The southern rock megastars return this coming Friday with their studio follow-up to 2023’s Screamin’ at the Sky. It’s no secret that this band were massive for me in my formative years; I remember first seeing them back in ‘08 or ‘09 and being obsessed ever since. So, when this came across my emails, I jumped at the chance to take a real deep-dive into it! The band aren’t strangers to EP’s, having two Back to Blues releases pre-pandemic, but I honestly thought they’d be gearing up for another full-length by now. However, I’m certainly not going to scoff at any new music from the band, especially when it’s a pretty long release for an EP anyway! Written on the road when touring Screamin’, and recorded in 2025, I expect it to follow a similar sound than that release, though with BSC you can really get anything! Without further ado, let’s dive in!
Opening on the title track, an awesome, heavy riff bursts in to start things off with a bang. Chris’ powerful, unmistakable vocals soon come in over the top, feeling very BSC in all the best ways. The vocal harmonies that come in are awesome, adding a catchy element even through the verse. It all builds into the typically massive, arena-filling chorus that the band are so damn good at producing. And, lyrically, it’s fantastic too, powerfully uplifting and bittersweet in the best ways. It definitely hit me pretty hard, and is a message I’ve certainly needed to hear plenty over the years. And, we of course get a fantastic Ben Wells solo over some of the heavy riffing, though it was maybe a touch short for my liking! Still, the final chorus and massive outro take us home in style. It’s the perfect way to open the release; catchy, to the point and radio-friendly, while still keeping that heavy edge the band are known for!
The excellent riffs keep coming with ‘Neon Eyes’, it having a bounce and swagger to it that only Black Stone Cherry seem to create. I like it dropping back for the verses, and once again the harmonised vocals add a fantastic layer that would go down a storm live. A catchy pre leads to an equally huge chorus, complete with an awesome instrumental drop in the middle, a fantastic staple of the band. Another ripping solo comes over the bridge, the riffing behind it being just as awesome as the lead itself! I cannot get over how good that chorus is though, definitely an ear-worm that’ll be stuck in my head for days to come! It’s another awesome track, and even with it doing my pet peeve and fading out, it still easily makes it onto our playlist!
A similar vibe runs through ‘Caught Up in the Up Down’ (try saying that five times fast). Awesome riff, simpler chorus, huge chorus designed to be played to massive festival crowds, a great solo tucked away in the middle and an overall radio-friendly structure. However, don’t get me wrong, this is hardly a complaint. It’s an amazing song and has some fun elements throughout, from the amazing bass playing and tone to even the nuance moments like Chris pausing mid-flow before saying breath; a fantastic moment that really shines a light on the bands phenomenal songwriting skills. However, I just wanted to highlight that as a point of me not wanting to repeat myself over and over. Though I am a huge fangirl, I have to keep that in check at least a little bit for the review, right? Another awesome song that very much reminded me of their last couple of albums!
‘I’m Fine’ is a touch slower, or at least lower energy, and does feel like the ballad of the release. The closest comparison I came to was something like ‘Runaway’ or ‘Here’s to the Hopeless’, a ballad with still plenty of distortion and edge to it. And, of course, the lyrics are fantastic, another touching track full of emotion and positive vibes. It’s an excellent track, and a good slight change of pace which honestly was a welcome thing on a release short enough to probably not need it! Also, the instrumentation dropping out by the end to leave just the vocals was a MASTERFUL touch!
‘Deep’ is another slower ballad, this one focusing more on the acoustic and clean guitars (outside of the choruses) to make it even more of a traditional slower rock song. It’s a beautiful track and fits the tone of the release rather perfectly, easily drawing comparisons from me of ‘Peace is Free’. The band do these slower tracks just as good as they do the heavier blues stuff, and this is easily yet another highlight on a release packed full of them. Another one I’d highly recommend checking out!
‘What You’re Made Of’ perfectly picks the pace back up again heading into the final two tracks. It’s maybe the heaviest riff of the album too, bringing us back to their core sound after a couple of slower songs. It has a similar structure again to the other rockier songs, but has a real anthemic chorus that will be another easily stuck in my head. It’s a great track that brings us perfectly back round to the massive opening single. Then, we close the release on a fantastic cover, something that BSC do so insanely well. I’d argue this is even better than ‘War’ or ‘Can’t You See’, and features a perfect guest vocalist in Tyler Connolly of Theory of a Deadman. It’s a great song to being with, honestly maybe up there with the best written, but the band put their own heavy blues spin on it in the perfect way. It still honours the Simple Minds original while sounding like its own thing. It’s a lot of fun and the perfect way to close out a release like this!
Overall: This is an amazing EP! As I said, at seven tracks it’s pretty long anyway, but didn’t feel its length at all, the release going by in a flash each time I span it. Each song is as good as the last, and it feels like the perfect stop-gap release between albums while touring. I’d honestly put some of the tracks up there alongside their biggest hits, and I hope they become mainstays in their live sets! And, as I’ve said before, the messages present throughout are amazing, the band never failing to make me feel better! If you are at all a fan of them or the wider rock genre, I’d highly recommend checking this out as soon as you can!
2025 was a stacked year for new music, not just with new albumsbut EPs too! Let’s take a look back at some of our favourite releases in the medium, from rock to country to metal! We reviewed easily 100 last year, so if we missed any off you think deserved it, let us know!
15 – Redferrin: Some City, Somewhere
Starting the list off strong with our friendRed and his second EP! This is every bit as good as his debut, being 21 minutes of chilled-out country-pop. It’s packed full of awesome songs; his incredible vocals and powerful lyrics over some basic-yet-fitting instrumentation. And, it’s grown on me more and more with each listen, something I surprisingly don’t find much for me with EPs. It’s not going to be for everyone, but I loved it and have listened to it a lot since February when it dropped. It got an 8.5/10 when it dropped, but I’d say it’s crept a little higher than that by now. A fitting start to the list!
Listen to: Ruin My Night, and Mornin’ Montana
14 – Sypha: Borderland
At just three songs and 10 minutes, this is the shortest release on this list, but that doesn’t take away from how great it is! An awesome slice of modern metal in the vein of Spiritbox or Bad Omens, though very much doing things their own way too, I’d honestly put it up there alongside any release from either band. The screams in particular are fantastic, especially when they are around the awesome breakdowns. However, the cleans also lead to some incredibly catchy choruses and verses, and it all fits over the top of the massive instrumentation perfectly. I’ve been jamming this since way back nearly a year ago, and haven’t gotten sick of it since! It got a solid 9/10 from us back then, and slips comfortably onto our list!
Listen to:Dirty Floor, and The Afterparty
13 – Revenant: Best Medicine
A band that put out two new EPs in 2025 and honestly, either could have made this list. However, I do think Medicine does ever so slightly edge out over Black Dogs, personally. However, both are excellent NWOCR releases, and could easily be combined together into an excellent album! Still, this is an amazing collection of five stompin’ rock tracks, and it’s impossible not to have a good time listening to it! Even the slower tracks are excellent, showing off the bands damn impressive range. I cannot wait to finally see them live in February and see these tracks, as I’ve been jamming them regularly for months now! Another solid 9/10 from us sees this easily make our list!
Listen to: Public Service Announcement, and Least I can Do
12 – Miss Vain: Sempiternal Drive
The follow-up to their incredible 2023 release, this had a lot of personal hype to live up to, and managed to do exactly that! This is melodic hard rock at its absolute finest. Five songs packed with huge, heavy riffs and choruses designed to be played to massive festival crowds. We even get some awesome screams too, adding a metalcore element to it which I love. Their sound is evolving more and more, and they deserve to be a growing name. It fills a great Santa Cruz-shaped hole in my soul, and I haven’t been able to get enough of it since April. A very easy 9/10 from us solidly secures this release a spot on our list! Check it out if you like the more melodic side of music!
Listen to: Now or Neverland, and Demon Spawn
11 – Blake Whiten: Six Mile
That voice. Need I say more? The sheer emotion in that rasp and low delivery is somehow both devastating and beautiful in equal measure, and makes all six of these tracks a must-listen. It hooks you in immediately, and doesn’t let you free until the very last note. And honestly, the instrumentation compliments Blake’s voice and lyrics perfectly. It’s a slower, steady, neotraditional country album, but delivered with an almost murder-folk darkness to it and times, as well as a modern edge. If all of that gushing hasn’t done enough to win you over, just take a listen, it really is that good. And hell, the 9.5/10 we gave it might convince you, too! It definitely deserves a slot on this list, and if it wasn’t for it being such a strong year in 2025, it may have gotten even higher!
Listen to: Reckless, and Rollin’ Stone
10 – Craig Morgan: American Soundtrack
A real throwback to the early-mid 2000s country sound in the very best of ways. From ballads to more rockier numbers, this release takes you on one hell of a journey across 20 short minutes, and is one I’ve listened to a fair bit the last nine months or so! It’s all catchy as anything and, while a little cliche lyrically, is still damn enjoyable. And, while I wait for another full-length to follow up 2020’s God, Family, Country, these EPs that he’s been putting out are more than enough to keep me going! It got top marks from us back in February, and honestly listening back, it’s hard to argue with it! The cheesiness may have dropped it down a couple of places on this list but honestly, it’s still one of the best EPs of the year, hence why it makes this list!
Listen to: American Soundtrack, and Roots
9 – Circle of Origin: Guilty Till Proven Innocent
An awesome melodic metal EP up next, and a massively high-calibre one for a debut! It’s a style that’s right up my street, and the band do it phenomenally. It’s massive, the perfect blend of heavy and melodic, and takes plenty of inspiration from the massively overlooked groove-metal genre, incorporating plenty of bounce into their hard-rock sound. I have listened through this 20-minute release multiple times since it dropped in early last year, and don’t see myself stopping any time soon! Hopefully we are getting more from them soon, and I also need to see them live ASAP too, as I have to hear these tracks live! An insanely solid 9.5/10 from us easily lands them this spot on our list.
Listen to: Time Waits for No One, and Broken
8 – Everette: Simple as That
It’s no secret that I am a massive fan of this project. So, the fact that we are four releases in and it has turned more into a solo project and we are still getting quality this high is a true testament to Brent’s talents. All four of these track are amazing, feeling a bit more like their earlier stuff than Keys to Kentuckywas, which was pretty awesome. It’s another artist that should be far bigger than they are currently; just listen to this and tell me otherwise. I feel like it took a slight hit when Anthony left, but Brent seems to be gathering some steam again and, if he keeps putting out banger after banger like he has been, it surely will be bigger sooner rather than later! It got a 9.5/10 from us when it dropped but honestly, it feels like I only didn’t give it more because it just wasn’t long enough! If you like country even a little, give this a spin ASAP!
Listen to: Glad to Be Here, and Freight Train
7 – Jawfane: Me and All my Demons
A non-country Nashville band is always nice to see, and even more-so when it’s a fantastic, emo-adjacent heavy post-hardcore one! The debut EP from the quartet is a fantastic 17-minutes of anger, ch0nky riffs and brutal screams. It’s definitely on the darker side of releases on this list, but it also stands out a lot to me as shockingly not that many people seem to be doing stuff like this currently. And the fact that it’s done to this high a quality is truly awesome! All five tracks here are awesome, and it all fits together perfectly to make something truly special. If you like the genre, check this out immediately, you’ll surely love it! There’s a very good reason it got a 9.5/10 from us and makes it onto this list!
Listen to: Damaged Goods, and Friends and Enemies
6 – Tealdear: menace
This chaotic, proggy near-20-minutes is an absolute thrill ride of heavy music. It’s certainly not going to be for everyone, but six months on from its release I still love it! It’s heavy, catchy and incredibly creative in its songwriting, it all flowing surprisingly well together. The band are all such insane musicians and songwriters, and again shoutout to their producer Audiomage, who’s done a fantastic job here too! They haven’t gotten nearly enough love and recognition from this release, but I adore it and would recommend anyone into the quirkier side of music. It got an incredibly easy 9.5/10 from us back in June, and if you listen it’s very easy to hear why. I cannot wait to hear more from them already, but for now I am happy to keep spinning this!
Listen to: the devil’s toybox, and don’t be a cult
5 – Gareth: Steal Your Thunder
2025 very much felt like Gareth’s year. Not only putting out not one but two awesome EPs, touring with Kip Moore, main stage at Long Road, it’s hard to argue what a huge, breakthrough year he had. And this felt like this release really set everything into motion here. Fifteen minutes spread across five incredible radio-country songs, all as good as each other. His vocals are beautiful and powerful, and his songwriting ability is really off the charts! And, while I did enjoy Bluebird a lot too, this one stood out a little more for me, and was a bit more solid throughout. This release has set him up for absolutely MASSIVE things, and it’s easy to hear why we gave it a 9/10, though honestly I think it deserves even more than that now. If you are a country fan, this release is an absolute must!
Listen to: Steal Your Thunder, and Last Thing I Do
4 – Bleed the Fifth: Mortal Heart
The first new release from the band in three years and it certainly didn’t disappoint! This is an incredible slab of modern metalcore from the Welsh quartet that almost teeters on melodeath at times, which certainly isn’t a bad thing! All five tracks are amazing, and this whole release has been a regular in my listening still all these months If you are at all a fan of the heavier side of metal, this is very much one for you! It very easily got top marks back in March, and it’s hard to disagree with that some ten months later. There was no way this wasn’t making the list, and I already can’t wait to hear where they go from here!
Listen to: First Flame, and We Belong
3 – Rattlesnakes: Deeper Shades of Tourment
The debut EP from the young, Derbyshire NWOBHM revival band is incredible, and has been in regular rotation for me since its April release. It goes hard throughout, from the incredible riffing to the solid drumming to Rowena’s powerful vocals. And for a debut release to produce this level of quality songs throughout is damn impressive! It’s a sound that, while never quite going away, is seeing an awesome resurgence in the UK underground scene as of late, and Rattlesnakes very much positioned themselves near the forefront of that with this release. If you are a fan of old-school metal, give this a spin, you’ll surely love it as much as I do. A very solid 9.5/10 back when it dropped, and it more than lives up to that now. A deserving addition to this list!
Listen to: Firestarter, and Burn for You
2 – Evan Bartels: To Make you Cry
As if I wasn’t already obsessed with this release when it dropped, seeing it live made me fall in love with it even more. It’s such a simple release, being pretty stripped back to Evan’s vocals and guitar with liminal other instrumentation, but it draws all the focus on the lyrics and vocal delivery, packing such a deep, emotional punch. It’s made me cry before, live and when revisiting it here. Heck, ‘The Highway’ still gives me goosebumps to this day. Plus, talking to Evan about how it was made just makes me appreciate it even more! It won’t be for everyone, but music at its most base form is supposed to make you feel something, and this does just that every single time. Every track is amazing, and this is an absolute must check out, regardless of what type of music you’re into! It’s very easy to hear why I gave it a 10/10, and it definitely deserves this slot on the list!
Listen to: Death of a Good Man, and The Highway
1 – Fangslinger: We Are the Night
There was no way this wasn’t topping our list. I’ve been obsessed with this band since they started, and this EP brought together everything I loved about the undead redneck rock’n’rollers! Big riffs, massive harmonies, arena-filling choruses and plenty of southern rock swagger to boot. All five tracks are as good as the last, it being 20-minutes of hard rock greatness. They are already teasing the next step, but until then, I am more than happy to keep spinning this release. It’s a fantastic combination of their early singles, and it’s another release I cannot recommend enough to anyone even slightly interested. It was another very easy 10/10 back in July, and I fully stand by that now. These guys are gonna be massive!
Though we are in the home stretch of the year, we still have some awesome EPs being released for us to dive into. Let’s check them out!
Wounded in Forest: Antihuman Artist
The debut EP from the Finnish death metallers is a 22-minute powerhouse of heaviness. The riffing is awesome, the drumming relentless, and the duel vocalled screams lend themselves perfectly to the sound! It’s a pretty traditional sound for the genre, but the varied screams and shrieks definitely add an interesting element, as well as the great production giving it a more modern feel. Tracks like karaoke the Son of a Bitch’ and ‘Godspeed Filthy Warrior’ are personal highlights, but there isn’t a weak link on this whole release, it going by in a flash! It’s certainly not a release for everyone, but it’s a must for anyone with even a passing interest in death metal. It’s a very easy 7.5/10 from us!
Josiah Kaye & The Bonnevilles: Winter
While we don’t typically talk about cover releases often, this is a fantastic collection of countrified tracks for, to state the obvious, the winter season, and is a really great listen! From the traditional ‘Silent Night’ to ‘Silver Bells’ to more modern stuff like a better version on 1975’s ‘Wintering’, it’s packed full of fantastic, fitting tracks. And somehow, a basic Americana-folk arrangement still somehow carries a festive feel to it throughout. It’s a simple, beautiful release that honestly I’d happily listen to not just for the festive season. If you’re into country-folk stuff, and aren’t a grinch, do yourselves a favour and check this out! His vocals are incredible and it’s insane that this is my first introduction to Josiah, I’ll have to keep a closer eye on him for his original stuff. 8/10, it would have gotten even higher if they were original tracks!
Kakihara: Love Songs, Pt. 2
The first release from the Scottish hardcore band in a couple of years honestly threw me through a loop a little. Firstly, where is part 1? Secondly, I didn’t expect hardcore heading into this, but I was blasted by crazy heaviness for a solid just eight minutes across its five tracks. Honestly, it’s fucking awesome! Any regular readers of this site this year will know just how much I’ve gotten into hardcore, and this is no different, capping off the year in aggressive, heavy style. The flow through the whole thing is exceptional; I barely knowing where one track ends and the other starts without looking. And from the crushing instrumentation to the brutal vocals, it’s all performed so well! I can’t pick highlight tracks, it’s all one big performance and all of it slaps. Do yourselves a favour and check this out ASAP, you won’t be disappointed! 9/10, DAMN.
Another three awesome EPs for us to check out this week, from country to melodeath! Let’s dive in!
Chloe Loader: Fearlessly Wild
The debut EP from the UK country upstart is a fantastic early 2000s style release! Opener ‘Head on Down That Highway’ travels big Ashley McBride or Reba vibes, while ‘Cowgirl Boots’ is a bit more a boot-stompin’ southern rock track. Meanwhile ‘Lesson From You’ is a fantastic, heartfelt ballad, as is ‘Last Best Man’. And don’t get me wrong, the other two tracks are excellent, as well. There isn’t a bad song on this; it’s a very easy 20 minutes of listening. Every song is fantastically written, having a very classic vibe to it. And Chloe’s vocals are honestly incredible, her power and range is off the charts, definitely making for a big highlight of the release. For a debut release this is amazing, and a very clear indicator that Chloe is going to be a big name in the UK country scene sooner rather than later. If you are at all a fan of the genre, check this out immediately! It gets a very easy 8.5/10 from us!
Torch Us: To Non-Existence
The Finnish melodeath band are back with their sophomore EP, following up 2024’s Derailed rather perfectly. It’s only three songs, but 15 minutes of sheer awesomeness. From the riffing to the screams to the incredible drums and melodies, it all works so damn well! It’s very much an early In Flames vibe in the best way possible! If you have even a passing interest in the subgenre, check this out immediately, as this is honestly one of the best shorter releases in it. I cannot pick a favourite track as they are all awesome in their own way, and everyone works their asses off throughout all of them. It’s a genre that really need a mainstream metal comeback by now, and this very well may be the band that could make that happen! I can’t give it any less than 9/10!
Of Concrete Gods: The Art of Suffering
The third EP from the stoner/grunge metal band comes a full two years after their (some would call album) Hurt EP. In that time the band have somehow grown into even better songwriters and musicians. This whole thing is a powerhouse of riffs and catchy vocals for a full almost half-hour. From the opener/title track to the heavy-punk ‘Diatribes and Disappointment’ to the more lighter, proggy closing track, it’s all awesome! It gives off as much early 2000s alt metal as it does anything modern, but all the sounds combine together perfectly to make something truly great here. It won’t be for everyone, but I loved this EP a lot and will definitely spinning it plenty in the weeks to come. If you are at all a metal fan, check this out, you won’t be disappointed! A very easy 8/10
Another week, another trio of awesome EPs for us to be checking out. Let’s dive right in!
Edit the Tide: The Space Between Seconds
The sophomore EP from the US alt metallers is an awesome slab of catchy vocals and awesome riffs. Heck, a lot of the playing borders on math or prog, which makes for even more of an interesting listen! And vocally it’s amazing, being catchy throughout and still having some grit and screams where needed. There’s even some hardcore elements alongside the melodic parts, there being so many awesome sounds that combine together surprisingly perfectly. It’s hard to pick highlight tracks too, as every song is as good as the last. It has an excellent flow to it too, the peaks and troughs providing an amazing dynamic from start to finish. If you’re into anything from early 2000s radio metal (Breaking Benjamin and Crossfade) to more proggy stuff, I cannot recommend this enough. I loved it and the band certainly have a big new fan in me! I can’t give it any less than 9/10!
P.S. STUNNING artwork!
Leave no Witness: HELL AND BACK
A debut EP this time, from the West Midlands metalcore quartet. Combining their two biggest singles to date with two brand new tracks, it’s a powerhouse of heaviness for 17 straight minutes. Of course both remastered singles are awesome, but both ‘Familiar’ and ‘Heartless’ are up there alongside them, with the latter being a big highlight of the release as a whole. The band are all insanely talent; from the awesome riffing to heavy drumming to both the melodic screams and brutal screaming. I’ve heard the name around before but am shocked I haven’t checked them out before, as I LOVED this. They’re like an early Bullet but very much brought forward into the modern metal scene. So, if that sounds as good to you as it does me, check this out ASAP! An incredibly solid 8.5/10!
Rane Rautiainen & Paha Kaksonen: Ilman pimeyttä valo ei ole mitään
So just to put this out there, I have no idea what any of these words say or mean. However, I almost don’t need to, as I had a blast listening to this anyway! The pair have produced a great, fun, foot-stompin’ hard rock album, combining elements of sleaze, punk and AOR together perfectly. From the opener to ‘Uusi mies’, there’s plenty to love here, and there really isn’t a bad track on the release! The riffing is a big highlight of point, but the catchy vocals are certainly up there, too! I had no idea who either artist were before this review, but am so glad that they seem to work together regularly, as they fit so very well together. If you are at all into a sleazier side of rock, this is certainly the release for you! I’ll definitely be keeping an eye out for the pair more often, and it gets an easy 8/10 from us!
Three more awesome EPs for us to check out this week, from country to metal! Let’s dive in!
Hunter Brothers: All Kinds of Country
This is an incredible country release, combining both pop and rock elements perfectly. It’s got some of the catchiest choruses and melodies I’ve heard all year, every track made to be a massive radio hit. The vocal harmonies throughout from the brothers just add to that, too. All six tracks are absolutely incredible, there not being a single weak link in the chain. However, ‘Keep on Truckin” and ‘Homegrown Night’ are personal highlights. However, then you have the boot-stompin’ opener, featuring the awesome Lathan Warlick who adds a bit more of an R&B feel to it. Shantia also does awesomely on ‘Better Days’, and their cover of that iconic Jackson 5 song is also incredible, giving off big Rascal Flats vibes. I’d somehow never heard of the band before this came across my email, but they have a HUGE new fan in me, and I immediately want to hear more! For now though, I can’t give it any less than a 9/10!
Analog Amara: Slowly Falling Apart
The debut EP from the dark alt metal band is an awesome collection of vulnerable tracks that fit together like the perfect puzzle. From former American Idol contestant Amanda Hawkins to Authority Zero drummer Jim Wilcox, there’s plenty of star power here, and the trio work incredible together, writing five great gothic metal songs. It’s hard to believe that they’ve only been working together for three years, as it’s all incredible well crafted, performed and even mixed! It feels like a combination of Phoenix Lake, Lacuna Coil and Him in all the best ways. And from the opener to ‘Is it All’ to ‘So Far Away’, there are plenty of highlights throughout. It’s a fantastic debut release and could easily push the band up a few notches in the scene. If you are at all curious, it’s well worth checking out, and gets a solid 8/10 from us!
RaeLynn: Jingle Jangle Rock
Well, it’s that time of the year already. Goddamn, I was not expecting to be covering Christmas music already. Still, DAMN, what an EP! The genre always works surprisingly well with the topic, something I never feel like I expect even if we get some new in it every year, and this is no exception! The opener is going to be stuck in my head for the rest of the day, while ‘Redneck Christmas’ is a lot of fun, packed full of fun, tongue-in-cheek stereotypical lyrics. And, her version of ‘Run Run Rudolph’ is fantastic too, adding her awesome country-rock twang to the original. I’d somehow not heard of her before now, but I’ll definitely be checking out her other stuff now as I’m a big fan! And, I’ll surely be rocking this more and more over the next two months! A damn fun listen, and a very easy 8.5/10 from us.
An awesome collection of new EPs for us to check out this week!
Gareth: Bluebird
The second EP from the fast-rising Irish country star follows up his excellent debutjust under six months ago. It picks up perfectly where that release left off, giving us another 21 minutes of incredible country-pop from start to finish. It’s insane that he’s only fully been on scene the last couple of years or so, as his songwriting is phenomenal and is honestly up there with any early-mid 2000s big name in the genre. It’s impossible to pick highlights too, as every track is just as good as the last! However, I do have to give a special shoutout to the duet with Joss Stone; their voices complimenting each other perfectly and it honestly giving me goosebumps! If you are a fan of a slower, more folk-edged contemporary country style, I cannot recommend this enough! It’s easy to see why he’s becoming a big name already, and I can just see him going up and up more with each release! Another incredibly easy 9/10 from us!
P.S. his ‘Iris’ cover is as amazing on track as it is live!
Juliet Ruin: Regime
The third EP from the melodic metal band and long-awaited follow-up to Dark Water finally dropped today, and is yet another awesome release from the quartet! The bands post-hardcore/metalcore style is a breath of fresh air, a style not many bands seem to still do these days aside for the likes of Ashen Reachor Skarlett Riot. And, while it’s a completely different release to the previous in this article, it’s another that doesn’t have a bad track on it, it being impossible to pick highlights! Everything from the riffing to the drums to the insane solos is incredible. And the vocals… DAMN, *chefs kiss*. Both the cleans and the screams are amazing, Jess and the guys being all criminally underrated together. If you are at all into any of the genres or bands that I mentioned, or even stuff like melodeath, I cannot recommend this release enough! It’s criminal that the band aren’t far bigger by now, but this EP will surely put them on that path. It’s another very easy 9/10!
Emmett Jerome: It Ain’t Me
Another country-infused sophomore EP this week, this time from the Canadian Americana/folk artist. he perfectly follows up last years Rocky Mountain Son with this collection of rock-drenched country-Americana. From the awesome opener to the beautifully Zach Bryan ‘Bottle Song’ to the more blues rock ‘Write to Me’, there is so much to love on this thing. However, there really isn’t a bad track on it. Emmett’s vocals and lyric writing are the focal and clear high point throughout, and it’s clear we have yet another star in the making here. It’s a more chilled out take on the wider country sound than much of the rest of the list, but if that is your thing definitely give this a spin! A solid 8/10!
Alkemia: Alkemia EP
I had no idea what to expect heading into this EP. However, I’d have never been able to predict post-grunge but with more hardcore, stoner vocals, in Finnish! However, after some slight getting used to, I found myself really enjoying it! It’s has elements of so much different stuff, from the aforementioned post-grunge, hardcore and stoner, to more punk vibes and even a touch of death’n’roll at times. It’s nothing if not a damn interesting and FUN listen. Personal highlights are ‘1+1’ and ‘Kääntöpuoli’, but every track has plenty to enjoy from it! If you are into the heavier, quirkier and moshier side of things, this is well worth checking out! The band have a new fan in me and, with this being their debut EP, I’m super curious to hear where they go from here! 7.5/10
Noah Rinker: The Pines
This is a surprisingly epic release. While rather Americana/folk overall, like a Mumford and Sons, it also has a healthy dose of indie and even soft rock splashed in for good measure. It’s a style that, while probably done plenty before, still feels rather fresh in Noah’s hands. Tracks like ‘Tumbleweed’, ‘The Pines’ and ‘Matches & Gasoline’ are all personal highlights. His vocals and lyrics are honestly incredible. I do have to say, however, that while every track is good, they do all sound pretty similar. Thank god it’s just an EP, because I think I was flagging a little by this’ 22-minute length, never mind anything longer! But still, if you like this sort of music it is a fantastically solid release in the genre, and well worth checking out! 7.5/10
Ars Onirica: 2.5 Nighttime EP
Following up 2019s I: Cold and 2022’s II: Lost comes the I assume midway point before the third album from the Alexandra Sforza prog metal solo project. It’s an incredibly well rounded project, both the light and heavy moments done amazingly. From the distorted riffs and powerful drums to the more introspective lower moments, it’s nothing if not interesting. It’s a very easy 20 minutes of metal spread across 20 minutes, too! It’s really creatively put together too, with Dawn and Dusk bookending the release, and a three part ‘Nightmare’ track in the middle. It’s little creative touches like that that I really love! And Alexandra’s vocals, be it cleans or screams, are another big high point of the release. The whole EP just begs to be listened to in full, and very much rewards those that do. It feels like the perfect blend of ASP and In Flames. It’s sometimes not typically my sort of style all the time, but this is an absolutely phenomenal EP and one I will definitely be revisiting pretty often. I hate that I’ve only just discovered the project, but I really hope this means that he’s working on another album for the near future. For now though, this gets a very easy 9/10 from us!
Buffalo Traffic Jam: Take Me Home
Another slower, grandiose indie-Americana release, this time the second EP from the fast-rising Montana duo. Firstly, the vocals throughout are absolutely phenomenal, giving off big Shane Smithvibes in the best ways; the lyrics and emotional delivery giving me goosebumps on multiple occasions. Tracks like ‘Black Eyed Suzie’ and the closing two are big personal highlights, but there really isn’t a bad track on the EP! I did, however, check this out off the back of the Noah release, so was a touch burnt out by the style by the end. Still, it’s incredibly well written and performed, and they definitely have a curious new fan in me! 7.5/10
A stacked week of EPs for us to check out, from metal to indie to rock. Lets check it all out!
PRESIDENT: King of Terrors
The new mystery masked band (definitely not fronted by Charlie Simpson) have dropped their debut EP this weekend. Does it live up to the insane hype around them? Personally, no, but I’m certainly not the target audience for this sort of music. It’s very Sleep Token, and y’all know how I feel about them. It’s a touch more interesting and heavy than them, but still incorporates a lot of the same pop and electronic elements around the big riffs and occasional screams. It’s not bad, don’t get me wrong, but I don’t think it’s quite worth all the hype. ‘Fearless’ was a fun, almost Skillet-esque track, while the riffing in ‘Dionysus’ was good too. However, the good moments were few and far between, and there are only so many trap and hip-hop beats I can hear in metal before I immediately get bored of them. If you are into this sort of thing awesome, you’ll surely get a lot out of it, but it wasn’t for me at all. I can’t give it any more than 5/10, sorry lads!
Wells Ferrari: Wasted Time
The sophomore EP from the indie-Americana duo is just as good as their last, drawing together their last string of single releases into the perfect 23-minute release. The band’s sound is excellent, being a slightly more chilled out version of the likes of Mumford & Sons or even Evan Honer. The lyrics throughout are fantastic and packed full of emotion, while the pairs vocal harmonies are a solid highlight time and time again. From the excellent title track to ‘Bending’ to the epic ‘Cloud of Rain’, there are so many fantastic songs. However, there really isn’t a bad song on here; all of them are excellent. It’s the perfect release to throw on and sit back and chill-out to. The band are on track to become massive in the scene sooner rather than later, and this release will surely push them closer to that. If you are at all into the genres I’ve mentioned check this out as soon as you can! 8.5/10
Delilah Bon: PRINCELESS PRINCESS
Delilah follows up her phenomenal 2024 albumwith this four-track collection released between all her heavy touring schedule. It honestly feels like it acts as an extention of EHFF, bridging the gap between that and whatever is next. I do have to say it’s not quite as memorable as the album, but is still a damn good release! The opener/title track is awesome and been stuck in my head since I first checked it out. ‘CINDERELLA’ is a fantastic track too that I’m sure will go down a storm live. Meanwhile ‘BUSH’ is tongue in cheek and got a chuckle out of me, though I’m sure she makes some good points for women.
It’s impossible for Delilah to put out something I don’t love though, as her vocal ability is so insanely underrated. From her rapping to screaming, it’s all so good, and she’s very much kept it all turned up to 11. And she is PISSED throughout this, it making the delivery of her fantastic lyric writing even better. The instrumentation is great too, the electronic and heavy punk guitars fitting together perfectly, making an amazing backdrop for the vocals.
It’s a short release that has immediately made me come away wanting more, but for now I am more than glad to settle with this. A great addition to her already stellar discography! 8.5/10
Last Hyena: Suspect Your Elders
The first live gig we covered here at Overtone, this band have a special place in my heart for that. Add to that the fact that they are insane instrumentalists and songwriters, and I was damn hyped for this release. They didn’t disappoint at all, this is awesome! The mainly instrumental 16 minutes is a solidly awesome listen of proggy, mathy stoner rock, and blew my mind in multiple places. We even got some gang vocals on the opening track, a big highlight and made the track somehow even better. There isn’t a bad one on here, though. It certainly won’t be for everyone, but if you are at all curious I cannot recommend checking it out enough! The riffing throughout is top notch, and everyone is working their asses off from start to finish. A very easy 8/10!
House of Hosts: Reckoning
The debut EP from the hard rock/alt metallers is a home run right out of the gate! This is a fantastic release from start to finish, packed full of a big riffs, arena-filling melodies and some great screams here and there. I love this new generation of bands that are inspired by the likes of Godsmack, Nonpoint and Breaking Benjamin, and I would argue this release is up there with a lot of what those bands have put out! There’s even a slight hint of Tool at times, which I love! All four tracks are amazing and highlights in their own right, picking just one or two is impossible. If you are at all into hard rock or metal, stop reading this right now and check this release out immediately, it really is that good! I’m going to be spinning this a lot in the coming weeks and months, and I can’t give it any less than 9/10. If it was a full release, it may have even gotten top marks!
Eirra: Instructions Unclear
The indie-pop songwriter put out her debut EP this weekend, and it makes for a fun, chilled-out release! It’s not typically the sort of thing I listen to, but I honestly had a blast listening to this! From the quirky electro-pop of ‘Mona Lisa’ to the more acoustic indie-folk of ‘Soho’ and ‘Somehow, Someday’, there’s a hell of a lot to love. It’s easy to see why she’s a rising star pegged for big things in the future, and as a first non-single release, this is a fantastic start! If you are into the lighter stuff, check this out, you won’t be disappointed! Throw it on and just sit back and relax and get lost in it, I know I did! A surprisingly (for me) solid 8/10 from us!
It’s been a couple of weeks, but we are finally back with some more awesome EPs to sink our teeth into. Let’s dive right in!
Dominant Chain: Wasteland Requiem
The debut EP from the Finnish prog-symphonic metal band is honestly fucking awesome! It’s a lost more synth-heavy than I was expecting from their description, but it replaces the strings pretty perfectly and makes for a unique, interesting listen! It reminds me a little of what Metalite have been doing recently, which is certainly not a bad thing! This is four songs and an into that flow so well, and create a fantastic first impression of the band. The guitaring is a real highlight throughout; from the riffing to the soloing it’s all so good. Tracks like ‘Tears of the Tyrant’ and ‘Dirt’ may be personal favourites, but the whole release is pretty fantastic. If I had to make one slight complaint, the mixing could have been a little better. There’s nothing inherently wrong with it, but I think if everything generally sounded more cohesive and bigger, it could have been even more incredible. Still, a debut release is going to have some minor growing pains, and it doesn’t take away from how awesome this release is much at all. The band are going to go far, and I’m already curious to hear where they go from here. For now though, this gets a very easy 8/10 from us!
Unpunished: Echos of History
The Canadian metalcore quintet put out their sophomore EP today, and it’s a bit of a banger! It’s clear they wear their influences on their sleeves; I can definitely hear the Bleed from Within and early Parkway. However, I also hear a fair bit of melodeath in, definitely giving In Flames vibes too! From the opener to the Lamb of God-esque ‘Shattered in Disarray’ to the brutal closer featuring the awesome Alex Leblanc, it’s all amazing! There really isn’t a bad track on here, and it flows perfectly, as well as going by in a flash. If you are at all into the heavier side of metal, I cannot recommend this enough. I’m gonna have to go back and check out their debut release because if it’s anything like this it’d surely be amazing too! The band have a big new fan in me, and it’s insane that they aren’t already bigger already. Hopefully this release will push them to the heights they deserve! A very easy 9/10
Graham Barham: Whiskey Rain
Firstly, and I’ve said this a lot but not so much recently, eight tracks is a long-ass EP. I know country almost always have shorter track lengths than metal, and yes this thing is only 21-minutes in length, but I’ve seen less tracks on albums. The line between the two release formats could not be less blurred these days.
As for the music itself, it’s good! It’s very modern country, ever so slightly more edgy pop-country, but it’s a solid listen. The title track features Tyler Hubbard in one of the most fitting collabs I’ve ever heard. ‘BREAK OUT THE BOTTLE’ and ‘CAMO’ are also good tracks. It’s all pretty generic country stuff, very loosely ‘rock’ and definitely inspired by FGL and that ilk in a big way. If you’re into that sort of style, this is definitely worth checking out, but it’s certainly an acquired taste these days. While it’s not something I’d go to very often, it was fine and certainly an easy listen, even at its length! However, I don’t think I could have done much more of this, especially if it was going to be more of the same as the eight tracks here were. Graham is clearly a talented vocalist and has found a great fanbase that will love this. For me, it’s fine, and gets a pretty solid 7/10
Orchard Symmetry: Self-Titled
The English heavy alt-rockers’ sophomore EP is yet another blinding short-form release this week. Drawing on everyone from QOTSA to Muse to Green Day to even a fair bit of metal, they are a pretty unique sound, very much doing their own thing. That very much feels to be the British underground scene currently, with bands like Tealdear and Confydealso pushing the boundaries in a great way! Tracks like the incredibly Muse-y ‘Feeding the Wolves’, the punky ‘Lies That they Tell You’ and the heavy closer are all big highlights, but the other two songs are also great, too! The band are clearly talented players and songwriters; that much shines bright throughout. Another act I am shocked I haven’t heard of before but have come out of this a big fan! It’s not going to be for everyone, but if you are at all curious, check this out! 8.5/10
Another week and we have three completely different yet awesome EPs to check out. Let’s dive right in!
Tallboy: House of Glass
The debut EP from the UK alt-metallers draws together their previous three singles and adds on two more brutal songs to create a fantastic 18 minutes of heavy goodness. There’s elements of hardcore, metalcore and even nu metal throughout, all combining together in a fantastic, heavier version of a modern metal sound that certainly feels unique! Heck, the vocals actually remind me of Robb Flynn a lot, which I love! It’s so hard to pick highlights too as every song is SO GOOD. The band are insanely talented; from the riffs to the breakdowns to the brutal screams and more cleaner (but still harsh) vocals to the drums and bass going hard throughout, it’s all amazingly put together and performed. If you are at all into the heavy side of metal, this is absolutely the release for you. The band have hit the ground running in a major way with this EP, and the sky is very much the limit! A very solid 9.5/10 from us!
Clayton Mullen: Varsity Blues
Following up on his sophomore album from last year, Varsity Blues is five tracks in a pretty similar pop-country vein to that. The opener/title track is great and has a surprising amount of rock-edge to it, even if that rock is of the Camp variety. ‘Love on the Radio’ is radio-country goodness and one hell of a stadium-filling chorus. Both are big highlights of the release, but honestly it’s all damn solid. I think the shorter form of release helped my enjoyment of Clayton’s stuff; as just five-tracks meant I couldn’t exactly get bored of the style. If you’re into the more pop/radio side of country, this is well worth checking out! It’s come out at the perfect time of the year, and I’ll certainly be spinning this a fair bit through the summer. 8/10
theholeofmark: Show Your Heart Again
I was going to say that this sort of stuff isn’t really my thing. However, we’ve covered plenty of this stylerecently and I’ve loved all of it, with this being no exception! It’s a great combination of soft rock, easy listening and jazz, and is a great 20 minutes of easy-to-digest music. There isn’t a bad song on the release, but I found myself enjoying the title track and the almost Broadway-style ‘The Anniversary’ a little more than the others. Still, as I said, the whole thing is amazing and such a fun, easy listen. Mark (I assume?) is an insanely talented vocalist and songwriter. And I only thought about his butt for most of this review, what a crazy artist name! It’s not going to be for every reader here at Overtone, but I really enjoyed it and he has a big new fan in me! An incredibly easy 9/10!
