One Louder Magazine… RESURRECTED
Introduction
Album of the Week
Honorable Mentions
Missed The Cut
Addendum
On The List
Looking Forward To
Fine Print
About One Louder Magazine
It’s Thursday again, time for more new music reviews, woo-hoo!
Look, there isn’t going to be a lengthy intro this week – or non-lengthy one for that matter. The world is currently supremely fucked up, making it quite difficult to focus on work, much less this stupid music thing…
I have thoughts about it. A lot of them, actually. In short, war is stoopid. JFC, how’d we get here? Actually, don’t answer. I know exactly how we got here… and I’m not to blame. I did my part.
I’d say “may God bless our troops”, but I’m kind of a heathen, so perhaps, “Come home safely and in one piece… please!”
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Ok, fine, there is something else I’d like to discuss. So far, exactly one person has responded with a preferred text color. Sorry Mom — but I’m (very likely) going with anything other than white.
As you’ll see below, when the email first arrives (whether you’re on a computer or phone), the colored text is actually visible. Of course, my preference is that you click “Visit Site” and read it there — that helps the site stats a bit. Once you’re on the site, the white text works fine.
IN COLOR!
IN WHITE TEXT (uh-oh…)
Still, I’d like to make this readable for everyone, so let’s run a quick experiment.
Below are a few more color options using Lorem Ipsum. Most of you probably know what that is, but if not, it’s basically placeholder text — a bunch of Latin-ish gibberish that writers and designers use to test layouts. I use it all the time when writing manuals, then replace it with the real content once everything’s ready.
Take a look at the different colors and let me know if any of them work better for you. Mom — and anyone else — feel free to weigh in.
If none of these do the trick, the next step might be switching to a white background with dark text. Stay tuned.
PRIMARY – Ria siniasi magname inctem. Caestia cumque comniste net estio optae pel ium aut erfereh enihiti usandae sinciaest latem ut reped que volo blanden ihiliquam dis qui dolupta tempos conseque vellor autemolo ma cusam antis rest faccatem esequat iscilit entio. Nullenimus et aliatur?
CYAN BLUEISH GRAY – Ria siniasi magname inctem. Caestia cumque comniste net estio optae pel ium aut erfereh enihiti usandae sinciaest latem ut reped que volo blanden ihiliquam dis qui dolupta tempos conseque vellor autemolo ma cusam antis rest faccatem esequat iscilit entio. Nullenimus et aliatur?
PALE PINK – Ria siniasi magname inctem. Caestia cumque comniste net estio optae pel ium aut erfereh enihiti usandae sinciaest latem ut reped que volo blanden ihiliquam dis qui dolupta tempos conseque vellor autemolo ma cusam antis rest faccatem esequat iscilit entio. Nullenimus et aliatur?
VIVID RED – Ria siniasi magname inctem. Caestia cumque comniste net estio optae pel ium aut erfereh enihiti usandae sinciaest latem ut reped que volo blanden ihiliquam dis qui dolupta tempos conseque vellor autemolo ma cusam antis rest faccatem esequat iscilit entio. Nullenimus et aliatur?
LUMINOUS VIVID ORANGE – Ria siniasi magname inctem. Caestia cumque comniste net estio optae pel ium aut erfereh enihiti usandae sinciaest latem ut reped que volo blanden ihiliquam dis qui dolupta tempos conseque vellor autemolo ma cusam antis rest faccatem esequat iscilit entio. Nullenimus et aliatur?
LUMINOUS VIVID AMBER – Ria siniasi magname inctem. Caestia cumque comniste net estio optae pel ium aut erfereh enihiti usandae sinciaest latem ut reped que volo blanden ihiliquam dis qui dolupta tempos conseque vellor autemolo ma cusam antis rest faccatem esequat iscilit entio. Nullenimus et aliatur?
LIGHT GREEN CYAN – Ria siniasi magname inctem. Caestia cumque comniste net estio optae pel ium aut erfereh enihiti usandae sinciaest latem ut reped que volo blanden ihiliquam dis qui dolupta tempos conseque vellor autemolo ma cusam antis rest faccatem esequat iscilit entio. Nullenimus et aliatur?
VIVID GREEN CYAN –Ria siniasi magname inctem. Caestia cumque comniste net estio optae pel ium aut erfereh enihiti usandae sinciaest latem ut reped que volo blanden ihiliquam dis qui dolupta tempos conseque vellor autemolo ma cusam antis rest faccatem esequat iscilit entio. Nullenimus et aliatur?
PALE CYAN BLUE – Ria siniasi magname inctem. Caestia cumque comniste net estio optae pel ium aut erfereh enihiti usandae sinciaest latem ut reped que volo blanden ihiliquam dis qui dolupta tempos conseque vellor autemolo ma cusam antis rest faccatem esequat iscilit entio. Nullenimus et aliatur?
VIVID CYAN BLUE –Ria siniasi magname inctem. Caestia cumque comniste net estio optae pel ium aut erfereh enihiti usandae sinciaest latem ut reped que volo blanden ihiliquam dis qui dolupta tempos conseque vellor autemolo ma cusam antis rest faccatem esequat iscilit entio. Nullenimus et aliatur?
VIVID PURPLE – Ria siniasi magname inctem. Caestia cumque comniste net estio optae pel ium aut erfereh enihiti usandae sinciaest latem ut reped que volo blanden ihiliquam dis qui dolupta tempos conseque vellor autemolo ma cusam antis rest faccatem esequat iscilit entio. Nullenimus et aliatur?
ALL TOGETHER:
estio optae pel ium aut erfereh enihiti usandae sinciaest latem ut reped que
estio optae pel ium aut erfereh enihiti usandae sinciaest latem ut reped que
estio optae pel ium aut erfereh enihiti usandae sinciaest latem ut reped que
estio optae pel ium aut erfereh enihiti usandae sinciaest latem ut reped que
estio optae pel ium aut erfereh enihiti usandae sinciaest latem ut reped que
estio optae pel ium aut erfereh enihiti usandae sinciaest latem ut reped que
estio optae pel ium aut erfereh enihiti usandae sinciaest latem ut reped que
estio optae pel ium aut erfereh enihiti usandae sinciaest latem ut reped que
estio optae pel ium aut erfereh enihiti usandae sinciaest latem ut reped que
estio optae pel ium aut erfereh enihiti usandae sinciaest latem ut reped que
estio optae pel ium aut erfereh enihiti usandae sinciaest latem ut reped que
Feel free to leave a comment below or shoot me an email at oneloudermagazine@gmail.com
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It was a phenomenal week of new releases! However, I did not come up with an AOTW, but some very strong contenders might make it in after repeated listens. I am especially fond of the latest from Weedpecker, Dominic Sanderson, Matador, and Motorpsycho, and am looking forward to (re)listening to them down the road! Perhaps one (or all) will rise to the top. Start there!
😁 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
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Album(s) of the Week** – February 27th to March 5th, 2026:
None.
Honorable Mentions (in order by “popularity”*):
77,785,873 – Bruno Mars – The Romantic – What can you say, Peter Gene Hernandez (bka Bruno Mars) writes great tunes, has an amazing voice, and can dance his ass off! This is his first solo release in over a decade and took me back to the ’70s soul/doo-wop era. My only complaint is that it was too short, at barely over half an hour. Even though I thoroughly enjoyed the album, it was released to mixed reviews. Perhaps I’m stretching this a bit, but I think he might be this generation’s James Brown and/or Michael Jackson. Great stuff!
From amazon: “The Romantic, the new album from Bruno Mars. The fourth studio album from the global superstar and 16-time Grammy Award-winning artist marks Mars’ first solo album release since 2016’s 24k Magic and follows chart-topping collaborations with Anderson .Paak as Silk Sonic, as well as smash hits with Lady Gaga and ROSÉ.”
8,971,393 – Scorpions – Lonesome Crow [2026 Mix – 1972] – The Scorpions’ 1972 debut release was remixed and re-released for the band’s 60th anniversary. It is the first (and only) Scorpions album to feature guitar god Michael Schenker (only 16 years old at the time). It’s an interesting album with quite a bit of jazz thrown in to this bluesy-metal debut. I didn’t get into the band until a few albums later, but it’s always interesting to hear how bands get their start and where they end up!
From amazon: “To celebrate the band’s 60th anniversary, the legendary SCORPIONS debut album `Lonesome Crow,’ originally released on the Brain label and which still enjoys cult status internationally, is re-released in a completely new 2026 mix based on the original master tapes from the archive of producer demigod Conny Plank and remixed by 2025 Grammy-winner Hans-Martin Buff. CD Digisleeve with booklet featuring new liner notes and interviews with Klaus Meine and Rudolf Schenker.”
3,759,980 – Rob Zombie – The Great Satan – You know what you’re getting with RZ… he does one thing, and he does it well: groovy AF industrial metal meets shock rock. First studio release in four years, and it’s a banger! Well done!
From amazon: “After four years, Rob Zombie is back with new music as he announces his latest record, THE GREAT SATAN, out on Nuclear Blast in 2026. The new music brings Zombie back to his Hellbilly roots with frenetic cuts such as “Punks & Demons,” “Heathen Days,” “(I’m a) Rock ‘N’ Roller,” and “Tarantula.””
1,175,118 – Iron & Wine – Hen’s Teeth – I have been into singer-songwriter Samuel Ervin Beam – aka Iron & Wine – for yeeeeeears and have always liked his stuff… but never loved it. I think I might love this release, though. Certainly after a single listen. It’s fantastic, beautiful. The songwriting is elegant, his voice butter. Incredible really!
If interested in reading about the album, there is A LOT here: https://www.subpop.com/releases/iron_and_wine/hens_teeth
470,925 – Carpenter Brut – Leather Temple – I’m not totally into electro-darksynth, but this all-instrumental shit from Franck Hueso (bka Carpenter Brut) is bangin’… hard! Fuckin’ love this album, hellz yeah!
From google search: “[This is the] final part of the trilogy (following Leather Teeth [2018] and Leather Terror [2022]). The album focuses on the story of Bret Halford (Leather Teeth) being transformed into a weapon by the rebel group “the Horde” to fight against the tyrant Iron Tusk in the city of Midwichpolis.”
202,596 – Paul Gilbert – WROC – Paul Gilbert just might be my favorite “solo” guitar wanker, going all the way back to his Racer X days in the mid-’80s. [Petrucci’s my favorite “band-based” guitar wanker]. The songs vary from funky and soulful, to pop, to all-out shredding, back to blues, etc. I dig me some Paul Gilbert!! That said, I prefer his instrumental albums …
From Mascot Label Group: “What happens when one of rock’s most inventive guitarists finds inspiration in 18th-century etiquette? Paul Gilbert’s new album WROC turns George Washington’s “Rules Of Civility” into electrifying rock anthems — blending humor, history, and blazing guitar work. With grooves that smile and melodies that soar, Gilbert transforms old-world manners into modern musical fire. It’s virtuosic, witty, and unmistakably Paul Gilbert.”
194,435 – Bill Callahan – My Days Of 58 – I liked this – certainly much more than I thought I would – but I didn’t love it. He sort of has that alt-country meets psychedelic folk drawl… it sounds somewhat reminiscent of solo Mark Lanegan (who I love), but the problem is this: it’s great for the first 2-3 songs, but the rest of the album sounded almost exactly the same with little variety. So, good, not great.
140,769 – The Sheepdogs – Keep Out Of The Storm – Yo, these Saskatoon, Canadian dudes are legit! They’ve been around for over 15 years, but the first time I heard them was on their 2021 six-song, < 20-minute ‘No Simple Thing’ EP! Been listening to them ever since. They kinda have this Southern / bluesy / jam band rock sound that kinda hearkens to that classic ’70s rock sound… perhaps with a touch of the folksy side, as well. Very nice!
107,250 – Old 97’s – One More Ride: Old 97’s Perform The Songs Of Johnny Cash EP – I love the Old 97’s! They have this alt-country feel, but with balls, heading towards rockabilly. But, as stated by the album title, they’re playing Johnny Cash covers. No sweat as they put their spin on them.. .and they f’n rule! I only have one complaint: there are only four tracks and the runtime is 13:45. I wanted – nay, needed – more! I’ll bet they put on a great show!
92,381 – Mateus Asato – ASATO – My bro Michael turned me onto Brazilian guitar-slinger Mateus Asato. All-instrumental tunes ranging from beautiful ballads to full-on ragers. Dude knows all the notes!
From Mateus’s website: “Mateus Asato is a Brazilian guitar player who has been considered by the media to be one of the “most influential guitar players” of this modern era. His name is included on Guitar World Magazine’s list of the TOP 10 Guitarists of the Decade (2020), #3 TOP Guitarist Right Now (via Total Guitar 2020), and his latest appearance was on Guitar World Magazine in 2022, being on number #14 of the list of ‘Hottest Guitar Players In The World’.
Asato has worked with some of the greatest names of the music industry nowadays, from all different styles, such as Bruno Mars, Silk Sonic, Jessie J, Tori Kelly, Selena Gomez, Carrie Underwood, Elevation Worship, Planetshakers, Israel Houghton, Oficina G3, Joe Satriani (G4), Extreme, Sandy, Resgate, DJ Snake, The Band Camino, LANY, Polyphia, Kiko Loureiro, The Technicolors, Fresno, Jesus Molina, Anomalie, Kinga Glyk, Tiago Iorc, Luan Santana & many others.”
79,752 – A Thousand Horses – White Flag Down – For all intents and purposes, A Thousand Horses is a Nashville-based country trio, a genre that is almost always way outside of my wheelhouse. That said, if I’m going to listen to “new” country bands, this might be one of them. They add some “balls” to the tunes, almost leaning into Southern rock territory. Good stuff here, fellas!
From the band: “Known for their explosive live rock show, A Thousand Horses released their 3rd album, The Outside, in 2024. A Thousand Horses’ music dives deep into gritty, freewheeling anthems and hard-hitting Americana, exploring the thrill of the open road, inner peace, and raw disconnection.
After a 52-show U.S. and Europe tour in 2024, they brought their untamed sound to the masses with an electrifying and captivating show. Evolving from 2015’s Southernality, a 2015 LP featuring the Platinum & #1 Billboard/Media Base Country Airplay hit ‘Smoke’—The Outside marks a bold leap in bands one of a kind Southern Rock-and-Roll sound.
Michael Hobby, Bill Satcher, and Graham DeLoach are releasing new music in 2025, which returns the band to their Rock/Hard Rock roots with the first three singles “Voice”, “Dead Man Walking,” & “Part of My Story”. The newest single, “Shadows” (Featuring Aaron Gillespie), brings the hardest-hitting sound to date. ‘White Flag Down’ is slated to be released Feb 27, 2026, where ATH will be pushing the next album further with its emotional complexity with an equally intricate and unpredictable rock sound.”
67,075 – A Wilhelm Scream – Cheap Heat – Whoa, what a difference three years make. I was lukecold with their last release – 2022’s ‘Lose Your Delusion’ – stating, “This is the pop-punk band’s first release in nearly 10 years and… well, I wasn’t familiar with them before, but they sound a lot like so many other pop-punk bands, nothing really original. Welcome back, though?”
This release is also quite melodic, but way more “punk” than “pop”. Punk anthems that hit MF hard, YES!!
From Earsplit PR: “Just over three years after their 2022-released Lose Your Delusion LP, A WILHELM SCREAM arrives swinging harder than ever with ten tracks of their adrenaline-fueled melodic hardcore/punk rock on Cheap Heat. Combining the dark nihilistic mood of the band’s classic 2005 album Ruiner with the technicality, ferocity, and sharp precision of 2007’s monumental Career Suicide, the Cheap Heat LP is a unique hybrid of the darker, more aggressive elements of the band’s sound. Vocalist Nuno Pereira states, “This record, and the process of recording it, are both a testament to and a celebration of the firepower and dedication our band has for our music. It has vitriolic energy behind every vocal, soaring guitars relentlessly shredding, and that sinister tongue-in-cheek shit we specialize in. This will go down as our best work to date. Guaranteed.”
There’s no one quite like A WILHELM SCREAM. Never bowing to trends, riding anyone’s waves, breaking up and reuniting, they’re the underdogs that can’t be killed. Their amalgamation of punk, metal, and hardcore has always seen the band doing things their way since their beginning, and with Cheap Heat, the quintet delivers an absolute ass-kicker of a new album to bask in their glory of over twenty-five years of holding it down on their own terms. Unapologetic in their delivery, Cheap Heat reminds the music world that no one does it like the boys from New Beige.
Cheap Heat was produced and mixed by A WILHELM SCREAM’s own guitarist/vocalist Trevor Reilly at their hometown Anchor End Studio, with mastering handled by his father Joe Reilly at Black & Blue Mastering. The new album also marks the first for the band’s newest member, Ben Murray (Light This City, Heartsounds, Darkness Everywhere) on second guitar, who joins vocalist Nuno Pereira, vocalist/guitarist Trevor Reilly, drummer Nicholas Angelini, and bassist Brian Robinson. Group vocals are delivered by Jon Teves, Sean O’Brien, and the band.
The album artwork by Tyler DiPaola paints a scene of a protagonist in the band’s version of a cinematic thriller, up against the odds of the world, seeking vengeance and what’s theirs, destroying anyone in their path who has done them wrong. Thematically, Cheap Heat – in wrestling terms referring to a villain or “heel” getting a quick, easy negative reaction from the crowd – takes a storyteller approach in its ten tracks. Guitarist/vocalist Trevor Reilly explains, “Our last album was more personal and earnestly poetic in our way, so the only place to go next lyrically was back down in the gutter where we thrive. We embraced our dark side on this one. Dove into sociopathy, personality disorders, concepts of evil, nature vs nurture, and came out of this process with some savage stories told from our signature perspective of the sore winner that refuses to lose. There are no good guys here.”
Throughout the ten crushing tracks on Cheap Heat, the vibe is abundantly clear. Nonstop riffs, soaring hooks, an unrelenting and incomparable rhythm section, and more piss and vinegar than ever before. Taking dominance over the West Coast style of melodic punk music that originally shaped the band’s sound, A WILHELM SCREAM injects their cold-as-ice New England approach in their lyrical content and musical compositions. As some of the last real ones from that era left with the fire still burning inside them, A WILHELM SCREAM isn’t stopping anytime soon. Clocking in at just under thirty minutes, the Cheap Heat album doesn’t overstay its welcome. A straight-to-the-point street delivery of moody existentialism, and a testament to the venom and spirit of the band. “We gave out all our flowers and gratitude that we got left in this world on our last two records, and it’s time to turn heel for the good of the game.”
The lead single for Cheap Heat arrives through a video directed by Mike Rivkees for “Midnight Ghost.” Ben Murray writes, “‘Midnight Ghost’ is definitely one of my favorite songs off the upcoming record. It has a darker mood while still hitting the listeners with tons of intensity and energy. It’s a fitting first single because we all wrote this one together in Trevor’s studio earlier on in the writing process, trading off riffs and ideas as we went along. The way it all came together was very natural and fun, and I feel like we captured the energy of the song really well in the music video.””
63,670 – Starbenders – The Beast Goes On – Great band name, the band’s looks are amazing, and the album contains solid songwriting. It blends synth-rock with glam rock, at times nearly sounding like a poppier Ghost.
From amazon: “Starbenders returns with their boldest statement yet, The Beast Goes On, an album that fuses shimmering synth-rock, moody alt-pop, and raw, cinematic energy.”
56,392 – Motorpsycho – The Gaia II Space Corps – (Mostly) fan-fucking-tastic psychedelic rock meets prog-rock album… just over a half hour of pure bliss… really nice, psych-ey stuff here. And hey, how about that rad album artwork, too! Trippy, man, where are my bell-bottoms?! This Norwegian-based band is incredibly prolific, typically releasing an album every year / every other year since the early ’90s.
From Motorpsycho: “Motorpsycho has always been of the opinion that the most interesting stuff happens in any art form before it is formatted and settled. In rock music, this phenomenon peaked in and around 1970, and it is in this period that the best heavy music was made, simply because the rules weren’t set, there were no tropes yet, and there were no clichés to fall back on. The Gaia II Space Corps is an album of tunes that don’t quite sound like heavy metal or hard rock, but clearly is reaching for some of the same qualities. It is post-psychedelic, pre-metal music, and is probably as close to making a true blue ‘classic hard rock’ album Motorpsycho ever will come.
The Gaia II Space Corps is a short, concise, catchy, and exciting album, continuing where Motorpsycho’s Stanley and The Comeback left off. The instrumentation is mostly guitars, guitars, and some more guitars, but there is quite a bit of singing in there, too, and even an occasional keyboard sound or two as well. But mostly this is guitar music that …well, rocks! Hard!! The first single is the album’s lead-off track Fanny Again Or. This Bent sung fable is a shot of adrenaline that fairly reeks of the Osmonds (and comes with a faint whiff of the Hammer of the Gods). It is a riffy proposition that can’t help but get the blood up in any and every true rocker!
Snah then sings the tragic-but-groovy psych rocker The Great Stash Robbery, a Freak Brothers-esque tall tale of the ‘pot will get you through times of no money better than money will get you through times of no pot’-variety.
Other stand-outs are the bluesy, nervy juggernaut TSMcR, where the band, with Reine in the lead, almost derails as it channels the sci-fi blues of the mighty Groundhogs, and the title track, an exciting 60’s stomper celebrating the proud feats of the titular organisation. It features Snah on electric sitar. The Hornet choogles briskly along (‘…and don’t forget to boogie!’), before the epic, Snah-sung ballad The Oracle lets the sun in for a breath of air. Light and shade, right?
This version of the band (Ryan / Sæther, with Fiske and Olsen) then tops it all by delivering an epic, knock-out version of the old Frost classic Black As Night to end proceedings in appropriate Detroit style. ‘They don’t make records like this anymore,’ the band thought, then went and did something about it. Recorded both at the Old Cheese Factory in Trondheim and in Amper Tone in Oslo, The Gaia ll Space Corps proudly sounds like it was recorded in 1970 and makes up in excitement for what it might lack in subtlety.
And sometimes you just gotta let it rip, dontcha?
Motorpsycho certainly thinks so, and offers up The Gaia ll Space Corps as an answer to the acoustic jangle of Yay! [NFGS0223] and the epic workouts of Motorpsycho [NFGS0125]. Made with love and respect for a dying art form, its energy will leave you reeling, deaf, and happy, socks rocked well and truly off! Rock is dead, long live rock!”
47,951 – Buck Meek – The Mirror – Buck is the guitarist and backing vocalist of NY indie folk rock band, Big Thief. I wasn’t super-thrilled with his last release – 2023’s ‘Haunted Mountain’ – but found this one to be much more palatable. Enjoyable, upbeat singer-songwriter tunes.
From amazon: “A gleaner of the forgotten, Buck Meek tips over the familiar and turns the unknown into a companion. On The Mirror, the artist’s fourth solo record and second released by 4AD, there’s a tender power, countered by immutable vulnerability. With an uncanny curiosity, Meek conjures twin worlds to reveal the uniqueness in the mundane. Inviting in reflection as collaborator and demon as friend, The Mirror doesn’t seek to know but to ask, looking to the shape of a question rather than the illusion of its answer.
Meek grew up in Wimberley, Texas, a teenage protege to an old guard of mystic Texas songwriters and musicians. He later moved to New York, where he met Adrianne Lenker. The two lived in a van while singing their songs across the country before forming Big Thief. The partnership of Meek and producer James Krivchenia emerged from a decade of work together in Big Thief.
Conceptually, The Mirror emerged from the idea to combine Meek’s band’s live, kinetic energy with an oblique electronic world. The pair invited a collective atmosphere in which simultaneous experiment could occur-musicians responding to each other in real time, while their instruments triggered modular synthesizers and electronic magic boxes. The Mirror welcomed in friends, family, collaborators from ranging musical eras of life as vital co-creators. New creative partners and longtime friends like composer and ambient musician Alex Somers joined in on synthesizer, toy microphone, and piano, and Mary Lattimore brought in the sounds of her prismatic harp.
Lexical mirrors are handheld, tactile, and kept close throughout the record – each one holding up a new truth. The Mirror embraces the unknown with an abiding curiosity, and Meek continues to reveal his skill as translator of human feeling and its endless portals. The Mirror looks for duality, finding it in the weeds and overgrowth.”
42,472 – DEADLETTER – Existence Is Bliss – I was underwhelmed with this British band’s 2024 debut, ‘Hysterical Strength’, but am fully into this, their sophomore release. They play post-punk (which is typically a hit or miss genre for me), but I believe I dig this one due to the horns throughout the album. Really adds another dimension to the songs. I dig!
From Townsend Music: “‘Existence is Bliss’ is the sophomore album from London-based post-punk six-piece Deadletter. This album follows their critically acclaimed 2024 debut, ‘Hysterical Strength’. The first single from the new album is ‘To the Brim’ which was premiered by Steve Lamacq on BBC Radio 6 Music and the album itself is set for release on the 27th February 2026.”
34,375 – ENGST – Gute Laune – Solid German four-on-the-floor rock band. I’ll keep my eyes on these guys. The German “Gute Laune” translates to “Good Mood”.
31,719 – Weedpecker – V – Stoner rock band / album that’s pretty rad! They have this classic psychedelic thing going on, which makes it so much more enjoyable, too… and how about that album artwork? All around, I am diggin’ it!
From their bandcamp page: “I started writing the songs for V at the beginning of 2023, and the demos were finished by the end of that year. While creating this material, I kept returning to one thought: everything we take for granted — everything that feels stable and permanent — is, in reality, incredibly fragile. Nothing lasts forever, and the sense of things slipping away can hit much sooner than we expect. I tried to translate those feelings into sound. At that time, a lot of difficult things were happening in my life, things I didn’t know how to cope with. Music became a form of therapy — a way to process emotions I couldn’t express in any other way.
In early 2024, we began working through the songs together as a full band. After finalizing the arrangements, we spent the rest of the year recording them. The process stretched over many months, split into several sessions across different studios. I didn’t want to rush anything. I wanted, as always, to refine every detail the best we possibly could. Soon you’ll be able to hear the result for yourselves.
For me, this album is something deeply personal. It’s an act of opening up to anyone who chooses to listen — a glimpse into things I can’t fully describe with words, into what I felt and who I became during that period. I’m incredibly happy that together with my friends from the band, we’ve created another record. What comes next… time will tell.”
16,489 – The Neal Morse Band – L.I.F.T. – Genius musician/songwriter Neal Morse releases another stunning prog-rock album intertwined with beautiful passages and rippin’ proggy riffs and soloing. An hour and a quarter long, but it could’ve been twice as long. Really nice, killer stuff here! Dream Theater drummer Mike Portnoy is behind the kit on this album.
From their bandcamp page: “NMB (The Neal Morse Band) return with their fifth studio album ‘L.I.F.T.’. Featuring the line-up of Neal Morse, Mike Portnoy, Randy George, Bill Hubauer & Eric Gillette. The concept album follows the journey of a person reconnecting with the world around them, after having lost themselves.”
12,956 – Black Swan – Paralyzed – Holy cow, check out that band lineup!! Sometimes “supergroups” don’t work out, but I like it here… good, solid songwriting and great delivery, production, etc. I dig! The band features vocalist Robin McAuley (McAuley Schenker Group), guitarist Reb Beach (Winger, Whitesnake), bassist Jeff Pilson (Foreigner, The End Machine, Dokken), and drummer Matt Starr (Ace Frehley, Mr. Big).
From Frontiers Records S.R.L.: “The all-star hard rock collective Black Swan – featuring Robin McAuley (McAuley Schenker Group), Reb Beach (Winger, Whitesnake), Jeff Pilson (Foreigner, The End Machine, ex-Dokken), and Matt Starr (Ace Frehley, Mr. Big) – are thrilled to announce the release of a new studio album, “Paralyzed”, set for release on February 27, 2026, via Frontiers Music Srl.
McAuley expressed his enthusiasm for the new record by saying, “Can’t wait for you guys to hear our new record. We feel we’ve taken our songwriting to another level on this one, with amazing guitar riffs that once again show the brilliance that is Reb Beach. Pounding Bass as you’d expect from Jeff, and Matt Starr leaving no doubt about where the thunder comes from. Soaring melodies with strong lyrics are what we do best. Combine that with sheer heaviness, and we have a record we think you, the fans, are going to love”.
“Black Swan is old school eighties rock that is all about good guitar riffs with badass vocals. No one is better than Robin at singing this kind of music. I think the combination of my riffs and his vocals are what makes the band stand out”, Reb Beach said.
“I think the fans are going to love our new record. It builds on the first two records, taking the songwriting, playing, and energy to another level. I’m so proud to be part of this great group of musicians and guys”, stated Matt Starr.
Jeff Pilson commented: “We’re all very excited for the release of Black Swan’s Paralyzed and can’t wait for all the fans to hear it. We wanted to come up with a real step forward in melodic heaviness, and I strongly believe we delivered. Enjoy!”
Black Swan are back with their explosive third album, “Paralyzed”. Following the critical acclaim of their previous releases, the supergroup once again delivers a powerful statement in modern hard rock.
With all songs written and composed by McAuley, Pilson, and Beach, and expertly produced by Pilson, “Paralyzed” showcases Black Swan at their peak performance – offering a dynamic mix of towering vocals, razor-sharp riffs, and hook-laden melodies. The band’s chemistry continues to shine, elevating their songwriting and musical delivery to new heights.
Tracked at Pilson’s Los Angeles studio, the album reflects the tight-knit synergy among its members. McAuley’s commanding vocals remain ageless, while the instrumentalists deliver with precision and fire. Much like its predecessors, the new record is a testament to the individual and collective talents of these seasoned musicians.
“Paralyzed” is fresh, heavy, and melodically rich – a cohesive and compelling album that feels both classic and contemporary. Building upon the blueprint laid by their debut, “Shake The World”, the band expands their sonic universe.
The result is a record that not only meets but surpasses expectations, cementing Black Swan as a formidable force in the modern hard rock scene. Whether you’ve followed these legendary musicians since the heyday of ’80s rock or you’re just now discovering their magic, “Paralyzed” is essential listening – a masterclass in melodic hard rock delivered by artists who continue to defy time and expectations.
The genesis of Black Swan was sparked by a conversation between Jeff Pilson and Frontiers’ President & Head of A&R, Serafino Perugino, who wanted a project that would not only showcase McAuley’s vocal prowess, but have a mighty musical backbone to stand skyscraper tall behind him. Thus, the initial seeds were planted, and Pilson ran with it from there.
Black Swan released their debut album, “Shake The World”, on February 14, 2020. A killer slice of melodic hard rock and heavy metal from seasoned players who have gelled musically. Their sophomore album, “Generation Mind”, followed in 2022, a powerful hard rock statement that consolidates the unique sound of the quartet and highlights the talent of each of them.”
8,683 – Joel Hoekstra’s 13 – From The Fade – Joel Hoekstra is the guitarist of Whitesnake and Trans-Siberian Orchestra, as well as the former guitarist of Night Ranger. That said, this solo album follows a similar path. I was hoping for a shredtastic instrumental album, but dude must be about the song… and they’re good songs. The solos, though? Dude has done his homework and then some. Fluid, tasty, amazing! This album features Girish Pradhan (lead vox), Tony Franklin (bass), Vinny Appice (drums), Derek Sherinian (keys), and Jeff Scott Soto (backing vox).
From Frontiers Records S.R.L.: “Joel Hoekstra (Whitesnake, Trans-Siberian Orchestra, Revolution Saints) is pleased to announce the release of the fourth album of his solo project, Joel Hoekstra’s 13, titled “From The Fade” and out on February 27, 2026, via Frontiers Music Srl.
Joel commented: “The songs were built from the guitar riffs up. Most of the riffs were written during the time I was filling in with Accept, so there is a heavier edge to this album overall. That being said, the album still would be more accurately described as melodic hard rock, not straight-up metal”.
“As always with the Joel Hoekstra’s 13 albums, I wrote the style of music that inspired me to pick up the guitar and tried to focus on SONGS for you to enjoy, not overly self-indulgent guitar solos”, he continued. “HUGE thanks to Vinny Appice, Tony Franklin, Derek Sherinian, Girish Pradhan, and Jeff Scott Soto for bringing the songs to life! I hope you all enjoy ‘From The Fade’ as much as I enjoyed making it!”
Joel Hoekstra’s 13 returns with its fourth studio album, “From the Fade” – a dynamic collection of 10 brand-new tracks that combine soaring melodies, thunderous riffs, and the high-level musicianship fans have come to expect.
Once again, guitarist and composer Joel Hoekstra (Whitesnake, Cher, Trans-Siberian Orchestra) is joined by an elite cast of rock veterans: powerhouse drummer Vinny Appice (Black Sabbath, Dio), legendary bassist Tony Franklin (The Firm, Blue Murder), virtuoso keyboardist Derek Sherinian (Dream Theater, Sons of Apollo), and rising vocal sensation Girish Pradhan (Girish and The Chronicles, The Nail).
“From The Fade” delivers a blend of classic hard rock and modern melodic metal, characterized by tight arrangements, technical precision, and emotionally charged performances. Each track reflects Hoekstra’s signature songwriting – rooted in tradition but pushing the genre forward with a fresh and contemporary sound.
This is more than just a studio project; it’s a statement of intent from one of rock’s most respected guitarists and his band of world-class collaborators.
New York guitarist Joel Hoekstra currently plays for Whitesnake and Trans Siberian Orchestra. Joel is also well-known for his work with: Cher, Night Ranger, the Broadway show Rock of Ages, his fill in work with Foreigner, Accept, his annual sets on the Monsters of Rock Cruise, recording projects like Revolution Saints, Iconic, viral collaboration videos with the likes of Dino Jelusick, Arnel Pineda, Mike Portnoy, Billy Sheehan and his acoustic shows with Brandon Gibbs.
Exhibiting a knack for music education, he has also been a frequent columnist for Guitar World Magazine, taught at Musician’s Institute, Rockstars of Tomorrow, Guitar Workshop Plus, and often been a counselor at Rock N’ Roll Fantasy Camp.
Over the years, Joel has released three instrumental solo albums and three critically acclaimed albums with his side project, Joel Hoekstra’s 13. Most recently, he was the guest guitarist on Dancing with the Stars (Hair Metal Episode) and played with Cher at her Rock N Roll Hall of Fame induction and the SNL 50 Homecoming Concert.”
4,072 – Rys – The Haunting, Part I (Silksong Metal Covers) – Super-tasty all-instrumental djent-y prog-metal album. Great tunes, great playing, great recording, super-tight… dig! It gets a little long in the tooth at over an hour long, but otherwise, gorgeous!
From his bandcamp page: “Instrumental guitarist and music producer from the North West UK.”
From ChatGPT: “Rys is releasing a new album titled The Haunting, Part I (Silksong Metal Covers) — a metal-style cover project based on music from Hollow Knight: Silksong.
The Haunting, Part I (Silksong Metal Covers) is a metal reinterpretation of tracks from Hollow Knight: Silksong — the sequel to the acclaimed Hollow Knight game. The concept follows Rys’s previous project, Into the Abyss (Hollow Knight: A Metal Reimagining), a full metal re-imagination of the original Hollow Knight soundtrack that came out in 2025.
Rys is known for turning video game soundtrack pieces into energetic metal guitar covers, blending shredding solos, heavy riffs, and instrumental flair with memorable melodies from the original compositions.
Connection to Silksong: Since Hollow Knight: Silksong’s official soundtrack, composed by Christopher Larkin, has become widely recognized, this album taps into that world but reimagines it in a metal context.”
1,626 – Fernando Perdomo – Clouds 3 – I can’t get enough of Fernando, and that’s a good thing since dude is incredibly prolific. He released an album every month in 2025 called the “Wave” series. Now we’re onto 2026 and the “Clouds” series. As usual, it’s packed with tasty all-instrumental guitar shred… that’s mellow. Diggin’!
909 – Laughing Stock – Life In Seven Dreams – I was bored to tears with their last release, 2024’s ‘Shelter’, but fully dug this one! Prog-rock bliss, but they venture into harder-edged prog-metal at times, including death metal Cookie Monster growls on the last track!
From Burning Shed: “Life In Seven Dreams is the seventh album in seven years from Laughing Stock. Containing seven songs that fit together as a suite, by turns beautiful and dark, the album is a fitting testament to a bruising year for the band. The songs are bound together by a recitation of the poem ‘A dream within a dream’ by Edgar Allan Poe (read by Colin Bass of Camel). Tim Bowness, Bjørnar Kristiansen (of doom metal band Dwaal), and Jazz trumpeter Terje Johannesen also appear.”
678 – Dominic Sanderson – Live Revelations – Wow! I was lukewarm with 2025’s ‘Blazing Revelations’, saying, “What an interesting album, if nothing else. And frankly, I have no idea if I liked it or not… but I’m definitely keeping my eyes on him for future releases. It’s like a jam band playing a mixture of psychedelic rock and prog rock at an underground art gallery. Think early (psychedelic) Pink Floyd, Frank Zappa, King Crimson, Jethro Tull, Phish, and King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard. Interesting because he states that he is a “…progressive rock artist influenced by Van der Graaf, King Crimson, Gentle Giant, etc.” This be some wild shit, man!”
With this live release, I am fully IN. This was fantastic!!
From his bandcamp page: “Live Revelations showcases songs from both Impermanence and Blazing Revelations, performed in the grand surroundings of Birmingham’s Symphony Hall. Our live renditions differ from the studio versions in terms of arrangement, and these variations were implemented both for logistical and creative reasons. This album is a warts-and-all statement of what you can expect from my band and me in the live arena; we don’t play with a click, we don’t play with backing tracks, and there are no added frills. This is what was captured on the day, and in that respect, it is honest old-school progressive rock at its most ugly, twisted, and uncompromising. I hope you enjoy!”
655 – The Stargazer’s Assistant – Modular Fields – This was pretty cool! The music itself is an all-instrumental mix of ambient / drone / soundscapes. They’ve been a band for years, yet my introduction to them was with their last release, 2023’s ‘Fire Worshipper’. I might have to check out their earlier work!
From the bandcamp page: “Both parts of THE STARGAZER’S ASSISTANT’s diptych “Modular Fields” are now available. It features four long compositions with an ambient, slightly esoteric undertone, evoking associations with the best lunar releases characteristic of British experimental music. Like their predecessor, “Fire Worshipper,” this album was recorded by the following lineup: David J. Smith (THE HOLY FAMILY, GUAPO), David J. Knight (UnicaZurn), Michael J. York (ex-COIL), and Antti J. Uusimaki (UZU NOIR).
Until now, the Brits’ regular albums have been released primarily on House Of Mythology and Utrech Records.”
614 – Matador – Above, Below, And So – Matador was previously Atlas, a one-man band out of the UK. James Kirk lives in Vancouver, BC now, and added a couple of bandmates. That said, nothing’s changed! I am really, really happy with this album… it is excellent! It combines the best parts of post-metal, or, as they call it, “Atmosdoom”. Atmospheric doom metal, I can get behind that! The album left me wanting more… and that’s a good thing!
From Church Road Records: “Matador return in 2026 with Above, Below and So, a towering new statement in epic psychedelic post-metal, slated for release on 27th February via Church Road Records. Expansive yet crushing, the album captures the band at their most ambitious, defined by moments of vast, foreboding atmosphere, cinematic scope, and immersive sonic depth.
Originally conceived in 2019 by guitarist and vocalist James Kirk, Matador began as a largely solitary vision. Kirk wrote and produced the debut They Were Here Before Us almost entirely alone, enlisting outside help only for drum tracking. That foundation soon evolved into a full creative force when Kirk joined with drummer Scott Stronach and bassist Mark Ainsworth in 2020.
The trio’s chemistry was fully realised on their sophomore album The Surge (2021), recorded and engineered at Rain City Recorders by acclaimed producer Jesse Gander (Western Canadian Music Awards “Engineer of the Year”, two-time Juno Award recipient). The album struck a chord across the underground post-rock, post-metal, and stoner scenes, earning features on influential discovery platforms such as Where Post Rock Dwells, 666MrDoom, Underrated Albums, and Weedian.
With Above, Below, and So, Matador push their sound further than ever before. The album sees the band diving deeper into technical, meticulously crafted compositions, blending delicate, haunting melodies with brutal doom-laden riffs and powerful, hypnotic rhythms. The result is a richly cinematic experience, both immersive and confrontational, that draws the listener deeper into Matador’s evolving universe.
Above, Below and So stands as Matador’s most vivid and fully realised work to date: a formidable, atmospheric journey that cements their place at the forefront of modern psychedelic post-metal.”
583 – Doomsday Astronaut – Origins EP – Listed as “all-instrumental progressive metal” all over the place, but no, there are indeed vocals. Regardless, it’s pretty slammin’ prog-metal, and the band is now on my radar!
From their bandcamp page: “Doomsday Astronaut is an instrumental progressive metal band from Sibiu, Romania. It was formed by guitarist Waqas Ahmed in February 2022. Doomsday Astronaut are the winners of the Posada Rock Battle of the Bands 2022. Despite being a relatively young band, Doomsday Astronaut have played a number of major fests sharing the stage with bands like Pantera, Paradise Lost, The Haunted, and Venom.”
From Metal Injection: “You like sick shredding? Why wouldn’t you? Don’t be stupid. Doomsday Astronaut have you covered if you’re not stupid. Grooves are hefty, the playing is techy, and the songwriting is stellar. Waqas Ahmed’s once solo thing really flourishes as a full band here.”
Missed the Cut (in order by “popularity”*):
15,021,220 – Gorillaz – The Mountain – Gorillaz are a wildly popular virtual (cartoon) world / electronic / alternative / trip-hop / synth-pop / art pop band, and frankly, I don’t get it. It is absolutely not working for me, nor have any of their previous releases. What am I missing? Why are they so popular?! Then again, don’t listen to me. The album was released to rave reviews from fans and critics alike …
11,321,207 – Mitski – Nothing’s About to Happen to Me – Mitsuki Laycock (bka Mitski Miyawaki, or just Mitski) is a singer-songwriter in the pop/art-pop – almost dream-pop-like – scene. She is incredibly popular, but her releases have done nothing for me. But, hey, what do I know? Fans and critics alike love this album … According to the press release, “…the album “finds Mitski immersing herself in a rich narrative whose main character is a reclusive woman in an unkempt house. Outside of her home, she is a deviant; inside of her home, she is free.””
416,263 – Pat Metheny – Side-Eye III+ – I get that dude is an absolute beast of a guitarist – 20-time Grammy Award winner, anyone? – in the jazz universe, but the end result is quite bland… what’s next on the chopping block?
283,115 – Moonchild – Waves – While listening to this, all I could envision was a smoky, sultry jazz club with one musician tickling the ivories, another on stand-up bass, a small drum kit, and Amber’s smooth R&B-ish vocals. At times, it also entered into hip-hop territory, which was kinda cool. It’s not bad for what it is, but it’s not an album that is in my lane.
163,067 – Nothing – a short history of decay – This album has been compared a lot ot shoegaze masters, My Bloody Valentine. Unfortunately for them, I don’t care much for mbv. There were moments on this album that were teetering on being Mono-esque, but never fully crossed into that territory. Too bad, ’cause I love me some Mono!
122,380 – Bill Frisell – In My Dreams – Dude is a monster on guitar, hella talented, an absolute jazz legend… but I just don’t care for the tunes, ya know? Maybe if I wanted to sleep, perhaps, zzzzzz… but I will give him a few bonus points for being a local (Bainbridge Island) for nearly 30 years (1988-2017) before moving to Brooklyn! Most of the tunes on this release are live, but there are several that aren’t, as well…
12,106 – deathcrash – Somersaults – deathcrash is a British-based slowcore act. They’ve released two EPs, and this is their third full-length, but it is my introduction to the band. If this album is any indication, it sounds like I haven’t missed much. Pass.
8,879 – Maria BC – Marathon – Yeah, this one’s gonna be a “no.” They play a bizarre blend of experimental ambient-folk… or something like that. This shit’s just a bit too outside for my taste.
7,173 – Unverkalt – Héréditaire – I was lukecold with 2023’s ‘A Lump Of Death: A Chaos Of Dead Lovers’, stating: “Post-metal album that I like, but don’t love. The music is so great, but the vox – they’re not “awful”, but – just lack “something”. Going to keep my eyes on the band because I do like what I heard… but the vox are just a little questionable.”
Three years later, and I am completely underwhelmed. The music, the vox… way more in the black/death metal scene, and less in the post-metal world, unfortunately. Pass.
5,140 – Final Gasp – New Day Symptoms – This is a ‘tweener release leaning no. I like them enough to keep my eyes on them, but not enough to be wowed by the release. They play an interesting combination of straight-up metal, but with hints of hardcore, goth metal, and more. This is the band’s sophomore release, and I felt exactly the same way about their 2023 debut, ‘Mourning Moon’. I am curious to see what they do in the future and if I can become a fan over time, or if they slip off my radar…
1,829 – Hela – A Reign To Conquer – Decent female-fronted doom metal band. BUT… there are bands out there doing the same thing, but better. Gotta pass. But, hey, pretty sweet album cover artwork!
847 – JeGong – Gomi Kuzu Can – Not bad, per se, but I suppose not what I was hoping for, either. They’re going for this all-instrumental, experimental ambient post-rock meets ’70s krautrock. The band features Mono drummer, Dahm Majuri Cipolla, and SUM OF R. bassist / drones / synth / effects, Reto Mäder. I don’t not like it, but I don’t necessarily like it, either. ‘Tweener release, I suppose? I’ll keep my eyes on ’em, but keep my expectations tempered.
From Pelagic Records: “‘Gomi Kuzu Can‘, the bold and genre-sculpting new album from JeGong, the collaborative force of Dahm Majuri Cipolla (MONO) and Reto Mäder (SUM OF R.). Known for their immersive, rhythm-driven explorations of Krautrock and experimental sound design, JeGong now take an exhilarating leap into brighter, nostalgically stranger territory.
‘Gomi Kuzu Can‘ is an electrifying journey through Kraut, Post- and Experimental Rock, delivered with the analog warmth of the ’70s. At the center is the duo’s uncanny rhythmic intuition: drums that pulse with krautrock steadiness, bass lines that swing between monolithic foundation and crude melodic insistence. Together, these elements create a sonic environment that feels both mechanical and deeply human, ritualistic yet instinctual.
Across eleven meticulously crafted tracks, JeGong embrace their roots while fearlessly expanding into neon-lit, beat-driven worlds where kinetic rhythms meet playful sonic futurism. It is music built for movement, contemplation, and the ecstatic strangeness of possibility. Their approach borrows the endurance and patience of minimalism, but they subvert minimalism’s austerity with grit, distortion, and physicality. The result is music that feels alive in motion: constantly shifting, tightening, unfurling, and mutating even when its core pulse remains unbroken.”
304 – Heather The Jerk – Scroll If You Love Devil – Noisy, forgettable punk album. Only 17:23 long, so I didn’t suffer too much. Pass.
270 – Black Reuss – Death – Black Reuss is Liechtensteiner musician/producer Maurizio Dottore. I’d say it leans heavy on the goth rock sound, not unlike Finnish band, H.I.M. I was really enjoying it at first, but then, as it continued, it seemed to plateau, never really taking me anywhere else. I dug the “behind-the-scenes” about the album (see ahead), but in the end, it sounded like one long song to me …
From Black Reuss: “Black Reuss is the solitary creation of musician and producer Maurizio Dottore, conceived as a vessel for inner transformation rather than entertainment. It is a ritual expressed through sound — a slow descent into shadow, memory, and renewal. Rooted in gothic metal, doom, and dark rock, Black Reuss resists genre boundaries, favoring weight, texture, and emotional gravity over convention.
The project unfolds as a four-part cycle — Metamorphosis, Journey, Arrival, Death — each chapter reflecting a stage of psychological and spiritual passage. These are not albums in the traditional sense, but movements within a continuous current, tracing the collapse of identity, the struggle of becoming, the acceptance of inner demons, and finally, release. There is no catharsis without confrontation, no light without shadow.
The music is cinematic and deliberate, built on slow-burning riffs, restrained melodies, and silences that speak as loudly as sound. Hooks are replaced by echoes. Resolution is denied in favor of presence. When collaborators appear, it is by intention, adding weight without disturbing the core solitude that defines the project.
Black Reuss embraces darkness not as something to overcome, but as something to understand. It does not provide answers or direction. It invites the listener to drift, to reflect, and to face what lies beneath — allowing the current to shape them in its own time.”
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. Ran out of time!
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…
2,258,969 – Pet Shop Boys – Dreamworld – The Greatest Hits Live (2 CDs / Blu-ray) – Synth-Pop / Dance-Pop Duo. This show took place at The Royal Arena in Copenhagen on July 7th, 2023.
From amazon: “Pet Shop Boys release a Blu-ray/CD of their concert film ‘Dreamworld: The Greatest Hits Live at the Royal Arena Copenhagen.’ The film was recorded at the Royal Arena in Copenhagen in July 2023 as part of Pet Shop Boys’ critically acclaimed ‘Dreamworld: The Greatest Hits Live’ tour.
Directed by the renowned David Barnard, the film was captured using a 14-camera 4K shoot to ensure an immersive experience for viewers. It also features a PCM Stereo and DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 surround mix which was remixed and produced by David and Mike Woolley.
Coinciding with the 40th anniversary of PSB’s first record release, the concert film was released in cinemas worldwide at the start of 2024 for fans to enjoy on the big screen. ‘Dreamworld: The Greatest Hits Live’ is the duo’s first-ever greatest hits tour and has so far played to audiences in the UK, Europe, and North and South America.
The tour received outstanding reviews with The Guardian describing the show as “fabulous”, while The Times said it was “clever, stylish, sometimes poignant, often euphoric”, and NME described it as “a two-hour joyous celebration of their decades of holding pop to a higher standard”.”
550,546 – Sodom – Get What You Deserve [Expanded Deluxe Edition – 1994] (3 CDs) – Thrash Metal. From amazon: “Sodom’s sixth studio album, Get What You Deserve, was originally released in 1994. It was previously available on vinyl in limited quantities and has been long out-of-press on CD.
The original album has been newly remastered under the supervision of former guitarist Andy Brings, who has also created a brand-new Blitzkrieg Remix of the album. Deluxe 3 CD set contains the remastered studio album and Blitzkrieg Remix, plus the remastered `Aber Bitte Mit Sahne! EP’ and Schweinskopf Remix. Packaged in Digisleeve with 24-page booklet.”
317,051 – Archive – Glass Minds – Trip-hop Collective. From amazon: “Archive, the acclaimed South London collective, return with their 13th studio album Glass Minds. The record follows their 2022 triple album Call to Arms & Angels, which reached Top 10 across Europe and culminated in a sold-out show at Paris’s 15,000-capacity Accor Arena.
The album marks a powerful evolution in the band’s 30-year journey. Initiated by the core quartet, the record embraces a minimal, down-tempo sound with expansive, emotive space. The album’s versatility spans raw, percussive rhythms in “When You’re This Down,” electro-pop touches in “Wake Up Strange,” and motorik vibes in “Look At Us.”
At the emotional core is “So Far From Losing You,” an eight-minute epic blending rap and vocals that reflects Keeler’s personal life. Driven by a desire to create without boundaries, Archive continue to challenge and inspire fans, proving that their creative spark burns as bright as ever.”
51,631 – Gord Downie, The Sadies and The Conquering Suns – Live At 6 O’Clock – Rock. RIP Gord Downie (February 6th, 1964- October 17th, 2017). From the bandcamp page: “Gord Downie, The Sadies, And The Conquering Sun released their debut self-titled album in 2014, a triumphant barnburner that clashed Downie’s indelible poetry with the brash playing of The Sadies. Not a one-off, but a brotherhood, they struck an inspired, punk-addled chemistry that yielded the classic self-titled album and mythical live performances.”
Looking forward to (in order by “popularity”*) – These albums will be released this week and should be in next week’s AOTW newsletter:
2,898,326 – Denzel Curry & The Scythe – Strictly 4 The Scythe
1,255,183 – Morrissey – Make-Up Is A Lie
618,103 – Black Stone Cherry – Celebrate EP
352,975 – Squeeze – Trixies
201,058 – Prong – Live And Uncleansed
32,608 – Moon Tooth – Bastard EP
16,514 – Katherine Priddy – These Frightening Machines
7,066 – Our Oceans – Right Here, Right Now
6,901 – Clouds Taste Satanic – Berlin 2023
3,173 – Desert Storm – Buried Under The Weight Of Reason
651 – Axe Dragger – Axe Dragger
0 – Desert Collider – Generation Ship: Endless Drift Through Infinity
…and several others. Some that I am looking forward to and others not so much.
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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 pink/rose gold 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
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