Courtesy: Thousand Islands Records/Lockjaw Records
Independent punk rock band Straightline debuted the video for its latest single, ‘Earth Defenders’ last week.
The video is featured in the band’s new album, Keep Your Cool, which is available now through Thousand Islands Records and Lockjaw Records.
The track listing for the band’s new album is noted below.
Tracklisting:
1. Global Frustration
2. Virus
3. Undone
4. Weltschmerz
5. Shame on you
6. Dead certain
7. Earth defenders
8. Leaders of self-destruction
9. Failed Catharsis
10. Stood for something else
11. Power Shift
12. Global Citizens
The musical arrangement featured in the band’s new single is a catchy, upbeat composition that will appeal easily to fans of works from the likes of Propagandhi, Strung Out, and Death By Stereo.
No information was provided about the song’s lyrical theme in the news release announce the premiere of the single and video. The lyrics provided with the video lead to interpretation that the song is meant to deliver a defiant social commentary about the role of the band’s current generation despite how the “older” generation views the current generation.
The video that accompanies the new single is a simple, straight forward presentation that features the band members and others singing along to the song. A group of family and friends is incorporated into the video as it progresses.
More information on Straightline’s new single, video and album is available along with all of the band’s latest news at:
The announcement was made Friday through a news release. The document states the album is scheduled for re-issue Jan. 4 through Thousand Islands Records. Approximately 1,000 copies of the album will be available, with 500 copies on pink marble pressing and another 500 on baby blue marble.
Belvedere released its latest album, The Sixth Sense in May through Thousand Islands Records/Lockjaw Records. The album is available to stream and download here.
More information on Belvedere’s forthcoming vinyl re-issue of The Revenge of the Fifth is available along with all of the band’s latest news at:
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.Advertisements
Courtesy: Thousand Islands Records/Lockjaw Records
Punk rock band Our Darkest Days released its new album, Snakes & Ladders today through Thousand Islands Records and Lockjaw Records.
The record’s release comes a day after the band debuted its new single, ‘Against All Odds’ and its video. The song’s musical arrangement, with its edge, its harmonies, and its solid time keeping and rich bass line makes it everything that punk purists will appreciate.
No information was provided about the song’s lyrical theme in the press release announcing the album’s release and the premiere of the new single and video. Listening through the song, it seems to hint at messages of friendship and unity, and the power of each. That is just this critic’s interpretation.
The video for ‘Against All Odds’ features the band performing its new single in a variety of settings, including a studio setting, an old school arcade and a city’s back street area. The video’s editing does well to capture the song’s energy, ensuring audiences’ engagement and entertainment even more.
More information on Our Darkest Days’ new album, single, and video is available along with all of the band’s latest news at https://www.facebook.com/ourdarkestdays.
Courtesy: Thousand Islands Records/Lockjaw Records
Independent metal band Wolfrick debuted its new single and video this week.
The band premiered its new single, ‘Bashem‘ and its companion video Tuesday. The song is the lead single from the band’s forthcoming album, Clones, which is scheduled for release Feb. 25 through Thousand Islands Records (North/South America) and Lockjaw Records (UK/EU).
The video features the band performing its new single in a forest setting as a woman keeps finding a disgusting ooze everywhere she goes, as well as insects that audiences are left to assume created the ooze. The whole thing culminates in the woman joining in the band as the collective destroys a horde of bugs, which spatter the ooze all over them.
The song’s musical arrangement is a heavy, intense work that will appeal to fans of the screamo realm. No information was provided about the song’s lyrical theme in the press release announcing the video’s premiere. The lyrics presented with the video leave plenty of room for interpretation. One interpretation is that it is a reference to a person not being who that person is, and the declaration that said person’s true colors and nature will be revealed.
In other news, the band has also announced a brief slate of new live dates in support of Clones. The band’s tour schedule is noted below.
Upcoming shows:
WED, NOV 17 Red Deer, AB @ The Vat Pub
THU NOV 18 Banff, AB @ the Rose & Crown
FRI, NOV 19 Calgary, AB @ Broken City
SAT NOV 20 High River, AB @ High River Brewing Company
SUN, NOV 21 Edmonton, AB @ The Buckingham
More information on Wolfrik’s new single, video, album and tour is available along with all of the band’s latest news at https://www.facebook.com/wolfrikedmonton.
Courtesy: Mal De Ojo Records/Lockjaw Records/Thousand Islands Records
Independent hard rock band La Armada premiered its new single and its companion video this week.
The band debuted its new single, ‘All We Know‘ and its companion video Thursday. The single is featured in the band’s forthcoming album, Anti-Colonial Vol. 2, which is scheduled for release later this year. The band will release its new record through its own label, Mal De Ojo Records in the United States, Thousand Islands Records in Canada, and Lockjaw Records in the United Kingdom and Europe. An exact release date for the album is under consideration.
The musical arrangement featured in ‘All We Know’ is a heavy composition. It presents punk elements alongside a touch of Rage Against the Machine influence for a unique overall sound and stylistic approach.
The lyrical theme featured alongside the song’s heavy musical arrangement is heavy in its own right, according to a prepared statement released by the band.
“’All We Know’ is a groove-filled anthem written from within the eye of a hurricane,’ the statement reads. “Our singer came up with the lyrics after having lived through Hurricanes Irma and Maria, devastating earthquakes, and the pandemic, all from his native town in Yauco, Puerto Rico. It’s an angsty first hand account of the indifference and corruption that surrounded the government response to these disasters and a reminder that at the end of the day, this is how it’s always been, and that one way or another the people will always get by.”
More information on ‘All We Know’ is available along with all of La Armada’s latest news at:
Courtesy: Thousand Islands Records/Lockjaw Records
Independent punk rock band Belvedere is scheduled to release its latest album Friday. Hindsight is the Sixth Sense, the band’s third album, is scheduled for release through Thousand Island Records and Lockjaw Records. The 13-song record will appeal equally to the band’s established audience base and to punk purists in general. That is proven in part through the album’s musical arrangements. They will be discussed shortly. The lyrical themes presented throughout the album add their own appeal. They will be discussed a little later. The album’s sequencing rounds out its most important elements and will also be discussed later. Each item noted is important in its own way to the whole of the 34-minute album. All things considered, they make the album a punk purist’s dream come true.
Belvedere’s forthcoming album, Hindsight is the Sixth Sense is a work that fits well into any punk purist’s music library. That is proven in part through its featured musical arrangements. The arrangements featured in this record are pure punk rock for the most part. As a matter of fact, when listeners compare the arrangements featured in this album to the works in the band’s existing catalog, the up-tempo, guitar-driven works are everything that audiences have come to expect from the band. The comparisons to works from the likes of Pennywise, Chaser, and Radio Thieves are just as clear here as in the band’s existing albums for that matter. While the arrangements do tend to stay true to a familiar sound and stylistic approach in this album, there is at least one song that breaks that mold. It comes in the form of ‘Retina.’ This song actually opens with something of a thrash style approach that plays out in the song’s choruses. That sound and stylistic approach, against the band’s more familiar pure punk sound makes this one of the album’s most interesting musical points. There are other points throughout the album that present some metal influence, but nowhere near as evident in this case. All things considered, the general familiarity of the album’s musical content gives the noted audiences enough to appreciate.
The musical arrangements that make up the body of Belvedere’s new album are in themselves reason enough for the noted audiences to take in this record. They are just a part of what will make the album appealing to the band’s target audiences. The album’s lyrical themes are just as much pure punk as its musical arrangements. Case in point is the lyrical theme featured in ‘Retina.’ This song’s lyrical theme takes on the powers that be so to speak. This is made clear as front man Steve Rawles sings, “We’re placing all our faith in institutions/(When every fuckin’ time they let us down)/Another protest can’t relieve this evolution/What cost, it’s always in your thoughts/You felt the same, the same/A masterful thought takeover/It’s criminal and moreover/Never, regarded, insane.” The statement here is clear and follows very much in similar fashion as the nearly three-minute song progresses. It is that defiant, anti-establishment anthem for which punk rock has come to be known over the genre’s history.
‘Good Grief Retreat,’ one of the album’s singles is another example of how the album’s familiar lyrical themes will appeal to Belvedere’s key audiences. As Rawles pointed out in a recent interview, “This song speaks of the average worker and the system that benefits off their labour. While the rich can hide behind laws, regulations and a corporate veil that doesn’t hold them accountable for their actions, the worker never gets ahead and has no chance of closing the wage and lifestyle gap. The Retreat in the title refers to the general populace demanding better conditions.” Again, this is a topic that is quite familiar to punk bands across the board. Keeping that in mind, it will engage and entertain listeners just as much as the lyrical theme featured in ‘Retina.’ ‘Peace in Our Time’ is one more example of the importance of the album’s lyrical themes. It is another familiar commentary about society and everything going on. From tackling the powers that be, to people’s innate desire to point the finger, this song goes after both. The statements are illustrated in the song’s statement, “Heedless of the consequence to reap what you have sown/Lay the blame on someone else, to misdirect your own/It’s hard to gauge the loss of innocence/You set the bar, you cast the die/Dead mothers, fathers, sons and daughters/But never tell us why/They question where’s the retribution.” The overall statement is expanded in another verse, which states, Should I take a dive/Or should i go a few more rounds?/I’m crying on the sidelines as the final buzzer sounds/All the same old butchers/With a different badge in hand/And all that we demand is/Freedom, but not without a price.” This social commentary is, again, familiar territory for the band and for punk and its fans. Keeping that in mind, it is one more way in which the album’s lyrical content ensures listeners engaged and entertained in this record. When it is considered along with the other themes noted here and the rest of the album’s presented lyrical themes, the whole leaves no doubt as to the importance of the album’s lyrical content. That content and the album’s musical arrangements are just part of what audiences will find appealing about the record. Its sequencing rounds out its most important elements.
The sequencing of Hindsight is the Sixth Sense is important to note because it ensures the album’s energy remains high from beginning to end. There are some subtle variances in terms of the overall stylistic approach to the songs. That keeps things just interesting enough in that avenue. The energy though, remains stable from the record’s opening to its finale. Keeping that in mind, the album’s sequencing puts the finishing touch to its presentation. When it is considered along with the album’s overall content, the whole makes this record a presentation that listeners will appreciate in their initial listen and in hindsight.
Belvedere’s forthcoming album Hindsight is the Sixth Sense is a presentation that will appeal equally to the band’s established audience base and to punk purists. That is due in part to the album’s musical arrangements. The arrangements featured in this record are everything that audiences have come to expect from the band. They are also works that prove familiar to any punk fan what with their up-tempo approaches, and distinct vocal approaches. The lyrical themes featured throughout the album are just as familiar to all of the noted audiences as the album’s musical arrangements. To that end, that increased familiarity will appeal even more to the noted audiences. The sequencing used throughout the album does its own part to keep audiences listening. It keeps the album’s energy high throughout even with the subtle changes in the arrangements’ stylistic approaches. Each item noted is important in its own way to the whole of the album. All things considered, they make the album a work that holds its own in this year’s field of new punk records. Hindsight is the Sixth Sense is scheduled for release Friday through Thousand Islands Records and Lockjaw Records.
More information on Belvedere’s new single and album is available along with all of the band’s latest news at:
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.Advertisements
Belvedere released the last of the singles from its forthcoming album this week.
The band debuted its new single, ‘Chromatic‘ Thursday. The song is the fourth single from the band’s forthcoming album, Hindsight is the Sixth Sense, which is scheduled for release May 14 through Thousand Islands Records in the U.S. and through Lockjaw Records in Europe and the United Kingdom. It will release through both labels on CD, vinyl, and digital.
The debut of ‘Chromatic’ comes less than a month after Belvedere premiered the third single from its new album, ‘Camera Obscura.’ That single’s release follows the premiere of the album’s first and second singles, ‘Good Grief Retreat‘ (in February) and ‘Elephant March‘ (in March).
The musical arrangement is a high-energy work that as with the album’s other singles, will appeal to any punk purist. This is even considering the fact that the song barely even tops the one-minute mark (it comes in at one minute, 18 seconds to be precise).
No information was provided as to the song’s lyrical theme in the press release distributed about the song. Considering the lyrical themes presented in the album’s other songs, one can assume that this work is another commentary of sorts.
Pre-orders are open for Hindsight is the Sixth Sense. Among pre-order availability are three exclusive vinyl variant packages. There are also bundles that feature the items noted below.
Additional merch items include:
– American Socks partnership (limited run of album-themed socks)
– Full line of new t-shirt/tank top
– Album-themed Skateboard Deck
The band’s album has some special guest appearances. Less Than Jake front man Roger Lima, Protest The Hero vocalist Rody Walker, and Wolfrick singer Dylan Toews join the band for some of the album’s works.
The track listing for Hindsight is the Sixth Sense is noted below.
Album Tracklisting:
1. Happily Never After
2. Elephant March
3. The Ides
4. Camera Obscura
5. Retina
6. Chromatic
7. Good Grief Retreat
8. Comrade (feat. Roger Lima)
9. 2 Fast 2 Furious
10. Memento Mori (feat. Dylan Toews)
11. Automate (feat. Rody Walker)
12. Heartbreaker
13. Peace In Our Time
More information on Belvedere’s new single and album is available along with all of the band’s latest news at:
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.Advertisements
Courtesy: Thousand Islands Records/Lockjaw Records
Independent punk rock band Belvedere unveiled another single from its forthcoming album this week.
The band debuted its new single, ‘Camera Obscura‘ Tuesday. The song is the third single from the band’s forthcoming album, Hindsight is the Sixth Sense, which is scheduled for release May 14 through Thousand Islands Records in the U.S. and through Lockjaw Records in Europe and the United Kingdom. It will release through both labels on CD, vinyl, and digital.
The debut of ‘Camera Obscura’ follows that of the album’s lead single, ‘Good Grief Retreat‘ in February, and ‘Elephant March‘ last month.
The musical arrangement featured in ‘Camera Obscura’ is a fiery upbeat punk composition. the machine gun precise drumming, the energetic melodies generated through the guitars and bass, and the catchy vocals make the arrangement a work that lends itself to comparisons to works from the likes of Pennywise, Record Thieves, and Chaser, much as with ‘Good Grief Retreat.’
The lyrical theme that accompanies the song’s musical arrangement comes across as possibly being a social commentary from what can be understood sans lyrics to reference and comment from the band about said content.
Pre-orders are open for Hindsight is the Sixth Sense. Among pre-order availability are three exclusive vinyl variant packages. There are also bundles that feature the items noted below.
Additional merch items include:
– American Socks partnership (limited run of album-themed socks)
– Full line of new t-shirt/tank top
– Album-themed Skateboard Deck
The band’s album has some special guest appearances. Less Than Jake front man Roger Lima, Protest The Hero vocalist Rody Walker, and Wolfrick singer Dylan Toews join the band for some of the album’s works.
The track listing for Hindsight is the Sixth Sense is noted below.
Album Tracklisting:
1. Happily Never After
2. Elephant March
3. The Ides
4. Camera Obscura
5. Retina
6. Chromatic
7. Good Grief Retreat
8. Comrade (feat. Roger Lima)
9. 2 Fast 2 Furious
10. Memento Mori (feat. Dylan Toews)
11. Automate (feat. Rody Walker)
12. Heartbreaker
13. Peace In Our Time
More information on Belvedere’s new single and album is available along with all of the band’s latest news at:
Courtesy: Thousand Islands Records/Lockjaw Records
Independent punk rock band Belvedere is taking on a tried and true topic in its latest single.
The band debuted its new single, ‘Good Grief Retreat‘ Wednesday. The song is the lead single from the band’s forthcoming album Hindsight is the Sixth Sense. The album is scheduled for release May 14 through Thousand Islands Records in the U.S. and through Lockjaw Records in Europe and the United Kingdom. It will release through both labels on CD, vinyl, and digital.
Pre-orders are open. Among pre-order availability are three exclusive vinyl variant packages. There are also bundles that feature the items noted below.
Additional merch items include:
– American Socks partnership (limited run of album-themed socks)
– Full line of new t-shirt/tank top
– Album-themed Skateboard Deck
The band’s album has some special guest appearances. Less Than Jake front man Roger Lima, Protest The Hero vocalist Rody Walker, and Wolfrick singer Dylan Toews join the band for some of the album’s works.
The musical arrangement featured in ‘Good Grief Retreat’ is familiar to fans of bands, such as Chaser, Pennywise, and Record Thieves. The lyrical theme that accompanies the song’s musical arrangement proves just as familiar for punk fans.
Front man Steve Rawles talked about the song’s lyrical theme during a recent interview.
“This song speaks of the average worker and the system that benefits off their labour,” he said. While the rich can hide behind laws, regulations and a corporate veil that doesn’t hold them accountable for their actions, the worker never gets ahead and has no chance of closing the wage and lifestyle gap. The Retreat in the title refers to the general populace demanding better conditions.”
The track listing for Hindsight is the Sixth Sense is noted below.
Album Tracklisting:
1. Happily Never After
2. Elephant March
3. The Ides
4. Camera Obscura
5. Retina
6. Chromatic
7. Good Grief Retreat
8. Comrade (feat. Roger Lima)
9. 2 Fast 2 Furious
10. Memento Mori (feat. Dylan Toews)
11. Automate (feat. Rody Walker)
12. Heartbreaker
13. Peace In Our Time
More information on Belvedere’s new single and album is available along with all of the band’s latest news at:
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