Our weekly music News Report has evolved into the Full Pelt Magazine, and you can download the fourth issue now for free!
Volume four includes an update from cover stars Frank Carter & The Rattlesnakes, reviews of new albums from Black Stone Cherry and King Nun, a live review of Theory of a Deadman plus a special feature on the upcoming Ash vs The Subways tour!
We have our News Report rounding up new releases from Neck Deep, Within Temptation, Europe, Lake Malice, Filth Is Eternal, Nervosa and Sum 41!
Plus new live announcements from Yard Act, James, Nothing More, VUKOVI, Lynks and The Longest Johns.
Finally, we round up the latest additions to our ‘Discover’ New Music Playlist with Spiritual Cramp, Butterfly Hurricane and Grove Street!
Our weekly music News Report has evolved into the Full Pelt Magazine, and you can download the third issue now for free!
Volume three includes an update from cover star Chris Shiflett, and a review of ‘Race the Night’ from Ash.
We have our News Report rounding up new releases from Don Broco, Lonely The Brave, Dream Wife, TesseracT, DragonForce, Staind, Duff McKagan, Skinny Lister, All Time Low, While She Sleeps, K.Flay, The Meffs, END and Mother Mother!
Plus new live announcements from British Lion, Fozzy, KITE THIEF, VV, The Amazons, The Coral, Twin Atlantic and Lonely The Brave.
Finally, we round up the latest additions to our ‘Discover’ New Music Playlist with Major Moment, Tropic Gold and Future Static!
At this point in their thirty year career Ash are something of a safe bet with consistently good records and always solid live. When other bands have self-destructed, lost the magic or faded away, Ash have remained a constant.
The relationships within the trio will of course be one key reason behind this longevity and when early press releases teased Tim Wheeler as describing ‘Race the Night’ as “the sound of the band reveling in the sheer joy of being a band after being separated by time and distance through the insanity of the early 2020s.”, the seeds were sewn for a change.
Change probably isn’t the right word to use though, perhaps re-emergence would suit better because as the band have drip fed singles from the new album many have likened the sound to 2004’s ‘Meltdown’ album in terms is heaviness.
The constant will to pigeonhole and connect releases is always is kneejerk temptation from music press though, and whilst sonically the connection is obvious, ‘Race the Night’ actually stands out for the reason highlighted by Wheeler. That is plain and simply that this sounds like a band having fun and making an album that follows no set rulebook just a desire to unleash their creativity and see what happens.
Well what has happened with ‘Race the Night’ is a sublime slice of pop rock perfection. Fans of the band that have enjoyed recent offerings ‘Kablammo!’ and ‘Islands’ and observed how good those releases are will perhaps be surprised by the quality of this album. That’s because both those albums were very decent and maintained the legacy of the band, but ‘Race the Night’ sees the band take a giant leap forward.
There are of course radio hits, delicate melodies and rifftastic moments spread throughout the well balanced release as you’d expect from Ash, but if in doubt just listen to the fantastic album closer, ‘Like A God – Reprise’. You just can’t help but picture a young band just jamming together in a garage!
Yes, whilst Ash have never failed to deliver the goods, ‘Race the Night’ feels like a special present indeed.
Next comes news of a brand new album from Within Temptation!
The band announced this week that, ‘Bleed Out’, will be released on October 20th. You can also listen to the title track above!
Vocalist Sharon den Adel states, “The war in Ukraine has influenced us a lot. As artists we are inspired by the world, and we have this platform. We are storytellers, and I think as human beings, these are things we should be talking about.”
Whilst songs such as ‘Wireless’ and ‘We Go To War’ examine the authoritarian aggression on display in Ukraine and other warzones, the title track itself addresses the plight of women fighting for their rights in Iran after the murder of Mahsa Amini.
Sharon explains, “I lived in Yemen when I was a kid. My parents lived in several countries in the Middle East, and I’ve visited them a lot when they were there. It’s a different world. Due to my time there, I feel connected to that part of the world. I’ve been so incredibly impressed by the bravery of the young women there who’ve been burning their scarves knowing they were going to be thrown in prison or worse – it’s heartbreaking.”
Ash continue to prepare for the release of their new album, ‘Race the Night’, which arrives on September 15th.
This week saw the band share new single, ‘Usual Places’, which you can check out above.
Tim Wheeler comments: “Originally written as a tribute to long forgotten bars and faces as I was leaving New York, ‘Usual Places’ took on extra significance as the first thing we worked on together post-lockdown. Below the surface of the joy of writing and playing together again, there’s a subconscious grief to all that was lost in those years. Friends and family, pubs and venues. This is our eulogy to them all. No coincidence the video was shot in the Marquis of Lorne, just a walk from Brixton Academy.”
K.Flay teams with Pierce The Veil on ‘Irish Goodbye’
K.Flay – ‘Irish Goodbye’ ft. Vic Fuentes (Pierce The Veil)
K.Flay has shared new single, ‘Irish Goodbye’, which features Vic Fuentes of Pierce The Veil.
Check out the track above, which comes ahead of new album, ‘MONO’, which arrives September 15th.
“I was screaming in the demo to that song and eventually I realized, ‘I have a friend who screams professionally, so maybe I should get him on this,’” K.Flay recalls.
JAWS have shared new single, ‘Sweat’, which you can check out above.
The tracks comes from upcoming EP, ‘If It Wasn’t For My Friends, Things Could Be Different’, which is out on September 15th.
Connor Schofield explains, “Lyrically “Sweat” is about dealing with your anxiety in the moment, everything slowing down and trying to take it as it comes when in an overstimulating situation.”
Soon after news of a Creed reunion, Scott Stapp have shared a new single, ‘Higher Power’, which you can check out above.
Stapp says, “Life’s mysteries can be unraveled by listening to one’s inner voice. For me, that means leaning on my faith in God and listening to His voice to guide me through the struggles and darkness. For others, whether it’s through art, nature, science, family, or a combination of all, tapping into a higher power is an individualized process that requires an open mind and a willingness to flow with a force that’s greater than the individual.”
“UK! It has been far too long (since 2018!) and we’ve missed you so much. We’re so excited to come back this December”. Those were the words of The Used as they announced a new headline UK Tour.
Support will come from The Home Team and Honey Revenge.
The Cult have revealed details of a very special tour focusing on their early material and material from predecessors Southern Death Cult and Death Cult.
Jim Lockey and the Solemn Sun reveal headline dates
Recent Podcast guests Jim Lockey and the Solemn Sun have revealed a new headline tour which will take place this autumn.
The band commented, “Our first tour since 2019. We’ll be playing songs from our new album as well as all our old favourites. Don’t miss out! Stoked to see you all.”
Oxymorrons share new single, ‘Look Alive (Netic)’ from upcoming debut album, ‘Melanin Punk’.
The band explains, “’Look Alive’ is the perfect sonic representation of our unique blend of Rock and Hip-Hop. It hits hard, exudes energy, and lives authentically in both spaces. With swaggy, unapologetic vibes, it simultaneously uplifts while delivering a powerful message: ‘Hard Times Get Better.’ Stay focused, Stay Active, and Push Forward, always Look Alive.”
Noise – ‘Victor’
Glasgow four-piece Noise share ‘Victor’ from newly announced debut EP, ‘Not Until Tomorrow Night’.
“Our debut EP explores the link between nostalgia and the present,” explain the band. “These themes are woven into retellings of classic novels such as Frankenstein and The Picture of Dorian Gray with a modern twist. The songs perfectly represent our musical ideals and we’re immensely proud of them.”
Matthew Lowry – ‘Coming For You’
Matthew Lowry shares latest single, ‘Coming For You’.
“I knew right away when I wrote the riff for this song that I needed to follow through on it. It was so much fun from the start because, for a long time, my songwriting had been missing the hard rock that I grew up loving. The stuff that made me want to put a guitar on. A little Southern flare mixed with the rock anthems I blasted throughout my entire childhood. No better way to be honest with yourself and move forward than to let out the real stuff you have inside. And since this album is about that journey to embrace yourself and move forward in life, it was perfect.
Once this was tracked in the studio, that feeling I had from the start was confirmed. I wanted this to be the final single before the album came out. Lyrically, it’s pretty straightforward: I’m over trying to be anything for anyone. No more fear, no more paranoia. I’m bringing my shit front and center. This is me, this is my music, this is who I am.
Then to be really me, we knew that we wanted to make the video as ridiculous and goofy as we could. Since I started planning the album, I had this idea for the “Flamingo County Games” as a Jackass style backwoods Florida olympics. A bit of a nod to the Foo Fighters in their golden era of amazing music videos with those huge rock anthems. In the end, it all came together, and I honestly could not be happier. ” -Matthew Lowry
Welcome everyone to another edition of our weekly music News Report!
We begin this week with the best new releases from the past week and it’s Ash that get us started.
The trio have recently revealed that they will release a new album, ‘Race the Night’ on September 15th. This week the group debuted their latest single, ‘Like a God’, which you can check out above.
Frontman Tim Wheeler comments: “Like A God pushes the rock aspect of the album to its furtherest limits. An ode to sexual apotheosis it revels in a carnal riff played with mantra like repetition before reaching a frenzied climax.”
Skindred are also building towards the release of a new album with ‘Smile’ set to arrive on August 4th!
This week saw the group share their latest single, ‘Unstoppable’, which you can check out above.
As a band, we’ve survived the rise and fall of a million genres, trend and fads in this world,” says guitarist Mikey Demus. “People have tried and failed to put us in a box we refuse to live in. Skindred has a determination and a tenacity to stay true to ourselves, and true to our fans. Skindred will not be ignored. We are Unstoppable!”
“We keep going and we keep pushing forward,” says frontman Benji Webbe, a man who’s no stranger to being unstoppable, having survived sepsis and having his throat slashed. “In life, it’s about hearing that our music has encouraged people and got them through dark times. But even when we’re done and gone, people will still be listening to this music. That thought makes me smile.”
Following a slew of successful festival appearances, Bob Vylan have shared their brand new single, ‘Dream Big’, which you can check out above!
Commenting on the single, Vylan said “Written for my younger self and anybody that dreams of accomplishing or changing something. A reminder of where we have come from and what we are capable of.”
Bad Wolves have this week shared their new single, ‘Bad Friend’, which you can check out above!
“‘Bad Friend’ exemplifies exactly where Bad Wolves always wanted to be as a band,” relays vocalist Daniel “DL” Laskiewicz. “It lives dead center of being melodically catchy as well as crushingly heavy and is a great representation of our new upcoming album. This song reminds us that TRUE friendship is not about being perfect or always saying the right thing but being there for each other through the good times and the bad. It’s also to be willing to acknowledge one’s own mistakes and make things right. If you can’t do that, you might be a bad f*cking friend.”
Next in our News Report are The Dollyrots who have this week revealed that they will release a new album, ‘Night Owls’, on October 13th.
You can check out previous single ‘Hey Girl’ above.
“You know how they say a band’s first album is usually their best? Well, I think because we had time for this one, you know, since the world stopped due to Covid, it’s a lot like a first album. We had so many bits and pieces and once we could finally get into the studio it all just flew out of us, like we had been holding something vital & urgent in for years. Because we had. If you love The Dollyrots you’ll love “Night Owls”. If you don’t know The Dollyots, you’ll probably love it too,” says singer / bassist Kelly Ogden.
Rising indie rockers The K’s recently unveiled their latest single, ‘Landmines’, which you can check out above.
Frontman Jamie Boyle explains:
“Landmines is a memoir of myself growing up. It’s a story that is familiar to me, the band and thousands of other people across the UK who experienced the transition into adolescence living in a working-class town. The song sends many of us back to our late-teen days where the only recipe for a good night with friends was cheap alcohol and some sort of shelter, whether that be a tunnel or a skate park. Landmines brings back fond memories of the first real time we were free to explore the world by ourselves as, what we then thought were, ‘adults’ and the events that ensued”.
Willie J Healey shares new single ‘Woke Up Smiling’
Willie J Healey – ‘Woke Up Smiling’
Next up in our News Report this week is Willie J Healey who has shared his latest single, ‘Woke Up Smiling’, which you can check out above!
The track comes from upcoming new album, ‘Bunny’, which will arrive on August 25th.
On the track, Healey says “I wrote this during a glorious period of my life. I was living in a studio flat in Bristol, it had these huge sash windows which let huge amounts of morning sun in. I’d make coffee and sit with my guitar & cat, I’m pretty sure my cat helped me write that song.”
King Nun have this week debuted new single, ‘Golden Age’, which you can check out above!
The single will feature on upcoming new album, ‘Lamb’, which is due for release on September 29th.
Speaking in the new single, vocalist Theo Polyzoides comments: ‘Golden Age is about feeling damned by the normalcy of life around you” contemplates the front man. “it’s about trying to have fun and break away from the mundane too. There is so much about modern life that feels unnatural, or that things could have happened differently, so the humour lightens things up a bit in an anti-defeatist way.”
The Menzingers share ‘There’s No Place In This World For Me’
The Menzingers – ‘There’s No Place In This World For Me’
Finally in this section of our News Report this week comes, ‘There’s No Place In This World For Me’, from The Menzingers, which you can of course check out above!
The band commented, “This song is an anthem for anyone stuck between where they are and where they want to be.”
Scottish fellowship North Atlas have shared their brand new single, ‘Superego’!
“According to Freud, the Superego acts as our moral compass, what he calls the Id describes the drives for primal behaviour, while the regular Ego works to strike a balance between those two needs. The Superego strives for a sort of moral perfection, so I suppose that means there’s usually a cost for what you want. This song is about not paying for what you want by sacrificing your own values.”
Leon Hunter – Vocals
Bellwether – ‘fallingshort’
Sydney based Pop Punk band Bellwether have shared their new single, ‘fallingshort’.
“fallingshort’ is a pensive, emotionally driven pop punk track that is musically inspired by the works of electronic artist Porter Robinson, with further inspiration taken from 2000’s era emo pop punk. The song is a reflection on the decisions we wish we would have made in the past and the opportunities we feel have passed us by, while maintaining a determined outlook towards the future” – Guitarist Heath Joukhadar
Lucky Hit – ‘Shoebox Memories’
UK based pop punk band Lucky Hit have shared a brand new single, ‘Shoebox Memories’
“Shoebox Memories focuses on the perspective of someone looking back at a time shared between two people. It recalls some of the experiences they shared and questions if the importance of those experiences were indeed shared. We all have those things that we hold on to which to anyone else means little to nothing. Not to you though, for you they hold a core memory. They take you back to the past. These can be anything from a ticket stub to a mixtape of songs from a time in your life. They hold memories you wouldn’t trade for anything.” – Vocalist Lawrence Murphy.
Ash and The Subways will combine forces for a special co-headline tour lat this year!
Also in a big news week for Ash, the group have announced that they will release a new album, ‘Race the Night’, on September 15th.
The band accompanied the announcement with the release of the title-track as lead single, and you can listen to the song below.
Ash – ‘Race The Night’
Wheeler comments: “Race the Night is the sound of the band reveling in the sheer joy of being a band after being separated by time and distance through the insanity of the early 2020s. Lyrically it’s all about seizing the crossroads moments in life with both hands. Take every chance as if it could be your last.”
Continuing about the video he says: “Race the Night video is the product from the fevered mind of long time friend and horror director Jed Shepherd. He’s taken a song about seizing the moment and had the band seized by a super fan who proceeds to force the band into doing her bidding. Enjoy the Misery…”
Continuing the fantastic live announcements this week in our News Report is a new run of UK and EU dates from The Struts.
Regarding the tour frontman Luke Spiller says, “Finally we are returning to the UK and Europe! We can’t wait to play you some new material and a new show we’ve been putting together for the last year. Get your tickets as fast as you can! Love you all! X”
As December Falls revealed a spectacular new tour this week which will see then head out later this year with support from both Dream State and Lizzy Farrall.
The tour is in support of new album, ‘Join the Club’, which is out July 21st.
We move our News Report on now to the best new releases from the past week and we begin with Kasabian.
The band have shared new single, ‘Algorithms’, which you can check out above.
On the track, frontman Serge Pizzorno says:
“Some tunes take months to write and some take 10 minutes. It’s as if they’ve already been written and all you’re doing is dictating your subconscious. That’s how Algorithms came together. I’ve been thinking how important gigs are and how they make us all so happy through the good times and the bad and especially festivals, those moments when people get on shoulders and it’s glorious chaos. That’s what Algorithms is to me, we’re not here for a long time just here for a good time. That’s what separates us from the robots. We live in the moment and if we’re lucky enough to feel that, then we are in ecstasy. What makes us special is that we can’t live forever, we have our time and then we are gone. It’s why real flowers are beautiful and plastic ones, are just plastic. Hope you enjoy the tune see you in the mosh pit”
The legendary Alice Cooper returned this week with news of a brand new album coming later this year.
Cooper confirmed that ‘Road’ will be released on August 25th, and accompanied that announcement with new single, ‘I’m Alice’, which you can check out above!
“For ‘Road’, I wanted the band to be involved in the foundation of all the songs,” says Alice. “I only see these guys when we’re on the road. So, I wanted them to be as tight as they are for the show but on all new material. When you have a band this good, I believe in showing it off, and this is my way of doing so.”
Coinciding with their massive Arctic Monkeys Stadium tour slot, The Hives have debuted new single, ‘Countdown to Shutdown’, which you can check out above.
The track features on upcoming new album, ‘The Death of Randy Fitzsimmons’, which will arrive on August 11th.
Duff McKagan this week announced the release of new album, ‘Lighthouse’, on October 20th.
McKagan also shared the title-track from the album, which you can check out above.
“The crashing….the cresting waves, the falling through of all that surrounds you. Life sometimes tosses us around, and we feel the want of comfort and the pull of home. A ship tossed like a toy through the Cape, sails ripped and the wood groaning with the scraping of its ballast….a soul trying with all its might to find peace and a center. Find a lighthouse. I have my lighthouse….its beacon swirling in the darkness with her warmth and promise of nurture, love, laughter, and all that is true. Won’t you be my lighthouse, give me light,…and bring me home.” – Duff
Black Water County debut ‘The Only Life Worth Living’
Black Water County – ‘The Only Life Worth Living’
Next up in our News Report are Black Water County who this week debuted new single, ‘The Only life Worth Living’, which you can check out above.
The track begins a string of singles leading to the release of a new album of the same name later this year.
“The Only Life Worth Living is about keeping an open mind, opening doors and moving forward,” explain the band, “The song summarises our feelings coming out of a hard couple of years for both the band and the industry as a whole. To us, it means full ‘balls-to-the-wall’ energy because life is too short.
“As times have become tougher our writing has reflected some of these struggles and we’ve found ourselves focusing on what really matters to us. This track was initially conceptualized pre-covid but was refined over many video calls during lockdown, forcing us to think outside our normal writing process. Because of this, we think that it has grown into a track that longs to be shouted from the rooftops and, now that we’re back out on the road, we’re so thrilled to be performing again to our audience, knowing that they’re stoked to be back out in the wild too.”
Dream Nails have announced details of their new album, ‘Doom Loop’, which will be released on October 13th via Marshall Records.
You can listen to the lead single, ‘Good Guy’, above.
“Doom Loop is an exploration of the repeated cycles we find ourselves in,” comments vocalist Ishmael Kirby, “from political injustice and patriarchal systems to the negative spirals of our minds. A doom loop is a crisis that starts to feed on itself. It feels like there is no escape. But there is. This album is a reflection of ourselves, the world we live in, and the one we want to create.”
“Specifically, Doom Loop delves into masculinity in its many forms” expands drummer Lucy Katz. “The good guy, the lads at school, the narcissistic politician, the incel, the sexual predator, the police officer. It looks into gender-based oppression from childhood; how isolation can breed violence against women and the rhetoric that spawns incels.”
Elaborating on the themes, guitarist Anya Pearson adds: “On the album we also celebrate masculinity by telling stories about butch and trans masculine identities. We show the shared responsibility we have in fighting misogyny. Empathy is hard to find in a divided world, but we seek it out, advocate for it, and ask how far it goes.”
The title of the riotous new single highlights the phrase as a fake ID used to lull people into a false sense of security. “It’s as if we couldn’t possibly believe there could be danger if someone describes themselves as the good guy.” says Ishmael. “It reinforces that gender-based violence and attacks are one-off occurrences, denying our lived experiences as women and non-binary people.”
Bassist Mimi Jasson recounts: “Incel terrorist Elliot Rodger killed six people in a stabbing and shooting spree in California in 2014. The final section of his manifesto, where the 22-year-old complained about not being able to get a girlfriend, Rodger declared ‘I am the true victim in all of this. I am the good guy’”
Heavy Lungs this week shared new single, ‘All Gas No Brakes’, which you can check out above.
The song is the title-track for their newly announced upcoming album which arrives 29th September.
Of the news, the band say: “Well, well, well… they said it couldn’t be done, but look what just kicked you in the ass. Our debut album is coming out. It’s a dancer and it’s a prancer, and hopefully it’s a life enhancer. We recorded it way back in 2021 with head wizard, Wiz, and his jester Stan for some extra magic and spice, and it’s been a long old wait, but only another 3 months and it’s yours!”
Commenting on the song, front man and vocalist Danny Nedelko says: “This high-octane, dance floor firecracker is all about giving it absolute beans. It’s about knowing you are the big cheese. You’re the main course.”
The official video was directed by good friends Holding Hands With Horses. “It’s a ‘70s B-movie, Paul Thomas Anderson-inspired depiction of a roller disco gone full Twin Peaks,” say the band of the visuals. “You are seriously in for a wild ride. 69% on Rotten Potatoes. The rewatchability of this one is off the scale. Let’s goooooo.”
Finally for this section of our News Report we have the latest single from Conquer Divide. You can check out ‘the INVISIBLE‘ above.
The song is taken from upcoming new album, ‘Slow Burn’, which is out September 8th.
“the INVISIBLE.” has many lived-in, emotional layers that paint a picture that takes you right back to your youth, especially if you are part of an alt scene and made to feel like an outcast,” the band explains, offering insight into the song.
“It confronts the dynamic between your true self and your desire to be accepted by the ‘cool kids.’ One day, you realize that you don’t need to seek validation from those in a sad state of affairs. They project their insecurities onto others because they lack emotional maturity and self-esteem.”
BIG SPECIAL share their latest single ‘THIS HERE AIN’T WATER’.
The band says “It’s basically an inward sermon, when you’re stuck in your head egging yourself on about how rough times feel. It’s about media and politics. It’s about self-medication. It’s about a lack of options. It’s about the thinning of the common understanding between the social classes of England, and feeling stuck, watching it all happen.”
Keep This Up – ‘Lost’
Keep This Up share ‘Lost’ prior to new EP ‘Paper Houses’.
The band says “Lost is a song about the pain you face in a toxic relationship – be it a friend, family or relationship. It’s hard to understand why we care when we shouldn’t sometimes and lyrically this explores those feelings whilst ripping through some post-hardcore riffs, nice harmonic melodies and a very fast breakdown.”
Raisin Awareness – ‘Never Ending Story’
UK pop punk trio Raisin Awareness unveil their debut single, ‘Never Ending Story’.
In the words of Jo D, the band’s lead vocalist, and guitarist, “When you actually sit down and think about how fucked the world is and that you’re part of that mess, it can feel overwhelming. Some of us have gotten very good at justifying our actions due to their convenience, or some of us simply stick our heads in the sand.”
“Lyrically, Never Ending Story comes from my own battle with feeling helpless about the state of the world and not wanting to give up hope that if we come together in solidarity, we will prevail
Disillusioned and close to bankruptcy, it is fair to say that 2001’s ‘Free All Angels’, was a make or break record for Ash. Whilst debut album, ‘1977’, had hit the number one spot and made the band a household name, sophomore release, ‘Nu-Clear Sounds’ had seen the bands momentum stall.
Having seemingly hit rock bottom, a refreshed approach saw the band write and record what would be their saving grace, ‘Free All Angels’. Returning the band to the top of the charts, and serving as a springboard to greater success, it is again fair comment to say that the album rescued the group’s career.
This week has seen the band celebrate the 21st Anniversary of the album with three very special shows. Rejoined by guitarist Charlotte Hatherley, who departed the band in 2006, Ash have played the album in full first in Manchester, then Birmingham and finally tonight at the O2 Forum Kentish Town in London.
On the eve of the funeral for Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, there is a perfectly observed minutes silence at 8pm.
Shortly thereafter opening act The Gulps take to the stage and do a suitable job of raising spirits and getting those in attendance ready for our headliners.
WATCH ‘SHINING LIGHT’ ON YOUTUBE
Ash – ‘Shining Light’
A mighty roar greets Ash and particularly Hatherley to the stage and the band proceed to play the entirety of ‘Free All Angels’. The quality of the record is borne out with opening trio, ‘Walking Barefoot’, ‘Shining Light’ and ‘Burn Baby Burn’, with even frontman Tim Wheeler commenting on the run.
The singles, naturally, played a large role in the success of the album but it is the overall quality that ensures that remains as revered today as when released in 2001. ‘Candy’, ‘Someday’, ‘Sometimes’ and ‘There’s A Star’ are all glorious before ‘World Domination’ brings the run though to a close.
This doesn’t end the evening however as Wheeler quips about making the most of their time with Hatherley, before introducing the first song that they worked on together, ‘A Life Less Ordinary’.
Ash are a fine live act, but tonight the addition of Hatherley really ratchets things up a notch or two. The added layers and intricacies level up the band and the likes of ‘Goldfinger’, ‘Orpheus’ and ‘Clones’ sound absolutely huge tonight.
Towards the end of the night the band break out tracks such as ‘Numbskull’, ‘Kung Fu’ and ‘Girl From Mars’ much to the delight of the audience.
Tonight has been a reflection of a period of time not just for Ash but in British music. It’s an evening drenched in nostalgia but for those in the venue it’s all about the immediacy of the performance. It’s only fitting that a final airing of ‘Burn Baby Burn’ closes out what has been a successful celebration of a truly great album.
Welcome everyone to another edition of our weekly music News Report, where we share the best music news from the past week. We start this week with a real smorgasbord of tour announcements.
First up, is the above special set of shows from Ash. The band will play 3 ‘Free All Angels’ 21st Anniversary Shows in Manchester, Birmingham and London this September!
Drummer Rick McMurray had the following to say: “We’re delighted to announce that we will be commemorating the 21st anniversary of the release of our 2001 classic, Free All Angels. Not least because we will be joined by the fourth member of Ash, guitarist extraordinaire, all-round Shining Light, the one and only, Charlotte Hatherley. Can. Not. Wait.”
Another band celebrating a special anniversary is Idlewild, who this week announced 20th Anniversary shows for ‘The Remote Part’ in Manchester and London.
The band also announced a reissue of the seminal album on vinyl, which is available for pre-order now.
Bullet For My Valentine also announced a huge UK Tour this week. Taking place early next year, the band will also be stopping off at the Roundhouse as well as a massive Swansea Arena show.
Coheed and Cambria team up with Thrice for European Tour
The tour announcements continue in our News Report as we look now to Coheed and Cambria. The band have teamed with Thrice for a European tour with support from Touché Amoré.
We move our News Report on now to festivals and we begin with Steelhouse Festival in Wales.
This week the event finalised their line-up with Europe and Von Hertzen Brothers joining the party.
They join the likes Ace Frehley, Michael Schenker, Inglorious, Graham Bonnet Band, Orange Goblin, Black Spiders, Green Lung, The Hot Damn! and many more.
Manchester’s Neighbourhood Festival has this week unveiled the line-up for this October with The Snuts, Everything Everything and Sundara Karma at the top of the bill.
Also playing are the likes of Lauran Hibberd, Louis Dunford, Ten Tonnes, The Goa Express, The Skinner Brothers, Anorak Patch, Courting and more.
We move on now to the new releases of the past week in our News Report. We start off with Skid Row who have unveiled the video for their new single ‘The Gang’s All Here’, which you can watch above.
“‘The Gang’s All Here’ for me represents the brotherhood of this band. And with the addition on Erik our bond is more solid than ever. Our fans have always been part of the family, so when it was time to shoot a video, we handed the camera work over to them. After all, they have the best perspective to capture the excitement of a Skid Row show.” – Scotti Hill
“I’m so f’ing psyched to finally release this video! This video is by the fans for the fans. A big shout out to all the fans who made this video happen. Thank you!” – Erik Grönwall
The song is the title track of their upcoming album which is released on October 14th.
October Drift release new single ‘Webcam Funerals’
October Drift – ‘Webcam Funerals’
October Drift released their latest single, ‘Webcam Funerals’, this week ahead of their new album, ‘I Don’t Belong Anywhere’ on September 23rd. You can listen to the track above, and pre-order the album here.
“I don’t want to go into too much detail out of respect,” begins Kiran, “but this song was written at the time of losing a friend during the height of the pandemic and lockdown. She passed after a long battle with cancer. Her son, a very close friend of mine, was living with me at the time of the funeral.
I watched online from my front room, while many others did the same from their homes. This song was a response to the strangeness and sadness of friends and family members not being able to be at the funeral or there for each other at that time.”
Kiran talks further about the track and album with us on The Full Pelt Music Podcast, which you can watch below.
The Full Pelt Music Podcast – Episode 10 – October Drift
TV Priest have shared new single, ‘It Was Beautiful’, taken from forthcoming album ‘My Other People’ out 17th June. You can listen to the track above.
Vocalist Charlie Drinkwater says of the single, “‘It Was Beautiful’ is a love song about the past, present, and future. A reminder that love is the most essential thing. The words came fast; it was recorded in a single emotive session, the first song we wrote together after my family had gone through a difficult experience and I think you can hear that in the kind of melancholy euphoria that plays out as the song progresses. In some ways it’s a coda to the whole album; a reminder to guard your hope fiercely.”
APHYXION have released their latest single, ‘Not Gonna Make It’, which you can check out above.
The band elaborate on the theme of the track:
“‘Not Gonna Make It’ is a song about broken love – a sad reflection of a relationship that once was – and trying to clutch at a straw while drowning in emotions. We never really touched the subject of love in our songs before. While our lyrics have constantly been circling around dystopic subjects both on a worldly and on a personal level, we simply wanted to embrace our emotions and thoughts from a new perspective.
While trying to leave a very black and white way of seeing things, we want to explore the polarity of emotions – where both love and hate co-exist because of their mutually dependent nature.”
We close this segment of our News Report with the latest single from Just Mustard. You can listen to ‘Seed’ above, and order their new album, ‘Heart Under’here.
Guitarist Mete Kalyoncuoglu shares more on the song’s inspiration: “Along with a lot of electronics and noise, I was listening to a lot of music which featured bowed string instruments. I had finished reading ‘The Rest Is Noise’ by Alex Ross around the time we started writing and I was revisiting a lot of the 20th century composers that I first discovered watching Kubrick’s films, like Krzysztof Penderecki. The rising tempo strikes at the beginning of ‘Seed’ were inspired from the rising and falling xylophone in Béla Bartók’s ‘Music for Strings, Percussion and Celesta’.”
As always we close out our News Report with the latest additions to our ‘Discover’ New Music Playlist! Joining this week:
The Native – ‘Changes’
The Native return with their latest single, ‘Changes’, ahead of the band’s upcoming EP.
Singer Charlie Noordewier says, “‘Changes’ is about breaking out from the mundane cycle of life that so many find themselves stuck in, and pushing back against the people that put you down for trying to do something different.”
Chappaqua Wrestling – ‘Full Round Table’
Chappaqua Wrestling have shared their first new single of 2022, and first with new label EMI, ‘Full Round Table’.
The band explains: ‘We wrote Full Round Table as a reaction to the endless negativity put in our faces about our generation’s future. So much news is greeted with the response of how screwed we are – hopeless views from unhelpful people.
Negativity about youth is relative per generation but today it feels stronger. We want to ignore the cynicism, get together, appreciate what really matters, and not let people tell us what we can’t do. The Full Round Table is full of our friends, and that’s not changing.’
Fixation – ‘More Alive’
As Fixation prepare to release their debut album, they return with new single, ‘More Alive’.
“I wanted to highlight the negative effect social media can have om human relations. It’s harrowing how we spend more time maintaining our online facades, than taking care of our real-life relationships.
With “More Alive” we hope to bring attention to this topic and help our listeners make conscious decisions on how they interact with social media.” – Jonas Hansen / Vocals
Welcome everybody to another edition of our weekly music News Report! We are starting off this week with our new releases section and the latest from Kasabian.
The band this week debuted their latest single, ‘SCRIPTVRE’, which you can listen to above.
They also revealed that their new album, ‘The Alchemist’s Euphoria’, will arrive on August 5th.
This week saw Sunflower Bean release their latest album, ‘Headful of Sugar’. To coincide with the release the band also shared the latest single from the album, ‘In Flight’, and you can listen to to song above.
Of the track and video Nick Kivlen says,
“This song is a romantic vision of meeting a lover, running away together, and entering a dangerous new world. It’s less safe but also less suffocating. The video follows me through a series of twilight zone-style mishaps as I search to be seen or understood. Things only improve when I finally find like-minded people. Is it a dream? Is it the multiverse? It’s for the viewer to decide.”
This week saw the return of Asylums with their brand new single, ‘Crypto Klepto’, which you can check out above.
Describing their new single, producer Dave Eringa says:
“I can honestly say this is one of the most unhinged songs I’ve ever produced & up above 215bpm one of the fastest too!! At that speed it’s genuinely difficult to get it this heavy but the booming tom overdubs & the phalanx of fuzz guitars that annex the second verse get us there I think and the “Lalala” backing vocals notch the crazy up a level too!! Wild punk rock insanity!!!! Love it!”
We continue our News Report with another band sharing a new video this week was Crows for their new track, ‘Closer Still’. The song is the album opener for latest record, ‘Beware Believers’, and you can watch the video above.
One of several unapologetically political songs on the album, where single James Cox says, “‘Closer Still’ was written about the fit-for-work scandals that kept happening where the Department for Work & Pensions were deeming people fit for work when they obviously weren’t able to, taking away what little support they received from the state in an attempt to save on expenditure. It really highlighted our government’s contempt for the vulnerable. People whose daily lives were incredibly difficult.”
New hard rock group Iconic release debut single ‘Nowhere To Run’
Iconic – ‘Nowhere To Run’
New hard rock supergroup Iconic have shared their debut single, ‘Nowhere To Run’, which you can check out above.
The band features Michael Sweet (guitars), Joel Hoekstra (guitars), Marco Mendoza (bass), Tommy Aldridge (drums), and Nathan James (vocals).
“This was a very refreshing and unique experience. Musically, very different from Stryper, which is of course very different from all the other projects I am involved with. This is more of a throwback to the past and it felt good to do that. It reminded me of how great the music of the past really is” says Michael Sweet.
“Once the songs were arranged, I booked a studio and recorded my guitar parts, which is always the funnest part for me. I’m not sure why, but I guess because I’m a guitar player first and foremost and it’s just one of the most creative and fun parts of the process for me. To be able to get the right tone and play the right parts and hear it all come together….it’s very rewarding” he adds.
“The riffs were all very comfortable to me because I wrote most of them. 😀 I definitely have a great comfort level playing with Tommy Aldridge that’s developed over the last 8 years or so with Whitesnake. I’ve also co-written with Nathan, Michael, and Alessandro in the past, so everything felt very natural despite this being a “new” band” says Joel Hoekstra.
“Michael asked me to write riffs without an arrangement (as he did with George Lynch on the Sweet & Lynch records) and then he arranged them with what he had written. I wrote melodic/hard rock riffs as that was the vibe we had discussed and then all the solo parts had more to do with trying to compliment Nathan’s vocal melodies and of course add a bit of fire” he continues.
“I am on an album with so many of my heroes and it feels amazing, to be honest. I was lucky enough to be involved in the writing of a couple of songs, but genuinely everything I hear from the guys, I knew I could do it justice. I also feel that the guys wrote stuff that suited my voice perfectly. These are not only great musicians, they are great songwriters.
I practiced the songs a lot beforehand and then I recorded all my vocals at an amazing studio in only four afternoon sessions. I wanted to make sure it sounded like me and that my vocals had the precision that I’m so used to hearing from my vocal heroes, whom many of the guys in the band have played with. And of course, I was very aware that I would be on songs with the vocal master that is Michael Sweet. I felt the pressure for sure, but I just did what I felt worked and I’m so happy with the final result” says Nathan James.
“It was a blast playing some fresh, new material. Rehearsing, trying out parts virtually was not as much fun as doing it live, but considering the global circumstances, I‘ll take it. I just try to create a supportive environment for all involved while having fun in the process. It was easy to do as these songs really play themselves. It was a true labor of love, so very little work at the end of the day” adds Tommy Aldridge.
The single will feature on debut album, ‘Second Skin’ which arrives June 17th.
Finally as we close out the new release section of our News Report, we have the latest single from Revival Black, ‘See You Again’, which you can check out above.
The song will feature on new album, ‘Under The Light’, which is released on August 26th.
Our News Report now moves onto the weekly roundup of tour announcements. Just the one this week, but it is a huge World Tour from Arcade Fire which will include multiple arenas in the UK.
Now we move our News Report onto festival announcements and kick off with Burn It Down Festival in Torquay.
The event this week revealed that Deaf Havana will be headlining the festival. They join the likes of Trash Boat, Tigercub, VUKOVI, As December Falls, Our Hollow Our Home, Haggard Cat and more!
Belladrum Tartan Heart Festival reveals updated line-up
Finally we stop off in Scotland and Belladrum Tartan Heart Festival, who this week updated their line-up.
Appearing will be the likes of Emeli Sande, The Fratellis, Passenger, Stiff Little Fingers, Ash, Vistas, The Magic Numbers, Daytime TV, Kyle Falconer, Mason Hill, Hamish Hawk, Lottery Winners, Beans On Toast, Lucia & The Best Boys and many more.
As always we conclude our News Report with the latest additions to our ‘Discover’ New Music Playlist, where we highlight the best new music from around the world.
Personal Trainer – ‘Rug Busters’
Amsterdam’s seven-piece Personal Trainer return with joyful new single ‘Rug Busters’
Vocalist Willem Smit says of their new single:
“I wanted to make a song to dance to for everybody – no one excluded. The idea was to make a song that brings people closer to each other, no matter who they are, who they are with, what they believe or what they’ve done.
“Dance”, “Dance Dance Dance” and “Song 2 Dance 2” were three of the working titles before I settled on “Rug Busters” – “busting a move” meets “cutting a rug” or something.”
Krush Puppies – ‘Throw Me On The Fire’
Krush Puppies share new single ‘Throw Me On The Fire’, taken from debut EP ‘Love Kills The Demons’.
Vocalist and guitarist Jenny says on the single, “The song kind of acts as a confessional booth, it asks you to confide your darkest secrets within it, but questions the cost. The chant at the end urges you to face your demons instead of putting them onto someone else’s shoulders.”
Jack Valero – ‘Heaven Help Me’
The Brighton-based singer-songwriter Jack Valero is back with new single, ‘Heaven Help Me’.
Jack says, “I think every songwriter at the moment has their lockdown song. I suppose this is mine, but it covers far more for me than what the world was going through. It also covers what I was going through personally at the time, so it all wraps up into one and is presented in a way that can apply to any age and any time. It’s a song for lockdown, it’s a song for me and it’s a song for anyone struggling with the reality of their own existence. I like to be inclusive.”
Welcome to a bumper edition of our weekly music News Report! A plethora of festival announcements to get through this week, so let’s get start with Download Festival!
New additions this week included Skindred, SKYND, Dirty Honey, Kid Brunswick, The Velveteers and the incredible Yonaka.
They join a massive line-up headlined by Kiss, Iron Maiden and Biffy Clyro. Other highlights include A Day To Remember, Korn, Shinedown, Volbeat, Rise Against, The Pretty Reckless, Airbourne, The Darkness, Funeral For A Friend, Creeper, Boston Manor, Trash Boat, Holding Absence and many more.
This week also saw Y Not Festival reveal their second wave of acts including Thursday headliners The Kooks!
Also added this week were Jake Bugg, The Hunna, We Are Scientists, Blood Red Shoes, The Mysterines, Noisy, Daytime TV, MarthaGunn and more.
They’ll join the likes of Stereophonics, Manic Street Preachers, Nothing But Thieves, Levellers, Pale Waves, Dinosaur Pile-Up, Black Honey, Yard Act, The Futureheads, Dream Wife, Beans On Toast, Lauran Hibberd, REWS and many more.
Slam Dunk Festival updated their line-up this week following a couple of drop-outs. Joining the bill are Streetlight Manifesto, Stand Atlantic, Cassyette, MC Lars and more.
The event will also feature Sum 41, Alexisonfire, Neck Deep, Dropkick Murphys, Beartooth, The Used, Deaf Havana, Hot Milk, Cancer Bats, Nova Twins and many more.
Nottingham’s Splendour Festival this week revealed the event will stretch to two days this year with acts including Richard Ashcroft, Supergrass, Razorlight, The Magic Numbers, Ocean Colour Scene and Happy Mondays.
New festival Wide Skies & Butterflies set for North Norfolk
A brand new music festival is heading to the Raynham Estate in North Norfolk. Taking place this August, Wide Skies & Butterflies will feature headline sets from The Vaccines, Hot Chip and James!
They’ll be joined by the likes of Editors, Everything Everything, Levellers, Scouting For Girls, Natalie Imbruglia, Toploader, Lauran Hibberd and MarthaGunn.
Our smorgasbord of festival goodness continues with Gateways Festival who revealed their line-up this week including headliners Jake Bugg and The Charlatans.
Also onboard for the event are The Subways, Ash, The Sherlocks, Dream Wife, Lottery Winners and many more.
Bowling For Soup debut ‘I Wanna Be Brad Pitt’ and announce new album
Bowling For Soup – ‘I Wanna Be Brad Pitt’
Another band releasing new music this week was Bowling For Soup, who returned with new single ‘I Wanna Be Brad Pitt’.
That’s not it though, as the band also revealed that new album ‘Pop Drunk Snot Bread’ will arrive April 22nd!
Listen to the single above, and pre-order your album here.
Fatherson debut ‘Better Friend’
Fatherson – ‘Better Friend’
Fatherson continue to build towards new album, ‘Normal Fears’, which arrives April 1st with new single, ‘Better Friend’.
Speaking on the single, frontman Ross Leighton says, “”Better friend is about losing touch with people when you’re growing up and wishing you were better at staying in touch. Sometimes life gets in the way, but if the last few years has taught me anything life is better with the people you love.
It’s an anthem about friendship and an apology for letting it slip. It was the first song that I wrote for Normal Fears in my old bedroom in Kilmarnock and it really felt like the first normal fear I had going into the record. It became this reference point for melody and groove that the rest of the record built on.
I think everybody has felt a bit out of sorts before and gotten themselves into a space where they lose touch with people that are close to them. This song for me is a reminder to just get back in touch and start to rebuild. I love it!”
Listen to the track above and pre-order your album here.
One of the most important artists emerging over the last couple of years Bob Vylan have continued to preview their upcoming album ‘Bob Vylan Presents The Price Of Life’.
The album arrives April 22nd and can be pre-ordered here. Before then you can check out the latest single, ‘Health Is Wealth’ above.
North London singer/songwriter Louis Dunford shares brand new single ‘The Angel’ from his forthcoming second EP ‘The Popham’.
Speaking about the track Louis says: ‘I wrote this song about my home town. Anyone who’s lived in North London as long as I have will recognise the people and the places I’m talking about in the lyrics. Some that are still here and some that are not. It’s my family and friends favourite song I’ve ever written. Everyone’s London is different. I tried my best to capture ours’ .
‘GIVE IT TO ME’ – CLASSLESS ACT
Los Angeles rockers Classless Act will be joining huge tours with both Dorothy and the Motley Crue/Def Leppard/Poison/Joan Jett Stadium US Tour on their schedule. Check out recent single ‘Give It To Me’ on our Playlist.
‘IT’S ART’ – BLACKGOLD
Described as masked misfits bringing nu-metal vibes, the mysterious Blackgold emerged from the shadows this week with debut single, ‘It’s Art’.
Check out all tracks on our ‘Discover’ New Music Playlist’, and remember to also check out our ‘Discover’ New Music Podcast wherever you listen to or watch your Podcasts. We have multiple Episodes coming this week and just talked with recent Playlisted acts Youth Illusion and Scruffy Bear!
