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new music mondays

New Music Mondays: Black Label Society, Ty Myers and More!

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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!

Mallavora: What if Better Never Comes?

This has one I’ve been hyped for for a while! It was part of our most anticipated albums of 2026 list, and we’ve loved them for a while now. So, no pressure!

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 Holcomb to 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!

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Heavy on the Soul: How Does Ty Myers’ New Album Compare to The Select?

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The second album from the southern soul/country blues rising megastar drops this coming Friday to quite a bit of hype! The guy exploded onto the scene just last year with his critically acclaimed debut, especially when he was just 17 years old(!), so it feels like everyone has been waiting to see if he can follow it up with an equally good release. We got the chance to give it a bit of an early listen so desperately wanted to really sink our teeth in and see what the teenager has put together in barely a year. Let’s dive right in!

The album starts in a perfectly chilled way, with a low guitar melody backed by a simple beat. Ty’s vocals fit perfectly over the top, giving a country twang to the easy-listening pop instrumentation. And, while the track stays more stripped-back and slower, it builds in a few more instruments and definitely has a bigger-feeling chorus. Weirdly, I find myself drawing similarities to the likes of Cardinal Black and even The War & Treaty, that edge of soul and jazz and blues in there alongside the rest of the country, folk and pop. It’s a simple track but a beautiful one, and really sets the tone of the album perfectly!

‘Pedestal’ continues the same vibe perfectly, like a country-infused Newton Faulkner. It follows a similar formula to ‘Morning Comes’, but starting on just guitar and vocals makes it feel even bigger when the drums and the rest of the instrumentation comes in from the first chorus. I loved the little lead guitar licks too, being very bluesy, Ty showing off his incredible skills there, too. And at times his vocals and melodies even remind me more of that 90s alt rock sound, reminding me a little of Hootie & The Blowfish, Staggered Crossing and even Pearl Jam. While a little more relaxed than all those names, I really loved this track, and it easily makes it onto our playlist!

The pace and energy picks up for the bluesy ‘Don’t You Know’, showing off Ty’s range fantastically. Suddenly it’s more like Lenny Kravitz, and I’m fully down! From the great riff that runs through it to his more attitude-filled vocal delivery, the catchy hooks, the harmonies and those amazing horns, it’s all SO GOOD. And while I’d have loved the energy dialled up even 5% more, it’s still a fantastic track, and breaks up the album perfectly early on. It’s a song I am already desperate to see live, so hopefully he’s over I’m the UK soon! It’s maybe my favourite track on the album, and the second in a row that is a huge personal highlight!

‘Message to You’ slows things back down again. It’s certainly not an issue, as it’s a beautiful track in its own right and follows on from one of the more high-energy songs. The lyrics and vocals are bittersweet and packed full of emotion, fitting the tone of the track perfectly. Between it and ‘Woman’, they are the ballad tracks of the album. Both are excellent, slower, acoustic-based songs, and are put at pretty perfect places throughout the album; both feeling like earned emotional moments and helping the flow of the release. More amazing stuff!

The bouncy, bluesy energy returns perfectly with ‘Run Run Run’. Again giving off Kravitz vibes, it also has plenty of southern team and charm to it to cross over into country. It’s infectiously fun, and catchy as anything! It’s another absolutely excellent track that blends so many amazing sounds together like only Ty can do. His vocal style fits this sort of music amazingly too, almost more-so than the slower stuff. It’s also another one that I just HAVE to see live, and soon! And, though short, the guitar solo was also excellent, fitting the track to a tee. The talent on display is really off the charts. Honestly, I can’t get enough of it, and it’s yet another huge highlight on an album seemingly packed full of them!

‘Game Called Love’ is an almost Buffet-flavoured indie-country track, and is one that’s the perfect chilled vibe. It’s built for the beach, regardless of the lyrical content, and as someone who lives in the UK and as far away from the coast there as I can, alongside writing this review during a storm outside, this was absolutely what I needed! The subtle organ at times was a masterstroke, but all the instrumentation in this is so well put together and produced. It’s just a damn fun song, and one that will get even the most stubborn listeners dancing, or at least tapping their foot. I need this album to chill out, I’m starting to sound like a fangirl, aren’t I…?

Songs like ‘Leavin’ Carolina’, ‘Southbound’ and ‘Songs for You’ are more steady tracks like opening couple. All are good songs individually, as well as fitting the tone of the album perfectly. However, they certainly don’t stand out as much as some of the other tracks on the release. However, I honestly wouldn’t cut any of them, they all feel like they have their place here. The latter is probably my favourite of the trio.

‘Come on Over Baby’ is straight up classic blues in the best possible way. From some great acoustic riffing and playing to his New Orleans-drenched vocals and the build up into the massive, jazz-infused choruses, it’s all SO DAMN GOOD. Some of the guitar leads throughout are honestly phenomenal too, fitting the track excellently. The dynamics of the song are amazing, and make for a truly huge, well-earned final chorus. It’s a simple track so fantastically put together that it’s hard not to smile while listening to it. Old-school blues modernised into a 2026 package, and it’s impossible not to love it!

A piano leads ‘Through a Screen’, juxtaposing amazingly with the otherwise guitar-based album. It’s another ballad, but completely different to the others as it’s based much more around classical instruments. The strings swells are amazing, and it all once again builds to something truly magical at its crescendo. Once again, I can only marvel at the sheer talent on display from a writing and production standpoint. And I also love that it slowly strips back more and more to finish, closing out as it opened. Yet another fantastic highlight!

The only track on the album to feature a guest, the incomparable Marcus King does great on blues-funk number ‘Two Trains’. It’s got a great bounce and swagger to it, and both vocals complement each other perfectly. Also, the gospel harmonies through the choruses are fantastic, fitting the song so perfectly. It reminds me a little of mid-late 2000s Kid Rock, back when he wasn’t so cringy. And of course, a healthy dose of Lenny again for good measure. It’s another infectiously fun, really great track, and the fact that it has helped me get this far into the album without any semblance of fatigue is phenomenal.

The final three tracks round out the album excellently. They do feel like ‘Southbound’ et. Al, a little album track-y, but again all are that high quality that it would be a shame if they were cut from the release. The bluesy, almost TC3-like ‘Bad Guy’ is probably the stand-out from the three, but certainly none of them are bad. And ‘Good Morning Paris’ closes things perfectly with a moody folk-Americana sound that surprisingly feels like it brings in elements of most of the other tracks that precede it. And plus, the strings in the back end of it once again give it almost an epic feel to it. It’s a great way to close off, feeling like a true culmination of the last 16 tracks!

Overall: I didn’t know what to expect heading into this, but didn’t expect to love it as much as I did! For how long an album as it is, it is packed to the brim with standout tracks, and doesn’t once feel like it gets old or boring. Ty’s talent for songwriting and playing, across multiple instruments and sub-genres, is off the charts, and for a sophomore album to come out swinging this hard after such a big debut is incredible. If you are at all into any of the many genres this release covers, I cannot recommend checking it out enough. This will be certainly high on our albums of the year list come December, and I’ll be spinning it a lot in the weeks and months to come! The kid has an INSANELY bright future ahead of him!

The Score: 9/10

new music mondays

New Music Mondays: Luke Combs, Exodus and More!

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A more chilled out but still great week for new music this time. Join us as we check out everything from rock to metal to country!

Luke Combs: The Way I Am

The first release from the second-biggest country star in the world in 18 months and, to my honest shock, there’s some rock to this! After 2024’s Fathers & Sons, and to a lesser extent his 2022 and 2023 twofer albums, I didn’t expect him to ever go back to his more southern rock-infused roots but damn, I’m glad I was proven wrong! Opener ‘Back in the Saddle’ sets the tone perfectly, both sound wise and thematically. Songs like ‘My Kinda Saturday Night’, ‘Alcohol of Fame’ and ‘Can’t Tell Me I’m Wrong’ also carry on that energy perfectly! Even some of the slower, ballad-like tracks like ‘Miss You Here’ and ‘Wish Upon a Whiskey’ are definite album highlights.

However, as I’m sure you can tell by how many songs I just named already, this thing is too damn long. screw the algorithm, 73 minutes is too long for one album, especially when a lot of it is slower paced stuff. If this was even as much as half its length, it’d be up there as one of the best country releases of the year. But there is just way too much filler on here for it to be a solid album throughout. It was at least arranged well, with there being good songs spread throughout and me not getting bored for long. But it’s not an album as a whole I’ll be revisiting often, even if it is my favourite release from Mr Combs in seven years. If you are a fan of the guy or his brand of country music, this is well worth checking out, but be prepared to spend a while on it! It’s a solid 7/10 for now, and it could still grow on me with more listens!

Exodus: Goliath

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

Tyketto: Closer to the Sun

Another of our most anticipated albums of the year, and it certainly lives up to our hype! It’s nearly 50 minutes of catchy, fun AOR music, and a release I’d recommend to anyone! It’s also packed full of highlights, from ‘Starts with a Feeling’ to ‘Donnowhuddidis’ to ‘Closer to the Sun’ and ‘Hit Me Where it Hurts’. However, there truly isn’t a bad song throughout! How the world has managed to wait a full decade between studio albums I don’t know, but the 90s rockers show that they haven’t lost a step in that time. Danny’s vocals are still incredible, and the rest of the band are firing on all cylinders when it comes to both playing and writing. Plus,the production on the release is really top notch, everything being clear and shining through perfectly. If you are at all a fan of the band, I’d definitely recommend giving this a spin. There isn’t much more I can say apart from that it’s a damn good-time listen! It gets a very easy 8.5/10 from us!

Follow the Signs: Evolve

The new EP from the Irish metalcore band goes hard from start to finish, and I LOVE it. From the more 2000s sound of the opener to the Architects-like ‘Call to Rise’ to the epic title track, it’s all SO GOOD. However, the other two tracks are just as good as the one I’ve mentioned, too. It’s an absolutely incredible 16 minutes of heavy-meets-melodic metal music, and one I can’t recommend enough to anyone even slightly into the genre. How these guys aren’t bigger by now I don’t know, especially with two albums under their belts too. However, this follows Conflictions perfectly, and very much feels like a bold new chapter for the band! An incredibly easy 9/10 from us, great stuff!

Night Thieves: Metaxis

The highly anticipated debut album from the UK alt metallers dropped this last Friday. I remember loving their EP a couple of years back, and this continues that vibe and energy perfectly! They’re the perfect blend of Coheed and Cambria, Atreyu and Ward XVI, and it makes for an incredibly fun listen throughout. Tracks like ‘Mycelia’, ‘Running ‘(Out of Time)’ and ‘The Game’ are all personal highlights, but there really isn’t a bad song throughout. Oh, and Jessie Powell kills it on her feature on ‘See You on the Otherside’, her style perfectly meshing with Night Thieves’. The whole album has a fantastic flow and energy through it, 34-minutes going by in the blink of an eye. Heck, I didn’t even notice the transition between the two parts of ‘In Between’, that’s how well put together this is! It’s the perfect blend of heavy, melodic and radio-friendly, and I’d recommend it to absolutely anyone! I can’t give it any less than 8.5/10, and will definitely be spinning this plenty moving forward!

The Dandy Warhols: Pin Ups

Owen: American band The Dandy Warhols bring us something slightly different this week, ‘Pin Ups’ is the latest addition to their discography and is a collection of 17 cover tracks from the bands favourite and most influential songs to their career. Taking its name from David Bowie’s 1973 cover album, ‘Pin Ups’ takes on some impressive songs mainly from the 70s and 80’s as well as a couple of curveballs. Including tracks from, The Beatles, Marilyn Manson, Bob Dylan, The Cure, New York Dolls, and many more. Each track honours the original whilst still allowing The Dandy Warhols to put their own spin on the song. Only time will tell if any of these covers will cement themselves and stand on their own two feet; its rare for covers to take on a new life with a new artist but it does happen, and fans of the band will certainly enjoy hearing the choices made with each track. Cover albums will always feel like a bit of a filler or a stop-gap, whilst this is a fun exploration of the bands influences I’m sure fans will be expecting some new original work from the group sooner rather than later. 7.5/10

Evermore: Mournbraid

Some truly epic power metal up next. Album number three from the Swedish six-piece, it builds on the bands legacy perfectly. Each band member plays and works their ass off through the full 50 minutes of this, and the result is something truly special. From ‘Underdark’ to ‘Titans’, ‘Armored Willi’ to the closer/title track, it’s all excellent! It reminds me of Hammerfall or even Maiden or Priest to an extent, but a heavier version of both. It’s that heaviness that makes it even better too, not fitting into the typical power metal mould but feeling pretty unique. It’s still got the huge, uplifting, arena-filled choruses, but also has plenty of thrash drumming and some blistering riffs and solos to boot. And I think the production helps took, making everything feel and sound MASSIVE. There isn’t a bad song throughout, and it’s an album that is well worth listening to in full at least once. It’s yet another fantastic album for this week, and another easy 8.5/10!

Poison the Well: Peace in Place

The melodic hardcore titans are back with their first album in almost two decades, and the first release since their 2020 reunion. Due to their long drought and years active, I wasn’t really familiar with them heading in. However, they definitely have a new fan in me, that’s for sure! This is 42-minutes of pure anger, aggression and moodiness, and I am down with every second of it. While ‘Primal Bloom’ and single ‘Weeping Tones’ are definite personal highlights, the whole album has a great flow to it, and is certainly worth a listen in full! The band are clearly talented, and do the heavy-sad thing to perfection. If you are into the heavier side of emo, this is definitely an album you need to check out immediately! Though moody, it’s a good fun listen, and gets a solid 7.5/10 from us!

Axel Rudi Pell: Ghost Town

The brand new solo album from the German guitarist continues his run of regular, excellent releases! It doesn’t reinvent the wheel or anything like that, being a similar brand of vaguely AOR-infused NWOBHM that he’s been putting out since his Steeler days. However, it’s a great album in its own right, just like his previous works. From the title track to ‘Hurricane’ to ‘Steps of Stone’, there is plenty to love throughout. It is maybe a touch long at nearly an hour, especially when it’s all a vaguely similar, plodding pace, but there isn’t a track that I’d happily cut from it! If anyone is a fan of old-school Priest or Michael Schenker, this is absolutely an album for you! It’s not something I’d revisit often, but I had a good time listening and it’s certainly a damn good release, up there alongside Axel’s upper tier. 7/10

Atlus: Art of Letting Go

The label debut from the fast-rising country star continues the momentum built by last years EP perfectly. Setting aside the fact that all 18 minutes of that release take up 1/3rd of this one, there are still some amazing new tracks to sink your teeth into, too. ‘Hold my Liquor’, ‘Sounds Like Alcohol’ and ‘Roses’ are up there alongside ‘Secondhand Smoke’ as top tracks, in my opinion! It’s just damn good country-pop, and the whole 45-minutes is incredibly easy to listen to, going by in a flash. It’s easy to see why he’s becoming such a big name. He’s an incredible songwriter, seamlessly infusing emotion and great lyrics into catchy pop hooks. While not typically my sort of style, Atlus does it in a way that is constantly hooking me in, and I’ll certainly be revisiting this release more than once in the coming weeks. A damn solid 8/10 from us!

Stonetrip: The Fight

Following up on their 2023 debut album, this EP brings together the Australian rockers’ single output since then, adding on a fourth track for good measure. All four tracks are amazing too, all as good as the last! It’s pop-infused alt rock, but also has some great blues and hard rock moments throughout too! It’s just a lot of fun throughout, blending together so many different sounds and even decades. ‘Beautiful You’ is probably my favourite, but every track on this is amazing, honestly! The Australian rock scene is proving time and time again recently that it’s still one of the best in the world, and this release is a great example of that! This is a great EP that immediately leaves me wanting more, and has earned the band a big new fan in me. Another incredibly solid 8/10 from us!

Morgan Evans: Steel Town

Owen: Australian country singer Morgan Evans brings us his third studio album ‘Steel Town’. Following Evans’ divorce from US singer Kelsea Ballerini the album is described as a journey through the stages of grief experienced. The album opens with the title track a love letter to Evans’ hometown of Newcastle, New South Wales, followed by the promotional single released in October 2025 ‘Beer Back Home’ which brings up the nostalgic feelings of returning to your hometown. The tone starts to shift as we move further into the album with songs like ‘Two Broken Hearts’ and ‘Another Drink Coming” as we start to hear more of the dark sides of Evans’ experience. The rest of the album is much of the same.

Ultimately, the album feels quite flat, especially with Evans stating this was a cathartic exercise for processing a divorce. It’s clear Evans has some talent with song writing but this album sounds like every other mass-produced country album released in the past 5 years, and yes even though he is an Australian native of course there’s a song about Texas on this album. I can’t help but feel there is a missed opportunity here to do things differently, show us a side of country music without Nashville influence. 5/10

Misty Route: Ethos

The sophomore album from the Greek alt metallers comes a whopping five years after their debut, yet they prove that this was easily worth the wait! It’s packed full of killer riffing and some truly catchy vocal hooks and melodies. It also feels pretty prog at times, at least in a kinda post-Tool way. Right from opener ‘Hail’ I was hooked, taken on a 40 minute journey of epicness. It’s truly impossible to pick individual highlights too as it’s all so good and flows together perfectly! Honestly I can’t rave about this band enough, and if you are even slightly into the genre or styles I’ve mentioned above, check this out ASAP. The band have a massive new fan in me, and I already can’t wait to hear where they go from here. For now though, I’ll be spinning this plenty in the weeks and months to come. 9/10, amazing stuff!

Tyler Nance: Midwest Memoir

The highly anticipated debut album from the neo-traditional country rising star is every bit as good as the praise being heaped on it! I fell in love with this thing from the opener, and it just kept blowing me away the more I listened. Put it this way; out of the 16 individual tracks on it, nine of them ended up on my personal playlist. Yep, it’s that solid throughout. It’s 50 minutes that doesn’t feel it’s length at all. It feels like the perfect blend of so many different artists, from Ian Munsick to Zach Bryan to Koe Wetzel, but then also feels wholly unique at the same time. It’s packed full of great instrumentation and moments, catchy melodies and plenty of emotional weight, making everything feel massive. And plus, all three (five?) of the guests kill it, adding so much to the tracks they are on, making them even more memorable.

This album is an absolute must for any country, Americana or indie-folk fan out there. It’s easy to see why he’s such a big name already and is only just putting out a debut album now. 9.5/10, WOW.

Reviews

Goliath: Exodus Return With Album Number 12!

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The whopping 12th studio album from the godfathers of thrash metal (and first under Napalm Records), this has been an album we’ve been excited for for a while! We absolutely LOVED their last album, and the fact that it has been nearly five years since then is insane. And, most long term readers here by now should know that I’m a big fan of thrash, so I have been eagerly waiting to dive into this since I got the email. Without further ado, let’s dive in!

Starting off with a menacing, heavy riff, ‘3111’ builds perfectly through the solid drums and multi-layered guitars. After well over a minute, it all fades out to a thrash riff that just screams Garry Holt. And just like that, we’re balls-to-the-wall, right into an explosive first verse. I have to admit, for a second I’d forgotten that Zetro had been let go from the band last year, so Rob Dukes’ vocals were almost a jumpscare. However, as much as I love Zetro’s vocal sound, there’s just something about the heaviness that Dukes brings to the table that is hard not to enjoy! It fits the instrumentation perfectly here, and the verse leads quickly to an awesome, surprisingly catchy chorus where Dukes really gets to shine. With the almost call-and-response vibe, it’s going to be a firm fan favourite, that’s for sure. It’s giving off a mixture of Tempo of the Damned and Exhibit B, and I am very much here for it! Then to my shock, we head into an extended solo, the playing almost reminding me of Kerry King. And the riff acts as an outro, some more great vocals coming in at the end to take us home. Honestly, I loved this, and it felt like it was over far too fast. It certainly left me wanting more!

The brutal pace continues perfectly through ‘Hostis Humani Generis’. After a big intro, it explodes right into the thrash the band is so very well known for, giving us at least three incredible riffs in quick succession. It’s another track with a solid minute before we get to the vocals, but that’s completely fine when the instrumentation is so dam good! The verse is fun and the energy stays high through the chorus, full of venom and attitude. It’s nothing if a lot of fun, and a track that I desperately want to be in a pit to live! And, not only that, but we get an absolutely incredible guitar solo tucked away in the middle of this! And, the fact that it’s broken up by awesome riffing, ‘Hangar 18’ style, just makes it even better! It’s another great, heavy thrash metal song, and feels equal parts both old school and modern Exodus rolled into one!

The riff that opens ‘The Changing Me’ is really interesting, alternating between an isolated, higher guitar and an all-out assault from all instruments. It soon once again builds perfectly, adding in more and more elements and epicness until we get a fantastic main riff. It’s the closest thing to classic Exodus we’ve had so far; simple yet heavy and incredibly effective. From the verse to the pre to the MASSIVE chorus, it’s all so good! The chorus in particular is surprisingly awesome, with the multi-layered vocals adding plenty of catchiness to it. It almost has an extreme metal feel to it, which I loved! And, of course, we get another technical masterclass of a solo from Mr Holt! And not just in the usual bridge section either, as we get an epic outro solo added in for good measure, Dukes’ amazing screams ringing in over the top. It’s an incredible song, and one that easily makes our playlist!

The high energy continues fantastically through ‘Promise You This’, ‘Beyond the Event Horizon’ and ‘2 Minutes Hate’. While all are fantastic thrash songs in their own right, they all had a pretty similar vibe and pace to them, so it’s hard to say much without repeating myself over and over. I did, however, enjoy them slowing things down in the middle of ‘Beyond…’, it somehow making the track even heavier! All are good songs in their own right and well worth a listen, with ‘Beyond…’ itself being a firm album highlight. But I can’t say much more without coming across as a Holt and Dukes fangirl!

The album’s title track slows things down a little, perfectly placed to do so in the middle! From the steady drums and droning bass intro to the guitar coming in over the top of it perfectly to Rob’s vocals soon adding yet another level, it’s all excellent! It almost has a doom metal edge to it, a great change of pace to the balls-to-the-wall thrash so far. It may piss off a select few of their audience, but I love them changing up the pace here, and they do this style just as well as the faster stuff! I love that it stays at the plodding pace throughout too, and it results in maybe my favourite guitar solo on the album, to boot. And, on top of that, we get some strings behind the solo, as if it wasn’t already epic enough! It’s another big highlight of the release!

The final three tracks are more of the classic Exodus stuff. ‘Summoner of the God Unknown’ starts a touch slower than each track either side of it, but is also an epic, eight-minute journey through the very best the band have to offer. It’s a downright evil track packed full of some of the best riffs on the album, and gives off big Seasons in the Abyss vibes. Because of this, as good as the other two songs are, they do pale just a touch in comparison. They are good songs I’m their own right, and ‘Dirtiest of the Dozen’ is a fitting, very Exodus closing track, the lyrics being the best on the album. However, ‘Summoner…’ is something special, honestly. It’s a definite album highlight, and maybe a career one too. And, while ‘Violence Works’ maybe the most “album track” song of the bunch, ‘Dirtiest of the Dozen’ is also a banger well worth checking out!

Overall: I had a great time with this! It’s a damn good, heavy metal album chocked full of plenty of thrashing riffs and drums and some amazing vocals. There are some great tracks on here too, ones that I will happily be revisiting again plenty in the coming weeks and months. If you are into the band you will absolutely have a good time with it! However, something about this felt ever so slightly off for me, though I have no idea why. Maybe it will occur to me or even grow on me with more listens, but it didn’t quite feel up there alongside the likes of Testament or even Saxon and Priest in terms of memorable new stuff. It’s good for ‘new’ music from Exodus, but doesn’t feel like it will quite hold up in a few years. Still, I had a good time listening, and it’s certainly not bad!

The Score: 8/10

new music mondays

New Music Mondays: The Black Crowes, Lamb of God and More!

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A typically stacked week of new releases for us to check out, from rock to metal to country. Let’s dive right in!

The Black Crowes: A Pound of Feathers

Owen: Following a 10 or so year hiatus, A Pound of Feathers is the third album in as many years for The Black Crowes. After almost 40 years in the industry, various member changes and 30 million albums sold, the group still sound like they are in their prime. ‘Profane Prophecy’ opens the album and sets the scene for everything that follows; upbeat, riff-heavy and well placed cowbell. A blend of southern soul and classic blues rock with high energy and good helping of attitude from frontman Chris Robinson.

While the tone is consistent throughout, there is space for a couple of outliers. ‘Pharmacy Chronicles’ drops the wailing guitars for a slower acoustic sound, backed up by a slide guitar and a bright piano, the track standing proudly as a southern country rock ballad. ‘High & Lonesome’ is another track that feels like a departure from the rest of the album to show us yet another side of The Black Crowes, this time falling into a 60’s beat with some abstract glam rock influences of the same era. Overall, A Pound of Feathers is a strong collection of tracks proving once again the Robinson brothers and company are still here nearly 40 years on for good reason 9/10

Lamb of God: Into Oblivion

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

Avery Anna: forgive, forget.

The follow-up to her huge sophomore album last year, this is a great six tracks of moody radio-country music. Opening on yet another collaboration with her close friend Sam Barber, somewhat controversially it’s probably my least favourite track on the release. Following track, the rockier ‘Man Downstairs’, and the 2000s country ‘Life Ain’t Like the Radio’ are much better, in this writers opinion. And the riffing on the out-and-out southern/blues rock ‘Blood Runs Thicker’ is amazing, and her vocals and lyrics fit perfectly over the top. Stuff like that is far better than her vaguely older-Olivia Rodrigo or Sabrina Carpenter slower, moodier stuff. They’re still good songs, but didn’t catch my ear anywhere near as much.

Because of this, it very much leads to an EP of two halves. Three of the tracks I absolutely adore, and the other three I can kinda take or leave. The slower, pop-oriented tracks aren’t bad, and will probably do better for her than the others, but I find the upbeat ones much more interesting. Heck, it almost feels like she had a better time writing/recording them, too. It will be a release I’ll revisit because of a few tracks, and hopefully the others grow on me with more listens. But, for now, I can’t give it any higher than a 7/10. Still, if you like country, this is well worth a try!

Ravenspell: Obsidian King

Max: I don’t really have too much to say about this one. It’s decent, not great not bad. Its fine and unoffensive. I should probably say I’m not really the biggest fan of power metal or similar genres, but for a bands first full length album, coming in at 40 minutes, this is really pretty decent. It is polished and well produced and recorded. The solos, as is common with this music, and definitely a highlight. However, the best parts, in my opinion, were actually the riffs that were a bit chunkier and galloping. then brought a lot of energy. Probably my biggest issue with this album was that it didn’t seem unique, it felt very middle of the road and similar to other albums in the genre. That’s not bad, if anything it gives more room for them to explore and try something different and a bit more adventurous later on. 5.5/10

The Fray: A Light That Waits

Those guys that did ‘How to Save a Life’ some two decades ago have put out four studio albums since then, but this is their first in over 12 years! It’s also the first release since the departure of their original vocalist, Isaac Slade, in 2022. So, to say this could be a make or break album for them may be an understatement!

Honestly, it impressed me a lot more than I expected it to! The opener/title track is excellent, reminding me of the perfect blend of James Bay, Kings of Leon, and Kip Moore. Then you have tracks like ‘Ice Cold Lakes’ and ‘Tasted Glory’ that are also big personal highlights. It made me nostalgic for the sort of sound that was big in their hay day, a sound that sadly isn’t nearly as popular the last decade. Don’t get me wrong, 35-minutes of slowish, similar sounding music did get a bit much for me and my tiny attention span around the halfway mark, but all of it was still damn good music. Each track in isolation is great, and it fits together perfectly on the release. Joe King (lol) makes for a damn good lead vocalist, and really feels like he is leading the now-trio into a new chapter of their careers. And I for one am excited to hear where they go from here. For now though, I’d say this is easily their best release since their 2009 self-titled output, and it gets a solid 7.5/10 from me!

Roswell Road: Rebel Joy

This beautiful combination of folk, indie and Americana is pretty damn amazing for a debut album! The female duo have been building up to the release for the last two years with a total of six singles, culminating in this nearly-40-minute collection of incredible harmonies, lyrics and instrumentation. While not typically my sort of sound usually, I couldn’t help but get lost in this, the pair’s talent on full display throughout. The opener featuring the equally-great Dunwells is a huge high point of the release, alongside ‘Can’t Take my Soul’. It’s a great album to throw on and chill-out to, while still having plenty of weight and emotion at the same time. The pair have a very bright future ahead of them, and if you are at all into the sort of style I’ve mentioned above, this is well worth giving a spin! It’s another I will probably revisit if I ever want something more relaxed, and it may grow on me more then. However, for now, a solid 6.5/10 from us.

Angus McSix: …And the All-Seeing Astral Eye

We’ve also checked out this great release! Read our love for it here.

The Scratch: Pull Like a Dog

Album number four from the modern folk-metallers isn’t at all what I expected heading into it, but I enjoyed it a lot all the same! It’s like the other side of the folk-metal coin. There are plenty of bands that incorporate folk instruments into a metal sound, usually more of a traditional heavy or power metal style. I haven’t known really any band to just play straight up folk or bluegrass music but just transposed to distorted and ‘rock’ instrumentation. That is, until now! And, the fact that they have toured with the likes of Dropkicks and Dermot Kennedy should outline exactly what I’m talking about, as they are incredibly fitting supports for both. It makes for a fascinating listen, and a style that I got into more and more as the release went on. It almost makes it as much hardcore as anything else at times, which I am more than down with. And somehow, the Irish accent adds even more anger and attitude to it when it gets to that point.

‘Pullin’ Teeth’ is a massive early highlight, with Kevin Rheault adding even more greatness to the sound. Then you have tracks like ‘Mother of God’ and ‘Horsefly’ that are also great songs in their own right. The whole album is damn interesting though, and quirky enough to keep me hooked from start to finish. They are all clearly talented musicians and there is nothing out there even remotely like this. If you are at all interested, I’d highly recommend checking this out, you may end up loving it! It’s growing on me more with every listen, but for now it still gets a solid 8/10!

Joey Frendo: Harder Than Dreaming

This is a fun, chilled-out soft Southern rock album! From the incredible lyrics to the powerful, emotion-filled vocal delivery, and the excellent, fitting instrumentation behind it all, it’s all so well written and performed. From ‘First Band’ and the title track to the slightly more up-beat ‘Wings of a Song’ and the brass-heavy ‘Back to You’, there’s so much to love. However, there really isn’t a bad track throughout, 40 minutes going by in a flash! He’s a name that should be bigger by this point, but hopefully this sophomore album pushes him to new heights. He certainly has a new fan in me, that’s for sure! If you are at all a fan of the slower side of country/rock, this is definitely an album worth checking out. I’ll certainly be spinning it again, especially when it comes to summer time, and it gets a solid 7/10 from us!

Sweet Pill: Still There’s a Glow

Owen: Still There’s a Glow is the second studio album from Philadelphia-based Sweet Pill. It used to be cliché to compare any emo/punk band with a female vocalist to Paramore in some way but listening to Sweet Pill’s latest release leaves me little option. Whether intentional or not, various tracks from ‘Still There’s a Glow’ would have sit happily on Riot! Or Brand New Eyes. Despite the similarities, Sweet Pill are sure to make their own stamp on the genre and aren’t afraid to lean into an even heavier sound at points; vocals turn briefly to screams and the rest of the band can follow suit. Tracks like ‘Slow burn’ and ‘Smoke Screen’ show where Sweet Pill’s sound can change and evolve. For only the second album from a relatively new band this album is an impressive addition to what is sure to be a progressive and long-lasting discography. 8.5/10

Big Band of Boom: Self-Titled

This is a wild release! Being a blend of big-band brass and ska, punk and metal, it’s certainly unique. And, it won me over immediately, having me hooked from the start to the very end! The opening one-two-punch of ‘Stupid Filthy Rich’ into single ‘Earthquake’ is incredible. ‘Doomscrolling’ is SOAD in every perfect way, and the fact that they even cover ‘Toxicity’ later on to add to it is phenomenal. Another cover, Pendulum’s ‘Propane Nightares’, is another firm high point of the release. And of course, their big track, ‘Big Bad Voodoo’, and also stuff like ‘One Night Only’ and ‘Yügen’ are also HUGE highlights too.

As you can tell, I could gush about this release all day, and happily at that! The band are so damn talented in every aspect, and have crafted something truly unique with this album. They certainly have a big new fan in me, and I’ll be spinning this plenty in the months to come. I’d recommend absolutely anyone check this out ASAP, as it very much has something for everyone. And, I can’t give it any less than a whopping 10/10. Amazing stuff!

Monstrosity: Screams from Beneath the Surface

Max: This one was hard for me. It is, in every manner, an objectively good album. The riffs are great, the drummer is insane (the kicks were a real highlight), the vocals were gross and visceral, just as you would want. “So Max if everything is so good, why was it hard to review?”, well kind reader, its because it was really hard to give it an objective number rating. It’s not reinventing the wheel, nor is it doing nothing at all, it’s a lot of fun and has some weird little quirks throughout, like the high notes on the guitar in ‘The Atrophied’. So after literally flipping a coin to decide what I am going to give it, here it is … 7.5/10

Georgia Nevada: BackFire

The much-anticipated debut album from the UK country star finally dropped this last Friday. We loved her EP back last year, so have been pretty damn excited for this to arrive! To say it lives up to our hype would be an understatement, too! It’s 26 minutes of rock-infused country music, and when I say that every track is as good as the last, I truly mean it! ‘My Town, Too’, ‘Damaged Goods’ and ‘Stones Throw’ are all personal highlights, but there truly isn’t a bad song throughout. I like the even rockier edge she’s taken with this release, and her backing band are all incredible musicians alongside her! It’s easy to compare her to the likes of Kezia Gill, and this honestly feels just as polished and excellent as All on Red is. As the UK scene continues to grow year by year, Georgia has the real potential to be at the very forefront of it sooner rather than later, especially with releases like this! Anyone into country or rock in any capacity, check this out, it’s incredibly fun and a very easy listen. I can’t give it any less than 9/10!

Caroline Romano: It Took me Falling

Following up on the excellent How the Good Girls Die EP from last year was going to be a tall task, but Caroline has dropped a release every bit as good with this! It’s six awesome pop-rock tracks, each flowing perfectly from one to the next. There’s just a touch of country to the slower moments too, which I really liked. ‘Not Used to You’ is probably my favourite song on here, but each is great in their own way! It’s very Olivia Rodrigo, but does have a darker, slightly rockier edge to it too. Her vocals are amazing, and the lyrics skirt the line of emotional and fun perfectly throughout. If you are into her style, this is absolutely a release for you! It’s another release to get a solid 7/10!

Close Enemies: Self-Titled

The debut release from the newest rock supergroup finally dropped this last Friday. I didn’t actually know these guys were a thing until this weekend, but they are a damn good classic rock band, and have smashed it with this album! It very much feels like a sum of some of the parts, being vaguely Aerosmith and even Rod Stewart, but also a little Quireboys, Dirty Honey and our buddies above, The Black Crowes. ‘Sound of a Train’, ‘Wink and a Feather’ and single/ballad ‘More Than I Could Ever Need’ are all personal highlights, but there really isn’t a bad song throughout. Five excellent musicians have come together to create something awesome here, and if you are into any of their other projects, this is well worth checking out! It’s a pretty easy listen and, while it maybe gets a little long-in-the-tooth by the end, it’s still a solid 7.5/10 from us!

Sour Tusk: Lightning Boogie

The first album in seven years from the UK stoner metallers shows that the band haven’t at all lost a step in that time! It’s 40 minutes of great riffing and drumming, and some surprisingly catchy vocal hooks to boot. Between ‘Mission from God’, ‘Hail Hail’ and the punky ‘The Monster in Me’ are all big personal highlights, but there really isn’t a bad track throughout. The band are all insanely talented musicians and have been plugging away at the UK for a good few years now, growing a dedicated fanbase. Said fanbase will love this, as I’d easily put it up there with their debut! If you are at all into the stoner/doomier side of rock and metal, this is certainly for you. It’s like anything from QOTSA to The Sword to even Crowbar. It’s a lot of fun, and will surely push the band to new heights. 8/10

Cat Clyde: Mud Blood Bone

This is a fun classic country/soul album! It gives big Pokey Lafarge or Sierra Ferrel vibes, in the best ways. There’s also a slight gothic edge to it at times, giving off the energy of stuff like Twin Temple or Chelsea Wolfe. It’s certainly not a sound for everyone, but I had a great time listening! And, while it’s an album that begs to be listened to in full, and is very easy to do so, ‘Man’s World’, ‘My Love’ and the almost punky ‘Wanna Ride’ were personal highlights! Heck, I ended up enjoying the second half of the album even more than the first, which is saying something! But, as I said, it’s a fun listen, and just over half an hour goes by in a flash. Her vocals are incredible and fit the tone of each track perfectly, while her lyric writing is also amazing. And the band she has used here are stellar, fitting and representing her style to a T. It’s not a release I’d revisit often, but I know that whenever I do, I’ll have a blast! A pretty solid and easy 6.5/10 from us!

Schattenmann: Endgegner

Album five from the ‘New German Hardness’ band is also the longest gap between records they’ve had so far. Now, we enjoyed their last release back in 2023, but honestly this may be on another level! It’s got a lot more of an industrial edge throughout, but the dark melodies also remind me a lot of the likes of Lord of the Lost or Beyond the Black. The title track is the perfect opener, and songs like ‘Einen Scheiss muss ich’, ‘Schna-na-naps’ and ‘Echo’ are also big high points. The whole album is good though, even if it does feel a touch long. Though it’s only 40 minutes, it’s a lot of similar stuff, and does drag just a touch by the last few song, despite them still being high quality. Still, if you like their particular brand of noise, it’s definitely worth checking out, and it certainly won’t stop me from spinning it plenty in the coming weeks and months. A damn easy 8.5/10 from us!

Against I: Anti Life

This is a damn good blackened death metal album! Release four from the Swedish trio, they should be getting far more love than they are currently! This album is heavy, dark and epic all in equal measure, and an absolute must for anyone into the heavier side of the genre. And, even at nearly an hour in length, it goes by in a flash, and is a damn fun listen! From ‘Built to Destroy’ to ‘Empires of Bones’ to ‘Where we Lay to Rest’, it’s all so good. It certainly won’t be for everyone, but for someone who isn’t hugely into much black-metal-leaning stuff I was still hooked, so that must say something! The band have really come into their own here, and I can’t give it any less than 7/10, good stuff!

The Kimball Superstars: Here’s to the Memory

The sophomore album from the Washington old-school country band is a lot of fun. It’s simple but such an easy listen. From the title track to ‘No Happiness Alone’ to ‘Thinking Man’s Plight’, there is plenty to love. There are some incredible lyrics throughout, and the vocal delivery of all of it was perfect. Even the instrumentation construed plenty of emotion when needed! It doesn’t reinvent the wheel by any stretch, but is a damn easy album to throw on and relax to, and if you like an older country style this is absolutely an album for you. It’s good, if nothing else. 6/10, will probably listen again at some point soon.

The Gems: Year of the Snake

Following up on 2024’s Phoenix, the classic rock women have produced another awesome release with Year of the Snake. The albums titular track opens things perfectly, while tracks like single ‘Live and Let Go’ and ‘Hot Bait’ and the bluesy ‘Buckle Up’ are all further high points. However, this whole album is banger after banger, and 45-minutes goes by in the blink of an eye. It’s packed full of fantastic riffs, solid drumming and amazing vocals, all wrapped up into a package the perfect mix of sleaze, hard rock and AOR. The trio are some of the best songwriters in their genre currently, and are really operating at the top of their game. Every song on here is as good as the last, from fast stomper to emotional ballad. As much as I loved (and still spin) Phoenix, I think somehow they have managed to top it with this release. I LOVE this album, and feel like it won’t get nearly the buzz it deserves. Still, it gets an incredibly solid 9.5/10 from us, and expect it pretty high on our albums of the year list come December!

Wolfbastard: Satanic Scum Punks

Four years after the Manchester ‘feral underground kings’ dropped their critically acclaimed Hammer the Bastards, the trio are back with another offering. And, it’s another excellent dark, aggressive black-metal-tinged hardcore album! It’s half an hour of balls-to-the-wall anger that feels so take-no-prisoners in the best way. Wolfbastard don’t give a shit if you like them or not, they’re just here to kick some ass! And, as a result, the release has a great flow to it, each track fitting together with each other perfectly. It makes it incredibly hard to pick highlights, as the whole thing just kinda slaps! It’s yet another release that certainly isn’t for everyone, but I had a damn good time listening to it and would LOVE to see it live! A damn solid 7.5/10 from us, and I cannot wait to hear where they go from here

Reviews

Angus McSix and the All-Seeing Astral Eye: How Does it Compare to Sword of Power?

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The mighty Angus McSix and his band of orcs and dwarves dropped his second solo album today! For those of you who remember, we loved his debut back in 2023, and I still listen to a few songs from it fairly regularly now. However, from the moment this was announced, I’ve been excited, so for it to finally have arrived is awesome! There is no one quite like Angus, both in terms of vocals or writing, and if the rest of the album is anything like the couple of singles I’ve heard already, this is gonna be a blast!

While I am usually not one for front-loading an album, I kinda love that the first half of the album is all the singles, in release order. Angus has told a story here (I have only checked out the second track’s video so far, I may have to watch the others after this!) and putting it chronologically on the album makes a lot of sense. Plus, lead single ‘6666’ is absolutely amazing, and such a great way to open the album! Starting on a massive, powerful buildup highlighting Angus’ insane vocal range perfectly before blasting into that massive riff… amazing! The verse is typical McSix in all the best ways; the heavy guitars and drums and plenty of synth backing it. And, of course, the chorus is catchy as anything, just made to be played to huge festival crowds! My only vague complaint of the track is that it’s a touch short, but when we have a full album to check out it’s hardly an issue to be wanting more!

‘The Fire of Yore’ is a track that I’ve been obsessed with since it dropped back in September. We did a reaction back when it dropped, and gushed about it plenty then. It has also been in regular rotation for me since, and been stuck in my head at least a handful of times! That massive intro into the catchy-as-anything chorus is awesome, and the more retro verses fit between them perfectly. And heck, we get a dance-breakdown, so what’s not to love?! It’s just a fantastic modern power metal song, and doesn’t take itself too seriously so is a lot of fun. An amazing song and single, and definitely up there alongside the best of his debut!

The incredible Rhapsody of Fire join Angus and co on ‘I am Adam McSix’. Once again, it opens on a huge, catchy and arena-filling chorus, though it’s a little slower and lower energy than the previous tracks’. However, the riffing definitely feels a little heavier this time! And, Giacomo Voli’s vocals fit alongside Angus’ fantastically, it being an amazing collaboration. It feels more like a ballad track, but done in such an epic, power metal way that the energy stays consistent to the previous tracks. It’s another excellent track, and one that easily makes our playlist! I’m definitely going to have to watch the videos though, because I’m already losing track of the story just a little!

The other two singles, ‘Dig Down’ and ‘Techno Man’, once again feature guests in Van Canto and Turmion Kätilöt, respectively. The former is a fantastic, straight-up power metal track that feels very much built around its incredible chorus. Meanwhile the latter, much like the title suggests, leans more into the electronic elements, almost having an Electric Callboy vibe to it. Having said that, it still has a very typical Angus chorus, in the best possible way. And also, both guests do great, adding a lot to their respective tracks! If I had to pick, I’d prefer the latter, just because it feels a touch different compared to what we’ve had so far, and that heavy bridge with the screams from the Turmion camp are amazing. However, both are great songs in their own right, and fit the album perfectly!

Then, we reach the album tracks. ‘Ork Zero’ is another techno-heavy, high-energy banger that builds to another MASSIVE chorus. The same could be said for ‘Starlight Stronghold’, though it’s a bit more traditional power metal, for the most part. And, after a short interlude track, we get another personal highlight in ‘Let the Search Begin’. While it is still similar to a lot of the rest of the album, there’s just something about it that hooked me in and didn’t let go until the end. All of it is so catchy, from the verse to that huge, grandiose chorus, the harmonies and backing vocals definitely adding to it. Plus, we even get an awesome, technical and harmonised guitar solo tucked away in the middle, something I didn’t realise I was missing so much until I got it! It’s another huge high point of the album, and definitely one to check out!

‘The Power of Metal’ features another guest appearance, this time by Freedom Call. It instantly gives the track much more of a folk metal vibe to it. And yet still, by the time Angus’ powerful vocals come in, it sounds so distinctively McSix, him able to blend these different styles together into his own amazingly. Once again, all the vocals slot together perfectly, like two pieces of the same puzzleLyrically it’s silly but in the best way, telling a fantastic story. Once again I’m going to have to sit down with the videos and lyrics, because I do think the story will be as brilliant as it seems insane. In isolation it may be a little odd, but it fits the flow of the album to a tee, and as I said before, doesn’t take itself too seriously while still sounding excellent and being packed full of talent! Yet another banger!

The closing number, ‘Into Battle’, is another essentially interlude, but is so grandiose and epic I couldn’t not talk about it! It’s a fantastic piece of orchestral music that wouldn’t be out of place on a film score. It does, however, feel like a pretty massive buildup, which is a slightly odd way to end the album. Maybe it’ll fit in more with another listen or two but for now, although it was a great song on its own, I’d have maybe opened the release with it instead of closed it.

Overall: This is a great album, and a damn fitting follow-up to the Sword of Power! Each song is awesome, and the concept and flow to it is pulled off with such care and detail, it begs for multiple full listens and really sinking your teeth into it. While I do still think the tracks individually on his debut are better, there is no denying that this is a hugely strong album overall, and one I will be spinning plenty in the coming weeks and months. And still, there are plenty of solo tracks that stand up as some of his best work, from any band! I do kinda wish there was a bit more of a slower song on here; 41 minutes of similar sounding stuff can get old eventually, but there isn’t a song that I’d take away and replace with something else. If you are at all a fan of Angus, his past projects or power metal in general, this is definitely a release for you!

The Score: 8/10

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Into Oblivion: Lamb of God’s Best Album in Years?

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The whopping 10th studio album from the NWOAHM titans is arriving to a lot of hype this coming Friday. Being a fan of the band for well over a decade at this point, and having heard a couple of the singles, I have to say I have been DAMN excitedly waiting to hear it. After a couple of surprisingly mixed-received albums (among the fans, critics love them), they return after four years with what seems to be a sound a bit closer to their 2000s work. We got the chance to check this out a little early, and of course jumped at the chance! So, without further ado, let’s dive right in!

The title track is one we are very familiar here at Overtone already. I’ve gushed about it plenty already in my reaction video, and have listened to it plenty since. It’s the perfect way to introduce the album, and as I mentioned in said video, does feel like an immediate return to form for the band. And I’m saying that who was a fan of their last couple of releases, too. However, this has a real old-school LoG vibe to it, from the riffing to Randy’s vocals to the amazing drumming, it’s all fantastic! It’s like I was transported back to when I first discovered and got into them properly with Sacrament (I’m old, I know!) and I loved every second. They never lost it, but feel like they’ve found it again anyway, just adding it on top of the rest! It’s an amazing song, and a huge early-album highlight!

‘Parasocial Christ’ explodes in with heavy riffing and screaming immediately, keeping the energy flowing excellently. The balls-to-the-wall opening opens out a little for the second half of the verse, giving it more of a groove metal feel. It’s a perfectly chaotic song that all feels like it builds up more and more into its eventual chorus, coming nearly halfway into the track! And, it’s a damn good chorus, to boot, and followed up by an amazing (if all too short) guitar solo! It’s just a damn good heavy song, and Randy’s growls towards the end are FANTASTIC, really drawing the track together perfectly. Two for two on excellent songs, so far!

Single ‘Sepsis’ opens on a dirty, heavy bassline, backed amazingly by the steady drums. We get some ever-great spoken word stuff over the top from Randy to build it up even more. The guitars come in and the vocals turn to screams, but it still stays at the same steady pace and level, feeling ominous and still building, and soon drops back again. I love the steady, plodding pace of the first half of the track, especially after two thrashier ones. However, it still feels damn heavy, and so very Lamb of God. And it still grows more and gets to more of their core sound in the second half. And, it’s all seems to be a buildup to that awesome drop-out to Randy’s scream into that HUGE breakdown, it hitting so hard and being really masterful writing. Said breakdown runs for the rest of the track too, acting as the perfect closer. It does one of my pet peeves of fading out, but even then it’s that amazing I don’t have too much of an issue with it. It was an interesting choice for a single, but it’s a damn good track in its own right, and definitely another highlight!

A low, menacing riff introduces ‘The Killing Floor’ before it goes right back into their breakneck, heavy pace! It’s classic Lamb of God in the best way. The same could be said for recent single ‘Blunt Force Blues’ and ‘Bully’. All are fantastic tracks in their own right and fit the tone and flow of the album perfectly. They are well worth checking out, and are only grouped together here to make the article more manageable as otherwise I’d be repeating myself a much and coming across as even more of a fangirl than I already am!

‘El Vacío’ slows things down perfectly at the halfway mark of the album. A clean, almost Tool-like riff kicks things off, with some low, clean vocals, something Randy has incorporated masterfully in recent years. Even when it explodes in with the distortion and heaviness for the chorus, it still stays at a slower pace. It kinda feels like the ballad of the album, and placed arguably perfectly within it. It’s a style that few can pull off as successfully as LoG, with the only that immediately springs to mind being Malevolence. However, I’d put this up there with any track they’ve put out in this vein, that’s for sure! It’s a really interesting song, and honestly one that pretty easily makes our playlist!

‘St Catherine’s Wheel’ is another interesting track. It’s insanely fast, but also has an arrangement more like a Gojira song than anything else. The dynamics throughout are wild, starting with distant drums and guitar, going hard for seconds, before dropping out to the high riffing, awesome drumming and vocals. Don’t get me wrong, it builds up to some CHUNKY LoG style stuff pretty quick, but changing it up is always highly appreciated. The chorus is awesome too, heavy and catchy in equal measure, and one of my favourite on the album! And the riffing behind it… *chefs kiss*. I mean, the riffing through the whole track is amazing, as the breakdown/bridge is also excellent. To I’m sure no shock at all, I loved this song, and it’ yet another that I’d urge anyone reading this to check out!

The final two songs, ‘A Thousand Years’ and ‘Devise/Destroy’ are both once again bangers in their own right. The former is a more plodding, groove metal number that has some of Randy’s best ever clean vocals, as well as some absolutely phenomenal screams. Then you have the closer that is just as balls-to-the-wall as the opening couple of numbers, bringing the album full-circle excellently. It’s heavy, full of attitude and once again has some incredible riffing and a great chorus. Both are two more huge highlight tracks on an album honestly full of them!

Overall: Going into this expecting big things after a couple of the singles, this somehow blew me away even more than I’d hoped for! It has plenty of old-school Lamb of God moments, but also has some stuff that is more akin to their more modern sound, though done in such a way that it feels heavy, dark and more like them than ever. The change of their logo wasn’t just done because it had been a while; it feels like a bold new chapter of the band, and I am all for it! It feels like a culmination of everything that has come before it, with a sprinkling of modern, new sounds added on top to fantastic results. If you have ever at all been a fan of the band or the style, this is an absolute must-listen!

The Score: 9/10

new music mondays

New Music Mondays: Hunter Hayes, Lost Society and More!

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Another massive week of new music for us to dive into, from metal to rock to country. Let’s dive right in! And, once again, welcome back Max and Owen to help out!

Hunter Hayes: Evergreen

The follow-up to 2023’s Red Sky, this is a fun, pretty beautiful 36-minutes of pop-country music. The opening/title track sets things up perfectly, while tracks like single ‘Wait’, ‘Every Piece’ and ‘Human Again’ are also big highlights. The whole album has a good flow to it though, and is a very easy listen. It’s very pop leaning, reminding me more of the likes of Shawn Mendez and Ed Sheeran than anything traditional-country-based. It’s not particularly my sort of thing, but I still had a good time listening to it. His vocals are great and fit the instrumentation perfectly, while his lyrics are more than passable. If you like a more pop-based sound, this is well worth checking out. I’d happily listen again, though I wouldn’t actively seak it out. It’s just a good album to relax to, and I sadly don’t have much else to add. You’ll know straight away if you’ll love it or not! 7/10

Lost Society: Hell is a State of Mind

Album six from the Finnish metallers isn’t what I was expecting, but honestly fucking slaps! I haven’t listened to them since their thrashy first few albums. So, to come into more of a modern metalcore/nu metal/radio metal sound was definitely a bit of a shock to the system. However, it’s not hugely a bad things. I’d have loved some more thrash/death metal from them, but this is so well done that it’s hard not to love. From the opener to ‘Synthetic’, ‘Kill the Light’ to the insane ‘Dead People Scare Me’ it’s packed full of highlights. It’s clear they have pulled from their Finnish counterparts in The Rasmus, Blind Channel and even Sweden’s Smash into Pieces with their big radio-hook choruses. Though, it still has a heavier edge than those, and still maintains some of the great melodic leads and big riffs from their early days.

There really isn’t anyone combining all these different styles currently, making this release pretty unique, keeping me hooked throughout. Even the acoustic ballad of ‘Is This What You Wanted’ was excellently done, and broke the album up pretty perfectly. And it’s a style and heaviness that I do feel is missing from some of the bands I’ve drawn comparisons to above, so it’s hard not to love this. I’m enjoying it more with each listen, and I liked it from the first! The production is excellent too, everything from the mix to the strings adding even more depth and massiveness to it. It almost adds a power metal edge to it at times. And, of course, the band are working their asses off throughout, playing and writing masterfully. It is epic from start to finish, and if anyone is at all into melodic metal, this is an absolute must-listen! It’ll definitely be a mainstay for me over the coming months, and I can’t give it any less than 9.5/10!

Black Stone Cherry: Celebrate

We’ve already checked out this awesome EP! Read our full review here.

The Darts: Halloween Love Songs

The all-female horror-garage-rockers returned this last week with a follow-up to their excellent 2025 output, Nightmare Queens. They have become one of the most consistent bands on the circuit, putting out an album every year of the last four. And, the fact that they are all pretty fantastic releases too really screams to the bands talent. This one is no different, easily being up there alongside their very best. It’s the perfect mix of ‘Ballroom Blitz’, ‘Monster Mash’ and ‘Rock Lobster’, but with a modern flair and production to it! Heck, it also gives off big The Doors vibes in the best ways. And, more oddly, a splash of Pokey, though that may be the overall old-school feel. It’s a sound that isn’t nearly as prevalent these days as it should be, but The Darts do it so well that’s hard not to immediately fall in love with each release.

This is a fun 37-minutes of rock that doesn’t take itself too seriously, and definitely makes me nostalgic for a better time. From the opener to ‘Blood Run Cold’, ‘Every Night is Halloween’ to ‘Up in my Soul’, there are plenty of highlight tracks and songs to love. However, there really isn’t a bad one throughout, even if they do all carry a similar energy and blend together just a touch by the end. If you are at all a fan of any of the sounds or artists I’ve named previously, this is an absolute must-listen for you. I’ll definitely be spinning this plenty in the coming weeks and months, and it gets an incredibly solid 8.5/10 from us!

Insect Inside: Reborn In Blight

Max: A visceral and raw album that keeps punching has just been released by Insect Inside. It’s intense and might be exactly what you are looking for. The first track has this slow almost menacing build but from then you keep getting hit by the heavy and aggressive tone that persists through out the rest of the album. Now sure, this might not be everyone’s cup of tea, lets be honest here this kind of music can be a bit too much, but I love this stuff. I won’t lie I did have to look at the lyrics to know what was being said but the vocal tone is nuts. Setup you speakers well and put this on full volume, because this is expertly well done but on the bands side and the production as well, it is crisp. Now I know I say this a lot, but this one really should be given a go, because everyone in this band is very and I mean very talented. Its a certified Max recommendation. 8.5/10

Teenage Bottlerocket: The Invisible Man

I’m not sure why we have such a vague horror theme this week when we’re only in March, but I’ll take it! The new EP from the modern skate-punk legends comes just six months after their last album, and continues on their sound perfectly. Somehow we missed Ready to Roll when it dropped, but I have checked it out since and do love it! This is no different; four more awesome tracks that are unmistakably Bottlerocket. It’s maybe a touch slower than their album stuff, but is still just good, fun, lighthearted punk music. ‘You Made Me Get Called a Poser’ and ‘Pembrey’s Face’ are personal highlights, but the other two tracks are also good! It’s not even 10 minutes long as a full release, but I had a blast. I think it’s legitimately impossible not to have a good time listening to it! So, for that reason, it gets a very solid 8/10 from us!

Smag Pa Dig Selv: This is Why we Lost

Owen: Acid jazz trio, Smag På Dig Selv, bring us their second album ‘This Is Why We Lost’, following their debut in 2024. The danish collective comprising of two saxophonists and one drummer deliver a mix of electronic, ethereal and energetic tracks in this album. Stand out tracks include ‘Hits 4 Kids Vol. 3000’ a club anthem with an acid twist, and single ‘Like A Word I Never Knew’ opening the album on strong note. The combination of genres makes for an interesting listen, relying on the brass for melody and narrative while the electronic aspects handle the beat and rhythm of the sound. I’m sure for the artists there is some deeper narrative arc to the album but this fails to come across to the listener, however there’s some strong tracks sure to get people moving and some catchy melodies that will stick in your head 6.5/10

Russel Dickerson: Worth Your Wild EP

My complete befuddlement of Russels release schedule/strategy aside, this is a fun EP! I assume it’s a way of putting out tracks that otherwise may not make a full album release so get boosted by being on with a collection named after a big single. That or it just helps streams. He may be onto something, in that regard…

Either way, the other three tracks are good! ‘B.O.A.T.’, apart from the spelling it out, is a great ballad. ‘2 Limes, 2 Coronas’ is a big highlight of the release and the best non-title-track on here. Then ‘Spring Break’ finishes things off in great, radio-ballad fashion. If you are a fan of Russel, this is another fantastic release in a long line of them at this point! However, his style certainly isn’t for everyone, and if you don’t like his pop/vaguely bro country sound, you won’t be sold on him with this EP. It’s going to definitely be a release I revisit in the summer, but I’ll certainly be spinning it before then I imagine, too! He keeps trucking along dropping awesome new music every year, and is certainly getting to the point of being underrated at this stage. 7.5/10

Mother Crone: Embrace the Death

Finally following up on debut Awakening after a decade, this sludgy, doomy, vaguely proggy metal release is the perfect reintroduction to the band. Drawing inspiration from everyone from Pantera to Crowbar to even some hints of Pink Floyd, it’s an interesting release, for sure! It’s packed full of the heaviest of riffs, but also some damn catchy moments, especially with the harmonised vocals. From the opener to the slower title track to the truly grandiose ‘Inner Keep’ are all personal highlights. It’s not going to be a release for everyone, but if you like a longer release that really takes its time and earns every big moment, this is very much one for you. It’s like a heavier Candlemass, and I kinda love it! They’re all such talented players, and work their asses off throughout. Weirdly the only streaming platform I could find it on was Bandcamp, but I am more than happy to support any artist on there over anywhere else! It’s definitely an album I’ll be spinning again. 7/10

Sons of Town Hall: Of Ghosts and Gods

We’ve also checked out this release already! Read the full review here.

Tardigrade Inferno: Hush

Album four from the cabaret metal band is another quirky, fun addition to their growing discography. The combination of horror/circus music with metal has taken off amazingly in recent years with the likes of Ward XVI and even elements of Ice Nine Kills, but these four are very much still running at the front of the pack. It also gives slight Bungle/FNM vibes, though that may just be the vocal delivery at times. There’s plenty to love throughout, too. ‘Deadly Fairytales’, ‘All in Your Head’ and ‘Hush’ are all personal highlights and absolutely amazing tracks in the genre as a whole. The band are all clearly talented though, playing their asses off throughout and crafting something truly interesting and unique. While it took me a song or two to get into, I was soon having a blast of a time and the rest of the album went by in a flash. If you are at all interested, I cannot recommend this enough; they will certainly have a solid, loyal audience, that’s for sure! I’ll definitely be spinning it again, and it gets a solid 8/10 from us!

Legionary: Never-Ending Quest for Purpose

Max: I’ll be honest here, for five tracks, it’s fine. It was however nothing insane. There were bits where I just couldn’t get the feel and the have to say the vocals weren’t really for me. However, I did enjoy the clean vocals specifically at ~ 1:20 in ‘Controllers of Perception’, that really was a highlight of the whole album for me. I would quite like to see where they go from here and what future releases show as whilst it wasn’t really for me, I think they are a talented group. A solid 6/10

Hässi: Keep it Stupid, Simple

This instrumental EP is honestly fucking awesome, showing off Hässi’s talents for playing and songwriting perfectly across its 12 minutes. ‘Bump the Hump Machine’ opens things up perfectly with a bouncy, fun energy, while displaying his insane technical ability. It has elements of funk rock to it that had me hooked right from the get-go. ‘Naked in the Chain’ continues that vein and sound perfectly, being another phenomenal instrumental track. And, I’m sure to the surprise of no one, the other two tracks are just as great. Though it’s all pretty similar, even for an instrumental release it doesn’t overstay it’s welcome, ending just in time and honestly leaving me wanting more. For a debut release this is amazing, and the perfect introduction to his playing and style. Even if you think you are not usually into purely instrumental stuff, give this a listen, I’m sure you’ll love it as much as I do. 7.5/10, amazing stuff!

Gravemass: This is the Way

Don’t make a Mandolorian joke… don’t make a Mandolorian joke…

Honestly, this is half an hour of brutal excellence. From the insane riffing to the thunderous, relentless drumming to the brutal screams, it’s all so good. It almost has a pretty hardcore energy to it too, none of the tracks overstaying their welcome, being balls-to-the-wall and straight to the point! And every song flows pretty excellently; every track being as good as the last! And, for a debut album and a band that seemingly haven’t been around all too long, this is amazing stuff! They should be a lot bigger than they are already, and hopefully this album pushes them to new heights! From the opener to ‘Harvest of Souls’ to the bands namesake track, there are definitely highlights. Though, as I said before, there isn’t a bad track throughout! And it still has an air of epicness throughout that made me even more hooked. They have a VERY bright future ahead of them, and if you are at all into a more death-leaning metal sound, I cannot recommend this enough. It gets an incredibly solid 8.5/10 from us!

William Clark Green: Watterson Hall

Owen: Watterson Hall is the seventh studio album from Texas country singer William Clark Green. With a back catalog of medium hits it feels like Green has found the recipe he’s sticking with. ‘Whole Lotta Lubbock’, the third track of the album encapsulates this feeling completely, generic lines about being from Texas, mention living in the country and the Ole Opry, call out a few more Texas towns, the crowd will be eating it up right? The rest of the album hits all the points you’d expect, a few slow songs and a few fast ones, but nothing much to tell them apart more than that. This is Country music played safe, middle of the road, inoffensive and easily packaged for radio. 3/10

Surfbort: Reality Star

The first album from the Brooklyn punkers in nearly half a decade is… certainly an album… I usually don’t mind a more old-school punk vibe of release, but sadly something about this didn’t really resonate with me. Looking at the bands ethos I’m not exactly their target audience, but even still, that usually doesn’t stop me from enjoying at least parts of it. Don’t get me wrong, the band are talented for the most part, and instrumentally it’s fairly decent; meandering between classic punk and a more indie-infused sound. I think it’s a toss-up between the at-times nonsensical, thrown together lyric writing or the generally unenthused delivery of them that kinda ruins it for me. There is definitely a market for this sort of thing, just look at how big Amyl and the Sniffers are getting, so I completely get that there will be those out there that love this. However, I am not one of those people. When my favourite track on the release is a minute-long skate punk number that just repeats the phrase ‘Hot Chicks Cold Beer’ for most of its runtime, that should tell you everything you need to know about my enjoyment of it. If you like the sort of style I’be described them as, they’re well worth a listen, but I can’t give it any more than a 3.5/10. Sorry guys.

Charlotte Sands: Satellite

Album three from the pop/alt rocker is a fun 28-minutes of radio rock! Her vocals are just as good as ever, and the songwriting throughout is the perfect blend of current-day pop and darker alt rock. I thought I didn’t recognise the name but upon seeing the album artwork for her debut, it all came flooding back. From ‘one eye open’ to the beautiful ‘Afterlife’ to ‘neckdeep’, there are plenty of highlights throughout. However, the whole album is pretty great, especially if you’re into the style. It’s no wonder she’s become such a big name in such a short amount of time, as she is consistently great on her studio work. A must-listen for anyone into a pop-rock style, and a very easy 8/10 from us. I’ll certainly be revisiting this sooner rather than later!

Karelian Warcry: Veripellot

To my slight shock, I actually really enjoyed this! Being pretty frumpy routed in black metal, I didn’t know what to expect, but the injection of death metal had me hooked in from the start, not letting me go until 50 minutes later. The riffing was amazing, and the screams were a lot more palatable than most black metal. And, on top of it all, the production on the album was incredible, something I can’t say much about genre! ‘Joukkohauta’ and ‘Unholan tuntemattomat’ are personal highlights, but the album as a whole has a fantastic flow to it! It’s criminal that these guys have been going so long and aren’t a bigger name, because the talent is definitely there! Maybe it’s because it’s their first big release in 15+ years, but even still, hopefully this album pushes them up the pecking order! It’s not something I’d listen to often, but I feel like whenever I do, I’ll have just as good a time as I did here. Check this out if you like the heavier stuff, it gets a solid 7/10 from us!

Aaron Watson: Horse Named Texas

The fifteenth studio album from the early 2000s country legend blew me away far more than I expected it to! The harmonised vocals that open the thing won me over immediately, and the whole of ‘Hardly Friends Barely Lovers’ is an awesome neo-traditional country track! That is followed up perfectly with a couple of slower, old-school tracks, with ‘Same Here’ being another big high point. Then you have tracks like the title one, single ‘Hit the Hay Runnin’’, ‘Drinking & Driving (You Crazy)’ and ‘Your Kinda Guy’ that are also big personal highlights.

However, my issue is, there’s another 20, YES 20, tracks alongside those I’ve named. This thing is 87 minutes and 26 songs long, which is just far too much. Even if it was half as long, it may still be a little too lengthy a lot of the tracks are slower, more ballad-like tracks, which is rather old-school and not an issue in general, but when there’s so many one after another, it didn’t do much to hold my attention. None of the tracks are bad on their own by any stretch, but as an album as a whole, the length makes it suffer.

I wouldn’t say I’d never listen to this again, as there are a good few awesome songs on here. If it came on in the background, I’d probably have a good time listening. However, I certainly wouldn’t seek out this album to put on very often. Aaron is a damn talented singer and writer, but I can’t give this any more than 5.5/10. Still, if you’re into older country, it’s worth a try!

Shatten: Gegenwart

The German alternative four piece put out their third longer release last Friday, and I enjoyed it a hell of a lot more than I expected to! The band have described the album as ‘exploring the state of the here and now’, and though I don’t understand the lyrics, I fully feel the emotion behind them and their delivery. It feels both bleak and uplifting at different times, sometimes even in the same song, taking the listening on a full journey. And, while it very much all feels like one big piece that is designed to be listened to together, the opener, ‘Raben’ and ‘Ein Toter mehr…’ are personal highlights. It has a definite air of the darker, 90s end of euro-pop, but also has a healthy dose of indie and alternative and even grunge. It’s another release this week that feels pretty damn unique! It’s melancholic while also still being rather chilled-out and easy to listen to. While not typically my sort of thing, the band certainly have a new fan in me, and I’ll be keeping an eye on them going forward. It’s a solid 7.5/10 our end!

Austin Michael: Lonestar

Back with another album after nearly six years, his particular brand of stripped-back, chilled-out country with him. It’s old-school-meets-new-school in maybe the closest way I’ve heard, having a classic vibe while also feeling geared perfectly towards the currently mainstream landscape. While it’s not hugely my sort of thing, I did find myself enjoying certain tracks. ‘Cowboys Don’t Act Like That’, the rockier ‘Why Not Whiskey’ and ‘Least of my Worries’ and the surprisingly heavy ‘Texas Hold ‘Em’ are standouts for sure, both in terms of quality and because they had a different vibe to them than much of the rest. Honestly, the latter two took me off guard a bit, as the rest of the album is more calm, radio-friendly and upbeat, but it’s certainly not a complaint! They definitely broke up the album in a good way, that’s for sure.

However, the tracks don’t quite make up for the album as a whole being a touch slow for me. It’s not a bad album at all, but overall is a little slow. There’s probably half this album that I‘l be happily revisiting, but can take or leave the other half. However, if you are into the slower side of country, it’s definitely worth giving a spin! It may grow on me, but for now it gets a still good 6.5/10

Toys that Bïte: You Have Been Warned

The debut album from the semi-tongue-in-cheek 80s revival rockers is nothing if not a lot of fun! Easily comparable to Van Halen, Night Ranger, Mötley Crüe and Aerosmith, its Sunset Strip-soaked sleaze/hard rock replicated to perfection. The band are insanely talented, with the Eddie-like riffing and soloing being excellent, and the vocals and drums fitting them perfectly. Tracks like ‘Genius Level Stupid’, ‘Ladies of the Night’ and ‘Hit That Like’ are a perfect example of how great this album is, but every song is as amazing as the last! And heck, anyone who has a song titled ‘Tits (Make Him an Animal)’ is automatically good in my book! It’s an album definitely worth a spin if you’re into 70s and 80s hard rock or hair metal, and one that has quickly won me over into a big fan of the band! I already can’t wait to hear more from them, honestly. It’s a blast to listen to from start to finish, and gets a very solid 8.5/10 from us!

Chicago Farmer: Homeaid

This was another album that unexpected blew me away! It’s got a real classic rock thing going on alongside the country, and it makes for one hell of a listen. Like it had elements of everything from The Doors, Lynyrd Skynyrd and even Led Zeppelin at times, as well as a more traditional sound at others. And, the more I listened, the more I fell in love with not just the album, but the band as a whole! From single ‘Peshtigo’ to ‘Mattress’ to the title track, there are some truly excellent songs throughout, though none of them are in any way bad! And it goes by in a flash, not feeling its length in any way. I’m already a little obsessed thanks to spinning it a fair bit this weekend, and am rather desperate for them to come over to the UK so we can see them live! How I haven’t heard of them before now when they’ve been going a while is beyond me, but they certainly have a new fan in me! Regardless of what you’re into, check this out as soon as you can, you won’t regret it! It’s laid back, fun but also plenty emotional, too. I can’t give it any less than 9/10, great stuff!

Jesper Lindell: 3614 Jackson Highway

This was a lot more jazz-based than I was expecting it to be. Going into it from a recommendation on a country site, I had no idea Jesper was a Swedish soul-rock artist until after I’d started listening. However, this is not me complaining, pump this shit into my veins, dude! Opener ‘If I was Money’ sets the tone perfectly and is a huge early highlight. Then you have tracks like ‘Rainy Night in Georgia’ and ‘I’ve Got a Thing About you Baby’ that are also all excellent. And the two tracks that feature guests, Michaela Holmberg and everyone’s favourite dad Phil Campbell, are just as good as anything else. So, if you haven’t guessed already, this whole album is excellent! It reminds me of Cardinal Black at times in the best way possible. It’s another artist I’m shocked I hadn’t heard before now, but am so thankful I have now discovered. I’ll be spinning this plenty moving forward, probably for the rest of the year! And, for that reason, it gets a very solid 8.5/10 from us!

new music mondays, Reviews

New Music: The Lost Releases!

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So, a little bit of a different one this time! Try as I like, I am usually just one man, and can’t always check out and review 20+ albums a week. However, I have been going back and listening to some of the stuff I’ve missed, and a lot of it is damn good! Now, I don’t have the chance to talk about all of them (I’ve counted 165 albums I’ve listened to since December, not counting this weekends, but below are some of our favourites from the last three months that we haven’t reviewed yet. Lets dive in!

Josh Weathers: Neon Never Fades

Right at the start of the year, we had this incredible new-traditional country release drop, Weathers’ first studio release since 2019. And, it’s been a release that’s been stuck in my rotation ever since! Right from the excellent opener, ‘Gambling’, I was hooked from my very first listen, and have listened through the following half-hour multiple times since January. From ‘Boys Chase Girls’ to ‘Honky Tonk Time’ to ‘I Gotta Have It’ there are so many highlights throughout alongside the opener. However, every song is amazing, and the album has an excellent flow to it, going by in a flash. I wasn’t familiar with Josh before hearing this release, but he has a massive new fan in me, not just of this album but all of his stuff! It’s a damn fun release, and has made me desperate for him to come to the UK so I can see some of it live. Until that time, I’m happy to keep spinning this album, as I haven’t gotten bored of it yet! It’s one of the best country releases I’ve heard in a while, and after a good few spins it gets a 9.5/10 from us!

Inborn Tendency: Let There be Sin

This debut death/groove metal album is another release that’s had me hooked since near the start of the year! The fact that this is just a three-piece is insane enough as it is, but that it is also of this high quality is nuts. Oh, and for a debut album, INSANELY good! It’s another short release too, only 30 minutes and very much all killer, no filler. The riffs are incredible, the drums go hard and the screams are brutal throughout. If you are at all into the heavier side of metal, this is absolutely a release for you! The album has certainly gotten some more eyes/ears on the band, including this writer’s, and hopefully they continue their upwards trend. It’s another release I’ll be spinning plenty still moving forward, and it’s a solid 8.5/10 from me!

All the Damn Vampires: VICECORE

This is an awesome sophomore album, and a great mix of retro and modern! It gives off vibes of everything from Genesis and Cutting Crew to LALYE and St. Vincent; a modern electronic soft rock. And, while it is slower paced for the most part, it’s epic ballad after epic ballad, perfectly modernising an 80s Miami sound and feeling. ‘Is This Love’, ‘Last Man Standing’ and ‘On My Own’ are all huge highlights for me, while their cover of ‘(I Just) Died in your Arms’ is utter perfection. Every guest on it works their asses off and brings so much to the sound, but the band themselves kill it too on each track. It’s not an album for everyone, but I loved this, and have listened to it at least a couple of times in the last month! It’s an easy 8/10 album, and well worth checking out!

Andy Smith: Long Time Coming

Another fantastic country release from January, and this time from a guy who certainly isn’t getting the love he deserves for such a great album! It’s 44-minutes of great, rock-tinged and emotion-filled country music that I’d put there with any of its contemporaries on mainstream radio these days. Think Chris Young or Blake Shelton, and up alongside them in terms of quality, too. It’s a tad generic sure, but that’s the same as 90% of popular country these days! From the opening two songs to ‘You Can Love a Memory’ and ‘Hematite For Gold’, there’s plenty to love throughout! However, there really isn’t a bad track on the whole album. Hopefully he gets some more love and exposure soon, as he could be one of the biggest names at least in the growing UK country scene off this release. I’ve been obsessed since I first heard it, and cannot recommend it enough to anyone even slightly interested. A very easy 9/10!

Firmament: Ashes & Awakenings

The debut EP from the UK melodic metallers is a great example of their talent for both playing and songwriting. It’s technical, heavy a little proggy and has plenty of catchiness throughout. ‘Through Tempests’ is probably my favourite track on the release, but the other four are also awesome in their own right! It’s an awesome 24-minutes that immediately leaves me wanting more, which I would argue is one of the purposes of an EP. Still, until we get more from the band, I am more than happy to keep spinning this truly awesome release! The more I have listened the more I’ve fell in love with it, and I can’t give it any less than 8/10.

P.S. I loved the artwork around this release, with each single being a card and the EP being the deck. It’s little nuances like this that I really enjoy, especially in rock and metal!

Bob Saliba: Testimony

So technically this is a 2025 album, but it was December, so wouldn’t have made it onto our 2025 list. Solo album two from the Kingcrown guitarist is an awesome AOR journey from start to finish! He gets to flex his guitar chops just as much here as he does in other bands, maybe even more so, and the band he has backing him are all so damn talented, too. it’s nearly an hour in length but doesn’t feel it at all, going by in a flash. ‘Dark Lands’, ‘Our Constellation 2.0’ and ‘Savengers’ are all personal highlights. It gives off vibes of Queensryche or Night Ranger in the best ways. The riffing and soloing is excellent, while the drumming and powerful, soaring vocals fit all of it excellently! It’s completely different to Kingcrown, but arguably in the best possible way. If you are at all into any of the genres or bands I’ve mentioned previously, I’d highly recommend checking this out, you certainly won’t be disappointed! It’s an album I can see myself listening to on and off all year, and it gets another very solid 8/10 from us!

Jay Buchanan: Weapons of Beauty

More of a chilled-out, slower country release now, but one that won me over more and more on my first listen. While I do usually like this sort of style, 50 minutes of it is normally a bit much for me. However, Buchanan is so damn talented that I couldn’t help but love every minute of this and have listened to it at least a few times in the month since its release. The first couple of songs are beautiful and great, but the gospel-y ‘True Black’ was really what won me over, and put into context the rest of the album. The rest of the album, and subsequently the previous songs after, I was obsessed with. And while they’re all good individually, this is a release that begs to be listened to in full. It all flows perfectly together and somehow each song improves the other. His voice is hauntingly beautiful, full of emotion and giving me goosebumps on more than one occasion throughout. And, the air of indie/soft rock/Americana on a couple of tracks was fantastic, breaking things up perfectly and definitely serving as album highlights. While I’m personally going to give it a 7.5/10, it is still a fantastic album and well worth checking out for anyone even vaguely interested. And, come summer and after more listens, it may get an even higher score!

Nearly Skulls: PAX AMERICANA

Describing themself as ‘grumpy dad rock’ is somehow both perfect and soul destroying, as this is very much the music of my youth (though the back end of it, I suppose). However, one of the hardest working artists around currently, the band dropped this on January 3rd and have put out multiple singles in the two months since. The frequency of their output doesn’t at all diminish the quality of their music though, as this is an excellent release! ‘Only in America’ is fantastic, R.E.M. goodness. Then you have the more Bad Religion-esque ‘Living the Dream’ and the awesome ‘Polarized and Weaponized’ that I’m also obsessed with. Oh, and the other two songs are also great, too! The whole album has a distinct punk vibe to it, and has some of the best lyrics I’ve heard all year. They’re yet another artist from this list that deserve so much more love than they are getting, but either way they have killed it with this EP! They have a big new fan in me, and it’s a very easy 8.5/10

Fear of Domination: Katharsis

This big Finnish metal band are as theatrical as they are industrial, and immediately draw my mind towards Mushroomhead as the closest comparison. However, even that doesn’t quite do the, justice, as it has elements of melodeath as well as a general epicness that can only seem to come out of Europe. It’s another one that has grown on me with multiple listens, and has caused me to since go back and check out their previous releases, making an easy new fan in me! From the opener to ‘Monsters’, ‘Last Words’ to ‘All as One’ there is so much to love throughout. It’s equal parts melodic, heavy and grandiose, and I truly believe it’s impossible not to have a good time listening to it. The band are insanely talented and have crafted something pretty special with this release, maybe my favourite they’ve put out. I can’t give it any less than 9/10, amazing stuff!

The Last Sound Revelation: The Proximity Effect

Though instrumental, I would recommend anyone check this out, especially if you are a musician yourself. The talent on display throughout is INSANELY HIGH. And, the composition of each try is great too, constantly keeping me interested, shocking for 46-minutes without any vocals! It’s technical, beautiful, proggy and pretty heavy all in equal measure. The Tool-like ‘Angel of Incidence’ and ‘Hypercube’ are probably my highlights, but I have listened through this whole thing at least a couple of times since its release. I’d definitely recommend just sitting in a dark room with some headphones on and really get lost in this thing. It’s very much a release that won’t be for everyone, but if you are even vaguely interested it is well worth giving it a try. As I said, even if it’s just to marvel at the sheer talent on display. I can’t really dwell on it all too long, but it gets 7.5/10 from us, very damn solid for an instrumental album!

Stone Sea: Ad Astra

This is stoner/doom rock awesomeness for almost a solid half-an-hour! The first album from the Ireland-based band in over a decade, it’s clear the band didn’t lose a step at all between releases. From the huge riffs to the awesome breakdowns, catchy vocals to heart-pounding drums, it all fits together perfectly. And, honestly, it all fits together in such a great, concise 27-minute package that it’s pretty hard to pick individual highlights! Some of the melodies on it are fantastic, and so damn catchy. It’s definitely got some QOTSA to it, but also a healthy dose of Homme’s old work in Kyuss. And there are so many awesome other influences tucked away within, but at the same time Ad Astra feels like something wholly unique to Stone Sea. These guys have really hit their stride from a writing perspective here, and it gets a damn solid 8/10 from us. Hopefully we don’t have to wait another 10+ years for the next album!

Abissi: Paramagia

Long-time readers of this site will know I’m not the biggest fan of modern hardcore music. However, when it’s infused with some of the chunkiest riffs ever, I’m all of the way down! I don’t know what it is about ‘Funerale in Messico’, but I wanted it pumping directly into my veins from the first moment I heard it. It’s dark and heavy, but swaggering and also has an insanely technical guitar solo in it, having really a bit of everything! ‘Le Chiese’ and ‘Cemento’ are also both BANGERS. I have no idea what is being said throughout, but I don’t need to, the music and vibe speak for it! I’m nervous to say it, but honestly, this is like Turnstile if they were good. If you are at all into that sort of energy, but also with a bit more metal and stoner infusion, this is most certainly the album for you! And (I’m sensing a trend through this list…), it’s short and sweet, not giving me chance to get bored or distracted. Another excellent album that I’d honestly recommend anyone give a try to, as there’s a little bit for everyone. 8.5/10

Reviews

Of Ghosts and Gods: How Does Sons of Town Hall’s Second Offering Match up to Their Debut?

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The Transatlantic folk duo of David Berkeley and Ben Parker are set to release their highly anticipated sophomore album tomorrow. I honestly hadn’t known them before a couple of weeks ago when I got emailed about this release, but since then have become a big fan. Their sound and writing style is so unique, hooking me in from my very first listen. I got the chance to interview the pair about the release, and it has only gotten me more hyped for it. Almost all of it has been dropped as singles over the last couple of years, but I am incredibly interested to hear how it all fits together as a release. Without further ado, let’s dive right into this, shall we?

‘Gods’ starts the release off incredibly, with a beautiful piano melody. The strings building in behind it gradually add another fantastic layer, immediately taking the listener on a journey. And then, after a bit, some incredible choir vocals add to it, the layering being utterly phenomenal. It’s feels like it crescendos around the two minute mark, dropping back to the piano and this time a guitar, the layers building back up masterfully for the tracks conclusion. Honestly, it gave me goosebumps and immediately drew emotion out of me. I’m not sure if that’s because we typically don’t cover this sort of style, but I was wrapped up and washed away in the album immediately from this track alone. It’s the perfect way to set up an album like this. Beautiful, well put together, and full of emotion.

The beautiful vibes continue excellent with ‘How to Build a Boat’. The acoustic guitar chord progression setting things up perfectly, and the harmonised vocals coming in over the top of it sounded amazing. The layering of the vocals is incredible too, with the main hook continuing on while a verse line comes in over the top. It keeps its catchy edge and fits together like two jigsaw pieces. The vocals join together again for the massive chorus, it being just as catchy as the other part, a melody sure to be stuck in my head for days to come! The strings once again coming in for the chorus is amazing too, adding just another layer of greatness on top of the rest. It all combines together perfectly to make something truly epic and grandiose, and I loved every second of it. This is a massive early highlight, and a track that very easily makes our playlist!

The simple acoustic-and-vocal combo continues perfectly through the opening of ‘Wild Winds’. It sounds gorgeous, and the lyrics here are phenomenal, packed full of feeling and emotion and being such good storytelling. And just adding that second vocal on for the chorus was a great call, making it feel bigger while still keeping that simplicity and feel. The rest of the instrumentation doesn’t come in until the bridge, feeling more than earned as the percussion and horns come in, adding to everything fantastically. When the multi-layers vocals came in over it all it once again gave me goosebumps. And, just as quickly as they came in, they were gone again, dropping back to the simple guitar and vocals. This is yet another phenomenal track, and one that I’ll definitely be revisiting plenty! What a first quarter of the album!

‘The Lion’s Paw’ and ‘Whalebone’ both start in a similar way to ‘…Winds’, stripped back to just one instrument and vocals. Both build up similarly to the previous track too, reaching grand levels of instrumentation by the mid-point. However, the latter does feel a little different, the almost haunting vocals in the opening and bridge giving it a vaguely ritualistic feel. It also has one of the biggest, gradualist builds of the album, it reaching huge heights by the end. It’s a true testament to the duo’s songwriting and producing skill, and sounds absolutely brilliant. The heightening pace of the guitar is also amazing, giving it a real sense of urgency building more and more. It’s yet another high point of the album for me, on an album so far jam packed with them. DAMN.

We then reach a run of the album’s recent singles, ‘The Rocky Shores of England’, ‘Antarctica’ and ‘Sirens’. The former was my introduction to the band and has remained a mainstay of my music listening for the last few weeks now. It’s yet another perfectly encapsulates what the band is about and their style, and was a fantastic choice for a lead single. It also has some of the best lyrics on the album, truly touching. Meanwhile, the latter is a quirky, female-vocal-featuring track that I’ve already gushed about plenty. However, it’s a track I have listened to a few times, and is entrancingly beautiful. Then you have ‘Antarctica’, and what another incredible highlight! Starting low, it builds steadily into something truly special by the end. It’s an uplifting track from a lyrical standpoint, and the instrumentation reflects that perfectly. It was another goosebump-inducing track, and is honestly incredible. The multiple-vocals were so powerful. I’d arguably have closed the album with it, it’s that grandiose. But yeah, check this out ASAP, it’s maybe my favourite track on the album!

The final few tracks, from ‘New Orleans’ to ‘Ghosts’, are all amazing tracks in their own right. They follow a similar structure and vibe as the others on the album, so didn’t want to repeat myself over and over, but know that they are all great and worth spinning. I especially love the simple instrumental closer, it bringing the album full circle perfectly: I love that the album is bookended by its two title tracks. The duo take the listener on such a journey, and really don’t let you go until the end. It is well worth listening through the album in full at least once, as you really get to appreciate each track in its entirety and how they fit into one another!

Overall: This is an absolutely fantastic release! I’d expected to like it heading in, but wasn’t expecting to be blown away quite this much! Every track is great, while some I am legitimately obsessed with! And it all flows together so perfectly, too. The pair are amazing songwriters, and have crafted something so beautiful and special with this release. From the vocals to the lyrics to the arrangements, it’s all incredible. It won’t be for everyone, but if you have made it this far you must be at least a little interested, and I can’t recommend checking this out enough!

The Score: 9/10

P.S. shoutout to the cover art, which is truly stunning!