Entertainer and all-around fascinating individual ANDREW WK decided to move two of his upcoming shows (with the Calder Quartet) from religious venues (a church and a synagogue) after having  a vague personal experience. Because I will never turn down a reason to post something written by the man, here’s his explanation:

“I am truly sorry for any inconvenience experienced by those who already purchased tickets for the D.C. and Toronto shows. I sincerely hope you’re able to attend at the new venues. Your tickets will still be valid.

A couple days ago I had a really intense personal experience and it made it very clear to me that I cannot and should not play on the main alter of a religious temple. Please understand, I have nothing against religion or temples of any kind. In fact, I love going to churches and hearing music there – but I can’t play my music on that sort of stage after what happened the day before yesterday.

The best I can do to describe my experience, is to say that the world opened up to me, and I received it, as Spirit and Love and of course, a lot of fun and pleasure. It was a sexual feeling, and I just didn’t feel right about bringing that onto a holy stage. My choice to move the venues is out of respect for this feeling, for myself, and my body, and for the alters themselves.

Fortunately, even though this was all last minute, we were able to keep the tour more or less intact, and will still play every city or region, as planned. The new venues offer us more traditional stages, without having to perform on the main alter. Once again, I’m really sorry for any trouble this causes, but it was something I felt very strongly about. Thank you always for your love and belief in the feelings I work to bring you.” – Andrew W.K.

Review by Tweet: Half sounds like LINKIN’ PARK with double-bass and some of those Swedish metal atmospherics. Threat level: lukewarm Rest of album has the thrash punch/crunch of THE HAUNTED and some SOILWORK; it’s the better half. Nuclear Blast USA

STRIKE ANYWHERE frontman Thomas Barnett gives a track by track rundown for every song from the band’s upcoming fourth full-length, Iron Front, in today’s “Liner Notes” feature in the Washington Post Express. As a bonus, audio for each song is included. You can check out the feature here.

- I’m amazed that feature after feature, Barnett can continue to talk and write as if everything he says is a part of a song lyric. He definitely has a way with words…

- A classic, memorable, breezy BOUNCING SOULS song… few songs capture the essence of the band like this one.

New York hardcore band INCENDIARY (includes a member of SOLDIERS) has made available for free download their very excellent debut full-length, Crusade. The release formally is vinyl only, through Eternal Hope Records.

- Definitely one of my favorite hardcore records from a “new” band in 2009. Raw, pissed music, with a strong handle of momentum and quality mosh.

Deep Elm’s surge of signings continues with the addition of Spain’s THIS DRAMA to the label’s roster. The band has just released their full-length, San Diego XIII, and it is a raucous blast of garagey guitars and early punk rock excitement. The band previously appeared on Deep Elm’s “The Emo Diaries, Chapter Eleven” compilation, and put out a 7″ titled We Rock, You Don’t. (I’m sensing a bit of a HIVES influence…). Check out a free mp3 download of the song “She Had A Knife” here.

Normally I’m a fan of bands taking their vocals to cleaner pastures. There’s just only so much screaming a person can take after awhile. EVERY TIME I DIE has been moving in this direction over the past few releases, and New Junk Aesthetic has Keith Buckley’s voice sounding more lucid than ever before. But I’m [...]

Swedish death/progressive metallers SCAR SYMMETRY have their latest full-length, Dark Matter Dimensions streaming on their MySpace page. This is the band’s follow-up to last year’s release Holographic Universe, both via Nuclear Blast, and is their fourth full-length since 2005.