Another trip to the legendary Nottingham venue for a stacked lineup of incredible hard rock and metal bands! Having seen half of them multiple times before, I was certainly excited to see them again, while the half I’d not seen had me just as pumped! Without further ado, let’s dive into just how great it was!
The legendary Californian nu/alt metallers Adema were up first. A band that I’ve been a fan of since my teen years but never had the chance to catch live, they certainly did not disappoint! They didn’t have a huge amount of time, but they worked their asses off and put on a fantastic show regardless. It was heavy on their incredible debut, but we still got a cheeky track from both Unstable and Insomniac’s Dream. The massive hit ‘The Way You Like It’ was of course a massive highlight, but closer ‘Giving In’ was also awesome, and a big crowd favourite! Tim is back on lead vocals once again and sounds just as great as ever, while whoever they had on drums also killed it, just like the other the other two. I can’t believe it’s taken me so long to see them, but I already need to get to another of their shows, especially if it’s a longer set!
Next up were a band we’re very familiar with here at Overtone, South of Salem! It had actually been a little while since we’d seen them, and this very much reminded me of how much I love them! It was another set that was maybe a touch short, missing one or two of my favourites from their debut. However, the set was still stacked with banger after banger. From opener ‘Lwt us Prey’ through the awesome ‘Static’ to perennial closer ‘Cold Day in Hell’, the whole half an hour was amazing. Heck, we even got a cheeky cover, the band doing Savage Garden’s ‘To the Moon & Back’ perfectly, paying homage to the original while still sounding like SoS. Each member of the band worked their asses off throughout, and fromtman Joey Draper is such a commanding presence, the crowd eating out the palm of his hand from the very first minute. The band have been killing it for years now, and hopefully we are getting album three and a big headline tour soon!
Next up were my most anticipated band of the night, Finger Eleven. I have been a big fan of them for years, but somehow fell even more in love with them after last year’s Last Night on Earth. So, hearing ‘Adrenaline’ and ‘The Mountain’ live was truly something else! Having said that, I was actually a little surprised we got ‘Slow Chemical’ but DAMN, it was amazing to hear in a live setting! Just another incredible wrestling theme I’ve seen live, and my gosh do I miss when WWE had entrances like this again. And, of course, the likes of ‘Quicksand’, ‘First Time’ and ‘Good Times’ were also so great to hear live! Both guitarists put their all into the performance too, and Scott sounded as good as ever vocally. He may have been a little too stationary, but it actually kinda complimented their music well, and he still had some great crowd interaction! They fit perfectly on this bill and played a great set that was over all too soon. Shame the crowd were a little low energy for it, but outside of that it was excellent!
Out of the three times I’ve now seen Soil, this was the best one yet! It was still rather Scars-heavy like their last tour, but the album is packed full of so many bangers it’s hard to complain! The book-ending the set with ‘Breaking Me Down’ and ‘Halo’ will always be perfect, and the likes of ‘Unreal’ and ‘Black 7’ are incredible too! However, we had a little more variety than before. ‘The Hate Song’ and ‘Way Gone’ from their criminally underrated last album were amazing live, as was their new single ‘Enemy X’. And the likes of ‘Pride’ and ‘Redefine’ are always welcome additions to their live shows!
Speaking of the show, the band worked their asses off throughout! I touched on it when seeing Drowning Pool at Download, but Ryan’s vocals are stronger than they’ve been in years, and he was on top form as a frontman here! Meanwhile the rest of the band brought the energy in a big way, and were clearly having fun up there. They were a fitting headliner for the show, putting on one hell of a set for over an hour, and closing things out with a bang! And, what’s more, the crowd we’re big into it, marching the bands energy. Hopefully this renewed momentum and new track means another album is finally on the horizon soon…!
And there we have it, folks. A night packed with amazing hard rock and metal music, put on by four incredible live bands! I cannot recommend any of them enough, either on track or live, and this certainly won’t be the last time I see all of them, I’m sure!
The metallic hardcore legends return this coming Friday with their ninth studio album. Being a whopping six years since Weight of the False Self, and having put out some excellent singles from this so far, the hype for this release is at an all time high! We’re big fans of the band here at Overtone so have been waiting rather impatiently for the chance to sit down and do a deep dive. So, without further ado, let’s do just that!
The album very much starts as it means to go on with ‘Kill Count Increase’. It’s heavy and brimming with attitude and swagger from the jump. A massive intro riff complete with some incredible drumming soon gives way to a massive verse. Jamey’s vocals sound just as fantastic as ever, only adding to the aggression of the track. It all leads to a pretty catchy chorus; simple and at the same level as the rest of the song, but the backing vocals add another great level to things. And sitting at not even 2:30, it’s in and out perfectly. The intro riff gets reprieved for a crushing outro breakdown, and somehow gets even heavier half-timed by the end. It is a fantastic Hatebreed track, and is an excellent way to kick things off!
Single ‘The Carrion Choir’ continues right where the opener left off. One of my favourite riffs on the album kicks it off before another balls-to-the-wall verse speeds through and into a massive, chuggy, almost groove metal chorus. It still very much feels hardcore and sounds like Hatebreed, but I do like them mixing it up a little in their structures and formula. The closing breakdown is absolute FILTH too, having me crowdkilling around my own kitchen both times I span it while writing this up. It’s everything that the band do so well, and a huge highlight of the album. It was a fantastic choice as a single, and a track that easily makes our playlist!
The first non-single, ‘Decisions Become Destinies’ gives big early 2000s Hatebreed vibes, both in the lyrics and the composition. I love it! The bass-led intro and the guitars coming in after was a great touch, as is the space and gaps between the massive drums and guitar chords for the chorus. It’s the best dynamics of any track so far, the changes between each part keeping me constantly interested and blown away. Again, it still feels like Hatebreed but goes beyond the typical hardcore genre into something really only they do. Hell, we even get a great (albeit brief) guitar solo tucked away in the middle before it drops back down to that awesome bassline again. I honestly adore this track and can’t gush over it enough. If you check out any song from the release, make sure it’s this one. Another massive highlight!
Tracks like ‘Total Invincible’, single ‘Make the Demons Obey’ and ‘None Left to Save’ are all more balls-to-the-wall hardcore tracks. The latter is probably my favourite of the three; the chorus being awesome and pretty catchy and melodic in its own way. I also love that it has plenty of room to breathe at six plus minute, really giving that breakdown riff at towards the end plenty of space to build, getting truly epic by the end of it. And then for them to just come in and kick our ass with another, slower breakdown at the end after a bit of silence, and some almost black metal guitaring, was really great and an amazing touch. It’s a fantastic way to close out the main portion of the album, and is another firm highlight! Having said all that, the single was also a lot of fun; your typical Hatebreed stuff and a track I am DESPERATE to see live! That chorus riff and vocal is CHONKY.
Then you have the likes of the title track, ‘Still a Threat’ and ‘Truth is a Lion’. While all are still heavy and very much in fitting with the band and albums sound, they have a bit more of a melodic edge to them than your typical hardcore sound. The former is another excellent pre-release single, while the other two have some pretty great guitar work throughout, almost giving Slayer vibes at times. All are great tracks in their own right, but you do very much know what you’re getting into with the band, and they do blur together just a touch on a full album listen. However, when it’s a sound like this, that isn’t necessarily a bad thing, as I’d certainly recommend spinning it in full!
‘Sacrifice Season’ features the incredible John Tardy of Obituary fame, lending his voice perfectly to the chaos. It gives a new depth to the track, again giving slightly more Tom Araya vibes in his delivery and sound, it fitting perfectly over the heavy hardcore instrumentation. It feels weird calling it a duet, but the two’s vocals do fit rather excellently together! And the instrumentation behind them is, of course, more heavy awesomeness. It’s another great song, everything working so well together!
The final track on the release is their cover of Corrosion of Conformity’s ‘Poison Planet’. It’s 85 seconds of pure anarchy; a breakneck pace with everyone working their asses off throughout! Jamey’s delivery is incredible, but the rest of the band also kill it with the sheer insane pace of the song. It’s a great rendition of the track, doing justice to the original yet modernising it with its production. Honestly, early CoC doesn’t get enough love these days, so hopefully this shines a light on the bands heavier roots!
Overall: This is another stellar release from the band! They have not lost even a fraction of a step in the six years since their last album, delivering everything you’d want from them in spades. There isn’t a bad track throughout and, as I said, I’d honestly recommend giving the album a spin in full as it does have a great flow to it. If you are at all a fan of the band or the style, give this a listen ASAP. It’s crazy that over three decades into their careers, they are still just as good as they’ve ever been! I’m sure to be listening to this a hell of a lot moving forward!
An absolutely MASSIVE week of new releases for us to dive into today, with some of the biggest names in rock, metal and county dropping music. What are you waiting for? Join us in diving in!
Nickelback: Everything Under the Sun
I have impatiently waiting for this albumfor most of the year now. Four insanely good singles each as good as the last had me hyped up massively to hear the other eight songs. And, honestly, they live up to said hype! From ‘Chasin’ Famous’ to the guest-packed ‘Lift Somebody Up’ to their early post-grunge stylings on ‘Bottled Dreams’, there are some fantastic, upbeat “album tracks” on here. And even some of the slower ones like ‘Simple Song’ are fantastic. There is maybe one too many slower songs throughout, especially in the early run between ‘Bones for the Crows’ and ‘Chasin’ Famous’, but it’s a style that Nickelback are known for, and really play to perfection. While it’s not quite a perfect album, well over half of the release is highlight worthy, and I did enjoy it more than their still-great last release. It may not be up there alongside Right Reasons or Dark Horse or Silver Side, but it is not far behind them, and I do feel like it will still grow on me with even more listens! And regardless, the singles are still phenomenal! An easy 8.5/10 from us!
Queens of the Stone Age: Perfecth
QOTSA are an odd one for me. There are songs and even full albums that I love from them, but I feel like it has been a while since I have truly gotten into something from them. Their ninth album is an interesting one for me. All semblance of the hard/desert rock sound that had made them so big has finally been fully stripped away, replaced by this soft, jazz-adjacent rock that Homme has tried to squeeze into every album to this point. However, that’s all this album is. No big riffs, no heaviness, just a plodding pace, twiddly guitaring and some big, grandiose vocal layers.
Having said all of that, I actually didn’t hate it. It’s probably the most I’ve enjoyed one of their albums since …From Clockwork. From the perfect build of the opener to the acoustic, Latina-flavoured ‘From the Cliff’ to single ‘Easy Street’ there is some good, interesting stuff on here. It’s not exactly what I want from the band, but Homme is a masterful songwriter and certainly hasn’t produced a bad album here. I’m curious to see the general consensus on this, as well as if it will grow on me more with more listens. It’s a quirky departure from their previous sound, but it may very well pay off for the band, and it still somehow feels like them. 5.5/10
Kaitlin Butts: Hello Honky Tonk
We’ve already checked out this awesome album! Read our full review here.
Enslaved: Mið
Following up on 2023’s critically acclaimed Heimdal, the Norwegian extreme metallers once again return with a brutal, dark slab of music. It follows on from the rest of their discography, having a type melodic edge to the style that only Enslaved can do, while still maintaining the bleakness and heaviness of their black/extreme metal roots. The tribal and clean vocals are a fun, quirky touch, and the guests add some fun interesting dynamics and twists too. It is far more than just a straight-up heavy album, with ‘Mountain’ in particular feeling like latter career Opeth over any sort of black metal. However, it’s just as awesome as the balls-to-the-wall stuff like ‘Tales of Trees’, and is a true testament to the bands talent for writing. Don’t get me wrong, it’s not an album for everyone, but if you are a fan of the band or are at all interested, give it a spin! 6.5/10
RATTLESNAKES: Shadows in the Night
The debut album from one of the shining lights in the heavy metal revival in the UK scene finally dropped this Friday. It had a lot of hype surrounding it and, I’m not just saying this because I love the guys, but it deserves every bit of it. Each of these 10 tracks are as good as the last, and all flow together perfectly. It’s a phenomenal throwback 70s/80s release, but also feels modernised in the best ways, through both the writing and the production (shout-out the amazing Audiomage!). Because of that, I’d honestly recommend this to anyone, regardless of what genre they are into.
Speaking of the tracks themselves too, they are all incredible. It’s impossible to pick just a couple of highlights as honestly, they could all be massive radio and live hits in their own right. Everyone is working their asses off throughout, with it being packed full of amazing riffs, huge choruses and blistering solos from start to the end. And Rowena still remains one of the most criminally underrated vocalists around today, blowing me away on every track here. As great as their debut EP was last year, this takes that formula and turns it all up to 11, being somehow even more excellent! It’s easy to compare them to the titans and pioneers of the sound, but honestly they build on the old-school formula and create something unique to them. The scene is gaining some real momentum recently with the likes of Wailing Bansheeand Absolva, and these guys are right up there with those leading the charge. I can’t give it any less than 9.5/10, do yourselves a favour and give this a listen ASAP!
Dustin Lynch: Clean Slate
Jade: If you are a lover of modern country, something a little cheesy and super catchy, then you’ll probably enjoy this album as much as I did! It’s up there with some of my favourite country artists such as Kane Brown, Brad Paisley and Blake Shelton. Which makes total sense considering these are all artists Dustin Lynch has toured with.
Dustin has very strong vocals packed full of that unmistakable country twang. All I will say is that with the ever growing condensed column of country artists now all with a very similar sound, it does necessarily not stand out all too much. However, make no mistake, this doesn’t mean I don’t like the album. I am an absolute sucker for this exact genre of country music, it probably makes up about ninety percent of my playlist at this point! I will have to keep an eye out for a UK tour, as I need to know if he is as good live as he is on track!
A couple of my favourites were ‘Real Fine Reason’, ‘She Don’t Know’, ‘Built Us A Life’, and the one that reminded me most of Kane Brown… ‘One Tennessee’. However, I would recommend listening to every song on this album, it really is that good! 8.5/10
Against the Current: Till Death & Back
The first album in over five years from the pop rockers is a welcome, powerful return! It’s just over half an hour of catchy melodies, catchy, soaring vocals and just enough rock instrumentation to add some interesting intros and bridges. If it is your sort of genre, it is absolutely an album I’d recommend! Between ‘Dead Man Walking’, ‘Heavenly’ and ‘Stuck’, there is plenty to love, but there honestly isn’t a bad track throughout. It’s not 100% my thing, especially when a lot of it was pretty similar in terms of feel and pace. However, there is no denying the quality and the talent of everyone involved, and fans of the band will most likely love it! It’s a welcome return to the studio from a band who have always felt like they are on the cusp of being global megastars. Whether this is the release to take them to that level or not, I’m not sure, but it’s one I’ll happily revisit again, and it gets a solid 7.5/10 from us!
Ministry: Hate to Go – Takeout or Delivery
We’ve also reviewed to this in full, aren’t you lucky?! Check it out here.
Fuel: Pendulum
Another release after a half-decade drought, the US alt rockers pick up right where they left off with album seven. They’re a band that never really felt like they got their flowers in the UK, or really for their still-great later discography in general. But, with how excellent this is, I really hope they finally do from Pendulum! It’s a fantastic collection of heavy melodic hard rock, giving vibes of everything from Alter Bridge to to Finger Eleven to Shinedown, and feels like a real shot in the arm for the band. Having said that, it also still has an early 2000s vibe to it in the best way possible. ‘Want It’ opens things up excellently, while the likes of ‘Bad at Love’, ‘Enemy’ and ‘Everything’ are also amazing. However, there isn’t a bad song throughout, and there is plenty of variety throughout too! Piano ballad ‘Innocent’ is beautiful and gave me goosebumps, and even their cover of ‘Hotel California’ was good, even if I was a touch saddened by the solo. This is far better an album than I expected, and will be one I’ll certainly be spinning plenty in the weeks and months to come! It’s exactly the sort of style I like, and as you can probably tell, I loved it from start to finish! A very easy 9/10 from me!
Blind Channel: Painstream
The return album from the Finnish nu metallers after their 2024 hiatus, they have revived with one less member, vocalist Joel Hokka closing not to return to the fold. That in itself is a shame, as he was certainly a high point of their sound on their first five albums, as mixed feelings as I had for them. Sadly, whether it was Joel’s absence or other factors, this didn’t do much for me. It felt less attitude-filled nu metal and more like modern metalcore, a sound I’m not hugely into generally. It isn’t bad at all, and if you are into that style of music you’ll probably get a lot out of this, but I did prefer their more nu-leaning stuff. It just feels a little too much like it’s TRYING to be those other bands, if that makes sense? Having said that, tracks like ‘Youthanasia’ and ‘Me Versus Me’ were good and worth a listen, regardless. But, outside of that, it was just a touch bland. Niko’s cleans and screams are both great, but the instrumentation leaves a little to be desired at times, and it just lacked a fun element that their previous works had had. It may grow on me with more listens, but I am sadly not rushing to do that any time soon. 5/10, distinctly average.
Shogun Mojo: Self-Titled
The debut album from the new hard rock supergroup is a damn fun 37 minutes! The brain-child of Tommy Thayer and Dan Reed, it’s certainly better than anything we got from the former’s tenure in Kiss, and Dan Reed is one of the most underrated musicians around, period. You can hear both musicians style and writing throughout too, and they gel together excellently! The two singles are awesome, but tracks like ‘Nothing to See Here’ and ‘Fight for the Light’ are also amazing. However, the album is an incredibly easy listen, going by in a flash and it all flowing together perfectly. If you are a fan of DRN or just the softer side of 80s/90s rock, this is an album you need to check out immediately! As I said, it’s just a good fun release, and impossible not to love, like most of Dan Reeds stuff. A very easy 8/10 from us, and an album I’ll be spinning plenty moving forward!
Red Light Acid Test: FRAYED
The debut album from the British hard alt rockers finally arrived this last Friday, and is a damn fun 40-minutes of music! It’s packed full of chunky riffs, great melodic moments and massive choruses, and ties together their almost years worth of single output perfectly. The band manage to combine and straddle so many different genres across this release, from desert rock to punk, indie to stoner, but it somehow all still feels like them, a true testament to their writing abilities! Songs like ‘Patience’, ‘Senseless’ and ‘Relapse’ are personal highlights, but there really isn’t a bad song throughout. If you are at all interested or into the desert-punk side of rock, this is well worth giving a spin! The band definitely have a new fan in me, and I’m already curious to see where they go from here! Until that point though, I’ll certainly be giving this another listen or three? 7.5/10
Darkest Hour: Suffer Divine
Max: I’ll tell you what; this was quite a good album! Now sure, its not the most unique album or reinventing an aspect of the genre, but it was front-to-back a lot of fun. And it is really clear that whilst they have reached their eleventh album as a band (which is insane) they aren’t slowing down nor are they getting dull. If anything they are just showing their knowledge and expertise over their art, something that a lot of bands strive to do.
Personally I felt that there was little to do with pushing boundaries throughout this album. So, whilst every song if good, there was nothing that particularly stood out and made me want to come back for aside from the comfort and easy listening and generally great stuff the album provides. I think that in order to push my score higher to the 9s or 10s there needs to be something more, something that hooks people in, be that a unique sound or a boundary push. With all that said, this is a good album that didn’t have a dull song throughout in my opinion, making it very hard to give this anything lower than a 8/10!
Big Red: Big Sur
The debut album from the Joseph Scarisbrick-led power trio is a really interesting slower indie/blues release! I had no idea what to expect heading in, but came away a big new fan of the guy and band as a whole! The sheer emotion and vulnerability in Joseph’s lyrics and vocal delivery is incredible, giving me goosebumps plenty throughout. The arragements are simple, but fit the tone of the album phenomenally, ranging from simple and beautiful to chunky, heavy, grandiose soundscapes. It really combines so many different sounds, from indie to 2000s pop-rock, desert stuff and even a little Midwest Emo thrown in for good measure. I see why he wanted this to be a separate project instead of trying to fit it into his other bands!
Opener ‘Nightmare’ had me hooked right from the jump. Then you have songs like ‘The Creek’, ‘Not That Guy’ and the two-part title track that are just as excellent. However, as you can probably tell by now, the whole thing is really fantastic, and I could gush about it all day! It’s not a release for everyone, but if you are at all curious I would definitely recommend giving it a full spin; the album as a whole has a great flow to it! I’ll be listening to this plenty in the weeks and months to come, and I already can’t wait to see where the trio go from here. 9/10, amazing stuff!
White Rose Motor Oil: Spider
Now for a duo that I have been a little obsessed with since I first discovered them off their amazing last album. I have been impatiently waiting for this release since they announced it, and thankfully they didn’t even slightly disappoint! It’s 41-minutes of amazing country/Western/Americana music, and the band aren’t going to get nearly enough credit for this release, much like they didn’t with The Gift of Poison. And, while every song on here is awesome, the likes of single ‘HIT IN THE FACE!’, ‘A Happier Man’ and ‘Looking Good’ are personal highlights. It’s another album that is a lot of fun, and almost had a bit of an old-school punk feel and vibe to it at times, which also was a great addition. While not exactly an album full of radio-friendly songs, if any of the sounds I’ve described earlier are your sort of vibe, do yourselves a favour and check this out, you certainly won’t be disappointed! It fits in more somewhere between a Striking Matches, Bridge City Sinners, Sierra Ferrel and a touch of American Aquarium, so no wonder it’s great! It’s every bit as good as their previous full studio release, and gets another massive 9/10 from us.
Outlaw Orchestra: Ruff Round the Edges
Emerging from a bit of turbulent time from the band after 2/3rds of the band sadly took a step back earlier in the year, Dave has actually pulled out a fantastic release with this, barely two years after their awesome last album! I remember talking to the band last year and they mentioned about wanting to do a last album then, so I’m curious to know how much Pete and Ryan contributed to this, or if it’s a new band/session players backing. Regardless, I had a great time with this!
‘Hay Belly’ is up there among my favourite songs the band have produced, and is a fantastic opener. ‘Ghost Train’ is another fun boot stomper, ‘Vacation for the Mind’ is a fun soft/blues rock track, and ‘Ride Brother Ride’ rounds out the studio portion of the release excellently. Then you have live renditions of crowd favourites in ‘Too Much Willie Nelson’ and ‘Bag of Bones’ that are both also excellent, and a lot of fun. I’m not sure if this classes as a new album or more of a longer EP, but regardless it’s good! I’m glad the band are still releasing stuff, and hopefully it continues in the future, but for now I’ll happily be giving this a few more listens in the weeks to come. 8/10
The industrial metal legends are back with a brand new album, their 17th and supposed final ever. They are a band I have loved for decades at this point, and have covered in varying capacity on this site in the past, so there was no way I wasn’t going to dive in to Al Jourgensen and co.’s final release head first. The singles so far have been pretty great, so I am very curious to see what the rest of the album holds!
The album opens perfectly with ‘Crickets’. A massive drumbeat soon has the guitar and bass explode in with an expectedly awesome industrial metal riff, Al’s vocals fitting excellently over the top with his signature grit and reverb and effects. It stays at a similar level for the chorus but honestly is still pretty catchy with its call-and-response vocals and melody. The spoken word bits and audio clips fit excellently with the tone of the song and the band too, and add another great dynamic to the song. It’s everything you’d expect from Ministry in the best possible way. It’s simple yet incredibly effective, bringing to the table great riffs, vocals and a suitably punk-esque level of attitude and message!
Similar vibes continue through ‘Voices of Hate’, that opening/main riff being incredible! It’s so heavy and the breakneck pace had me instantly hooked. The drums behind it go hard too, and Al’s harsh, almost screamed vocals fit into the mix perfectly. Again, the audio clip playing over the top is also great, and the sentiment is fantastic. I know there will be plenty that disagree with it and even get angered and offended by it, but as an outsider looking in it’s almost impossible not to see it this way, and it’s amazing to have bands still willing to stand up and fight against it. Especially when it’s an older band with nothing left to prove, like Ministry. Oh yeah, and straight after all that, we get an awesome guitar solo, just for good measure! It’s a really fantastic track, one that I’d arguably put up there alongside some of the bands best in recent decades, and it’s a song that easily makes our playlist!
More awesome riffing and drumming follows in ‘Clown Car’, the balls-to-the-wall drum pace being particularly excellent! Al’s vocals are a little higher in the mix this time which was nice, as as much as I loved the vibe of the last couple of tracks, his voice could get a little lost at times. They’re a little cleaner too, and the delivery reminds me of more like Ice T, which is certainly a good thing! To be honest, it’s essentially a crossover thrash song, and I’d absolutely LOVE to see this live. And that almost groove-metal breakdown riff after the solo… *chefs kiss*. It’s another massive album highlight on a release so far packed full of them!
The first single from the album, ‘We Hate’, is up next. The pace is slower, more of a boot stomper, but it doesn’t lose any of its heaviness or swagger. Al’s gritty vocals sound great over the top of it, again having the volume cranked on them. And once again, the lyrics here are fantastic, filled with passion, anger and truth. It’s got all the hallmarks of a Ministry track, from the riffing to the tones, writing to the message, so makes for a fantastic choice for a single! The guitar soloing in particular is another real high point alongside the lyrics/vocals. The only slight downside is the AI music video, but we just ignore that and listen to the song on its own, right? It’s a great song in its own right, even at the five plus minute runtime. The band are so far four for four on excellent tracks on this album!
‘Delete’ is a fun track about our social media consumption. The intro minute was fun with all the voiceover, the instrumentation fitting perfectly behind it. The rest of the track is very much typical Ministry, and is of course a lot of fun and damn good! It does feel ever so slightly “old man yells at clouds”, but it does still fit the theme of the album well. I just love industrial metal, and Ministry and some of the very best to do it, even nearly 50 years into their careers!
‘Grifter’, another great anti-Trump song, slows the pace down perfectly at the mid-point of the album. It’s a plodding track with a great driving bassline at its core and some simple, solid drums. The synth stuff was a nice addition, and the guitar still gets plenty of time to shine throughout. It gives much more focus on Al’s vocals too without so much going on too, and it’s maybe his best performance on the whole album. It’s completely different to the rest of the release, almost having an AIC-like grungeness to it all. It’s another massive highlight of the album for me, and a song I’d recommend to absolutely anyone!
The pace picks up a little for ‘The White Man Lied’, but still feels a little lighter than the early album stuff. It’s almost a blues vibe with the intermittent vibe and steady drums, but also reminds me a lot of later Rob Zombie. It still has the usual spoken word stuff in there, and the message is another fantastic one, but it does have an appreciatedly different vibe again. I am being kept far more interested in this album than I expected to be, and I love it! Another good song!
The final two singles follow suite next in ‘Singularity’ and ‘Burned Out’. The enemy crescendos again, a heavy, groove metal riff leading the former. It’s a little less chaotic than a lot of the rest of the album, still feeling like industrial metal and like Ministry, but a bit more radio friendly and a great choice for another single. It’s yet another fantastic song! The latter also had a similar vibe; a steady pace, a big focus on the great riffing and catchy vocals, and a real White Zombie feel. It’s a simple track that is a lot of fun and is good in its own right! And again, the lyrics are so very poignant, and it really is sad to think of the state of the world in 2026.
Album closer ‘We’re Still Here’ surprisingly ties together everything before it perfectly! It’s a little slower but still industrial, a heavy and dark feel to it. However, it is also uplifting, especially from the midpoint, and carries a message of hope despite everything that has been spoken about before. It’s a fantastic writing and producing choice to put a track like this at the end, closing things out on a high note after so much anger and sadness. And, as a song in general, it is so masterfully put together and composed. It really feels like a finale, even more incredible given this is their last album. It honestly gave me goosebumps, and is another song I’d recommend to anyone!
Overall: This is a really good album! I’d expect nothing less from the industrial metal legends, but it is my favourite they have put out in a while, honestly. There isn’t a bad song throughout, while there are a few I’d easily put up there alongside the top tracks from the band, period. I’ve harped on about the theming and message plenty, but it really is a rather refreshing thing to hear these days, and fits in perfectly with Ministry’s ethos. And, the instrumentation was incredible throughout, too! If this truly is their swan song, what a way to go out!
Album four from the rising country powerhouse is set to drop tomorrow, and has a lot of hype surrounding it! We’re big fans of herhere at Overtone, so we have been impatiently waiting for the perfect time to do a full review since it came across our emails. The singles so far have been fantastic, and I have high hopes that the album continues that trend. Hell, her last albumwas great enough, but can this one be even better?
After an extended, spoken word intro track that sets up the story and tone of the album expertly, single ‘I Wanna Be Bad’ kicks things off fantastically. However, I don’t want to breeze fully over the introduction though, as it really was incredible and a vibe that only really Mrs Butts can pull off. The simple Western guitaring behind her southern twang and excellent delivery felt as much like it was from a musical as an album, and is really fun, interesting and great. Then, of course, the release’s lead single is classic Kaitlin in the best way possible. Her vocals are incredible throughout, her range and power on full display. The verse builds in intensity perfectly into a catchy-as-anything chorus, and one that has been stuck in my head since the very first time I heard it. The dynamics of the track are great too, with the bouncy stabs and fliddling in the second verse adding even more fun elements to the track. Between that and the drop-down for the last verse, very much feeling like an old-school country rock stomper, it’s just so good. And how a track can be so excellent at its short length is a true testament to her incredible abilities. There’s no wonder this track has gotten so much love already, and it’s a very easy early highlight!
‘The Bartender’ slows up the pace a little, feeling a bit more chilled-out but no less Western-rock. It feels a little more modern than the previous song, almost giving an air of Jon Pardi or Randall King in the best possible way. And it’s still injected with Kaitlin’s theatrical flavour perfectly through her vocals and writing. All the harmonies on the chorus are amazing, somehow making it even more catchy, but the focus is very much still on Butts’ fantastic delivery, and rightfully so! The longer track length serves the song amazingly too, though it would be a crime if it doesn’t get some radio love despite being four plus minutes. The soloing from the fiddle in the middle was fantastic, fitting the tone of the song excellently and being pretty damn technical in its own right! It’s another really amazing song, every bit as good as the previous, and I’m a little obsessed with this album already!
Another single, ‘Never Really Mine’, is the first ballad-track of the album. Kaitlin’s phenomenal vocals ring hypnotically over some simple acoustic guitaring, and her signature tongue-in-cheek delivery of a break-up song is amazing. The simple arrangement of the track really serves the emotion of the lyrics and delivery perfectly, but it also still builds into a rather massive soundscape by the end. It again feels like a style that only Kaitlin is doing these days, and she’s gotten me hooked on every note of this, despite me usually favouring a faster pace. Three for three so far on incredible songs, and it seems like there is no chance of slowing up any time soon!
‘I Make Cowboys Cry’ picks up the pace and energy again. The verse is a little stripped back, but leads to a massive, boot stompin’ chorus, and another hugely catchy one! It’s another song with a bit of a modern edge to it, but still has plenty of Western influence, as well as some rocky vibes and pacing. And once again, Kaitlin’s vocal delivery is incredible, from the big notes in the verse to the quick lyrics of the chorus, it’s all so good. I really want to see it live, I imagine her pulling it off in that sort of setting would be even better! Instrumentally it’s great too, with some fun strings and drumming throughout. It’s another song that easily could have been a single, and is the perfect follow-up to the slower previous track!
Slowing down again for ‘The Joker’, having a similar vibe to ‘Never Really Mine’. It’s another sad break-up song, but delivered in a more bittersweet way, making it still a fun track. It’s the simplest arragement so far, but I really love the multi-tracked vocals for the final chorus, rounding it out perfectly, especially giving the theme of the song!
Tracks like ‘Still Got It’, ‘That Makes One of Us’ and ‘Hell I Don’t Know’ are more beautiful, slower, ballad-like songs. Once again, all are done with Kaitlin’s signiture sound and twang, and are so well written and put together. They have a real traditional country edge to them, with ‘That Makes One of Us’ being my favourite of the bunch and another firm album highlight in general! Then again, the latter has some of my favourite lyrics on the whole album, and it just being her and a guitar is fantastc! They fit the album perfectly and are rather excellently placed, breaking up the more fast-paced numbers. They don’t even feel like “album tracks”, as all are just as good as all the rest on this collection!
The final single from the album, ‘What More Could You Want’, is another slower song. Howeger, this time it’s piano-led, which was another subtle but amazingly produced change of aound and lace. By the time we hit the chorus with the fiddle and Kaitlin’s massive vocals I was nearly in tears; it’s such a powerful song. The lyrics hit home in a big way, and the presentation of the song is phenomenal. It’s the most vulnerable Kaitlin gets on the album, and it really blew me away. And that key change… *chefs kiss*. What an amazing song and choice for a single. Goosebumps, and easily one that makes our playlist! If you listen to any song on this release, make sure it’s this one.
Then you have tracks like ‘Everybody Wanna Sing a Country Song’, ‘Crazy I Can Be’ and ‘Bacon Naked’ (best song title and lyrics ever) that are all on the more up-tempo, rockier side. All are once again fantastic in their own way, and both fit in perfectly with the album yet also stand out within it! The former is the closest thing to an “album track” on here, but is still great. Meanwhile, the other two are fantastic songs; lighthearted and have some great dynamics to them. And as I said before, they are spread perfectly across the album with some slower stuff between, making the whole record constantly interesting. I cannot gush over this release enough, as even the latter few tracks still go just as hard as the rest!
The closer, ‘Midnight I’ll Always Be Yours’, honestly feels like it draws together everything that came before it in a perfect little bow. It’s a little slower, but closes out the story of the album, and is packed full of Kaitlins signiture vocals, lyrics and delivery. And it has a rather epic, finality vibe to it that I really loved! It’s very Western, but still has a modern twist to it; very much the feel of the whole album! I don’t even mind so much that it’s a slower song at the end, as it fits perfectly with everything else. A fantastic close to a fantastic release!
Overall: I absolutely adored this album! There is just something about Kaitlin’s style, vocals and aura that is so captivating, and it has translated to an album even better than ever before with this release. Every song on it is amazing, while there are a good few up there alongside the very best she has ever put to track. From the vocals to the writing, instrumentation to the production, it is all phenomenal. I cannot recommend this album enough to absolutely anyone into country music, and it will be on heavy rotation for me for at least the rest of the year!
The instrumental prog titans themselves are back with their first album in nearly four years. I enjoyed that when it dropped, and have become an even bigger fan since then with more listens and a couple of live sets. The singles so far for this album have been great, and there is a lot of hype for this release since it was announced. You’re excited, I’m excited, so let’s dive right in!
The album starts perfectly as it means to go on, with an insane guitar riff. The tone on the guitar is incredible, and the grandiose nature of the buildup with the other elements give off big rock opera vibes. Weirdly the closest thing I find myself comparing it to is Marianas Trench, which is certainly not a bad thing! The electronic beat coming in behind it was an interesting choice, suddenly switching gears perfectly into Igorrrterritory. It’s somehow not quite what I expected from the band, but I’m already loving it! Of course Tim and Scott kill it from the jump, but Clay and Clay also get plenty of time to shine too. The dynamics of the track are off the charts, keeping me constantly alert and interested despite the instrumental nature of the band. And, having said that, the choir towards the end of the touch was catchy, and a nice touch! It’s an excellent way to start the album, and a firm early highlight!
Lead single ‘WITH EYES TO SEE’ continues with the electronic elements. The R&B/house/disco elements and beat fit surprisingly excellently alongside the bands own instrumentation, and add an interesting element and twist we haven’t heard hugely much from the quartet. Honestly, it works really well, and makes for a damn fun listen! It also makes it seem like the guitars have a little harder work making some creative ways to play around it all. And the guitaring is honestly so interesting and different throughout the track, I’m a little obsessed. It feels like Tom Morello in its levels of out-there-ness. And some of the drops get pretty heavy too, especially in the latter portions. It’s a really interesting, creative and fantastic track, and was such a good choice for a single! Another easy highlight, and one that easily makes the playlist!
‘SCREWTAPE’ has some insane guitaring to open it, but carries the same energy and swagger as the previous song did. It does so in a little more brief a manor, and I feel the guitars get to show off a bit more throughout compared to ‘WITH EYES…’. Some of the playing in the second half is honestly mindblowing, just like everything they have put out before. It’s the closest to old-school Polyphia we’ve gotten so far, yet still fits in excellently with the vibe of the rest of the album so far. Honestly, it reminds me just a touch of STATICA, but if that EP was done well. Another great song!
Another single, ‘POWER IN THE BLOOD’, is another fantastic showcase of utter guitar godness. It’s three and a half minutes of insane playing from everyone involved, but Tim and Scott are very much at the forefront of it again. Having said that, some of the drum work is also incredible. And again, like the opener, the dynamics here are excellent, dropping down and building back up again perfectly. At one point it felt like it has a callback to ‘ABC’, which I really loved, and it fit with the track amazingly. It’s a fantastic song overall, and another fantastic single choice. More classic Periphery, injected with this new electro tinge for good measure!
The slower pace and Asian instrumentation to open ‘THEY KNOW NOT WHAT THEY DO’ was a nice touch. However, outside of that it followed a pretty similar vibe and theme to the other tracks. The same could be said for the brief ‘NEAR DEATH’, and ‘J-BOMB’. All are great songs in their own right, but on a 12-track instrumental album, there are bound to be a couple that feel a bit more like “album tracks”. It doesn’t at all take away from the quality of the songs, or the sheer phenomenal talent on display throughout them, just that there isn’t quite as much to talk about from them, and they are all a touch on the similar side.
‘MARK OF THE BEAST’ has a bit of a west-coast hip-hop vibe to its opening, alongside everything else going on on this album. It made for a lot of fun. Weirdly, however, it also has some of the heaviest moments on the album! It’s another song that has enough variety and of a different feel to it to really stand out, and is another firm personal highlight of the release!
The final single from the album, ‘CAN YOU FEEL IT’, is another fantastic song that easily could be a big radio hit. It’s like Polyphia’s answer to a 90s club banger, and it works so well. It’s very much in the same vein as ‘WITH EYES…’ earlier on, but is such a fun, interesting style that it’s impossible not to love it. And, being later on in the release, it makes for a fun return to the house/R&B-heavy formula. It’s easy to get lost in the sounds and massive scape they create, but alongside that is some truly incredibly playing by everyone involved. Amazing stuff!
The final three tracks from the album are more of what you’d expect the band and this release. Again, all are good, with the closer being particularly excellent, but there is only so much you can do with this style and without vocals. If you are into the band this is of course music you absolutely have to check out, but they do feel like a little left-over tracks chucked towards the end of the release. Still, I would happily listen to all three again, and they round out the album well!
Overall: This is another really great release from the prog rockers! It feels like another creative leap from the quartet, doing something rather different compared to their previous work. There are some that are easily up there among some of the top tracks the band have ever produced, and there certainly isn’t a bad song throughout! I was slightly sad when I saw they didn’t have any guest vocalists on this release, unlike their previous album, but I honestly didn’t miss it that much. The band are so talented they make it so easy to not need vocals on their songs. I would definitely recommend this to anyone, regardless of what you’re into, and I’ll definitely be listening again!
The return album from NOWCR pioneers Mason Hill drops tomorrow, and has a hell of a lot of buzz around it! Being just their second studio LP, it has even more pressure on it coming a full five years after their huge debut. However, the singles so far have been excellent, and being a fan since they broke out I am extremely excited to be diving deep into this to tell you just how excellent it is. Without further ado, let’s do this!
The album starts off in a huge way with ‘Burn it Down’. A grandiose opening gives way to a huge, boot stompin’ riff, running excellently through the verses. Speaking of the verses, new vocalist Thomas Ward kills it from the jump, his voice effortlessly both melodic and having some great grit to it. It all builds to a massive, arena-filling chorus, exactly how the band are known for these days. And the track is heavy too, in the best way! It reminds me of when Kris Barras took a heavier turn post COVID, but done in the most Mason Hill way possible. And it helps that the production is truly top notch, everything feeling and sounding MASSIVE. Hell, we even build to a pretty ch0nky breakdown in the middle, fitting the vibes of the track perfectly, and followed excellently by a fantastic, blistering guitar solo. This is an amazing track, an early highlight, and the perfect way to open an album like this!
The heavy, bouncy vibes continue on single ‘Twisted’. Another amazing, Alter Bridge-like riff sets a steady pace, and means the verse stays pretty metal-adjacent. The vocals through it are catchy enough as they are, the melodies reminding me a little of their Scottish brethren in Anchor Lane, but the chorus is absolutely HUGE, the backing and harmonies adding even more weight to it all. It almost has a Fear Factory tinge to it in the best way; that kind of technical industrial metal fits surprisingly well with their hard rock routes. Another comparison (a lot, I know) but it is kinda like the early days of Fozzy, the good pre-‘Judas’ days. The bridge is again pretty heavy, but bridges the gap between the choruses perfectly. Overall, it’s another excellent song, and was a fantastic choice for a single!
Another single, ‘Hurricane’, slows up the pace a touch. It’s still heavy, but has a bit of a pop metal edge to it, almost like a Bad Omens/Architects-esque sound. It’s the perfect change of pace at this point on the album, and is another excellent song in its own right. Ward gets a chance to really shine vocally and show off his impressive range, but everyone else kills it just as much throughout the track. The chorus is awesome, but almost every vocal line and melody is catchy in its own way. We also get one of my favourite guitar solos on the album tucked away in the middle. The structure and composition is pretty standard, but serves the single formula perfectly and is so well done. It’s a real different sound compared to a lot of their peers in the NWOCR scene, but it will certainly serve them well and surely push them to new heights!
The heaviness picks back up for another excellent single, ‘Tainted Wings’. The chorus is most likely the high point, with the ‘oh’’s being instantly memorable and are bound to be a big fan favourite in a live setting! However, the rest of the track is good too, a mid-tempo, melodic hard rock track, reminiscent of the 2000’s US radio rock scene. It feels like maybe the most formulaic single on the album, but that is hardly a bad thing. It’s an excellent track in its own right, and is right up my street in terms of sound. The band are four for four so far on great songs!
‘Stay for a Little While’ is the ballad track of the album, and fits rather excellently in the middle! It’s once again a fantastic vocal performance from Thomas, and the entire arrangement and production of the track is awesome! It’s brimming with emotion in the lyrics, delivery and tone, and breaks up the heavier tracks on the release excellently. I’m honestly shocked it wasn’t a single itself, but is certainly another high point on the album, that’s for sure!
‘Resonate’ has the best riff on the album to open, keeping the energy high with their now trademark heaviness from this release. I love how much it drops back for the verse too, almost having some post-grunge vibes to it, and the vocal delivery over the top is excellent. It explodes into heaviness with the pre, some amazing harsher vocals making it sound MASSIVE. Then we have the trademark massive chorus, just as good as any other on the album. It gives off big early Chevelle vibes, and I’m a little obsessed! Hell, the bridge is simple but fits the song perfectly and is equally awesome. It’s potentially my favourite track on the record, and a song I’d recommend to anyone! Easily one that makes the playlist!
Tracks like ‘Without You’, ‘Silence’ and ‘Oxygen’ are more awesome tracks. Despite being later on in the release, you’d be foolish for looking at them as “album tracks”. All three are amazing and fit in with the rest of the songs perfectly. The latter two remind me more of their debut album than a lot of this, which certainly isn’t a bad thing. Meanwhile, the former is another massive highlight on an album honestly chocked full of them! They all have a bit of a similar vibe and feel to them, which is why I’ve grouped them together a little, but it doesn’t mean any of them are even slightly bad. From the riffing to the vocals to the solid drums, it’s all incredible. I cannot get over how good this album is!
The last single from the album, ‘Remember’, again has a post-grunge/proggy, Chevelle feel to it, and was a really interesting, fantastic choice for a pre-release. The vocals are the high point of the track but honestly, everyone is killing it throughout. It again has a bit of a modern edge to the vocal delivery, almost giving Skynd in the best and most surprising way possible. It also leads surprisingly perfectly into the epic closing track, ‘Drag the Chains’. The slower, delicate opening minute gives way to a stomping, heavy, awesome riff before soon dropping back again. It gives off slight Sleep Token vibes surprisingly, but definitely the good side of said band! The levels of the track, between the multi-layers of vocals to the keys to the rock instrumentation, it all feels so massive. Everything about it is amazing and fits together so well. And, my gosh does it all make it a truely excellent way to close out the album! To the surprise of no one, it’s yet another massive highlight!
Overall: I absolutely loved this. As someone who enjoyed their debut, this somehow tops that, as the band take another huge step forward in terms of songwriting and production. Every track is amazing, with some being easily up there alongside the very best the band have produced. And, it all fits together perfectly, the whole album going by in a flash! I cannot recommend this release enough to absolutely anyone, regardless of what style you are into, it really is that good. Don’t be surprised to see it high up on our albums of the year list come December!
A quieter but no less stacked week of release for us to check out this week, covering plenty from rock, metal, country, and even dipping our toes in gospel and rap! Let’s dive right in, shall we?!
Kid Rock: Halfway 2 Jesus
I ummed and arred about doing this album. His crazy right-wing and super Christian turn in the last few years has certainly been different, and not in a good way. Some of his views these days I don’t agree with, but hell, if James Hetfield can claim to be apolitical(lol) then I can at least try!
Honestly, musically it’s not bad. The gospel stuff is well done, the southern rock, late 2000s part of his sound is still great. There’s even some slight NO-jazz elements that I enjoyed, and ‘Heal My Faith’ almost feels like a Devil Without a Cause/History of Rock era track. However, it’s the track with the worst guest appearance. I’ve honestly lost a tiny bit of respect for Eminem for doing this collab, even if he was probably the best part of the record.
Though, I do have two main issues with the album. One is the bloated 71-minute runtime, an issue I also had with his last release. The other is, of course, the theming. I really have nothing against people being religious, and part of me gets it given everything in his personal life this year, but it’s a rather preachy album, and it’s rather hard to look past that and solely focus on the music. ‘Broken Hearted People’ is easily my favourite track from the album, a stompy country rock track and a lot of fun. A bit of the early album is good too, but a lot of the later half is a touch slow and samey. Don’t get me wrong, it’s not a bad release, and it will surely have its fans. But it simply isn’t what I want to listen to when I spin Kid Rock. So, for that, I can’t give it any more than a 4/10
Joe from the future hear. I have since seen articles saying he used Suno’s AI generation software for the choirs, instead of paying an actual group of artists to do so. Yeah, that’s shitty, dog. That drops this easily down to a 2/10.
Gloryhammer: Space 1993: Wrath of Kor-Virliath
We’ve already checked out this awesome album! Check out our full review here.
Devin Townsend/DreamPeace: Harmonic Dharma
This is the first release under Heavy Devy’s relaxation background music project since his slew of albums in 2023. And honestly, with me having become a brand new daddy this week, it was just what I needed! It’s 45-minutes of pure bliss. I know I have been a bit critical of his ambient stuff in the past, but I totally get it now. Who needs them albums of whale sounds and rainforests sold at odd gift shops (I may be showing my age there!) when you have Mr Townsend creating music to sleep and meditate to! Hell, even the baby liked it! I don’t have much to say or analyse with this one, not like I have any specific tracks to dive in deep with. Honestly, I’m not even going to give it a rating, it doesn’t feel right to given the nature of the project. However, if you have insomnia or just need to relax, throw this one, I can’t recommend it enough!
David Allan Coe: A Million Reasons
The first posthumous release from the outlaw country legend is a welcome return after 20 years without music from him. Nine songs lost to time until now, an acoustic version and even an intro done by the Nature Boy himself, it’s a damn good release from start to finish. From the title track to the rocky ‘Take Your Job and Shove It’, ‘Free my Mind’ to ‘Only God Knows Why’ are all personal highlights, but the other songs are just as good, honestly. If you’re a fan of classic DAC or outlaw country in general, this is very much a release for you. I certainly had a good time listening! I don’t know if the plan is to put together more stuff from his unreleased material like other sadly passed on country stars, but I kinda hope so if they’re going to be as good as this! A solid 7.5/10!
Kid Bookie: Cheaper Than Therapy II
Following up 2024’s Songs of the Living/Songs for the Dead, yet being a direct sequel to his 2021 album, the trap metal/rap rock Brit once again kills it here. Firstly, at 34-minutes spread across nine tracks and an interlude, it’s the perfect length, the only slight issue I had with Part I. And also, it’s packed full of great songs, making it pretty hard to pick highlights! Having said that, his trap cover of Slipknot’s ‘Disasterpiece’ was pretty interesting and rather awesome! It’s not going to be for everyone, but has some great heavy moments, some fantastic raps, and some pretty big choruses designed to be played to huge festival crowds. Mr Bookie is an incredible talented vocalist and writer, and his band kill it throughout too. However, the guests are just as excellent, ranging from Corey Taylor to Kate Nash to Rose McGowan, all adding to the tracks they are on perfectly. If you are into him already, or trap/modern rap/trap-pop, this is very much an album worth spinning! Or heck, if you are all curious, give it a try, you may be surprised at how much you like it! I had a good time listening, and will certainly be spinning it again! 8.5/10
Temperance: Arcani
The power metal Italians once again knock it out of the park with their eighth studio album! It’s a fair old chunk of music at 55 minutes, but it is so very worth it if you are a fan of the genre. It’s epic, grandiose, heavy and catchy all in equal measure, with every member of the band killing it at their respective positions. Powerful, melodic vocals from Michele and Kristin? Check. Some awesome riffs and soloing from Marco Pastornio? Check. Marco Sacchetto and Luca holding down the rhythm section perfectly? Check. And, from the opener to ‘Lean into Fear’, ‘Forgiveness’ to ‘The Man of Moonlight’, there are some really great songs throughout! However, there really isn’t a bad song on here, all of it flowing impressively well together. It’s very power metal, so if that is your thing you will absolutely love it. However, it may not be your thing if you don’t do the likes of Hammerfall or Avantasia. Still, I had a lot of fun with it, and it’s another great addition to their growing discography! 8/10
Mother of Graves: The Light That Keeps Us
The doomy melodeath band returned with their third studio album this last Friday. It’s a massive, gloomy 45-minutes of music, and I had a great time with it! Firstly, it’s really well put together, with the writing and production and dynamics being top notch throughout. Everyone worked their asses off on the whole album too, all clearly being masters of their craft. And, between ‘Through the Pale Shade’, ‘Eventide Angel’ and ‘The Beggar’s Allegory’, there’s some really amazing songs on here! However, the whole album is damn good, and the tracks flow excellently into each other. If you are into this side of metal, I’d absolutely recommend it. I’ll certainly be listening again, and I need to go and check out their previous releases, as they definitely have a new fan in me! Another solid 8/10!
Emily Ann Roberts: Thread
We’ve also reviewed this EP in full, aren’t you lucky! Check it out here.
Leadbelcher: Heaven’s Bloated Corpse
This is a really brutal, excellent debut album. 22 minutes of utter carnage, falling somewhere between death, grind and hardcore, it certainly isn’t for the faint of heart. However, if you like the heavier side of metal, this is absolutely a release for you! It’s hard to pick highlight songs as they’re all pretty similar and run so perfectly into one another, but are so very good throughout! It’s refreshing to hear a release in this style not have terribly mixed vocals. They’re great, but so are the brutal riffs and frankly insane drumming. I had a good time with this and would LOVE to see it live. For now, I’ll settle for spinning this a few more times at home, and already can’t wait to hear where they go from here! 7.5/10
Of Spite: Raisu EP
Following up on their 2023 album with this three track EP, the Finnish “Stumblecore” quintet is quarter of an hour of brutal growls and some insane riffing. Much like with Leadbelcher above, it certainly isn’t for everyone, but I had a great time with it, all three songs being as good as the last. Some of the guitaring honestly blew me away, there being some real 2000s metalcore and melodeath runs and leads throughout, adding some great melody to the heaviness. And we also get some fantastic soloing on each track too, really giving the band a bit of a unique feel to them that I am really liking! It’s like a heavier melodeath, and I’m honestly shocked I haven’t heard more of this style around. Do yourselves a favour and check this out, regardless of what you are into, it’s that good you surely can’t not love it like I do! I already need more of this ASAP, pump it into my veins, but for now I can’t give this any less than 9/10
K. Michelle: Jesus & Whiskey
Album seven from the modern country superstar is a brief, fun affair! I surprisingly wasn’t very familiar with her before this outside of her name, but I really enjoyed what I heard! It’s interesting, as this felt like exactly what COWBOY CARTERwanted to sound like, except Michelle has nailed it here. It’s country rooted, but has elements of everything from pop to rock, R&B to roots, and plenty between! It’s also packed full of highlights, from ‘Damn Good Friend’ to the Blush-featuring ‘Anything’ to single ‘Jack Daniel’s’. However, none of the songs are back, by any stretch! It’s maybe a touch slow for me overall, but that certainly doesn’t take away from the quality of the music. It’s certainly non-traditional or pop-focused, but is definitely worth checking out if you’re into your roots/country stuff. I had a good time, and am curious about her earlier work. 7/10!
3FORCE: Strange Peace
Album six from the Russian electronic trio dropped last Tuesday, and I have spun it a lot since then! It’s a fantastic, epic journey, and surprisingly heavy for the genre. It gives off Carpenter Brutvibes in the best ways, as well of of course being perfect for a video game soundtrack. ‘Status Quo’ kicks things off perfectly, while tracks like the title one and ‘It Could be Worse’ are also great! The whole album is solid though and, while it can be a little samey at times, it’s a very easy listen, 40 minutes going by in a flash. It’s certainly not for everyone, especially with it being wholly instrumental, but it’s a rare release that I am completely happy without any vocals on. Maybe the odd spoken word thing would be interesting, but the instrumentation really speaks for itself throughout. The whole darkwave scene has really taken off in recent years, and these guys are truly at the forefront of the pack, and for good reason! If you are at all interested, give this a spin, you won’t be disappoint! A very easy 8/10 from us!
Zach Bryan: Young Manhood and Other Donatable Organs
Country’s most controversial star is back with another EP, just nine months after the awesome With Heaven on Top. To the surprise of no one, it’s another excellent release! ‘Lodi When’ is the perfect opener. Then you have the Dusty Rhodes-opened, rockier ‘Robot Killed the Working Man’ which is a big highlight. The tracks with Lana Del Ray and Turnpike Troubadours are both fantastic too, each artist contributing perfectly to their respective songs. The other four songs on the release are also amazing, with ‘Dog Days’ being another particular highlight. His particular brand of country-Americana is so good, and the emotion in his lyric writing and delivery is still top notch. I almost prefer a shorter release from Zach, as his albums can be a slight slog at times. This fits perfectly with the rest of his stellar discography, and is well worth a listen for anyone interested! 8/10
John Diva & the Rockets of Love: Your Favourite Drug
The fourth album from the German glam metallers continues on their stellar discography perfectly! 10 head-bangin’, boot-stompin’ rockers all as good as the last, and combine to make an incredibly easy 34-minute listen. The opener sets up the album perfectly, while the likes of The Gems-featuring ‘Favourite Drug’ and ‘Love is Cold’ are all personal favourites but as I said, there certainly isn’t a bad track throughout! It’s a very European sleaze sound, reminding me of everything from Dust Bowl Jokies to Kissin’ Dynamite, though there is just a touch of The New Roses in there too. So, if you are into that, this is definitely a release for you! I’ll certainly be spinning it plenty in the weeks and months to come, and it gets an incredibly solid 8.5/10 from us!
Defects: Artificial Icons
This is an absolutely amazing alt metal/metalcore album! The British quartet’s sophomore release is jam packed with brutal screams, awesome riffing and drumming and some really massive choruses, the best of everything! Right from the opener/title track I was hooked, and not let go for the full 43 minutes. It’s honestly another release in which it’s truly impossible to pick highlight tracks. Even the slower songs like ‘Where did I go Wrong’, ‘The Other Side’ and ‘State of Mind’ are excellent, and fit the tone of the album perfectly! While this is mainly a release for those into the heavier side of metal, the three afformentioned tracks certainly fit in more with a lighter crowd, so honestly whoever is interested give this a listen ASAP! It is every bit as good as their debut, if not somehow even better, and they deserve every bit of love and momentum they are getting. I absolutely love this release, and don’t be surprised to see it high on our top albums listcome December! 9.5/10, amazing stuff!
A year removed from last year’s awesome Memory Lane, the country singer-songwriter is back with another massive, highly anticipated EP. The Voice alumni has been killing it in the decade since she nearly won the competition, with so many amazing albums, EPs and singles under her belt. She has been a constant, fantastic force within the country scene for years. Hell, the singles from this release so far have been great, and have me incredibly excited to give this a spin. Without further ado, let’s dive in!
The title track sets the tone for the EP perfectly. It’s a chilled-out, slowish number that highlights Emily’s phenomenal vocals. She makes it all sound so effortless, even when she puts a bit more power in in the choruses. It gives off big Colby Caillat vibes in the best ways possible. The instrumentation is simple but fits excellently behind the vocals, and some of the harmonies throughout on her voice are great. The chorus is big for the style, and effortlessly catchy. I’m honestly shocked it wasn’t a pre-release single, but will surely be a big radio hit now that it is out! A great start to the release!
Speaking of singles, the most recent, ‘Lonely Boy’, is up next. Again, her vocals are phenomenal from the jump, and the real focal point of the track. It’s also a bit more uptempo, there being a little more to the instrumentation and feels a lot like a 90s/early 2000s radio country hit. There’s a touch more power to her voice throughout as well, really getting to show off her impressive range, and the lyrics here are great too! The chorus is sure to be stuck in my head for days to come, a real earworm, but the whole track is catchy in its own right. And all the strings, be it the guitars or fiddle, really kill it through the whole nearly-four-minutes. It’s even better than the opener and certainly an easy early highlight, a very good choice for a single. No wonder it’s already caught some momentum!
The higher tempo and more barn-burner vibes continue through ‘Garden Grow’, and it’s amazing! Speaking of barn burner, it actually reminds me of the Dan Davidson track of the same name. It’s got a bit more of a Shania or Reba vibe to it, the guitars giving it a rocky edge that I loved. The lyrics are amazing too, maybe my favourite of the release, and once again the harmonies on Emily’s vocals through the chorus are phenomenal. We even get a short-but-sweet duelling solo between the guitar and fiddle, which bridged the gaps between choruses excellently. I am honestly a little obsessed with this track already; it’s one of my favourite country songs of the year at this point, honestly. A song that easily makes our playlist, and one I’d recommend to anyone!
The pace drops again for the final two songs on the album, but it honestly feels perfectly fitting. ‘When I Do’ still has a bit of anthemic vibe to it, especially in the big chorus, and there is plenty going on in the instrumentation. And the male vocal harmony pairs so incredibly with hers on this track, maybe the best of the whole EP. Then the release closes on the other single, the stripped-back ‘Laundry’. It’s a very simple arrangement, mainly focused around her vocals and an acoustic guitar. Once again that AMAZING vocal harmony comes in for the choruses, alongside a simple drumbeat and some more strings in the back. Despite the slower pace and chilled vibe, the arrangement is still great! Both songs are excellent in their own right, and fit in with the other songs on the EP perfectly. The closer is a great ballad and another good choice for a single, but that shouldn’t take away anything from ‘When I Do’. It is, however, the perfect way to close out the release, it really building to a grandiose sound by the end!
Overall: I absolutely loved this! Every track is as amazing as the last, and they all fit in perfectly with each other. Her vocals and lyrics are incredible throughout, but her backing band also work their asses off, killing it through the whole damn thing. I cannot recommend this enough to anyone even vaguely into country music, and I’ll be spinning it plenty in the weeks and months to come. Despite her being a big name already, this deserves so much more love than it will surely get. What are you waiting for? Go listen to it!
We headed to the legendary Rock City in Nottingham the other day for an absolutely stacked night of fantastic metal bands! The variety was amazing, from the legendary industrial headliner to the more pop-metal opener to some straight-up blackened death metal, and had me bouncing and singing along all night. There was no way we weren’t telling you just how awesome of a show it all was!
First up were our new friendsThe Nocturnal Affair. Having been a fan of them for a couple of years now, it was great to finally see them, and they certainly didn’t disappoint! They surprisingly came off heavier live than on track, but that may have been because of the stellar sound, a fixture of the whole evening. Still, Brendan’s voice was as great at the screams as his powerful cleans, and the band played their asses off around him. They had a pretty long set for an opener too, squeezing in plenty of their hits like ‘Cross Me Out’, ‘Choke’ and new fan favourites ‘Oxygen’ and ‘Place in Time’. And, of course, we still got their fantastic Haddaway cover to close. It was the perfect way to open a night like this; high energy, heavy and yet plenty melodic. I already can’t wait to see them again!
The pace changed rather dramatically when Hate took the stage. Having listened to their last album plenty I knew exactly what to expect, and it was fucking awesome! It was a full frontal assault from start to finish, and the band performed it masterfully. I loved the effort put into the appearance, not only the corpse paint that fit the vibe so well, but the mic stands were awesome and they even had some cauldrons on stage just for dressing, adding so much to the show. The setlist was awesome, too. From the very best of Bellum Regiis to their heavy hitters in ‘Erebos’ and ‘Rugia’, they blasted through a really great six tracks, all of which flowed perfectly into each other. And, for a black metal-adjacent band, there was a surprising amount of crowd interaction too, all of it being great. This is the type of music I think is so perfect for a live setting, and Hate blew me away with their set!
Next up were the mighty Crystal Lake. Bringing a metalcore flavour to the evening, they were another band I was highly anticipating seeing for the first time. They’re another band with a truly excellent recent release, so to hear some of it live was really awesome! Then, on top of that, we still got the best of Helix and even a couple of their earlier tracks, rounding out their setlist perfectly. Given how new to the fold frontman PK is, he fit in with the rest of the band perfectly, them geling and it feeling like a completely natural pairing. He is already a veteran of the scene from Prompts; his live vocals and performance both being awesome, and the energy he has brought back to Crystal Lake is amazing. And don’t get me wrong, it takes away nothing from the rest of the band, YD and co. playing and performing like they had something to prove through their whole set. The crowd were surprisingly slightly light, especially around the least active pit the world may have ever known, but it didn’t at all lessen my enjoyment. This is one of my favourite sets of the whole year, and I need to see them again ASAP!
And just like that we reached our headliners, Fear Factory. The only band on the bill I’d actually seen before, it didn’t at all lessen my excitement for their set. And my gosh, what a set it was! A full 17 tracks spanning much of their impressive career, from their debut album to their recent single. And, it was all played to perfection! ‘Roboticist’ is a fantastic new addition to their repertoire, but the classics like ‘Replica’, ‘Linchpin’ and ‘Powershifter’ are all firm crowd favourites, and the place got LOUD for them. It is a bit of a shame we didn’t get anything off their last album, but even getting a track off Genexus was a surprise and pretty fucking awesome!
As for the band themselves, they killed it throughout the full 90-odd minutes of their time on stage. You would not think this band formed all the way back in ’89, the way Dino throws himself around and still plays. And the rest of the band, even if they are all recent editions around him and a little more ‘hired guns’ at this point, all kill it too! Milo is a natural frontman for the band, sounding as close as dammit to Burton did back in the day, and is an excellent frontman in his own right. All four of them work together perfectly too, putting on a great, straight-forward show between them all! It’s damn impressive for a band to keep me hooked for that long by just their playing, but they did just that. Another fantastic set to close out the night!
And there we have it, folks. A night packed to the brim with awesome metal music, at one of the best venues in the country. Every band knocked it out of the park, somehow making me an even bigger fan of each of them in the process! I cannot recommend any of them enough, both live and on track, and I am very much desperate to see them again soon. To an amazing night!
