Here we go again! Let’s dive in. I am pleased to be revealing the rankings for the best EPs, the best music videos, the best sessions, and… the best album artwork. Tomorrow, I will unveil Still in Rock’s Top 40 albums, followed on Wednesday by the 100 best songs. Cheers!
Rising rock juggernaut SATURNS DOWNFALL launches into an entirely new stratosphere with the release of their electrifying new single, “Chasing Gravity,” a high-voltage collision of intensity, atmosphere, and raw alt-metal power. The track marks the beginning of a bold new chapter for the band as they sharpen their sonic identity and push their artistic boundaries further than ever before.
With “Chasing Gravity,”SATURNS DOWNFALL fuses soaring vocals, relentless grooves, and cosmic-scale production into a song that feels both weightless and crushing at the same time. The result: an undeniable anthem built for massive stages, late-night drives, and fans who crave music that hits on every emotional frequency.
About “Chasing Gravity”
Brady Hearn – “Chasing Gravity’ came from one of the most honest places we’ve ever written from. Every beat and every lyric carries the weight of what we’ve lived through. It’s raw, it’s emotional, and it represents exactly who we are at our core.”
Colby Bennett – “The song is a look inside addiction’s grip — the highs, the lows, and the fight to rise above the force that keeps pulling you back down.”
When the clock strikes twelve, the world changes — and so does the sound of modern rock. Rising rock force Illusions of Grandeur steps into the shadows with their explosive new single, “Midnight”, a cinematic, pulse-pounding anthem that blurs the line between reality, illusion, and revelation.
Fueled by towering guitars, a thunderous rhythm section, and vocals that rise from a whisper to a storm, “Midnight” captures the moment where fear and freedom collide. It is a song about reckoning — with your past, your demons, your dreams — and the dangerous power that comes alive when nothing is left to hide.
Released in 2023, “Midnight” is getting new life with an official release.
There’s a particular kind of trust that sits quietly in the background at heavy shows. Fans trust bands to deliver. Bands trust crews to keep the machine moving. And photographers, often working in cramped pits with strict rules and tighter time windows, trust that the work they create won’t end up somewhere it shouldn’t.
That’s why the allegations aimed at Sleep Token this week are landing with extra weight in the metal and hard rock world, where merch is more than just clothing and becomes identity, community, and a major revenue stream.
Photographer Laura Ioana V says she discovered that a live image she captured of Vessel was altered and used on official, commemorative merchandise sold at Sleep Token’s November 10, 2024, show in Frankfurt, Germany, without her permission. She states the original photo was taken earlier, during Sleep Token’s June 15, 2023, performance at Copenhell festival in Copenhagen, while she was working on an editorial assignment for a magazine.
If you’ve ever shot a festival set, you know how much labour is packed into a handful of songs: the sprint to find an angle, the battle against lighting, the split-second timing, the long edit after the gig. That effort is exactly why licensing matters. Whether the final image ends up in a magazine, a press cycle, or a poster run, the permission and terms are the whole point.
Laura Ioana V put the situation into plain language in her Instagram post: “This year I found out the photo I took in 2023 at @copenhell festival (on an editorial assignment for a magazine) was used for merch in 2024, without my permission. I have not signed any contract granting anyone the licensing rights to these photos.”
For readers who don’t live in the photo world: that one sentence is the hinge. Editorial access and assignments don’t automatically translate into “free for anything.” Official merchandise is a commercial use, and commercial use is where licensing, contracts, and payment aren’t optional niceties. They’re the baseline.
What pushes this from “messy misunderstanding” into “scene-wide conversation” is the communication gap Laura Ioana V describes. She says she tried repeatedly to reach the band and its representatives, without success: “I have sent emails myself and sent a lot of DMs on socials as well, but I haven’t been successful in establishing a communication line with the band directly.”
That line will resonate with plenty of creatives, not because it’s dramatic, but because it’s familiar. When you’re a photographer (or designer, or videographer) without a big agency behind you, a closed door can stay closed for a long time. The power imbalance is real, and the silence can feel like part of the strategy, even when it’s just bureaucracy or mismanaged inboxes.
There’s also a practical reality here: official merch can involve multiple layers: management, merch companies, designers, printers, tour staff. Any of which could be handling assets. Sometimes that complexity becomes a shield, intentional or not. If accountability is spread everywhere, it can feel like it’s located nowhere.
Still, if the claim is accurate, the “how did this happen?” question doesn’t erase the “why wasn’t it cleared?” question. In a genre that prides itself on authenticity, it’s not a great look when the people documenting the culture feel ignored.
The most pointed part of Laura Ioana V’s post isn’t even about Sleep Token specifically: it’s about what it feels like to be the person on the other end of the machine. She says a settlement was proposed by someone involved with the merchandise, and she felt the offer wasn’t fair. She also claims she was labelled “aggressive” for pushing back.
Her words: “As a small creator, it is a bit disheartening when you do something with passion, and it gets stolen for profit and dismissed like this… it seems to not be an isolated case.”
That’s a heavy accusation: not just “this happened,” but “this has happened before.” And whether or not it ultimately proves true, it speaks to a bigger tension in music: the people who help build the visual mythology of a band often have the least leverage when that mythology becomes monetised.
After asking followers to share her post in hopes of reaching the right people, Laura Ioana V later added an update saying Future History Management — Sleep Token’s management company — had been in touch: “Management finally got in contact so let’s see what solution they will have to this.”
As of the information provided here, there hasn’t been a public statement from Sleep Token or their representatives addressing the specific allegation.
Because if metal is a community, then the people capturing its most iconic moments shouldn’t have to go public just to be heard.
Heavy music has plenty of bands that can write a riff you’ll hum for days. Prog has plenty of bands that can twist time until it resembles a math problem. The rare ones are the groups that can do both at once, and still hit you in the chest. Tool has lived in that overlap for decades, building songs that feel physical first, and only later reveal how much weird architecture is holding the ceiling up.
That balancing act is exactly why Justin Chancellor matters so much to the machine. When the guitars are jagged, and the drums are doing their own gravitational math, the bass can’t just “follow.” It has to steer. And while the band’s public image tends to orbit around mystique and intensity, Chancellor’s comments read more like someone who’s still trying to earn his spot in the room every night.
“There’s a vulnerability to our music that attracts people,” Chancellor told Bass Player. “Maynard is up there with the greatest vocalists, I think Danny will go down as one of the best rock drummers of all time, and Adam and I have our own styles. We’re not the greatest, but we try really hard, and there’s an honesty that comes through. People can hear that and relate to it on a deeper level.”
That idea of vulnerability as a hook lands differently when you’re talking about a band that can sound like an industrial press smashing through a cathedral. But it tracks. Tool doesn’t just flex. They leave space for discomfort, tension, and that uneasy “what did I just hear?” feeling that keeps you replaying a section until it clicks.
Plenty of players with Chancellor’s influence could easily drift into self-mythology. His tone, his control of odd meters, his ability to make a bass part feel like a lead instrument without turning the song into a solo contest: those things have shaped modern heavy rock bass more than a lot of people want to admit.
And still, he frames it like work that could fall apart if he gets too comfortable: “I still feel like I’m trying hard to be in a good band, I really do. And I think that’s a healthy approach. If you start to believe the hype about yourself, then you start to lose the bigger picture, and your focus is in the wrong place. You get to enjoy that kind of gratitude when you play your live show, so you don’t need to spend the rest of your time thinking about it.”
For a metal/hard rock audience, that’s the kind of mindset that usually shows up in the tightness of the performance. You can hear when a band is coasting. Tool doesn’t sound like they’re coasting; even when they’re repeating a motif, it’s more like a pressure test. The bass, especially, often feels like it’s pulling the song forward by the collar.
A lot of fans talk about Tool like the songs arrive fully formed from a dark, sacred place. Chancellor makes it sound more human than that, ideas showing up while living a regular life, then getting reshaped through rhythm and feel.
“A lot of times, a riff will come to me when I’m walking my dogs or driving around, and when I go to count it out, it’s usually in an odd meter, but you can make anything straight time when you put four beats behind it. That’s something we take full advantage of in our music. And we’ll even overlap time signatures, or take an odd meter and straighten it out within a riff.”
And he’s also quick to point out the not-so-secret weapon: a drummer who can turn almost anything into something that breathes.
“But then again, I have the advantage of Danny being our drummer, so I can play anything, and he latches right on and makes it better. I can bring him something in 7, and he’ll be right on it. Even if something sounds a little uncomfortable, Danny finds a way to groove through it and make it come alive.”
If you’ve watched Tool live, or even just listened closely, you know what he means. The grooves aren’t “busy” for the sake of being clever. They’re elastic. The drum part doesn’t just support the riff; it interrogates it, then makes it swing anyway.
For a band with a cult reputation, the behind-the-scenes method sounds almost mundane: capture ideas quickly, keep them simple, and let the room decide what survives.
“We have a whole treasure chest of ideas on our phones that we record on our own. Basically, Adam and I have riffs and Danny has rhythms or different time-signature beats, and we try to keep them basic before bringing them in to see what the other members will do with them.
“My role is to marry things together – that’s the duty of bass guitar in general, as the glue in the lower register. It’s something you feel that merges the kick and the guitar strings and the voice. It has melody, but it’s deep down there, so it can support everything.”
Good Day Noir Family,
Ben Aubergine’s “The Man’s Always Getting Me Down” arrives with a relaxed confidence that feels earned rather than forced.
The Man’s Always Getting Me Down is Ben Aubergine’s Single Out Now
An open guitar arpeggio sets the stage, and the track immediately leans into a warm blend of rock and Americana.
However, this is not nostalgia for its own sake. Instead, the song frames familiar textures through a modern lens, which keeps everything grounded in the present.
Soon after, the rhythm section locks in with a steady, human pulse. The song feels like a late-night drive rather than a polished studio exercise. The chord progression moves with intention, shifting just enough to hold attention without distracting from the narrative. Moreover, the production allows space to breathe, so every instrument speaks clearly without crowding the mix.
Vocally, Aubergine delivers with a calm assurance that draws you closer. His tone feels lived-in and sincere, which strengthens the emotional weight of the lyrics. Rather than overplaying the sentiment, he lets phrasing and timing do the work. The story lands naturally, echoing themes of quiet frustration and everyday resilience. While the subject matter carries a reflective edge, the song never sinks into heaviness. Instead, it strikes a balance between introspection and momentum.
The chorus opens slightly wider, adding a subtle psychedelic touch that lifts the track without breaking its core identity. At this point, the song invites the listener to drift for a moment, before gently pulling them back into the groove. Meanwhile, the guitar work remains tasteful throughout. The brief solo in the bridge stands out for its restraint, offering a pause that feels thoughtful rather than showy.
The interplay between acoustic textures and electric accents gives the track a timeless quality. It recalls classic songwriting traditions, yet it avoids sounding dated.
“The Man’s Always Getting Me Down” succeeds because it trusts simplicity. It doesn’t chase trends, nor does it rely on excess. Instead, it leans on craft, clarity, and emotional honesty.
The Man’s Always Getting Me Down is Ben Aubergine‘s Single Out Now!
Direct and Real!
The Man’s Always Getting Me Down is Ben Aubergine’s Single Out Now
Ben Aubergine is a singer and multi-instrumentalist who writes, arranges, records, and mixes his own original music. In his teens and twenties, he pursued expression through instinct-driven songwriting shaped by emotion and exploration. As life evolved, he became a physician, a husband, and a father, and his focus shifted toward responsibility, growth, and stability.
Throughout those years, music remained a constant creative anchor. He continued to play, refine his craft, and learn, even while following a different professional path. Now, decades later, Ben Aubergine is returning to where the journey began. New material is taking shape, while he completes, records, and releases his earliest songs in their final form—each shared as it reaches completion, and each marking the path forward.
Good Day Noir Family,
EyBand’s Book hits with a sense of urgency that feels unfiltered.
Book is EyBand’s Single Out Now
An organ introduces the track with a tone that hints at ritual and release, and yet the moment the band locks in, that solemn opening flips into something confrontational.
Immediately, the song surges forward with a punk heartbeat that refuses to be subtle. Instead, it chooses speed, friction, and intent.
Moreover, the chorus-like vocal layers arrive with a near-anthemic force. They don’t aim for polish; rather, they sound like voices raised together in defiance. Because of that, the track carries a feeling of collective momentum, almost like a chant shouted in a packed room. The guitar riff drives the message home with blunt efficiency, while the rhythm section keeps everything charging ahead without hesitation.
Lyrically, Book leans into provocation. The words land fast and sharp, mirroring the punk tradition of saying exactly what needs to be said. However, beneath the aggression, there’s a reflective layer. The track questions obedience, inherited beliefs, and the ease with which people follow systems without pause. As a result, the song feels confrontational and personal at the same time.
Meanwhile, the vocal delivery stays direct and unapologetic. There’s no ornamentation here, and that choice works in the band’s favor. Instead of smoothing edges, EyBand highlights them. The performance feels lived-in, as if the song has been tested in rehearsal rooms and live spaces before reaching the studio. The energy translates as authentic rather than constructed.
Additionally, the production avoids modern tricks and digital gloss. That decision reinforces the track’s identity. Guitars sound loud and physical, drums strike hard, and the organ remains a distinctive thread tying everything together. Because of this approach, Book feels grounded in tradition while still speaking clearly to the present.
EyBand delivers a punk track that doesn’t ask for permission or approval. It moves quickly, speaks plainly, and leaves a mark. Most importantly, it reminds listeners that intensity and sincerity can still go hand in hand.
Book is EyBand’s Single Out Now!
Intense!
Book is EyBand’s Single Out Now
EyBand are two longtime friends from Heidelberg, Germany, making raw, DIY skate punk with no frills and no pretension. Built on fast riffs, tight hooks, and a shared love for underground punk culture, the project keeps things simple and direct.
In late 2025, they released their debut EP Eyccidental Masterpieces, entirely recorded and mixed in Andi’s bedroom—a first statement that captures their friendship, their energy, and their unapologetically homemade approach to punk.
The Supremes’ You Keep Me Hangin’ On was only a year old when Vanilla Fudge got their psychedelic hands on it for this fantastic take on the Motown hit. One of the first songs the band recorded, The Fudge’s 1967 cover You Keep Me Hanging On is the most famous example of the band’s groovy, symphonic rock interpretations of popular songs. It was originally a bouncy, proto-disco classic but the New Yorkers slow it down and stretch it out with loud/quiet dynamics, swirling Hammond organ and a hard-hitting rhythm section combining to create the feeling of a loud, powerful orchestra.
Practically recorded in one take (organist/singer Mark Stein called it the “seven and a half minutes that changed my life”), there’s a real feeling of the band inhabiting and exploring all the possibilities of the song: most notably the reworking of the original’s funky rhythm pattern into an emphatic Morse Code-like hook. And it’s extremely soulful too: the slower tempo allowing Stein to express the song’s lyrical heartbreak with a flamboyantly emotional performance. The Fudge’s use of extended structure, theatrical bombast, harmonies and Hammond would be influential on bands like Yes, Uriah Heep and Deep Purple (who in their initial phase very much styled themselves as a British Vanilla Fudge) and you can hear it all on this track. The goal of any cover is to make a song your own and Vanilla Fudge deliver a masterclass in doing just that with You Keep Me Hanging On.
On December 6th, the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum hosted a very special Songwriter Session with singer-songwriter Hardy in the museum’s CMA Theater.
Hardy who writes songs under his given name Michael Hardy Stated he felt more nervous performing on stage alone and acoustically than being on a stage with his band performing to
crowds ranging in the thousands.
Hardy told the audience about his humble beginnings in Mississippi and how it helped shape his lyrical content of his music. He spoke on how he felt when he didn’t think his songs were good enough but was proven wrong when they became country music number one hits. How working with artist Morgan Wallen started as two people writing music together to a life long friendship . Each song he played had an incredible back story and it was a privilege to be there. It was such a special occasion to Hardy that his wife, child, and his parents were in the audience to watch as well. He also told who important to his career it was to have Blake Shelton record “God’s Country” and how he will be forever grateful. It was definitely a performance worth attending.
On December 6th, the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum hosted a special Songwriter Session featuring singer-songwriter HARDY in the museum’s CMA Theater. Performing under his given name, Michael Hardy, he admitted early in the evening that standing onstage alone with just an acoustic guitar made him far more nervous than performing with his full band in front of thousands.
Throughout the session, HARDY shared stories from his humble Mississippi upbringing and how those early experiences shaped the lyrical honesty and grit that define his music. He spoke candidly about moments of doubt—times when he wasn’t sure his songs were good enough—only to watch those very songs rise to Number One on the country charts.
One of the night’s recurring themes was friendship, especially the evolution of his relationship with Morgan Wallen. What began as two young writers collaborating on songs has grown into a lifelong bond, something HARDY spoke about with genuine warmth. Each song he performed came with its own vivid backstory, offering the audience an intimate look at the experiences, emotions, and people behind the hits.
Adding to the significance of the evening, HARDY’s wife, child, and parents were all in attendance, making the performance feel even more personal. He also expressed deep gratitude for the role Blake Shelton played in elevating his career by recording “God’s Country,” a moment HARDY said he will always be thankful for.
Overall, the session was an engaging and heartfelt celebration of songwriting, storytelling, and the journey that brought HARDY from Mississippi to the center of modern country music. It was unquestionably a performance worth attending.
