Song Of The Week: 7/31/16

Song: "Crystal Court"

Artist: Run Forever

Album: "Big Vacation" 7" single

Year: 2015

Place Of Origin: Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Years Active: 2009-present



WHAT I THINK THE SONG IS ABOUT:

"Crystal Court" appears to be a song about wallowing in one's own depression and self-loathe. The vocalist perhaps is in a failing or failed relationship and he is in just complete misery. You get a sense that the vocalist was perhaps caught cheating or in some way not being faithfull. He also knows that it was him who was in the wrong and he just wants to get away from his surroundings and everyone that is included in them.

RUN FOREVER DISCOGRAPHY (Full length albums only):

2011 - The Devil, And Death, And Me (Solidarity Recordings)
2012 - Settling (Tiny Engines Records)
2015 - Run Forever (No Sleep Records)

CURRENT STATUS OF RUN FOREVER:

Run Forever formed as a band back in 2009, hailing from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The band has released three full length studio albums, 2011's "The Devil, And Death, And Me", 2012's "Settling" and 2015's "Run Forever". The band has also been featured on a few split singles and EP's. Most recently, the band was touring in support of their self-titled album, a tour which wrapped up in early 2016. Run Forever is an indie/punk band with a slight touch of emo mixed in. If you took elements of bands like The Menzingers, Apologies, I Have None, The Riot Before, Against Me! and Permanent Bastards, you'd get something that sounds like Run Forever. The band's lyrics are very personal in content and you can feel the emotion in Anthony Heubel's vocals. Run Forever is very much an underground band but if you seek passionate and energetic playing under thought provoking lyrical content, then Run Forever is a band you should definitely check out.

TEN RUN FOREVER SONGS YOU SHOULD CHECK OUT:

1. The Devil, And Death, And Me
2. A Sequence Of Bad Events
3. Grand Marquis
4. The Grand Illusion
5. Sun Bruised
6. Get Better
7. Basement
8. Crystal Court
9. Good Enough
10. Big Vacation

Song Of The Week: 7/24/16

Song: "Boroughs"

Artist: A Dying Regime

Album: "Shuttles" EP

Year: 2013

Place Of Origin: Orlando, Florida

Years Active: 2011-present



WHAT I THINK THE SONG IS ABOUT:

"Boroughs" appears to be a song about revolution. It's about believing so much in your ideals that you are willing to stand and fight for them and you will not succumb to something or someone that you don't believe in. It's about not conforming to ideals or ways of life or rules that you don't believe in and fighting for those you do.

A DYING REGIME DISCOGRAPHY (Full length albums only):

A Dying Regime has not yet released a full length studio album.

CURRENT STATUS OF A DYING REGIME:

A Dying Regime is a five piece punk outfit from Orlando, Florida. The band released the EP, "Lost Ave" in 2012, just one year after they formed. They then signed on with Dying Scene Records for the release of their follow up EP, 2013's "Shuttles". Most recently, the band appeared on a punk compilation from Dying Scene Records called "Dying Music From A Dying Scene". The song "Breaking The 4th Wall" is an unreleased A Dying Regime track that appears on that comp. A Dying Regime is a band that is still in it's relative infancy with just two EP's under it's belt. They play an aggressive form of melodic punk with hints of metal. If you're a fan of early Thrice or bands like Story Of The Year, 1000 Degrees, From Plan To Progress and Much The Same then you would most likely enjoy the music of A Dying Regime. This seems like a band that has some real potential for fans of punk rock music.

TEN A DYING REGIME SONGS YOU SHOULD CHECK OUT:

1. A Hedgehog Dilemma
2. Stand Up
3. Breaking The 4th Wall
4. Monitor Burn
5. Let's Start The Show
6. Swinging For The Fences
7. Boroughs
8. Keeper Of The Blade
9. Twisted Fate
10. Moving Forward

Song Of The Week: 7/17/16

Song: "Ordinary"

Artist: Like A Storm

Album: "Awaken The Fire"

Year: 2015

Place Of Origin: Auckland, New Zealand

Years Active: 2005-present



WHAT I THINK THE SONG IS ABOUT:

"Ordinary" appears to be about being sick of being stuck in a life that just doesn't seem to be going anywhere and the surroundings and moments are always the same. Nothing ever seems to change for the vocalist. Though he wants to get out of his situation and his environment, he seems confined by the fact that as boring and ordinary as his life is, it's also all he knows. He seems to want help from someone to possibly give him the nudge or point him in a different direction to spark a fire in him to change his surroundings and his life.

LIKE A STORM DISCOGRAPHY (Full length albums only):

2009 - The End Of The Beginning (Prospect Park/Rasputin Records)
2013 - Worlds Collide: Live From The Ends Of The Earth (Fatal Records)
2015 - Awaken The Fire (Another Century Records)

CURRENT STATUS OF LIKE A STORM:

Like A Storm formed as a band back in 2005, hailing from New Zealand. Formed by brothers Chris, Matt and Kent Brooks, the guys knew almost immediately that they had a chemistry and became super serious about moving forward with their band. They also knew that in order for them to have success, they had to move to North America and leave their homeland behind. Setting up shop in Canada, the band released their debut album, "The End Of The Beginning", in 2009. The album entered the Billboard New Artist chart at #61 and the band was invited to open up for Creed on their "Full Circle" tour. The band released a few EP's next, 2011's "Like A Storm Unplugged" and 2012's "Chaos Theory" followed by the live album, "Worlds Collide", which featured a live cd from North America and a live acoustic cd from their native New Zealand. In 2015 the band dropped their second full length studio album, "Awaken The Fire". This album featured three singles that peaked in the top 25 on Billboard's Mainstream Rock chart, "Love The Way You Hate Me" (#21), "Become The Enemy" (#11) and "Wish You Hell" (#17). The band most recently toured Europe in support of "Awaken The Fire". Like A Storm is a mainstream rock outfit, you could say post grunge or hard rock. If you like bands in the ilk of Smile Empty Soul, Fuel, Three Days Grace, Trapt or 12 Stones then you'd most likely enjoy the sound of Like A Storm. Both of their albums have charted and have had success and the band has shared the stage with many big mainstream rock acts including Alter Bridge, Korn, Creed, Shinedown, Puddle Of Mudd, Staind, Drowning Pool and Three Days Grace. Not sure if I expect anything new from the band in 2016, but would not be surprised to see the band put forth new material sooner rather than later.

TEN LIKE A STORM SONGS YOU SHOULD CHECK OUT:

1. Love The Way You Hate Me
2. Become The Enemy
3. Wish You Hell
4. Chemical Infatuation
5. Lie To Me
6. Gangster's Paradise (Coolio cover)
7. Break Free
8. Just Save Me
9. Never Surrender
10. Change Tomorrow

Song Of The Week: 7/10/16

Song: "Aside"

Artist: Resistors

Album: "Drag"

Year: 2015

Place Of Origin: Brooklyn, New York

Years Active: 2011-present



WHAT I THINK THE SONG IS ABOUT:

"Aside" appears to be a song about the vocalist thinking about all of the regrets he has in his life. The question is, do you pick yourself up and move forward or do you let your past mistakes continue to haunt you and affect decisions you make in the present and the future. It's a struggle within himself. Keep plugging away and step aside and give in.

RESISTORS DISCOGRAPHY (Full length albums only):

2012 - Conditioned (Self Released)
2013 - Breaking Tradition (Self Released)
2015 - Drag (Aces & Eights Records)

CURRENT STATUS OF RESISTORS:

Formed in 2011, Resistors is very much the brainchild of vocalist Scott Wolff. As he gathered more and more songs together, he realized it was time to form a band to get his music out. The band self released their first two albums, 2012's "Conditioned" and 2013's "Breaking Tradition". In 2015, the band signed on with Aces & Eights Records and released the album "Drag". Resistors' style is very much related to 90's melodic hardcore punk. If you listen to bands such as 88 Fingers Louie, Good Riddance, Bad Religion, Strike Twelve or Sic Waiting, then you'd get a feel for the sound of Resistors. There isn't a whole lot of news out there about this band. I assume they are still trying to establish themselves in the local New York punk scene but judging from their songs, especially those on their "Drag" release, they should be a staple in any melodic hardcore punk fan's catalogue.

TEN RESISTORS SONGS YOU SHOULD CHECK OUT:

1. Hometowns
2. Wasting Away
3. Aside
4. He Had A Good Run
5. I Guess That This Punk Thing Caught On
6. Wrong Track
7. Ageage
8. In Pieces
9. 26th Street
10. Illusions And Traditions

Song Of The Week: 7/3/16

Song: "White Canyon"

Artist: Crazy Arm

Album: "Union City Breath"

Year: 2011

Place Of Origin: Plymouth, United Kingdom

Years Active: 2006-present




WHAT I THINK THE SONG IS ABOUT:

"White Canyon" appears to be about just wallowing in depression. Whether it's the summer or the winter, it doesn't matter. The vocalist is finding it harder and harder to come up with a good reason just to leave his house. It's almost as if he is trapped by his own decisions to not try to better his situation. At the end it seems he is calling out for help to anyone he knows so maybe, there is a chance someone can pull him out of this darkness he finds himself in.

CRAZY ARM DISCOGRAPHY (Full length albums only):

2009 - Born To Ruin (Xtra Mile Recordings)
2011 - Union City Breath (Gunner Records/Xtra Mile Recordings)
2013 - The Southern Wild (Xtra Mile Recordings)

CURRENT STATUS OF CRAZY ARM:

Crazy Arm formed as a band back in 2006, hailing from the U.K. The band's first official release was the 7" single "Broken By The Wheel" in 2008. In 2009, they released their debut full length album, "Born To Ruin". Continuing their partnership with Xtra Mile Recordings, Crazy Arm dropped "Union City Breath" in 2011 and the all acoustic album, "The Southern Wild" in 2013. According the the band's Last.fm page, they are currently working on new songs for what will be their fourth full length studio album. It's not known if it will be all acoustic like their last album, or the full on electric style of their first two releases. Crazy Arm is a band that takes it's influence from all types of genres including melodic hardcore punk, 60's protest music, American, English and Irish folk, anarcho punk and classic rock and roll. If you throw all those styles in a pot and mix it up, you'd get something resembling Crazy Arm. If you like bands such as Apologies, I Have None, The Flatliners and The Menzingers and meshed up those styles with the likes of Chuck Ragan or Dave Hause, then you'd get a feel for what Crazy Arm sounds like. They're a tough band to pinpoint stylistically, but that is what makes them somewhat unique. Crazy Arm is a solid band that is well worthy of a listen!

TEN CRAZY ARM SONGS YOU SHOULD CHECK OUT:

1. Bandalito
2. 200 Pints Of Blood
3. Tribes/Animals
4. All Butchers Are Men
5. We Don't Go There Anymore
6. Still To Keep
7. Broken By The Wheel
8. Asphalt
9. Blind Summit
10. Henry Fabian Flynn

Song Of The Week: 6/26/16

Song: "Left On Memory Lane"

Artist: Landmines

Album: "Commerce And Marx"

Year: 2011

Place Of Origin: Richmond, Virginia

Years Active: 2005-2011



WHAT I THINK THE SONG IS ABOUT:

Couldn't find the lyrics to "Left On Memory Lane" anywhere on the net, but after giving the song a close listen a few times, I get the sense that the vocalist is reliving old memories with old friends, maybe in a bar setting. You can tell that whether they did some things right or if they did some things wrong, the vocalist wouldn't change a thing. Those times are what molded him into the person he is today and those memories hold strong sentimental values.

LANDMINES DISCOGRAPHY (Full length albums only):

2008 - Landmines (Paper + Plastick Records)
2011 - Commerce And Marx (Paper + Plastick Records)

CURRENT STATUS OF LANDMINES:

Landmines is a melodic, hardcore punk band that formed back in 2005, hailing from Richmond, Virginia. They are the very first band to ever sign on Paper + Plastick Records, a label that has now gone on to be one of the bigger punk rock labels that are out there. The band released their debut album in 2008, "Landmines", then followed that up with an EP in 2009, "Hell Is What You Make It". Their most recent release was 2011's "Commerce And Marx". By November of 2011, the band had decided to call it quits after just 6 years as a band. Landmines definitely showed some promise picking up where fellow Virginian hardcore punk legends Avail left off. If you are a fan of bands such as Protagonist, Static Radio NJ, Asado, DC Fallout or Hear The Sirens then you should give Landmines a listen. It's a shame where the music industry is right now that small bands have such a hard time making it. There are so many bands that I listen to that just can't seem to make it financially work to sustain keeping their bands together. Landmines is one of those bands that just dissolved before they really left an imprint on the music scene.

TEN LANDMINES SONGS YOU SHOULD CHECK OUT:

1. Hell Is What We Make It
2. Three Little Pigs
3. Sleeping Sidewalks
4. Black Tide
5. 80 Proof
6. Excess And Indifference
7. Ditch Digger
8. In Our Name
9. Careless Haircut
10. Evil Eye

Song Of The Week: 6/19/16

Song: "See You At The Bottom"

Artist: This Is A Standoff

Album: "Be Delighted" EP

Year: 2011

Place Of Origin: Calgary, Canada

Years Active: 2007-2012



WHAT I THINK THE SONG IS ABOUT:

"See You At The Bottom" appears to be about a girl who's been abandoned by her boyfriend, leaving her with their newborn son. She is struggling to find a job to make ends meet and she totally feels alone. She's in a constant struggle to commit suicide or not to. Her son is the reason she wants to live, yet she sees her boyfriend in the son when she looks in his eyes which brings on the suicidal thoughts. Her future definitely doesn't look to bright when reading the lyrics to this song.

THIS IS A STANDOFF DISCOGRAPHY (Full length albums only):

2007 - Be Excited (Effervescence/Feuzeul Records)
2009 - Be Disappointed (Animal Style Records)

CURRENT STATUS OF THIS IS A STANDOFF:

This Is A Standoff formed out of the ashes of the punk band Belvedere. Belvedere members Steve Rawles and Graham Churchill formed This Is A Standoff almost as a side band at first, but when Belvedere disbanded, This Is A Standoff became their main focus. The band hails from Calgary, Canada and formed in 2007. The band released their debut full length studio album, "Be Excited" in that year as well. In 2009, the band hooked up with Animal Style Records to release their sophmore effort, "Be Disappointed". The band's last release would be the 2011 EP called "Be Delighted" through Funtime Records. This Is A Standoff would be a short-lived band as they announced on their Facebook page in February of 2012 that they were going to disband. Some members of This Is A Standoff went on to form a new band called Torches To Triggers. This Is A Standoff is a technical, melodic hardcore punk band much in the same vein as fellow Canadians Propagandhi. If you heard bands such as Much The Same, A Wilhelm Scream, Bigwig, No Trigger or Venerea, then that's the style of punk that you'd expect from This Is A Standoff. This band is pretty damn good so it's a shame that they didn't continue on and broke up so soon. Just goes to show that it's very hard out there for bands to make it. Sometimes the struggle isn't worth it in the long run. In just 5 short years however, This Is A Standoff played some 322 shows in over 25 countries so it was not a lack of effort to get their music out there to the masses.

TEN THIS IS A STANDOFF SONGS YOU SHOULD CHECK OUT:

1. Dream Beater
2. Everything We Take
3. We're Really Doint It
4. The Enlightened One
5. Face The Sun
6. You Won't Pass
7. Head In The Sand
8. Days Go By
9. Underwater
10. See You At The Bottom