Kiss Release Plushies, Announce Appearance in "Archie" Comic Book and New Album in 2012

Kiss has announced their 20th album, Monster, and the fourth volume of Kissology will be released sometime around the beginning of the year. In the run-up to these releases, Kiss has some new merchandise coming out.

First up are plushies of the original lineup (Gene, Paul, Peter and Ace) and each doll is 7" tall. The dolls were released yesterday and are available through Entertainment Earth and FYE stores. Each doll is $11.99 through Entertainment Earth.









(from KissOnline)
Come November, Riverdale will rock 'n roll all night -- not to mention, party every day -- for the four-part storyline "Archie Meets KISS" running through "Archie" #627-630. Written by Archie Comics' Executive Director of Publicity and Marketing Alex Segura with art by Dan Parent -- an Archie mainstay most recently known for creating Kevin Keller, the publisher's first openly gay character -- the story will find Sabrina's errant protection spell inviting a horde of demons to town, with the comics-inspired KISS personas of the Demon, Moonchild, Spaceman and Catman arriving just in time to help save the day.

CBR News spoke with Segura and Parent about "Archie Meets KISS" and how the two worlds will collide.

CBR News: First, guys, how did this unusual team-up come together?

Alex Segura: Pretty easily, actually. Gene Simmons called up our Co-CEO Jon Goldwater with the idea. Once the deal was struck, I pitched my story to Jon and President Mike Pellerito. I'd written an issue of "Archie and Friends" before, so they knew I was interested in writing more. The timing worked out really well and the chance to bring together two major pieces of Americana -- Archie and the KISS gang -- was impossible to pass up.

Lastly, Kiss' forthcoming disc Monster already has a Wikipedia page. In an interview, Gene Simmons said that this forthcoming disc is a "combination of three of the band's previous albums, Destroyer, Revenge and the album's predecessor Sonic Boom."

Links:
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A.A. Bondy - "Believers" CD Review (Fat Possum) / Show at Bowery Ballroom on Nov. 22nd

AA Bondy - The Heart Is Willing by fatpossum

A.A. Bondy is releasing his third disc Believers (Fat Possum) on Tuesday and this follow-up to 2009’s When The Devil’s Loose shows Bondy continuing to expand on the full band sound of When the Devil’s Loose but moving away from his folky/Americana past into darker “Dax Riggs” territory.

Believers was recorded in the spring of 2011 by Rob Schnapf at Mant/Kingsize Studios in Glassell Park, California. The new ten songs (40 minute) disc sets a dark and melancholy mood and the disc’s press release states that these songs were “conjured during and between dreams, in bare rooms, and on the late night streets of America.” This is a lonely album where Bondy’s stark vocals and the steady undercurrent of neo-psychedelic echo and reverb will pull you into the restless night, right alongside of him.

In a 2009 interview, Bondy described When The Devil’s Loose as “something that more generates a feeling rather than telling someone how to feel” and I feel this new disc goes a step further in bringing out that emotive current within his music. This is also the closest that Bondy has gotten to replicating the sound of his live shows and he is joined on the disc by Ben Lester (drums, piano, pedal steel) and Macey Taylor (bass). Standout tracks are the slow burning “Skull & Bones” and the up-tempo disc opener “The Heart is Willing”.

"Believers is the last couple years in one long exposure" – Bondy



A.A. Bondy Tour Dates:
SEPT. 28 -- SAN DIEGO, CA -- THE CASBAH
SEPT. 29 -- LOS ANGELES, CA -- BOOTLEG THEATER
OCT. 4 -- PORTLAND, OR -- MISSISSIPPI STUDIOS
OCT. 6 -- SEATTLE, WA -- TRACTOR TAVERN
OCT. 7 -- VANCOUVER, BC -- MEDIA CLUB
NOV. 1 -- SALT LAKE CITY, UT -- URBAN LOUNGE
NOV. 2 -- DENVER, CO -- HI DIVE
NOV. 4 -- OMAHA, NE -- THE WAITING ROOM
NOV. 5 -- MINNEAPOLIS, MN -- 7TH STREET ENTRY
NOV. 7 -- MADISON, WI -- HIGH NOON
NOV. 8 -- CHICAGO, IL -- LINCOLN HALL
NOV. 10 -- NASHVILLE, TN -- MERCY LOUNGE
NOV. 11 -- LITTLE ROCK, AR -- STICKYZ CHICKEN SHACK
NOV. 12 -- DALLAS, TX -- PROPHET BAR
NOV. 13 -- AUSTIN, TX -- THE PARISH
NOV. 15 -- OXFORD, MS -- PROUD LARRY'S
NOV. 16 -- ATLANTA, GA -- THE EARL
NOV. 17 -- KNOXVILLE, TN -- PILOT LIGHT
NOV. 18 -- CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA -- THE SOUTHERN
NOV. 19 -- WASHINGTON, DC -- ROCK 'N ROLL HOTEL
NOV. 21 -- PHILADELPHIA, PA -- FIRST UNITARIAN CHURCH
NOV. 22 -- NEW YORK, NY -- BOWERY BALLROOM

There is no opening act (currently) listed for A.A. Bondy's show at Bowery Ballroom. Tickets are $15 the Bowery Ballroom's site lists doors at 8PM and the show at 9PM.

Links:
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Girl on Fire Releases "Medicate" from "Revenge" EP / Show at Webster Hall on October 2nd

The only bio information that I can find posted on Girl on Fire comes from their Facebook page: "We are a rock band from Seattle, WA!"

Hmmm...I kind of figured that one out already.

Girl on Fire have a six-song EP, "Revenge", coming out on Sept. 13th and the tracks I've heard are melodic hardcore that sound something like Evergreen Terrace. The band kicked off a coast-to-coast tour with Get Scared and Dr. Acula earlier this month and are playing The Studio at Webster Hall on October 2nd.

For the show at Webster Hal, Airismine and Masses are also on the bill. Tickets are $12 in advance and $14 DOS - doors are at 6PM.



Girl on Fire Tour Dates
09/13/2011 - Seattle, WA @ El Corazon Lounge
09/14/2011 - Portland, OR @ Hawthorne Theatre
09/15/2011 - Boise, ID @ The Venue
09/16/2011 - Salt Lake City, UT @ Club Sound
09/17/2011 - Colorado Springs, CO @ The Black Sheep
09/18/2011 - Denver, CO @ Marquis Theater
09/19/2011 - Oklahoma City, OK @ Conservatory
09/20/2011 - Tulsa, OK @ The Marquee
09/22/2011 - Houston, TX @ Warehouse Live Studio
09/23/2011 - San Antonio, TX @ White Rabbit
09/24/2011 - Dallas, TX @ The Door (*Firefest with: Attack Attack!, Falling In Reverse, Eyes Set To Kill and more)
09/26/2011 - Jacksonville, FL @ The Pit
09/27/2011 - Atlanta, GA @ Masquerade (downstairs)
09/30/2011 - Poughkeepsie, NY @ The Loft
10/01/2011 - Danbury, CT @ The Streets @ Tuxedo Junction
10/02/2011 - New York, NY @ The Studio @ Webster Hall
10/03/2011 - Philadelphia, PA @ The Barbary
10/04/2011 - Teaneck, NJ @ Mexicali Live
10/05/2011 - Allentown, PA @ Crocodile Rock
10/06/2011 - Providence, RI @ Firehouse 13
10/07/2011 - Montreal, QC, Canada @ Underworld
10/08/2011 - Toronto, ON, Canada @ Sneaky Dees
10/09/2011 - Buffalo, NY @ Xtreme Wheels
10/10/2011 - Cleveland, OH @ Privates Cove
10/11/2011 - Southgate, MI @ Modern Exchange
10/13/2011 - Joliet, IL @ Mojoes
10/14/2011 - Minneapolis, MN @ 7th Street Entry
10/15/2011 - Milwaukee, WI @ The Rave Bar
10/16/2011 - St. Louis, MO @ Fubar

Links:
Girl on Fire

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Hull: Beyond-The-Scenes Footage of the "Beyond the Lightless Sky" Video Posted

DOWNLOAD: Hull - "Fire Vein" (hosted on VillageVoice.com)

Metal Injection is currently hosting an exclusive behind-the-scenes look at the creation of Hull's upcoming "Beyond The Lightless Sky" video, the title track from the band's new full-length. Set for North American release on October 11, 2011 via The End Records, the follow-up to the band's critically-acclaimed Sole Lord debut was co-produced by Brett Romnes and mixed by Billy Anderson (Sleep, Neurosis, Melvins, et al).



Hailing from the streets of Brooklyn, New York, Hull has yet again emerged with a creation to outlive the ages with latest saga, Beyond The Lightless Sky. Digging further into the past, the Mayan epic takes the listener through a division of two brothers and the struggles that they are faced with. One finds salvation amongst the stars and the wisdom of a stranger, while the other is mesmerized with the bloodthirsty belief of sacrifice and self mutilation. In silence lies a realm that exists outside the plane of fear.

Beyond The Lightless Sky features guest appearances by vocalist Jarboe, keys/ambiance by Fade Kainer (Batillus/Jarboe/Inswarm ) and cello by Joe Merolla with artwork by Tamara Waite-Santibanez. Pre-order Beyond The Lightless Sky HERE.

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Wolves in the Throne Room - "Celestial Lineage" CD Review (Southern Lord) // NYC Shows on Sept. 12th & 14th

On September 13, Wolves in the Throne Room are releasing Celestial Lineage (Southern Lord), which finishes the trilogy that began with Two Hunters (2007). This new disc is more organic (and perhaps less malevolent) than Black Cascade and, while these seven tracks are a noticeable step toward a more open sound, the disc incorporates all of the elements from the band’s past. Immediately noticeable is the return of angelic vocalist Jessika Kenney (who added vocals to Two Hunters (2007) and “Malevolent Grain” (2009)) whose voice starts off the first track “Thuja Magus Imperium”.

In describing the writing process for Celestial Lineage, drummer Aaron Weaver stated: “An ornate constellation of imagery is what that guides the songwriting process. Cedar temples crowned with burnished bronze domes glimpsed in a remote valley. Wild Midsummer bonfires and feasting on roasted flesh. All of the sounds serve to evoke the images that exist in our minds eye. With this record we’re going to explore an entirely new palette of sound. We want the instruments to sound like the liturgical music of a cedar cult.”

Celestial Lineage’s seven tracks run just under fifty minutes and brunt of the disc is comprised by three epic tracks: "Thuja Magus Imperium" (11:41), which opens the disc, and "Astral Blood" (10:16) and "Prayer of Transformation" (10:57) which close the disc. “Theja Magus Imperium” opens with a majestic soundscape before heading into black metal darkness and then the song resurfaces back into the light before the ending. The band utilizes these contrasting moods and sonic colors on a few other tracks such as “Subterranean Initiation” which includes delicately picked guitar work along with the sonic blast beats and “Astral Blood” which has an acoustic interlude which break up the black metal fury.

The other four tracks include the brooding “Woodland Cathedral”, which features clean vocals from Jessika Kenney; two short instrumental interludes, “Rainbow Illness” and “Permanent Changes in Consciousness” with the later including chanting courtesy of Aaron Turner (ISIS) and the pounding black metal of “Subterranean Initiation”. Celestial Lineage is not your run-of-the-mill black metal disc and drummer Aaron Weaver has said "Wolves in the Throne Room is not black metal, or, more accurately we play black metal on our own terms, for our own reasons."

In support of the album, Wolves in the Throne Room kicked off a US tour earlier this month and plan on eventually engulfing many other regions of the planet. In the US, they will travel with their own PA system thus “enabling them to perform in warehouses, groves and collapsed barns rather than the well-worn circuit of the clubs and bars”.

Wolves in the Throne Room Fall Tour Dates
Fri, Sep 30th 2011 - Denver, CO, Rhincoeropolis

Wed, Sep 28th 2011 - Fort Worth, TX, Lola's Saloon
Playing with: Garuda and Megton Leviathan

Tue, Sep 27th 2011 - Austin, TX, Red 7
Playing with: Megaton Leviathan

Sun, Sep 25th 2011 - New Orleans, LA, Nowe Miasto
Playing with: Thou and Megaton Leviathan

Sat, Sep 24th 2011 - Tallahasse, FL, The Far Side Collective
Playing with: Megaton Leviathan

Fri, Sep 23rd 2011 - St. Petersenburg, FL, The Chop Shop
Playing with: Megaton Leviathan

Thu, Sep 22nd 2011 - Atlanta, GA, Club 529
Playing with: Megaton Leviathan

Wed, Sep 21st 2011 - Nashville, TN, The Little Hamilton
Playing with: Megaton Leviathan

Tue, Sep 20th 2011 - Sheffield, AL, JD's
Playing with: Megaton Leviathan

Sun, Sep 18th 2011 - Greensboro, NC, Legitimate Business
Playing with: Mt. Eerie, Megaton Leviathan

Sat, Sep 17th 2011 - Richmond, VA, Strange Matter
Playing with: Megaton Leviathan

Fri, Sep 16th 2011 - Bethlehem, PA , Steel Cty Firehall, Lower Saucon. Adress: 2121 Riverside Drive Bethlehem, PA 18015
Playing with: Megaton Leviathan and Fursaxa
Additional info: Buy advance tickets here: www.angeldess.bigcartel.com

Thu, Sep 15th 2011 - Philadelphia, PA, Broad Street Ministry
Playing with: Megaton Leviathan, Vit and Woe

Wed, Sep 14th 2011 - NYC, Death By Audio
Playing with: Thou

Mon, Sep 12th 2011, 20:00 - NYC, The Bell House
Playing with: THOU



Links:
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Peter Case Kicks Off Fall Tour In Support of "The Case Files" (Alive Records)

DOWNLOAD: Peter Case - "Round Trip Stranger Blues"

Peter Case - Steel Strings No1 by alivenaturalsound

Peter Case released the well-received collection of demos, out-takes, one-time live performances & other rarities, The Case Files (Alive) earlier this year and All Music Guide said "these 12 songs make for an entertaining and empowering album that delivers the goods with smarts and simple, sweaty force. The Case Files proves this man’s cast-offs make for a better album than most acts’ level-best efforts, and with any luck, he’ll offer another look into his archives before long." Case is heading out on a Fall Tour in support of this disc that starts today in Palmer, AK.



The closest show is Saturday, Oct. 1 at The Turning Point, 468 Piermont Ave. Piermont, NY. The show starts at 6PM and tickets are $20.

Peter Case 2011 Fall Tour
Sep. 9 - Vagabond Blues, Palmer, AK
Sep. 10 - Out North Theatre, Anchorage, AK
Sep. 14 - The Geomatic Attic, South Lethbridge, AB, Canada
Sep. 15 - The Palomino, Calgary, AB , Canada
Sep. 16 - The Roxy Theatre, Saskatoon, SK Canada
Sep. 30 The Record Collector Concert Series, Bordentown, NJ
Oct. 1 (12:30PM) - Bridge Street Live, Collinsville, CT
Oct. 1 (6PM) - The Turning Point, Piermont, NY
Oct. 2 - Roots Hoot House Concerts, Peace Dale, RI
Oct. 4 - Stage On Herr, Harrisburg, PA
Oct. 5 - Thunderbird Café, 4023 Butler Street, Lawrenceville, PA
Oct. 6 - Rumba Café, Columbus, OH
Oct. 8 - Trinity House Theatre, Livonia, MI
Oct. 9 - Columbia Street West, Ft. Wayne, IN
Oct. 10 - WYCE Fall Hat Trick Series,Grand Rapids, MI
Oct. 11 - Beachland Ballroom, Cleveland, OH
Oct. 12 - The Good Neighborhood @ The Sportsman, Buffalo, NY
Oct. 13 - Lovin' Cup, Rochester, NY
Oct. 14 - Buffalo Film Festival Opening Night, The Screening Room Cinema Café, Amherst, NY
Oct. 15 - This Ain't Hollywood, Hamilton, ON, Canada
Oct. 16 - Hugh's Room, Toronto, ON
Oct. 20 - Bayport BBQ, Bayport, MN
Oct. 21 - Lee's Liquor Lounge, Minneapolis, MN
Oct. 22 - House Of Righteous Music, Madison, WI
Oct. 23 - Old Town School of Folk Music, Chicago, IL

Links:
Peter Case

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Crock - "Grok" CD Review (Jackpot Records)

STREAM/DOWNLOAD: Crock - "No More Dumb Fun" (from forthcoming CD Grok - out Sept. 27th)

Crock is a new project from Quasi's Sam Coomes and Hella's Spencer Seim. The band's sound is built off the fuzzed-out / freaked-out urban electonica of bands like Suicide to which the band add elements of space rock, Zappa / Pavement style free-form deconstruction, dark stoner riffs and pounding industrial squiggles and rhythms. The disc's cover art was done by Janet Weiss (Quasi / Sleater-Kinney) and its montage of colors visually sums up Crock's debut - there is a lot going on but but there is a sense of structure around the chaos which allows you to hear different elements of the band's sound with each spin of the disc.

Seim is credited with the spazzy, sputtering drum work so I assume that Commes handled all of the other instrumentation and vocals. Most of Commes' melodic vocals are low in the mix so the listener can hear his melodic harmonies but his lyrics are mostly unintelligible. Coomes delivers his vocals with the punk fervor of Nation of Ulysses' Ian Svenonius but when the vocals are on top of the mix ("Corpsecrystal Mountain"), he sounds a bit more like Stephen Malkmus on the early Pavement discs.

Grok comes out on Jackpot Records on September 27th. The CD edition is limited to 500 copies and the pre-order edition of the LP comes on neon green vinyl.



Links:
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