MISSIO, the Alternative Texan duo of Matthew Brue and David Butler, are releasing their new album The Darker The Weather // The Better The Man today, April 12, via RCA Records.

Across the album, the bearded duo siphon soulful alternative from an off-kilter symphony of analog synths, glitchy beats, and sinewy pop dissonance. At the same time, they find strength amidst life's storms as evidenced by the title and the collection's overarching theme.

The preceding two years played out like a rollercoaster for the pair. Their 2017 full-length debut, Loner, yielded a string of fan-favorite singles. In under a year, Bottom Of The Deep Blue Sea clocked upwards of 16 million Spotify streams as Everybody Gets High and the breakout Middle Fingers both surpassed the 11 million mark. The latter topped the "Alt-18 Countdown" on Sirius XM's Alt Nation in addition to going Top 10 on the Billboard Alternative Songs chart and Top 20 on Mainstream Rock Songs, Hot Rock Songs, and Rock Airplay Charts. Beyond supporting the likes of Nothing But Thieves and Blue October, the band launched its highly successful headliner, The Loner Tour. Additionally, the cinematic video for Can I Exist scored "Best Music Video" at the Urbanworld Film Festival presented by REVOLT in partnership with HBO. Meanwhile, they performed on Conan and attracted praise from the likes of Rolling Stone.

In order to kick off their next musical chapter, the guys decided to go somewhere "void of distraction to remove all external factors of comfort." So, they retreated to Sonic Ranch Studios in El Paso, TX. "It was the first time I had been somewhere super silent in a long time," says Matthew. "To be able to clear our heads helped establish what our second record turned into."

Among many highlights, I See You represents a gateway into the album by way of the group's artful composition, rich production, and undeniable vocal delivery. A personal favorite of the boys, the first official single transmits an empowering message in its chorus, "I hope that you will see yourself the way that I see you." Watch the just released music video for this track here.

MISSIO initially teased the album with Rad Drugz -also indicative of their progression. Driven by hummable keys and thick percussion, the track unfurls towards an intoxicatingly catchy call-and- response, "Your mama does drugs, your daddy does drugs, everybody does drugs," punctuated by the falsetto "Can't get enough." Within a month, it notched 1 million streams on Spotify and would serve as the name for the group's 2019 headline Rad Drugz Tour.

Funked-up bass throbs beneath propulsive percussion on the energetic P.O.L.I.T.I.C.S. before dropping into a hyper-charged chant. The Wind and The Wave lend tender emotionality to the lovelorn ballad Do You Still Love Me Like You Used To? as Paul Wall and Kota The Friend ignite cameos on the fiery Temple Priest, culminating on the proclamation, "That's why they call me temple priest, motherfucker!" Moreover, Underground bobs and weaves between a bouncy beat and soaring refrain.

The Darker The Weather // The Better The Man is one of the most important album of the year: stream it now clicking on the image.

MEYTAL is an American rock band, formed in Los Angeles, CA in 2013. It was founded by YouTube sensation – Israeli drummer Meytal Cohen.

The release of the band's debut album Alchemy in 2015 established MEYTAL as one of the most exciting forces in heavy music today, when upon its release, the album peaked at No. 1 on the Billboard Top Heatseekers Chart, No. 5 on the Hard Rock Albums Chart, and No. 7 on the Independent Albums Chart.

The new, second MEYTAL album The Witness, (released last Friday, April 5, marks the beginning of a new journey for the band, one that began last year when the band parted ways with singer Eric Emery, following a full US tour alongside heavy rock giants Queensryche.

Taking over vocal duties for the new album is Sahaj Ticotin, vocalist/guitarist/producer of the rock band Ra, who also produced the album: "At the end of a long-ass and most frustrating singer search, I found that the right person was there all along! The one person who was most involved in this project, who wrote the songs with me and produced Alchemy, Sahaj Ticotin. There's definitely a spiritual connection there and I'm insanely lucky to have him sing on The Witness".

Just as Alchemy, The Witness was funded by the band's fans: "Being able to create records completely independently through fan support is an incredible experience. I truly believe this is the most authentic, most empowering way to create music. I feel incredibly blessed to have been able to forge my own path with the support of my fans from the very first YouTube video to my own original albums."

The Witness is an awesome alternative rock/metal record from start to finish: full of great ideas and excellent musicianship as it is, I'm sure will rank high on many end-of-year playlists. Stream/buy it now clicking on the image.

Another great act from Texas, Owen-Glass is a duo consisting in singer-songwriter Kelly Wayne Conley and his trusty sidekick, guitar prodigy Cole Humphrey.

Owen-Glass delivers a larger than life sound, weaving in the heartfelt organic glory of Americana and the powerful charge of gospel while boasting the drama of wild rock violin, grand alto saxophone, '70s-style keys, and electric mandolin. Fortified by rich textured soundscapes and smart lyrics, the end result is soul-enamoring, compelling, and easy to listen to.

Owen-Glass just released their new single Saint off their upcoming debut album The Rope & The Rabbit, which is set to drop on May 10.

Illuminated by an electric violin solo, Saint is soaring and psychedelic, taking listeners on a journey through the complexities of standing your ground as an individual while serving as a reminder of the strength that comes with owning who you are and having the courage to live life according to your own personal truth.

Listen to this beautiful, emotional song clicking on the image and stay tuned for further news on the upcoming album.

Alabama rockers Shallow Side release their new album Saints & Sinners through Thermal Entertainment LLC today, March 29, 2019.

Saints & Sinners is the band's first full album release: after releasing 3 EPs over the past 6 years, and the radio success of Rebel, Renegade (Styx cover) and Can You Hear Me off their 2017's One EP, the time was now.
Saints & Sinners was produced by rock and metal giant Michael "Elvis" Baskette (Incubus, Alter Bridge, Chevelle, Three Days Grace, Slash) and recorded in Orlando, FL at his Barbarosa studio.

The band found the right fit with working with Baskette to really bring out their sound: "Recording with Elvis was an experience all in itself. Growing up, I was listening to records that shaped and molded me individually as an artist and he had his hands in almost every single one of them it seems. It was a journey recording Saints & Sinners and I believe the songs truly capture where we were and express growth in music, as well as experiences." says Heath Fields (drummer).

Matt Daniels (bassist) added, "Artistically, it is an amazing time for us. There were so many ideas that came to light during the writing of Saints & Sinners. We had put all of our creativity and emotions into a pot to discover what makes a Shallow Side record; from the angelic vocals, melodic riffs, and the driving rhythm sections that keep the beat bumping. This is something that accurately represents where we are as a band and our growth together."

Seth Trimble (guitarist) expressed, "I honestly wasn't as excited for my own birth as I am for this album. I've never had a better sense of pride than when we hit that playback button at the end of the day and got to explore this beautiful soundscape that we created together."

All in all, Saints & Sinners is a strong record, full of energetic songs with strong melodies, emotional and powerful vocals, driving rhythms. One you can't miss, if mature modern rock is your credo.

Stream Saints & Sinners on Spotify now, clicking on the image.

The debut album from South Florida indie rock band The Darling Fire, Dark Celebration, will be released everywhere on June 14 on Spartan Records.

After years of individual success in some of the scene's most beloved bands, The Darling Fire was born of both deep struggle and deeper friendships. A veritable mosaic of indie notoriety, the band features members of The Rocking Horse Winner, Further Seems Forever, Dashboard Confessional, Poison The Well, Shai Hulud, As Friends Rust, and Strongarm among others. Dark Celebration is in many ways what you'd anticipate - energetic, powerful, melodic, and heavy; however, it is far more nuanced than you would imagine. The collective sum of the parts and the alluring heart-on-sleeve lyrics produce a more intimate, spacey and bewitching experience - an authenticity that speaks to the true cathartic nature of the project. The result of their collaboration with producer J. Robbins (Jawbox, Burning Airlines, Government Issue) is a powerful coalescence of artistry and vision - a record that five artists spent their entire careers waiting to make.

The first single off Dark Celebration is For The Loveless. Check it out now clicking on the image.

Dallas, Texas based As Strange As Angels is former Murder FM front man Norman Matthew's passion project. He has released a new single Mirror Mirror, and it's already been added to Spotify's Rock Hard and Loudwire's Weekly Wire playlist. The single is also the title track from the forthcoming debut EP, which drops on April 26.

After Murder FM went on hiatus in 2016, Norman focused on raising his son after a divorce rocked his personal life.  While juggling the work of running his music school, The Sound Foundation, and his fatherly duties, he found the turmoil that he was going through was beginning to come out in the music that he was writing.  "For the first time, rather than speaking to the song, I let the song speak to me. I had never written lyrics that were a parallel of my life. Then I realized, I have a voice, and I need to be a voice for the voiceless."  

The result of that reflection is the new 4 song EP Mirror Mirror, which Norman has aptly dubbed "heart rock": From the heart, for the heart, by the heart. Say what you feel, and feel what you say.

The title track was co-written and produced by former RA front man Sahaj Ticotin (Starset, Sevendust, Meytal). The other 3 tracks - Love and Death (which features CJ Pierce Of Drowning Pool on guitar), Days Go Bye, and Right Beside You were produced by Norman and Mick Kenney (Motionless In White).  The recording features a heavy and melodic sound that is instantly familiar and yet unique - and is unlike most of the other music that is currently out in the Rock world.

The video for Mirror Mirror premiered last Friday, March 15, on PureGrainAudio.com: check it out clicking on the image

Somehow the new EP of British pop rock band In Dynamics slipped me by at the time of release. Time to make amends, as Happy & Honest is simply amazing.

The EP, released last November, includes 3 modern melodic rock tracks masterfully crafted, with great melodies and big choruses. Avalanche is the leading single off the EP, but all of the three tracks could be massive hits if properly promoted.

In Dynamics already received some good hype from Kerrang!, BBC Radio One and Rock Sound, and just one listen to the Happy & Honest EP makes you understand why.

Happy & Honest was produced, engineered, mixed amd mastered by Chris Coulter (Arcane Roots, A Plastic Rose, Arctic Lake) and is a mandatory listening: check it out clicking on the image.

Big Story is a very promising Alternative Rock band from Dallas, Texas.

After having completed production on a collection of songs (produced by Matt Noveskey of the platinum selling rock band, Blue October), Big Story induced an early buzz by landing the opening slot on Seether's "Poison The Parish" tour during the summer of 2017. With newly acquired management, Rainmaker Artists (Blue October, Bowling For Soup) at the helm, Big Story showcased for renowned rock label, Razor & Tie (Starset, The Pretty Reckless, Red Sun Rising) while on tour. That showcase performance ultimately inspired the band's signing with Razor & Tie/Fearless Records (Underoath, At the Drive-in, I Prevail, Portugal the Man), and paved the way for the completion of their debut, full length album, BEAZT with illustrious producer, David Bendeth (Paramore, Bring Me The Horizon, Breaking Benjamin, Papa Roach).

BEAZT will se the light of day next June 7. Meanwhile the band released the first single from the album, Daydream (watch the official  music video here), and, just a couple of weeks ago, the brand new single, and great track overall, Losing Sleep.

Check Losing Sleep clicking on the image and pre-order BEAZT here.