Hella Rock Festival returns on September 5th, 2026 with a powerful and deeply personal announcement, confirming Phil Campbell’s Bastard Sons as this year’s headliners.
The appearance carries added significance, as legendary Phil Campbell was originally scheduled to headline before his passing in March earlier this year. Now, his sons Dane, Todd and Tyla will take to the stage to honour his legacy, delivering a high-energy tribute to his work with Motörhead in what promises to be one of the most unforgettable moments in the festival’s history.
“We knew straight away this year had to mean more, losing Phil Campbell hit the whole rock community hard, and we’ve worked closely with his family to make sure this is done right. Having his sons headline, alongside having Phil’s rig on display and backdrops from previous tours around the venue, means this isn’t just another show – it’s a celebration of his legacy, his music, and everything he stood for. Thus year is for Phil, and it’s for all the Motörhead and PCATBAS fans out there”
Hella Rock Festival is also proud to announce a new partnership with Road Crew Beer, bringing even more rock ‘n’ roll spirit to this year’s event. alongside the main stage chaos, 2026 will see the introduction of a second stage, the Road Crew Stage, dedicated to stripped-back acoustic sets, offering fans a more intimate side of the artists while still keeping the volume loud where it counts!
While tickets are going fast, there are still some available. Grab them while you still can here!
The incredible Anglo-Austrian duo are set to release their highly anticipated sophomore album tomorrow! Featuring a lot of the singles they’ve put out over the last few years, it’s a real celebration of where they pair are in 2026, as well as a hint of where they are headed with some new songs smattered in for good measure. We’re big fans of the pair here at Overtone, even chatting to them last year and getting some hints of this. So, to say we’re hyped that it’s finally here is an understatement. Let’s dive right in!
The title track opens things up perfectly; a hauntingly beautiful acoustic guitar riff that soon has Lewis’ vocals fitting incredibly over the top. Isabella soon harmonises perfectly too, it all building up fantastically to an almost Southern rock sound. The drums and other instrumentation coming in for the chorus was a fantastic choice, adding some great dynamics to it, and makes it feel effortlessly massive. The particular blend of folk, country and rock is awesome and is pretty uniquely their own. Heck, the bridge is phenomenal, giving off elements of the Who in the drums, Slash in the subtle lead guitars, and yet the vocals still firmly ground in Two Ways Home. It’s an absolutely amazing choice for an album opener, and is a definite early highlight!
‘Waiting on Luck’ is a song I’ve loved since first got into them a couple of years ago. It was a fantastic single back in 2022, once again showcasing the bands mesmerising harmonies, and a bit softer a side to them. Isabella kinda takes the lead vocally this time, but the pair do a fantastic job of always showcasing each other’s talents and working together flawlessly. That chorus is also incredible, and has been stuck in my head periodically since I very first heard it! Even though it’s been out a while, it’s a track that I can’t seem to ever get enough of; simple and soft-rock-infused-country, but is so damn good. So far, two for two on excellent songs! And, acoustically (track 13), it was certainly a standout to me when we saw them at The Long Road last year!
The first new track on the album, ‘Room for Love’, is just as good as the previous two tracks! It definitely keeps the soft rock-like vibe to it, the blues edge to it almost giving it a Lenny Kravitz feel to it. However, by the time the chorus hits, the massive harmonies and big-band-instrumentation, it definitely brings in their country-adjacent sound too. It’s all so good, the instrumentation being as much of a high point as the vocals in this track. That riff through the bridge is awesome, and I love the touch of the chatter and keys behind it, making it a real feel-good moment. I’m coming across as a fangirl already, but this is another great track! It’s all fantastic so far!
We get both the full band and the acoustic version of ‘Polaroid Kids’ on this release. While both are similar, they still channel different energies, and it’s well worth checking both out. Heck, after multiple spins of both, I’m still not sure which I like more! The stripped-back nature of the acoustic one focuses more on the lyrics and the harmonies, but the emotion in the full band is palpable. I do have to say I think the spoken word bit fits better with the electric, in this writers humble opinion. However, as I said, both are excellent. They’re anthemic, ballad-like songs and the electric one breaks up the flow of the album perfectly to that point. And, lyrically, it’s maybe my favourite track on the album.
The most radio-country track here, ‘Feet on the Asphalt’, is a great, upbeat, track not too far removed from something like Russel Dickerson or Thomas Rhett. It’s catchy as anything and infused with enough rock to keep it high-energy. And, once again, the vocal harmonies are like only TWH can do, grounding the track to them despite it being a different feel again. I love the playfulness between the pairs vocal delivery in this track keeping it light and catchy throughout. You guessed it, it’s another amazing track, and one that easily makes our playlist!
‘Medicine Man’ is a more blues/rock based country bangers. It feels a touch darker than most on the release, and almost gives off ‘Wanted Dead or Alive’ vibes. And, it has one of the best choruses on the album! We also get a previously-unheard acoustic version of it to close out the album, pushing it much father into the country category in the best way. It takes on more of a Hank Jr vibe to it, the two tracks being so different in sound but both being excellent in their own right.
The following few tracks, ‘She Keeps Time Like a Casino’, ‘Hot Rain’ and ‘Signals in the Smoke’ are all slower songs, much more country-ballad territory. All are excellent songs in their own right, and even though they are one-after-another, it doesn’t feel like the momentum of the release drops at all, most likely due to the high quality. I like ‘Hot Rain’ building to more of a rock ballad by the end, the distorted guitars and soloing adding so much depth to the sound. It’s probably my favourite track of the few, but none of them are bad by any stretch!
‘Hear a Heartbreak’ has more of a soul feel to it, the steady plod and vocal delivery being more akin to Rag’n’Bone or Hozier. It has a fun bounce, energy and swagger to it, and once again when both of their voices entwine together, it’s phenomenal! And it still has enough of their unique brand of rock edge to it to keep it succinct to the album too, a true testament to their writing talents. It’s yet another major album highlight on a release packed full of them!
Meanwhile, ‘Colder Water’ is a straight up Western track, and I am all for it! It’s like I was trapped somewhere between an Eastwood and a Tarantino movie, it was awesome! It’s catchy, and packed full of some fun melodies from both the vocals and the instrumentation. Then you have the last non-acoustic track on the album, ‘Slower Kind of Love’. Honestly, it kinda bridges the gap rather perfectly, having plenty of acoustic elements to it while also having some great drumming for the choruses. It all builds perfectly to the massive bridge and crescendo too, the track being put together excellently. It’s another track I’m a little obsessed with, honestly, and yet another high point of the album!
Overall: This is an amazing album! It explores just about every avenue of country, folk and blues music across its runtime, being long but not feeling like it at all. It’s such an easy listen that goes by in a flash, somehow still leaving me wanting more! Every song is as good as the last, and it’s the perfect showcase of their recent output. If you are in any way into any of the genres named, do yourself a favour and check this out, you won’t be disappointed!
The incredible UK blues rock/NWOCR stalwarts played a hometown gig over the weekend, packing nearly 100 people into the amazing Hallamshire Hotel! The first stop of their April tour was set to be a doozy, being backed by other local bluesy heavyweights in Eddie & The Wolves and Luna Marble. We’ve been excited to head down to this for weeks now, and there was no way we weren’t going to be raving about it afterwards! Check out all of our thoughts below.
Opening things up with a special acoustic-duo performance where the bluesy Luna Marble. I recently got into them off their amazing debut album, and it was cool to hear a lot of that in a different style here. Plus, for just the two of them, their acoustic guitars and vocals, goddamn did they produce a huge sound! Maria Rico has one of the best live vocals around at the minute, and not only that but has the charisma and stage presence to hold the crowd in the palm of her hand throughout a more subdued set. Meanwhile Dragos backs her up perfectly, providing some amazing playing and backing vocals throughout. Hearing the tracks unplugged takes you on a different journey, but has definitely left me wanting to hear it with the full band soon, too! And we even got a sneak preview of a new song, which went over a storm with the live crowd. They were the perfect openers for this show, and are a band that are rightfully already gathering plenty of momentum for themselves in the UK rock scene!
Next up were the amazing Eddie & the Wolves. Yada yada best band in the world, yada yada future of rock… you know the drill by now. I just want to quickly thank not only the two bands and the venue for having us on the bill with them, but for every single person who came down to see us. We all had a blast up on stage, as warm as it was, and it felt like the crowd enjoyed it too! We’d taken a month off to do some studio stuff, so getting back up in front of a packed out venue was truly something special. And, it at least sounded good on our end, so hopefully it did out front, too! The setlist is refined and we’re firing on all cylinders. We’re all over the place this year so be sure to catch us somewhere else soon if you couldn’t make it here!
After a surprisingly painless changeover, the headliners too to the stage! We’re big fans of the band, and have seen them around a fair bit, so when I say they were on top form yet again here, you’d best believe it! All of them are masters of their chosen craft these days, and come together from their other projects for this one amazingly whenever they’re ready. And, we got a pretty varied setlist from them, too! From older songs to trying out new stuff to their biggest hits, we got a bit of everything, and it was all spectacular. It felt like banger after banger, and their hours set went by in a flash! It’s criminal that at this point they aren’t bigger, but regardless they are still putting on one hell of a show every time they step on stage. I feel like they have a big year ahead of them, and I for one cannot wait to see them again, as well as check out their new music as it drops!
Check out an interview we did with Indie too, here!
And there we have it, folks, a fantastic night full of amazing rock bands! All three knocked it out of the park and are a must-see for any fans of hard or blues rock reading this! The audience in attendance witnessed something special; three bands at the top of their game, playing their asses off, and in a pretty awesome venue to boot! We had a blast and can’t wait to see them all again ASAP!
A massive week of new releases for us to dive into today, from metal to country to rock! Let’s dive right in!
Ella Langley: Dandelion
This finally dropped this last Friday to a hell of a lot of hype behind it. Langley has become one of the biggest names in country the last couple of years, so there is no denying this will be one of the biggest releases in the genre in 2026. I, however, have a bit of an up-down relationship with her music. There is no denying her talents as a vocalist, songwriter and musician. However, I find her almost overall a little slow for my liking. I had the same sentiment with her last album; some of the tracks are incredible in their own right, but as an album it’s a lot of the same sort of thing and is a bit of a struggle to get through the full hour in one sitting.
Tracks like the title one, ‘Be Her’, ‘Bottom of Your Boots’ and ‘I Gotta Quit’ are honestly career highlights for Ella. The Miranda Lambert-featuring ‘Butterfly Season’ is also fantastic. Most of the rest of it, as good as it is in its own right, I wouldn’t necessarily hurry to revisit as much. However, as I’ve said, none of it is bad by any stretch, and if you are into her particular brand of noise, you’re gonna love it. I do believe it’s her strongest album to date, and I think you’d be hard pressed to find many that disagree! And, it’ll probably grow on me more with subsequent listens. Even with my criticisms, it’s still a solid release, and I’d check it out if you are at all into country music! For the sheer force of nature that this release is alone, I can’t give it any less than 8/10
Lord of the Lost: OPVS NOIR Vol. 3
We’ve already checked out this awesome album! Read the full review here.
Bilmuri: KINDA HARD
The former Attack Attack! clean vocalist has been making waves with his solo project in recent years, and the hype for this release has been pretty high. However, try as I might, I sadly just can’t get into it. It’s just generic pop music but with ch0nky guitars behind it. Like, it’s fine, but I struggle to think much more than that. The riffing is good, there are some okay hooks, and the sax from Gabi is a fantastic touch as always, but the songs themselves are kinda meh. Songs like ‘TWICE’ and the country-esque ‘BACK, THEN’ are personal highlights. But I found all the songs blended together; all being so painfully similar and pretty bland. It was wholly forgettable, nothing sticking with me after the songs ended. If you enjoyed it that’s awesome, and as I said it isn’t bad by any stretch. But I shan’t be coming back to this any time soon. 4/10
Julia Pratt/JULITH: This is a Kindness
This is a damn interesting collaboration between two alt-pop rising stars. It’s definitely very different to the rest of this list in terms of style, but was still a fun release and I’m glad I gave it a listen! Both women are insanely talented, and have crafted something really interesting and unique together. I also love whole album collabs, really pushing how far they can work together to fascinating results. ‘Monsters Out of Men’ was a personal favourite track, both lyrically and musically fantastically written. It’s something I’d happily revisit again and I’m curious to hear what the pair are like on their own. While I do some digging, though, this gets a 6.5/10 from us. Not typically my sort of thing but damn good for what it is!
Florence Black: POURING RAIN
One of my favourite modern bands dropped their highly anticipated third album this last Friday. No pressure, but their last was our album of the year back in 2024… I somehow haven’t had the time to check out the singles of this one though so am going in completely blind. Let’s hope they can keep up with their stellar track record!
This thing comes out swinging. ‘COLOURED IN’ is heavy and fucking awesome, the perfect tone-setter for the album. It’s rather indicative of the journey the band have been on in recent years. BED OF NAILS was darker and heavier than WEIGHT OF THE WORLD, and this release continues that evolution. They’re travelling closer to that early 2000s alt/industrial/nu metal sound, and I am all for it. At this rate, their next album will be fully Tetrarch!
The rest of the album follows the openers suit in fantastic fashion. ‘HALF THE WORLD AWAY’ is their heaviest track to date and is awesome. ‘LADYBIRD’ and ‘TAKE MY WORD’ are massive radio singles waiting to happen. The title track is an amazing ballad-like song, the albums ‘WARNING SIGN’. And that closer, DAMN. However, every track that I haven’t named is also awesome, trust me! It’s an incredible 40 minutes of hard rock/alt metal, and one that I’d recommend absolutely anyone reading this check out at least once!
While not quite as earth-shattering as their previous release, it’s still a damn solid entry into their absolutely stellar discography, and an album I’ll surely be spinning for months to come. 9/10
Tenille Townes: The Acrobat
The first album since 2022 from the country star, and it’s a surprisingly-short, beautiful release. It follows the lead of some of her most successful tracks in being stripped-back, acoustic-focused numbers. It’s 32 minutes of emotion-filled, folk/Americana infused pop-country, and it’s impossible not to love! Her voice is so unique and captivating, and the lyrics throughout are utterly fantastic. From ‘the acrobat’ to ‘enabling’ to ‘what’s meant for you’, there are some incredible highlights throughout. However, there isn’t a bad song on the release, honestly. Much like with Bilmuri above, it is all pretty similar, which sadly drops it a little, but it’s all great and a very easy album to listen through. It would have been nice to have had a few band bits smattered throughout, be it some drums or strings or even keys, but I completely understand why the album was so stripped back, given its lyrical theming. I will certainly be listening again, and can’t give it any less than 7.5/10!
The Canadian-Swedish prog metallers follow up their highly acclaimed 2025 sophomore album barely a year later with this, and do so absolutely spectacularly! The intro track sets the tone of the album perfectly, and leads into the absolutely phenomenal ‘Welcome to Terra Corp’ masterfully. It’s heavy, melodic and epic all in equal measure, and is a fantastic pace-setter for the rest of the album. Tracks like the Charlie Griffiths-featuring, heavy ‘Hyperconverter’ and the technical masterclass of ‘Ivory Tower’ are both also huge highlights. However, the whole album is amazing! It has a fantastic flow to it, nearly 50 minutes going by in a flash. And everything from the writing to the playing to the production to the storyline throughout is truly excellent. And can we just talk about that artwork? GODDAMN, *chefs kiss*. It’s all ripped straight from an 80s sci-fi fantasy, and I can’t get enough.
Check this out if you are at all interested. I’ll definitely be spinning it again, and am already hoping we are getting an Interstellar II, though given the theming I’d think maybe not. Still, I’ve at least got their previous two albums to dive into more alongside this, and I gets a very easy 9/10 from us!
Black Oak County: Misprint
Firstly, thank you to the amazing Glamratfor turning me onto these guys. Secondly, holy crap, this is AMAZING. To get the obvious out of the way; this is definitely like a heavier Nickelback. And that isn’t a bad thing at all! It’s essentially nearly a whole album of ‘Burn it to the Ground’; excellent, groove-metal-adjacent riffing, solid drumming and some of the best and catchiest vocal melodies out there. And I haven’t been able to get enough all weekend! It’s packed to the rafters with hit after hit, making it impossible to pick highlights. Heck, over half of it has ended up on my personal playlist. It’s an almost perfect 41 minutes of heavy rock music that I would recommend to absolutely anyone. For a first full alnum from them for me to check out, I couldn’t ask for anything better. I was already becoming a fan but this has solidified that as much as it could. The band are insanely talented musicians and songwriters, and how they aren’t massive already is beyond me. Hopefully this is the album to push them to that point, as it is truly a special release. I’ll be spinning it for months to come, and would imagine anyone who listens will be doing the same! An incredibly easy 9.5/10
As Everything Unfolds: DID YOU ASK TO BE SET FREE?
Album three from the post-hardcore Brits is a fantastic release! It’s heavy and radio-friendly in equal measure, as well as being such a modern sound. The band fit perfectly alongside everyone from Spiritbox to Jinjer to ADTR and Hot Milk, and I would honestly say this release is up there with some of the best from any of those bands. Right from the opener it kicked ass, and songs like ‘GASOLINE’, ‘CUT THE LIES’, ‘SET IN FLOW’ and ‘WHAT YOU WANTED’ are all massive other highlights. The whole album is excellent though, and 41-minutes surprisingly goes by in a flash! The band have already been gathering a lot of momentum as of recent, but I truly believe this release has what it takes to push them to the top of the heavy music world. I’m sometimes a little fussy when it comes to the genre, only liking it if it’s really good, and this is really damn good. This is my favourite thing the band have put out by quite a margin, and it gets a very solid 8.5/10 from us!
I Am the Avalanche: THE HORROR SHOW
The Brooklyn-based emo-punk/post-hardcore band are back with album number five, and their first in nearly six years. It’s a genre I am generally a little hot-and-cold with, but I had a good time listening to this! From the heavy title track to ‘I’M NOT DEAD’ to ‘TRUE LEGENDS NEVER DIE’, there are plenty of highlights. However, the album has a great vibe and flow to it throughout, and at half an hour in length it’s an incredibly easy listen! There’s some great riffing and melodies, and some of the lyrics are honestly phenomenal. It’s packed full of emotion, be it darkness or a more uplifting feel, and really takes the listener on a journey. Honestly, it grew on me more throughout and, with more listens, it could even continue to do so! It almost has a touch of a skate sound in here too at times, getting some vague nostalgic vibes out of me. If you are into any of the genres I’ve mentioned already, do yourselves a favour and check this out! I’ll be spinning it again soon, and it may grow on me even more then, but for now it gets a solid 7.5/10!
We Three Kings: Stone Cold Kiss
The NWOCR duo are back with their sophomore album, another punk/indie-infused powerhouse of a release. We loved their debut back in 2024, and honestly this is right up alongside it in terms of quality! It’s packed full of energy, attitude and swagger; massive riffs, solid drums and some great, catchy vocal lines. While all nine tracks on here are amazing, personal favourites include ‘Nothing Without Me’, ‘Judas Take me Home’ and ‘Shotgun’. It’s impossible not to have a good time listening, and it urges you to tap your feet, headbang and dance along. It’s an album I’ll be revisiting plenty in the weeks and months to come, and it goes hand in hand with By Royal Appointment as must-listens for anyone into the punkier side of rock ‘n’ roll. A solid 8/10 from us!
Broadside: Nowhere, At Last
Album number five from the pop-rockers is… certainly one of the albums released this week. I get that it’s not typically my sort of style to begin with, but there have been plenty of artists like this win me over (my obsession with One OK Rocksprings to mind). It’s not a bad release by any means, and if you are into this sound you’ll probably love it. The vocals are great, and there are some catchy hooks and choruses throughout. Tracks like ‘Nowhere at Last’, ‘I Think They Know’ and ‘Dark Passenger’ are big highlights, and the latter two were great choices for singles. And while the rest of it is okay, it just feels a touch forgettable. I don’t know quite what’s stopping me from fully getting into it, maybe it’s just because others have done it better. It may grow on me with more listens, as it is a touch further through the first, and it’s at least inoffensive and easy to listen to. If you are at all interested, I’d definitely recommend giving it a spin and seeing for yourself! A tentative 7/10 from us, that could go up or down at any minute!
Pineland Moor: Self-Titled
The debut EP of the Finnish melodic metal quartet is the definition of all killer, no filler. It’s 18 minutes and four tracks of incredible talent, playing and songwriting. Whether it’s the opener or the proggy ‘Floating on Unknown’ or the excellent other two songs, it’s amazing from the very first note to the very last. I already want to hear more from them, but for now I am happy to just keep spinning this! If you are at all into the melodic side of metal, give this a spin ASAP, you won’t be disappointed! I can’t give it any less than 8/10
Mines: Nous
The second EP from the heavy rockers, finally following up their 2023 debut, this already hasn’t gotten nearly the love it deserves. It’s 20 minutes of phenomenal riffing and writing, as well as some really interesting vocal melodies and lyrics. I was hooked right from the opener, and ‘Vice of Kings’ may be up there with one of my favourite songs of the year so far. The whole EP is phenomenal though, a proggy, heavy masterclass in writing technical music. It’s right up my street, and has made me a massive fan of the band immediately. My gushing over it won’t do it the justice it deserves, just go and check it out and thank me later! It gives off vibes of everything from VOLA to Coheed to Devin, and I’m a little bit obsessed! 9.5/10, my only complaint is that it isn’t longer!
The Mechanist: Synthetic Sun
The debut album from the Yorkshire-based electronic-infused metalcorers goes hard. It’s equal parts ch0nky riffs and massive melodic cleans, as well as a healthy dose of crushing drums, screams and breakdowns for good measure. From ‘Engram’ to ‘Sungazing’ to the wonderfully chaotic, Adam Barkley featuring ‘Invasive Prosthetics’, there is so much to love here. However, if you are into modern metalcore, or even bordering on deathcore at times, this whole thing will be very much your sort of thing! I’ve spun it three times this weekend and it’s grown on me more and more each time! For a debut album it’s absolutely phenomenal, and a sign that this band are set to go far sooner rather than later. I need to see this live, but while I wait to do so will certainly keep listening to this pretty regularly. 8.5/10
Metal Church: Dead to Rights
After a rather massive lineup switch-up that has now brought us alumni of Flotsam and Jetsam, Vicious Rumours and Megadeth, the heavy metal titans are back with album 14. I remember enjoying their last album, and was pretty gutted to hear Lopes had been cut from vocal duties. However, Brian Allen kills it here, as do the rest of the band! It’s nearly 50-minutes of thrashy metal awesomeness, and is every bit as good as their fellow 80s counterparts also still releasing great new music. Single ‘F.A.F.O’ is a lot of fun, giving off ‘Toxic Waltz’ vibes, and the likes of ‘Deep Cover Shakedown’ and ‘Wasted Time’ are also massive highlights. However, there isn’t a bad song throughout. It more than lives up to not only their last album, but honestly the very best that they’ve put out over their nearly half-a-century careers. If you are at all a fan of the band or 70s/80s metal in any way, you have to check this out as soon as you can! The band feel rejuvenated with their latest incarnation, and I can’t give it any less than another solid 8.5/10!
The German gothic metal titans are back with the third part of their trilogy of albums released over the last year. It’s no secret that I’ve been loving them so far, so wanted to finally do a deep dive on the finale and see how it ends. The band are now 12 studio albums deep as of this releasing tomorrow, so to say they have honed their craft would be an understatement. Let’s sink our teeth into this!
The release starts in not only epic, but heavy fashion. Strings build up into a huge scream from Chris, and a massive industrial riff. It picks up right were Vol. 2 left off in the best way. It drops back for the verse, Chris’ powerful vocals leading us through a very LOTL melody and some great lyrics. Surprisingly, the first half of the chorus drops back even more, just some orchestral elements behind the vocals. However, it just means when that riff and scream kick back in, it’s even more massive and impactful than before! I also love the dynamics of the track in that the second chorus keeps the guitars and drums around, keeping it anthemic but feeling HUGE. It’s also a simple song structure, getting in and out after two verses and choruses. However, it works excellently, and sets the tone for the album perfectly! An easy early highlight!
The first of a good few guest-features us up next, with the incredible Alea joining the band for ‘I’m A Diamond’. It starts low, with the drums, vocals and a great, bassy synth. It builds perfectly with the harmonised vocals and guitars, all leading towards the massive, arena-filling chorus! It feels more like a ballad than the previous track, but is still pretty heavy with the instrumentation, following the bands formula perfectly. The bridge was pretty heavy too, at least until it drops out to the beautiful piano melody. It’s very much a radio track, but I mean that in the most complimentary way possible. It was a great choice for a single, and a track that easily makes our playlist!
Single ‘My Funeral’ heavies things back up again with a dark, gothic riff and melody. It follows a similar vibe and structure to the previous track, but doesn’t get quite as big, the chorus staying a little more subdued and industrial. It was a nice touch, changing things up and keeping the dark vibe. It’s a simple track in theory, but is executed to perfection by a band that have really nailed their sound and writing. And we still got some great screams in the bridge, it fitting the track to a T. This time round it was a bit of an interesting choice for a single, it felt slightly album-track-esque, but was still a good song in its own right!
Another single and another guest slot, this one is so Wednesday 13 I’m shocked it landed on this release and not his album from last year. It’s an industrial track full of attitude and venom, and lyrics that skirt the line between cheesy, excellent and relatable. The pair’s vocals fit together perfectly though, and the band do a great job of changing their sound to fit who they’re working with, which is on great display here! It’s another simple track from a structure standpoint, but is a lot of fun, and would go down a storm live! We even get a fun little guitar solo tucked away in the middle, showing off how underrated of a player Pi is. It’s definitely one to check out if you like more of the light-hearted, horror-infused sound Wednesday is known for, but it still has plenty of LOTL staples throughout too!
Tracks like ‘The Shadows Within’ and ‘La Vie Est Hell’ are truly epic ballads. The former, while having some heavy instrumentation still, feels like it is lead by the piano, and the steady pace works perfectly with the soaring vocals. The latter follows a similar vibe, but trades in the piano for a clean guitar and a more driving, plodding drum. It also featured some awesome vocals from Kissin’ Dynamite frontman Hannes Braun, him fitting surprisingly well into the moodier atmosphere. The track being performed and written in French and being a play on the famous phrase was also a nice touch. It’s a great song and another big highlight of the album for me! It was interesting to put two slower tracks one after another though, especially when we’ve had a few heavier ones in a row!
While still on the steadier end pace-wise, ‘Square One’ is a gothic synth track through and through. It reminds me a lot of Smash into Pieces, or at least a combination of them and Birthday Party Massacre. It’s a simple track that still builds to a massive, infectiously catchy chorus, and fits the band and albums style perfectly. It’s a great song that, while does feel slightly album-track-like, it breaks up the album amazingly, and is still great in its own right!
Another ballad in ‘When Did the Love Break’, a brutal breakup song featuring Xandria’s Ambre Vourvahis. It’s yet another example of how well the band work with other vocalists, and this is a truly beautiful, bittersweet duet. ‘Your Love is Colder than Death’ is another moody, gothic-industrial metal track, at least changing things up a little again following the previous track. It’s not a bad song, but was the point that I started to feel just a little fatigue with the album. It’s been a lot of slower paced stuff in a row and, while they aren’t exactly known for their thrash, the opening tracks had so much energy and having another one slotted in later on may have helped. Still, again, neither are bad songs by any stretch!
The final two tracks of the album are two more epic, ballad-like songs. However, both feel unique to each other, as well as the rest of the release. Cats in Space alumni Damien Edward’s kills it on the first, and the heavy, screamed bridge was an excellent touch. Meanwhile, the closer is a truly epic, grandiose soundscape, closing things off rather perfectly! It feels almost ‘Sound of Silence’-like with its orchestral swells and main focus on the powerful vocals and lyrics. The lyrics in particular are horribly relatable. It’s another huge highlight of not only the album, but the trilogy as a whole, and I couldn’t think of a better closing track.
Overall: This was a great album! I do have to admit right out of the gate that I think my expectations after the last two were rather high, and this didn’t quite hit them. However, as an album as a whole, it is still damn good, and serves to cap off the OPVS NOIR trilogy rather perfectly. And, as an album as a whole, it’s still a great Lord of the Lost release, up there among some of their best. I still think I prefer the previous two, with Vol. 1 now firmly being my favourite album from the band, but if you have the chance to sit and listen through all of the trilogy, I would definitely recommend doing so! They really are the kings of their style, and are proving it time and time again!
Just a few days after Charlotte Wessels and her band returned from their biggest tour to date with Epica and Amaranthe, she reveals that she will be taking The Obsession on their first headline tour in 2027, spanning major cities across Europe and the United Kingdom! Not only that, but joining her will be Melissa Bonny, vocalist of modern metal outfit AD INFINITUM!
The tour will kick off on February 4, 2027, in Sint-Niklaas, Belgium, and conclude on February 27, 2027, in Charlotte’s hometown of Utrecht, the Netherlands. The full list of dates can be found below. Be sure to grab your tickets quickly at https://charlottewessels.nl/tour/
04.02.27 BE – Sint-Niklaas / Casino 05.02.27 UK – London / Islington Assembly Hall 06.02.27 UK – Glasgow / Slay 07.02.27 UK – Manchester / Club Academy 09.02.27 FR – Paris / La Machine Du Moulin Rouge 10.02.27 CH – Zurich / Komplex Klub 12.02.27 IT – Milan / Legend Club 13.02.27 DE – Munich / Backstage Halle 14.02.27 CZ – Zlín / Masters of Rock Cafe 15.02.27 AT – Vienna / Szene Wien 17.02.27 HU – Budapest / Barba Negra 18.02.27 PL – Krakow / Hype Park 19.02.27 DE – Leipzig / Werk 2 20.02.27 DE – Hamburg / Gruenspan 21.02.27 DK – Copenhagen / Pumpehuset 23.02.27 DE – Berlin / Lido 25.02.27 DE – Aschaffenburg / Colos-Saal 26.02.27 DE – Essen / Weststadthalle 27.02.27 NL – Utrecht / TivoliVredenburg Ronda
Charlotte Wessels on the tour:
“After the unforgettable Arcane Dimensions tour with Epica and Amaranthe, announcing our own headline tour across Europe feels surreal. It’s such an emotional next chapter. The energy we’ve shared with all of you over the past months has been incredible, and we can’t wait to take that even further, with longer sets, new songs, and deeper moments together every night. Finishing the tour in my hometown Utrecht, at TivoliVredenburg – Ronda, is something I’m especially proud of and looking forward to.”
Charlotte Wessels’ latest release, The Obsession (2024), has been widely praised for its dynamic range, artistic growth, and emotional depth. Ever Metal highlighted its “skyscraper melodies” and Wessels’ “masterful vocals,” while Blabbermouth noted the album’s impressive variety. Louder Sound described it as “an auspicious and metallicized spin on her dark fairytale aesthetic,” while Metal Sucks called it “a transcendent collection of moving yet forceful and complex compositions,” further cementing her reputation as a versatile and evolving artist. You can even check out our review of it here!
Another week, some more awesome new music for us to check out from across the spectrum. Let’s dive in!
Corrosion of Conformity: Good God / Baad Man
I’m hoping this album is a grower, not a shower. Unless what It’s showing is that Down should finally put out some new music again. The riffs are certainly there, and I liked a good bit of Pepper’s vocals, especially when he channeled his inner Mike Patton/Jello Biafra. However, something about it just didn’t hook me in, especially the opening few tracks. ‘The Handler’ was the first track that I found myself actively enjoying. Songs like ‘Lose Yourself’ and the bluesy ‘Handcuff County’ are also personal favourites. Honestly, the album was better later on when they leant into that side of their sound, with the opening half being a bit of a slog. As a fan of their 90s output, I much preferred their sludgy blues stuff to their experimental hardcore early sound, so did feel slightly let down when they didn’t get to their most popular grooviness until later on. While I get and appreciate what they were trying to do here, it didn’t really work for me, sadly. Also, this thing is over an hour in length; that’s just too long.
If you like all of their previous sounds, you’ll probably love this. However, if you like one over the other, you may get a bit of a culture shock with this release, like I did. As I said, it might grow on me more with more listens, and I do want to give it more of a chance in the coming months. Disc 2 (‘Baad Man’ onwards) is honestly awesome, and would have made an amazing 37 minute album. But I didn’t like much of Disc 1, so because of that, I give this a tentative 7.5/10. It could get higher with repeat listens, though!
Charley Crockett: Age of the Ram
We’ve already checked out this awesome release! Read our full reviewhere.
Michael Sweet: The Master Plan
The first solo album in seven years from the Stryper main-man, this is an epic 40-minutes of AOR music! The opener/title track is some Genesis-level grandiose movie score type stuff. It also sets the tone perfectly for another nine soft rock bangers! ‘Lord’, the truly epic ballad ‘Eternally’ and ‘Faith’ are also big highlights, but there isn’t a bad song on here. It’s a bit… incredibly… preachy, which definitely drops it down a notch or two for me, but musically it is still damn good. Don’t get me wrong, It’s not Stryper, but It’s still good music if you’re into the likes of The Police or Foreigner or even Seal. And if you can get past all the god stuff (or you’re genuinely into that, of course!). It’s good music that I sadly probably won’t revisit often. However, it still gets a solid 7/10. It would definitely be higher if I god-bothered.
Foreignwolf: Merely Mortal
The second EP from the alt-metallers comes nearly five years after their last. Honestly, they really stepped up with this release too, this thing is 14 minutes of absolute awesomeness! ‘Tyrant’ is the perfect opener, metalcore excellence. Then you have the slower, more epic ‘Hollow’ heavy single ‘Imposter Syndrome’ and the post-hardcore, almost emo closer. Each track is as good as the last, all feeling different to each other while still sounding like the same band. It’s one hell of a testament to the bands stellar writing talents. And, it all flows fantastically together, making it a must-listen in full at least once. If you are into the heavier side of things, check this out ASAP. The band certainly have a new fan in me, and I already can’t wait to see where we go from here! 8.5/10
Nervosa: Slave Machine
Max: So this was my first time listening to Nervosa, and I must say, I was not disappointed. This is a very solid album with an intensity that keeps you hooked through out with bouncing riffs that are simply fun. There is also a nice balance of melodic sections and filthy, intense moments so the album is able to appeal to a multitude of people whilst not disappointing anyone. From what I have read, this is only the second album since their current vocalist and founding member Prika Amaral took up the role, and it really is a great album so I will be sure to check out their previous album as well. a very solid 8.5/10!
Emma Harner: Evening Star
The debut album from the ‘math folk’ rising star is a beautiful, chilled out 36 minutes of acoustic-based music. While not strictly my sort of thing, there is no denying her talents as a musician and a songwriter. Tracks like the epic-building ‘Charlotte’ and ‘Cowboys Chords’ are standouts for me. However, if you are into this sort of style, It’s all an excellent journey and listen. In the nicest and most complimentary way possible, it is sad white girl music. So, if that resonates with you, this is well worth a listen! It’s not something I’d revisit often, but certainly wouldn’t turn it off if it was on again! A still-solid 6.5/10 from us, and I’m curious to hear where she goes from here.
Toxic Shock: Future is Calling
Max: I’ll be clear, I didn’t like this at all. It’s not a genre I particularly like and whilst this album is far from the worst thing ever, it doesn’t change my perspective. It not an objectively bad album by any means, I just found it very boring. The first few tracks were good they gave me hope but the last few tracks really weren’t great, and the last track in particular, “Sex Beat”, just didn’t land with me at all. I can’t give it any more than a 5/10
Enquire Within: Doomsday Profit
The UK metallers are back with a follow-up to their absolutely stellar 2024 EP, and I for one have been damn excited since I first heard about it! And honestly, it lives up to my hype for it. This thing is fucking awesome! All nine tracks on it are excellent too, making it almost impossible to pick highlights. It has a great flow to it as every song feels unique enough to keep it interesting throughout, while still all feeling distinctly Enquire Within. Having said that, the modern Machine Head-like ‘Rebellion’ definitely has my heart! From the solid drumming to the amazing riffing and breakdowns to both the harsh and clean vocals, it’s all fantastic, and kept me hooked throughout! The band are really making waves in the underground scene, and with output like this It’s incredibly easy to hear why. If you are at all into the heavier stuff, from alt metal to metalcore to melodeath, this is an absolute must-listen! A very easy 9/10 from us!
No Terror in the Bang: Existence
Following up their 2024 album, the French prog metallers go hard with this five song collection! I wasn’t familiar with them heading in, but they immediately have a HUGE new fan in me! ‘Moon’ was the perfect opener, having me hooked in from the start and not letting me go for the full 20 minutes of the EP. The heavy ‘Goat’ and the epic closer are also big highlights, but every track on this is amazing in its own right. It’s clearly inspired by the likes of Jinjer but, honestly, I enjoy this even more, evolving that sound and taking it to new heights! I honestly can’t get enough of this release, and it’s insane to me that they aren’t a much bigger name already. Check this out if you are at all interested; it isn’t long and shows off exactly what the band is about. Another solid 8.5/10
Luke Grimes: Red Bird
The second album from the rising country start, we actually loved his debut in 2024. Sadly, this one is taking a little more getting into. Don’t get me wrong, songs like the opener and ‘Drink Drink Drink’ are great, and the beautiful duet of ‘Without You’ is also damn memorable. However, a lot of the rest of it is pretty slow overall, a folk/Americana/classical sound. Don’t get me wrong, his self-titled album is also pretty slow and similar at times, but I think overall there’s a bit more to it, or at the very least it’s longer so there’s more room for varied sounds. And from memory even the slower tracks felt like they had a bit more to them, a slight more of a radio hook. I enjoyed Red Bird, but outside of the aforementioned songs it just makes me want to listen to his other stuff. If you want a chilled folky album to throw on and relax to, this is absolutely that. It’s also packed full of plenty of emotion, which is always great to hear. As I said, it isn’t a bad release at all, but is a bit of a tough second album. Hopefully it grows on me with more listens, but for now I can’t give it any more than 7/10
Codefendants: LIFERS
This is 30 minutes of glorious, 90s-inspired chaos, and I loved every second! From punk to hip-hop to hardcore to metal, the band very much wear their inspiration on their sleeve, and it’s amazing to hear it all blended together like this. ‘Crime Wave’, is apparently how they’re describing their genre, which honestly kinda fits. I somehow missed their debut back in 2023, but this sophomore album is a lot of fun, and a real breath of fresh air from Fat Mike, Sam King and Ceschi Ramos. Heck, I even got touches of modern, MCR-like emo in there in the slower, more ballad-tracks. From ‘Rivals’ to the pop-punk ‘Crime Wave’ to ‘The Right Wrong Man’, there are some massive highlights on here. However, the album has a fantastic flow to it that makes it an easy full listen, and none of the songs are bad.
It’s nostalgic for me, growing up with all the sounds individually, yet still feels like something wholly new and interesting. If you’re a fan of stuff a bit more out there, but still with some attitude, edge and something to say, this is very much the album for you! I’ll be listening to it a lot moving forward, and already it gets a solid 8.5/10 from us!
Shelby Stone: Silveryear
The debut album from the emerging Texas red dirt country singer-songwriter dropped this last Friday, and is a full 71-minutes of greatness! She combines typical darker country with a heavier rock edge perfectly, arguably more successfully than bigger names who attempt it like Brantley Gilbert and Koe Wetzel. Heck, the epic opener sets the tone for this perfectly, building to a massive, metal-boardering soundscape that rivals that of DOROTHY or The Pretty Reckless, as much as the earlier stages are more Bridge City Sinners. It’s an absolutely phenomenal track that had me hooked from the get go. From there, ‘Killing Time’ continues the vibe perfectly, adding a bit more country to the proceedings, and ‘Burns Blue’ being an early up-tempo banger. Then you have the likes of ‘This Time Around’, ‘Fire Escape’ and the boot-stompin’ ‘Dynamite’ that are all massive highlights in their own right. However, not only is there not a bad song throughout, the extended length goes by in a flash, a true testament to Stone’s insane talent as a musician and songwriter! While it maybe had one or two too many slower tracks in a row at times, Shelby’s powerful vocals and emotional lyrics still kept it all incredibly interesting.
As you can tell, I can’t rave about this release enough! This is an absolutely incredible album that has made Stone a massive new fan in me. How she isn’t an absolutely massive name already is beyond me. She straddles the line between country, rock and even modern pop seamlessly, and has crafted something truly special with this release. I’ll be spinning it plenty moving forward, and I can’t give it any less than 9.5/10. Amazing stuff!
We chatted to the amazing alt-pop artist Caroline Romano the other day about her latest EP and plans for the future! Check it all out below!
How would you describe your sound these days?
I would describe it as a mix of alternative pop, with some organic band elements at times. It definitely swings between rock and mainstream pop.
The EP just dropped! Is there a certain theme or story behind it, or is each individual track a separate story?
The entire EP tells the story of my experience falling in love for what felt like the very first time. In that process, I realized why all of my previous heartbreaks and “falling” into the wrong relationships were so necessary. The project as a whole sort of narrates that story from start to finish.
What is your writing process like? Is your band involved at all?
My writing process looks slightly different for each song I write. I’ll often start with a lyric or a concept I’ve written down in my phone, then go into the studio with a producer to build the track around that idea. Other times though, it will start with a track, and the lyrical idea will be written based on that. I’m very fortunate to live in a city like Nashville, where I’m able to collaborate with so many talented producers and instrumentalists. My band for the most part isn’t in the room when I write and record songs, but I definitely keep their specific parts in mind when writing, as I think that plays a big role in creating a fun live show.
Do you have a favourite track on the EP?
My favorite track from the EP is “There It Is.” It’s a song that’s super personal to me, and one I’ve been waiting my whole life to write.
What went into the decision to release an EP instead of a string of singles or even another album?
The decision to release an EP came from listening to this collection of songs I had written, and realizing they all played a part in telling the same story. I think an EP was the perfect length to tell that story as well.
Have you planned a busy year of live shows to support the release?
Yes! I just played my very first Nashville headlining show on release day, and I’m working on some exciting other live show opportunities for the rest of the year.
I saw you recently did a tour vlog, is that something you’d look to continue? It seems so hard to keep up the content grind these days!
I absolutely love touring and the process of getting ready to play a show each night. I’d love to continue doing tour/show vlogs, as it’s content that I genuinely enjoy making. It can be hard to balance everything on a show day, but looking back, I’m always so glad to have it documented.
Any plans/hopes to come to the UK for a show or two soon?
I don’t have any immediate plans to be in the UK, but it would truly be a dream come true to play there soon! The second I’m able to make it happen, I’ll be over there.
Do you have a dream tour lineup you’d want to be a part of? Any artists you’d want to support or friends you’d want to bring with you?
There are so many artists I’d absolutely love to tour with, so this is a tough one. Lorde, Erin LeCount, Paramore, and Taylor Swift are all artists I’d absolutely love to open for. And I have so many talented friends I’d want to bring with me, like Sierra Annie, Carter Rubin, and John Harvie.
If you could have written one song from history, what would it be and why?
Oooh maybe “Blank Space” by Taylor Swift? I think that is as close to perfect as a song can be written, and it also just played a major role in my childhood.
Another massive week for New Music Mondays, with plenty of releases for us to check out across rock, metal and country (and also some pop for good measure)!
Black Label Society: Engines of Demolition
The first album from the legendary biker metallers in a whopping five years, it marks the longest gap between releases the band have ever had. Obviously Zakk has been busy with Ozzy stuff over the last few years, so it’s more than understandable. However, this is a very welcome return! I’ve been a fan of the band for honestly as long as I can remember, and remember enjoying Doom Crew Inc. when it dropped. Honestly though, this may be even better than that! Of course the guitaring throughout is off the charts, the riffing and soloing is expectedly excellent. However, the whole band are playing great across every track, and there’s plenty of catchy, memorable memories alongside them. From ‘Gatherer of Souls’ to single ‘Broken and Blind’ to ‘Pedal to the Floor’, it’s packed full of a great songs! It’s sludgy and doomy and heavy; it’s exactly what you’d expect from a BLS album. However, we still get a slower, ballad track in ‘Back to Me’ tucked in the middle, just as good as the others! It’s maybe a touch long at 50+ minutes, but there aren’t really any tracks that I’d cut. It’s a fun heavy metal album that I’ll definitely be revisiting again soon! 8/10
Ty Myers: Heavy on the Soul
We’ve already checked out this awesome album! Read the full review here!
Chez Kane: Reckless
Album three from the 80s glam throwback woman is one I’ve been impatiently waiting for since she first announced it, and it’s every bit as good as I’d hoped for! Powerzone was awesome a few years ago, and I still spin it to this day, and this builds on everything that was great about that album and turns it up to 11. It’s 41 minutes of arena-filling off power-ballads, dripping in synth and swagger. The opener/title track sets the tone excellently, and tracks like ‘Strip Me Down’, ‘Love Tornado’ and ‘Street Survivor’ all carry on that energy amazingly. However, there really isn’t a bad track throughout, and it has a really excellent flow to it all! It’s catchy, sleazy and incredibly horny in all the best ways, making for one hell of a fun listen. None of these tracks would sound at all out of place on the Rock of Ages musical, and I’m so glad people like Chez and Sam Millar are continuing on this vibe!
If you are at all into the 80s Sunset Strip sound, this is an absolute must of an album. It’s certainly going to have me hooked for months again, and it’s insane to me that she isn’t a bigger name given her insane talent! Every chorus is massive and so very catchy, just begging to be played to huge festival crowds as well as neon-soaked dive bars. And shoutout to her band too, who kill it just as much as she does! I feel like it will continue to grow on me with more listens somehow, even though I’d easily put a good half of these up there alongside her biggest hits. I can’t give it any less than another solid 9/10!
Flea: Honora
I didn’t know what to expect from the Red Hot Chili Peppers bassists debut solo album. Somehow, experimental jazz-funk both was and wasn’t it. Either way, sadly this is pretty bad. I’ve been thinking for a few months now that I want to try and get into jazz because I feel I’d enjoy it. Then I hear ‘Morning Cry’ and all that goes out the window. And don’t even get me started on his spoken word nonsense on ‘A Plea’. It feels like Flea felt it sounded like Zack de La Rocha, but it came across far more Lulu. And, on top of that, this thing is 50 MINUTES LONG. That’s a lot of crap. Heck, there may be someone out there that is really into this and loves it, but that someone certainly isn’t me. Not even Nick Cave could save this thing, it’s a mess, and a slog. At least everyone involved is at least talented, even if, in this writers opinion, it’s not fantastically written. You can tell Flea’s playing a mile away, and some of his basslines are at least fun. The slower ‘Thinkin Bout You’ is probably the most enjoyable song. Hell, at least it’s better than the last couple of RHCP albums, right…? 2.5/10, not my thing at all. At least it’s finally over.
Whey Jennings: Baptized by Fire
Some real old-school country now, with the grandson of legend Waylon himself putting out his second studio album. It’s 40 minutes of classic country tracks, just like his granddaddy played, but also gives slight vibes of Drake White or even Drew Holocomb too for good measure! Tracks like ‘What Lovin’ You Does’, his duet with Karen Waldrup and ‘Copperheads and Butterflies’ are all personal highlights. However, if you like a traditional style, you’ll love every track of this, I’m sure! His vocals are awesome, and his lyrics and delivery are packed full of emotion. It’s exactly what you’d expect heading into it, and I personally had a great time listening to it. He’s continuing on his family legacy perfectly here, and it gets a solid 7/10 from us!
To say it lives up to the hype is an understatement! It’s heavy, melodic and packed full of awesome melodies and emotion. ‘Smile’ opens things perfectly, having some truly brutal screams and breakdown riffs, as well as a more alt chorus. Then you have songs like ‘Birth of a Sun’, ‘Skin’ and the closer/title track that are all also excellent. However, there isn’t a bad song throughout, everything around these tracks also being pretty good. It’s like Spiritbox meats Hot Milk in the best way possible! And, having said that, I would say some of the writing here, both lyrically and riff-wise, is arguably better than both bands. All four of these guys are extremely talented musicians and songwriters!
There’s no wonder the band have gone from strength to strength in recent years in the UK, and this album caps that off wonderfully, but also surely starts a band new, even bigger chapter for the quartet. If you are at all into the alt/modern metal scene, this release is an absolute must! It’s impossible not to see huge things for them in the years to come, and this gets a solid 8.5/10 from us!
Hellripper: Coronach
Max: An 8 track, 45 minute adventure that keeps you gripped and having fun throughout. The latest Hellripper album really is a work of art, the riffs, screams, well to be honest really everything is very very good. Now don’t worry I’m not going to say that this is the best album ever and that Hellripper has perfected their craft but what I am saying is, if you have ever held off on listening to Hellripper because you weren’t sure if you were going to enjoy it, well now’s your time to start listening. Honestly there wasn’t a single track that I didn’t thoroughly enjoy and I really think its a great set of tracks. 9/10
Will Carter Band: WCB
Album number four from Mr Carter, though it seems second as a collective, is a fantastic throwback to the late 90s early 2000s alt country sound! Think Hootie & The Blowfish, Blake Shelton or even Matchbox Twenty. Right from opener ‘Don’t Need Much’ I was hooked on this thing, and tracks like ‘X’s on my Hands’, ‘Can’t Sleep Without You’, and ‘Ain’t All That Lonely’ are all huge personal highlights. The whole thing is excellent from start to finish, though, it having a great flow and going by in a flash. How these guys aren’t a bigger name by this point I have no idea, but if anything is right with the world this will be the release that puts them on the mainstream radar! It’s fun yet at the same time packed full of emotion, the whole thing being written expertly. If you are at all into county or southern rock, this is an absolute must listen. Easily an 8.5/10, and it may grow on me even more with more listens!
RiotWeekend: Table4Four
The sophomore EP from the UK alt-rockers/pop-punkers builds perfectly on their 2022 self-titled debut. It’s 14 minutes of fun, catchy rock music that fits perfectly in alongside anyone from Simple Plan to Paramore to even ADTR! Heck, we get a breakdown in ‘Harry’, which was unexpected awesomeness! What’s more, all four tracks are as good as each other, it being an incredibly solid release from front-to-back! And it’s pretty varied too, each song having a different vibe and pace to it while all still feeling distinctly RiotWeekend. It’s a true talent to be able to write like that, and the band have shown it off perfectly twice now! This is a damn good EP, and one I will definitely be spinning plenty moving forward. 8/10!
Check out our interview with the band about the release here!
RAYE: THIS MUSIC MAY CONTAIN HOPE.
An album that isn’t something that we’d usually cover up now. Having said that, we’d done everything from Bruno Mars to Eminem to Lady Gaga in recent years, and this very much channels that similar alt-pop vibe to it. And heck, I was listening to it anyway, so figured I might as well write out my thoughts!
Firstly, she’s such a talented, fascinating artist, and it‘s easy to hear why she’s become such a big name in a short amount of time. Perfectly blending everything from pop to jazz, soul to R&B, it’s a truly unique sound and such good fun to listen to. And, it’s packed full of awesome songs! From the excellent, emotional opener ‘I Will Overcome.’ to the epic ‘I Know You’re Hurting.’ to the swinging ‘I Hate the Way I Look Today.’ to the huge single ‘WHERE IS MY HUSBAND!”, there is a lot to love throughout. A lot of it is amazing though and, though it definitely feels its bloated length, it’s a chilled-yet-emotional listen that held my attention a lot throughout. Arguably the only full disappointment was ‘Click Clack Symphony.’, I thought having the legendary Hans Zimmer involved would have produced something a bit more epic and interesting and dynamic. However, overall it is an epic release, and well worth the time if you have a spare 73 minutes! I probably won’t do the full thing often, but the few songs I loved will be on regular rotation! 7/10
The Pale White: Inanimate Objects of the 21st Century
Max: So this one was strange for me, it is quite far from what I normally listen to so at first I have to say I didn’t really enjoy it that much. Its fine, its easy to listen to, but not really for me. By my third time listening, I think I started to get it a bit more. There is this fun blend of styles and feelings throughout. The melancholic tone that some parts have can really hit you in the feelings but then the bouncing alt riffs and grooving bass and drums bring you back up. it really is a roller coaster that I ended up really enjoying. For a track recommendation, I would say either ‘Float Away’, or my favourite which is ‘Mannequin’ (I don’t know how to put in to words the feeling it gives, it’s something that I think you need to experience with no input from the outside). 9.5/10 (really its good)
Final Coil: 1994
Following up their 2024 album, the bands first foray into EP territory is a lot of fun! It’s very much a product of the year it’s about, full of grunge and alt-metal energy and riffs. ‘Instant Fix’ is a great opener, and the Rob Zombie-like ‘Woke’ is another career highlight. However, each of the four songs is awesome, and flow together perfectly. From the riffing to the drums to the vocals, it’s all amazing! If you are a fan of the band this is well worth checking out, and is a great stop-gap (hopefully!) between longer releases. A solid 7.5/10 from us!
Ashley Monroe: Dear Nashville
An eight-track surprise drop from the modern country star on Friday has given us a great listen over the weekend! And, it’s a pretty honest, heart-felt and reflective listen, at that. Starting the release with a song titled ‘I Hate Nashville’ is a ballsy move in 2026, and it is a huge highlight of the album. Then you have songs like ‘Haunted’ and ‘Having it Bad’ which are also big personal highlights. It’s another release that follows her slower, chilled-out country vibe, much like with last year’s Tennessee Lightning. It’s very Paula Cole or Miranda Lambert in all the best ways. It’s not something I’d revisit often, but is perfect for throwing on and relaxing to, especially in the coming summer months! And that first song really is an excellent track, up there alongside her hits, thanks for sure. 7/10, good stuff!
Party Cannon: Subjected to a Partying
The crazy Scottish death metallers returned with a brand new EP (alongside some remixes and lives) this last Friday. It’s exactly what you’d expect from the band, or if you heard the words ‘classic death metal’. It’s like if Cannibal Corpse kept Barnes but had more modern production these days. If all of that sounds like your sort of thing, definitely give this a spin. As I’m sure you can tell by my dancing around the subject, it isn’t hugely mine. I honestly kinda preferred the remixes to the original tracks, though do have to say the vocals over the top of them may have been fun! And honestly, it seems like something I’d much prefer live, the recordings from Glasgow sounding awesome. But yeah, sadly on track it isn’t too much of my thing, as fun and hilarious as the themes are. Still, if you like old-school death metal, this is well worth a spin! It’s run, regardless, but the vocals sadly don’t do much for me. 6/10
Siege Perilous: Becoming the Dragon
The debut album from the epic, Colorado-based power metallers is a true journey from start to finish. From soaring melodies to insane harmonised guitars to the solid drumming and powerful vocals, it’s 44-minutes of grandiose heavy metal through and through! ‘As the Dragon Falls’ (feat. the awesome Fabio Lione) is a huge high point of the album, as is ’Chieftain’ and the epic closing track. It reminds me a lot of Fellowship or even Dragonforce, that epic huge power metal built more for its huge moments and soundscapes. The band are insanely good songwriters, and for this to be a debut album makes it feel like we have some truly special things to come in the next few years! They’re ones to watch, for sure! However, for now, this is an excellent release for anyone into the genre even a little bit! 7.5/10
Numbskull Narrative: The Gutters
The brand new EP from Galway’s own ‘noisy boys’ is three awesome heavy, hardcore-tinged tracks. From the sludgy breakdown riffs to the heavy screams, there are some incredible moments throughout, and at only nine minutes it is very much all killer, no filler! I’m always a bit on the fence with modern hardcore stuff, but the heavier edge to this definitely won me over! Some of the playing actually reminded me of Zakk Wylde or Dimebag, which was awesome to hear with this sort of drums accompanying it! It’s impossible to pick highlights as all three are great in their own right. The band definitely have a new fan in me, and this gets an easy 8/10 from us!
Calder Allen: Fault Lines
Album three from the fifth generation Texan is a short, chilled romp through some beautiful old-school country music. At only eight tracks long it goes by in a flash, and each song perfectly bleeds into the next. Highlights include the rocky title track, ‘Carry On’ and ‘Norwood County Line’. But, as I said, each song blends seamlessly together, and none of them are bad by any stretch! The more I listened to this, the more I fell in love. It’s a damn good country/Americana album that reminds me of everything from Drew Holcombto Luke Dick to even hints of Jack Johnson. He’s another artist that has a new fan in me this week, and I can guarantee that if you check this out, you’ll enjoy it as much as I do! It’ll be an album I revisit plenty throughout the year, especially over summer, and I can’t give it any less than 9/10!
Rain Diary: Night Church
This gothic collective are back with their first new studio release in a while, and honestly sound better than ever! The title track sets the moody-yet-catchy tone perfectly, and every track that follows it fits thematically fantastically, and is great in its own right. It all feels like one art piece instead of individual tracks, though ‘Dark Flowers’ and ‘End of the World’ are personal favourites. It’s hard to even compare it to other artists, as it feels like something wholly unique, which made it an incredibly easy listen despite the length! Each member of the band are insanely talented, with the two vocals of course being the big highlight. It won’t be for everyone, but I had a good time listening to this, and it’s a solid 8/10!
Rock ‘n’ rollers Tuk Smith & the Restless Hearts are pleased to share a string of 2026 tour dates this summer. The 7-date stint will see them kick things off at Maid Of Stone festival before taking in the sights of London, Southampton, Wolverhampton, Leeds, Glasgow, and an as-yet-unannounced show. This follows a busy 2025 from the band, touring with Danko Jones and blessing Planet Rockstock with their Nashville-tinged melodies and riffs!
Mr Smith himself shared:
“I’ve always had a special place in my heart for the UK ever since I first started playing here a decade ago with my previous band. This is my first proper UK tour as a solo artist and I’m just as excited now as I was back then!”
In case you missed it, Tuk also put out an incredible EP just last year! We loved it, and you want to buy it, find it here!
Tuk Smith is the kind of rock ’n’ roll ambassador you didn’t think existed anymore. Punk maverick from rural Georgia, Biters frontman, producer and solo artist, he’s seen the best and worst of a music industry in constant flux. By turns it’s left him critically acclaimed, poised for stadiums, dropped, burned out, back in the game and beloved by those for whom rock is still everything. Now based in Nashville, and with his own label Gypsy Rose Records, he creates from a more real place than most.
“I want to do something that means something to people,” Tuk says, “because a lot of shit nowadays is so disposable and so plastic. I just don’t connect with that. I’d like to do things that impact people positively. It’s a weird time on the planet, so to have songs about hope, but not be cheesy about it, it’s something I think we need with songwriting. That’s the kind of music I want to hear.”
Again, there’s that dichotomy he speaks of. “Rock ’n’ roll is essentially the illusion of not giving a fuck, right? Like, you know Axl Rose was doing sit-ups and jump rope, and Paul Stanley was on a cardio machine, and they come out and act like it just happens. The point is I sit at that piano many hours, working on this stuff.”
