flesh of the stars is a doom metal band from chicago, illinois, formed in 2014 by songwriters matt ciani and mike fox, bassist travis marmon, and drummer nico ciani. flesh of the stars is heavy, melancholic, and surprisingly melodic. they have released four lps – Hide, Hosanna, Anhilla, & Mercy.
The 3rd Sunday String Band plays Old Time music — Appalachian and Midwestern fiddle tunes and songs, as well as a selection of early Country, Folk, and Bluegrass songs.
The band had its beginnings in the summer of 2002 as a monthly jam organized organized by students from the Old Town School of Folk music. Initially, the jam was held every 3rd Sunday of the month in Grant Park in Chicago.
As time went on, we began meeting weekly to build up a repertoire. Being a very inclusive lot, our numbers soon swelled, and since then the group has included from ten to fifteen members at any given moment, playing various combinations of fiddles, mandolins, banjos, guitars, upright bass, and flutes & whistles.
death metal band band from Mexico
Gabbe – Guitar
Steken – Vocals
Filip – Guitar
Sven – Battery
Gobbe – Bass
Prelude to Ruin is the culmination of several years’ of laziness and inaction, finally come to fruition after Ruiz became dissatisfied with the current state of affairs. Old-timey and unconcerned with the feelings of others, Prelude to Ruin writes music that it, and only it, likes.
Seattle based heavy metal band. Signed to Fighter Records
Rev Taylor – Vocals
Jesse Berlin – Lead Guitar
Enrico Marriuzzo – Lead Guitar
Darin Wall – Bass Guitar
Nate Butler – Drums
Oi! from Buffalo NY.
LENNY LASHLEY is a household name in New England, and beyond. Whether it’s performing on stage or slinging drinks at The Midway Cafe in Jamaica Plains (MA), Lenny is a star – regaling the world with Boston history and decades of tour stories like no one else can. His voice is as Boston as it gets – and as identifiable as any other frontman out there. Lenny’s even narrated movies and done voiceover gigs to help sustain being a diehard rock and roller first and foremost.
A longtime fixture in the Boston punk scene, Lenny has been playing and touring for 20 years. With more energy and clarity than ever before, Lenny has been playing solo acoustic shows, reinvigorating a New Darkbuster, making cameos with Mighty Mighty Bosstones, and even joining the Boston powerhouse Street Dogs. Lenny is staying busy, rocking and rolling, and living life to the fullest.
Lenny Lashley’s Gang Of One is hands-down the best example of the talent and creativity pouring out of this incredible soul. It’s illuminating and insightful, passionate and beautifully crafted. Timeless and unclassifiable songs that illustrate the story of a well-travelled thoughtful American wearing his heart on his sleeve, never afraid to speak his mind, stand up for his fellow man, and be an example of always striving to be the best human you can be.
Whether they are played solo on a barstool or as a 7-piece in an arena supporting Dropkick Murphys, these songs and Lenny’s performances are legendary. They cut through a room (or even an arena) and get right in your face – conveying a desperately needed soul-filled message for today’s turbulent world.
The Blue Light Jazz Band is a traditional jazz band guaranteed to please!
Thrashin’ N’ Trashin’
Alex- Guitar/ Vocals
Jim- Guitar/ Vocals
Myles- Bass
Mikey- Drums
Return of Saturn is the fourth studio album by American rock band No Doubt. It was released on April 11, 2000, by Trauma Records and Interscope Records. It marked the band’s first album as a quartet, following the departure of original keyboardist Eric Stefani in 1994. After touring for two and a half years to promote their breakthrough third studio album, Tragic Kingdom (1995), No Doubt wrote several dozen songs for its follow-up and eventually settled on working with producer Glen Ballard. Creating the album became a tumultuous process lasting two years, during which there was dissension among band members and between the band and its label. The album was completed after the band returned to the studio and recorded what became two of its singles.
The album maintains the ska punk and reggae influences of the band’s previous work, but with slower, more ballad-like songs. The lyrics to many of the songs describe singer Gwen Stefani’s pining for a more domestic life, contrasting that with her commitment to a music career.
Big and moody, Staring at the Sea compiles some hits and near misses of these excavators of the dark soul. Beginning with their earliest hits–the sparse “Killing an Arab,” the aptly tedious “10:15 Saturday Night,” and the charming “Boys Don’t Cry”–this collection stops before the comparative giddiness of Kiss Me, Kiss Me, Kiss Me.
Musicians first, brooding art types second, The Cure’s unique instrumentation doesn’t get the credit it rightfully deserves. The thrashy, trash-can break in “Jumping Someone Else’s Train,” the sprightly synthesized recorder of “Close to Me,” and the techno-pop disco lines in “Let’s Go to Bed” and “The Walk” are downright brilliant in their effectiveness and simplicity. A string of money shots if ever there was one. –Steve Gdula
Riot! is the second studio album by American rock band Paramore. It was released in the United States on June 12, 2007 through Fueled by Ramen as a follow-up to their debut album, All We Know Is Falling (2005). The album was produced by David Bendeth and written by band members Hayley Williams and Josh Farro, with Bendeth, and fellow member Zac Farro co-writing on select tracks. The album is said to explore a “diverse range of styles,” while not straying far from the “signature sound” of their debut album, with several critics comparing it to likes of Kelly Clarkson and Avril Lavigne. The cover of the album also resembles the cover artwork of No Doubt’s Rock Steady.
Enema of the State is the third studio album by American rock band Blink-182, released on June 1, 1999, by MCA Records. After a long series of performances at various clubs and festivals and several indie recordings throughout the 1990s, Blink-182 first achieved popularity on the Warped Tour and in Australia following the release of their second album Dude Ranch (1997) and its rock radio hit “Dammit”. To record their third album, Blink-182 turned to veteran punk rock producer Jerry Finn, who previously worked on Green Day’s breakthrough album Dookie (1994). Enema was the band’s first album to feature second drummer Travis Barker, who replaced original drummer Scott Raynor.
Low-Life is the third studio album by English rock band New Order, released on 13 May 1985 by Factory Records. It is considered to be among the band’s strongest work, displaying the moment they completed their transformation from post-punk hold-overs to dance-rockers. The album shows New Order’s increased incorporation of synthesisers and samplers, while still preserving the rock elements of their earlier work. The original Factory CD issues of the album were mastered with pre-emphasis.
Finnish Death Doom
Horrendous was conceived in the womb of early 2009 by three young men obsessed with metal. Aiming to harness the mystique and aura of their favorite music while simultaneously rekindling the flame of a genre they felt was losing traction, the band emerged from a desolate scene to chart an unfamiliar path into the depths.
One of Chicago’s premiere Hammond B3 players, Pete Benson has been in-
Organist, Brian Charette is a Hammond and IK Multimedia endorsed, Steeplechase and Positone recording artist, currently #3 on the Downbeat Critic’s Poll. He is also the 2014 Downbeat Rising Star, and 2015 Best Organist in NYC from Hothouse Magazine. Charette plays with many well known jazz artists like NEA master George Coleman and pop icons like Chaka Khan and is known for his technical command of the organ and memorable funky tunes with swirling electronica. He will be joined by Jordan Young on the drums and Dave Miller on guitar. Young is a Detroit native and fellow Positone label mate. He is Charette’s right hand man playing on most of his US tours. Dave Miller is a local hero with a soulful tone and meaningful melodic approach which will add just the right vibe to the greasy, funky set.
Charette was born in Meriden, Connecticut in 1972, and was introduced to music by his mother, Catherine. By the age of 17, he was playing with jazz luminaries such as Lou Donaldson and Houston Person. Since graduating on the Dean’s List from UConn in 1994 with a BA in Music, Charette has been performing extensively in Europe and the USA with his home base being the East Village, NYC. Brian is a staple of the downtown NYC scene working with virtually everyone who plays with an organist.
Besides being a critically acclaimed composer and bandleader, Brian has performed with many notable artists such as Joni Mitchell, Chaka Khan, Paul Simon, Cyndi Lauper, and many more. Charette is also an active author and educator, writing for Keyboard Magazine, The New York City Jazz Record, DownBeat, and the Czech magazine, Muzikus. Brian teaches masterclasses all over the world and is on the faculty of the Czech Summer Jazz Workshop at Jesek Conservatory in Prague. His first book, 101 Hammond B3 Tips, released through publisher Hal Leonard, has become very popular, as well as his videos on the website, mymusicmasterclass.com.
Outside of music, Charette is passionate about chess and White Crane kung fu, in which he holds a black sash.
Hey y’all, Gillian here! I’m a musician, bartender and yoga teacher in Chicago. I came to yoga a few years ago as a skeptic, but over time, it has become one of the most important parts of my life. To me, yoga is all about connecting your mind, body and breath together to energize, restore and heal yourself. My goal is to make yoga more approachable for beginners or skeptics (particularly folks in the music and service industries) and show them what a powerful tool it can be as joyful movement, self-care and self-study. By bringing yoga to spaces that that we know and love (like Reggies or the lakefront), we can explore the practice in an environment that makes it less intimidating! Please reach out with any questions, I can’t wait to see you on your mat!
Join us on the second floor of Reggies for an afternoon of yoga + doom metal. Hang out in the Music Joint after the class for a complimentary beer (or Bloody Mary, mimosa, cider, etc!). Brunch and lunch menu will be available too. All skill levels welcome! BRING YOUR OWN MAT + MASK!
Progressive/Atmospheric Black Metal from IL.
Our debut single “Sequestered Hearts” is out now!
Full length album “Tome:1” coming soon.
Tómarúm is an atmospheric/progressive black metal band formed in 2017.
“Wounds Ever Expanding” EP out 2/7/2020
Formed in Chicago’s Brighton park neighborhood as Critical Beatdown in 91, then changed to Insult to Injury in 93. Some of the early releases were the Chicago hardcore comp in 92 , “who’s country is this anyways ?” Comp, the “Hostile behavior ” 7 inch, and a split with 10-96… After a few year split in the late 90’s then reformed in 2000 til 2007. The “hostile behavior 7 inch is considered by some as the first Chicago PV record. In October 2013 , after adding 2 members of Chicago locals Cenobites on bass and drums and 3 original members were back to do some shows!
Dissonance & Dissent is a political ska-punk band from West Lafayette, IN. Finding themselves in ever shrinking scene/genre, the group tries to keep the spirit of punk, skacore, and ska alive, while also branding it with their own unique stamp. With politically charged lyrics, the angst, speed and aggression of punk, the catchiness of ska, and a high level of musical complexity rare in both punk and ska, the band hopes to leave their mark with the music they create; Wishing to not only influence and help re-spark the genres and local music scene, but also promote social and political awareness.
We are Los Cadejos a Ska Band originating from the Inland Empire. Our music style is influenced by Latin Ska, Rocksteady, Two-Tone, Reggae, Cumbia, & more
“If blues, soul, and rock can be said to form a triangle, you’ll find Hamilton Loomis right in the center of it”, says Guitar Player Magazine.
Extinguish the Sun formed in the Fall of 2015, emerging out of members of three fairly disparate local acts, chapter seven, Trippin Molly, and Panic Stations.
After releasing their first full-length, Antihero, the band played numerous shows. In the wake of releasing this record, EtS have played in and around the Dixon–Sterling–Rock Falls area with various diverse acts. Beyond playing shows in their immediate area, EtS recorded a session with Carl Nelson in DeKalb for WNIJ’s local music showcase, Sessions from Studio A. The band have also worked to extend their reach to other Midwest cities and bring their music before broader and more diverse audiences.
Around 1 ½ years after the release of Antihero, in January of 2019, they entered Straightaway Productions with local engineer Drew Widolff to record their EP, Oceans, slated to be released later in 2019. Comprised of six tracks of completely new material, this EP shows the band in their true form, experimenting, evolving, and honing their sound, but always remaining true to their initial intent of intensity, melody, and originality.
As 2019 unfolds, guitarists Nick Grobe and Jeremy Toms, bassist Daniel Edmunds, singer Jeremy Miller, and drummer Michael Morley have continued rehearsing and writing songs. With a broad range of influences and musical tastes, EtS work to continue writing compelling songs and releasing them, getting out and performing live as much as possible.
EtS continue booking shows and laying out their schedule for the coming year. You can surely expect to see them in a basement | garage | punk hovel near you soon.
I write songs, and then sing them in front of people. Hope you enjoy it.
George Trouble, frontman for The Zealots’, just released his first solo album “Plow”. His songwriting weaves unconventional lyrics with a wide palette of classic Americana. His carefully crafted phrases tell stories of cartoon saviors, ditch diggers, and cynical romance. The melodies recall folk-punk, rockabilly, surf and honest country blues. Not to be missed, George Trouble’s live shows are a classic slice of Tar Heel rock ‘n’ roll.
Elysian Green is the collaborative creation of guitarist Cole Runge, pianist Clay Corso, bassist Vinny Kabat and drummer TJ Thompson. Their self-titled debut EP of all original music is coming soon via Schnauz Records!
The Don Diego Trio, thanks to his musical direction, has been nominated as “Best Rockabilly Band” at the 2016 and at the 2017 Ameripolitan Awards, flying to Austin, Texas, to take part at this incredible music week dedicated to the classic side of the american music. They’ve played all around Texas for the showcases of the awards, and they also played as the house band at the famous after party at the Continental Club, backing artists like James Hand, James Intveld, Chris Casello, Rosie Flores, Joel Paterson, AdamLopez, Dale Watson, Jack Grelle, Ags Connolly, Marti Brom, Pat May, and many many others…
They even played at the famous Broken Spoke, at the Big T Roadhouse, at the C-Boys (hosting, in both places, the world famous “Chicken Shit Bingo”), at the ABGB. They also played their own show at both the Continental Clubs in Austin and in Houston. And they even did an intimate show into the Western Flyers’ house, in front of the bosses of the Bob Wills Association (a community for the preservation of the western swing music all over the world, created by Bob Wills’ daughter).
If you think you don’t know BigKlit, you do. The abrasive pre-chorus to her hit song, “Liar,” is nothing short of memorable — in fact, it’s more like a slap in the face with a sucker punch to follow: “Fuck! You a pussy ass bitch/ Fuck you, your momma, and your kids!”
With a strong statement, tone, and attitude, the song quickly blew up on TikTok and has become one of the app’s most popular trends so far in 2019. Now, BigKlit’s ready for world domination.
We put the ‘class’ in classic gaming with our 3-piece acoustic jazz band. This mix of violin, upright bass, and guitar will give your party a true vintage vibe. With an eclectic selection from video games, anime, and movies, we’ll perfectly set the stage for any wedding ceremony or cocktail hour.
We’re all about bringing your favorite music from anime, video games, and nerd culture to life! Check out http://youtube.com/c/kidyuki1 for music videos and bi-weekly live stream shows, and see us at an anime convention near you for live performances!
Dance the night away with our high-energy 10-piece band, featuring three amazing vocalists, a full horn section, and a rock solid rhythm section! Want more than just K-Pop? Don’t worry. These guys know all the hits. Whether it’s your favorite 90s jam or the latest BTS track, we got you covered!
Male-female duo band. Two basses and a drum machine. No Guitar, No BS.
Alchoholocaust Death Thrashing Grind!! No Wimps, No False Metal, No Motley Crue Hair cuts!!!! NO HIPSTER DOOM/FASHION CRUST/SISSY GRIND!!!
Dylan: Drums
Tony: Vocals
Ryan: Guitar/Vocals
Gerry Hundt is a wunderkind of a blues and old-timey music multi-instrumentalist who plays as many roles as he does instruments, performing as a bandleader as well as a sideman, in full bands, quartets, trios, duos and solo.But his “Legendary One-Man Band” has become Hundt’s alter ego, just as, say, Spiderman is Peter Parker’s. And to see him in action on his guitar/harmonica/bass drum/snare rig one wonders if Hundt was bitten by a radioactive boll weevil in his youth, enabling him to tear it up on his own terms, transforming from merely Gerry Hundt, musician, into “Gerry Hundt the Legendary One-Man Band,” sprouting stringed instruments, rack attachments and foot devices, and bursting into a set of hot, rag-time blues. I mean, I don’t know, but then there was that time he “went to Colorado,” and came back a full-fledged one-man-band-kind-of a musician. I’m just sayin’.Okay, then how and why does he do it? Is it just because he can—like chewing gum and walking at the same time—but while solving a Rubik’s Cube, giving a fiery filibuster and dancing a tarantella? You know, there are musicians, and there are performers. And then there are entertainers. Hundt is an entertainer—in the classic sense of “all-in and fully involved.” In the tradition of musical gizmo geniuses Jesse “Lone Cat” Fuller, Joe Hill Louis and Dr. Ross, he’s a guitar-pickin’, drum-thumpin’, kazoo-blowin’ kinetic combination of Rube Goldberg, Blind Boy Fuller, the Mississippi Sheiks and a medicine show at a tent revival meeting.I mean, the boy lays one helluva racket!
One of the West Coast’s finest Northern Soul bands – THE INCITERS! An overpowering 11-piece dance floor soul band that has brought the house down from LA to Chicago and all across Europe, releasing 3 albums to date on Grover/Elmo Records in Germany and “ DOING FINE” which was recorded in Chicago and released by JUMP UP in 2000. The band’s newest album, “Soul Clap” on JUMP UP was released February 2012.
THE INCITERS play Northern Soul music, a genre that originated in the north of England in the 1960s, taking inspiration from America’s Stax and Motown greats like the Temptations, Stevie Wonder and the Supremes.
Northern Soul takes the Motown/Stax ethic but adds a stronger back-beat with more adventurous production, and THE INCITERS continue this tradition in grand style on their new 11 track album SOUL CLAP. With 11 members wielding drums, bass, guitars, a full horn section, and three strong female vocalists, THE INCITERS have no problem filling a room with the powerful sound of soul. The three vocalists — Betsy Jane Kniffin, Andrea Button, and Aimee Gruber — lead the band through finely crafted original songs as well as traditional soul music that will get you out of your seat and start to dance. Their choreography has an improvisational character to it as each of the singers cues off the moves of the others. THE INCITERS first formed back in 1995 and had a successful 10-year run before breaking up in 2005 – leaving behind a massive following in Europe that demanded their return year after year. In 2009, they got their wish as original member / bandleader Rick Kendrick went to work putting the band back together. THE INCITERS re-formed with some new, younger faces and picked up right where they left off. Right after the group reformed, they embarked on another successful European tour, released a teaser 7” single on Scorcha in Germany, and then got to work to record their comeback album for 2012 – SOUL CLAP!
Cocoa Greene are a 3 piece rock band from Chicago, IL, formed in 2014. The band consists of Carlin Hobbs (lead vocals, guitar, keyboards), Maxwell Harris (Bass), and Alex Kennedy (Drums).
Cocoa Greene are under Press Pot Recordings (Dark Matter Coffee) and released their debut album, Hypnagogia, in 2019, showcasing the bands dramatic guitar riffs, chunky bass, and classical influences.
Cocoa Greene embodies a vast collection of sounds. Greene rebased their debut album inspired by Dali’s “The Persistence of Memory”. This album follows the journey of romantic love in an unforgiving world. It begins by utilizing spatial textures to illustrate the dream-like state that is falling in love, one that is seemingly free from the restrictions of time. The album matures into a chaotic symphony when the romance meets reality, and crashes in a life that is socially constructed and structured religiously around the clock.
We are the band formerly known as The Traveller. Bringin the gnar right to the front door of your ear holes.
GOOD OLD FASHIONED DOWN HOME THRASHIN’
Formed in the mid 90s by bassist/singer Chris Kosnik, guitarist Ed Mundell, and drummer Keith Ackerman, the self-titled album “The Atomic Bitchwax” was released in 1999 with the N.Y.C. label Tee Pee Records establishing them with audiences of the burgeoning “Stoner Rock” community.
As of 2020 the band has released nine studio albums and have performed over 1,500 live concerts worldwide.
Minimal rock trio from Chicago.
Eugeine Grey and The Bad Habits born out of the bustling gutters of Chicago’s very own rock-n-roll centric surrounding borough of Lombard, IL formed in 2017 around the talents of Patrick Goray (guitar, vocals), Mike Arturi (drums) ,Brad Haptas (bass, vocals), and Shaun Meek (Lead Guitar). A full throttle, high energy, blood pumping ,muscular display of hypnotizing hard-hitting rock-n-roll force in the vein of Clutch,All Them Witches, Queens of the StoneAge, Fugazi, Aktar Aktar, and Highly Suspect.
Inspiring youth across the nation and beyond to pick up an instrument and find their passion – that’s what NOT UR GIRLFRENZ is all about. Along the way, this young Dallas-based, all-girl power trio is making waves in the local market with their high-energy shows, award-winning performances and an ever-growing base of loyal fans, a.k.a. “The Frenzone”.
NOT UR GIRLFRENZ was recently crowned 2017 “Battle of the Legends” Champions by Dallas’ new premiere music venue, Lava Cantina – besting adult bands several times their age, and captivating audiences with their combination of youthful energy and musical prowess.
NOT UR GIRLFRENZ is Liv Haynes (13), a tour de force on guitar and lead vocals; Maren Alford (13), who beats the drums like they owe her big money; and Gigi Haynes (11), keeping it sick and steady on bass. Influenced by greats like Foo Fighters, Paramore, Green Day, Heart and Led Zeppelin, NOT UR GIRLFRENZ already rocks iconic classics, soon-to-be classics, and their own brand of original music.
The band is currently working with producer Jaret Reddick, Grammy-nominee and seller of over a million albums as front man for pop punk icons Bowling for Soup.
NOT UR GIRLFRENZ is also featured in the 2017 Reliant Energy “Girl Power” ad campaign with VO by fellow Texan Matthew McConaughey. Drummer Maren Alford is also a guest blogger for The Gretsch Company (gretsch.com).
Illustrating “Girl Power” at its finest, NOT UR GIRLFRENZ has only scratched the surface of what the future holds for them in today’s music industry – if they promise to complete their homework first!
Old Man Saxon spent 2014 living out of his car while pursuing his rap career. He slept in the backseat of his Ford Explorer, showered at gyms, ate Happy Meals twice a day, and worked nights at a restaurant to keep money in his pocket.
Every night, he wrote lyrics to keep his mind off the daily struggles. Over the course of the year, he wrote hundreds of songs, recorded about 30, and selected four songs that best captured the year—a defining moment in his life and career—for his new album, The Perils.
The music video for the title track of the album is directed by Anthony Yano Hays. His goal was to truthfully and powerfully portray the indescribable loneliness, anxiety, and vulnerability that Old Man Saxon felt while being homeless.
Legendary guitarist Doyle Wolfgang Von Frankenstein has broken new ground with his solo project, “DOYLE”. A horror based hardrock/metal band of epic proportions. Still grinding out heavy riffs is the hulking monster himself, Doyle of MISFITS fame,and Alex Story from ‘Cancerslug provides vocals filled with misanthropic rage, while still capturing the beauty of the dark side. Solidifying the quartet is Graham (ex-Graves, ex-Let It Burn) on bass, unifying the skull crushing sound that is the machine Doyle himself has put together. DOYLE cranks out music as scary as the Misfits, as doom laden as Black Sabbath, and has the same hard-hitting in your face style of metal as Motorhead or Slayer.
Life of Agony emerged from the New York music scene in the early ’90s with one of the most distinctive sounds in its genre. Best known for its 1993 metal/crossover debut “River Runs Red” (Roadrunner Records), named by Rolling Stoneas being one of the “100 Greatest Metal Albums of All Time” the band instantly built a die-hard, cult following. For over two decades, the group toured relentlessly all over the world, sharing stages with the biggest names in rock, including Metallica, Black Sabbath, Ozzy Osbourne, Foo Fighters, and The Red Hot Chili Peppers. LOA went onto release two more studio albums for Roadrunner: “Ugly” (’95) and “Soul Searching Sun” (’97), before signing to major label Sony/Epic Records in 2005 to record “Broken Valley” with producer Greg Fidelman (Slipknot, Metallica). In 2017, the group released the highly acclaimed “A Place Where There’s No More Pain” via Napalm Records. Life of Agony has sold over one million albums to date.
LIFE OF AGONY’s hard-hitting, emotional concept album The Sound of Scars (Napalm Records) was released to critical acclaim in October, 2019.The record was named Album Of The Year by The Aquarianand the #1 Album on Metal Hammer’s (DE) ‘Best of 2019’: Alternative-Rock/Punk List.The album was produced by Sylvia Massy (Tool, System of a Down) along with LOA’s very own Joey Z (mixing duties helmed by Massy), and mastered by Howie Weinberg (Nirvana, Metallica, Soundgarden). The Sound of Scars continues the haunting narrative from the band’s groundbreaking 1993 debut River Runs Red.
Life Of Agony Video “SCARS” Premieredon BILLBOARD!”
By far, this is the best Life of Agony record you’ve heard in years,” explains guitarist Joey Z. “We really went back to our roots on this one and tapped into the mindset we had when we first started the band.”The group recently toured Europe where they filmed a chaotic, high-energy video for lead-off track ‘Scars’with director Leigh Brooks of Firebelly Films. “We decided to perform right in the middle of the pit to capture what it’s really like to be at a Life Of Agony show,” said bassist Alan Robert. “It was a sweaty whirlwind of raw emotion and non-stop energy… something I’ll never forget. And to drive home the message of the song even further, we decided to include a handful of fan-submitted LOA tattoo images in there, too. Literally hundreds of them have been pouring in from fans all over the world and they looked so incredible, we had to use them. It just goes to show how deeply connected we all are through this music, both on an emotional and on a personal level.”
The airwaves were rife with so many great eclectic, genre-melding bands in the late ‘80s and early ‘90s that it’s kind of understandable that 24-7 Spyz got lost in the crowd. Their image and sound wasn’t as MTV-ready as the Red Hot Chili Peppers or Faith No More and they didn’t write songs with the same anthemic scope as Living Colour or Rage Against the Machine. While the foundations of 24-7 Spyz lay in a fusion of heavy metal and soul, their excursions into jazz, funk, hardcore punk, hip hop and reggae served to confound, almost as much as it delighted, when the songwriting faltered.
However, inspite of having spent most of the past two decades since the release of 1996’s Heavy Metal Soul By The Pound largely inactive, and inspite of having weathered all manner of personal, physical and psychological struggles, 24-7 Spyz have managed to turn in a career highlight brimming with palpable joy at still being alive and able to make music. And that joy is infectious. While Soundtrack To The Innermost Galaxy was made by the band purely for their fans and for themselves, its sheer joie de vivre is sure to win some new fans.
Like all Spyz records, Soundtrack is highlighted by Jimi Hazel’s signature six-string work—which draws on the acidified grooves of his namesakes, Jimi Hendrix and Eddie Hazel, but ratchets up the heaviness several notches—and his surprisingly warm and soulful voice. His riffing and stylistic shapeshifting is ably matched by the equally nimble and irresistible rhythm section of Rick Skatore on bass and Phillip “Fish” Fisher on drums. This time around Hazel is also joined by Ronny “Head” Drayton, who shares guitar and vocal duties, and a host of collaborators on practically every track.
Despite the multitude of contributors to the album Soundtrack is one of Spyz’ least disjointed sounding records even when it jumps from soulful funk metal to old school hip hop (Anthem), to neo soul (Brothers and Sisters) to Philly soul (Home), to acid jazz and bebop (the title track), and back again (Waiting for the Sun). Somehow, incredibly, none of this genre-hopping sounds forced, awkward or calculated. Throughout its runtime Soundtrack exudes an air of light-hearted organic looseness, almost as if every song here was a live jam improv recording. The only point at which the album gets a little bogged down is on the Eric Garner-inspired “Repeating Myself” which doesn’t have the kind of vocal and instrumental fury that the lyrics seem to demand. Spyz seem much more comfortable preaching the gospel of love than militantly confronting hate.
This relatively minor quibble aside, Soundtrack is a gem of a record that will please anyone with an open mind and ear for diverse music that is fundamentally rooted in heavy metal and soul, but constrained by little else, and whose air of positivity is as addictive as its virtuosity. There might not be a better way to start the new year than by letting The Soundtrack to the Innermost Galaxy put a smile on your face, a bounce in your step, and a groove in your soul.
Mán Cub is the performance name of singer, songwriter, and producer Richard Juarez. Mán Cub grew up in Chicago’s Little Village. From a young age Richard was exposed to a wide range of music, from R&B and Yacht Rock to Psychedelic and Boleros. He played guitar and wrote songs all throughout high school and college where studied theatre and performance at the University of Illinois at Chicago. In 2017, Richard began developing his new project Mán Cub. He released his first single “Powder Room” featuring Jesse, in February of 2018 with good reception. In 2019, Mán Cub released his debut EP “Self Control” to rotation radio play and good reviews. He also produced records for artists Madera Once and Jesse. Mán Cub has played LatinXt Fest and opened for Tropa Magica aka Thee Commons at the Empty Bottle.
Like any good conspiracy theory, Chicago-hailing rock band Blue Beam was formed in a joint mission between three brothers to defy what’s predictable. Combining the soaring vocals of rock, to the foot-tapping beats of pop; from relaxed rhythms of lounge, to impromptu fits of psychedelia, Blue Beam constantly challenges concertgoers and alt rock music enthusiasts alike to stay on their toes. Their debut EP, “The Manhattan Project” (2019) catapults listeners into an effortless blend of funky grooves and interactive lyrics, while their latest single “Hotel Next Door” (2019) displays a softer side that’s nothing short of catchy. Fans appreciate Blue Beam‘s ever-evolving setlist, tight live sound, and captivating performances, all of which keep audiences coming back for more — a good time that’s anything but predictable.
Three piece extreme metal from Portland, Oregon.
Punishment, cruelty, and death.
Worship violence.
Female-led, 90s grunge/alternative rock cover band, delivering heavy riffs and fun, high-energy shows.
Voodoo is the Midwest’s premier Godsmack tribute band
Vik-Vocals
Mark- Guitar
Brad- Bass
Mike- Drums
HEAVY METAL FROM VANCOUVER, BC. “Livin’ Oblivion” LP is out worldwide on Listenable Records!
Chicago-based punk band, Capgun Heroes play fast, hooky pop-punk in the vein of the Ramones, Screeching Weasel, andRiverdales.
Capgun Heroes are Joe Capgun (vocals), Matt Cappy (guitar), Andy Hero (guitar), Nick Hero (guitar), Jimmy C. (bass), and Scotty (drums). They have opened up for Smoking Popes, The Lillingtons, Nerf Herder, The Copyrights, The Queers, Dan Vapid and The Cheats, and more.
Spies Who Surf are a surf rock/instrumental band from Chicago. They are recognized by Billboard [magazine] as being part of a global surf rock movement. They have shared the stage with national acts, including The Ventures, Dick Dale, and Agent Orange. The current lineup includes…Tommy Klein, Marshall Dawson, Dan Polonsky and David Suycott. Their 1993 release Calling All Martians [produced by Jay O’Rourke] received critical acclaim. SWS are planning more performances and recording in the very near future.
A unique and heartfelt attempt to re-create the feeling and frenzy of watching Freddie Mercury’s QUEEN
A charismatic band of mostly female musicians who pride themselves on delivering the intricacies of each song