HYRO!!! Where the F have you been! Finally. Something refreshing…revitalizing the rap/rock game…and as referenced by Hyro Da Hero himself….its a new GANGSTA ROCK GENRE.
HDH can’t be compared to anyone else, he’s that original. But…if you had to…it’s a blender full of Rage Against the Machine, Gorillaz, Incubus, and a touch of Lil Wayne’s Rebirth. But fresh…whitty…true…and a slap in your face saying, “Get the fuck up! Bounce! Rock the fuck out!” Oh yeah…Hyro is the first and only known artist to play 3 separate stages at the Download Festival in the same year (2011). His first major debut, Birth, School, Work, Death is out now. You’d be a damn fool not to get it (click on the image). Also, you can catch Hyro Da Hero on the 2012 Vans Warped Tour at a City near you.
Key tracks: The World’s Stage, Sleeping Giants, A Conversation with Hip Hop
Back in action once again is Fall from Grace, a punk/alternative band hailing from the great Seattle, Washington scene. With the region producing punk/alt acts in the past such as Sonic Youth and Nirvana, it’s almost a given that Fall from Grace will have great success. “The Romance Years” is their second major label album, and given the revamped lineup, it’s clear FFG are ready to hit the road backed by their new record label “Road 2 Hell Rekkids.” This emotion packed bundle of joy is just a small taste of big things to come, and and getting lost in this album makes it easy to remember how great the music of the early 90’s was, and the impact that was left on bands to come.
The Romance Years opens with “Your Majesty,” a catchy, upbeat, old school underground punk influenced track that sets the tone for this entire album. Remember who the winners of Fuse TV’s Bodog Music Battle of the Bands 2004 was? Ahhh…that’s right…now you remember. There are a few songs that stand above the others and are worthy of recognition. One being a tune titled “Heart Attack Road,” which echoes the ol’ chasing your dreams and achieving success that one wants out of life. Lyrics PLUS Riffs EQUALS amazing…and arguably the best on the album. “18 and Out,” “A Train Leaves London,” and “The Romance Years” are winners too.
The losers: “Fade 2 Gray,” and “Maybe I’m Outa My Head”
Pick up “The Romance Years”…there’s a little something for everyone. www.fallfromgrace.us
This week, Calgary-based doom-core outfit MARES OF THRACE have made a major announcement about the band’s lineup. Since their 2009 inception the band has been comprised of longtime friends guitarist/vocalist Thérèse Lanz and drummer Stef MacKichan, but this week the band announced the departure of Stef and the induction of new drummer Rae Amitay. Rae was trained at the Berklee School of Music, has recently recorded with folk metal act Thrawsunblat (the new band formed by members of Woods of Ypres), and is a staff writer for MetalReview.com. The full statement welcoming Rae is posted on the MARES OF THRACEFacebook page.
Additionally, the band will become a three-piece for this tour, joined by a bass player for the first time. Scott Shellhammer (American Heritage) who played drums on the recent MARES OF THRACE tour through Canada and the U.S., as well as painted the cover art for their new albumThe Pilgrimage, will lay down the low-end on the forthcoming trek.
The first MARES OF THRACE performances with the new lineup will be on the pending tour where the band will join Providence’s epic doom trio Pilgrim and Brooklyn’s metallic hardcore quartet Primitive Weapons for a string of ten Northeastern U.S. shows, kicking off this week.
MARES OF THRACE‘s sophomore LP The Pilgrimage was released worldwide via Sonic Unyon Metal in April. Critics and fans alike have been blown away by the band’s dynamic, metallic hybrid of sludge and scathing metalcore tendencies, the album receiving rave reviews and major coverage from media outlets worldwide. The band will have the new limited edition vinyl version of the album with them on the forthcoming tour. Limited to 500 copies on red and black splattered wax, each LP includes a CD version of the album as well.
MARES OF THRACE, PRIMITIVE WEAPONS, PILGRIM Northeastern U.S. Tour:
7/31/2012 O’Briens – Boston, MA
8/01/2012 Columbus Club – North Providence, RI [*new show]
The Rock Tribune 