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News Report

Every week we roundup the best music news from the past week!

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News Report

Foo Fighters announce UK Tour

Welcome everyone to another edition of our weekly music News Report!

We start this week with a run of huge live announcements and they didn’t get bigger last week than the UK return of Foo Fighters!

The band will play seven enormous stadium shows across the UK next June, and tickets are flown out!

Joining the band at the various shows will be Wet Leg, Courtney Barnett, Loose Articles, Chroma, Honeyblood, Shame, Hot Milk and Himalayas!

Check ticket availability here.

Read our review of ‘But Here We Are’ from Foo Fighters

Muse announce new UK shows

Another mammoth act with new shows on the horizon are Muse, who are fresh from finishing another huge summer stadium tour.

The trio will be heading back inside this autumn with arena shows set in Manchester and London as they continue the ‘Will of the People’ World Tour.

Special guests for these shows will be Nova Twins!

Tickets will be here.

Read our review of Muse live in Milton Keynes

Circa Waves reveal intimate dates

From Stadiums, to Arenas and now some of the best intimate venues in the UK!

Circa Waves have announced details of a special run of UK live dates from which a portion of the profits will be donated to local foodbanks in each town they are touring through.

The band had the following to say about the decision to show their support.

“We’re so happy to be supporting food banks on our next tour. In this current climate where the cost of living crisis is hitting everyone we know that being able to feed your family is no longer a given. We will be playing a handful of small intimate shows with a percentage of profits going to local food banks in each area. Can’t wait to see you there.”

Tickets are here.

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Those Damn Crows set UK Tour

There are still a handful more great tour announcements to come in our News Report, and up next are Those Damn Crows.

The group have announce ‘The Takedown Tour’, which will take place this October.

Tickets are here.

Check out our two Podcasts!

The Virginmarys announce UK live dates

Also announcing new UK live dates this week were The Virginmarys, with the duo out on the road in August and September.

Tickets are here.

Read our review of The Virginmarys live in Norwich

REWS reveal new UK Tour

Finally for this section of our News Report is the news that REWS will be taking new album, ‘Meridians’ on tour this autumn!

The album is out on October 13th and ticket and album bundles are available now here.

Read our review of Y Not Festival 2022

News Report

Blur release new track ‘St. Charles Square’

Blur – ‘St. Charles Square’

We move our News Report on now to the best new releases from the past week and can’t start anywhere else other than with Blur!

The group are preparing for their Wembley Stadium shows and have debuted new track, ‘St. Charles Square’, which you can check out above.

Damon Albarn said of the track – “St. Charles Square is a place where the ghosts of monsters can be found.” 

The track comes ahead of new album, ‘The Ballad of Darren’, which is out July 21st.

Pre-order your copy here.

Listen to ‘St. Charles Square’ on our Spotify Hot List!

Greta Van Fleet share ‘The Falling Sky’

Greta Van Fleet – ‘The Falling Sky’

Greta Van Fleet this week shared their latest offering, ‘The Falling Sky’, which you can check out above.

The track will feature on upcoming new album, ‘Starcatcher’, which is out on 21st July.

“An unwavering warrior carrying on the endless, eternal, and impossible battle for salvation; these were the elements of symbolism associated with this particular track,” explains guitarist Jake Kiszka. “In essence our fate is sealed, alike the stars that fall from the almighty heavens to the earth. This philosophy is carried through in the story of a bluesman, at the crossroads of the universe.”

Pre-order your copy here.

Listen to ‘The Falling Sky’ on our ‘Hard & Heavy’ Playlist!

Mammoth WVH debut ‘Take A Bow’

Mammoth WVH – ‘Take A Bow’

Next up in our News Report is ‘Take A Bow’, the latest single from Mammoth WVH, which you can check out above.

The song comes ahead of new album, ‘Mammoth II’, which is released August 4th.

Pre-order your copy here.

Listen to ‘Take A Bow’ on our ‘Hard & Heavy’ Playlist!

Bowling For Soup announce ‘Songs People Actually Liked – Volume 2’

Bowling For Soup – ‘1985 (BFS Version)’

Bowling For Soup have revealed details of new collection, ‘Songs People Actually Liked – Voume 2’, which focuses on tracks from 2004 to 2009.

You can check out a new BFS version of their hit single, ‘1985’, above.

Here are some thoughts from BFS main man Jaret Reddick about the upcoming Volume 2 of their Greatest Hits:

“Having a “Greatest Hits” is one of things you sort of dream about as a kid, but deep down, it’s more if a fantasy really. Now here we are realizing our second and we have nearly made it to half way through our career.

I was nervous about these songs. Sonically, on the originals, they were already “there.” But I think like everything in our band, the years add something to the luster, and it certainly happened here!

The songs are still intact with their original selves. But I think you will feel a different energy. In a good way.”

Pre-order your copy here.

Listen to ‘1985 (BFS version)’ on our ‘Hard & Heavy’ Playlist!

Holding Absence debut ‘Honey Moon’

Holding Absence – ‘Honey Moon’

Holding Absence continue to build towards the release of upcoming new album, ‘The Noble Art of Self Destruction’, which is out August 25th.

Recently the group share new single, ‘Honey Moon’, which you can check out above.

The band shared, “‘Honey Moon’ is perhaps Holding Absence’s most beautiful song to date! A track inspired by the Pixies and Deftones – this is a lovesick poem that looks to the stars to portray a deep, isolated yearning for the love of another.”

Pre-order your copy here.

Listen to ‘Honey Moon’ on our Spotify Hot List!

Underoath debut ‘Lifeline (Drowning)’

Underoath – ‘Lifeline (Drowning)’

Underoath have shared their newest stand-alone single, ‘Lifeline (Drowning)’, which you can check out above.

Speaking on the new single, Underoath said ““Lifeline (Drowning)” is a cry for help
 I feel like we’ve all been there, be it as simple as miscommunication or a full on toxic relationship – that very feeling that you cannot tread water like this any longer or you may end up drowning. We wanted to create a song centered around the melody that could still hold the energy of a full blown heavy song.”

More here.

Listen to ‘Lifeline (Drowning)’ on our ‘Hard & Heavy’ Playlist!

Caskets share ‘Better Way Out’

Caskets – ‘Better Way Out’

Caskets, who recently announced their new album, ‘Reflections’, for an August 11th release, have released an affirming new single, ‘Better Way Out’, which you can check out above.

Speaking of the track, frontman Matt Flood says, “Better Way Out is a song that relates to suicidal thoughts and tendencies. It’s a song about noticing and understanding the trials and tribulations of life, about rising above the feelings of depression and anxiety and knowing your self worth. To have somebody say that they see you and they hear you, or to have a community by your side while you go through these daily battles isn’t something afforded to everybody. So many of us can blindly walk through the barriers that we build inside our heads, alone without a shoulder to cry on or a friend to lend an ear.”

”No matter what you’ve been through and might still be going through… there are always routes out of your situation.” he states. “You are strong, you are beautiful, you are loved and you are enough. Don’t walk that road alone. We all need each other.”

Pre-order your album here.

Listen to ‘Better Way Out’ on our ‘Hard & Heavy’ Playlist!

Fixation announce ‘More Subtle Than Death’

Fixation – ‘Flat Earth’

Fixation have announced details of their highly anticipated debut album. ‘More Subtle Than Death’ will be released September 8th.

Fixation states: â€œWe didn’t want to limit ourselves to one particular sound, although the album sounds like Fixation as a whole, there are songs that are more poppy, more heavy, more grandiose and symphonic and more straight forward rock songs. The subjects in the songs are things that frightens and worries us about the state of the world today. These are things that we want to see change in.”

You can check out the latest single from the band ‘Flat Earth’ above.

Pre-orders will be available soon here.

Listen to ‘Flat Earth’ on our Spotify Hot List!

Dream State share ‘Chin Up Princess’

Dream State – ‘Chin Up Princess’

Our News Report continues with another great new release from Dream State.

The group have shared their latest new single, ‘Chin Up Princess’, which you can of course check out above!

More here.

Listen to ‘Chin Up Princess’ on our Spotify Hot List!

Grian Chatten debuts ‘All of the People’

Grian Chatten – ‘All of the People’

Grian Chatten has released his debut album, ‘Chaos for the Fly’, and ahead of the release he shared the last pre-release single, ‘All of the People’, which you can check out above.

On the single Grian explains: “All of the people is the stiff collar tight-fisted hand to the grindstone written where all is blue and everyone is a liar. It is a line of chalk scratched around the world.”

Grab a copy of the album here.

Listen to ‘All of the People’ on our Spotify Hot List!

Almost Nothing debut ‘Anything Whatever’

Almost Nothing – ‘Anything Whatever’

Idlewild frontman Roddy Woomble this week announced his new band Almost Nothing and shared their debut single, ‘Anything Whatever’, which you can check out above.

The band have also revealed their self-titled debut album will arrive later this year with pre-orders here.

Listen to ‘Anything Whatever’ on our Spotify Hot List!

Marc Hudson debuts ‘Astralive’

Marc Hudson – ‘Astralive’

Dragonforce singer Marc Hudson has revealed details of his debut solo album, ‘Starbound Stories’, which is out August 25th.

This week saw Hudson share lead single, ‘Astralive’, which you can check out above.

Hudson on the single, “’Astralive’ is the first single from the album and takes the listener on a power metal journey through space and time. This song explores the cosmic mysteries of the universe and mankind’s eternal search for wisdom beyond the stars.”

Hudson adds, “It is with great pride that I can finally announce my signing to Napalm Records. I’m very grateful for the label’s belief in me as a solo artist and can’t wait to have Napalm on my side to show Starbound Stories to the world!”

Pre-order your copy here.

Listen to ‘Astralive’ on our ‘Hard & Heavy’ Playlist!

News Report

As always we conclude our News Report with the latest additions to our ‘Discover’ New Music Playlist!

News Report
Wilmette – ‘No One Knew’

Illinois pop punk 5-piece Wilmette has released, ‘No One Knew’, the next single off the band’s long-awaited debut full-length, ‘Hyperfocused’, out on August 4th.

Vocalist Aaron Hailey says, “It’s about the guilt of not being able to help someone through a hard time, and the helpless feeling that comes with being there while they struggle.”

Guitarist Griffin Guge adds, “We tracked this song exactly halfway through the recording process. It was a point where we thought we knew where the record was going until we got to this song.

There was a lot of room to grow on the track, and we definitely got excited to experiment with a lot of cool guitar sounds. One of my favorites of which is in the bridge. We used a variety of unconventional guitar techniques as well as pedals to quite literally make it sound like the song is breaking and the building you’re in is coming down. I think it was very fitting for the part.”

Major Moment – ‘Overcome’

Pop-Metal band Major Moment are back with their new single ‘Overcome’!

“‘Overcome’ was inspired by our music journey and is about prevailing over difficult times and persevering against all odds. But if we zoom out and look at our everyday lives, full of conflicts, health issues, losses, financial struggles, aspirations, wins and failures, we see a similar theme everyone can relate to, the one of pain and, as a result of overcoming it, personal growth. ‘Overcome’ is the anthem made for all creators out there struggling to get their voices heard, doubting every day if it’s worth fighting for.” – Vocalist, Sasha.

News Report
News Report
Crushed By Waves – ‘Won’t Get Out Alive’

UK alt-rockers Crushed By Waves have shared new single, ‘Won’t Get Out Alive’.

Crushed By Waves write from experience, with the new track being a statement of why they are putting everything into their art.   The band explain:

“Won’t Get Out Alive is all about keeping the faith, pushing through the hardest times, holding on, and never giving up, even if it kills us. When we see our music can bring a room full of strangers together, the energy in that room is worth dying for, it actually gives us life.”

Listen, Follow and Discover your new favourite act now with our ‘Discover’ New Music Playlist

Then find out the stories behind the songs on our ‘Discover’ New Music Podcast!

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Read our review of Incubus live in London

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Live Reviews

Download Festival

Donington Park, Castle Donington

Thursday 8th to Sunday 11th June 2023

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DOWNLOAD FESTIVAL 2023 REVIEW

This weekend is a celebration of twenty years of Download Festival. Stepping into the void left by Monsters of Rock not just at the hyped spiritual home of rock Donington Park but to the whole UK rock/metal scene, Download has become its own monster.

This year is truly monstrous as the event is fully sold out with record breaking numbers of attendees coming to partake in the celebration. Those celebrations get off to a rough start though with unprecedented traffic problems souring the event for many before it even properly begins.

📾 Live Nation UK PR

Once the music starts though a lot if not all of those problems subside. There is a stacked bill for the anniversary party including two nights of Metallica, a closing set from Download icons Slipknot but most vitally a new headline act Bring Me The Horizon.

The gap between Monsters of Rock and Download caused a vacuum in ability for bands to hit headline status with many acts from that era missing out on that status, Korn being one such act often thought of as passed over. Think about it, if they’d headlined at Donington Park in the late nineties, they’d no doubt still be that rank higher than they are now.

In the early years of Download, a number of bands had an opportunity to cement themselves at the top level, think Audioslave, Linkin Park, System of a Down and My Chemical Romance.

Playing alongside stalwarts like Iron Maiden, Metallica, Black Sabbath and Kiss gives bands credibility and elevates their stock. 2009’s Slipknot set is still heralded as the best example of the ‘bump’!

The problem is since then only Avenged Sevenfold in 2014 have really been given that opportunity and Download has become a bit of a clichéd round robin of the likes of Def Leppard, Rammstein, Aerosmith and other favourites already mentioned.

Perhaps then the most important booking in a celebration of the past is the look to the future with Bring Me The Horizon finally getting the top spot. Whilst Download probably should’ve got in before Reading and Leeds, it’s hopefully a sign of a subtle change of tact from the festival.

That’s because the line-up is also graced this year by the likes of Hot Milk, Nova Twins and Bob Vylan in prominent slots. Mixing this with the likes of classic Download bands Disturbed, Alter Bridge, Halestorm and Skindred gives the line-up a fresh but familiar feel.

Sadly beyond the bookings of Metallica and Slipknot plus the additional day there isn’t much done to make this year feel special for those who have made Download Festival part of their lives.

Whilst the organisers could have done more both in terms of that something special and in certain ways just the very basics, they have provided a top tier line-up, so let’s take a look at the highlights!

THURSDAY

Cancer Bats get the ball rolling on day one for us over at the second stage (now dubbed the Opus stage). The band get those that have made it into the arena pumped up with a early set packed full of ragers that ultimately ends prematurely when the sound is cut during ‘Hail Destroyer’!

Soon thereafter, Mammoth WVH get proceedings underway on the main stage (or Apex as it’s now called!). In some ways it’s fitting having the Van Halen name on this stage, in others it’s very ironic as the legendary band are often referred to by lead booker Andy Copping as one that got away.

Wolfgang and co show that with or without the last name, they have the talent needed to conquer stages like these. From start to finish it’s an excellent showing that places the band on the potential list for future festival stars.

Next up on the Opus stage are Hundred Reasons who are riding the wave of their stunning return album, ‘Glorious Sunset’. The band open with the title-track before running through a series of classic tracks much to the delight of those gathered. Hopefully this isn’t a victory lap for the band as creatively and onstage they are as good as they’ve ever been!

As we focus on the future of the festival, two names often linked to future headline status are Halestorm and Alter Bridge. It’s fine booking then to see the bands back to back next on the Apex stage.

Halestorm deliver another flawless set that seems to finish before it begins given their short allocated slot. That’s not necessarily a bad thing though given the old saying of leave the fans wanting more. Halestorm certainly do that and with a headline date pencilled in at Wembley Arena this December, the next time the band grace Donington you’d hope to see them in the sub-headline spot.

That’s the spot filled by Alter Bridge who have played in this position multiple times before; a sense perhaps then of always the bridesmaid and never the bride! Today though the band give it their all to show what they have to offer.

Watching the crowd, the set seems to be really well received which is a good sign. The band after all are always technically superb, so if enhancing that audience connection is the missing piece to progression then today’s set will have gone a long way to creating that link!

All that’s left on this special Thursday then is the first of two headline performances from the biggest metal band on the planet, Metallica. The two sets will be completely unique, giving fans the chance to see far more than a standard Metallica set list.

Night one has a good mix of hits like ‘Creeping Death’, ‘Fade To Black’, ‘Nothing Else Matters’, ‘Sad but True’ and ‘Master of Puppets’, deep cuts such as ‘Leper Messiah’, ‘King Nothing’ and ‘Orion’ plus new material from ’72 Seasons’.

FRIDAY

Friday is a huge day for the future of heavy music with a number of hotly tipped bands performing on the main stage including headliners Bring Me The Horizon.

We start on the Opus stage though with a debut UK festival appearance from Mexicans The Warning. The sister trio deliver an assured performance which belies their position on the bill. The set is another case of leaving the audience wanting more and you have to imagine that they’ll be back very soon.

Nova Twins take to the Apex stage soon after and absolutely own the stage. The duo are able to show just why they have so much hype with a performance that should be talked about as one of the best of the weekend.

Hot Milk have the unenviable task of following the pure energy that was Nova Twins, and thankfully for the band and the crowd they are up to the task. With a debut album on the way the band are on the cusp of something special and this set will again not doubt be one of those “I was there” moments.

The effortless cool of Demob Happy delights the Avalanche stage next as they showcase their stunning new album, ‘Divine Machines’.

Back on the Apex stage with the run of younger bands, next up for us are Neck Deep who are perennial contenders for bigger things. Today they have tens of thousands of people singing back the likes of ‘December’ and you have to consider Neck Deep’s set another victory for the new breed of Download band.

It’s a short and sharp blast from the past next as we pop to the Avalanche stage for the return of The Blackout. The band perform like they’ve not been away and receive a hero’s return from the audience. With the tease of more live dates to follow, it looks like The Blackout are back and back with a bang today!

It’s a quick bolt over to the Opus stage next for Within Temptation who are clearly playing a slot below their stature. The performance the band give is headline worthy not just of this stage but of the main stage. The band has a wealth of experience and use all their tricks to deliver a masterful set full of their best crowd pleasing hits.

By the time Evanescence grace the stage, the mass of humanity in attendance is a clear indication that the band should have been on the main stage. Viewing points are few and far between but wherever you are stood the band sonically deliver. A mixture of old and new is greeted well regardless but it’s mega hit ‘Bring Me to Life’ that has the entire place singing their hearts out.

It’s then time for that set. Bring Me The Horizon take over the main stage and prove any remaining doubters wrong. Making Metallica appear average, the band give their all both aesthetically and musically and produce possibly the greatest headline performance in the twenty years of the festival.

As we said earlier, the band should have been given this slot years ago, but if they had then this moment wouldn’t have existed. Their show tonight is the proof needed that the next wave are ready now and the gatekeepers need to move aside.

This set is historic not just for the theme of the weekend or for the stature of Bring Me The Horizon, it’s historic as a watershed moment for this festival. New headliners of the future should personally thank Bring Me The Horizon for breaking through that proverbial ceiling!

SATURDAY

On to Saturday now and nobody mention the weather! A celebration of twenty years of Download would have fittingly seem some rain and mud, and from this point on the festival is so hot that many would probably have willing traded the sun for some rain.

After last night it almost feels an anti-climax for the festival to continue, but another Metallica set should never be scoffed at. Thankfully there are still some fresh new bands breaking through lower down the bill today, and first up we catch Static Dress who seemingly channel the energy of Bring Me The Horizon with the fantastic opening Opus stage set.

One of the best bits of a festival for a publication passionate about new music is stumbling across a surprise gem on one of the side stages. This year that is ANTISAINT who simply storm the small Dogtooth stage with a ferocious set and definitely leave with more fans than they had going in.

The new look FEVER 333 then take to the main stage and deliver another memorable moment with Jason Aalon Butler scaling one of the massive towers erected in the main arena. That moment though shouldn’t take away from the already phenomenal set the band had delivered.

Lake Malice are next for us back in the Avalanche stage who are able to continue the run of top tier performances we’ve caught thus far. Whilst some of the organisational elements of the festival have been lacking, the music has been of the highest calibre and Lake Malice are another band you suspect will be back in a bigger spot sooner rather than later.

Next on the Apex stage are Ice Nine Kills, whose theatrics create a spectacle on the main stage, but musically they feel a little flat, perhaps being the first underwhelming set of the weekend.

Clutch who follow then also suffer both through technical difficulties and the energy sapping heat which probably negatively impacted Ice Nine Kills as well. The lack of enthusiasm from the crowd doesn’t help and it’s probably a good thing we are headed to a tent next.

We are set now for another one-two punch, this time in the Avalanche tent with Kid Kapichi and Bob Vylan on tap. It’s Kid Kapichi up first and they instantly raise the intensity levels with opener ‘Sardines’. Each song that follows is just as rewarding and by the time the band finish with ‘Smash the Gaff’ they’ve done just that!

One of the most exiting acts on the bill this weekend are Bob Vylan. The mention of ceilings earlier is relevant because this duo haven’t just smashed ceilings they’ve proceeded to stamp the shards into dust. Their performance to a packed crowd today is further evidence that new acts can make Download their home. That’s exactly what Bob Vylan do here as to repeat another clichĂ© they completely own the stage.

It was always going to be hard to follow that suckerpunch and next on the main stage with the intense heat still sapping all energy, Disturbed deliver a plodding set. The set list is fine, the performance is far from phoned-in but with the audience struggling and the band following the ferocity of Bob Vylan, Disturbed feel distinctly average today.

We then head to the Opus stage expecting Placebo to also struggle to engage the tired and weary crowd. After all this is the third day which would traditionally be the home straight, and Placebo are not known for their crowd pleasing set list choices.

Pleasantly though those making the effort are surprisingly rewarded not just with an energised performance from the band but also a excellent set of songs including a very rare outing for the superb ‘Nancy Boy’. On their day Placebo can be an incredible live act and today they are at the peak of their powers which re-energises the previously zombified crowd.

It’s then time for night two of Metallica’s no repeat weekend. There are some great choice cuts in the set tonight such as a tour debut for ‘Whiplash’ plus ‘Until It Sleeps’, ‘Wherever I May Roam’ and Thin Lizzy cover ‘Whiskey in the Jar’! The finale of ‘One’ and ‘Enter Sandman’ ensures that the hits are accounted for as well as Metallica deliver another slick and graceful set.

SUNDAY

The final day feels like a step too far, most definitely compounded by the unrelenting heat, but once again when lost in the music all those issues somehow disappear – the power of music!

Bloodywood start the day off with an engaging performance on the Apex stage, before our recent Podcast guests Blind Channel deliver on their promise to bring the energy to Download. The sight of many metalheads singing along to a rendition of Anastacia’s ‘Left Outside Alone’ is a real sight to behold and set closer ‘Dark Side’ has everybody with their middle finger in the air.

Lorna Shore then suffer again from a lack of enthusiasm from the crowd and their sound getting swallowed up by the enormous space. Joey Valence & Brae though have neither issue in the Avalanche tent with a rambunctious and fun-filled slot.

As the heat and the excesses of the weekend catch up on the crowd it’s telling that for this afternoon outdoor sets like The Amity Affliction and Avatar whilst technically great feel like a struggle. Whereas tented sets from Joey Valence and Brae and the brilliant The Meffs are able to revive the crowd and thrive on their rejuvenation.

Thankfully things start to cool as clouds begin to take over the sky as we get ready for Dinosaur Pile-Up on the Opus stage. Sadly technical difficulties shorten their set to just five songs, but those five songs sound fantastic!

I Prevail have a huge slot on the main stage and make a good impression although you do again feel something is just lacking today. Not to flog a dead horse any further but it may be the low energy levels today or the enormity of the stage swallowing the heavier sound but it’s hard to truly get into their set today.

Thankfully the smaller outdoor Opus stage seems to have a lot of energy and Bad Religion are able to take advantage of that next with a typically slick run of punk rock anthems. Opening with ‘American Jesus’ the band able to hold your attention throughout before finishing with a rousing rendition of ’21st Century (Digital Boy)’.

Next up on this stage are Ghost who really should be headlining the main stage at this point. Musically and theatrically they are on another level and you have a sense of the Bring Me The Horizons about then. Hopefully Download Festival will strike while the iron is hot because everything about their performance today is perfect.

Ghost are so good that you also feel it unnecessary to watch Slipknot, but as soon as the band hit the stage you are glad that you stayed. The history between the band and festival is huge and it’s great that they are one of the few acts that seem to properly acknowledge that this weekend.

A standard (which is great) Slipknot set follows with some sentimental set choices and an enthralling stage show. It’s really fitting for Slipknot to close out what has been an intense weekend of celebration.

Download Festival
📾 Live Nation UK PR

The busiest and longest ever Download Festival will last long in the memory for reasons both good and bad. As we said at the start, this festival is a true monster now and has enough dedicated customers to ensure that it will never go down as its predecessor did. It has however become rather soulless and corporate and it feels like the identity it created over the first decade or so could be lost.

Hopefully the event will use this success to both maintain its heritage but also to now really push for the future headliners and top acts to come through. So, congratulations Download on twenty phenomenal years, and here’s to many many more to come!

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Magazine

News Report

Every week we roundup the best music news from the past week!

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News Report

Linkin Park share ‘Fighting Myself’

Linkin Park – ‘Fighting Myself’

Welcome everyone to another edition of our weekly music News Report!

This week we begin with the best new releases of the past week and up first are Linkin Park.

The iconic group are celebrating the 20th Anniversary of their seminal album, ‘Meteora’. As part of these celebrations the band have now shared another unreleased track from that era. You can listen to that track, ‘Fighting Myself’, above!

Pre-order your copy of the re-issue here.

Listen on our Spotify Hot List!

Skindred debut ‘Set Fazers’

Skindred – ‘Set Fazers’

Skindred returned this week with, ‘Set Fazers’, the second single from their upcoming new album, ‘Smile’, which is out August 4th. You can check out the video for the single above.

Lead singer Benji Webbe states, â€œStar date 22.3.23: With this song we’re boldly going where no ragga-metal has gone before. We come in peace, L.O.V.E and unity, to bring Skindred’s outergalactic sound-system to the infinite expanse of the cosmos.”

Skindred drummer Arya Goggin continues, â€œThe idea with the ‘Set Fazers’ video was to make a Sci Fi meets Dancehall epic! Through TikTok we met an amazing dancer called Shin (whose dance to our song ‘Nobody’ went viral earlier this year) and he’s added his unique style to the video too. We had so much fun filming it and can’t wait to share it with everyone.”

Pre-order your copy here.

Listen on our Spotify Hot List!

Empire State Bastard share debut single ‘Harvest’

Empire State Bastard – ‘Harvest’

Empire State Bastard, the new project from Biffy Clyro’s Simon Neil and his long-time colleague Mike Vennart of Oceansize, have shared their debut single ‘Harvest’, which you can check out above.

The track features the legendary drummer Dave Lombardo and represents the first taste of what the project will offer with the band simply exclaiming “Empires fall, States rise, Bastards sing
it’s Harvest time motherfuckers!”.

More here.

Listen on our ‘Hard & Heavy’ Playlist!

Saxon share ‘Razamanaz’

Saxon – ‘Razamanaz’

British heavy metal legends Saxon have released their second album of influences, ‘More Inspirations’, this week. Alongside the album came a new single, ‘Razamanaz’, which you can check out above.

Frontman Biff Byford comments “In the seventies we’d go and see Nazareth they were one of the premier touring hard rock bands. We were lucky to tour with them in 1980, they used to open the show with this song, it’s about the audience performed to an audience
 brilliant stuff!”

Grab your copy here.

Listen on our ‘Hard & Heavy’ Playlist

Mammoth WVH debuts ‘Another Celebration at the End of the World’

Mammoth WVH – ‘Another Celebration at the End of the World’

Next up in our News Report is Mammoth WVH who has revealed that a sophomore album will arrive on August 4th entitled, ‘Mammoth II’.

Alongside that announcement came the lead single for the album, ‘Another Celebration at the End of the World’, which you can check out above!

Pre-order your copy here.

Listen on our ‘Hard & Heavy’ Playlist!

The Pearl Harts share ‘Hypocritical’

The Pearl Harts – ‘Hypocritical’

There was more new music on offer this week from The Pearl Harts also as the duo shared their new single, ‘Hypocritical’, which you can of course check out above!

The track is the third single to come from their upcoming album, ‘LOVE, CHAOS’, which arrives on April 21st!

Pre-order your copy here.

Listen on our Spotify Hot List!

The Pigeon Detectives return with ‘Lovers Come and Lovers Go’

The Pigeon Detectives – ‘Lovers Come and Lovers Go’

This week also saw the return of The Pigeon Detectives with new single, ‘Lovers Come and Lovers Go’, which you can listen to above.

The band also announced that they will release a brand new album, ‘TV Show’, which will arrive July 7th.

Pre-order your copy here.

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Saint Agnes debut ‘Bloodsuckers’

Saint Agnes – ‘Bloodsuckers’

Saint Agnes also announced the release of their new album, ‘Bloodsuckers’, this week with the album set to arrive on July 21st.

The news was accompanied by the debut of a new single of the same name, which you can check out above.

Pre-order your copy here.

Listen on our ‘Hard & Heavy’ Playlist

As Everything Unfolds unveil ‘Slow Down’

As Everything Unfolds – ‘Slow Down’

Closing out this segment of our News Report as As Everything Unfolds with their latest single, ‘Slow Down’, which you can check out above.

The single comes from upcoming sophomore album, ‘Ultraviolet’, which arrives April 21st.

Pre-order your copy here.

Listen on our ‘Hard & Heavy’ Playlist!

News Report

Incubus announce UK dates

Next our News Report takes a look a the best new tour announcements and up first are Incubus.

The band have announced a UK and EU summer tour which will conclude with dates in London and the Eden Project in Cornwall.

Tickets are here.

Read our review of Hundred Reasons live in London

Coheed and Cambria reveals UK dates

Another band announcing summer UK dates this week was Coheed and Cambria.

The group will be playing in Glasgow and London with Soul Glo set to join them in London.

Tickets are here.

Read our review of ‘Dinosaur’ from Theory of a Deadman

Generation Sex set for Wolverhampton

Supergroup Generation Sex have added new shows to their summer schedule including a special one-off show at The Civic at the Halls in Wolverhampton this July.

Tickets are here.

Read our review of ‘So Much (For) Stardust’ from Fall Out Boy

Billy Bragg announces UK Tour

Billy Bragg will once again be out on the road later this year for ‘The Roaring Forty Tour’.

A new collection of songs with the same name is also on it’s way with a release date of October 27th.

“Doesn’t seem like just that long ago that I was playing Thursday nights at the Tunnel in Greenwich, opening for whoever was headlining. I learned my chops there in late 82/early83 and I’m still putting those lessons to good use 40 years later. Hope to see some of you this autumn.” – Billy Bragg

Tickets and pre-orders are here.

Read our review of Beans On Toast live in Norwich

The Darkness reveal first wave of ‘Permission to Land’ shows

The final tour announcement in our News Report this week comes from The Darkness who will be celebrating the 20th Anniversary of seminal album ‘Permission To Land’ with a load of tour dates!

Initial dates take the band across Europe with further world and UK dates on the way.

Frontman Justin Hawkins comments, â€œWhen Permission to Land landed, twenty short years ago, we were bathed in shock and awe. As if by magic, Rock wasn’t dead! Fun wasn’t banned! And Spandex was almost acceptable again

 
“Well, guess what? Twenty years on, the same rules apply. So please to squeeze yourselves into those inappropriate leggings, back-comb your mullet, splash on a big handful of attitude, and come celebrate with us! We promise everything and we deliver, every time. Bring on the next twenty! 
 
“The Darkness. The best. For you. Forever.” 

Tickets and info here.

Read our review of The Darkness live in Birmingham

News Report

Final wave of acts join Neighbourhood Weekender

As our News Report turns to festival announcements we head over to Neighbourhood Weekender who this week revealed the final wave of line-up additions for May.

New names include The View, Kula Shaker, Gaz Coombes and more. They join the likes of Paul Heaton & Jacqui Abbott, The Kooks, Pulp, The Wombats, Self Esteem, Ocean Colour Scene, The Enemy and Lottery Winners.

Tickets are here.

Read our review of ‘A Fistful of Peaches’ from Black Honey

Bearded Theory makes line-up additions

Closing out our festival announcements in our News Report is the latest line-up additions from Bearded Theory.

This week saw the event reveal that Skindred, Kid Kapichi, Brix Smith, Loose Articles and more will join the line-up topped by Interpol, Primal Scream and Pretenders.

Tickets are here.

Watch Episode 17 of The Full Pelt Music Podcast with guests Millie Manders and the Shutup

The Full Pelt Music Podcast – Episode 17 – Millie Manders and the Shutup

Read our review of YUNGBLUD live in London

News Report

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News Report

As always we conclude our News Report with the latest additions to our ‘Discover’ New Music Playlist!

News Report
Staff Party – ‘Dread

Brighton noise rock trio Staff Party reveal their new single. ‘Dread’, which is the title-track of their upcoming EP.

Commenting on the new single and themes on the EP, frontman Ed Lamb says: “I have tried—but am completely unable to—write happy songs. When I want to write about something, typically I take a look around and something which pisses me off, confuses me, or scares me, is usually what inspires me the most. It’s hard not to draw on the awful state and chaos the world is in at the moment, as well. Just browsing the Internet can be a rich and endless source of horror.”

“I also consider myself a fairly introspective, and potentially sentimental person, so much of what I write about is based on aspects of my own psyche and personality. It feels cathartic to articulate those thoughts in the form of loud, aggressive music. I enjoy the fact that ‘Dread’, with probably the most upbeat and bouncy sounding instrumental, still has these introspective dark lyrics to juxtapose it. I couldn’t even let the fun catchy song be nice.”

headcage – ‘nothing’

Newcastle Upon Tyne Alternative Post-Hardcore band headcage share their brand new single ‘nothing’.

“Lyrically the song details the struggle to overcome the feeling of uselessness and the everyday battles that come alongside living with ADHD and Anxiety. I wanted to state in layman’s terms the difficulty that I face to remain persistent or disciplined in many aspects of my life. The song itself acts as catharsis, a real and true personal expression of the negative aspects of these conditions that I have to face everyday”. – Vocalist – Leyum Pattinson

News Report
News Report
Civil Villains – ‘Mortuary Blue’

Brit alt-rockers Civil Villains have released their brand new single, ‘Mortuary Blue’, taken from upcoming album, ‘Motion Sick’.

The band remark about the record: “Like the nauseating sensory mismatch experienced from the passenger seat, ‘Motion Sick’ is largely about contradictory states and lost control. Born as a series of voice notes, written over webcam, developed via shared Logic Pro projects, and honed in snatched moments of lifted lockdowns, the album was recorded in the rolling countryside expanses of Oxfordshire.”

Listen, Follow and Discover your new favourite act now with our ‘Discover’ New Music Playlist

Then find out the stories behind the songs on our ‘Discover’ New Music Podcast!

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Read our review of ‘Glorious Sunset’ from Hundred Reasons

Categories
Live Reviews

Alter Bridge

O2 Arena, London

Monday 12th December 2022

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ALTER BRIDGE – LONDON – LIVE REVIEW

As the year draws to a close, music publications such as us turn our attention to our end of year lists. There will be nods to the best albums, singles, festivals and gigs as December progresses towards it festive finale. The only problem is that 2022 isn’t quite done yet!

Tonight for example the O2 Arena in London welcomes a fantastic package tour with three incredible acts set to grace the stage. Perhaps then those engravers should hold fire on etching the award winner’s names just yet!

This evening is the final night of a tour that has hit five other UK and Irish arenas already this month having first made its way around Europe, and there’s an end of tour / end of year atmosphere in the venue.

WATCH ‘EPIPHANY’ FROm MAMMOTH WVH ON YOTUBE
Mammoth WVH – ‘Epiphany’

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The first band up is Mammoth WVH led by Wolfgang Van Halen who showcases his natural talent and feels right at home on this massive stage. Playing a blistering set of material from their self-titled debut release, the band finish with ‘Don’t Back Down’ and leave the stage with many more fans than when they arrived.

WATCH ‘THE STEEPLE’ FROM HALESTORM ON YOUTUBE
Halestorm – ‘The Steeple’

Read our review of ‘Back From The Dead’ from Halestorm

Next up are a band who debatably should be headlining arenas themselves these days, as the screams of Lzzy Hale welcome Halestorm to the stage. Opener, ‘The Steeple’, sets the theme with new album, ‘Back From The Dead’ taking centre stage. That’s no bad thing though as it’s a fantastic album as demonstrated by the likes of ‘Wicked Ways’, ‘Mine’ and the title track.

All the usual Halestorm fun is packed into an abridged set where we still get crowd interaction, over-sized drumsticks and massive rock songs such as ‘Love Bites (So Do I)’ and ‘Familiar Taste of Poison’. ‘I Miss The Misery’ closes out the short but sweet set and leaves you thinking surely a Halestorm arena headline tour must be next on the cards.

WATCH ‘SILVER TONGUE’ FROM ALTER BRIDGE ON YOUTUBE
Alter Bridge – ‘Silver Tongue’

A band very familiar with headlining arenas at this point though is our headline act tonight, Alter Bridge. Another band with a new album to show off, the huge ‘Silver Tongue’ gets the ball rolling as the group once again demonstrate their obscene talents.

A musically sublime performance features their debut album more than recent tours with ‘Shed My Skin’, ‘Burn It Down’ and ‘In Loving Memory’ all highlights. The set list weaves between albums and highlights the musical dexterity of the band along with the commitment of their fans that stand in awe through hits and deep cuts alike.

‘This Is War’ and title track ‘Pawns & Kings’ show that the band remain very much on form as far as new material goes, but naturally it’s favourites such as ‘Metalingus’ and ‘Blackbird’ that elicit the best audience responses tonight.

An encore of ‘Rise Today’ and ‘Open Your Eyes’ seals the deal and sends the crowd into the wintery embers of 2022 happy and thoroughly entertained. It’s tours like this that remind us what we’ve been missing in the past couple of years, and serve as grounds to hold back on those end of year awards until all the entries have made their case!

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Read our review of ‘Pawns & Kings’ from Alter Bridge

Categories
Magazine

News Report

Every week we roundup the best music news from the past week

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News Report

Don Broco announce UK Arena Tour

News Report

Welcome to another edition of our weekly music News Report! We start this week with our tour news section and with the one and only Don Broco.

This past week saw the band announce a huge arena tour set for March next year. Support on the shows will come from Papa Roach and Dance Gavin Dance.

Regarding the tour frontman Rob Damiani says, “Beyond pumped to announce the Amazing Things arena tour featuring a line up only the sweetest dreams are made of. There’s no two ways about it, we wouldn’t be the band we are today if it wasn’t for the legends that are Papa Roach so as you can imagine we’re super excited to have the guys out with us as well as our ridiculously talented friends Dance Gavin Dance. See you next year!”.

Tickets are here.

The band also released a new single this week and you can listen to ‘Fingernails’ below.

Don Broco – ‘Fingernails’

Read our review of Don Broco live in Norwich

Alter Bridge reveal return to the UK

News Report

This week also saw Alter Bridge announce their return to the UK this December. As part of a bigger European Tour the band will be hitting arenas across the UK finishing up at the O2 Arena in London.

Joining the tour are very special guests Halestorm and Mammoth WVH!

Tickets are here.

Read our review of ‘Marching In Time’ from Tremonti

A Day To Remember announce UK Shows

News Report

A Day To Remember also had some shows to announce this week as they revealed a couple of UK dates around their appearance at Download Festival.

The band will be playing intimate shows in London and Glasgow this June.

Tickets are here.

Read our review of ‘You’re Welcome’ from A Day To Remember

Hard-Fi announce special London show

News Report

Hard-Fi this week revealed they’ll be returning on Saturday October 1st to play the O2 Forum Kentish Town.

The show was an instant sell out, for more from the band head here.

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The Mysterines announce new London show

Another band heading to London for a one off show at the O2 Forum Kentish Town is The Mysterines. The band will play the venue on Friday December 9th.

Tickets are here.

Read our review of The Mysterines live in London

Latitude Festival updates line-up

Festival news now as our News Report continues, and Suffolk’s Latitude Festival have updated their line-up this week with 60+ acts being added from across the arts.

Joining the music line-up were the likes of Courting, m(h)aol, Matt Maltese, Nova Twins and TV Priest.

Tickets here.

Read our review of Wolf Alice live in Norwich

The Foolhardy Folk Festival returns

Beans On Toast has announced he will be hosting a second edition of his Foolhardy Folk Festival.

Taking place at Nottingham Arboretum, the event will also feature She Drew The Gun, Will Varley, Holy Moly & The Crackers, Gaz Brookfield, Kitty Liv, Jack Flanagan and Georgie!

Tickets are here.

Watch Beans On Toast on The Full Pelt Music Podcast

The Full Pelt Music Podcast – Episode 3 – Beans On Toast

Read our review of Beans On Toast live in Colchester

Journey debut new single ‘You Got The Best of Me’

Journey – ‘You Got The Best Of Me’

On to new music release now as our News Report continues. First up is ‘You Got The Best Of Me’, the new single from icons Journey.

Listen to the track above, which will feature on a new album called, ‘Freedom’ which will arrive July 8th.

“I wanted kind of a punky rendition of ‘Any Way You Want It’”, says the group’s founding member, guitarist, songwriter, and producer Neal Schon about the single. “I usually don’t go in saying I’m going to look for something like that, but then it just came to me, like “Wheel in the Sky” did years ago. It just kind of flew out of my mouth.”

While the forthcoming album was made with visions of arena and stadium stages, it started from humble beginnings. In 2020, as COVID swept the globe, Schon was stuck at home like the rest of us. “During the pandemic, there wasn’t much to do,” he says. “I spent a lot of time in my little studio at home, learning how to play keyboards and looping. Some of those ideas ended up being songs. So it kind of came out of nowhere.”

Pre-order your copy here.

Read our review of The Treatment live in Cambridge

Deaf Havana debut ‘On The Wire’

Deaf Havana – ‘On The Wire’

Another band releasing new music this week was Deaf Havana. The band are gearing up for the release of their new album, ‘The Present is a Foreign Land’, on July 15th.

This week they debuted the latest single from the album, ‘On The Wire’, which you can check out above.

Pre-order your copy here.

Read our review of October Drift live in Norwich

MAN WITH A MISSION share new single ‘More Than Words’

MAN WITH A MISSION – ‘More Than Words’

Japanese superstars MAN WITH A MISSION have released their brand new single, ‘More Than Words’, the latest song to be taken from their forthcoming album ‘Break and Cross the Walls II’ out May 25th. You can check out the song above.

Bassist and songwriter Kamikaze Boy has a special connection with the song and says, “It’s about people sharing thoughts and feelings, even though they have a hard time exchanging words.“.

More here.

Read our review of ‘Ego Trip’ from Papa Roach

Nothing More debut ‘Tired of Winning’

Nothing More – ‘Tired of Winning’

We continue our News Report with Nothing More who this week debuted their new single, ‘Tired of Winning’, which you can listen to above.

The track will feature on the band’s upcoming new album.

More here.

Listen to ‘Tired of Winning’ on our ‘Hard & Heavy’ Spotify Playlist

Classless Act debut new track ‘Time To Bleed’

Classless Act – ‘Time To Bleed’

Rising Los Angeles rock band Classless Act this week debuted their latest track, ‘Time To Bleed’, which you can check out above.

The song will feature on their debut album, ‘Welcome To The Show’, which is released on June 24th.

Bass player Franco Gravante, who produced, mixed, and cowrote the track, explained the origins of the song, “It’s one of the first riffs I wrote for the record a couple years back. But I couldn’t finish the song. We got some magic dust sprinkled on it by Justin Hawkins and that gave me the confidence to know THIS song belonged on the record. But the record was already done and delivered. So we called the label and said, HOLD UP! Then we called Keith (Nelson), he booked a studio and 37 hours later, it was on the record and it’s coming out now! It was so fast. I think they’re still cleaning up the mess we made.  It takes what it takes, ya know?” 

After working on the song with the band during quarantine, Hawkins commented, “I had the pleasure of writing with these young men at the beginning of the Covidian era. It quickly became apparent that I had underestimated their musicality and talent. They make really sleazy good time rock and roll music with smiles on their handsome faces and I am proud to have contributed. Good luck boys!”.

Read our review of The Darkness live in Cambridge

TV Priest share ‘Limehouse Cut’

TV Priest – ‘Limehouse Cut’

Bringing our new releases section of the News Report to a close this week are TV Priest. The band shared new track, ‘Limehouse Cut’ this week and you can listen above.

The track will feature on upcoming album, ‘My Other People’, which arrives June 17th.

Vocalist Charlie Drinkwater says of the track, “The song is about a feeling dislocated and displaced in an urban space you once felt you knew and ‘understood’, however it’s also a coming to terms with an idea that you never really ‘own‘ somewhere as infinitely regenerative as a city. It’s a bit of a psycho-geographical study, a little bit of pathos at my own mortality and smallness in the great tide of history. We loved the idea of something quite abstract, something that references landscape, feels mesmeric, melancholic, a little sinister but also quite beautiful.”

Listen to The Full Pelt Music Podcast

As always we finish our News Report with the latest additions to our ‘Discover’ New Music Playlist! Featured this week are:

‘Harlequin’ – Dissonants

A new look Dissonants return with new single, ‘Harlequin’.

“It’s been a tough year or so for us with the instability in the line-up, and at several points myself, Ben and Aaron wondered if the band would cease to exist, as it just felt like setback after setback was crippling us. Cuba and Harvey coming into the fold has been a massive breathe of fresh air, and has totally reinvigorated us with the ideas they’ve bought to the table. On this new track, Harlequin, I believe we’ve never sounded better as a band”, explains bassist Mike Barton.

‘Decay’ – Trashed

Bristol-based emo punk-rockers Trashed share new single, ‘Decay’, ahead of their debut album ‘Happy In Hindsight’.

Speaking about the single, the band state: “Decay was the first song written for the album. It’s like a journal entry about being trapped between existential apathy and a desire to overcome it. We wrote the lyrics to be deep and relatable without being overwhelming or uncomfortable. It’s also a transitional song for us. We’re ready to move on from what we’ve done before, which is symbolised in the artwork. This track lays the foundation for what’s to come, perfectly.”

‘The Moon’ – The Shipbuilders

Surf-Rock scousers The Shipbuilders ready debut album, ‘Spring Tide’ with the single, ‘The Moon’.

Speaking of the track, singer Matty Loughlin-Day explains: “I’ve long been fascinated and drawn towards the concept of ‘Cante Jondo’, the folk music of Andalusia that literally translates to ‘deep song’. Moon’ came from a contemplation of all of this. It’s a song written from the perspective of a soldier in the Spanish Civil War who, while standing underneath a haloed moon, can hear “the wailing of this life and the next collide” while lamenting his love’s death and pondering if the same fate will fall on him
”

Listen, Follow and Discover your new favourite act now with our ‘Discover’ New Music Playlist

Then find our the stories behind the songs on our ‘Discover’ New Music Podcast!

Share our News Report on Social Media

Read our review of ‘False Start’ from James and the Cold Gun