Category: news

Interview by Kris Peters After triumphantly casting off the shackles of claustrophobic dissonance on 2020’s lauded Stare Into Death and Be Still, New Zealand unorthodox death metal legends ULCERATE up the ante even further with mind-bending 7th album Cutting the Throat of God. An acknowledgement that the band’s most powerful and affecting material leans to […]

There are bands that evolve… and then there are bands like Gypsy Pistoleros who the term ‘evolution’ seems too slow – they shapeshift, shed old skin, and emerge wearing something even more outrageous. Dark Faerie Tales isn’t just their next chapter—it’s the moment where everything they’ve ever been finally locks into place and explodes outward in technicolour darkness.

Even from those early days—when the Pistoleros were simply a chaotic cocktail of glam, punk, flamenco and sleaze—you always got the sense this wasn’t a band interested in sticking to the lanes or remotely interested in having a Genre-label slapped on them, they rather grab a handful, sometimes in the space of a single song. Albums like ‘Duende A Go Go Loco’ were fun, but more recently ‘Church of the Pistoleros’ pushed that hybrid sound into something more theatrical and more defiant: a middle finger to Genre purity. By the time ‘Church…’ landed in 2025 it was already being hailed as fearless and eclectic by those in the know. But ‘Dark Faerie Tales’ doesn’t seek to replicate that success, sure it keeps some of the essence, but instead it mutates it into something darker, grander, and rather more unhinged.

Right from the opening title track ‘Dark Faerie Tales,’ you’re dragged headfirst into the band’s twisted mythology — a Glam-Goth-Punk fever dream dripping with swagger and menace. This is no gentle reintroduction; it’s a fully fledged re-birth on a mission to take on the world. The Sleaze is still there, and it emerges here an there in glorious echoes, but now it’s cloaked in Gothic atmosphere and theatrical weight, signalling a band stepping into a bigger, more cinematic world . After that opening comes ‘My One Desire (Burn It Up),’ which snarls with rebellion, before ‘King of Almost Everything’ struts in like a misfit anthem for the beautifully broken. It’s exactly the kind of outsider hymn this band has always thrived on.

What’s most striking across Dark Faerie Tales is just how complete it feels. Earlier records had the ideas, the fire, the attitude and the drive — but here, everything connects. It’s like that “A-ha” moment when you realise how it all ties together. ‘She’s Getting Stranger’ has an emotional darkness, wrapping vulnerability in grit with dirty chipped black fingernails. On teh other hand ‘Take My Hand to Nightmare Land’ is pure Pistoleros theatre: an invitation into their world where the freaks fly their flags freely. It’s not just songs anymore — it’s storytelling, threads drawn together to create an image in the brain rather than just please the ears.

And that’s where the evolution really hits. This collection isn’t just a bunch of tracks, it’s a concept. It’s a ride through a Dark Faerie Tale, a nightmare-land: a journey through burning churches, haunted forests and neon-lit nightmares. The band themselves have fully engaged with that idea, there’s a belief that this is something rather special. That sense of narrative elevates everything here: ‘Behind The Mask’ taps into a darker, almost post-punk intensity, whilst ‘Prince of the Damned’ and ‘Rattling’ hit like unhinged anthems built for sweat-soaked rooms.

By the time you reach “I Whisper Goodbye” and the haunting closer “The Ghost of Baby Strange”, you realise this is an important milestone. no evolution, as I said, it’s transformation. The chaos is still there, but now it’s controlled. The madness is still there, but now it has purpose and direction. Producer Dave Draper deserves a nod here too, helping shape that raw, genre-smashing energy into something cohesive without sanding off any of the real danger.

What makes this record really land though is its confidence. For years critics tried to pin Gypsy Pistoleros down – were they Glam? Punk? Goth? Flamenco? That is all irrelevant now as with ‘Dark Faerie Tales’, they’ve clearly stopped caring. This is the sound of a band finally comfortable being exactly who they are and who they want to be. Here you get everything at once, and none of it to be missed. As they’ve said themselves, they no longer feel the need to anchor their ship to anything – they are what they are – the Gypsy Pistoleros.

And that’s the real magic of it.

‘Dark Faerie Tales’ is bigger, darker, and bolder, but more importantly, it’s truer, more real. It takes everything positive from their early chaos, drinks in the fearless experimentation of ‘Church of the Pistoleros’, and turns it all into a fully realised identity. This is still definable: it’s still Glam Punk Goth ‘n’ Roll (though we have lost the Flamenco) it’s music without rules, without limits, and without an ounce of compromise.

For the misfits, the outsiders, and the beautifully broken – this isn’t just another album, it’s a rallying cry…

On a side note Lee sent me the unmixed follow up album to listen to and I’m speechless. It is even better than this. This is a band in their absolute sweet spot. We will have a lengthy interview with Lee up shortly…

The post ALBUM REVIEW: Gypsy Pistoleros – Dark Faerie Tales appeared first on The Rockpit.

M-Theory Audio is pleased to announce the signing of CUTTHROAT to the label. Breaking out of the L.A. Hardcore scene and combining serious attitude and fast rudiments, CUTTHROAT have been building a reputation for themselves with solid releases and worldwide touring. 

The partnership kicks off with the online premiere of the band’s blistering new single and music video, “Purge,” available on all streaming/download digital platforms or watch the video HERE 

“Built in chaos. Refined in violence. Cutthroat LA has officially signed with M-Theory Audio,” states singer Neil Roemer. “This isn’t a new beginning, this is an escalation. Welcome to the next phase. As we ‘Purge’ our Demons.”

The song features the fire, energy and attitude of CUTTHROAT so fans can expect a relentless assault with crossover appeal suitable for punk and metal fans with influences from classic hardcore, thrash and hip-hop.

The track serves as the title cut for the band’s upcoming EP, ‘The Purge,’ set for a worldwide release on August 14^th on limited (300) colored vinyl and jewelcase CD. A specially priced crushing crossover assault with 5 songs of pure hostility, featuring cover art by Mick Lambrou (Agnostic Front, Slapshot, Sick Of It All). Pre-Order Now at OUR WEBSTORE or BANDCAMP  (shipping from US and Europe based upon your location).

To support the release, CUTTHROAT will be heading overseas this summer for a highly anticipated European tour alongside Bay Area thrash legends Vio-lence. The tour will see the band bringing their high-energy live performance to major markets across the continent setting up the EP’s release. 

27/07/2026 – NL, Tilburg – Little Devil

28/07/26 – BE, Antwerp – Kid’s

29/07/26 – UK, Plymouth – The Depo

30/07/26 – UK, London – The Underworld

31/07/26 – UK, Bridgwater – The Cobblestones

01/08/26 – UK, Preston – Blitz

02/08/26 – IRE, Dublin – Grand Social

03/08/26 – NI, Belfast – The Limelight

04/08/26 – UK, Glasgow – Audio

05/08/26 – UK, Cardiff – The Globe

08/08/26 – AT, Vienna – Viper Room

09/08/26 – DE, Munich – Backstage

12/08/26 – SK, Košice – Colosseum 

13/08/26 – AT, Salzburg – Rockhouse (also appearing Armored Saint)

14/08/26 – CR, Zabok – Cuk Regenerator

ABOUT CUTTHROAT:

CUTTHROAT is a four-piece Los Angeles hardcore metal band formed in 2013 by founding member and frontman Neil Roemer. Cutthroat now also features Betto Cardoso on drums, Renato Romano on guitar and Bruno Nicolozzi on bass. 

Known for their DIY ethic and explosive live shows, the band has built a dedicated following through consistent touring and raw, honest songwriting. Cutthroat have released two major albums: Reflekt (2020), produced by Biohazard’s Billy Graziadei, which saw them tour Europe as part of the Persistance tour (w/ Agnostic Front, Gorilla Biscuits, H2O and more) and Fear By Design (2023) followed by tours of Europe, South America, Japan and the US including performances with Biohazard, Body Count, Agnostic Front, Madball, Sick of it All, D.R.I., Sworn Enemy and Destruction.

Both albums were released on Germany’s Demons Run Amok label. With the upcoming release of the Purge EP via M-Theory Audio and a major European run on the horizon, 2026 marks the beginning of the band’s most aggressive chapter yet.

For more information:

https://www.facebook.com/Losangelescutthroat

https://www.instagram.com/official_cutthroatla/

https://cutthroatla.bandcamp.com/

www.m-theoryaudio.com 

Velveteen .

The post Velveteen Queen to release new album ‘The Greater Good’ on September 18th first appeared on Sleaze Roxx.

At first, Cardiff art-rockers Super Furry Animals were part of a Welsh renaissance that sprung up adjacent to the 1990s Britpop movement. But the band outlasted many of the biggest names in Britpop before going on hiatus in 2010. They briefly reunited in 2015 and 2016, but they haven’t performed together in a decade. Instead, there’s been plenty of solo output from frontman Gruff Rhys, and in recent years the other four members started a prolific new unit called Das Koolies. But the Super Furries announced a reunion tour last fall, and it finally kicked off tonight in Ireland.

The post Super Furry Animals Reunite For First Show In A Decade appeared first on Stereogum.

There’s something about seeing Beastie Boys members step back into the spotlight that always hits a little differently.

The post Beastie Boys’ Mike D to Perform NYC and LA Concerts appeared first on Audio Ink Radio.

Jared Mattson of the Mattson 2 has teamed up with Ruban Nielson of Unknown Mortal Orchestra for a collaborative album called FEAR. The LP arrives next month on Jagjaguwar, but for now you can hear the lead single “AMERICAN EAGLE.” The two musicians met in 2024 after crossing paths on the internet and being fans…

The post Jared Mattson (The Mattson 2) & Ruban Nielson (Unknown Mortal Orchestra) Announce New Collaborative Album <em>FEAR</em>: Hear “AMERICAN EAGLE” appeared first on Stereogum.

Necrosonic Festival is building momentum toward Year Three this August and are now launching the first stage of their opening band competition. Heat One is officially announced this morning, with four bands stepping forward to compete for the opportunity to open Necrosonic Festival 2026 at the Mansfield Tavern, Brisbane. Aeon Nexus, Ahles, Burn The Kingdom […]

The silence has been broken.

Progression is arguably the natural tendency of all things, but for a musical movement that traces its roots back to the late 1960s, it’s a balancing act between the desire of the artist to explore the limits of virtuoso musicianship and retaining the interest of an audience that prefers simplicity.

For the 90s born Australian progressive metal outfit Teramaze, an evolution from a primarily thrash-based stylistic template to the eclectic stylings normally associated with the likes of Dream Theater and Threshold was how the story began, and following an extended hiatus in the 2000s, band founder and guitarist Dean Wells has been on an impressive tear in the studio with a semi-stable lineup. Now 13 studio albums deep into a highly expansive catalog, 7 of them unveiled in the current decade alone, The Silent Architect raises the qualitative bar even further while still showcasing an uncanny ability to package highly involved feats of technical musicality with earworm melodic hooks.

The same winning lineup that has been cranking out intellectually engaging and explosive anthems since 2019’s Are We Soldiers has been retained with the lone exception of guitarist Chris Zoupa, who exited the fold last year following the recording of 2025’s The Harmony Machine. Though an integral piece of the puzzle that has been Teramaze’s sound over the past several years, founder and mastermind Dean Wells does an exemplary job at filling both roles and proves the linchpin in maintaining the same dense arrangement that has been this outfit’s staple since the late 2010s.

The tightness and colossal power of the rhythm section, culminating in the contributions of bassist Andrew Cameron and drummer Nick Ross, has lost none of its fire, especially during the more thrash-infused segments of this finely tuned progressive metal machine. Likewise, the soaring tenor of vocalist Nathan Peachy, which has enjoyed favorable comparisons to Kamelot frontman Tommy Karevik, retains its highly expressive luster and calls out from above the arrangement like a mighty eagle.

Relative to their recent stream of output, Teramaze’s approach to songwriting swings closer to the elongated and reflective character of Flight Of The Wounded and And The Beauty They Perceive over the concise approach of The Harmony Machine.

Highly expansive and musically expressive epic entries like the 10 minute long opening fanfare and title offering “The Silent Architect” and the riff happy, rhythmically nuanced groove of “The Invisible Countdown” represent a healthy share of too long for radio yet melodically inviting anthems that could easily charm the pants off any Kamelot fan despite being far closer to something that Fates Warning might conjure up, the latter actually including a few riffs that sound dangerously similar to “The Eleventh Hour” off of Parallels. Similarly, but with an even sweeter blend of consonant resounds out of Peachy’s pristine pipes and hearty guitar high-jinks out of Wells stands the punchy anthem “Enemy In The Garden”, a gourmet dish of sonic brilliance that any Dream Theater fan could sink their teeth into.

In contrast to many of their peers, this fold isn’t afraid to present their chops in more concise and restrained showcases, and there is a solid representation of songs here that could pass for rock radio were they a tad less intricate. The dreamy ballad turned hard-rocking ode “Doors Of Yesterday” involves some rather blatant pop flourishes, though tastefully delivered amid several harder-edged ones.

The frantic and fleeting rocker “Mr. Crazy” matches a mainline modern sense of heaviness with a flamboyant vocal display and comes dangerously close to playing in the same stylistic pool as Volbeat. The acoustic guitar-dominated power ballad “Arrow” all but crosses the line into present-day alternative rock territory, whereas the jarring metallic storm of “Dust & Bone” takes a highly blatant step back to their band’s early flirtations with thrash metal, complete with Peachy mixing in some gruff elements to complement his signature clean wail.

But when the rubber hits the road, Teramaze’s forte is when things go long, and everything but the kitchen sink is thrown the audience’s way, and the closing hurrah, “Left In The Fire” lands a formidable coup de grace that challenges their most extravagant of past feats in just under 12 minutes.

If there are to be any signs of this multifaceted, cerebrally geared metal train slowing down, they are far from even being in view. Despite the departure of long-time guitarist Chris Zoupa, this is the exact same band sporting the exact same collage of sounds and styles that has made them a major player in the progressive metal scene for the past decade.

In addition to Dean Wells’ creative well seemingly lacking a bottom, there are no impurities in the water being drawn up, nor are there any cracks in the bucket, given that the quality of the yield remains extremely consistent. The Silent Architect is the sort of album that can stand on equal footing with the recent output of major progressive metal players like Redemption, Anubis Gate, and Threshold, but its level of appeal is sure to reach outward to every corner of the melodic side of the metal scene. Come as you are, but don’t be surprised if you come away changed by what Teramaze has in store here.

Release Date: May 8th, 2026
Record Label: Independent
Genre: Progressive Metal

Musicians:

• Dean Wells / Guitars, vocals
• Nathan Peachey / Vocals
• Andrew Cameron / Bass Guitar
• Nick Ross / Drums

Falling Together Track-list:

1. The Silent Architect 10:13
2. Doors of Yesterday 4:24
3. The Invisible Countdown 8:37
4. Mr Crazy 3:37
5. Arrow 4:50
6. Dust & Bone 4:24
7. Enemy In The Garden 8:30
8. Ghost Hands 5:25
9. Left In The Fire 11:56

Order the album here.

The post TERAMAZE – The Silent Architect (Album Review) appeared first on Sonic Perspectives.

From hip house to dark pop, the girls are collaborating. Our critic Jon Caramanica unpacks “Runway,” a track from “The Devil Wears Prada 2” that has Lady Gaga and Doechii joining forces.