Skip to main content

Posts

Showing posts from July, 2022

The Abruptors Share "Best Wishes, Warmest Regards" Music Video from Forthcoming Album Noticeably Cheerless (Asian Man Records)

The Abruptors (CREDIT: Chris Graue) New York-based Ska/Rocksteady group The Abruptors have returned to release their new single, "Best Wishes, Warmest Regards," via Asian Man Records. An ode to the people in their lives that are better left behind, this is the lead single off The Abruptors' forthcoming album, Noticeably Cheerless. The new single is unrelentingly upbeat in the face of its sore subject matter and its accompanying video by fellow musician and director Chris Graue (Lo(u)ser) mirrors that perfectly. In-between clips of the band performing on stage, you can catch shots of them riding a miniature train, juggling, and getting into hijinks with goats. The black-and-white video radiates a light-hearted, optimistic attitude that is woven throughout the song. "Best Wishes, Warmest Regards" is an allusion to popular series Schitt's Creek and features a host of horns by their resident saxophone sovereign and lead vocalist, Toni LaMantia, alongsid

Mega Ran & Amerigo Gazaway Emerge from The Upside Down with STRANGERS: Back to The Lab EP (RandomBeats & Soul Mates Records)

As we all well know by now (or SPOILER ALERT:) Stranger Things is a Science-Fiction/Horror web television series created, written, and directed by The Duffer Brothers and executive-produced by Shawn Levy. The show was released as a Netflix original series premiering on July 15, 2016. The show takes place in the fictional town of Hawkins, Indiana in the early-to-mid-1980's. When a young boy vanishes, Hawkins becomes embroiled in an extraordinary mystery involving secret experiments, terrifying super-natural forces, and one strange little girl... Mega Ran released STRANGERS in 2017 and a follow-up is upon us! Inspired by the events of the record-breaking fourth season of Stranger Things (seriosuly, no SPOILERS here,) RandomBeats & Soul Mates Present: Mega Ran & Amerigo Gazaway's STRANGERS: Back to The Lab, a follow-up to Ran's 2017 STRANGERS EP. STRANGERS: Back To The Lab by Mega Ran & Amerigo Gazaway Featuring production work from DJ DN³, Lost Perception,

Guitarist & Founding Member Gerald Thomas Talks HOURGLASS' Discography Re-issue, New Material & Future Plans (The Witzard Interview)

HOURGLASS 2022 line-up (CREDIT: J.P. Pierre) HOURGLASS were a Buffalo, New York-rooted Hardcore Punk/Emo band that was only active from about 1994 or '95 'til 1997. They recently re-formed and re-issued their near-complete discography on Immigrant Sun Records, plus, have signed with HellMinded Records to release some forthcoming new material. HOURGLASS's core line-up includes Michael "Mike" Zebrowski, Gerald Thomas, William "Billy" Wachowiak, and Marcus Nati and for this re-formation, added newest member Aaron "BEERWÜLF" Ratajczak . Some of the more seasoned Hardcore die-hards/regular readers ehre may recognize BEERWÜLF's name from his involvement with Bleed for Me, The Bonesaw Romance, Every Time I Die, Face The Panic, Goodbye Cruel World, Kid Gorgeous, Killshot, Lockjaw, Orations, P*ssing Match, Rhinoceros, and/or The Telltale Signs. We had a chance to speak with guitarist Gerald Thomas on the heels of Discography and prior to the impe

Titus Andronicus Share "(I'm) Screwed" Music Video & Announce New Album The Will to Live & 2022-23 World Tour (Merge Records)

Titus Andronicus (ILLUSTRATION: Nicole Rifkin) Esteemed East Coast Rock titans Titus Andronicus have announced the long-awaited release of their seventh studio album, The Will to Live, out via Merge Records this September. It was produced by Titus Andronicus singer-songwriter Patrick Stickles and award-winning Canadian producer Howard Bilerman (Arcade Fire, Broken Social Scene, Godspeed You! Black Emperor) at the latter's Hotel2Tango Recording Studio in Montreal, The Will to Live is heralded by today's premiere of the stirring first single, "(I'm) Screwed," listen now at all streaming services. An official music video from director Ray Concepcion—which finds the band performing on a flatbed truck during The Independence Day Parade in the band's hometown of Glen Rock, New Jersey. Stickles elaborates, "in "(I'm) Screwed," we are introduced to the narrator of The Will to Live at the moment he realizes the walls are closing in. Be it real or

Stuntdouble, Joseph Sullivan, Esquire, J. Strickland & Sonny Phono Discuss Their Roles Within Stuntdouble & DJ Kayote's "Where's Your DJ?" Music Video (Serpent City Records)

"Where's Your DJ" music video still, L-R: DJ Unite, DJ Kayote & Stuntdouble (SOURCE: Bob Surratt) Stuntdouble (@stuntdouble40lbs) and I have been messaging back-and-forth about the impending release of his latest single, "Where's Your DJ?" B/W "Tune Villains Crew" with DJ Kayote & DJ Unite. It was quietly released physically on a number of multi-colored tagged up vinyl 7-inches on Serpent City Records. It's now nearly sold out on Bandcamp , and both "Where's Your DJ?" & "Tune Villains Crew" are also available digitally on Bandcamp and across like-minded streaming services. However, its companion music video went live on YouTube as recently as the Fourth of July. It's a rather trippy, nearly eight minute-long sonic adventure that was filmed in San Diego with many special guest features directed by J. Strickland starring DJ Sonny Phono. Honestly, it's just something you have to experience for yourse

All The Way Live: Stan Ipcus Breaks Down Live Favorites Off His Best of IP Freestyles Mixtape (All-around Breakdown Edition)

Stan Ipcus & Matisyahu (SOURCE: Dan Isenberg) All The Way Live: Stan Ipcus Breaks Down Live Favorites Off His Best of IP Freestyles Mixtape - Written By: Daniel Isenberg (@stanipcus) Stan Ipcus, the extremely handsome, multi-talented, and, dare I say, Top 5 Dead or Alive Caucasian Emcee of All-Time (yeah, I said it. What are you gonna do about it?) just released a Best of IP Freestyles mixtape featuring over 30 tracks of pure fiery spittage. The tape's contents and cover, inspired by "Best of..." mixtapes that you might have found on a Canal Street corner in the early 2000's, features Ipcus unleashing his reckless brand of intricately-constructed raps over beats by everyone from The Beatnuts & A Tribe Called Quest to JAY-Z & Jim Jones. And through it all, he sounds as confident as ever. In fact, on the chorus of his previously unreleased "Ballin'" freestyle, originally recorded in 2007, after absolutely destroying the first verse, he

No Devotion Re-emerge with First Single "Starlings" from Forthcoming Sophomore Album No Oblivion (Velocity/Banquet Records)

No Devotion, L-R: Stuart Richardson, Geoff Rickly & Lee Gaze (CREDIT: Richard Kern) It's been seven years since No Devotion—featuring vocalist Geoff Rickly (vocalist of Thursday,) bassist Stuart "Stu" Richardson, and guitarist Lee Gaze (ex-Lostprophets)—released their outstanding, Kerrang Album of The Year-winning debut, Permanence. Following a string of extremely unfortunate events, the members began to re-imagine the project as a personal lab of new sounds; a private vault where they could store some of their most personal experiences. That is... until now. Out this September 16, No Devotion will release No Oblivion, their long-awaited follow-up album recorded and produced/mixed by Richardson. Getting to hear what the trio has been creating over the years, solely for one another and the joy of the process, is a blinding feat—its songs deeply rich in texture, innovative in form, and full of pain. No Oblivion stand-out "Starlings" marks the first new

The FAMILY? Cast: Food & Music Is Life, Yes? Host, Dogwood & Saint Didacus Frontman Chef Josh Kemble "Cooks Up" Punk/Food & Drink Pairings (The Witzard Exclusive)

Chef Josh Kemble (SOURCE: Joshua C. Kemble) I recently read and thoroughly enjoyed an interview NO ECHO founder Carlos Ramirez conducted with San Diego Punk/Hardcore frontman turned chef, business owner, and podcaster Joshua "Josh" Kemble. I was almost instantly intrigued and gave Josh a Follow on both Twitter ( @thegrexican ) and Instagram ( @joshkemb ,) who soon Followed me back. Before too long, Chef Josh & I connected on Twitter talking about potential food and drink pairings to accompany Praise's then-just released album, All In A Dream , which I was listening to one night whilst cooking dinner for my family. Chef Josh & I quickly started swapping ideas (and recipes) back-and-forth and soon landed on a scrumptious ideas for a collaborative feature for The Witzard. I sent Chef Josh a Punk/Hardcore Spotify playlist I've been compiling in recent months, let him pick a handful of favorites, and, then, did some unique Punk food pairings, much like on hi

All-around Breakdown: Sean Martin Discusses Debut Instrumental EP Introducing The Magician As No More Magic (Residual Effects)

Sean Martin is a multi-versed musician, producer, and tattooer hailing from Connecticut. As a guitarist, song-writer, and/or producer he has worked with a variety of well-known artists including Hatebreed, Cold Cave, Wear Your Wounds, Umbra Vitae, Twitching Tongues, Cage, Kid Cudi, House of Blow, Head Automatica, XO Skeletons, Jet Fueled Horses, Handsome Boy Modeling School, and more. His versatility and flexibility within music allows him to blur the lines in-between the confines of Hardcore, Electronic, Metal, and Hip-Hop. Martin is, also, a skilled tattooer at Brass City Tattoo located in Oakville, Connecticut promoting the traditional approach to the craft. Founded by Martin himself between 2020-22, No More Magic combines ominous melodies with downtempo beats to create a dizzying dream-like atmosphere. Paying homage to the golden era of Hip-Hop while forging ahead down its own dark road. For fans of Portishead, Massive Attack, and DJ Shadow. No More Magic's Introducing The