Cruel Hand on tour in support of new album

Maine's heaviest export, Cruel Hand, is touring alongside Bane and Trapped Under Ice throughout August and September in support of their new album Lock & Key.

Released July 27th, Lock & Key is one of the most anticipated albums of the summer and debuted #98 on the Billboard Heatseekers chart first week. Originally started as a side project, Cruel Hand released their full length debut Without A Pulse in 2007 on 6131 Records, and quickly became a force to be reckoned with, touring around the U.S. and Europe with Trash Talk, the Mongoloids, and more. Deciding to go full time with the band, Cruel Hand signed to Bridge Nine for their next release, 2008’s Prying Eyes.

Lock & Key, the follow-up to Prying Eyes, has been dubbed “the best thing that this band has created thus far“ by AMP Magazine. Full of just as many catchy, metallic riffs as mosh parts, Lock & Key is a heavy mix of Madball, Leeway, Cro-Mags, Metallica, Suicidal, Obituary, etc., and is one of the most well-rounded hardcore albums in recent memory. Alternative Press refered to the album as "...some seriously intense hardcore, mostly characterized by blistering speed and ferociously heavy breakdowns," and Decoy Music declares that Cruel hand is "... a force to be reckoned with and one of the best hardcore bands in the game."

Lock & Key was recorded in Wakefield, MA with producer Jay Maas (Verse, Bane, Defeater) and illustrates what Cruel Hand is capable of both lyrically and musically. Vocalist Chris Linkovich said, "Lock & Key is definitely not a 'Prying Eyes Part 2'. It's not just a progression either, we feel like this is our defining release. We weren't scared to bring all of our influences to the table, no matter what the genre of music."

CRUEL HAND - ON TOUR W/ BANE, TRAPPED UNDER ICE, ALPHA & OMEGA
Aug 18 Cruel Hand Chicago, IL @ Arlington Heights Knights Hall
Aug 19 Cruel Hand Minneapolis, MN @ Triple Rock
Aug 20 Cruel Hand Lawrence City, KS @ Jackpot
Aug 21 Cruel Hand Denver, CO @ Marquis Theater
Aug 23 Cruel Hand San Diego, CA @ Che
Aug 24 Cruel Hand San Jose, CA @ PBSJ
Aug 26 Cruel Hand Canoga Park, CA @ Cobalt Cafe
Aug 27 Cruel Hand Tijuana, Mexico @ Sexta House of Music
Aug 28 Cruel Hand Anaheim, CA @ Chain Reaction
Aug 29 Cruel Hand Phoenix, AZ @ The Underground
Aug 31 Cruel Hand Austin, TX @ Red 7
Sep 01 Cruel Hand Houston, TX @ Walters
Sep 02 Cruel Hand Little Rock, AR @ Downtown Music Hall
Sep 03 Cruel Hand Nashville, TN @ Rocketown
Sep 04 Cruel Hand Atlanta, GE @ 585 Wells
Sep 05 Cruel Hand Jacksonville, FL @ The Pit
Sep 06 Cruel Hand Pembroke Pines, FL @ The Talent Farm
Sep 07 Cruel Hand St. Petersburg, FL @ State Theater
Sep 08 Cruel Hand Charlotte, NC @ Casbah at Tremont
Sep 09 Cruel Hand Richmond, VA @ Professional Company
Sep 10 Cruel Hand Baltimore, MD @ Otto Bar
Sep 11 Cruel Hand Long Island, NY @ Ethical Humanist Society