On Friday night I had the glorious opportunity to witness LIFETIME play their first show at the Troubadour. Although there really aren’t words that truly will describe it, I feel that it was exactly everything I hoped for. As I and everyone else sang every word while five dudes put all they had on stage for an hour, it was something truly special. If the rumors are true, this band is reforming, and I am excited by the possibility.

GHOST BUFFALO – Ice Queen

- This is the eighth track from the band’s upcoming self-titled debut full-length. It’s like a mix of faint alt-country traces with textured, delicious guitars and monster vocal hooks. Although there are three other very cool songs from the album on the band’s myspace page, this is the one you have to hear! GHOST BUFFALO’s disc is now available for pre-order from Suburban Home and will see a release in stores on February 21st.

This story is almost two weeks old by now, which is practically a generation in time on the internets, but if you are not familiar with singer/songwriter TOM WAITS’ many legal battles over the years as a means of protecting his very distinctive singing style, I think you’ll find the issues at play quite interesting. Waits’ label in the US, Anti/Epitaph has posted a press release about his most recentl legal victory, this time in Spain, against Volkswagen-Audi, and there is a little bit of background on how Waits has been active in the past in enforcing his intellectual property rights. Check out the press release here.

The Abacus Recordings myspace page currently features brand new songs from DESOLE, BLEEDING KANSAS and STAVESACRE, all in support of each band’s upcoming new full-length. You can also find the track “”Scared of the Unknown”" by SWORN ENEMY from their very recently released full-length The Beginning of the End. In other Abacus news, the label has just announced a re-release of GLASS CASKET’s disc We Are Gathered Here Today.

“”On March 21st, Abacus Recordings is proud to present GLASS CASKET’s debut full length We Are Gathered Here Today… with deluxe packaging and enhanced video footage of their video for “”In Between The Sheets”" that MTV wouldn’t air. The band is currently holed up at The Basement with Jamie King (Beloved, BTBAM) putting the finishing touches on A Desperate Man’s Diaries that will be out Summer of 06′ followed by national touring during the months of June and July.”"

Despite all the clamour that OPEN HAND has been negotiating with the prog-rock devil, and that You and Me somehow has ties to the stoner rock scene, no amount of genre-oriented labels can distort the fact that this disc is an incredibly smooth, atmospheric offering of rock from start to finish. Vocalist, guitarist Justin Isham [...]

Lambgoat.com posted the following this afternoon: “”Seattle hardcore band Champion will reportedly be breaking up following a few final shows during the coming weeks. Formed in 1999, the group has put out several releases with Bridge Nine Records (a new deal with Equal Visions Records has recently been rumored as well).”"

Band member Aram Arslanian posted on the Livewire Records message board that the final show will be May 27th in Seattle.

CHAMPION and BETRAYED (featuring Arslanian and CHAMPION drummer Todd Preboski) have a split EP coming out in Rivalry due to be released in February/March.

Long-running hardcore act SHELTER has posted a brand new song from the band’s upcoming Goodlife Recordings full-length Eternal. This will be the band’s first album since 1999′s When 20 Summers Pass which was released on Victory Records.

music: myspace.com/eternalshelter

- Make sure you check out the SHELTER photos on the MySpace page – particularly the one with Ray holding the rabbit…

Out on February 7th will be Faith and Failure, the debut full-length from CENTURY. The Lumberjack Distro newsletter has this to say about the release:

“”Conceived by one-time ARMSBENDBACK (Trustkill Records) guitarist, Carson Slovak, as a solo studio recording, CENTURY‚Äôs debut self-titled EP epitomized DIY. The record was completely recorded, mixed, designed and released independently. Now, with the addition of Mike Guiliano (guitar), Grant McFarland (drums) and Huggie (bass), the project has evolved into a full band and they have found their home at Tribunal Records. The intensity captured on their Tribunal Records debut, Faith & Failure, speaks for itself. CENTURY‚Äôs devastating rhythms combined with angular guitars and growling bass provide a brutally heavy yet melodic backdrop to Slovak‚Äôs massive, throat ripping vocals. With numerous accomplishments already under their belt, CENTURY is poised to leave a wake of devoted fans as they move forward into what is undoubtedly a bright future.”"

Check out the song “”Obsolescence”" from Faith and Failure here.

- These guys remind me of a cross between KISS IT GOODBYE and WILL HAVEN. Rad stuff.