British metalcore outfit Architects is touring North America this May alongside Of Mice & Men and While She Sleeps. Grab your tickets at architectsofficial.com!
5/2 – Toronto, ON – Rebel
5/3 – Montreal, QC – MTELUS
5/4 – Montreal, QC – MTELUS
5/6 – Boston, MA – House of Blues
5/7 – Brooklyn, NY – Brooklyn Paramount
5/9 – Philadelphia, PA – Franklin Music Hall
5/10 – Washington, DC – The Fillmore
5/11 – Myrtle Beach, SC – House of Blues
5/12 – Daytona Beach, FL – Welcome to Rockville 2024*
Italian gothic metal band Lacuna Coil has announced some May U.S. dates with special guests New Years Day and Oceans of Slumber. The 12-date run kicks off in Wilmington, Delaware. Tickets and VIP are available at lacunacoil.com!
5/2 – Wilmington, DE – The Queen
5/3 – Asbury Park, NJ – The Stone Pony
5/4 – Reading, PA – Reverb
5/6 – Norfolk, VA – The NorVa
5/7 – Charlotte, NC – The Underground
5/9 – Daytona Beach, FL – Welcome to Rockville 2024
5/11 – Nashville, TN – Brooklyn Bowl Nashville
5/13 – Fort Smith, AR – Temple Live
5/14 – Wichita, KS – TempleLive at Wichita Scottish Rite Center
Styx and Foreigner have announced dates for the “Renegades & Juke Box Heroes” tour. The bands are co-headlining with support from John Waite. This is to be Foreigner’s farewell run, so grab those tickets at either styxworld.com or foreigneronline.com and get ready for a night of sing-along hits!
June
6/11 – Grand Rapids, MI – Van Andel Arena
6/12 – Cleveland, OH – Blossom Music Center
6/14 – Toronto, ON – Budweiser Stage
6/15 – Detroit, MI – Pine Knob Music Center
6/18 – Old North St. Louis, MO – Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre, STL
Alabama rockers Shallow Side have released their latest single, “Filters,” which features a guest appearance by Nonpoint vocalist Elias Soriano. This is one of the heaviest songs Shallow Side has ever put out, and I am digging it! Check out the official video below and be sure to add “Filters” to your playlists on your favorite streaming service.
“Filters” will be airing on Sirius XM Octane at the times listed below:
I have been reading 6-7 books per month, but I managed 8 in April (though I’ve been working so much, I don’t know that I’ve absorbed any of them – ha). I dove further into the world of Catriona Ward, knocked out a couple of novellas, and indulged in another cozy mystery. I also discovered just two days ago that Ivy Tholen released a sequel to Tastes Like Candy, so naturally, that has jumped to the top of my TBR pile!
Here are the books I devoured in April.
Sundial (Catriona Ward)
Rating: 4/5
Have I mentioned that I adore Cat Ward? No? Well, I do. I’ve enjoyed every book from her that I’ve read, and Sundial is no different. I love her writing style, the complexities of her (flawed) characters, and how there’s always a twist that catches me just a little off-guard. I also appreciate the fact that she can break my heart into a million pieces with the tragicness of her characters, even if one would typically consider them “bad.”
Sundial explores the darkest parts of human nature, and how deep familial bonds can go…even triumphing over science. “You can’t escape what’s in your blood.“ But perhaps you can help control what you pass on.
Devil in Ohio (Daria Polatin)
Rating: 3/5
I read Devil in Ohio after I watched the series, and I actually liked the show better. (And I never say that.) The twist at the end of the series was frustrating, but it worked. Not to say the book was bad! It wasn’t, and you should definitely read it. The story is fascinating and dark. I thought the characters were very real, especially the teen daughter, Jules. The writing style is easy; I finished the book much quicker than I thought I would.
Bad Girls With Perfect Faces (Lynn Weingarten)
Rating: 4/5
Another quick read. Bad Girls With Perfect Faces was nothing that I expected. The story kept me guessing, and every character was relatable in certain ways and very sympathetic. It was a book that had me considering what I would do in the main character Sasha’s position. (There were multiple points of view, but Sasha was the major player, involved on all fronts.) I would recommend this be added to your TBR right now! I will be checking out other books from Lynn Weingarten.
Channel X: A Streaming Service to Kill For (Matt Shaw)
Rating: 3/5
This could have been a good book, if Shaw had bothered to go a little deeper and make the characters more three-dimensional. However, I didn’t hate it. When I was finished, I just thought “Meh.” The violence and gore were on point, if that’s your thing, but the plot was not a fresh one. It’s been done before and done better. If you like books that focus on newer technology and have a penchant for blood splattered pages, Channel X is for you.
Alice (Christina Henry)
Rating: 4/5
I love retellings of Alice in Wonderland. There’s so much that can be done with it, and Christina Henry took it in the direction of a gangland and the sex trade. It is a darkly enchanting book, a horror fantasy, an adult fairytale. There is violence and murder and multiple mentions of rape, but if you can handle that, I would highly recommend this novel.
The Social Media Murders (Jon Athan)
Rating: 2/5
The Social Media Murders was a book that had a solid – if overdone – concept, but the execution fell flat. Reminiscent of any number of slashers that have come into being since the rise of social media, the plot is simple: students being slaughtered for views, all because (spoiler alert) someone was bullied. I feel that Athan put a lot of thought into the methods of murder, but let everything else slide. I did not care for the writing style, either. Sorry I keep mentioning that; it’s just important to me.
Murder Next Door (Michele Pariza Wacek)
Rating: 2/5
Book 3 in the Charlie Kingsley series really fell flat for me. It took me ages to get through it. The plot wasn’t great. Charlie was attempting to solve two mysteries at once, and I’m still not sure exactly how she arrived at the right answer this time. One minute she’s talking to the girl who was missing and reappeared, the next she suddenly knows who murdered the man who was found in someone’s backyard. I still like the writing and the characters, and I will give this series another chance. Murder Next Door just wasn’t it.
The Wonderland Murders (Lanie Olson)
Rating: 2/5
This is another missed opportunity. It was only 65 pages, so there was zero character development. The story was short, quick, and had an abrupt, unsatisfying ending. And honestly, I could have done without the unnecessary smut. I don’t suggest reading this one.
***
I am currently reading Stillhouse Lake (Rachel Caine), The Mermaid’s Sister (Carrie Anne Noble), and Eat, Drink, and Be Scary (Olivia Jaymes).
Pennsylvania-based alternative band No Trees Touch The Sky released their latest single, “Sunrise,” on April 19th. The song was recorded at Diver Down Studios with Stephen Angello and Fred Mascherino and is streaming everywhere.
“Sunrise” possesses a mellow, ambient vibe that is reminiscent of such artists as Thirty Seconds To Mars and Incubus. There is an underlying energy, a tension that breaks with each chorus before settling back into a soothing melody and smooth vocals. The track reaches its crescendo at the 2:16 mark, the second chorus leading straight into a beautifully clean guitar solo.
Listen to “Sunrise” below, then add it to your playlist!!!! And get ready for more from No Trees Touch The Sky in 2024!
Five Finger Death Punch is hitting the road this summer and fall in support of their latest album, Afterlife, and they’re bringing along some pretty legendary friends: the infamous Marilyn Manson and Russian deathcore outfit Slaughter to Prevail. Tickets available at fivefingerdeathpunch.com (or at either of the other bands’ official sites).
8/2 – Hershey, PA – Hersheypark Stadium
8/5 – Holmdel, NJ – PNC Bank Arts Center
8/7 – Clarkston, MI – Pine Knob Music Theatre
8/8 – Cincinnati, OH – Riverbend Music Center
8/10 – St. Louis, MO – Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre
8/13 – Rogers, AR – Walmart AMP
8/14 – Nashville, TN – Bridgestone Arena
8/16 – Noblesville, IN – Ruoff Music Center
8/19 – Des Moines, IA – Wells Fargo Arena
8/21 – Omaha, NE – Chi Health Center
8/22 – Denver, CO – Ball Arena
8/27 – Vancouver, BC – Rogers Arena
8/29 – Airway Heights, WA – BECU Live at Northern Quest
8/31 – Ridgefield, WA – RV Inn Style Resorts Amphitheater
9/3 – Mountain View, CA – Shoreline Amphitheatre
9/4 – Chula Vista, CA – North Island Credit Union Amphitheater
9/6 – Anaheim, CA – Honda Center
9/8 – Las Vegas, NV – MGM Grand Garden Arena
9/10 – Phoenix, AZ – Talking Stick Resorts Amphitheatre
9/11 – Albuquerque, NM – Isleta Amphitheatre
9/13 – Durant, OK – Choctaw Grand Theater
9/15 – Atlanta, GA – Lakewood Amphitheatre
9/16 – Biloxi, MS – Mississippi Coast Coliseum
9/18 – Austin, TX – Germania Insurance Amphitheatre
Ice Nine Kills and In This Moment are teaming up once again for an epic summer Tour! Bringing along special guests Avatar and Tx2, the bands will hit the road August 6th. Snag your tickets today at iceninekills.com or inthismomentofficial.com!
8/6 – Saratoga Springs, NY – Broadview Stage at SPAC
8/7 – Buffalo, NY – Buffalo Outer Harbor
8/9 – Green Bay, WI – Capitol Credit Union Park
8/10 – Dubuque, IA – Q Casino, Backwaters Stage
8/11 – Springfield, MO – The Shrine Mosque*
8/13 – Tulsa, OK – Tulsa Theatre+
8/14 – Irving, TX – The Pavilion at Toyota Music Factory
8/16 – Omaha, NE – The Astro
8/17 – Waukee, IA – Vibrant Music Hall
8/18 – Sioux Falls, SD – The District*
8/20 – Bismarck, ND – Bismarck Events Center
8/21 – Billings, MT – Downtown Billings Skatepark
8/23 – Calgary, AB – Grey Eagle Events Centre
8/25 – Seattle, WA – Moore Theatre*
8/27 – Idaho Falls, ID – Mountain America Center
8/28 – Salt Lake City, UT – The Great Saltair
8/30 – Airway Heights, WA – Northern Quest AMP
8/31 – Portland, OR – Alaska Airlines’ Theater of the Clouds
9/1 – Boise, ID – Revolution Center*
9/3 – Sacramento, CA – The Backyard
9/4 – Los Angeles, CA – Hollywood Palladium
9/5 – Las Vegas, NV – The Theater at Virgin Hotels, Las Vegas
9/7 – Grand Junction, CO – Amphitheater at Las Colonias Park*
Alchemy Within is a musical project based out of Bel Air, Maryland. His work is described as alternative rock that harkens back to the early 2000s, but there are no boundaries for him and the other musicians who contribute to the songs.
Having just released the new EP The Story Thus Far in March, Alchemy Within has hit the ground running in 2024. I was lucky enough to be given the chance to chat with him about how he started, influences, guilty pleasures, what’s next for the project, and more!
**
Mostly Music: How did you start this project? What was it that made you want to create music?
Alchemy Within: I originally started writing solely to maintain my own mental health. Therapy helps, but it wasn’t getting the job done on its own. When I first made Alchemy Within, I had every intention of it being a full band, but I got tired of waiting for people, so I started on my own. I play a little bit of keyboard, but most of the instrumental parts you hear are by cowriters.
MM: What is your songwriting process?
AW: The process usually starts with the lyrics. I’ll have 3 or 4 lines I really like, then build the rest of the song and melody around them.
MM: Do you have regular contributors, as far as your cowriters, or do the other musicians change each time?
AW: I like to have 1 main collaborator, and then if I have someone in mind or someone shows interest, I’ll have them join in, too. Like “Troubled Waters” and “Like A Bullet” have different drummers. I love hearing in the end product how different musician’s influences and stylistic choices blend with mine.
MM: Why call your project “Alchemy Within”?
AW: It’s probably not what you would expect. I was watching something on the History Channel or Travel Channel, something like that, and they were talking about alchemy. I was like, “Huh. That’s kind of like what music is, right?” I wanted the word Alchemy in there, but I didn’t know how to use it, so I used a band name generator. Lol. I typed in that I wanted the word “alchemy” in there, and Alchemy Within was one of the results.
MM: It’s NEVER what I expect! But the generator did you a solid, because that’s good! Who are your major influences, musically? And what is it about that band – or bands – (or artists) that inspires you?
AW: Thank you! My biggest influences are ANYTHING Chris Cornell, Blue October, and Maria Brink. I feel like Chris Cornell is pretty self-explanatory, he’s Chris Cornell. Blue October inspires me because they just kind of do whatever they want and it sounds great. Like one of their songs has an opera singer in it!? I never would’ve thought of that, but it works. Maria Brink is hands down my biggest influence. Especially her Blood and Black Widow eras. She faced SO much adversity and showed so much growth as an artist and a person that I immediately became a fan.
MM: It is inspiring to watch someone face adversity and come out stronger on the other side, especially when much of the judgment is…unwarranted, I guess you might say? Like, it wasn’t that she did shocking or offensive things to draw attention; she just existed in that scene and caught shit for it.
AW: Yeah, she definitely caught a lot of flak that was uncalled for. Those circle pits she would start herself were CRAZY.
MM: Is there anyone you listen to or draw inspiration from that might surprise people? What’s your “guilty pleasure”? (Not that you should be guilty over anything that makes you happy. Lol.)
AW: Usually, Maria Brink and Blue October are the ones that surprise people, but I think they’d also be surprised that I draw inspiration from Dorothy as well.
My guilty pleasures are usually one-offs by different artists, but I think it’s a tie between “Hurt” by Christina Aguilera and “Breakaway” by Avril Lavigne.
MM: I love Dorothy! Saw her (them) with Shinedown, and it made me so happy! Okay. One more of the digging-into-your-tastes type questions, then I’ll get back to the music. Lol. What would be your dream tour lineup that includes Alchemy Within? Be as realistic or unrealistic as you wanna be. I’ve had some fun answers to this one.
AW: Oh crap, that’s a tough one. Unless all of their publicly known personalities are a lie, I think touring with In This Moment and Black Veil Brides would be fun. Maria Brink’s bodyguard kind of scares me, though, not gonna lie. Haha. Myself and a few other people thought he was Jason Mamoa at first glance.
MM: I met BVB in 2018. The VIP was…very controlled, but I got to talk to Andy, Jake, Jinxx, and CC after the show. CC is just as animated as he seems. Lol. And Andy was actually very sweet. My favorite comment he made was “Don’t worry. I’ve been cried on before.” (It wasn’t about me.)
Okay. Back to the music. So I don’t wanna ask your “favorite” song you’ve written, but do you have a track that you connect with more than others?
AW: I think I connect with “Shady” the most because it’s not really about a specific event that’s come and gone, it’s about the ongoing process of self-improvement.
MM: So it’s ALWAYS relatable. You just released “Like a Bullet,” which is how we came to be here. Lol. Can you tell me the story behind that song? You mentioned it was one of your “fun” songs. What was the process when writing lyrics/composing for it?
AW: So the fun part is more the melody and overall sound than it is the lyrics. In a nutshell, it’s about trying to resolve trauma and navigating the consequences/damage. The process was pretty cut and dry. I wrote the chorus lyrics/melody, and my cowriter wrote the instrumentals, then we built off of that. I have no idea why I decided to make the song as high as it is. It only made things 10 times harder.
MM: I would say it paid off. I love the song. I think a lot of people don’t believe I listen to all the music I find, but I do. So, what are your plans for the rest of 2024 from a musical standpoint?
AW: Thank you! I’m just kind of rolling with the punches as far as 2024 goes. I’m branching out a bit and starting to work with different producers and musicians. The production aspect of my music might sound a liiiiiittle different from here on out, but it’ll still kick ass all the same. Hopefully, 2024 is the year I finally find some bandmates!
MM: And if you get a band together, you’ll book shows, right??? Because my little neck of the woods would just be so happy to see you!
Is there any message you want to give your fans (and my readers)?
AW: I will absolutely start booking shows and I’d love to come to your town! To fans and readers alike, I’m always working on something, so at any given point, there is always something new around the corner. Like I just recovered from having Covid and I was still working on music that whole time. It never stops.
MM: I think my last question would be, where all can my readers find your music? Are your songs available on every major platform, or…?
AW: The vast majority of streaming platforms, yeah. The only big one I’m not on is SoundCloud. My distributor doesn’t work with them, and I haven’t made a SoundCloud account yet.
MM: Thank you so much for your time! This has been a lot of fun. We’ll have to do it again soon!
**
Listen to the latest Alchemy Within single, “Like a Bullet,” below and be sure to follow his socials so you never miss an update!!!
Mostly Music 