THROWBACK THURSDAY - THE ROAD TO NEW ENGLAND METAL & HARDCORE FESTIVAL 2013

THE WITHIN THE RUINS VIDEO IS STILL PROCESSING... 24+ HOURS LATER. YOUTUBE.......

Back in April, there was a massive tour leading up to the northeast's hallowed New England Metal & Hardcore Festival. It was appropriately dubbed "The Road To New England Metal & Hardcore Festival". The 2013 edition boasted a strong line-up with After The Burial, The Contortionist, Within The Ruins, and Glass Cloud wrecking stages nightly.

We have some footage from this tour that never saw the light of day... until now. Better late than never right? Our team actually attended two shows, one in Pittsburgh and one in upstate New York. The following footage is primarily from Pittsburgh, including a video of local heroes Bury Thy Kingdom.

Enjoy all of the above, below!

Links: After The Burial Facebook // Twitter // iTunes
Within The Ruins Facebook // Twitter // iTunes // Official Store
The Contortionist Facebook // Twitter // iTunes
Glass Cloud Facebook // Twitter // iTunes
Bury Thy Kingdom Facebook // Twitter // ReverbNation

THE WEEKEND MOSH II

It returns... Buy real estate and mosh

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Links: Facebook // Official Website

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Links: Facebook // Twitter // iTunes

Links: Facebook // Twitter // iTunes

Links: Facebook // Twitter // iTunes

Links: Facebook // Official Website // Myspace // iTunes

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Links: Facebook // Twitter // iTunes

Links: Facebook // Twitter // iTunes

THE CONTORTIONIST ANNOUNCE NEW FULL-TIME VOCALIST

And it's exactly who some of you may have been expecting. After touring as a replacement for John Carpenter, Mike Lessard of Bostonian band Last Chance To Reason has officially joined forces with The Contortionist as their full-time front man.

Some more interesting news has also come about with this event. Not only will Mike Lessard also continue being the vocalist for Last Chance To Reason as well, Robert Bacca of The Contortionist will join at least as a touring guitarist when they eventually hit the road with Evan Brewer this Summer. Other show / tour plans for Last Chance To Reason have been significantly cut back unfortunately. It should be interesting to see how this affects both bands moving into the future. Especially considering Last Chance To Reason just announced their next release.

Anyways, you can check out music from the parties involved down below.

 

Links: The Contortionist Facebook // Twitter // iTunes
Last Chance To Reason Facebook // Twitter // iTunes

HUGE TOUR WITH BETWEEN THE BURIED AND ME

Check this out! Here's some big news for the American fans of proggy face-melting metal. Between The Buried And Me will be on the road across the nation between September and October with very special support from... take a deep breath... The Faceless, The Contortionist and The Safety Fire! Hell yes!

On top of that, Between the Buried And Me will be performing their album “Future Sequence” in it's entirety. Don't miss this incredible opportunity if they're coming near to you. Tickets are now available exclusively at Showstubs.com. Get them while you can!

Links: BTBAM Facebook // Twitter // Official Store
The Faceless Facebook // Twitter // iTunes
The Contortionist Facebook // Twitter // iTunes
The Safety Fire Facebook // Twitter // Official Website

OUTRUN THE SUNLIGHT COVER THE CONTORTIONIST

The amazing Outrun The Sunlight put up a really nice cover to of the back half of “Geocentric Confusion.” Very cool tribute and pleasing to hear a different take on such a monumental song. Chill out and enjoy these guys…it may be the best 3 minutes of your day.

I also included the full youtube stream of Outrun The Sunlight’s album “The Return of Inertia.” It's truly a great album deserving of appreciation.

An impressive thing about Outrun The Sunlight is the story of how they came to be. Austin Peters and Cody McCarty carved their own channel in which they spread their music through the use of strictly the Internet and social-media, demonstrating the ability we all hold to be heard on our own power.

Outrun The Sunlight took the already harmonious “The Return of Inertia” and took it a few steps further with a re-released vocal version. The re-release features vocalists from all over and vocal styles of almost every type besides yodeling, as well as additional instruments. The final result is an implausibly divine collaborative experience. This re-release can found here on Bandcamp.

- Tyler Dermitt

Links: Facebook // Soundcloud // Bandcamp // Rogue Records America

VEIL OF MAYA'S CANADIAN FORGIVENESS TOUR

It looks like Canada is in for a good time very soon. Beginning at the end of April, The Canadian Forgiveness Tour will be crossing the nation. It will be headlined by Veil Of Maya who are bringing some truly great special guests with them - The Contortionist, Glass Cloud, and on a couple of selected dates, Beyond The Shore!

Veil Of Maya is currently on tour in North America with Parkway Drive, The Word Alive, and While She Sleeps. At the same time The Contortionist is touring the US as well with After The Burial, Within The Ruins, Glass Cloud and City In The Sea on "The Road To New England Metal & Hardcore Festival Tour". As soon as they get back from their respective tours they'll immediately leave for Canada to bring some madness up there too! Keep updated on the bands' pages because more dates should be announced shortly!

-MATTIA

Links: Veil Of Maya Facebook // Twitter // iTunes
The Contortionist Facebook // Twitter // iTunes
Glass Cloud Facebook // Twitter // iTunes
Beyond The Shore Facebook // Twitter // Merch 

FREE TICKETS TO THE ROAD TO NEW ENGLAND METAL & HARDCORE FEST!

You heard right... FREE tickets!

The great people from Live Nation are working with us to give away two pairs of tickets to see The Road To New England Metal Fest Tour at The Sea at Santos Party House in New York on April 21st 2013!

The bands on the tour are After The Burial, Within the Ruins, The Contortionist, Glass Cloud, and City in the Sea.

ENTER TO WIN
1. Must like The Circle Pit on Facebook
2. Must like Live Nation on Facebook
3. Must like this post

BONUS
1. Sshare this post and tag both Live Nation and The Circle Pit
2. Comment on the post "Why you should win" for a third vote

This contest ends Tuesday 4/16 at 4pm EST!

To purchase tickets on your own go to HERE.

*We will contact the winner.

*By participating, you acknowledge that you completely release Facebook of all responsibility. This promotion is in no way sponsored, endorsed, administered by, or associated with Facebook.

THE ROAD TO NEW ENGLAND METAL & HARDCORE FESTIVAL 2013

There's a massive tour headed through the States leading up to the massive New England Metal & Hardcore Festival. This is The Road To New England Metal Fest. Probably the coolest Festival Tour idea ever.

Starting April 12th, After The Burial, Within The Ruins, The Contortionist (unfortunately without Johnathan Carpenter... read why here), Glass Cloud, and City In The Sea will raise hell through America leading up to the big event, and perform at the Festival itself on the 20th. You can read all about the massive event right here. Metal Fest runs from April 19th to the 21st, but the tour will run all the way until the 27th. Go ahead and check the dates along with music from all the bands down below.

Links: After The Burial Facebook // Twitter // iTunes
Within The Ruins Facebook // Twitter // iTunes // Official Store
The Contortionist Facebook // Twitter // iTunes
Glass Cloud Facebook // Twitter // iTunes
City In The Sea Facebook // Twitter

JONATHAN CARPENTER LEAVES THE CONTORTIONIST

The Contortionist just announced through Blabbermouth.net that they have parted ways with vocalist and keyboard player Jonathan Carpenter, who is expecting his first child. There's no trouble in the band, Jonathan simply decided to dedicate himself to his family as he stated the following.

"I wish the best to all of my band buds and everyone who supports live music and all this heavy banger music we've been making. I feel very excited for my future with the love of my life and our pups, and our little one on the way."

Jonathan is going to be temporarily replaced by Mike Lessard of Last Chance To Reason. Guess we'll see if he's going to be confirmed as The Contortionist's new vocalist soon or if the band's going to start looking for a new front man. Stay tuned for more updates.

- MATTIA

Links: Facebook // Twitter // iTunes

HATEBREED / SHADOWS FALL / DYING FETUS / THE CONTORTIONIST TOUR!

There's a massive tour incoming with quite a mixed bag of artists. Hatebreed will be tearing apart the United States along with Shadows Fall, Dying Fetus, and The Contortionist. That means Hardcore, Metalcore, Death Metal, and Progressive Metal will be joining forces on this one. Should be one helluva show with a diverse crowd to boot. Check the dates on the flyer below along with music videos from all the bands \m/

Links: Hatebreed Facebook // Twitter // iTunes
Shadows Fall Facebook // Twitter // iTunes
Dying Fetus Facebook // Twitter // iTunes
The Contortionist Facebook // Twitter // iTunes

NEW ENGLAND METAL & HARDCORE FESTIVAL XV

The New England Metal & Hardcore Festival has their line-up announced for this year. It will be the festival's fifteenth year providing some of the finest metal and hardcore to America's northeast. It will run three days from April 19th to the 21st. That's a lot of moshing to do!

Bands that will be making an appearance include Anthrax, Opeth, The Dillinger Escape Plan, Suicidal Tendencies, Hatebreed, Katatonia, Tyr, Ensiferum, Miss May I, Municipal Waste, Born of Osiris, After The Burial, The Contortionist, and Trapped Under Ice among MANY others. Check some videos from the headliners, take a peek at the rest of the line-up below, check the official website, and get stoked!

 

Links: Official Website

TOP 10 ALBUMS OF 2012

It's finally here. These are our top 10 albums of 2012. It's been one helluva year for the heavy music community and now it's time to celebrate the cream of the crop. Here are the top 10 albums of 2012, no shits given about whiny elitist opinions. Also check out our top 10 of 2009, 2010, and 2011.

   1   
PERIPHERY - PERIPHERY II: THIS TIME IT'S PERSONAL

This wasn't just an album, it was an event. The anticipation was so high for this record you could have cut it with a chainsaw. And when it hit, it hit hard. There's division amongst the metal community, but it's hard to deny the musical excellence without being an elitist (refer to the intro of the segment). "Periphery II: This Time It's Personal" was damn near perfect. Every virtuosic member of this band progressed significantly, making serious contributions to form a masterpiece. Intelligently crafted and executed, every track offers something unique and awe-inspiring. "Periphery II" deserves album of the year. Easy.

  Links: Facebook // Twitter // iTunes

   2   
THE HAARP MACHINE - DISCLOSURE

From the very first time Sumerian Records announced The HAARP Machine, it was evident they would become a metal juggernaut. But at the time, there was no way of telling just how amazing they would be. "Disclosure" is everything you could hope for and some. Providing a cutting edge Progressive sound and a serious, shred heavy Technical approach along with Mike Semesky's amazing vocal work, Abdullah Al Mu'min and crew  created one of the best albums to come out in 2012. This is a masterpiece through and through. This is evinced by tracks like "Pleiadian Keys", "The Escapist Notion", "Disclosure", and "Esoteric Agenda".

Links: Facebook // Twitter // iTunes 

   3   
SKYHARBOR - BLINDING WHITE NOISE: ILLUSION & CHAOS

Coming out of India, Skyharbor made a huge debut. Featuring the flawless voice of Daniel Tompkins (ex-Tesseract) and boasting massive guest spots from Marty Friedmen (ex-Megadeth) among others, they formed a masterpiece. Actually it wouldn't be a stretch to call Skyharbor's debut, "Blinding White Noise", music of the gods with it's ethereal beauty and unique approach of songwriting. Split into two parts, "Illusion" for beauty and "Chaos" for heaviness, this album is so unlike what you've heard before. It's encouraged you give it a listen or seven. You'll thank us after hearing songs like "Dots", "Maeva", "Aurora" and "Celestial".

  Links: Facebook // Twitter // iTunes

   4   
THE SAFETY FIRE - GRIND THE OCEAN

There's so much to say about this album. The Safety Fire made one of the strongest debuts all year with their full-length, "Grind The Ocean". Years in the making, they have managed to create a stand out masterpiece. Bringing next level creativity and writing some of the best riffs known to man, this UK musical unit is easily one of the most promising bands out there. "Grind The Ocean" covered so much ground both musically and thematically, making for an abundance of classics on this record. "Huge Hammers", "Circassian Beauties", "Floods of Colour", and the rehashed versions of "Sections" and "DMP (FDP)" are just a few greats among many.

  Links: Facebook // Twitter // iTunes

   5   
RINGS OF SATURN - DINGIR

Aliens, man.... aliens. Rings of Saturn write some of the sharpest, most technically proficient Death Metal that will ever bless your ears (...or shred them). "Dingir" is absolute brutal chaos from start to finish. This band shreds like no other \m/ Plain and simple. Actually they do it so well we're convinced they aren't human beings. Thus aliencore. Songs like "Objective To Harvest", "Faces Imploding", "Peeling Arteries", and "Hyperforms" should be locked up in Area 51. You can actually stream the ENTIRE album below and see why. This is definitely recommended if you have forty minutes to kill (bad Death Metal pun intended).

  Links: Facebook // Twitter // iTunes

   6   
BETWEEN THE BURIED AND ME - THE PARALLAX II: FUTURE SEQUENCE

Between The Buried And Me always seem to expand and improve with every release. Which is saying a lot considering they're practically gods of Progressive Metal already. This is true as ever with their epic full-length "The Parallax II: Future Sequence". The band's sixth studio album is also the second part of the band's interstellar space saga. And it's safe to say it expands upon the concept of the original EP brilliantly. The release is teeming with master level classics. "Astral Body", "Telos", "Goodbye To Everything", and "Extremophile Elite" are just a few examples of the absolute greatness on "The Parallax II". Welcome to hyperspace.

  Links: Facebook // Twitter // iTunes

   7   
THE CONTORTIONIST - INTRINSIC

The Contortionist are certainly standing out as one of the premiere bands of the metal underground. They have expanded and grown much since their debut, moving away from their Deathcore roots in favor of a Progressive approach and pure creativity. Not to say there isn't extreme heaviness to be found on "Intrinsic", just twice as much genius. This album is mind-blowing on so many levels (more puns). "Intrinsic" is a high-octane adventure through the inner workings of the human consciousness, providing captivating soundscapes for brains to explore. "A secret dimension of noise" - That lyric pretty much sums it up.

  Links: Facebook // Twitter // iTunes

   8   
MESHUGGAH - KOLOSS

The masters of Math Metal never seem to disappoint. We're actually fairly convinced Meshuggah are robots, void of humanity, designed by the Swedish government to decimate the eardrums of metal listeners worldwide. Listening to Meshuggah is like receiving a heavy brain massage. Listening to "Koloss" is like having your brain massaged by a robotic titan. Expect massive grooves, mechanical technicality, and unparalleled polyrhythms. This is a prime example of Meshuggah doing what they do best. They crank out goods like "Do Not Look Down", "Break Those Bones Whose Sinews Gave It Motion", and "Demiurge" for this colossal experience.

  Links: Facebook // Twitter // iTunes

   9   
THE FACELESS - AUTOTHEISM

The Faceless came back as strong and creative as ever with their third full-length "Autotheism". This album seemingly took forever to be released, but was well worth the wait when it hit. There were serious line up changes, but The Keene Machine raised the bar with Evan Brewer and Wes Hauch in the mix. In many ways, this is really a side step for the band. "Autotheism" is an unexpected treat to listen to with an increased focus on melody and a theatrical approach. It opens up with singing for christ sake. Who honestly expected that? When all the factors are added up, it makes for a phenomenal listening experience.

  Links: Facebook // Twitter // iTunes

   10   
DEFTONES - KOI NO YOKAN

Deftones has been in the business of making awesome music for over two decades and they haven't even come close to losing their spark. Their tenth studio album, "Koi No Yokan", is perfect evidence of that. This record delivers in all the ways that matter. It is the complete package from flying through the air with "Swerve City" to the genius, floaty closer "What Happened To You?". All the songs in between are outstanding as well. "Leathers", "Tempest", and "Entombed" just to name a few. This album is just plain amazing. It's recommended you give it a good listen but watch out... you may end up falling in love after listening (get it?).

  Links: Facebook // Twitter // iTunes

TOP 10 ALBUMS OF 2010 - RECAP

In the weeks leading up to the end of the year and our top 10 list of 2012, we're giving credit to the past couple years too. Here's the top ten albums of 2010, no shits given about whiny elitist opinions. Also have a look back at 2009.

   1   
PERIPHERY - SELF TITLED

Periphery's debut was more than just an album, it was the the trigger of the entire modern tech-metal movement. Love it or hate it, this is what largely popularized the "djent" tone. That aside, the album itself is just plain incredible. It offers such a diverse variety of music from the lighter end on "Jetpacks Was Yes!" and "All New Materials" to the heavy chaos of "Zyglrox" and "The Walk" along with everything in between. Every track had something unique and genius to offer. Other great examples are "Icarus Lives!" and the 15 minute epic "Racecar". Add it all up and you get the top album of 2010. This is a metal classic through and through.

Links: Facebook // Twitter // iTunes

   2   
RINGS OF SATURN - EMBRYONIC ANOMALY

Rings of Saturn writes music on an apocalyptic scale. This is massive, crushing, tech death centered around the xenocide of the human race \m/ The band could be described as The Faceless on crack. The Rings of Saturn debut was an absolutely world crushing experience. "Embryonic Anomaly" is fast, focused, and coldly calculated with a great deal of complete insanity in the mix. When you get down to it, this record is scary good. Stand out tracks include "Seized and Devoured", "Abducted", and the title track among many other greats. If you consider yourself a fan of Tech Death, "Embryonic Anomaly" is a must. Aliens man, aliens.

Links: Facebook // Bandcamp // iTunes 

   3   
GRU - COSMOGENESIS

Easily described as an alternative to Animals As Leaders, Poland's very own Gru aka Piotrek Gruszka is an amazing artist in his own right. His debut "Cosmogeneis" is a mind blowing, virtuosic ride across the universe and back again. This record comes across as genius level art in every way. From the intro to the amazing "Zeta Reticuli", the album is an awe-inspiring musical experience. There are several other classics such as the explosive opener "Nebula", aural giant "Stellar", and the galactic pleasures of "Andromeda". "Cosmogenesis" is filled to the brim with tasty, intellectual ear candy. This record is highly recommended!

Links: Facebook // Twitter // Bandcamp

   4   
THE DILLINGER ESCAPE PLAN - OPTION PARALYSIS

It would be a crime not to include The Dillinger Escape Plan's fourth studio album on this list. The anger, paranoia, anxiousness, expressed on "Option Paralysis" are far beyond most anything you're accustomed to hearing. As to be expected, they bring the heavy, off-time chaos and creativity and excel at doing so. This record is a trip into complete insanity. The drumming, guitar, and bass work are psychotically good as the vocals seethe with raw, unchecked emotion. "Farewell, Mona Lisa", "Gold Teeth on a Bum", "Good Neighbor", "Crystal Morning" and "Widower" are several reasons why this record is a Mathcore classic.

  Links: Facebook // Twitter // iTunes

   5   
THE CONTORTIONIST - EXOPLANET

The Contortionist's huge debut "Exoplanet" certainly caused quite a commotion as it spread through space and every corner of the metal underground. This isn't an album, it's an interstellar adventure. The excellent balance between extreme heaviness and beautiful melodic segments on this record is undeniable. And the musicianship displayed by the band from song to song is phenomenal. Tracks like "Flourish", "Primal Directive", "Oscillator", and the three epic parts of the title track stood out especially. "Exoplanet" is a brilliant album with a brilliant concept behind it, putting The Contortionist on the map in a big way.

  Links: Facebook // Twitter // iTunes

   6   
CLOUDKICKER - BEACONS

Businessman by day, polyrythmical genius by night, Cloudkicker aka Ben Sharp never fails to impress with his brand of complex music. Some would consider the record "Beacons" to be his best work to date. It's the first full-length in which he really began to move away from his "Melodic Meshuggah" sound in favor of a more progressive, ambient approach. And it yielded some amazing aural results. "Beacons" is filled with melodic tension and pure greatness from beginning to end. Must listens on this record include "Push It Way Up!", "We're Going In. We're Going Down.", and "It's Bad. We're Hit, Man, We Are Hit." Great titles, even better record.

  Links: Facebook // Bandcamp

   7   
AFTER THE BURIAL - IN DREAMS

While we agree with much of the metal community that After The Burial's follow up to the classic "Rareform" didn't quite compare, there's no denying that "In Dreams" is one helluva album. Not to mention it has the best album artwork ever made. "In Dreams" brought a big time groove with it, punishing the listeners ear with pure metal greatness from track to track \m/ There were huge stand outs like the vicious opener "My Frailty", "Bread Crumbs & White Stones", "Encased In Ice", the emotionally charged "To Carry You Away", and someone gets hit by a train in "Your Troubles Will Cease And Fortune Will Smile Upon You". Great stuff.

  Links: Facebook // Twitter // iTunes

   8   
VEIL OF MAYA - [id]

Coming off the legendary "Common Man's Collapse", Veil of Maya made a very strong return with "[id]". This album is a heavy as hell journey through the human consciousness, pushing technicality to it's extreme limits. VoM also took the strangeness and creativity they're known for and went all out with them, making "[id]" anything but a linear musical experience. With synapse ripping tracks such as "Unbreakable", "Dark Passenger", "Mowgli", "Namaste" laced between some hard hitting interludes, there's a risk of permanent brain damage while listening to this record (in the best way possible \m/) Get with the Veil or get out of the pit.

  Links: Facebook // Twitter // iTunes

   9   
DEFTONES - DIAMOND EYES

Deftones have been making top notch music for a long time now. And their sixth studio album "Diamond Eyes" lived up to their reputation 100%. This album is just as enjoyable today as it was back in 2010. Unique in it's fusion of rage and beauty, Deftones entwined Progressive Rock and Metal damn near perfectly on this album. There were no limitations as they experimented in several directions from track to track. Stand outs include the title track opener, "You've Seen The Butcher", "Beauty School", "Sextape", and the dangerous "Rocket Skates". "Diamond Eyes" flows seamlessly all the way through and leaves you wanting to listen again.

  Links: Facebook // Twitter // iTunes

   10   
THE GHOST INSIDE - RETURNERS

There's a lot to say about this incredible record. The Ghost Inside's sophomore effort "Returners" is a staple of the modern day hardcore scene. Packing a heavy punch on every track, this album is filled with mosh worthy segments. There's also great use of melody in the mix. And it's hard to deny the powerfully uplifting lyrics from Johnathan Vigil. Tracks such as "Between The Lines", "Unspoken", "Greater Distance", "Chrono", and "Overlooked" are just plain strong and inspiring. This is a band that literally gives their all in everything they do. And they do it all for their fans. "Returners" is heavy music with meaning backing it.

  Links: Facebook // Twitter // iTunes