Saturday, November 29, 2008

5 Things Rappers Should Stop Doing

Not that we really needed a list to tell us these things, but go here for a list of thing rappers should stop doing.  I pretty much totally agree.  Anything the list is missing?

New Clipse!

The real is back...
VA natives Clipse have a new track that you can hear right myah.  Given the context clues, I'm guessing they have a new album called "The Casket" that's coming out next year...stoked.

Unearth Interview

Check out this video of Trevor from Unearth being interviewed by some dude who sounds like Skwisgaar Skiwgelf:

Tuesday, November 25, 2008

Ace Enders Bittersweet Symphony Cover

From AP:

Ace Enders will be releasing a cover of The Verve's "Bittersweet Symphony" on December 2nd, with proceeds to going to VH1's "Save the Music" charity. Guest vocals for the track include Mark Hoppus, Matt Thiessen, Bryce Avary, Kenny Vasoli, Craig Owens, Aaron Marsh, Duane Okun, and Alex Gaskarth.

I'll be paying for a copy of this fo sho...

Saturday, November 22, 2008

More Japanese Dates

So, if you happen to live in Japan, like Unearth, Lamb of God, and .... IN FLAMES, then these are dates that you need to mark on you calender.

Japan Tour w/ Lamb of God, In Flames:
March 4 - Tokyo, Japan @ Akasaka Blitz
March 5 - Tokyo, Japan @ Akasaka Blitz
March 6 - Osaka, Japan @ IMP Hall

Don't say you weren't warned

Thursday, November 20, 2008

Off To The Woods

Beloved readers,

I'll be gone for a couple of days. Don't panic.

Best Song Ever?

I know thats a bold statement, but seriously, it might be.  Go to the myspace page of the recently discovered (by me) Dr. Acula (get it?) and listen to "Beer Pong Massacre".   The lyrics are printed below.

Oh,
It all comes down to us,
Ten and ten
I'll double block it, bounce it off
(Show you up) We're gonna show you up,
We're gonna drink your beers,
We're gonna take your girls,
We're gonna make you cry

Aye, yo, lemme get a re-rack
Cause your shits wack
Bounce shot, 2 cups,
Bring that shit back
10 cups of glory 1 cup of sink,
Put that ball up, make that bitch drink x2


fucking drink,
tonight we'll get drunk

*talking*

We are the victorious
1, 2, 3 yeah!
We can ?
Give us ?
Next!

God Forbid Album Teaser

God Forbid has a teaser of sorts for their new album Earthsblood:  


Though this band is definitely capable of putting together some badass music, I think that this will be the album that either makes them or breaks them.  Constitution Of Treason was good, but kind of lacked flow.  Hopefully this album will pace itself better.

New Thursday Album Title

Thursday have announced a title and release date for their new album.  Common Existence will be released on February 17th.  Hopefully this CD won't sound like garbled stegosaurus balls like A City By The Light Divided did.  Their music is amazing, it's just the production I have gripes with.   

Keith Buckleys Birthday

Son of a bitch....

As of my posting time right now, Keith Buckleys birthday ended exactly 2 hours and 7 minutes ago.  To quote The Sandlot "I blame myself".  
As I have said before, if this website had a diety, it would be Keith Buckley, and now I feel like we've missed Christmas and Easter all in one mistake.  When he needed it, Keiths tomb of birthday wishes was empty....
Sigh...
What sucks even more is that ETID played tonight in Richmond, and for the first time since I saw them first in high school, I didn't go to an Every Time I Die show in the relative area.  I can really pick em can't I???

Ohh well.  We'll party tommorow night.  Hard.

New Found Glory Album Title and Release Date

New Found Glory has announced that the name of their upcoming return-to-form and Mark Hoppus produced album will be called Not Without A Fight and it will be released March 10th.  Boo-yah.

I realize as I was ascribing tags to this post that I didn't actually write a show review for Easy-Core Tour (New Found Glory, A Day To Remember, Four Year Strong, ISHC, Crime In Stereo), but lets just say that especially after hearing the Tip of the Iceburg EP, I'm super stoked for this album.

Wednesday, November 19, 2008

If You Live In Japan...

So if you happen to be living in Japan...

Two awesome bands will be playing these dates:
01/28 Osaka @ Sunhall
01/29 Nagoya @ Zion
01/30 Fukushima Koriyama @ Freeway Jam
01/31 Kanagawa Kawasaki @ Club Citta
02/01 Tokyo Shinjuku @ ACB Hall


Parkway Drive and Shai Hulud are both totally awesome. If I lived in Japan, I would totally go see them.  Just sayin...

How In The Hell Did I Miss This?!?

So I'd heard that Kanye, Pharell, and Lupe were forming a supergroup, but I heard that a while ago and hadn't heard anything else about it until just now...
While looking for something else on you tube I came across this:
 



Kanye West, Pharrell, Lupe Fiasco, and Thom Yorke: four of the most selling, most talented and most influential artists of this decade together in one song. Seriously? What do you guys think?

Even Better If You Live In Virginia

BBC (Billionaire Boys Club) has just released these Star Trek/Trak, gloves.  2 up 2 down.

Monday, November 17, 2008

Reclaiming The Blade

Lets talk about how stoked I am for this.

Back Like Syphillis

Call it a comeback, I don't really mind. However unless you've been traversing the lurid and unknown corners of the Internet lately, chances are you might be behind on some fairly important things that have happened in the past couple of days. For a number of reasons I won't recap all of them; the main reason being I need something to talk with you people about when I see you in person (the holidays are coming up).
But if you expected this little seasonal speed bump to be the end, you are grossly mistaken. If I were any lesser of a man, you would all be sentenced to the boo box (17 points for anyone who gets the reference). But we've reached over 100 posts, will have 450 hits most likely by the end of the week, and I generally am feeling pretty damn good about where this whole thing is going.
So again, Tell All Your Friends about the blog, email me if there's stuff you want me to talk about (reviews, reviews, I know) or bands you want me to talk about, and lets see if we cant ring out 2008 with a bang.

Best,
Watson

Wednesday, November 12, 2008

"The winter's so cold, the summer's over too soon."

Sorry the news posts have been so few lately. I find myself in the middle of a number of colliding parameters which has truly served as a recipe for depression. News these next couple of days may be short. Though I'm sure it will be difficult for some of you, these next couple of days should serve as a sobering reminder that you can't simply go through life spouting my recycled opinions. It's dangerous. Be well, and good luck breaking your addiction to the hottest and most badass music site to never blow up.

Faithfully, Remorsefully, Passionately,

Watson

Monday, November 10, 2008

Say Anything Self Titled Album Announcement

Though it's not really a surprise that Max Bemis is pretty much always writing new music, an update from Bemis has come that changes some of what everyone thought they knew about Say Anything's upcoming release originally called This Is Forever. Message below:

say anything WILL be putting out a new album next year. we'll be recording it in l.a this winter and the record will be called "Say Anything." yes, self titled. the nature of the record has changed since we intended on calling it "this is forever", also these two dj guys put out a record called that and would probably sue us.(EDIT: He's talking about these guys.)

if any person has followed our band, they understand our albums tell the story of a simple dude (me) and his evolution in life. this is the part where, having gone through his "idealistic--yet-furious-virgin" phase (baseball), young "drunk-angry-pukey-sex" phase (is a real boy), his "reaping - the - benefits - of - years - of - self - abuse - by - being - stuck - in - a - terrible -relationship" phase (in defense of the genre), he is finally confronted with the question of what the point of all of it was. what is the moral of the story? why be in a band? why try to "get" the girl? you spend years bitching or hurting yourself and others until you realize there is really something to fight for and something to fight against and being a man means drawing the line. that, my friends, is where the real adventure begins.

this album is self titled for a reason; it will take all the musical and lyrical themes of every say anything song, and attempt to resolve them and infuse them with something pure and direct. i am not going to " brandon flowers it" and say this is going to be the record that saves rock n' roll, or makes pitchfork.com finally admit we had it all along. those things are not only pre-packaged indie rock nay nay but are also pointless and fleeting. i don't know how far our album will get us commercially or even if all of you amazing ap.net friends will show up the day it comes out, say it blows, and change your " fatty max bemis with a cigarette" icon to a "hot picture of first-button-undone anthony green" icon. however, if my opinion matters to you, i promise that i love these songs to death. I REALLY hope you do too and that's all i can pray for. For those who thought in defense, while cool, was too long and serious; i see this next outing as more darkly humorous and concise. for those of you who dug is a real boy but appreciate our later maturity, such as the addition of real singing to the drunken sailor routine; this record looks like it will be even more of a step forward, without giving away too much.

We are so thankful for your love. I am constantly humbled before your appreciation and I never thought we'd get this far, so we NEED to pay you back with a cool album or we'll be doing carnival-cruise-line-emo-nostaglia tours with jefree starr by the time you guys are forty. We will work it to the bone to not let you down. Recording begins ths winter in Los Angeles, California.

Thank you.

Max

Though I'm a fan of the Killers first album, I can say with comfort that their two albums since haven't done dick to "save" rock and roll. I also appreciate the shot at pitchfork, who seem to be so busy catering to shitty indie bands that they really miss out many good bands.
So after churning out roughly 120 songs in the song shop Say Anything and Capt. Bemis rest easy until they begin recording this winter. Rock on Bemis, rock on.

Finale

If this website had a pope it would be Keith Buckley, so I feel honored to report that his other band "Finale" has posted a mastered version of one of its songs on their myspace page.

More Songs Like "Black Sails" and "Art of Drowning" plz

AFI have finished writing their new album. A message from their myspace page can be found below:

Hello dear, it's time. We've officially finished writing the 8th AFI album, and now we enter the studio to put it on tape. We have a fabulous producer we'll be working with, David Bottrill, who has worked on some fantastic and legendary albums by Peter Gabriel, Muse, Silverchair, Placebo, and Tool. We've spent this whole year crafting these songs and we're impatient to share them, so let's get busy. Love, Davey, Adam, Hunter, and Me


Given the news about the producer, it is unlikely that the band will have a return to the glory days of Black Sails in the Sunset and Art of Drowning. I have pretty non commital feelings about DECEMBERUNDERGROUND, but like Sing The Sorrow. Who knows what to expect. I suppose we shal know around early to mid-summer.

News Flash: Rolling Stone Makes Noteworthy Music Contribution

Click myah for a link to a video interview with Adam and new guitar player Matt.

Sunday, November 9, 2008

Mark Morton on "Wrath"

Check out an interview that MTV did with Mark Morton myah. Morton talks about Wrath and how it "sounds nothing like Sacrament." Thrash is back, totally stoked.

Thursday, November 6, 2008

Chi Cheng Update

From Blabbermouth:

DEFTONES singer Chino Moreno has issued an update on the band's bassist, Chi Cheng, who was seriously injured in a car accident in Santa Clara, California, on Monday (November 3). According to HardDrive Radio, Cheng and his sister were apparently on their way back from a memorial service for their older brother when the accident occurred. Cheng's sister was driving their vehicle, but it remains unknown at this time what caused the crash.

Cheng was reportedly in a coma in an Intensive Care Unit at a local hospital, with his condition listed as "serious but stable."

Moreno posted a message at the band's studio blog in which he wrote, "I am back from up north visiting our brother Cheng. His condition remains the same — serious but stable.

"We, along with the entire Cheng family, would like to extend our gratitude to everyone that's said a prayer or sent out their positive thoughts to Chi. Your support means more than you know.

"During his recovery process, Chi's mother has asked that each day we spread a little bit of good in his name. So each day DEFTONES will be posting what you can do to help Chi recover. Today she has asked that you all remember to buckle your seat belts and remind those you love to buckle up. By doing something so little in his name, you will be helping him find the strength to recover."

New Emery Album Title

With the release of their EP While Broken Hearts Prevail only a few weeks behind us, Emery has announced that their new full length will be titled In Shallow Seas We Sail.
The While Broken Hearts Prevail EP has a man drowning on the cover. Nautical theme?

New Taking Back Sunday Album Title

Taking Back Sunday have decided to name their new and upcoming album New Again. After remaining relatively low key for a number of years, it's good to have some TBS news. I'm assuming that the title relates to having lost Fred and having to re-invent or re-think the way the band operates. I have high hopes.

This Will Be Legendary

Official Press Release:
November 6, 2008 – TWO TONGUES, the new band featuring Max Bemis and Coby Linder of Say Anything along with Chris Conley and David Soloway of Saves The Day, announce a February 3, 2009 release for their self-titled debut. The thirteen-track self-produced disc was recorded late last year at Electric Ladybug studios in Northern California.

Max Bemis comments on the genesis of the project:
“Chris has been my favorite songwriter since I was 15. Ten years later he is now is one of my closest friends. The Two Tongues record is really an expression of the yin and yang; how two "opposite" souls stimulate and battle each other in any truly loving relationship. Chris inspired me as a mentor, hero and friend, and I inspired him as someone who truly cherishes his work that he can respect in his own right. Chris sometimes looks down on himself but is inside a very strong, almost Buddha-like centered soul; I have that whole Steven Tyler/Jerry Lewis extrovert personality onstage but I'm a totally neurotic, restless soul inside. We as two people, therefore, express two sides of a coin. Making the record, and it being the first band either of us has ever been in outside of Say Anything or Saves the Day, was sort of like falling in love for the second time; you have to look outside of yourself and learn to communicate with and trust someone who operates in a totally different manner. Ironically, while making this record I met the girl I am now in love with, so I was experiencing the same thing in the form of friendship with Chris as I was in getting to know this female person. So whether you want to look at the record as songs about two people starting a romantic relationship or this dynamic of how inspiration operates between two people, that's your choice. We hope it functions on both levels. Either way, it's a dream come true for me, and a true labor of love.”

Chris Conley says of the collaboration:
“Working with Max was a dream come true for me. I have never met another musician as inspiring and talented. During a dark period in my life, Max's music lifted my heart, and for that I am forever in his debt. When he approached me about doing this side project together, my immediate thought was, "I would do it with no one else." So my heart was in it from the moment of inception. The process of songwriting and recording was exciting and fluid. As it turns out, we work together quite well! I look forward to our next project together so our learning and growing can continue.”


The band put up their first demo this summer on their myspace page. I've been wanting more info about this for a while, and with this announcement become even more excited for February '09.

More Mastodon Album Details

More details about Mastodon's new album:
The Quietus: You've been quite vocal in the press saying that it isn't a concept album about Rasputin [Russian mystic Grigori Yefimovich Rasputin].

Brann Dailor: "No one wants to go head to head with BONEY M…"

Troy Sanders: "Exactly!" 

The Quietus: Is there a theme or a concept?

Brann Dailor: "Yeah, there's a story which goes from start to end. And there is Tsarist Russia in there and that was picked because ever since the first record we've wanted to do something about this period and their art aesthetics, with the black lacquer boxes and that look was something we were going for. From there, you take elements of that, and it's multi-dimensional and it goes into outer space and it's about the ether and deals with astral travel, out-of-body experiences and deals with Stephen Hawking's theories on wormholes. But I think one of the cool things about our band is that we will leave it ambiguously for the listener to dive into the lyrics themselves and maybe come to their own conclusions and form a little movie that plays in their heads." 

The Quietus: This is what's great about heavy metal — you would never get an OASIS or ARCTIC MONKEYS album about something like this. Just an album about having a top laugh with your mates.

Brann Dailor: "It's fun for us to research all that stuff and get it all in there and make it as nuts and as far out as we can. I feel like we've worked hard on the lyrics, that they're more meaningful and they're going to be able to get more out of them this time. I mean, it's all metaphors for stuff that goes on in your everyday life, like being away from home and missing your lady or whatever, but it's not so literal. You tell it through a totally different mindset. So it becomes that we're not going on tour but we're going into outer space. But that's how you feel sometimes. You're on tour and you can't get Internet and your mobile doesn't work and you haven't talked to your wife for a week and you feel lost… That's what it's like sometimes." 

The Quietus: A good metaphor is a good metaphor and should be celebrated. I for one don't want to hear about how much it sucks being a rock star or how it's not that good being on tour.

Both: "Exactly." 

Brann Dailor: "There are ways you can explain those feelings differently through lyrics." 

Mike Jones And Lil Wayne Track Leak...

Check this shit out:




Mike Jones's new number is: 281-206-4336

!?

How the hell did a new Misery Signals album get released without me knowing it?!  I'm a big fan of Mirrors, and have been wondering for a while when I would get a new album out of them.  
If you haven't listened to Misery Signals, I strongly suggest that you do.  They manage to take something that could be construed (unfairly and incorrectly) as brainless metalcore, and add an ethereal Deftones like quality to it.  There's something spacey about their sound that provides them a noticeable amount of distinction from the pack of other bands that they might be lumped in with.  Their list of influences on their myspace is: Meshuggah, Cave In, Deftones, Shai Hulud, Propaghandi, and Metallica.  Anything that that list can't tell you, I can't tell you either.  Give em a shot.  

Asher Roth

Where the hell did this guy come from?  Maybe it's because I'm listning to it on low volume, but I'm not sure why so many people are hyping this guy.  His delivery sucks, and I'm not sure if his ryhmes can make up for it.  Can anyone tell me what I'm missing?

Update:  After listining to "Canon", I'm starting to understand.

Wednesday, November 5, 2008

Deftones Bassist In Car Crash

I'm a little late on this but Chi Cheng, bass player of Deftones was involved in a car accident that has left him in a coma.  Chino has left a message on Deftones' myspace page concerning the incident:

Hello everyone, 

It deeply saddens me to inform you all that our brother Chi Cheng was involved in a terrible car accident last night. He is currently in a Northern California Hospital in serious, but stable condition. I am on my way up North right now to be by his side along with the rest of our band mates and family. Chi is one of the strongest people I know, and I'm praying that his strength will get him through this. Please say a prayer for him as well. 

-chino.


Deftones aren't known for their speedy their speed when recording new albums.  They have 5 in studio videos of the recording process which means that hopefully the new album is close to completion; however it is difficult to imagine what this will mean for the future of the new album and Deftones in general is Chi should be unable to re-join the band.  All we can do is hope for the best.

The Bronx album stream

I haven't really listened to The Bronx that much, but since they are touring with ETID, I figure I better get my shit together and start familiarizing myself with them. That said, their new album is streaming right myah. Thoughts?

Monday, November 3, 2008

New Lamb of God

From SMN:
LAMB OF GOD will release their fifth studio album Wrath, on February 24, 2009. The record will be released in North America by Epic and will be the first release with their new label Roadrunner outside of North America . Wrath is produced by Josh Wilbur and was recorded in studios in New York , Virginia , and New Hampshire .
LAMB OF GOD finished the touring cycle on the Grammy nominated album Sacrament at the end of 2007. The two-year trek was documented in the now certified Gold DVD Walk with Me in Hell and culminated with the band headlining arenas across the US last December.
The band has taken the entirety of 2008 off the road to focus on the writing process for Wrath.
“This album is going to surprise a lot of people,” comments drummer Chris Adler. “Typically bands that get to where we are in our career begin to slack off, smell the roses and regurgitate. We chose a different path. No one wants to hear another band member hyping a new record. Wrath needs no hype. We have topped ourselves and on February 24 you will feel it.”
As always, LAMB OF GOD will embark on an extensive tour that will cover the globe. As previously announced, the band will be supporting METALLICA on the December leg of their tour. The first leg of the Wrath world tour will start in Finland on February 6 and will encompass dates in the UK , Australia , and Japan .

Lamb of God is absolutely one of my favorite bands. Watching Chris track drums for this album and hearing how fast and rad the drums were, I'm A.) Not surprised that the album is called Wrath. B.) pretty sure I'm going to like this album much more than Sacrament.

Saturday, November 1, 2008

Acacia Strain DVD Shoot

Official press release:

Springfield, Mass.'s heavy hitters The Acacia Strain have confirmed details for the band's forthcoming DVD shoot, which will take place just in the band's second hometown of Worcester at the Palladium on December 28, immediately after returning to the US from The Acacia Strain's first trip to New Zealand and Australia. Tickets are already available for only $10 on the Mass Concerts website, or by phone at 1-800-477-6849, with 100 limited Special Golden Tickets available for $50. Details on those packages are below.

The 100 Golden Tickets are available for only $50 and all buyers receive a The Acacia Strain stocking stuffed with a limited-edition DVD shoot event t-shirt, limited-edition silk screened numbered print, candy, coal, and a pin. In addition, all Golden Ticket participants will have a 10-second cameo that will appear on the DVD, which will be filmed immediately following the meet and greet with The Acacia Strain, scheduled for 4pm on December 28 at the Palladium.

Also appearing on the package for the DVD shoot will be Thy Will Be Done, Cruel Hand, Shipwreck, Whitechapel, and The Red Chord, in addition to The Acacia Strain's scheduled 90-minute headlining appearance. Doors for the event will open at 5:30pm. Filming of the DVD will be handled by long-time The Acacia Strain friends and cohorts MyGoodEye, headed up by director David Brodsky, the man responsible for both the "Angry Mob Justice" video from the 2006 album 'The Dead Walk' as well as the forthcoming video for "Skynet," the lead track off The Acacia Strain's recently released fourth full-length effort, 'Continent,' which saw an August 19 release through Prosthetic Records.

Yes. Yes. Yes.

!!!

Via Lambgoat:
Between The Buried And Me, He Is Legend, Advent, and Nightbear have lined up a few December shows together. Here you go:

12/4 Charlotte, NC @ Amos' Southend
12/5 Macon, GA @ Macon Venue Project
12/6 Wilmington, NC @ The Soapbox
12/7 Charleston, SC @ The Music Farm

Not familiar with Advent or Nightbear, but I luurrvveeee BTBAM and He Is Legend. I might be trippin to NC.