WSOU 89.5 FM - The Loudest Rock

Brittany Speared's Top Album Cover Picks

2011-12-27T16:39:00.006-05:00

Hope everybody's been having a brutal holiday season - though whether it's been a good brutal or bad brutal is yours to decide. I'm Brittany Speared, a regular rotation DJ and occasional cover host of Vintage 80s.

Not even a lot of long-time callers know this, but I'm a graphic design major here at Seton Hall. I'm graduating this spring, and have been doing all sorts of internships to build my resume. Which is to say, my 2011 ran me ragged, and because of that, I am completely behind on listening to metal releases. So I don't have a best-of list of music for you guys. Instead, I'm going to write about something I do have the authority to speak on: ALBUM COVERS.

Marketing tools like album covers can absolutely have artistic value while still being effective, so I developed some loose criteria to evaluate them with. Does the art look TOTALLY AWESOME? If I was in a record store (hahaha), would it instantly grab my eye (through color and contrast)? Are the band logo and album title integrated into the artwork in a thoughtful way?

(Apologies for not including most of the album artists' names. I wish I could have. Unfortunately, because I'm behind on releases this year, I don't have the liner notes at my disposal.)

10. Primordial - Redemption at the Puritan's Hand
Lo-fi folk metal band from Ireland. Refreshingly, Primordial didn't rely on hokey forest imagery (their subgenre) or hokier shamrock imagery (every Celtic band ever). The high-contrast cover with a minimal number of colors definitely draws my eye. But the main reason I like it so much it that I did a package design project with similar elements this year (before I saw the album art, I promise you). It's a little simple, though, which is why it's at the bottom of my top 10.

9. Bosse de Nage - ii
Francophile, avant-garde black metal from the Bay Area totally spit in the eye of their subgenre's tradition of purposely-horrible covers and did something pretty interesting. The minimalistic cover shines in the haze of overdetailed and unreadable logos. The strange fins sticking out of the letters of "Bosse" bother me, though. The one on the B could stay, if its curve followed the path of the O better. I suppose it was a decision to add tension and movement to an otherwise heavy, static cover. It's still very cool, though! It reminds me of early Constructivist propaganda, which is one of my favorite artistic movements.

8. Hull - Beyond the Lightless Sky
I absolutely love Hull's logo, it's a gorgeous piece of typography. The subdued tan and black of the cover is an interesting and unique statement, as well. I can't work up much to say about it beyond that, though, which is why it scored fairly low (even though I would still hang it on my wall). While it's an awesome piece, I think it would be passed over in favor of something more eye-catching, like…

7. Protest the Hero - Scurrilous
Protest the Hero released my favorite album of 2011, so I feel a bad I didn't score them higher. But the painting, while cool and surrealistic, doesn't really excite me as a piece of design. The framing elements are cool, though, and elevate the cover beyond the exhausted "logo on a painting" cliché.

6. Arckanum - Helvítismyrk
Helvítismyrk is the most traditional of the album art on this list; that is to say, it's a painted rendering of something badass and evil going on. Unlike most other covers in the style, which are frequently… crummy, the art is well-rendered and has an interesting composition. It's not overdetailed. Having a flat black negative space lets your eye investigate the mysterious smoky figure without becoming overwhelmed. The more I look at it, the more I like it. Its final place is way higher than I thought I would give it.
Also, it's a haunted skull.

5. Cormorant - Dwellings
Dwellings is guilty of the typical "Step 1: Get a painting. Step 2: Put your logo on it." method of album art design, but the artist is clearly very skilled in both technique and composition (the arrangement of visual elements in a work, much like a camera angle of your mind!). It's an awesome painting.

4. Mastodon - The Hunter (Deluxe Edition)
And Mastodon makes it onto yet another year end list with their amazing cover based on the sculptural work of AJ Fosik. I found their regular version kind of dull, but for the deluxe edition, all elements are in conversation. The text is integrated into the piece, the totem stares you down. Look at the nasty beast. I would not want to mess with him, but Mastodon chopped his head off and hung it on a wall.

3. Black Tusk - Set the Dial
Like most sludge metal bands, Black Tusk once again had John Dyer Baizley, one of my favorite illustrators (and musicians) do their album art. This is not a bad thing. John Dyer Baizley should do everyone's album art.

2. Blut Aus Nord - 777 – The Desanctification
Another deranged, avant-garde black metal band, this time actually from France. Their album art subverts the usual stereotypes of the larger genre, and presents something well-rendered and interesting. Only a metal band could get away with a cover like this today. I would plow over small children (and anything else in my way) to get to this album art in my hands. I placed it higher than a John Dyer Baizley illustration! I credit that largely to the attention-grabbing, high contrast color scheme.

1. Ghost - Opus Eponymous
And the sickest artwork of the year goes to Ghost's debut album. The hand-rendered, destined-to-be-iconic logo, fantastic composition, and unique color scheme all immediately came to mind when I began working on this article. Opus Eponymous is undoubtedly the best and most designed. Ghost has had a lot of marketing support behind them, and it shows. It isn't just a logo slapped on top of a painting, it frames the band's mascot/singer. The latter's cloak becomes the sky as he looms over the building. Bats are flying, a bad moon's rising, the guy has a skullface. It's metal, and it's good design, definitively proving that they're not mutually exclusive.

BONUS ROUND: Most Stereotypically Metal Cover Art
Amon Amarth - Surtur Rising
I don't think anything needs to be explained here.

WSOU and Bandmerch.com Presents August Burns Red

2011-12-18T14:59:00.003-05:00

Friday, January 13!
WSOU & Bandmerch.com Presents

August Burns Red
Silverstein • Texas In July • Letlive • An all-ages to enter, 21 to drink event. $18 advance, $20 day of show + applicable surcharges

For tickets, visit Ticketmaster at http://www.ticketmaster.com/

25 Reasons You SHOULD Have Been at WSOU's 25 Years of Metal

2011-11-22T18:19:00.007-05:00

What’s going on everybody?! Sorry about the delay on this one, I was too busy spending the weekend recovering from the spin kick I took to the head during Fit for an Autopsy’s set. Yeah, the concert was that insane. With that, here are 25 reasons you should have been at WSOU’s 25 Years of Metal show!!

1. You would have gotten to see local young guns Name the Creature play in front of a small cluster of people. May not sound like anything important, but for those guys to still flash their brand of melodic death metal with as much energy as they did and without a much of a crowd was pretty admirable.

2. Name the Creature also gave out lollipops to the fans who came to their merch table. I mean, c’mon. Who doesn’t love lollipops?!?!

3. Had you been one of the many who began to fill up Starland during Thanatonic Desire’s set, you would have heard the Street Patrol stars’ killer sound. If you took Coroner, asked them to play melodic crossover, and gave their bass player the bass sound of Jeroen Paul Thesseling (of Pestilence and Obscura fame), you would get Thanatonic Desire. Those guys play with a fresh take on the genre that everyone should check out.

4. You probably would have been terrified when Fit for an Autopsy guitarist Pat Sheridan simply said, “We’re Fit for an Autopsy, do something.” When a band that brutal implores the crowd to get crazy in such a simple manner, they’re just leaving the door wide open for the crowd to get violent.

5. Yeah, it did get pretty violent. I was situated on the side of the pit, and as previously mentioned, got kicked in the head. As much as it was unpleasant to deal with, I must admit that it was still pretty metal.

6. The crowd didn’t become brutal without reason, it was matching the intensity of FFAA. It’s been a long time since I’ve heard a deathcore band with such violent breakdowns. The band was ridiculously heavy, but still very technically proficient. Anyone who hasn’t heard them yet needs to crawl out of the rock they’ve been hiding under and get their act together.

7. You would have gotten to be a part of an audience with one of the highest per capita ninja-dancer populations I’ve ever seen.

8. Molotov Solution would have given you a seriously rude awakening. Their brand of technical deathcore – accentuated by rhythmically layered breakdowns and dissonant guitar screeches – was one to be much appreciated.

9. You may have also wanted to cry for momma after watching Molotov Solution’s bassist Shane Slade play. Not only was the dude a sick bassist – having a dense, punishingly deep tone and some serious chops – his stage presence was straight up terrifying. Slade spent the duration of the set glaring menacingly at the crowd, and his stare was just as intense as the band’s set was.

10. Skeletonwitch. You missed Skeletonwitch. What on earth is wrong with you?

11. But seriously, Skeletonwitch was ridiculously impressive. The band, along with their contemporaries, (that include Warbringer, Lazarus AD, and Gamma Bomb) comprise the Neo-Thrash movement, and witnessing their variation of blackened thrash shows that thrash is alive, and doing very, very well.

12. The audience went wild for the band. Singer Chase Garnette in particular seemed to be a crowd favorite. His piercing, pseudo-black metal scream was unique and simply awesome.

13. One last thing about those guys, the old school circle pit that broke out during their set was massive, and was reminiscent to those that the used to take place during the hey-days of thrash.

14. As if you didn’t already have enough reasons to prove to you that you should have been at that show, let me remind you that you didn’t see Chimaira play that night. I’ve personally seen Chimaira multiple times, and I can honestly say that this was the best I’ve ever seen them.

15. Singer Mark Hunter performed his clean vocals even better live than he did on the band’s new album This is Hell.

16. New drummer Austin D’Amond was out of his mind talented. His double bass was blazingly quick, allowing for a slightly faster tempo for all of the songs. His hands were often hard to make out, because they moved so fast they often became a blur. Oh yeah, the dude had a drum solo too. It was filled with lighting fast fills, syncopated ostinatos, and brutal double bass beats. This guy is going to be a great fit for the group.

17. The bands other new addition, Sean Zatorsky, was equally noteworthy. Also controlling samples and sound effects, Zatorsky’s bass drops were absolutely colossal. My chest hurt just from standing in front of those speakers. The drops gave the band a dense and thick tone, one that suits them well.

18. Additionally, Zatorsky has an awesome beard. He puts all of the mere mortals who are partaking in No Shave November to shame.

19. Perhaps the most important aspect of Chimaira’s set was the fact that it was one of the last that guitarists Matt DeVries and Rob Arnold will be playing with the band. The duo will depart from the band after Chimaira Christmas 2011 for “personal reasons,” yet there seemed to be no animosity amongst the members of the band during the show. In fact, the group has seemed to treat the situation since its announcement as an opportunity to celebrate their last moments together, making for a killer, energetic set. Those of us in attendance got to witness one of the last shows with those guys in the band, and it was well worth it.

20. Unearth’s metalcore prowress was on full display as they closed out the show. The tracks from their new album Darkness in the Light were awesome live as well.

21. Guitarists Buz McGrath and Ken Susi did a synchronized jump off of their speaker cabinets. It was almost as if Van Halen had come back in a much heavier and more technical form. (And I mean that in the best way possible).

22. Unearth made a point of letting the crowd know that it was “National Dude with a Moustache Appreciation Day.” I had shaved the night before. My luck.

23. Susi also appeared out of nowhere to shred on top of the bar. Nice touch.

24. When a fan asked “Who the new guy behind the drums is,” we in the audience were surprised and excited to be among the first in the world to hear that touring drummer Nick Pierce is now the official drummer for the band (!!!!!!!)

25. Finally, you should have been at our 25 Years of Metal show because WSOU is the best radio station around. Sure, I may be a bit biased, but even before I started working here, WSOU was one of my favorite things about the Tri-State Area. This show was the culmination of all of the hard work of the managers and of 25 years of keeping metal radio alive. But hey, if you weren’t there, just make it a point to make our 50 Years of Metal show in 2036!

So if you missed this show,t here’s a rough summary of the highlights of the night. That being said, you probably should have been there. I mean, c’mon, it was a killer night. But hey, we’re not going anywhere, just catch us next time!

As always, feel free to hit me up with suggestions, questions, comments, or concerns at Dylan.wsou@gmail.com.

Until next time,

Dylan

WSOU CREATES SPECIAL PROGRAMMING FOR COLLEGE RADIO DAY

2011-10-11T11:18:00.000-04:00

For more information, contact:
Mark Maben, WSOU general manager. 973-761-9546, mark.maben@shu.edu
Omar Ahmad, WSOU station manager. 973-313-6110, wsoustationmanager@gmail.com

(South Orange, N.J.)--- 89.5 FM WSOU, Seton Hall Pirate Radio, announced today that for its participation in College Radio Day on Oct. 11, the station will be featuring interviews with Five Finger Death Punch, Senses Fail, God Forbid and other bands WSOU gave early airplay to. Band members will speak about the role WSOU has played in nurturing their rise to fame. College Radio Day is a nationwide event celebrating the importance of college radio to communities, local music scenes, emerging artists and the cultivation of new broadcast and media talent.

“WSOU is well-known in the music industry for being a leader in breaking new bands,” says student station manager Omar Ahmad, who notes that the station gave the first area airtime, and in some cases the first-ever radio time, to Korn, Incubus, Pearl Jam, Smashing Pumpkins, Rage Against the Machine, Linkin Park, My Chemical Romance and Thursday, among others. “We felt the best way for WSOU to highlight the importance of college radio was to let the musicians who have benefited from college radio’s support tell their story.”

In addition to band interviews, WSOU’s student managers will be offering personal commentaries on why college radio is important to them and the New York. Interviews and commentaries will be aired at the bottom of every hour between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. (see schedule below). The day’s programming will also feature special songs, station IDs, a 15-minute documentary on college radio that is being aired on all stations participating in College Radio Day, and interviews with station alumni Bob Ley and Bob Picozzi, who both went on to notable careers at ESPN.

The student managers of WSOU eagerly agreed to be part of College Radio Day because of the station’s rich 63-year history and because of the recent increase in the sale of college radio stations. “Today, many people tend to overlook or write off College radio as there seems to be a misinformed opinion that radio is dead,” says Ahmad. “Radio is not dead, and in fact, is still responsible for creating and shaping the careers of many artists and experts in the field of communications. While the administration has assured the station that WSOU is safe, there are other schools that are selling off their radio stations due to financial difficulties, and that's troubling.”

WSOU general manager Mark Maben, says that college radio stations provide vital experiential-learning opportunities that cannot be easily duplicated. “College Radio Day is a way for us to remind the world that college stations not only serve their communities, but give students a hands-on learning experience that cannot be emulated by reading a book or going to a lecture. Station alumni such as WINS’ Glenn Schuck, WDHA’s Kim Mulligan and NJ Devils radio announcer Matt Loughlin are all thriving today because of skills and confidence they developed at WSOU.”

One of the students who has greatly benefited from her time at WSOU is music director Gabby Canella, who has become deeply interested in a career in broadcasting or the music industry thanks to her three plus years working at Seton Hall’s station. “Not only have I learned a lot at WSOU, my experience has opened up doors for me that wouldn’t have otherwise.” Instrumental in arranging the band interviews, Canella says that she was struck by a common theme raised by the bands. “All of the bands spoke about how WSOU moved their careers forward and how critical college radio is to supporting bands before they become mainstream.”

College Radio Day will be acknowledged on more than 300 radio stations from coast-to-coast in the United States and Canada on Tuesday, Oct. 11. WSOU’s participation will be anchored by DJs The David Rind Experience, Brittany Speared, Dem Duquettes, and The Brooklyn Dodger. WSOU’s College Radio Day Interview schedule is as follows:

7:30 a.m.: Commentary by Gabby Canella, WSOU music director
8:30 a.m.: Band Interview with God Forbid (New Brunswick, NJ-based band)
9:30 a.m.: Commentary by Omar Ahmad, WSOU station manager
10:30 a.m.: Band Interview with Senses Fail (Ridgewood, NJ); Alumnus interview with Bob Picozzi
11:30 a.m.: Commentaries by Katie Duffy and Samantha Desmond, WSOU staff representative and promotions director
12:30 p.m.: Band Interview with Trivium
1:30 p.m.: Commentaries by Chris Duquette and Victoria Haffner, WSOU technical operations director and news director
2:30 p.m.: Band Interview with Biohazard (Brooklyn, NY)
3:30 p.m.: Commentary by David Rind, WSOU sports director; Alumnus interview with Bob Ley
4:30 p.m.: Band Interview with Five Finger Death Punch
5:30 p.m.: Commentary by Brittany Martinez, WSOU program director
6:30 p.m.: Band Interview with Hatebeed
7:30 p.m.: Broadcast of National College Radio Day Documentary

About 89.5 FM WSOU
WSOU, which began broadcasting in 1948, is the student-run, award-winning radio station of Seton Hall University. On Nov. 18, the station will present a concert with Chimaira, Unearth, Skeletonwitch and more at the Starland Ballroom in celebration of the 25th anniversary of WSOU’s current loud active rock format, which features metal, punk, hardcore and post-hardcore music. In addition to its active rock programming, WSOU is also the broadcast home for Seton Hall athletics and airs religious, public affairs and ethnic programming. With a 2,400-watt signal broadcast from the University’s South Orange campus, WSOU reaches all five boroughs of New York City and much of northern and central of New Jersey. WSOU streams online at www.wsou.net. The website also features additional information about the station.

About Seton Hall University
For 154 years, Seton Hall University has been a catalyst for leadership, developing the whole student, mind, heart and spirit. Seton Hall combines the resources of a large university with the personal attention of a small liberal arts college. Its attractive suburban campus is only 14 miles by train, bus or car to New York City, with the wealth of employment, internship, cultural and entertainment opportunities the city offers. Seton Hall is a Catholic university that embraces students of all races and religions, challenging each other to better the world through integrity, compassion, and a commitment to serving others. For more information, visit: www.shu.edu.

About College Radio Day
The aim of College Radio Day is to harness the combined listenership of hundreds of thousands of college radio listeners throughout North America and to celebrate the important contribution of college radio to America's airwaves. The original idea for College Radio Day was conceived by Rob Quicke, general manager, WPSC-FM, William Paterson University and was founded by Rob Quicke and Peter Kreten, general manager, WXAV-FM, Saint Xavier University. More than 300 stations are participating in the first-ever College Radio Day on Oct. 11, 2011. For more information, go to: www.collegeradioday.com.

-###-

BRING ME THE HORIZON AT ROSELAND BALLROOM

2011-10-06T22:56:00.003-04:00

By Victoria Haffner

Roseland Ballroom was not prepared for the pandemonium that was about to be caused by Bring Me the Horizon’s U.S Fall Tour. With supporting acts of Parkway Drive, the Architects (U.K.), Deez Nuts, and On Broken Wings, September 21st was definitely going to be a night of breakdowns and chaos.

On Broken Wings, the only American act (from Boston, Massachusetts) on the bill, opened up the show with tons of energy that would be repeated throughout the night. It was clear that the moshcore pioneers had some fans as Bring Me the Horizon watched on the sidelines with Frankie Palmeri from Emmure as well. Oli Sykes, lead vocalist for BMTH, and Palmeri lent their vocals to two different songs including “Six Hundred Cubic Centimeters”.

The Australian band Deez Nuts were up next and stood out in this tour with their distinct hardcore sound along with their unique and charismatic stage presence. The punk and hip hop influenced trio continued to get the crowd amped up for the next band’s set while showcasing songs from their albums Rep Your Hood and Stay True.
Following were Architects (UK), who played fan favorites such as “Follow the Water” and “Numbers Count for Nothing”. The Brits also performed “Day In, Day Out” and “Delete, Rewind” off of their latest album The Here, The Now.

Since their headlining tour earlier this year, Parkway Drive had not been in the states and they were ready to bring back their metalcore sound to New York City. Needless to say, I was pumped for their set and the boys from Byron Bay, Australia did not fail me. They played songs from all their albums, such as “Romance is Dead”, “Idols and Anchors”, and “Sleepwalker”--appeasing old and new fans alike. Lead singer Winston McCall was continuously amazed at the energy of the crowd and the band reciprocated with an equally powerful and enthusiastic performance. By the end of “Carrion”, their final song of the night, the crowd was thoroughly exhausted, but that didn’t matter as the final band took the stage.

I have seen Bring Me the Horizon play live numerous times in the past and thought I was prepared for the crazy antics Oli Sykes and Co. would bring—but I was wrong. They opened up their set with “Diamonds Aren’t Forever” and immediately set the tone for their set as Sykes flew into the crowd twice. With each song, he urged the crowd to get crazier until the height of the mayhem. During “Anthem“, a track off their latest album “There is a Hell, Believe Me I’ve Seen It. There is a Heaven, Let’s Keep It a Secret”, the band demanded that everyone rush the stage and in minutes it seemed as everyone in the venue was on the stage singing along and often groping the lead singer. Obviously, the security guards were having a fit.

With a lineup filled with Australians and Brits—and some Bostonians for good measure—Bring Me the Horizon’s North American Tour definitely had its fair share of loud metal, mosh pits and great accents, too!

2011-09-20T15:56:00.004-04:00

89.5 FM WSOU ANNOUNCES 25 YEARS OF METAL CONCERT
CHIMARIA, UNEARTH & OTHERS PERFORM AT STARLAND BALLROOM NOV. 18

(South Orange, N.J.)--- 89.5 FM WSOU, Seton Hall Pirate Radio, announced today its 25 Years of Metal concert, set to take place on Friday, Nov. 18 at the Starland Ballroom in Sayerville, N.J. The 25 Years of Metal show will feature high-profile metal acts Chimaira and Unearth, with support from Skeletonwitch, Molotov Solution and others. The concert is in celebration of the 25th anniversary of WSOU’s current loud active rock format, which features metal, punk, hardcore and post-hardcore music.

“One reason that WSOU has a national reputation is that as students, we get a chance to learn by doing,” student Station Manager Omar Ahmad says. “Helping to produce a large concert gives us the opportunity to learn new skills while also sharpening our existing ones. It is one of the reasons that WSOU is such a great place for students to learn about broadcasting, media, and the music business.”

Since flipping to its current format in 1986, WSOU has become an industry leader in breaking new bands and nurturing new broadcast talent. WSOU gave the first area airtime, and in some cases the first-ever radio time, to Korn, Incubus, Pearl Jam, Smashing Pumpkins, Rage Against the Machine, Linkin Park, My Chemical Romance, Thursday and Five Finger Death Punch, just to name a few.

In the last 25 years, scores of station alumni have gone on to professional success, including WDHA’s Kim Mulligan, WEMP’s Dave Packer, Mike DePippa of Sony/Epic Records, Atlantic Records’ Anthony Delia and nationally syndicated music host Jackie Kajzer (a.k.a. Full Metal Jackie).

“WSOU has remained a key innovator in college radio and the New York market,” said Mark Maben, the station’s General Manager. “As the only station of its kind in the metro area, the 25th anniversary of our active rock format is something to celebrate. WSOU has remained at the forefront of the industry since the 1950s, and we look forward to partnering with the Starland Ballroom to create a show that produces the loudest rock, just as we have been doing for 25 years.”

In announcing its anniversary concert, the station also unveiled a new logo celebrating WSOU’s milestone. For the logo, WSOU turned to Framework Media Strategies’ Peter Kelly, a station alumnus and former DJ, to craft just the right logo for the show and format’s anniversary.

"As a former student of Seton Hall University and member of WSOU I wanted this logo to truly embody what the station is all about,” Kelly says. “I wanted it to have an edge, something that makes you think ‘this station is going to rock my face off!’”.

Tickets will be available for purchase for $17 per ticket beginning at noon on Friday, Sept. 23 at www.starlandballroom.com and the Starland Ballroom box office. Tickets will also be available to win in station giveaways in the weeks leading up to the show.

In addition to its 25 Years of Metal concert, WSOU will be celebrating its anniversary in other ways. The station will air a student-produced documentary that examines how Seton Hall Pirate Radio became a world-renown metal station. WSOU alumni will return as guests DJs. WSOU Sports will feature interviews with alumni who have gone on to broadcasting fame, including Matt Loughlin, Bob Picozzi and Bob Ley.

About 89.5 FM WSOU
WSOU, which began broadcasting in 1948, is the student-run, award-winning radio station of Seton Hall University. In addition to its active rock programming, WSOU is also the broadcast home for Seton Hall athletics and airs religious, public affairs and ethnic programming. With a 2,400-watt signal broadcast from the University’s South Orange campus, WSOU reaches all five boroughs of New York City and much of northern and central of New Jersey. WSOU also streams online at www.wsou.net. The website also features additional information about the station.

About Seton Hall University
For 154 years, Seton Hall University has been a catalyst for leadership, developing the whole student, mind, heart and spirit. Seton Hall combines the resources of a large university with the personal attention of a small liberal arts college. Its attractive suburban campus is only 14 miles by train, bus or car to New York City, with the wealth of employment, internship, cultural and entertainment opportunities the city offers. Seton Hall is a Catholic university that embraces students of all races and religions, challenging each other to better the world through integrity, compassion, and a commitment to serving others. For more information, visit: www.shu.edu.

About the Starland Ballroom
After opening in December 2003, the Starland Ballroom quickly became of one New Jersey premiere concert nightclubs. More than one million tickets to Starland concerts have been sold over the past eight years. The Starland Ballroom is located at 570 Jernee Mill Road in Sayreville, N.J. and more information may be found at www.starlandballroom.com.

-###-

For more information, contact:
Mark Maben, WSOU general manager. 973-761-9546, mark.maben@shu.edu
Omar Ahmad, WSOU station manager. 973-313-6110, wsoustationmanager@gmail.com

BIG 4 ROCKS EAST COST IN HISTORIC CONCERT

2011-09-19T12:48:00.007-04:00

By Gabby Canella
WSOU Music Director

It was a night of metal to forever go down in history. The four biggest pioneers of thrash metal, each with bragging rights of a 30 or more year career, together on one legendary stage in front of a crowd of thousands and thousands. Yankee Stadium would never be looked at the same way again.

As I made the hike from New Jersey up to the Bronx, I had to note the extensive number of metal heads I saw everywhere I went. Once I stepped into Penn Station, I couldn’t help smiling at all the people, young and old, men and women, wearing shirts that ranged from Metallica to Death to Rammstein to Pantera. On a normal day, it’s unusual to come across a fellow lover of heavy music, but on Wednesday, it was unusual to see someone not wearing one of the above shirts. It was even more amusing for me to ride inside the packed subway cars with all of these fans. A distant observer who was unaware of the historical impact of that day was probably very curious and very confused about where we all surfaced from.

Once I arrived at Yankee Stadium, I was impressed by the way the field was arranged for the show. The sacred infield was covered and cut off from the general admission crowd with rows of protective barricades. The entire outfield was reserved for the hundreds of fans that almost seemingly covered any trace of there being a field at all. Parallel to the score board and advertisements on the back wall of the stadium stood the huge, specially designed stage for the event. I could only imagine the exhausting amount of hours it must have taken to set everything up for this show, and equally how many hours it would take to tear it all down again.

Finally, 4:00 PM hit. Anthrax was the first of the Big 4 to take the stage. They erupted with high energy onto the stage, wearing specially designed pinstriped Anthrax baseball jerseys with the number 30 on the back to commemorate their lifespan as a band. As they played their classics mixed in with a few new tunes off their latest album Worship Music, they were all smiles— and they had every right to be. After all, it was their day (Bronx Borough President declared September 14th to be Anthrax Day). Out of all the bands, they were the most amped and grateful to be performing on their native turf. Scott Ian, a very proud and lifelong Yankees fan, was especially appreciative of the opportunity. After a solid power hour of jamming out, Anthrax left the audience fired up and hungry for more metal.

Megadeth hit the stage next. While their sound was great and they played classic favorites like Symphony of Destruction and Hanger 18, their energy was noticeably different from Anthrax’s. A few songs in, Dave Mustaine greeted the crowd and explained that he shouldn’t even be playing because he was supposed to have neck surgery, but was blessed to be on the stage anyway. Even before Wednesday, several rumors leaked that Megadeth was going to sit the Big 4 show out, but it was finally confirmed on Tuesday that the band would indeed play. Mustaine braced himself through the rest of their set and got the crowd moving, but I felt that Megadeth’s performance was a bit lackluster.

At this point the crowd was getting anxious in preparation for the ones who would steal the show away. Slayer’s opening notes sent everyone into a frenzy of the kind I’ve never seen. Moshing and crowd surfing exploded like it was going out of style, accompanied by plenty of furious head banging and fist pumping that would put the Jersey Shore to shame. Everyone released their troubles of the day while Slayer stomped and pounded out heavier and angrier riffs. Their sound was tight and flawless, much to the crowd’s satisfaction. Any simple observer could understand how much the crowd ate up Slayer from the high fives and smiles exchanged between the fans. Everyone seemed to be a whole lot more tired and sweatier after Slayer left the stage.

Last up were the biggest of the Big 4, Metallica. They greeted the crowd with appreciation for their attendance and high energy. Most of their set consisted of their early work and even a track rarely played live, Orion. Metallica brought out the big guns for their performance, including pyro, fireworks, and even lasers. The entire spectacle really enhanced the already awesome sound performance they delivered. By far the best and most anticipated song of the evening was Enter Sandman. Once the opening notes to that tune were delivered, the fans cheered as loud as if Mariano Rivera was jogging to the field to clinch the winning game. The night felt complete and made all the New York and New Jersey fans feel truly at home. James Hetfield was playful with the crowd, joking and teasing the operator who put up the lyrics on the board. Overall, the entire band seemed to be mesmerized at Yankee Stadium.

The sure highlight of the evening was the Big 4 jam at the end before Metallica closed up. James joked that the fans were following up on the jam song the bands played elsewhere, so he decided to change it up. All the members of the Big 4 came out and simultaneously played Motorhead’s Overkill, which was dedicated to the godfather of metal, Lemmy. I have to admit it was pretty neat to see so many guitar players on stage all synchronizing perfectly. As I checked out all the different musicians, I did notice Mustaine’s absence, probably because of his neck pain. During those five or so minutes, it seemed like the perfect, harmonious moment of metal coming together. It was truly a once-in-a-lifetime experience seeing this happen live before me.

Hetfield seemed very proud of the Big 4’s big moment together. He and the rest of Metallica wrapped up the show by following up with Battery and then closing with the fan favorite Seek and Destroy. As they began the last song, I decided to head out to beat the crowd and catch an already packed subway car back to Penn Station.

All in all, this show was truly one to remember. It was a special event that brought the metal community together and redefined how legendary Yankee Stadium truly is.

WE'VE GOT MORE BIG 4! SUBMIT BEFORE TUESDAY AT 6:00 AM AND GET A CHANCE FOR A PAIR TO THE BIG 4!

2011-08-21T13:22:00.004-04:00

WSOU is looking for it's very own "Big 4" in this promotional contest which will award four lucky contestants with A PAIR of tickets to the Big 4 at Yankee Stadium on September 14, 2011. Starting on Tuesday, August 23 at 6:00 a.m. (EST), WSOU will be accepting maximum two-minute video submissions by contestants, telling us WHY you deserve to win a ticket to the Big 4.

Contestants must read and acknowledge all rules and conditions in order to participate. Submissions will be accepted beginning August 23, 2011 at 6:00 a.m. (EST) at wsoubig4@gmail.com.

BIG 4 Contest Rules

How to Enter the Contest:

1. No purchase or donation is necessary to enter or win.

2. The BIG 4 DAYS contest will begin on Tuesday, August 23, 2011 at 6:00 a.m. (EST), and run through, Tuesday, August 30, 2011 at 6:00 a.m. (EST) with the grand prize winner to be announced on Friday, September 9, 2011. Saturdays and Sundays are excluded.

3. There will be one prize with 4 winners announced on September 9, 2011 from 4-8 p.m.

4. To participate in the contest, eligible contestants must submit a maximum two minute video to submit to wsoubig4@gmail.com explaining why they should win a pair of tickets to see the BIG 4 at Yankee Stadium on September 14, 2011. Submissions will not be accepted past 6:00 a.m. (EST) on Tuesday, August 30, 2011. Any submission longer than 120 seconds will be immediately disqualified.

5. WSOU Staff will provide a selection committee, comprised of the Station Manager, Music Director, Programming Director and Promotions Director, who will view the videos and choose 8 finalists to come up to WSOU on September 9, 2011 to have a chance to win a pair of tickets to the show. Finalists will be notified by Friday, September 2, 2011 of their status, and will receive an invite to the station. During the 4-8pm DJ shift, WSOU staff will select 4 winners. The fifth runner up will receive a consolation prize.

6. One entry per person, one entry per household.

7. By entering the BIG 4 contest, contestants agree that they are fully responsible for all content that the contestant submits. Contestants must have all necessary rights and permissions in their entries, and each contestant is solely responsible for his/her entry. By submitting a video, contestant agrees to allow WSOU to use and publish submitted entry, name, likeness, voice, statements, and image on its website, on the air, and in any other medium at WSOU’s sole discretion. WSOU will not be required to pay any additional consideration or seek any additional approval in connection with such uses. Contestants will indemnify WSOU, Seton Hall University and their respective regents, directors, officers, managers, employees, shareholders, agents, and licensors, from and against losses, expenses, damages, and costs, including reasonable attorneys' fees, resulting from any claim brought by any party relating to content they have posted. Contestants also understand and agree that WSOU is not responsible for any user submitted content. By submitting an entry to this contest, contestants waive any privacy expectations with respect to the entry materials.

Eligibility Restrictions:

1. The contest is open to WSOU listeners 18 years of age and older.

2. WSOU student staff members, station volunteers, and employees of Seton Hall University are ineligible to participate or win.

3. Winners who win a prize during the BIG 4 promo period are ineligible to win another prize from WSOU for the next 30 days from the date of winning.

4. Listeners who have won another WSOU prize between July 23, 2011 and August 9, 2011 are not eligible to participate in this contest as per WSOU’s “30 Day Policy.”

5. Those whose videos include inappropriate content will be immediately disqualified. WSOU shall be the sole judge as to what constitutes inappropriate content. Such content includes but is not limited to: nudity; language which is offensive such as profanity, blasphemy, racial slurs, or slander; infringements upon or violations of the copyrights, trademarks or other intellectual property rights of any person or establishment; is libelous or defamatory; is obscene, pornographic, or sexually explicit; violates a person’s right to privacy; violates any local, state, national, or international law; contains or advocates illegal or violent acts; degrades others on the basis of gender, race, class ethnicity, national origin, religion, sexual preference, disability or other classification; is predatory, hateful, or intended to intimidate or harass; contains advertising or solicitation of any kind; misrepresents your identify or affiliation and or impersonates others. WSOU reserves the right to disqualify and not post any entry that in its judgment violates WSOU’s content restrictions.

Selection of Winners:

1. Four winners will be chosen out of 8 finalists during the 4-8 p.m. DJ shift on September 9, 2011. The first runner up for the prize (5th place) will receive a consolation prize.

2. The videos which receive the most committee votes will be eligible to compete. Videos will be judged on a variety of criteria, including but not limited to creativity, originality, persuasive argument, compelling content, knowledge of heavy metal music and WSOU, and adherence to content restrictions.

3. The Grand prize winners will be selected on September 9, 2011 from all the previous winners

4. Odds of winning are equal – all contestants have equal opportunity.

5. In the event that the selected winner declines his/her prize or does meet the eligibility requirements, WSOU will announce this fact on air and then select another winner.

6. Decisions of station management with respect to the contest are final.

The Prize:

1. GENERAL PRIZES. Eight finalists from the video contest will have the opportunity to win one of four pairs of BIG 4 tickets. Tickets are pairs of tickets. Video entries will be accepted beginning on August 23, 2011 at 6:00 a.m. (EST) and will be deemed invalid after 6:00 a.m. on August 30, 2011. Selection will take place at WSOU on September 9, 2011, from 4-8 p.m. All winners of general prizes must be 18 years of age or older.

Conditions:

1. By participating in this contest, contestants agree to be bound by these Official Rules and the decisions of the judges, which are final and binding in all respects.

2. By participating in the contest, all winners agree to allow the WSOU and Seton Hall University to use their personal information for internal use only.

3. By participating in the contest, each winner agrees to have his/her name mentioned on air and for used in any promotional material related to this contest without additional financial or other compensation.

4. WSOU, at its sole discretion, reserves the right to disqualify any person tampering with the entry process, the operations of WSOU and Seton Hall University, or who is otherwise in violation of the rules. The station further reserves the right to cancel, terminate or modify the contest if it is not capable of completion as planned. WSOU also reserves the right to make changes in the rules of the contest including the substitution of a different prize of equivalent value, which will become effective upon announcement

5. Failure to comply with the contest rules may result in a contestant’s disqualification, at the sole discretion of WSOU.

6. WSOU is not responsible for typographical or other errors in the printing, the offering or the administration of the contest or in the announcement of the prize. The contest rules shall be posted on the WSOU web site. A written copy of the contest rules and the name of the winners (when complete) are available during regular business hours at the WSOU studios on the campus of Seton Hall University, 400 South Orange Avenue, South Orange, NJ 07079, or by sending a self-addressed stamped envelope to WSOU.

7. As a condition to acceptance, all contest winners must release WSOU and Seton Hall University, its employees, officers and agents from any and all liabilities arising directly or indirectly from using the prize.

8. Winners shall be responsible for any taxes imposed on receipt of the prize.

Disclaimer
WSOU undertakes no liability or responsibility, and makes no warranties, express or implied, with respect to the performance of the prize(s) awarded, for any failure to perform or negligent performance of any service provider, or for any other risk, incident or damage, direct or indirect, relating to or arising out of the contest, including (but not limited to) cancellations, postponements, delays or other scheduling changes; missed events or connections or inability of winner to attend; and accident, injury, death, damage or expense arising from or occurring during the use of the prize, or travel to/from or attendance at any event relating to the contest, by the winner and/or winner’s guest(s). WSOU is not responsible for damage to a prize or loss of a prize after the prize has been claimed. Winners must inspect their prizes before leaving the station. WSOU is not responsible for technical, hardware or software failure or malfunctions, lost or unavailable network or other telecommunications connections, or lost, late, damaged, illegible, inaccurate, incomplete, garbled, disconnected, or delayed contest entries or communications, whether caused by the sender or by any of the equipment or programming associated with or used in this contest, or by any human error which may occur in the execution of this contest. If, for any reason, the Contest is not capable of being conducted as planned, including but not limited to infection by computer virus, bug, tampering, unauthorized intervention, fraud, technical failures, or other causes beyond the control of WSOU. WSOU reserves the right at its sole discretion to cancel, terminate, modify or suspend the Contest and award the prize from among all eligible entries received to date.

MAYHEM ROCKS JERSEY ONCE MORE

2011-08-15T10:11:00.009-04:00

By Dylan Reichman, WSOU

Now in its fourth year of existence, The Rockstar Energy Drink Mayhem festival has grown to be one of the most popular metal tours in the U.S. Each year the festival returns with a stacked lineup, featuring acts spanning the metal spectrum. While nine hours of throwing down during the hottest months of the year can be pretty intense, the diversity of bands showcased and the crazy things that one tends to see during the day are always more than worth it. And above all else, Mayhem has something for everyone. Into thrash? Check. Deathcore? Check. Dudes who look like linebackers wearing pink belly-shirts that read, Party Girl? Yeah, Mayhem has that too.

So when the tour arrived in Holmdel, NJ on July 27th, myself and the rest of the WSOU crew trekked down to the PNC Bank Arts Center for the day’s festivities. Mayhem is one of the biggest things to hit Jersey each year, (ok, maybe the Jersey Shore comes close), and The Loudest Rock was sure to be there.

Upon our arrival, we were allowed, as members of the press, to scope out the set up of the show a half hour before general admission. The main concourse and walkway to the arena were littered with stands from local vendors; everything from Zippo Lighters to the United States Marine Corps, to a roasted corn vendor. Like I said, something for everyone. The stage set-up was pretty unique as well. The first nine acts were to alternate between two stages erected in a sectioned off part of the parking lot, the Jagermeister Stage and the Extreme Stage. As one played on one stage, the next band would set up on the other, and the crowd would take part in a massive, “Running of the Bulls” type sprint at the end of each band’s set to get a good spot for the next one’s. After the nine bands finished, the main arena would then open up, so that the four headliners could perform.

Soon after our arrival, the general public was let in, and Dr. Acula took the Jagermeister Stage to open the show. While the Long Island bred six piece received a great deal of criticism at the beginning of their career for their humorous take on deathcore, their performance showed the maturation that the band has since undergone. Yes, the band still had pop culture samples intermittently spliced into their songs, and yes, they still wore skeleton bandannas over their faces. But the music spoke for itself, a far cry from their older, more electro-centric, material. The audience seemed pleasantly surprised upon hearing their new, tightly organized and sonically deeper sound. A small pit even opened up, a warm up for things to come.

The mass egress then began towards the Extreme Stage, opened by the increasingly popular Straight Line Stitch, a female fronted outfit from Knoxville, TN. The band had gained plenty of steam in the past few years, yet no one seemed to know them in the crowd at Mayhem. This was no issue, however, as they were quickly surprised by Straight Line Stitch’s high energy, fast paced melodic thrash metal attack. Singer Alexis Brown commanded the respect of the crowd, both with her impressive vocal range, (which went from a dark growl to a soft melodic croon), and with her frequent calls to, “Wake up, New Jersey!” Soon enough, the audience did so, a testament to the band’s talent.

Progressive doom metallers Red Fang came next, four dudes with straight up awesome facial hair, and an awesome sound to match. Though the transition from the frenetic performance of Straight Line Stitch to the subtler melancholy of Red Fang caught the audience off guard, and left them pretty…dead, the band nonetheless put on a killer set. With blues-oriented sections, akin to those of Burst or Mastodon, which then transitioned into pseudo-NWOBHM gallops, Red Fang’s transitions came across as very well thought out; leading to a cohesive, yet stimulating, maze of sound.

Before the prominent technical deathcore group All Shall Perish took the Extreme Stage, signs of coming aggression were apparent amongst those in attendance. The energy that had been built up from Straight Line Stitch, and furthered with the haunting style of Red Fang, began to show up, in a big way. A few fights had broken out, and one got the sense that All Shall Perish’s set would be brutal, musically and in the pit as well. The group did not disappoint, diving headfirst into their songs with a level of brutality even higher then that present on record. The breakdowns seemed to have an extra edge, whether due to a denser, sludgier tone, or a slightly more breakneck pace; and the sweeping melodies of guitarists Francesco Artusato and Ben Orum over top provided a sheer technicality to match. However, things quickly turned serious when a fan was seriously injured in the pit. While he was being attended to by paramedics, singer Eddie Hermida, in a true show of class, asked the crowd to support, “one of our brothers.” Though the injury put somewhat of a damper on the rest of the performance, Hermida and Co.’s show of grace, combined with their technical prowess, still amounted to a great set. (It is also worth mentioning that, at the time of this article’s writing, word has still not reached SOU on the condition of the fan. But on behalf of all of us here at The Loudest Rock, we hope that all turned out well).

After the fan’s injury, people were understandably less willing to pit for the following bands. While they weren’t moving, it seemed as though the effects of the first four acts suddenly caught up with a number of fans, and as such, the crowd thinned out a bit. Among those who left, several were nursing some noteworthy injuries, crazy sunburns, or sheer exhaustion, and many took to finding a nice spot on the hill near the main arena to catch some shut eye.

Unfortunately for those who chose to do so, missing Kingdom of Sorrow was a serious mistake. Singer Jamey Jasta, (also of Hatebreed), is wildly popular around the NJ/NY area, (WE LOVE US SOME HAHDCAWW), as is “The Godfather of Sludge” himself, Kirk Windstein, (also of Crowbar and Down). The pair’s combined influences has led to Kingdom of Sorrow to build a considerable following around here as well, and the fans who were still standing, and there were plenty, seemed excited for them to play. The band’s set reinvigorated the crowd; with anthemic choruses, and sludge based hardcore sections, everyone’s hands were soon in the air, and everyone sang along. The guys on stage talked to the crowd often, and were never afraid to flash a smile, giving off the impression that they were humble and sincere, and were just happy to be there. Plus, Jasta gave SOU an awesome shout out, to which this reviewer absolutely lost his mind. WSOU loves you too, Jamey.

Perhaps the most brutal point of the day came during Suicide Silence’s short, but intense set. The band was extremely tight, staying with each other step for step, a considerable feat for a band of their technical level. However, the band-crowd interaction is what made the set so impressive. Singer Mitch Lucker, with his lanky, tattoo covered body, often stretched his arms wide, as if they were wings, and headbanged, a haunting tactic that seemed to go over particularly well with the crowd. Drummer Alex Lopez also cleverly hid an electronic pad off to the right of his kit that, when it was hit, would create a massive bass drop, an extremely brutal touch. Eventually, the crowd became so riled up that a giant circle pit, on Lucker’s command, materialized around the soundboard, and a wall of death came to cap the set off. Yeah, it got pretty brutal.

Unearth and In Flames, (both promoting new albums) came next. By this point, may fans had already begun to make their way up to the main stage, and a good chunk of those who remained seemed to be pretty exhausted after Suicide Silence’s unrestrained display of brutality. Their sets were rather similar, both put on a high energy, extremely tight, performance, artfully mixing their new material with the old in a tasteful balance. Unearth’s new material is something that the fans especially seemed to enjoy, as they added a more brutal, sonically dissonant edge to their style. In Flames’ new music was also well received, as it stayed true to their already well established sound.

Finally, to close out the first two stages, was the almighty Machine Head. Only die hard Machine Head fans were left amongst the audience, as the rest had moved near the main stage in order to rest, grab some food, or to grab a good spot on the lawn. While this could have hurt any other band, Machine Head’s extremely anthemic style allowed for the fans to interact directly with the band. During every song, fists were thrown high in the air, and every voice sang along with singer Robb Flynn as one. The group’s technicality was also in full force, as Flynn and his counterpart Phil Demmel stuck to the established grooves of the bands records, while occasionally delving into well timed improvisation during solos, a well executed touch.

As the last note’s of Machine Head’s “Halo” rang out, the remainder of the audience, the WSOU crew included, made its way up to the main stage. The day’s events had clearly taken their toll, as many along the way looked exhausted, and a few were even sporting some nasty pit injuries.

The first band to play the main stage, Trivium, began their set promptly. To the excitement of many, Trivium’s melodic thrash assault was a well oiled machine, technical, fast paced, and with plenty of melodic balance serving as a contrast to the harder sections. Especially noteworthy were the band’s renditions of their old material, from when the band was a young, melodic deathcore band. The songs from Ascendancy in particular, showed the band’s growth over the years, as the group implemented their more soaring, melodic style to the heavier tracks, a compelling sign of their maturation.

Once the eternally awe inspiring Megadeth began to set up, the stadium really began to fill, seeming to suggest that many die hard Megadeth fans had only the main stage in mind. However, the band’s elaborate stage set up, along with the tuning of Dave Mustaine’s 10,000 equally awesome guitars, took a considerable deal of time to prepare, leaving some in the crowd to grow pretty…antsy…to say the least. Fist fights broke out, and eventually an old school wrestling pit formed. But the security staff at PNC handled the situation admirably, as they had all day long, and broke things up. Major thanks goes to those guys and girls for keeping everyone safe while allowing people to still have a great time.

Megadeth, as they have time and time again done, put on a set which had the entire crowd going, a technically flawless and energetic performance. The set list also spanned the entire length of the bands impressive catalog, pleasing everyone in attendance. Dave Mustaine, much to the crowd’s appreciation, labeled New Jersey as, “one of [his] favorite places to play,” spoke of the band’s upcoming new album, and even suggested that the so called “Big Four” tour may just have to stop by Jersey.

After Megadeth’s crowd pleasing performance, Godsmack took the stage, and followed Megadeth in a great way, which is definitely not an easy task. The band played the crowd favorites, including “I Stand Alone,” and “Straight Out of Line,” and the fans enthusiastically sang along, enjoying the band’s hardened edge.

Last, but certainly not least, came Disturbed. Their performance was especially interesting, given recent talk of a hiatus/break-up, which members of the band have seemed to confirm. Nonetheless, the band seemed unfazed by the prospect, and they too put on a crowd pleasing performance, to cap off a great day of metal.

Mayhem, once again, hit Jersey hard, and left a lasting impression on those who attended. The musical diversity, as well as the numerous spectacles of the day, proved to further the tour’s prolific reputation, and next year’s date will certainly be highly anticipated by the NJ/NY metal scene. Special shout outs go out to the staff at the PNC Bank Arts Center, for running the day smoothly, and keeping everyone safe, while still allowing everyone to go nuts. Also, the men and women from the United States Marine Corps who came out to show their appreciation to the metal scene, and who also spoke to the SOU staff at length of their appreciation of our station, deserve serious praise. Along with their incredible service for our country, these guys still stayed die hard metal fans, a testament to the true power of the metal community, in display at Mayhem that day, and every day around the world.

Until next time,

Dylan

Glassjaw, Starland Ballroom, 03.26.2011

2011-03-28T15:03:00.004-04:00

WSOU's MoJo JoJo and friend with Glassjaw

Another sold out show at Starland Ballroom, but this wasn’t just any show--it was a GLASSJAW

SHOW! When I heard that not only was Glassjaw recording new music but was also going to be headlining a tour, I went crazy. Glassjaw is a band that I listened to when I was younger, lost track of, and now have rediscovered.

Now that they're back, I was hesitant about how they would be live, but let me tell you, this band hasn’t missed a beat. They were amazing, playing just about every song I wanted to hear plus a great mix of new songs, including "You Think You’re (John F*cking Lennon)," "Tip your Bartender," "Ape Dos Mil," "The Gillette Cavalcade of Sports," "All Good Junkies Go To Heaven," "El Mark," and "Two Tabs Of Mescaline," just to name a few songs that were played in their close to two hour set.

It’s incredible to see Glassjaw out there killing it like they should be, with that much energy and a real passion for the music they make. You can tell they love every moment of playing music for their fans. They were super nice guys to meet and talk to after the show and were super excited to know that WSOU still plays Glassjaw. I hope Glassjaw continues to tour and make music, because they are so important to the music scene.

Thanks so much to Alex who works with Glassjaw for making this all possible.

- MoJo JoJo

Emmure + Evergreen Terrace, Starland Ballroom, 03.11.2011

2011-03-28T14:49:00.008-04:00

WSOU's MoJo JoJo with Evergreen Terrace

This sold out show at Starland Ballroom was very exciting for me because I was finally able to see Evergreen Terrace. I'd always missed them when they came around on tour, and I’ve only heard good things about their live show. Being able to meet this band also made it that much better, and when I finally talked to them and realized they are just fans of music and overall great guys, I knew they were about to put on an amazing show. They had a great mix for their set list and they pretty much played every song I had wanted to hear from them, including songs such as "My Heart Beats In Breakdowns," "Wolfbiker," "The Smell of Summer," "Mario Speedwagon," and "Hopelessly Hopeless," just to name a few.

The crowed was also all about Evergreen Terrace, participating in just about every song. Full of energy on stage, Evergreen Terrace did not disappoint whatsoever. I will make sure for now on that I will go out of my way to see this band again when they are in the area.

MoJo JoJo with Emmure

Emmure, wow--for a band to command this much respect and attention on stage is an amazing sight. I think I’ve seen Emmure play every time they are in New Jersey and almost every time they've played in New York City, and they blow me away every single time. I think "how can a band just keep getting better and better?", but that’s just what Emmure does. The set started with "Children of Cybertron" off the recently released Speaker of the Dead album, soon followed up by one of my new favorite Emmure songs, "I Thought You Met Telly and Turned Me into Casper" and then "Solar Flare Homicide." Both songs had every person at in the venue going nuts. After that the set list kept getting better, with "Rusted Over Wet Dreams" and "Demons with Ryu," two more of my favorite songs, which really made me think "wow this can’t get any better," which of course it did. They ended the set with the signature Emmure song "When Keeping it Real Goes Wrong," and I couldn’t have been any happier. Emmure is that band for me that no matter what, I’m going to go see them, because they consistently put on the amazing live show that seems to never give anyone in the crowd a break. They make it all worth going to see live music and keeping the scene alive.

Big thanks to Josh in Evergreen Terrace for helping me set up the picture and making sure I had everything I needed for the night.

Thanks to Emmure’s tour manager, Jon, and huge thanks to Frankie and Jesse in Emmure for making me feel right at home and inviting me to hang out on their bus before and after the show.

- MoJo JoJo

SXSW Day 3

2011-03-19T13:26:00.004-04:00

And so the adventure continues...

Iron Maben, Stracq, Yo Gabby Gabby, The Violet Femme, and BENNY!!! have all been having a great time at SXSW. Here are some pics from the shows Stracq and Gabby checked out.

First up was Dawn of Ashes. They had a great live set, despite looking like they just came out of a slaughterhouse. They do give Slipknot, GWAR, and Mushroomhead a run for their money when it comes to costumes.

Next we watched Gaza. They were a real crowd amper, especially when the singer jumped into the crowd and started up his own pit. He then proceeded to mosh and sing simultaneously. Gabby was very impressed with his multi-tasking.

The best part of the day for Stracq and Gabby happened right after Gaza's set. Steve found his long lost metalhead twin, Guy from The Red Chord. He actually recognized and remembered Steve from their past interview. Steve grabbed a few words with him and then Gabby snapped this snazzy pic.

In the meantime, Gabby noticed Vince and Jack from The Acacia Strain chilling nearby and did one of the best, most hysterical interviews with them. We appreciate Vince's anger with everything and everyone, especially the soft spot he holds in his heart for hipsters.

By the way, in case you didn't notice, Vince is really tall.

After the epic interview, we watched The Red Chord and The Acacia Strain tear the tent down (yes, they performed inside a tent). Both bands had awesome sets and Steve had fun moshing up a storm.

Later on, Steve and Gabby checked out Miss May I and Dance Gavin Dance. Steve left to be a robot for 30 minutes at Men Without Hats while Gabby continued headbanging at Whitechapel.

The Violet Femme and Benny also checked out some cool sets from the Campus Buzz-esque bands they saw.

More pics and updates comin' at ya right here. Keep it locked to www.facebook.com/wsou and www.twitter.com/wsou.

SXSW Day 2: WSOU showcase

2011-03-18T19:29:00.012-04:00

So as you can tell from the photo above, the WSOU crew celebrated its 25 years of metal anniversary right here in Austin, TX at Venue 222. We had a great time hanging out with the bands, rocking out to some great music, and, of course, partying!!!

We had the whole venue decorated with our banners. It was a great sight to be witnessed.

The opening band, Beta Wolf:

Next up, Death on Two Wheels:

In between band sets, Steve Stracq amped up the crowd with some free T-shirts and his hysterical personality.

Meek is Murder:

Meek is Murder had some cool lights strung around their drum set, along with some strobe lights. Our photography did not do their lights justice.

The 4th band was Ultrageist, straight from Long Island, NY.

I caught up with them backstage after their performance. They were really funny and we had a great interview.

Everyone was really excited to see T.R.A.M. in their debut performance as a band. T.R.A.M. is an acronym for the last names of all the band members put together. Their lineup consists of members from Mars Volta, Suicidal Tendencies, and Animals as Leaders. They were pretty much a jazz fusion jam band, but the crowd and the WSOU crew really dug them.

Yo Gabby Gabby especially enjoyed hearing Adrien rocking the sax.

The last band to perform was The Faceless. They brought their heaviest and loudest set to put the finishing touches on a great WSOU anniversary show.

Towards their last few songs, a pit finally broke out. We have no doubts that it was probably led by our moshing king, Steve Stracq.

If you were at our show, we hope you enjoyed it. If you couldn't make it out to Texas, hope you enjoyed our pics and felt like you were there with us! Stay tuned for more SXSW coverage here, www.facebook.com/wsou and www.twitter.com/wsou.

Photos courtesy of Gabby Canella

SXSW Day 1 continued...

2011-03-17T19:38:00.005-04:00

Continuing the shennanigans where we left off....

Tuesday night was a blast. Iron Maben, Stracq, The Violent Femme, Yo Gabby Gabby, and BENNY!!! checked out Bad Brainz and had a blast. We even witnessed some WSOU history as Iron Maben took the mosh pit by storm (we're so proud of him).

After Bad Brainz, Stracq and Yo Gabby Gabby headed off to check out the Sumerian Records showcase. We caught The Faceless' set and had our faces melted. The Violet Femme and BENNY!!! checked out Grouplove and had a great time.

Later on...

Stracq and Yo Gabby Gabby had their dreams come true by seeing Phil Anselmo live in person, playing with Arson Anthem. We were mindblown just by listening to his random, yet hysterical thoughts leave his mouth. Their set was great, but we still can't get over Phil.

Tuesday night was a blast and Wednesday will be even better! Stay tuned for more coverage from yours truly at The Loudest Rock!

SXSW Day 1

2011-03-16T18:58:00.010-04:00

Wednesday, 3/16

Here's a quick little update on the adventures of Iron Maben, Steve Stracq, The Violet Femme, Yo Gabby Gabby, & BENNY!!!

-picked up our badge passes that let us get into all the shows, plus some free swag

-watched Steve give BENNY!!! a haircut

-hung out at The Paste party and had free Qdoba

-The Violet Femme interviewed The Seedy Seeds, a Campus Buzz band
-checked out Venue 222, where WSOU will be hosting its very own show tomorrow night

-got a taste of local TX metal at Hoeks Death Metal pizza (pizza + metal = awesome)

-explored The Weird Museum (just like the title suggests)
-had some free tacos

Tonight we'll be checking out Queens of the Stone Age, Bad Brains, and Tech N9ne. Stay tuned for more SXSW updates here and www.facebook.com/WSOU and www.twitter.com/WSOU

WSOU Takes Austin

2011-03-14T13:45:00.004-04:00

If you've been listening in these past few days, you probably heard our SXSW news.

Stracq, Yo Gabby Gabby, The Violet Femme and BENNYYYY will be repping the station at the South By Southwest Music Festival in Austin, TX.

From March 16th-20th:

Live coverage provided on air, every evening at 6pm.

Photos posted here, on the blog.

Instant updates on Twitter:

- Steve: @stevestracqWSOU

- The Violet Femme: @UseTheVolume

Stay tuned. Join the party.

WSOU at SXSW in Austin, Texas!

2011-03-07T11:46:00.001-05:00

Whitechapel with The Acacia Strain, Chelsea Grin, Veil of Maya, and I Declare War, Starland Ballroom, 02.18.2011

2011-03-02T15:49:00.011-05:00

MoJo JoJo with I Declare War

I Declare War was the first of the bands on the “Welcome to Hell” tour to play. And for the lowest-billed band, they had quite a crowd going. I entered Starland just as their set started and instantly I saw a pit clear out and I went straight in. They had a limited set and played a few songs of the 2010 release Malevolence and even a few songs of off their first release Amidst the Bloodshed. I was glad they played my favorite song “Federal Death Alliance.” They had the mosh pit going crazy for the full set, and rightfully so considering how their music is nonstop brutality.

MoJo JoJo with Chelsea Grin

Chelsea Grin went on right after I Declare War. IDW put on a brutal set and left the crowd ready for more. Now, I’ve seen Chelsea Grin twice previously, and those performances were characterized mainly by small disinterest crowds and problems with the sound. This time, however, when Chelsea Grin started off with their single off of their 2010 release Desolation of Eden, “Recreant,” the pit cleared out instantly and the quality was great so I knew this was already my favorite performance by them. “Recreant” is their most brutal song by far. The final breakdown lasts about 45 seconds and is pure violence. The band went on to play “Crewcabanger” off of their self titled EP. Once again, the final breakdown is absolutely nuts. Both songs were played well and the vocals were pretty close to how they sounded on the album, a task that is not easy considering the necessary range. One gripe I have with the set is that they played their 2 best and hardest songs right off the bat. But that doesn’t mean the rest of the set wasn’t fantastic. It’s just that when you use up the best breakdowns you have, the crowd, and more importantly the mosh pit, lose their momentum. Great performance overall though.

MoJo JoJo with Veil of Maya

Veil of Maya went on after Chelsea Grin, and this band had the crowd buzzing. They haven’t played a Jersey venue in a while and this would be my first time seeing them. They were probably the one minor “misfit” on the bill for the show, since they have more of a technical style while the rest of the bands had a clear breakdown-based style. They went fast from the beginning of their set and didn’t slow down one bit. One thing that I really like is that they used this eerie noise in between songs to make their set flow; it gave a really uneasy feeling that is somewhat welcoming at a deathcore show. The band members played their respective instruments extremely well and there were no noticeable mishaps. Very good performance, I cannot wait to see these guys again!

MoJo JoJo with The Acacia Strain

As always, thanks so much to all of the great tour managers I was able to meet, who made it very easy to set up the photos and banner signing.

- MoJo JoJo & Deeps

WSOU Presents: Times of Grace, The Gramercy Theater, 02.22.2011

2011-02-25T20:39:00.005-05:00

When asked to describe what a recent concert I attended was like, a whole bunch of words are readily available: awesome, brutal, fun, etc. I have yet to use the word beautiful for a metal show, but I can’t think of any other word than this to recap Times of Grace.

Photo credit: Gabriela Canella

This past Tuesday night, when I entered the Gramercy Theater and watched Adam and Jesse perform, accompanied by their live band, "beautiful" is the only word that kept running through my mind. I have seen them both perform with Killswitch Engage in the past and I know they bring their A-game, but this was something totally different that yielded something totally spectacular.

One of my favorite parts about their new album, The Hymn of a Broken Man, is the lyrics. They are totally uplifting and relatable; Jesse and Adam have a way of taking their pain from their darkest moments and, rather than making their songs complete downers, they turn their experiences into something inspiring and positive. Backed by some of the heaviest musical parts, the album is one of my favorite new releases of the year.

With that being said, the whole live show really intensified all of my prior listening experiences. Anyone in the crowd who listened to Times of Grace play that night felt Jesse and Adam’s pain, made it their own, and released it along with them. Adam and Jesse put so much passion and energy into each word, riff, and beat mading the entire experience truly beautiful. When moments got too serious, Adam lightened things up by doing little dances with Joel or just making funny faces, but even his usual laid back, jokester personality seemed more mature for this project.

One of the most beautiful moments during their performance occurred shortly after their opening song, "Strength in Numbers." The band just finished the song and Jesse was about to speak to the crowd for the first time. He was immediately drowned out by the crowd’s chants of “Jesse! Jesse!” Fans were excited to see him return to New York, and how could they not be? He was appreciative of their excitement and support, and he and Adam humbly acknowledged it and thanked the fans all night.

Jesse’s singing sounded superb and better than ever. I was fortunate enough to witness him sing a few songs on Killswitch’s most recent tour through the area where Phil Labonte (All That Remains) filled in for Howard. He sounded great then, but even better this past Tuesday night. Every clean, melodic lyric sounded perfectly polished and every growl and scream was straight from the heart. Even Adam’s singing parts sounded wonderful live, along with the rest of the band. Every song was well-rehearsed and if there were any mistakes, they were hard to pick out.

Although many were quick to stamp the Killswitch label on this band, especially since 3/5 of the founding members were playing together, the show discredited any of these assumptions. As I've said before, I’ve seen Killswitch multiple times, but this was one side of Adam, Joel, and Jesse that I’ve never seen before. It is no surprise that there was no encore and no Alive or Just Breathing tracks, as some fans wanted after the set. Times of Grace was something completely different than that era of Killswitch and the two could not even be linked together, other than the fact that 3/5 of the lineup was present. This particular show felt very intimate because these guys were putting their deepest, most vulnerable selves out there, but it was definitely well-received. Gramercy was packed tight from early on in the night and the crowd was great the whole way through. You still had your usual moshing, crowd surfing, and singing, but there was a certain grace in the air that just made this show, as metal as it was, beautiful.

Setlist:

1. Strength in Numbers
2. Willing
3. Hope Remains
4. Fight for Life
5. Until the End of Days
6. In the Arms of Mercy
7. Live in Love
8. Worlds Apart
9. The End of Eternity
10. Hymn of a Broken Man
11. Where the Spirit Leads Me

- Yo Gabby Gabby

WSOU's (Not So) Silent Night, Starland Ballroom, 12.19.2010

2011-01-03T08:38:00.014-05:00

Photo credit: Fernanda Correia

Now that the holidays are over, here are some photos from WSOU's (Not So) Silent Night on December 19th at the Starland Ballroom. Name the Creature started off the night on a high note, and then turned the stage over to Ashes of Your Enemy, With Daggers Drawn, Thy Will Be Done, A Life Once Lost, and finally, Shadows Fall. All of the bands completely rocked the venue, as WSOU staff members sold merch and mingled with the crowd, and DJ Stracq announced each band before they went onstage. Check out some photos from the event below!

Apologies to Name the Creature, who really got the crowd going, but was not photographed.

Ashes of Your Enemy:

With Daggers Drawn:

Thy Will Be Done:

A Life Once Lost:

Shadows Fall:

Photo credit: Fernanda Correia

Miss May I, School of Rock, 11.26.2010

2010-12-18T15:33:00.005-05:00

Upon arriving at the School of Rock, I was a bit more excited than usual. On this night I had to make a decision; I was either going to attend a Bring Me The Horizon show, or I was going to go see Miss May I at the School of Rock and meet the guys before the show. Of course I was going to go to the Miss May I show, since I think I can say I’ve kind of seen them evolve, from playing a side stage at the Bamboozle festival, to opening and touring with The Devil Wears Prada, to headlining their own U.S. tour.

This is another band that has yet to disappoint. I like every song I’ve heard from them, and their live show is just pure energy. From start to finish there was never a dull moment for theses guys. Levi Benton is quickly becoming one of my favorite frontmen in heavy music theses days. Jumping all around stage and putting everything he had into that one show really speaks volumes about what this band wants to do. There’ s no flash of glam with this band--all they want to do is play music they love and have a great time doing it. With two studio albums under their belt they played variety of songs and every one sounded great. But when they band played the songs “Relentless Chaos” and “ Forgive & Forget” I though they were going to bring the house down. It’ s been a while since I’ve seen a crowed react they way they did for these two songs; it really was an awesome sight. Miss May I is definitely a band I'll never pass up the chance to see live.

The Miss May I management was great at helping me set up a photo opportunity for the station. I just want to thank them for everything they have done and cannot wait to work with them again.

- MoJo JoJo

Oceano, Crocodile Rock, 11.08.2010

2010-12-18T14:29:00.006-05:00

If anyone has even ventured out to Allentown, Pennsylvania for a show at the Croc Rock, then you already know how amazing it is to see a band of Oceano's monstrous sound. To paint a quick picture: the size of Croc Rock's main floor stage is about the size of half a basketball court. This room was at full capacity when Oceano took the stage. Adam Warren, the vocalist, has a stage presence that just commands respect and attention. His larger than life size goes so well with his deep vocals and made you look twice when he started the set.

Oceano opened with an old sound to really get the room spinning, heavy breakdowns and heavy lyrics in a room packed full of kids waiting to see this band had everyone more than excited. Throughout the set there was a good mix of old and new songs. Seeing as how the band was just a day away from the release of their new album, Contagion, people were dying to hear more new songs, and the band was right there to offer them. One of the songs that really stood out and could be considered the band's single that they are pushing was a song named “Weaponized,” and it is amazing. Keeping right up with the Oceano style, I couldn’t wait to hear the rest of this album. The band played perhaps their most known song “District of Misery” last. From the opening riff to the final scream by Adam, hearing this song in this full-to-capacity room left me with a memory I will never forget. This is one of the hardest working bands, constantly touring and playing shows almost every night. I’m happy to have met the guys from Oceano and will continue everyday to tell people about this band to help them blow up and gain the respect of the heavy music community.

Once again thanks for everyone who made this trip possible, including Oceano's management, who were great and easy to work with.

- MoJo JoJo

Ozzy Osbourne + Halford, Madison Square Garden, 12.01.2010

2010-12-02T12:51:00.007-05:00

"Let me see your beautiful hands!"

Rock legends Rob Halford and Ozzy Osbourne rocked Madison Square Garden this Wednesday with the aid of their respective talented band members. The crowd spanned several generations, from the man with the snow-white mustache seated in front of us who whipped out a lighter during "Mama I'm Coming Home" to the small child dancing a row back, who seemed to know the majority of the words to most of Ozzy's songs. Several WSOU staffers, graduated and current, dotted the crowd as well. The show began at 8 p.m. on the dot and continued well past 11, with near-constant entertainment for the crowd.

Halford took the stage first as the opening act, performing several songs of their own as well as a variety of cover songs. Rob Halford proved that he's still got that epic voice, screeching his way through the opening track, "Resurrection," before bringing in that constant interplay of growl and metal legend wail throughout the entirety of his energetic set. The 59-year-old Judas Priest veteran blazed through several tracks before stopping to chat with the audience, thanking them very sincerely and introducing the cover songs that he subsequently launched into--these tracks included a Fleetwood Mac cover, a reinterpretation of Joan Baez's "Diamonds and Rust," and the Judas Priest track "Jawbreaker." After a few more songs, the band members took a group bow, and exited the stage, having gotten the crowd suitably excited for the arrival of the Prince of Darkness.

Before Ozzy took the stage, the audience was treated to a short film that green-screened the sometimes-actor into several movie and TV scenes, which included an Ozzy Avatar, a fight with The Jersey Shore's Snooki, and a scene from Twilight (including the line: "Vampires are p*****s. I'm the Prince of f****n' Darkness!"). The real Ozzy then took the stage, totally conscious of his status as a rock giant, and began to whip up the crowd, starting with the promise that the louder the crowd was, the longer he would keep playing. He then launched into "Bark at the Moon," followed by his newest single, "Let Me Hear You Scream," and a series of tracks interspersed with interludes wherein he would attempt (successfully) to rouse the crowd to make as much noise as possible. The front few rows and the stage itself became a splash zone at several points during the evening, as the singer was given access to a foam-shooting hose and frequently stuck his head in buckets of water that were on the stage, the contents of which were flung into the crowd at the end of the show. Ozzy was in his element, singing, clapping, and smiling as he went through hit after hit. He threw in some Black Sabbath songs, as well, including "Fairies Wear Boots," "War Pigs," and "N.I.B." in the first half of the show.

Shortly after introducing his band members (Gus G. formerly of Firewind [lead guitar], Rob Nicholson [bass], Tommy Clufetos [drums], and Adam Wakeman [keyboard, guitar]), Ozzy took a brief break, during which his band showed off their musical chops with some soloing. Gus G. performed some fancy fretwork and Tommy Clufetos' earned the title of the smiliest damn drummer I've ever seen, keeping the crowd entertained while their singer took a breather. Then he was back with "Iron Man" and several other tracks, including "Flying High Again," Black Sabbath's "Into the Void," and what was ostensibly his closing track, "Crazy Train." He then led the crowd in a chant of "one more song," after which he performed "Mama I'm Coming Home," and then teased the crowd again before rounding out the evening with Black Sabbath's "Paranoid."

Really, though, Ozzy really just wants you to clap your hands, as he reminded the crowd during the instrumental portions of every song--either appealing to metal harshness ("Put those f*****g hands in the air!") or fondness for his audience's enthusiasm ("Let me see your beautiful hands!"). The Prince of Darkness is clearly still kicking and, as he said during the show, "still f*****g crazy."

- G-Rated

(Complete setlists for Halford and Ozzy Osbourne from setlist.fm.)

UnderØath and A Day to Remember, Asbury Park Convention Hall, 11.05.2010

2010-11-11T16:19:00.004-05:00

First I just want to thank the whole UnderØath band and crew for being supportive of the station—it was great to meet these guys and really know that bands are also fans of the station. Going down to Asbury Park brought back a lot of great memories from when I was younger. Going to Convention Hall for the “Skate and Surf” three-day festival was great time for me, so it was a blast being able to return here. I got to the show about an hour early because we had set up a picture with the band UnderØath, which was amazing. During this time I was able to have a few words with the guys in the band and they all had the same idea about New Jersey—they loved it. Playing a show in Jersey is a whole different thing for most bands, and this tour featured two bands that happen to be from Florida, but love New Jersey. UnderØath came out on stage full of energy and in a way seemed like they had something to prove. With the departure of long time drummer and last original member, Aaron Gillespie, the band looked like they were giving all they had to please the Jersey kids. They did this without fail. The band played old and new songs, really had a great mix, even playing two songs off the new album that came out on November 9th. It really took the crowed by surprise to see that lead vocalist, Spencer Chamberlin, could take on all of the duties he had inherited, including the clean vocals. All the songs coupled together with a fantastic light show and a video montage of clips that seemed to be very random but just added to their amazing stage presence. UnderØath for some reason always leaves you wanting more at their shows, and this is not a bad thing at all. I would see UnderØath every day if this were possible; they never put on a bad show, and I have yet to hear a song I didn’t like. They are an amazing band and amazing people.

The headliner for the show was A Day to Remember, and this was their very first headlining tour. They had a huge stage with which to prove they earned this opportunity, and they didn’t disappoint. The band coming out and getting the crowd into it from beginning to end was a great sight to see. I remember seeing A Day to Remember years ago playing a small venue in north Jersey to a crowd that fell in love with them. Those fans gave their all, and so did the band. I think this could be a good reason why A Day to Remember loves playing in New Jersey and even named one of their songs off their “Homesick” album after New Jersey. The set included confetti blasters and the band members with huge smiles on their faces, as vocalist Jeremy McKinnon gave out huge thanks between every song, along with praise to the crowd for going all out nonstop during the set. When they slowed it down, you could see that the band really means every word of their songs, and lives by their messages. They also have a new album coming out named “What Separates Me From You” due on November 15th, and I cannot wait to pick it up after hearing a new song at the show. A Day to Remember is a very hard-working band, touring nonstop and always taking time to talk to fans, and still finding a way to put out great albums and amazing live shows. I can’t wait to see them again when they come to New Jersey.

All together this is an amazing tour, it was an amazing show and I highly suggest that everyone go out to see these bands and pick up their new albums. They have never let me down and I’m sure they won’t let you down either. Support local and live music and keep the New Jersey scene alive, because bands love coming here to play unforgettable shows. I’d also like to thank WSOU for making it possible for me to go to these shows.

- MoJo JoJo

11.05.2010: Underoath

2010-11-07T18:43:00.005-05:00

WSOU's own MoJo JoJo at Underoath / A Day to Remember at the Convention Hall in Asbury Park, New Jersey last Friday. He snagged this photo with the dudes from Underoath at their tour bus before the show! Stay tuned for a review of the concert, coming this week.

New England Hardcore and Metal Festival Day 2

2010-04-29T14:07:00.000-04:00

If you thought day 1 of the New England Hardcore and Metal Festival sounded fun, then you're in for quite the ride on day 2. That Guy and I hit up the Palladium at 12:00 PM after eating a very awesome breakfast. When we got there, we met up with some of the industry people to talk about last night, and met a few cool people who actually came from Jersey (and even recognized our voices!!!). After getting all settled, we headed upstairs to the second stage to see SWASHBUCKLE absolutely tear it up. Kids were going nuts even at 12 in the afternoon, it was awesome to watch them. Swashbuckle in case most of you aren't familiar with, is a very heavy thrashy pirate band based out of NJ with some of the funniest songs you will ever hear. After that, we ventured downstairs to the main stage to get a glimpse of some new prospective bands that you may hear on our station. First was Lecherous Nocturne, a very heavy blackened death metal band that paved the way for the rest of the heavy bands to follow. After them, a band from Britain, which ironically it was their first tour in America, named MALEFICE, came on. Malefice in my opinion, was one of the best sounding bands of the day, and yes I know, how can I say that over such bands as cannibal corpse and amon amarth, but they were very tight in their sound, and the pits they had going for them were HUGE!!! Definitely a great set they put on with their Unearth style breakdowns.

After them, a band named PERIPHERY performed. Now PERIPHERY is a new and upcoming band off of Sumerian Records who has one of the most unique styles I have ever heard. They jsut released their very highly anticipated self titled debut this past week, so I was very excited to see them. You could have blasted their CD over the speakers and I never would have known the difference because that's how crisp they sounded. Vocalist Spencr Sotelo, who has an amazing voice, hit those high notes just like he did on the record. They were another one of my favorites for the day.
When that set was over, we headed outside of the venue to start interviewing all the bands we had set up for the day. That guy interviewed SWASHBUCKLE at 3PM while I sat down and talked with Alex Wade of WHITECHAPEL, who actually played as a special guest on the small second stage at the Thursday night pre party. Alex was a pleasure to interview, we spoke about the new tour, how excited they are to put out their new album A NEW ERA OF CORRUPTION, and plans they have for the future. When that was all said and done, it was time to head back to the parking lot where all the other bands were hanging out and doing interviews. We hung out with some industry people as well to kill time before I got the opportunity to hang out with MUNICIPAL WASTE before interviewing Dave Witte. Prior to NEHMF, my cousin Stan (the guy who got me into metal when i was a little kid) and I were talking about the show, and i mentioned MUNICIPAL WASTE to him and how i would be interviewing Dave. He then told me that him and Dave were really good friend from back in the day when they used to play in bands together and hang out at shows. Normally my cousin likes to blow smoke at me, so i didn't believe him. But low and behold, when i met Dave all we did was talk about my cousin and the crazy stories from their past before we actually did our interview. He even gave me a tittie twister, a message my cousin Stan told him to relay to me!!! While we were talking, Gun face from THE RED CHORD was walking by and he came Ive to talk to Dave, so we all just sat there and talked for a while before we all parted ways. I even got a chance to meet up with Guy and Greg of THE RED CHORD and hung out. We talked about our interview back in march and there stay in Jersey when we last saw each other.

At this point, I was starving, so we headed down an UNO's near the venue, which apparently was the hot spot hangout for all the bands. While That Guy and I were eating, We saw Ryan Waste come in and sit down to eat, then AMON AMARTH came in and sat down to eat, then finally CANNIBAL CORPSE came in to sit down and eat. This was pretty much any metal fans dream to be surrounded by these bands while they were out of their element just being normal chill guys eating and drinking before they went on to perform. It was getting closer to another interview, so we headed back to the parking lot where we met up with the guys from SWASHBUCKLE by their car to hang out and kill some time. Now picture a bunch of metal dudes at a show blasting Eminem and Rick Astley from their car. Not a scene you could fathom right? Well lets jsut say that party cleared out the parking lot because us boys from Jersey had to represent, and do some thin different. We even attempted to get Doc and Dallas Coyle of GOD FORBID to join the party, but apparently they were too cool for us.
After all those shenanigans, I went to go meet up with Johnny from JOB FOR A COWBOY to do another interview, while That Guy met up with the dudes from CATTLE DECAPITATION. The JOB FOR A COWBOY interview went fairly well, they had just come from playing a show the night before at the school of rock in south hackensack, NJ. When that was over, I got a chance to meet up the Jake Bowden of PERIPHERY for an interview. Now one of the best feelings in the world has got to be when a band member tells you how excited they are that they are being interviewed by WSOU because they grew up listening to this station and it is such an honor to them that they have to share it with their family. Jake was such a cool guy, we talked about the path PERIPHERY has made and the future for them and how excited they are to just keep moving forward.

Finally, it was time to stop doing "work" and interviewing bands, and finally have some fun and start moshing it up. I ran inside, dropped off all my audio recording stuff, and just jumped right into MUNICIPAL WASTE. Seeing them perform on the very small second stage was the best, because I just stage dived and moshed all that my heart desired. They opened up with wolves of cherynobly, off their new album Massive Aggressive, and played a few cuts off that, and as well as from Born to Party and Hazardous Mutation. Tony has so much energy on stage, as well as the rest of the guys. At one point when i was jumping on and off stage, I gave Dave a high five and jumped right back in. The crowd was going absolutely insane, and I can safely say after going crazy to them, no matter how many times I see them, MUNICIPAL WASTE will always indeed "Fuck you up..." The only disappointment about this set was that THE RED CHORD was added on that thursday as a special addition, and they were on at the same time as MUNICIPAL WASTE.

Now it was time for the rest of the Main stage acts to go on. That Guy and I did not stick around to listen to ELUVITIE, a folk metal band that really did not catch our attention at all. After them was WHITECHAPEL. Now, I think I profess my disdain for most deathcore all the time being that I am a huge old school death metal and thrash fan. I will admit, I have seen WHITECHAPEL before, but their performance on saturday topped their last one, and it was one of the most brutalest performances of the weekend. Kids were going absolutely insane for these guys. The ninjas were definitely in full force in the pit, which erupted throughout the whole floor. Essentially it was a 35 minute breakdown, but I cannot take away from these guys how much effort they put into commanding the crowd and just destroying it. Props to WHITECHAPEL.

Following them was JOB FOR A COWBOY. I am a fan of JOB FOR A COWBOY, more so their newer release Ruination vs. their older releases. I was excited to see them perform for a third time. But they did not satisfy me. Johnny was even sluggin on a bottle of whiskey in between songs. I started moshing during their set like normal until they started throwing in their older songs, and the ninjas came back out of the woodwork and I took a foot to the back of the head.

When that was finally over, AMON AMARTH came out to take of the open seas of people and claim their holy grail. The guys of AMON AMARTH are very intimidating pepole to begin with, and it showed through their music. Their set and music had been stuck in our head the rest of the night because of their catchy songs that are a mix of beauty and heavy. Most of their set consisted of songs from Twilight of the Thunder Gods, but the song that stuck out to me the most was The Cry of the Black Birds, because of the sheer epicness of it. They came out to an encore after disappearing into a blue cloud of smoke, and epicly returning to keep slashing.

And finally, at 12AM, it was time for the legends known as CANNIBAL CORPSE. Now, before I talk about them, I want to bring up a point. Almost every person at the show was seen wearing a CANNIBAL CORPSE t shirt, so you knew it was going to be packed for them, but when it was time for them to go on, the place was pretty much empty! I was shocked and disappointed, but it still wasnt going to stop me from throwing down in the pit. They opened up with Scalding Hail off their new album evisceration plague. And after that, they just tore right through their older catalog of songs ( even playing sentenced to burn, one of my favorites!!!) I have seen CANNIBAL CORPSE numerous times, but it seemed that George Fischer was not as into it as he normally was. Between the sound problems that halted them in between songs, the lack of crowd support, and the lateness of their set it definitely had an affect on his performance. But he still gave it his all and CANNIBAL CORPSE reminded me yet again why no matter how old they get, they still are one of the best.
All in all, New England hardcore and Metal Festival was one of the best experiences I have ever had. I recommend anyone try and go at least once in your life.

BEST PERFORMANCE: Municipal Waste

WORST PERFORMANCE: Job For A Cowboy

BIGGEST SURPRISE: Malefice

BEST CROWD REACTION: Whitechapel

BAND MISSED WE WISH WE SAW: Through the Eyes Of The Dead

New England Hardcore and Metal Festival Day 1

2010-04-29T13:48:00.001-04:00

New England Hardcore and Metal Fest might be the most diverse metal music festival in the area. Sure there are death fests, Bamboozles, Warped Tours and Mayhem festivals, but this two day monster has everything from death metal, grindcore, hardcore, punk, thrash and everything in between. Held at the Palladium in Worcester Massachusetts the 3 day event (April 22^nd-25^th) was one of the largest most epic of its kind.

The first day, which we unfortunately missed featured two soon to be power houses, Thy Will Be Done of Providence Rhode Island and surprise guest White Chapel. I did not arrive until the beginning of the Doomriders set early into the second day. The band, featuring Nate Newton of Converge on guitar/vocals, set a really strong tone with a combination of doom and hardcore/punk influence. I then switched the indoor side stage, reminiscent of Dingbatz/CBGB’s combination for the hardcore legends Earth Crisis and Cro-Mags. They did not disappoint with a tight sound, stage dives, gang vocals and a pit only a New York hardcore family could love.

Once we were done with the legends I immediately sprinted to see, essentially a tour that just passed through the area, (as I call it, suddenly the music industry has a huge wood for us so only listen to us and buy our CDs tour) Baroness, BTBAM and Mastodon. However many people forgot one of the funniest acts in metal today, Valient Thorr. With a punky thrash vibe similar to that of Municipal Waste, the shirtless Valient thrashed like a dying seal on stage to the delight and disgust of everyone at the venue. Most of the songs are not airable, so WSOU sticks to Red Flag off their latest album Immortalizer.

Next up was Baroness. I must say I did not understand the fuss surrounding this band until I saw them. Combining powerful vocal stylings with pure energy, heart and a genuine love of music, Baroness really stole the show from the headliners. The sound was the most clear and crisp of any bands that had performed that day, playing many tracks off their highly critically acclaimed release Blue Record, most prominently songs like Jake Leg and The Sweetest Curse. After the set, lead singer John Baizley proclaimed his love for the fans, imploring people to talk to them because they are normal people and would rather watch music then be on stage… something that stuck with me for the remainder of the weekend.

Finally was the combination of Between the Buried and Me and Mastodon. Both put forth underwhelming performances with lackluster crowd participation at best. BTB&M had the crowd going but extended their drawn out instrumental and spoken vocal parts, sapping energy from the crown. They also played only one song off Alaska and one song off Colors in over an hour set. The mix was way too loud and there did not seem to be the same effort from bands that I had seen all day. To make matters worse, Mastodon sound was terrible. played the entire Crack The Skye album, which started off so poorly with Oblivion, but improved for the rest of the album. Lead singer Troy Sanders almost refused to sing into the microphone, destroying what are normally beautiful harmonies. Mastodon did eventually start to sound better vocally, instrumentally they were completely on point saving what could have been considered a waste of two and a half hours. However the band disappeared from the stage after the completion of Crack the Skye only to come out and play a one song encore only to disappear again. The show ended half an hour earlier than expected and needless to say many fans went home disappointed.

These exploits are only day one of the adventure that was New England Hardcore and Metal Fest. Steve Straq will talk about day two with some of the most brutal bands of the past and present, as well as the SEVEN band interviews we conducted. For now I leave you with the breakdown of the Friday that was metal fest.

BEST PERFORMANCE: Doomriders

WORST PERFORMANCE: Between the Buried and Me

BIGGEST SURPRISE: Baroness

BEST CROWD REACTION: Cro-Mags

BAND MISSED WE WISH WE SAW: Death Before Dishonor

Killswitch Engage @ Irving Plaza 3/18/10

2010-03-19T11:54:00.011-04:00

Everyone who knows me knows that I absolutely love Killswitch Engage. Every time they come around, I always try to see them. Thursday night I was lucky enough, at the last minute after it had been announced the show was sold out, to once again catch them in the city. Thursday night at Irving Plaza was no typical Killswitch show, though. For the fifth time, I saw this band like I never have, and probably never will, again.

Before I get to KSE, I have to mention the first opening band, Dark Tranquility. For the most part, I am relatively unfamiliar with DT so I went into their set wondering how they would be. Within the first few seconds of Ghost Town, their set opener, I was blown away. They continued to impress me right until the very end. They had a hard, edgy sound mixed in with a few melodic parts, perfect for moshing and even singing along at some points. They brought a great energy with them and I couldn’t ask for a better opening band. I will definitely be checking them out more in depth.

The Devil Wears Prada was up next. Again, it was my first time seeing them and they did not disappoint. When they hit the stage, everyone went nuts. Literally nuts. Keep in mind a sold out show at Irving Plaza, which is probably no bigger than my basement, means pandemonium. Everyone got moving, pits grew huge, and the crowd surfing commenced. I enjoyed TDWP’s set, but not so much being moved around the entire floor. I did get a kick out of the lead singer’s Penguins shirt, which just shows that after all this fame and glory, these musicians are just your average Joe. TDWP played a nice mix of their older material along with some newer songs and I’m sure everyone had a great time while they were on stage.

Finally, the moment everyone had been waiting for. Killswitch Engage took the stage to roaring shouts and cheers, except this time without their soulful, beloved Howard Jones. It has still not been explained why Jones had to unexpectedly leave the tour for personal reasons. In his place was Phil Labonte, singer of All That Remains and good friend to KSE. I’ve seen Phil before in his natural environment with ATR, but seeing him standing there with KSE was pretty awesome. I will admit things were very well rehearsed for him jumping onto the tour last minute and learning all the songs. His voice was just as great as it always is live and he was probably the best fill in for KSE. Adam, as usual, flaunted a cape and an “interesting” getup, while the rest of the band sported hairy, scraggly beards or hair. The chaos continued for Killswitch’s set, but this time I avoided it in the back of the room.

In the middle of their set came yet another surprise guest: Jesse Leach himself, the original KSE singer. How is that for a real treat! Leach and Labonte sang together for a song, which was cool. Right after that Killswitch played a few songs straight from Alive or Just Breathing while Leach continued to take over. This was an awesome experience to see Leach perform with the rest of KSE. He sounded great, just like he did all those years back. Overall I thought their performance was tight, well put together, fun, energetic, and just plain fantastic. Here is their set list:

Opened with: Rose of Sharyn
Reckoning
When Darkness Falls
A Bid Farewell
This is Absolution
My Last Serenade
Numbered Days
Self Revolution
Vide Infra
Temple Within
My Curse
Take this Oath
The End of Heartache
Encore: Prelude
Life to Lifeless
Fixation on the Darkness

The encore was, by far, the best part. Leach came back again after handing the mic back to Labonte, and performed a few more AOJB tracks. The coolest thing was Adam actually switched over to drums for these songs, so I witnessed the original lineup of my favorite band. It was beyond belief awesome. Everyone in the crowd was excited and really upbeat for Jesse and it was so nice seeing him perform. Life to Lifeless was fantastic live with Jesse. It’s definitely one of my favorite songs off that album and I was stoked to hear it, as was everyone else. I will never get tired of hearing Heartache either, which will always be my favorite KSE song. Overall, fantastic show. One that you definitely did not want to miss and one that will go down in history.

By: Gabby Canella

Photos courtesy of Will Hawkins Photography

DJ Profile: Jet Force Gemmani

2010-02-26T22:15:00.000-05:00

DJ: Jet Force Gemmani

Hometown: Warwick, RI

Favorite Bands: Slipknot, Metallica, All that Remains, Avenged Sevenfold, Bullet for My Valentine, Atreyu, Rise Against, Rage Against the Machine, System of a Down, Tool, and Primus.

Hobbies: I like to play video games, watching sports (favorite teams are the Yankees, Cowboys, Celtics, Bruins, New England Revolution, and Chelsea), and listening to music (alternative 70’s and 80’s rock and roll and metal).

Favorite WSOU Experience: First time DJing is probably on the top of my WSOU experiences. It was very awesome being in the captain's chair for the first time. Playing your favorite songs and playing the songs of all the callers was just a thrill that I won’t soon forget.

About: I got my DJ name when I was an AP. It’s a play on the old Nintendo 64 game "Jet Force Gemini", it probably suits me because second to being at WSOU, I like to play video games. I love rock music, and you can probably catch me listening to STP, Nirvana, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Pearl Jam, Cage the Elephant etc… However, you can also see Jet Force Gemmani banging his head and playing air drums, air guitar and even air cowbell if the occasion calls for it while listening to WSOU!

(To see all of our DJ profiles, check out WSOU.net)

DJ Profile: Colonel Terror

2010-02-23T23:17:00.001-05:00

DJ: Colonel Terror

Hometown: Neshanic Station, NJ

Favorite Bands: Metallica, Slayer, Megadeth, Black Sabbath, Dream Theater, Testament, Judas Priest, Iron Maiden, Sepultura, At The Gates, Lazarus A.D.

Hobbies: Playing guitar, singing for Lord Machino (www.myspace.com/lordmachino) reading, being metal, creating chaos

Favorite WSOU Experience: Moshing with Steve Stracq in the hallway, and getting beaten up at a Dingbatz show and getting free tickets out of it.

About: Colonel Terror is everything that embodies The Metal. In fact, before Jack Black, Colonel Terror was supposed to the voice for Eddie Riggs in Brutal Legend. Colonel Terror’s band also opened for Poison, Slayer, and Wyld Stallionz. Rob Halford of Judas Priest fame also believes him to be the next big thing. No lies. But seriously, Colonel Terror is so metal, a bunch of fistpumpers got in a fight over him wearing a Slayer shirt to one of their clubs.

(To see all of our DJ profiles, check out WSOU.net)

Through the Eyes of the Dead LIVE On This Friday's Pirated Advance

2010-01-27T21:35:00.005-05:00

BIG NEWS!

Through the Eyes of the Dead's new album, "Skepsis", doesn't drop till 2/2, but this Friday, you can hear it on the Pirated Advance.

BUT WAIT, THERE'S MORE!

Vocalist Danny Rodriguez will be live with Sheigh Hey Hey from 9-10 p.m. on the 1/29 edition of the Pirated Advance. Tell your friends and listen in - because how often do you get to hear an advanced record while the artist talks about it?

-----

More from Blabbermouth.net:

South Carolina's THROUGH THE EYES OF THE DEAD will team up with the nation's largest college radio station — WSOU in South Orange, New Jersey — for a radio premiere of their new album, "Skepsis", in its entirety on their specialty show, "Pirated Advance", this Friday, January 28 at 9 P.M. EST. The album will hit the streets on Tuesday, February 2 via Prosthetic Records.

"Pirated Advance" host Sheigh Perkins will be joined by THROUGH THE EYES OF THE DEAD's vocalist Danny Rodriguez. During the evening listeners will be able to tune in for an hour's worth of new music as well as an exclusive interview with Danny regarding the new release, upcoming developments with the band and the concept behind "Skepsis" from start to finish.

People in the New York metropolitan area can tune their dials in to 89.5 FM this Friday between 9 and 10 p.m. (EST). People outside of the area can tune in online at www.wsou.net and can catch the broadcast. Fans can also request their favorite tracks from "Skepsis" by calling (973)761-9768, or via AOL Instant Messenger at WSOUrequests.

"Skepsis" is the first THROUGH THE EYES OF THE DEAD album to feature new vocalist Danny Rodriguez, drummer Mike Ranne and guitarist Chris "Hank" Henckel.

Commented guitarist Justin Longshore: "Our new record, 'Skepsis', finally captures the sound we've always envisioned. We really wanted to raise the bar with this one but also keep the consistency that THROUGH THE EYES OF THE DEAD is known for. Overall, everyone has become better at their instruments and it really shows on the record. I have no doubt in my mind that new and old fans of the band will be pleased when they hear it!"

"Skepsis" track listing:

01. Parasite Throne
02. Dementia
03. No Haven
04. Perpetual Defilement
05. Inherit Obscurity
06. The Manifest
07. Defaced Reality
08. Siphonaptera From Within
09. Insomnium
10. Skepsis

DJ Profile: E-Bish

2010-01-21T19:32:00.003-05:00

DJ: E-Bish

Hometown: Denville, NJ

Favorite Bands: The Descendents, Sublime, The Slackers, Pepper, The Beach Boys, Jimmy Buffett

Hobbies: Playing Guitar/ Bass, The Beach, Canoeing, Fishing, Hiking, Pretty much anything outdoors.

Favorite WSOU Experience: Interviewing Marky Ramone live In-Studio during one of my DJ Shifts.

About: I originally came to WSOU as a transfer student from CCM. I have been a fan of WSOU since high school, when I started tuning into Punk University - a show which I now host (every Tuesday, 8-10pm).

(To see all of our DJ profiles, check out WSOU.net)

DJ: The Melldawg

2010-01-19T13:36:00.007-05:00

DJ: The Melldawg

Hometown: Fairfield, CT

Favorite Bands: Lamb of God, Hatebreed, Trivium, Evergreen Terrace, Chimaira, Sepultura, Soulfly, Black Sabbath and Slipknot

Hobbies: Music, video games (READ: schooling The Scarecrow at NHL 10), and attempting to play guitar, unsuccessfully.

Favorite WSOU Experience: WSOU experience: the shows I’ve been to for WSOU, namely Lamb of God/ GWAR, Trivium/Chimaira/Dirge Within, and Hatebreed/Chimaira.

About: I started working at the station in the summer of 2009, and I haven’t looked back since. Follow me on Twitter!

(Up next: E-Bish! To see all of our DJ profiles, check out WSOU.net)

DJ Profile: Irish Mike

2010-01-17T14:31:00.000-05:00

DJ: Irish Mike

Hometown: Haddon Heights, NJ

Favorite Bands: Flogging Molly, Anti-Nowhere League, Dead Kennedys, Blanks77, Animal Collective, Green Day (89’ to 95’), US Bombs, Strike Anywhere

Hobbies: Editing music, repping the dirty South Jersey, working hard and playing harder, DJing a million hours a week

Favorite WSOU Experience: DJing Punk University as my first DJ shift ever, Flogging Molly at Hammerstein Ballroom

About: I’m an accounting student from South Jersey. Music and school dominate my life. I’m a strange dude but people put up with me.

(To see all of our DJ profiles, check out WSOU.net!)

DJ Profile: Alexandra

2010-01-15T10:54:00.000-05:00

DJ: Alexandra

Hometown: Delaware, NJ

Favorite Bands: Volbeat, Clutch, E-Town Concrete, The Beatles

Hobbies: Reading, writing, collecting vinyl

Favorite WSOU Experience: Pranking with WSOU alumni! Example: Helping George Roskos make popcorn to tick off Eaglerock (who hates popcorn) while he was teaching the class for new WSOU staffers!

About: I’m a fun loving Scorpio who loves walks on the beach, video games... Oh, wait! Wrong website to post this on!

But for real -- I’m a senior, Diplomacy major, which may be the furthest thing from radio, but I like it. I was also brought up on classic rock and Caribbean music, but I have been converted somewhat to metal by working here. I do plan on working radio into my career in the future, which currently includes being a Foreign Service Officer.

(To see all of our DJ profiles, check out WSOU.net!)

WSOU takes Montclair this week!

2010-01-13T10:24:00.000-05:00

Meet DJs, Win WSOU Prizes!!

WSOU is coming to Montclair! Join WSOU DJs and staff as we broadcast live from the brand new Smashburger restaurant, 15 Bloomfield Ave in Montclair, New Jersey. “The Wiz” will be there Noon – 2p.m. on Thurs. Jan. 14 and “E. Bish” and “The Wiz” will be there noon to 2 p.m. on Sat. Jan. 16. Come visit with WSOU, spin our prize wheel and savor a smashburger!

DJ Profile: Tim Dooley

2010-01-13T09:51:00.002-05:00

DJ: Tim Dooley

Hometown: Philadelphia, PA

Favorite Bands: Metallica, Porcupine Tree, Type O Negative

Hobbies: Reading and hanging out mostly

Favorite WSOU Experience: Flying to California to cover SHU men's basketball. Going to away games is awesome.

About: Hey! My name is Tim Dooley and I am the host of The Tim Dooley Show. I am also a member of the WSOU sports staff. I have been all over the country covering the men’s and women’s basketball teams. When I am not on air or studying, I am cheering on Seton Hall sports, and the Phillies, Eagles, Flyers and Sixers. LET'S GO PIRATES!

(Up next: Alexandra - to see all of our DJ profiles, check out WSOU.net!)

DJ Profile: Maria Burks

2010-01-11T18:47:00.000-05:00

DJ: Maria Burks

Hometown: Sammamish, WA

Favorite Bands: Nine Inch Nails, The Dillinger Escape Plan, Five Finger Death Punch, Gallows, Hatebreed

Hobbies: Seeing as much music as possible!

Favorite WSOU Experience: Backstage at Mayhem Fest with Adam Duce of Machine Head, in Dragonforce's dressing room, meeting Jim Root of Slipknot in full costume before Slipknot's set.

About: "So throw diamonds in the sky, we'll stay gold forever" (Diamonds Aren't Forever- Bring Me The Horizon) Follow me on Twitter and check out my music blog at www.mariaburks.com

(Up next: Tim Dooley - to see all of our DJ profiles, check out WSOU.net!)

DJ Profile: Ally Vila

2010-01-09T07:44:00.002-05:00

DJ: Ally Vila

Hometown: Tenafly, NJ

Favorite Bands: Guns N Roses, Brand New, Blink-182

Hobbies: Listening to Joe Murray the Great explain why Chinese Democracy was worth the wait

Favorite WSOU Experience: Staff Karaoke at Cryan's Beef & Ale House

About: I'm a senior at Seton Hall and have been at WSOU since my sophomore year. I have way too many WSOU memories to recount, but just know it's one of the best places EVER to work!

(Up next: Maria Burks - to see all of our DJ profiles, check out WSOU.net!)

DJ Profile: Joe Murray the Great

2010-01-07T15:40:00.002-05:00

DJ: Joe Murray the Great

Hometown: Hawthorne, NJ

Favorite Bands: Too many to pick from - I'll go with Guns N Roses, AFI, System of a Down and Metallica

Hobbies: Being THE GREATEST... and explaining to everyone why Chinese Democracy was worth the wait.

Favorite WSOU Experience: Either being bowled over by a Garden State Roller Girl or being chief ghoul at the WSOU/Maplewood YMCA Haunted House

About: I was given my Great title by another great - Tall Paul, who is great in other ways. Mostly in height.

(Up next: Ally Vila - to see all of our DJ profiles, check out WSOU.net!)

Artist List from 2009's Top 89 Countdown

2010-01-07T10:30:00.002-05:00

Here's the list of artists from our Top 89 Countdown, which aired on New Year's Day 2010. Every December, our Music Department counts the number of times our New Music artists were played in the previous twelve months. It's a big task for them, but we feel it's an exciting way to say goodbye to the previous year and welcome in the new one.

There were definitely some surprises on the Top 89 Countdown, which aired on New Year's Day 2010. Among other things, Volbeat soared high up the list to find a place among WSOU's heavies, longtime veterans Saxon had a strong showing and local guys Anaka broke into the Top 25.

Take a good look at the list below, and always remember: You can affect next year's list by calling in and requesting what you want to hear!

973-761-WSOU

2009's Top 89 Artists

Five Finger Death Punch
Lamb of God
Dethklok
Mastodon
Hatebreed
Clutch
Volbeat
Killswitch Engage
Alice In Chains
D. Driver
Chimaira
The Devil Wears Prada
Municipal Waste
Shadows Fall
Austrian Death Machine
Megadeth
Saxon
Sepultura
G. Forbid
Gwar
Dream Theatre
August Burns Red
Maylene and the Sons of Disaster
Anaka
CKY
Iwrestledabearonce
A Day to Remember
Bury Your Dead
Cage
Psychostick
Lazarus A.D.
Kreator
Between the Buried and Me
Rumplesiltskin Grinder
Eyes Set to Kill
Gwen Stacy
Mars Volta
Suicide Silence
Devin Townsend Project
Thursday
Gallows
Porcupine Tree
Poison the Well
Baroness
Viking Skull
Atreyu
Drop Dead Gorgeous
Rancid
Alexisonfire
Edguy
Dirge Within
Evergreen Terrace
Haste the Day
Born of Osiris
3 Inches of Blood
Architects
Daath
Vanna
Demon Hunter
Iron Maiden
Obituary
Converge
Job For a Cowboy
Kylesa
Misery
Revocation
Armed For Apocalypse
Les Claypool
Ensiferum
Static-X
Havok
Neaera
Death By Stereo
Into the Moat
As they Sleep
Gojira
Obscura
He Is Legend
Trail of Tears
A. Jack
Oh, Sleeper
Rammstein
Amarna Reign
Autumn Hour
Queensryche
Darkane
Too Pure to Die
Woe of Tyrants
Horse the Band

DJ Profile: Sheigh Hey Hey

2010-01-05T09:38:00.000-05:00

DJ: Sheigh Hey Hey

Hometown:

Favorite Bands: Clutch, Volbeat, Black Label Society, Mastodon, Dillinger Escape Plan

Hobbies: Music, music, music. It's my life, and I love living it.

Favorite WSOU Experience: 2-way tie: 1) The 60th Anniversary show was when I wasn't even a DJ yet. It was awesome to finally put some names with faces @ the show and meet some of the amazing and dedicated listeners that WSOU has! On top of getting a drum stick from Unearth and meeting Ivan Moody didn't hurt either! 2) My interview with Neil Fallon of Clutch... you may know that I always start my shift off with Volbeat and a TRIPLE SHOT of Clutch, so my obsession is apparent. Being able to interview Neil was hands down one of my favorite WSOU experiences because lets be honest, WHERE ELSE WOULD I HAVE GOTTEN TO DO THAT?!

About: Soon I hope to graduate from Seton Hall with my degree in Business with dreams to open my own bar or radio station someday. Catch me on WSOU for New Music Fridays, with the Top 10 and the Pirated Advance (8 pm - midnight every week!). Get in touch with me at

(Up next: Joe Murray the Great - to see all of our DJ profiles, check out WSOU.net!)

DJ Profile: Nicole

2010-01-03T16:33:00.003-05:00

DJ: Nicole ("The Reverse Magnetic Pole" - as voted on by you, the listeners!)

Hometown: P-Town (but I'm truly a Wayniac)

Favorite Bands: A Perfect Circle, Black Sabbath, Melvins, In This Moment, Nightwish, Dropkick Murphys, Tool but I'll listen to pretty much anything that shows promise or originality.

Hobbies: Readin', Writin', 'Rithmatic

Favorite WSOU Experience: Reading silly news stories on air, being a Big Buddy to new staffers, and having regular listeners call up.

About: People always ask why I got involved with WSOU in the first place and thats simple- the listeners. I like being able to play what people what to hear and open their minds to songs new and old that they might not know. Also, being on staff is pretty cool because I have gotten to see awesome shows like Arch Enemy, Dragonforce and Dream Theater and people on staff are amazing, hijinks tend to ensue. Plus what else would I do in the middle of the night?

(Up next: Sheigh Hey Hey - to see all of our DJ profiles, check out WSOU.net!)

DJ Profile: The Wiz

2010-01-01T10:31:00.001-05:00

DJ: (Nobody Beats) The Wiz

Hometown:Matawan, NJ

Favorite Bands: Trivium, Black Sabbath, Motorhead, Killswitch Engage, Iron Maiden

Hobbies: Hanging out, watching sports - football, baseball, basketball, hockey, etc.

Favorite WSOU Experience: Since I'm the sports guy around here, no doubt that my top memory was broadcasting basketball at Madison Square Garden (2009 Big East Tournament, SHU vs. South Florida and SHU vs. Syracuse)

About: I've been a member of WSOU Sports since December 2007 but got my DJ credentials in the summer of 2009. Watch out - I'm a dominant competitor in Madden. I haven't lost to any friend (or WSOU staffer) in about a year.

(Up next: Nicole - to see all of our DJ profiles, check out WSOU.net!)

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

2010-01-01T00:02:00.003-05:00

Happy New Year to everyone from WSOU!

Make sure to tune into WSOU's annual Top 89... starting TODAY AT 12 P.M.

Every year, our music department counts up the spins of all the new music that came our way in the past year. Then, they compile a list of the top 89 most-spun artists, and we spend all of New Year's Day counting them down until we reveal #1.

Get over your New Year's Eve hangover and tune into WSOU at noon - your favorite DJs will be spinning the Top 89 all afternoon.

Tell your friends and listen in - thanks for supporting another great year of The Loudest Rock.

SETON HALL'S PIRATE RADIO - 89.5 FM WSOU
62 YEARS AND STILL GOING STRONG

WSOU: THIS METAL DOESN'T RUST.

DJ Profile: Danielle

2009-12-30T09:30:00.000-05:00

DJ: Danielle

Hometown: Green Brook, NJ

Favorite Bands: August Burns Red, E-Town Conrete, Korn, Parkway Drive, Emmure, Alexisonfire

Hobbies: Spending money :-), wasting gas on random adventures, and listening to music of course!!!

Favorite WSOU Experience: 1. Becoming the music director 2. interviewing evergreen terrace in studio! They were absolutely insane and I loved every minute of it. 3. Meeting E-Town Concrete!!! 4. Standing on the railing of the daily E-Town reunion show and was personally given Teddy's drumstick and a sweaty hug from him after the show!!!1. Becoming the music director 2. interviewing evergreen terrace in studio! They were absolutely insane and I loved every minute of it. 3. Meeting E-Town Concrete!!! 4. Standing on the railing of the daily E-Town reunion show and was personally given Teddy's drumstick and a sweaty hug from him after the show!!!

About: My name is Danielle. I have been listening to WSOU since I was 14 years old. I started working here at 17 years old. It was pretty cool being one of the youngest staff members at one time. WSOU has to be one of the best things that has ever happened to me. It not only introduced me to some of the coolest people ever but definately opened my eyes to a whole new world of music. I love having a good time and laughing. You can always find a smile on my face. :)

(Up next: The Wiz - to see all of our DJ profiles, check out WSOU.net!)

DJ Profile: Gabby

2009-12-28T13:22:00.000-05:00

DJ: Gabby

Hometown: Clark, NJ

Favorite Bands: Disturbed, Rammstein, Lamb of God, Hatebreed, All That Remains, Killswitch Engage, Metallica, Nightwish

Hobbies: Working in a bakery, volunteering at the Jersey Animal Coalition shelter, watching the NJ Devils play, and going to as many metal shows as I possibly can.

Favorite WSOU Experience: Interviewing Shaun Glass of Dirge Within. I later met him and the rest of the band when they played with Trivium in November at the Irving Plaza. I got to hang out with the band the whole night, got a bunch of freebies, and had a lot of fun.

About: Music is definitely one of my biggest passions, which is why I love working at WSOU so much. I love metal and enjoy listening to a lot of the bands we play. I also love going to concerts so chances are if you’re attending a metal show, you will probably run into me. Also, FACT: my last name means “cinnamon” in Italian, Spanish, and Portuguese.

(Up next: Danielle - to see all of our DJ profiles, check out WSOU.net!)

DJ Profile: Stigz

2009-12-26T10:18:00.001-05:00

DJ: Stigz

Hometown: Hasbrouck Heights, Dirty Jerz

Favorite Bands: Alkaline Trio, Five Finger Death Punch, Deftones, Thrice, Jimi Hendrix

Hobbies: Causing a raucous, spinning the dirty filthy beats when I’m not twisting your metal, generally being an intense dude, spelunking for clues, and stealing parking cones. Also: reading (Vonnegut and Palahniuk are favs), rock climbing, producing tracks and boxing...

Favorite WSOU Experience: Top 3: Rocking out @ S + S fest in Asbury Park, Interviewing/mercilessly hitting on Cassandra Ford from the Vincent Black Shadow (Google her and you’ll see!) and drinking with The Sleeping. Although every day I’m here something crazy tends to happen…

About: Art, music, and good times. That's what life should be.
I love music in all its capacity, from Mozart to Megadeth: Music Is Freedom.

Whether it's rockin’ out on your radio, or pumping bass from the booth, I love to be around music, so it seems like I’m in the right place. I’ve been at WSOU for what seems like forever, but wouldn't have it any other way.

On a lighter note, I have a weird phobia of the Aflac duck (that little orange billed dude is plotting!), would eat Ramen soup for the rest of my life, and my biggest pet peeve is slow walking people. Now for some shameless self promo: Catch me Sunday nights for ClubSessions, 10 pm - Midnight. Call on up and I'll shout you out. Get in touch with me: "Stigz" on Facebook or catch me on Myspace.

(Up next: Gabby - to see all of our DJ profiles, check out WSOU.net!)

DJ Profile: Dr. A

2009-12-24T09:08:00.001-05:00

DJ: Dr. A

Hometown: Staten Island, NY

Favorite Bands: Neutral Milk Hotel, Nirvana, Brand New, Matisyahu, Kevin Devine

Hobbies: Writing, Snowboarding, Guitar, Photography, Stumble Upon.

Favorite WSOU Experience: It was a long 12-3 am shift. A Marine called me up and told me how much he loved the station and his girlfriend. Him and his girlfriend have been listening to the station for years. He's being shipped off to the Middle East in a few months and he asked me if I would propose to his girlfriend on air from him. They have been dating for four years. At first I thought it was a joke. As I listened to him further, I realized he was serious. So I did it. On live radio. She called in, and she said yes. She was soo incredibly happy. Then, there were about 20 callers who dedicated songs to them and their own significant others. I always knew this radio station was unique, but I really saw our influence on people as sappy as that might read. The combination of love and music was terrific. I have never even seen this couple in person.

About: I've taken four semesters of German and I can barely speak a sentence in it. Besides that, I can eat like a mammoth. Furthermore, I am obsessed with vinyl lately. When I graduate from SHU, I want to help people. That means I will probably end up being a journalist, lawyer, or professional volunteer. I would like to travel the world with you. WSOU is an awesome community to be a part of. It's given me really cool opportunities to report news, influence via music, meet bands, and party with staff at Cryans.

(Up next: Stigz -- to see all of our DJ profiles, check out WSOU.net!)

HAPPY HOLIDAYS FROM EVERYONE AT WSOU!

DJ Profile: Steve Stracq

2009-12-22T13:13:00.002-05:00

DJ: Steve Stracq

Hometown: Jersey City, NJ

Favorite Bands: Suffocation, Lamb of God, Warbringer, Napalm Death, Black Label Society, Slipknot

Hobbies: Obviously listening to music (more specifically thrash and death metal, but I appreciate all music) being a nerd, baseball, working out (which I need to get back to doing!!!), being really loud and obnoxious and laughing.

Favorite WSOU Experience: 1) Getting a bloody nose only 2 minutes into the Mayhem Festival moshing and yelling at the Wiz that I’m still moshing later. 2) Interviewing Karl Sanders of Nile and listening to him yell at his dog Nola for being annoying. 3) The one night Out of Babylon got canceled after Vintage 80’s and That Guy and I turned the studio into our own concert. 4) Vintage 80’s after-parties Thursday nights at my house during the summer with my roommates and That Guy and the Jackhammer.

About: My name is Steve Stracq, and ever since I was 10 I’ve been an avid listener of WSOU. You can thank my cousin and his old death metal band for pretty much corrupting me by introducing me to the world of metal at such a young age, but I wouldn’t have it any other way. My major has absolutely nothing to do with radio (Biology/Athletic training). After a couple of wrong turns throughout college, I never thought I’d ever be a DJ at WSOU, the place I admired growing up and could always count on. But hey, you never know where life can take you. I don’t know how to sit still; I’m very loud and have abnormal amounts of energy at all hours of the day. I’m all about having a good time, and I enjoy doing what I do, and that’s entertaining and making people forget about their problems.

(Up next: Dr. A -- to see all of our DJ profiles, check out WSOU.net!)

DJ Profile: Ms Scarlett

2009-12-20T15:20:00.000-05:00

DJ: Ms. Scarlett

Hometown: E-Town!

Favorite Bands: Within Temptation, Children of Bodom, Slipknot, Opeth, Life of Agony

Hobbies: Arts & Crafts, reading vampire novels, watching Sons of Anarchy

Favorite WSOU Experience: 1) Making Trivium cupcakes when they were at WSOU for an interview. Matt took a bunch of cupcakes with him for his dad who helps manage the band. 2) Thanksgiving dinner with Life of Agony complete with turkey was also pretty awesome. The band really liked the pumpkin pie I made. 3) Turning the corner in the hall of WSOU one day and running basically smack into Burton C. Bell...and then I called him Dan C. Bell by mistake!

About: I have been around WSOU since late 2004. I am at Seton Hall to work on my Masters in English hoping to teach high school before the little children I normally work with devour me. I like to go to shows in other states besides the NJ/NY area. I've traveled to Baltimore and Worcester, MA to go to shows. My goal is to one day go to Wacken Open Air Festival in Germany, the largest metal festival of Europe.

(Up next: Steve Stracq - to see all of our DJ profiles, check out WSOU.net!)

X-Promo: StarBeat's Life of Agony photos from the Highline Ballroom 12/15/09

2009-12-19T09:25:00.005-05:00

Earlier this week, Starchild of Star Beat got some great pictures and wrote an excellent rundown of Life of Agony's second (of 2) anniversary shows. This one was at the Highline Ballroom, and WSOU Street Patrol artists One Brick Down and AnAkA opened up for them.

CLICK THROUGH FOR THE FULL REVIEW/PHOTOS/ETC.

(photo creds to Starchild of Star Beat)

DJ Profile: The Scarecrow

2009-12-18T11:09:00.001-05:00

DJ: The Scarecrow

Hometown: Muskegon, MI - Respect the Mitten!

Favorite Bands: Volbeat, Devin Townsend anything, Bane, Nightwish, In Flames, Ministry, Dredg

Hobbies: Cooking, hunting Bigfoot, and constantly reminding the locals that there are 48 other states in the USA besides NY & NJ!

Favorite WSOU Experience: There's been many, but I'll go with two: 1) Getting the crap beaten out of me at a Gallows show with That Guy, The Jackhammer, Jen and Starchild in a too-hot, too-crowded basement in New Brunswick 2) doing election coverage both in the field and in-studio for the '08 Super Tuesday primaries as well as the '07 and '08 election days.

About: From the frozen north, it's me, the Scarecrow! So-named because in my sophomore year, Tiny happened to always see me on days where I was wearing flannel. It now appears that "The Lumberjack" might have been a better name, but we'll roll with what I've got. I like hockey, Metalocalypse and superheroes (Batman!). I make a good pot of chili... 4-alarm, so be warned. I also host the Campus Buzz on Sunday nights, so if you don't have your radios by 8 pm, turn them on! Contact me at WSOUScarecrow@gmail.com or find me on .

(Up next: Ms. Scarlett - to see all of our DJ profiles, check out WSOU.net!)

Holiday Shopping Idea: WSOU threads!

2009-12-17T16:39:00.000-05:00

Pick up some WSOU threads for your friends this holiday.

We've got three great new T-shirt designs for you (plus we still have some of the classic WSOU D.A.R.E. shirts kicking around, and as always our classic hoodie!)

Head over to our store to pick one up!

WIN STUFF - Gods of Fire's "Hanukkah Gone Metal"

2009-12-17T09:19:00.003-05:00

HOLIDAY STIMULUS ALERT!

Thrice, Motorhead, Typo O Negative and It Dies Today aren’t the only WSOU bands that have put out holiday music.

Metalheads the Gods of Fire have just released Hanukkah Gone Metal. Enter here for a chance to win their CD.

(Just look at the epic album cover... how could you not want to enter?)

DJ Profile: Hot Pants

2009-12-16T12:06:00.000-05:00

DJ: Hot Pants

Hometown: Hudson County -- Love to the 201!

Favorite Bands: Dethklok, Iron Maiden, Bon Jovi (how could you not if you live in Jersey?), Reel Big Fish, Spice Girls

Hobbies: Cooking, crocheting, painting my nails and taking care of my fish (whose name is Alastor)

Favorite WSOU Experience: Working my Assistant Producer shift for Vintage 80s one night, only to discover that Tiny is interviewing Doro Pesch from Doro - LIVE IN STUDIO! SO cool to hang out with a rock legend!

About: I know you're all dying to find out how I got the name "Hot Pants" - I do actually have a killer sense of style. One day, I passed Scarecrow in the hallway wearing these great red leopard-print jeans (Yes, you read that right). He noticed them, and yelled "HEY! Hot Pants!" It stuck ever since.

(Up next: The Scarecrow! To see all of our DJ profiles, check out WSOU.net!)

DJ Profile: Captain Morgan

2009-12-14T17:03:00.000-05:00

DJ: Captain Morgan

Hometown: Staten Island, NY

Favorite Bands: Dragonforce, Nightwish, Iron Maiden, Dream Theater, Arch Enemy

Hobbies: Everything Metal

Favorite WSOU Experience: Learning Finnish from Nightwish's Anette Olzon.

About: I grew up listening Q104.3, but didn't really get into music until late in high school, around the time I started listening to WSOU. Nightwish's Once was the first metal album I ever heard that was more recent than Rust In Peace-era Megadeth, and that pretty much led me to the musical taste I have now. I like flowers, long walks on the beach, and occasionally disemboweling my enemies alive with a rusty spoon I keep in my bag at all times. Listen into Storming the Ramparts on Wednesday nights, 10 p.m. - 12 a.m. - I play the best in power metal, speed metal, viking metal, etc.

(Up next: Hot Pants! To see all of our DJ profiles, check out WSOU.net!)

WSO - YOU Takeover

2009-12-14T06:30:00.001-05:00

Want to own our airwaves? This winter, WSOU is giving you the chance to commandeer our airwaves for an hour and decide what we play - it's the WSOU TAKEOVER!

The Takeover is a chance for you, the listeners, to play DJ for an hour. You pick the tunes, you call the shots, and your voice will get to be heard on air. It's our way of giving something back to our listeners.

To be considered for the WSOU Takeover, please send an e-mail to WSOUtakeover@gmail.com including your name, full address, phone number, age and preferred email address and we'll get this crazy train rolling.

A Ridiculously Funny Evening with Psychostick: 12-12-09

2009-12-13T23:02:00.011-05:00

Caffeine!
In my Coffee!
Caffeine!
In my Mountain Dew!
Caffeine

In espresso!

Many have heard the awesome and goofy lyrics of Psychostick grace the airwaves of WSOU, with songs ranging from Caffeine (above lyrics) to Minimum Rage. Their songs alone are entertaining and ear-catching, so of course when I found out they were coming around to NJ, I was stoked. Saturday, December 12th, I had the pleasure of attending a local show with their headlining presence. This was something different for me because for the majority of the concerts I’ve been to, they’ve all been at big arenas or theaters. This time, I traveled down to Dingbatz, a tiny, yet cozy, bar/club right here in Clifton, NJ. The place was real easy to get to and had a friendly atmosphere.

The first band to perform that evening was Morbid Visions, right from Belmar. They put on a great set full of energy and had a big sound. They had a death metal/thrashy feel to their songs and definitely got the crowd warmed up. Be on the lookout for them opening up for D. Driver and Behemoth at the Starland Ballroom January 30th.

After Morbid Visions, another local band called Darkness Descends played. They differed a bit from the first band in that they had a more hardcore metal, edgier set. The lead singer definitely did a great job pumping everyone up and having people mosh in the small space on the floor.

Finally, well past midnight, Psychostick took the stage. Everything about them was humorous and enjoyable, from their personalities and appearances to their song lyrics. Jimmy wore a Superman shirt in addition to his blue antenna spike on the top of his head. Rawrb wore his spike jester hat. Josh had on black and white pinstripe circus paints and even Jake sported a spinny top hat. The nice part about the band performing in a small club like Dingbatz was that the show was very intimate between the musicians and the fans. Several times Rawrb nodded, smiled, or waved to me in the crowd, as was similar with a bunch of other fans. Even before the show I hung out with and chatted with Jimmy. After their performance they stuck around to hang out with their fans and take pictures. All the guys were really chill and very funny.

They did a nice mix of songs off their first album, their holiday album, and their latest CD: Sandwich. Their set list, in no particular order, is as follows:

Minimum Rage
This is Not a Song, It’s a Sandwich
P is the Best Letter
Die…a Lot!
Aqua Teen
ABCDeath
Two Ton Paperweight
Scrotal Torment
Beer!
The Jagermeister Love Song
Jingle Bell Metal
Silent Night
Happy F-ing New Year

Aside from their undeniably fantastic, humor-filled songs ranging from drinking beer to crappy first job experiences, subjects almost everyone in their listening audience can relate to, the music was serious in every way. This wasn’t just a bunch of guys singing random, stupid stuff to whatever they can bang out on their instruments. The music was very tight and well done to compliment the song lyrics. The guys did a superb job on every rhythm, break down, and melody. Their beats were right on and very catchy. For a laid back, silly band, their music did not cut corners at all. Psychostick made their set fun with synchronized moves, Jimmy collecting donations for his jail bail, and stories. Everyone made their way to the floor during Psychostick’s set, either moshing, headbanging, or just laughing along. Even for a small club, the floor was decently filled with lots of people having a good time. Definitely one of my favorite performances of the year and great night overall.

By: Gabby Canella

DJ Profile: Jen

2009-12-12T10:57:00.002-05:00

DJ: Jen

Hometown: Plant City, Florida

Favorite Bands: Alexisonfire, Haste The Day, Evergreen Terrace, Against Me, Killswitch Engage, As I Lay Dying

Hobbies: Being a sorority girl, accounting and WSOU!

Favorite WSOU Experience: Hanging out on Killswitch Engage's tour bus during Rockstar Mayhem!

About: I am a bit of a hippie, so i hear, but I don't believe it! I'm from the south but you could never tell. I like to laugh... a lot. I love indie and screamo, but I'm always up for anything.

(Up next: Captain Morgan! To see all of our DJ profiles, check out WSOU.net!)

DJ Profile: That Guy

2009-12-10T08:52:00.003-05:00

DJ: That Guy

Hometown: Pennsauken, NJ

Favorite Bands: Lamb of God, All That Remains, Evergreen Terrace, Trivium, Gojira, Grimus, Dark Avatar.

Hobbies: Failing Accounting, Drinking (which helps with failing Accounting), METAL and being "That Guy"

Favorite WSOU Experience: Interviewing Judas Priest, Slipknot, Max Cavalera and countless other bands... dozens and still counting!!!

About: I love metal. Keep it loud, keep it fast, keep it crazy. I love playing blocks of other stuff. I love requests. I would love to do this job for a living but I know there are no jobs... so I am enjoying the living crap out of it while I can.

(more DJ profiles to come - to see them all, check them out on WSOU.net!)

Coming soon: New WSOU merchandise

2009-12-01T19:21:00.002-05:00

Here's a sneak peek at some of our new WSOU merchandise, available soon.

(All Photos by Luke Brereton)

THE LOUDEST THANKSGIVING 2009

2009-11-23T14:15:00.001-05:00

This weekend, WSOU presents THE LOUDEST THANKSGIVING!

What: WSOU's Loudest Thanksgiving
Who: In This Moment, In Fear and Faith, Agraceful, Motionless in White
When: Saturday, November 28
Where: The School of Rock East (31 Schrieffer Street, South Hackensack, NJ)
How Much: $13 advance, $15 at the door

For more information and tickets CLICK HERE!

All That Remains/Lacuna Coil/Maylene and the Sons of Disaster Tour Hits The Starland Ballroom

2009-11-22T10:11:00.009-05:00

Last Friday night, I was fortunate enough to see four great bands at the Starland Ballroom. The first band was one I had never heard before, Taking Dawn, from Las Vegas. Their set was obviously influenced by 80’s metal, with a little bit of a faster pace. Lead vocalist/guitarist Chris Babbitt was very animated while working the crowd onstage, and even moving out into the crowd, and playing his solos in the middle of the circle pit. All of these antics combined with an off-color yet spot on cover of Fleetwood Mac’s “The Chain” got me intrigued about what to expect from Taking Dawn in the future.

Up next was Maylene and the Sons of Disaster. They opened up their set with their current hit “Step Up (I’m On It)”, and only went uphill from there. The set that they played was very heavy on the Southern rock influence, and it was easy to see that the guys were having a good time, which in turn got the crowd into the show. Maylene puts on a great show, and would definitely fit a headlining spot well.

Lacuna Coil came on next, to raucous ovations from the entire crowd. From the opening riff to “Survive”, all the way to the end of “Our Truth”, there was no shortage of energy from anyone in the venue. Cristina Scabbia and Andrea Ferro were definitely getting the audience worked up for every single song, and put on an amazing show.

Finally, it was time for the headlining act, All That Remains. The fun started when the band came out to “Nothin’ But a Good Time” by Poison, and then going right into “Before the Damned” as soon as they got onstage. It was easy to tell that the band was having fun onstage; while playing, you could see smiles on the faces of the members, and Phil Labonte was humorous with his crowd work. A good mix of tracks were played from This Darkened Heart, The Fall of Ideals, and Overcome, and fans were able to hear all of ATR’s most well known tracks, including “This Calling”, “Forever in Your Hands”, and the smash single “Two Weeks”.

With the mainstream success of All That Remains, the Starland Ballroom was packed, and I have a feeling that none of them were disappointed.

-Melldawg

[All photos courtesy of Nicole Stapinski]

Lamb shines through Hatebreed debacle in AC

2009-10-26T17:55:00.001-04:00

I got a call around 4:00PM Friday, “Dude I can’t go see Hatebreed and Lamb of God in AC, you wanna go?”… Of course I said yes. I laced up my driving shoes and floored it to AC hydroplaning, dodging deer and running over cones for shits and giggles. I had every intention of this being an Atlantic City funfest.
For starters, House of Blues Atlantic City is one of the most gorgeous venues I have ever seen. The place would be perfect aside from 9 dollar beers. The sound quality was fantastic; the lighting was perfect, ample room and very little obstructed viewing.
Thy Will be Done got the part started. Really heavy, tight live band who covered a little raining blood. So the curtain draws and everyone starts dispersing to smoke or buy more booze and the curtain opens again. TWbD comes out and plays 3 more songs. Then 35 minutes go by. Between sets 30 minutes is an ETERNITY.
So finally a head pops out from a curtain and two dudes are standing there, neither of whom are Jamie Jasta, and Hatebreed starts their set. People are furious. Water was thrown at the band, dozens of people stormed out and the pit was more violent than other Hatebreed pits I have traversed. The two guys were apparently the Hatebreed roadies, one kinda shouted the lyrics, the other threw in the occasional scream. To be fair to them, it was a bad situation to be in and they handled it as well as anyone not named Jamie Jasta could handle singing a Hatebreed set.
Three songs go by, four, five, six and finally Jamie appears. The venue erupts, the set continues. They play two songs twice and about six songs later it is ballgame over. The crowd is stunned.
Thank goodness for Lamb of God. They killed it per usual. With the entire lineup intact (Doc from God Forbid has been filling in on guitar) they played six songs off of Wrath and some old favorites like Ruin and Black Label. But it was the no show that stole the show. To put it in perspective, I saw Ekotren at Championship Bar and Grill in Trenton the next night and people there heard about it.
It was a debacle for sure, taking what could have been one of the best shows of the year and turning it into a bust. However, it could have been worse if they decided not to play so cudos for the roadies for trying and Thy Will Be Done for preventing a sure fire riot.

First Look: New WSOU merchandise

2009-10-14T12:05:00.005-04:00

New merchandise!

Better-looking photos will be taken this weekend to enhance your purchasing pleasure.

Models by WSOU.
Photos by Luke Brereton.
T-shit Designs by: David Ayllon
Everything else by Spa for Hair in Middlesex, NJ.

Listen in Friday between 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. for a special treat!

2009-10-14T03:16:00.005-04:00

This Friday from 10-1 pm, we will be airing an interview with the one and only John Baizley from Baroness.

Baroness' new album, called the Blue Record, dropped in stores yesterday. You can listen to their newest single "Jake Leg" spinning on WSOU daily.

The Scene...Part 2

2009-10-09T00:10:00.007-04:00

I wrote a few weeks ago about “The Scene”. Where did it go? Anyone who comes up to Street Patrol (Wednesdays from 8pm-10pm), whether it’s a band, promoter, or general concert go-er, they all say the same thing; the scene is dead and it sucks.

It is easy to sit around and complain while making excuses and generally not doing anything. Maybe that’s part of the problem. So how do we fix this? Last week, I said we don’t have a scene because no one has money, the music is mundane or crappy, and YOU. What’s the solution?

To regain a scene, bands have to be willing to play together. When a band comes up to promote an event, it is generally with 3 to 6 bands that they are friends with. They play to the same people and share fans and never expand.

HOW CAN YOU GET MORE PEOPLE TO HEAR YOU IF YOU PLAY TO THE SAME PEOPLE?! The lack of developing new listeners is a huge part of the problem. It’s great to play for your friends, but there are dozens, if not hundreds, of metal bands in this area. Start meeting new people, go see other local bands play and STAY FOR OTHER ACTS. There is nothing worse than a band that loads up and leaves. I could go on for days with this, so I will stop. But, hopefully you get my point.

Another way to remedy this problem is to do what you can to get out of the area. There are a lot of places in New Jersey for a local band to play. The ultimate goal is to get a sweet opening spot at Starland before a nice national tour. However, New York City is right around the corner. I hear it’s hard to get a show there, but for most bands in this listening area it is less than one hour away. Spread your wings. Brooklyn has some great venues, L’amour’s is in Staten Island and even South Jersey and Philadelphia are not too far. To drive for an hour or two for the chance to play for new people, establish new relationships and to sell your merch to someone not in your graduating high school class is essential.

One last thing: don’t let age be a factor. I know some bands don’t like playing with the young kids and some kids don’t wanna play with the geezers. It comes back to respect. Respect talent, respect drive, and respect sound. Young, old, black, white, brown, men, women, and boys, it’s a principal that applied to all and what you would expect from someone else. If every band does this, watch the scene come back. You’ll probably actually start making some money too!

-That Guy

Where Are They Now: Paul Roper

2009-10-08T23:40:00.001-04:00

WSOU's been doing its thing for 61 years now, and we've had some of our staffers move onto some pretty great things. As of a few weeks ago, recent WSOU alumn Paul Roper has a new job - after a year of announcing for the Trenton Devils of the ECHL, he's moved to Erie, PA to serve as Media Relations Manager and Broadcaster for the Erie Otters of the OHL!

Here's a recent article about his new gig:

New broadcaster Roper gets to know Otters

Paul Roper has nine hours to pass during Thursday's bus ride to Sudbury.

He hopes his Internet card works on the road. He has more to read about the Erie Otters and the OHL.

That's how he has spent every spare minute lately. Even before learning he would replace Mark Jeanneret as the club's play-by-play broadcaster, Roper has studied the team and league inside and out.

Now with Friday's season opener three days away, "I have to prepare very meticulously," said Roper, 23, who also will serve as media relations manager. "I don't want to really waste a minute of that (time) doing anything else on the trip. ... I'm going to try to get as much information as I can about the Otters so I can provide an entertaining and informative listening experience to the fans here in Erie."

He moved to town this past weekend. But he already has a strong sense of Erie's hockey tradition -- from the Blades to the Panthers and now the Otters -- and what lies ahead.

He has seen the championship banners and former Otters great Brad Boyes' retired No. 16 in the Tullio Arena rafters. He knows about the club's recently completed lease and planned arena renovations.

"I'm glad to be a part of it," said Roper, who initially didn't like his odds of earning the job.

But as Hockey Hall of Famer Wayne Gretzky once said, "100 percent of the shots you don't take won't go in the net," Roper said. "So I figured why not apply and see where it goes."

Roper had one year of professional experience, as Director of broadcasting and media relations with the ECHL's Trenton Devils last year.

In comparison, one finalist spent five years as a No. 2 broadcaster in the AHL. Another was a two-year AHL intern with a recommendation from an NHL broadcaster.

Yet, Roper was cautiously optimistic. Then while searching the Internet, he discovered an article stating that Shawn Waskiewicz, Otters assistant general manager of administration, had spoken to candidates.

"After that, I didn't think I had a shot at it," Roper said, "because I wasn't one of those candidates."

A few days later, Waskiewicz called him. He discovered that Roper knows about former Otters like Boyes, Carlo Colaiacovo and Corey Pecker and much more, Waskiewicz said.

"He's an encyclopedia of information with all the stats and different teams and leagues and players," Waskiewicz said. Roper has been a junior hockey fan for years.

Although his hometown of Brooklyn, N.Y., wasn't known for it, The Hockey News was a young Roper's source of information on junior leagues and NHL prospects. Back then, he knew the importance of the Otters' move to Erie in 1996, since the Detroit Jr. Red Wings (now Plymouth Whalers) were the league's only United States club at the time.

Waskiewicz was intrigued. "I could have easily given the job to somebody who has five years experience," Waskiewicz said. "But somebody took a chance on me. How do you know how good the guy is if you don't take a chance on him?"

On Friday, Roper displays his on-air talent for the first time. "Hopefully I'll be prepared enough," he said. "Hopefully I can shake off the cobwebs and provide the fans with a good broadcast."

VICTOR FERNANDES can be reached at 870-1716 or by e-mail. Paul Roper has a different on-air style than his predecessor, Mark Jeanneret. Find out more on Shootout, the Erie Times-News' hockey blog, at www.GoErie.com/blogs/shootout.

10/9/09 - New Music Fridays is ON LOCATION!

2009-10-08T17:41:00.004-04:00

Boo!

New Music Fridays will be live ON LOCATION at the State Scare Factory in Belleville NJ tomorrow night (10/9/09) - Tune in at 8 pm for the Top 10, then the Pirated Advance at 9 pm.

This week's Pirated Advance is Blue Record from Baroness - it doesn't drop till Tuesday, so you get to hear the whole thing before it's released in stores. Plus, you could win a copy!

ALSO: Baroness will be up at WSOU next week on Blue Record's release day for a live, in-studio interview. Make sure to listen in!

If you make it out tomorrow night, we'll see you there. Click here for more info on the State Scare Factory.

Lebowski Fest

2009-09-30T10:12:00.003-04:00

To an outsider, cult film screenings must be a strange sight to behold. It takes a special kind of weirdo to dress up like his or her favorite character and go to a theater to see a movie that came out years ago, and yell out lines at the screen in unison with the crowd.

This author is one such weirdo.

Lebowski Fest, the annual festival celebrating Joel and Ethan Coen’s 1998 masterpiece The Big Lebowski, hit New York at Terminal 5 last Tuesday. Achievers (the name for die-hard Lebowski fanatics) turned out in droves to bowl, drink White Russians (the cocktail of choice for The Dude, the movie’s lead character played by Jeff Bridges), wave their pieces around, and watch The Big Lebowski alongside fellow Achievers.

The party featured music by the band Black Diamond, who performed a set covering songs from the film’s soundtrack in addition to a few of their own originals. Also in attendance were the Pin Heads, a troupe of Achievers dressed as bowling pins, as well as Jeff Bridges himself (via satellite).

But the night’s big event was, of course, the film screening. It’s hard to describe the atmosphere of watching a movie like The Big Lebowski on a big screen in a room full of strangers who also know every line of the film. Think of the greatest thing on Earth, and you have at least a remote idea.

Suffice it to say, good times were had by all. And if nothing else, there is a certain bizarre pleasure to be had at the sight of a full bar lined with pitchers full of ready-made White Russians to be poured for thirsty Achievers. This author had no choice but to abide.

Setting The Record Straight

2009-09-28T16:18:00.004-04:00

Hey folks. Time to set the record straight:

The previous post about the Dethklok special edition albums was intended as humor and does not reflect any promotion on the part of Williams Street, Adult Swim or any other company.

We apologize for any confusion it may have caused, and we wish Dethklok a happy release day tomorrow!

Plenty more coming your way here on WSOURock in the coming days!

Album Review: Five Finger Death Punch’s "War is the Answer"

2009-09-24T16:15:00.000-04:00

When Five Finger Death Punch came out with their debut album The Way of the Fist in 2007, it sent them straight to the top of the rock charts at an unprecedented pace. All three singles off of that album were massive hits, all landing in the top 20 of the Billboard Mainstream Rock Chart. In 2009, the band is back at it again, with their latest release War is the Answer. From beginning to end, this is definitely one of the best albums of the year. Right from the beginning of the first track, “Dying Breed”, you are hit with pounding drum beats and thrashing guitar riffs. The entire album is definitely strong, and showcases the band’s ability to create songs that are heavy and fast-paced, and displays a softer, more melodic side as well (Notably on the track “Far From Home”). In each song, it is easy to see the passion that the band puts into their songs, especially vocalist Ivan Moody. Whether it’s the anger and hatred that he puts into “Burn It Down” and “No One Gets Left Behind”, or the tortured, sobering singing on “Far From Home” or the cover of “Bad Company” by the band of the same name, Moody definitely brings a fire that is always welcomed, and embraced. The guitar solos on each track are technically crisp, and fit very well with the sound, and the beat that consistently is violent, and does not let up. Five Finger Death Punch have definitely built upon the success of Way of the Fist with this album. Overall, it I a strong release and I recommend getting it as soon as possible, in addition to seeing them on tour with Shadows Fall, Otep, and 2 Cents.

Overall score: 9.5

Key Tracks: “Dying Breed”, “Hard to See”, “Burn It Down”, “No One Gets Left Behind”, “Bulletproof”

-Melldawg-

Lamb of God and Gwar @ The Wellmont Theater 9/22/09

2009-09-23T19:54:00.013-04:00

Tuesday night, September 22, at the Wellmont Theatre I had the pleasure of going to see Lamb of God and Gwar with WSOU’s finest: That Guy, Sheigh Hey Hey, Jen, Danielle, Steve, Melldawg, and Maria. The night included a list of many firsts. At this show was the first time I’ve ever had popcorn, as opposed to beer, spilt on me (popcorn at a metal show? Yum). It was the first time I’ve ever seen anyone wear a prom dress to a metal show or even a white tuxedo with a red bow tie. This was also the first time I’ve ever seen Lamb of God headline a show (the other two times I’ve seen them were when they opened up for Slipknot at the Continental Airlines Arena in 2005 and when they opened up for Killswitch Engage at the Hammerstein Ballroom in 2007). Additionally this was the first time I’ve ever seen Gwar live. Wow, what an experience.
Up until the concert I had heard many things about Gwar, ranging from their appearance to their stage antics. If you’ve never seen Gwar, GO. I think they’re on the list of bands that you have to see at least once in your lifetime just for the concert experience. Their set was like nothing I’ve ever seen before. It seemed they put on their own mini show in the overall concert. Before they took the stage, the audience was entertained by a short film clip that explained just exactly who Gwar is and what they are all about: namely monsters that were discovered in a tome somewhere in Antarctica that only stick around on earth for crack. From this clip alone, I was already amused and intrigued. Once they took the stage, the first words out of my mouth were “Oh my God”. Seeing them in person dressed up in these ridiculous space monster outfits was both hysterical and shocking. Who actually sat down and came up with this idea? Throughout their performance, different things were going on to entertain the crowd, including the band fighting evil guys and even later confronting an evil robot. The highlight of the band’s performance was getting sprayed with fake red and green blood, which explains why so many people anticipated this by proudly wearing white t-shirts. By the time their set was finished, Jen and Maria were both completely covered in the fake blood, true Gwar troopers, and it probably still hasn’t washed off. The last point I want to make about Gwar is that just from their performance, they completely disproved any negative stereotypes attached to their band name. People may say they’re evil or only insane people listen to them; those are lies. After watching them perform, Gwar is really just about having a good time. They are not seriously into themselves and their whole set is humorous (their name, after all, is an acryonym for God What an Awful Racket). Not to mention their music is actually pretty good if you give it a chance and get over their whole getup.

Lamb of God did not disappoint, as I figured. Since this was the first time I’ve seen them headline, as I previously mentioned, they were absolutely phenomenal. They had such good energy and numerously thanked New Jersey for all the love and support they’ve always been show from here. One thing I did find ironic: Randy mentioned that when they first started touring as a new band, they opened up for Gwar. Tuesday night the band order was the reverse. Another interesting thing: Lamb’s guitarist was absent because of family issues; in his place was God Forbid’s Doc Coyle. Even with Doc filling in on guitar, the band sounded great and if Randy hadn’t made the announcement, I probably would not have even noticed much of a difference. Every riff, breakdown, solo, and melody was spot on. These guys definitely know how to party. Here is their set list, not necessarily in this order:

Walked on stage to: The Passing
Opened with: In Your Words
Set to Fail
Contractor
Grace
Broken Hands
Dead Seeds
Walk With Me in Hell
Redneck
Pathetic
Laid to Rest
Now you’ve Got Something to Die For
Omerta
Ashes of the Wake
Ruin
Reclamation
Ended with: Black Label

As you can see, Lamb played a good mix of new and old stuff, with at least one song from every album. They had a great list of crowd pleasers and I walked away hearing every song I like by these guys.

One last comment I’d like to make about the show: Job for a Cowboy opened up the night and their performance was full of brutal, metal goodness. Unfortunately, the crowd didn’t seem all that into them. I would have expected a bigger pit to go along with all their fast-paced, intense songs. Towards the middle of their set, somewhat of a pit opened, but it was nowhere near what occurred for Lamb. Anyway, kudos to JFAC for playing and giving a great performance. They were just as good this time around as they were when I saw them open up for Killswitch Engage back in the summer.

Overall a fantastic show and a great lead in to Lamb’s future performance with Metallica in November.

By: Gabby Canella

Pirated Advance/Giveaway/Gwar & Job For A Cowboy Interview!

2009-09-23T12:03:00.000-04:00

We've got 3 things for you today!

1) Alice in Chains is this week's Pirated Advance! Sheigh's Top 10 is at 8 pm this Friday, and the Pirated Advance starts at 9. Hear the album in its entirety (Scarecrow says it's good!), and over the course of the show you'll have several chances to win the album as well.

2) This afternoon over on our Twitter feed WSOU will be giving away tickets to the Five Finger Death Punc/Shadows Fall/Otep/2 Cents show at the Starland Ballroom. It's a trivia giveaway, and the topic is 5FDP. Be fast -- the first to @ reply with the response wins the pair of tickets!

3) Yesterday's interview with Gwar and Job For A Cowboy was a great time, said That Guy. Did any of you go to the LOG/Gwar/J4AC show? Let us know what you thought! (For those who missed it, we'll probably have a review up here soon)

In the meantime, here's a picture from yesterday's interview. You'll see Dave (Oderus Urungus) from Gwar and Bobby from Job for a Cowboy (Plus Scarecrow, the Jackhammer, Diesel Dani, Sheigh & Steve!)

THE SCENE… Part 1

2009-09-18T19:41:00.001-04:00

New Jersey has always been known for its amazing music and scene. It starts with the venues, both past and present: the Bloodbath known as Birch Hill, Starland, Chrome, The Stone Pony and bars like Dingbatz or The Loop Lounge. The music that filled these venues over the years brought the state together -- from Skid Row, Trixter and Whiplash to My Chemical Romance and Thursday. Zombie punk was born in the basements of New Jersey. New Jersey punk shows still blare out of the basements of New Brunswick, even though there have been issues lately. Ahh… the memories.

So... What happened?

Where did the scene go? How can we get it back? What will the next evolution of music sound like?

More questions then answers of course, what follows is mere speculation. Even so, in this multi-part entry I (That Guy) will try not to make an ass out of myself and try to find some answers.

WHERE DID THE SCENE GO?

Where do I begin? Here's the short list:

1) Economy: BOOOO! Cop out answer. However, kids do not have money to go to shows. Bands have to sell 100 tickets to open at a venue to play 4 or 5 songs before 75% of the audience shows up. People are not buying as much merch, tickets or CDs. Labels also can’t afford to send a band across the country. A terriblly evil cycle of losing money.

2) Lack of creativity: Chug chug chug. Scream. Chorus! Sing.

Have you heard that one before?

How about this one: PIG SQUEALLLLLLLLLLLL! Pinch Harmonic (Zack Wylde anyone?) "Oooh lets do the Killswitch guitar thing 800 times!" (pinch with tremolo) YAAAA! Hammer on with squeal, GO!

The only problem is when someone does do something unique, they are generally looked down upon. A good friend of mine, Mike Gitter formerly of RoadRunner Records, told me that Killswitch Engage started as a unique band everyone hated. Way back when less people hated them. Then they blew up, and the few haters either joined the bandwagon or maintained the hate. So a unique band sells hundreds of thousands of records, so you can't like them anymore, and you actually want to make other people not like them?

Many other unique bands dissipated that no one has ever heard of, that never sold a hundred records? More than any of us will ever know.

3) Any other problems? Maybe YOU! If you say any of this stuff, you’re the problem with the scene:

"I can only see these five bands."
"I only dig vegan hardcore."
"I can’t stand token bands."
"I need basement shows."

Shut the F*$K UP. Go to every show. See every band. Buy from the bands you like OR who have cheap stuff. Listen to radio, find something new. Go to a record store and rediscover an old favorite. Don't be complacent with your music.

Now of course there are more problems to discuss. These are just 3 reasons… there are absolutely more. Next time I will try to discuss how to get the family back.

We know there is a problem… so how do we fix it? More to come…

Suicide City @ WSOU

2009-09-04T16:13:00.000-04:00

Drummer Danny Lamagna and bassist JennCity of Brooklyn's punk outfit Suicide City visited the WSOU studios on Tuesday for an interview. The band discussed their new album, FRENZY, touring, and going from unsigned to The End Records. Suicide City features singer Karl Bernholtz and guitarist AJ Marchetta formerly of Groovenics, guitarist Billy Graziadei from Biohazard, bassist and vocalist JennCity formerly of Kittie, and drummer Danny Lamagna. They also have a DVD out called, Live at CBGB. The band recently had to cancel their previously announced September tour, but they are in the process of re-booking it and plan to hit the road in October and November. In the meanwhile, they have two local dates coming up. Check them out for an energetic, fun, and rowdy live show.

9/11 @ DJ Riders, Oceanside, NY w/ Hexerei, Soul Made Visible, and Useless to Me
9/25 @ The Cherrywood, Clementon, NJ

WSOU is spinning "Cutter" and "Undone." You can listen to the band's music at myspace.com/suicidecity

Mud, Twix and Akron/Family - Scarecrow's post-APW thoughts

2009-08-11T13:47:00.001-04:00

Just some quick linkage:

Scarecrow's post-All Points West thoughts can be found here on the Campus Buzz blog.

Killswitch Engage @ Starland Ballroom 8/5/09

2009-08-11T12:55:00.000-04:00

Seeing Massachusetts metalcore natives Killswitch Engage perform live is indescribable-once you’ve had a taste of their sheer metal awesomeness, you’re hooked. Thus is the reason I ventured to the lovely Starland Ballroom to see Killswitch for the fourth time. As usual, they didn’t disappoint. Here are some of the reasons why this particular show was so incredible and why I must see them for a fifth time:

1) Killswitch was very stylin’: Once they came out onstage, I had to smile. All of the members wore identical tuxedo shirts complete with bowties and their logo. Howard even commented that they were all dressed up to party. Adam, of course, sported a long golden cape and a complimenting bandana with short shorts, his usual get up. All of the members except Adam showed off their impressive, hairy beards, with Joel also modeling his 80’s metal style long, puffy hair.

2) Good times all around: During their performance, it was clear everyone was having a great time. The show was sold out and everyone was packed in tight. Lots of crowd surfing and moshing went on in addition to fans screaming, cheering, and loudly singing along to songs. At times I heard my fellow fans more than I did the band, that’s how loud everyone was. Let’s not forget all the devil horns in the air either.

3) Cool enough to be your friends: In between songs, Killswitch members Howard and Adam continued to crack jokes, laugh, and thank the fans for their generous and unconditional love and support. Howard mentioned how much more he enjoyed playing in small clubs compared to gigantic venues for tours since it was more personal and he could look fans in the eye. Adam even teased Yankee fans about his favorite team, the Red Socks. All of this light bantering just shows how sweet and down to earth this band really is. Even more so, the band was nice enough to take time off from their hectic Mayhem tour schedule and perform at a small club to jam out to tracks from their new, self titled record.

While their appearance, stage energy, and personalities definitely contributed to an awesome show, I can’t forget about their performance, which highlights the entire night. Everything seemed well rehearsed and dead on, without a single note missing. The guitar lines were tight and smooth and even the solos sounded fresh and rocking. Howard’s voice was amazing as always and, man, can he sing. Here is their set list, not necessarily in this order:

Opened with: My Last Serenade
Reckoning
This Fire Burns
Starting Over
A Bid Farewell
Take This Oath
A Light in this Darkened World
My Curse
The Arms of Sorrow
Rose of Sharyn
The End of Heartache
Encore: Holy Diver

While I definitely enjoyed this show, the only thing I was not fond of was all the pandemonium on the floor area. Fans went nuts from the excitement, resulting in much pushing and shoving, especially near pit areas and when Howard ordered for a wall of death. At times I could not enjoy the show as much as I wanted as I fought my way through the mayhem, but I guess that’s just something that comes along with such dedicated, passionate, and fun metalhead fans.

Aside from Killswitch, opening bands White Chapel and Job for a Cowboy also performed. Both of their sets were just as intense and enjoyable as Killswitch’s, with fans keeping their energy and spirits high. Overall, a great show leading into the Rockstar Mayhem fest and a definite highlight of my summer.

All photos courtesy of Allen Thomas Ross and Mark R. Sullivan

By: Gabby Canella

Eagles of Death Metal @ Webster Hall 8/6/08

2009-08-10T23:29:00.001-04:00

California’s garage rockers Eagles of Death Metal played an impressively entertaining, lively, and sexy set in NYC last Thursday. Opening the show was New York’s Rival Schools. They got a 40-minute set. Nothing like EODM both in sound and performance, but they rocked nonetheless. While a bit of an odd opener to go with a band that is very engaging, it was nice to see a rock band with no gimmicks just playing their music. They played hits like “Travel by Telephone and “Used for Glue,” which closed the set. They also threw in a new song. It was a solid performance.

At 9:14pm, Eagles of Death Metal took the stage for what would be a night of rock n’ roll coupled with some sweet twists. Boots Electric, as the singer is known as, was so engaging with the crowd. I must say, I’ve been to plenty of shows to say that he’s one of the most engaging live performers I’ve seen next to the singers from Monotonix and Valient Thorr. He’s constantly saying “Can you dig it?,” giving out high fives to the people in the front, talking to the crowd, dancing around, and accepting gifts from fans. Boots made out great. Fans threw him an Axle Rose tee shirt, Camel Lights, and sunglasses. The Camel Lights was because he tweeted on Twitter that he wanted them in Canada because he was dying with the Canadian cigarettes. His blonde haired boy could also be seen in the back on the side of the drummer. His mother was in the balcony to. Boots said, “I shit you not, I’m nervous” because I have the watchful eye of my mother here. Every now and again he would look up at his mother. He also dedicated a song to the Butthole Surfers.

Though the band stopped after every song so Boots could do something it didn’t offset the energy of the band and the crowd still seemed excited. Opening song “Secret Plans” and “Cherry Cola” were some of the highlights of the set. The band closed the main set with “I Want You So Hard (Boy’s Bad News),” but minutes later Boots without his band came back on stage. This time he sported an Eagles of Death Metal tee shirt and a hat. He played a few solo songs before inviting his bandmates back on stage. But first he said, “I like romance,” then brought a guy and his girl on stage. The guy asked the girl to marry him. The women accepted. The crowd cheered. Boot said, “That shit was adorable and you know it. Can you dig it?”

Finally the band would play their single, “Wannabe in L.A.” and then closed with ‘Speaking in Tongues” off their 2004 album “Peace Love Death Metal.” The band was loud and rocked. Boots grabbed his boy, put him up to the mic, and said “Thank you New York and good night.” Did I dig it? You bet.

Eagles of Death Metal Setlist:
http://www.setlist.fm/setlist/eagles-of-death-metal/2009/webster-hall-new-york-ny-7bd7ba1c.html
Secret Plans
Don’t Speak (I Came To Make A Bang)
Bad Dream Mama
Heart On
Cherry Cola
Now I’m A Fool
Anything “Cept The Truth
Already Died
Stuck in the Metal (Stealers Wheel cover)
Prissy Prancin’
Kiss the Devil
I got A Feelin’ (Just Nineteen)
Whorehoppin (Shit, Goddamn)
I Want You So Hard (Boy’s Bad News)

Encore:

Beat on the Brat
Midnight Creeper
I Only Want You
Wannabe in L.A.
Speaking in Togues

--By Star Child

Incubus @ PNC on Friday August 7th

2009-08-10T23:27:00.000-04:00

Incubus is one of the early mainstream alternative rock bands I heard growing up and one of my favorites, so getting to hear and see their “Monuments and Melodies” tour brought back at least a few memories of my middle school days. It's good to see that after the band's 1997 debut EP Enjoy Incubus, that the band still manages to stay relevant and pack huge venues.

Opening the show was The Duke Spirit, a U.K. band with a lady singer, nice groove and '70s/ '80s rock vibe to them. They played for 30 minutes, which I feel wasn’t too long. But they had a big sound to them and the sound quality was awesome. It’s a bummer people were still hanging out in the parking lot during their set, they missed a good band.

Incubus came on at 9pm kicking it off with “Pardon Me,” where the crowd quickly got pumped. It was nice hearing all the hits, acoustic songs, and the oldie “Redefine.” I didn’t expect the band to play anything off of “S.C.I.E.N.C.E,” so it was a cool treat. Brandon Boyd still maintains a youthful appearance and high energy after being in the band over 10 years which is really awesome to see. The excitement of the big show was topped off by the lighting and video screen which were like mini music videos that fit each song the band played. For instance, during "circles" there was a bike wheel spinning in the video.

The band played an hour and a half set, then came back out for a 3 song encore that closed with a jammy, almost heavier song that didn't sound like an Incubus song, but I later found out it was Prince’s “Let’s Go Crazy.” It was an interesting choice to close with a cover, but it seemed to work and everyone indeed went “crazy.”

Incubus Setlist
http://www.setlist.fm/setlist/incubus/2009/pnc-bank-arts-center-holmdel-nj-33d7b401.html

1. Pardon Me
2. Nice to Know You
3. Anna Molly
4. Stellar
5. Megalomaniac
6. Circles
7. Love Hurts
8. Just a Phase

9. Drive (Acoustic)
10. Talk Shows On Mute (Acoustic)
11. Dig (Acoustic)

12. Redefine
13. Warning
14. Oil and Water
15. Quicksand
16. A Kiss to Send Us Off
17. Wish You Were Here
18. Aqueous Transmission

Encore:
19. The Warmth
20. Sick Sad Little World
21. Let's Go Crazy (Prince cover)

--By Star Child

Poison the Well Pictures and Interview!

2009-08-04T14:36:00.000-04:00

Poison the Well visited WSOU for an interview with Star Child on July 10th, before the band's show at Terminal 5 in New York City. They spoke about their new album The Tropic Rot, new video for "Exist Underground," and being on the 10 bands for $10 tour. The band rolls into New Jersey this Saturday at The Starland Ballroom with Vision Of Disorder, Terror, Vision, War Of Ages, The Ghost Inside, The Mongoloids, Trapped Under Ice, Crime In Stereo, This Is Hell. More information is available at www.starlandballroom.com

Also, maybe you can get a stream of the interview. Here's an mp3 of it:
http://www.mediafire.com/?t2c4gm3nnzo

All photos by That Guy.

Static-X Meet & Greet Photos!

2009-08-04T14:29:00.001-04:00

Static-X performed at The Fillmore NY at Irving Plaza on July 27th. WSOU's Dejon, Gabby, Sheigh Hey Hey, and Star Child were there for a meet and greet with some listeners and the band.

All photos by Star Child.

We Have New (And Improved) Streaming Audio!

2009-08-04T12:53:00.000-04:00

Just a brief housekeeping note:

WSOU's online streaming audio has changed! It's got better audio clarity and will hopefully have less downtime than the Real-based stream we used to run.

Make sure to update your bookmarks the next time you click through to it on WSOU.net

Or, here's a direct link if it makes your life easier.

Or, if you're a fan of those short URLs, remember these. They'll take you to the same place:

http://tr.im/WSOUStream
http://tinyurl.com/WSOUStream

Any problems with the new audio? Try here.

Bullet For My Valentine and All That Remains 7/28

2009-07-29T20:06:00.000-04:00

It has been a very long while since I had gone to a show, let alone bought (ok they were bought for me, but still) tickets to a show. But on a balmy Tuesday evening All That Remains and Bullet For My Valentine rolled into the Starland Ballroom in Sayreville, New Jersey for a sold out show with a ton of promise.

Let’s start with surprises before we get into the show review.

1. I have never seen so many other “That Guys” in my life. I saw about 1000 Bullet T-Shirts on, and that is sadly not an exaggeration.

2. Sad news: Jason Costa, drummer of All That Remains, broke his hand and is out for the next few months. He was replaced by Tony Laureano, who best known for his work with Dimmu Borgir and Nile.

3. Bullet For my Valentine debuted a new song that they claimed “has never been heard by anyone outside of the band.” They never gave the song a title, but based on the chorus, it is safe to assume it will be called “Who Do You Think You Are?” The song has a classic Bullet sound, with a very riffy, thrashy intro, screaming verse and interesting melodic chorus. The song does not sound exactly like anything they have done before, yet keeps the B4MV sound.

ANYWAY… back to a show review. The place was too mobbed, making the amazing acts slightly unenjoyable. Since Jason Costa was out of the lineup, All That Remains had to cut their set short, so there was a long wait time before and after the band.

The set started off great with “This Calling” and other favorites like the Guitar Hero “Six,” as well as new favorites like “Undone”, “Forever in Your Hands” and the closer “2 Weeks”. During the end of the set, a patron appeared to be hurt and singer Phil Labonte stopped the show to make sure the person was ok. Class Act band.

Bullet For My Valentine came on to a raucous applause. They opened with “Waking the Demon” off the latest album Scream, Aim, Fire and played other crowd favorites like “Hearts Burst Into Fire”, “4 Words (To Choke Upon)”, “Tears Don’t Fall” and the hit single “Scream, Aim, Fire”.

I have heard few crowds that matched the sheer volume of the Bullet fans. Every chorus was drowned out by the ever increasingly rowdy fans. The set sounded crisp, (All That Remains at times sounded either too loud, not loud enough or like there was a jumble of both at certain points) with a good flow of songs. Bullet played some deep tracks off their slightly limited catalogue, getting a rare chance to headline a large scale venue.

The show looks to be a good lead in to Mayhem, creating a buzz for the 2nd stages to go along with the classic WSOU classic bands (Killswitch, God Forbid), the heavy stuff (White Chapel, Job For a Cowboy) and anything and everything in between. Camden will be the place to be, for once, for anyone looking for a great show August 7th.

Reviewed: Maylene and the Sons of Disaster's new album

2009-07-28T10:22:00.000-04:00

The third album from Alabama’s six-piece Maylene And The Sons Of Disaster (creatively titled “III”) is a tough one to classify. While Maylene’s previous efforts can be easily described as “southern-fried metalcore,” “III” has the band led by ex-Underoath vocalist Dallas Taylor branching out into different territory.

To start with, Taylor’s vocals on the album are a bit more diverse than the typical “scream the verse/sing the chorus” formula that (let’s face it) some of your favorite bands are addicted to. While fans of Underoath and He Is Legend will feel right at home with the throaty screaming on “Settling Scores By Burning Bridges” and “Just A Shock,” these are more than balanced out by tracks like the half-bluegrass “Oh Lonely Grave” and the straight-up Southern rock songs “No Good Son” and “Listen Close.”

No, this is not one of those metal albums where every track sounds just like the one before it. “III” is sometimes metal, sometimes country/bluegrass-core, and sometimes rock n’ roll. It’s as much Lynyrd Skynyrd as it is Every Time I Die, and that’s not a bad thing.

Then there’s the guitars. Having three of them in a band may seem gimmicky, but the trio of Chad Huff, Kelly Scott Nunn and Jake Duncan does not disappoint. From the banjos on “Waiting On My Deathbed” and “Step Up (I’m On It)” to the acoustic, bluesy “Oh Lonely Grave,” this record offers a lot more than Maylene’s previous efforts. But don’t worry, the metal riffs haven’t gone anywhere - I dare you not to bang your head to “Settling Scores By Burning Bridges.”

“III” is a heavy Southern rock album, period. It’s one of the most diverse offerings I’ve heard in a while, and without a new Volbeat album slated for 2009, it might be the most Southern thing released this year.

-- Morgan S.--

As Cities Burn Calling It Quits

2009-07-27T15:56:00.000-04:00

(photo by thailand josh)

Louisiana band As Cities Burn announced last week on their MySpace page that they have decided to call it quits. Their statement indicates that the directions of the band members’ lives (as well as their wives) influenced this decision.

As Cities Burn recorded and toured for six years, eventually progressing from their post-hardcore roots to a more indie-rock sound. Says the band: “Thanks to anyone who has come out to a show, had words to say, or bought a cd to help us fill the tank.”

What is presumably the band’s final album, Hell or High Water, was released in April of this year.

http://www.myspace.com/ascitiesburn

—Gesina Phillips

THERE HAS BEEN AN ANTHRAX OUTBREAK! (Don’t panic, there really wasn’t an outbreak of the deadly disease)

2009-07-24T15:04:00.000-04:00

There was so much talk, and so much hype for the end of the summer and fall for New York City thrash legends Anthrax. Anthrax, who was slated to embark on a late summer US tour with Slipknot and the Black Dahlia Murder, have dropped off of the bill, and also canceled 3 European Festival dates. This may not be the best of moves considering they are set to release their long awaited follow-up to 2003’s We’ve Come For You All, entitled Worship Music via Nuclear Blast Records. Armed and ready with new lead singer Dan nelson, who replaced former fulltime vocalist John Bush (1992-2005), the band was set to turn some heads and come back into the scene. But strangely after performing in a few US clubs and about to embark overseas, Dan Nelson informed the band and tour manager that he had become “seriously ill” (a case of Anthrax maybe???) and would not be able to perform. Members of Anthrax released an official statement about his illness and the shamefulness of canceling these highly anticipated shows. But there is always a light at the end of the tunnel, because Anthrax’s manager released a statement that they would be performing at the popular U.K Sonisphere festival on August 1^st to compensate for the 3 cancelations. Dan Nelson reportedly has left the band, and John Bush has stepped forward to man the mic, but only for this one time gig. This news left fans ecstatic to hear John Bush has returned to Anthrax, only to disappoint them when news was reported that he would not be full time, and they still had not fond a singer, therefore having to cancel their US tour with Slipknot. In amidst of all this, Dan Nelson decided to come forward and release a statement saying he in fact was never actually ill and he was ready willing and able to do his job. According to Nelson, the members of Anthrax decided to go forward and release these statements and cancel the shows and announce his departure without his discretion. So now what started as such an optimistic time for anthrax has turned into grammar school bickering. Guitarist Scott Ian then released a statement in an interview that the members of Anthrax did not fire Dan Nelson, rather he quit. He also stated that he was so thrilled to have John Bush return for the Sonisphere performance, and related back to the joy he felt when they performed together in Anthrax’s reunion tour back in 2007. So now, who is telling the truth and who’s being real to the other members of the band? Was this all just a ploy to get John Bush to ultimately return to the band, or was there really a lot of conflict between Nelson and other members. Whatever it may be, ‘Thrax fans are waiting, patiently waiting, for a conclusion to this ever so annoying feud.

-Steve Stracquatanio

Dethklok News!

2009-07-24T15:02:00.000-04:00

This past week was huge for fans of Metalocalypse and Dethklok. Before Monday fans of the Williams Street TV show knew that the third season of the show would be extended from 15-minute to 30-minute episodes and would premiere in November, but three big announcements came down since Monday:

Dethnouncement #1) Williams Street Records will release “Dethklok: The Dethalbum II” on September 8. It’s a little light on tracks (only 12 this time around) but the co-creator of the series Brendon Small had drummer Gene Hoglan back for the recording process. Here’s the track listing, my personal favorite title being #6:

1. Bloodlines

2. The Gears

3. Burn the Earth

4. Laser Canon Deth Sentence

5. Black Fire Upon Us

6. Deth Support

7. The Cyborg Slayers

8. I Tamper with the Evidence at the Murder Site of Odin

9. Murmaider II: The Water God

10. Comet Song

11. Symmetry

Dethnouncement #2) This week saw the release of “Dethklok vs. The Goon”, a single-issue comic book put out by Dark Horse Comics. But more love is coming to Dethklok fans on the comic book front - Friday’s proceedings at the San Diego Comic Convention included the announcement stating that a new Dethklok comic will be released by Dark Horse in the coming months. The book will be an on-going series (meaning it will keep being published monthly). No release date was given, but previous rumors of November for the series seem a little out of reach to me – as a reader myself, these announcements usually come 6-12 months before the actual series hits, so I would expect it in the winter or early spring.

Dethnouncement #3) Lastly, Brendon Small is working with Konami on a Metalocalypse game for PS3 and Xbox360. It’ll expand on the plot of the show but also reportedly follow a bunch of Dethklok roadies too, which sounds like a great idea to me.

What’s it going to be called?

Dethgame.

(Honestly,what did you expect?)