Q & A

  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...

Chmcl Str8jckt has become known for a strong, engaging live show, with dark imagery and select theatrics to enhance the disturbing themes of their songs. They have been direct support for My Life With The Thrill Kill Kult and opened for acts such as Orgy and Christian Death. Chmcl Str8jckt has recently finished recording their new CD "WRTCHD THNGS" with John Bechdel (keyboardist of Ministry, ex-Fear Factory, ex-Killing Joke) producing.... releasing in August 2019 on Cleopatra Records.   XS ROCK: Tell me about the latest band news? Any new projects coming out, live shows or announcements? Kevin: Yes!! Our second proper release is set to drop in a few weeks! It’s called “WRTCHD THNGS” and will be out on Cleopatra Records. It was produced by John Bechdel of Ministry! It’s a sick album of industrial rock/metal/punk. You gotta check it out!   XS ROCK: So how long has the band...

XS ROCK: Tell me about the latest band news? Any new projects coming out, live shows or announcements?  Chris: Why yes!!! The debut album and music video are releasing 5/31/19, so that’s pretty cool.     XS ROCK: So how long has the band been together? Chris: The band is just me actually, I play all instruments, along with engineering and producing everything.     XS ROCK: What was your main motivation for originally starting or being in a band? Chris: My parents are both very talented musicians, so it was just seemed to be pretty natural.     XS ROCK: What is your music background? Chris: It’s a crazy story but in a nutshell. I paralyzed a vocal chord approx 10 years ago, completely lost the ability to sing/speak for 5+ years, and have worked relentlessly to get the voice back. I used that time to enhance my skills...

XS ROCK: Tell me about the latest band news? Any new projects coming out, live shows or announcements?  Luke ‘VonDee’ Varndell: So the EP has just dropped and it really is the end of years of hard work. It’s taken a long time for us to get to a point that we are happy completing the songs and releasing them to the world because once that song is recorded you can’t really make a change to it. It’s not the same as a song that you only play live that might change in length or have the lyrics changed over and over. Once it’s recorded that’s it. I think listeners will find a little something for everyone, at least if you like rock music. We have some heavy, driven tracks, like End of Days, but we also have softer and more ballad-like tracks with huge choruses you can sing along...

UPON WINGS hails from the U.S. and can be described as female-fronted operatic rock and metal with a classical influence.   UPON WINGS takes listeners down a path of heartfelt introspection, pain, joy and faith.  After creating the idea for UPON WINGS, classically-trained mezzo-soprano Anne Autumn Erickson entered the studio and recorded several critically acclaimed singles for their "Afterlife" EP.  The band is now getting ready to release all new material.  We spoke with vocalist and frontwoman, Anne Erickson who was more than happy to fill us in on the band's current status,  as well her take on the current rock scene and more... XS ROCK: Tell me about the latest band news? Any new projects coming out, live shows or announcements?  Anne Erickson: Upon Wings has been writing new music and working in the studio for quite a long time, and our new music is pretty much ready to go. We’ve...

Tell me about the latest band news? Any new projects coming out, live shows or announcements?    Chad Cherry: Word on the street is that the Bad Blood creeps are about to unleash a debut full-length record. We’re gearing up to do some videos, some interviews, photo shoots and all the fun stuff that goes along with releasing new music.   Chris Clemence: Yes! Our debut record drops on July 26th. We're throwing a big exclusive release party for it with our first public live performance. We're also doing something completely different with this record. For the first time ever, fans will be able to own a piece of the record and share in the profits with us. There's an amazing new music app we partnered with called Vezt. On the 26th fans can go on the app and "buy in" to own part of our song rights. The more...

XS ROCK: Tell me about the latest band news? Any new projects coming out, live shows or announcements? Wil: Right now, we are focusing on writing new music and recording, but do have a few shows in the works. We recently released our single “Not My World” and have another song, “You Want Us” being released on July 4th. The next three songs being recorded are ones we’ve played live: “Nevermind the Hate,” “Silly Voices,” and “Silence is your Signature.” As for shows, we are playing with Powerman 5000, (Hed) P.E., and Adema on October 30th at Dingbatz in Clifton, NJ. And, we are booking other shows, such as a return to Florida, Ohio, and a few other states.     XS ROCK: So how long has the band been together? Wil: A variation of the band started back in 2002/2003, but it wasn’t until 2005 where Methodical was really...

XS ROCK: Tell me about the latest band news? Any new projects coming out, live shows or announcements? EG: The latest and greatest news is that I have a new guitarist, Camden Harrahy.  That shit is cool. And new music is coming and another music video. As for upcoming shows, our full band will be performing in Richmond, VA (aka RVA) at --The Dark Room 7/10, --The Camel 7/16 with Coagulate from Florida, other locals Tel and Kill the Druid --Hardywood, RVA 7/26 with Deep Vinyl Groove Unplugged at a few private parties as well as Crossroads 8/1 with Tony Farris on guitar and a special appearance at Richmondstock at The Burnout Pit on  8/17-18 where I will be trying something new with my producer, Rich Stine...honoring Woodstock of course. We hope to start stretching out towards TN (where our guitarist, Camden, will be at college) in the Fall but...

XS ROCK: Tell me about the latest band news? Any new projects coming out, live shows or announcements? Sarah: We just dropped a brand new music video for our single, “Pause Rewind Repeat.”  With the video release, we have also launched a Kickstarter to help with the production of our new upcoming record, “Serotonin” to be released Summer, 2019 through TLG/Ingrooves Music. https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/aurin/serotonin-a-new-album-from-aurin/   XS ROCK: So how long has the band been together? Andrew: We have had our current lineup since 2017, but I have been playing under the name “Aurin” since 2010.   XS ROCK: What was your main motivation for originally starting or being in a band? Andrew: I always wanted to make music. I used to listen to records with my dad as a young child and knew that I wanted to put out a record someday. Sarah: I loved listening to rock music (and music...

In the spring of 2018, five Southern California musicians came together, leaving their respective projects behind, to form a new band. A band with the ability to seamlessly transition from crushingly heavy riffs to unforgettably haunting melodies and lyrics. With inspiration drawing from the top late 90's and early 00's rock bands, there's a certain familiarity to the music that's refreshing and yet evolved into what can only be described as Dark Station. Set to release in 2019, the debut album "Down in The Dark" is poised to cement the band's name as a commendable force in the rock world. With rock on the rise, Dark Station has risen to the challenge of aiding in rock's revival. This is the new age. This is Dark Station.   Tell me about the latest band news? Any new projects coming out, live shows or announcements? Nathan: We won't be doing shows until...

XS ROCK: Tell me about the latest band news? Any new projects coming out, live shows or announcements? Christian: Well, we just released our brand new self-titled Dead By Wednesday album out now worldwide in stores & online via Combat Records. We are currently out on tour with the legendary Flotsam & Jetsam as direct support for a 30 date cross country tour helping promote & push our new release. So far, so good! The band has been great to us & we feel nothing but honored.   XS ROCK: How long has the band been together? Christian: DBW has been together since 2006 but is virtually a brand new outfit at this point. The only two remaining original members are me (Opus on drums) & the bassist Mike Modeste so basically the OG’s are the rhythm section which is very cool because most bands foundation is that. But with...

XS ROCK: Tell me about the latest band news? Any new projects coming out, live shows or announcements? Luke: Our debut record, ‘Through The Blast,’ is coming out on June 14th with Pavement Entertainment and we are super excited for our fans to hear it! We have support dates on Flaw’s U.S. tour coming up on June 11th,12th and 13th which we can’t wait for and our live album release will be in Chicago at Livewire Lounge on June 20th to kick things off. We have more dates in the works and a national tour coming up too, which we hope to be able to share more details about soon.     XS ROCK: So how long has the band been together? Luke: The band has been together in this lineup for a little over two years.     XS ROCK: What was your main motivation for originally starting or...

XS ROCK: Tell me about the latest band news? any new projects coming out, live shows or announcements? TOMMY: We just dropped our debut album "Cake and Chaos" through Pavement Entertainment and we are excited to see what come next, meanwhile we've been staying busy writing new shit and playing shows here locally in Las Vegas.   XS ROCK: So how long has the band been together? TOMMY: Baker's Dozen was formed on a dark and stormy October 31st, 2016. So three years give or take.   XS ROCK: What was your main motivation for originally starting or being in a band? TOMMY: We'd all played in different bands with each other. One afternoon Dave and I were on the phone and I mentioned  to him that Zach and I were looking to start something original, on our own (we were in tribute bands at the time) and would that be something...

Born and bred in Michigan, Of Virtue has given a new meaning to the word "homegrown". Starting as any band, locally, then touring regionally and eventually nationally within a short two years - Of Virtue most recently began their conquest of spreading their music beyond the United States and has now reached almost 25 countries, just two years after their first time on foreign soil. During the lifetime of the band they have since released two LPs and two EPs ... it wasn't until their single Ghost Town, released in 2017, that the band truly found what they were looking to do. After announcing the addition of two new members, Tyler Ennis (vocals) and Kyle Pruehs (drums, in addition to founding members Damon Tate on (guitar), Michael Valadez (guitar), and Jon Fox (bass) Of Virtue have found themselves stronger than ever and prepared for 2019 as they partner with SharpTone...

XS ROCK: Tell me about the latest band news? Any new projects coming out, live shows or announcements? Jake: We just released our debut EP "Deep Sleep"! And we have awesome merch bundles available on our website.     XS ROCK: So how long has the band been together? Jake: We've been together since December 2018.     XS ROCK: What was your main motivation for originally starting or being in a band? Jake: Matt and I have been ghostwriting together for rock and metal bands for a long time. That's kinda where the idea of creating a band came from. We got so good at writing together, we figured we might as well see what kind of music we could make for ourselves.     XS ROCK: What is your music background? Jake: Prior to this band our guitarist Matt was in a group called Exotype. Triston and I...

Hell & Hollar draw from their many influences that span the areas of blues and heavy stoner rock, they are developing a brand of rock all their own. Their heavy yet inviting sound is a refreshingly straight forward rock music that anyone can have a good time with. This force to be reckoned with has an old school heavy rock vibe with an open eye on the future. XS ROCK: Tell me about the latest band news? Any new projects coming out, live shows or announcements? Blake Burns: We are getting ready to head out on our Why The Hell Not Summer Tour. We will be in Johnson City TN on June 26th at The Hideaway, Summerfest in Milwaukee WI on June 28th, Raleigh NC on July 2 at The Pour House, and Atlanta GA on July 4th at Smith's Old Bar. We might be adding a couple of dates...

XS ROCK: Tell me about the latest band news? Any new projects coming out, live shows or announcements? Eric: Cold Black River recently released “Tales of Death & The Devil” on CD. It’s a 9 track doom rock scorcher with some fun twists and turns throughout. We’re thrilled to announce we’ve been picked up for “Day of Doom” in Chicago this year as well as “Wisconsin Doomed and Stoned” in November. June 15th we’re playing “Riff Raff Fest” here in Madison with a ton of heavy locals like Droids Attack and subatomic.   XS ROCK: How long has the band been together? Eric: We came together winter 2013 and played our first show at The Wisco May of 2014. It was funny because Jeremy (guitar), Aaron (drums), and I (vox/bass) had been diligently rehearsing in this small studio for months prior to the gig, not having much room to move around....

XS ROCK: Tell me about the latest band news? Any new projects coming out, live shows or announcements? Silver Devil: Right now we are rehearsing for release gig on the slaughterhouse in Stockholm on June 5th. We will play with a band called Skraeckoedlan who released his latest album at the same time as us.   XS ROCK: How long has the band been together? Silver Devil: We started in 2005, but with a different setup. Bass player and a guitar player have been replaced during the trip. But with current members since 2011.   XS ROCK: What was your main motivation for starting or being in a band? Silver Devil: Mostly just for having fun, and taking the opportunity to be creative. In today's society, I find it difficult to find time for oneself and their own interests beyond the everyday work.   XS ROCK: What is your music...

Summoner's Circle is a six-piece theatrical metal band that blends elements of doom, death, black and progressive metal into what they refer to as simply Epic Metal. For the band, every song in an incantation, every live performance is a Summoning, and everything they do is tied intrinsically to the mythology, or lore, they have created.   XS ROCK: Tell me about the latest band news? Any new projects coming out, live shows or announcements? BLIND:  We have just come off the Hexed North American Tour with Children of Bodom, Swallow the Sun, and Wolfheart.  Now we're gearing up for the label release of our debut full-length album, which has been re-named 'Become None'.  The album will be released on Pavement Records, worldwide, on May 17th, 2019.  We have a coinciding album release show on May 24th, at The Concourse in Knoxville, TN, with our good friends in Warclown and...

Tell me about the latest band news? Any new projects coming out, live shows or announcements? Our first release, a 7" titled "Please, Electric Move Slow" will be out on July 12. We'll be playing shows around the Midwest through the end of the year to support it.   How long has the band been together? Burial Party started in August of 2017, so it's coming up on two years.    What was your main motivation for starting or being in a band? We just wanted to make noise and have a good time.   What is your music background? My parents had an upright piano in the house when I was a kid, and I taught myself how to play a little, nothing special and mostly with one hand. From there I moved on to playing trombone in the school band and picked up a guitar as a teenager....

XS ROCK: Tell me about the latest band news? Any new projects coming out, live shows or announcements? Rich: Latest band news is that we just finished tracking, mixing and mastering our album "The Eternal Black Rainbow" and we are setting up to campaign the F**K out of it.   XS ROCK: How long has the band been together? Rich: The band has always been myself and the idea and concept for this band came to me while on tour with Trail of Dead (as guitar tech) in October in Europe in 2012. in 2015 I decided to try and bring the band to life with Jason Reece from Trail of Dead. So we did.   XS ROCK: What was your main motivation for starting or being in a band? Rich: In this particular project I'm involved with now I'd have to say Trail of Dead. Trail of Dead has...

XS ROCK: Tell me about the latest band news? Any new projects coming out, live shows or announcements? Shawn Perry: We just dropped a new and Lawnchair and rad new music video for it and we will be hitting the studio at the end of the summer to cut a few more for y'all. https://youtu.be/v5cXT4X5-Go XS ROCK: So how long has the band been together? Shawn Perry: Since 2015 although Corey Linden and myself have been playing together since 2010     XS ROCK: What was your main motivation for originally starting or being in a band? Shawn Perry: I am a maniac that likes to wear ridiculous clothes and command seas of humans like Freddy Mercury... Maybe one day I will dye my stash' black and take it to the next level, I already have white pants and lots of capes.     XS ROCK: What is your music...

XS ROCK: Tell me about the latest band news? Any new projects coming out, live shows or announcements? The Hyss: Our warm-up gig before the release of our EP Hound is May 19 at Crown Liquors in Logan Square here in Chicago. More gigs TBD locations in Joliet, near north side, west burbs this summer. Hopefully back in the studio in the fall.   XS ROCK: How long has the band been together? The Hyss: Almost 8 years, since November 2011   XS ROCK: What was your main motivation for starting or being in a band? The Hyss: I have a life goal to remain musically active, always. Also, there’s a deficit in melted faces. I need to do my part.   XS ROCK: What is your music background? The Hyss: I mostly grew up watching Kurt Cobain kill the 80s metal scene by strangling the neck of his guitar....

XS ROCK: Tell me about the latest band news? Any new projects coming out, live shows or announcements? ⁃At the moment we just have a video we are pushing for our first single ever called “forevermore”. Other than that we are getting all our ducks in a row for a serious move towards the industry. We can say that we’ve started working with Paul Crosby and Derrick Pichon of 434 management. They opened a lot of doors for us and we are doing everything in our power to make this a career. Until then- anything we would promote is getting nice and warm in the oven ⁃for the rest of 2019 we have a string of summer shows. We will be all along the east coast with an awesome Metallica tribute band called “fade to black”. We have a few big local events like the Watertown block party and Black...