtape. The release matters because it was sponsored by none other than DJ Don Cannon, and produced by guys who have worked with some of the biggest names in hip-hop. This wasn’t your standard “Christian mixtape” release, by any means. The mixtape followed on the heels of Lecrae’s BET performance (on the ‘international cypher,’ of all things), as well as his appearance on Statik Selektah’s album, Population Control. You can pick up Lecrae’s mixtape for free here [<a href="http://www.datpiff.com/Lecrae-Church-Clothes-mixtape.348497.html">http://www.datpiff.com/Lecrae-Church-Clothes-mixtape.348497.html</a>], if you want to judge for yourself. It would also function as a pretty decent introduction to the genre, if you’re unfamiliar.<br />
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Of course, if you’re looking to get into the genre, there are lots of directions you could go. There are a number of albums I would very quickly recommend (Swoope’s <i>Wake Up</i>, Lecrae’s <i>Rehab</i>, Flame’s <i>The Sixth</i>, just to name a few), but few that I could point you to if you wanted a no-cost entry into the genre. If that’s what you’d like, though, let me point you to <a href="http://humblebeast.com/">Humble Beast Records</a>.<br />
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The entire label is filled with talented artists, both on the mic and on the turntables, and they always put out their music for free. Of course, you can also purchase hard copies of the albums, and buying a t-shirt or something is a great way to support them, but if you want a place to test the waters of hip-hop, they aren’t a bad place to start.<br />
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Which leads me to this: Humble Beast’s latest artist is a group called Beautiful Eulogy—made up of already-signed artists Braille, Odd Thomas, and Courtland Urbano—who just released their debut album <i>Satellite Kite</i>. If you’ve already listened to Lecrae’s <i>Church Clothes</i>, then you heard these guys on the track “Misconception” (in my opinion, the strongest track on the release), and got to hear Propaganda as well (also signed to Humble Beast).<br />
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If you’re looking for thoughtful, interesting, and musically creative hip-hop, you couldn’t do much better than turn to Beautiful Eulogy (and, if I’m being straightforward, to anything put out by Humble Beast). In fact, they’ve given me a lot to think about just on this release, and I haven’t really listened to anything else for the last week or so since I got it for review.<br />
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There’s something for nearly everyone on <i><a href="http://humblebeast.com/downloads/satellite-kite-download/">Satellite Kite</a></i>: you have a very well done sermon sample that introduces the group’s name; features from Propaganda, Lee Green, and Catalina Bellizzi; raps that vary in their speed but never suffer from ‘mush mouth’; and some of the most interesting production I’ve heard in a long time. Even if you don’t find their message appealing (explicit presentation of the Gospel, by the way), you’ll find something you can enjoy hearing. They don’t pull punches, lyrically or stylistically, and that is something we can all learn from.<br />
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Be on the look out for Christian hip-hop this year; it may just blow your mind.<br />
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<i>J. (James) F. Arnold is <a href="http://thechristianmanifesto.com/">The Christian Manifesto</a>‘s music editor, generally tasked with managing title requests and podcast programming. A theologian and philosopher, he also dabbles in pop culture and ancient texts. James is currently working towards his Masters in Philosophy of Religion from Talbot School of Theology. He currently holds a BA in Biblical Studies from Biola University and is a perpetual member of the Torrey Honors Institute. He is a regular contributor at Evangelical Outpost. Aside from writing about music, James enjoys reading up on philosophy, ancient texts, technology and video gaming.</i>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13476651530190929655noreply@blogger.com0