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new music mondays

New Music Mondays: The Rolling Stones, Devildriver and More!

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Some massive albums for us to check out this week, from rock to metal to country!

The Rolling Stones: Foreign Tongues

Owen: This week saw the release of the 25th studio album from arguably one of the most all time influential groups in the rock genre. Jagger and crew still have a lot to say after over 60 years of releasing music together. Foreign Tongues is a contentious listen for me. On the whole it’s an inoensive album, however Jagger himself has been open about the fact that this could be the last of a long and storied discography. I can’t help but ask myself if they are going out with a whimper or a bang? Opening track ‘Rough and Twisted’ feels like classic Rolling Stones; this track is exactly what fans would expect of an album opener. However this feeling quickly fades as the tracks play on, melting into some generic tracks that lack identity. A pleasant surprise did await me on the ninth track, a cover of ‘You Know I’m No Good’ from the late Amy Winehouse, not something I expected to hear from Jagger and co, and expected even less to enjoy so much. The  cover is faithful to the original whilst simultaneously leaning into the strengths of this group. 6/10

Devildriver: Strike & Kill

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

Jack White: Frozen Charlotte

The White Stripes legend himself is back with his first solo effort in nearly two years. We sadly missed that release, but I do remember enjoying his two previous back in 2022. And, honestly, I really dug this, too! The opener is classic White goodness, all fun bluesy riffs and quirky, catchy vocals. And, honestly, it keeps up the high quality and expected/hoped for sound from there on out! ‘There’s Nobody There’, ‘Dollar Bill’ and ‘Making Contact’ are also massive high points for me personally. However, the whole album is great from start to finish, and the fact that 13 songs go by in this much of a flash is a true testament to Jack’s writing and musicianship. Honestly, this may be the most I’ve enjoyed an album of his since the early White Stripes days, it really is that good! It’s bluesy yet poppy, and filled with so many catch hooks from both the guitar and the vocals. Heck, White himself sounds more renewed and focused than he has in years. If you are at all a fan of his sound or genre, do yourselves a favour and give this a spin. I’ll certainly be listening to it plenty moving forward, that’s for sure! An easy 8.5/10

Chevy Beaulieu: Self-Titled

This is honestly a masterclass in country music. It’s 40 minutes that spans everything from Southern rock to more traditionalist styles to ballads, and I loved every second of it. There’s even hints of more of a modern pop-country vibe at times. It’s a lot of fun from front to back, and constantly keeps things interesting. It’s honestly impossible just to pick a couple of highlights too as it’s all so good, so much of this ended up on my personal playlist. And the fact that when we chatted to him he said that over half of it was written by him and, in this day and age, it makes it even more impressive!

He’s been growing his name pretty fantastically in Canada over the last few years, and it’s easy to hear why! He’s an incredibly talented writer, singer and player, and clearly has an ear to pick others that are equally as talented. I’ve already spun this a couple of times this weekend alone, and don’t feel like I’ll be slowing down much in the coming weeks and months! He fits perfectly into the modern country scene, and I can see this release pushing him to even greater heights within it. Give this a spin if you are at all into country! 9/10

Eva Under Fire: Villainous

Max: I was a bit stuck on this one. It’s a clearly good album, but didn’t do anything for me really. To be fair maybe I am not the target audience and I probably shouldn’t have spent the last week listening to Toe but I really struggled to get into this album. The production is really really good, that cannot be understated, and there was a nice rhythm to the album. I should also say that the breakdowns were mostly really good and the feature from Maria Brink was great as one would expect. With all that being said, I couldn’t connect to the songs. It felt very radio ready which isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but I have never liked music like that all too much. And, for the most part, I couldn’t tell you which song is which as they all had a very similar arc to them. With all that said, it is a good, inoffensive album. 7/10

Adam Lambert: ADAM

The modern Queen frontman returns with his first new solo LP in three years. It’s a grandiose, perfectly polished pop-rock opera, and I do think people’s milage with it will vary based on what they’re into. The closest thing I feel myself comparing it to is Marianas Trench or Nothing But Thieves, although there is definite inspiration from his time with Queen, too. I do like both (all three?) bands, but I’m a touch up and down with this. Opener ‘RAT CITY’ is awesome and sounds absolutely massive with those harmonies. The industrial-tinged, Lexie Liu-featuring ‘PROCELAIN’ is a lot of fun. ‘Rage’ had a catchy, techno-infused pop-rock hook to it. A lot of the rest of the album I could take or leave. None of it is bad by any stretch, and Lambert is clearly an incredible vocalist, but it just didn’t land for me. Then again, I am hardly his target audience, I imagine. It’s at least varied enough to stay interesting, and if you are at all curious it’s well worth giving a try. However, I probably won’t revisit it too often, and can’t give it much more than a 6.5/10. Good moments, but overall not my thing.

As Oceans Divide: Self-Titled

The debut EP from the metalcore/melodeath Canadians goes hard for its full 18 minutes. Fitting in perfectly between Trivium, Killswitch Engage and In Flames, the release is packed full of great riffs, solid drums, brutal screams and some damn catchy clean melodies. The opener is a great example of their heavier side, while the likes of ‘White Noise’ and ‘Cursed Oblivion’ almost boarder on melodic metal. And the all-out assault of ‘World Collapse’ is also excellent. As you can tell, I love this release! The band are insanely talented and have a VERY bright future ahead of them if they keep putting out music like this. I have no qualms in saying that this is one of my favourite EPs of the year so far, and it’s up against some stiff competition there, too! If you have even a passing interest in the heavier side of music, give this a listen ASAP, you’re bounce to love it as much as I do! 9/10, I already can’t wait to hear more from them!

The Plot in You: Self-Titled

A cheating release next. I have been rather vocal about my dislike of bands putting out almost all the album as pre-release singles before it drops (as much as streaming algorithms like that), but this release honestly takes the cake in that regard. I remember Atreyu doing a similar thing recently, as did Annisokay, and I wasn’t really a fan of either. Combining previous EPs together for the sake of having another album out takes away from both the value of the individual EPs, and the album they produce. Then again, it’s not like we checked out any of the EPs, so it’s new from a review standpoint.

Musically, it’s fine. It’s the side of metalcore that is ‘not really my sort of thing’ like Bad Omens or Northlane (although fuck do Northlane slap live), so knew I wouldn’t have a huge amount of milage in it to begin with. The heavier tracks like ‘Forgotten’, ‘Been Here Before’ and ‘Spare Me’ are good fun, but they feel few and far between when they alternate the even-more pop-centric tracks in between them. If you are a fan of the band you’ll probably get some enjoyment out of it, and it is definitely a popular style and sound these days. However, it certainly isn’t for me, and I found myself getting a bit bored by the end. They’re certainly talented players, but unless you’re a fan of modern metalcore I probably wouldn’t recommend this album. 5/10, incredibly average.

Allison Russel: In the Hour of Chaos

Owen: In the Hour of Chaos is the third album Russell has released since her solo debut in 2021. Previous member of groups such as Birds of Chicago, and Our Native Daughters, Russell is well versed in many genres and a skilled vocalist and songwriter. This third instalment is an impressively collaborative affair, with ten out the eleven tracks featuring other artists, notably Norah Jones, Chibueze Ihumoa, Ruby Amanfu, and many more. Thematically the album is  pushing a message of hope in the face of chaos and despair, which feels sadly needed in the world right now. Sitting between various genres and inviting many dierent voices into the album supports this message for me, Russell and her contributors deliver a message of unity and optimism. 8/10

Among Legends: Lose My Grip

This is a fantastic punk release! The sophomore album from the Canadians is a lot of fun; and energetic and attitude-filled half-hour! It’s also 12 fantastic tracks, each as fantastic as the last. ‘Sound the Alarm’, ‘Hollow’ and ‘Band Dudes Fuck Off’ are personal highlights, but the whole album is super solid and goes by in a flash. The band wear their inspiration on their sleeves in the best way, everything from Blink to Pennywise to Lagwagon, but also with a slight hardcore edge to it that I love! It’s a style that deserves to be massive again, and these guys are so good that they could easily lead that charge! They have a big new fan in me, and clearly I need to holiday in Ontario to go see this live! If you are at all into punk or pop-punk this an album you have to listen to. I’ll be spinning it a lot in the coming weeks and months, and it gets a massive yet easy 9.5/10. Goddamn, I loved this!

The Devil Wears Nada: In Lust We Trust

The sophomore album from the Swedish melodic rockers is a damn fun half-hour! It’s massive-sounding AOR/arena rock, and the production helps the writing and playing reach its lofty heights no end! From the huge riffs to the melodic synth, the anthemic choruses to the awesome solos, it’s all so good. And, from ‘Last Forever’ to ‘In Lust We Trust’ to ‘Shotgun Wedding’, there are so many bangers throughout! Having said that, every song on here is awesome, and it goes by in a flash. I had a lot of fun listening to this, and the band have a huge new fan in me! I honestly can’t gush over it enough, and if you like that 80s revival sound, this is an absolute must-listen. I don’t have much else to say about it other than check this out immediately! 9/10, I’m just throwing them out this week!

Andrew Farriss: The Prospector

The sophomore solo album from the INXS co-founder comes a full half-decade after his debut. Much like his first release, it’s a chilled-out, old-school album that combines so many different elements. Country, Americana, bluegrass, folk, rock; all of it is moulded together rather masterfully throughout. The closest comparison I find myself making immediately is Sons of Town Hall, in its essence and vibe at least, and if you read my review of their last album you’d know how big of a compliment that is. Somewhere between that and a Drew Holcomb or early Keifer Sutherland. This feels like not just a story, but a journey through its 38-minute runtime, and I am all for it.

It’s another album that has plenty variety too, keeping me constantly interested and entertained. And, it all flows together masterfully, track-into-track. It’s very much designed to be listened to in one sitting, though tracks like ‘Southern Cross Shines’, ‘Honesty’, ‘Something Stronger’ and ‘Someone For Everyone’ are personal favourites. Every track is awesome though, and it makes for a rather easy, relaxing listen, even when it’s a little melancholic at times. I’ll be spinning this album a lot in the coming months, as I’m sure anyone who listens to it will be doing! While I have checked out his previous release, I do think that this is a step up in quality, and he has a big new fan in me. I can’t give it any less than a 9/10!

Pythonic: Laws of Karma

Less than seven months after their last release, the third EP from the brutal death metallers/deathcorers is five venom-soaked, brutally awesome songs. The title track lands a brutal shot to the face right from the get-go, and sets the tone for the project immediately. The rest of the tracks follow its lead; a brutal yet melodic 18 minutes of music. The band are all extremely talented and have crafted something here that stands out from their peers from its perfect blend of aggression and catchiness. I already can’t wait to hear more, but until then will be spinning this plenty and checking out their older stuff, too. A very solid 8/10!

Interviews & Features

Madska: ‘I think it represents a taste of the many musical directions we are excited to continue to explore!’

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We chatted to the awesome US alt rockers about their upcoming EP, the Philly music scene and their plans for the future! Check it all out below!

How would you describe your sound?

Our sound is definitely evolving, I’d say it currently lands somewhere between alternative rock/pop with a sprinkle of jazz influence. This EP is definitely transitional, moving from our first record which was more straightforward indie, toward something with a bigger sound.

You’ve dropped two singles so far off the upcoming EP, are we set to hear any more of it before it drops?

Yes! We have two more!! One is the title track of the EP “More Than Dramatic,” and the other is called “Basement”.

Is there a certain theme or story around the EP? Or is it more individual stories per track?

I’d say there isn’t a very direct theme, but each song hints at sorting through complicated emotions or circumstances in a balanced way. I’m neither a half-glass-empty nor a half-glass-full type of person, I think each song asks the listener (and myself when I was writing them) to hold both the bad and the good of the situation and make decisions based from that place.

What is the writing process like for the band?

These songs happen to be ones I (Maddy) wrote mostly alone several years ago, but never brought to fruition. Bringing these songs to Sean and Gabe was such a lovely experience because they were able to help me arrange them exactly the way I heard them in my head, but better.

Do you have a favourite track from the EP?

I’d say “Medusa” or “More Than Dramatic”. Medusa is the oldest song on the EP (I wrote it in 2018/2019), so being able to finish it was such a healing experience. “More Than Dramatic” is actually a re-imagining of the song “Goonies” from our first record, “The Big Splash”. Gabe and Sean were just playing around one evening on drums and keys and we realized Goonies wanted a reinterpretation. It sounds completely different, I like to think of it as Goonies all grown up.

What went into the decision to put out an EP over another album? 

This is the first project that Sean, Gabe, and I collaborated on. We’ve been playing as a band live for a couple years now, but wanted to put something out that represents not only our live sound, but how we’ve progressed since The Big Splash. I think it represents a taste of the many musical directions we are excited to continue to explore.

Do you have a busy rest of the year planned with live shows to promote the release?

We are playing The BBQ on Aug 28-29, a festival in Ithaca NY that is hosted by our friends in New Planets and are very excited about that. Otherwise, we’re planning to host an EP release show sometime in the fall.

What do you make of the state of the scene at the minute?

I think the music scene, especially in Philly where we are, is so vibrant. It’s truly a lovely and constantly growing community and I feel very lucky to have so many creative friends who just want to play and listen to music. I also think that it’s extremely hard to know the right direction to take as an artist. The constant pressure to promote oneself and the landscape of AI taking over so many creative spaces can be really demoralizing. I think it’s important to just stay grounded in the actual practice of making art, whether or not it’s for outside consumption. Do it for you! At least that’s what I tell myself 🙂

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 with you?

Hayley Williams, Blondshell, DellaXOZ, Lizzy McAlpine, Big Thief, Rachel Chinouriri, Abby Holliday, Now Now….. All these artists I look up to so much.

If you could have written one song from history, what would it be and why?

I really wish I could’ve written ‘Born for Loving You’ by Big Thief. That song just feels like I’ve known it my whole life even though it came out only a couple of years ago. There’s something about Adrianne Lenker’s writing that transcends time!

Interviews & Features

Spin Class: ‘We spin a wheel and use whatever it lands on!’

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We chatted to the wonderful alt rockers Spin Class about their latest EP and plans for the future. Check it out below!

How would you describe your sound?

We’re a rock band with influences spanning the Seven Seas. But our biggest influence is Bristol’s own The Barnacle Bouys – expect our album to be only Sea Shanties!

The EP seems to have done well! Are there any stories around it, or a theme running through?

Thank you! We are super happy with how the EP is performing so far and a huge thank you to everyone who’s shown it love. Our songs are about personal experiences always, tuck in and see if there’s anything you relate to!

What’s the writing process like for the band?

To be honest, we never write one song the same! Sometimes we start it in the living room, sometimes we fart something out in the rehearsal room – we’ll all bring ideas to the table and smash ’em together! But who knows what the process will look like moving forward! It’s always fun to switch it up.

How do you come up with the song titles? Nice to see the early 2000s craziness with them making a comeback!

We spin a wheel and use whatever it lands on!

What made you decide on an EP over another album? Is there a longer release on the horizon or has the streaming model made you want to put out shorter releases for the time being?

We haven’t done an album just yet but these songs just naturally felt like they belonged together! We try not to think too hard about it and feel it out! Right now we reckon we’ll focus on shorter releases and work our way up from there!

Have you tried to play in the jumpsuits before? I imagine it’d be a sweaty gig!

Hahah! We actually haven’t, seems like we are missing a trick there! We do wear them in our debut music video for our song Phat Spaniard, you can find us gallivanting on our YouTube channel!

Have you got a busy rest of the year planned?

The rest of the year we’ll be in the Bahamas!

Do you have a dream tour lineup you’d want to be a part of? Anyone you’d want to support or bring on the road with you?

We’ve been casting incantations to manifest a tour with Queens of The Stone Age “Bubble, bubble tour with Queens of The Stone Age and trouble”

If you could have written any song from the past, what would it have been?

I know it’s a bit mainstream, but Nocturne in E Flat Major op.9 No 2 by Chopin. We were obsessed when we first heard it on a rerun of 1971’s Top of the Pops.

Reviews

Brothers: Foreign Affairs Kill it With Their Debut Album!

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The debut album from the UK indie-ish duo of brothers is arriving with a lot of hype to it, as the band have been gradually building steam for a few years now. I’ve heard the name everywhere but have somehow never really heard their music… until now! I thought they were definitely worth a full deep dive review, so without further ado, let’s dive right in!

‘Magic Box’ opens up the album perfectly, a great indie-rock guitar and vocal melody with more instrumentation building in over and over. It gives Drew Holcomb vibes, or even Jack Johnson. It sounds awesome, and is immediately catchy as hell! The backing vocals with the ‘ooo’s, harmonies and gang vocals add even more depth to it, too. The track is crafted to perfection, with every sound fitting excellently and it all forming something truly magical. It sets the tone of the album amazingly and is honestly one of my favourite tracks of the year. Immediately a huge highlight!

More quirky instrumentation comes in as a steal drum opens ‘Killer Spell’. Then we get more of the great Americana-indie stuff, building into a truly massive, arena-filling chorus. This one is much more James Bay, in the best possible way! The lead guitar bits throughout are awesome too, having so much feel to them and fitting the vibe of the track well. It’s another amazing track, and one that I feel is gonna be stuck in my head for days to come!

‘I’m on Fire’ strips things back and slows things down in a beautiful piano ballad. It’s maybe a touch early for a track like this on the album, but honestly, it felt completely natural here and fit the pace of the album perfectly. It builds incredibly to yet another HUGE chorus, the backing vocals and drums adding so much to the epicness of the track. It dropping back down for the bridge before exploding back in for a final chorus was masterful; powerful as it was beautiful. The band so far are three for three on excellent tracks!

The only track I’d heard before this, ‘Walk Away’, changes the pace again into a blues banger. The riff is amazing, and it building with the drum and bass and harmonies more and more into an infectiously catchy chorus! It drops out perfectly for a bridge before we get a double time, almost bluegrass-tinged guitar solo, which was sick! Still, it has that same indie feel to it at the same time, feeling very much like the same band. And I kinda liked it dropping back for the outro chorus, it almost bringing the track full circle. Banger after banger so far!

As if my mind hadn’t been blown enough already, ‘Evel Kinevel’ starts with a gospel chorus, god clap and everything, and was awesome! Then we get a great indie riff with Adams amazing vocals over the top. Once again, it builds perfectly to the now expectedly huge chorus, just made to be played to massive festival crowds around the world! It’s yet another song that I can expect to be stuck in my head for the next few days, and is yet another fantastic track!

Single ‘The Last Dance’ brings the blues riffing back, much like ‘Move Your Body’. Both are great, up-tempo tracks that definitely get you… well… moving your body! They definitely sound distinctly like Foreign Affairs while having a more indie-rock edge to them. And they break up the album pretty perfectly, keeping the energy up around the mid-point.

The next few tracks slow things down again with some great ballad writing. Whether it’s the Bay-like acousticness of ‘Baby Blue’ or ‘Adam’s Song’ or the piano-led nature of ‘Flowers in the Window’, it’s all so beautiful and powerful. I do have to say it does grind the pace of the album down to a crawl a touch, and is a lot of slower stuff all at once. I don’t know if it’s just my tiny attention span, but I think I’d struggle to listen to all four tracks one-after-another on many listens. All are incredible songs on their own, but when together it’s a touch much for me, and highlights how insanely stacked the first half of the album is. Still, if you like more of an easy-listening vibe, check out every single one of these. ‘Hummingbird and Me’ in particular is another massive highlight track.

The album concludes with a two parter; ‘One Minute’. Part 1 is amazing, the vocal delivery honestly giving me goosebumps at times. It’s the perfect nearly-two-minutes of folk-rock. Meanwhile part 2 is a full-length track packed full or a similar brilliant, beautiful, vulnerable level of emotion. They very much fit together like two pieces of the same puzzle, and while are incredible separate, are perfect together. How is it not one of the biggest tracks of the year already? If you check out anything off this album, let it be this; it’s truly phenomenal. The lyrics are incredible, and the instrumentation and delivery fit the gravitas of them perfectly. What a way to close out this release!

Overall: This is an incredible release! I went into it not really knowing what to expect and was utterly blown away by the whole thing. There are so many killer tracks on this, and practically no filler. The band blend genres seamlessly, and have put out something truly heartfelt and personal with this release. I am a new, huge fan of the band, and already cannot wait to hear what they do next. However, for now, I’ll be spinning this a bunch moving forward!

The Score: 9.5/10

Reviews

President, Wells Ferrari and More: EPs Galore!

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A stacked week of EPs for us to check out, from metal to indie to rock. Lets check it all out!

PRESIDENT: King of Terrors

The new mystery masked band (definitely not fronted by Charlie Simpson) have dropped their debut EP this weekend. Does it live up to the insane hype around them? Personally, no, but I’m certainly not the target audience for this sort of music. It’s very Sleep Token, and y’all know how I feel about them. It’s a touch more interesting and heavy than them, but still incorporates a lot of the same pop and electronic elements around the big riffs and occasional screams. It’s not bad, don’t get me wrong, but I don’t think it’s quite worth all the hype. ‘Fearless’ was a fun, almost Skillet-esque track, while the riffing in ‘Dionysus’ was good too. However, the good moments were few and far between, and there are only so many trap and hip-hop beats I can hear in metal before I immediately get bored of them. If you are into this sort of thing awesome, you’ll surely get a lot out of it, but it wasn’t for me at all. I can’t give it any more than 5/10, sorry lads!

Wells Ferrari: Wasted Time

The sophomore EP from the indie-Americana duo is just as good as their last, drawing together their last string of single releases into the perfect 23-minute release. The band’s sound is excellent, being a slightly more chilled out version of the likes of Mumford & Sons or even Evan Honer. The lyrics throughout are fantastic and packed full of emotion, while the pairs vocal harmonies are a solid highlight time and time again. From the excellent title track to ‘Bending’ to the epic ‘Cloud of Rain’, there are so many fantastic songs. However, there really isn’t a bad song on here; all of them are excellent. It’s the perfect release to throw on and sit back and chill-out to. The band are on track to become massive in the scene sooner rather than later, and this release will surely push them closer to that. If you are at all into the genres I’ve mentioned check this out as soon as you can! 8.5/10

Delilah Bon: PRINCELESS PRINCESS

Delilah follows up her phenomenal 2024 album with this four-track collection released between all her heavy touring schedule. It honestly feels like it acts as an extention of EHFF, bridging the gap between that and whatever is next. I do have to say it’s not quite as memorable as the album, but is still a damn good release! The opener/title track is awesome and been stuck in my head since I first checked it out. ‘CINDERELLA’ is a fantastic track too that I’m sure will go down a storm live. Meanwhile ‘BUSH’ is tongue in cheek and got a chuckle out of me, though I’m sure she makes some good points for women.

It’s impossible for Delilah to put out something I don’t love though, as her vocal ability is so insanely underrated. From her rapping to screaming, it’s all so good, and she’s very much kept it all turned up to 11. And she is PISSED throughout this, it making the delivery of her fantastic lyric writing even better. The instrumentation is great too, the electronic and heavy punk guitars fitting together perfectly, making an amazing backdrop for the vocals.

It’s a short release that has immediately made me come away wanting more, but for now I am more than glad to settle with this. A great addition to her already stellar discography! 8.5/10

Last Hyena: Suspect Your Elders

The first live gig we covered here at Overtone, this band have a special place in my heart for that. Add to that the fact that they are insane instrumentalists and songwriters, and I was damn hyped for this release. They didn’t disappoint at all, this is awesome! The mainly instrumental 16 minutes is a solidly awesome listen of proggy, mathy stoner rock, and blew my mind in multiple places. We even got some gang vocals on the opening track, a big highlight and made the track somehow even better. There isn’t a bad one on here, though. It certainly won’t be for everyone, but if you are at all curious I cannot recommend checking it out enough! The riffing throughout is top notch, and everyone is working their asses off from start to finish. A very easy 8/10!

House of Hosts: Reckoning

The debut EP from the hard rock/alt metallers is a home run right out of the gate! This is a fantastic release from start to finish, packed full of a big riffs, arena-filling melodies and some great screams here and there. I love this new generation of bands that are inspired by the likes of Godsmack, Nonpoint and Breaking Benjamin, and I would argue this release is up there with a lot of what those bands have put out! There’s even a slight hint of Tool at times, which I love! All four tracks are amazing and highlights in their own right, picking just one or two is impossible. If you are at all into hard rock or metal, stop reading this right now and check this release out immediately, it really is that good! I’m going to be spinning this a lot in the coming weeks and months, and I can’t give it any less than 9/10. If it was a full release, it may have even gotten top marks!

Eirra: Instructions Unclear

The indie-pop songwriter put out her debut EP this weekend, and it makes for a fun, chilled-out release! It’s not typically the sort of thing I listen to, but I honestly had a blast listening to this! From the quirky electro-pop of ‘Mona Lisa’ to the more acoustic indie-folk of ‘Soho’ and ‘Somehow, Someday’, there’s a hell of a lot to love. It’s easy to see why she’s a rising star pegged for big things in the future, and as a first non-single release, this is a fantastic start! If you are into the lighter stuff, check this out, you won’t be disappointed! Throw it on and just sit back and relax and get lost in it, I know I did! A surprisingly (for me) solid 8/10 from us!

Reviews

Fangslinger, Silk Spinster and Sam Barber: EPs Galore!

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Another week and some more awesome EPs for us to check out! The perfect blend of country and metal, let’s check it out! 

Fangslinger: We Are the Night

The gothic, vampire cowboys have been gathering a lot of momentum over the last nearly year since they started, and it has all culminated in this awesome five-track EP! We’re very familiar with the band at this point, and have been eagerly anticipating this release since its announcement. Heck, I have the pre-order special edition with a signed note and personal video message.

So, thank god it’s a bit good, right?! Opening on the fantastic new single before taking us on a dark-Western trip through their previous four, there certainly isn’t a bad track amongst them! Every song is as good as the last. It’s an awesome combination of Hellyeah, Avenged Sevenfold and Brantley Gilbert, and all three band members work their ass off throughout, having plenty of time to shine individually and together. It’s 21-minutes that is a must to check out for anyone into rock, country, metal, or heck, just music in general! What an incredible debut, and highlights everything that the band do so well. It feels fresh and new and innovative, yet familiar enough to get anyone doubtful into it. There’s a reason they are gathering some steam already, and this release will only push them up another level again. I can’t give it anything less than 10/10!

Sam Barber: Music for the Soul

The new EP from the breakout country star, and follow-up to 2024’s Restless Mind, is honestly a bit of a banger! It’s very current in its sound, giving off that indie/Americana edge to country music in the same vein as Wyatt Flores, Evan Honer and Zach Bryan. Don’t get me wrong, it’s pretty samey like the album was, but when it’s a quarter of the length it makes it a lot easier to digest. It meant that, while each song was slower, each felt like the very best of the best Sam had to offer; being packed full of epicness and emotion. Particular highlights for me are the opener/title track, ‘Same Sad Shit’ and ‘Home Tonight’. Some of the rasp in his vocal delivery at times honestly gave me goosebumps, and some of his lyrics are incredible.

It won’t be for everyone, don’t get me wrong, but I had a far better time with this than I did his album. If you’re into the general style he plays, this is well worth checking out! A solid 8/10!

Silk Spinster: Self-Titled

The UK heavy metal revivalists are another one with a debut EP this week, and another one that knocked it out of the park with their release! It’s exactly what you’d expect from the genre, a fun romp through awesome riffing, great soloing and some catchy melodies. Tracks like the title one, ‘White Lines’ and ‘Rockstar’ are all personal highlights, but there really isn’t a bad track on the EP! The band are all incredibly talented and will go insanely far if they can break into the still-booming NWOCR scene. It’s infectiously fun metal with a slight sleaze edge to it, and I’d recommend to anyone even slightly curious! Another very easy 8/10 from us!

Reviews

Gore Force V and Nastiriff: EPs Galore!

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A smaller-than-usual but still awesome week for EPs, with two awesome releases for us to check out!

Gore Force V: Tails From the Deep

This is absolutely ridiculous in the best possible way. I love a band that doesn’t take themselves too seriously, and that is never more apparent than ‘The Fish EP’. Three grindy death metal tracks about characters from Finding Nemo, what more could you possibly want? While it’s not quite my side of death metal, it’s very old-school and early Cannibal Corpse, I couldn’t not love it. There are awesome riffs throughout and some truly great screams scattered among them. The band are clearly insanely talented at what they do, and are good songwriters to boot. ‘Grinding Nemo’ was a personal highlight, though all three tracks are pretty great. No idea why it’s so horny, but I’m all for it! In a sub-genre that usually takes things a little too seriously and depressingly, this was a breath of fresh air! If you’re into that older death metal sound, I’d certainly recommend checking this out! And at only seven minutes, it’s impossible not to love! 8/10

Nastiriff: Malus

This fuzzy, hard/indie rock collection is a great, fun listen. There are so many different sounds and inspirations throughout, combining together to create something truly unique and interesting. From old-school punk and rock to modern indie, blues and alt rock, it’s a really interesting mix. Heck, there’s even some grunge and psychedelic touches to it throughout, too. Tracks like the opener, ‘Conservative’ and ‘Bang’ are all personal highlights, but that certainly doesn’t mean the other two tracks are bad by any stretch. Heck, every single one feels and sounds so different and unique, while somehow still sounding like Nastiriff. It’s impressive, and a true testament to the bands sheer talent as songwriters. It’s not going to be for everyone, but I absolutely loved this and will certainly be revisiting it again a fair bit in the coming weeks and months. It’s worth checking out no matter what you’re into, as you’ll probably love it as much as I do! It’s a solid 9/10!

Features, Interviews & Features

The Now: ‘We’re due to hop back into the studio to record around end of January!’

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We had the pleasure of sitting down to chat to the Welsh alt rock band The Now ahead of their run of shows this week. Check out the interview below!

How’s this year gone, at least after the album launch in March?

Yeah, we put the album out in March. We had a tour back then where we supported Feeder at Bristol 02 Academy and then in the hometown, in Cardiff. Well, they’re from Newport but we played in Cardiff then which is closest to that, in the Students Union. Yeah, it was incredible!

We’ve had loads of plays, across the globe really! Mainly America, which is mad for us. I think it’s the sound. The UK is falls more towards Oasis and the Stone Roses, whereas the US is a bit more of everything!

Yeah, my next question was actually going to be how would you describe your sound?

Energetic. That’s all I can think of, of how to put it into one word; energetic! Just a big arena sound!

And you guys were at Abbey Road Studios last weekend, right?

Yes, I literally just came back yesterday from there! Sunday we were recording; we recorded a cover and we did one of our own too, our most recent single release.

Anything you can tell me about what it is?

Oh yeah, we got plans! The cover is actually, I can tell you now, is ‘Pink Pony Club’ by Chapel Roan. The song was actually written about a bar in LA called The Abbey, so we decided to go for the cover but as Abbey Road! Hopefully then we can have a crossover between her fans and our fans.

Obviously the album’s not been out too long but I imagine there’s some ideas still floating around for new music?

Yeah, we’re already writing new music for a second album! We’re due to hop back into the studio to record around end of January.

Oh wow, quick turnover then!

Yep, very quick!

Are you guys wanting to focus more on the album format then? I know a few are shying away from it these days!

Yeah, I think definitely it’s coming back, vinyl has come back. It’s become a trend again so hopefully people start buying physicals again! Jump on the bandwagon!

And you guys are touring end of this week, right?

Yeah, end of this week we’ve got Newport, Liverpool, and then we’re back down Swansea. It’s only a little short spur of gigs. Then we’ve got Cardiff in December. And then Southampton in January.

Have you got quite a busy year planned for next year?

Yeah, we got a couple lined up for end of April. We’re looking forward to next year, we really are!

And what’s it like being in this Welsh scene currently? It’s packed full of amazing bands, it must be pretty cool!

Yeah it definitely is! We’ve played with Florence Black, haven’t come across Those Damn Crows yet but would be lovely to meet them. We’ve also got like BFMV and stuff like that like Buzzards Buzzard. It’s a great scene to be in right now, in Wales, for music.

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

As a band I think we’d love to support Muse. We’ve got a similar sort of sound. Maybe have Nothing But Thieves as well also!

Interviews & Features

Shadows of a Silhouette: ‘We’re professional musicians, but we’re not necessarily professional beings!’

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We sat down with the amazing Shadows of a Silhouette at their sold out show in Derby the other night. (We also reviewed it, find that here). We chatted about their set that night, their plans for the future and the local scene. Check it out below!

How would you describe your sound?

Indie’s way too broad of a statement now. Some people include themselves in indie and they’re more like… there’s this shoegaze coming about now, and everything’s being branded as indie. We’re closer to rock. We have an indie lifestyle, to a certain degree. I’d say alternative rock. We’ve got a few songs that are heavier, we’re definitely not indie pop.

We do try to make each song a bit different from what we’ve done before. We’ve got a sound, but each song is different in its own way. Our motive is to keep making songs that we can’t play, practice them until we can play them, and then essentially we’ve made something we couldn’t come up with ourselves!

We are different to other indie bands as grunge does have more of an influence on us. We don’t follow what’s trendy, we just follow our own hearts and ears. We try to make something that sounds like our lives at the time.

What’s it like to be playing two back-to-back sold out hometown shows?

Brilliant! We spoke to the guy about putting gigs on here (Blessington Carriage, Derby) again. We came here and supported Public Eye with their two shows not long ago. I think it just shows that there’s an appetite for it. A lot of people may not have heard our music but heard about us and we present ourselves in almost a grungy way. We’re authentic, let’s put it that way. We focus on being ourselves, and the fact that we’ve sold these shows out while doing our own thing is a privilege. We just want to do more!

How would you guys say the scene is, currently?

It’s been driven underground, but it’s coming back. What goes underground will one day come back to the surface.

There’s a lot of great groups in Derby at the minute. And Derby’s never had that proper scene, but it’s always had the people. Derby’s always been a city of music listeners and lovers; people from Derby will go anywhere in the world to go and see music they love. It’s not a musical city like Manchester or Sheffield. But there’s something brewing, it’s definitely developing.

It’s good to see places like The Bless starting to get back into being a venue and taking gigs on. They took a bold move. Normally management in bars these days are a bit complicit and aren’t interested in the potential of the business that they’re in. I imagine it’s hard time for a lot of pubs and venues these days, but I have a remedy for that: get your fucking bands on!

We’re at an age now where bands are so caught up in streaming numbers, but I’d sooner sell out this place two nights in a row. I still think the best way to do it is to perform live.

It’s just so tough to break out. The people who know of us, I speak to them after gigs and everything. They love our music and are really passionate about it and it’s really inspiring. For me it’s more of a case of it being so impenetrable now to reach a wider audience. You’re having to deal with booking adverts for Tesla or vacuum cleaners, everything’s advertised at the same place: your phone. On the Internet. Everyone fights for that ad space and what it does is drowns everything out. When it was done face to face it almost felt less obstructed.

I heard you were working on new music, anything you can reveal?

We’re working on our debut album! We’re playing two songs tonight that are brand new. They’re pretty much studio ready so the next step after these live shows is to start getting back in the studio and getting these songs done. Getting some single campaigns and stuff.

We’re not not clued up and we don’t have the professional ability when it comes to selling out. That is a professional ability these days, believe it or not!

But now we do have management. It’s an outfit now. Exciting times ahead. Taking things to the next level professionally, from where we are. Social media wise obviously we still need to do our bit, but we can focus more on the music.

I think people will be surprised to hear that since 2019 we’ve already got 33 songs out. We recorded them off our own backs. There aren’t many bands at this level that have close to that. We’ve had to learn a lot of lessons from that. To try and save a bit of money the first time we went to the studio we recorded eight tracks in one day!

I assume it was a conscious decision to do a few singles and then an album?

Yeah! We’ve been thinking about it for a while. What I started to notice is… a lot of them may go unnoticed because we’re bringing out a lot of singles. When people will click on one of our artworks to go to the single it’ll have the one track there. They may assume that every one is like that, as they all come up in singles, while some are EPs with six tracks on them. So we thought did we have to go back and put it into a collection, so people know it’s there? People are in a rush when they’re on their phone so if it’s not right there, they won’t see it.

But then again it is hard to grab people’s attention for an album these days. But then again, who’s making decent albums? I think we’re ready for a debut album, that’s the next step. But you only do your debut album once, so we want to take our time with it!

And have you got a pretty busy rest of the year?

Festival season is coming up so we’re waiting to hear about some of that. We’ve been shortlisted for Truck Festival which is cool.

We want to see what we’re capable of at the minute with our live shows. There’s no use waiting for promoters to come to you. You’re better off building an audience. Now we have a professional involved and she’s gonna put it together for us. We know the places we want to play, we know what we’re capable of, but what we’ve neglected before is the social media side of it; getting the event known. But we’ve got s great photographer and all. And a great graphic designer. We’re building a team around us, and it’s what every band needs! It’s bringing our vision to life! We’re professional musicians, but we’re not necessarily professional beings!

Reviews

Somewhere // Anywhere: The Album to push The Alchemy Into the Mainstream?

The Alchemy are back with their third album this week. I have to admit, outside of the name and the stuff I’ve found on Spotify, I have absolutely no idea what to expect here. But hey, going in blind is always fun, right? Let’s dive right in!

A HUGE sound opens ‘Birdsong’, the high production value being evident immediately. It’s a wall of sound that builds perfectly but doesn’t at all feel too overpowered like it can tend to. We head into a stripped-back verse, the vocals sounding perfectly over the top of the simple drums and bass. The chorus soon comes in, another awesome riff behind it, the drums fitting perfectly behind it, and the vocals being infectiously catchy. The backing vocals are awesome and main riff is a real earworm. It feels very Lower than Atlantis in the best ways. The bridge is simple yet effective, dropping down and building up to a huge final chorus. It’s a fantastic way to open the album and introduce themselves to new listeners!

‘Lovesick’ continues the epic feel and sound and production, as well as another awesome main riff. It follows a similar formula to the previous track, a stripped back verse leading into a huge, arena-filling chorus. Again, the vocal harmonies and multi-track are a big highlight. Also, the slightly heavier approach to the bridge was great. If it had quietened down at first, it could have almost been a breakdown! It’s a really great track and easily makes it onto our playlist!

Check out a similar(ish) review here!

The album slows up a bit for its title track, it having more of an electronic, almost You Me At Six feel. The emphasis shifts from the big crunchy riffs and even more onto the insanely catchy vocals. It feels a bit more pop/indie than the previous stuff. It’s not quite as much my sort of thing, but it’s still a banging, very catchy song!

The same could be said for ‘True Love’s a Waste of Time’, ‘Real Life’ and ‘Sun Bleached’. It’s kind of a tale of two halves, as there are heavier tracks and riffs later on like the amazing ‘Brothers’ and the dark, closer ‘Hollywood’. Both tracks are amazing and real highlights of the album for me personally. It’s really interesting to bookend the album with the bigger sounds and riffs, leaving the poppier, more indie stuff in the middle. It’s really interesting and well put together honestly, and I feel like I’ve taken a journey listening to it through.

Also on the album is single and acoustic ballad, ‘Summer’. It gives me early 2000’s vibes, very Incubus, 311 or even Everlast. It’s a beautiful and incredibly well written song. The vocals are pitch-perfect and full of emotion, and the simple instrumentation behind it is amazing. And the band still manage to squeeze in some of their off-the-charts vocal harmonies, making it all somehow even better. This is not only one of the best tracks on the album, but easily one of the best ballads of the year I’ve heard. Fucking awesome stuff.

‘Normal People’ returns the band to the higher pace rock vibe, and it can’t be just me that hears U2 a lot in here? Between the huge sound, the style of guitaring and the vocal melodies, it really reminded my of Bono and co. Surprisingly enough too, I’m not particularly a U2 fan but I LOVED this. It’s the biggest, most radio-friendly chorus on the album, and the ‘woh’s following the guitar melody is a genius idea. And the bridge, while simple, is amazingly effective and still pretty heavy. Another track that easily makes its way onto our playlist!

Finally, ‘Glass Houses’ has a very early 2000s Red Hot Chili Peppers feel to it. It has elements of rock, funk and indie all mushed together, and it’s a really interesting sound. It’s another simple yet incredibly effective track too. The chorus is awesome, and that riff that kicks in after the choruses are heavy. It’s a lot of fun and another track I’d highly recommend listening to.

Overall: This is an awesome album! I had no idea what to expect heading into it, but I’m hugely impressed by what I found. The production throughout is top notch and the songwriting and playing is phenomenal. Sure, there were a couple of tracks that didn’t resonate with me as much as the others, but there is a LOT I love on this album. And, as a whole as I’ve said already, it’s incredibly well put together. These guys have hit their stride with this album, and I can see it pushing them far!

The Score: 8.5/10