Category: news

The Rolling Stones album review: “Foreign Tongues” is a lesson in how to keep rocking into your 80s. Read our album review.

The post The Rolling Stones Keep the Swagger — “Foreign Tongues” Album Review appeared first on Audio Ink Radio.

The track appears on the band’s latest album ‘Medusa,’ released via Judge & Jury Records

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Featuring a more aggressive direction on their first new studio effort in seven years

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For those who like hoppy beers, the market resembles that of metal: lots of contenders, each with a unique story and cool logo, but very few that are keepers, meaning of the highest relevance and quality.

Dogfish Head 90 Minute IPA is far from incompetent, and at nine percent ABV, could do your head in, but its lovely bitter flavor is ruined by a bit of soapiness and a faint flavor like aged oil.

It is competent on the whole, goes down smooth, and has none of the signals of bad ingredients or inept brewing, but in the quest for the ultimate bitter day drinking summer IPA, something of balance has been lost.

If you’re sick and tired of the modern usage of the word “punk”, and miss when punk actually meant something, this is the band for you. Mermaid Island is a punk rock band who released their debut recently, and oh man did I love that album! Check out my full thoughts in this review.

I had the chance to chat with the band’s vocalist Alex MacDonald to talk about the new album, how it felt for her, and her feelings about life inside and outside of music.

Reuel

Hello, Alex! I’m so happy to chat with you. How are things going with you and Mermaid Island right now?

Alex MacDonald

Things are great. And also insane. The band is happy, so I’m happy. It’s always busy, and always fun. It feels like we’re entering a new level so I’m just trying to keep everything aligned and in order while we go through some growth and changes.

Reuel

That’s amazing! Congratulations on releasing your debut album earlier this month! It’s undoubtedly a huge milestone for any artist. How are you feeling about the reception and the reactions it’s gotten so far?

Alex MacDonald

It’s been really incredible to see how positively people have responded to the record. This was such an organic thing for us to record. We basically just recorded our set list. I think it’s getting this response because so much music these days is contrived in a studio setting and this has the energy of a real live performance. It was built from the ground up as a documentation of what we do live and I think people are excited about that.

Reuel

Yeah, I loved it! Since this is your first full-length release, it’s a big statement about who you are as a band. What’s the main thing you want people to feel after listening to Mermaid Island?

Alex MacDonald

I want people to feel exactly how I feel when we play shows: energized, confident, loud, and connected. I hope it inspires people to take action. Whatever that might be. If it’s picking up your own guitar and starting your own band. Doing anything creative. Communicating. Working on something. Making something, building something. Getting out of the house, making friends and finding your community.

Reuel

What is a song or a specific lyric on the album that you feel hasn’t gotten the main spotlight yet but holds a massive amount of weight for you?

Alex MacDonald

Subtitles. It wasn’t a single, so it feels like it hasn’t had its moment yet. It’s our favorite song to play live. It’s got a lot of Celtic influence and weird dynamics, so it’s a little unexpected. It’s the hardest song to play, and the most fun. Once we all got it, and it got tight, it was magic on stage. It makes me want to bring more Celtic undertone into the next record.

Reuel

Aside from writing music and performing together, what ideas or ethos bring Mermaid Island as a group to work together in the same direction?

Alex MacDonald

We all have to be having a fucking blast, otherwise it’s not worth it. We’d have to do it for free and we have to be friends first. The minute it starts to feel like a job, you’re in the wrong band. This has always been about creating something truly joyful and free from capitalist and societal pressures. Its focus is on the experience of in person connection. We are all heading towards the same goals of touring as much as our bodies can stand for as long as humanly possible. We just want to play shows and travel. It used to feel like a distant dream, and now we’re almost there.

Reuel

In an alternate reality where music is tasted, just like food, what would Mermaid Island’s music taste like?

Alex MacDonald

We actually did this cool interview with a food blog and she made a meal based on our band. She made a donair, which is an east coast Canadian thing that doesn’t exist anywhere else in the world.

Check it out here.

Reuel

Oh nice! I’m going to check that out. What is your favorite album, or albums, of all time?

Alex MacDonald

I grew up on folk music in Canada, so my favorite albums of all time are the ones that remind me of home. The first one that comes to mind is Sarah Harmer’s You Were Here which was her first solo record, and the only one my mom and I would agree on listening to. We would listen to it on repeat in the car when I was a kid.

Reuel

What are your thoughts on how women are represented in music today, and what do you think can be done to promote more inclusivity and support for female musicians?

Alex MacDonald

I saw a lot of pressure to fit into a certain image in the beginning. But it didn’t really affect me. I think it’s cool to do whatever you want. A lot of people, especially men, tried to get involved with this band when we first started out and shape us into their version of what they thought we should be. If I was younger and more naive, I’m sure it would have changed the band. But one of the things that is really important to me about this band is that I’m not just representing myself as an artist and songwriter, but I’m here in a leadership role. There is so much more that goes on behind the scenes in terms of building and running a band, keeping a team together, and managing all the people and logistics involved. I want to see more women leaders in bands, in communities, in business. This isn’t only about going off and expressing our anger (which we have a lot of) it’s also about building something sustainable that is owned and operated by us. If one little girl out there feels empowered to take control of her own life, I’m doing my job correctly.

Reuel

Very well said. Thank you for your time, Alex! Is there anything else you’d like to add?

Alex MacDonald

If you like our band, the biggest thing you can do to support us is go to your local record store and request our record. And for fun, hit us up to play in your backyard, because we will.

Follow Mermaid Island

• Spotify
• TikTok
• Instagram

The post Interview | Alex MacDonald from Mermaid Island: “Built from the ground up as a documentation of what we do live.” first appeared on FemMetal – Goddesses of Metal.

Continuing the cinematic story behind their ‘Dead by Daylight’ collaboration celebrating the game’s 10th anniversary

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
TALIA HOIT Releases Powerful New Single & Official Music Video “All You Want” From Upcoming Album “When The Skies Fall”

Symphonic metal artist unveils the first emotional chapter from her highly anticipated second full-length album, arriving August 28 via SAOL
Symphonic metal artist Talia Hoit has officially released her emotionally charged new single “All You Want” along with the accompanying official music video, available now on all major streaming platforms. The track marks the first preview of her upcoming second full-length album, “When The Skies Fall,” arriving August 28 through SAOL, a division of CMM GmbH .
Watch the official music video for “All You Want” now:

Blending cinematic orchestration, powerful metal instrumentation, and deeply personal songwriting, “All You Want” captures the painful realization of trying to live up to someone else’s impossible expectations while losing yourself in the process.
“This song is about the impossible situation of trying to make someone happy who will never be happy with who you really are, because what they loved was some imaginary ideal of who they wanted you to be, rather than who you really are,” says Talia Hoit.
Known for weaving raw emotional honesty into sweeping symphonic metal soundscapes, Talia Hoit continues to push deeper into vulnerable and personal territory with “When The Skies Fall.” The upcoming album explores themes of existential crisis, identity, transformation, love, grief, and emotional survival through ten immersive tracks that balance haunting piano-driven intimacy with massive orchestral arrangements and crushing guitars.
At the core of Talia’s songwriting remains the same foundation that shaped her artistic beginnings: piano and voice. What started as deeply personal reflections and emotional processing evolved into songs that now resonate through towering symphonic compositions.
“Writing poems or songs was my way of processing life and my emotions and things,” Talia explains. “A lot of what I have written was not originally intended to be a commercial product, so I guess it really fits under the idea of a ‘piano confessional’.”
After years of writing and developing her sound behind the scenes, Talia Hoit officially stepped into the symphonic metal world as a solo artist with the release of her debut full-length album, marking the true beginning of her artistic journey into the public eye.
“When The Skies Fall” represents Talia Hoit’s most revealing and emotionally expansive work to date. The album invites listeners into a world where certainty crumbles, emotions collide, and beauty and pain exist side by side.
Listen to “All You Want” now:
https://music.suricatemusic.com/AllYouWant
For Fans Of: Nightwish, Within Temptation, Epica, Delain, Evanescence
Release Dates:
“All You Want” Single + Official Music Video: Out Now
“When The Skies Fall” Album Release: August 28
For press inquiries, interviews, and coverage contact:
zach@metaldevastationradio.com

 Connect: 
http://www.taliahoit.com/ 
https://www.facebook.com/taliahoitofficial
https: //www.youtube.com/@taliahoit 
https://instagram.com/talia_hoit 
https://open.spotify.com/artist/3XtANhnSi6eU5Ol9zegWvW
https://taliahoit.bandcamp.com
https://patreon.com/taliahoit
Contact: taliahoit.management@gmail.com
Photo Credit: Jonathan Betz

With stops across the U.S. and Canada beginning in September

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CARCERAL ANNOUNCES INSTRUMENTAL EXTREME METAL DEBUT ALBUM “DESCENDING REPRISAL”

Brazilian Extreme Metal Outfit Delivers a Relentless Fusion of Death Metal, Thrash, and Grindcore Without Boundaries

https://distrokid.com/hyperfollow/carceral/descending-reprisal
Album Release Date: July 15, 2026
Exclusive Premiere: July 14, 2026 via Toilet Ov Hell
Genre: Instrumental Extreme Metal
For Fans Of: Death, Morbid Angel, Dark Angel, Voivod, Immolation
Brazilian instrumental extreme metal band Carceral is set to unleash its debut full-length album, “Descending Reprisal,” independently on July 15, 2026, following an exclusive premiere through Toilet Ov Hell on July 14.
Built from decades of musical vision and refined through years of writing and experimentation, Carceral delivers a crushing instrumental assault that merges the technical aggression of death and thrash metal with the speed, intensity, and relentless pacing of grindcore. Without a traditional vocalist, the band places the full weight of storytelling on the guitars, bass, and drums, allowing the instrumentation itself to become the voice.
“Descending Reprisal” explores a dark apocalyptic vision centered around punishment, collapse, and the consequences of humanity’s systems of power, privilege, and injustice. Across 24 tracks, the album represents different stages of a devastating downfall, combining intricate musicianship, chaotic energy, and oppressive atmosphere into a cinematic extreme metal experience.
According to guitarist and band founder Roberto Ortega , the album represents the realization of an idea that has existed for more than two decades:


“Descending Reprisal is the result of an idea that took shape over more than two decades. The concept was to combine the riff language of death and thrash metal with the brevity and relentless pacing of grindcore, while keeping the music entirely instrumental. Instead of vocals, the guitars, bass, and drums carry the narrative.




The album revolves around the idea of punishment in an apocalyptic setting, reflecting on the systems of power, privilege, and injustice created by humanity. Every song is meant to feel like another stage in that collapse.




Although the music draws inspiration from bands like Death, Morbid Angel, and Dark Angel, I also wanted to capture the unsettling, dissonant atmosphere of Voivod and Immolation. The goal was never to recreate those sounds, but to combine the expressive freedom of instrumental music with the darkness and intensity of extreme metal. We hope Descending Reprisal offers listeners an experience that feels both familiar and completely new.”


With “Descending Reprisal,” Carceral introduces a unique presence within instrumental extreme metal, proving that crushing heaviness, emotional depth, and storytelling can exist without a single lyric. The album stands as a testament to the power of pure musicianship, where every riff, drum hit, and atmospheric shift pushes the narrative forward.
The album was produced by Roberto Ortega and Victor Hormidas , with mixing and mastering handled by Samuel Bassani . The recording process took place across multiple studios between January 2025 and May 2026, with additional contributions from a talented team of artists, designers, and musicians who helped bring the world of “Descending Reprisal” to life.
Production Credits

Produced by: Roberto Ortega and Victor Hormidas
Mixed & Mastered by: Samuel Bassani
Editing: Alexandre Magno
Intro for “Archaic Law”: Pablo Greg
Sound Design: Vithor Moraes (Absence Entity and Ab Damnini Ictus)
Full Album Visualizer: Arthur Hermit
Front Cover Artwork: Child From The Celestial Flying Throne of Hell by Artem Demura
Back Cover Artwork: Rodrigo Salvatierra
Logo: Visual Defect
Additional artwork contributions by Celio Amorth, Magnum Lima, and Danilo Ferreira , who also served as the album’s visual director.
Photography by Alline Nakamura, Robeilton Simões, and Leonardo Heler.
Special thanks to Heros Trench for mix feedback and consulting.
Drummer Daniel Moscardini uses Pearl Drums, Paiste Cymbals, Williams Drum Heads and Sticks, Mecsom Cables, and Gorilla Pads.
Previous Singles & Visuals

Ahead of the album release, Carceral has already unleashed two singles from “Descending Reprisal.”
“Hypnomachia” features a visualizer created by Wanderley Perna (Genocídio) , while “Archaic Law” features a video created by Arthur Hermit (Lizard Skin).
The complete album visualizer for “Descending Reprisal” was also created by Arthur Hermit, bringing the record’s dark and apocalyptic vision to life through a full visual experience.
Lineup

Roberto Ortega – Guitars
Hard Alexandre Christiani – Guitars
Victor Hormidas – Bass
Daniel Moscardini – Drums
Hard Alexandre Christiani brings additional experience from the international metal scene, having toured as guitarist for legendary vocalists Tim “Ripper” Owens and Marc Boals , further adding to the musicianship and pedigree behind Carceral’s crushing debut.
Carceral’s “Descending Reprisal” arrives July 15, 2026, delivering a devastating instrumental extreme metal journey where chaos, precision, and atmosphere collide.
Check out the video: 


Connect: 
https://linktr.ee/carceralband
Contact: carceralband@gmail.com

The new track arrives ahead of the album’s July 17 release via Triple B Records

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