For more than 50 years, George Thorogood and The Destroyers have remained one of the most consistent—and consistently passionate—progenitors of blues-based rock. And no one knows that better than the millions of fans who’ve seen them live. Formed in 1973 by guitarist, singer, and songwriter George Thorogood and drummer Jeff Simon, the Delaware-based band honed their sound on stages across the Northeast, building a devoted word-of-mouth following through their high-energy performances and blistering grooves.
The band have announced the final tourof the UK, as part of The Baddest Show on Earthtour of North America and Europe. There will be just two shows:Monday 29th June 2026 at University of Wolverhampton at the Civic Hall, followed by Tuesday 30th June 2026 at indigo at The O2 in London.
Speaking about The Baddest Show on Earth, Thorogood says, “When the lights go down, the downbeat hits and the audience erupts; all bets are off. The Destroyers are at their best when we play for the people, and these are some of our favourite—and rarest—performances from the past five decades. You wanted the baddest, you got it.”
Today, George Thorogood and The Destroyer – which currently consists of Jeff Simon (drums, percussion), Bill Blough (bass guitar), Jim Suhler (rhythm guitar), and Buddy Leach (saxophone)—have played more than 8,000 live shows. Career highlights include their record-breaking 50 States in 50 Dates tour in 1981; numerous high-profile tours alongside The Rolling Stones, Sammy Hagar, and ZZ Top, among others; over 15 million albums sold worldwide; plus landmark performances at Live Aid and Saturday Night Live.
Rock ‘n’ rollers Tuk Smith & the Restless Hearts are pleased to share a string of 2026 tour dates this summer. The 7-date stint will see them kick things off at Maid Of Stone festival before taking in the sights of London, Southampton, Wolverhampton, Leeds, Glasgow, and an as-yet-unannounced show. This follows a busy 2025 from the band, touring with Danko Jones and blessing Planet Rockstock with their Nashville-tinged melodies and riffs!
Mr Smith himself shared:
“I’ve always had a special place in my heart for the UK ever since I first started playing here a decade ago with my previous band. This is my first proper UK tour as a solo artist and I’m just as excited now as I was back then!”
In case you missed it, Tuk also put out an incredible EP just last year! We loved it, and you want to buy it, find it here!
Tuk Smith is the kind of rock ’n’ roll ambassador you didn’t think existed anymore. Punk maverick from rural Georgia, Biters frontman, producer and solo artist, he’s seen the best and worst of a music industry in constant flux. By turns it’s left him critically acclaimed, poised for stadiums, dropped, burned out, back in the game and beloved by those for whom rock is still everything. Now based in Nashville, and with his own label Gypsy Rose Records, he creates from a more real place than most.
“I want to do something that means something to people,” Tuk says, “because a lot of shit nowadays is so disposable and so plastic. I just don’t connect with that. I’d like to do things that impact people positively. It’s a weird time on the planet, so to have songs about hope, but not be cheesy about it, it’s something I think we need with songwriting. That’s the kind of music I want to hear.”
Again, there’s that dichotomy he speaks of. “Rock ’n’ roll is essentially the illusion of not giving a fuck, right? Like, you know Axl Rose was doing sit-ups and jump rope, and Paul Stanley was on a cardio machine, and they come out and act like it just happens. The point is I sit at that piano many hours, working on this stuff.”
We had the pleasure of chatting to Serg MP, bassist and vocalist of the technical thrash Ukrainians Violent Omen! Check it out below as we talk about their reunion after a decade, writing new music and hopeful plans for the future!
Firstly, what prompted the reunion of the band after all these years?
I had a conflict with drummer Yuri and guitarist/vocalist Dmitro. In fact, it wasn’t something spontaneous, because it had been building up for a long time. A band is like a family, and sometimes there are moments of crisis between members, so it would have happened sooner or later because there were misunderstandings and hidden resentments towards each other. Since we were still young and inexperienced, these misunderstandings turned into a huge public scandal and mudslinging. Now, with the passage of time, Yuri and I deeply regret allowing this to happen, because the band was at its peak with three albums and had great prospects, but unfortunately, we destroyed everything ourselves. Ten years later, I happened to meet Yuri near my home, and we were able to talk and resolve all our issues from the past. After that, we decided to create a new death metal band, Tria Prima, and only then did the idea of reviving Violent Omen come up. I hadn’t seen or spoken to Dmitro since 2014, when he left the band. When Yuri suggested that they get back together, he refused and said that he was ashamed that he had been involved in it and had accidentally ended up in Violent Omen. Dmitro was always strange, so I’m not surprised by his response.
‘Path of Illumination’ has not long dropped, what can you tell me about the track?
The new single is based on the book Angels and Demons by American author Dan Brown. Angels and Demons is a fascinating journey into a world of mystery and intrigue. I had this idea back in 2014 for a new album, but as you can see, it took more than 10 years to realise it, but better late than never. In fact, we planned to make another song the first single, but due to problems with electricity in the country caused by rocket attacks, our plans changed, because everything was already ready for the track ‘Path of Illumination’, and we really wanted to release our single on the band’s 17th anniversary, because it was very important and symbolic for us. In part, this track reflects the direction, and in part it doesn’t, because we ended up making all the songs on the album different so that they wouldn’t sound alike, and you’ll hear that for yourselves later, but at the same time, this track shows our crazy thinking, which is also present in other songs on the album.
How does it fit onto the album as a whole? Is there a certain theme or story behind the album?
No, it’s not a concept album, and each song is about a different topic. I am inspired by various topics, from the Aztecs to Japan’s Unit 731. I am very fond of history and its colorful characters. For example, the new album will feature songs about Billy Milligan and Killdozer, and each of these characters has their own dramatic fate that captivates you with its details and outcome. Incidentally, my inspiration for lyrics is similar to Steve Harris (Iron Maiden). The most interesting thing is that I never tried to imitate him in this regard; it just happened that way. I remember watching the movie Inception and being so impressed that I couldn’t wait for it to end so I could sit down and write the lyrics, and it happened many times with other songs. It’s cool when inspiration for ideas comes spontaneously and out of nowhere.
What’s it like getting together and playing in a room again after all these years?
My emotions are very positive because this is a huge event in my musical life. A lot of time has passed, more than 10 years, since I left the band, and there were still many unresolved issues within the band itself and between the members. But as you can see, time heals everything, and fate itself leads you to the right decision at the right time. To be honest, I thought it would never happen, but I was wrong. It will be very exciting to see the reaction of our fans when the long-awaited album is released! I am very pleased that this has happened!
Is the writing process still the same for the band now compared to back in the day?
No, because we have a new guitarist, and thanks to the new experience I have gained over the last 10 years, we have developed a new structure and approach to new music, which has become more sophisticated and professional. Previously, we took a simpler approach, especially to arrangements, but now we work hardest on arrangements to make them our strong point in music. Also, in the past, it was a completely different time, and we were younger and less experienced, but now we take this very seriously.
Do you have a favourite track on the upcoming album, and if so why?
I like all the songs in their own way, but I would probably single out the song ‘24th Faces of Lunacy’ about Billy Milligan. The song turned out to be my favourite crazy style in every way. It was the first song I wrote for the album, and it remained almost 90 per cent unchanged because it was already so cool and ready. It has everything! Two bass solos, a cool intro guitar solo, crazy vocals, technical and difficult riffs, as well as killer drums that bring it all to a climax. This song also has a special schizophrenic atmosphere!
Do you plan on doing some live shows to promote the album once it’s released?
There are no concerts planned for the near future because the country has been at war for four years now and there are no favorable conditions for this. Maybe in the distant future we will do some kind of tour if the opportunity arises. In the past, when times were better, we performed a lot and we didn’t have a single plan for preparing for concerts. Since we are a non-drinking band, we didn’t get drunk before concerts, but simply went on stage sober, put on a great show, and went to rest. Sometimes, right before the performance, I would play a couple of songs by Dark Angel or Raven on my player to get energized before the show.
Do you have a five year goal for the band moving forward?
Not really, because we’ve already done something unreal and recorded a new album. For us, the band isn’t a job, it’s more like an expensive hobby, so we don’t have any obligations, contracts or business models. But it would be nice to record another 1 or 2 albums in the next 5 years, that’s a realistic goal to achieve. Time will tell, but we are living in wartime and anything can change, and then there will be no time for the band.
Do you have a dream tour lineup you’d want to be a part of? Anyone you’d want to support, or friends you want to bring with you?
For us, going on tour in Europe is already a dream, because it’s a complicated operation for a band from Ukraine without a big label. It would be cool to go on tour with Atheist or with our Luxembourgish friends Fusion Bomb, that would be awesome! There are many great bands that I’ve been friends with for years, and it would be great to go on tour with many of them and have a blast. Tour life is always fun!
If you could have written a song from history, what would it have been and why?
Almost all of my songs are about history, so they’re already written! And if we’re talking about something new that I haven’t gotten around to yet, I’d like to write a song about the Unabomber. Theodore “Ted” Kaczynski (1942–2023) was an American mathematician, social critic, and terrorist known as the “Unabomber”. He conducted a 17-year mail-bombing campaign (1978–1995) targeting people involved with modern technology, killing 3 and injuring 23, driven by an anti-technology ideology detailed in his manifesto I recently watched a cool series about him based on real events, and it made a big impression on me. So maybe you’ll hear a song about him on the new album, but I can’t promise anything.
A more chilled out but still great week for new music this time. Join us as we check out everything from rock to metal to country!
Luke Combs: The Way I Am
The first release from the second-biggest country star in the world in 18 months and, to my honest shock, there’s some rock to this! After 2024’s Fathers & Sons, and to a lesser extent his 2022 and 2023 twofer albums, I didn’t expect him to ever go back to his more southern rock-infused roots but damn, I’m glad I was proven wrong! Opener ‘Back in the Saddle’ sets the tone perfectly, both sound wise and thematically. Songs like ‘My Kinda Saturday Night’, ‘Alcohol of Fame’ and ‘Can’t Tell Me I’m Wrong’ also carry on that energy perfectly! Even some of the slower, ballad-like tracks like ‘Miss You Here’ and ‘Wish Upon a Whiskey’ are definite album highlights.
However, as I’m sure you can tell by how many songs I just named already, this thing is too damn long. screw the algorithm, 73 minutes is too long for one album, especially when a lot of it is slower paced stuff. If this was even as much as half its length, it’d be up there as one of the best country releases of the year. But there is just way too much filler on here for it to be a solid album throughout. It was at least arranged well, with there being good songs spread throughout and me not getting bored for long. But it’s not an album as a whole I’ll be revisiting often, even if it is my favourite release from Mr Combs in seven years. If you are a fan of the guy or his brand of country music, this is well worth checking out, but be prepared to spend a while on it! It’s a solid 7/10 for now, and it could still grow on me with more listens!
Exodus: Goliath
We’ve already checked out this awesome release! Read the full review here.
Tyketto: Closer to the Sun
Another of our most anticipated albums of the year, and it certainly lives up to our hype! It’s nearly 50 minutes of catchy, fun AOR music, and a release I’d recommend to anyone! It’s also packed full of highlights, from ‘Starts with a Feeling’ to ‘Donnowhuddidis’ to ‘Closer to the Sun’ and ‘Hit Me Where it Hurts’. However, there truly isn’t a bad song throughout! How the world has managed to wait a full decade between studio albums I don’t know, but the 90s rockers show that they haven’t lost a step in that time. Danny’s vocals are still incredible, and the rest of the band are firing on all cylinders when it comes to both playing and writing. Plus,the production on the release is really top notch, everything being clear and shining through perfectly. If you are at all a fan of the band, I’d definitely recommend giving this a spin. There isn’t much more I can say apart from that it’s a damn good-time listen! It gets a very easy 8.5/10 from us!
Follow the Signs: Evolve
The new EP from the Irish metalcore band goes hard from start to finish, and I LOVE it. From the more 2000s sound of the opener to the Architects-like ‘Call to Rise’ to the epic title track, it’s all SO GOOD. However, the other two tracks are just as good as the one I’ve mentioned, too. It’s an absolutely incredible 16 minutes of heavy-meets-melodic metal music, and one I can’t recommend enough to anyone even slightly into the genre. How these guys aren’t bigger by now I don’t know, especially with two albums under their belts too. However, this follows Conflictions perfectly, and very much feels like a bold new chapter for the band! An incredibly easy 9/10 from us, great stuff!
Night Thieves: Metaxis
The highly anticipated debut album from the UK alt metallers dropped this last Friday. I remember loving their EP a couple of years back, and this continues that vibe and energy perfectly! They’re the perfect blend of Coheed and Cambria, Atreyu and Ward XVI, and it makes for an incredibly fun listen throughout. Tracks like ‘Mycelia’, ‘Running ‘(Out of Time)’ and ‘The Game’ are all personal highlights, but there really isn’t a bad song throughout. Oh, and Jessie Powell kills it on her feature on ‘See You on the Otherside’, her style perfectly meshing with Night Thieves’. The whole album has a fantastic flow and energy through it, 34-minutes going by in the blink of an eye. Heck, I didn’t even notice the transition between the two parts of ‘In Between’, that’s how well put together this is! It’s the perfect blend of heavy, melodic and radio-friendly, and I’d recommend it to absolutely anyone! I can’t give it any less than 8.5/10, and will definitely be spinning this plenty moving forward!
The Dandy Warhols: Pin Ups
Owen: American band The Dandy Warhols bring us something slightly different this week, ‘Pin Ups’ is the latest addition to their discography and is a collection of 17 cover tracks from the bands favourite and most influential songs to their career. Taking its name from David Bowie’s 1973 cover album, ‘Pin Ups’ takes on some impressive songs mainly from the 70s and 80’s as well as a couple of curveballs. Including tracks from, The Beatles, Marilyn Manson, Bob Dylan, The Cure, New York Dolls, and many more. Each track honours the original whilst still allowing The Dandy Warhols to put their own spin on the song. Only time will tell if any of these covers will cement themselves and stand on their own two feet; its rare for covers to take on a new life with a new artist but it does happen, and fans of the band will certainly enjoy hearing the choices made with each track. Cover albums will always feel like a bit of a filler or a stop-gap, whilst this is a fun exploration of the bands influences I’m sure fans will be expecting some new original work from the group sooner rather than later. 7.5/10
Evermore: Mournbraid
Some truly epic power metal up next. Album number three from the Swedish six-piece, it builds on the bands legacy perfectly. Each band member plays and works their ass off through the full 50 minutes of this, and the result is something truly special. From ‘Underdark’ to ‘Titans’, ‘Armored Willi’ to the closer/title track, it’s all excellent! It reminds me of Hammerfall or even Maiden or Priest to an extent, but a heavier version of both. It’s that heaviness that makes it even better too, not fitting into the typical power metal mould but feeling pretty unique. It’s still got the huge, uplifting, arena-filled choruses, but also has plenty of thrash drumming and some blistering riffs and solos to boot. And I think the production helps took, making everything feel and sound MASSIVE. There isn’t a bad song throughout, and it’s an album that is well worth listening to in full at least once. It’s yet another fantastic album for this week, and another easy 8.5/10!
Poison the Well: Peace in Place
The melodic hardcore titans are back with their first album in almost two decades, and the first release since their 2020 reunion. Due to their long drought and years active, I wasn’t really familiar with them heading in. However, they definitely have a new fan in me, that’s for sure! This is 42-minutes of pure anger, aggression and moodiness, and I am down with every second of it. While ‘Primal Bloom’ and single ‘Weeping Tones’ are definite personal highlights, the whole album has a great flow to it, and is certainly worth a listen in full! The band are clearly talented, and do the heavy-sad thing to perfection. If you are into the heavier side of emo, this is definitely an album you need to check out immediately! Though moody, it’s a good fun listen, and gets a solid 7.5/10 from us!
Axel Rudi Pell: Ghost Town
The brand new solo album from the German guitarist continues his run of regular, excellent releases! It doesn’t reinvent the wheel or anything like that, being a similar brand of vaguely AOR-infused NWOBHM that he’s been putting out since his Steeler days. However, it’s a great album in its own right, just like his previous works. From the title track to ‘Hurricane’ to ‘Steps of Stone’, there is plenty to love throughout. It is maybe a touch long at nearly an hour, especially when it’s all a vaguely similar, plodding pace, but there isn’t a track that I’d happily cut from it! If anyone is a fan of old-school Priest or Michael Schenker, this is absolutely an album for you! It’s not something I’d revisit often, but I had a good time listening and it’s certainly a damn good release, up there alongside Axel’s upper tier. 7/10
Atlus: Art of Letting Go
The label debut from the fast-rising country star continues the momentum built by last years EPperfectly. Setting aside the fact that all 18 minutes of that release take up 1/3rd of this one, there are still some amazing new tracks to sink your teeth into, too. ‘Hold my Liquor’, ‘Sounds Like Alcohol’ and ‘Roses’ are up there alongside ‘Secondhand Smoke’ as top tracks, in my opinion! It’s just damn good country-pop, and the whole 45-minutes is incredibly easy to listen to, going by in a flash. It’s easy to see why he’s becoming such a big name. He’s an incredible songwriter, seamlessly infusing emotion and great lyrics into catchy pop hooks. While not typically my sort of style, Atlus does it in a way that is constantly hooking me in, and I’ll certainly be revisiting this release more than once in the coming weeks. A damn solid 8/10 from us!
Stonetrip: The Fight
Following up on their 2023 debut album, this EP brings together the Australian rockers’ single output since then, adding on a fourth track for good measure. All four tracks are amazing too, all as good as the last! It’s pop-infused alt rock, but also has some great blues and hard rock moments throughout too! It’s just a lot of fun throughout, blending together so many different sounds and even decades. ‘Beautiful You’ is probably my favourite, but every track on this is amazing, honestly! The Australian rock scene is proving time and time again recently that it’s still one of the best in the world, and this release is a great example of that! This is a great EP that immediately leaves me wanting more, and has earned the band a big new fan in me. Another incredibly solid 8/10 from us!
Morgan Evans: Steel Town
Owen: Australian country singer Morgan Evans brings us his third studio album ‘Steel Town’. Following Evans’ divorce from US singer Kelsea Ballerini the album is described as a journey through the stages of grief experienced. The album opens with the title track a love letter to Evans’ hometown of Newcastle, New South Wales, followed by the promotional single released in October 2025 ‘Beer Back Home’ which brings up the nostalgic feelings of returning to your hometown. The tone starts to shift as we move further into the album with songs like ‘Two Broken Hearts’ and ‘Another Drink Coming” as we start to hear more of the dark sides of Evans’ experience. The rest of the album is much of the same.
Ultimately, the album feels quite flat, especially with Evans stating this was a cathartic exercise for processing a divorce. It’s clear Evans has some talent with song writing but this album sounds like every other mass-produced country album released in the past 5 years, and yes even though he is an Australian native of course there’s a song about Texas on this album. I can’t help but feel there is a missed opportunity here to do things differently, show us a side of country music without Nashville influence. 5/10
Misty Route: Ethos
The sophomore album from the Greek alt metallers comes a whopping five years after their debut, yet they prove that this was easily worth the wait! It’s packed full of killer riffing and some truly catchy vocal hooks and melodies. It also feels pretty prog at times, at least in a kinda post-Tool way. Right from opener ‘Hail’ I was hooked, taken on a 40 minute journey of epicness. It’s truly impossible to pick individual highlights too as it’s all so good and flows together perfectly! Honestly I can’t rave about this band enough, and if you are even slightly into the genre or styles I’ve mentioned above, check this out ASAP. The band have a massive new fan in me, and I already can’t wait to hear where they go from here. For now though, I’ll be spinning this plenty in the weeks and months to come. 9/10, amazing stuff!
Tyler Nance: Midwest Memoir
The highly anticipated debut album from the neo-traditional country rising star is every bit as good as the praise being heaped on it! I fell in love with this thing from the opener, and it just kept blowing me away the more I listened. Put it this way; out of the 16 individual tracks on it, nine of them ended up on my personal playlist. Yep, it’s that solid throughout. It’s 50 minutes that doesn’t feel it’s length at all. It feels like the perfect blend of so many different artists, from Ian Munsick to Zach Bryan to Koe Wetzel, but then also feels wholly unique at the same time. It’s packed full of great instrumentation and moments, catchy melodies and plenty of emotional weight, making everything feel massive. And plus, all three (five?) of the guests kill it, adding so much to the tracks they are on, making them even more memorable.
This album is an absolute must for any country, Americana or indie-folk fan out there. It’s easy to see why he’s such a big name already and is only just putting out a debut album now. 9.5/10, WOW.
We had the pleasure of chatting to the amazing southern rockers Otis the other week about their recent single, plans for 2026 and what they make of the UK. Check it out below!
How would you describe your sound?
Oh yeah man, we get thrown into the blues and classic rock pot, as well as the Southern one! It’s kinda weird for us, the Southern rock thing, because really all rock comes from the south. Little Richard, Elvis… it took this combination of gospel and blues and standardised country music to make all those things happen. But we’re grateful for anybody who listens to us and they can call us whatever they want!
We’re happy to do it. And we’ve really been welcomed into the classic rock community. We’ve spent a good amount of time playing with bands like Foreigner and Cheep Trick and UFO. On the Southern rock side we’ve played with Wet Willie and members of the Almond Brothers… we’ve been very lucky that the older guys have seen the spark in us and said to come out with them and learn the ropes!
I feel like genres blend a lot more these days. You can fit into all sorts and people are a bit more open-minded about it!
Yeah, absolutely! Especially in the UK and EU, it seems more welcoming to loose Classic rock bands. In America, at least radio-wise, you had a rock hit 30 years ago, or you’re more active rock like Shinedown or Nickelback. But for what we’re doing, we’re kinda in that in-between place and they don’t know what to do with us on the radio over here!
You’ve just returned with a new single, right?
We have! We released a song called ‘I’m Wicked’ on February 5th. We won Classic Rock Magazine’s track of the week when it came out! There was tough competition so we really appreciate people getting in there and voting!
So far so good, people really seem to be enjoying the song! Last weekend was the first time we got to play it live so that was a lot of fun!
I know it’s been a couple of years since you put out a single, what prompted new music now?
Man, we were going wide open ‘till about 2020. Then I had thyroid cancer, I had to get it removed and take radiation treatment, and the original guitarist for the band went over to play bass for Black Stone Cherry, and the drummer wanted to stay home and do the family thing. So, we brought two new guys into the band and started touring and releasing music again in 2023. We released ‘There’s a Break in the Road’ in 2023, ‘Last Fool in the Line’ in 2024, didn’t release anything last year but released ‘I’m Wicked’ this year.
It’s good to get some new music out there, and we’re working to try and get a full release out! Doing all the behind the scenes business stuff to make that happen. People seem to really be digging what we’re doing, so we want to get some new music out!
That was going to be my next question! Are you looking for end of the year for a longer release?
That would be great! We don’t really have a date down yet but it’s something that we’re working on. All the music we love listening to is in album format, and it’s kinda hard to release music in the single format because people only get a little glimpse of what you’re able to do. When you put a record on and you listen to it front-to-back you get a really clear picture of what a band is about.
I have found it’s so much effort to keep up with the crazy single release schedule Spotify wants you to do these days, there’s so much that goes into each release.
Oh man, it’s exhausting! And really expensive, too! Ideally they want you to release a song every three months or so to keep the numbers where they need to be. At a point you have to look at yourself and go ‘am I putting out music out at the right pace for me and for the right reasons, or just keep the numbers happy?’. We always want to serve the music and put out the best thing we can, but you do have to kinda play the game sadly.
What’s the writing process like for you guys?
We’re a get in the room and hash it out kinda band. I may have a riff or some lyrics or an idea but I try not to develop it too far because once the other three guys get a hold of what’s going on it always changes into something far better than I’d have gotten to on my own! A lot of times I do end up using that root idea, but they manage to take it somewhere completely unexpected, which is a lot of fun. We all feed off each other during the writing process just like we do live. I think that’s the cool thing about being a band over being an artist, you can showcase that. With bands that we love like Humble Pie and Faces, it’s that interaction between those players live in a room that makes it so unique!
I imagine it’s still a nice groove writing with the newer band members?
Oh yeah, I think this lineup of the band, our songwriting has really improved. The two new guys, they’re so energetic and they were into what the band was doing beforehand, and then ended up being in the band, so it gives them even more of a renewed energy!
You’re right in the middle of a run of shows, right?
Yeah, tomorrow actually [at the time of recording] we’re playing with a band called The Damn Shames and Nigel Dupree. This will be a lot of fun as I’ve known Nigel, son of Jesse James Dupree of Jackyl. I’ve never got to see him play, and he’s never seen me play! Then we have a show in Ohio, so the touring’s kicking up for us! We’re still doing the weekend thing, which works for us as a lot who see us are blue-collar people, they can’t really swing going out on a Tuesday night. We’re weekend rock’n’roll warriors!
Have you got a busy rest of the year planned?
Yeah, there’s new shows coming in every day, so from now until November we’re gonna be hitting it! Hopefully some time to get back to the studio and get some songs down and get this record out!
Do you have any plans to come back to the UK any time soon?
Yeah, we’ve been over twice and really enjoyed our time, we’d love to come back! It’s just finding the right opportunity and make as much of an impact as we can while there. It’s tricky; we wanna go everywhere and see everybody but it’s hard to do! We wanna do festival stuff and club stuff, we’ll eventually make it happen. I know people want to see us!
Have you got any comparisons you can make of the scene here compared to back home?
For us we feel a lot more respect when we come over and play for y’all. There’s so much to compete with over here, with people on their phone or watching the game, but over there people just have a greater reverence for live music. Not that people don’t enjoy it over here, I guess our type of music is just something that doesn’t get seen as often over there. So we feel very respected when we come over there!
A typically stacked week of new releases for us to check out, from rock to metal to country. Let’s dive right in!
The Black Crowes: A Pound of Feathers
Owen: Following a 10 or so year hiatus, A Pound of Feathers is the third album in as many years for The Black Crowes. After almost 40 years in the industry, various member changes and 30 million albums sold, the group still sound like they are in their prime. ‘Profane Prophecy’ opens the album and sets the scene for everything that follows; upbeat, riff-heavy and well placed cowbell. A blend of southern soul and classic blues rock with high energy and good helping of attitude from frontman Chris Robinson.
While the tone is consistent throughout, there is space for a couple of outliers. ‘Pharmacy Chronicles’ drops the wailing guitars for a slower acoustic sound, backed up by a slide guitar and a bright piano, the track standing proudly as a southern country rock ballad. ‘High & Lonesome’ is another track that feels like a departure from the rest of the album to show us yet another side of The Black Crowes, this time falling into a 60’s beat with some abstract glam rock influences of the same era. Overall, A Pound of Feathers is a strong collection of tracks proving once again the Robinson brothers and company are still here nearly 40 years on for good reason 9/10
Lamb of God: Into Oblivion
We’ve already checked out this awesome album! Read the full review here.
Avery Anna: forgive, forget.
The follow-up to her huge sophomore album last year, this is a great six tracks of moody radio-country music. Opening on yet another collaboration with her close friend Sam Barber, somewhat controversially it’s probably my least favourite track on the release. Following track, the rockier ‘Man Downstairs’, and the 2000s country ‘Life Ain’t Like the Radio’ are much better, in this writers opinion. And the riffing on the out-and-out southern/blues rock ‘Blood Runs Thicker’ is amazing, and her vocals and lyrics fit perfectly over the top. Stuff like that is far better than her vaguely older-Olivia Rodrigo or Sabrina Carpenter slower, moodier stuff. They’re still good songs, but didn’t catch my ear anywhere near as much.
Because of this, it very much leads to an EP of two halves. Three of the tracks I absolutely adore, and the other three I can kinda take or leave. The slower, pop-oriented tracks aren’t bad, and will probably do better for her than the others, but I find the upbeat ones much more interesting. Heck, it almost feels like she had a better time writing/recording them, too. It will be a release I’ll revisit because of a few tracks, and hopefully the others grow on me with more listens. But, for now, I can’t give it any higher than a 7/10. Still, if you like country, this is well worth a try!
Ravenspell: Obsidian King
Max: I don’t really have too much to say about this one. It’s decent, not great not bad. Its fine and unoffensive. I should probably say I’m not really the biggest fan of power metal or similar genres, but for a bands first full length album, coming in at 40 minutes, this is really pretty decent. It is polished and well produced and recorded. The solos, as is common with this music, and definitely a highlight. However, the best parts, in my opinion, were actually the riffs that were a bit chunkier and galloping. then brought a lot of energy. Probably my biggest issue with this album was that it didn’t seem unique, it felt very middle of the road and similar to other albums in the genre. That’s not bad, if anything it gives more room for them to explore and try something different and a bit more adventurous later on. 5.5/10
The Fray: A Light That Waits
Those guys that did ‘How to Save a Life’ some two decades ago have put out four studio albums since then, but this is their first in over 12 years! It’s also the first release since the departure of their original vocalist, Isaac Slade, in 2022. So, to say this could be a make or break album for them may be an understatement!
Honestly, it impressed me a lot more than I expected it to! The opener/title track is excellent, reminding me of the perfect blend of James Bay, Kings of Leon, and Kip Moore. Then you have tracks like ‘Ice Cold Lakes’ and ‘Tasted Glory’ that are also big personal highlights. It made me nostalgic for the sort of sound that was big in their hay day, a sound that sadly isn’t nearly as popular the last decade. Don’t get me wrong, 35-minutes of slowish, similar sounding music did get a bit much for me and my tiny attention span around the halfway mark, but all of it was still damn good music. Each track in isolation is great, and it fits together perfectly on the release. Joe King (lol) makes for a damn good lead vocalist, and really feels like he is leading the now-trio into a new chapter of their careers. And I for one am excited to hear where they go from here. For now though, I’d say this is easily their best release since their 2009 self-titled output, and it gets a solid 7.5/10 from me!
Roswell Road: Rebel Joy
This beautiful combination of folk, indie and Americana is pretty damn amazing for a debut album! The female duo have been building up to the release for the last two years with a total of six singles, culminating in this nearly-40-minute collection of incredible harmonies, lyrics and instrumentation. While not typically my sort of sound usually, I couldn’t help but get lost in this, the pair’s talent on full display throughout. The opener featuring the equally-great Dunwells is a huge high point of the release, alongside ‘Can’t Take my Soul’. It’s a great album to throw on and chill-out to, while still having plenty of weight and emotion at the same time. The pair have a very bright future ahead of them, and if you are at all into the sort of style I’ve mentioned above, this is well worth giving a spin! It’s another I will probably revisit if I ever want something more relaxed, and it may grow on me more then. However, for now, a solid 6.5/10 from us.
Angus McSix: …And the All-Seeing Astral Eye
We’ve also checked out this great release! Read our love for it here.
The Scratch: Pull Like a Dog
Album number four from the modern folk-metallers isn’t at all what I expected heading into it, but I enjoyed it a lot all the same! It’s like the other side of the folk-metal coin. There are plenty of bands that incorporate folk instruments into a metal sound, usually more of a traditional heavy or power metal style. I haven’t known really any band to just play straight up folk or bluegrass music but just transposed to distorted and ‘rock’ instrumentation. That is, until now! And, the fact that they have toured with the likes of Dropkicks and Dermot Kennedy should outline exactly what I’m talking about, as they are incredibly fitting supports for both. It makes for a fascinating listen, and a style that I got into more and more as the release went on. It almost makes it as much hardcore as anything else at times, which I am more than down with. And somehow, the Irish accent adds even more anger and attitude to it when it gets to that point.
‘Pullin’ Teeth’ is a massive early highlight, with Kevin Rheault adding even more greatness to the sound. Then you have tracks like ‘Mother of God’ and ‘Horsefly’ that are also great songs in their own right. The whole album is damn interesting though, and quirky enough to keep me hooked from start to finish. They are all clearly talented musicians and there is nothing out there even remotely like this. If you are at all interested, I’d highly recommend checking this out, you may end up loving it! It’s growing on me more with every listen, but for now it still gets a solid 8/10!
Joey Frendo: Harder Than Dreaming
This is a fun, chilled-out soft Southern rock album! From the incredible lyrics to the powerful, emotion-filled vocal delivery, and the excellent, fitting instrumentation behind it all, it’s all so well written and performed. From ‘First Band’ and the title track to the slightly more up-beat ‘Wings of a Song’ and the brass-heavy ‘Back to You’, there’s so much to love. However, there really isn’t a bad track throughout, 40 minutes going by in a flash! He’s a name that should be bigger by this point, but hopefully this sophomore album pushes him to new heights. He certainly has a new fan in me, that’s for sure! If you are at all a fan of the slower side of country/rock, this is definitely an album worth checking out. I’ll certainly be spinning it again, especially when it comes to summer time, and it gets a solid 7/10 from us!
Sweet Pill: Still There’s a Glow
Owen: Still There’s a Glow is the second studio album from Philadelphia-based Sweet Pill. It used to be cliché to compare any emo/punk band with a female vocalist to Paramore in some way but listening to Sweet Pill’s latest release leaves me little option. Whether intentional or not, various tracks from ‘Still There’s a Glow’ would have sit happily on Riot! Or Brand New Eyes. Despite the similarities, Sweet Pill are sure to make their own stamp on the genre and aren’t afraid to lean into an even heavier sound at points; vocals turn briefly to screams and the rest of the band can follow suit. Tracks like ‘Slow burn’ and ‘Smoke Screen’ show where Sweet Pill’s sound can change and evolve. For only the second album from a relatively new band this album is an impressive addition to what is sure to be a progressive and long-lasting discography. 8.5/10
Big Band of Boom: Self-Titled
This is a wild release! Being a blend of big-band brass and ska, punk and metal, it’s certainly unique. And, it won me over immediately, having me hooked from the start to the very end! The opening one-two-punch of ‘Stupid Filthy Rich’ into single ‘Earthquake’ is incredible. ‘Doomscrolling’ is SOAD in every perfect way, and the fact that they even cover ‘Toxicity’ later on to add to it is phenomenal. Another cover, Pendulum’s ‘Propane Nightares’, is another firm high point of the release. And of course, their big track, ‘Big Bad Voodoo’, and also stuff like ‘One Night Only’ and ‘Yügen’ are also HUGE highlights too.
As you can tell, I could gush about this release all day, and happily at that! The band are so damn talented in every aspect, and have crafted something truly unique with this album. They certainly have a big new fan in me, and I’ll be spinning this plenty in the months to come. I’d recommend absolutely anyone check this out ASAP, as it very much has something for everyone. And, I can’t give it any less than a whopping 10/10. Amazing stuff!
Monstrosity: Screams from Beneath the Surface
Max: This one was hard for me. It is, in every manner, an objectively good album. The riffs are great, the drummer is insane (the kicks were a real highlight), the vocals were gross and visceral, just as you would want. “So Max if everything is so good, why was it hard to review?”, well kind reader, its because it was really hard to give it an objective number rating. It’s not reinventing the wheel, nor is it doing nothing at all, it’s a lot of fun and has some weird little quirks throughout, like the high notes on the guitar in ‘The Atrophied’. So after literally flipping a coin to decide what I am going to give it, here it is … 7.5/10
Georgia Nevada: BackFire
The much-anticipated debut album from the UK country star finally dropped this last Friday. We loved her EP back last year, so have been pretty damn excited for this to arrive! To say it lives up to our hype would be an understatement, too! It’s 26 minutes of rock-infused country music, and when I say that every track is as good as the last, I truly mean it! ‘My Town, Too’, ‘Damaged Goods’ and ‘Stones Throw’ are all personal highlights, but there truly isn’t a bad song throughout. I like the even rockier edge she’s taken with this release, and her backing band are all incredible musicians alongside her! It’s easy to compare her to the likes of Kezia Gill, and this honestly feels just as polished and excellent as All on Redis. As the UK scene continues to grow year by year, Georgia has the real potential to be at the very forefront of it sooner rather than later, especially with releases like this! Anyone into country or rock in any capacity, check this out, it’s incredibly fun and a very easy listen. I can’t give it any less than 9/10!
Caroline Romano: It Took me Falling
Following up on the excellent How the Good Girls Die EP from last year was going to be a tall task, but Caroline has dropped a release every bit as good with this! It’s six awesome pop-rock tracks, each flowing perfectly from one to the next. There’s just a touch of country to the slower moments too, which I really liked. ‘Not Used to You’ is probably my favourite song on here, but each is great in their own way! It’s very Olivia Rodrigo, but does have a darker, slightly rockier edge to it too. Her vocals are amazing, and the lyrics skirt the line of emotional and fun perfectly throughout. If you are into her style, this is absolutely a release for you! It’s another release to get a solid 7/10!
Close Enemies: Self-Titled
The debut release from the newest rock supergroup finally dropped this last Friday. I didn’t actually know these guys were a thing until this weekend, but they are a damn good classic rock band, and have smashed it with this album! It very much feels like a sum of some of the parts, being vaguely Aerosmith and even Rod Stewart, but also a little Quireboys, Dirty Honey and our buddies above, The Black Crowes. ‘Sound of a Train’, ‘Wink and a Feather’ and single/ballad ‘More Than I Could Ever Need’ are all personal highlights, but there really isn’t a bad song throughout. Five excellent musicians have come together to create something awesome here, and if you are into any of their other projects, this is well worth checking out! It’s a pretty easy listen and, while it maybe gets a little long-in-the-tooth by the end, it’s still a solid 7.5/10 from us!
Sour Tusk: Lightning Boogie
The first album in seven years from the UK stoner metallers shows that the band haven’t at all lost a step in that time! It’s 40 minutes of great riffing and drumming, and some surprisingly catchy vocal hooks to boot. Between ‘Mission from God’, ‘Hail Hail’ and the punky ‘The Monster in Me’ are all big personal highlights, but there really isn’t a bad track throughout. The band are all insanely talented musicians and have been plugging away at the UK for a good few years now, growing a dedicated fanbase. Said fanbase will love this, as I’d easily put it up there with their debut! If you are at all into the stoner/doomier side of rock and metal, this is certainly for you. It’s like anything from QOTSA to The Sword to even Crowbar. It’s a lot of fun, and will surely push the band to new heights. 8/10
Cat Clyde: Mud Blood Bone
This is a fun classic country/soul album! It gives big Pokey Lafargeor Sierra Ferrel vibes, in the best ways. There’s also a slight gothic edge to it at times, giving off the energy of stuff like Twin Temple or Chelsea Wolfe. It’s certainly not a sound for everyone, but I had a great time listening! And, while it’s an album that begs to be listened to in full, and is very easy to do so, ‘Man’s World’, ‘My Love’ and the almost punky ‘Wanna Ride’ were personal highlights! Heck, I ended up enjoying the second half of the album even more than the first, which is saying something! But, as I said, it’s a fun listen, and just over half an hour goes by in a flash. Her vocals are incredible and fit the tone of each track perfectly, while her lyric writing is also amazing. And the band she has used here are stellar, fitting and representing her style to a T. It’s not a release I’d revisit often, but I know that whenever I do, I’ll have a blast! A pretty solid and easy 6.5/10 from us!
Schattenmann: Endgegner
Album five from the ‘New German Hardness’ band is also the longest gap between records they’ve had so far. Now, we enjoyed their last release back in 2023, but honestly this may be on another level! It’s got a lot more of an industrial edge throughout, but the dark melodies also remind me a lot of the likes of Lord of the Lost or Beyond the Black. The title track is the perfect opener, and songs like ‘Einen Scheiss muss ich’, ‘Schna-na-naps’ and ‘Echo’ are also big high points. The whole album is good though, even if it does feel a touch long. Though it’s only 40 minutes, it’s a lot of similar stuff, and does drag just a touch by the last few song, despite them still being high quality. Still, if you like their particular brand of noise, it’s definitely worth checking out, and it certainly won’t stop me from spinning it plenty in the coming weeks and months. A damn easy 8.5/10 from us!
Against I: Anti Life
This is a damn good blackened death metal album! Release four from the Swedish trio, they should be getting far more love than they are currently! This album is heavy, dark and epic all in equal measure, and an absolute must for anyone into the heavier side of the genre. And, even at nearly an hour in length, it goes by in a flash, and is a damn fun listen! From ‘Built to Destroy’ to ‘Empires of Bones’ to ‘Where we Lay to Rest’, it’s all so good. It certainly won’t be for everyone, but for someone who isn’t hugely into much black-metal-leaning stuff I was still hooked, so that must say something! The band have really come into their own here, and I can’t give it any less than 7/10, good stuff!
The Kimball Superstars: Here’s to the Memory
The sophomore album from the Washington old-school country band is a lot of fun. It’s simple but such an easy listen. From the title track to ‘No Happiness Alone’ to ‘Thinking Man’s Plight’, there is plenty to love. There are some incredible lyrics throughout, and the vocal delivery of all of it was perfect. Even the instrumentation construed plenty of emotion when needed! It doesn’t reinvent the wheel by any stretch, but is a damn easy album to throw on and relax to, and if you like an older country style this is absolutely an album for you. It’s good, if nothing else. 6/10, will probably listen again at some point soon.
The Gems: Year of the Snake
Following up on 2024’sPhoenix, the classic rock women have produced another awesome release with Year of the Snake. The albums titular track opens things perfectly, while tracks like single ‘Live and Let Go’ and ‘Hot Bait’ and the bluesy ‘Buckle Up’ are all further high points. However, this whole album is banger after banger, and 45-minutes goes by in the blink of an eye. It’s packed full of fantastic riffs, solid drumming and amazing vocals, all wrapped up into a package the perfect mix of sleaze, hard rock and AOR. The trio are some of the best songwriters in their genre currently, and are really operating at the top of their game. Every song on here is as good as the last, from fast stomper to emotional ballad. As much as I loved (and still spin) Phoenix, I think somehow they have managed to top it with this release. I LOVE this album, and feel like it won’t get nearly the buzz it deserves. Still, it gets an incredibly solid 9.5/10 from us, and expect it pretty high on our albums of the year listcome December!
Wolfbastard: Satanic Scum Punks
Four years after the Manchester ‘feral underground kings’ dropped their critically acclaimed Hammer the Bastards, the trio are back with another offering. And, it’s another excellent dark, aggressive black-metal-tinged hardcore album! It’s half an hour of balls-to-the-wall anger that feels so take-no-prisoners in the best way. Wolfbastard don’t give a shit if you like them or not, they’re just here to kick some ass! And, as a result, the release has a great flow to it, each track fitting together with each other perfectly. It makes it incredibly hard to pick highlights, as the whole thing just kinda slaps! It’s yet another release that certainly isn’t for everyone, but I had a damn good time listening to it and would LOVE to see it live! A damn solid 7.5/10 from us, and I cannot wait to hear where they go from here
The mighty Angus McSix and his band of orcs and dwarves dropped his second solo album today! For those of you who remember, we loved his debut back in 2023, and I still listen to a few songs from it fairly regularly now. However, from the moment this was announced, I’ve been excited, so for it to finally have arrived is awesome! There is no one quite like Angus, both in terms of vocals or writing, and if the rest of the album is anything like the couple of singles I’ve heard already, this is gonna be a blast!
While I am usually not one for front-loading an album, I kinda love that the first half of the album is all the singles, in release order. Angus has told a story here (I have only checked out the second track’s video so far, I may have to watch the others after this!) and putting it chronologically on the album makes a lot of sense. Plus, lead single ‘6666’ is absolutely amazing, and such a great way to open the album! Starting on a massive, powerful buildup highlighting Angus’ insane vocal range perfectly before blasting into that massive riff… amazing! The verse is typical McSix in all the best ways; the heavy guitars and drums and plenty of synth backing it. And, of course, the chorus is catchy as anything, just made to be played to huge festival crowds! My only vague complaint of the track is that it’s a touch short, but when we have a full album to check out it’s hardly an issue to be wanting more!
‘The Fire of Yore’ is a track that I’ve been obsessed with since it dropped back in September. We did a reaction back when it dropped, and gushed about it plenty then. It has also been in regular rotation for me since, and been stuck in my head at least a handful of times! That massive intro into the catchy-as-anything chorus is awesome, and the more retro verses fit between them perfectly. And heck, we get a dance-breakdown, so what’s not to love?! It’s just a fantastic modern power metal song, and doesn’t take itself too seriously so is a lot of fun. An amazing song and single, and definitely up there alongside the best of his debut!
The incredible Rhapsody of Fire join Angus and co on ‘I am Adam McSix’. Once again, it opens on a huge, catchy and arena-filling chorus, though it’s a little slower and lower energy than the previous tracks’. However, the riffing definitely feels a little heavier this time! And, Giacomo Voli’s vocals fit alongside Angus’ fantastically, it being an amazing collaboration. It feels more like a ballad track, but done in such an epic, power metal way that the energy stays consistent to the previous tracks. It’s another excellent track, and one that easily makes our playlist! I’m definitely going to have to watch the videos though, because I’m already losing track of the story just a little!
The other two singles, ‘Dig Down’ and ‘Techno Man’, once again feature guests in Van Canto and Turmion Kätilöt, respectively. The former is a fantastic, straight-up power metal track that feels very much built around its incredible chorus. Meanwhile the latter, much like the title suggests, leans more into the electronic elements, almost having an Electric Callboy vibe to it. Having said that, it still has a very typical Angus chorus, in the best possible way. And also, both guests do great, adding a lot to their respective tracks! If I had to pick, I’d prefer the latter, just because it feels a touch different compared to what we’ve had so far, and that heavy bridge with the screams from the Turmion camp are amazing. However, both are great songs in their own right, and fit the album perfectly!
Then, we reach the album tracks. ‘Ork Zero’ is another techno-heavy, high-energy banger that builds to another MASSIVE chorus. The same could be said for ‘Starlight Stronghold’, though it’s a bit more traditional power metal, for the most part. And, after a short interlude track, we get another personal highlight in ‘Let the Search Begin’. While it is still similar to a lot of the rest of the album, there’s just something about it that hooked me in and didn’t let go until the end. All of it is so catchy, from the verse to that huge, grandiose chorus, the harmonies and backing vocals definitely adding to it. Plus, we even get an awesome, technical and harmonised guitar solo tucked away in the middle, something I didn’t realise I was missing so much until I got it! It’s another huge high point of the album, and definitely one to check out!
‘The Power of Metal’ features another guest appearance, this time by Freedom Call. It instantly gives the track much more of a folk metal vibe to it. And yet still, by the time Angus’ powerful vocals come in, it sounds so distinctively McSix, him able to blend these different styles together into his own amazingly. Once again, all the vocals slot together perfectly, like two pieces of the same puzzleLyrically it’s silly but in the best way, telling a fantastic story. Once again I’m going to have to sit down with the videos and lyrics, because I do think the story will be as brilliant as it seems insane. In isolation it may be a little odd, but it fits the flow of the album to a tee, and as I said before, doesn’t take itself too seriously while still sounding excellent and being packed full of talent! Yet another banger!
The closing number, ‘Into Battle’, is another essentially interlude, but is so grandiose and epic I couldn’t not talk about it! It’s a fantastic piece of orchestral music that wouldn’t be out of place on a film score. It does, however, feel like a pretty massive buildup, which is a slightly odd way to end the album. Maybe it’ll fit in more with another listen or two but for now, although it was a great song on its own, I’d have maybe opened the release with it instead of closed it.
Overall: This is a great album, and a damn fitting follow-up to the Sword of Power! Each song is awesome, and the concept and flow to it is pulled off with such care and detail, it begs for multiple full listens and really sinking your teeth into it. While I do still think the tracks individually on his debut are better, there is no denying that this is a hugely strong album overall, and one I will be spinning plenty in the coming weeks and months. And still, there are plenty of solo tracks that stand up as some of his best work, from any band! I do kinda wish there was a bit more of a slower song on here; 41 minutes of similar sounding stuff can get old eventually, but there isn’t a song that I’d take away and replace with something else. If you are at all a fan of Angus, his past projects or power metal in general, this is definitely a release for you!
We had the pleasure of chatting to the amazing alt duo Pil and Bue the other day. Check out as we chat about their latest release, touring plans and the state of the industry!
How would you describe your sound? I tried all sorts of different ways to describe it in my review!
Atmospheric and…someone called it fusion rock. It’s hard to say… hehe.
What made you stick to a duo after all these years? Was there ever a point you considered adding other members?
It was only in the very beginning that we planned to add more members. We wanted to write a few songs first, and then get a band on its feet. This never happened, as we discovered the freedom of two. It was fun, and uncomplicated. It felt good. Still does. Sometimes it is challenging. Not many things to lean on to catch our breaths, haha. It is intense!
The album has been out a few days now, it seems to have been very well received!
We have received a lot of compliments and good reviews for it already, and of course that feels good. It’s always very exciting and a little scary to put out new work. We have spent a lot of energy and time on this, it’s a strange, meaningful and vulnerable thing. And right now we feel proud and satisfied.
Is there a certain theme running through the album? Or is it more individual stories?
It speaks about the strange times we live in and a feeling of overwhelmingness. Everything seems to go faster, and wars are on the rise. We need peace and love. We need to slow down. Some of the songs are more about what goes on within. Internal matters, in order to try and stay reasonable and sane. We are getting older, but not sure if we’re getting wiser. Times are strange.
What made you return to the (Level) tag after a few years away from it?
This is our first release on our own label, except from level 1, and therefore it felt very natural to go back to it.
What is the writing process like for the band?
Jam based. Often at soundchecks, we discover a riff. Record on our phone or similar. It is very often very inspiring to jam at soundchecks. Good sound, new room, new energy, new city… And then we listen to it after a while. A couple of months later, or so, to find out if it is something we want to build upon. And then we play around with it in the rehearsing room. Often the lyrics come last. However, sometimes a line or two appears in the beginning, and it stays with me through.
Do you have a favourite track on the album, and why?
I think mine is ‘that LITTLE sting’ at the moment. It has an untypical structure. It is two different song ideas merged into one. It is very playful and free. I like that. It’s fun to play it live too.
Do you have a busy year planned touring in support of the album?
Indeed! Lot’s of gigs!
I saw you’re in the UK in August for Arctangent, right? Any other shows planned over here for around that?
That’s right! Not at the minute, but let’s see what happens. We have heard that Arctangent is great, so we are looking forward to that one.
What would you say the music scene is like back home? If you’ve been to the UK before, do you have any comparisons you could make?
This is a good question. Here it is obviously much smaller than in the UK. a lot of DIY spirit here too, though. We haven’t played much in the UK thus far. 1 show in London, supporting Long Distance Calling. I think living up here makes the scene here a bit isolated, which also can lead to a unique sound, I guess.
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 want to bring on the road with you?
Both of us started playing instruments because of Metallica, so it would be fun to open for them. We would love to bring our friends in Féleth (Death metal from above the arctic circle) with us.
If you could have written one song from history, what would it have been and why?
Queen – The Show Must Go On. Because it is brilliant, and the show actually must go on.
The whopping 10th studio album from the NWOAHM titans is arriving to a lot of hype this coming Friday. Being a fan of the band for well over a decade at this point, and having heard a couple of the singles, I have to say I have been DAMN excitedly waiting to hear it. After a couple of surprisingly mixed-received albums (among the fans, critics love them), they return after four years with what seems to be a sound a bit closer to their 2000s work. We got the chance to check this out a little early, and of course jumped at the chance! So, without further ado, let’s dive right in!
The title track is one we are very familiar here at Overtone already. I’ve gushed about it plenty already in my reaction video, and have listened to it plenty since. It’s the perfect way to introduce the album, and as I mentioned in said video, does feel like an immediate return to form for the band. And I’m saying that who was a fan of their last couple of releases, too. However, this has a real old-school LoG vibe to it, from the riffing to Randy’s vocals to the amazing drumming, it’s all fantastic! It’s like I was transported back to when I first discovered and got into them properly with Sacrament (I’m old, I know!) and I loved every second. They never lost it, but feel like they’ve found it again anyway, just adding it on top of the rest! It’s an amazing song, and a huge early-album highlight!
‘Parasocial Christ’ explodes in with heavy riffing and screaming immediately, keeping the energy flowing excellently. The balls-to-the-wall opening opens out a little for the second half of the verse, giving it more of a groove metal feel. It’s a perfectly chaotic song that all feels like it builds up more and more into its eventual chorus, coming nearly halfway into the track! And, it’s a damn good chorus, to boot, and followed up by an amazing (if all too short) guitar solo! It’s just a damn good heavy song, and Randy’s growls towards the end are FANTASTIC, really drawing the track together perfectly. Two for two on excellent songs, so far!
Single ‘Sepsis’ opens on a dirty, heavy bassline, backed amazingly by the steady drums. We get some ever-great spoken word stuff over the top from Randy to build it up even more. The guitars come in and the vocals turn to screams, but it still stays at the same steady pace and level, feeling ominous and still building, and soon drops back again. I love the steady, plodding pace of the first half of the track, especially after two thrashier ones. However, it still feels damn heavy, and so very Lamb of God. And it still grows more and gets to more of their core sound in the second half. And, it’s all seems to be a buildup to that awesome drop-out to Randy’s scream into that HUGE breakdown, it hitting so hard and being really masterful writing. Said breakdown runs for the rest of the track too, acting as the perfect closer. It does one of my pet peeves of fading out, but even then it’s that amazing I don’t have too much of an issue with it. It was an interesting choice for a single, but it’s a damn good track in its own right, and definitely another highlight!
A low, menacing riff introduces ‘The Killing Floor’ before it goes right back into their breakneck, heavy pace! It’s classic Lamb of God in the best way. The same could be said for recent single ‘Blunt Force Blues’ and ‘Bully’. All are fantastic tracks in their own right and fit the tone and flow of the album perfectly. They are well worth checking out, and are only grouped together here to make the article more manageable as otherwise I’d be repeating myself a much and coming across as even more of a fangirl than I already am!
‘El Vacío’ slows things down perfectly at the halfway mark of the album. A clean, almost Tool-like riff kicks things off, with some low, clean vocals, something Randy has incorporated masterfully in recent years. Even when it explodes in with the distortion and heaviness for the chorus, it still stays at a slower pace. It kinda feels like the ballad of the album, and placed arguably perfectly within it. It’s a style that few can pull off as successfully as LoG, with the only that immediately springs to mind being Malevolence. However, I’d put this up there with any track they’ve put out in this vein, that’s for sure! It’s a really interesting song, and honestly one that pretty easily makes our playlist!
‘St Catherine’s Wheel’ is another interesting track. It’s insanely fast, but also has an arrangement more like a Gojira song than anything else. The dynamics throughout are wild, starting with distant drums and guitar, going hard for seconds, before dropping out to the high riffing, awesome drumming and vocals. Don’t get me wrong, it builds up to some CHUNKY LoG style stuff pretty quick, but changing it up is always highly appreciated. The chorus is awesome too, heavy and catchy in equal measure, and one of my favourite on the album! And the riffing behind it… *chefs kiss*. I mean, the riffing through the whole track is amazing, as the breakdown/bridge is also excellent. To I’m sure no shock at all, I loved this song, and it’ yet another that I’d urge anyone reading this to check out!
The final two songs, ‘A Thousand Years’ and ‘Devise/Destroy’ are both once again bangers in their own right. The former is a more plodding, groove metal number that has some of Randy’s best ever clean vocals, as well as some absolutely phenomenal screams. Then you have the closer that is just as balls-to-the-wall as the opening couple of numbers, bringing the album full-circle excellently. It’s heavy, full of attitude and once again has some incredible riffing and a great chorus. Both are two more huge highlight tracks on an album honestly full of them!
Overall: Going into this expecting big things after a couple of the singles, this somehow blew me away even more than I’d hoped for! It has plenty of old-school Lamb of God moments, but also has some stuff that is more akin to their more modern sound, though done in such a way that it feels heavy, dark and more like them than ever. The change of their logo wasn’t just done because it had been a while; it feels like a bold new chapter of the band, and I am all for it! It feels like a culmination of everything that has come before it, with a sprinkling of modern, new sounds added on top to fantastic results. If you have ever at all been a fan of the band or the style, this is an absolute must-listen!
We had the pleasure of chatting to Welsh metalcorers Scratch One Grub the other day about their recent debut album, plans for the year and the state of the scene. Check it out below!
How would you describe your sound?
The Grubman – “Energetic, aggressive, furious, heavy, in your face. Elements of many genres combined.”
What inspired the release of an album practically to start with over an EP or more standalone singles?
Lewis – “Me and Grubman wrote an EP’s worth of material together and in the meantime, I had an EP’s worth of material. It just made sense to combine the 2 and create a full album. We could have released everything as singles or EP’s, which would have been good to keep up the streaming engagement. However, having an album to your name is something to be proud of and quite rare for grassroots bands to say these days. I think going forward, it will be more single and EP focused just so we can maintain listener engagement.”
Grubman – “Also gives the audience more to listen to and gives us a chance to tell a story and have more songs for the crowd to know before seeing us live.”
Is there a particular story or theme around the album, or is it more a story for each individual track?
Grubman – “Individual based as a whole. We feel like the album in its entirety is showcasing the songwriting abilities. The album is paced very well and that takes you on a journey in itself.”
Lewis – “I like the idea of a concept album, but in my opinion, the idea for one has to be truly solidified and consistent. I’m not sure if we have the patience for that. Lyrically there are some cross cutting themes I suppose.”
What is the writing process like for the band?
Grubman – “Lewis and I come together with ideas and build upon them. They are passed onto the band for them to contribute any ideas they might have.”
Lewis – “Sometimes the initial ideas are very basic and brief which I love, as it leaves plenty of space for creative opportunities. My approach specifically is to riff around with a drum track and piece things together. Sometimes I set myself up to write something with a specific sound, otherwise sonically, we might lack diversity.”
Do you have a favourite track on the album? And if so, which is it and why?
Lewis – “‘Ysbryd’. There are so many layers to that song in every element of the music and it’s just a beautiful track in general. Full of emotion, heaviness and melodies.”
Grubman – “‘Absolution’. It’s the first song we wrote together over 5 years ago.”
Busy year planned promoting the album with live shows?
Grubman – “We did an album launch show and have an anniversary gig coming up too. We have other gigs lined up across South Wales with some amazing bands. The friends and connections we’ve made over just a year’s time are great and we love hitting local venues.”
Lewis – We’re constantly looking for shows, especially to follow up from the batch we already have that lead into the spring and summer. Can’t get enough of it!”
What do you think the scene is like these days? Welsh scene seems especially good!
Lewis – “I think the South Wales metal scene is awesome! There genuinely is a great selection of gifted artist here and we are proud to say that we have made strong connections with a lot of them. I think South Wales will remain this way forever.”
Grubman – “We are proud to be a part of the Welsh metal scene!”
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 want to bring along?
Grubman – “Playing with Slipknot would be a dream, also playing some major festivals such as Bloodstock and Download.
Lewis – “Agreed, especially Download since we have attended many. Metallica is an easy and unoriginal answer, however my reason is that it’s because they play stadiums. Don’t get me wrong, I love Metallica and being a part of their lineup would be an honour alone, but not many metal bands can play the stadiums that they do.”
If you could have written one song from history, what would it be and why?
Grubman – “‘Money for Nothing’. Best riff ever.”
Lewis – “My answer used to be ‘Happy Song’ by Bring Me The Horizon. Now though, I don’t really know. Does that mean that music history would have to be re-written to some degree? That can be considered a consequence to this wish and I wouldn’t want to do that. I am grateful that all the music we have now exists, no matter who wrote it. If you want a short answer then it would be this: History is constantly being written. Now that Scratch One Grub are here, we will create our own part.”
