Our weekly music News Report has evolved into the Full Pelt Magazine, and you can download the seventh issue now for free!
Volume seven includes an update from cover stars The Xcerts, reviews of Blink 182 and Funeral For A Friend live, album reviews for Creeper, REWS, Beartooth and The Dollyrots and a load more!
We have our News Report rounding up new releases from Bring Me The Horizon, Feeder, Blossoms, The Sleeping Souls, Thornhill, MOSKITO, Waterparks, Delilah Bon, South of Salem, Powerwolf, Gama Bomb, Employed To Serve, PLAIINS, Scott Stapp, END and Lord of the Lost!
Plus new live announcements from Bryan Adams, YONAKA, Stonedead Festival, Casey and Haunt the Woods.
Finally, we round up the latest additions to our ‘Discover’ New Music Playlist with Spyres, Future Static and Crushed by Waves!
Welcome everyone to another edition of our weekly music News Report!
We start this week with the 20th Anniversary of Download Festival which just got a whole load bigger! Yes 40+ new acts have now joined headliners Metallica (x2), Bring Me The Horizon and Slipknot across the special four day event.
Newly announced acts include Alter Bridge, Halestorm, Neck Deep, Bob Vylan, Jinjer, Hot Milk, The Amity Affliction, Empire State Bastard, Dinosaur Pile-Up, Deaf Havana and more!
Also on tap will be the likes of Architects, Evanescence, Within Temptation, Pendulum, The Blackout, Nova Twins, Disturbed, Placebo, Ghost and so many more!
Ahead of their appearances at this August’s Reading & Leeds Festivals, You Me At Six will perform two intimate warm-up shows in Leicester and Bournemouth.
Our News Report moves now to the best new releases from the past week and we get things started with the latest single from Bury Tomorrow!
‘Heretic’ featuring While She Sleeps frontman Loz Taylor debuted this week and you can check it out above. It was also revealed that Bury Tomorrow will join WSS at their huge Alexandra Palace show in September.
The track comes from upcoming new album, ‘The Seventh Sun’, which is out March 31st!.
Speaking on Heretic, lead-singer Dani Winter-Bates states “Heretic is here, and we knew from day one of recording that this song was something we wanted the world to hear immediately. It’s right up there with the most aggressive and visceral tracks on the album, with an inherently dark feel, both lyrically and musically, which allowed us to delve into some of the more brutal elements of The Seventh Sun. All in all, we’re extremely proud to showcase this track and can’t wait to see what people think.”
Dani continues “from the off, we knew this song merited a guest vocal spot, and Loz Taylor of While She Sleeps sprang to our minds straightaway. Already an absolute legend in our eyes, working with him on this track has only confirmed that status further. His voice incorporated perfectly and has undoubtedly taken the song to the next level – we couldn’t be happier.”
The Raven Age have announced that their third studio album, ‘Blood Omen’, will be released on July 7th. To coincide with that announcement, the band unveiled their new single, ‘Parasite’, which you can check out above!
‘Parasite’ is bolstered by a blistering solo from guest guitarist Andy James of Five Finger Death Punch. “I’ve known the lads in The Raven Age for years now,” says Andy. “I really like the direction they are heading with this third record and enjoyed doing a guest solo for ‘Parasite’. It’s a heavy but memorable track that hits you right between the eyes.”
For the Essex quintet’s “all-important third album”, as George Harris puts it, they have expanded on every level.
This motivation is written into the album’s concept. Following the theme of its two predecessors, the raven motif looms large, this time centering on the overthrowing of old masters, with the band’s Raven King character coming to prominence. Even in the artwork, things are bolder, a close up of The Raven King, says George, “taking his rightful place on the throne.”
The theme weaves itself throughout ‘Blood Omen’, kicking off with ‘Parasite’ as MJ explains, “There’s the legend about the ravens in the Tower Of London, that if they were ever to leave, the monarchy falls. Without being too political, ‘Parasite’ is hinting at these dark notes of the hierarchy, the bottom feeders that tend to run everything and then screw everything up. Our Raven King, he’s basically ascending to the throne to bring down the monarchy, bring down the establishment, weed out the parasites, as it were.”
“It’s a heavy track,” MJ continues, “We knew we wanted to come back with a real punch between the eyes. It’s the full introduction to our Raven King, and it touches on elements of everything to come. It really shows where we’re going on this album.”
The album also sees the recorded debut of new guitarist Tommy Gentry, the prodigiously talented axeman – whose previous work includes stints with Marco Mendoza and former Judas Priest six-stringer KK Downing.
“Tommy was in our sights from day one,” says George. “He’s, without doubt, the most talented musician I know. Not only is he an amazing guitarist, he’s a grade eight pianist, he can score orchestral music, and all that brings something to the table.”
‘The Price of Progress’, the latest album from The Hold Steady is out on March 31st. This week the band continued to preview the record with new single, ‘Sixers’, which you can check out above.
“‘Sixers’ was written in the first days of the pandemic,” says frontman Craig Finn. “It’s basically a song about knowing your neighbors. Two young professionals meet up in their building late on a Friday night and spend the weekend partying together. They try to find a love connection, but it’s not quite there. It’s hard to make friends when your job is so demanding. Tad and Steve chime in with some beautiful guitar harmonies.”
This week saw The View return with news of their first new album in eight years! ‘Exorcism of Youth’ will be released on June 9th and was preceded this week by the single, ‘Feels Like’, which you can check out above!
Frontman Kyle Falconer says, “Working with Youth on our third album ‘Bread and Circuses’ was one of the best experiences of my career so we jumped at the chance to revisit the opportunity with him in Spain. To be able to go into the studio again as a band with added experience was just magical.”
On the single Falconer adds, “This one felt anthemic from the get go. Even though under the surface it’s about somewhere everyone’s been in their life before: regret of losing someone amazing due to your inner demons and seeing them moving on with their life, when you’re stuck in a ‘nightmare not a dream.’ When I first sat down to write it I had Holden Caulfield from ‘Catcher in the Rye’ in mind. It’s playing out in his mind and it’s his own paranoia destroying him from the inside out when in reality she’s the perfect woman.”
Texan singer-songwriter Ryan Hamilton has shared his latest single, ‘Asshole’, which you can check out above. The track comes from upcoming album, ‘Haunted by the Holy Ghost’, which is out March 10th.
A music video for the track features World Champion Barrel Racer, Ryann Pedone & Conor the badger. Ryan says, “It’s not everyday you shoot a music video with a badger! Why a badger? Because badgers are assholes. They’re adorable assholes. Haha. So proud of this song. The self sabotaging title will keep it off most radio stations… which is a shame, because it deserves to be a big hit.”
The Dollyrots have released a brand new UK single titled ‘Still Holding On’ to kick off their first ever UK co-headline tour with Don’t Panic and special guest Royals.
You can listen to the track above!
““Still Holding On” is the first song we’re releasing off our newest recordings, from the first full album sessions since 2019! It’s a hint of a flavor for the next LP to be released later this year. Since we’ll be touring the UK this month we thought we’d give our friends here a treat and release it exclusive to the United Kingdom.”” says singer Kelly Ogden.
This week saw Millie Manders and the Shutup share their new single, ‘Rebound’, on Valentine’s Day! You can of course listen to the track above!
An ode to toxic online dating, as Millie explains: “Rebound reflects my experience with online dating, but most people I have spoken to have had similar and worse experiences with it. I wanted to write a song that was in solidarity with those on the receiving end of a rebound relationship and let them know they were never the problem.”
The comes ahead of the bands upcoming UK Tour in April.
The steady stream of fantastic new music in our News Report continues to flow from iconic Foo Fighters guitarist Chris Shiflett. You can check out his latest solo effort, ‘Black Top White Lines’, above now!
This week also saw Pet Needs revealed as the special guests on Lottery Winners upcoming UK Tour. That wasn’t the only news for Pet Needs this week however, as they also debuted their video for ‘Ibiza in Winter’, which you can check out above!
New album ‘Primetime Entertainment’ available here.
Watch Episode 11 of The Full Pelt Music Podcast with guests Pet Needs!
Glasgow four-piece Spyres return with their new single, ‘Sleep Forever’.
Vocalist/guitarist Keira McGuire explains:
“Sleep Forever is a song about blocking out the realities of life and living in your own world, not wanting to grow up, becoming an adult which puts an end to teenage daydreams and fantasies.”
FUDGE.- ‘Y.F.F.G.’
FUDGE. release their new single, ‘YOUR FALL FROM GRACE’, taken from their forthcoming ‘THAT’S JUST IT, THIS IS NOW’ EP!
Commenting about ‘Y.F.F.G.’ singer Cam says: “It’s different to our usual songs but it’s a fan favourite and shows a very atmospheric, abstract vibe and I see it as a rebellious love song. The feeling I get from this song is the same as the almost surreal sensation you get when you’re on your own late at night or early morning. That may sound strange but some of you might get what I mean.”
Guitarist Otto expands: “I call this our quiet song. I wrote it whilst someone was sleeping in the same room as me, so I picked something sweet sounding and played it with compassion. Luckily, the outcome was one of our most palatable songs for the listener and, honestly, one that I never meant to write but am grateful that I did.”
Drummer Angus adds: “You get to hear Cam’s sensitive side on this song, which is usually hidden behind his radginess. It’s a lot smoother in its ebbs and flows and playing drums to this is actually quite a relaxing experience because, for once, I can sit back and let the song do the work. For that reason, it’s bigger than its constituent parts. A bit of a banger in other words.”
IKONIK – ‘Wall of Stone‘
‘Wall of Stone’ is the debut single from IKONIK, the brainchild of Copenhagen’s Katrine Wachmann.
“‘Wall of Stone’ is a song about commitment issues and being stuck in a relationship that is going nowhere, though knowing that vulnerability might be the only way to make a relationship work. Whatever the listeners get from this song I’m just truly humble, amazed and excited that IKONIK is off on its wings and ready to fly out into the world”.