The last update still holds true, I've just been exceptionally busy these past few months with my new business. I'm in the process of putting together a new lineup and new album as time permits.
-Shane
So, I'm putting together new material, and a new lineup for BACKMASK. After a lot of life changes and introspection I've realized that metal is what I do best, and that BACKMASK must continue forward, stronger than before. Direction-wise, the new material picks up where "Dark Fiber" left off, in fact some of the songs contain riffs originally intended for "Dark Fiber" that were left out due to time constraints.
It's also time to launch a new website, this one is getting very crusty and hard to maintain... also there's a ton of cool photos and videos I want to put up from the last few BACKMASK tours. More updates soon!
-Shane
A bonus for the fans who've been waiting for new Backmask material - here's our first proper instrumental, entitled "Arrival."
This is a random free bonus track for the hell of it, and will not appear on our forthcoming second album. Enjoy!
-Shane
So we've uploaded a few of our live videos to LG's Make The Music Contest. We're pretty much the ONLY metal band up there (it's mostly folk and hip hop) and we'd really like to win as the $10000 USD could really help us out!
You can vote 3 times a day (once for each of our videos) and every time you vote, you have a chance to win a phone!
Here's how to vote for us:Today is a sad day for us all.
After learning earlier in the week that Threat Signal was not going to be able to conduct the tour, we have learned this morning that both Year of Desolation and Bloodjinn have also pulled out of the tour. This means for us that we will not be able to play on the show on July 18th.
If you had planned on seeing us in Hollywood, do not fear, we are trying to line something up for around the same time.
We would like to wish all the best to our friends in Bloodjinn and Year of Desolation that they can continue to shred without this tour. And we would like to offer our support to Threat Signal that they come through whatever "personal situation" has caused the tour cancellation.
Cheers,
BACKMASK
Check out this killer review of Dark Fiber on PureGrainAudio.com. They're also holding a contest, giving away signed and unsigned copies of the album! Thanks guys!
PS - we are going to be launching a revamped website in the next few weeks. We'll be making MUCH more frequent updates. In the mean time, our MySpace page is the best place to get current news.
We're very stoked to be opening up for Threat Signal on July 18th at the Knitting Factory in Hollywood, CA. We'd also like to let you know that we're selling tickets at a discounted rate. Pick them up here!
After receiving mass amounts of rave reviews, "New Revelation" is Song of the Week and "Blacklisted" is Song of the Day! Check it out!
Two months after the release of BACKMASK's debut full-length album Dark Fiber as a digital download, the album is finally available on CD for $13.99 from CafePress.com . Don't feel like shelling out the cash? PureGrainAudio.com is hosting a contest for 5 lucky fans to win signed copies of the CD! Enter the contest here.
BACKMASK is also in the process of booking tour dates. New dates are being posted to the BACKMASK MySpace page as soon as they're confirmed.
Check out the BACKMASK MySpace page for a sampling of the new pictures! An overhaul of the Media section of Backmask.com is also underway, as we have more photos to share.
We're very honored to receive news that our song "New Revelation" has been chosen as Track of the Day on GarageBand.com for January 25th, 2007. This is the second time for us to be awarded this, so we'd like to thank all the reviewers and fans on GarageBand.com for helping get us more exposure!
BACKMASK is dominating the GarageBand.com charts and winning Metal Reviewers' Picks with the songs "New Revelation" and "The Architect."
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"New Revelation" awards: "The Architect " awards: |
Check out this review of Dark Fiber courtesy of German language metal site BloodChamber.de. Our friend Suzie provided the following English translation for those of you who don't speak German:
When I was going around on all fours through the internet link through link, I suddenly landed on the homepage of a, until now, totally unknown US metal band called Backmask. Since "metal" is not always exactly metal and the cover on Dark Fiber does not lead me into a certain direction then I need to make myself a little smarter; and as seen, both musicians name as their influences bands such as Soilwork... Now that makes me curious.
Right away the first song "New Revelation" goes straight through the wall and swings like a wrecking ball, the reason could be in the beginning of the CD the bass is very over-proportionate. Luckily that ends rather quickly and for the rest of the 85% of the playing time one can enjoy the high-end production demo. But what kind of music is Backmask actually? I asked Hauptmann [another BloodChamber.de editor], and he said that it is not very easy. It could most likely be considered Modern Melodic Progressive Thrash Death Metal, but again, not really. It starts in the direction of Modern Thrash Death, the middle part goes back to Melodic Death Album and it ends as Progressive Death Metal. Everything clear so far? The best thing about the album is that it switches among the genres which shows it quality as an album. The main memorableness of the band lies with the melody, which in the refrains sound very Swedish and the instrumental was set wonderfully into the scene. That again is underpainted by a very variable voice, which can both growl and sing, and both are cleanly met.
Whoever wants an overview of Dark Fiber, you can listen to the first song of the album or for those who have more time, enjoy the 9 minute progressive highlight "Prisoner of Mind," where the band shows all that it is capable of. The complete CD is available for download on the bands homepage and they start at $9.99. With the dollar being where it is at the moment, spending only that much for a CD of this quality is a joke.
Here's the artwork and tracklist for BACKMASK's debut album Dark Fiber:
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Total running time: 51:30
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Dark Fiber was recorded, mixed, and mastered at Kazrog Studios and Lizard Rock, in Santa Barbara, California, in the fall of 2006, by Shane McFee and Richard Chapleau. Artwork and layout was made by Shane McFee. Dark Fiber will be released worldwide on December 5th, 2006 through Backmask.com.