Live Review – Fully Showcase 1

Date:28/01/22

Featuring: Please Remain Calm, The Rosettas, The Rosemaries

Heading to a showcase evening with some new and upcoming bands on the scene in Yorkshire, this evening was utterly spectacular with some new faces as well as some massive sounds to come from some acts I hope to see in the future.

First to grace the stage were Please Remain Calm, the heaviest of the three bands on the lineup. Coming over from Leeds, the hard hitting quartet had such a disorderly stage presence but so utterly powerful and one you just can’t take your eyes off. From their sound reminiscent of early Marmozets dashed with them being a little more on the melodic side of things, the band are one of the finest fresh faced acts to grace the stage in 2022 with hopefully more material and performances to follow soon.

Next up were The Rosemaries. This is what I love about finding new bands to listen to, there’s a whole bunch of endless possibilities. Looking possibly the youngest of the three bands tonight, The Rosemaries let their talent speak for themselves as they demand the audiences attention with every note played. But more to that, their blend of Pop Rock is quite like most out there at the moment.The audience feels connected to them because of their creativity and the lust for what they have to offer.

Now I do have to say,I think the York crowds loves their Indie bands. Well they do as far as The Rosettas are concerned. Giving off more of an alt looking vibe but sounding more along the lines of Arctic Monkeys, they are just a delight to watch. Every move they make the audience just responded to and there was more life injected to the crowd with every track, bringing us back from the brink with a bang. For such a younger band, everyone’s stage presences were unparalleled where the energy proving that the connection motivated just what was occurring in the room tonight.

Now do I hope that I see every band I saw tonight again soon? Absolutely! What’s more is that I’ll be front and centre to shoot them again and again.

Rating:9/10.

Photos by JackLiddPhotography.

Just Friends Announce New Record, ‘Hella’, Release New Single

Leave it to Just Friends to make being called “basic” cool. The Bay Area crew’s highly-anticipated new album, HELLA, will finally arrive on 4th March 2022 via Pure Noise Records and its first single “Basic” ft. Lil B + Hobo Johnson is out today.

From its triumphant opening and an impossibly catchy hook to the image of Lil B and Hobo Johnson “at the mooooo-vies,” the song finds these Northern California superheroes embracing all the things they love about their crew. In a time where close-knit groups are more encouraged than ever, “Basic” is an anthem about the simple life and spending time with your best friends doing whatever.

Check out the video for ‘Basic’ below.

“This song happened by accident!” laughs vocalist Samuel Kless (he/him). After a chance encounter during a protest last summer led to Lil B’s verse on the song “Stupid,” an unlikely collaborative kinship began to form and the Based God asked if there were any more tracks he could jump on. 

“Basic caught me by surprise, it’s so funny and silly, it makes me laugh and lifts my spirit,” vocalist Brianda aka Brond (she/her) shares. “That’s super valuable for the times we’re living through, the growing pains JF overcame recently as a band, and for me as a songwriter and human being.”

Check out the Cover Art and Tracklisting for ‘HELLA’ below.

1. Love Letter
2. Shine
3. Honey (feat. Nate Curry)
4. Fever
5. Basic (feat. Lil B & Hobo Johnson)
6. Hollerbox
7. Hot
8. Sizzle
9. Stupid (feat. Lil B)
10. Bad Boy
11. Big Money Power Music
12. Sunflower

Pre-orders are available via the following link.

Ho99o9 Unleash First Music Of New Era, ‘Battery Not Included’

Ho99o9 herald the beginning of a new era with their explosive new track ‘BATTERY NOT INCLUDED’, out today with accompanying visual. It was produced by Travis Barker and arrives into this world via Barker’s DTA Records. “There’s only so much mental & physical affliction + oppression the human psyche can endure before they reach the pinnacle of no return,” says Ho99o9’s theOGM on the track. “I think we’ve all had our moments where we’re fed up, our mind isn’t rational, our eyesight is only seeing red &, within that sequence, emotions can get the best of us. ‘BATTERY NOT INCLUDED’ is aimed to focus on when you’re past the conscious state of no return – anything is liable to happen when pushed past your limits.”

‘BATTERY NOT INCLUDED’ is a signature Ho99o9 collision of sounds – a pulsating electronic beat, pummelling drums, vocals from both theOGM and Yeti Bones that cut to the core and will command a moshpit with ease when the band are back on stage. It’s cathartic to say the least. This new single will feature on Ho99o9’s to-be-announced second album, due this spring. Stay tuned for full details. 

Check out ‘Battery Not Included’ below.

Baby Strange Release New Single, ‘Under The Surface

Baby Strange have released their new single ‘Under The Surface’, which serves as a first official taster of the band’s forthcoming second album, due out later this year via icons Creating Evil Art. It follows on from the surprise drop of ‘Midnight’ at the strike of midnight on New Years Eve. 

‘Under The Surface’ sets the tone for what is to follow. Mesmerising in its emphatic delivery with an impeccable blend of anthemic melody, melancholic riffs and a huge chorus that signals the dawning of a new era for the band. Speaking about the new single, vocalist and guitarist Johnny Madden notes: “Under The Surface is a song about feeling trapped and wanting to find a way out of whatever is holding you back. It’s about paranoia, dark thoughts and the need to get over them. It’s a powerful song for me, writing it was a total release and when we finished it in the studio I felt a weight was lifted from my shoulders”

There is an underlying rawness to the energy sewn deep into the fabric of Glasgow that Baby Strange have harnessed with an unrelenting force. 2021’s ‘Land of Nothing’ EP showed versatility in their songwriting and saw the band flowing between straight up punk rock anthems like ‘More! More! More!’ into the bass driven post-punk dynamics of ‘There’s Something There’. It propelled Baby Strange to a mammoth headline tour of the UK towards the end of the year which saw them packing out venues up and down the country. Last year saw a taste of the new era of Baby Strange and this year they’re set to show the world exactly what they’ve got. 

Check out the single, ‘Under The Surface’ below.

UK Skate Punks Fair Do’s Debut New Video For ‘1000 Miles’

Fair Do’s are a powerhouse of technical melodic hardcore, who combine hardcore punk and metal in a way that few other bands dare. Fair Do’s spent their formative years hammering their distinctive fast-punk style home, however, they’ve also invested considerable time honing their metal chops, evident in their heavier rhythms, riffs and plentiful beat-downs.

Fair Do’s latest output demonstrates the development of their sound into a heavier, richer mix. These tracks are the introduction to a more mature Fair Do’s sound, but they are every bit as technical as their fans would expect.

Check ou the video for ‘1000 Miles’ below.

Knuckle Puck Announce EP ‘Disposable Life’ Out 4th February 2022 on Wax Bodega

Knuckle Puck, one of the aggressive pop-punk genre’s preeminent forces have today announced a brand new EP “Disposable Life” (produced by Seth Henderson to be released 4th February 2022 on Wax Bodega.

The record opens with “Gasoline,” which premieres today.  A mid-tempo pop punk thunder clap that hammers home the record’s thesis on its chorus and plans for a radical new reality: “With every day spent in the shade, think I’ll watch it burn/Throw gasoline on an open flame,” calls Taylor.

Check out ‘Gasoline’ below.

The five song EP, which comprises four originals and a scorching, faithful cover of blink-182’s “Here’s Your Letter” from the trio’s 2003 untitled LP, is a recommitment to the band’s founding sound—the tight, manicured, major-key chaos of ripping guitars, sprinting bass, airtight drums, and harmonised vocals—but it’s also a recommitment to an idea: that every day and moment has meaning, and every life has value.

Vocalist Joe Taylor describes the EP, which follows last year’s LP 2020, as a throwback to when the band first started. “It feels like we’re kind of rebooting Knuckle Puck,” says Taylor. “Making this music has been the most fun we’ve had in a really long time.”  That feeling is in part due to the break in working forced by the pandemic, but it’s also a product of a freer approach to writing and recording outside of label pressure. “It was fresh and exciting again,” says Taylor. “It was like ‘Oh man, this feels like it did in 2013.’ We captured some of that magic.”

The result is a record that Taylor says bridges the gap between KP sounds of past and present. The title, Disposable Life, nods to this stretch of time in its own way: what does it mean to lead a meaningful life?

Disposable Life is a reintroduction to Knuckle Puck: it’s a celebration of the past decade of the band and a supercharged mission statement for the future. It’s a sharp inhale, a spring-loaded blast off the starting blocks after the tumult of the past two years. It’s a sign of good things yet to come.

Check out the Tracklisting and Pre-order options below.

Disposable Life Tracklisting
Gasoline
Levitate
Lonely Island
In The Bag
Here’s Your Letter (cover)

Pre-orders are available via the following link.

Rising Prog-Rockets HÄLLAS Announce New Record, ‘Isle Of Wisdom

Rising Swedish “Adventure Rock” stars HÄLLAS return with an evocative, feel-good blend of nostalgic 70’s hard rock, prog, proto-metal, folk and psychedelic influences on their anticipated upcoming third studio album, Isle Of Wisdom, out April 8, 2022 via Napalm Records. This collection of fresh tracks allows the listener to emerge in a brand new realm soaked in mystery and retro atmosphere – key features of HÄLLAS’ fantasy and sci-fi driven auditory aesthetic. Isle Of Wisdom, the successor to HÄLLAS’ critically acclaimed full-length offering Conundrum (Top 50 on the Swedish Charts, P3 Guld Award nominee), is set for release just before they hit the road on an extensive European tour.
 
To enter the mystical universe and get a first glimpse of what lies ahead, the Swedish five-piece has already unveiled the first two songs – the first single “Earl’s Theme”, together with a new video, and the bonus single “Stygian Depths”, today. “Earl’s Theme” starts off with an evocative guitar intro and a focus on Tommy Alexandersson’s unique vocal tone as retro synths develop the song dynamically, drawing the listener into a thrilling cosmos between fantasy and sci-fi, while “Stygian Depths” takes that emotion straight from the first notes and evolves into an anthem exemplifying the band’s brand: Adventure Rock!
 
HÄLLAS on “Earl’s Theme”:
”When you finally take the step and say to yourself: This is the way I want to live. Then he turns up – The Earl – and this is his song.”

Check out the visualiser for ‘Earl’s Theme’ below.

HÄLLAS on Isle Of Wisdom:
“An escape from unwanted happenings doesn’t always lead you towards the better as danger can be found in any universe or time. Welcome to the Isle of Wisdom.”

Check out the Cover Art, Tracklisting and Pre-order options below.

1. Birth/Into Darkness
2. Advent of Dawn
3. Earl’s Theme
4. The Inner Chamber
5. Elusion’s Gate
6. Gallivants (Of Space)
7. Stygian Depths
8. The Wind Carries the Word

Electric Enemy Reveal New Single & Video ‘Sweet Tooth’

Buzzing out of the London, England rock scene,  Electric Enemy have shared their new single “Sweet Tooth” out today via Circular Wave. The single immediately draws in the listener with a blistering guitar line and singer Jim Lawson’s distinctive voice before heading into a dreamy, melodic break and then picking right back up again. Centered around love, and lust, at first sight, the lyrics dive into the rush of being completely captivated by another person. “Sweet Tooth” was recorded at Fish Factory Studios with the band’s long-time collaborator, friend and producer Sam Miller (Alberta Cross, Razorlight), working together to create a sound that is vintage and modern at the same time. The video for the track takes on this same feel, winding through a whirlwind of color, polaroids, and performance shots that match the energy of the song. 

On creating “Sweet Tooth”, Lawson expands:

“I think we initially launched into it with the intention of writing something fun, dirty, and moshable, however, as is ALWAYS the case in Electric Enemy, a message found its way in. Love comes in all shapes and sizes, sometimes it’s Hallmark and sometimes it’s a badass in a leather jacket.“ 

Sitting somewhere between the classic rock of the Foo Fighters and newer acts like Des Rocs and Royal Blood, Electric Enemy are setting out to make rock music with a mission that truly feels “electric”. Combining introspective lyrics with compelling melodies and dynamic musicianship, the band has cracked a formula that has made them a need to know act in the UK and beyond. Singles “Voices” (2021) and “Heartache Melody” (2022) have already given the band a taste of streaming success and BBC Radio 1 host Jack Saunders noted “There’s something in the water here.” “Sweet Tooth” marks the fourth single from a series of releases that will combine to form an EP set for release this Spring and the band is already hard at work on their first full-length. 

Check out the video below or stream the single here.

Josh Travis Of Emmure Announces Solo Project, Release Debut Single, ‘Web Of Lies’

A new year means new beginnings for Emmure guitarist Joshua Travis. Announcing his recent signing to SharpTone Records, the former Glass Cloud and The Tony Danza Tapdance Extravaganza member unveils today the first piece of his forthcoming solo project, via debut single ‘Web of Lies‘. Check it out and download it for airplay now:

Featuring Monuments frontman Anzy Cizek on vocals and guitarist Stephen Taranto ripping an almost minute-long solo, ‘Web of Lies‘ surges with a palpable electricity. Glowing red hot with ferocious riffs, pummeling intensity, and spine twisting lyricism, the powerful track showcases the creative force of three different artistic worlds colliding into one shared vision. And, after tracking drums, bass, and guitar himself, Travis was delighted with the layers and emotion each individual brought to the mix.

“I always get so stoked when I get to work with Andy,” he notes of the collaboration. “Along with being a great friend, he is such an outstanding lyricist and performer. Just listen to him… living version of pure RAGE. Stephen is the secret weapon on this track. Imagine picking up a guitar, and making it sound like this… Blessed by a virtuoso!”

‘Web of Lies‘ is accompanied by a stunning visualizer, which you can watch below:

Kissin’ Dynamite Lands At #2 In Official German Album Charts

KISSIN’ DYNAMITE has entered the official German album charts at #2 with their new album Not The End Of The Road! This marks the highest chart entry in the career of the Germans and continues the unique success story they started about 20 years ago as a school band in their hometown.
 
For some time now, KISSIN’ DYNAMITE have fought against childhood cancer through the power of their music. They donated their full income for the song “Good Life” plus the proceeds of the sale of a charity t-shirt to the Förderverein für krebskranke Kinder Tübingen e.V., a charity organization that supports children with cancer in their hometown. The engagement was supported by German company Intense AG, and resulted in a 6000€ donation!

Check out the video for ‘Good Life’ below.

Ande Braun on the new album:
“Not The End Of The Road is an album that accurately describes our experiences as a band since Ecstasy in 2018. First and foremost, we highlight with songs like “Not The End Of The Road”, “What Goes Up”, “Yoko Ono” and “Only The Dead”: We’re up for it, we’re pulling together and we want to reach the rock Olympus! Titles like “Coming Home”, “Gone For Good” and “Scars”, on the other hand, deal with real feelings like loneliness, homesickness and sadness, which are also part of life.”

You can order your copy of ‘Not The End Of The Road’ via the following link.