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John Stizza, a writer and creator in Austin, TX, hails from Belmont University, Nashville, TN. An experienced touring musician with a passion for the creative word, he enjoys sharing music and art with all who will listen. His creative efforts toward the written word come from a lifetime full of exciting stories and the passion to dive into the vast world of culture, travel, and community.
Listen On Spotify Buy on iTunes The announcement of a Failure reunion was huge. The announcement of a brand new Failure album was even bigger. With the essential Fantastic Planet lineup returning, fans have been salivating to hear what the band have concocted for their first album of brand new material in 19 years.
The Sword are releasing album #5 amid a scene that some are insisting needs rejuvenation.Many argue otherwise, but even still, The Sword's place within the metal scene is typically very appreciated.Their sound is often described as 70's-influenced and its hard not to agree, especially with how much Ozzy-era Black Sabbath seem to have left their mark on these musicians.With High Country, The Sword's fifth long player, the band expose a deeper array of influences to create a significantly...
Los Angeles, New York, Nashville, Seattle - heck, Austin! - are typically the towns we think of when we think of "killer music scenes." With the technological advancements of recent years, however, various other places have become hotbeds for facilitating great musical creativity. Philadelphia has become one such place.
Every year, SXSW creates an incredible platform for bands from all over world to showcase their craft. Rock 'n' roll is where SXSW began, and Europe has always had a huge impact on this. Here are four bands hailing from the United Kingdom that are sure to have an impact on your if you go see them live.
What do musicians and wrestlers have in common? This isn't a joke... Most of them come up with some sort of cool name as a way to represent themselves, because sometimes going by just "John" doesn't cut it.
Many animals, especially furry ones, are adorable. Little bunny rabbits are never not adorable. Here are a few acts from SXSW 2016 that believe this so much, they've dedicated the title of their artistry to promoting the little fur balls. Register to attend the 30th annual SXSW Music Festival, March 15-20, 2016 in Austin.
No, none of these bands will actually cure your sunburn, but they may provide some sort of emotional or mental aloe vera. If it's cold and rainy (or snowy) where you are, these bands may help you achieve some sort of inner sunlight, whatever that means.
There is a lot to be said about Refused. The Swedish band's lifespan hardly conveys their influence considering how short-lived and poorly received they were in the beginning of their career. Upon releasing the aptly yet pretentiously titled The Shape of Punk To Come in 1998, the band quickly called it quits.
As bands and artists begin the search, and accompanying arguments, to choose their artistic moniker, many names get tossed aside quickly due to their close relation or similarity to something else popular or misleading. Here are four Showcasing Artists performing at SXSW 2015 whose names sound like they could be characters in the next "Transformers" movie.
Like all great things, the revival of grudge has arrived. Superheaven are at the forefront of the movement with Ours is Chrome, the brand new album from the Pennsylvania quartet. Having changed their name from Daylight in early 2014 due to a legal issue, the band show no signs of slowing down.
Torche's brand of stoner metal is unique. It's certainly untraditional, so many people might not call it metal, at all. Either way, for over a decade they've mixed fuzzy guitar tones and pop melodies with heavy, driving riffs to create an incredibly interesting and extremely heavy sound.
LABEL: RUN FOR COVER RECORDS LISTEN ON SPOTIFY BUY ON ITUNES Philadelphia's mewithoutYou made a heavy mark on post-punk over the years. Each of their albums arrives with its own twist, showing a band constantly redefining themselves.
PVRIS - WHITE NOISE Label: Rise Records Buy Album HERE Upon first glance, they're a band that is doing what a lot of people are doing: utilizing electronic beats and sounds combined with heavy guitars, bass and synthesizers, and mainstream pop and R&B production to create some kind of blend of modern rock music.
In the world of pop music, the words "British Invasion" are among the first we think of when we consider acts from outside the United States, particularly from within Europe. But Europe has far more to offer than just British brilliance, especially in today's industry.
Label: Ipecac / Reclamation Buy on iTunes Listen on Spotify In the 80's and 90's Faith No More cemented themselves as pioneers of hard rock and metal with an array of eclectic influences and powerful performances. After the band's 2009 reunion, the band finally have something tangible to offer their salivating fans.
It's not every day that a highly-touted screamo band releases an album so different that it could almost instantly be considered an indie band.It's not unheard of, but even after Thrice's Artist In The Ambulance, they made one full-length album ( Vheissu) and four EPs ( The Alchemy Index, Vol.
Every year, we change and create playlists according to our mood, and its often inspired by the seasons and the corresponding weather. Here are a few SXSW 2015 bands who's names are reminiscent of the year's four seasons.
When Circe Survive vocalist Anthony Green first started promoting the band's new album, Descensus, he gave all Circa fans a lot to look forward to.Describing the album as a high point for the band, he confidently offered a lot of clout that seemed like a very tall order.But luckily, Anthony Green appears to be a man of his word.Upon pressing play for the first time, fans can breathe a sigh of relief, and then immediately begin headbanging.
When Copeland first announced they were going to reunite to make their fifth album, Ixora, word of it spread across the internet like a viral cat video.The moment pre-sale orders became available for the album many package deals were sold out within days, even without a release date in the
XTRMST - S/T Label: DIM MAK Buy On iTunes: HERE Listen on Spotify: HERE AFI vocalist Davey Havok and guitarist Jade Puget are at it again. The duo have collaborated again, but not for AFI, and not for their electronic side-project Blaqk Audio.
BAND: Finch ALBUM: Back to Oblivion LABEL: Razor & Tie BUY ALBUM HERE Once the amazement of Finch releasing a new album wears off and we actually listen to Back to Oblivion we notice that this is not the Finch of yesteryear, even though much of the band's lineup is the same.
By melding certain aspects of the electronic music and hardcore genres into some form of arena-sized, lightshow-worthy party punk, Enter Shikari have basically become the Deadpool of modern punk and hardcore. The band's sound sways between violently heavy, charmingly goofy, snarky, and theatrical all at once.
Periphery - Juggernaut: Alpha And Omega Label: Sumerian Records Pre Order HERE Few bands these days are as constant at offering their fans new music as often as Washington D.C.'s metal heavyweights Periphery. Almost one year to the day, Periphery are giving their fans another set of music to follow 2014's EP Clear.