Thanks to Cadium Music Publishing's talented writers, 2013 was a good year.

Some of the highlights include Kevin and Kane Churko each winning a Juno for their engineering work for Five Finger Death Punch's American Capitalist and In This Moment's Blood albums.  Kane is the youngest person in Juno history to win in the Engineering category.  "Battle Born," from FFDP's Volume 2 album topped the rock radio charts.

Lorenzo had a really good year on the road, finally playing in cities that have been waiting for the band to play, well, for a long time.

Cisco DeLuna played a significant role in Jim Carrey's audiobook, How Roland Rolls, as well as co-writing and producing two projects: Steve Reynolds and Rodrigo Navarro.  Both albums are due out next year.

Looking ahead, Lorenzo plans to continue to support its Ignition album, and Team Churko will be in the studio with Hell Yeah and welcome back In This Moment for their next album.

…and look for the Special Edition of ITM's Blood, due out at the top of 2014.

Cadium Music Publishing Signs Kane Churko

Cadium Music Publishing proudly signs writer/producer/mixer/engineer and Juno award-winner, Kane Churko.

Kane, the son of writer/producer Kevin Churko, has built quite a catalog, writing songs with Ozzy Osbourne, Five Finger Death Punch, In This Moment and Eyes Set To Kill, among others.  Churko's contributions as a writer have resulted in FFDP's biggest selling song on 2011's American Capitalist  with "Remember Everything" and the biggest selling song in Century Media's history, the title song to ITM's 2012 release, "Blood."

Growing up in a musical family, Kane learned the Pro Tools ropes through his father and is currently the engineer of the elder Churko's studio, The Hideout, in Las Vegas.

Still, with all the activity coming out of The Hideout, Churko has proven himself to be able to successfully work on projects independently of his father and one who can add value to writing projects, such as co-writes on the just-released Eyes Set To Kill album, Masks, writing with Jake E. Lee (Ozzy Osbourne) for his solo project, Red Dragon, September Mourning (Virgin) and Speaking The Kings (Nuclear Blast).

While his ever-growing catalog of songs appears to be focused on hard rock and metal, Churko has a very pop background, as demonstrated by his recordings with his band, Modern Science.  The youngest person ever to win a Juno for Engineer of the Year for his work on the aforementioned Capitalist and Blood albums, Churko is looking to maintain a balance amongst various genres of music, by pulling from his personal musical experiences and a variety of artists he's worked with over the years (Shania Twain, Bob Dylan, Hinder and The Corrs, among others). 

Look for the bevy of activity from Kane Churko to continue for the duration of the year and well into 2014.

New Five Finger Death Punch (Vol. 1) Off to Great Start

Five Finger Death Punch released the first of a two-disc set, today.  The album, The Wrong Side of Heaven & the Righteous Side of Hell, Vol. 1, takes an unconventional approach by releasing a double-album, but in two shifts - Volume 2 of the offering to be released later this year.

Vol. 1, co-written and produced by Kevin Churko, who partnered up w/ the band for the last two FFDP albums, is peppered with guest appearances by Tech N9ne, Max Cavalera (Soulfly), Maria Brink (In This Moment) and Hatebreed's Jamey Jasta.  The first single, "Lift Me Up," features Rob Halford.

Guest appearances are one-for-one so far, as "Lift Me Up" has already reached number one on the U.S. Active Rock charts.

Recorded at The Hideout Studio, New Cadium Music signing, Kane Churko, contributes a song by co-writing, "M.I.N.E. (End this Way)."

Look for FFDP on the Rockstar Mayhem Festival tour, and beyond, this Summer.

Kevin Churko Wins Fourth Juno! Kane Churko Wins, Too!

CARAS has once again recognized the great work of Kevin Churko.  Last night, Churko won his fourth Juno at the 39th Juno Awards.  Churko won for Engineer of the Year, for his work on In This Moment's song, "Blood," and for Five Finger Death Punch's, "Coming Down."  What made the award extra special was that Kevin's son, Kane, also shared the award as co-engineer on the two tracks.  Both In This Moment's, "Blood," from the album of the same name and Five Finger Death Punch's "Coming Down," from American Capitalist, were recorded at Churko's The Hideout.

Lorenzo Tour Dates Announced - Hitting Midwest and East Coast Beginning in May

Lorenzo will be heading out on the road in May in support of their latest album, Ignition.

The tour, which hits the Midwest and East Coast in May and June, brings the band back to the more conventional style of touring, rather than playing spots dates like they did last year with Fuel.  Marko, lead singer and guitarist of Lorenzo, is undoubtedly happy going out on tour for an extended period of time.

"It's been too long since we've been out for a string of dates," says Marko.  "What's exciting is that we're going to a bunch of places that we have never played.  This will be the first time in the Northeast for us and that is exciting because we can finally go see the fans that have been asking us to make it out there."  

Apparently, fans have been vocal about the group's impending stops, which include Newport, KY, where the tour kicks off, May 24.  Some fans, however, feel a bit slighted, as the guys aren't scheduled to hit certain spots yet, but Marko is optimistic.

"The fans from the cities we are not playing all ask, 'Why aren't you coming here?'  Well, there will be more dates announced, so I'm hopeful that we'll get out to Denver, Minnesota and Iowa, for example," adding that, "It's nice to see everyone so involved and actually working hard to get us out (on the road)."

Lorenzo has a history playing the Midwest and parts of the South, especially Cincinnati and northern Kentucky, but the East Coast is a big question mark.  Still, Marko reports that the welcome, so far, is warm.

"We've been pleasantly surprised that in a world of fewer places to play that we are able to get to the places we have never been. There are actually clubs that are excited to have us - that really gives us the energy to do a long list of dates. We can't wait to get there!"

And the line-up for the upcoming tour is a bit different. "One of the things I am really excited about," quips Marko, "is having a slightly different line up this tour.  Aaron (Farrier) on drums and Stu (Stuart McConnell) playing guitar is the same, but we're adding a new bass player, Julian Simonelli."  Marko goes on to say that, "Julian and I have been friends for a while and he is the 'go-to' bass player in Tampa.  He has played with everyone and is a true professional.  He's originally from New York and has played with guys from Black Sabbath, Blue Oyster Cult, Ritchie Blackmore's Rainbow, Miranda Lambert's band and Nine Days."

So what are the shows going to look like?

"Our shows in the past have all been very scripted and stiff," Mark states.  "Some of that is required when we're opening on a national (tour).  These clubs (referring to the upcoming shows) are a little smaller so we are really hoping to do whatever we feel like.  Hopefully, every show will be a little different and entertaining to our fans - and the friends they bring."

Lorenzo Tour Dates

5/24/13 - Thompson House - Newport, KY; 5/26/13 - Backwoods Bash - Tulsa, OK;
 6/05/13 - Gottrocks - Greenville, SC
; 6/09/13 - The Central - Hammonton, NJ; 
6/13/13 - All-Star Sports Bar - Manchester, CT; 
6/14/13 - The Contab Lounge - Cambridge, MA; 
6/16/13 - The Stanhope - Stanhope, NJ

According to band sources, more dates to be added.

Two More Juno Nominations for Kevin Churko

This year's Juno nominations were announced and Kevin Churko has two of them.  Churko, and his son, Kane, are nominated for their production work on In This Moment's Blood album, and engineering on Five Finger Death Punch's American Capitalist.

Kevin is a multi-Juno nominee, having won Junos for his engineering work on Ozzy Osbourne's Black Rain and Simon Collins' U-Catastrophe.

The Juno awards take place April 21 at The Brandt Centre, in Regina.

For a little insight on Team Churko, check out this piece in the MJ Times.

Five Finger Death Punch Back in the Studio Recording New Album

Five Finger Death Punch are at The Hideout with Kevin Churko recording their new album.  The band was quoted as saying that they need to keep the 'creative muscle' alive and true to their word, they're working on Album #4 with writer/producer, Kevin Churko.  Churko co-wrote and produced the last two albums American Capitalist and War Is The Answer.  Both albums have sold-through Gold (500,000 in the U.S.).  For more details on FFDP's take on staying creative in the business of rock, check out Blabbermouth

Gemini Syndrome's New Album Co-Written and Produced by Kevin Churko

Metal-ers, Gemini Syndrome, are getting ready to release their debut album, co-written and produced by Kevin Churko.  Recorded at Churko's The Hideout, songs include the lead track and video, Pleasure and Pain, along with Left of Me, Babylon and Take This, among others.  Pain is reacting very well with fans and the band has taken its act on the road with Mushroomhead, in the States.  You can check out Gemini Syndrome's tour schedule, here.

In This Moment and Five Finger Death Punch Get Some Nods from the Press, Retail

As In This Moment continue to face-off against other rock bands at radio, it apparently has not gone unnoticed by Amazon.  The global retailer has anointed ITM as one of the Rising Stars of 2013.  The "Blood" album is elevating the band to the next level and opening the door even wider for female hard rock lead vocalists.

Also in the arena of hard rock, Five Finger Death Punch have been chosen by Artist Direct as having one of the Most Anticipated Albums of 2013.  The current release, "American Capitalist," continues to give its core fans the veracity it looks for in metal, while steadily growing it's audience.

Writer/producer, Kevin Churko, works with both bands and Churko is currently working with FFDP on their next album, due out later this year.