North Jersey Notes: Addicted to Pain, Return to Earth & Bumblefoot

ADDICTED TO PAIN

Albany, NY

Who knew that Albany rocked? I didn’t until this band Addicted to Pain came across my desk via the band’s publicist. Once again this week, I am not featuring a North Jersey band like I’m supposed to because this band is so worth knowing about they need to be brought to this area to play. First of all, the name of the band is awesome! Addicted to Pain? Very nice! I went to listen to their music and it was just a brutal assault of some old school Metal with a modern flair. Drummer Gregory Nash exhibited some great chops behind the kit while singer and guitarist Leo Curley showed some really intense and aggressive vocals on every track that I heard. Standouts, for me, included “Hear N Now”, “Abigail”, and “Going Going Gone” off of the band’s self-titled EP.

Bassist Bob Horvath and singer/guitarist Leo Curley formed Addicted to Pain after the demise of their former band Eyesore, which featured Shadows Fall drummer Jason Bittner. After many different stages of the band, in 2007, Bob and Leo met drummer Gregory Nash to finalize the lineup. The trio began working with one of thrash metal’s most respected producers in Alex Perialas, who is known for his work with Anthrax, S.O.D., Testament, and Pro-Pain. The outcome is their four-song self-titled EP.

The EP, Addicted to Pain, is available now for purchase through iTunes, and Addicted to Pain’s website, addictedtopain.net, and their myspace page, myspace.com/addictedtopain. The boys from Addicted to Pain are currently planning to tour the US this fall to support the EP. If you like what you hear you will love Addicted to Pain’s live show! It’s energetic and loud. They way Metal is meant to be! Keep an eye on their concert calendar because they may be in the Jersey area before you know it!

NORTH JERSEY NOTES UPDATES:


I just received an email from my brother, Ron “Q*Ball” Scalzo, who also runs his own indie label, Bald Freak Music. Well, Ron was excited to spread the word that his band Return to Earth, featuring Chris Pennie from Coheed and Cambria, has finally released their long-awaited CD, Automata, through the mighty Metal Blade Records. Ron also told me that he will be re-releasing The Adventures of Bumblefoot under his label. Yes, this is the classic CD from Gun ‘N’ Roses guitarist Ron “Bumblefoot” Thal, which will also come with a guitar tab book of the entire CD tabbed by Bumblefoot himself!
One last thing that Ron shared with me was that his alter-ego Q*Ball recently released his latest single “Filling In the Cracks”, which is available now on iTunes and Amazon.com. For more news on Ron and his Bald Freak Music, log onto baldfreak.com.

In some sad news, I just read that one of my favorite NYC bands, Auraborus, which featured Dave Alexander and Tony Ortiz from Dead Letter Box, has recently called it a day, even though they recently posted that they were continuing the band as a four-piece. The boys said that each member of the band will continue working on music in different projects. You can still hear the music of Auraborus on myspace.com/auraborus. And finally, Buckshot and his doom boys from Moth Eater have finally released their debut EP, The Thunder God of Monster Island. This piece of ear candy can be purchased on iTunes and all other digital retail platforms. For more info on Moth Eater, log onto myspace.com/motheater667.

That’s all for now! If your band is from North Jersey, and you want some exposure, send your press kits to Arts Weekly, c/o Tim Louie P.O. Box 1140 Little Falls, NJ 07424, or you can email me at chigger273@aol.com, where you can also let me know where you’re performing next. No cover bands, please! Also, if you haven’t checked out my podcast yet, do it now at northjerseynotes.mypodcast.com!

Just remember….We’re all in the same boat, so every little bit of exposure counts!

NJN Concert Calendar:

9/10—Murder League All-Stars/Apathy—Ding Batz, Clifton, NJ

9/10—Bern and the Brights—House of Blues, Atlantic City, NJ

9/11—Filter Effect—Keansburg Rock Festival, Keansburg, NJ

9/11—The Dirty Stayouts/Cookiehead—Ding Batz, Clifton, NJ

9/11—Borgo Pass—Who-Ville, Bethpage, NY

9/11—ZO2—The Saint, Asbury Park, NJ

9/11—Diablo Royale—Gramercy Theater, NYC

9/11—Bern and the Brights—Union Country Music Fest, Clark, NJ

9/11—Bern and the Brights—Cameo, Brooklyn, NY

9/14—Bern and the Brights—Van Gogh’s Ear Café, Union, NJ

9/17—Beatrix Kiddo—The Stone Pony, Asbury Park, NJ

9/21—Bern and the Brights—Van Gogh’s Ear Café, Union, NJ

9/23—Bern and the Brights—Northern Soul, Hoboken, NJ

9/24—Boundalive—Ding Batz, Clifton, NJ

9/24—ZO2—Gramercy Theater, NYC

9/25—Bern and the Brights—The Griggstown Pavilion, Princeton, NJ

9/25—Borgo Pass—Mr. Beery’s, Bethpage, NY

9/28—Bern and the Brights—Van Gogh’s Ear Café, Union, NJ