New Return To Earth single – Nothing Exists But Atoms and the Void

As always, I’m not quite sure about the future of Return To Earth, my progressive metal band with Brett Aveni and Chris Pennie.  Although we have parted ways with Metal Blade Records, who released our sophomore album, Automata, in 2010, we have been working on new material over the past 3-4 years (some of it amongst our best, in my opinion) in hopes of independently releasing a 3rd album or thru another indie label that we all respect and admire.

What we do next, of course, is not entirely up to me.  I’m proud of the singing and songwriting I have done for this project and I hope to continue.  Until a firm plan is set, we want to let our fans know that we still exist and we still have music to share.

So we are self-releasing another standalone single thru our BandCamp page for $1.  It’s called Nothing Exists But The Atom and the Void.  It features some killer drumming from Chris and my best Mike Patton-is-a-viking vocal take.

Stay tuned for more news regarding this ongoing heavy metal saga.

xo,
Ron

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New Return To Earth single – I GOT A BOMB

Excited to announce a new digital single release from Return To Earth, my progressive metal band with Chris Pennie and Brett Aveni.  Bald Freak released the first RTE album, Captains of Industry, in 2006.  We signed with Metal Blade Records in 2010 and released our critically acclaimed sophomore album, Automata, soon afterwards.

The new single, I Got A Bomb, is 137 seconds of pure metal fury in the style of some of my favorite metal acts like Anthrax and Ministry.  It can be heard on YouTube, SoundCloud, and can be streamed and purchased for $1 on our BandCamp site.  Hope you dig it!

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Radio Daze, New Return To Earth album

In the wake of Superstorm Sandy, the Bald Freak Music home offices are being rebuilt while I hunker down in a swag pad in Brooklyn, NY.  This is an opportunity to rethink how I want to run my business, and where I want to run it.

In the meantime, I have relocated my piano and my surviving gear to a studio in the TriBeCa section of Manhattan.  I have been dedicating a good chunk of creative time to my blog and to musical and voice-related endeavors on Elvis Duran and the Morning Show.  Check out some of the latest and greatest here.

I contributed singing, rapping and voice work to my friend TJ Taormina‘s new comedy album, No More Comedy Albums, available now on iTunes.

Meanwhile, those other dummies in Return To Earth have decided they’re ready to start tracking the songs we worked on in late 2011, and we will be recording our third album in the coming months.  More on that soon! \m/

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How A Tropical Storm Destroyed My Record Label

On October 29th, 2012, Tropical Storm Sandy sent a tidal wave to my home in New York City. The entire house was flooded, my music production studio and home office were destroyed, along with most everything inside of it – all CDs and merchandise from Q*BALL, RETURN TO EARTH, THE HEAD SET; all my gear, my memorabilia, my furniture, my history. It’s all gone.

I am still in business, and all our artists’ music is still available digitally thru iTunes, Amazon, and all other digital retail outlets. I am documenting the experience as I attempt to rebuild, relocate, and refocus my life, no less the focus of my business and my musical endeavors.

It’s all up on The Bald Freak Blog. I hope you will read about my journey.

And I hope you continue to take the journey with me….

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Buy Our Stuff, Help The Fight Against Cancer!

All proceeds from our merch store in 2012 – including CDs & t-shirts from Q*Ball, Return To Earth, Swashbuckle, & The Head Set – will be donated to The American Cancer Society. We’ve discounted prices on all CDs and shirts to as low as $4.99!  Support our bands, check out some awesome (halfway decent) music and help find a cure.

Visit our SHOP now to do your part!

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Return To Earth’s Chris Pennie exits Coheed + Cambria

Accomplished & influential drummer Chris Pennie, founding member of Dillinger Escape Plan and current member of progressive rock acts Coheed and Cambria, and Return To Earth, announced today that he is exiting Coheed and Cambria.  Pennie and the band cited “creative differences” as the primary reasons for the split after the drummer’s 4-year tenure with the band.

Pennie officially joined Coheed in 2007, replacing drummer Josh Eppard and touring extensively with the band internationally.  He is featured on Coheed’s most recent studio album, Year of the Black Rainbow.

Pennie will shift his full attention to his most recent projects, acclaimed progressive metal band Return to Earth (Metal Blade/Bald Freak) and Fight Mannequins.  Return To Earth is currently working on their third album after releasing their Metal Blade debut, Automata, in 2010. Fight Mannequins, Pennie’s music production company with Return To Earth guitarist Brett Aveni, recently completed their first documentary score and have produced two exciting artists whose albums will be released in 2012.

 “I am very thankful for the times I shared the stage with the guys in Coheed and especially want to thank the amazing, supportive fans that I’ve met while on tour,” said Pennie.  “There are a lot of exciting projects on the horizon in addition to Return To Earth and Fight Mannequins that I feel require 100 percent of my commitment and attention. I feel that this is the right time to make that happen.”

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