Heavy Crown is the powerful new disc from Lovehammers, one of Chicago’s long-standing leading rock bands. The fifth full length from the band - Marty Casey (vocals), Billy Sawilchik (guitar), Dino Kourelis (bass), Bobby Kourelis (drums) - was produced by heavy-hitting producer Marti Frederickson (Aerosmith, Buckcherry, Pink, Faith Hill, Papa Roach) and restores faith that anthemic and heartfelt rock and roll can still thrive. Set for release July 21, the album includes 11 new and reworked studio tracks including thought-provoking, hook-injected airwave contenders and two bonus live versions of classic Lovehammers songs, "Eyes Can't See" and "Velvet."
With a back catalog of four albums and three EPs and friendships that date back to their Hickory Hills Little League days, the band’s chemistry can’t help but be special. It’s that chemistry that brought the guys together to create REEP Records, the label that will release
Heavy Crown to the masses, with distribution through Fontana/INgrooves. "
Lovehammers has been known to think outside the box and the release of Heavy Crown is no exception," says bassist
Dino. He continues, "
REEP - which stands for Record Executives Everyday People - will make decisions regarding singles, videos, touring, etc based on feedback from the real music experts - the fans."
Lovehammers’ renewed D.I.Y. attitude comes as the direct result of the band surviving the blessings and curses that came their way when vocalist Marty Casey became a household name, earning the adoration of millions of television viewers as the runner-up on the 2005 reality series "Rockstar INXS." The band was forced to alter their title to put Marty’s name in front for their lone Epic Records release. Now the foursome has come full circle by returning to the Lovehammers moniker. "We have control again and feel comfortable returning to our original name," says the frontman.
The new disc was originally planned as a remix album, with the band re-releasing some of its signature songs on its own terms. While in the studio, the album quickly turned into the band’s first new studio disc in three years. Heavy Crown kicks off with the band’s explosive opening salvo "Guns." The track is an ode to the servicemen and women who have given their lives while protecting our country. The chorus - "Let's pray for all those sweet lives/That die with a gun in their hands/Let's pray for all those sweet lives/That fight for our lives till the end" — reemphasizes the band’s dedication to honoring these men and women. Previously, the band created the "Shoebox Of Love" campaign which encouraged fans to donate care packages to those fighting abroad. To date, over 1000 packages have been sent and the band is working on their "Shoeboxes @ Home" campaign to support veterans.
"Heavy Crown is Lovehammers firing on all cylinders," says Dino. Other standout tracks on the album include "Your Time, My Time," "Neverfall," "Oh My Baby," the uplifting title track, the in-your-face "Black Angel (Not Gonna Be The One)" and "Driving Blind," with its soaring chorus and strings performed by the Chicago Junior Symphony Orchestra. Marty hopes that each song finds a home: "I want ‘Your Time, My Time’ blasting a summer barbecue." As for the highly personal "Oh My Baby," Marty says that: "When you write the goodbye letter and watch someone you love walk off into the sunset, you don’t really want to mail it. You’d rather burn it."
The band will head out on a mini-tour of the Midwest this summer as well as a special, one-off east coast show at New York’s Gramercy Theatre on Friday, July 24.
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