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new music mondays

New Music Mondays: Black Label Society, Ty Myers and More!

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Another massive week for New Music Mondays, with plenty of releases for us to check out across rock, metal and country (and also some pop for good measure)!

Black Label Society: Engines of Demolition

The first album from the legendary biker metallers in a whopping five years, it marks the longest gap between releases the band have ever had. Obviously Zakk has been busy with Ozzy stuff over the last few years, so it’s more than understandable. However, this is a very welcome return! I’ve been a fan of the band for honestly as long as I can remember, and remember enjoying Doom Crew Inc. when it dropped. Honestly though, this may be even better than that! Of course the guitaring throughout is off the charts, the riffing and soloing is expectedly excellent. However, the whole band are playing great across every track, and there’s plenty of catchy, memorable memories alongside them. From ‘Gatherer of Souls’ to single ‘Broken and Blind’ to ‘Pedal to the Floor’, it’s packed full of a great songs! It’s sludgy and doomy and heavy; it’s exactly what you’d expect from a BLS album. However, we still get a slower, ballad track in ‘Back to Me’ tucked in the middle, just as good as the others! It’s maybe a touch long at 50+ minutes, but there aren’t really any tracks that I’d cut. It’s a fun heavy metal album that I’ll definitely be revisiting again soon! 8/10

Ty Myers: Heavy on the Soul

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

Chez Kane: Reckless

Album three from the 80s glam throwback woman is one I’ve been impatiently waiting for since she first announced it, and it’s every bit as good as I’d hoped for! Powerzone was awesome a few years ago, and I still spin it to this day, and this builds on everything that was great about that album and turns it up to 11. It’s 41 minutes of arena-filling off power-ballads, dripping in synth and swagger. The opener/title track sets the tone excellently, and tracks like ‘Strip Me Down’, ‘Love Tornado’ and ‘Street Survivor’ all carry on that energy amazingly. However, there really isn’t a bad track throughout, and it has a really excellent flow to it all! It’s catchy, sleazy and incredibly horny in all the best ways, making for one hell of a fun listen. None of these tracks would sound at all out of place on the Rock of Ages musical, and I’m so glad people like Chez and Sam Millar are continuing on this vibe!

If you are at all into the 80s Sunset Strip sound, this is an absolute must of an album. It’s certainly going to have me hooked for months again, and it’s insane to me that she isn’t a bigger name given her insane talent! Every chorus is massive and so very catchy, just begging to be played to huge festival crowds as well as neon-soaked dive bars. And shoutout to her band too, who kill it just as much as she does! I feel like it will continue to grow on me with more listens somehow, even though I’d easily put a good half of these up there alongside her biggest hits. I can’t give it any less than another solid 9/10!

Flea: Honora

I didn’t know what to expect from the Red Hot Chili Peppers bassists debut solo album. Somehow, experimental jazz-funk both was and wasn’t it. Either way, sadly this is pretty bad. I’ve been thinking for a few months now that I want to try and get into jazz because I feel I’d enjoy it. Then I hear ‘Morning Cry’ and all that goes out the window. And don’t even get me started on his spoken word nonsense on ‘A Plea’. It feels like Flea felt it sounded like Zack de La Rocha, but it came across far more Lulu. And, on top of that, this thing is 50 MINUTES LONG. That’s a lot of crap. Heck, there may be someone out there that is really into this and loves it, but that someone certainly isn’t me. Not even Nick Cave could save this thing, it’s a mess, and a slog. At least everyone involved is at least talented, even if, in this writers opinion, it’s not fantastically written. You can tell Flea’s playing a mile away, and some of his basslines are at least fun. The slower ‘Thinkin Bout You’ is probably the most enjoyable song. Hell, at least it’s better than the last couple of RHCP albums, right…? 2.5/10, not my thing at all. At least it’s finally over.

Whey Jennings: Baptized by Fire

Some real old-school country now, with the grandson of legend Waylon himself putting out his second studio album. It’s 40 minutes of classic country tracks, just like his granddaddy played, but also gives slight vibes of Drake White or even Drew Holocomb too for good measure! Tracks like ‘What Lovin’ You Does’, his duet with Karen Waldrup and ‘Copperheads and Butterflies’ are all personal highlights. However, if you like a traditional style, you’ll love every track of this, I’m sure! His vocals are awesome, and his lyrics and delivery are packed full of emotion. It’s exactly what you’d expect heading into it, and I personally had a great time listening to it. He’s continuing on his family legacy perfectly here, and it gets a solid 7/10 from us!

Mallavora: What if Better Never Comes?

This has one I’ve been hyped for for a while! It was part of our most anticipated albums of 2026 list, and we’ve loved them for a while now. So, no pressure!

To say it lives up to the hype is an understatement! It’s heavy, melodic and packed full of awesome melodies and emotion. ‘Smile’ opens things perfectly, having some truly brutal screams and breakdown riffs, as well as a more alt chorus. Then you have songs like ‘Birth of a Sun’, ‘Skin’ and the closer/title track that are all also excellent. However, there isn’t a bad song throughout, everything around these tracks also being pretty good. It’s like Spiritbox meats Hot Milk in the best way possible! And, having said that, I would say some of the writing here, both lyrically and riff-wise, is arguably better than both bands. All four of these guys are extremely talented musicians and songwriters!

There’s no wonder the band have gone from strength to strength in recent years in the UK, and this album caps that off wonderfully, but also surely starts a band new, even bigger chapter for the quartet. If you are at all into the alt/modern metal scene, this release is an absolute must! It’s impossible not to see huge things for them in the years to come, and this gets a solid 8.5/10 from us!

Hellripper: Coronach

Max: An 8 track, 45 minute adventure that keeps you gripped and having fun throughout. The latest Hellripper album really is a work of art, the riffs, screams, well to be honest really everything is very very good. Now don’t worry I’m not going to say that this is the best album ever and that Hellripper has perfected their craft but what I am saying is, if you have ever held off on listening to Hellripper because you weren’t sure if you were going to enjoy it, well now’s your time to start listening. Honestly there wasn’t a single track that I didn’t thoroughly enjoy and I really think its a great set of tracks. 9/10

Will Carter Band: WCB

Album number four from Mr Carter, though it seems second as a collective, is a fantastic throwback to the late 90s early 2000s alt country sound! Think Hootie & The Blowfish, Blake Shelton or even Matchbox Twenty. Right from opener ‘Don’t Need Much’ I was hooked on this thing, and tracks like ‘X’s on my Hands’, ‘Can’t Sleep Without You’, and ‘Ain’t All That Lonely’ are all huge personal highlights. The whole thing is excellent from start to finish, though, it having a great flow and going by in a flash. How these guys aren’t a bigger name by this point I have no idea, but if anything is right with the world this will be the release that puts them on the mainstream radar! It’s fun yet at the same time packed full of emotion, the whole thing being written expertly. If you are at all into county or southern rock, this is an absolute must listen. Easily an 8.5/10, and it may grow on me even more with more listens!

RiotWeekend: Table4Four

The sophomore EP from the UK alt-rockers/pop-punkers builds perfectly on their 2022 self-titled debut. It’s 14 minutes of fun, catchy rock music that fits perfectly in alongside anyone from Simple Plan to Paramore to even ADTR! Heck, we get a breakdown in ‘Harry’, which was unexpected awesomeness! What’s more, all four tracks are as good as each other, it being an incredibly solid release from front-to-back! And it’s pretty varied too, each song having a different vibe and pace to it while all still feeling distinctly RiotWeekend. It’s a true talent to be able to write like that, and the band have shown it off perfectly twice now! This is a damn good EP, and one I will definitely be spinning plenty moving forward. 8/10!

Check out our interview with the band about the release here!

RAYE: THIS MUSIC MAY CONTAIN HOPE.

An album that isn’t something that we’d usually cover up now. Having said that, we’d done everything from Bruno Mars to Eminem to Lady Gaga in recent years, and this very much channels that similar alt-pop vibe to it. And heck, I was listening to it anyway, so figured I might as well write out my thoughts!

Firstly, she’s such a talented, fascinating artist, and it‘s easy to hear why she’s become such a big name in a short amount of time. Perfectly blending everything from pop to jazz, soul to R&B, it’s a truly unique sound and such good fun to listen to. And, it’s packed full of awesome songs! From the excellent, emotional opener ‘I Will Overcome.’ to the epic ‘I Know You’re Hurting.’ to the swinging ‘I Hate the Way I Look Today.’ to the huge single ‘WHERE IS MY HUSBAND!”, there is a lot to love throughout. A lot of it is amazing though and, though it definitely feels its bloated length, it’s a chilled-yet-emotional listen that held my attention a lot throughout. Arguably the only full disappointment was ‘Click Clack Symphony.’, I thought having the legendary Hans Zimmer involved would have produced something a bit more epic and interesting and dynamic. However, overall it is an epic release, and well worth the time if you have a spare 73 minutes! I probably won’t do the full thing often, but the few songs I loved will be on regular rotation! 7/10

The Pale White: Inanimate Objects of the 21st Century

Max: So this one was strange for me, it is quite far from what I normally listen to so at first I have to say I didn’t really enjoy it that much. Its fine, its easy to listen to, but not really for me. By my third time listening, I think I started to get it a bit more. There is this fun blend of styles and feelings throughout. The melancholic tone that some parts have can really hit you in the feelings but then the bouncing alt riffs and grooving bass and drums bring you back up. it really is a roller coaster that I ended up really enjoying. For a track recommendation, I would say either ‘Float Away’, or my favourite which is ‘Mannequin’ (I don’t know how to put in to words the feeling it gives, it’s something that I think you need to experience with no input from the outside). 9.5/10 (really its good)

Final Coil: 1994

Following up their 2024 album, the bands first foray into EP territory is a lot of fun! It’s very much a product of the year it’s about, full of grunge and alt-metal energy and riffs. ‘Instant Fix’ is a great opener, and the Rob Zombie-like ‘Woke’ is another career highlight. However, each of the four songs is awesome, and flow together perfectly. From the riffing to the drums to the vocals, it’s all amazing! If you are a fan of the band this is well worth checking out, and is a great stop-gap (hopefully!) between longer releases. A solid 7.5/10 from us!

Ashley Monroe: Dear Nashville

An eight-track surprise drop from the modern country star on Friday has given us a great listen over the weekend! And, it’s a pretty honest, heart-felt and reflective listen, at that. Starting the release with a song titled ‘I Hate Nashville’ is a ballsy move in 2026, and it is a huge highlight of the album. Then you have songs like ‘Haunted’ and ‘Having it Bad’ which are also big personal highlights. It’s another release that follows her slower, chilled-out country vibe, much like with last year’s Tennessee Lightning. It’s very Paula Cole or Miranda Lambert in all the best ways. It’s not something I’d revisit often, but is perfect for throwing on and relaxing to, especially in the coming summer months! And that first song really is an excellent track, up there alongside her hits, thanks for sure. 7/10, good stuff!

Party Cannon: Subjected to a Partying

The crazy Scottish death metallers returned with a brand new EP (alongside some remixes and lives) this last Friday. It’s exactly what you’d expect from the band, or if you heard the words ‘classic death metal’. It’s like if Cannibal Corpse kept Barnes but had more modern production these days. If all of that sounds like your sort of thing, definitely give this a spin. As I’m sure you can tell by my dancing around the subject, it isn’t hugely mine. I honestly kinda preferred the remixes to the original tracks, though do have to say the vocals over the top of them may have been fun! And honestly, it seems like something I’d much prefer live, the recordings from Glasgow sounding awesome. But yeah, sadly on track it isn’t too much of my thing, as fun and hilarious as the themes are. Still, if you like old-school death metal, this is well worth a spin! It’s run, regardless, but the vocals sadly don’t do much for me. 6/10

Siege Perilous: Becoming the Dragon

The debut album from the epic, Colorado-based power metallers is a true journey from start to finish. From soaring melodies to insane harmonised guitars to the solid drumming and powerful vocals, it’s 44-minutes of grandiose heavy metal through and through! ‘As the Dragon Falls’ (feat. the awesome Fabio Lione) is a huge high point of the album, as is ’Chieftain’ and the epic closing track. It reminds me a lot of Fellowship or even Dragonforce, that epic huge power metal built more for its huge moments and soundscapes. The band are insanely good songwriters, and for this to be a debut album makes it feel like we have some truly special things to come in the next few years! They’re ones to watch, for sure! However, for now, this is an excellent release for anyone into the genre even a little bit! 7.5/10

Numbskull Narrative: The Gutters

The brand new EP from Galway’s own ‘noisy boys’ is three awesome heavy, hardcore-tinged tracks. From the sludgy breakdown riffs to the heavy screams, there are some incredible moments throughout, and at only nine minutes it is very much all killer, no filler! I’m always a bit on the fence with modern hardcore stuff, but the heavier edge to this definitely won me over! Some of the playing actually reminded me of Zakk Wylde or Dimebag, which was awesome to hear with this sort of drums accompanying it! It’s impossible to pick highlights as all three are great in their own right. The band definitely have a new fan in me, and this gets an easy 8/10 from us!

Calder Allen: Fault Lines

Album three from the fifth generation Texan is a short, chilled romp through some beautiful old-school country music. At only eight tracks long it goes by in a flash, and each song perfectly bleeds into the next. Highlights include the rocky title track, ‘Carry On’ and ‘Norwood County Line’. But, as I said, each song blends seamlessly together, and none of them are bad by any stretch! The more I listened to this, the more I fell in love. It’s a damn good country/Americana album that reminds me of everything from Drew Holcomb to Luke Dick to even hints of Jack Johnson. He’s another artist that has a new fan in me this week, and I can guarantee that if you check this out, you’ll enjoy it as much as I do! It’ll be an album I revisit plenty throughout the year, especially over summer, and I can’t give it any less than 9/10!

Rain Diary: Night Church

This gothic collective are back with their first new studio release in a while, and honestly sound better than ever! The title track sets the moody-yet-catchy tone perfectly, and every track that follows it fits thematically fantastically, and is great in its own right. It all feels like one art piece instead of individual tracks, though ‘Dark Flowers’ and ‘End of the World’ are personal favourites. It’s hard to even compare it to other artists, as it feels like something wholly unique, which made it an incredibly easy listen despite the length! Each member of the band are insanely talented, with the two vocals of course being the big highlight. It won’t be for everyone, but I had a good time listening to this, and it’s a solid 8/10!

Interviews & Features

RiotWeekend: ‘I couldn’t care less what box it goes into aside ‘is it good’!’

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We had the pleasure of chatting to the amazing alt-rock/pop-punkers RiotWeekend about their upcoming sophomore EP, their future plans and the state of the scene. Check it out below!

How would you describe your sound?

It’s a hard one to pin down! I joined the band in October ‘24, and listening to their first EP and learning the stuff, you had two very distinct sounds to it. The heavier and the more pop punk sound. We were recently on BSBTV; we won song of the month back in November and they said we can’t put an influence on this, they sound like RiotWeekend. Comments have come in saying Holly has a very 90s pop-esque vocal. Then alt rock, pop punk instrumentals. Somebody mentioned Evanescence and that made me think are we somewhere between that pop-punk, Blink-182, Simple Plan, but with a more Evanescence style vocal. I said to the guys are we like a UK version of ADTR. Not quite as heavy, but we mix that sort of metal and punk.

It seems to be a lot more of a prominent thing these days; bands not necessarily fitting into one specific genre. I don’t think it particularly matters as much any more!

From our point of view, ‘is it listenable and is it fun to listen to? Great’. I couldn’t care less what box it goes into aside ‘is it good’. The guys at BSB were saying you get a lot of guys pushing for that Being Me sound or that All Time Low sound, and they said it was refreshing to see artists do something that is their own.

The EP is out soon, you have a couple of songs out from it already, right?

So ‘Harry’ is the first single that we released back on the 1st of November. Then ‘Days in December’ was released in January, I don’t know why! We are also releasing ‘Smile’ as a single, and we have a video coming out of that as well!

What can we expect from ‘Smile’ and the other track, compared to the other singles so far?

‘Autumn Leaves’, much more pop punky. It fits in with ‘Never Again’ and ‘Fine’ off the first EP. ‘Smile’ is in line with ‘Harry’, and is jointly our favourite track on the EP. We’re really excited for that one to come out!

What’s the writing process like for you guys?

Most of the tracks that I’ve come to were already written. The main song written from scratch was ‘Smile’. It’s going to sound mad; we organised a writing session on the day and I had work, and by the time I got back Rabi and Rob had essentially completed the whole track. They programme the drums and then I make alterations, but they had essentially done the whole track in the day. We tend to find they get a riff and then just go with it!

Is there more writing going on even with the EP coming out?

Yeah! Without saying too much, it’s a bit of a secret, but there are a lot of tracks in the background. We want to keep the momentum going!

What made you choose an EP over an album or multiple singles?

For us it was kinda easy. A) three of the tracks had been there quite some time. There’s been a few changes of the lineup and we had these tracks in the background throughout that we wanted to get out. Rather than drop them one by one, let’s do them collectively with a new song, and then we’ll carry on work with the other stuff. This EP buys us a little time to do something else for the end of the year or next year. And B), they hadn’t dropped a song for quite some time!

As much as I like singles, it’s so much nicer to dive into a handful of tracks and really see what the band is about.

I mean, I don’t know too much about how the guys like to listen to their music, but I’m an LP guy. I still buy CD, I like having the sleeves and everything. I like listening to bundles of tracks all in one go. So I think the next one might be a bit longer!

What would you say the state of the scene is these days? We’re so focused on rock, metal and country that we don’t get to see much punk and alt often!

I think the problem Gilford way, there is a scene for the heavier stuff, the New Cross Inn do really well on metal nights, like proper death metal. It’s packed out! I think the biggest problem however, and there are some really great promoters and venues out there that I don’t want to offend, but a lot of them expect the artist to do things. That’s where it becomes difficult. Back in the day I used to put on shows and it was very much… I would find an artist that I knew would sell the venue out, maybe two, and then have one or two others who I expected nothing of. I’d build them up, and I had artists that built up and I could put on headlining them venues later on.

That doesn’t happen any more. We find promoters do hardly any promotion. You’ve got all these Facebook pages where you don’t see the posters put up unless you the band do it. So, yeah, it’s struggling, but we are noticing pop-punk, alt rock, is there. It’s popular!

It’s just so hard getting people out these days, even if it’s a show geared to a younger audience, compared to pre-Pandemic times.

They’ll go up to the O2 and watch a band that is known. They almost forget that those bands started out where we are. We are noticing a slight pickup in cover bands and tribute acts. We’re playing Shinefest this year and they have some fantastic band, but a lot of them are tributes. Same with Gilfest. In fact the best show we played last year was with Not Green Day. We played to a packed venue and we did really well on merch sales! We’ve noticed to try and get on with a few of these tribute bands to help grow! We are seeing when we do that, the fans are there, they then get your name, and they’ll come and see you next time!

Have you got a busy rest of the year planned live?

Yeah, we’ve got the EP release on the 28th, the day after it launches! We’re in Gilliam on the 30th. We have the festivals, including Chesham Fringe Festival. There’s a couple of shows that we’ve working on in the background as well!

Do you have a dream tour lineup you’d want to be a part of?

If we’re talking establish bands and me personally: anything with Dallas Green, so Alexisonfire, You+Me. If it was a lineup of four it would be Alexisonfire, Thrice, Blink-182! A bit different, I know!

new music mondays

New Music Mondays: Hunter Hayes, Lost Society and More!

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Another massive week of new music for us to dive into, from metal to rock to country. Let’s dive right in! And, once again, welcome back Max and Owen to help out!

Hunter Hayes: Evergreen

The follow-up to 2023’s Red Sky, this is a fun, pretty beautiful 36-minutes of pop-country music. The opening/title track sets things up perfectly, while tracks like single ‘Wait’, ‘Every Piece’ and ‘Human Again’ are also big highlights. The whole album has a good flow to it though, and is a very easy listen. It’s very pop leaning, reminding me more of the likes of Shawn Mendez and Ed Sheeran than anything traditional-country-based. It’s not particularly my sort of thing, but I still had a good time listening to it. His vocals are great and fit the instrumentation perfectly, while his lyrics are more than passable. If you like a more pop-based sound, this is well worth checking out. I’d happily listen again, though I wouldn’t actively seak it out. It’s just a good album to relax to, and I sadly don’t have much else to add. You’ll know straight away if you’ll love it or not! 7/10

Lost Society: Hell is a State of Mind

Album six from the Finnish metallers isn’t what I was expecting, but honestly fucking slaps! I haven’t listened to them since their thrashy first few albums. So, to come into more of a modern metalcore/nu metal/radio metal sound was definitely a bit of a shock to the system. However, it’s not hugely a bad things. I’d have loved some more thrash/death metal from them, but this is so well done that it’s hard not to love. From the opener to ‘Synthetic’, ‘Kill the Light’ to the insane ‘Dead People Scare Me’ it’s packed full of highlights. It’s clear they have pulled from their Finnish counterparts in The Rasmus, Blind Channel and even Sweden’s Smash into Pieces with their big radio-hook choruses. Though, it still has a heavier edge than those, and still maintains some of the great melodic leads and big riffs from their early days.

There really isn’t anyone combining all these different styles currently, making this release pretty unique, keeping me hooked throughout. Even the acoustic ballad of ‘Is This What You Wanted’ was excellently done, and broke the album up pretty perfectly. And it’s a style and heaviness that I do feel is missing from some of the bands I’ve drawn comparisons to above, so it’s hard not to love this. I’m enjoying it more with each listen, and I liked it from the first! The production is excellent too, everything from the mix to the strings adding even more depth and massiveness to it. It almost adds a power metal edge to it at times. And, of course, the band are working their asses off throughout, playing and writing masterfully. It is epic from start to finish, and if anyone is at all into melodic metal, this is an absolute must-listen! It’ll definitely be a mainstay for me over the coming months, and I can’t give it any less than 9.5/10!

Black Stone Cherry: Celebrate

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

The Darts: Halloween Love Songs

The all-female horror-garage-rockers returned this last week with a follow-up to their excellent 2025 output, Nightmare Queens. They have become one of the most consistent bands on the circuit, putting out an album every year of the last four. And, the fact that they are all pretty fantastic releases too really screams to the bands talent. This one is no different, easily being up there alongside their very best. It’s the perfect mix of ‘Ballroom Blitz’, ‘Monster Mash’ and ‘Rock Lobster’, but with a modern flair and production to it! Heck, it also gives off big The Doors vibes in the best ways. And, more oddly, a splash of Pokey, though that may be the overall old-school feel. It’s a sound that isn’t nearly as prevalent these days as it should be, but The Darts do it so well that’s hard not to immediately fall in love with each release.

This is a fun 37-minutes of rock that doesn’t take itself too seriously, and definitely makes me nostalgic for a better time. From the opener to ‘Blood Run Cold’, ‘Every Night is Halloween’ to ‘Up in my Soul’, there are plenty of highlight tracks and songs to love. However, there really isn’t a bad one throughout, even if they do all carry a similar energy and blend together just a touch by the end. If you are at all a fan of any of the sounds or artists I’ve named previously, this is an absolute must-listen for you. I’ll definitely be spinning this plenty in the coming weeks and months, and it gets an incredibly solid 8.5/10 from us!

Insect Inside: Reborn In Blight

Max: A visceral and raw album that keeps punching has just been released by Insect Inside. It’s intense and might be exactly what you are looking for. The first track has this slow almost menacing build but from then you keep getting hit by the heavy and aggressive tone that persists through out the rest of the album. Now sure, this might not be everyone’s cup of tea, lets be honest here this kind of music can be a bit too much, but I love this stuff. I won’t lie I did have to look at the lyrics to know what was being said but the vocal tone is nuts. Setup you speakers well and put this on full volume, because this is expertly well done but on the bands side and the production as well, it is crisp. Now I know I say this a lot, but this one really should be given a go, because everyone in this band is very and I mean very talented. Its a certified Max recommendation. 8.5/10

Teenage Bottlerocket: The Invisible Man

I’m not sure why we have such a vague horror theme this week when we’re only in March, but I’ll take it! The new EP from the modern skate-punk legends comes just six months after their last album, and continues on their sound perfectly. Somehow we missed Ready to Roll when it dropped, but I have checked it out since and do love it! This is no different; four more awesome tracks that are unmistakably Bottlerocket. It’s maybe a touch slower than their album stuff, but is still just good, fun, lighthearted punk music. ‘You Made Me Get Called a Poser’ and ‘Pembrey’s Face’ are personal highlights, but the other two tracks are also good! It’s not even 10 minutes long as a full release, but I had a blast. I think it’s legitimately impossible not to have a good time listening to it! So, for that reason, it gets a very solid 8/10 from us!

Smag Pa Dig Selv: This is Why we Lost

Owen: Acid jazz trio, Smag På Dig Selv, bring us their second album ‘This Is Why We Lost’, following their debut in 2024. The danish collective comprising of two saxophonists and one drummer deliver a mix of electronic, ethereal and energetic tracks in this album. Stand out tracks include ‘Hits 4 Kids Vol. 3000’ a club anthem with an acid twist, and single ‘Like A Word I Never Knew’ opening the album on strong note. The combination of genres makes for an interesting listen, relying on the brass for melody and narrative while the electronic aspects handle the beat and rhythm of the sound. I’m sure for the artists there is some deeper narrative arc to the album but this fails to come across to the listener, however there’s some strong tracks sure to get people moving and some catchy melodies that will stick in your head 6.5/10

Russel Dickerson: Worth Your Wild EP

My complete befuddlement of Russels release schedule/strategy aside, this is a fun EP! I assume it’s a way of putting out tracks that otherwise may not make a full album release so get boosted by being on with a collection named after a big single. That or it just helps streams. He may be onto something, in that regard…

Either way, the other three tracks are good! ‘B.O.A.T.’, apart from the spelling it out, is a great ballad. ‘2 Limes, 2 Coronas’ is a big highlight of the release and the best non-title-track on here. Then ‘Spring Break’ finishes things off in great, radio-ballad fashion. If you are a fan of Russel, this is another fantastic release in a long line of them at this point! However, his style certainly isn’t for everyone, and if you don’t like his pop/vaguely bro country sound, you won’t be sold on him with this EP. It’s going to definitely be a release I revisit in the summer, but I’ll certainly be spinning it before then I imagine, too! He keeps trucking along dropping awesome new music every year, and is certainly getting to the point of being underrated at this stage. 7.5/10

Mother Crone: Embrace the Death

Finally following up on debut Awakening after a decade, this sludgy, doomy, vaguely proggy metal release is the perfect reintroduction to the band. Drawing inspiration from everyone from Pantera to Crowbar to even some hints of Pink Floyd, it’s an interesting release, for sure! It’s packed full of the heaviest of riffs, but also some damn catchy moments, especially with the harmonised vocals. From the opener to the slower title track to the truly grandiose ‘Inner Keep’ are all personal highlights. It’s not going to be a release for everyone, but if you like a longer release that really takes its time and earns every big moment, this is very much one for you. It’s like a heavier Candlemass, and I kinda love it! They’re all such talented players, and work their asses off throughout. Weirdly the only streaming platform I could find it on was Bandcamp, but I am more than happy to support any artist on there over anywhere else! It’s definitely an album I’ll be spinning again. 7/10

Sons of Town Hall: Of Ghosts and Gods

We’ve also checked out this release already! Read the full review here.

Tardigrade Inferno: Hush

Album four from the cabaret metal band is another quirky, fun addition to their growing discography. The combination of horror/circus music with metal has taken off amazingly in recent years with the likes of Ward XVI and even elements of Ice Nine Kills, but these four are very much still running at the front of the pack. It also gives slight Bungle/FNM vibes, though that may just be the vocal delivery at times. There’s plenty to love throughout, too. ‘Deadly Fairytales’, ‘All in Your Head’ and ‘Hush’ are all personal highlights and absolutely amazing tracks in the genre as a whole. The band are all clearly talented though, playing their asses off throughout and crafting something truly interesting and unique. While it took me a song or two to get into, I was soon having a blast of a time and the rest of the album went by in a flash. If you are at all interested, I cannot recommend this enough; they will certainly have a solid, loyal audience, that’s for sure! I’ll definitely be spinning it again, and it gets a solid 8/10 from us!

Legionary: Never-Ending Quest for Purpose

Max: I’ll be honest here, for five tracks, it’s fine. It was however nothing insane. There were bits where I just couldn’t get the feel and the have to say the vocals weren’t really for me. However, I did enjoy the clean vocals specifically at ~ 1:20 in ‘Controllers of Perception’, that really was a highlight of the whole album for me. I would quite like to see where they go from here and what future releases show as whilst it wasn’t really for me, I think they are a talented group. A solid 6/10

Hässi: Keep it Stupid, Simple

This instrumental EP is honestly fucking awesome, showing off Hässi’s talents for playing and songwriting perfectly across its 12 minutes. ‘Bump the Hump Machine’ opens things up perfectly with a bouncy, fun energy, while displaying his insane technical ability. It has elements of funk rock to it that had me hooked right from the get-go. ‘Naked in the Chain’ continues that vein and sound perfectly, being another phenomenal instrumental track. And, I’m sure to the surprise of no one, the other two tracks are just as great. Though it’s all pretty similar, even for an instrumental release it doesn’t overstay it’s welcome, ending just in time and honestly leaving me wanting more. For a debut release this is amazing, and the perfect introduction to his playing and style. Even if you think you are not usually into purely instrumental stuff, give this a listen, I’m sure you’ll love it as much as I do. 7.5/10, amazing stuff!

Gravemass: This is the Way

Don’t make a Mandolorian joke… don’t make a Mandolorian joke…

Honestly, this is half an hour of brutal excellence. From the insane riffing to the thunderous, relentless drumming to the brutal screams, it’s all so good. It almost has a pretty hardcore energy to it too, none of the tracks overstaying their welcome, being balls-to-the-wall and straight to the point! And every song flows pretty excellently; every track being as good as the last! And, for a debut album and a band that seemingly haven’t been around all too long, this is amazing stuff! They should be a lot bigger than they are already, and hopefully this album pushes them to new heights! From the opener to ‘Harvest of Souls’ to the bands namesake track, there are definitely highlights. Though, as I said before, there isn’t a bad track throughout! And it still has an air of epicness throughout that made me even more hooked. They have a VERY bright future ahead of them, and if you are at all into a more death-leaning metal sound, I cannot recommend this enough. It gets an incredibly solid 8.5/10 from us!

William Clark Green: Watterson Hall

Owen: Watterson Hall is the seventh studio album from Texas country singer William Clark Green. With a back catalog of medium hits it feels like Green has found the recipe he’s sticking with. ‘Whole Lotta Lubbock’, the third track of the album encapsulates this feeling completely, generic lines about being from Texas, mention living in the country and the Ole Opry, call out a few more Texas towns, the crowd will be eating it up right? The rest of the album hits all the points you’d expect, a few slow songs and a few fast ones, but nothing much to tell them apart more than that. This is Country music played safe, middle of the road, inoffensive and easily packaged for radio. 3/10

Surfbort: Reality Star

The first album from the Brooklyn punkers in nearly half a decade is… certainly an album… I usually don’t mind a more old-school punk vibe of release, but sadly something about this didn’t really resonate with me. Looking at the bands ethos I’m not exactly their target audience, but even still, that usually doesn’t stop me from enjoying at least parts of it. Don’t get me wrong, the band are talented for the most part, and instrumentally it’s fairly decent; meandering between classic punk and a more indie-infused sound. I think it’s a toss-up between the at-times nonsensical, thrown together lyric writing or the generally unenthused delivery of them that kinda ruins it for me. There is definitely a market for this sort of thing, just look at how big Amyl and the Sniffers are getting, so I completely get that there will be those out there that love this. However, I am not one of those people. When my favourite track on the release is a minute-long skate punk number that just repeats the phrase ‘Hot Chicks Cold Beer’ for most of its runtime, that should tell you everything you need to know about my enjoyment of it. If you like the sort of style I’be described them as, they’re well worth a listen, but I can’t give it any more than a 3.5/10. Sorry guys.

Charlotte Sands: Satellite

Album three from the pop/alt rocker is a fun 28-minutes of radio rock! Her vocals are just as good as ever, and the songwriting throughout is the perfect blend of current-day pop and darker alt rock. I thought I didn’t recognise the name but upon seeing the album artwork for her debut, it all came flooding back. From ‘one eye open’ to the beautiful ‘Afterlife’ to ‘neckdeep’, there are plenty of highlights throughout. However, the whole album is pretty great, especially if you’re into the style. It’s no wonder she’s become such a big name in such a short amount of time, as she is consistently great on her studio work. A must-listen for anyone into a pop-rock style, and a very easy 8/10 from us. I’ll certainly be revisiting this sooner rather than later!

Karelian Warcry: Veripellot

To my slight shock, I actually really enjoyed this! Being pretty frumpy routed in black metal, I didn’t know what to expect, but the injection of death metal had me hooked in from the start, not letting me go until 50 minutes later. The riffing was amazing, and the screams were a lot more palatable than most black metal. And, on top of it all, the production on the album was incredible, something I can’t say much about genre! ‘Joukkohauta’ and ‘Unholan tuntemattomat’ are personal highlights, but the album as a whole has a fantastic flow to it! It’s criminal that these guys have been going so long and aren’t a bigger name, because the talent is definitely there! Maybe it’s because it’s their first big release in 15+ years, but even still, hopefully this album pushes them up the pecking order! It’s not something I’d listen to often, but I feel like whenever I do, I’ll have just as good a time as I did here. Check this out if you like the heavier stuff, it gets a solid 7/10 from us!

Aaron Watson: Horse Named Texas

The fifteenth studio album from the early 2000s country legend blew me away far more than I expected it to! The harmonised vocals that open the thing won me over immediately, and the whole of ‘Hardly Friends Barely Lovers’ is an awesome neo-traditional country track! That is followed up perfectly with a couple of slower, old-school tracks, with ‘Same Here’ being another big high point. Then you have tracks like the title one, single ‘Hit the Hay Runnin’’, ‘Drinking & Driving (You Crazy)’ and ‘Your Kinda Guy’ that are also big personal highlights.

However, my issue is, there’s another 20, YES 20, tracks alongside those I’ve named. This thing is 87 minutes and 26 songs long, which is just far too much. Even if it was half as long, it may still be a little too lengthy a lot of the tracks are slower, more ballad-like tracks, which is rather old-school and not an issue in general, but when there’s so many one after another, it didn’t do much to hold my attention. None of the tracks are bad on their own by any stretch, but as an album as a whole, the length makes it suffer.

I wouldn’t say I’d never listen to this again, as there are a good few awesome songs on here. If it came on in the background, I’d probably have a good time listening. However, I certainly wouldn’t seek out this album to put on very often. Aaron is a damn talented singer and writer, but I can’t give this any more than 5.5/10. Still, if you’re into older country, it’s worth a try!

Shatten: Gegenwart

The German alternative four piece put out their third longer release last Friday, and I enjoyed it a hell of a lot more than I expected to! The band have described the album as ‘exploring the state of the here and now’, and though I don’t understand the lyrics, I fully feel the emotion behind them and their delivery. It feels both bleak and uplifting at different times, sometimes even in the same song, taking the listening on a full journey. And, while it very much all feels like one big piece that is designed to be listened to together, the opener, ‘Raben’ and ‘Ein Toter mehr…’ are personal highlights. It has a definite air of the darker, 90s end of euro-pop, but also has a healthy dose of indie and alternative and even grunge. It’s another release this week that feels pretty damn unique! It’s melancholic while also still being rather chilled-out and easy to listen to. While not typically my sort of thing, the band certainly have a new fan in me, and I’ll be keeping an eye on them going forward. It’s a solid 7.5/10 our end!

Austin Michael: Lonestar

Back with another album after nearly six years, his particular brand of stripped-back, chilled-out country with him. It’s old-school-meets-new-school in maybe the closest way I’ve heard, having a classic vibe while also feeling geared perfectly towards the currently mainstream landscape. While it’s not hugely my sort of thing, I did find myself enjoying certain tracks. ‘Cowboys Don’t Act Like That’, the rockier ‘Why Not Whiskey’ and ‘Least of my Worries’ and the surprisingly heavy ‘Texas Hold ‘Em’ are standouts for sure, both in terms of quality and because they had a different vibe to them than much of the rest. Honestly, the latter two took me off guard a bit, as the rest of the album is more calm, radio-friendly and upbeat, but it’s certainly not a complaint! They definitely broke up the album in a good way, that’s for sure.

However, the tracks don’t quite make up for the album as a whole being a touch slow for me. It’s not a bad album at all, but overall is a little slow. There’s probably half this album that I‘l be happily revisiting, but can take or leave the other half. However, if you are into the slower side of country, it’s definitely worth giving a spin! It may grow on me, but for now it gets a still good 6.5/10

Toys that Bïte: You Have Been Warned

The debut album from the semi-tongue-in-cheek 80s revival rockers is nothing if not a lot of fun! Easily comparable to Van Halen, Night Ranger, Mötley Crüe and Aerosmith, its Sunset Strip-soaked sleaze/hard rock replicated to perfection. The band are insanely talented, with the Eddie-like riffing and soloing being excellent, and the vocals and drums fitting them perfectly. Tracks like ‘Genius Level Stupid’, ‘Ladies of the Night’ and ‘Hit That Like’ are a perfect example of how great this album is, but every song is as amazing as the last! And heck, anyone who has a song titled ‘Tits (Make Him an Animal)’ is automatically good in my book! It’s an album definitely worth a spin if you’re into 70s and 80s hard rock or hair metal, and one that has quickly won me over into a big fan of the band! I already can’t wait to hear more from them, honestly. It’s a blast to listen to from start to finish, and gets a very solid 8.5/10 from us!

Chicago Farmer: Homeaid

This was another album that unexpected blew me away! It’s got a real classic rock thing going on alongside the country, and it makes for one hell of a listen. Like it had elements of everything from The Doors, Lynyrd Skynyrd and even Led Zeppelin at times, as well as a more traditional sound at others. And, the more I listened, the more I fell in love with not just the album, but the band as a whole! From single ‘Peshtigo’ to ‘Mattress’ to the title track, there are some truly excellent songs throughout, though none of them are in any way bad! And it goes by in a flash, not feeling its length in any way. I’m already a little obsessed thanks to spinning it a fair bit this weekend, and am rather desperate for them to come over to the UK so we can see them live! How I haven’t heard of them before now when they’ve been going a while is beyond me, but they certainly have a new fan in me! Regardless of what you’re into, check this out as soon as you can, you won’t regret it! It’s laid back, fun but also plenty emotional, too. I can’t give it any less than 9/10, great stuff!

Jesper Lindell: 3614 Jackson Highway

This was a lot more jazz-based than I was expecting it to be. Going into it from a recommendation on a country site, I had no idea Jesper was a Swedish soul-rock artist until after I’d started listening. However, this is not me complaining, pump this shit into my veins, dude! Opener ‘If I was Money’ sets the tone perfectly and is a huge early highlight. Then you have tracks like ‘Rainy Night in Georgia’ and ‘I’ve Got a Thing About you Baby’ that are also all excellent. And the two tracks that feature guests, Michaela Holmberg and everyone’s favourite dad Phil Campbell, are just as good as anything else. So, if you haven’t guessed already, this whole album is excellent! It reminds me of Cardinal Black at times in the best way possible. It’s another artist I’m shocked I hadn’t heard before now, but am so thankful I have now discovered. I’ll be spinning this plenty moving forward, probably for the rest of the year! And, for that reason, it gets a very solid 8.5/10 from us!

new music mondays

New Music Mondays: Larry Fleet, Story of the Year and More!

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Another typically stacked week of new music, from rock to metal to country! Let’s dive in!

Larry Fleet: Another Year Older

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

Story of the Year: A.R.S.O.N.

I clearly had a different band in my head, because I was not expecting so much awesome melodic hardcore heading into this! The seventh album from the Missouran quartet is an old-school post-hardcore powerhouse from start to finish. ‘Gasoline’ is the perfect, aggressive opener, while tracks like ‘See Through’ and ‘Into the Dark’ are all massive highlights on top of that. Also, Jacob Shaddix does an amazing job on ‘Fall Away’, definitely another big high point. However, there really isn’t a bad track on the album, even the slower stuff that wouldn’t typically be my thing is amazing. It’s very emo but certainly in a good way; like My Chem mixed with I Prevail, with a surprisingly healthy dose of Mikey D riffing mixed in with it all. I had a great time with this, and will definitely be revisiting it again soon! Check this out if you are at all interested, and it’s a solid 8/10 from us!

No Worth of Man: The Killing Streets

The debut album from the modern metal/deathcore band really makes a statement; the band standing tall and proud and saying ‘we are here to take no prisoners’. This thing goes hard. From the heavy riffs to the crushing screams to the solid drumming, it all fits together perfectly to create something truly awesome. There isn’t a bad track on the album, but songs like ‘Those of Our Kind’ and ‘Alarmus’ are big personal highlights. My only slight complaint is that I’ve heard half of the album before in there 2024 EP. Don’t get me wrong, I very much enjoyed that release, but it would have been nice to hear a full collection of new songs from the band. Still, as an introduction to a band for new listeners, this is awesome, and I would fully recommend it to anyone into the heavier side of metal. The band are all hugely talented, and have a bright future ahead of them. Another solid 7.5/10

Angel Du$t: COLD 2 THE TOUCH

Album six from the Maryland melodic hardcorers goes a lot harder than their previous release, and is much better for it. I enjoyed BRAND NEW SOUL, this is much more up my street from a style perspective. The opening two tracks and ‘Zero’ are Turnstile-meets-Dog-Eat-Dog awesomeness, while ‘Jesus Head’ almost has a late 90s RHCP vibe to it. The album as a whole is amazing though, without a dud throughout. It blends Justice Tripp/Trapped Under Ice’s beatdown style with the more pop-friendly influence from the Turnstile lot who used to be part of the band. They’ve had considerable lineup changes in the last couple of years, but hopefully this is the solid lineup moving forward for a while, as it feels like the band are finally back on track and putting out music up their with their best.

It’s a release that blew me away a lot more than I expected it to, and is one I’d recommend if you are into any of the styles or bands I’ve mentioned previously. And, it’s another short album, which is always a win these days! I’ll definitely be revisiting it in the coming weeks, and don’t be surprised if it sneaks onto our top albums of the year list come December. 8.5/10

Pokey LaFarge: Travelin’ With Pokey LaFarge: Voice and Guitar, Vol 1

One of my favourite discoveries over the last couple of years, I’ve been excited for this to drop for a few months now. This solo EP dropped on his brand new record label and is a more stripped-back affair than we’re used to with his recent releases. However, he’s such a good songwriter, and him with… well… his voice and guitar, still makes awesome music. Opening on an awesome duet with the awesome Addie Hamilton before launching through five amazing solo rock tracks spanning everything from rock’n’roll to swing to country. ‘Walk Your Way out of This Town’ is a particular highlight. It’s all simple but beautiful and really great music, a solid 18-minutes of old-school sounds. It’s maybe not for everyone who’s typically a fan of the guy, but I really enjoyed it, and will definitely be listening again. It’s the perfect release to just sit back and chill-out to. A very solid 7.5/10 from us!

Hellgrimm: Resurrection

Another sixth album, this time from the Texan metallers. The band do a great job of blending together multiple different styles, from stoner to thrash to whatever Motörhead wanna be classed as today, and even elements of NWOBHM and melodic metal. They honestly remind me a lot of Rattlesnakes or Wailing Banshee. It’s a mystery why they aren’t bigger as they are clearly fantastic songwriters and musicians. My only slight nitpick is that maybe the mix could be slightly bigger, but I only really notice it on occasions around the vocals. Songs like ‘Reign of Terror’, ‘Dead Superstar’ and their big single, ‘Dog Trash Must Die’ are all big highlights. However, the whole album is enjoyable, including their Kreator and Stones covers! It’s not something I’d revisit as a whole massively often, but the individual tracks will surely be in my rotation for a while! I’ll definitely be keeping an eye on the band moving forward as they definitely have a new fan in me. 7/10

The Lone Bellow: What a Time to be Alive

The first studio album in going-on four years from the indie folk/Americana trio is another infectiously fun release. 46 minutes of chilled-out alt country and soft rock, giving off vibes of everything from James Bay to Kings of Leon to Drew Holocomb to even Zach Bryan. The band did a great job at choosing the singles as they are definite album high point, but tracks like ‘Common Folk’ and ‘I’m Here for You’ are definite highlights too. The whole album is excellent though, and has such a fantastic flow to it throughout. The harmonies on each song are amazing, and make every chorus huge and so very catchy.

I’d not checked the band out much outside of a song or two here and there, but I’m definitely going to have to go back and check out their back catologue, as I had a blast listening to this. Hopefully they come over to the UK soon too as I’d love to hear all of this live. Until that time, I happily just keep spinning this whole thing, though! 8/10, and it may grow on me even more with more listens!

Gorgol Bordello: We Mean it, Man!

We’ve also checked this one out, aren’t you lucky?! Check it out here.

Converge: Love is Not Enough

I’m sorry, but this album FUCKS. The mixture of aggressive death metal, hardcore and sludgy riffing is amazing and makes me want to punch everything. The first new studio release from the band since their collab with Chelsea Wolfe back in ’21, and their first solo release in nearly a decade, this had a lot of hype to live up to, and smashes all of it to pieces. Everything about it is awesome, and is the perfect 30 minutes of aggressive, brutal, OG metalcore. It’s impossible to pick highlights, I listened to this whole thing through a couple of times and loved every second of it (though ‘Beyond Repair’ goes maybe a minute too long). I am so damn glad these guys are back to releasing new music again, and am already desperate to see all of this live. If you’re into heavy, this is ABSOLUTELY the album for you. I’ve claimed a few times the last 12 months or so that hardcore is back in a big way, and weeks like this just keep proving me right. I can’t give it any less than 9.5/10, damn.

Max Jackson: Dangerous in Denim

The first studio album in nearly six years from the country star, and it at very least lives up to the hype! While the opener is a little too ‘Panderin‘‘ for me, her unique brand of stadium-country is a lot of fun, and makes for a very easy half-an-hour listen. Tracks like ‘Goin’ Nowhere Now’, ‘We Invented Love’ and the Shania-like ‘1990 Somethin” are all personal highlights. However, the more I listen, the more I fall in love with the album. It’s impossible not to have a good time listening to it, and Max has such a fantastic voice and vocal delivery that it keeps it fun, and emotional where needed. And, instrumentally it’s great, some real high points from the drums, guitars and bass throughout, too. Plus, the back-half of this album is truly awesome. Even revisiting ‘Red Dirt ROCKNROLL’ within the context of the album as a whole after, it has certainly grown on me. I would highly recommend this to any 90s or 2000s country music fan reading this, and Max has certainly gained a new fan in me! A very easy 8/10 from us!

Frozen Ocean: Askdrömmar

The first album from the Russian black metaller in a full decade is honestly pretty fantastic, and I’ve never been the biggest black metal fan! It’s not straight-up black metal, there’s some vague electronic and even gothic elements to it too, which definitely helped keep my interest. Tracks like ‘Bortkastade dödsrunor’ and ‘Jag sover’ are personal highlights. However, there isn’t a bad song throughout, even if the album as a whole does get a bit repetitive towards the back half. However, Vaarwel is an incredibly talented musician, and that sort of tunnel-vision is going to happen when there is just one working on a project. If you are into the genre at all, this is well worth checking out! As I said, I enjoyed my listen to it, and certainly wouldn’t turn it off if it came back on again. It gets a 6.5/10 from us!

Clay Street Unit: Sin & Squalor

The debut album from the folk/Americana collective dropped to a lot of hype and expectation on Friday, and lives up to all of it! The big-band feel is always something I love, and they have it in spades here. The hints of bluegrass in the instrumentation keep the pace bouncy and light, while the voice grounds it in country, adding some emotion, depth and some HUGE choruses. It has elements of the likes of Wyatt Flores, White Buffalo, Uncle Luscious, Zach Bryan and American Aquarium all perfectly blended together. It’s also packed full of awesome songs; 40 minutes of incredible music that’s nearly impossible to pick highlights from. From the opener to ‘Where Have you Gone?’, their duet with Lindsay Lou to the more ballad-like ‘Left Unsaid’ to the beautiful closer, it’s all so good. If you’re a fan of all things vaguely country, this is an absolute must-check-out! I can’t give it any less than 9/10, excellent stuff!

The Beautiful Darkness: Pain to Purpose

The debut EP from the mind of Nerys John blends so many different styles together, and does so incredibly interestingly. From folk to grunge to goth to punk to melodic hard rock, they really touch on a bit of everything through the release. Honestly, it’s a great introduction to the group! They have a cool, interesting sound to them, and constantly keep you guessing what’s coming next while listening. ‘The Narcissist’ is possibly my favourite track of the five, but all certainly have their charms. Generally it’s a touch slower pace for me as a whole, but that doesn’t mean it is any worse an EP. This will have so many fans, and I can see a bright future ahead for them, this being the perfect jumping off-point for that. Nerys’ vocals are incredible, and the band that she’s found are all hugely talented players. Another solid 7/10 from me!

Temple Balls: Self-Titled

Album five from the hard rock/AOR Finns is just as massive as their previous outings. Sounding like the natural evolution of Santa Cruz, H.E.A.T. and Van Halen, the band channel an awesome rock energy throughout, driven by pounding drums and awesome riffs. It’s nearly 40-minutes of sleazy goodness, arena-filling choruses and a fantastic bounce that will keep your head bobbing throughout. The band are insanely talented at their chosen instrument, and are also fantastic songwriters. From the opening two numbers to ‘We are the Night’ to ‘Stronger than Fire’, there are so many massive highlights on this thing, though there isn’t a bad song throughout. They fit perfectly in this revival of hard rock in Europe recently, and would fit awesomely into the NWOCR scene in the UK, so hopefully we can get them over here soon so I can see this live! However, for now I am more than happy to keep spinning this awesome album, and would urge any rock fan out there to do the same. A huge 8.5/10!

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New Music Mondays: Karnivool, Mayhem and More!

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An absolutely packed week of NMM this week, with plenty of releases across the rock, metal and country worlds for us to check out. Let’s dive right in!

Karnivool: IN VERSES

The first new album from the modern prog legends in nearly 13 years finally dropped this last Friday, to plenty of hype! Honestly, it about lives up to said hype, too! ‘Ghost’ is an excellent opener, setting the tone well. ‘Drone’ follows it up perfectly too, being an easy album highlight! However, the whole album is pretty amazing from start to finish, there not being a bad song on it. Heck, the band have been sat on All it Takes for years now, and it’s still a banger! Don’t get me wrong, and hour plus of steady paced, similar stuff may be a little much for some, but I just sat back and got absorbed into it all, and it truly took me on a journey. Do yourselves a favour and stick some headphones on in a dark room and thank me later. It’s not quite Tool, but when Tool are so slow at their output these days, Karnivool are a fantastic alternative. The band are insanely talented songwriters and players, and have put out a release to rival any of their three previous. If you’re a prog fan, this one is certainly for you! 8/10

Mayhem: Liturgy of Death

The black metal legends returned once again this last weekend with album number seven, their first since 2019. If you are familiar with the band at all, you know exactly what to expect here. Brutality, epicness and darkness for a full 48 minutes. As a celebration of four decades as a band, it’s a fitting addition to their discography. As a throwback black/extreme metal release, it’s probably great. As an album for me personally… I can take it or leave it. It’s certainly not bad by any stretch, and the band are clearly all talented players and songwriters. The production on it is also surprisingly great for the genre, which is also a plus (even if it is a bit ‘wall of sound’-y at times). But as a style as a whole, it just isn’t by bag. I like it in small doses, or if something is added to the black metal to keep me interested, but nearly 50-minutes of the same feel and pace is a little much for me. The closest to a highlight track for me was either ‘Despair’ or ‘Funeral of Existence’, though all the rest were pretty similar. Again, if you like the genre or band, you’ll probably get a lot out of this. However, it didn’t do a great deal for me overall, so I can’t give it any more than a 4.5/10. I want to like it more, if that helps. Maybe I’d get into it more live.

Silversun Pickups: Tenterhooks

The first album in four years from the American alt rockers is an odd one for me. I like the overall vibe of it; it’s got some great riffs, tones, melodies and overall playing. And the vaguely proggy writing at times feels like it is right up my street. However, for whatever reason I just wasn’t hooked into this. Maybe it was the more generally indie vibe to it? I remember checking out their last album when it dropped and looking back I clearly got bored of that one too as I didn’t even give it a score! I would say I enjoyed this one more as I at least liked stuff like single ‘The Wreckage’ and ‘Thorns and All’. There is no denying the band are damn talented, and there is a massive audience that will love this. However, it sadly just didn’t do much for me. It may grow on me more with more listens, but with all the amazing releases already this year, I’m not in a huge rush to revisit this. A solid 5.5/10 for now; certainly not bad but incredibly average.

Puscifer: Normal Isn’t

Somehow MJK’s most consistent output these days, the experimental rock band put out their follow-up to 2020s Exsistential Reckoning last Friday. And, to the shock of no one, they are just as odd and quirky as ever. First things first, it is certainly not for everyone. It wouldn’t normally be my sort of thing, but I am such a big fan of Keenan and his ‘stream of consciousness’ is captivating with this project. It’s like the lighter end of NIN’s stuff, which generally I don’t go for much, but I love it here. Tracks like the title one, heavier single ‘Self Evident’, ‘A Public Stoning’ and ‘ImpetuoUs’ are all personal favourites. However, there isn’t a bad song on here and it has a great flow to it, the nearly-hour going by in a flash.

I’d put it up there alongside their previous release in terms of quality, if not slightly higher, making this maybe the best thing Maynard’s released in nearly a decade. That’s not to take away from the other two members, who work their ass off throughout and are insanely talented, too. But, make no mistake, Maynard is the star here. His vocals are still so incredible some 40 years into his career, and his lyric writing is as good as ever. He almost sounds angry at times, the first time in years; definitely a refreshing throwback to his hayday.

This is certainly an album I’ll be revisiting a fair bit moving forward, and I’d recommend to anyone even a little bit curious. While I impatiently wait another decade plus for new Tool music, this will more that satiate that hunger! 9/10

Tailgunner: Midnight Blitz

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

Melissa Carper & Theo Lawrence: Havin’ a Talk

This is an incredibly fun collaboration. The old-school country pair fit like two puzzle pieces together; it feeling pulled straight out of the 30s and 40s as both of them have such the perfect throwback style. Melissa’s voice is like it’s coming straight out of a gramophone, while Theo’s is a smoother, Sinatra type. They contrast amazingly, and very much do exactly what they advertise; have a talk throughout! It’s certainly an acquired taste, but from the opener to ‘Dat Ain’t Right’ to ‘Joyous Time’, I enjoyed my listen! The pair and the musicians they worked with on this are all super talented, and have crafted something that isn’t heard too much these days. The closest comparison I can make is probably The Tailspins, who I also love! If you’re at all curious give this a spin, you may be surprised how much you like it, like I was! I’ll definitely be keeping a close eye on both artists moving forward, and it’s an easy 7.5/10 from me?

Ablaze: Slow Death

This new EP from the post-hardcore collective goes hard. It wastes no time in getting into the heaviness, ‘No’ being chaotic awesomeness, a mess of mathy riffs, solid drums and some great screams. ‘Life’ follows that up with an awesome riff and some almost proggy heaviness, a definite release highlight. And the other two tracks are just as good, honestly. The closest comparison I can make outside of the post-hardcore scene is Tallah, which is definitely a compliment. The talent on display between the guitaring, bass, drums and vocals are all off the charts, and they have crafted something truly creative and unique with their sound. If you are at all curious, I’d highly recommend checking this out, the band certainly have a new fan in me! 7.5/10

Paganizer: As Mankind Rots

More brutality this week, this time curtesy of the death metal Swedes. I tend to find myself getting into straight-up death metal a little easier than black metal, and something about this release hooked me in even more than usual. It’s 40-minutes of straight-to-the-point heaviness, packed full of amazing riffing, drumming and screams. And, much like with Mayhem further up, the mix is surprisingly excellent for a heavier album. Tracks like ‘Devoured’, ‘Put on Your Gasmask’ and ‘Afterworld’ are all massive personal highlights. Don’t get me wrong, it is all a touch samey, but when it’s this high quality that’s hardly an issue. If you like the genre or the heavier side of metal at all, I’d definitely recommend giving this a spin. It gets a solid 7/10 from us!

Lakelin Lemmings: Get Around Boy

The debut EP from the rising country star is a fun collection of modern radio hits. It’s very much in the same vein of Megan Moroney, Cassadee Pope or even early Taylor Swift, but also feels pretty modern and easily distinguishable as Lakelin. All five tracks are awesome, if a little similar, and it’s hard to pick just one or two as highlights! There’s some amazing vocal performances and lyric writing from Lakelin throughout, and her band do a great job playing around her, too. She’s got an incredibly bright future ahead of her, even in the saturated country music scene, and this is a fantastic jumping off point for that! Any fans of the genre should get on this immediately, and it gets a solid 8/10 from us. I already can’t wait to hear more from her!

Cartoons Can’t Die: Rebirth

The debut album from the djenty, deathcorey collective goes hard and chaotic from start to finish. It honestly took a little bit of getting into for me, but I think it was more down to me not quite enjoying the opener as much as other tracks. ‘Kinslayer’ is an awesome, almost melodeath-style track, while ‘The Loss of Something Dear’ and the deathcore ‘Godless’ were also personal high points. And, while a lot of the rest of the album is still good, those tracks in particular stand out more to me. I think maybe the mix has something to do with it; if it had a heavier hand of overall production it could be something truly incredible. Still, as a debut release this is amazing, and the band have crafted something incredibly interesting and unique. There is no denying their playing talent, and some of their arrangements are phenomenal. They have a curious new fan in me, and if you like things a little proggy, give this a listen! A solid 7/10!

Big Bad Train: Woodcut

The UK prog rockers are back with album 16, and it is just as impressive as their other work. True, old-school prog, this thing feels very much like Jethro Tull or Yes, and certainly not in a bad way. It has definite elements of Dream Theater in there for good measure, too! The talent in playing and writing on display throughout is off the charts; even the staunchest of haters would have to agree with that. ‘The Artist’ is an insanely good opener and introduction, while epic tracks like ‘The Sharpest Blade’, ‘Warp and Weft’ (holy crap that acapella bit!) and the surprisingly short (yet still grandiose) closer are all big highlights. However, there really isn’t a bad song throughout. It’s not a small undertaking at 65-minutes, but it has a fantastic flow to it and begs to be listened to in full to really get an appreciation of the release as a whole, interludes and all. I somehow hadn’t heard of them before but they have a big new fan in me, and I’ll definitely be spinning this again in the months to come. A very solid 8.5/10!

Cj Hooper: Over Yonder

This is a fantastic little country release! It combines a lot of elements and sounds, very much wearing its inspirations on its sleeve. From the southern rock opener to the almost murder-folk ‘Hard Times’ to the Man in Black-esque ‘Rain Song’, there is plenty of variety through each track. Heck, ‘Damage Plan’ even gives off Social Distortion vibes, which at least tracks as they are a more punk Johnny Cash. The whole thing has a slight punk vibe overall, having some pretty powerful lyrics and definitely doing stuff against the norm. Plus, his vocals are amazing, having so much weight and emotion behind every word. I’d never heard of Cj before but he immediately has a big new fan in me, and I’ll definitely be going back and checking out his debut from last year soon! I would definitely recommend this if you are at all curious, and it’s another release that gets a massive 8.5/10

Demonic Resurrection: Apocalyptic Dawn

The new EP from the Indian symphonic metal band goes surprisingly hard! It’s much more death/extreme metal leaning than I was expecting given its symphonic tag. And, it’s not typically the amount of sound you’s expect from India. However, neither are knocks on the music as this is a great three tracks, and a welcome return after a few years of no releases. It’s technical, heavy and still has the epicness of a symphonic release, plenty of strings and stuff working their magic in the back. All three songs are amazing; performed, written and mixed perfectly. It’s an awesome release that is the perfect introduction into the band for people otherwise unfamiliar, like myself! If you are into the heavier side of metal, this is more than worth a spin. A very solid 8/10 from me!

P.S. some more incredible artwork this year here, too!

Lily Löwe: BEAUTIFUL DISASTER

The sophomore album from the Norwegian modern rocker is a pretty great follow-up to her 2022 debut! It’s nearly half an hour of massive choruses and vocals, backed by some fun riffs and drums. It’s very DOROTHY, or even Gaga, in the best ways. And, honestly, all nine songs of it are as good as the last! It’s impossible to pick highlights. It’s very radio-friendly and pop-infused, but also has some great heaviness at times, and the focus is pretty heavy on the rock instrumentation throughout. It’s insane to me that she isn’t a bigger name, as she could easily take the US and UK by absolute storm if she got a break. A lot of this is going to be stuck in my head for days to come, and she’s another artist that has gained a massive new fan in me! Her vocals are amazing and her writing is great too. And shoutout to the rest of the band once again, who are killing it throughout. I cannot recommend this enough to absolutely anyone, check it out immediately! 9/10

Big Richard: Pet

From the artist name, I certainly wasn’t expecting four women playing Americana/bluegrass music. However, this was sick, and I’m so glad I checked it out! The setup, while rather simple, lends itself to giving everyone time to shine on their instruments, and the vocals fit perfectly over the top of it, powerful and beautiful in equal measure. It’s got a slight darkness to it, feeling like a combination of Poor Man’s Poison and The Castellows. The opening track sets the perfect tone moving forward, and songs like ‘Alaska’ and the epic instrumental ‘Circus Jerk’ are also big highlights. However, there isn’t a bad song throughout! It may get a touch long-in-the-teeth with it being 40+ minutes of similar-ish music, but if you are a fan of traditional folk and bluegrass, you will surely love this a lot. I had a lot of fun with it, and will certainly be revisiting certain songs plenty, even if I don’t return to the album as a whole quite as much. Still, overall it’s great, and I can’t give it any less than 7.5/10!

Barrel: Triptych

Yet another amazing debut album for us to check out from last Friday! The Finnish metallers crafted nearly 40-minutes of heavy riffs, powerful vocals and some great melodies throughout, not to mention some surprising growls here and there for good measure. It’s borrows from plenty of different styles too, from melodic hard rock to thrash to doom to NWOBHM, and honestly feels like something pretty unique when combining each sound. The opener almost every element of this perfectly, and then you have songs like ‘Scavenger’ and ‘Signs for Kings’ that are a bit more focused but are certainly massive highlights. Also, the ballad ‘War’ is epic brilliance. The whole album is excellent though and clearly crafted with love, it flowing perfectly and having a couple of great little interlude tracks to add even more depth. The band have only been around a few years at this point but are surely set for big things in the next year or two after this release. They’re all insanely talented, and have crafted something both old-school and modern here. I can’t give it any less than 8.5/10, amazing stuff!

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New Music Mondays: Buzzcocks, Softcult and More!

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Another week, and some more awesome rock, metal and country release for us to check out!

Buzzcocks: Attitude Adjustment

The punk rock royalty returned with their 11th album this last Friday, their first in four years. It’s fine. For a band that formed a whopping half a century ago now, I at least have a lot of respect and admiration for Steve Diggle for what he’s done for the scene and who he and the rest of the band have influenced over the years. But this was honestly a tough listen. It feels and sounds incredibly outdated, showing that Steve hasn’t evolved at all as a songwriter after all these decades. It’s the same early-punk/power-pop as they were writing in the 70s. I know that will certainly appeal to some people out there, but the rest of the music world has very much left the band behind at this point. There are modern bands writing better stuff in this style, while punk got a lot more interesting after the bands heyday, in this writers humble opinion.

The closest to a highlight track I had was ‘Seeing Daylight’, but honestly I struggled to get hugely further through the release without losing interest. There are certainly going to be fans of this out there, the band are still sat on 600k+ monthly listeners, but I am sadly not one of them outside of a couple of older hits. This did nothing for me, and I can’t give it any more than a 3.5/10. Technically fine, but painfully dull.

Softcult: When a Flower Doesn’t Grow

The debut album from the self-professed riotgaze band is certainly interesting. Once again it’s not my sort of thing, I don’t ‘get’ any shoegaze at all really, but I at least see the appeal of it a bit. It’s not something I’d go out of my way to listen to, but if it came on in the background I’d probably have a good time listening. The band are clearly talented, and there’s some good drumming and riffs at times throughout. I think the vocals are my main issue; having them in that droning style throughout didn’t pull me in, despite some good lyrics. The run of ‘Naive’ through to ‘She Said, He Said’ was the best part of the album for me, but the whole thing is pretty solid overall, an easy 30-minute listen. If you are into a punkier, indie edge to shoegaze, this is definitely a release for you. A solid 6.5/10 from us, and it may grow on me more with more listens.

Francis Rossi: The Accidental

The new solo album from the Quo legend is a fun, if long, release! Opener ‘Much Better’ sets the tone perfectly, and songs like ‘Back on Our Home Ground’, ‘Going Home’, and ‘Beautiful World’ are all big highlights too. However, 14 tracks across nearly an hour, especially when all are a similar vibe and pace, is a lot. I love Quo as much as the next guy and it’s always great to have more songs that so distinctly like them. And when we aren’t getting new Quo any more, I’ll happily take Rossi doing the exact same sound for his solo ventures. So yeah, it’s a damn good rock album, and is a lot of fun to listen to. Very simple and to the point. But it does get a touch repetitive around the halfway mark, let alone by the end. I’d definitely recommend checking this out if you’re a fan of the band, or just into old-school rock music in general. It’s a solid 7.5/10 from us!

Kanonenfieber: Soldatenschicksale

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

HANABIE.: HOT TOPIC

The highly anticipated new EP from the Japanese metalcore band combines together a few of their latest amazing singles, alongside two new tracks, to create an awesome 15-minutes of heaviness! ‘ICONIC’ dropped recently and has been a mainstay on my rotation, while ‘Spicy Queen’ has been stuck in my head the last eight months since its release. And older track ‘GIRL’S TALK’ is of course a banger. Then you have ‘…About you’ and the closing track that are every bit as good as the others. The video-game-esque latter is honestly a big highlight of the whole thing from how utterly left field it is. The bands chaotic energy and heaviness is off the charts, yet they still have plenty of melody and catchiness to boot. There is no one out there like HANABIE., and they always make for a fun listen. They clearly don’t take themselves too seriously, which is refreshing these days. If you’re into the wilder side of metalcore, I’d definitely recommend checking this out! 8/10

Emily Scott Robinson: Appalachia

The folk/Americana singer-songwriter returns with her first studio album in nearly five years, and has produced something just as beautiful as ever. It’s 40 minutes of chilled-out, emotion-filled acoustic music, and I loved just getting totally lost and eveloped in it. It’s not tyically my sort of thing, at least not to enjoy this much, but something about Emily’s incredible vocals and lyric writing had me hooked. It’s almost impossible to pick highlights, though all three duet tracks are utterly phenomenal, giving even more depth to her sound. If you are into relaxed Americana-folk, this is certainly a release for you. Not one I’d revisit often, but certainly one I’d happily listen to again! 7.5/10

The Chuck Norris Experiment: Hot Stuff 3

Another in the Swedish punk-infused hard rock band’s collection of b-sides and it goes far harder than it needed to! Their ‘Stairway to the Stars’ cover opens the release perfectly, setting a great tone moving forward. That’s swiftly followed by album highlight ‘Hammersmith Palais’, with other album highlights like ‘The End of the Great Credibility Race’, ‘Habit to Support’ and ‘Electrify Me’ being spread through the album. However, the whole album is a great, fun release, and begs the question how a lot of these tracks haven’t made it onto full releases in the past. It’s impossible not to have a good time listening to this, and the band are so very underrated! If you are at all into the band or just the wider heavy punk genre in general, I’d definitely suggest giving this a listen! I can’t give it any less than 8.5/10. I wish more bands still did this style, and I’m so excited for them coming back to the UK this year!

Danny Dela Cruz: So Long As There Are Stars

The debut solo release of the former Inglorious/Thrxnes guitarist is a real showcase of his sheer phenomenal talent. Five amazing instrumental tracks that show the breadth of his playing skills, and all excellent in their own right. Instrumental stuff is certainly not for everyone, but this is definitely worth checking out if you are even a little bit curious. Clearly inspired by greats like Vai, Sambora and Malmsteen, he firmly plants himself up alongside all of them with this release. ‘Life’ and ‘As the Pages Turn’ are personal highlights, but the whole release is amazing from start to finish. I’ll definitely be throwing this on again in the coming weeks and months, and it gets a very solid 7.5/10 from me. And to put that into perspective, that’s high from me for both an instrumental release and an EP!

Tinsley Ellis: Labor of Love

The blues guitarist followed up 2024’s Naked Truth excellently with this stripped-back release. The vast majority of it just Tinsley’s guitar and low, powerful vocals, but he packs so much punch and emotion behind it all that I was hooked throughout. From ‘Long Time’ to ‘The Trouble with Love’, ‘Sweet Ice Tea’ to ‘Too Broke’, there is plenty to love here. However, there isn’t a bad song throughout. Once again, it isn’t a release for everyone, and it does get a touch samey by the end, but Tinsley is such a good songwriter that it’s hard not to still have a good time listening. If you’re an old-school blues fan, check this out ASAP! I’d love to hear him with a bit more of a band behind him at some point, but this is also still great regardless! 7/10

TarLung: Axis Mundi

The Austrian sludge doom trio released their first new album in nearly five years last Friday, and go just as hard as ever with it! This thing is packed full of incredible riffs, solid drumming, heaviness and some amazing growled vocals. And they give everything plenty of room to breathe too, just eight songs spread across the 38-minute runtime. ‘The Valley of Nowhere’, ‘Sea of Drowned Souls’ and the title track are all huge highlights, but every song in this fits and runs together perfectly. The band are so insanely talented, and it’s criminal that they aren’t bigger than they are at this point! If you like your music heavy and sludgy, this is certainly an album you need to be listening to! They have a big new fan in me, and I will certainly be spinning it plenty in the weeks and months to come. A solid 8/10 from us!

Gitika Partington: Twelvefold Number 1-13

Yep, a whopping 13 full-length albums, all in the same day! We had the privilege of chatting to Gitika about the feat last week, and it makes me appreciate these even more than I already do. Each has a slightly different feel to it, though all keep within her vague folk/easy-listening style, and each certainly have highlight tracks. ‘They Dance an Eleven’, ‘Virginia Wolfe’, ‘Own My Shit’ and ‘I’m the Only One Who Knows’ are a handful of the songs that stood out to me. It’s an insane achievement to release this massive a volume of work anyway, but for a good portion of it to be high quality and enjoyable is even better. It’s certainly not my sort of thing normally, but I’m so glad I was sent through the presser for it as I did have a good time listening. If anyone’s at all interested, it’s worth a listen. And, while I probably won’t revisit the project outside of the odd song here and there, I didn’t hate it at all. Gitika should be hugely proud of what she has managed to accomplish here, and in terms of the music itself, I happily give it a solid 6/10, though it would be higher for the sheer balls and confidence in the work she has!

Contrasts: False Idol

The debut EP from the modern alt/metalcore Welsh collective dropped on Friday, and honestly blew me away! It perfectly walks the line between brutal heaviness and huge, arena-filling melodies that few bands can truly pull off well. And, because of that, all four of these tracks are amazing! It’s impossible to pick highlights as all are as good as the last. Even the slower ballad ‘Armageddon’ is awesome, and fits the tone of the release excellently still. These guys already did some great stuff in Upon Those Dying and Giving in to Ghosts, and they are very much continuing that trend here! I can see big things ahead in the bands’ future, and this is a fantastic jumping off point for all of that. I can’t give it any less than 8/10, great stuff!

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New Music Mondays: Alter Bridge, Zach Bryan and More!

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The first big week of New Music Mondays of the year, join us as we check out some of the awesomest album and EP releases in rock, metal and country!

Alter Bridge: Self-Titled

Following a return to form with 2022’s Pawns & Kings, the band very much continue in that same vein with album number eight. I’ve seen a lot of love from other outlets for this, and while it took a little getting going for me, after a couple of listens I can see why! The first couple of tracks, while perfectly good, didn’t hook me in much. However, the one-two punch of ‘Power Down’ and ‘Trust in Me’ were excellent, and harkened back to the bands early couple of albums in the best ways. From then on out, I was hooked! From Tremoni once again being a riff machine to Myles’ effortlessly incredible vocals to both rhythm guys working their asses off, it’s classic AB at its finest. Songs like the now-obligatory Tremonti one, ‘Tested and Able’, beautiful ballad ‘Hang By a Thread’ and single ‘Playing Aces’ are all massive other highlights. However, after a couple of listens there really isn’t a bad track on the album; it’s an hour of excellent hard rock music that only Alter Bridge can do!

While I don’t think it has the strongest individual tracks from their careers, as an album as a whole it’s incredibly solid, and one I will definitely be revisiting time and time again. Plus, I do think the singles will grow on me even more if/when I see them live. If you are a fan of the band or hard rock in general, this is an absolute must. 9/10

Zach Bryan: With Heaven on Top

Firstly, kudos to Bryan for still releasing ‘Bad News’ after the backlash from half of his fanbase and everything that’s gone on over the last week. The cajones it must have taken is commendable, and it’s stuff that definitely needs to be talked about still!

As for the album itself, I think it’s impossible for me not to love Zach’s music. This was on my most anticipated albums of the year list for a reason, and it certainly lives up to a lot of that hype. There are some absolutely fantastic songs on this release. ‘Appetite’, ‘Say Why’, ‘Dry Deserts’, and ‘Always Willin’’ are up there with any of his best tracks, in this writers humble opinion. They are by far the only good tracks here, too. His lyrics are incredible; he’s one of the best storytellers in the game today. The emotion he conveys in his work is truly incredible. And the addition of the strings and brass add so much to the sound, making everything so epic and impactful and somehow adding even more to the emotion.

However, this is a LONG album. The guy never leans and, though this isn’t still as egregious as American Heartbreak, being his second longest album at 78 minutes is still insane. And, there is definitely some slower stuff in here that sounds more like filler. The last four songs are average, and some of the stuff after ‘Bad News’ didn’t do much for me, either. There is an absolutely perfect Country-Americana album in here, just like his last three, but it is bloated and needs some of the fat trimming.

It is unmistakably a fantastic album, don’t get me wrong. While stick not quite as good as his self-titled effort, it’s every bit as great as Great American Bar Scene. There’s a reason he is one of the biggest artists in the world, and his work really does speak for itself over and over again. I just wish he’d let go of a couple of songs so we got a more concise release. So, though I do have critiques on this album, I will still be spinning a lot of it for the rest of the year, and would recommend it to anyone even slightly interested. I can’t give it any less than an incredibly solid 9.5/10

OCT: On Company Time

It’s finally here. I’ve been obsessed with this band for a solid year plus at this point. Every single has been excellent. So to finally have a full album release from this is so damn exciting.

What’s even more exciting is that it’s fucking awesome! And yes, we’ve heard a lot of the songs off it already across the last couple of years, but the new ones are just as good, honestly. ‘Pop! Pop!’ is glorious, pop nonsense, ‘Meat n’ Cheese’ has been teased so much I’m already obsessed, while both ‘Bathhouse Homies’ and ‘Tall Warm Glass of Milk’ are excellent, as expected. Every song is amazing, and this is such a fun 34-minute listen. While the comedy is flawless, they are absolutely phenomenal musicians, vocalists and songwriters on top of that, crafting something truly special with this album. It’s 80s cheese-pop but with some of the catchiest choruses and harmonies that I’m sure I’ll be hearing all year. I am already addicted to this album, and am sure I’ll be spinning it plenty for months to come. If you are in any way curious, I cannot recommend it enough! I’m both shocked and not at all shocked, but this solidly gets the first 10/10 from us of 2026!

UUHAI: Human Herds

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

Beyond the Black: Break the Silence

The German symphonic metallers returned with their sixth studio album last Friday. If you know the band or the genre, you’ll know exactly what to expect here. I’ve been a fan of them since 2018’s Heart of a Hurricane, and I loved their self-titled release a couple of years back. While I don’t think this is quite as good as both of those releases, it is still a damn solid metal album. From the opener to the typically-incredible ballad ‘Ravens’ to the LOVEBITES-featuring ‘Can You Hear Me’, there are some amazing tracks on here. Heck, there isn’t a bad song throughout. However, for whatever reason, the album as a whole didn’t catch me the way I expected/hoped it would. Maybe it felt a touch safe? They are as big as they have ever been so are clearly doing something right, and it wasn’t like this wasn’t enjoyable. It’s a damn solid symphonic metal album, and I liked the more electronic elements added into their sound recently, but I wouldn’t quite put it up there with the two previously mentioned albums. For that, it gets a still-solid 8/10 from us!

Coleman Jennings: Ride On

An awesome sophomore EP from the old-school country artist. From the lyrics to the emotion-filled vocal delivery, it was very quick and easy for me to get hooked. The title track opens things up perfectly, while ‘Marinaville’ is another bop. At just 17-minutes long, it is short and sweet and none of it is bad. It’s not going to be for everyone, but I really enjoyed it, and would recommend it to anyone even slightly into an older-school country sound. I’d love to hear a longer form release from Coleman, but the fact that he’s getting this big already says it all! 7.5/10

Nanowar of Steel: The Genghis Khan EP to End All Genghis Khan EPs

We’ve also checked out this amazing EP! Review here.

Bullet: Kickstarter

The seventh album from the hard/sleaze rockers is a lot of fun, and a great thing to turn on and just rock out to. It’s very AC/DC and the genre of bands that spawned from being heavily inspired by them, so if you’re into that you’ll love this, too! From the title track to ‘Open Fire’, ‘Avenger’ to ‘Strike At Night’, it’s all damn good. It’s 40 minutes of balls-to-the-wall rock that knows exactly what it is. It certainly doesn’t reinvent the wheel, but as far as bands like this go, these are up there with some of the front runners with albums like this. I wouldn’t revisit it a lot, but I certainly wouldn’t turn it off if it came on again; it’s an incredibly easy listen. I’m sure a lot will love this, and while I still had a good time, I feel like a 7/10 is pretty fitting!

Krushor: Taste of Hatred

The debut EP from the thrash-death metallers is 13-minutes of sheer aggression, and I fucking love it! Four amazing tracks packed full of amazing riffing, drumming and harsh vocals, what’s not to love? All four tracks are as good as each other, and for a debut release it shows that the sky is very much the limit for the Finnish quintet. The band are all incredibly talented, and all have a time to shine throughout. If you are at all into the heavier side of metal, I cannot recommend this release enough! It gets a very solid 8/10 from me!

Orchid Throne: Buried in Black

This is an absolutely awesome prog-metal release! It incorporates everything from doom to death to alt to folk, and does it all masterfully. It’s hard to even find a band to compare it to; maybe all the eras of Opeth rolled into one, but even tat doesn’t quite do it justice. It’s dark and epic and everyone works their asses off throughout, all being at the top of their craft. Heck, I’d have been happy to have just taken the epic opener ‘Dreamworld’, but we still got six excellent tracks after that too! My only slight issue would be the mix, it didn’t sound quite as big as it could have, but it’s a minor gripe and may be as much of an issue with my speakers than the album itself. It’s another release that won’t be for everyone, but it grew on me the more and more I listened, and for another debut album it’s really something special. A very easy 8.5/10, definitely a band to keep an eye on!

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New Music Mondays: Lord of the Lost, Zero 9:36 and More!

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Week two of the Overtone year is a heavy one, with plenty of awesome metal (and one electro) to check out. Let’s dive in!

Lord of the Lost: OPVS NOIR Vol. 2

The follow-up to August’s part 1, this release follows that up pretty perfectly. They very much feel like the same project, having a similar tone and vibe, and once again it’s one hell of a LotR record! The heaviness and epicness continues, especially with the Lena Scissorhands-featuring ‘Would you Walk with Me Through Hell?’. Between Lena, Käärijä, IAMX and League of Distortion, there are a good few features on the album, all as good as the last! However, the other songs are just as good too, with ‘The Last Star’ and ‘Scarlight’ also being massive highlights. The whole album is great though, and doesn’t feel like 45-minutes at all, going by in a flash. I never quite got into the band aside for a few songs here and there, but this release has really won me over to them, and proved that actually, taking some time to write some good music instead of feeling the need to pump out an original studio work yearly has upped the quality of their output. Who’d have thought it, ey? It’s a very easy 8.5/10 from us, and my plan after this weekend is to listen to both volumes one after another, I have a feeling it’ll be a great time!

Zero 9:36: They Were Always Here

This is a really interesting release! Alt-metal in the broadest sense, this covers all manor of bases under that sphere. The closest thing I’ve managed to compare it to is ‘Animals’-era Architects, with some occasional Hyro the Hero or even Eminem thrown in for good measure! It makes for an incredibly interesting listen and, at only 22-minutes, it’s hard-to-stop ride from start to finish. Whether it’s heavy riffing and aggressive vocals or more of a slower, radio-friendly sound, it really has a bit of everything, packed right into a concise release. ‘System’ is a huge early highlight, as are tracks like ‘Here to Bleed’ and the Ekoh-featuring ‘Withdrawals’. It’s not going to be for everyone as it is a very modern sound, but I loved it! Continuing to blend hip-hop and electronic elements into metal and hard rock is making things so interesting and unique, and Zero has that here in spades. He’s already created a big name for himself across his back catalogue, and adds to it perfectly with this addition. It’s another very easy 8.5/10, check this out if you are at all interested!

Zkeletonz: Marmalade

The first album from the disco-style electro artist isn’t normally the sort of stuff we cover, but this was a damn fun listen and has me a little obsessed with them! It’s impossible not to have a good time listening to this, and surprisingly gave me big Basement Jaxx vibes throughout, which certainly isn’t a bad thing! And, at less than half-an-hour, it’s another incredibly easy listen. From the opener to ‘Out!’ to ‘Wild for the Weekend’, there are plenty of highlights here. My only issue is that it does get a touch samey after a while, though with this sort of music I’m not sure how to solve that. And still, I didn’t have a bad time listening to any of it! A damn solid 7/10 from us, and certainly an album I’ll be revisiting in the future.

Volumes: Mirror Touch

The first new album from the metalcore quartet in over four years, and this thing goes hard. The band very much didn’t lose their heaviness or technical prowess in the time between releases, this thing being dialled up to 11 on both! Right from the offset, ‘Sidewinder’ is awesome, and is followed up perfectly by ‘Bottom Dollar’. The crazy low guitar riffs and solid drumming is an awesome combo, especially with the synth in the back too, the great screams just adding to them even more! Then you have tracks like ‘S.O.A.P.’ and ‘em’ that are definite highlights too. Sadly, it does drop off a touch in the middle, going down more of a slower, lighter modern metalcore route, but very much brings itself back on track towards the end! It’s still a damn solid album overall, and one I’d definitely recommend to anyone into a modern metal sound. A very easy 8/10 from me!

Dragon Throne: Tale of the Two: Dawn

The power metallers didn’t hesitate to drop part two of their collection, did they? This dropped barely a month after Dusk, and continues on perfectly from said release! And you’ve already seen how much I enjoyed that album, so to have this continue on that great path is awesome. ‘Dragon Empire’ is one of the best opening tracks of the year, while the rest of the album follows it with a similar level of energy and quality. There truly isn’t a bad track on this album and, combined with the other part, makes for practically the perfect power-infused heavy metal release! Somehow I only gave the last one 7.5/10, but this one and as a whole piece between the two, I can’t give it any less than 9/10! If you are at all a metal fan, check this out ASAP, you’ll surely love it as much as I do!

Black Pig Meat: Symbiotic Dream

This is an absolutely incredible instrumental release! It’s always harder to shoehorn instrumental stuff into a specific genre, but it definitely feels prog/djenty for the most part, the odd bit of shoegaze thrown in for good measure. It’s chaotic but somehow all fits perfectly, ebbing and flowing incredibly well. Much is the case it seems this week, it will be a divisive release, with a lot understandably not getting into instrumental stuff. Heck, I struggle at times, but found this one so packed full of talented playing and composition I couldn’t stop listening! ‘Sizo’ was a big highlight, as was ‘Sóbole’. And while the closer, as great as it is, does go on a fair bit, it’s still a fun listen. It’s a great album to get high and listen to on your own in the dark, or if you’re a musician (interchangeable, clearly). Not something I’d revisit often but a damn good release, and a solid 7/10!

Features

The Top Albums of 2025 – Part 2!

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Part two of our list, and things are already starting to heat up! I thought I’d take this quick time to highlight some honourable mentions, as there were so many albums that sadly didn’t quite make the cut that are well worth checking out: Badflower. Dropkick Murphys. Russel Dickerson. Bleed From Within. Cam. Ron Pope. Heaven Shall Burn. William Prince. Jordan Davis. And, knock her all you like, but the new Sabrina Carpenter album slaps!

80 – Star Circus: From the Wreckage

We kick off part two of this years list with a long-anticipated sophomore album, and one hell of a sleazy, AOR/hard rock release! I’ve been a fan of the band for a few years now, and was pretty hyped when this was announced and we got sent it, and for anyone who’s read our review, I was certainly not disappointed! Nearly 50-minutes of awesome riffing and instrumentation, and packed full of choruses big enough to fill stadiums! Feeling like a modern version of Glenn Hughes or Night Ranger, it’s a lot of fun, and an incredibly easily listen that I’d recommend any rock fan check out! If/when you do, you’ll easily hear why we gave it a whopping 9.5/10, and why it easily made it onto our list!

Check out our reaction to them here!

Listen to: Chained to You, One Hit Wonder, and Last Dance

79 – Paradise Lost: Ascension

The godfathers of death-doom returned this last September with their first new studio stuff in half a decade, and proved that they are still one of the best in their genre. This is an hour of moody, gothic heaviness, and I love every bit of it. The riffs are the main highlight, as expected in this music, but some of the vocal lines are surprisingly catchy too, even when screamed! And the whole thing is just epic, flowing perfectly one track into the next. It’s certainly not for everyone, and is no small undertaking, but if you are at all into doom music, this is very much the album for you! It was, you guessed it, another massive 9/10 from us when it dropped, and a few listens later it still very easily sits at that. A welcome, easy addition to this spot on the list!

Listen to: Tyrents Serenade, Salvation, and Sirens

78 – Rival Pack: BURN

As I’ve said before, 2025 was the year of the hardcore return, and few did it better this year than this Netherlands-based collective. Frankly, the fact that they sit on barely 100 monthly listeners at this point is nothing short of criminal! This isn’t even half an hour of absolute aggression and fury that would put plenty of other artists to shame. It’s a great way to get out some anger, as it makes me just want to throw people around a pit, and at the same time is a great fun listen. It’s a typical sound for the genre and doesn’t do a lot out of the ordinary, but what it does do, it does to perfection. I’ve spun this a lot since June and haven’t yet gotten bored of it, sure to keep spinning it plenty in the new year, too! From the riffing to the screams to the breakdowns, it’s all so good. Somehow it was one we hadn’t checked out for NMM, but give this a listen and try to tell me it is anything less than a 9/10! An amazing heavy album, and well worth its placement on here. On a weaker year, it could have gotten far higher!

Listen to: Closing In, Killer in the Pool, and Don’t Waste My Time

77 – Luna Marble: Self-Titled

The debut album from the bluesy hard rockers only came out last month, but has quickly established itself as a force in this list! This is a powerhouse of 70s riffs and psychedelia from start to finish, as well as being packed full of some awesome, arena-filling choruses to boot! It’s honestly refreshing to hear a band inspired by Led Zeppelin but not sound like a clone of them. It’s a more modern sound, reminding me a lot more of something like Brave Rival. These guys have truly mastered their craft and sound already, insanely impressive for a band so young and not having been going all that long. Everyone is exceptionally talented; from the riffing to the drumming, synth to the actually-focused-on bass to the soaring, powerful vocals it’s all incredible. I’ve fallen in love with the band since this early November release, and if you are at all into more of a classic rock style it is an absolute must-listen! It’s very easy to hear why it got a massive 9/10 from me, and it more than earned its slot here!

Listen to: All of my Love, So Long, and Redemption

76 – The War & Treaty: Plus One

Firstly, I don’t remember this album being this damn LONG. As much as I love the band, 66 minutes is a lot to sit through, and I think it’s a big reason as to why I’ve stuck to the tracks I like and very rarely revisited the release as a whole. It’s most likely the reason that it’s a touch lower than their previous release was on these lists. The highs are in the sky, but there is a fair bit of needless filler too, in this writers opinion, which stopped it from being quite as excellent an album as Lover’s Game. However, it’s still a damn good album, and produced some of my favourite country-adjacent tracks of the year. The duo lean even harder into their Southern Soul style than ever, putting out a truly unique release different to anything else on this list. And, honestly, it’s the more country/Americana stuff that I find myself going back to the least. They have really found their niche and bounce off of each other somehow better than ever, crafting something honestly special here, despite the length. It’s crazy to look back on our review of it and see my opinion has changed a bit on the slower stuff. Honestly, I’d stick with the 9.5/10 over top marks. However it’s still awesome, and very deserving of a slot of this list, that’s for sure! Check this out, especially the opening half!

Listen to: Call You By Your Name, Stealing a Kiss, and Love is on Fire

75 – Feuerschwanz: Knightclub

Power metal ‘Gangnam Style’… do I need to say anything else?! The band put the fun in power metal like few other bands can, and it makes this a fantastic listen! Don’t get me wrong, they can also get serious and ‘proper power metally’ when they want to, but the slightly more light-hearted nature is a lot of fun, and has kept me coming back to a lot of this album again and again. And even though the release may appear front-loaded (aside the massive closer), there are some truly incredible folk metal songs throughout, and I couldn’t name you a bad song. I have fully gotten on-board the power metal train the last couple of years or so, and this is honestly one of my favourite releases in the genre since then! It is a resounding YES in answer to the question posed in my review, and I fully stand by the 9/10 I gave it back then. It more than deserves this slot on the list, and would have gotten higher if it weren’t for a couple other power metal albums further on…

Check out our interview with Ben here!

Listen to: Knightclub, Valhalla, and Sam the Brave

74 – Carter Faith: Cherry Valley

Another debut album, this one for a sure-fire future country megastar. Her Dolly-esque vocals and her fantastic lyric/songwriting are a winning combination, that’s for sure! Her quick wit lyrically is second to very few currently. She definitely adds some modernness to the neo-traditional sound though, and even some epicness with songs like the opener. It’s simple and rather chilled-out as a whole, but packed full of both fun and emotion. And, even at its pretty stacked length, it’s full of amazing songs and it an incredibly easy listen. A lot of it came out as singles beforehand, but despite being a marketing/income tactic, it’s also easy to see why, as there are so many standouts. It gives off Sabrina Carpenter vibes at times, and I mean that as the uttermost of compliments! It’s very easy to hear why I gave this a 9/10, and it’s stayed firmly in my rotation since the start of October when it was released. If you are at all into country music check this out, especially given how MASSIVE a name she’s going to be sooner rather than later. Heck, ‘If I Had Never Lost my Mind…’ still gives me goosebumps now, that alone should encourage you to listen!

Listen to: Sex, Drugs, & Country Music, Grudge, and Burn my Memory

73 – Old Dominion: Barbara

Just two years after their amazing Memory Lane, the country megastars returned with yet another barn-burner! It’s a really interesting release for me, too. When it first released, I was adamant it wasn’t up there with their last album. However, the more I listen to it, the more I find myself enjoying almost every song a lot. While the singles aren’t as massive and memorable, it’s a shorter, more concise album, with less filler and far more killer than Memory Lane. It’s a chilled-out country album that feels like it leans more into their influences than trying to score another radio hit. The band really cut loose and wrote what they wanted to, and it results in a beautiful album that is packed full of heart and emotion. It combines a more traditional country/soul sound with their more modern elements, so if that sounds at all like something you’d be interested in, I can’t recommend this enough! It’s another one that definitely gets bumped up, as I only gave it 8/10 in our review, while it’s another easy 9 now, if not higher!

Listen to: Making Good Time, Man or the Song, and Talk Country

72 – Fit for a King: Lonely God

The Texan metalcore collective returned back in August with their eighth album, and it’s an epic, varied release! Whether it’s the more modern BMTH-inspired arena metalcore, or the brutally heavy riffing and breakdowns that brought them to the dance, or even a couple of slower ballads, this thing is packed full of a bit of everything from the genre! And the band do it all so well! From crushing breakdowns to epic soundscapes, I’m obsessed with all of it. I do typcially prefer the heavier tracks, but something about this band and this album had me loving every song. They’re perfectly spread out through the album too, the moments of levity incredibly offsetting the brutal times. I loved The Hell We Create, but this is up there alongside it, for sure! If you are at all into modern metalcore, this is certainly an album for you. A very solid 9/10 from us easily landed it it’s spot on our list!

Listen to: Extinction, Monolith, and Blue Venom

71 – Eld Varg: Destroyer

The Scottish melodic hard rock/metallers returned with a vengeance with this album last month. The riff-masters clearly borrow from plenty of old-school metal influences, but still somehow sound modern, maybe due to the album’s excellent production! I gushed over this album plenty in my review, but it is so very deserved. It genre-blends in all the best way, and really has a little something for everyone even slightly into metal. 41-minutes of epicness; from power and folk metal to more thrash to melodic hard rock at times. And, as said before, the whole thing goes by in a flash, and is well worth listening to in one sitting! The band are all so incredibly talented at playing and writing, and I can foresee this pushing them up a few notches in the scene by this time next year. It very much deserves its place on our list!

Listen to: Achamán, The Hell of Mirrors, and Crestfallen

70 – HARDY: Country! Country!

Album number four from one of Nashville’s biggest modern songwriters certainly washed out some of the bad taste in the mouth that Quit!! left behind. Leaning more into the country-hard rock fusion that made mockingbird so successful was definitely a step in the right direction, and lead to an album I have revisited a fair bit the last three months. Is it as good as mockingbird? Given that it’s here on this list and not at number 2, no. But hell, it made the list this year, and above a lot of other country albums, so that should say a lot!

Despite being long and certainly having some filler without a cool concept to explain it away, there are still some excellent country tracks across a lot of this, and it’s very much a return to form for THE CROW. There is far more great than not too, with most of this ending up on my personal playlist by now! There’s a lot of fun, but there’s also plenty of emotion shown at times, HARDY’s vocals and talent handling both styles masterfully. The length has most probably dropped it a few places on this list, don’t get me wrong, but it’s a surprisingly easy listen for over an hour. In fact, it may be the longest album on the list this year, which is an achievement in of itself, I guess! I gave it an 8.5/10 back in September, but as predicted in that review, this has grown on me more since! It’s a solid, easy 9/10 now, and very easily makes it this high on the list. Hopefully he rearranges his UK tour next year, as I’d love to hear some of this live!

Listen to: Country Country, Girl With a Gun, and Y’all Need Jesus

69 – Solence: ANGELS CALLING

After sitting with this album for a couple of months now, I’ve finally gotten on-board with serious Solence, and I really love this release! This thing is an incredible pop/alt-metal album packed to the brim with amazing, catchy-as-anything tracks. Honestly, every track is as good as the last, and the album has such a fantastic flow to it, 27-minutes going by in a flash. It has hints of early 2000s US radio-rock, but with a distinctly modern European twist on top of that, especially with the Callboy-like electronic elements and screams. Oh, and then we just get some insanely technical solos thrown in for good measure too; this album really having a bit of everything!

I’ve had most of this album stuck in my head at various points over the last two plus months, and it has grown on me more and more. They fully deserve the fast rise they are having, and I can really see 2026 being their year with the sheer amount of touring they have planned! We gave it 8.5/10 when it released, but it’s definitely higher than that for me now. A good album that’s grown on me even more with subsequent listens, it more than deserves to be rocking this list!

Check out our reaction to them here!

Listen to: Monsters in my Head, Where Were You..?, and All of the Pain Must Go

68 – Locash: Bet the Farm

The first album from the country duo in six years was more than worth the wait! This is a masterclass in bro-ish country, and is a release I’ve been jamming a lot from April all the way to now. It’s a lot of fun throughout, but also packed full of emotion, as well as some stadium-sized choruses and harmonies from the pair. And from the more Southern rock infused to the country ballads, they do it all perfectly. It’s a sound that’s definitely taken a step back in recent years but I’m so glad hasn’t died off completely. If you are into country at all, I’d definitely recommend giving this a chance, it’s impossible not to love it! And at under 40-minutes, it’s pretty short for a country release these days. We gave this a whopping 9.5/10 when it released, and if you take a listen it’s very easy to see why! If it wasn’t for country booming once again this year, it would have ended up higher, but it is still at a damn respectable point of the list!

Listen to: Hometown Home, Bring Em Back, and Shipwrecked

67 – Tetrarch: The Ugly Side of Me

The nu-metal revival continued to be in full swing in 2025, and this album was a large focal point of that! The bands third album followed up 2021’s amazing Unstable perfectly, building on everything that album laid out and coming out with an incredibly strong release overall. Every song slaps, and it makes for a fantastic, heavy, catchy just over half-an-hour! The duo of Josh Fore and Diamond Rowe is a real powerhouse, and will inspire this band continues to grow into a juggernaut in years to come. Especially if they keep continuing to grow and build on their sound, and put out better and better albums! From the crushing riffing to the massive choruses to the occasional awesome solo, it’s all amazing. It got a huge 9/10 from us when it dropped, and has been in regular rotation for me since May, easily earning its spot on this list! For anyone who’s into nu or industrial metal, or just anything around that early 2000s sound, listen to this immediately!

Check out our reaction to them here!

Listen to: Never Again (Parasite), Live Not Fantasize, and Cold

66 – The Damn Shames: Trailers on Bricks

A release recommended to me by a good friend of the company, Kyle Daniel, and I’m so glad that he did! This is an incredible Southern rock album! From the instrumentation to the incredible harmonies to the arena-filling choruses, it’s all so damn good, from start to finish. Honestly, each of these 10 tracks are as good as the last, and it makes for a super easy listen from start-to-finish! The band are all insanely talented players and songwriters, and the fact that this is their debut album and it’s of this high quality is truly amazing. This somehow only got an 8.5/10 from us upon release, but after multiple revisits over the last six months, this is easily closer to a 9 for me! If you are at all into the country or Southern rock scene, this is very much the album for you. Hopefully either scene in the UK picks them up, as I’d love to see this stuff live! I look forward to hearing where they go from here, but for now I am content to keep spinning this record, hence why it ends up pretty high on this list!

Listen to: Who Killed Rock n’ Roll?, Another Spoke in the Wheel, and Quittin’ Time

65 – Epica: Aspiral

I mean, we finally got three new parts of A New Age Dawns on this release, that alone gets it onto this list! However, the other eight songs are also just as good, too! The whole thing is an epic, cinematic masterpiece that somehow feels like it goes by far too quickly despite it being an hour. I always felt like they were one of the more underrated symphonic metal bands, but they put out one of the best albums in the genre in recent years with this. From Simone’s incredible vocals and choruses to the insane instrumentation throughout, it’s easy to hear why it’s had me hooked since April. It got a huge 9.5/10 from us, and if you give it a listen you’ll easily be able to tell why! I’m always a touch hit and miss with the genre, but when it’s done as well as this it’s hard not to fall in love, hence why it’s here and in a pretty favourable position. It’s a big undertaking, but I’d highly recommend a full listen through of the album for anyone even slightly interested!

Listen to: Cross the Divide, Arcana, and Eye of the Storm

64 – Humming Whale: Chasing Rabbits

Another debut album, and this time a fantastic blend of so many different metal styles! Somewhere between hardcore and prog metal, it’s a blend that shouldn’t work anywhere near as well as these guys make it! I already gushed over this album in my review not long ago, so I feel like cliff notes are probably more preferred, right? Incredible instrumentation, catchy, powerful vocals, great cleans and harshes, and some epic songwriting. Like it somehow combines Tool, Godsmack and Turnstile. If that sounds at all like your sort of thing, go check it out ASAP! Their creativity and uniqueness is off the charts, and I can see a huge future for them if they keep on putting out stuff of this quality. For now, I’m more than happy to keep spinning this release, an easy 9/10, and it easily made it onto this spot on the list!

Listen to: Chasing Rabbits, Waves, and Black Waters

63 – Born of Osiris: Through Shadows

This brutal slice of technical metalcore from back in July is somehow something I haven’t revisited too much since its release, but upon doing so am blown away all over again. Instrumentally this is absolutely phenomenal from the very first note; the riffing to the solos, drumming to the electronics and synth, it’s all mind-blowingly good. And the vocals too, be it screams or the odd clean, all fit it so well. I’ve really gotten into the heavier side of metalcore since the mainstream side of it has lightened up, and adding a tech and electronic edge to it is like a match made in heaven. And heck, some of it is catchy, as well as being heavy and djenty, it’s really awesome! I knew I had this album in my list for a reason, but I can’t believe I even slept on it for a few months again, even after giving it 9/10 back in July. If you are even slightly into metal, but especially modern Machine Head, Periphery or Shadow of Intent, this is one to put on immediately!

Listen to: Seppuka, Through Shadows, and Activated

62 – Lanie Gardner: Faded Polaroids

The second album from the rising country star, somehow she keeps just getting better and better! She’s incorporated a little more rock elements since her debut, and it’s made for an incredible, fun country album. And even on her slower tracks, they’re also radio-country ballads, and just as good as the rest of the songs. And even at its length, it’s still an easy listen without a bad song throughout. Her vocals are incredible, as are her lyrics, and they all fit perfectly over the instrumentation, whether it’s country, southern rock, Americana or more of a pop leaning. It got an incredibly easy 9/10 from us, and there was no way it wasn’t getting a strong spot on this list. She has such an insanely bright future ahead of her, and I don’t suspect this is the last time she’ll be on a list like this!

Listen to: Boys Like You, Boot Down, and Buzzkill

61 – Once Awake: Far Out and Beyond

I have such a weak spot for old-school melodeath this year, and the fifth album from the Norwegian quartet delivered that in spades back in April. This thing is an epic nine tracks crushing brutality, riffs, breakdowns and some huge, catchy moments to break them up. There is not a track to skip, and I’ve done it in full numerous occasions since its release. Heck, it’s so good it even prompted me to go to Derby of all places to see them live, that should be the biggest endorsement there is! For those into the heyday of In Flames or Bodom, this is an album you need to spin, you’ll surely be as obsessed as I’ve been. And it actually has our first 10/10 review of our list so far, and it more than deserves that rating! It’s a phenomenal album, and only reason it’s not even higher up is because of the sheer amount of awesome releases from 2025, and the wide variety of styles we cover. I challenge you to find me a better straight-up melodeath album over the last year or two, I think you’d be hard pressed to find much!

Listen to: Where’s All the Silence Gone, Injustice, and Kill the Concern

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Features

The Top Albums of 2025!

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Here we are, that time of the year again! The month where I go insane and try to rank 100 out of the over 500 albums I’ve listened to this year into the order in which I enjoyed them the most. It’s equal parts subjective and objective, and I’m convinced I’ve left off so many excellent albums, so if your favourites aren’t here, I’m sorry and they are most likely awesome! Without further ado, let’s dive into the chaos, shall we?

100 – Eli Young Band: Strange Hours

Yep, that’s how strong we’re starting. I told you it’s been a tough year! The Texan country band put out their seventh studio album back at the start of August, and it’s been a mainstay in my rotation since then. It was the perfect summer album, combining catchy vocals and harmonies with their brand of country which perfectly combines pop, rock and Americana. I’ve been a fan of the band a few years now, and this is easily my favourite release from them in that timeframe. It’s a strong album from start to finish, being an incredibly easy 43-minutes of chilled-out, catchy country to listen to! It’s so well written and put together, the perfect inoffensive release into the genre that covers pretty much all bases. So, if you even have a passing interest in the genre, I’d definitely recommend checking it out! We gave it a solid 9/10 upon release, and I very much stand by that now!

Listen to: Nothing on the Wild, All Good with Me, and Everybody Else

99 – Circus 66: Elements

Album #2 from the UK hard rockers blew me away back in March, and upon revisiting it for this list, I was blown away once again! It’s nearly 50 minutes of awesome, foot-stompin’, sleazy guitar riffing and soaring vocals, and I love it! The band are all insanely talented, everyone getting their time to shine plenty throughout, and have crafted an excellent collection of NWOCR tracks here. It’s impossible not to have a good time listening to this, and I cannot recommend it enough to any rock fans out there. It’s insane to me that they aren’t a massive band already, but they have killed it with this release and are very much looking like 2026 will be a breakout year for them! It’s very easy to hear why we gave it 9/10, and why it makes it onto our list!

Listen to: Replace the Pain, We All Need Saving, and Love on the Other Side

98 – An Evening With Knives: End of Time

This proggy alt metal release from towards the start of the year came five years after their previous studio album, and showed just how much the band had grown and matured. It’s heavy, groovy and melodic in all the best ways, and somehow combines together elements of everything from stoner and desert rock to prog to heavy metal to plenty in between! The trio are insanely talented, all playing their asses off from front to back, and have produced something truly special with this release, managing to sound pretty unique at a time when that is almost impossible! If you are into anything from QOTSA to Tool to even Machine Head and Devildriver, do yourselves a favour and check this out ASAP! It got a very easy 9/10 from us when it dropped, and I fully stand by that rating now, showing just why it made the cut for this list!

Listen to: Pride of Lions, Death and The Mistake

97 – Trick or Treat: Ghosted

This epic slab of old-school heavy metal mixed with more old-school power metal is just as fantastic now as it was in April when it first dropped. Combining sounds like Iron Maiden, Judas Priest and Hammerfall and their spooky, horror theming works perfectly, and makes for a solid album as it is. Then you take into account just how phenomenally talented every band member is, from the vocals to the drumming to the soloing and riffing, it’s all so good, and it’s so very easy to fall in love with this release. It’s stacked to the brim with awesome tracks, and even some awesome guest appearances from Adrienne Cowen and Christopher Bowes. 45-minutes still now goes by in a flash even after a few listens. If you’re into power metal you’re probably already checking it out from reading this, but if not I’d definitely recommend it to just about any music fan. It’s got someone of the biggest choruses of the year. Yet another very solid 9/10 from us, and incredibly deserving of its spot on our list!

Listen to: Craven Road, Bloodmoon, and Evil Dead Never Sleeps

96 – The Rasmus: Weirdo

The 11th studio album from the pop/alt metal band goes far harder than I feel almost anyone expected before it released! From genuinely heaving riffing to being packed full of their typically arena-filling choruses, it very much felt like a return to the top after a few years of honestly a little middling releases. Don’t get me wrong, it is still a touch cringy at times lyrically, but that is almost part of the charm with this sort of music! It’s barely half an hour and an incredibly easy listen, and a release I’d recommend to anyone into more of a poppy hook! It’s a sound I feel nostalgic for despite never really getting into it much in my teen years, so for anyone who was more into the band or stuff like Him, it would probably get even higher. It got another incredibly solid 9/10 from us and is more than deserving it’s spot on this list!

Listen to: Creatures of Chaos, Dead Ringer, and You Want it All

95 – Lacuna Coil: Sleepless Empire

The symphonic/industrial metal powerhouses very much returned to form in 2025, and this album is a huge indicator of that! This thing is catchy, heavy and packed with banger after banger. From the soaring operatic vocals to the harsh screams, both fit so well over the awesome, almost nu-metal infused instrumentation. It’s another album that goes hard from start to finish too, every song being as good as the last. They were a band I somehow didn’t get into much in my youth, so as a first full album by them I’ve check out, I’m a little obsessed! The only reason it is this low down is because it is so an insanely high quality year for new music! It still got another incredibly solid 9/10 from us, and if you’re even passingly into metal, I’d highly recommend giving this one a try!

Listen to: Oxygen, Scarecrow, and Hosting the Shadow

94 – Sleep Theory: Afterglow

Very much the breakout stars of 2025, the debut album from the metalcore upstarts has already set them up to be a huge name sooner rather than later. They channel massive early ADTR vibes in the best ways, especially since said band have taken a nosedive in recent years. It’s full of ch0nky riffs, huge choruses and some great screams, and is a fantastic 40-minute listen. I actually hadn’t revisited it too much since it’s May release, but having checked it out again while writing this list, I fell in love with it all over again. It’s incredibly radio/mainstream friendly, but that isn’t at all a bad thing. The band have worked their asses off on socials the last couple of years to make this a big release, and it has paid off in spades. However, the quality of the music is also high, certainly contributing to their fast success. If it was slightly more adventurous and innovative, it would have ended up even higher on the list but still, making it on here shows how high quality it is! I gave it 8.5/10 when it dropped, and I still agree with that now, but it may even sneak up to more like a 9 on some listens!

Listen to: Hourglass, Fallout, and Just a Mistake

93 – Cardinal Black: Midnight at the Valencia

This is a modern soft rock masterpiece. End of discussion. It gives off massive Genesis or Seal vibes, but definitely with a current day edge to it. Over half a year later and Tom’s vocals still give me goosebumps at times throughout. However, the arrangement of every song compliments his voice perfectly, everyone being incredible musicians and songwriters. While the band have certainly been on a lot of tongues the last couple of years, this truly felt like the year that Cardinal Black really broke out. And, this album is definitely a big reason for that! It’s fucking beautiful, and it’s an album that still makes me feel the same as I did the first time every time I spin it. The only reason it’s a little lower than maybe expected is because it does get a little samey after a while. However, when that similar stuff is all banging, it’s impossible not to love it, still! This got a whopping 9.5/10 from us and it’s hard not to still agree with that sentiment now!

Listen to: Ride Home, Breathe, and Morning Light

92 – Tanner Usrey: These Days

The first of a healthy handful of bands in this vaguely indie country-Americana sound that has gotten so big the last couple of years on this list. The fact that it is at this point in it certainly doesn’t diminish its quality either, as this is a fanatic release! It’s incredibly varied too, from blusy Southern rock to more of an indie flavour to even a more traditional country style. And, no matter the sound, it’s performed brilliantly and packed full of emotion from start to finish. My only slight complaint is that the pacing and arraignment of it is a little slow at times. However, every song is excellent, and it honestly has some of my favourite tracks of the year on it, the exceptional very much outweighing anything slightly less-so. I’d easily put this up there with his debut album, even if it hasn’t had quite as much love! We gave it a solid 9/10, and it more than earned its spot here!

Listen to: If you Call me Again, Bad Love, and With You

91 – Zach Top: Ain’t in it for my Health

Yes, I know, people are going to be BIG MAD for this being so low down on this list. He’s an absolutely massive artist for sure, and this is one hell of an album. My main bug to bare is that, as much as I love a classical country vibe typically, a lot of this is a touch on the slower side. That’s inherently not an issue at all, but it does get a touch old through the 50-minute length. However, there is no denying the HUGE talent on display throughout, from a songwriting, vocal and playing standpoint, and it’s easy to hear why he’s one of the biggest names in the genre currently. If you are at all a fan of traditional country music, this is well worth checking out. If it wasn’t for the genre having such a strong year again, this would certainly be higher up. We gave it a very solid 8.5/10, and it may have crept even higher than that since its release!

Listen to: Guitar, Splitsville, and Flip—Flop

90 – Pridian: Venetian Dark

The first debut album to make it onto our list this year, and it’s an awesome slab of modern metal from the Estonian four-piece. It’s the perfect blend of heavy, chuggy riffing, crushing drums and some awesome screams. Yet, it also still has moments of levity and cleanness throughout, the band clearly hugely talented to be able to put it all together! This thing came out all the way back in May and has spent the rest of the year pretty firmly in my rotation, blowing me away each time. It’s heavy, melodic and also rather menacing and gothic throughout, being an awesome combo! This is somehow one of the albums that we missed the week of its release, but it gets an incredibly deserving 9/10 now, and easily earned its spot on this list! Check it out if you are at all into melodic metal.

Listen to: Cyanide Dreams, Ruin, and Void Resonance

89 – Slaughter to Prevail: GRIZZLY

One of the most hyped albums of the year, at least in the deathcore scene, and to my shock it was a bit more of a grower on me than an immediate hit. Don’t get me wrong, it hits hard right from the first listen, but something about it didn’t hook me in immediately. Maybe it was because, much like my issues with Falling in Reverse or Electric Callboy in recent years, we’d heard a good chunk of the album before its release, and had sat with it for a while. So, while none of it is at all bad, it did feel ever so slightly underwhelming.

However, coming back to this album a couple of times since, I’ve definitely grown to appreciate it more! Alex is one of the best vocalists and frontmen in the game today, and the band behind him have crafted nearly an hour of crushingly heavy (but still fun) deathcore. If you are a fan of the heavier side of metal, I cannot recommend this enough. They deserve all the praise they get and the size they have climbed to, and this album very much cements them at the top of their style. As you could probably guess by this point, it got a 9/10 from us when it released, but it may be even slightly higher than that now!

Listen to: Russian Grizzly in America, Viking, and Lift That Shit

88 – Julia DiGrazia: All In

Another massive debut album, this time from a woman who’s already becoming a powerhouse in country. Having gotten her first big break on her and Evan Honer’s (more on him later) cover of Tyler Childers’ ‘Jersey Giant’ back in 2022, her rise has already been meteoric, and capped off perfectly by this collection. Whether it’s blues/southern tinged country rock, classic country or more of an Americana sound, it has a bit of everything across it’s just 30-minute runtime. Every track is as good as the last, and makes for such an incredibly easy listen. She’s already becoming a massive name in the scene, and it’s incredibly easy to hear why. If you haven’t already, give this a spin, you’ll surely love it as much as I do! It got a massive, and rightly deserved, 9.5/10 in our review, and if it wasn’t such a strong year, it would have gotten even higher on our list!

Listen to: Rollercoaster, Two Truths and a Liar, and Life’s Been Good Lately

87 – Kyle Gordon: Kyle Gordon is Wonderful

This was maybe the hardest album to place on this list. It nearly didn’t make it at all, as comedy music seems to be such a controversial topic these days. However, Kyle has crafted something truly special here, and it’s an enjoyable release with or without the fantastic comedy wit, so there was no way it wasn’t sneaking on here. I was already a fan of his, but the concept and creativity of this release really blew me away. 10 different genres from 10 different ‘artists’, detailing the most “Wonderfully Ridiculous Songs of All Time”. Whether it’s Europop, nu metal, indie or traditional country/bluegrass, Kyle is an INCREDIBLE songwriter, and does each style so well. I challenge you to check this out and try to tell me you don’t love it, I honestly think it’s impossible! It was another one I missed out on reviewing when it dropped, but I can’t give it any less than 9/10! I’ve spun it a lot in the last eight months since its release, and I don’t think I’ll be stopping any time soon!

Listen to: We Will Never Die, Crawl to Me, and My Husband’s Ghost

86 – Lorna Shore: I Feel the Everblack Festering Within Me

The other kings of modern deathcore very much do their own thing, and sound fantastic doing so! This thing is over an hour spread across just 10 songs, and is much symphonic/power metal as it is anything else. It’s epic, grandiose and wildly ambitious, and the band pull it off like only Lorna could. From the crazy heaviness of the blastbeats and breakdowns to Wills now iconic vocals, the band followed up on Pain Remains pretty perfectly! If you are into the band or genre at all and somehow haven’t checked this out already, do so as soon as you can! It won’t be for everyone, but I loved this, and the genre has very much grown on me over the last year or two thanks to bands like Lorna and Slaughter. It got a very easy 9/10 back in September, and it’s hard to argue against that after another few listens! It more than earns its spot on this list, and could have been higher if there weren’t so many excellent heavier albums alongside it!

Listen to: Prison of Flesh, In Darkness and Forevermore

85 – Dillon Carmichael: Keepin’ Country Alive

Four years after Dillon’s breakout success with Son of a, he returned in a major way with this album back in June. It’s Southern rock tinged modern country music, and a lot of fun across its 14 songs! It feels like it would have fit perfectly into the mainstream scene a decade ago, somehow combining the bro-country style of FGL with more of a Blackberry Smoke or TC3 flavour. Then again, he has plenty of Jon Pardi vibes to him too, it making sense that he supported him the other year. Yes, it’s a touch cringy and stereotypical when it comes to lyrics and theming at times, but that almost adds to the charm when it’s this good. From the powerful vocals to the catchy melodies and choruses to some awesome riffing and instrumentation throughout, it’s impossible not to fall in love with this! There really isn’t a bad track on the album, and three-quarters-of-an-hour really goes by in a flash. If you have even a passing interest in country music, this is a must to be checking out! It got a massive 9.5/10 from us, and you only have to listen to see why! It more than deserves this slot on our list!

Listen to: Raised Up Wrong, When She’s Drinkin’, and No Matter How Hard I Try

84 – Ghost Hounds: Almost Home

Perfectly combining old-school rock’n’roll, soul and country music, the fifth album from the Pennsylvanian natives has honestly been a little underrated this year. I’m not sure if it’s due to it being the first release since their change in vocalist, with Tre Nation personally scouting out SAVNT to replace him, but this is an incredible release that just hasn’t got the love I feel it should have. There are some genuinely excellent blues rock tracks, be it boot-stompin’ or more slower, emotional ballads. However, to address the elephant in the room, it’s not quite as high as I expected it to be because it does drop off a fair bit by the end. The first half of it is excellent, but the second half is maybe one too many slower tracks in a row. Still, just think how good those opening six songs are that it makes it this high on our list! And still, the latter tracks aren’t bad, I just wish the album was a little better arranged! If you are into blues or southern rock, or more of a slower country style, this is well worth checking out. It was another easy 9/10 from us, and well worth its spot here!

Listen to: She Runs Hot, Past the Point of Rescue, and You’ll Never Find Me

83 – Phear: Save Our Souls

This powerful explosion of melodic metal is somehow the third album from the Canadian band, and they have a big new fan in me this year because of it! It’s the perfect mix of heavy riffing and drumming and catchy, melodic leads and vocals. It vaguely reminds me of Fozzy back when they were good, around Sin and Bones. I was a little late to this, not checking it out until the start of summer, but it blew me away and I have since gone back to check out both their other releases. That’s how good this is, and it’s honestly their best release to date. The band are so talented, both as songwriters and players, and they have crafted something brilliant here. We don’t get enough of this sort of sound any more, though it is making a comeback in the last couple of years, and these guys are continuing it on perfectly! If you are at all into a more melodic side of metal, think Metallica meets Alter Bridge, I cannot recommend this enough. It’s another easy 9/10 from us, and I already can’t wait to hear where they go from here. Hopefully it’s not another five years, next time!

Listen to: Aftershock, Narcosynthesis, and Bleed

82 – Jonah Kagen: Sunflowers and Leather

Another entry into the ‘emotional indie-Americana’ category for this list already! This whole thing is bittersweetly beautiful from start to finish, the perfect blend of Zach Bryan and Evan Honer. And somehow and nearly an hour and 16-tracks long, it still goes by in a flash and is an incredibly easy listen! The lyrics throughout are a massive highlight, but the instrumentation fits them all so very perfectly. I’d somehow never heard of him before this release, but he’s another that’s won me over massively and has a big new fan in me because of his 2025 release! And, anyone who is into any of the sounds that I’ve mentioned previously, check this release out ASAP. There are still a couple better releases in this style, in my opinion, but it still more than deserves this spot on the list, and got an easy 9/10 back in September!

Listen to: Sunflowers and Leather, Black Lung, and The Reaper

81 – Mark Morton: Without the Pain

This was not the album I expected from the Lamb of God guitarist this year. His last solo album back in 2019 was a groove metal romp featuring some of the biggest names in hard rock and metal. Switching gears, his second solo release does the same but with country, and honestly it’s just as good! From Jaren Johnston to Matt James, Cody Jinks to Charlie Starr, there are some massif names attached to this, and all do a great job of bringing Mark’s tracks to life, vocally. It’s an incredibly fun album that is definitely heavy on the rock and southern elements, but still is distinctively country. Mark could certainly have a career in the genre if he ever chose to leave LoG, not that I ever hope he does! I’m pretty sure it appeals to both country fans and those into a more heavier sound, so just about everyone reading this should check it out! Despite talking to Matt James about it when I played with him, I still missed this release when it dropped. However, it’s one of the easiest 9/10’a I’ve ever given, and a fitting end to part one of our list!

Listen to: Hell & Back, Without the Pain, and Dust

Part 2 ->