Phinehas Releases First Single

California Christian metal act Phinehas are excited to announce that their forthcoming full length album will be entitled The Last Word Is Yours To Speak. Along with the album title, the band has also unveiled the album cover for the release and the first single, entitled “Fleshkiller.” Phinehas has decided to give back to the fans by offering a free download of “Fleshkiller” from their website. To gain access to the download fans will need to visit http://phinehas.us and fill out the simple form provided.

As previously announced, Phinehas and hardcore outfit From The Eyes Of Servants will co-headline the 2013 incarnation of the Red Cord Festival. This year’s lineup includes eleven bands off of the label’s diverse roster. The festival will be Saturday July 13^th in Loves Park, Illinois and will be completely free to the public.

Review: The Dillinger Escape Plan - One Of Us Is The Killer

From the opening of this album the listener is abruptly pulled into the sporadic style that is claimed by The Dillinger Escape Plan.

Songs like “Understanding Decay” and their opener “Prancer” surprise the listener with the illusion of complete randomness and disorienting instrument syncopation. But what lies behind the dizzying chaos is a band with an established and unique sound that can bring a refreshing sense to punk fans. Even fans of slam can find themselves jamming along to songs like “Hero of the Soviet Union” and “Paranoid Shields”. Although on the outside these songs seem to be a jumbled mess of conflicting instrumentation; the band really brings a sound that can be applicable for fans of many different styles.

A song that particularly stands out is the title track “One of Us is the Killer”. This sound has a much different feel which closely resembles and alternative rock sound. This song separates itself from the rest of the album, bringing the listener closer as they are given a release from the intrusive and apparently structureless atmosphere of the first two songs. Another song that can adequately sum up the band’s sound would be “Crossburner”. This song sticks out as not only the longest song on the record, but also as a song that contains the band’s full sound in one song. The record ends with a song called “The Threat Posed By Nuclear Weapons”. This song closes the album with a much more thrash-like sound. It takes the punk/hardcore sound to a new area of the genre. This song, as well as the rest of the album, brings forth a modern twist to the all familiar hardcore punk sound.

The cons of this album are mostly subjective. The only main “problem” with this album is that anyone who hasn’t heard of the band before will most likely be immediately turned off to the attack that the band ensues throughout the album. Not to say I didn’t like it or that the band doesn’t have an established career; (rocking almost 200,000 likes on Facebook and boasting a record deal with Sumerian) the band brings a sound that frankly just isn’t for everyone. Anyone that is a fan of hardcore punk or slam bands will thoroughly enjoy this album. Anyone who despises anything in the ballpark of hardcore…this album isn’t for you.

It’s always refreshing to hear a band rock a fully unique sound. The Dillinger Escape plan does just that. They combine the underground hardcore punk with an alternative rock sound that somehow works great. They are very much an “acquired taste” kind of band, but if you happen to be sporting for that taste, this band will not disappoint. From an objective standpoint, this band has a consistent sound and definitely stands out from any kind of mainstream in any kind of genre.

Bands like The Dillinger Escape Plan are what keep music going and what inspire people to write music of their own and do it for no other reason than to express the music they love in a format that radiates their passion. That is what the heart of music should be, and with bands like this it is clear that that heart is still beating.

Rating: 9/10

- Nic

Modern Day Escape Launch Pre-Orders For New Life LP

Standby Records has launched pre-orders for New Life, the upcoming LP from Orlando, FL’s Modern Day Escape. The LP was produced with Don Debiase ((Modern Day Escape, Beneath The Sky, For All Those Sleeping) of Studio D and recorded at The Standby Studios in Cleveland, Ohio and will be released on June 11. To pre-order New Life: http://merchnow.com/catalogs/modern-day-escape.

Track listing:

1. 20 years

2. bound by blood

3. control

4. DRUGS

5. Gets me Higher

6. Leavin Home

7. Mi Demonia Amor

8. Saying Goodbye

9. Scared as Hell

10. Suicidal

11. This aint love

Chimaira Debut Brand New Single

CHIMAIRA have debuted a brand new single called “All That’s Left is Blood" from their upcoming new LP "Crown Of Phantoms." Vocalist Mark Hunter weighs in on the single.

“‘All That’s Left is Blood’ is an exercise in musical evisceration. One almost feels guilty for screaming along to such audio violence. Here, Werstler’s soloing lays a daring fluidity over the riot-inciting main riff. It’s immediately recognizable as being another classic Chimaira track, trademarked territory yet radical with growth.”

Chiodos sign to Razor & Tie Records

Razor & Tie is thrilled to announce the addition of influential post-hardcore giants Chiodos to its worldwide label roster. The band is currently well into the writing process of their forthcoming new studio album which will be released through a newly created band label imprint via Razor & Tie.

Craig Owens comments, “We’re very excited to be working with Razor & Tie. The label is one that we as a band have looked to as a source of integrity filled rock music for some time now. Having our own imprint gives us the opportunity to be as creative as we choose, while also giving us a way to get it to the fans in a direct and focused way. This will be the first time we have released music together, since 2008. To say that we are anxious is an understatement.”

Impending Doom Enter Studio; Announce Tour Dates

Southern California juggernauts IMPENDING DOOM have entered The Machine Shop (SUICIDE SILENCE, LAMB OF GOD) in  Belleville, NJ this week to start working on their next LP with producer Will Putney. Bass player David Sittig weighs in on where the band stands in the process:

The material is our best and heaviest work without a doubt. The chemistry between the five of us this time has been different and very unique. Our original guitarist Manny Contreras re-joined the band and we all could not be happier with what he has brought to the table. This is the Impending Doom album you have been waiting for!”

6/7/13 Bakersfield, CA
Rockin’ Roots
*headline date

6/21/13 Tempe, AZ
Rocky Point Cantina

6/22/13 Flagstaff, AZ
Orpheum Theater

6/23/13 Albuquerque, NM
Launchpad

6/24/13 Abilene, TX
The Backroom

6/25/13 Oklahoma City, OK
Chameleon Room

6/26/13 Newport, KY
Thompson House

6/27/13 Pittsburgh, PA
Smiling Moose

6/28/13 Mt. Union, PA
Creation Fest East

6/29/13 Allentown, PA
Pennsylvania Deathbed Fest

7/17/13 Willmar, MN
Sonshine Fest

8/10/13 Enumclaw, WA
Enumclaw Expo Center

Review: Strychnia - Reanimated Monstrosity

Strychnia's new EP “Reanimated Monstrosity” is easily the most impressive set of songs to come from a band of this stature. Not only is the quality extremely good but these songs hold up and greatly surpass any other band in this genre of music.

The hard hitting guitar solos, fast paced blast beats, and gut-wrenching screams that are showcased in these songs will surprise any listener that they are coming from a local-sized band. This collection of music represents a perfect execution of a thrash metal sound as well as technical skill.

One song that can speak for the band’s sound as a whole would be “War Sermon”. This song has a classic metal feel, but with a modern thrash spin put to it. It sums up the EP as a whole and really rolls the band’s sound into one song. Another song to make a note of is the title track and opener “Reanimated Monstrosity”. Not many openers can excite and immerse the listener as deeply as this one. It energizes and immediately addicts the listener to the powerhouse sound that this band brings to the table.

When it comes to criticisms…well that’s just it. I couldn’t find any. I always want to give a band a fair review from an objective standpoint and to be honest about the good parts and the bad parts no matter how much I like the band or enjoy the genre, but I just don’t have any complaints about this EP. I was very apprehensive when I saw the ending song to be a Pantera cover, but it fits in perfectly with the rest of the fluid synergy of this EP. Every song has a consistent style to it and an easy distinction.

Whether you are a thrash fan or not, this album is easily one of the best EP’s of the year and one of the best modern thrash sets out there. Coming out of a local band from NJ, this is more than impressive. From the well crafted songs to the pure mind-blowing skill that this band ties into the structure of their sound; they really bring a refreshing style to the table of modern metal. Hats off to these guys, and keep an eye out for them.

10/10

- Nic

Deaf Havana Joins Razor & Tie’s North American Label Roster

Razor & Tie announces the addition of the English alt-rock band Deaf Havana to its North American label roster.  The band recently completed work on their forthcoming new studio album, Old Souls, which will be released on September 17^th on Razor & Tie in North America and on September 16^thon BMG Chrysalis in the U.K.

TRUTHFUL LIES Debuts at #1 on iTunes Reggae Charts

The first single from the album debuted to the public debuted on Sunday via free download at The Pier. "Where the Beach Meets the Ocean" is being featured as this week’s MP3 Leak of the Week at ThePier.org: http://www.thepier.org/mp3-leak-of-the-week-mike-pinto-2/

Skillet Release Brand New Title Track

Skillet have just released the title track off their forthcoming album, Rise, which is available June 25th. The song “Rise” is part of the band’s first ever concept album, as singer John Cooper explains, “The narrative idea happened after we had 10 or 11 of the songs chosen. As we recorded them, we started to realize that there was something going on - that the album was really telling a story. Realizing that, I knew we needed to make it as powerful as we could.” The title track is available on iTunes now. The band are also offering their die-hard fans the chance to hang out with them on tour via the “Road to Rise VIP Experience.” For more info check out this video here.