A Day To Remember

When i discovered the band A Day To Remember i was amazed by their mix of genres. It was so weird listening to a band that combinded pop punk and metalcore. A lot of people didnt like it and told them it wouldnt work out but they didnt care, they wanted to play and write what they wanted to hear. A Day To remember was founded in Ocala, Florida in 2003 by guitarist Tom Denny and drummer Bobby Scruggs, who are no longer in the band. Jeremy McKinnon (lead singer), Neil Westfall (guitar), and Joshua Woodard (bass guitar) joined Tom and Bobby to create the band.

Their journey started as they started to play shows around Ocala, Florida to make a name for themselves, they found a spot "DIY" tour playing well over 200 shows. They were picked up by Indianola Records and which they recorded their first full-lenght album "And Their Name Was Treason". While on this tour Jeremy was giving the screen name for someone at Victory Records, not knowing if this was legit he went for it and contacted the person. He was told that he would be at their last show in Chicago and would film their performance.

 " A friend of mine said he had the AIM screenname of someone at Victory Records,” Woodard said. "I didn’t believe him, but I still started communicating with the guy. We IM’ed back and forth for about six months, and it happened that we were playing with the band On the Last Day in a town outside of Chicago, and this guy was going to be there filming it. It was our first time we ever played in Illinois, yet the 50-60 kids there were singing along to our tunes like they’d been fans all their lives," Jeremy McKinnon said.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=6cmHQ76ICOo


And there you go, the kick start to their career as a major labled band. In late 2007 they released their second full-lenght album and first album with their new label named " For Those Who Have Hearts". they started playing on bigger festivals with more well known bands.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=2A7UjrZnOuo








In 2008 they set off to record their third full-lenght album "Homesick" which featured a more heavy sound from them. But founding member Tom Denny was to leave the band to focus on his marriage and his recording studio, but would remain a part of the bands writting process. This was a big shock to the fans of A Day To Remember and they were very dissapointed.  The band toured extensively to promote their new album, and toured with bands like The Devil Wears Prada, Sky Eats Airplane and Emarosa and were featured on the line-up of warped tour 2009 again.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=FsptGR1g0c0

2010 rolled around and they were back into the studio to record their 4th album called "What Separates Me From You". Were they focused on more of a post-hardcore sound with still their elments of pop-punk and heaviness. As of now they are still touring for this album and will be featured on 2011's warped tour as a headliner.

I really do love this band and everythng they bring to the table. I enjoy their elements of punk and metacore to create an awesome sound. I will be seeing them this summer at warped tour, which i cannot wait to see. I hope you enjoyed yet another band go check them out, you wont be dissapointed!

www.youtube.com/watch?v=i55Ximm7a9o

Of Mice & Men- the band

After the departure of lead man Austin Carlile from the band Attack Attack! because of personal conflicts with band mates , he formed the metalcore band Of Mice & Men. Austin and Jaxin Hall, an import from Auckland, New Zealand recorded their demo "Seven thousand miles for what?". For about a month Austin searched for the remaining members for the band. He stumbled across Valentino Arteaga, drummer of Lower Definition, Jon Kintz of Odd Project, and Phil Manansala, a touring guitarist for A Static Lullaby. He then packed up with Jaxin and moved to Southern California to be with the rest of the band.

They started to record right away and releasing covers of pop songs on their myspace like "poker face" by Lady Gaga after hitting 1,00,000 plays of their other songs. Their first full-lenght debut album was released on February 23, 2010. They also made videos for the songs  "Those in Glass Houses" and "Second & Sebring". During 2010 they were set to play on The Emptiness Tourtouring but lead man Austin Carlile was forced to leave the band due to orders from his doctor  as a result to his heart surgery in the near future and with conflicts with the other memebers of the band as well. So they recruited Jerry Roush the former lead man for Sky Eats Airplane. He toured with the band for all of the 2010 dates. Seeing that Roush was with the band for 9 months already it seemed that he was going to the permanent replacement for Carlile but on Janurary 3, 2011 the band offcially announced that Austin would return to front the band once again. Besides Calile having to leave the band in 2010 bassist Jaxin Hall also annouced he was leaving the band on August 23, 2010 to work on his clothing line and concentrate on his personal life. In his place Dane Poppin from A Static Lullaby  and would play for the remaining tour dates of 2010 but would then return to A Static Lullaby.

As Austins return finally came they decided to move Shayley Bourget from rhythm guitar to bass guitar and he still would be the clean vocals man. They then put new member Alan Ashby into the rhythm guitar spot. The band was finally ready to go back into touring and started working on their new album which is still in the making.

On April 8, 2011 Of Mice & Men came to Peabodys in downtown Cleveland, which i attended that concert. To say the least it was an amazing concert. Along with OF&M was Woe is Me, Sleeping for Sirens, I set my friends on fire and the Ammity Affliction, which all put on an excellent show. OF&M was amazing that night, and seeing that lead man Austin Carlile is from Columbus, Ohio made the show even better. He was able to connect with the crowd on a whole different level then any other places he's played. Everyone was extremely excited when they came on. People were screaming and yelling, jumping around and moshing. People were crowd surfing and some lucky few were actually able to sing with Austin. I personally did not get to sing with him, but i got up on stage and got a picture with him afterthe concert, my buddy Zach Shema however was able to sing with him for a short moment and we both got a picture with him.

OF&M is a great band, they have a very mature sound for such a young group of guys and have great potential in the future. Well thats all go check them out, its definantly worth your time! www.youtube.com/watch?v=qSeiG6qMhaI

Eddie Vedder and Chris Cornell- best singers in rock music?

Eddie Vedder, the lead man for Pearl Jam. He has one of the most unique voices in rock over the last 20 years. Chris Cornell, lead man for Soundgarden and Audioslave. He has one of the most powerful voices in rock over the last 20 years. Who is your favorite? Who do you think is the best? Thats your decision.


Pearl Jam: Its formation was created from the remenace of  Temple of the Dog which was all of Pearl Jam and vocalist from Soundgarden Chris Cornell who started this tribute band to his late friend Andrew Wood. Temple of the Dog recorded one self-titled album. The remaining memebers besides Cornell formed what is today Pearl Jam. Pearl Jam is Eddie Vedder (lead vocals, guitar), Jeff Ament (bass guitar), Stone Gossard (rhythm guitar),  Mike McCready (lead guitar), and Dave Krusen (Drummer). The band's current drummer is Matt Cameron, also of Soundgarden, who has been with the band since 1998. They went into the studio to record their debut album Ten. They were one of the key bands during the 90's to lead the Grunge movement. They have since released eight more albums, and after making a video for the song 'Jeremy' the band has refused to make any more.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=sbkE56QVK0I  

“Before music videos first came out, you’d listen to a song with headphones on, sitting in a beanbag chair with your eyes closed, and you’d come up with your own visions, these things that came from within. Then all of a sudden, sometimes even the very first time you heard a song, it was with these visual images attached, and it robbed you of any form of self-expression.” Vedder said.

Now back to the main topic Eddie Vedder. Vedder was born Edward Louis Severson III on December 23, 1964. He is known for his early years of crazy live performances, were he participated in stage diving and crowd surfing. His vocals is one of the most copied vocals in rock today, critics describe it as a "Jim Morrison like growl,".

www.youtube.com/watch?v=i0-hAo-XlVU

Soundgarden/Audioslave: Soundgarden formed in Seattle, Washington in 1984 by lead singer Chris Cornell, lead guitarist Kim Thayil, and bassist Hiro Yamamoto. Matt Cameron became the band's permanent drummer in 1986 while bassist Ben Shepherd became a permanent replacement for Yamamoto in 1990. They are one of the creators of the grunge music scene during the late 80's and all throughout the 90's. Chris Cornell also created Temple of the Dogs in 1990, a tribute band for his late friend Andrew Wood. With Soundgardens debut album had many record companies wanting to sign them, but instead they signed with a small company SST Records  for its debut album and later signed to A&M records which caused anger with their fans. They released 5 albums together before their break-up in 1997, they annouced a reunion on January 1, 2010 Cornell alluded to a Soundgarden reunion via his Twitter, writing: "The 12-year break is over and school is back in session. Sign up now. Knights of the Soundtable ride again!"

www.youtube.com/watch?v=ksOEr6yjb9U
When Rage Agaisnt the Machine broke up they confronted frontman Chris Cornell to start another band.
Consisting of Frontman and rythem guitarist Chris Cornell and the intsramentalists of Rage Agaisnt the Machine, Tom Morello lead guitar, Tom Commerford bassist and Brad Wilk drummer. Critics initially described Audioslave as an amalgamation of Rage Against the Machine and Soundgarden, but by the band's second album, Out of Exile, it was noted that they had established a separate identity.

Again back to the main topic Chris Cornell. Cornell was born Christopher John Boyle on July 20, 1964. He is known for fronting Soundgarden and Audioslave and for his numorous solo acts. He is most known for his wide vocal range, spanning C2-G♯5 in full-voice, and up to E6 in falsetto, as well as his powerful vocal belting technique, which is an isane vocal range for a man.

Well there you go two of the best singers in rock today. I gave you the info. Now you choose

www.youtube.com/watch?v=3jA13XYlWHc

The Devil Wears Prada

The Devil Wears Prada is an American metalcore band from Dayton, Ohio, Formed in 2005. The Devil Wears Prada derived their band name from the story with the same title. They are currently signed to Warner Music Group. The Devil Wears Prada is a Christian band consisting of Mike Hranica (vocals), Chris Rubey (lead guitar), Jeremy DePoyster (rhythm guitar, vocals), Andy Trick (bass), Daniel Williams (drums) and James Baney (keyboards), all of whom are Christians.www.youtube.com/watch?v=g6aNV_xKSto

 The band recorded and released their demo entitled Patterns of a Horizon in 2005, and later re-recorded all the of the tracks from the demo to be recorded for their debut full-length album, Dear Love: A Beautiful Discord, which was released on August 22, 2006. Listening to their album you can definantly tell they are new and really doint know much about writing a well rounded album. Dont get me wrong this is a great band, but a lot of their songs on this album sound well very similar to each other. All of the have the same flow, and you can tell the songs are kind of just thrown together and the theory behind the songs wasnt there. Just a bunch of guitar riffs flying at you at once. Its hard to listen to their first album compared to their others. Besides the nonsense thrown together on this album there are some really good songs, for example 'Dogs can grow beards all over' this song is crazy and very random. but as a new band they have a very good start into the music world and have a bright outlook.          www.youtube.com/watch?v=CxFiu5Yy2Os

           Plagues, The Devil Wears Prada's second album was released on August 21. A huge step forward from their first album. this ablum is very more technical in terms of guitar and drums. you can definantly tell that the members of this band have matured alot in the writing process, they know alot more about how to write a great song and make it more exciting. At least when I listen to this album i get pumped, so much energy is flowing through me in evey song. This is definantly their break through album, the band was being more noticed by the music scene and by bigger record companies. this is one of their most diverse albums and I personally love it, they will never have another album like this one.  www.youtube.com/watch?v=rGvdcFqSZU4

          The Devil Wears Prada began writing and recording their third album With Roots Above and Branches Below after attending 2008's Warped Tour. Prior to recording and production of it, vocalist Mike Hranica stated "Expect a much heavier and more epic record". Keyboardist, James Baney, also announced that their new album would be more mechanical but still containing their same distinct style whereas drummer, Daniel Williams, claimed that the new album would be "crazier and wilder" than their previous albums. When I first listened to this album I was amazed. The powerful screaming from Mike blew me away. The crazy high singing of Jeremy made go crazy. These two seemed to be unstopable on this album, all the harmony going on between the two was amazing. The technical guitar parts blew me away as well, I being a guitar player myself hada hard time learning some of these songs, these two guitarist really really matured as guitar players and made this album well rounded. Everything is pin-point on this ablum.

            www.youtube.com/watch?v=KOhVf87-88I




       The Zombie EP released  on August 24, 2010. What can I say about this. Its brutal, crazy, epic and amazing all in its self. I dont think I could say one bad thing about  this album. The band defiantly changed their sound up for this album and it was a great idea. They brought heavy to the table and it defines what The Devil Wears Prada is all about. To start off the harmonies in this ablum are unbelieveable. Jeremy just goes beyond him self to reach these high reaches in singing. Talk about heavy the guitar parts in this are just so brutal its crazy, they went crazy in the writing process of this because these songs are very difficult to master. Mike went to places hes never gone with when screaming, his voice has gotten so powerful over the last 3 albums that no one can match it. His scream is so unique and changing it up was great to hit those low sceams for this. A great album!

 In an interview with Tim Karan, Hranica stated the band's plans for their fourth full-length studio album. His comments were placed within comparison to their latest release the Zombie EP. He descriped that the album would be "a more heavy-focused sound from us. We think it would be smart to push that beefy, heavy songwriting from Zombie into the new full-length...but with a strong blend of what we usually do with melody." The album will not be a concept album - like their previous work on the Zombie EP - but will have an overall theme, focused on anti-idolatry, which, according to Hranica, "has been weighing on me lately." The album is expected to be released sometime near the beginning of the summer in 2011.

           Despite speculations that the band named themselves after the film with the same title, it was actualized that they were formed before the film was released. They have explained that their band name is based on an anti-materialistic mindset and derived their name from the novel, The Devil Wears Prada. At the time of naming the band, the members assumed that the novel included anti-materialism as its moral, until later discovering that the novel did not feature this as its message at all. Despite making this mistake, the band members refused to change the name and decided that they created a new meaning behind the title "The Devil Wears Prada", within the terms of it being their band name.

        “ It's the same concept as our lyrics 'emeralds hold no hope' and many others. What we believe it to mean is that possessions don't matter at all and someday everyone will realize that this is true. When standing before God, he won't care about your sweet Prada scarf or Gucci shoes or whatever. It's a Christian reasoning for the name, we didn't name it to attempt at being fashionable or whatever," Mike Hranica said.

 The Devil Wears Prada, whats not to like about them. Their probably one of the best bands out there. They have a distinct style that no one can match. I love them. Check them out

EMMURE!!!!!

Emmure is an American deathcore band. They have had seven releases: two demos Nine Eleven Zero Four, Demo 2005, one EP The Complete Guide to Needlework, and four studio albums Goodbye to the Gallows, The Respect Issue, Felony and Speaker of the Dead. Emmure was founded in 2003. Founding members Ben and Joe Lionetti from New Fairfield, Connecticut, they met Frank Palmeri from Queens, New York on the Internet and began rehearsals together. Mark Davis and Jesse Ketive soon joined. Jesse Ketive was formerly in the band Warfix, in which he played guitar alongside Bryan Goldsman of Southside Panic.


With the release of two demos and a EP emmure started its path to startdom. They started working on their first full lenght album Goodbye to the Gallows in 2007. This album is honestly brutal and meaninful few bands can pour their hearts into a record and come out with an epic record that will blow its listeners away. It combines the highs and lows into one lethal force. So when the band says, "Expect something big..." you'd better believe it.





After touring around supporting their new album, the band heads back to the studio to start their second album The Respect Issue. This is also the last album featuring the founding members of the band Ben and Joe Lionetti. This album hits deep within the hearts of people, talking about the friends who betray us, the lovers who cheat us and the enemies that challenge us. They take the next step in making a great album and pack this one full of aggression and confidence. With intense breakdowns, ear shatering screams and mind blowing drum work.


Once again Emmure is back into the studio for their next album Felony in 2009. Featuring the new line up Mike Mullohand guitar and Michael Kaabe drums in replacement of founding members Ben and Joe Lionetti they start recording a new punishing album to amaze the music world once again. Only with more brutal riffs and breakdowns. This time everyone listening will want to go crazy.




Three years later, the boys are back into the studio for their fourth full length album Speaker of the Dead. With a more mature sound but with all the old breakdowns and crazy riffs, they blow away the listeners once again.  

 This band is absolutly amazing. They have one of the best stage pressences ever!! Isaw them yesterday 3-13-11 at the House of Blues along with Asking Alexandria, Chiodos, Miss May I, Evergreen Terrace, and Lower than Atlantis. It was an amazing show and Emmure really kept the energy alive during their performance, getting people to scream, jump, mosh and everything! I really reccomend seeing them at least once in your life time and if you can more thats even better! I plan on seeing them again in the future! www.youtube.com/watch?v=r93CoC1N_SA

Avenged Sevenfold: Welcome to the Family.

Avenged Sevenfold, you might know them as A7X. This band consists of M. Shadows(Matt Sanders) lead vocalist, Synyster Gates(Brian Haner Jr.) Lead guitarist, Zacky Vengence( Zachary Baker) Rhythm guitarist, Johnny Christ( Johnathan Seward) Bassist, and the late The Rev( James Owen Sullivan) the drummer. There intro into the music world was started in 1999, in Huntington Beach, California with original members M. Shadows, Zacky Vengeance, The Rev and Matt Wendt. M Shadows came up with the name as a reference to the story of Cain and Abel from The Bible, which can be found in Genesis 4:24, although they are not a religious band. Upon its formation, each member of the band also took on a pseudonym. Before the  release of their debut album, the band recorded two demos in 1999 and 2000. Avenged Sevenfold's debut album, Sounding the Seventh Trumpet, was recorded when the band members were just eighteen years old and in high school. It was originally released on their first label, Good Life Recordings in 2001. After lead guitarist Synyster Gates joined the band, at the end of 1999 when he was 18 the introductory track "To End the Rapture" was re-recorded featuring a full band element. The album was subsequently re-released on Hopeless Records in 2002. The band started to receive recognition, performing with bands such as Mushroomhead and Shadows Fall and playing on the Take Action Tour.
            Having settled on their fourth bassist, Johnny Christ, they released Waking the Fallen on Hopeless Records in August 2003. The album featured a more refined and mature sound production in comparison to their previous album.  Avenged Sevenfold left Hopeless Records and were signed to Warner Bros. Records.


Alright well theres a little bit of info on the band when they were searching for the final line up. After Waking the Fallen was released they began to tour around and landed spots on Ozzfest and Warped Tour, thats when people really started to notice them. They created a bigger fan base. But the fans base consisted of kids that supported the "metalcore" scene, and Avenged was about to shock their fans that either they'd like or hate. M.Shadows stated that he wanted to release and album with all screaming then with screaming and singing, then after that no more screaming. A lot of the reason they had sucha big fan base was because of the screaming. So when they released the album City of Evil fans were shocked. They had changed their style a lot. The album had all signing and it was very melodic, the guitars were intricate and the drums were crazy. Either you loved it or hated it.

After touring for 2 years they decided to go back into the studio and release a self titled and self produced album. This album was purely experimanetal the band said, they wanted a more "grittier" sound. They tried very many different styles durings this album to see if anyone would like it. The album was a big success, it sold 90,000 copies sold.

After their success with the pervious album, they went back into the studio to record their fifth album Nightmare, which was going to be a more traditional heavy metal sound the band stated. It was Decemeber 28, 2009 and tragedy struck the band. James "The Rev" Owen Sullivan was found dead at his home at the age of 28. Autopsy results were inconclusive, but on June 9, 2010, the cause of death was revealed to have been an "acute polydrug intoxication due to combined effects of Oxycodone, Oxymorphone, Diazepam/Nordiazepam and ethanol,". The musical world was shocked by his death and all his adoring fans were heart broken ( me being one of them). The band was devistated with the lose of their brother and band mate, they didnt know if they could continue withour him. The fate of Avenged Sevenfold looked to be ending. But On February 17, 2010, Avenged Sevenfold stated that they had entered the studio, along with now former Dream Theater drummer Mike Portnoy, to drum for the record, in place of the Rev. "I want our fans to know that with Jimmy in our hearts, our journey to record has officially began. Jimmy helped leave this world an amazing gift and now it's our job to make sure to deliver that gift to our fans. We asked Jimmy's all time favorite drummer Mike Portnoy to record on behalf of him. Mike said it would be an honor and without question that’s what Jim would have wanted. It's comforting to us that someone like Mike, who is undoubtedly revered as one of the best drummers in the world, held such respect and adoration for the Rev's abilities. Even though it will never be the same without our brother by our side, his essence lives in our hearts and through the music he helped create. He was a legend before any of the success or any of that bullshit and we are fucking excited to lay this down for our fans, and especially for Jimmy." M. Shadows said (sorry for the swear words, but its part of the quote)


They went forward and released the album on July 27, 2010 and in its first week it sold  163,000 copies. Mike Portnoy toured with the band for the rest of 2010 like he said he would, and after that he had to leave to go back to Dream Theater. So the band was without a drummer once again but on January 20, 2011 they said via facebook that Arin Llejay former drummer of the band Confide, would be filling in. The band also stated they didnt know if he would be permanent or just a fill in for the time being. They began their tour for 2011 to support their new album.

Avenged Sevenfold has a great sound well at least to me and all its dedicated fans out there. Give them a chance look them up, every song from every album they have recorded will blow you away. Their new album Nightmare is definitely one of their most heart filled albums with the death of their band mate, brother, son, husband, idol James "The Rev" Ownes Sullivan.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=jTHv7UCiXf4

Job for a cowboy anyone?

Have any of you ever heard of the band Job for a cowboy? yes? no? Well if not I highly recommend taking some time to listen to them, they are very good if your into deathcore/death metal. Job for a Cowboy started as a deathcore group, and evolved into a predominantly death metal sound with their full-length debut Genesis. They have been described by The New York Times as "an Arizona band with a guttural, brute-force sound descended (indirectly) from hard-core punk" and "straightforwardly brutal act" by Rolling Stone magazine


Job for a Cowboy was founded in Glendale, Arizona during December 2003 by vocalist Jonny Davy, guitarists Ravi Bhadriraju and Andrew Arcurio, bassist Chad Staples, and drummer Andy Rysdam. They started off as a Myspace band, a long with many other bands in this genre. And automatically began to get recognition from all over. In 2005 they released their EP Doom and were picked up by an Arizona independent label King of the Monsters. The band promoted their EP nonstop to get their name out and were then picked up by Metal Blade Records which really set of their carrer in the music scene.


In 2007 they went into the studio to record their first full length album Genesis, which was highly anticipated. When it was finally released it sold 13,000 copies in the first week and  Kerrang! magazine said, "an album that quite literally obliterates everyone else currently residing within the death and grind scenes" and "one of the year's most essential metal purchases".


After touring for 2 years nonstop they went bakc into the studio to record their 2 full lenght album Ruination, which featured Jon "the charm" Rice on drums,whose been with the band since the album Genesis and Al Glassman on guitar. During the first week of sales the album racked in around 10,600 copies sold. As of 2011 the band has said to be working on a new EP.


I really do recommend everyone to listen to this band it will literally blow your mind, and for a fun fact the current drummer of this band Jon Rice, brother and sister, Blaze and Tessi Rice go to our school! www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Gk3EpOWxnw