The country rock legend returns this Friday with his eighth studio album. I’ve been a fan of his for a good decade at this point, and have even reviewed his last couple of albums! He’s had an interesting output the last few years, so when I got this over our emails I couldn’t wait to take a deep dive into it and see if he could keep up the upwards trajectory from Tattoos. He still to this day feels like an overlooked name within the country scene, so maybe this will push him to the heights he so sorely deserves? Without further ado, let’s dive in!
‘THE ADDICTION’ starts things off surprisingly stripped-back. I know that he is very much a country-first artist, especially in recent years, but I was expecting a slight bit more umph than an acoustic guitar and his vocals over the top for a first verse. Still, it’s good, building to a huge, stadium filling chorus. The distorted guitars come in here, adding some depth and grandioseness to the proceedings. It’s catchy as anything, and the lyrics are surprisingly fantastic too, even if it’s a subject matter done to death in the genre. It’s a simple track from a structure and writing perspective, but a great radio-country song in its own right, and a fantastic way to open the album!
A piano opens up single ‘GOOD DAMN’. The electronic beat comes in over the top, fitting in just about, grounding it in a modern, bro-country-era country sound. It stays surprisingly on a similar level throughout; the chorus feeling a little biggest with the multi-track vocals but is still pretty stripped-back. It’s an even simpler song than the opener, it very much feeling like it was built for the chorus. Still, it’s another good radio track, and was a good shout for a single!
The slowness continues through ‘MUD ON HIS HALO’, though it’s another expertly great chorus. The same could be said for ‘BACK IN THE DAYS BACK’, ‘DRIVEWAY’ and, honestly, a lot of the rest of the album. None of them are bad, don’t get me wrong, but it does make me miss the grit, attitude and greater focus on riffing from his earlier work. I get that his biggest hits are the slower, radio-country-rock tracks, so leaning into that sound is absolutely the right call. But when a lot of it is similar, it does make it a bit of a struggle to listen to in one sitting, especially for my tiny attention span!
As if to show me the finger, straight after ‘DRIVEWAY’ I’m punched right in the face by a metal riff courtesy of ‘GOOD OL’ BOYS’. Best riff on the album bar none, it’s not even close. It gives more of a Cory Marks, Hank III or HARDY vibe than any other song on the album. It drops back a bit in the verses, but the chorus are pretty heavy, which was nice. It’s brimming with more attitude and swagger than much of the rest of the release combined, and definitely reminds me of more old-school Gilbert. It’s still a similar steady pace, but the rock is turned up to at least an eight, and it’s a damn good song in its own right! Heck, we even get a pretty sweet guitar solo tucked away in the middle, a rare occurrence in his music these days. A great song, and one that easily makes our playlist!
The feature-whore Jelly Roll returns to someone else’s track on the excellent ballad ‘BEGGING FOR CHANGE’. The pair work well together, both having more of a jagged edge to them in the country world. And their harmonies together are fantastic. Honestly, it may be my favourite duet Brantley has done, and that’s saying a lot given how many he’s done over the years! Then again, Jelly is so damn good, anything he touches turns to gold (or platinum) at the minute. It’s very much on the rockier side of a ballad too, with another cheeky little guitar solo hidden away within. If you’re into the slower, darker edge of country, this is an absolute must of a track!
‘FUCKED ME UP’ is even slower than the rest, being the true ballad of the release. The focus is very heavily on just Brantley’s vocals, some simple keys, guitars and synths providing much of the rest of the instrumentation. It’s surprisingly beautiful, and the swell into the second chorus is incredible. Lyrically it’s amazing, and the stripped-back nature of the song works a lot better here than on other songs on the release. If the rest of the album was a little higher tempo, this would have been the perfect break-up point of it all. However, as a track as a whole it’s incredible, and another huge high point of the release!
The other track that stood out to me on this was ‘COPPERHEADS’. It’s similar in tone and vibe to RVSHVD’s ‘Cottonmouth’ at first, instantly hooking me in. And, again, it just has a bit more rock and edge to it, probably because the guitar is a bit more prevalent. The riff through the chorus is awesome, making it pretty damn heavy, and compliments Brantley’s vocals perfectly. Heck, it’s easily one of the best choruses on the album. The lyrics are a little cringy this time around, but they’re still fun, and don’t take away from the track really at all for me. This is exactly what I wanted from the album and from Brantley at this point in his career, and I’m glad we’re still getting some of it! It’s at an odd place in the album, I’d have either had this early or closing the whole thing, but again as a track on its own, it’s absolutely amazing!
Overall: While I sounded a little negative through a good portion of the review, I still had a good time listening to this, and think it’s a good album! There are some excellent tracks throughout, a couple of which I’d put up there alongside his very greatest hits. And the rest of the album that I haven’t mentioned is still good, that’s for sure. Hell, he even keeps politics out of it, for the most part! If you like his current-day brand of slower, radio country, this is well worth giving a spin or three. But, when a good half of the album is similar and at a steady tempo, I don’t feel compelled to listen to it front-to-back again immediately. That may be due to the extended length of the album though, as much as the quality. I do still miss the funner earlier stuff he put out, Halfway to Heaven will be hard to top, but this is every bit as good as his last release, a good entry into this portion of his career! I’ll be listening to a good half of it on the regular and who knows, maybe the album as a whole will grow on me from that! It’s his strongest release in a while, in my opinion.
Another packed out week of great new music across the rock, metal and country world. Let’s dive in!
Motionless in White: Decades
We’ve already checked out this awesome album! Read our full review here.
Niko Moon: ROOTS
The first album from the country-pop singer to not feature his signature face logo on the cover, it somehow feels different to his previous albums while still having that signature Moon style and charm. We sadly missed his previous album last year, but LOVED BETTER DAYS before that. While this release doesn’t quite blow me away as much as that one did, it is still an excellent release! It does feel a little more country than his previous stuff, or at least leans more into his red clay roots and a healthy does of bro country. However, it also gives off big Buffett vibes still, as well as everything from AJR to even Bublé at times! Tracks like ‘RICH MAN’, ‘GET COUNTRY’, ‘COUNTRY SONG’, and ‘ONE WAY TO FIND OUT’ are all big highlights, as is the soulful ‘LAY IT ON ME’. However, I didn’t have nearly as much fun as I did with BETTER DAYS, and it if anything has just made me go back and listen to that release instead. It’s not a bad album, that’s for sure, but for how hyped I was to check it out, it did let me down a touch. It’s a lot of similar sounding stuff for 44 minutes, too. I’d not turn it off if it came back on, but I won’t be rushing to re-listen immediately, either. It may grow on me the more I sit with it, but for now it gets a 7/10
Protest the Hero: Within
The Canadian prog/tech metallers are back with their first album in over six years. To say that they haven’t lost a step in that time would honestly be an understatement! It’s 35 minutes of chaotic brilliance; insane riffing, fantastic drumming, catchy vocal melodies, and a healthy dose of screams, too. ‘Mouthpiece’ is a phenomenal opener, while every other track is just as excellent. The broadway-meets-Coheed ‘Fishhook’ is excellent, as is ‘Liberty Spike’, while ‘Grandfather’s Axe’ is one of my favourite tracks the band have ever done! The band are so insanely talented, and how they’ve had such a consistently excellent output over their 23 years of releasing music is beyond me. It’s not going to be for everyone, don’t get me wrong, but I’m a little bit obsessed with this release! It’s up there with Fortress for me, and is easily their best album since. I’m going to be spinning it a lot in the weeks and months to come, and would recommend anyone even slightly interested to check it out ASAP. I can’t give it any less than 10/10, GODDAMN.
Aaron Lewis: Give my Country Back
I actually remember liking ThatguyfromStaind’s last solo country album. Yeah, it was a little corny, but it at least fit well with his voice and his writing style. I’d heard the talk about the title track of this album when it dropped, so I was grimly curious to check it out…
It was just as bad as I expected. It’s a shame too, as I was lured into a false sense of security with opener ‘The Door’; it wasn’t half bad! However, then the heavy-handed patriotism started, and I very quickly tapped out. The title track is indeed that bad, but the rest of the album isn’t much better. Even the artwork is cringy, honestly. I don’t want to get bogged down by the obvious politics of it all, but safe to say from my perspective, it’s not a good look.
And, almost as egregious as all of that: it’s slow and a little boring. I know Aaron’s not exactly known for up-tempo stuff in general, but a lot of this blurred together for me. There’s some stuff on here that is honestly good, like the aforementioned opener and ‘A Showman’s Heart’, but they are bogged down by a lot of mid-or-worse stuff. If you are a big fan of Aaron’s previous releases, it may be worth giving a spin, but I wouldn’t recommend going in with particularly high expectations. Musically it’s at least inoffensive, but yeah, it’s hard to get into overall. 3/10
Tesla: Homage
The legendary hard rockers returned this weekend with their first new album since 2019. I’ve been a fan of them for well over a decade at this point, and rather enjoyed Shock upon its release, so I’m so glad they’re back with studio music again. What a return it is, too! Though we tend not to do covers albums on this series, this was done so well and is such a fun release it was impossible not to rave about! It’s almost an hour of blues/AOR-infused rock music like only Tesla can do. And, what’s more, the band make every track feel distinctly them, putting their own signature spin on things. To the point where if you weren’t already familiar with the songs, you may be fooled into thinking they were Tesla’s themselves!
The opening two tracks show their range enough as it is, and both are awesome songs in their own right. Then you have stuff like single ‘Spread Your Wings’, ‘Night Moves’, ‘Give a Little Bit’ and ‘I’d Rather Go Blind’ that are also huge highlights. However, there isn’t a bad track on here, and it’s just a damn fun listen all round. Each track perfectly showcases Jeff Keith’s ever-impressive vocals, and the rest of the band play their asses off throughout, too. If you are at all a fan of old-school rock, blues or soul, or just Tesla in general, this is certainly worth a spin. It’s a goos stop-gap while I impatiently (hopefully) wait for new music, and is a solid 8/10 from us!
Mercers.: The Liminal Tapes
This debut EP from the hardcore/nu-metal-ish Brits is surely set to catapult them far right from the jump. This thing is pissed off and aggressive, but also plenty melodic too! Heck, ‘New Stockholm’ somewhat purposefully(?) has some Muse elements to it, which were awesome! It’s 17 minutes that fit together perfectly, and all four tracks are as good as the last. It’s honestly so hard to pick highlights. You really do have to check this thing out in full at least once, it’s that good! It’s quirky and unique, and written and performed by four people who are masters at their craft! The closest comparison my brain is making is Tealdear, and that is very exciting to me! Do yourselves a favour and give this a spin, you won’t be disappointed. I can’t give it any less than 9/10, the creativity is off the charts!
Nearly Skulls: These Shadows of Our Wilder Selves
The first new album in three years from the ‘grumpy dad rockers’, it does follow up their awesome EP from earlier this year, PAX AMERICANA. We loved that album, and this release builds on that perfectly. It’s another dose of 90s rock nostalgia in the form of REM or their more punk-infused counterparts, but this time it’s a full nearly hour instead of 20 minutes. Tracks like ‘Some Change’, the Pucifer-like ‘On the Network’, ‘Dinosaurs’ and ‘The Ocean’ are big personal highlights. However, there isn’t a bad track throughout, the album being a fantastic, chilled-out affair and an incredibly easy listen. If you’re into this sort of style, I cannot recommend it enough, and it’s a fitting follow-up to PAX. There is maybe one or two too many tracks on here, if I had to offer one criticism, but I wouldn’t know what songs to cut, and after three years it’s hard to fault them throwing it all out there! 8/10, great stuff!
Haken: in a fever dream
Returning to the studio following 2023’s excellent Fauna (it did in fact grow on me with more listens), the prog metallers once again knock it out of the park on this shorter release. The opener is the perfect prog track, building for much of its longer runtime into a huge, heavy crescendo. Meanwhile single ‘delerium’ is more like a 2000s alt metal track. ‘bleeding sky’ and ‘lotus’ are a mixture of the two and classic Haken awesomeness. Then you have the slower ‘eclipsed by you’ tucked perfectly in the middle of it all. It’s 26-minutes, long for an EP, but the perfect amount of music from the band. It’s arranged perfectly and is such an easy listen, going by in a flash. I’m so glad the band are back to releasing new music, and if you are at all a fan of the band or the wider genre, this is definitely worth checking out! Front to back it is excellent, and the opener and closer in particular are up there alongside some of the best tracks the band have ever produced. I can’t give it any less than 9/10!
Some Velvet Morning: TELL THE SUMMER HANG ON
The first new studio album in over five years from the rockers, and it’s a rather epic half-hour! The opener sets the tone for the soft-rock release perfectly, while songs like ‘Before I Met You’ and the grandiose, Western-style ‘The Architect’ are also big high points. The band are clearly all incredibly talented musicians and songwriters, and they get plenty of time to shine both individually and together throughout. However, it does get a little samey towards the end, I do have to say. Those of you more into this sort of old-school style than me will probably get a bit more milage out of it. It’s sadly not a whole album I’d eagerly revisit, but a few of the tracks I will definitely be spinning again! 6.5/10, it wasn’t as much for me as I’d hoped!
As It Is: Self-Titled
The follow-up to the pop-rockers huge 2022 release, I WENT TO HELL AND BACK, their brand new, self-titled album is another infectiously fun release. Right from opener ‘I’m So Alive!’ I was getting modern All Time Low vibes in the best way possible, and it set up the rest of the album fantastically. The singles, like ‘Do You Remember?’ and ‘Marilyn’, are great, even if they do front-load the album a little drastically. However, album tracks like ‘Lose Your Way & Find Yourself’ and ‘What if it All Works Out’ are just as fantastically. The band are really at the top of their game right now, and if you like this style even a little, you’ll surely love it as much as I do! Their last release grew on me with more listens but this one doesn’t have to, it hooked me right in from the opening moments! This will certainly be one I’ll be spinning plenty in the weeks and months to come! 8.5/10
Loathe: A Stranger to You
Five years after their last release, the ambient sister album to their breakout I Let it In and It Took Everything, the experimental metalcore rising stars finally return with a full new album. Firstly, at 14 tracks and 54-minutes, it’s a big ol’ release. And, surprisingly to me, it may take a few listens for me to truly get into. It’s especially surprising as I remember enjoying I Let it In… a lot, and still do. The band are well known to blend genres, which usually I’m down with. However, as someone who’s not really into the whole droning shoegaze thing, they maybe leant a little too hard into that side of their sound for me here.
The opener was interesting, but ‘Block of Flats’ went on far too long for what it was. That was especially sad as it features Static Dress, and I LOVED their last album. ‘Fortress Down’ pulls it back a little for me, but it’s nothing more than fine. Songs like ‘Gemini’ and ‘Gifted Every Strength’ are good, but they are spread fairly too few and far between. A lot of it is dull, or Deftones turned up by 1000%. None of it quite gives me the feeling that ‘Gored’ or ‘Two-Way Mirror’ did, or still do. As I said, it may grow on me with more listens, but it also feels a little bit like the last Zeal & Ardor album, and that sadly didn’t. If you liked this album then awesome, I’m honestly glad! I certainly want to like it, and feel like I should, but certainly found myself struggling. I’m curious to see what other people’s reactions to it are, as I can’t give it any more than a 5/10, sadly!
Imperium: Exodus Unknown
The highly anticipated debut album from the UK thrashers is just as good as I expected, if not better! From the first notes to the last, it’s a brutal assault of awesome riffing, drumming and some surprisingly catchy vocal melodies. The opener is a big highlight, as is the epic almost-ballad ‘The Gun’. The Demolition Man himself even provided an excellent feature on ‘Tread the Serpent’! But honestly, the whole album is excellent. There’s a surprising amount of dynamics to it, with some fun and interesting tempo changes to go alongside all the rest of the excellence. The band very much wear their inspirations on their sleeve, whether it’s legends like Slayer and Kreator to more homeward bands like Evile. If you are a fan of any of these bands, or the wider genre in general, give this a spin, I promise you won’t regret it! Another album I’ll be spinning a lot moving forward, and a very solid 9/10 from us!
A band that I have wanted to see since they first broke into the country scene a decade ago now, A Thousand Horses have really reinvented themselves the last few years in a major way. Being fully independent now, the band have been creating a huge buzz, as well as putting out one of the best albums of the year so far. So, when they announced this tour, there was no way we weren’t heading down, especially at one of our favourite venues! And, not only that, but they also had an awesome support band. So, let’s dive into everything that happened that evening!
Though they are a Nottingham-based band, I’d somehow not heard of Jacqueline before now. However, they instantly have a big new fan in me! Firstly, her and her band are all such talented players and songwriters, their unique brand of folk-rock sounding fantastic in a live setting. Her vocals are powerful and so interesting, giving off vibes of Alanis Morissette or Dolores O’Riodan in her delivery. She is also a fantastic frontwoman, holding the crowds attention throughout and being an excellent storyteller through both her lyrics and between tracks. And as I said, the band behind her played their asses off through the whole set, fitting her vibe perfectly. Only having one EP out, 2025’s Still Running, meant that we got the lot and then some! Their setlist had a great flow to it, and it’s had me listening to them on track much of this week. I already want more music from the band, and am also desperate to see them live again!
After a short break, the headliners took to the stage! As I’d said, I’d been wanting to see them for a while, and safe to say they didn’t disappoint! Right from the fantastic new opener ‘Dead Man Walking’, I was hooked, and not let go through their entire set. It was White Flag Down-heavy in the best way, with each of the other four songs off it being equally incredible. ‘Part of My Story’ and ‘Voices’ seemed to be particular fan favourites already, the place singing along to every word of them and cheering loud at their conclusion. However, that was far from all we got. From the excellent ‘Room Full of Strangers’ and ‘Highway Sound’ of The Outside, to the very best of Southernality, to even a cheeky addition off not only their Bridges EP, but an early track from their repertoire, ‘Suicide Eyes’ from 2011’s Footloose. It was a jam packed set to say the least! Everyone loved their breakout hit, ‘Smoke’, of course, and the one-two-punch of the encore being ‘Drunk Dial’ and ‘Heaven is Close’ was excellent. The only one missing for me was ‘Song to Remember’ but hell, there’s always next time…
As for the performance itself, it was also amazing! The band are incredibly tight, it sounding close to the track while still having room to breathe, like a great rock show should. The band all played their asses off, putting every ounce of energy out there for the packed-out crowd. And, what’s more, they genuinely seemed like they were enjoying themselves up on stage, which is always great to see! Michael’s voice was on top form throughout, and he’s a really great frontman. However, both Bill and Graham were fantastic performers in their own right too, all putting on one hell of a show. They gel so well together, and it’s clear to see they have been doing it for a while, while also still clearly enjoying being up there together. And the other two, who I assume are more session players(?), also killed it. It was a straightforward show, just five guys getting up there and playing some great songs, but it was such a pleasure to watch, and felt like it went by in no time at all! It was loud, and a hell of a lot of fun!
And there you have it, another fantastic night of live music! Both bands killed it and I would recommend seeing either in person if you at all can, as well as spin their stuff if you somehow haven’t heard them on track before. I had a blast and already want to see both bands again. And, with Horses saying they’ll be over here more regularly moving forward and Jacquline being from down the road, there is a very big possibility I can do both soon! The Bodega has also been knocking it out of the park with gigs at the minute, so I’d highly recommend keeping an eye on them if you’re local. What a gig!
A little quieter than normal this week, but we still have some really awesome rock, metal and country releases to check out. Let’s dive in!
Deep Purple: SPLAT!
The bluesy rock legends are back with their first album in just two years. We were a little meh on =1, and it’s hard not to have a similar feeling with this one. The band are clearly talented, and the guitar and keys solos are certainly the high points of the record. However, it’s another 50 minutes of old school rock music from a band now 24 albums into their career, all of which are rather similar in style and execution. The two opening singles are pretty good, and set the album up right. Tracks like the celtic-esque ‘Sacred Land’ and ‘My New Movie’ are also alright! However, I found myself getting pretty bored through this album often, especially when there are another nine tracks I haven’t named here.
I do think it’s generally better than their previous release, or at least I had a slightly better time listening to it. However, that may be fully down to my mood currently than the quality of the album! If you are a big fan of any era of the band, you’ll find something to love here, and it’s worth checking out. However, it doesn’t have a patch on the bands multiple heydays, and will most likely drive listeners to just go back to Machine Head or Burn. It’s not something I’d revisit outside of a song or two, but probably wouldn’t turn it off if it came on. 5/10, completely average Deep Purple.
The Shires: Bonfire
The biggest new UK country artist dropped their highly anticipated seventh studio album this last Friday. Spoiler alert, it’s a bit good! The duo have been at the top of their games for a while now, but they honestly take another big step forward yet again here. Every song is beautiful and excellent in its own right, though the likes of ‘Getaway Car’, ‘Blink’ and ‘One for the Whiskey’ are personal highlights. Every song on here is excellent though and the album flows perfectly, 37 minutes going by in a chilled-out, emotion-filled flash. In a genre built full of beautiful harmonies, these two are certainly in the upper echelon of it all. They compliment each other perfectly, as does the instrumentation. It’s very easy to hear why they are such a big name these days, and they deserve every ounce of praise they get. While it does still have a British edge to it, it also reminds me a lot of everything from Lady A to even early Taylor Swift. If you are at all into the slower, sweeter edge of country/Americana, this album is an absolute must. 9/10
Dominum: Night is Calling
We’ve already checked out this awesome album! Read our full review here.
Harsh: Feels
The sophomore album from the Parisian sleaze/hard rockers is every bit as good as their first. It’s nearly 50 minutes of stomping grooves, great riffs and some catchy-as-anything, soaring vocals! It’s packed full of highlights too, from ‘All I Ever Wanted’ to ‘Fuel to the Fire’ to ‘Losing My Mind’. Their cover of Michael Sembello’s classic ‘Maniac’ is also stellar. There truly isn’t a bad song on here, with the ballads also measuring up alongside the rockier tracks and it all fitting together so well. There isn’t a dull moment (though for some reason I struggled with the opener slightly on my first listen. Love it now!) and the 12 tracks go by super quickly. If you like their general vibe and genre, this is well worth giving a spin! Hell, even if not, you’ll probably still have a blast listening, like I did! The band are all insanely talented musicians and songwriters and have a very bright future ahead of them, one they are already starting to realise. This album will certainly push them even higher and faster, and I can’t give it any less than 8.5/10!
Moonspell: Far From God
The Portuguese goth metal legends are back with their first new studio output in over half a decade. Spoiler alert, it’s a bit good! Long-time readers here will know by now how much I’ve gotten into the European gothic metal scene in recent years, so I can’t not love this! Even at 42 minutes long, eight tracks doesn’t feel nearly long enough, as this went by in a flash. Single ‘Far from God’ is a massive highlight, as is the Tool-esque ‘Biblical’, ‘Your Promise of Light’ and the closer. As you can probably tell though, the whole album is awesome! If you are at all into the darker, heavier side of metal, I truly cannot recommend this release enough. I’m so glad they’re back with new music after a bit of a break, and what a hell of a release to return with! I’ll be spinning this a lot in the coming weeks and months, and don’t be surprised when it ends up high on our albums of the yearlist come December. 9/10
Soothsayer: The Unbinding
Nestled somewhere between an EP and an album, I’d say the 45-minute runtime handily qualifies it as the latter. Well, it’s five proggy blackened death tracks that dark, heavy and technical in equal measure! While not usually my sort of thing, I actually found myself enjoying this a surprising amount! It’s hard to pick individual highlights as the whole album feels like one continuous piece, and is therefore perfect for a full listen or three. Having said that, if you are going to only check out the one track, ‘Sooner Acceptance’ is absolutely amazing, drawing together every sound the band has in a truly bleak, brutal package. It’s certainly not for everyone, but it is that good that it will surely win over some skeptics, like myself! I’m going to have to go back and revisit their previous work while also listening to this again, hopefully it’s as good as this! A very solid 8/10 from us!
Blake Whiten: Something to Say
The debut album from the seemingly overnight country sensation, and what a release it is! We reviewed an EP of his last year, and I said in that I don’t know how a 21 year old kid has seen enough shit in his life to have a voice like this. However, both are also pretty different releases. As well as being twice the length, the EP was much more of a solo venture, mainly just Blakes vocals and guitar, while this album feels like it focuses more on a full band sound. The opener is Southern rock-tinged awesomeness. Singles ‘Barely Gettin’ By’ and ‘Boots by the Wrong Bed’, as well as ‘Ghost House’, are also awesome rockier tracks. Then you have slower, more radio-country ballads like ‘Whiskey Wish’ and ‘Night N’ Day’ that are also excellent. And if you couldn’t tell, that’s half the album right there, so it’s pretty clear I love it!
It’s like the perfect mixture of Referrin’sradio-country style with a dash of Cody Jinks’ heavier side. My only slight complaint is that I wish we got another track or two like the EP. I completely understand doing a different thing with a new release, but the rawness and vulnerability of Six Mile was excellent, and gave big Evan Bartels vibes in the best way. Still, it is a minor gripe, and I wouldn’t change a track from the album. If you are at all into country give this a spin, you’re bound to love it as much as I do. I can’t give it any less than 8.5/10
The Tirith: Quetzalcoatl
The fourth studio album from the power prog Brits is another epic, technical masterclass of writing and playing. It’s not a short undertaking, being 69 minutes spread across 12 songs, but if you like this sort of style it is an absolute must-listen. While mileage for the release has varied over the few spins I’ve done in the last couple of weeks, there’s a lot that I find myself loving and revisiting more than others. ‘The Slide’, ‘Back to Space’ and ‘Save the Oak’ are all personal highlights. The band very much wear their inspirations on the sleeve, and I certainly mean that in a good way! It’s not a bad album by any stretch; it’s surprisingly chilled out yet catchy, and the playing throughout is awesome. From the arrangement to the solos, riffs to the drumming to the vocals, it’s all excellent. It’s not something I’d revisit often as it isn’t 100% my sort of thing, but the band certainly have a new fan in me and it’s a record I’d recommend to anyone even slightly interested! I can’t give it any less than 8/10, great stuff!
Eric Paslay: Summer
The follow-up to May’s Spring, this is an awesome release that perfectly encapsulates the vibe of the season. It’s upbeat, chilled-out and a lot of fun. It’s Buffett turned up to 11 and given a modern twist to it. It’s a far cry from his 2023 release, but both are excellent in their own ways. It’s pop/bro country adjacent, but also reminds me of everything from Niko Moon to Drew Holocomb to even Newton Faulkner. Honestly, I can’t gush about it enough. It’s the perfect 11 minutes of music, and is so damn easy to listen to. There truly isn’t a bad track throughout. I’m going to be spinning this for at least the next three months, if not plenty after that, too! Do yourselves a favour and check this out, you’ll love it as much as I do! 10/10, I can’t give it any less!
Charley Crockett: Clovis
Another week, another album from one of the hardest working bands in music. coming just three months after his last release, it’d take a lot to beat Age of the Ram for me. This doesn’t quite do that. However, it is still a damn good album! From ‘Down by Law’ to ‘Eagle and the Crow’, the epic instrumental title track to ‘Honky Tonk Philosophy’, there is plenty to love throughout! Don’t get me wrong, it’s a little long for my attention span, especially when a lot of it is slower, but by now if you’re a fan of Crockett you know exactly what to expect, and if you’re into his previous stuff you’ll live this. It’s chilled out and so well written.
It’s insane to me that he can put out another album of this high quality so soon after his last, and we’ll probably get a third by the end of the year. It’s a true testament to the generational talent he is. And, with everyone in the industry I talk to about him, he’s very much gained a ‘your favourite country artists favourite country artist’ status. Give this a try if you are at all into country! 8/10
Gods & Punks: A Shrine By the Sea
Following up 2024’s Death, the Brazilian space/stoner metallers certainly still do things their own way. Whether it’s stripped-back, ethereal folky stuff or the massive, heavy stoner doom riffs, it’s all done so well. From Red Fang and The Sword to stuff more akin to (honestly) Yes or even Fruit Bats, it makes for an incredibly interesting listen. And I honestly love that it’s two songs split into four parts each. They somehow feel individual and like you can listen to them separately while also fitting together like missing puzzle pieces. It all flows fantastically and begs a full listen at least once. The band are all so damn talented and it comes across excellently throughout. If you like any of the styles I’ve mentioned here, do yourselves a favour and give this a spin! They certainly have a new fan in me, and it gets a solid 7.5/10!
Margo Price: Days of Unrest
Another release straddling the line between an EP and an album, and another relaxed, chilled-out record. Oh, andanother awesome release from Margo, to boot! It’s old-school country/Americana like only Price can do, yet feels like a different project yet again to her previous output. Having a Spanish, mariachi twist to it, it’s an incredibly fun half-hour of music. ‘De Colores’ is a huge highlight of not just this release, but her career as a whole, honestly. The Trump-calling-out ‘Oval Room’ is also fantastic, as is ‘Can’t Stand Still’ a track apparently floating around since her Buffalo Clover days. The whole release is great though and fit excellently together. Massive props to Margo for putting out a protest tape this weekend of all weekends, and she’s even donating some of the proceeds to the Florence Immigrant & Refugee Rights Project. I’m a huge fan of her both musically and as a person, and this is another great release in a long line of them from one of the most underrated artists in the genre. 9/10, even though most of this is covers and instrumentals, it’s absolutely deserving of a listen and some love!
An absolutely massive week of new music for us to check out across the spectrum. Let’s dive in!
Muse: The Wow! Signal
It’s always interesting when we get new music from the Devonshire trio. One of the biggest artists of my childhood, they are still one of my favourite bands now. You never quite know what to expect from them, and even the singles have been pretty varied. However, all have been great, so to say I’m hyped for this release would be an understatement. Plus, it’s their first new music since 2022’s Will of the People, and damn did we love that album!
Well, it certainly doesn’t disappoint! This is a 45 minute journey through the very best of rock, pop and even metal. All four main singles have been fantastic, and fit even better within the context of the album. The rest of the tracks are just as awesome too, the whole release having a grandiose, epic feel to it like only Muse can do. ‘The Sickness in You & I’ is maybe my favourite track on the album, and up there in the upper echalone of their music for me already. Heck, the Gojira-like breakdown at the end is honestly phenomenal. Then you have the Ellie Goulding-featuring ‘Hush’, and the equally Bond-esque opener, and the beautiful, epic closer, and the album as a whole is so incredibly solid. It also feels like a culmination of their career so far, honestly. ‘Cryogen’ is a straight-up Origins of Symmetry track, ‘Be With You’ would comfortably fit on Resistance or 2nd Law, ‘The Dark Forest’ would fit perfectly on Black Holes and ‘Unravelling’ is very much a ‘Drones’ track. Then you have the out-there ‘Nightshift Superstar’ that is straight-up disco-rock in the best way.
I may be becoming across as a fangirl, which I certainly am, but I cannot adequately tell you how great this album is. It’s excellent from front to back, and after 45 full minutes (twice already this weekend, I may add) it has just left me wanting more. It’s my favourite release from them since at least Drones, but it is more varied and well-rounded than that album, so may grow on me even more than that with more listens. Surely it’s not their best release since Black Holes, right..? Almost all of this has ended up on my personal playlist, and it’ll likely end up very high on our top albums of the year list come December. I can’t give it anything less than 10/10. Wow indeed!
The Pretty Reckless: Dead God
Momsen and co. finally brought us a followup to 2021’s massive Death by Rock and Roll this last Friday. I’m going to say right from the jump that that album grew on me in a big way the more I listened for the months after. Hopefully this one does too…
While I wasn’t a fan of the cold open, single ‘For I Am Death’ is a great track. Stuff like ‘Dragonfire’ and the Audioslave-like ‘Dark Days’ are also pretty good. However, the rest kinda blends together; not much stood out and I found myself getting a little bored. The band are damn talented, but they haven’t really evolved much in their 16 years of releasing music, I’m kinda over it now. They’ve never been an ‘album band’ per say, yet the closest they came was their last release. This feels like a step back in that regard. A few good tracks and then stuff that will be breezed over and forgotten about by the next cycle. In the nicest way possible, like I said in my review of them from Download: if it wasn’t for Taylor Momsen being involved, I don’t think anyone would care. If you like this album that’s awesome, and as I said I do hope it grows on me like their last did. But for now after a spin or two, I can’t give it much more than 7/10. Not bad but my least favourite of their albums so far.
Cody Johnson: Banks of the Trinity
One of the biggest international country stars around currently, and well and truly cements himself as just that with this release! It’s the perfect combination of early 2000s radio country with a modern edge to it, and even at over 50 minutes it goes by quickly and easily. It’s packed full of highlights too, from the opener to the Brothers Osborne featuring ‘Fool Proof’, ‘I Have’ to ‘Kissing a Married Woman’ to ‘Thank Somebody Country’. There is certainly a bit of downtime throughout, but he’s so good that even the slower or not quite as good tracks are hugely entertaining. He even manages to get away with some of the typically country-cheese lyrics from being such a great vocalist and songwriter. And it helps that his band work their asses off throughout, too. While I do still prefer Ain’t Nothin’ To It as an album as a whole, this is up there with his last couple as a close second. If you are at all into country, give this album a spin, you certainly won’t regret it! 8/10
Butthole Surfers: After the Astronaut
The alt/noise rock legends are back with their first studio work in two and a half decades. Though the tracks were originally recorded back in ’98, it’s at least given a modern mix and production to set it apart from their previous stuff. Having said that, you can still tell at times that it was written at the turn of the century, certain elements like the scratching giving it away. However, it is interesting that some of the topics and issues they sing about are still relevant today, all these years later. It’s honestly kinda sad. While not quite my sort of thing typically, I have always found the bands work interesting, and this was another release I found myself enjoying. ‘Jet Fighters’, ‘Venus’ and ‘They came In’ are all tracks I found myself enjoying and will certainly listen to again, even if I won’t repeat the album as a whole all too much. If you like the quirky stuff, this is worth a listen, but it certainly won’t be for everyone (most people). Still, there is no denying their impact to music, and this release fits in perfectly with the rest of their discography. 6/10
American Aquarium: New Ways to Lose
Fuck, I forgot how much I love this band! They are like country’s answer to Social Distortion or The Pogues, and I can’t get enough. Southern punk, almost. Honestly, the whole thing from front to back is incredible, too. Much like Muse, most of this ended up on my personal playlist, and I’ve spun it multiple times over the weekend already! It’s impossible to not have a good time listening to this, even when your getting your heart broken by the bittersweet ‘Favourite Hello’, and 34 minutes goes by in a flash! And, as such, it is impossible to pick just one or two highlight songs, all of them are fantastic in their own right. It may be my favourite album from the band, which is honestly saying a lot! It’s chilled out, rocky and emotional all in the perfect measures. If you are a fan of any of the bands or genres I’ve mentioned already, do yourselves a favour and check this out ASAP, you’re sure to love it as much as I do! I cant give it any less than 9/10, and it may grow on me even more through the rest of the year!
Hawxx: The World Splits Open
We’ve already checked out this awesome album! Read the full review here.
Boneripper: Radiant In Ruin
The sophomore album from the Netherlands metallic hardcore outfit goes hard right from the offset! ‘Oracle of Lies’ sets the tone of the release immediately, as well as being a big early highlight. Then you have tracks like ‘Damnation’, ‘Borrowed Breath’ and ‘Refuse Persist’ that are also bangers in their own right. However, the whole album is fantastic, there not being a bad song throughout. And for a fairly long album (12 tracks) it goes by in a flash, not at all feeling its length. I like the couple of interlude tracks thrown in too, making the album feel more alive, and the closer in particular was excellent.
The band are all hugely talented and so damn good at what they do. Wearing their inspirations on their sleeve, they straddle the line between beatdown, metallic and metalcore amazingly, the closest comparisons for me being the likes of Hatebreed and even Pro-Pain. I was new to the band upon checking this out, and they have a big new fan in me! I am already desperate to see some of this live (a trip to Europe sounds perfect right now) and I can’t give it any less than 8.5/10. Amazing stuff!
Willow Avalon: Pink Pocket Pistol
This third album in three years from the neo-traditional country artist, and it has a tough job following up Southern Belle! Spoiler alert: it sadly doesn’t quite reach those heights. Don’t get me wrong, tracks like ‘Easy on the Eyes’, ‘Hell in a Handbag’ and all three with guest features are great. She is still a fantastic lyricist throughout, too. However, I found a lot of this was just a touch slow, and as such it all blended together a little for me. None of it is bad by any stretch, and if you like an old-school, chilled out sound you’ll probably love this. However, her last release felt like a bit of a breath of fresh air, an exciting blend of old and new, and this isn’t the follow-up I’d hoped for. As I said, there is definitely some fun, great stuff on here, but as an album as a whole I won’t be revisiting it all that often. She still has a hugely bright future ahead of her, but it doesn’t quite live up to my hype for it, given her previous output. Still, the tracks I named are awesome, and fitting additions to her discography! 7/10
CJ Wildheart: Devil
The punk legend followed up his 2025 release in quick fashion with another banger of a release! If you know CJ, you know exactly what to expect from the album, and I mean that in the best way! Between ‘The Art of Being Free’, ‘Diva’, ‘One of the Boys’ and ‘Twenty Two’, there are some tracks up here that I’d honestly put up alongside his best. It’s punk through and through, whether it’s his older brand of Wildheartsy stuff, or a more Celtic tinge to it. As much as I loved SLOTS, I may like this even more! If you are at all into punk, this is an absolute must-listen. It’s just a lot of fun, showcasing that CJ still very much has it decades into his music career! I’ll be spinning this a fair bit moving forward, and can’t give it any less than 8.5/10!
Georgia Webster: EVERYTHING MUST GO!
Album two from the country pop rising star is a chilled-out affair, and a very easy listen. At only eight tracks across 27 minutes, it goes by in a flash, and has some great stuff up there with some of her best. ‘2 YEARS’, ‘SYDNEY’ and the closer are all personal highlights, but there certainly isn’t a bad track on the release! She fits perfectly alongside other modern popish artists like Olivia Rodrigo, and is most certainly going to keep getting bigger and bigger the next few years. It’s certainly not going to be a release for everyone reading this article, but I had a good time listening to it, and will certainly be spinning it a fair bit over the coming summer. For now, it gets a solid 7.5/10 from us!
Druidess: Trip Meadow
The Newcastle-based doom/stoner metallers dropped their highly anticipated debut album this last Friday. Spoiler alert, it’s a bit good! It’s seven incredible tracks packed full of insane riffing, solid drumming and some catchy-as-fuck vocal melodies. It immediately reminds me of The Sword’s heyday (goddamn I miss when they were pumping out great music), but also has elements of everything from Clutch to Red Fang to Orange Goblin. And as I said before, every song is as good as the last, it being nearly impossible to pick highlights. Having said that, the proggy, epic title track is pretty rather excellent! Everyone involved in this is so talented; from the playing to the writing to the production, it’s all excellent. As far as debut albums go, this is fantastic, and the band are going to go incredibly far if they keep up this quality. It won’t be for everyone, but if you like your metal sludgy, epic and massive, give this a spin, you won’t regret it! 8/10
Amberian Dawn: Temptation’s Gates
The first album from the symphonic metallers with new singer Nicole Willerton at the helm, this feels like another big step forward in the bands already sprawling discography. The first studio work from the outfit since 2020 (aside their 2022 ABBA tribute album), it shows how far the band have come in that time, refining their sound into the genre’s purest form. Nicole is the perfect fit, her vocals being a huge high point of the release, while the other four compliment her perfectly and work their asses off throughout. From ‘The Vision of Dreaming’ to ‘Unchained’ (those screams were unexpected and awesome!), ‘Undying Colours’ to the epic closer, it’s all so good. My only complaint would be that it’s a little samey throughout, but when it’s this good it’s hard to be that mad about that! If you are into the genre, do yourselves a favour and give this a listen. Another very easy 8/10
James O’Hurley: A Beggars Belief
This four track EP follows his album from last yearrather perfectly. Combining two live-recorded tracks from said album with two brand new ones, it’s a short yet great blues release! It’s rather stripped-back and chilled out, but offers a different perspective on the rising star. The new tracks fit perfectly alongside the other two, and it creates an awesome 15 minutes of music. ‘Roulette’ is a personal favourite, it almost having bond-song levels of grandiose to it. However, all of it is great. If you are a fan of James or blues rock as a whole, this is well worth giving a spin! I’ll certainly be listening again, that’s for sure! 7.5/10
Taxi Girls: Static
Some more punk for us this week, this time the debut album from the Montrèal four-piece. It’s a lot of fun, and gives off big Distillers vibes in the best ways. From the opener to ‘Auto Hysterics’, ‘Kill Your Darlings’ to ‘Don’t Leave me Hanging’, there is so much to love throughout. It’s somehow the perfect blend of old-school and modern punk, but also has a unique vibe to it as well that is very Taxi Girls. I’d never heard of them before I got emailed about this release, but they have a big new fan in me, and are set to be a big name in the scene sooner rather than later! They encapsulate that DIY punk energy that the likes of Amyl and Wet Leg have brought to the dance before them, with the added bonus of actually making good-sounding music on top of that. If you are all interested, give this a listen, you’ll love it as much as I do! A very easy 8.5/10
Stonecast: Expand Crimson Chaos
Firstly, what a badass artwork! And, while we’re at it, what a badass album! The bands first since 2019’s I Earther, while it still maintains it baseline of traditional heavy metal, they experiment a lot through their 46 minutes here. The opener is straight up Doom metal, and it’s awesome! ‘A Ce Lieu’ has more of a thrashy, groove metal edge to it. ‘King of Hell’ goes in more of a metalcore/melodeath direction. The title track has an air of power metal to it, even. Between these, ‘Against the Tide’ and the closer, there is so much awesomeness to love throughout. There isn’t a bad track across the entire release, and it goes by surprisingly quickly. The band are all insanely talented musicians and songwriters, and have crafted their most cohesive and best album to date with this! I’d recommend it to absolutely anyone into metal, and I can’t give it any less than 9/10!
Fox N’Vead: Playing the Game
Album three from the North Carolinian four-piece perfectly blends alt rock with their country/southern background, and continues to grow their discography amazingly. The title track was slightly rocky for me, though they are clearly all accomplished blues players. However, ‘Waiting’ is a phenomenal southern-tinged hard rock track that called back to the early 2000s rock scene when it was so prevalent perfectly. Tracks like ‘Waste Away’, ‘High Agenda’ and ‘Grounded’ are also fantastic. There are some tracks that I don’t enjoy as much as others; the slower, softer ones don’t quite hook me in as much. However, overall it’s a damn good album! It’s up there alongside their previous two, the group building up an incredibly strong back catalogue. They feel wholly unique, finding a fun niche for their sound that works for me more often than not, and I’ll certainly be listening again! If you like the rockier side of country, or the alt side of Southern rock, give this a try! 8/10
The first time I had been to Donington for a full weekend since 2019, the line-up was so good it was impossible to pass up! Three days of insane rock and metal music among 90k+ likeminded people, what could possibly be better than that?! From rising stars to legends and everything between, it was one of the most stacked weekend in recent memory. There really was something for everyone! We saw so many amazing bands across the weekend, there was no way we weren’t letting y’all know what we thought! Strap yourselves in boys and girls, it’s a long one!
Sadly we missed Native James due to it taking a little longer than expected to get into the arena, something about running out of wristbands. However, we made it in to get a prime spot in the Avalanche tent for hardcore newcomers Silly Goose. Thank god we did too, as they were fucking awesome! Their blend of old-school nu-metal and more modern hardcore was infectiously fun, and they put on one of the highest-energy sets of the weekend right off the bat. The packed-out tent gave that energy right back to the band, too! They didn’t have long, but made more than the most of the time they had, and won over more than a few new fans in the process, I’m sure. I immediately want to see them grace the UK again ASAP, seeing them in a smaller venue would pop off. A fantastic start to our weekend!
Headed across to the Apex stage, we caught the last half of P.O.D.. A band that I’ve caught briefly at Graspopbefore, this was the closest we’ve been able to watch them before. The nu metal legends are still at the top of their games live, both sounding and performing awesomely. Their set was short but sweet, rattling off the very best of their discography. ‘Youth of the Nation’ took me back to my childhood, while ‘Alive’ had the whole crowd singing along instantly. And yet still, they managed to squeeze in a new one, ‘Drop’ fitting perfectly alongside the rest. Sonny is a fantastic frontman, still having the energy and stage presence that would put someone half of his age to shame. And the rest of the band backed him up amazingly, them sounding remarkably close to how they do on track. It was slightly lower energy after the craziness of Goose, but still a great set!
Switching stages again, we finally got to see the mighty Paleface Swiss tear apart the Opus stage. I’ve been wanting to see them since I first got into them a couple of years ago, and even more so after last year’s album. I’d seen videos and had hyped myself up plenty in my head beforehand, yet still they blew me away. Their rise has been undeniable over the last four years of live shows, and for clearly good reason! Firstly, the energy was off the charts, the four twenty-somethings bringing so much energy and fire (metaphorically and literally) to the stage. Marc is such a force up on stage; he’s charismatic and entertaining and how his vocals can do what he does on track live for a full set honestly blows my mind. And as for the rest of the band, they are all so insanely talented, and put on such an incredible show individually, as well as together.
The setlist too… *chefs kiss*. Marc coming out to start off saying “we’ve been told we can’t ask for a pit but…” and then them immediately launching into ‘Hatred’ was fantastic, and it only kept on being awesome from there! Whether the brutality of ‘The Orphan’ and ‘Please End Me’ to the surpising sentimentality of ‘Everything Is Fine’, it was all awesome, if expectedly too short! The crowd went nuts from start to finish too, hanging on every single note. Honestly one of the sets of the weekend for me!
Long-time readers here know that we are certainly partial to some country, so Lakeview were a must for us. Especially after the carnage of Paleface! To say it may not typically be their sort of crowd too, the duo and their band knocked it out of the park! They are surprisingly heavy live, or at least heavied it up for this show in the best way. Every drop and riff hit HARD, and it contrasted extremely well with Jesse and Luke’s southern drawls. ‘Wrong Side of the Track’ was probably my favourite track of the setlist, but every song hit just as hard. They really held the crowds attention too; I was shocked at how full the tent was and barely anyone left throughout. I’m already desperate to see them again, so hopefully they hit the country festival scene next year!
One of our favourite bands were up next on the Opus stage. Creeper have been killing it the last couple of years or so, and this was yet another great example of that! Right from opener ‘Mistress of Death’, the band sounded on top form, somehow even more polished than I had heard them before. And the Nosfera-two stuff somehow grows on me more and more every time I hear it live. ‘Headstones’ always goes hard, but the big high point for me was ‘Razor Wire’. Hannah’s vocals and emotion throughout brought my wife to tears, so that alone should show just how good it was (she is pregnant though so it’s maybe slightly easier…). However, Will has evolved into one of the best frontmen in the game right now, though more on him later, and between them they are sure to catapult Creeper into the stratosphere sooner rather than later. The crowd were once again into it too, and ‘Cry to Heaven’ is such a good closer that everyone went nuts for it. If you haven’t yet seen them, what are you playing at? They’re on the road a lot the rest of the year, so get your asses to a show, you won’t be disappointed!
After a very short rest for us, the mighty Electric Callboy graced the Apex stage. We have caught them at multiple festivals the last few years, and always have a good time with them. Download was no exception! The new stuff, ‘TANZNEID’ and ‘Let the Good Times Roll’, came across better live for me and certainly got me hyped for the upcoming album. Between those and tried-and-true classics like ‘Pump It’, ‘MC Thunder II’ and the Babymetal-featuring ‘RATATATA’, it was one hell of a setlist. Heck, we even got some Electric Bassboy in the middle, dubstepping up some Drowning Pool and Blink 182. It was awesome!
I do think I’ve seen them slightly better, it’d take a lot to top their Graspop set for me, but they are such a phenomenal live band that we still had a blast throughout. It was just a shame ‘Mindreader’ got cut short due to an issue in the pit (sadly a running theme of the weekend, more on it later). However, Kevin and Nico are such consummate professionals that they stopped immediately, getting the issue sorted and right back to the music. Their dynamic together is always so fantastic to watch, and their live vocals just keep getting better and better. It won’t be long before they are headlining festivals of this size, mark my words!
We quickly high-tailed it back over to Opus to catch the latter half of Daughtry. Somehow we hadn’t seen them live before, but they were every bit as great as I expected them to be! Chris’ vocals are so damn powerful, and just as amazing live as they are on track. And the setlist was top-class, too. We got plenty of heavy newer stuff off SHOCK TO THE SYSTEM, yet still got the radio classics in ‘Over You’ and ‘Heavy is the Crown’. The crowd were more than happy to sing along to the ballads, too! They felt like good old-fashioned hard rock music live; go out there, rock the joint with a tight set and let the music do the talking. I’d happily see them again, and would love to see a full set from the quintet! Hopefully we get a rare UK headline tour soon! Especially when the wind was a little troublesome with the sound all day.
Cypress Hill felt like a bit of an odd-one-out on paper, but packed out the place and had the crowd pumping throughout. Over an hour of West Coast hip-hop from some of the best to ever do it. Their back catalogue is incredible, from ‘When the Shit Goes Down’ to ‘Dr Greenthumb’, ‘(Rock) Superstar’ to ‘How I Could Just Kill a Man’ to their megahit ‘Insane in the Brain’, and it all sounds just as good live as it did on track! However, they didn’t just stop there. We also got two awesome covers: RATM’s ‘Bombtrack’ and instant crowd-favourite ‘Jump Around’. B-Real and Sen Dog play off each other perfectly and sounded awesome, while DJ Muggs and Eric Bobo back them up so well. It may not have been to everyone’s tastes, but they most certainly won some people over during their set, and had the crowd in the palm of their hands throughout. I’m glad I finally got to see them live, and they certainly didn’t disappoint!
After a short break, the mighty Limp Bizkit took to the stage to finally headline the festival, 23 years after they were first supposed to. We saw them at Graspop a couple of years back and loved it and, while it was a fairly similar setlist to then, I still had an absolute blast. The band strolling out and getting the hype to a fever pitch with some ‘Thieves’ riffing before launching into current open-closer ‘Break Stuff’. Whether it’s their massive hits like ‘Nookie’, ‘Rollin’’ or ‘Take A Look Around’ to smaller tracks like the newer ‘Dad Vibes’ and ‘Livin’ it Up’, it was a great setlist. Add to that their massive covers of ‘Faith’ and ‘Behind Blue Eyes’, bringing out the awesome Lauren Sanderson to rock ‘Hot Dog’ with them or bringing some fans on to sing ‘Full Nelson’, and it was a hell of a lot of fun. Hell, we even got ‘Eat You Alive’, which we at least didn’t get from the last set!
As for the performance itself, it was amazing! Fred is one of the most charismatic people around, and barely even needed to do anything to hold the crowds attention throughout. His vocals are iconic and hold up still to this day. Meanwhile, DJ Lethal, John Otto and newcomer on the bass Richie Buxton all kill it as always. Meanwhile Wes Borland is a guitar god at this point, and such an amazing performer in his own right. And, while I’ve seen some people complaining about the between-songs stuff, I quite liked Lethal playing easy-listening classics, it kept the crowd pumped and kept the fun, party vibe going. Once again, however, we had the set paused mid-way through a song due to crowd issues. The ending of ‘My Way’ got cut, and I feel like we lost another song with how long the pause was, too. I completely respect Fred for stopping the show to make sure people were okay, but it became a running theme of the festival, sadly. However, until that point, it was awesome, the crowd were fully in, and it was a fantastic set. Spoiler alert, it was my favourite headline set of the weekend, and I already want to see them again!
Another big week of new music, with plenty of awesome rock, metal and country for us to dive into!
Sublime: Until the Sun Explodes
An album three decades in the making, the band return to the studio for the first time since the 1996 death of iconic frontman Bradley Nowell. Now fronted by his son Jakob, honestly… man does he sound like his father. And, it’s exactly what I wanted from a return from the band. This is a full nearly hour of chilled out, fun and well written ska punk, and I loved every second. It’s also packed full of amazing songs, from the opener to the FIDLAR-featuring ‘Backwards’, ‘F.T.R.’ to ‘Evil Men’ to ‘Gangstalker’ to ‘Until the Sun Explodes’. And that’s certainly not all of them!
Can you tell I love this album yet? And it somehow goes by in a flash, not feeling like 57 minutes at all! The band have very much still got it, and I kinda hate that they are touting this as their last album. I know that was the sentiment about their self titled for years, so never say never I guess. However, if this is their last hurrah, what a way to go out. No matter what you are into, give this a listen, you’re sure to love it as much as I do! They could have been one of the biggest bands around if it wasn’t for the tragedy, but this is a fitting tribute to both Bradley and the band as a whole. I’ll be spinning this plenty for most likely months to come, if not longer, and it more than lives up to the expectations. I can’t give it any less than 10/10, this is phenomenal.
Koe Wetzel: The Night Champion
We’ve already checked out this awesome album! Read the full review here.
East Texas Adrenaline: Knockout
The brand new album from the metal-punkers picks up right where their collection of 2022-2025 EPs left off. It’s nearly half a hour of heavy, balls-to-the-wall punk, and is a lot of fun! Tracks like ‘Lawnmower Fistfight’, ‘Day by Day’ and the bluesy single ‘Misfortune’ are all personal highlights. However, the whole album is pretty good, and goes by in a flash! My only slight negative would be the production, however that either comes with being a small band, or just adds to the punk-nature of the record, so it’s not exactly a hugely bad thing! If you are into either of the genres, this is well worth checking out. The closest comparisons my mind kept going to were things like The Wildhearts and Die Spitz. The band definitely have a new fan in me, and I’m curious to see where they go next! 7.5/10
Olivia Rodrigo: you seem pretty sad for a girl so in love
So, while typically not the usual sort of thing we cover here, her last couple of albums had a fair bit of rock tinge to them. And heck, we did Avriland Charlotte Sands, so there isn’t too much difference there! I’d even say I’m a bit of a fan, at least in terms of her bringing a punkier edge back to mainstream pop. Having said that, the singles from the album I’ve heard so far haven’t filled me with hope, so I am tentatively curious…
Sadly, my suspicions were correct. This album is slow. There is certainly a slight bit of rockier instrumentation and arrangement when the tracks reach their crescendo and final choruses, definitely adding an epic feel at times. But, outside of that, it’s a lot of slow, sad, piano pop. Tracks like ‘maggots for brains’ and ‘expectations’ are fun indie/folk rock tracks, but they don’t reach the heights of her previous works. The closest track to her usual sound is ‘my way’, and even that feels rather de-fanged. I know her previous albums as a whole aren’t fully rock, but this definitely has the edges sanded and rounded more than ever before. The punk and attitude is almost non-existent here. She’s clearly still a fantastic vocalist, and the lyrics on ‘the cure’ are some of my favourite she’s ever put to paper. It’s not a bad album, and definitely a step above a lot of pop music coming out these days, but it’s certainly not the direction I’d hoped Olivia would be going in. I don’t even think it’ll grow on me, honestly. 5/10
Circle of Origin: Gallows
The second EP from hard rock/metal Brits, after the phenomenal Guilty ‘til Proven Innocent from last year. To the surprise of I’m sure no one, this is another banger of a collection! It’s heavy and melodic in equal measure, packed full of awesome riffing, some solid drumming and some damn catchy choruses. Tracks like ‘Life Without’ and ‘Nothing’ are personal favourites, but there really isn’t a bad song throughout. The band sit somewhere between Alter Bridge and 90s groove metal, and are all so very talented. They are clearly on the up-and-up and I can see them being a big name in the UK underground scene sooner rather than later! This is up there with their debut for me, building on everything great about Proven Innocent and dialling it up to 11. I’d highly recommend it to anyone interested! A very solid 8.5/10!
Dreamspy: The Dance of Illusions
Album three from solo, experimental project of vocalist-bassist Anssi Tamminen deserves so much more love than it’s going to get! For one man to get this massive a sound is damn impressive. And, even if I wasn’t a bassist myself, I’d still be damn impressed by the depth of sound he gets throughout this album! There’s some drum and synth behind Anssi, but both are fairly simple, designed to frame his playing and vocals, and done so fantastically. Both his playing and his vocals are incredible throughout too, proving just how criminally underrated he is as a musician. From the opener to ‘Poison Girl’ to ‘Holding Back the Blues’ there is a lot to love! It’s hard to pin down to a specific genre too, having elements of sleaze, AOR, melodic rock and even tinges of prog, doom and gothic. It’s short and sweet and a lot of fun; well worth checking out if you have a spare 28 minutes and are into an older school rock sound. An easy 7.5/10 from us, good stuff!
Stitched Up Heart: MEDUSA
The first album from the alt metallers in nearly three years, and my god is it a doozy! It’s also packed to the rafters with collabs from some of the very best in the sub-genre today! Finding themselves on a new record label after parting with Century, Judge & Jury have not only given the band more creative freedom, but also clearly had a hand in the entire record process. And, on top of that, we get everyone from Austin John Winkler to Butcher Babies, Nonpoint to Conquer Divide throughout, all adding their own spin on their tracks and each killing it as much as SUK do! From the opener to single ‘GLITCH BITCH’ to ‘DEAD TO ME’, there’s so much to love, but the album as a whole honestly slaps, there not being a bad song throughout! It’s a lot of fun, having plenty of lightheartedness, bounce and sass, alongside moments of deeper emotion.
I love that this sort of style, alongside the likes of The Pretty Wild and even Poppyto a point, is getting so much traction recently. The future evolution of metalcore is in very good hands, and more and more exceptional albums keep dropping in the genre, this very much being one of them! Check this out if you are at all interested, it’s truly fantastic. A very easy 9/10 from us!
Midland: Stages
Album five from the country trio follows up 2024’s Barely Blueperfectly! It’s a chilled-out, beautiful half an hour of traditional country music from honestly masters of the style. ‘One Day You Won’t’, massive single ‘Glass Half Empty’ and ‘Drunk Enough’ are all personal highlights. However, then you have the beautiful duet with Mackenzie Carpenter and a cover of Gary Allen’s ‘Drinkin’ Dark Whiskey’, and the whole album is packed full of awesome songs! The harmonies are of course spectacular and the best part of the album, but the songwriting is once again incredible, as expected from the band at this point. I absolutely love that this sort of style has come back in a big way the last few years, and Midland are definitely one of the front runners of the pack, in that regard. There isn’t a bad song throughout, and if you are at all into country music, you absolutely must check this out! I’ll certainly be listening to it again plenty moving forward, and can’t give it any less than 8.5/10!
Micko & The Mellotronics: The Trinity
Album three from the indie-infused post-punk quartet is a damn interesting listen! While typically not my sort of thing, I found myself having a great time listening. It had elements of surf rock and even horror punk at times; the bands love for 70s punk being clear even though they wrap it in a more modern package. And it’s 41-minute run time went by in a flash, an incredibly easy listen. Tracks like ‘Shadow’, ‘Misery Guts’ and ‘All at Sea’ are all personal highlights, but if you’re into the style you are very likely to love all of it! It’s not a release I’d revisit often, but I certainly wouldn’t turn it off if it was on, and the band are all insanely talented at what they do. A solid 7/10!
Redferrin: Been There Done That
The debut album from the rising country-pop megastar has finally arrived. We loved his first two EPs, and even chatted to the guy about the first, so to say that we have been excited about this release since it was announced may be an understatement! To say it doesn’t disappoint may also be a big understatement! Right from opener ‘If I Was California’ I was hooked, and not let go for the albums entire 38-minute run. From ‘Crazy’ to ‘3 Day Bender’ to ‘Straight to the Chapel’, there is so much to love. However, every song on this is awesome; even the Wiz Khalifa-featuring ‘Palm Trees’ is fun if nothing else.
Being a longer format has given Red the chance to really explore each side of his style. There’s plenty of variety through the album, and each style gets plenty of attention and time to shine and breath. His voice is phenomenal as always, and his way of writing radio hooks is utterly phenomenal; every chorus on here is amazing. I honestly think he’s the front runner in his sub-genre from a purely quality-output perspective (Mr Wallen be damned). If you are at all into a more modern radio-country style, this album is an absolute must. Another incredibly easy 8.5/10 from me!
Still Remains: Spirit Breaker
The first release from the US metalcorers in well over a decade, this EP is very much a welcome return! It’s five absolutely killer tracks spread across nearly 20 minutes of excellent heavy music. Whether it’s crushing screams, awesome riffs, solid drums or melodic, catchy cleans, this has it all, and all are dialled up to 11. It’s also impossible to pick highlights, as every track is as good as the last. And it spans plenty of different sounds in its short time, from first-wave metalcore to some synth elements to even moments of blackened death metal. I am so damn glad the band are back, and the fact that they have returned after years of silence right back to the top of their game is a true testament to their talent. I already can’t wait to hear where they go from here, but for now I’ll be spinning this a lot moving forward. I can’t give it any less than 10/10, truly amazing!
Leoni Jane Kennedy: Synthetic
The sophomore album from prog/blues rock artist, while not hugely my sort of thing, is an insanely impressive release! I do generally enjoy prog, but it’s a little slow and stripped-back for my tastes, not reaching the grandiose heights I’d personally wish it to. However, the talent on display throughout is honestly incredible. The playing to the vocals to the arrangement and writing is all off the charts, and all the pieces fit together perfectly. It’s no wonder the prog community have accepted her so readily, she is truly a one-of-a-kind talent. ‘Closer’ was probably my favourite of the release due to its last minute or two, but ‘Test the Water’ is a close second. It’s a release that may very well grow on me, but for now it still gets a solid 7.5/10 from me!
Another debut album from a country-pop artist this week, I feel like those are weird odds. This is exactly what you’d expect from the album title, for better or worse! It’s trap-infused country music, and I’m almost disappointed in myself for saying that I actually loved it! It’s shit in the best possible way. From the underlying country guitars, voice and lyrics to the electric beats, the rock instrumentation behind the choruses to the rapping, it all works far better than it ever should do, and is an incredibly fun combination. It very much feels like the evolution of Kane Brown’s sound the last five years or so. It’ll most likely piss off a lot of country purists, but honestly is more enjoyable than a fair few current pop-country stars’ work (Wallen catching all the strays this week…).
From the opener to ‘SO LONG SATURDAY NIGHT’, ‘MARLBORO STYLE’ to the silly ‘MCCONAUGHEY’, there is a lot to love. It does drop off slightly in the middle, but there is enough greatness that it makes up for it! It flows better than his EP last year, and has definitely won me over into a big fan of his. It feels like the evolution of a new sub-genre, and I for one am surprisingly down with it. 8/10, it’s a whole lotta fun!
Kenny Whitmire: Fool in a King Size Bed
Lingering somewhere between an album and an EP, the first non-single release from the traditional country Georgian is honestly fantastic! It’s chilled-out and stripped-back and utterly amazing from start to finish. From love songs to breakups to self-affirmation, Kenny writes it all so well, and does it all so catchily and seemingly with a smile on his face. It’s another release where it’s seemingly impossible to pick a couple of highlights from too, as I love each song as much as the next. And for a guy who generally isn’t as fussed about a mostly-slower release, that is surely saying a lot! This is the start of a massive career for the guy, I’m sure, and it’s an album I’ll be listening to a good amount moving forward. Check this out if you are at all into old-school country music! 8.5/10
The incredible indie-rock country star has been going from strength to strength since his breakout release a decade ago. Since then he’s garnered two gold-selling albums, and massive radio play globally. I’ve been along for most of the journey and, though I do tend to be drawn back to his rockier early days more, there is certainly a lot to love about his recent stuff, too. So, when this was announced we here at Overtone were pretty hyped, and there was no way I wasn’t give this my full attention. Let’s dive in!
‘Sinner’ opens things on a pretty chilled vibe, a souly, rootsy blues vibe with the guitars. Koe’s vocals come perfectly in over the top, sounding somehow even better than ever. The instrumentation builds, the drums adding another level before it opens up fantastically with the pre, the distorted guitar making it sound massive. The chorus soon takes over, being catchy and rocky and all-round awesome! We also get a maybe-too-short guitar solo tucked away in the middle, only adding to the southern rock awesomeness. Honestly, the whole song has a great vibe to it, and one I wasn’t expecting at all. He’s always has more of a rock edge to his sound, but this felt fresh, a renewed energy that harkened back to his breakout days. It’s a great track, and an awesome way to open the album!
The pace and vibe returns to more of what I expected from Koe with ‘Circus’. However, it still has that old-school (for him) rock edge to him, and is another excellent song! The lyrics are fun and so well written, while the chorus is made to be played to huge festival crowds around the world. And once again, we get a great guitar lead in the bridge, breaking things up excellently. It could easily fit up there alongside the very best from Noise Complaint, and is quickly becoming one of my favourite Wetzel tracks just from these couple of listens. Great stuff!
The first single of the album, ‘Hurts Like You’, is another slow start and excellent build-up of a track. The opening verse straddles the line perfectly between country and soft rock, not unlike a Kip Moore vibe, before the song explodes into another catchy-as-hell stadium country chorus. It’s a beautiful, emotion-filled love song, and was an excellent choice for a single. It’s also incredibly Koe; sounding like only he can. If you can’t tell already, I love this song too! I can’t get over his vocals, they sound somehow both smooth and gravelly at the same time, conveying each emotional beat perfectly. He very well may be at the top of his game currently! We’re three for three so far on incredible songs!
When I’m gone is the first fully ballad of the album, a beautiful acoustic -based track. Don’t get me wrong, it still has some distortion through the choruses, but doesn’t hit quite the same size and the energy stays lower along with the tempo. Still, it’s a catchy track, and fits the tone of the rest of the release so far perfectly. It’s a heartbreak song for sure, but delivered with an almost bittersweet feel to it from Koe, the track having an uplifting vibe as well as a sad one. It’s an interesting contrast that works far better than it has any right to. And yeah, that chord is awesome, as expected at this point from the man! Another fantastic track on an album so far packed full of them!
Single ‘Time Goes On’ is another dark, country rock song, a very Koe song that also reminds me of artists he’s since inspired like Treaty Oak Revival. The chorus is massive, a catchy, arena-filling romp that is definitely what the track is built around. It’s bound to be stuck in my head for days to come! It was definitely another great choice for a single, as it’s exactly what I expected from the guy. And, while it’s a standard formula and structure, it is done so well it’s hard not to love it. It’s easy to hear why he’s become a massive name in recent years when he’s putting out banger after banger like this!
‘Dollar and a Bottle’ is another ballad, emotion spilling out of it throughout as Koe details his heartbreak. It’s a simple, stripped-back song that really benefits from focusing mainly on the vocals. And those harmonies through the choruses are excellent, only adding to the depth and weight to the words. The same could be said about ‘I’ll Lock Up’ and the closing track. Both are stripped-back, acoustic-lead tracks that are filled with heartbreak and beauty in equal measure. The latter in particular is phenomenal, especially the female vocal coming in for a duet from the second verse. Try as I might, though, I really can’t find out whose voice it is! Regardless, they work perfectly together, and it somehow makes the track even more beautiful. It’s another big highlight track, and one that easily makes our playlist!
‘The Man’, while maintaining a slower pace still, definitely adds some rock back into it. The opening riffing almost reminded me of Radiohead, Koe keeping things constantly interesting. It all builds perfectly through the simple verses into a huge, almost grungy chorus, one that’s another big earworm. The solo in this fits perfectly too, honestly being one of my favourite parts of the whole album, it adding some epicness to it, making the whole final chorus feel HUGE. Shock horror, it’s another excellent song, and big high point for me!
The last two tracks on the album, ‘Nowhere Fast’ and single ‘Surrounded’, are more classic Koe tracks. The harmonica in the former, combined with the slightly higher pace, give off big Zach Bryan vibes in the very best ways. The chorus doesn’t quite hit the highs I expected/hoped it would, but it’s still catchy and a great song overall. Is slightly slower, and more of a 2000s country track, almost in a Darius Rucker sense with that chorus. However, it still has Koe’s signature indie-rock darker edge to it, it all combining together to make another awesome track! And it’s another excellent chorus to boot, a great single choice as it’ll be stuck in my head for days to come. Yet another truly amazing song!
Overall: This is somehow even better than I expected it to be! As I said before, I’ve been a fan of Koe’s work for a good few years now, but his last couple of albums have been slightly up and down for me. This, however, was excellent from start to finish! It felt like it somehow both returned to his roots, while also incorporating the very best bits of his modern sound. It’s packed full of amazing tracks from start to finish, and is honestly up there alongside Noise Complaint for me in terms of his top albums. If you are at all a fan of Koe, country or indie rock, this album is an absolute must-listen!
Another huge week of new releases for us to check out, from metal to rock to country! Let’s dive in!
Evanescence: Sanctuary
Finally following up 2021’s masssive The Bitter Truth, the symphonic metal powerhouses have come out swinging with album number six. Fun fact, their last album was one of the first reviews we did here at Overtone. We loved it, and I still spin at least a few of the tracks first regularly to this day. So, it’s slightly sad for me to say that this release, half a decade later, is just fine. Don’t get me wrong, singles ‘Who Will You Follow’ and Devil May Cry’s ‘Afterlife’ are great. ‘Sanctuary’ is also a bit of a banger. However, the band have been at this for over two decades now, and have stayed relatively the same throughout that entire time. And this album simply doesn’t have as many big hooks and moments as other releases have had. Everything else just blurs together into a similar, done-better-before sound. The industrial elements they’ve brought in recently are cool, but I do think were done better on their previous album.
Maybe I’m being too harsh on it. Amy Lee’s vocals are just as phenomenal as ever, and there are some okay riffs throughout. There are some great lyrics, and the two emotional ballad tracks of the album are amazing. If you are a big fan of the band, this will most likely be right up your street. It’s definitely an okay entry into their catalogue; I maybe just came in with slightly too high expectations. I’ll be spinning it again in the future, that’s for sure, and maybe it’ll grow on me more then. However, for now I can’t give it any more than a 7/10. Not bad by any stretch, but a touch forgettable.
Red Clay Strays: Grateful
The highly anticipated third album from the fast-rising country megastars finally dropped this last Friday. To say that we have been excited for this one might be an understatement. We loved their last album, and even got to see them live with it, so we have been eagerly anticipating this release since it was announced. Plus, the singles they’ve put out so far are excellent.
Well, safe to say it lives up to the hype! This is a full 46 minutes of soul-infused, old-school country rock, and I’m immediately obsessed! The opener is a gospel masterpiece that highlights Brandon’s phenomenal vocals perfectly. Then you have rocky numbers like ‘Don’t Wanna Know’, ‘People Hatin’ and ‘Fool’s Gold’ that are all awesome. However, slower, ballad tracks like ‘If I Didn’t Know You’ and the closer/title track, are just as incredible! As you can surely tell by now, there isn’t a bad song throughout! I love that generally they alternate between a boot-stomper and a slower song, keeping the pace interesting throughout. Heck, for a release on the longer side, it’s an incredibly easy listen! The band are such incredible songwriters and players, and all get a chance to shine throughout. As much as I loved Made By These Moments, this is at least up there alongside it, if not maybe even surpassing it. If you’re at all into country, this is absolutely an album for you! I’ll be spinning it plenty in the weeks and months to come, that’s for sure! 8.5/10
August Burns Red: Season of Surrender
Returning to the studio after three years, following their critically acclaimedDeath Below, the modern metalcore titans once again knock it out of the park here! It’s 44 minutes of brutality, and their proggy, technical excellence is present right from the jump ‘Legions’ is a fantastic opener, while tracks like ‘Behemoth’ and ‘Whispers Like Splinters’ are also massive highlights. The guest features are once again awesome too, all three killing it, with Make Them Suffer’s track being another huge high point. As I’m sure you can tell by this point, there really isn’t a bad song throughout! It goes by in a flash, and is the perfect mix of aggression, melody and breakdowns. I’ve seen a lot of love for this online already, and for very good reason, it really is a phenomenal release. What is interesting is I’ve seen the sentiment of ‘ABR are back’, like they ever really dropped off. They have been consistently one of the most overlooked names in metal, and this is another stellar addition to their spectacular back catalogue. I can’t give it any less than 9/10, check this out if you are at all interested!
Death Cab for Cutie: I Built You a Tower
The first album from the US alt/indie rockers in nearly four years is a damn fun, interesting release! Despite their relative success in the UK and Europe since their 2005 breakout hit, I wasn’t too familiar with them until the last couple of years or so. So, to sit down with a brand new release from them was cool. And what a release I chose! It’s a rather chilled-out release, but packed full of catchy melodies and a surprising amount of technicality. Tracks like ‘Punching the Flowers’, the beautifully melancholic ‘Stone Over Water’ and ‘Riptides’ are personal highlights, but the whole album is solid and goes by in a flash. It’s a welcome return by the band, and will surely be well received by their fans; a fitting continuation of their discography! A release that I’d highly recommend checking out if you are into things softer and more indie, and a solid 7.5/10 from us!
Jared James Nicoles: Louder Than Fate
Album four from the modern blues mastermind is another awesome release dripping in swagger and attitude. At 35 minutes, it’s pretty short, and packed full of amazing riffs, some massive melodies and choruses, and a fitting amount of heaviness. It gives off Mammoth vibes in the best possible ways. Tracks like ‘Ghost’, the beautiful, dark ballad ‘Killing Time’ and the high-powered closer are all personal highlights, but the album as a whole is awesome, not a bad song throughout! The sheer talented on display, not just from a playing and vocal standpoint but a writing one, is all off the charts, and how he isn’t one of the biggest solo names in the rock world currently is beyond me! If you are into blues or hard rock in any form, this is an absolute must-listen. I’ll be spinning it plenty in the weeks and months to come, and don’t be surprised to see it high on our albums of the yearlist come December. Another incredibly solid 9/10
Daughtry: SHOCK TO THE SYSTEM (DELUXE)
Amalgamating their previous two EPs, from 2024 and 2025, into one big release, this is an amazing collection of heavy radio rock! We’ve obviously all had chance to sit with the tracks for a while now, but they fit together perfectly into one release, and the addition of some live versions was an awesome touch! From ‘THE RECKONING’ to the title track, ‘DIVIDED’ to the massive ‘ANTIDOTE’, there is so much to love, and shows that after two decades the band are very much still operating at the top of their games. Chris is a criminally underrated vocalist, and how they aren’t worldwide massive will always confuse me. If you haven’t already checked out either EP release, this is absolutely worth giving a spin, and both fit together so well and the whole thing goes by in a flash. Hopefully this is a stopgap before another new release, but either way I’ll be spinning this just as much as I have been the EPs. And it has made me even more hyped to see them at Download this weekend! 8.5/10
A.A. Williams: Solstace
We’ve already checked out this awesome album! Read our full review here.
Colby Acuff: HANDMADE HORSEPOWER
Album seven from Colby, and he just keeps killing it with his traditional country sound! It’s been less than a year since his last release, Enjoy the Ride (we missed it but LOVED IT), and yet here we are with another great 25-minutes of music from the guy. The opener sets things up perfectly, while songs like ‘DEEDS I DONE’, the old-school rock’n’roll ‘LIPSTICK ON A PIG’ and ‘WHITE FLAG’ are all incredible. it’s a short release though, and is all very much all-killer, no-filler. I love how much this traditional country revival sound is taking off over the last few years, and I’d put Colby up there alongside the very best of the pack, honestly! He’s a fantastic lyricist, and is one of the most underrated vocalists in the game currently. Some of his delivery is packed with so much emotion it honestly gave me goosebumps. And, the more I listen to this album, the more I fall in love. It has elements of Southern Rock and Outlaw country alongside the traditional sound, and feels pretty unique to Colby. If you are at all into country or rock overall, give this a spin, you certainly won’t be disappointed! I feel like I’m gonna be obsessed with it for a while to come, and I can’t give it any less than 9/10!
Evergrey: Architects of a New Weave
The prog metal powerhouses returned with their 15th studio album this last Friday. Less than two years after their spectacular Theories of Emptiness, it’s insane to me that they are back with another incredible nearly hour of prog metal. It’s everything I wanted and expected out of another release from the band; awesome technicality, a gothic vibe, some incredible heavy riffs and plenty of catchiness. From ‘The Shadow Self’ to ‘Heaven’ to the Mikael Stanne-featuring ‘A Burning Flame’, there is plenty to love throughout. However, if you are into the band or the style, there isn’t a bad song throughout, and it goes by surprisingly quickly! I do have to say it hasn’t quite hooked me as hard as their last release, for whatever reason, but I do almost see it as much of an extension of that album than its own thing. Both are similar, and both are awesome! 8/10
Dea Matrona: Hate That I Care
The sophomore album from the Irish folk/indie-rock duo is every bit as good as their debut! It’s 36 minutes of dark, moody, catchy music wearing it’s Cranberries/Fleetwood Mac inspiration perfectly on its sleeve. From the opener to ‘A Rebel Song’, ‘Wait’ to ‘Siren Song’, there’s a lot of great stuff here! And, while it won’t be everyone’s bag, everything between those songs is also damn good! The pair are so incredibly talented and it’s no wonder they have gotten to the size that they are at already. It’s an easy listen but still has plenty of depth to it, with the vocal harmonies of course being another huge selling point yet again. There isn’t much more else I can say about it aside for if you are into anything vaguely folk, check this out! I’ll certainly be listening again, that’s for sure! Another solid 8/10.
Converge: Hum of Hurt
Another release barely three months after their last epic album, my gosh aren’t the metalcore quartet spoiling us this year?! If someone told me we were going to get a second album from them in 2026, I’d have fully expected Bloodmoon II. However, another half-hour of straight up hardcore-heavy metal from some of the best to do the style is equally fine by me! I have no qualms in revealing that Love is Not Enough is in my top 10 albums of the year so far. I also have no qualms in revealing that this is up there right alongside it! It’s another half an hour of anger and rage presented in the best way possible. It’s once again impossible to pick a highlight track or two too, as it’s all so good and worth listening to in full. Hell, I spun both their 2026 albums back to back over the weekend and it was EXCELLENT. It won’t be for everyone, but if you into the heavier, hardcore-infused stuff, this is very much an album for you, much like the previous one! Maybe I just need an angry outlet in my life, but this is a second incredible 9.5/10 for the band within months!
Wes Parker: Super Rare
This was a really interesting release! I’d never heard of the guy before spinning this album, and struggled to classify him in a specific genre, or even two! Nestled somewhere between indie, folk, country and rock, it definitely takes the listener on a journey. And, for a debut album, it’s rather ambitious! Whether it’s the rockier Zach Bryan-ish intro ‘Tattoo’, the quirky single ‘Bad Doggie’, the Jessica Lea Mayfield-featuring ‘Cut the Grass’ or the epic, rock ballad-like closer, there is plenty of variety and awesomeness throughout. I also love that the album is a Kyle Gordon Style radio show in its presentation; extra care and detail put into stuff like that always makes release feel more special. And, while I don’t think everything necessarily worked for me, I had a good time listening, and there are surely going to be a lot of fans of this release! I’m curious to see where Wes goes from here, but in the meantime I’ll certainly be giving some of this some more listens! 7/10
Shroud: Pax Nocturna
The debut album from the thrash/death newcomers goes hard from start to finish! Right from the opener ‘The Eternal Void’ this thing is heavy, urgent and awesome, and it keeps its momentum for its full 45-minute runtime. The fact that it’s only nine songs in that time as well means that everything gets time to breathe, and everyone in the band gets time to shine. Highlights include ‘Merciless Tyrants’, ‘Diablivion’ and the epic closer, but the whole album is great from start to finish! It certainly won’t be everyone’s cup of tea, but if you are into the heavier end of metal, this is absolutely worth a spin. The band have a bright future ahead of them, and in years to come people will look at this release as their big launching pad. 8.5/10
The 69 Eyes: I Survive
This four-track collection is an absolute powerhouse of gothic rock. The title track has gained a lot of traction and for very good reason, it’s honestly one of the best tracks the band have put to record. However, that shouldn’t take away from the other tracks. ‘Cold Sweat’ is a sleazy, boot stompin’ banger, an arena-filling chorus is the focal point of ‘In the Misery’, and the Danzig-like ‘Devil’s Rose’ is just as awesome, with Ed Mundell adding so much with his guest slot shredding. I remember liking their last album a few years back, but this feels so very concentrated and focused, the best of the best! I’d recommend this to absolutely anyone, whether you’re typically a fan of gothic or sleaze rock or not. It’s short and sweet and fucking excellent! It’s an EP I’ll be spinning a lot moving forward, and will most likely make it high up in our rankings by the end of the year! 9.5/10
Big Special: O’JOY!
Apparently an EP, even though it’s 30 minutes and 10 tracks, the follow-up to the duo’s 2025 sophomore album is an amalgamation of leftovers from that and their massive debut. Whatever it is, it’s quirky and a lot of fun. Continuing to carve their own path away from traditional genre norms, vaguely skirting near everything from punk to hip-hop, hardcore to soul to melancholic rock. The lyrics are fantastic throughout, and the instrumentation is so damn interesting it’s hard not to love it. Highlight tracks for me are the soulful ‘LAZARUS’ and ‘HOTEL’, but the whole release is an interesting listen from start to finish, and worth doing at least once! If you are at all interested, it’s well worth a listen. The band definitely have a new fan in me, and I’m already curious where they end up going in the future, aside for up! I can’t give it any less than 8/10, just from a purely artwork perspective, though the quality is also high!
Iron Kingdom: Shadows and Dust
Now six albums into their career, the NWOTHM Canadians show that they are very much still firing on all cylinders! The band are all insanely talented players, for one, and it translates perfectly into some awesome songwriting throughout this nearly-50-minute release. Opener ‘Defenders’ is an absolute banger perfectly reminiscent of that 80s sound. Then you have the likes of ‘Dreamless Sea’, ‘Blood and Steel’ and ‘Dark Demands’ that are also big highlight. If you’re into all things Maiden, Priest or Hammerfall, this is absolutely the release for you. It’s a sound that has remained hugely popular across the decades since its inception, and honestly these guys do it just as good as anyone. How they aren’t a massive name by now I don’t know. Hopefully this is finally the album to push them to that level, as it’s a really great release! A very easy 8/10 from us!
Dutch Elm: Self-Titled
The debut album from the post/math-rock (almost fully) instrumental quartet is a fantastic half-hour showcase of pure talent. Non-vocal music certainly isn’t for everyone, don’t get me wrong, but I’d recommend everyone reading this to at least give this a try, you may end up falling in love with it, like I did! Songs like ‘Transmitter’ and ‘You’re Not Invited to That Riff’ are personal highlights. And then to get some vocals in the closer honestly felt like a treat, adding an unexpected and awesome layer to the bands sound. Even though it isn’t typically my sort of style, I got lost in the grandiose nature of it all and spun it twice from front to back over the weekend, loving it both times. As I said, the talent throughout is off the charts, and a lot of what drew me in as a musician. I’m curious to see where they go from here, but for now this gets a very sold 7.5/10
Shooting Daggers: The Real Life Thing
The follow-up to the bands 2024 debut album, this EP is heavy punk at its very best. Self-describing themselves as Queercore, the UK trio immediately have a big new fan in me. I was hooked from the opener, while tracks like the hardcore ‘T.R.L.T.’ and the Dennis Lyxzén-featuring ‘GLOW’ are also big high points of the release. The whole EP is great though and has an excellent flow to it, especially with the couple of shorter tracks breaking things up. It’s a lot of fun, as well as dripping with attitude in the best way! If you are at all into punk, do yourselves a favour and checked this out. But then again, they also feel like they extend out from the punk genre, very much doing their own thing. The trio are going to be massive, sooner rather than later, and they have a big new fan in me! An easy 8.5/10 from me!
Country music vocal powerhouse Tyler Braden has announced his return to the UK & Europe for 12 dates in February 2027. The Days Of Gold Tour will kick off in Belfast, with further headline shows across Dublin, Manchester, Glasgow, Birmingham, Cambridge, London, Cologne, Hamburg, Munich and Amsterdam, and a festival appearance at Zurich’s Albisgütli Country Music Festival.
Artist and venue presale for The Days Of Gold Tour will take place on Wednesday, 3rd June at 10am BST; with the C2C presale on Thursday, 4th June (10am BST); and general tickets on sale on Friday, 5th June (10am BST). Visit TylerBraden.com for more information.
UK/EU Tour Dates:
3rd February 2027 – Limelight – Belfast, Northern Ireland 4th February 2027 – The Academy – Dublin, Ireland 6th February 2027 – New Century Hall – Manchester, England 7th February 2027 – SWG3 Galvanizers – Glasgow, Scotland 9th February 2027 – O2 Academy 2 – Birmingham, England 10th February 2027 – Cambridge Junction – Cambridge, England 11th February 2027 – Koko – London, England 13th February 2027 – Club Bahnhof Ehrenfeld – Cologne, Germany 14th February 2027 – KENT Club – Hamburg, Germany 16th February 2027 – Hansa 39 – Munich, Germany 18th February 2027 – Albisgütli Country Music Festival – Zurich, Switzerland 20th February 2027 – Melkweg Max – Amsterdam, Netherlands
“I’m so excited!” Says Braden. “We’ve always felt so much love coming to Ireland, the UK, and Europe for C2C, so I can’t wait to see y’all again for The Days of Gold Tour! Stoked to spend more time with y’all and show y’all what we are all about!”
The tour announcement follows the release of his latest single ‘My Americana’, a nostalgic track that captures the bittersweet ache of a summer romance that burned bright and ended too soon, exploring the lingering memories of a relationship severed by distance and ambition. Last week, Braden dropped an official music video for the song, directed by Marisa Taylor – watch here.
A rising Country star with a Rock & Roll soul, Tyler Braden makes raw and heartfelt music that’s built for massive stages. With over 1 BILLION global streams to date and averages more than 10 MILLION streams a week, the Alabama-bred singer/songwriter kicked off a bold new era with his debut album devil and a prayer, which was released May 2025 via Warner Music Nashville. The LP is a 19-song tour de force that fully captures the formidable energy of his live show, as shown on the standout track “DEVIL YOU KNOW” (which amassed over 10 MILLION views across social media in just two weeks). Hailed as a “country powerhouse” by American Songwriter, Braden grew up in the small community of Slapout and began performing four-hour cover sets as a teen, later balancing his early music career with shifts as a firefighter in Montgomery and Nashville. Since signing with Warner Records Nashville, Braden has earned three No. 1s on SiriusXM The Highway’s Hot 30 Countdown, been named to the 2026 Opry NextStage class, while also sharing stages with Luke Bryan, Brooks & Dunn, Dierks Bentley, and Chris Stapleton, and toured internationally with Brothers Osborne.
