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new music mondays

New Music Mondays: Motionless in White, Niko Moon and More!

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Another packed out week of great new music across the rock, metal and country world. Let’s dive in!

Motionless in White: Decades

We’ve already checked out this awesome album! Read our full review here.

Niko Moon: ROOTS

The first album from the country-pop singer to not feature his signature face logo on the cover, it somehow feels different to his previous albums while still having that signature Moon style and charm. We sadly missed his previous album last year, but LOVED BETTER DAYS before that. While this release doesn’t quite blow me away as much as that one did, it is still an excellent release! It does feel a little more country than his previous stuff, or at least leans more into his red clay roots and a healthy does of bro country. However, it also gives off big Buffett vibes still, as well as everything from AJR to even Bublé at times! Tracks like ‘RICH MAN’, ‘GET COUNTRY’, ‘COUNTRY SONG’, and ‘ONE WAY TO FIND OUT’ are all big highlights, as is the soulful ‘LAY IT ON ME’. However, I didn’t have nearly as much fun as I did with BETTER DAYS, and it if anything has just made me go back and listen to that release instead. It’s not a bad album, that’s for sure, but for how hyped I was to check it out, it did let me down a touch. It’s a lot of similar sounding stuff for 44 minutes, too. I’d not turn it off if it came back on, but I won’t be rushing to re-listen immediately, either. It may grow on me the more I sit with it, but for now it gets a 7/10

Protest the Hero: Within

The Canadian prog/tech metallers are back with their first album in over six years. To say that they haven’t lost a step in that time would honestly be an understatement! It’s 35 minutes of chaotic brilliance; insane riffing, fantastic drumming, catchy vocal melodies, and a healthy dose of screams, too. ‘Mouthpiece’ is a phenomenal opener, while every other track is just as excellent. The broadway-meets-Coheed ‘Fishhook’ is excellent, as is ‘Liberty Spike’, while ‘Grandfather’s Axe’ is one of my favourite tracks the band have ever done! The band are so insanely talented, and how they’ve had such a consistently excellent output over their 23 years of releasing music is beyond me. It’s not going to be for everyone, don’t get me wrong, but I’m a little bit obsessed with this release! It’s up there with Fortress for me, and is easily their best album since. I’m going to be spinning it a lot in the weeks and months to come, and would recommend anyone even slightly interested to check it out ASAP. I can’t give it any less than 10/10, GODDAMN.

Aaron Lewis: Give my Country Back

I actually remember liking ThatguyfromStaind’s last solo country album. Yeah, it was a little corny, but it at least fit well with his voice and his writing style. I’d heard the talk about the title track of this album when it dropped, so I was grimly curious to check it out…

It was just as bad as I expected. It’s a shame too, as I was lured into a false sense of security with opener ‘The Door’; it wasn’t half bad! However, then the heavy-handed patriotism started, and I very quickly tapped out. The title track is indeed that bad, but the rest of the album isn’t much better. Even the artwork is cringy, honestly. I don’t want to get bogged down by the obvious politics of it all, but safe to say from my perspective, it’s not a good look.

And, almost as egregious as all of that: it’s slow and a little boring. I know Aaron’s not exactly known for up-tempo stuff in general, but a lot of this blurred together for me. There’s some stuff on here that is honestly good, like the aforementioned opener and ‘A Showman’s Heart’, but they are bogged down by a lot of mid-or-worse stuff. If you are a big fan of Aaron’s previous releases, it may be worth giving a spin, but I wouldn’t recommend going in with particularly high expectations. Musically it’s at least inoffensive, but yeah, it’s hard to get into overall. 3/10

Tesla: Homage

The legendary hard rockers returned this weekend with their first new album since 2019. I’ve been a fan of them for well over a decade at this point, and rather enjoyed Shock upon its release, so I’m so glad they’re back with studio music again. What a return it is, too! Though we tend not to do covers albums on this series, this was done so well and is such a fun release it was impossible not to rave about! It’s almost an hour of blues/AOR-infused rock music like only Tesla can do. And, what’s more, the band make every track feel distinctly them, putting their own signature spin on things. To the point where if you weren’t already familiar with the songs, you may be fooled into thinking they were Tesla’s themselves!

The opening two tracks show their range enough as it is, and both are awesome songs in their own right. Then you have stuff like single ‘Spread Your Wings’, ‘Night Moves’, ‘Give a Little Bit’ and ‘I’d Rather Go Blind’ that are also huge highlights. However, there isn’t a bad track on here, and it’s just a damn fun listen all round. Each track perfectly showcases Jeff Keith’s ever-impressive vocals, and the rest of the band play their asses off throughout, too. If you are at all a fan of old-school rock, blues or soul, or just Tesla in general, this is certainly worth a spin. It’s a goos stop-gap while I impatiently (hopefully) wait for new music, and is a solid 8/10 from us!

Mercers.: The Liminal Tapes

This debut EP from the hardcore/nu-metal-ish Brits is surely set to catapult them far right from the jump. This thing is pissed off and aggressive, but also plenty melodic too! Heck, ‘New Stockholm’ somewhat purposefully(?) has some Muse elements to it, which were awesome! It’s 17 minutes that fit together perfectly, and all four tracks are as good as the last. It’s honestly so hard to pick highlights. You really do have to check this thing out in full at least once, it’s that good! It’s quirky and unique, and written and performed by four people who are masters at their craft! The closest comparison my brain is making is Tealdear, and that is very exciting to me! Do yourselves a favour and give this a spin, you won’t be disappointed. I can’t give it any less than 9/10, the creativity is off the charts!

Nearly Skulls: These Shadows of Our Wilder Selves

The first new album in three years from the ‘grumpy dad rockers’, it does follow up their awesome EP from earlier this year, PAX AMERICANA. We loved that album, and this release builds on that perfectly. It’s another dose of 90s rock nostalgia in the form of REM or their more punk-infused counterparts, but this time it’s a full nearly hour instead of 20 minutes. Tracks like ‘Some Change’, the Pucifer-like ‘On the Network’, ‘Dinosaurs’ and ‘The Ocean’ are big personal highlights. However, there isn’t a bad track throughout, the album being a fantastic, chilled-out affair and an incredibly easy listen. If you’re into this sort of style, I cannot recommend it enough, and it’s a fitting follow-up to PAX. There is maybe one or two too many tracks on here, if I had to offer one criticism, but I wouldn’t know what songs to cut, and after three years it’s hard to fault them throwing it all out there! 8/10, great stuff!

Haken: in a fever dream

Returning to the studio following 2023’s excellent Fauna (it did in fact grow on me with more listens), the prog metallers once again knock it out of the park on this shorter release. The opener is the perfect prog track, building for much of its longer runtime into a huge, heavy crescendo. Meanwhile single ‘delerium’ is more like a 2000s alt metal track. ‘bleeding sky’ and ‘lotus’ are a mixture of the two and classic Haken awesomeness. Then you have the slower ‘eclipsed by you’ tucked perfectly in the middle of it all. It’s 26-minutes, long for an EP, but the perfect amount of music from the band. It’s arranged perfectly and is such an easy listen, going by in a flash. I’m so glad the band are back to releasing new music, and if you are at all a fan of the band or the wider genre, this is definitely worth checking out! Front to back it is excellent, and the opener and closer in particular are up there alongside some of the best tracks the band have ever produced. I can’t give it any less than 9/10!

Some Velvet Morning: TELL THE SUMMER HANG ON

The first new studio album in over five years from the rockers, and it’s a rather epic half-hour! The opener sets the tone for the soft-rock release perfectly, while songs like ‘Before I Met You’ and the grandiose, Western-style ‘The Architect’ are also big high points. The band are clearly all incredibly talented musicians and songwriters, and they get plenty of time to shine both individually and together throughout. However, it does get a little samey towards the end, I do have to say. Those of you more into this sort of old-school style than me will probably get a bit more milage out of it. It’s sadly not a whole album I’d eagerly revisit, but a few of the tracks I will definitely be spinning again! 6.5/10, it wasn’t as much for me as I’d hoped!

As It Is: Self-Titled

The follow-up to the pop-rockers huge 2022 release, I WENT TO HELL AND BACK, their brand new, self-titled album is another infectiously fun release. Right from opener ‘I’m So Alive!’ I was getting modern All Time Low vibes in the best way possible, and it set up the rest of the album fantastically. The singles, like ‘Do You Remember?’ and ‘Marilyn’, are great, even if they do front-load the album a little drastically. However, album tracks like ‘Lose Your Way & Find Yourself’ and ‘What if it All Works Out’ are just as fantastically. The band are really at the top of their game right now, and if you like this style even a little, you’ll surely love it as much as I do! Their last release grew on me with more listens but this one doesn’t have to, it hooked me right in from the opening moments! This will certainly be one I’ll be spinning plenty in the weeks and months to come! 8.5/10

Loathe: A Stranger to You

Five years after their last release, the ambient sister album to their breakout I Let it In and It Took Everything, the experimental metalcore rising stars finally return with a full new album. Firstly, at 14 tracks and 54-minutes, it’s a big ol’ release. And, surprisingly to me, it may take a few listens for me to truly get into. It’s especially surprising as I remember enjoying I Let it In… a lot, and still do. The band are well known to blend genres, which usually I’m down with. However, as someone who’s not really into the whole droning shoegaze thing, they maybe leant a little too hard into that side of their sound for me here.

The opener was interesting, but ‘Block of Flats’ went on far too long for what it was. That was especially sad as it features Static Dress, and I LOVED their last album. ‘Fortress Down’ pulls it back a little for me, but it’s nothing more than fine. Songs like ‘Gemini’ and ‘Gifted Every Strength’ are good, but they are spread fairly too few and far between. A lot of it is dull, or Deftones turned up by 1000%. None of it quite gives me the feeling that ‘Gored’ or ‘Two-Way Mirror’ did, or still do. As I said, it may grow on me with more listens, but it also feels a little bit like the last Zeal & Ardor album, and that sadly didn’t. If you liked this album then awesome, I’m honestly glad! I certainly want to like it, and feel like I should, but certainly found myself struggling. I’m curious to see what other people’s reactions to it are, as I can’t give it any more than a 5/10, sadly!

Imperium: Exodus Unknown

The highly anticipated debut album from the UK thrashers is just as good as I expected, if not better! From the first notes to the last, it’s a brutal assault of awesome riffing, drumming and some surprisingly catchy vocal melodies. The opener is a big highlight, as is the epic almost-ballad ‘The Gun’. The Demolition Man himself even provided an excellent feature on ‘Tread the Serpent’! But honestly, the whole album is excellent. There’s a surprising amount of dynamics to it, with some fun and interesting tempo changes to go alongside all the rest of the excellence. The band very much wear their inspirations on their sleeve, whether it’s legends like Slayer and Kreator to more homeward bands like Evile. If you are a fan of any of these bands, or the wider genre in general, give this a spin, I promise you won’t regret it! Another album I’ll be spinning a lot moving forward, and a very solid 9/10 from us!

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New Music Mondays: The Rolling Stones, Devildriver and More!

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Some massive albums for us to check out this week, from rock to metal to country!

The Rolling Stones: Foreign Tongues

Owen: This week saw the release of the 25th studio album from arguably one of the most all time influential groups in the rock genre. Jagger and crew still have a lot to say after over 60 years of releasing music together. Foreign Tongues is a contentious listen for me. On the whole it’s an inoensive album, however Jagger himself has been open about the fact that this could be the last of a long and storied discography. I can’t help but ask myself if they are going out with a whimper or a bang? Opening track ‘Rough and Twisted’ feels like classic Rolling Stones; this track is exactly what fans would expect of an album opener. However this feeling quickly fades as the tracks play on, melting into some generic tracks that lack identity. A pleasant surprise did await me on the ninth track, a cover of ‘You Know I’m No Good’ from the late Amy Winehouse, not something I expected to hear from Jagger and co, and expected even less to enjoy so much. The  cover is faithful to the original whilst simultaneously leaning into the strengths of this group. 6/10

Devildriver: Strike & Kill

We’ve already checked out this awesome album! Read the full review here.

Jack White: Frozen Charlotte

The White Stripes legend himself is back with his first solo effort in nearly two years. We sadly missed that release, but I do remember enjoying his two previous back in 2022. And, honestly, I really dug this, too! The opener is classic White goodness, all fun bluesy riffs and quirky, catchy vocals. And, honestly, it keeps up the high quality and expected/hoped for sound from there on out! ‘There’s Nobody There’, ‘Dollar Bill’ and ‘Making Contact’ are also massive high points for me personally. However, the whole album is great from start to finish, and the fact that 13 songs go by in this much of a flash is a true testament to Jack’s writing and musicianship. Honestly, this may be the most I’ve enjoyed an album of his since the early White Stripes days, it really is that good! It’s bluesy yet poppy, and filled with so many catch hooks from both the guitar and the vocals. Heck, White himself sounds more renewed and focused than he has in years. If you are at all a fan of his sound or genre, do yourselves a favour and give this a spin. I’ll certainly be listening to it plenty moving forward, that’s for sure! An easy 8.5/10

Chevy Beaulieu: Self-Titled

This is honestly a masterclass in country music. It’s 40 minutes that spans everything from Southern rock to more traditionalist styles to ballads, and I loved every second of it. There’s even hints of more of a modern pop-country vibe at times. It’s a lot of fun from front to back, and constantly keeps things interesting. It’s honestly impossible just to pick a couple of highlights too as it’s all so good, so much of this ended up on my personal playlist. And the fact that when we chatted to him he said that over half of it was written by him and, in this day and age, it makes it even more impressive!

He’s been growing his name pretty fantastically in Canada over the last few years, and it’s easy to hear why! He’s an incredibly talented writer, singer and player, and clearly has an ear to pick others that are equally as talented. I’ve already spun this a couple of times this weekend alone, and don’t feel like I’ll be slowing down much in the coming weeks and months! He fits perfectly into the modern country scene, and I can see this release pushing him to even greater heights within it. Give this a spin if you are at all into country! 9/10

Eva Under Fire: Villainous

Max: I was a bit stuck on this one. It’s a clearly good album, but didn’t do anything for me really. To be fair maybe I am not the target audience and I probably shouldn’t have spent the last week listening to Toe but I really struggled to get into this album. The production is really really good, that cannot be understated, and there was a nice rhythm to the album. I should also say that the breakdowns were mostly really good and the feature from Maria Brink was great as one would expect. With all that being said, I couldn’t connect to the songs. It felt very radio ready which isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but I have never liked music like that all too much. And, for the most part, I couldn’t tell you which song is which as they all had a very similar arc to them. With all that said, it is a good, inoffensive album. 7/10

Adam Lambert: ADAM

The modern Queen frontman returns with his first new solo LP in three years. It’s a grandiose, perfectly polished pop-rock opera, and I do think people’s milage with it will vary based on what they’re into. The closest thing I feel myself comparing it to is Marianas Trench or Nothing But Thieves, although there is definite inspiration from his time with Queen, too. I do like both (all three?) bands, but I’m a touch up and down with this. Opener ‘RAT CITY’ is awesome and sounds absolutely massive with those harmonies. The industrial-tinged, Lexie Liu-featuring ‘PROCELAIN’ is a lot of fun. ‘Rage’ had a catchy, techno-infused pop-rock hook to it. A lot of the rest of the album I could take or leave. None of it is bad by any stretch, and Lambert is clearly an incredible vocalist, but it just didn’t land for me. Then again, I am hardly his target audience, I imagine. It’s at least varied enough to stay interesting, and if you are at all curious it’s well worth giving a try. However, I probably won’t revisit it too often, and can’t give it much more than a 6.5/10. Good moments, but overall not my thing.

As Oceans Divide: Self-Titled

The debut EP from the metalcore/melodeath Canadians goes hard for its full 18 minutes. Fitting in perfectly between Trivium, Killswitch Engage and In Flames, the release is packed full of great riffs, solid drums, brutal screams and some damn catchy clean melodies. The opener is a great example of their heavier side, while the likes of ‘White Noise’ and ‘Cursed Oblivion’ almost boarder on melodic metal. And the all-out assault of ‘World Collapse’ is also excellent. As you can tell, I love this release! The band are insanely talented and have a VERY bright future ahead of them if they keep putting out music like this. I have no qualms in saying that this is one of my favourite EPs of the year so far, and it’s up against some stiff competition there, too! If you have even a passing interest in the heavier side of music, give this a listen ASAP, you’re bounce to love it as much as I do! 9/10, I already can’t wait to hear more from them!

The Plot in You: Self-Titled

A cheating release next. I have been rather vocal about my dislike of bands putting out almost all the album as pre-release singles before it drops (as much as streaming algorithms like that), but this release honestly takes the cake in that regard. I remember Atreyu doing a similar thing recently, as did Annisokay, and I wasn’t really a fan of either. Combining previous EPs together for the sake of having another album out takes away from both the value of the individual EPs, and the album they produce. Then again, it’s not like we checked out any of the EPs, so it’s new from a review standpoint.

Musically, it’s fine. It’s the side of metalcore that is ‘not really my sort of thing’ like Bad Omens or Northlane (although fuck do Northlane slap live), so knew I wouldn’t have a huge amount of milage in it to begin with. The heavier tracks like ‘Forgotten’, ‘Been Here Before’ and ‘Spare Me’ are good fun, but they feel few and far between when they alternate the even-more pop-centric tracks in between them. If you are a fan of the band you’ll probably get some enjoyment out of it, and it is definitely a popular style and sound these days. However, it certainly isn’t for me, and I found myself getting a bit bored by the end. They’re certainly talented players, but unless you’re a fan of modern metalcore I probably wouldn’t recommend this album. 5/10, incredibly average.

Allison Russel: In the Hour of Chaos

Owen: In the Hour of Chaos is the third album Russell has released since her solo debut in 2021. Previous member of groups such as Birds of Chicago, and Our Native Daughters, Russell is well versed in many genres and a skilled vocalist and songwriter. This third instalment is an impressively collaborative affair, with ten out the eleven tracks featuring other artists, notably Norah Jones, Chibueze Ihumoa, Ruby Amanfu, and many more. Thematically the album is  pushing a message of hope in the face of chaos and despair, which feels sadly needed in the world right now. Sitting between various genres and inviting many dierent voices into the album supports this message for me, Russell and her contributors deliver a message of unity and optimism. 8/10

Among Legends: Lose My Grip

This is a fantastic punk release! The sophomore album from the Canadians is a lot of fun; and energetic and attitude-filled half-hour! It’s also 12 fantastic tracks, each as fantastic as the last. ‘Sound the Alarm’, ‘Hollow’ and ‘Band Dudes Fuck Off’ are personal highlights, but the whole album is super solid and goes by in a flash. The band wear their inspiration on their sleeves in the best way, everything from Blink to Pennywise to Lagwagon, but also with a slight hardcore edge to it that I love! It’s a style that deserves to be massive again, and these guys are so good that they could easily lead that charge! They have a big new fan in me, and clearly I need to holiday in Ontario to go see this live! If you are at all into punk or pop-punk this an album you have to listen to. I’ll be spinning it a lot in the coming weeks and months, and it gets a massive yet easy 9.5/10. Goddamn, I loved this!

The Devil Wears Nada: In Lust We Trust

The sophomore album from the Swedish melodic rockers is a damn fun half-hour! It’s massive-sounding AOR/arena rock, and the production helps the writing and playing reach its lofty heights no end! From the huge riffs to the melodic synth, the anthemic choruses to the awesome solos, it’s all so good. And, from ‘Last Forever’ to ‘In Lust We Trust’ to ‘Shotgun Wedding’, there are so many bangers throughout! Having said that, every song on here is awesome, and it goes by in a flash. I had a lot of fun listening to this, and the band have a huge new fan in me! I honestly can’t gush over it enough, and if you like that 80s revival sound, this is an absolute must-listen. I don’t have much else to say about it other than check this out immediately! 9/10, I’m just throwing them out this week!

Andrew Farriss: The Prospector

The sophomore solo album from the INXS co-founder comes a full half-decade after his debut. Much like his first release, it’s a chilled-out, old-school album that combines so many different elements. Country, Americana, bluegrass, folk, rock; all of it is moulded together rather masterfully throughout. The closest comparison I find myself making immediately is Sons of Town Hall, in its essence and vibe at least, and if you read my review of their last album you’d know how big of a compliment that is. Somewhere between that and a Drew Holcomb or early Keifer Sutherland. This feels like not just a story, but a journey through its 38-minute runtime, and I am all for it.

It’s another album that has plenty variety too, keeping me constantly interested and entertained. And, it all flows together masterfully, track-into-track. It’s very much designed to be listened to in one sitting, though tracks like ‘Southern Cross Shines’, ‘Honesty’, ‘Something Stronger’ and ‘Someone For Everyone’ are personal favourites. Every track is awesome though, and it makes for a rather easy, relaxing listen, even when it’s a little melancholic at times. I’ll be spinning this album a lot in the coming months, as I’m sure anyone who listens to it will be doing! While I have checked out his previous release, I do think that this is a step up in quality, and he has a big new fan in me. I can’t give it any less than a 9/10!

Pythonic: Laws of Karma

Less than seven months after their last release, the third EP from the brutal death metallers/deathcorers is five venom-soaked, brutally awesome songs. The title track lands a brutal shot to the face right from the get-go, and sets the tone for the project immediately. The rest of the tracks follow its lead; a brutal yet melodic 18 minutes of music. The band are all extremely talented and have crafted something here that stands out from their peers from its perfect blend of aggression and catchiness. I already can’t wait to hear more, but until then will be spinning this plenty and checking out their older stuff, too. A very solid 8/10!

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New Music Mondays: Deep Purple, The Shires and More!

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A little quieter than normal this week, but we still have some really awesome rock, metal and country releases to check out. Let’s dive in!

Deep Purple: SPLAT!

The bluesy rock legends are back with their first album in just two years. We were a little meh on =1, and it’s hard not to have a similar feeling with this one. The band are clearly talented, and the guitar and keys solos are certainly the high points of the record. However, it’s another 50 minutes of old school rock music from a band now 24 albums into their career, all of which are rather similar in style and execution. The two opening singles are pretty good, and set the album up right. Tracks like the celtic-esque ‘Sacred Land’ and ‘My New Movie’ are also alright! However, I found myself getting pretty bored through this album often, especially when there are another nine tracks I haven’t named here.

I do think it’s generally better than their previous release, or at least I had a slightly better time listening to it. However, that may be fully down to my mood currently than the quality of the album! If you are a big fan of any era of the band, you’ll find something to love here, and it’s worth checking out. However, it doesn’t have a patch on the bands multiple heydays, and will most likely drive listeners to just go back to Machine Head or Burn. It’s not something I’d revisit outside of a song or two, but probably wouldn’t turn it off if it came on. 5/10, completely average Deep Purple.

The Shires: Bonfire

The biggest new UK country artist dropped their highly anticipated seventh studio album this last Friday. Spoiler alert, it’s a bit good! The duo have been at the top of their games for a while now, but they honestly take another big step forward yet again here. Every song is beautiful and excellent in its own right, though the likes of ‘Getaway Car’, ‘Blink’ and ‘One for the Whiskey’ are personal highlights. Every song on here is excellent though and the album flows perfectly, 37 minutes going by in a chilled-out, emotion-filled flash. In a genre built full of beautiful harmonies, these two are certainly in the upper echelon of it all. They compliment each other perfectly, as does the instrumentation. It’s very easy to hear why they are such a big name these days, and they deserve every ounce of praise they get. While it does still have a British edge to it, it also reminds me a lot of everything from Lady A to even early Taylor Swift. If you are at all into the slower, sweeter edge of country/Americana, this album is an absolute must. 9/10

Dominum: Night is Calling

We’ve already checked out this awesome album! Read our full review here.

Harsh: Feels

The sophomore album from the Parisian sleaze/hard rockers is every bit as good as their first. It’s nearly 50 minutes of stomping grooves, great riffs and some catchy-as-anything, soaring vocals! It’s packed full of highlights too, from ‘All I Ever Wanted’ to ‘Fuel to the Fire’ to ‘Losing My Mind’. Their cover of Michael Sembello’s classic ‘Maniac’ is also stellar. There truly isn’t a bad song on here, with the ballads also measuring up alongside the rockier tracks and it all fitting together so well. There isn’t a dull moment (though for some reason I struggled with the opener slightly on my first listen. Love it now!) and the 12 tracks go by super quickly. If you like their general vibe and genre, this is well worth giving a spin! Hell, even if not, you’ll probably still have a blast listening, like I did! The band are all insanely talented musicians and songwriters and have a very bright future ahead of them, one they are already starting to realise. This album will certainly push them even higher and faster, and I can’t give it any less than 8.5/10!

Moonspell: Far From God

The Portuguese goth metal legends are back with their first new studio output in over half a decade. Spoiler alert, it’s a bit good! Long-time readers here will know by now how much I’ve gotten into the European gothic metal scene in recent years, so I can’t not love this! Even at 42 minutes long, eight tracks doesn’t feel nearly long enough, as this went by in a flash. Single ‘Far from God’ is a massive highlight, as is the Tool-esque ‘Biblical’, ‘Your Promise of Light’ and the closer. As you can probably tell though, the whole album is awesome! If you are at all into the darker, heavier side of metal, I truly cannot recommend this release enough. I’m so glad they’re back with new music after a bit of a break, and what a hell of a release to return with! I’ll be spinning this a lot in the coming weeks and months, and don’t be surprised when it ends up high on our albums of the year list come December. 9/10

Soothsayer: The Unbinding

Nestled somewhere between an EP and an album, I’d say the 45-minute runtime handily qualifies it as the latter. Well, it’s five proggy blackened death tracks that dark, heavy and technical in equal measure! While not usually my sort of thing, I actually found myself enjoying this a surprising amount! It’s hard to pick individual highlights as the whole album feels like one continuous piece, and is therefore perfect for a full listen or three. Having said that, if you are going to only check out the one track, ‘Sooner Acceptance’ is absolutely amazing, drawing together every sound the band has in a truly bleak, brutal package. It’s certainly not for everyone, but it is that good that it will surely win over some skeptics, like myself! I’m going to have to go back and revisit their previous work while also listening to this again, hopefully it’s as good as this! A very solid 8/10 from us!

Blake Whiten: Something to Say

The debut album from the seemingly overnight country sensation, and what a release it is! We reviewed an EP of his last year, and I said in that I don’t know how a 21 year old kid has seen enough shit in his life to have a voice like this. However, both are also pretty different releases. As well as being twice the length, the EP was much more of a solo venture, mainly just Blakes vocals and guitar, while this album feels like it focuses more on a full band sound. The opener is Southern rock-tinged awesomeness. Singles ‘Barely Gettin’ By’ and ‘Boots by the Wrong Bed’, as well as ‘Ghost House’, are also awesome rockier tracks. Then you have slower, more radio-country ballads like ‘Whiskey Wish’ and ‘Night N’ Day’ that are also excellent. And if you couldn’t tell, that’s half the album right there, so it’s pretty clear I love it!

It’s like the perfect mixture of Referrin’s radio-country style with a dash of Cody Jinks’ heavier side. My only slight complaint is that I wish we got another track or two like the EP. I completely understand doing a different thing with a new release, but the rawness and vulnerability of Six Mile was excellent, and gave big Evan Bartels vibes in the best way. Still, it is a minor gripe, and I wouldn’t change a track from the album. If you are at all into country give this a spin, you’re bound to love it as much as I do. I can’t give it any less than 8.5/10

The Tirith: Quetzalcoatl

The fourth studio album from the power prog Brits is another epic, technical masterclass of writing and playing. It’s not a short undertaking, being 69 minutes spread across 12 songs, but if you like this sort of style it is an absolute must-listen. While mileage for the release has varied over the few spins I’ve done in the last couple of weeks, there’s a lot that I find myself loving and revisiting more than others. ‘The Slide’, ‘Back to Space’ and ‘Save the Oak’ are all personal highlights. The band very much wear their inspirations on the sleeve, and I certainly mean that in a good way! It’s not a bad album by any stretch; it’s surprisingly chilled out yet catchy, and the playing throughout is awesome. From the arrangement to the solos, riffs to the drumming to the vocals, it’s all excellent. It’s not something I’d revisit often as it isn’t 100% my sort of thing, but the band certainly have a new fan in me and it’s a record I’d recommend to anyone even slightly interested! I can’t give it any less than 8/10, great stuff!

Eric Paslay: Summer

The follow-up to May’s Spring, this is an awesome release that perfectly encapsulates the vibe of the season. It’s upbeat, chilled-out and a lot of fun. It’s Buffett turned up to 11 and given a modern twist to it. It’s a far cry from his 2023 release, but both are excellent in their own ways. It’s pop/bro country adjacent, but also reminds me of everything from Niko Moon to Drew Holocomb to even Newton Faulkner. Honestly, I can’t gush about it enough. It’s the perfect 11 minutes of music, and is so damn easy to listen to. There truly isn’t a bad track throughout. I’m going to be spinning this for at least the next three months, if not plenty after that, too! Do yourselves a favour and check this out, you’ll love it as much as I do! 10/10, I can’t give it any less!

Charley Crockett: Clovis

Another week, another album from one of the hardest working bands in music. coming just three months after his last release, it’d take a lot to beat Age of the Ram for me. This doesn’t quite do that. However, it is still a damn good album! From ‘Down by Law’ to ‘Eagle and the Crow’, the epic instrumental title track to ‘Honky Tonk Philosophy’, there is plenty to love throughout! Don’t get me wrong, it’s a little long for my attention span, especially when a lot of it is slower, but by now if you’re a fan of Crockett you know exactly what to expect, and if you’re into his previous stuff you’ll live this. It’s chilled out and so well written.

It’s insane to me that he can put out another album of this high quality so soon after his last, and we’ll probably get a third by the end of the year. It’s a true testament to the generational talent he is. And, with everyone in the industry I talk to about him, he’s very much gained a ‘your favourite country artists favourite country artist’ status. Give this a try if you are at all into country! 8/10

Gods & Punks: A Shrine By the Sea

Following up 2024’s Death, the Brazilian space/stoner metallers certainly still do things their own way. Whether it’s stripped-back, ethereal folky stuff or the massive, heavy stoner doom riffs, it’s all done so well. From Red Fang and The Sword to stuff more akin to (honestly) Yes or even Fruit Bats, it makes for an incredibly interesting listen. And I honestly love that it’s two songs split into four parts each. They somehow feel individual and like you can listen to them separately while also fitting together like missing puzzle pieces. It all flows fantastically and begs a full listen at least once. The band are all so damn talented and it comes across excellently throughout. If you like any of the styles I’ve mentioned here, do yourselves a favour and give this a spin! They certainly have a new fan in me, and it gets a solid 7.5/10!

Margo Price: Days of Unrest

Another release straddling the line between an EP and an album, and another relaxed, chilled-out record. Oh, and another awesome release from Margo, to boot! It’s old-school country/Americana like only Price can do, yet feels like a different project yet again to her previous output. Having a Spanish, mariachi twist to it, it’s an incredibly fun half-hour of music. ‘De Colores’ is a huge highlight of not just this release, but her career as a whole, honestly. The Trump-calling-out ‘Oval Room’ is also fantastic, as is ‘Can’t Stand Still’ a track apparently floating around since her Buffalo Clover days. The whole release is great though and fit excellently together. Massive props to Margo for putting out a protest tape this weekend of all weekends, and she’s even donating some of the proceeds to the Florence Immigrant & Refugee Rights Project. I’m a huge fan of her both musically and as a person, and this is another great release in a long line of them from one of the most underrated artists in the genre. 9/10, even though most of this is covers and instrumentals, it’s absolutely deserving of a listen and some love!

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New Music Mondays: Muse, The Pretty Reckless and More!

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An absolutely massive week of new music for us to check out across the spectrum. Let’s dive in!

Muse: The Wow! Signal

It’s always interesting when we get new music from the Devonshire trio. One of the biggest artists of my childhood, they are still one of my favourite bands now. You never quite know what to expect from them, and even the singles have been pretty varied. However, all have been great, so to say I’m hyped for this release would be an understatement. Plus, it’s their first new music since 2022’s Will of the People, and damn did we love that album!

Well, it certainly doesn’t disappoint! This is a 45 minute journey through the very best of rock, pop and even metal. All four main singles have been fantastic, and fit even better within the context of the album. The rest of the tracks are just as awesome too, the whole release having a grandiose, epic feel to it like only Muse can do. ‘The Sickness in You & I’ is maybe my favourite track on the album, and up there in the upper echalone of their music for me already. Heck, the Gojira-like breakdown at the end is honestly phenomenal. Then you have the Ellie Goulding-featuring ‘Hush’, and the equally Bond-esque opener, and the beautiful, epic closer, and the album as a whole is so incredibly solid. It also feels like a culmination of their career so far, honestly. ‘Cryogen’ is a straight-up Origins of Symmetry track, ‘Be With You’ would comfortably fit on Resistance or 2nd Law, ‘The Dark Forest’ would fit perfectly on Black Holes and ‘Unravelling’ is very much a ‘Drones’ track. Then you have the out-there ‘Nightshift Superstar’ that is straight-up disco-rock in the best way.

I may be becoming across as a fangirl, which I certainly am, but I cannot adequately tell you how great this album is. It’s excellent from front to back, and after 45 full minutes (twice already this weekend, I may add) it has just left me wanting more. It’s my favourite release from them since at least Drones, but it is more varied and well-rounded than that album, so may grow on me even more than that with more listens. Surely it’s not their best release since Black Holes, right..? Almost all of this has ended up on my personal playlist, and it’ll likely end up very high on our top albums of the year list come December. I can’t give it anything less than 10/10. Wow indeed!

The Pretty Reckless: Dead God

Momsen and co. finally brought us a followup to 2021’s massive Death by Rock and Roll this last Friday. I’m going to say right from the jump that that album grew on me in a big way the more I listened for the months after. Hopefully this one does too…

While I wasn’t a fan of the cold open, single ‘For I Am Death’ is a great track. Stuff like ‘Dragonfire’ and the Audioslave-like ‘Dark Days’ are also pretty good. However, the rest kinda blends together; not much stood out and I found myself getting a little bored. The band are damn talented, but they haven’t really evolved much in their 16 years of releasing music, I’m kinda over it now. They’ve never been an ‘album band’ per say, yet the closest they came was their last release. This feels like a step back in that regard. A few good tracks and then stuff that will be breezed over and forgotten about by the next cycle. In the nicest way possible, like I said in my review of them from Download: if it wasn’t for Taylor Momsen being involved, I don’t think anyone would care. If you like this album that’s awesome, and as I said I do hope it grows on me like their last did. But for now after a spin or two, I can’t give it much more than 7/10. Not bad but my least favourite of their albums so far.

Cody Johnson: Banks of the Trinity

One of the biggest international country stars around currently, and well and truly cements himself as just that with this release! It’s the perfect combination of early 2000s radio country with a modern edge to it, and even at over 50 minutes it goes by quickly and easily. It’s packed full of highlights too, from the opener to the Brothers Osborne featuring ‘Fool Proof’, ‘I Have’ to ‘Kissing a Married Woman’ to ‘Thank Somebody Country’. There is certainly a bit of downtime throughout, but he’s so good that even the slower or not quite as good tracks are hugely entertaining. He even manages to get away with some of the typically country-cheese lyrics from being such a great vocalist and songwriter. And it helps that his band work their asses off throughout, too. While I do still prefer Ain’t Nothin’ To It as an album as a whole, this is up there with his last couple as a close second. If you are at all into country, give this album a spin, you certainly won’t regret it! 8/10

Butthole Surfers: After the Astronaut

The alt/noise rock legends are back with their first studio work in two and a half decades. Though the tracks were originally recorded back in ’98, it’s at least given a modern mix and production to set it apart from their previous stuff. Having said that, you can still tell at times that it was written at the turn of the century, certain elements like the scratching giving it away. However, it is interesting that some of the topics and issues they sing about are still relevant today, all these years later. It’s honestly kinda sad. While not quite my sort of thing typically, I have always found the bands work interesting, and this was another release I found myself enjoying. ‘Jet Fighters’, ‘Venus’ and ‘They came In’ are all tracks I found myself enjoying and will certainly listen to again, even if I won’t repeat the album as a whole all too much. If you like the quirky stuff, this is worth a listen, but it certainly won’t be for everyone (most people). Still, there is no denying their impact to music, and this release fits in perfectly with the rest of their discography. 6/10

American Aquarium: New Ways to Lose

Fuck, I forgot how much I love this band! They are like country’s answer to Social Distortion or The Pogues, and I can’t get enough. Southern punk, almost. Honestly, the whole thing from front to back is incredible, too. Much like Muse, most of this ended up on my personal playlist, and I’ve spun it multiple times over the weekend already! It’s impossible to not have a good time listening to this, even when your getting your heart broken by the bittersweet ‘Favourite Hello’, and 34 minutes goes by in a flash! And, as such, it is impossible to pick just one or two highlight songs, all of them are fantastic in their own right. It may be my favourite album from the band, which is honestly saying a lot! It’s chilled out, rocky and emotional all in the perfect measures. If you are a fan of any of the bands or genres I’ve mentioned already, do yourselves a favour and check this out ASAP, you’re sure to love it as much as I do! I cant give it any less than 9/10, and it may grow on me even more through the rest of the year!

Hawxx: The World Splits Open

We’ve already checked out this awesome album! Read the full review here.

Boneripper: Radiant In Ruin

The sophomore album from the Netherlands metallic hardcore outfit goes hard right from the offset! ‘Oracle of Lies’ sets the tone of the release immediately, as well as being a big early highlight. Then you have tracks like ‘Damnation’, ‘Borrowed Breath’ and ‘Refuse Persist’ that are also bangers in their own right. However, the whole album is fantastic, there not being a bad song throughout. And for a fairly long album (12 tracks) it goes by in a flash, not at all feeling its length. I like the couple of interlude tracks thrown in too, making the album feel more alive, and the closer in particular was excellent.

The band are all hugely talented and so damn good at what they do. Wearing their inspirations on their sleeve, they straddle the line between beatdown, metallic and metalcore amazingly, the closest comparisons for me being the likes of Hatebreed and even Pro-Pain. I was new to the band upon checking this out, and they have a big new fan in me! I am already desperate to see some of this live (a trip to Europe sounds perfect right now) and I can’t give it any less than 8.5/10. Amazing stuff!

Willow Avalon: Pink Pocket Pistol

This third album in three years from the neo-traditional country artist, and it has a tough job following up Southern Belle! Spoiler alert: it sadly doesn’t quite reach those heights. Don’t get me wrong, tracks like ‘Easy on the Eyes’, ‘Hell in a Handbag’ and all three with guest features are great. She is still a fantastic lyricist throughout, too. However, I found a lot of this was just a touch slow, and as such it all blended together a little for me. None of it is bad by any stretch, and if you like an old-school, chilled out sound you’ll probably love this. However, her last release felt like a bit of a breath of fresh air, an exciting blend of old and new, and this isn’t the follow-up I’d hoped for. As I said, there is definitely some fun, great stuff on here, but as an album as a whole I won’t be revisiting it all that often. She still has a hugely bright future ahead of her, but it doesn’t quite live up to my hype for it, given her previous output. Still, the tracks I named are awesome, and fitting additions to her discography! 7/10

CJ Wildheart: Devil

The punk legend followed up his 2025 release in quick fashion with another banger of a release! If you know CJ, you know exactly what to expect from the album, and I mean that in the best way! Between ‘The Art of Being Free’, ‘Diva’, ‘One of the Boys’ and ‘Twenty Two’, there are some tracks up here that I’d honestly put up alongside his best. It’s punk through and through, whether it’s his older brand of Wildheartsy stuff, or a more Celtic tinge to it. As much as I loved SLOTS, I may like this even more! If you are at all into punk, this is an absolute must-listen. It’s just a lot of fun, showcasing that CJ still very much has it decades into his music career! I’ll be spinning this a fair bit moving forward, and can’t give it any less than 8.5/10!

Georgia Webster: EVERYTHING MUST GO!

Album two from the country pop rising star is a chilled-out affair, and a very easy listen. At only eight tracks across 27 minutes, it goes by in a flash, and has some great stuff up there with some of her best. ‘2 YEARS’, ‘SYDNEY’ and the closer are all personal highlights, but there certainly isn’t a bad track on the release! She fits perfectly alongside other modern popish artists like Olivia Rodrigo, and is most certainly going to keep getting bigger and bigger the next few years. It’s certainly not going to be a release for everyone reading this article, but I had a good time listening to it, and will certainly be spinning it a fair bit over the coming summer. For now, it gets a solid 7.5/10 from us!

Druidess: Trip Meadow

The Newcastle-based doom/stoner metallers dropped their highly anticipated debut album this last Friday. Spoiler alert, it’s a bit good! It’s seven incredible tracks packed full of insane riffing, solid drumming and some catchy-as-fuck vocal melodies. It immediately reminds me of The Sword’s heyday (goddamn I miss when they were pumping out great music), but also has elements of everything from Clutch to Red Fang to Orange Goblin. And as I said before, every song is as good as the last, it being nearly impossible to pick highlights. Having said that, the proggy, epic title track is pretty rather excellent! Everyone involved in this is so talented; from the playing to the writing to the production, it’s all excellent. As far as debut albums go, this is fantastic, and the band are going to go incredibly far if they keep up this quality. It won’t be for everyone, but if you like your metal sludgy, epic and massive, give this a spin, you won’t regret it! 8/10

Amberian Dawn: Temptation’s Gates

The first album from the symphonic metallers with new singer Nicole Willerton at the helm, this feels like another big step forward in the bands already sprawling discography. The first studio work from the outfit since 2020 (aside their 2022 ABBA tribute album), it shows how far the band have come in that time, refining their sound into the genre’s purest form. Nicole is the perfect fit, her vocals being a huge high point of the release, while the other four compliment her perfectly and work their asses off throughout. From ‘The Vision of Dreaming’ to ‘Unchained’ (those screams were unexpected and awesome!), ‘Undying Colours’ to the epic closer, it’s all so good. My only complaint would be that it’s a little samey throughout, but when it’s this good it’s hard to be that mad about that! If you are into the genre, do yourselves a favour and give this a listen. Another very easy 8/10

James O’Hurley: A Beggars Belief

This four track EP follows his album from last year rather perfectly. Combining two live-recorded tracks from said album with two brand new ones, it’s a short yet great blues release! It’s rather stripped-back and chilled out, but offers a different perspective on the rising star. The new tracks fit perfectly alongside the other two, and it creates an awesome 15 minutes of music. ‘Roulette’ is a personal favourite, it almost having bond-song levels of grandiose to it. However, all of it is great. If you are a fan of James or blues rock as a whole, this is well worth giving a spin! I’ll certainly be listening again, that’s for sure! 7.5/10

Taxi Girls: Static

Some more punk for us this week, this time the debut album from the Montrèal four-piece. It’s a lot of fun, and gives off big Distillers vibes in the best ways. From the opener to ‘Auto Hysterics’, ‘Kill Your Darlings’ to ‘Don’t Leave me Hanging’, there is so much to love throughout. It’s somehow the perfect blend of old-school and modern punk, but also has a unique vibe to it as well that is very Taxi Girls. I’d never heard of them before I got emailed about this release, but they have a big new fan in me, and are set to be a big name in the scene sooner rather than later! They encapsulate that DIY punk energy that the likes of Amyl and Wet Leg have brought to the dance before them, with the added bonus of actually making good-sounding music on top of that. If you are all interested, give this a listen, you’ll love it as much as I do! A very easy 8.5/10

Stonecast: Expand Crimson Chaos

Firstly, what a badass artwork! And, while we’re at it, what a badass album! The bands first since 2019’s I Earther, while it still maintains it baseline of traditional heavy metal, they experiment a lot through their 46 minutes here. The opener is straight up Doom metal, and it’s awesome! ‘A Ce Lieu’ has more of a thrashy, groove metal edge to it. ‘King of Hell’ goes in more of a metalcore/melodeath direction. The title track has an air of power metal to it, even. Between these, ‘Against the Tide’ and the closer, there is so much awesomeness to love throughout. There isn’t a bad track across the entire release, and it goes by surprisingly quickly. The band are all insanely talented musicians and songwriters, and have crafted their most cohesive and best album to date with this! I’d recommend it to absolutely anyone into metal, and I can’t give it any less than 9/10!

Fox N’Vead: Playing the Game

Album three from the North Carolinian four-piece perfectly blends alt rock with their country/southern background, and continues to grow their discography amazingly. The title track was slightly rocky for me, though they are clearly all accomplished blues players. However, ‘Waiting’ is a phenomenal southern-tinged hard rock track that called back to the early 2000s rock scene when it was so prevalent perfectly. Tracks like ‘Waste Away’, ‘High Agenda’ and ‘Grounded’ are also fantastic. There are some tracks that I don’t enjoy as much as others; the slower, softer ones don’t quite hook me in as much. However, overall it’s a damn good album! It’s up there alongside their previous two, the group building up an incredibly strong back catalogue. They feel wholly unique, finding a fun niche for their sound that works for me more often than not, and I’ll certainly be listening again! If you like the rockier side of country, or the alt side of Southern rock, give this a try! 8/10

new music mondays

New Music Mondays: The War and Treaty, Hard-Fi and More!

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A slightly quieter week this time, but we still have some great releases to be checking out! Let’s dive in!

The War and Treaty: The Story of Michael and Tanya

The second album in two years from the Southern soul duo and honestly, it may take a little growing for me. Tracks like ‘You Can’t Hurt Me Anymore’, ‘Holy Ghost Fire’ and the closer are high points, but the album as a whole is a touch slow. Don’t get me wrong, they’re not known for high pace generally, but they at least have some smattered throughout their projects. This is just all ballads aside for closer ‘High Heels’. Said track is up there among their best, honestly, but it certainly took some getting to. While I did very much like Plus One, it was a slight step below Lover’s Game for me in hindsight, and this release once again takes another sad step down. I did enjoy the concept of the release, the pair highlighting the ups and downs of their marriage from each perspective. However, it felt like they didn’t lean into each other as much, more having each track be a solo one with the other as backup. The emotion is still there, but it can make for a damn depressing listen at times. When they do sing together though, it still very much works to perfection. They still have two of the best voices in music currently. They just felt less of a team sharing each song than usual.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m not exactly their target audience, and I’m sure plenty of their fans will love this. It’s still not a bad album by any stretch. However, it’s nothing we haven’t had from them before, except it leans hard on the stuff that I like a little more in moderation from the duo. As I said, hopefully it grows on me, as I’ll certainly be giving it more listens. For now, I can’t give it much more than 7.5/10.

Hard-Fi: Sweating Someone Else’s Fever

Having known the name for a while, I don’t think I’ve ever actually heard a track by the UK indie rockers outside of their big hit. However, the first album in a decade and a half and since their 2022 reunion, there was no way I wasn’t checking it out to see what all he hype was for.

It’s at very least interesting. The opener is terrible, but I did enjoy the Latin-infused single ‘Digo Nada’. Tracks like ‘Looking for Fun’ and ‘Now and Then’ are also pretty good! However, overall it isn’t really the sort of thing I’m into much. None of it is bad at all, and does have a bit of a nostalgic twinge for me from when this sort of style was big in the bands heyday. If you are big into this sort of music, you’ll almost certainly have a lot of love for this. The band are clearly talented! Krysten Cummings also does great on her two guest tracks, adding a lot to the sound. However, the whole album is a bit boring and samey, dragging across its 40 minutes. It’s nothing that hasn’t been done before, and feels kinda dated; a little expected given their time off. As I say, if you’re a fan of the band or 2000s/2010s indie music, this is worth a listen. Outside of that though, I don’t think it’s win many new fans over. If it was on I wouldn’t turn it off, but I wouldn’t go out of my way to listen to this again. 5/10

When Rivers Meet: Rhythm Rust & Static

Coming just one year after the awesome Addicted to You, the husband-and-wife blues duo are back with album number five. I feels like the pair have gone a bit heavier with this release too, which was awesome to hear! I was hooked right from the opener, and not let go for the full 41 minutes. ‘Caught in the Middle’, ‘I’m Ready for You’ and ‘My Time Is Done’ are big personal highlights, but honestly the whole album is fantastic and has a great flow to it. Heck, as a soon-to-be-parent, hearing the pair of new parents write and perform a track like ‘Bring Life’ was truly beautiful. They are such a phenomenal combined talent, and I honestly feel like they have the ingredient that I was missing from War and Treaty above; they play off each other and compliment each other perfectly throughout. The pair and their backing band are all insanely talented, and I think they’ve maybe crafted their most cohesively high-quality release yet! Another incredibly solid 9/10 from us!

Endseeker: Coffin Born

The farewell EP from the German death metallers is a fittingly brutal. It’s 22 minutes of fast paced, heavy music, and each track is as good as the last! ‘Enemies of Peace’ is an amazing opener packed with some truly great lyrics. ‘Coffin Born’ goes hard too, and the Lord of the Lost-featuring ‘True Survivor’ not only closes things out perfectly, but adds some great dynamics to the release with some clean vocals. As I said though, the whole thing is great from beginning to end. It’s a shame to see the band go, but what a note to end it on! If to are into the heavier end of stuff at all, this is definitely worth a spin! I can’t give it any less than 8/10

Warning: Rituals of Shame

The first album from the British doom band in a whopping two decades finally dropped this last Friday, to much hype from its cult following. It’s 45-minutes of darkness and despair, the band picking things up like they never left it off in the first place. It’s only five tracks long, but each is proggy, doom-filled epicness, and it all flows surprisingly well together. Don’t get me wrong, on the whole it’s maybe a little slow for me personally, but I still very much appreciate the talent and writing that went into creating this! Having said that, I really enjoyed ‘Stations’, and closer ‘Teacher’ is awesome too. It all just feels a bit similar to me, and the slower doom stuff doesn’t hit as hard when that’s all it is, if that makes sense? For fans of the band, I imagine this is like Christmas, and it is certainly a worthy successor to Watching from a Distance. And while it is damn good doom metal, I can’t give it any more than 7/10

Pond: Terrestrials

Following up 2024’s Stung!, the Australian psychedelic five-piece show off their incredible talent once again here! While not typically my sort of thing on paper, I had a blast listening to it in full! Nestled comfortably between Yes, Deep Purple and ELO, their sound is awesome, and each member plays their asses off throughout, all getting their own time to shine. Personal highlights include ‘Casuarina’, ‘Roebuck Plains’ and ‘Personal Hell’, but the whole album is pretty damn good! If you like the softer, proggier side of rock music, this is absolutely an album for you. It’s not something I’ll be spinning too often, but will most likely be checking it out again in the relatively near future. It’s a solid 7.5/10, and is another that may grow on me even more through the rest of the year!

Inherits the Void: The Silent Abscission

This atmospheric black metal album is honestly awesome! Y’all know by now that I have an up-and-down relationship with black metal, but this was interesting and entertaining as hell throughout. Having elements of almost tech death added to the rest was awesome, the sheer playing and writing ability on display being off the charts. From the opener to ‘In the Shadow of the Falling Star’ to ‘A World Unmade’, the album is packed full of great songs! It’s another release that flows fantastically too, not at all feeling nearly 50 minutes in length. It’s not a release for everyone, but I really enjoyed it, and will certainly be spinning it again plenty moving forward. Even if you aren’t typically into black metal, give this a try, it will almost certainly win you over like it did me! 8.5/10, great stuff!

Kashus Culpepper: Act I: Summer Nights

The new EP from the rising country star is a short but very sweet affair. Three new songs, backed up by a fantastic cover and an interlude, and it makes for incredibly easy listening! It’s 13 minutes of chilled-out, beautiful pop-country/Southern soul, and I can’t get enough! ‘Let me Show You Love’ is fantastic, as is ‘Til the Sun Goes Down’. However, there is no beating that fantastic Glen Campbell cover, it opens things up perfectly. I remember checking out his debut album back at the start of the year and not minding it, but honestly this was a step up in quality for me! I feel like the brief nature of this release (Act I is long) helped it a lot, it being all-killer, no-filler. I’ll definitely be listening to this again, probably a fair bit over the summer, and would urge anyone reading this to check this out! Another incredibly easy 8.5/10 from us!

Swim Deep: Hum

Album five from the indie collective is another chilled-out release for us this week. I can’t say I’d really heard of them before checking out this album, and while it’s not usually my sort of style, I definitely had fun with it! It’s simple and relaxed and gives off a real early-mid 2000s vibe that I can’t help but be a little nostalgic for. And, from ‘You, Me and Mary’ to ‘Such a Fool’ to ‘In Dreams Alive’, there is a lot to love. It’s maybe a little too similar for me in terms of pace and sound for an album as a whole, but I’ll definitely be coming back to the aforementioned tracks pretty regularly! For any indie fans reading this, this is certainly an album for you. I’m at least curious to go back and check out the rest of their back catalogue to see if it’s all this good. And, while I do so, this gets a solid 7/10

Shadowborne: Heaven’s Falling

Time for a debut album, us having surprisingly few this week. The power metal newcomers kill it with this release! From the excellent opener ‘High and Low’ to ‘Hold the Door’ to ‘The Wall’, there is so much to love throughout, though the whole album is pretty excellent! If you are even a passing fan of power or heavy metal, give this a spin ASAP! From the soaring vocals to the solid drumming to the excellent riffs and synth, it’s all so damn good. And the choruses, they are easily a high point of the release as a whole, they are all so infectiously catchy. The band are going to go very far in the scene if this release is anything to go by. I already can’t wait to hear where they go from here, but for now I’ll certainly be listening to this a lot moving forward. I can’t give it any less than 8/10!

Mork: Monolitt

The ninth album from Thomas Eriksen’s black metal project is another brutal addition to their growing discography. It’s a perfect encapsulation of the 2nd wave of the genre, though with some real top-notch production that honestly helps it a lot. There are some awesome riffs throughout, and some truly heavy drums and screams. It’s a little more straight forward than Inherits the Void above, so did struggle to hold my attention a little more. However, there was enough more death metal-like parts that I still found myself enjoying it! Single ‘Ødelagt’ is a big high point of the release, as is ‘Martyr’. And the rest all sounds fairly similar, so if you generally like your metal black, you’re bound to love this! Another solid 7/10

Tucker Zimmerman: Dream Me a Dream

The criminally underrated folk singer-songwriter put out his fifth album this decade so far this last Friday. It’s a stripped-back, relaxed affair and a 37 minutes I found myself enjoying far more than I expected to! The lyrics were amazing, and sometimes the swell of the strings and other instrumentation around Tucker bring out so much emotion. ‘Don’t Feel Like Doing Nothing Today’ is probably my favourite, but I also really like the Lou Reed-like ‘Rooftops of San Francisco’. He’s an old-school storyteller through and through, and it’s cool to still be getting this sort of music being released. It’s probably not something I’d revisit a huge amount, but I can appreciate the hell out of the musicianship that went into it, and certainly liked it. It was cool to just throw on and get lost in the lyricism and feel of it all. And, for that, it gets an easy 7.5/10

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New Music Mondays: Sublime, Koe Wetzel and More!

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Another big week of new music, with plenty of awesome rock, metal and country for us to dive into!

Sublime: Until the Sun Explodes

An album three decades in the making, the band return to the studio for the first time since the 1996 death of iconic frontman Bradley Nowell. Now fronted by his son Jakob, honestly… man does he sound like his father. And, it’s exactly what I wanted from a return from the band. This is a full nearly hour of chilled out, fun and well written ska punk, and I loved every second. It’s also packed full of amazing songs, from the opener to the FIDLAR-featuring ‘Backwards’, ‘F.T.R.’ to ‘Evil Men’ to ‘Gangstalker’ to ‘Until the Sun Explodes’. And that’s certainly not all of them!

Can you tell I love this album yet? And it somehow goes by in a flash, not feeling like 57 minutes at all! The band have very much still got it, and I kinda hate that they are touting this as their last album. I know that was the sentiment about their self titled for years, so never say never I guess. However, if this is their last hurrah, what a way to go out. No matter what you are into, give this a listen, you’re sure to love it as much as I do! They could have been one of the biggest bands around if it wasn’t for the tragedy, but this is a fitting tribute to both Bradley and the band as a whole. I’ll be spinning this plenty for most likely months to come, if not longer, and it more than lives up to the expectations. I can’t give it any less than 10/10, this is phenomenal.

Koe Wetzel: The Night Champion

We’ve already checked out this awesome album! Read the full review here.

East Texas Adrenaline: Knockout

The brand new album from the metal-punkers picks up right where their collection of 2022-2025 EPs left off. It’s nearly half a hour of heavy, balls-to-the-wall punk, and is a lot of fun! Tracks like ‘Lawnmower Fistfight’, ‘Day by Day’ and the bluesy single ‘Misfortune’ are all personal highlights. However, the whole album is pretty good, and goes by in a flash! My only slight negative would be the production, however that either comes with being a small band, or just adds to the punk-nature of the record, so it’s not exactly a hugely bad thing! If you are into either of the genres, this is well worth checking out. The closest comparisons my mind kept going to were things like The Wildhearts and Die Spitz. The band definitely have a new fan in me, and I’m curious to see where they go next! 7.5/10

Olivia Rodrigo: you seem pretty sad for a girl so in love

So, while typically not the usual sort of thing we cover here, her last couple of albums had a fair bit of rock tinge to them. And heck, we did Avril and Charlotte Sands, so there isn’t too much difference there! I’d even say I’m a bit of a fan, at least in terms of her bringing a punkier edge back to mainstream pop. Having said that, the singles from the album I’ve heard so far haven’t filled me with hope, so I am tentatively curious…

Sadly, my suspicions were correct. This album is slow. There is certainly a slight bit of rockier instrumentation and arrangement when the tracks reach their crescendo and final choruses, definitely adding an epic feel at times. But, outside of that, it’s a lot of slow, sad, piano pop. Tracks like ‘maggots for brains’ and ‘expectations’ are fun indie/folk rock tracks, but they don’t reach the heights of her previous works. The closest track to her usual sound is ‘my way’, and even that feels rather de-fanged. I know her previous albums as a whole aren’t fully rock, but this definitely has the edges sanded and rounded more than ever before. The punk and attitude is almost non-existent here. She’s clearly still a fantastic vocalist, and the lyrics on ‘the cure’ are some of my favourite she’s ever put to paper. It’s not a bad album, and definitely a step above a lot of pop music coming out these days, but it’s certainly not the direction I’d hoped Olivia would be going in. I don’t even think it’ll grow on me, honestly. 5/10

Circle of Origin: Gallows

The second EP from hard rock/metal Brits, after the phenomenal Guilty ‘til Proven Innocent from last year. To the surprise of I’m sure no one, this is another banger of a collection! It’s heavy and melodic in equal measure, packed full of awesome riffing, some solid drumming and some damn catchy choruses. Tracks like ‘Life Without’ and ‘Nothing’ are personal favourites, but there really isn’t a bad song throughout. The band sit somewhere between Alter Bridge and 90s groove metal, and are all so very talented. They are clearly on the up-and-up and I can see them being a big name in the UK underground scene sooner rather than later! This is up there with their debut for me, building on everything great about Proven Innocent and dialling it up to 11. I’d highly recommend it to anyone interested! A very solid 8.5/10!

Dreamspy: The Dance of Illusions

Album three from solo, experimental project of vocalist-bassist Anssi Tamminen deserves so much more love than it’s going to get! For one man to get this massive a sound is damn impressive. And, even if I wasn’t a bassist myself, I’d still be damn impressed by the depth of sound he gets throughout this album! There’s some drum and synth behind Anssi, but both are fairly simple, designed to frame his playing and vocals, and done so fantastically. Both his playing and his vocals are incredible throughout too, proving just how criminally underrated he is as a musician. From the opener to ‘Poison Girl’ to ‘Holding Back the Blues’ there is a lot to love! It’s hard to pin down to a specific genre too, having elements of sleaze, AOR, melodic rock and even tinges of prog, doom and gothic. It’s short and sweet and a lot of fun; well worth checking out if you have a spare 28 minutes and are into an older school rock sound. An easy 7.5/10 from us, good stuff!

Stitched Up Heart: MEDUSA

The first album from the alt metallers in nearly three years, and my god is it a doozy! It’s also packed to the rafters with collabs from some of the very best in the sub-genre today! Finding themselves on a new record label after parting with Century, Judge & Jury have not only given the band more creative freedom, but also clearly had a hand in the entire record process. And, on top of that, we get everyone from Austin John Winkler to Butcher Babies, Nonpoint to Conquer Divide throughout, all adding their own spin on their tracks and each killing it as much as SUK do! From the opener to single ‘GLITCH BITCH’ to ‘DEAD TO ME’, there’s so much to love, but the album as a whole honestly slaps, there not being a bad song throughout! It’s a lot of fun, having plenty of lightheartedness, bounce and sass, alongside moments of deeper emotion.

I love that this sort of style, alongside the likes of The Pretty Wild and even Poppy to a point, is getting so much traction recently. The future evolution of metalcore is in very good hands, and more and more exceptional albums keep dropping in the genre, this very much being one of them! Check this out if you are at all interested, it’s truly fantastic. A very easy 9/10 from us!

Midland: Stages

Album five from the country trio follows up 2024’s Barely Blue perfectly! It’s a chilled-out, beautiful half an hour of traditional country music from honestly masters of the style. ‘One Day You Won’t’, massive single ‘Glass Half Empty’ and ‘Drunk Enough’ are all personal highlights. However, then you have the beautiful duet with Mackenzie Carpenter and a cover of Gary Allen’s ‘Drinkin’ Dark Whiskey’, and the whole album is packed full of awesome songs! The harmonies are of course spectacular and the best part of the album, but the songwriting is once again incredible, as expected from the band at this point. I absolutely love that this sort of style has come back in a big way the last few years, and Midland are definitely one of the front runners of the pack, in that regard. There isn’t a bad song throughout, and if you are at all into country music, you absolutely must check this out! I’ll certainly be listening to it again plenty moving forward, and can’t give it any less than 8.5/10!

Micko & The Mellotronics: The Trinity

Album three from the indie-infused post-punk quartet is a damn interesting listen! While typically not my sort of thing, I found myself having a great time listening. It had elements of surf rock and even horror punk at times; the bands love for 70s punk being clear even though they wrap it in a more modern package. And it’s 41-minute run time went by in a flash, an incredibly easy listen. Tracks like ‘Shadow’, ‘Misery Guts’ and ‘All at Sea’ are all personal highlights, but if you’re into the style you are very likely to love all of it! It’s not a release I’d revisit often, but I certainly wouldn’t turn it off if it was on, and the band are all insanely talented at what they do. A solid 7/10!

Redferrin: Been There Done That

The debut album from the rising country-pop megastar has finally arrived. We loved his first two EPs, and even chatted to the guy about the first, so to say that we have been excited about this release since it was announced may be an understatement! To say it doesn’t disappoint may also be a big understatement! Right from opener ‘If I Was California’ I was hooked, and not let go for the albums entire 38-minute run. From ‘Crazy’ to ‘3 Day Bender’ to ‘Straight to the Chapel’, there is so much to love. However, every song on this is awesome; even the Wiz Khalifa-featuring ‘Palm Trees’ is fun if nothing else.

Being a longer format has given Red the chance to really explore each side of his style. There’s plenty of variety through the album, and each style gets plenty of attention and time to shine and breath. His voice is phenomenal as always, and his way of writing radio hooks is utterly phenomenal; every chorus on here is amazing. I honestly think he’s the front runner in his sub-genre from a purely quality-output perspective (Mr Wallen be damned). If you are at all into a more modern radio-country style, this album is an absolute must. Another incredibly easy 8.5/10 from me!

Still Remains: Spirit Breaker

The first release from the US metalcorers in well over a decade, this EP is very much a welcome return! It’s five absolutely killer tracks spread across nearly 20 minutes of excellent heavy music. Whether it’s crushing screams, awesome riffs, solid drums or melodic, catchy cleans, this has it all, and all are dialled up to 11. It’s also impossible to pick highlights, as every track is as good as the last. And it spans plenty of different sounds in its short time, from first-wave metalcore to some synth elements to even moments of blackened death metal. I am so damn glad the band are back, and the fact that they have returned after years of silence right back to the top of their game is a true testament to their talent. I already can’t wait to hear where they go from here, but for now I’ll be spinning this a lot moving forward. I can’t give it any less than 10/10, truly amazing!

Leoni Jane Kennedy: Synthetic

The sophomore album from prog/blues rock artist, while not hugely my sort of thing, is an insanely impressive release! I do generally enjoy prog, but it’s a little slow and stripped-back for my tastes, not reaching the grandiose heights I’d personally wish it to. However, the talent on display throughout is honestly incredible. The playing to the vocals to the arrangement and writing is all off the charts, and all the pieces fit together perfectly. It’s no wonder the prog community have accepted her so readily, she is truly a one-of-a-kind talent. ‘Closer’ was probably my favourite of the release due to its last minute or two, but ‘Test the Water’ is a close second. It’s a release that may very well grow on me, but for now it still gets a solid 7.5/10 from me!

P.S. check out our interview with her here!

Graham Barham: CLUB COUNTRY

Another debut album from a country-pop artist this week, I feel like those are weird odds. This is exactly what you’d expect from the album title, for better or worse! It’s trap-infused country music, and I’m almost disappointed in myself for saying that I actually loved it! It’s shit in the best possible way. From the underlying country guitars, voice and lyrics to the electric beats, the rock instrumentation behind the choruses to the rapping, it all works far better than it ever should do, and is an incredibly fun combination. It very much feels like the evolution of Kane Brown’s sound the last five years or so. It’ll most likely piss off a lot of country purists, but honestly is more enjoyable than a fair few current pop-country stars’ work (Wallen catching all the strays this week…).

From the opener to ‘SO LONG SATURDAY NIGHT’, ‘MARLBORO STYLE’ to the silly ‘MCCONAUGHEY’, there is a lot to love. It does drop off slightly in the middle, but there is enough greatness that it makes up for it! It flows better than his EP last year, and has definitely won me over into a big fan of his. It feels like the evolution of a new sub-genre, and I for one am surprisingly down with it. 8/10, it’s a whole lotta fun!

Kenny Whitmire: Fool in a King Size Bed

Lingering somewhere between an album and an EP, the first non-single release from the traditional country Georgian is honestly fantastic! It’s chilled-out and stripped-back and utterly amazing from start to finish. From love songs to breakups to self-affirmation, Kenny writes it all so well, and does it all so catchily and seemingly with a smile on his face. It’s another release where it’s seemingly impossible to pick a couple of highlights from too, as I love each song as much as the next. And for a guy who generally isn’t as fussed about a mostly-slower release, that is surely saying a lot! This is the start of a massive career for the guy, I’m sure, and it’s an album I’ll be listening to a good amount moving forward. Check this out if you are at all into old-school country music! 8.5/10

new music mondays

New Music Mondays: Evanescence, Red Clay Strays and More!

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Another huge week of new releases for us to check out, from metal to rock to country! Let’s dive in!

Evanescence: Sanctuary

Finally following up 2021’s masssive The Bitter Truth, the symphonic metal powerhouses have come out swinging with album number six. Fun fact, their last album was one of the first reviews we did here at Overtone. We loved it, and I still spin at least a few of the tracks first regularly to this day. So, it’s slightly sad for me to say that this release, half a decade later, is just fine. Don’t get me wrong, singles ‘Who Will You Follow’ and Devil May Cry’s ‘Afterlife’ are great. ‘Sanctuary’ is also a bit of a banger. However, the band have been at this for over two decades now, and have stayed relatively the same throughout that entire time. And this album simply doesn’t have as many big hooks and moments as other releases have had. Everything else just blurs together into a similar, done-better-before sound. The industrial elements they’ve brought in recently are cool, but I do think were done better on their previous album.

Maybe I’m being too harsh on it. Amy Lee’s vocals are just as phenomenal as ever, and there are some okay riffs throughout. There are some great lyrics, and the two emotional ballad tracks of the album are amazing. If you are a big fan of the band, this will most likely be right up your street. It’s definitely an okay entry into their catalogue; I maybe just came in with slightly too high expectations. I’ll be spinning it again in the future, that’s for sure, and maybe it’ll grow on me more then. However, for now I can’t give it any more than a 7/10. Not bad by any stretch, but a touch forgettable.

Red Clay Strays: Grateful

The highly anticipated third album from the fast-rising country megastars finally dropped this last Friday. To say that we have been excited for this one might be an understatement. We loved their last album, and even got to see them live with it, so we have been eagerly anticipating this release since it was announced. Plus, the singles they’ve put out so far are excellent.

Well, safe to say it lives up to the hype! This is a full 46 minutes of soul-infused, old-school country rock, and I’m immediately obsessed! The opener is a gospel masterpiece that highlights Brandon’s phenomenal vocals perfectly. Then you have rocky numbers like ‘Don’t Wanna Know’, ‘People Hatin’ and ‘Fool’s Gold’ that are all awesome. However, slower, ballad tracks like ‘If I Didn’t Know You’ and the closer/title track, are just as incredible! As you can surely tell by now, there isn’t a bad song throughout! I love that generally they alternate between a boot-stomper and a slower song, keeping the pace interesting throughout. Heck, for a release on the longer side, it’s an incredibly easy listen! The band are such incredible songwriters and players, and all get a chance to shine throughout. As much as I loved Made By These Moments, this is at least up there alongside it, if not maybe even surpassing it. If you’re at all into country, this is absolutely an album for you! I’ll be spinning it plenty in the weeks and months to come, that’s for sure! 8.5/10

August Burns Red: Season of Surrender

Returning to the studio after three years, following their critically acclaimed Death Below, the modern metalcore titans once again knock it out of the park here! It’s 44 minutes of brutality, and their proggy, technical excellence is present right from the jump ‘Legions’ is a fantastic opener, while tracks like ‘Behemoth’ and ‘Whispers Like Splinters’ are also massive highlights. The guest features are once again awesome too, all three killing it, with Make Them Suffer’s track being another huge high point. As I’m sure you can tell by this point, there really isn’t a bad song throughout! It goes by in a flash, and is the perfect mix of aggression, melody and breakdowns. I’ve seen a lot of love for this online already, and for very good reason, it really is a phenomenal release. What is interesting is I’ve seen the sentiment of ‘ABR are back’, like they ever really dropped off. They have been consistently one of the most overlooked names in metal, and this is another stellar addition to their spectacular back catalogue. I can’t give it any less than 9/10, check this out if you are at all interested!

Death Cab for Cutie: I Built You a Tower

The first album from the US alt/indie rockers in nearly four years is a damn fun, interesting release! Despite their relative success in the UK and Europe since their 2005 breakout hit, I wasn’t too familiar with them until the last couple of years or so. So, to sit down with a brand new release from them was cool. And what a release I chose! It’s a rather chilled-out release, but packed full of catchy melodies and a surprising amount of technicality. Tracks like ‘Punching the Flowers’, the beautifully melancholic ‘Stone Over Water’ and ‘Riptides’ are personal highlights, but the whole album is solid and goes by in a flash. It’s a welcome return by the band, and will surely be well received by their fans; a fitting continuation of their discography! A release that I’d highly recommend checking out if you are into things softer and more indie, and a solid 7.5/10 from us!

Jared James Nicoles: Louder Than Fate

Album four from the modern blues mastermind is another awesome release dripping in swagger and attitude. At 35 minutes, it’s pretty short, and packed full of amazing riffs, some massive melodies and choruses, and a fitting amount of heaviness. It gives off Mammoth vibes in the best possible ways. Tracks like ‘Ghost’, the beautiful, dark ballad ‘Killing Time’ and the high-powered closer are all personal highlights, but the album as a whole is awesome, not a bad song throughout! The sheer talented on display, not just from a playing and vocal standpoint but a writing one, is all off the charts, and how he isn’t one of the biggest solo names in the rock world currently is beyond me! If you are into blues or hard rock in any form, this is an absolute must-listen. I’ll be spinning it plenty in the weeks and months to come, and don’t be surprised to see it high on our albums of the year list come December. Another incredibly solid 9/10

Daughtry: SHOCK TO THE SYSTEM (DELUXE)

Amalgamating their previous two EPs, from 2024 and 2025, into one big release, this is an amazing collection of heavy radio rock! We’ve obviously all had chance to sit with the tracks for a while now, but they fit together perfectly into one release, and the addition of some live versions was an awesome touch! From ‘THE RECKONING’ to the title track, ‘DIVIDED’ to the massive ‘ANTIDOTE’, there is so much to love, and shows that after two decades the band are very much still operating at the top of their games. Chris is a criminally underrated vocalist, and how they aren’t worldwide massive will always confuse me. If you haven’t already checked out either EP release, this is absolutely worth giving a spin, and both fit together so well and the whole thing goes by in a flash. Hopefully this is a stopgap before another new release, but either way I’ll be spinning this just as much as I have been the EPs. And it has made me even more hyped to see them at Download this weekend! 8.5/10

A.A. Williams: Solstace

We’ve already checked out this awesome album! Read our full review here.

Colby Acuff: HANDMADE HORSEPOWER

Album seven from Colby, and he just keeps killing it with his traditional country sound! It’s been less than a year since his last release, Enjoy the Ride (we missed it but LOVED IT), and yet here we are with another great 25-minutes of music from the guy. The opener sets things up perfectly, while songs like ‘DEEDS I DONE’, the old-school rock’n’roll ‘LIPSTICK ON A PIG’ and ‘WHITE FLAG’ are all incredible. it’s a short release though, and is all very much all-killer, no-filler. I love how much this traditional country revival sound is taking off over the last few years, and I’d put Colby up there alongside the very best of the pack, honestly! He’s a fantastic lyricist, and is one of the most underrated vocalists in the game currently. Some of his delivery is packed with so much emotion it honestly gave me goosebumps. And, the more I listen to this album, the more I fall in love. It has elements of Southern Rock and Outlaw country alongside the traditional sound, and feels pretty unique to Colby. If you are at all into country or rock overall, give this a spin, you certainly won’t be disappointed! I feel like I’m gonna be obsessed with it for a while to come, and I can’t give it any less than 9/10!

Evergrey: Architects of a New Weave

The prog metal powerhouses returned with their 15th studio album this last Friday. Less than two years after their spectacular Theories of Emptiness, it’s insane to me that they are back with another incredible nearly hour of prog metal. It’s everything I wanted and expected out of another release from the band; awesome technicality, a gothic vibe, some incredible heavy riffs and plenty of catchiness. From ‘The Shadow Self’ to ‘Heaven’ to the Mikael Stanne-featuring ‘A Burning Flame’, there is plenty to love throughout. However, if you are into the band or the style, there isn’t a bad song throughout, and it goes by surprisingly quickly! I do have to say it hasn’t quite hooked me as hard as their last release, for whatever reason, but I do almost see it as much of an extension of that album than its own thing. Both are similar, and both are awesome! 8/10

Dea Matrona: Hate That I Care

The sophomore album from the Irish folk/indie-rock duo is every bit as good as their debut! It’s 36 minutes of dark, moody, catchy music wearing it’s Cranberries/Fleetwood Mac inspiration perfectly on its sleeve. From the opener to ‘A Rebel Song’, ‘Wait’ to ‘Siren Song’, there’s a lot of great stuff here! And, while it won’t be everyone’s bag, everything between those songs is also damn good! The pair are so incredibly talented and it’s no wonder they have gotten to the size that they are at already. It’s an easy listen but still has plenty of depth to it, with the vocal harmonies of course being another huge selling point yet again. There isn’t much more else I can say about it aside for if you are into anything vaguely folk, check this out! I’ll certainly be listening again, that’s for sure! Another solid 8/10.

Converge: Hum of Hurt

Another release barely three months after their last epic album, my gosh aren’t the metalcore quartet spoiling us this year?! If someone told me we were going to get a second album from them in 2026, I’d have fully expected Bloodmoon II. However, another half-hour of straight up hardcore-heavy metal from some of the best to do the style is equally fine by me! I have no qualms in revealing that Love is Not Enough is in my top 10 albums of the year so far. I also have no qualms in revealing that this is up there right alongside it! It’s another half an hour of anger and rage presented in the best way possible. It’s once again impossible to pick a highlight track or two too, as it’s all so good and worth listening to in full. Hell, I spun both their 2026 albums back to back over the weekend and it was EXCELLENT. It won’t be for everyone, but if you into the heavier, hardcore-infused stuff, this is very much an album for you, much like the previous one! Maybe I just need an angry outlet in my life, but this is a second incredible 9.5/10 for the band within months!

Wes Parker: Super Rare

This was a really interesting release! I’d never heard of the guy before spinning this album, and struggled to classify him in a specific genre, or even two! Nestled somewhere between indie, folk, country and rock, it definitely takes the listener on a journey. And, for a debut album, it’s rather ambitious! Whether it’s the rockier Zach Bryan-ish intro ‘Tattoo’, the quirky single ‘Bad Doggie’, the Jessica Lea Mayfield-featuring ‘Cut the Grass’ or the epic, rock ballad-like closer, there is plenty of variety and awesomeness throughout. I also love that the album is a Kyle Gordon Style radio show in its presentation; extra care and detail put into stuff like that always makes release feel more special. And, while I don’t think everything necessarily worked for me, I had a good time listening, and there are surely going to be a lot of fans of this release! I’m curious to see where Wes goes from here, but in the meantime I’ll certainly be giving some of this some more listens! 7/10

Shroud: Pax Nocturna

The debut album from the thrash/death newcomers goes hard from start to finish! Right from the opener ‘The Eternal Void’ this thing is heavy, urgent and awesome, and it keeps its momentum for its full 45-minute runtime. The fact that it’s only nine songs in that time as well means that everything gets time to breathe, and everyone in the band gets time to shine. Highlights include ‘Merciless Tyrants’, ‘Diablivion’ and the epic closer, but the whole album is great from start to finish! It certainly won’t be everyone’s cup of tea, but if you are into the heavier end of metal, this is absolutely worth a spin. The band have a bright future ahead of them, and in years to come people will look at this release as their big launching pad. 8.5/10

The 69 Eyes: I Survive

This four-track collection is an absolute powerhouse of gothic rock. The title track has gained a lot of traction and for very good reason, it’s honestly one of the best tracks the band have put to record. However, that shouldn’t take away from the other tracks. ‘Cold Sweat’ is a sleazy, boot stompin’ banger, an arena-filling chorus is the focal point of ‘In the Misery’, and the Danzig-like ‘Devil’s Rose’ is just as awesome, with Ed Mundell adding so much with his guest slot shredding. I remember liking their last album a few years back, but this feels so very concentrated and focused, the best of the best! I’d recommend this to absolutely anyone, whether you’re typically a fan of gothic or sleaze rock or not. It’s short and sweet and fucking excellent! It’s an EP I’ll be spinning a lot moving forward, and will most likely make it high up in our rankings by the end of the year! 9.5/10

Big Special: O’JOY!

Apparently an EP, even though it’s 30 minutes and 10 tracks, the follow-up to the duo’s 2025 sophomore album is an amalgamation of leftovers from that and their massive debut. Whatever it is, it’s quirky and a lot of fun. Continuing to carve their own path away from traditional genre norms, vaguely skirting near everything from punk to hip-hop, hardcore to soul to melancholic rock. The lyrics are fantastic throughout, and the instrumentation is so damn interesting it’s hard not to love it. Highlight tracks for me are the soulful ‘LAZARUS’ and ‘HOTEL’, but the whole release is an interesting listen from start to finish, and worth doing at least once! If you are at all interested, it’s well worth a listen. The band definitely have a new fan in me, and I’m already curious where they end up going in the future, aside for up! I can’t give it any less than 8/10, just from a purely artwork perspective, though the quality is also high!

Iron Kingdom: Shadows and Dust

Now six albums into their career, the NWOTHM Canadians show that they are very much still firing on all cylinders! The band are all insanely talented players, for one, and it translates perfectly into some awesome songwriting throughout this nearly-50-minute release. Opener ‘Defenders’ is an absolute banger perfectly reminiscent of that 80s sound. Then you have the likes of ‘Dreamless Sea’, ‘Blood and Steel’ and ‘Dark Demands’ that are also big highlight. If you’re into all things Maiden, Priest or Hammerfall, this is absolutely the release for you. It’s a sound that has remained hugely popular across the decades since its inception, and honestly these guys do it just as good as anyone. How they aren’t a massive name by now I don’t know. Hopefully this is finally the album to push them to that level, as it’s a really great release! A very easy 8/10 from us!

Dutch Elm: Self-Titled

The debut album from the post/math-rock (almost fully) instrumental quartet is a fantastic half-hour showcase of pure talent. Non-vocal music certainly isn’t for everyone, don’t get me wrong, but I’d recommend everyone reading this to at least give this a try, you may end up falling in love with it, like I did! Songs like ‘Transmitter’ and ‘You’re Not Invited to That Riff’ are personal highlights. And then to get some vocals in the closer honestly felt like a treat, adding an unexpected and awesome layer to the bands sound. Even though it isn’t typically my sort of style, I got lost in the grandiose nature of it all and spun it twice from front to back over the weekend, loving it both times. As I said, the talent throughout is off the charts, and a lot of what drew me in as a musician. I’m curious to see where they go from here, but for now this gets a very sold 7.5/10

Shooting Daggers: The Real Life Thing

The follow-up to the bands 2024 debut album, this EP is heavy punk at its very best. Self-describing themselves as Queercore, the UK trio immediately have a big new fan in me. I was hooked from the opener, while tracks like the hardcore ‘T.R.L.T.’ and the Dennis Lyxzén-featuring ‘GLOW’ are also big high points of the release. The whole EP is great though and has an excellent flow to it, especially with the couple of shorter tracks breaking things up. It’s a lot of fun, as well as dripping with attitude in the best way! If you are at all into punk, do yourselves a favour and checked this out. But then again, they also feel like they extend out from the punk genre, very much doing their own thing. The trio are going to be massive, sooner rather than later, and they have a big new fan in me! An easy 8.5/10 from me!

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New Music Mondays: Shinedown, Kip Moore and More!

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A MASSIVE week of new music for us to check out, with huge releases from some of the biggest names in the rock, metal and country worlds. Let’s check it all out!

Shinedown: EI8HT

We’ve already checked out this awesome album! Read our full review here.

Kip Moore: Reason to Believe

We’ve also checked out this release! Read our review here.

JAYLER: Voices Unheard

The debut album from one of the fastest rising stars in the UK rock scene finally dropped this last Friday. Now, I want to get the positives out first. These kids are all incredible talented musicians. Their playing and songwriting skills are well beyond their age. Tracks like the massive single ‘Riverboat Queen’, ‘The Getaway’ and ‘Lovemaker’ are all big highlights, though there isn’t a bad song throughout!

However, I personally don’t need another Led Zeppelin clone. We’ve tried this revival sound so many times, whether it was Wolfmother, Kingdom Come, Rival Sons or Greta Van Fleet, all to varying degrees of success. Don’t get me wrong, I’m a Zep fan, but it all kinda screams ‘we have Zep at home’. As I’ve said, it’s good music in its own right, I just wish they did something interesting with the sound. I’d love to hear that Robert Plant voice over something not blues rock, like Michael Poulsen does with that Elvis sound. Hopefully they’ll evolve like the previously mentioned bands do on subsequent releases and come into their own; they’re still incredibly young, after all! Hell, maybe I’m just jaded from people, including some media outlets, already touting the term ‘saviours of rock’, like they do any time one of these bands come around, and like it has ever needed saving.

As I’ve said, it’s certainly not a bad release. It’s exactly what you’d expect, and if you like this sort of thing you’ll most likely love it. The band have an INSANELY bright future ahead of them, that’s for sure. But after decades of similar sort of music, it’s hard not to get a little bored by it these days. So, sorry boys, I can’t give it any more than 7/10

All Them Witches: Red Rocking Chair

This thing is wild from start to finish! It’s stonery blues metal/hard rock for a full 43-minutes; plodding pace, awesome riffs and epic arrangements and vocals. It definitely has other elements to it, touches of indie acid and psychedelic, as well as a healthy dose of prog for good measure, but this release is stoner all over. Heck, opener ‘Red Rocking Chair’ is an awesome, heavy starting off point, and sets the quirky tone early. Then there are songs like the straight-up blues ‘Aethernet’, ‘Turn on the Light’ and the epic closer that are all other big highlights. The album takes the listener on a fantastic journey, and 43 minutes went by in a flash! The band are are hugely talented and have crafted something truly interesting with this release, constantly keeping me hooked despite the generally plodding pace throughout. Somehow I hadn’t heard them before but they have a big new fan in me! A solid 8/10 from us!

Devin Townsend: The Moth

As much as I’ve enjoyed the odd track here and there over the years, as well as loved his last album and plenty of SYL stuff back in the day, DAMN, I definitely ‘get’ it Heavy Devvy, now. This thing is epic, chaotic and brilliant, for a solid 70 minutes (excluding The Afterlife mixes on the deluxe), and I can’t seem to get enough. It’s like Danny Elfman if he made a metal film, and it’s no wonder Devin has considered this his “life’s work” the last decade plus.

Honestly, I can’t gush over the album enough. Everything about it, from the North Netherland’s Orchestra and Choir and all their awesomeness throughout to Devin’s criminally underrated, powerful vocals, to the occasional and well-earned heaviness to the arrangement as a whole, be it instrumentally or track-by-track, it’s all phenomenal. The release has such a perfect flow and energy to it throughout that over an hour goes by in an instant. And having so many interlude and shorter tracks between the more epic songs is a master-stroke, honestly. This is a metal opera through and through, to the quality not heard since Avantasia’s debut. From ‘War Beyond Words’ to ‘Enter the City’, ‘Stay There’ to ‘The Big Snit’ to ‘Stained Hearts’, there are plenty of tracks I’d listen to on their own. However, this release begs to be listened to in full, at least once. What a phenomenal, insanely creative release, and one I can’t give any less than 10/10 to!

Willie Nelson: Dream Chaser

Y’all know the drill by now. Huge legend, one of the hardest working musicians of all time, album number insanely high. Of course we’re fans of Willie here, and this album is a surprisingly great entry into his discography, especially given that the man isn’t far off 100 years old! The opener/title track is excellent in every way, while songs like ‘We’d Make a Good Movie’, ‘Whiskey Wants me To’ and ‘After All’ are all awesome too. It’s a great collection of both slower and more up-tempo tracks, and alternating the way this does was a great decision, keeping it constantly entertaining. It’s easy to see why he’s such a legend in the business and, honestly, this may be my favourite of his modern albums! It still shocks me to be putting stuff like this about a Willie Nelson release in 2026, but I can’t give it any less than 8.5/10. Amazing stuff, and fantastic traditional country!

Dogstar: All In Now

Not-Wyld-Stallyns put out their second album since their 2020 reunion, firmly establishing them as a mainstay in the alt-rock world at this point. We enjoyed their last album, so I have been curiously hyped since this was announced!

It’s another damn good post-new-wave rock album! It’s a light-hearted affair that is impossible not to have a good time when listening to. Channelling vibes of everything from grunge to punk, pop to hard rock, they somehow both feel old-school and accessible, while also feeling pretty unique in this day and age, a hard task to accomplish! Personal favourites include the title track, ‘Siren’ and ‘Shards of Rain’. However, the whole album is great, and each track flows into the next so effortlessly. Much like with their last album, it’s not something I’d revisit too often, but I’d happily throw on and relax to every now and again. If you like your lighter end of rock, this is very much the album for you, and is another entry into their now very solid discography! Another solid 8/10 from us! Such a shame they clash with Pretty Wild at Download…

Oh, and all hail our lord and saviour, Keanu Reeves.

Redshift: Down the Wire

This anti-AI prog metal release is the third from the UK trio, following up 2023’s INSANE Laws of Entropy. It’s every bit as great as I expected, and a worthy follow-up to Laws. Single ‘The Singer’ is incredible, while the chaotic, prog masterclass of ‘The Machine’ and the Derek Sherinian-featuring ‘The Rogue’ are all big other highlights. However, all six tracks here are as good as the last! The sheer talent on display from everyone involved throughout is truly mindblowing, and they have once again blown me away with their skill of playing and songwriting. I feel like it fits rather perfectly alongside the rest of their discography, and is impossible to pick a favourite out of the three. Instead, it just makes me want to listen to it all back-to-back! Either way, I’ll certainly be spinning this awesomeness again, and it gets another incredibly solid 9/10 from us!

Kiefer Sutherland: GREY

The Lost Boys/24 and now country legend put out his fourth album last week. It’s a chilled-out affair from start to finish, packed with bittersweet lyrics and vibes, great acoustic instrumentation, and the odd catchy chorus from Kiefer’s now trademark rasp. I have to admit it’s still a little odd hearing someone with a (rumoured) networth of $100 million sing from the perspective of a working man, but somehow he makes it work, more often than not! Tracks like single ‘GOODBYE CALIFORNIA’, ‘SIMPLER TIME’ and ‘THE BOTTLE LET ME DOWN’ are personal highlights. Sadly, outside of those tracks, this album is generally a little too, melancholic and depressing for me. There will certainly be people who love this as a whole, and I can appreciate it for sure, but I’m not one of them. He’s always been on the slower end, but this is more stripped-back and hopeless than ever. Maybe it’ll grow on me, but I do generally prefer his more Randy Newman-esque up-tempo stuff, generally. It’s not bad, but not something I see myself revisiting all too often. For now, it gets a 6.5/10 from us.

Static Dress: Injury Episode

The UK post-hardcorers put out their highly anticipated sophomore album last Friday. They have grown a lot since their debut, both in terms of size and songwriting. I definitely have revisited Rouge Carpet Disaster a few times since 2022 when it dropped, but this feels like a step up for them. Opener ‘questioning’ is alt and heavy awesomeness, and sets the tone for the rest of the album perfectly! Then you have tracks like ‘Pharmacy Film’, the Underoath-featuring ‘Nostalgia Kills’ ‘lip critic’ and ‘Classic.Death.Pose.’ that are all huge highlights. Honestly though, this album slaps from start to finish! It gives vibes of everything from MCR to Coheed, 3TEETH to Loathe, but also with something else that makes them feel pretty unique. It’s elements of post-hardcore, industrial, nu, punk and emo all perfectly infused together, and I can’t get enough! I’ll be revisiting this a LOT moving forward, and don’t be surprised to see it getting pretty high on our albums of the year list come December. 9/10

The Real McKenzies: Paul McKenzie Sings on Yer Bike

The Canadian Celtic punk legends are back with a follow-up to 2022’s awesome Songs of the Highlands. And wouldn’t you believe it, it’s another banger of an album from one of the most underrated bands around from the 90s and 2000s! The three singles are incredible, while tracks like ‘The Mad Trapper of Rat River’ and the almost polka/ska ‘Liver Spot’ are also huge high points. It’s barely half an hour and goes by in a flash, as well as begs you to swing and dance along. It’s impossible not to have a good time with it, especially when the band don’t take themselves hugely seriously. There isn’t much else I can say about it aside for if you’re into fun punky vibes, you absolutely MUST give this a try! 8/10

Alana Springsteen: I HOPE THIS HELPS

The sophomore album from the Virginia singer-songwriter feels like it’s been a long time coming. Her debut only came out three years ago, but I guess it’s been a long three years! We enjoyed her particular combination of country music and sad-girl-pop then, and this release perfectly continues on from that. Honestly, it did take a little bit of getting into for whatever reason, the first couple of tracks didn’t hook me, but from ‘sad hour’ onwards it really clicked for me. ‘love to see it’, ‘diy’, ‘no man’s’ and single ‘black sheep’ are all big highlights for me. And, though it’s another longer release, I felt it was less overwhelming this time round. Whether it was the fact that a couple of the tracks were short interludes this time round, or that my favourite songs were spread throughout, who knows. All I know is that that five less minutes mad a big difference, and definitely in a positive way.

It feels like a more focused and refined album, exactly what you want from a second release. It’s easy to see why she is one of the fastest rising stars in the genre today, as she is already incredible consistent with her releases, this being every bit as good as her debut. Another very solid 8.5/10

Blackmarket: Radical Views

This EP feels like it’s been a long time coming, following up their 2021 self-titled album. However, it’s an excellent 12 minutes of anger, heaviness and nu/industrial metal awesomeness. All four tracks are as good as the last too, and all combine together to give a full showcase for the bands range and style. ‘Bleed’ and the title track are personal highlights, but that doesn’t take away how excellent the other two songs are! The band feel like they have carved an awesome niche for themselves, no one sounds like this, and it will surely serve them excellently moving forward! If you like any of the genres that I’ve described above, this is well worth checking out! My only complaint is that there isn’t more of it! Hopefully we won’t have to wait as long next time for new music, and if it’s a new album, even better! For now I’ll definitely be spinning this plenty, though. A solid 8.5/10

Rodney Atkins: True South

The 2000s country legend is back with his first new music in seven years, and picks up right where he left off with Caught Up in the Country! It kicks off strong with the Outlaw country-rock title track and ‘Helluvit’, while tracks like ‘Hole in One’, ‘All Y’all’ and ‘Silver Bullets’ are all other big highlights. Having been a fan of his for a long time now, it’s exactly what I hoped for and expected, and it certainly didn’t disappoint. Covering sounds from Brantley Gilbert to Russel Dickerson to more of a classic sound, it’s an awesome 40 minutes that, even if it has maybe one too many slower songs, doesn’t once get boring! My only issue was there was maybe a slight bit too much cheesy, typical country stuff in the lyrics. However, it’s Rodney Atkins, so it was rather expected! Plus, he offsets it perfectly with some of the other tracks packed full of genuine emotion. He is back in a big way, and I’m just glad we finally got a new LP from him! If you’re into the more radio side of country, especially from the 2000s/2010s, this is absolutely an album for you! 8/10

Guided By Voices: Crawlspace of the Pantheon

Another year, another album from the old-school indie rockers for us to check out. I’ve lost track of how many we’ve covered, now. Much like with Nelson above, I fully commend and respect their hard-working nature, their last album dropping just eight months ago and this being their 42nd studio album. Unlike the Willie album, however, I didn’t enjoy this too much. It certainly had its moments, like the Foo Fighters-y opener, the outro of ‘One Last Blow’ and ‘Chariot Ride’ itself was fine too. However, it was all just so… meh, so boring. It’s nothing I haven’t heard from the band before, and I came into it some 30+ albums into their career already. Unless they do something drastically different, I’m not covering another of their releases, I feel too mean giving them back scores on the regular. It’s not bad by any stretch, it will certainly have its fans, but it isn’t for me at the best of times, never mind when I’ve heard them do it before and better. Another 3.5/10

Malummeh: Self-Titled

The first release since their reformation in 2022, the Finnish old-school metalcore/melodeath EP goes HARD. It’s 18 minutes of anger, heaviness and incredible musicianship. The riffs are incredible, the drumming is insane and the screams are brutal and amazing. And yet, there are still catchy, more melodic moments spread throughout too, arguably only making the heavy bitter heavier. Opener ‘Dethroned’ sets the pace of the release perfectly, while ‘October’ is also heavy greatness. However, that doesn’t take away from the other two tracks, which are also awesome. It’s an amazing return from a band that still have the chance to be a pretty big name in the scene, especially when they are putting out stuff of this quality. Heck, my only complaint would be that there wasn’t enough of it! Hopefully they keep making new music, as I already can’t wait to hear where they go from here. A very solid 8/10 from us!

Joshua Ray Walker: Ain’t Dead Yet

Embodying the hard-working traditional country attitude that Willie champions above, this is Joshua’s eighth studio album in his relatively short seven years of releasing music. It’s also impressive that it’s at this high a quality, given how high-paced he’s working at. Tracks like ‘Shoot Me Straight’, ‘Outlaw’ and ‘Stepping Stones’ all big high points. However, at just 10 tracks and 33 minutes, it’s an incredibly easy listen throughout. Joshua has such a unique but fantastic voice, and it had me hooked from start to finish. Well, that and his witty, emotion-filled lyric writing! Though it does have a modern edge to it, certainly on the production side of things, this is certainly a release for anyone into the old-school style of country music! I had a blast, and can’t give it any less than 8/10!

Burning Rope: Dissolution

The sophomore album from the former Catfish members dropped this last Tuesday, and is a fantastic bluesy rock release! It’s 47 minutes of awesome riffing, solid drumming and some great, catchy vocal melodies. It has elements of everything from Hendrix to Joanne Shaw Taylor to Dire Straits, and is a lot of fun! From the opener to ‘Second Time Around’ to ‘Houdini’, there is plenty to love throughout! The band are all incredibly talented, still at the top of their respective crafts. If you are at all into this sort of music, you know exactly what to expect and will probably have a great time with this! Being a blues guy myself I enjoyed it, and will happily be spinning it again in the future. A solid 7/10 from us!

Melanie Herrera: A Fearful & Wondrous Thing

The debut album from the ‘storybook pop’ singer-songwriter really takes the listener on a journey! It’s a full nearly 40 minutes mixture of everything from pop to rock, folk to funk to soul, and everything in-between. I didn’t expect to enjoy it as much as I did, but I had a blast with this! From ‘Cool Girls Party’ to the emotion-filled ‘You’re Doing Great’ and ‘Call You Baby’, there’s a lot to love. Each track is good in its own right though, and the album as a whole as a great flow to it. It certainly won’t be for everyone reading this, but if you have even a passing like of pop music, it is well worth a try! I’ll definitely be spinning it again, at least over the summer, and it gets a solid 7.5/10 from me!

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New Music Mondays: A, Dimmu Borgir and More!

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Another typically stacked week of new music for us to check out, from rock to metal to country! Let’s dive right in!

A: PRANG

The return album from the British alt rockers, their first new studio work in over two decades despite being relatively active for most of that time, is honestly about what you’d expect from fans of the band. Hi-Fi Serious was a big release for me in my youth, and while this is certainly more tame in comparison, it’s insane to expect three brothers in their 50s to have that same anger as when they were in their late 20s. Regardless, it’s still a good, fun album. It feels like it draws a little more from Britpop than I was expecting it to, but definitely still has that alt and punk infusion the band are known for. Tracks like ‘Bring on the Likes’, the heavier ‘All In’, the hardcore ‘Techno Viking’ and ‘Back to the Shop’ are all big personal highlights. However, at only 10 tracks in length, it’s pretty short and sweet, and goes by in a flash.

My only slight complaint is that the album takes a bit of getting going, I think there’s a better track arragement in here somewhere, for me at least! There’s some heavy hitters later on that could have been better served in the opening songs. However, if you’re a fan of the band or their particular brand of noise, this is an album well worth checking out! I’ll certainly be spinning it again and it may grow on me more, but for now it gets a still-solid 7.5/10!

Dimmu Borgir: Grand Serpent Rising

The symphonic black metal legends return with their first new release since 2023’s Inspiration Profanus. Somehow we missed reviewing that album, though I have checked it out in my own time and enjoyed it. Though typically not as into black metal in my youth, this band were always an exception, and to this day they are still so unique, interesting and captivating. Now, it’s not a small undertaking, 70-minutes of dark brutality, but if you like the band this is well worth a listen! The album is definitely designed to be listened to in one sitting, but songs like ‘As Seen in the Unseen’, ‘Repository of Divine Transmutation’ and ‘Recognizant’ are personal highlights. It’s certainly not for everyone, but if you are into the genre and have some patience, it is awesome and a damn rewarding listen! The band very much prove that they still have it, some three plus decades into their careers. And they are some of the most talented players and songwriters in metal. A solid 8/10 from us!

Dan Byrne: This is Where the Show Begins

The debut solo album from the UK hard rocker is somehow even better than I expected it to be! I’ve been following his career for years at this point, being a big fan of Revival Black back in the day, but this honestly feels like a step up, like he has something to prove. It has a real arena rock feel to it, both in the writing and the incredible mixing, and is definitely set to take Dan to the next level. It opens on the incredible single ‘Saviour’, followed up perfectly by ‘She’s the Devil’. Then you have tracks like ‘Sober’ and ‘Hate Me’ that are just as good as any of the pre-release singles! Every track on this is amazing though, each being as good as the last. It even works having the two slower tracks in the middle (aside I guess for closer ‘Home’), a move that is usually hard to pull off.

Dan is one of the best vocalists in the scene currently, and has proved here that his songwriting matches that immense talented, too. If you are at all into hard rock or its wider genres, this is an absolute must-listen! I’ll be spinning this plenty in the coming weeks and months, and don’t be surprised to see it high on our albums of the year list come December. 9/10

Jake Vaadeland: This is Jake Vaadeland

The traditional country/bluegrass Canadian singer-songwriter returned with his third studio album this last Friday, following up 2024’s critically acclaimed Retro Man. Well, safe to say it’s another excellent old-school release from the man and his Sturgeon River Boys. From ‘Wildwood Flower’ to ‘Keep on the Sunny Side’, ‘Will the Circle be Unbroken’ to ‘Short Life of Trouble’, there is plenty to love throughout. Don’t get me wrong, at 17 tracks, all of which are fairly similar, it can certainly feel long. However, even though it’s not strictly my sort of sound, I had a good time listening to this, and would urge anyone even slightly interested to do the same! He’s insanely talented at what he does, a real leading light in the 40s/50s revival genre. There isn’t even much else more I can say; it’s exactly what you’d expect it to be and damn good, at that! 7/10

Armored Saint: Emotion Factory Reset

The first studio album from the heavy metal legends in six years, this thing goes hard for a full 47 minutes. John Bush’s vocals never seem to age, sounding just as awesome and powerful as ever, and the rest of the band play their asses off throughout. From the opener to single ‘Hit a Moonshot’, ‘Compromise’ to ‘Bottom Feeder’, there is so much to love throughout this. There certainly isn’t a bad song throughout, either. They do a fantastic job of making this feel like their old-school music while also still having a modern edge to it, mainly due to the fantastic production. If you are at all a fan of 80s and 90s heavy metal/thrash, this is absolutely the album for you! Hopefully we get a full run of shows out here at some point soon, not just a one off (although Stonedead looks BANGIN’ this year), as I’d love to see this live! For now though, I’m happy to keep spinning this album, and it gets a solid 8/10 from us!

ALT BLK ERA: Our World

One of the fastest rising stars in the UK alt scene, the local duo already exploded onto the scene with their debut album last year, returning just 16 months later with this awesome EP! The pair continue to grow their fusion of rock, rap, pop and electronica perfectly with these five tracks, all of which are better than the last. It’s very hard to pick specific highlights, as every song flows so well into each other and is good as each other. Having said that, ‘Okay (Cyber Racing)’ was probably my favourite track. It’s no wonder the duo are getting the hype around them that they are getting, as they more than deserve. It this a great stop-gap before a sophomore album, and a release well worth checking out into you’re into a modern rock-pop sound! 8/10

McCoy Moore: Sunshine State

The sophomore album from the rising country star is a great, chilled-out affair. It gives off a slight vibe akin to the new ERNEST album, but with more of a modern or even bro country twang to it. And it’s also packed full of highlights. From single ‘Every Single Summer’ to the Cole Swindell-featuring ‘In Here, Out There’, ‘Something to You’ to ‘Chesney on a Beach’ to ‘Memories We Never Made’, there’s some truly excellent songs. However, there isn’t a bad track throughout, and it felt like it grew on me more and more the more I listened! The lyrics are amazing, going from emotion-filled to fun and clever, and the instrumentation fits perfectly behind them all. It’s easy to hear why he is such a fast-rising star, and to come out with a second album of this high quality just six months after his debut really highlights just how talented the guy is. He is surely going to keep growing and rising through the ranks quickly. I’m definitely becoming a bigger fan the more I listen, and this will certainly be one of the albums of the summer for me, I’m sure! A very easy 8.5/10, great stuff!

Erik Grönwall: Bad Bones

The former H.E.A.T. frontman put out his fifth solo album this last Friday, following up his Eriksplanations collection the last few years. However, it’s been a while since we’ve had original solo music from him. Well, aside for that Michael Schenker album, but I can’t imagine he had much of a hand in the writing of that. Heck, the album he did with Skid Row was four years ago now! So, safe to say, I’m curious what this is gonna be like!

Well, it’s fucking awesome! It’s an excellent AOR album from one of the best the genre has ever seen. It’s packed full of catchy, arena-filling choruses, soaring, powerful vocals and some awesome riffing. Also, the mix on this thing is amazing, making everything sound MASSIVE. And, because of all of that, it’s almost impossible to pick highlights. All 10 of these tracks are as good as the last, and it makes for an incredibly easy 35-minute listen. From boot stompin’ rockers to the three epic ballads, it’s all amazing. As much as I do prefer Kenny with H.E.A.T., Erik is an incredible talent and has crafted something truly special here. He continued his return from his recent health scare in a major way, and proves that he’s not going anywhere, except maybe even higher up! I’d recommend this album to absolutely anyone, and will be spinning it plenty in the weeks and months to come. Another very easy 9/10 from us! It’s almost as good as the last H.E.A.T. album…

Beggars Bliss: Self-Titled

This is an awesome slab of blues rock! Bring from our neck of the woods, I am already pretty familiar with the band, and they are all great people. So I’ve been excited to finally hear this release in a professional capacity for a while, and it somehow blew away every hope and expectation I had! Whether it’s big, grungy blues riffs, powerful, swagger-dripping vocals, solid drumming or some great keys work, this release really has it all. It also seemed like it had me in a chokehold from start to finish, me listening through it twice in full already just this last week! The album is arranged in such a way that it flows perfectly, every song slotting together like a jigsaw. It’s like a blend of Lenny Kravitz, Luna Marble, Exile Club and Hendrix, and I honestly can’t get enough. Surprisingly, I found myself preferring the lighter tracks, or at least those that have a greater focus on the keys, like ‘Forbidden Fruit’, ‘Dusk Till Dawn’ and the Pearl-Jam-like closer. However, that isn’t to say that the boot-stompers aren’t also amazing songs in their own right, too.

I could rave about this album all day; it’s right up my street musically and is phenomenal from start to finish. Heck, the fact that this is a debut album too is mind-blowing. The band have a very bright future ahead of them, and this will definitely be seen as the start of their incredible run in years to come. If you are at all interested, check this out immediately. I feel like it’s been a while but honestly, it deserves it… 10/10

Moonlight Haze: Interstellar Madness

This is an awesome power/symphonic metal EP! Six tracks across 21 minutes of true epicness and greatness. It’s another release that doesn’t have a bad song through its runtime, and is once again impossible to pick specific highlights. The band are so damn talented, and blend the heavy and the melodic perfectly, having some of the biggest choruses I’ve heard recently alongside some truly excellent riffs and even screams. The band have been around a little while at this point and it’s wild to me that they aren’t already a huge name. However, this release will surely push them to new heights, and deserves to be heard by everyone, it really is that good! They have a big new fan in me, and I can’t give this any less than 9/10!

Neo Dimes: Alone

The debut darkwave album from the mind of Stephen Edmunds is a damn interesting listen! Combining neo-industrial and post-punk sounds together into his own blend of dark, catchy electro music had me rather hooked from start to finish. Songs like ‘Angels’, ‘Obsidian’ and ‘How to Love’ are all personal highlights. I do think it’s maybe all a little too samey, 50 minutes of similar music did get a touch much by the end. However, that may be because it’s not 100% my style of music, and my tiny attention span just wandered off somewhere. Some of it reminded me of All the Damn Vampires, in the best possible way, while others dripped with Nine Inch Nails or Filter. If you’re into any of the bands or genres I’ve mentioned, this is well worth checking out! I had a good time listening and will certainly be spinning it again at some point soon! A solid 7/10 from us.

Bleachers: everyone for ten minutes

The indie/alt/soft rock New Jersans’ sixth studio album is a chilled-out, enjoyable. I have such an up-and-down relationship with this sort of music, but I honestly had a great time listening to this! Songs like ‘the van’, the almost country ‘dirty wedding dress’, ‘take you out tonight’ and ‘I’m not joking’ are personal highlights. However, the whole album is good and an incredibly easy listen, 39 minutes going by in a flash. If you are at all into the more chilled-out side of music, this is absolutely the sort of album to throw on and get lost in. I probably won’t revisit this often, but whenever I do I’m sure I’ll have a blast! An easy 7.5/10!

Ersedu: GORE

The sophomore EP from the symphonic death metal band dropped last Tuesday, and has been rather the mainstay on my streaming since then! It’s the perfect amount of epicness, heaviness and melody, making for a fantastic 15-minute listen! It at times reminds me of Dimmu above, but has more of a death metal than black metal base to it, honestly making it a more interesting listen for me! Once again, it’s also hard to pick highlights, as at only three track and an interlude/intro, it’s all killer, no filler! If you are at all into the heavier side of metal, this is absolutely the release for you! I’ll certainly be spinning it plenty moving forward, and my only complaint is that it isn’t longer! 8/10

Billy Lockett: Things are Looking Up

Album three from the British singer-songwriter is packed full of emotion. Covering plenty of deep topics and heartbreak, it very much takes the listener on a journey. And, it helps that said journey is accompanied by some amazing folk-pop-rock music! From the title track to ‘Cornerstone’ to ‘We Know’, there is plenty for me to love throughout. And generally while it’s not fully my sort of thing as an album as a whole, I had a good time listening, and can appreciate how good it is for people more into this side of music. It’s probably not something I’d revisit in full often, but the tracks I like I really like, and will be spinning them individually for quite some time to come. Billy’s a damn talented musican and songwriter. He definitely has a curious new fan in me, and I’ll be dipping into his back catalogue after this weekend, that’s for sure! 7.5/10

Bullets and Octane: Self-Titled

The first fully new studio album from the SoCal hard rockers in six years (though following up last years demos and B-sides collection), this feels like both a reinvention and a confirmation of the bands sound. The punk-edge and sleazy swagger is still very much still there from their early work, but it also has a revitalised heaviness and massive production to it that gives it a more modern edge. Plus, it’s also not only packed with big, chunky riffing, but some arena-filling melodies and choruses. From the opener to the almost Hellyeah-like ‘The Break’ and ‘Operation Butterfly’, there are so many amazing songs on here. However, every track on this thing is excellent, and the album is well worth at least a spin in full, if not several! Gene’s vocals are somehow as good as ever, and the rest of the band play their asses off throughout, creating an excellent vibe throughout. I’ve been a big fan of the band for years at this point, and to hear them return so strong with new music is honestly incredible, as well as heart-warming. I feel like this will be an album I’ll be revisiting plenty in the weeks and months to come, and I can’t give it any less than a 9/10!

new music mondays

New Music Mondays: All American Rejects, Periphery and More!

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The usually stacked week of new music for us to check out, from metal to country to rock! Let’s get right into it!

The All-American Rejects: Sandbox

Somehow this is only the fifth album from the alt/pop rockers, and their first since 2012’s Kids in the Street. A lot has changed in 14 years, both in the music industry and in the band itself. Heck, the world experienced Humpadoo since their last release! So, to say there’s been a fair bit of hype around this release may be an understatement. I’m a fan of the band and have been since my childhood, so I’ve certainly been excited about the prospect of new music from them, even if the singles have been slightly hit or miss…

The album as a whole is reflected rather perfectly by the singles. None is bad, per-say, but there definitely tracks that I love and ones that I am not as into. Singles like ‘King Kong’ and the title track are great, as are songs like ‘Eggshell Tap Dancer’ and ‘Staring Back at Me’ are also big highlights. However, there are a few that, while good, I can take or leave, personally. The songwriting and style has matured (of course, Tyson and co aren’t in their 20s any more), getting a little darker, more indie and more introspective. It’s at least interesting to hear this side of the band, while there’s enough of their older sound to keep their OG fans interested. I feel like as an album it may take more than a couple of listens to get into fully, and it may grow on me even more in that time. However, for now, I had a good time with it, and it gets a solid 7/10

Periphery: A Pale White Dot

Following up 2023’s critically acclaimed V, the djent masters followed it up on Friday with, you guessed it, their eighth studio album (go figure). It’s more of exactly what you’d expect from the band; heaviness, plenty of catchy melody, crazy arrangements and technicality off the charts. They very much keep their title of ‘your favourite metal bands favourite metal band’, at least from a playing perspective. Heck, their OG fans, the ones Miss Sabrina Carpenter sings about, hate it, so that should be enough of a glowing recommendation as is! They cover just about every base of their song across a brief-for-them 47 minutes, and it’s hard not to be blown away by it! Tracks like ‘Talk’, ‘Heaven on High’ and ‘Everyone Dies Alone’ are all personal highlights. However, the whole album has a great flow to it, going by surprisingly quickly.

It still blows my mind that the band aren’t bigger, even with them being quite a niche sound. However, this is honestly up there alongside their best stuff, in this writers humble opinion, and could easily push them up to another level. If you are a fan of the band, or the genre they all-but created, do yourselves a favour and check this out ASAP! It’s clear the impact they’ve had on the genre, with a lot of bands taking inspiration from them, but no one does it quite like Periphery. It’s a step above Djent is Not a Genre for me, and will certainly be in my regular rotation for the next few weeks. I can’t give it any less than 8.5/10!

Robin Beck: Living Proof

The first new album from the AOR singer in nearly a decade, and it’s yet another banger! The title track/opener is the perfect introduction, while songs like ‘Karma’ and the catchy-as-anything ‘Na Na Na’ are other big highlights. The whole album is great though, being solid all the way through and going by in a flash. It’s insane that a woman in her 70s still has this powerful and amazing a voice, and the songwriting around it is just as excellent. It’s insane to me that she wasn’t a bigger name in the US or the UK back in the day, as she’s always put out bangers. However, I’d put this up there alongside any of her previous stuff, so hopefully this will finally be the album to push her to that top level. I’ll be spinning this release plenty moving forward, and would recommend it to anyone into the softer, anthemic side of rock, get this in your ears immediately! A damn solid 8/10 from us!

49 Winchester: Change of Plans

We’ve already checked out this awesome album! Read the full review here.

Pro-Pain: STONE COLD ANGER

I’m sorry, but this is fucking EXCELLENT. The first new studio release from the hardcore thrashers in over a decade, and the quartet show that they have not lost even a fraction of a step in that time. The guys are PISSED, and it makes for a raw, angry and fantastically written record. The opener sets the tone excellently, and it’s almost impossible to pick highlights as every song is as good as the last! The only slight weak-link for me is ‘UNCLE SAM WANTS YOU!’, as it leans more into the punk/hard rock territory with the riffing, but it does have some of the best lyrics on the release. How they aren’t at the top of the heavy world I’ll never know, as they’ve always had an incredibly solid back catalogue. Maybe them returning after some time away from the studio will finally get them more of the recognition they very much deserve! All four of them are so incredibly talented, from the riffing to the drumming, vocals to the lyrics to the arrangement. It’s nestled perfectly between Hatebreed, Machine Head and American Headcharge, and I loved every second! I’m so glad they’re back, and I can’t give it any less than 9.5/10. Check this out immediately!

The Karma Effect: Cruel Intentions

Album three from the NWOCR stalwarts honestly may be their best yet! They take inspiration from the early originators of the scene, as well as the expected 70s and 80s influences, and build it all into something uniquely their own. From the opener to ‘Raised on Rock N Roll’, ‘Bad Manners’ to ‘Waiting on a Miracle’ to the closer, the release is packed full of incredible songs. The whole thing has not only a driving stomp and swagger to it, but a sense of urgency to it. It feels like the band have a chip on their shoulder, something to prove, and it makes for fantastic listening. They seem as cohesive as ever, with every band member working their asses off and getting plenty of time to shine. They have already been fast-rising, but this release will surely push them to even greater heights! An incredibly easy 9/10 from us!

Russel Jamie Johnson: Self-Titled

This is a damn good debut album! Nestled somewhere between blues, soft rock, indie and soul, it’s a sound that feels like it’s made a big comeback in recent years, and I am all here for it! His vocals are good and his lyrics are fantastic, both combining together to create a fun, emotion-filled listen throughout. Tracks like ‘Who We Used to Be’, ‘Come for a Drive’ and the closer are all excellent and personal highlights. However, while none of the tracks are bad, I do think even at it’s short-ish runtime, it does drag just a touch in the middle. A lot of the songs sound similar in terms of style and pacing, so while all are great in their own right, I think I’d take them as individual tracks over an album as a whole, on occasion. Though, when it’s all so well written, it’s a rather small complaint, really! If you’re into any of the genres I’ve mentioned, this is well worth a listen, and I’ll certainly give it another try at a full-listen soon; it very well grow on me even more! However, until then, this gets a solid 7/10

Acid Reign: Daze of the Week

I’m being treated, I never get two thrashy albums in the same week any more! It’s been a little while again, with their last studio work, The Age of Entitlement, coming out back in 2019. However, it’s another stellar thrash album! From the title track to ‘Alonely’ to single ‘Sorrowsworn’, there’s some truly awesome stuff on here. Heck, there really isn’t a bad song throughout. If you’re a fan of the genre I’d definitely recommend checking this out, it’s a good classic throwback release to its 80s/90s heyday. The band are all damn talented musicians and songwriters, and have crafted one of their strongest releases to date with this. I’ll definitely be spinning this again in the weeks and months to come, and it gets a very solid 8/10 from us!

CASANDRA: ISLA TRANQUILITA

The follow-up to her 2025 self-titled album, this brief EP is a great, chilled-out slice of alt-pop. While not typically my sort of thing, I found myself enjoying it a lot! Her lyrics and delivery are phenomenal, being a tribute to her late great aunt, and it all juxtaposes well with the lighter, bright instrumentation. The opener and ‘SOLUTION’ are personal favourites, but the whole EP is so well put together and goes by in a flash. If you’re at all interested, I’d definitely recommend giving it a spin, you might be surprised like I was! A rather easy 7.5/10 from me!

Best Band: The People’s Club

The energy and vibe put forth by the band name very excellently reflects the style of this album. It’s a chilled out, fun and silly 41 minutes of punk, and I’m all here for it! Heck, even the artwork perfectly fits the tone of everything; the MS Paint-style of all of their albums is honestly incredible. Musically, it won’t be for everyone, but I actually had a blast listening to this, the band have a new fan in me! It feels a little Mighty Boosh in the best way possible. From ‘Bog House’ to ‘Head Full of Juice’ to ‘Another Decay’, there’s some definite highlights, too. And, while none of it is bad, it does drag a little towards the end, with it all being pretty similar in vibe and pace. Still, as I said, it’s a good fun listen, and worth giving a try if you’re into a more old-school punk vibe. 6.5/10

Braxton Keith: Real Damn Deal

Somehow this is the debut album from one of the biggest rising stars in country today. I have to admit I’d seen the name around a fair bit but had never had the chance to check him out, so always figured he’d been around longer than he has been. It’s easy to hear why he’s such a fast success, though! This is a fantastic traditional country album! Right from the opener I was hooked, and wasn’t let go for a solid nearly hour. Songs like ‘I Dreamed You Dreamed of Me’, ‘Little Bit by Little Bit’ and ‘Prescription’ are all big other highlights, but there really isn’t a bad song throughout. Don’t get me wrong, it’s a touch long, and certainly lulls a little at times due to its generally slower pace. However, each track on its own is excellent, and the top songs are truly excellent. If you’re a fan of an old-school country sound akin to Zach Top or Riley Green, this is an absolute must of an album for you! I’ll be spinning at least a good chunk of it again pretty regularly, and give this a pretty solid 8/10

Shakey Graves: Fondness, Etc.

Album five from the Americana artist is a beautiful, bittersweet release. It’s a chilled-out, stripped-back affair, especially compared to a lot of stuff on this list, but I couldn’t help but fall in love with it from the very first track. It feels dark yet somehow also uplifting and relaxed in equal measure, and really feels like a vibe that only Shakey can do. Songs like ‘When the Love is New’, ‘The Boilermaker’ and the closer are all fantastic and big personal highlights. However, the whole album just has such an excellent flow to it, even having a couple of instrumentals across its short, nine-track run. It’s the kinda thing to throw on and just sit back and relax to, or you can really dive into the incredible lyrics and get lost in them, too. No matter how you consume the album, it’s a great release into the indie-Americana world. I can’t wait to see him live later this year, and will certainly be listening to this plenty in the run up to that. I can’t give it any less than 7.5/10, and it’ll probably grow on me more with more listens!

Frozen Sand: Fractals: A Light Among Shadows

Album two from the prog metallers follows up on their debut that dropped nearly a decade ago. Continuing on the Fractals monicker and theme though, it very much feels like the perfect continuation. It’s also nearly an hour of brilliant technical playing, heaviness and some damn catchy, melodic vocal lines. In other words, the perfect prog metal release! Also, it’s another album that is absolutely stacked from front-to-back, there not being a bad song throughout and it begging to be listened to in full. However, ‘Fracture’ itself is absolutely amazing, being one of my favourite metal tracks of the year so far, honestly. The band are so darn talented and if this album doesn’t push them to many more ears globally, that’s actually a crime. It’s a pretty ballsy move to put out a prog metal album the same day as Periphery does, but honestly I think these guys do it even better! The riffing is utterly phenomenal, and everything from the drums to the screams to the powerful cleans all compliment it so well! This thing is amazing, and gets an easy 9/10 from us!

Toria and the Terror: The Operating Table

This trio of fuzzy horror-punk tracks is a great collection that immediately leaves me wanting more! I absolutely love that it’s a style that is coming back in a big way the last couple of years, especially with female vocals, immediately reminding me of The Darts. This is definitely up there alongside that album in terms of quality, all three tracks being as good as the last, and having just such a campy, cool energy to them. And, between the vocals, the instrumentation and the arrangement, it’s all so good, and all fits together to make the perfect horror vibe. In case you couldn’t tell, I loved this! The band have a big new fan in me, and I’ll be listening to them a lot moving forward! I can’t give it any less than 8.5/10, great stuff! Now I just need a full album…