Written by: Annie Schlottman Photo credits: Nathaniel Clayton, Kevin Harris I recently found Nashville metalcore band Hollow Wake through a recommendation from my friend Kevin. They had just dropped their new song "Skin & Bones" February 20th, and he said he thought I would like it. I checked out the song and accompanying music video, and Kevin was correct! I thought Hollow Wake and their awesome new song would be a great topic for my blog, so I reached out to the band, an

The red light turns on. A singer steps to the mic. But this time, there is no singer. No coffee-stained lyric sheet. No tour van humming outside the studio. Just code. Just commands. Just a neural network exhaling a melody into existence.

Rock is in his blood — but Wolfgang Van Halen isn’t riding anyone’s coattails. He’s building his own legacy. In this exclusive interview with Special K of The Sound 228 and 97.9 WCPR Rocks, Wolfgang dives into the evolution of Mammoth, what it means to carry one of rock’s most iconic last names, and how he’s carved out his own sound in today’s modern rock landscape. From writing and recording nearly every instrument on his records to commanding major festival stages across th

Written by: Annie Schlottman Brenden Starr is a very talented and driven alternative/pop rock singer/songwriter from Hanover, Pennsylvania.  He's slowly and steadily building his career and making a name for himself through hard work and determination, consistently releasing awesome songs and videos and hitting the road to perform his music in front of his growing fan base. This Friday, February 13th, Brenden will be releasing his single "My Intentions", along with a music v

Rock history might be gearing up for one more thunderous chapter. Sharon Osbourne has confirmed she is in active talks with Live Nation about reviving the legendary Ozzfest festival. In a recent interview with Billboard , the iconic manager and TV personality shared that the spirit of Ozzfest is calling her back into action. “I’ve been talking to Live Nation about bringing Ozzfest back,” Sharon said. “It was something Ozzy was very passionate about. Giving young talent a stag

A scaled-down version of the jaw-dropping Las Vegas Sphere is officially headed to National Harbor, Maryland, after state and county leaders greenlit plans alongside Sphere Entertainment over the weekend. The new dome won’t be as massive as its 18,600-seat Vegas counterpart, but don’t mistake “smaller” for tame — this version is set to pack in 6,000 seats, cutting-edge LED displays, and the same mind-bending special effects that have turned the original Sphere into one of the

Written by: Annie Schlottman I am a firm believer that bands are storytellers.  They all have a message they’re trying to share with their listeners.  Fans are drawn in by the songs that resonate with them.  In the case of Texas metalcore/post-hardcore band Vilamoura, their music is so relatable, I think many people would find something that helps them in their own lives as they go through challenges and face dark times. As much as I think a band’s message or story is import

Five Finger Death Punch has revealed they currently have around twenty-five songs in the works, signaling serious momentum toward their next studio album. According to the band, the material is still taking shape as they fine-tune ideas to preserve the raw aggression and emotional weight their fans expect. With a deep catalog of tracks in development, they have the freedom to carefully select only the strongest and most impactful songs for the final record. They’re taking the

The Funeral Portrait are officially batting 1.000 — and the rock world is taking notice. 🔥 Their latest single, “Dark Thoughts,” has just landed at No. 1 on Billboard’s Mainstream Rock Airplay chart (Jan. 24) — making it their third straight chart-topper in a row. This heater of a run started with “Suffocate City” (featuring Spencer Charnas), rolled right through “Holy Water” (with Ivan Moody), and now rages on with “Dark Thoughts.” That puts The Funeral Portrait in elite co

Written by: Annie Schlottman Photo credit: Brendan McGlathery / Preta Path Productions It only takes one song.  One video.  One post or interaction on social media.  It can be any one or a combination of the above for a band to gain a new fan.  That’s what happened recently for me and the Pennsylvania metal band UltraViolent.  They’ve been on my radar for the past couple years, but admittedly, I didn’t know much about them.  That has changed, and I’m really happy to now be

Rock brothers Aranda  stop by The Sound 228  to talk all things new music, touring, and their journey as a band . The guys break down their powerful new single “You Don’t Wanna Know” , what inspired it, and how it fits into the next chapter of Aranda’s evolving sound. We dive into their band history , the grind of the road, and how years of experience have shaped who they are today—both on stage and off. Plus, we watch the official video  for “You Don’t Wanna Know”  and get t

In this interview on The Sound 228, we sit down with Eric from Shallow Side for a real, wide-ranging conversation that hits on where the band has been, where they’re headed, and the moments that shaped it all.

Review and photos by: Jennifer Touch é Dutch deathcore band Distant rolled through Baton Rouge near the end of their U.S. run - one of the last stops after weeks on the road, including a support run with Ingested and a short stretch of their own headline dates. By the time they hit Chelsea’s Live, the set felt lived-in. Whitemoth opened. The Baton Rouge-based deathcore band took the stage, delivering Louisiana heaviness. The drummer, Hickman Plaisance, attacked the kit like

Written by: Annie Schlottman Live photo credit: Billy Collier / Through It All Photography I’m not sure how I initially became familiar with the band Catharsis.  It could be a combination of things, such as social media algorithms, following other bands they’re connected to, and so on. There are so many different ways to discover bands and music, and it seems like I find something that intrigues me almost daily.  Catharsis is an example of this. I was drawn to them right aw

Zakk Wylde + Black Sabbath = Zakk Sabbath. The high powered tribute band brought their American Winter Tour ‘25 to the Oakdale Theater in Wallingford CT, a midway point in their thirty four date run. Author - Kathi Gullage Photography - Holly Roy Photography Bonfire, a five man AC/DC tribute band, got the crowd warmed up. I found several groups with the same name but this LA based lineup included: Sean Mulvihill (vocals), Diego Russo (lead guitar), Sean Colligan (guitar), Jam

Written by: Annie Schlottman Photo credits: Eric Taylor Parker, Saturns Downfall This is one of my favorite kinds of stories to write.  It’s the story about a musician who realized that a change was needed, and took a leap of faith and possibly found something even better than what he had previously.  Saturns Downfall is a three-member hard rock band based in York, Pennsylvania, and was the brainchild of drummer Brady Hearn. The band has released four awesome songs since Ju

Written by: Annie Schlottman Photo credits: Lee Fenstamaker / @leefenstamaker , Brittany Lynn/ @pullthetriggerbrittphoto , Ian Mimnall / @icmvisuals , Kim Lyons Lyndhurst is a fun, high-energy, pop-punk/EMO style band originating in the Central Pennsylvania city of York, and is very well-known as well as respected in their local music scene and beyond.  My great friend and fellow music lover and supporter of many bands, Amy, loves this band, and her passion and enthusiasm u

Written by: Annie Schlottman Maryland’s Red Skies Dawning is a new alternative metal band started by frontman Chris Aleshire, who took songs he had written for a previous solo project and worked with his team to transform them into something special.  Now, this band has released a debut EP called From Ashes , and is already planning on getting out and performing and creating more music in the future as a cohesive unit. The members of Red Skies Dawning include:  Chris Aleshir

Interview and photos by: Jennifer Touch é I first saw Ne Obliviscaris earlier this year when they came through Baton Rouge, and that show has been lodged in my head ever since. It’s kind of fitting being their name is Latin for “forget not.” I attended as a fairly new fan, curious more than anything, but left with a strange kind of natural high only a few bands can give. If you’ve ever experienced synesthesia, you know exactly what I mean—the sound becomes more than just an

Review by Kat Gullage Photos by: Holly Borden / Holly Roy Photography The actual tour name is “Seether and Daughtry 2025 co-headlining tour”. It’s made up of 24 dates that run through November; we caught the fifth night.   Vegas-born Kami Kehoe was the opener. The young focused solo artist is a drummer and singer and was the only glimpse of female badassery to grace the stage that night. Fans were trickling in after having fought their way through snarled traffic that led to