We finally got back to promoting some shows last week, and what a first gig back it was! Two awesome bands in an awesome venue, what more could you want?! Check out just how much of a blast we had below!
Y’all should all know the drill by now. Best band in the world with the best bassist, yada yada. In all seriousness though, it was a great fun gig! We sounded pretty good out end, and I am so thankful to everyone who came down a little early to check us out! Everyone who came down has made not only this event possible, but future ones too (yes, keep your eyes peeled!). But yeah, it was an incredibly fun, incredibly warm 45 minutes, and I feel like we’ve really refined the setlist over the last few months into all the very best songs. The upcoming album stuff in particular is really standing out currently, and I cannot wait to finally record it and start putting it out. If you haven’t seen Eddie & The Wolves yet, what are you waiting for? Get your asses down to a gig!
After a brief changeover, the mighty Juliet’s Not Dead took to the stage. Somehow it had been a while since I had seen them, so having them grace the stage at one of our own shows, at a venue I love, was truly awesome! And my god, they owned that stage for the full hour! The band were all on absolutely top form, sounding awesome, and really played their asses off through the whole set. Stevie is an amazing frontman, holding the crowd in the palm of his hand from start to finish. However, every other member of the band put on a show befitting of their get reputation, too!
And, as for the setlist itself, it was awesome! We got all the best tracks from their massive latest album, with the likes of ‘Open Fire’ and ‘Last One Standing’ being particular highlights in that regard. However, they also still managed to squeeze in a couple of older, firm fan favourites, too. The crowd were very much there to see them and they certainly didn’t disappoint, playing everything they could possibly want to hear! The band have been on the precepts of breaking out to the next level for a while now, and their stage show and performance very much reflect that. I already can’t wait to hear the new music they’re working on (which we even got a sneak preview of here too), and I’m sure that will almost certainly do that for them!
And there we have it folks, an awesome night of hard rock music from two hungry young bands! I may be bias but I don’t care, go and see the both of them whenever they are next near you, you certainly won’t be disappointed! And the venue is also great, the sound being excellent throughout. And, as I said above, there is certainly more of our shows to come there, so keep your eyes peeled!
A year removed from last year’s awesome Memory Lane, the country singer-songwriter is back with another massive, highly anticipated EP. The Voice alumni has been killing it in the decade since she nearly won the competition, with so many amazing albums, EPs and singles under her belt. She has been a constant, fantastic force within the country scene for years. Hell, the singles from this release so far have been great, and have me incredibly excited to give this a spin. Without further ado, let’s dive in!
The title track sets the tone for the EP perfectly. It’s a chilled-out, slowish number that highlights Emily’s phenomenal vocals. She makes it all sound so effortless, even when she puts a bit more power in in the choruses. It gives off big Colby Caillat vibes in the best ways possible. The instrumentation is simple but fits excellently behind the vocals, and some of the harmonies throughout on her voice are great. The chorus is big for the style, and effortlessly catchy. I’m honestly shocked it wasn’t a pre-release single, but will surely be a big radio hit now that it is out! A great start to the release!
Speaking of singles, the most recent, ‘Lonely Boy’, is up next. Again, her vocals are phenomenal from the jump, and the real focal point of the track. It’s also a bit more uptempo, there being a little more to the instrumentation and feels a lot like a 90s/early 2000s radio country hit. There’s a touch more power to her voice throughout as well, really getting to show off her impressive range, and the lyrics here are great too! The chorus is sure to be stuck in my head for days to come, a real earworm, but the whole track is catchy in its own right. And all the strings, be it the guitars or fiddle, really kill it through the whole nearly-four-minutes. It’s even better than the opener and certainly an easy early highlight, a very good choice for a single. No wonder it’s already caught some momentum!
The higher tempo and more barn-burner vibes continue through ‘Garden Grow’, and it’s amazing! Speaking of barn burner, it actually reminds me of the Dan Davidson track of the same name. It’s got a bit more of a Shania or Reba vibe to it, the guitars giving it a rocky edge that I loved. The lyrics are amazing too, maybe my favourite of the release, and once again the harmonies on Emily’s vocals through the chorus are phenomenal. We even get a short-but-sweet duelling solo between the guitar and fiddle, which bridged the gaps between choruses excellently. I am honestly a little obsessed with this track already; it’s one of my favourite country songs of the year at this point, honestly. A song that easily makes our playlist, and one I’d recommend to anyone!
The pace drops again for the final two songs on the album, but it honestly feels perfectly fitting. ‘When I Do’ still has a bit of anthemic vibe to it, especially in the big chorus, and there is plenty going on in the instrumentation. And the male vocal harmony pairs so incredibly with hers on this track, maybe the best of the whole EP. Then the release closes on the other single, the stripped-back ‘Laundry’. It’s a very simple arrangement, mainly focused around her vocals and an acoustic guitar. Once again that AMAZING vocal harmony comes in for the choruses, alongside a simple drumbeat and some more strings in the back. Despite the slower pace and chilled vibe, the arrangement is still great! Both songs are excellent in their own right, and fit in with the other songs on the EP perfectly. The closer is a great ballad and another good choice for a single, but that shouldn’t take away anything from ‘When I Do’. It is, however, the perfect way to close out the release, it really building to a grandiose sound by the end!
Overall: I absolutely loved this! Every track is as amazing as the last, and they all fit in perfectly with each other. Her vocals and lyrics are incredible throughout, but her backing band also work their asses off, killing it through the whole damn thing. I cannot recommend this enough to anyone even vaguely into country music, and I’ll be spinning it plenty in the weeks and months to come. Despite her being a big name already, this deserves so much more love than it will surely get. What are you waiting for? Go listen to it!
The modern power metal legends are back this Friday with their highly anticipated new album. Not only is it a follow-up to 2023’s Return to the Kingdom of Fife, but it seems to be a direct sequel to 2015’s much loved Space 1992. Now, long time readers here will know that I have a bit of an up-down relationship with the band, having loved them during Thomas Winkler’s run but struggling a little when they switched singers with their last album. Still, the singles I’ve heard from this so far are great, so I’m curiously excited to dive in and see what the album as a whole is like!
A grandiose, pretty long intro track sets the epic tone perfectly and expertly blends into the lead single from the album, ‘Ultimate Sacrifice’. The track itself explodes in with a huge, heavy riff and a fast pace set by drummer Ralathor (Ben Turk). The synths and keys from band leader Zargothrax (Chris Bowes) give the sound so much depth and size too, it feeling massive from the outset. Soon enough the powerful vocals come in from new-ish comer Sozos Michael, fitting over the top of the instrumentation perfectly and instantly having a catchy energy to them. The chorus is absolutely massive and even more catchy, the harmonies and gang vocals adding so much to it all. It’s immediately a hook that is going to be stuck in my head for days to come! The spoken word bit in the bridge continues the story of their band excellently, and we get a brief, awesome technical solo to follow it. It’s an awesome song in its own right, being exactly what Gloryhammer are all about, and was a great choice for a single as well as an opening track!
Album track ‘On a Quest for Aberdeen’ continues the same vibes as the opener perfectly. It’s another excellent modern power metal track, with all the trappings and glorious cheesiness. It’s a pretty similar formula to the previous track too, with a more simple verse and a huge, multi-vocalled, catchy as anything chorus. The vocals in the bridge were great, the harmonies working even harder as the notes push up to an impressive register, somehow feeling like it builds the track even more! And, we get another fantastic solo from Ser Proletius (Paul Templing), the harmonised second half being particularly excellent and memorable, though the whole part gets plenty of breathing room this time! It’s another awesome song, so massive and catchy!
Onto another single next with ‘Die with a Sword in My Hand’. And, what do you know, it’s another similar, grandiose power metal track! It certainly still works though, especially this early on the album! The chorus is fun too, more chanted than a big harmony-filled one, making it a sure-fire fan-favourite live. It also has maybe my favourite solo on the album, the tone on the guitar being so good. It’s another good song; exactly what you’d expect from the band and another good single choice!
By ‘Silver Talon’ I did start getting slightly tired of the same style, pace and lyrics for a fourth straight song. It’s a damn good song in its own right, and very enjoyable in isolation. Hell, it even fits perfectly with the rest of the album, in terms of both sound and theming. But my easily-distracted brain and ears could have done with something slightly different by the time this track rolled around, especially when we’re getting closer to the midpoint of the album.
I got a little bit of my wish with the following track, single ‘Starfighters of Leuchars’. While it still has some heavy guitars and drums, it does feel like a slower song overall. And, I really loved the Danny Elfman vibe to it with the synths and horns and backing vocals. It made the track a LOT of fun. Yet, it still fits in perfectly with the album and bands discography as a whole, the chorus being absolutely huge and another big earworm. It feels like it’s designed to be played to huge festival crowds around the world! I think Sozos gets the most chance to shine vocally on this track too, really showing off his phenomenal range. It’s another awesome song, and one that easily makes our playlist!
Single ‘Warriors of Auchtermuchty’ brings us back to the bands typical sound again, though certainly in a catchy way with another huge chorus and some call-and-response vocals in the verses. The same can be said for ‘Pax Galactica’, though it does have a touch of Elfman to it like ‘Starfighters’ did. Both are good songs in their own right, and once again fit the album well, but are certainly similar to others on the release. If you are big into their sound though, I’m sure you’ll love it!
The final three tracks are generally more of the same. ‘Demonic Devotion’ and ‘Hammer of Fate’ are your typical Gloryhammer album tracks. However, the closer (with a stupidly long title that I’m not going to type out), is proggy epicness, and a lot of fun! Don’t get me wrong, it has all the hallmarks of the bands sound, but it’s all dialled up to 11 and everything gets so much time to shine. The storytelling throughout is excellent, as is the playing and the vocals, while the composition is truly off the charts. Hell, we even get some screams tucked away in the middle here, which were a nice touch and broke everything up well! Don’t get me wrong, it’s still pretty cheesy, but you know exactly what to expect when heading into a Gloryhammer album, and this is very much all of that. I had a good time with it, and it sums up and closes out the release rather perfectly!
Overall: This is a good album! I know I have mentioned a bit of the negatives towards it I’ve felt, but that shouldn’t take away how great a release it is overall. It’s exactly what you’d expect and want from a Gloryhammer album: straight up epic modern power metal, and on that it absolutely delivers. If you are a fan of that style I’d absolutely recommend giving this a listen, ASAP! There are some tracks on here that are honestly career highlights, even if I wouldn’t necessarily spin the album as a whole every listen. It’s a dam solid addition to their growing discography, and I at least enjoyed it more than their previous one!
Another week, some more great music across the rock, metal and country world. Let’s check it out!
Greta Van Fleet: Palace for the People
Five albums deep into the not-so-young-anymore bands career and everyone should know exactly what to expect at this point. The perfect combination of Rush, Led Zeppelin and Jethro Tull, it’s old school, semi-prog rock at its best. And, while I did enjoy it more than ‘23’s Starcatcher, it’s still just… fine. Tracks like ‘Heart and the Beat’, single ‘Play Your Games’ and ‘Call my Own’ are personal highlights, and while none of the rest is especially bad, it’s not hugely my sort of thing. The band are all incredibly talented players, but Josh’s caterwauling grated on me a touch at times. I also found the choruses rather repetitive, and the album as a whole is rather strung out and long-winded at an hour long. Their current folkier edge is interesting, but it leads to a generally slow pace that gets boring by the mid-point. I didn’t think I’d be saying this, but I actually miss their early days when they just copied Led Zep. The epic vibe is cool, but gets old when it’s every track. They are clearly doing something right as they are an absolutely massive band, and this release will have plenty of fans. But outside of handful of tracks, I’m not one of them. I don’t think I could do the album as a whole again, honestly. It gets a rather generous 6/10 from us!
Chase & Status: Generic Everything
The heavy drum & basers returned with their seventh album this last Friday. It’s certainly not a release for everyone, and even I was a little up and down on it. I do find myself enjoying their heavier tracks while not being a fan overall, and it’s very much the same here. The opener was okay, the distorted guitars in the back and the dynamics being great. Songs like ‘Essa Ta Quente’ (feat. the legendary Skrillex) and ‘Gone Too Far’ (feat. Debbie) are also pretty good. However, a lot of the rest of it is not my sort of thing, and the aforementioned tracks were pushing it honestly. They’re certainly one of the weirder choices to be adopted into the heavier scene, and that’s about the only reason I thought I’d give it a spin. If you’re into this sort of style you’ll probably enjoy it, but I’d happily not listen to it again, honestly. It’s objectively pretty well crafted and put together, but from a personal standpoint I got bored, so can’t give it much more than 4.5/10. Sorry guys. Maybe a couple of heavier collabs would have reeled me in a lot more!
Twin Temple: Doomed Lovers
Jade: Straight off the bat, it feels like I’m listening to a haunting, gothic version of Grease The Musical. The whole album has a very theatrical feel to it which really draws you in. It at the very least made me curious. Lead vocalist Alexandra James has the most stunning voice, which really stands out from other artists with its vintage style. It’s not something you hear very often any more and it’s nice to go back to that more vintage style of rock and roll. Some of my favourites of this album are ‘Possessed’, ‘I Want Blood’ and ‘Someone In The Walls’. It’s a fun style and if anything a little on the too short side for my liking, I just want to hear more! Especially when it’s been a little while now since their last release! Still, it’s an album I’d recommend to anyone into a more vintage style of rock. 7/10
Left to Suffer: Unwelcome Guest
Max: This one is a little disappointing. It’s a fine album but that’s it. There isn’t anything standout or particularly notable throughout the entire album and all it really did was make me want something more on each track. Now I know what you are saying: making people want more is generally a good thing, but not when on every track people are wanting some kind of flavour or substance. To put it bluntly this album was a bit boring and a let down. 5/10
K-Man & the 45’s: Heed the Call
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again; we don’t cover enough ska on this site. However, it does mean that on the odd occasion that I do get to cover some, I’m a little obsessed! And, of course, this is no exception. It’s 36 minutes of fun, catchy and creative reggae-rock, and I loved every minute! It’s packed full of fantastic tracks from front to back too, from ‘Clark St.’ to ‘Oh Yeah Attitude’, ‘Working in the Sun’ to ‘I Wanna Live’ and everything in between! I love that they cover quite the variety of sounds too, from all three generations of ska, making it a constantly interesting journey. This was somehow my introduction to the band, but they have a massive new fan in me, and I can’t wait to go back and check out their previous three albums! They’re all such incredibly talented musicians and songwriters, and we don’t have nearly enough of this sound around these days. I’d recommend this to anyone, and will certainly be spinning it plenty moving forward. A very solid 8.5/10 from us!
The Temperance Movement: New Promise Land Incorporated
The first new studio work from the UK blues rock supergroup in close to a decade finally dropped on Friday to much hype. It’s exactly what fans of the band would expect from them, and is a lot of fun! As a blues/southern rock fan, I had a great time listening to this. From ‘Eat You Alive’ to ‘Love Kicks’ to ‘Always Been Love’, there’s some great stuff on here, too! Honestly, there isn’t a bad song throughout, even if the noticeable dip in energy and tempo the later in the album it gets a bit much by the end. Still, the band are effortlessly talented and if you are a fan of their earlier stuff, or the softer side of blues/Southern rock, this is absolutely an album for you! I’ll certainly be spinning it again, and I do think it’s a grower, but for now it still gets a solid 7/10 from us!
Lucy Gallant: Forbidden Fruit
Following up 2023’s Flowers EP, the self-described bohemian folk-pop artist is back with another great five tracks! It’s chilled out, catchy, well written, and some of the notes she hits with her vocals are insane. It’s just a really easy 17 minute listen, and one that I’d honestly recommend to anyone. ‘F YOU’ is probably my personal favourite, an infectiously catchy anthem, but there truly isn’t a bad song throughout. The Bond-like ‘Venom’ is also incredible. She feels wholly unique, something rather hard to do in 2026. I’ve spun this a good few times this weekend alone, and I will most likely keep doing so plenty in the weeks and months to come. She has a big new fan in me; there is something about her writing and vocals that is just entrancing. I can’t give this any less than 9/10, it’s fantastic!
Werewolves: You’re Weak and you Know You’re Weak
Max: This album was quite good. It’s as punchy and aggressive as ever from Werewolves with barely a breath taken between the pummlings you receive as the listener. I think this one might be a little hard to listen to for some as it really is just pure extreme metal, but if you are in to that, I think you are really going to enjoy it. It isn’t exactly reinventing the wheel when it comes to what metal is and what Werewolves do, but that doesn’t make it bad and considering the Aussie outfit are planning on going 10 for 10 when it comes to albums per year. I think this is a really good stance for being on year 7 of that, however I do have a fear that the fatigue might set in soon which would be a real disappointment.
So yeah, if you want some kick-ass metal that isn’t pulling any punches then here you go, just don’t expect anything revolutionary. 7.5/10
GASSED: MENTAL
This is 11 minutes of pure aggression, heaviness and carnage. A balls-to-the-wall punk release that doesn’t let up for a second across all eight of its tracks. And, honestly, I love it! And, at its compact length, it’s an incredibly easy listen, and it’s so easy to get lost in the sound and the emotion of it all. I may have been throwing hands around my living room… having said that, the one-two-punch of ‘THE HAND’ and ‘’RECLAIMED’ is awesome, and certainly highlights despite the whole release being truly excellent. This is the sort of hardcore that I need more of in my life, and this band deserve so much more love than they have had currently. They have really exploded on the scene the last couple of years, and I can see this album(?) pushing them up a couple of levels as it is truly excellent! I am going to have to see this live, and I cannot recommend it enough for anyone even vaguely curious or into the genre. 9/10, pump this into my veins!
Celtic Cross: Meet Me in the Kitchen
The return release from the New-York-based Irish folk-rock band comes a whopping 12 years after their last album. In that time, they have very clearly not lost a step, however! This is a beautiful 20 minutes of heartfelt folk-based music, though it has elements of everything from country to rock, Americana to even vague bluegrass vibes too, and of course some pop elements too. From the opener to ‘Slán Go Fóill’ to the rockier ‘Toss it Back’, there’s some is some great stuff on here. However, the other half of the tracks are just as good, it all being plenty varied and constantly interesting. It really has something for everyone! And, honestly, it’s awesome, the band deserving a lot more attention and praise than they’ll get from it! It’s an EP I’d recommend to anyone, and is yet another artist that have a firm new fan in me! Another very solid 8/10 from us.
Sickmind: Babel Tower
Jade: This one has been a bit of an odd experience for me. I’ve been left wanting more…not more to listen too, I just expected more from this album with the clear talent all of the members have. The drums follow the guitar riffs and it sounds absolutely insane. It almost over shadows the vocals a bit. I’m drawn more into the instrumental side of the band, I feel like the vocals get a bit lost. I really want to enjoy them; for all intents and purposes it’s exactly the type of vocals I enjoy with death metal. I don’t know if it’s the way the album has been mixed but it’s just not quite there. I’m not getting the aggression that I feel is there. It’s such a shame because the drummer is so incredibly talented and is doing some insane stuff in these tracks. Same goes for the guitar riffs and heavy bass. Everything is working so well until those vocals come in. For me at least it weakens the overall presence that I feel like you usually have with death metal.
With that in mind, it makes the album feel too long, and all a bit too similar to be able to sit and enjoy the full 44 minutes. There are most definitely still highlights that stood out, those being ‘The Chaos Beneath Our Feet’, ‘Humanness’ and the title track. These particular songs all just stood out the most to me, and really showed me the potential of the band. I know this is the first release since the band rebranded themselves, and I do still look forward to seeing what they do next! It’s certainly not bad, but I struggled to get into it as a whole. 6/10
Idolvein: This Place I Leave Behind
The follow-up EP to 2025’s fantastic Where We Became Spirits, the alt metallers once again knock it out of the park here! A collection of their singles from the year, alongside two more awesome tracks for good measure, it’s half an hour of great, heavy, melodic music. From the more pop-inspired opener to the post-hardcore new one ‘My Last War’ to the ballad-like ‘The Ways We Remain’, the release kicks off incredibly strongly. The rest of the EP follows their lead excellently, and makes for a great, varied listen throughout! The mathy, Dance Gavin Dance-like ‘In the Hands of Thieves’ is also a massive highlight. It’s easily up there alongside their last release, if not even slightly better once I’ve sat with it a little longer. It’s also a release I’d recommend to anyone even slightly into modern metalcore/alt metal. The band keeps going from strength to strength, and it’s another easy 8.5/10 from us!
The Pineapple Thief: Far and Wide
Just two and a half year removed from their last massive release, we got another great album from the British prog rockers. As a big ol’ fan of Tool, and these being like a lighter version of them, I loved this! The band are of course incredibly talented musicians, but are such good songwriters together too. The likes of ‘Hold the Ashes’, ‘This Empty Space’ and ‘Who Wants It?’ are all personal highlights, but the whole album is great and has a really fantastic flow. 47 minutes goes by in a flash, and is a surprisingly easy listen for a prog album. This certainly won’t be the only time I spin this album soon, and I can feel it growing on me even more each time. And, even still, I can’t give this any less than a massive 8.5/10. Great stuff!
Sagittarius: Abomination of Mind
The debut album from the heavy metal revivalists is a great 34 minutes of music! Having some great thrashy riffs and drums, but combined with some powerful, catchy vocals, it feels very much the perfect combination of 90s Priest and early Metallica. And, from ‘Disaster Dawn’ to the dark, epic ‘Dead Inside’ to the closer, there is plenty to love throughout. Hell, my only issue would be that honestly, it may have been a little short! Still, if you are into your old-school metal this is well worth checking out, and I’m excited to see where they go from here. 7.5/10
Sueco: PARTY’S OVER
Album four from the emo-rapper/pop-punker is interesting if nothing else. I was familiar with the name from him featuring on others’ tracks, but this is the first real deep-dive I’ve managed to have with the man himself. Honestly, I found myself enjoying it a lot more than I expected to. It’s an incredibly modern sound, reminding me a lot of the likes of Stand Atlantic, most of his album guests, or even MGK a little. However, it feels a lot less disingenuous a sound than the latter artists modern work. ‘ARE YOU ENTERTAINTED?’ is a big early highlight, while the likes of ‘TRUST MYSELF’ and Scream 7’s ‘REARRANGING SCARS’ are also good. Don’t get me wrong, there is a bit of a lull in both energy and quality in the middle, and some of the lyrics do hit a bit cringy at times. However, it isn’t inherently a bad album, and those more into this style or Sueco as an artist will probably get more mileage out of it than I do. I probably wouldn’t throw it on often, but also wouldn’t turn it off if it came on again. 6.5/10
Joshua Slone: Long Life Living for a Lover Boy
Following up his debut album from this time last year, the rising country star put out a collection of another five great, emotion-filled tracks this last Friday. It’s slower and rather stripped-back, continuing on the vibes from his album excellently. ‘Morehead State’ was a personal favourite track of mine, but there really isn’t a bad song throughout. It’s a little slow for me typically, but is a good release to sit and relax to, and is the pretty perfect length for a sound like this. He’s got a great voice and is clearly a very talented songwriter. 7/10, good stuff!
Hollow Bone: Onar
The sophomore album from the experimental post-metal Italians comes over six years after their debut, but builds on the sound expertly. It’s dark and heavy and technical and proggy, and begs a full listen in a dark room with headphones on. It’s certainly not for everyone, but I had a good time here! The band are all insanely talented, and have crafted a truly massive soundscape with this release. And, while I very much recommend listening in full, I do think ‘Meltdown’ and the Tool-like ‘Presence of Eagles’ are personal highlights. If you like slower, grandiose instrumental metal, this is certainly a release I’d recommend! Another solid 7/10 from us!
Mad Painter: Island Poetry
Another sophomore album this week, this time from the Boston blues collective. Now, I do have to say that at pushing an hour in length, it is a little long, especially when it’s largely at the same steady pace. Still, in isolation, tracks like ‘Empty Bottles’, ‘Nektarized’ and ‘Stand Your Ground’ are a lot of fun and very much personal highlights. It’s a real old-school, Quo-like sound, and it’s impossible not to have a good time listening, regardless of what you’re into. The band are all clearly talented, and all get their own chance to shine plenty throughout with some great vocals, drums, bass, riffs and solos. If you are even slightly interested, I’d give this one a spin, despite the daunting length! It may be a grower for me, but even then it gets an easy 7.5/10 from us for now!
Matthew Goodnough: Your Loss, My Misery
The debut album of one of the hardest working people in the country scene the last few years dropped this last Friday, to much hype and fan-fair. Having listened to it, it deserves every bit of that hype, too! ‘Nothing Left to Say’ opens the release in perfect, rocky fashion, while ‘Finding Bones’ follows it up excellently. Then you have the likes of the title track, ‘Dirty Myrtle’ and ‘Cradle Rocker’ that are just as great! It reminds me a lot of Koe Wetzel or Treaty Oak Revival, but somehow has both a bit more rock and radio-country to it, dialling back the more indie vibe they both have to fantastic results, at least for this writer! My only thing is that it is maybe a little similar throughout, though having said that 45 minutes went by in a flash for my first time, I had a blast. His vocals, writing and delivery are all awesome, and his band are working their asses off throughout. He has an INCREDIBLY bright future ahead of him, and a huge new fan in me. An incredibly easy 9/10 from me!
Fail the Enemy: Sandcastles
The first EP from the alt rock/metallers since their 2018 self-titled debut, the trio demonstrate that they haven’t lost a single step in that time! This is 21 minutes spread across five excellent tracks honestly each just as good as the last! They feel pretty unique, at least in terms of the UK scene, and between their songwriting/composition and the production it all sounds really awesome. Having said that, the trio themselves are also fantastic, playing their parts perfectly. The whole EP has a grandiose, epic vibe to it, and I’d recommend anyone interested listen to it in full, you certainly won’t be disappointed! Hopefully we don’t have to wait so long for their next release, as I can’t wait to hear where they go from here. However, until that point, I will gladly continue to spin this! 8/10
Day two kicked off excellently with Alabama Crow! They had plenty of energy right from the jump, all putting on one hell of a performance. What’s more, they all looked like they were enjoying themselves together up on stage, which always makes for a great experience. And, what’s more, the crowd showed up big for them so early on. I hadn’t seen them live before but I am already desperate to see them again. Hell, they’d flown under my radar overall honestly, but definitely have a new fan in me. Certainly a band I’d recommend to anyone!
Now, y’all should all know by now my deal with Eddie & the Wolves. “Best band in the world”yada yada. But this was quite a bucket list venue and festival for us, so from the bottom of mine and the rest of the wolves’ (and Edd’s) hearts, thank you to every single person involved for looking after us, and everyone who came down early to check us out. We sounded incredible, and it was one of the most fun gigs any of us have ever played. Hopefully it won’t be the last time we grace the stage at KKs! Oh, and Eddie & the Wolves rock, obviously.
The sheer talent Red by Night have for their age is incredible! And, even with some early technical difficulties, they still won over so many people through this set! Being a bit of a change of pace again, it felt like a more modern indie/hard rock infused with the more traditional elements, which set them apart in a great way. And the energy they brought to the stage was nothing short of infectious! I wasn’t familiar with them heading in, but they’re another that have gained a big fan in me. These guys have a real bright future ahead of them, and I already can’t wait to see where they go from here!
Thieves of Liberty are another damn solid band representing the scene, and put on another incredible performance like they are known for! Blasting through some of the biggest fan favourites from their 2024 debut, it was a lot of fun to watch them do their thing. They feel like veterans of the scene already and carry themselves like pros, putting on an effortless, polished performance through their full set. It had been too long since I’d seen them live, and I won’t let it get that long again!
Our good friends in Fangslinger once again blew me away, along with the rest of the crowd! Their blend of hard and Southern rock, alongside a sprinkling of metal, will never not be awesome, and it is somehow just as fantastic live as it is on track! The quartets talents together and individually is off the charts, and in particular their vocal harmonies are spectacular throughout. The setlist was awesome, too! A journey through the very best from their debut album, hitting every excellent high. They’re another band at this festival who have exploded on the scene at high momentum, and look like there is no stopping them on their rise to the top! Their stage show grows more and more each time I see them, and they’re another one I’d happily recommend to anyone!
This House we Built have been gaining a lot of momentum in recent years, and rightfully so! They’re another band that bring so much energy and passion to the stage that it’s impossible to not have a good time watching them! They skirt the line between punk, sleaze and hard rock expertly, and played a fantastic set packed full of their two massive albums. And, on top of that, new track ‘Desires’ was an easy set highlight, making me immediately excited to hear where the band go next. For now though, this is was an awesome show, and they’re another band I’d highly recommend checking out!
Blue Nation are another band that I somehow hadn’t seen live yet, but was blown away by! I remember very much enjoying their last album back in 2024, and they are true veterans of the scene and even pre-NWOCR. It very much shows in their live performances, as they are so very polished and refined throughout. And, whether it was tracks from The Ordinary People or from their excellent, extensive back catalogue, it all hit so well in the fantastic live setting. They deserve every bit of the love and praise and push they are getting, and they are one of the best live bands in the scene today!
Then, the mighty Fury took to the stage! We saw them just last year on the same tour, but they turned everything up to 11 with this headline set! Playing the very best of their amazing latest album, alongside their earlier massive hits, the setlist was awesome throughout. And the stage show they put on was well befitting of a headliner, too! From the outfits to the extra drummers to the sheer energy and crowd interaction throughout, it was truly spectacular to behold! They’re another band where it’s incredibly easy to see why they were picked to headline, and they deserve every bit of praise and love they have been getting. Another band that feel like veterans of the scene, and are somehow better than ever before! An incredible and very fitting way to close out not just the day, but the festival as a whole!
And there we have it folks, two days of awesome hard rock music at one of the best venues in the country! All of the crew and staff were incredible all weekend, the sound was phenomenal and the crowd seemed to love every minute of it. Lord knows we did! I cannot recommend any of the bands or the venue itself enough, check them all out ASAP. And here’s to next year’s event already!
Somehow this was the first edition of this festival we’d managed to make it down to. Celebrating it’s 5th live year at the iconic KKs steelmill, it also played host some of the very best of the scene in 2026! We had a blast from start to finish (although we sadly couldn’t make the Friday pre-show party), and wanted to rave about just how excellent it was!
Kicking things off with a band were the awesome Revenant. I’ve been a fan of them for a few years now, loving their EPsand seeing them live back in February. However, this was somehow even better than that last time! They had me and the pretty packed-out crowd in the palm of their hands from start to finish, and put on a fantastic show fitting of the opening slot. From their heavy hitters like ‘Best Medicine’ and ‘e’ to so-far unreleased songs to even a cover medley or two, it was a really great 40 minutes of live music! And, the stage presence they all had together was magnetic. They are very much firing on all cylinders currently, and I already cannot wait for the album they’ve been teasing!
It had been far too long since we’d seen the last band, Joanovarc. Our last time was way back at Rockin’ the Bowl years ago, and the band have changed a lot since then. However, I enjoyed them just as much here as I did there! They had a heavier edge to them than I remember this time around which I loved, and it kept the energy high throughout. The sound as well was phenomenal, not just for them but for everyone throughout the weekend, and it certainly helped too. New tracks ‘Mechanical Overlords’ and ‘Money Machine’ were particularly highlights, but the whole set was pretty great! The band really feel like they’ve gelled these days, and it made for an awesome set!
Next up were the wild Germans, Sweet Electric. Being a long-time fan of Brad Marr from his early days in Massive, I can never not love the guy live. I have never seen a more born performer and frontman, he is so incredibly captivating to watch throughout. However, the band he’s surrounded himself with are also fantastic, matching his energy and stage presence perfectly. They all bounced around that stage from start to finish, and it was one hell of a set! And, on top of that, their setlist was awesome! Being heavy on their incredible new album, but still having plenty of the classic tracks from their debut that brought them to the dance, it was perfect. The crowd were loving it too, interacting a lot and hanging on every note. This was one of my favourite sets of the weekend, if not the whole year, and I already can’t wait to see them again soon!
Brave Rival took to the stage soon after and blew the packed-out crowd away! They were a bit of a change of pace after the hyper, sleazy energy of Sweet Electric, slowing things down and adding a dose of epicness to the proceedings. However, it made for just as fantastic a set! Lindsey Bonnick is one of the most underrated vocalists in any scene today, and the other three are such phenomenally talented musicians and songwriters. I had in my notes that they are like a blusier Evanescence, and that felt exactly right to me. The extended soloing section in the middle was particularly goosebump-inducing. They felt so very polished; ready for a step up to massive arenas and venues at this point. And as I said, it was a nice change of pace from the rest of the day so far. I had a blast with them and, while it wasn’t the first time I saw them, I thought they were even better this time, and it certainly won’t be my last!
Next up were local-ish glam rockers Midnite City. Another band that I have seen a fair few times at this point, but sadly one that I can’t quite get into. I love a few of their songs on track, and they are good live, but something about it doesn’t quite click for me as much as some of the other bands on the lineup. Don’t get me wrong, they’re a great band, and the tracks that I liked that they played were great. ‘We Belong’ will always be a fantastic live song, especially to close their set, but the crowd seemed a little low energy for a lot of it. Still, I’d happily see them again at another show like this down the line, and if you are more into the glam/sleaze stuff than I am you’ll most likely love it!
Even a member down due to an unfortunate family crisis, Doomsday Outlaw still killed it! Honestly, they stepped out onto the stage like they had something to prove, and blew the roof off the joint in the process. John is a fantastic frontman, and the crowd matched his energy throughout the set. And, the other three members held up their end excellently. You wouldn’t have even been able to tell that they were working stuff out a little on the fly, as they handled it like complete professionals and played their asses off. Blasting through a wide variety of their extensive back catalogue, running through all their excellent hits, the setlist was awesome too! I will forever love this band, and having seen them twice this year, they are still very much on top form!
I have somehow been waiting to see Hollowstar for years at this point. One of the early pioneers of this whole movement, they haven’t been hugely active in recent years, and had to pull out of last years event at last minute. However, they more than made up for it here, and they played their heart out for the packed out crowd, and everyone went nuts for them! Hopefully we finally get some more studio stuff from them soon (if their socials are anything to go by it’s a yes), but until then I’d happily see them again soon!
And just like that, we reached headliners The Lazys. Another band that I’ve been a fan of for years at this point and have finally had the opportunity to see live, and they didn’t disappoint! Over an hour of boot stompin’, high energy Aussie hard rock at its very best. Playing the very best from their three albums, including personal favourites ‘Nothing but Trouble’ and ‘Half Mast Blues’, to their more recent, explosive singles, and all played to perfection while the band threw themselves around the stage for the packed out, adoring crowd, it was the best way to close out a day like this! The band were so fun and polished, proving why they are born headliners, and I am already desperate to see them again soon!
A typically stacked edition of New Music Mondays this week, with everything from rock to metal to country for us to check out! Let’s dive right in!
Amon Amarth: The Allfather Awakens
We’ve already checked out this awesome album! Read our full review here!
Miranda Lambert: Crisco
Following on from 2024’s Postcards from Texas, the modern country legend is back with her 10th solo album. Right off the bat, I didn’t enjoy it as much as her previous release. ‘Snakeskin Boots’ is a pretty bad opener, and wastes a feature of the biggest star in the genre at the minute in Ella Langley. Things don’t get much better with the title track or ‘Cowgirl Curtsy’. I very much get the appeal; it’s like Barbie’s country music, or Kaitlin Butts’ latest stuff without the fun or Oklahoma theming. It’s certainly a far cry from the rocky and attitude-filled Four the Record, or even her last album. It’s just all a bit… slow, and while it is well written and performed, it was a bit on the boring side for me. Maybe it was the production on it compared to the last, but something about it just wasn’t for me.
As I said though, it isn’t a bad album. The more up-tempo ‘Cuttin’ Onions’ is fun, as is the preceeding ballad ‘Two Things Can be True’. ‘Whiskey Business’ is also good, and Chris Stapleton’s voice is so perfect it makes ‘A Song to Sing’ also great, as they duet together excellently. However, the album as a whole I could take or leave personally, and it’s not one I’d revisit very often. If you are a fan of her you will still probably get a lot out of this so I would recommend, or if you’re a fan of slower country girly-pop. However, I sadly can’t give it any more than 5.5/10
Kyle Gordon: Kyle Gordon is Everywhere
The album title is most certainly correct; Kyle Gordon is indeed everywhere. We’ve been a fan of him for a whilehere at Overtone, but the lead up to this release has seen him all over my social media, and even appearing alongside the likes of Daniel Radcliffe and (suddenly controversially) Edd Sheeran. It has built a hype up for this release even more so than his last two stellar releases. And, if the singles so far are anything to go by, we’re certainly in for another wild, fun and great album!
Speaking of the singles, they front-load the album. They’re broken up perfectly by narrator of the release Mr Radcliffe, following a similar formula from the last two albums of introducing and giving background to each track and the fictional band that wrote it. However, the album tracks are just as awesome, too! Downshift’s ‘Hero of Fallujah’ is a great dark-folk-rock banger, ‘We Are the Zorg’ is industrial awesomeness, and the funky ‘Congratulations’ rounds things out perfectly. However, every song is fantastic in its own right, and so creatively written.
Three albums deep and the formula has not at all gotten stale. The album still flows excellently, and him changing up the genre and style with each track shows Kyle’s phenomenal levels of talent. It’s silly and over the top and certainly not for everyone, but if you have even a vague curiosity this is well worth spinning in full! While I don’t think it’s collectively quite as strong as his other two works, it’s also hard not to view them all as one big project, and regardless it’s a lot of fun. A very easy 8.5/10 from us!
P.S. congratulations on Kyle on his doctorate!
Escape the Fate: The Last Goodbye
Max: This album doesn’t feel nearly as good as Imminence. It’s fine, it’s not horrendous, but it is nothing to write home about. I think the most noteworthy song on the album was ‘Paranoia’ which is a solid metalcore track. But, there isn’t anything particularly special about it which is a disappointment. Genuinely I think, hell I know that this band is capable of making better music but so much of this album was just bland and to be honest the lyrics were by far the worst part. So much so that I found myself cringing at some parts and that isn’t exactly what you would want. 5/10
These Wicked Rivers: Fire and Folklore
Derby’s greatest musical export are back with their highly anticipated new album. If you didn’t know already, we are huge fans of this band here at Overtone, and once again the Southern rockers don’t disappoint! Lead single/opener ‘Ain’t no Smoke’ has been routinely stuck in my head since we reacted to it when it dropped, while other singles, ‘Horse to Water’ and the Kezia Gill-featuring ‘Sing Another Song’ are also awesome and great representations of the album. However, the album tracks are just as excellent! ‘Better Man’ is a beautiful, emotional ballad, while ‘Brother oh Brother’ is a fantastic, epic Western track and ‘Love to Love’ and ‘Woodland Queen’ give more of a classic Rivers energy.
I like the slower, more country-like approach they’ve taken on this release, like a darker Blackberry Smoke, and it fits the bands style and John’s vocals fantastically. However, there’s still plenty of energy to it too, especially later in the album. They have not forgotten their roots or steered too far from their last album, but have evolved and grown, pushing the boundaries of their sound. It’s every bit as good as Force of Nature, and is an album I’d recommend to absolutely anyone. I love it already, while I also think the album will grow on me even more too with more listens. The lads have done it again, and it’s another incredble 9.5/10 from us!
The Paradox: Proceed with Caution
Jade: I came across this band last year and instantly fell in love. It took me straight back to my teen years, when I started to discover pop punk from watching all the teen comedies and chick flicks from the 90s and early 2000s. This band is so old school but also somehow feels really present.
This EP continues to show how fun and upbeat these guys are, as with their past releases. It just makes you let loose and it’s just such a vibe. There is just such a crazy amount of talent between the four of them. I’m completely hooked on ‘That’s Not Fair’; it’s the song that feels like I’ve been put in a time machine. I could just have it on repeat it’s so good. Another favourite is ‘Stoner Mentality’. It’s just so catchy, and is almost pop punk anthem worthy. I honestly just love every single song on this EP, I have nothing bad to say at all other than I wish there was more! I also feel like I need to just comment on how impressive it is that Eric Dangerfield, the main vocalist, plays a primary role in writing lyrics as well as composing. When someone has this much talent at such a young age you just know they are going to be absolutely massive. It makes me even more envious of the fact they had to drop out of the All Time Low UK tour earlier this year. It kind of devastated me back then, and now I want to see them even more. Honestly I just can’t wait to see what they do next! 10/10
Gavin Adcock: The Day I Hang it Up
Album three from the modern country rising star in as many years is every bit as good as his last releases. We somehow missed a review of last year’s Own Worst Enemy (though it’s good), but had a great time with ‘24’s Actin’ Up Again, and this gives very similar vibes to that. It reminds me of Koe Wetzel a lot, that brand of chilled-out, rock-infused country, and is a style I’ve really gotten back into the last year or so. The title track opens things up perfectly, while songs like ‘Get a Grip’, ‘Thing For You’, ‘Anymore’ and ‘Wannabe’ are all excellent too! Heck, there are other good songs throughout this, but the ones I’ve named so far are just 20% of the album…
Yes, this thing is 25 SONGS LONG and an insane 75 minutes. It’s not prog, it doesn’t need to be this long. Especially when a lot of it is a similar pace and energy. The guy has put out nearly three and a half hours of music across three albums in the last three years; talk about overkill. I know I must sound like a broken record at this point with this point as it isn’t my first time complaining about it, but it is such a massive issue across country music these days. There is an absolutely killer 9 or 10/10 album somewhere in here, but it is bogged down by so much unnecessary filler. Heck, it could have been two albums; save half of it for next year’s outing. He’s an insanely talented artist. His songwriting, vocals and the delivery/instrumentation throughout is amazing. But I find it hard giving it any more than 7.5/10 because it is just too damn long. I’ll most likely be spinning it again, hopefully it grows on me more, as like I said, it’s certainly good!
Butcher Babies: NIGHTBLOOM
The first album from the LA metalcore band to not feature Carla Harvey on vocals, it feels like the band have a lot to prove because of it. Especially with Carla herself now killing it with both The Violent Hour and Lords of Acid. I was never the biggest fan of the band to begin with, and sadly this release did little to change that. It’s a very modern alternative to/metalcore sound, reminding me a lot of Bad Omens and that kind of ilk, which just doesn’t do much for me. It feels safe, without much if anything standing out or being memorable after the listen. It just feels a little bland and emotionless, so very corporate and overproduced. Even the screams and breakdowns do little for me, and are few and far between. The band was very much built on the interplay in vocals between Heidi and Carla, and without that it’s just another alt metal band in 2026. The closest thing to a “favourite track” is ‘Fever in my Neck’, and even then it’s not something I’d revisit all too often. If you’re a fan of the band or their current genre/sound, it’s probably worth a try, but it’s sadly not for me. It’s not bad, but I can’t give it any more than a 5/10. Distinctly average.
Doctor Nez: Nothing Short of Silver
The follow-up to their 2024 debut album, this EP is self-described as “the first instalment in a dark fantasy journey of an individual in the throes of a curse”. And, honestly, I kinda get that vibe! It’s dark and epic, and the story thread throughout certainly had me hooked. Musically it’s interesting too, slotting somewhere between Alice in Chains-esque heavy grunge, horror punk and just a touch of sleaze rock too. Heck, there’s even a doom-like edge to ‘Find Familiar’. It feels fresh and was a lot of fun! And, at 22 minutes spread across five songs and an intro track, it’s almost impossible to pick highlights, as it all flowed excellently! The band have a new fan in me, and I’ll be checking out their old stuff while also waiting patiently for whatever they have planned for a second instalment to this. A very solid 7.5/10 from us!
ASOMVEL: Set Your World on Fire
Album five from the UK heavy metal/rock’n’rollers picks up right where 2024’s amazing Born to Rock ‘n’ Rollleft off. It’s 37-minutes of balls-to-the-wall riffing and drumming, and some fantastic and catchy vocal lines from Ralph Robinson. ‘King of the World’ opens things up perfectly, while the likes of the title track, ‘Eye of the Storm’ and ‘If It’s Too Loud, You’re Too Old’ are all other huge highlights. However, it’s all fantastic, from start to finish! Even when they push the boat out with the ballad ‘World at War’, it was awesome and worked surprisingly well, slotting perfectly in a bit later into the album. Outside of that track you know exactly what to expect from the band, and they once again deliver in spades! It’s easy to hear why they have gathered so much momentum in recent years, and they deserve every massive opportunity they have gotten. The comparisons to Motörhead are still obviously there, but it is in no way a bad thing, and we very much lack bands like them of this quality these days. If you are at all a more old-school rock and metal fan, this is absolutely the album for you. It’s every bit as good as their last release, and gets an easy 9/10!
Gareth: Halfway Home
We’ve also checked this out early, aren’t you lucky? Read our full review here!
Frozen Crown: The Legend of the Six Kings
Following on from 2024’s excellent War Hearts, the Italian power metallers once again give us an awesome collection of tracks with album six. It’s a balls-to-the-wall start with the excellent ‘Lightning in the Sky’, while the likes of ‘Who Wants to Burn in Heaven’, ‘The One’ and ‘Through the Fire’ are also bangers. Their Goo Goo Dolls cover was a little odd, but certainly grew on me with more listens. There really isn’t a bad song throughout though, and the 36 minutes goes by in a flash. It could have maybe done with a ballad, but honestly the album was so concise I didn’t miss it until a second listen. It’s exactly what you’d expect from a modern power metal album, especially if you are familiar with the band already. It perfectly combines the style with an old-school heavy metal vibe, and everyone involved is so damn talented. While I wouldn’t say it’s quite as good as their last album, it’s still a damn solid album! 8/10
Imminance: Axis Mundi
Max: Honestly, I think this is one of the best albums that I have heard this year. The Swedish band Imminence are back with their 6th full length album and damn its good! Starting off with an explosion of energy, the album seems like it will be one of their heaviest efforts yet. However, about halfway through the album you have a change to a shoegaze post rock track ‘If Not Now, When’ and this was really pretty. To be honest, it feels like the band is stretching their legs and exploring and I don’t think anyone can complain at a combination of Loathe and Imminence in one track. The next song, ‘Didn’t Think About You (Lately)’, is an interesting one; its very electronic and is definitely explorative in nature and at first I was unsure. It’s just so disconnected from what you would expect. That being said, listen to it a few times and I think you will come round to it. I would be surprised if it is your favourite track on the album but it is really good.
Towards the end of the album, you have a still somewhat slower and softer song in ‘Shed Your Skin’ before falling right in to the aggression and energy of ‘Power Divine’ which is just a front to back brilliant Imminence track. As for the final track ‘Exodus’, I personally find it to be a brilliant ending to the album. The solo alone at the end of the ‘metal’ part of the track is fantastic, but I actually have a huge soft spot for the beauty of the orchestral and atmospheric ending and I don’t think that there is a better way to end an Imminence album than with a string instrument. 9.5/10
Egokills: Brainbanger
One of myfavourite albums of2023, I somehow almost missed this dropping, but am damn glad I didn’t! This is another incredibly fun 37 minutes of banging riffs, catchy melodies and overall great stoner metal vibes. From the opener/title track to ‘Swan’, ‘Transition’ to ‘Dead Flowers’, it’s all so good! At only 10 tracks too, it feels like everything gets time to breathe, and everyone gets their time to shine. It’s another album that I think isn’t quite as good as their previous, but that’s damn hard as I adore their self-titled release and still spin it to this day. Still, it is an awesome album that I’d recommend to anyone with even a passing interest in rock music, or any musician at all. It will most likely grow on me more with more listens, like I think the last did, and it gets a very solid 8/10 from us!
Sorcery: The Immaculate Sin
The first album from the Swedish death metallers since 2019, the quintet show that they haven’t lost even a single step in that seven years. It’s 45 minutes of brutality spread across 10 awesome tracks, with the band working their asses off from start to finish. ‘Set the World Ablaze’, ‘Terminate’ and ‘Flood’ are personal favourites, but every song is pretty awesome! It’s all maybe a little too similar, especially given the length of it, but if you’re a fan of the style you’ll get a lot out of it, and I honestly don’t think I’d be able to cut any to shorten it! The band are all insanely talented, with some great riffs and melodic moments throughout. If you are into a more 2000s death metal sound this is well worth checking out, and I’ll certainly be spinning at very least my favourite tracks again! A pretty easy 7.5/10 from us!
GHØSTKID: FOLLOW THE WHITE RABBIT
Album three from the alt metaller is a really interesting listen. After recruiting a whole new band for this project, Sushi seems rather rejuvenated and focused, releasing maybe this best album yet. From single ‘IVORY’ to the title track to the modern nu-metal ‘UNCONDITIONALLY’, there are some really excellent tracks throughout. However, there really isn’t a bad song throughout, as even the more Bad Omens-like poppier tracks fit excellently with the album and I had fun with them. It’s such a fascinating blend of styles, from metalcore to gothic, industrial to post-hardcore, and feels wholly unique to GHØSTKID. His vocals are amazing too, his cleans reminding me of Nico Sallach while his screams are excellent. It’s easy to hear why they’re becoming a big name in recent years, and this will surly push them to even greater heights! If you are at all interested I’d recommend checking this out, and it gets a very easy 8.5/10 from us!
Inherited: ALL4ONE
Jade: This is the first time I’ve come across Inherited. They place themselves as a combination of Groove Metal, Thrash Metal and Hardcore Punk. And you know what, I am getting all of that and for someone who wouldn’t class themselves as a fan of Thrash, I’m kinda vibing with this. The drummer Neill Ray does not hold back in the slightest, he absolutely beasts the hell out of that drum kit. Everything about this EP is chucky and the vocals are everything I love in any metal music. Super aggressive and absolutely filthy in the breakdowns. A band I could see going down very well at festivals like BloodStock. If you check out one track off this EP, my favourite is ‘WASTED SPACE’. Purely for the absolute chaos, insane drums and absolutely filthy breakdown, followed by the most whimsical outro. Now I’m not 100% sold, and feel like I need to experience the band live to get my final opinion. But based off this first listen, they are a band I’ll keep a lookout for. 8/10
Lee Brice: Sunriser
While another pretty long country release, this is a really great album! The opener/title track sets the tone excellently, while everything from ‘Killed the Man’ to the dark, rocky ‘Devil’s at it Again’, the bro-country ‘What You Know About That’ to the guest-featuring ‘Drinkin’ Buddies’, there is a hell of a lot to love on this thing. Don’t get me wrong, there’s maybe a track or two too many, but the good far outweighs the bad, and nearly an hour goes by surprisingly quickly. His voice is phenomenal, fitting both the upbeat party vibes and the more sombre, emotional beats perfectly. It’s certainly an album I’ll be revisiting plenty moving forward, and is one I’d recommend to any country fan out there! It was well worth the six year wait between releases, and it’s another incredibly easy 8.5/10 from us!
Ruled by Raptors: A Shadow that Never Moves
Self described as a mini-album, this is nearly half an hour of brutal, excellent riffs and proggy, mathy arrangements. And, on top of that, there are some great melodic moments and some catchy vocal parts, too! ‘Fiends’, ‘Rescissory’ and ‘Static Collapse’ are personal highlights, but all of it is pretty excellent! I love the blend of styles, having elements of everything from punk to post-hardcore to metalcore to math rock, blending together into a really interesting melting pot. It’s a really great release that I would recommend to anyone into the quirkier side of rock and metal, and I already can’t wait to hear where they go from here! Until then though, I’ll certainly be spinning this again plenty. The closest thing I could find myself comparing it to is Tealdeer, but even then it’s a loose comparison. Either way, check this out! 8/10
Dexter and the Moonrocks: Friends that I Don’t Like
Firstly, I did not realise how crazy big this band has gotten. For a band of their weirdness to have 10M monthly listeners for their debut album is INSANE. It’s a real testament to how fantastic they are as songwriters and musicans, though. It’s crazy that it somehow feels like both a throwback to the 90s while simultaneously feels modern and unique in its own way. They’ve somehow described it perfectly themselves as “Western Space Grunge”. And, the album itself is awesome! ‘Mull it Over’, ‘Why Don’t you Say So’ and the Treaty Oak Revival-featuring ’12 Steps’ are all personal highlights, but there certainly isn’t a bad song throughout. It’s another album that’s maybe slightly long for the range of styles it encompasses, but is done in such a confident and excellent manor that it’s hard not to enjoy and admire it, still! If you are at all curious this is well worth a spin, and they are only going to continue to get bigger and bigger in the coming months and years. I feel like it’s another album that’ll grow on me, and I’ll certainly be listening again. For now though, it gets a solid 7/10!
The debut album from the Irish country breakout star comes just a year after his two huge first EPs. We’ve had the pleasure of watching him grow in a big way the last couple of years, from one of his first shows with a full bandto both EPs, so we have been excited for this one since it was announced. And, what’s even more exciting, our recent new edition Jade is writing most of this one. Let’s dive in!
The album opens strong with ‘One The Got Away’. The power of this man’s vocals will forever absolutely blow me away. Even when he’s fully belting it just sounds so effortless and you can really feel every single emotion in his voice. The instrumentation compliments it beautifully, too. It’s a beautiful way to open the album and is a fantastic early high point!
‘Keep Myself From Dreamin” is just giving big; more of a stadium country vibe. It’s catchy and a bit more upbeat than the first track. I really love how he reels in the vocals and makes them a bit softer and isolated in the bridge before going into the final chorus. I can see this song getting huge!
This next track, ‘1000 Lifetimes’, took my breath away. Starting stripped-back and slowly building and then getting hit with such powerful vocals and absolutely beautiful lyrics gave me goosebumps. The control he has over his voice is just incredible. And again you can really feel the lyrics; there is so much emotion. This is gonna be the first dance song for so many weddings!
‘Changing My Mind’, although still a very beautiful love song, has less of a ballad vibe. The drums give it more of that upbeat, kind of bouncy feel, which is definitely needed after the last track. I am really enjoying how the pace of each track has been different so far. This is again shown in the next track, ‘Everything I Love’. The use of instruments in the intro is unlike what’s already been done. Then this one is giving a slight Bro Country vibe. And I mean that in the sense of listing different country things, except it’s a bit less cringe. It still gives a soulful vibe which I have come to expect from Gareth from his previous releases of the last year or two!
If you want to listen to one song to really hear the versatility in Gareth’s vocals, from the power, control and just the notes this man can hit, then ‘Don’t Say’ is the one to check out. It really has it all! You can feel ever ounce of emotion behind his vocals, and his delivery is truly stellar. Another easy highlight, and one that makes our playlist!
This next track, ‘Mother’s Eyes’, brings it back to his Irish roots whilst also keeping the country style. The Irish instrumentals really go hand in hand with this style of country, and the song is absolutely beautiful. And of course it’s made even more emotional with a voicemail from his mum just before this track starts. It was a fantastic touch that adds even more depth and creativity to not just the song, but the album as a whole.
After all of the love we then get hit with a bit more stripped back breakup song in ‘High on Love’. I can only describe it as almost acoustic; it builds to having more of an instrumental backing, but it’s not too heavy and this track is definitely made for the vocals to be center stage. It serves the purpose of giving the track a little bit of texture. But he could just sing this with an acoustic guitar and it would be just as powerful! Clearly we need an acoustic version of the song as a bonus track down the line!
We get quite the contrast with ‘Nights I Can’t Get Back’, which has a much bigger band backing, going back to the much bigger stadium country feel. Don’t get me wrong, he still sounds absolutely incredible, but I almost feel like he just doesn’t need it after having listened to more stripped-back tracks. It’ll be an incredible song live, but it just doesn’t feel quite as intimate as some of the other tracks and the emotion is maybe a tiny bit washed out. Though it could just be down to where this track has been placed on the album; we’ve been hit so hard from the start already!
Yet, just 30 seconds into ‘If You Want Me Too’, and that’s kind of set my opinion of the last track. This one goes back to the softer strings and gentler band backing. It just feels so much more emotional and that’s just something that draws me into Gareth. He’s definitely an artist that almost just needs his vocals to be framed rather than have a heavy support from a band. He could switch from having a full band to acoustic and the power and emotions is still very much present. You’ll get what I mean when you listen to any of these tracks. ‘Try’ is another great example of what I’m talking about. The vocals in this track are just incredible and you get those isolated vocals which just give you instant goose bumps.
The album ends on the more piano-led ‘Happy for You’. It’s another style which works so well with his voice! It’s a great choice to end the album, giving quite an epic moment to close everything out on. Another highlight on an album packed full of them!
Overall: I must say I really am in love with this album. I had pretty high expectations for it, especially after having seen Gareth live twice already. I wasn’t disappointed. The songs are a bit more on the slower side of country music, which I expected. Yet it almost felt like listening to a full story. The album starts with being in love and ends in heartbreak. Other than (in my opinion) the bizarre placing of ‘Nights I Can’t Get Back’ the album as a whole had a really nice flow and I really would recommend listening to it in full. I will most definitely be catching this on tour, I just know it’ll be amazing!
We had the pleasure of chatting to Australia’s own Jayne Murphy, formerly of Lime Spiders, about her current solo work, tour and latest single! Check it all out below!
How would you describe your sound?
I would say my sound is a blend of pop, rock and punk delivered in an Aussie pub rock fashion. Raw. Unfiltered. Honest.
You’re currently in the middle of a tour, how’s it going so far?
Having a bunch of fun! Punters have really taken to the new single and the new line-up in a positive way. We’re sizzling right now performance wise.. There was even conga-line dancing at one gig! A lot of people are also interested in seeing me play being a former member and lead guitarist of the Lime Spiders.
You’ve put out a new single ready for the shows, what can you tell me about it?
‘Pocket Superman’ is about denouncing violence – denouncing domestic and family violence. In Australia, it’s a curse. It’s on the rise. Metaphorically, a Pocket Superman is a “personal safety plan”. It could be a preloaded text message calling for help, a whistle to gain attention or even a siren type device to attract the attention of others, to deter a stalker. I was careful to ensure the lyrics weren’t gendered, because domestic violence affects everyone.
Had another single this year, are they both standalone or are we building to another album or EP?
Yes, ‘Greedy Rich Boys’ was released in April 2026. It is on the drawing board that ‘Pocket Superman’ and other recent singles will appear on a physical album format in the future. Like a best of the singles since 2019. I’m hoping to have it released on vinyl through my distributor MGM Distribution (Australia) sometime in 2027!
What is the writing process like for the band?
I’m the principal songwriter for the band project. I write 100% of the lyrics and titles, and come up with the main ideas for the compositions. I don’t have a particular “formula” for writing songs. It might be a title, a melody line or a rhyming couplet that might come to my mind and underpins the structure of the song. Sometimes a song will just spill out of my mind completely finished. It’s quite bizarre when that happens. The quickest fully written song I crafted was in 9mins. During recording pre-production I’ll send a “skat track” (my term for a loosely recorded acoustic version of the song) to the bass player and drummer. They’ll usually write their own parts and then as producer I’ll make suggestions to them about their parts and how it applies to my vision for the arrangement of the song.
Do you have a busy rest of the year and into 2027 with gigs and studio stuff?
Gigs in September and October. Sometimes I do solo gigs in record stores and small bars. Heading into the studio late November/early December to record a new single. Another tour is slated to run from 12th to 28th February 2027. Then another recording session to probably lay down the beds for another three singles. And as I mentioned earlier, I am looking to put together a single compilation in physical form, as a lot of the singles are only available in digital/streaming format!
You’re pretty up on the whole social media game, any advice you could give for a band just starting out?
Hmmm, social media can be quite a “hit and miss’ affair when you want to ride that algorithm, haha! I guess the best advice for bands starting out on socials is to be “strategic”. Research “best times” to post content. Collaborate with like minded bands. And even if you’re not getting the volume of likes and interaction you were expecting, persistence is the key. Don’t be shy to get family and friends involved. Quality content is important. Brush up on those Canva and Adobe Express skills!
Do you have a dream tour lineup you’d want to be a part of? Any bands you’d want to support or friends you’d want to bring along with you?
Good question. Big question. I think my dream tour lineup would be Foo Fighters, The Runaways, Green Day, Placebo, Blur and Flowers For Jayne. There’s quite a few bands I’d like to invite to tag along. So many talented younger bands out there as well. Might have to “draw straws” for that decision, haha!
If you could have written one song from history, what would it have been and why?
Ahhhh! Wow! Just one song?? Tricky! I guess it would have to be, “I Am Woman’ by Helen Reddy!
The viking metal legends return this coming Friday with album number 13. The band’s last release, 2022’s Great Heathen Army, was a good entry into their discography, but did feel like it played it a little safe with the sound. However, with the singles we have heard from this release so far, it feels like not only have they started experimenting more than ever, but they are firing on all cylinders too! So, when this came across our emails, there was no way we weren’t diving right into it! Without further ado, let’s do this.
The album opens perfectly, with ‘Gjallarhorn’ setting the tone excellently. The catchy chanting with the guitar following the melody is insanely memorable, and will go over a storm live. The faster riff comes in behind, and soon it all launches into the expected powerful melodeath the band are known for. Jocke Wallgren kills it on the drums from the get-go, and Johan’s unmistakable vocals are fantastic the moment the verse hits. And, despite the harsh vocals, there is an element of catchiness throughout, one that I will surely try (and fail) to scream along to on subsequent listens. It feels and sounds massive, from the production to writing, their folk and power metal elements adding so much to the base sound. The track is balls-to-the-wall throughout, and is a really great showcase for the rest of the album! Great stuff!
Single ‘Eight Legs of Thunder’ continues the vibe excellently from the opener. The riffing is awesome, the verse is chuggy, heavy greatness, and the lower growls from Johan are amazing! A great harmonised, melodic guitar lick leads to a massive, infectiously catchy chorus, one that is sure to be stuck in my head for days to come! The guitar solo in the middle is phenomenal too, technical and packed full of emotion, as well as having some truly amazing harmonies throughout. It has plenty of time to breathe too, being a decent chunk of the tracks runtime. It’s classic Amon Amarth in all the best ways, and is up there alongside their big heavy hitting tracks, in this writers humble opinion. It’s an amazing song, and one that easily makes our playlist!
The first album track from the release, ‘Kvasir’s Blood’, continues the heaviness, but is a little more plodding in its pace. I like it dropping down for the verse, it giving the heavy vocals even more weight. I also love the call-and-response in the second part of it, adding more depth and catchiness to it all. It all builds into another massive, power-death chorus, fitting the tone of the song excellently while still being very Amon Amarth. The dynamics of the track are great throughout if I’m honest, with bits dropping out and exploding back in at the perfect moments. And we even get some timing changes with bridge too, it also being another killer riff. The whole thing is another really great song, and memorable despite it being packed in by singles.
Speaking of singles, the last two from the release are up next. The lead single from the album, ‘We Rule the Waves’, dropped way back in July of last year, and is very much another typical Amon Amarth track! The lyrics are a little Wind Rose-like, especially in the chorus, but it will still go down a storm live as it’s insanely catchy. And instrumentally, it’s your typical epic death-infused metal. If you know anything about the band, this is exactly what you’d expect, and that certainly isn’t a bad thing! Then, however, ‘Upphaf’ changed things up rather dramatically. The band don’t do enough acoustic tracks, and this really highlights their range perfectly. Johan cleans up his vocals a bit, still growling but more spoken-word, almost singing. And it fits the stripped-back instrumentation perfectly. It’s the folkiest track on the album, and is such an excellent change of pace at the halfway point of the album. It’s another huge highlight of the album and a track I’d recommend to anyone, even if they aren’t typically into the band! It’s certainly a style they need to explore more!
Tracks like ‘Die with a War Cry’, ‘Raven God’ and ‘Oden’s Hunt’ are more standard tracks from the band. None of them are bad by any stretch, and fit the album excellently, but when they’re pretty similar I don’t want to keep repeating myself over and over in this review! They definitely have their place on the album, and I’d happily listen to them again not just as part of it but also on their own. I’m a big AA fan and these are sick, but you certainly know what to expect heading into them!
The title track, while also having a similar vibe, is another track that honestly has single written all over it! From the opening, ‘The Pursuit of Vikings’ style riff and pace to the the guitar melody following the already catchy verse vocals to the awesome chorus, it’s all so damn good. It’s perfect Amon Amarth, and another huge high point of the album! I really hope this becomes a fixture of their live sets, as I’d absolutely love to see it in person. It’s a track that I will be revisiting plenty in the weeks and months to come!
Then, we reach the epic closer, ‘Ascending Like an Eagle’. At almost seven minutes in length, everything gets plenty of time to breathe, and the whole band get a chance to shine. It’s heavy and fast, but also incredibly catchy and melodic, and goes by in a flash! It feels like it draws together almost everything before it on the release, and finishes things off perfectly! It’s yet another firm highlight of the album, as if the release isn’t already packed full of them!
Overall: This is a really awesome album! It’s exactly what you’d expect from the band, with a few twists and turns thrown in for good measure. Every song on it is excellent, and as I said there are a few that I would put up there alongside their very best! All of them work their asses off throughout and show why they are so beloved and respected in the scene, all being masters of their craft. If you are a fan of the band or their general style/genre, I would absolutely recommend giving it a listen ASAP! It’s my favourite they’ve put out since at least at least Berserker, and I’m going to HAVE to see this live soon!
We chatted to the rising stars of Japanese heavy metal, Fireflame, about their debut full-length and future plans. Check it all out below!
How would you describe your sound?
We define our sound as Modern Heavy Metal, which strives for a seamless fusion of classic 80s heavy metal and modern metalcore. We dislike being boxed into a single specific subgenre. Rather than simply mimicking the past or sounding overly modern, we pursue a style where both worlds are perfectly balanced and blended.
The album’s been out a couple of months now, it seems to have gone down really well! Is there a particular theme or story behind the album, or is it more that each track is its own story?
The album is actually built as a cohesive concept! Excluding the bonus tracks, all 12 main songs are interconnected, telling one continuous story from start to finish. Central to this narrative is the overarching theme of “the persistent inner fire within those who continue to fight for something they cannot give up.” Through this story, we wanted to convey a powerful message about facing adversity and refusing to bend, no matter what obstacles stand in your way!
What is your songwriting process like?
The main process usually begins with Connie Flames (Ba) and myself (FireRay, Gt) putting together rough demos. Once we have those initial demos, we bring them straight into the rehearsal studio.
We jam and play through the songs together as a full band, shaping and refining the arrangements and details on the spot. It’s through this hands-on studio session work that everyone’s ideas and energy come together to give the final song its full form.
Is there more writing going on already?
Yes, absolutely! We’ve actually already completed 3 brand new tracks, and we have several more demos in the works!
Even though our 1st album Force Against The End was just released, we’re already focused on and excited about the next album. We can’t wait to push our sound even further!
Do you have a busy rest of the year and start of 207 planned with live stuff?
Now that our debut album is finally out, we’re currently planning a tour and getting ready to hit the road. It’s definitely going to be a very busy and exciting time for us!
What is the heavy metal scene like in Japan? I feel like I’m starting to see more and more bands from the country!
Compared to its peak, heavy metal definitely isn’t in the mainstream spotlight here anymore, and honestly, our hometown scene in Osaka has declined quite a bit.
However, we have amazing bandmates of our generation who share the same passion, as well as inspiring seniors who support us. Because of that, I truly believe we can rebuild and reignite the scene from here and we want to be the band leading that charge!
You’re quite active on social media, do you have any advice you could give bands just starting out, in that regard?
Honestly, we don’t really have advice to give because we’re still just a starting-out band ourselves! Haha.
But if there’s one thing, it’s simply to keep doing it over and over again. Just put content out there constantly, stay active, and keep pushing without overthinking it!
Do you have a dream tour lineup you’d want to be a part of? Anyone you’d want to support or friends you’d want to bring with you?
Supporting heavy metal legends like Loudness, Judas Priest, or Bullet For My Valentine would be an absolute dream come true and it’s something we are determined to make happen!
As for who we’d bring with us, we want to bring everyone who has supported us on this journey. It sounds like a big dream, but we’re going to make it reality!
If you could have written one song from history, what would it be and why?
That’s a tough one! But the first song that came to my mind is “Painkiller” by Judas Priest. To me, it’s the ultimate heavy metal anthem from the legendary drum intro to the relentless riffs and twin guitars, it completely defines what heavy metal is.
