Over the past eight years Demob Happy have quietly released two solid albums which have seen the bands stock rise but not necessarily to the levels they deserve.
The same though could be said about many bands in the oversaturated market these days. Sadly quality isnât always enough to reach the levels of success needed to make music a sustainable career.
Whilst we lose far too many talented bands around the position that Demob Happy find themselves in, the Brighton-based trio arenât one and have now delivered a stunning statement of a third album!
Yes, âDivine Machinesâ is an album that instantly breeds a sense of the supermassive. Be it the thumping bass, solid rhythm, elegant guitar work or transcendent vocals, everything about this album exudes a band elevated to a higher level.
Each song is packed with mesmerisingly delicious psychedelic grooves and leaves an indelible mark on the conscious of the listener. Yes, the likes of âVoodoo Scienceâ, âSuper-Fluidâ and âRun Baby Runâ, will be stuck in your head for days after absorbing this record.
In short, this third album is very good indeed and if all is right with the world will be the album that pushes Demob Happy further up the echelons of the musical hierarchy.
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 âDown On The Barrierâ weâve tried to capture that feeling. The church in this case is the venue, the sermon is the song and the preacher the artist. Itâs a nod to those almost spiritual moments when we gather to enjoy some communal rockânâroll 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 “Weâre 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. Letâs 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.â
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!
ââLife in Slow Motionâ is my assessment of life itself, and the way we as humans navigate life and time here on Earth.â says John Floreani. âSearching 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 canât say, but sometimes if you look hard enough and sit quietly enough, life reaches out and speaks to you.â
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: ââLast Time Every Time Foreverâ is a weak kneeâd 99th lap around a hellscape town of your own making. Itâs haunted by seagulls and hoarse-throated slot machines from the 1980s and it breaks its own promise on every listen.â
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 weâre inexplicably drawn to people that never fail todisappoint and betray us. âSave Myselfâ 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 weâre better off alone.â – 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: «Even if they see it, they probably wonât believe it.”
Kings County – ‘Holding On’
US band Kings County share new single, ‘Holding On’.
Singer Rob Dexter says, ââHolding 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”.â
Punks rejoice! Rancid are back with their first new album in six years, âTomorrow Never Comesâ.
Pre-release singles âDonât Make Me Do Itâ, âDevil in Disguiseâ and the title-track, all hit well and let listeners know exactly what to expect upon release of the album.
Packed full of typical short and punchy punk rockers, this is actually the bands shortest album at just shy of 29 minutes, yet it still contains 16 tracks of fun filled, foot kicking, head banging joy.
The album once again finds the band working with producer Brett Gurewitz who again helps them deliver another solid and true Rancid record.
You arenât looking for anything earth shattering if you are hitting play on a Rancid album, and the band know that. By now they have the formula down to a tee and âTomorrow Never Comesâ will give the listener exactly the experience that they are after.
What does stand out on this album though is the band do what they do very well indeed. Whilst it may be unfair and a stretch to call this a fabled return to form, it must definitely be said that this is probably the best new Rancid album this century.
A decade into their career, Tigercub release their third album, âThe Perfume of Decayâ, which sees the band in melancholic mood whilst embracing an ostentatious sonic aura.
Yes, the themes of the album may be dark and moody but the musical ambition is extraordinarily theatrical and grandiose. The juxtaposition of the two helps to embellish the album into an absorbing anthology.
The subtlety of the experimental expansion of the bandâs sound is what helps to ensure that the record stays on point and harnesses its gloomy visceral roots to great effect. Whilst the band have clearly sought to reach new heights musically, theyâve managed to control the narrative of the album well.
Tigercub have long been a band that have offered glimpses of their full capabilities but perhaps lacked the final touch. With âThe Perfume of Decayâ, the band have found that touch and delivered the stunning collection of their very best work.
âDARKFIGHTERâ is the first of not one but two new Rival Sonsâ albums expected this year. Perhaps they are making up for lost time as this marks the longest gap between albums in their albeit short career with their sixth album, âFeral Rootsâ arriving back in January 2019.
The wait is evidently worth it though as straight out the gates the album promises a little bit of everything that has made the band such an important part of the new wave of classic rock bands. âMirrorâ for example sees the band swapping elegant guitar riffs and delicate melodies in the way that they do so well.
The lead single and shortest track on the album, âNobody Wants To Dieâ, then reminds us of their ability to create short succinct rockers as well as longer sonic voyages (of which this album gets a couple).
The eight tracks on this record all stand on their own merit and collectively represent another stunning snapshot of a masterful band. When they are at the peak of their powers, nobody quite does it like Rival Sons. âBird in the Handâ and âGuillotineâ here being two tracks that encapsulate the majesty and the force present in the band.
Fans of the band will surely feel that this album ranks amongst the best that they have put out, which is saying something! With âLightbringerâ expected to arrive later this year alongside a UK Tour, it would appear to be a very good time to be a Rival Sons fan.
NOEL GALLAGHER’S HIGH FLYING BIRDS – COUNCIL SKIES – ALBUM REVIEW
Upon the split of Oasis, not many would have pegged that come 2023, Liam Gallagher would be the more successful brother. That certainly wasnât the case in the immediate aftermath with Noel launching Noel Gallagherâs High Flying Birds to great success and Liam faltering with new group Beady Eye.
Over the next decade though Liam would offer a resurgent defiance whilst Noel would disappear down a rabbit hole, but now Noel is back with new album, âCouncil Skiesâ, hailed by the man himself as âgoing back to the beginningâ.
Recent work has seen Gallagher experimenting with elements of his sound (scissors anymore?), and this has coincided with waning interest in his new output from fans. A back to basics approach then would make some commercial sense for Gallagher.
Watch ‘Council skies’ on youtube
Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds – ‘Council Skies’
What you get instead on this album is a mixture of the two. You can see that Gallagher has taken a simplified approach to the creative process, but there are still remnants of his more recent direction in here.
Gallagher does appear stuck in a hole, whilst his brother continues to attract new younger audiences, Noel doesnât seem to have that appeal. So whilst he probably has the bigger desire for sonic exploration, he has a fanbase just craving another âDefinitely Maybeâ.
Those fans will enjoy this album, but theyâll also be unlikely to return to it all that often. âCouncil Skiesâ may be Gallagher hitting the reset button having felt the stagnation of recent years, and if so it will likely do the job well. That said at this point the only thing that fans are really waiting on is the reunion of all reunions. Gallagher though seems relatively happy in his current safe position.
AVENGED SEVENFOLD – LIFE IS BUT A DREAM… – ALBUM REVIEW
New Avenged Sevenfold albums are becoming rarer entities these days (itâs seven years since âThe Stageâ!), but itâs becoming tradition for them be polarising on release and subsequently embraced.
2013âs âHail to the Kingâ was too mainstream, âThe Stageâ was too progressive, and now many will write off new album, âLife is But a Dreamâ as too weird and âout thereâ! Ultimately though, many look back fondly on those last two albums, and that will likely be the case once again here, but that may take some time.
The band have always been ambitious in their songwriting and been willing to push boundaries. This album certainly does that from the System of a Down-esque thunderous opening to âGame Overâ through various other influences both heavy and light.
In many ways it feels like the band have thrown paint on a wall and seen what it looks like once dry. The reality though is the opposite, clearly the band have spent considerable time (some would argue too much) working in all their ideas.
One thing for sure is that this is an album that warrants repeated listens. There is so much depth here that itâs impossible to take everything in first time around. By design itâs also an album that is greater than the sum of its parts. Songs that individually may feel too quirky like pre-release singles, âNobodyâ and âWe Love Youâ, take on new life as part of the collective.
Often certain music is described as âmarmiteâ â you either love it or hate it. With âLife Is But A Dreamâ, Avenged Sevenfold have perhaps given the best example yet for that statement. Fans are either going really hate this, or they will really, truly love it. There will be no in-between!
We all experience grief at some point in our lives, thus we can all relate to what the members of Foo Fighters and Dave Grohl in particular have experienced over the past year. The tragic passing of beloved drummer Taylor Hawkins shocked everyone, and Grohl, suffering the loss of a bandmate and friend not for the first time, also sadly endured the loss of his mother with whom he shared a deep bond.
This album therefore should come with a warning that you need to have a box of tissues at the ready. Youâll work through a range of emotions over the ten tracks, but feelings of loss and love will really tug on your heartstrings.
This is naturally a different album than what would have followed much maligned 2021 release, âMedicine at Midnightâ. One constant though is that new album, âBut Here We Areâ, sees the band again work with producer Greg Kurstin for the third time. Despite the recent news of Josh Freese taking up the sticks for the band, itâs Grohl who handles drum duties for this deeply personal record, which feels very fitting.
Clearly a lot of love and care has gone into the creation of this album and that shines through on every track. This is a statement of love for those lost but also an opportunity of catharsis for the band.
Lyrically the album is a brutally honest insight into Grohl working through the events of the last year. Sonically though the album is somewhat of a throwback to past glories for the band as they exorcise the demons of their previous album, which didnât quite hit the spot for many fans.
You can say this album musically goes back to basics, and that fits the raw subject matter very well. This is in many ways the best Foo Fighters album in a decade or more. The themes behind the album will likely be the thing most remembered about this album and that should be the case, but itâs important that we donât neglect the fact that this is a damn good album at the same time.
Welcome everyone to a special Bank Holiday edition of our weekly music News Report!
We begin this week with the best tour announcements from the past week and get things started with Black Stone Cherry!
The US rockers will release their new album, ‘Screamin’ At The Sky’ on September 29th.
To celebrate the group have revealed a short run of truly intimate UK dates around the release.
Revealing the dates the band said, “Calling all UK Cherryheads! We couldnât be more pumped to announce these shows in September and October. Weâre putting together an intimate show to play all our new music, and we want to see y’all there.”
Holding Absence have announced a full headline UK & EU tour, which will take place later this year.
The band said “We are ecstatic to announce our âThe Noble Art Of Self Destructionâ headline tour around the UK and Europe! Not only is this a well-overdue headline tour for our European fans, but itâll see us playing our biggest venues to date in the UK too! We are so excited for this tour, and to be able to play all the best songs from our first three albums.”
The news comes ahead of brand new album, ‘The Noble Art of Self Destruction’, which arrives on August 25th.
Teenage Fanclub have shared details of the new album. ‘Nothing Lasts Forever’ is due out on September 22nd.
Ahead of the release, the band have also debuted new single, ‘Foreign Land’, which you can check out above.
Norman Blake on the single: âThe song is about moving forward, not dwelling on the past. We shot the video in Hamilton Mausoleum, near Glasgow. Given that the album is calledNothing Lasts Forever we thought it would be appropriate to shoot a video inside a tombâ.
To coincide with the release of their latest album, ‘Divine Machines’, Demob Happy have shared their new single, ‘Token Appreciation Society’, which you can check out above.
This week saw VEXED unleash their new single, ‘X My Heart (Hope To Die)’, which you can check out above.
The song comes ahead of anticipated new album, ‘Negative Energy’, which is out June 23rd.
The band on the single:ââX my <3 (hope to die)â was the catalyst for Negative Energy. After months of writers block and feeling like giving up, this song opened the floodgates for inspiration and creativity. Inspired by the victims of religious extremists, cults or abuse of power, this song is about how one person shouldnât be able to dictate other peopleâs lives based on their own personal opinions.â
Regarding the album,. the band says, âWe are so proud to present to you our second album. Since our first release, we have each endured traumatic experiences, surrounded by death, betrayal, pain and grief. In order to find any strength, we first had to accept that we werenât okay, then take our trauma and face it head on, sharing our vulnerability, fears and weaknesses. Instead of forcing ourselves to try and be positive we put all our negative energy into the album in order to begin our own repair and to overcome.â
Militarie Gun have shared their latest single, ‘Will Logic’, which you can check out above.
The track will feature on upcoming debut album, ‘Life Under The Gun’, which is out June 23rd.
Speaking about the new track vocalist Ian Shelton says: â’Will Logic’ is meant to be pure spite, itâs the moment of realisation that someone is trying to take advantage of you and deciding you wonât allow it to happen. Thereâs some melancholy and fatigue in there, though ultimately itâs a desire for the world to be trustworthy.â
Finally in this section of our News Report, ‘Discover’ New Music Podcast alumni Daytime TV have shared a brand new single, ‘jessica’, which you can check out above!
Watch Episode 14 of our ‘Discover’ New Music Podcast with guests Daytime TV
‘Discover’ New Music Podcast – Episode 14 – Daytime TV
Northern Irish metal outfit ARCHIVES haveshared a monolithic new single titled ‘Matriarch’.
âMatriarch is a song about how human beings process loss & grief in many different forms. Â In this case hiding away from the reality of losing someone even if it means you may never get to properly say goodbye in order to save your last memory of a loved one being a positive one & not bed ridden. Grief is difficult. The inevitability of someoneâs life decaying is something you can only hide away from briefly eventually you have to face the music.â â Vocalist, Adam Holland
Strange Company – ‘Overrated’
Welsh three-piece rock outfit Strange Company have shared their brand new single âOverratedâ.
“Overrated is all about perspective. If someone says “stay in your lane” or “no you can’t”, I’m instantly thinking “yes I can, just watch me” and dying to prove them wrong. But when these phrases are coming from my own thoughts, when the self-doubt creeps in, it really takes over and I find myself scared of trying for fear of getting burned. Realising this, seeing these patterns and learning how to deal with them to push beyond the fog of worry changed the game for me. So this song is really both of these rolled into one – it’s a middle-finger to the naysayers and at the same time it’s an awareness, acceptance and step forward through our own fears and doubts.” – Matt Davies
DEADSET – ‘The Art of Pointscoring’
DEADSET have released their highly charged, emotive debut single ‘The Art of Pointscoring’.
âThe song is an earnest outlook on the toxic environment that can be birthed when youâre struggling to coordinate mental health issues,â says Sam Mellors from the band. âThat apathy you experience in which you feel empathy but struggle to act upon it. Itâs an ugly subject but writing about it in a vulnerable and genuine way helps to process and accept your own falsities and mistakes; and the accepting of a situation you canât change when someone else is feeling the same, accepting both parties can make mistakes. It helps me learn vulnerability and forgive others whilst also learning how to change bad behaviour patterns myself.â
The hype around Sleep Token is interesting. Theyâve been around for some seven or so years now, and already have two EPâs and two albums to their name ahead of their third full-length âTake Me Back To Edenâ. Their success then shouldnât be considered to be âovernightâ. That said, the hype train has certainly picked up speed over the last year, perhaps influenced by a certain social media app.
Mystery still surrounds the group both naturally and by design; and whilst many are jumping on the bandwagon, there are also those that are out to shoot the band down. A somewhat polarising start to life then for the band, and thatâs rather fitting listening to this new trilogy closing album.
It smacks of an album that will split fans and critics alike by its very grandiose nature. For some it will be an epic masterpiece that should be revered for its ambition. Alas for others it will be deemed a bloated, over-produced, self-indulgent slog of an album.
The truth, is probably somewhere in between the two, but definitely skewed towards the former. The ambition in making a heavy yet accessible, atmospheric yet colossal sound come to life has to be admired.
The great moments on this album are truly phenomenal, and there is so much to dissect across the hour plus, twelve song collection of sonic reverence. Multiple listens will be essential to fully grasp this offering from Sleep Token.
That said, the fact that a large part of their audience has arrived from a social media app centred on short length clips is interesting. Will this following connect with the likes of the eight minute epic title-track?
As always with Sleep Token, you may feel that there are more questions than answers on this album. But then, after all isnât that a large part of the appeal? One thing is certain and thatâs wherever they go next, the world will be watching!
