Another trip to the legendary Nottingham venue for a stacked lineup of incredible hard rock and metal bands! Having seen half of them multiple times before, I was certainly excited to see them again, while the half I’d not seen had me just as pumped! Without further ado, let’s dive into just how great it was!
The legendary Californian nu/alt metallers Adema were up first. A band that I’ve been a fan of since my teen years but never had the chance to catch live, they certainly did not disappoint! They didn’t have a huge amount of time, but they worked their asses off and put on a fantastic show regardless. It was heavy on their incredible debut, but we still got a cheeky track from both Unstable and Insomniac’s Dream. The massive hit ‘The Way You Like It’ was of course a massive highlight, but closer ‘Giving In’ was also awesome, and a big crowd favourite! Tim is back on lead vocals once again and sounds just as great as ever, while whoever they had on drums also killed it, just like the other the other two. I can’t believe it’s taken me so long to see them, but I already need to get to another of their shows, especially if it’s a longer set!
Next up were a band we’re very familiar with here at Overtone, South of Salem! It had actually been a little while since we’d seen them, and this very much reminded me of how much I love them! It was another set that was maybe a touch short, missing one or two of my favourites from their debut. However, the set was still stacked with banger after banger. From opener ‘Lwt us Prey’ through the awesome ‘Static’ to perennial closer ‘Cold Day in Hell’, the whole half an hour was amazing. Heck, we even got a cheeky cover, the band doing Savage Garden’s ‘To the Moon & Back’ perfectly, paying homage to the original while still sounding like SoS. Each member of the band worked their asses off throughout, and fromtman Joey Draper is such a commanding presence, the crowd eating out the palm of his hand from the very first minute. The band have been killing it for years now, and hopefully we are getting album three and a big headline tour soon!
Next up were my most anticipated band of the night, Finger Eleven. I have been a big fan of them for years, but somehow fell even more in love with them after last year’s Last Night on Earth. So, hearing ‘Adrenaline’ and ‘The Mountain’ live was truly something else! Having said that, I was actually a little surprised we got ‘Slow Chemical’ but DAMN, it was amazing to hear in a live setting! Just another incredible wrestling theme I’ve seen live, and my gosh do I miss when WWE had entrances like this again. And, of course, the likes of ‘Quicksand’, ‘First Time’ and ‘Good Times’ were also so great to hear live! Both guitarists put their all into the performance too, and Scott sounded as good as ever vocally. He may have been a little too stationary, but it actually kinda complimented their music well, and he still had some great crowd interaction! They fit perfectly on this bill and played a great set that was over all too soon. Shame the crowd were a little low energy for it, but outside of that it was excellent!
Out of the three times I’ve now seen Soil, this was the best one yet! It was still rather Scars-heavy like their last tour, but the album is packed full of so many bangers it’s hard to complain! The book-ending the set with ‘Breaking Me Down’ and ‘Halo’ will always be perfect, and the likes of ‘Unreal’ and ‘Black 7’ are incredible too! However, we had a little more variety than before. ‘The Hate Song’ and ‘Way Gone’ from their criminally underrated last album were amazing live, as was their new single ‘Enemy X’. And the likes of ‘Pride’ and ‘Redefine’ are always welcome additions to their live shows!
Speaking of the show, the band worked their asses off throughout! I touched on it when seeing Drowning Pool at Download, but Ryan’s vocals are stronger than they’ve been in years, and he was on top form as a frontman here! Meanwhile the rest of the band brought the energy in a big way, and were clearly having fun up there. They were a fitting headliner for the show, putting on one hell of a set for over an hour, and closing things out with a bang! And, what’s more, the crowd we’re big into it, marching the bands energy. Hopefully this renewed momentum and new track means another album is finally on the horizon soon…!
And there we have it, folks. A night packed with amazing hard rock and metal music, put on by four incredible live bands! I cannot recommend any of them enough, either on track or live, and this certainly won’t be the last time I see all of them, I’m sure!
Another absolutely MASSIVE week for new music across the rock, metal and country spectrum. Let’s dive right in!
Kings of Leon: O My Beloved
The 10th album from the southern/garage/alt rock legends comes barely two years after the critically acclaimed Can We Please Have Fun. We somehow missed that one here, but I do remember enjoying ‘21’s When You See Yourself when it dropped. This is more of the same; 50 minutes of chilled-out, well written music in a style that only the band can do. Despite the slower, relaxed vibes, they’re so good at making such grandiose soundscapes, almost having a jam band-esque feel. Tracks like ‘Cold Blue Dawn’, ‘Make it Count’ and the closer are personal highlights, but if you are a fan of the band or their sound you’ll most likely love all of it! It’s an album I’d certainly say is made for a full listen, just stick your headphones on and get lost in it. They’re a band that I never seem to actively seek out, but always love when I listen to them, and I’ll definitely be spinning this again soon! A solid 7.5/10 from us!
Carnifex: More Than Misery
Following up 2023’s massive Necromanteum was always going to be a hard task, but Carnifex rise to the occasion with maybe their most crushingly brutal release to date! From the title track through ‘Roses & Rotting Corpses’ to the grandiose, crushing closer, it’s incredible for its full 43-minute runtime. It’s certainly not for the faint of heart as it is some of the heaviest music out there, but if you like your metal brutal, this is absolutely the album for you. The band are all so incredibly talented at what they do, and for music like this to have such amazing production too is honestly rare. There isn’t much I can say about it as you know exactly what to expect if you know the band, but they more than deliver, and give us a release every bit as good as their last! A very easy 8/10 from us!
Blacktop Mojo: Discount Fireworks
Those of you who have been here a while know how much I LOVE this band. From playing with them on their first UK tourto being obsessed with their last album, it’s safe to say I’m a big fan. And, as a big fan, I have been impatiently waiting for this album since it was announced!
Thankfully, this somehow lives up to even my insane hype for it! It’s 40 minutes of incredible riffing and powerful, catchy vocals, and I can’t get enough. And, honestly, each track is as good as the last! From the stompin’, rockier opening two to the slower, more epic ballad-like following two tracks, I was hooked immediately. Then there’s the powerful lead single ‘S.A.D.’, the massive ‘Put Down the Dog’ and the grungy ‘Lay Here and Die’ that are all also phenomenal. However, that shouldn’t take away from the rest of the songs, which are all really fantastic. Everyone in the band is criminally underrated, both as songwriters and players, and I’m so glad they are getting the love they so sorely deserve in recent years! I will say that currently, it is maybe a tiny step below their last release, however that may be purely because I haven’t had time to spin it religiously like I did with that, and I’ll surely be doing the same with this in the coming months. It’s an album that I would reconnect to absolutely anyone, so check this out as soon as you possibly can, I’m sure you’ll love it as much as I do! A very solid 9/10 from us!
Hatebreed: Fatal Paradox
We’ve already checked out this awesome album! Read the full review here.
Comeback Kid: Chosen Hell
This is half an hour of beautiful, brutal chaos. The modern hardcore legends’ first album in nearly half a decade goes HARD from start to finish, and I’m a little obsessed! It’s a style that’s really grown on me since back then, so much so that I’m actually shocked I gave Heafy Steps such a low rating. I haven’t revisited it in a while, so I will have to do so and see if it’s sadly average, or just as good as this awesomeness and I’ve just evolved. It makes me miss Stray From the Path a little less, and will certainly fill that void for me for the next few months! And, honestly, every song was as good as the last. As much as I wanted to praise the opener, Courtney LaPlante-featuring ‘Shedding Season’ and the crushing ‘Tunnel Vision’, but honestly that would be a disservice to every other amazing song on here. Sure, it has the same ‘issue’ that I had before where it is all pretty similar. However, it is all excellent and is exactly what you’d want from the band, as well as flowing damn well. It’s heavy, overflowing with attitude but still has some catchiness and melody from their punkier roots. So, if any of that sounds like it’s your sort of thing, spin this ASAP! I can’t give it any less than 9.5/10, amazing stuff! Comeback kids indeed…
James Blunt: Airplane Mode
Jade: I must admit that other than ‘You’re Beautiful’, I can’t say I have actually checked out anything else from James Blunt. So this album had me pleasantly surprised. It’s all very easy listening, kind of gave me the same sort of vibes that I get from Mika, especially his later albums. I also got hints of Take That, the feel and sound of the album had some very similar aspects. Two songs in particular, ‘Weight Of It All’ and ‘Dancing In My Head’, brought me to tears. I was not expecting to be sat crying at a James Blunt album, but here we are. Aside from those songs and ‘Circles’ I will admit the rest of the album didn’t really grab me. None of it was bad, it just didn’t quite grab my attention as much as some other recent album releases. I do think I’m going to have to go back and check out some of his other albums now and bring some more James Blunt to my playlist! 7/10
Cult of Luna: In the Shadow of Your Shadow
Album 10 from the proggy post-metal Swedes is the long awaited follow-up to ‘22’s classic The Long Road North. To the surprise of surely no one, they once again knock it out of the park here! Of course the singles are awesome, with the recent ‘Sadness Will Reign’ being a particularly highlight. However, every song is great, and as fans of the band will already know, it is very much designed to be listened to in full. It’s certainly not a release for everyone, but if you are into the sort of style, the band really are second to none! The talent and songwriting is once again off the charts, and it’s so easy to just get lost in the dark, epic soundscapes. It’s one that’s well worth throwing headphones on in a dark room for the full 71 minutes! It gets another very easy 8.5/10 from us!
Bryan Adams: How’s it Goin’
I am honestly shocked by this man’s output some 45+ years into his career. And not just the quality (though that is high) but the quantity too. The fact that this is the third album we’ve reviewed by him, the last as recently as 14 months ago, is truly admirable, and is a testament to just how much he loves what he does. What I wasn’t expecting what him embracing the current musical trends and putting out a country album. However, it works for his style and sound, and is a damn fun release! It’s pretty stripped back and folky, being on the Bob Dylan or Keifer Sutherland side of the sound opposed to the modern vibes. It’s a chilled-out listen, and I loved every minute of it! Tracks like ‘Highway 16’, the perfectly political ‘51st State’ and ‘Canada’s Wild Eastern Edge’ are all personal highlights. And, while the album is maybe a touch slow overall, there isn’t a bad song on it, and I had a good time throughout! It is easy to see why he is one of the highest selling artists of all time, and he has once again added another impressive rung to his incredible discography here. 8/10
Sam Barber: Outlier
Jade: You can really tell that a lot of thought and feeling has gone into each song on this EP. The lyrics are really beautiful and you can feel all of the emotion. I have really started to enjoy more of the folk rock, kind of Americana type of genre. I recently got into Evan Honer and Wyatt Flores for it’s more moody, raw feel. I’m getting that same vibe from Sam and I feel like I’ve been able to get a glimpse of his soul from listening and really taking in these songs. Like with Evan and Wyatt this style of writing songs is just so raw and I feel like you can’t find a huge amount of artists like this…even with the music industry being so dense these days. A couple of my favourites are ‘Turn The Light Off’ and ‘Northern Weeds’. They were the stand outs for me, but all 6 songs were incredible. What a talented guy! 9/10
Rainburn: thirty-seven
Album three from the Indian prog trio is a really interesting 37 minutes of music! From big riffs to catchy, melodic vocals to some beautiful cleaner soundscapes, the album has it all, and combines it all together seamlessly. The bands talent is off the charts, both separately and together, and everyone gets plenty of time to shine throughout. The guitar solos in particular blew me away! And, while the album has a great flow and is absolutely designed and encouraged to listen to in full, ‘defy’ and ‘kings’ are personal highlights. Plus, the concept and story the release follows is fascinating and fits the genre and sound so well; frontman Vats Iyengar questioning faith, love and human it after an ordeal being surrounded at sea. You feel every single bit of the emotion and thoughts behind his words, and the instrumentation compliments it perfectly. It’s maybe not for everyone, but if you are at all interested I’d certainly recommend giving it a spin! A very easy 7.5/10 from us!
Little Angels: Big Bad & Back
The return release from the UK hard rock underground legends is their first new music in a whopping 34 years. Honestly a full reunion something I hoped for but never thought we’d get, let alone new music from the quintet, so I am certainly excited! And, the fact that it’s an awesome collection of music also helps! It somehow picks up right where Jam left off in ‘92, the bands amazing blend of classic rock, AOR and sleaze being so infectiously fun. ‘All for One’ is a phenomenal, grandiose opener that feels like it could have easily fit alongside their 90s output. Then there’s the likes of the Doris Brendel-featuring ‘You Want Love’ and the closer that are also incredible! However, the remaining two songs are also great, there really not being a bad song throughout. The band are firing on all cylinders across the full 21 minutes, everyone sounding just as good as they did in their youth! I truly hope this isn’t the last time the band are in the studio as they could honestly pump out an album that could rival anything in the UK rock scene today if this release is anything to go by. I am so glad the boys are back, and this gets a solid 8.5/10 from us!
Nihilo: Abyss
The death metal Swedes are back with album six, and go just as hard as ever before! It’s half an hour of brutal riffs, lightning quick drumming, great screams and incredible solo work, and every death metal fans dream. And, from ‘Voidbound’ to ‘Inherent Cracks’ to the closer, there is some really great stuff on here. Having said that, though, the whole album is pretty great, going by in a flash. It can be a touch samey at times, but that’s the genre, and if you aren’t into it I maybe wouldn’t recommend. However, this is an absolute must for more traditional death fans, or just those into the heavier side of metal in general. The band are all incredibly talented, work well together, and deserve to be so much bigger than they are currently. Hopefully this is the album to push them to the next level! A very easy 7/10 from us!
Asia: Indigo
The legendary classic/prog rock supergroup are back with their first new album in 12 years. Granted, it is just Geoff Downes of the original lineup, with the new three joining in 2024. However, the heart of the band is clearly still very much there, as this very much sounds like an Asia record! Over an hour of anthemic prog rock, showcasing the sheer volume of incredible talent the four members have, both at playing and songwriting. Whether it’s ballads like ‘Change of Heart’ and ‘Hymn for the Fallen’ or rockier numbers like ‘Life in the Sun’ and ‘Night and Daty’ it’s a fantastic range of sound. The real high is the three-part ‘Tattoo Indigo’ though, worth giving the full album a spin on its own! The album as a whole is a little long for me, especially given how much of it is slower power ballads. However, if you like the bands sound and style, you will most likely love all of it! There is certainly more good than bad, but it’s not an album I’d revisit as a whole all too much, more just the odd track. 6.5/10
Prong: Self-Titled
The New York groove metallers are back with album number 15. We were big fans of State of Emergencya few years back, and the same sentiment is very much carried forward into this release! It feels like the band have gone a bit more towards their thrashy, hardcore roots with this release; less massive riffs and a more brakeneck pace throughout. However, it’s still a damn good release, and another great addition to their storied discography. From ‘New Commission’ to the slower, melodic punk ‘Uncertain Truth’ to ‘Simulated Drowning’, there’s some really awesome stuff on here, too! The band are all so damn talented, and are still going hard four decades into their careers. I do have to say I don’t think it’s got quite as many memorable moments as their previous album, but it is still a lot of fun and a release I’d recommend to anyone even vaguely interested or into the faster side of metal. I’ll certainly be listening again, and it gets a solid 8/10 from me!
Mystical Death: Across
What a debut album this is! 37-minutes of technical, brutal progressive death metal, going hard from start to finish. The playing and creativity his off the charts throughout, blowing me away on multiple occasions. Tracks like ‘Laniakea’ (with it’s surprising, sexy horn solo), the jazz-introed ‘Empathy’ and the epic, operatic ‘Thalassa’ are all personal highlights. However, the whole album is awesome and certainly worth a listen if you are interested; it goes by in a flash! It’s an incredibly interesting release, the progginess complimenting and adding to the heavy parts excellently. The band have a very bright future ahead of them if this is only the start of their output. I’m excited to hear where they go from here, but for now will be spinning this plenty moving forward! 8.5/10
Mack Geiger: Dying in This House
A highly anticipated neo-traditional country debut album, Mack very much lives up to the hype with this! It’s the perfect mixture of Brooks & Dunn and Zach Top, and is impossible not to have fun when listening. ‘His & Hers’ is sets the tone perfectly, while the likes of ‘Just Called to Let you Know’ and ‘Walk a Straight Line’ are also fantastic songs. I do have a similar personal issue with this than I do a lot in this classic country revival style in that it opens with a bang and then is followed by a fair few slower tracks for the rest of the album. However, Mack is so damn talented a musician and songwriter that I still enjoyed all the slower stuff, and the album didn’t at all feel its length! If you like this sound even slightly, this is absolutely worth checking out, and I’m sure it will grow on me even more with more listens. And, having said that, it still gets a damn solid 8/10 from us!
Alex Little: Conversations in my Head
The sophomore EP from the Vancouver-born songwriter is a fun, quirky three tracks! Having elements of everything from traditional punk to indie, folk to rock, it feels pretty unique to Alex, and is an incredibly easy listen! Hell, it has just a dash of horror punk to it with the melodies and keys/organ work too, which I loved. Because of that, it’s also impossible to say if any of the tracks are better than the others, as they almost feel like they are written to be listened to all at once. She is one hell of a songwriter, and her voice fits this style perfectly. Having said that, the band behind her are also killing it throughout. It may not be everyone’s cup of tea, but I’d certainly recommend it to anyone even slightly interested! I can’t give it any less than 7/10, good stuff! It’s a style that feels like it’s making a bit of a comeback in recent years, and Alex is doing it just as good as anyone else!
Fools & Sages: Between the Stars
So, full disclosure, I have been familiar with a lot of this for a while now. I jammed with the band for a couple of years in their early days, so have heard a lot of the demo versions of this. However, hearing it fully realised, and most with vocals finally over the top, is something else! It’s 35 minutes of massive, grandiose soundscapes, interspersed with HUGE, ch0nky riffs and the odd incredible soundscape. They very much nail what they intend to, being a perfect mixture of old-school Alter Bridge and VOLA. I have to say the heavier tracks like ‘Ascend with Me’, ‘Sever the Ties’ and the title track/closer are personal favourites, and I’m so glad all these riffs made the final cut. However, the slower stuff like ‘All That Could Have Been’ and ‘Always’ are also great songs in their own right! Connor is an incredible songwriter and guitarist, and some of Gracie’s lyrics and vocal runs are amazing. And credit to ? and ?, who also kill it throughout.
If I had one minor note it would be that they could maybe use some harsher vocals over some of the heaver parts, but that is very much a case of personal preference and I’d imagine it doesn’t take much away, if anything, for most. It’s an amazing debut album, and the band have a very bright future ahead of them! I need more already, but will happily settle for listening to this a bunch more times while I wait. 8.5/10
Tori Darke: Who I Am
The first EP from the Australian country-pop mainstay follows a slew of singles in recent years, but is somehow the first longer form release from her since 2015. I’m glad we’ve finally got a collection of tracks from her though, as this is awesome! It’s like it’s ripped straight out of the early-mid 2000s country scene, reminding me of the good era of Taylor Swift or Carrie Underwood. Single ‘Prettiest Wreck’ is one hell of an opener, but the likes of the title track and ‘Buy My Own Beer’ are just as good! It’s an incredibly fun and easy 15 minute listen, and one I’d honestly recommend to anyone. It’s awesome and very much deserved that she is getting some real international acclaim nowadays, and she has a big new fan in me this year, that’s for sure! It’s a very easy 8/10 from us, and it’s an EP I’ll be spinning plenty moving forward!
Steven Wilson: Requiem for a Village
The prog rock legend is back with solo album nine. At the very least, it is better than the last one we checked out from him. There’s some fun riffing on the likes of the title track and ‘Wheel’, and it actually gets pretty heavy at times! Hell, I didn’t even hate the vocals for at times, it all reminding me of MJK’s various projects more than anything else. Do I finally ‘get’ it…? Don’t get me wrong, not all of it was quite my sort of thing; the likes of ‘The Same River Twice’ and ‘A Basket of Beas’ were a little on the weird side for me. However, it’s certainly not a bad album, and even worth the length if you are a fan of his style! I guess the concept of it is good too, with David Tennant doing a masterful job weaving the story of the release with his spoken word parts. Don’t get me wrong, I’d have preferred the heavier, hard rock style stuff throughout instead of its meandering into quirky folk, but even that had a certain charm just from its sheer unapologetic craziness and creativity. It’s at least made me curious enough to give his older solo stuff a second chance, and slight hope that I will enjoy his next release even more. A tentative 5.5/10
We had the pleasure of chatting to Mr Baby Lasagna himself, Marko Purišić, about their brand new album, their upcoming European tour, and his future plans! Check it all out below!
I think a lot of people will still probably be most familiar with you from Eurovision. How would you describe your current sound to people who are only really familiar with that one track?
Goofy-ass metal, I would say. I think we definitely got back to our roots, which is like metal and rock music definitely. And I think our attitude is maybe what can give us some kind of a window to maybe separate ourselves from other artists, and that is maybe our kind of lightheartedness or goofiness or whatever. I think that’s kind of the best way to describe what we’re doing. I think there’s moments of like seriousness in those kind of moments, but I think I’m way too biased to be the one judging that kind of thing, so maybe people other people should take a lesson and see what we’re all about!
What made you transition back to metal? Obviously you mentioned it’s where you started out!
Yeah, definitely, maybe like 15 years ago. I would say that Eurovision phase would mostly would be considered from myself a transition because everything kind of just happened and I didn’t have an album, I just had songs on my computer laying down. Those are the songs that I wrote for other artists and they just didn’t go through. So I was like, this is now hot, I gotta have an album. I’m not 100% satisfied with it, but you know you gotta put something out and I think it’s the right thing. But then now that we have time, we are going back, although we never left, to the things that we truly love, which is mostly metal and rock music with subgenres of like hard style techno and stuff like that.
I didn’t realize you were a songwriter as well. I feel like it’s a little rare these days in kind of rock and metal to find people who do still songwriter for the people.
Yeah, I think it’s also rare. So when I actually got the award for the best selling album in Germany, not for me but for the band that I wrote for, a Gothic metal band. So that was kind of weird. But I can understand and I appreciate when people even from rock music, they’re now older and they’re tired and they feel like they’ve already written all that they can write, so they’re looking for help. They’re still really involved in songwriting, it’s just that they need that kind of first idea, the first brick on which they will build their own kind of approach. It’s not the usual kind that you are used to, to maybe, I don’t know, Sabrina Carpenter or whatever. Like pop music where they just come to the studio, here’s your new song and go with it.
Speaking on the album, it seems to have gone down really well. I’ve read a few reviews outside of my own and everyone seems to be loving it!
Yeah, I was kind of surprised with it. Not that I didn’t expect it or… you never know when you release it. As I said again, I’m way too deep into it to know what it’s like objectively, like what’s the response going to be. I was hoping for it, but I think it’s good. The only objection I would make to myself is that I don’t have the moment in album, like everything is good, but nothing jumps up, jumps out. I think in the third one we’ll have that better maybe something. I don’t know, that’s what I feel like!
Yeah. I feel like maybe a couple of again, just because I wasn’t familiar with your stuff pre-Eurovision, I feel like a couple of the the screams and stuff like that stood out. But, yeah, I suppose if you’re more familiar with your stuff…
Yeah, I think it kind of lacks a good moment, like a good part in the song that really stands out. All of the songs are like, yeah, good, nice, but none of them is like, oh, this is the one. I feel like I’m sounding like the guys from NoFX right now. I remember them releasing an album and journalist asking them, well, tell us about your new album, and they were like “it’s okay, the last one was better, but this one will do”!
No, I know what you mean though. I suppose as well if you’ve been sitting on the songs for quite a while, and I’ve spoken to a few artists where they’re like, the amount they played it in the studio and then rehearsing for it for a live setting, you kind of just get a bit desensitized to it almost.
Yeah, man. And it was kind of a tense situation for us because, you know, now all of a sudden you have kind of expectations, you have people listening, which you didn’t have so far, that can bring some pressure. Although it’s pretty under the surface, I think we did a good job with what we had and I think we can stand behind that album!
Is there a theme or story running through it or is it more kind of, you know, separate tracks?
Yeah, as a songwriter, I never got used to writing an album as a whole, I was always writing song by song by song. But I can see now looking back on the album and listening to it, there’s a lot of stuff. So the first album was really commenting a lot on society and blah blah blah. The second one now is really self-involved more. I think it’s just because of Eurovision and everything that happened, our lives turned one day to the next, we’re totally different. Everything is now different and there’s a whole lot of attention hear in Croatia on us, and it kind of brings a lot of feelings, a lot of emotions, it changes you as a person. And I think the whole theme running throughout the album is kind of that; like wrestling with something new within yourself. The best thing I can hope a listener could get from that album is hope. And I know I was writing a lot of songs, for example, “Face On Your Phone” as a fuck you. So it gives them hope, give them strength to oppose everything that’s bothering them in life, so that’s that’s what I hope!
What’s the writing process like for you? Is it mainly you? Or do you guys all just kind of get together in a room and hash it out?
Yeah, we when we started writing this album, we rented a really nice villa and we were like, “now we’re going to write an album and it’s going to be so cool. That’s like what the big bands do!” We go we got there expecting to write, I don’t know, it would be great if we write five songs, six, seven, oh my god, maybe 10. We ended up writing one song, ‘End the Party’. And yeah, I got to tell you, I even told my boys that I kind of hate writing in a group. For 10 years I was writing alone and now it’s so weird. Crossing off each other’s energy… I need to learn that and I’m willing to learn that, but I just locked myself in the room and started to play with instruments as I usually do. The only thing that’s different is that guys themselves also write song without me and then we collaborate more later and so we did it like that. I literally have anxiety, like they would say hey, let’s have a writing session, I would be like, oh my god, it’s so stressful for me. I don’t know why, even though I’m best friends with those people, but it’s just weird. When you get used to it writing alone for 10 years, it’s weird just canceling it all of a sudden!
You’ve kind of touched on it already, but there’s more writing going on I assume, right?
Yeah, I mean there’s nothing else that I can imagine myself doing right now. And I want to do this for as long as I can. The life that we’re now living is basically what I dreamed of since I was nine years old. So, of course, I remember thinking about the third album and writing it in my diary, what I wanted it to be, on the day when we released this one. So everybody was excited and listening to the new songs and you’re so detached from what’s going on in the general reality of the fans, because with with my own head I’m already in the third one. And that’s like a songwriter’s disease, I would say, because I’m trying to write as many songs as I did before. I remember in 2021 I wrote 200 songs in one year, 240, something like that, so it eas a few songs a week. So, you know, my mind is already what’s next!
The tour starts soon, right?
Yeah, next week! By the end of next week we have a first date in Milan. I think it’s worth mentioning here that we’re coming to UK again, which is amazing, because we love UK and we still have some UK dates to announce. I think we’re coming 20th or 21st or 19th, I don’t know, to Manchester and London in November. Both shows are going really well, which I’m super excited about because having a good audience in UK feels like a privilege. UK is a big market so I’m really happy about that. And I can say if you liked our concert last year when we were last there on tour, I promise you’re going to absolutely love this one. We did everything differently, it’s going to be perfect!
Is there any kind of comparisons you can make between the scene out here compared to back home?
Oh, definitely. First of all, I love playing outside of Croatia just because of hear in Croatia… now it’s getting better and it’s going to get better with time, but the ‘Rim Tim Tagi Dim’ hype grew bigger than Baby Lasagna, than everything, it was just big of a song. And when you play here, people visiting your concert were not necessarily a fan of yours, they were fan of ‘Rim Tim Tagi Dim’ and they were just waiting for an hour to play that songs. As I said, it’s been now two years, so I think it’s it’s kind of getting in the right direction where we are doing solo gigs and people are are actually listening to our songs.
But yeah, playing in the UK is different. It’s where people know your songs, and last year or the year before that we played 2000 Trees festival, which was so perfect for us because a lot of people didn’t know us there and it ended up being packed. We were on some forest stage and by the end of it a few thousand people were singing to us, which was like the biggest honor because we are new here. They were singing like, “Oh, Baby Lasagna”. That’s cool. And that was one of my favorite moments ever in music that I’ve been to, and it brought tears to my eyes. So yeah, I would say we have a special bond with the UK, and last year London was sold out, I think this year Manchester will be and maybe London too, so we’re excited!
You seem pretty active and up on the whole social media game. Is there any advice you could give for a band or artist just starting out on that side of things?
Post and run! I’m talking to you right now on my main phone and I’ve got another phone that’s turned off where I have all my social media. And I just record a video, post and just close it and stay away. I can’t do it for me and it eats me alive. I can see myself like going down spiritually and emotionally at some point, just draining myself, so I’m definitely careful with it. I’m trying my best to stay active on it because I think it’s a cool way to, you know, work on your relationship with the fans, but at the same time it’s not good for you. I would be definitely careful with it.
I’m glad that you you said that I seem to be on it because I feel like, “Ah, you’re not doing enough, ah, you haven’t posted in three days” and oh my god, because I see people having teams, social media managers and blah blah on my level. Maybe it could work, but I don’t know. At the same time it’s just why would I hire somebody. But I don’t know, it’s all confusing a bit!
The metallic hardcore legends return this coming Friday with their ninth studio album. Being a whopping six years since Weight of the False Self, and having put out some excellent singles from this so far, the hype for this release is at an all time high! We’re big fans of the band here at Overtone so have been waiting rather impatiently for the chance to sit down and do a deep dive. So, without further ado, let’s do just that!
The album very much starts as it means to go on with ‘Kill Count Increase’. It’s heavy and brimming with attitude and swagger from the jump. A massive intro riff complete with some incredible drumming soon gives way to a massive verse. Jamey’s vocals sound just as fantastic as ever, only adding to the aggression of the track. It all leads to a pretty catchy chorus; simple and at the same level as the rest of the song, but the backing vocals add another great level to things. And sitting at not even 2:30, it’s in and out perfectly. The intro riff gets reprieved for a crushing outro breakdown, and somehow gets even heavier half-timed by the end. It is a fantastic Hatebreed track, and is an excellent way to kick things off!
Single ‘The Carrion Choir’ continues right where the opener left off. One of my favourite riffs on the album kicks it off before another balls-to-the-wall verse speeds through and into a massive, chuggy, almost groove metal chorus. It still very much feels hardcore and sounds like Hatebreed, but I do like them mixing it up a little in their structures and formula. The closing breakdown is absolute FILTH too, having me crowdkilling around my own kitchen both times I span it while writing this up. It’s everything that the band do so well, and a huge highlight of the album. It was a fantastic choice as a single, and a track that easily makes our playlist!
The first non-single, ‘Decisions Become Destinies’ gives big early 2000s Hatebreed vibes, both in the lyrics and the composition. I love it! The bass-led intro and the guitars coming in after was a great touch, as is the space and gaps between the massive drums and guitar chords for the chorus. It’s the best dynamics of any track so far, the changes between each part keeping me constantly interested and blown away. Again, it still feels like Hatebreed but goes beyond the typical hardcore genre into something really only they do. Hell, we even get a great (albeit brief) guitar solo tucked away in the middle before it drops back down to that awesome bassline again. I honestly adore this track and can’t gush over it enough. If you check out any song from the release, make sure it’s this one. Another massive highlight!
Tracks like ‘Total Invincible’, single ‘Make the Demons Obey’ and ‘None Left to Save’ are all more balls-to-the-wall hardcore tracks. The latter is probably my favourite of the three; the chorus being awesome and pretty catchy and melodic in its own way. I also love that it has plenty of room to breathe at six plus minute, really giving that breakdown riff at towards the end plenty of space to build, getting truly epic by the end of it. And then for them to just come in and kick our ass with another, slower breakdown at the end after a bit of silence, and some almost black metal guitaring, was really great and an amazing touch. It’s a fantastic way to close out the main portion of the album, and is another firm highlight! Having said all that, the single was also a lot of fun; your typical Hatebreed stuff and a track I am DESPERATE to see live! That chorus riff and vocal is CHONKY.
Then you have the likes of the title track, ‘Still a Threat’ and ‘Truth is a Lion’. While all are still heavy and very much in fitting with the band and albums sound, they have a bit more of a melodic edge to them than your typical hardcore sound. The former is another excellent pre-release single, while the other two have some pretty great guitar work throughout, almost giving Slayer vibes at times. All are great tracks in their own right, but you do very much know what you’re getting into with the band, and they do blur together just a touch on a full album listen. However, when it’s a sound like this, that isn’t necessarily a bad thing, as I’d certainly recommend spinning it in full!
‘Sacrifice Season’ features the incredible John Tardy of Obituary fame, lending his voice perfectly to the chaos. It gives a new depth to the track, again giving slightly more Tom Araya vibes in his delivery and sound, it fitting perfectly over the heavy hardcore instrumentation. It feels weird calling it a duet, but the two’s vocals do fit rather excellently together! And the instrumentation behind them is, of course, more heavy awesomeness. It’s another great song, everything working so well together!
The final track on the release is their cover of Corrosion of Conformity’s ‘Poison Planet’. It’s 85 seconds of pure anarchy; a breakneck pace with everyone working their asses off throughout! Jamey’s delivery is incredible, but the rest of the band also kill it with the sheer insane pace of the song. It’s a great rendition of the track, doing justice to the original yet modernising it with its production. Honestly, early CoC doesn’t get enough love these days, so hopefully this shines a light on the bands heavier roots!
Overall: This is another stellar release from the band! They have not lost even a fraction of a step in the six years since their last album, delivering everything you’d want from them in spades. There isn’t a bad track throughout and, as I said, I’d honestly recommend giving the album a spin in full as it does have a great flow to it. If you are at all a fan of the band or the style, give this a listen ASAP. It’s crazy that over three decades into their careers, they are still just as good as they’ve ever been! I’m sure to be listening to this a hell of a lot moving forward!
We had the pleasure of sitting and chatting with the wonderful Aaron of the blues-rock power couple When Rivers Meet the other week. Check out as we chat about their latest album, upcoming tour and much more!
Your latest album dropped a few weeks ago, it seems to have gone down really well! Have you managed to see much of the fan and critical response?
We really have, and honestly, it’s been quite overwhelming in the best possible way. We always put so much of ourselves into making a record, so once it’s out there, you never quite know how people are going to connect with it.
The response from the Rapids has been incredible. We’ve had so many lovely messages, comments and conversations with people telling us which songs have connected with them and what the album means to them.
We’ve also been really pleased with the critical response. It’s lovely to see the album getting recognised, but ultimately, we’re just grateful that people are listening to real music.
Is there a certain theme running through the album, or is it more on a track-by-track basis?
I think there’s definitely a thread running through the album, but it wasn’t something we set out to create as a concept album. A lot of the songs came from different experiences and emotions, so each track has its own story and its own place on the record.
There are definitely themes of love, relationships, resilience, letting go and finding your own strength running through it. There’s also a sense of independence and standing our ground, which is something that’s really important to us, both personally and as a band.
You recently welcomed a child together. How has that changed things in terms of the music? I know at least the closing track of the release seems to be about it, and as a future father certainly touched me!
Becoming parents has definitely changed things for us, but in a really positive way! Music has always been such a huge part of our lives, and now we have Bobby, it’s about finding that balance between being musicians and being Mum and Dad.
And yes, the closing track ‘Bring Life’ is very much connected to that! It’s quite special knowing that something so personal to us can resonate with other people, particularly those who are about to become parents themselves.
Has your sound changed or evolved much from your early EPs to now?
Yes, definitely. I think our sound has naturally evolved as we’ve grown as musicians and songwriters. Our early EPs were very much rooted in traditional blues, with quite a raw, stripped back sound. Over the last 3 albums, we’ve explored more of our rock influences, and our music has become, heavier introducing dual guitars, Keys and extra harmonies into the mix.
We’ve also become much more confident in our songwriting and production. We’ve also opened up to co-writing with our producer and drummer on the last two albums, and I think that’s allowed us to experiment more without losing what makes us sound like When Rivers Meet.
We’ve never really wanted to put ourselves in a particular box. We love blues, rock, Americana and all sorts of music, and those influences have gradually found their way into what we do. But at the heart of it.
Have you got much of a tour planned for the rest of the year to support the albums release?
Absolutely! We’ve just finished our September and October Rhythm Rust & Static trio tour, which was our first tour back since having Bobby, and it was brilliant to get out playing live again.
We’ve now got our biggest tour of the year coming up in November and December, the Backbone Tour, where we’ll be heading out across the UK with our full six-piece band.
You’re rather involved on the social media side of things, do you have any advice you could give to a band or artist just starting out, in that regard?
I think the biggest piece of advice we’d give is to be consistent and be yourself. Social media is such a powerful tool for independent artists, but it’s important to remember that it’s not just about promoting your music, it’s about building a connection with people.
Do you have a dream tour lineup you’d want to be a part of? Anyone you’d want to support still or friends you’d want to bring along?
There are so many bands we’d love to share a stage with! We’ve been really fortunate to support Blue Öyster Cult at the London Palladium last year, and we’ve been invited back to support them in Glasgow next April, which is fantastic.
We’d absolutely love to tour with someone like The Black Crowes, Rival Sons,Thunder, G’N’R to name but a few. They are all incredible live bands, and we think our music would sit really well alongside theirs.
As for bringing people along, we’ve met so many brilliant musicians and made some great friends over the years. One of the best things about touring is getting to share those experiences with other artists, so putting together a tour with some of our favourite people would be pretty special!
If you could have written one song from history, what would it be and why?
That’s such a difficult question because there are so many incredible songs out there! But I think we’d have to go with The Chain’ by Fleetwood Mac. It’s such a brilliantly written song, the way it builds, the emotion behind it, and that iconic bass line. It’s one of those songs that manages to be quite simple in places but incredibly powerful. We love music that takes you on a journey, and that song does exactly that. It’s timeless!
Pick up tickets to the Backbone tour here while you still can!
The industrial metal legends are back with a brand new album, their 17th and supposed final ever. They are a band I have loved for decades at this point, and have covered in varying capacity on this site in the past, so there was no way I wasn’t going to dive in to Al Jourgensen and co.’s final release head first. The singles so far have been pretty great, so I am very curious to see what the rest of the album holds!
The album opens perfectly with ‘Crickets’. A massive drumbeat soon has the guitar and bass explode in with an expectedly awesome industrial metal riff, Al’s vocals fitting excellently over the top with his signature grit and reverb and effects. It stays at a similar level for the chorus but honestly is still pretty catchy with its call-and-response vocals and melody. The spoken word bits and audio clips fit excellently with the tone of the song and the band too, and add another great dynamic to the song. It’s everything you’d expect from Ministry in the best possible way. It’s simple yet incredibly effective, bringing to the table great riffs, vocals and a suitably punk-esque level of attitude and message!
Similar vibes continue through ‘Voices of Hate’, that opening/main riff being incredible! It’s so heavy and the breakneck pace had me instantly hooked. The drums behind it go hard too, and Al’s harsh, almost screamed vocals fit into the mix perfectly. Again, the audio clip playing over the top is also great, and the sentiment is fantastic. I know there will be plenty that disagree with it and even get angered and offended by it, but as an outsider looking in it’s almost impossible not to see it this way, and it’s amazing to have bands still willing to stand up and fight against it. Especially when it’s an older band with nothing left to prove, like Ministry. Oh yeah, and straight after all that, we get an awesome guitar solo, just for good measure! It’s a really fantastic track, one that I’d arguably put up there alongside some of the bands best in recent decades, and it’s a song that easily makes our playlist!
More awesome riffing and drumming follows in ‘Clown Car’, the balls-to-the-wall drum pace being particularly excellent! Al’s vocals are a little higher in the mix this time which was nice, as as much as I loved the vibe of the last couple of tracks, his voice could get a little lost at times. They’re a little cleaner too, and the delivery reminds me of more like Ice T, which is certainly a good thing! To be honest, it’s essentially a crossover thrash song, and I’d absolutely LOVE to see this live. And that almost groove-metal breakdown riff after the solo… *chefs kiss*. It’s another massive album highlight on a release so far packed full of them!
The first single from the album, ‘We Hate’, is up next. The pace is slower, more of a boot stomper, but it doesn’t lose any of its heaviness or swagger. Al’s gritty vocals sound great over the top of it, again having the volume cranked on them. And once again, the lyrics here are fantastic, filled with passion, anger and truth. It’s got all the hallmarks of a Ministry track, from the riffing to the tones, writing to the message, so makes for a fantastic choice for a single! The guitar soloing in particular is another real high point alongside the lyrics/vocals. The only slight downside is the AI music video, but we just ignore that and listen to the song on its own, right? It’s a great song in its own right, even at the five plus minute runtime. The band are so far four for four on excellent tracks on this album!
‘Delete’ is a fun track about our social media consumption. The intro minute was fun with all the voiceover, the instrumentation fitting perfectly behind it. The rest of the track is very much typical Ministry, and is of course a lot of fun and damn good! It does feel ever so slightly “old man yells at clouds”, but it does still fit the theme of the album well. I just love industrial metal, and Ministry and some of the very best to do it, even nearly 50 years into their careers!
‘Grifter’, another great anti-Trump song, slows the pace down perfectly at the mid-point of the album. It’s a plodding track with a great driving bassline at its core and some simple, solid drums. The synth stuff was a nice addition, and the guitar still gets plenty of time to shine throughout. It gives much more focus on Al’s vocals too without so much going on too, and it’s maybe his best performance on the whole album. It’s completely different to the rest of the release, almost having an AIC-like grungeness to it all. It’s another massive highlight of the album for me, and a song I’d recommend to absolutely anyone!
The pace picks up a little for ‘The White Man Lied’, but still feels a little lighter than the early album stuff. It’s almost a blues vibe with the intermittent vibe and steady drums, but also reminds me a lot of later Rob Zombie. It still has the usual spoken word stuff in there, and the message is another fantastic one, but it does have an appreciatedly different vibe again. I am being kept far more interested in this album than I expected to be, and I love it! Another good song!
The final two singles follow suite next in ‘Singularity’ and ‘Burned Out’. The enemy crescendos again, a heavy, groove metal riff leading the former. It’s a little less chaotic than a lot of the rest of the album, still feeling like industrial metal and like Ministry, but a bit more radio friendly and a great choice for another single. It’s yet another fantastic song! The latter also had a similar vibe; a steady pace, a big focus on the great riffing and catchy vocals, and a real White Zombie feel. It’s a simple track that is a lot of fun and is good in its own right! And again, the lyrics are so very poignant, and it really is sad to think of the state of the world in 2026.
Album closer ‘We’re Still Here’ surprisingly ties together everything before it perfectly! It’s a little slower but still industrial, a heavy and dark feel to it. However, it is also uplifting, especially from the midpoint, and carries a message of hope despite everything that has been spoken about before. It’s a fantastic writing and producing choice to put a track like this at the end, closing things out on a high note after so much anger and sadness. And, as a song in general, it is so masterfully put together and composed. It really feels like a finale, even more incredible given this is their last album. It honestly gave me goosebumps, and is another song I’d recommend to anyone!
Overall: This is a really good album! I’d expect nothing less from the industrial metal legends, but it is my favourite they have put out in a while, honestly. There isn’t a bad song throughout, while there are a few I’d easily put up there alongside the top tracks from the band, period. I’ve harped on about the theming and message plenty, but it really is a rather refreshing thing to hear these days, and fits in perfectly with Ministry’s ethos. And, the instrumentation was incredible throughout, too! If this truly is their swan song, what a way to go out!
We finally got back to promoting some shows last week, and what a first gig back it was! Two awesome bands in an awesome venue, what more could you want?! Check out just how much of a blast we had below!
Y’all should all know the drill by now. Best band in the world with the best bassist, yada yada. In all seriousness though, it was a great fun gig! We sounded pretty good out end, and I am so thankful to everyone who came down a little early to check us out! Everyone who came down has made not only this event possible, but future ones too (yes, keep your eyes peeled!). But yeah, it was an incredibly fun, incredibly warm 45 minutes, and I feel like we’ve really refined the setlist over the last few months into all the very best songs. The upcoming album stuff in particular is really standing out currently, and I cannot wait to finally record it and start putting it out. If you haven’t seen Eddie & The Wolves yet, what are you waiting for? Get your asses down to a gig!
After a brief changeover, the mighty Juliet’s Not Dead took to the stage. Somehow it had been a while since I had seen them, so having them grace the stage at one of our own shows, at a venue I love, was truly awesome! And my god, they owned that stage for the full hour! The band were all on absolutely top form, sounding awesome, and really played their asses off through the whole set. Stevie is an amazing frontman, holding the crowd in the palm of his hand from start to finish. However, every other member of the band put on a show befitting of their get reputation, too!
And, as for the setlist itself, it was awesome! We got all the best tracks from their massive latest album, with the likes of ‘Open Fire’ and ‘Last One Standing’ being particular highlights in that regard. However, they also still managed to squeeze in a couple of older, firm fan favourites, too. The crowd were very much there to see them and they certainly didn’t disappoint, playing everything they could possibly want to hear! The band have been on the precepts of breaking out to the next level for a while now, and their stage show and performance very much reflect that. I already can’t wait to hear the new music they’re working on (which we even got a sneak preview of here too), and I’m sure that will almost certainly do that for them!
And there we have it folks, an awesome night of hard rock music from two hungry young bands! I may be bias but I don’t care, go and see the both of them whenever they are next near you, you certainly won’t be disappointed! And the venue is also great, the sound being excellent throughout. And, as I said above, there is certainly more of our shows to come there, so keep your eyes peeled!
The London-based gothic singer-songwriter returns this coming Friday with her fourth album. I have to admit that, outside of maybe a track or two, I’m not hugely familiar with A.A. Williams’ work. I know her general sound, but have never had the chance to check out a full album by her until now. So, to say I’m curiously excited would be an understatement! She’s become a big name in the scene in recent years, and I’m very ready to see why that is. Let’s dive right in!
‘Poison’ opens the album perfectly, setting a dark, alt tone right off the bat. From the piano notes to the jarring distorted guitar coming over the top, but the melodic vocals and simple drums bridging the gap excellently, I was curiously hooked. It builds to a big, steady chorus. It somehow has a similar vibe as the verse will still feeling grander, everything flowing through the track excellently. It reminds me a lot of Chelsea Wolfe immediately, and that’s hardly a bad thing! It’s like pop-infused gothic, and it’s really interesting. The bridge, while not much different, keeps a similar level and adds even more epicness to the final chorus. And that outro with the lead guitar line over… DAMN. It’s not the sort of thing I tend to go for often, but I really enjoyed the song!
The pace slows for ‘Wolves’, an almost menacing clean guitar chord progression starting things off before Williams’ powerful, low vocals come in over the top. The rest of the instrumentation and distortion explodes in for the chorus, before immediately dropping back out again after. The dynamics of the track are really awesome, a masterclass in writing and production. The atmosphere created throughout the track is truly fantastic, somehow having elements of black metal almost alongside the alt, pop and emo. It makes for really fascinating listening! The arrangement of the song is pretty simple, but it’s so grandiose and epic by the end that you just get swept up and lost in it. An easy early highlight!
Tracks like ‘Little by Little’ and ‘Hold It Together’ are both slower, goth-pop based tracks that absolutely explode into the massive, epic metal around the midway mark. Once again, there’s some elements of black metal in the guitaring. Between that and the synth/orchestral elements behind it, they add a level of massive to each track that is almost unrivalled. Each track takes the listener on a journey, which I imagine was the exact intent. The latter is my favourite of the two, but they are both good songs in their own right!
‘Outlines’ adds not only a proggy element to the sound, but also leans into the folk side of it. A lot of it is just Williams, a fantastically toned guitar and some other subtle instrumentation. Some of the heavier instrumentation builds in around the midway mark, but it feels more than earned at that point. It almost has a film score vibe to it, that’s how epic it’s gets. And Williams’ vocals over the top of the heavy stuff was honestly perfection, SO GOOD. And it all dropping back out again… *chefs kiss*. This is my favourite track on the album and easily makes it onto our playlist. Amazing stuff!
‘I’ve Seen Enough’ is the beautiful ballad of the album. The main focus is on just the simple piano chords and the effortless vocals. There are other instruments that build in throughout, but stuff like the strings and drums only add to the other two elements. The lyrics are utterly fantastic too, packed with emotion and fitting the tone of the song perfectly. The moodiness and almost ethereal captured here is truly special, and I’ve already given it multiple listens just to fully capture the bittersweet beauty. The whole last almost couple of minutes just being instrumentation building and swelling is honestly perfection. It’s another track I cannot get enough of, and I’d recommend it to absolutely anyone reading this. Fantastic stuff, and another massive high point of the release!
A similar vibe continues through ‘The Veil’ and ‘Breathe’ (though the latter is a guitar inside of piano), though neither hit quite as hard as ‘I’ve Seen Enough’. However, ‘Just a Shadow’ was another big highlight track for me! The almost poem-like opening is amazing, and the moody, almost grunge-like chorus is fitting and phenomenal. It’s maybe my favourite chorus on the album too, the melody soaring and rather catchy! It follows a pretty standard formula for the album, but all the elements just add up amazingly here!
‘It Won’t Rain Forever’ returns to a similar formula as the opening tracks, while closer ‘The Gentle Harm’ is another epic, slow build song that really feels like an amalgamation of everything before it. It has a bit of everything, the beautiful piano intro, the soaring, melodic vocals and dark lyricism, and the massive distorted guitars and drums later on. It’s epic, and the best way to close out an album like this! Another highlight on an album packed full of them!
Overall: I wasn’t too sure on this album heading in, but it won me over more and more throughout. Sure, it won’t be to everyone’s tastes, but I thought it wouldn’t be for me and was more than pleasantly surprised, so it’s well worth a try if you’re on the fence. There is a lot that’s similar, but it all fits together like the perfect atmospheric puzzle, and goes by surprisingly quickly. There are two or three tracks in particular that honestly blew me away! Williams has a big new fan in me, and I’ll certainly be spinning this again plenty in the weeks and months to come!
Here we are, that time of the year again! The month where I go insane and try to rank 100 out of the over 500 albums I’ve listened to this year into the order in which I enjoyed them the most. It’s equal parts subjective and objective, and I’m convinced I’ve left off so many excellent albums, so if your favourites aren’t here, I’m sorry and they are most likely awesome! Without further ado, let’s dive into the chaos, shall we?
100 – Eli Young Band: Strange Hours
Yep, that’s how strong we’re starting. I told you it’s been a tough year! The Texan country band put out their seventh studio album back at the start of August, and it’s been a mainstay in my rotation since then. It was the perfect summer album, combining catchy vocals and harmonies with their brand of country which perfectly combines pop, rock and Americana. I’ve been a fan of the band a few years now, and this is easily my favourite release from them in that timeframe. It’s a strong album from start to finish, being an incredibly easy 43-minutes of chilled-out, catchy country to listen to! It’s so well written and put together, the perfect inoffensive release into the genre that covers pretty much all bases. So, if you even have a passing interest in the genre, I’d definitely recommend checking it out! We gave it a solid 9/10 upon release, and I very much stand by that now!
Listen to: Nothing on the Wild, All Good with Me, and Everybody Else
99 – Circus 66: Elements
Album #2 from the UK hard rockers blew me away back in March, and upon revisiting it for this list, I was blown away once again! It’s nearly 50 minutes of awesome, foot-stompin’, sleazy guitar riffing and soaring vocals, and I love it! The band are all insanely talented, everyone getting their time to shine plenty throughout, and have crafted an excellent collection of NWOCR tracks here. It’s impossible not to have a good time listening to this, and I cannot recommend it enough to any rock fans out there. It’s insane to me that they aren’t a massive band already, but they have killed it with this release and are very much looking like 2026 will be a breakout year for them! It’s very easy to hear why we gave it 9/10, and why it makes it onto our list!
Listen to: Replace the Pain, We All Need Saving, and Love on the Other Side
98 – An Evening With Knives: End of Time
This proggy alt metal release from towards the start of the year came five years after their previous studio album, and showed just how much the band had grown and matured. It’s heavy, groovy and melodic in all the best ways, and somehow combines together elements of everything from stoner and desert rock to prog to heavy metal to plenty in between! The trio are insanely talented, all playing their asses off from front to back, and have produced something truly special with this release, managing to sound pretty unique at a time when that is almost impossible! If you are into anything from QOTSA to Tool to even Machine Head and Devildriver, do yourselves a favour and check this out ASAP! It got a very easy 9/10 from us when it dropped, and I fully stand by that rating now, showing just why it made the cut for this list!
Listen to: Pride of Lions, Death and The Mistake
97 – Trick or Treat: Ghosted
This epic slab of old-school heavy metal mixed with more old-school power metal is just as fantastic now as it was in April when it first dropped. Combining sounds like Iron Maiden, Judas Priest and Hammerfall and their spooky, horror theming works perfectly, and makes for a solid album as it is. Then you take into account just how phenomenally talented every band member is, from the vocals to the drumming to the soloing and riffing, it’s all so good, and it’s so very easy to fall in love with this release. It’s stacked to the brim with awesome tracks, and even some awesome guest appearances from Adrienne Cowen and Christopher Bowes. 45-minutes still now goes by in a flash even after a few listens. If you’re into power metal you’re probably already checking it out from reading this, but if not I’d definitely recommend it to just about any music fan. It’s got someone of the biggest choruses of the year. Yet another very solid 9/10from us, and incredibly deserving of its spot on our list!
Listen to: Craven Road, Bloodmoon, and Evil Dead Never Sleeps
96 – The Rasmus: Weirdo
The 11th studio album from the pop/alt metal band goes far harder than I feel almost anyone expected before it released! From genuinely heaving riffing to being packed full of their typically arena-filling choruses, it very much felt like a return to the top after a few years of honestly a little middling releases. Don’t get me wrong, it is still a touch cringy at times lyrically, but that is almost part of the charm with this sort of music! It’s barely half an hour and an incredibly easy listen, and a release I’d recommend to anyone into more of a poppy hook! It’s a sound I feel nostalgic for despite never really getting into it much in my teen years, so for anyone who was more into the band or stuff like Him, it would probably get even higher. It got another incredibly solid 9/10 from us and is more than deserving it’s spot on this list!
Listen to: Creatures of Chaos, Dead Ringer, and You Want it All
95 – Lacuna Coil: Sleepless Empire
The symphonic/industrial metal powerhouses very much returned to form in 2025, and this album is a huge indicator of that! This thing is catchy, heavy and packed with banger after banger. From the soaring operatic vocals to the harsh screams, both fit so well over the awesome, almost nu-metal infused instrumentation. It’s another album that goes hard from start to finish too, every song being as good as the last. They were a band I somehow didn’t get into much in my youth, so as a first full album by them I’ve check out, I’m a little obsessed! The only reason it is this low down is because it is so an insanely high quality year for new music! It still got another incredibly solid 9/10from us, and if you’re even passingly into metal, I’d highly recommend giving this one a try!
Listen to: Oxygen, Scarecrow, and Hosting the Shadow
94 – Sleep Theory: Afterglow
Very much the breakout stars of 2025, the debut album from the metalcore upstarts has already set them up to be a huge name sooner rather than later. They channel massive early ADTR vibes in the best ways, especially since said band have taken a nosedive in recent years. It’s full of ch0nky riffs, huge choruses and some great screams, and is a fantastic 40-minute listen. I actually hadn’t revisited it too much since it’s May release, but having checked it out again while writing this list, I fell in love with it all over again. It’s incredibly radio/mainstream friendly, but that isn’t at all a bad thing. The band have worked their asses off on socials the last couple of years to make this a big release, and it has paid off in spades. However, the quality of the music is also high, certainly contributing to their fast success. If it was slightly more adventurous and innovative, it would have ended up even higher on the list but still, making it on here shows how high quality it is! I gave it8.5/10 when it dropped, and I still agree with that now, but it may even sneak up to more like a 9 on some listens!
Listen to: Hourglass, Fallout, and Just a Mistake
93 – Cardinal Black: Midnight at the Valencia
This is a modern soft rock masterpiece. End of discussion. It gives off massive Genesis or Seal vibes, but definitely with a current day edge to it. Over half a year later and Tom’s vocals still give me goosebumps at times throughout. However, the arrangement of every song compliments his voice perfectly, everyone being incredible musicians and songwriters. While the band have certainly been on a lot of tongues the last couple of years, this truly felt like the year that Cardinal Black really broke out. And, this album is definitely a big reason for that! It’s fucking beautiful, and it’s an album that still makes me feel the same as I did the first time every time I spin it. The only reason it’s a little lower than maybe expected is because it does get a little samey after a while. However, when that similar stuff is all banging, it’s impossible not to love it, still! This got a whopping 9.5/10 from us and it’s hard not to still agree with that sentiment now!
Listen to: Ride Home, Breathe, and Morning Light
92 – Tanner Usrey: These Days
The first of a healthy handful of bands in this vaguely indie country-Americana sound that has gotten so big the last couple of years on this list. The fact that it is at this point in it certainly doesn’t diminish its quality either, as this is a fanatic release! It’s incredibly varied too, from blusy Southern rock to more of an indie flavour to even a more traditional country style. And, no matter the sound, it’s performed brilliantly and packed full of emotion from start to finish. My only slight complaint is that the pacing and arraignment of it is a little slow at times. However, every song is excellent, and it honestly has some of my favourite tracks of the year on it, the exceptional very much outweighing anything slightly less-so. I’d easily put this up there with his debut album, even if it hasn’t had quite as much love! We gave ita solid 9/10, and it more than earned its spot here!
Listen to: If you Call me Again, Bad Love, and With You
91 – Zach Top: Ain’t in it for my Health
Yes, I know, people are going to be BIG MAD for this being so low down on this list. He’s an absolutely massive artist for sure, and this is one hell of an album. My main bug to bare is that, as much as I love a classical country vibe typically, a lot of this is a touch on the slower side. That’s inherently not an issue at all, but it does get a touch old through the 50-minute length. However, there is no denying the HUGE talent on display throughout, from a songwriting, vocal and playing standpoint, and it’s easy to hear why he’s one of the biggest names in the genre currently. If you are at all a fan of traditional country music, this is well worth checking out. If it wasn’t for the genre having such a strong year again, this would certainly be higher up. We gave ita very solid 8.5/10, and it may have crept even higher than that since its release!
Listen to: Guitar, Splitsville, and Flip—Flop
90 – Pridian: Venetian Dark
The first debut album to make it onto our list this year, and it’s an awesome slab of modern metal from the Estonian four-piece. It’s the perfect blend of heavy, chuggy riffing, crushing drums and some awesome screams. Yet, it also still has moments of levity and cleanness throughout, the band clearly hugely talented to be able to put it all together! This thing came out all the way back in May and has spent the rest of the year pretty firmly in my rotation, blowing me away each time. It’s heavy, melodic and also rather menacing and gothic throughout, being an awesome combo! This is somehow one of the albums that we missed the week of its release, but it gets an incredibly deserving 9/10 now, and easily earned its spot on this list! Check it out if you are at all into melodic metal.
Listen to: Cyanide Dreams, Ruin, and Void Resonance
89 – Slaughter to Prevail: GRIZZLY
One of the most hyped albums of the year, at least in the deathcore scene, and to my shock it was a bit more of a grower on me than an immediate hit. Don’t get me wrong, it hits hard right from the first listen, but something about it didn’t hook me in immediately. Maybe it was because, much like my issues with Falling in Reverseor Electric Callboy in recent years, we’d heard a good chunk of the album before its release, and had sat with it for a while. So, while none of it is at all bad, it did feel ever so slightly underwhelming.
However, coming back to this album a couple of times since, I’ve definitely grown to appreciate it more! Alex is one of the best vocalists and frontmen in the game today, and the band behind him have crafted nearly an hour of crushingly heavy (but still fun) deathcore. If you are a fan of the heavier side of metal, I cannot recommend this enough. They deserve all the praise they get and the size they have climbed to, and this album very much cements them at the top of their style. As you could probably guess by this point, it got a 9/10 from us when it released, but it may be even slightly higher than that now!
Listen to: Russian Grizzly in America, Viking, and Lift That Shit
88 – Julia DiGrazia: All In
Another massive debut album, this time from a woman who’s already becoming a powerhouse in country. Having gotten her first big break on her and Evan Honer’s (more on him later) cover of Tyler Childers’ ‘Jersey Giant’ back in 2022, her rise has already been meteoric, and capped off perfectly by this collection. Whether it’s blues/southern tinged country rock, classic country or more of an Americana sound, it has a bit of everything across it’s just 30-minute runtime. Every track is as good as the last, and makes for such an incredibly easy listen. She’s already becoming a massive name in the scene, and it’s incredibly easy to hear why. If you haven’t already, give this a spin, you’ll surely love it as much as I do! It got a massive, and rightly deserved, 9.5/10 in our review, and if it wasn’t such a strong year, it would have gotten even higher on our list!
Listen to: Rollercoaster, Two Truths and a Liar, and Life’s Been Good Lately
87 – Kyle Gordon: Kyle Gordon is Wonderful
This was maybe the hardest album to place on this list. It nearly didn’t make it at all, as comedy music seems to be such a controversial topic these days. However, Kyle has crafted something truly special here, and it’s an enjoyable release with or without the fantastic comedy wit, so there was no way it wasn’t sneaking on here. I was already a fan of his, but the concept and creativity of this release really blew me away. 10 different genres from 10 different ‘artists’, detailing the most “Wonderfully Ridiculous Songs of All Time”. Whether it’s Europop, nu metal, indie or traditional country/bluegrass, Kyle is an INCREDIBLE songwriter, and does each style so well. I challenge you to check this out and try to tell me you don’t love it, I honestly think it’s impossible! It was another one I missed out on reviewing when it dropped, but I can’t give it any less than 9/10! I’ve spun it a lot in the last eight months since its release, and I don’t think I’ll be stopping any time soon!
Listen to: We Will Never Die, Crawl to Me, and My Husband’s Ghost
86 – Lorna Shore: I Feel the Everblack Festering Within Me
The other kings of modern deathcore very much do their own thing, and sound fantastic doing so! This thing is over an hour spread across just 10 songs, and is much symphonic/power metal as it is anything else. It’s epic, grandiose and wildly ambitious, and the band pull it off like only Lorna could. From the crazy heaviness of the blastbeats and breakdowns to Wills now iconic vocals, the band followed up on Pain Remains pretty perfectly! If you are into the band or genre at all and somehow haven’t checked this out already, do so as soon as you can! It won’t be for everyone, but I loved this, and the genre has very much grown on me over the last year or two thanks to bands like Lorna and Slaughter. It got a very easy 9/10 back in September, and it’s hard to argue against that after another few listens! It more than earns its spot on this list, and could have been higher if there weren’t so many excellent heavier albums alongside it!
Listen to: Prison of Flesh, In Darkness and Forevermore
85 – Dillon Carmichael: Keepin’ Country Alive
Four years after Dillon’s breakout success with Son of a, he returned in a major way with this album back in June. It’s Southern rock tinged modern country music, and a lot of fun across its 14 songs! It feels like it would have fit perfectly into the mainstream scene a decade ago, somehow combining the bro-country style of FGL with more of a Blackberry Smoke or TC3 flavour. Then again, he has plenty of Jon Pardi vibes to him too, it making sense that he supported him the other year. Yes, it’s a touch cringy and stereotypical when it comes to lyrics and theming at times, but that almost adds to the charm when it’s this good. From the powerful vocals to the catchy melodies and choruses to some awesome riffing and instrumentation throughout, it’s impossible not to fall in love with this! There really isn’t a bad track on the album, and three-quarters-of-an-hour really goes by in a flash. If you have even a passing interest in country music, this is a must to be checking out! It got a massive 9.5/10 from us, and you only have to listen to see why! It more than deserves this slot on our list!
Listen to: Raised Up Wrong, When She’s Drinkin’, and No Matter How Hard I Try
84 – Ghost Hounds: Almost Home
Perfectly combining old-school rock’n’roll, soul and country music, the fifth album from the Pennsylvanian natives has honestly been a little underrated this year. I’m not sure if it’s due to it being the first release since their change in vocalist, with Tre Nation personally scouting out SAVNT to replace him, but this is an incredible release that just hasn’t got the love I feel it should have. There are some genuinely excellent blues rock tracks, be it boot-stompin’ or more slower, emotional ballads. However, to address the elephant in the room, it’s not quite as high as I expected it to be because it does drop off a fair bit by the end. The first half of it is excellent, but the second half is maybe one too many slower tracks in a row. Still, just think how good those opening six songs are that it makes it this high on our list! And still, the latter tracks aren’t bad, I just wish the album was a little better arranged! If you are into blues or southern rock, or more of a slower country style, this is well worth checking out. It was another easy 9/10 from us, and well worth its spot here!
Listen to: She Runs Hot, Past the Point of Rescue, and You’ll Never Find Me
83 – Phear: Save Our Souls
This powerful explosion of melodic metal is somehow the third album from the Canadian band, and they have a big new fan in me this year because of it! It’s the perfect mix of heavy riffing and drumming and catchy, melodic leads and vocals. It vaguely reminds me of Fozzy back when they were good, around Sin and Bones. I was a little late to this, not checking it out until the start of summer, but it blew me away and I have since gone back to check out both their other releases. That’s how good this is, and it’s honestly their best release to date. The band are so talented, both as songwriters and players, and they have crafted something brilliant here. We don’t get enough of this sort of sound any more, though it is making a comeback in the last couple of years, and these guys are continuing it on perfectly! If you are at all into a more melodic side of metal, think Metallica meets Alter Bridge, I cannot recommend this enough. It’s another easy 9/10 from us, and I already can’t wait to hear where they go from here. Hopefully it’s not another five years, next time!
Listen to: Aftershock, Narcosynthesis, and Bleed
82 – Jonah Kagen: Sunflowers and Leather
Another entry into the ‘emotional indie-Americana’ category for this list already! This whole thing is bittersweetly beautiful from start to finish, the perfect blend of Zach Bryan and Evan Honer. And somehow and nearly an hour and 16-tracks long, it still goes by in a flash and is an incredibly easy listen! The lyrics throughout are a massive highlight, but the instrumentation fits them all so very perfectly. I’d somehow never heard of him before this release, but he’s another that’s won me over massively and has a big new fan in me because of his 2025 release! And, anyone who is into any of the sounds that I’ve mentioned previously, check this release out ASAP. There are still a couple better releases in this style, in my opinion, but it still more than deserves this spot on the list, and got an easy 9/10 back in September!
Listen to: Sunflowers and Leather, Black Lung, and The Reaper
81 – Mark Morton: Without the Pain
This was not the album I expected from the Lamb of God guitarist this year. His last solo album back in 2019 was a groove metal romp featuring some of the biggest names in hard rock and metal. Switching gears, his second solo release does the same but with country, and honestly it’s just as good! From Jaren Johnston to Matt James, Cody Jinks to Charlie Starr, there are some massif names attached to this, and all do a great job of bringing Mark’s tracks to life, vocally. It’s an incredibly fun album that is definitely heavy on the rock and southern elements, but still is distinctively country. Mark could certainly have a career in the genre if he ever chose to leave LoG, not that I ever hope he does! I’m pretty sure it appeals to both country fans and those into a more heavier sound, so just about everyone reading this should check it out! Despite talking to Matt James about it when I played with him, I still missed this release when it dropped. However, it’s one of the easiest 9/10’a I’ve ever given, and a fitting end to part one of our list!
Listen to: Hell & Back, Without the Pain, and Dust
WOW. What a fucking show! My first time at the venue and also my first time seeing either band. I was at least pretty familiarwith the headliners, but didn’t know Paledusk that well. I went into the evening expecting to enjoy it, but I wasn’t quite expecting the level of performance throughout!
Firstly, the Apollo was packed. The gig got downgraded from Manchester arena to this venue, and the result meant that it was sold out and packed full of die-hard fans who showed up early to get down close. We queued well over half an hour, and we arrived 20 minutes after doors. Everyone was ready, that’s for sure!
I wasn’t too familiar with the openers heading into the show. I knew the name and had checked out a couple of tracks before the show, but that was about it. However, they have a HUGE new fan in me from this set! Firstly, the sheer energy and showmanship on display throughout their 40-minutes was insane. I’ve seen fewer spin-kicks in a Bruce Lee movie than I saw guitarist Daidai; the guy was all over the stage with them! Then you had frontman Kaito’s infectious energy too, throwing himself around with almost as little regard. He also held the crowd in the palm of his hand throughout. I thought they may have struggled given the heaviness compared to the headliner, but the crowd were more than down to bounce around and even got a pretty decent circle pit going when instructed. I’ve also never heard a crowd cheer a breakdown before, but it was pretty fun to see every time!
And we haven’t even spoken about their music yet! Their quirky, whacky, heavy, melodic music. It was all over the place in the best way possible! They are all insanely talented players, performers and vocalists, and I immediately want to be seeing them back over here again ASAP.
Then, after a brief changeover, the headliners took to the stage. It at first seemed a little odd when it was barely 8:05, but they tore the roof off the place for a solid two hours! After a fantastic little video package set the tone for their latest release, they exploded on with recent hit ‘Puppets Can’t Control You’. Now, y’all know I loved DETOX, so the fact that they played almost all of it was incredible. From personal favourites like ‘N.A.S.T.Y’, ‘Tropical Therapy’ and ‘Delusion:All’ to more unexpected cuts in ‘Party’s Over’ and ‘The Pilot </3’, it was all incredible live and sounded so very close to the track. But don’t fear, because old-school fans still had plenty to sink their teeth into. From ‘The Beginning’ to the beautiful, empowering ‘Stand Out Fit In’ and perennial set closer ‘We Are’, the setlist was honestly damn near perfect!
And the performance… GODDAMN. Honestly, I was looking forward to seeing them at the UKs biggest arena, but seeing essentially a stadium-level band back home putting on that caliber of show to a 4k cap venue was truly something special. The band played, sung and headbanged their hearts out from the very first note to the very last. And, because of that, the crowd fed them that very same energy back. I can’t recall a time when I had been part of a crowd so loud and passionate, except for maybe Drake Milligan, and even then it wasn’t for the full show. The crowd felt like just as much a part of the show as anything else; singing every word back to the band and jumping around and clapping constantly. I can honestly say it was one of the best sets I’ve seen from an all-round perspective, and not one I’ll ever forget!
And there you have it, folks. Two of Japan’s biggest and best rock bands playing a more intimate show in one of the UKs honestly best venues (aside for the tiny amount of toilets, wtf?). The sound for both was great, even when under the balcony, so massive props to the sound guys too! I honestly cannot recommend seeing either band enough, they both blew me away for somehow both different and similar reasons. Honestly, if I wasn’t working tomorrow I’d be on the first train down to see them in London, they were THAT good. Hopefully both manage to make it back over here soon, be it together again or separate, as I’d be right there buying tickets the moment they went on sale! If you get the chance to see them live, take it, but even if not, you have got to listen to them on track too!
