The latest issue of the Full Pelt Magazine is here, and you can download your copy for free below!
Volume 22 is features our cover stars Saint Agnes as they take ‘Bloodsuckers’ on tour. We also have album reviews forĀ The Last Dinner PartyĀ andĀ Florence Black.
Our News Report has all the latest music news including live announcements fromĀ Download Festival, Reading & Leeds, 2000trees, Slam Dunk, Victorious Festival, Beautiful Days, Tomorrow’s Ghosts Festival, Cambridge Folk Festival, Demob Happy, Bury Tomorrow, The Last Dinner Party, Troy Redfern, Trophy Eyes and iDKHOW!
Plus all the best new releases includingĀ Bowling For Soup, Indoor Pets, Royal Tusk, VENUES, The Cheap Thrills, From Ashes To New, ERRA, Banks Arcade, Aaron West & The Roaring Twenties, Normandie, The Farm and Job For A Cowboy!
Finally, we round up the latest additions to ourĀ āDiscoverā New Music PlaylistĀ includingĀ Gallus,Ā Loose ArticlesĀ andĀ IRKED!
Welcome everyone to another edition of our weekly music News Report!
Fresh from conquering Glastonbury Festival, The Hives have a UK Tour set in the diaries for next year!
The band will release their latest album, ‘The Death of Randy Fitzsimmons’ on August 11th, and will take their new material on the road for a highly anticipated run of dates.
We move our News Report on now to the best new releases from the past week and we begin with the iconic talent of Paul Rodgers.
Rodgers has announced details of a new album, ‘Midnight Rose’, which is set for release on September 22nd.
You can listen to the first single from the album, ‘Living It Up’, above!
“My new album ‘Midnight Rose’ grew from sparks of ideas I had,” says Rodgers. “The sparks developed into a raging fire when the band and everyone involved brought their absolute ‘A’ game. I think it is my best album to date, I like it. I hope you do too.”
Asking Alexandria have shared their latest single, ‘Psycho’, which you can check out above.
The song comes from forthcoming album, ‘Where Do We Go From Here’, which is due to arrive later this Summer.
āāPsychoā is one of those songs that is talking about when you feel trapped inside your own head, trapped by your own vices and your own downfalls,ā explains guitarist Ben Bruce.
āWhether it’s being stuck in a relationship that doesn’t work for you, or feeling like you can’t stop drinking or doing drugs, or maybe you’re stuck in a job that you hate, and you’re just battling yourself in your own head wondering ‘why am I still here? Why do I keep doing these things?’. Ultimately, at the end of the day we all feel a little bit crazyā¦a little bit like a Psycho. It’s just a fun song that we can all relate to, and stylistically we thought to ourselves ‘how do we make a song that sounds like it could live on the āLike A House On Fireā album, but also like it could live on the āFrom Death to Destinyā album?’. So musically, from a writing standpoint, it was a really enjoyable experience to meld those two eras of Asking Alexandria together and see what that might look like.ā
Trophy Eyes have released their brand new album, ‘Suicide and Sunshine’ and to coincide with the release the band debuted new single, ‘People Like You’, which you can check out above.
āāāPeople Like Youā, is a song about growing up poor in the rural New South Wales town of Mudgee while the school kids around him came from wealthy, well-adjusted familiesā says John Floreani. āItās me reflecting, and also firsthand memories of what was happening, like theyāre staring at the holes in my shoes, and the embarrassmentand desire to belong, and not understanding why you donāt,ā he explains. āItās like a protest against the idea of class and happy families.ā
Next up in our News Report are VEXED. This week saw the band share new single, ‘Trauma Euphoria’, which you can listen to above!
Megan Targett on the track,: āExperiencing a traumatic event or grieving a major loss comes with a myriad of feelings. Denial, depression, anger and sadness are the most common ones you hear about. However, there is one that Iāve found nobody speaks of; Euphoria. Small moments of time where you forget that youāre grieving and slip back into the person you were before the event. Itās like a euphoric experience thatās heightened by the fact your brain hasnāt felt any hit of dopamine in such a long time.
However, that sudden realization when you remember the trauma and snap out of the high has you crashing 10X harder. Feelings of guilt and shame take over and you fall deeper into the dark depths of your depression and grief. This dark place becomes a safe space in your mind, as leaving it can cause more pain and isnāt worth the fall. You can become addicted to suffering and this song is a love letter to it.ā
The track features on new album, ‘Negative Energy’, which is out now!
There was also new music on offer this week from Oxymorrons who shared new single, ‘Graveyard Words’, which you can of course check out above.
The band has also announced that they will release new album, ‘Melanin Punk’ on October 20th.
When asked about the inspiration behind the track, Oxymorrons collectively explained, āItās about speaking with intentions. Words carry weight and you can manifest positivity but also negativity with the things you say – on the extreme side of the spectrum it could cost you your life. Itās about the laws of attraction through words. The chorus sounds like a threat coming from an individual – like āyo watch yer mouth or Iāll f*ck you upā – but it was really written from the perspective of the universe/karma warning us humans. A small example is we try not to use the word āhateā in our vocabulary when describing something we donāt like. We’re not always successful, but just trying to remove that word so that we donāt attract hatred into our life and leave that portal open for hate to come through. You attract what you project, and we project positivity.ā
New Orleans-based quintet HourHouse share ‘DO IT LIKE’!
“‘DO IT LIKE’ is about our impact on the rap metal genre as a whole and displays who we are as individuals in this group,” says vocalist Milly about the track. “The verses are a multitude of street lingo mixed with ferocious screams. Lyrically, it starts as a recollection of world that surrounds them then turns into a mirror to the state of the world. Mentioning the violence and madness we all have to survive daily and that, for some, there isn’t an escape.”
EXTS – ‘Happening’
Leeds based post-hardcore newcomers, EXTS have shared their new single āHappeningā.
āThe lyrics for Happening capture the emotion of how overwhelming life events can feel and the uncertainty that they bring: āIs the end of the tunnel closed?ā
Moreover, itās about the pursuit of finding light in suffocating darkness in times of real need yet being resolute in the face of adversity – as time inevitably marches forthā¦ ticking away.ā – Vocalist, Jack Flynn.
Waterlines – ‘Prey’
Waterlines share their brand new single, ‘Prey’!
Frontman Ben Mars:
“We want to keep pushing the boundaries of our style, adding a little more rap here and a sprinkle more EDM there! Weāre still heavy, but we never want to be pigeon holed, so we do what the fuck we want.
Lyrically this song is about reaching a breaking point and biting back. Itās being backed into a corner and finally snapping. Itās messy, visceral chaos.”
Welcome everyone to another edition of our weekly music News Report!
This week we are starting by rounding up the best live announcements from the past week and we begin with Halestorm.
Ahead of their performance at Download Festival the band have already revealed that they will return to the UK for a special one-off show at Wembley Arena.
It was a big week this week for Skinny Lister who had both new music and new tour dates to share.
Alongside a full UK tour later this year, the band debuted new single, ‘Down On The Barrier’, which you can check out below!
Skinny Lister – ‘Down On The Barrier’
Speaking about the message behind their euphoric, enlightening new track frontman Dan Heptinstall says:
“Music is a kind of religion to many gig-goers, and in āDown On The Barrierā weāve tried to capture that feeling. The church in this case is the venue, the sermon is the song and the preacher the artist. Itās a nod to those almost spiritual moments when we gather to enjoy some communal rockānāroll worship, as well as a healthy dose of support, release and camaraderie. See you down on the barrier!”
Another hot ticket later this year will be the ‘This Is How It Feels’ tour from Lottery Winners.
Announcing the tour the band said “Weāre going to be throwing everything at this, with special guests and special production and doing our best to make it a special experience. So, please come. Bring a friend. Letās spread the word and get these venues bouncing. We love you all so much! X”
After their appearance at Slam Dunk Festival, Yellowcard have revealed details of a new EP, ‘Childhood Eyes’ which will be released on July 7th.
Ahead of the release the band have shared the title-track, which you can check out above!
About the new single, William Ryan Key said: “I woke up in the middle of the night with the chorus ringing in my head. I grabbed my phone off of the night stand and started typing away, squinting in the dark. This was months before we even started demoing the EP. When we started writing I threw the idea in the hat at the last minute, picked up a guitar to try and put music to the melody in my head for the first time, and Childhood Eyes was born. This is a song about being defeating, let down, and deceived time and again, but still managing to find your creative soul and carry on. I think it captures the spirit of Yellowcard, both old and new.ā
Another band with new music following their appearances at Slam Dunk Festival was Trophy Eyes.
The band shared their new single, ‘Life In Slow Motion’, which you can check out above!
āāLife in Slow Motionā is my assessment of life itself, and the way we as humans navigate life and time here on Earth.ā says John Floreani. āSearching for meaning in chaos, I found myself seeing signs in number patterns and small examples of beauty in ordinary life; a hug at the bar exchanged between friends, a crinkled photo of a loved one kept close, a kindness or a smile. What they mean, I canāt say, but sometimes if you look hard enough and sit quietly enough, life reaches out and speaks to you.ā
The release comes ahead of new album, ‘Suicide and Sunshine’, which is out on June 23rd.
Currently touring stadiums with Arctic Monkeys, this week also saw The Mysterines share their latest new track, ‘Begin Again’, which you can check out above.
Grian Chatten shares ‘Last Time Every Time Forever’
Grian Chatten – ‘Last Time Every Time Forever’
Grian Chatten had more new music to share this week as he debuted new single, ‘Last Time Every Time Forever’, which you can check out above!
Chatten says: āāLast Time Every Time Foreverā is a weak kneeād 99th lap around a hellscape town of your own making. Itās haunted by seagulls and hoarse-throated slot machines from the 1980s and it breaks its own promise on every listen.ā
The track comes from upcoming debut solo album, ‘Chaos For The Fly’, which is out June 30th.
‘Discover’ New Music Podcast alumni ANGER PARTY shared their latest new single this week.
Bringing this section of our News Report to a close is, ‘Save Myself’, which you can check out above!
“No matter how many times our intuition tells us to leave, no matter how much ourindiscretion speaks for itself, sometimes weāre inexplicably drawn to people that never fail todisappoint and betray us. āSave Myselfā tells a story of inner turmoil, treading the fine linebetween yearning for somebody that will never earn our affections, and having the selfrespect to realize that weāre better off alone.ā – Guitar / Vocals – Owen Claxton.
Norwegians Fixation share new single, ‘Flat Earth’.
The band states, “Flat Earth is a track that delves into the minds of people who persuade themselves into believing conspiracy theories. People that are so centered around their own perception of the truth that they refuse to see it any other way. The lyrics sums it up: Ā«Even if they see it, they probably wonāt believe it.”
Kings County – ‘Holding On’
US band Kings County share new single, ‘Holding On’.
Singer Rob Dexter says, āāHolding On” was the song we needed to write. After our last release in 2022, we were constantly performing live for months and knew we had to get back to writing or we would become complacent. You are as good as your last song and “Holding On” was a pivotal moment for us. We needed to raise the bar and that’s exactly what we did with “Holding On”.ā
Welcome everyone to another edition of our weekly music News Report.
We start this week with the best tour announcements and following the success of their new album, ‘A Kiss for the Whole World’ hitting number one, Enter Shikari have revealed a huge tour for early next year.
Ā£1 from each ticket sale being donated to the Music Venue Trust in support of grassroots venues in each city the band will be touring through.
Lead singer and producer Rou Reynolds comments on the initiative:
“Grassroots music venues in the UK are under existential threat. Every time we lose another one we lose a vital part of our culture. Bigger venues that benefit from the productive pipeline that grassroots venues provide need to support these smaller venues, as do the artists that have come up through them. Enter Shikari stands with Music Venue Trust in their efforts to bring more solidity and community to our brilliant UK live music scene”.
Support on the tour will come from Fever 333 and Noahfinnce.
Reynolds comments on what could be in store:
“We cannot wait to step things up and present a huge new show to everyone. And weāre really looking forward to playing Wembley Arena for the first time! (Enter Shikari are on their way to Wembley. Can you imagine what weāre gonna do to it?).
Iām buzzing to see the supports every night, too. Weāve known Jason for many years now, so canāt wait to see the next step for Fever333, and we had a great time with Noah on our residency tour earlier this year so simply had to have him back.”
Def Leppard also announce intimate show supporting Music Venue Trust
Rock icons Def Leppard have announced their most intimate show in the UK or Europe in 35 years.
The band will play a hometown show at The Leadmill in Sheffield with a % of ticket sales going to the Music Venue Trust.
Joe Elliott says āSheffield is in the very DNA of this band! We are ecstatic to be starting the European leg of our world tour at home at Bramall Lane! When thinking of a warm up, it made sense to do a special set at The Leadmill, in the city where it all started. We know there are a lot of small music venues struggling across the UK, so we wanted to give back to what gave to us. The net proceeds from the evening will go directly to Music Venue Trust in an effort to keep UK clubs aliveā¦and to coincide with the release of our symphonic record, āDrastic Symphoniesā, on the 19th of May. Itās all very special!ā
Ben Hartley, Live Promoter from The Leadmill says, āWeāre absolutely delighted to be welcoming a band as legendary as Def Leppard onto our stage. The fact that a local act that has gone on to play stadiums across the world is willing to come back home and support us in a time of need (as well as thousands of other integral grassroots venues across the UK) speaks volumes of their character. This will be the first time theyāve played The Leadmill, so itās wonderful to be adding another chapter to Sheffieldās musical history.ā
Mark Davyd, CEO and Founder of Music Venue Trust, says āItās fantastic to get this support from such an iconic and legendary group as Def Leppard. The UKās Grassroots Music Venues are facing an incredibly tough year, currently one is permanently closing every week. Itās going to take a huge collective effort to turn that around and itās so important that artists get involved and lead the fight we need to stop closuresā.
This week also saw metal masters Judas Priest announce a long coming headline tour of the UK.
Revealing the dates the band said “we are thrilled to start this world tour in the renowned traditional homes of heavy metal and can’t wait to see our amazing family of Priest maniacs!”
Joining the band will be very metal guests Saxon alongside Uriah Heep.
Australian punk rockers Trophy Eyes have released new single, ‘Kill’, ahead of their appearances at Slam Dunk Festival later this month.
You can listen to the single above, which comes from upcoming new album, ‘Suicide and Sunshine’, which is out June 23rd.
āAllās fair in love and war,ā says John Floreani. āWe all carry the scars of love lost. They become visible in the things we do, our actions and our words. Like machines we continue, only now worn and rattling. Capable of our primary function, but with a little less grace each time. Some people use love as a weapon, and āKillā is about those people.ā
Like Moths To Flames debut ‘I Found The Dark Side of Heaven’
Like Moths To Flames – ‘I Found The Dark Side of Heaven’
Next in our News Report is ‘I Found The Dark Side of Heaven’, the new single from Like Moths To Flames, which you can check out above.
“Over the last few years, a lot of us have felt like shells of our former selves,” says Chris Roetter. “This is for the people who feel like they’ve been pushed so far away that no one sees them. I think it’s easy to feel forgotten about and like you didn’t matter. Some of my darkest days were an abyss that was never ending. When it’s difficult to find anything to pull you out, sometimes you just have to accept that you’re stuck.”
Heavy Lungs this week released their brand new track, ‘Dancing Man’, which you can check out above.
Commenting on the new track, front man and vocalist Danny Nedelko says: āāDancing Manā came about from a conversation that left me and George crying on the floor with laughter at rehearsal. The end result is an abstract tale about a sinister character. Nice to see another in-joke make it through. Sadly not all of them do. But we will save that for the inevitable next EP.ā
The official video that accompanies the single was directed by Clump Collective. āThey are absolutely extraordinary and have made a myriad of amazing videos,ā say the band. āThey are our dear friends and actually shot the video for our song āJealousā a while back too, so this was a very welcome homecoming. We shot it all in a day at their Bristol studio. Two dogs were present; they were very encouraging. The whole concept is centred around 5 outfits and dancing. The result is a surreal ride into the sinister realm of āDancing Manā.ā
Fontaines D.C. vocalist Grian Chatten shared his second solo single, ‘Fairlies’, this week and you can of course check it out above.
Chatten also revealed that his debut solo album, ‘Chaos For The Fly’, will be out June 30th.
Grian on ‘Fairlies’: āI wrote ‘Fairlies’ in intense heat. Partly in Jerez, Spain, partly in LA a couple of days before a Fontaines D.C. tour kicked off. It was a quick write, and I believe I celebrated each line with a beer.ā
On the album: āI was walking along Stoney Beach at night and it came to me on the waves,ā recalls Chatten. āI just stood there and looked at them and I heard the whole fucking thing. Every part of it, from the chord progressions to the string arrangements.ā
āI just thought: I want to do this myself. I know where we as a band are going next and thatās not where I want to go with this. Iāve got a couple of exaggerated aspects of my soul that I wanted to express,ā he says.
āThe rest of the band are all creative and songwriters in their own right, too. I didnāt want to go to them and be like, āNo, every single thing has to be like this.ā I didnāt want to compromise with these songs in that way.ā
āA lot of the album was written with just me and a guitar and I really like the idea of it being boiled down to those elements. That feeling of having the song in the palm of your hand, that control of having it with just you and a guitar,ā he says. āThereās an intensity as a result of that.ā
South Wales, Alternative Pop Rock Band Zac and the New Men have unveiled the their new single āThatās Okā
“‘That’s Ok’ is a love letter to someone who is struggling, a reminder that they are not alone. Itās a song about being there for each other, no matter what. We wrote this song to show people that even when things get tough, they donāt have to go through it alone. Love is a powerful force, and we hope this song will bring comfort to anyone who is struggling.ā – Vocalist, Zac.
Hannah Rose Platt – ‘The Mermaid and the Sailor’
Hannah Rose Platt has shared new single, ‘The Mermaid and the Sailor’, featuring Ed Harcourt.
Hannah explains: āThe Mermaid and the Sailor is a hypnotic āSailorās Lamentā framed as a conversation exploring addiction, between the Sailor (the addict) and the mermaid (his addiction) whose siren song constantly tempts him back into the water. Featuring bewitching vocals from the magnificent Ed Harcourt!ā
Harcourt says: āHannah is a consummate storyteller and as soon as I heard her songs I was happily bewitchedā¦ I think weāre both very similar in the fact that we are obsessive film aficionados & therefore think in a more visual way in our approach to the music and the sounds. What I love about working with Hannah is that she is very free and totally open to my delusional bouts of grandeur and hopefully you, the listener, will hear the love and the pathos and the dark humour that we have managed to commit to tape in equal measure. Congratulations Hannah and I canāt wait for the world to hear this dazzling humdinger.ā
Cold Culture – ‘Faded’
Danish newcomers Cold Culture share their debut single, ‘Faded’.
“A lot of people feel the same way I do; anxious and lost. I even got to a point where I couldn’t recognise myself in the mirror anymore. We wanted to write a song that describes those thoughts and feelings as well as depression, anxiety and the feeling of being numb. ‘Faded’ is our way of describing those emotions and issues you may experience during your life”
Welcome everyone to another edition of our weekly music News Report!
We start off this week with the best tour announcements from the past week and up first is the return to the UK of Rival Sons this Autumn.
The band have announced their long-awaited return to the UK & Europe this autumn taking their two forthcoming new albums, ‘DARKFIGHTER’ and ‘LIGHTBRINGER’ on the road, across Europe for a 30-date run.
‘DARKFIGHTER’ is set to arrive worldwide June 2nd.
Guitarist Scott Holiday comments: āDear friends on the other side of the pond, DARKFIGHTER is coming for you! AND LIGHTBRINGER is coming for you too! Weāre finally able to come back to you and bring you NEW music! Music that has been firmly situated in our hearts. Nothing makes me happier than to think about experiencing these albums together and making them into something entirely new and different every night. Letās make something symbiotic, alive, that weāll want to remember forever!ā
We move our News Report onwards now to the best new releases of the last week and start with Trophy Eyes.
The group have debuted their new single, ‘What Hurts The Most’, which you can check out above.
The track will feature on newly announced upcoming album, ‘Suicide and Sunshine’, which will be out June 23rd.
āItās the human experience,ā says frontman John Floreani. āWhat we experience and how we navigate it. The millions of tiny flashes of light that are memories and thoughts and feelings and smells, all those little moments make up a lifetime. Theyāre beautifully tragic because they donāt mean anything to anyone, and on the scale of everything in the universe donāt mean a damn thing. But itās so beautiful that they happen in the first place.ā
Next up are The View who have released their latest single, ‘Neon Lights’, which you can listen to above.
The song comes from new album, ‘Exorcism of Youth’, which is out August 11th.
Bassist Kieran Webster says, āāNeon Lightsā intends to hold a mirror up to todayās ultra capitalist society, and the institutions who keep this unfair system in place for their own benefit.ā
Gengahr this week shared news that their new album, ‘Red Sun Titans’, will be out June 9th.
Coinciding with the release was new single, ‘In The Moment’, which you can check out above.
Speaking on the single, frontman Felix Bushe says, āāIn The Momentā reflects upon the necessity to break away from our daily routine and create meaningful memories. As much as sunny days and laughter with friends, ‘In The Momentā celebrates the late hours without inhibition, where dreams lead and tomorrow lingers.”
There was more new music this week from the fantastic Lottery Winners, as the band continue to prepare for the release of new album, ‘Anxiety Replacement Therapy’, which is out April 28th.
You can listen to their latest track, ‘Burning House’, above!
The Raven Age have debuted their latest single, ‘Serpents Tongue’, which you can check out above.
The track will feature on new album, ‘Blood Omen’, which is due out on July 7th.
āāSerpents Tongueā from the off felt like a very special track for us,ā says singer Matt James. āItās that perfect balance between melodic and heaviness. There are so many different styles going on, but they all work and complement each other as a whole.ā
Guitarist George Harris continues, āāSerpents Tongueā is one of our favourites from the album and we knew itād be a single straight away. Conceptually, the song is about deceit and lies, how you can only truly trust yourself and the loneliness that comes with that.
āThe music video was shot at Revesby Abbey in Lincolnshire, which is an old derelict manor house that was also used to house American fighter pilots during the war. The concept is a play on the title āSerpents Tongueā and is based around the character Medusa. We wanted to create a B-movie horror theme, in a haunted house/Addams Family style and have some fun with it. So thatās where the idea of having other creepy characters like the mummy, werewolf and three eyed man came from. Theyāre all invited along to a dinner party for the weird and wonderful, Medusa is taking orders from the Raven King and turns the guests to stone.ā
Eva Under Fire have shared their version of Black Sabbath classic ‘War Pigs’, which you can check out above.
Frontwoman Eva Marie comments: āThis cover pays tribute to yet another legend who has inspired us. My early days of falling in love with rock music included OzzFest and singing along to Black Sabbath on the way to school in the back of my parents minivan so itās a bit of a full circle moment for me personally. Itās crazy that the lyrics in this song still ring true and are relevant today. Although the lyricism highlights the sad truth about the power hungry evils of the world, I also think it speaks volumes about how timeless this song really is. As a blue collar slave to the grind, I wanna thank Ozzy Osborne andBlack Sabbath for this one. Generations later, we feel heard because of your songā.
XANDRIA unveil video for ‘My Curse Is My Redemption’
XANDRIA – ‘My Curse Is My Redemption’
XANDRIA our next in our News Report with the new video for ‘My Curse Is Redemption’, which you can check out above.
XANDRIA on ‘My Curse Is My Redemption’: āAs many of you Xandria fans have named this song as one of your favorites from the new album, we decided to make a video for it – with beautiful pictures underlining the meaning of the lyrics: Music, art, as something that can derive from painful experiences, and then not only heal you, but also others. It is a wonderful gift for us all then.
Another musical colour from the rich palette of our album “The Wonders Still Awaiting”, on which each song has its very own identity and its own atmosphere. This one is symphonic for sure, but also has some straight rock vibes, and a certain 80’s flavour to it. It is melancholic but also has a hopeful twist, in both the music and the lyrics.
We noticed that it is a wonderful song to play live – and we are looking forward to play that song for you on the upcoming tour!ā
BLACKGOLD also had new music on offer this week through, ‘Villain’, which you can check out above.
“To villainize someone is to make them out to be the bad guy. This implies that they aren’t necessarily as bad as they’re being described. No matter how hard you try, you’ll always be the Villain someones story.” – Spookz – Vocals
After a phenomenal launch in early 2023 alternative artist paradise fell. has followed this up with their sophomore single titled āLOVE STAINEDā.
“LOVE STAINED. was the beginning of our journey exposing a generation of forgotten voices. Lyrically this song helped me struggle amongst the midst of a twisted personal divorce. It quickly became a soundboard for me to build the vision of this project into. LOVE STAINED is a generational calling. A statement that in a day and age where instant gratification is so easily accessible, as a society we have become numb, stained by love and have lost touch with what that word really meansā. – paradise fell.
Penny Rich – ‘Spirals’
‘Spirals’ is the latest single from Cardiff-based punk trio Penny Rich.
Discussing the meaning behind the track, the band explain: āāSpiralsā is a song about finding futile solutions to lifeās upward and downward spirals from the point of view of someone with underlying perfectionism and OCD. It explores the subconscious reflex of reaching for all-encompassing answers to your problems, be it a fad diet, a new routine, etc. Eventually, these solutions all ultimately fail, leaving you back at the bottom, at the start of the next spiral.
This song is very personal to Ant, who has long suffered with body dysmorphia stemming from underlying perfectionism and OCD. The song reflects the years of both physical and mental yo-yoāing, leading to the conclusion that treating these underlying causes is the only way to eventually finding freedom from this never-ending cycle.ā
Swear Blind – ‘Waster’
Alt-Rock Nottingham natives Swear Blind share their debut single, ‘Waster’.
Drew Lawson says: āa certain global event gave us the time to finish a project weāve been working on for many years and to continue our writing. It gave us a new focus in doing the things that we love doing, plus it gave us a good reason to hang out! Weāve been mates for years so that wasnāt an opportunity we wanted to miss.ā
Welcome everyone to another edition of our weekly music News Report!
This week we begin with the best new releases from the past week and up first are the returning metal icons Avenged Sevenfold.
In a big news week, the group revealed that their new studio album, ‘Life Is But A Dream’, will be released on June 2nd. That release is preceded by their lead single, ‘Nobody’, which you can check out above.
The band stated, “Weāre thrilled to announce our new album, Life Is But A Dreamā¦ available June 2, 2023. Written and recorded over the span of four years, the album was inspired by the writing and philosophy of Albert Camus. Our good friend and brilliant artist, Wes Lang, encapsulated our theme of existentialism through visual art for the album packaging.”
British metallers Bury Tomorrow have shared the latest taste of their upcoming album, ‘The Seventh Sun’. You can listen to new single, ‘Begin Again’, above now ahead of the album release date of March 31st.
Speaking on ‘Begin Again’, guitarist Kristan Dawson says the track is ārepresentative of the change we have all faced in the past few years. It represents an element of renewal and appreciation of where we have been as a band and where we are yet to go. Musically, it serves as a contrast to the heaviness we have presented in the first three singles, but packs a punch in a more positive way.ā
Australian punk rockers Trophy Eyes are back with new single, āBlue Eyed Boyā, a track particularly close to home.
Trophy Eyesā John Floreani says the song āwas written about a trip I took back to my hometown. One friend in particular, maybe my best friend, had recently moved back and regressed into their old ways. Iād mourned the death of this friend long ago, as did the rest of us in our small social circle. To see him again brought me great childhood joy yet simultaneously an overwhelming sense of dread.
I was reminded of something my mother told me as a young boy when my grandmother died; āif you see her now, like this, itās the only way youāll remember her. Best hold on to the good times, youāll always have those.ā
Far From Saints, the new project featuring Stereophonics frontman Kelly Jones, have shared their latest single, ‘Take It Through The Night’, which you can listen to above.
The group also this week revealed the news that their self-titled debut album will be released on June 16th.
The members had the following to say:
“It took nine days to record and four years to get it to you! Your record collection will love it!” – Kelly
āItās a labor of love to make a record these days, because you never know whatās going to happen with it frankly, and the outpouring of good vibes and comments, so far, has been really cool to watch.ā – Dwight
āThis is kind of the first time Iām anticipating not feeling somewhat sad around an album release. Iām comfortable with who I am now as a person, as an artist, and I hang my hat not on the praise I receive, but on the work itself. Iām proud of this record, and its part in the greater cycle of creativity and inspiration. Iām grateful to be part of that.ā – Patty
‘Blackout’, the new album from From Ashes To New, is out on July 28th. This week though saw the band share the latest single from the album, ‘Hate Me Too’, which you can check out above.
āSo many of us fall victim to the classic toxic relationship,ā says vocalist Matt Brandyberry. āFeeling like you canāt live without someone but knowing youād be better off if you could. Oftentimes these feelings are mutual, but neither of you can see it. Sometimes we just need an anthem to remind us that being stuck isnāt always the only option and violence never.”
Next in our News Report is ‘Blood In The Water’, the latest single from Ayron Jones, which you can check out above.
Jones announced this week that his second album, ‘Chronicles of the Kid’, will be released on June 23rd.
“As a child, I vividly remember sitting in church and hearing the preacher speak about generational curses,” Jones explains. “For me, the concept of the weight of trauma traveling through time and space, affecting many generations until treated is an idea I take seriously. ‘Blood in the Water’ is my way of actively choosing to heal and transform this trauma by creating new stories and identities for not only myself, but also my familyās future generations. I understand that energy can never be destroyed nor created anew; it can only be shifted. Therefore, while I cannot choose the life I have been given, I can strive forward and choose to take control of the futureā to break these curses now and forevermore.”
“It was the height of the pandemic and like everyone else, I was stuck inside watching the world pass by while having no idea what the future held,” Jones remembers. “Then it happened, the phone rang and I got the call telling me my song went No. 1. Just like that, I’d become one of the biggest names in rock and roll, but I couldn’t leave my couch. I had no idea how much my life had changed until August of ’21, when I went on tour for the first time since signing my first major record deal. That’s when it all hit me. ‘Chronicles of The Kid’ is the story of the truth – my truth. With my voice as my pen and my guitar as the page, the album is an audio journal of self-discovery told through tales of, temptations, triumphs, failures, sacrifice and the price of fame.”
We move our News Report on now to the biggest and best festival announcements from the past week and we get started with Bingley Weekender!
The event revealed their first wave of acts this week including headliners Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds, Ian Brown and Travis.
They’ll be joined over the weekend by the likes of Jake Bugg, Razorlight, James Bay, The Zutons, Kate Nash, Little Man Tate, Jealous Nostril, King No-One, New Model Army, Lottery Winners and BERRIES.
The inaugural Maid of Stone Festival takes place this July and this week the event confirmed Glenn Hughes as headlining the event alongside Airbourne.
Orange Goblin have also joined the likes of Skindred, The Hunna, Kris Barras Band, Phil Campbell and the Bastard Sons, Elles Bailey and Florence Black on the linup.
Plus The Treatment and The Hot Damn! will be playing a special opening party on the Friday of the event.
Liverpool get ready for No Play Festival this August!
The stunning line-up revealed this week includes Yonaka, VUKOVI, Higher Power, Conjurer, Graphic Nature, Lizzy Farrall, Gen & The Degenerates and more!
Our News Report now turns its attention to the best tour announcements from the past week and up first is the above run of dates from Ocean Colour Scene.
Alongside their August dates, the group will now also be out on the road this December including a date at the Eventim Apollo in London.
MAN WITH A MISSION are next up in our News Report as the group reveal a brand new tour including three stops in the UK this June.
Regarding the tour MAN WITH A MISSIONās Jean-Ken Johnny (guitar / vocals / rap) says, āWe are so excited to announce our WOLVES ON PARADE TOUR is coming to the UK, Europe and North America in May & June! Itās been years since we last toured internationally and weāve missed playing for you all so much! Canāt wait to catch up with you all!ā
Brighton based Electronic Post-Hardcore duo fakeyourdeath have dropped their sophomore single āconsumeā.
“consume explores the idea of materialistic greed and how, as a society, we are fed this idea that without things we cannot be happy. but ultimately thatās a lie. itās a narrative spun by the powers that be and consume was written to see the truth and challenge that way of thinking. consume depicts our disgust at a materialistic culture we all hate and yet want to be a part of.ā – Vocalist, Candi Underwood
Northern Captives – ‘Anxiety Dreams’
UK Alternative Rock outfit Northern Captives release their brand-new single titled āAnxiety Dreamsā.
āItās written as an internal monologue battling anxiety by accepting its existence and not allowing it to direct your decisions or impact what you do day to day. We often speak to ourselves in ways weād never dream of talking to anyone else. It’s important to check in with yourself and make sure your internal dialogue is positive.ā – Vocalist, Sam Cook.
JACKALS – ‘DIG IN’
Northern noise hounds JACKALS have unveiled their new single ‘DIG IN’.
āDig in is based on the idea of drug addiction but narrated by the drug itself, the song personifies the drug and its direct effects on a person. When you let drugs into your life they can sort of take on a whole persona unto themselves and we wanted to shine a light on that and show how destructive these can be. Like that one toxic friend you’ve had that keeps trying to worm their way back into your life.ā –JACKALS
Iron Maiden announce new Triple Vinyl to commemorate 40th Anniversary of ‘The Number of the Beast’
The legendary Iron Maiden have announced the release of a commemorative triple black vinyl album in honour of the 40th Anniversary of seminal third album, ‘The Number Of The Beast’, which was also the first to feature Bruce Dickinson on vocals and was to become the record which catapulted the band to international stardom.
Included in the new vinyl package is ‘Beast Over Hammersmith’ – available now officially for the very first time on vinyl – featuring the live concert from March 1982ās now legendary Hammersmith Odeon London show from the ‘Beast On The Road’ World Tour.
Recorded only days before the release of ‘The Number Of The Beast’ album, itās remarkable to think these now classic songs at that time were still brand new, unfamiliar and being heard live by fans for the very first time. A real piece of history in the making.
Steve Harris comments, āOn this vinyl release we get the chance to put āTotal Eclipse’ in its rightful spot on the album for the first time. The reason it didnāt make it in the first place was that it was all a mad rush when we were finishing the record and we had to get the āRun To The Hillsā single out before the tour and we basically had to pick a B-side and it was between āGanglandā and āTotal Eclipseā and we just picked the wrong one, really! I think āTotal Eclipseā is a stronger song and the album would have been stronger if it had been on there.ā
With new album, ‘The Calton Songs’, out soon on October 14th, Gun have shared the new reinvigorated version of firm fan favourite ‘Inside Out’, which you can listen to above.
As Jools Gizzi says: āWhen the pandemic hit we realised that it was the perfect time to try and counteract the bleakness that was all around. It felt like we couldnāt write anything, or of course tour. Out of that darkness came a desire to completely rework these songs that we know the fans love, and bring a different, stripped down vibeā.
Dante Gizzi added: āItās ironic that those feelings of negativity led to something so positive, a celebration of our career up to nowā.
VUKOVI will be releasing their new album, ‘NULA’, on October 7th. This week saw the band share the latest single, ‘QUENCH’, which you can listen to above.
Willie J Healey has announced that his new album, ‘Bunny’, will be out March 24th. Healey, who support Florance + The Machine on tour this November, also debuted new track, ‘Dreams’ which you can listen to above.
Willie says, āāDreamsā is a song I wrote when thinking about the cost of an ambition. The idea behind the video is, what would life be like if you had to carry all of the money you made on your back, and that if you did have to carry it you probably wouldnāt want as much.āā
Asylums have this week debuted their new single, ‘Instant Coffee’, which you can check out above.
The track comes from upcoming album, ‘Signs of Life’, which is out on October 28th.
Producer Dave Eringa says of āInstant Coffeeā:āItās like all of Lukeās songwriting to date has been leading up to Instant Coffee, a beautifully melancholic perfect pop song with real depth! Late 90ās Albarn meets the great bits of American indie at a classical concert & they all get together for a party!ā
Incredibly talented youngster Nandi Bushell took the next step in her musical evolution this week but debuted her first single, ‘The Shadows’, which you can listen to above.
“Early in 2022 my Dad fell into a depression as his autoimmune disease worsened. It was a difficult time for our family. I wanted to help cheer my Dad up by writing a song for him. He would describe his feelings to me and I would put them into lyrics letting him know, I would be there for him.
My Dad is now doing much better, he is on medication that is helping with his autoimmune disease and has recovered from his depression.
If you are suffering from mental health issues, please reach out for help. If you know of any good charities, groups or organisation in your area please share them in the comments for others.
Razorlight frontman Johnny Borrell this week debuted his new musical project, Jealous Nostril. The trio also includes Mystery Jets Jack Flanagan and drummer ELLiS D.
You can watch the video for their debut single, ‘Phase 6’, above.
The group also announced their first live dates in St. Albans and London, with tickets available here.
After a successful debut event this year, Firestorm Festival will return to Manchester in August 2023 for a second edition.
The first waves of acts include Kris Barras Band, When Rivers Meet, Hollowstar, Jack J Hutchinson and former ‘Discover’ New Music Podcast guests Scruffy Bear.
Desertfest returns to London in May and this week revealed the first acts for the festival including Uncle Acid & The Deadbeats, Graveyard, Kadavar and more.
We bring our News Report towards a close now with the best tour announcements from the past week and start with Tom Grennan.
Grennan revealed an Arena Tour set for March next year which concludes at the O2 Arena in London.
The news follows new single, ‘All These Nights’ and comes ahead of new album ‘What Ifs and Maybes’.
Speaking about the new album, Tom said:Ā āI’ve called my new album What Ifs & Maybes. It’s about going with your gut, not your head, because you never know what’s going to happen. I’m not afraid to jump into the unknown – because it’s exciting! It’s about rolling the dice and living your best life with nothing to lose. I’m in a new creative space, and I know I’m finally the artist I want to be. I’m so buzzing for these shows, my biggest gigs to date. I can’t wait to get out and play these new songs to everyone. Let’s go!”
The tour announcements keep coming in our News Report this week, and next up is Elles Bailey. Bailey will be playing a lengthy run of dates early next year including a date at Lafayette in London.
Von Hertzen Brothers are in the UK for Planet Rock Winter’s End Festival in February. Fans will now have additional chances to catch the band with headline shows now added in Manchester and London.
Our final tour announcement in our News Report this week comes from Sleep Token and it’s a massive tour for the band as they step into venues such as Brixton Academy.
TikTok star and queen of angsty pop/rock, Charlotte Sands, has released her hard-hitting, fan favourite single āTantrumā.
On the track, she said, āāTantrumā is so special to me because since the first time I played it live, people immediately latched onto it and have been fighting for its release ever since. This song not only represents experiences of anxiety, panic, and rebellion throughout my life and career but also the journey and relationship between me and the people who have made my career possible. Iāve been playing it live for over a year now and Iām thankful for the people who have pushed me out of my comfort zone to release a song that without them would still be sitting in a folder somewhere on my phone. I am overwhelmed with excitement for this song to finally be out in the world, itās been a year in the making (almost to the exact day) and I canāt wait to finally be able to throw a tantrum together.ā
As Sirens Fall – ‘heaven (spat us back out)’
As Sirens Fall share their new single, ‘heaven (spat us back out)’.
āi started writing heaven (spat us back out) just as our last ep ālāappel du vide (part 1)ā was releasing. that ep was a project about grief, and āheavenā very much comes from that same place. itās about giving up on the hopeful delusions that often come packaged with grief. itās about realising youāre coming of age in a dark world and choosing to face it all and grow up anyway – choosing to live.ā Mikey Lord, Vocals
Arliston – ‘Hold My Wine’
Arliston return with the stirring and spirited new single, ‘Hold My Wine’, taken from forthcoming EP āEven In The Shadeā.Ā
Vocalist Jack Ratcliffe says, āWeāve been wanting to make something a bit more playful for a while, so when we first hit on that chorus idea and made a silly middle-class pun on āhold my beerā, everything just fell into place around it. This one was a lot of fun to make.ā
Jack adds,āThe song is about that occasional moment of recognition when you look up from the narrow corridor of your own thoughts and are seized by the idea that everyone else has progressed and developed, while you are stuck in an unchanged rut. The protagonist attempts to do something about it in the chorus ā but inevitably, he gets it wrong.āĀ
