FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE New York, NY (July 10, 2014) – For the past several months the members of the Baltimore-based hard rock outfit – Charm City Devils – featuring John Allen (lead vocals), Anthony Arambula (bass), Jason Heiser (drums), Nick Kay and Victor Karrera (guitars), have been hard at work writing new music for their third full-length album – Battles.
Scheduled for release on September 23rd via The End Records/ADA, the band’s forthcoming album promises to delight fans with the return of Grammy-winning producer Skidd Mills (Saving Abel, Egypt Central, 12 Stones), who also spearheaded production duties for the group’s 2012 sophomore release, Sins, which spawned the hit single “Man Of Constant Sorrow”, landing them a #20 position on the Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks chart.
Frontman John Allen elaborates, “Working with Skidd was a no-brainer really! He manned the board for our highest charting single and always gets the sweetest tones! Plus, he’s a good, down to earth dude, he’s one of us. We are so excited about our new relationship with The End and ADA! We are looking forward to great things with our new label partners!”
In preparation for the release, fans can expect to see the band returning to the road this July with Slash and The Winery Dogs. More dates to be announced soon!
Jul 20th – Northfield, OH @ Hard Rock LIVE (Rocksino) *
Jul 26th – Buffalo, NY @ The Tralf Music Hall **
Jul 27th – New Haven, CT @ Toad’s Place **
Jul 28th – Amityville, NY @ Revolution Bar & Music Hall **
Jul 30th – Glenside, PA @ Keswick Theater **
Aug 1st – Boston, MA @ Wilbur Theatre **
Aug 2nd – Poughkeepsie, NY @ The Chance **
Aug 3rd – Pittsburgh, PA @ Hard Rock Cafe
Aug 4th – Indianapolis, IN @ Birdy’s
Aug 5th – St. Louis, MO @ The Firebird
Aug 9th – Temecula, CA @ Pechanga Indoor Theater *
Aug 10th – West Hollywood, CA @ Viper Room
Aug 11th – San Francisco, CA @ Brick & Mortar Music
Aug 12th – Reno, NV @ Knitting Factory
Aug 14th – Spokane, WA @ Knitting Factory
Aug 15th – Coquitlam, BC, Canada @ Hard Rock Casino *
Aug 17th – Seattle, WA @ El Corazon
Aug 18th – Portland, OR @ Alhambra Theatre
Aug 19th – Boise, ID @ Knitting Factory
Aug 21st – Denver, CO @ Marquis Theater
Aug 22nd – Kansas City, MO @ Czar Bar
Aug 24th – Memphis, TN @ Mercy Lounge
Aug 26th – Johnson City, TN @ Capone’s
Aug 28th – Tallahassee, FL @ Pugs Live aka Rehab
Aug 30th – Jacksonville, FL @ Jack Rabbits
Sep 3rd – New York, NY @ Mercury Lounge
Sep 5th – Route 2, Mashantucet, CT @ Grand Theater
Sep 27th – Baltimore, MD @ Carroll Park w/ Rise Against, Clutch, Halestorm, Jane’s Addiction and more!
* w/ Slash
** w/ The Winery Dogs
PRE-ORDER ‘BATTLES’ NOW!
Tracklisting
01. Tear It Apart
02. Crucify
03. Shots
04. Everyday
05. Want
06. God’s Gonna Cut You Down
07. Lying To Yourself
08. Rich N Famous
09. Destiny
10. Karma
11. Let It Go
More on Charm City Devils:
We all do battles in our daily lives. You win some, you lose some. Armed With their third album BATTLES, Baltimore’s own Charm City Devils are battle tested and ready to have their bluesy, Southern-tinged hard rock anthems heard by the masses. It is one fight they are prepared to win.
BATTLES scorches and crackles, cementing Charm City Devils, who’ve been making a rock ‘n’ roll racket since 2008 and whose original lineup remains in tact to this day, as an in-your-face, modern rock band. But it’s not all crashing cymbals and thermonuclear riffs. The album is comprised of equal parts hooks and heart. Onstage is where the band comes to life. They sharpened their live chops by touring with Motley Crue and Godsmack as part of CrueFest 2 and are supremely confident in their abilities and growth as a band. Essentially, they are ready for their next Battles.
Singer John Allen, a Baltimore native, admits that he is fueled by the idea of winning battles both big and small. “There are many battles you face in life,” he said. “The battle to survive, to get out of your own way, to do the right thing, of good against evil.” His favorite battle? Converting a musical sceptic, when the stage is effectively the battlefield. “I love it when someone comes up to us after a show and says, ‘I thought you were going to suck, but you guys are awesome!’ It’s like, ‘Go ahead. Underestimate me. Discount me. Count me out!,'” he said about the attitude which motivates him to succeed. “I love to prove people wrong and turn them around and win them over, and that’s what we do, night after night. Plus, meeting the fans, and introducing that human element, makes it all worth it!”
The human element factors into Charm City Devils’ music beyond their sizzling live show. Allen, an only child, lost both of his parents in between the recording of Battles and its predecessor SINS. That loss lead to a change in perspective and caused him to get reflective and to evaluate what’s important, which manifests in the music. Luckily for him, his bandmates are like brothers and their bond is rock solid. There is no better way to engage in Battles than with your family as your armor!
Battles, which was recorded in Nashville with Skidd Mills, is rife with the anthemic, fist-pumping songs, ones that take up residence in your brain for days. “Shots” is intensely personal and cathartic song and it goes so deep that it reaches marrow. “It’s a letter to an old friend battling his addictions, but hasn’t wanted to admit or realize that he needs help,” Allen explains. The lyrics basically implore this friend to seek the help he needs, since Allen admits. “I tried speaking one-on-one, but I didn’t get through to him, so I wrote this song in hopes he will get the message before it’s too late. It might seem like a party song, but it’s not. It’s about worrying and waiting to get that call that your friend is gone.”
It’s powerful stuff, encased in an unforgettable package, like most of the songs that populate Battles. There’s also the provocative “Tear It Apart,” which looks at the unraveling of the American dream and the nuclear family. “Crucify,” which is erected on a dirty and crunchy groove and sounds so Southern that it could have been written while barefoot on the back porch, beer in hand, anywhere below the Mason-Dixon line, is a change of pace for Charm City Devils. “It is a bit different, with the blues harp solo in there, and we’re exploring the roots of the band there,” Allen says. “The subject matter is about holding celebrity up and tearing them down.” So while rooted in a classic sound, the lyrics remain contemporary.
Even so, Allen and Charm City Devils aren’t afraid to embrace their Southern rock and blues influence. For years he has been fascinated with Robert Johnson and the Delta Blues. “So much great music is from the South. Hell, even The Rolling Stones recorded at the famed Mussel Shoals studio in Alabama trying to capture that vibe.”
At this point in their career, Charm City Devils have gained plenty of experience. With three albums in their arsenal, they have narrowed their focus to a singular goal and that’s to rock. Their music and their live prowess are the connective tissues between the band and the fans and are the outlets to ease frustration we all face.
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