Notes on The Cars, Unearth, and Hallelujah the Hills
By SARAH TOMLINSON | March 14, 2006
Boston rock icons the Cars will reunite for a summer tour that hits Bank of America Pavilion on May 9. There’s just one catch: standing in for Rick Ocasek, who opted out of the reunion, will be Todd Rundgren. The new line-up was announced at a special show at the House of Blues in Hollywood March 14. . . . Boston metalcore marauders Unearth are recording an as-yet-untitled album at Studio X in Seattle with producer Terry Date (Soundgarden, White Zombie). Metal Blade has already penciled in August 8 as the drop date. The band say the new songs showcase their darker, more aggressive side. Singer Trevor Phipps: “We are a balls-to-the-wall metal band, and we are not looking to appeal to the masses with a catchy pop metal tune.” One yet-to-be-titled song, according to Phipps, is about Puritan farmer Giles Corey, who was crushed to death during the Salem witch trials after refusing to confess. “I thought that was probably the heaviest story of all time, so I needed to write about it in one of our heaviest songs of all time.” The band plan to preview a few new songs during their Ozzfest dates this summer. They’ll play third from the top on the second stage; the tour hits the Tweeter Center August 1. Hallelujah the Hills are working on a full-length debut and have already recorded 11 drum tracks at Fort Awesome, Ketman singer/guitarist Eric Penna’s basement studio; next stop is frontman Ryan Walsh’s home studio in Hyde Park. They hope to land a label: if not, Walsh will release the album on his Access to Visions imprint. Several songs are already up at www.myspace.com/hallelujahthehills, and they’ll appear with HO-AG at Bill’s Bar on March 25, when the two bands, who share a practice space and a drummer, will play each other’s songs.
___
On the Web:
Todd Rundgren: http://www.tr-i.com/
Ric Ocasek: http://www.ricocasek.com/
Unearth: http://www.unearth.tv/
Hallelujah the Hills: http://www.myspace.com/hallelujahthehills/
Email the author:
Sarah Tomlinson: stomlins@mindspring.com
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