Some are saying (or at least assuming) that The Marked Men’s new record Ghosts will be the band’s swansong. While things aren’t completely dead and buried, guitarist/vocalist Jeff Burke is moving to Japan. Hence, the band is being put on ice for the time being. Place this very sad situation on top of the fact that the band are following up 2006’s Fix My Brain, one of the most perfect pop punk records EVER made, and needless to say expectations were high in my book.

Ghosts is a tricky album of sorts. The songs trick you by being too fast. They blaze by you left and right that you don’t know what hit you. A few serious listens later, however, I was able to fully hear each carefully constructed note and all the vocal harmonies. The Marked Men are not a one trick pony, that’s for sure. Oh, and for the record, it’s fucking awesome. 

Read more after the jump.

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All pictures by Jason Bergman

Even though The New Lexicon doesn’t hit the streets for another month, Paint It Black brought the party to the City of Brotherly Love to celebrate their third full-length and, of course, Philly’s independent culture. The guys made sure to keep the weekend action-packed with plenty of great bands and Saturday’s matinee was no exception.

Read after the jump for the show review and more photos!

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Here is the final installment of our Fest VI wrap up. Here we go, here we go, here we go!

It’s been said that Sunday is the hardest day to play during the Fest weekend. Everyone, for the most part, is hungover and/or tired and it definitely starts to show on that final day. Exhaustion aside, I think it’s pretty safe to say that everyone was ready to go out with a bang.

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To the unexpecting eye, Gainesville could no way host the insanity-filled weekend that is the Fest. But really if you are traveling to Gainesville, it’s got to be for two things predominately; college football or to experience this annual, ever-growing marathon of bands, beer, and beards.

This was my second year attending the Fest and the expectations were even larger just because of the sheer volume of amazing bands playing in this sixth year. The tradition has become something much more important to me. It’s something that, come July or August, I’m usually talking about at least two to seven times a day. But this year, I was on a mission. Last year, I missed so many amazing bands that I got into after the whole shabang was over so I promised myself I would see as many bands as my body and mind allowed.

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