weekend edition – @skopemag news for june 29, 2019 @ 8 am est

Thai Rockers, DEFYING DECAY, tour the US and release album

DEFYING DECAY is a band made up of musical misfits, an eclectic mix of cultures and classical training, a hybrid born of many influences crafted by a shared passion for music. The band has persevered to realize their vision. Born in the East and now knocking on the doors to the rest of the world, DEFYING DECAY is following in the footsteps of bands like Crossfaith and Coldrain. This enigmatic act is emerging onto the international scene with “Metamorphosis”,

Sacri Monti Unveils New Song “Starlight”

San Diego psychedelic heavy rock champions Sacri Monti return with a vengeance on their sophomore LP ‘Waiting Room for the Magic Hour’. Recorded at Audio Design (Earthless) with producer Jordan Andreen (Joy, Arctic), ‘Waiting Room for the Magic Hour’ sees Sacri Monti firing on all cylinders, somersaulting between the spontaneous and the musically calculated. Blues rock, prog rock, proto metal, fusion; it’s all masterfully represented by the Cali group that features members of JOY, Radio Moscow and Monarch. ‘Waiting Room for the Magic Hour’ will see a July 5 release via Tee Pee Records.

Premiere: Hear Psych Rockers Sacri Monti Bask in “Starlight”

The Bergamot Release New Single + Official Video “L.A”

The band was recently featured in Rock Band: Rivals being named one of the “Hottest Emerging Music Talents” by People Magazine launching them into the international spotlight. The duo successfully raised over $31,500 on Kickstarter to support the creation of their upcoming album. Other recent features include The Daily Mirror (UK) & The Daily Record (UK).

Klingande Seeks Redemption on New Single ‘Sinner’ | Out Now via Ultra Music

His third single release of 2019, ‘Sinner’ locks in Klingande’s trademark laidback sound, with sparse guitar strings and an infectious beat underpinning Appleton’s soaring vocal. “Sinner is a song we wrote with Stevie earlier this year,” the French artist explains. “It’s about the way we live our lives nowadays, this YOLO spirit of the moment, the mix of loneliness, excitement and pleasure which comes out of it.”

ICYMI: Slaughter Beach, Dog share new single ‘Heart Attack’

Philadelphia’s Slaughter Beach, Dog – which began as the solo project of Jake Ewald (Modern Baseball) but has grown into a band with the addition of bassist Ian Farmer (Modern Baseball), Nick Harris (All Dogs) and Zack Robbins (Superheaven) – recently announced a new record, entitled Safe And Also No Fear. Out August 2nd, 2019 on Big Scary Monsters, it is available for pre-order HERE.

R&B Pop Artist Tessa Rae Releases Single, “Heart Feels” via Spindle Magazine

“Rae is proving to be one of the hottest emerging artists out now.” – Spindle Magazine

SKIZZY MARS RELEASES NEW SINGLE “CALABASAS”

“Calabasas” comes fresh off the heels of last month’s release of “No Advice,” the first single from Free Skizzy Mars. “No Advice” marks Skizzy’s first solo material since his joint project with labelmate Prelow, I Can’t Take Me Anywhere; the 9-track collaborative project was released in November of 2018. I Can’t Take Me Anywhere follows Skizzy Mars’ last EP, “are you OK?” which includes hit singles, “2006” and “American Dream,” the latter of which was joined by a companion video that premiered on HypeBeast. “American Dream” was also featured on the soundtrack for Madden NFL 19.

COLD Return With New Album “The Things We Can’t Stop”

Alternative Rockers COLD have announced a September 13th release date for their sixth studio album and Napalm Records debut “The Things We Can’t Stop.”

Ready for the Weekend: VEENO Releases New EDM Single “Nothing”

Electronic EDM producer VEENO releases of his new single “Nothing”. Bringing his skills as a producer to the table, VEENO is treading the path of subjective musical deconstruction, distinctly mixing unheard sound modifications into a spectrum of complete unruly harmony. The single incorporates VEENO’s blend of EDM and electronic sounds that are pulled together by his signature low timber vocals. “Nothing” is only a small taste of the musical catalog of VEENO and is the first single off his upcoming EP Bifrost, which will be released later this year.

THENIGHTTIMEPROJECT: Consequence Of Sound Streams Entire Pale Season Full-Length; Album Sees Release Tomorrow Via Debemur Morti Productions

THENIGHTTIMEPROJECT is comprised of Fredrik and Mattias Norrman, (guitars and bass, respectively), who spent fifteen years in Katatonia, and are now also active in October Tide, as well as guitarist/vocalist Alexander Backlund and drummer Jonas Sköld, who both also currently hold rank in Letters From The Colony. Pale Season was recorded at Valley Sound Studio/Nailvillage, mixed by guitarist Alexander Backlund at Nailvillage, mastered by Tony Lindgren at Fascination Street Studios, and completed with cover art by Denis Forkas and design by Kadriel Betsen.

Mining Metal: Bull of Apis Bull of Bronze, Krzysztof Drabikowski, Lord Weird Slough Feg, Howling Sycamore, Nighttimeproject, Sadistic Ritual, Slomatics

Meg Myers partners with non-profit, Heart of LA to create animated video for “Running Up That Hill”    

The video features hand colored compositions from 2,130 children from around the country, including many at the ‘Heart of Los Angeles’ (HOLA) school – a non profit that gives underserved kids an equal chance to succeed through a comprehensive array of after-school academic, arts, athletics and wellness programs. As part of her partnership with HOLA, Meg and the producer of the video, Jo Roy taught animation classes to elementary school students. The frames they made during the classes were then composited together, and used in the video. The result is an ethereal, and highly captivating animated journey. With every frame being radically unique, the only constant is the certainty of change.

HOLY GRAIL To Embark On North American Tour w/ Striker Next Month

Los Angeles-based heavy metal quintet HOLY GRAIL are getting ready to hit the road this summer. The band will be joined by veteran thrash metal outfit Striker for a North American trek, with Bewitcher providing support on all dates. The upcoming tour kicks off on July 12th in Phoenix, AZ and wraps up on August 4th at The Viper Room in Hollywood, CA. Holy Grail continues to tour on the strength of their widely celebrated 2016 studio album, Times of Pride and Peril.

7/12: Phoenix, AZ – Club Red
7/13: El Paso, TX – San Carols Building
7/14: Austin, TX – Come and Take It Live
7/15: Dallas, TX – Gas Monkey Bar & Grill
7/16: Houston, TX – White Oak (Up)
7/18: Orlando, FL – Soundbar
7/19: Atlanta, GA – Drunken Unicorn
7/20: Asheville, NC – Mothlight
7/21: Richmond, VA – The Camel
7/23: Philadelphia, PA – Kung Fu Necktie
7/24: Brooklyn, NY – Saint Vitus
7/25: Boston, MA – Once
7/26: Montreal, QC – Turbo Haus
7/27: Toronto, ON – The Garrison
7/28: Detroit, MI – Small’s
7/29: Chicago, IL – Reggie’s
7/31: Denver, CO – Streets Of London
8/1: Salt Lake City, UT – Metro Music Hall
8/2: Las Vegas, NV – Counts Vamp’d
8/3: San Diego, CA – Brick By Brick
8/4: Los Angeles, CA – The Viper Room

Tune-In Alert: Sammy Hagar And AXS TV Take Viewers On A ‘Rock & Roll Road Trip’ June 30, Featuring His Legendary High Tide Beach Party & Car Show

In this exclusive first look, Sammy takes viewers behind the scenes of the legendary first-year festival, and celebrates the “21st Birthday” of REO Speedwagon icon Kevin Cronin. Shedding some light on the creative process behind the star-packed beach bash, Hagar says, “The idea was just to try to put my stamp on it. See, this isn’t a concert. This isn’t a typical festival. This is a party with some really good music.” It’s also a perfect reflection of the Red Rocker, himself. Hagar continues, “It’s basically everything I live and love in life.” Explaining the elements that make High Tide so special, Hagar succinctly sums it up: “The food, the music, the hula girls, and some cool cars, on the beach. Come on!” Check it out here.

Mars Motel unveils futuristic video for “Coming Up For Air”

The video premiered via Impose Magazine where the band’s Sarik Kumar detailed, “The song evokes alienation and the pressure to assimilate. With that in mind, he (director Jordan Parrott) used the overhead camera angle as if it were a medical lens, a detached way of observing the procedure that also puts the android under a microscope.”

Kyan Palmer & nicopop. Release “Back To Life” Ahead Of Debut LA Show

If you like glittery, feel-good pop then you’re going to want to listen to Kyan Palmer & nicopop.’s new anthemic single “Back To Life,” available on all streaming platforms today. Packed with nicopop.’s signature futuristic-pop production and Kyan Palmer’s snappy melodies and silky vocals, “Back To Life” is another piece of pop-perfection to add to the duo’s quickly growing repertoire.

RUN RIVER NORTH Shares “Wake Up” From Forthcoming EP 

Having ushered in a new era of the band with the release of Monsters Calling Home, Vol. 1 earlier this spring, the Los Angeles-based alternative group Run River North are set to embark on yet another exciting chapter with lead single “Wake Up,” from the second half of that EP collection, Monsters Calling Home, Vol. 2 (details to come). With a fistful of their most ebullient, catchy, and radio-friendly songs to date, the trio – Alex Hwang (guitar/vocals), Daniel Chae (guitars/vocals), and Sally Kang (keys/vocals)— are focused fully on a fresh, joyful sound.

Songwriter James Steinle To Release ‘Live At Hole In The Wall’

Songwriter James Steinle’s music is often filled with characters who live near borders and on open plains, who work cattle on hot days and visit honky tonks at night, who experience hardships and cause of a bit of a ruckus from time to time. His songs are filled with perspective — sometimes his own, sometimes that of others — that shine a light on what life looks like for people in a place that’s often forgotten. The latest collection to showcase these stories is Live At Hole In The Wall, set to be released on July 26.

Prins Obi – “Love Tunes for Instant Success”, Inner Ear, Greece

“My favourite love songs are those captured somewhere between ecstasy and sadness, rejection and acceptance, excitement and frustration… That’s what I tried to do with this (very) personal EP, using only essential music elements, dismantling any kind of persona and putting in the foreground personal experiences/emotions and their effortless transformation into melodies and lyrics.” – Prins Obi

PORN – Evil Six Evil – New Single & Video

Mr Strangler, the main character of the trilogy, is embracing his true self on the album “The Darkest Of Human Desires – Act II”. He chose a dark path, being what he has always been: a killer. This song “Evil Six Evil” (read: evil seeks evil) is about his family rejecting him when they understood what he is, calling him an Evil person. Thus, he left that family to look for other evil persons to start his Death Cult.