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Fatal Paradox: Hatebreed Return to the Top After Six Years!

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The metallic hardcore legends return this coming Friday with their ninth studio album. Being a whopping six years since Weight of the False Self, and having put out some excellent singles from this so far, the hype for this release is at an all time high! We’re big fans of the band here at Overtone so have been waiting rather impatiently for the chance to sit down and do a deep dive. So, without further ado, let’s do just that!

The album very much starts as it means to go on with ‘Kill Count Increase’. It’s heavy and brimming with attitude and swagger from the jump. A massive intro riff complete with some incredible drumming soon gives way to a massive verse. Jamey’s vocals sound just as fantastic as ever, only adding to the aggression of the track. It all leads to a pretty catchy chorus; simple and at the same level as the rest of the song, but the backing vocals add another great level to things. And sitting at not even 2:30, it’s in and out perfectly. The intro riff gets reprieved for a crushing outro breakdown, and somehow gets even heavier half-timed by the end. It is a fantastic Hatebreed track, and is an excellent way to kick things off!

Single ‘The Carrion Choir’ continues right where the opener left off. One of my favourite riffs on the album kicks it off before another balls-to-the-wall verse speeds through and into a massive, chuggy, almost groove metal chorus. It still very much feels hardcore and sounds like Hatebreed, but I do like them mixing it up a little in their structures and formula. The closing breakdown is absolute FILTH too, having me crowdkilling around my own kitchen both times I span it while writing this up. It’s everything that the band do so well, and a huge highlight of the album. It was a fantastic choice as a single, and a track that easily makes our playlist!

The first non-single, ‘Decisions Become Destinies’ gives big early 2000s Hatebreed vibes, both in the lyrics and the composition. I love it! The bass-led intro and the guitars coming in after was a great touch, as is the space and gaps between the massive drums and guitar chords for the chorus. It’s the best dynamics of any track so far, the changes between each part keeping me constantly interested and blown away. Again, it still feels like Hatebreed but goes beyond the typical hardcore genre into something really only they do. Hell, we even get a great (albeit brief) guitar solo tucked away in the middle before it drops back down to that awesome bassline again. I honestly adore this track and can’t gush over it enough. If you check out any song from the release, make sure it’s this one. Another massive highlight!

Tracks like ‘Total Invincible’, single ‘Make the Demons Obey’ and ‘None Left to Save’ are all more balls-to-the-wall hardcore tracks. The latter is probably my favourite of the three; the chorus being awesome and pretty catchy and melodic in its own way. I also love that it has plenty of room to breathe at six plus minute, really giving that breakdown riff at towards the end plenty of space to build, getting truly epic by the end of it. And then for them to just come in and kick our ass with another, slower breakdown at the end after a bit of silence, and some almost black metal guitaring, was really great and an amazing touch. It’s a fantastic way to close out the main portion of the album, and is another firm highlight! Having said all that, the single was also a lot of fun; your typical Hatebreed stuff and a track I am DESPERATE to see live! That chorus riff and vocal is CHONKY.

Then you have the likes of the title track, ‘Still a Threat’ and ‘Truth is a Lion’. While all are still heavy and very much in fitting with the band and albums sound, they have a bit more of a melodic edge to them than your typical hardcore sound. The former is another excellent pre-release single, while the other two have some pretty great guitar work throughout, almost giving Slayer vibes at times. All are great tracks in their own right, but you do very much know what you’re getting into with the band, and they do blur together just a touch on a full album listen. However, when it’s a sound like this, that isn’t necessarily a bad thing, as I’d certainly recommend spinning it in full!

‘Sacrifice Season’ features the incredible John Tardy of Obituary fame, lending his voice perfectly to the chaos. It gives a new depth to the track, again giving slightly more Tom Araya vibes in his delivery and sound, it fitting perfectly over the heavy hardcore instrumentation. It feels weird calling it a duet, but the two’s vocals do fit rather excellently together! And the instrumentation behind them is, of course, more heavy awesomeness. It’s another great song, everything working so well together!

The final track on the release is their cover of Corrosion of Conformity’s ‘Poison Planet’. It’s 85 seconds of pure anarchy; a breakneck pace with everyone working their asses off throughout! Jamey’s delivery is incredible, but the rest of the band also kill it with the sheer insane pace of the song. It’s a great rendition of the track, doing justice to the original yet modernising it with its production. Honestly, early CoC doesn’t get enough love these days, so hopefully this shines a light on the bands heavier roots!

Overall: This is another stellar release from the band! They have not lost even a fraction of a step in the six years since their last album, delivering everything you’d want from them in spades. There isn’t a bad track throughout and, as I said, I’d honestly recommend giving the album a spin in full as it does have a great flow to it. If you are at all a fan of the band or the style, give this a listen ASAP. It’s crazy that over three decades into their careers, they are still just as good as they’ve ever been! I’m sure to be listening to this a hell of a lot moving forward!

The Score: 8.5/10

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Hate to Go – Take Out Or Delivery: Ministry’s Final Album!

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The industrial metal legends are back with a brand new album, their 17th and supposed final ever. They are a band I have loved for decades at this point, and have covered in varying capacity on this site in the past, so there was no way I wasn’t going to dive in to Al Jourgensen and co.’s final release head first. The singles so far have been pretty great, so I am very curious to see what the rest of the album holds!

The album opens perfectly with ‘Crickets’. A massive drumbeat soon has the guitar and bass explode in with an expectedly awesome industrial metal riff, Al’s vocals fitting excellently over the top with his signature grit and reverb and effects. It stays at a similar level for the chorus but honestly is still pretty catchy with its call-and-response vocals and melody. The spoken word bits and audio clips fit excellently with the tone of the song and the band too, and add another great dynamic to the song. It’s everything you’d expect from Ministry in the best possible way. It’s simple yet incredibly effective, bringing to the table great riffs, vocals and a suitably punk-esque level of attitude and message!

Similar vibes continue through ‘Voices of Hate’, that opening/main riff being incredible! It’s so heavy and the breakneck pace had me instantly hooked. The drums behind it go hard too, and Al’s harsh, almost screamed vocals fit into the mix perfectly. Again, the audio clip playing over the top is also great, and the sentiment is fantastic. I know there will be plenty that disagree with it and even get angered and offended by it, but as an outsider looking in it’s almost impossible not to see it this way, and it’s amazing to have bands still willing to stand up and fight against it. Especially when it’s an older band with nothing left to prove, like Ministry. Oh yeah, and straight after all that, we get an awesome guitar solo, just for good measure! It’s a really fantastic track, one that I’d arguably put up there alongside some of the bands best in recent decades, and it’s a song that easily makes our playlist!

More awesome riffing and drumming follows in ‘Clown Car’, the balls-to-the-wall drum pace being particularly excellent! Al’s vocals are a little higher in the mix this time which was nice, as as much as I loved the vibe of the last couple of tracks, his voice could get a little lost at times. They’re a little cleaner too, and the delivery reminds me of more like Ice T, which is certainly a good thing! To be honest, it’s essentially a crossover thrash song, and I’d absolutely LOVE to see this live. And that almost groove-metal breakdown riff after the solo… *chefs kiss*. It’s another massive album highlight on a release so far packed full of them!

The first single from the album, ‘We Hate’, is up next. The pace is slower, more of a boot stomper, but it doesn’t lose any of its heaviness or swagger. Al’s gritty vocals sound great over the top of it, again having the volume cranked on them. And once again, the lyrics here are fantastic, filled with passion, anger and truth. It’s got all the hallmarks of a Ministry track, from the riffing to the tones, writing to the message, so makes for a fantastic choice for a single! The guitar soloing in particular is another real high point alongside the lyrics/vocals. The only slight downside is the AI music video, but we just ignore that and listen to the song on its own, right? It’s a great song in its own right, even at the five plus minute runtime. The band are so far four for four on excellent tracks on this album!

‘Delete’ is a fun track about our social media consumption. The intro minute was fun with all the voiceover, the instrumentation fitting perfectly behind it. The rest of the track is very much typical Ministry, and is of course a lot of fun and damn good! It does feel ever so slightly “old man yells at clouds”, but it does still fit the theme of the album well. I just love industrial metal, and Ministry and some of the very best to do it, even nearly 50 years into their careers!

‘Grifter’, another great anti-Trump song, slows the pace down perfectly at the mid-point of the album. It’s a plodding track with a great driving bassline at its core and some simple, solid drums. The synth stuff was a nice addition, and the guitar still gets plenty of time to shine throughout. It gives much more focus on Al’s vocals too without so much going on too, and it’s maybe his best performance on the whole album. It’s completely different to the rest of the release, almost having an AIC-like grungeness to it all. It’s another massive highlight of the album for me, and a song I’d recommend to absolutely anyone!

The pace picks up a little for ‘The White Man Lied’, but still feels a little lighter than the early album stuff. It’s almost a blues vibe with the intermittent vibe and steady drums, but also reminds me a lot of later Rob Zombie. It still has the usual spoken word stuff in there, and the message is another fantastic one, but it does have an appreciatedly different vibe again. I am being kept far more interested in this album than I expected to be, and I love it! Another good song!

The final two singles follow suite next in ‘Singularity’ and ‘Burned Out’. The enemy crescendos again, a heavy, groove metal riff leading the former. It’s a little less chaotic than a lot of the rest of the album, still feeling like industrial metal and like Ministry, but a bit more radio friendly and a great choice for another single. It’s yet another fantastic song! The latter also had a similar vibe; a steady pace, a big focus on the great riffing and catchy vocals, and a real White Zombie feel. It’s a simple track that is a lot of fun and is good in its own right! And again, the lyrics are so very poignant, and it really is sad to think of the state of the world in 2026.

Album closer ‘We’re Still Here’ surprisingly ties together everything before it perfectly! It’s a little slower but still industrial, a heavy and dark feel to it. However, it is also uplifting, especially from the midpoint, and carries a message of hope despite everything that has been spoken about before. It’s a fantastic writing and producing choice to put a track like this at the end, closing things out on a high note after so much anger and sadness. And, as a song in general, it is so masterfully put together and composed. It really feels like a finale, even more incredible given this is their last album. It honestly gave me goosebumps, and is another song I’d recommend to anyone!

Overall: This is a really good album! I’d expect nothing less from the industrial metal legends, but it is my favourite they have put out in a while, honestly. There isn’t a bad song throughout, while there are a few I’d easily put up there alongside the top tracks from the band, period. I’ve harped on about the theming and message plenty, but it really is a rather refreshing thing to hear these days, and fits in perfectly with Ministry’s ethos. And, the instrumentation was incredible throughout, too! If this truly is their swan song, what a way to go out!

The Score: 8.5/10

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Hello Honky Tonk: Kaitlin Butts’ Best Album Yet?

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Album four from the rising country powerhouse is set to drop tomorrow, and has a lot of hype surrounding it! We’re big fans of her here at Overtone, so we have been impatiently waiting for the perfect time to do a full review since it came across our emails. The singles so far have been fantastic, and I have high hopes that the album continues that trend. Hell, her last album was great enough, but can this one be even better?

After an extended, spoken word intro track that sets up the story and tone of the album expertly, single ‘I Wanna Be Bad’ kicks things off fantastically. However, I don’t want to breeze fully over the introduction though, as it really was incredible and a vibe that only really Mrs Butts can pull off. The simple Western guitaring behind her southern twang and excellent delivery felt as much like it was from a musical as an album, and is really fun, interesting and great. Then, of course, the release’s lead single is classic Kaitlin in the best way possible. Her vocals are incredible throughout, her range and power on full display. The verse builds in intensity perfectly into a catchy-as-anything chorus, and one that has been stuck in my head since the very first time I heard it. The dynamics of the track are great too, with the bouncy stabs and fliddling in the second verse adding even more fun elements to the track. Between that and the drop-down for the last verse, very much feeling like an old-school country rock stomper, it’s just so good. And how a track can be so excellent at its short length is a true testament to her incredible abilities. There’s no wonder this track has gotten so much love already, and it’s a very easy early highlight!

‘The Bartender’ slows up the pace a little, feeling a bit more chilled-out but no less Western-rock. It feels a little more modern than the previous song, almost giving an air of Jon Pardi or Randall King in the best possible way. And it’s still injected with Kaitlin’s theatrical flavour perfectly through her vocals and writing. All the harmonies on the chorus are amazing, somehow making it even more catchy, but the focus is very much still on Butts’ fantastic delivery, and rightfully so! The longer track length serves the song amazingly too, though it would be a crime if it doesn’t get some radio love despite being four plus minutes. The soloing from the fiddle in the middle was fantastic, fitting the tone of the song excellently and being pretty damn technical in its own right! It’s another really amazing song, every bit as good as the previous, and I’m a little obsessed with this album already!

Another single, ‘Never Really Mine’, is the first ballad-track of the album. Kaitlin’s phenomenal vocals ring hypnotically over some simple acoustic guitaring, and her signature tongue-in-cheek delivery of a break-up song is amazing. The simple arrangement of the track really serves the emotion of the lyrics and delivery perfectly, but it also still builds into a rather massive soundscape by the end. It again feels like a style that only Kaitlin is doing these days, and she’s gotten me hooked on every note of this, despite me usually favouring a faster pace. Three for three so far on incredible songs, and it seems like there is no chance of slowing up any time soon!

‘I Make Cowboys Cry’ picks up the pace and energy again. The verse is a little stripped back, but leads to a massive, boot stompin’ chorus, and another hugely catchy one! It’s another song with a bit of a modern edge to it, but still has plenty of Western influence, as well as some rocky vibes and pacing. And once again, Kaitlin’s vocal delivery is incredible, from the big notes in the verse to the quick lyrics of the chorus, it’s all so good. I really want to see it live, I imagine her pulling it off in that sort of setting would be even better! Instrumentally it’s great too, with some fun strings and drumming throughout. It’s another song that easily could have been a single, and is the perfect follow-up to the slower previous track!

Slowing down again for ‘The Joker’, having a similar vibe to ‘Never Really Mine’. It’s another sad break-up song, but delivered in a more bittersweet way, making it still a fun track. It’s the simplest arragement so far, but I really love the multi-tracked vocals for the final chorus, rounding it out perfectly, especially giving the theme of the song!

Tracks like ‘Still Got It’, ‘That Makes One of Us’ and ‘Hell I Don’t Know’ are more beautiful, slower, ballad-like songs. Once again, all are done with Kaitlin’s signiture sound and twang, and are so well written and put together. They have a real traditional country edge to them, with ‘That Makes One of Us’ being my favourite of the bunch and another firm album highlight in general! Then again, the latter has some of my favourite lyrics on the whole album, and it just being her and a guitar is fantastc! They fit the album perfectly and are rather excellently placed, breaking up the more fast-paced numbers. They don’t even feel like “album tracks”, as all are just as good as all the rest on this collection!

The final single from the album, ‘What More Could You Want’, is another slower song. Howeger, this time it’s piano-led, which was another subtle but amazingly produced change of aound and lace. By the time we hit the chorus with the fiddle and Kaitlin’s massive vocals I was nearly in tears; it’s such a powerful song. The lyrics hit home in a big way, and the presentation of the song is phenomenal. It’s the most vulnerable Kaitlin gets on the album, and it really blew me away. And that key change… *chefs kiss*. What an amazing song and choice for a single. Goosebumps, and easily one that makes our playlist! If you listen to any song on this release, make sure it’s this one.

Then you have tracks like ‘Everybody Wanna Sing a Country Song’, ‘Crazy I Can Be’ and ‘Bacon Naked’ (best song title and lyrics ever) that are all on the more up-tempo, rockier side. All are once again fantastic in their own way, and both fit in perfectly with the album yet also stand out within it! The former is the closest thing to an “album track” on here, but is still great. Meanwhile, the other two are fantastic songs; lighthearted and have some great dynamics to them. And as I said before, they are spread perfectly across the album with some slower stuff between, making the whole record constantly interesting. I cannot gush over this release enough, as even the latter few tracks still go just as hard as the rest!

The closer, ‘Midnight I’ll Always Be Yours’, honestly feels like it draws together everything that came before it in a perfect little bow. It’s a little slower, but closes out the story of the album, and is packed full of Kaitlins signiture vocals, lyrics and delivery. And it has a rather epic, finality vibe to it that I really loved! It’s very Western, but still has a modern twist to it; very much the feel of the whole album! I don’t even mind so much that it’s a slower song at the end, as it fits perfectly with everything else. A fantastic close to a fantastic release!

Overall: I absolutely adored this album! There is just something about Kaitlin’s style, vocals and aura that is so captivating, and it has translated to an album even better than ever before with this release. Every song on it is amazing, while there are a good few up there alongside the very best she has ever put to track. From the vocals to the writing, instrumentation to the production, it is all phenomenal. I cannot recommend this album enough to absolutely anyone into country music, and it will be on heavy rotation for me for at least the rest of the year!

The Score: 9.5/10

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BE NOT AFRAID: Polyphia Continue to Push the Boundaries!

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The instrumental prog titans themselves are back with their first album in nearly four years. I enjoyed that when it dropped, and have become an even bigger fan since then with more listens and a couple of live sets. The singles so far for this album have been great, and there is a lot of hype for this release since it was announced. You’re excited, I’m excited, so let’s dive right in!

The album starts perfectly as it means to go on, with an insane guitar riff. The tone on the guitar is incredible, and the grandiose nature of the buildup with the other elements give off big rock opera vibes. Weirdly the closest thing I find myself comparing it to is Marianas Trench, which is certainly not a bad thing! The electronic beat coming in behind it was an interesting choice, suddenly switching gears perfectly into Igorrr territory. It’s somehow not quite what I expected from the band, but I’m already loving it! Of course Tim and Scott kill it from the jump, but Clay and Clay also get plenty of time to shine too. The dynamics of the track are off the charts, keeping me constantly alert and interested despite the instrumental nature of the band. And, having said that, the choir towards the end of the touch was catchy, and a nice touch! It’s an excellent way to start the album, and a firm early highlight!

Lead single ‘WITH EYES TO SEE’ continues with the electronic elements. The R&B/house/disco elements and beat fit surprisingly excellently alongside the bands own instrumentation, and add an interesting element and twist we haven’t heard hugely much from the quartet. Honestly, it works really well, and makes for a damn fun listen! It also makes it seem like the guitars have a little harder work making some creative ways to play around it all. And the guitaring is honestly so interesting and different throughout the track, I’m a little obsessed. It feels like Tom Morello in its levels of out-there-ness. And some of the drops get pretty heavy too, especially in the latter portions. It’s a really interesting, creative and fantastic track, and was such a good choice for a single! Another easy highlight, and one that easily makes the playlist!

‘SCREWTAPE’ has some insane guitaring to open it, but carries the same energy and swagger as the previous song did. It does so in a little more brief a manor, and I feel the guitars get to show off a bit more throughout compared to ‘WITH EYES…’. Some of the playing in the second half is honestly mindblowing, just like everything they have put out before. It’s the closest to old-school Polyphia we’ve gotten so far, yet still fits in excellently with the vibe of the rest of the album so far. Honestly, it reminds me just a touch of STATICA, but if that EP was done well. Another great song!

Another single, ‘POWER IN THE BLOOD’, is another fantastic showcase of utter guitar godness. It’s three and a half minutes of insane playing from everyone involved, but Tim and Scott are very much at the forefront of it again. Having said that, some of the drum work is also incredible. And again, like the opener, the dynamics here are excellent, dropping down and building back up again perfectly. At one point it felt like it has a callback to ‘ABC’, which I really loved, and it fit with the track amazingly. It’s a fantastic song overall, and another fantastic single choice. More classic Periphery, injected with this new electro tinge for good measure!

The slower pace and Asian instrumentation to open ‘THEY KNOW NOT WHAT THEY DO’ was a nice touch. However, outside of that it followed a pretty similar vibe and theme to the other tracks. The same could be said for the brief ‘NEAR DEATH’, and ‘J-BOMB’. All are great songs in their own right, but on a 12-track instrumental album, there are bound to be a couple that feel a bit more like “album tracks”. It doesn’t at all take away from the quality of the songs, or the sheer phenomenal talent on display throughout them, just that there isn’t quite as much to talk about from them, and they are all a touch on the similar side.

‘MARK OF THE BEAST’ has a bit of a west-coast hip-hop vibe to its opening, alongside everything else going on on this album. It made for a lot of fun. Weirdly, however, it also has some of the heaviest moments on the album! It’s another song that has enough variety and of a different feel to it to really stand out, and is another firm personal highlight of the release!

The final single from the album, ‘CAN YOU FEEL IT’, is another fantastic song that easily could be a big radio hit. It’s like Polyphia’s answer to a 90s club banger, and it works so well. It’s very much in the same vein as ‘WITH EYES…’ earlier on, but is such a fun, interesting style that it’s impossible not to love it. And, being later on in the release, it makes for a fun return to the house/R&B-heavy formula. It’s easy to get lost in the sounds and massive scape they create, but alongside that is some truly incredibly playing by everyone involved. Amazing stuff!

The final three tracks from the album are more of what you’d expect the band and this release. Again, all are good, with the closer being particularly excellent, but there is only so much you can do with this style and without vocals. If you are into the band this is of course music you absolutely have to check out, but they do feel like a little left-over tracks chucked towards the end of the release. Still, I would happily listen to all three again, and they round out the album well!

Overall: This is another really great release from the prog rockers! It feels like another creative leap from the quartet, doing something rather different compared to their previous work. There are some that are easily up there among some of the top tracks the band have ever produced, and there certainly isn’t a bad song throughout! I was slightly sad when I saw they didn’t have any guest vocalists on this release, unlike their previous album, but I honestly didn’t miss it that much. The band are so talented they make it so easy to not need vocals on their songs. I would definitely recommend this to anyone, regardless of what you’re into, and I’ll definitely be listening again!

The score: 8/10

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World So Wonderful: Mason Hill’s Triumphant Return!

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The return album from NOWCR pioneers Mason Hill drops tomorrow, and has a hell of a lot of buzz around it! Being just their second studio LP, it has even more pressure on it coming a full five years after their huge debut. However, the singles so far have been excellent, and being a fan since they broke out I am extremely excited to be diving deep into this to tell you just how excellent it is. Without further ado, let’s do this!

The album starts off in a huge way with ‘Burn it Down’. A grandiose opening gives way to a huge, boot stompin’ riff, running excellently through the verses. Speaking of the verses, new vocalist Thomas Ward kills it from the jump, his voice effortlessly both melodic and having some great grit to it. It all builds to a massive, arena-filling chorus, exactly how the band are known for these days. And the track is heavy too, in the best way! It reminds me of when Kris Barras took a heavier turn post COVID, but done in the most Mason Hill way possible. And it helps that the production is truly top notch, everything feeling and sounding MASSIVE. Hell, we even build to a pretty ch0nky breakdown in the middle, fitting the vibes of the track perfectly, and followed excellently by a fantastic, blistering guitar solo. This is an amazing track, an early highlight, and the perfect way to open an album like this!

The heavy, bouncy vibes continue on single ‘Twisted’. Another amazing, Alter Bridge-like riff sets a steady pace, and means the verse stays pretty metal-adjacent. The vocals through it are catchy enough as they are, the melodies reminding me a little of their Scottish brethren in Anchor Lane, but the chorus is absolutely HUGE, the backing and harmonies adding even more weight to it all. It almost has a Fear Factory tinge to it in the best way; that kind of technical industrial metal fits surprisingly well with their hard rock routes. Another comparison (a lot, I know) but it is kinda like the early days of Fozzy, the good pre-‘Judas’ days. The bridge is again pretty heavy, but bridges the gap between the choruses perfectly. Overall, it’s another excellent song, and was a fantastic choice for a single!

Another single, ‘Hurricane’, slows up the pace a touch. It’s still heavy, but has a bit of a pop metal edge to it, almost like a Bad Omens/Architects-esque sound. It’s the perfect change of pace at this point on the album, and is another excellent song in its own right. Ward gets a chance to really shine vocally and show off his impressive range, but everyone else kills it just as much throughout the track. The chorus is awesome, but almost every vocal line and melody is catchy in its own way. We also get one of my favourite guitar solos on the album tucked away in the middle. The structure and composition is pretty standard, but serves the single formula perfectly and is so well done. It’s a real different sound compared to a lot of their peers in the NWOCR scene, but it will certainly serve them well and surely push them to new heights!

The heaviness picks back up for another excellent single, ‘Tainted Wings’. The chorus is most likely the high point, with the ‘oh’’s being instantly memorable and are bound to be a big fan favourite in a live setting! However, the rest of the track is good too, a mid-tempo, melodic hard rock track, reminiscent of the 2000’s US radio rock scene. It feels like maybe the most formulaic single on the album, but that is hardly a bad thing. It’s an excellent track in its own right, and is right up my street in terms of sound. The band are four for four so far on great songs!

‘Stay for a Little While’ is the ballad track of the album, and fits rather excellently in the middle! It’s once again a fantastic vocal performance from Thomas, and the entire arrangement and production of the track is awesome! It’s brimming with emotion in the lyrics, delivery and tone, and breaks up the heavier tracks on the release excellently. I’m honestly shocked it wasn’t a single itself, but is certainly another high point on the album, that’s for sure!

‘Resonate’ has the best riff on the album to open, keeping the energy high with their now trademark heaviness from this release. I love how much it drops back for the verse too, almost having some post-grunge vibes to it, and the vocal delivery over the top is excellent. It explodes into heaviness with the pre, some amazing harsher vocals making it sound MASSIVE. Then we have the trademark massive chorus, just as good as any other on the album. It gives off big early Chevelle vibes, and I’m a little obsessed! Hell, the bridge is simple but fits the song perfectly and is equally awesome. It’s potentially my favourite track on the record, and a song I’d recommend to anyone! Easily one that makes the playlist!

Tracks like ‘Without You’, ‘Silence’ and ‘Oxygen’ are more awesome tracks. Despite being later on in the release, you’d be foolish for looking at them as “album tracks”. All three are amazing and fit in with the rest of the songs perfectly. The latter two remind me more of their debut album than a lot of this, which certainly isn’t a bad thing. Meanwhile, the former is another massive highlight on an album honestly chocked full of them! They all have a bit of a similar vibe and feel to them, which is why I’ve grouped them together a little, but it doesn’t mean any of them are even slightly bad. From the riffing to the vocals to the solid drums, it’s all incredible. I cannot get over how good this album is!

The last single from the album, ‘Remember’, again has a post-grunge/proggy, Chevelle feel to it, and was a really interesting, fantastic choice for a pre-release. The vocals are the high point of the track but honestly, everyone is killing it throughout. It again has a bit of a modern edge to the vocal delivery, almost giving Skynd in the best and most surprising way possible. It also leads surprisingly perfectly into the epic closing track, ‘Drag the Chains’. The slower, delicate opening minute gives way to a stomping, heavy, awesome riff before soon dropping back again. It gives off slight Sleep Token vibes surprisingly, but definitely the good side of said band! The levels of the track, between the multi-layers of vocals to the keys to the rock instrumentation, it all feels so massive. Everything about it is amazing and fits together so well. And, my gosh does it all make it a truely excellent way to close out the album! To the surprise of no one, it’s yet another massive highlight!

Overall: I absolutely loved this. As someone who enjoyed their debut, this somehow tops that, as the band take another huge step forward in terms of songwriting and production. Every track is amazing, with some being easily up there alongside the very best the band have produced. And, it all fits together perfectly, the whole album going by in a flash! I cannot recommend this release enough to absolutely anyone, regardless of what style you are into, it really is that good. Don’t be surprised to see it high up on our albums of the year list come December!

The Score: 9/10

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Thread: The Brand New EP from Emily Ann Roberts!

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A year removed from last year’s awesome Memory Lane, the country singer-songwriter is back with another massive, highly anticipated EP. The Voice alumni has been killing it in the decade since she nearly won the competition, with so many amazing albums, EPs and singles under her belt. She has been a constant, fantastic force within the country scene for years. Hell, the singles from this release so far have been great, and have me incredibly excited to give this a spin. Without further ado, let’s dive in!

The title track sets the tone for the EP perfectly. It’s a chilled-out, slowish number that highlights Emily’s phenomenal vocals. She makes it all sound so effortless, even when she puts a bit more power in in the choruses. It gives off big Colby Caillat vibes in the best ways possible. The instrumentation is simple but fits excellently behind the vocals, and some of the harmonies throughout on her voice are great. The chorus is big for the style, and effortlessly catchy. I’m honestly shocked it wasn’t a pre-release single, but will surely be a big radio hit now that it is out! A great start to the release!

Speaking of singles, the most recent, ‘Lonely Boy’, is up next. Again, her vocals are phenomenal from the jump, and the real focal point of the track. It’s also a bit more uptempo, there being a little more to the instrumentation and feels a lot like a 90s/early 2000s radio country hit. There’s a touch more power to her voice throughout as well, really getting to show off her impressive range, and the lyrics here are great too! The chorus is sure to be stuck in my head for days to come, a real earworm, but the whole track is catchy in its own right. And all the strings, be it the guitars or fiddle, really kill it through the whole nearly-four-minutes. It’s even better than the opener and certainly an easy early highlight, a very good choice for a single. No wonder it’s already caught some momentum! 

The higher tempo and more barn-burner vibes continue through ‘Garden Grow’, and it’s amazing! Speaking of barn burner, it actually reminds me of the Dan Davidson track of the same name. It’s got a bit more of a Shania or Reba vibe to it, the guitars giving it a rocky edge that I loved. The lyrics are amazing too, maybe my favourite of the release, and once again the harmonies on Emily’s vocals through the chorus are phenomenal. We even get a short-but-sweet duelling solo between the guitar and fiddle, which bridged the gaps between choruses excellently. I am honestly a little obsessed with this track already; it’s one of my favourite country songs of the year at this point, honestly. A song that easily makes our playlist, and one I’d recommend to anyone!

The pace drops again for the final two songs on the album, but it honestly feels perfectly fitting. ‘When I Do’ still has a bit of anthemic vibe to it, especially in the big chorus, and there is plenty going on in the instrumentation. And the male vocal harmony pairs so incredibly with hers on this track, maybe the best of the whole EP. Then the release closes on the other single, the stripped-back ‘Laundry’. It’s a very simple arrangement, mainly focused around her vocals and an acoustic guitar. Once again that AMAZING vocal harmony comes in for the choruses, alongside a simple drumbeat and some more strings in the back. Despite the slower pace and chilled vibe, the arrangement is still great! Both songs are excellent in their own right, and fit in with the other songs on the EP perfectly. The closer is a great ballad and another good choice for a single, but that shouldn’t take away anything from ‘When I Do’. It is, however, the perfect way to close out the release, it really building to a grandiose sound by the end!

Overall: I absolutely loved this! Every track is as amazing as the last, and they all fit in perfectly with each other. Her vocals and lyrics are incredible throughout, but her backing band also work their asses off, killing it through the whole damn thing. I cannot recommend this enough to anyone even vaguely into country music, and I’ll be spinning it plenty in the weeks and months to come. Despite her being a big name already, this deserves so much more love than it will surely get. What are you waiting for? Go listen to it!

The Score: 8.5/10

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Fear Factory, Crystal Lake, Hate & The Nocturnal Affair Rock Rock City!

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We headed to the legendary Rock City in Nottingham the other day for an absolutely stacked night of fantastic metal bands! The variety was amazing, from the legendary industrial headliner to the more pop-metal opener to some straight-up blackened death metal, and had me bouncing and singing along all night. There was no way we weren’t telling you just how awesome of a show it all was!

First up were our new friends The Nocturnal Affair. Having been a fan of them for a couple of years now, it was great to finally see them, and they certainly didn’t disappoint! They surprisingly came off heavier live than on track, but that may have been because of the stellar sound, a fixture of the whole evening. Still, Brendan’s voice was as great at the screams as his powerful cleans, and the band played their asses off around him. They had a pretty long set for an opener too, squeezing in plenty of their hits like ‘Cross Me Out’, ‘Choke’ and new fan favourites ‘Oxygen’ and ‘Place in Time’. And, of course, we still got their fantastic Haddaway cover to close. It was the perfect way to open a night like this; high energy, heavy and yet plenty melodic. I already can’t wait to see them again!

The pace changed rather dramatically when Hate took the stage. Having listened to their last album plenty I knew exactly what to expect, and it was fucking awesome! It was a full frontal assault from start to finish, and the band performed it masterfully. I loved the effort put into the appearance, not only the corpse paint that fit the vibe so well, but the mic stands were awesome and they even had some cauldrons on stage just for dressing, adding so much to the show. The setlist was awesome, too. From the very best of Bellum Regiis to their heavy hitters in ‘Erebos’ and ‘Rugia’, they blasted through a really great six tracks, all of which flowed perfectly into each other. And, for a black metal-adjacent band, there was a surprising amount of crowd interaction too, all of it being great. This is the type of music I think is so perfect for a live setting, and Hate blew me away with their set!

Next up were the mighty Crystal Lake. Bringing a metalcore flavour to the evening, they were another band I was highly anticipating seeing for the first time. They’re another band with a truly excellent recent release, so to hear some of it live was really awesome! Then, on top of that, we still got the best of Helix and even a couple of their earlier tracks, rounding out their setlist perfectly. Given how new to the fold frontman PK is, he fit in with the rest of the band perfectly, them geling and it feeling like a completely natural pairing. He is already a veteran of the scene from Prompts; his live vocals and performance both being awesome, and the energy he has brought back to Crystal Lake is amazing. And don’t get me wrong, it takes away nothing from the rest of the band, YD and co. playing and performing like they had something to prove through their whole set. The crowd were surprisingly slightly light, especially around the least active pit the world may have ever known, but it didn’t at all lessen my enjoyment. This is one of my favourite sets of the whole year, and I need to see them again ASAP!

And just like that we reached our headliners, Fear Factory. The only band on the bill I’d actually seen before, it didn’t at all lessen my excitement for their set. And my gosh, what a set it was! A full 17 tracks spanning much of their impressive career, from their debut album to their recent single. And, it was all played to perfection! ‘Roboticist’ is a fantastic new addition to their repertoire, but the classics like ‘Replica’, ‘Linchpin’ and ‘Powershifter’ are all firm crowd favourites, and the place got LOUD for them. It is a bit of a shame we didn’t get anything off their last album, but even getting a track off Genexus was a surprise and pretty fucking awesome!

As for the band themselves, they killed it throughout the full 90-odd minutes of their time on stage. You would not think this band formed all the way back in ’89, the way Dino throws himself around and still plays. And the rest of the band, even if they are all recent editions around him and a little more ‘hired guns’ at this point, all kill it too! Milo is a natural frontman for the band, sounding as close as dammit to Burton did back in the day, and is an excellent frontman in his own right. All four of them work together perfectly too, putting on a great, straight-forward show between them all! It’s damn impressive for a band to keep me hooked for that long by just their playing, but they did just that. Another fantastic set to close out the night!

And there we have it, folks. A night packed to the brim with awesome metal music, at one of the best venues in the country. Every band knocked it out of the park, somehow making me an even bigger fan of each of them in the process! I cannot recommend any of them enough, both live and on track, and I am very much desperate to see them again soon. To an amazing night!

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Space 1993: Wrath of Kor-Virliath: Gloryhammer’s Massive Fifth Album!

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The modern power metal legends are back this Friday with their highly anticipated new album. Not only is it a follow-up to 2023’s Return to the Kingdom of Fife, but it seems to be a direct sequel to 2015’s much loved Space 1992. Now, long time readers here will know that I have a bit of an up-down relationship with the band, having loved them during Thomas Winkler’s run but struggling a little when they switched singers with their last album. Still, the singles I’ve heard from this so far are great, so I’m curiously excited to dive in and see what the album as a whole is like!

A grandiose, pretty long intro track sets the epic tone perfectly and expertly blends into the lead single from the album, ‘Ultimate Sacrifice’. The track itself explodes in with a huge, heavy riff and a fast pace set by drummer Ralathor (Ben Turk). The synths and keys from band leader Zargothrax (Chris Bowes) give the sound so much depth and size too, it feeling massive from the outset. Soon enough the powerful vocals come in from new-ish comer Sozos Michael, fitting over the top of the instrumentation perfectly and instantly having a catchy energy to them. The chorus is absolutely massive and even more catchy, the harmonies and gang vocals adding so much to it all. It’s immediately a hook that is going to be stuck in my head for days to come! The spoken word bit in the bridge continues the story of their band excellently, and we get a brief, awesome technical solo to follow it. It’s an awesome song in its own right, being exactly what Gloryhammer are all about, and was a great choice for a single as well as an opening track!

Album track ‘On a Quest for Aberdeen’ continues the same vibes as the opener perfectly. It’s another excellent modern power metal track, with all the trappings and glorious cheesiness. It’s a pretty similar formula to the previous track too, with a more simple verse and a huge, multi-vocalled, catchy as anything chorus. The vocals in the bridge were great, the harmonies working even harder as the notes push up to an impressive register, somehow feeling like it builds the track even more! And, we get another fantastic solo from Ser Proletius (Paul Templing), the harmonised second half being particularly excellent and memorable, though the whole part gets plenty of breathing room this time! It’s another awesome song, so massive and catchy!

Onto another single next with ‘Die with a Sword in My Hand’. And, what do you know, it’s another similar, grandiose power metal track! It certainly still works though, especially this early on the album! The chorus is fun too, more chanted than a big harmony-filled one, making it a sure-fire fan-favourite live. It also has maybe my favourite solo on the album, the tone on the guitar being so good. It’s another good song; exactly what you’d expect from the band and another good single choice!

By ‘Silver Talon’ I did start getting slightly tired of the same style, pace and lyrics for a fourth straight song. It’s a damn good song in its own right, and very enjoyable in isolation. Hell, it even fits perfectly with the rest of the album, in terms of both sound and theming. But my easily-distracted brain and ears could have done with something slightly different by the time this track rolled around, especially when we’re getting closer to the midpoint of the album.

I got a little bit of my wish with the following track, single ‘Starfighters of Leuchars’. While it still has some heavy guitars and drums, it does feel like a slower song overall. And, I really loved the Danny Elfman vibe to it with the synths and horns and backing vocals. It made the track a LOT of fun. Yet, it still fits in perfectly with the album and bands discography as a whole, the chorus being absolutely huge and another big earworm. It feels like it’s designed to be played to huge festival crowds around the world! I think Sozos gets the most chance to shine vocally on this track too, really showing off his phenomenal range. It’s another awesome song, and one that easily makes our playlist!

Single ‘Warriors of Auchtermuchty’ brings us back to the bands typical sound again, though certainly in a catchy way with another huge chorus and some call-and-response vocals in the verses. The same can be said for ‘Pax Galactica’, though it does have a touch of Elfman to it like ‘Starfighters’ did. Both are good songs in their own right, and once again fit the album well, but are certainly similar to others on the release. If you are big into their sound though, I’m sure you’ll love it!

The final three tracks are generally more of the same. ‘Demonic Devotion’ and ‘Hammer of Fate’ are your typical Gloryhammer album tracks. However, the closer (with a stupidly long title that I’m not going to type out), is proggy epicness, and a lot of fun! Don’t get me wrong, it has all the hallmarks of the bands sound, but it’s all dialled up to 11 and everything gets so much time to shine. The storytelling throughout is excellent, as is the playing and the vocals, while the composition is truly off the charts. Hell, we even get some screams tucked away in the middle here, which were a nice touch and broke everything up well! Don’t get me wrong, it’s still pretty cheesy, but you know exactly what to expect when heading into a Gloryhammer album, and this is very much all of that. I had a good time with it, and it sums up and closes out the release rather perfectly!

Overall: This is a good album! I know I have mentioned a bit of the negatives towards it I’ve felt, but that shouldn’t take away how great a release it is overall. It’s exactly what you’d expect and want from a Gloryhammer album: straight up epic modern power metal, and on that it absolutely delivers. If you are a fan of that style I’d absolutely recommend giving this a listen, ASAP! There are some tracks on here that are honestly career highlights, even if I wouldn’t necessarily spin the album as a whole every listen. It’s a dam solid addition to their growing discography, and I at least enjoyed it more than their previous one!

The Score: 7.5/10

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NWOCR Fest 2026: The Big Bad Review – Day 2!

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Day two kicked off excellently with Alabama Crow! They had plenty of energy right from the jump, all putting on one hell of a performance. What’s more, they all looked like they were enjoying themselves together up on stage, which always makes for a great experience. And, what’s more, the crowd showed up big for them so early on. I hadn’t seen them live before but I am already desperate to see them again. Hell, they’d flown under my radar overall honestly, but definitely have a new fan in me. Certainly a band I’d recommend to anyone!

Now, y’all should all know by now my deal with Eddie & the Wolves. “Best band in the world” yada yada. But this was quite a bucket list venue and festival for us, so from the bottom of mine and the rest of the wolves’ (and Edd’s) hearts, thank you to every single person involved for looking after us, and everyone who came down early to check us out. We sounded incredible, and it was one of the most fun gigs any of us have ever played. Hopefully it won’t be the last time we grace the stage at KKs! Oh, and Eddie & the Wolves rock, obviously.

The sheer talent Red by Night have for their age is incredible! And, even with some early technical difficulties, they still won over so many people through this set! Being a bit of a change of pace again, it felt like a more modern indie/hard rock infused with the more traditional elements, which set them apart in a great way. And the energy they brought to the stage was nothing short of infectious! I wasn’t familiar with them heading in, but they’re another that have gained a big fan in me. These guys have a real bright future ahead of them, and I already can’t wait to see where they go from here!

Thieves of Liberty are another damn solid band representing the scene, and put on another incredible performance like they are known for! Blasting through some of the biggest fan favourites from their 2024 debut, it was a lot of fun to watch them do their thing.  They feel like veterans of the scene already and carry themselves like pros, putting on an effortless, polished performance through their full set. It had been too long since I’d seen them live, and I won’t let it get that long again!

Our good friends in Fangslinger once again blew me away, along with the rest of the crowd! Their blend of hard and Southern rock, alongside a sprinkling of metal, will never not be awesome, and it is somehow just as fantastic live as it is on track! The quartets talents together and individually is off the charts, and in particular their vocal harmonies are spectacular throughout. The setlist was awesome, too! A journey through the very best from their debut album, hitting every excellent high. They’re another band at this festival who have exploded on the scene at high momentum, and look like there is no stopping them on their rise to the top! Their stage show grows more and more each time I see them, and they’re another one I’d happily recommend to anyone! 

This House we Built have been gaining a lot of momentum in recent years, and rightfully so! They’re another band that bring so much energy and passion to the stage that it’s impossible to not have a good time watching them! They skirt the line between punk, sleaze and hard rock expertly, and played a fantastic set packed full of their two massive albums. And, on top of that, new track ‘Desires’ was an easy set highlight, making me immediately excited to hear where the band go next. For now though, this is was an awesome show, and they’re another band I’d highly recommend checking out!

Blue Nation are another band that I somehow hadn’t seen live yet, but was blown away by! I remember very much enjoying their last album back in 2024, and they are true veterans of the scene and even pre-NWOCR. It very much shows in their live performances, as they are so very polished and refined throughout. And, whether it was tracks from The Ordinary People or from their excellent, extensive back catalogue, it all hit so well in the fantastic live setting. They deserve every bit of the love and praise and push they are getting, and they are one of the best live bands in the scene today!

Then, the mighty Fury took to the stage! We saw them just last year on the same tour, but they turned everything up to 11 with this headline set! Playing the very best of their amazing latest album, alongside their earlier massive hits, the setlist was awesome throughout. And the stage show they put on was well befitting of a headliner, too! From the outfits to the extra drummers to the sheer energy and crowd interaction throughout, it was truly spectacular to behold! They’re another band where it’s incredibly easy to see why they were picked to headline, and they deserve every bit of praise and love they have been getting. Another band that feel like veterans of the scene, and are somehow better than ever before! An incredible and very fitting way to close out not just the day, but the festival as a whole!

And there we have it folks, two days of awesome hard rock music at one of the best venues in the country! All of the crew and staff were incredible all weekend, the sound was phenomenal and the crowd seemed to love every minute of it. Lord knows we did! I cannot recommend any of the bands or the venue itself enough, check them all out ASAP. And here’s to next year’s event already!

<- Day 1

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NWOCR Fest 2026: The Big Bad Review!

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Somehow this was the first edition of this festival we’d managed to make it down to. Celebrating it’s 5th live year at the iconic KKs steelmill, it also played host some of the very best of the scene in 2026! We had a blast from start to finish (although we sadly couldn’t make the Friday pre-show party), and wanted to rave about just how excellent it was!

Kicking things off with a band were the awesome Revenant. I’ve been a fan of them for a few years now, loving their EPs and seeing them live back in February. However, this was somehow even better than that last time! They had me and the pretty packed-out crowd in the palm of their hands from start to finish, and put on a fantastic show fitting of the opening slot. From their heavy hitters like ‘Best Medicine’ and ‘e’ to so-far unreleased songs to even a cover medley or two, it was a really great 40 minutes of live music! And, the stage presence they all had together was magnetic. They are very much firing on all cylinders currently, and I already cannot wait for the album they’ve been teasing!

It had been far too long since we’d seen the last band, Joanovarc. Our last time was way back at Rockin’ the Bowl years ago, and the band have changed a lot since then. However, I enjoyed them just as much here as I did there! They had a heavier edge to them than I remember this time around which I loved, and it kept the energy high throughout. The sound as well was phenomenal, not just for them but for everyone throughout the weekend, and it certainly helped too. New tracks ‘Mechanical Overlords’ and ‘Money Machine’ were particularly highlights, but the whole set was pretty great! The band really feel like they’ve gelled these days, and it made for an awesome set!

Next up were the wild Germans, Sweet Electric. Being a long-time fan of Brad Marr from his early days in Massive, I can never not love the guy live. I have never seen a more born performer and frontman, he is so incredibly captivating to watch throughout. However, the band he’s surrounded himself with are also fantastic, matching his energy and stage presence perfectly. They all bounced around that stage from start to finish, and it was one hell of a set! And, on top of that, their setlist was awesome! Being heavy on their incredible new album, but still having plenty of the classic tracks from their debut that brought them to the dance, it was perfect. The crowd were loving it too, interacting a lot and hanging on every note. This was one of my favourite sets of the weekend, if not the whole year, and I already can’t wait to see them again soon!

Brave Rival took to the stage soon after and blew the packed-out crowd away! They were a bit of a change of pace after the hyper, sleazy energy of Sweet Electric, slowing things down and adding a dose of epicness to the proceedings. However, it made for just as fantastic a set! Lindsey Bonnick is one of the most underrated vocalists in any scene today, and the other three are such phenomenally talented musicians and songwriters. I had in my notes that they are like a blusier Evanescence, and that felt exactly right to me. The extended soloing section in the middle was particularly goosebump-inducing. They felt so very polished; ready for a step up to massive arenas and venues at this point. And as I said, it was a nice change of pace from the rest of the day so far. I had a blast with them and, while it wasn’t the first time I saw them, I thought they were even better this time, and it certainly won’t be my last!

Next up were local-ish glam rockers Midnite City. Another band that I have seen a fair few times at this point, but sadly one that I can’t quite get into. I love a few of their songs on track, and they are good live, but something about it doesn’t quite click for me as much as some of the other bands on the lineup. Don’t get me wrong, they’re a great band, and the tracks that I liked that they played were great. ‘We Belong’ will always be a fantastic live song, especially to close their set, but the crowd seemed a little low energy for a lot of it. Still, I’d happily see them again at another show like this down the line, and if you are more into the glam/sleaze stuff than I am you’ll most likely love it!

Even a member down due to an unfortunate family crisis, Doomsday Outlaw still killed it! Honestly, they stepped out onto the stage like they had something to prove, and blew the roof off the joint in the process. John is a fantastic frontman, and the crowd matched his energy throughout the set. And, the other three members held up their end excellently. You wouldn’t have even been able to tell that they were working stuff out a little on the fly, as they handled it like complete professionals and played their asses off. Blasting through a wide variety of their extensive back catalogue, running through all their excellent hits, the setlist was awesome too! I will forever love this band, and having seen them twice this year, they are still very much on top form!

I have somehow been waiting to see Hollowstar for years at this point. One of the early pioneers of this whole movement, they haven’t been hugely active in recent years, and had to pull out of last years event at last minute. However, they more than made up for it here, and they played their heart out for the packed out crowd, and everyone went nuts for them! Hopefully we finally get some more studio stuff from them soon (if their socials are anything to go by it’s a yes), but until then I’d happily see them again soon!

And just like that, we reached headliners The Lazys. Another band that I’ve been a fan of for years at this point and have finally had the opportunity to see live, and they didn’t disappoint! Over an hour of boot stompin’, high energy Aussie hard rock at its very best. Playing the very best from their three albums, including personal favourites ‘Nothing but Trouble’ and ‘Half Mast Blues’, to their more recent, explosive singles, and all played to perfection while the band threw themselves around the stage for the packed out, adoring crowd, it was the best way to close out a day like this! The band were so fun and polished, proving why they are born headliners, and I am already desperate to see them again soon!

Day 2 ->