Asking Alexandria
Hailing from the United Kingdom, Asking Alexandria have been breaking out of the underground music scene with a sound that is both heavy and hard-hitting, yet catchy and melodic. Time and time again, the same regurgitated hardcore sound is shot out and fed to kids all over the world. Asking Alexandria decided they wanted to try something a little different, they felt like showing everyone that there was more to hardcore than just breakdowns and hardcore riffs. Combining hardcore music with European Trance, soft catchy melodies and a sound more mature than just your average play by numbers hardcore outfit, Asking Alexandria are here, and they are here to stay. 2009 will see the boys releasing their debut album, touring relentlessly and making their mark on the hardcore scene with fists pumping. Don't be left behind, Join the party! Asking Alexandria!
Woe, Is Me
Woe, Is Me is a 7 piece metalcore band from Atlanta, Ga. The guys refer to themselves as "Just some good ole' boys from way down south, who like to bounce up and down!" As a new wave approach to thesub streamarises Woe, Is Me likes to introduce to the scene a fun and exciting stage performance, an impressive audible experience, and a unique interactive show coursed by their persistant jumpy riffs! Don't miss these guys on this year's Warped Tour, "bounce" over to the Altec Lansing Stage for some chaotic crowd participation!
Of Mice & Men
After recording "Someday Came Suddenly" and touring some with Attack Attack! Austin Carlile left the band. After leaving, Austin decided to start something new on his own. He asked one of his best friends Jaxin Hall from New Zealand, to be his partner in crime and apart of whatever he did next. They joined up with the two people that had stood by them since day one. Rise and Artery were always considered family, and after hearing the first song, they accepted us into theirs. Solidifying the line up with Valentino Arteaga from Lower Definition on drums, Shayley Bourget from Chapters and Covette on guitar and vocals, and Phil Manansala from A Static Lullaby on guitar. With a full touring schedule to promote their debut album, Austin ran into some health issues that required surgery and an extensive break from the band. After a roller coaster year that also saw the departure of Jaxin Hall and addition of Alan Ashby, Austin returns to record their second full length and tour for the first time in support of both albums on the bands first headliner and the entire Vans Warped Tour!
Go Radio
Armed with an enviable combination of musical prowess and an impressive collection of honest, melodic songs, Tallahassee's Go Radio is one of the most exciting new bands to emerge from Florida's hotbed of rock n' roll talent. Second EP Do Overs And Second Chances is a perfect showcase of the band's abilities, evoking the excitement of discovering something fresh, something exciting. Something real. Singer/guitarist Jason Lancaster formed Go Radio in 2008, recruiting Matt Burns on bass, Alex Reed on guitar and Steven Kopacz on drums. The quartet released first EP, Welcome To Life, in August 2008, and after sensing that they had created something truly special, decided to test the new songs out on the road. "At first Go Radio was just an outlet to write and make music, but after a week or two, it all just started coming together," notes Lancaster. "It became so much fun to start touring and playing for people, getting the responses from them. After we started touring more and decided to record the first EP, we knew this had the potential to grow and get bigger than we thought it could be." The band spent the following two years captivating audiences with their refreshing take on pop-rock, signing to Fearless Records in January 2010. Recorded with producers Zack Odom and Kenneth Mount (All Time Low, Mayday Parade, Cartel), Do Overs And Second Chances features seven handcrafted songs of heartbreak and redemption, and is a stunning showcase for Go Radios songwriting skills. While the euphoric riff of "When Dreaming Gets Drastic" is an explosion of an opener, it is epic closing ballad "Goodnight Moon" that truly displays Lancaster's unique vocal talents. With a natural talent for encapsulating real emotion in every note, Lancaster's voice has become known as one of the most unique in the scene, and never was this more apparent than on "Goodnight Moon". Go Radio has the rare ability to transcend genres - something that they are excited to push to its limits on tour in 2010. The band launched their EP alongside a coveted slot on one of the hottest tours of the spring, with A Day To Remember, August Burns Red and Silverstein, and followed up the tour by heading out on the road with Secondhand Serenade in the summer. With their fan base rapidly expanding with each show they play, Go Radio rounded out a huge year with a slot of the Fearless Friends Tour, headlined by old friends Mayday Parade. Proving they are as at ease playing to large crowds on tour as they are pouring their soul into every note for an intimate group of fans, the band has made it their mission to play to diverse audiences, something that keeps that fuels their desire to stay inspired as a band. "You talk to any touring musician, or anyone who's been in the game, it's the most addictive thing there is," notes Lancaster. "The feeling you get when people are listening to your songs and being touched by them, in any extreme way, angry or sad, is incredible. To evoke an emotion from something you've written or been a part of is most powerful drug in the world."Go Radio is set to make 2011 their most successful year yet, with the release of the band's much-anticipated debut album and a slot on the whole of Vans Warped Tour already booked. Watch this space!
Paramore
As Paramore embark on the most successful year of their career, there seems to be no limit as to what they can accomplish. The band's last 2007 album RIOT! has sold over two million copies worldwide, the group was nominated for a Grammy Award in 2008 for "Best New Artist" and even their live CD/DVD The Final Riot! has gone gold. However while these statistics are impressive, record sales have never been the driving force behind Paramore--and that fact has never been as evident as it is on the group's highly anticipated third full-length brand new eyes. In fact, as excited as this group of young adults from Franklin, Tennessee are to have had the opportunity to tour with their heroes like Jimmy Eat World and No Doubt over the past few years, they seem even more ecstatic to share brand new eyes with the world. "I hope that every record is a progression for us, but this one is definitely a huge leap from RIOT!," the band's frontwoman Hayley Williams explains. "I just can't wait to get back on the road and start playing these new songs live."Anyone who has seen the band on the road already knows Paramore have an incendiary live show; however with brand new eyes, the group has proved they're also able to juxtapose all of their indie-minded influences into a seamless collection of songs that embrace the future without abandoning the band's past. Additionally, the process of making brand new eyes seems to have taught the group--Hayley, guitarists Josh Farro and Taylor York, drummer Zac Farro and bassist Jeremy Davis--countless lessons about who they are both inside and outside of Paramore. "We've been through a ton of stressful, pressure-filled situations since RIOT! came out and I feel like I'm a completely new person," Hayley explains, adding that brand new eyes ended up being the perfect cathartic outlet for the band's creativity and, yes, frustration. "I think making the record was part of the healing process," Hayley elaborates. "It was good for me both as a person and as an artist."Considering the fact that RIOT! went gold in Ireland, Canada, New Zealand and the U.K. and the band cracked the top five on the radio charts in the U.K. Australia, Mexico, Brazil, France, Germany and Southeast Asia, this global success story had a lot to live up to with brand new eyes. Co-produced by the band and Rob Cavallo (Green Day, My Chemical Romance), who Paramore also worked with on the track "Decode" from the double-platinum soundtrack for the movie Twilight, the album is also the first disc to officially feature new guitarist Taylor York--although York has been a writing partner and frequent touring member since the band's inception back in 2004. "It's really nice having Taylor there because he's the only other guitarist that I trust with our songs," Josh explains. "It's so exciting to be a five-piece again," Hayley concurs, "that's what we were originally intended to be, so I think the writing process was a lot more rewarding having him there." While Josh and Hayley once again made up the main songwriting team on brand new eyes, Hayley is also quick to stress that this album is the most collaborative creation of the band's career, a fact that is evident in the disc's sonic diversity.In fact brand new eyes is a case study in the band's versatility and contains as many driving, first-pumping anthems like "Ignorance" as it does upbeat pop masterpieces like "Where The Lines Overlap" and lilting, acoustic ballads such as "Misguided Ghosts.""We really tried to venture out and experiment with our sound to see how far we could push ourselves this time around," Josh explains. "'Misguided Ghosts' is just finger- picking and that's not really Paramore's sound but for some reason it works," he continues. "I don't think it would have fit on RIOT! at all, but it's definitely the perfect song for this album." While Rob Cavallo was instrumental in helping the band fully realize their sound, the end result wouldn't have come to fruition in the studio so quickly if the band didn't have a clear-cut idea of what they wanted to accomplish from the onset. "I think we did a good job of guiding ourselves on this record," Hayley explains, "but if there was ever was a time [Cavallo] had to step in he did and it was always perfect."The rollercoaster ride that Paramore have experienced over the past few years was also a huge influence on the lyrics for brand new eyes, however it was important for Williams not to write a clich_d collection of songs about the perils of success. "I watch all these bands go from being really hungry on their first album to talking about paparazzi following them around on their next one," Hayley explains with a laugh. "I was so afraid of sounding like that." Instead Hayley decided to dig into her own psyche and explore some of her deepest emotions. "I would sit in my room all day and not go anywhere, because I felt like I had to keep myself secluded in order to write lyrics," Hayley recounts. "I'm really proud because looking back on all the songs this is really exactly what I was going through--and I think a lot of people are going through this, too."Hayley's honesty is evident in tracks like the acoustic ballad "The Only Exception" and album closer "All I Wanted," both of which give an unapologetic glimpse into the inner workings of what was happening in her head over the past two years, a reality that was initially scary for the 20-year-old to advertise to the rest of the world. "Now that it's all said and on paper I'm not as insecure about [these lyrics] because I think these songs form a full story that people are going to be able to connect with," Hayley explains, adding that once the songs started to flow in the studio the band were instantly rejuvenated and remembered why they started Paramore in the first place. "There's something Hayley is able to draw out of me that I can't seem to do with anyone else," Josh responds when asked how the band are able to craft music that defies gender and genre stereotypes. "Hayley hates the word 'mature,' but I think it's really suitable for this record because there's much growth that's evident on this album."Never content to rest on their laurels, Paramore continue to look toward the future and can't wait to see what the next few years have in store for them. "I don't really care how many records we sell," Josh explains, citing that this album is a full representation of the band's disparate influences which include Mew, Jimmy Eat World and Death Cab For Cutie. "I want to come out on the other end happier than ever just knowing that we've done this together and it was fun," Hayley summarizes. "I just want to feel like this is my band, this is awesome, I'm living the dream," she adds, her voice taking on a palpably excited tone. "If we can accomplish that together, there's nothing more that we can ask for."
Attack Attack!
Attack Attack! are a 4 piece band from the suburbs of Columbus, Ohio. Featuring Caleb Shomo (Vocals), Andrew Wetzel (Drums), Andrew Whiting (Guitar), and John Holgado (Bass). Attack Attack! started in early 2007 and has morphed over time into the powerhouse it is today. Headlining consistently and being featured on Vans Warped Tour 2 years in a row, the band is obviously in high demand in many territories. They've been credited with starting their very own genre called "Crabcore". They've attracted attention from all over the world and have been featured on Fox News. Many people have been critical of the band, but it would seem that Attack Attack! are only capable of rising upward in the industry. Attack Attack! have already done a successful Australia/New Zealand tour, and are planning to headline all over Europe in the coming months. With the band pushing it's way into markets across the globe. It's safe to say that this band is just getting warmed up.
A Day To Remember
Since their Victory Records signing in 2006, Ocala, Florida's A Day To Remember have released three albums, sold out entire continental tours and topped Billboard charts. Vocalist Jeremy McKinnon, guitarists Neil Westfall and Kevin Skaff, bassist Joshua Woodard, and drummer Alex Shelnutt have displayed their unmatched musicianship on their previous efforts For Those Who Have Hearts, Old Record, and Homesick. The foundation of their band was built on a drive to reinvent a genre that was desperately seeking creativity. As stated by Rocksound "ADTR are the poster boys of a genre on the cusp of a new revolution and their fourth studio album, What Separates Me From You, pummels through your picks for 2010's "Album Of the Year", wiping out the year's competition.What Separates Me From You sold over 58,000 albums within the first week, landing it a #11 debut position on the Billboard Top 200 Chart and setting the tone for a successful 2011. Their spring headlining run is selling out every venue they hit, making it one of the top tours on the road right now. All albums combined, ADTR has sold 750,000+ albums.The band wrote much of the album on the road - mainly while they were touring last summer playing festivals in Europe. "We had been writing constantly since Homesick. The whole album was written on the road, and we actually took Andrew Wade overseas with us. We'd all write and record ideas on the bus that we brought to Chad [Gilbert] to work out when we got home," says Jeremy of the writing process.Amidst writing for the new album, things were still going strong for Homesick. Both "I'm Made of Wax, Larry, What Are You Made of?" and "Have Faith in Me" premiered on MTV2 and MTVu and earned themselves a coveted spot in the Elite 8 rotation. The band also received over 7000 spins for "Have Faith In Me" on alternative and active rock stations all over the country including the influential Kroq in Los Angeles. Kroq invited the band to close out 2010 by playing their annual "Almost Acoustic Christmas" alongside My Chemical Romance, Smashing Pumpkins, Social Distortion and others. The band's winning streak has continued on with their first single off What Separates Me From You, "All I Want" which has received 35,000+ spins to date and charted top 10 at alternative radio. MTV has named them a "Band To Watch" for 2011. The band has done television appearances in support of the new album so far on Jimmy Kimmel Live plus Hoppus On Music.This record is still very much A Day To Rmemember, "...death metal grunts with pop-punk hooks..." as described by Rolling Stone; showcasing their characteristic mix of monstrous sing-a-long choruses and mosh-pit-inducing breakdowns, however this time around the lyrics are darker than ever. They are based off of true, deep-seeded emotion which Jeremy explains as his most honest and personal writings to date. "I know what the lyrics mean to me, but my hope is that our fans take away their own interpretation." Keeping true to A Day To Remember fashion, 2011 is chockfull of continent-hopping plans, which will see them headlining the UK, Europe, S. America, Australia, N. America plus this summer's Warped Tour. They have perfected a genre and their latest effort, What Separates Me From You, enhances their already impressive catalog, hitting harder and bouncing bigger than ever before. A DAY TO REMEMBER is: Jeremy Mckinnon - vocals Neil Westfall - guitar Kevin Skaff - guitar Alex Shelnutt - drums Josh Woodard - bass