Category: news

  • Listening Now : Snowcuffs – Sunless

    Snowcuffs’ Sunless shimmers with a deceptive brightness, wrapping restless guitars and playful rhythms around a core that feels quietly unsettled. The track moves with a light, almost buoyant energy, yet beneath the surface there is a subtle tension that never fully resolves. Vocals drift through the haze with a soft urgency, blurring emotion into texture as much as narrative. It is this contrast that gives Sunless its charm, a warm glow flickering at the edge of something fragile.

    A dreamy, off-kilter indie gem where sweetness and unease coexist in perfect imbalance.

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  • Rachel Bolan Announces Debut Solo Album Gargoyle Of The Garden State and Drops First Single “At War With Myself” – @thebeast

    Rachel Bolan Announces Debut Solo Album Gargoyle Of The Garden State and Drops First Single “At War With Myself”

    Fans of Skid Row finally get something a little different from longtime bassist Rachel Bolan, who’s stepping out front with his first-ever solo album, Gargoyle Of The Garden State. The record lands June 12 via earMUSIC, and if the early details are anything to go by, this isn’t just a side project. It’s a full-on statement.
    A Personal Record Rooted in New Jersey Grit

    Bolan describes the album as deeply personal, shaped by his upbringing in New Jersey and decades in the trenches of rock and metal. This isn’t just another name slapped on a release. It’s his identity poured into vinyl, CD, and digital formats.
    Produced by Nick Raskulinecz, the same guy behind Skid Row’s The Gang’s All Here, the album carries a polished but gritty edge. Bolan reportedly handled most of the instruments himself, stepping into a frontman role with confidence and a bit of swagger that longtime fans might not expect.
    Star-Studded Guest Lineup

    Even though this is a solo effort, Bolan didn’t exactly go it alone. The album features a stacked lineup of contributors, including:
    Dave Sabo and Scotti Hill on guitar
    Rob Hammersmith on drums
    Corey Taylor bringing his unmistakable vocals
    Nuno Bettencourt delivering a signature solo
    Danko Jones featured on the lead single
    Steve Conte and Damon Johnson adding even more firepower
    That’s not a guest list. That’s a backstage party that somehow made it onto tape.
    “At War With Myself” Sets the Tone

    The first single, At War With Myself, features Danko Jones and gives fans a taste of what’s coming. Expect hook-driven songwriting, punk attitude, and a melodic backbone that leans more into rock than straight metal.
    Bolan himself has made it clear. This does not sound like Skid Row. And honestly, that’s probably the whole point.
    A Blend of Influences with a Classic Twist

    Musically, Gargoyle Of The Garden State pulls from everywhere. Punk, glam, Britpop, and even a bit of new wave creep into the mix. One of the more interesting moments is a reworked version of Rock and Roll Star by Oasis, flipped into something entirely different while keeping its core intact.
    It’s the kind of move that shows confidence. You don’t mess with a classic unless you’ve got a vision.
    Creative Freedom Outside the Band Machine

    One thing Bolan emphasized in interviews is how different this process was compared to working within Skid Row. No committee decisions, no waiting around for approvals. Just him, the producer, and the songs moving fast and staying raw.
    That kind of freedom tends to bring out the real stuff. Sometimes messy, sometimes brilliant, but always honest.
    Where Skid Row Stands Now

    While Bolan explores new territory, Skid Row is still in a state of transition. The band is currently searching for a new frontman following the departure of Erik Grönwall in 2024.
    It’s been a long road since the days of Sebastian Bach, and if history has proven anything, it’s that Skid Row doesn’t stay down for long.
    Final Thoughts

    Look, solo records from band members can go either way. Sometimes they’re forgettable. Sometimes they surprise the hell out of you. This one feels like it might land in the second category.
    Between the stacked guest list, the stylistic curveballs, and Bolan finally taking center stage, Gargoyle Of The Garden State has all the ingredients to turn some heads.
    And let’s be real. After decades holding down the low end, the guy’s earned the right to do whatever the hell he wants.
  • Listening Now : YuMe – Shelter

    YuMe’s Shelter unfolds with a quiet, almost fragile beauty, guided by a minimalist piano approach that values space as much as sound. Each note is placed with care, allowed to linger and dissolve into soft silence, creating a gentle, flowing continuity. There is a calming, introspective quality throughout, as if the piece exists to slow everything down and soften the edges of the moment. Nothing feels forced or overstated.

    Shelter becomes exactly what its title suggests, a small, intimate refuge where stillness and subtle emotion quietly take shape.

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  • Listening Now : Tramaine Long – Father

    Tramaine Long’s Father flows with a gentle, reassuring warmth, blending smooth R&B textures with a deeply rooted spiritual core. His vocals carry both vulnerability and conviction, turning personal testimony into something universally resonant. The production remains understated yet polished, allowing the message to take center stage while subtle grooves keep the track grounded and accessible. There is a quiet strength in its delivery, a sense of healing that unfolds naturally rather than forcefully.

    Father feels like both a reflection and an embrace, offering comfort, clarity, and a soft but steady sense of uplift.

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  • Listening Now : Yimes – Evening Creek

    Yimes’ Evening Creek unfolds with a quiet grandeur, a cinematic post rock piece that breathes rather than speaks. Warm guitar swells and drifting piano lines move in slow currents, gradually revealing a landscape shaped by patience and emotional depth. Subtle details, including the delicate touch of Wilco’s Pat Sansone, add a human warmth to its expansive core. The track builds without urgency, reaching a gentle yet powerful release that feels earned rather than imposed.

    Evening Creek exists somewhere between memory and horizon, a reflective, slow-burning journey that lingers long after it fades.

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  • Listening Now : Sphirus – Abyssal Drift

    Sphirus’ Abyssal Drift unfolds like a slow descent into the unknown, guided by hypnotic rhythms and a carefully sculpted sense of depth. Layers of atmospheric textures emerge and recede with quiet precision, creating a fluid motion that feels both weightless and heavy. The track balances tension and calm with subtle control, never rushing, always evolving. There is a haunting stillness at its core, as if suspended in a vast, endless space.

    Abyssal Drift does not demand attention, it gradually absorbs it, pulling the listener deeper into its immersive, shadow-lit world.

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  • Listening Now : MNTN GOAT – The Witch

    MNTN GOAT’s The Witch crawls out of the shadows with a thick, swampy presence, where fuzz-drenched riffs coil around a hypnotic, ritualistic groove. The track feels less like a song and more like an invocation, driven by raw, unfiltered energy and a sense of looming tension. Guitars snarl and smolder while the rhythm section locks into a slow-burning pulse that refuses to break. There is something primal at its core, equal parts menace and seduction.

    The Witch thrives in its own darkness, pulling listeners into a hazy, nocturnal trance that lingers long after the final note.

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  • Listening Now : Tommy Douglas Keenan – Rockinghorse

    Tommy Douglas Keenan’s Rockinghorse feels like a faded myth replaying in slow motion, a mock cowboy epic where illusion and self-perception quietly blur. Ghostly vocals hover above spacious, drifting guitars, creating a sense of distance that is both cinematic and deeply personal. There is a playful irony embedded in its core, yet it never undercuts the emotional weight beneath. The track sways between sincerity and subtle satire, like a lone figure romanticizing their own reflection.

    Rockinghorse lingers as a hazy, offbeat tale where nostalgia, humor, and quiet melancholy coexist.

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  • SYLOSIS Unveil Live Version Of ‘All Glory, No Valour’

    Last month, Sylosis released their career-defining record The New Flesh. The album is a towering testament to destructive riffing, incisive melody and refined brute force. The band’s seventh full-length offering is a powerful showcase for the state of Sylosis in 2026: lethal, uncompromising, and avowedly metal as all hell. Now they have released the live […]