Itâs once again Independent Venue Week and itâs a fantastic time to celebrate the integral network of grassroots venues that play such a pivotal role in the music ecosystem. It bears repeating – no local venues, no opportunities for new talent and ultimately no superstars.
Tonight we head out to one such venue, the fantastic Voodoo Daddyâs. Pizza, beer and live music are a great mix and thatâs exactly what youâll find tucked down a vibrant Norwich alley.
Youâll also find some brilliant entertainment! Up first tonight are Ecto Peach who cross the border from Ipswich. Thereâs no football rivalry here though and the already packed venue gives the group a warm welcome.
That welcome is returned tenfold with a superb performance from the tight and energetic four-piece. A short set of catchy rockers, the band are evidence of why itâs ever so important to get to shows early!
The mood changes next as songwriter (the best in the world some would say!) Ben Brown graces the intimate stage surrounded by fairy lights. He proceeds to serenade the audience with delicate melodies and comical stage banter.
A change of pace indeed but one which the audience takes in their stride and welcomes with open arms. Brown will certainly leave with more fans than when he arrived after a delightful little show.
Finally though itâs time for those fans filling the venue with Pet Needs t-shirts to enjoy the band of the moment! Pet Needs are one of the brightest prospects in the country right now; after all they did win our âDiscoverâ New Artist of the Year Award for 2022!
Yes, crowds are getting larger, venues are getting bigger and t-shirt sales are booming. The reason? Well, perhaps you should pop along to a show and see for yourselves, but given that itâs our job to tell you weâll keep it simple! If you could bottle the energy of the band to sell, youâd be a Billionaire overnight.
It takes more than energy to be a great band though and two albums in, the band already have belters for days. Both of their albums have produced multiple live staples which exemplify the quality of song writing within the band. These songs are catchy as hell with sing-a-longs infectiously mandated at Pet Needs shows.
The setlist tonight is well structured and represents a good mix of their albums. The pace never relents and the audience laps up tracks such as âPavlovianâ, âSpiralsâ, âPunk Isnât Dead; Itâs Just Up For Saleâ and âToothpasteâ.
The highlight tonight though is new track, âYeah!â, which whets the appetite for whatâs to come next. The future is clearly very bright for Pet Needs, and tonight has been a great night for those making the effort.
There are great nights like this happening all across the country every night of the week. So this Independent Venue Week, please remember folks that an independent venue isnât just for Independent Venue Week â itâs for life!
Welcome everyone to another edition of our weekly music News Report!
We start this week by running through the best festival announcements made over the past week and up first we have Kendal Calling.
Topping the bill this year will be Kasabian, Royal Blood, Blossoms and Nile Rodgers & Chic! They are joined by the likes of Kaiser Chiefs, Frank Turner, Circa Waves, The Enemy, KT Tunstall and The Amazons.
Also across the weekend will be The Hunna, The Murder Capital, Vistas, We Are Scientists, Lottery Winners, Black Honey, Newton Faulkner, October Drift, Jack Valero and many more!
Glasgow’s TRNSMT has added some fifty new acts to the bill for this year’s festival. The events features headliners Pulp, Sam Fender, The 1975, George Ezra, Kasabian and Royal Blood.
They are joined by Paul Heaton & Jacqui Abbott, The View, The Kooks, Pale Waves, Hot Milk, Hamish Hawk, The Wombats, Nothing But Thieves, The Enemy, The Amazons, Bob Vylan, Dream Wife, Lauran Hibberd and many more.
Rock returns to Mote Park in Maidstone with the newly minted Maid of Stone taking place in July. The first headline act to be revealed are rockers Airbourne.
Joining the Aussies on the bill will be Skindred, The Hunna, Phil Campbell And The Bastard Sons, Kris Barras Band, Elles Bailey, Florence Black, Bad Touch, Black Spiders and more.
Wales is also able to attract rocks finest with Steelhouse Festival leading the way. This week the festival announced that Black Stone Cherry will be topping the bill alongside already announced Saturday headliners Airbourne.
They are joined over the weekend by the likes of The Answer, Blues Pills, Kris Barras Band, Florence Black, When Rivers Meet, The Cruel Knives and Dead Man’s Whiskey!
Another rock event getting bigger this week was Slam Dunk Festival who have added more bands to an already packed bill. Probably a good thing then that they’ve also broken down the stage splits.
Added to the event were PVRIS, Sueco, Millie Manders and many more. They join the likes of Enter Shikari, The Offspring, Billy Talent, Bowling For Soup, Yellowcard,Creeper and far too many others to mention!
Live At Leeds: In The Park has added The Hives, DMA’s, gengahr and more to an already packed line up headlined by Two Door Cinema Club.
They join amongst others, The Big Moon, Black Honey, The Beths, Skinny Living, Deadletter, Ellur, Low Hummer and Opus Kink.
Speaking about their appearance at Live At Leeds: In The Park 2023, The Hivesâ frontman Pelle Almqvist said: âSome festival names just have a ring to them donât they? Live At Leeds. It sounds like some upper echelon rock shit and if this yearâs edition wasnât before, now it is. The Hives are very proud and happy to join this upper echelon. They are coming for your money and dignity and in exchange they will deliver however long a show you will let them of life-affirming record-breaking rock â ‘ roll music. If you have never seen them before. imagine a rock show but to the 3rd power. Too much of everything. If you have seen them before, you know you will have to again.â
Skinny Living said: âLive At Leeds is one of our favourite festivals in the UK! The line up is always top class, so to be able to play the main stage as a local band this year is a proper moment for us and our people.â
Looking ahead, Festival Promoter Joe Hubbard said: âIt may be chilly outside, but weâre already incredibly excited about returning to Temple Newsam for an unforgettable summer festival celebration – with even more favourites and new faces joining the party at Live At Leeds: In The Park this year.
DMAâs and The Hives may just be some of the best festival bands going right now, and having phenomena like Cavetown and Crawlers join the party is truly special. At Live At Leeds, we always look to bring unmissable live titans together with fansâ next favourite bands – and this yearâs In The Park is the perfect example of that. All coming together on one day at Temple Newsam, thereâs nothing quite like it – and we canât wait to see everyone this May!â
Following a run of new solo singles, iconic guitarist Chris Shiflett this week revealed a run of UK dates this March including a tour finale at Scala in London.
Our News Report continues with news that Pierce The Veil will be in the UK next April. The band will play a number of large venues finishing up at Alexandra Palace in London.
Next in our News Report is the latest single from Willie J Healey featuring Jamie T. Listen to ‘Thank You’ above now.
The track comes from forthcoming album, ‘Bunny’, which is out August 25th.
Willie comments on the new single: “I was tired and flat and didnât know what to make & then my friend Jamie said ay willie Iâve got this drum machine it might inspire you.. I picked it up and wrote ‘Thank You’ the next day, it was my way of thanking Jamie for being a good friend. I dedicate it to anyone trying to do their own thing.”
Mimi Barks concludes this portion of our News Report with the new video for her track, ‘SAW’, which you can watch above!
The track features on their recently released mixtape, ‘DEADGIRL’.
Barks had the following to say, “SAW, the third song on the DEADGIRL Mixtape, marks the resistance, rage, and anger I experienced while seeking my identity and self-worth on an emotional, spiritual, physical, and mental level.â
She continues to mention – âWorking independently on set with a micro teamâjust me, and my videographer, and his cameraâit takes me back to my roots. No crew, no lights, and no screenplay. Itâs raw, industrial and dirty – with the walls of the derelict buildings captured in the music video reflecting the wrath and backlash of my internal war.â
Blondshell will release her self-titled debut album arrives April 7th and is preceded by new single, ‘Joiner’.
Describing the new single, Blondshell explains, âI was listening to a lot of Britpop when I wrote this song. A lot of those bands like The Verve, Pulp, Suede, and Blur channelled dark subject matter, drugs, and all this dirty stuff, but with a fun acoustic guitar under it. I was listening to The Replacements, too. Thatâs what this song was inspired by sonically. I wanted it to feel like youâre watching HBO, where even though itâs heavy, itâs still a good time.”
BLACKGOLD – ‘Boogeyman’
Masked Misfits BLACKGOLD are back at it again with new single âBoogeymanâ!
The band comment, ââBoogeymanâ is about that person that haunts your dreams. They have full control over you within your subconscious and it feels like you canât escape.â
Riyah – ‘Perfect’
Riyah is ready to unleash her first single ‘Perfect’, showcasing what is to come from her hands and lungs.
She comments, “I’m excited to see this new chapter roll out with this new EP. I’ve spent almost two years figuring out which way to go, and these songs might feel like baby steps to some, but for me it’s gigantic leap into my passion”Â
With the release of every single, Lincolnshireâs MOSKITO have built anticipation that something special has been brewing in that neck of the woods, and now the band are unleashing their potent debut Mixtape, âBAD LOVEâ!
Bursting out the traps with âGone With The Girl Next Doorâ, âMiss Meâ and âSweet Fruitâ, your instantly stuck by the delicate mix of ferocity, passion, energy and swagger. Like a Frank Carter fronted Arctic Monkeys, the record packs a punch with spiky guitars and razor-sharp vocals.
It really does feel like there is something special here and âBloodshotâ, â517â and âDonât Touch My Babyâ all further evidence this over the second half of the EP. The tender âpainkillerâ closes out the record in parallel to the intensity of what comes before and is another early glimpse of whatâs on offer from this group.
For a band threatening to breakout, you couldnât really wish for a better opening gambit. Expect to hear the name MOSKITO a lot in the future!
Welcome everyone to another edition of our weekly music News Report!
We start this week with the best new releases from the past week, including metal titans Metallica, who are up first.
As the band continue to prepare for the release of their new album, ’72 Seasons’, on April 14th, they’ve this week shared new single, ‘Screaming Suicide’. You can check out the track above.
ââScreaming Suicideâ addresses the taboo word of suicide. The intention is to communicate about the darkness we feel inside. It’s ridiculous to think we should deny that we have these thoughts. At one point or another, I believe most people have thought about it. To face it is to speak the unspoken. If it’s a human experience, we should be able to talk about it. You are not alone.â – James Hetfield
Fall Out Boy return with ‘Love From The Other Side’
Fall Out Boy – ‘Love From The Other Side’
It was also a big news week for Fall Out Boy as the group announced that they will release their latest album, ‘So Much (For) Stardust’, on March 24th.
Revealing the news the band shared the following with fans:
ââTime is luck.â
Finish another tour. You reflect but not like a gem in the sun â more like a year long stare into yourself in another airplane bathroom
Sometimes you gotta blow everything you were and put the pieces back together in a new shape. The same but different â the foundation dynamited and the dust used to create the concrete pour. I have a tendency to get a little sad whenever I think about anythingâŠbut I also feel pure joy when I think that I exist at the same time as whales or that read happens to rise at a certain temperature. And that we happen to be spinning on this little blue rock at the exact same time together.
So much (for) stardust.â
Accompanying the news, was new single, ‘Love From The Other Side’, which you can check out above!
Metal icons Saxon also have a new album on its way with ‘More Inspirations’ set for March 24th. The album explores the bands influences and new single, ‘The Faith Healer’, debuted this week. You can check the single out above.
Frontman Biff Byford comments âWe used to see The Sensational Alex Harvey band play this back in the day, they started the set with it, such a fantastic song and fantastic band⊠big influence!â
Ian Hunter has announced the release of his new album, ‘Defiance Part 1′, arriving on April 21st.
Among the most star-studded original albums ever recorded, the record sees Hunter joined by the late, great Jeff Beck, Johnny Depp, Joe Elliott (Def Leppard), Billy F Gibbons (ZZ Top), Taylor Hawkins (Foo Fighters), Duff McKagan (Guns Nâ Roses), Todd Rundgren, Slash (Guns Nâ Roses), Jeff Tweedy (Wilco), Robert Trujillo (Metallica), Waddy Wachtel (Stevie Nicks, Keith Richards), Brad Whitford(Aerosmith), Dane Clark (John Mellencamp), Billy Bob Thornton & J.D. Andrew (The Boxmasters) and Dean DeLeo, Robert De Leo & Eric Kretz (Stone Temple Pilots).
You can check out the first single, ‘Bed Of Roses’, above featuring guitarist Mike Campbell (Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, Fleetwood Mac) and drums by Ringo Starr.
âIt was a fluke,â Ian Hunter says. âThis was not planned. Really, Iâm serious. I really couldnât believe some of them. I mean, itâs amazing whatâs happened. Itâs been such a buzz.â
âEverybodyâs sitting around,â says Hunter. âItâs Covid. Nobodyâs going anywhere. We started sending them out. Slash started doing something. Robert Trujillo from Metallica. Ringo Starr, Mike Campbell. Joe Elliott is on a few tracks. Johnny Depp said âJeff Beckâs with me and weâd like to do a couple of songs.â I know Todd Rundgren, I toured with Todd way back, heâs done an amazing job. Billy Gibbons. Billy Bob Thornton and JD Andrew from The Boxmasters. Itâs never ending. I mean, every day weâd get a phone call, this guy wants to do it, that guy wants to do it. It was like, I canât believe this.â
âThere are a lot of reasons for calling this album ‘Defianceâ says Hunter. âItâs like, people my age shouldnât be making records, blah, blah, blah. But weâve still got a bit left.â
Our News Report continues with the latest track from DMA’s, ‘Fading Like A Picture’, which you can check out above. The single comes from upcoming new album, ‘How Many Dreams?’, which is out 31st March.
Guitarist Johnny Took comments, âOur palette for this album was a lot broader because weâve learned so much since our debut and weâve listened to so much more music between then and now, which has shaped us. It felt like a first outing all over again. The excitement was the same.â
Took continues: âTommy wrote the majority of this song to an obscure demo I made during lockdown. When we all came together to demo it, Mason added one of my favourite guitar riffs on the new album, and we used the middle-eight from another demo as the chorus. A true DMAâS collaboration.â
SlĂžtface this week shared their latest single, ‘Nose’, which you can check out above.
The track comes ahead of new EP, ‘Awake / Asleep’, which is due for release on February 24th.
Haley Shea had the following to say about the new single and February’s EP:
“‘Nose’ is what I would call a pretty general âSlĂžtface anxietyâ song, a recurring theme I always come back to. Nose is a conversation between me and a loved one where Iâm trying to use imagery to describe what anxiety feels like to someone who doesnât experience it, how even the smallest things can trigger it and send me into a thought spiral that feels impossible to stop. The choruses are then the replies of someone I love reminding me to breathe, a tactic which usually helps me calm my thoughts, when done in the right way, by my partner, family and loved ones.
âââ’Nose’ started when I visited Odd Martin at his studio in Bergen in March of 2022 to write some songs. It ended up being a super-productive couple of days where we wrote about 7 different demos on the first day alone, and then chose a couple to flesh out on the second day. “Nose” was the last song we tried out at the end of that second day.
The mix of the heavier, rhythmic, bass-focused verses and the big, layered, poppier choruses, all combined with saxophonist Aksel RĂžnning adding some extra spice, grit and depth to the whole track makes it one of our absolute favorites on the EP.”
The Sleeping Souls debut ‘Caught Up In The Scrape’
The Sleeping Souls – ‘Caught Up In The Scrape’
Next up in our News Report are The Sleeping Souls who continue their own musical journey with their latest single, ‘Caught Up In The Scrape’. As always you can check out the track above!
This week also saw the latest new music coming from The Pearl Harts as they shared their track ‘Wild Me’.
The band shared, “Wild Me is a song about frustration within the sexes from the viewpoint of a woman â in this instance a hetero cis relationships and how patriarchal ideology can damage and shame a woman and her natural instincts.
Why do women get called crazy, wild and out of control when their behaviour only mirrors that of men? Rarely is the same label put on them. âWhere do I stand if I canât be the man?â Wild me strives to call out these behaviours by crying out âWild me, Why meâ with force and discontentment. It forces you to understand that being wild is awe-inspiring and nothing to be ashamed of.”
We move our News Report on now to the latest tour announcements and get started with the legendary Paul Weller. Weller this week revealed he will play a short run of Forest live dates in the Summer.
Commenting on the dates, Weller said, âI am very happy to be playing the Forest Live gigs again as they are always such great shows with such a great audience! See you there.â
Canadian sibling duo Softcult share their latest single, ‘Dress’. The track comes from new EP, ‘see you in the dark’, out March 24th.
“This song is about consent; it’s about saying ‘no’ and having it happen to you anyway,” Mercedes explains. “It’s about being followed while walking alone at night or being cornered in a bar when we’re just trying to have a night out with our friends. Itâs about the lingering fear and trauma that haunts us long after these experiences have happened. Itâs about how these experiences make us feel powerless and change the way we see ourselves.”
Shadow Smile – ‘Signed in Blood’
Sheffield rising star Shadow Smile, share their track, ‘Signed in Blood’ which is the title-track of their debut album.
Lead vocalist Connor McGovern comments – ‘We wanted this song to be a modern take on songs like ‘Sympathy For The Devil’ by the Rolling Stones where the listener is being told why they should forget their morals and join the dark side. Those songs have always been a lot of fun and fit perfectly with the dark Shadow Smile imagery’.
Real Terms – ‘Veil is Thinner’
‘Veil is Thinner’ presents an advance look at Real Terms‘ debut album, ‘Vantage’, which is out February 24th.
âI think thereâs also something about the different musical âperspectivesâ we all bring together that makes our sound,â says guitarist Christopher âLynnyâ Lynn, âthe way our parts interweave and interlink and the perspective the listener can bring to it. Thereâs not always âa centreâ in our songs so I always love it when people comment on how catchy the songs are when they see us live. I find that combination of songs being complex and catchy at the same time really compelling.â
Weâre fully embedded in the new year now, so it must be time for music fans to get back into the UKâs fine music venues. In fact we are close to the ever important, Independent Venue Week, so itâs great to start the year at one such venue â Epic Studios in Norwich.
The versatile venue can host events of all sorts but on this bitterly cold January evening, it hosts lots of denim and leather rockers as British Lion come to town!
The final night of a full UK Tour, the band led by the legendary Steve Harris of Iron Maiden, attract a very healthy crowd tonight. Those in attendance are treated to not one but two accomplished support acts with the first of those, Airforce, in full effect as most attendees enter the venue.
Musically very suitable to supporting a member of Maiden, Airforce make the most of their short time on stage with a succinct and vociferous performance which no doubt wins over any uninitiated in the audience.
VOODOO SIX
Next up is Voodoo Six, a band that Maiden/Lion fans will be very familiar with. The band stepped in on short notice to fill the void left by Canadian group Coney Hatch being unable to fulfil the tour.
Disappointing for some, for others like myself, this was actually an upgrade. Voodoo Six have consistently put out quality music and put on great shows for two decades now. Numerous line-up changes havenât prevented the band putting out six albums and playing shows all over the world.
Tonight, they are on top form once again with an assured performance, mixing tracks old and new, to the delight of the crowd. Perennially tipped for bigger things, perhaps that ship has sailed but the constant of quality music and great shows doesnât appear to be going anywhere as Voodoo Six once again show themselves to be criminally underrated.
BRITISH LION
Finally the time arrives for British Lion to take to the stage and they naturally receive a heroâs welcome. Itâs the last show of the tour but also a (close to) hometown show for a number of the members, so the atmosphere is relaxed and the band let the music do the bulk of the talking.
The group have two albums in the bank at this point and the set list is a good mix of the two. Harris and co are able to give a good account of themselves, with singer Richard Taylor even acknowledging the apparent identity crisis that the band often have thrust upon them by others.
Long since dispelled as a mere solo project for Harris, since their inception in 2012 the group has evolved and thatâs evident tonight with the stage presence of Taylor as exhibit A. This is a package now and not a vessel for Harris alone.
That makes the spectacle greater as far as the live show goes and places more emphasis on the music as opposed to the âoh look thereâs Steve Harrisâ feeling for their early shows. Itâs great to see and will hopefully lead to greater longevity from the project.
As this tour draws to a close with âEyes of the Youngâ, British Lion may take a step back to Iron Maiden once again, but with performances like tonight you know it wonât be long before the band are reunited onstage again.
THE MURDER CAPITAL – GIGI’s recovery – ALBUM REVIEW
With their debut album, 2019âs âWhen I Have Fearsâ, The Murder Capital fully thrust themselves in the burgeoning post-punk scene and gained themselves a dedicated fanbase in the process. A lot has happened in the intervening years but now the group are back with their all so important sophomore album, âGigiâs Recoveryâ!
This second record certainly sees the band stretching their legs and testing the boundaries of their art. Expansive and explorative this is a delicate yet decisive collection of songs which brims with belief.
WATCH ‘The stars will leave their stage’ on youtube
The Murder Capital – ‘The Stars Will Leave Their Stage’
This is undoubtedly a brave sonic adventure undertaken by a band confident in their ability to conjure magic and assured by the acceptance of their audience. The album slowly leads us on the journey that the band has creatively been on over the past few years.
Itâs methodical yet loose, meticulous but elegant, and therefore has no real standout moments. The album as a whole is the standout moment as The Murder Capital evolve into something very special indeed.
Already identified as a great hope, now itâs clear to all that The Murder Capital are not to be slept on as they endear themselves with their triumphant second album!
BLACK STAR RIDERS – WRONG SIDE OF PARADISE – ALBUM REVIEW
It hasnât been an easy road for Black Star Riders, formed from the backlash against the idea of the last incarnation of Thin Lizzy creating new music. The group has proved all doubters wrong with their subsequent output – four albums of undisputed rock and roll class, and ten years of effortless cool, delicious riffs and belting melodies.
Black Star Riders have long established themselves as a credible entity in their own right and thatâs despite numerous line-up changes testing their resolve. The biggest line-up change however came in 2021 with the departure of guitar-slinger extraordinaire Scott Gorham. Gorham was integral to the formation of the group and his departure leaves singer/guitarist Ricky Warwick as the sole remaining original member.
With Warwick firmly at the helm though, the band retain the heart and soul of their signature sound and presentation. Warwickâs career renaissance may have started in Thin Lizzy, but Black Star Riders allowed him to rediscover himself and unleash his natural talents back on the world.
New album, âWrong Side of Paradiseâ, may be another new beginning but itâs also a continuation of the essence of Black Star Riders. That signature sound remains firmly and passionately intact, and Warwickâs distinguished vocals remain front and centre issuing that iconic battle cry as only he can!
Those famous riffs remain also as the album presents the perfect stable yet evolutionary prose that acts as the necessary statement to show that sans Gorham, this band remain a powerful force with a prosperous future.
Fans have a fifth album of pure rock and roll majesty, which still owes all to the faith that the initial cohort placed in themselves. They knew they had something special and now ten years later, the world knows it too!
Welcome everyone to another edition of our weekly music News Report!
We have plenty of great new music to check out this week and we start with Paramore! This week saw the band debut their latest track from their upcoming album, ‘This Is Why’! You can listen to ‘C’est Comme Ăa’ above ahead of the release of the album on February 10th!
U2 – ‘Pride (In The Name Of Love) (Songs of Surrender)’
Next up, it’s U2 who have announced a new collection entitled, ‘Songs of Surender’. The set includes 40 new acoustic and re-imagined recordings of classic songs from the U2 back catalogue.
The following message accompanied the announcement from the band:
It was a big news week for Enter Shikari this week with the band sharing news that they will release new album, ‘A Kiss For The Whole World’ on April 21st.
The band also debuted their latest single, ‘(pls) set me on fire’, which you can listen to above.
And if that wasn’t enough, the group have also announced a unique monthly residency in the UK throughout February, March and April.
Rou Reynolds comments on the singleâs conception: “Honestly, I thought I was f*****. Iâve never felt so detached from my soul, my purpose, my f****** spirit. I didnât write music for almost two years. The longest Iâd gone before that was two weeks. I was broken. Itâs almost as if my brain had asked: âWhat is the point in music if it cannot be shared? What is the point in writing music if itâs not to be experienced with others?â and then promptly switched itself off. â(pls) set me on fireâ grew out of that desperation. This song is a projectile vomit of positive energy. Every emotion trapped inside me for two years, finally set free.”
Reynolds continues: âBack to basics. This band – my best friends – bundled into an old farmhouse, miles away from anywhere. Off-grid, and ready to rediscover ourselves. This album is powered by the sun, the most powerful object in our solar system. And I think you can tell. Itâs a collection of songs that represent an explosive reconnection with what Enter Shikari is. The beginning of our second actâ.
Continued industry delays to vinyl production has resulted in You Me At Six postponing the release of their new album, ‘Truth Decay’, until February 10th.
They did however offer new music this week and you can listen to their track, ‘:mydopamine:’, above!
Hundred Reasons will release their first album in 15 years, ‘Glorious Sunset’, on February 24th. But this week the band shared their latest single, ‘Replicate’, which you can listen to above.
Singer Colin Doran had the following to say about the lyrical theme behind the new song:
“Replicate is about the cycle of thinking that whatever you do just is not good enough despite the person closest to you being forgiving and supportive. It’s also about trying to second guess how a person may feel about an action but not being correct and getting it wrong.
There isn’t long until Black Stone Cherry return to these shores for a headline arena run alongside The Darkness.
Ahead of those dates though, the band has found time to release new track, ‘Out of Pocket’, which you can listen to above.
Talking about the song Chris Robertson says, “Out of Pocket is a song born out of that exact feeling. The song was what I personally, and I think a lot of us, felt over these very trying last couple of years. Facing your demons, knowing that you have to come out the other side stronger than before.”
Black Star Riders will release their new album, ‘Wrong Side of Paradise’ on January 20th, but this week saw the band share new track, ‘Catch Yourself On’, which you can check out above.
Ricky Warwick comments: â âCatch Yourself Onâ is a phrase often used in my home country of Northern Ireland, itâs used to tell someone to âstop being ridiculousâ or âto get realâ. Weâre sadly becoming slaves to technology and social media (guilty as charged). We donât think twice about sharing our inner most feelings and thoughts with a world of strangers⊠We seem to be losing the ability to think for ourselves. Technology is controlling us, instead we should be controlling technology. It feels like itâs already surpassing human interaction.”
There was also new music on offer this week from Delain as they continue to prepare for the release of new album, ‘Dark Waters’. That album may arrive on February 10th, but you can listen to new single, ‘Moth to a Flame’, above now!
Keyboardist, founder and main songwriter Martijn Westerholt on ‘Moth to a Flame’:
“I’m extremely proud of this song. It’s one of the most upbeat songs on the album while also having the heaviest guitar riff, and Diana’s vocals are outstanding! It’s a killer combination that I think fans will love.”
The plethora of great new music continues in our News Report with Lottery Winners. This week saw the band debut new single, ‘Worry’, which you can check out above.
We close this portion of our News Report with ten56., who have released their new EP, ‘Downer Part. 2’, and to celebrate they have released a video for the track ‘Saiko‘.
The band comments, “We’re all extremely gassed up to put out the second and final (?) chapter of the ‘Downer’ saga ; we went all in on Part.1 and definitely felt the pressure to deliver with Part.2, we went in harder and we’re all extremely satisfied and excited to see what everyone thinks.
‘Saiko’ is the kind of energy that we wanted to bring back after releasing ‘RLS’, we hope that everyone enjoys what we’ve put together, and that people will find little pieces of themselves littered around the EP. Downer’ Part.2 is the next step in the continuous evolution of ten56., turn it up loud and get lost in the discomfort. Cheers.”
Grab your copy here, and be sure to follow us on Social Media and subscribe on Youtube here, as we’ll be joined this coming week by the band on our ‘Discover’ New Music Podcast!
Goth-pop mistress Harpy has gifted the world with new music, the empowering ‘Swallow’.
Harpy divulges… “Swallow sounds like the traumatised hate f*** child of Sam Smith’s âUnholyâ and Kornâs âTwisted Transistorâ. We wrote this song almost two years ago, and up until this point Iâve really just been setting the scene for this moment. I am calling out abusers and manipulators through this song, some even by name, they had their chance to be better, time to taste the truth. I hope this song gives power to those that have been unforgivably hurt by others, who for too long have abused positions of power.”
ANGER PARTY – ‘Eat You Alive’
Alternative Horror Rock band ANGER PARTY have unveiled their debut offering âEat You Aliveâ.
âBlood, guts, flayed flesh and a shattered smile – these are the things that plague our minds. âEat You Aliveâ explores the surreal, menacing corners of our nightmares and how they breach the lines of reality in a modern world.â â Guitarist Owen Claxton.
Feral Family – ‘Wee Van Bee’
Yorkshire’s Feral Family join our playlist with their track, ‘Wee Van Bee’, which centres on an anti-hero character.
The band say, “Wee Van Bee preys on the weak and vulnerable, shucking his snake-oil remedies place to place. But far beyond being out to make a quick buck – there is something far darker at stake”.
It hasnât been a smooth road for The Subways to arrive at the release of âUncertain Joysâ, their first new album in eight years. Recent years have seen change, change in the world, change in the band and change in their personal lives.
For change on all those fronts, you could also read turmoil. The pandemic after all has played a role in the tumultuous world we all inhabit, this combined with the departure of drummer and founding member Josh Morgan from the band and a period of personal growth for front man Billy Lunn (including a stint at University) has left an uneven path to tread for a constantly underappreciated band.
Thankfully though, the band are now ready to unleash their new era on the world. Drumming stability has been returned with newcomer Camille Phillips now joining Lunn and fellow original Charlotte Cooper, a tour is lined up and âUncertain Joysâ is here!
Yes, The Subways are back, which is exactly the sentiment I feel listening to the record. Iâve always felt that The Subways are both a fantastic rock band and also a superb pop group, with their songwriting able to harness the power of rock with the elegance of pop with aplomb. That ability clearly remains intact, perhaps even amplified! The elongated writing process for this album maybe the reason but this is a truly eclectic collection from the band.
Musically vibrant yet lyrically vulnerable, you can feel the love and care put into this album by its creators. Whether leading us into battle on âFightâ, taking aim at social media on âInfluencer Killed The Rock Starâ or getting deeply personal on the title track or âIncantationâ, the quality of songwriting remains intact but again it seems to have even greater depth.
A difficult period for the band has no doubt passed, and while other bands may have called it quits, The Subways have emerged an even stronger entity. âUncertain Joysâ is a supercharged dose of classic Subways that is more than worth your time.
Upon his departure from Betraying The Martyrs, vocalist Aaron Matts was quick to reveal his next project ten56.. With the world and the music industry still in the midst of the pandemic and all the uncertainty that would bring, some may have questioned the logic in leaving an established entity to start afresh at such a time.
Clearly Matts wouldâve required a great deal of faith in what he had lined up and over the past year or so that faith has paid dividends with ten56. taking the scene by storm and notching up some seriously impressive streaming metrics. A debut EP and a run of live dates have been well received and now ten56. are ready to capitalise on all that momentum with new EP âDowner Part.2â.
This EP is a full frontal assault on the senses with Mattsâ ferocious vocals taking centre stage and underpinning the progressive sound of the group. âDowner Part.2â certainly feels like a breakout moment for a band already breaking out. Yes, over a period just under twenty minutes, Matts has shown the world just why he had such faith.
Only time will truly tell, but at this point youâd have to put money on ten56. becoming one of the biggest metal acts of the next decade!
