SPLIT SHIFT with special guest HYPNOTIC KICK
SPLIT SHIFT with special guest HYPNOTIC KICK
Formed in Southern New England in October 1999, Split Shift began as a tribute band before an unforgettable show in March 2000 changed everything. Members of Korn joined the band onstage, sparking immediate attention from local media and radio and helping Split Shift build a devoted following. Over the following year, the band packed venues throughout New England and found the confidence to forge its own musical identity.
In April 2001, Split Shift wrote its first original song, “Drowned,” marking the true beginning of the band and a new chapter built around its own sound.
Now, Split Shift is back together and working on new material while returning to the stage. Reunited with renewed energy and a shared drive to create, the band is ready to reconnect with longtime fans, reach new audiences, and continue the story it started more than two decades ago.
Hypnotic Kick
Hailing from Springfield, Massachusetts, Hypnotic Kick emerged as a distinctive force in Western New England’s heavy-music scene during the 1990s. Blending hard rock and alternative metal with groove-driven rhythms, emotional intensity, and elements of the band’s Puerto Rican heritage—including Spanish-language vocals—Hypnotic Kick developed a sound that stood apart from many of its contemporaries.
The band built its reputation through years of relentless live performances, playing throughout the Northeast and sharing stages with artists including Staind, Sevendust, Godsmack, Hatebreed, Shadows Fall, Puya, Taproot, Tree, Joey Belladonna, and Sebastian Bach. By the early 2000s, Hypnotic Kick was recognized as part of the thriving Springfield-area metal community that also produced acts such as Staind, Shadows Fall, Killswitch Engage, and All That Remains.
Hypnotic Kick released several recordings through Sike Records, beginning with the full-length cassette Finally and followed by Trapped in a Music Box. The latter showcased the band’s mix of muscular guitars, melodic and aggressive vocals, and flashes of Latin identity. In 2000, the band released the ten-song album Nuestros Sueños, produced by Jeff Gilmer, further developing its combination of heavy grooves, raw emotion, and cultural pride.
With a decade-spanning presence, a formidable live reputation, and a sound rooted equally in metal, melody, and heritage, Hypnotic Kick remains an important part of Springfield’s rich heavy-music history.
THE WAIT IS OVER.
After years away, SPLIT SHIFT returns to the stage at View Street Tavern for its first show back together.
A longtime force in the New England heavy-rock scene, Split Shift built its name through packed rooms, high-energy performances, and a sound shaped by powerful riffs, raw emotion, and undeniable hooks. Now reunited and working on new material, the band is ready to turn up the volume and begin its next chapter.
Joining them as special guest is Springfield’s HYPNOTIC KICK—a groove-driven collision of hard rock, alternative metal, and Latin influence. Known for their commanding live shows, Hypnotic Kick spent years tearing through the Northeast and sharing stages with acts including Staind, Sevendust, Godsmack, Hatebreed, Shadows Fall, and Sebastian Bach.
Two bands with deep roots in the New England metal scene. One room. One long-awaited return.
Formed in Southern New England in October 1999, Split Shift began as a tribute band before an unforgettable show in March 2000 changed everything. Members of Korn joined the band onstage, sparking immediate attention from local media and radio and helping Split Shift build a devoted following. Over the following year, the band packed venues throughout New England and found the confidence to forge its own musical identity.
In April 2001, Split Shift wrote its first original song, “Drowned,” marking the true beginning of the band and a new chapter built around its own sound.
Now, Split Shift is back together and working on new material while returning to the stage. Reunited with renewed energy and a shared drive to create, the band is ready to reconnect with longtime fans, reach new audiences, and continue the story it started more than two decades ago.