I’m not going to lie; I was never much of a ska person before. It was in my peripheral vision, but I never got up close and personal with it. At least I didn’t until the loveable crew of the Sneaky Heat Missiles snuck their way into my ears, and into my heart. Their sound…
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Black Ridge hosted their “Raw Power” CD Release Show at Next Door Café on Thursday, November 10th. A close friend (Bill from Build the Scene) suggested Jana (the boss of my fam, First Angel Media) and I attend, and he didn’t exactly have to twist our arms to make it happen. Anyone who has any…
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Some Die Nameless, a well-respected, loved, and even adored promoter team in Pittsburgh presented a 7th round of their “Half-Covered Halloween” show tradition. This year was a little different than in years past, though. They have split the event into two, each having a specific theme. On October 22nd, round one went down at Ormsby Ave…
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When the heavy metal band Prey for Nothing happened upon my computer screen, I was immediately hooked on the name alone. I soon found out that the kick-a$$ metal name was hardly the coolest thing they were bringing to the table. Their sound is delightfully diverse and powerful, and they quickly became a new addition…
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On Saturday August 20th, members of First Angel Media comprising of Ravyn, Bella Rotten, Jana Lee Macheca, A.L. McDonough, and two members of CRASH ARMY participated in The Alice In Wonderland Experience created by CluedUpp Games. The object of the game was to use clues provided in the app to locate Alice. Essentially, you would…
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I’d heard OF Traverse the Abyss before but I’d never HEARD them, so when the powers that be over at FAM told me to check ‘em out I was delighted to oblige. Based out of Scranton, PA (home of The Office, I bet no one’s ever mentioned that before) they started in the scene in 2016….
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Pittsburgh favorite Prime 8 just dropped their new album, Gods of the Anthropiods, on all streaming services. Of course I had to give it a little lookie-loo, and I’m here to share my findings with the class. This album starts off with a really cool synth track called “Misdirection” that’s both dancey and dark. The…
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In August, Hayley Dailey had told me how she and Josh were planning to close out October with a show/CD Release party with their bandmates for their most recent record, The Hayley and Josh Album. The 11 tracks had been released during Covid and did not get near the amount of traction they deserved. Having…
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The story behind Redemption’s Cry is kind of a mysterious one. I remember that it was a warm September evening. I went down to my studio to just play my guitar. I really just wanted to play and not to write, but somehow this song was ready to be birthed. When the baby is…
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Let’s dive into this sludgy, hard rock song and get to the bottom of what it all means. Curtain Call Records recording artists Nocion are based in San Juan, Puerto Rico formed in 2001. “The Grave” talks about the spoils of war, mostly the death of young, innocent children whose voices can’t be heard,…
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On this week’s A Look at the Lyrics, we have an Electro-Punk-Rock band hailing from Minneapolis. Follow along as Andy of VERSION 5 gives us the meaning behind Absolute Zero. Enjoy the ride. We were inspired to write the lyrics after a few all-night caffeine and alcohol-infused writing sessions in the heart of a bitterly…
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Wicked Earth – “Light the Shadow” “Light The Shadow is about the Spirit of 1776. A modern interpretation is the awakening of men to the political powers that be, that doesn’t necessarily have our best interests at heart. This song represents spreading the message of freedom and keeping that fire of liberty alive in us,…
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In this week’s “A Look at the Lyrics” we give you an inside view of the meaning behind “Peace of Mind” by Andy Oddo. Last week we gave you a first look at his new music video and we wanted to learn a little bit more about the song (which I love by the…
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One of my favorite things about my job at First Angel Media is the little gems I get handed along the way. With the way the market is nowadays, it’s all too common that bands with stellar music come out of the gate with strong material, but somehow manage to slip through the cracks and…
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On this week’s “A Look at the Lyrics” we learn the very in depth meaning behind the song from Pittsburgh rock veterans After The Fall- “New S.A.”. Read what lead singer Doug has to say about their new song and watch the lyric video. Show some love, leave a comment and let us know what…
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The Fading Light “In the Morning” This is a song I wrote about someone in my life who would constantly disparage themselves, they would always seek assurance that I thought they were pretty, always refer to themselves as ugly, and even give me push back when I said I thought they were beautiful. It was…
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Within the last couple of years there has been a strong resurgence of Stoner and Doom Metal within the Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania scene. Today we are going to take a look at new kids on the block Makeshift Urn with their debut Self-Titled EP. To start off, Makeshift Urn was a rather refreshing listen. I dabble…
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The story behind “Shine Again” is very personal. In 2015, my band at the time had grown to its biggest stature in its 10-year history. We were playing to capacity crowds, our latest album had been positively reviewed internationally, and we were writing the best songs of our time together. However, in December 2015, both…
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2019 has been an amazing year of music within the realms of independent and underground artists. With so much amazing talent that has come across my path over here at First Angel Media, I can’t help but be excited for what new music 2020 has in store! Here is my Top 10 releases of 2019…
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ThunderStruck America’s AC/DC Tribute – Neutral Loss – Tommy Magik and the Wonderfulls take over The Crafthouse with a SOLD OUT crowd. From elbows to shoulders, butts to backs, weaving your way through the crowd was a hard task to accomplish! I actually got stuck behind the stage but you’ll hear no complaints from me. …
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On this weeks “A Look at the Lyrics” we give you an inside view to the meaning behind Conflict Cycle – Dark Days Ahead “Dark Days Ahead is about the messed up political and social environment we currently live in. We are repeating similar mistakes made throughout history, like the whole tactic of “bread and…
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On this weeks “A Look at the Lyrics” we give you an inside view to the meaning behind The Anxious Hearts “Sadness“. “The story behind this song is that Jordan, the founder, guitarist, and singer originally wrote it with his ex wife about a troubled relationship. Originally the main lyrics were written from Jessica with…
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Chip & The Charge Ups is using this opportunity to spread the holiday spirit to those in need in its hometown. The band has partnered with the Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank. Under this partnership, the band will donate profits from the sale of Black and Gold Christmas t-shirts to the Food Bank. Chip &…
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On this weeks “A Look at the Lyrics” we give you an inside view to the meaning behind The Recasts – Zombies Everywhere. “The song is about returning from combat, which is what I tapped into being both a combat veteran as well as a Behavioral Health leader. PTSD is a hell of a…
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On this weeks “A Look at the Lyrics” we give you an inside view to the meaning behind FUBAR – Junk We are usually a funky reggae rock/ ska punk band but this particular song is loud, fast and about as punk rock as it gets. It’s easily our heaviest song by far and starts…
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So, if your buddy said to you, “We’re gonna hold an event where we post a public set list of songs and open it up to all musicians and let them randomly jump on stage and take the place of a member of the band.” You’d probably say he’s totally nuts and wish him luck…
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On this weeks “A Look at the Lyrics” we give you an inside view to the meaning behind Icons of Industry – “When the Sky Fell” The song itself is about the end of the world and the glorious return of the King Messiah Jesus at the last day. The details come from the Christian…
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Find Your MUSE(ic): Video of the Week is the recently dropped Demo Demon video “Revolution” Featuring 9 Stitch Method Demo Demon and 9 Stitch Method came together to bring you “Revolution“; an aptly named and in your face tune reflecting the anger towards an overbearing government that holds nothing back. Cast off the chains of…
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#findyourmuse – Heartsick “Shadow” Heartsick have dropped the brand spanking new video for their single “Shadow“, and boy is it a doozy. Featuring a dark industrial vibe, the track creeps and crawls with enough emotional anguish to wake the dead. Heavy, low tuned guitars crush and pound with rhythmic precision amongst the band’s electronic and…
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Revolutionary Party Punk, The Debut 5 track EP from Maryland Ska-Punk heavyweights: Strong Zero, is a wonderful insight into the grassroots Anti-Establishment DIY Punk scene. The opening track: fittingly entitled “Open Arms” is a straight-up “four on the floor” high octane party anthem. Following, is the Green Day influenced heavy hitter, “Throw em’ Over” with…
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My first observation of Pittsburgh Crossover heavyweights, Crooked Cobras newest release: “Appetite for Distraction” was the eye catching and colorful album art, though, who isn’t a sucker for Reapers and hypnosis? The opening track, “Dead Eye” strikes me as the quintessential thrash anthem, with their hard hitting dual guitars provided by frontman Ray Kolcun and…
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Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania art rock quintet Working Breed are about to unleash their debut album “Hieroglyphica”. With their diverse and eclectic sound, the band plans to hit the stage hard and heavy Saturday, August 24th in support of their blood, sweat, and tears. Let’s make this clear, upon a passing glance “Hieroglyphica” sounds and gleams like…
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“Beyond the Glow” by Greywalker is this weeks Find your MUSE(ic) video feature! In recent years Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania’s Greywalker have started to become something of a household name amongst the ranks of it’s metal scene. The band’s new music video “Beyond the Glow” is a pretty damn good representation as to why the band’s popularity…
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Today’s show review from the First Angel camp is going to be a little different. Today you get a bird’s eye view of a performer and a fan. A menacing fly that was hopping wall to wall if you will. The crazy part about this review is that I almost didn’t have a show to…
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Catharsis is an amazing thing as it comes in all shapes, sounds, and sizes. Sometimes the process leads to an angelic beauty of release while other times turning into a violent purging of sorts. Illinois based one man experimental cyber-grind outfit Fetish Hotel opts to put both in a blender all the while laughing maniacally…
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Feast on the Fallen – “Boneyard” This week’s Find Your Muse(ic) we are rocking “Boneyard” by Steel City’s Feast on the Fallen. “Boneyard” comes in like a 10 ton hammer and sledges away for its 4 minute duration, waking up the dead in the process. Metallic hardcore laced with it’s murky death metal vibe pulses…
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I needed to step away from everything, to take a moment to breathe, because what I had just seen had me on the verge of tears… It’s not often that you discover a band as soon as they form and have the opportunity to watch them every step of the way. You become invested…
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Like your metal with a touch of ambience and proggy djent? Maybe some mentally deranged and psychotic vocals served on the side? New Chicago based outfit “Psithurism” have just released their debut EP and it might just be the flavor your looking for……. The guys waste little to no time getting down to what they…
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Today, I sat down with DiGregorio brainchild & lead guitarist Suzanne DeCree to find out about her history and vision for DiGregorio’s future: Denman: How long have you been playing guitar? Suzanne: Oh dear Lord! It will be 43 years this year. I started noodling with my dad’s old classical guitar when I was 6….
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Sometimes you come across an album so dense it takes you and pushes you out in front of the proverbial bus. Sometimes you find an album so heavy and caustic you can’t help but wonder how someone could create something that dark. Well ladies and gentlemen, Alberta’s grind mathematicians Spurn have delivered just that album…
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Sometimes in order to find the beauty in something you need to strip away the glitz and glam and break it down to bare bones. When doing this you find all the imperfections and the true face value of something for what it really is. Mckeesport rockabilly grunge act Garage Space offer us just that…
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With a lot of buzz and hustle, Pittsburgh alt metal act Reign of Z are gearing up for the release of their debut Ep “Mirrors and Memoirs”. Having a sold out show ready for their release and a busy schedule, it’s pretty easy to say these guys are ready to hit the ground running. I’ll…
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What Goes Around is a short, fun, film created by John Huxley and Trevor Richards, premiering on First Angel Media April 10, 2019. It’s a way to celebrate #recordstoreday and the music scene in Pittsburgh, Pa in general using various artists in the scene. It also marks the start of our YouTube channel and a…
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Vetis The Invitation From the woods of West Virginia, horror metal juggernauts Vetis have emerged to haunt your dreams with their newest sonic assault “The Invitation”. This album is a must have for any metal fan, playing out like a walk in the woods at night with that suspicious feeling something or someone is watching…
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This has been an album long time coming and I’m stoked to finally get my hands on it. Everrett, Pennsylvania’s Paradigm have finally dropped the follow up to their 2014 self titled album. The album “Monolith” plays like an album crafted in the twisted distorted mind of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. With a very…
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A few shots from the Monday night Acousticafe held at The Funhouse at Mr Smalls in Pittsburgh, Pa. Every Monday they have a great set of musicians lined up for you to chase away the weekday blues! Photo Credit Amanda Baker
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Alter the Design finds themselves heading in a direction with their sophomore release UNDIVIDED, due out December 11 2018. This hard rock band out of Pittsburgh delves into a more metal style that catches the listeners attention quickly. A short creative Intro and you are catapulted into a beautiful darkness of driven riffs and drum…
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Jakethehawk held one hell of a party for their latest release To Build A Fire! Bands included in this event – Jakethehawk, Sun Voyager, ZOM, and Vulcanite Photo Credit – Amanda Baker
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Featured Video of the Week: SIKES and the New Violence – Whatever I Want – Genre: Hip Hop This week we’re deviating just a little bit… did you notice? Yes, this is a hip hop video, more than likely the only one you’re going to see here. So, why would a company that brings you Rock…
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Featured video of the week: Alter The Design – Rock/Alternative – Pittsburgh, PA – Video Title: Feathers This week we broke the news that Alter The Design has an Upcoming Show with Puddle of Mudd. That’s happening December 8th, but just three short days later Undivided will drop! Physical copies and new merchandise are available the night of the…
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Alter The Design has been taking steps in the right direction! Not only sharing the stage with well known names but also changing direction with an updated sound for their upcoming release Undivided. Due out December 11th the December 8th show with Puddle of Mudd will be how they celebrate!! As an added bonus, new merchandise and physical…
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Featured Video of the Week: Homicide Black – Heavy Metal – Pittsburgh, Pa This weeks featured video is from Homicide Black – their third release from the brand new EP The Road to Hell. Usually known for lyrical storytelling just as much as their crushing metal, We Will Remain shows the diversity of these multi-talented professionals. This is relaxed, softer,…
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We have a brand new, early release of a project coming to you from separate countries! Pittsburgh, Pa and Brazil have teamed up to bring you South of Clarity!! Their Brand New Video is a perfect example of how amazing music unites! This project is so new, you’re going to have to keep tabs on them…
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Shrouded in Neglect is this weeks staff pick, coming to you from Pittsburgh, PA. They are a self proclaimed “Punch You in the Face Metal” band who has been bringing neck breaking, head banging, stage shredding metal to all types of stages and have opened for some rather big names. They released their debut EP, “The…
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Lady Beast is coming at you from Pittsburgh, Pa. Tours, festivals and thousands of CD’s sold – they’re a professional band with a DIY attitude. Not only passionate about what they do, they back that passion with an amazing and energetic performance. Check them out live because they hit the stage hard and make fans wherever…
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