As a longtime fan of Sebastian Bach’s work, I had mixed feelings when I popped this into the player. I was hoping it would be better than his last solo release, Angel Down, which never really did anything for me. I was routing for him when the opening track, “Kicking & Screaming,” started the album off.

Awolnation are currently premiering a live clip of the song “Jump On My Shoulders” HERE. The clip was filmed at the band’s recent gig at La Zona Rosa in Austin, Texas and features the band at their most energetic. “Jump On My Shoulders” is featured on the band’s critically acclaimed debut album ‘Megalithic Symphony’.

Practically without guitars, without their typical pop-rock approach, and with a finished sound that is almost closer to Gibbard’s Postal Service sound than other Death Cab work, Codes and Keys is an album that succeeds in subtlety. The songs, the title track being perhaps the only exception, don’t have the typical instant-hit feel that many Death Cab songs brim with; which is refreshing.

Following news of their upcoming West Coast dates with Brand New, Long Island’s Sainthood Reps have just premiered two new songs from their forthcoming debut album ‘Monoculture’ (out August 9th on Tooth & Nail Records) HERE. The new tracks “Dingus” and “Hunter” follow the launch of the album’s pre-order which is available by clicking the link HERE.

Australian foursome Damndogs continue to unleash their self-proclaimed doom disco on fans worldwide, with the premiere of their latest track “Love”. Teaming up with Nylon, the band is giving away a free download to readers. Check out the piece and download the track HERE! The feature even made NME’s list of The 10 Best Downloads This Week.

Guitarist/vocalist Tim Jones of the Dallas based hard rock outfit Feel, Never Real, spoke with me recently about the bands newest release, VS. The Sea Of Disease. The band successfully melds tons of melody with a hard rock edge resulting in what I feel is a very solid disc. Here is what Jones had to say about the band, the new disc and the unusual band name.

In 2010 Derek Vincent Smith waited until the end of the year to release a remix EP, but this year he’s doing things different and rolling them out as they come. His newest creation is a heavy and beautiful track that remixes and samples Radiohead’s “Everything In Its Right Place,” Nirvana’s “All Apologies” and Nine Inch Nails’ “Closer.”

Luka Sulic and Stjepan Hauser, the 24 year-old Ukranian duo known as 2cellos became an overnight internet sensation with their self-made music video of themselves performing Michael Jackson’s “Smooth Criminal” on their cellos. With “Smooth Criminal” racking up over 5 million views on YouTube, Sulic and Hauser have premiered the video for the next 2cellos single on VEVO: A rocking rendition of the Guns N’ Roses worldwide hit, “Welcome to the Jungle.” You can watch it HERE.

As a huge fan of the ’80’s “Big Hair” bands I’m very familiar with the work of Warrant, a band that was pretty much a staple on the scene. I loved their first release Dirty Rotten Filthy Stinking Rich, but after that, for me they just never got my blood pumping; the scene was over-saturated with dime a dozen bands and their subsequent releases, even though they were hugely successful, did nothing for me.

Brooklyn’s Shinobi Ninja released their anticipated debut full-length, Rock Hood, on April 5th, gaining placement on the iTunes Alternative homepage. MTViggy says “blending the lilting melodies of reggae with the volume of metal and the rhythm of hip hop, Shinobi Ninja is like an out-of-control house party.”

‘Back and Forth’ chronicles the 16 year history of the Foo Fighters: from the band’s very first songs created as cassette demos Dave Grohl recorded during his tenure as Nirvana’s drummer, through its ascent to their Grammy-winning, multi-platinum, arena and stadium headlining status as one of the biggest rock bands on the planet.

The Lonely Forest unveil a new song, “Coyote,” as the KEXP Song of the Day today. The song is taken from their forthcoming Trans Records label debut ‘Arrows’, in stores March 22. Critical acclaim for ‘Arrows’ in advance of the release includes praise from NYLON and Alternative Press. Meanwhile, NPR’s Song of the Day hails the band’s previous single, saying “‘Turn Off This Song’ serves as a catchy call to arms, not to mention one of the best and most honest slices of pop music around.”

To embrace the Holiday spirit, Sick Puppies bassist Emma Anzai has just submitted a list of her favorite Holiday memories and top 10 albums of 2010. PureGrainAudio brings you this exclusive content straight from the band. Read on, enjoy and please let us know what you think of the list.

Being from a little town in Idaho, going to a big festival-type concert is a big deal. The aptly named Mayhem Festival made a stop in Nampa (near Boise) this week, and with a line-up that includes Chimaira, Hatebreed, Lamb of God, Korn and several other of my favorite bands, making the four-hour drive was not even a debate.