Empyrean
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Empyrean

Orlando, Florida, United States | SELF

Orlando, Florida, United States | SELF
Band Metal Alternative

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This band has not uploaded any videos
This band has not uploaded any videos

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Press


"Zippo Hot Tour Press Release"

MEDIA ALERT


ZIPPO HOT TOUR HEATS UP IN ORLANDO
FEATURING LOCAL FAVORITE: EMPYREAN

WHAT:
The 2006 ZIPPO HOT TOUR features 80 bands across the nation competing for a chance to showcase their talent for Geffen Records, and over $100,000 in prizes is turning up the heat in Orlando. Representing Orlando, Empyrean will perform at one of the two showcases in Orlando in September to try and earn enough votes to advance to the finals. Music fans looking for the next big rock band can support their local music scene by attending the showcases voting for the band they want to see represent their city in the finals. At these shows, attendees will get to vote for the band that they want to go on to the national finals round later in the month– at which point votes will be cast online to find the hottest band in the nation amongst the ten finalists. This year the winner of the 2006 Zippo Hot Tour will also go on a 20 date national tour with one of the biggest and best rock acts in the world: Papa Roach. Additionally, Zippo will be on hand at the showcases giving away Zippo lighters, Beanies, T-shirts, Lanyards and more!

WHO:
Hard. Tender. Schizophrenic. Hooky. Formed in 2001 Empyrean is many things, but above all, a band on the edge of the mainstream, with underground influences on the verge of breaking out. With blistering hooks and graceful melodies, their music covers everything frm high energy epics to dark, vibey introspection, and faces subject matter from religion, to society, relationships, and inner turmoil. - www.myspace.com/empyrean –

WHEN/WHERE:

September 8th, 2006 8:00 P.M. – Aka Lounge – 68 East Pine Street – Orlando, FL 32801 – No Cover, 18+ – www.akalounge.com

INFO: For more information about the Zippo Hot Tour visit www.zippohottour.com.- or to schedule interviews contact: Keith Hagan or Jennifer Litt at PFA – 212-334-6116.

About The Zippo Hot Tour
The Zippo Hot Tour is a promotional marketing initiative to support the local music industry and provide rock groups with a platform to bring their music to a national audience. The program consists of a series of online and offline activities, including a fall music tour visiting 20 markets across the U.S. For more information on the Zippo Hot Tour contact Los Angeles based promotion agency, FUSE, at 323-871-9900 or go to www.zippohottour.com .

About Zippo
Zippo Manufacturing Company was founded in 1932 in Bradford, PA. The Zippo windproof lighter has become an international icon of American ingenuity and tradition and is a treasured collectible throughout the world. The Zippo windproof pocket lighter – in addition to the traditional chrome finish – features millions of designs depicting hobbies, activities, logos and lifestyle interests. More than 425 million Zippo lighters have been manufactured in Bradford since 1932, and all are backed by Zippo’s unparalleled lifetime guarantee. For more information on Zippo, please visit the company’s web site www.zippo.com.

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- Zippo Hot Tour


"Taxi gives the Narcissist 8 out of 10!"

In a review by Taxi, the title track off of Empyrean's 6 song EP received an 8 out of 10 rating in review. - TAXI


"Connections Magazine 4 Star Review"

The following review appears in the April '07 Issue of Connections Magazine:

Empyrean

Rating: ****

by Paul Henning

Recorded at Trans Continental Studios, Empyrean must've sunk a lot of money into this project. The result is a solid metal / screamo record in the vein of bands like Atreyu and other artists you'd see on a label like Victory Records. Comet o think of it, Victory should look at these guys. We have to say this is on oe the better bands out of the ones doing this kind of thing. The sonic quality is good as well- and for what the band must've spent to record at TransCon, the sound better be good, unless they have access to the place through a member or something. - Connections Magazine


"Rockstars Glued Interview"

1. How did you come up with the name "Empyrean"?

THE NAME WAS ORIGINALLY COINED BY AN OLD BASS PLAYER OF OURS WHEN ADAM AND MYSLEF (MIKE) FIRST STARTED PLAYING TOGETHER AS A BAND. WE HAD BOTH BEEN IN PRIOR BANDS WITH REALLY WEAK AND SOMEWHAT MEANINGLESS NAMES AND AT THE TIME IT SEEMED LIKE THE MUSIC SCENE WAS SWAMPED WITH THE WHOLE BAND NAME WITH A NUMBER AFTER IT OR TWO ODDLY PLACED TOGETHER WORD TYPE NAMES. WE WERE LOOKING FOR SOMETHING A BIT MORE EVOCATIVE AND MILDLY IRONIC. EMPYREAN ESSENTIALLY IS THE CONCEPT OF THE HIGHEST LEVEL OF HEAVEN IN MANY CULTURES IN WHICH AN ETERNAL CLEANSING FLAME BURNS. GIVEN THAT IMAGERY WE FELT IT WAS SOMETHING THAT ADEQUATELY DESCRIBED THE ROUGHER EDGES OF WHAT WE DO WHILE STILL HOLDING A LITTLE PLACE FOR THE MORE MELODIC PARTS, AND HAD A NICE LITTLE SARDONIC TASTE OF OUR SOCIO POLITCAL COMMENTARY TO BOOT.

2. How long have you been together as a band and how did you meet?

OUR CURRENT INCARNATION HAS BEEN KICKING AROUND FOR A LITTLE OVER A YEAR OR SO, BUT THAT'S A LITTLE MISLEADING AS WE DEFINITELY HAVE OUR ROOTS IN A FEW YEARS OF PRIOR LINE UPS AND REALLY LEARNING THE ROPES AND FINE TUNING SOME OF THE EARLIER MUSIC INTO WHAT IT IS TODAY. WE'VE DEFINITELY TRIED TO HIT THE GROUND RUNNING THOUGH, AND HAVE PRETTY MUCH COME FARTHER THAN EVER IN THIS INCARNATION IN ABOUT HALF THE TIME. AS MUCH AS SOME PEOPLE MAY DISDAIN SOCIAL WEBSITES LIKE MYSPACE, I'D BE LYING IF WE DIDN'T SAY IT WAS REALLY THE BIRTHPLACE OF OUR LINE UP. PRIOR TO PLACING A FEW ADS ON THERE, WE HAD STRUGGLED WITH LINE UPS FOR YEARS. WITHIN A FEW WEEKS, WE MET OUR CURRENT MEMBERS, AND REALLY FOUND WE CLICKED ON A LEVEL THAT JUST DIDN'T FLOW BEFORE. IT'S LIKE THE ULTIMATE SCREENING SERVICE.

3. Who were your musical interests growing up?

THAT'S A TOUGH ONE REALLY. EVERY MEMBER OF THE BAND HAS A PRETTY ECLECTIC TASTE IN MUSIC RANGING OVER MANY GENRES. SPEAKING IN GENERAL WE DO TEND TO ALL CONVERGE ON THE OBVIOUS INFLUENCES OF HARD / ALT ROCK AND METAL. I (MIKE) GREW UP LOVING BANDS LIKE THE SMASHING PUMPKINS, NIRVANA, ALICE IN CHAINS ETC. I ALSO HAD A LOT OF EXPOSURE TO PUNK AND JAZZ IN MY MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL YEARS. ADAM DEFINITELY GOT INTO MORE EXTREME METAL AND INDUSTRIAL BEFORE I EVER DID. OVERALL OUR TASTES ARE PRETTY SIMILAR THOUGH. WE BOTH LOVE THEY MIGHT BE GIANTS, HAHA. DREW AND VICTOR BOTH HAVE A BIT MORE OF INFLUENCES RANGING IN CLASSIC ROCK, R&B, AND PROGRESSIVE ARTISTS. RUSH, DREAM THEATER AND THE SUCH. AND GEORGE TENDS TO BALANCE THE MIDDLE GROUND BETWEEN THOSE RANGES. WE ALL PRETTY MUCH LOVE TOOL. IN FACT WE JUST RESCHEDULED A SHOW AROUND THEIR CURRENT TOUR DATES.

4. Who does your writing? One person, or do you collaborate?

IT'S ACTUALLY A GOOD MIX OF THE TWO. TYPICALLY A SONG STARTS FOR US WITH A SINGLE OVERALL SONG IDEA, USUALLY EITHER MYSELF (MIKE) OR GEORGE BRINGING AN IDEA TO THE TABLE THAT ACTS AS A SKELETON FOR THE SONG. SOMETIMES ADAM LAYS DOWN SOME VOCAL IDEAS AROUND THAT SKELETON AND SOMETIMES HE WAITS UNTIL MORE IS GOING ON WITH IT. TYPICALLY WE BRING THAT SKELETON TO A PRACTICE AND THEN ALL KIND OF WRAP OUR HEADS AROUND IT AND JAM ON IT UNTIL IT SLOWLY EVOLVES IN A NEW DIRECTION AND EVERYONE HAS THEIR INPUT. THEN WE PRETTY MUCH JUST DO A BIT OF POST PRODUCTION AND ARRANGEMENT AND WORK OUT THE KINKS.

5. What is coming up for you guys? Plug away!

WE'RE CURRENTLY ABOUT TO PLAY A FEW SHOWS IN AN ATTEMPT TO OPEN FOR QUITE A FEW MAJOR ACTS ON EARTHDAY BIRTHDAY (AN ORLANDO AREA RADIO SPONSORED FESTIVAL). AFTER THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE LOOKING AT A SHOWCASE ON THE FLORIDA MUSIC FESTIVAL, AND THEN AS SUMMER ROLLS ON, WE'RE GOING TO BE HOPPING IN THE VAN AND TAKING A COUPLE WEEKS TO TOUR UP THE EAST COST AND MAYBE VENTURE A BIT OUT INTO THE MIDWEST.

6. What would you like to see change in the music industry?

BEING THAT BOTH DREW AND I HAVE MUSIC INDUSTRY JOBS WE'VE SEEN A LOT OF PEOPLE SUCCEED AND A LOT OF PEOPLE SHOOT THEMSELVES IN THE FOOT. MY PERSONAL OPINION OVERALL IS THAT THE MUSIC INDUSTRY IS CHANGING RATHER RAPIDLY THOUGH, AND THOUGH IT MAY NOT BE GOING THE DIRECTIONS OF MILLION DOLLAR ALBUM BUDGETS, I THINK IT WILL BE GOOD FOR THE OVERALL ART. THE RAPID ADVANCES IN TECHNOLOGY AND THE INTERNET HAVE REALLY GIVEN POWER TO INDEPENDENT ARTISTS TO HAVE THEIR MUSIC HEARD, AND INDIE LABELS ARE SLOWLY BECOMING MORE AND MORE POWERFUL, AND THAT SORT OF OPEN MIND APPROACH IS GOING TO BRING A LOT OF MUSICAL INNOVATION, EVEN IF YOU DO HAVE TO PERSONALLY FILTER THROUGH A BIT MORE CRAP HERE AND THERE. OVERALL I'D SAY PROBABLY THE THING WE'D LIKE TO SEE CHANGE MOST IS TOP 40 RADIO / MEDIA BEGIN TO REFLECT THE OVERALL MIDSET OF THE CURRENT UNDERGROUND, AND REALLY, FOR MAJOR LABELS TO GET THE HINT THAT PEOPLE DON'T WANT TO HEAR RECYCLED BANDS THAT ARE COPIES OF COPIES OF THE CLASSICS WE LOVE, THAT WERE STILL PRETTY MAINSTREAM WHEN THEY WERE CLASSICS. IT OFTEN FEELS LIKE THE INDUSTRY IS STUCK TOO MUCH IN THE MONEY MAKING GIVE PEOPLE WHAT THEY KNOW MINDSET INSTEAD OF - Rockstars Glued


"Cd Release Party Review"

Empyrean EP Release
(Music » Concerts/Events)

Appearing
Phoenix Mourning, Fire at Will, Since October, Symphony In The Courtyard

Event Location
The Social
54 N. Orange Ave.
Orlando [Map It]
407-246-1419
Website

Street parking, or use nearby parking ramps, garages or lots

Ticket Info
$7


By OW Staff

Local metallians Empyrean have been tooling around town in various incarnations since 2002, and their sound evinces the textured maturity that comes from years of trying valiantly to create a vibe that goes beyond metal clichés. With arrangements that are complex but melodic and a noticeable reliance on loud-soft dynamics, Empyrean clearly wishes to be tagged Orlando’s heavy-but-smart band. Vocalist Adam DeLancett employs that whole scream/growl thing that Cave In singer Stephen Brodsky uses to great effect. Visceral without being dumbed-down, intricate without being Dillinger Escape Plan and melodic without being too corny.
- The Orlando Weekly


"Interview from MetalRevolution.net"

Empyrean (USA)

Interview with Adam DeLancett and Mike DeLancett
www.myspace.com/empyrean

Empyrean is a band from Orlando, FL whose EP received a standing ovation by truly yours. You can read the review of Empyrean here.
Therefore we were please to conduct the interview with this promising band that seems to have bright future ahead of them. So sit back and read about the all the different aspects of if involvement in the Empyrean that the band members have, about how they got together, about where does that name come from and of course about future plans for the band.

MR: Can you start of by introducing the band and telling us bit more about the band?
Mike DeLancett: As our current line up stands Adam DeLancett is the vocalist, I, Mike DeLancett am the Guitarist, Victor Randle is the bassist, and Drew Brome is on drums. We’re in the process of auditioning some additional second guitarists with the departure of our other one freshly on the maps, but we’ve got some pretty solid leads. As Far juicy tidbits? Adam and I are brothers, I’m 2 years older. And we started the band when I came back from College to go to a music engineering school in town. Both of us had been in and out of bands through high school, though ironically, we were both the guys who joined last as our friends pressured us into it. I started as a bass player in the school jazz band and Adam literally was asked to join a band because he was the loudest person they knew who could yell.

MR: Can you tell us more about more about the band’s name?
MD: Haha, trust me we get that a lot. It’s always a tough question because in current usage, Empyrean has such a distinct Judeo-Christian slant as the highest level of heaven in which God dwells. But our original intention in using it was pulled from a concept that seems to transcend many different religions and is best summed in Aristotle’s natural philosophy as a transcendent realm occupied by a pure and cleansing fire. Essentially; a place where anything but the purest and strongest character would burn away.

MR: Can you try to describe Empyrean music?
MD: If anything I would call it schizophrenic. Each of us pulls from pretty different backgrounds that all cross over in the same places. I’m sure people who know us, or know where we come from musically can pick those pieces out of our music, but it reigns from pretty extremely heavy, particularly in our newer material, to very melodic, and I’ve always felt, very fluidly genre hops. For instance, one of our newer tracks like "Firewalker" is based in a lot of off time syncopation based riffs and pulls a lot from eastern music influences. And then something like "Gods and Idols" will reflect a strong punk background that I grew up in. Our Ipod’s look like clusterfucks. We all just listen to so many different things.

MR: Who are your biggest influences?
Adam DeLancett: As far as taste goes musically, we all differ. I think a couple of big names I can drop would be Alice in Chains, Tool, and Opeth across the board. We all really love vibey, thought provoking tunes and those guys have it nailed. Drew is all about Dream Theatre, Megadeth, and pretty much any other band that plays something challenging on the drums. I dig on a lot of heavier bands like Dimmu-Borgir and Swedish acts like Mnemic and The Haunted, as well as industrial acts like Nine Inch Nails and Ministry. I also love melodic bands like Bad Religion and Type O Negative, bands with singers who have distinct voices and sing their asses off, but still have a lot to say as well. Vic enjoys the musicianship of classic performers like Victor Wooten and Mozart, Empyrean gives him a place to vent his nasty side and wear his Iron Maiden shirts. Mike loves weird shit—from Big Black to The Mars Volta to Gojira—if it’s new or out of the ordinary or just plain well done, Mike probably owns the CD.

MR: Can you tell us bit about your self titled EP, which we had pleasure of reviewing here at MR?
AD: We released it about two years ago when we were still pretty young as a band. It was self recorded/ produced at Trans Continental Studios during downtime prior to Lou Pearlman’s recent indictment. The material on here is all stuff that Mike and I worked on independently and then presented to the band to round out. Conceptually it deals with social issues like Religion and our generation’s obsession with image, as well as some personal issues I have. Our newer material digs a bit deeper into those issues, delving into some more intense experiences I have had with spirituality and the occult and how those experiences have shaped my perception. Also the new material you can catch live shows off the creative talents of Drew and Vic, and I think is a little more rounded as far as our collaborative vision of Empyrean Goes. Which isn’t to say that the EP is inferior and you shouldn’t buy it… please... buy it!

MR: Is there a possibility that this self released EP will be released on some l - MetalRevolution.net


"Quick 5 with MetalRevolution.net"

Singer and Guitarist for Empyrean

MR: What makes you laugh?
MD: Irony. There’s rarely anything funnier when someone says or does something only to immediately have it turned around on them. It’s very satisfying. We’re a strange group, the best of low brow humor usually works for all of us. Shocking, dirty, offensive jokes. And on the flipside I would say really dry and sarcastic humor. Sometimes you just have to learn to laugh at life. Otherwise you’ll never make it.
AD: I always end up laughing in movies like Sin City or The Devils Rejects when someone is getting exactly what they deserve. I don’t think is humorous, I just get this sick kick out of it. What’s really funny is how awkward it makes the person sitting next to you feel.

MR: What can really piss you off?
MD: Ego. Particularly unjustified. In the music industry there seems to be a lot of it going around. From the lowliest booking guy and local bands to the biggest acts. It’s like, get off your high horse, you’re just a human being who does something for a living. I suppose it’s inevitable in some circles, but as a very self depreciating band, we find a certain amount of humility a lot more appealing. I think we could also pretty much say, ignorance. Have you seen these "Biblically Correct" tours? There’s this company that actually takes kids through museums and tells them why all the science is wrong, and that Tyrannosaurus Rex was a vegetarian! I’m all about having your individual beliefs, but you’ve got to apply some logic when staring down the gaping maw of 12 inch pointed teeth. People just choose not to know any better. But I suppose at times you could file that under what makes us laugh too.

MR: What was you most embarrassing experience on the stage?
MD: That’s hard. There’s a lot of funny things that happen on stage, but none of us embarrass too easily. In reality, probably the most embarrassing moments, are when you have an off night, or break a string. When you just feel like you got owned by another band and shouldn’t have under normal circumstances. But for the sake of humor, I’ll say, accidentally choking on my own hair when a large section of it went into my mouth and down my throat. I just pulled it out soaking wet, there had to be at least a good 8 inches down my throat.
AD: I once performed a whole set with my fly down. My girlfriend was mortified. Looking back it was really funny. I don’t think anyone should take themselves too seriously, and that’s the perfect example why: one day, you’re going to do something stupid! And if you built yourself up to be this untouchable image, it’s going to hurt that much more.

MR: The best thing about being in Empyrean?
MD: Making music we enjoy, on our terms, with no one to answer to, and finding out that people enjoy it.

MR: The worst thing about being in Empyrean?
MD: When the lights go out at the end of the month because the power bill is late again. - MetalRevolution.net


"Empyrean Ep Review from MetalRevolution.net"

Empyrean
Self-released, 2006

Empyrean’s self-released EP consists of six songs that for some reason had a very nostalgic effect on me even though I cannot put a finger on it as to why.

The Orlando based quartet presents itself in a good manner with this release that doesn’t offer something original, but nevertheless manages to impress.
So how do they do that?
Mainly with the feeling and emotion that basically all the songs burst with. The opener "The Narcissist" starts of with a melodic riff and some almost growling vocals that shortly after change to very melodic ones and it is in those melodies that one of the biggest strengths of this band lies. Together with the bombastic "Crutch", this is the most aggressive track on Empyrean.

Throughout the whole EP the band changes between more aggressive parts and those very melodic with ease, and while their technical abilities don’t lack anything, the focus of the band’s songs is not on proving their technical abilities, but rather on the overall feel.
This results in songs that at all times present the emotional landscapes - and isn’t that what music is all about?
"Gods & Idols" is as melodic and energetic as it gets without being cheesy. "Under" is almost a ballad with breathtaking melodies that burst with emotion and an irresistible mixture of naivety and vunerability.
"A Hope and A Prayer" and "Under (revisited)" feel a bit more like space fillers, but the first of the two is not a bad song and the second is a good acoustic version of "Under", but it misses that great energy in the chorus that the original has.
Each song on the EP has some outstanding melodies that are interpreted very well by the band’s singer Adam DeLancett.

The self-produced album sounds good enough, but in the hands of a professional producer this album would have another dimension. For some reason, I am thinking of Michael Wagner as a perfect producer for a band like this, despite the fact that they might not be the typical "Wagner-band". Also, the somewhat too large gap between the melodic and growling vocals would sound much more natural if produced by someone like Wagner.

And after hearing this EP at least 10 times, I still cannot put a finger on what is it in their music that awakens the nostalgic feelings inside me. Usually it is only the bands that I’ve been listening to when I was growing up that manage to affect me in this way. But in the end, good music should be something that is hard to describe with words. With a more experienced producer who has a great sense for the detail/whole and by daring to experiment a bit more (like many of their influences do) this band could grow into something very special.
www.myspace.com/empyrean - MetalRevolution.net


"L.A. Rock City Review"

L.A Review – Rock City Vol.26, No 3,

March 1, 2008 – Pg. 12 by: Russ Rodriguez



Recently I got a copy of Orlando, Florida based punk / rock / metal band Empyrean’s self-titled EP. Produced by the group and recorded at Trans Continental Studios in O-town this band delivers a professionally composed disc that by far has the grounds of breaking through the industry. Formed by brothers Mike (guitar) and Adam DeLancett (vocals), and rounded off by drummer Drew Brome, bassist Victor Randle, and Auber Benjamin Alonzo-Lopez on guitar, this outfit of musicians have captured a must have disc in your collection. With songs like The Narcissist, Under, and A Hope and A Prayer this band will leave you wanting more and you will get that with tracks Gods and Idols, Crutch, and Under (revisited). Be sure to check the band out at www.myspace.com/Empyrean and let them know what you think. - Rock City Vol.26, Mo.3, March 1,2008


Discography

2004 - 3 Song Demo (Self Produced)
2006 - Empyrean EP (Self Produced)
July 2009- Resurrection Engine
Crowspeak (in progress)

Photos

Bio

A quartet of unlikely colleagues drawn together by a common desire to create evocative and deeply meaningful music, Empyrean, have spent the last few years establishing themselves at the forefront of the Florida music scene with their 2006 self titled EP, an award winning music video for their song "Le Retour De Mere-Terre, and their latest full length release, “Resurrection Engine”. Empyrean has also embodied the DIY spirit undertaking multiple self funded east coast tours.

Moving away form the more commercial styling of their initial release, the band has drawn from its numerous obscure influences to create an intricate conceptual masterpiece that delves into oppressively dark alternative, inspiringly epic melodies, and crushing progressive metal riffs. These set the mood for the subversive and eccentric themes on reality, spiritualism, and the quests for knowledge and salvation that initially drew the band together. With the strong belief that any project is only worth the whole of it’s parts, Empyrean strives to tie their message together with a deep interweaving of symbology, both lyrically, and throughout the album and promotional art, as well as through the spectacle of their live show. This belief has proven quite successful in application, not only captivating audiences on tour across the east coast, but also winning the band supporting slots for such notable artists as: Black Light Burns, Horse the Band, Kylesa, The Ocean, Emmure, Evergreen Terrace, Green Jelly, Hate Eternal, Tyr, Alestorm, Suidakra, Oceano, Stick To Your Guns, Dark Castle, Black Cobra, The Absence, Massacre, Denial Fiend, and Dog Fashion Disco, among them.

“Resurrection Engine” explores the concept of a device that could in fact, force corporeal spiritual manifestation. In modern cultures death is viewed as an end to sentient life, but what if death was just the beginning? If man could unravel the mysteries of the world through communication with the deceased, aided and enhanced by technological advance, what would he find, and would we want to hear it? This “Resurrection Engine” would change the means by which we define life on earth, would provide the answer to questions as old as time itself, and could realize the final evolutionary stage of man.

Currently Empyrean is deeply involved in their forthcoming EP, Crowspeak.

Also Check us out our critically acclaimed video for "Le Retour De Mere-Terre" at www.youtube.com/empyreanmusic

Empyrean has also been featured on the following stations:

Orock 105.9 - Orlando, FL
101.1 WJRR - Orlando, FL
91.5 WPRK - Winter Park, FL
WGKN UCF RADIO - Orlando, FL
BBSTalkRadio.com
X101.5 WXSR - Tallahassee, FL
98 Rock - Tampa, FL
95.7 WHOG - Daytona Beach, FL
Rock 104 - Gainesville, FL
97X - Tampa, FL
mayhemandrage.com
worldrockradio.com
darkcloudradio.net
rockstarsglued.com
Toginet.com
Insomniaradio.net