The Witzard

SAMIAM 2023 press shot (CREDIT: Austin Rhodes) SAMIAM just wouldn't be the same without a little bit of chaos. Over their three decades together, the Oakland, California-based band have specialized in energetic hard luck songs that are as hooky as they are relatable. So, perhaps, it's fitting that the creation of Stowaway, the band's first new album in 12 years and their ninth full-length, wasn't the easiest. There are very few bands better at capturing the feeling of stumbling only to get up again and on Stowaway, SAMIAM prove exactly why they remain one of the most endearing and enduring Punk bands of their generation. Initially formed in 1988, SAMIAM—whose current line-up includes long-time members Jason Beebout (vocals,) Sean Kennerly (guitar,) and Sergie Loobkoff (guitar,) as well as newer additions Colin Brooks (drums) and Chad Darby (bass)—grew out of the D.I.Y. Punk scene centered around 924 Gilman Street. After the release of 2011's Trips , the band didn...

One Step Closer (CREDIT: Spencer Chamberlain) Ahead of an expansive 20-date cross-continental tour, Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania's own One Step Closer have shared their first new single since their 2021 full-length, This Place You Know . "Dark Blue" finds One Step Closer leaning into the most Melodic Hardcore/Emo elements of their sound without sacrificing an ounce of energy we know and love them for. The song launches into a towering chorus that pushes the band into even more anthemic territory and offers hints at new potential directions in their sound. "Dark Blue" is the start of a compelling new chapter for One Step Closer and listeners should keep an eye out for more from the band in 2023. The group will be on tour for most of the winter with upcoming shows in the US, Australia, Southeast Asia, Japan, and more through 2022-23. "Earlier this year while driving through The Pacific [Northwest], I was struggling with how much we were about to be touring t...

Constant Elevation for Revelation Records (CREDIT: Julian Gilbert) Punk/Hardcore drummer, musician, and producer Sammy Siegler has been making music since about 1987-88. Siegler's more well-known projects include CIV, Gorilla Biscuits, Judge, Nightmare of You, Project X, RIVAL SCHOOLS, Shelter, Side By Side, WORLD BE FREE, and Youth of Today, but he's, also, recorded music with the likes of Glassjaw, Head Automatica, Limp Bizkit, and Tech N9ne. Supposedly, Sammy Siegler still plays basketball with Beastie Boy Adam "Ad-Rock" Horovitz, who even remixed "69 Guns" from RIVAL SCHOOLS' 2011 album, Pedals. Sammy's latest group, Constant Elevation, started out as a two-man project with Vinnie Caruana (The Movielife, I Am The Avalanche, Peace'd Out) and released a self-titled 2019 EP on Revelation Records. Constant Elevation's 2020 line-up features Siegler & Caruana, along with guitarist Mike Ireland, bassist Jani Zubkovs, and their newest memb...