Imagine Dragons: Smoke + Mirrors

In early 2004, the band signed its first record deal with Florida-based indie label Fueled By Ramen which is part of Atlantic Records. Their debut album, All We Know Is Falling was released in 2005 and reached number 30 on the Billboard's Heatseekers chart. The band featured a pop-punk sound and was creating a buzz thanks to Hayley's strong vocals. In late 2005, the rhythm guitarist Jason Bynum was replaced with Hunter Lamb, but Lamb would leave the band in 2007 and was not replaced. Shortly after, the band released their highly anticipated second album, Riot. The album shot to the Top 20 on the Billboard's, and the band was nominated for Best New Artist at

The album was made without the contribution of The Rev. In this album, Avenged Sevenfold songs inspired by the legacy of bands like Metallica and Guns N 'Roses. This album is very popular around the world. This album never topped the Billboard 200 and topped the album charts number 1 in the UK, Brazil, Canada, Finland, and Ireland. The album sold over 159,000 copies in the United States after being released one week

How can anyone overlook the moment when they realized who their favorite band or artist was? That moment for me occurred back in Summer of 2009. Phoenix released their fourth studio album Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix on May 25, 2009. This upbeat, French indie-pop band changed my life and the way I perceived music to this day. What upset me after hearing this album is that I had already missed nearly 10 years of their career.

In Sherman Alexie’s film, Smoke Signals, Alexie uses different story telling devices to show the importance of forgiveness. Smoke signals provides a new perspective of Native American culture by submerging us into the lives of two Native American boys, Thomas and Victor. The movie begins with a fire on the Fourth of July on the Coer d’Alene reservation in Idaho, Victor’s father Arnold saves Thomas as an infant by throwing him out a window. The movie jumps ten years forward and Victor receives word that his father has passed and he has to collect his belongs in Arizona. Victor and Thomas go, and find themselves on a journey of enlightenment. Alexie uses different storytelling techniques such as, flashbacks, repetition, and poetry to

You get music that will last for generations to come. The Arctic Monkeys ease with the guitar and bass, their clever lyrics and quirky outlook, and their defiant attitude towards the pop industry has sparked new interest for rock in the younger generation. With their pushy, self-sufficient attitude they have taken the classical foundations of rock and brought a fresh take on the genre. The awards alone speak for themselves and hint at the ginormous success of their creativity. It is no doubt that they will hold the title of best rock artist for years to come. The recent album and tour with The Last Shadow Puppets prove that Alex still has much more to offer. With current speculation of a new album in the works, the fandom is abuzz with excitement about what is yet to

An unbreakable music duo performed at the Autódromo de Interlagos in São Paulo, Brazil last night. 21 Pilots, compromised of drummer Josh Dun and lead Tyler Joseph, lit up the concert with their wild attics and various music genres lists. Despite the culturally different audience, the influence of 21 Pilots breaks down barriers. The crowd sang note for note for the 20+ song extravaganza. The crowd at São Paulo isn’t the only that likes this dynamic duo. TOP made history in the billboard music history. Billboard magazine said, “With "Ride" & "Heathens" topping the charts, respectively, the act is the first to lead the lists simultaneously with two different songs.” The crowd, despite the tight fit, jumped up and down. Due to this density, if

But just as their self-titled debut will be hitting stores, THE ILLUMINATI are ready to unleash the best Canadian guitar record in years - THE ILLUMINATI: ON BORROWED TIME. The 12 song opus finds the ILLUMINATI doctrine of musicality fully realized - profound and melodic compositions hurled headlong into visceral, sleazy 3 minute rock epics. Having completed production (again with Blurton at Chemical Sound), the band is currently shopping ON BORROWED TIME for a summer

Pool, the band’s' second LP, was one of the best and most underrated releases of 2016, as it signaled Maine’s complete sonic departure from prior projects that donned a more indie-rock vibe. With Pool, the band began to embrace their electronic side and took cool, refreshing synths and mixed them with Maine's smooth, somber vocals while providing listeners with a suspended bedroom pop atmosphere like no other. Nevertheless, with the mopey New Yorker’s latest record, The House sees Maine drastically improve upon his already phenomenal ability as a producer, as he complexes Pool’s dancier, synth-driven approach while adding in moments of piano balladry and drawing inspiration from ‘90s house music.

Although I have been a fan for a good amount of time now, I have never been 100% sure on what genre of music they fit into. Some people say they are a rap-infused high-tech pop duo (Fred Thomas). Others will say they are piano-driven schizoid pop (MTV). One article I read mentioned that when creating their album Vessel they wanted to make something that combines elements of hip-hop, indie rock and punk (Fueled by Ramen). With that in mind, you will never know what to expect if you are a first time listener. You will find yourself rapping quickly at one point and then suddenly singing along slowly with the accompaniment of a ukulele without even realizing the change.

Nevertheless, the former Compton-based rappers rose above the disarray, having absolutely no idea they’d be completely altering the trajectory of music for decades to come, and. They (as a group and individually) would establish themselves as a set of dominant, gifted artists – unleashed edgy beats, brutally honest lyrics, and emotions that are still heavily embedded in today’s modern rap and related sub-genres.

Napalm Records have set to become a haven for stoner fans. The label saw the rising interest in this type of music, so they started testing the grounds by signing some classic acts such as Karma to Burn, Monster Magnet or Brant Bjork. Soon after, another wave arrived with psychedelic groups like My Sleeping Karma, Glowsun or the hard rock/blues of The Sword or Zodiac. To complement these lighter bands, the Austrian label grabbed British “caveman battle doom” heroes, Conan. A bold move, however, Blood Eagle is a solid record that introduced these guys to a vast audience that eats this music for breakfast.

Warpaint, the indie rock band hailing from Los Angeles, California have been known for their moody, reflective lyrics and their intricate, ethereal, mantra-like guitar riffs. Their first full-length release, 2010’s The Fool, and their latest album, Heads Up, differ in terms of the overall feel and influence. However, their signature contemplative lyrics and one-of-a-kind musical style in addition to their main influences are present in both releases.

Smoke Signals, released in 1998, is a classic film that provides insight to the lives of Native Americans living on reservations. There are very few films that attempt to portray Native Americans at all, yet alone in a respectful manner. The characters are all played by genuine Native American actors including: Adam Beach, Evan Adams, Irene Bedard, Gary Farmer, and Tantoo Cardinal. Additionally, it is directed by Chris Eyre, another Native American. This film tries to overcome stereotypes of Native Americans that are prevalent in society, and does so in a humorous way. Smoke Signals takes the viewer along on a journey with the two main characters, Victor and Thomas. They leave their reservation in Idaho to travel to Arizona in order to collect Victor’s father’s ashes. This film is a classic because of it’s timeless theme: forgiveness. Smoke Signals portrays the theme of forgiveness by featuring Victor, a character struggling to forgive his late father for being an alcoholic and leaving him as a child; Victor takes Thomas along on a trek to Arizona to retrieve Victor’s father’s ashes.

As the power of a song resides completely in its lyrics, it is no longer surprising that music can be healing, inspiring, or even motivating. After introducing this insight to my life, it became very rare for me to listen to any Imagine Dragons’ song without it leaving an impact on my life and my perspectives. Imagine Dragons is a rock band whose music tends to address both personal and social issues. It’s Time, one of their biggest hits and most influential songs, was written by the band’s lead singer Dan Reynolds during a difficult time in his life. “ I was not very happy with who I was, I guess, and I wanted to make some changes” says the singer in an interview with Purevolume , in which he addresses It’s Time as a poem he wrote to express

In the movie Smoke Signals by Sherman Alexie; one of the main characters is Thomas Builds-the-fire. It all begins around three in the morning when his parents held the biggest house barbecue for the entire world to see. Thomas Builds-the-fire, he is the child of fire and ashes. Nevertheless, he never had the opportunity to meet his parents from then on. In addition, he lives, talks, and acts like his grandma. Thomas Builds-the-fire has a strong soul and the potential to give hands when needed.