Saul Announces New Album Details; Debuts Album’s Lead Single, Video; Announces Tour With Memphis May Fire

Courtesy: Spinefarm Records

Hard rock band Saul has a new album on the way this summer.

The band is scheduled to release its new album, This Is It…The End of Everything July 28 through Spinefarm Records. The record will come more than two years after the release of the band’s then latest album, Rise as Equals, which was also released through Spinefarm Records.

Front man Blake Bedsaul talked about the meaning behind the album’s title during a recent interview, explaining the title is a reference to the current state of the world.

“As a whole, we’re losing focus,” Bedsaul said. “I feel like the only one to look up and notice. Am I losing my mind or losing touch with the times? It’s a game we can’t win when the rules always change. Marching toward the end of days. This is it… the end of everything.”

Bedsaul added, “As a society, we’re so glued to our phones and social media. “When we finally got out of quarantine, we personally needed to take a mental break from it. If you think about it, we don’t even have to talk anymore, since communication happens online. So, step back from social media, get out there, shake hands, and live a little bit. You don’t have to exist through your phone. Capture the moment in your head and tell the story out loud to someone.”

According to Bedsaul, the record’s overarching theme also plays into the lyrical theme of the album’s lead single, ‘A Million Miles.’

“The distance between us is no longer measured in inches, feet, or miles,” he said. “It’s the void in time between looking up from our screens and locked in a dream. A minimal space we keep for reality. Just a moment to see the difference of where we are, and where we want to be.  We can sit across from someone within reach, and be a million miles away transported through our screens.” 

Saul premiered its new single and the song’s video Thursday. The video illustrates Bedsaul’s discussion on the song’s theme by showing a couple that has been emotionally disconnected because its own digital connection has been severed. It is a sharp commentary that while anything but new to the music world, still hits home in this case.

The musical arrangement that accompanies the song’s lyrical theme is a rich melodic hard rock composition. The band fools audiences early in the song with its opening bars. The opening bars hint at a semi-nu metal sound and style before the band launches into its more pure melodic hard rock sound and style. The whole is a presentation that will keep listeners engaged and entertained.

The track listing for Saul’s new album is noted below:

THIS IS IT… THE END OF EVERYTHING TRACK LISTING:
“TOOTH AND NAIL”
“THE LAST PARADE” 
“A MILLION MILES”
“THE NEW LOW”
“MORE OF THE SAME”
“NO MERCY”
“RUNAWAY”
“US A.D.”
“BEHIND THESE EYES”
“CASTLES IN THE SKY”
“JACK & JILL”
“BETTER AS A MEMORY”
“REIGN FIRE”

In other news, Saul will serve as support for Memphis May Fire’s 2-week summer North American tour in July alongside Secret and Norma Jean. The bands’ tour schedule is noted below:

SAUL ON TOUR:
WITH MEMPHIS MAY FIRE, NORMA JEAN, + SECRETS:
7/1 — Thompson, CT — Capulet Fest
7/2 — Portland, ME  —  State Theatre
7/3 — Elmira, NY  —  The L
7/5 — Columbus, OH  —  The King of Clubs
7/7 — Charleston, SC  —  Music Farm 
7/8 — Orlando, FL  —  The Beacham Theater 
7/9 — Gainesville, FL  —  High Dive
7/11 — Mobile, AL  —  Soul Kitchen Music Hall
7/12 — Memphis, TN  —  Growlers
7/14 — Cadott, WI — Rock Fest*
*Saul Only

More information on Saul’s new album, single, and tour is available along with all of the band’s latest news at:

Website: http://saulofficial.com

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

Twitter: http://twitter.com/saulband

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

Memphis May Fire Announces Summer Tour Dates

Courtesy: Rise Records

Memphis May Fire has announced a new slate of live dates.

The band’s new summer tour, which is in support of its latest album, Remade in Misery, is scheduled to launch July 1 in Thompson, CT and to run through July 15 in Mansfield, OH. The two-week tour also features performances in cities, such as Charleston, SC; Grand Rapids, MI and Mobile, AL.

Saul, Norma Jean, and Secrets will serve as support for the tour, whose schedule is noted below. Tickets are available here.

MEMPHIS MAY FIRE ON TOUR:
WITH NORMA JEAN, SECRETS, + SAUL
7/1 — Thompson, CT — Capulet Fest*
7/2 — Portland, ME  —  State Theatre
7/3 — Elmira, NY  —  The L
7/5 — Columbus, OH  —  The King of Clubs
7/7 — Charleston, SC  —  Music Farm 
7/8 — Orlando, FL  —  The Beacham Theater 
7/9 — Gainesville, FL  —  High Dive
7/11 — Mobile, AL  —  Soul Kitchen Music Hall
7/12 — Memphis, TN  —  Growlers
7/14 — Grand Rapids, MI —Upheaval Fest*
7/15 — Mansfield, OH — Inkcarceration Fest*
*Festival Date

More information on Memphis May Fire’s new tour is available along with all of the band’s latest news and tour information at:

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

Twitter: https://twitter.com/MemphisMayFire

To keep up with the latest sports and entertainment news and reviews, go online to https://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.

Third & Delaware Debuts New Single, Video; Performance Planned Wednesday With Norma Jean

Courtesy: O’Donnell Media Group

Metalcore band Third & Delaware’s new single, ‘Mayflower‘ is officially available to stream and download now.

The song’s official release Monday came three days after the band premiered the song’s companion video through its official YouTube channel. The musical arrangement featured in the band’s new single is everything that metalcore fans have come to enjoy about the genre, including the down-tuned guitars, the juxtaposition of the clean, controlled vocals and the screams, and even the precision drumming. The whole is comparable to works from so many of the band’s counterparts.

The lyrical theme featured in the band’s new single is a deeply emotional topic, according to front man Richy Xiong.

“‘Mayflower’s’ melody came to me in a nightmare,” Xiong said. “I woke up with the tune in my head, and I immediately recorded it as a voice memo. The track’s lyrics, including the name of the song itself, contain multiple double entendres. The Mayflower is of course known for transporting the pilgrims to the United States, so the song has nautical elements within the lyrics. I attempted suicide in May of 2019. If I had succeeded, my friends and family would be leaving me flowers that May, hence the title “May-flower”. The lyrics of the song showcases the contents of that nightmare through metaphors and double entendres. It is my crown jewel of lyrical and melodic art.” 

The video for the band’s new single is a familiar stylistic presentation. It features the band performing its new single in what looks like a darkly lit, empty building. The visualization is paired with other imagery such as a couple sitting back to back against each other and a dancer contorting her body. It has to be assumed the overall visualization is meant to help illustrate the message in the song’s lyrical theme, especially the darkness in which the band performs its new single.

Courtesy: O’Donnell Media Group

In other news, Third & Delaware is scheduled to serve as support for Norma Jean Wednesday at Trees in Dallas, TX as part of Norma Jean’s “Death Rattle Tour.” Fire From The Gods, Dispositions, and Greyhaven are also scheduled as support on the tour.

More information on Third & Delaware’s new single and video is available along with all of the band’s latest news at:

Website: https://thirdanddelawareband.com

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

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.

Norma Jean’s Eighth LP Presents Heavy Musical, Lyrical Content

Courtesy: Solid State Records

Metalcore outfit Norma Jean officially returned in October with its latest album All Hail.  The band’s eighth full-length studio recording, it came more than three years after the release of the band’s seventh album, Polar Similar.  The band’s latest offering, All Hail is a record whose musical and lyrical content together make for a presentation that will grow on audiences with each listen.  That ability to grow on listeners means it has considerable staying power, and in turn proves a successful new offering from the Georgia-based band.  One of the most notable entries featured in the record’s 45-minute run time comes late in its run in the form of ‘/with_errors.’  It is just one of the songs that exhibits the album’s strength.  ‘Anna,’ which comes even later in the 14-song record’s run is another clear example of the album’s strength.  It will be addressed a little later.  ‘Safety Last’ is yet another example of how the album’s songs serve to give the record a certain longevity among listeners and will also be addressed later.  When this song is considered along with the other two songs noted here and the likes of ‘If [Loss] Then [Leader],’ ‘Landslide Defeater,’ the album’s brief but still blistering opener ‘Orphan Twin,’ and the rest of its works, the end result is a work that is one of Norma Jean’s best albums to date.

Norma Jean’s latest full-length studio recording All Hail is a work that is certain to resonate with metalcore fans and with the band’s longtime fans.  That is proven throughout the course of the 14-song record in a variety of ways.  ‘/with_errors,’ which comes late in the record, is just one of the works that serves to show that appeal.  The song’s musical arrangement immediately presents a clear influence from Tool.  Yes, it seems odd, a “dark progressive rock” band influencing a metalcore outfit, but it is there, and it works.  This is obvious through front man Corey Brandan’s vocal delivery and through the work of guitarist Grayson Stewart.  Brandan’s ability to couple that influence with his own delivery style makes for a hybrid that stands solidly on its own merits here.  Drummer Ryan Leger’s choice of cymbals and drums works with his work in general to add even more punch to that very Tool-esque sound.  What is most interesting here is that while the song’s musical arrangement very clearly exhibits an influence from Tool, the band still creates an identity all its own for the song, thus ensuring the song’s originality.  That unique musical presentation is just one part of what makes the song stand out.  Its lyrical content adds to its interest.

Brandan sings in the song’s lead verse, “No need for dirt/I’m already still/I outweigh the orbit/I’ve never been around the sun/Always beside it/The burn is a reaction/Repeat the strokes that will bring the water to my neck/The tears over my head/The conflict is an illusion/Just get as close to the reflection/Eyes into the fractured glass/The bounce back/The cross over/Over.”  He continues in the song’s second verse, “Break bread with the ally adversary/Backwards and forwards/Blinded by the shadows below/All of you and everything/And it’s never-ending/It never started anyway.”  He adds in the song’s final verse, “Truth will be the first prey amid the raid/And you’ll see the smoke before you feel the flames/You’re an enemy of speech/Your legacy is a furnace spawning generations of hell.”  There is a lot of metaphorical language here.  What it amounts to is what seems to be a commentary of sorts.  That is inferred with the mention of looking into the “fractured glass” and “the bounceback” over.”  The statement about breaking bread “with the ally adversary” hints at making friends of enemies. Again this is all the interpretation of this critic and should not be taken as gospel.  This interpretation could very easily be completely incorrect.  The added mention in the song’s third and final verse that ‘the truth will be the first prey amid the raid/And you’ll see the smoke before you feel the flames” comes across as an addition to the initial statement about what has happened.  Once again, this is all this critic’s interpretation, but the whole seems to come across as a statement encouraging people to not let their biases separate them despite everything going on around them.  Whether this is correct, the fact that so much metaphor leaves wide open, room for dialogue on the topic adds to the song’s impact on the album’s whole, proving that much more, its importance to the record’s presentation.  It is just one of the songs that serves to show why All Hail has such staying power.  ‘Anna,’ which comes even in the album, does its own part to put the album’s strength on display.

‘Anna’ presents a unique musical arrangement that holds its own against its counterparts in this record, and proves itself just as strong as those works in the process.  That is thanks to Stewart’s heavy, plodding guitar line, Brandan’s powerhouse vocals and John Finnegan’s bass work.  While the song is a metalcore composition at its core, one could just as easily argue that there is a certain heavy, doom sound exhibited here, too.  The combination of those elements makes the song in whole a powerful melodic hard rock song that stands out on its own positive merits.  That heavy composition is just one part of what makes the song so notable.  The song’s lyrical theme offers listeners plenty of interest, too.

The song’s lyrical content comes across as a work about a really bad breakup.  Of course again, that could be completely out of the proverbial ballpark.  The manner in which the lyrics are presented do lead to that interpretation, though.  Brandan sings in the song’s lead verse, “Haven’t seen a word in a span of days/Listen for the slow and steady hum/Saying you’re everything to everything you’re saying/It’s not the answer you devoured/Or the quest to find the question/Just the sound that came before the first step and never turned around again/I don’t want to freeze inside/I fell in love with the burn out here/But a little on the lighter side/I’m here alone and you don’t ask why.”  He continues in the song’s second verse, “Write it down, Anna/Can you hear me now/Autograph and send it through the air/Say you’re everything because you’re everything I’m not/The knife won’t cut the rope tied to me/It breaks and frays to nothing/Comfort sorrow and you’ll hold that weapon by the jagged blade.”  This in itself seems to hint at something having to do with personal relationships.  Things take an interesting turn in the song’s third and final verse, as he sings, “Caught between a dream and a dream/I pulled at the seams/We’re always between trading the dawn for dusk/Exchanging rot for rust/I’ll testify with a torch/Burning black from the mouth/Of a night-stained sky/I’ll stand in the sun/I’ll stand in the sun/Cutting shapes into shade/You can hold the hilt/I’ll be the blade/You’re the reason/You’re the sound that lights the way/before the first step that never turned around again.”  There is a lot of heavy emotion here and by connection, heavy thought.  Regardless of whether this cong centers on the all-too-familiar element of broken relationships or something else, the fact of the matter is that it is certain to generate plenty of its own among listeners, along with the song’s musical arrangement.  The discussion generated through the two elements together makes the song that much more important an addition to the album.  It still is not the last of the album’s most notable additions.  ‘Safety Last,’ which comes early in the album’s run, is another key entry to the album.

‘Safety Last’ presents a musical arrangement that couples the band’s familiar metalcore sound with a distinct djent element.  The complimenting of the two elements, with the down-tuned guitars and screaming vocals makes this song’s arrangement a work that stands out if only for its fiery musical content.  Of course its musical content is not its only content.  It also boasts its own thought (and discussion) provoking lyrical content.

Brandan sings (screams) in the song’s lead verse, “I’ll burn every bridge in the world/I am the wreck that you’ve been waiting for/The dream is real/The nightmare is fictional real/I’m telling you I’ve seen the serpent lose/A rush of poison from the fangs/Snap its tail/Fall into the lake and take a breath/Pull the root from the interlacing vines/Then end swims away to added end/I swear to God/The price to pay/The price you’ll pay/I’ll burn every bridge in the world/’Cause I never want to cross them again.”  He continues in the song’s second verse, “I am infinitely bankrupt again/Aid to ruin is even more ruin/Rush in/Be the savior to us all/I’ll believe every damned word/Just take a moment here and introduce yourself/No, no truly/Can you introduce yourself/Loveless/Take a moment/Introduce yourself/Desperate life/Every damned word/So pray for this.”  Again, there is much metaphorical speak here that will certainly lead to lots of discussion among audiences.  The story’s song comes across here as someone reaching a certain point in his or her life where things are not at their best and that person is just desperate to find some meaning and direction.  Once more, this is only this critic’s interpretation and should not be taken as the only interpretation.  Keeping that in mind, the possible meaning behind these lyrics, coupled with the song’s fiery musical arrangement makes the song in whole, yet another very powerful addition to the album.  When it is considered along with ‘/with-errors,’ ‘Anna’ and the other songs noted here, the end result is another record from Norma Jean that audiences will salute.  Yes, that awful pun was intended.

Norma Jean’s eighth full-length studio recording All Hail is a powerful new entry from the veteran metalcore outfit that shows despite numerous label and lineup changes, the band is still as strong today as it was years ago in its inception.  That is proven through all three of the songs noted here and the rest of the album’s offerings.  All things considered, they make All Hail a work that will appeal easily to metalcore fans and those most devoted fans of Norma Jean.  More information on All Hail is available online now along with all of the band’s latest news at:

 

 

 

Website: http://www.normajeannoise.com

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

Twitter: http://twitter.com/NormaJeanBand

 

 

 

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

2017 Rock On The Range Festival Lineup Announced

Courtesy: Danny Wimmer Presents/AEG Live

The lineup for the 2017 Rock on the Range Festival has been announced, and once again it has proven to be quite the collection of acts.

The three-day festival will be headlined by Metallica, Soundgarden and Korn.  It will feature more than 50 bands over the course of that time along with some of the country’s top comics at the festival’s Rock on the Range Rolling Rock Comedy Tent.

The lineup for the 2017 Rock on the Range Festival includes: Metallica, Soundgarden, Korn, The Offspring, Volbeat, Primus, Bush, Chevelle, Papa Roach, Seether, Coheed & Cambria, Alter Bridge, The Pretty Reckless, Taking Back Sunday, Thrice, Amon Amarth, Pierce The Veil, Sum 41, Skillet, Dillinger Escape Plan, In Flames, Gojira, Biffy Clyro, Motionless In White, Nothing More, Beartooth, Starset, Every Time I Die, The Story So Far, Deafheaven, Zakk Sabbath, Rival Sons, The Amity Affliction, Attila, Norma Jean, Suicide Silence, Whitechapel, I Prevail, Turnstile, Dinosaur Pile-Up, Red Fang, Dorothy, Kyng, Radkey, As Lions, Frank Carter & The Rattlesnakes, Sylar, Fire From The Gods, Badflower, Wage War, Goodbye June, Cover Your Tracks, DED, Bleeker, Royal Republic, Mother Feather, Aeges and One Less Reason.

Rock on the Range—fueled by Monster Energy—is billed as America’s largest and most acclaimed rock festival.  The festival will also feature in 2017 “The Music Experience,” art installations, and unique on-site activities over the course of the festival’s three days.

Tickets for the 2016 festival sold out more than two months in advance of the festival.  It marked the fourth consecutive year the festival has sold out in advance.

Weekend Field, new Weekend Field VIP, Weekend Stadium and a limited number of Weekend Stadium 4-packs are available now for purchase.  A layaway option is also available for concert-goers.  That option allows audiences to split the cost of their ticket/ticket packages into four separate monthly payments.

Fans can get a pre-sale password for Weekend Field VIP, Weekend Field GA, Weekend Stadium GA and Weekend Stadium GA 4-packs on the official Rock on the Range website, Facebook page and Twitter page.  The ticket prices are listed below.

 

• Weekend Field VIP: starting at $349.50* + fees
• Weekend Field GA: starting at $199.50* + fees
• Weekend Stadium GA: starting at $99.50* + fees
• Weekend Stadium GA Ticket 4-Pack: $380.00 + fees
• * Phase One prices listed
• *** Ticket prices automatically move to the next price level once the allotment sells out ***

General on-sale for tickets is Friday, Dec. 2 at 10 a.m. EST.  Tickets will be available online at the festival’s website, at Ticketmaster locations and the MAPFRE Stadium box office.

Audiences who want an even more special concert experience can purchase the new Uber Ranger Camping Package.  The package includes amenities for four people such as luxury RV on a double campsite at the Ohio Expo North Campground (May 18 – 21), a dedicated concierge with golf cart shuttle, 4 Weekend VIP Field Admission Tickets, a backstage tour, access to the stadium club (with catered lunch and dinner), access to the Side Stage Viewing Platform, access to the VIP Lounge and more.  More information on the new Uber Ranger Camping Package is available here.

Rock on The Range celebrated its 10^th anniversary in 2016.  More than 120,000 people attended the festival from around the world.  As part of its 10^th anniversary celebration, Columbus, OH mayor Andrew J. Ginther and the Columbus, OH city council presented festival organizers with awards of recognition.  A resolution was also announced from the Franklin County Board of Commissioners acknowledging the festival’s economic impact on the city.

The commissioners pointed out in their resolution pointed out the festival brought in more than $140 million for the city over the course of its ten years in the city.

Rock on the Range is produced by Danny Wimmer Presents, AEG Live and MAPFRE Stadium.  It is supported by Monster Energy, Bud Light and Zippo.  They and other partners will feature interactive experiences, meet & greets, and other special fan engagement opportunities throughout the festival.

More information on the 2017 Rock on the Range Festival is available online now at:

 

 

 

Website: http://www.RockontheRange.com

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

Twitter: http://twitter.com/rockontherange

 

 

 

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.