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Degreed – Curtain Calls (Album Review)

My love for Swedish melodic rockers Degreed should be well established by now. Such is their consistency across 7 previous studio albums, there was never any doubt they would deliver again on ‘Curtain Calls’, their 8th all-new full album. This album is packed with another 10 cracking tracks in their usual modern meets classic meets Swedish melodic hard rock sound. Opening with a flurry with ‘One Helluva Ride’ and ‘Holding On To Yesterday’, the band then slide into one of their very best pure melodic bliss anthems ‘Believe’. It really should be on radio everywhere. For the rest of the album it is the band’s usual mix of swirling keyboards meshed with big guitars and a pulsating rhythms driving some classic melodic rock and slightly heavier moments. After all these years the lads aren’t beyond throwing in a couple of curve balls. The haunting and largely acoustic driven ‘The Rambler’ is just brilliant. As is the lush AOR of ‘Matter Of The Heart’. Degreed are one of melodic rock’s finest portrayers of Swedish melody and while I might rate a few of the earlier albums slightly above this; there really isn’t much in it. Just another great Degreed album.

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April 1, 2026

Listening Now : SOFT NO – Oxford Street

Oxford Street by SOFT NO hits with a restless, emotional urgency that feels both immediate and deeply reflective. The track balances jagged guitars and driving rhythm with a melodic core that keeps everything grounded, creating that push and pull between chaos and clarity. There is a raw, lived in feeling to the vocals, carrying a sense of memory and loss without losing momentum. The energy never dips, it just shifts shape, blending intensity with atmosphere in a way that feels natural.

It is cathartic, vibrant, and quietly haunting beneath its forward motion.

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April 1, 2026

Listening Now : running empty – frost

frost by running empty proves that even 59 seconds can be more than enough when the mood is this precise. It captures a fleeting, wintry feeling with minimal strokes, letting soft, fragile textures speak without overextending the idea. There is a quiet intimacy in its brevity, like a passing thought you almost miss but keep replaying. Nothing feels rushed or incomplete, instead it lands exactly where it needs to.

A short, delicate piece that leaves a lasting imprint, showing that sometimes less truly carries more weight.

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April 1, 2026

Listening Now : Lumirex – Evening Star

Evening Star by Lumirex unfolds with a quiet gravity, pulling you into its orbit through slow, deliberate motion. The subtle piano feels distant and fragile, flickering against a backdrop of dense, evolving textures that steadily build tension without ever fully breaking. There is a controlled emotional weight here, anchored by a deep low end that hums beneath everything like a constant presence. It does not rush or demand attention, it draws you in gradually, almost subconsciously.

A shadowy, immersive piece that lingers in the air, balancing restraint with a quiet, cinematic intensity.

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April 1, 2026

Listening Now : Half-Ass Astronaut – Wobbly Gobbly

Wobbly Gobbly by Half-Ass Astronaut taps into that playful, off kilter spirit of early IDM, where melody and oddity coexist in a strangely satisfying balance. The track leans into its quirks, letting warped synth lines and jittery rhythms bounce around with a sense of curiosity rather than control. There is a nostalgic undercurrent, but it never feels stuck in the past, instead reshaping those classic influences into something more fluid and approachable. It feels unpredictable yet oddly structured, like chaos with a loose blueprint.

A charming, slightly mischievous piece that keeps your attention through its constant shifts.

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April 1, 2026

BREAKING: Pentagon Confirms Kid Rock Flyby Was Phase One Of A Classified Operation

WASHINGTON, D.C. — In what officials are now calling “a completely normal and definitely not embarrassing misunderstanding,” the U.S. Army has confirmed that last weekend’s mysterious helicopter hover over Kid Rock’s Nashville mansion was not a routine training exercise. According to sources, the two AH-64 Apache helicopters seen circling th… Read More/Discuss on Metal Underground.com

April 1, 2026

Listening Now : Drifting in Silence – Moving Forward Into

Moving Forward Into by Drifting in Silence feels like a slow exhale, unfolding in gentle waves that never rush their destination. The piece drifts between ambient stillness and subtle motion, with soft textures gradually opening up like light through a fogged window. There is a quiet sense of progression, not dramatic, but deeply felt, as if each layer nudges you forward without resistance. It carries a reflective calm that borders on meditative, allowing space for thought to wander freely.

A serene, immersive composition that finds beauty in patience and understated movement.

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April 1, 2026

Listening Now : 09XXI – Grief

Grief by 09XXI cuts deep, not just in theme but in delivery, carrying a weight that feels lived rather than performed. There is an unfiltered honesty in the way he navigates loss, family tension, and emotional scars, letting each line breathe with intention. The production stays restrained, almost minimal at times, allowing the focus to remain on his words and the heaviness they carry. It is not an easy listen, nor is it meant to be. Instead, it unfolds like a personal confrontation, raw, introspective, and quietly powerful in the way it processes pain without offering easy resolution.