Making your way in the world today takes everything you’ve got and more, but the men of RXPTRS make it looks easy. Today, they tell us the secrets to their success.
Take a moment and try to remember life in 2018. It was only four years ago, but it feels like several decades have passed since any of us lived such simple lives. There was no COVID, no average gas price over $5, and endless opportunities for young talent to make themselves known—both online and in person.
Life back then may seem easy in hindsight, but that’s not the world RXPTRS frontman Simon Roach remembers. That wasn’t long after he was nearly decapitated in an incident that caused him to rethink his approach to life. He coined the phrase Living Without Death’s Permission not long after, which has since become a mantra for the band.
“We never approach anything with a genre or an audience in mind, it has to be what we’re feeling in that moment. If it comes out punk, sick, if it sounds metal, awesome, if it doesn’t sound like anything else, even better. Nothing’s off the table,” explains Roach. “We all come from different backgrounds and have all been inspired by so many different genres, we wanted to hear a sound that mixed all those influences, so we thought, ‘let’s be that band.’ I totally get that genres help steer people, but we don’t want that stability. I feel like nothing great can come from a comfort zone.”
RXPTRS debut album is filled to the brim with seamless combinations of varying corners of rock. There are elements of rock, punk, metal, and hardcore present—often in a single song—yet it never feels overstuffed or forced. Instead, RXPTRS lead listeners on a sonic journey through tough times in search of the strength needed to persevere when all hope seems lost.
In this Music Biz update, host James Shotwell chats with Simon Roach about the origins of his band and the birth of their debut album. They also discuss how RXPTRS built a name for themselves while the world was in lockdown and how algorithmic playlists may have changed their lives virtually overnight. Check it out:
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Rivers Of Nihil bassist Adam Biggs stops by Inside Music to discuss The Work, returning to the road, and the creative process behind concept records.
Rivers Of Nihil exist in rarified air for metal musicians. With a decade of technical death metal under their belt, including several massive concept albums, the group has established a pocket in the metal community where they alone reside. Their fans are open to whatever wild ideas and experimentation the group wish to utilize, and they’re patient with the creative process. It doesn’t matter if the group takes one year to write a record or three. Rivers Of Nihil fans will wait because they know the final product will be great.
Rivers Of Nihil will release their long-awaited new album, The Work, on September 24. The ambitious LP explores the necessary regimen behind progress. The album is about doing ‘the work’ of being an artist in a very literal sense. There is no finish line or mountain top for a group such as Rivers Of Nihil, and their sole mission is to continue excavating the depths of their creativity until they die or run out of ideas. It’s an endless pursuit for a group that is nothing more than a constant work in progress, and they wouldn’t want it any other way.
On this episode of Inside Music, host James Shotwell visits Rivers Of Nihil during a recent tour stop in West Michigan. Bassist Adam Biggs opens up about doing ‘The Work,’ returning to the road, and how songwriting works within the band. Biggs shares insight into how Rivers Of Nihil approach concept record, as well as the lessons he’s learned trying to promote a unique sound in a cluttered music market.
Inside Music is brought to you by Haulix, the music industry’s leading promotional distribution platform. Start your one-month free trial today and gain instant access to the same promotional tools used by BMG, Concord, Rise Records, Pure Noise Records, and hundreds more. Visit http://haulix.com/signup for details.
Representatives from two of the biggest names in metal today appear in a one-hour Haulix LIVE! event to discuss what it means to succeed in the modern music business.
There is no point in history when succeeding in music was a simple task. Getting people to pay attention for three to five minutes at a time is one thing, but getting them to spend money and take a long-term interest in someone’s creative talent is something else. The tricks and plans that helped artists succeed ahead five years ago don’t work today, and what works right now probably won’t help anyone in 2023. That’s the nature of the beast known as the music business, but somehow, people still find ways to win fans and develop careers.
On Thursday, November 12, two of the most widely recognized music professional in metal today appeared on Haulix LIVE! to discuss their careers and the many ways to define success in entertainment. Becky Laverty (Prosthetic Records) and Vince Edwards (Metal Blade) spoke about music publicity and marketing in the COVID era, emerging trends in their field, and their hopes for 2021. Viewers also had the chance to ask questions.
Today, Haulix is thrilled to share the entire event with our readers. Check it out:
About our panelists:
Becky Laverty has been a freelance publicist for 13 years, working for labels, events, and independent artists. Believing that each project is unique, she has forged relationships across the music industry and around the globe to deliver creative and engaging press campaigns. Although she still squeezes in the occasional side project, the majority of her time is now taken up by Roadburn Festival (Press & Communications) and Prosthetic Records (European Label Manager).
Vince Edwards has worked at Metal Blade Records since 2007 after graduating from the University of Wisconsin-Platteville with a BS in business administration. Fans may have seen his work on YouTube in the form of music videos for Anaal Nathrakh, The Black Dahlia Murder, Amon Amarth, and more. Additionally, Vince works with radio stations & shows such as SirusXM Liquid Metal, Full Metal Jackie, WJJO Overdrive, Music Choice, and dozens more to try and keep metal on the airwaves across the US. Fans may also have seen his graphic design work across the Metal Blade social pages and beyond. Metal Blade Records is an independent record label where staff wear many hats and work with bands on a daily basis to help bring their vision to fans globally.
About our host:
James Shotwell is the Director of Customer Engagement for Haulix. His music career began with the opening of a music venue when he was just 14 years old. From there, James cut his teeth booking and promoting events until he enrolled at Ferris State University to pursue a degree in Music Industry Management. From there, James found a passion for writing that led him to work with some of the biggest publications in music. He later graduated from school and moved to Boston, where he worked for a music startup before starting with Haulix. In addition to his current role, James currently hosts the Inside Music Podcast, the High Notes podcast, the Music Biz channel on YouTube, and regularly contributes to multiple entertainment publications.
Two of the biggest names in metal today are coming together for a music publicity panel, and we have all the details you need to know. This is one Haulix LIVE! event you cannot miss.
If there is anything to learn from the age of COVID-19, aside from the need for personal hygiene, it is the importance of connection. Human beings are not meant to live in isolation. We need relationships as much as we need air in our lungs and water in our cups. Friendships are the key to everything, including happiness and success, which explains why these long periods without human interaction are so tricky. Haulix LIVE! is not a perfect solution, but it has the potential to keep us connected until life as we knew it resumes.
On Thursday, November 12, two of the most successful publicists in metal today appear on Haulix LIVE! to discuss their careers and the role PR plays in musicians’ success. Join us as Becky Laverty (Prosthetic Records) and Vince Edwards (Metal Blade) talk about music publicity in the COVID era, emerging trends in their field, and their hopes for 2021. Viewers will also have the chance to ask questions, but only if you RSVP! Don’t wait!
The event is free, but attendees must register in advance to ask questions. Click here to RSVP TODAY!
About our panelists:
Becky Laverty has been a freelance publicist for 13 years, working for labels, events, and independent artists. Believing that each project is unique, she has forged relationships across the music industry and around the globe to deliver creative and engaging press campaigns. Although she still squeezes in the occasional side project, the majority of her time is now taken up by Roadburn Festival (Press & Communications) and Prosthetic Records (European Label Manager).
Vince Edwards has worked at Metal Blade Records since 2007 after graduating from the University of Wisconsin-Platteville with a BS in business administration. Fans may have seen his work on YouTube in the form of music videos for Anaal Nathrakh, The Black Dahlia Murder, Amon Amarth, and more. Additionally, Vince works with radio stations & shows such as SirusXM Liquid Metal, Full Metal Jackie, WJJO Overdrive, Music Choice, and dozens more to try and keep metal on the airwaves across the US. Fans may also have seen his graphic design work across the Metal Blade social pages and beyond. Metal Blade Records is an independent record label where staff wear many hats and work with bands on a daily basis to help bring their vision to fans globally.
About our host:
James Shotwell is the Director of Customer Engagement for Haulix. His music career began with the opening of a music venue when he was just 14 years old. From there, James cut his teeth booking and promoting events until he enrolled at Ferris State University to pursue a degree in Music Industry Management. From there, James found a passion for writing that led him to work with some of the biggest publications in music. He later graduated from school and moved to Boston, where he worked for a music startup before starting with Haulix. In addition to his current role, James currently hosts the Inside Music Podcast, the High Notes podcast, the Music Biz channel on YouTube, and regularly contributes to multiple entertainment publications.
Black metal masters Behemoth are leveraging the attention garnered from their recent cover of The Cure to share their most exciting music to date.
Behemoth is a band that needs no introduction. For the better part of thirty years, the Polish metal titans have been blazing a trail entirely their own through the world of music. They are partially responsible for making black metal something people around the globe recognize as art, and they spare no expense in seeing just how far they can push themselves as both musicians and creatives. No two Behemoth offerings are the same, but the group’s latest, A Forest, is in a league all its own.
A four-track release arriving just coronavirus cabin fever is setting in, A Forest speaks to Behemoth’s relentless pursuit of musical mastery. Highlighted by a cover of The Cure’s 1980 track “A Forest,” which appears twice (once as a studio cut and once as a live cut), the record showcases the group’s innate ability to make any idea their own. Behemoth builds on the already dark themes and energy of the original track to produce an expansive black metal offering that lures you into a brooding state of madness from where there is no escape. It’s a song you want to live inside, and the video plays like the arthouse horror film:
At the risk of overstating its brilliance, A Forest is Behemoth at their very best. Their cover of The Cure transforms a classic rock song into something far more sinister without sacrificing the core elements that make the track great, which is enough to warrant a purchase, but the EP also features two new songs that fans won’t soon forget. “Shadows ov Ea Cast Upon Golgotha” finds the group delivering a driving anthem with ferocious riffs and thundering drums, while the closer, “Evoe,” feels like a call to arms for the devil’s army. It’s the kind of heavy songwriter that inspires uprisings and leads to chaos in the streets. In other words, it’s precisely what we need.
Inside Music Podcast returns with Mike D’Antonio of Killswitch Engage discussing music, Covid-19, and more.
As many of you may have noticed, we took a month off from podcasting in February. Between business developments at Haulix and the looming Coronavirus developments, we have been busy focusing on many other things. However, we never stopped working on the show, and we currently have four episodes in various states of completion for release shortly. A few were recorded before the global shutdown of the touring and live events industry, but we believe the content outside that aspect of each conversation is worth sharing. Our show has never been about ‘the state of the world,’ but we recognize that will most likely be a recurring theme moving forward. If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to contact us.
In early March, Killswitch Engage embarked on the North American leg of their worldwide tour in support of the band’s 2019 release, Atonement. The group performed twice before postponing their remaining performances over concerns about Covid-19. Luckily, we got to speak with the band before that happened.
Hours ahead of what would prove to be the last Killswitch Engage show for the foreseeable future, Inside Music host James Shotwell sat down with bassist and founding member Mike D’Antonio to discuss the state of the world. The conversation started by addressing the elephant in the room, Coronavirus fears, before turning to a discussion on the band’s legacy, lessons learned, and how Mike found his most villainous bass tone to date.
With bands off the road, buying and streaming music are the best ways to support your favorite artists. Atonement is a thrilling release that combines the signature sound of Killswitch Engage with a heaping dose of heaviness, both lyrically and sonically, that makes for an altogether crushing experience. You can find the record wherever you access music, and we highly suggest you give it one or fifty plays as soon as your schedule allows.
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We’re only halfway through 2016, but already this year is proving to be one of the best for new music in a long time. From rock and pop, to hip-hop, country, and even spoken word, 2016 has been chock full incredible surprises and expected delights. Our jobs give us to hundreds of records every month, so trying to decide just 10 or 15 that won our hearts proved to be fairly difficult. Instead of betraying our loves (and potentially starting an interoffice war that would no doubt resemble something out of Braveheart in execution) we decided to select a few of our absolute favorites that we’ve listed below in hopes you will take it upon yourself to discover everything they have to offer. It’s not a complete list by any means, and it’s being shared with no attention paid to the order in which albums appear, but if you ever find yourselves in our offices in Minneapolis in the near future you can rest assured on of the records will be playing through our stereo.
Hotel Books – Run Wild, Stay Alive (InVogue Records)
Spoken word artists like Cam Smith never receive the credit they deserve, but one listen to the newest record from Smith’s band Hotel Books proves that poetry can be just as exciting as the best punk records. Run Wild, Stay Alive has been on shelves for less than a month when this post goes live, but already we’ve logged over a dozen plays. This is an album that will break your heart and piece it back together again.
The Summer Set – Stories For Monday (Fearless Records)
Trying to deny our love for The Summer Set is like trying to deny our constant craving for hot pizza and cold (unsweetened) ice tea. We had a feeling Stories For Monday would be a perfect soundtrack for adventures when we first heard “Figure Me Out” in February, but when the record finally arrived in April that belief was proved completely true. Every track on this record is constructed in such a way as to make any moment experienced while they play a bit more memorable. There is fun, heart, and soul to spare on this release, and the band deserves heaps of respect for finding a way to create such an immediately infectious record.
Slingshot Dakota – Break (Topshelf Records)
Sometimes a band with a rich history in the alternative scene delivers a new record that makes everything they’ve done in the past look like child’s play despite the fact those previous records are beloved by throngs of people worldwide. Such is the case with Slingshot Dakota, perhaps the most perfectly paired married couple in music, and their latest record released through Topshelf Records back in March. Break captures the sensations of growing up and making commitments to bettering yourself through catchy indie-rock tunes that make you want to dance almost as much as they make you want to share the record with anyone experiencing hard times around you. We’ve put Break on to lift our spirits, celebrate good times, and keep us company when times got hard. If the music of Slingshot Dakota were a religion we’d be the first in line at the chapel doors every Sunday, and after hearing Break we imagine you too will want to convert.
Empty Houses – Daydream (Sargent House)
There is no other band in alternative music today that has found a better way to combine the sensibilities of Motown songwriting with modern indie-pop aesthetics than Empty Houses. Their debut album, Daydream, is just what the title proclaims it to be, an escape from the world around you that is so pleasant to experience that you never want it to end. If you don’t already own this album, finish this article, share it with all your friends, and then rush out and buy a copy as soon as possible. We recommend the vinyl version, but even a download will suffice.
ROAM – Backbone (Hopeless Records)
Perhaps the first great album to be released in 2016, Backbone remains a staple of the Haulix staff playlist to this day. There is always room in our hearts for a young band who has found a way to convey boundless energy and positivity through original music, and that is exactly what you get when you listen to ROAM’s debut release on Hopeless Records. If you can make it through “Deadweight” (featured above) without feeling the urge to conquer whatever obstacles stand between you and your goals you may want to visit a doctor and double check that your heart is still beating. Yes, this band is so good that only the undead could possibly be hear their music and feel nothing. The best part of all? All signs point to ROAM only getting better with age, and that means they have several more anthemic records left to create.
I See Stars – Treehouse (Sumerian Records)
Michigan’s Electronic Hardcore ringleaders I See Stars have spent the better part of the last decade refining a sound entirely their own, and along the way they inadvertently spawned an entire underground movement. Treehouse seems to be the culmination of these efforts, as the record finds the band simultaneously delivering their most cohesive and most experimental record to date. There is a vicious heaviness to certain songs, but also a lighter side to proceedings that offer the pop-laden hooks that helped establish the band early on. There’s even some hip-hop influence, which is perhaps most evident on the show-stopping track “All In,” adding to the creative output of the group. To say this is one of the year’s best party records would be an understatement, and we expect many more genre-defying releases from the band in the future.
Whitechapel – Mark Of The Blade (Metal Blade Records)
Not many bands are able to say they’ve stayed together for a decade, and far less make it a point to celebrate this fact by releasing an album intended to reflect on all that has transpired while also looking towards the future. Whitechapel have never been your average band however, so the fact a record like Mark Of The Blade exists will likely come as no surprise to diehard fans of the long-running metal juggernauts. Everything about this record slays, and the creativity shown from the band tells us they have another decade of ideas and themes waiting to be explored.
Tiny Moving Parts – Celebrate (Triple Crown Records)
Minnesota natives Tiny Moving Parts have been carving their own path in the world of alternative music since formation, but the group seems poised for a crossover into the mainstream of music with the release of Celebrate. Both elaborately designed and undeniably infectious, the record speaks to pains of growing up and the double-edged sword that is chasing your dreams. Though still young in age, the members of TMP seems to recognize that every positive action often has a negative consequence and vice versa, which gives them a lyrical sense of wisdom well beyond their years. More importantly, they have found a way to convey a wealth of emotion through their music without jeopardizing the inherent sense of fun that has always existed within their songs. We don’t mean to cast judgment on anyone, but those who have yet to hear Celebrate in full should not be allowed to claim they lived their 2016 to the fullest because they’re missing out on a truly exciting, not to mention wholly original, release.
Avion Roe – In Separation (Epitaph Records)
It is very possible that Avion Roe will be the biggest rock band in alternative music by 2017, and if so In Separation will be seen as proof it is a title they fully deserve. This Texas rock band has been grinding away in the underground music scene for several years now, but their decision to join Epitaph Records last year thrust them into the spotlight like never before. Their label debut, which just hit stores on June 17, is chock full of anthems that feel made for arenas, and we have no doubt they will be able to play them in rooms that size in a few years time. The band is currently on Van’s Warped Tour, and those attending should consider this summer their last opportunity to hop on the group’s hype bandwagon before its overflowing with fans.
Modern Baseball – Holy Ghost (Run For Cover Records)
What could we possibly write about Modern Baseball that hasn’t already been said on blogs or in the pages of The New York Times (yes, the band was in the NYT earlier this year)? Holy Ghost is an album ripe with soul-searching sincerity that is as catchy as it is absolutely heartbreaking. We don’t recommend your first experience with this record to take place in a crowded room unless you’re absolutely okay with your friends seeing you cry because we wept as if our relatives had just passed during our initial spin(s). If you get the chance to see the band live, do it.
On this episode of INSIDE MUSIC, host James Shotwell calls Phil Bozeman from Whitechapel to discuss his band’s new album, Mark Of The Blade (Out June 24 via MetalBlade). Phil and James discuss the themes of the album, as well as how the band is planning for the future now that they’ve survived a full decade in the music business.
The music you hear in this episode is the title track off Mark Of The Blade. If you dig it you will most likely enjoy the full album. Don’t hesitate. Buy it today!
You may already know this, but Inside Music is available on iTunes. Click here to subscribe so you never miss an episode!
New year, new music. We are still discovering the best release of last year that we didn’t know existed until our peers published their annual best-of posts, but that doesn’t mean we have forgotten about all the new material the lies on the horizon. We have only scratched the surface as far as what bands have new material in the work, but we already have nearly two dozen releases we cannot wait to own. What follows is a list of the artists and albums we believe will define the sound of the 2016, and we think if you give any one a chance you will find something to love. Who knows? You might even find the next band that will change your life.
PUP (Spring/TBA)
SideOneDummy may be the only label to appear twice on this list, but it’s an accomplishment their roster has more than earned. Pup, Canada’s answer to everything American rock is not, have criss-crossed the globe several times over since the 2014 release of their debut album. The world has been chomping at the bit for new music for quite sometime, and it seems the group is gearing up to share what they have been working on sometime this spring. Our hope is that there will be more anthems on par with “Reservoir,” but at this point we are willing to follow the band anywhere. All we ask is that a tour immediately follows the album’s release so that we may mosh with all our friends to what will surely be the soundtrack to summer 2016.
It Lies Within – Paramount (1/8)
Michigan’s It Lies Within have been through hell and back since inception, but every time people count them out they come back with a new record that commands the attention of any genre fan open to new ideas. Their latest, Paramount, is no exception. The band’s signature aggression is as present as ever, but its met with forward-thinking guitar work and globally focused lyricism that cuts through the ego-boosting noise currently polluting far too much much of the modern heavy music scene.
Frameworks – Time Spent (2/5)
We cannot think of the last time Topshelf Records let us down, but we know for certain it’s not the latest release from Frameworks. The band’s upcoming 2-song EP serves as an introduction into what could be the future sound of the group, with elements of industrial noise and synth being injected into their trademark noise. Some artists would struggle to leave a lasting impact on listeners with only two tracks, but the material on Time Spent is so interesting we have no doubt you’ll still be talking about it weeks, if not months after release. If this is indeed where Frameworks hope to focus their efforts moving forward they have more than earned our unwavering support.
YG – Still Krazy (TBA)
“Twist My Fingaz” and “I Wanna Benz” were the only two tracks released by YG in the last year, but they were also two of the best hip-hop tracks to hit radio in 2015. The Compton raised rapper has been busy working on the follow-up to My Krazy Life for months on end, but all signs point to the album finally seeing the light of day sometime in early 2016. Rumors claims DJ Mustard may contribute to the record, but unlike YG’s debut we expect a wide array of production talent working behind the boards.
Modern Baseball – Holy Ghost (TBA Spring)
Run For Cover is a label that can do no wrong, but their greatest offering in 2016 (based on what we know they have planned) will no doubt be the third studio album from Philadelphia natives Modern Baseball. The group spent the fall recording the album, and when Spin spent time with the group in the studio the publication claimed the material was more expansive and anthemic than anything that has previously been released. We hope this is true, and we have no reason to doubt the band, especially after the wonderful evolution showcased on The Perfect Cast EP in late 2015.
Gojira (TBA)
The world needs more Gojira. Three and a half years have already passed since ‘L’Enfant Sauvage’ hit stores, and that is three and a half years too long. There are numerous talented death metal bands in the world, but none of them can compete with our love of Gojira, and we think any true genre fan will probably feel the same. Every release in the band’s catalog has been littered with envelope pushing ideas and lush guitar work that has helped to inspire an entirely new generation of musicians, and we expect something even better might be on the horizon.
ROAM – Backbone (1/22)
We are tired of people claiming to reinvent or bring meaning back to pop punk, so we’re choosing to call Hopeless Record signees ROAM pop rock’s much needed saviors. The band is everything 5 Seconds Of Summer are not, offering heartfelt anthems capable of inspiring a generation to move their feet and chase their dreams with songs they themselves wrote, but they could easily capture the same audience if given the chance. They are also tough enough to roll with Warped Tour regulars, boasting the intermittent heaviness of New Found Glory alongside the motivation lyricism of Set Your Goals.
Pierce The Veil (TBA)
There are few bands in the alternative rock world with a bigger global reach than Pierce The Veil, and it doesn’t take more than a simple Twitter search to understand how anxious their fans are for new music. The band has infamously teased the release of their fourth release for over a year, but a recently released 2016 preview from Fearless Records has now confirmed the release might actually be closer than fans think. If the material is even half as good as “The Divine Zero” we will be happy.
Lionheart – Love Don’t Live Here (1/22)
As long as bands like Lionheart exist we can sleep knowing hardcore music is alive and well. Four extremely long years have passed since the band released their last album, but now they are back with an LP dropping through their own label, LHHC Records, that does not disappoint. The album’s title is a nod to a Motown song of the same name, which plays well with the band’s refusal to abide by the so-called rules of hardcore far too many bands continue to cling to in 2016. Lionheart, like all true fans of the genre, understand hardcore is more a state of mind than anything, and they make that clear on this insanely good release.
Empty Houses (TBA)
Detroit’s Empty Houses quietly entered the music scene in 2015 with a short EP released through Bandcamp that quickly got alternative music snobs and throwback pop fans talking. It was the kind of magical moment that happens all too rarely in our oversaturated media landscape. The album had no major promotion and few reviews, but for whatever reason it resonated with listeners all year long. We have it on good authority that the band has another release prepped for 2016, and we have our fingers crossed this one is longer than four tracks. If you grew up with your parents’ Motown collection playing on repeat this is one group not to miss in the new year.
Pusha T – King Push (TBA)
Have you heard ‘King Push – Darkest Before Dawn: The Prelude’? If not, finish reading this article and immediately head to your local record store to purchase a copy of Pusha T’s late 2015 release. Yes, Pusha T just released a 10-song album ahead of an already announced 2016 full length, but that is just the way the angsty half of Clips likes to roll. Pusha has never been one to shy from controversy or saying what needs to be said, and he more than proved with that fact with the material on ‘Darkest Before Dawn.’ Knowing that album is essentially everything that was not good enough for ‘King Push’ proper leaves us foaming at mouth. Yes, we are so excited for this release the mere thought of it transforms us into rabid animals.
Avion Roe (TBA)
The future of Epitaph Records ability to continue their foothold on the world of alternative rock rests on the shoulders of Dallas natives Avion Roe. If this were any other band we would be concerned, but having watched the group build their career brick-by-brick with a fiercely DIY mindset since day one we have the utmost faith in their ability to win over rock fans around the globe. The group is a blend of everything that is popular today in alternative rock, but mixed with just a dash of mid-2000s influence that helps add an additional layer of emotional resonance to every track. Their four-song 2015 EP has been on repeat at HQ for weeks, and we cannot wait to have something new to enjoy (hopefully) early in the new year.
Microwave (TBA)
Georgia’s Microwave is perhaps the young band to beat in 2016. With SideOneDummy backing their every move, the band is set to finally release a follow-up their amazing full length album Stovall, which has been the talk of alternative music circles since its initial release in late 2014. Add to all this the fact the bandore than proved their ability to live on the road throughout 2015 and you have a recipe for indie punk success that knows no bounds.
Good Charlotte (Late Spring/Summer)
We never expected to be talking about Good Charlotte again, especially after hearing a whole lot of promise on The Madden Bros. solo record, but here we are at the start of 2016 feeling like our high school selves all over again. A recent profile in Rolling Stone covering 5 Seconds Of Summer revealed it was the contributions the Madden Brothers (Joel and Benji) made to that group’s first two records album that initialy inspired them to return to their punk roots, which means we now have a reason to love 5 Seconds Of Summer. GC dropped “Makeshift Love” back in November to prove they still know how to rock, but since then they have kept quiet as far as talk of new music is concerned. We suspect the group will have something ready by summer, but don’t hold your breath just yet.
Candy Hearts (TBA)
Nearly two years have crawled by in the wake of Candy Hearts’ All The Ways I Let You Down, and the world of female lead punk has been aching for the band’s return ever since. An acoustic EP released during summer 2015 was more than enough to keep us interested in the band’s unique take on rock’s angsty stepchild, but 2016 should see the band return with a proper third LP. If such a release never arrives, we may spend the year heartbroken, but we have a good feeling new material will surface sooner than later.
The world has been waiting for Views From The 6 since it was announced in the fall of 2014. Drake said it would arrive in 2015, but sometimes greatness takes time, and it’s not like Drizzy has left fans waiting in the interim. His biggest distraction from completing his long-awaited new LP has been working on other music projects, from his beef with Meek Mill that resulted in a Grammy nomination for “Back To Back,” to his chart-topping collaborative release with DS2 mastermind Future, and he’s more or less delivered quality material throughout. Drake always saves the best material for his albums, but considering everything we heard in the last year it’s hard to imagine what might still be on deck.
Deftones (TBA)
If there is one rock band we hope remains a band long enough that we can one day to our children (who do not yet exist) to see it’s California’s hard rock kings, Deftones. The band has been working on a follow-up to 2012’s Koi No Yokan since 2014, but numerous production delays has forced the release of the record into the first half of 2016. There is still no date set in stone, but we imagine the album will almost certainly be out by summer, which means a single should surface before the last of the winter snow begins to melt. Having already waited basically four years, what’s a bit longer?
Blink-182 (TBA)
There will be some who claim there is no Blink-182 without Tom Delonge, but we are trying to approach the Mark, Matt (Skiba), and Travis show with an open mind. Hoppus and Barker proved with their short-lived +44 project that they can pen powerful pop punk anthems without the aide of their longtime Blink brother, and Skiba is certainly no stranger to the band’s world of music. There is a possibility this new version of Blink falls flat, but there is equally good chance this unique trio delivers something truly special that no other act can imitate. Here’s hoping the latter comes true.
Explosions In The Sky (TBA)
Five years have passed since Austin’s Explosions In The Sky released a proper album, but they have contributed a number of enthralling soundtracks to the world of independent film in the interim (Prince Avalanche, Lone Survivor, Manglehorn). It’s hard to know where the world’s leading post rock group will go next, but there are throngs of listeners around the world waiting with bated breath to find out. If the only reason you know this band is because you loved Friday Night Lights we highly recommend using the time you have now to familiarize yourself with the rest of their catalog.
Whitechapel (TBA)
Speaking with HoustonPress back in November, WhiteChapel guitarist Alex Wade perked out interest about the band’s future when he said to expect the unexpected with the group’s upcoming 2016 release. He teases a complete turn in term of sound, even alluding to the possibility of clean vocals appearing on the record, and we haven’t been able to stop trying to imagine what that might sound like ever since. We haven’t heard as much as a second of this new record, but we already wish to know every detail about its inspiration and production.
Bob Seger – I Knew You When (TBA)
2016 marks Bob Seger’s 50th year in music. Go ahead and let that sink in for a minute. Crazy, right? In all that time Seger has released more hit songs than we can begin to count, and he’s certainly not letting a milestone like this pass by without sharing some new(ish) material with the world. I Knew You When will reportedly feature unreleased material, as well as updated takes on old songs. Seger will also tour next year, and we cannot urge you to see him enough.
Sum 41 (TBA)
There was a time not that long ago when it seemed like the world would never see Sum 41 again, but an outpouring of support for frontman Deryck Whibley as he fought for sobriety reigniting the vocalist’s creative passion. Whibley found healing through venting his songwriting, and as a result he committed himself to the studio to vent whatever demons were dragging him down. The rest of the band followed Deryck’s lead and soon the group was working on their most aggressive release since Chuck. We don’t know when we’ll hear the finished product, but we know that time cannot come soon enough.
Moose Blood (Summer)
We caught Moose Blood for the first time during Warped Tour 2015, and the impression they left on us has been the topic of numerous conversation ever since. The UK born band has been compared to everyone from Brand New to Mallory Knox, and their debut album I’ll Keep You in Mind, From Time to Time is already considered a classic. We believe the band will continue to carve their own path with an ever-evolving sound that challenges the alternative norm, which is something that cannot be said about most leading rock bands today. No Sleep has yet to tease any material from this release, but we really don’t need to hear anything to know we want this album in our personal record collection as soon as possible.
James Shotwell is the Marketing Coordinator for Haulix. He is also a professional entertainment critic, covering both film and music, as well as the co-founder of Antique Records. Feel free to tell him you love or hate the article above by connecting with him on Twitter. Bonus points if you introduce yourself by sharing your favorite Simpsons character.
A new week has begun, and if you’re anything like the Haulix staff then you’re relying on the latest and greatest music to motivate you enough to get out of bed and explore all the world has to offer. We don’t blame you. We also like to party hard on the weekends. In fact, we love it almost as much as we hate waking up early on Monday for work, but if we have learned one thing over the last nine years it’s that you have to work towards your dreams every single day if you hope to have any chance in achieving them.
This week, we’re relying on Between The Buried And Me to provide the motivation needed to propel us through the ling list of tasks we have each been given for the week ahead. Metal Blade Records has long been a client of our, and BTBAM are one of many fantastic bands on their roster who plan to release new music in the months ahead. You can stream the band’s latest single, “Memory Palace,” above. If you like it, and we know you will, then you need to head over to Metal Blade’s online store and order a copy of the band’s new album, Coma Ecliptic, right away.
