Category: news

• From London to Glasgow, 12 UK Music Festivals Still Ahead in 2026

  The main summer festival season has finished, but the UK calendar is far from empty. October and November still bring multi-venue indie festivals, jazz takeovers, indoor rock weekends and some of the heaviest lineups of the year.

  Several events are spread across city venues rather than fields, which also makes late-season festivals easier to combine with a weekend away. As of October 1, 2026, these are 12 UK music festivals still ahead before the year ends.

  Festival	Location	Dates	Main Sound
  Twisterella Festival	Middlesbrough	October 3	Indie, alternative, emerging artists
  Tenement Trail	Glasgow	October 10	Indie, rock, new music
  Summer’s End Festival	Chepstow	October 15-18	Progressive rock
  Neighbourhood Festival	Manchester	October 17	Indie and alternative
  Mutations Festival	Brighton	October 23-24	Alternative, post-punk, electronic
  Pitchfork Music Festival London	London	November 2-8	Indie, electronic, hip-hop, experimental
  Hard Rock Hell	Great Yarmouth	November 4-8	Hard rock and metal
  Simple Things Festival	Bristol	November 7	Alternative, electronic, jazz, hip-hop
  Damnation Festival	Manchester	November 7-8	Metal, doom, sludge, extreme music
  EFG London Jazz Festival	London	November 13-22	Jazz, soul, world music, electronic
  Planet Rockstock	Porthcawl	November 26-29	Classic rock, hard rock, metal
  WinterStorm	Troon	November 26-28	Hard rock, AOR, heavy metal

  1. Twisterella Festival, Middlesbrough, October 3

  

  Twisterella starts the remaining autumn schedule almost immediately. The one-day festival takes over several venues in central Middlesbrough on October 3, keeping the walking distance between stages short enough to move between bands throughout the day.

  The 2026 lineup includes Walt Disco, loveshy, The Rooks, Mouth Ulcers, KEG, Bottle Rockets and a long list of newer artists. Twisterella has built much of its identity around emerging music, so it suits anyone who wants to leave with several new names rather than spend the whole day waiting for one huge headliner.

  The festival has previously hosted artists including Sam Fender, Dream Wife and Pip Blom before they moved onto larger stages. 

  Current event details and the 2026 lineup are available through the Twisterella 2026 listing.

  2. Tenement Trail, Glasgow, October 10

  

  A week later, Glasgow gets its turn. Tenement Trail returns on October 10 with performances spread across venues around the city and a lineup led by artists including Brògeal, Baby Strange, Cliffords, The Orielles and Willie J Healey.

  The appeal comes from the amount of music packed into a single day. Smaller acts share the schedule with established touring names, and moving between Glasgow venues becomes part of the festival itself.

  Tenement Trail can also turn a late-season festival weekend into a much bigger trip. 

  With other events taking place in Brighton, Manchester, Middlesbrough, Bristol, Wales and London over the following weeks, following two or three festivals is a solid excuse for a road trip across the UK. 

  Before adding hundreds of motorway miles, we advise you to deal with basic preparation such as checking tyres, fluids and taking a moment to check your car insurance is far less interesting than choosing the playlist, but considerably more useful if the journey does not go to plan. This way, you will surely have a pleasant journey.

  Of course, even carefully planned live concerts can produce unexpected moments once the bands actually hit the stage.

  3. Summer’s End Festival, Chepstow, October 15-18

   

  Summer’s End has a much narrower musical focus. The Chepstow event is dedicated to progressive rock and returns to The Drill Hall from October 15 to 18 for its 21st edition.

  Threshold, Lazuli, Comedy of Errors, EBB, Landmarq, Held By Trees and Nick Fletcher are among the names scheduled for 2026. The smaller venue changes the experience considerably compared with an arena or outdoor festival. Fans can watch full sets without spending half the weekend crossing a giant site.

  The complete dates and ticket information are available directly from the Summer’s End Festival.

  4. Neighbourhood Festival, Manchester, October 17

   

   

   

   

   

   

  View this post on Instagram

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

  A post shared by Faith in Strangers (@faithinstrangersband)

  Manchester’s Neighbourhood Festival returns on October 17 with another multi-venue day built around indie, alternative music and newer British acts.

  Red Rum Club, Florence Road, Keo, Brògeal, M60, The Kairos, Jamie McIntyre and dozens of smaller artists are included across the 2026 bill. One ticket gives festivalgoers a chance to move around several Manchester venues rather than stay in front of the same stage from lunchtime until closing.

  Neighbourhood is particularly useful for discovering acts lower down the bill. A packed schedule means there is usually another set starting nearby when one room reaches capacity or a band does not grab your attention.

  5. Mutations Festival, Brighton, October 23-24

   

   

   

   

   

   

  View this post on Instagram

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

  A post shared by MUTATIONS (@mutationsfestival)

  Brighton keeps the autumn festival run going with Mutations on October 23 and 24. Performances are spread across venues including Chalk, Green Door Store, The Hope & Ruin, Patterns and several other spaces around the city.

  Friday is led by Fat Dog, with Squid, Working Men’s Club, bdrmm, Lip Critic and other alternative acts on the bill. Saturday brings Mike D’s 5D alongside UNKLE Sounds, Murkage Dave, Panic Shack, Walt Disco, Alex Cameron and The Wave Pictures.

  The 2026 Mutations Festival runs across two days, so it works particularly well for anyone who wants a full weekend in Brighton rather than a single evening show.

  6. Pitchfork Music Festival London, November 2-8

  

  Pitchfork Music Festival London is less like a traditional fenced festival and more like a week of carefully chosen gigs spread around the capital. The 2026 edition runs from November 2 to 8 across venues including KOKO, Hackney Church, MOTH Club, Village Underground, EartH and Royal Festival Hall.

  The Avalanches, Noname, Actress, Tortoise, The Radio Dept., Hania Rani, Jacob Alon, Aja Monet and Psychedelic Porn Crumpets are among the artists appearing across the week.

  Individual shows make Pitchfork easy to approach if seven consecutive nights of music sounds excessive. Pick two or three artists, build a weekend around them and leave room for another London gig between festival dates. The 2026 festival schedule runs from Monday through Sunday.

  7. Hard Rock Hell, Great Yarmouth, November 4-8

  

  Hard Rock Hell moves the festival season indoors at Vauxhall Holiday Park in Great Yarmouth. The 2026 event runs from November 4 to 8 and leans heavily into hard rock and metal.

  SOiL, L.A. Guns, Danko Jones, Finger Eleven, Adema, Anvil, Crashdiet and Marco Mendoza are among the names associated with the 2026 bill.

  The holiday park format is part of the attraction. Accommodation, stages and the festival crowd stay concentrated in the same complex, replacing tents and muddy fields with indoor venues in November.

  8. Simple Things Festival, Bristol, November 7

   

   

   

   

   

   

  View this post on Instagram

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

  A post shared by Bristol Beacon (@bristol_beacon)

  Simple Things returns to Bristol on November 7 with one of the most varied bills left on the UK calendar.

  The Avalanches, Squid, Shabaka, Cobrah, Hannah Diamond, Moor Mother, Nathan Fake and other artists cover electronic music, post-punk, experimental pop, jazz and hip-hop across Bristol Beacon and several surrounding venues.

  Someone interested in several genres gets more from Simple Things than a tightly focused rock or metal festival. Sets change direction throughout the day, and Bristol city centre provides the connection between venues rather than a purpose-built festival site.

  9. Damnation Festival, Manchester, November 7-8

  

  Damnation sits at the opposite end of the spectrum. The two-day Manchester festival is aimed squarely at people who want metal in its heavier forms.

  Cult of Luna and Satyricon lead the weekend, with Carcass, Igorrr, Crowbar, Triptykon, HEALTH, Eyehategod, Wolves in the Throne Room and other heavy acts appearing at Bowlers Exhibition Centre.

  Damnation has built its reputation around putting established extreme metal bands beside more experimental artists. Anyone choosing between Simple Things and Damnation on November 7 probably already knows which side of that divide they fall on.

  10. EFG London Jazz Festival, November 13-22

   

  Ten days of jazz take over London from November 13 to 22 for the 2026 EFG London Jazz Festival.

  The lineup reaches far outside a narrow definition of jazz. Samara Joy, Fatoumata Diawara, Cécile McLorin Salvant, Branford Marsalis, Dianne Reeves, Melody Gardot, Goldie, Morcheeba, Ben Folds, GoGo Penguin and Kronos Quartet are among the announced performers.

  Concerts take place across numerous London venues, making the festival easy to build around individual artists rather than committing to every day. The EFG London Jazz Festival runs through two weekends, which leaves plenty of combinations for anyone travelling into the city.

  11. Planet Rockstock, Porthcawl, November 26-29

  

  Late November brings four days of rock to Trecco Bay Holiday Park in Porthcawl, South Wales. Planet Rockstock runs from November 26 to 29 and divides its lineup across two indoor stages.

  Ricky Warwick & The Fighting Hearts headline Thursday, The Temperance Movement take Friday, Magnum lead Saturday and Geoff Tate closes Sunday with a performance of Queensrÿche’s Operation: Mindcrime.

  Girlschool, Blaze Bayley, King King, John Corabi, Alcatrazz, Raven and a second stage of smaller bands fill out the weekend. Day tickets were still available at the end of September, although anyone booking later should confirm current availability before arranging accommodation. The latest Planet Rockstock 2026 update has the full daily breakdown.

  12. WinterStorm, Troon, November 26-28

  

  Scotland gets one more substantial rock weekend before December. WinterStorm runs from November 26 to 28 at Troon Concert Hall and Walker Hall in Ayrshire.

  The 2026 lineup includes Blaze Bayley, FM, Tygers of Pan Tang, Tyketto, Toseland, Mostly Autumn, John Corabi, Martin Turner, Bad Touch and Chantel McGregor.

  WinterStorm suits fans of classic hard rock, AOR and traditional heavy metal, and the indoor setup removes most of the weather gamble associated with travelling to a Scottish festival late in November.

  Anyone using the weekend to catch up on classic rock bands can also find plenty of familiar names across decades of the genre.

  The Bottom Line

  Anyone who mentally ended festival season after Reading, Leeds, Download or the August bank holiday still has plenty left in 2026.

  And for anyone already looking beyond this autumn, the Oasis 2027 tour gives UK rock fans another major run of live dates to plan around.

  October is strongest for smaller city festivals and new music, with Twisterella, Tenement Trail, Neighbourhood and Mutations packed into a few weeks. November changes direction with Pitchfork London, Simple Things and EFG London Jazz on one side, and Hard Rock Hell, Damnation, Planet Rockstock and WinterStorm covering the heavier end.

  Late-season festivals also require less commitment than a four-day summer camping trip. Many are indoors, several are spread through city venues, and single-day events make it realistic to combine the music with a weekend in Glasgow, Brighton, Manchester, Bristol or London.

  October 1, 2026

• ArcTanGent Announces First Wave of Artists

  Rock festival ArcTanGent is returning in 2027 between the 19th and 21st of August, and they’ve just announced their first wave of artists. On the main stage, post-metal band Neurosis will be heading over from Oakland, California, making a return to playing live shows. Also on the main stage, progressive death metal band Blood Incantation will be performing.
  
  UK band The Wildhearts will also be playing an exclusive progressive set for the festival, while French rock band Slift, UK-based Conjurer, German post-metal band The Ocean, Danish black-gaze band Møl, UK metal band Employed to Serve and Italian doom metal band Messa will also be performing.

  This year marks a time of change for the iconic festival as they will be moving to a new site, Todenham Manor Farm, near Moreton-in-Marsh, Gloucestershire. The new Cotswolds site will be the perfect spot for all those genres to collide.

  ArcTanGent festival and booker James Scarlett says, “There’s no better way to kickstart the new chapter of ArcTanGent, for the first year at our new location in the Cotswolds, than with two of our most requested headliners. Both bands are absolutely solid gold headliners – anyone that listens to 2 Promoters, 1 Pod will likely be sick of hearing me wax lyrical about the new Neurosis album. To have them along with Blood Incantation – a band it’s frankly criminal they haven’t played before – is the dream way to kick off a new edition of ArcTanGent. We’re also unleashing the vast majority of our Wednesday line-up, bringing back some of the most exciting acts from previous years. There are a lot of bands here that stood out with huge crowds in 2026, so we’re stoked that they want to return and help us kick off the early entry day of ATG 2027. As always, this announcement is simply a list of artists I’m extremely excited about from top to bottom and can’t wait to watch live at our new Cotswolds home.”

  

  Early Bird tickets are on sale now at 20% off

  Get your tickets here
  

  The post ArcTanGent Announces First Wave of Artists appeared first on Rock Sound.

  October 1, 2026

• AUGUST BURNS RED, THE GLOOM IN THE CORNER, I PROMISED THE WORLD, FALLWEATHER: The Gov, Adelaide, 29/09/2026

  Words by Belinda Quick Photos by Justin White “The time has come to turn your heart into a temple of fire. Your essence is gold hidden in dust. To reveal its splendor you need to burn in the fire of love” – Jalal al-Din Muhammad Rumi, Little Book of Life The creative and personal lives […]

  October 1, 2026

• Solve a Bob Dylan Themed Crossword Puzzle

  This puzzle, constructed by Kate Jensen, celebrates the singer’s work and career.

  October 1, 2026

• A View From The Back Of The Room: Ofnus, Domhain & Adfeilion (Matt Bladen)

  Ofnus, Domhain & Adfeilion, The Bunkhouse, Swansea, 26.09.26
  
  
  
  The third and final date of trio shows featuring Domhain and Adfeilion, it was the Swansea show that tickled my fancy the most as it also featured Ofnus as the headliner for the evening.
  
  Three bands that dwell in the atmospheric realms of the metal genre, merging extremity with ambience perfectly it was poised to be a brilliant night of music so with the Geophony, playing it was Swansea/West Wales locals Adfeilion who started the evening with their theatrical sound, which now features flute and vocalisations on top of their already dense soundscapes.
  
  We were told by the band that they would performing this particular story for the final time, so their fans gathered close to hear it’s recital between the explosions of hybrid electronic post folk metal, it’s a heady mix that drives through Rock, EDM, Metal and more, the spoken word passages taking you away to fantasy worlds inspired by Welsh folklore.
  
  For those of us who have been there since the beginning of this saga, I’ve noticed that Matt (keys/spoken word) seems to become more mad with power with every show, as if the band is the conduit for his ascent to poetic super villainy. In fact the sonic expansion of the band has been an absolute joy to watch, each set adding something new, be it the flute, the vocals, the heavy industrial and even the dance moves!
  
  What comes next I don’t know but the next story is to be revealed soon and it will once again write the next chapter of Adfeilion.
  
  Next it’s a multi-guitar, dual-vocal driven metal mix from across the water in Northern Ireland as Domhain take to The Bunkhouse stage and fill the room with emotive sound immediately, drawing from their recent debut full length album In Perfect Stillness and it’s EP predecessor Nimue, they cut an exceptional figure on stage, delivering some epic music.
  
  For these recent shows Domhain has expanded their line up with Daniel Dempster and Kacper Lewandowski, joining Nathan Irvine to create a triple guitar attack that allows them to replicate their expansive blackgaze on stage the way it is on the record, the rhythm section of Andy Ennis (bass) and Anaïs Chareyre-Méjan (drums) guiding these sprawling songs through their genre fusing as they both provide the conflicting clean/harsh vocals that work in brilliant harmony, almost giving an idea of angle and demon.
  
  I’d wanted to see Domhain since the release of their album and I was not disappointed in Swansea, the always top notch sound of the venue allowing them to deliver their complex style with ease. I hope it’s not too long before they come back over the water again.
  
  Speaking of complex, like Domhain, Cardiff’s bringers of sad Ofnus also love to play epic song, it allows their atmospheric metal to explore all possible permutations of extreme metal backed by multi-layered string sections for added emotional power. After their last two shows featured Adfeilion’s Ben deputising on guitar, Ofnus now had rhythm guitarist Alyn back in the fold.
  
  I’m sure by the second song in their set he was alwaredy regretting the head down, legs wide stance as a new dad but black metal needs that posturing in order for the tremolos to be let loose. Besides Ofnus are such a tight unit that you wouldn’t notice any issues unless you’d seen them countless times, and even then I’m not looking, as they shifted the set list around a little from Bristol Extreme Fest, but Ofnus never give a bad show in my opinion.
  
  I’ve said it before but with Brendan on vocals they seem more savage, their older material having new life breathed into it on stage, matching the intensity it has on record, however the new songs The Last Flight Of Birds and Beddgelert, still sound better each time, as I find more nuance brought by guitarist James and bassist Rich, as you also stand awestruck by Ethan’s drumming, which of course always blows the mind during Zenith Dolour.
  
  A trio of the UK’s best atmospheric acts all in one place, I definitely chose the right date on this tour, all three need to be seen, so next time they’re in your town make the effort to watch them. 10/10
  

  October 1, 2026

• 26 Fun Things to Do in N.Y.C. in October

  This month brings a major manga exhibition, birthday tributes to John Coltrane and Steve Reich and a night with Michael Douglas.

  October 1, 2026

• Amon Amarth’s Eight Legs Of Thunder is their best since Twilight Of The Thunder God

  As we wade through an era increasingly dominated by bands with only a superficial connection to heavy metal’s cherished principles, there is something hugely reassuring about the ongoing rise and rise of Amon Amarth. With proud death metal roots and an instinctive understanding of what made the genre’s greatest bands endure and prosper, the Swedes have evolved into unassailable avatars for elevated traditionalism.

  If you want thunderous bombast and songs about bloody battles and mischievous Norse gods, Amon Amarth are the ultimate contemporary source of such humble thrills. As a result, there has never been any real need for the band to reinvent themselves. Instead, they’ve simply focused on becoming bigger and better at what they do. That, in a nutshell, is what their latest album is about: heavy metal with a Viking heart, strategically designed to level arenas and festival sites the world over.

  The Allfather Awakens is instantly recognisable as another pummelling tour de force, with 10 new paeans to the age of Viking supremacy and a suitably momentous and imperious atmosphere. Polished to skull-shattering perfection by producer Jacob Hansen, the Swedes’ 13th album sounds as vast and unstoppable as a fleet of marauding longboats.

  Its grimly ornate artwork will inevitably lend itself to a new, dazzling stage show, presumably featuring more costumed miscreants whacking the merry fuck out of each other with plastic weapons. One of the few major modern bands that seem utterly impervious to passing trends, Amon Amarth’s blinkered progress continues to be an absolute joy.

  The Allfather Awakens does include one significant curveball, albeit one that belongs firmly in this band’s long-established ballpark. Upphaf is a brooding, acoustic confection, borne of moonlit campfires and mythological contemplation. But despite its lack of scything riffs and pounding drums, it fits perfectly into the musical and thematic worlds that Amon Amarth have been thoughtfully constructing over the last 34 years.

  That one minor side-step aside, Amon Amarth are not in the business of surprises and shocks. Mindful of their lofty status, they’ve simply written a set of blistering new anthems to meet the moment. From the cataclysmic fury of the opening Gjallarhorn and the Maiden-tinged gallop of Eight Legs Of Thunder, to the rabble-rousing victory squall of We Rule The Waves and the monstrous rush of might and melody that is the closing Ascending Like An Eagle, every song is alive with electrifying confidence and unwavering authority.

  The infectious hooks and raucous choruses that fans have come to expect over the years are as finely honed and forceful as they have ever been. Sword-wielding standouts include the hulking menace of Kvasir’s Blood, the uplifting muscularity of Die With A War Cry and the brutally catchy Oden’s Hunt, but The Allfather Awakens is as cohesive and coherent as any record in Amon Amarth’s illustrious canon, and the most unified body of work they have made since 2008’s Twilight Of The Thunder God. Onwards to Valhalla they row, these heavy metal warriors, as we raise our horns yet again.

  The Allfather Awakens is out now via Metal Blade. Amon Amarth tour the UK from October 9.

  October 1, 2026

• Reviews: Europe, Coldrain, Moon Destroys, Rorcal (Matt Bladen, Jordan Griffiths, Rich Piva & Mateusz Stefanow)

  Europe – Come This Madness (Silver Lining Music/Hell & Back) [Matt Bladen]
  
  Come This Madness has been a long time coming, Swedish legends Europe last released a studio album in 2017, Walk The Earth came as part of latter period purple patch the started with 2009’s Last Look At Eden. 

  
  

  That record brought a resurgence in popularity for the band which has seen them reach the heady arena heights of the 80’s.
  
  Back then you couldn’t listen to the radio without hearing their songs and while now you’ll probably just hear these tracks on Planet Rock, Europe still have a very strong following and are more importantly they are still releasing some great music that has a lot less hairspray and pomp and a lot more bluesy hard rock that comes from Led Zeppelin, Whitesake and Deep Purple, here represented by the Title Track.
  
  With album twelve it doesn’t look like this is going to change, as One On One and The Cult Of Ignorance are both big rockers, drenched in the organs of Mic Michaeli, that blues base has become more melodic, as of the Europe of today are comfortable with merging their harder edge with the melodic rock beginnings, each track having big grooves from bassist John Levén and drummer Ian Haugland.
  
  As the melodic side seems stronger on this record, showing off the always impressive vocals of Joey Tempest and killer guitar licks and solos from John Norum, while the album also showcases their legacy in the Swedish rock scene having Tobias Forge (Ghost) and Mikael Åkerfeldt (Opeth) on backing vocals for This Time Of Year and a couple of others.
  
  Produced by Tom Dalgety at RMV Studios and mixed by veteran Mike Fraser, Come This Madness sees Europe return with new music after nearly a decade and brings another set of shining rock diamonds. 8/10
  
  Coldrain – Optimise = Optdemise (Century Media Records) [Jordan Griffiths]
  
  

  This review also encompasses the fact that this is my very first time experiencing Coldrain. This album, in my opinion, is such an expressive and explosive 12-track journey that completely encompasses you and holds you there, while at the same time, some of the tracks just straight up hit you in the face with their heavy instrumentals. 

  
  

  The album itself, serves as a showcase of the sheer range that Coldrain possesses, not only as a band, but as the individuals that create the sound that builds the band itself.
  
  There are songs that pull you out of it, and soothe you, but there are the ones that PUNCH you straight in the face! They are heavy, loud and unapologetic. 

  
  

  Digitoll introduces you to this, while Free Fall delves further into the heavy nature of the album itself, and G.I.A.I.G absolutely RIPS into you. These tracks not only get your head going, but give you the surge of energy required to jump straight into the mosh pit.
  
  Alongside the heavy tracks within the Optimise = Optdemise album, there’s also a number of slower, more heavy-rock-leaning tracks, such as Incomplete, which ends in a beautiful solo guitar riff, really complimenting the vibe of the entire track. 

  
  

  Then there is Sing, coming in as the tenth track in the album, and it has a much more softer, more mellow vibe than the rest of the album, and really pulls you out of the headbanging, and in a sense helps you reflect on what you’ve already experienced.

  
  

  While preparing you for the album finisher, being Saviour, Feat. Kenta Koie of Cross Faith, which hits you once again, for a final blow of heaviness, and it finishes this album off extremely well.
  
  I personally feel that Poison and Picture Perfect Hell, while still being excellent additions into this already amazing album from Coldrain, leaves a little to be desired in comparison to the rest of the selection that you have been given. 

  
  

  However, as someone who is brand new to the world of Coldrain, I found myself thoroughly enjoying this album across the 5-6 listens of this album, and will definitely be adding it into my rotation. 8/10
  
  Moon Destroys – OMNI (Blues Funeral Recordings) [Rich Piva]
  
  The first Moon Destroys record was pretty cool. It seemed to be missing just a little something, but how can you go wrong with anything that former Torche guitarist Juan Montoya is involved in? 

  
  

  Well, the band certainly found what was missing, and so much more, with Zach Amster from the amazing Denver band Abrams, joining as lead singer and on rhythm guitar, with the results being the gigantic second record from the band, OMNI.
  
  Amster has this next level energy in his singing and playing that has taken this band to the next level. That paired with Montoya’s signature sound and some pretty great songs, OMNI is a huge step up for the band. Some of these songs just rip it up, like the opener, Invasion, and the killer Motion Sickness. 

  
  

  When the band slows it down a bit the real genius comes out. Kingdom, which you have no choice but to get serious Torche vibes from, is so great, with the chugging guitar and harmonized vocals, putting on full display some of what Amster brings to the table. The guitar effects add so much to the song as well. Killer stuff.
  
  Sowing Stars is like a fuzzy Husker Du song, showing the band’s and Zach’s ability to make a perfect two minute fuzz punk track. But don’t worry, OMNI can be chunky too, like the riff on Missing Wish, which has some AIC grungy stuff and maybe a nod to Local H’s early stuff. Speaking of fuzzy, the riff on Nocturne shakes the room, while the spacy Lost Hearts shows how the band brings atmosphere into OMNI.
  
  The closer gets me every time. It is not often that a cover is what seals the deal for me, but the band’s version of the early sixties song She Cried, inspired by the Birthday Party’s Rowland S. Howard’s version makes me want to cry every single time. 

  
  

  This is one of the saddest songs I have heard in a while, with Zach’s emotion pouring out over the drums and Montoya’s fuzzy tone, this is one of my closers of the year. Love it.
  
  So sometimes a band is missing one thing, sometimes it is big, sometimes it is just a tweak. For Moon Destroys, bringing Zach into the fold and right up front has made all the difference. I love this record, and you will too. Go get OMNI. 

  
  

  Oh, and also subscribe to the Blues Funeral PostWax series and you will have this amazing record in super cool limited vinyl to blast it throughout your neighborhood. 9/10
  
  Rorcal – Mahre (Humus Records) [Mateusz Stefanow]

  
  Watches, chocolate and banks are not the only notable exports from Switzerland, as Rorcal’s newest release MAHRE proves. Abandoning their former hardcore and drone influences in favour of crushing sludge and a descent into madness and deepening oppression under the weight of dread and darkness with each successive Movement.
  
  Movement 1 has the longest run time at 12:46 minutes, making up just over a quarter of the total album time; this track remains fresh throughout, starting as a melodic track before introducing cavernous screams and growls in the latter 3rd. The guitarwork is grinding and abrasive, like a buzzsaw straight to the skull; the drumming is rhythmic and conjures mental images of heavy boot falls.
  
  Falling deeper into Movement 2, the blackened blast beats are here to stay, and starts with soaring sweeps bringing an evangelical vibe, painting a far grander image; though this is fleeting as we are whisked into further depths.
  
  Sludgy riffs are the name of Movement 3, as the desperation mounts; alternating between crushing fast paced sections, dropping the pace to a crawl, then speeding up again gives this movement that desperation that this album embodies so well.
  
  Movement 4 is the beginning of the end, as all hell breaks loose, placing greater emphasis on the dissonance and breaking down the rhythms to double down on that crushing darkness.
  
  Greater discordance, more broken percussive rhythms and sections of silence, broken by blood-curdling screams and growls crown the peak of MAHRE in Movement 5; the final stone to shatter us, and leave our remains scattered in the oppressive, uncaring darkness.
  
  Overall, this album is a grim journey into a malicious, pounding void, held together by the almost charcoal-like cover art, preparing you for what is to come; don’t sleep on this album. 6/10

  October 1, 2026

• Drywall, Brick, or Concrete: Which Walls Sound Best in a Recording Studio?

  A recording studio needs walls that do two different jobs. They must keep outside noise from entering the room, and they must help create an interior where microphones capture controlled sound instead of harsh reflections.

  Drywall, brick, and concrete behave differently in both areas. Heavy masonry usually gives stronger isolation from outside noise, but a bare concrete room can sound terrible for recording. Drywall looks less impressive on paper, yet a properly built multi-layer wall can outperform a basic masonry partition when isolation is the goal.

  The best wall therefore depends less on the material name and more on how the entire wall assembly is built.

  Construction is More Important Than the Surface of the Wall

  Recording studios are sometimes built inside finished rooms, which means acoustic work begins only after framing, joint finishing, and painting are complete. 

  Contractors such as Paintzone LLC can handle the visual finish and surface preparation, but paint itself has almost no meaningful effect on sound isolation. The important acoustic properties sit deeper in the wall.

  Three factors matter most:

  • Mass helps stop sound from passing through a wall.
  • Decoupling reduces vibration transfer from one side of the wall to the other.
  • Absorption inside the cavity helps control resonance between wall layers.

A solid concrete wall has plenty of mass. A well-designed drywall system can combine multiple heavy layers with insulation and separate framing, giving it both mass and decoupling.

That is why a thin masonry wall is not automatically better than drywall, and a single sheet of drywall should not be compared with a purpose-built studio partition.

Drywall Gives Studio Builders the Most Flexibility

Drywall is common in professional and home studios because the wall assembly can be modified in many ways.

A basic residential partition with one sheet of gypsum board on each side offers limited isolation. Studio construction usually goes much further.

How drywall walls improve sound isolation

Extra layers increase mass, while separate framing reduces the mechanical connection between the two sides of the wall. The combination is important for bass frequencies, which travel through building structures more easily than higher frequencies.

Drywall also makes room treatment easier

Drywall provides a practical surface for mounting acoustic panels, bass traps, diffusers, and studio furniture. Wiring can also run through cavities without cutting channels into masonry.

Another advantage appears during later modifications. A new cable route, wall panel, or additional layer can be added with far less structural work than would be required with concrete.

The weakness is that ordinary drywall construction is not enough for a serious studio. A single lightweight partition can transmit voices, guitar amplifiers, and low-frequency energy into neighboring rooms.

Brick Has Mass but Creates Strong Reflections

Brick walls are common in converted warehouses, basements, and older commercial buildings. Their mass helps reduce sound transmission, particularly compared with a lightweight residential wall.

From an isolation perspective, solid brick can be useful. From an acoustic perspective inside the room, exposed brick needs more thought.

Exposed brick is not acoustic treatment

The uneven surface of brick scatters some high-frequency sound, which can make it feel less severe than smooth concrete. The effect is relatively small, however. Brick still reflects a large amount of sound energy.

Acoustic panels are therefore still needed in most brick rooms.

Brick can work well as the outer shell

A useful studio design can combine a brick exterior wall with an independent drywall wall built inside it. The brick provides mass, while the internal wall creates another barrier and an air cavity.

Studios designed around the “room within a room” principle use a similar idea. Several separated layers make it harder for sound energy to move directly from the recording space into the surrounding building.

Concrete Provides Excellent Mass but a Very Live Interior

Concrete is the heaviest of the three common wall materials and usually offers the strongest starting point for sound isolation.

Basements, parking-level rooms, and commercial buildings with poured concrete walls can therefore provide useful studio shells, especially when outside traffic or neighboring businesses create noise.

The same density that helps isolation creates another problem inside the room.

Bare concrete reflects almost everything

Concrete absorbs very little audible sound. A room with concrete walls, floor, and ceiling can produce strong reflections in several directions at once.

Speech becomes difficult to understand. Cymbals can sound aggressive. Guitar amplifiers create long reflections, and vocal recordings can capture a pronounced room tone even when the microphone sits close to the singer.

Heavy acoustic treatment becomes important in rooms with several concrete surfaces.

Low frequencies remain difficult

Concrete walls do not eliminate bass problems inside a studio. Room dimensions still create standing waves and resonances.

A small concrete room can produce severe peaks at certain bass frequencies and deep cancellations at others. Thick bass trapping, careful speaker placement and listening-position adjustments are still required.

Drywall, Brick and Concrete Compared

The comparison explains why there is no single winner based only on material. Concrete provides excellent mass. Drywall provides construction flexibility. Brick sits somewhere between them, depending heavily on thickness and wall design.

Soundproofing and Acoustic Treatment Are Not the Same Job

 

Many studio projects become expensive because the two goals are confused.

Soundproofing deals with sound moving between rooms.

Acoustic treatment deals with what happens to sound after it is already inside the room.

Acoustic foam on a wall can reduce reflections, but it does very little to stop a kick drum from reaching the next apartment. A concrete wall can block much more external sound, yet still create an unpleasant recording environment without internal treatment.

A practical studio usually needs both

Doors, windows, electrical boxes, and ventilation ducts deserve equal attention. A heavy wall loses much of its value if sound can escape through an untreated door gap or ventilation opening.

Which Wall Works Best for a Home Recording Studio?

For most home studios built from scratch, multi-layer drywall offers the most practical balance. Builders can add mass, insulation, and decoupling without the structural requirements of concrete construction.

An existing brick or concrete room can still provide an excellent starting point. Instead of removing those walls, the masonry can act as the heavy outer shell. An independent internal drywall structure can then improve isolation further and provide a convenient surface for wiring and acoustic treatment.

For vocal recording

Wall isolation matters, but internal reflections deserve equal attention. Broadband panels placed around the recording area usually contribute more to vocal quality than the visible wall material itself.

For drums and guitar amplifiers

Mass and structural isolation become far more important because both produce substantial low-frequency energy. Double walls, isolated floors, and properly treated ceilings can matter as much as the walls.

For mixing and mastering

Consistent frequency response matters most. The room needs controlled early reflections and strong low-frequency management so the monitors provide an accurate picture of the mix.

Last Words

Concrete has the greatest natural mass. Brick can provide a strong existing shell. Drywall gives builders much greater control over wall thickness, insulation, and structural separation.

A serious recording studio usually combines several materials rather than depending on one. Masonry may form the exterior boundary, insulated framing can create separation, and multiple gypsum layers can form the finished inner wall.

After isolation is handled, acoustic panels and bass treatment shape what musicians and engineers actually hear inside the room.

The wall that looks strongest is therefore not automatically the wall that sounds best. Construction depth, mass, separation, sealing, and internal treatment ultimately matter far more than the visible surface.