Author: Admin
Doubts and hopes haunt nine long months.It is perhaps not so much of a surprise to find that Shadow Child is a concept album, and the theme was also somewhat foretold by last year’s album Lullabies. Abigail Lapell has produced an album of nine songs, each in their different ways reflecting on different aspects of a pregnancy and impending motherhood. It was recorded on Vancouver Island during the third trimester of the pregnancy that led to Lapell’s first child. Since Lapell’s journey to motherhood was not an easy one; her background material for this album cites years of IVF and…
“Little Feat.” by Rich Anderson is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0.I’ve gone on record as proclaiming Waiting For Columbus one of the best live albums in the universe, so I took a long time to reconcile myself to the fact that the band had a life after Lowell George’s passing. His voice, writing and slide guitar were so much the core of the Feat sound that it felt disloyal to consider listening to the band without him.On buying theRad Gumbo box set some years back, I was pushed to listen to their first two post-reunion albums and found that I…
As we count down to the launch of our new issue – more details on that tomorrow – here’s some of the music we’ve enjoyed while putting it together. Boards Of Canada’s comeback seems to have prised opened some kind of portal for heady, sci-fi sounds: witness the return of The Field, Horse Lords, Pye Corner Audio – featuring crime writer Ian Rankin! – Cornelius, John Carpenter and Tyondai Braxton. Even new Americana discoveries like Styrofoam Winos and Biita Houdei are tilted in a faintly cosmic direction.Advertisement There’s also new stuff from The Strokes, Laura Veirs, Modest Mouse and Tricky,…
The Milk Carton Kids: Lost Cause Lover Fool(Far Cry Records / Thirty Tigers)CD | Vinyl | Limited LPOut nowMartin Gray takes a listen to the seventh album of original songs by US indie folk duo Milk Carton Kids and delights in the album’s understated and blissfully hushed reverie.In a world where it’s increasingly difficult to find total abstention from the relentless onslaught of technological overload from all directions, it is all the more important to seek a form of escape from all of that which insidiously pummels us into submission. Whatever our mood, there is always invariably a genre or…
Bristol born rapper and vocalist Sabodi steps into the spotlight with his debut project 2020, an eight track release that captures the highs, confusion, romance, and recklessness of modern youth culture with honesty and style.Led by the warm and emotionally charged “Flower$ In The Rain,” the project blends melodic rap, intimate songwriting, and conversational lyricism into something that feels deeply personal yet instantly relatable. Across the tape, Sabodi moves seamlessly between soft vocal melodies and sharp rap cadences, exploring themes of love, identity, escapism, and ambition through the lens of inner city life.Tracks like “Ever Know” and “Cinderella” lean into…
Rising singer songwriter Sibb releases the official video for “Alright”, the latest visual from his debut EP Delusion, via Embassy of Music. The release continues the cinematic universe first introduced with previous single “Mine”.Positioned within Act I – Hyperromanticism, “Alright” explores morality, emotional conflict and the uncertainty that follows difficult personal decisions. Inspired by classic 90s ballads and the smooth emotional depth of Lianne La Havas, the track sees Sibb reflecting on rejecting a romantic advance from someone already in a relationship and questioning the emotional aftermath of doing the right thing.Visually, the video marks a striking contrast to the…
Leather Angel were supposed to be the “female Mötley Crüe”. That was the idea. That’s a great idea, actually. But what were Mötley Crüe, really? Were they a band? Like, a musical outfit? Not really. The first two records are pearl, but it’s just Sex Pistols meets Sweet in a garage, and the rest of their career was generic arena metal.I apologise up front if you’re a hardcore Girls Girls Girls fan, but let’s put our cards on the table, for chrissakes. Mötley Crüe was really about bad behaviour. Mötley Crüe is what would’ve happened if you gave any random…
Canadian progressive metal polymath Devin Townsend has unveiled a blistering new double-single, “Prepare For War / The Big Snit.” The release serves as the latest cinematic preview from his highly anticipated orchestral-metal opus, The Moth, which is set to drop on 29th May 2026 via InsideOutMusic.An album over a decade in the making, the monumental project moved from a concept to reality six years ago following a collaboration offer from the head of the North Netherlands Orchestra and Choir. Written and recorded alongside a massive collective of musicians – including long-time collaborators Darby Todd, Mike Keneally, James Leach, and legendary…
Emerging UK doom and sludge metal trio Blüdwyrm have announced the impending arrival of their debut EP, The Blissful Sleep Of Ignorance. Scheduled for release on 5th June 2026, the record will be unleashed on both CD and cassette formats via South West independent label Road To Masochist.Hailing from the undulating downs of Dorset, the band lurch into existence with a sound that intentionally contradicts their picturesque regional roots. Blüdwyrm have spent their formative year forging a dirt-encrusted, down-tuned sonic profile that collisions soul-shaking doom weight with feral, raw sludge metal aggression. Despite only forming in 2025, members Leo Butterworth…
Polish extreme metal titans Behemoth have joined forces with Massacre Records for the worldwide physical distribution of their upcoming exclusive release, I, Scvlptor. Scheduled for a simultaneous global street date on 4th September 2026, the unique body of work will be made available across CD, vinyl, cassette, and limited-edition box set configurations.Comprising 40 minutes of previously unreleased material, I, Scvlptor acts as an autonomous full-length effort bridging the band’s historic roots with modern extreme textures. Beyond showcasing fresh compositions packed with the incendiary live energy that has made the band an arena-level global draw, the record also features resurrected versions…
Finnish sludge metal act Themata have officially released their massive new single, “Monochrome.” The track continues the uncompromising sonic direction established on last year’s debut EP, Riven, while pushing the band’s sound into much more organic and dynamic territory.On “Monochrome,” the group expands their sonic palette without sacrificing the sheer, suffocating weight that defines their identity. The track delivers an evolving, natural flow where towering walls of guitars, a crushing rhythm section, and a brutal vocal delivery all lock tightly into place. Comprising members from notable Finnish acts like Atlases, Grave With A View, and I, Cursed, the quintet has…
Slam Dunk hurtles round the corner faster every year, but that’s not such a bad thing when the line-ups remain so exciting. The twin-site festival is having a celebration as loud and joyful as it deserves for its 20th anniversary this weekend, uniting the best and brightest of punk, emo, metal and hardcore. What’s especially interesting about this year’s bill is that Slam Dunk is devoting a pair of stages to some of the heaviest acts it’s ever hosted. Main Stage East Left and Main Stage East Right offer a great day in themselves, kicking off with a thunderous one-two…