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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War of Ages Release "Redeemer" Lyric Video
// By Unknown



War of Ages has just released the first full song from their upcoming album Return to Life. You can see the lyric video for "Redeemer" below.


Pre-order a copy of Return to Life and be entered to win one of 6 prizes awarded weekly. Prizes include a custom Truth snare drum and an ESP guitar. Return to Life will be out on April 24.
http://facedown.merchnow.com/products/preorders


See War of Ages live at Facedown Fest 2012: www.facedownfest.com


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Come&Live! Releases I Am Living: Mattie Montgomery Video
// By Unknown



Come&Live! have released a new video in their ongoing I Am Living series, featuring Mattie Montgomery of For Today, speaking about becoming a father. The video can be viewed below. For Today are currently on the Fight The Silence tour, and will be releasing their new album, Immortal, on May 22nd through Razor&Tie Records.

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The Tug Fork River Band - Vulture
// By xanatwo


Artist: The Tug Fork River Band
Album: Vulture
Release Date: March 20, 2012
Label: Independent

Do you like southern rock, and heavy metal? If so, The Tug Fork River Band from Indianapolis, Indiana is for you. It's been three years since the band released their last album Catch for Us, the Metal on Wounded Records. Now, the boys are back with the Vulture EP and they've decided to go the independent route this time around.

One thing I instantly noticed is that the new music is more metal than southern rock, although the southern sound is clearly heard on every song. I also noticed that the band has grown in the playing skills and this album is harder, more aggressive, and overall a tighter album than their previous two efforts. The guitar reminds me of the newer The Showdown albums. There's plenty of nasty southern riff-age on Vulture. Justin and Brian (guitar and bass respectively) combine the metal and southern rock sounds smoothly and flawlessly throughout the almost 20 minutes of music on the EP. It's some of the hardest southern rock I've heard lately and is so unique right now. Derek's drumming adds a dynamic to the music that really brings home the heavier edge to the music, as well as respecting that old-school southern rock drumming sound. The band isn't reinventing the wheel on Vulture, but they may have put some rockets on the thing for sure.

Aaron Quinn does more metal vocals than the sing/scream southern rock vocals we're used to with some of the bands out there. His vocals have matured, and never let up. He brings the intensity of the music to every song. I've noticed there are fewer clean vocals on this release, which just adds to the transition to the heavier, more furious sound the band has gone on for the new release. The one place where the band really excels is in the lyrics. The opening track "Ex Wives" has some very passionate lyrics about the condition of the church today; "When the flames consume this ship/I'll bet we all are lost in the worship of ourselves as we slowly sink into the ocean of our wealth and greed/Churches without walls are guaranteed never to fall." One excerpt that really spoke to me, because I myself was on the fence about my faith in Christ for so long came in the song "Piggly Wiggly"; "I feel I'm neither hot nor cold/I'm lukewarm in the mouth of the Lord/So spit me out and send me straight to hell/Remind me exactly where I fell/I'd Drown myself in the river if it meant I could wash myself clean/I'd hammer nails through my hands if it meant I could be set free." Another song that had a very powerful message was "Carne Diem" in which Aaron screams "We all look the same/But we don't act much different/How do we expect anyone to listen?" This is very true for what I call Sunday Morning Christians. If we don't act differently than the people we're trying to reach how can we expect them to listen to us?

Overall: I was thoroughly impressed by the growth and maturity of The Tug Fork River Band on their new release, Vulture. Musically it's the best thing the band has done thus far, and is so much heavier than I ever anticipated. Vocally, Aaron has taken some big steps forward and really brought some intensity and passion to the very powerful message of the five songs on the EP. This is EP has better lyrics, and like I said, a more powerful message than anything I've heard from the metal genre in quite some time. It's a shame the band isn't signed and won't get more recognition because this EP is that good!

Rating: 8/10

Reviewed by: Michael Small

Tracklisting:
1. Ex Wives
2. Breezes Through the Treezes
3. Piggly Wiggly
4. Carne Diem
5. Han Shot First
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Pioneer - Pioneer
// By xanatwo


Artist: Pioneer
Album: Pioneer
Release Date: January 24, 2012
Label: Slospeak Records

Hailing from Indianapolis, Indiana the band formally known as News from Verona, but now known as Pioneer has come out with their debut album on Slospeak Records, fittingly enough the album is self-titled. This album is a combination of soft-rock, and pop-rock goodness. Pioneer raw, energetic, passionate, and refreshing.

Musically the band is a combination of pop-rock and what I would call Relient K rock. I have no other way to describe it but it's that kind of soft laid-back but incredibly energetic and passionate music. You can tell the band has poured everything they have into this album and from the first actual song "Lights" it's perfectly clear the band decided they were going to make a positive, and highly energetic album. The energy doesn't let up throughout the album, it's constant pop-rock toe taping goodness from beginning to end. There's a cool little guitar riff running throughout the song "Treason" which I completely dig, and it proves this guys know how to play their instruments and they're not one of those manufactured pop-rock bands. There's also some slower acoustic driven parts to this album, one example the incredibly moving and touching closing track "King in Rags" that song ends the album on such a high note, you're left wanting more. There's a very good introduction track, which I usually hate, called "Clarity" which is a very cool start to the album. The band is more-or-less divided between the high energy pop-rock and the more serious tracks by an instrumental track called "Mantua", I don't really see the purpose of the track, other than to virtually serve as an intermission to the two sections of the album.

Josh Randolph's voice reminds me of the original lead singer of The Wedding, which is good because the voice compliments the music pretty well. Josh does make some rookie mistakes which the pop-rock staple "whoas" here and there, but they honestly aren't noticed too much because of the lyrics he is singing. The album is about reaching past complacency in our relationship with Christ and our everyday sins and reaching out for something more in this life. This message is clearly stated in the song "Reach" where Josh sings "We were made to be failures from the start/That doesn't mean we don't reach for something more than we are."
There's nothing really special about Josh's voice, nothing that when you hear him sing you'll say "Oh that's Pioneer" but with the style of music the band is playing he doesn't need to have that super original standout voice. His voice is strong, and carries well in the high-tempo songs, and excels in the slower songs. He does possess a good range, and an overall good voice.

Overall: Pioneer is a young pop-rock band, there is room for improvement, but at the same time there are a lot of things that the band does right. The album is very solid, and does have some staying power. There are songs on this album, that I listen to on a daily basis, maybe not the whole album but how bands do that these days anyways. The band definitely shows a maturity in the music, their vocals (especially the slower songs), and their lyrics which I find refreshing and an overall good thing for the pop-rock genre. The band doesn't fall into too many of the pop-rock pigeonholes and have made a statement that the genre can be mature, and actually mean something and stand for something. I think the band and their label are a good fit for each other, and with Slospeak's interest in developing and growing their artist this album could just be a stepping stone to something even better in the future, only time will tell.

Rating: 8/10

Recommended Tracks: "Treason", "King in Rags", "Catharsis", and Long Way Home"

Reviewed by: Michael Small

Tracklisting:
1. Clarity
2. Lights
3. Treason
4. Dreams
5. Whatever it Takes
6. Mantua
7. Reaching
8. Long Way Home
9. Better Days
10. Catharsis
11. Coming of Age
12. King in Rags

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// By Unknown

Deep Space

Artist: Eisley
Album: Deep Space EP
Release Date: February 14, 2012
Label: Equal Vision Records

The beauty of music is that it can create in listeners a range of emotions. Eisley have always been a band that thrive on this feeling, conveying love, pain, hurt, and hope throughout their oh-so-lovely indie pop rock. After the release of their fantastic album, The Valley, the band headed back into the studio to record more new material, in the form of an EP, which quickly changed from a B-sides compilation to a collection of five new songs, in the form of the Deep Space EP.


The first of the five tracks, "Lights Out," is not without some of the edgy soundscapes heard on The Valley, conveyed in the song's swaying chorus, filled with raw energy, balanced out by a delicate piano part. "Laugh It Off" takes on a dreamy indie pop feel, much like some of Eisley's older songs, and features backing vocals from the talented Christie DuPree, a sister to four fifths of the band and a cousin to the other. The title track of Deep Space proves to be the highlight of the bunch, with an airy atmosphere set by bursting guitars and Sherri DuPree's graceful vocals. For those who heard the band's '09 EP, Fire Kite, "192 Days" may sound familiar, as a fully produced version appears on Deep Space, adding more of a full sound to its vintage pop bliss. The sweet "One Last Song" quickly ends the EP, and does it just the right way, a cheery little love song with delightful lyrics, driven by piano until a tempo change towards the song's climax.

Overall: Deep Space is the perfect way for Eisley to follow up their stellar full length from last year, The Valley. The EP is short and sweet, with an ethereal atmosphere, provided by the enchanting vocals of Sherri and Stacy DuPree, and the driving guitars and percussion which provide a strong backing and are sonically stunning, displayed especially on the title track. My only problem with Deep Space is that it ends too quickly, but after all, it is only an EP, and an exceptionally good one at that.


Rating: 9/10


Reviewed by Brooks Ginnan


Tracklisting:
  1. Lights Out
  2. Laugh It Off
  3. Deep Space
  4. 192 Days
  5. One Last Song

(Buy Here)

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