BATTLECROSS NEWS BATTLECROSS announce "The Growing Pains" tour with ABIOTIC! "Hostile" Pantera cover song available now on iTunes Detroit, MI's BATTLECROSS have announced that they will embark on a short, headlining tour with label mates ABIOTIC this December. Two of this year's breakout Metal Blade bands will embark on The Growing Pains Tour, stopping at various cities throughout the Midwest/southern US, including Des Moines, IA, Richmond, VA, Peoria, IL, and more. The tour runs from December 8th through December 21th and will be one of your last chances to catch a metal show before everyone heads home for the holidays! The confirmed dates are listed below. Hiran Deraniyagala of BATTLECROSS comments: "We're excited to hit the road with an up and coming band like Abiotic. We're stoked to team up with another new Metal Blade band and I feel both bands will bring in a new audience to the tour. Although this is a limited run, we hope that it gives everyone a taste of what Metal Blade plans for the future of Heavy Metal and we can't wait to rage with the midwest on this tour!" BATTLECROSS recently celebrated 52 straight weeks with the debut of 'Man of Stone' at #5 on the SiriusXM Liquid Metal Charts, following 'Breaking You,' and their first single 'Push Pull Destroy', which spent five weeks at #1. The channel also debuted the band's studio version of Pantera's Hostile that thrashed audiences on this summer's Trespass America Festival. The single for 'Hostile' is now available on iTunes and the track can be preview and purchased HERE. The band's debut album, Pursuit of Honor, is available now. Listen and order at www.metalblade.com/battlecross. South Florida's five-piece death metal outfit ABIOTIC will provide support for the tour and have recently released their debut full-length, Symbiosis, on October 22nd. Listen to "To Burgeon And Languish", watch the video for "Vermosapien", as well as a video bass less over at www.metalblade.com/abiotic. BATTLECROSS and ABIOTIC 12/08 Toledo, OH Frankie's 12/09 Plainfield, IL Live 59 12/11 Peoria, IL The Brass Rail 12/12 St Paul, MN Station 4 12/13 Des Moines, IA Vaudeville Mews 12/14 St Louis, MO Fubar 12/15 Little Rock, AR Downtown Music Hall 12/16 Memphis, TN Newby's 12/17 Richmond, VA Kingdom 12/18 Springfield, VA Empire 12/19 Pittsburgh, PA The Ironworks 12/21 Flint, MI The Machine Shop *no Abiotic BATTLECROSS appearing with CANNIBAL CORPSE 11/23 Flint, MI The Machine Shop For more information about BATTLECROSS, please visit these websites: http://www.metalblade.com/battlecross http://www.battlecrossmetal.com http://www.facebook.com/battlecrossmetal http://www.myspace.com/battlecross http://www.twitter.com/battlecross http://www.facebook.com/abioticfl http://www.twitter.com/abioticfl http://www.youtube.com/abioticvideo http://www.metalblade.com/abiotic METAL BLADE RECORDS Teams Up with Metal Wreckage To Celebrate the Label's 30 Anniversary & Release of AS I LAY DYING's New Album "AWAKENED" Private free show announced for 9/25 in New York City at Santos's Party House featuring performances by As I Lay Dying & Battlecross! Comedians and hosts of VH1 Classic's "That Metal Show" Don Jamieson & Jim Florentine and Jose Mangin from SiriusXM's Liquid Metal confirmed to emcee the release show Metal Blade Records is pleased to announce another event has been set up in celebration of the record label's 30 Anniversary, which included a packed showcase at this year's SXSW in Austin, TX, the Metal Blade Scion A/V Club showcase in Pomona, CA on 9/15, and the recently announced Los Angeles Armored Saint show at the House of Blues on 11/30. For this next event Metal Blade has teamed up with Metal Wreckage and is moving things to the east coast. Taking place Tuesday Sept. 25 at Santo's Party House in New York City, this event is offering fans the chance to attend a private CD Release show for AS I LAY DYING, whose new album AWAKENED drops the same day and marks the band's first show since their run on this summer's Rockstar Energy Drink Mayhem Festival. Supporting the San Diego, CA metal heavyweights is Detroit, MI's very own blue-collar thrash metallers, BATTLECROSS, who recently wrapped up a very successful run on this summer's Trespass America tour featuring Five Finger Death Punch, Killswitch Engage, and more. Starting September 14, fans can pre-order AWAKENED at three New York-area independent record stores and receive a FREE laminate that gives you access into the private NYC release show! Stores participating includes: Looney Tunes (West Babylon, NY), Vintage Vinyl (Fords, NJ), and J&R (NYC). Emceeing the event will be label-mates, comedians, and hosts of VH1 Classics "That Metal Show" Don Jamieson & Jim Florentine and Jose Mangin from SiriusXM's Liquid Metal. The release show will be streamed live worldwide so fans outside of the NYC area can see both bands perform a few songs as well as check out interviews! The stream will begin at 8pm EST and can be accessed at the following location: www.livestream.com/metalblade Metal Blade Records 30 Anniversary/As I Lay Dying Awakened CD release show TUES. September 25 Santos's Party House in NYC (18+) Doors at 7 PM Pre-order AWAKENED and receive a laminate to gain access to the private show at the following locations: Looney Tunes 31 Brookvale Ave West Babylon, NY 11704 www.ltcds.com Vintage Vinyl 51 Lafayette Road Fords, NJ 08863 www.vvinyl.com J&R 1 Park Row New York, NY 10038 www.jr.com Keep up to date with Metal Blade, As I Lay Dying, and Battlecross at the following locations: http://www.metalblade.com http://www.facebook.com/metalbladerecords http://www.youtube.com/metalbladerecords http://twitter.com/MetalBlade http://www.metalbladestore.com http://facebook.com/metalwreckage http://twitter.com/metalwreckage http://www.heresthemetal.com http://wheresthemetal.com http://www.asilaydying.com http://www.facebook.com/asilaydying http://www.twitter.com/asilaydyingband http://www.youtube.com/asilaydying http://www.metalblade.com/asilaydying http://battlecrossmetal.com/ https://www.facebook.com/battlecrossmetal http://twitter.com/battlecross http://www.reverbnation.com/battlecross http://www.youtube.com/battlecrossmi BATTLECROSS: Sirius XM Liquid Metal to Premiere New Studio Cover of "Hostile" Scheduled to Perform at the Metal Blade Records 30th Anniversary Label Showcase in Pomona, CA on September 15, 2012 Yesterday, Detroit, MI's BATTLECROSS finished their run with the TRESPASS AMERICA festival, also featuring Five Finger Death Punch with support from Killswitch Engage, Trivium, Emmure, Pop Evil, and God Forbid. Helping to cap such a defining summer in the band's already accelerating career, Sirius XM Liquid Metal will premiere the band's studio cover of the track "Hostile" (originally performed by Pantera) on Friday, August 31st. Afterward, the track will be available for purchase on iTunes. The band performed "Hostile" live at several stops on the TRESPASS AMERICA festival (last night's performance of the song included a guest appearance by Five Finger Death Punch's Chris Kael). "TRESPASS AMERICA has been a blast. We can't believe it's all over. It's been a wake up call, a learning experience, and a privilege to be part of this kick ass festival," states guitarist Tony Asta. "We've made so many new friends along the way and it's very humbling to see so much support from all our fans. Thank you all for making this dream a reality." Tony continues, "We are very excited to release our cover of "Hostile" on Sirius XM with Pantera being heavily influential to the band. Rest in peace, Dime. Now crank it to eleven!" The band will be taking part in the Metal Blade Records 30th Anniversary Label Showcase, sponsored by Scion A/V Club! The showcase takes place on Saturday, September 15th at The Glasshouse in Pomona, CA. The show is free with RSVP (strictly required) and space is limited. Also performing at the show are Six Feet Under, Cattle Decapitation, Gypsyhawk, and Pilgrim. See above for the official event admat with additional details. See below for all confirmed BATTLECROSS tour dates. BATTLECROSS tour dates: AUGUST 31 Shreveport, LA – The Riverside Warehouse (w/ God Forbid) SEPTEMBER 01 Memphis, TN – Newby's (w/ God Forbid) 02 Louisville, KY – Phoenix Hill Tavern (w/ God Forbid) 15 Pomona, CA – The Glasshouse (Metal Blade Records 30th Anniversary Label Showcase) 24 Cleveland, OH – Peabody's 27 Clifton, NJ – Dingbatz (Jose Mangin's Hard Attack Thursday w/ The Doomsday Prophecy, Carnavarice Breath, Watchwords) 28 Wheeling, WV – River City OCTOBER 19 Detroit, MI – Detroit Princess River Cruise 20 Lansing, MI – Michigan Princess Cruise BATTLECROSS is: Kyle "Gumby" Gunther/vocals Tony Asta/guitar Hiran Deraniyagala/guitar Mike Kreger/drums Don Slater/bass The band's debut album, Pursuit of Honor, is available on Metal Blade Records and can be found at this location: www.metalblade.com/battlecross For more information about BATTLECROSS, please visit these websites: www.metalblade.com/battlecross www.battlecrossmetal.com www.facebook.com/battlecrossmetal www.myspace.com/battlecross www.twitter.com/battlecross BATTLECROSS: Bloody-Disgusting.com Unveils New Music Video for 'Kaleb' Today Detroit, MI's BATTLECROSS and Bloody-Disgusting.com have just released a brand new, live music video for the track 'Kaleb', cut from the band's latest Metal Blade Records release, Pursuit of Honor. Fans can check out the video now at this location. The video happens to be directed and edited by Ryan Glisan of death metal band and label-mate Allegaeon. The live footage in the video was filmed at the July 13th kick off date of the TRESPASS AMERICA festival in Broomfield, CO. "Kaleb is the one song on the album that I'm the most proud of because I wrote it about my son," states vocalist Kyle "Gumby" Gunther. "To have this be the track that Ryan used is really special to me, because seeing the intensity of our first arena show with such a hard-hitting song really gives the world a good idea of how much I love my boy. As a band, we'll never forget that show. We were nervous as all hell!" The TRESPASS AMERICA festival is still at large, also featuring headliners Five Finger Death Punch, with support from Killswitch Engage, Trivium, Emmure, Pop Evil, and God Forbid. Amidst the festival routing, BATTLECROSS will headline the Apocalypse stage at 9:45pm on Saturday, August 11th at Heavy MTL in Montreal, QC. You can learn more about Heavy MTL here: www.heavymtl.com In other news, the band's first single, 'Push Pull Destroy', has just reached its 1 millionth view on YouTube. The single has been featured on Sirius XM Liquid Metal's Devil's Dozen list for the last 40 weeks and is also featured on the free TRESPASS AMERICA festival sampler, available on Amazon.com at this location. Check out the music video at this location. See below for all confirmed BATTLECROSS tour dates and stay tuned for more updates coming soon! BATTLECROSS touring with the TRESPASS AMERICA Festival: AUGUST 07 Oswego, NY – Oswego Speedway 08 Glens Falls, NY – Glens Falls Civic Center 09 S. Burlington, VT – Higher Ground (off date w/ God Forbid) 10 Scarborough, ME – Scarborough Downs 11 Montreal, QC – HEAVY MTL 12 Buffalo, NY – Broadway Joes (BATTLECROSS only) 14 Pittsburgh, PA – Stage AE (indoor stage) 15 Wallingford, CT – Oakdale Theatre 17 Worchester, MA – DCU Center 18 Newark, NJ – Prudential Center 19 Philadelphia, PA – Penn's Landing – Festival Pier 21 Charlotte, NC – Time Warner Cable Uptown 22 Knoxville, TN – Knoxville Civic Coliseum 24 Oklahoma City, OK – Zoo Amphitheatre 25 Rio Rancho, NM – Santa Ana Star Center 26 Phoenix, AZ – Comercia Theatre 27 Las Vegas, NV – Cheyenne Saloon (BATTLECROSS only) 28 Los Angeles, CA – Hollywood Palladium BATTLECROSS post-Trespass America tour dates: AUGUST 31 Shreveport, LA – The Riverside Warehouse (w/ God Forbid) SEPTEMBER 01 Memphis, TN – Newby's (w/ God Forbid) 02 Louisville, KY – Phoenix Hill Tavern (w/ God Forbid) DECEMBER 07-10 Mayhem Festival Cruise – Departing from Port of Miami, FL to the Bahamas Make sure to catch BATTLECROSS on this year's MAYHEM FESTIVAL CRUISE setting sail from the Port of Miami, FL on December 7, 2012! New Deals and Discounts for the Mayhem Cruise: -A special military discount is being offered at $599+ $249 port tax for an ocean view cabin (based on doubles). -New Quad cabin deal: 4A cabins Quads are now just $599 per person plus port tax. -Each friend that you refer to attend the cruise, you get $50 of onboard credit! -Anyone that purchases a cruise package will receive a ticket to the ROCKSTAR ENERGY DRINK MAYHEM FESTIVAL for life! Visit www.mayhemcruise.com for more information on these new deals and check out a new video about the new cruise deals at this location! BATTLECROSS is: Kyle "Gumby" Gunther/vocals Tony Asta/guitar Hiran Deraniyagala/guitar Mike Kreger/drums Don Slater/bass The band's debut album, Pursuit of Honor, is available on Metal Blade Records and can be found at this location: www.metalblade.com/battlecross For more information about BATTLECROSS, please visit these websites: www.metalblade.com/battlecross www.battlecrossmetal.com www.facebook.com/battlecrossmetal www.myspace.com/battlecross www.twitter.com/battlecross BATTLECROSS Kicks Off the TRESPASS AMERICA FESTIVAL with FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH, KILLSWITCH ENGAGE, and More Today! Detroit, MI's self-touted "blue collar thrashers" BATTLECROSS are hitting the road today with the TRESPASS AMERICA festival! The festival kicks off tonight in Broomfield, CO at the 1st Bank Center and features headliners Five Finger Death Punch, as well as the reunited original line-up of Killswitch Engage. The TRESPASS AMERICA Festival also features Trivium, Emmure, Pop Evil, and God Forbid. "Is this real? I was just watching Killswitch Engage's soundcheck and I kept asking myself, 'Is this is really happening?'" comments vocalist Kyle "Gumby" Gunther. "We've got food on this tour and everything, I might actually be able to gain a pound on this tour because I'm skinny as shit! But in all seriousness, it's an extreme honor to be performing on the same stage with these bands. We never would have imagined playing these types of shows. It's a true honor to be performing with the big dogs." See below for all confirmed BATTLECROSS tour dates and stay tuned for more updates coming soon! BATTLECROSS Trespass America Festival w/ Five Finger Death Punch, Killswitch Engage, Trivium, God Forbid + more 07/13 Broomfield, CO 1st Bank Center 07/14 Ogden, UT Mojos * 07/15 Billings, MT MetraPark Arena 07/16 Bismarck, ND Bismarck Civic Center 07/17 Sioux Falls, SD Sioux Falls Arena 07/18 St Paul, MN Station 4 * w/ God Forbid 07/19 Milwaukee, WI Eagles Ballroom 07/20 Traverse City, MI Ground Zero * w/ Killswitch Engage & Trivium 07/21 Fort Wayne, IN Allen County Expo Center 07/22 Waterloo, IA McElroy Auditorium 07/23 St. Louis, MO Fubar * 07/24 Lubbock, TX Lonestar Amphitheatre 07/25 Belton, TX Bell County Expo Center 07/26 Fort Worth, TX Tomcats West 07/27 San Antonio, TX Freeman Coliseum 07/28 Beaumont, TX Ford Pavillion 07/30 Nashville, TN Bridgestone Arena 07/31 Evansville, IN Ford Center 08/01 Cincinnati, OH PNC Pavillion at Riverbend 08/03 Battle Creek, MI Kellogg Arena 08/04 Rochester Hills, MI Meadowbrook Amphitheater 08/05 Cleveland, OH Jacobs Pavilion at Nautica 08/07 Oswega, NY Oswega Speedway 08/08 Glen Falls, NY Glen Falls Civic Center 08/09 S. Burlington, VT Higher Ground * w/ God Forbid 08/10 Scarborough, ME Scarborough Downs 08/11 Montreal, QC Heavy MTL * 08/12 Buffalo, NY Broadway Joes * 08/14 Pittsburgh, PA Stage AE 08/15 Wallingford, CT Oakdale Theatre 08/17 Worcester, MA DCU Center 08/18 Newark, NJ Prudential Center 08/19 Philadelphia, PA Penns Landing - Festival Pier 08/21 Charlotte, NC Time Warner Cable Uptown 08/22 Knoxville, TN Knoxville Civic Coliseum 08/23 Little Rock, AR Downtown Music Hall * w/ Emmure, God Forbid 08/24 Oklahoma City, OK Zoo Amphitheater 08/25 Rio Rancho, NM Santa Ana Star Center 08/26 Phoenix, AZ Comerica Theatre 08/27 Las Vegas, NV Cheyenne Saloon * 08/28 Los Angeles, CA Hollywood Palladium * Off dates – Not a part of Trespass America w/ God Forbid 08/31 Shreveport, LA The Riverside Warehouse 09/01 Memphis, TN Newby's 09/02 Louisville, KY Phoenix Hill Tavern BATTLECROSS is: Kyle "Gumby" Gunther/vocals Tony Asta/guitar Hiran Deraniyagala/guitar Mike Kreger/drums Don Slater/bass For more information about BATTLECROSS, please visit these websites: http://www.metalblade.com/battlecross http://www.battlecrossmetal.com http://www.facebook.com/battlecrossmetal http://www.myspace.com/battlecross http://twitter.com/Battlecross BATTLECROSS Invades the States with FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH, KILLSWITCH ENGAGE, and More in One Month – TRESPASS AMERICA FESTIVAL Kicks Off on July 13th! Recently Added to HEAVY MTL Festival in Montreal, QC Detroit, MI's self-touted "blue collar thrashers" BATTLECROSS are gearing up to lay waste to the states on this summer's TRESPASS AMERICA festival. The festival kicks off in one month on July 13, 2012 in Broomfield, CO and features headliners Five Finger Death Punch, as well as the reunited original line-up of Killswitch Engage. The TRESPASS AMERICA Festival also features Trivium, Emmure, Pop Evil, and God Forbid. The anticipation is building; get your tickets now before they are sold out and log on to www.trespassamerica.com for complete details! Due to the insane buzz around BATTLECROSS and their unique take on modern thrash metal, the band has been added to this year's HEAVY MTL festival in Montreal, QC. To learn more about the festival and to read about this year's line-up, please visit. www.heavymtl.com/en/. BATTLECROSS has come a long way since their recent signing with Metal Blade Records and their release of their debut Pursuit of Honor in August 2011. Since its release, the single 'Push Pull Destroy' was the #1 Most Requested Metal Track for five weeks (Sirius XM Liquid Metal Devil's Dozen), remains a stable on the Liquid Metal channel, and the track's video has racked up over 700,000 YouTube views in the last five months. BATTLECROSS has received killer reviews across the internet and in print publications throughout North America and overseas and was named "Band of the Month" in Metal Hammer Norway and Metal Hammer Spain, so it should be no surprise that this blue collar, hard-work ethic that comes from the band's five musicians - Kyle "Gumby" Gunther/vocals, Tony Asta/guitar, Hiran Deraniyagala/guitar, Mike Kreger/drums, Don Slater/bass - translates into a potent force on record as well as on stage. BATTLECROSS is also confirmed to sail the seas with the first annual MAYHEM FESTIVAL Cruise this December 7-10. See below for all confirmed BATTLECROSS tour dates and stay tuned for more updates coming soon! BATTLECROSS one-off tour dates: (free Metal Blade Records merch and BATTLECROSS posters to be given away at these one-off dates!) JUNE 22 Westland, MI - Token Lounge 28 Flint, MI - The Machine Shop 29 Muskegon, MI - Crickets JULY 06 West Springfield, VA – Empire 07 Richmond, VA – Kingdom 12 Wichita, KS – The Scenery BATTLECROSS touring with the TRESPASS AMERICA Festival: JULY 13 Broomfield, CO – 1st Bank Center 15 Billings, MT – MetraPark Arena 16 Bismarck, ND – Bismarck Civic Center 17 Sioux Falls, SD – Sioux Falls Arena 19 Milwaukee, WI – Eagles Ballroom 21 Fort Wayne, IN – Allen County Expo Center 24 Lubbock, TX – Lonestar Amphitheatre 25 Belton, TX – Bell County Expo Center 27 San Antonio, TX – Freeman Coliseum 28 Beaumont, TX – Ford Pavilion 30 Nashville, TN – Bridgestone Arena 31 Evansville, IN – Ford Center AUGUST 03 Battle Creek, MI – Kellogg Arena 07 Syracuse, NY – SRC Arena and Events Center/Onondaga Community Center 08 Glens Falls, NY – Glens Falls Civic Center 10 Scarborough, ME – Scarborough Downs 14 Pittsburgh, PA – Stage AE 15 Hartford, CT - Comcast Theatre 17 Worchester, MA – DCU Center 18 Newark, NJ – Prudential Center 19 Philadelphia, PA – Penn's Landing – Festival Pier 22 Knoxville, TN – Knoxville Civic Coliseum 25 Rio Rancho, NM – Santa Ana Star Center 26 Phoenix, AZ – Comercia Theatre 28 Los Angeles, CA – Hollywood Palladium BATTLECROSS post-Trespass America tour dates: AUGUST 31 Shreveport, LA – The Riverside Warehouse SEPTEMBER 01 Memphis, TN – Newby's 02 Louisville, KY – Phoenix Hill Tavern For more information about BATTLECROSS, please visit these websites: www.metalblade.com/battlecross www.battlecrossmetal.com www.facebook.com/battlecrossmetal www.myspace.com/battlecross www.twitter.com/battlecross Trespass America Launches Inaugural Tour In Conjunction With Metal Hammer (UK) METAL HAMMER TRESPASS AMERICA FESTIVAL FEATURING: FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH KILLSWITCH ENGAGE TRIVIUM POP EVIL EMMURE GOD FORBID BATTLECROSS LOS ANGELES, CA – TUESDAY, April 24, 2011 – Introducing TRESPASS AMERICA, a newly minted music festival set on revitalizing the metal scene with some of the most current and credible bands in hard rock/metal. A co-production with Trespass America and Metal Hammer, the biggest metal magazine in the U.K., the tour kicks off July 13 at the 1st Bank Center in Broomfield, Colorado, and will cover 31 cities in two months between July and August across the United States. Ticket on-sales begin this Friday, April 27; log onto www.trespassamerica.com for complete details. Opening the show will be newcomers BATTLECROSS, the most-played new band on the SiriusXM channel, "Liquid Metal." New Jersey monsters GOD FORBID, who just released a brand new album Equilibrium, will stir up the circle pits with new songs and hits spanning their long career. Deathcore masters EMMURE are coming out swinging in support of their new album, Slave to the Game. Michigan's POP EVIL will carry the torch of grassroots hard rock to the crowd, while the melodic guitar thrash of TRIVIUM and the reunited lineup of metalcore legends KILLSWITCH ENGAGE will bring a crushing intensity to Trespass America. Headlining the power-packed Trespass America Festival is FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH, the new heavy weight champs of the metal scene, with nine consecutive top ten radio hits, four Golden God awards, two certified Gold records (and a third in the making). Monstrous light shows and sold-out arenas have marked the path of 5FDP's meteoric rise. In a few short years, the band knocked down the tightly shut gates of mainstream media and turned the non-believers into believers as they marched to bring a message from the underground. As Five Finger Death Punch's Zoltan Bathory, who helped spearhead the festival concept put it, "We will carry the flag into mainstream territory; we will trespass on their turf all across America. The combined power of Metal Hammer and all these bands enable us to make a statement, a really loud one. Heavy music wants its place back in the limelight, so get ready, because we are coming, and we are coming in numbers." "By bringing the Trespass Festival to North America," said Metal Hammer's editor Alexander Milas, "we're not only promoting the music we believe in, we're investing in it. We're now doing in America what we've done for years in Europe and the UK." Indeed, Metal Hammer has a long history of flying the flag for the bands it believes in, and over the course of 25 years, has been involved with a number of events, most recently the Defenders Of The Faith tour that covered the spectrum of metal and helped support the music U.K. scene. Metal Hammer is partners with Bloodstock Open Air and Download Festival and has its very own Hammerfest festivals in the U.K. "It has become increasingly apparent to us that supporters of Metal Hammer stretch well beyond the U.K. Thanks to the iPad, American metal fans can now get the magazine at the same time U.K. fans do, but by taking on this tour, we're moving beyond our physical borders." The idea for Trespass America came about as a way to bring heavy music to big venues across the country. Bathory explained, "When you walk through the Trespass America gate, you will be in a different territory, a new environment. You're not just coming to see a band. It's going to be a traveling circus that has all the attraction and excitement that creates an experience. We wanted to build the biggest stage we could and make this festival as visually unforgettable as possible, really give fans their money's worth, give them an experience where they will want to say, 'I was there.' We also wanted to play as many indoor venues as possible so all bands on the bill, no matter how early they play, would have a full light show with full production. We want to make Trespass America a theme-park-thrill-ride for metalheads." With Five Finger Death Punch leading the charge, up-and-comers Battlecross, Pop Evil, and Emmure, metal vets God Forbid, and heavyweights like Trivium and Killswitch Engage, all united under the Metal Hammer banner, the Trespass America Festival is definitely bound to set foot on the forbidden lawn of mainstream Rock-Culture. With more to be announced, confirmed dates for the Metal Hammer Trespass America Festival are as follows: JULY 13 Broomfield, CO – 1st Bank Center 15 Billings, MT – MetraPark Arena 16 Bismarck, ND – Bismarck Civic Center 17 Sioux Falls, SD – Sioux Falls Arena 19 Milwaukee, WI – Eagles Ballroom 21 Fort Wayne, IN – Allen County Expo Center 24 Lubbock, TX – Lonestar Amphitheatre 25 Belton, TX – Bell County Expo Center 27 San Antonio, TX – Freeman Coliseum 28 Beaumont, TX – Ford Pavilion 30 Nashville, TN – Bridgestone Arena 31 Evansville, IN – Ford Center AUGUST 03 Battle Creek, MI – Kellogg Arena 07 Syracuse, NY – SRC Arena and Events Center/Onondaga Community Center 08 Glens Falls, NY – Glens Falls Civic Center 10 Scarborough, ME – Scarborough Downs 14 Pittsburgh, PA – Stage AE 15 Hartford, CT - Comcast Theatre 17 Worchester, MA – DCU Center 18 Newark, NJ – Prudential Center 19 Philadelphia, PA – Penn's Landing – Festival Pier 22 Knoxville, TN – Knoxville Civic Coliseum 25 Rio Rancho, NM – Santa Ana Star Center 26 Phoenix, AZ – Comercia Theatre 28 Los Angeles, CA – Hollywood Palladium ABOUT METAL HAMMER: Metal Hammer is the heavy metal bible. Based in the UK, published monthly, and distributed internationally, it is now in its 25th year of publication, and its coverage of the world of metal – from the cutting edge to the extreme – is unparalleled. With 300,000 Facebook followers, 100,000 Twitter followers, and its unprecedented coverage of the global music scene – from India to Indonesia to South America – it truly is the world's premiere metal magazine. From the world-famous Golden Gods Awards to its burgeoning Facebook, web site, podcast, and Planet Rock Radio Show, Metal Hammer magazine's reach has never been broader. An official media partner of the UK's biggest festivals, and owners of Hard Rock Hell and Hammerfest weekenders, Metal Hammer's presence and connection with fans of metal music has never been stronger. ABOUT FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH: Releasing their first album in 2007, Five Finger Death Punch - Zoltan Bathory, guitars; Ivan Moody, vocals; Jason Hook, guitars; Chris Kael, bass; Jeremy Spencer, drums – attained prominence at supersonic speed. The band's aggressive sound is best summed up by co-founder Bathory: "Plain and simple, we are a melodic heavy metal band that's walking the golden middle road between raw musical aggression and catchy melodies. We believe in old school songwriting with a new school sound. At the end of the day, it is still about the songs, and the connection you build between you and the fans. Striking with the powerful force of songs like "The Bleeding," "Bad Company," and "Hard To See," Five Finger Death Punch's first and second albums, The Way of The Fist and War Is the Answer both achieved GOLD status. Their third and most recent album, American Capitalist, (released in October 2011) was #3 on the Billboard Top 200, selling 90K in its' first week, #1 on Billboard's Top Independent chart, #2 Top Rock, Top Hard Rock and Top Digital Albums charts. Two of their singles "Under and Over It" and "Remember Everything" have been Top 10 tracks on Billboard's Rock Songs charts; with an impressive nine tracks on Billboard's Rock Songs chart overall. The energy and excitement of the music of Five Finger Death Punch has reached a large and diverse audience. Besides your typical moshpit-warrior concert goer crowd, you will find nine-year-old kids and their rock show veteran fathers, even their grandfathers, in the audience. It's more than just the music. The band has developed a special relationship with its fans, many of whom are in the U.S. Military. Bathory explains, "We have a very specific message, a very specific attitude. We always felt that success in every walk of life is about standing your ground in adversity. It's about not giving up on your dreams, no matter how impossible they may seem. Life is 'not fair,' and if only the strong survive, you have to become strong both physically and mentally, you have to become both a social and a literal survivalist, a modern day warrior, if you will. As many of our lyrics reflect those ideals, of course we are going to draw the people who share the same principals. ABOUT KILLSWITCH ENGAGE: For their upcoming sixth album, Massachusetts metal pioneers Killswitch Engage reunited with original singer Jesse Leach. Leach's vocals and lyrics on 2002's landmark Alive or Just Breathing are fan-favorite qualities and part of what helped put KsE on the map as one of the most important bands of the '00s metal revival. Leach's return to the fold is welcomed and anticipated by all involved, from the band members themselves to the fans. KsE burst onto the scene with the genre-defining Alive or Just Breathing, notching a Grammy nomination­­ in 2005 for the title track from 2004's Gold-certified The End of Heartache and following up that landmark album with the Gold-selling As Daylight Dies and an appearance on "Jimmy Kimmel Live" along with gracing the covers of countless metal and rock magazines around the world. Through the '00s, KsE adopted a versatile, non-stop touring schedule. The band's road history includes two treks on Ozzfest, stints on Warped Tour and Taste of Chaos, as they have that rare ability to straddle the line between the metal and alternative scenes by touring with Slayer and Mastodon as easily as My Chemical Romance and Underoath. The band's DVD Set This World Ablaze also enjoyed Gold status, proving that KsE have the metallic Midas touch. They established themselves as one of the most successful bands to emerge from the so-called New Wave of American metal. ABOUT TRIVIUM: Trivium are one of the most successful bands to burst from the mid-2000s metal and hard rock world having truly arrived with 2004's critically adored Ascendancy. The Florida band turned heads the minute it arrived on the scene, thanks to the virtuosity of the players. In the past eight years, they've sold over one million albums worldwide, have enjoyed multiple Silver and Gold certifications in the U.K., and have earned their dedicated U.S fanbase through a mix of masterfully thrashy and melodic songs and an Iron Man touring ethos which saw them enjoy a stint on Ozzfest as well as two tours of duty on the Rock Star Energy Drink Mayhem Festival. The band built is reputation the old fashioned way: through a non-stop, grassroots touring schedule. Their global touring history includes treks with the likes of Metallica, Iron Maiden, Black Sabbath and Slipknot. The band's four albums for Roadrunner – the aforementioned Ascendancy, The Crusade, Shogun and the recently released In Waves — have consistently found Trivium topping critical lists and bringing scores of fans into venues. ABOUT POP EVIL: Pop Evil has developed their following the hard way. They have toured the US continuously since their first release, playing nearly 400 shows in support of their latest album, War of Angels. Since its release, the band has managed to land three top ten singles from the record, not easily done by anyone's standards today. Pop Evil is no fly-by-night, fair-weather band. War Of Angels is just one more giant leap in a career that has been built on a solid foundation and is intended to continue onward. Leader/singer Leigh Kakaty says, "At the end of the day, we want our fans to know that we've sacrificed our personal lives for them. We want the people who listen to our music to know that they've become our new family. That's why we've given up so much to do this. They are loved. Music is Love!" ABOUT EMMURE: Emmure from Queens, New York, have been destroying the scene since 2003. They have toured throughout the world, being a part of many huge festivals over the years. The band is comprised of Frankie Palmeri-Vocalist, Jesse Ketive-Guitarist, Mark Davis-Bassist, Mike Mullholland-Guitarist and Mark Castillo-Drummer. Emmure recently completed a US tour with We Came As Romans and will soon be joining label mates God Forbid on the upcoming Trespass America Festival tour, featuring Five Finger Death Punch and starting July 16. Emmure has been part of the Victory Records family for over five years. ABOUT GOD FORBID: New Jersey thrash metal warriors God Forbid have been rocking out worldwide, for over 13 years. Comprised of Byron Davis-Vocalist, Doc Coyle-Guitarist/Vocalist, John Outcalt-Bassist, Matthew Wicklund-Lead Guitarist, and Corey Pierce-Drummer, God Forbid recently released their sixth album, Equilibrium, on March 26, 2012. Currently on tour with Overkill, God Forbid will be joining label mates Emmure on the upcoming Trespass America Festival tour, featuring Five Finger Death Punch and starting July 16. God Forbid has been part of the Victory Records family since August 2011. ABOUT BATTLECROSS: A sonic thrash and death metal assault that leaves audiences pumped with adrenaline, Detroit's Battlecross have come a long way since their recent signing with Metal Blade Records and their release of their debut Pursuit of Honor in August 2011. Since its release, the single "Push Pull Destroy" was the #1 Most Requested Metal Track for five weeks (Sirius Liquid Metal Devil's Dozen List), remains a stable on the Liquid Metal channel, and the track's video has racked up more than 650,000 YouTube views in the last five months. Battlecross has received killer reviews across the internet and in print publications throughout North America and overseas, was named Band of the Month in Metal Hammer Norway and Metal Hammer Spain, and should be no surprise that this blue collar, hard-work ethic that comes from the band's five musicians - Kyle "Gumby" Gunther/vocals, Tony Asta/guitar, Hiran Deraniyagala/guitar, Mike Kreger/drums, Don Slater/bass - translates into a potent force on record as well as on stage. Check out the new Battlecross merch store over at: http://www.shopbenchmark.com/battlecross http://www.fivefingerdeathpunch.com/ http://www.killswitchengage.com/ http://www.trivium.org/ http://www.popevil.com/ http://www.victoryrecords.com/emmure http://www.victoryrecords.com/godforbid http://battlecrossmetal.com/ MI Annex presents: Metal Blade Records 30th Anniversary [unofficial] SXSW Day Party Job for a Cowboy, Cancer Bats, Battlecross, Pilgrim, Gypsyhawk, and Early Graves set to devastate Austin Thursday March 15 Metal Blade Records has teamed up with Musicians Institute Annex (formerly Emo's Annex) and co-sponsors 'stache media to bring you one of the heaviest day parties devastating the streets of Austin this March, featuring Job for a Cowboy, Cancer Bats, Battlecross, Pilgrim, Gypsyhawk, Early Graves, and MI band Truceline. The bands will be hitting the infamous 6th Street location for 6 hours of metal and hard rock, celebrating the label’s 30th Anniversary, with doors opening at 11:30am. The party will be free of charge and open to the public. Be sure to get there early as the first 100 people in will receive a swag bag filled with goodies provided by Metal Blade Records, Indie Merch, and 'stache media. There will also be a raffle held for some bigger ticket items, provided by Metal Blade and Indie Merch. And if a free show and free goodies wasn’t enough, our good friends over at Indie Merch have gone above and beyond the call of duty and contributed to the beer fund. So help us celebrate our 30th anniversary and join us for some great music, some killer giveaways, and free beer while it lasts. And don’t forget to get your raffle ticket at the door for you chance to win some cool items from bands like As I Lay Dying, The Black Dahlia Murder, Behemoth, Goatwhore, and Amon Amarth just to name a few. WHEN: Thursday March 15 – Doors at 1130am – 12pm – 6pm WHERE: MI Annex 522 E. 6th Street, Austin TX FREE!!! Sponsors: http://www.metalblade.com http://www.mi.edu http://www.stachemedia.com http://www.indiemerchstore.com Bands: http://www.metalblade.com/jobforacowboy http://www.metalblade.com/cancerbats http://www.metalblade.com/battlecross http://www.metalblade.com/pilgrim http://www.facebook.com/gypsyhawkusa https://www.facebook.com/truceline Battlecross to hit the road as a part of the Occupation Domination 2012 Tour featuring Origin, Cattle Decapitation, Decrepit Birth, Aborted, and Rings of Saturn The band's first single 'Push Pull Destroy' holds the #1 spot for the most requested new metal track on Sirius XM-Liquid Metal Detroit thrashers BATTLECROSS will be hitting the road as a part of the Occupation Domination 2012 Tour featuring heavyweights Origin, Cattle Decapitation, Decrepit Birth, Aborted, and Rings of Saturn. The Occupation Domination 2012 Tour kicks off at Sonar in Baltimore, MD on April 20 and wraps up May 18 in Lawrence, KS at the Granada Theater. The Occupation Domination 2012 Tour marks BATTLECROSS' first major US tour and will see the band promoting their devastating Metal Blade debut, Pursuit of Honor, which just dropped August 02, 2011. "Battlecross is stoked to share the stage with bands as respected as Origin, Cattle Decapitation, Decrepit Birth, Aborted, and fellow newcomers Rings of Saturn. We're thankful to have the support of Liquid Metal and fan support on YouTube. We anticipate that a lot of kids are going to come out to support the tour and we're going to thank each and every one of them! We can't wait to inject some Detroit thrash into this extremely heavy & talented lineup and make some new friends along the way. See you on the road!" Kyle 'Gumby' Gunther In other news, on Friday February 17 BATTLECROSS landed in the #1 position of Sirius XM's the Devil's Dozen Countdown with their single 'Push Pull Destroy.' Here's what metalhead and Sirius XM-Liquid Metal DJ and Headbanger's Ball host Jose Mangin had to say about BATTLECROSS's recent feat: "They've been stirring up our fan base since day one, clawing their way to the top of the Devil's Dozen Countdown, inciting mobile mosh pits every time they're on Liquid Metal! That's the power of straight to your core American made Metal!" Check out the video for 'Push Pull Destroy' HERE - shot by Roy Warner Creative & Videography on location at the Yankee Air Museum, located on the grounds of the historic Willow Run Airport. It was at Willow Run where Henry Ford mobilized his manufacturing base to contribute to the war efforts by mass producing the B-24 Liberators that provided American Air Power to win WWII for the Allies. The video was shot in front of a number of military aircraft, including a B-52 Stratofortress and a C7 Caribou with a special appearance by the B-17 Yankee Lady, one of the only ten surviving flyable B-17s in the world. The Yankee Air Museum is the home to the Yankee Lady, long considered to be the most beautifully restored of all of the remaining flyable planes. BATTLECROSS will be playing dates leading down to and back from Austin, TX where the band will be performing a very special daytime showcase at SXSW. More details to be announced soon! BATTLECROSS 03/12 Nashville, TN The Muse 03/13 Little Rock, AR Downtown Music Hall 03/14 FortWorth, TX Tom Cats West 03/15 Austin, TX SXSW – details coming soon! 03/17 St Louis, MO Fubar 03/18 Barrington, IL Penny Road Pubb 03/24 Westland, MI Token Lounge - Exploder CD Release Bash w/ Exploder 03/31 Peru, IN Hangar 18 w/ Deliver Us From Evil End tour Occupation Domination 2012 Tour featuring: Origin, CATTLE DECAPITATION, Decrepit Birth, Aborted, Rings of Saturn, and BATTLECROSS 04/20 Baltimore, MD Sonar 04/21 Wilmington, DE Mojo 13 04/22 Trenton, NJ Backstage at Champs 04/23 Keene, NH Railroad Tavern 04/24 Brooklyn, NY Europa 04/26 Peoria, IL Brass Rail 04/27 Joliet, IL Mojoe's 04/28 Portage, IN Camelot Arena 04/29 St Louis, MO Fubar 05/02 Albuquerque, NM El Rey Theater 05/04 San Diego, CA Ruby Room 05/05 Tempe, AZ The Clubhouse 05/06 Hollywood, CA The Whisky A Go-Go 05/07 Fullerton, CA Slidebar 05/08 San Francisco, CA DNA Lounge 05/09 Stockton, CA Plea For Peace 05/10 Sparks, NV The Alley 05/11 Portland, OR Branx 05/12 Seattle, WA Studio Seven 05/13 Boise, ID The Venue 05/14 Salt Lake City, UT In The Venue 05/15 Denver, CO The Summit Music Hall 05/18 Lawrence, KS Granada Theater BATTLECROSS is: Kyle 'Gumby' Gunther - Vocals Tony Asta - Guitar Hiran Deraniyagala - Guitar Mike Kreger - Drums Don Slater - Bassist Keep up-to-date with BATTLECROSS at the following locations: http://www.metalblade.com/battlecross http://www.battlecrossmetal.com http://www.reverbnation.com/battlecross http://www.facebook.com/battlecrossmetal http://www.twitter.com/battlecross http://www.youtube.com/battlecrossmi http://www.myspace.com/battlecross BATTLECROSS comments on their performance at CMJ and their upcoming tour with Full Blown Chaos and Rose Funeral Live video for "Push Pull Destroy" now available Battlecross will be hitting the road in November alongside Rose Funeral, Diamond Plate in support of hardcore vets Full Blown Chaos. In a new video on their official youtube channel, the band talks about the upcoming tour as well their recent performance at the CMJ Metalsucks/Thousand Knives showcase with Kvelertak, Skeletownwitch and more. That video can be seen now HERE. For fans that haven't yet seen Battlecross live, a new live video for Push Pull Destroy has been made available HERE. Their live show is just as dynamic and aggressive as the music and will not disappoint! The band's Metal Blade debut, Pursuit of Honor, was released August 2nd, 2011 and was recorded, mixed, and mastered at Random Awesome Recording Studio in Bay City, MI and produced by Battlecross and Josh Schroeder. "a thick spread of no-fuss metallic gunfire" Metal Hammer "You'll mosh, you'll sweat, and you'll remember. Easily one of the better metal debuts of 2011, "Pursuit of Honor" will leave you breathless, maybe even skinless" Blabbermouth "a mix of Black Dahlia Murder-esque savagery and Testament-live precision." Revolver Magazine "Ugly, intense, and dated in that perfect way, the riffs are ferocious and widdly, and the singing is growly. Brings to mind old Exodus and death metal bands like Morbid Angel. Magnificent." Detroit's Metro Times Listen and order now at MetalBlade.com. BATTLECROSS Tour w/ Full Blown Chaos, ROSE FUNERAL, Diamond Plate 11/11 Trenton, NJ Championships *no Rose Funeral 11/12 Towson, MD The Recher Theater *no Rose Funeral 11/13 Fayetteville, NC The Rock Shop *no Rose Funeral 11/15 Spartanburg, SC Ground Zero 11/16 Atlanta, GA The Masquerade 11/17 Nashville, TN The Muse 11/18 Little Rock, AR The Village 11/19 Oklahoma City, OK Big Papa's Poor House 11/20 Fort Worth, TX Tomcats 11/22 St. Louis, MO Fubar 11/23 Topeka, KS Booby Trap 11/24 Minneapolis, MN First Avenue and 7th Street Entry 11/25 Des Moines, IA House Of Bricks 11/26 Chicago, IL Reggies Rock Club 11/27 La Crosse, WI The Warehouse 11/28 Joliet, IL Mojoes 11/29 Louisville, KY Keswick Democratic Club 12/01 Wheeling, WV Yesterdays Pub 12/02 Greensburg, PA 42nd Street Rock Club 12/03 Buffalo, NY Sonic Indian http://www.metalblade.com/battlecross/ ROSE FUNERAL to join Full Blown Chaos, Battlecross and Diamond Plate for November-December tour! Rose Funeral released Gates of Punishment on September 27th and has thus far been heralded as the band's best effort to date. Fans that have seen Rose Funeral live in the past know that the band puts on an intense show. This tour will be no different with guitarist Ryan Gardner now handling vocal duties. Rose Funeral will be joining the tour on November 15th in Spartanburg, SC. Recently, Rose Funeral shot a video for Beyond the Entombed. The video is dark, blasphemous and will be premiering worldwide soon. Gates of Punishment is a fitting progression of the band's dark and foreboding sound. Guest vocal appearances from local Cincinnati opera singer, Kate Alexander, and Steve Tucker of Morbid Angel add to the dark atmosphere that is created throughout the album. Seven string guitars tuned to drop A, haunting melodies, insane blasts and enough groove to keep heads banging will make this one of the heaviest releases of 2011. "it is the best album the band has written to date" MetalUndeground.com "intensely executed…surgical perfection" Power Play Magazine Listen to Beyond The Entombed HERE. ROSE FUNERAL & BATTLECROSS Tour w/ Full Blown Chaos, Diamond Plate 11/11 Trenton, NJ Championships *no Rose Funeral 11/12 Towson, MD The Recher Theater *no Rose Funeral 11/13 Fayetteville, NC The Rock Shop *no Rose Funeral 11/15 Spartanburg, SC Ground Zero 11/16 Atlanta, GA The Masquerade 11/17 Nashville, TN The Muse 11/18 Little Rock, AR The Village 11/19 Oklahoma City, OK Big Papa’s Poor House 11/20 Fort Worth, TX Tomcats 11/22 St. Louis, MO Fubar 11/23 Topeka, KS Booby Trap 11/24 Minneapolis, MN First Avenue and 7th Street Entry 11/25 Des Moines, IA House Of Bricks 11/26 Chicago, IL Reggies Rock Club 11/27 La Crosse, WI The Warehouse 11/28 Joliet, IL Mojoes 11/29 Louisville, KY Keswick Democratic Club 12/01 Wheeling, WV Yesterdays Pub 12/02 Greensburg, PA 42nd Street Rock Club 12/03 Buffalo, NY Sonic Indian Videos, music and links to the band's social pages can be found here: http://www.metalblade.com/rosefuneral/ Battlecross: worldwide premiere of debut music video now live Metal Injection hosts the Detroit, MI band’s video for the track ‘Push, Pull, Destroy’ Starting today, Metal Injection is hosting the worldwide premiere of the debut music video from Detroit, MI’s BATTLECROSS for the track Push Pull Destroy -the first single off of their debut album Pursuit of Honor out August 2. Check it out HERE. The video for Push Pull Destroy was shot by Roy Warner Creative & Videography on location at the Yankee Air Museum, located on the grounds of the historic Willow Run Airport. It was at Willow Run where Henry Ford mobilized his manufacturing base to contribute to the war efforts by mass producing the B-24 Liberators that provided American Air Power to win WWII for the Allies. The video was shot in front of a number of military aircraft, including a B-52 Stratofortress and a C7 Caribou with a special appearance by the B-17 Yankee Lady, one of the only ten surviving flyable B-17s in the world. The Yankee Air Museum is the home to the Yankee Lady, long considered to be the most beautifully restored of all of the remaining flyable planes. This picture is of particular significance because only a day prior to the video shoot, the B-17 Liberty Belle crash landed outside of Chicago, IL and was destroyed. The crew exited safely before the plane was engulfed by flames---another testament to her strength and service to protect its crew. Portions of the video were shot at the former Packard Automobile Plant in Detroit, MI. Long abandoned and in ruins, the shoot location is reminiscent of the destruction in Germany by the mighty eighth air force of WWII. The band’s full-length debut, Pursuit of Honor, comes out August 2 in North America and is streaming in its entirety on Revolver Magazine’s site HERE. Make sure to check it out now as the stream ends on street date. BATTLECROSS is: Kyle ‘Gumby’ Gunther-Vocals Tony Asta-Guitar Hiran Deraniyagala-Guitar Mike Kreger-Drums Don Slater-Bassist Keep up-to-date with BATTLECROSS at the following locations: www.metalblade.com/battlecross www.battlecrossmetal.com www.reverbnation.com/battlecross www.facebook.com/battlecrossmetal www.twitter.com/battlecross www.youtube.com/battlecrossmi www.myspace.com/battlecross About the band: With the mindset to create a sonic metal assault unlike any other, childhood friends, Tony Asta and Hiran Deraniyagala, set forth on the path to shred and abandoned the idea of following any trends. The guitar slinging duo brought an infused style of old school metal with dark elements of thrash and death metal and destined to find the right members. Struggling for years to find reliable and dedicated members, the true formation of BATTLECROSS was born in 2007 when drummer Mike Kreger responded to a want ad, and added a machine-like, brutal precision on the drums, and proved to be just the right match for Tony and Hiran’s mature and technical style of thrash. Bringing a whole new level of musicianship and intensity with his quick finger picking and tasty solos, bassist Don Slater joined the group, bringing a skill and technique that impresses even the most prolific bassists. The thrash metal band was finally complete when popular area vocalist, Kyle “Gumby” Gunther joined the band. Known for his command of the stage and alternating deep growls with high pitched screams, Gumby punishes the audience and inspires pits of rage. Together, the five-piece create an unforgettable and energetic live show that decimates their audience with raw energy and persistence, that has earned a style of their own: “Blue Collar Thrash Metal”, in reference to the hard-working, ‘never give up’ attitude of those who hail from the Motor City. This reputation for technical talent, humility and kick ass live shows resonated throughout the regional metal scene and BATTLECROSS soon became a fan and band favorite. Sharing the stage with the likes of Dying Fetus, GWAR, Devil Driver, The Absence, Vital Remains, The Faceless and Metal Fests throughout the Midwest, BATTLECROSS began to bang heads nationally with a nod from MySpace-A Place for Metal’s 2008 ‘Best Unsigned Metal Band’ contest, for being ‘Metal Sucks’ worthy, Mike Kreger’s crowning as Sickdrummer.com & Zildjian’s ‘Sickest Dirt Fest Drummer’ and featured on local, national and global metal radio. Incorporating many elements of extreme thrash, death and tech metal, creating a precise blend of fist pumping brutality, intensity, and drive, BATTLECROSS satisfies both the tech-metal guru and the old-school die hard alike. The band’s Metal Blade debut is set to release August 2nd, 2011, followed by a tour that will bring a face melting thrash metal assault. The band’s Metal Blade debut was recorded, mixed, and mastered at Random Awesome Recording Studio in Bay City, MI and produced by BATTLECROSS and Josh Schroeder. BATTLECROSS' "Pursuit of Honor" album art time lapse video is up on MetalInjection.net "Pursuit of Honor" to be released August 2nd, new music video coming soon Detroit, MI's Battlecross commissioned artist Josh Schroeder to draw the art for Pursuit of Honor. The art was done entirely by hand in ink and then colored in photoshop. The entire process can be seen exclusively on MetalInjection.net HERE. The video gives fans a glimpse of the pain-staking detail behind creating a piece of original art for the cover. BATTLECROSS's first music video for the track Push, Pull, Destroy is set to premiere with MetalInjection.net on release date, August 2. Make sure to head over to the site to check it out, leave a comment and spread the word. Revolver Magazine is currently hosting a worldwide premiere of BATTLECROSS's upcoming full-length debut Pursuit of Honor, scheduled to hit North American record shelves on August 2nd. Pursuit of Honor contains 11 tracks (10 songs plus intro) that Metal Assault says are "bristling with fist-pumping, face-melting heavy metal at its finest." While Metal Sucks notes "Guitarists Tony Asta and Hiran Deraniyagala of Detroit's BATTLECROSS are childhood friends just like Axl and Vince — ain't that cute? But for realz, there's a certain kind of chemistry that comes with knowing someone for so long, and in the case of BATTLECROSS you can hear it in the tightness, conciseness and stellar riffery of their MB debut Pursuit of Honor." "Our mindset was to deliver a no bulls***, straight to the point, bang your head, relentless punishment kind of record. I want this album to give people chills. Like driving 90 in a 40 mph speed zone and not even realizing it. We want people to feel like they can take on the world after listening to this record" comments the band on the album. To check out Pursuit of Honor in its entirety, point your browser HERE. The stream will run from July 25 to August 1, the day before the record hits streets. BATTLECROSS is: Kyle 'Gumby' Gunther-Vocals Tony Asta-Guitar Hiran Deraniyagala-Guitar Mike Kreger-Drums Don Slater-Bassist Keep up-to-date with BATTLECROSS at the following locations: www.metalblade.com/battlecross www.battlecrossmetal.com www.reverbnation.com/battlecross www.facebook.com/battlecrossmetal www.twitter.com/battlecross www.youtube.com/battlecrossmi www.myspace.com/battlecross Battlecross: Full album stream premieres on Revolver Magazine's site Music video for Push, Pull, Destroy to debut on Metal Injection Today, Revolver Magazine hosts a worldwide premiere of BATTLECROSS's upcoming full-length debut Pursuit of Honor, scheduled to hit North American record shelves on August 2nd. Pursuit of Honor contains 11 tracks (10 songs plus intro) that Metal Assault says are "bristling with fist-pumping, face-melting heavy metal at its finest." While Metal Sucks notes "Guitarists Tony Asta and Hiran Deraniyagala of Detroit's BATTLECROSS are childhood friends just like Axl and Vince — ain't that cute? But for realz, there's a certain kind of chemistry that comes with knowing someone for so long, and in the case of BATTLECROSS you can hear it in the tightness, conciseness and stellar riffery of their MB debut Pursuit of Honor." "Our mindset was to deliver a no bulls***, straight to the point, bang your head, relentless punishment kind of record. I want this album to give people chills. Like driving 90 in a 40 mph speed zone and not even realizing it. We want people to feel like they can take on the world after listening to this record" comments the band of the record. To check out Pursuit of Honor in its entirety, point your browser HERE. The stream will run from July 25 to August 1, the day before the record hits streets. "Blurring the lines of old-school thrash and new-school melodic deathcore, these 10 songs plus intro have that knack of producing instantaneous aural excitement… With Pursuit of Honor, they prove Americans can balance thrash, death and a touch of the modern screams without pandering to the lowest common denominator." 8.5/10 Blistering.com "Overall I would go as far as saying that this is one of the most 'complete' heavy metal albums I have heard in recent times. Not only does it have elements that fans of a variety of sub-genres can relate to, but it combines them excellently well to result in a very cohesive, well-rounded album. Whether you're a fan of traditional metal stalwarts like Iron Maiden, groove metal heavyweights like Pantera and Lamb of God, Megadeth-esque technical thrash metal, death metal, or even power metal, you will most definitely enjoy this album." 9 ½ / 10 MetalAssault.com In other news; BATTLECROSS's first music video for the track Push, Pull, Destroy is set to premiere with MetalInjection.net on release date, August 2. Make sure to head over to the site to check it out, leave a comment and spread the word. Push, Pull, Destroy was shot by Roy Warner Creative & Videography on location at the Yankee Air Museum, located on the grounds of the historic Willow Run Airport. It was at Willow Run where Henry Ford mobilized his manufacturing base to contribute to the war efforts by mass producing the B-24 Liberators that provided American Air Power to win WWII for the Allies. MetalInjection.net will also premiere a time-lapsed video showing the creation of the album artwork to Pursuit of Honor. Stay tuned to MetalBlade.com for launch date details. BATTLECROSS is: Kyle 'Gumby' Gunther-Vocals Tony Asta-Guitar Hiran Deraniyagala-Guitar Mike Kreger-Drums Don Slater-Bassist Keep up-to-date with BATTLECROSS at the following locations: www.metalblade.com/battlecross www.battlecrossmetal.com www.reverbnation.com/battlecross www.facebook.com/battlecrossmetal www.twitter.com/battlecross www.youtube.com/battlecrossmi www.myspace.com/battlecross About the band: With the mindset to create a sonic metal assault unlike any other, childhood friends, Tony Asta and Hiran Deraniyagala, set forth on the path to shred and abandoned the idea of following any trends. The guitar slinging duo brought an infused style of old school metal with dark elements of thrash and death metal and destined to find the right members. Struggling for years to find reliable and dedicated members, the true formation of BATTLECROSS was born in 2007 when Drummer Mike Kreger responded a want ad, and added a machine-like, brutal precision on the drums, and proved to be just the right match for Tony and Hiran's mature and technical style of thrash. Bringing a whole new level of musicianship and intensity with his quick finger picking and tasty solos, Bassist Don Slater joined the group, bringing a skill and technique that impresses even the most prolific bassists. The thrash metal band was finally complete when popular area vocalist, Kyle "Gumby" Gunther joined the band. Known for his command of the stage and alternating deep growls with high pitched screams, Gumby punishes the audience and inspires pits of rage. Together, the five-piece create an unforgettable and energetic live show that decimates their audience with raw energy and persistence, that has earned a style of their own: "Blue Collar Thrash Metal", in reference to the hard-working, 'never give up' attitude of those who hail from the Motor City. This reputation for technical talent, humility and kick ass live shows resonated throughout the regional metal scene and BATTLECROSS soon became a fan and band favorite. Sharing the stage with the likes of Dying Fetus, GWAR, Devil Driver, The Absence, Vital Remains, The Faceless and Metal Fests throughout the Midwest, BATTLECROSS began to bang heads nationally with a nod from MySpace-A Place for Metal's 2008 'Best Unsigned Metal Band' contest, for being 'Metal Sucks' worthy, Mike Kreger's crowning as Sickdrummer.com & Zildjian's 'Sickest Dirt Fest Drummer' and featured on local, national and global metal radio. Incorporating many elements of extreme thrash, death and tech metal, creating a precise blend of fist pumping brutality, intensity, and drive, BATTLECROSS satisfies both the tech-metal guru and the old-school die hard alike. The band's Metal Blade debut is set to release August 2nd, 2011, followed by a tour that will bring a face melting thrash metal assault. The band's Metal Blade debut was recorded, mixed, and mastered at Random Awesome Recording Studio in Bay City, MI and produced by BATTLECROSS and Josh Schroeder. Battlecross: new single premieres on Bloody Disgusting today Worldwide premiere of the track 'Man of Stone' now live Bloody Disgusting is currently hosting the worldwide premiere of the new single Man of Stone from Detroit Michigan's BATTLECROSS. The track comes from the band's full-length debut Pursuit of Honor, out August 2nd in North America via Metal Blade Records. Listen to the track HERE and if you like what you hear be sure to spread the word to your friends. "Guitarists Tony Asta and Hiran Deraniyagala of Detroit's Battlecross are childhood friends just like Axl and Vince — ain't that cute? But for realz, there's a certain kind of chemistry that comes with knowing someone for so long, and in the case of Battlecross, Metal Blade Records' latest signees, you can hear it in the tightness, conciseness and stellar riffery of their MB debut Pursuit of Honor." MetalSucks.net "11 tracks bristling with fist-pumping, face-melting heavy metal at its finest… Overall, I would go as far as saying that this is one of the most 'complete' heavy metal albums I have heard in recent times. Not only does it have elements that fans of a variety of sub-genres can relate to, but it combines them excellently well to result in a very cohesive, well-rounded album. Whether you're a fan of traditional metal stalwarts like Iron Maiden, groove metal heavyweights like Pantera and Lamb of God, Megadeth-esque technical thrash metal, death metal, or even power metal, you will most definitely enjoy this album." 9.5 out of 10 MetalAssault.com Metalheads can also check out the first single Push Pull Destroy HERE and the second single Breaking You HERE. Track listing for Pursuit of Honor 1. Pursuit of Honor 2. Push Pull Destroy 3. Kaleb 4. Deception 5. Man of Stone 6. Breaking You 7. Rupture 8. Leech 9. Better Off Dead 10. Misery 11. Foreshadowing BATTLECROSS is: Kyle 'Gumby' Gunther-Vocals Tony Asta-Guitar Hiran Deraniyagala-Guitar Mike Kreger-Drums Don Slater-Bassist Keep up-to-date with BATTLECROSS at the following locations: www.metalblade.com/battlecross www.battlecrossmetal.com www.reverbnation.com/battlecross www.facebook.com/battlecrossmetal www.twitter.com/battlecross www.youtube.com/battlecrossmi www.myspace.com/battlecross About the band: With the mindset to create a sonic metal assault unlike any other, childhood friends, Tony Asta and Hiran Deraniyagala, set forth on the path to shred and abandoned the idea of following any trends. The guitar slinging duo brought an infused style of old school metal with dark elements of thrash and death metal and destined to find the right members. Struggling for years to find reliable and dedicated members, the true formation of BATTLECROSS was born in 2007 when drummer Mike Kreger responded a want ad, and added a machine-like, brutal precision on the drums, and proved to be just the right match for Tony and Hiran's mature and technical style of thrash. Bringing a whole new level of musicianship and intensity with his quick finger picking and tasty solos, bassist Don Slater joined the group, bringing a skill and technique that impresses even the most prolific bassists. The thrash metal band was finally complete when popular area vocalist, Kyle "Gumby" Gunther joined the band. Known for his command of the stage and alternating deep growls with high pitched screams, Gumby punishes the audience and inspires pits of rage. Together, the five-piece create an unforgettable and energetic live show that decimates their audience with raw energy and persistence, that has earned a style of their own: "Blue Collar Thrash Metal", in reference to the hard-working, 'never give up' attitude of those who hail from the Motor City. This reputation for technical talent, humility and kick ass live shows resonated throughout the regional metal scene and BATTLECROSS soon became a fan and band favorite. Sharing the stage with the likes of Dying Fetus, GWAR, Devil Driver, The Absence, Vital Remains, The Faceless and Metal Fests throughout the Midwest, BATTLECROSS began to bang heads nationally with a nod from MySpace-A Place for Metal's 2008 'Best Unsigned Metal Band' contest, for being 'Metal Sucks' worthy, Mike Kreger's crowning as Sickdrummer.com & Zildjian's 'Sickest Dirt Fest Drummer' and featured on local, national and global metal radio. Incorporating many elements of extreme thrash, death and tech metal, creating a precise blend of fist pumping brutality, intensity, and drive, BATTLECROSS satisfies both the tech-metal guru and the old-school die hard alike. The band's Metal Blade debut is set to release August 2nd, 2011, followed by a tour that will bring a face melting thrash metal assault. The band's Metal Blade debut was recorded, mixed, and mastered at Random Awesome Recording Studio in Bay City, MI and produced by BATTLECROSS and Josh Schroeder. Battlecross: new single premieres on Metal Sucks today Worldwide premiere of the track 'Breaking You' now live Agoura Hills, CA – July 6th, 2011 – Metal Sucks is currently hosting the worldwide premiere of the new single Breaking You from Detroit Michigan's BATTLECROSS. The track comes from the band's full-length debut Pursuit of Honor, out August 2nd in North America via Metal Blade Records. Listen to the track that Metal Sucks states "is one of the fastest, leanest, thrashiest cuts of meat this album has to offer and represents BATTLECROSS at their heaviest and most unique" HERE and if you like what you hear be sure to spread the word to your friends. Metalheads can also check out the first single Push Pull Destroy HERE Track listing for Pursuit of Honor: 1. Pursuit of Honor 2. Push Pull Destroy 3. Kaleb 4. Deception 5. Man of Stone 6. Breaking You 7. Rupture 8. Leech 9. Better Off Dead 10. Misery 11. Foreshadowing BATTLECROSS is: Kyle 'Gumby' Gunther-Vocals Tony Asta-Guitar Hiran Deraniyagala-Guitar Mike Kreger-Drums Don Slater-Bassist Keep up-to-date with BATTLECROSS at the following locations: http://www.metalblade.com/battlecross http://www.battlecrossmetal.com http://www.reverbnation.com/battlecross http://www.facebook.com/battlecrossmetal http://twitter.com/battlecross http://www.youtube.com/battlecrossmi http://www.myspace.com/battlecross About the band: With the mindset to create a sonic metal assault unlike any other, childhood friends, Tony Asta and Hiran Deraniyagala, set forth on the path to shred and abandoned the idea of following any trends. The guitar slinging duo brought an infused style of old school metal with dark elements of thrash and death metal and destined to find the right members. Struggling for years to find reliable and dedicated members, the true formation of BATTLECROSS was born in 2007 when Drummer Mike Kreger responded a want ad, and added a machine-like, brutal precision on the drums, and proved to be just the right match for Tony and Hiran's mature and technical style of thrash. Bringing a whole new level of musicianship and intensity with his quick finger picking and tasty solos, Bassist Don Slater joined the group, bringing a skill and technique that impresses even the most prolific bassists. The thrash metal band was finally complete when popular area vocalist, Kyle "Gumby" Gunther joined the band. Known for his command of the stage and alternating deep growls with high pitched screams, Gumby punishes the audience and inspires pits of rage. Together, the five-piece create an unforgettable and energetic live show that decimates their audience with raw energy and persistence, that has earned a style of their own: "Blue Collar Thrash Metal", in reference to the hard-working, 'never give up' attitude of those who hail from the Motor City. This reputation for technical talent, humility and kick ass live shows resonated throughout the regional metal scene and BATTLECROSS soon became a fan and band favorite. Sharing the stage with the likes of Dying Fetus, GWAR, Devil Driver, The Absence, Vital Remains, The Faceless and Metal Fests throughout the Midwest, BATTLECROSS began to bang heads nationally with a nod from MySpace-A Place for Metal's 2008 'Best Unsigned Metal Band' contest, for being 'Metal Sucks' worthy, Mike Kreger's crowning as Sickdrummer.com & Zildjian's 'Sickest Dirt Fest Drummer' and featured on local, national and global metal radio. Incorporating many elements of extreme thrash, death and tech metal, creating a precise blend of fist pumping brutality, intensity, and drive, BATTLECROSS satisfies both the tech-metal guru and the old-school die hard alike. The band's Metal Blade debut is set to release August 2nd, 2011, followed by a tour that will bring a face melting thrash metal assault. The band's Metal Blade debut was recorded, mixed, and mastered at Random Awesome Recording Studio in Bay City, MI and produced by BATTLECROSS and Josh Schroeder. Battlecross get photo with legendry WWII B-17 Flying Fortress during video shoot for 'Push Pull Destroy' Recently, Detroit, MI's BATTLECROSS were shooting a video for Push Pull Destroy -the first single off of their debut album Pursuit of Honor- shot by Roy Warner Creative & Videography on location at the Yankee Air Museum, located on the grounds of the historic Willow Run Airport. It was at Willow Run where Henry Ford mobilized his manufacturing base to contribute to the war efforts by mass producing the B-24 Liberators that provided American Air Power to win WWII for the Allies. In this photo, BATTLECROSS is shot in front of the Yankee Lady, the famous and rare WWII Boeing B-17G Flying Fortress, a heavy bomber that was the most powerful American aircraft in the war. Capable of defending itself with 13 machine guns on board, the B-17 often returned home from missions with honor despite extensive battle. This message of the power of perseverance of epic proportions is one of the values that BATTLECROSS strives to portray in the video, telling a story that brutality, combined with honor and duty is what overcomes all threats—threats to our country and to ourselves. The video was shot in front of a number of military aircraft, including a B-52 Stratofortress and a C7 Caribou with a special appearance by the B-17 Yankee Lady, one of the only ten surviving flyable B-17s in the world. The Yankee Air Museum is the home to the Yankee Lady, long considered to be the most beautifully restored of all of the remaining flyable planes. This picture is of particular significance because only a day prior to the video shoot, the B-17 Liberty Belle crash landed outside of Chicago, IL and was destroyed. The crew exited safely before the plane was engulfed by flames---another testament to her strength and service to protect its crew. Portions of the video were shot at the former Packard Automobile Plant in Detroit, MI. Long abandoned and in ruins, the shoot location is reminiscent of the destruction in Germany by the mighty eighth air force of WWII. Stay tuned for more information and premiere date and location of BATTLECROSS' first music video for the track Push Pull Destroy. The band's full-length debut Pursuit of Honor comes out August 2nd in North America. Metalheads can check out the single Push Pull Destroy as well as view a video teaser and pre-order the album at the following location: http://www.metalblade.com/battlecross/ Track listing for Pursuit of Honor 1. Pursuit of Honor 2. Push Pull Destroy 3. Kaleb 4. Deception 5. Man of Stone 6. Breaking You 7. Rupture 8. Leech 9. Better Off Dead 10. Misery 11. Foreshadowing BATTLECROSS is: Kyle 'Gumby' Gunther-Vocals Tony Asta-Guitar Hiran Deraniyagala-Guitar Mike Kreger-Drums Don Slater-Bassist Keep up-to-date with BATTLECROSS at the following locations: www.metalblade.com/battlecross www.battlecrossmetal.com www.reverbnation.com/battlecross www.facebook.com/battlecrossmetal www.twitter.com/battlecross www.youtube.com/battlecrossmi www.myspace.com/battlecross About the band: With the mindset to create a sonic metal assault unlike any other, childhood friends, Tony Asta and Hiran Deraniyagala, set forth on the path to shred and abandoned the idea of following any trends. The guitar slinging duo brought an infused style of old school metal with dark elements of thrash and death metal and destined to find the right members. Struggling for years to find reliable and dedicated members, the true formation of BATTLECROSS was born in 2007 when Drummer Mike Kreger responded a want ad, and added a machine-like, brutal precision on the drums, and proved to be just the right match for Tony and Hiran's mature and technical style of thrash. Bringing a whole new level of musicianship and intensity with his quick finger picking and tasty solos, bassist Don Slater joined the group, bringing a skill and technique that impresses even the most prolific bassists. The thrash metal band was finally complete when popular area vocalist, Kyle "Gumby" Gunther joined the band. Known for his command of the stage and alternating deep growls with high pitched screams, Gumby punishes the audience and inspires pits of rage. Together, the five-piece create an unforgettable and energetic live show that decimates their audience with raw energy and persistence, that has earned a style of their own: "Blue Collar Thrash Metal", in reference to the hard-working, 'never give up' attitude of those who hail from the Motor City. This reputation for technical talent, humility and kick ass live shows resonated throughout the regional metal scene and BATTLECROSS soon became a fan and band favorite. Sharing the stage with the likes of Dying Fetus, GWAR, Devil Driver, The Absence, Vital Remains, The Faceless and Metal Fests throughout the Midwest, BATTLECROSS began to bang heads nationally with a nod from MySpace-A Place for Metal's 2008 'Best Unsigned Metal Band' contest, for being 'Metal Sucks' worthy, Mike Kreger's crowning as Sickdrummer.com & Zildjian's 'Sickest Dirt Fest Drummer' and featured on local, national and global metal radio. Incorporating many elements of extreme thrash, death and tech metal, creating a precise blend of fist pumping brutality, intensity, and drive, BATTLECROSS satisfies both the tech-metal guru and the old-school die hard alike. The band's Metal Blade debut is set to release August 2nd, 2011, followed by a tour that will bring a face melting thrash metal assault. The band's Metal Blade debut was recorded, mixed, and mastered at Random Awesome Recording Studio in Bay City, MI and produced by BATTLECROSS and Josh Schroeder. Battlecross: Album artwork, tracklisting, single, and preorders now available! Detroit Michigan metal act Battlecross talks about first single & album artwork for "Pursuit of Honor" Detroit Michigan’s BATTLECROSS has just released the artwork and tracklisting for the band’s full-length debut Pursuit of Honor, out August 2nd in North America. A band that incorporates many elements of extreme thrash, death and tech metal, creating a precise blend of fist pumping brutality, intensity, and drive, BATTLECROSS satisfies both the technical metal aficionado and the casual heavy metal listener alike. The band comments on album artwork that was created by Josh Schroeder: "The album artwork for Pursuit of Honor was created by the same mastermind who co-produced, mixed, and mastered this album, Josh Schroeder. He made a few merch designs for us in the past and we knew we wanted him to create the album art as well, first of all to keep everything cohesive and relevant, also because we love his unique style and vision, and lastly because he knows us so well. We feel the artwork depicts a strong sense of power and aggression with a leader among warriors. The Pursuit of Honor refers to the ongoing battle within us and the struggle to overcome, to crush all obstacles, and prevail at all costs." Also available today is the band’s first single Push Pull Destroy. Vocalist Gumby comments on the band’s first single off of Pursuit of Honor: "When I sing this song I think about how hard it was to even get to this point and the hard road still to come. It’s about overcoming all and coming out on the other side stronger. Push Pull Destroy is in your face with a blend of intense rage and epic power from the first scream to the ending bass line." Check out the first single Push Pull Destroy HERE where you can also find specially priced pre-order packages including the CD and CD & T-shirt. Tracklisting for Pursuit of Honor 1. Pursuit of Honor 2. Push Pull Destroy 3. Kaleb 4. Deception 5. Man of Stone 6. Breaking You 7. Rupture 8. Leech 9. Better Off Dead 10. Misery 11. Foreshadowing BATTLECROSS created a video as a teaser for the new album, which fans can check out HERE. BATTLECROSS is: Kyle ‘Gumby’ Gunther-Vocals Tony Asta-Guitar Hiran Deraniyagala-Guitar Mike Kreger-Drums Don Slater-Bassist Keep up-to-date with BATTLECROSS at the following locations: http://www.metalblade.com/battlecross http://www.battlecrossmetal.com http://www.reverbnation.com/battlecross http://www.facebook.com/battlecrossmetal http://www.twitter.com/battlecross http://www.youtube.com/battlecrossmi http://www.myspace.com/battlecross About the band: With the mindset to create a sonic metal assault unlike any other, childhood friends, Tony Asta and Hiran Deraniyagala, set forth on the path to shred and abandoned the idea of following any trends. The guitar slinging duo brought an infused style of old school metal with dark elements of thrash and death metal and destined to find the right members. Struggling for years to find reliable and dedicated members, the true formation of BATTLECROSS was born in 2007 when Drummer Mike Kreger responded a want ad, and added a machine-like, brutal precision on the drums, and proved to be just the right match for Tony and Hiran’s mature and technical style of thrash. Bringing a whole new level of musicianship and intensity with his quick finger picking and tasty solos, Bassist Don Slater joined the group, bringing a skill and technique that impresses even the most prolific bassists. The thrash metal band was finally complete when popular area vocalist, Kyle "Gumby" Gunther joined the band. Known for his command of the stage and alternating deep growls with high pitched screams, Gumby punishes the audience and inspires pits of rage. Together, the five-piece create an unforgettable and energetic live show that decimates their audience with raw energy and persistence, that has earned a style of their own: "Blue Collar Thrash Metal", in reference to the hard-working, ‘never give up’ attitude of those who hail from the Motor City. This reputation for technical talent, humility and kick ass live shows resonated throughout the regional metal scene and BATTLECROSS soon became a fan and band favorite. Sharing the stage with the likes of Dying Fetus, GWAR, Devil Driver, The Absence, Vital Remains, The Faceless and Metal Fests throughout the Midwest, BATTLECROSS began to bang heads nationally with a nod from MySpace-A Place for Metal’s 2008 ‘Best Unsigned Metal Band’ contest, for being ‘Metal Sucks’ worthy, Mike Kreger’s crowning as Sickdrummer.com & Zildjian’s ‘Sickest Dirt Fest Drummer’ and featured on local, national and global metal radio. Incorporating many elements of extreme thrash, death and tech metal, creating a precise blend of fist pumping brutality, intensity, and drive, BATTLECROSS satisfies both the tech-metal guru and the old-school die hard alike. The band’s Metal Blade debut is set to release August 2nd, 2011, followed by a tour that will bring a face melting thrash metal assault. The band’s Metal Blade debut was recorded, mixed, and mastered at Random Awesome Recording Studio in Bay City, MI and produced by BATTLECROSS and Josh Schroeder. Metal Blade Records signs Detroit Michigan metal act Battlecross! Debut full-length set for release this summer! Agoura Hills, CA – May 2nd, 2011 – Metal Blade Records is pleased to announce the latest addition to its roster; Detroit Michigan’s very own BATTLECROSS. Incorporating many elements of extreme thrash, death and tech metal, creating a precise blend of fist pumping brutality, intensity, and drive, BATTLECROSS satisfies both the technical metal snob and the knuckle-dragging metal jock alike. “We are extremely honored to join such a respected label and humbled by their belief in our music. We’re stoked to be part of a label that has a great roster of bands we all admire and respect!” says guitarist Tony Asta. Hiran Deraniyagala (guitarist) adds, “We understand the hard work and pavement pounding that is required of a Metal Blade band and we are going to work our asses’ off to show the world what we’re about.” “We have been keeping our eyes on BATTLECROSS for some time now and watching the band grow into quite a beast. We feel confident that metalheads across the world will enjoy the ferocity and dedication that BATTLECROSS will be bringing forth on their debut album as well as the stage,” comments Kelli Malella of Metal Blade Records. The band’s Metal Blade debut is expected this summer followed by a grueling tour schedule that will bring a face melting thrash metal assault. Hide your pizza - hide your beer, because BATTLECROSS wants it all! Check out the following video of BATTLECROSS to get a taste of what’s to come. More information on album title, release date, and shows will be coming soon. BATTLECROSS is: Kyle ‘Gumby’ Gunther-Vocals Tony Asta-Guitar Hiran Deraniyagala-Guitar Mike Kreger-Drums Don Slater-Bassist Keep up-to-date with BATTLECROSS at the following locations: www.battlecrossmetal.com www.reverbnation.com/battlecross www.facebook.com/battlecrossmetal www.twitter.com/battlecross www.youtube.com/battlecrossmi www.myspace.com/battlecross About the band: While a suffering economy was beating down the spirits and hearts of the people of Detroit and the current music scene was oversaturated with commercialized, trend following, nonsense. Five metal heads turned their backs to the crumbling world with an agenda to play metal the way they wanted and revive the ‘good ole’ days of old school thrash metal with a new level of brutality. With the mindset to create a sonic metal assault unlike any other, childhood friends, Tony Asta and Hiran Deraniyagala, set forth on the path to shred and abandoned the idea of following any trends. The guitar slinging duo brought an infused style of old school metal with dark elements of thrash and death metal and destined to find the right members. Struggling for years to find reliable and dedicated members, the true formation of Battlecross was born in 2007 when Drummer Mike Kreger responded a want ad, and added a machine-like, brutal precision on the drums, and proved to be just the right match for Tony and Hiran’s mature and technical style of thrash. Bringing a whole new level of musicianship and intensity with his quick finger picking and tasty solos, Bassist Don Slater joined the group, bringing a skill and technique that impresses even the most prolific bassists. The thrash metal band was finally complete when popular area vocalist, Kyle “Gumby” Gunther joined the band. Known for his command of the stage and alternating deep growls with high pitched screams, Gumby punishes the audience and inspires pits of rage. Together, the five-piece create an unforgettable and energetic live show that decimates their audience with raw energy and persistence, that has earned a style of their own: “Blue Collar Thrash Metal”, in reference to the hard-working, ‘never give up’ attitude of those who hail from the Motor City. This reputation for technical talent, humility and kick ass live shows resonated throughout the regional metal scene and BATTLECROSS soon became a fan and band favorite. Sharing the stage with the likes of Dying Fetus, GWAR, Devil Driver, The Absence, Vital Remains, The Faceless and Metal Fests throughout the Midwest, BATTLECROSS began to bang heads nationally with a nod from MySpace-A Place for Metal’s 2008 ‘Best Unsigned Metal Band’ contest, for being ‘Metal Sucks’ worthy, Mike Kreger’s crowning as Sickdrummer.com & Zildjian’s ‘Sickest Dirt Fest Drummer’ and featured on local, national and global metal radio. The band’s Metal Blade debut was recorded, mixed, and mastered at Random Awesome Recording Studio in Bay City, MI and produced by Battlecross and Josh Schroeder.