Seasons Greetings From Everyone @ Vandala Concepts.
We hope your Holiday Season is Bright And
Your New Year is full of Joy, and good Music
December 24, 2011
December 20, 2011
Scythia Release Xmas Song "...Of Santa"
Folk metal clan Scythia have released a holiday tune for fans called "...Of Santa", which is now streaming on youtube at the following link here and can also be purchased at bandcamp here.
"Christmas has all the right elements of folk metal: it's dark and wintry, it involves magic, and there's plenty of ale and mead. This year, we figured it was time to pay homage to the season by creating our very own Scythian Christmas tale." commented vocalist / guitarist Dave Khan.
In addition the 2011 year coming to an end, Scythia have been mentioned on a few Top 2011 lists for this year's sophomore release "...Of Exile".
Decibel Magazine named Scythia's "Oboe of Death" the #2 of Top 5 Non-Metal Instruments on a 2011 Album. Check it out on pg #54 of Issue #87 Jan 2012.
E.V.'s Underground on CKCU 931. FM (Ottawa) has mentioned Scythia on their list "A Baker's Dozen Essential Albums & Tracks for 2011"
"Canadian folk metal mavens Scythia and their sophomore offering "...Of Exile" is a tale of epic lyrics & epic playing, including the band's self-described "oboe of death". The rollicking, fun and exceedingly silly "Hobarth's Inn", features a goat at the very end."
WSCA 106.1 FM (Portsmouth, NH) 2011 most played Metal & lists of favorites
Named Scythia as one of the bands from 2011 you should listen to (if you aren't already).
- Asher Media Relations -
December 16, 2011
Battling Bands Announced For Heavy MTL 2012 Stage Contest ENROUTE
Ontop of playing on the same bill as some of the most highly regarded musicians in the world at Parc Jean-Drapeau, the contenders will perform for a prestigious panel of judges. A very special guest judge hailing from the international scene will be present at each event.
Guest judge: Jeff Waters of
http://www.annihilatormetal.com/
http://www.annihilatormetal.com/
Chainsaw Armageddon
Forbidden Sin
Dark Century
Spelldown
Next battle: February 8 – mark your calendar! Other dates and guest judges TBA.
Heavy Power Thrash Night
Demise of the Crown
Heroik
Instanzia
Trainwreck Architect
Symphonic Metal Night
Erimha
Hollow
Magnum Stallion
Valfreya
Death Metal/Grind Night
Bookake
Crosstitution
First Fragment
Through Death
Progressive/Modern Death Thrash Night
3 Mile Scream
Aeon's Fall
Ashes of Eden
Sykode
Tickets onsale NOW online [link coming up] and at Boutique Labyrinthe: www.labyrintherock.com. (486 Ste-Catherine W.).
For questions and comments, please contact enrouteheavymtl@gmail.com.
JoinHeavy MTL Facebook event and like our Heavy MTL fanpage to stay informed: http://www.facebook.com/HeavyMTL
- MTL 2012 Stage Contest ENROUTE -
December 14, 2011
2 Legged Faith
"I thought since it was Chrsitmas I would post a postive story and this is one story that shines." - MCL -
This dog was born on Christmas Eve in the year 2002. He was born with 2 legs - He of course could not walk when he was born. Even his mother did not want him.
His first owner also did not think that he could survive and he was thinking of 'putting him to sleep'. But then, his present owner, Jude Stringfellow, met him and wanted to take care of him. She became determined to teach and train this little dog to walk by himself. She named him 'Faith'.
In the beginning, she put Faith on a surfboard to let him feel the movement. Later she used peanut butter on a spoon as a lure and reward for him for standing up and jumping around. Even the other dog at home encouraged him to walk. Amazingly, only after 6 months, like a miracle, Faith learned to balance on his hind legs and to jump to move forward. After further training in the snow, he could now walk like a human being.
Faith loves to walk around now. No matter where he goes, he attracts people to him. He is fast becoming famous on the international scene and has appeared on various newspapers and TV shows. There is now a book entitled 'With a Little Faith' being published about him. He was even considered to appear in one of Harry Potter movies.
His present owner Jude Stringfellew has given up her teaching post and plans to take him around the world to preach that even without a perfect body, one can have a perfect soul'.
In life there are always undesirable things, so in order to feel better you just need to look at life from another direction. I hope this message will bring fresh new ways of thinking to everyone and that everyone will appreciate and be thankful for each beautiful day. Faith is the continual demonstration of the strength and wonder of life.
Sometimes There's No Need To Rush - Adele
Adele is refusing to rush out her next album to capitalize on her huge popularity, insisting it will be at least two years before she decides to release a new project.
Adele at the young age of 21 took the industry by storm . Currently at 23 she has 6 Grammy nominations this year to go with the stack awards such as American Music Awards, Brit Awards, Billboard, MTV and many more. She has no plans to take advantage of the growing fan base until she's had time to fully recoup from her recent vocal cord surgery and "just be".
She tells Billboard magazine, "I imagine I'll be 25 or 26 by the time my next record comes out, as I haven't even thought about my third record yet.
"I'm just gonna lay some concrete, set up home and just be for a bit. I'll disappear and come back with a record when it's good enough. There will be no new music until it's good enough and until I'm ready."
And Adele admits her carefree attitude towards her career comes from watching the late Amy Winehouse rise to fame on her own terms.
She adds, "I see no appeal in having a very specific plan as an artist. Who f**king cares if people don't get it or don't like it?
"I'd rather trust myself, to like what I've done and stick to my guns than make music I don't like, wear clothes that don't suit me and flutter between genres because I'm scared I won't be relevant if I pass my 'sell by' date.
"Amy tattooed that in me. She made music because she was good at it and wanted to. And she was a huge artist who was always a bigger fan. That's why I gravitated towards her and listened when she sang and spoke or snarled."
Now this is a smart young woman unlike so many other female artists. Some of them trying to cause controversy with crazy antics or/and weird music videos. While others showing everything and anything with the worst of them showing how much of a messed up drunk slut (one or the other even all) they can be in there music and on/off stage. She has real talent and is living life and learns from others mistakes and her own. Most of making good music she is proud of and not focusing on money and label agenda's. I can say I may not be a personal fan but I think she is a true talent and I can give much respect to a artist who stays true to herself and is not a industry slave. Plus I am sure she will have great success in a few years.
- MCL -
December 13, 2011
Changes To Melting Pot & New Music
Melting Pot has been trying to figure out a way to thier best foot forward and move ahead with Melting Pot after losing a pivotal member of the group and they decided that doing something fun and collaborating with another artist would take the pressure off and allow them some wiggle room to just release some new music!
So they looked around and saw a buddy & double-slide master (& inventor!) Brian Cober laying it down like he always does and thye thought, "there's a man who can bring his own distinctive sound, style & swagger to our rock & roll soul stew!" and set about working on a riff that was laying around and crafting it into a song with Brian!
The result? a dirty little bluesy rock & roll soul song titled "Everytime You Say Goodbye"
Get it on iTunes (CLICK HERE) or check out the video on youtube (CLICK HERE)
They would like to thank Justin Snikkar from Brian's band for slapping da bass!This is their 1st release from there very own Melting Pot Studios...recorded, mixed, produced, etc. by Them! The song & video were made on an ipad 2... Check out more from the band HERE
December 12, 2011
The Worst Possible Gifts
Tis the season of gift giving, sometimes no gift at all might be the best gift. We all know fruit cakes, gym memberships/gym equipment, kitchen items, Barbie's (they look like 80's hookers these days), chocolates for most people, etc. are gifs that should not be given, but then there are those that are even worse:
Bad Play Sets - There are a lot of things that are meant to improve a child's imagination and learning curve but at times it goes terribly wrong. First one as seen in the photo McDonalds play set. What a great inspiration to your child "Hey, you know what's fun? Being a fry cook at McDonald's!" Really? This goes in the category let's give kids a kitchen play sets and the easy back oven "Hey you know what's fun Cooking and Cleaning". Wait that brings me to the next one the dirt devil toy vacuum. Same price as my real dirt devil at home and same size. If a kid really wants to clean give them a broom or even that real dirt devil and let them try.
The defence "These teaching toys show off some of the jobs we as homemakers, moms, dads, and family managers do in a fun way." That's what chores are for, being a farm kid I had chores and they can be made fun until the kid wakes up and realized they were lied to. But hey lets just add one more Christmas lie and remove childhood another step. What a wonderful way to make Christmas special - destroy their hopes and dreams but if you have low standards for your child go for it.
Cheap Makeup Kit & Pole - So you forgot to buy your niece a present this year. Well cheap make up says I forgot and now your niece is going to look like a cheap prostitute just like Barbie and those brat dolls. Wait maybe you could buy this instead a "Tesco Peek-a-Boo Stripper Pole."
This is a real product and not by Keisha, Rhianna or Lady Gaga, but you should expect their own line of poles and clothing to go along with that cheap make up. Really this is an actual product. Teeny Tiny garter and fake money included - they tried to dig themselves out of that one but take a good look, they messed up.
Generic Box Set Cologne OR Bath Sets - Please oh please do not give this gift. Not only are you cheap you're trying to kill people; on a serious note there are no scent policy's all over the place for a reason. All and all no one should smell like the cast of jersey shore. To go with this horrible gift "A Bath Basket". Unless it's your grandmas favorite set just don't be the "jerk" of Christmas.
Mainstream Crap - There is loads of it. The Twilight Series, Lady Gaga, Keisha, Rhianna, Drake, Bieber Jersey Shore etc. Do the world a favor do not enable these people who love this crap. Might as well buy the above gifts. I guess destroying the people and children of the world makes Christmas.
Xmas Birth Control - Maybe this one should be for those who think the above toys and gifts are cool. A few years ago this came out "Give the gift that keeps on giving this holiday season: birth control". A Planned Parenthood in Indiana was offering gift certificates for the recipient's choice of birth control method. Or you can just make your own certificate for a box of condoms. It's the thought that counts? I really don't think condoms and birth control are "Christmas gifts" though we may have thought of this for those people that should not reproduce but actually giving them birth control is another story; I am not even that mean.
- MCL -
Love Me or Hate Me
Questions & Comments To:
December 9, 2011
Ross Royce Featured on ESPN "College Football Live"
Thats right Ross Royce song " We Can Win" is on week 12 of College Football Live - Plays Of The Week" on ESPN America . The song is off the new Ross Royce release ' Dreams Of A Common Man'. Get Your Copy of the Album at http://www.rossroyce.com/Get-Ross-Royce-Music.php
Indie Folksinger David Rosenfield on Tour
Florida singer/songwriter crosses the US this winter, performing rousing, raw folk music to promote his 2011 album, Son of Ojito
Florida-based indie folk singer David Rosenfield will tour the US this winter, playing shows from Florida to California to promote his new album, Son of Ojito. The tour begins in early December, and runs through February.
At the ripe old age of 34, David Rosenfield is a fatalist and optimist. He has waltzed through a life of dusty basements and mountain tops, looking for that golden child called happiness. Or is it California? Either way. His songs are filled with unconventional imagery over a backdrop of Mountain Goats-esque acoustic guitar, with the ghost of the Violent Femmes lurking somewhere over his shoulder or around the corner. There's a little country music in there somewhere, vying with the punk rock and the folk and the blues. To see him perform live is to witness some kind of an impassioned backwoods poet, as he yells, or whispers, or croons. One thing is for certain: playing music for you makes him happy.
David recently finished a successful summer tour of the eastern US in support of Son of Ojito, playing venues in Georgia, North Carolina, West Virginia, Ohio, New York and Massachusetts, as well as making a number of live appearances on college radio stations in New York, Ohio and West Virginia.
You can catch David at:
Sat, Nov 26 Green Organix Clearwater, FL
Fri, Dec 9 Serda's Coffee Company Mobile, AL
Sat, Dec 17 Neutral Ground Coffeehouse New Orleans, LA
Tue, Dec 20 The Backroom (The Space Behind The Mink) Houston, TX Ages: 21+
Tue, Dec 27 MOMO's Austin, TX
Mon, Jan 2 Winning Coffee Albuquerque, NM. With Austin Morrell , Adam Hooks
Tue, Jan 3 Blackbird Buvette Albuquerque, NM Ages: 21+
Fri, Jan 6 Sundara Flagstaff, AZ
Tue, Jan 10 Lo FI Coffee Mesa, AZ
Fri, Jan 13 Hollow Body @ TRiP Santa Monica, CA Ages: 21+
Fri, Jan 20 Coffee Adventures San Francisco, CA 11:00 AM
Sat, Jan 21 Streetlight Records San Jose, CA 4 PM. With Scott Alexander.
Wed, Jan 25 Summer Thyme's @ Booktown Grass Valley, CA
Thu, Jan 26 Cafe Mekka Nevada City, CA With The Music Room
To learn more details for shows, or to find out about new shows added to the tour schedule: http://www.davidrosenfield.com/shows.html
David Rosenfield can be reached at info@davidrosenfield.com
His website is http://www.davidrosenfield.com/
Come by his facebook page and "like" him here: http://www.facebook.com/davidrosenfieldmusic.
Billy Idol Does Rap?
So this bright early morning I came across this commercial from 2001 - apparently Billy Idol made a rap video as promotion for Ikea. Nothing about the previous sentence makes sense. Maybe it was the early morning but I thought it was a bad dream, wait that's every time I hear or see Lady Gaga. As for bad videos/dreams Gaga's new video makes Billy Idols rapping seem pretty normal.
December 7, 2011
Bands Wanted for Road to CMW: Winners to Play Canadian Music Week 2012
Calling all Bands! Supernova and Canadian Music Week have launched the Road to CMW Talent Search, and are looking for popular 19+ local bands to be featured at Canadian Music Week 2012.
Any local band ready to move to the next level in of their careers can sign up to Road to CMW ; winning just one local show earns the band an official CMW 2012 gig, where they will perform at Toronto’s iconic Hard Rock Café.
Held each year in Toronto, Canadian Music Week is the biggest gathering of industry reps in Canada, the largest Canadian festival of its kind and a prime opportunity for bands to expose their talent to A&R reps, music publishers, booking agents and the who’s-who of the international music community.
In partnership with CMW, Supernova’s Road to CMW offers undiscovered bands the chance to play free and compete for their spot at one of 5 nights at the Hard Rock Café, to play in front of CMW industry and fans.
Any Band or Artist ready to move to the next level can sign up:
1) Get a free profile at www.supernova.com/signup/artist
2) Sign up for your city’s event at http://www.supernova.com/battle/PlayCMW
3) Check out what CMW is all about at http://www.cmw.net/
Dozens of artists have been discovered on the Canadian Music Fest stage, and the Road to CMW presents an absolutely unique opportunity for local bands across Canada to rise to the occasion.
Space is extremely limited; bands are encouraged to sign up early to avoid disappointment. Any 19+ bands that may have missed the deadline or were not accepted to Canadian Music Fest are also welcome to sign up to play.
For all press/media inquiries related to this event, please contact:
Corina Newby (416) 635.8885 x 268 corina@supernova.com
For all band/artist inquiries related to this event, please contact:
Lance Ryan (416) 635-8885 x 298 lance@supernova.com
For More Band Contests, News, Reviews, and More
Check Out Decembers Vandala Ezine
December 6, 2011
Cool GIfts For A Budget
With the holidays here shopping at times can be difficult especially if you have a lot of people to give to, which can be a lot of cash to dish out or never know what to put in that stocking. So Here are a few ideas that will still make you look good and keep a budget.
If all else fails - Gift Cards - Never under estimate the power of a gift card. If there person is hard to buy for just get a card for his favorite store. Sometimes it is the way this is go.
If you have any cool things you have seen out please send them to me I would love to see them. Merry Christmas.
If you have a coffee lover in your life it would be nice to buy all them the single cup coffee maker with all those fancy flavors. Though if you're like me the coffee lover already bought it for themselves. Instead try this handy garget - Coffee Mug Warmer. A great for those who can't leave there desk to top off the coffee. $8, amazon.com
Coffee to beer, for the beer lover try this handy stalker The Fridge Monkey. It may sound like a gag gift but it is very useful! Elegantly stack up to ten cans or bottles of soda or beer, or five bottles of wine $7, amazon.com
It seems like everyone has a Iphone these days so why not try a Iphone case for the ones you love. You can never have too many cases, from vintages to modern Amazon has great covers starting at $10.00.
To go with those Iphone try Audiobot Mini Speaker. Not only will this speaker cab be used for your Iphone, it can be used for your laptop, and desktop computer to provide major sound boost, plus he is adorable. $24, at fredflare.com.
Another handy gift is the USB Car Charger. With so many gadgets to charge these days this is a great gift for anyone and is multi-purpose! $10.55, amazon.com
If you have any cool things you have seen out please send them to me I would love to see them. Merry Christmas.
For More Great News, Reviews, and More
Check Out Decembers Vandala Ezine
- MCL -
Love Me or Hate Me
Questions & Comments To:
NEPHELIUM Announce Release Date "Coils Of Entropy" & Reveal Artwork
Dubai may be known as a city rich in history, a business hub and the home of the tallest structure in the world, but it’s also the birthplace of one of the first death metal bands to come out of the Middle East, Nephelium. Now residing and re-establishing themselves in Toronto, Canada over the last 10 years, the band has announced the official release date of their debut album "Coils of Entropy" on February 7th, 2012.
"From the scorching heat of the Arabian deserts to the blistering cold of what we now call home, this debut album has literally and figuratively come a long way. The aged yet modern style of death metal with a subtle integration of Middle Eastern melodies is a perfect musical collaboration of our minds and souls. A ferocious ride with concepts and lyrical themes written around the observations of an entity witnessing the world and its demise through different eras and music that creeps up the caverns of your brain, be ready for a hybrid onslaught of technical mastery and bloodcurdling brutality. We firmly believe that it was well worth the wait but don’t take our word for it, give it a spin and determine that for yourselves. However, don’t cry when your speakers demolish your insides…you were warned…" comments Nephelium co-founder and drummer Alan Madhavan.
Samples from Nephelium's six-track masterpiece that forges the perfect balance between technical death metal, old school metal and Arabian melodies are presently streaming on their bandcamp page at the following link here.
- Asher Media Relations -
For More Great News, Reviews, and More
Check Out Decembers Vandala Ezine
December 5, 2011
Decembers Vandala Ezine
Interview with Steffen Kumerer Of Obscura, contests for bands, "Rocking Out In Memory of Rebecca", " Ross Royce Music Hits American TV", Hot events and tours such as "NEPHELIUM", Reviews of Iced Moka Only, Fallstaf, Brutal Truth and more
