Artists will be able to sell their songs online through the newly created Rock Band Network which will soon hit the X360 and PS3. Musicians will have a chance to reach their fans directly by selling their music as gamefiles that gamers can use in Rock Band video game. Beta of the new platform is scheduled for tests to be performed in August. If this will kick off, we can say that Guitar Hero series and Activision will end up knee-deep in a mud. The money-makers behind Guitar Hero are releasing new games that are basically not evolving, not changing anything and we still have to pay loads for the music that we sometimes don’t like at all. Now the Rock Band which was overwhelmed in the beginning starts to pull up and will definitely knock down GH as they allow us to have freedom of choice what music we want to play.

Good job Harmonix!

Soon in the studio

Recently Sevendust has issued an update with thank you to all their fans for the support and faith in their music. They have added that it’s time to focus on the new material and create something really good. They haven’t decided who to take on board as a producer, but have few names in mind.

The excitement is so huge, that they asked fans for their opinion which album and type of their music they have liked the most throughout Sevendust’s career. This definitely might do some good and the band will be keeping all comments in mind, so they could create something really good.

Personally I hope that they will go back with guitar sound to the first album, especially to the track #1 called “Black” which still kicks butts even now. Let’s wish them luck cause the pressure is on!

The band released a very limited edition of their latest 4 albums in a bundle called “Packaged Goods”; each of the boxes contains “Next” (2005), “Alpha” (2007), “Retrospective 2″ (2007, CD + DVD) and “Chapter VII: Hope & Sorrow” (2007), all of them personally autographed by the entire group.

The Sound Of Madness

Couple of years ago nobody in Britain apart from hardcore fans would have known Shinedown. This Florida-based alternative-rock band started in early 2001 and since then they have went through quite a journey with their music. Intense guitar riffs and impressive overall harmony of the sound can seriously mess your mind up and leave a whole that cannot be filled with any other band these days.

“The Sound Of Madness” is their third official release under Atlantic Records, just after their debut album “Leave A Whisper” and stunning “Us & Them”. The CD is bursting with brand new ideas, freshly injecting a Shinedown virus that spreads faster than a flu. Thirteen tracks proves that the sunny Florida can kick some butts too.

So far UK listeners were able to get to know only one single, which is obviously “Second Chance”, but should you have a chance of listening to anymore of their new music, you just may try “The Crow & The Butterfly”, or “If You Only Knew”, cause these songs should be the first ones to be put on air at BBC Radio 1.

This week the band decided to put their two first albums, both in special editions on digital sale on iTunes and Amazon.com, so grab yours if you hadn’t had a chance to do it yet. Shinedown has been nominated for The Best International Newcomer in Kerrang! Awards.