Rich Howells

VIDEO PREMIERE: Scranton metal band Traverse the Abyss parodies rap, country, and more in ‘Faucet Mouth’

VIDEO PREMIERE: Scranton metal band Traverse the Abyss parodies rap, country, and more in ‘Faucet Mouth’

Over the past year, many musicians have shifted their focus from concerts to web content to keep their fans engaged during the pandemic. Last night, Traverse the Abyss was able to bring them both together in a unique way. Joined by rapper Lucas Hex and hard rock band The Holtzmann Effect, the Scranton metal band […]

 Rich Howells

VIDEO PREMIERE: NEPA’s Camp Rattler pays tribute to Amigo the Devil and the dead with ‘The Dreamer’

VIDEO PREMIERE: NEPA’s Camp Rattler pays tribute to Amigo the Devil and the dead with ‘The Dreamer’

Camp Rattler has produced many music videos professionally over the years, but this local team of musicians, event promoters, photographers, videographers, writers, painters, and technicians are fans first, often showing their appreciation for fellow artists in creative ways. Camp Rattler mastermind and West Pittston resident James Callahan found himself inspired by Texas dark country artist […]

 Rich Howells

SONG PREMIERE: From Clarks Summit to Nashville, pop singer Alyssa Lazar admits ‘Maybe I Did Change’

SONG PREMIERE: From Clarks Summit to Nashville, pop singer Alyssa Lazar admits ‘Maybe I Did Change’

Those who have heard young Alyssa Lazar perform throughout the Scranton area since she was in grade school will soon learn that she’s changed… and that’s not a bad thing. “I started singing by the time I was 3 and just never stopped from there. Throughout elementary and middle school, I started singing the national […]

 James Callahan

VIDEO PREMIERE: Pittston metal band Black River’s Edge takes down brutal ‘2020’

VIDEO PREMIERE: Pittston metal band Black River’s Edge takes down brutal ‘2020’

The last time NEPA Scene talked to Black River’s Edge, the Pittston hard rock/metal band was making their live debut at Diane’s Deli & Internet Cafe in 2015. A lot has changed since then, including the closing of their hometown venue, but 2020 has made everything seem like a cakewalk in comparison. From the dark […]

 Rich Howells

SONG PREMIERE: From Scranton to Boston, indie rockers Lesser Animals are back ‘For Real’

SONG PREMIERE: From Scranton to Boston, indie rockers Lesser Animals are back ‘For Real’

For those who were part of the Northeastern Pennsylvania music scene about a decade ago, attending or playing shows at small venues like The Vintage Theater, the name Lesser Animals may sound familiar. The Scranton-based indie rock band was formed in 2008 by Clarks Summit native James Sanderson, the vocalist of Awkward Silence, another name […]

 Rich Howells

SONG PREMIERE: Scranton indie pop band Modern Ties is haunted by ‘Ghost’ on debut album

SONG PREMIERE: Scranton indie pop band Modern Ties is haunted by ‘Ghost’ on debut album

With slick production, teen magazine good looks, and the kind of mainstream appeal that many artists wish they had, Modern Ties may seem like the kind of band that would be driven by egos and fake personalities, but that couldn’t be further from the truth. When we had the opportunity to sit down with the […]

 Rich Howells

SONG PREMIERE: Scranton band catches a psychedelic Great Wave under the dreamy ‘Autumn Sun’

SONG PREMIERE: Scranton band catches a psychedelic Great Wave under the dreamy ‘Autumn Sun’

“Avant pop. Dream alt. Noise folk. Psychedelic jazz punk.” These are some of the ways Great Wave describes their sound as it floats towards your ears and envelops you in an otherworldly atmosphere of beautiful and mysterious echoes. Much like these ethereal sounds and their enigmatic vibes, vocalist/guitarist Charles Davis gives cryptic answers when asked […]

 Rich Howells

VIDEO PREMIERE: High school nostalgia hits Scranton pop punks Anytime Soon in ‘Jelly Donut Season’

VIDEO PREMIERE: High school nostalgia hits Scranton pop punks Anytime Soon in ‘Jelly Donut Season’

COVID-19 prevented most people from having one of those fun summers with friends you never forget, but it didn’t stop Anytime Soon from recreating that feeling in their new music video, despite all the extra work it would take to produce during the pandemic. The Scranton-based band released their latest single, “Jelly Donut Season,” on […]

 James Callahan

VIDEO PREMIERE: Infamous Philly hardcore band Bad Luck 13 releases 3-song Halloween extravaganza

VIDEO PREMIERE: Infamous Philly hardcore band Bad Luck 13 releases 3-song Halloween extravaganza

The mere mention of this flaming nail bomb of a band from the “City of Brotherly Love” can strike terror in the souls of promoters, venue owners, and aggressive music fans alike. Born in Philadelphia in 1996, Bad Luck 13 Riot Extravaganza has become the thing of mosh pit legend – a fiery, multi-headed hardcore/metal […]

 Rich Howells

VIDEO PREMIERE: Alt-country singer Alex Culbreth spins humorous trucker’s tale in ‘Up in the Truck Cab’

VIDEO PREMIERE: Alt-country singer Alex Culbreth spins humorous trucker’s tale in ‘Up in the Truck Cab’

For the last decade, alt-country singer/songwriter Alex Culbreth has toured the United States, and some of his first runs were in Pennsylvania. “I’ve played in a couple bands but have been playing as a one-man-band solo act the last few years. I play guitar, sing, and bang a kick drum and tambourine rigged up to […]