As I Lay Dying Debuts ‘Roots Below’ Video; Announces ‘Shaped By Fire’ Re-Issue Coming; Reveals New Live Dates

Courtesy: Nuclear Blast Records

As I Lay Dying is scheduled to re-issue its latest album later this year.

In anticipation of the record’s re-issue — a precise release date is under consideration — the band premiered one of the songs that will feature in the record Friday. It came in the form of the song, ‘Roots Below.’ The band also premiered a visualizer for the single Friday.

The song’s musical arrangement is a heavy, intense mix of metalcore and thrash. It takes listeners back to the band’s infancy with its breakneck speed guitar work and machine gun fast drumming. Front man Tim Lambesis’ growls and clean vocals pair with the intense instrumentation to make the song fully immersive.

Guitarist Phil Sgrosso talked about the creation of the song’s musical arrangement in a prepared statement.

“‘Roots Below’ was a track I initially wrote for the Shaped By Fire album, but at the time we collectively felt it needed more time and attention to develop to its fullest potential,” said Sgrosso. “We were finally able to piece it all together along with some other material taken from the Shaped By Fire touring cycle, bundling it all into a deluxe version of the album.”

Added Sgrosso, “Apart from the studio versions of ‘Roots Below’ and ‘Destruction or Strength,’ there will be an assortment of live songs captured on tour from 2019 in Europe, several ballad/electronic re-interpretations, a studio version of an instrumental track we wrote exclusively for the live show, an instrumental version of the entire album, as well as some other transitional pieces from our set that we wanted to share as part of this release. This has been a very productive first step towards getting back into the creative zone and beginning to focus on new material for next year.”

No information was provided about the song’s lyrical theme in the press release announcing the song’s debut. The lyrics provided with the visualizer hint at a theme of overcoming personal adversity and the causes, both internal and extraneous.

While the release date for the deluxe re-issue of Shaped By Fire is under consideration, the re-issue’s track listing is known. It is noted below.

Below is the Shaped By Fire Deluxe Edition tracklist:

1. Re-Separation (instrumental)
2. Roots Below
3. Destruction or Strength
4. My Own Grave (re-interpretation)
5. Redefined (re-interpretation)
6. Pre-Shaped by Fire (live intro)
7. Euphony From Ashes (live outro)
8. Blinded (Live from Munich)
9. My Own Grave (Live From Munich)
10. Burn To Emerge (instrumental)
11. Blinded (instrumental)
12. Shaped by Fire (instrumental)
13. Undertow (instrumental)
14. Torn Between (instrumental)
15. Gatekeeper (instrumental)
16. The Wreckage (instrumental)
17. My Own Grave (instrumental)
18. Take What’s Left (instrumental)
19. Redefined (instrumental)
20. Only After We’ve Fallen (instrumental)
21. The Toll It Takes (instrumental)

In other news, the band has announced a new slate of live dates. The band’s “Two Decades of Destruction” tour is scheduled to launch March 19, 200 in Saarbrucken, Germany and to run through April 24 in Oberhausen, Germany.

The tour’s schedule is noted below. Dying Fetus, Emmure, and Fit For A King will share time as support for the tour.

19.03.2022 DE Saarbrücken – E-Werk
20.03.2022 FR  Paris Elysée – Montmartre
22.03.2022 FR Toulouse – Le Bikini
23.03.2022 EP Barcelona – Raz/ zmatazz 1
24.03.2022 EP Madrid – La Rivera
25.03.2022 PT Lisbon – Sala Tejo 
26.03.2022 SP Bilbao – Santana27
28.03.2022 FR Lyon – Transbordeur
29.03.2022 DE Würzburg – Posthalle
30.03.2022 NL Tilburg – 0 1 3
01.04.2022 DK Copenhagen – Vega
02.04.2022 SE Gothenburg – Trädgårn
03.04.2022 NO Oslo – Rockefeller
04.04.2022 SE Stockholm – Fållan
06.04.2022 FI Tampere – Pakkahuone
08.04.2022  FI Helsinki – House Of Couture
09.04.2022 EE Tallinn – Helitehas
10.04.2022 LA Riga – Palladium
12.04.2022 PL Warsaw – Progresja
13.04.2022 CZ Prague – Roum Karlin
14.04.2022 HU /Budapest – Barba Negra
15.04.2022 SK Bratislava – Rafinery Gallery
16.04.2022 AT Vienna – Arena Impericon Festival **
17.04.2022 CH Zürich – X-tra Impericon Festival **
19.04.2022 IT Milan – Alcatraz **
20.04.2022 IT Rome – Orion **
22.04.2022 DE Munich – Zenith Impericon Festival **
23.04.2022 DE Leipzig – Messe Impericon Festival **
24.04.2022 DE Oberhausen – Turbinenhalle Impericon Festival **
** W/ FIT FOR A KING (No DYING FETUS)

Shaped By Fire is available to stream and download here. The album’s track listing is noted below. It produced the singles, ‘Shaped By Fire,’ ‘Blinded,’ Redefined‘ and ‘My Own Grave.’ Most recently, the band released the non-album track, ‘Destruction or Strength.’ That song will feature in the forthcoming re-issue of Shaped By Fire.

Shaped By Fire Track Listing:

1. Burn To Emerge
2. Blinded
3. Shaped By Fire
4. Undertow
5. Torn Between
6. Gatekeeper
7. The Wreckage
8. My Own Grave
9. Take What’s Left
10. Redefined
11. Only After We’ve Fallen
12. The Toll It Takes

More information on As U Lay Dying’s new single, album re-issue, and tour schedule is available along with all of the band’s latest news at:

Website: https://www.asilaydying.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/asilaydying

Twitter: https://twitter.com/asilaydyingband

To keep up with the latest entertainment news and reviews, go online to https://www.facebook.com/philspicks and “Like” it. Fans can always keep up with the latest entertainment news and reviews in the Phil’s Picks blog at https://philspicks.wordpress.com.

Of Mice And Men Debuts New Single, ‘Obsolete,’ Companion Video; Announces New EP Coming

Courtesy: Sharptone Records

Of Mice and Men is opening the new year with new music and a new label.

The band debuted its new single ‘Obsolete‘ and its companion video Tuesday. the song is featured in the band’s forthcoming EP Timeless, which is scheduled for release Feb. 26 through the band’s new label home, Sharptone Records. The band’s addition to the label makes it label mate to the likes of Miss May I, We Came As Romans, and Bleeding Through.

Front man Aaron Pauley discussed the EP’s creation during a recent interview.

“There’s an old idiom about what you’re supposed to do when life gives you lemons,” said Pauley. “Sadly, to disappoint, this wasn’t exactly that. We started writing this EP shortly before the initial lockdowns in spring of 2020, before we knew that our world was about to become a radically different place. A lot of these songs were born from a place of wondering how we’d fit into 2020 and beyond, both as adults in our 30s as well as a band that’s a decade into our existence.” 

Additionally, Pauley addressed the band’s signing to its new label.

“It’s pretty exciting to be working with a new label,” said Pauley. “We still have a great relationship with our previous label — it was just time to shake things up, and after conversations and meetings with various labels, we felt that our vision for the future of OM&M matched most closely with SharpTone’s. Working with Shawn and the team has been incredibly rewarding, and we’re all super excited with what’s to come!”

The band’s new single is a heavy, fiery composition that takes its familiar metalcore sound to a new level. The balance of Pauley’s screams and clean vocals alongside the precision in the guitar line and the drums makes for a powerful impact.

The lyrical content that accompanies the song’s musical arrangement is a contemplative statement that makes for an interesting contrast to the energy in the noted musical content.

Pauley addressed the lyrical content.

“It’s a song about questioning how future-proof one is in the grand scheme of things, and acknowledging that maybe we aren’t at all. I think we all wonder, to a certain extent, whether or not we’ll fit into the future, or how we would, or what that would look like,” he said. “Obsolescence is very prevalent in our lives. We see how quickly old phones become virtually useless, how quickly fads and trends come and go. It’s all too easy to ponder about when you’ll become a covered wagon, or a flip phone, or Myspace.”

More information on Of Mice and Men’s new single, video, and EP is available now along with all of the band’s latest news and more at:

Website: http://www.ofmiceandmenofficial

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/ofmice

Twitter: http://twitter.com/OMandM

To keep up with the latest entertainment news and reviews, go online to http://www.facebook.com/philspicks and “Like” it.  Fans can always keep up with the latest entertainment news and reviews in the Phil’s Picks blog at https://philspicks.wordpress.com.

VantaVoid Debuts ‘Burn’ Lyric Video

Courtesy: Earshot Media

Independent metalcore duet VantaVoid debuted the video for its new single this week.

The duo — Frank Gioia and Tyler Young — debuted the lyric video for its new single ‘Burn‘ Friday.  The song features a guest appearance by Emmure’s Frankie Palmeri.

The CG video features images of someone in separate warehouse and apartment bedroom settings.  Flame rage near each figure as the song’s lyrics are presented over each scene.

The musical arrangement featured in ‘Burn’ is an intensely powerful song whose guitars and screaming vocals couple with the pounding drums and thick bass line to make the song a work that will appeal to any metalcore fan from start to finish.  Its lyrical theme is just as intense as its musical theme, as it addresses some very negative emotions and thoughts.

Gioia discussed the song’s hard hitting lyrical theme in a recent interview.

“Burn is a song about destroying everything I love and hate,” he said. “It comes from a very self-destructive time in my life where I didn’t want to channel my anger into anything but destroying every bridge I ever built. Not only is this the heaviest song we have, but Frankie Palmeri from Emmure adds his own flair to the track and we were fortunate to have Drew Fulk (WZRD BLD) mix it.”

Considering the impact of the song’s musical arrangement and its lyrical theme, the whole is a presentation that will connect with many listeners.  That connection will help it become very therapeutic for listeners.

‘Burn’ is available to stream and download here.

More information on VantaVoid’s new single and video is available along with all of the duo’s latest news at

 

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/VantaVoid

Twitter: http://twitter.com/vantavoidband

 

To keep up with the latest entertainment news and reviews, go online to http://www.facebook.com/philspicks and “Like” it.  Fans can always keep up with the latest entertainment news and reviews in the Phil’s Picks blog at https://philspicks.wordpress.com.

Monster Energy Aftershock Festival Lineup Announced; Tickets On Sale Now

Courtesy: Danny Wimmer Presents

The Monster Energy Aftershock Festival is coming back to California this year.

The annual festival is scheduled to be held October 13 and 14 at Sacramento’s Discovery Park.  Now in its seventh year, the festival will be headlined this year by System of a Down, Alice in Chains and Deftones.  This year marks the first time that System of a Down has performed at the festival.

Along with being the band’s first year at the festival, System of a Down’s performance at the Aftershock Festival will also be the band’s first announced U.S. appearance in three years.  It is also part of the band’s 20th anniversary celebration of its landmark self-titled album’s release.

While System of a Down, Alice in Chains and Deftones are the two-day festival’s planned headliners, they are not the only bands on the bill.  Also scheduled for the performance are Godsmack (which is currently touring in support of its brand new album When Legends Rise), Incubus, Seether, Jonathan Davis (whose latest solo album Black Labyrinth is scheduled for release May 25), At The Drive-In and Slash ft. Myles Kennedy and the Conspirators (who are currently working on their latest album) as well as Bullet For my Valentine (whose new album Gravity is scheduled to be released June 29), Sevendust (whose album All I See Is War is out now) and many more.  The full lineup for this year’s festival is noted below.

The current band lineup for Monster Energy Aftershock is as follows: System Of A Down, Deftones, Alice In Chains, Incubus, Godsmack, Shinedown, 311, Slash Featuring Myles Kennedy And The Conspirators, At The Drive-In, Seether, Jonathan Davis, Bullet For My Valentine, Underoath, Black Veil Brides, Hellyeah, Asking Alexandria, Sevendust, Everlast, GWAR, Emmure, Stick To Your Guns, Dance Gavin Dance, Monster Magnet, Red Sun Rising, Bad Wolves, The Fever 333, Dorothy, Wage War, Plague Vendor, Hyro The Hero, Amigo The Devil, All Them Witches, Slothrust, The Dose, Viza, The Jacks and more to be announced.

Providing food for this year’s festival will be a variety of vendors including: Southern Hospitality Concessions LLC, Danny Wimmer Presents’ affiliate concessionaire.  Food trucks will also be on hand, providing savory and sweet treats from: Angry Bird Grill, Bacon Mania, Barrett’s Burgers, Barrett’s Sliders, Big Joe’s BBQ, Bubba’s BBQ, Cousins Maine Lobster, Dippin Dots Ice Cream, Dogtown, Drewski’s Hot Rod Sandwiches, Florez Bar & Grill, La Mex Taqueria, Mac Attack, Mount Olympus, Sausage King, Smokin’ Hot Pizza, Spicy Pie and Xochimilco Mexican Restaurant.

Beverages will be available from a variety of vendors, including vendors for festival-goers 21 and older.  Those vendors include: Caduceus Vellars & Merkin Vineyards Wine Garden (owned by Tool/A Perfect Circle/ Puscifer front man Maynard James Keenan) and the Belching Beaver Bar (featuring drafts from the Vista, CA brewer including the Phantom Bride IPA, a collaboration with the Defones).  Mrkt N Jolt will also be on site, offering hot coffee, cold brew and other items.

As if the music, food and drink isn’t enough for festival-goers, this year’s festival will also offer lots of entertainment options.  Those options include the Monster Energy Experience, which gives audiences the chance to meet and greet the bands while also sampling the festival’s various offered drinks, The Music Experience, which is an interactive exhibit and music instrument retailer.  Non-profit animal rescue organization Take Me Home will also be on-site along with Dyin 2 Live/FXck Cancer, a wish-granting organization.  Fans can buy music from the festival’s bands on site at the f.y.e. Fan Experience.

Festival-goers can win prizes and check out the latest products from Zippo Lighters at Zippo Encore and charge their phones at SWFTCharge.

Tickets and VIP packages for this year’s festival are on-sale now.  Prices are listed below.  Service fees on all ticket purchases include a $0.50 charity fee for the T.J. Martell Foundation, a foundation aimed at researching and fighting cancer.  Active military personnel get discounts on their tickets through GovX.

Initial ticket prices will be as follows:

• 2-Day Weekend General Admission: starting at $149.50 + fees
• 2-Day Weekend VIP: starting at $299.50 + fees
• Single Day General Admission: starting at $89.50 + fees
• Single Day VIP: starting at $179.50 + fees

VIP tickets include: VIP entrance lanes to the venue, shaded VIP hang area with seating for dining, a VIP-only viewing area of main stage, video screens featuring a live feed of main stage inside the VIP hang area, upgraded food and drink selections, dedicated VIP restrooms and commemorative VIP Monster Energy Aftershock laminate.

A park & ride shuttle is being offered again for this year’s festival as parking at Discovery park is very limited.  Every ticket includes parking at Sleep Train Arena and non-stop shuttle directly to the festival site.

The Monster Energy Aftershock Festival is produced by Danny Wimmer Presents and fueled by Monster Energy.  It is sponsored by f.y.e., Coors Light, Jack Daniels, Zippo Encore, The Music Experience, SWFTCharge, Fxck Cancer, Ace of Spades, Take Me Home and Belching Beaver.  More sponsors will be announced later.

More information on this year’s Monster Energy Aftershock Festival is available online now at:

 

Website: http://www.AftershockFestival.com

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/AftershockFestival

Twitter: http://twitter.com/AftershockSac

 

To keep up with the latest sports and entertainment news and reviews, go online to http://www.facebook.com/philspicks and “Like” it.  Fans can always keep up with the latest sports and entertainment news and reviews in the Phil’s Picks blog at https://philspicks.wordpress.com.

 

 

Suicidal Tendencies Added To Ozzfest Meets Knotfest Lineup

Courtesy: Adrenaline PR

Organizers with the 2016 Ozzfest Meets Knotfest have added another band to the mega-festival’s lineup.

Veteran hard rock band Suicidal Tendencies has been added to the lineup for the inaugural Ozzfest Meets Knotfest.  It marks the first time that the band has ever taken the stage at Ozzfest in any capacity.  The band will take the place of Children of Bodom, which was originally scheduled to perform on the first day of the double-header festival. The updated lineup for the festival is noted below. Audiences will note that there is even a stage dedicated to late Motorhead front man Lemmy Kilmister at this year’s festival.

 

OZZFEST Line-up

Saturday, September 24

 

MAIN STAGE:  Black Sabbath, Disturbed, Megadeth, Opeth, Black Label Society, and Rival Sons.

LEMMY STAGE:  Suicidal Tendencies, Hatebreed, DevilDriver, Goatwhore, Huntress, and Dead Cross.

NUCLEAR BLAST STAGE: Municipal Waste, Kataklysm, Nails, The Shrine, and Still Rebel.

KNOTFEST Line-up

Sunday, September 25

 

MAIN STAGE:  Slipknot, Slayer, Amon Amarth, Anthrax, and Trivium.

LEMMY STAGE:  Sabaton, Suicide Silence, Overkill, Emmure, Butcher Babies, and Man with A Mission.

NUCLEAR BLAST STAGE:  Whitechapel, Combichrist, Carnifex, Loathe, SIM, and ONI.

 

Ozzfest Meets Knotfest is currently scheduled to be held Saturday, September 24^th and Sunday, September 25^th at San Manuel Amphitheater and Festival Grounds in San Bernardino California.  As a special holiday celebration, fans can purchase single 4-day ticket packs for $84.  The limited-time special is going on now and ends July 4^th at 11:59pm PT.  Tickets can be purchased online at http://www.ozzfest.com and http://www.knotfest.com.  More information on the inaugural Ozzfest Meets Knotfest is available online at:

 

 

OZZFEST

 

Website: http://www.Ozzfest.com

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/ozzfestofficial

Twitter: http://twitter.com/theozzfest

 

 

 

KNOTFEST

 

Website: http://www.knotfest.com

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/KNOTFEST

Twitter: http://twitter.com/knotfest

 

 

To keep up with the latest sports and entertainment news and reviews, go online to http://www.facebook.com/philspicks and “Like” it.  Fans can always keep up with the latest sports and entertainment news and reviews in the Phil’s Picks blog at https://philspicks.wordpress.com.

Band Schedule, Pre-Party Announced For Welcome To Rockville Festival

Courtesy: Ashton-Magnuson Media

The organizers of the annual Welcome to Rockville festival have announced the complete schedule for this year’s festival, including performance times for each act on the bill.

Courtesy: Ashton-Magnuson Media

Digital Summer and World Gone kick off this year’s festival. Digital Summer and World Gone are schedule to open the festival at 11:15am on the Monster Energy Fire Museum Stage and Jagermeister Stage respectively. Cathercist, winner of the Ernie Ball Battle of the Bands, is up next at 11:45am ET on the Ernie Ball Stage. Within Reason and Ghost of War will open the festival’s second day at noon on the Monster Energy Fire Museum Stage and Jagermeister Stage respectively. The complete performance schedule for the weekend’s events is included below.

Performance times for Monster Energy’s Welcome To Rockville are as follows (subject to change):

Saturday, April 26

Monster Energy Fire Museum Stage

11:15 AM         Digital Summer

12:30 PM         Rev Theory

2:00 PM           Adelitas Way

3:30 PM           Hellyeah

5:15 PM           Chevelle

7:15 PM           A Day To Remember

9:40 PM           Avenged Sevenfold

Monster Energy Metropolitan Park Stage

11:45 PM         Gemini Syndrome

1:15 PM           Middle Class Rut

2:45 PM           Chiodos

4:15 PM           Alter Bridge

6:15 PM           Volbeat

8:20 PM           The Cult

Jägermeister Stage

11:15 AM         World Gone

12:30 PM         Silvertung (Jägermeister Band)

2:00 PM           Evergreen Terrace

3:30 PM           Smile Empty Soul

5:15 PM           Memphis May Fire

7:15 PM           We Came As Romans

Ernie Ball Stage

11:45 AM         Cathercist (Ernie Ball Battle Of The Bands Winner)

1:15 PM           Monster Truck

2:45 PM           We As Human

4:15 PM           Devour The Day

6:15 PM           Fozzy

Sunday, April 27

Monster Energy Fire Museum Stage

Noon                Within Reason

1:15 PM           Sick Puppies

2:35 PM           Black Label Society

4:15 PM           Seether

6:25 PM           Five Finger Death Punch

8:50 PM           Korn

Monster Energy Metropolitan Park Stage

12:35 PM         The Pretty Reckless

1:55 PM           Black Stone Cherry

3:25 PM           Theory of a Deadman

5:15 PM           Staind

7:35 PM           Rob Zombie

Jägermeister Stage

Noon                Ghost Of War (Jägermeister Band)

1:15 PM           Kyng

2:35 PM           Lacuna Coil

4:15 PM           Emmure

6:25 PM           Motionless In White

Ernie Ball Stage

12:35 PM         Twelve Foot Ninja

1:55 PM           Nothing More

3:25 PM           Butcher Babies

5:15 PM           Trivium

Courtesy: Ashton-Magnuson Media

Before the bands take to their respective stages, audiences will be treated to Monster Energy’s Welcome to Rockville Official Pre-Party Friday, April 25^th. The Pre-Party is presented by X102.9 and Bud Light and will feature performances by Rev Theory and more. It will be held at 1904 Music Hall (19 N. Ocean Street in downtown Jacksonville, FL). It is free to ticketholders that are 21 and older. Ticketholders that want to attend the Pre-Party must show their festival tickets at 1904 Music Hall to get a Pre-Party wristband in advance. Wristbands are in limited quality. So they will be first come first serve beginning at 12pm ET on Friday, April 25^th. Doors open at 8pm. The show will start at 9pm.

More information on the fourth annual Welcome to Rockville Festival is available online at http://www.WelcomeToRockvilleFestival.com, http://www.facebook.com/welcometorockville, and via Twitter at @RockvilleFest. To keep up with the latest sports and entertainment news and reviews, go online to http://www.facebook.com/philspicks and “Like” it. Fans can always keep up with the latest sports and entertainment news and reviews in the Phil’s Picks blog at https://philspicks.wordpress.com.