Fearless Records resurrect their ‘Punk Goes…” series with ‘Punk Goes Acoustic: Volume 3’

It was the 2000s.

Who was in your top ten on Myspace was the true test of friendship.

Bands like Green Day, My Chemical Romance, Fall Out Boy, and the All-American Rejects held on to key spots on TRL’s top ten chart.

Warped Tour was arguably one of the biggest music festivals at the time.

And the sale of eyeliner and fake hair dye was at an all-time high.

It’s been over a decade and we still have good (and some seriously bad) memories of that time.

Now, it looks like the folks over at Fearless Records are trying to bring back the mid-2000s which, we guess, can be a good or bad thing depending on if you were knee-deep into that scene (which, let’s be honest, we were).

On Friday (June 28), the record label announced plans to unleashed the latest addition to their Punk Goes… series. Dubbed Punk Goes Acoustic: Volume 3, the record features several bands who made a name for themselves during the heyday of Myspace including Dashboard Confessional, Taking Back Sunday, Underoath, The Almost, Circa Survive, Mayday Parade, and more.

The 12-track record will feature the Fearless family members giving their breakout songs the acoustic treatment. Punk Goes Acoustic: Volume 3 is due out July 15 with pre-orders currently available for purchase on the label’s website.

In true fashion, Fearless is offering the album in different formats including CD, cassette, and vinyl. All pre-orders will receive instant downloads of Taking Back Sunday’s acoustic version of “A Decade Under the Influence” (which can be streamed above) and Set It Off’s “Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing” (which can be streamed here).

The full tracklisting for Punk Goes Acoustic: Volume 3 can be seen below.

PUNK GOES ACOUSTIC: VOLUME 3 TRACKLISTING:

1. Dance Gavin Dance – “Story of My Bros” (Acoustic)
2. Circa Survive – “Act Appalled” (Acoustic)
3. Taking Back Sunday – “A Decade Under the Influence” (Acoustic)
4. Dashboard Confessional – “Screaming Infidelities” (Acoustic) feat. Abigail Sevigny
5. Mayday Parade – “Take This to Heart” (Acoustic)
6. Movements – “Colorblind” (Acoustic)
7. Underoath – “A Boy Brushed Red Living in Black and White” (Acoustic)
8. Don Broco – “Come Out to LA” (Acoustic)
9. Set It Off – “Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing” (Acoustic)
10. As It Is – “Okay” (Acoustic)
11. Grayscale – “Atlantic” (Acoustic)
12. The Almost – “Hand Grenade” (Acoustic)

As It Is premiere live video for ‘The Fire, The Dark’

With their first tour of 2019 about to begin, As It Is have treated fans to a brand new music video to get them in a celebratory mood. On Thursday (Jan. 17), the United Kingdom-founded band unleashed the music video for their latest single, “The Fire, The Dark.”

The three-and-a-half-minute clip was shot during the act’s United Kingdom/European tour in 2018 and was directed by their close friend and frequent music video collaborator Ian Coulson. Watch the music video for “The Fire, The Dark” above.

“The Fire, The Dark” joins previously released singles “The Wounded World,” “The Stigma (Boys Don’t Cry),” and “The Reaper” on their recently released record, The Great Depression. The record, the band’s third studio album, was released in August of 2018 through Fearless Records.

The album, according to several band members, finds them touching on serious topics such as mental illness and toxic masculinity.

Keeping in line with the album’s theme, the band joined forces with A Voice for the Innocent for their upcoming tour. A Voice for the Innocent is a non-profit organization that provides community, resources, and support for people who have been affected by sexual violence.

According to a post, a representative will be present at every stop of the tour to educate fans and act as a resource for anyone that may need their assistance.

As It Is’ The Great Depression North American tour will kick off tonight (Jan. 17) at the Teragram Ballroom in Los Angeles. Following a little over a month on the North American roads, the tour will conclude on Feb. 22 at Chain Reaction in Anaheim. 

The full list of tour dates can be found here.

In addition to the new music video, the band also announced via social media that longtime touring guitarist Ronnie Ish has become a permanent member of the band.

“Following the new video we are ecstatic to finally announce that Ronnie Ish is a permanent member of As It Is,” the band posted on Twitter.

“Ron has been family for years and we are excited about what he will bring to the creative process for album 4 and beyond. Love you brother! Welcome!”

Ish will join vocalist Patty Walters, rhythm guitarist/vocalist Benjamin Langford-Biss, bassist Alistair Testo, and drummer Patrick Foley on the band’s current lineup. Former guitarist Andy Westhead exited the band in 2017 due to “feelings and differences” that “had been building up for at least a year” which resulted in a vacancy on their roster.

As It Is to bring ‘The Great Depression’ to North America in early 2019

As It Is are finally bringing their The Great Depression tour to a North American city near you. On Wednesday (Oct. 24), the United Kingdom-founded band unveiled their United States and Canadian-centric tour itinerary for the beginning of 2019.

Set to take place during the months of January and February, the newly announced outing will find the band performing at venues in cities including San Diego, Dallas, Nashville, Atlanta, Orlando, Toronto, Chicago, and more. The 28-stop tour will begin on Jan. 17 at the Teragram in Los Angeles and conclude a month later on Feb. 22 at Chain Reaction in Anaheim.

VIP and general ticket sales begin this Friday, Oct. 26, at 10 a.m. local time.

The quartet formally announced that Point North will act as their direct supporting act throughout the winter tour dates. According to the group, more supporting acts will be revealed at a later date.

The forthcoming North American tour will be in support of As It Is’ recently released record, The Great Depression. The album, the band’s third studio album, was released in August through Fearless Records.

The Great Depression is the follow-up to As It Is’ 2017’s sophomore effort, okay.

For now, the newly announced tour dates can be seen below.

THE GREAT DEPRESSION WINTER 2019 TOUR STOPS:

Jan. 17 – Los Angeles, CA – Teragram
Jan. 18 – Ventura, CA – Rock City
Jan. 19 – San Diego, CA – Soma
Jan. 20 – Mesa, AZ – Club Red West
Jan. 22 – Albuquerque, NM – Launchpad
Jan. 24 – Oklahoma City, OK – 89th Street
Jan. 25 – San Antonio, TX – Jack’s Patio Bar & Grill
Jan. 27 – Houston, TX – The Secret Group
Jan. 29 – Dallas, TX – Prophet Bar
Jan. 31 – Nashville, TN – The End
Feb. 01 – Atlanta, GA – The Masquerade (Hell)
Feb. 02 – Tampa, FL – Crowbar
Feb. 03 – Orlando, FL – The Social
Feb. 05 – Chapel Hill, NC – Local 506
Feb. 06 – Richmond, VA – Canal Club
Feb. 07 – Philadelphia, PA – Voltage Lounge
Feb. 09 – Asbury Park, NJ – House of Independents
Feb. 10 – Boston, MA – Middle East Downstairs
Feb. 11 – Toronto, ON – Velvet Underground
Feb. 13 – Grand Rapids, MI – The Stache At Intersection
Feb. 14 – Columbus, OH – Woodland’s Tavern
Feb. 15 – Chicago, IL – Subterranean
Feb. 16 – St. Louis MI – Fubar
Feb. 17 – Kansas City, MO – Encore At The Uptown
Feb. 19 – Denver, CO – Hi Dive
Feb. 20 – Salt Lake City, UT – Loading Dock
Feb. 21 – Las Vegas, NV – Vinyl
Feb. 22 – Anaheim, CA – Chain Reaction

Watch: As It Is address stigmas in new music video

A month after releasing their 2000s throwback music video for “The Wounded World,” As It Is have returned with the clip’s follow-up. On Wednesday (June 20), the British band unleashed act two of their The Great Depression era. Title “The Stigma (Boys Don’t Cry),” the three-and-a-half minute song addresses the stigma behind showing and expressing emotions and how many times it feels like a weakness than just human nature.

“This song and video tackle toxic masculinity, gender expectations, and the long overdue need to rebel and speak out against outdated ideals that to this day continue to threaten individuality,” the band writes on Twitter.

“The eponymous ‘stigma’ is that sense of blemish and shame so often associated with showing and expressing emotion, that causes too many to hide who they are. It’s totally acceptable to show feeling; it is real and human to do so and not something that should be arbitrarily gendered and hidden from view.”

“In these increasingly disconnected time where empathy is seemingly on a decline on many levels of everyday modern life, it is vital to stand up against such outdated tropes.”

Watch the music video for “The Stigma (Boys Don’t Cry)” above.

“The Stigma (Boys Don’t Cry)” will join previously released track “The Wounded World” on As It Is’ upcoming new album. The Great Depression is due out Aug. 10 through Fearless Records. Pre-orders for the new record are available on the band’s website.

The Great Depression is the follow-up to the band’s 2017’s sophomore effort okay.

In support of the album’s August release date, the group will embark on the final Vans warped Tour this summer.

As It Is rekindle the emo era with ‘The Wounded World’ video

It’s barely been a year and a half since As It Is released their sophomore album okay., but now it looks like fans should expect some new tunes before we say good-bye to the dog days of summer. On Thursday (May 17), the British band formally announced the release of their third studio album. Titled The Great Depression, the record is due out Aug. 10 through Fearless Records. Pre-orders for the new album are available on As It Is’ website.

In conjunction with the new album’s announcement, the band released the music video for its first single, “The Wounded World” which introduces their longtime followers to a brand new era for the quartet. Watch the music video for “The Wounded World” above.

For some, the new darker image may or may not come as a surprise. At the end of April, photos of frontman Patty Walters sporting black hair, the emo fringe, massive eyeliner, and black nail polish surfaced on social media. While this elated some, it kind of confused others. The new look though, has a direct connection with the band’s goal with this album; to shine a light on mental illness.

“This record started…as an exploration of the question ‘Do we as a society have a fetish for mental illness?” begins Walters’ explanation behind the impending release.

“Do we romanticize or glorify a sickness? It was important for me to do some soul-searching around that question. Are we part of a scene that actually does more damage than good in terms of the way we talk about these issues?”

Guitarist/vocalist Benjamin Langford-Biss reveals that there was one major event in  the last year that helped shape the band’s new melancholy sound; the death of Linkin Park’s Chester Bennington. “What happened with Chester really shaped the direction of the story.”

Walters adds: “[The album] took a different turn when Chester Bennington took his own life.”

The Great Depression will be the follow-up to 2017’s sophomore effort okay.

As It Is debut music video for ‘No Way Out’

As It Is may be in the middle of one of their final tours of 2017, but that doesn’t mean the band is going to stop treating fans to new music videos any time soon. On Wednesday (Nov. 8), the United Kingdom-founded band unleashed the music video for their latest single, “No Way Out.” Prior to the debut of the new clip, the band had told fans to keep an eye out because the new video would be heading their way shortly.

The premise of the music video is simple; the band is giving the viewer a taste of their live show. The simplicity of the clip lets the band’s energetic, high-energy performance personas shine through as snow falls on them and a set to white lights illuminate them in the otherwise dark setting. Watch the music video for “No Way Out” above.

“No Way Out” is featured on the band’s recently released record, okay. okay. was released back in January of 2017 through Fearless Records. The record landed at the top spot on Billboard’s “Heatseekers” chart as well as the top spot on the “Alternative New Albums” chart.

Last month, As It Is made headlines when news broke that longtime guitarist Andy Westhead was no longer in the band. The group’s confirmation came after a fan asked Westhead on social media if everything was okay since he was not present at the band’s recent show. Westhead responded with “I guess the others didn’t think you guys were worth an explanation either – I wish the others would allow me to be there.”

Shortly after Westhead’s response, the group posted a letter online detailing how their decision was reached about Westhead’s departure. In the same letter, they explained to their fans that they wanted the make the announcement “with Andy’s full involvement and approval.” Following the band’s announcement, they advised fans that they would continue touring as a four-piece.

Currently, As It Is is supporting Waterparks on their North American “Monster Energy Outbreak” tour. The excursion kicked off earlier this week in Dallas and will find the British band performing across the continent before the trip wraps up on Dec. 7 in Houston. The complete “Monster Energy Outbreak” tour itinerary can be found here.

As It Is parts ways with longtime guitarist

If you’re a fan of As It Is, then you may notice that someone will be missing from the stage during the group’s last set to tour dates. On Monday (Oct. 9), the British band announced that they had parted way with longtime guitarist Andy Westhead. News of Westhead’s exit began when a fan took to Twitter to make sure the musician was okay after not being present at a recent show.

Westhead responded to the inquiry with “I guess the others didn’t think you guys were worth an explanation either – I wish the others would allow me to be there.” A few hours after the post was made public, the remaining members of the group (Patty Walters, Patrick Foley, Benjamin Langford-Biss, Alistair Testo) released an unofficial press statement about Westhead’s abrupt departure. According to the letter, the band wanted to reveal the news to their longtime followers, but they were hoping to “make one with Andy’s full involvement and approval.” That ended up not being the case when Westhead went forward with his response to the fan’s question.

According to the statement, issue between the band members and Westhead began in August when they realized that they could no longer work with Westhead. As the letter goes on to explain, “feelings and differences had been building up for at least a year” and even though they tried to make things better, things did not improve. According to the group, they constantly conversed with Westhead, reiterating that the reason for them moving forward without him all stemmed from the same issue and were surprised when Westhead took to social media to throw the other band members under the bus. As It Is’ full statement about Westhead’s exit can be read here.

As It Is is currently in the middle of Neck Deep’s “The Peace and the Panic” UK/ European tour. After wrapping up their time on the tour in late October, As It Is will join Waterparks on their “Made in America” tour which will find them performing across North America during the months of November and December. Earlier this year, As It Is released their sophomore album, Okay.

As it Is prove there’s ‘No Way Out’ with new song

The second half of 2016 has been a busy one for the guys in As It Is. In September, the five-piece announced the impending release of their sophomore album and then a few weeks later, embarked on one of the year’s most anticipated tours (Sum 41’s “Don’t Call it a Sum-Back” tour). Now, with a little over a month left until the release of their sophomore record, the group is giving fans the change to hear another new song from Okay. On Thursday (Dec. 1), the United Kingdom-founded band released a third track from the album, “No Way Out.” Listen to the new track below.

“No Way Out” will join recent single “Pretty Little Distance” and title track, “Okay” on the upcoming sophomore effort. Okay. is set to hit stores on Jan. 20, 2017 through Fearless Records. Pre-orders for the album are currently available on the band’s website. Those who pre-order the album will get instant downloads of both “Okay” and “Pretty Little Distance.” The complete track listing for the new album is available here.

Back in September, vocalist Patty Walters revealed that these new songs are some of the “most personal and honest song” the group has ever written. “These are by far the most personal and honest songs we’ve ever written,” the singer admits. “We made a conscious effort to truly push ourselves musically and lyrically, to create something that didn’t feel entirely safe or calculated. We wrote songs about our families, our personal lives, and our struggles more vulnerable than ever before, hoping to encapsulate sincere moments in our lives.”

Okay. is the follow-up to the group’s debut record, Never Happy, Ever After.

As It Is to release sophomore album in early 2017

With a handful of weeks left until the beginning of their tour with Sum 41 and Senses Fail, As It Is has announced plans to release a new album in the new year. On Thursday (Sept. 22), the United Kingdom-founded band announced that their new record will be coming out in early 2017. The group’s sophomore effort will be titled okay. and is set to hit stores on Jan. 20 through Fearless Records.

“These are by far the most personal and honest songs we’ve ever written,” vocalist Patty Walters unveils in a press statement. “We made a conscious effort to truly push ourselves musically and lyrically, to create something that didn’t feel entirely safe or calculated. We wrote songs about our families, our personal lives, and our struggles more vulnerable than ever before, hoping to encapsulate sincere moments in our lives.”

He adds: “We feel a huge sense of pride having created this record, and we’re immensely excited to share it with the world. We love and cherish you all for supporting us and giving us this opportunity.”

Pre-orders for okay. are set to begin on Friday, Oct. 14 on the band’s website. In addition to the new album information as well as their busy fall schedule, the band has also released the lead single and title track from the record, “Okay.” Listen to the song below and check out the album art and track list for the record below that.

okay. Track List:

01. “Pretty Little Distance”
02. “Okay”
03. “Hey Rachel”
04. “Patchwork Love”
05. “Curtains Close”
06. “No Way Out”
07. “Soap”
08. “Austen”
09. “Until I Return”
10. “The Coast Is Where Home Is”
11. “Still Remembering”

okay. will be the follow-up to As It Is’ debut record, Never Happy, Ever After. As for their upcoming trek on Sum 41’s “Don’t Call it a Sum-Back” tour, those dates can be found here.

‘Don’t Call it a Sum-Back,’ Sum 41 are going on a North American fall tour

Sum 41’s summer has been filled with two months on the Vans Warped Tour, but don’t expect the Canadian group to take a break. On Monday (Aug. 8), the band announced plans to hit the North American roads this fall. The trek, which has been named the “Don’t Call it a Sum-Back” tour will kick off on Oct. 5 at the House of Blues in Orlando. The month-long trek will then wrap up a month later on Nov. 6 at the Mayan in Los Angeles.

Senses Fail and As It Is will join Sum 41 for the complete North American journey. Sum 41 has joined forces with CID Entertainment to offer three different VIP Experiences throughout the tour. The packages will offer everything from an invitation to a pre-show jam session and hang with the band to access to an exclusive viewing area on stage during the show.

VIP pre-sales are set to begin on Tuesday, Aug. 9, at 10 a.m. local time. For those who just want to purchase tickets to the show, general sales will begin on Friday, Aug. 12, at 10 a.m. local time. In addition to the pre-sales, Sum 41 also announced that they will be joining forces with the Sweet Relief Musicians Fund. The organization assists with  providing financial help in the form of grants, medical bill reductions, as well as outside assistance to all types of career musicians and music industry workers who are struggling to make ends meet while facing illness, disability, or age-related problems. Those who feel like helping out will be given the option to make a donation during the ticket checkout process.

For now, the complete list of tour dates, including some previously announced festival dates can be seen below.

SUMMER TOUR DATES:
08/11 – Rocco Del Schlacko Festival – Puttlingen
08/13 – Taubertal Festival – Rothenburg
08/14 – Sziget Festival – Budapest
08/18 – Open Air Gampel – Gampel
08/19 – Highfield Festival – Grossposna
08/20 – Lowlands Festival – Biddinghuizen
08/22 – And There Come The Wolves Festival – Wiesen
08/23 – Forum Karlin – Prauge
08/24 – Chiemsee Summer Festival – Ubersee
08/26 – Carroponte – Milan

DON’T CALL IT A SUM-BACK TOUR DATES:
Oct 5 – House of Blues – Orlando, FL*
Oct 7 – Revolution – Ft. Lauderdale, FL*
Oct 8 – The Orpheum – St. Petersburg, FL*
Oct 9 – Masquerade – Atlanta, GA*
Oct 11 – House of Blues – Boston, MA*
Oct 12 – Fillmore – Philadelphia, PA*
Oct 13 – Starland Ballroom – Sayreville, NJ*
Oct 14 – Playstation Theater – New York City, NY*
Oct 17 – Metropolis – Montreal, QC*
Oct 18 – The Phoenix – Toronto, ON*
Oct 19 – St. Andrews – Detroit, MI*
Oct 21 – House of Blues – Chicago, IL*
Oct 22 – Mill City Nights – Minneapolis, MN*
Oct 25 – Union Hall – Edmonton*
Oct 26 – MacEwan Hall – Calgary, AB*
Oct 28 – Commodore – Vancouver, BC*
Oct 29 – Neptune – Seattle, WA*
Oct 30 – Hawthorne – Portland, OR*
Nov 1 – Regency – San Francisco, CA*
Nov 2 – House of Blues – Anaheim, CA*
Nov 4 – Livewire – Phoenix, AZ*
Nov 5 – House of Blues – San Diego, CA*
Nov 6 – Mayan – Los Angeles, CA*

* = w/ Senses Fail and As It Is

The “Don’t Call it a Sum-Back” tour will be in support of Sum 41’s upcoming new album, 13 Voices. 13 Voices is set to be released on Oct. 7 through Hopeless Records. Pre-orders for the upcoming album are currently available on the band’s website. Back in June, the band released the music video for the first single from the upcoming album, “Fake My Own Death,” which gave a taste of what to expect come October.