Category: News Desk

Here are the top 10 Upstate Metal music videos for 2011.

Mastodon – Curl Of The Burl

This video may just be the best video by any band of any genre this year. As many of you already know, Brann Dailor and Bill Kelliher have ties in the Rochester music scene. I could not compile a list of best video clips without this being number one. Quite simply, Mastodon may be the most influential band in the metal world right now. It is an added bonus that some of these dudes grew up in our back yards.

Nineball – Stand Up

Leave it to this Utica based band of greatness to deliver one of the more visually compelling videos in the Upstate music scene this year. Joe Sweet and the gang have plenty to say, and this video is a picture perfect visual aid to the message delivered within this song. This is a great example of what bands should be striving for when making a music video. Neat side note: The great Electric Company venue is featured in the video.

Sirens and Sailors – Still Breathing (Live at Dubland)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T9qaZ6uII6k

Although this is not an official video from the band, it is of significance within the scene. No one has rose from the ashes this year more than Sirens and Sailors. This Rochester based machine of destruction signed on with Tragic Hero records this year, and has grown into a national touring phenomenon. With the release of their new EP coming next month, you will be hearing a lot more about the band. Stay tuned for a feature in the upcoming weeks.

 Opeth – The Devil’s Orchard

Welcome to the fresh new sound of Opeth! The song is a huge departure for the band, and the video fits into that same adventurous spirit. I did not want to include many nationals in this category. However, the trippy visuals are so over the top here, that I could not resist.

Stemm – Left Behind

Buffalo’s Stemm had a great year in 2011. This hysterical video comes on the heels of the release of their new record, Crossroads. It may be one of the funniest videos I have seen this year on any level. I am thinking much bigger things are coming down the line for these guys.

Ice Nine Kills – People Under The Stairs

Ice Nine Kills is a veteran to the scene.  Having released this video in mid 2011, it quickly became a fan favorite. Well known for their incredibly intense stage presence, this video is far from disappointing.  The guys of Ice Nine Kills had an intense year packed with shows, news and a growing fan base, we predict in 2012 these gentlemen will accomplish great things.

Around The World and Back – Slave

Albany is one of the few scenes that breeds some of most eclectic bands around.   I find that many of the bands that sprout from the area absorb so many genres, they create a very distinct sound. Around The World and Back is no exception. Having been familiar with a few of the musicians in this band, they come from a very paralleled  music background. Around The World and Back released “Big Beat” earlier this year, and it was very musically satisfying. 2012 will hopefully bring this band about more into the throws of the music scene and industry.

After the Fall – Cents Less

After the fall writes great, honest music.  No wardrobe budget, no dressing up, no fake music industry preening bullshit. This is a band that’s in its element best live and the video reflects that.

Still Rings True – What We Carry Inside

Based out of Watertown, Still Rings True had a very fruitful year, and are closing it out currently on tour with Rust Belt Lights, and Maker.  Being one of the few pop punk bands still alive and breathing in northern New York, they are sure to get your attention. They have a very interactive stage presence that gets the crowd moving as seen in this video. If you get a chance in 2012, make it out to see these guys.

Armed With Valor – Can I have some Figgy Pudding, Please?

Armed with Valor is very attention getting. Abrasive vocals reminiscent of pioneering hardcore bands, paired with sing-song hooks highlighting current trends. Armed with Valor is a fantastic live show. Breaking into the scene only this past March, they kicked in doors releasing a 3 song demo, and hit venues at every chance offered. I can only imagine what 2012 has to offer this band, and I will patiently wait in anticipation as to what Armed with Valor brings to the local scene next.

Contributors include Christine Palmer, Erik Jensen, and Brian Lawrence

Fresh off a string of dates with REV THEORY, GIRL ON FIRE has wasted no time getting their show back on the road.  Starting on January 12th, GIRL ON FIRE will head out with Burn Halo (featuring former members of 18 Visions) and Hell or Highwater (featuring former members of Atreyu) in support of their Hollywood Waste debut EP, Revenge.  “We can’t tell you how happy we are to get back out on the road so soon, and with two amazing bands,” says vocalist Austin Held.  “The tour will be a trip through most western states, so east coast friends hang tight because we will get out to hang with you all soon! For now, please check out the new tour dates on our Facebook page and please don’t forget to check out Burn Halo and Hell or Highwater.  We will see you very soon!”

Following these dates, the band will head back into the studio to put the finishing touches on their full-length debut which will be hitting stores in Spring of 2012.  A full list of dates can be seen below.

Tour Dates with BURN HALO and HELL OR HIGHWATER

1/12 – Tempe, AZ @ 910 Live

1/13 – Ramona, CA @ Ramona Mainstage

1/14 – Las Vegas, NV @ Vamp’d Vegas

1/17 – Denver, CO @ Marquis Theatre

1/18 – Kearney, NE @ The Garage

1/20 – Sioux City, IA @ The Chesterfield

1/21 – Omaha, NE @ Louis Bar + Grill

1/22 – Fargo, ND @ The Nestor Tavern

1/24 – Tulsa, OK @ The Marquee

1/28 – El Pase, TX @ Tricky Falls

For more information on GIRL ON FIRE, please visit:

www.facebook.com/girlonfiremusic

www.twitter.com/girlonfiremusic

www.myspace.com/girlonfiremusic

www.hollywoodwaste.com

-Erik Jensen

THE DEVIN TOWNSEND PROJECT “Contain Us” box-set for their epic quadrology ( Ki, Addicted, Deconstruction, and Ghost) is now available for purchase at CM Distro here ! The creator of this special tribute box-set, Man Alive’s Tom Bejgrowicz (who also conceived the classic and must-have Misfits Coffin box-set), has also posted a new stop-motion video of “Contain Us” online. To watch the video and to see inside “Contain Us”, click the link below (**please note that lithograph and vinyl are only part of the limited-edition, deluxe version of this box-set– which is now sold-out**):

For more details about THE DEVIN TOWNSEND PROJECT “Contain Us”, read on for the official box-set specs:

• A 12″ x 12″, 64-page, perfect bound book featuring a charcoal linen

hardcover with ink-less debossing of the DTP logo on the front and

applicable titling on the spine.

• Housed in an uncoated, charcoal linen, hardcover slipcase – presented

with a photographic portrait of Devin inset on the front and ink-less

embossing of applicable titling on the spine.

• Contains the following: the DTP albums: Ki, Addicted , Ghost, and

Deconstruction plus 2 bonus DVDs and CDs. The DVDs have one

featuring live performances and all the DTP promotional videos while

the other has audio commentary for all 4 albums, live audio tracks,

song stems for remixing and more.  One of the audio CDs features all

the bonus tracks from the DTP sessions with the other having the DTP

session demos. Ghost and Deconstruction were both remastered just

for this set.

• The 4 DTP albums will be housed within the front cover’s pastedown

while the 4 unreleased discs will be in the back’s.

• The interior features acid free, linen-embossed charcoal end papers

and museum-quality, dull text and cover stock throughout.

• The center of the book will feature a double gatefold printed on cover

stock and comprised of the 4 album covers.

• A clean, crisp, classic-yet-modern design featuring color and B&W

imagery throughout. Materials include Devin and the band’s personal

archives, photography from around the world, and any

Inside Out/Devin-related photoshoots from the period.

• A permanently attached, purple fabric linen bookmark.

• This edition is limited to 5000 copies worldwide

-Erik Jensen

Van Halen diehards just received a belated Christmas gift: the 80s rock icons are roaring back with a 2012 tour, which was announced through a series of video messages on the group’s official web site on Monday (Dec. 26).The collection of 30-second clips finds the reunited group goofing around during onstage rehearsals, with frontman David Lee Roth unleashing some vaudevillian dance moves and Eddie Van Halen chugging along as confetti rains on top of his stringy hair. Although specific tour dates have yet to be announced, a message scrolling along in a ticker at the bottom of each video reveals that the first tickets will be on sale on Jan. 10.

The Van Halen tour will presumably feature Eddie Van Halen, bassist Wolfgang Van Halen, drummer Alex Van Halen and David Lee Roth, who reunited with the group in 2006. Roth initially split from the group in 1985, with Sammy Hagar and Gary Cherone each spending time fronting Van Halen before its original singer returned.

Last month, Van Halen inked a new deal with Interscope Records that is set to yield the band’s first album with Roth on vocals since 1984.

-Erik Jensen

RISE TO REMAIN has teamed up with Revolver Magazine to launch all four of the band’s music videos in the US.  The four videos will appear on RevolverMag.com with the first video for “The Serpent” up now. The music video for “The Serpent” can be seen here.  The three other videos for “Nothing Left”, “Power Through Fear” and “This Day Is Mine” will be launching on January 3rd, January 10th and January 17th, leading up to the release of RISE TO REMAIN’s debut album, City of Vultures on January 24th

City of Vultures , the Century Media Records debut delivers twelve electrifying tracks with the US edition including two additional bonus tracks, as well as all of the band’s videos as an exclusive download.  In support of the release, RISE TO REMAIN will be coming overseas for their first ever US tour.  Heading out with MACHINE HEAD, DARKEST HOUR and label-mates SUICIDE SILENCE, the tour lasts for a little over a month beginning on January 15th and wrapping up on February 18th.  A full list of dates can be seen below.

Tour Dates with MACHINE HEAD, DARKEST HOUR, SUICIDE SILENCE
1/15/2012 – Denver, CO @ Summit Music Hall
1/17/2012 – Sauget, IL @ Pop’s
1/19/2012 – St. Paul, MN @ Station 4
1/20/2012 – Milwaukee, WI @ The Rave Ballroom Grounds
1/21/2012 – Royal Oaks, MI @ Royal Oak Music Theatre
1/22/2012 – Chicago, IL @ House of Blues
1/24/2012 – Columbus, OH @ Newport Music Hall
1/26/2012 – Portland, ME @ The State Theatre
1/27/2012 – Montreal, QC, Canada @ Metropolis
1/28/2012 – Toronto, ON, Canada @ Sound Academy
1/29/2012 – Buffalo, NY @ Town Ballroom
1/31/2012 – Pittsburgh, PA @ Stage AE -Indoor Stage
2/1/2012 – Baltimore, MD @ Rams Head Live!
2/2/2012 – Philadelphia, PA @ The Trocadero
2/3/2012 – New York, NY @ Best Buy Theater
2/4/2012 – Worcester, WA @ The Palladium
2/6/2012 – Norfolk, VA @ The NorVa
2/7/2012 – Charlotte, NC @ The Fillmore Charlotte
2/8/2012 – Atlanta, GA @ The Masquerade
2/10/2012 – New Orleans, LA @ House of Blues
2/11/2012 – Houston, TX @ House of Blues
2/12/2012 – San Antonio, TX @ Backstage Live
2/13/2012 – Dallas, TX @ House of Blues
2/16/2012 – Tucson, AZ @ Rialto Theatre
2/17/2012 – Los Angeles, CA @ The Avalon
2/18/2012 – San Francisco, CA @ The Warfield

-Erik Jensen

My friends over at Victory Records have announced one kick ass looking tour. You know you crave the scatter attack of Dr. Acula, so here are the particulars.

 “DR. ACULA will kick off 2012 with a headlining tour across the U.S. joined by DESIGN THE SKYLINE & more.  The February tour begins in Illinois and hits Seattle, Las Vegas, Houston and more, ending in Poughkeepsie in early March.

DR. ACULA is gearing up for the release of their new music video recently shot in Chicago for “Party 2.0” off of their 2011 release, Slander.

Watch an exclusive clip of the upcoming music video here.

F*ck All Your Friends Tour Dates

with DR. ACULA, DESIGN THE SKYLINE, THE DEVASTATED & IN DYING ARMS:

 

01/15/2012 – Baltimore, MD, US @ Sonar

01/18/2012 – Albany, NY, US @ Valentines

01/20/2012 – Franklin, NH, US @ The Meeting House

01/21/2012 – Montreal, QC, CA @ Underworld

01/22/2012 – Quebec City, QC, CA @ Cafe L’Agitee

01/23/2012 – Ottawa, ON, CA @ Cafe Dekcuf

01/25/2012 – Peterborough, ON, CA @ Red Dog

01/26/2012 – Hamilton, ON, CA @ Absinthe

01/27/2012 – Cambridge, ON, CA @ 515 Concert Club

01/28/2012 – Toronto, ON, CA @ The Rockpile

01/29/2012 – London, ON, CA @ The Music Box

01/30/2012 – Niagara Falls, ON, CA @ Q Club

02/01/2012 – S. Barrington, IL, US @ PENNY ROAD PUB

02/02/2012 – Peoria, IL, US @ The Brass Rail

02/03/2012 – Des Moines, IA, US @ VAUDEVILLE MEWS

02/07/2012 – Ogden, UT, US @ Mojo’s

02/08/2012 – Boise, ID, US @ The Venue

02/09/2012 – Seattle, WA, US @ Studio Seven

02/11/2012 – Medford, OR, US @ Music Head

02/12/2012 – Orangevale, CA, US @ Boardwalk

02/13/2012 – Simi Valley, CA, US @ Dream 118

02/15/2012 – Las Vegas, NV, US @ Hypnotic

02/16/2012 – Mesa, AZ, US @ The Undeground

02/18/2012 – Las Cruces, NM, US @ Las Cruces Events Center

02/19/2012 – San Antonio, TX, US @ The White Rabbit

02/20/2012 – Fort Worth, TX, US @ TomCats West

02/21/2012 – Houston, TX, US @ Vinyl Junkie

02/23/2012 – Clarksville, TN, US @ The Coup

02/25/2012 – Marietta, GA, US @ Swayze’s

02/26/2012 – Tampa, FL, US @ Transitions Art Gallery

02/27/2012 – Port Orange, FL, US @ Port Orange Elks

02/28/2012 – Charleston, SC, US @ Jimbo’s Rock Lounge

02/29/2012 – Spartanburg, SC, US @ Ground Zero

03/01/2012 – Virginia Beach, VA, US @ Shaka’s

03/02/2012 – Richmond, VA, US @ Kingdom

03/03/2012 – Vineland, NJ, US @ Hangar 84

03/04/2012 – Lemoyne, PA, US @ The Champ

03/05/2012 – Whitehall, PA, US @ Planet Trog

03/06/2012 – Danbury, CT, US @ Tuxedo Junction

03/07/2012 – Providence, RI, US @ PVD Social Club

03/08/2012 – Amityville, NY, US @ Broadway Bar

03/09/2012 – Poughkeepsie, NY, US @ The Loft

Listen to the full version of DR. ACULA’s recent cover of Wiz Khalifa’s “No Sleep” now.

Watch the newest video from DESIGN THE SKYLINE for “Break Free From Your Life” right here.

For more information on DR. ACULA:

http://www.facebook.com/draculaband

http://www.victoryrecords.com/dracula

For more information on DESIGN THE SKYLINE:

http://www.facebook.com/designtheskyline

http://www.victoryrecords.com/designtheskyline

 – Dave Garlow