Back in September, we announced that we were incredibly excited to work with Amberian Dawn on two of their hit tracks, “River of Tuoni” and “He Sleeps in a Grove”.

The RBN preview clips for “River of Tuoni”, the title track from their debut album, and “He Sleeps in a Grove” from their second album, The Clouds of Northland Thunder, have each eclipsed the 2,000 view mark! The “River of Tuoni” preview alone has gathered 3,780 as of today and has only been up for a few months. If our forums and preview comments are any measure of Amberian Dawn’s future in RBN, then their popularity is undisputed. Excited RGS and RBN fans have already vowed to buy their tracks when RBN launches.

As a response to your overwhelming support for Amberian Dawn’s tracks, we are ecstatic to announce that they have signed on to publish 5 more songs with RockGamer Studios. Amberian Dawn’s new tracks on RBN will be “Valkyries”, “Lullaby”, “The Curse”, “Face of the Maiden” and “Evil Inside Me”, all from their original album River of Tuoni.

“Valkyries” a fan favorite, has already managed to rope in 35,000 hits on YouTube. Lead siren Heidi Parviainen’s lyrics and irrepressibly catchy chorus for “Valkyries” are absolutely entrancing. “The Curse” is an epic journey through technical virtuosity and Tuomas Seppälä’s guitar solo is a guaranteed challenge. We can’t wait to see FCs on this when it comes out! The wave of complication and technicality builds in “Lullaby” with growling background vocals flanking Parvianinen’s cathedral raising sound.

Since RockGamer Studios last checked in with Amberian Dawn, they have successfully toured and have been nominated for a big award. According to their MySpace blog, Amberian Dawn’s sophomore effort, The Clouds of Northland Thunder, has been nominated for a prestigious Metalstorm award for best Atmospheric/Symphonic Band. The Finnish group has also been nominated for the Femma Gaala competition. They are also in the studio working on their third album, which is yet to be titled. Their web site adds that the new album is going to be “more diverse, faster and darker” than their previous albums.

Stay tuned to RockGamer Studios for more Amberian Dawn news and video previews.

Ballyhoo!’s “Cali Girl” is a song best played around a bonfire in July, or around a fireplace in February…heck Rock Band fans will want to play this song anytime, anywhere. Grab some friends and a few beers (or sodas for you under 21s) and jam out to Ballyhoo!’s feel good reggae-rock tune about a girl who’s “going to California.” “Cali Girl” starts off in true reggae style, but the catchy chorus smacks of punk rock. By the time the second chorus rolls around, everyone in the room will be singing it.

Lead singer Howi Spangler’s vocals are never overly challenging, while the bass charts fall right in the pocket. Both bass and guitar will be entertaining for all levels of players. For Rock Band players who have not played or listened to reggae, ska, or jazz lately, the laid back groove may trip you up.

While vocals, bass, and guitar are relatively smooth rides, “Cali Girl” may present a bumpier road for drummers. Nailing the shuffle beats takes a lot of wrist control, and hitting the hi-hat perfectly is a challenge. Drummers, if you are looking to test your technical skills, then “Cali Girl” is a must have.

Keep an eye out for Ballyhoo!’s next RBN track “Paper Dolls” coming soon!

Singers, it’s time to practice those vocal gymnastics! Drummers…steel yourselves!

RockGamer Studios is proud to present a sneak peek at Children of Nova’s “The Complexity of Light”.

The 2009 album’s epic title track, clocking in at a whopping 6:36, is sure to challenge all instrumentalists. Singers and drummers beware, this song is not for the faint of heart.

While seasoned drummers here at RGS have described the intro to “The Complexity of Light” as “ridiculously hard,” our resident vocal expert Ted had this to say about lead singer Teo’s vocal track:

“The Complexity of Light” has some of the highest sung notes out of all the songs in the RB library. Its highest note is just two semitones shy of the highest ever. Evanescence’s “Weight of the World” still holds that crown.

At about 5 minutes 11 seconds, Teo’s voice sky rockets far past any mortal man’s vocal abilities, you’ll just have to see it to believe it.

So, for those who want to test what their vocal power is made of, “The Complexity of Light” is a must have.

BOSTON-BRED ROCKERS DAMONE SIGN WITH ROCKGAMER STUDIOS TO “ROLL THE DICE” ON ROCK BAND NETWORK

Damone has selected three tracks from their self-published album Roll the Dice (2008) to be featured on RBN.

Featuring Noelle LeBlanc (vocals/guitar), Mike Woods (guitar), Vazquez (bass), and Dustin Hengst (drums), the group has gained attention for its power-pop influenced, yet eclectic, sound.

Old and new fans alike will love the versatility of Damone’s most recent album. While songs like “Roll the Dice” and “Serial Killer” display the foursome’s signature hard driving guitar riffs, tracks like “Conquer Me” show a softer, more melodic side of the female fronted rock band.

In 2009, lead guitarist Mike Woods alerted fans of Damone’s blog that their single “Out Here all Night,” from their 2006 album of the same name, was released as Rock Band DLC. “Out Here all Night” has also been featured on Madden NFL ‘07 and Tony Hawk’s Downhill Jam soundtrack.

With a worldwide fan base ranging from the States to Peru, “Roll the Dice”, “Serial Killer,” and “Conquer Me” are sure to burn up the RBN charts.

We know you can’t wait to listen to Damone’s new songs, so check out Roll the Dice on the band’s official Myspace page.

Wait, what?

At least one fan of Bang Camaro thinks the tracks “Bang Camaro” and “Push Push (Lady Lightning)” are two episodes of an epic rock opera about conception in the back seat of a Camaro.

Bryn Bennett, co-founder of Bang Camaro, recently shared this fun fact while answering a few questions about life on the road with 20 guys, the band’s use of videogame soundtracks as a means of exposure, lessons learned, and much much more.

This interview is a must-read for all fans of Bang Camaro, as well as any artists on the fence about joining the Rock Band Network.

Here is the full interview, courtesy of RockBandAide:

If you’re reading this, it’s safe to say you are a big fan of Rock Band, and if you are a big fan of Rock Band, you’re not only familiar with Bang Camaro, you’re probably a big fan of them, as well. But for those not in the know, Bang Camaro is “anthem rock” at it’s finest. With a small army on stage, Bang Camaro’s unapologetic, in your face, hard rock typically blows the roof off of any venue they play. Most are familiar with them through video games, as their music can be heard in Guitar Hero 2, Rock Band, Rock Band 2, The Sims 3, and Madden NFL ‘10. They’ve also performed on Jimmy Kimmel Live, as well as Late Night with Conan O’Brien.

And coming soon, Bang Camaro will be putting four tracks on the Rock Band Network with the help of Rock Gamer Studios: ”Revolution,” “Push Push (Lady Lightning), “Swallow the Razor,” and “Blood Red Rock.” I was able to ask Bryn Bennett of Bang Camaro a handful of questions about the band, the Rock Band Network, and what we can look forward to in the future.

RockBandAide: What impact has Rock Band and Guitar Hero had on your success?

Bryn Bennett: The games put Bang Camaro in front of a huge audience that would have never heard of us otherwise. Better yet, it allowed people to interact with the music in ways that traditional listening doesn’t allow. There are a lot of people out there that know every note (or at least rhythm!) that we play because they have been playing along with us. It’s actually a bit nerve-wracking when you see people air-guitaring along with our solos, and we realize that they are actually playing the video game parts. That means they definitely know if we flub a note!

Another interesting thing we’ve found is that music game fans are not necessarily traditional music fans. A lot of people we met told us that our show was the first one they had ever been to. Hopefully in the future, more music fans will start playing the games, and more gamers will go out and listen to the music live.

RBA: How much input did you have on what songs were selected for games and how they were being used?

BB: Harmonix is a company full of musicians who all would like to have their songs in the games. The way it worked here (I’m a programmer at Harmonix) is that people would send their music to members of the audio team, and they would decide what songs would be best for the game. (Not to be mistaken for the “best songs” which would be entirely different.) So, we submitted songs like “Pleasure (Pleasure)” and “Rock Rebellion” and we were lucky that they were picked.

Working with EA and Artwerk was slightly different. We signed a publishing agreement with them, so they could pick and choose what music of ours they wanted to use for their games. They chose “Revolution” for The Sims and Madden 10.

RBA: Since a major portion of your fan base has discovered you through video games, do you think they outnumber your fans that have discovered you through more traditional means?

BB: Definitely. We are always a little surprised when we hear that people heard about us from somewhere other than games, since Rock Band and the others put us in front of so many people. We have played some high profile shows like Lollapalooza and the Download Festival as well as Conan O’Brien and Jimmy Kimmel, so people have definitely heard about us from other places.

RBA: What’s it like to have that large portion of your fan base that has an interactive, intimate knowledge of your music?

BB: Like I said earlier, it’s terrifying if they are staring at your fingers when you’re playing a solo. I don’t know if I’ll ever get used to that. On the other hand, it’s cool to have a huge portion of the crowd singing along with every word in a song. I always find it funny when people are surprised that we are not all Rock Band masters. There are some people in the band who have never even played it!

RBA: How soon upon first hearing of the Rock Band Network did you decide on making some of your music available?

BB: Right away. It was never a question that RBN was a great idea, and a perfect way for us to get more music out there. At first, I was planning on doing the charts myself, but quickly realized that I didn’t have time to pull it off. Luckily, we have known Miguel and the others at RockGamer Studios for quite a while. They were always the crazy ones at our NYC shows. We knew we’d be in good hands if we worked with them.

RBA: For bands that may not be as well as known throughout the Rock Band community, what level of success is possible for them on the Rock Band Network?

BB: Since RBN has not officially launched yet, I can’t say anything for sure. I am incredibly excited about it though. I’m sure that if a band gets known for having awesome songs that play well, a ton of people will want to pick them up. People are always looking for new songs that they want to play. Hopefully I’ll learn about some great bands through this new means.

RBA: How much Rock Band do you guys play? And are there any bands that you would like to eventually see in Rock Band, either through traditional means or through the Rock Band Network?

BB: There are a number of guys in the band that play quite a bit. Morgan and Glen have Rock Band set up at their places. Personally, I “Play” all day, every day at my office… but replace the word “play” with “add features, fix bugs, and then hear from the testers.”

I was really excited when the Electric Six pack came out a few months ago. We did a tour with them, and I was blown away with their music and shows. Of course I could always be into more Ozzy. Playing “Bark at the Moon” on the original Guitar Hero was awesome. It made me go home and learn the real solo!

RBA: Do you feel that Rock Band has an impact on a player’s interest in playing a real instrument at some point?

BB: Without a doubt. I have met a lot of younger people who say that they became interested in playing an instrument because of Rock Band. I believe that it’s because of GH and RB that younger people became interested in guitar based rock again. I mean, what 12 year old knew who Deep Purple was before the games came out.

On the other hand, I hope people take the inspiration from the game and try to do something new and creative with it. Do we really need any more shredders out there? I think Tiago Della Vega has already taken it to its logical conclusion.

RBA: Vocal chorus aside, is there a certain aspect of your music that you think defines you as a unique artist?

BB: Alex’s rock faces.

RBA: What is your favorite song to perform live? Are there any covers that you like to play live?

BB: I always look forward to “Rock Rebellion”, “Blood Red Rock”, and “Push Push (Lady Lightning).” We haven’t played many covers live because we never wanted to be thought of as some hard rock cover band with a bunch of singers. We did “In the Meantime” by Space Hog once, and it was pretty epic. We also played “It’s Not Love” by Dokken at Rocklahoma. It was pretty funny because a lot of the parents were rocking out, and their kids probably thought it was a song of ours.

RBA: Do you have any specific tracks that you are particularly proud of?

BB: There are different songs that I like for different reasons. I thought that “She’s Gone (Critical)” was well crafted and had nearly a Simon and Garfunkle quality to its harmonies. I like the somewhat strange arrangement to “Miss Illusion” that was atypical of most of our songs. I think the lead up and then the kick off of the solo in “Rock Rebellion” is probably the most exciting point in our live show. I’m also proud of finishing “Swallow the Razor” because all of the singers were so drunk in the studio that they don’t even remember being there. If you listen closely to the track, you can hear someone randomly screaming “RAZOR!” in the chorus.

RBA: Which one of your songs has the most meaning to you?

BB: Well… we’re a band that prides ourselves on 2 word choruses with no verses…. So I’m not sure if I can answer that.

BUT, there was a time when a fan found some meaning in our music. We had released “Bang Camaro” first on the internet, and then didn’t know what to do with a 20 person hard rock band. So, then we went back into the studio and recorded some more songs. When we later released “Push Push (Lady Lightning)”, someone figured out that it was 9 months between “Bang Camaro” and “Push Push.” He was pretty sure that we were writing a rock opera that dealt with an immaculate conception that started in a Camaro. We kept waiting for him to figure out what the rest of the songs meant, but I don’t think he ever did.

RBA: Is there any aspect of your musical history that you would change?

BB: Sure. From the beginning, Alex and I tried to handle everything ourselves. We were very DIY. We ran our own record label, produced the music, negotiated business agreements, etc. We were learning as we went, and definitely made some mistakes. The additional difficulties of a band with so many members didn’t help. I’m proud that we have accomplished as much as we have, but if I could go back in time I think we would be able to do better with what we know now.

RBA: Any chance of a Bang Camaro: Rock Band? And if so, how many instruments would be included in the bundle?

BB: Just a lot more microphones…

RBA: What does the future hold for Bang Camaro?

BB: Traditionally, touring with a band costs the band money. That’s why record labels have what they call “tour support.” Since we ran our own label, we didn’t have that support. Plus, having 15 guys to pay while driving around the country doesn’t help. So, we’ve definitely learned that touring is not a way for us to keep ahead. Fortunately, we have been able to get our music in front of a lot of people through alternate means like video games, TV, commercial placements, etc. Hopefully, moving forward we can take better advantage of that… RBN will hopefully be a big part of it. But, we never want to totally give up on the live show… that’s what Bang Camaro is all about.

RBA: Thanks, Bryn!

For more info about Bang Camaro, check out their website at BangCamaro.com or on Myspace. Below is the official video for their song “Revolution,” featured in the Sim 3, Madden NFL ‘10, and soon for the Rock Band Network.

ALL-GIRL PUNK BAND TIJUANA SWEETHEART (FORMERLY KNOWN AS VAGIANT) TO APPEAR IN ROCK BAND NETWORK

“A rose by any other name would smell as drunk.”- RockBand.com forums

Due to a legal dispute, the truculent, wayward girls of the band formerly known as VAGIANT (Boston) have changed their name to Tijuana Sweetheart.

After hundreds of often off-beat band name suggestions from fans, the band selected Tijuana Sweetheart – a name which comes from a cocktail of the girls’ invention (and from the band’s unique slang term for ‘a prostitute’).

The name change goes into effect immediately. Merchandise with the band’s former name will continue to be available at the band’s forthcoming website, www.TijuanaSweetheart.com, for a limited time at a discounted rate. For comment on the name change, please contact the band’s formidable, motorcycle outlaw lawyer, John Taxiarchis, at john@taxilaw.com.

Three tracks from Tijuana Sweetheart’s album Trash Candy will appear on Rock Band Network: “No Mercy,” “Sticks & Stones,” and “Trash Candy.” The songs are being authored by the talented team at RockGamer Studios, and the band hopes that the launch of these new downloadable tracks for Rock Band will help get the word out about their necessary name change.

The band will debut their new name at their “Valentines are for Pussies” show at the Baseball Tavern in Boston on February 13th, with the Jeddo Stars, Tired Old Bones, and the Chemical Smiles (sponsored by Narragansett Beer).

Featured on the multi-million unit-selling video games Rock Band® and Guitar Hero® II, Tijuana Sweetheart (formerly VAGIANT) has managed to expand beyond the Boston bar scene and into living rooms worldwide. The band was nominated for Punk Act of the Year in the 2009 Boston Music Awards and has performed live with such bands as Bang Camaro, the Mighty Mighty Bosstones, DMZ, and the Ducky Boys.

Tijuana Sweetheart is an all-girl punk/rock outfit from Allston, MA. They enjoy playing raucous live shows, eating chicken wings, and have recently determined, as a result of their band name brainstorming, that group consensus is an exercise in futility and now believe in benevolent dictatorship. (www.tijuanasweetheart.com)

VANCOUVER ROCK GROUP THE FURY PARTNERS WITH ROCKGAMER STUDIOS TO BRING THEIR MUSIC TO ROCK BAND NETWORK

Have we mentioned we love Vancouver’s rock scene? We really do, and here’s another reason why.

The Fury has only been around for roughly two years, but the female-fronted Canucks are already set to take the leap to the next level. Chase Patterson (vocals), Jon Wu (guitar), Royce Whittaker (guitar), Colin Campbell (bass) and Jay Vidler (drums) all combine to create a hard-hitting sound reminiscent of Bif Naked or Flyleaf, which will be just as much fun to sing as it will be to play on any instrument.

The Fury will make its Rock Band Network debut with two tracks, “Picture Perfect” and “Beauty Queen,” from their 2009 album Truth Comes Out (iTunes).

The band couldn’t be happier to have this opportunity to expose their music to the millions of Rock Band players around the world.

“We’re all psyched to be working with RockGamer Studios and to have our songs available on Rock Band,” says Wu. “It’s so killer to have a company give an independent band like us an opportunity to be a part of something bigger. I myself am such a videogame fan, I’m looking forward to see who’s better at playing our songs and only hope everyone will enjoy the music!”

Follow The Fury on Facebook or Myspace to catch all their latest news, and stay tuned to RockGamer Studios for more updates as the tracks near their release date.

FISTS UP! ROCKGAMER STUDIOS ANNOUNCES PARTNERSHIP WITH BANG CAMARO TO PUBLISH THEIR MUSIC ON ROCK BAND NETWORK

For the uninitiated, Bang Camaro, a hard rock group out of Boston founded by guitarists Bryn Bennett and Alex Necoechea, has become popular for their unique definition of a “band”. With a dozen or so vocalists headbanging onstage — producing one of the best arena rock sounds you’ll ever hear live — “army” is probably a better description. The group was catapulted to the national spotlight in 2006 when their song “Push Push (Lady Lightning)” was included as a bonus track on the Harmonix-developed Guitar Hero II.

Since then, Bang Camaro has amassed a huge following, and they have continued to support music games by including their singles “Pleasure (Pleasure),” “Rock Rebellion” and “Night Lies” in the Rock Band platform.

For those of you who have always wanted to play “Push Push (Lady Lightning)” in full band format, you’re in luck! “PP (LL)” is among the first four tracks announced for Rock Band Network, along with “Swallow the Razor,” “Blood Red Rock,” and their popular single “Revolution,” which has been featured in blockbuster video games such as Madden NFL ‘10 and The Sims 3.

If you want to stay up to date on the latest Bang Camaro news, you can visit their website at http://www.bangcamaro.com/ or check out their MySpace page, http://www.myspace.com/bangcamaro

LEGENDARY UK GOTHIC ROCK BAND INKUBUS SUKKUBUS SIGNS WITH ROCKGAMER STUDIOS
Records Four Exclusive Versions of Hits for Rock Band Network

If you are a fan of gothic rock, the name Inkubus Sukkubus should need no introduction. Comprised of Candia Ridley on vocals, Tony McCormack on guitar, and Adam Henderson on bass, this long running act from the United Kingdom has been active since 1989, with over a dozen albums to their credit throughout their career. Formed out of a mutual interest in paganism, witchcraft, and vampirism, their style of goth rock has been well-received over their years, with appearances on BBC programming, features in magazines, and a steady position at the top of the Goth Rock category on SoundClick. Having performed concerts in a multitude of countries and headlined festivals throughout the world, including the Whitby Gothic Weekend in the UK and Wave-Gotik-Treffen in Leipzig, Germany, their legion of fans has steadily grown throughout their twenty-year-plus career.

Today, we are proud to announce that RockGamer Studios will be authoring five songs from their catalogue for future release through the Rock Band Network. The first single, “Death Comes”, is taken from their most recent release, 2008’s Viva la Muerte. The album tells the story of a couple celebrating their wedding on Dia de los Muertos, the Mexican Day of the Dead. You can listen to “Death Comes” in its entirety via the link below:

In addition to “Death Comes”, Inkubus Sukkubus is currently heading into the studio to record exclusive versions of four of their biggest hits specifically for Rock Band! They are hard at work on brand new recordings of “Belladonna & Aconite”, “Heart of Lilith”, “Queen of the May”, and “Wytches” which will make their debut as downloadable content for Rock Band Network.

To learn more about Inkubus Sukkubus, as well as hear more of their music and see their videos, please visit their extensive website at http://www.inkubussukkubus.com, or catch up with them at social networking sites Facebook and Myspace.

FINNISH HARD ROCKERS FREE SPIRIT COMING TO ROCK BAND NETWORK WITH ROCKGAMER STUDIOS

Today, we’re pleased to add another excellent band from Finland to the upcoming Rock Band Network song lineup. Finnish hard rock revivalists Free Spirit will be joining their countrymates Amberian Dawn on RBN when RockGamer Studios releases three songs from their 2009 album, “Pale Sister of Light”.

Comprised of Sami Alho on vocals, Vesa Yli-Mäenpää and Marko Haapamäki on guitar, Pasi Koivumäki behind the drums, Sami Hämäläinen on bass, and Timo Alho on keyboards, this group has been enthralling Europe with their melodic hard rock since 2006. We are working with them to bring three songs from their 2009 release, “Pale Sister of Light”, including the title track, as well as “Until the Night” and “Far Away from Heaven”. Capturing classic riffs and grooves while bringing them firmly into the new millenium, their songs are poised to become favorites with Rock Band players of all ages.

View the video for “Until The Night” below:

You can check out their other two songs we’ll be bringing to RBN below:

• Free Spirit – “Far Away from Heaven” ♫

• Free Spirit – “Pale Sister of Light” ♫

Be sure to visit them at their website, or connect up with them on MySpace, and be sure to look forward to these three songs coming soon to RBN!