Published: Friday, Oct. 23, 2009 / Updated: Friday, Oct. 23, 2009 08:01 AM

Rock Hill's Tattermask looks to deflect negative

For young, up and coming bands including Tattermask — live tonight at The Money in Rock Hill — the plan is to get out there, get going and get some momentum happening.

Based in Rock Hill, the band's name carries a fairly heavy idea, relating to putting up a disguise or façade regarding the “face we put forward to the world” to deflect the negative and protect the “vulnerable soul within.”

That's a somewhat solemn stand to start on, but with less than two years tenure, this alternative/metal rock ensemble hit the ground running in early 2008 and has been working hard to get attention, particularly emphasizing their additional identity of being “female-fronted rock.” Here we are referring to choral music enthusiast Amanda Caines, who has “channeled her classical vocal training” and fronts the band, handling lead vocals as well as rhythm guitar. Along with other band mates Josh Wright and Daniel Hoover, Tattermask set to shaping a melodic sound that features “vocal lines, powerful drums, explosive bass, and searing guitar work” with influences from Mozart to Alanis Morrisette to Metallica.

Their first CD, “Looks Can Be Deceiving” was released on Halloween 2008, and picked up radio airplay on 106.5 The End, Charlotte; and 93.3 The Planet, Greenville; as well as several college and online stations.

The focus of a Tattermask live performance is on high-energy music, definitely animated and well-entrenched in emotion, for a wallop of overall intensity. See these aspirations and eclectic ideas revealed in the music of Tattermask live, tonight at The Money, 111 South Cherry Road in Rock Hill. For details, call the club at 329-2710l. Listen to music tracks and get more info on the band at myspace.com/tattermask.

It's beginning to look a lot like Halloween (due next weekend) especially when you peruse the lineup of the four band Vatos Locos tour onslaught of Hollywood Undead, Atreyu, Escape The Fate, and The Sleeping laying claim live to The Fillmore this Monday in Charlotte. Be assured that all four of these bands coexist in that mysterious alternative rock realm and share the basic screamo / metalcore mindset, with each then making modifications to their own individual musical landscape.

However, the most recent song/video from Escape The Fate titled “10 Miles Wide” (from new album The War is Ours on Epitaph) reveals a fairly significant course correction and a flight path soaring on raging guitar-driven wings smack into prodigious melodic terrain. The video setting is yet another harrowing in-flight airline exploit — yes, there's a “Snakes on the Plane” reference — and lots of rowdy guitar-driven style with enticingly dangerous albeit fierce fine hard rock that likewise rocks a big bass bottom end as well as impressive vocals and harmonies.

Josh Todd of Buckcherry brings further hot-rocking credibility as guest vocalist on the video. Plus, this stop, drop, and rock clip actually snagged air time on MTV (gasp) wielding a sound immediately recognizable as strikingly above the mundane. Hope for a real rock future lives.

Based in Las Vegas, Escape The Fate features Craig Mabbitt, lead vocals; Bryan “Monte” Money, lead guitarist/backing vocals; Max Green, bass/ backing vocals; and Robert Ortiz, drums. They declare Motley Crue as an influence, but it's no surprise that artists of similar sound/style include everyone from The Used, Aiden, and Hawthorne Heights to Taking Back Sunday and My Chemical Romance. Run but do not hide from Escape The Fate along with Hollywood Undead, Atreyu, and The Sleeping all live this Monday at The Fillmore, 820 Hamilton St., Uptown Charlotte. For more info, call 704-549-5555 or go to ncmusicfactory.com. To get tickets, venue details, event information, go to livenation.com. See the video, and get more info on the band at myspace.com/escapethefate.

The run-up to next weekend's scary, spooky end of the month antics is rich right now with potent possibilities for plenty of fun this weekend and the coming week including Blue October tonight at The Fillmore, Charlotte; Blue Dogs tonight at Sylvia Theater, York; Don Dixon and the Jumprabbits this Saturday at Snug Harbor in Charlotte; Bryan Adams this Sunday at McGlohon Theater, Charlotte; Bobby Houck this Tuesday at McHale's On Main, Rock Hill; Lenny Kravitz this Tuesday at The Fillmore Charlotte; and so much more. Look over the listings then get out there to enjoy lots of live entertainment.