So, if you're looking for a specialized album and you're really into helping pets, look no further:   Skeletonwitch , are issuing a limited-run, hand-screened 180-gram version of their 2013 release, Serpents Unleashed .  All proceeds are going toward pet shelters that reside in and around the general vicinity of the band's hometown in Ohio and will be available to purchase on January 20th.  Listen to the band discuss it in the video below: Skeletonwitch will also be on tour with Amon Amarth beginning Friday, January 17th.  Tour dates along with more info on the limited Serpents Unleashed is brought to you courtesy of the always wonderful people at Earsplit PR. SKELETONWITCH To Release Limited Edition Serpents Unleashed LP - Proceeds To Aid Animal Shelters In Band's Home State; Tour With Amon Amarth Begins Friday SKELETONWITCH will release a hand-screened, 180-gram limited vinyl edition of their acclaimed, Billboard-charting 2013 release, Serpents Unleash...

Earsplit PR, the organization that has so generously provided me a wealth of music over the years, is sponsoring a Philadelphia-based event to benefit the Philadelphia Animal Welfare Society, also known as P.A.W.S., which is a no-kill animal shelter.  The music and arts festival is being co-hosted by the webzine, Blow The Scene.  Please find event info below, which was brought to me courtesy of Earsplit PR. Blow The Scene Hosts P.A.W.S. Benefit Philly-Based Art Show & Music Festival Confirmed  This June, Philadelphia-based music/arts webzine Blow The Scene is co-hosting a massive benefit drive including both an underground art show and killer music fest to aid in funding a no-kill animal shelter and rescue for P.A.W.S (Philadelphia Animal Welfare Society). Blow The Scene editor-in-chief Joshua T. Cohen and Richard Stockton College art professor Ryann Casey have teamed up to host both the Homeward Bounds Art Benefit Show as well as the first annual Blow The...

It's been so long since I've seen the band name " Fugazi " associated with anything new, I was happy to see something interesting emerge during the band's indefinite hiatus. And, in true Fugazi fashion, there's charity involved. I received an email from No Ripcord editor-in-chief, David Coleman , a couple weeks ago about Chris Lawhorn 's Fugazi Edits , a 22-track mash-up comprised of instrumental snippets from every song Fugazi's ever released.  I can't claim to have heard the complete results of Lawhorn's efforts, other than the two 20-second excerpts he posted on his website and the clips below from Soundcloud , but it sounds like he takes some interesting liberties with the source material and experiments with disjointed soundscapes as well as cohesive blends. The album is available for pre-order .  All info below came from a press release from Lawhorn. Chris Lawhorn Announces Charity Album Based Around Fug...

Because Pussy Riot was bound to get some notice here. Vivian Girls have decided to kick it charity style and aid in contributing to the defense fund of dissident Pussy Riot members, Nadezhda Tolokonnikova , Maria Alekhina and Yekaterina Samutsevich , all of whom are serving two years for hooliganism. The band's 2011 release, Share The Joy , was reviewed at Kicking Against The Pricks . Vivian Girls All info comes courtesy of Force Field PR. Vivian Girls playing Pussy Riot benefit show in LA Vivian Girls will be playing a benefit show for Pussy Riot at The Smell in LA on 8/27. All proceeds will go towards the Pussy Riot Legal Defense Fund. Joining Vivian Girls for the show will be Pangea , Haim and Kremlin Head (members of No Age & Mika Miko playing punk covers). Tickets will be $10 and will go on sale Thursday here. More details can be found on the flyer below. VIVIAN GIRLS LINKS: Official Site - http://www.freewebs.com/viviangirls/   Facebook - ...

In an effort to bolster AIDS awareness and prevention, the (Red) organization is working with Red Hot on a campaign for "an AIDS free generation by 2015."  Out of this campaign, (Red) Hot + FELA has emerged, along with this cover of Kuti's "Lady," performed by tUnE-yArDs , Ahmir "?uestlove" Thompson , Angelique Kidjo and Akua Naru .  All info is provided by Life or Death PR & Management. (RED) MUSIC PUSHES FOR AN AIDS FREE GENERATION BY 2015 FELA KUTI'S "LADY" REMADE BY TUNE-YARDS, QUESTLOVE, ANGELIQUE KIDJO, AND AKUA NARU PITCHFORK PREMIERES "LADY" FROM FORTHCOMING (RED) HOT + FELA ON KNITTING FACTORY RECORDS + BEHIND-THE-SCENES ON OKAYAFRICA MONDAY MP3: "Lady" - http://soundcloud.com/knittingfactoryrecords/tune-yards-angelique-kidjo   (RED)Music is a centerpiece of the inaugural (RED) RUSH TO ZERO campaign (June 1-10) to raise funding and awareness to help deliver an AIDS Free Generation by 2015...

I received an email a few weeks ago from Derek Jordan , member of the band Decoded , in regards to a benefit called, "Rock For A Difference." For the month of May, Decoded and other L.A. based bands played a show every Thursday at AMPLYFi , inviting Los Angeles area organizations that provide community improvement.  Proceeds from the show would then be donated to the said organization.   I, unfortunately, did not pick up on this quickly enough to write about BEFORE the shows took place, but if Decoded decides to continually organize these events, then shedding light might still be worthwhile.  Plus, there's one show left on May 31st.  May 3rd – Ace of Hearts - http://acesangels.org/ May 10th – Create Now! - http://www.createnow.org/ May 17th - Coalition for Clean Air - http://www.ccair.org/ May 24th – HeARTS Giving Hope - http://www.heartsgivinghope.org/ May 31st – Rent.Food.Broke. - http://rentfoodbroke.com/   For info, click here:  http...