Let the Mayhem begin.  Although each year Rockstar Mayhem Fest kicks off on a weekend, the annual event in its third year, should be declared a holiday for metal fans.  This year on July 10, 2010 in Devore, CA was prefaced with excitement by fans throughout Southern California, all the bands on what top-to-bottom was packed with some elite names in metal, as well as by the sponsors including Hollywood Music.  Day one of metal heads Christmas, 4^th of July and NYE rolled into one broke the adage of “the fantasy is better than the reality,” as the summer tour delivered a fun-filled day of kick ass music and good times.  Hollywood Music TV andHollywood Music Magazine were there to catch it all….










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The Rockstar Mayhem Festival is the Shangri-La for metal heads and for many of us the concert highlight of the year. It is bigger, louder, and more freakin badass than anything else running. Mayhem is actually so freakin cool I quit my last “real” job to hop on the Mayhem wagon train for the 2008 tour as a media type dude. Now, there’s a couple caveats here: 1) The job I quit was the worst job I had ever had (And I have worked in a freakin morgue) which was mainly staffed by bitter and soulless cube slaves and conniving thieves. 2) I have a whole drawer full of loose screws between my ears so don’t go quitting your job to go to Mayhem. (Call in sick! hahaha)…












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Five Finger Death Punch is a band that from its very beginning was assembled to deliver ear quaking destruction. Their first release The Way of the Fist (2007) took over the airwaves with a slew of hits like the top ten “The Bleeding” and the record itself has sold almost a half a million copies to date. With a supreme hard rock work ethic and a touring schedule that borders on the band having a collective screw loose Five Finger Death Punch have completely leveled up from being the way wicked new comers on the block to stadium rockin machines….




















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Hot and ready out of the dance rock oven comes So Long Davey!, a band raised in the California club scene where the air is thick and the strobe lights thump. After numerous, sold out club shows, the band took their sound to larger venues where their hook heavy and neon pant wearing act caught fire! Soon after, So Long Davey! supported several national bands including Say Anything, Family Force 5, and Jeffree Star in sold out venues. In 2009, the band grabbed a spot on Vans Warped Tour and released their newest single, “Wallflowers In Bloom”, now available on iTunes.

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http://www.purevolume.com/solongdavey

Four extraordinary singers united by a common goal, Jada is the latest iteration of the classic female vocal group. Since coming together six years ago, all four members have devoted themselves heart and soul to Jada. Their self-titled debut marks the culmination of a remarkable journey in which these talented individuals came together to create a beautifully cohesive whole. From the album-opening ballad “Is It Love” to the sassy RedOne/Akon-produced first single, “American Cowboy,” “JADA” is a bright and brazen mix of pop, soul, dance, and R&B, spiced by Jada’s characteristic gospel-inspired harmonies. The powerhouse sound is not dissimilar from the girls themselves – soulful and sophisticated, sexy and strong, heartfelt and honest, flirty and fun.

The four members of Jada came together while studying at Boston’s Bristol Recording and Voice Studios. Each singer has brought her individual perspective and style to the table – Jacyn’s tastes run from pop to rock and from Pink to Paramore; April takes inspiration from hip-hop’s urban sound and fashion, blasting T.I. and Timbaland every day of the week; Lauren’s musical influences stem from her growing up in suburban Philadelphia, home to neo-soul legends like Jill Scott and Musiq Soulchild; Elle professes an eclectic appetite for music ranging from Rascal Flatts and John Legend to Lady Gaga.

Having all grown up inspired by such classic Motown superstars as the Supremes and the Temptations, Jada was justifiably thrilled when they signed with Universal Motown Records. In January 2007, Jada teamed up in a New York studio with Grammy-nominated producer/songwriter Toby Gad (Fergie, Beyoncé, Natasha Bedingfield). The sessions proved a creative turning point for Jada, as they joined forces with Gad to co-write the powerhouse ballad, “Is It Love.” With its complex harmonies and distinctive verses, “Is It Love” gave Jada a cornerstone track from which to build their album upon.

Jada traveled to studios all over the country, from NYC and Atlanta to Miami and Los Angeles, collaborating with such superstars as Danja, Wyclef Jean, and J.R. Rotem. Sessions with Jordan Omley from production/songwriting team “The Jam” (Leona Lewis, Jennifer Hudson, Jordin Sparks) were among the girls’ favorites, yielding “The Problem With Love,” “If You Wanna Go,” and the inspirational “Hold On.” An alliance with UK team Wayne Wilkins, Andrew Frampton, and Savan Kotecha (Natasha Bedingfield, Carrie Underwood, Delta Goodrem), resulted in the mid tempo “Break Up Song” and energetic club track “Play a Playa,” while NYC hitmakers Sturken & Rodgers (Christina Aguilera, Rihanna) contributed the poignant ballad, “Shattered.” For the album-closing “Can’t Let Go,” Jada found a collaborator close to home in Ric Poulin, who produced the group-penned track.

As recording continued, Jada was awarded as “Outstanding Pop/R&B Music Act” at 2008’s Boston Music Awards. The year culminated with a December session alongside producer RedOne (Lady Gaga, Brandy) at Jada’s homebase, Bristol Studios. The sessions yielded “Model That” and the group’s boisterous debut single, “American Cowboy” (co-written/produced by Akon), two tracks which provided the final bit of magic. The girls felt immediately that the songs were special, especially “American Cowboy,” which they knew would serve as the perfect introduction to Jada’s distinctive sonic vision.

With the album wrapped, the girls barely paused to catch their breath before embarking on a major national promotional tour, presenting “American Cowboy” at multi-format radio stations from coast to coast. The hectic schedule and nearly non-stop workload has proven to be a boon for Jada. The group maintains direct communication with their ever-increasing number of fans – a.k.a. the Jada Ninjas – by taking a hands-on approach to online relationships via MySpace, Facebook, Hollywood Music and an ever-growing mailing list.

With boundless talent and irrepressible energy, Jada remain focused like a laser beam on their singular goal. The tightly knit harmonies aren’t just something the four singers break out when the mics are turned on – united by fate, the girls of Jada have formed a bond that’s closer to a family than a pop group.

That pugnacious spirit informs everything Jada does – from their dynamic stage show to the album’s captivating creativity. The girls are working long and hard to reach the mountaintop and their innate sense of diligence and professionalism is certain to keep them pushing ever forward. Having already ascended this far, for Jada, the sky is now the limit.

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Graffiti 6 Radio 1’s Fearne Cotton on Annie  “A really chilled song… I don’t think anything else really sounds like that out there. A different slant – really, really nice!”

Often, the best ideas come when you rip up the rulebook and follow what feels good. Just ask Graffiti6. The unlikely pairing of producer TommyD and singer/songwriter Jamie Scott began 18 months ago as an experiment neither thought would work and has grown in a pop project so refreshingly rule-free a sense of adventure seeps from every song.

Try to categorise Graffiti6 and you’re in trouble. You’ll certainly spot vintage soul influences, the pair’s shared love of Hendrix, folk and funk. You’ll hear house and hip hop beats destined to fill dancefloors. At the heart of the songs are pop melodies you could sit down with a guitar and strum. But Graffiti6 don’t make music to be analysed. From the moment they named their band by flicking through pages of their favourite books and calling out the first words their eyes fell on – Lionel Stingray and Suitcase Unannounced were close contenders – the pair’s main aim has been to have fun.

“What we love about this band is that we’ve never had a plan,” says Tommy, an established writer, producer, dj and arranger, who has worked with everyone from Jay-Z and Kanye West to Kylie and Janet Jackson. (He also produced Right Said Fred’s I’m Too Sexy, a bona fide pop classic that topped the charts in 20 countries.) “When we start a song, we’ve no idea where it’s going to end up. As long as it makes us feel good, we go with it.”

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http://www.graffiti6.com/

In less than a two years time, For The Imperium has created an underground buzz in Finland with their uncompromised recordings and hyper-energetic, almost intimidating, live performances. In fall 2010, regardless of the band’s short existence, it’s time to road-test the appeal abroad when the avantgarde metal tour bus hits the roads of Baltia and Sweden.

FTI came out with their new smashing ep ‘This Is Chaos, Baby’ in the February of 2010 and released a weird-ass music video of the opening track ‘Breathing Life In You’ in May. Check out this loony foursome from the outskirts of the civilized world! Remember not to wreck yourself while you’re at it!

www.fortheimperium.com
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Think Tank came together when trio, Lex Deschuytter, Ian Young and Ian Deschuytter met singer Don Lawrence. Since forming in late 2005, Orange County-based Think Tank has played shows throughout the OC, San Diego, LA and the Inland Empire. In 2007 the band recorded Women and Philosophy, their debut EP. It was woven together with a blend of funk, rock and electronica. In 2008 they continued to develop their sound, releasing their 2nd EP Chapters. Now working on songs for a third installment, you can hear a rawness and edge in their newly released single“Okay“, produced by Mike Cosgrove (Alien Ant Farm). The band continues to write and is planning a west coast tour for early fall 2010.

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Heavy, all-out and riddled with multi-layered melodies – the distinctive metalcore mix of THE MERCURY ARC

THE MERCURY ARC also takes the cover of the May Issue of Hollywood Music Magazine, and stands for impulsive tension, reactive melodies and aggressive audio-impact.Mercury is known for it’s toxicity and for it’s liquid state of aggregation which is unique among metal. So is the dynamic music of the band, named after the physical mercury phenomenon, which shifts the listener into a toxic flush. The band’s name has been chosen consciously to express how the band’s sound unifies metallic heaviness, liquid liveliness and melodic ease.

Since 2006 it’s the stated aim of the band to establish a musical massif of various styles of Metal and Hardcore. These six blooded musicians: Dennis Diehl, Benny Richter, Thomas Helten, Dominic Paraskevopoulos, Andy Posdziech and Andy Latzko from the Ruhr-Area, Germany have now recorded their debut album “Paint The Sun Black” which was released in Germany on 6th of November 2009 through Hellfest Records. The debut record embodies the fast-paced development of THE MERCURY ARC. With the new record in stores and their new band name (formerly Butterfly Coma) along with their new guitar player these musicians will push the envelope in 2010.

The sound of THE MERCURY ARC stands out with it’s cutting aggressive guitar riffs, paired with catchy melodies which are borne by several voice vocals and spherical keyboards. The driving drum rhythms and grooving bass lines along with the brute shouting of the singer form the backbone of the songs. The blend gets flavored with cutting-edge scratches and samples.

After the album release the band embarked on the “Anchorless Tour”, and toured Europe for 3 weeks to present the new Material to their fans.

Rikets blasted onto the national circuit in 2005 with a blistering e.p. (Anything for the devil) (koch/cpr) opening to rave reviews. Rikets spent three years on tour supporting aftd seeing tours and festivals with : nothingface, korn, breaking benjamin, flyleaf to name a few. In april 2010 rikets released “all american death cult” on burnhill union records. May 2010 rikets has released their first video single from AADC “program the dead” directed by david brodsky (suicide silence,in this moment). Haters start your engines.

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The LA-based hard rock band, Outlett, is officially on its way to the mainstream. Especially, with their highly anticipated and January 2010 release of their new EP “FULL CIRCLE” produced by Platinum Producer Toby Wright (Metallica, Three Doors Down, Alice In Chains).  Chastity Ashley decided to be brutally honest lyrically sharing her fears, depth, vision, truth, hopes and desires which is fueled through positive aggression. Not only does she showcase a resonant vocal style that parallels Gwen Stefani in dynamics but also shows she is not just a voice but also a well skilled djembe player. The band has taken it to a whole new level showing that without a doubt they are a force to be reckoned with and are here to stay.

For the past three years, Outlett has been steadily building its buzz internationally developing its style and incendiary live performance before an ever-growing fan base. Blending tribal drumbeats courtesy of front woman Chastity Ashley, this committed quintet has created a sound that is consistently commercial yet distinctly diverse.

Outlett’s unique style is a direct result of the eclectic batch of inspiration that each musician brings to the songwriting table. Each member attended  Musician’s Institute where the band all met. This allowed the craftsmanship, diversity and level of musicianship that they otherwise wouldn’t have been exposed to. With influences that range from Alice in Chains to My Chemical Romance, and from Incubus to Pantera, this band has assembled a musical mosaic of quality musicianship with pure passion. By channeling this raw emotion into explosive numbers like “Say Goodbye” and “Power of Truth” it creates a driving force of fury that hits its audience like a musical juggernaut.

In addition to landing a slot opening on the Motley Crue & Aerosmith Tour, a slot on the Vans Warped Tour, the band’s songs have been spun in multiple forms of media. The band has reached over 900,000 plays in a matter of a year and has a built solid army of over 60,000 friends on Myspace. The last EP continues to receive rave reviews from a cast of critics across the country and beyond and they’ve reached over 10,000 units sold without major distribution and promotion. Last year their single gained the recognition of The World Famous KROQ in Los Angeles landing their single “Say Goodbye” on the air as well as the headlining slot on the famous KROQ Micro Brew Festival in Los Angeles. At Tom Morello’s (Rage Against The Machine)invitation, Chastity played her djembe with Alice In Chains, Ben Harper, Filter and Cypress Hill at the CD release party for Morello’s “The Nightwatchman.” The band landed a Mobile Licensing deal with Ultrashort Media airing their video for “Walk Away” on Sprint & O2 (United Kingdom) networks and were the featured artist on Adrenaline Nation TV where their single “Walk Away” hit #1 which is being aired to over 100 million subscribers worldwide. The band also placed in the TOP 5 as one of the Best Bands in the Country out of thousands of submissions for the GETMELOADED on FUSE TV Contest sponsored by D’Addario, FUSE TV, Purevolume & TAMA where the band landed an endorsement deal.  If that wasn’t enough, Outlett, was crowned “Rock Artist of the Year” & “Performing Artist of the Year” in the Los Angeles Music Awards, landed in the “Hot 100 Best Unsigned Bands” in Music Connection Magazine two years in a row and were selected from thousands of artists worldwide as one of the Top Unsigned Artists in the country in The Independent Artist Registry’s “Music Phone Book”, the Nation’s Top Music Industry Magazine.

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Black Gold is a Brooklyn based music project with Eric Ronick (lead vocals, keyboards) and Than Luu (drums, guitar, percussions, vocals) formed in early 2006. The project was started after touring with M. Ward, Ambulance LTD, Rachael Yamagata, Panic! at the Disco, and Adam Franklin of Swervedriver. The formation followed with writing and recording at Ronick’s Thinman Studios in Brooklyn, that culminated in the release of their debut album, Rush, released on February 3, 2009. Singles from the album include “Detroit” and “Plans & Reveries.”

Filmed on location in the California desert by director Josh Forbes, the imagery was intended to illuminate some of the song’s lyrical themes. “The heart of the song is about a time in a person’s life when his or her faith is being tested in the most challenging way they’ve ever known,” band member Than Luu explains. “In that moment, you pray for something or someone so bad that you’d be crushed if you were let down and reborn if you were not. The concept for the video speaks to this test of faith and the dreams that go with it. You’ll see imagery of friends and loves lost, hints of hopes and fears, light and dark.” The video closes with dozens of Chinese Flying Lanterns released into the heavens, sending messages to loved ones past and present.

Hailing from Los Angeles California, the members of DRIVE A come together to forge a killer mix of pounding drums, lethal guitars, cascading bass lines and fierce vocals that converge to create a sound that pays respect to the past, stands up to the present and will kick down the door to the future. A switchblade to the soft, white underbelly of today’s watered-down state of music, DRIVE A are pure, raw energy – on stage and in the studio.

Dirty Dave hits up Warped Tour 2009 with lots of good times. Interviews with many of the bands, including a talk with Kevin Lyman… the man, the myth, the legend.