Big news day today!

The legendary pop punk act, Screeching Weasel, have announced that they will be releasing a brand new album on March 15th of 2011. The album, titled “First World Manifesto” will be the band’s first album in 11 years as well as marking the return of the band to long-time label, Fat Wreck Chords. Ben Weasel had this to say about the album:

“We’re almost done with vocals on the new Screeching Weasel album so it’s as good a time as any to give you the lowdown.

I had a ton of songs lying around that I’d written in the past decade but never recorded. A heck of a lot of them were top-notch jingles that would’ve been perfect for a Screeching Weasel album, had Screeching Weasel actually existed at that point. We didn’t, so they were relegated to the old tape pile and mostly forgotten. When Screeching Weasel got back together for the 11th time, I started polishing up those songs and writing a bunch of new ones. We did a quick demo last summer and sent it off to a couple labels but it was almost a foregone conclusion that if Fat wanted us back we’d be there with bells on. And so it came to pass: Fat Mike texted me the day after we sent the demos saying “Jolly good stuff, mate!” and we were off to the races. Joy to the world!

So we’re back in the fold. But coming back after a ten year layoff? Believe me, sports fans, nobody knows better than me what it’s like to try to hop back in the saddle after a, uh, “hiatus” and reclaim your former glory, so we’ve pulled out all the stops on this one. From pure pop-punk ditties like “Baby Talk” and “Frankengirl” to point-and-laugh-at-the-punk-rocker anthems like “Little Big Man” and “Follow Your Leaders,” this is everything you could ask for from the band the humorless twats love to hate and the cultured, refined connoisseurs of quality rock and roll love to love.”

The album will feature 14 songs. It was recorded at the Mystery Room and The Blast House with Mike Kennerty and Justin Perkins.

Barely having signed to Rise (Seriously, we only posted it 5 minutes ago) Man Overboard have also release details of their plans for the 2011. The band is already hard at work on their upcoming full-length but have a couple of cool, little things planned before they release that include a compilation of all the releases before “Real Talk” (and some brand new songs) as well as a 7’inch for Rise Records.

The band’s touring schedule will also not be any less busy than it was this year with a European tour planned with label-mates Transit.  If you don’t happen to be in Europe and/or  just can’t wait to see them before the new year rolls around they will be playing at the The Lost Tape Collective Holiday show in Philadelphia with Transit, Hostage Calm, Balance & Composure and Vinnie Caruana.

You can read it straight from the horse’s mouth here.

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It seems that (now officially, for those that saw this post earlier) Rise Records have put on their business pants and signed both Man Overboard and Transit. Transit had this to say about the signing:

“We know what you’re thinking… our music doesn’t really fit in with the “Rise Sound”. So yes, we will be completely changing our style of music to fit in with this new label. More breakdowns, more screaming, some makeup, and much better hairstyles. Just you wait and see.

But seriously…we’re NOT doing that. Rise is a label that we’re very excited to be working with, since in reality there is no “Rise Sound” and they have always been a diverse label. They are here to support Transit for what we are, and what we do. We are stoked to be on the same roster as rad bands like Piebald and This Is Hell, as well as our friends in Man Overboard who also just signed with Rise . We’re happy and ready for the future”

Both Transit and Man Overboard are currently on tour right now. Man Overboard recently released their acclaimed album “Real Talk” while Transit is in the midst of releasing their “Something Left Behind” EP.

Ballarat natives Judge Our Hearts have posted a new song up on their MySpace page. The song, titled “State Of Affairs”, is likely to be featured in the band’s upcoming release. They’re currently in the studio writing said release.

You can check out “State Of Affairs” here.

Boston based melodic hardcore act The Carrier are now offering an immediate download of their newest offering entitled “Blind To What Is Right” to be released next month on Deathwish Inc with a pre-order purchase of the the record.

You can pre-order their newest record here.

This will be band’s first release since 2008’s “No Love can Save Me”. You can check out songs from all their releases and videos from some of their shows on their Myspace Page.

Joey Briggs has released a cover of the traditional Cantaria folk song titled “All For Me Grog” on his Facebook and on iTunes. The song is a stand alone single and does not appear on his latest release “Politics, Touring and Self-Loathing.”

If you want to see Joey play this song live, you can watch our Dying Scene Sessions with, uh, Joey Briggs, where he performed the song, as well as this upcoming Friday at the Slidebar in Fullerton. The show is free so head on down.

“Politics, Touring, and Self-Loathing” was released August 20th on Northeast Records.

Metal supergroup The Damned Things (Keith Buckley of Every Time I Die, Joe Trohman and Andy Hurley of Fall Out Boy and Scott Ian and Rob Caggiano of Anthrax) have premiered a new song, “Handbook for the Recently Deceased.” Check it out here.

The song will appear on the band’s debut album, “Ironclast,” which is slated for a December 14th release.

Hold Your Fire has uploaded a brand new song to their Myspace page. It’s titled “I’ll Sleep When I’m Dead”. According to their Facebook page the song will appear on a new album but we don’t have any information about the album. You can check it out here.

The band has previously released a debut E.P. “Ink Ribbon”.

Drummer Pete Parada, currently of The Offspring and formerly of Saves the Day and Face to Face, has recently joined a new, female fronted rock band called Hot Mess. The band is headquartered in Chico, California and their lineup also features Storey Condos on vocals, Ryan Maker on guitar back-up vocals, Marc Anderson on lap steel, Daniel Nelson on keyboards and Dave Brown on bass. Hot Mess is currently unsigned, but they say that they have been recording a debut album at a studio in Chico called Origami Recording Lounge and a track from them called “Epidemic” can be streamed on their website.

It is uncertain how this project will affect the recording of The Offspring’s new album, the follow-up to 2008’s “Rise and Fall, Rage and Grace.”

Last October we reported that the Bouncing Souls were going to release a split with Hot Water Music. Today it was announced that the split will be released on January 11th through Chunksaah Records. The split features The Bouncing Souls covering Hot Water Music’s song “Wayfarer” and Hot Water Music covering the Bouncing Souls song “True Believers”.

You can pre-order your copy now and it will ship on or before January 3rd. Cover art for the album can be seen on the left.