As promised, I compiled all of the music I’ve been loving recently into one post. There have been so many amazing releases over the past couple of weeks so I’ve been taking full advantage of that. I’m incredibly guilty of listening to albums on repeat for days on end because then I find something I enjoy, I want to fully immerse myself in it. So, let’s dive into this list.

Tonight Alive “Disappear” – As someone that loves both Tonight Alive and PVRIS it’s hard not to be obsessed with this track. Tonight Alive truly reinvented themselves on their most recent release Underworld, allowing themselves to truly showcase their musicianship and deliver an album that they can (and should) be proud of. While “Disappear” isn’t necessarily a standout track on the album, it’s definitely one that deserves to be discussed. It’s a powerful and melodic bop that serves as an anthem about abandoning your comfort zone in exchange for breaking free. Jenna McDougall’s vocals soar on this track; she’s always had some serious pipes but pair that with Lynn Gunn’s raspy and dreamy voice and you have a match made in heaven.

Cane Hill “It Follows” – Cane Hill have been tearing up the music scene for a while but with the release of their sophomore album Too Far Gone, they’ve gone from just tearing it up to completely obliterating it. They’ve shed their skin and emerged as an entirely new band, focusing on showing everyone just how Cane Hill truly are. The album touches on various topics that have both affected the band and the world around them. “It Follows” is a catchy, metal track that takes you from nodding your head along to the beat to catapulting yourself across the room in a one-man mosh pit in your bedroom. With lyrics like “Such dramatic agony/ The fever breaks again/ I can feel it following/ And it's calling my name,” the self-proclaimed “metal-epic” entices your inner trouble-maker to go out and unleash hell.

Waterparks “TANTRUM” – Waterpark’s latest release Entertainment has been one of the most talked about releases of 2018 and its only February. One of the tracks that has earned its title as a definite “bop” is TANTRUM. From the moment the automated voice starts to the moment the guitars kick it, it hits you like a slap in the face. Waterparks did the damn thing when they released this track. It’s raw, gritty and it proves that Waterparks aren’t your typical run-of-the-mill pop punk band. It’s definitely the heaviest track on Entertainment, with the band finessing audiences with every beat. After the automated voice finishes roasting these “fuckboy bands” flooding the scene, the song starts off with Awsten Knight’s declaration of “If I wasn't thin and white with blue hair would I be here? / Maybe if I kill myself you’ll know I'm sincere / I'll shave my blue hair, burn the rest of two dares / Drop from 'parks like "fuck it, who cares?" They truly didn’t have to go so hard, I’m still recovering.

Paramore “Pool” –  Guess who’s back in another episode of “After Laughter Continues to Be a Gift to the World”? After Laughter plays out like a dark comedy, dressing up the dark undertones in the lyrics with pretty melodies and catchy beats. Paramore’s dark take on a love song exposes the visceral side of a love-gone-sour. It completely depicts what it’s like to strip away every part of yourself and dive headfirst into the deep in and then remembering you can’t swim and instead of saving you – the one you love just watches you drown. Paramore has me reminiscing on past loves that never even existed.

Staircase Spirits “Ghosts”- Music has always served as an outlet, a way to heal and expel any demons that might be weighing on your heart. It can be incredibly cathartic to finally put into the words the darkness that’s been consuming you in an attempt to harness that pain and turn it into something pure and therapeutic. That’s exactly what Staircase Spirits did with their latest EP Ghost Stories. This pop-rock outlet is composed of Anna Maria Acosta and Eva Friedman, hailing from sunny shores in Los Angeles. After revisiting the songs on their EP, they decided to re-release two of the more personal tracks on the EP – “Roulette” and “Ghosts”. These track in particular were especially important to Acosta as they were conceived after she escaped an abusive relationship. I got the chance to hear a bit of her story behind the tracks. “4 years ago, I woke up, looked at the man sleeping next to me and realized that if I stayed, I wasn’t going to survive. I ultimately wrote two songs about that day – January 19, 2014.” Acosta then explained that they released the EP on the anniversary of their existence. In “Ghosts” you can feel every bit of the pain she experienced and the relief that followed her escape to freedom. The opening verse, “Gone tonight, I left a lot of ghosts behind me / In haunted houses full of secrets that they kept / I’m far enough away that they don’t scare me here / And I’m too far gone to feel regret” perfectly sets the scene of her story.

Make sure you check out all of the incredible talent on this list. Let me know what songs you’ve been loving in the comments.

Like others, I’m still bopping to the amazing albums we were blessed with in 2017. While I may still be listening to Paramore's “Rose-Colored Boy” on repeat, I’m still beyond excited for the MANY new albums set to be released this year. We have so many new, exciting releases to look forward to from a wide variety of talented artists and I cannot wait to see what all they have in store for us. I’m going to give you the run-down on what releases I’m the most excited for, so let’s get started.

Waterparks Entertainment: Their debut album Double Dare was, and still is, one of my most listened to albums. Waterparks have been hard at work touring alongside All Time Low, Mayday Parade, and then blessing us with their headlining “Made in America” tour at the end of 2017 and then they decided to keep the excitement going by announcing their sophomore album Entertainment. In typical Waterparks fashion, their first single “Blonde”, is incredibly upbeat and addictive – it’s been stuck in my head for the past few weeks now. The album is set to be released on January 26^th, you can pre-order it here.

Ice Nine Kills “TBA”: If you know me, I’ve probably forced you to listen to Ice Nine Kills at some point in our friendship. Their last album Every Trick in the Book became an instant favorite of mine. It was innovative, haunting, and absolutely brilliant. It left such a mark on me that I had to get a tattoo inspired by my favorite track “Hell in the Hallways”. This band never ceases to amaze me so I’m more than thrilled to see what they’re going to hit us with on their new album.

Tonight Alive Underworld: Their last release Limitless, introduced us to a side of the band we had never experienced before. With new albums come new risks, which can be scary for both the band and their fans. Tonight Alive gave us a new sound that unlike their previous albums, which were more traditionally pop punk. It was a mix of electronic and synth-pop influences but it still had that same charm that fans were familiar with. In a recent podcast with Rock Sound, frontwoman Jenna McDougall revealed that they’re working with Dave Petrovic, who previously produced The Other Side and that the recording process has been a much more enjoyable experience for the band. They released their new single “Crack My Heart” and it’s incredible. It still has a similar vibe to Limitless, but with more elements of their earlier material. They also released a video of their track “Disappear” featuring vocals from Lynn Gunn from PVRIS and I’m still recovering. The album is currently available today! You can order it here.

Real Friends “TBA”: For those that follow Real Friends on Twitter, you know all too well that they’re recording the follow up to their 2016 release The Home Inside My Head. Our favorite Illinois sad boys have been in the studio have some big things in store for us saying that this upcoming album has “some of their strongest and most creative lyrical content yet”. I for one, am always down to get hit with a wave of emotional trauma in the name of pop punk.

After this new record comes out there will be no more moshing, just straight GROOVING AND DANCING. Unless I tell you to circle pit.

— Real Friends (@realfriendsband) January 10, 2018

Cane Hill Too Far Gone:  Their second full-length album is said to be a more raw, honest portrayal of the personal experiences of the band and how they view themselves. The title track and first single of the upcoming album, “Too Far Gone” was a candid look into their experience dealing with LSD. It was a glimpse into the heavier, more intense, and unapologetically in your face attitude that they plan to hit you in the face with on this album. The band recently told Alt Press that the new album will showcase the “real” Cane Hill. “No makeup or gimmicks – just musicians playing aggressive ass music that’s meant to stick in your head and you won’t want to get it out.” I’m ready. You can pre-order the album here. Release date is set for January 19^th.

Fall Out Boy MANIA: Speaking of bands that change their sound with each album. After pushing back the release for four months, the official release date for Fall Out Boy’s seventh full-length album M A N I A is January 19th. This album is the follow up to 2015’s American Beauty/ American Psycho. Despite how people feel about the band’s ever-changing sound, I actually enjoy their later albums. I like how they manage to completely reinvent themselves with each new release, showcasing how versatile and inventive they can be. But I’m also one of the only people still bumpin’ Folie a Deux so, there’s that. The first single from the album, “Young and Menace” definitely threw people through a loop with its heavy EDM elements, however, Pete Wentz explained that it was one of the “wildest” songs on the album. Then came “Champion” which was still a change in pace, but still the same FOB we’ve come accustomed to. The concept behind the album features a combination of an “aggressive sound” and a lyrical nostalgia that fans will appreciate. They pushed the release back four months in order to revisit the songs and give us something they were truly proud of. Pre-Order the album here.

Panic! At The Disco “TBA”: The follow up to the Grammy nominated Death of a Bachelor has been on our minds since Brendon Urie gave a quick little overview in an Instagram live stream. According to Urie, the material he’s been working on is very “party” and that he has some very fun songs in store for us. As someone that added “Don’t Threaten Me with a Good Time” to every party pre-gam playlist – I am BEYOND ready. Brendon is nothing short of a perfectionist when it comes to producing the best work for Panic! Fans to enjoy so I can’t wait to see what he’s been working on. I’m ready to hit more high notes.

What albums are you looking forward to? Did I miss any? Let me know in the comments!

I got the chance to catch Attila on the last night of their Let’s Get Abducted tour in North Carolina last night. The hype surrounding Attila and their live performances was well deserved because it was some of the most fun I’ve had at a show. The crowd was absolutely insane and I loved every minute of it.

Performing alongside Attila was Dear Desolate, a nu-metal band from Raleigh, NC. I love when band’s use local talent to open their shows because not only does it help the band reach a whole new fan base but it’s amazing to see what your own state has to offer. You definitely can’t just sleep on the local bands in your area and for my friends in the NC music scene; Dear Desolate is one you can’t miss. Next up were Michigan metal band, Vesta Collide. Their set was one of my favorites of the night. It might have something to do with the fact that their vocals were out of the world, or the fact that The Used, Paramore, and Fall Out Boy are among some of their influences. Plus, I’m all about bands that rock makeup on stage.

Out of the entire lineup, Cane Hill were the only ones I had previously seen live. The last time I saw Cane Hill was back in 2015 during BlessTheFall’s To Those Left Behind tour so it was long overdue. These guys never disappoint, It was so good to see them again. Their songs are high energy, addictive, and they always leave you wanting more. I had the pleasure of meeting them after the show and they’re some of most chill guys ever. Bad Omens took the stage next. This band is another must-see, we couldn’t stop talking about their set after the show. They have a great mix of heavy and clean vocals, amazing riffs and their stage presence is phenomenal.

Finally, Attila took the stage. I had heard amazing things about their live shows and it still didn’t prepare me for what I was about to see. It was one of the wildest crowds I had ever been in. I’m no stranger to stage diving, crowd surfing, things of that nature but I can definitely say I had never seen so many boobs during a show before. Aside from the surprise nudity, seeing everyone moving in unison and screaming at the top of their lungs is one of my favorite things about shows. As front man Chris Fronzak said, “We’re all one big fucked up family” and you could definitely sense that during the show. Attila graced us with some old favorites and some new tracks from their latest release Chaos. Since it was the last night of the tour, the band decided to switch things up and let someone from the audience perform their song “Payback” with them. They also added a ton of limited edition items and personal items to their merch table. The band apologized for being so low on merch, seeing as it was the last show, so they signed a bunch of the items and pretty much stripped their bus to give us a lil’ something extra. Honestly, if you’ve never seen Attila live I highly encourage you to see them because it’s an experience you’ll never forget. Mostly because you’ll probably see things that will be burned into your mind but I can guarantee there’ll never be a dull moment.