Away Team

JANUS- ‘Nox Aeris’

REALID Records/Warner ILG

Rating: 9 out of 10

Reviewed By: Jay Rybak

The first time I heard the single ‘Eyesore’ from Janus’ 2009 debut Red Right Return, I became an instant fan.  Needless to say I had been impatiently awaiting the latest offering from the Chicago based rockers… and good things come to those who wait, very good things.  For those of you unfamiliar with Janus, think 10 Years meets Filter.  The perfect blend of melodic, yet heavy, with a hint of electronic.

As evidenced by the first single ‘Stains’, ‘Nox Aeris’ is that quintessential Janus album, yet with this offering there is one thing that really stood out to me.  Not to detract from the great talents that comprise the rest of the band, but Johnny Salazar is a phenomenal drummer.  You get a little taste in the first track ‘In Flames’, but the cymbal-crashing, double-bass smorgasbord ‘Stray’ is a glaring example, with the track that follows, ‘Numb’, serving as a delicious dessert.

Pair this newfound respect for Salazar, with the shredding of Mike Tyranski, and the vocal prowess of David Scotney and the stars align.  The band as a whole clicks on all cylinders in the heavy hitters ‘A Promise To No One’ and ‘Polarized’, my two favorite tracks off the album, and two more reasons why ‘Nox Aeris’  is in constant rotation in this writer’s playlist, and should be in yours.

To put it simply, if Duran Duran got massive testicular implants, and broke onto the scene in 2012, the result would be ‘Nox Aeris’.  This album is a must have and comes very highly recommended.

‘Nox Aeris’ is available now on iTunes, and hits stores Tuesday, March 27th.  For more info on Janus, including tour dates and to purchase music, visit the band’s official website.

Full Metal Jackie Presents IN FLAMES Headlining North American Tour!

Highly praised heavy metal act IN FLAMES will kick off the New Year with a headlining North American tour. Presented by Full Metal Jackie, IN FLAMES will be joined by notable metal acts TRIVIUM, VEIL OF MAYA and KYNG.

TRIVIUM & IN FLAMES tour dates:
January
12 – The Rave – Milwaukee, WI
13 – Royal Oak Music Theatre – Royal Oak, MI
14 – Rams Head Live – Baltimore, MD
15 – Trocadero – Philadelphia, PA
17 – The Ritz Ybor – Ybor City, FL
18 – Center Stage – Atlanta, GA
20 – Warehouse Live Ballroom – Houston, TX
21 – Emo’s East – Austin, TX
22 – Granada Theater – Dallas, TX
24 – First Avenue – Minneapolis, MN
25 – Burton Cummings – Winnipeg, MA
27 – Edmonton Events Centre – Edmonton, AB
28 – MacEwan Hall Ballroom – Calgary, AB
31 – Commodore Ballroom – Vancouver, BC
February
1 – Roseland Theatre – Portland, OR
2 – Knitting Factory Concert House – Boise, ID
3 – Showbox SODO – Seattle, WA
4 – Knitting Factory Concert House – Spokane, WA
6 – The Regency Ballroom – San Francisco, CA
7 – Wiltern Theatre – Los Angeles, CA
8 – The Marquee – Tempe, AZ
9 – Sunshine Theater – Albuquerque, NM
10 – The Summit Music Hall – Denver, CO
11 – The Beaumont Club – Kansas City, MO
13 – House of Blues – Cleveland, OH
14 – Sound Academy – Toronto, ON
15 – Metropolis – Montreal, QC
17 – The Palladium – Worcester, MA
18 – Best Buy Theater – New York, NY
19 – STAGE AE – Pittsburgh, PA
21 – House of Blues – Chicago, IL




Trivium – Built to Fall (Acoustic) by Roadrunner Records




For more TRIVIUM click here.
For more IN FLAMES click here.

Away-Team: I’m here with Corey Beaulieu from TRIVIUM, thank you Corey for taking time to talk with us today! So you were born in Maine, and TRIVIUM hails from Florida, how did you end up hooking up with them?

Corey Beaulieu: After I graduated High School, I needed something to do. I always wanted to be in a band, but up there I didn’t have a band, there just wasn’t anything going on up there. I couldn’t find any musicians. Up there it isn’t really much of a metal scene…

Away-Team: You mean Maine isn’t the hot bed for metal in America?!?!?!

Corey Beaulieu: You’d think… but no! (laughs) it was very hard to find people that could actually play the kind of music I wanted to play. So after I graduated High School I needed to do something and I was always interested in recording so I moved to Orlando, Fl and went to Full Sail for recording. And before I even started classes, I heard about this club right around the corner from where I was living that had a metal show. I went there and TRIVIUM was one of the local bands, they were a three piece at the time. And when they played I was like, ‘Wow, these guys play the same kind of shit I am in to.’ I ended up meeting Matt’s Dad who was managing the band at the time. He gave me some info on the band and said they were playing this thing at Full Sail the next week so I went there. I got introduced to Matt, we became friends, emailed back and forth, I’d see him at other metal shows and whatever. Then a year later I saw on their website they were looking for a second guitar player so I hit them up and told them I was interested in trying out. He knew I played guitar, but he had never seen my play guitar he just knew we had some of the same influences. I went over to his house one day and we jammed, I had learned a few songs of theirs before I went there and we just jammed. After that he asked me to come jam with the band, so I jammed with the band and they were like, ‘you wanna be in the band?’ and that’s all I’ve been doing ever since.

Away-Team: Did you complete Full Sail or just blow it off for the riches and fame of TRIVIUM?

Corey Beaulieu: (laughs) I joined the band about a month before I graduated, so after I graduated I just went full on with the band. And eventually it all took off and did what it’s done and we are lucky enough to make a career out of it. Luckily I didn’t have to go schlep around for a job, because a job in that field that I went to school for is every difficult to find a job today. Since there’s no studios, the only people that have studios anymore are like in their own homes or whatever. Nobody goes to traditional studios anymore. Even people I went to school with at Full Sail seven years ago, nobody has a job in that field anymore. I was very fortunate that even going down there to do that, I was able to actually do what I wanted and that was be in a band. I always say I paid $35,000 to join a band (laughs).

Away-Team: (laughs) And Full Sail can use you for the job placement advertising… ‘Join Full Sail and you too can become a Rock Star!’

Corey Beaulieu: Yeah, well, no one’s ever hit me up from there. (laughs)

Away-Team: You and Matt share lead and rhythm guitar duties in the band. While not the first time for a band, it is definitely unique. How did you come up with this style for Trivium, and how does it benefit you and the band?

Corey Beaulieu: Well….

Away-Team: I mean, you normally have two guitarists, and your lead guy is the shredder, he’s the one that stands out and rips out a solo as guys throw horns into the air and girls throw their panties on stage… You have some great licks; you have a great talent on the guitar…

Corey Beaulieu: Wow, thank you…

Away-Team: Does sharing that with Matt take away from that ‘guitar god’ status a little bit? Do you lose a little individuality when you share lead guitar with another guitarist?

Corey Beaulieu: Not Really… We both have different styles of playing; we both like playing lead, so we chose to both do it. We just divvy it up evenly as much as possible. And it is cool because we have different takes on playing lead so there are different dynamics within the song and within the solos by trading off. Ever since I joined the band as he was the only guitar player, since I could do lead also, just right out of the box we said let’s both do it. It was a natural thing for us, so we just did it, and a lot of our favorite bands growing up except for Metallica had that, Megadeth was Mustaine and Friedman, Slayer both play lead, Iron Maiden had… well they have three lead players now. I just always liked the multiple lead guitar thing, especially when you have one guy with a monster solo and it just leads into another solo by the other guy… It’s just always been a natural part of our sound. I think now on the new album too it has really worked out because Matt just found the sound that thing he was going after on it, a certain style and feel, and what suited his playing the best. He’s doing more melodic old school, kinda simplistic solos, and I’m doing the melodic slash shreddy stuff. It is very easy to decipher who’s playing which solo because our styles on this album are so different and distinct. We’re not treading the same waters playing the same fast crazy shit all the time. Since we both like to play lead that has just always been our signature sound and part of our songwriting.

Away-Team: Your musical style has changed over the years, you are no longer thought of as metalcore, which I never pegged you as, but more straight forward thrash. Was that a conscious decision on your part, or was it just maturing and stretching as musicians?

Corey Beaulieu: We just play every record as we just play whatever we feel like playing. It’s all very natural for us, we don’t go, ‘oh let’s do this record this way, and then we’ll do the next record sounding like that.’ We just start writing the songs and in that moment and time it just takes its own shape and sound. The style just dictates itself we don’t consciously decide, ‘oh on Crusade we’re going to do this.’ Musically it just came out naturally. We always find new influences to incorporate into the new album; we don’t want to keep churning out the same shit every album, so we’re always pushing the boundaries of what we can do with our songwriting. This last album (In Waves out now!), we decided we needed to define our sound. Because the last couple of albums we were experimenting with different tunings, different sounds, and different styles of songs and just seeing what we could do. On this record we just knew what the record had to be and we just wanted to write a record that was a career defining moment. Just put our foot down, like we’re fucking serious here, this is a serious fucking metal album, and just solidify our sound. So you’re like, ‘oh, that’s TRIVIUM! That’s their sound, that’s what they are all about.’ The other thing we wanted was to make the album sound cohesive, we wanted the songs to flow, to have the same style and sound, so that none of the songs were like an odd man out and didn’t fit the record, they all have the same…. vibe or sound or feel to them, that they belonged on that record. We just wrote a lot of songs and made sure that the songs worked well and fit with the other songs on the record. And we also made the heaviest record we have ever done. The heavy stuff is heavier and more intense than anything else we’ve ever done.

Away-Team: The band came out after Shogun, and said that it was what it was, that you couldn’t describe what/or who it sounded like. It was Trivium and it stood on its own. Were you guys really that concerned about the comparisons to Metallica or other bands then? Isn’t there some sense of flattery of being compared to one of the biggest metal bands in the world?

Corey Beaulieu: When people listen to music, they are always gauging shit, always comparing them to someone else. If you read a review it is always, ‘for fans of this,’ or ‘if you like this band you’ll love this.’ I guess being compared to the biggest metal band of all time is not a bad thing I just felt it was kind of limiting as far as… Take The Crusade record, I listen to that and there are influences on there, riffs, songs, tones, styles, that are just in no way comparable to Metallica. And Matt’s vocals may style wise remind you of James, but he doesn’t sound like James. I just think a lot of the songs and riffs on that record are just very Un-Metallica. I think Shogun stepped away from that more and this record (In Waves out now!!!) that , ‘oh they sound like Metallica clones’ has been put to rest, at least by us. If people say that now, then they are fucking idiots. You’re obviously not listening to what we are playing. Don’t get me wrong, they are obviously a big metal influence, but so are Megadeth, Testament, Slayer, and Iron Maiden. There are a lot of stuff in there. Over the years we have found a way to take those influences, with other elements outside that style of music, and put our own twist on it, so that now what you hear is TRIVIUM only. I think In Waves sets us apart from other bands out there today, it ensures that we don’t sound too much like anyone else, it sounds like TRIVIUM in vocals, and in guitar riffs, so that if we are to be compared, it is them to us.

Away-Team: On a festival like this, the Rockstar Energy Drink Mayhem Festival, you play about 35 minutes, what do you do the other 23.5 hours of the day to keep from being bored out of your mind or trapped on the bus?

Corey Beaulieu: We try to catch a lot of the bands on the side stages, just hang out and watch them perform. We try and do a lot of press, and there are a lot of people on this tour, so it’s always a lot of just hanging out with other bands. There’s always something going on. After our set, we shower, dinner, and then go watch Megadeth. There’s always something going on, a party here and there, enough people to make something happen all the time.

Away-Team: In Waves comes out next week (at time of interview… In Waves came out last Tuesday! Go. Get. It.), Mayhem ends in a few weeks, what’s next on the horizon for TRIVIUM?

Corey Beaulieu: Yes, In Waves comes out, go pick it up! After Mayhem we have about a month long tour with Dream Theater from mid September to October. Then Europe from early November through almost Christmas. We haven’t properly toured over there in fucking ages so that should be a blast! We’re touring there with In Flames so that should be killer. Then next year is Australia, South America which hasn’t been announces yet.

Away-Team: Is that headlining?

Corey Beaulieu: No! We’ve never been there before so we are going with some other bands that have. We felt the safest route was to go with someone who has done it before, instead of going on our own and guessing and making huge mistakes. We’re going with two other bands that have been down there a few times before, and we have a lot of demands to play down there and a lot of fans down there so we are really looking forward to that. Hopefully in the spring we’ll be back in the US touring again. Yesterday our first active rock radio single went out to all the stations, so hopefully that takes off soon, some stations already have it in full rotation and hopefully more pick it up. And if it really takes off on the radio and gets us new fans it could really change the landscape of what we do tour wise in the spring. Call your local rock radio station and fucking request some TRIVIUM!!!

Away-Team: Yeah DAMNIT!

Corey Beaulieu: Yeah, we need that shit! (laughs)

Away-Team: Good luck with the single, new album, the tours, and continued success Corey, and thank you again for taking the time to sit in this wonderful 100 degree heat and talk with us!

Corey Beaulieu: Thank you, the album is out, you can check us out online, if you like what you hear buy it please! And support music!

Away-Team: And… Trivium sounds like… Trivium.

Corey Beaulieu: Yes… Heavy Metal Baby!!!! (laughs)

There is a long list of people to thank for making this and all of our Mayhem Fest interviews happen, so, forgive me if I forgot anyone, but thanks to Lilly at Roadrunner, Bill at eOne Music, Rikki, Natalie, and Jessica at Adrenaline, and Laura Jean with Mayhem.

For more TRIVIUM click here.

Rockstar Energy Drink Mayhem Festival
Time Warner Cable Amphitheatre at Walnut Creek
Raleigh, NC
03AUG11

Mayhem (noun A state of violent disorder or riotous confusion; havoc.)

The Rockstar Energy Drink Mayhem Festival hit Raleigh, North Carolina for the second straight year on August 3rd. This year’s event boasted a stronger main stage than last year with Disturbed and Godsmack co-headlining the biggest rock festival in the US. With the inclusion of Machine Head and Megadeth you couldn’t ask for a better main stage group of bands.

Where the ‘mayhem’ failed to really occur was the side stages. Last year it seemed that bands like Shadows Fall, In This Moment, Chimaira, 3 Inches of Blood, Atreyu and more really took hold of the early crowd and amped them up and primed them for the headliners, Rob Zombie and Korn. But this year, outside of Suicide Silence, which put on a blistering set, and really had the biggest pit and most crowd participation it seemed to me, nobody really whipped the crowd into a frenzy and kept them there. I will say that I did miss Red Fang, All Shall Perish, and Straight Line Stitch due to being in the press tent doing interviews (which you will read later here at away-team.com), so I can’t say how the crowd responded to them.

Mayhem (noun Infliction of violent injury on a person or thing; wanton destruction)

Raleigh, North Carolina is in the middle of one of the hottest summers on record. We are caught in an oppressive heat wave, and they day of Mayhem was no exception. 103 was the high temp of the day, and the side stages were actually in the gravel parking lot. With no shade, and no relief from the blistering sun and boiling temperature, it wasn’t the bands that we causing the mayhem on this day, it was Mother Nature, and boy was she pissed. The ridiculous heat and the unrelenting sun were causing many to fall out long before the main stage even opened. And once it did we found reprieve from the sun, but not the heat, and any breeze that may have acted as a cooling agent was blocked by the building itself which turned the pit and the front part of the audience into a pressure cooker. The temperature at the front of the pit was hotter than it was out in the parking lot under direct sunlight. Again, the heat may have been the biggest cause of mayhem all day.

As I have already said, I missed Red Fang, All Shall Perish, and Straight Line Stitch due to being in interviews so I can’t say anything about their sets other than I was really disappointed in missing SLS after having interviewed Alexis and Seth right before they were to go on stage. And In Flames did not perform because they had just dropped off the tour due to an illness in the family. So the following are my notes of the bands I did get to catch, and I am adding in my tweets as it is the best indicator of what I thought as it was happening (you can follow Away Team on twitter and read our live streams from the various shows we’re attending at www.twitter.com/awayteam ).

Kingdom Of Sorrow: Jamey Jasta & Kurt Windstein’s side project is pretty good. It more up tempo than Crowbar, and a little more straight forward metal than Hatebreed, but it just sounds like Hatebreed with a little more metal riffage to me. This isn’t a problem really, but if you are going to do a side project or different band, then the sound should really be different, otherwise, what is the point of having another band?

Suicide Silence: Had a huge pit. Probably had the greatest pit interaction of the crowd all day. I expected Unearth to take that title, but Suicide Silence took no prisoners and the crowd gave back everything they could under ridiculous conditions.

Unearth: Unearth performed four years ago in Raleigh at a small theater, and it was the bloodiest pit the venue ever had. There were more broken bones and noses during that show than at any other show in the history of the venue. And at the end of the night when it came time to mop the floor, the normal beer and sweat covering it was pink with all the blood that had been spilled. I really thought that given the conditions that day and the size of the crowd that it was going to be an insane pit. However the heat must have really gotten to them by the time Unearth took the stage, because while they were raucous they were no were close to the frenetic pit that was the previous Raleigh Unearth show. The band, sounded good, even though they weren’t on the Revolver stage (bigger PA, better sound), but they went balls out for 40 minutes and got the crowd jumping. Unearth always put on a spirited performance, and Raleigh’s Mayhem was no exception. I realize that these festivals are really the first time that most people have heard or seen these bands on the side stage, so it’s great for the 10 bands or so that share the stages to get that exposure. But I’d really rather have maybe 7 bands total, and let them all play longer. I’d really have liked to see Unearth have a few more songs to pummel the crowd with. Of course in that insane heat, we may have lost the bands as well as a portion of the crowd. So maybe considering the environment it was a good thing that all the bands played shorter sets.

Trivium: Another first for me was getting to see Trivium. However, as much as I tried, I just could not connect with their performance. I am sure it was me, it was late in the day, I was starving but didn’t want to leave the parking lot and miss the bands, so I waited it out for the transition from side stages to main house before I ate. The heat may have finally started to take its toll on me. But try as I might, I could not get into their set. It sounded great. The Revolver stage boasts itself as the loudest stage and it may well be, but even as loud and as good at it sounded, something for me was missing and Trivium’s set left me disappointed.

Machine Head: Being from the Bay Area of California I am no stranger to Machine Head, however, in their 20 years of being together, I have never had the opportunity to see them. They were really the last big metal band out of San Francisco that I haven’t seen at some point. So I was really looking forward to their set, and I was not to be disappointed. Machine Head are a very underrated band, they have never really gotten their fair due here in the states, and I’ve never understood why. While the European press and fans have all embraced them wholeheartedly it seems to me the US press and fans continue to pass them by. They had what I consider to be the best album of 2007 (The Blackening) and live they simply laid the crowd to waste. Robb Flynn makes for an interesting frontman. Having never seen them, I had in my mind what they must be like live. And while the performance lived up to or surpassed my expectations, Robb himself changed my expectations of him. He seemed genuinely happy to be there, and while the music may be aggressive, dark and mean, he certainly did not come across that way when he spoke. He came across as sincere and really appreciative of the crowd and the opportunity to perform for them. A stark contrast to the music and vocals, he was almost cheery on stage, throwing a party instead of churning out riff after monster riff. And while the crowd seeped into the main stage area, the band cranked out one massive neck shredding song after another. By the end of their set, they had most of the sun weary crowd on their feet cheering for them.

Megadeth: After watching The Big 4 DVD from Sophia Bulgaria, and watching the show simulcast to theaters all over the world, I was hoping Dave Mustaine’s voice would be better than it was for that memorable show. When Dave goes for the high notes, his voice sounds like he is inhaling while trying to sing. Do it, right now, I’ll wait… It sounds like you’re singing in a vacuum. It sounds plain wrong. But over the years most vocalists can’t maintain the range they had when they were young. Dave unfortunately is one of those that can’t hit the notes he used to back in the day. And instead of dropping down a note or two to compensate, he still attempts to hit it, and misses. It isn’t screechy thankfully, but as I said it sounds like it he is singing while inhaling deeply. And it is very off putting. That aside, the man and the band put on a hell of a show. They are unbelievably tight. And the solos continue to shred and show up the younger bands out there today. From the father of speed metal to his newest guitarist Chris Broderick, they continue to show up and teach the younger bands out there how to properly shred. No real surprises from the set musically, a mix of the old and new, with a couple of songs from the upcoming release TH1RT3EN. A great set by a great band, so glad to see Dave Ellefson back in the fold and I think Megadeth may have the strongest guitarist next to Dave that they ever have in Chris Broderick. I look forward to seeing what new elements he brings to the Megadeth arsenal both in recordings and live.

Godsmack: Having seen Godsmack about 5 times in the past, and on consecutive nights no less, I think I’ve seen the best and worst that they can do. I will say that I like a lot of their songs, I think if you combine all the albums they have done and taken the best songs off them then you will have one kick ass album. Live though, I think the music and band are a little boring. I am sure I am going to get a ton of shit for saying this, and the leader of the shit brigade will be our very own Bam Bam who swears Shannon Larkin is an amazing drummer and the second coming (for clarification Shannon is a great drummer, I think his talents are lost on Godsmack however), and beats me up (verbally) whenever I say a bad word about them. Those of you following Away Team on twitter will remember I said that this show was more energetic than the ones I’d previously seen, and I was actually enjoying the set until ‘IT’ happened… I have for years railed against guitar solos and drum solos, by anyone. Even Eddie Van Halen. I know you can shred, I know you can play; I get it, that’s why I am at your show. Quit jacking off and play a song! The only thing worse than a guitar solo or drum solo by a headlining band (fine give your bandmates a break while you jack off on the crowd, I get why they do it, but really, if you can’t play a 90 minute set then get your lazy ass in shape!) is a solo by a support band. We have even less time to see you and you are going waste our time stroking yourself off in front of us? What could be worse than a guitar or drum solo by a supporting band? I’m so glad you asked, how about TWO DRUM SOLOS?!??!?! That’s right, in the middle of Godsmack’s set a second drum kit is wheeled out onto the stage and Sully and Shannon have a ‘drum off’. We get it, you used to be a drummer, but now you play guitar, and sing. So… play guitar and sing! Let your drummer drum. That’s his job. Otherwise put the guitar down and get behind the kit. This isn’t the Sully Erna show… This is Godsmack, so let Godsmack… ALL of Godsmack… play. If that weren’t enough they broke into songs snippets from AC/DC, Led Zeppelin, Metallica, and Black Sabbath. What’s worse than doing a medley of your own tunes? How about a medley of someone else’s tunes! Ok, so the ‘drum off’ finally ended. A couple more songs, and then an encore. And what do they do for an encore, let Sully yell at the crowd for 10 minutes to ‘get ready to get crazy’. Fuck you. Stand out in the heat with us all day and see how ‘crazy’ you get 8 hours into the show. And fuck your sing along too. I paid to see you sing. Not to hear 15,000 of my closest friends sing. So put the drums away, stow the sing along bullshit, and perform songs. Thank you… please drive thru.

Disturbed: Having seen Disturbed three or four times the past 2 years I went into this show expecting this to be the last time I saw Disturbed live (not because of their just announced indefinite hiatus, but because of David’s trouble singing as of late). The more time goes on the worse David sounds live. Unless you catch the band within the first two or three weeks of a tour starting (with a ton of downtime before the tour), you get a screechy David Draiman. And it seems to get worse as time goes on. However, I was pleasantly surprised Wednesday night when Disturbed came out and David sound the strongest I’d heard him sound the last 7 or 8 shows I’d seen. The band as always is very tight, and while I felt a little melancholy that this would in fact be the last Disturbed show for some time, I was happy that for me at least they went out on a high note and David sounded so good. My only complaint, ok two… is that #1 we got 65 minutes of a headlining set, and #2 we got the same set we’ve gotten for the last three tour cycles. I understand you are still touring in support of Asylum, but that doesn’t mean that for two years straight you give the fans the same show without changing it up. You have 5 great albums and a lot of material to choose from, yet it seems the last 4 shows I’ve seen are the exact same shows front to back. It isn’t like there is a ton of pyro they have to contend with, or special lighting, it’s just plain laziness it seems. If you are hitting the same market 4 times in 2 years, why not give them a new show at least 50% of the time?

All in all it was a great day for music, but was it Mayhem inducing? Did it stand up to last year’s Mayhem Fest? You’ll have to be the judge of that yourself. It had its highs and lows, as did last years, but all in all a good time was certainly had by myself and those around me.

IN FLAMES are gearing up to release ‘Sounds of a Playground Fading‘ next month and now we have the first sample of new music from the album available. Beginning today, IN FLAMES have released the first single “Deliver Us” online for purchase. Fans can purchase from iTunes, AmazonMP3 or anywhere you buy music online.

After downloading the single, show your support by adding an IN FLAMES badge to your twitter/facebook profile picture:

CANADA BADGE
USA BADGE

“Deliver Us” is the first single from their latest album and marks the band’s Century Media debut since signing to the indie powerhouse label earlier this year. The band produced the effort with Roberto Laghi inside their own IF Studios in Sweden. ‘Sounds of a Playground Fading‘ is most certainly one of the most anticipated albums in recent memory and sees the band at their strongest in years.

IN FLAMES will also soon be landing on American soil to set the summer ablaze as part of the Rockstar Energy Drink Mayhem Festival alongside heavyweights such as Disturbed, Godsmack, Megadeth, Machine Head, Suicide Silence and more.









For more IN FLAMES click here.

Fans can now stream samples of ALL SHALL PERISH’s entire upcoming album This Is Where It Ends right here!



This Is Where It Ends, which is the bands fourth full-length record and follow up to their 2008 release Awaken the Dreamers, was recorded and mixed once again at Castle Ultimate Studios in Oakland with producer Zack Ohren (LIGHT THIS CITY, DECREPIT BIRTH, SUFFOCATION).





Look for the album on sale both physically and digitally on July 26 (North America) and July 29 (Europe)!
























ALL SHALL PERISH have been added to this years installment of the ROCKSTAR ENERGY DRINK MAYEM FESTIVAL! ROCKSTAR ENERGY DRINK MAYHEM FESTIVAL, the heralded hard rock and metal event of the summer, is swiftly becoming the heavy music fans’ summertime rite of passage. The 4th annual summertime juggernaut announces the 2011 line-up with DISTURBED, GODSMACK and MEGADETH, joined by MACHINE HEAD, IN FLAMES, TRIVIUM, ALL SHALL PERISH and many more of today’s most electrifying artists. The tour will make a 26 date trek across the country beginning on July 9th at the San Manuel Amphitheater in San Bernardino, California.

Tune in to www.rockstarmayhemfest.com and www.livenation.com for up-to-date ticketing information and show dates.

Century Media Records is proud to announce the signing of IN FLAMES.

“We are very happy to make IN FLAMES part of the Century Media Family. The band has a very loyal international fan base and has found a partner with an international set up,” says Antje Lange, Century Media Records.
“This is number 10….. Album number 10!!!!! That we even made it this far, that is amazing. Then, to deliver the album of our career, that is something else….. It’s fast, slow, heavy and mellow. It’s happy, sad, angry and calm. ‘Sounds of a playground Fading’ is everything we ever done on crack (it’s a metaphor boys and girls), it’s cask strength whisky when it’s THAT perfect moment. Use and abuse!!!!!
By the way, we are happy to be in bed with Century media. They know the business, we know the music, a perfect match. What can possibly go wrong….ha, ha, ha!!!!!!”
- Anders Fridén/In Flames

IN FLAMES was founded 1990 in Gothenburg and soon became one of the most successful Swedish Metal bands since the release of their break-through album “The Jester Race” in 1996. Like many of the predecessors, their last album “A Sense Of Purpose” (2008) charted all over the world including the band¹s highest ever entry on the American Billboard top 200 with an amazing #28.

In September 2010 IN FLAMES once again entered their own IF Studios together with Roberto Laghi, Daniel Bergstrand and Örjan Örnkloo to start the recording of the new album. The album ‘Sounds Of A Playground Fading‘ is planned for a June 2011 release. Around that time, IN FLAMES will play some of the most important European summer festivals (Sonisphere, Rock Am Ring/Rock Im Park, Hellfest, and more), followed by the Rockstar Energy Mayhem Festival US tour in July and an European tour in Fall/Winter 2011.









For more IN FLAMES click here.

ROCKSTAR ENERGY DRINK MAYHEM FESTIVAL, the heralded hard rock and metal event of the summer, is swiftly becoming the heavy music fans’ summertime rite of passage. Today, the 4th annual summertime juggernaut announces the 2011 line-up with DISTURBED, GODSMACK and MEGADETH, joined by MACHINE HEAD, IN FLAMES, TRIVIUM, and many more of today’s most electrifying artists. The tour will make a 26 date trek across the country beginning on July 9th at the San Manuel Amphitheater in San Bernardino, California. Tune in to www.rockstarmayhemfest.com and www.livenation.com for up-to-date ticketing information.

This summer’s mainstage artists, DISTURBED, GODSMACK, and MEGADETH, will be joined by a ferocious mix of the best hard rock and metal artists of today. For the first time in festival history, through their success, IN FLAMES, MACHINE HEAD and TRIVIUM have grown through the ranks to now perform on the mainstage in rotating slots throughout the tour.

ROCKSTAR ENERGY DRINK MAYHEM FESTIVAL is thrilled to see the return of festival veterans DISTURBED, MACHINE HEAD, TRIVIUM, and SUICIDE SILENCE.

The JAGERMEISTER stage will feature UNEARTH, KINGDOM OF SORROW, RED FANG, and the winners of JAGERMEISTER Battle of the Bands. The Extreme Stage will spotlight SUICIDE SILENCE, ALL SHALL PERISH and STRAIGHT LINE STITCH.

The 4th annual ROCKSTAR ENERGY DRINK MAYHEM FESTIVAL will also feature ROCKSTAR METAL MULISHA JUMP TEAM, the World’s Greatest Freestyle Motocross team.

“Strap yourself in and hold on tight, cuz this ride goes reeeeeal fassst this summer,” exclaims GODSMACK vocalist Sully Erna. “Godsmack/Disturbed, Mayhem Festival!! Can’t Fu@?kin’ wait!!!”

Mainstage guitarist Dan Donnegan of DISTURBED emotes, “DISTURBED is looking forward to being part of the biggest summer tour in the U.S. this year. It’s been years since we shared the stage with GODSMACK and we’ve been wanting to team up with them and join forces for a longtime. MEGADETH has been a big inspiration to us and we are looking forward to the other bands rounding out what seems to be a solid bill.”

Also, mainstage performer MEGADETH’s lead guitarist and frontman Dave Mustaine adds, “This is going to be a helluva hot summer, and you can get ready for true Mayhem this year.”

“MACHINE HEAD are thrilled to once again be a part of what has become the undisputed king of metal and rock festivals in the U.S., MAYHEM,” states MACHINE HEAD frontman and guitarist Robb Flynn. “Our run headlining the JAGERMEISTER stage in 2008 was one of the wildest and most inspiring tours we have ever been a part of. We became friends with so many great bands and Mulisha dudes. We all partied, and rode what would become an incredible wave of momentum for MACHINE HEAD. The vibe on the tour was filled with an impressive amount of goodwill due to the attention to detail and hard work of John Reese and Kevin Lyman. MACHINE HEAD will do everything in our power to make this f*&#ing huge!! Bring on the summer!”

ROCKSTAR ENERGY DRINK MAYHEM FESTIVAL attendees can enjoy a plethora of festival activities, including perusing vendors, attending autograph signing sessions and a slew of other interactive activities that enhance the concert experience. It’s a 10 hour trip to heavy nirvana.

Complete information on the 2011 ROCKSTAR ENERGY DRINK MAYHEM FESTIVAL line-up is available at www.rockstarmayhemfest.com. There fans can also check out exclusive video clips of official ROCKSTAR ENERGY DRINK MAYHEM FESTIVAL correspondent, radio personality, author and scene icon, Full Metal Jackie introducing this year’s tour, plus a special appearance by one of this year’s mainstage performers!

ROCKSTAR ENERGY DRINK MAYHEM FESTIVAL TOUR DATES:
7/9 – San Manuel Amphitheater – San Bernardino, CA (Los Angeles, CA)
7/10 – Shoreline Amphitheatre – Mountain View, CA (San Francisco, CA)
7/12 – White River Amphitheatre – Auburn, WA (Seattle, WA)
7/13 – Idaho Center Amphitheater – Nampa, ID (Boise, ID)
7/15 – Desert Sky Pavilion – Phoenix, AZ
7/16 – Hard Rock Casino Albuquerque Presents The Pavilion – Albuquerque, NM
7/17 – Comfort Dental Amphitheater – Englewood, CO (Denver, CO)
7/19 – Verizon Wireless Amphitheater – Maryland Heights, MO (St. Louis, MO)
7/20 – Riverbend Music Center – Cincinnati, OH
7/22 – Comcast Center – Mansfield, MA (Boston, MA)
7/23 – Parc Jean-Drapeau – (Heavy MTL) – Montreal, QC /www.heavymtl.com
7/24 – Comcast Theater – Hartford, CT
7/27 – PNC Bank Arts Center – Holmdel, NJ
7/29 – First Niagara Pavilion – Burgettstown, PA (Pittsburgh, PA)
7/30 – Jiffy Lube Live – Bristow, VA (Washington DC)
7/31 – Susquehanna Bank Center – Camden, NJ
8/2 – Virginia Beach Amphitheater – Virginia Beach, VA
8/3 – Time Warner Cable Music Pavilion at Walnut Creek – Raleigh, NC
8/5 – First Midwest Bank Amphitheatre – Tinley Park, IL (Chicago IL)
8/6 – DTE Energy Music Theatre – Clarkston, MI (Detroit, MI)
8/7 – Verizon Wireless Music Center – Noblesville, IN (Indianapolis, IN)
8/9 – Zoo Amphitheatre – Oklahoma City, OK
8/10 – Gexa Energy Pavilion – Dallas, TX
8/12 – Aaron’s Amphitheatre at Lakewood – Atlanta, GA
8/13 – 1-800-ASK-GARY Amphitheatre – Tampa, FL
8/14 – Cruzan Amphitheatre – West Palm Beach, FL

For more ROCKSTAR ENERGY DRINK MAYHEM FESTIVAL click here.

DISTURBED and GODSMACK are rumored to be topping the bill on this summer’s Rockstar Energy Drink Mayhem Festival tour, which will kick off in early July. Also scheduled to appear are MEGADETH, MACHINE HEAD, IN FLAMES, TRIVIUM, SUICIDE SILENCE and UNEARTH, among others.

Rockstar Energy Drink Mayhem Festival 2011 bands (more to be announced):
Main Stage:
DISTURBED
GODSMACK
MEGADETH

[Rotating Opening Slot On Main Stage:]
MACHINE HEAD
IN FLAMES
TRIVIUM

Second Stage:
SUICIDE SILENCE
UNEARTH
STRAIGHT LINE STITCH
ALL SHALL PERISH
KINGDOM OF SORROW

A total of 13 acts are expected to appear on the bill.

The full details of this year’s tour will be made available on Monday, January 31 (postponed from the previously announced January 26).

Rockstar Energy Drink Mayhem Festival 2011 tour dates (official):
Jul. 09 – San Bernardino, CA @ San Manuel Amphitheatre
Jul. 10 – San Francisco, CA @ Shoreline Amphitheatre
Jul. 12 – Seattle, WA @ White River Amphitheater
Jul. 13 – Boise, ID @ Idaho Center Amphitheatre
Jul. 15 – Phoenix, AZ @ Cricket Wireless Pavilion
Jul. 16 – Albuquerque, NM @ Hard Rock Casino Presents: The Pavilion
Jul. 17 – Denver, CO @ Comfort Dental Amphitheatre
Jul. 19 – St. Louis, MO @ Verizon Wireless Amphitheater
Jul. 20 – Cincinnati, OH @ Riverbend Music Center
Jul. 22 – Boston, MA @ Comcast Center
Jul. 23 – Montreal, QUE @ Parc Jean Drapeau
Jul. 24 – Hartford, CT @ The Comcast Theatre
Jul. 27 – Holmdel, NJ @ P.N.C. Bank Arts Center
Jul. 29 – Pittsburgh, PA @ First Niagara Pavilion
Jul. 30 – Washington, DC @ Jiffy Lube Live
Jul. 31 – Camden, NJ @ Susquehanna Bank Center
Aug. 02 – Virginia Beach, VA @ Verizon Wireless V. Beach Amphitheater
Aug. 03 – Raleigh, NC @ Time Warner Cable Music Pavilion at Walnut Creek
Aug. 05 – Chicago, IL @ First Midwest Bank Amphitheatre
Aug. 06 – Detroit, MI @ DTE Energy Music Theatre
Aug. 07 – Indianapolis, IN @ Verizon Wireless Music Center
Aug. 09 – Oklahoma City, OK @ Zoo Amphitheatre
Aug. 10 – Dallas, TX @ Superpages.com Center
Aug. 12 – Atlanta, GA @ Lakewood Amphitheatre
Aug. 13 – Tampa, FL @ 1-800-Ask-Gary-Amphitheatre
Aug. 14 – West Palm Beach, FL @ Cruzan Amphitheater

For more ROCKSTAR ENERGY DRINK MAYHEM FESTIVAL 2011 click here.