Alejandro Escovedo: Real Animal Alejandro Escovedo: Real Animal [vinyl] Alphabeat: This Is Alphabeat (import) Amos Lee: Last Days At the Lodge Amos Lee: Last Days At the Lodge [vinyl] The Anniversary: The Devil Is On Our Side: B-Sides and Rarities Atmosphere: Sad Clown Bad Spring No. 12 EP Babyshambles: Oh What a Lovely Tour (Live DVD and CD) Be Your Own Pet: Get Damaged EP Billy Idol: The Very ...]]> this week’s interesting CD releases:

Alejandro Escovedo: Real Animal
Alejandro Escovedo: Real Animal [vinyl]
Alphabeat: This Is Alphabeat (import)
Amos Lee: Last Days At the Lodge
Amos Lee: Last Days At the Lodge [vinyl]
The Anniversary: The Devil Is On Our Side: B-Sides and Rarities
Atmosphere: Sad Clown Bad Spring No. 12 EP
Babyshambles: Oh What a Lovely Tour (Live DVD and CD)
Be Your Own Pet: Get Damaged EP
Billy Idol: The Very Best of Billy Idol: Idolize Yourself (with bonus DVD)
The Black Kids: Hurricane Jane (import single)
Black Lips: We Did Not Know The Forest Spirit (reissue) [vinyl]
Blondie: Parallel Lines (deluxe edition)
Boris: Rock Dream [vinyl]
Calico Horse: Mirror
Camper Van Beethoven: Popular Songs of Great Enduring Strength and Beauty
Coffins: Buried Death [vinyl]
Crooked Still: Still Crooked
Cute Is What We Aim For: Rotation
Dennis Wilson: Pacific Ocean Blue (remastered) [vinyl]
Dolly Parton: Collector’s Edition
Drive-By Truckers: Brighter Than Creation’s Dark [vinyl]
Dwele: Sketches of a Man
Edwin McCain: Nobody’s Fault But Mine
Electric President: Sleep Well
Fanatix: This Thing of Ours
Feelies: Only Life (reissue)
Flaming Lips: Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots (limited edition import reissue) [vinyl]
George Jones: Collector’s Edition
Goner: Rock ‘N’ Roll Always Forgets
Hacienda Brothers: Arizona Motel
Hadouken: Music for an Accelerated Culture (import)
Hercules And Love Affair: Hercules And Love Affair
Hercules And Love Affair: Hercules And Love Affair [vinyl]
Immortal Technique: The 3rd World
Jay Reatard: Singles 06-07 (remastered)
Jessie Baylin: Firesight
John Cale: Church of Anthrax (reissue)
Jon Foreman: Spring and Summer
Less Than Jake: GNV FLA
Less Than Jake: GNV FLA [vinyl]
Liz Phair: Exile in Guyville (remastered with bonus dvd)
Liz Phair: Exile in Guyville (remastered with bonus dvd) [vinyl]
Los Lonely Boys: Forgiven [vinyl]
Lou Lou & Guitarfish: Lou Lou & Guitarfish
Love as Laughter: Holy
Love as Laughter: Holy [vinyl]
Luke Doucet: Blood’s Too Rich
Marc Ribot’s Ceramic Dog: Party Intellectuals
MC5: Anthology 1965-1971 [vinyl]
Motley Crue: Saints of Los Angeles
Mudcrutch: Mudcrutch [vinyl]
N.E.R.D.: Seeing Sounds [vinyl]
Nurse With Wound: Huffin’ Rag Blues
Pat Benatar: Ultimate Collection
People in Planes: Beyond the Horizon
The Presets: This Boy’s in Love (import single) [vinyl]
Raconteurs: Salute Your Solution (single) [vinyl]
Reckless Kelly: Bulletproof
Reckless Kelly: Bulletproof [vinyl]
Rocky Votolato: A Brief History EP [vinyl]
Rose Hill Drive: Moon Is the New Earth [vinyl]
Rose Hill Drive: Moon Is the New Earth
Ry Cooder: I, Flathead
RZA: Digi Snax
Sam Sparro: Sam Sparro
The Saturday Knights: Mingle
Scarlett Johnasson: Anywhere I Lay My Head [vinyl]
Seun Kuti & Egypt: 80 Disorient Records
Sigur Ros: Meo suo i eyrum vio spilum endalaust (With a Buzz in Our Ears We Play Endlessly)
South: You Are Here [vinyl]
Steve Tyrell: Back to Bacharach
Tangerine Dream: The Vintage Years Anthology [vinyl]
Superchick: Rock What You Got
Thea Gilmore: Liejacker (import with bonus track)
Three 6 Mafia: Last 2 Walk
Three 6 Mafia: Last 2 Walk [vinyl]
Tom Tom Club: Dark Sneak Love Action (reissue)
U2: Under a Blood Red Sky (remastered)
Various Artists: Big Blue Ball
Various Artists: Big Blue Ball [vinyl]
Various Artists: Putumayo Presents: Quebec
Various Artists: The Ultimate Metallica Tribute (import)
Venetian Snares: Detrimentalist
Venetian Snares: Miss Balaton (single) [vinyl]
Warren Haynes: Warren Hayes Presents: The Benefit Concert Volume 8
Watermelon Slim: No Paid Holidays
Watson Twins: Fire Songs
Watson Twins: Fire Songs [vinyl]
Weezer: Weezer (Red Album) [vinyl]
Wilco: Yankee Hotel Foxtrot (reissue) [vinyl]
Withered: Folie Circulaire
Wombats: A Guide To Love, Loss and Desperation

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Legendary punkers Agent Orange has just released their latest round of tourdates, and they are covering all sorts of ground this time. There should be no excuse for missing out on this one, so mark your calendars now:

22 Jun 2008 The Haunt Yonkers, New York 23 Jun 2008 Hula’s (formally Town Creek Marina) California, Maryland 24 Jun 2008 The Brewery State College, Pennsylvania 25 Jun 2008 Rocks Off Concert Cruise NYC, New York 26 Jun 2008 The Otto Bar Baltimore, Maryland 27 Jun 2008 Dragonfly Club Harrisburg, Pennsylvania 28 Jun 2008 Cafe Bada-Bing (MATINEE SHOW) Port Jefferson, New York 28 Jun 2008 Brighton Bar Long Branch, New ...]]>

Legendary punkers Agent Orange has just released their latest round of tourdates, and they are covering all sorts of ground this time. There should be no excuse for missing out on this one, so mark your calendars now:

22 Jun 2008 The Haunt Yonkers, New York
23 Jun 2008 Hula’s (formally Town Creek Marina) California, Maryland
24 Jun 2008 The Brewery State College, Pennsylvania
25 Jun 2008 Rocks Off Concert Cruise NYC, New York
26 Jun 2008 The Otto Bar Baltimore, Maryland
27 Jun 2008 Dragonfly Club Harrisburg, Pennsylvania
28 Jun 2008 Cafe Bada-Bing (MATINEE SHOW) Port Jefferson, New York
28 Jun 2008 Brighton Bar Long Branch, New Jersey
29 Jun 2008 JC Dobbs Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
30 Jun 2008 The Itam Lodge Pittsfield, Massachusetts
1 Jul 2008 Cafe Nine New Haven, Connecticut
2 Jul 2008 Harpers Ferry Allston - Boston, Massachusetts
11 Jul 2008 Angels Sports Bar Corona, California
12 Jul 2008 Angel’s RoadHouse 2 Apple Valley, California
17 Jul 2008 The Fire Escape Bar & Grill Citrus Heights, California
18 Jul 2008 The Blank Club San Jose, California
19 Jul 2008 The Uptown Nite Club Oakland, California
7 Aug 2008 Canes Bar & Grill San Diego, California
8 Aug 2008 The Ice House Lounge Las Vegas, Nevada
9 Aug 2008 Jugheads Phoenix, Arizona
23 Aug 2008 The Pit Kill Devil Hills, North Carolina
24 Aug 2008 Steppin’ Out Virginia Beach, Virginia
25 Aug 2008 The Rocket Club Asheville, North Carolina
26 Aug 2008 The Soapbox Laundro-Lounge Wilmington, North Carolina
28 Aug 2008 Volume 11 Tavern Raleigh, North Carolina
29 Aug 2008 Village Tavern Mount Pleasant, South Carolina
30 Aug 2008 StarLight Six Drive-In Atlanta, Georgia
2 Sep 2008 The Cavern Club Exeter, UK
3 Sep 2008 Stereo Glasgow, UK
4 Sep 2008 Trillians Newcastle, UK
5 Sep 2008 The Parish Huddersfield, UK
6 Sep 2008 The Underworld London , UK
12 Sep 2008 Drachten Iduna, Netherlands
13 Sep 2008 Zakk Dusseldorf, Germany
19 Sep 2008 T.B.A. Viernes, Spain
20 Sep 2008 Sala Oasis Gijon, Spain
21 Sep 2008 Gruta ‘77 Madrid, Spain
22 Sep 2008 T.B.A. Barcelona, Spain
2 Oct 2008 LaGabbia Music Club Padova, Italy
3 Oct 2008 Traffic Rome, Italy
4 Oct 2008 Quememeo Club Bologna, Italy

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Just when you thought you had everything in the Deftones world figured out, you see something a little left of center. Norma Jean, christian metalcore princes, were recently joined by Chino of the Deftones in the studio to help work on their latest album. Normally things like this just kind of fade away and people pass it off as rumors or something, but here’s video evidence of Chino in the studio helping Norma Jean with their latest studio effort. Looks like someone’s got a soft spot for christian metalcore.

Zao’s album “Where Blood and Fire Bring Rest” is a classic example of metalcore innovation. At the time, 1998, no one really was playing innovative metalcore in the Christian music scene. Branded as a Christian band, thanks in large part to their first record featuring a different vocalist, and the moniker of Tooth and Nail Records being the only label who was pushing only Christian music at the time, Zao didn’t really want to be pigeon holed, but had to just deal with it.

The timers were just different, and while many youth group’s did not embrace the vocals of ...]]>

Zao’s album “Where Blood and Fire Bring Rest” is a classic example of metalcore innovation. At the time, 1998, no one really was playing innovative metalcore in the Christian music scene. Branded as a Christian band, thanks in large part to their first record featuring a different vocalist, and the moniker of Tooth and Nail Records being the only label who was pushing only Christian music at the time, Zao didn’t really want to be pigeon holed, but had to just deal with it.

The timers were just different, and while many youth group’s did not embrace the vocals of Dan Weyandt, others were right there to embrace what could very well have been the first break through artist in underground music, that was 100% Christian.

The band’s lyrics were explicit in their devotion to the faith, but didn’t stray away from controversial topics like rape, death, and sorrow, personifying past experiences that might not be what the traditional religious person would have expected from a label such as “Christian music”.

The album’s length is only 39 minutes, but there are enough transitional stages to rival any other metalcore band past and present. There are break downs, spoke word interludes, piano only closure, and plenty of growled and screamed vocals. The record really was ahead of its time, not selling as many copies as the next record, which featured one of the biggest marketing pushes of Zao’s career to that point.

Some people got it. Many people were just not into the extreme form of music that the boys in Zao were making at the time, and didn’t really buy into the hype that people were giving them.

The one sad part of all this, 1998, many people just couldn’t get behind a band that was overtly Christian. While they were a band of believers, they were not “selling” Christ, or promoting “Christ” from the stage, even though their music couldn’t be called anything but spiritual.

This record did not push them into secular homes, but it broke a lot of perception, and by their fourth and fifth record, they were no longer solely playing Christian festivals, churches, and basements, they had garnered enough of a push to go on tour with bands such as In Flames and others.

For the players in that day and age, the line up was amazing, and could be considered the best that Zao had ever:

Dan Weyandt- Vocals
Russ Cogdell- Guitar/Bass
Jesse Smith- Drums
Brett Detar- Guitar/Bass

Where Blood and Fire Bring Rest took me a while to get into, and the artwork itself drew me nearer than ever to heavier music. The paintings were just amazing, and something that you can never really get from downloading an mp3 these days. A lot of attention was made to the packaging, and while it was an independent release, the art direction could rival any major release by any mainstream artist to date.

If you do not have this disc in your collection, and you like metalcore, you need to pick it up. This album set the ground work for a lot bands past and present, and rivals anything being put out by hardcore and metal bands right now. It might not be the gold record that record executives dream about, but with a whole hearted, sincere message, and a sound that for the lack of money involved, stands up like a mainstream release, Where Blood and Fire Bring Rest is an epic in 10 tracks of music revolution.

Purchase Zao’s Where Blood and Fire Brings Rest From Amazon.com

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Rage Against The Machine has been the talk of a lot of rumors, including one that had them playing Seattle’s Bumpershoot festival this year, but none of them have been true.

Rewind 8 years, and you might remember myself and many other people getting tossed around by police after a riot broke out, right outside the doors of the Democratic National Convention.

Well, history might be repeating itself, as noted by consequenceofsound.net

“There is the possibility that we will be playing at the demonstrations surrounding the Presidential conventions. The Democrats are in Denver, the Republicans are in Minneapolis. But we’re still ...]]>

Rage Against The Machine has been the talk of a lot of rumors, including one that had them playing Seattle’s Bumpershoot festival this year, but none of them have been true.

Rewind 8 years, and you might remember myself and many other people getting tossed around by police after a riot broke out, right outside the doors of the Democratic National Convention.

Well, history might be repeating itself, as noted by consequenceofsound.net

“There is the possibility that we will be playing at the demonstrations surrounding the Presidential conventions. The Democrats are in Denver, the Republicans are in Minneapolis. But we’re still looking into that. The Democratic convention is scheduled for August 25 through August 28 in Denver, while the Republicans will descend on Minneapolis from September 1 to September 4.”

You read that right! Rage Against the Machine is back, and they are going to bring the political system in the U.S to its knees by sabotaging the system that is not much of a democracy. Question is, will the people riot again? Or will they simply be outside listening to what some are calling; has beens.

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August Burns Red will be going on a headlining tour with Sky Eats Airplane, A Skylit Drive, Greeley Estates and This or the Apocalypse in August. So get ready for the metalcore onslaught to pull through your town, and make sure you don’t miss this one.

August 29 Lemoyne, Pennsylvania @ Champion Ship August 31 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania @ First Unitarian Church September 1 Baltimore, Maryland @ Otto Bar September 3 Richmond, Virginia @ Canal Club September 4 Wilmington, North Carolina @ Soapbox Laundro-Loung September 5 Charlotte North Carolina @ Amo’s Southend September 8 Nashville, Tennessee @ Rocketown September 9 Atlanta, Georgia @ The Masquerade September 10 Jacksonville, Florida @ ...]]>

August Burns Red will be going on a headlining tour with Sky Eats Airplane, A Skylit Drive, Greeley Estates and This or the Apocalypse in August. So get ready for the metalcore onslaught to pull through your town, and make sure you don’t miss this one.

August 29 Lemoyne, Pennsylvania @ Champion Ship
August 31 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania @ First Unitarian Church
September 1 Baltimore, Maryland @ Otto Bar
September 3 Richmond, Virginia @ Canal Club
September 4 Wilmington, North Carolina @ Soapbox Laundro-Loung
September 5 Charlotte North Carolina @ Amo’s Southend
September 8 Nashville, Tennessee @ Rocketown
September 9 Atlanta, Georgia @ The Masquerade
September 10 Jacksonville, Florida @ Fuel
September 12 Penascola, Florida @ The Red Door
September 14 McAllen, Texas @ Las Palmas
September 19 Fresno, California @ The Exit
September 21 San Diego, California @ Soma
September 22 San Jose, California @ MACLA
September 23 Orangevale, California @ The Boardwalk
September 24 Portland, Oregon @ Hawthorne Theatre
September 25 Seattle, Washington @ El Corazon
September 26 Boise, Idaho @ The Venue
September 27 Salt Lake City, Utah @ The Ritz
September 28 Denver, Colorado @ Marquis Theatre
September 30 Oklahoma City, Oklahoma @ Bricktown Ballroom
October 1 Joplin, Missouri @ The Foundry
October 2 Evansville, Indiana @ Boney Junes
October 3 Chicago, Illinois @ Reggie’s Rock Club
October 4 Kettering, Ohio @ The Attic
October 5 Detroit, Michigan @ Magic Stick
October 7 Toronto, Ontario @ Opera House
October 8 Montreal, Quebec @ Club Soda
October 10 Allston, Massachusetts @ ICC Church
October 11 Lancaster, Pennsylvania @ The Chameleon Club
October 12 New York City, New York @ Blender Theatre

Check out the official August Burns Red Myspace page
Purchase the latest album from August Burns Red

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Tom Delonge of Blink 182 fame, recently talked about the Blink 182 break up, via the Angels and Airwaves documentary that just came out. Interesting stuff, and something that can hopefully just be laid to rest.

Sigur Ros made headlines recently by having a lot of nudity on their album artwork and some viral videos that were being passed around. However, those were just the beginning of their domination, because they are hitting the road, and we have all the Sigur Ros dates you can handle…here they are:

Sigur Rós 2008 Tour Dates: 09/17 - New York, NY @ United Palace Theater 09/18 - New York, NY @ United Palace Theater 09/19 - Boston, MA @ Bank of America Pavilion 09/20 - Montreal, QC @ Quai Jacques Cartier 09/22 - Toronto, ON @ Massey Hall 09/23 - Detroit, MI @ The Fillmore 09/24 - ...]]>

Sigur Ros made headlines recently by having a lot of nudity on their album artwork and some viral videos that were being passed around. However, those were just the beginning of their domination, because they are hitting the road, and we have all the Sigur Ros dates you can handle…here they are:

Sigur Rós 2008 Tour Dates:
09/17 - New York, NY @ United Palace Theater
09/18 - New York, NY @ United Palace Theater
09/19 - Boston, MA @ Bank of America Pavilion
09/20 - Montreal, QC @ Quai Jacques Cartier
09/22 - Toronto, ON @ Massey Hall
09/23 - Detroit, MI @ The Fillmore
09/24 - Chicago, IL @ The Chicago Theatre
09/25 - Minneapolis, MN @ Orpheum
09/27 - Denver, CO @ Red Rocks Theatre
09/28 - Salt Lake City, UT @ Saltair
09/30 - Tempe, AZ @ The Marquee
10/01 - San Diego, CA @ Copley
10/02 - Los Angeles, CA @ The Greek Theatre
10/03 - Berkeley, CA @ The Greek Theatre
10/05 - Seattle, WA @ Benaroya Hall
10/06 - Portland, OR @ Arlene Schnitzer Theatre
10/07 - Vancouver, BC @ The Chan Centre

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How about some recent Metallica concert footage? Do they still have it? Are they still good? Of course! The official headbangers ball blog has full videos of their latest concert over seas, but there is only one catch. That being, they don’t play anything off the new album. That’s not so bad right? As long as they aren’t trying to win people over to their St. Anger disc, which isn’t exactly the brightest moment for the Metallica crew. You can check out that whole thing via Headbangers Ball Blog.

In what was the fastest leak in centuries, the new Guns N’ Roses album leaked today onto the internet. Well, at least 9 tracks were leaked, and they were good from what people are saying. However, by the time I got the news, and was able to confirm the source, the tracks were taken down and now one blogger is famous.

Were the tracks real?

Who has them? Where are they?

All signs point towards Antiquiet.com who boasted that they have the tracks, but are now talking to the people that represent GNR! As a wrestling fan, I think this is ...]]>

In what was the fastest leak in centuries, the new Guns N’ Roses album leaked today onto the internet. Well, at least 9 tracks were leaked, and they were good from what people are saying. However, by the time I got the news, and was able to confirm the source, the tracks were taken down and now one blogger is famous.

Were the tracks real?

Who has them? Where are they?

All signs point towards Antiquiet.com who boasted that they have the tracks, but are now talking to the people that represent GNR! As a wrestling fan, I think this is what they call a “swerve” to get people talking.

One thing is for sure, I am getting really close to getting a Dr. Pepper! What about you?

I’ll keep you guys posted as to what’s going on with this new GNR record.

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