Fresh Tunes For Fall

Good news for all you blood thirsty, hardcore killjoys out there. Autumn is here, and it comes with enough new music to take you through another crappy holiday season. Take a look at what's to come, kids.

Senses Fail - The Fire

October 26

The hardcore New Jersey quartet are back with their answer to 2008's Life Is Not a Waiting Room. Sticking with what works best, Senses Fail have once again put together a power packed album that's set to bring down the walls of venues nationwide. Need proof? Take a listen to their first single from The Fire entitled, "Saint Anthony." Be sure to check SF out on tour this fall with Bayside, Title Fight and Balance & Composure.

My Chemical Romance - Danger Days: The True Lives of the Fabulous Killjoys

November 22

It's been four years since we last heard from My Chemical Romance, but the emo rock gods are coming full force in 2010 with their fourth studio album. It seems as though the band are radio ready, even after letting go of drummer Bob Bryar. They recently released their first single off Danger Days entitled, "Na Na Na" (see video below). It's an anthemic tune that will be well suited to join their already strong arena rock setlist.

A Day To Remember - What Separates Me From You

November 16

Ocala, Florida natives A Day To Remember went back to producer Andrew Wade (who produced their 2009 release, Homesick) for help on the new record. They spent most of August recording, and even had a special guest, in New Found Glory's Chad Gilbert, drop in to do some work on Separates. No singles have been released as of yet, but look for these guys on tour this fall with Underoath, The Word Alive and Close Your Eyes.

*UPDATE, 10/6 - ADTR release "All I Want" on KROQ. Hear it below.

A Day To Remember - All I Want by KROQ

Bring Me The Horizon - There Is a Hell, Believe Me I’ve Seen It. There Is a Heaven, Let’s Keep It a Secret.

October 4

Having just released the brutal single, "It Never Ends," Bring Me The Horizon are preparing to release their third album next week. Fans can expect more hardcore screamo covered in blood, guts and gore. Seriously, check out BMTH's latest video for proof. The band are currently streaming their entire new album, which you can listen to here.

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A few other noted acts are coming out with fresh music this fall. Be on the lookout for a new record from Underoath on November 9. Bayside have also finished recording, and their new record should be out sometime in the coming months. Jimmy Eat World just released Invented this week, and is available everywhere. Keep listening, rock 'n' rollers.

Dreams of Water Review/HBSB Interview

Back in June, Backstage Press brought you an exclusive interview with Matt Fazzi's new band, Happy Body Slow Brain. He, along with bandmates Isaac Bolivar and Eduardo Torres, had just wrapped up recording Dreams of Water, which was released earlier this month.

Though many fans might know Fazzi from his stint in Taking Back Sunday, Dreams of Water proves that he is capable of much more than just fast alternative rock. Each song on Dreams has a different feel - from R&B bass-driven tunes to your standard rock song, it's all there.

One thing is for sure, this is a musical departure from Taking Back Sunday. But, that's not exactly a bad thing. What we have with Dreams is a record that grabs at many different genres to make one cohesive record.

"HBSB is limitless to us," said Fazzi via e-mail. "We don't feel confined to any one genre or style. Mixing it up is just too much fun. With TBS, there was an expectation sonically so you couldn't really mess with the formula all that much."

Happy Body Slow Brain: Making the Record from happybodyslowbrain on Vimeo.

If mixing it up is what HBSB are going after, they certainly accomplished their goal. "Never Loved," the third track on Dreams, switches at the breakdown from a smooth, lightly distorted guitar track to a crunchier, rhythmic tune that will surprise you mid-song.

Listeners should be ready to hear more than your standard guitar, bass and drums lineup, too. There's plenty of synth and piano melodies in the mix. You even get an instrumental piece mid-record ("The Flight"), which Fazzi took the time to explain to us.

"Most of the guitar/bass/synth tones we just kinda figured out along the way," said Fazzi. "We are so pumped and proud of how it turned out. It also rained heavily while we were there which had a big influence on the vibe."

The band are currently streaming Dreams here, as well as selling digital download packages loaded with tons of freebies. If you order, you'll receive the 13-track record download, the official cover art, individual artwork for every song, a documentary of the making of Dreams, an album cover poster, lyrics sheet, a band portrait and a video for "The Flight."

And if you like what you hear, and live on the East Coast, check HBSB out live. They're touring now through mid-October.

Anberlin Interview/CD Review

This coming Tuesday is a big day for Florida alt-rockers, Anberlin. It marks the release of their fifth studio album, Dark Is The Way, Light Is a Place.

Probably one of the most up and coming bands from the scene, Anberlin are starting to make waves in pop radio markets. This no doubt started with the re-release of "Feel Good Drag" off their 2008 album, New Surrender. And coming into this record, it's clear the boys haven't slowed down.

The 10-song album explodes on the first track, "We Owe This To Ourselves." In classic Anberlin fashion, the guys have melded melody with extremely technical guitar playing straight through the song's breakdown. Post breakdown is met with Nathan Young's signature tight drumming which leads into a lone piano playing the track out.

Though "Owe This" might sound reminiscent of Anberlin's earlier work on Cities, guitarist Christian McAlhaney told Backstage Press that the band didn't want to put out more of the same thing.

"We just tried a lot of different stuff, a lot of different instrumentation," said McAlhaney. "I mean there's one song that has almost a Latin beat, which is totally bizarre. We've never done that. We're just trying new things, really."

That idea of trying new things can best be heard on tracks like "Closer and "Art of War." The latter even opens with a mixture of electronic beats and an organ.

Lyrically, Dark is well, darker. It seems that lead singer Stephen Christian took an extremely personal approach in writing this album as evidenced in "Pray Tell." Are you hiding secrets from me?/ Is there more to this life than I can see?/ What will I find out over time?/ waiting for the moment to arrive.

Avid Anberlin fans should be happy with the record. All your classic Anberlin elements are there. Dark is a fast-paced, catchy album that's just as radio ready as it is stage ready. Simply put, it's a must have.

Songs to Download: We Owe This To Ourselves, Pray Tell, Art of War