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Seems like an appropriate day to re-share this gem from Texas virtuoso David Garza. Honest words are like August thirdsThey just both come maybe once in a year

Album Review: Mephistofeles – Live In Europe

Reviewed by Matthew Williams

If you were one of the lucky people to see Argentinian trio Mephistofeles live last year in Europe, then I congratulate you. The most unassuming and humble of bands, who couldn’t quite believe the love and affection that was being shown to them on their first ever UK/European tour. The frontman mentioned that they were genuinely enjoying themselves whilst playing to a whole new audience and what this live release highlights is the talent of the band in it’s all glory as they mix their sets up with an amazing array of songs.

Most nights would have started with the epic that is “Satan Sex Ceremonies” and it gives you an insight into what they are all about and would have fired up the crowds watching as the trio exploded into life. From there on in, it was a case of either being mesmerised by the guitar skills of Rivers or the rumbling bass of Ismael Dimenza who combined effortlessly with drummer Luca Frizza, to create awesome rhythms that propelled the songs to insane levels.

What the shows demonstrated were a collection of songs that are good enough to grace any stage, listen to “Buried in Worms” or “Profanation” and you get a filthy guitar sound, huge bass notes and sleazy psychedelic doom that are a thing of beauty. I remember “Black Sunday” being a notable song that dark evening in Manchester, and they warmed the crowd when they hit that intro to “The Meaning of All Evil” which is a hugely impressive song to have in their repertoire.

They have that wonderful expansive sound in their armoury as well and get slow and low on “Curse of the Evil” and when I hear “Evil Beauty” once again, it reminds me of how they brought the heavy to a venue that has seen its fair share of heavy over the years. Their mix of tempos was one of the lasting impressions I had, whether it’s the fuzzed our craziness of “Frustrated” or the guitar wizardry and psychedelic passion of “Trash Lord” that engulfs you, they were ready to conquer and conquer they did.

One thing is for certain though, is that Mephistopheles are a band that you can’t afford to miss as their talents are up there with the best in the business and this live album demonstrates that perfectly.

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The post Album Review: Mephistofeles – Live In Europe appeared first on The Razor's Edge.

I think we’ve reached the point of exhaustion with artists talking about AI but not having anything novel or even coherent to say. In a recent interview with iHeartRadio at the Osheaga Festival, Empire Of The Sun’s Luke Steele was asked if he used AI, and he responded, “Of course!” Although his answer was enthusiastic, the conversation that followed quickly lost steam.

The post Empire Of The Sun Singer Says “Of Course” He Uses AI appeared first on Stereogum.

That performance was livestreamed this past weekend.

The post Pro-Shot Footage Of Turnstile’s 2026 Chicago, IL ‘Lollapalooza’ Set Available appeared first on Theprp.com.

Next to the Beatles and Bob Dylan, the Grateful Dead may be one of the most covered bands of the 20th century. That’s because within the crazy world of jam-band psychedelia that encompasses the band, there’s gold in the fabled songbook. Be it the cosmic gems from Jerry Garcia and Robert Hunter, or the jam-athon gateways that grew out of the songs from Bob Weir and John Perry Barlow — or any combination thereof — there’s a wealth of material built for any variety of interpretations or styles. Case in point: Grateful Blues, a six-song EP from veteran guitarist, singer-songwriter and Deadhead J.P. Reali, simmers down a half-dozen classics over a blues-fused fire for a lesson in bona fide musicianship and “a real good time.”

The cool rumblings of “Easy Wind” quickly reels you in. Alongside Reali, the EP’s producer and drummer Jim Larson, keyboardist Rich Budesa and bassist Monty Cullum, come together to mold and shape the songs around loose and lively bluesy arrangements that truly sway and swing. Budesa’s boogie woogie piano is at the heart of “Loose Lucy,” while his electric piano turns on “West L.A Fadeaway” would have made Garcia blush with pride at what can be done on one of his more underappreciated compositions.

“I Need A Miracle,” the lone Weir-Barlow track on the EP, serves as an able-bodied tribute to Weir, who passed away earlier this year. Indeed, Reali transforms it into a sizzling Texas blues shuffle with a pair of galvanizing guitar solos and a swab of “Bertha” on the outro. Cut to “Mr. Charlie,” which famously featured the Dead’s resident bluesman Ron “Pigpen” McKernan, and revel at how Reali’s slide spins it on its proverbial ear, leaving a rather pleasant aftertaste.

A straightforward acoustic with a simple 4/4 from Larson gives “Tennessee Jed” an airy lift for Reali’s smooth and salty vocal to flutter its wings. After the record ends, you’re left with a more-than-satisfying feeling. Nothing too complicated about it; not much to read into it. Just as it should be. Released on Jerry Garcia’s 84th birthday, Grateful Blues is not an ordinary trip through the catalog, but rather a seasoned reimaging through a blues lens that successfully underscores the vast and timeless potency of Grateful Dead music.     

~ Shawn Perry

Purchase Grateful Blues

Here's the story of how the Rolling Stones legend played a part in convincing the new wave pioneers to not call it quits. Continue reading…

Jason Calhoun is a Philadelphia-based ambient artist and composer who’s getting ready to share revelations of divine love, his fifth release for Dear Life Records. So far he’s previewed the album with the meditative slices “tolstoy tatsoi,” “what we deserve,” and “at home,” and today he’s back with “enjoy losing,” a pleasant, cosmic blip inspired by playing chess on his phone.

The post Jason Calhoun – “enjoy losing” appeared first on Stereogum.

Shudder has unveiled the ninth entry in the V/H/S series, V/H/S/MIXTAPE, with the new anthology set to arrive on October 9, 2026. This time, the long-running found-footage horror franchise centers its stories on music, using sound, rhythm, and performance as the driving force behind each nightmare.

According to the announcement, “V/H/S/MIXTAPE cranks the signature found-footage horror up to eleven with an electrifying new anthology where music and sound become the source of terror. United by a theme that explores the power of music, rhythm, and audio to haunt, possess, and destroy, the film blends cosmic horror, psychological suspense, outrageous splatter, and groundbreaking practical effects into one unforgettable mixtape of nightmares.”

The latest installment brings together a diverse lineup of directors, with new segments from Ernest Dickerson, Rza, David Moreau, and Renee Zhan. Zhan’s contribution also features original puppet work created by Jim Henson‘s Creature Shop.

Music plays an even bigger role between the anthology’s main stories. V/H/S/MIXTAPE includes original music video interludes directed by Flying Lotus, while Ghost mastermind Tobias Forge makes his filmmaking debut by directing a brand-new music video for the project. Fans of over-the-top metal may also appreciate an appearance by shock-metal veterans Gwar, adding another heavy connection to the film’s mix of horror and music.

The production team includes Josh Goldbloom, Steven Schneider, Roy Lee, Michael Schreiber, and Brad Miska, with Ben Ross and Rami Yassin serving as executive producers.

The new film arrives after the strong performance of its predecessor, V/H/S/HALLOWEEN. Shudder says the previous installment delivered the platform’s biggest exclusive movie premiere of 2025 and helped produce its strongest subscriber acquisition weekend of that year.

Shudder continues to expand its catalog with a steady lineup of horror films, series and exclusive productions. Alongside recent entries in the V/H/S franchise, the service’s library includes titles such as LA Llorona, Mad God, Skinamarink, Watcher, When Evil Lurks, In A Violent Nature, Late Night With The Devil and Oddity. On the television side, subscribers can also find series including Dragula, The Creep Tapes, Hell Motel and specials hosted by Joe Bob Briggs.

The post GHOST’s TOBIAS FORGE Makes Directorial Debut with Music Video for “V/H/S/MIXTAPE” appeared first on Sonic Perspectives.

Mastodon’s new album, Marrow Deep, arrives Aug. 28 via Loma Vista Recordings. The LP marks the band’s first full-length featuring guitarist Nick Johnston and sees significant contributions from keyboardist João Nogueira. It was co-produced by Mastodon at the band’s own West End Sound in Atlanta with Patrik Berger (Lana Del Rey, Charli XCX) and Kurt Ballou (High on Fire, Converge), and mixed by Andrew Scheps (Adele, Black Sabbath, Metallica). The album draws thematically from the Three Fates of Greek mythology — the Moirai who spin, measure, and sever the thread of life — as a lens through which the band channels the loss, transition, and renewed purpose of the past two years.

In a new interview with Brooksy and JD of Australia’s Rebel FM (transcribed by Blabbermouth), drummer/vocalist Brann Dailor expressed anticipation for the album’s release: “Yeah, I’m excited [to finally see ‘Marrow Deep’ released]. We’ve been sitting on it for a little while, so it’ll be nice to get it out there and get it to its first day of school and see if anybody picks on him. Maybe he can sit with the cool kids right off the bat, but we’ll see.”

Asked whether releasing Marrow Deep feels cathartic or anxiety-ridden, given the album will arrive a year after the death of founding guitarist Brent Hinds, Dailor said: “I’d say it’s a bit of both. Just as there’s feelings on the other side with the fans that they haven’t felt before, there’s feelings that we haven’t felt before. We haven’t released an album without [all] four main [members of Mastodon]. And so there’s a little bit of the unknown, which is okay. I don’t know how they’re gonna react to it.

“I just know that the only thing that I have ever had any control over is the way I feel about it personally. And then the people in the room who made the record — myself, Bill [Kelliher, guitar], Troy [Sanders, bass/vocals], and then João and Nick sort of came in at the end to help out as well — but when we got it to the finish line of, like, okay, listening from start to finish, all I can do is make sure that I’m in love with everything that is gonna be on the record, and that’s all I can really do. So I got it to that point — I got it to the point where I needed it to be, and so that has worked for me for 26 years, and so that’s where I’m at.

“But in the same breath, there’s some ground here that hasn’t been tread yet, so I guess we’ll see what happens. I’m excited, though, because I believe in the record, and I think that it’s the right record for us at this point in time.”

Mastodon will celebrate the release with “The Poisonous Weapons Tour,” a nationwide U.S. run with support from Deafheaven and Alcest, kicking off September 16 in Orlando, Florida, and closing out Oct. 24 at Sick New World in Dallas, Texas.

Brent Hinds departed Mastodon in March 2025 and passed away in a motorcycle accident approximately five months later. He was replaced by Nick Johnston. Hinds had been a founding member of Mastodon since 2000, serving as lead guitarist and vocalist alongside Sanders, Dailor and Kelliher.

The post BRANN DAILOR Talks MASTODON’s Upcoming Album “Marrow Deep”: “There’s Some Ground Here That Hasn’t Been Tread Yet — I Believe In This Record” appeared first on Sonic Perspectives.

Who says there is nothing for rock and metal fans at Lollapalooza? Continue reading…