Let Them Know: The Story of Youth Brigade and BYO Records

The documentary is premiering in LA and will be screening across North America this fall. The Stern brothers, who created BYO, are also founding members of Youth Brigade and will be touring this fall. - Watch the trailer

Defiance Return

Candlelight reports: Reformed after a 15 year hiatus, bay area thrashers Defiance return with The Prophecy. Currently featuring vocalist Steev Esquivel (Skinlab), guitarist Jim Adams, bassist Mike Kaufmann and drummer Mark Hernandez (Vio-lence, Forbidden), the band recorded the album in San Francisco and in early interviews Kaufmann confirmed, we always felt the band broke up too early so we plan to use this opportunity to pick up where we left off. The Prophecy will be released on Candlelight records 19th of October in Europe

Formed in 1985 Defiance recorded their first record in 1988. Product of Society (Roadrunner) was produced by Jeff Waters (Annihilator) and immediately found the band an impressive worldwide audience. Beyond Recognition, the bands third and last album was released in 1992.

In 2005 the band finally regrouped after years of requests from fans. The band signed with Candlelight in late 2008 and immediately set to work. - Check out the eCard here

Insomnium Preview New Album With New Video

Candlelight reports: Insomnium have completed work on "Down With the Sun" their new video from the band's forthcoming fourth album Across the Dark. The video, now available for viewing at the band and Candlelight Records official American and English sites, was filmed in high-definition and captures the band in a live soundstage setting. It is the first opportunity for long time fans to see and hear the band's new material.

Across the Dark, set for US release September 22, finds the quartet delivering an even more expansive recording than their earlier efforts in what many already expect to be their most successful to date. The band reveals, "this is our by far our most abundant and versatile album. Our trademark sound is stronger than ever and we are very pleased with every single riff and passage on the album." Kerrang! says "there are few things more satisfying than watching a good band become great." Metal Hammer adds, "Insomnium have not merely pushed that Swedish envelope. They have stuffed it with a stick of dynamite." The album features guest vocals by Jules Naveri (Profane Omen/Enemy of the Sun). Alongside the standard edition of Across the Dark, a limited deluxe edition of the album is available from Candlelight's official webstore.

Together since 1997, Joensuu-based Insomnium has slowly but surely made themselves a household name among melodic death metal bands. Redefining the boundaries of the genre the band, featuring drummer Markus Hirvonen, guitarists Ville Friman and Ville Vanni, with vocalist/bassist Niilo Sevanen, combines aggression and violent riffing with a melancholic atmosphere; a true marriage of Scandinavian death metal and traditional Finnish tunes. The band's acclaimed third album, Above the Weeping World, found compositions and arrangements reaching a new pinnacle. Long-time friend Aleksi Munter (Swallow the Sun) contributed the epic keyboard parts which added a whole new layer to the songs. The album charted at nine on the Finnish album charts on release. The band toured extensively for the first time including their first dates in the US alongside Katatonia. - Watch Down With the Sun Here

Sister Hazel Announces Lyrics For Life Day

PR reports: With September being Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, pediatric cancer charity Lyrics For Life will realize a longtime dream and launch their first annual Lyrics For Life Day, which will be held this year on September 19th. Lyrics for Life is a 501(c)3 charitable organization founded by Sister Hazel front man Ken Block in memory of his younger brother, Jeffrey, who lost his battle with cancer when he was a teen. Music fans are encouraged to participate in any way they can, finding unique ways to raise money and awareness for childhood cancer, be it hosting a barbeque, party, event, or fund-raising effort in their area, with the proceeds going to Lyrics For Life. Lyrics For Life hopes participants will gather with friends, family, community and local businesses to do something to contribute to this worthy cause.

"We've got some great partnerships and individuals across the country who are participating in Lyrics For Life Day," says Block. "We want everybody who can to help us out. We're raising money for childhood cancer – for research, for awareness, for programs to support those kids and families going through it. It can be as big or as small as you want; every little bit helps. We're going to make a difference together. Please get involved – it would mean a lot to me personally." Individuals, organizations, or businesses interested in participating should contact Lyrics For Life Executive Director, Cynthia Cochrane at cynthia@lyricsforlife.org.

A big participant in this year's event, and throughout the month of September, will be the national restaurant chain Beef 'O'Brady's, with Beef's franchises across the country selling music notes to adorn the walls of restaurants, selling a special menu item, and hosting a Lyrics For Life party in their restaurants on September 19th, complete with a raffle for prizes including DVD's, CD's, t-shirts, and more. The partnership was officially announced last month, and, says Block, "with Beef 'O' Brady's' help, we are looking forward to a successful Lyrics For Life Day on September 19th, as well as other programs we can put in place throughout the year." Beef 'O'Brady's has already raised more than $21,000 to support Lyrics For Life with a golf tournament and raffle at their annual partner retreat in June. Says Beef 'O'Brady's President Nick Vojnovic, "We believe that this is the perfect way to serve Beef's neighborhoods around the country with help from partners who care as much about our communities and those who live in them as we do." - more on this story

Sugar Ray Add Dates, Release Rap Cover

PR reports: Sugar Ray gears up for their next round of US tour dates in Seattle, September 11th, in ongoing support of Music For Cougars, the multi-platinum quintet's long-awaited recently released cd.

A just-recorded live remake of rapper Kid Cudi's song "Day 'N' Nite" will be made available to fans as an exclusive digital single download on September 22nd. The release is in response to the overwhelming crowd reaction the band's live performance of the song receives at each show.

"….their full-on remake of up-and-coming rapper Kid Cudi's stoner anthem "Day N Nite" made for the night's most interesting-yet-awesome surprises," noted Neon Limelight from the band's Baltimore show at Rams Head Live. "Injecting it with sonic mixture of rock, reggae, and pop, they transformed the hip hop song as if they had written it — and made it even more spectacular than the original." - more on this story

Blind Pilot Hitting The Road

PR reports: Blind Pilot, kicks off a nationwide tour this October. The tour arrives on the heels of their full-length debut, "3 Rounds and a Sound" (Expunged Records), which earned the band performances on national radio (NPR¹s ³Morning Edition² and ³All Songs Considered²), national television (³Last Call with Carson Daly²) and a spot on this year¹s bill for the esteemed NPR Music Showcase at SXSW in Austin, TX. The album received praise from USA Today, the Boston Globe, the New York Post and the Philadelphia Inquirer, which calls the music ³Ša rustic reverie.² Additionally, the track ³Go On, Say It² was recently selected as the Single of the Week on iTunes.

Blind Pilot just wrapped up their summer touring, supporting The Decemberists, Andrew Bird, and the acclaimed British rock band Gomez. Blind Pilot recently played sets at this year¹s Lollapalooza, Sasquatch!, Rocky Mountain Folks Festival, Outside Lands Music & Arts Festival, and this weekend will be playing at the Sisters Folk Festival.

In 2007, Blind Pilot¹s founding members Israel Nebeker (vocals, guitar) and Ryan Dobrowski (drums) embarked on a West Coast bicycle tour playing mostly to unfamiliar listeners at small-town venues. The venturesome duo has since come a long way from their grassroots inception. This summer, Nebeker and Dobrowski rounded out Blind Pilot¹s lineup as a six-piece with fellow Oregonians Luke Ydstie (upright bass, backing vocals), Kati Claborn (banjo, dulcimer, backing vocals), Ian Krist (vibraphones) and Dave Jorgensen (keyboards, trumpet). - more on this story

Janus Map Out Tour Plans

ABC reports: Janus hit the road last month to get the buzz started about the September 22 release of their debut album, Red Right Return (Realid Records, through Warner Music Group's Independent Label Group), which will keep them on the road throughout the remainder of 2009.

Now comes word that new dates for the Chicago band—with Framing Hanley and The Veer Union--have been added to their itinerary, which will last from October 8 through October 27.

The album's first single, "Eyesore," is currently spinning on over 20 Rock radio stations nationwide, including KBPI/Denver, KQRC/Kansas City, WJJO/Madison, KXFX/Santa Rosa and KISW/Seattle, and is most requested on Q101/Chicago, KPNT/St. Louis and WWBN/Flint. - more on this story

Wavves Debut New Drummer to Rave Reviews

PR reports: Wavves fall tour is off to a great start with raves rolling in for performances at LA's FYF Fest and a Labor Day show in San Francisco. These shows mark the first of over two dozen dates for low-fi wunderkind Nathan Williams and new drummer Zach Hill. Check out some great quotes below.

"Rarely does a band find more sonic fidelity at an outdoor festival... than on record, but songs from Williams' blood-curdling album "Wavves" came into unexpectedly enjoyable focus during his set." - LA Times "Pop & Hiss Blog"

"Williams cracked a few jokes, and played a mix of songs both old, recent, and brand new, while [new drummer Zach Hill] worked his arms into a fury of rhythmic distortion equivalent to the heavy guitar fuzz that coats Wavves' ebullient, noisy bangers." - LA Weekly - dates

The Greek Billy Idol, Livan Making US Debut

Sideways reports: Making his debut on U.S. soil armed with an album full of hard hitting glam and punk infused tunes that have received some early comparison's to famed U.K. punk Billy Idol, Livan is well on his was to becoming the "King of the World."

A native of Greece who now calls London and Athens home, Livan threw himself into music after making his way back from a very destructive path, which is strongly reflected in his music.

Livan's work has led him to collaborate with some of the UK's elite Producers such as Bacon and Quarmby (Bowie, Marley, John Meyer, The Pretenders, Kate Walsh) and David Creffied, an industry veteran who not only brought Embrace into the public domain (X6 Platinum) but also The Kaiser Chiefs. Livan's newest creation "Happy Returns" is a feverish mix of industrial rock with the accessibility of pop punk. - dates and video link

Sick Fest This Weekend

PR reports: Misguided Aggression, Derelict and Our Lady of Bloodshed will headline the first annual Sick Fest in Brantford, Ontario.

The bands will perform alongside Endast, The Karma Cure, Ending Tyranny and Time The Destroyer featuring D-Wok from Arise and Ruin.

The 2-day festival show will take place Friday, September 11th and 12th at Someplace Else Bar in Brantford, Ontario. - full lineup

LA Landmark Rockaway Records Holding 30th Anniversary Event

Submitted News reports: Rockaway Records, a Los Angeles landmark acknowledged by collectors and experts of music memorabilia as one of "the best record stores in America," is celebrating their 30th anniversary!

In honor of their three-decade milestone, Rockaway is turning back the clock and throwing one of their famous parking lot sales Sunday, September 27th at their Silver Lake location at 2395 Glendale Blvd. 30,000 CDs will all be priced at 99 cents each while every item in the store, including collectibles, will be on sale.

While nearly every independent record store (and many chains) in Los Angeles have closed, Rockaway is flourishing. Co-founders, brothers Wayne and Gary Johnson are aggressively acquiring extensive record industry collections and purchasing personal collections of CDs, records, DVDs, concert-related items, tour programs, toys, as well as rock 'n' roll promo items and collectibles. Frequently paying five and six figures for valuable collections, Rockaway recently paid $600,000 for a single collection of vinyl and $150,000 for a CD collection. - more on this story

Vansinnet Debut with Free EP

Submitted News reports: The young Swedish band Vansinnet releases their debut, self-titled, three-track EP on September 14, 2009 It will be available as a free download via their new website and several download services as well as being streamed from services such as Spotify.

The EP, with its mix of indie rock, progressive and electronic elements is entirely self-produced, with all elements of the tracks apart from the drums recorded at keyboard player and producer Oskar Lindskog's home studio in the band's home town Umeå, in northern Sweden.

No concert dates are currently planned, due to the band recording several more tracks to follow up on the new EP and needing time for school work. - more on this story

. Pearl Jam Month: Vitalogy

For a teenage kid with a severe Zeppelin obsession, Pearl Jam was a natural progression. They could have fit in 1974 just as well as they fit in 1994. With Vitalogy, Pearl Jam started to run away from the spotlight. - Read the full Pearl Jam Month: Vitalogy review

.... Impiety - Terroreign (Apocalyptic Armageddon Command)

With this album, Impiety have blown away all social restraints with their brand of marauding, filthy black metal. Oppressive societies breed aggressive expression, and, as such, no one ravages airwaves with the same ferocity as Impiety. - Read the full Impiety - Terroreign (Apocalyptic Armageddon Command) review

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