One of my boys from Aarius Studios in Sayreville, Pat Linfante, recently told me about the band he’s been playing with out of Middletown, NY. Their name is My Bitter End, and yes, they’re not from North Jersey, but they recently performed at Dingbatz in Clifton, and you can’t get any more North Jersey than that! Plus, my boy Pat is playing bass for them! Did I mention that these guys were absolutely brutal? After listening to the songs “It’s Time,” “The Renovation,” and “A Proper Sendoff” and picking my teeth up off the floor, I realized these guys are some of the most technically sound musicians that I’ve heard since my boys from South Jersey’s Metal Gate Mafia. Guitarist Chris “Hank” Henckel exhibited some amazing guitar work and drummer Michael Ranne has a thunderous foot that just gets your heart pounding. He should be proud!
According to their bio, My Bitter End formed in 2002 by brothers Michael and Todd Ranne. They would release their first full-length CD, A Thin Line Between Heaven And Here, in 2002, and would perform numerous local and regional shows in support of their debut. In 2007, the band released their most recent CD, The Renovation, which led to a national tour in support of the disc. Due to some band drama, My Bitter End was put on the shelf in 2008 while its members joined some other notable acts. Michael played with Through The Eyes Of The Dead and singer Tyler Guida joined Dr. Acula, but eventually the core members of My Bitter End would decide to bring the band back in 2011. Since deciding to put the group back together, they’ve added lead guitarist Henckel and my bro Patrick on bass.
After solidifying their lineup, My Bitter End has written a bevy of brand new songs, which they recently began recording. I actually heard two new tracks a couple weeks ago, and it sounds incredible! The guys in the band think it’s their best material to date. Their plan is to just virtually pick up where they left off and show the world of heavy metal and hardcore that they are still a force to be reckoned with. Check out My Bitter End now at mybitterend.com.
NORTH JERSEY NOTES UPDATES:
My bros from A Lesson In Violence have finally launched their brand new official website, alessoninviolence.com. The site will act as the one-stop shop for all things A Lesson In Violence including news, merch, new music, a video blog, photos, and upcoming show dates. Check it out now to see what I’m talking about.
A couple of weeks ago, I took part in an amazing event at Dingbatz. My band BlackOcean was given the opportunity to perform at a memorial show for our friend Harry Dullys, the late singer of the band Fate Strikes Twice and former singer of Voodoo Terror Tribe. Proceeds from the event went to help Harry’s wife, Donna. The show was hosted by my buddy, the lovely Lindsay Klein, and was put on by Tim Number 37 and my boy, Mike Inga, and his Legion Promotions. I have to say the event was massive! It was a packed house, filled with people there for one reason and that was to celebrate Harry’s life! Some of the bands that really impressed me that night included Seas Of Wake, Sundown Conspiracy, Lies Beneath, Beyond Visible, Mother, She Said Fire and Black Summer. The bands that I didn’t mention, I’m sorry! I just didn’t see you!
And finally, though the waters from Hurricane Sandy have long since receded, the Starland Ballroom, a venue that the state of New Jersey can’t really afford to lose, recently announced that it has closed its doors until spring 2013. Starland, which will be 10 years old next year, was swamped by the Raritan River that overflowed onto Jernee Mill Road, the street that leads to the club, but they’re promising to make repairs and come back even stronger in 2013. In the wake of the hurricane, Starland had to cancel, relocate, and postpone many shows, including high-profiled gigs by Megadeth, 40 Below Summer, Marc Rizzo and Monster Magnet, which also included cancellations of local support like Judge The Fallen, Vext and Lower The Veil. We wish the Starland Ballroom a speedy recovery!
That’s all for now! If your band is from North Jersey, and you want some exposure, send your press kits to Arts Weekly, c/o Tim Louie P.O. Box 1140, Little Falls, NJ 07424, or you can email me at tim@theaquarian.com, where you can also let me know where you’re performing next!
Just remember….We’re all in the same boat, so every little bit of exposure counts!
Tim Louie is the Author of S**t Happens.
NJN Concert Calendar:
11/28—Steve Brown—Willie McBride’s, Branchburg, NJ
11/29—The Doomsday Prophecy/Ghost For Heroes—Dingbatz, Clifton, NJ
11/29—Steve Brown—Valley Stables, Oakland, NJ
11/30—Shadowplay/Phantasm/Saltwater Disco—Hebe Music, Mount Holly, NJ
12/1—Ted Poley—Dingbatz, Clifton, NJ
12/1—Sekond Skyn—The Saint, Asbury Park, NJ
12/1—A Lesson In Violence—The Blue Room, Secaucus, NJ
12/6—Warrior Soul/Dirty Stayouts—Dingbatz, Clifton, NJ
12/7—Spread Eagle/Warrior Soul—Saint Vitus Bar, Brooklyn, NY
12/7—My Bitter End—Traces, Rome, NY
12/8—Panzie*/Spread Eagle/Warrior Soul—Ollie’s Point, Amityville, NY
12/8—Generation Kill/DMZ/Audio Machine—Dingbatz, Clifton, NJ
12/10—Atom Strange—Arlene’s Grocery, NYC
12/14— Indisguise/Pyramada/Ixion Lux/Empire Fallen—Dingbatz, Clifton, NJ
12/14—Panzie*/Star Killer—Mercury Lounge, NYC
12/15—Mass Punishment/Hyngd—Dingbatz, Clifton, NJ
12/17—Atom Strange—Arlene’s Grocery, NYC
12/20—Beyond Visible/Seas Of Wake/Halfwitted Dogs/The Dead Elvi—Dingbatz, Clifton, NJ
12/21—Doomsday Prophecy/The Persevering Promise—Dingbatz, Clifton, NJ
12/22—Marc Rizzo/Carnavarice Breath/Scars Of Envy/Murder League All-Stars/Brand Of Julez/Lethal Affection—The Blue Room, Secaucus, NJ
12/22—Ghosts Of Eden/Bound By Substance/Revel 9/Last Stand For Lucy—Mercury Lounge, NYC
12/27—Julius Seizure/Thanatotic Desire/Shadows Of Dawn—Dingbatz, Clifton, NJ
12/28—40 Below Summer—Dingbatz, Clifton, NJ
12/29—40 Below Summer—Dingbatz, Clifton, NJ
12/31—Atom Strange—Arlene’s Grocery, NYC
