Howling Bells Set American Debut and Join Coldplay Tour

Already a top 30 album in the UK, their sophomore release Radio Wars sees the band expanding their darkly majestic sound and seems certain to elevate the group to a wider consciousness. The dark subject matter that marked the first remains, but it's a set of songs that are far more adventurous and diverse sounding, yet equally as melodic. For Radio Wars, the band partnered with Dan Grech-Marguerat, who has engineered records alongside producer Nigel Godrich, including Radiohead, Air and Paul McCartney. - more on this story

David Berkeley Shining Strange Light on The Hotel Cafe

PR reports: Singer-songwriter David Berkeley is touring with UK sensation Katie Melua for a spring jaunt through the U.S, previewing material from his upcoming album Strange Light, out May 26th via Thirty Tigers.

David Berkeley will break off from his tour w/ Katie for a few days and will be playing Hotel Cafe on Saturday, May 16th at 6pm.

Produced by Brian Deck (Iron and Wine, Counting Crows, Josh Ritter, Modest Mouse) and featuring Nickel Creek's Sara Watkins on background vocals, Strange Light is being touted as Berkeley's most accessible and powerful work yet.
- Myspace Link

The-Dream Hitting the Road with Keyshia Cole

Island Def Jam reports: The-Dream will tour in support of his brand new album LOVE vs. MONEY (released March 10th) – joining headliner, Interscope artist, Keyshia Cole on the road.

The 21-city tour will open May 13th at the Aronoff Center in Cincinnati (tied-in with radio stations WIZF and WMOJ), and will conclude at the Pearl in Las Vegas on June 21st.

In March 2008, The-Dream commenced the first major cross-country North American tour of his career, when he joined Mary J. Blige and Jay-Z for their "Heart Of The City" tour. The 22-city U.S. and Canadian tour climaxed in May with three homecoming concerts at Madison Square Garden in New York City. - more on this story

Winds Of Plague Recording New Album And Announce Tour Plans

PR reports: Winds Of Plague have now entered Sound Temple Studios in Rancho Cucamonga, CA with producer extraordinaire Daniel Castleman, who worked with the band on Decimate the Weak, to record The Great Stone War.

Winds Of Plague is also extremely excited to be on board as part of the summer's most extreme package tour, Summer Slaughter, alongside Suffocation, Necrophagist, Darkest Hour and others.

Vocalist Johnny Plague comments: "This week we lock ourselves inside Sound Temple Studios in Rancho Cucamonga, CA with the up and coming recording wizard Daniel Castleman. We will leave a month later drained and beat but with a new 12 track full length named The Great Stone War. This is the first time we have had to create an album from scratch so we took advantage of the situation and built a themed, well constructed album compared to Decimate The Weak which I feel was more of a collection of songs." -

Lawnmower Deth Added To Download

Our Caps Key Is Like Crack To Us Records reports: Old-school British thrash metallers LAWNMOWER DETH are finally realising their dream, as the band recently announced that they will be performing at Download Festival this Summer.

LAWNMOWER DETH bassist CHRIS "MIGHTYMO DESTRUCTIMO" PARKES comments: "I guess from my point of view it's every young aspiring rock gods dream. I went to my first Donington in 1984 when I was still at school and 15/16 years of age with Concorde Face Ripper and was absolutely blown away, and to think that our little band that was kind of created in our minds around that time would actually be playing the festival some 25 years later is just amazing.

"We have done one gig in 13 years and have no management (and never have), no record company, nothing to promote, no agent, no tour manager and have always done everything ourselves - it is incredible that we are on this bill and take absolutely nothing for granted, we are chuffed as ****. And it also shows that even crap little bands like ours can kind of make it. Can't wait!" - more on this story

Turkey's Painted On Water Set US Release and Central Park Gig

PR reports: Painted On Water, the self-titled album project by the duo of vocalist Sertab Erener and composer/guitarist Demir Demirkan, is more than a breath of fresh air – it's one of the year's unexpected pleasures, a unique excursion through jazz, rock and the duo's own Turkish musical and cultural heritage. The album is released on Motema Music June 9, 2009. Painted On Water will play Central Park's Summer Stage on June 27, 2009

Produced in Los Angeles and Istanbul by Painted on Water's Demirkan and nine-time Grammy winner Jay Newland (Norah Jones, Herbie Hancock, Charlie Haden, Michael Brecker), PAINTED ON WATER moves in a warm, fluid, and organic way between jazz, modern rock, and pop-flavored vocal compositions featuring Erener's sensual, evocative lead, and fusion-jazz instrumentals anchored by Demirkan's guitar. Each of the album's songs is inspired by the melodies of Turkish Anatolian classical and folk music, with English lyrics written by Demirkan and by veteran No. 1 songsmith Phil Galdston (Madonna, Celine Dion, Vanessa Williams).

Album opener "Blue" was written by Demirkan for Grammy-winning guest guitarist Al DiMeola, while distinctly modern alternative-rock notes are sounded in the vividly emotional "Nothing But To Pray," "Love We Made," and "Before the Night." The whimsical "One Shot" and "Mad Love" connect folk songs to blues and funk. A suite of instrumentals concludes the album, the swing-influenced "Shehnaz on Shiraz," "Aegean Bride," inspired by the reflections of a bride's father, and the minimal, hypnotic "Habudiyar," an experimental interpolation of folk material. - more on this story

Scum Of The Earth Mainman Opens Tattoo Shop

PR reports: Branson, MO is known for their luxurious resorts and golf courses, museums and attractions. And now it'll be known for…tattoos? That's right. America's bloodiest band of heavy metal hellions, Scum Of The Earth, is bringing the world of tattoos and piercing to this seemingly tranquil area of the country.

On April 26, the band's singer/songwriter/guitarist RIGGS opened the doors to Riggs' Monster Tattoo parlor. The new business venture is sure to overwhelm local residents and tourists with a way of life filled with lust, carnage and debauchery, cranium-cracking music, and infectious art brought on by some of the top tattoo artists in the business. RIGGS has assembled an all-star crew of tattoo artists to keep the shop running at its most fevered pace, including Rev. Tim Pontillo, Eden Draven and Crazy Joe McVeigh. Some prestigious special guest artists will also stop by the store throughout the coming months.

Riggs' Monster Tattoo is home to a crazy collection of famous guitars, movie monsters, stage props, Gold and Platinum records, music and horror movie memorabilia, and the best tattooing and body piercing in southern Missouri. "We took the time to make our shop stand out from the rest, with prices that can't be beat," proclaims Riggs. "The feel of the store is a rock 'n roll monster extravaganza! The neighbors and tourists are loving it so far." - more on this story

Five Blank Pages Announce Final Show

PR reports: Toronto's Five Blank Pages are going out with a bang. The band has just announced that their final show will be part of this year's Over the Top Festival, on Saturday, May 23rd at the Mod Club Theatre in Toronto. The show will be all ages/licensed. As a final keepsake, the band leaves fans with a new EP, Young Glow, which includes four new songs from the melodic indie rock group.

Front man Noyan Hilmi sends this message to his fans: "After five years and hundreds of performances, it has come time to play our final show as Five Blank Pages. Since 2003, we've worked very hard and done so much. Our lives are now moving on to place other priorities ahead of the band. It was only a matter of time until the scales would tip, thereby putting Five Blank Pages behind us. It would only feel right to signal the end of the band with a celebration of what we've accomplished, who we've had the pleasure of working with, and the music we've created. We want you to join us for the last Five Blank Pages show. We've worked hard to make it as special as possible and for everyone to be able to attend."

Before they bid farewell, Five Blank Pages offer us a new four song EP, Young Glow, sewn together with their honest and soothing indie rock most of the GTA has become so fond of. Presenting some of their most developed and mature songs to date, Young Glow will leave fans with a heartfelt gift, a peaceful ending. The EP will be released at the show on May 23rd and available in hand-numbered limited edition packaging. The EP will be available digitally through the band's website and later this year on iTunes and other digital retailers. - more on this story

Hate Satan Again With This Album Reissue

MMP reports: Metal Mind Productions presents Hate, a death metal band with blackened death metal and industrial metal influences. The band, created in 1990, has a cult status on Polish death metal scene and is one of the most outstanding artists of the extreme music of today.

"The Litanies of Satan" is their live album featuring a recording of a supreme death metal performance from February 2004. The tracklist contains mainly songs from their album "Awakening of the Liar" plus some older, classic compositions.

Metal Mind Production will release the album on 8th June in Europe and 14th July in USA (via MVD). Digipak edition is limited to 1000 copies. - more on this story

. Spinal Tap Unwigged and Unplugged

To celebrate the 25th anniversary of This is Spinal Tap, Michael McKean, Harry Shearer and Guest have left the wigs at home and are taking to the road with acoustic guitars in hand. - Read the full Spinal Tap Unwigged and Unplugged review

. Omnium Gatherum - The Redshift

Atmospheric melodic death metal…sounds like a mouthful of one of two things: gold, or sh*t. Thankfully, Finland's Omnium Gatherum does not cope with the latter in their metallic sense of melodic bombardments. - Read the full Omnium Gatherum - The Redshift review

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