This week the Learning Curve delves deeper into what bands could be on the brink of stardom, ready to break out. Some are signed and some aren't, but keep in mind

The music festival season is upon us! Line-ups, dates and venues are continuously being announced for this summer's crop of festivals. Here's the lowdown on some of the biggest American musical smorgasbords:

On October 7th Rise Against will release Appeal To Reason, the follow up to their breakthrough record, The Sufferer & The Witness which featured the anthemic smashes "Ready To Fall" and "Prayer of the Refugee."

Since signing on the dotted line with Icon Mes in September of 2006, The Graduate have gone from virtual unknowns to gracing the cover of CMJ magazine in a matter of just a few short months.

8MM are enjoying widely growing buzz to their debut album, Songs to Love and Die By. On Thursday, February 8, 8MM had one of their songs featured on Grey's Anatomy, exposing the band to over 25 million viewers. The Los Angeles-based band's sound has quickly garnered huge media exposure.

Cobra Starship -- the new band led by former Midtown frontman Gabe Saporta -- has unveiled plans to join the line-up of MTV2's upcoming "Welcome To The Universe Tour." The trek will follow the release of the band's much-anticipated debut album, "While the City Sleeps, We Rule the Streets," which will arrive in stores on October 10th.

In conjunction with the kick-off of this year's Taste of Chaos Tour, WARCON Enterprises has announced a January 24th release date for The Best of the Taste of Chaos, a two-disc compilation that features an onslaught of music from the biggest and best bands in the punk/metal scene.

Southern California's Atreyu are roaring back after a few months of recording with a brand new album, "A Deathgrip on Yesterday" set to hit stores on March 28th. Produced by Josh Abraham (Velvet Revolver), the new album is chock full of great metallic rock songs with the mind-boggling guitar runs and dynamic brutality they are known for.

After 37 packed dates across the USA and Canada last Winter, followed by an equally successful international run which hit Europe, Australia and Japan, The Taste of Chaos tour is back with another onslaught of Winter shows in the USA and Canada, featuring a who's-who of young, loud, aggressive bands. Kevin Lyman, the brainchild behind the Vans Warped Tour, has once again created a model for more-bang-for-your-buck. Lyman says, "Our goal is to give fans a six hour arena show with a multimedia experience of live music and activities for under $30 bucks."

The tour that started in the U.S. and Canada, and more recently finished up a successful stint in Australia is heading back to the states! The tour exhibits the "harder, edgier" bands featured on the Vans Warped Tour on a tour of their own. Contrary to the summer shows of the Warped Tour, the Taste of Chaos Tour will run through the winter months, bringing fans an amazing lineup of bands playing their favorite music.