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Music Mondays

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LIKE STATUES

So our brothers in Like Statues have finally released their EP Hell! they had a ton of line up changes in the past year. So we are stoked that this has finally gone down! With the addition of Chris Fortuna of Taking Dreams we are excited to see this new direction! check out the title track featuring Landon Tewers of the Plot In You! 

Come to the EP Release show this friday at the sanctuary

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WOLF SHARK FINDING YOURSELF

So we were excited to announce the release of our boys in WolfShark EP FINDING YOURSELF! Check out these videos they put together to promote the EP in collaboration with Brandan Keller! 

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HEARTWOOD BALL TAKE TWO

Its that time of year again! this friday we are stoked to be a part of the second annual Heart Wood Ball! we love all the bands, you love all the bands, lets get together and party! remember masquerade style attire is suggested but its still cool if you dont! We will have a table set up and lots of love to give! Check out the line up !

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KNOCKED UP FEST

SO THIS WEEKEND WE ARE EXCITED TO BE A PART OF KNOCKED UP FEST! BASICALLY IT WILL BE A WEEKEND OF GETTING GNARLY, LISTENTING TO SOME GREAT BANDS, DRINKING LOTS OF BEER, AND PROBABLY PASSING OUT IN A FIELD SOMEWHERE! WE SERIOUSLY CANT WAIT! A BIG THANKS TO OUR BOYS IN LAKE EFFECT AND CST FOR PUTTING THIS ALL TOGETHER! HERES THE LINE UP FOR SAT AND SUNDAY! 


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CONQUER DIVIDE

There has been a recent rise in female based alternative bands. Obviously there has always been bands like this around. But it seems to me that I've been seeing more and more bands with female vocals getting recognition, signed and touring. Warped tour was saturated with them this year. Half of the bands on the Journeys stage had female singers. It is very regrettable to say that in the past having an all girl band would be perceived as a gimmick. But that is NOT THE CASE for our friends in CONQUER DIVIDE. These hard working musicians have been giving it all on the road to chase their dream. In no way is this a band of "DO NOTHING BITCHES"

Honestly I had a long drawn out background blog written support these wonderful ladies. But through my research i found this video that was released last month, and i feel it covers everything way better than what i had wrote. So check out this video and meet Conquer Divide. 

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BEAST IN THE FIELD

Imagine the lowest, dirtiest, sludgiest, darkest two piece instrumental band you can think of. Well if Beast In The Field wasn't your first pic...well you are fucking up. The Band is comprised of drummer  Jamie Jahr and guitarist Jordan Pries. I once heard a story of how Jordan was attempting to have a guitar painted with the blood of a Virgin! these guys are seriously on  another level. being a two piece usually leaves a lot of extra space on stage and what better way to fill up that stage then with full stacks! this is an example of their stage set up!  

if you dont wear ear protection then i feel really sorry for you. trust me you can still hear everything wearing ear plugs. Shit you can feel his low notes vibrating through your spine! And yes we know a lot of big bands will have the stage set up with dummy cabs. I can assure you, that is not the case with these dudes! The dudes just played Dirt Fest this past weekend but you can feel it for yourself at Frankies this weekend: 

For real though. check out this video and head bang along! shits too good!

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WARPED TOUR 2015

Well its finally hear! We've been preparing all year for this lil midwest jaunt and we couldnt be more excited! The Vans Warped Tour is one of the biggest tours of the year! We are excited because our boys in We Came as Romans and The 68 are rocking out the whole tour! The Detroit date will be this friday at the Palace. We are stoked for the Wolfshark dudes winning the Ernie Ball BOTB so they will be rocking out the Ernie Ball stage. Also Taking Dreams and Rumours will be rocking the local stage! Head to the shelter this wed to see who wins the last installment of the Warped Tour BOTB and see who else gets to rock the stage! If you are going to be rocking out at warped tour this year...come visit our tent for some exclusive merch that we are releasing just for Warped! We are calling it "Sin Eater" -Aren

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TAKING DREAMS: CHUMP

CHUMP

CHəmp/

noun

informal

noun: chump; plural noun: chumps

a foolish or easily deceived person.

"how can this chump be a detective?"

WELL THE TAKING DREAMS DUDES ARE AT IT AGAIN! THE LONG AWAITED ALBUM "CHUMP" DROPPED AND IT RULES! ALL ATTITUDE-NO REGRETS. THE TITLE TRACK CHUMP HAS REMNANTS OF  LATE 90'S NEW METAL WITH TURNTABLE SCRATCHES ALONG WITH  DRIVING HOOKS THAT BRING IN YOUR INNNER RAGE! 

CHECK OUT THE TITLE TRACK OF "CHUMP" HERE:

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THE ARMED

JUST STOP! JUST STOP EVERYTHING YOU ARE DOING...I DONT CARE IF ITS YOUR MORNING COFFEE OR IF ITS LUNCH TIME FOR YOU OR IF YOUR MOM ASKED TO TO TAKE OUT THE TRASH. FUCK FACEBOOK -FUCK TWITTER OR ANYTHING ELSE RIGHT NOW. GO LISTEN TO THE NEW RECORD FROM THE ARMED. THESE DETROIT LOCALS WERE QUOTED BY ROLLING STONE MAGAZINE AS "THE MUSICAL EQUIVALENT OF WAKING UP TO A DEFIBRILLATOR SHOCK!" WITH SONGS LIKE "FOREVER SCUM" "DEAD ACTRESS" "FUTURE DRUGS" AND SO MANY OTHER THAT WILL TEAR UP YOUR INSIDES! 

THIS SHIT ELECTRIFIES  EVERY CELL IN MY BODY THAT MAKES ME WANTS TO RAMPAGE!

-AREN


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WILSON: RIGHT TO RISE

FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO DONT KNOW WHO WILSON IS....YOURE FUCKING UP! WILSON WAS WITH US FROM THE START OF VILE. THESE DUDES HOLD THE FLAG HIGH OF WHAT IT MEANS "TO KEEP IT VILE" AND SPREAD "FUCKERY!"  WE ARE SO PROUD BECAUSE IN LESS THAN A WEEK WILSON WILL BE RELEASING THEIR SECOND FULL LENGTH ALBUM "RIGHT TO RISE." ON RAZOR AND TIE RECORDS  THE DUDES WILL BE HAVING A "LOCALS ONLY" RELEASE PARTY AT THE CROFOOT THIS SAT, ALONG SIDE WITH OUR BROTHERS IN WOLFSHARK. 

SO FOR THE TIME BEING WE'D LIKE TO TAKE A LOOK BACK AT THE LAST COUPLE YEARS OF FUCKERY, APPRECIATE THE ROAD THAT THEY HAVE FOUGHT FOR, AND GET STOKED FOR THE YEARS TO COME! XOXO -AREN 


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SYCAMOUR RELEASES LIVE VIDEO FOR CALM DOWN JULIET

SO RIGHT OFF THE BAT, FOR THOSE WHO DONT KNOW ABOUT THE SYCAMOUR DUDES, WELL YOU SHOULD BY NOW. IF YOU DONT KNOW WHO BRANDAN KELLER IS BY NOW, WELL YOU SHOULD. BRANDAN IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE AWESOME CINEMATIC VIDEOS THAT THE SYCAMOUR DUDES HAVE BEEN KNOWN FOR. NOW THE DUDES AND BRANDAN HAVE RELEASED THIS LIVE VIDEO FOR THEIR SONG "CALM DOWN JULIET" ON AP MAGAZINES! PROUD OF YOU GUYS! 

PS CATCH THE DUDES ON THE TAIL END OF THEIR "TOURS FROM THE CRYPT" TOUR!

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REGENERATE!

                                                                      &nbs…

                                                                                                                                                

PART2

ALRIGHT! FOLLOW UP POST ON OUR DUDES IN WE CAME AS ROMANS! CHECK OUT THEIR NEW VIDEO THAT DROPPED TODAY. "REGENERATE" WAS SHOT IN OUR NECK OF THE WOODS FULL OF PEOPLE IN OUR MUSIC SCENE! SO CHECK IT OUT AND I YOU ARE A LOCAL, SEE IF YOU CAN SEE YOUR FRIENDS OR EVEN YOURSELF. 

MAKE SURE YOU GUYS CATCH THE DUDES ON THIS YEARS 2015 WARPED TOUR! 

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WE CAME AS ROMANS ST RELEASE

WE ARE STOKED FOR THE RELEASE OF OUR BROTHERS IN WCAR'S 2015 SELF TITLED RELEASE. WE KNOW THE DUDES HAVE BEEN DOING A TON OF TOURING AND TRAVELING ALL OVER PLANET EARTH AND WE KNOW THAT A LOT HAS HAPPENED SINCE THE RELEASE OF THEIR LAST RECORD "TRACING BACK ROOTS.'' THE DUDES ARE ALL A LITTLE OLDER, A LITTLE WISER AND MORE MATURE. SO I HAVE A FEELING THAT THIS RECORD IS GOING TO BE FULL WITH WELL PLANNED HOOKS, ANTHEMIC MELODIES AND OVER ALL SHOW STOMPERS. 

CHECK OUT THIS TEASER AND PRE ORDER...CUZ THERE IS ALWAYS COOL EXTRA SHIT THAT COMES WITH PRE ORDERS! SO DO IT! 

We Came As Romans new self-titled album will be out worldwide on July 24.

 

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BLED FEST 2015

ITS THAT TIME OF YEAR AGAIN! FUSHION SHOWS PUTS ON THEIR ANNUAL MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND FESTIVAL: BLED FEST! SOME WHERES AROUND A THOUSAND KIDS PACKED INTO STAGE AFTER STAGE (CAREFULLY SEPARATED) ROCKING OUT TO THEIR FAVORITE LOCALS AS WELL AS A STRONG NATIONAL PACKAGE!

THERE ARE SOOO MANY GOOD BANDS PLAYING THIS YEAR! CHECK THE LIST! 

MAKE SURE YOU CATCH SETS FROM OUR BOYS IN  NARCO DEBUT, LAKE EFFECT, FLINT EASTWOOD, BOYS OF FALL

 

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GIFT GIVER: SHIT LIFE

SO MOST OF YOU MICHIGAN LOCALS ALREADY KNOW WHO AND WHAT GIFT GIVER IS. BUT FOR THOSE WHO DONT, GIFT GIVER EXEMPLIFY THE BEST PART OF THE MICHIGAN METAL SCENE AND THEY BRING IT IN THEIR NEWEST RELEASE: SHIT LIFE. WITH SONGS LIKE CURSED, BASTARD DEATH WISH, SCUMBAG PT2 AND MONEY SHOT YOU WILL BE TAKEN TO A PLACE...A DARK PLACE BUT A REAL PLACE NONE THE LESS. THESE ANN ARBOR NATIVES ARE REPRESENTING THE MITTEN HARD! SO GO BUY LISTEN TO SHIT LIFE FOR YOURSELF! AND SUPPORT THOSE WHO MAKING SOMETHING OUT OF THIS FUCKED UP WORLD! 

PS CREEP THEIR NEWEST MUSIC VIDEO "TRENDKILL" 


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REVIEW: Lemix J. Buckley's "Forgive Yourself" EP

    So I know I keep reviewing really twinkly emo/post rock stuff, and I promise I'll get to some heavier stuff soon, but local dudes keep hitting me with these incredible releases and I'd be really fucking shitty for not showing them to you! Not too long ago I showed you guys the single "Hauntings" by Lemix J. Buckley, and now I get to show you "Forgive Yourself" and finish what's been started :)

Cred: Marlene Lacasse

Cred: Marlene Lacasse

   It's a short lil' fella, with only 4 tracks, but it friggin' hits you. You go from the poppy, yet noodly, yet somber single to open with. Vocals chime in repeatedly "Does anybody have a gun? Won't you clean up when I'm done?". Heavy shit. Definitely a darker themed set of songs, despite the glassy twinkly finish. It's beautiful, though. Josh(Gill) and Gage(Welch) compliment eachother well with the sings and the strings. Then we check into "Bluff" which sort of sticks to the theme of "Hauntings", but seems to get even darker, as it seems to be telling a story from a convicted killer's vantage point- "Smiling in my concrete room//Remembering how I dismembered you ". Gorgeous guitar work and brilliant pacing by the drummer, Mr. Alex Bazzi, who's love for Zach Hill shows in this one. Kudos to Bradley(Lockheart) for holding it down on bass with such an animal on the skins. ;)

   Next we hit a spacier sounding "The Advocate", which really is a change of pace with a waltzy-er pace to go with the echo-ing guitars. It slowly builds in to a much more driving sound and pounds away till the end. Most excellent. But they saved the best for last. "Complex Up" really just shows off everything you'd love about these guys. Kicks off with a really bright, dance-y riff and verse that leads to this glorious chorus bit that just makes you wanna touch yerself. The VERY BEST PART, however is the incredible, building climax of and ending. Josh starts screaming in-between croons, and it all just ends in the right place, with Josh Screaming "I'm fucking sorry". Juicy, twinkly, emotive songs from an incredible Metro Det. area band. Check it below:

SEE? I fucking love these songs. Go download this shit. Listen to it repetitively and check these guys out live, they post shows on facebook!

In the meantime, I need to figure out why my poop is neon green!

See ya next week <3

-XOXO TOPH

 

PS- MAY THE FOURTH BE WITH YOU!


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The BoySz are Back in Town <3

Hey guys!

As you probably already know, Wayne Szaliniski has won my heart with their full-length effort "Black Mirror" last year. Since the album's release they have gone through some changes, and now they are headed out on a whopper of a tour! I took a sec to chat with frontman Andy Milad, who doubles as one of my favorite people on earth!

PHOTO CRED: Daniel Balderas

PHOTO CRED: Daniel Balderas

ANDYFirst off, thanks for takin' your time to ask us a few questions, I really appreciate it. Second, so glad you're into the record. That means so much comin' from friends I hope you know. 

TOPH: Thank you for making such a gorgeous set of songs, man. We go back a lil' ways and it's always been so fun to be around you and the music you create :) So, tell me about this tour... Is this your longest one yet?

ANDY: Yep! This is going to be our longest tour to date. Super excited, I'm sure it'll be a blast.

TOPH: I fucking bet! And since you guys released black mirror(one of my absolute favorite things this past year), I know dudes like Nick Galli and Kurt Roy have moved/are moving away. So, how are you guys adjusting to that? (I really wanted Kurt to record my band so it hurts me, hopefully he can master/mix some stuff for me some day!)

ANDY: It's always a bummer to lose a band member. We've played with, I think, five bass players now... so we've learned to adapt pretty quickly. Drums are another issue entirely. When Nick left to go work at his dream-job, we were very sad. Nick had such a profound impact on the sound of the band through his playing-style, so it took us awhile to get back on track. We love Nick, we miss him, but we're also very happy for him. Check his Instagram, he's livin' lavish.

 That being said, we're working with a fantastic new drummer now, Judson Branam. He's got a style all of his own and he's an incredibly positive force to work with. Jud's a really friendly guy and I'm super excited to be touring with him.

TOPH: Good to hear you found a good fit! However, I miss the hell out of Nick. Never got to ride bikes :( And I was broke when it first released, but is "Black Mirror" still available on vinyl?

ANDY: Black Mirror, our debut album, is definitely still available. We sold a bunch when it was released and got more pressed for this upcoming tour. If you can't catch us at a show, you can always get it online, here @ wayneszalinski.bandcamp.com 

TOPH: DOPE! I'm snaggin' that shit ASAP! Now, what were your biggest influences on that record? (I mean both musically and "IRL")

ANDY: Black Mirror is our first full-length record, so it compiles a bunch of songs written over several years. In that time our influences were extremely varied, but I think the strongest were Jeff Buckley, The Smiths, and TTNG

TOPH: I can definitely see it. I'm gonna catch you at PJ's on May 7th, can I please sing with you? <3

ANDY: heck yea man, just get up there w/ me. :)

TOPH: Yesssss. You can count on it. See ya then buddy! Tell Andrew Adams I love him!

You can catch them on the kick-off, like I mentioned, at PJ's in detroit. Click here for the FB event, and peep the poster below for the full tour schedule! Dueces!

XOXO TOPH


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