Welcome to the inaugural edition of Riffs, Rants & Rumors, a new weekly column where we’ll survey the sweet and the sour, the sublime and the ridiculous, the tragic and the triumphal, from all across the rock and roll landscape. To kick things off, we caught singer Mike Ness for a conversation about his long-lived band, Social Distortion, who have spent the last three decades becoming punk legends by combining their hardcore roar with country, rockabilly and other influences. Social D are touring from now through March in support of a brand new album, Hard Times and Nursery Rhymes, that puts a well-directed twist on the LA punk trailblazers’ signature sound.

A while back, the band had stated that their next project would be a radical departure, an acoustic-based album. “I wanted to take some older songs and recreate them in an acoustic, more intimate type of setting,” explains Ness. “In our live set right now we take a song like ‘Cold Feelings’ and slow it down, and we have acoustic guitars and an accordion…it’s real quiet and haunting. I wanted to record that way with the same [Social Distortion] songs that you’ve been listening to for years, but a different approach to them.” Ultimately, though, the ever-increasing amount of time since the last album, 2004′s Sex, Love and Rock ‘n’ Roll, led to a different plan. “That would have been great maybe two years after the last LP. But because so much time had gone by, that got put on the back burner. It wasn’t that we changed our minds, it’s just that we haven’t gotten around to it yet.”

Instead, Ness and company went to work on an album full of raw, rocking energy that pays tribute to the band’s ’70s punk roots while still tossing in the country flavors that havebecome a Social Distortion trademark. For instance, there’s a cover of Hank Williams’ bleak classic “Alone and Forsaken” that’s given a powerful, punky update. “When I heard [the original], it just slayed me,” says Ness, “That’s how I always pick the covers. It’s a song I’ve been playing alone in my house for five or ten years, now it’s time to take it to the stage.” Meanwhile, Ness describes his own “Bakersfield” as being lyrically “an homage to Buck Owens, but musically it’s an homage to the Stones.”

So how did a bunch of young punks at the start of the ’80s wind up introducing rootsy elements into their music in the first place? “My mom had the Smithsonian Folkways set, my dad had Johnny Cash, and The Dillards, and bluegrass, and Merle Haggard,” reveals Ness. “By the time I got into punk, when I was 17 years old, I couldn’t sit through a five-minute Muddy Waters song, I didn’t have the patience. I wanted something fast, hard, and loud to get me revved up for the night ahead, of craziness.” But by the time  Social Distortion cut 1988′s Prison Bound, Ness had come back around to those earthy sounds. “That’s when I was really just painting houses for a living, listening to oldies all day long on the radio, and just really felt like this is where it all began.”

Eventually, Ness would earn the admiration of another artist with deep roots in Americana—Bruce Springsteen. Over the last several years, Ness and The Boss have popped up at each other’s shows, joining in on each other’s songs. How did this friendship begin? “In 1992, when Somewhere Between Heaven and Hell came out, I believe he was quoted in Rolling Stone magazine [saying] that he thought that was the record of the year or something like that. It seems like the people I gravitate to are the storytellers, whether it’s Woody Guthrie or Johnny Cash or Hank Williams, people who tell stories in their music, and he’s absolutely one of them.”

So does Ness still consider the Social Distortion of Hard Times and Nursery Rhymes to be a punk band? “From my perspective, I look at the word ‘punk’ as the beginning of something. Ultimately that’s what it was. It was the beginning of what is now. So that’s why I say yes, I still consider us a punk band. It’s as much a part of us as anything. I do think [punk] was kind of a runaway train. It was a revolution, but unlike the revolution of the ‘60s, at least the hippies kind of had an objective and a goal, where punk was very narcissistic. At least the hippies kind of got off their ass and did stuff. Punks just thought you had to destroy everything, with no thought into the future—you can’t just destroy, you’ve gotta have a plan to do something better.”

Social Distortion US tour dates:

1/27 – Los Angeles, CA – Hollywood Palladium – SOLD OUT

1/28 – Los Angeles, CA – Hollywood Palladium – SOLD OUT

1/29 – Los Angeles, CA – Hollywood Palladium – SOLD OUT

1/31 – Modesto, CA – Centre Plaza

2/1 – Davis, CA – Davis Freeborn Hall

2/3 – San Francisco, CA – The Warfield

2/4 – San Francisco, CA – The Warfield

2/8 – Portland, OR – Crystal Ballroom – SOLD OUT

2/9 – Portland, OR – Crystal Ballroom

2/11 – Seattle, WA – Showbox SoDo

2/12 – Seattle, WA – Showbox SoDo – SOLD OUT

2/15 – Reno, NV – Grand Sierra Theatre

2/16 – Fresno, CA – EOC Gym Events Center

2/19 – San Diego, CA – House of Blues – SOLD OUT

2/20 – San Diego, CA – House of Blues – SOLD OUT

The flurry of activity currently surrounding legendary Motörhead frontman/rock & roll survivor Lemmy (Ian Kilmister if you’re writing him a check) has lately put the man with the most famous mole and muttonchops in the music biz under a white-hot spotlight. With a documentary, a new Motörhead album (drops today!) and a tour all in the offing, the man who made metal cool— in the heyday of hardcore, punks nicknamed Motörhead “the only metal band that matters”— is getting so much exposure one almost expects to find him helming his own reality show (HBO, are you listening?).

Photo by Robert John

Lest we forget, though, Lemmy traveled a long, hard road to the icon status he enjoys today. Like a lot of first-generation metal men, he started out in psychedelia—after a short stint humping gear for the Jimi Hendrix Experience in England, he worked with late-‘60s UK psych outfit Sam Gopal. His first taste of fame came in the early ‘70s with space-rock cult heroes Hawkwind, but when he formed Motörhead— remember, it’s not metal without an umlaut—in 1975, his place in heavy-rock history was assured. The grizzled guardian of all things bone-crunching turned 65 on Christmas Eve, but the word “retirement” doesn’t seem to be in his vocabulary.

The subtitle of the new documentary Lemmy — 49% Motherf**ker, 51% Son of a Bitch— says it all about the man whose attitude is as uncompromising as his face-melting music. The disparate cast of characters who pop up to chime in on the topic of Lemmy’s uncontested awesomeness is a testament to Motörhead’s outsized appeal; everybody from Ozzy and Metallica to Clash axeman Mick Jones and New Order’s Peter Hook is part of the onscreen cheering section. The film, directed by Greg Oliver and Wes Orshoski – will be wending its way around the country over the next couple of months, bringing some heavy metal heft to the art-house circuit, and the double-disc DVD version with a whopping three hours of extra features is unleashed on February 15.

But don’t let the historical perspective that comes with the rockumentary treatment lead you to believe that the Motörhead story is a closed book. February 8th sees the unveiling of The World Is Yours, produced by Cameron Webb, who tellingly has overseen as many punk outings (Social Distortion, Pennywise) as heavy-rock recordings. Full of the blazing riffs and need-for-speed demon drumming that have become the band’s trademarks—not to mention Lemmy’s raw-throated roar and apocalyptic bass lines—the album shows that even after three-and-a-half decades of destruction, the Motörhead machine grinds on relentlessly. If any further proof of that fact is required, Lemmy, Phil Campbell, and Mikkey Dee are storming stages from Austin to Asbury Park throughout January and February to hammer the point home. Of course, if you want to have a little Lemmy you can call your very own, you can always snap up a collectible action figure cast in Mr. Kilmister’s unmistakable image (Yes, for real).

While there have been many genres of music that specifically target one group of people as their audience—  be it goth, punks or scene—no genre of music has quite done it like pirate metal (not even the wizard rock band Harry and the Potters). As for what exactly constitutes a “pirate metal” band there are varying degrees of scurvy-ness

One way to be a pirate metal band is to sing about the life of pirates, which Running Wild did on their 1987 album titled Under Jolly Roger. While being a pretty standard heavy metal album, every song pertains directly to Jolly Roger and his dirty deeds, and is largely considered the first album of the pirate metal genre.

Another way is to actually be a pirate. Bands such as Swashbuckle exemplify the pirate life, as is portrayed in their video for “Cruiseship Terror”:

If being a pirate and singing about pirates isn’t enough for you, Alestorm really take it to the next level by having a sound that isn’t hard to imagine that traditional pirate music would have sounded like (but decidedly less metal). Check out their video for “Keelhauled” for a stellar example:

So, if you’re ever bummed out and think there’s no music you can relate to, there’s a fair chance you’re just not finding it. Who would have thought there was music by pirates, for pirates?

As you may already know, Ernie Ball is back in 2011 to sponsor more channels and hook up more lucky OurStage artists with an awesome prize package. Artists in the Indie Rock Channel are competing to win a FREE years supply of strings and accessories from the legendary string maker. That’s the kind of prize that keeps the rock ‘n’ roll coming night after night in venues across the country. Indie rockers on OurStage need your expertise to filter the best music to the top of the channel, and who knows, you may even discover your new favorite band in the process.

Make sure to head to the Indie Rock Channel and weigh in before judging closes on January 29th! If you are an artist and you still want to enter the competition, it’s not too late! Submissions close tomorrow night, January 23rd, at 11:59:59 pm, so hurry over to the Indie Rock Channel and enter to be considered for the prize. Music experts at OurStage and judges at Ernie Ball will select a winner from the Top 20 artists in the channel at the end of the month. Click HERE for official rules and competition information. Stay tuned to the OurStage blog in February to hear who will be taking home the strings.

Regardless of how you feel about bands using punctuation in their names, the hard-working, constantly-touring members of Against Me! have always been busy and energetic enough to earn that emphatic exclamation mark in their moniker.  And the band didn’t slow down in 2010, releasing White Crosses, which included the hit single “I Was a Teenage Anarchist” and was featured on many year-end best-of lists.

But it’s a time of change for the Florida-based rockers. They’re between labels, have a new drummer in Jay Weinberg and toured with keyboardist Franz Nicolay (ex-The Hold Steady) in 2010, and frontman Tom Gabel had a baby last year. All the while, they’re gearing up for a 2-month US tour with Cheap Girls and Fences. OurStage caught up with Gabel to talk about Against Me!’s changing lineup, their changing sound and their bright, albeit uncertain, future.

OS: So, sorry to open with this, because I’m sure you’ve been answering questions about it nonstop, but after five years Against Me! are leaving Sire/Warner. What prompted that?

TG: Well, our contract was up, so that was kind of it. They chose not to renew us. I’m not sure we would have anyway, but it was just time to move on. And I know the label itself is going under a lot of changes—they fired the president, they’re firing a bunch of employees, and a bunch of bands are parting ways with the label— they’re just reorganizing. It just felt like a lot of the people we were working with were getting let go, so we didn’t really know where we fit in with the label anymore.

OS: Do you have any idea where you guys want to go from here? I know you were really psyched to work with Butch Vig while you were at Sire/Warner, is that a relationship that you’ll continue?

TG: I hope to, for sure. It’s not like that relationship was something exclusive to Warner. And as far as what label’s next, we’re not totally sure yet. It’s kind of weird, because right now we’ve started writing some new songs for the next record and everything, but it’s so early on that it’s hard to tell what the shape is or what the direction is. It’s hard to say what would be the right match right now, as far as what label. But we’ll definitely figure it out.

OS: You guys are going through a lot of changes right now— new drummer, new keyboardist, you personally had a new baby—does it stress you out?

TG: No, not at all [laughs]. I mean those are all really positive things, especially having a kid. That’s been a really positive, life-affirming experience. And as far as playing with other people, it’s exciting. I don’t know what happened, but at some point I kind of had a real mindset change over the way to approach music. I don’t necessarily believe that we have to be like, “It has to be these four people! That’s the magic!” Or “If the chain is broken, there’s nothing left!” I don’t really buy into that whole thing, you know? I think that if the stars aligned long enough for a group of people to play together, then that’s great, and you should take advantage of that. But at the same time, no one should ever feel confined to a relationship playing music. No one should ever feel stuck, especially because playing music is a creative thing. You need to feel free to experiment and make changes in order to be true to yourself as an artist. I definitely try to take that approach to playing music with those people.

OS: It was pretty gutsy having the title track of your album be the pro-choice song “White Crosses.” Were you worried about how that would be perceived?

TG: You know, I was more worried that most people wouldn’t understand what the song was about. That song is really about St. Augustine. The church that I’m talking about specifically is a church here in St. Augustine that has this huge anti-abortion protest thing on their church lawn. It’s a disgusting eyesore that’s just been here for years; they’ll put it up, take it down, put it up, take it down. It is what it is.

OS: Has there been a reaction from anyone like Fox News or Pro-Life groups against the song or the album?

TG: No, not yet. [Laughs]

OS: Against Me!’s sound has changed a ton since your earliest records. Has the reaction from fans been mostly positive?

TG: Well, it’s been completely positive from my perspective. The band has been going for a while. I started playing in this band when I was 17, and I’m 30 years old now. I think it would be only natural that you would experiment with new sounds and try new things. I think that a lot of the changes in our sound that are most noticeable is just that we’ve become better, which you would hope [would happen] after you’ve been playing 200-plus shows a year for a decade. And not only that, but just becoming more and more comfortable in the studio environment and knowing what you want to get out of it. The first time you go into a studio, you’re just kind of in awe. There’s all these knobs and buttons and stuff, you don’t really know what anything does, and you’re nervous. You don’t really have a budget so you’re probably in there for a day, and you’re trying to record 15 songs in one day. You kind of get the sound you get. As you progress, you become more familiar with what everything does and you have an idea in your head of what you want your songs to sound like. And hopefully each time you go into a studio you get closer and closer to achieving that.

OS: So you said you’ve started writing some new songs for an upcoming album?

TG: Yeah, I always try to write very constantly. Whether or not those songs are songs that are used or what happens with them, who knows? But I’ve definitely been working on new stuff, so we’ll see what happens.

OS: I saw you quoted somewhere saying that you want to release one new album a year for the next ten years. Do you think you can keep that pace?

TG: I’m totally jinxing myself. We probably won’t release a record for another 10 years because I said that. [Laughs] But I would love to do that. I kind of said it off the cuff, but I definitely feel right now a real need and a desire to be as productive as possible. There’s a lot of things about the major label world that are kind of slow and cumbersome about that whole process that I didn’t find really satisfying when you’re making music. I’m the type of person that when I make something, I want people to hear it immediately. So just feeling right now that there are a lot of possibilities and you can kind of do anything is exciting, and I definitely feel motivated to get new material out there as soon as possible and keep going.

OS: How about solo material? Will we see a follow-up to 2008’s Heart Burns?

TG: Maybe! We’ll see. Right now we’re kind of figuring out what we’re going to do with the next record, and I already have a couple songs. I definitely feel motivated to write and be as productive as possible, so we’ll just kind of figure it out as we go.

OS: Are you excited for your upcoming tour with Cheap Girls and Fences?

TG: For sure. We got to play with Cheap Girls maybe six or seven months ago. We just played one show with them and it was awesome. It was really, really rad. And Fences— I’ve been pen pals with Chris for I guess almost two years now—but we’ve oddly never met in person. So I’m really looking forward to meeting him and playing some shows.

OS: One last question:  You were a “teenage anarchist,” now you’re a 30-year-old… what? How would you describe yourself?

TG: I wouldn’t, you know? When you’re younger, I feel like you need to feel a sense of belonging. You need to create your identity—“I’m a vegan,” or “I’m straightedge,” or “I’m a skinhead,” or “I’m an anarchist,” or whatever—and the older you get, for me, I just feel less and less of a desire to belong to any kind of club or anything like that. I just care less and less about defining anything—myself, my band or anything like that—in one-word phrases or un-unique things like that. I just seems confining and unoriginal, in a way.

Check out Against Me!’s upcoming dates with Cheap Girls and Fences here.

With charming melodies over electronic pop rock, Philadelphia’s Find Vienna have garnered the attention and earned the adoration of music lovers from coast to coast.

Led by vocalist Patrick Mencel, Find Vienna have been dubbed “Philly’s Buzz Band” and have racked up numerous local music awards, including Best Band, Best Lead Singer, Best Drummer and Best EP for their release In Your Favorite Colors.

The EP, which was released in November of ’09, has seven tracks of beautifully-crafted pop numbers, placing FV somewhere between Coldplay and Death Cab for Cutie. Mencel’s vocals are soft and ambient against the more industrial sounding instrumentation, complete with driving drums, melodic picking, piano chords and the faint sounds of tambourines and acoustic guitars.

In addition to touring the country, Find Vienna have also shared the stage with The Script, The Ataris, Mae, Parachute and more. While they’ve been actively considering signing to a label, they’ve had their music placed in MTV shows like The Real World, True Life and The City!

With big choruses, dynamic instrumentation and pristine production, each track on the record is radio-ready. The group has been working on new music, and will hopefully be putting out a new album in 2011.

Be sure to check out some of the tracks from In Your Favorite Colors below! You can also purchase the whole album on iTunes.

Last week, we covered ten of our favorite rock albums for 2010, which included records from My Chemical Romance, VersaEmerge, Foxy Shazam and more.

With new records from Lady Gaga, Britney Spears, Kanye West, Coldplay and Beyoncé scheduled to drop, 2011 is already shaping up to be a big year for music.  This week, we’re taking a look at ten of the most anticipated rock releases, which stretch across subgenres from hardcore to electronica to indie rock.

Andrew McMahon of Jack's Mannequin

Jack’s Mannequin – TBA

After 2008′s heartfelt release The Glass Passenger, Jack’s Mannequin frontman Andrew McMahon is ready to release new material. Passenger, which chronicled McMahon’s battle with leukemia, was a darker record then sunny debut Everything in Transit. But going on what we’ve heard so far, the new release will be yet another masterpiece, with plenty of well-executed piano-drenched pop rock.

Death Cab for Cutie – Codes and Keys (Spring)

Indie rock kings Death Cab for Cutie will be releasing their seventh album early next year. Frontman Ben Gibbard promises that this record will be “less guitar-centric” than any of Death Cab’s previous records, which have typically been of slower, chord-based song structure. Lyrically, bassist Nick Harmer insists that this album will have a much broader emotional scope than 2008′s Narrow Stairs.

Pete Wentz and Bebe Rexha of Black Cards

Black Cards – TBA

After the band announced their hiatus, Fall Out Boy‘s Pete Wentz decided to keep doing what he does best—make undeniably catchy pop music. Teaming up with then-unknown vocalist Bebe Rexha, Saves the Day drummer Spencer Peterson and The Receiving End of Sirens guitarist Nate Patterson, Wentz created Black Cards. The group’s music (especially Rexha’s vibrato-soaked vocals) is reminscent of early No Doubt, with an influx of dance-worthy electronic beats.

Taking Back Sunday – TBA (Spring)

Taking Back Sunday‘s lineup has changed so many times that their Wikipedia page has a full chart to help fans understand the eleven-year timeline of the group’s career. After a few missteps with new members—even frontman Adam Lazzara apologized for 2009′s New Again—the original lineup is back, making this one of the most anticipated releases for any fan of TBS’ genre-defining album, Tell All Your Friends. From the sounds of the demos that have already been posted, it looks like TBS is returning to their roots and ready to make a big comeback.

No Doubt – TBA

No Doubt

It’s amazing to think that ska-princess-turned-pop-superstar Gwen Stefani had any time in 2010 to return to the studio and make a brand new record with her band, No Doubt. Since the band’s humble beginnings in the late ’80s, Stefani has become a powerhouse solo artist, entrepreneur, fashion designer, wife and mother. But, somehow, she was able to make some time for writing music, and No Doubt’s comeback album is eagerly awaited by fans young and old. As of now, details have been pretty hush-hush about this release, but we’re betting that the new No Doubt will be bigger and better than ever.

Destroy Rebuild Until God Shows (D.R.U.G.S.) – February

After a full-year hiatus from the stage, charismatic ex-Chiodos frontman Craig Owens is back. Joined by members of Underminded, From First to Last, Story of the Year and Matchbook Romance, Owens has already made a huge splash on the modern rock scene with his new project, D.R.U.G.S. The band will be releasing their album in February, before they head out on Alternative Press’ AP Spring Tour 2011. From the sounds of the tracks already released, this post-hardcore supergroup is poised for a massive takeover.

fun.

fun. –  TBA (Summer)

As we learned in our Q&A with Nate Ruess of fun., the group is hard at work on their sophomore LP and are hoping to release it next summer. The band’s debut album, Aim and Ignite, was an exciting, refreshing and eclectic mix of everything from indie pop to showtunes. Fans are definitely on the edge of their seats, waiting to see what this band will do next.

Cobra Starship – TBA

Still riding high off the success of their latest record, Hot Mess, Cobra Starship have already begun recording their next album. Hot Mess spawned the 2009 smash “Good Girls Go Bad” and launched the band from the small-scale modern rock scene to rulers of Top 40 radio. Though no details have been released about the new album, Cobra’s history dictates that it will be chock-full of undeniably catchy, dance-worthy rock numbers.

The Mars Volta – TBA

Bixler-Zavala and Rodriguez-Lopez of The Mars Volta

GRAMMY-award winning experimental rock group The Mars Volta have kept pretty quiet about their upcoming release, which will be the sixth in the band’s career. The band entered pre-production back in May, and guitarist Omar Rodriguez-Lopez recently announced via Twitter that they were putting the finishing touches on the record. This will also be the first record where vocalist Cedric Bixler-Zavala will be writing all of his own lyrics, with no guidelines or concept provided by chief songwriter Lopez.

Emery – TBA (January/February)

Seattle-based rock group Emery delighted their fans when they returned to their roots on 2009′s …In Shallow Seas We Sail. Full of charging instrumentation, sweeping vocals and shimmering with top-notch production, the record left Emery fans satisfied, but also craving more. The band announced that they are planning to release the album in the early months of 2011, hopefully with some tour dates to follow!

What records are you most looking forward to hearing in 2011? Let us know in the comments!

While providing some solid albums, 2010 was a fairly lackluster year in metal. Given only the short list of albums slated to come out in the first three months of 2011, it could very well eclipse all of 2010 in just a couple months. Many 2011 albums have been announced, but many of them have tentative or inexact release dates. First, let’s take a look at albums we know release dates for:

It looks as though, at least early on in 2011, death metal will be reigning supreme with releases from Neuraxis and Deicide— two of the most well-renowned artists in death metal’s history. Crowbar’s Sever The Wicked Hand should also be a monster record, as they’re one of the most legendary sludge metal bands ever.

In terms of anticipated releases with little to no detail and no cemented release date, there are also some heavyweight releases anticipated in the first quarter of 2011: Anthrax, Obscura, The Faceless, Symphony X, Textures, Born of Osiris and Protest The Hero.

Licking your chops yet? This is shaping up to be quite the year if the first quarter is an indication what the rest of the year will look like. And if that isn’t quite enough, there are also rumors of albums from All Shall Perish, Sanctity Opeth (which is most likely happening late 2011), In Flames, Tool (though it’s never easy to know with these guys), Unearth and Hammerfall.

Know any albums that slipped under my radar? I’d love to find out what other metal albums to look out for in early 2011!

In 2010 hundreds of thousands of artists entered our monthly competitions, and millions of music lovers ranked their favorite tracks, positioning the Top 100 songs across thirty or more music charts every month. As a proud connoisseur of independent music, I’ve always made it a point to turn my family and friends on to new talents that “I” discover. With a talent pool as rich as the OurStage music charts, there is a never ending reservoir to tap into.

The “Lilith Local Talent Search” brought droves of female artists, “Your Next Record with Keith Urban” brought the country, Drake’s “Thank Me Later” Competition represented hip hop and promotions with Bon Jovi, John Mayer, Train and the Goo Goo Dolls rallied legions of pop and rock artists. While there were many winners who earned career-enhancing opportunities, editorial coverage and cash money, the front-runners only scratched the surface of artists whose talent need to be heard.

Press “Play” to hear songs that have been in heavy rotation throughout 2010 then continue reading to find out why these artists made this list.

-KB

Editor at Large and Director of Community & Content for OurStage.com

Pop artists like Lady Gaga, Bruno Mars, Ke$ha and Rihanna dominated the charts in 2010. For us rock fans, though, this year was equally huge. There were countless bands reuniting, going out on anniversary tours, playing massive festivals and releasing new material.

In no particular order, here are some of the best rock albums released this year!

My Chemical Romance – Danger Days: The True Lives of the Fabulous Killjoys

Those of us who are diehard My Chemical Romance fans were awaiting the band’s fifth studio album with nervous excitement and eager anticipation. We hoped it would live up to the all the hype, but we were also completely unsure of what style the band would try on this time around, as each release has been vastly different from the last. Luckily, MCR delivered a beautifully bright, energetic and well-produced record that shows a freshly polished sound that includes everything from punk to disco. Check out our full review of the record here!

Recommended track: “DESTROYA”

Pierce the Veil – Selfish Machines

San Diego post-hardcore group Pierce the Veil released their sophomore LP, Selfish Machines, back in June. In the first moments of opening track “Besitos,” this album grabs your attention with hand claps, guitar picking, layers of harmonizing vocals and a Latin-influenced beat. PTV ramped up everything on this release, from Vic Fuentes’ unmistakable tenor shrieking to heavy breakdowns and impressive guitar solos. But these rockers can pull off the ballads as well, with the slow number “Stay Away from My Friends” being one of the strongest tracks on the record.

Recommended track: “Caraphernelia” (feat. Jeremy McKinnon of A Day to Remember)

Automatic Loveletter – Truth or Dare

Charismatic singer-songwriter Juliet Simms of Automatic Loveletter has not been an overnight success story. As she recounts on the track “Story of My Life,” she moved from Florida to LA at fifteen after being offered a record deal from Epic. As the label struggled, Juliet wasn’t dropped, but wasn’t supported either. Armed with her DIY attitude, Simms sold handmade copies of her record and feather hair clips to help support her band out on tour. All the hard work paid off, and Simms became one of the most sought-after guest vocalists, having provided her instantly recognizable raspy pipes to albums from All Time Low, Secondhand Serenade, Cartel and more . On the band’s major label debut, Juliet’s simple acoustic songwriting is taken to new heights, with stadium-ready choruses and charging electric guitars mixed with soft, piano-based ballads.

Recommended track: “Let it Ride”

Envy On the Coast – Lowcountry

Long Island, NY natives Envy on the Coast released the impressive Lowcountry in March. With creative lyrics, daring and experimental musical choices and stellar vocals from frontman Ryan Hunter, this record stands out among its peers as having some of the most original songwriting of the year. Equal parts Incubus, Circa Survive and The Dear Hunter, Envy on the Coast unfortunately called it quits this year as well. Be on the lookout for Hunter’s and guitarist Brian Byrne’s  new project, North Korea, which also features Dilinger Escape Plan drummer Billy Ryan.

Recommended track: “The Great American T-Shirt Racket”

Chiodos – Illuminaudio

When post-hardcore outfit Chiodos kicked out founding member and frontman Craig Owens, many fans were outraged. With his dynamic voice and inspiring stage presence, Owens was not only the band’s most charismatic and well-known member, but also a staple in the modern rock scene. Thousands were sure that this decision was the nail in Chiodos’ coffin, but the release of Illuminaudio showed that this band could carry on, and release one hell of a record. New vocalist Brandon Bolmer not only matches Owens’ range, but he also shows a flair for the dramatic on his lyrics, which was one of Owens’ strongest facets. The band members stepped up their game as well, adding more technical parts to each instrument and keeping the orchestral touches that made 2007′s Bone Palace Ballet a masterpiece in its own right. The breakdowns are heavy, the instrumentation is tight, the vocals are spot-on, so it’s clear Chiodos aren’t going anywhere.

Recommended track: “Those Who Slay Together, Stay Together”

VersaEmerge – Fixed at Zero

Due to the success of Paramore, there are now hundreds of identical young female-fronted pop bands trying to find their place in the spotlight. But make no mistake, that doesn’t include Tampa, Florida natives VersaEmerge. Fronted by the electrifying 20-year-old Sierra Kusterbeck, Versa take pop rock to a new level, adding in complex electronic arrangements (courtesy of guitarist Blake Harnage), tightly layered harmonies and wonderfully honest lyrics about Kusterbeck’s own inner conflicts. The band’s first LP, Fixed at Zero, was released this summer and has catapulted the band to buzzworthy status, aided by a full-episode on MTV’s The World of Jenks and placement on the entire 2010 Vans Warped Tour.

Recommended track: “Fixed at Zero”

The Deftones – Diamond Eyes

When The Deftones‘ bassist Chi Cheng was involved in a horrible car accident that left him in a coma, the band shelved their near-completed album, Eros. A year later, they decided to return to the studio (with Sergio Vega of Quicksand filling in for Chi) and wrote what would become Diamond Eyes. The record is mercilessly heavy, verging on metal at times, but also has some slower numbers that add depth and atmosphere to the record. Vocalist Chino Moreno keeps up with the band’s flawlessly-executed prog rock with his high-intensity screams, which can quickly morph into soft and soulful melodies. If you’re looking for a record to rock out to, Diamond Eyes is definitely a front runner this year.

Recommended track: “Rocket Skates”

Ludo – Prepare the Preparations

Few lyricists today have the incredible imagination of Ludo‘s Andrew Volpe. Anyone who needs proof need look no further than 2006′s jaw-dropping five-song rock opera, Broken Bride, which is about a man who mistakenly time travels between the Pre Historic Era and a future apocalypse to save his dead wife. Though Broken Bride is brilliant and beautifully written, it’s going to be tough for Ludo to ever top it. That being said, Prepare the Preparations is an eccentric and quirky pop record, with lyrics that cover everything from robots to dancing skeletons to leprechauns. The songwriting is creative and more experimental than in the past, as Ludo covers everything from acoustic to electronic pop to straight up showtunes.

Recommended track: “Too Tired to Wink”

Foxy Shazam – Foxy Shazam

As we learned in our Q&A with Eric Nally of Foxy Shazam, it’s very difficult to categorize this outrageous and energetic rock group….and that’s the way they like it. Pieces of punk, soul, funk and indie rock make their way into the band’s self-titled record, which dropped in April. This isn’t a record that you’ll listen to and have to wonder if the group is just as fun live, as Foxy are well known for their off-the-wall theatrical performances. They may be an acquired taste, but either way, you have to give Foxy Shazam props for being genuinely original.

Recommended track: “Count Me Out”

Isles & Glaciers-  The Hearts of Lonely People

Since Pierce the Veil and Chiodos were both on our list, it makes sense that a supergroup including PTV’s vocalist Vic Fuentes and his brother, drummer Mike Fuentes, as well as Chiodos bassist Matt Goddard would also be included. Isles & Glaciers also includes (ex-Chiodos, now D.R.U.G.S.) vocalist Craig Owens, Emarosa/Dance Gavin Dance vocalist and solo artist Jonny Craig, Underminded/D.R.U.G.S. guitarist Nick Martin and ex-Boys Night Out/The Receiving End of Sirens‘ Brian Southall on keyboard and guitar. After many months of pushing back the release, their debut EP The Hearts of Lonely People was released in 2010. Different than any of the members’ past or present bands, Hearts is a mash-up of post-hardcore, electronica and pop rock. The three vocalists here, especially Jonny Craig, really steal the show.

Recommended track: “Hills Like White Elephants”

Leave us a comment below and let us know what your favorite rock album of 2010 were…then check back next week for our list of most anticipated rock albums for 2011!