After a hugely successful debut on Saturday 4 October 2025, Novacaine Festival quickly established itself as a new platform within the UK alternative music scene. The inaugural event was headlined by The Five Hundred, with main support from Bleed Again, alongside a diverse line-up including DACRA, Night Thieves, Reckoner, Broken Empire, and local rising artists Reanimate, Our North, Dead Demons and Ocean Thieves. With the 2025 event coming close to selling out, the festival’s mission was clear from the outset: bring together established touring bands and emerging talent from across the UK while delivering an uncompromising live experience for fans.
Now, Novacaine Festival returns on Saturday 28 November 2026, raising the bar once again!
Headlining the event are post-hardcore heavyweights As Everything Unfolds. The band released their third studio album Did You Ask To Be Set Free earlier this year and continue to build momentum across the alternative scene, with major festival appearances already scheduled including Download Festival.
Joining them as sub-headliners are Tropic Gold, whose explosive rock ’n’ roll energy and rapidly growing fanbase make them a powerful addition to the bill.
Elsewhere, TheCityIsOurs and FOXHAUNT add further weight to the line-up, reinforcing Novacaine’s commitment to pairing established names with ambitious rising artists ready for bigger stages.
More acts will be announced within the coming months. You can already pick up your tickets for the event here!
Event organiser Scott O’Shea said: “First, thank you to everyone who helped turn my dream of launching a music festival into a reality. Our debut show was an incredible night, and the support we’ve seen throughout 2026 has been beyond anything I imagined. None of this would have been possible without the bands, Corporation, and most importantly the fans who showed up and supported the event.
2026 will be the biggest show I’ve put together so far. The aim is not just to grow the festival but to keep creating opportunities for rising artists while giving something back to the community that helped build this. One of our biggest supporters last year was our 2025 compere, Robert Fulton-Hamilton. Rob brought huge energy to the night, introducing every band and conducting interviews throughout the event. Those interviews will feature in upcoming magazine releases, and I’m delighted he’ll be returning in 2026 as our official compere with RJFH Music.”
A typically stacked week of New Music Mondays, with everything from rock to metal to country putting out great stuff! Let’s dive in and check it all out!
The Black Keys: Peaches!
The 14th album from the garage/blues rock revitalists is a lot of fun! It’s 10 scrappy, technically awesome songs that flow together rather perfectly. It’s exactly what you’d expect if you know the band in any way! We somehow missed their album last year, but did enjoy 2024’s Ohio Players. There’s just something about Keys’ particular style of jam band; it’s never normally my sort of thing but I end up having a blast whenever I listen to them. Tracks like ‘Stop Arguing Over Me’ and ‘You Go to Lose’ are big highlights for me. However, a release like this BEGS for a full listen-through in a single sitting, and I honestly think doing it that way adds to every song, and the product as a whole. Yeah, the tracks are all a touch similar, and 44 minutes is maybe a touch too long unless you are really into the genre. However, I can’t think of a song to cut, they all fit so well. And, if you are into the band or the respective genres, you’ll love it from start to finish!
The duo work so effortlessly well together some two plus decades into their careers, and show off once again why they are two of the most underrated players and songwriters in the game today. I’ll certainly be spinning it again in the months to come, and it gets a solid 8/10 from me!
Kacey Musgraves: Middle of Nowhere
Following up 2024’s massive and critically acclaimed Deeper Well (we had… some thoughts… on it), was going to be no easy task. However, to my shock, I ended up rather enjoying this; it’s a damn solid country-pop release! ‘Middle of Nowhere’ opens the album on a high, and the tongue-in-cheek ‘Dry Spell’ is so well written it’s impossible not to enjoy. Then you have tracks like ‘Abilene’ and ‘Mexico Honey’ that are also damn solid songs. I love that the middle of this release is dominated by some awesome guest appearances too, everyone doing so well and adding their own amazing flare to each song. ‘Horses and Divorces’ with the wonderful Miranda Lambert was probably my favourite, though Willie Nelson’s was also good. Don’t get me wrong, Kacey is to middle-aged divorced women what dad rock is to 30-something white dudes, but I still found myself enjoying in. Maybe I’ve gone soft. However, I certainly wouldn’t turn this off if it came back on again, and will most likely be listening to a few of the tracks of my own volition moving forward. 7/10
Sevendust: One
We’ve already checked out this awesome album! Read our full review here.
KNEECAP: FENIAN
Despite liking their punk attitude and leanings, I never really got KNEECAP… until now! This is a damn solid release, and I had a blast listening to it! It gives off vibes of Pendulum or even Prodigy at times with the instrumentation, while there’s some truly great rapping and memorable choruses throughout. Tracks like ‘Carnival’, ‘Liars Tale’ and ‘Gael Phonics’ are personal highlights. Don’t get me wrong, it all sounds pretty similar, and 14 of the same sort of songs did get a touch old late in the album. But, even with them switching between English and Irish mid-line sometimes, making it hard for me to follow some of their bars, the emotion and anger is still very much present throughout. It was a really captivating listen. As someone who doesn’t know much by them, I’ll at least be listening again, and may be pressed to give their previous stuff another try! If you’re a fan of them, or the heavier side of hip-hop/house/rap in general, I’d highly recommend giving this a spin! Another solid 7/10, and one I’ll certainly be revisiting at some point.
Venom: Into Oblivion
The first album from the black metal pioneers in nearly eight years, the band very much picking up right where they left off. If you’re familiar with the bands sound at all, you’ll know exactly what to expect here, and it hits that right on the head. It’s fine. While I completely appreciate and admire the bands contributions and influence on metal music, but this is nothing we haven’t heard before. It’s good first-wave black metal/thrash, but both genres have moved so far past this sound since the 80s, and I do think for good reason. It’s actually rather wild to me that the band are on album 16 and haven’t really strayed too far away from their original sound, just gotten better production. Tracks like ‘Lay Down Your Soul’ and ‘Metal Bloody Metal’ were personal highlights, but much of the rest I could kinda take or leave. It’s good for what it is, but I’d rather just go back and listen to their first three LPs. I sadly can’t give it any more than 6.5/10
ERNEST: Deep Blue
Where did this come from?! I LOVED this album. Don’t get me wrong, I certainly don’t hate his previous work, and last years Cadillac Sessionswas also not bad, even if he wasn’t the highlight of that. However, he’s always struck me as a bit of a mixed bag of a songwriter, at least when it came to his own work. Well, he’s finally found his sound, and it’s Jimmy Buffett levels of tropical country awesomeness. Don’t get me wrong, there’s still a few Morgan Wallen-esque songs scattered throughout, but overall it’s a precisely written album. Every song fits together perfectly and the album has an excellent flow to it. I honestly wasn’t expecting 44 minutes to go by so quickly and easily. It’s just a great album to throw on, sit back and relax to. From the opening two songs to ‘Somewhere in the Caribbean’ and ‘End of the Night’ to ‘Boat Named After You’, there is so much to love. However, every song on here is amazing, and the whole thing is worth spinning from start-to-finish at least once! Hopefully we are getting more of this sound moving forward from ERNEST because DAMN, I loved this. I’ll be listening to this plenty moving forward, and this gets an easy 9/10!
Haste the Day: Dissenter
The first studio album since the metalcore band’s second reunion in 2023, and this thing goes hard from start to finish! It’s both hugely heavy and beautifully melodic in equal measure, and is so very well put together. ‘Shallows’ sets the tone perfectly, while tracks like ‘Grave’, ‘Gnasher’ and the epic closing single are all personal highlights. It’s very much that heavier modern end to the genre, blended with emo and leaning more on the hardcore side of things. It’s no wonder they have Silent Planet guest on a track, as it’s very similar music. It also gives off slight Deftones vibes at times. If all of that sounds good to you, this is definitely an album worth checking out! It’s not typically my side of the genre, but I still had a good time listening to this, and wouldn’t be opposed to checking it out again in the near future. A solid 7.5/10 from us, though it may get higher with more listens!
Jenny Colquitt: Pockets Full of Rain
Goddamn, this thing made me cry at work. Need an even more glowing endorsement than that? Fine by me! This is 41 minutes of beautifully, masterfully crafted music, having me hooked from start to finish. A lot of it reminds me of the Lily Allen ‘Somewhere Only We Know’ cover; powerful piano-based ballads. However, then Jenny can hit you with some huge vocals that are more akin to Sara Ramirez or even Amy Lee, and gives me goosebumps every time. From the opener to ‘Waiting for the Sun’, the almost murder-folk epic ‘Peace Man’ to the epic grand finale/title track, there is so much to love. And ‘The Water’… *chefs kiss*. It’s honestly one of my favourite tracks of the year, and I need to see it in a big theater backed by a full orchestra, it is that epic and good.
I could gush about this album all day. Her vocals are incredible, providing exactly what the track needs in the moment, be it power or tenderness. And the emotion on display from both the delivery and the lyrics, and also backed up by the instrumentation, is amazing throughout. And even the production/arrangement, the mix is phenomenal and every instrument is so excellently placed. This isn’t my usual brand of music, sat somewhere between ‘sad girl’ and epic soft rock, but I am homestly a little obsessed. How she isn’t a bigger name already is beyond me, but she has a HUGE new fan in me off the back of this release. I can’t give it any less than 9.5/10, and I’d urge anyone reading this to check it out immediately!
Onra: After Dark
Nestled confusingly between an EP and an album, this release follows up 2024s Nosthaigia rather perfectly. The chilled out electronic music sits comfortably between hip-hop, R&B and funk, and is impossible not to have a good time when listening. Personal highlights include ‘That Kind of Girl’ and the sexy-jazz infused ‘Ecstacy’. However, the whole album has a great flow to it, there not really being a dull moment. It certainly won’t be for everyone, but I didn’t think it would be my thing and I had a great time listening to it. I’ll definitely be keeping an eye on Onra moving forward, as well as listening to his previous work ASAP. He’s a fantastic French producer, and I can’t give this anything less than 7/10. Good stuff!
Wooden Shadow: Age of Tree
Now for an actual, fully fledged EP. It’s a fair bit different to the previous entry, though! 15 minutes of incredible, heavy pagan/death metal, all produced by one insanely talented guy! How the same guy not only wrote all of this, but also performed it all, honestly blows my mind. Even if it was crap, it would be impressive, but the fact that it is also amazing folk-death metal makes it honestly phenomenal. It’s heavy, melodic and even has some theatrical elements and feel to it throughout. All four songs are amazing, and the intro track is also awesome. If I had one vague complaint, the cleans aren’t quite as good as his screams. However, it takes almost nothing away from how amazing this release is! If you’re into the heavier end of metal, give this one a spin, you won’t be disappointed! 8.5/10
American Football: LP4
This is a weird one. The first album from the Midwest emo band in seven years, and only their forth overall across their 15 active years. It’s usually a style I quite like, but I couldn’t get into. It felt a lot more like a New Wave/soft punk vibe, almost like a Pulp or Soft Cell, than what I expected. The highlight for me was probably the proggy single ‘Bad Moons’, especially with the lyrics. However, the rest was pretty similar, and not really my sort of bag. Especially when it ran for nearly 50 minutes, too. Don’t get me wrong, the band are insanely talented, and I’m sure they’re good songwriters too, but this style bored the hell out of me. If you are into the band or the sound, you will probably get a lot out of this. However, I can’t give it any more than a 4/10, sorry guys.
Bird: Strange as Folk
Following up on 2025’s Heads or Tales EP, we get another awesome glimpse into the folky singer-songwriter’s world. It’s a simple four tracks (and a remix) that really highlights her strengths; the fantastic lyrics and production/dynamics. Also, her vocals throughout are beautiful, fitting the tone of the songs excellently. Everything feels perfectly put together. The ‘Lay Lady Lay’ cover is a big highlight, both mixes, as is the duet with Jane Ellen Bryant to close things out. If you are into things a little more chilled and slower paced, this is absolutely the release for you! And, while it’s not especially my sort of thing, it has definitely left me wanting more! 6.5/10
Cage Fight: Exuvia
The highly anticipated sophomore album from the aggressive heavy metal quartet is every bit as amazing as I’d hoped for! We loved their debuta few years back, and this continues their track record on PERFECTLY. ‘Oxygen’ is the perfect tone-setter, while y’all should know how much we love‘Pig’ already! The awesomeness keeps rolling after that with ‘Pick Your Fighter’ (feat. the incredible Julian Truchan of Benighted) and the excellent single ‘Un Bon Souvenir’. And hell, all of that’s just under half the album. The other six songs are just as excellent, with the title track and the slower ‘Élégie’ being other high points. Honestly, there isn’t a bad song on the album, though, and 40ish minutes goes by in a flash! The band are all insanely talented, with Rachel Aspe being one of the most underrated vocalists around today. If you are a fan of stuff on the heavier end, this album is an absolute must, and will surely be another stepping-stone to the top for a band so incredibly deserving of it! Another easy 9/10!
Ashen Horde: The Harvest
Album five from the prog-black metal band is 40+ minutes of twists, turns and heaviness that I couldn’t help but love. I tend not to be into black metal all that stuff, but then the clean singing came in, the vocals powerful and catchy. They also work perfectly when in harmony (if you can call it that?) with the screams. It gave the tracks some incredible dynamics, and made it really interesting to listen to, especially over the usual black metal style. It almost gives it a metalcore edge to it at times, which was really cool to hear! Especially when the instrumentation also goes into chuggy or breakdown territory as well as the usual genre tropes. Tracks like ‘Entropy and Ecstasy’ and ‘Apparition’ are personal highlights, but every song on here is as good as the last! The band are so insanely talented, both as musicians and songwriters, and have crafted something truly special here. They have a huge new fan in me, and I can’t give it any less than 8.5/10!
Southall: Kinfolk
This is another awesome collection of southern rock tracks from the Stillwater natives. The band found their winning formula years ago at this point and have perfected it more and more with each release. From single ‘Southwestern Son’ to ‘House Money’, title track to the closer, there is so much to love here. And, at just 34 minutes long, it goes by in a flash, in and out without any chance of getting bored. It’s a lot of fun, but also has some emotion through the couple of ballads. It’s just a damn good southern rock album, and is impossible not to have a good time with! I really hope these guys tour here again with the new release, as they kicked ass at The Long Road and I’d love to see them again! For now though, I’ll certainly be spinning this plenty again, especially through the summer months. An easy 8/10
Austin Snell: Colors
The pop-country singer-songwriter is back with another EP, less than a year after Home Sweet Hell. While ‘Daddy’s Eyes’ is a bit slow to open things, it’s beautifully written and full of emotion. Then you have the slightly rockier ‘Everything But Ok’, kicking the release into a higher gear and giving me a chorus to be stuck in my head for days to come! Then you have ‘My Favourite Scar’ and the single/title track that are also excellent! I feel like seven songs is maybe a little long for an EP, but this is pretty much all killer. If you like a more radio-country sound, this is definitely worth checking out! It’s easy to hear why he’s becoming such a big name in a short amount of time, and this is another great addition to his growing discography! 7/10
We headed down to one of the coolest small venues in the country last weekend to check out three awesome hard/blues rock bands! A bar that still very much incapsulates the grungy, dirty rock scene of the 70s and 80s, and three bands known for a cracking live show, what’s not to love!
Kicking things off strong were the Wolves-based sleazy hard rockers, Tender Vendetta. Bringing high energy right from the jump, the band launched into an impressive setlist filled with plenty of their own awesome songs. They battled through some early technical issues to deliver fully, too. It’s easy to see why they are getting a reputation as a fantastic live band, and are gaining a fair bit of momentum around the UK. Matty Nicholls is one of the best frontman around in the scene today, and the rest of the band do a great job in matching his energy and stage presence. We even go a cheeky, albeit brief, Sabbath cover, which fit the bands sound surprisingly well, even if they are typically on the faster side of rock. They are certainly ones to watch, that’s for sure!
Eddie & The Wolves soon took to the stage next! Best band ever and all that. Apparently the band have played the venue a couple of times in the past, but it must have been before my time with them. Regardless, it was a blast playing, from the quirky setting to the great sound to everyone packing out the place to watch! Thank you for everyone who came out, I hope we put on a decent set for everyone! It at least felt good from up on stage, that’s for sure!
After a brief changeover, the mighty headliners took to the stage. Outside of seeing their name about on bills, I was pretty unfamiliar with Voodoo Sioux’s stuff, but they really blew me away here! The talent of all four men was off the charts, and was on full display throughout their set. And the energy they brought to the stage from the first moment they stepped onto it was palpable. They had a full 40+ minute set and really made the most of it, rattling off collection of their very best tracks, to the delight of the crowd. They have been around a little while now and have really honed their craft to perfection, putting on one of the most polished shows I’ve seen in an intimate venue, even with the occasional sound issue. They were a fantastic headliner, and a band I will certainly be seeing again as soon as I can!
And there you have it folks, three awesome bands playing at one of the coolest venues in the country, what more could you ask for?! I cannot recommend any of the bands any more, be it live or on track, and I’d certainly implore you to see them live ASAP. And, if you are anywhere near Percy’s Cafe anytime soon, definitely drop down, it’s as awesome a bar as it is a venue! A truly great night!
An absolutely HUGE week for new releases this week, with some of the biggest names in rock, metal and country stepping up to the plate. Let’s dive into some!
Foo Fighters: Your Favourite Toy
Album 12 from Dave & co. is far better than it has any right to be. As much as we enjoyed But Here We Are, I still feel like Foo Fighters haven’t been the same since Wasting Light. There was definitely some good stuff on Sonic Highways and Concrete and Gold, but it didn’t quite hit the same as their previous work. This, however, is their best work in 15 years, and it’s by some margin! Opener/single ‘Caught in the Echo’ is heavy for modern Foos, while ‘Your Favourite Toy’ has grown on me more with more listens since its release. Then you have tracks like ‘If You Only Knew’, ‘Spit Shine’ and the epic closing single that are all huge highlights. However, almost every track on this is amazing, the only slight dud for me being ‘Child Actor’. It’s a pretty tight release too, with the 10 tracks going by in a flash and there being far less filler compared to killer.
While it’s missing a world-conquering, massive hit like it seemed every earlier album had, it has a renewed energy, passion and urgency to it that it hasn’t felt like the band have had in years. As an album as a whole, this is damn impressive, and up there alongside some of the best of their back catalogue. While not as emotion-filled as their previous release, it’s stronger in other areas, and still a very solid 9/10!
Jason Aldean: Songs About Us
We’ve already checked out this awesome album! Read our full review here!
Brontës: Self-Titled
The debut album from the alt rock female quartet is a great, chilled-out release. It’s not my sort of thing typically, so really that should show how high quality this is, that I still had a blast listening! From the opener to ‘Wouldn’t be Me’, ‘Thelma and Louise’ to ‘I Think I Love You’, there are plenty of great songs throughout. Every song has it’s place, though, and the whole album is so easy to listen to. It feels like the perfect combination of 2000s romcom music and hints of the likes of Paula Cole or Carol King. It’s a real US sound, and one that feels pretty nostalgic while still being modern. I don’t quite hear the Sabrina influence they tout, but the Blondie I can vaguely hear, at least their older sound! It’s a fun relaxing listen that still packs some emotion in when it needs to. Check it out if you are at all interested, you won’t be disappointed! 7.5/10
The Amity Affliction: House of Cards
Max: So, the Amity Affliction are back with another album and I have to say, this was really good. This is the first album since the band parted ways with their previous vocalist, so they definitely had something to prove. The album is heavy and intense and exactly what you would expect, so they certaintly did prove that they are just as good as ever. Now my one issue is that I feel like their new clean vocalist is a bit underused. However, I don’t think that is a huge detractor from the album, nor do I feel like it there would have been a massive improvement to the album if there were more cleans. If I was to pick a track that I think people should listen to, I would say either ‘Kickboxer’ or ‘Bleed’ as they are just exceptional. I am honestly quite interested in what is going to come next for this band. 8.5/10
Jackson Dean: Magnolia Sage
The third studio album from the rising country star is and excellent journey through old-school, Americana and blues. We loved his last album, and this release builds on that and his debut, evolving his sound perfectly and naturally. Tracks like the opener, chilled single ‘Tennessee Moon’ and ‘Wildfire’ are all personal highlights. It’s a little less rocky than his previous stuff, it reminding me a surprising amount of Newton Faulkner. It’s not a bad thing, but I did find it a little harder to stay interested throughout, as it is all relatively similar. If you are into the likes of Drake White, you will most likely love this, and I will certainly be spinning it again! However, it does stand out the least of his catalogue so far, so I can’t give it any more than an 7.5/10
Where Victims Lie: What Was Left Behind
The return EP from the 2000s thrash masters, their first since 2007s Promo release, shows that they haven’t lost a step in nearly 20 years! It’s heavy, lightening fast, and yet anthemic when it needs to be. The band are insanely talented, everything from the riffing to the drumming to harsh vocals being amazing and top notch. It’s also 20 minutes of excellence, each song being as good as the last. However, I think ‘Veil’ is my favourite track, it almost having an air of Machine Head in the chorus. It’s clearly inspired heavily by the likes of Slayer and Kreator, but also definitely has a bit of a modern edge to it too, not too dissimilar to Evile. If you are into the heavier side of metal, this whole release is well worth checking out, and will definitely be one I spin regularly moving forward. A very solid 8/10 from us!
Atreyu: The End is Not the End
The 10th album from the metalcore titans has no right going as hard as it does. Right from opening single ‘Dead’, this thing is balls-to-the-wall, while still giving moments of melodic reprieve to only add to the epicness. That is followed excellently by the groovy ‘Break Me’ and the catchy single ‘All For You’. And heck, we still have another nine songs after that! While tracks like ‘Glass Eater’, the Max Cavalera-featuring ‘Children of Light’ and the beautifully bittersweet ‘Afterglow’ are all huge highlights, every song on this is incredible. It feels like the band have finally fully settled into their most recent lineup with this release, as much as I did like Baptizeand The Beautiful Dark of Light. Honestly, this is my favourite release of their since Congregation of the Damned; it’s all-killer, no-filler, and the band are all on top form throughout. If you are at all a fan of the band or the genre, this is a no-brainer of a release! Up there alongside some of my favourite metalcore releases in recent years, and it gets a very solid 9.5/10 from us!
Fangslinger: Welcome to the Lost Souls Saloon
The debut album from one of our favourite new bands finally dropped this last Friday, and we couldn’t be more hyped! We have loved watching these cats grow the last couple of years, and it feels like it has reached its crescendo perfectly with this release! They are the perfect blend of country, gothic and metallic hard rock/metal, and I honestly can’t get enough. They had our top EP of last year, and my only vague complaint is that that makes up half of this album. However, when the tracks are as high quality as these are, it’s honestly hard to even be mad about it! As for the new songs, ‘As the Crow Flies’ may be may favourite song by them, and ‘Wanted Undead’ and the epic closer are up there alongside it! This is an excellent album that I’d recommend to just about anyone, and just makes me love them even more. I can’t wait to hear them live over the summer, but for now I’ll be spinning this plenty! Another very solid 9.5/10 from us!
Jon Corabi: New Day
Somehow the first fully electric solo release from the former Crüe/current Daisies frontman, New Day shows just what we’ve been missing all these years. It’s an awesome boot stompin’, blues-infused rock album, and is a lot of fun throughout! The title track opens things in style, while the ballad ‘When I was Young’, the swaggering ‘One More Shot’ and the heavy blues ‘Your Own Worst Enemy’ are all huge high points. It’s somehow both exactly what you’d expect from him given his recent output, yet also a little unexpected at times. While nearly-50 minutes is maybe a touch long, especially for a generally plodding blues pace throughout, it’s still a damn good album, and none of it is bad by any stretch! If you are a fan of the genre, Dead Daisies or just Corabi in general, this is well worth a listen! It’s a damn fun release, and one I’ll definitely be spinning again. 8/10
At the Gates: The Ghost of a Future Dead
The first album from the melodeath legends in nearly half a decade, this has been highly anticipated since its announcement. To the surprise of I’m sure almost no one, it’s really damn good! It’s classic At the Gates for 42 solid minutes. From ‘The Dissonant Void’ to ‘A Ritual of Waste’, ‘Parasitical Hive’ to ‘The Phantom Gospel’, there’s some absolutely incredible tracks throughout this whole release. The band proved that after nearly 40 years and now eight studio albums, the band still very much have it. They’re so dam talented, and it’s easy to see why they helped inspire a whole genre and have endured so prominently through it since. It won’t be for everyone, but if you’re into old-school melodeath, this is absolutely one to check out! I loved it, and it’s an incredibly easy 9/10 from me!
Yonah: Bird of Miracles
The debut album from the alt/indie folk singer-songwriter is a beautiful, chilled-out and deep release. While not typically my sort of thing on paper, it had some great old-school folk-rock, drawing from the likes of Dylan and Young. There’s depth and emotion to the lyrics and playing, everything feeling so purposefully and meticulously crafted. Right from the excellent opener I was hooked, and it somehow didn’t let me go until the very end. The duet with Myella, ‘Pressure, Forever’, was a definite highlight, as was ‘All I do’. However, every song is pretty excellent. He’s set to be a big name in the scene sooner rather than later, and this is a fantastic jumping off point for just that! I already can’t wait to hear where he goes from here, but for now it gets a solid 8/10 from us!
Six Feet Under: Next to Die
Another album from Chris Barnes and co., another collection of great riffs and playing ruined for me by Chris’ vocal style. Opener ‘Approach Your Grave’ was surprisingly steady in tempo, and I loved the riffs and plodding pace and drums. However, from the marginally-better-than-early-Cannibal-Corpse tones and production to Barnes’ illegible growls, it doesn’t do much for me. And that’s honestly one of the highlights of the album, alongside ‘Mind Hell’. I do enjoy this release more than I did their last one, but that’s not saying an awful lot. 4/10
Krooked Tongue: I Know a Place
This one has been a long time coming. It has been in the works for a while, and been announced for MONTHS now. Well, it’s finally here, and I can safely say that I loved it! It’s alt rock at its very best, and it’s no wonder the trio have garnered a lot of buzz around them in recent years. Be it the epic opener, the deliciously indie ‘Dog Days’ or the surprisingly heavy ‘Blood Shark’, there is so much variety, and so much to love! I definitely, hear both the Royal Blood and QOTSA comparisons, but the band also feel wholly unique at the same time, doing things very much their own way. It’s a fun release, while also being dark, heavy and emotional I’m equal measure. I’ve been a distant fan of them for years at this point, but this release has very much solidified me as a big one, that’s for sure! It’s well worth checking out if you are into indie, alt, or just any sort of rock in general, as so much of this album is a highlight in its own right. An incredibly easy 8.5/10, though it may grow on me even more with more listens!
Portrayal of Guilt: …Beginning of the End
Following up their critically-acclaimed CHRISTFUCKER album-pair (there’s a phrase I never thought I’d say), the hardcore black metallers returned with their fifth studio album. As much as Max loved their last release, I simply don’t get it, man. I completely appreciate that it is dark and heavy as hell and that certainly appeals to some. Heck, I didn’t even mind the odd riff, scream or breakdown peppered throughout. But, overall, my god was this just chaotic noise. I feel like I’d get into it a lot more live, but sadly it doesn’t do a great deal for me on track. ‘Human Terror’ and ‘God Will Never Hear Me’ are songs worth checking out if you’re interested! It’s definitely not bad by any stretch, just a touch too quirky for me. 5/10
Dead Reynolds: Yellow Weather Warning
This is a damn fun, punk-tinged melodic rock album! It’s packed full of anthemic tracks and moments, reminding me a fair bit of the likes of Mason Hill. ‘Count Me In’ sets the tone perfect, while songs like ‘Parasite’, ‘Hurricane’ and ‘Someone Else’ are excellent and carry on that same energy perfectly. And, while 41 minutes is maybe a touch too long for this sort of music, I can’t think of a track I’d want them to cut, as they are all that good! The band are all insanely talented, proving that they haven’t lost a step in the five years between albums. They should be a bigger name than they are, but this will surely be the album to push them over that edge! 9/10
The Groggy Dogs: No Grog No Glory
The first album from the pirate punk/metal/ska collective in four years, and continues on from their previous releases excellently, being another fun trek! It’s like the perfect blend of Dropkick Murphys, Mad Caddies’ Rock the Plank and even a touch of Social Distortion. ‘All Hands on Deck’ is the perfect opener, setting the tone excellently. Then you have the likes of ‘One Last Toast’, the pretty heavy ‘Ballad of Woodenhand Sam’ and ‘Roll the Woodpile Down’ that are all personal highlights. However, there really isn’t a bad track throughout, the album has a great flow to it as every song plays perfectly off the last. It’s impossible not to have a fun time listening to this, and it’s a release that I’m already desperate to hear some live from! It’s a sound that, while does seem to be growing in popularity again, we certainly don’t have enough of around! It won’t be for everyone, but if you are at all curious, this is well worth giving a spin, you might love it as much as I did! I’m so glad the band returned to the studio for another release, and I can’t give this any less than 8.5/10. Great stuff!
Ural: Anthropic Generic Involution
Some more awesome thrash metal for us this week, this time curtesy of the Italian five-piece. This thing goes hard from start to finish, too. It’s just over half-an-hour of balls-to-the-wall riffing and drumming, with some damn catchy vocal moments and some tasty soloing to only add to the excellence. It’s like late 80s Exodus in the best way possible. All of the chanted backing vocals add a fantastic layer throughout, adding to the surprisingly melodic main vocals excellently. Single and opener ‘Extreme Paranoia’ is amazing, while tracks like ‘Wrong Children’ and ‘Terror Eyes’ are also huge highlights. Every song on this release is amazing in its own right, though and the 33 minutes goes by in a flash. As a thrash kid at heart, I absolutely loved this from start to finish, and the band certainly have a new fan in me! Check this out if you are at all interested, and it gets a very solid 9/10 from us!
The incredible indie rocker Yonah released his massive debut album today! Ahead of it, we sat and had a quick chat about it, the scene in New York and his touring plans! Check it all out below!
How would you describe your current sound?
I’d describe it as a reflection of my current taste, which is everchanging. My record Bird of Miraclesis rooted in my first major influences, which were mostly folk/indie rock music, but I like to think of my sound as something I can experiment with and mold from project to project.
How did someone from Manhattan get into writing this style? It’s not typically something I’d associate with the area as an outsider!
I have to give credit to my mother for this one! I grew up listening to two records until I got my first digital device when I was 11. We had an old Subaru Outback that my great grandmother used, and we would listen to a perpetual rotation of Bob Dylan’s The Freewheelin’ Bob Dylan and Billy Joel’s Songs in The Attic. When I started playing guitar, my only reference for chords/style was Dylan. I’d also have to disagree slightly that New York is not the typical scene for this music–my major influences come from Bob Dylan, Joni Mitchell, and Elliot Smith, who are all artists that spent a significant amount of time in New York. I think the scene now is defined as more “indie rock” but there’s still folks doing the thing!
The album is out at the end of the month, it seems to have some quite heavy themes, right?
Yes indeed! I think writing about the songs is heavier than the actual process. I didn’t really conceptualize the weight of what I was writing about until after looking at the songs in hindsight. It’s about death and god and identity. Arguably the top tier heavy topics of this lifetime!
What went into the decision to release an album over another EP or standalone singles?
I had a concept and I really didn’t want to bend to “the norm.” I understand it’s a risk but catalogue depth and vision is important to me. I prefer to test something I am truly proud of than run a bunch of tests. At this point I’ve also been working on a bunch of new music and have a ton of stuff I’m super excited to release following this record. I think I also just needed to do something substantial to mark this time of my life. It’s really an ode to much of my past and it would feel wrong to wait longer to talk about it.
Do you have a favourite track on the album, and why?
My favorite track varies between 2-3 songs but if I had to choose one it would be “Bugs Blood.” It was the first song I wrote for the album and, in a sense, it laid the foundation for the entire project. It’s about feeling small as a bug in the eyes of god, and it is my most religious song I’ve written. It also ended up being a pretty hard song to produce as we had to experiment with how “intimate” the record version should be. I had played this song mostly myself and a guitar until bringing it to Harper James (producer), and it became a holy puzzle to solve. In the end I’m pretty stoked about how it turned out.
Is more writing still going on in the background?
Always, it never stops, haha! I am addicted to working on new material and it’s a problem. I have the entire follow up record demos ready and I am compiling a bunch of single options/collaborations with new producers.
Do you have a busy live year planned to promote the album?
To be honest I couldn’t tell you what is in store other than for April. I’m hosting a house show for an early listen to the record and playing a show the night it releases. What comes next will be planned after. It is difficult for my brain to plan more than a couple shows at a time independently as I like to make my shows as intentional as possible. I’d like to start touring as soon as possible but for now the focus is local.
Any plans/hopes to come to the UK for a show or two?
Huge hopes, unfortunately nay plans. If someone can get me a gig I’d be there in a jiffy (DM’s wide open)!
What is the current scene like in NYC for this style of music?
I think the major breakout act in the city is from Hudson Freeman’s project. When his album came out it helped me feel like this style of music doesn’t exist in a total vacuum. There are artists and bands that I really dig in the city that I think are somewhat close to my vibe, such as Babe City, Robert Leslie, Ken Park, and Mer Marcum. It’s not the most straightforward sonic reference but I think my music lives somewhere in the in-between.
Do you have a dream tour lineup you’d want to be a part of? Any artists you’d want to support or friends you’ll bring with you?
YES. I am deeply in love with the band Babe City in New York. Recently a buddy of mine showed me their music and I fell in love. I really hope to play with them. I also recently made a friend by the name of Arin Reedy who makes the most beautiful music and I think it would be so fun to collaborate or tour together. Big dream tour would be to open for Big Thief or Adrianne Lenker, Cameron Winter, or MJ Lenderman.
If you could have written one song from history, what would it have been and why?
Wowow, I love this question. Probably “I’m On Fire” by Bruce Springsteen. Every time I listen to this song I think to myself “wait, I am on fire. I’ve been on fire. And I would’ve been even more on fire in the 80’s.” I like the idea of making a revolutionary song.
The modern country megastar returns with his first album since 2023’s Highway Desperado. While his output this decade so far hasn’t been quite as well lauded after as his previous work, we still enjoyed Desperado, and have been liking the singles from this release we’ve heard so far. So, how does album number 13 compare to the rest of his sprawling discography? Read on to find out!
Opening on a surprisingly slower, southern soul track I’m ’Anytime Soon’, it’s a great song in its own right! The steady pace lends perfectly to Jason’s vocals, it giving off vibes of modern Blake Shelton in the best possible ways. The lower verse builds perfectly into the expectedly arena-filling, massive chorus, and it’s one that’ll be stuck in my head for days to come! It’d make a great single that’s for sure, even if the structure is also surprisingly not hugely radio-friendly. For one, it’s pushing five minutes in length, and for two it has a pretty long extended outro. It adds to the southern rock feel to the track, and also ups the epicness fantastically. It’s a great way to open the album, and an easy early highlight!
The rockin’ vibes continue through ‘Drinking About You’. It still has a steadier pace to it though, and similarly to the previous song it drops down for the verses before exploding into a hugely catchy, boot-stompin’ chorus. The bass was a big highlight through the track, something I’m surprised to say about country music, but Tully Kennedy kills it here, showing how criminally underrated he is. He rather successfully distracts from the vaguely cheesy, typical-country lyrics, too. We get an awesome little guitar solo tucked away in the middle too, breaking the track up perfectly. It’s a more radio-friendly track for sure, but that doesn’t make it any less great. Two for two, so far!
The first single of the album, ‘Don’t Tell On Me’, is also the first closer to a country-ballad on the release. Having said that, it still has plenty of rock elements to it, the distorted guitar adding plenty of depth. Because of said rockiness, it does feel a touch on the darker side for radio-country, feeling closer to Shaman’s Harvestthan Russel Dickerson. It follows an expected radio formula and is barely three minutes, but was an excellent choice for a single, having plenty of weight and catchiness and being another huge highlight of the album.
Another single, ‘How Far Does a Goodbye Go’, slows things down even more, stepping into true ballad territory with the main focus being on the acoustic guitar and Jason’s powerful vocals. Some other instrumentation comes in around them, the drums and bass shining at times throughout too, but the focus is very much more intimately on Aldean. Having said that, we do get an AWESOME, Slash-like guitar solos and lead bits throughout, which I loved. It’s another fantastic choice for a single off the album, as it’s a really great song. It also feels pretty different to the previous song, showing off Aldean’s rather impressive range within the genre. A song well worth checking out!
‘Songs About Us’ is the first track on the album to feature a guest artist. Luke Bryan fits in with Jason Aldean like a glove here. The same could be said for David Lee Murphy on the early 2000’s country-like single ‘Dust on the Bottle’. It’s a fun, bouncy track and David does an awesome job complimenting Jason. Honestly, it’s a big highlight of the album as a whole! And, as much as I like Luke Bryan, the track is a little too far-leaning into cheese-territory. It comes across very pandering. The other guest spot goes to Aldean’s wife, Brittany. It’s another ballad, of course, and the duet between them is beautiful. Their harmonies work surprisingly well together, and her voice on its own is also great. It’s an interesting topic choose for a couple to sing to, but it works for them both, and is a good song! It’s a pretty standard country-rock ballad, and an easy choice for another single, but that doesn’t stop it from being a great.
Tracks like ‘Good Thing Going’, ‘Country Into Rock ‘n’ Roll’, and ‘Fight a Fire’ are more rock infused bangers. None are bad songs by any stretch, with ‘…Rock ‘n’ Roll’ being another big album highlight that easily makes it onto our playlist. (Also, the bass on the track is again tasty). However, they are fairly similar tracks, especially to a few other tracks earlier on, hence why I’ve grouped them together here. On an album of this length, I can’t talk about every song separately, or I’ll look like a madman!
Meanwhile, songs like ‘She’s Why’, ‘Backroads of my Memory’, ‘The High Road’, ‘What a Little Heartache’ and, heck, most of the rest of the album, is on the slower side. There is some variety throughout it, don’t get me wrong. Some of it is on the straight-up rockier side, while the likes of ‘Hard to Love You’ are a bit more HARDY-vibed. Both the other singles on the album, ‘Help You Remember’ and ‘Her Favourite Color’ are good too, and fit the pace of the second half of the album rather perfectly. There isn’t a bad song across the whole thing, but 20 tracks is a LOT, especially when a solid half the album is so similar.
Overall: Don’t get me wrong, while the last couple of paragraphs sound a touch negative, this is still a good album. If you are a fan of Aldean already, or general country music over the last two decades, you’ll get at least something you love from this. He’s a hit-making machine at this point, and a good few of these tracks are easily up there alongside his best. But man, I am getting so sick of bloated country albums. Nashville needs to learn to trim the fat, as instead of getting solid albums, we are getting huge albums of a lot of similar sounding stuff, watering down the good stuff when checked out in full. Political leanings aside, this is a good collection of songs, and I’ll certainly be spinning some of the tracks from it again!
We had the pleasure of chatting to the man himself from the blues/hard rockers ahead of their debut albums release next month. Check out the interview below!
The album’s out in just a few weeks time, right?
Yeah, 8th May, like the classic Mötorhead song! It’s easy to remember!
Is there an overarching theme to it, or is it more on an individual song basis?
It’s more of an individual song basis. It’s very much song driven so each stands out, which was very much the idea. Rather than having an overarching concept it’s more songs that stand up in their own right, I think! It’s very much song-driven, though the do go together nicely!
And there‘s four singles out of it now, right?
Yeah, ‘We Belong’, ‘Cosmic Train’, ‘Karmic Rituals’ and ‘Broken Love’ have all been released. We just released two singles on the same day, which might be a bit nuts, but we decided we would!
What went into the decision to drop two at the same time?
I don’t know really. One of the reasons is we’d already decided to put out ‘Broken Love’, and then there’s also a sync deal with Sony extreme that’s going on in the background. We just decided to drop one of those songs from that sync deal as well! So it was just to get it out there so people could sync it and stuff, really. ‘Why don’t we do both?’, and we did!
I feel like it’s harder than ever these days to work out when to drop new music, especially during an album cycle!
Yeah, for sure! We already had the plan anyway, ‘Karmic Rituals’ was almost sort of a bonus single! We’re generally putting stuff out every six weeks until the album, there’s another single two days before, on a Wednesday which is weird! It’s the title track of the album.
What went into the decision to put out an album at this point?
I think it was about finding the right time. The EP [Proverbial Storm, 2024] and the album were recorded as part of the same sessions with Mike Compus in Barnsley. It was a studio he was sharing with BMTH, they had a room in the same complex. I was going up there pretty regularly, we did it over a series of months. Then it was just deciding what to do with it. We released the EP and sorted the sync stuff out in the background and we’ve eventually just gone ‘here it is, this is the right time’.
What’s the writing process like for you guys?
It’s evolved. I do generally write a lot at home, and get a lot of the ideas. Then some of the stuff is worked out in the room. Someone will just play something, warming up or sound checking, and everyone joins in and you go ‘oh, that’s pretty cool, why don’t we do something with that!’. So it’s quite an organic process really, no one fix way. Sometimes it’s difficult, you’re not feeling very inspired. Other times it seems to be flying out everywhere.
I feel like listening to a lot of different music helps. Stuff out of your normal kinda box. For me it’s blues and classic rock and modern takes on that. But, I find if I just listen to that I get a bit stale. So I’ll go away and listen to Taylor Swift or folk music or anything, just stuff you wouldn’t tend to really listen to and it wakes something up, it comes back!
I think over the last few years it’s also become so much easier to incorporate elements of different genres in your music.
Oh yeah, there’s a lot of fusion going on. I think that’s partly the digital thing, with everything being so readily available. It’s not like the old days where you had what you had and listened to the one genre, you can find all this different music out there and it influences everyone across the board.
Is there more writing still going on in the background?
There’s new stuff, definitely. We’ve actually been in the studio recently and done a couple of tracks that are sounding cool. That will continue and could very well be the sessions from the next album. We’re always writing, though!
Are you doing much with Dust Coda at the minute?
Yes and no. We have an acoustic gig in a couple of weeks. It sounds alright! We will be looking to do another album but due to personal circumstances in the background we haven’t managed to do much. We will get back together soon though and doing new stuff!
Are there any different approaches you take to writing for Coda compared to AK?
No, not really! The writing process is largely the same, and then it’s the same sort of thing really, getting in the room with ideas. Then I do my best to do some Dust Coda-y sort of stuff!
Do you have a favourite track from Hotter than the Sun?
I like them all, to be honest. I treat them all as my children. But I think maybe the title track, it’s just got a nice bass groove and has a laid back feel to it. I like ‘Broken Love’ as well, it’s really high energy and tempo, it’s fun to play live! But yeah, there’s none on there that I’m like ‘oh, I don’t like that one!’. It’s not always the case!
You’ve got a bit of a busy year planned, right?
Yeah! Coming up to the release we’re going out around the UK on a kinda tour. Doing a couple of festivals and up north and London. We have a hometown show, the album release, on May 9th. We’re out and about! And we’re looking at doing some more a little bit later in the year, and a few Dust Coda bits as well! Spinning the plates really and see what happens!
Another stacked week of New Music Mondays for us to check out; a bit of everything across the rock, metal and country world. Let’s dive right in!
Skindred: You Got This
The Welsh dub-metal titans returned with their ninth studio album this last weekend. As massive fans for years now, we loved Smile, and it’s going to be hard to follow up.
To be brutally honest, I don’t think it does quite reach the heights of Smile. However, it’s still a very good album! We’ve already gushed over the opener plenty, while tracks like single ‘This is the Sound’, ‘Big Em Up’ and ‘My People’ are also excellent. Plus, the acoustic-reggae ‘Broke’ is a fantastic track, as well as being horribly relatable, and breaking up the album in the middle perfectly. However, the other half of the album doesn’t stand out as much. They’re all good, don’t get me wrong, but it feels like a few album tracks over Smile’s banger-after-banger. The band have always been a bit more of a singles/live based band, and this still fits perfectly into their discography. I prefer it to Big Tings and Volume still, and I do think as a whole it could grow on me more with subsequent listens. If you are a fan of the band, I would recommend checking this out ASAP, and I can’t give it any less than 8.5/10. I just need to see it all live, now!
Wage War: IT CALLS ME BY NAME
Max: Once again an EP, it was a very fun venture. It is raw and intense and doesn’t give an inch. It starts off with lots of energy that is just pounding your senses the entire time and it doesn’t get lighter from there. With the energy staying all the way to purify which is just nasty, really it was a great ending. I also want to highlight Karma as a track to listen to, whilst I wont spoil it, it has some fun sounds and elements that show the depth that this band really has. Honestly I don’t have a bad this to say. Really just go listen to it now. 10/10
They Might Be Giants: The World is to Dig
Following up their January EPalmost immediately, the alt/art rockers’ 19th mainline album is certainly their typcial brand of quirkiness. Opening a little weirdly, ‘Wu-Tang’ is their fantastic, expected surf/rock’n’roll revival sound. Then you have songs like ‘Je N’en Ai Pas’, the funky ‘Get Down’, ‘Character Flaw’ and ‘In the Dead Mall’ that are all big personal highlights. Some of it is a bit too odd for me, but there is enough here that I loved and had a good time with, and it’s a surprisingly easy album to listen to in full given it’s length. If you are a fan of the duo and their particular brand of noise, this is well worth checking out. They are one of the few bands that haven’t needed to evolve their sound, even decades later, as they’re so quirky and varied it just works still. Honestly, I think I enjoyed it more than their last album (five years ago, damn I’m getting old) so it gets a solid 8/10 from me!
From Ashes to New: Reflections
Album five from the US alt metallers is another fantastic addiction to their discography! I remember loving Blackout when it dropped, and this very much continues to build on everything great about that release. ‘Drag Me’ is the perfect opener, setting the tone of the release fantastically. Then you have tracks like ‘Black Hearts’, ‘(Not) Psycho’ and ‘Darkside’ that are also massive highlights. There’s maybe a few too many slower, ballad-like tracks, especially early on, it feeling almost like I was listening to Bad Omens more than FATN. However, that will surely get them more listeners, so I definitely get why they’ve leant that way! It’s still a good album with enough heaviness and nu-metal vibes to keep me entertained for the most part. If you are a fan of the band or of any of the genres I’ve mentioned prior, this is well worth giving a spin. I’ll certainly be listening again, that’s for sure! Another easy 8.5/10 for the band from us!
Two Ways Home: Patience to Play
We’ve already covered this awesome album! Check out the full review here.
Kill the Silence: Resolve
This EP nestles itself perfectly between modern metalcore and early 2010s post-hardcore. It’s fucking awesome! While some would argue seven tracks is more of an album, but when it’s of this high quality it doesn’t even matter what it is! ‘The Final Word’ and ‘Superficial’ are personal highlights, but there really isn’t a bad track throughout. Heck, the breakdown on ‘Forever’ is one of the best I’ve heard in a very long time! The band are so incredibly talented at both songwriting and their chosen instruments, and there is no way they aren’t going to be a big name in the scene sooner rather than later! And, for their first EP in nearly seven years, it is absolutely phenomenal! I can’t give it any less than 9/10!
Nekrogoblikon: The Boiling Sea
Max: Now whilst this is more of an EP as it is an album, it is worth taking a look at. It is decent-ish but you have to be ready to get in to this with the weirdness if you have never listened to them before. The five tracks were good, and there is definitely something in here but to be honest this album/ep it just a bit middle of the road. The five new tracks are certainly alright, but for me a couple of the tracks didn’t really land, namely ‘Fiend’. The five live tracks also didn’t really do anything for me and to be honest I didn’t really enjoy the mixing too much. 6/10
P.S. it is, at least, phenomenal artwork!
Ryan O’Reilly: Native Companion
The fifth studio album from the UK-born, Berlin-based folk-pop singer (not the Canadian ice hockey player, glad I checked) dropped last week. It’s a beautiful, chilled-out half an hour, and an incredibly easy listen! It combines together a handful of his recent singles, but adds some new stuff into the mix as well. The pop elements give it a late 90s, early 2000s flavour, almost like a Hootie vibe, and it combines with the folk-Americana style fantastically. From the opener to ‘If you Know’ to ‘If This Doesn’t Hurt’, there are some great tracks on it. It is a touch slow at times, especially by the ending few tracks, but it’s still high enough quality that it’s hard not to enjoy it. If you’re into more of the chilled stuff, this is well worth a listen, but it certainly won’t be for everyone. A solid 6.5/10 from us!
LØLØ: god forbid a girl spits out her feelings!
The sophomore album from the fast-rising Canadian emo pop-punk singer-songwriter picks right up where her debut left off! It’s an incredibly modern sound, fitting perfectly alongside modern pop heavyweights like Olivia Rodrigo or Sabrina Carpenter, as well as the likes of Charlotte Sands, Taylor Acorn and Kelsy Karter. It’s fun, filled-with emotion and incredibly well written. It’s chilled out yet vulnerable, being a surprisingly perfectly combination. From ‘me with no shirt on’ to ‘delusional darling’ to ‘American zombie’, there are some damn good tracks on here. My only issue is that it’s all so similar. It’s all at the same sort of low-fi level, never quite hitting that high gear I kept hoping it would. I guess that’s kinda the appeal though, right? But still, 13 similar sounding songs in a row did make me a touch bored by the end. Still, if you like this sort of style, this is definitely an album for you! It’s all high quality, despite the similarity. I won’t be rushing back to listen again, but it’s certainly good, and will at least be spinning a few tracks from it fairly regularly! 7/10
Gypsy Pistoleros: Dark Faerie Tales
Following up Church of the Pisoleros from just last year, this new album is another great entry into their ever-growing discography. The opener/title track is the perfect opener, dark and punky yet still effortlessly catchy. The energy stays high through a lot of it, and songs like the ballady ‘She’s Getting Stranger’, the heavy ‘Behind the Mask’ and the super-fun ‘Prince of the Damned’ are all also massive highlights. It feels pretty short and sweet too, going by in a flash and packed full of great songs. Each chorus is incredible, and the instrumentation more than lives up to them for the most part! I do have to say that I don’t think as am album as a whole it’s quite as good as their last. However, it has maybe some of my favourite tracks from the bands history on it, and the rest is damn solid too. And hell, it may grow on me, because I am definitely giving this thing more spins! It’s easy to see why they are one of the most respected bands in the NWOCR scene, as have got such a consistent, amazing output of new music, this release included! It’s a lot of fun throughout, and is a very easy 8.5/10!
Owen Riegling: In the Feeling
Flowing up on his debut album from 2024, the rising country/indie-Americana star once again knocks it out of the park here! Giving off vibes of everything from Kip Mooreto Wells Ferrari to even Kings of Leon, it’s a fantastic sound that perfectly blends the old and new. ‘Phone Call From Home’ sets the tone of the album perfectly, and is followed up perfectly by ‘Rest of My’. Then you have tracks like ‘Same Blood’, the southern rock ‘Going Missing’ and ‘Last Thing on my Mind’ that are also huge highlights. However, there really isn’t a bad song on the release, and it has an excellent flow to it. It gives off vibes of both Koe Wetzel and Tyler Nance, and it’s clear to see just how bright the future of this sort of music is!
He has a big new fan in me, especially with how much I am getting into this style of music in the last couple of years. It’s got everything from catchy, anthemic parts to plenty of emotion, stripped-back instrumentation and more rock-based stuff. If you like any of the genres I’ve mentioned, I honestly cannot recommend this album enough. I’ll be spinning this again plenty moving forward, and I can’t give it any less than 9/10! The only thing that dropped it a touch was the slower pace/lower energy of the last few songs; a different arrangement may have pushed it even higher!
Last Ten Seconds of Life: The Dead Ones
Max: This was a very solid album, the grooves throughout were honestly great and every tack really flowed which made for not only very easy listening, but also made the tracks connect nicely. I think you can potentially find issue with there, as it was definetly a little too blurry at points but I personally think that this is just splitting hairs. I think that there is most certainly ways that they can continue to improve their craft but as for this album I think it is really quite good and a most listen overall. 8.5/10
Death Warmed Up: Wildcard
The debut album from the UK hard/sleaze rock-metal revivalers is a fun 40 minute jaunt of stomping riffs, soaring vocals and some catchy melodies. There is no denying the bands’ talent, all five of them killing it from the very first note to the very last. They also very much wear their inspirations on their sleeves, this feeling ripped right from the 80s. Honestly, that’s both a good and a bad thing. It’s a great sound, and the band do it to perfection, but it also doesn’t exactly bring anything new to the table that hasn’t been done hundreds of times before. Tracks like ‘Inside my Mind’, ‘Roulette’ and the bands namesake are all great, and the album as a whole certainly isn’t bad. But the Geoff Tate vocals did grate on me a bit by the end, and I simply think that in the current resurgence of new bands doing the 80s stuff, there are a few out there that do it a little more interestingly, in this writers opinion. It’s still well worth checking out if you are into the style, and still gets a solid 7.5/10 from us!
The Devin Cuddy Band: Livin’ Hard Ain’t Easy
The third album from the Toronto-based, country-ish singer-songwriter is a fantastically fun, chilled out affair! It’s an old-school sound, skirting the lines between classic country, soul, Americana, bluegrass and even just a splash of a general alt vibe. Tracks like ‘Two Hosers’, ‘Prairie Wind’ and ‘Greasy Maggie’ are all personal highlights, though every track is pretty great. It’s all rather relaxed and easy to listen to, 33 minutes going by in a flash. However it is also packed full of emotion perfectly when needed! It’s certainly not an album for everyone, but I had a good time listening and will definitely be revisiting again! Check this out if you are interested, and it gets a solid 7/10 from us!
Hella Rock Festival returns on September 5th, 2026 with a powerful and deeply personal announcement, confirming Phil Campbell’s Bastard Sons as this year’s headliners.
The appearance carries added significance, as legendary Phil Campbell was originally scheduled to headline before his passing in March earlier this year. Now, his sons Dane, Todd and Tyla will take to the stage to honour his legacy, delivering a high-energy tribute to his work with Motörhead in what promises to be one of the most unforgettable moments in the festival’s history.
“We knew straight away this year had to mean more, losing Phil Campbell hit the whole rock community hard, and we’ve worked closely with his family to make sure this is done right. Having his sons headline, alongside having Phil’s rig on display and backdrops from previous tours around the venue, means this isn’t just another show – it’s a celebration of his legacy, his music, and everything he stood for. Thus year is for Phil, and it’s for all the Motörhead and PCATBAS fans out there”
Hella Rock Festival is also proud to announce a new partnership with Road Crew Beer, bringing even more rock ‘n’ roll spirit to this year’s event. alongside the main stage chaos, 2026 will see the introduction of a second stage, the Road Crew Stage, dedicated to stripped-back acoustic sets, offering fans a more intimate side of the artists while still keeping the volume loud where it counts!
While tickets are going fast, there are still some available. Grab them while you still can here!
The incredible Anglo-Austrian duo are set to release their highly anticipated sophomore album tomorrow! Featuring a lot of the singles they’ve put out over the last few years, it’s a real celebration of where they pair are in 2026, as well as a hint of where they are headed with some new songs smattered in for good measure. We’re big fans of the pair here at Overtone, even chatting to them last year and getting some hints of this. So, to say we’re hyped that it’s finally here is an understatement. Let’s dive right in!
The title track opens things up perfectly; a hauntingly beautiful acoustic guitar riff that soon has Lewis’ vocals fitting incredibly over the top. Isabella soon harmonises perfectly too, it all building up fantastically to an almost Southern rock sound. The drums and other instrumentation coming in for the chorus was a fantastic choice, adding some great dynamics to it, and makes it feel effortlessly massive. The particular blend of folk, country and rock is awesome and is pretty uniquely their own. Heck, the bridge is phenomenal, giving off elements of the Who in the drums, Slash in the subtle lead guitars, and yet the vocals still firmly ground in Two Ways Home. It’s an absolutely amazing choice for an album opener, and is a definite early highlight!
‘Waiting on Luck’ is a song I’ve loved since first got into them a couple of years ago. It was a fantastic single back in 2022, once again showcasing the bands mesmerising harmonies, and a bit softer a side to them. Isabella kinda takes the lead vocally this time, but the pair do a fantastic job of always showcasing each other’s talents and working together flawlessly. That chorus is also incredible, and has been stuck in my head periodically since I very first heard it! Even though it’s been out a while, it’s a track that I can’t seem to ever get enough of; simple and soft-rock-infused-country, but is so damn good. So far, two for two on excellent songs! And, acoustically (track 13), it was certainly a standout to me when we saw them at The Long Road last year!
The first new track on the album, ‘Room for Love’, is just as good as the previous two tracks! It definitely keeps the soft rock-like vibe to it, the blues edge to it almost giving it a Lenny Kravitz feel to it. However, by the time the chorus hits, the massive harmonies and big-band-instrumentation, it definitely brings in their country-adjacent sound too. It’s all so good, the instrumentation being as much of a high point as the vocals in this track. That riff through the bridge is awesome, and I love the touch of the chatter and keys behind it, making it a real feel-good moment. I’m coming across as a fangirl already, but this is another great track! It’s all fantastic so far!
We get both the full band and the acoustic version of ‘Polaroid Kids’ on this release. While both are similar, they still channel different energies, and it’s well worth checking both out. Heck, after multiple spins of both, I’m still not sure which I like more! The stripped-back nature of the acoustic one focuses more on the lyrics and the harmonies, but the emotion in the full band is palpable. I do have to say I think the spoken word bit fits better with the electric, in this writers humble opinion. However, as I said, both are excellent. They’re anthemic, ballad-like songs and the electric one breaks up the flow of the album perfectly to that point. And, lyrically, it’s maybe my favourite track on the album.
The most radio-country track here, ‘Feet on the Asphalt’, is a great, upbeat, track not too far removed from something like Russel Dickerson or Thomas Rhett. It’s catchy as anything and infused with enough rock to keep it high-energy. And, once again, the vocal harmonies are like only TWH can do, grounding the track to them despite it being a different feel again. I love the playfulness between the pairs vocal delivery in this track keeping it light and catchy throughout. You guessed it, it’s another amazing track, and one that easily makes our playlist!
‘Medicine Man’ is a more blues/rock based country bangers. It feels a touch darker than most on the release, and almost gives off ‘Wanted Dead or Alive’ vibes. And, it has one of the best choruses on the album! We also get a previously-unheard acoustic version of it to close out the album, pushing it much father into the country category in the best way. It takes on more of a Hank Jr vibe to it, the two tracks being so different in sound but both being excellent in their own right.
The following few tracks, ‘She Keeps Time Like a Casino’, ‘Hot Rain’ and ‘Signals in the Smoke’ are all slower songs, much more country-ballad territory. All are excellent songs in their own right, and even though they are one-after-another, it doesn’t feel like the momentum of the release drops at all, most likely due to the high quality. I like ‘Hot Rain’ building to more of a rock ballad by the end, the distorted guitars and soloing adding so much depth to the sound. It’s probably my favourite track of the few, but none of them are bad by any stretch!
‘Hear a Heartbreak’ has more of a soul feel to it, the steady plod and vocal delivery being more akin to Rag’n’Bone or Hozier. It has a fun bounce, energy and swagger to it, and once again when both of their voices entwine together, it’s phenomenal! And it still has enough of their unique brand of rock edge to it to keep it succinct to the album too, a true testament to their writing talents. It’s yet another major album highlight on a release packed full of them!
Meanwhile, ‘Colder Water’ is a straight up Western track, and I am all for it! It’s like I was trapped somewhere between an Eastwood and a Tarantino movie, it was awesome! It’s catchy, and packed full of some fun melodies from both the vocals and the instrumentation. Then you have the last non-acoustic track on the album, ‘Slower Kind of Love’. Honestly, it kinda bridges the gap rather perfectly, having plenty of acoustic elements to it while also having some great drumming for the choruses. It all builds perfectly to the massive bridge and crescendo too, the track being put together excellently. It’s another track I’m a little obsessed with, honestly, and yet another high point of the album!
Overall: This is an amazing album! It explores just about every avenue of country, folk and blues music across its runtime, being long but not feeling like it at all. It’s such an easy listen that goes by in a flash, somehow still leaving me wanting more! Every song is as good as the last, and it’s the perfect showcase of their recent output. If you are in any way into any of the genres named, do yourself a favour and check this out, you won’t be disappointed!
