Artist : Family Force 5
Genre : Christian / Crunk / Rock
Album : Dance or Die With A Vengeance
Location : Atlanta, GA
Website : www.myspace.com/familyforce5
Label : Tooth & Nail Records
Releases : May 19, 2009
Available Format : CD, Digital Download

Description :

Family Force 5 has continued to work hard and make waves and the music keeps it going with "Dance or Die with a Vengeance." Joined by many of the friends such as 3Oh3!, Cobra Starship, Relient K, Red, Crowder and more this release puts the twist on Family Force 5 that the fans are looking for. With new versions of some of the favorite tracks from Dance or Die along with a new remix of each track and one new track, "Dance or Die with a Vengeance" is destined to keep us all dancing!

Track Listing :

1. "Dance Or Die (The Secret Handshake Han Valen Remix)"
2. "Get Your Back Off the Wall (Sean from 3OH!3 Remix)"
3. "Rip it Up (The Pragmatic Remix)"
4. "How in the World (Alex Suarez FANGS UP! Remix)"
5. "Fever (Toxic Avenger Remix)"
6. "Party Foul (Sami D's UVS Remix)l"
7. "D-I-E 4 Y-O-U (RAC Remix)"
8. "Share It With Me (Smile Future Remix)"
9. "The First Time (Matt Thiessen from Reliant K Remix)" - 4:31
10. "Wake the Dead (Lalilpop Remix)"
11. "Radiator (Jasen Rauch Remix)"
12. "Ghostride the Whip"
13. "Rip It Up (Croul-Glo-Activaton Version)"
14. "How In The World (David Crowder Remix)"

Line Up :

Soul Glow Activatur - Vocals, Guitar
Fatty - Bass, Vocals
Crouton - Drums, Vocals
Nadaddy - Keyboards, Vocals
Chap Stique - Guitar

Press Release

Bigraphy 2009 :

There’s a delicate balance between the intertwining worlds of artistry, entertainment and humor, but for dance-derived alternative rockers Family Force 5, it’s an ecstatic equilibrium that remarkably illustrates all three elements. With tongue firmly planted in cheek, the Atlanta-based five-some are just as likely to get the party started as they are to escort audiences into an alternate reality. Even so, the band never compromises album creativity, while simultaneously hearkening back to the days of massive spectacles on tour.

The group’s sophomore release, Dance Or Die, oozes with over-the-top illustrations, charging out of the gate with funky rhythms, percolating club grooves, undeniably infectious hooks and instantaneous sing-a-longs. Imagine an inventive evolution of the band’s eye-opening debut, Business Up Front, Party in the Back, blended with Prince getting down at a Daft Punk concert where Michael Jackson busts out the moonwalk in the center of the dance floor.

“Listening to Family Force 5 is like lighting a cluster of firecrackers in your mouth,” offers guitarist Derek Mount (known to fans as Chap Stique), recommending a spin of Dance Or Die over that daredevil antic. “This album provides a connection and an escape, and it's guaranteed to make your booty shake and your head bang. It's greasy, slimy and soupy, yet still very slick and shiny at the same time.”

Indeed, the disc is replete with rippling rhythms, assaulting electronics and a raucous rock ‘n roll underpinning, but beyond these sonic elements, there’s also an all-encompassing futuristic vibe. From the sci-fi synth textures of “Fever” to the thrash-tinged robotic rocker “Radiator” to the ultra contagious title track, consider this project to be the musical version of Mad Max meets 2001: A Space Odyssey.

“The last record was a straight-up party, but we always said the second would be sweaty rock n’ roll music,” stresses front-man/guitarist Solomon Olds (Soul Glow Activatur), who co-produced the project with Joe Baldridge (Beck, Jewel). “The album title and imagery transport the listener into a dire life-or-death situation. Each song unites that urgency with a danceable beat, so get to steppin,' or you'll be extinct.”

Fans will have to fight to survive during the band’s live show, an unrelenting rush of delightfully uncontainable madness that has become Family Force 5’s bread and butter. “We encourage fans to dress up in costumes, whether it be a killer whale, a big chicken or a Skeletor outfit,“ urges Chap Stique. “Family Force 5 realizes that most people think rock n’ roll is about trying to be cool, but to us, there’s nothing cooler than when people let go and end up stealing the show by break dancing in helmets or body-slamming each other in Lucha Libre masks.”

Placing their lives and relationships at risk, the members have committed themselves to an arduous touring schedule, averaging 250 to 300 days on the road per year. The band is in the midst of a full-fledged summer run on the Vans Warped Tour, and will follow with a solo headlining trek, both equipped to supersede any prior concert experiences. In addition to members thrashing the stage wearing matching futuristic spacesuits, expect to see the Family Force 5000, a massive drum machine they personally invented that, at first glance, looks more like the next NASA launch computer than it does a musical instrument.

“It is the only fully-functional giant drum machine in the universe. It's a six-and-a-half-foot tall, 760-pound juggernaut of pads, knobs, and switches that inhales electricity and exhales lightning,” announces Soul Glow Activatur. “The Family Force 5000 started as a joke three years ago. Then we mentioned it to a friend, who happens to be a wizard in electronics, and he was able to bring our sci-fi idea to life. The fact that we have a huge, light-up, chunky machine on stage is pretty cool, and it adds to the robotic rock element of this season.”

Outside of their industrial explorations, members continue offering fans content in a variety of entertainment mediums as an additional means of appreciation for listeners’ unwavering support. Take, for instance, the steady stream of audio blogs, recently issued as the iTunes compilation Blingin’ Blogs Volume 1 (which finds the players offering a series of ghetto shout-outs and poking fun at pirates, to name a few). There’s also the ever-expanding online collection of The Really Real Show, a Spinal Tap-esque video library of stories from the road, spanning a broad comedic spectrum from bus brawls to single men's support groups.

Even with all the joyous insanity stemming from Family Force 5’s camp during the two years between projects (which also included first place in Yahoo’s “Who’s Next?,” several Energizer-sponsored extended slots on last summer’s Warped outing and countless reader’s choice awards), the eclectic quintet also persevered and endured through many adversities. Amidst tough financial times, the toil of the road, and label limbo, the band's grassroots fan base and determined work ethic fueled its highly storied course.

Armed with a do-it-yourself paradigm and a diversified entertainment enterprise, Family Force 5 is primed for intergalactic conquest. “'Dance or Die' is an unconventional arsenal of ultimate dance floor anthems,” declares Family Force 5000 player/keyboardist Nathan Currin (Nadaddy). “We're at war. Dancing is our weapon, and our party is ready to pull the trigger.”
http://www.myspace.com/familyforce5



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Artist : Callisto
Genre : Metal / Progressive / Rock
Album : Providence
Location : Turku, Finland
Website : http://www.myspace.com/callistochaos
Label : Fullsteam Records
Releases : May 26th, 2009
Available Format : CD/DVD, Digital Download


Description :

Callisto is a post-metal band from Turku, Finland. The band was formed in 2001 in Kokkola. Whilst their early works are HC/metalcore, their first album True Nature Unfolds has a strong sludge metal and doom influence and their second album Noir is more influenced by progressive and more dynamic sound. Apart from featuring female vocals on some songs, they have used unexpected instruments, for example saxophone, cello, flute and English horn. Callisto's short and cryptic lyrics contain Christian themes and references.

Track Listing :

1. In Session (6:35)
2. Rule The Blood (6:43)
3. Covenant Colours (7:46)
4. Eastern Era (5:39)
5. New Canaan (6:56)
6. Stasis (7:38)
7. Where The Spirits Tread (6:28)
8. Dead Weight (6:10)
9. Drying Mouths (In A Gasping Land) (7:09)
10. Providence (7:28)

Line Up :

Jani Ala-Hukkala - vocals
Markus Myllykangas – guitar, backing vocals
Johannes Nygård – guitar
Juho Niemelä – bass
Ariel Björklund – drums
Arto Karvonen – keyboards

Press Release :

Biography 2009

Callisto - Providence

Words will easily fail when one attempts to come up with a comprehensive description of the sonic worlds created by the Turku-based sextet Callisto, as no language can adequately convey the feelings of pathos and elegance this music evokes. Their sound is deeply rooted in the somewhat somber atmosphere so characteristic of the northern landscape they inhabit, but instead of toying with suicidal themes they seek the beauty in melancholy, and manage to make it sound strangely uplifting.

Callisto began their musical exploration in 2001 inspired by such ’post-hardcore’ bands as Neurosis and Breach. In mere eight years they have progressed far past any genre boundaries, from the godly racket of their early days and their first album True Nature Unfolds to the dark cinematic sophistication of Noir and ultimately to their adventurous masterpiece Providence, set to be released in spring 2009.

Not willing to stagnate and release a similar sounding record after record after record, Callisto have taken a bold creative step away from their earlier, more instrumental material and composed a vocal record. The songs on Providence is built upon layers of melodies, but this is far from pop music, this is progressive music in its truest form. The band colours their aural approach with mellotrons, prog rock overtones, some jazzy bits and other stylish influences drawn from the seventies, and wrap everything up with vocals that range from screams of anguish to solemn melodies and beyond.

Those with a fondness of Neurosis and their ilk will still find a lot to digest in these majestic compositions, and also those into progressive heavyweights such as King Crimson and Opeth are in for a real treat. Providence was produced, engineered and mixed by Jonas Olsson and mastered by Svante Forsbäck. The artwork is contributed by Martin Kvamme of Unit Delta Plus (Fantomas, Satyricon, Turbonegro). The album will be available on CD by Fullsteam Records and on limited double vinyl by Svart Records.
http://www.myspace.com/callistochaos


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Artist : Sleep For Sleepers
Genre : Indie / Rock / Christian
Album : The Clearing
Location : Whittier, California, United States
Website : http://www.myspace.com/sleepforsleepers
Label : Dreamt Music / Facedown Records
Releases : May 12th, 2009
Available Format : CD/DVD, Digital Download


Description :

The sound of Sleep For Sleepers is best described as a hybrid of the grace and poise of Copeland with the energy and charisma of Number One Gun.

Track Listing :

01. Bravery (4:21)
02. Thieves & Bones (3:34)
03. Foreign (4:17)
04. Keep Your Voices (3:26)
05. Statelines (4:20)
06. The Harbor (2:55)
07. The Fearless (4:38)
08. Twilight (3:18)
09. The Distance (4:53)
10. The Sea (3:28)
11. Love is for the Foolish (3:43)
12. The Clearing (4:39)


Line Up :

Jamey Price - Vocals , Guitar
Chris Kellog - Guitar


Press Release :

Bigraphy 2009 :
SLEEP FOR SLEEPERS - The Clearing

The sound of Sleep For Sleepers is best described as a hybrid of the grace and poise of Copeland with the energy and charisma of Number One Gun. This three piece from Wittier, CA is a refreshing new face in the industry, and with their debut release, "The Clearing", Sleep For Sleepers is poised to make a big impression in 2009. They have shared the stage with bands such as Quietdrive, The White Tie Affair, Last Tuesday, Future of Forestry, The Fold, We Shot the Moon, and The Summer Set. The band has been described as "poetic and challenging", a fitting description of their ability to both grab listeners and keep them listening. Sleep For Sleepers is building a strong foundation of ever growing fans all across the country with "The Clearing" backed by an expanding tour history and highly engaging live show. SInger Jamie Price delivers live vocals as seamless as the recording, and with all the momentum Sleep For Sleepers has gained they are ready and willing to take advantage of their success in the coming year.
http://www.myspace.com/sleepforsleepers



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Artist : Burden Of A Day
Genre : Screamo / Hardcore / Christian
Album : One One Thousand
Location : Sarasota, Florida, United States
Website : http://www.myspace.com/burdenofaday
Label : Rise Records
Releases : May 12th, 2009
Available Format : CD/DVD, Digital Download


Description :

Burden of a Day will stake their reputation on their ability to perform. They’ve exhibited an energy and a presence seldom paralleled by even their more accomplished peers. Hailing from Sarasota, Florida - a retired people’s town with a music scene as cold and unforgiving as the winters most move there to escape - they’ve managed to accumulate a following that keeps even their smallest shows well populated.

Track Listing :

01. Remember
02. Fool Me Once
03. The Mason
04. Oceans
05. The Shame In Shedding Wool
06. Sly Foxes
07. Isadora Duncan
08. One One Thousand
09. Modern Gentleman
10. My Forfeit

Line Up :

Josh Sommers (guitar)
Mike Sommers (guitar)
Kyle Tamosaitis (vocals)
Terry Clark (bass)

Press Release :

Biography 2009

Burden of a Day will stake their reputation on their ability to perform. They’ve exhibited an energy and a presence seldom paralleled by even their more accomplished peers. Hailing from Sarasota, Florida - a retired people’s town with a music scene as cold and unforgiving as the winters most move there to escape - they’ve managed to accumulate a following that keeps even their smallest shows well populated.

Formed in January of 2004, they’ve fast developed a natural chemistry, allowing them to constantly evolve as musicians, aiming beyond the simple, straight-forward songwriting that plagues a lot of bands in their genre. Genre is a bit of a tricky subject... When asked, they’d probably tell you Post Hardcore/ Screamo or something along those lines. Although watching them play, one might be prone to question the ’Post’ part of that description. These boys are hard. Heartfelt and melodic, but not afraid to throw in a breakdown or two... which is more than occasionally. Influences include the likes of Thrice, The Bled, Life in Your Way, Saosin, New Found Glory, and many more. While staying true to the music they love and grew up with, Burden of a Day is ready and able to progress forward and pass the message on to the next generation.
http://www.myspace.com/burdenofaday



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Artist : ZAO
Genre : Metal / Hardcore
Album : Awake?
Location : Greensburg, Pennsylvania
Website : http://www.myspace.com/zao
Label : Ferret Music
Releases : May 5, 2009
Available Format : CD/DVD, Digital Download


Description :

AWAKE? is the tenth studio album by metalcore band Zao. It is scheduled to be released on May 5, 2009, on Ferret Records. It contains 9 previously unreleased tracks and a re-recording of the track Romance of the Southern Spirit. Only 8,000 physical copies of the album are being made. Each copy is numbered and has 6 different cover artwork.

Track Listing :

01. 1,000,000 Outstretched Arms Of Nothing
02. Entropica
03. The Eyes Behind The Throne
04. Human Cattle Masses Marching Forward
05. Romance Of The Southern Spirit
06. What Will You Find?
07. Awake?
08. Quiet Passenger Pt. 1
09. Reveal
10. Quiet Passenger Pt. 2 / The World Caved In


Line Up :

* Daniel Weyandt (1997–) – Lead vocals
* Scott Mellinger (1999–) – Guitar/backup vocals
* Marty Lunn (2005–) – Bass guitar
* Jeff Gretz (2005–) – Drums


Press Release :

ZAO - "Awake?" - Biography 2009


"If the melodic end of the kingdom has been taken by Killswitch Engage then the extreme end belongs to Zao. No question." - Metal Hammer Magazine

Awake? will sound immediately familiar to anyone who has followed Zao’s convoluted, controversial and altogether exciting career, with its signature all-out heaviness and beautifully simple memorability. Awake? stands easily beside the best and brightest of the Zao catalog, with the kind of production (courtesy of guitarist Scott Mellinger himself together with As I Lay Dying vocalist Tim Lambesis and Daniel Castleman) that Zao has always deserved.

Thunderous, epic, and full of passion, Zao (Greek for “alive”) is driven by vocals that exorcise singer Daniel Weyandt’s demons as if his life depended on the songs. His words reshape a personal history wrought with tragedy, suicide and death into beautiful musings that connected with their brutal honesty and naked self-observation. Mellinger, the band’s primary songwriter, adds melodic vocals as well.

Zao’s storied career was documented on the two-disc The Lesser Lights Of Heaven DVD and the luminaries of today’s heavy music scene are well aware of their debt to the band. Underoath and Unearth opened for Zao. Thrice, As I Lay Dying and Demon Hunter love Zao. Matt Heafy from Trivium joined the band onstage during a tour together.

Zao’s hometown of Greensburg, Pennsylvania isn’t known for many things besides being in close proximity to the mall where George A. Romero filmed Dawn Of The Dead. And that isolation has allowed the band to steer clear of trends.

Zao’s original incarnation formed in the mid-90s with evangelical zeal. When that version of the band fell apart, Zao as it would come to change the course of heavy music was born. Recently hailed by Alternative Press as “one of the most important albums of 1998, Where Blood and Fire Bring Rest took the conventions of hardcore and heavy metal and turned them upside down.

When Scott Mellinger joined Zao for the following year’s Liberate te ex Inferis, it began a song-writing partnership with Weyandt that persists to this day. Self-Titled was written and recorded by Dan, Scott and Jesse Smith (the only remaining holdover from the pre-Blood&Fire days) and featured a vast amount of experimentation with electronics, dark soundscapes, and melodic interludes. “Five Year Winter” continues to be one of Zao’s most popular songs in the live setting. The trio created Parade Of Chaos together as well, pushing the envelope even further.

Zao’s first album for Ferret Music, The Funeral of God, was recorded as a five-piece with producer Eric Rachel (Atreyu, Every Time I Die). The album became Zao’s biggest selling record and saw them receive their first airplay on MTV2 and Fuse and major press accolades.

After tours with bands like Bleeding Through and Dillinger Escape Plan, the band – now Dan, Scott, Marty Lunn (bass) and Jeff Gretz (drums) – recorded The Fear Is What Keeps Us Here with Steve Albini (Nirvana, Pixies, Neurosis) manning the reel-to-reel. Next they hit the road with In Flames, Trivium, Demon Hunter & Throwdown.

Dan, Scott, Marty and Jeff reconvened for Awake?, their first album of new material in three years. The record was produced and engineered almost entirely by Scott in Pennsylvania, with Daniel Castleman and As I Lay Dying vocalist Tim Lambesis producing drums in Southern California and handling the mixing. Longtime friend and Grammy nominated graphic designer Ryan Clark returned to handle the packaging, with some artwork from Dan’s close friend, Gabe Felice.

Zao’s latest album wants to step into your consciousness, unnerve you, make you think. Are you truly… Awake?
http://www.myspace.com/zao



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Artist : Depeche Mode
Genre : Rock / Alternatif
Album : Sounds Of The Universe
Location : Basildon, United Kingdom
Website : www.myspace.com/depechemode
Label : Mute, EMI, Capitol records
Releases : April 20th, 2009
Available Format : CD, Digital Download, Vinyl LP (plus bonus audio CD), Special Edition CD+DVD Combo

Desription :

Sounds of the Universe is the twelfth full-length album by Depeche Mode, released in Europe on 20 April, and on 21 April in the US and Canada. Recorded in Santa Barbara and New York, 'Sounds Of The Universe' reunites Depeche Mode with producer Ben Hillier (Blur, Doves, Elbow), who previously produced their 2005 album 'Playing The Angel'.
Track Listing :
1. "In Chains" – 6:53
2. "Hole to Feed" – 3:59 (Dave Gahan, Christian Eigner, Andrew Phillpott)
3. "Wrong" – 3:13
4. "Fragile Tension" – 4:09
5. "Little Soul" – 3:31
6. "In Sympathy" – 4:54
7. "Peace" – 4:29
8. "Come Back" – 5:15 (Gahan, Eigner, Phillpott)
9. "Spacewalker" – 1:53
10. "Perfect" – 4:33
11. "Miles Away / The Truth Is" – 4:14 (Gahan, Eigner, Phillpott)
12. "Jezebel" – 4:41
13. "Corrupt" – 5:04 (8:58)
"Interlude #5" – 0:41 (hidden song starting at 8:17)

Members :
Dave Gahan
Martin Gore
Andrew Fletcher

Press Release :

DEPECHE MODE
ANNOUNCES THE RELEASE OF
SOUNDS OF THE UNIVERSE
APRIL 21, 2009

January 15, 2009- Groundbreaking, chart-topping electro legends Depeche Mode are proud to announce the release of their long-anticipated new studio album, Sounds Of The Universe on April 21, 2009 (Mute Records).

Eclectic and energized, the band's new release is their most dazzling and diverse album in decades. Recorded in Santa Barbara and New York, Depeche Mode returned to using a lot of vintage gear, from analogue synthesizers to drum machines, in order to conjure up the retro-futuristic arrangements featured on the album. Lyrically the release contains many of the group's enduring obsessions plus more overt black humor than any of their previous collections.

Like with their 2005 studio album, Playing The Angel, Sounds Of The Universe features writing credits for both Martin Gore, the group's primary songwriter, and Dave Gahan who after honing his talents on two solo albums, has earned his place as Depeche Mode's second writer. The release also marks a reunion between the band and producer Ben Hillier (Blur, Doves, Elbow), who worked with the band to help give their new album its timeless sound. The first single from the release, "Wrong," grabs the listener's attention from its first stack-heeled, staccato shriek. Over stomping beats, screeching synthesizers, and Dave's overlord chant, "Wrong" already feels like a Depeche Mode classic. Other standout tracks include Martin's velvet-lined Scott Walker croon on the sensual lounge-music ballad "Jezebel," to the sci-fi gospel-blues hymn "In Chains" and "Hole To Feed," which marries modern electronics to a floor-shaking, bone-rattling Bo Diddley beat.

As one of the most influential bands of the post-punk era, with global sales in excess of 100 million, Depeche Mode belongs to a select premiere league of super groups who have survived from the early 1980s with their ideals, creative vision and core members intact. Formed in 1981, Depeche Mode - Martin Gore, Dave Gahan and Andy 'Fletch' Fletcher - continue to win critical and commercial acclaim across the world both in the studio and on the road. All of the band's 11 studio albums have reached the Top Ten in not only the UK and USA but 20 plus countries around the world including Canada, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Sweden, Denmark, Switzerland, and Belgium. Additionally, since their inception Depeche Mode's live shows continue to be a must-see attraction, with the group playing to 2.8 million people across 31 countries on their last tour alone.http://www.depechemode.com

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Artist : The Chariot
Genre : Hardcore / Post Hardcore
Album : Wars And Rumors Of Wars
Location : Atlanta, GA
Website : http://www.myspace.com/thechariot
Label : Solid State records
Releases : May 5th, 2009
Available Format : CD

Description :
The Chariot have never been a band comfortable with the status quo. This year's Wars And Rumors Of Wars will tip the scales and push the limits of what modern metal-core can accomplish in the span of just ten songs. The band's 2007 epic sophomore full length, The Fiancée, saw the band trade it's signature chaotic charm of 2005's Everything Is Alive... and dish out a more focused and brutal brand of chaos. Wars And Rumors Of Wars takes this new direction even further, and turns up the heat another 250 degrees. The Chariot have found a comfortable spot atop the mountain of wreckage they leave behind after every show, and with Wars And Rumors Of Wars, it looks like their gonna camp out for a while. You've heard the rumors, now grab your combat boots. The war starts May 5th, 2009.

Track Listing:
1. Teach
2. Evolve
3. Need
4. Impress
5. Never I
6. Giveth
7. Abandon
8. Daggers
9. Oversea
10. Mrs. Montgomery Alabama iii.

Members :
Josh Scogin
David Kennedy
Dan Vokey
Bryan Russell/Rusty
Jonathan (KC Wolf) Kindler

Bioghraphy 2009
Press Kit :

The Chariot “Wars And Rumors Of Wars”

In 2003, the hardcore underground received a fresh burst of raw, scorching energy in the form of The Chariot. Under the leadership of front man Josh Scogin, the band spent two years touring under their debut album “Everything Is Alive, Everything Is Breathing, Nothing Is Dead, and Nothing Is Bleeding” and their 2005 EP “Unsung.” After solidifying their lineup, The Chariot hit the recording studio again to release the full-length album “The Fiancee” in 2007. “The Fiancee” was well received by hardcore listeners and helped to boost The Chariot’s constantly growing fan base.

Their newest full-length record, “Wars and Rumors of Wars,” is set to be released in May of 2009.

The Chariot has been quick to gain renown with fans of heavy music. Their one-of-a-kind sound combines the searing vocals of Josh Scogin with intense breakdowns provided by Brian Russell Taylor and Dan Vokey on guitar, Jon “KC Wolf” Kindler on bass, and David Kennedy on drums. All elements of the band come together to create an aggressive presence that appeals to punk rock, hardcore, and metal fans alike. They are known for their adrenaline-fueled live performances that can only be described as pure, boundless rock and roll.

There is one thing everyone can be certain of: The Chariot will continue to be a driving force on hardcore punk scene. Current and soon-to-be fans alike have a lot to look forward to as the band’s reputation continues to grow, and “Wars and Rumors of Wars” is no exception.http://www.solidstaterecords.com


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