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!
An absolutely MASSIVE week of New Music Mondays for us this time, with a whopping 24 releases for us to check out across the rock, metal, country and even pop world! I even had to enlist the help of occasional Overtone writers Max and Owen to help out! Let’s not waste any time, let’s do this!
Gorillaz: The Mountain
As someone who’s never been massively into the Damon Albarn side project, only liking a few songs over the years, I was not at all excepting what I found myself listening to here. I know they’ve been pretty art rock over the years and incorporated plenty of different sounds into their own, but the occasional Asian theming was not something I was ready for heading in. And honestly, regardless of the theming of the album… this fucking sucks. I’m sorry, I know the band are massive (40M monthly listeners is insane), and there will certainly be people who like this album. If you are one of them, that’s awesome, and I’m glad someone does. But I don’t know how anyone can listen to something like ‘The Hardest Thing’ and think “I enjoyed that, I want to listen again!”. I know that as not a big fan of a lot of modern hip-hop or arty stuff, I’m not the target audience, but this is definitely lower in quality than their early stuff. The closest thing to a good track I found was ‘Orange County’ or ‘The Shadowy Light’, and even then I think that claim is a stretch. Again, if you like this, awesome, but fuck was a it a boring slog of a 56-minutes to get through. 2.5/10, make it stop.
Rob Zombie: The Great Satan
Somehow, it does not feel like nearly five years since the last album we’ve had from the horror master. A lot has changed in those five years, though. Firstly, John 5 is gone and is now in Motley Crüe, while Piggy D is now playing with Manson. However, both have been replaced by original members Mike Riggs and Blasko, making this maybe the most impressive lineup of Rob’s solo project yet. And, because of this, we’ve had the most old-school feeling Zombie album in decades. This has a heaviness and darkness and edge to it that didn’t feel present through his more recent stuff. And hey, I like his previous four albums a lot, but this certainly hits different. The opener feels ripped straight from a White Zombie release, while single ‘(I’m a) Rock “N” Roller’ dials up his industrial edge to 11 and tracks like ‘Black Rat Coffin’ and the excellent ‘The Devilman’ still have the lighter, more radio-friendly elements of his modern stuff. It really has a bit of everything, feeling more of a combination/culmination of his previous works. And there isn’t a bad track throughout; nearly-40 minutes going by in a flash. Heck, the back half of the album is arguably somehow better than the first!
It’s an album for old-school Zombie fans, feeling like a return to form from someone who never really dipped or didn’t feel like he went away! It’s such a fun listen and certainly be spinning this plenty moving forward. I can’t give it any less than 9/10, and goddamn do I hope he tours the UK with it this time!
A Thousand Horses: White Flag Down
This leaned surprisingly more into the rock side of their sound over the country that I was expecting. It’s a lot more early 2000s radio rock inspired, such as a Shinedown, but does at least keep the elements of Southern rock in there too akin to Blacktop Mojo or Black Stone Cherry. It was just a bit of a shock heading in expecting ‘Smoke’ and ‘Song to Remember’. It’s not like it was even a gradual change too, as 2024’s The Outside was still firmly routed in country.
If that sounds like a complaint, however, ir certainly isn’t! As different as it is, it’s still damn good music! It’s 36-minutes of non-stop great rock music with a dark, Southern tinge. It’s a journey through loss and trying not to give up, a theme that is all too relatable these days. I love the way it’s arranged too, with the more heavy, aggravated tracks opening before it opens up into more country/Southern rock ballad territory for the back half. The more I listened, the more I loved it, and the more ended up on my personal playlist! I’ve spun this three times over the weekend and every song is as good as the last; all excellent, emotion-filled and fit the tone of the album perfectly. It’s impossible to pick select highlights, as it’s all so good and flows incredibly. And, from the playing to the vocals, lyrics to the tones to the arrangements, it’s all phenomenally well done.
This is a band who have evolved and tried something different to amazing results, proving that they are some of the best and most underrated songwriters around today. It’s going to be an album I revisit often, and will be HIGH on our albums of the year list come December. I feel like I’ve been a touch harsher than usual this year so far, but this is absolutely excellent, and I can’t give it any less than 10/10. Check this out immediately, regardless of what you are into!
Bruno Mars: The Romantic
Okay, so while strictly more pop than anything else, you cannot argue the inspiration Bruno pulls from the rock world, alongside the likes of Soul and R&B. And I’ve been a fan of his since he broke out, and would be listening to this anyway. And, it’s my magazine, so I can do what I want!
While opening on a slow ballad was an odd choice, ‘Risk it All’ is a beautiful, emotion-filled track that is hard to it to love. The other single from the album, ‘I Just Might’, I’d honestly put up there alongside any of his hits, it really is that good! Then you have tracks like the soft rock ‘Why you Wanna Fight?’ and the bouncy, jazzy ‘Something Serious’ that are also huge highlights. However, there really isn’t a bad track throughout. His vocals are as incredible as ever, instrumentally it’s great (a surprising amount of guitar solos) and the harmonies are utterly phenomenal as always. It’s maybe a touch on the slower side overall than I’d have hoped for, but at only 31 minutes, in a rare case, I’d have happily taken more music. Especially when this is the first mainline release from the guy in a decade! It’s definitely worth a listen if you are at all interested, and gets a solid 8/10 from us!
Carpenter Brut: Leather Temple
Max: So, I am not the most versed in instrumental music and especially not synth but after this, I think I’m going to have to listen to more. It’s a bit odd and has some familiar themes throughout. However, the bouncy and flowing nature of each track kept me hooked and moving whilst listening. The metal instruments at points were simply quite cool and gave a number of the songs an almost Doom-like epicness which just keeps you going. Whilst, at least to me, it felt like the first few tracks were a little samey, on a second and then third listen, I was able to notice more and more subtle differences which made each track interesting. Whilst it might not be the greatest album ever in that genre, I wouldn’t say it is in anyway bad. For me, a really fun album that I think everyone should listen to! 9/10
Paul Gilbert: WROC
We’ve already checked out this album! Read the full review here!
Phoenix Lake: Seraphina: The Fall From Eden
The highly anticipated debut album from the melodic metallers finally dropped this last Friday. To say it lives up to the hype would be an understatement! It’s a 45-minute journey of a fallen angel perfectly encapsulated in heavy riffs and soaring vocals. The bands unique brand of melodic hard rock, metalcore and modern power metal is amazing and makes them feel pretty unique, easily standing out around a lot of their peers in the UK. And, on top of that, the quality here is insanely high. Personal highlights are ‘This Abyss’, ‘Fractured Wings’ and ‘Bells of Variel’, though there really isn’t a bad track throughout. It also has a perfect flow to it, everything fitting together amazingly and the interludes helping make it more of a concept album. Also, shout-out to whoever mixed and produced this because damn, everything sounds MASSIVE.
These guys have been building a lot of steam the last few years, and this feels like the perfect time to finally be dropping this debut. If you have even a passing liking of metal, I can’t recommend checking this out enough! The band are going to be a big name in metal in the coming years, and this is the perfect jumping-off point for that. I can’t give it any less than 9/10, amazing stuff!
Iron & Wine: Hen’s Teeth
Owen: Prolific singer songwriter Sam Beam brings us Hen’s Teeth, the eighth studio album under his stage name Iron & Wine. With a career spanning over 20 years, Iron & Wine continues to evolve and develop with age and experience. Hen’s Teeth simultaneously manages to bring in familiar elements from previous albums as well as push new directions for the artist. Beam’s unique vocals remain the focus of these 10 tracks, but the production is more polished and the instrumentals elevated. Certain tracks really show a love for 70’s folk-rock, with tracks like ‘In Your Ocean’ evoking the stylings of Fleetwood Mac or Crosby Stills and Nash. I personally would have liked a few more upbeat tracks in this style on the album as this track particularly shines. Hen’s Teeth also includes two tracks featuring I’m With Her, ‘Robin’s Egg’, and ‘Wait Up’, the combination of the bands vocals with Beam’s own vocal and writing skill is a match made in heaven and worth checking out for fans of impressive harmony. 7/10
Returning with new music for the first time in a whopping 33 years, and their first output since their 2023 reunion, this three track release goes hard. It feels a lot more melodeath than I was expecting heading in, maybe even more so than their debut all those years ago. That’s definitely not a bad thing though, as I loved every minute of this 16. However, the epic ‘A Demon’s Bow’ is a particular highlight for me! I’m so glad the band have returned, and I already want more from them! This may be even better than their album, you can tell they’ve matured as songwriters in their time away. If you are at all into the genre, this is an absolute must! 8/10
A Wilhelm Scream: Cheap Heat
Max: This is my first foray in to AWS but I must say the 3 seconds of reading I did about them before hand was pretty spot on; this is a fun and catchy album where you get realed in immediately. I don’t think there was a track on the album that wasn’t interesting, everything felt spot on and thought out so I never felt like it got bogged down. However, something that might be a positive or a negative depending on your perspective, is that the album is very short, sub 30 minutes! For me, it felt like the perfect amount of time and nothing overstayed its welcome. However, equally I can understand the desire to have something longer. Either way, it is certain that AWS can make a punchy and enjoyable album. 8.5/10
No Murder No Mustache: As Everything Else Decays
Album number three from the Celtic punk soloist Owen Crawford is another damn fun release! Clearly pulling inspiration from everyone from Dropkicks to Ferocious Dog to even the likes of Frank Turner and Offspring, No Murder is still very much its own thing, and does its thing with a unique style. It’s a sound that I’m a big fan of, as well as being nostalgic towards, so of course I love this. However, it’s also high quality in its own right. Tracks like ‘Dic Penderyn’, single ‘Wasted’ and ‘Never Again’ are personal highlights, but every track on it is pretty great. The lyrics are fantastic as well, punk through and through and calling out just about everything wrong with the establishment. However, having said that, 14 tracks (even if that’s including the intro and bonus ones) is a touch long. Still, at least the album is broken up by ballads like ‘As Darkness Falls’. If you are a fan of any of the artists I’ve mentioned already, this is still well worth checking out, and the project certainly has a new fan in me! 7.5/10
Utopia Development Corporation: Industrial Area Swimming Center
This debut EP sure is a mouthful. However, it is also a pretty great indie-punk release! It’s dark and pretty heavy too, with definite elements of hardcore. And, at just 15-minutes, it’s the perfect length for me with this sort of music. Much more and I think I’d have gotten a little bored of its similar style, but when it’s just four tracks it’s easy to appreciate how great it is. The band are all massively talented at their style and instruments, as well as being really good songwriters. Both ‘Repeat’ and ‘Dance Demons, Dance’ are excellent songs I’ll happily have in my rotation moving forward, even though I typically am not into this sort of style as much. If you are into any of the styles I’ve mentioned already, this is definitely worth checking out. They are definitely a band to keep an eye on, and this gets a solid 7/10 from us!
Hannah Schneider: In This Room
Owen: “Melancholic and cinematic alternative pop” is how Hannah Schneider describers her sound, which as I listen to the 10 tracks that make up In This Room seems a perfect description. Raised in Copenhagen by classical musicians Schneider’s musical intelligence shines through early on in the album, expect a wide range of musical styles, instruments, and inspirations not only throughout the album but within each track. Fans will recognise ‘Lighthouse’, previously released as a single, a stand out track bringing in a range elements from electronica melodies to Spanish flamenco guitar. Overall the album is a slow chilled out exploration of the previously mentioned description of her music. Schneider and collaborator Christian Balvig have put together an impressive album, not one that’s going to start a lively party any time soon, but a contemplative thoughtful collection of tracks. 8.5/10
Nerve Star: White Hot
Another debut album this week, this time from the NWOBHM revivalists. For a band that have only been together a couple of years, this is an absolutely amazing release. Every member works their ass off throughout, all being masters at their chosen instrument. It’s very Judas Priest/Saxon in all the best ways. I mean, anything featuring Janne Stark was bound to be good, but this blew away even my expectations! Tracks like ‘Black Ice’, ‘Black Jack’ and ‘The Harder the Better’ are personal highlights. Every track is good, though I do have to admit that the hour-long runtime was maybe a little much when much of it is so similar. Having said that, I did enjoy the little instrumental tracks that show off Stark and his criminally underrated guitaring! Another must for anyone into the old-school style of metal and a very easy 8/10 from us!
Cryptic Shift: Overspace & Supertime
Max: There are lots of albums that come out that try and really encapsulate what a certain genre or combination of genres should be like. It is this blend of progressive thrash that really like to stand out and in an aggressive way. From the almost soothing scales played as breaks across certain tracks to the jump and strange timing of other rifts its hard to pin down at any point and you really can’t say that it is in any way simple. Whilst it’s not an album for me, just as a case study for excellence you really can’t hate it. Sure you may not like it, but it is oozing with talent and skill through out. The insane feat of the half-an-hour track ‘Stratocumulus Evergaol’ is a particular highlight, and could easily be an album of its own 8/10
Jon Langston: Thing About Me
Somehow only the second album from the rather long-standing country star, it follows up Heart on Ice rather perfectly! It’s a rock-infused country album that is packed full of fun (if a little cliche) songs! It’s does feel like a hangover from the bro-country days, especially from the lyrics, but when the genre isn’t everywhere constantly, it’s enjoyable to get the odd release of it! And, shockingly, 46-minutes goes by in a flash here! From ‘Whiskey Weather’ and ‘Thing About Me’ to ‘Comes Out in the Whiskey’ and the heavier duet with Rory Rodriguez, ‘Find You’, it’s packed full of awesome songs! If you are into 2010s country, like I am, this is definitely an album worth giving a spin. Outside of his big tracks I hadn’t heard much from him, but he’s definitely good at putting out full albums, too! This is a solid 7.5/10 from us!
Necrofier: Transcend Into Oblivion
Album number three from the Texan black metallers goes just as hard as their previous two! This is nearly an hour of dark brutality and, while long-time readers will know the genre usually isn’t my go-to, I had a blast listening to this! It’s also hard to pick singular tracks as highlights, mainly because it is all a similar level of quality, but also because nine of the tracks are bunched together in three parts of the same song, following on perfectly from each other each time. Having said that, the first part of ‘Servants of Darkness’ was particularly awesome! Even in a niche genre, the band deserve to be bigger, and hopefully this is the release to take them to that point. Give this a spin if you like the heavier side of metal, and thank me later! 7/10
Philip Shouse: Side 1
The first solo release from the Accept guitar legend is a fun little jaunt through five great hard rock tracks! He still gets to show off his incredible guitar skills even when not in a metal environment, and it was actually nice to hear a different style from him. Heck, the punky, poppy ‘The Naked Empress’ was probably my favourite track on here, though they’re all good! It’s just a fun, light-hearted release that’s impossible not to have a good time listening to. I already cannot wait for Side 2, whenever that may drop, but I’m happy to wait it out and keep spinning this. I’m honestly shocked he’s not done a solo venture before now, as he clearly has a different style he wants to play and is damn good at writing it! A solid 8/10 from us, good stuff!
Pil & Blue: You Have Chosen Darkness (Level 5)
The first revisit of the (Level)s format since their 2014 debut, the melodic/melancholic/ vaguely proggy rock duo do a great job at continuing on their sound here. Firstly, the fact that they get this level of sound and depth out of just two of them is insane, being equal parts emotional and epic throughout. It gives off very big Chevelle vibes in the very best ways, also mixed with a healthy dose of Placebo. ‘Somewhere In Between’ is the perfect opener for this, while it is followed up incredibly by the thrashy, punky ‘222’. The awesomeness doesn’t stop there either, as the other five tracks on this are just as good, honestly! They are such incredible players and songwriters, and it’s easy to see why they are getting so much love in their home country. They have a big new fan in me, and I’ll certainly be going back and checking out Levels 1-4! It’s one of the best 30 minutes of music I’ve listened to all year so far, and I can’t give it anything less than 9.5/10. Check this out ASAP!
Daniel Young: Another Golden Hour
Album number five from the country-infused soft rocker is a beautiful, chilled-out 46-minute collection. It’s not going to be for everyone reading this, but I had a blast listening. It’s such an easy listen, and all 10 tracks are as good as the last! It gave off vibes of everyone from Jack Johnson to Charley Crockett to Pinegrove throughout. Maybe it was the better weather that this album seemed to summon with its release, but it’s perfect for relaxing in the sun with! If you like things a little slower and more chilled, this is definitely the album for you! Daniel’s vocals and lyric writing are both amazing, and the vague blues/country instrumentation fits both perfectly. I can’t give it any less than 8/10, great stuff!
Lone Assembly: Knots & Chains
The Swiss new wave/post-punk quartet dropped their highly anticipated debut this last Friday, and honestly blew me away with it! It’s a genre I have an up-and-down relationship with, but something about this drew me in immediately and didn’t let me go for its full 38-minutes. They wear their Sisters of Mercy and The Cure inspirations firmly on their sleeves, yet also sound modernised, the fantastic production most likely helping on that front. From the opener to ‘Nocturnal Vision’ to ‘You’re Pulling at the Same Strings’, there is plenty to love throughout! It’s a style that seems to be coming back, at least in the underground, and newer bands like this are building on and continuing the sound perfectly. It’s another incredibly easy listen, all 10 tracks going by in a flash, so check this out if you are at all curious. It gets an incredibly solid 8.5/10 from us, what a hell of a debut!
Owls Over Oaks: O.O.O.
Another massive debut album, this time from the Italian drone-doom collective. First things first, I really enjoyed the idea of this being a three track album, and each is just one word from the band name. Hilarious. However, it’s not a genre/style I think I ‘get’. I suppose the other positive is that there are some nasty tones in this, in the best way. Guitar, bass, drums and even the vocals all sound awesome from a production standpoint. But each track is 10+ minutes of the same thing over and over, and at a pretty slow pace overall. If you are into this sort of thing, more power to you, but it’s definitely not the sort of thing I’ll be rushing back to listen to again. The band members are clearly all talented, it’s just not for me. Maybe I’d get it more in a live setting. However, for now, I can’t give this much more than a 3.5/10, sorry guys. The repetition was just too much for me.
Scratch One Grub: One
Oh look, another debut album! This time it comes curtesy of the Welsh six-piece and their proggy, heavy sound. It’s very hardcore, but also very death/black metal, a splash of gothic or emo, and has plenty of metalcore elements too, making it one of the most unique listens I’ve had recently. The closest thing I can think of as a comparison is Tallah, but even then it doesn’t fit perfectly. The band are also insanely talented, crafting some wild riffs, brutal screams and crushing breakdowns throughout, all fitting together perfectly. Tracks like ‘Vagabond’, ‘Bad Habit’ and single ‘#1’ are all personal highlights, but honestly every track is pretty great, it all flowing together perfectly! I have to see this live, it’s the kind of chaotic energy that already had me wanting to pit on my own in the living room. However, it is also excellent on track, and will certainly be one I’ll be spinning plenty in the weeks and months to come. The band have a big new fan in me, and I can’t give this any less than 9/10, amazing stuff!
Magoo: What a Life
I LOVE that this sort of style is still coming out of newer bands, and this is an absolutely fantastic debut release from the Americana/bluegrass four-piece. They had me hooked right from the opening with that harmonised chorus, ‘Ohio Blues’ being an incredible early highlight. Then you have tracks like the chilled ‘Big Fall’, the Sam Bush-featuring ‘Angel of Telluride’ and the beautiful title song that are also big highlights. Plus, can we just appreciate the sheer mind-blowing playing on ‘Rippin Richard’? Insane! The whole album is packed full of highlights and fantastic songs, and nearly an hour went by in a flash. If you are even vaguely country-leaning, this is an absolute must of an album for you. And for this to be a debut album is even more incredible. It’s a modern, more radio-infused bluegrass, and I’m a little obsessed! Some amazing instrumentation and lyrics throughout, and it’s an incredibly easy 9/10 from us!
We had the pleasure of chatting to the amazing Zoltán Kőváry of The Trousers the other day about their latest album release, their sound and plans for the year. Check it out below!
How would you describe your sound?
It’s classic and vintage-based but not retro. We are starting from 70’s hard rock and garage rock like Sabbath, AC/DC, Motörhead or Iggy & The Stooges but also influenced by later bands like The Hellacopters, Alice in Chains, Queens of the Stone Age or Black Rebel Motorcycle Club.
You’re seven albums deep now; how would you compare last years Necessary Evil with your early work?
The sound is more professional and heavier, all the instruments have weight on this album. The songwriting got more mature and the melodies are catchy. We always try to create a “ten single record”, no fillers, no self-serving experimental pieces… Each song contains a hook in a different way. The rule is that there always has to be a riff, as AC/DC and Black Sabbath taught us, and a catchy melody in the refrain as Thin Lizzy showed.
Is there a particular theme or story around Necessary Evil, or is it all individual tracks?
As the songs were composed in the same period, they somehow relate to each other. Let me tell you an example. The Stones’ top albums between 1968 and 72 were Beggars Banquet, Let it Bleed, Sticky Fingers and Exile on Main Street. Beggars and Exile were done within a session, that is why they are very coherent in style and sound. Let it Bleed and Sticky are just a collections of extraordinary songs, but these albums are not more then the sum of their parts. The spirit of “Necessary Evil” therefore is closer to “Beggars Banquet” than to “Sticky Fingers”, if you know what I mean.
What is the writing process like for the band?
In The Trousers I am the songwriter. The boys: Pete Locke on guitar, András Lázár on bass and Samu Gulyás on drums, put their parts in the songs when they are fully composed. Usually I write albums within a few months, most of the time during the summer break. Necessary evil was different. The influence is coming from different directions; music, movies, relationships, crises. For example the death of my late brother, Peter, who was also a musician, influenced several songs on Animal gun (2022) and Necessary evil.
Do you have a personal favourite track off the latest album, and why?
I would pick ‘On the river again’. It is very special, because it doesn’t contain three parts as usual – verse, bridge, refrain – but four, as it has two refrains. I would consider it as one of the best songs I have ever created. Heavy riff and melodic vocals – the way we like it. I really love an 80’s US metal band called Dokken because their songs are based on the same idea, although the style is different. But Thin Lizzy and Alice in Chains are also similar from that point of view.
Is there new writing going ahead, even though the album is still recent?
I usually do not write for a while after an album release. I am waiting for the new inspiration. Maybe in the summer!
Do you have a busy year planned in terms of touring?
In the spring we will have several concerts in three countries including ours, Czech Republic and Slovakia, and will play with bands like Konflikt, Degradace, Zakazan Yovoce and Asphalt Horsemen. Can’t wait for it!
Any plans to swing by the UK for a show or two soon?
We have friends in a UK band called New Generation Superstars, and we have been planning a tour together for a while; I hope it will happen sooner or later!
Do you have a dream tour lineup you’d want to be a part of? Anyone you want to support or friends you want to bring along?
There are some awesome bands we would happily support like The Hellacopters or Gluecifer… These are bands with similar aesthetics and attitude, they are our heroes so it will be awesome. But we would play with anyone who has the rock n roll attitude! Formerly we have played with MC5, Black Stone Cherry, Tygers of Pan Tang, Dirty Honey, Atomic Bitchwax, Peter Pan Speedrock… Great memories!
If you could have written a song from history, what would it have been and why?
Maybe WW I; it really changed the landscape of modern Europe in a very tragic way, and we still bear the cross of it… It’s never enough to talk about these dramatic events that shaped our word. Of course there are events in our current culture that are similarly dramatic, but it’s too easy to fall into politics and I don’t want to.
The guitar virtuoso himself is back with his first solo album in nearly three years. Being a big fan of Mr Big, I’ve been excited for this since it first came across our emails, though I have to say I haven’t listened to much of his solo stuff in the past. We could be in store for anything! But still, if it’s anything like his band projects, we’re in for something special. Let’s dive right in and see what this is like!
Showing off his insane guitar talented right from the offset with some insane soloing, a great riff soon bursts in to start ‘Keep Your Feet Firm and Even’ off strong. The vocals soon come over the top and is surprisingly catchy for a verse! And still, it all builds to a HUGE chorus, the harmonies making it even bigger. It hooked me immediately and I already expect it to be stuck in my head for the rest of the day. We also get some more absolutely insane, blistering soloing tucked away in the middle of this. I love it dropping down to simple bass and drums to really highlight the guitar more, and builds up steadily again into the stomping stuff for the final parts. I love the melody of the main riff coming back as a solo too, real masterful playing and writing. And another big final chorus and solo takes us home in style. A fantastic way to open the album, and an easy early-album highlight!
‘Show Not Yourself Glad’ instantly kicks things up a notch into pure punk territory, and I’m all here for it! It does drop back in the verses to a more soft-rock style, and honestly the lyrics felt a little too on-the-nose for me. However, the harmonies are still fantastic, almost giving more of an ELO vibe. The two parts fit together far better than they have any right to. We also get some awesome soloing over a slower, stripped back bridge, feeling very reminiscent of his Mr Big days. His talent really is off the charts, and is highlighted perfectly here. And ending on that insane solo was definitely the right call!
‘Maintaining a Sweet and Cheerful Countenance’ keeps the pace high but dips back into his blues sound. I want to highlight his band at this point too, as both the bass and drums is going hard throughout, almost as hard as Gilbert goes. Once again the lyrics are a little blunt, repeating the song title an awful lot, but the instrumentation is so good it’s hard not to love it! The same can be said for tracks like, ‘Go Not Thither’, ‘Let Thy Carriage’ and ‘Turn Not Your Back’ all being blues and prog infused bangers. They have a similar structure of lower energy verses and sometimes choruses, while having some heavier instrumentation around them. And of course, the guitaring is the big highlight through them all! The latter is a big personal highlight of the album as a whole, giving off big Electric Boys vibes in the best ways. A track that easily makes it onto our playlist!
‘Orderly and Distinctly’ is a bit slower in pace again, and also feels a bit pop-infused as well as soft rock. It feels more like a ballad track of the album, and perfectly placed too to break up the higher pacing so far! It’s a pretty beautiful song, and the lyrics here are much more interestingly written than other tracks on the release. It gives more of a Floyd or even Beatles vibe, but definitely in a good way! And we also get another amazing solo tucked away in the middle, once again melting my face off. Another clear highlight!
Tracks like ‘If you Soak Bread in the Sauce’ and ‘Speak Not Evil…’ are fun, bouncy, bluesy soft rock songs. Again, both are great songs in their own right, but definitely fit together well as a similar sound. The musicianship throughout both is off the charts, and the only reason they’re pushed together here is so I don’t come across as a big old fangirl from repeating the same praise over and over. However, the latter is one of my favourite tracks on the album, and may have my favourite chorus Gilbert has laid down in a good while!
‘Conscience is the Most Certainly Judge’ is another slower track, perfectly breaking up the rockier songs again. It’s a fun, bouncy song with a pretty decent chorus, but does scream ‘album track’ a little. Meanwhile ‘Every Action Done in Company’ is another prog-blues track that does Gilbert’s lyric-repeating technique to the max. Then you have the incredible riffing of ‘Spark of Celestial Fire’ and a straight-up blues track closes things off with ‘George Washington Rules’. All are good songs in isolation, with the closer being particularly fun and another highlight. However, they do reflect the extended length of the album, and none really bring much new to the release that we haven’t heard already. But still, I’d be lying if I said I didn’t have a good time listening to any of them, and the bands’ talents are that grand that they could make anything incredible!
Overall: This is a damn good release! As I’ve said multiple times throughout this, Gilbert is an insanely talented musician, and has surrounded himself with the same in his solo band, making this filled with some of the best playing around. And while some of the lyrics are great, overall it’s the weakest part for me. However, it does have some kick-ass, catchy-as-hell choruses! If you are a fan of any of his other work, you’ll surely enjoy this too, and I’d recommend it to anyone even remotely curious or big into 80s and 90s rock!
An absolutely stacked week of releases for us to dive into, from rock to metal to country. Let’s do this!
Megan Moroney: Cloud 9
Album number three from the current country megastar arrived to a LOT of hypethis last Friday. Being big fans of her last couple of releases, we were excited to finally hear this, especially after a slight mixed-bag of singles. However, the album as a whole is great, and nearly an hour goes by in a flash. From ‘Medicine’ to ‘Stupid’, ‘Liars, Tigers & Bears’ to ‘Change of Heart’ to ‘Who Hurt You?’, there are some really fantastic tracks throughout that I’d put up there with Megan’s very best, honestly. She is one of the best lyricists in the game today, be it tongue-in-cheek comedic stuff or more emotion-filled ballads. And while there is maybe one or two too many slower tracks on the album for me personally, I feel the up-tempo or rockier stuff is spread out pretty perfectly, always coming in when I start to lose a bit of interest.
While I wouldn’t still quite say it’s as good as her debut, I did enjoy it more as a whole than Am I Okay?. It’s easy to see why she has quickly become one of the biggest names in country; her output in the last few years has been incredible. Part of me wants to say ‘she’s not an album artist’ as her hits and singles each time are that good, but at the same time I’ve enjoyed every album she’s put out! I’ll definitely be spinning at least the tracks I’ve mentioned a bunch moving forward, and probably the album as a whole too. It gets another solid 8.5/10 from us, and the emo cowgirl definitely lives up to our hype for her release once again!
New Found Glory: Listen Up!
The first electric album from the Floridian pop punkers in six years picks up right where Forever and Ever x Infinity left off. The band feel like they haven’t lost a step in their nearly three-decade career, which is at very least admirable! I have to admit they were always the side of pop punk that I never got into quite as much, though I am nostalgic towards Sticks and Stones and Catalyst; both are banging albums still to this day! While this isn’t quite as good as those, tracks like ‘100%’, ‘Beer and Blood Stains’ and ‘You Got This’ definitely hooked me and are personal highlights. However, if you are into this sort of style, this is certainly an album worth checking out! It’s not something I’d throw on often, but I had a good time listening through it. We enjoyed their acoustic release a few years back, but it’s nice to hear the band get back to what they do best! A solid 7/10.
Sylosis: The New Flesh
The first studio outing from the UK melodic thrash/deathers since 2023’s A Sign of Things to Come. Max enjoyed that when it dropped, while I sadly didn’t get much time to sit with it. However, if it’s anything like this, their seventh album, I’d probably love it! It’s the perfect blend of metalcore and melodeath and, honestly, is fucking AWESOME. Think Hatebreed meets Orbit Culture. *chefs kiss*. It’s 47 minutes of brilliant brutality mixed with catchy melody, and it’s almost impossible to pick specific highlights. From the insane riffing to the mind-bending drums to the great growls and powerful cleans, it’s all so damn good, and paints the band as one of the most talented and underrated in metal today. I cannot recommend this enough to anyone who has even a slight interest in metal. I’d always heard the name around but they were a band I just hadn’t gotten around to listening to much. Well, I’m disappointed in myself, as they have a HUGE new fan in me! This is surely going to be high on our top albums listcome December! I can’t give it any less than 9.5/10, amazing stuff!
The Enemy: Social Disguises
The indie rockers returned with their first new album in over a decade this last Friday. I’m not hugely into the genre so came into it not expecting much, but was pleasantly surprised! Opener ‘The Boxer’ packs one hell of a punch and is a fantastic early highlight, while tracks like ‘Controversial’ and ‘Serious’ are other top tracks. Don’t get me wrong, it’s still probably not something I’d listen to often, but it’s definitely the good side of indie and I had a good time with it. Was it worth the 11 year wait? Who knows, you’d have to ask a fan who’s been waiting on it all this time. But it was certainly a good release, and well worth it for anyone into the genre. A solid 6.5/10 from us!
Mothica: Somewhere In Between
The alt metal rising star brought us a highly anticipated follow-up to her 2024 album this last weekend. It’s a great, all-too-short collection of five awesome radio rock songs. ‘WEAPON’ and the title track are personal highlights, but every song is awesome and they all fits together perfectly. Her vocals sound as amazing as ever, her lyrics are excellent and it’s very much an ‘in’ style right now. Hopefully it’s a stop-gap en route to a larger release, but for now I am more than happy to keep spinning this, especially at only 14-minutes in length! If you are at all into her particular brand of noise, I’d highly recommend checking this out, I’m sure you’ll enjoy it as much as I do! 8/10
Mumford & Sons: Prizefighter
After a big ol’ gap in releases at the turn of the decade, we’ve now had two albums from the folk rockers in two years, aren’t we lucky?! We loved RUSHMERE, and I always have some nostalgia for the band as they got big while I was in school. So, for them to put out yet another great, beautiful, chilled-out release, I can’t not love it! From the opener to ‘The Banjo Song’ to ‘Begin Again’ and ‘Shadow of a Man’, there are plenty of highlights spread throughout. It does have a slight lull in the middle for 2/3 tracks, but none of them are bad at all, and I’d have not cut them either if it were up to me. It’s all just so beautifully written and packed full of emotion. Heck, ‘I’ll Tell you Everything’ practically reduced me to tears! Despite exploding onto the scene when they debuted, they feel somehow slept on these days, while they are every bit as good as they were back 15 years ago. Do yourselves a favour and check this out, regardless of what you are into, you may very well love it as much as I do! 8.5/10
Eye of Melian: Forest of Forgetting
We’ve already checked out this awesome release! Read the full review here.
Crowen: Through the Dying Mist
Following up 2024’s Where the Darkness Falls, this is an incredibly solid third EP for the melodeath band. ‘Ember Wraith’ sets the tone perfectly, while songs like ‘Line of Silence’ and the epic, melodic closer are all great too. And that’s not to exclude ‘I Am the Sorrow’, which is just as good as the others! If you are into the genre at all, I can’t recommend checking this out enough. How they aren’t bigger already is beyond me! They are all insanely talented and I already can’t wait to hear where they go from here. For now though, this gets a very easy 7.5/10!
Lovebites: Outstanding Power
After a rather confusing release build-up, this album feels slightly like it’s dropped a little out of nowhere. The buildup to it was all about its release in Japan on the 18th (a Wednesday, which was weird enough as it was). Then, when it hit the 18th, it was announced the band had signed with Napalm, that physical copies would drop on May 8th, but that it was going to be available on streaming that very day. Yeah, weird, right? But still, we have some sudden, awesome new Japanese heavy metal this week, so it’s hardly a complaint!
It’s old-school heavy metal riffing and drumming at its very best, with a healthy dose of power metal thrown in for good measure. It’s the perfect band for Napalm, and I’m shocked they haven’t snapped them up before now. The level of musicianship is off the charts, every band member being so damn good at their chosen instrument. I even started to get into the vocals by the end; a point of contention for some listeners, and definitely something that took a little getting used to. Tracks like ‘Silence the Void’, ‘Blazing Halo’ and ‘Reaper’s Lullaby’ are all personal highlights. They clearly read our review of their last album too, as we get an awesome, beautiful ballad in the epic ‘Eternally’. However, it may be a touch late in the album, potentially. Still, as a whole, it’s a damn good album. If you’re a fan of the band I cannot recommend checking this out enough, and I’d easily put it up alongside any of their other top releases. I’ll certainly be spinning some of this again soon, and I can’t give it any less than a 7.5/10
Jimmy Fretwell: Analog Dream
Considering for the most part this is just one man and his guitar, it is a damn good listen. He gives off big Willie Nelson vibes, but also has an air of Jack Johnson to him at times. Plus, he is a great rock’n’roll/blues guitarist and writer, some of the playing and riffing on a few of the early tracks being awesome, almost begging for a full band version alongside the acoustic one. And then you have the tracks with the incredible guests on that add even more to the sound. Whether it’s the fiddle and beautiful harmonies of Beth Chrisman or the extra guitar of Darrell Scott or Bill Kirchen, all three add even more depth to the sound. He’s an excellent songwriter and storyteller, and tracks like the opening three songs, ‘Barn on Fire’ and ‘Never Gonna be my Baby’ are all personal highlights. However, none of the album is bad, by any stretch! His delivery is also incredible, whether it’s fast-paced bouncy stuff or more emotion-filled ballads. It’s certainly not going to be for anyone, but it’s a beautiful, fun, stripped-back release, and Jimmy has a new fan in me! A very easy 7.5/10.
Struck/Down: Queue for the Cure
This debut album somehow combines together so many different sides of metalcore and its adjacent sub-genres together into something truly pretty unique. There’s the obvious comparisons to the likes of Killswitch and Atreyu, but also an edge of the heavier old-school metal sound as well as having a modern edge to it in terms of the production and some of the playing and composition. And, on top of that, there’s also elements of some Down/CoC-like groove metal too, which adds yet another incredible layer to the already awesome sound. And heck, at times the vocals give just a little bit of a young Brent Smith, alongside the obvious Howard Jones.
If you can’t tell already, I love this album. They’re a name I’ve seen around a lot over the last few years, but I sadly haven’t had the chance to check them out. I’m so glad that changed today. This is 10 INCREDIBLE tracks, all as good as the next. It’s impossible to pick highlights as I was hooked from start to finish. The riffing and breakdowns are amazing, the vocals are powerful and full of attitude and catchiness and the drummer is going hard throughout. We even get some awesome soloing to go along with the riffs, both guitarists being insane technical players. They have clearly (and deservedly) grown a great reputation of solid singles and EPs over recent years, and it really feels like they’ve picked the perfect time to put out an album; they feel at their writing peak right now. If you are even a passing metal fan, I’d recommend checking this out immediately, it has something for everyone. These guys are surely going to be massive in the years to come, and this album will be seen as the jumping off point for that. 9/10, amazing stuff!
Keeley: Girl on the Edge of the World
Album number four from the fuzzy, punk/alt rockers very much takes you on a journey, creating a huge, surprisingly warm soundscape throughout. While not typcially my sort of thing, it’s impossible not to get hooked in by the bands talent for musicianship and songwriting. ‘Crossing Lands’, ‘Who Wants to See the World’ and the beautiful ‘Fell in Love with a Ghost’ are all personal highlights. And, while it did drag a little as it’s not something I’m typically into, if you are into an 80s style such as this you’ll probably have a blast with the whole release! It is certainly not bad by any stretch and as I said, the members of the band are clearly all insanely talented. If you are at all curious, check this out! Another pretty solid 6.5/10 from us.
Exhumed: Red Asphalt
The San Jose death metal legends are back with album number 10. I have to admit, the classic 90s style of death metal is one that, try as I might, I just can’t get into. And, as usual, I think it mainly comes down to the mixing. I get that, especially at this point, it’s a stylistic choice and expected from bands like this, but I cannot get on with the tinny, background growls and questionable drum mix. I know there are plenty who can, and if you are one of those then you will definitely love this. But yeah, it is not my thing. I love Death metal, but not like this. ‘Shovelhead’ was probably my favourite song here, and even then I wouldn’t rush back to listen again. It’s a shame too as the band are clearly all insanely talented musicians. I’d probably get into it a lot more live, but on track I can’t give this any more than a 4/10, sorry.
Serpent Gates: The Veil of Darkness
This thrash-infused heavy metal release is an awesome debut album from the Finnish collective. Clearly taking inspiration from everyone from Iron Maiden to Judas Priest to Megadeth, they wear these on their sleeve while also feeling like it has a modern edge to it, especially when it comes to the excellent production. And, from the opener to the title track, ‘Down the Cross’ to ‘The Czar Will Fall’, it is absolutely packed full of highlights, there really not being a bad song on it. If I did have one note, I’d love to hear the band do a slower song; I feel like Anthony’s voice and the bands overall sound and talent would do an amazing ballad. However, for a debut album, going balls-to-the-wall from start to finish is probably a good idea, and there isn’t a track on this I’d cut in favour of something else! The band are all insanely talented and have crafted something amazing here for a first album. An absolute must for anyone into their old-school metal and a very easy 8.5/10 from us!
The Band of Heathens: Country Sides
The ninth official studio album from the confusing-historied folk rock band is a fun, chilled-out 40 minute romp. I somehow hadn’t really heard of them before, but had a great time listening to this! From ‘High on our Own Supply’ to the powerful ‘Lead Don’t Follow’ to ‘Take the Cake’, there is plenty to love throughout, and there really isn’t a bad song on it! If you like things on the more relaxed side, this is well worth checking out. It gives off big Uncle Luciusor even Drew Holcomb vibes, both in the best ways! There’s honestly not much else to say about it; the band are insanely talented with some cool playing and some amazing harmonies throughout, and are clearly good songwriters to boot. It’s a very easy 8/10 from us, and they’ll certainly be a band I’ll be revisiting in the future!
Clawfinger: Before we All Die
The first album from the European rap-metallers in a whopping 19 years finally dropped this last Friday and, honestly, it was nearly worth the insane wait! This is a heavy, chaotic and incredibly fun album that doesn’t at all feel like 40-minutes in length, going by in a flash. Single ‘Scum’ is an awesome way to open things up, while everything from ‘Tear You Down’ to the very 90’s ‘Going Down’ to the massive closer is all amazing too. It had some fun dynamics too, with some being more hip-hop focused while others were straight-up metal. It gave off everything from Stuck Mojo to Hed(PE) and I loved every moment of it. If you are at all a fan of the band or their turn-of-the-century sound, this is definitely worth checking out, and I’m so glad they’re back! 8/10
We had the pleasure of chatting to Elvis of the amazing Stone Sea the other day, talking about their newest album, the Irish music scene and their plans moving forward. Check it out below!
How would you describe your sound?
Groovy stoner blended with grunge grit and a hint of world music.
What caused the relocation from Brazil to Ireland back in the early days of the band?
It was a personal decision. Initially, I was only going to stay in Ireland for a year on an exchange program to learn English properly and experience new cultures. But I ended up loving it too much and stayed for ten years. I did miss the sun, though — so I eventually moved to Spain (laughs).
How would you compare the scene in Ireland compared to back home?
Brazil is huge — you could probably fit Ireland inside the state of São Paulo. For being so big, filled with people and rich in cultural diversity, I feel the rock scene is quite scattered. Venues are often far from each other, especially considering there are only so many that welcome original music. That makes it hard to organise and to really feel like there’s a cohesive scene. Ireland, on the other hand, is small, and venues are much closer together. That makes it easier to organise shows and for bands to know each other. I think it was much easier to get yourself seen there compared to Brazil.
You’re finally back with a sophomore album at the start of the year. What’s it like having a decade between LPs? How would you compare your debut to Ad Astra?
The difference is quite considerable! Origins was way rawer composition-wise. I think the experience of diving deeper into other cultures, being curious about harmony theory, and being open-minded about adding and experimenting with other elements made the songs more mature. I think the first songs were way more to the point, whereas now I like to really taste all the nuances of a feeling or a mental state, and you can clearly notice that in Ad Astra.
What is the writing process like for the band?
It usually starts with a musical idea — a riff that comes to mind and starts to develop by itself. I record these ideas on my phone, then at some stage I develop them further by adding additional sections or vocal melodies, for example.
Then, when I have the song done — or at least a chunk of it — I bring it to rehearsal and they help me shape it further by developing other sections or adding their flavour and influences on their instruments. The end result is always something that everybody’s happy with, unless I’m very stubborn about something specific (laughs).
Is there a certain story or theme running though Ad Astra? Or is it more individual stories?
They came about more as individual stories. Some songs date back to 2017, when the first ideas appeared — like Ad Astra itself. A few took a long time to fully develop, and they reflect different aches I dealt with over the years. Ad Astra is quite stoic in the sense that it observes these struggles from a more distant perspective, which is why I chose it as the album title. Also, because in a way we’re sending these experiences out into the universe.
Do you have a favourite track from Ad Astra, and why?
Pff… I don’t know. They’re all my babies — I can’t say I love one more than the others. But I can say that ‘Stain’ came out very punchy in the studio because Connor and I were very in sync. Musically, ‘Age of Tears’ is heavy as hell and super fun to play. I love how the production of ‘Alien’ turned out — it feels great to listen to. The solo in ‘Left to Be’ is probably one of my favourites I’ve written so far, and the lyrics of ‘Ad Astra’ are the ones I like the most.
The only one that doesn’t stand out as much to me personally is ‘Time to Change’. Don’t get me wrong — I love playing it live. But weirdly enough, it’s the one getting more and more streams. I guess because it’s more easily digestible, whereas I tend to prefer the more complex ones.
Busy rest of the year planned?
We’re currently in a writing phase. We already have seven new songs that we plan to record at some point this year. There are also some international shows being discussed, but we can’t confirm anything yet.
Do you have a dream tour lineup you’d want to be a part of? Anyone you’d want to support or friends you’d want to bring along?
I’d love to tour with Down — that’ll probably be my dream tour at the moment. Although that can change every time I think of it (laughs).
If you could have written one song from history, what would it be?
‘Wolf Moon’ from Type O Negative. I think Peter Steele was a genius to talk about the menstrual cycle in such a poetic way (honestly!)
We had the absolute pleasure to chat to Tom of the incredible Tailgunner in between tours to talk about their brand new album, all their touring, and shoot the shit about great bands! Check it all out below!
I imagine the last couple of years have been a whirlwind for the band, right?
Yeah, it’s so wild! It started three years ago and it’s really not stopped at all. It’s getting faster and faster, we have to keep one foot on the ground or it will spin out of control!
What’s it like to be signed to Napalm?
It’s great! I think we’re very fortunate. We had a label put out the first album, someone at that label believed in us. We had a great debut album with them and we made that album for no money at all. We went to them like ‘okay, we’ve proven our worth, give us some money’ and they were basically like ‘well you did it for no money last time, can’t you do it again?’. We said no, fuck you!
Napalm was the label we wanted to go to, I think they’re the world’s biggest metal label for a reason. The thing that’s really important to us is they don’t just have legacy bands that have made a name for themselves elsewhere 40 years ago. They have bands that they’ve taken from club bands to arena bands. I mean just look at Powerwolf! We’re a little different, but if we can have a career trajectory the same way, I’d be extremely pleased! With Napalm it feels like we’re in a place that we can grow, and we’re really happy with that!
You’ve just gotten home from touring Europe, right?
Yeah! We were out with Hammerfall, playing Spain, Portugal, Switzerland. Had a really amazing time with them! A fantastic band to tour with and the nicest guys, the crew, the tour manager, the bus driver, everyone! And the great thing about that tour was that us and Hammerfall are cut from the same cloth, it was just this rolling caravan of heavy metal nerds, basically! We could talk to them about all these artists and they’d be like ‘wow, this is a young band that are coming from the same place that we are’.
What’s the scene like over there compared to here?
I don’t know, honestly I don’t pay too much attention to what was going on in each individual country. There’s plenty of bands around in the scene! I think there’s more of a love for heavy metal in mainland Europe than in the UK. We’re fortunate to be from the UK as it allows us to have a fanbase here; if we were from the mainland I don’t think we’d do as well here as we do. But I think sometimes because the UK gets credited with making heavy metal music, it maybe gets given more credit in terms of quality and ingenuity. I think mainland Europe aren’t so proud. If it’s good, they don’t care if it’s been done before.
The album’s out on Friday [time of recording], right? Is there any overarching story to it in terms of writing, or is each track its own thing?
With our debut, that was written largely by myself and it was the first time I’d ever written songs. I never expected to be a songwriter. With Guns for Hire’s success it proved to me that maybe I can write songs, maybe people want to hear them, so I felt more confident. Also, we’d been out on the road, played over 100 shows, shared staged with legends. I think it’s very difficult for that stuff not to rub off on you. It made me more collaborative and more focused. The first album, I almost look at it as album zero, like a pilot episode, almost.
In terms of the overarching theme, there’s a theme of the album lyrically of dealing with your own mortality. It’s certainly not a concept album but there’s a lot of that theme. And to put it as more of a positive message, that through heavy metal and through art, you can live forever. The marks we leave on this world last longer than we do and that’s okay!
Has the rest of the band been involved in the writing this time around?
Yeah, absolutely! Because I’d wrote most of the first album before the band existed, that’s just how it all fell. This time we have the lineup; it’s been a hell of a lot more collaborative. I’m really proud of the others for stepping up! Zack [guitar] has four or five co-writes on this record. That’s amazing! And the album is all the better for the fact that Craig, Zack and Rhea have all wrote for it.
I imagine it’s cool to get everyone else’s inspirations in there, too!
This is it! You listen to Iron Maiden, for example, it’s Steven Harris band and all that, but some of the best songs for me are written by Adrian Smith. It would be crazy for me to tell anyone ‘hey, sit this one out’!
What was it like working on it with KK Downing?
He made us think twice… or 200 times… about everything. But that was the one lesson for me is that every single second, every single note, counts. He made us really consider every single thing we put down on track. Nothing was throwaway or ‘that’ll do’. We considered every last thing, sometimes to the point of madness!
Exactly, it’s having a fresh set of ears on it, especially from someone who’s been doing this as long as KK!
That’s it! If we couldn’t quite decide on something, having KK Downing as the final say, is not a bad person to have in that position!
Have you got any thoughts on the current state of the UK music scene?
I think there’s some really great bands coming through! A band that are doing great things currently are Rattlesnakes. Their singer Rowena, she reminds me of a young Dickinson or Dio or something! I’m really impressed by those guys. They said to us that having Guns for Hire come out and be successful showed them that actually you can be from the UK and play heavy metal and actually do well. Hopefully the success of us and those guys and other bands coming through will have even more bands continue to come through!
There are definitely more bands doing it, it really feels like a renaissance of the sound! Wailing Banshee are another great one coming through!
Love those guys! They supported us in the first show we played in Manchester! Great band!
Have you heard of Ominous Moon, from Essex? They’re like a blackened speed metal, definitely worth checking out! Really cool band!
You’ve got quite the busy rest of the year planned, right?
I leave tomorrow! I’ve been home for four days, just got back from Planet Rock Winters End, then the UK tour starts on Friday. That’ll run until the end of February. Then hitting the festival season really hard! Just announced two dates with Accept. Then there’s a lot more for the rest of the year that is booked and set to be announced. I think a lot of people will be very happy!
I don’t know how you find the time. If I was at home for just four days I don’t think I’d be able to move to do a full months tour!
Yeah, I mean I’ve not guilt tripped myself too much. Your pattern goes so far wrong that you come home like you know what, I’m not even going to try and sort that problem out until I’m up. If I’m honest, my days have consisted of waking up at like 11, having something to eat, doing press for like five/six hours, smoking a joint and then just chilling out for the rest of the night!
You said you’ve played with some legends already, is there any other dream tour lineup you’d want to be a part of?
Oh for sure, there’s so many bands we’d love to play with! I know Megadeth are doing their farewell tour, we’re hoping to talk to the right people about that! Obviously Iron Maiden. Whether that would happen I’m not sure. Priest is maybe more realistic, I’d love to play with Priest. I think one for me which could be a real possibility, at least I’d like to think so, is Helloween. I’m a huge, huge Helloween fan, they’re the reason I started playing, so if we could open for them that would really feel like a full circle moment for me. And, we’ve played with them before, but I’d love to do a full tour with Airbourne, love those guys!
Another typically stacked week of new music, from rock to metal to country! Let’s dive in!
Larry Fleet: Another Year Older
We’ve already checked out this awesome album! Read our full review here.
Story of the Year: A.R.S.O.N.
I clearly had a different band in my head, because I was not expecting so much awesome melodic hardcore heading into this! The seventh album from the Missouran quartet is an old-school post-hardcore powerhouse from start to finish. ‘Gasoline’ is the perfect, aggressive opener, while tracks like ‘See Through’ and ‘Into the Dark’ are all massive highlights on top of that. Also, Jacob Shaddix does an amazing job on ‘Fall Away’, definitely another big high point. However, there really isn’t a bad track on the album, even the slower stuff that wouldn’t typically be my thing is amazing. It’s very emo but certainly in a good way; like My Chem mixed with I Prevail, with a surprisingly healthy dose of Mikey D riffing mixed in with it all. I had a great time with this, and will definitely be revisiting it again soon! Check this out if you are at all interested, and it’s a solid 8/10 from us!
No Worth of Man: The Killing Streets
The debut album from the modern metal/deathcore band really makes a statement; the band standing tall and proud and saying ‘we are here to take no prisoners’. This thing goes hard. From the heavy riffs to the crushing screams to the solid drumming, it all fits together perfectly to create something truly awesome. There isn’t a bad track on the album, but songs like ‘Those of Our Kind’ and ‘Alarmus’ are big personal highlights. My only slight complaint is that I’ve heard half of the album before in there 2024 EP. Don’t get me wrong, I very much enjoyed that release, but it would have been nice to hear a full collection of new songs from the band. Still, as an introduction to a band for new listeners, this is awesome, and I would fully recommend it to anyone into the heavier side of metal. The band are all hugely talented, and have a bright future ahead of them. Another solid 7.5/10
Angel Du$t: COLD 2 THE TOUCH
Album six from the Maryland melodic hardcorers goes a lot harder than their previous release, and is much better for it. I enjoyed BRAND NEW SOUL, this is much more up my street from a style perspective. The opening two tracks and ‘Zero’ are Turnstile-meets-Dog-Eat-Dog awesomeness, while ‘Jesus Head’ almost has a late 90s RHCP vibe to it. The album as a whole is amazing though, without a dud throughout. It blends Justice Tripp/Trapped Under Ice’s beatdown style with the more pop-friendly influence from the Turnstile lot who used to be part of the band. They’ve had considerable lineup changes in the last couple of years, but hopefully this is the solid lineup moving forward for a while, as it feels like the band are finally back on track and putting out music up their with their best.
It’s a release that blew me away a lot more than I expected it to, and is one I’d recommend if you are into any of the styles or bands I’ve mentioned previously. And, it’s another short album, which is always a win these days! I’ll definitely be revisiting it in the coming weeks, and don’t be surprised if it sneaks onto ourtop albums of the year listcome December. 8.5/10
Pokey LaFarge: Travelin’ With Pokey LaFarge: Voice and Guitar, Vol 1
One of my favourite discoveries over the last couple of years, I’ve been excited for this to drop for a few months now. This solo EP dropped on his brand new record label and is a more stripped-back affair than we’re used to with his recent releases. However, he’s such a good songwriter, and him with… well… his voice and guitar, still makes awesome music. Opening on an awesome duet with the awesome Addie Hamilton before launching through five amazing solo rock tracks spanning everything from rock’n’roll to swing to country. ‘Walk Your Way out of This Town’ is a particular highlight. It’s all simple but beautiful and really great music, a solid 18-minutes of old-school sounds. It’s maybe not for everyone who’s typically a fan of the guy, but I really enjoyed it, and will definitely be listening again. It’s the perfect release to just sit back and chill-out to. A very solid 7.5/10 from us!
Hellgrimm: Resurrection
Another sixth album, this time from the Texan metallers. The band do a great job of blending together multiple different styles, from stoner to thrash to whatever Motörhead wanna be classed as today, and even elements of NWOBHM and melodic metal. They honestly remind me a lot of Rattlesnakesor Wailing Banshee. It’s a mystery why they aren’t bigger as they are clearly fantastic songwriters and musicians. My only slight nitpick is that maybe the mix could be slightly bigger, but I only really notice it on occasions around the vocals. Songs like ‘Reign of Terror’, ‘Dead Superstar’ and their big single, ‘Dog Trash Must Die’ are all big highlights. However, the whole album is enjoyable, including their Kreator and Stones covers! It’s not something I’d revisit as a whole massively often, but the individual tracks will surely be in my rotation for a while! I’ll definitely be keeping an eye on the band moving forward as they definitely have a new fan in me. 7/10
The Lone Bellow: What a Time to be Alive
The first studio album in going-on four years from the indie folk/Americana trio is another infectiously fun release. 46 minutes of chilled-out alt country and soft rock, giving off vibes of everything from James Bay to Kings of Leon to Drew Holocomb to even Zach Bryan. The band did a great job at choosing the singles as they are definite album high point, but tracks like ‘Common Folk’ and ‘I’m Here for You’ are definite highlights too. The whole album is excellent though, and has such a fantastic flow to it throughout. The harmonies on each song are amazing, and make every chorus huge and so very catchy.
I’d not checked the band out much outside of a song or two here and there, but I’m definitely going to have to go back and check out their back catologue, as I had a blast listening to this. Hopefully they come over to the UK soon too as I’d love to hear all of this live. Until that time, I happily just keep spinning this whole thing, though! 8/10, and it may grow on me even more with more listens!
Gorgol Bordello: We Mean it, Man!
We’ve also checked this one out, aren’t you lucky?! Check it out here.
Converge: Love is Not Enough
I’m sorry, but this album FUCKS. The mixture of aggressive death metal, hardcore and sludgy riffing is amazing and makes me want to punch everything. The first new studio release from the band since their collab with Chelsea Wolfe back in ’21, and their first solo release in nearly a decade, this had a lot of hype to live up to, and smashes all of it to pieces. Everything about it is awesome, and is the perfect 30 minutes of aggressive, brutal, OG metalcore. It’s impossible to pick highlights, I listened to this whole thing through a couple of times and loved every second of it (though ‘Beyond Repair’ goes maybe a minute too long). I am so damn glad these guys are back to releasing new music again, and am already desperate to see all of this live. If you’re into heavy, this is ABSOLUTELY the album for you. I’ve claimed a few times the last 12 months or so that hardcore is back in a big way, and weeks like this just keep proving me right. I can’t give it any less than 9.5/10, damn.
Max Jackson: Dangerous in Denim
The first studio album in nearly six years from the country star, and it at very least lives up to the hype! While the opener is a little too ‘Panderin‘‘ for me, her unique brand of stadium-country is a lot of fun, and makes for a very easy half-an-hour listen. Tracks like ‘Goin’ Nowhere Now’, ‘We Invented Love’ and the Shania-like ‘1990 Somethin” are all personal highlights. However, the more I listen, the more I fall in love with the album. It’s impossible not to have a good time listening to it, and Max has such a fantastic voice and vocal delivery that it keeps it fun, and emotional where needed. And, instrumentally it’s great, some real high points from the drums, guitars and bass throughout, too. Plus, the back-half of this album is truly awesome. Even revisiting ‘Red Dirt ROCKNROLL’ within the context of the album as a whole after, it has certainly grown on me. I would highly recommend this to any 90s or 2000s country music fan reading this, and Max has certainly gained a new fan in me! A very easy 8/10 from us!
Frozen Ocean: Askdrömmar
The first album from the Russian black metaller in a full decade is honestly pretty fantastic, and I’ve never been the biggest black metal fan! It’s not straight-up black metal, there’s some vague electronic and even gothic elements to it too, which definitely helped keep my interest. Tracks like ‘Bortkastade dödsrunor’ and ‘Jag sover’ are personal highlights. However, there isn’t a bad song throughout, even if the album as a whole does get a bit repetitive towards the back half. However, Vaarwel is an incredibly talented musician, and that sort of tunnel-vision is going to happen when there is just one working on a project. If you are into the genre at all, this is well worth checking out! As I said, I enjoyed my listen to it, and certainly wouldn’t turn it off if it came back on again. It gets a 6.5/10 from us!
Clay Street Unit: Sin & Squalor
The debut album from the folk/Americana collective dropped to a lot of hype and expectation on Friday, and lives up to all of it! The big-band feel is always something I love, and they have it in spades here. The hints of bluegrass in the instrumentation keep the pace bouncy and light, while the voice grounds it in country, adding some emotion, depth and some HUGE choruses. It has elements of the likes of Wyatt Flores, White Buffalo, Uncle Luscious, Zach Bryan and American Aquarium all perfectly blended together. It’s also packed full of awesome songs; 40 minutes of incredible music that’s nearly impossible to pick highlights from. From the opener to ‘Where Have you Gone?’, their duet with Lindsay Lou to the more ballad-like ‘Left Unsaid’ to the beautiful closer, it’s all so good. If you’re a fan of all things vaguely country, this is an absolute must-check-out! I can’t give it any less than 9/10, excellent stuff!
The Beautiful Darkness: Pain to Purpose
The debut EP from the mind of Nerys John blends so many different styles together, and does so incredibly interestingly. From folk to grunge to goth to punk to melodic hard rock, they really touch on a bit of everything through the release. Honestly, it’s a great introduction to the group! They have a cool, interesting sound to them, and constantly keep you guessing what’s coming next while listening. ‘The Narcissist’ is possibly my favourite track of the five, but all certainly have their charms. Generally it’s a touch slower pace for me as a whole, but that doesn’t mean it is any worse an EP. This will have so many fans, and I can see a bright future ahead for them, this being the perfect jumping off-point for that. Nerys’ vocals are incredible, and the band that she’s found are all hugely talented players. Another solid 7/10 from me!
Temple Balls: Self-Titled
Album five from the hard rock/AOR Finns is just as massive as their previous outings. Sounding like the natural evolution of Santa Cruz, H.E.A.T. and Van Halen, the band channel an awesome rock energy throughout, driven by pounding drums and awesome riffs. It’s nearly 40-minutes of sleazy goodness, arena-filling choruses and a fantastic bounce that will keep your head bobbing throughout. The band are insanely talented at their chosen instrument, and are also fantastic songwriters. From the opening two numbers to ‘We are the Night’ to ‘Stronger than Fire’, there are so many massive highlights on this thing, though there isn’t a bad song throughout. They fit perfectly in this revival of hard rock in Europe recently, and would fit awesomely into the NWOCR scene in the UK, so hopefully we can get them over here soon so I can see this live! However, for now I am more than happy to keep spinning this awesome album, and would urge any rock fan out there to do the same. A huge 8.5/10!
We had the pleasure of chatting to the awesome Chuck Ransom the other day about the release of their new B-Sides collection album, as well as their upcoming trip back to the UK! Check it out below!
How would you describe your sound?
Action hard rock! That is a good name for what we do.
What made you put out a B-sides release, let alone a number of them? Is there any reason as to why some of the tracks didn’t make it on a full release?
This is actually the third album with B-sides, covers and unreleased material! Many of the songs are taken from tribute albums to different bands and artists that we are honoured to have been a part of, and some songs are simply taken from singles and B-sides from singles. All these songs are recorded in between album sessions.
Have the tracks changed since they were first written/performed?
Yes a bit, we usually start up with an almost finished song, and then add some tweeks & hooks. It is usually the solo parts that gets some extra love and changes.
Is there writing going on for the next full release, too?
Yes, we got 7 out of 12 songs ready for our next album. We aim for a 2027 release!
Got a pretty year so far for festival appearances, including coming over here for Call of the Wild, right?
Yes, we hope to be able to book a few more shows in the UK around the Call of the Wild festival, we love playing the UK!
And yes, we got some nice shows booked in Finland, Spain and Germany too for 2026.
You were last out here back in March, right? How does the scene in the UK compare to back home?
Yes, we played Hard Rock Hell in Great Yarmouth, which was a exellent event, very well organized!
The Swedish scene is a bit different from the UK scene. We find the UK audience to be more alert and into the music, Sweden is a bit more posh.
And in Sweden a nice hotel, food and drinks are standard, which is not always the case in the UK!
Have you got a busy rest of the year planned outside of the festivals announced?
Yup, we will spend this year on finnishing album no. 12.
Do you have a dream tour lineup you’d want to be a part of? Anyone you want to support or friends you want to bring along?
A Hellacopters / Gluecifer / Turbonegro tour is something we would love to support! It is so weird that they are not doing this.
If you could have written one song from history, what would it be?
Money wise I would go for “White Christmas” by Bing Crosby and personally since it is the best song ever written I would go for “Honey Bee” by Tom Petty.
An apt name for a venue, as it was bloody cold last Friday when we arrived at the venue (part of the INCREDIBLE Castle Rock Brewery). However, we had three awesome rock bands to warm us up with, and they did exactly that! Somehow it was my first time seeing both Preacher and Revenant, though I’d been a fan for years, so to say I was excited was an understatement! Let’s dive right into the night’s fun, shall we?
Eddie & The Wolves opened the show and killed it if I do say so myself. Those who came down early saw, I’d like to thing, a good hard rock set! As usual, I’d like to thank everyone that came down to watch us, brought our merch, gave us such kind words, you’re all the reason the four of us do it. And, while I’m happy to tongue-in-cheek type here that we put on ‘the best set of all time, and anyone who missed it will never see something so glorious’, I just hope that we gave people an enjoyable half an hour! I had a blast up on stage, and I know the other three did too, and it sounded good to us, at least!
Next up were the incredible Revenant. They’ve been building a lot of momentum over the last couple of years with a handful of great EPs, and that momentum truly carries over to their stage show. The four-piece filled the room with their energy, and sounded just as good live as they do on track. Opening on the run of maybe my two favourite tracks from them, ‘Public Service Announcement’ into ‘Best Medicine’, before blasting through a lot of the rest of their awesome three EPs, it was one hell of a setlist. And the band put their all into playing each and every track! The bands stage presence as a whole is undeniable, and Sugarman held the crowd in the palm of his hand throughout. The band have put in the work to get to where they are at, and it couldn’t happen to a more deserving bunch!
After a short break, the legendary headliners took to the stage. The North Carolinan Southern rockers have really been embraced over here in recent years, which reflected perfectly in their ability to pull off a headline tour like this to a packed out, adoring crowd. I still spin By the Horns now, so for it to get so much love in the set (I mean, it was the tours namesake) was awesome. However, having never seen them live before, getting to hear the classics was also amazing! From ‘Old Joe’ and ‘Writing on the Wall’ to ‘Olf Fashioned Ass Whoopin’…’ and ‘Not Today’ we got a great spread of their back catalogue, a journey through the bands whole career. Ronnie is still one of the best frontmen in the genre some nearly 20 years into the band, and the rest of the guys compliment him perfectly. Special shoutout to drummer Josh Wyatt, he blew me away not just in his solo but throughout the whole set, what a phenomenal talent! The whole band were excellent from start to finish though, playing their asses off and keeping the crowd singing and clapping along throughout!
And there you have it folks, another great night for underground (ish) rock music! What more could you ask for? Three incredible bands working their ass off, a good venue, a great crowd, and surrounded by great beer! All the wins! I cannot recommend any of the bands or the venue enough, check them all out our as soon as you possibly can. I already need to see Revenant and Preacher again, and hopefully we can get a run-back of the whole tour sometime in the future!
