Category: news

Asbury Park, New Jersey’s Solace observes their thirtieth anniversary this year, and to celebrate it, the quintet emerges to share fifth full-length, Fading Failing Ruin. After dropping debut Further in 2000 and follow-up 13 in 2003, Solace has adopted a lax release schedule, doling out two more platters in 2010 with A.D. and 2019 with The Brink. Between those two albums, Solace welcomed vocalist/keyboardist Justin Goins, drummer Timmy Gitlan, and bassist Mike Sica,¹ leaving guitarists Tommy Southard and Justin Daniels as the threads of continuity. Despite the band’s longevity, Fading Failing Ruin is my first encounter with these Garden State stoners and their hypnotic grooves. Seven years after stepping up to The Brink, can Solace’s Fading Failing Ruin reach new highs, or does it just go up in smoke?

In my estimation, stoner metal simultaneously sprawls over an expanse of possibilities while often being limited by an overdrawn subject matter and blending into a cloud of faceless fuzz tones. Luckily, Solace has honed a singular identity and stands apart from contemporaries and genre-mates. Though they hail from Jersey, Solace adopts the southern charm of Corrosion of Conformity, instilling a folksy swagger to Fading Failing Ruin that feels genuine and expressive. Besides CoC, Solace rubs elbows with Kyuss’ mellower rhythms and Cathedral’s riff-heavy trudges without ever risking confusion with them. Over nine tracks, Fading Failing Ruin guides listeners through ‘apocalyptic, infernal, and end time themes’² by way of ponderous riffs (and track lengths) drenched in delicious, southern-fried stoner doom.

Picking up where The Brink left off, Solace smacks you in the gob with their doleful guitar duo and slow-burn song structures. “Spiral Will” kicks off with a defiant lead that gives way to anthemic verses and a chorus I can’t seem to shake. “Beyond Below” and “Malengine the Scaffold” operate in a similar space, beginning with fuzz-soaked guitars that construct sullen layers as tension mounts until Solace unfurls slick variations and solos. “A God Changes His Plans” and “Culling the Herd,” the shortest songs on Fading Failing Ruin, afford opportunities for Solace to cut loose, pushing tempos higher and putting a heavier emphasis on guitar theatrics, which Southard and Daniels excel at. Goins, meanwhile, croons with conviction, landing somewhere between Live’s Ed Kowalczyk and Pepper Keenan. His vocals are a critical piece of Solace’s sound, and where original singer Jason’s vocals fit the band’s style early on, particularly the punkier forays of their first two albums, Goins adds a renewed vitality as the band focuses more on controlled pacing. Lastly, Gitlan and Sica’s rhythm section supports the band well enough, supplying the right backing without ever stepping into the spotlight.

Through sixty-seven minutes of stoner metal, Solace crafts distinctive songs that crackle and pop. Unfortunately, one glaring issue saps my enjoyment every time I listen, and its name is ‘bloat.’ Fifteen-minute “Wraths Object the Big Fall” is the biggest offender, and each time the song comes on, I find myself checking whether the music accidentally stopped, as it takes twenty seconds or so for any music to be heard. From there, Solace dithers for over six minutes before starting the song in earnest. I can’t for the life of me explain this build in a way that justifies the time, but after a handful of listens, I eventually began fast-forwarding the track to start at 6:43 or skipped it altogether. The rest of the song is solid, though still overlong, and similar issues creep into Fading Failing Ruin’s other compositions. Ultimately, Solace delivers under an hour of extremely strong riffs and music, yet in its current form, the album’s length extends past the quality of the product they peddle.

Still, Solace cultivates an engaging listen for the majority of Fading Failing Ruin, and thirty years in, they still have plenty of gas in the tank. Despite my complaint about bloat, I recommend giving Fading Failing Ruin a spin, whether you’re a fan of the genre or not. Big riffs and impassioned clean singing may sound like basic building blocks, but when they’re done this well, they stand out. So if your world goes to shit and life seems like a Fading Failing Ruin, go look for Solace.

---

Rating: Good
DR: 7 | Format Reviewed: 320 kbps mp3
Label: Magnetic Eye Records
Websites: Bandcamp | Facebook
Releases Worldwide: July 3rd, 2026

The post Solace – Fading Failing Ruin Review appeared first on Angry Metal Guy.

The new record arrives August 28 via Spinefarm Records

Source

When speaking about the history of Hungarian black metal, names such as Tormentor and Sear Bliss inevitably come to mind — but Witchcraft must also be part of that list. Formed in Budapest in 1996, the band has long secured its place among the pioneers of the Hungarian underground. Now, Witchcraft returns to celebrate its […]

Source

Recommended for fans of: Moonspell, Anathema, Tiamat I always try my best to ensure that each edition of The Synn Report is different from the last, in the sense that I never want to have too many Black Metal, or Death Metal, etc, entries in a row. For example, so far this year we’ve had some […]

The post THE SYNN REPORT (PART 196): TODOMAL appeared first on NO CLEAN SINGING.

BraveWords Records is honored to release Greg Fraser’s instrumental guitar version of ‘O Canada‘. The single can be streamed and purchased on Bandcamp or listened to on YouTube. Greg Fraser is a founding member of Storm Force who are releasing their second album ‘Truth‘, on August 14th via BraveWords Records. Pre-order ‘Truth‘ – here Join […]

The post Storm Force’s Greg Fraser Releases A Guitar Instrumental Of ‘O Canada’ appeared first on ROCKPOSER DOT COM.

Alongside performances with Megadeth, Sound and Fury, and a New York show with Acid Bath and Thou

Source

Progressive trio Stick Men will release its first new studio album in more than 10 years when Let’s Thrak Again arrives on September 4. The record serves as a tribute to King Crimson‘s 1995 album Thrak, with the project receiving the approval of Robert Fripp.

To introduce the album, the band has shared “Swimming In Tea”, the only track on the record featuring vocals. Markus Reuter handles lead vocals before the song shifts into one of Tony Levin‘s trademark Chapman Stick performances.

Rather than presenting a single version of the album, Stick Men has created two separate editions. Reel One was mixed by Stefano Castagna, while Reel Two was handled by Fabio Trentini. Each mix features its own sequencing and sonic character, giving listeners two different interpretations of the same material.

The band explained its approach: “‘Let’s Thrak Again’ is 60 minutes of pure, kinetic energy. We didn’t just write 12 new compositions; we designed an entirely new sonic vocabulary for them.”

The trio also discussed the decision to release two distinct versions of the album.

“Our audience listens deeply. They don’t just want to hear the notes; they want to understand the architecture of the sound. By having Stefano and Fabio approach the exact same music with completely different visions, we are handing the listener the ultimate audiophile puzzle. It’s a roll of the dice, a sonic triptych, and a tribute to the heavy, mechanical impact of the original Thrak era.”

Pre-orders for Let’s Thrak Again are available now through Bandcamp. The 26-track release will be offered on vinyl, CD and digital formats. The album artwork was created by Ritxi Ostariz.

The lineup brings together three musicians with decades of experience in progressive and rock music. Tony Levin, known for his work with Peter Gabriel, John Lennon, Pink Floyd and King Crimson, performs on his signature Chapman Stick, a 12-string tapping instrument that allows him to combine bass lines and melodic passages at the same time.

Alongside him is longtime King Crimson bandmate Pat Mastelotto, whose hybrid drum setup blends traditional percussion with electronic elements, loops and samples to create the band’s rhythmic foundation.

Rounding out the trio is composer and multi-instrumentalist Markus Reuter, who performs on his custom-built eight-string Touch Guitar. Using a similar two-handed tapping technique, Reuter moves between atmospheric textures, layered chords and lead work, helping the three musicians create a sound that reaches far beyond what is typically expected from a trio.

The post STICK MEN Returns With First New Album In More Than A Decade Paying Tribute To King Crimson’s “Thrak” appeared first on Sonic Perspectives.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
THY ANTICHRIST ANNOUNCE NEW SINGLE “SCORPIO” ARRIVING JULY 3, 2026. PRE-SAVE NOW!
International black metal force Thy Antichrist will unleash their brand new single, “SCORPIO,” on July 3, 2026 , across all major streaming platforms.
Forged in the spirit of black metal and ancient mysticism, “SCORPIO” is a journey through venom, darkness, power, and rebirth, showcasing the band’s signature blend of crushing riffs and occult atmosphere.
Fans can pre-save the new single now:
https://ffm.to/nv3a9y7
The band’s international “SCORPIO” cover art contest has officially concluded, with a winning design selected from submissions by talented artists around the world. The official single artwork, featured with this announcement, celebrates the creativity of the global Thy Antichrist community and marks the beginning of an exciting new chapter for the band.
The momentum continues as Thy Antichrist prepares for their first-ever South American headlining tour, including a stop in São Paulo, Brazil, bringing their powerful live performance to fans across the continent.
Mark your calendars for July 3 and prepare for the sting.
Cuernos Arriba!

 Connect:
https://thyantichrist.bandzoogle.com/home#bio
https://www.facebook.com/THYANTICHRIST
Contact: thyantichrist@gmail.com

Often performing dressed as a helmeted police officer, he also co-wrote the group’s biggest hits, including “Y.M.C.A.” and “Macho Man.”

All human life is here in Donington Park, gathered in their masses to worship at the temple of high-volume amps in this, the epicentre of Metal festivals for the past forty-six years. It is heartening to walk around a sea of people and witness countless thousands smiling as they forget their day jobs and the world outside just to lose themselves for a few days as Download 2026 rumbles onwards, an unstoppable titan.

Download XXIII – Friday, 12 June 2026

Words: Paul Monkhouse

Photography: Matt Pratt

Whilst things may have changed a little at the head of the event, what does not alter is the bewildering amount of bands spread over four main arena stages and the opportunity to tick off bucket list acts as well as finding a new favourite.

From people who were probably at the very first Monsters of Rock festival to the young children held on shoulders and with ear protection as they throw the horns skywards, this was a multi-generational event that proved again that UK metal has found its home in this little part of Derbyshire.
 
It was certainly a year of contrasts as veteran acts rubbed shoulders with the young pretenders and the term ‘rock’ was at times stretched to breaking point with the addition of acts like Scooter and Five to the bill.

Fortunately, there were more than enough bands with heft to outweigh the off-kilter choices, and with headliners Limp Bizkit, Guns N’ Roses and Linkin Park, there was more than enough spectacle for even the most demanding.

With a shower on Thursday, the site was nicely drying out by Friday, and with a capacity crowd in attendance, moving around the site through knee-deep mud was not an issue, with sunburn and dust being more of a problem to most.
 
Kicking off things on the Apex stage, Scene Queen warned her family, present at the side of the stage, that the set was going to be her most offensive and certainly her self-dubbed ‘Bimbocore’ was a joyously filthy riot of no-punches pulled songs about all aspects of the human experience, all wrapped up in punk pop glitter.

Equally feral, Slay Squad dominated Dogtooth with their ferocious blend of street-smart rap and rock, their gloriously righteous anger a jolt of electricity to the senses that even their exhortation of “this is our first time in London” could not derail.

Back on the main stage, the very welcome return of P.O.D. saw the San Diago Nu-Metal princes bring their own fire to proceedings, anthems like Voice Of The Nation and Alive sounding as fresh and relevant as they ever have.
 
James And The Cold Gun brought an old-school hard rock flavour to things, their set full of big riffs and the sort of feel that would not have felt out of place at the original Monsters of Rock festival back in the ’80s.

Bringing sunshine vibes across the site, Hollywood Undead effortlessly switched between heavy hitters like opener Undead through to the bright acoustic led Bullet before Pendulum bring bouncing anthems like Propane Nightmares and Archangel to get the masses moving.

Incendiary sets by Drain and Lake Malice tore things up before Periphery and Electric Callboy brought their own madness to the day, the German electronicore particularly well received with their manic neon-covered beats and party vibes setting them out as certain future headliners.

More serious but just as impressive, Daughtry shone, the main man himself possessing a very fine set of pipes and whilst it was a bit of a disappointment that Lzzy Hale did not join the band for their take of Journey’s Separate Ways (Worlds Apart).

The rest of the set contained infectious numbers like Pieces and The Day I Die that more than made up for that.

Elsewhere, Cyprus Hill’s incendiary hip-hop, Band-Maid’s Heavy Metal thrills and Feeder’s Brit rock hits all got already sweating audiences up to boiling point, but it was Halestorm’s well-earned headline set on the Opus stage that drew a massive crowd.

In Lzzy, they have one of the greatest voices of a generation, and material like I Miss The Misery, Love Bites (So Do I) and Back From The Dead shows they have the songs too, with a cheeky little cover of Lady Gaga’s Bad Romance thrown into the mix.

Celebratory and triumphant, it was the perfect way to get everyone ready for a bittersweet set by Limp Bizkit, the field in front of the Apex stage a thickly carpeted sea of grinning people.

With the recent loss of bass player Sam Rivers heavy on their minds, this was a tribute to the brand he built and saw the band on ferocious form, Fred Durst leading the singalong as every lyric was projected on the huge screen at the back of the stage.

With Wes Borland’s extraordinary outfit and a set made up of giant cassette boxes, My Generation, Hot Dog and Nookie all were received with unhinged fervour but things really kicked off when Rollin’ tore into its chorus.

Covers of Faith and Behind Blue Eyes brought some different flavours and despite having to stop when there was an incident in the crowd, the band swept back and topped everything off with a furious and potent Break Stuff.

With the option of catching the mighty Cavellera or to head into the Village to finish the night, there was no doubt that Friday was going to be hard to beat.

The post Download 2026 Friday / Donington’s Temple Of Metal Comes Alive first appeared on MetalTalk – Heavy Metal News, Reviews and Interviews.