Anberlin - Dark Is The Way, Light Is A Place

Artist: Anberlin
Album: Dark Is The Way, Light Is A Place
Release Date: 9/7/10
Label: Universal Republic

It's been two years since Anberlin signed to Universal Republic and right after, released their album New Surrender. Many fans were let down, especially since the band's critically acclaimed album Cities had released only a year earlier. While, look no further, Anberlin are back and have something to prove with their fifth studio effort, Dark Is The Way, Light Is A Place. Perhaps a natural progression, Anberlin have certainly matured and polished up their sound since New Surrender, with a more accessible album that is sure to please both new fans and old ones alike. Dark Is The Way... has a very diverse sound, no two songs sounding alike. Something else that is noticeable is that Stephen Christian's vocals are one of the main focuses of the songs, the instrumentation set for flowing to his vocals, rather than the other way around.

Right off the bat, Dark Is The Way, Light Is A Place starts with "We Owe This To Ourselves," a dark rocker that is no doubt Anberlin. Next comes the album's first single, "Impossible," which has a catchy alt-pop texture to it. The pulsating "Closer" is sure to be a fan favorite, where the ballad "You Belong Here" continues the smooth flow that lyrically focuses on a relationship.

"Pray Tell" is musically and lyrically one of the best tracks found on the album. It has a very diverse stomp-clap percussion section and admittedly talks of not keeping anything from God. Another dark alt-rock song focused on betrayal comes with "To The Wolves," with the verse "Who needs enemies when we've got friends like you." The acoustic "Down" has a mellow sound to it and is in the vein of "The Unwinding Cable Car." The album closer "Depraved" has a bit of a depressed feeling throughout, but builds up into an epic ending, the perfect way to end an album.

Rating: 9/10 Anberlin are back with some of their best work to date, contained on Dark Is The Way, Light Is A Place. It's no surprise that this album will work its way into many album of the year lists, certainly deserving that spot. Any fans that were lost on New Surrender, welcome back.

Tracklisting:

1. We Owe This To Ourselves
2. Impossible
3. Take Me (As You Found Me)
4. Closer
5. You Belong Here
6. Pray Tell
7. Art Of War
8. To The Wolves
9. Down
10. Depraved

(Buy Here)

Exclusive Song Stream - Lakes

We are excited to bring you a stream of a new song titled "Lifting Me Up" from Lakes, who just released their new album, titled The Agreement. The album is available now on iTunes and Amazon, and you can buy a physical copy of the CD on Lakes' site.

 Lakes - Lifting Me Up by Christian Rock Rocks

My Epic Tour Dates

My Epic will be teaming up with To Speak of Wolves for a Southeast tour that kicks off this Friday.  Tour dates are below.  My Epic are touring in support of their newest and most highly praised album Yet.  

Sep 3 - Lynchburg, VA @ Cross Point Church
Sep 4 - East Ridge, TN @ The Warehouse
Sept 6 - Memphis, TN @ T.H.A.T. Church w/ To Speak of Wolves
Sept 7 - McDonough, GA @ Armory w/ To Speak of Wolves
Sept 8 - Peachtree City, GA @ Crosspoint Chu w/ To Speak of Wolves
Sept 9 - Burlington, NC @ St. Mark's Church w/ To Speak of Wolves
Sept 10 - Columbia, SC @ South Congaree Assembly of God w/ To Speak of Wolves
Sept 11 - Tampa, FL @ TBA w/ To Speak of Wolves, & Ascend the Hill
Sept 12 - Tampa, FL @ The Cuban Club w/ Ascend the Hill, To Speak of Wolves, and Holding Onto Hope 

August Burns Red Release First Song, Announce Pre-Order Options for New Live DVD/CD, Home

Band's first live DVD/CD in stores September 28

Co-headlining nationwide AP Fall Tour

With just four weeks remaining until the release of their anticipated DVD/CD, Home, genre giants AUGUST BURNS RED are revving up their engines with a flurry of new content and pre-order options.

Starting today, fans can stream the first single from the live DVD/CD, "White Washed," on the band's newly redesigned MySpace site. A fan favorite, "White Washed" is among the stand-out tracks from Constellations, the band's most recent studio album, which stormed into the Billboard Top 200 at #24 and rocketed the band to the forefront of the metal scene.

Stream "White Washed (live)" here:
http://www.myspace.com/augustburnsred

In conjunction with the redesigned MySpace page, ABR has redesigned and relaunched all of its social sites, including its Facebook BandPage, Twitter and YouTube pages.

The band has also announced a series of pre-order options for Home, which is set for release via longtime label Solid State Records on September 28. Fans can order any number of exclusive packages which include bonus items like t-shirts, posters, signed booklets and even an ABR pillowcase.

Preorder Home:
CD/DVD: http://zambooie.com/solidstate/detail.tpl?sku=SSRCD09851
CD/DVD with Tshirt: http://zambooie.com/solidstate/detail.tpl?sku=SSRCOMBO09851
CD/DVD with Pillowcase: http://www.zambooie.com/solidstate/detail.tpl?sku=SSRCOMBO09851PC
CD/DVD with Tshirt and Pillowcase: http://zambooie.com/solidstate/detail.tpl?sku=SSRCOMBO09851ALL
CD/DVD with Poster (from INTERPUNK): https://www.interpunk.com/item.cfm?Item=185536
CD/DVD with Signed Booklet (from SMARTPUNK): http://www.smartpunk.com/August-Burns-Red

Home – ABR's first live recording – captures the band playing a wildly energetic and ferocious show to a sold-out crowd of 1250+ in the band's hometown of Manheim, PA. The powerful, pummeling performance featured many fan favorites from the band's three full-length albums, Constellations, 2007's Messengers and 2005's Thrillseeker, meaning that Home will appeal to both new and longtime ABR fans. Shot and edited by Space Monkey Studios (COHEED AND CAMBRIA, LAMB OF GOD, EVERY TIME I DIE), the DVD also includes a documentary on the band detailing life on the road and at home and featuring fans discussing the ways in which AUGUST BURNS RED have impacted their lives in a positive, meaningful way.

The recording of Home was yet another highlight for a band that had spent the previous year touring everywhere but "Home," including 5 continents, from Dubai to Australia, Japan to South America, in addition to crisscrossing Europe and North America with everyone from LAMB OF GOD to A DAY TO REMEMBER.

The critical success of Constellations, the band's 3rd album, has helped AUGUST BURNS RED not only become one of the forerunners in the current metal scene, but also break out and reach newer fanbases. The band recently exceeded more than a quarter million in combined album sales. Constellations has sold in excess of 80,000 copies and has been lauded by taste-making publications such as Revolver, AP, Outburn and more, further solidifying ABR's stature.
Never ones to leave fans waiting, AUGUST BURNS RED return to the road this fall as the co-headliner of AP Fall Tour, alongside BRING ME THE HORIZON. The tour stretches from October 13-November 28.


Tickets for the AP Fall Tour can be purchased here:
http://theaptour.ning.com/page/fall-2010

Home Track Listing:

1) Intro

2) Back Burner

3) White Washed

4) Your Little Suburbia is in Ruins

5) The Eleventh Hour

6) Meddler

7) Truth of a Liar

8) Mariana's Trench

9) Thirty and Seven

10) Existence

11) Meridian

12) Shot Below the Belt

13) Up Against the Ropes

14) Composure

15) The Seventh Trumpet

Dates on the AP Fall Tour with BRING ME THE HORIZON and more
Oct 13 - Pontiac MI @ Crofoot Ballroom
Oct 14 - Cincinnati OH @ Bogart's
Oct 15 - Sauget IL @ Pop's
Oct 16 - Milwaukee WI @ The Rave
Oct 19 - Minneapolis MN @ Cabooze on the West Bank
Oct 20 - Kansas City MO @ The Beaumont
Oct 21 - Denver CO @ The Summit Music Hall
Oct 22 - Salt Lake City UT @ In The Venue
Oct 23 - Boise ID @ The Venue
Oct 24 - Seattle WA @ The Showbox at the Market
Oct 25 - Portland OR @ Wonder Ballroom
Oct 27 - San Francisco CA @ The Grand Ballroom at The
Oct 28 - Pomona CA @ Fox Theater
Oct 29 - Los Angeles CA @ Club Nokia LA Live
Oct 30 - San Diego CA @ SOMA
Oct 31 - Las Vegas NV @ House of Blues
Nov 2 - Tucson AZ @ Rialto Theater
Nov 4 - Austin TX @ Emo's
Nov 5 - San Antonio TX @ White Rabbit
Nov 6 - Dallas TX @ House of Blues
Nov 7 - Houston TX @ Warehouse Live
Nov 9 - Orlando FL @ Hard Rock Live Orlando
Nov 10- Ft Lauderdale FL @ Revolution
Nov 11- Tampa FL @ The Ritz
Nov 12- Atlanta GA @ The Masquerade
Nov 13- Nashville TN @ Rockettown
Nov 14- Charlotte NC @ Amos' Southend Music Hall
Nov 16- Norfolk VA @ The Norva
Nov 17- Baltimore MD @ Sonar
Nov 18- Philadelphia PA @ Electric Factory
Nov 19- Boston MA @ House of Blues
Nov 20- Williamsville NY @ Club Infinity
Nov 21- Toronto ON @ Kool Haus
Nov 22- Montreal QC @ Metropolis
Nov 24- New York NY @ Nokia Theater Times Square
Nov 26- Sayreville NJ @ Starland Ballroom
Nov 27- Allentown PA @ Crocodile Rock
Nov 28- Cleveland OH @ House of Blues Cleveland

Underoath Set To Return With Ø (Disambiguation) on November 9th

UNDEROATH:
RETURN WITH

Ø

(Disambiguation)

SET FOR RELEASE NOVEMBER 9
VIA SEATTLE INDIE
SOLID STATE/TOOTH & NAIL

UNDEROATH are proud to announce they’ll return this fall with their fifth studio album--titled Ø (Disambiguation)--November 9 (not October 26^th as it was  falsely reported) via Seattle indie Solid State/Tooth & Nail.

Expect more news early next week....

www.underoath777.com

http://twitter.com/UNDEROATHband

www.solidstaterecords.com

www.toothandnail.com

For Today - Breaker

Artist: For Today
Album: Breaker
Release Date: 8/31/10
Label: Facedown Records

In today's heavy music scene, many bands aim high, some hitting their goal or missing it. In the case of For Today and their new album, Breaker, they have certainly hit the mark and gone beyond. One of the reasons that account for this is their burning passion for God, that cannot be denied in this breakdown-heavy album, the third release from the band. Besides the fast, heavy side to the album, there are also more melodic parts as well, contained in the numerous gang vocal sections heard throughout Breaker. Lyrically, the album talks about being defiant against the generation and letting our fire for our Creator burn strong.

Breaker starts off with one of the four spoken word tracks that are split up throughout the album, the first of the group being aptly titled "The Breaker's Origin." It begins with a somewhat chilling feel, which explodes into   the album's lead track, "Devastator." The resounding chorus of "Let my name be feared at the gates of Hell, as I exalt the Savior" reigns as one of the most memorable verses heard on the album. Just when you thought it couldn't get any heavier, "The Advocate" follows. The heavy breakdowns and bass drops that fill the song are some of the most aggressive heard throughout Breaker. The track that very well expresses the album's theme would be "Seraphim," which has vocalist Mattie Montgomery growling "Burn, and let the whole world  see! You were made to burn."

The following track, "Arm The Masses," comes as one the highlights of Breaker, with a great guest vocal section from Drew York of Stray From The Path. His higher, hardcore punk sounding screams accompany Mattie's well, which add a unique depth to the track. Shane Raymond of Close Your Eyes also adds vocals on "Phoenix," which contains the most dominant section of gang vocals heard on the record. The triumphant "King" declares "Long live the King!" which both begin and conclude the track. The last spoken word track, "The Breaker's Commission," serves as the closer to the album, also being the best of the four tracks. It ends with a choir that turns the track into a simple but powerful worship song to fittingly end Breaker.

Rating: 9/10 With Breaker, For Today have given us one of the top metal albums that this year has had to offer so far. The music and ministry of For Today serves as a battle cry to this generation of believers and non-believers alike, burning with a fiery God-given passion. At this point, For Today are not slowing down, and will not be be anytime soon.

Tracklisting:

1. The Breaker's Origin
2. Devastator
3. The Advocate
4. The Breaker's Valley
5. Seraphim
6. Arm The Masses
7. White Flag
8. The Breaker's Encounter
9. Phoenix
10. Psalm of the Son
11. King
12. The Breaker's Commission

(Buy Here)