Knife Party
Haunted House EP

Knife Party has, for the better part of the last few years, functioned as somewhat of an anomaly in the beast we now know as "EDM" (Electronic Dance Music). Both Rob Swire and Gareth McGrillen were members of arguably the best drum 'n' bass group on the planet — Pendulum. Once the Aussie powerhouse band parted ways, Swire and McGrillen started releasing larger-than-life tracks under the Knife Party moniker. Pendulum fans likely rejoice at the buzz of any tunes from Knife Party, as the aesthetic they apply to their music is similar to that of their former band: hugely pulverizing synths, bass drops that would make any of their peers say "why didn't I think of that?," and massive beats that have obviously been toiled over as much as, if not more than, the bass and synths of each respective track. Their new EP, Haunted House, is no exception to any part of their formula. They might not release much at any one time, but the music is so big and has such longevity that four tracks is all you'll need until they unleash their next massive record.

Stone Sour & Papa Roach w/In This Moment, Sick Puppies, and All That Remains

“Never forget where you came from” — those words echo in my mind with every show I cover, every album I review, and every band I get the pleasure of meeting. I haven’t always been a Chicago native, so every once in a while, I like to head down to my hometown of Peoria and see how rock music is alive and kicking there. I told my friend on our way down to P-town that the city which rests in the heart of Illinois is a mecca for rock ‘n roll. It’s the reason I still love hard rock and metal to this day. In my teen years, it was the place to be for a real rock fanatic, as all of my favorite bands at the time would be sure to stop through — Slipknot, Coal Chamber, Sevendust, Orgy, Slayer, Ministry, System of a Down — the list is endless. So, when I saw that Stone Sour would be hitting Peoria’s Civic Center, I knew it was a show that couldn’t be missed. Stone Sour/Slipknot frontman Corey Taylor has always been very vocal in his affinity for Peoria and the Midwest in general, and from seeing him in various incarnations throughout the last 15 years or so, I knew he’d do something special for us, and indeed he did. First, though, we had to witness a brutal onslaught of hard rock from a slew of diverse openers — some great and some not so much.

IAMX

Each time I see IAMX live, an overwhelming sense of things coming full circle astounds me. You see, the only reason you’re reading this review of Chris Corner’s amazing show at Lincoln Hall this past Thursday night on UR Chicago is because I pitched a feature on him many years ago to the magazine to preview his then upcoming date in Chicago to support his second album, The Alternative. I’ve been a fan of Corner’s work since he was one of the brainiacs behind Sneaker Pimps and time has only nurtured that fandom into something purely loyal and faithful. I may not have liked his last album, Volatile Times, but I still know that IAMX live is an experience like no other. Packed with the dramatics of a Shakespearean play, flawless musicianship, and loads of punk attitude and unbridled energy, Chris Corner and company dominate every stage they step foot on. Touring in support of an album that could very well be his best yet, The Unified Field, IAMX cranked up the energy dial to 11 and blew the minds of Lincoln Hall’s sold-out crowd.