Sermon Of Mockery – Crippler Crossface Murder Suicide [Bludgeoning Death Metal on Comatose Music].
SERMON OF MOCKERY – CRIPPLER CROSSFACE MURDER SUICIDE EPLABEL: COMATOSE MUSICRELEASE DATE: OCTOBER 7th 2022 Walking a tightrope above a lava pit of uncontrollable rage; tendrils of liquid hate reaching up to you, straining to pull you down into the boiling, all consuming fury. Distorted faces […]
News
Blue October – Spinning The Truth Around ‘Part 1’ out 14 Oct 2022: ‘Part 2’ and UK dates Spring 2023.
Blue October – New Single “Spinning The Truth Around’ out now, title track from upcoming Double Album. ‘Spinning The Truth Around Part 1’ out 14 October 2022 – ‘Part 2’ and UK dates to follow in Spring 2023. Furstenfeld to make Acting Debut in ‘Section 8’, opposite Mickey […]
News
Sweet announce Tony Wright (Terrovision), Sari Schorr and Kira Mac as special guests on UK Tour.
SWEET UNLOCK THE ROCK TOUR 2022, “BLITZ THE HITZ”, NOVEMBER/DECEMBER UK TOUR PLUS SPECIAL GUESTS: *TONY WRIGHT (TERRORVISION), **SARI SCHORR, ***KIRA MAC TICKETS AVAILABLE FROM:WWW.THEGIGCARTEL.COM & WWW.PLANETROCK.COM Sweet, featuring original guitarist Andy Scott, will perform the band’s iconic hit singles including Ballroom Blitz, Fox on […]
News
Samantha Fish announces new album with Jesse Dayton ahead of October UK Tour.
SAMANTHA TOURS THE UK FROM 15-27 OCTOBER 2022 WITH SPECIAL GUESTS “WILLE & THE BANDITS”TICKETS AVAILABLE FROM: WWW.SAMANTHAFISH.COM/TOUR : WWW.ALTTICKETS.COM/SAMANTHA-FISH-TICKETS Rock guitar dynamo Samantha Fish and outlaw country badass Jesse Dayton have joined forces for an upcoming album of collaborative music, due out in May […]
NewsSAMANTHA TOURS THE UK FROM 15-27 OCTOBER 2022 WITH SPECIAL GUESTS “WILLE & THE BANDITS”
TICKETS AVAILABLE FROM: WWW.SAMANTHAFISH.COM/TOUR : WWW.ALTTICKETS.COM/SAMANTHA-FISH-TICKETS
Rock guitar dynamo Samantha Fish and outlaw country badass Jesse Dayton have joined forces for an upcoming album of collaborative music, due out in May 2023 via Rounder Records. In December, two cover songs and accompanying videos will be released in conjunction with four special concerts in the USA.
Before her U.S. tour dates with Jesse Dayton, Samantha will embark on her own headline nationwide tour of the UK from October 15-27th with special guests Wille & The Bandits.
Tickets for Samantha’s UK tour dates are available from www.samanthafish.com/tour and www.alttickets.com/samantha-fish-tickets.
An award-winning singer, songwriter, and lead guitarist, Samantha Fish has released six albums over the course of her acclaimed career, with 2021’s Faster and 2019’s Kill or Be Kind both appearing on Rounder Records. “It’s not pure rock and roll, it’s not pure blues, it’s not pure soul, it’s not pure pop — it’s a mixture of everything,” she says of her genre-bending sound, which has regularly taken Fish around the world. A road warrior, she performs 200 shows yearly, both domestically and abroad.
SAMANTHA FISH OCTOBER 2022 UK TOUR WITH SPECIAL GUESTS WILLE & THE BANDITS, TICKETS AVAILABLE FROM:
www.alttickets.com/samantha-fish-tickets
www.gigantic.com/samantha-fish-tickets
www.ticketmaster.co.uk/samantha-fish-tickets
www.samanthafish.com/tour
www.ticketweb.uk
Tour Dates
O2 Academy2 Oxford – Saturday 15 October 2022
Academy 2, Manchester – Sunday 16 October 2022
Chalk, Brighton – Tuesday 18 October 2022
Queens Hall, Edinburgh – Wednesday 19 October 2022
KK’s Steel Mill, Wolverhampton – Thursday 20 October 2022
St Luke’s, Glasgow – Friday 21 October 2022
The Brook, Southampton – Saturday 22 October 2022
Rock City, Nottingham – Sunday 23 October 2022
Tramshed, Cardiff – Monday 24 October 2022
Wylam Brewery, Newcastle – Tuesday 25 October 2022
Shepherd’s Bush Empire, London – Wednesday 26 October 2022
Komedia, Bath – Thursday 27 October 2022
Cats in Space: Launch ‘Kickstart The Sun’ tour with two feature shows supporting legends ‘Blue Öyster Cult’.
It’s a busy autumn and winter ahead for UK Classic Rockers CATS in SPACE as they embark on their long awaited Kickstart The Sun tour starting on September 29th and going right through to Christmas. HOT NEWS just in, is that the band are also set […]
News
It’s a busy autumn and winter ahead for UK Classic Rockers CATS in SPACE as they embark on their long awaited Kickstart The Sun tour starting on September 29th and going right through to Christmas.
HOT NEWS just in, is that the band are also set to feature as special guests to rock legends BLUE ÖYSTER CULT on two dates in October.
The CATS are currently riding the crest of a wave with their epic new double album Kickstart The Sun entering the UK National Rock Chart at number one and making the top twenty in three other national charts. All this, whilst gaining outstanding reviews in all of the leading music publications and, indeed, making Album of the Month in several of them. In Australia, the album spent five weeks at number one in the Sentinel Rock Chart and their last single Teenage Millionaires gained airplay on BBC Radio 2.
Radio stations nationwide playing a large selection of tracks from the album have helped with unprecedented sales and, aided by support from the HMV music store chain with an exclusive vinyl release, Kickstart The Sun is set to be one of this year’s most successful albums. A new and also exclusive double A-side single will also be released on vinyl during the tour, as the “Worldwide Mission” of CATS in SPACE continues to soar!
CiS Tour Dates:
29.09.22 BILSTON – The Robin 2
30.09.22 WIMBORNE – Tivoli Theatre
02.10.22 DOVER – The Booking Hall
13.10.22 NOTTINGHAM – The Rescue Rooms
14.10.22 CAMBRIDGE – Cambridge Junction
15.10.22 TAVISTOCK – The Wharf
16.10.22 SOUTHAMPTON – Engine Rooms
18.10.22 LEICESTER – De Montfort *with BLUE ÖYSTER CULT*
19.10.22 NEWCASTLE – City Hall * with BLUE ÖYSTER CULT*
26.10.22 READING – Sub 89
27.10.22 STOKE ON TRENT – Eleven
28.10.22 BURY – The Met
29.10.22 BUCKLEY – The Tivoli
04.11.22 LEEDS – Brudenell
25.11.22 SHEFFIELD – Corporation
16.12.22 SWANSEA – Patti Pavilion
17.12.22 MILTON KEYNES – The Stables
18.12.22 LONDON – The Garage
Support on all headline shows will be UK rockers Matt Mitchell & The Coldhearts
More stories
Pure Assassins – the killer album, ‘Questions’ answered 25 November.
Pre-Order Vinyl / CD What happens when a Generation X drum and bass hedonist picks up a guitar and embraces existentialism? Listen to ‘Questions’ the killer debut album by Pure Assassins released 25 November 2022 [self-release] to find out. Like many of those who came […]
NewsWhat happens when a Generation X drum and bass hedonist picks up a guitar and embraces existentialism? Listen to ‘Questions’ the killer debut album by Pure Assassins released 25 November 2022 [self-release] to find out.
Like many of those who came of age in the 90s, Chris Rush has experienced the extremes of the party lifestyle. The multi-instrumentalist and producer behind Pure Assassins cut his teeth as one of the forerunners in the exploding drum and bass scene and although he enjoyed success as part of Calyx, it would be rock music that became his weapon of choice.
With Calyx, Chris achieved multiple releases on iconic Drum n Bass labels such as Moving Shadow, 31 Records, Rugged Vinyl and numerous plays on Radio 1, Kiss FM by DJs such as Grooverider and John Peel. As a DJ, Chris toured Europe during dance music’s 90s heyday.
After several EPs and singles as Pure Assassins, Rush decided it was time to develop an album that brought together his many influences and musical preferences. As Chris says, “I decided not to limit myself with this album and, within reason, to go with first instincts to keep the creative process open and free from too much self-analysis/criticism. If the song felt like it needed a gospel choir, despite being a dirty guitar/synth rock groove then I was going to try it! I feel like this approach has produced some of the most emotionally connected and personal music I’ve ever made. I also surprised myself many times with the final outcome of a track”.
‘Questions’ is a record that showcases Chris Rush’s visionary rock, a sound that will have listeners reaching for the volume and cranking their systems. Lyrically, Chris has pondered meaning in love and life, but infused with both reverence and saltiness.
This isn’t nihilism, ‘Questions’ from Pure Assassins represents a search both for answers and for what is real and trustworthy in an age of uncertainty and paradigm shifts.
Personal thoughts on the album:
During 2020 I’d been releasing singles and at the end of the year I wrote and recorded the track Questions really quickly, I pretty much had a download of the whole thing including the guitar solo on a dog walk! For some reason I suddenly felt like that was the first and title track of an album. Lyrically it felt like a great starting point for an album that was going to explore a lot of my own Questions.
Having only recorded EPs and singles before, making an album felt like the challenge I needed in 2020, it also felt long overdue for me to take on a bigger body of work that allowed me to explore some deeper subjects.
The album was written and recorded over 2021, mainly as a solo venture, but with some remote collaboration with Tom Hooper on drums using some clever software that allowed us to literally work in near real-time remotely and with Pablo Uccellotore replaying bass on over half the album. I also worked remotely with some brass musicians and a small gospel choir, it was a real buzz working out the parts for a choir to sing, another first!
I wanted to allow my influences and personal musical journey to be allowed to come through in a natural way. There are tracks that definitely include flavours I would’ve used when making a Drum n Bass track back in the late 90s but stay true to the alt-rock sound of Pure Assassins, it feels seamless to me to mix those genres.
Austin Meade – Abstract Art Of An Unstable Mind.
ALBUM ARRIVES OCTOBER 14 VIA SNAKEFARM Rising Texan star Austin Meade has announced his new album ‘Abstract Art of an Unstable Mind’. The 19-track album will be released on October 14 via Snakefarm. Pre-order it HERE. Today, he has shared new single, ‘Rosé Romance’, with […]
News
MESHUGGAH unleashed “I Am That Thirst” music video!
Limited Vinyl Anniversary Editions Of “Nothing” and “Koloss” on November 25th via Atomic Fire; preorders are now available. Meshuggah will begin their long-awaited US headlining tour tonight, September 16th, with a sold-out show at The Palladium in Worcester, Massachusetts! In celebration of the tour’s kick off, the band […]
NewsLimited Vinyl Anniversary Editions Of “Nothing” and “Koloss” on November 25th via Atomic Fire; preorders are now available.
Meshuggah will begin their long-awaited US headlining tour tonight, September 16th, with a sold-out show at The Palladium in Worcester, Massachusetts! In celebration of the tour’s kick off, the band unleashes their stunning new video for “I Am That Thirst.” The track comes off their critically lauded “Immutable” full-length, released earlier this year via Atomic Fire.
Watch Meshuggah’s music video “I Am That Thirst” now here: https://youtu.be/EB8Og6PcJ1Q
Meshuggah’s month-long Immutable USA 2022 trek includes a stop at this year’s editions of the Louder Than Life Festival in Louisville, Kentucky, and Aftershock Festival in Sacramento, California. Support will be provided by Torche throughout the tour’s duration as well as special guests Converge from September 16th through September 30th and In Flames from October 2nd through the tour’s conclusion. Tickets are selling fast. Secure yours today at meshuggah.net/tour.
As an added treat, the long-running metal icons will issue new limited vinyl editions of their “Nothing” and “Koloss” full-lengths on November 25th via Atomic Fire!
Since forming in 1987, the Swedish sound architects have developed into one of the most technically complex and virtuosic groups of players the metal realm has ever encountered, their distinctly unique brand of progressive, groove‐infused extreme metal inadvertently launching an entirely new subgenre. Called “one of the ten most important hard and heavy bands,” by Rolling Stone, Meshuggah has earned the respect and admiration from fans and musicians alike.
“Nothing”, the band’s fourth studio album, was initially released in 2002 and is celebrating its twentieth anniversary this year! Pitchfork lauded, “a viciously crafted effort,” while All Music wrote, “Nothing truly gives new meaning to the word heavy, redefining boundaries by pushing metal into the realms of abstract science; for those lucky enough to be tuned into Meshuggah‘s unique wavelength, the album, like all good art, tickles the subconscious while probing both the internal (the mind) and the external (space). And when Meshuggah explores, it’s into uncharted territory. If only more metal bands could be so daring.”
Celebrating its tenth anniversary, the band’s monumental “Koloss” full-length, released in 2012, once again showcased Meshuggah at their peak. Metal Injection crowned the band’s seventh studio offering, “one of the year’s best,” Blabbermouth hailed, “another magnificent album,” adding, “Doing wrong just isn’t in the cards for Meshuggah,” while Spin Magazine elaborated, “Nothing feels safe when you’re listening to Meshuggah…Whether playing death metal in 7/4 time or recording epic, single-track symphonies of sickness that would be impossible to replicate live, the group has forged its own path. In a genre full of rebels, these guys are Dadaist deconstructionists, thumbing their noses at convention wherever and whenever they can. In the process, they’ve become underground heroes.”
Each release of “Nothing” and “Koloss” comes in two color variants – and each variant is limited to 500 copies worldwide. You can check out the vinyl and variations online at https://meshuggah.afr.link/NothingPR and https://meshuggah.afr.link/KolossPR
MESHUGGAH
w/ Converge, Torche:
9/16/2022 Palladium – Worcester, MA
9/17/2022 Franklin Music Hall – Philadelphia, PA
9/18/2022 Hammerstein Ballroom – New York, NY
9/20/2022 The Fillmore – Silver Spring, MD
9/21/2022 The NorVa –Norfolk, VA
9/23/2022 Louder Than Life 2022 – Louisville, KY
9/24/2022 Agora Theatre & Ballroom – Cleveland, OH
9/25/2022 Kemba Live! – Columbus, OH
9/27/2022 Stage AE – Pittsburgh, PA
9/28/2022 Royal Oak Theatre – Royal Oak, MI
9/29/2022 Radius – Chicago, IL
9/30/2022 Myth Live – Minneapolis, MN
w/ In Flames, Torche:
10/02/2022 Fillmore Auditorium – Denver, CO
10/04/2022 The Warfield Theatre – San Francisco, CA
10/07/2022 Aftershock 2022 – Sacramento, CA
10/08/2022 Riverside Municipal Auditorium – Riverside, CA
10/09/2022 Hollywood Palladium – Los Angeles, CA
10/10/2022 Marquee Theatre – Tempe, AZ
10/12/2022 The Factory In Deep Ellum – Dallas, TX
10/13/2022 Warehouse Live – Houston, TX
10/15/2022 Hard Rock Live – Orlando, FL
10/16/2022 Tabernacle – Atlanta, GA
MESHUGGAH is:
Jens Kidman | Vocals
Mårten Hagström | Guitars
Dick Lövgren | Bass
Fredrik Thordendal | Guitars
Tomas Haake | Drum
MESHUGGAH online:
https://www.meshuggah.net
https://www.instagram.com/meshuggah
https://www.twitter.com/meshuggah
https://www.facebook.com/meshuggah
https://label.atomicfire-records.com/project/meshuggah
More stories
GOTHMINISTER release new album ‘Pandemonium’ on 21st October, out on AFM Records.
Since the release of his debut ‘Gothic Electronic Anthems’ in 2003, Gothminister Bjørn Alexander Brem has captured the listeners with his hymns of pitch-black magic. Dark shudders, deep lead vocals and thrilling craft of composing within the marrow of Gothic, Industrial-Metal and Electro have become his […]
NewsSince the release of his debut ‘Gothic Electronic Anthems’ in 2003, Gothminister Bjørn Alexander Brem has captured the listeners with his hymns of pitch-black magic. Dark shudders, deep lead vocals and thrilling craft of composing within the marrow of Gothic, Industrial-Metal and Electro have become his trademarks ever since.
“Driving sequences lead into compelling verses which are soon countered by harsh metalriffs. Finally, the listener gets subdued by an overwhelming combination of catchiness, denseness and heavenly choirs.” (Myk Jung)
With tracks like “Devil” (Gothic Electronic Anthems 2003), “Monsters” (Empire of Dark Salvation 2005), “Darkside” (Happiness In Darkness 2008), “Liar” (Anima Inferna 2011), “Utopia” (Utopia 2013), the last single from the CD/DVD horror movie concept album which even reached the national finals of the Norwegian Eurovision contest, «Ich will alles» and «We are the ones who rule the world» which both reached top 10 on the German Alternative charts and brought thousands of German fans together on a tour across Germany together with ASP, Gothminister has gotten a significant following of fans through the years.
His new album ‘Pandemonium’, mixed by Henning Verlage (Unheilig, Eisbrecher), is a long-awaited powerhouse which exceeds the even highest expectations. Powerful, sometimes heavily downtuned metal riffs march relentlessly arm in arm with huge orchestras and heavenly choirs. The Master himself reveals an astonishing range of vocal-art: from the deepest Gothic-dungeons up to the higher spheres of steaming Rock.
The title track of the new album, ‘Pandemonium‘, takes us back to the new gothic era around 1880 AC, where we find the city and kingdom of Gothminister under attack from its own inhabitants. The old, mighty and evil king, played by Gothminister himself, faces chaos and uproar among his own. But you should be careful what you wish for. “He who fights monsters should be careful lest he thereby become a monster. And if thou gaze long into an abyss, the abyss will gaze into thee.”
The king is dead. Long live the king!
The new Gothminister album, “Pandemonium”, will be released on October 21, 2022 through AFM Records, the pre-sale is now available at THIS LOCATION!
GOTHMINISTER Line-Up:
Bjørn Alexander Brem “Gothminister“ (Vocals)
Eirik “Blodøks” Øien (Bass)
Glenn “Icarus” Nilsen & Ketil “Turbo Natas” Eggum (Guitars)
Christian Svendsen “Chris Dead“ (Drums)
More stories
The Cadillac Three s/b Lindsay Ell, Manchester Academy.
The Cadillac Three, originally named The Cadillac Black, are an American Southern Rock group, consisting of Jaren Johnston on guitar and lead vocals, Kelby Ray on acoustic guitar and Neil Mason on drums, take on Manchester Academy with support from Lindsay Ell, a Canadian Country […]
Gig reviewsThe Cadillac Three, originally named The Cadillac Black, are an American Southern Rock group, consisting of Jaren Johnston on guitar and lead vocals, Kelby Ray on acoustic guitar and Neil Mason on drums, take on Manchester Academy with support from Lindsay Ell, a Canadian Country Pop Singer.
One thing to say before Lindsay took the stage for her performance, there was such a divide of fans for The Cadillac Three and Lindsay Ell, normally at most shows you have the crowd being there for the main act and they get a bonus with the supports, but this time around it seemed like a lot of the crowd knew exactly who Lindsay was! The room quickly began to get packed out the second the doors opened at 7pm.
Fans flock to the barrier to get the perfect spot. Lindsay walks onto the stage with her drummer Petar Janjic, she’s wearing a leopard print sleeveless top, black latex pants with her hair down and wavy on her shoulders. Supporting her white guitar as she walks towards the mic.
The crowd is already ready to go as the lights come on and the guitar gets its first use.
As she kicks off her set the crowd already have their full attention on Lindsay. Not one person has their eyes elsewhere. She provides insane 80s inspired lyrics and guitar solos, giving appreciation to legends such as Queen and Prince, the perfect blend of a classic pop rock to get the crowd amped up for the night.
The energy from the crowd was certainly one to remember, a core memory for everyone there, especially for the young country fans that joined in.
An electronic backing track plays as front man and guitarist Jared Johnson takes to the stage with a pint already in hand, he approaches the mic and puts the cup in a holder attached to the stand as Kelby Ray and Neil Mason take their spots.
But don’t worry about him running out during the set, they had an honorary legend to fill up their cups whenever they got a little low.
“That is f***ing cool!” – I heard a member of the audience say next to me.
They start the show with ‘Hard out here for a Country boy’ starting a singalong from the crowd from the get go.
The energy from the lyrics and intense guitar solos amps the crowd up even more, and the room is without a doubt alive! The energy never dies for a single moment during their set, as they go into ‘Blue El Camino, Crackin’ Cold Ones With The Boys,’ and ‘The Jam.’ A brief pause comes in, as Jared Johnston introduces the crowd and any newcomers to the rest of the band, as well as mentioning that they’re from Nashville Tennessee. They follow this with ‘Bury me by the boots’ and ‘Slide’ the crowd is brought in with the band even further as Jared asks the audience, “Can I get a hell yeah?Can I get a alright?” as Mason stands up to join in on the craziness of the crowd.
“Tennessee Mojo” and “Back it Up” follow up next, as Jared then addresses the crowd by mentioning how often people in Manchester use the term ‘gutted’, adding that they were “Gutted not to come back” to promote their previous two albums, due to the pandemic. He added that Manchester was the first place where they really felt like rockstars and that this was the only thing they’re good at.
Like any rock set, you can have the energy but sometimes you just need to take the energy down a notch, as they go into a more heartfelt, Peace Love and Dixie’, ‘Hank and Jesus’, ‘American Slang’, and ‘Take Me To The Bottom’.
And if the crowd aren’t loving the set even more, TC3 brings out Lindsay Ell back onto the stage with her guitar to play some more insane riffs, sending the crowd into a series of cheers at the sight of the singer. Kelby Ray now comes to the front of the stage, sporting a bass guitar with all four of them at the stage front together. They play “Head over Wheels” and “Sweet Southern Spirit”, before jumping into “Tabasco and Sweet Tea” Where Jared and Lindsay trade guitar solos. After this Lindsay leaves the stage, sending us into the home stretch of the set.
“Down to the river” and “Raise Hell” throw in some more hard hitting riffs from Jared, followed by “Days of Gold” which lead Jared to hand his guitar to a member of the crowd, still sounding as musical as ever.
They finish with “White Lighting” bringing back the singalong aspect of the set from the start back for the end, and finally “The South” bringing the crowd to sing along to the incredibly brilliant lyrics “This is where I was born, and this is where i will die”,even pausing to repeat the line a cappella.
Plectrums and drumsticks get launched into the crowd, as the cheering never stops. Jared gets down to the barrier of the stage and trades hats with a member of the crowd, truly showing appreciation for the fans and showing that the connection they have with them will never die, no matter what city they may be in.
Images & words: Lauren Allard.
More stories
The White Buffalo: 8th Studio Album ‘Year Of The Dark Horse’ out 11 November via Snakefarm.
‘YEAR OF THE DARK HORSE’ AVAILABLE FOR PRE-ORDER SEPTEMBER 29 The White Buffalo: Photocredit Pete Macomber THE WHITE BUFFALO will return this autumn with his eighth studio album titled YEAR OF THE DARK HORSE. The Oregon-born, Southern California-bred artist has completed the record with GRAMMY Award-winning […]
News‘YEAR OF THE DARK HORSE’ AVAILABLE FOR PRE-ORDER SEPTEMBER 29
 |
| The White Buffalo: Photocredit Pete Macomber |
THE WHITE BUFFALO will return this autumn with his eighth studio album titled YEAR OF THE DARK HORSE.
The Oregon-born, Southern California-bred artist has completed the record with GRAMMY Award-winning producer Jay Joyce (Eric Church, Brothers Osborne, Fidlar) at his Neon Cross studio in Nashville. For THE WHITE BUFFALO, aka singer-songwriter-guitarist JAKE SMITH, it was time to take the less-traveled path and embark on a voyage of discovery.
“You think we’re a country band? A folk band? Americana? Rock? What the fuck are you gonna say now?!” says SMITH. “With this album, I wanted something outside of what I’ve ever done. I wanted to open up. Do something dangerous. I’m hard to put into a singular genre as it is, but now I really wanted to take away any kind of preconception or pigeon-holing.”
SMITH adds, “And don’t ask me, cos I don’t know what it is! It’s a genre-bending thing–there’s elements and influences from ELO, Daniel Lanois, Tom Waits, The Boss, circus, pirate music, yacht rock, and I’m driving and pushing some of these numbers in a way I’ve never done before.”
Roughly based around the shifting of the seasons paralleled with the shifting of a relationship, on YEAR OF THE DARK HORSE, SMITH continues his evocative storytelling through emotionally weighted songs that allow the imagination of the listener to play an important part throughout; the music builds on a tale of debauchery (of the drunken variety) and blame, of love and loss, a life lived against the odds, the whole thing set in one lunar year, following our anti-hero through the highs and lows of the seasons.
From highlights “Kingdom For A Fool,” “52 Card Pickup,” and “Donna,” YEAR OF THE DARK HORSE offers an invigorating and wonderfully unpredictable listen. A collection of 12 musical vignettes, individual yet constant in flow, it’s THE WHITE BUFFALO’s most ambitious and well-rounded work to date, with the full scope of SMITH’s songwriting craft on view.
THE WHITE BUFFALO–now with seven albums plus various EPs in its locker –is rounded out by touring/recording compadres CHRISTOPHER HOFFEE, bassist/keyboards/guitars, and drummer MATT LYNOTT.
NPR’s All Songs Considered tagged THE WHITE BUFFALO as an “amazing storyteller,” the Los Angeles Times added “Smith’s baritone echoes with villains and misfits, drunks, and philistines,” and Classic Rock magazine declared TWB “America’s darkest country/blues export…imagine a blue collar Tom Waits, or Nick Cave pumping gas in a station just off the highway.”
YEAR OF THE HORSE is the follow-up to THE WHITE BUFFALO’s last album, On The Widow’s Walk (Snakefarm, 2020) which was released one week after the entire world stopped during the global pandemic.
A powerful and prolific storyteller through his songcraft, SMITH’s body of work includes prominent song and soundtrack placements in the worlds of TV and film, including the shows Sons Of Anarchy, This Is Us, Californication, The Punisher, The Terminal List, and the films Shelter, Safe Haven and West of Memphis. THE WHITE BUFFALO’s dark blues and light Americana-roots-tinged folk provided a soundtrack of tunes for the entire seven season run of the FX original series Sons of Anarchy, which included 11 songs overall. The last song in the series finale for SOA, “Come Join The Murder,” earned THE WHITE BUFFALO his first-ever EMMY Award Nomination.
With intense live performances, unique songwriting, humour and an independent attitude, THE WHITE BUFFALO has played to over 1 million fans globally and spent the past decade touring the world and winning over audiences at clubs and at U.S. and International festivals. THE WHITE BUFFALO has headlined tours in the UK, Germany, Netherlands, Spain, Turkey, and Canada and has toured with Jack Johnson, Neil Young, Stephen Stills, Flogging Molly, Steve Earle, Chuck Ragan, Chadwick Stokes, Ryan Bingham, Donovan Frankenreiter, Grace Potter & The Nocturnals, Gomez, Ziggy Marley and more. Notable festival appearances in the U.S. and across Europe have expanded their global footprint including Bonnaroo, Bumbershoot, Ohana Music and Arts Festival, Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Festival, Riot Fest, Under the Big Sky Music Festival, Electric Forest, Bourbon & Beyond, Ramblin’ Man Festival (UK), Bluesfest (UK and Ireland), Mad Cool, Blues Cazorla and Azenka Rock Festival in Spain, and Strafe Blu Festival, and Aerasonica Festival in Italy, and more.
THE WHITE BUFFALO will launch a string of Canadian dates in early September, and on Friday, September 16, THE WHITE BUFFALO will perform their first festival appearance this year at Beachlife Festival in Redondo Beach. Expect the group to announce a full autumn tour run soon.
 |
| Above: The White Buffalo is the alias for singer-songwriter-guitarist JAKE SMITH (pictured far right); the touring/recording band also includes Matt Lynott (pictured left) on drums, and Christopher Hoffee (pictured in mirror) on bass/keys/guitars. |
More stories
GUN: Thirty years on ‘Higher Ground’ gets releaseahead of celebratory ‘The Calton Songs’ album.
Glaswegian rockers GUN are back with their latest release from the forthcoming album, ‘The Calton Songs’ with the retooled 2022 version of ‘Higher Ground’ being made available on 24 August. The original was released a full 30 years ago on the band’s ‘Gallus’ album. The […]
NewsGlaswegian rockers GUN are back with their latest release from the forthcoming album, ‘The Calton Songs’ with the retooled 2022 version of ‘Higher Ground’ being made available on 24 August. The original was released a full 30 years ago on the band’s ‘Gallus’ album. The single artwork features an image of Muhammad Ali, taken when he visited Paisley – not far from GUN HQ – in the 60s. Some would claim that he lost his fight in Scotland because he visited every children’s hospital in the area and was exhausted by the time he needed to lace up his gloves. He was beaten by Jimmy Ellis, his main sparring partner, who would become world champion in 1968 after Ali was stripped of his title for refusing to be drafted into the army during the Vietnam War. A man of principles, Muhammad Ali was no stranger to the ‘Higher Ground’.
‘The Calton Songs’ will be released on Cherry Red Records on 14 October 2022 and will be available on Cherry Red-coloured vinyl, CD, cassette and digital. ‘The Calton Songs’ is a full-blooded celebration of the band’s career so far with enthusiastic and brand new acoustic reinterpretations of the songs that made their name. These classics are bolstered by ‘Backstreet Brothers’, a new and fully electric track that basks in the joys of both lives and good times shared, and brings the GUN story up to date.
As Jools Gizzi says, “When the pandemic hit we realised that it was the perfect time to try and counteract the bleakness that was all around. It felt like we couldn’t write anything, or of course tour. Out of that darkness came a desire to completely rework these songs that we know the fans love, and bring a different, stripped down vibe”. Dante Gizzi added, “It’s ironic that those feelings of negativity led to something so positive, a celebration of our career up to now”.
‘The Calton Songs’ takes its name from the area of Glasgow where the band grew up, and where they still write their music. These new versions of great songs are cut through with un-ironic nostalgia but this is a band with an eye on the horizon for what’s to come. ‘Taking On The World’ announced the band to a global audience in 1989, the follow up was ‘Gallus’ which featured ‘Higher Ground’. ‘The Calton Songs’ is the latest milestone and follows-up ‘Favourite Pleasures’ from 2017 which made the top 15, making it their biggest album in almost a quarter of a century, since ‘Swagger’ in 1994.
The band hit the road this year with Dante and Jools performing an intimate acoustic tour at seven UK venues in August, before the band reconvene for The Calton Songs Tour 2022. This takes in nine full electric gigs from to 30 Nov to 11 Dec, including a massive hometown party at the Barrowlands Ballroom. All dates at gunofficial.co.uk/tour.
With ‘The Calton Songs’ now ready, initial work on a potential new studio album started and live dates in, GUN are truly firing once more. They remain in the Top 50 modern hard rock artists in the world according to industry data specialists, Chartmetric, with top 20 albums and singles. They have toured with The Rolling Stones, Bon Jovi and Iron Maiden; this is a band with plenty to shout about. GUN in 2022 features Dante Gizzi [lead vocals], Giuliano ‘Jools’ Gizzi [guitar], Paul McManus [drums], Andy Carr [bass] and Tommy Gentry [guitar].
From Glasgow to the world was always the mentality, and their desire to entertain and reach the ‘Higher Ground’ remains undimmed and on ‘The Calton Songs’; these ‘Backstreet Brothers’ remain serious contenders.
From the band:
Welcome to The Calton. The Calton District in Glasgow’s East End has always been home to Jools and Dante from GUN. In their parents spare bedroom just a stone’s throw from Glasgows famous Barrowland Ballroom, the boys fashioned their songwriting skills alongside former GUN lead singer Mark Rankin.
Barring ‘Word Up’, the other fifteen songs were inspired by the sights and sounds of The Calton. This new take on GUN’s classic hits and favourites are semi-acoustic versions of what appeared through the years as full on rock tracks. The songs feature all the current band’s lineup plus some amazing backing singing from Beverley Skeete and The Sisterhood, giving a gospel slant and an original spin to these rock classics.
Recorded initially by Dante in the spare bedroom, the songs were completed after the lockdown situation ended in January 2022 in Glasgow’s Morsecode studios. We hope you all enjoy this departure from our guitar amps being up at full blast, we wanted to do something different for our fans. We’ll be touring this with the full band and doing some acoustic shows, so we hope we’ll see you out on the road somewhere along the line.
Rock On
More stories
The Commoners announce “Too Much” single and music video from new album “Find A Better Way”.
NEW SINGLE – “TOO MUCH” RELEASED FRIDAY 26 AUGUST 2022 BUY & STREAM THE SINGLE HERE : WATCH THE MUSIC VIDEO HERE TAKEN FROM THE NEW ALBUM “FIND A BETTER WAY” RELEASED FRIDAY 4 NOVEMBER 2022 PRE-ORDER PHYSICAL ALBUM HERE : PRE-SAVE DIGITAL ALBUM HERE […]
NewsNEW SINGLE – “TOO MUCH” RELEASED FRIDAY 26 AUGUST 2022
BUY & STREAM THE SINGLE HERE : WATCH THE MUSIC VIDEO HERE
TAKEN FROM THE NEW ALBUM “FIND A BETTER WAY” RELEASED FRIDAY 4 NOVEMBER 2022
PRE-ORDER PHYSICAL ALBUM HERE : PRE-SAVE DIGITAL ALBUM HERE
Canadian classic roots and blues rock band The Commoners release Too Much, the second single from the forthcoming album Find A Better Way on Friday August 26th.
The single is available to buy and stream from https://lnk.fu.ga/thecommoners_toomuch.
The music video can be streamed on You Tube via www.youtube.com/watch?v=6xYudfsstaI.
The album is released on CD, limited edition vinyl and digital by Gypsy Soul Records on Friday November 4th. The CD and vinyl editions are available to pre-order from thecommoners.ca. Pre-save the album digitally from https://lnk.to/TheCommonersFABW.
The band describe the Too Much single as follows – “Erupting with the growling vigour of an old Beaumont, Too Much drives The Commoners to the brink of surrendering their dreams for the comforts of home. A high horsepower performance peels out with rowdy riffs and lively organ in tow, delivering a relatable sentiment that never proves to be too much.”
Possessing a sound tapped from the oaken belly of a whiskey barrel, The Commoners are a four-piece Roots/Blues Rock band from Toronto, Canada.
Described as “a classic rock and roll affair,” the nine songs take the listener on a sonic voyage through the lives of the band, from the dusty back roads of rural Ontario to the bright lights of the big city. Offering their own blend of rock and roll, southern blues, and roots music, the Toronto-based four-piece band are known for their high-energy riffs, soulful vocals, and rich harmonies. The result is an authentic Southern-style rock experience.
The group was cobbled together over the course of a decade, adapting through numerous obstacles to form the unit as it exists today: Chris Medhurst (vocals/guitar), Ben Spiller (bass), Ross Hayes Citrullo (lead guitar), and Adam Cannon (drums). Often joined by their friend, organist Miles Evans-Branagh, The Commoners unite under a shared dream: to write, perform, and share music that is an authentic nod to the greats who paved the way before them.
“The new album authentically embodies the rock and roll, soul, and blues rock experience,” says the band’s lead singer, Chris Medhurst. “That’s something we really wanted to bring back. That’s the roots. That’s what we listen to.”
The Black Crowes are a considerable influence for us,” says Medhurst. “Derek Trucks, Marcus King, Led Zeppelin, and The Allman Brothers Band, too. These are the bands that we wear on our sleeves as we aspire to create our own music and sound.”
Find A Better Way is an album that demands attention from the first note. The opening lines “If I scream at the top of my lungs, and stamp my feet, ’til the floor comes undone,” immediately inform that a wild ride lies ahead. The album was recorded and produced at RHC Music in Toronto by the band’s guitarist Ross Hayes Citrullo. Ross collaborated with executive producer Renan Yildizdogan to strike the perfect balance of new and old recording treatments. The goal was to create something that felt new and original, yet still familiar to their target classic roots rock and blues rock audience.
“The vision from the beginning was to marry old and new southern rock together in a way that was unique to the band’s Canadian roots,” explains Citrullo. “By adding the soul and rock elements of the Black Crowes, and the southern blues rock undertones of the Allman Brothers to a production style akin to Blackberry Smoke and Rival Sons, I think we developed an authentic sound that compares sonically to some of our favourite records across all of those music genres.”
The album’s lyrical themes drill into the essence of humanity: love, regret, ambition, and fear. Circling the forever challenge of doubt vs. desire, The Commoners place themselves into the shoes of the everyman. The result? Nine tracks that function as a comfort and companion through all of life’s trials and tribulations, with melodic solos, soaring organ, and a punchy rhythm section to drive the messages home.
Drummer Adam Cannon says, “Music, like so much in life, is about the exchange of energy,” and The Commoners make more than a fair trade. Striving to present an impactful, memorable, and downright exhilarating live experience that accurately represents their recorded works, the band carries the listener over spirited choruses and group chants, before returning them back to earth in need of a shot of something smooth. You can expect to leave fully satisfied, sweat drenched, and heart racing, a good time guaranteed—just what we all need.
The Commoners enlisted a handful of Toronto’s finest musicians to help bring their record to life. On the title track Find A Better Way, the band brought on keyboardist Jeff Heisholt (The Trews) to lay down an iconic organ track. For the rest of the album, keyboardist Miles Evans-Branagh performed organ, piano, and Rhodes.
To accompany Ben and Adam on backup vocals, The Commoners called upon three of Canada’s top backup singers. Tash Lorayne and Shezelle Weekes (The Arkells), and Chantal Williams joined in to arrange vocal parts and enliven the mix with their vivacious voices resulting in a spine-tingling performance.
The Commoners also invited local legend Michael Eckert to lend his pedal steel talents on I Won’t and Alive. Adding the final cherry on top, renowned multi-instrumentalist Ben Healey treated Deadlines to a guitar solo worthy of the world’s greatest stadiums. Though these songs were all written by The Commoners, the contributions of these amazing guest musicians make the album something special.
“Every time we brought an outside player into the studio, they would offer their own unique instincts and interpretations of each song. This helped the album grow into a collaborative art piece that continues to surprise us with every listen.”
A rock anthem to its core, the title track, Find A Better Way, carries a message that encapsulates the entirety of the record. With growing uncertainties, society faces challenges previously unseen, leaving the collective in a perpetual state of questioning, with doubt directed towards governments, public leaders, and our neighbours. From the aftermath of COVID-19, the increasing mental health crisis in North America, war crimes in Ukraine, and the explosion of social movements and protests, one thought unites us all—we need to find a better way to co-exist on this planet. Find A Better Way takes an inward look at confronting our tumultuous past and accepting personal accountabilities to uncover the strength needed to seek a solution.
Find a Better Way is the only track on the record to mixed outside of Canada. The band worked with legend Producer/Mixer Kevin Shirley (the Black Crowes, Joe Bonamassa, Led Zeppelin) at Caveman Studios in Sydney, Australia. Kevin’s mix helped set the perfect tone for the album, which Ross Hayes Citrullo was then able to follow for the rest of the record. Kevin’s involvement set The Commoners on the right path with this epic title track.
Mastering was also an important consideration for the band and their label. For this stage, the team sent their record all the way to Nashville, Tennessee to Pete Lyman (Tedeschi Trucks, Blackberry Smoke, Chris Stapleton, Rival Sons) at Infrasonic Sound. Pete’s specialty for mastering southern rock made the mixes come alive, making them sonically competitive to the band’s influences.
As a collective, we find ourselves emerging into a changed society, with uncertainty looming and shadowing the future. In their upcoming release, The Commoners remind us that music has a unique ability to heal, a medicine of extraordinary merit, and balm for the soul during dark times. Every major movement in history gave rise to change makers, and The Commoners are taking their stand, here to lead and inspire us all to Find a Better Way.
“FIND A BETTER WAY” – TRACK LIST
1 – FIND A BETTER WAY (4:36)
2 – FILL MY CUP (4:22)
3 – MORE THAN MISTAKES (2:56)
4 – TOO MUCH (3:57)
5 – NATURLLY (4:30)
6 – I WON’T (4:15)
7 – DEADLINES (3:46)
8 – HANGIN’ ON AGAIN (7:06)
9 – ALIVE (4:52)
The Band
Chris Medhurst – Lead Vocals, Rhythm Guitar
Ross Hayes Citrullo – Lead Guitar
Ben Spiller – Bass, Vocals, Piano (5, 9)
Adam Cannon – Drums, Percussion, Vocals
Miles Evans-Branagh – Organ, Rhodes, Piano | Jeff Heisholt – Organ (1)
Michael Ekhart – Pedal Steel (6, 9) | Ben Healey – Lead Guitar (7)
Chantal Williams, Shezelle Weekes, Tash Lorayne – Backing Vocals
2022 Tour Dates:
12/08/22 Toronto-Canada @ The Horseshoe Tavern
23/09/22 London-Canada @ Eastsides
12/10/22 Norderstedt-Germany @ Music Star
13/10/22 Hoganas-Sweden @ Garage Bar TBC
14/10/22 Varberg-Sweden @ Maja’s
15/10/22 Avesta-Sweden @ Kulturgaraget
16/10/22 Stockholm TBC
18/10/22 Malmo-Sweden @ Folk & Rock
19&20/10/22 Hamburg-Germany @ Cowboy und Indianer TBC
21/10/22 Asendorf-Germany @ Break Out
22/10/22 Singwitz-Germany @ Kesselhaus
23/10/22 Burglengenfeld-Germany @ RockStürbl
24/10/22 Bratislava-Slovakia @ Muzeum Ochbodu
26/10/22 Bremen-Germany @ Meisenfrei
27/10/22 Köln-Germany TBC
28/10/22 Rimsting-Germany TBC
29/10/22 Fiesch-Switzerland @ Inch Bar
30/10/22 Switzerland TBC
31/10/22 Solothurn-Switzerland TBC
03/11/22 Barcelona-Spain @ Sala Textil
04/11/22 Castellon-Spain @ Sala Because
05/11/22 Orihuela-Spain @ La Gramola
06/11/22 Valladollid-Spain @ Puerta Caeli
07/11/22 Leon-Spain @ Babylon
08/11/22 Ourense-Spain @ Cafe Auriense
10/11/22 A Coruna-Spain @ Sala Mardi Gras
11/11/22 Cangas-Spain @ Salason
12/11/22 Valles-Spain @ Bocanegra
13/11/22 Vitoria-Spain @ Urban Rock
15/11/22 Chambery-France @ Brin de Zinc
16/11/22 Besançon-France @ Bar De L’U
17/11/22 Metz-France TBC
18/11/22 Krefeld-Germany @ Kulturrampe
19/11/22 Ostend-Belgium TBC
www.thecommoners.ca | @thecommonersto
