Harper Grace – Pulling No Punches

17th April 2024

Curb Records newcomer Harper Grace puts all the love-bombing boys on blast with her new song, ‘Break It Like A Man‘, out now — listen HERE.

Her first release of 2024, the scorching track is the title-cut of a four-song EP that also debuts today across streaming platforms and includes previously released originals ‘Oh Say Can You See’, ‘Down In My Hometown’ and ‘Sparkle’.

‘Break It Like A Man’ was written by Harper Grace, Scott Stepakoff and Alex Kline Eisberg, who also produced the fresh offering alongside Cooper Bascom and Tedd T. On top of a thick bass line, crunchy guitars and pulsating drums, the country riser pulls no punches as she shoots it straight: “If you’re gonna break my heart, break it like a man.” And real men would be wise to heed her advice: Boys ghost; men communicate.

While she’s currently doling out unsolicited advice on her new song, the first quarter of the new year has already seen Harper Grace singing her signature National Anthem at games headlined by the Chicago Cubs and the St. Louis Blues, as well as at a military appreciation night at a Monster Energy AMA Supercross event in Dallas. Streamed live on Peacock, the Texas native’s performance ahead of the race honored her grandfather, a Vietnam POW. Additionally, the songstress has shared her personal message of anti-bullying at school assemblies in select cities over the course of the past few months. Moreover, she spent some time in the U.K. in March at the annual C2C Festival.

Stream or purchase ‘Break It Like A Man’ HERE

Poised to drop more new music throughout 2024, this summer, Harper Grace will showcase her contagious personality and penchant for vibrant storytelling across multiple appearances at CMA Fest 2024 in Nashville, including a free show on the Good Molecules Reverb stage at the corner of 5th Avenue and Broadway on Saturday, June 8. In addition, alongside labelmates Lee Brice, Dylan Scott, Hannah Ellis, and more, she’ll join the lineup for a special nighttime concert celebrating 60 years of Curb Records, scheduled for Thursday, June 6 at Ascend Amphitheater. Fans can purchase tickets, benefiting the CMA Foundation, HERE.

Harper Grace (harpergracexo.com)

HAAL – A Poetic Trip

17th April 2024

Music News

Four-piece Bristol outfit HAAL have shared a new single titled “Vinculum”. The track follows the announcement of the band’s debut EP “Back To Shilmarine”, which is due out 10^th May via Babka Records.

Combining elements of post-rock, trip-hop, and industrial music, HAAL have quickly become cult favourites in the UK live scene.

Their psychotropic blend of samples, DIY pedals, and monolithic instrumentation, has seen the band play and tour alongside the likes of Butch Kassidy, Cowboyy, Deliluh, Treeboy & Arc, Ditz, Gurriers, and Pet Shimmers, as well as appearing festivals such as ArcTanGent, Dot to Dot, and more.

Coming on the heels of their recent singles “Janus” and “Judy” (and subsequent remixes by Water From My Eyes and Crimewave), the new EP “Back To Shilmarine” arrives as a blistering snapshot of the band’s protean dynamism. The band celebrate their late-90s / early-00s influences in a caustic yet melodic blend of tracks that nod as much to the output of labels such as Dischord, Touch & Go, and Nothing Records, as they do their contemporaries in the UK scene such as SCALER, Famous, deathcrash, and LICE. The EP sees them bring all these touchstones together to create a unique and uninhibited maelstrom of sound that spans everything from intricate math-inflected guitar lines and pensive vocals to propulsive drumming, totemic riffing, and warped synths.

Last month, the band gave fans a first taste of the EP with what was arguably their heaviest song to date, “Platform 1, 18:19”. Today, HAAL share a dark new single titled “Vinculum”, which showcases a different facet of the band’s sound. Far more stripped back than the prior single the track cycles in an almost jam-like fashion, whilst the vocals twist and corrupt around glitchy guitar lines.

The lyrics to the track were written by a longtime friend of the band – writer and illustrator Nathan Richards (@scrungoincorporated) – and were then narrated by synth player Ethan Jones. The producer with long-time collaborator Alfie Tyson Brown (Katy J Pearson, SCALER, LICE) then re-sampled Jones’ narration, cutting and re-recorded them into the final track, resulting in a liminal, almost robotic sound.

Speaking on the singles themes, Nathan Richards summarise the story as a tale of “A boy who is left shunned from his village, due to his disfigured body. He travels alone in a forgotten part of the world, looking for a cure. He comes across a place where he has the ability to rewrite the natural law of the universe. Being stuck between, hatred, rejection and fear, he is unable to focus his thoughts into anything coherent, only wishing for the vapid idea of him, and everyone else being one in the same. The culmination being the birth of a plague, where everyone suffered equally.”

“Back To Shilmarine” is out 10^th May via Babka Records – Pre-order / save HERE

Tracklisting:
1. Vinculum
2. A Squared
3. Platform 1, 18:19
4. To Be A Machine
5. Blank Sleep

STREAM HERE

Speaking on Richards involvement, frontman and guitarist Alfie Hay says “he actually had already written the story when he sent it to me, but the concept particularly resonated with the themes of my other lyrics. Given the story concerns a medieval boy finding a ‘mathematic creation’ that then turns him into something other whilst changing the rest of the world immeasurably, this resonated with the themes of my other lyrics (transhumanism particularly) perfectly. We like to think that the narrator of the song is that very same medieval boy or ‘mathematic creation’, telling his story back to the listener”.

Elsewhere on the EP, the lyrics explore themes of cosmic existentialism, absurdism, meaning, inner reflection, science, history, and general philosophy. “All the lyrics are musings or verses that I wrote at very different times in my life” says Hay. “I then had to fit them around the music, despite being written at wildly different periods.”

“All the lyrics are musings or verses that I wrote at very different times in my life, all namely drawn from all the different art I like.

I like to take inspiration from things naturally excluded from music, such as video games & paintings.

I even included a line that William Shatner said when actually going up into space for the first time: “they should’ve brought a poet up here” (On ‘To Be A Machine’).

Ironically, I think that line is inadvertently poetic and sums up an experience that only a small few have had on this planet, yet it weirdly reverberates with my own reflections on the universe and therefore I needed to immortalise it on this EP“.

The band also have a tight knit collaborative circle around them in the Bristol scene, this is particularly notable around the band’s imagery. The entire art direction – all the EP artwork, photography, and video work – has been a process between the band’s friends. “They are so talented, that it would be borderline stupid not to all work together on something” says Hays, “and this EP is very much a representation of that entire collaborative process.”

HAAL’s use of visuals is intrinsically tied to their music and is a focal point of their live shows with them performing in front of visceral, carefully curated images and animations. The band will be heading out on the road to play a number of shows to celebrate new EP’s release, including a return to ArcTanGent Festival in August. Full dates are as follows:

04/05/24 – Wanderlust Festival, Southampton
18/05/24 – Rough Trade, Bristol w/ Jerome – GravyTrain – Ekhidna
06/06/24 – The George Tavern, London w/ Unlucky & Sulk – Bad Vibrations
16/08/24 – ArcTanGent Festival, Bristol

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Then Comes Silence – Embrace The Dark Side

17th April 2024

Mainly Metal, Music News

Swedish post-punk outfit Then Comes Silence bring their potent sound on the road as they launch their North American tour on April 20, joined by Vision Video, Aurelio Voltaire and Tears For The Dying.

Serving up infectious post-punk to listeners in 21 cities across the US and Canada, their repertoire brings offerings from their seventh album ‘Trickery’, released on April 5 via Metropolis Records following the singles ‘Like a Hammer’ and ‘Ride or Die’.

Formed in Stockholm in 2012, Then Comes Silence is made up of frontman Alex Svenson, drummer Jonas Fransson and guitarist Hugo Zombie (Los Carniceros del Norte) with Svenson originally inspired by frequent touring with A Place To Bury Strangers and an attraction to horror and the occult.

Recorded by Jörgen Wall (Jay-Jay Johanson, The Hellacopters) over three days at Stockholm’s Kapsylen Studio and mixed by Tom van Heesch (Rammstein, Apocalyptica, Backyard Babies), this album was mastered by Svante Forsbäck / Chartmakers (Rammstein, Amaranthe, Ville Valo, The Rasmus, Apocalyptica).

This album celebrates friendship, unity and the feeling of belonging to a group, a tribe. Being a part of what most people would call the goth and post-punk community is, according to the band, a great privilege.

Of course, there are dark sides to everything, but after being on the road and meeting people from the music scene for so many years, the band have experienced a caring and welcoming community. Old and young. Some with a similar background and some just for the love of the music and the culture that comes with the lifestyle.

“No one is free from apprehension and fear. Everyone feels some kind of alienation in certain degrees. You might often think you need to camouflage yourself to be part of a context. Make a change to fit in the group. The need for friendship is strong so you adapt. Maybe not always the way you hoped. But then… there are moments when we unite and harmonize with other people and feel an incredible community together. That feeling is priceless and a blessing. Friendship is love. It is important and worth fighting for,” says Alex Svenson.

Following up their 2022 album ‘Hunger’, released via Nexilis Records / Schubert Music (Europe) and Metropolis Records (North America), these sessions capture the heart and essence of alternative rock. With electronic elements essential to the new recordings, ‘Trickery’ is also a salute to punk music, to which Then Comes Silence traces their roots.

After debuting with their eponymous album in 2012, Then Comes Silence put out two more albums before releasing ‘Blood’ via Nuclear Blast in 2016. Their subsequent ‘Machine’ album was jointly released via Oblivion/SPV and Metropolis Records in 2020.

Then Comes Silence has toured and played live with The Fields of the Nephilim, The Chameleons, A Place To Bury Strangers, The Bellwether Syndicate and Vision Video, as well as performing at Wave Gotik Treffen, M’era Luna, Amphi Festival, Castle Party and W-Festival.

As of April 5, the ‘Trickery’ album will be available on vinyl and CD. It will also be released digitally everywhere, including Apple Music, Spotify and Bandcamp. As for their upcoming North American live dates, tour tickets can be ordered now.

TOUR DATES
April 20 – Parsippany, NJ @ Dark Force Fest
April 21 – Pittsburgh, PA @ Cattivo *
April 23 – Rochester, NY @ Photo City Music Hall *
April 24 – Brattleboro, VT @ Stone Church *
April 25 – Boston, MA @ Sonia *
April 26 – Lewiston, ME @ L/A Arts *
April 27 – Montreal, QC @ Bar Le Ritz PDB **
April 28 – Toronto , ON @ Velvet Underground **
April 30 – Cleveland, OH @ Beachland Ballroom *
May I – Grand Rapids, MI @ Pyramid Scheme *
May 2 – Chicago IL @ Subterranean **
May 3 – St. Louis. MO @ The Crack Fox **
May 4 – Dubuque, LA @ Fox Den Motel *
May 5- Milwaukee, WI @ The Vivarium *
May 6 – Minneapolis, MN @ Green Room *
May 7 – Kansas City, MO @ Recordbar *
May 8 – Louisville, KY @ Art Sanctuary *
May 9 – Detroit, MI @ Smalls ***
May 10 – Baltimore, MD @ Metro Gallery ***
May 11 – Hamden, CT @ Space Ballroom ***
May 12 – TBA ***

* with Vision Video
** with Vision Video + Aurelio Voltaire
*** with Vision Video + Aurelio Voltaire + Tears For The Dying

Gareth Lewis – Something For Everyone

17th April 2024

Music News

Following on from the release of his latest single ‘What Got Us Here Won’t Get Us There’, Swansea native Gareth Lewis returns with his kaleidoscopic EP titled ‘Roots’.

The EP brings together 6 tracks including a radio edit of the aforementioned ‘What Got Us Here Won’t Get Us There’ further pushing his eclectic sound to the mainstream masses.

As a creative, Gareth Lewis isn’t afraid to let his musical passions bleed through into his projects, which in turn allows him to play with multiple genre styles, and with ‘Roots’ he delivers a standout record that brings together several sounds including blues, rock, and country.

This is a collection of songs from an artist very much in his artistic element and that shines through in every track creating a bold and striking project that has something for everyone to enjoy regardless of genre preferences. Passionate lyrical stories, stellar productions and melodies which are all tied together with Gareth Lewis’ strong vocals.

Speaking about the EP, Gareth Lewis says: “Roots is a delightful eclectic mix that blends lots of my influences, including rock, blues, country, gospel and electronica. I touch on a number of themes throughout the songs, such as rebellion, personal growth, relationships and liberation.

“Writing and recording this EP was a cathartic process that helped me express emotional reactions to a number of situations, whilst making reconnect and understand what really matters most to me, and where I’m headed next… hence its name, Roots.”

Influenced by his love of blues, country, rock, acoustic and gospel music, his former alt-country/Americana band, Dukes of Hafod made it to 2014’s final and top 2% at the International Songwriting Competition in Nashville. Coming second to the hit song ‘Riptide’ by Vance Joy. The band received acclaim across Wales, and were supported by BBC Wales Horizons to release their debut album ‘All Roads Lead Here.’

In 2021, Gareth released his solo debut EP ‘Start the Hurricane.’ The lead single ‘Vultures’ is still Gareth’s most streamed song and was playlisted on BBC Radio Wales, Planet Rock Radio, and countless other radio stations worldwide.

Some of Gareth’s proudest achievements include writing and recording ‘The Time We Took On the World’ for the Welsh Homeless football team, which competed in the Homeless World Cup in Cuba. In 2020, Gareth recorded a song he’d co-written ‘Don’t Feel Like Love’ at broadcasting legend Bob Harris’s house for Steve Balsamo’s latest EP. In 2021, a song he co-wrote called ‘Something New’ with songwriting team Delta Kills was used in an online advert by Porsche featuring Bill and Ted stars Keanu Reeves and Alex Winter.

As an original musician, Gareth has supported British rock band The Struts, and UK singer/songwriter John Adams. Alongside Steve Balsamo and Andy Collins of the Swansea band The Storys, Gareth toured in The Netherlands, as well as all across the UK and internationally with various bands.

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Smoke AxD – Big Riffs And Big Spliffs

16th April 2024

Mainly Metal

The genesis of Smoke AxD involves the combination of 2 of Hoya’s passions, heavy music and cannabis.

Hoya had completed songs and lyrics just waiting to be brought to life. He then focused on what musicians he could get that shared his love of big riffs and big spliffs.

Hoya had been wanting to do a band with his close friend and brother, Lord Ezec (Crown of Thornz, Skarhead) for years.

No convincing was needed, Ezec was immediately on board. Next would come the addition to one of his regular smoking partners on the road over the years, guitarist, Sean Martin (Hatebreed, TwitchingTongues). On guest drums Riggs Ross (Hatebreed, Madball) and Dimi Douvas (Crown of Thonrz, Stillsuit). Hoya then contacted producer extraordinaire, Zeuss to help produce and record the project.

With everything in place, the band got together to record the EP, Vaya Con Dios, which will be released on May 7, 2024.

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Ella Galvin – A Carefree Attitude

16th April 2024

Music News

New York-based artist Ella Galvin shares her new single, “Do Not Disturb,” out on all streaming platforms NOW.

“Do Not Disturb” is the second offering from Ella’s forthcoming debut EP and follows the project’s first single, “Spare Me.”

Guided by atmospheric bedroom-pop production and Ella’s serene vocals, “Do Not Disturb” is a dreamy listen. There’s a levity to the song — driven home by the playfully interpolated voice note that concludes the track — that makes it utterly captivating.

“I wrote this song about a situationship I was in last year,” Ella says. “Late at night on the weekend when I didn’t go out, I would put my phone on ‘Do Not Disturb’ but allowed notifications from this person. The lighthearted and energetic vibe, with a touch of playful over-editing, mirrors the carefree attitude I had towards this relationship. The song reflects my strange indifference but intrigue towards this relationship.”

Listen to “Do Not Disturb” on all streaming platforms:
https://orcd.co/donotdisturbellagalvin

Taking influence from pop, soul, jazz and rock, Ella’s songs showcase her fondness for experimentation and innovation. She got her start performing in a variety of fusion bands in Boston and New York before branching out with her own solo project in 2022. She’s spent the last few years developing her sound and fine-tuning her live show with performances around New York City.

On her upcoming EP, Ella masterfully combines her genre-blending musical influences with diaristic storytelling that captures the charm, discomfort, and introspection of being a young, queer woman in today’s world. With growing buzz and plenty of music in the pipeline, Ella Galvin is an artist you’re going to want to keep an eye on in 2024.

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Lovelorn Dolls – Tickling The Underbelly Of Goth

16th April 2024

Music News

Alternative rock duo Lovelorn Dolls will release their fourth album ‘Deadtime Stories’ on May 24 via Alfa Matrix / SPLEEN+, joining other great artists on this label, including Front 242, Ayria, Recoil, Leather Strip and Alien Vampires.

Ahead of that, the female-fronted synth-metal duo previewed the singles ‘A Heart Cries’, ‘Dream World’ and ‘Beautiful Chaos’ and just released the ‘Deadtime Stories: the Book’, showcasing the album’s lyrics, along with accompanying illustrations and photos by Kristell In Wonderland.

Hailing from Brussels, Belgium, Lovelorn Dolls is made up of Kristell Lowagie (lyrics, vocals, arrangements) and Bernard Daubresse (music, programming, guitars, production). With an underbelly of gothic rock, their sound resembles a mix of Theatre of Tragedy, Lacuna Coil and The Birthday Massacre.

Oscillating between industrial uptempo in the chorus and melodic midtempo in the verses, ‘A Heart Cries’ has hints of Theatre of Tragedy in its very gothic and martial sound.

After a 5-year hiatus that saw Kristell transform into the photographer/ visual artist Kristell In Wonderland, with exhibitions across Europe, Lovelorn Dolls is back in a big way, inspired by this experience.

On ‘Deadtime Stories’, the duo embraces a stronger identity – creepy cute ambiance, eerie Tim Burton-esque scenes, guitar-driven sounds, catchy dark melodies, childlike synths, industrial tones, and Kristell’s distinctive voice, all boldly and fully embraced.

The title itself is a cynical play on words, referencing children’s rhymes with a dark twist. Each song delves into themes of death, endings, suicide, broken dreams, loss, and the perilous allure of fame. The artwork cover perfectly encapsulates this, depicting a lonely girl reading in a cemetery fog.

Produced, mixed and mastered by Maxx Maryan, known for his work with cult electro-goth metal duo Helalyn Flowers and IMJUDAS, the album features several guest appearances, including by Dero Goi (ex-vocalst of OOMPH!) in the duet ‘Dancing at Your Funeral’, which Goi co-wrote and co-produced. American Gothic rapper VVitchboy also appears on the energetic and enchanting track ‘Death & Glory’.

Earlier, Lovelorn Dolls released the ‘Beautiful Chaos’ EP, an ode to love stories gone wrong with five bonus remixes roam from minimal EBM to industrial goth and ethereal wave via contributors The Breath of Life, Absynthe of Faith, Audiopyre, Restriction 9 and Antidote for Annie.

‘A Heart Cries’ and the ‘Beautiful Chaos’ EP are out now, available from fine digital platforms, including Apple Music, Spotify and Bandcamp, . Out May 24, the ‘Deadtime Stories’ album can be pre-ordered via the label or directly from the artist via Bandcamp.

TRACK LIST
01. One Upon A Time
02. A Heart Cries
03. Death & Glory (feat. VVitchboy)
04. Beautiful Chaos
05. Broken Dreams
06. Another Night On Earth
07. Dreamworld (dancing alone)
08. Dancing At Your Funeral (feat. Dero Goi)
09. Little Creatures
10. The Ghost On The Hill
11. Diary Of Nothing
12. The End

Soundcloud | TikTok | YouTube | Spotify | Apple Music

CREDITS
Lyrics & vocals by Kristell Lowagie
Music by Bernard Daubresse
Kristell Lowagie – vocals
Bernard Daubresse – guitars & synths
Additional arrangements, programming and synths by Maxx Maryan Recorded in Brussels and Rome
Produced, mixed and mastered by Maxx Maryan
Released via Alfa Matrix
All artwork, design & illustrations by Kristell Lowagie
Artist photos by Kristell In Wonderland

StrateJacket – Be Yourself

15th April 2024

Music News

Northern California’s favourite alt-rock/pop punk trio StrateJacket are thrilled to share the performance video to “Be My Drug,” their dynamic new single.

This video release comes alongside the announcement of the band’s debut EP, StrateJacket (release date: May 10, 2024 via EDGEOUT).

Made up of Jackson Roemers (lead vocals/guitar, 24), Fabian Angel (vocals/bass, 23) and Nate Mangold (drums, 22), their debut EP features singles like the shout-at-the-heavens anthem “Bad Start” (originally featured on EA Sports’ NHL24 Soundtrack in tandem with NHL24’s Playlist last year) and the ultra-melodic current single “Be My Drug” which include skyscraper-high hooks, both of which overflow with dark humor and contain the sort of electric energy that has hyper-charged the Bay Area’s punk and alternative scenes for decades. “I hope we’re seen as a response to the overproduced music that’s coming out lately,” Roemers says. “We want to sound raw and stripped-down.” But even with sparse arrangements, the group finds catchy new textures within pop punk.

StrateJacket EP track listing:
“Bad Start“
“Be My Drug“
“Cut The Cord”
“Living A Lie”
“Torch”

Mangold also wrote some personal lyrics for the album on the tumultuous “Living A Lie” and the slashing “Cut the Cord,” which he jokingly calls “a high school heartbroken love story” but admits it’s based on actual experiences. “Sometimes I can’t fully be myself around people and I put on a façade,” he says. “So it’s about letting that go and just saying, ‘Fuck it, just be yourself.'” The EP caps off with “Torch,” which Roemers describes as “the black sheep of the EP” since it’s the most straightforward and midtempo rock song. “It doesn’t always have to be 1,000-mile-per-hour songs,” Angel adds.

StrateJacket recorded a bulk of new music at Vancouver’s Armoury Studios in November of 2022 with the Juno/BMI-winning Canadian producer/songwriter Brian Howes (Hinder, Skillet, Boys Like Girls). They also secured the Grammy® winning Chris Lord-Alge (Green Day, Muse, Prince) to mix the tunes.

StrateJacket’s performance video for “Be My Drug” is out NOW via EDGEOUT/UMG/UMe. The band’s self-titled EP will be released on May 10, 2024.

Tour dates:
April 12 – San Francisco, CA @ Neck of the Woods
April 13 – San Jose, CA @ Art Boutiki Music Hall
April 20 – San Jose, CA @ Los Gonzales Ice Cream (Only Temporary Records 420 Show)
May 12 – Daytona Beach, FL @ Welcome to Rockville Festival
July 23 – Omaha, NE @ KIWR River Riot Festival
October 10 – Sacramento, CA @ Aftershock Festival

https://www.facebook.com/stratejacketca

MEST – Doing It Right

15th April 2024

Music News

Beloved Chicago pop-punk band MEST have dropped the music for their brand new single “WHEN WE WERE YOUNG” (feat. Jaret Reddick from Bowling For Soup).

MEST was formed in 1995 with Tony Lovato, his brother Steve, and his cousin Matt in Blue Island, Illinois; a small working-class town on the Southside of Chicago.

From the beginning, Tony used that blue collar work ethic to quickly build a dedicated following in the growing Chicago punk rock scene. They released a couple of demos on cassette in 1996 and 1997 and a full length record in 1998. This got the attention of John Feldmann, lead singer and frontman of the punk ska band Goldfinger, who secured them a demo deal with Maverick Records. Seven days after turning the recordings, Maverick signed them to a multi-record deal. MEST released four records with Maverick/Warner Brothers from the year 2000 to 2005, two of which went gold in Japan.

MEST has appeared on TV shows like Jimmy Kimmel Live and Last Call with Carson Daly. MEST had toured in the United States, Europe and Japan numerous times, and performed as one of the headlining acts on the now infamous WARPED TOUR in 2003 and 2005.

In 2006 MEST announced their break-up and did their farewell tour “So Long and Thanks For The Booze.”

In 2006, not knowing what his next move was, frontman Tony Lovato moved to Los Angeles Ca. Tony left his house, his friends and family behind. But the one thing he did take with him was his strong work ethic from his roots.

Tony said, “To go from touring the world with the friends, that you grew up with since childhood, owning a house and having financial stability to essentially being alone and sleeping on someone’s couch for a couple years it really put life and the music business into perspective. One day everybody wants to work with you and the next they won’t return your phone calls. But I didn’t achieve everything that I did up to that point by sitting around waiting on others. In the early years of success; including our first big shows, our record deal, and even some of the biggest tours through our booking agent were all due to my friendships that I cultivated over the years. After some lonely and depressed years I had to remind myself what I was capable of and what I had achieved. I remembered something my grandfather told me as a young boy, “if you want something done right, you’ve got to do it yourself.”“

After a couple years of soul searching Tony started to write and record new music. Releasing two acoustic records featuring fan favorites and the properly titled LP “NOT WHAT YOU EXPECTED. (2012) Tony continued touring even bringing MEST to country’s previously never visited, like Australia and Mexico.

In 2013 Tony found out he would be embarking on a new chapter in his life; one that he was certain would never come; fatherhood. Tony began to question whether a career in the music business would be wise with a baby on the way. He moved out of LA and to AZ to raise his family. His son, London, was born in 2014 and was the inspiration behind the song, ‘Don’t Worry Son’.

“That song that was actually meant to inspire my son later in life. “But in turn inspired me and reignited my passion for writing,” said Tony

This became the driving force behind the development of the next MEST album. Two years later, with an arsenal of music, he knew that CA is where he needed to be.

In 2018, MEST headed into the studio with Cameron Webb to start production on the next record. MEST initially signed with Cyber Trax, the record label of El Hefe from the legendary Punk Rock band NOFX. After finishing the record, communication broke down with that label and Tony was reminded of his grandfather’s statement and decided it was best to buy the record back and release it himself, raising over $54,000 on Kickstarter.

MEST released their 7th Full length album titled ‘Masquerade’ in January 2020, three months before the world shut down from the COVID-19 pandemic.

MEST toured extensively in 2019 as direct support for Reel Big Fish, Less Than Jake and was the special guest on the Reel Big Fish/Bowling for Soup co-headlining tour in the summer of 2019. Finally ending the year doing direct support for the Swedish punk rock band Millencolin.

What does the future like for MEST?

MEST has spent the last 2 years writing/recording the first of three LP’s which will come out this year with the 1st one titled ‘Youth.’ The first single “When We Were Young” featuring Jaret Reddick of Bowling For Soup will be released April 11th, with the record coming out May 31st. Tony has secured a deal for the upcoming MEST LP to be released on Avex Records in Japan as well as SBAM Records in Europe.

Never forgetting the blue collar work ethic they inherited from their home town. MEST looks forward to heading back out on the road to do what they do best, perform their energetic and entertaining live shows. All the while still earning each fan through their grass roots approach.

MEST is heading to Europe May 25 through June 9th for a headlining run and festival appearances.

When Tony was asked, if you had some up to 28 years of MEST career thus far how would you do it? To which he replied “I don’t know, I mean honestly it feels like we’re just getting started…”

Tour Dates:

Sat, Apr 13 – Lake Havasu City, AZ @ Havasu Meltdown 2024 (Lake Havasu State Park) w/ The Venomous Pinks, Urethane feat skateboarding legend Steve Cabellero & more! A full slate of music all day saturday April 13th 2024

Sat, Apr 20 @ “POP PUNK’S NOT DEAD FEST” 2024

Buck’s Backyard, 1750 Farm to Market 1626, Buda, TX

w/ Red Jumpsuit Apparatus, The Ataris, Van Full of Nuns, The Spill Canvas, Amber Pacific, Don’t Panic, Neutral Snap, Offended By Everything, As The City Sleeps, Forever Starts Today, All There Is, & School of Rock

Sun, May 26 @ DrinkDrink, Rue Paepsem 123.8, Brussels, Belgium

w/ Taken Days, Young Enough, and Mirabelle

Mon, May 27 @ Goldrube, Eisenschmiede 85, Kassel, Germany

w/ Taken Days

Tue, May 28 @ p.m.k., Viaduktbogen 18/20, Innsbruck, Austria

w/Taken Days

Thu, May 30 @ Cafe Central Punk Rock Festival (Cafe Central) Weinheim, Germany

Fri, May 31 @ SBAM Fest 2024 (Wels Alter Schlachthof, Dragonerstraße 22, 4600 Wels, Austria, Austria)

with GOLDFINGER (exclusive Austria/Germany), SICK OF IT ALL, H2O, SATANIC SURFERS, BRACKET (exclusive SBAM Fest), NOT ON TOUR (exclusive SBAM Fest too), VERSUS THE WORLD, DFL, NOFNOG, SWALLOW’S ROSE and many many more

Sat, Jun 1 @ SBAM Fest 2024 ( Im Wizemann, Quellenstraße 7 70376, Stuttgart, Germany)

w/ GOLDFINGER (exclusive Austria/Germany), SICK OF IT ALL, H2O, SATANIC SURFERS, BRACKET (exclusive SBAM Fest), NOT ON TOUR (exclusive SBAM Fest too), VERSUS THE WORLD, DFL, NOFNOG, SWALLOW’S ROSE and many many more

Sun, Jun 2 @ Club Vaudeville, Von-Behring-Straße 6-8, 88131, Lindau, Germany

w/Taken Days

Tue, Jun 4 @ Backstage By the Mill, 92 Boulevard de Clichy 75018, Paris, France

w/ Taken Days

Wed, Jun 5 @ New Cross Inn, 323 New Cross Road, London

MEST w/Taken Days

Thu, Jun 6 @ 6:00PM New Cross Inn, 323 New Cross Road, London

w/Taken Days

Fri, Jun 7 @ 7:30PM Pitcher , Oberbilker Allee 29 40215, Düsseldorf Friedrichstadt

w/Taken Days

Sat, Jun 8 @ Kufa, Langer Garten 1 31137, Hildesheim, Germany

w/Taken Days and Holly Would Surrender

https://www.facebook.com/Mestofficial

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Principe Valiente – Evocative Dream Pop

13th April 2024

Music News

‘Inspired By Me’ is the second single to be taken from ‘In This Light’, the forthcoming fifth album by Swedish dark-pop act Principe Valiente.

Marking a bold evolution in the group’s decade-plus journey, ten meticulously crafted new songs lay bare the signature ethereal soundscapes and dreamy ambient allure that initially propelled them onto the alternative scene with the release of their self-titled 2011 debut album.

In This Light’ is a symphony of mellotrons, samplers and analog synths harmonising with the celestial resonance of Rickenbacker 12-string and Gretsch guitars played by Jimmy Ottosson, further enriched by melodic piano and distinctively distorted driving bass all enveloped in the enigmatic voice of singer Fernando Honorato.

‘Inspired By Me’ follows the new album’s introductory single, ‘Something New’, which signalled a shift in direction for the current duo line-up with its dream-pop approach.

IN THIS LIGHT
TRACKLISTING
1 Your Only Enemy
2 Silent Dreamer
3 Inspired By Me
4 Something New
5 Self Control
6 Abandoned Car
7 Facing The Truth
8 Hopeful Heart
9 All I Know
10 Afraid To Grow

Official Site | Facebook | Instagram | Bandcamp

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Principe Valiente – Evocative Dream Pop

‘Inspired By Me’ is the second single to be taken from ‘In This Light’, the forthcoming fifth album by Swedish dark-pop act Principe Valiente.

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