One Louder Magazine… RESURRECTED!

One Louder Magazine… RESURRECTED

Introduction
NFL AP Awards
Super Bowl LX
Album of the Week
Honorable Mentions
Missed The Cut
Addendum
On The List
Looking Forward To
Fine Print

This mailer is dedicated to the late, great Catherine O’Hara, who died last Friday. The wife and I have had Schitt$ Creek on in the background and had forgotten just how good and funny the show is and… oh, Moira Rose, we sure do miss you! RIP Catherine O’Hara, this one’s for you 🍷

Ok, let’s talk NFL AP Awards, Super Bowl LX, then get straight into the music!

———————————————————————————————

Most Valuable Player:
Buffalo Bills QB Josh Allen
Jacksonville Jaguars QB Trevor Lawrence
San Francisco 49ers RB Christian McCaffrey
New England Patriots QB Drake Maye
Los Angeles Rams QB Matthew Stafford

My vote went to Stafford, and he won it 🏆

Offensive Player Of The Year:
New England Patriots QB Drake Maye
San Francisco 49ers RB Christian McCaffrey
Los Angeles Rams WR Puka Nacua
Atlanta Falcons RB Bijan Robinson
Seattle Seahawks WR Jaxon Smith-Njigba

My vote went to JSN, and he won it 🏆 💙 💚

Defensive Player Of The Year:
Houston Texans Edge Rusher Will Anderson Jr.
Denver Broncos Edge Rusher Nik Bonitto
Cleveland Browns Edge Rusher Myles Garrett 
Detroit Lions Edge Rusher Aidan Hutchinson
Green Bay Packers Edge Rusher Micah Parsons

My vote went to Myles Garrett, and he won it 🏆

Offensive Rookie Of The Year:
New York Giants QB Jaxson Dart
Tampa Bay Buccaneers WR Emeka Egbuka
New England Patriots RB TreVeyon Henderson
Carolina Panthers WR Tetairoa McMillan 
New Orleans Saints QB Tyler Shough

My vote went to T-Mac, and he won it 🏆

Defensive Rookie Of The Year:
New York Giants Edge Rusher Abdul Carter
Seattle Seahawks Defensive Back Nick Emmanwori 
Atlanta Falcons Edge Rusher James Pearce Jr.
Cleveland Browns Linebacker Carson Schwesinger
Atlanta Falcons Safety Xavier Watts

My vote went to Emmanwori, but the Browns LB Schwesinger won it 🏆

In my defense, I knew he would win it and said as much (in front of three friends/witnesses several days ago when we were discussing this very topic!)!

Comeback Player of the Year:
Jacksonville Jaguars QB Trevor Lawrence
San Francisco 49ers RB Christian McCaffrey
New England Patriots WR Stefon Diggs
Detroit Lions Edge Rusher Aidan Hutchinson
Dallas Cowboys QB Dak Prescott

My vote went to CMC, and he won it 🏆

Coach Of The Year:
Jacksonville Jaguars HC Liam Coen
Chicago Bears HC Ben Johnson
Seattle Seahawks HC Mike Macdonald
San Francisco 49ers HC Kyle Shanahan
New England Patriots HC Mike Vrabel

My vote went to Vrabel, and he won it 🏆

———————————————————————————————

SUPER BOWL LX – SEATTLE SEAHAWKS VS NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS

FEB. 8TH, 2026 AT 3:30PM – LEVI’S STADIUM, SANTA CLARA, CA

Well, we finally made it to the big dance… not just the Seahawks, but the NFL in general. Not sure if my wife will read this or not, but she… I cannot put into words how patient she is with me each and every NFL season.

If I *just* watched ‘Hawks games, it might not be that bad, but I don’t. I watch ’em all. Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday, and Monday Night Football. Any team, any matchup. Ok, fine. If it’s Week 13 and both teams have a combined 5 wins, I might forgo that game… but not always. Some games are really good, really fun… even with two shitty teams. Anyway, much love to my wife for putting up with this (and me) season after unrelenting season.

I, too, am glad that the season is coming to a close. As much as I do enjoy watching the games, it is also very time-consuming. Every December / January, I’m like, “yeah, let’s wrap this thing up.” The crazy thing to me is that the NFL has the fewest number of games in any professional sport: 17 games over 18 weeks. The next shortest is Major League Soccer at double that (34). Then pro basketball and hockey at 82 games apiece, and baseball with 162 whopping games per year.

Ring was running a sale on some products, and check out what I got for about $12-$13 bucks below. A Seahawks-themed Ring plate! Yes, it’s already on – about five minutes after it arrived! FWIW, if I knew about these last year or previous years, I would have already purchased and installed one. What am I saying? I’m not a fair-weather fan! I’ve been with ’em even during the lean years… and those were brutal. Thick and thin. So, no, it’s not a fair-weather fan purchase. Slick as hell, though, ain’t it?!

Ok, let’s discuss the game. Phhhhht, the game. It’s the friggin’ SUPER BOWL!!!

I would like to begin with a few stats that I found interesting… and hope you do, too! First is this…

“[Seattle Seahawks QB] Sam Darnold will be the first QB drafted by the New York Jets to make a start in the Super Bowl since Joe Namath (drafted in 1965). For reference, the Super Bowl didn’t even exist until the 1966 season. 

Mark Sanchez and Richard Todd are the next closest in this conversation, with both having made at least one AFC title game. This means that Sam Darnold is the only QB drafted by the Jets in the Super Bowl era to make the championship game.” I’m not sure where I saw this stat, but I would otherwise credit them, of course. Also…

“Based on my DVOA ratings, the Patriots had the third-easiest regular season strength of schedule [.429] since 1978 [for a Super Bowl team] .” – Aaron Schatz

Read that sentence listed above again. Third easiest SOS since 1978.

The homer in me thinks it will be an absolute blowout. My eyes tell me that it will be an absolute blowout. But the cynic in me tells me that it’ll be closer than we think.

The Seahawks are currently favored by -4.5 points, and the over/under is currently at 45.5.

When the clock hits 00:00, I’m thinking 28-24 ‘Hawks. But I’m also thinking ‘Hawks 21-7 at halftime.

My hope, though, is 49-3. 49 points for the Seahawks’ #1 rival in the San Francisco 49ers (on whose home field the SB will be held, no less) + three points for each letter of their franchise identity in NEP.

Let’s go ‘Hawks, let’s get the dub, celebrate, then enjoy the offseason.

I don’t want to say “when”, so I’ll say “if” the Seahawks do end up winning, who wants to go to the parade? I went last time and had an absolute blast! Even got a Seahawks haircut… need to find that picture, have it somewhere.

———————————————————————————————

Album-wise, it looks like we went the whole of January without an Album of the Week. That said, I’d say that the closest we came was with DVNE’s Live At Hellfest album… which totally would’ve won, but I typically don’t like handing out AOTW awards to live albums, greatest hits, re-releases, etc.

😁 BE THE REASON SOMEONE SMILES 😁

Be sure to let me know what you agree / disagree with, etc… always fun to hear your opinions, too. Happy listening… and see you next week!

Cheers,

Troy

———————————————————————————————

Album(s) of the Week** – January 30th, 2026:

None.

Honorable Mentions (in order by “popularity”*):

12,229,023 – Wiz Khalifa – Moses The Black [Original Motion Picture Soundtrack] – As most of you know by now, I’m not a fan of most rap and hip-hop albums released these days – I prefer the old shit – but this is a barn-burner, loved it, and have dug me some Wiz Khalifa – aka Cameron Jibril Thomaz – for some time now. Looking forward to watching the movie that this soundtrack is based on, as well.

From Film Music Reporter: “Taylor Gang Entertainment will release a soundtrack album for the crime drama Moses the Black. The album features the original songs from the film by Wiz Khalifa, including collaborations with Juicy J, JMB Bobby Hill, and TYuS.

Moses the Black is written and directed by Yelena Popovic and stars Omar Epps, Wiz Khalifa himself, Quavo, and Chukwudi Iwuji. The movie executive produced by Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson follows a feared gang leader from Chicago’s West Side who was recently released from prison and returns home determined to avenge the murder of his closest friend. The drama is being released in select theaters this weekend by Fathom Entertainment.”

476,363 – Buzzcocks – Attitude Adjustment – Classic [mid-’70s] English punk band releases their first album in a few years, and I like it! I don’t love it, but I like it… just your classic, snotty British punk! RIP Pete Shelley

From amazon: “Legendary Manchester punk outfit BUZZCOCKS need little introduction. Back in 1977, they gave birth to a generation of independent labels with their debut EP ‘Spiral Scratch’. Thereafter, their melodic punk-pop proved irresistible, leading to hit singles and three landmark albums. They broke up in 1981 but reunited in 1989 and have been going steady ever since. Sadly, singer Pete Shelley passed away in 2018, but founder member and the band’s other singer/songwriter Steve Diggle has kept the flag flying.

2026 sees them release their 12th studio album ‘Attitude Adjustment’, which is bursting with 14 brand new tracks that will delight fans of the iconic and much-loved Manchester music institution.”

339,896 – Ichika Nito – The Moon’s Elbow – Japanese guitar virtuoso, Ichika Nito, is back on the scene with his first-ever solo album. He’s released a few singles and EPs here and there, but now we’re finally blessed with a full-length! He plays (mostly) all-instrumental, djenty, prog-shred… and it is glorious in all its notes.

From Sputnik Music: “Guitar virtuoso Ichika Nito has formally announced his long-awaited debut LP, The Moon’s Elbow, which will be released on January 30th. Ichika is most known for providing guitar features with numerous bands, including Earthists, Polyphia, Field Of Forest, Von Citizen, and Hidden Machine, to name a few.”

309,876 – Cory Wong – Lost In The Wonder – Cory Wong is a bad-ass guitarist who dips his toes into a variety of styles: funk, soul, sometimes jazzy rock ‘n roll, and more! Many of his albums are all-instrumental, but here he invites a guest on each track. While (almost) all of them contain vocals, they’re all great! Cory is the touring guitarist of Vulfpeck (great band!), but here he gets to shine on his own. 

269,915 – Joyce Manor – I Used To Go To This Bar EP – Shame on me for never hearing (of) this band previously! They are a California-based punk trio on the Epitaph Records label… that formed in 2008, nearly two decades ago! A lot of these types of bands, I really dig, and Joyce Manor is no exception. Good, solid songwriting, and much too short at 19:11. I wanted more!

From amazon: “Joyce Manor are California pop-punk legends, and I Used To Go To This Bar is this epochal band operating at the top of their game. They continue to deliver relentlessly satisfying rock music in a manner that makes it look simply effortless.

The Torrance, California-hailing trio of Barry Johnson, Chase Knobbe, and Matt Ebert are at a point in their career where their position as one of the most beloved rock bands is a foregone conclusion. Their seventh album finds the group continuing to find rich new veins to tap in their short-and-sweet songcraft without losing an ounce of bite that gained them such repute in the first place.

I Used To Go To This Bar further situates Joyce Manor in the rich lineage of their influences and inspirations. Think AFI’s rapid-fire burn, Weezer’s indelible power-pop acumen, and the dusky emotionalism of the Smiths while further establishing them as leading lights in the current rock landscape.

The fresh burst of inspiration that fuels I Used To Go To This Bar proves that Joyce Manor are far from content to rest on such laurels, moving forward with their sound and style in a way that reminds you of how they got to this point in the first place. Catch them live at Coachella 2026.”

257,058 – Kula Shaker – Wormslayer – Solid rock album with hints of psychedelic rock and a lil funk, too! I’ve been lukewarm with them in the past, but I think this might be their strongest release yet. I occasionally get Pink Floyd vibes, which is unusual for KS. But, hey, I’ll take it! They are a band that I want to continue to keep my eyes and ears on, for sure.

From amazon: “Named after a 9th-century Indian poet king, Kula Shaker always existed in an alternate reality; storming the heavens fearlessly, some might say recklessly, questing to the fairy-tale edges of the rock and roll spectrum, all the while solidifying their reputation as one of Britain’s most exciting live bands. How many other artists can claim to have actually headlined Glastonbury twice in the same weekend? Scored one of the fastest-selling double-Platinum debuts of all time, a run of Top 10 singles, opened for Oasis at their era-defining Knebworth shows, and how many bands from that era are still at the top of their creative game, their original line-up intact, and, perhaps most remarkable of all, still managing to remain best of friends?” 

132,164 – JOSEPH – Closer To Happy – Really nice folk album! The band used to feature three sisters, including twins, but one of the twins – Allison Closner – left the band in 2024, leaving them as a duo. They have great voices and write great music… really nice stuff here – even if some of the subject material is dark (see ahead). I will continue to keep my eyes and ears peeled for future releases. Bonus points since they’re from the Northwest (by way of Portland, OR!).

From their bandcamp page: “”Closer to Happy” is a deeply human map of heartbreak, healing, and hard-won self-trust. Across twelve songs, JOSEPH navigates divorce, loss, self-reclamation, and the tender urgency of love — weaving personal stories into universal truths. With harmonies as unflinching as the lyrics, the record moves from reckoning with the past to standing rooted in the present, all while holding space for grief, joy, and transformation.” 

72,476 – Eric Bibb – One Mississippi – 74-years-young bluesman returns with another album of… the blues! His stuff is hit-or-miss for me, but this one was fantastic!

From Rough Trade Records: “One Mississippi is the brand new album from three-time Grammy-nominated blues icon Eric Bibb, released via Repute Records

Produced by Grammy-nominated Glen Scott, the record features 14 tracks – thirteen originals plus a striking cover of “One Mississippi,” written by Bibb’s longtime high school friend Janis Ian with Fred Koller.

Recorded in Uppsala, Sweden, with an all-star cast including Robbie McIntosh (Paul McCartney, John Mayer), Greger Andersson, Paul Jones, and more, One Mississippi is Bibb’s most musically adventurous and generous album to date. With standout songs such as “This One Don’t” and “Didn’t I Keep Runnin’,” it blends timeless blues, folk, and Americana — giving it strong crossover appeal across genres and audiences.

Bibb’s later-life work has earned widespread critical acclaim. One Mississippi builds on that momentum, following the Grammy-nominated Ridin’ (2023) and acclaimed In the Real World (2024).

With a career spanning five decades and a musical lineage rooted in his father, folk singer Leon Bibb, Eric Bibb has become one of the most respected and inspiring voices in modern roots music. One Mississippi is a profound statement from an artist at the peak of his powers.” 

65,085 – Dirty Sound Magnet – Me And My Shadow – Interesting album that I enjoyed. They are a psychedelic rock band that adds in elements of blues (awesome, dirty slide guitar) and garage rock. I dig the story behind the album, as well (see ahead). Yeah, this was pretty cool!

From The Band Wagon Records: “The creation of Me and My Shadow almost never happened. Just two weeks before the first recording sessions, frontman Stavros suffered a life-threatening poisoning. Half-conscious and surrounded by doctors, the first fragments of the album began to surface in his subconscious — visions carried by the light of music and the power of rock’n’roll.

Much of the record’s intensity and themes grew directly from this experience. Working on the album became both a healing process and a creative outburst, turning shock and struggle into sound. The result is a powerful statement, and the band now stands more inspired than ever — ready to share a spark of hope in uncertain times.” 

49,494 – Hällas – Panorama – Dude, not even sure where to start! Not sure if I love it or just like it… they have this throwback ’70s prog-rock sound that meets ’70s psychedelic rock. Definitely gonna keep my eyes and ears for future releases. Curious to see if they grow on me or fade away…

From amazon: “Adventure Rock pioneers Hällas deliver their most ambitious album yet with “Panorama”, released on 2026-01-30. The album both consolidates and expands the image of what the band is, but also what rock can be. This time, different perspectives in a scenario are explored regarding whether humanity is capable of understanding a viewpoint other than their own. It reflects our time but is, in typical Hällas fashion, staged in a fictional, distant world.

Hällas’ cult following in modern prog and hard rock will find “Panorama” familiar in a way: an imaginative hybrid of progressive 70s rock and heavy metal with echoes of both folk and psychedelia, along with conceptual content. In another sense, you have not quite heard a record like this from Hällas before. The self-confidence has never been as evident. Influences from different directions collide, and sometimes clash, contributing to the feeling that the expected instead culminates in wonder at what it is you’re hearing.”

36,625 – DVNE – Live At Hellfest – Yo, these dudes are rad! It’s like prog rock / metal meets post-metal meets doom metal… or, as they call it (via their bandcamp page: “Dvne is a 5-piece metal band from Edinburgh, UK. Taking influences from a myriad of genres, including post metal, doom, and progressive rock. Combining fierce riffs and melodic textures, Dvne travels an epic dark sci-fi universe with hints of psychedelia. Long live the Kwisatz Haderach.” Don’t sleep on these guys. Bad-ass!

From Metal Blade Records: “Scottish progressive metal band Dvne announce the release of their powerful performance at Hellfest Open Air 2023. “Live at Hellfest” features a selection of songs exclusively from Dvne’s acclaimed album Etemen Ænka, showcasing the band’s crushing heaviness, atmospheric depth, and commanding live presence. Recorded in front of a massive festival audience, the release captures the raw energy and immersive sound that have made Dvne one of the most compelling acts in modern progressive metal.

Live at Hellfest arrives as Dvne prepares to hit the road as support for Igorrr, marking an exciting new chapter for the band and offering fans a raw snapshot of their live presence.

Formed in Edinburgh in 2013 by displaced Frenchman Victor Vicart and native Scot Dudley Tait, post-metal prog-sludge artisans Dvne have been building a powerful head of steam since their second album, 2021’s kaleidoscopically mesmerizing Etemen Ænka. Their first release for the legendary Metal Blade Records label, the LP was a concerted hike up the greasy pole for this enigmatic outfit, enabling Dvne to embark on UK and European headline tours and win spots at such discerning festivals as Hellfest, ArcTanGent, Desertfest, Damnation and Resurrection. Then the stunning third album Voidkind in 2024 propelled this expanded five-piece line-up (welcoming Maxime Keller on keyboards) to the top of their game.

Certainly, Voidkind succeeds in finding new modes of expression for Dvne. The songs are more pointed, direct, and memorable, but the soundscape still has a radiant, evolving, hypnotic flow, the effect achieved with fewer layers of sonic ornamentation, consciously urging closer to Dvne’s incendiary live sound.”

5,279 – Syberia – Quan tot s’apagui – Fantastically wonderful band that beautifully straddles the line between all-instrumental post-rock and post-metal. Really great stuff!

Fun fact #1: Syberia is, in fact, not from Siberia, Russia. Rather, they are from Spain. However, according to their bandcamp page, “It is said that the name of the coldest area in Russia comes from the Turkish words for “asleep land”. Anyhow, Syberia instrumental rock music gives off such a warmth and instrumental intensity that they attracted our attention from the very first minute. Dreamy passages and explosions of real magic.”

Fun fact #2: The album title, ‘Quan tot s’apagui’, roughly translates to “When everything turns off” or “When everything goes out” in Catalan.

From their bandcamp page: “A dark, immersive journey through the end of the world — and the Barcelona band’s first album written entirely in their native Catalan.

Barcelona’s instrumental post-rock outfit Syberia have carved out a sound that speaks loudly without ever uttering a word. Their music is a collision of cinematic atmospheres, explosive dynamics, and guitar-driven emotional heft, the kind that pulls you in slowly before overwhelming you with sheer, deliberate force.

What makes Syberia compelling is their ability to balance patience with intensity. Tracks often begin with fragile, shimmering lines—clean guitars stretched over spacious reverb—before gradually stacking tension until everything erupts into a wall of distortion. Yet the payoff never feels gratuitous. Their climaxes are earned, sculpted with a careful sense of pacing that reflects a band deeply in tune with the architecture of instrumental storytelling. After the overwhelming debut album “Drawing A Future” (2013) and the successor, “Resiliency” (2016), the band signed to Metal Blade and released “Seeds Of Change” (2019) and “Statement On Death” (2022). With “Quan tot s’apagui”, a record that represents a major artistic and emotional shift in their trajectory. For the first time, the group delivers an album conceived fully in Catalan, a step that reinforces their identity and brings a new expressive depth to their sound.

“Quan tot s’apagui” stands as their darkest and most introspective album to date. It offers a symbolic exploration of the world’s end and the passage into nothingness — a sonic narrative where beauty and devastation coexist. The record leans more heavily into post-metal and black metal influences, expanding Syberia’s signature sound into more intense, atmospheric, and ferocious territories while keeping the melodic sensitivity that has long defined them.”

2,154 – SubtractiveLAD – METHOD – I have been listening to Stephen Hummel (aka subtractiveLAD) for years now. I love his all-instrumental ambient/soundscape-y electronic pieces, which are mellow, beautiful, mesmerizing… That said, he breaks the mold a little bit with this one and hits us with some harder-hitting IDM / electronic / glitch tunes. I don’t care for it as much as his other output, yet I still enjoyed it.

From his bandcamp page: “While putting my new studio together, I decided that the best way to test out the new setup would be to actually try and record some new music. As I unpacked, cleaned / serviced and connected all my hardware synths and effects it felt like being reunited with old friends and I felt inspired to record something with each unit. This album is what came out of that process. I ended up falling into some kind of IDM wormhole.

Recorded, mixed, and mastered at 24 bit / 96 kHz for your high resolution pleasure.” 

1,451 – Lord Elephant – Ultra Soul – Holy fuck shit, YES!! Goodness, this is crushing stoner metal with elements of psychedelia and doom thrown in for good measure… but for all intents and purposes, this is a stoner metal album through and through. And an all-instrumental one at that. This Italian band formed in 2016 and took six long years to release their debut album, 2022’s ‘Cosmic Awakening’. Now they return four years later with their sophomore follow-up. Don’t sleep on ’em, don’t let ’em pass you by!

From their bandcamp page: “Lord Elephant are back with their second studio album, ‘Ultra Soul’, a psychedelic blend of 70’s, 90’s, and 00’s extravaganzas mixed together with the distinctive heavy breath of the band. Blues, doom, and sludge are fused again in the strange trademark of the trio, allergic to genre-labels and ready to expand the vision beyond cages!”

Recorded, mixed, and mastered at Studio 73, Ravenna, by Riccardo Pasini (Nero Di Marte, Ephel Duath, Ottone Pesante)
Artwork and Layout by JJ Farfante ArtLab (Melvins, Mudhoney, Ufomammut) 

1,367 – Indica Blues – Universal Heat Death – Doomy psychedelic desert / stoner rock. I like it – a lot – but I’m just shy of loving it. I’m not sure why, though… I think I really love the fuzzy guitar tones, and the songs are decent, but maybe not totally slammin’? Gonna keep my eyes on these fellas and see what else they churn out. Maybe I’ll fall in love.

From their bandcamp page: “Born in the shadow of Oxford’s dreaming spires and forged in a haze of down-tuned amplifiers, UK heavyweights Indica Blues return in 2026 with their most ambitious and apocalyptic work yet. Their new album, Universal Heat Death, arrives January 31 on digital platforms and CD, marking the band’s first full-length release since their critically acclaimed second album, We Are Doomed.

Since forming in 2014, Indica Blues have crafted a reputation as one of the UK’s most compelling psychedelic, doom-stoner hybrids, once described as “bong-filling rock that is platinum heavy, but blessed with a melodic sensibility underneath it all.” Their blend of fuzz-drenched blues, doom, sludge, and psychedelic melancholy has earned them fans across continents and glowing press from underground tastemakers and major publications alike.

Their previous album, We Are Doomed, received 4 stars in Kerrang!, charted at No. 4 in the Doom Charts, and became eerily prophetic, with its apocalypse-themed release coinciding with the first wave of the global pandemic.

“We’re looking forward to touring Universal Heat Death, and hope no cataclysmic world events stop us this time,” says bassist Andy Haines.

Recorded once again with the engineering team behind We Are Doomed, the new album sees Indica Blues doubling down on what they do best: bluesy, fuzz-forward doom, towering riff worship, and dual-guitar chemistry stretched across dynamic, free-flowing percussion.

Across seven tracks, Universal Heat Death explores themes of war, revenge, and teenage destruction, culminating in its breathtaking title track, a three-minute descent into the dying gasp of the universe itself.

“After the end of humanity comes the end of the universe,” says guitarist/vocalist Tom Pilsworth. “We hope you enjoy it!”” 

265 – Planet Hunter – Soothsayer – Fuzzy stoner rock, courtesy of New Zealand’s Planet Hunter. I loved what I read on paper (especially Metal Injection’s review, see ahead), but I wasn’t as blown away by it as much as they were. I’ll keep my eyes and ears peeled for future releases, but will keep my expectations tempered.

From their bandcamp page: “Four middle-aged mystics hailing from Aōtearoa’s fabled, damp-green isles unite as Planet Hunter. Forged in the dank, mouldy alleys of Wellington, their musty riffs channel decades of life in New Zealand’s capital.”

From Metal Injection: “Riffs and fun. That’s what you’re getting on Soothsayer. They’re catchy like Torche during their Harmonicraft period and have the swagger of the golden era of Clutch. This is an unexpected gem.” 

88 – Jagged City – There Are More of Us, Always EP – Yes… with a caveat. This is the band’s debut EP, featuring post-rock / soundtrack-ey-type tunes in just under 20 minutes. It’s good, but also not as “convincing” as other PR bands/albums. So, sure, it’s good, but it’s not killer, unfortunately.

From Pelagic Records: “Jagged City unveils their debut instrumental EP, ‘There Are More of Us, Always‘, a bold collection that moves between spacious, melodic guitar passages and raucous, swelling climbs. With heartfelt, melodious songwriting, a diverse range of eclectic touches buried within, and eruptions of dense, layered sound, this record delivers wonderfully balanced compositions through raw and personal production.

The project began as a cross-continental art experiment between Jake Woodruff (Defeater) and Carlos Torres (former touring member of Explosions In The Sky). What started as a simple exchange of ideas quickly found real shape through collaborative composition and thoughtful arrangement.

There Are More of Us, Always‘ is an exploration of musical cooperation as catharsis. Through the album’s shifts—from open, reverb-swept guitar lines to tightly woven, chaotic crescendos—Jagged City invites listeners to inhabit a landscape where tension and release sit side by side. The compositions favor emotional immediacy over clinical ostentation; each passage earns its space and purpose, revealing new details on repeated listens.” 

46 – Harxson – Can’t Kill Us EP – Sixteen minutes and 28 seconds of pure, unrelenting thrash metal from this Long Beach-based trio. They rose from the ashes of the thrash metal band, Hirax, and deliver tunes with punishing results. Short EP, but I’m looking forward to what else they unleash in the coming years.

From amazon: “The world is full of evil. Harxson is here to kill it. NoLifeTilMetal Records is proud to announce the release of Can’t Kill Us! Harxson unleashes fury upon the world on January 30, 2026. After igniting stages worldwide with thrash legends HIRAX during a nearly two-decade-long stint (that included a slew of acclaimed metal albums and EPs), the Long Beach-bred Lance and Steve Harrison forcefully return in an explosive new San Diego power-trio with a classic thrash attack… Harxson (pronounced “hair-ex-son”).

The brothers are joined in the 2024-formed outfit by another HIRAX alum, drummer Mike Vega. “It was time to bust out, ” declares bassist/vocalist Steve Harrison. “We had so many songs burning in our heads and dark hearts. There was no better time than right now.”

Can’t Kill Us sees Harxson collaborating with not one, but two celebrated thrash legends. The 7-song album was produced, mixed, and mastered by Bill Metoyer, whose discography includes Slayer’s Show No Mercy, Haunting the Chapel EP, and Hell Awaits, as well as seminal releases from Armored Saint, Deliverance, D.R.I., C.O.C., Hirax, Sacred Reich, Trouble, Morbid Angel, Sadus, Tourniquet, W.A.S.P., and many more.

As well, the CD and vinyl will arrive with cover artwork from illustrator Ed Repka, who painted Megadeth’s Vic Rattlehead on the covers of Peace Sells… But Who’s Buying, Rust in Peace, and more. Repka’s artwork also graced the covers of the crucial first three albums from Death, classics by Dark Angel and Vio-Lence, and modern works by neo-thrashers like Municipal Waste and Toxic Holocaust.

Additionally, the layout is being done by Scott Waters of NoLifeTilMetal Graphics (Deliverance, Anger As Art, Nevermore, Accuser, Flotsam & Jetsam, Gammacide, Iron Jaw, and hundreds more).

The vinyl release is a limited pressing of only 200 units on heavyweight (140 gram) opaque orange vinyl and includes a photo/lyric insert. Likewise, the album is available on CD housed in a jewel case with a full-color lyric/photo booklet included. Harxson is aggressive thrash metal built for headbanging fans of Slayer, Exodus, S.O.D., Motörhead, and obviously, HIRAX.”

Missed the Cut (in order by “popularity”*):

384,758 – HANABIE. – Hot Topic EP – HANABIE. (with a period at the end) is an all-girl Japanese ‘Harajuku-core’ act. FWIW, I don’t think I’ve ever heard ‘Harajuku-core’, much less heard of it. Apparently, though, it’s “a mix of extreme metalcore, hardcore, and bright, cutesy J-pop aesthetics, often referred to as ‘Harajuku-core’.” Yeah, I suppose that is what it is. It is 100% not for me – as I thought it would be – but at roughly ~15 minutes long, it was kind of an interesting listen, for sure. The band began when the girls were still in their teens, as they all attended the same middle school and high school. Fun fact: “Hanabie” is a Japanese word for the spring day on which the coldness of winter returns. Ah, yes, I’m familiar with those types of days.

73,237 – The Rifles – Unplugged Album Vol. 2: Recorded at Studio 2 (2 CDs) – British indie rock band keeps the electrics in their cases to break out for an acoustic session. Just like the “electric” versions of the songs, they’re not awful, per se, but just do nothing for me.

51,986 – MØL – DREAMCRUSH – I was introduced to MØL in 2021 with ‘Diorama’. I feel the same way about this release as I did with that one: “Not bad, but not quite good, either. They kinda have this post-black metal meets shoegaze sound.”

Parts of the album are really well done and sound great, while others sounded like nails on a chalkboard. This band has quite a few fans, and it’s easy to hear why. I’m not quite there yet.

43,884 – Blackwater Holylight – Not Here Not Gone – An all-female psychedelic/stoner doom band originally outta Portland, OR, but now reside in the city of angels. I really enjoyed previous releases, except this one and the previous one [Silence / Motion, 2021]. Are they regressing?

27,244 – By Storm – My Ghosts Go Ghost – I knew two things about this album before listening: (1) the genre is “rap”, and (2) it’s his debut album. What they didn’t add is that it’s not a typical rap album. No, the bed of “music” is weird, artsy fartsy, avant-garde, experimental horse shit, with dude delivering poetry over it. This is one of the first albums nominated in 2026 for worst album of the year 2026… it is so bad that it’s almost worth listening to. Shockingly terrible.

16,804 – The Hirsch Effekt – Der Brauch – This German prog-metal album has “moments”, but those moments are too few and far between. Thought I would’ve liked it better since Metal Injection compared The Hirsch Effekt to three bands that I dig: Gojira, TesseracT, and Deftones. Yeah, not getting those kinds of vibes myself.

14,492 – The Soft Pink Truth – Can Such Delightful Times Go on Forever? – I’m not sure what I just listened to, but I am 100% sure that I didn’t care for it. I guess that The Soft Pink Truth is the stage name for Drew Daniel, one-half of experimental electronic music duo Matmos. Here he plays more weird, artsy-fartsy, experimental electronic music. Nearly forty minutes of weird-ass shit. Passola on crapola…

3,707 – Francis Rossi – The Accidental – Francis Rossi is a co-founder, lead singer, guitarist, and songwriter of British rock band Status Quo. Eh. Not bad, per se, but nothing that grabbed me and screamed, “I’m awesome!” I do, however, dig that sweet album cover!

2,130 – Anal Trump – Fuckin’ Bitch EP – Grindcore band featuring vocalist Travis Ryan [as Travis Trump, Cattle Decapitation], vocalist Justin Pearson [as Justin Trump, The Locust], guitarist/bassist/drummer Rob Crow [as Rob Trump, Pinback]. This EP is (obviously) aimed at the POTUS… and not positively. Yeah, not much of a fan of grindcore, but an easy listen at ten songs TOTALING one minute and 14 seconds. While listening, check out the lyrics of their songs via their bandcamp page: https://analtrump.bandcamp.com/album/fuckin-bitch-ep-2

The money raised from all purchases will be donated to the Immigrant Defense Project and the National Immigration Law Center.

From their bandcamp page:
Travis Trump – Vocals
Justin Trump – Vocals
Rob Trump – Guitar/Bass/Drums

“We know what’s best for you and this country because shut up.”

From metalsucks: “The anonymous Trump parody/protest project originally emerged during Donald J. Trump’s first presidential term, releasing an absurdly prolific run of roughly 100 ultra-short grind tracks aimed squarely at political outrage and satire. Now, the band has returned with a brand-new EP titled Fuckin’ Bitch, and yeah – it’s exactly as pissed as it should be.

The release features 10 tracks of signature blast-driven chaos, staying true to the project’s confrontational ethos. More importantly, the EP carries a clear activist purpose: 100% of all proceeds — both digital and physical — will be donated to the Immigrant Defense Project and the National Immigration Law Center.

The EP is available now on vinyl via Bandcamp, with digital purchases also contributing fully to the two organizations. Here are the song titles as well, because you need to read ’em.”

925 – Gavran – The One Who Propels – Doom metal meets sludge metal at a shoegaze gig. I dig the story behind the album (read ahead) – and much of the album is enjoyable! – but I simply cannot get past the (occasionally) screechy/growly vocals.

From their bandcamp page: “After a prolonged period of uncertainty caused by the guitarist’s serious illness, Gavran now return with The One Who Propels, released on dunk!records. Reuniting with Marius Prins (Throwing Bricks) and Tim de Gieter (Doodseskader, formerly Amenra), the band deliver a record that is both emotionally vulnerable and sonically intense.

Drawing fluidly from doom, sludge, shoegaze, and post-rock, The One Who Propels unfolds as a massive yet intimate wall of sound, heavy, immersive, and deeply reflective.

Alongside this release, Gavran underwent a significant lineup shift. Drummer/vocalist Jamie Kobić transitioned to guitar and vocals, joined by Tinus Kardolus on bass and Roy Zwinkels on drums. The addition of a second guitar has expanded the band’s sonic depth, resulting in their biggest and most layered sound yet.

“Gavran is our vessel to look life and death straight in the eye. It allows us to observe our shared consciousness and embrace despair, doubt, desire, grief, pain, and anger with absolute attention and without distraction. Join us in this visceral journey toward the timeless space of inner silence.” Says guitarist/vocalist Jamie Kobić.

The One Who Propels continues the thematic duality present throughout Gavran’s discography, but with a crucial shift in perspective. While earlier releases leaned toward hope as a guiding force, this record focuses on necessity, the inner energy required to initiate change.”

771 – Hér – Monochrome – I love the idea behind the album (read ahead), but am not into the delivery. It’s sort of a musical potpourri of folksy, Nordic jazz-fusion. I’ll listen to future albums that cross my desk, but there’s no need for me to follow them. Fun fact: Hér means “here” in Icelandic.

From their bandcamp page: “HÉR emerge from the northern shores of Poland, where five musicians converge between ritual and instinct. Their art fuses Slavic melody and Scandinavian atmosphere into a single elemental voice, echoing Norse poetry and ancient communion.

Monochrome is a meditation on presence: seven movements exploring the thresholds between stillness and force, light and shadow. Recorded at Monochrom Studio and shaped by producer Ignacy Gruszecki, the album channels the raw pulse of throat singing, the tension of bowed strings, and the weight of silence. From the hypnotic call of Chant to the burning ritual of Praise the Day, each piece unfolds like a journey through frost and fire: witness patience, strength, and reverence for all that endures.”

567 – TarLung – Axis Mundi – TarLung delivers a witch’s concoction of doomy sludge metal. Tain’t the worst thing I’ve ever heard, but there are other bands playing within similar genre/s… but they’re much better, more enjoyable.

566 – Summer Of Hate – Blood & Honey – Well, I had high hopes and low expectations. Unfortunately, this album did not whet my appetite like I thought it might. It sounds like ’60s-era psychedelic rock mixed with Middle Eastern mysticism and a touch of shoegaze. It’s definitely interesting – as is the album cover – yet I just could not get into it.

479 – The Gleeman – You’ll Land Among The Stars – I enjoyed his last release – 2024’s ‘Something To Say’ – saying, “The Gleeman is singer-songwriter-storyteller Dean Morris. Most songs are with fingerstyle guitar, although he tickles the ivories on a few other tunes. This was a wonderful album. Fun fact: a gleeman …”may refer to a poet who performed in Medieval England, usually accompanied by a harp or “glee wood””.”

This release, though, sounds like cheesy adult-oriented singer-songwriter tunes. Shit’s dripping…

457 – Franklin – Decay – Franklin is a Canadian (by way of Whitehorse, Yukon) doom-sludge duo who tune down straight to hell, and this is their debut album. It features bassist Kirsty Wells and drummer Evan Joel. They both, uh, growl (and occasionally/rarely sing – ‘Arrival’, for example – and should more often!).

29 – Noirnoise – Plant Resilience – This is the band’s debut album, a blend of post-punk and noise rock. To me, it sounded like The Clash… before they became The Clash. Like as if the band members had just received their instruments and were starting to learn how to put together songs. Rough, raw, not great… but you know that good things could come from it (hopefully) if they stick with it.

Addendum (in order by “popularity”*) – Albums that were released earlier in the year (or previous years) that I missed, but are worth mentioning, anyhow:

None.

On the List (in order by “popularity”*) – Albums that I didn’t get to (yet) for one reason or another. Will (hopefully) get to them at a later date:

Only listing ones that made me take notice, not everything…

2,113,706 – Yes – Fly From Here – Complete Return Trip [2011] (2 CDs) – Progressive rock. From Rough Trade Records: “New release of the 2018 album, Yes’ alternative take on their Fly From Here opus of 2011. These 2025 versions include a 1CD, 2LP (In a Tip on Sleeve), and an exclusive Super Deluxe Edition Blu-ray featuring a new Atmos mix by Richard Whittaker.

The Vinyl and CD have an exclusive instrumental mix of Fly From Here as a bonus track.

Yes recorded the original version of Fly from Here during breaks in touring in 2010 and 2011, during which they enlisted former Yes frontman Trevor Horn as producer. The original received mixed reviews and peaked at No. 30 on the UK Albums Chart and No. 36 on the US Billboard 200.

The alternative version of the album titled Fly from Here – Return Trip features the classic ‘Drama’ era line- up who were reunited in 2018 to create a new version featuring all new vocals from Trevor Horn plus new instrumental parts, alongside a more organic mix highlighting Chris Squire’s unique voice and bass contributions as well as additional parts from Steve Howe and Geoff Downes.

The original album was released on 25 March 2018 during the band’s 50th anniversary tour and includes the six-part title track, the full version of Hour of Need, and album outtake ‘Don’t Take No for An Answer’.

The CD version features the whole album with the bonus of a previously unheard instrumental mix.”

269,619 – Robin Trower – One Moment In Time: Live In The USA – Blues, rock. From Mascot Label Group: “The award-winning British blues icon Robin Trower will release his breathtaking new album One Moment In Time: Live In The USA on 30 January via Artone/Provogue.

For Robin Trower, stage and studio are two sides of the same coin. If you’ve followed his six-decade career, you’ll know every song on One Moment In Time: Live In The USA – starting with Day of the Eagle, the opening song to his 1974 masterpiece Bridge of Sighs.

In the summer of 2025 and riding high on the acclaim for his latest solo album, Come And Find Me (“Trower is to be treasured,” wrote Classic Rock), the guitarist crossed the Atlantic for a 25-date run in the nation that has welcomed him since the start.

The 14-song setlist represents a whistlestop guide to Trower’s fabled career, the bluesman striking a keen balance of all-time classics and new songs that reflect where he stands as an artist in modern times. You’ll find no fewer than four songs from 1974’s gold-selling masterpiece, Bridge Of Sighs, still universally hailed amongst the greatest albums from the golden era of blues-rock.” 

94,157 – Jake Shimabukuro – Calm Seas (2 CDs) – Ukulele virtuoso. From Jake: “My new album ‘Calm Seas’ is available January 30th. This project was an eye-opening, healing project for me. It rekindled my relationship with nature. Each track features meditative soundscapes, in tandem with the ukulele… all recorded in Hawai’i. Slow down, reflect, and let nature lead the pacing of our lives.”

0 – Various Artists – CBGB: A New York City Soundtrack 1975-1986 (4 CDs) – Rock. From amazon: “In December 1973, Hilly Kristal changed the name of his roots music bar from Hilly’s on the Bowery to CBGB and altered his musical policy to hire mostly rock bands. He was indifferent to many of them (“No one is going to like you guys, but I’ll have you back,” he told Joey Ramone), blissfully unaware of how important his scruffy little club would soon become.

In the span of only 15 months, the five groups that comprise the CBGB’s pantheon all debuted: Television in March 1974, followed by Ramones in August and Blondie in October, then Patti Smith in February 1975 and Talking Heads four months later. Those five groups all quickly got record deals and became popular enough to outgrow CBGB’s.

By the fall of 1977, Smith was the only one who was still playing there. What succeeded the Big Five was an array of new and retro styles, all of which feature here: No Wave (Sonic Youth, Mars, DNA, Bush Tetras), post-punk (Ritual Tension, Unknown Gender, Khmer Rouge), mutant funk and R&B (James Chance & The Contortions, Mink DeVille), art-rock bands (R. L. Crutchfield’s Dark Day, The Revelons, Erasers, Jeff and Jane Hudson) hardcore punk (Minor Threat, Bad Brains, Vatican Commandos, Beastie Boys), and lots of power pop (Sorrows, The dBs, The Rudies, The Miamis, The Paley Brothers).

The club’s best-known bands are present on this compilation, but we’ve also revived interest in dozens of unfairly forgotten acts that, for a moment in time, made an album, EP, 45, or even a demo that crackled with innovation, wit, and joy. CBGB no longer exists, at least not in the physical plane, but what happened between those soot-filled, beer-stinking walls continues to reverberate around the world.”

Looking forward to (in order by “popularity”*) – These albums will be released this week and should be in next week’s AOTW newsletter:

3,362,571 – Robbie Williams – BRITPOP

1,006,835 – Joe Bonamassa – B.B. King’s Blues Summit 100

804,976 – Mayhem – Liturgy Of Death

729,024 – Puscifer – Normal Isn’t

246,231 – Karnivool – In Verses

46,612 – Hermano – Clisson, France

39,406 – Big Big Train – Woodcut

12,287 – Tailgunner – Midnight Blitz

8,622 – Predatory Void – Atoned in Metamorphosis EP

5,281 – Jay Buchanan – Weapons Of Beauty

5,038 – Jack Harlon & The Dead Crows – Inexorable Opposites

…and several others. Some that I am looking forward to and others not so much.

———————————————————————————————

Small print that’s normal size print:

*These albums are listed in order by “popularity”. Wait, what? How? By no means is it a measured calculation. They’re listed in order by number of ‘followers’ on Spotify. While it is listed by Spotify ‘followers’, the order would (most likely) be similar if looking at the number of ‘likes and/or followers’ on each band’s social media pages. Speaking of “popularity”, there is a bolded red number. This number (more or less) represents the number of Spotify ‘followers’ at the time of review.

**Album of the Week. No promises, but I will do my best to NOT include Greatest Hits, Best Of, Live releases, re-releases, etc. Even if these “new” releases include a ton of bonus goodies, multiple unreleased tracks, demo versions, etc, I’ll still (try to) hold off.

All albums are listened to IN FULL unless stated otherwise.

Some artists are quite controversial. My goal is to review the album on its own merits, not based on the history, beliefs (political or otherwise), police records, and/or anything else that could be considered “unsavory” of the artist(s).

(Almost) all albums are hyperlinked. I link in order by Bandcamp first, YouTube next, then Spotify last. This is so you can check out (AND PURCHASE) the album, if interested. I do and hope you do, as well!

Do you have any friends or family who might be interested in this weekly blog? If so, send ’em this way!

Until next week…

Cheers,

Troy