THE FELL’s lineup brings together some of the best in the industry: dynamic vocalist Toby Rand (Juke Kartel, Rockstar: Supernova, AshenMoon), legendary bassist Billy Sheehan (Mr. Big, David Lee Roth, The Winery Dogs), acclaimed multi-platinum producer/guitarist Mike Krompass (Smash Mouth, Dead Romantic, Nelly Furtado, Everybody Loves An Outlaw), and explosive drummer Nick Chiarore (Steve Vai, Slash, Dead Romantic).
Now, the modern rock powerhouse are pleased to share they’re heading out for their first U.K. headline tour together this autumn. The 10-date stint will include 2 festival appearances and 8 headline shows across the country.
THE FELL UK Tour Dates:
Fri 27th Nov – TROON Winterstorm *
Sat 28th Nov – PORTHCAWL Planet Rockstock *
Tue 1st Dec – BRISTOL Thekla
Wed 2nd Dec – SOUTHAMPTON The 1865
Thu 3rd Dec – MANCHESTER Band On The Wall
Sat 5th Dec – LONDON Downstairs at The Dome
Sun 6th Dec – NORWICH Waterfront Studio
Tue 8th Dec – NEWCASTLE The Grove
Wed 9th Dec – LEEDS Brudenell Social Club
Thu 10th Dec – WOLVERHAMPTON KK’s Steel Mill
* festival date
Tickets go on sale tomorrow (Friday 26th June) @ 10am (BST) and are expected to go quickly, so don’t miss them!
On the string of dates, guitarist and founding member Mike Krompass enthuses:
“We’ve been eagerly anticipating this moment for a long time. The U.K. has always held a special place in our hearts, and finally bringing The Fell to our first U.K. festival shows and headline run is incredibly exciting. We’re thrilled to see familiar faces, meet new fans, and deliver a show to remember.”
THE FELL draw their name from Old English, where ‘fell’ meant a rugged highland or mountain. Rooted in Celtic heritage, it speaks to their shared backgrounds. It’s a symbol of enduring strength, untamed spirit, and the peaks they climb together in music and in life.
Fusing soaring vocals, elite musicianship, and massive, modern rock production, THE FELL deliver hard-hitting, emotionally charged anthems that connect with fans across generations. Their sound is both cinematic and immediate, anchored in timeless rock energy but elevated by contemporary edge and sonic depth.
Today, the genre-defying instrumental rock innovators Polyphia announce their 2026 World Tour produced by Live Nation across Europe and North America. RJ Pasin will support all tour dates worldwide. Perturbator will join all European dates including the UK while North American shows will also feature Ladrones with select dates including Intervals or Plini.
Last week, the band released their first single in over four years, “CAN YOU FEEL IT,” pushing boundaries in ways the band never has before. Today, they released a new music video for the track, showcasing an electrifying performance by the band amidst a crowd of fans. Directed by EVERS, this video captures the band’s captivating live energy and their infectious sound.
Tickets will be available starting with VIP and Artist Presales from Tuesday, June 16 at 11am ET / 4pm BST. Additional presales will run throughout the week ahead of the general on-sale beginning Friday, June 19 at 10am local time. For complete details, visit Polyphia.com.
The London-based gothic singer-songwriter returns this coming Friday with her fourth album. I have to admit that, outside of maybe a track or two, I’m not hugely familiar with A.A. Williams’ work. I know her general sound, but have never had the chance to check out a full album by her until now. So, to say I’m curiously excited would be an understatement! She’s become a big name in the scene in recent years, and I’m very ready to see why that is. Let’s dive right in!
‘Poison’ opens the album perfectly, setting a dark, alt tone right off the bat. From the piano notes to the jarring distorted guitar coming over the top, but the melodic vocals and simple drums bridging the gap excellently, I was curiously hooked. It builds to a big, steady chorus. It somehow has a similar vibe as the verse will still feeling grander, everything flowing through the track excellently. It reminds me a lot of Chelsea Wolfe immediately, and that’s hardly a bad thing! It’s like pop-infused gothic, and it’s really interesting. The bridge, while not much different, keeps a similar level and adds even more epicness to the final chorus. And that outro with the lead guitar line over… DAMN. It’s not the sort of thing I tend to go for often, but I really enjoyed the song!
The pace slows for ‘Wolves’, an almost menacing clean guitar chord progression starting things off before Williams’ powerful, low vocals come in over the top. The rest of the instrumentation and distortion explodes in for the chorus, before immediately dropping back out again after. The dynamics of the track are really awesome, a masterclass in writing and production. The atmosphere created throughout the track is truly fantastic, somehow having elements of black metal almost alongside the alt, pop and emo. It makes for really fascinating listening! The arrangement of the song is pretty simple, but it’s so grandiose and epic by the end that you just get swept up and lost in it. An easy early highlight!
Tracks like ‘Little by Little’ and ‘Hold It Together’ are both slower, goth-pop based tracks that absolutely explode into the massive, epic metal around the midway mark. Once again, there’s some elements of black metal in the guitaring. Between that and the synth/orchestral elements behind it, they add a level of massive to each track that is almost unrivalled. Each track takes the listener on a journey, which I imagine was the exact intent. The latter is my favourite of the two, but they are both good songs in their own right!
‘Outlines’ adds not only a proggy element to the sound, but also leans into the folk side of it. A lot of it is just Williams, a fantastically toned guitar and some other subtle instrumentation. Some of the heavier instrumentation builds in around the midway mark, but it feels more than earned at that point. It almost has a film score vibe to it, that’s how epic it’s gets. And Williams’ vocals over the top of the heavy stuff was honestly perfection, SO GOOD. And it all dropping back out again… *chefs kiss*. This is my favourite track on the album and easily makes it onto our playlist. Amazing stuff!
‘I’ve Seen Enough’ is the beautiful ballad of the album. The main focus is on just the simple piano chords and the effortless vocals. There are other instruments that build in throughout, but stuff like the strings and drums only add to the other two elements. The lyrics are utterly fantastic too, packed with emotion and fitting the tone of the song perfectly. The moodiness and almost ethereal captured here is truly special, and I’ve already given it multiple listens just to fully capture the bittersweet beauty. The whole last almost couple of minutes just being instrumentation building and swelling is honestly perfection. It’s another track I cannot get enough of, and I’d recommend it to absolutely anyone reading this. Fantastic stuff, and another massive high point of the release!
A similar vibe continues through ‘The Veil’ and ‘Breathe’ (though the latter is a guitar inside of piano), though neither hit quite as hard as ‘I’ve Seen Enough’. However, ‘Just a Shadow’ was another big highlight track for me! The almost poem-like opening is amazing, and the moody, almost grunge-like chorus is fitting and phenomenal. It’s maybe my favourite chorus on the album too, the melody soaring and rather catchy! It follows a pretty standard formula for the album, but all the elements just add up amazingly here!
‘It Won’t Rain Forever’ returns to a similar formula as the opening tracks, while closer ‘The Gentle Harm’ is another epic, slow build song that really feels like an amalgamation of everything before it. It has a bit of everything, the beautiful piano intro, the soaring, melodic vocals and dark lyricism, and the massive distorted guitars and drums later on. It’s epic, and the best way to close out an album like this! Another highlight on an album packed full of them!
Overall: I wasn’t too sure on this album heading in, but it won me over more and more throughout. Sure, it won’t be to everyone’s tastes, but I thought it wouldn’t be for me and was more than pleasantly surprised, so it’s well worth a try if you’re on the fence. There is a lot that’s similar, but it all fits together like the perfect atmospheric puzzle, and goes by surprisingly quickly. There are two or three tracks in particular that honestly blew me away! Williams has a big new fan in me, and I’ll certainly be spinning this again plenty in the weeks and months to come!
Country music vocal powerhouse Tyler Braden has announced his return to the UK & Europe for 12 dates in February 2027. The Days Of Gold Tour will kick off in Belfast, with further headline shows across Dublin, Manchester, Glasgow, Birmingham, Cambridge, London, Cologne, Hamburg, Munich and Amsterdam, and a festival appearance at Zurich’s Albisgütli Country Music Festival.
Artist and venue presale for The Days Of Gold Tour will take place on Wednesday, 3rd June at 10am BST; with the C2C presale on Thursday, 4th June (10am BST); and general tickets on sale on Friday, 5th June (10am BST). Visit TylerBraden.com for more information.
UK/EU Tour Dates:
3rd February 2027 – Limelight – Belfast, Northern Ireland 4th February 2027 – The Academy – Dublin, Ireland 6th February 2027 – New Century Hall – Manchester, England 7th February 2027 – SWG3 Galvanizers – Glasgow, Scotland 9th February 2027 – O2 Academy 2 – Birmingham, England 10th February 2027 – Cambridge Junction – Cambridge, England 11th February 2027 – Koko – London, England 13th February 2027 – Club Bahnhof Ehrenfeld – Cologne, Germany 14th February 2027 – KENT Club – Hamburg, Germany 16th February 2027 – Hansa 39 – Munich, Germany 18th February 2027 – Albisgütli Country Music Festival – Zurich, Switzerland 20th February 2027 – Melkweg Max – Amsterdam, Netherlands
“I’m so excited!” Says Braden. “We’ve always felt so much love coming to Ireland, the UK, and Europe for C2C, so I can’t wait to see y’all again for The Days of Gold Tour! Stoked to spend more time with y’all and show y’all what we are all about!”
The tour announcement follows the release of his latest single ‘My Americana’, a nostalgic track that captures the bittersweet ache of a summer romance that burned bright and ended too soon, exploring the lingering memories of a relationship severed by distance and ambition. Last week, Braden dropped an official music video for the song, directed by Marisa Taylor – watch here.
A rising Country star with a Rock & Roll soul, Tyler Braden makes raw and heartfelt music that’s built for massive stages. With over 1 BILLION global streams to date and averages more than 10 MILLION streams a week, the Alabama-bred singer/songwriter kicked off a bold new era with his debut album devil and a prayer, which was released May 2025 via Warner Music Nashville. The LP is a 19-song tour de force that fully captures the formidable energy of his live show, as shown on the standout track “DEVIL YOU KNOW” (which amassed over 10 MILLION views across social media in just two weeks). Hailed as a “country powerhouse” by American Songwriter, Braden grew up in the small community of Slapout and began performing four-hour cover sets as a teen, later balancing his early music career with shifts as a firefighter in Montgomery and Nashville. Since signing with Warner Records Nashville, Braden has earned three No. 1s on SiriusXM The Highway’s Hot 30 Countdown, been named to the 2026 Opry NextStage class, while also sharing stages with Luke Bryan, Brooks & Dunn, Dierks Bentley, and Chris Stapleton, and toured internationally with Brothers Osborne.
We headed down to one of our favourite venues last weekend to see one of our favourite country artists, like a match made in heaven! We’ve been hoping to see him for a few years now too, with him dropping out of The Long Roada few years back and us missing him on the subsequent rearranged tour. Joining him were two of the fastest rising stars in the genre, one from Nashville and one from Manchester, so it was set to be a fantastic night all-round!
Firstly, a quick shoutout to Randall King. He was supposed to be main support on the tour, but has taken a step back from live shows the last couple of months to work on his mental health and personal life. From what I know of him (even having the pleasure of meeting him a couple of years ago), he seemed like a great guy, and hopefully he manages to work through whatever he’s going through. Mental health is so very important, and it sucks for anyone to be going through struggles. You got this, brother!
Another thing before we talk about the artists; this show made me remember why I don’t go to many big country shows on their own. Goddamn, the crowd was terrible! Talking through not only both supports, but a good chunk of Pardi’s set too, just until his big hits came up towards the end. It really ruins the experience somewhat for those who actually went there to watch the show. I honestly don’t understand the thought process behind paying £40+ to go to a gig and not watch most of it, I canny afford that! It’s surprisingly a younger, more me/gen Z crowd that are doing it too, the TikTok crowd. Shame on y’all.
Anyway, enough negativity, let’s get on with the artists!
Seeming newcomer to the scene Bec O’Malley came off a massive day before, playing Royal Albert Hall for Highways and putting out his first single, and showed up big on Saturday too! He and his two backing players owned the large stage for the entire time they were up there, playing (and singing) their asses off. And, honestly, their set was arguably too short. I get why it was, with only one song released it may have been harder to hold the crowds attention, but he did it masterfully. His unique blend of UK folk, Americana and modern country came across excellently live, and he was a pretty decent frontman, too. Closing on the excellent debut single ‘Let it Go’ was awesome, and a highlight of the night in general. However, his other originals were just as good, honestly! And he even snuck a cheeky cover of Ella Langley’s massive ‘Choosin’ Texas’, to the delight of the crowd! Bec is gonna be a big name in the UK and global scene sooner rather than later, and it felt awesome seeing him get this sort of shot right out of the gate. Hopefully he sticks with his guitarist and fiddle player too, as both fit him excellently!
Next up was Alyssa Flaherty. For just a woman and her guitar, she sure packed out the sound in the theatre! It’s probably because her vocals were powerful and absolutely incredible! I wasn’t too familiar with her heading into the set, but left being a big new fan. Her original music is great, and was performed excellently by just her and her guitar. Honestly, I’d love to see her again with a full band backing her, but this was a great set in its own right! For an acoustic set it was definitely one of my favourites in recent memory!
After a rather short changeover, Mr Saturday Night himself took to the stage! Opening on the tours namesake, it was awesome right from the get-go. Honestly, it was a bit of a shame that we didn’t get more off said album, with just ‘Boots Off’ and ‘Friday Night Heartbreaker’ making the cut. The latter was a massive highlight of the whole night, though! The highlights packed out the whole set, though! Whether it was ‘Tequila Little Time’, ‘Mr. Saturday Night’, ‘Last Night Lonely’ or his collaboration with Thomas Rhett ‘Beer Can’t Fix’, there was awesomeness sprinkled throughout. Then, there was the absolutely incredible run to close out the set; from ‘Dirt on my Boots’ to closer ‘Head Over Boots’, it was banger after banger! There was maybe a slight lull in the middle, but that was more from the crowd not paying attention than any of the songs being bad!
In terms of the performance too, it was amazing! Pardi is a born front-man, and put on an excellent show from start to finish. His vocals are just as good live as they are on track, and when not holding one of his many guitars, he was bouncing around the stage, holding the crowd in the palm of his hand and having plenty of energy! The rest of his band added so much to the show, too! Everyone up on that stage is some of the best musicians at their craft, and worked their asses off from start to finish. They performed like one of the very best of a big-country-bands around, which they very much are! From all of the different instruments being played to the incredible soloing to the energy throughout, it was all a top-class performance. There whole set went by in a flash, and I’d have happily taken another full hour of it!
And there you have it, folks. Three incredible acts putting on an amazing show for a packed out crowd. I had a blast throughout, and the two opening acts definitely won me over in a big way. I’d recommend checking out all three of them both live and on track, and I’ll certainly be seeing them all the next time they’re nearby! It was a fantastic night of live music, and one I’ll not soon be forgetting!
The last day of the festival kicked into high gear immedialy with Kublai Khan TX. The new kings of hardcore brought the heavy and swagger right from the moment they stepped on stage, and had a surprisingly long set filled with bangers. Matt is such a good frontman, making everything from his growls to his interactions look so effortless and cool. The rest of the band very much give it their all though, putting on a show enough to match. The setlist was great too, a full 12 tracks of attitude and brutality. And the crowd were all for it, even at barely midday, throwing down and shouting back to the band at Matt’s every command. I am already desperate to see the band again, hopefully in a smaller, more intimate setting, but I’m shocked that even seeing a band like this on a stage as big as this was so good! What a way to shake off the cobwebs and start the day off with a bang!
Next up was the legend that is Mammoth. Another one that we’ve seen once or twice at Graspop, not only do Wolfgang and co. keep growing more each year, but they somehow keep getting even better, too! I was a big fan of their album last year, and to hear a good chunk of it live was awesome! Honestly, it was just a really great set to sit and chill out in the sun to after a busy weekend (and the madness of Khan). I don’t really have much else to say about it other than it was fantastically good hard rock music, and if you’re into that you should absolutely go and see them ASAP!
Over in the Avalanche tent we saw one of my new favourite bands next in The Pretty Wild. Sisters Jyl and Jules are absolute powerhouses not just on track but on stage too, and their band absolutely back that up in a massive way. The sheer talent of both of their vocals is off the charts, but the fact that they can sing and scream like that while also putting on the performance like that is honestly phenomenal. The setlist was perfect, giving us the very best of their album and single stuff, and actually felt like the best possible length (though I’d have happily taken another ten minutes, honestly). They already had one of my favourite albums of last year, and now on top of that they have one of my favourite sets of this year! I already can’t wait to see them again, we need a headline UK/EU tour next year please!
Bloodywood absolutely tore apart main stage next. I’d only seen them the once before, and I think the sound quality played a big part in me being ever so slightly let down by the set. This more than made up for that instance. For once they got the sound right on the main stage; this hit hard and loud in all the right places. And you could tell too, as the crowd popped OFF throughout. And while I do still think they talk a little too much between tracks, I know a lot of people are into that, and they were certainly saying some great stuff. On top of that, it was another perfect set, giving us the very best of their two albums. They are still such a unique and interesting sound, it makes it impossible not to get on board with it, and the fact that they very much bring it live too makes it even better. I was always a fan, but this definitely won me over to the band in an even more massive way. Another band I need to see again like yesterday.
After that were The Pretty Reckless. Another band that it’s been almost a decade since I’d last seen, and it’s kinda sad that in all that time, they haven’t gotten much better live. I’m sorry y’all, I just don’t get it. And still, I find it hard to put my finger on exactly why that is. The band are all talented, and Taylor has a great live voice. She’s not the best front-person in the world, but I’ve certainly seen worse, and from bigger artists. I think that might be it though; they throw their weight around like they are the biggest band in the world. They drag everything out so much, stretching their 10 track setlist by easily 10 minutes than the studio versions to make everything interractable. Don’t get me wrong, they have some damn good songs, but I hate to say that if it wasn’t for Momsen being the face of the band, I don’t think they’d be nearly as big as they are if they had the same tracks still. She’s a rockstar through and through, standing out among an industry now of more clean-cut, calmer musicians, but I’m not sure that’s necessarily a good thing. They’re certainly good, and I know that their fans there loved it, but I sadly kinda found myself thinking ‘just get on with it’.
Social Distortion didn’t have nearly a big enough crowd on the Opus stage. They definitely had some stiff competition from the other stages, but the punk legends don’t venture over here all too often, and just put out a banger of a new album, they deserved more love! They still sound great live too, even with Mike’s recent health issues. However, while I did dig the new album stuff, I have to say as my first time seeing them, I was a little let down they didn’t do literally anything off their massive, self-titled album. It’s what got me into the band all those years ago, and I was excited to finally hear some of it live. Clearly I just need to hear a longer set from them, as they sounded great and put on a good show, I just wanted more!
Possibly my favourite band at this point were up next, Ice Nine Kills. This was a weird one for me, honestly. We saw them back in Decemberand they were incredible! However, something here felt slightly off at times, though I’m 90% convinced it was the sound. The vocal mix, for once, was actually impeccable. I’ve never heard Ricky and Joe so loudly, and they filled in around Spencer excellently. However, and it’s the same complaint as I had all weekend, the main stage was just too damn quiet. They’re a heavy-ass metalcore band with pretty brutal breakdowns and almost death metal parts, yet we were at the first crowd-breaker and none of it really hit.
However, the band and the stage show of course killed it, just as always. A set packed full of incredible songs, be it off Welcome to Horrorwood, their recent singles or even a cheeky NOFX cover. Each one was complete with costume changes, props, extras and pyro, proving that they are truly one of the best live bands around today. I didn’t even mind that it was essentially the same set that we’d seen from them in the winter, because it’s all so good live and on track that it’s impossible not to love! Plus, Hannah Greenwood coming out to do Grace’s parts on ‘Twisting the Knife’ was amazing, she absolutely KILLED it all weekend (pun intended). It’s another case of if I was down the front, I’d have had even more fun, and it is a shame that the sound was so quiet that being further back had a big impact. But, even still, this was one of the best sets of the weekend!
After INK, we finally chilled out a bit. It was tetting warm and we couldn’t decide on who to see, so we kinda milled around, catching bits of whatever we fancied. Ash didn’t stand out to me much beforehand, and were simply fine live. We watched a bit of a meat smoking show, that was good fun and took me back to years of Long Roads. We caught the last two tracks of Mastodon, curious how they would sound without Brent. Honestly, I wasn’t digging it too much until ‘Crack the Skye’, and then that and ‘Blood and Thunder’ were excellent and I was really into it. They’ve never been the biggest band for me, but I’d happily see them again at another festival. Oh, and we popped up to Dogtooth early and caught the last few from the criminally underrated Spineshank. They killed it, and were honestly my biggest surprise of the weekend!
Creeper set two, Dogtooth tent. Now, I will happily hold my hands up and say that their packed out set at Trees the other yearis one of my favourite live music experiences of all time. And fuck, the boys (and Hannah) only went and did it again, didn’t they? There is something about Creeper in a slightly more intimate, darker venue that makes it somehow even better, and it helps that the crowd were all in right from the start. And, while we got a fair bit of the same stuff as Friday’s set, the extra 20 minutes certainly helped! ‘The Ballad of Spook & Mercy’ is one of my favourite tracks they’ve ever done, and hearing it live is always amazing. And to hear new tracks like ‘The Crimson Bride’ and ‘The Black House’ live was amazing, too. Heck, we even got the live debut of Sanguivore closing ballad ‘More Than Death’, which I never thought we’d ever get live. Will absolutely blew everyone away with it and, to absolutely no one’s shock, made the wife cry again.
Everything about the set was honestly perfect. The sound was great, the band performed masterfully, the crowd was packed in to the rafters with genuine fans and, outside of me maybe wanting an older track or two sneaking in again, the setlist was amazing. The band have very quickly made Download their home the last few years, and this capped off one hell of a weekend for them. Looking back, this may very well have been my favourite set of the weekend, maybe even of the year. Goddamn.
And with that, the final band of the weekend took to the stage. A lot has been made about Linkin Park finally being the first female fronted band to headline the festival, and honestly it’s about fucking time. However, and don’t kill me for saying this, I wasn’t really feeling the set. They played a massive set packed full of career spanning hits to a packed out crowd, a lot of whom seemed to be loving it. And the From Zero stuff, from ‘Two Faced’ to ‘IGYEIH’ and plenty in between, sounded awesome! However, as much as I wanted to enjoy the older stuff, Emily’s voice just isn’t cut out for it. She wasn’t awful at the Thousand Suns or ‘Burn it Down’, but anything from the early stuff didn’t hit at all for me. I felt nothing when she sung the Hybrid Theory or Meteora tracks; it was all very one-note with no real emotion there. It made it feel even more like a Mike cash grab than it did before. The stage show was interesting, though there was far too much down time between songs, and the chemistry between Mike and Emily on the rare times they did interact with the crowd felt forced. If you enjoyed it and it scratched that LP itch for you, that’s awesome, but it sadly did not do that for me. We left during ‘Numb’, it was just too sad.
Having a sunburnt, pregnant wife tagging along, we got in a touch later than hoped on the Saturday. However, we made it in for most of the amazing As Everything Unfolds on Opus, and what a way to start our day! The alt rock/metalcore rising stars owned the massive stage right from the jump, proving that they very much deserved to be up there. It’s crazy too, as they were originally supposed to be on the much smaller Dogtooth stage later on, but swapped with Drowning Pool because their flights were delayed. It proved to be a fantastic decision on both counts, as I think AEU got heaps of new ears and exposure from this move. Seeing ‘Gasoline’ live was awesome, as it’s become honestly one of my favourite tracks from this year so far. But the whole set was amazing, and the band played their asses off throughout!
Over to the Dogtooth tent for the first time of the weekend, we saw proggy, middle-eastern infused metal band Lowen. By far the quirkiest band for us of the weekend, it was damn interesting to watch. They were all insanely talented musicians, and I loved the video and images they had playing behind them, really adding to the atmosphere of it all. While it’s not typically my sort of style in a live environment, I had a good time watching them and have listened to them a few times on track since coming home. They are well worth seeing if you are into this side of metal music, and would honestly go down a storm in the European market! Nina has such an interesting voice and she fronts the band spectacularly, while the rest of the band back her up and make their wall of sound absolutely massive. They definitely have a new fan in me!
Over to the Apex stage, we caught emo-metal legends Black Veil Brides. The last time I saw them properly was here back in 2012. Back then, they were so hated they were getting bottles and mud balls hurled at them. The metal world has softened on them since then, and we’re fairly receptive to the band this time around! The crowd for them was pretty massive, and the front half were hanging on every note. However, something about it just didn’t land for me. Maybe it was because we were a touch further back and, for as big as the new main stage is, it isn’t very loud. Or maybe it was because they did a setlist primarily consisting of new tracks, bookended by a few classics. It’s not exactly a bad thing, and their fans certainly seemed to enjoy it, but it didn’t hook me in for too long, despite how talented the band all are.
Because of that, we instead headed over to see our friends, the mighty Those Damn Crows. It had already been too long since we’d last seen them, it being the very start of 2025. They were excellent at Winters End and, to the surprise of I’m sure no one, they were also excellent here! The bands sound and energy is built for huge festival stages like this at this point, and they put on the set to prove it. From ‘Find a Way’ to ‘Sin on Skin’, their awesome, extensive back catalogue was on full display. My only slight complaint is that we didn’t get much off their recent chart-topping album, God Shaped Hole. However, that was most likely because they didn’t have a huge amount of time. It just means that they’ll have to do a headline tour soon as well as the Shinedown support, so we can see a full set… Shane is a truly excellent frontman, getting the crowd going as well as coming across genuinely sincere and likeable. And the rest of the band played their asses off throughout, just as they always do. Another fantastic set!
Speaking of fantastic sets, Drowning Pool were up next. After their set-switch earlier in the day, they were now packed into the smaller Dogtooth tent, and I’d rarely seen a crowd as big trying to watch a band in there! The last time I’d seen the band was at Rescue Rooms when I was just a teenager, so to say I was hyped would be an understatement. Especially with the recent re-addition of Ryan back at the front! He sounded better than he has in a few years too, I know he seemed to be struggling a little last time we saw him with Soil. We’ll get the elephant in the room out of the way first: they only had time for four songs. However, those four songs were all excellent, and brought me back to my youth in a big way. A Sinners-full set of the heaviest hitters from that album, and the crowd hung on every note. As a big ‘Mania X8 guy, ‘Tear Away’ will always be a huge song for me, and they played it amazingly on Saturday. Then, of course, sending the crowd home in a frenzy from the massive ‘Bodies’ was absolutely the right call, it being the main reason most were near that tent to begin with. I’m really hoping this means that they’ll be back sooner rather than later, and hopefully finally start getting more of the love they deserve in the UK. Too short, but an excellent set!
As we left the tent, we managed to catch the back half of Babymetal’s set. It once again wasn’t the first time we’d seen them, and while I once again enjoyed previous sets, this was by no means a bad one! We came over from the solos of ‘METALI!!’ onwards, and got treated to four more excellent songs after that! While I do still think Callboy do ‘RATATATA’ better live, it’s still a lot of fun to hear, especially two days in a row. And the one-two punch of ‘Headbannggerrr!!’ into ‘Road of Resistance’ to close was awesome! The trio put on such an amazing, energetic show between them, while they are backed by some truly awesome musicians, playing some incredible stuff. If you haven’t seen them live already, they are an absolute must!
After a brief changeover, Trivium took to the stage. The band have been a powerhouse live for over 20 years now, so it’s no surprise that this was also a storming set. Matt’s vocals are somehow better and more powerful than ever, and the bands cohesion and talent individually and as a group is incredible. You can really tell they still all really enjoy playing together. It was a classics/anniversary tour-heavy set, with the likes of ‘Gunshot to the Head’, ‘Dying in your Arms’ and ‘Down from the Sky’. As an almost life-long Trivum fan, it certainly tickled that itch. However, we had seen a similar set before. And, incase anyone hasn’t heard, I LOVEtheir last two albums, and to only get ‘Catastrophist’ off them was a little sad. Still, I get it, it’s a festival, so play the ones people know. I know they mentioned a tour for ’27, hopefully it’s near the release of their upcoming album and we get some stuff off it live this time! However, it’s a minor gripe really, as I did enjoy their set a hell of a lot! Each song was excellent and played to perfection. If I was down in the pit it would have most likely been one of my favourite sets of the weekend, no question. One of the best live metal bands around today!
We then took a slow stroll over to Opus to see the black metal legends Behemoth. I’ve recently become a fan of them on track, and my god did they blow me away here! Everything about it, from the sound to the production to their live skill was impeccable, and made them feel MASSIVE. They fully owned the stage, and made an incredibly solid case as to why they’re headliners in Europe and at the likes of Bloodstock. The setlist was perfect, too. Whether it was the heavy-hitters from the bands magnum opus, The Satanist, the title track from their latest album or even a cheeky Bathory cover, it was all so damn good. They made it feel like their darker genre of music belonged at a typically lighter festival, and most definitely turned some heads. Nergal is a fantastic frontman and conducted his brutal symphony to perfection.
After a short pause, Opus headliners of the day Architects took the stage by storm. The crowd were raring to go right from the offset, and the set proved that the band could arguably be headlining the festival as a whole the next time they’re there. The crowd were so into it, in fact, that the opening half was rather stop start due to those pesky pits getting a little too hairy and security intervening. ‘Blackhole’ and ‘Impermanence’ in particular were a pain, but both restarted and went just as hard afterwards. I’ve seen some saying that Sam [Carter] didn’t handle it very well, but if anything it just revved him up to go even harder the rest of the set. Even with it being the most stop-start set of the weekend, it just goes to show how much the Download crowd love the band, and how hugely popular they have become.
The setlist was rather perfect for me, too. Being Sky Earth heavy was amazing, as I LOVE THAT ALBUM. ‘Blackhole’ when it was finally played fully, was a particular highlight, but opener ‘Elegy’, ‘Seeing Red’ and the Florent Salfati-featuring ‘Brain Dead’ were all just as awesome. And, we still got some of the very best of their back catologue between. From ‘Deep Fake’ to ‘Gravedigger’, ‘Black Lungs’ to the touching Tom tribute of ‘Doomsday’ and now-perennial closer ‘Animals’ it was all SO GOOD. Hell Sam’s voice even held up a lot better live than I expected it to from recent clips, and he is such a good frontman these days. His and Adam’s lows combined still itch my brain in the best way. They were one of my most anticipated bands of the weekend and they certainly didn’t disappoint!
On the way out of the arena, we caught a couple of songs from mainstage headliners Guns n’ Roses. Now, I’ve seen them three times before since their reunion, I knew what I was getting into. Still, hearing Axl murder some of my favourite minutes in all of music in the close of ‘Coma’ still hurt just a little. We caught that, a big widdly solo from Slash (expected) and then watched ‘Sweet Child O Mine’ from the back. It was exactly what I expected it to be. A slightly thinner crowd going nuts for one of the four songs from the three plus hour set that they actually wanted to see. The band are still pretty tight; Slash still noodles with the best of them, even if his technicality is slipping now that he’s *checks notes* SIXTY. And Axl was… also present. I don’t want to clown too hard on the guy as he is a legend and performs long-ass sets on the regular at his age, it’s no mean feat. Heck, he still has the energy of a toddler… he just also has the voice of one. Still, I know plenty of people who enjoyed it and got some nostalgia out of it, and good for them! They still put on a great show, no matter their sound, and are truly one of the biggest bands ever. It’s just not for me any more, nothing will top that first show back for me. I am, however, jealous of those who got to see them do ‘Dead Horse’ live, I do love that song!
Another big week of new music, with plenty of awesome rock, metal and country for us to dive into!
Sublime: Until the Sun Explodes
An album three decades in the making, the band return to the studio for the first time since the 1996 death of iconic frontman Bradley Nowell. Now fronted by his son Jakob, honestly… man does he sound like his father. And, it’s exactly what I wanted from a return from the band. This is a full nearly hour of chilled out, fun and well written ska punk, and I loved every second. It’s also packed full of amazing songs, from the opener to the FIDLAR-featuring ‘Backwards’, ‘F.T.R.’ to ‘Evil Men’ to ‘Gangstalker’ to ‘Until the Sun Explodes’. And that’s certainly not all of them!
Can you tell I love this album yet? And it somehow goes by in a flash, not feeling like 57 minutes at all! The band have very much still got it, and I kinda hate that they are touting this as their last album. I know that was the sentiment about their self titled for years, so never say never I guess. However, if this is their last hurrah, what a way to go out. No matter what you are into, give this a listen, you’re sure to love it as much as I do! They could have been one of the biggest bands around if it wasn’t for the tragedy, but this is a fitting tribute to both Bradley and the band as a whole. I’ll be spinning this plenty for most likely months to come, if not longer, and it more than lives up to the expectations. I can’t give it any less than 10/10, this is phenomenal.
Koe Wetzel: The Night Champion
We’ve already checked out this awesome album! Read the full review here.
East Texas Adrenaline: Knockout
The brand new album from the metal-punkers picks up right where their collection of 2022-2025 EPs left off. It’s nearly half a hour of heavy, balls-to-the-wall punk, and is a lot of fun! Tracks like ‘Lawnmower Fistfight’, ‘Day by Day’ and the bluesy single ‘Misfortune’ are all personal highlights. However, the whole album is pretty good, and goes by in a flash! My only slight negative would be the production, however that either comes with being a small band, or just adds to the punk-nature of the record, so it’s not exactly a hugely bad thing! If you are into either of the genres, this is well worth checking out. The closest comparisons my mind kept going to were things like The Wildhearts and Die Spitz. The band definitely have a new fan in me, and I’m curious to see where they go next! 7.5/10
Olivia Rodrigo: you seem pretty sad for a girl so in love
So, while typically not the usual sort of thing we cover here, her last couple of albums had a fair bit of rock tinge to them. And heck, we did Avriland Charlotte Sands, so there isn’t too much difference there! I’d even say I’m a bit of a fan, at least in terms of her bringing a punkier edge back to mainstream pop. Having said that, the singles from the album I’ve heard so far haven’t filled me with hope, so I am tentatively curious…
Sadly, my suspicions were correct. This album is slow. There is certainly a slight bit of rockier instrumentation and arrangement when the tracks reach their crescendo and final choruses, definitely adding an epic feel at times. But, outside of that, it’s a lot of slow, sad, piano pop. Tracks like ‘maggots for brains’ and ‘expectations’ are fun indie/folk rock tracks, but they don’t reach the heights of her previous works. The closest track to her usual sound is ‘my way’, and even that feels rather de-fanged. I know her previous albums as a whole aren’t fully rock, but this definitely has the edges sanded and rounded more than ever before. The punk and attitude is almost non-existent here. She’s clearly still a fantastic vocalist, and the lyrics on ‘the cure’ are some of my favourite she’s ever put to paper. It’s not a bad album, and definitely a step above a lot of pop music coming out these days, but it’s certainly not the direction I’d hoped Olivia would be going in. I don’t even think it’ll grow on me, honestly. 5/10
Circle of Origin: Gallows
The second EP from hard rock/metal Brits, after the phenomenal Guilty ‘til Proven Innocent from last year. To the surprise of I’m sure no one, this is another banger of a collection! It’s heavy and melodic in equal measure, packed full of awesome riffing, some solid drumming and some damn catchy choruses. Tracks like ‘Life Without’ and ‘Nothing’ are personal favourites, but there really isn’t a bad song throughout. The band sit somewhere between Alter Bridge and 90s groove metal, and are all so very talented. They are clearly on the up-and-up and I can see them being a big name in the UK underground scene sooner rather than later! This is up there with their debut for me, building on everything great about Proven Innocent and dialling it up to 11. I’d highly recommend it to anyone interested! A very solid 8.5/10!
Dreamspy: The Dance of Illusions
Album three from solo, experimental project of vocalist-bassist Anssi Tamminen deserves so much more love than it’s going to get! For one man to get this massive a sound is damn impressive. And, even if I wasn’t a bassist myself, I’d still be damn impressed by the depth of sound he gets throughout this album! There’s some drum and synth behind Anssi, but both are fairly simple, designed to frame his playing and vocals, and done so fantastically. Both his playing and his vocals are incredible throughout too, proving just how criminally underrated he is as a musician. From the opener to ‘Poison Girl’ to ‘Holding Back the Blues’ there is a lot to love! It’s hard to pin down to a specific genre too, having elements of sleaze, AOR, melodic rock and even tinges of prog, doom and gothic. It’s short and sweet and a lot of fun; well worth checking out if you have a spare 28 minutes and are into an older school rock sound. An easy 7.5/10 from us, good stuff!
Stitched Up Heart: MEDUSA
The first album from the alt metallers in nearly three years, and my god is it a doozy! It’s also packed to the rafters with collabs from some of the very best in the sub-genre today! Finding themselves on a new record label after parting with Century, Judge & Jury have not only given the band more creative freedom, but also clearly had a hand in the entire record process. And, on top of that, we get everyone from Austin John Winkler to Butcher Babies, Nonpoint to Conquer Divide throughout, all adding their own spin on their tracks and each killing it as much as SUK do! From the opener to single ‘GLITCH BITCH’ to ‘DEAD TO ME’, there’s so much to love, but the album as a whole honestly slaps, there not being a bad song throughout! It’s a lot of fun, having plenty of lightheartedness, bounce and sass, alongside moments of deeper emotion.
I love that this sort of style, alongside the likes of The Pretty Wild and even Poppyto a point, is getting so much traction recently. The future evolution of metalcore is in very good hands, and more and more exceptional albums keep dropping in the genre, this very much being one of them! Check this out if you are at all interested, it’s truly fantastic. A very easy 9/10 from us!
Midland: Stages
Album five from the country trio follows up 2024’s Barely Blueperfectly! It’s a chilled-out, beautiful half an hour of traditional country music from honestly masters of the style. ‘One Day You Won’t’, massive single ‘Glass Half Empty’ and ‘Drunk Enough’ are all personal highlights. However, then you have the beautiful duet with Mackenzie Carpenter and a cover of Gary Allen’s ‘Drinkin’ Dark Whiskey’, and the whole album is packed full of awesome songs! The harmonies are of course spectacular and the best part of the album, but the songwriting is once again incredible, as expected from the band at this point. I absolutely love that this sort of style has come back in a big way the last few years, and Midland are definitely one of the front runners of the pack, in that regard. There isn’t a bad song throughout, and if you are at all into country music, you absolutely must check this out! I’ll certainly be listening to it again plenty moving forward, and can’t give it any less than 8.5/10!
Micko & The Mellotronics: The Trinity
Album three from the indie-infused post-punk quartet is a damn interesting listen! While typically not my sort of thing, I found myself having a great time listening. It had elements of surf rock and even horror punk at times; the bands love for 70s punk being clear even though they wrap it in a more modern package. And it’s 41-minute run time went by in a flash, an incredibly easy listen. Tracks like ‘Shadow’, ‘Misery Guts’ and ‘All at Sea’ are all personal highlights, but if you’re into the style you are very likely to love all of it! It’s not a release I’d revisit often, but I certainly wouldn’t turn it off if it was on, and the band are all insanely talented at what they do. A solid 7/10!
Redferrin: Been There Done That
The debut album from the rising country-pop megastar has finally arrived. We loved his first two EPs, and even chatted to the guy about the first, so to say that we have been excited about this release since it was announced may be an understatement! To say it doesn’t disappoint may also be a big understatement! Right from opener ‘If I Was California’ I was hooked, and not let go for the albums entire 38-minute run. From ‘Crazy’ to ‘3 Day Bender’ to ‘Straight to the Chapel’, there is so much to love. However, every song on this is awesome; even the Wiz Khalifa-featuring ‘Palm Trees’ is fun if nothing else.
Being a longer format has given Red the chance to really explore each side of his style. There’s plenty of variety through the album, and each style gets plenty of attention and time to shine and breath. His voice is phenomenal as always, and his way of writing radio hooks is utterly phenomenal; every chorus on here is amazing. I honestly think he’s the front runner in his sub-genre from a purely quality-output perspective (Mr Wallen be damned). If you are at all into a more modern radio-country style, this album is an absolute must. Another incredibly easy 8.5/10 from me!
Still Remains: Spirit Breaker
The first release from the US metalcorers in well over a decade, this EP is very much a welcome return! It’s five absolutely killer tracks spread across nearly 20 minutes of excellent heavy music. Whether it’s crushing screams, awesome riffs, solid drums or melodic, catchy cleans, this has it all, and all are dialled up to 11. It’s also impossible to pick highlights, as every track is as good as the last. And it spans plenty of different sounds in its short time, from first-wave metalcore to some synth elements to even moments of blackened death metal. I am so damn glad the band are back, and the fact that they have returned after years of silence right back to the top of their game is a true testament to their talent. I already can’t wait to hear where they go from here, but for now I’ll be spinning this a lot moving forward. I can’t give it any less than 10/10, truly amazing!
Leoni Jane Kennedy: Synthetic
The sophomore album from prog/blues rock artist, while not hugely my sort of thing, is an insanely impressive release! I do generally enjoy prog, but it’s a little slow and stripped-back for my tastes, not reaching the grandiose heights I’d personally wish it to. However, the talent on display throughout is honestly incredible. The playing to the vocals to the arrangement and writing is all off the charts, and all the pieces fit together perfectly. It’s no wonder the prog community have accepted her so readily, she is truly a one-of-a-kind talent. ‘Closer’ was probably my favourite of the release due to its last minute or two, but ‘Test the Water’ is a close second. It’s a release that may very well grow on me, but for now it still gets a solid 7.5/10 from me!
Another debut album from a country-pop artist this week, I feel like those are weird odds. This is exactly what you’d expect from the album title, for better or worse! It’s trap-infused country music, and I’m almost disappointed in myself for saying that I actually loved it! It’s shit in the best possible way. From the underlying country guitars, voice and lyrics to the electric beats, the rock instrumentation behind the choruses to the rapping, it all works far better than it ever should do, and is an incredibly fun combination. It very much feels like the evolution of Kane Brown’s sound the last five years or so. It’ll most likely piss off a lot of country purists, but honestly is more enjoyable than a fair few current pop-country stars’ work (Wallen catching all the strays this week…).
From the opener to ‘SO LONG SATURDAY NIGHT’, ‘MARLBORO STYLE’ to the silly ‘MCCONAUGHEY’, there is a lot to love. It does drop off slightly in the middle, but there is enough greatness that it makes up for it! It flows better than his EP last year, and has definitely won me over into a big fan of his. It feels like the evolution of a new sub-genre, and I for one am surprisingly down with it. 8/10, it’s a whole lotta fun!
Kenny Whitmire: Fool in a King Size Bed
Lingering somewhere between an album and an EP, the first non-single release from the traditional country Georgian is honestly fantastic! It’s chilled-out and stripped-back and utterly amazing from start to finish. From love songs to breakups to self-affirmation, Kenny writes it all so well, and does it all so catchily and seemingly with a smile on his face. It’s another release where it’s seemingly impossible to pick a couple of highlights from too, as I love each song as much as the next. And for a guy who generally isn’t as fussed about a mostly-slower release, that is surely saying a lot! This is the start of a massive career for the guy, I’m sure, and it’s an album I’ll be listening to a good amount moving forward. Check this out if you are at all into old-school country music! 8.5/10
We chatted to the amazing Trevor Portz of the extreme(ish) metal band Ashen Horde! Check out as we chat about the bands sound, their latest album and dream tours!
How would you describe your sound?
While it’s a mouthful, I tend to go with progressive, blackened death metal… it’s more or less accurate. It’s probably easier to just say extreme metal, but I don’t feel like that gives enough detail to catch people’s attention! Ultimately, the motivation behind Ashen Horde has been to make metal music that doesn’t really conform to any single subgenre, but listing everything we incorporate takes it from “mouthful” to “stupidly verbose and pretentious,” haha.
You’re on album five now, how has your sound changed or evolved in the last 12 years since your debut?
As the primary songwriter, it’s kind of hard to say… I’m probably too close to it, and I just write whatever sounds right to me! I do feel like the songs have become a bit more cohesive and less disjointed, but depending on the reviewer, it’s clear that not everyone agrees! We’ve definitely incorporated more and more melody over the years, especially with the addition of Karl on lead vocals. He’s able to deliver all the harsh shrieks and gutterals, of course, but has an incredibly powerful singing voice that has allowed me to indulge in all sorts of new things. I’ve also leaned into making the solos more driven by melody than flash. I’m really not a shredder, so I’ve redirected my focus into writing memorable, melodic leads that contrast a bit with the more brutal or dissonant riffs elsewhere in the songs.
What is the writing process like for the band?
The music always comes first (minus a rare occasion when I have a cool title or line to inspire a song). I tend to write one of two ways: sitting with my guitar and messing with different chords and things certainly accounts for a good chunk of it. But almost more commonly, I’ll write when I’m just out and about. I like to jog, hike and bike, so I’ll often work through arrangements while I’m doing that. I actually do a lot of work in my head before I fall asleep at night, too. It’s a nice way to decompress. Of course, if I have a really cool idea that I don’t want to forget, I have to make the decision to get up and record it, or hope I remember it in the morning!
Do you have a favourite track from the album?
That’s tough… I think it changes pretty regularly. At this moment in time, I’d say it’s ‘Backward Momentum’. That one’s got some really interesting riffs, and I was very happy with how the clean vocals turned out. I’d been inspired to put cleans over the blast beats by Opeth’s “The Lotus Eater.” It goes a bit against convention, and I think it gave that track a really different vibe. The extended solo on there is also my favorite on the album. It was a pain in the ass to write and play, but I’m quite satisfied with it! I threw in some jazzy blue notes here and there to give it some added weirdness.
Busy year planned touring to support the release?
Compared to the past 12 years where we never toured, yes! But ultimately, it was a very small amount. We played a couple shows in May to support the album, but that’s it for now. Those were, in fact, our first-ever shows! But we are looking to do something longer for early next year. I think we’d all love to do it sooner, but other band commitments, day jobs and regular life have made it impossible…
Any plans/hopes to come over to the UK?
That’s the dream! I was born in London, and have always been a bit of an Anglophile. I mean, my favorite band of all time is the Wildhearts. (While I’ve seen them live in New York a handful of times, it feels like a necessary pilgrimage to catch them (or any of the offshoots) in the UK.) So yes, if we can make it happen, I’d be beyond excited. I’d love to do a week where we just drive around and play all over the UK!
Do you have a dream tour lineup you’d want to be a part of? Anyone you want to support or friends you want to bring along with you?
For Ashen Horde, being first on a bill with Enslaved and Ihsahn (solo or with Emperor) would blow my mind. Throw in a reunited Immortal and I’d question my ability to breathe long enough to remember my own songs, haha! My other band, Abhoria, was fortunate enough to open for Abbath last year—when he did the Immortal-only set—so I do feel like I’ve had a taste of the dream… and I want more!
If you could have written one song from history, what would it be and why?
This answer would probably change based on the day or even my mood, but at this moment in time, I’ll say ‘Fell on Black Days’ by Soundgarden. That is a damn-near perfect song, and I would love to write something that hits me that hard every time I hear it.
Another huge week of new releases for us to check out, from metal to rock to country! Let’s dive in!
Evanescence: Sanctuary
Finally following up 2021’s masssive The Bitter Truth, the symphonic metal powerhouses have come out swinging with album number six. Fun fact, their last album was one of the first reviews we did here at Overtone. We loved it, and I still spin at least a few of the tracks first regularly to this day. So, it’s slightly sad for me to say that this release, half a decade later, is just fine. Don’t get me wrong, singles ‘Who Will You Follow’ and Devil May Cry’s ‘Afterlife’ are great. ‘Sanctuary’ is also a bit of a banger. However, the band have been at this for over two decades now, and have stayed relatively the same throughout that entire time. And this album simply doesn’t have as many big hooks and moments as other releases have had. Everything else just blurs together into a similar, done-better-before sound. The industrial elements they’ve brought in recently are cool, but I do think were done better on their previous album.
Maybe I’m being too harsh on it. Amy Lee’s vocals are just as phenomenal as ever, and there are some okay riffs throughout. There are some great lyrics, and the two emotional ballad tracks of the album are amazing. If you are a big fan of the band, this will most likely be right up your street. It’s definitely an okay entry into their catalogue; I maybe just came in with slightly too high expectations. I’ll be spinning it again in the future, that’s for sure, and maybe it’ll grow on me more then. However, for now I can’t give it any more than a 7/10. Not bad by any stretch, but a touch forgettable.
Red Clay Strays: Grateful
The highly anticipated third album from the fast-rising country megastars finally dropped this last Friday. To say that we have been excited for this one might be an understatement. We loved their last album, and even got to see them live with it, so we have been eagerly anticipating this release since it was announced. Plus, the singles they’ve put out so far are excellent.
Well, safe to say it lives up to the hype! This is a full 46 minutes of soul-infused, old-school country rock, and I’m immediately obsessed! The opener is a gospel masterpiece that highlights Brandon’s phenomenal vocals perfectly. Then you have rocky numbers like ‘Don’t Wanna Know’, ‘People Hatin’ and ‘Fool’s Gold’ that are all awesome. However, slower, ballad tracks like ‘If I Didn’t Know You’ and the closer/title track, are just as incredible! As you can surely tell by now, there isn’t a bad song throughout! I love that generally they alternate between a boot-stomper and a slower song, keeping the pace interesting throughout. Heck, for a release on the longer side, it’s an incredibly easy listen! The band are such incredible songwriters and players, and all get a chance to shine throughout. As much as I loved Made By These Moments, this is at least up there alongside it, if not maybe even surpassing it. If you’re at all into country, this is absolutely an album for you! I’ll be spinning it plenty in the weeks and months to come, that’s for sure! 8.5/10
August Burns Red: Season of Surrender
Returning to the studio after three years, following their critically acclaimedDeath Below, the modern metalcore titans once again knock it out of the park here! It’s 44 minutes of brutality, and their proggy, technical excellence is present right from the jump ‘Legions’ is a fantastic opener, while tracks like ‘Behemoth’ and ‘Whispers Like Splinters’ are also massive highlights. The guest features are once again awesome too, all three killing it, with Make Them Suffer’s track being another huge high point. As I’m sure you can tell by this point, there really isn’t a bad song throughout! It goes by in a flash, and is the perfect mix of aggression, melody and breakdowns. I’ve seen a lot of love for this online already, and for very good reason, it really is a phenomenal release. What is interesting is I’ve seen the sentiment of ‘ABR are back’, like they ever really dropped off. They have been consistently one of the most overlooked names in metal, and this is another stellar addition to their spectacular back catalogue. I can’t give it any less than 9/10, check this out if you are at all interested!
Death Cab for Cutie: I Built You a Tower
The first album from the US alt/indie rockers in nearly four years is a damn fun, interesting release! Despite their relative success in the UK and Europe since their 2005 breakout hit, I wasn’t too familiar with them until the last couple of years or so. So, to sit down with a brand new release from them was cool. And what a release I chose! It’s a rather chilled-out release, but packed full of catchy melodies and a surprising amount of technicality. Tracks like ‘Punching the Flowers’, the beautifully melancholic ‘Stone Over Water’ and ‘Riptides’ are personal highlights, but the whole album is solid and goes by in a flash. It’s a welcome return by the band, and will surely be well received by their fans; a fitting continuation of their discography! A release that I’d highly recommend checking out if you are into things softer and more indie, and a solid 7.5/10 from us!
Jared James Nicoles: Louder Than Fate
Album four from the modern blues mastermind is another awesome release dripping in swagger and attitude. At 35 minutes, it’s pretty short, and packed full of amazing riffs, some massive melodies and choruses, and a fitting amount of heaviness. It gives off Mammoth vibes in the best possible ways. Tracks like ‘Ghost’, the beautiful, dark ballad ‘Killing Time’ and the high-powered closer are all personal highlights, but the album as a whole is awesome, not a bad song throughout! The sheer talented on display, not just from a playing and vocal standpoint but a writing one, is all off the charts, and how he isn’t one of the biggest solo names in the rock world currently is beyond me! If you are into blues or hard rock in any form, this is an absolute must-listen. I’ll be spinning it plenty in the weeks and months to come, and don’t be surprised to see it high on our albums of the yearlist come December. Another incredibly solid 9/10
Daughtry: SHOCK TO THE SYSTEM (DELUXE)
Amalgamating their previous two EPs, from 2024 and 2025, into one big release, this is an amazing collection of heavy radio rock! We’ve obviously all had chance to sit with the tracks for a while now, but they fit together perfectly into one release, and the addition of some live versions was an awesome touch! From ‘THE RECKONING’ to the title track, ‘DIVIDED’ to the massive ‘ANTIDOTE’, there is so much to love, and shows that after two decades the band are very much still operating at the top of their games. Chris is a criminally underrated vocalist, and how they aren’t worldwide massive will always confuse me. If you haven’t already checked out either EP release, this is absolutely worth giving a spin, and both fit together so well and the whole thing goes by in a flash. Hopefully this is a stopgap before another new release, but either way I’ll be spinning this just as much as I have been the EPs. And it has made me even more hyped to see them at Download this weekend! 8.5/10
A.A. Williams: Solstace
We’ve already checked out this awesome album! Read our full review here.
Colby Acuff: HANDMADE HORSEPOWER
Album seven from Colby, and he just keeps killing it with his traditional country sound! It’s been less than a year since his last release, Enjoy the Ride (we missed it but LOVED IT), and yet here we are with another great 25-minutes of music from the guy. The opener sets things up perfectly, while songs like ‘DEEDS I DONE’, the old-school rock’n’roll ‘LIPSTICK ON A PIG’ and ‘WHITE FLAG’ are all incredible. it’s a short release though, and is all very much all-killer, no-filler. I love how much this traditional country revival sound is taking off over the last few years, and I’d put Colby up there alongside the very best of the pack, honestly! He’s a fantastic lyricist, and is one of the most underrated vocalists in the game currently. Some of his delivery is packed with so much emotion it honestly gave me goosebumps. And, the more I listen to this album, the more I fall in love. It has elements of Southern Rock and Outlaw country alongside the traditional sound, and feels pretty unique to Colby. If you are at all into country or rock overall, give this a spin, you certainly won’t be disappointed! I feel like I’m gonna be obsessed with it for a while to come, and I can’t give it any less than 9/10!
Evergrey: Architects of a New Weave
The prog metal powerhouses returned with their 15th studio album this last Friday. Less than two years after their spectacular Theories of Emptiness, it’s insane to me that they are back with another incredible nearly hour of prog metal. It’s everything I wanted and expected out of another release from the band; awesome technicality, a gothic vibe, some incredible heavy riffs and plenty of catchiness. From ‘The Shadow Self’ to ‘Heaven’ to the Mikael Stanne-featuring ‘A Burning Flame’, there is plenty to love throughout. However, if you are into the band or the style, there isn’t a bad song throughout, and it goes by surprisingly quickly! I do have to say it hasn’t quite hooked me as hard as their last release, for whatever reason, but I do almost see it as much of an extension of that album than its own thing. Both are similar, and both are awesome! 8/10
Dea Matrona: Hate That I Care
The sophomore album from the Irish folk/indie-rock duo is every bit as good as their debut! It’s 36 minutes of dark, moody, catchy music wearing it’s Cranberries/Fleetwood Mac inspiration perfectly on its sleeve. From the opener to ‘A Rebel Song’, ‘Wait’ to ‘Siren Song’, there’s a lot of great stuff here! And, while it won’t be everyone’s bag, everything between those songs is also damn good! The pair are so incredibly talented and it’s no wonder they have gotten to the size that they are at already. It’s an easy listen but still has plenty of depth to it, with the vocal harmonies of course being another huge selling point yet again. There isn’t much more else I can say about it aside for if you are into anything vaguely folk, check this out! I’ll certainly be listening again, that’s for sure! Another solid 8/10.
Converge: Hum of Hurt
Another release barely three months after their last epic album, my gosh aren’t the metalcore quartet spoiling us this year?! If someone told me we were going to get a second album from them in 2026, I’d have fully expected Bloodmoon II. However, another half-hour of straight up hardcore-heavy metal from some of the best to do the style is equally fine by me! I have no qualms in revealing that Love is Not Enough is in my top 10 albums of the year so far. I also have no qualms in revealing that this is up there right alongside it! It’s another half an hour of anger and rage presented in the best way possible. It’s once again impossible to pick a highlight track or two too, as it’s all so good and worth listening to in full. Hell, I spun both their 2026 albums back to back over the weekend and it was EXCELLENT. It won’t be for everyone, but if you into the heavier, hardcore-infused stuff, this is very much an album for you, much like the previous one! Maybe I just need an angry outlet in my life, but this is a second incredible 9.5/10 for the band within months!
Wes Parker: Super Rare
This was a really interesting release! I’d never heard of the guy before spinning this album, and struggled to classify him in a specific genre, or even two! Nestled somewhere between indie, folk, country and rock, it definitely takes the listener on a journey. And, for a debut album, it’s rather ambitious! Whether it’s the rockier Zach Bryan-ish intro ‘Tattoo’, the quirky single ‘Bad Doggie’, the Jessica Lea Mayfield-featuring ‘Cut the Grass’ or the epic, rock ballad-like closer, there is plenty of variety and awesomeness throughout. I also love that the album is a Kyle Gordon Style radio show in its presentation; extra care and detail put into stuff like that always makes release feel more special. And, while I don’t think everything necessarily worked for me, I had a good time listening, and there are surely going to be a lot of fans of this release! I’m curious to see where Wes goes from here, but in the meantime I’ll certainly be giving some of this some more listens! 7/10
Shroud: Pax Nocturna
The debut album from the thrash/death newcomers goes hard from start to finish! Right from the opener ‘The Eternal Void’ this thing is heavy, urgent and awesome, and it keeps its momentum for its full 45-minute runtime. The fact that it’s only nine songs in that time as well means that everything gets time to breathe, and everyone in the band gets time to shine. Highlights include ‘Merciless Tyrants’, ‘Diablivion’ and the epic closer, but the whole album is great from start to finish! It certainly won’t be everyone’s cup of tea, but if you are into the heavier end of metal, this is absolutely worth a spin. The band have a bright future ahead of them, and in years to come people will look at this release as their big launching pad. 8.5/10
The 69 Eyes: I Survive
This four-track collection is an absolute powerhouse of gothic rock. The title track has gained a lot of traction and for very good reason, it’s honestly one of the best tracks the band have put to record. However, that shouldn’t take away from the other tracks. ‘Cold Sweat’ is a sleazy, boot stompin’ banger, an arena-filling chorus is the focal point of ‘In the Misery’, and the Danzig-like ‘Devil’s Rose’ is just as awesome, with Ed Mundell adding so much with his guest slot shredding. I remember liking their last album a few years back, but this feels so very concentrated and focused, the best of the best! I’d recommend this to absolutely anyone, whether you’re typically a fan of gothic or sleaze rock or not. It’s short and sweet and fucking excellent! It’s an EP I’ll be spinning a lot moving forward, and will most likely make it high up in our rankings by the end of the year! 9.5/10
Big Special: O’JOY!
Apparently an EP, even though it’s 30 minutes and 10 tracks, the follow-up to the duo’s 2025 sophomore album is an amalgamation of leftovers from that and their massive debut. Whatever it is, it’s quirky and a lot of fun. Continuing to carve their own path away from traditional genre norms, vaguely skirting near everything from punk to hip-hop, hardcore to soul to melancholic rock. The lyrics are fantastic throughout, and the instrumentation is so damn interesting it’s hard not to love it. Highlight tracks for me are the soulful ‘LAZARUS’ and ‘HOTEL’, but the whole release is an interesting listen from start to finish, and worth doing at least once! If you are at all interested, it’s well worth a listen. The band definitely have a new fan in me, and I’m already curious where they end up going in the future, aside for up! I can’t give it any less than 8/10, just from a purely artwork perspective, though the quality is also high!
Iron Kingdom: Shadows and Dust
Now six albums into their career, the NWOTHM Canadians show that they are very much still firing on all cylinders! The band are all insanely talented players, for one, and it translates perfectly into some awesome songwriting throughout this nearly-50-minute release. Opener ‘Defenders’ is an absolute banger perfectly reminiscent of that 80s sound. Then you have the likes of ‘Dreamless Sea’, ‘Blood and Steel’ and ‘Dark Demands’ that are also big highlight. If you’re into all things Maiden, Priest or Hammerfall, this is absolutely the release for you. It’s a sound that has remained hugely popular across the decades since its inception, and honestly these guys do it just as good as anyone. How they aren’t a massive name by now I don’t know. Hopefully this is finally the album to push them to that level, as it’s a really great release! A very easy 8/10 from us!
Dutch Elm: Self-Titled
The debut album from the post/math-rock (almost fully) instrumental quartet is a fantastic half-hour showcase of pure talent. Non-vocal music certainly isn’t for everyone, don’t get me wrong, but I’d recommend everyone reading this to at least give this a try, you may end up falling in love with it, like I did! Songs like ‘Transmitter’ and ‘You’re Not Invited to That Riff’ are personal highlights. And then to get some vocals in the closer honestly felt like a treat, adding an unexpected and awesome layer to the bands sound. Even though it isn’t typically my sort of style, I got lost in the grandiose nature of it all and spun it twice from front to back over the weekend, loving it both times. As I said, the talent throughout is off the charts, and a lot of what drew me in as a musician. I’m curious to see where they go from here, but for now this gets a very sold 7.5/10
Shooting Daggers: The Real Life Thing
The follow-up to the bands 2024 debut album, this EP is heavy punk at its very best. Self-describing themselves as Queercore, the UK trio immediately have a big new fan in me. I was hooked from the opener, while tracks like the hardcore ‘T.R.L.T.’ and the Dennis Lyxzén-featuring ‘GLOW’ are also big high points of the release. The whole EP is great though and has an excellent flow to it, especially with the couple of shorter tracks breaking things up. It’s a lot of fun, as well as dripping with attitude in the best way! If you are at all into punk, do yourselves a favour and checked this out. But then again, they also feel like they extend out from the punk genre, very much doing their own thing. The trio are going to be massive, sooner rather than later, and they have a big new fan in me! An easy 8.5/10 from me!
A MASSIVE week of new music for us to check out, with huge releases from some of the biggest names in the rock, metal and country worlds. Let’s check it all out!
Shinedown: EI8HT
We’ve already checked out this awesome album! Read our full review here.
Kip Moore: Reason to Believe
We’ve also checked out this release! Read our review here.
JAYLER: Voices Unheard
The debut album from one of the fastest rising stars in the UK rock scene finally dropped this last Friday. Now, I want to get the positives out first. These kids are all incredible talented musicians. Their playing and songwriting skills are well beyond their age. Tracks like the massive single ‘Riverboat Queen’, ‘The Getaway’ and ‘Lovemaker’ are all big highlights, though there isn’t a bad song throughout!
However, I personally don’t need another Led Zeppelin clone. We’ve tried this revival sound so many times, whether it was Wolfmother, Kingdom Come, Rival Sons or Greta Van Fleet, all to varying degrees of success. Don’t get me wrong, I’m a Zep fan, but it all kinda screams ‘we have Zep at home’. As I’ve said, it’s good music in its own right, I just wish they did something interesting with the sound. I’d love to hear that Robert Plant voice over something not blues rock, like Michael Poulsen does with that Elvis sound. Hopefully they’ll evolve like the previously mentioned bands do on subsequent releases and come into their own; they’re still incredibly young, after all! Hell, maybe I’m just jaded from people, including some media outlets, already touting the term ‘saviours of rock’, like they do any time one of these bands come around, and like it has ever needed saving.
As I’ve said, it’s certainly not a bad release. It’s exactly what you’d expect, and if you like this sort of thing you’ll most likely love it. The band have an INSANELY bright future ahead of them, that’s for sure. But after decades of similar sort of music, it’s hard not to get a little bored by it these days. So, sorry boys, I can’t give it any more than 7/10
All Them Witches: Red Rocking Chair
This thing is wild from start to finish! It’s stonery blues metal/hard rock for a full 43-minutes; plodding pace, awesome riffs and epic arrangements and vocals. It definitely has other elements to it, touches of indie acid and psychedelic, as well as a healthy dose of prog for good measure, but this release is stoner all over. Heck, opener ‘Red Rocking Chair’ is an awesome, heavy starting off point, and sets the quirky tone early. Then there are songs like the straight-up blues ‘Aethernet’, ‘Turn on the Light’ and the epic closer that are all other big highlights. The album takes the listener on a fantastic journey, and 43 minutes went by in a flash! The band are are hugely talented and have crafted something truly interesting with this release, constantly keeping me hooked despite the generally plodding pace throughout. Somehow I hadn’t heard them before but they have a big new fan in me! A solid 8/10 from us!
Devin Townsend: The Moth
As much as I’ve enjoyed the odd track here and there over the years, as well as loved his last albumand plenty of SYL stuff back in the day, DAMN, I definitely ‘get’ it Heavy Devvy, now. This thing is epic, chaotic and brilliant, for a solid 70 minutes (excluding The Afterlife mixes on the deluxe), and I can’t seem to get enough. It’s like Danny Elfman if he made a metal film, and it’s no wonder Devin has considered this his “life’s work” the last decade plus.
Honestly, I can’t gush over the album enough. Everything about it, from the North Netherland’s Orchestra and Choir and all their awesomeness throughout to Devin’s criminally underrated, powerful vocals, to the occasional and well-earned heaviness to the arrangement as a whole, be it instrumentally or track-by-track, it’s all phenomenal. The release has such a perfect flow and energy to it throughout that over an hour goes by in an instant. And having so many interlude and shorter tracks between the more epic songs is a master-stroke, honestly. This is a metal opera through and through, to the quality not heard since Avantasia’s debut. From ‘War Beyond Words’ to ‘Enter the City’, ‘Stay There’ to ‘The Big Snit’ to ‘Stained Hearts’, there are plenty of tracks I’d listen to on their own. However, this release begs to be listened to in full, at least once. What a phenomenal, insanely creative release, and one I can’t give any less than 10/10 to!
Willie Nelson: Dream Chaser
Y’all know the drill by now. Huge legend, one of the hardest working musicians of all time, album number insanely high. Of course we’re fans of Willie here, and this album is a surprisingly great entry into his discography, especially given that the man isn’t far off 100 years old! The opener/title track is excellent in every way, while songs like ‘We’d Make a Good Movie’, ‘Whiskey Wants me To’ and ‘After All’ are all awesome too. It’s a great collection of both slower and more up-tempo tracks, and alternating the way this does was a great decision, keeping it constantly entertaining. It’s easy to see why he’s such a legend in the business and, honestly, this may be my favourite of his modern albums! It still shocks me to be putting stuff like this about a Willie Nelson release in 2026, but I can’t give it any less than 8.5/10. Amazing stuff, and fantastic traditional country!
Dogstar: All In Now
Not-Wyld-Stallyns put out their second album since their 2020 reunion, firmly establishing them as a mainstay in the alt-rock world at this point. We enjoyed their last album, so I have been curiously hyped since this was announced!
It’s another damn good post-new-wave rock album! It’s a light-hearted affair that is impossible not to have a good time when listening to. Channelling vibes of everything from grunge to punk, pop to hard rock, they somehow both feel old-school and accessible, while also feeling pretty unique in this day and age, a hard task to accomplish! Personal favourites include the title track, ‘Siren’ and ‘Shards of Rain’. However, the whole album is great, and each track flows into the next so effortlessly. Much like with their last album, it’s not something I’d revisit too often, but I’d happily throw on and relax to every now and again. If you like your lighter end of rock, this is very much the album for you, and is another entry into their now very solid discography! Another solid 8/10 from us! Such a shame they clash with Pretty Wild at Download…
Oh, and all hail our lord and saviour, Keanu Reeves.
Redshift: Down the Wire
This anti-AI prog metal release is the third from the UK trio, following up 2023’s INSANE Laws of Entropy. It’s every bit as great as I expected, and a worthy follow-up to Laws. Single ‘The Singer’ is incredible, while the chaotic, prog masterclass of ‘The Machine’ and the Derek Sherinian-featuring ‘The Rogue’ are all big other highlights. However, all six tracks here are as good as the last! The sheer talent on display from everyone involved throughout is truly mindblowing, and they have once again blown me away with their skill of playing and songwriting. I feel like it fits rather perfectly alongside the rest of their discography, and is impossible to pick a favourite out of the three. Instead, it just makes me want to listen to it all back-to-back! Either way, I’ll certainly be spinning this awesomeness again, and it gets another incredibly solid 9/10 from us!
Kiefer Sutherland: GREY
The Lost Boys/24 and now country legend put out his fourth album last week. It’s a chilled-out affair from start to finish, packed with bittersweet lyrics and vibes, great acoustic instrumentation, and the odd catchy chorus from Kiefer’s now trademark rasp. I have to admit it’s still a little odd hearing someone with a (rumoured) networth of $100 million sing from the perspective of a working man, but somehow he makes it work, more often than not! Tracks like single ‘GOODBYE CALIFORNIA’, ‘SIMPLER TIME’ and ‘THE BOTTLE LET ME DOWN’ are personal highlights. Sadly, outside of those tracks, this album is generally a little too, melancholic and depressing for me. There will certainly be people who love this as a whole, and I can appreciate it for sure, but I’m not one of them. He’s always been on the slower end, but this is more stripped-back and hopeless than ever. Maybe it’ll grow on me, but I do generally prefer his more Randy Newman-esque up-tempo stuff, generally. It’s not bad, but not something I see myself revisiting all too often. For now, it gets a 6.5/10 from us.
Static Dress: Injury Episode
The UK post-hardcorers put out their highly anticipated sophomore album last Friday. They have grown a lot since their debut, both in terms of size and songwriting. I definitely have revisited Rouge Carpet Disaster a few times since 2022 when it dropped, but this feels like a step up for them. Opener ‘questioning’ is alt and heavy awesomeness, and sets the tone for the rest of the album perfectly! Then you have tracks like ‘Pharmacy Film’, the Underoath-featuring ‘Nostalgia Kills’ ‘lip critic’ and ‘Classic.Death.Pose.’ that are all huge highlights. Honestly though, this album slaps from start to finish! It gives vibes of everything from MCR to Coheed, 3TEETH to Loathe, but also with something else that makes them feel pretty unique. It’s elements of post-hardcore, industrial, nu, punk and emo all perfectly infused together, and I can’t get enough! I’ll be revisiting this a LOT moving forward, and don’t be surprised to see it getting pretty high on our albums of the year listcome December. 9/10
The Real McKenzies: Paul McKenzie Sings on Yer Bike
The Canadian Celtic punk legends are back with a follow-up to 2022’s awesome Songs of the Highlands. And wouldn’t you believe it, it’s another banger of an album from one of the most underrated bands around from the 90s and 2000s! The three singles are incredible, while tracks like ‘The Mad Trapper of Rat River’ and the almost polka/ska ‘Liver Spot’ are also huge high points. It’s barely half an hour and goes by in a flash, as well as begs you to swing and dance along. It’s impossible not to have a good time with it, especially when the band don’t take themselves hugely seriously. There isn’t much else I can say about it aside for if you’re into fun punky vibes, you absolutely MUST give this a try! 8/10
Alana Springsteen: I HOPE THIS HELPS
The sophomore album from the Virginia singer-songwriter feels like it’s been a long time coming. Her debut only came out three years ago, but I guess it’s been a long three years! We enjoyed her particular combination of country music and sad-girl-pop then, and this release perfectly continues on from that. Honestly, it did take a little bit of getting into for whatever reason, the first couple of tracks didn’t hook me, but from ‘sad hour’ onwards it really clicked for me. ‘love to see it’, ‘diy’, ‘no man’s’ and single ‘black sheep’ are all big highlights for me. And, though it’s another longer release, I felt it was less overwhelming this time round. Whether it was the fact that a couple of the tracks were short interludes this time round, or that my favourite songs were spread throughout, who knows. All I know is that that five less minutes mad a big difference, and definitely in a positive way.
It feels like a more focused and refined album, exactly what you want from a second release. It’s easy to see why she is one of the fastest rising stars in the genre today, as she is already incredible consistent with her releases, this being every bit as good as her debut. Another very solid 8.5/10
Blackmarket: Radical Views
This EP feels like it’s been a long time coming, following up their 2021 self-titled album. However, it’s an excellent 12 minutes of anger, heaviness and nu/industrial metal awesomeness. All four tracks are as good as the last too, and all combine together to give a full showcase for the bands range and style. ‘Bleed’ and the title track are personal highlights, but that doesn’t take away how excellent the other two songs are! The band feel like they have carved an awesome niche for themselves, no one sounds like this, and it will surely serve them excellently moving forward! If you like any of the genres that I’ve described above, this is well worth checking out! My only complaint is that there isn’t more of it! Hopefully we won’t have to wait as long next time for new music, and if it’s a new album, even better! For now I’ll definitely be spinning this plenty, though. A solid 8.5/10
Rodney Atkins: True South
The 2000s country legend is back with his first new music in seven years, and picks up right where he left off with Caught Up in the Country! It kicks off strong with the Outlaw country-rock title track and ‘Helluvit’, while tracks like ‘Hole in One’, ‘All Y’all’ and ‘Silver Bullets’ are all other big highlights. Having been a fan of his for a long time now, it’s exactly what I hoped for and expected, and it certainly didn’t disappoint. Covering sounds from Brantley Gilbert to Russel Dickerson to more of a classic sound, it’s an awesome 40 minutes that, even if it has maybe one too many slower songs, doesn’t once get boring! My only issue was there was maybe a slight bit too much cheesy, typical country stuff in the lyrics. However, it’s Rodney Atkins, so it was rather expected! Plus, he offsets it perfectly with some of the other tracks packed full of genuine emotion. He is back in a big way, and I’m just glad we finally got a new LP from him! If you’re into the more radio side of country, especially from the 2000s/2010s, this is absolutely an album for you! 8/10
Guided By Voices: Crawlspace of the Pantheon
Another year, another album from the old-school indie rockers for us to check out. I’ve lost track of how many we’ve covered, now. Much like with Nelson above, I fully commend and respect their hard-working nature, their last album dropping just eight months ago and this being their 42nd studio album. Unlike the Willie album, however, I didn’t enjoy this too much. It certainly had its moments, like the Foo Fighters-y opener, the outro of ‘One Last Blow’ and ‘Chariot Ride’ itself was fine too. However, it was all just so… meh, so boring. It’s nothing I haven’t heard from the band before, and I came into it some 30+ albums into their career already. Unless they do something drastically different, I’m not covering another of their releases, I feel too mean giving them back scores on the regular. It’s not bad by any stretch, it will certainly have its fans, but it isn’t for me at the best of times, never mind when I’ve heard them do it before and better. Another 3.5/10
Malummeh: Self-Titled
The first release since their reformation in 2022, the Finnish old-school metalcore/melodeath EP goes HARD. It’s 18 minutes of anger, heaviness and incredible musicianship. The riffs are incredible, the drumming is insane and the screams are brutal and amazing. And yet, there are still catchy, more melodic moments spread throughout too, arguably only making the heavy bitter heavier. Opener ‘Dethroned’ sets the pace of the release perfectly, while ‘October’ is also heavy greatness. However, that doesn’t take away from the other two tracks, which are also awesome. It’s an amazing return from a band that still have the chance to be a pretty big name in the scene, especially when they are putting out stuff of this quality. Heck, my only complaint would be that there wasn’t enough of it! Hopefully they keep making new music, as I already can’t wait to hear where they go from here. A very solid 8/10 from us!
Joshua Ray Walker: Ain’t Dead Yet
Embodying the hard-working traditional country attitude that Willie champions above, this is Joshua’s eighth studio album in his relatively short seven years of releasing music. It’s also impressive that it’s at this high a quality, given how high-paced he’s working at. Tracks like ‘Shoot Me Straight’, ‘Outlaw’ and ‘Stepping Stones’ all big high points. However, at just 10 tracks and 33 minutes, it’s an incredibly easy listen throughout. Joshua has such a unique but fantastic voice, and it had me hooked from start to finish. Well, that and his witty, emotion-filled lyric writing! Though it does have a modern edge to it, certainly on the production side of things, this is certainly a release for anyone into the old-school style of country music! I had a blast, and can’t give it any less than 8/10!
Burning Rope: Dissolution
The sophomore album from the former Catfish members dropped this last Tuesday, and is a fantastic bluesy rock release! It’s 47 minutes of awesome riffing, solid drumming and some great, catchy vocal melodies. It has elements of everything from Hendrix to Joanne Shaw Taylor to Dire Straits, and is a lot of fun! From the opener to ‘Second Time Around’ to ‘Houdini’, there is plenty to love throughout! The band are all incredibly talented, still at the top of their respective crafts. If you are at all into this sort of music, you know exactly what to expect and will probably have a great time with this! Being a blues guy myself I enjoyed it, and will happily be spinning it again in the future. A solid 7/10 from us!
Melanie Herrera: A Fearful & Wondrous Thing
The debut album from the ‘storybook pop’ singer-songwriter really takes the listener on a journey! It’s a full nearly 40 minutes mixture of everything from pop to rock, folk to funk to soul, and everything in-between. I didn’t expect to enjoy it as much as I did, but I had a blast with this! From ‘Cool Girls Party’ to the emotion-filled ‘You’re Doing Great’ and ‘Call You Baby’, there’s a lot to love. Each track is good in its own right though, and the album as a whole as a great flow to it. It certainly won’t be for everyone reading this, but if you have even a passing like of pop music, it is well worth a try! I’ll definitely be spinning it again, at least over the summer, and it gets a solid 7.5/10 from me!
