Q & A

XS ROCK: Tell me about the latest band news? Any new projects coming out, live shows or announcements? Well, we have this compilation EP, Rank and File, coming out December 6th! Other than that we have our yet untitled record label debut coming out in 2020 with Blue Collar Records.    XS ROCK: How long has the band been together?  We are about to hit 7 years. Hard to believe sometimes.    XS ROCK: What was your main motivation for starting or being in a band?  Having a successful career as a musician has always been the main drive. We have both been in projects that went nowhere, so to be apart of something that has finally "clicked" is a huge breath of fresh air.   XS ROCK: What is your music background?  It's pretty eclectic. For myself is all variations of rock and roll. Though I have studied Jazz and Classical guitar as well. Ron is a self taught drummer, but he...

XS ROCK: Tell me about the latest band news? Any new projects coming out, live shows or announcements?  Jenny Teator: I just released a new song “Daughter of the Devil” on November 8th! I am currently in the studio right now recording another song 🙂     XS ROCK: So how long has the band been together?  Jenny Teator: I’ve had some rotating players, but I’ve been playing with a full band for the last year and a half.     XS ROCK: What was your main motivation for originally starting or being in a band?  Jenny Teator: The more I started playing music and writing the more it made me want to create my own band and sound. I saw what it did to me and I wanted the opportunity to be able to show others what music can do for you.     XS ROCK: What is your music background?  Jenny...

Based in Las Vegas, The Savior Complex is a stand-out band that will be making waves in the music industry before you know it. Creators Anthony X (also known as the Sinister Minister) and Jay Gordon have shaped The Savior Complex to bring a unique sound with an avant-garde feel to listeners. Gordon is known for his work with well-known bands like Orgy, Korn, Linkin Park, and Crazytown. The creators of The Savior Complex are no strangers to the music industry, and the unique sound will have listeners hooked from the first listen. XS ROCK: Tell me about the latest band news? Any new projects coming out, live shows or announcements? Roxxi Dott: We just filmed our 2nd video this past weekend... It's a Depeche Mode Cover song... "People are People." Our DP Muck Sticky and Ricky flew in from Memphis and our behind the scenes video and photographers "Tour Bus Live" from LA kicked serious ass.. We had...

XS ROCK: Tell me about the latest band news? Any new projects coming out, live shows or announcements? CH : We have a new single coming up soon called "Pantomath", we will do some live video sessions too !!TGC: Lots happening! We are releasing a new single called 'Pantomath'on on November 22, 2019! Our self made docu-series about the band is out on youtube. It is called 'How it all began' you should check it out. 🙂 https://youtu.be/dQ9NKu6ta0E We just got back from a European tour and South tour in the US, playing in cities like Nashville, Atlanta, Birmingham, etc.. This winter, we will be working on a music video for the new release and a new EP, March we are touring the West Coast... and many more to come! XS ROCK: So how long has the band been together? CH: I joined Tarah Who? a little bit more than two years...

Tell me about the latest band news? Any new projects coming out, live shows or announcements? Connor- We have a few things going on before we settle down for the year. Our latest music video for “Listen” has just been released and we have a kinda post-release show next Friday (08.11.19) at Stay Gold in Brunswick for it. We’re supporting our old friends Elusive on their album release. After that we head back into our rehearsal space to finalize several of our new tracks, with plans to hit the studio in mid-late December for recording, mixing and mastering. We begin filming for the next set of music videos mid-Jan and then the songs will be released throughout 2020. How long has the band been together? Connor- Shit, Its been 4 beautiful years already lol. What was your main motivation for starting or being in a band? Emma (Leith’s girlfriend)- I’m...

  XS ROCK: Tell me about the latest band news? Any new projects coming out, live shows or announcements? New CD “Only Dark Hearts Survive” out as of 9/13/19 on Dissonance.  Touring in Spring 2020.   XS ROCK: How long has the band been together? Since 1993. Had a lay off for 10 years. Back stronger than ever.   XS ROCK: What was your main motivation for starting or being in a band? Music, booze and chicks…   XS ROCK: What is your music background? Inspired by KISS and Elton John's 'Goodbye Yellow Brick Road' Steven knew he had to play guitar. His Dad had an electric guitar stashed away for him along with a Harmony tube amp! Off to races and with some tips from a school friend, Steve was rockin’ in the first band by the age of 12. Steven joined his first notable local band Gotham and released a few demos and singles...

XS ROCK: Tell me about the latest band news? Any new projects coming out, live shows or announcements? Norman: Hellscream recently released our second studio album “Hate Machine” through Pure Steel Records on July 26th. No shows are scheduled or announcements at this time. The band is ultimately a studio project so aside from writing and recording we to date have not done much else. We are all pretty busy with our other bands.   XS ROCK: How long has the band been together? Norman: This particular band formed in 2012 I believe so about 7 years.   XS ROCK: What was your main motivation for starting or being in a band? Norman: I saw being in a band as an adventure. It was by complete accident that I ended up singing with a band in a high school talent show but I caught the performance bug and continued with...

XS ROCK: Tell me about the latest band news? Any new projects coming out, live shows or announcements? We recently released our new single titled, “Through The Hollow Ravens Eyes” on all digital platforms. We’re also currently on a mini tour across Western Canada with our good friends in Sōlborn. XS ROCK: How long has the band been together? As a full lineup, September of 2018 but before that, the band was formed as one manned project founded by Mattias Sippola in 2015. XS ROCK: What was your main motivation for starting or being in a band? Mattias: Music has always been a very important aspect of my life as it has helped me express myself in ways I wouldn’t be able to otherwise. Dwayne: The exhilaration of playing live is what has drawn me into music. Dalton: After seeing my first local metal show, I was convinced to be...

XS ROCK: So tell me a little about the latest news: Hi! Thank you for having me!! Things are going well; I just wrapped up a Texas tour and I am now back in the studio working on new music! XS ROCK: Growing up, how did music enter your life? My dad is a musician and I always admired him while growing up (still do, Dad! Love you!) he always played in bands as well. I started sitting in during his piano lessons when I was 4 and my love for playing music grew from there. XS ROCK:  How did you come up with your band name? There are two versions…the PG 13 version is that the name “Vanilla Sugar” sounds sweet and innocent when the music is actually raw and in your face. The X rated version (the 100% honest version) is this… I wanted to create an alias...

XS ROCK: Tell me about the latest band news? Any new projects coming out, live shows or announcements? Hi, Bobby! Pleased to make your acquaintance. It has been an incredibly eventful period, to be sure; this year, I signed to New Vine Records, a stellar independent label in New York. And my very first single on New Vine, FTR SHK, was just released in October. It is the very first release in my latest thematic phase, and there has been effusive praise for it across the board.   XS ROCK: So how long has the band been together? I’ve been operating as a solo artist for over a decade, billed simply as Kurt Riley. During this time, I’ve had the good fortune to perform and record with a litany of magnificent musicians, and the current lineup is amongst the finest I’ve ever been blessed with. The current lineup has been together...

XS ROCK: Tell me about the latest band news? Any new projects coming out, live shows or announcements? Rik: Hi there! We've literally just put our new 7 Track EP out called Asleep. It's available on all Streaming sites or you can download and buy a sexy Digipak from our Bandcamp page. It's six months of hard work we've been building towards with band. We recorded it pretty quickly with the bulk of the recording being over two days. It was produced by renowned producer Jason Sanderson who has worked with bands such as Rolo Tomassi, Brontide, Bodyhound, The Plight, etc.       XS ROCK: So how long has the band been together?. Rik: We haven't been together too long, roughly about 2 years. A lot of that time was spent trying to get a sound was happy with as this band was formed from the ashes of our...

XS ROCK: Tell me about the latest band news? Any new projects coming out, live shows or announcements? we have a headliner on 11/15 in Fort Worth. We hit Cali the next weekend to play a couple of shows. Hitting the studio in February!   XS ROCK: So how long has the band been together? Since 2015   XS ROCK: What was your main motivation for originally starting or being in a band? it was originally started as an internet project.   XS ROCK: What is your music background? We each cane from old DFW local bands.   XS ROCK: What image do you think your music conveys? #spreadthehate   XS ROCK: What are your current music career goals? Just play everywhere possible all over the place.   XS ROCK: Which do you prefer? Writing new songs and recording or playing for a live audience? They both have their pros...

XS ROCK: Tell me about the latest band news? Any new projects coming out, live shows or announcements?  Scott: Well, just today I released a new single, "Bringing Hollywood Back To Life" and will be holding a release show for it this evening at The Bowery Electric in New York City. In another couple of months, I'm looking to follow this single up with an EP release - I'd say most likely around the holidays.  XS ROCK: How long has the band been together? Scott: Well, I've been performing as a solo artist officially for the last year or so...before that I was working in a couple of other groups, Storm of the Century and Bulletproof Messenger, which were a little heavier and somewhat different in sound. Bulletproof's drummer, Joe Rubino, is actually my drummer these days as well - we're old friends from New York City, and I guess...

XS ROCK: Tell me about the latest band news? Any new projects coming out, live shows or announcements? The Whirlings: We will be touring around Italy in December and across Europe in spring to promote our new album Earthshine     XS ROCK: So how long has the band been together? The Whirlings: we've been playing together for over 10 years ...   XS ROCK: What was your main motivation for originally starting or being in a band? The Whirlings: we play mainly for our pleasure, for the pleasure of jamming together across psychedelic and stoner sounds and also creating something new that may also like to the audience   XS ROCK: What is your music background? The Whirlings: beyond classic psychedelic rock, influences such as stoner rock, space rock, and post-rock have been fundamental to develop our sound   XS ROCK: What image do you think your music conveys?...

XS ROCK: Tell me about the latest band news? Any new projects coming out, live shows or announcements? Our debut album release is imminent! We have worked on it all year and are now putting the final touches on it before it goes to print. The album is an eclectic mix of all our influences, with something to please everyone. Be sure to play it loud!!!!!!   XS ROCK: So how long has the band been together? Broken Lines was formed in 2014. We are a 3 piece band playing unique and original music from Pembrokeshire, West Wales. Our emphasis is to create upbeat and energetic music with punk, rock, psychedelic and just about anything else that influences us! We play for the love and enjoyment of music and aim to portray that in our songs and performances. Sometimes fast, sometimes slow and serene, but always refreshing and uniquely our...

XS ROCK: Tell me about the latest band news? Any new projects coming out, live shows or announcements? ​​Zach: We just released our first album, "Ill World (That's What You Get)." It's on all the major streaming sites. Check it out. We're currently in the stage of writing a few songs for the next album. We have just a few local-ish shows to wrap up the year. After that, we hibernate and let our album stew on the internet for a while. Then we're going to take it back on the road in the spring. Pete: We just released our album Ill World (That’s What You Get) a few weeks ago. We have a handful of shows left this year but the most exciting one is with Exmortus in December. Doug: We have shows coming up in Connecticut / New York / Vermont before the year ends but I am...

XS ROCK. Tell me about your latest band news? Any new projects coming out? Live shows or announcements? DAHLIA RAY. Hi! The latest band news would probably be that we are about to drop our full EP. We finished writing it at the beginning of this year so we have been anticipating this release for a while. Also, going a little old school and releasing physical copies before ANYTHING hits the internet! These will be available on our upcoming tour with Stitched Up Heart and Kaleido in November.   XS ROCK. So how long has the band been together? DAHLIA RAY. I've been performing acoustically as a solo artist for over ten years now but Dahlia Ray was birthed at the beginning of this year. Literally on January 1st, 2019.   XS ROCK. What was your main motivation for originally starting or being in a band? DAHLIA RAY. I have...

XS ROCK: Tell me about the latest band news? Any new projects coming out, live shows or announcements? Brandon - We just released our new single Vultures and we also have crazy, zany socks. We’re excited to release our EP before the end of the year and we're currently working on the niftiest of songs for 2020.     XS ROCK: So how long has the band been together? Justin - I met Brandon in 2013 and the band started in 2014. Jalen joined us in 2018. We’ve gone through a few lineup changes over the years, but we’re confident in our current team.     XS ROCK: What was your main motivation for originally starting or being in a band? Justin - I’ve always loved music. Growing up, my dad and brother would always be playing or singing something. It was always around and, when I was seventeen I...

XS ROCK: Tell me about the latest band news? Any new projects coming out, live shows or announcements? Andrea: Our latest album, titled “Neuroteque”, came out at just a few days ago on Subsound Records! It was a big project for us: we have been busy first writing and then recording it for the past two and a half years and for this reason, we have played very few and selected shows during this time. The plan now is to do the exact opposite and play live as much as we can, to bring the music from Neuroteque anywhere there’s an audience waiting for us. We already played a few shows in France and northern Italy in September, just before the album release date, but more shows will be announced very soon.     XS ROCK: So how long has the band been together? Andrea: The band formed sometime around...

XS ROCK: Tell me about the latest band news? Any new projects coming out, live shows or announcements?  John: There’s a lot of activity and energy going on with our band that’s really exciting. We played some great shows in the Midwest this summer and were invited to play fests with Stone Temple Pilots and Blue Oyster Cult. We have a fantastic gig coming up at the iconic Cutting Room music club in New York City on December 14th. We’re totally stoked to end the year with that gig. As a follow up to our first track “Medicate” which features Vernon Reid of Living Colour shredding it on lead guitar, we just released the title track to the album, “New Revolution” and video which hit almost 15,000 views on YouTube in just a couple weeks. It was produced by Factory Underground Studios in Norwalk, CT and they did an unbelievable...

XS ROCK: Tell me about the latest band news? Any new projects coming out, live shows or announcements? Kurt:  We have a new single Valley coming out on October 4th. This and our last single Ghost Smoke will be a part of a full-length album we are currently recording. Valley follows a set of freed slaves torn by the reality that they have to go to war to fight their own kin who are puppets to the remote controllers. Those still enslaved by mind control devices are only freed violently and some die in the process, leaving the freedom fighters emotionally tormented. We’re also really excited about two shows for Greenleaf’s Australian tour! Jack Harlon and the Dead Crows are also on the tour and they’re so great! We can’t wait to be a part of it. Greenleaf is a huge influence and it’s an absolute honor to have the...

XS ROCK: Tell me about the latest band news? Any new projects coming out, live shows or announcements? We just released a brand new single  “Spellbound” on 9/27/19. For live appearances left this year, we have a 3-day residency set of shows supporting Dog Fashion Disco at The Looney Bin in Bradley, IL November 8,9,10     XS ROCK: So how long has the band been together? Jesse: Matt (drums) and I have been playing together since 2003. I was 13 he was 10 when we started. Tyler joined on bass in 2017 when we started getting this thing active again, and Jewell joined on vocals in June this year.      XS ROCK: What was your main motivation for originally starting or being in a band? Jesse: we just wanted to write some music we wanted to listen to.       XS ROCK: What is your music background? Jesse: Matt...

XS ROCK: Tell me about the latest band news? Any new projects coming out, live shows or announcements? Peter: We’re excited to release our debut EP ‘Incarnate’ on  October 25th, and we’re already knee-deep into more music and content for everyone. We can hardly contain the ideas flying around our think-tank. XS ROCK: How long has the band been together? Peter: The World Without Us has been making music since 2016, but our first live performance as a band was in  May 2018. XS ROCK: What was your main motivation for starting or being in a band? Peter: I know it sounds cliche, but we just wanted to make music we thought sounded cool. That’s how it started. I’ve only been in the band since April 2018, but it was clear from the jump that it was our aim to push ourselves to be better musicians and to translate our...

  XS ROCK: Tell me about the latest band news? Any new projects coming out, live shows or announcements? Brian: We currently have a 3-song EP entitled 'Prelude' due out Oct 11th. It will feature two originals and a cover. We have plans to play some weekend excursions over the next few months, with Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Syracuse and Rochester booked so far. This will all lead up to our sophomore release, 'Evolution,' in July 2020 which we will do a longer tour in support of.      XS ROCK: How long has the band been together? Brian: The Last Reign started back in May of 2015, however, there have been many lineup changes with the only consistent member being, Brian Platter, founder, guitarist, and songwriter. The current lineup has been together since the beginning of 2019 and we are stronger than ever.       XS ROCK: What was your main...

Lindsay Schoolcraft is a singer, songwriter, harpist, and pianist from the city of Oshawa, Ontario, Canada. She was discovered and recruited by the British extreme heavy metal band Cradle of Filth in 2013 and promoted to full-time membership in 2014. Since then she has embarked on many world tours and appears on albums “Hammer of The Witches” (2015) and “Cryptoriana: The Seductiveness of Decay” (2017) both released under Nuclear Blast Records. Lindsay has received her musical training from vocal instructors, the Royal Conservatory of Music (Toronto), and at York University in 2012 where she had to cut her studies short in order to join Cradle of Filth. She continues to study abroad in the fields of business, musical theory, and harp playing. Occasionally she coaches select vocal students, but composing for her projects and making guest appearances remain a top priority. Lindsay’s stage persona caught the attention of Belzebubs’ creator...

XS ROCK: Tell me about the latest band news? Any new projects coming out, live shows or announcements? Lexi Layne: The newest announcement is the first single dropped on 9/09/19 called “The Darkness Of Your Heart”. The official music video also dropped on October 1st. XS ROCK: How long has the band been together? Lexi Layne: I started performing in musical theatre around age 5, I always loved being on the stage and in the spotlight. Years later I found a love for rock music and started writing my own lyrics etc. I am very hard on myself and always push myself beyond the limit. Being a new rock artist and the new single dropping the sky is the limit! XS ROCK: What was your main motivation for starting or being in a band? Lexi Layne: This answer goes back to what I said above. I have always loved being...

XS ROCK: Tell me about the latest band news? Any new projects coming out, live shows or announcements? We just announced our fall and winter tours. We’ll be touring coast to coast with our Brothers HELLYEAH and Nonpoint for the celebration of the life of Vinnie Paul Tour, and right before that, we’re going to do a 3-4 week run with our dudes from THC (Texas Hippie Coalition)   XS ROCK: So how long has the band been together? The current line up has been a little over a year, but it’s hard to keep track of the time after a while, you know? The thought of this group dates back over 15 years ago. Everyone was doing their own thing until we all decided, “ okay look, let’s just do this and see what happens”. I guess that’s the short version.   XS ROCK: What was your main motivation...

Romantic and honest, gloomy and curious, melodic and melancholic, Plastic Barricades chronicle life in the troubled yet fascinating XXI century, asking questions and trying to find answers. Inspired and influenced by almighty Radiohead, Foo Fighters, Oasis, Coldplay, Muse, Death Cab for Cutie, Placebo, Nirvana and many others, the band loves to experiment with styles, sound, and approach. Based in North-West London, Plastic Barricades are Dan Kert on guitars, keyboards and vocals, and Paul Love on drums. Their debut album “Mechanics of Life” was released on September 2017 and is available on Spotify.   XS ROCK: Tell me about the latest band news? Any new projects coming out, live shows or announcements? Paul: We have our first single from our new album out right now! It’s called “One for the Road” and it was released on October 1st. We’re really keen to hear what people think of it. Dan’s been writing and...

On a fog-covered island stranded in the English Channel, Byzanthian Neckbeard dragged itself into existence in early 2013 to set about creating their own brand of sonic doom. One year later, on August 2014 the fruits of their labors were inflicted on the world when “From The Clutches of Oblivion” was released. Later that year guitarist Jon Langlois chose to depart the band The loss of a member unleashed a new, heavier, 3 headed beast set to walk an altered path. Dan added a second voice to the mix, giving the songs a new direction. Retaining their signature groove and mixing different aspects of Sludge, Doom, Thrash, Black and Death the band has moved on to plumb new sonic depths. From those depths, new horrors have arisen. The creation of the second album has been a long and arduous road, but in 2019 the second age is finally upon us....

XS ROCK: Tell me about the latest band news? Any new projects coming out, live shows or announcements? Jim Bobbi: Throughout the last year, one major priority has been getting out and playing our latest release "Incredible Villains" to the villains that follow our band while also hoping to meet new people along the way. We always love meeting the newest villains to our fanbase and love hearing what they think about being apart of our band. The most important part in fact. October 11th we have a great show at The Chance theater Poughkeepsie, New York opening up for PUDDLE of MUDD. Also November 15th at The Starland Ballroom opening for Almost Queen. Jim Bobbi is a giant Queen fan and has seen Almost Queen 3 times. They live up to the name and then some and to see the look on Jim's face alone will be enough entertainment...

ROZU (Japanese for Rose) is a post-hardcore 4-piece from Denver, Colorado consisting of longtime artists Tim Graham on vocals, David Sundine on guitar, Brian Robertson on drums, and Henry Navarre on bass. With a hard-hitting debut EP on the horizon, ROZU aims to take both local and national music scenes by storm.   XS ROCK: Tell me about the latest band news? Any new projects coming out, live shows or announcements? Tim: All we have going on right now is finalizing our album. Besides that, we are booking some tours for early 2020 and gearing up to release a new single in December.     XS ROCK: So how long has the band been together? Tim: We have been together since like 2017, that’s when the behind the scenes work really began and the early writing stages. We announced the band to the public in May 2018.     XS...

Illusions of Grandeur is a Theatrical Hard Rock/Fantasy Metal band based in Lancaster, PA. In 2015 they took the PA and NJ scenes by storm, debuting “The Siren Saga” live show. The Siren Saga is a story of the journeys, perils, and triumphs of the Siren and her warriors. The story mixes fact and fiction combining Greek and Norse Mythology, Sirens, Viking Warriors, Archangels and Kharon “The Ferryman”. The first part, “The Songs of the Siren”, was released on Pavement Entertainment in 2019   XS ROCK: Tell me about the latest band news? Any new projects coming out, live shows or announcements? Maggie: Our debut album, The Songs of the Siren, was released on August 30th, 2019 on Pavement Entertainment. We are working on multiple music videos. The first to be released is for our song ‘Mayhem’.     XS ROCK: So how long has the band been together? Maggie:...

Black Income, is a new rock identity that has emerged from the grunge-wave, combining Fuzz/Stone-Rock. Black Income may be inspired by acts like Queens of the Stone Age, Tool, Fu Manchu, Alice In Chains, Soundgarden but the sound and Dark feel is their own.   XS ROCK: Tell me about the latest band news? Any new projects coming out, live shows or announcements? Black Income: Sure… we just released our second album unSOUND, besides that we have a couple of live shows this winter before we enter the studio again to start recording our next release… so we don't just sit around waiting for the Boss and the big cigar… haha XS ROCK: So how long has the band been together? Black Income: Well we started out late 2011, so it's about 8 years now…     XS ROCK: What was your main motivation for originally starting or being in...

Based out of Toledo, Ohio, MOBILE DEATHCAMP has been sawing clubs in half and leaving crowds with their collective jaws on the floor since the band's inception in 2008. Formed by Todd Evans at the end of his 6-year stint as Beefcake The Mighty with the legendary shock rockers, GWAR, and joined in battle by Chad Smith and Matt, this musical terror pocket has been consistently leveling venues across North America   XS ROCK: Tell me about the latest band news? Any new projects coming out, live shows or announcements? ** Hey Bobby! Well, we just thrashed the RPM Fest out in Massachusetts with like 40 other bands, KILLER time! Our new e.p., "Volume 4-ish" comes out Oct 4., AND, we start a run with Havok and Ringworm a week after that out west!    XS ROCK: So how long has the band been together? ** What time is it?...

Testarossa is a four-piece rock-n-roll band out of Charlotte, NC. With a thunderous rhythm section, a unparalleled lead guitar, and a frontman that harkens back to the glory days of flamboyancy and excess, Testarossa commands the stage like no other band can. They have the looks, the skills, and the desire — the total package. The tunes they write focus on one thing only, and that’s having a good time. Rock-N-Roll is back and you can thank Testarossa for that.   XS ROCK: Tell me about the latest band news? Any new projects coming out, live shows or announcements? Colten: We just wrapped up recording our debut album. It’s filled with chart toppers and b-side boppers. We look to release it on the public possibly January-ish. It’s easily my proudest musical accomplishment. We even have Danny Worsnop from Asking Alexandria featured on a song, as well as in the music video. It’s straight...

Myth of creation is a band of dedicated musicians playing their hearts out anytime they're on stage. Through the pain, chaos and suffering came the album "Trials". Focusing on tribulations of the past, the band's main focus is pushing awareness to mental health, and ensuring YOU are never alone! Through vocal influences like Slipknot, instrumental influences such as Killswitch Engage, and emotional influences from personal losses comes a group creating the name Myth of Creation. Myth puts on a show every time they perform, leaving it all on stage. If it helps you let off some steam, get out some screams, and feel like you can go back to work the next day feeling a little better, the band feels like they've accomplished what they've set out to do. Members of Myth of Creation believe in giving back what music gives to them every time.   XS ROCK: Tell me...

Strength Betrayed was formed in 2014 with band members Taylor (Drummer), Jacob (Lead Guitar), Seth (Bassist), and Thomas (Vocals, Rhythm Guitar). Strength Betrayed is a Christian Rock band that believes in sharing the love of Jesus, but also being honest about the message we deliver. The name "Strength Betrayed" comes from the biblical story of Sampson and serves as a reminder to the band that the strengths that are given to us can betray us if we allow our strengths to go to our heads, consume our lives, destroy the lives of others through inflated egos and self-importance. The mission of Strength Betrayed is to provide heavy, high energy and meaningful music to those who would listen, to reach out to all people from all walks of life, to provide hope for the hurting and to let them know that they are not alone in their struggles. Each of us has a past. Each of us...

n 2017, a group of 5 seasoned musicians formed in the vein of metal and hard rock influenced by legends spanning decades, and contemporaries alike. In less than a year, they have wasted no time making their mark, sharing the stage with touring national acts like 36 Crazyfists, Righteous Vendetta, Otherwise, and Vyces. Their hook laden arrangements speak of lost love, lingering hate, constant turmoil, and tribulations of the human condition. In the same breath, their songs will grind and embrace you without apology. This is Heart of Jordan.     XS ROCK: Tell me about the latest band news? Any new projects coming out, live shows or announcements? Elijah: We just dropped a music video for our banger, "Deaf Ears". We are releasing another new video for one of our most popular songs, "Echoes Still Remain", for which we are having a video release party at a venue in...

XS ROCK: Tell me about the latest band news? Any new projects coming out, live shows or announcements? Drake: “We’ve been traveling all year long doing show after show! Recently we have partnered up with Pavement Records to help release our self-titled EP! It will be available September 20th   XS ROCK: So how long has the band been together? Drake: “Roughly 3 years.”   XS ROCK: What was your main motivation for originally starting or being in a band? Drake: “my motivation was the job that I hated going to every day knowing I should’ve been playing music. I know I won’t be happy doing anything else.”   XS ROCK: What is your music background? Drake: “I've known I wanted to play and create music the minute I heard and understood what it was. From a very early age, I started making my own drum sets out of pots...

RIG TIME! is an angry, caustic and vehemently heavy force based in La Crosse, WI. The band has performed 300+ shows, in 39 states and counting, since 2015. Holding true to the idea of "All Ages Or Nothing" the band has relentlessly toured across the US performing at only all-ages events and resonating their substantial live sound while stressing the message that live music is for all. Deeply rooted in the DIY attitude, RIG TIME! is a determined and passionate ensemble with a strong work ethic and a vital purpose. Their recent full-length album War was released on October 20, 2017, via Innerstrength Records, following the self-released full-length Sick of It (2016) and two EP’s (2014’s Awful and 2015’s Devout). Featuring a sound that is the audio equivalent of a tank column entering a besieged city, the crunch, and clangor of War is a game-changer. Forged in the fires of...

From southeast Pennsylvania emerges a new shred metal artist called Moonlight Prophecy. Fans describe the project as "dark, eerie shred metal" and sounding like "Nevermore meets Testament". Lawrence Wallace, the project creator stands out not only for his master lead guitar skills but also for his epic songwriting.  Lawrence has written an enormous library of music and is still pumping out newer and better material all of the time. If you enjoyed Lawrence's previous music or you just love amazing songs with blistering guitar solos and epic compositions than stay tuned because, with Moonlight Prophecy, the best is yet to come. Recently I had the chance to chat with Lawrence Wallace, lead guitarist, and mastermind behind the band "Moonlight Prophecy".  Fans of guitar shredders like Paul Gilbert, Yngwie Malmsteen, Ale Skolnick, and George Lynch should really like his sound and appreciate his exceptional skills.  "Moonlight Prophecy" has a great discography...

XS ROCK: Tell me about the latest band news? Any new projects coming out, live shows or announcements? Matt: We are really excited to have released the second single of our debut record “Foundations” called Hells Never Over. We made a video for it and it has been received really well!   XS ROCK: So how long has the band been together? Matt: Mark and I began working on this in September 2017. We have been trying to get freed up to work and it finally happened. Been grinding ever since.   XS ROCK: What was your main motivation for originally starting or being in a band? Matt: Being a musician or “being in a band” is really something that chooses you. It is an all-inclusive time-consuming life choice, to be honest. Its an inner drive type of dynamic. XS ROCK: What is your music background? I have studied music...

XS ROCK: Tell me about the latest band news? Any new projects coming out, live shows or announcements? Dustin: We just released our debut EP Electric Prophetic and we are in the midst of trying to get it into everyone's ears haha! In October we are hitting the studio again to do a fun single that will hopefully drop by the end of the year and we have shows throughout the rest of the year so 2020 is looking pretty prime to start moving as far as gigs.   XS ROCK: So how long has the band been together? Dustin: November 4th will be exactly 2 years for this project but Shawn and I have been playing together since high school in various projects.   XS ROCK: What was your main motivation for originally starting or being in a band? Dustin: Comradery would be the first thing I’d say. You...

XS ROCK: Tell me about the latest band news? Any new projects coming out, live shows or announcements? Eric Jayk: Hey! Thank you! You ROCK!  Here are our upcoming gigs!   Aug 16th at The Pie Shop in Washington D.C 1339 H Street NE Washington, DC W/ Shagwuf, The Electric Prophets 21+ Tix $12 Adv, $15 DOS   Aug 17th in Brewbakers Bar 168 N Loudoun St Old Town Winchester Virginia  W/ MetalKrew   Eric Jayk: We are stoked!! Our new single Tennessee Cocaine is ready for release! It comes w/ a brand NEW official music. It’s hot, hard-hitting and gonna melt faces I’m sure! https://youtu.be/7ysU6LfQNo8 XS ROCK: How long has the band been together? Eric Jayk: 12 years of pounding the pavement, sleeping on floors, drinking with strangers... I’m not complaining, It’s worth it! XS ROCK: What was your main motivation for starting or being in a band? Eric Jayk:...

XS ROCK: Tell me about the latest band news? Any new projects coming out, live shows or announcements? Colin: We're touring North America in a couple of weeks with Swedish prog kings Evergrey and our fellow Texans in Shattered Sun. Our first full is length nearly done and we're planning to release it this fall. XS ROCK: How long has the band been together? Colin: We released our debut EP last September so we're coming up on our first birthday as a band. XS ROCK: What was your main motivation for starting or being in a band? Colin: Ashleigh and I have a long history both together and apart in music. TULIP made sense specifically because of her opera background - she has an incredibly powerful and clear voice which is well suited for belting over heavy guitars and bone-crushing drums. XS ROCK: Which do you prefer? Writing new songs...

XS ROCK: Tell me about the latest band news? Any new projects coming out, live shows or announcements?  Durry: Man, we have a lot going on right now. We recently changed our name to Coyote Kid, after going by Marah in the Mainsail for the last 9 years. We have a brand new full-length story album coming out in October called the Skeleton Man. We just released a new music video for our song Femme Fatale that was shot entirely on 16mm film. And we have a few more videos and singles slated for the next few months! It’s a wild time for the band right now.    XS ROCK: So how long has the band been together? Durry: Trick question. I (Durry) started the band with Wilder in 2010 but didn’t really take it seriously until about 2015 when we got signed and released our first album. But we...

XS ROCK: Tell me about the latest band news? Any new projects coming out, live shows or announcements?    Brian Strean: We just released our new single “You’re the Void” last week which is available on Spotify and all digital retailers. There’s also a cool lyric video for it on our Facebook page and YouTube. It was a collaboration with a very talented friend @therealjeremus on Instagram. There will likely be some shows announced soon, but nothing scheduled just yet. XS ROCK: So how long has the band been together?  Brian Strean: We’ve had several members come and go over time, but as Our Future Leaders we’ve been together since about 2010-2011 and we released our first EP “Machines” in 2011. XS ROCK: What was your main motivation for originally starting or being in a band?  Brian Strean: That’s a good question. I used to perform in some acoustic guitar chatrooms back in the day...

Take a deep breath. Your unrelenting nightmare has just begun. Pulse-pounding, unrelenting, heavy, and brutally catchy. Heavy metal evokes deep emotions from elation to introspection to revulsion. Casket Robbery runs the gamut all the while burrowing its titanic sound deep into your psyche. The songs are pulverizing and catchy. The imagery is unique and their live performances invoke a primordial effigy, others can only hope to achieve. If you don't find yourself moving to this you should at least feel dirty for listening. The undeniable grooves and hooks coupled with conceptual vocal brutality make Casket Robbery the next level force of death metal insanity.   Tell me about the latest band news? Any new projects coming out, live shows or announcements? Yes, we have a new single and music video with an official release date in July! It looks like the video premiere will be on the 18th of June.  We're...

XS ROCK: Tell me about the latest band news? Any new projects coming out, live shows or announcements? Young Other:  We’ll be releasing our next video for our track Love Blind along with the rest of our EP on August 16th. Along with the EP we will be doing a short weekend run through MA, NY, and RI!   XS ROCK: So how long has the band been together? Young Other:  Dale and Brandon began Young Other in late 2016, after playing some shows and releasing a DIY recorded demo ep, the band took a short hiatus. The lineup was solidified with the addition of Devin Stetson and Kyle Shays around May of 2018. Shortly after we began to work on new songs and moving forward!   XS ROCK: What was your main motivation for originally starting or being in a band? Dale: When I was 14, I started connecting...

From the very beginning, Watch Me Breathe has been all about honesty and authenticity. Lead singer Jake Aaron Ward formed the band in 2017 purely out of frustration. “As a solo artist, I just got fed up with trying to write music only to please other people. Watch Me Breathe is really an experiment that says: what would I write if nobody else was listening?” The results of that experiment have been surprising. In the short time since the release of their debut LP “The Lighter Side of Darkness” in February 2018, Watch Me Breathe has already accrued well over 150K views on YouTube and over 50K streams on Spotify…and the numbers keep growing. When it comes to making albums, this particular band has an unusual process, not unlike that of Tame Impala or Bon Iver: Ward (a proficient multi-instrumentalist) writes, performs, records, mixes, and masters every song entirely by...