Category Archives: Review

Galleries, Review

DRAGGED UNDER: The World Is In Your Way

Leave a comment

Let us take a moment here and appreciate the hustle when it comes to breaking through in the music industry. Not only has Dragged Under gone through a number of members and a name change over the last couple years, but they have more than cultivated quite the lineup. This group of amazing gentlemen have persevered through their difficulties and manage to land a spot opening for The Used on a sold out tour,  while also promoting their ‘No Days Off’ headliner with scattered dates across the US.

On January 17th, Dragged Under broke through the barrier releasing their debut album ‘The World Is In Your Way’ which reached #8 on the iTunes Alternative Album Chart and #18 on Billboard’s Top Alternative New Artist. It’s also notable to mention that these guys were already raking in the streams with three of their singles off the same album: Here For War, Hypochondria and Chelsea. Spotify has clocked in more than 1.7 million streams, YouTube has reached over 180k views and a combined social media following of 421k. Did we mention that they have done this all while unsigned? Needless to say the dedication and support is impressive.

Our thoughts on the album

‘The World Is In Your Way’ was produced by Hiram Hernandez of Earth Says Studios and was mixed/mastered by Matt Good, this album is hard hitting with some enormous hooks that will have you dancing in your seat, and hopefully at one of their shows. If you’re a fan of Rise Against, A Day to Remember, or Beartooth you will not be disappointed with the music these gentlemen bring to the table. Your ears will be more than thrilled as they are met with a dash of early 2000s punk rock, a sprinkle of hardcore punk and a generous topping of melodic hardcore. Dragged Under definitely brings it to the table with catchy riffs, aggressive choruses, and a fast paced tempo.

The only downfall to this album is that we cannot pick a favorite song, as all of them are exceptional. Granted we have got to give a huge nod to ‘Chelsea’ as the one track that has stood out the most. The chorus is an ear-worm for sure, but the meaning behind the song hits pretty deep, especially if you’re in a relationship which has gone through the highs and the lows, but you still remain together.

The World Is In Your Way


1. The Real You
2. Hypochondria
3. Roots
4. Here For War
5. Instability
6. Chelsea
7. Covered In Sin
8. Riot
9. The Hardest Drug

What you can expect live

As for seeing Dragged Under live? Unless you already have a ticket for The Used, your best bet would be to see them on their ‘No Days Off Tour’ Headliner. There are scattered dates which will be outlined below, but we can promise that you will not be left unfulfilled. Each member of Dragged Under possesses a commanding aspect in their stage presence, and each night they kill it while they give the art their all. We were able to catch and shoot their set while they were in Portland, Oregon and heck, do we have to say that they have improved immensely since the last time we’ve seen them in Seattle. Not saying that they weren’t impressive, but it proves that this is the road these five have earned and were destined for.

Heavy bass drops, high paced vocals and extreme amounts of energy. Their set-list consists of seven songs: ‘Here For War’, ‘Riot’, ‘The Real You’, ‘Chelsea’, ‘State of the Union’ (Rise Against), ‘Instability’ and ‘Hypochondria‘. The crowd was more than captivated right out of the gate with ‘Here for War‘ and it didn’t slow down for a moment. Between Tony, Hans, Josh and Fluff it was surprising that no one fell off the stage and I am pretty certain that Tony had bashed his shins on the barricade climbing back out from the front row. On Sunday, Kalen definitely broke a sweat as Hawthorne Theater was cram packed at capacity, but he pulled through and didn’t show any signs that he was about to stop. All in All? They’re crushing it and we look forward to seeing what else they’re capable of.

If you missed your chance to see them in your city, don’t be discouraged as there will definitely be more in the near future. Be sure to add, like, follow, stream and share their music with your friends and also don’t forget to support your local music scenes. Your presence means the world to these bands and will also help continue the production of underrated artists who have the potential to make it.

January 21 – Solana Beach, CA – Belly Up
January 23 – Los Angeles, CA – Troubadour
January 24 – Fresno, CA – Full Circle*
January 25 – Sacramento, CA – Ace of Spades
January 26 – Portland, OR – Hawthorne Theatre
January 28 – Salt Lake City, UT – Metro Music Hall
January 29 – Englewood, CO – Gothic Theatre
January 30 – Columbia, MA – Rose Music Hall*
January 31 – Saint Louis, MO – Delmar Hall
February 1 – Chicago, IL – The Bottom Lounge
February 4 – Detroit, MI – St Andrews Hall
February 5 – Pittsburgh, PA – Rex Theater
February 6 – Buffalo, NY – Stamps*
February 7 – Baltimore, MD – Baltimore Soundstage
February 9 – Boston, MA – Paradise Rock Club
February 11 – New York, NY – The Gramercy Theatre
February 12 – Philadelphia, PA – Theater of Living Arts
February 13 – Greensboro, NC – Lucky’s Stake Shop*
February 14 – Atlanta, GA – Terminal West
February 15 – Orlando, FL – The Beacham
February 16 – Mobile, AL – The Blind Mule*
February 18 – Dallas, TX – Gas Monkey
February 19 – Austin, TX – Mohawk
February 21 – Albuquerque, NM – Sunshine Theater
February 22 – Phoenix, AZ – Crescent Ballroom
February 23 – Flagstaff, AZ – The Green Room*
February 25 – Grand Junction, CO – Mesa Theatre

* No Days Off Tour Date – Headlined by Dragged Under.

Photos and Article by Sara Scott of SSNW

Review

REVIEW: Rockstar Energy Drink Disrupt

Leave a comment

Austin, TX – June 22nd, 2019, As with nearly every concert we have been to in Texas, it was expected to be hot.  Ninety-Two (92) degrees hot to be exact, adding in the 80% humidity, it felt like 101. For a Seattlite, that was ridiculous as we normally only reach those temperatures near the middle to the end of August. Needless to say, we were prepared to take on the heat and were ready for the day. 

Austin360, is a large open venue with minimal shade from the sun. Two large canopies were provided to escape the heat and were in full use. As were free water-spots to refill water bottles. There was a bit of outrage with the festival rules that many felt were asinine. Fanny packs were not allowed, and reusable water bottles were not permitted even if they were empty. Not to mention that festival-goers were also limited to one unopened 20-ounce bottle. That doesn’t seem like enough when the body is faced with high-heat and excessive humidity. 

While originally it was mentioned that there would be plenty of vendors, brands and other pop-ups, they were scarce. An exact count wasn’t made, but excluding merch tents only a handful were external vendors. It wasn’t impressive, and I am hoping that it was an off-day, but being a Saturday, that is pretty hard to believe. For a venue that holds a cap of 14,000, and closing the H-E-B lawn, it was clear that the numbers for turnout were not being met. With light crowds and one band playing at a time, there wasn’t much of a festival vibe. Instead it felt more like a bigger concert in a venue that was much too large. 

Getting on with the show. Let’s make it clear that Andy Black was unable to make it due to poor weather conditions, the lineup was changed to make up for the unfortunate cancellation. The festival stage didn’t begin music until 2:00pm starting off with Hyro The Hero. While the band was packed full of energy, there were not many individuals present and it seemed as though that would be the same running through the entire day. They sounded fantastic and were very engaging, but the numbers weren’t there. Juliet Simms drew a larger crowd, and there were a few individuals who really got into the music. Simms is a great performer, but there were few interactions and crowd hype moments, it felt as though there was a bit of a disconnect. Having been listening to Trophy Eyes on repeat leading up to the event. They were the band that I was most excited for coming in. Even though they sounded amazing the performance wasn’t on pointe and left me wanting more.

With hope that things would start to fire up as Four Year Strong took the stage, those expectations were met. By now the crowd started to fill in a bit more and there was more interaction. When shooting a set, I want to feel as though there is too much action for me to capture within the three song limit. That was what Four Year Strong did for me. With high kicks and the hyped up Pop-Punk and Melodic Hardcore I felt as though I was in the zone. Amped and ready. Sleeping with Sirens took the stage with nothing but pure energy. It was clear that they are seasoned veterans in the scene and it shows with the interaction and heat they brought. Kellin at one point removed himself from the stage and entered the crowd which was a definite turn from the previous bands on the festival stage and the first half of the day ended on a content note. 

Entering the arena for the Main Stage, I was again noticing the lack of people that filled the pit area and the seats. This festival would have had so much more potential if it was in a smaller venue or even a more intimate setting. Memphis May Fire kicked off the main stage, these performers are always in a constant state of motion. Matty Mullins makes it a point to move from each section of the stage in order to interact with fans from all corners of the venue.

As expected from The Story So Far, their set sounded great, but there was an ultimate lack of motion from all members. When watching a performance I hold some expectations in place. Being able to captivate the audience is high on that list. Having the ability to pull in concert-goers and getting them amped to watch you play is a very important trait to have. After seeing TSSF on the main stage, I felt they would have done better on the Festival Stage, especially with such a low turnout.

Things turned around drastically when Circa Survive took the stage. Within seconds the energy had shot through the figurative roof and the crowd exploded. Anthony Green leapt from the stage onto the barrier interacting with fans within moments. Back on stage about halfway through the opening song, mic stands were being thrown alongside the microphone itself. While the weather started to cool, the energy started to pick up giving this event the vibe it needed from the beginning. After the three song slot for photographers, our cameras were stowed and the majority made our way back out to watch the rest of the performance. 

Met with the cool vibe of Thrice, the once hyped up crowd slowly was brought down into a wave of peace. Their set needed pause as an injury occurred in the pit and medics were called in with a stretcher. Sure this caused a minor set back in time slots, but Dustin Kensrue (Thrice) made sure the individual was taken care of prior to resetting and starting their performance once more. While Thrice manages a slower pace it was needed after a long day in the heat, and in preparation of The Used who were headlining.

Theatrics are of no surprise when it comes to The Used, to begin a huge white curtain blocked the entire view of the stage and a short film was projected. Seconds after the kabuki drop the crowd was met with the iconic heart from ‘In Love and Death’ and that instant high energy as is expected from The Used.

All in all, it has to be said even if it is negative. Rockstar missed out on a huge opportunity to combat the loss of Warped Tour. There was so much more that could have been done to make the debut of Disrupt Fest a success and it was definitely lacking. Yes, I did enjoy myself and it was worth attending, but if the line-up next time isn’t impressive, I’ll have to pass.

Review/Photos by Sara Lindsey (Scott)

Review

WHEN WE ALL FALL ASLEEP, WHERE DO WE GO?: Billie Eilish

Leave a comment

‘When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go?’ Apparently the top of the charts.

Or at least, that’s where our 17 year old Billie Eilish is going with her most recent album. Released only a handful of weeks ago on March 29th 2019, “When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go?” has already claimed the number one spot as of writing, with an entire week in the position already. Achieving a difficult task in the process, debuting at number one not only with her album, but her first album nonetheless. Passing artists such as Ariana Grande, Post Malone, recently passed Nipsey Hussle, and the man of emotion himself, Drake. Eilish’s album has given us two singles out of it already, “You Should See Me In A Crown” and “When the Party’s Over” which were released prior to the album. Which no doubt assisted the teen’s new album sales.

Throughout the 42 minutes it’ll take to hear the album in full, one can notice a soft, melodic tone laced in it. Starting from the interlude “!!!!!!!” (Seven exclamation points), we can easily feel the fun and how easily this came to the young star. “I have taken out my Invisalign and this is the album” Shows us through the background laughter, how simply this heartfelt album came to Eilish. Following as the second song, we have the ear candy song “Bad Guy” which does differentiate the album a bit, with a bassy, sub-woofer exercising song that does insinuate the possibility that Eilish is in a physically abusive relationship, though listening to the song in itself, we can hear that the “guy” in the relationship is not as in charge as he believes, and Eilish is the one in control of it all, listing off how she can pull psychological strings, rather than physical ones instead.

Nextly, the hugely popular and first single from the album, “you should see me in a crown” which oddly enough, was inspired by a show that Eilish and her sibling where watching, where the main antagonist spoke these words. Implying they would cause chaos if given power over others. During an interview with BBC Radio 1, Eilish stated that  while watching the TV series Sherlock, Professor Moriarty uttered the phrase “You should see me in a crown” which resonated deeply to Eilish and her sibling. (Fun Authors note, the spiders on Eilish’s face during the video are real spiders. Yikes. She was inspired by a spider wrangler she had met prior to shooting the video.)

Following in the outpour of popularity from “you should see me in a crown” the fourth song in the albums lineup, the sixth is a track titled “wish you were gay” which was actually recounted by Eilish herself during an Instagram live video. Where she explained the song is about how it felt for her to be rejected by a boy she liked, at the time, Eilish believed he didn’t like her due to the fact that she was a “shityy person”. She stated that she needed an excuse for him not liking her, such as him possibly being gay. Ironically, after the song was written and a demo was created, Eilish learned he was indeed homosexual after all.

The second single from the album, labeled “when the party’s over” was described by Eilish herself as not a sad or depressing song about putting distance between herself and her at the time lover, it’s a song with a more angry and aggressive tone than how it sounds. Though with this newfound background information, I must personally admit that the line; “Don’t you know I’m no good for you? I’ve learned to lose you, can’t afford to” has a much different meaning when listened to with an aggressive tone, compared to the sad, almost emotional tone I originally heard. Though personally, I choose to believe the angrier tone fits the song a bit more.

At the roughly 16 minute mark, the second single, arguably the most popular song on the album “bury a friend”  is playing. Which happen to debut itself at number fourteen on the Hot 100 chart for the week of February, ending on the sixteenth. Some speculated that this song was in fact about an ‘entity’ that exists near Eilish and her relationship with it. Though on a UMUSIC article, Eilish put it all out onto the table; “When we made ‘bury a friend,’ the whole album clicked in my head. I immediately knew what it was going to be about, what the visuals were going to be, and everything in terms of how I wanted it to be perceived. It inspired what the album is about. “bury a friend” is literally from the perspective of the monster under my bed. If you put yourself in that mindset, what is this creature doing or feeling? I also confess that I’m this monster, because I’m my own worst enemy. I might be the monster under your bed, too.” Which from a personal perspective, is fairly creepy due to the fact I have little room underneath my bed. Nor is it all that comfortable with the storage totes hogging up the space.

Personally, as someone who comes from a growing up background of Slayer, Iron Maiden and Testament, with a recent knowledge in the current pop punk scene, it was interesting to sit down and listen to Eilish’s album. Considering I knew personally nothing about the artist, the music, the intention or anything. All I went in knowing was that Seattleite Dave Grohl himself gave Eilish the thumbs up, so I guess she has to be a little decent? After hearing the album on what feels like a nonstop repeat for an entire weekend, I learned a lot about the 17 year old, explicitly about the relationships and the tough times that she’s been through. Choice wise it wouldn’t be the go to album for my day (that honor goes to just about any Modern Baseball album. I’m emo, I know. Get over it.), though if my playlist does add her into it as a filler song I won’t skip any of them. If giving a rating is apart of my job, I’d have to easily give this a four and a half out of five. Good job on the fresh album Billie and I hope to hear more from you soon!

Theron Puckett

Resident coffee addicted Evergreen student.

Review

ALL IN TIME: Osatia

Leave a comment

We are only four months into 2019, and Osatia has been making some pretty big moves. Signing to We Are Triumphant, announcing a West Coast Tour, two features for Alex Pasibe with Saving Vice and Designer Disguise, both of which are remarkable, but what really brings it full circle is Osatia’s release of ‘All in Time’ which dropped on April 5th.

After a few years away and member shifts, Osatia brought us all ‘We Care’ which is a stellar and great way to break back into Seattle’s local scene after a small hiatus. The song began to slowly pick up the pace until it was rolling full speed the second Ghost Killer Entertainment [GKE] dropped a bombshell on starving youth. There have been many positive movements that owe their birth to the re-emergence of Osatia.

These five individuals, along with the support of their label, have created a group called ‘Osatians’ giving fans a place to really be themselves. Sharing in grief, sadness, the ups and downs of life, celebrating wins, but also giving a voice to those who would be silenced by the stark reality of society. These are just a few of the accomplishments Osatia has made over the last few months.

‘All In Time’ focuses the listener into the patience and desire it takes to create a life worth living. Facing the hardships and difficulties with the obstacles, people, or our own minds getting in the way of achieving what it is that is sought after in life. The cohesiveness of ‘All In Time’ really hits all of the high notes when it comes to a well put together and produced song. In the end, the moral of the story is to be patient and determined with achieving your dreams. Use the hate from the naysayers as fuel for the fire to continue on.

Kendall Johns brings ‘All In Time’ to the light, with his expert videography and lighting. The one thing that caught my attention were the cables from the back lights. They stand out and look a little misplaced, while everything else is polished and on point. Other than the one con, the cinematics feature confluent color correction and sharp synchronization with the song. While choppy, the video overall has great flow sticking true to the Artwork of Kendall Johns.

The new single, ‘All in Time’ is featured on Spotify’s ‘Crash Course’ and ‘New Punk Tracks’ playlists, be sure to follow Osatia through all social media platforms and streaming services.

Coming in May Osatia kicks off the ‘All In Time Tour’ with Devil in the Details and Anever in Boise, Idaho.

FACEBOOK | INSTAGRAM | TWITTER

ALL IN TIME

Review

AVOID and Truth Under Attack take on Seattle

Leave a comment
 

AVOID, Truth Under Attack, Dead Lakes, Osatia, I Am Infamy, and No Home

March 9th, 2019
El Corazon, Seattle Washington

There’s an unmistakable kind of magic that flows through a crowd during moments of emotion and excitement at any show. The more intimate nature of El Corazon only makes that feeling more intense. Between a final goodbye to Truth Under Attack and a tearful performance of ‘Buried Til Grey’ from Dead Lakes, Saturday’s show was not in short supply of nostalgia, excitement, and musical therapy. What was more was the incredible energy coming from the crowd. El Co was packed with fans of every band, including the instant favorite, Hotdog Guy.

Opening the night, No Home got the crowd hyped instantly. The band is fresh off the release of their new music video for ‘Nothing Gold Can Stay’, the performance for which came off strong. Their message is powerful, “Hope exists if you let it, you are not alone.” These words were echoed by the crowd, felt as though Craig was talking straight to each person directly.

Following was I Am Infamy, who is never shy with the more theatrical aspects of putting on a show. Their sets always bring the energy and this show was no different. Their heavy new single ‘HVTE’ really drew the crowd’s attention and held it.

Eagerly awaiting new music, fans of Osatia came through to show their love and support for the band. “Osatians”, as their fans are called, filled the pit ready to receive that ‘We Care’ good vibe to hold them over until new music is released. With a song that has affected so many, there’s even a dedicated “We Care Wednesdays,” there’s no denying the emotional solidarity felt by the whole Osatia community. With a crowd of people singing along, it’s obvious just how connected the band is to their fanbase, and even with a few mic cut outs, they played a great set. After seeing them a few times, this was by far their tightest and best sounding set and we are looking forward to catching them again at the Hard Rock on April 5th, alongside Vessels and No Home.

Dead Lakes’ ‘Buried Til Grey’ was one of the most emotional moments of the night bringing vocalist Sumner Peterson to tears almost immediately. Surviving a moment of “music therapy” as he called it, and later a near headstock head-shot from band mate Cody Hurd, Sumner entered an all embracing crowd feeling entirely within his element. Dead Lakes is never in short supply of hype as each member is in constant motion. Looking across the stage it’s apparent that every member is dedicated to their craft as well as connecting with their fans. They, like many of the bands on this bill, have definitely left their mark on the Seattle scene and are constantly hard at work to stay relevant and bring new content to the masses.

Back for one night only, Truth Under Attack played its first show in 5 years and, sadly, their last show ever. For many fans this was the final goodbye we needed. “I feel like people gave a shit and we never did a last show. And I felt like we owed it to some people. So I took away that I was right,” said bassist Keegan Chapman. The crowd was absolutely thrilled to give them a hell of a send off and the energy was at a high with everyone singing along and not a body standing still. The band expressed a great appreciation for all the love with Chelsy Hancock saying “Thank you every single person for supporting us no matter when, You guys were awesome amazing fans, and we wouldn’t have been able to do what we did without it.”  Though everyone is moving on to different endeavors, you can support drummer David Cubine by checking out his new indie pop band, Sea Salt.

Headlining their first home show of 2019, AVOID absolutely slayed their set.  These five amazing and talented musicians were fresh off the road in support of Eyes Set to Kill, and they still brought the heat. When it comes to AVOID, the pit is never calm and this night was proof that these boys can still bring it. Benny Scholl has energy in spades and it shows. With eyes on the stage it is apparent that these five musicians work hard to keep their presence at a maximum. For every home show I have a been a part of, AVOID has never failed to keep the crowd engaged and tonight was no different. Jason Daggett holds a very in your face attitude while on stage constantly keeping the front row and everyone else engaged during ‘28 Days’. Nick Olson and Luke Ryder have such an amazing performance compatibility that it rivals even some of the larger and well known bands. Between all the jumping and stage hype, it’s a damn good thing that Paul Jaton can keep time.

This show was fantastic, organized and highly entertaining. With great music, incredible musicians, and a crowd of happy and friendly fans, I can honestly say I didn’t want the night to end. Remember to  always and forever support your local scene!

Review By: Amanda Scott

 

 

Review

SOBRIETY: Cora Sutter [Review]

Leave a comment

by: Amanda Scott

When it comes to harboring the pain and realizing just how messed up a relationship was, it is always best to turn to music that aides in self reflection. Not all of us, but a lot of us have been consumed by a relationship that held us back from everything we’ve ever loved. When sucked into these situations it is easy to lose self confidence and as though we’ll never feel like we’re good enough for anything in the future.

Cora Sutter’s brand new single ‘Sobriety’ comes in strong, evoking emotions right from the start. My first thoughts listening to the single were “Bish, this is a bop!” The chill beat compliments her polished melodies, and drives home the message of letting go of a toxic relationship with a bottle. I know for some it will really hit home the same as it personally resonates with me; transporting me back to a time in my own life that had far less catchy lyrics but similar heartache.

Fans of Tonight Alive, PVRIS, and Paramore will definitely vibe with Cora’s smooth vocals and easy to enjoy sound. I think this is one hell of a way to come out of the gates, and this single has been on repeat for me for the last few days without any sign of being turned off.  Cora Sutter is certainly an artist to keep your eyes on, I know I will be eagerly awaiting to hear more from her in the future.

Be sure to follow Cora on all major platforms: https://ampl.ink/d2rbJ

Sobriety is available on Spotify, Soundcloud, Apple Music and Amazon Music