I’m writing this as I am barely 45 seconds into my first listen of this highly anticipated record. HOSTAGE CALM’s second full-length is streaming on their Punknews.org profile. The Run For Cover release is their first since Lens, and as noted before with the posting of three songs on their MySpace page, sees the band embracing various pop and indie rock elements within a melodic hardcore/post-hardcore framework. You. Will. Listen. Now. The record hits stores on July 20th.

TERROR has made available the brand new song “Stick Tight” for your listening pleasure. The band’s fifth full-length, Keepers of the Faith hits stores on September 14th, via Century Media.

Terror – Stick Tight by Century Media Records

CHANGE TODAY – The Survival EP (Hotfoot): Debut six song EP from this Louisiana five-piece hardcore band. MODERN LIFE IS WAR appears to be a big influence with these guys, but thankfully it remains just an influence, as the band strives to put its own stamp on things. Impressive drumming provides a great backbone to the mid-paced and faster material, while the low-slung shouted vocals set an angry defiant tone. No complaints here.

AUTOMATIC LOVELETTER – Truth or Dare (Sony): Not to be too cynical, but the push for Truth or Dare has been huge, and sort of in a “this is better than that PARAMORE band,” kind of way. Someone with the label actually had the guts to write “Equal parts PINK and FOO FIGHTERS, crossed with HEART or JOAN JETT for the Now generation.” Personally, I hear a kind of pitchy female vocalist singing with an average radio-friendly rock band with occasional flashes of aggression and memorability, but not nearly enough for a 50 minute full-length.

AUTHORITY ZERO – Stories of Survival (Suburban Noize/Viking Funeral): These guys are getting up into PENNYWISE territory for consistency/predictability, and not in a bad way. After a near-disaster run on the defunct Lava Records, the melodic skatepunk band is back with another slate of speedy sing-along anthems mixed in with some light dub and ska material. Easy on, easy off, and no one gets hurt.

KNUT – Wonder (Hydra Head): KNUT is basically the quintessential non-noisegaze Hydra Head band. With their technical, oppressively patient take on grimy metal, the band expresses its content to churn and grind gears into blunt surfaces. Truly, the Swiss band is an across the Atlantic counterpart to labelmates KEELHAUL, with maybe a stronger will to drain the blood out of each guitar crunch. KNUT is mysterious, exotic and engrossing, but only if you can part with instant gratification.

What leaps out immediately from THE CASTING OUT’s self titled record is just how commanding and scene setting Nathan Gray’s voice is in the mix. Put simply: It’s more vocal acrobatics from Mr. Gray for the entire record over an early Fat Wreck/Lookout-ish melodic punk record that sounds somehow right, as if the band is [...]

From the inbox:

Panic Records is proud and excited to announce that RUN WITH THE HUNTED have become a part of the family.

With the heaviness and technicality of bands like INDECISION and TURMOIL intermixed with strong noisy flourishes akin to BOTCH and CATHARSIS. Lyrically, the band explores political and personal subject matter in equal parts but with the same introspective angle and emotional vulnerability Run with the Hunted have become known for.

Run with the Hunted are currently in the studio tracking their debut full-length with Cory Spotts at Blue Light Audio Media and will be their first release for Panic Records. Their debut LP is due out this Fall and will serve as a follow up to 2009′s Destroy All Calendars released via Glory Kid Records.

- A great fit for the Panic roster. The 90s hardcore revival continues…

Update: No it’s not the Revelation Records INSIDE OUT. It’s things like this that keep us trademark lawyers up all night…

AOL Music is streaming the new HASTE THE DAY full-length, Attack of the Wolf King. It’s the fifth full-length for the Christian melodic metalcore act (and naturally, their heaviest but most melodic to date…). The special deluxe ultra mega edition of the release includes a cover of THE BLACK EYED PEAS “Meet Me Half Way.”

- OK, so I’m not the biggest fan of these guys, though I respect them, and am still very much into their 2005 full-length, When Everything Falls. I’m just sort of amazed they’ve gone on to release so many records. Assuming Solid State/Tooth and Nail does their usual “Greatest Hits, Live Album, Rarities” combination, that puts them in like Elvis territory. Why couldn’t this be BELOVED instead?!?

1. New END OF A YEAR release, You Are Beneath Me, is fantastic and benefits from some masterful sequencing. 30 minutes of constant, ripping, loud post-hardcore motion.

2. Jim Lindberg’s new band, THE BLACK PACIFIC sounds a lot like PENNYWISE. Honestly, I was expecting  NAUGHTY BY NATURE covers…

3. The ultimate 8:30-10am band is NADA SURF.

4. BAD RELIGION keeps saying their new record will revisit Recipe For Hate. Here’s to hoping there’s a song that’s as good as “American Jesus.” Speaking of Recipe For Hate, when are they going to remaster that thing and release a deluxe edition?

5. How do you know if a band is sharing too much info on Twitter? They upload photos of each frame on band bowling night…

6. MARATHON – S/T. So much love for this record.

7. First world problem: promos of a record, digital or otherwise, shouldn’t be sent out if the cover art isn’t available yet for publication!

8. This came up on the Vinyl Collective message board, but if you had to pick a ‘worst punk band ever’ that has a release on an established label, what would it be? I vote for BEEFCAKE and their Fearless Records disaster Rejected. Oddly enough, Punknews gave it an almost glowing review (two years after its release in 2001). I wonder what would have happened today if it came up for review again.

9. This photo! SWASHBUCKLE