The latest issue of the Full Pelt Magazine is here, and you can download your copy for free below!
Volume 14 features cover stars Don Broco as they conclude their ‘Amazing Things’ era. We also catch Halestorm play their biggest headline show to date and The Darkness as they celebrate 20 years of ‘Permission to Land’!
We have our News Report rounding up new releases from Green Day, IDLES, Dream State, While She Sleeps, Architects, Marisa and the Moths, TheCityIsOurs, DragonForce, Scott Stapp, South of Salem, Royal Tusk, Casey, Bad Touch and I DON’T KNOW HOW BUT THEY FOUND ME!
Plus new live announcements from Victorious Festival, Steelhouse Festival, Radar Festival, Maid of Stone, All Points East, Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds, Dream State, Rituals, Scorpions, Creeper, The Cadillac Three, Limp Bizkit, Bloc Party, Twin Atlantic, Knocked Loose, The Almighty, Sepultura, Orbit Culture, Deaf Havana, Kasabian, Millie Manders and the Shutup and The Zutons!
Finally, we round up the latest additions to our ‘Discover’ New Music Playlist with SAVE US, The Gems and Interlaker!
Welcome everyone to another edition of our weekly music News Report!
This week we begin with the best live announcements from the past week and up first are The Darkness who will revisit their iconic debut album, ‘Permission to Land’ for its 20th Anniversary this December.
Regarding the shows frontman Justin Hawkins says, “We, The Darkness, are delighted to announce that we’ll be hitting the road in the U.K. once again. To commemorate the 20th anniversary of Permission to Land, our set will include every song from our debut album faithfully reproduced (with additional clam notes and meanderings) in the order in which they appear on the record. We’ll also play all of your favourite Darkness songs from the rest of our illustrious and tipsy turvy career. It will be the best show you’ll see this year. I should know, I’m the singer and also a YouTube music expert.”
In further celebration the band will re-issue the album with a new collection set for release on October 6th.
On the new release Hawkins says, “So much has happened since the original release of Permission To Land that I can hardly believe it’s only been 20 years. Such turmoil, upheaval, the emotional rollercoaster ride of being nobody, becoming somebody, going back to being nobody and LOVING EVERY SECOND OF IT. The past two decades have only been this eventful BECAUSE of the impact that our debut album had. I’m grateful for every second of this experience and delighted to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the best debut album by The Darkness of all time. Join me in giving this seismic long player 20 heartfelt bumps. Happy birthday PTL!”
Festival favourite Beans On Toast may currently be serenading fields across the country, but as if like clockwork the singer will soon be back out on the road once again.
You can catch Beans later this year playing many often forgotten towns and cities!
Lord of the Lost share video for ‘Reset the Preset’
Lord of the Lost – ‘Reset the Preset’
We move our News Report on now to the best new releases from the past week and up first are Lord of the Lost who are fresh from supporting Iron Maiden in arenas across the UK.
The group have now shared their latest video for the track, ‘Reset the Preset’, and you can check it out above.
Commenting, the band say “In line with the song title ‘Reset The Preset’, we did everything the way we NEVER do it for this video. We put every creative decision of the music video – whether it was clothing, lighting, colors, content, whatever… – into other hands. Namely, into the hands of our tour photographer and cameraman Lennard Schmitt, who has an incredible knack for visually absurd art. So, with Lennard as director, we set every LOTL preset to reset and let ourselves be surprised with this video from start to finish. The result is definitely the most shrill and weirdest piece of visual art we’ve ever released.”
We have plenty of new music to get through this week and up next are Dirty Honey who have debuted their latest single, ‘Won’t Take Me Alive’, which you can check out above.
The track will feature on upcoming new album, ‘Can’t Find the Brakes’.
Singer Marc LaBelle describes the song as, “…the best riff I’d heard in the last decade. The song is full of sex and swagger, but it’s still the heaviness and the fun that Dirty Honey is all about.”
“’Won’t Take Me Alive’ was an instrumental idea I demoed on bass, drums, and guitar at my home studio,” says guitarist John Notto. “I bought it to the band, and we wrote a new chorus, and it was basically finished that quickly. Nick [DiDia] rented some vintage amps and really helped me get the raunchy sound and attitude I wanted for the riff.”
In a big week for Bad Touch, the group revealed that their new album, ‘Bittersweet Satisfaction’, will be released on November 10th.
Coinciding with the announcement the band shared their brand new single, ‘Nothing Wrong With That’, which you can check out above.
“We’ve never sat on anything that long because we’re like kids in a candy shop, as soon as we write something, we want to get out there and play stuff,” says frontman Stevie Westwood on the album. “So, it’s very exciting. It’s slightly more mature. I love every song. It’s a different sound for Bad Touch. It’s less balls-to-the-wall rock, and the songs seem a bit more thoughtful rather than just kind of exploded out of a tin can.”
Speaking on their latest single the band adds, “We’re delighted to present to the world our new single” exclaims Stevie. It’s a song for everyone that encompasses the Bad Touch mantra ‘as long as you carry a song in your heart, and a smile on your face, then nothing can get you down.’
“This song came together during a time when there was a lot of unrest, fear of the unknown, and we all were just getting through day by day, in whatever way we could. A time when we felt the world could use a little lift to somewhere a little bit brighter. So whatever is getting you down, this song is here to say you’re not alone, we are with you, and whatever way you need to get through the bad times… a good book, some good company… or some good wine!… we say… there’s nothing wrong with that.”
Teenage Fanclub share new single ‘Tired of Being Alone’
Teenage Fanclub – ‘Tired of Being Alone’
Our News Report continues with the latest single from Teenage Fanclub. You can check out ‘Tired of Being Alone’ above.
The track will feature on upcoming new album, ‘Nothing Lasts Forever’, which is out on September 22nd.
Commenting on the track Raymond McGinley says: “Towards the end of our session in Rockfield Studios making the album I woke up in the middle of the night. There was a guitar next to the bed. I picked it up and this song came out. The words for the chorus were there already. I recorded a rough version on my phone and then went back to sleep. We recorded the song later that day. As a band we like to trust our instincts and let things happen. As with Norman’s song ‘Foreign Land’ this song only exists because we decided to go to the studio and make a record. If we’d waited for the stars to align first before recording we’d still be waiting now.”
Courting have shared their latest single, ‘Flex’, which you can check out above.
Speaking on the concept of the track, frontman Sean Murphy-O’Neill, says “‘Flex’ is designed to be a theatrical performance, a short play. Our protagonist is wealthy, successful, and famous… but at what cost? Our protagonist misses their ex (after seeing their glow-up), wears Ricks, chainsmokes, sends thought-out emails about their wellbeing to people they should’ve replied to sooner, and has increased their screen time by 25%
In the thrilling conclusion, our protagonist does donuts in a closed car-park, in a 1967 mustang, with all of their friends. The event is livestreamed on twitch to be rewatched until the end of time.
‘Flex’ is as sincere as we can be. Sometimes the lines between real life and fiction get blurred here, but we’re nothing if not committed.”
Lacey have unveiled their latest single, ‘Middle England’, which you can check out above.
The track comes from upcoming new album, ‘This Is All We Are’, which is out July 17th.
Frontman Graham “Graz” Turner describes the single as “reflective of the typical English sentiment of looking on the bright side, things could be worse.”
Turner describes the record as, “Basically, the soundtrack to what it’s like to feel everything and nothing, all at the same time. Lyrically, no stone is left unturned, and I can guarantee if you’ve ever felt anything, it will be addressed here. This really is a soul bearing ride through every, conceivable human emotion. This is all we are”.
The final new release in this section of our News Report comes from ‘Discover’ New Music Podcast alumni Call To The Faithful!
The band have unleashed their brand new single, ‘Let Me Down’, which you can check out above.
There is more new music on the way from the band as the single will feature on their debut EP, ‘Strong / Stable / Suffer’, which will be released on September 1st.
Staffordshire UK quartet Death Of Me are back with their brand new single ‘Halo’!
“This was one of the more difficult songs to write from the release as it deals with the themes of grief, loss and love. Exploring the guilt that comes from letting go and moving on with life when facing a loss, the realisation of how things could have been done differently, all that will never be and all that could have been.” – Vocalist, Jim Carter.
As the band describe: “Death Of Me was always a project intended to transcend genre and trends. The premise instead was to explore the darkest corners of the human psyche both sonically and visually and just be ourselves in our purest form. Death of me became the vessel to put pen to paper, exercise demons and expose open wounds on the stage of the world”
FEATHER TRADE – ‘BIG NOTHING’
Manchester via Athens, Georgia trio FEATHER TRADE have released their new single, ‘BIG NOBODY’!
The band say, “Created or destroyed by crucial influence, each person’s world is a lifetime searching for meaning and reconstruction. They push through the strata – anger, grief, fear, shame, loss – fueling the desire for absolution and certainty. Some find it in religion. Some find it in drugs. Some find it in sex. Feather Trade brought the flames to one another. We scream in the darkness, the echoes giving black shape in sound. A fight with cancer. Watching a loved one’s descent into schizophrenia. Losing it all to fire. The unceasing longing to seal the fissure of three broken words.”
Hunch Power – ‘Is This the End (Or Just the Beginning?)’
Nottingham band Hunch Power deliver new single ‘Is This the End (Or Just the Beginning?)’!
Frontman Harvey Springfield says:
“I’d only just been through a break-up when Covid hit so I had plenty of reasons to give up but instead I decided to work twice as hard. People kept talking about the end of the World but you could also see it as the beginning of a new era. The sky over London never looked so clean. We could hear the birds over the traffic and working from home was finally accepted as normal.
Manic Street Preachers inspired me to write the chorus when I was 20 but didn’t have a band back then. I forgot about it and only finished the song a couple of years ago, adding in an instrumental part which Deano took to another level with a ripping guitar solo”.
Watch Episode 43 of our ‘Discover’ New Music Podcast with guests Hunch Power
‘Discover’ New Music Podcast – Episode 43 – Hunch Power
Welcome everyone to another edition of our weekly music News Report!
This week we begin with the best new releases of the past week and up first are Linkin Park.
The iconic group are celebrating the 20th Anniversary of their seminal album, ‘Meteora’. As part of these celebrations the band have now shared another unreleased track from that era. You can listen to that track, ‘Fighting Myself’, above!
Skindred returned this week with, ‘Set Fazers’, the second single from their upcoming new album, ‘Smile’, which is out August 4th. You can check out the video for the single above.
Lead singer Benji Webbe states, “Star date 22.3.23: With this song we’re boldly going where no ragga-metal has gone before. We come in peace, L.O.V.E and unity, to bring Skindred’s outergalactic sound-system to the infinite expanse of the cosmos.”
Skindred drummer Arya Goggin continues, “The idea with the ‘Set Fazers’ video was to make a Sci Fi meets Dancehall epic! Through TikTok we met an amazing dancer called Shin (whose dance to our song ‘Nobody’ went viral earlier this year) and he’s added his unique style to the video too. We had so much fun filming it and can’t wait to share it with everyone.”
Empire State Bastard, the new project from Biffy Clyro’s Simon Neil and his long-time colleague Mike Vennart of Oceansize, have shared their debut single ‘Harvest’, which you can check out above.
The track features the legendary drummer Dave Lombardo and represents the first taste of what the project will offer with the band simply exclaiming “Empires fall, States rise, Bastards sing…it’s Harvest time motherfuckers!”.
British heavy metal legends Saxon have released their second album of influences, ‘More Inspirations’, this week. Alongside the album came a new single, ‘Razamanaz’, which you can check out above.
Frontman Biff Byford comments “In the seventies we’d go and see Nazareth they were one of the premier touring hard rock bands. We were lucky to tour with them in 1980, they used to open the show with this song, it’s about the audience performed to an audience… brilliant stuff!”
There was more new music on offer this week from The Pearl Harts also as the duo shared their new single, ‘Hypocritical’, which you can of course check out above!
The track is the third single to come from their upcoming album, ‘LOVE, CHAOS’, which arrives on April 21st!
Supergroup Generation Sex have added new shows to their summer schedule including a special one-off show at The Civic at the Halls in Wolverhampton this July.
Billy Bragg will once again be out on the road later this year for ‘The Roaring Forty Tour’.
A new collection of songs with the same name is also on it’s way with a release date of October 27th.
“Doesn’t seem like just that long ago that I was playing Thursday nights at the Tunnel in Greenwich, opening for whoever was headlining. I learned my chops there in late 82/early83 and I’m still putting those lessons to good use 40 years later. Hope to see some of you this autumn.” – Billy Bragg
The Darkness reveal first wave of ‘Permission to Land’ shows
The final tour announcement in our News Report this week comes from The Darkness who will be celebrating the 20th Anniversary of seminal album ‘Permission To Land’ with a load of tour dates!
Initial dates take the band across Europe with further world and UK dates on the way.
Frontman Justin Hawkins comments, “When Permission to Land landed, twenty short years ago, we were bathed in shock and awe. As if by magic, Rock wasn’t dead! Fun wasn’t banned! And Spandex was almost acceptable again…
“Well, guess what? Twenty years on, the same rules apply. So please to squeeze yourselves into those inappropriate leggings, back-comb your mullet, splash on a big handful of attitude, and come celebrate with us! We promise everything and we deliver, every time. Bring on the next twenty!
As our News Report turns to festival announcements we head over to Neighbourhood Weekender who this week revealed the final wave of line-up additions for May.
New names include The View, Kula Shaker, Gaz Coombes and more. They join the likes of Paul Heaton & Jacqui Abbott, The Kooks, Pulp, The Wombats, Self Esteem, Ocean Colour Scene, The Enemy and Lottery Winners.
Closing out our festival announcements in our News Report is the latest line-up additions from Bearded Theory.
This week saw the event reveal that Skindred, Kid Kapichi, Brix Smith, Loose Articles and more will join the line-up topped by Interpol, Primal Scream and Pretenders.
Brighton noise rock trio Staff Party reveal their new single. ‘Dread’, which is the title-track of their upcoming EP.
Commenting on the new single and themes on the EP, frontman Ed Lamb says: “I have tried—but am completely unable to—write happy songs. When I want to write about something, typically I take a look around and something which pisses me off, confuses me, or scares me, is usually what inspires me the most. It’s hard not to draw on the awful state and chaos the world is in at the moment, as well. Just browsing the Internet can be a rich and endless source of horror.”
“I also consider myself a fairly introspective, and potentially sentimental person, so much of what I write about is based on aspects of my own psyche and personality. It feels cathartic to articulate those thoughts in the form of loud, aggressive music. I enjoy the fact that ‘Dread’, with probably the most upbeat and bouncy sounding instrumental, still has these introspective dark lyrics to juxtapose it. I couldn’t even let the fun catchy song be nice.”
headcage – ‘nothing’
Newcastle Upon Tyne Alternative Post-Hardcore band headcage share their brand new single ‘nothing’.
“Lyrically the song details the struggle to overcome the feeling of uselessness and the everyday battles that come alongside living with ADHD and Anxiety. I wanted to state in layman’s terms the difficulty that I face to remain persistent or disciplined in many aspects of my life. The song itself acts as catharsis, a real and true personal expression of the negative aspects of these conditions that I have to face everyday”. – Vocalist – Leyum Pattinson
Civil Villains – ‘Mortuary Blue’
Brit alt-rockers Civil Villains have released their brand new single, ‘Mortuary Blue’, taken from upcoming album, ‘Motion Sick’.
The band remark about the record: “Like the nauseating sensory mismatch experienced from the passenger seat, ‘Motion Sick’ is largely about contradictory states and lost control. Born as a series of voice notes, written over webcam, developed via shared Logic Pro projects, and honed in snatched moments of lifted lockdowns, the album was recorded in the rolling countryside expanses of Oxfordshire.”
BLACK STONE CHERRY & THE DARKNESS – BIRMINGHAM – LIVE REVIEW
One fateful night many years ago in the depths of the forests of Thetford a relatively spontaneous pairing occurred as Black Stone Cherry jumped in to support The Darkness after an infamous festival cancellation.
I was there that momentous evening to witness the magic that transpired. I was rather pleased then when the two bands announced a co-headline arena tour a decade or so later. So, tonight I head to the Resorts World Arena in Birmingham to relive that fine evening.
Opening on this tour is Danko Jones, who always delivers the goods. You know that you are in for a good rocking with Jones and tonight is no different. When your time onstage is short, you need to make the most of it and that’s exactly what Jones does with a fast paced rock n roll romp.
The first of our two headliners to take to the stage are The Darkness and as their set progresses I find myself reminiscing of that night in 2012. I remember that the band were fresh into their return and finding their feet again as a live act. The Darkness have always been considered a fantastic live act, but tonight I realise just how much further they’ve come.
Consistently good new material over the past decade has helped, but the band has really fine tuned themselves with drummer Rufus Taylor having a large role in that. The Showmanship of Justin Hawkins, the flamboyance of Frankie Poullain and the flair of Dan Hawkins now have a harnessing force that makes them incredibly slick.
When you then throw in plenty of pyrotechnics, you have a recipe for a stunning show and that’s exactly what The Darkness deliver tonight. From opening number ‘Growing on Me’ through to theatrical set closer ‘Love on the Rocks With No Ice’, The Darkness not only reassert themselves as one of the best live acts around but demonstrate the progress that they’ve made in the last decade.
WATCH ‘OUT OF POCKET’ ON YOUTUBE
Black Stone Cherry – ‘Out of Pocket’
Progress is a key word also when considering Black Stone Cherry who close the night this time around. They’ve come a long way in the last ten years and are now a regular arena filling act in the UK.
Tonight their time onstage is perhaps slightly shorter than usual, but they still manage to pack a career spanning setlist into that time. Less theatrical then The Darkness, Black Stone Cherry have always been happy to let the music do the talking and the crowd tonight are more than content with that.
Newer material like ‘Burnin’’, ‘Again’ and their latest single, ‘Out of Pocket’ feel at home in the set and evidence the great work produced by the band since 2012. Of course though tracks from that time like ‘White Trash Millionaire’ and ‘Blame It On The Boom Boom’ elicit huge response from the audience.
These are three different performances tonight from three different bands all bound by the love of rock. I knew walking into the arena that I’d be catching three of the most consistently good live acts on the circuit, so the quality of the evening isn’t a surprise tonight. Walking out of the venue however, I’m most impressed by the growth and evolution shown since that memorable evening in the woods!
Welcome to another edition of our weekly music News Report, where we check out the best stories from the past week. We start this week with a host of huge tour announcements.
Up first, fresh from headlining Download Festival, are Biffy Clyro who have announced a huge Arena Tour for this November. Support comes from Architects.
About the tour, Biffy Clyro said – “It’s been way too long… we are so excited to announce our tour of UK/Ireland this November and over the moon to have Architects join us on what is going to be a very special tour. You will not want to miss it”.
Black Stone Cherry & The Darkness team up for UK Tour
Another huge tour revealed this week will see Black Stone Cherry and The Darkness team up for seven arena shows early next year. They will be joined by Danko Jones for what promises to be a tour to remember.
Mr Justin Hawkins – “Legend tells of a night, some ten or more years ago, upon which The Darkness and Black Stone Cherry serenaded the nocturnal creatures of Thetford Forest, receiving generally favourable reviews in the woodland press. Like the owls and squirrels of that fabled evening, we give to you an opportunity to stand beaks and mouths a-gape in awe and wonder at the awesome power of power chords played by the very same fingers, but within the convenient shelter of an arena instead of in a moon-dappled forest clearing.
There may be some seating so you won’t have to sit on toadstools. Also, modern flushing toilet facilities, not just tree trunks and bushes. Remember what the Thetford fauna say – “The music of Black Stone Cherry and The Darkness is TREEmendous, and Never LEAVES you.”
Black Stone Cherry – “The rock n’ roll history books will tell you that on a summer’s night in 2012, tucked way back in the English countryside, two bands, from different parts of the world, came together to bring people a night of high energy, pedal to the metal, in your face unscripted rock ‘n’ roll. A bond was formed that could only have been blessed by the wizards of said forest.
While discussing each other’s outfits and stage moves, a tour was spoken of, put into the galaxy if you will, and now we are honored to say the stars have finally aligned and we will be joining forces with The Darkness for what will be the UK’s most exciting tour of the season! We absolutely cannot wait to create more magic and release the lightning that both bands caught in a bottle so many years ago. Grab your friends, grab your family, but hold on to your asses because this tour is going to ROCK!”
More good news in our News Report this week as Bob Vylan have announced their largest headline show to date will take place this December at the Electric Ballroom in Camden!
Their was some bittersweet news for fans of ROAM this past week as the band announced their imminent split. Fans will however get one last chance to dance with the band as they also revealed their final shows.
Our News Report moves onwards now to the best new releases from the past week.
Up first are The Wonder Years who debuted their latest track, ‘Wyatt’s Song (Your Name)’, which you can listen to above. The song will feature on new album, ‘The Hum Goes On Forever’, which will arrive September 23rd.
The single is a song singer Dan Campbell wrote for his oldest son, Wyatt. “It’s about the polarising forces of love and anxiety that come with being a new parent—simultaneously being so overjoyed that they’re here, about the miraculous nature of their existence, but afraid of all the ways you could fail them,” Dan explains.
“It’s about raising children in a world that feels like it’s actively ending and how to make them feel safe and cared for despite that. It tries to breathe in the small, beautiful moments and exhale all of the invasive thoughts of despair.”
There was also more new music this week from Nothing More as they prepare to release their upcoming album, ‘SPIRITS’, on October 14th.
This week they debuted the title track, which you can listen to above.
“Isn’t it interesting that we give the same name to something holy and something wholly intoxicating?” asks Nothing More frontman Jonny Hawkins.
“The song ‘SPIRITS’ describes that very conundrum. When you drink liquor, it has been said that you are welcoming that pneuma (spirit) into your body. Most of us have seen and experienced how alcohol (or rather ‘al-ghawl,’ which means demon/spirit) can make us feel. It’s almost as if we turn into someone else when too much of the spirit has been consumed.
Sometimes it’s eye opening and can lead to wondrous life-changing conversations or bonds that would never normally happen…and sometimes it can lead to the exact opposite. It may turn us into Dr. Hyde’s Jekyll and cause us to do or say horrific things we would never normally do sober. Spirits are both a little bit heavenly and a little bit sick.”
Ozzy Osbourne also had new music to share this week as he debuted his latest effort ‘Patient Number 9’. You can listen to the track above which will feature on a new album of the same name.
Lastly for our News Report this week we have Spiritbox, who debuted new music this week including the track, ‘Rotoscope’, which you can listen to above.
‘Happening’, the debut album from Launder arrives on July 15th, and this week saw the release of single, ‘Intake’.
On his new single ‘Intake’, Launder aimed to record something uplifting, he explains, “‘Intake’ carries the rhythm of someone and something new, anticipating all the best and all the worst. These themes inspired a faster tempo and ascending chords. I let this track be indulgent in all the best ways and really leaned into all of the cleaner guitar sounds and single note guitar interplay similar to the early Launder songs. For those reasons, this track is a total joy for me and was a lot of fun to rehearse and record.”
Blight Town – ‘Swerve’
Exploding onto the UK Alternative Scene is Nottingham based outfit Blight Town. The progressive post-hardcore band have today unleashed their infectious new single ‘Swerve’ to the world.
“Swerve is a reflection on how the difference between medicine and poison is often in the dosage. It plays with the idea that to be truly happy and content, you sometimes have to court the darkness a little. This single explores the idea that depression is something to be wallowed in, to allow it to wash over you completely. That you might feel the disparity all the more fiercely when you come out of the other side.” – Vocalist, Jake Hough.
Northern Captives – ‘Distraction Or Cure’
Continuing their sonic shift, Northern Captives have released a brand new single titled ‘Distraction Or Cure’.
“Distraction or Cure is a song about how many of us find ourselves heavily lead by our own ego’s. How we’re viewed by others feels more important than anything, and influences our decisions and occupies a lot of our mental space. You spend your teens and a lot of your twenties assuming people are observing you and passing judgement a lot more than they really are.
There’s a huge satisfaction in the realisation that people are often far too preoccupied with themselves to notice you. ‘Kill your ego’ is a chorus about living for yourself, not trying to project an image for those around you at the detriment of your well-being.” – Sam Cook, Vocalist
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!
2021 has been another tough year to live through. There have been some signs of normal life, for example the return of live music, but we end it as we started with true normality a distant memory.
This year has however been a stunning year for new music releases. Yes, lockdown musicians and the odds are their creativity will take over. In Full Pelt Music’s first full year of existence we have reviewed 65 albums and the quality of those releases has been exceptional.
Last year we counted down our Top 20 albums of the year, with a special Advent Calendar countdown on our Twitter. This year we have expanded! Our 2021 countdown has taken place across all our social platforms, and has listed our Top 50 albums of the year!
With that social media countdown completed, it’s now time to compile our completed Top 50 in one place. So let’s get started!
What we said:
“there are stunning moments spread throughout the album”
Rob Zombie – ‘The Triumph of King Freak (A Crypt of Preservation and Superstition)’
What we said:
“was anybody craving a new album from The Offspring in 2021? Perhaps not, but actually in this messed up world we live in, maybe, just maybe, we needed it!”
“vitality shouldn’t be mistaken for relevance and whilst the band may have peaked commercially, they remain of utmost importance to a generation of music fans”
Check out:
Rise Against – ‘Nowhere Generation’
What we said:
“anybody that had any doubts about the natural talents of this group of musicians, they should now acknowledge a new force”
The quality of this year’s releases has been truly phenomenal as our opening 30 albums attests. The competition is extremely tight for the coveted top spot and that is clear throughout the prestigious Top 20 that follows.
What we said:
“a sublime collection of upbeat, heartfelt and powerful songs that is bound to be stuck on repeat for the foreseeable future”
“a rare talent that have now reinforced their passion and ability to create great music for anybody who wants to listen but without concession on their vision”
Well there you have it! What a truly magnificent year for new music 2021 has been. What will 2022 have in store? Remember to discover the best new acts by following our ‘Discover’ New Music Playlist’!
Stay tuned for our 2021 Year in Review coming very soon.
THE DARKNESS – CAMBRIDGE CORN EXCHANGE – LIVE REVIEW
Would it be November without a tour from The Darkness? I mean can you even celebrate Christmas until you’ve heard the band play that song? In my opinion, no!
Said tour is in full gear, and tonight it finds its way into the Corn Exchange in Cambridge. The tour is in support of brand new album, ‘Motorheart’; and along for the ride are Massive Wagons.
After original support British Lion withdrew, some might say that the arrival of Massive Wagons late in the day wasn’t just a worthy replacement but actually an upgrade! The band have steadily built themselves a solid reputation as a band and as a live act and slots like this will only grow that reputation. Win, win then.
Tonight they are greeted warmly by the Cambridge crowd as they preview their own latest release, ‘House of Noise’. The likes of ‘In It Together’, ‘Pressure’ and ‘Bangin in Your Stereo’ mix perfectly with fan favourites ‘China Plates’ and ‘Back to the Stack’ to make for a fantastic opening set.
Crowd suitably warmed, it’s then time for that band of folklore The Darkness to shine bright on the big stage once again. To be completely honest, it’s almost a pointless job in reviewing this band as they are so prolific on stage. When you buy a ticket to The Darkness, you know that you will have a good time.
The set list for this tour is as you would expect for a new album tour – a mix of said new album and cult debut ‘Permission To Land’, with a handful of other offerings thrown in for good measure.
WATCH ‘IT’S LOVE, JIM’ ON YOUTUBE
The Darkness – ‘It’s Love, Jim’
‘Motorheart’ is another solid album of typical Darkness material and it therefore fits right in. From set opener ‘Welcome Tae Glasgae’, to the title track, to the fun ‘It’s Love, Jim’, the new material presents well live, again as you would expect really.
Naturally the biggest reactions of the evening come from the likes of early tracks ‘One Way Ticket’, ‘Growing On Me’, ‘Friday Night’ and ‘I Believe In A Thing Called Love’. It must be said though that the likes of ‘Open Fire’, ‘Heart Explodes’, ‘Solid Gold’ and ‘Barbarian’ from more recent albums are also now received as set staples.
Singer Justin Hawkins’ on stage banter tonight is to critique the somewhat quiet audience. Having just the night before reviewed a gig whereby I felt the need to comment on the rudeness of the crowd in talking louder than the music, it leaves me wondering just where the sweet spot is for crowd attention.
All that is left to complete the night is that old Christmas classic ‘Christmas Time (Don’t Let The Bells End)’ with the band attired in suitably festive gear. Then the crowd can go off into the night happy and ready to celebrate the time of year, all thanks to The Darkness!
What do you want from a new album by The Darkness? Justin’s falsetto singing? Dan’s riffs? The ferocious, driving rhythm of Frankie and Rufus? Well, the band are back with their new album, ‘Motorheart’ and it’s all in there!
Yes, ‘Motorheart’ delivers on every level of the Darkness-o-meter. There is the oddball witticism, the crazy stories, the inside jokes. The extravagance of the band is what makes them great and thankfully their 7th studio album has it in abundance.
The story of the band is as unique and colourful as their music, and it’s somewhat astonishing that they’ve reached a point in their career whereby they can say they’ve released seven albums!
A decade ago, nobody would’ve believed a third album possible. Their meteoric rise and subsequent fall from grace seemed to have them confined to the storybooks of rock n’ roll folklore.
Luckily for fans their one way ticket to hell did have that “and back” caveat and they made their heralded return in 2012. Five more albums now in the time since have solidified the bands credibility, if not restored their fame.
‘Motorheart’ continues a hot streak of acclaimed releases and will rightfully take centre stage for their upcoming live shows. ‘Welcome Tae Glasgae’, ‘Motorheart’, ‘It’s Love, Jim’ and ‘Eastbound’ will no doubt go down a treat for those in attendance.
WATCH ‘IT’S LOVE, JIM’ ON YOUTUBE
The Darkness – ‘It’s Love, Jim’
Whilst their arena filling days may be gone, The Darkness still sell out large venues across the country and the reputation of their live shows combined with the nostalgia of debut album ‘Permission To Land’ could carry the band into retirement.
Luckily, the band don’t seem content to rest on their laurels and that work rate has now seen them release another quality album. ‘Motorheart’ is well worth your time, so, whether your a die hard or a nostalgia seeker, check it out!
We roundup the best music news from the past week!
Every week we roundup the best music news from the past week in our News Report. To stay up to date with the biggest news be sure to follow us on our social channels:
Welcome to another weekly News Report from Full Pelt Music where we roundup the best music news from the past week. We will get into new music releases and tour announcements but this week we start with a slew of festival reveals!
Up first is Slam Dunk Festival who this week revealed the first acts set to feature at the 2022 event. Alexisonfire and Rancid will be joined by The Used, The Wonder Years, Motion City Soundtrack, Hot Milk, Meet Me At The Altar and many more!
The event will take place on 3rd and 4th June at Leeds and Hatfield. Tickets are available here.
Teddy Rocks Festival takes place at Charisworth Farm in Blandford, Dorset and raises money towards research and direct support for children with cancer. So, already it’s worth the ticket price! Also on offer though is a great line-up of music.
Headlining the 2022 edition will be Eagles Of Death Metal and The Fratellis. They will be joined by Skindred, Newton Faulkner, Terrorvision, Dream State, The Skints, The Snuts, A, Get Cape. Wear Cape. Fly, Lauran Hibberd, The Bottom Line and Never Not Nothing among many more.
Many festivals are now gearing up for the 2022 season and this week also saw the first names revealed for Y Not Festival in Derbyshire.
Announced this week were Courteeners, Blossoms, Nothing But Thieves, Levellers, Pale Waves, Sports Team, Beans On Toast, Vistas, Lauran Hibberd and more.
We move on now in our News Report to tour announcements. This week saw Architects reveal a short run of intimate dates for next month. These come ahead of the band hitting arenas next year.
The last section of our News Report is dedicated to the latest new releases. We start this week with Volbeat who announced details of their latest studio album. The record will be called ‘Servant Of My Mind’ and will arrive December 3rd.
Ahead of that release the band has debuted the track ‘Shotgun Blues’, which you can check out above.
There was more new music this week from The Darkness ahead of their upcoming album. ‘Motorheart’ arrive on November 19th and now you can check out ‘Jussy’s Girl’, their latest single.
Finally this week in our News Report, the annual Beans On Toast album announcement. ‘Survival of the Friendliest’ will arrive December 1st and is preceded by the single ‘A Beautiful Place’.
