Supporting Acts: Lil Wyte, Potluck Twiztid Pop music is a bloated, rotting corpse and The Wicked Shit is the undead pulse hidden deep within. If you look into the shadows, past the smoke and mirrors of MTV and playlist radio, and into the cold, hard streets, you'll find the underground of music. A place where innovation thrives and inspiration drives. Unapologetic, unique artists have carved a niche for fans fed up with the glamour-mag faces and spoon-fed lyrics of modern music, and offer them something more. Where most rappers celebrate the urban lifestyle with the same old themes and the same old image, Twiztid peel away the gloss and expose the innards. With an oversized butcher knife. They take the hard edge of theatrical rock-and-roll and temper it with gritty hip-hop to create a musical monstrosity so dangerously real it must be hidden with facepaint. These aren't casual gangsters; their painted personas let them explore the darkest corners of the human psyche, from superhero fantasies to horror film legacies. With their ruthless raps, they can explore every recess of their audience's experiences, every sentimental reflection and every sinister urge. By becoming something unreal, they are free to be real. Whether it's on-stage devastation or home stereo infiltration, Twiztid's music will take you somewhere you've never been before. The scariest part is when you don't want to come back… (Hed) Pe Infused with the kind of conviction most rock bands just can't buy, and unafraid to take its fans from classic hip-hop culture to punk, to metal and back again, (hed)p.e. have returned with Back 2 Base X. One of the few bands that constantly reinvents themselves and their sound, (hed)p.e have once again managed to blend '70s punk and hip-hop into one infectious record. Founded in 1994, (hed)p.e. (the p.e. stands for "planet earth") was the brainchild of front man Jared Gomes (a.k.a. M.C.U.D.), who aspired to create a band that fused the region's long-standing punk rock heritage with G-funk-inflected hip-hop -- a sound he dubbed "G-punk." After a bidding war between labels erupted, (hed)pe released their now classic self-titled debut through Jive Records, then hit the road with Ozzfest and bands like Korn, Static-X, and System of a Down. The band's sophomore effort, Broke, followed in 2000 and unleashed the Top 30 Active Rock Single "Bartender," while the band cemented their already explosive live show with tours alongside P.O.D, Godsmack and Slipknot. Returning in 2003, (hed)pe released Blackout and once again scored a big hit with the album's title track. Finally in 2005, the group rediscovered their "G-punk" roots for the release of Only in Amerika. In 2006 (hed)p.e have once again re-invented themselves for the release of Back 2 Base X. Recorded live as a band in the studio, the album provides an organic, fresh sound devoid of the computer tricks and over-production that currently plagues music. The band opens with the classic heavy (hed)pe grooves on "Novus Ordus Clitorus" and "Let's Ride," sounding like a bastardized version of Rage Against the Machine mixed with Suicidal Tendencies, then flips into the reggae/punk-fueled "Beware Do We Go From Here." "We're not afraid to punch you in the throat with one song and get you stoned with the next joint we play," says (hed)p.e. frontman Jared. "We're down to prove that you don't have to bow down to the corporate suits in order to make an impact on music. I'd rather have true fans that stick around because they are actually into the band, as opposed to fans who like to be spoon-fed through the media." Often the cause of controversy, frontman Jared Gomes has taken a break from his sometimes XXX-rated lyrics to get introspective and contemplative about his mortality. And also touching on subjects like Freemasonry and the New World Order. The album also introduces listeners to "Sophia", a metaphor for knowledge/wisdom that web savvy individuals find on the internet. "The last album was a response to all the censorship I experienced with a previous record label and it showcased the dark-perverted side of humanity," he says about his group's last record. "This album reflects the side of each of us that is constantly searching for truth." Back 2 Base X is (hed)pe's debut album on the lifestyle record label Suburban Noize Records. The California-based label is a massive independent success story, operating completely outside of the mainstream. The movement is an undeniable force in the world of underground music that has numerous major and independent labels trying to replicate it. "It's nice to be on a record label that understands what we are about. Suburban Noize is the only label that represents millions of American youth that are just not feeling the whole pop-rock self-worship movement," says (hed)pe bassist Mawk. "This label refuses to be bought out by corporate-federal interests and so do we, which makes us a perfect match." Already gearing for tours in Europe and Japan this year, (hed)pe is eager to share its new sound with the planet. With the band confirmed for a co-headlining run through the US alongside labelmates Kottonmouth Kings. The summer of 2006 promises to be the year of the (hed). Through a cloud of smoke, (hed)p.e frontman Jared sums up Back 2 Base X with simplicity: "If you're already a fan then you'll love this album, and if you've never heard of us, this joint will definitely get you hooked." $18.00 - $20.00