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Black metal is a genre that has an awful lot of stigma attached to it. Murder, arson, cults, more murder – it’s a pretty dark and dingy corner of the music world that seems perpetually incapable of detaching itself from those traits. Well, until you discover Gaerea, that is. The Portuguese unit have been redefining what it means to be a black metal band in the modern scene, adding brighter colours to their sonic palette than their peers, and it’s drawn those in the know closer to them like a corpse-painted moth to a flame. Their new nine-track offering ‘Loss’ sees them add some fancy new tricks into their repertoire, producing their most ambitious record yet.

The band are, and have always been, anonymous. Now that Sleep Token have become a global phenomenon there will be many newcomers to the project that call copycat or claim the band are jumping on the mask-wearing bandwagon, but Gaerea’s anonymity represents something very different. They aren’t worshipping a deity, they aren’t world-building or storytelling. They’re removing their identity from their music so they can explore their musical direction on a blank canvas, embracing whatever their palette decides to splash on it. On ‘Loss’, that creative freedom has painted an incredibly colourful picture.

The core DNA of Gaerea is still very much intact on this record, and it sounds just as impassioned and visceral as ever. Tracks like the blistering ‘Submerged’ and the relentless ‘Phoenix’ rocket forward with a fierce intensity, laced with a post metal serenity that makes everything sound that little bit more epic. There are some ominously dark numbers here too, most notably ’Uncontrolled’, and the dense smog seeping from its main motif. As mentioned earlier, though, this record has some curveballs that really set it apart from their previous records. The biggest, and perhaps most unexpected surprise on ‘Loss’, is the singing. 

Some fans of the band will love the clean singing on this album and embrace it warmly. Others will completely stand against it. One thing is undeniable though; it fits, and it’s performed with such an impressive range and emotive intensity that suggests it’s a trick they’ve been sat on for a hot minute. Album opener ‘Luminary’ starts off as a wrecking ball of power, giving way to a huge chorus that gives the song a gigantic lift. ‘Cyclone’ is stunning and it wouldn’t sound anywhere near as moving if it wasn’t sung so beautifully, the softer moments allowing the sharper ones to cut even deeper.

A nine track album may seem short on the surface, but the runtime clocks in at around 46 minutes and none of it feels like filler. Every track is intentional, placed in the track listing purposefully, and the way the record closes out is magical. The expansive tones of ‘LBRNTH’ set the tone for ‘Nomad’, a track that feels incredibly cinematic. The chorus cries of “I am the nomad, carrying a weight that I’ll never show” are spine-tingling, the feral drum-work and intricate guitar lines surrounding it locked in a tug of war between melody and malevolence. The final track, ‘Stardust’, is the showstopper here. There’s delicate guitar licks, atmospheric electronics, guttural screams, devastating percussion and bags upon bags of emotion. It’s both a thematic and sonic bookend, a firm and well-rounded full stop to a breathtaking album.

This is an incredibly important record in Gaerea’s discography, sure, but it’s a little bit more than that. The experimentation, the risks, the ambition; it’s their most accessible album by a country mile, but it doesn’t feel like they’ve had to sacrifice any of their punch to achieve that. ‘Loss’ is an album that’s been influenced by black metal but not defined by it, and it sets the band an incredibly big challenge. How on Earth do they top this?

DAVE STEWART

In the spring of 2000, Fiddler Records released the first Dashboard Confessional album, Swiss Army Romance. Chris Carrabba saw the record as a side project to Further Seems Forever, the band he had been singing for since 1998. Most of the record features Carrabba and a guitar singing songs he felt were too personal to record with Further Seems Forever. Swiss Army Romance would steer Emo in a singer-songwriter direction, stripped down of instruments but not feelings. It established a vulnerability that would be mocked not just with Dashboard, but throughout the whole genre. Carrabba chose the name Dashboard Confessional based on a lyric from the record’s second track, “The Sharp New Hint of Tears.”

Further Seems Forever was chugging along as Dashboard Confessional was gaining steam. After releasing a song on a compilation and a split with fellow Florida band Recess Theory, the band recorded their first record, The Moon Is Down, on Tooth & Nail. Carrabba recorded the vocals for the record after he had returned from a Dashboard Confessional tour and decided that he would leave the band to pursue his own solo endeavor. The record features Carrabba’s vocals on ten tracks, including the single “Snowbirds and Townies.”

By this time, Carrabba, in full Dashboard Confessional mode, was playing solo shows in venues and working on new songs. Choosing to play smaller and more intimate venues, Carrabba cultivated a show where everyone could participate and was encouraged to sing along with him. Eventually, he started working on the follow-up to Swiss Army Romance. Despite mostly keeping the same stripped-down format as the first record, The Places You Have Come To Fear the Most released in 2001 on Vagrant Records feels more like an extension but doesn’t feel repetitive. 

While both records have small sounds and big feelings, The Places You Have Come To Fear the Most’s opening song “This Brilliant Dance” is a song about the invincible feeling of falling in love for the first time. It’s a nice contrast before the heartbreak to come, and it helped the record become a defining document of early-2000s emo that would shape the sound and emotional vocabulary of the scene.

While Swiss Army Romance was mostly a solo effort, this record features a full band on four of the songs, including The Places You Have Come to Fear the Most’s lone single, a re-recording of “Screaming Infidelities.” While Swiss Army Romance did not have anything that would be considered a single, this was one of the more popular songs off Dashboard Confessional’s first record.

This song and “The Best Deceptions” both explore the fallout of being cheated on. Carrabba’s lyrics of betrayal and painful memories are contrasted by pushing the hope, wonder, and uncertainty of “This Brilliant Dance” and tipping it into literally the worst-case scenario. While Carrabba’s guitar and vocals don’t change much on “Screaming Infidelities,” the addition of the band really gives the song the emphasis it needs in certain spots.

For an album that a lot of people associated with crying and whining, tracks like “Saints and Sailors” and “The Good Fight” show how sharply Carrabba captured the emotional messiness of a relationship unraveling. This record is a great document of a relationship gone sour, and while it’s something most people will eventually experience, Carrabba’s lyrics make the imagery easy to picture or inhabit. This is a question you can probably ask in regards to most emo music of this era: Did we long for love, the rejection, or the assumption we’d just be in a terrible relationship? If this had ever crossed your mind, you probably related to “Again I Go, Unnoticed.”

An album with so many feelings and emotions needs a definitive closing statement. “This Bitter Pill” is a fantastic closer. All of the songs of resentment, harsh truth, and disappointments have built up to this moment. If the title track “The Places You Have Come To Fear the Most” was about a fear of showing these emotions, “This Bitter Pill” is the “fuck you” moment.

The narrative of this record and the juxtaposition of its sides are pretty cut and dry. By the end of “The Places You Have Come To Fear the Most,” the narrator is charged and ready to confront these things. By the end of “This Bitter Pill,” these words are emblazoned into the ether by Carrabba singing with everything he’s got and left hoarse, ending the record in a place of catharsis and new beginnings.

Eventually, mainstream success would catch up to him and change the trajectory of the band and the type of songs written. I turned to Dashboard Confessional after putting my heart out there a couple of times and getting it stepped on. The songs on both Swiss Army Romance and The Places You Have Come To Fear the Most were soothing to the nth degree, if only because real heartbreak would eventually come to me later.

While Carrabba’s descent into songs with electric guitars wasn’t as dramatic as when Bob Dylan went electric, it definitely changed the trajectory of the band. After the success of The Places You Have Come To Fear the Most, Carrabba released a pair of EPs, The Summer Kiss and So Impossible. The band then released A Mark, A Mission, A Brand, A Scar. It was the first album built around fully electric songs, a departure from the intimate, too-personal-for-a-full-band approach that defined his early acoustic work.

There was a lot of shame around buying a Dashboard Confessional record, especially after The Places You Have Come to Fear the Most took off. It’s funny in hindsight because the vulnerability people mocked is what made these records resonate. I remember when I bought A Mark, A Mission, A Brand, A Scar at Tower Records, there this judgy store clerk who tried to chastise me for my purchase. She went on a diatribe about how Chris Carrabba was nothing but a Backstreet Boy with tattoos. I think I asked, “Don’t the Backstreet Boys have tattoos also?” I’m still not sure who that question actually helped. Two decades later, the shame is gone, but the honesty remains. That’s why these records hit as hard as they do.

The Pretty Reckless, Hawthorne Heights and Rise Against were among the acts announcing major tours this week. Continue reading…

Now available for pre-order HERE “Vindicate” SONG and MUSIC VIDEO is OUT NOW Click here to watch the NSFW music video HERE 2026 Headline Tour […]

The post BLACK VEIL BRIDES announce SEVENTH studio album VINDICATE available worldwide on MAY 8 via Spinefarm appeared first on Metal-Rules.com.

Lizzo has emerged as a global pop star, rapper, and classically trained flutist who reshaped expectations in modern music.

Classical training, especially in school band and orchestra settings, has long carried a reputation for rigidity and a lack of cultural relevance.

Students often associated it with strict rules, formal environments, and limited creative expression.

A noticeable cultural shift has begun to take place, often referred to as the “Lizzo Effect.”

Evidence shows that public perception of classical instruments, especially the flute, has changed in measurable ways.

Lizzo transformed classical training into something visible, expressive, and culturally relevant by placing it at the center of mainstream entertainment.

Bringing the Flute Into Mainstream Pop Culture

Lizzo consistently places the flute, often referred to as “Sasha Flute,” at the center of major performances, shifting its role in popular music.

Instead of functioning as background accompaniment, the instrument takes on a lead position that commands attention.

High-profile appearances at events such as the BET Awards and Glastonbury reinforce that visibility.

Her performance choices demonstrate how classical instruments can exist in spaces traditionally dominated by vocals and electronic production.

A defining moment occurred during her Glastonbury set, where she performed Mozart live on stage in a high-energy pop environment.

That moment brought together contrasting elements:

Viral clips and social media posts have extended the reach of these performances far beyond live audiences.

Short-form videos allow viewers to engage with the flute in a context that feels accessible and current. Many people who might not attend a classical concert encounter the instrument through these clips.

Her work shows that classical instruments can thrive in hip-hop and pop spaces without losing meaning.

 Visibility increases not through traditional concert halls but through widely shared performances that reshape expectations about instrumentation in mainstream music.

The “Lizzo Effect” on Music Education

Research conducted by the British Flute Society provides measurable insight into Lizzo’s cultural impact.

One in five flute players reported that she influenced their playing or their attitude toward the instrument. That statistic reflects a clear shift in how students connect with classical training.

Educators have also observed changes in student behavior and awareness. Half of the surveyed teachers reported that their students recognize Lizzo and her role as a flutist.

That level of awareness contributes to shifts in classroom dynamics and lesson planning.

Market trends further support this change. Beginner flute sales increased by approximately 30 percent in some regions, indicating renewed interest in starting the instrument.

Growth in sales aligns with increased visibility and cultural relevance.

Lesson structures have begun to adapt in response to student demand.

Many students now request material that connects with current music rather than focusing exclusively on traditional repertoire.

 Common requests include:

• Pop songs arranged for flute
• Music that allows improvisation or stylistic variation
• Pieces that connect classical technique with contemporary sound

Such changes encourage a more flexible approach to music education.

Traditional technical training remains important, yet it now coexists with material that reflects current listening habits and cultural influences.

Lizzo’s Classical Roots

Lizzo began playing the flute at around age 10 and developed her skills through structured school band programs that emphasized discipline, repetition, and technical accuracy.

Early exposure to formal instruction shaped not only her musical ability but also her mindset toward practice and performance.

School band environments often require consistency and patience, qualities that later became central to her professional identity.

Many students in similar programs chose to leave due to peer pressure or a lack of cultural relevance, yet Lizzo continued and deepened her commitment.

Skills gained through formal instruction allow her to move across genres with ease and confidence, connecting technical mastery with creative expression.

Redefining What “Cool” Looks Like in Music

Long-standing stereotypes often present classical musicians as formal, restrained, and distant.

Lizzo challenges those assumptions by presenting a version of musicianship that feels expressive and accessible.

Her image combines multiple elements that reshape expectations. High-level musicianship exists alongside humor, bold fashion, and confident self-expression.

That combination alters how audiences perceive classical training and the people associated with it.

Perceptions of the “band geek” identity have shifted as a result of her influence. Traits that were once viewed negatively now carry a different meaning.

Changes in perception can be seen through several contrasts:

• Awkwardness replaced by confidence
• Social isolation replaced by visibility and recognition
• Niche interest replaced by cultural relevance

Her performances show that mastery and enjoyment can exist at the same time.

Technical precision does not require a loss of personality or creativity.

Classical training becomes a tool that supports artistic flexibility across genres, allowing musicians to shape their identity without restriction.

The Role of Social Media and Virality

Social media plays a central role in expanding Lizzo’s influence and visibility.

Clips of her flute performances circulate widely through:

• concert recordings
• fan uploads
• official posts

Digital platforms allow these moments to reach audiences at a scale that traditional performances cannot match.

Viral circulation transforms a specialized performance skill into mainstream entertainment.

Fans and aspiring musicians often respond by creating their own interpretations.

Many post covers experiment with stylistic changes or adapt pop songs for classical instruments.

That activity contributes to a broader trend in which learning an instrument feels interactive and socially connected.

Online visibility helps build excitement around music education.

Exposure to engaging performances encourages participation and reinforces the idea that classical training can connect with current culture in meaningful ways.

Summary

Lizzo has elevated the visibility of the flute and challenged long-standing stereotypes tied to classical training.

Measurable increases in student engagement and participation reflect her cultural impact.

Her most significant contribution lies in presenting classical training as flexible, expressive, and relevant to modern audiences.

A new generation now views classical skills not as restrictive, but as a powerful tool for shaping personal and artistic identity.

Nickelodeon, VStar Entertainment Group, and TEG Life Like Touring are thrilled to announce the return of PAW Patrol™ Live! Race to the Rescue, celebrating 10 years of the iconic Broadway-style production. The PAW Patrol® are on a roll and LIVE on stage! The heroic characters from the top-rated animated preschool series PAW Patrol, produced by […]

Pro-Pain have unveiled “March Of The Giants” as the latest preview of their forthcoming studio album, Stone Cold Anger, scheduled for release on May 15th via Napalm Records, marking their 16th full-length release and the first in 11 years.
Read more…

Canberra rock heavyweights Hands Like Houses have teamed up with post-hardcore icons Dream on Dreamer on new single Warning Signs, out now via Civilians. The new track arrives as both bands get ready to hit the road together on The Lótus Tour this April – tickets on sale now. Warning Signs is about recognising emotional […]

Once again, I return to my roots. That opulent, gem-encrusted egg from which my metalhead nascency spawned, symphonic power metal. Cloaked in velvet drapery as I return to these cobbled alleys I used to haunt, those early years steeping in Nightwish, Leaves’ Eyes, Epica, and Xandria wash over me, evoking a nostalgic bliss. Enter Greece’s Mystfall and their sophomore effort Embers of a Dying World. Relatively fresh on the scene, and competing with newer champions like Elvellon or Dialith, do Mystfall have what it takes to make waves?

If nothing else, Mystfall have two big things going for them: a (relatively) meaty guitar tone and the most convincing death growls and blackened rasps in the genre right now. Thanks to a moderately-better-than-industry-standard mix and master, you can clearly hear the bass guitar thundering underneath lush strings and prominent choirs as well. These are items that countless acts in this space neglect or shortchange, but not Mystfall. Thankfully, those items don’t detract from the usual suspects. Operatic mezzo-soprano lead vocals, heavily accented; hooky verse work and soaring choruses; galloping drums and brisk pacing; rich orchestrations; the gang’s all here, and in fine form for the most part. And, in another unexpected breath of fresh air, Embers of a Dying World clocks in at a tidy 38 minutes, with the longest song just barely brushing past five minutes. It seems that on paper, Mystfall fully understood their assignment and gave me everything the world needs in a modern symphocheese record.

In practice, Embers of a Dying World acquits itself quite nicely as well. Enlisting the help of studio bassist and harsh vocalist Stelios Varotsakis was an inspired choice, as his counterpoint on both instruments elevates everything it touches (“Embers of a Dying World,” “Fading Memories”). It is my assertion that Mystfall make him a full-fledged member of the band immediately. However, his contributions aren’t so astounding as to distract from Marialena Trikoglou’s siren song, Aris Baris’ chuggy riffs, or Dimitris Miglis’ expressive percussion (songs). Hints of old school Epica melodies (“Crimson Dawn,” “Echoes of Arcadia”), Leaves’ Eyes/Xandria adventurism (“Whispers of the Tempest,” “Guardians of the Earth,” “Cosmic Legends”) and Nightwish double bass bounce (“Sleeper in the Abyss”) coalesce into a fun variety of moods and motifs, all smartly woven together to allow each performer their spotlight. With such a bizarrely tight runtime, Embers of a Dying World is also ridiculously easy to spin multiple times in one session, assisting greatly with long-term memorability.

Unfortunately, Mystfall still struggles to find a distinct identity in the homologous plague the symphonic power metal scene perpetuates. While crafting an enjoyable album that is undoubtedly fun and wholly engaging, its similarity to those bands that originally forged the style is undeniable and obvious. Partly due to the strict and restrictive nature of operatic singing techniques—and the physiological difficulties that committing to that style poses to the exploration of any other kind of singing—Marialena’s technically competent performance here lacks impact and power when pinned against singers who can and do work in multiple disciplines (Simone Simons, Floor Jansen, Veronica Bordacchini). On the instrumental front, Aris Baris’ riffs rarely venture outside of the conventions long upheld in this field, often allowing the orchestrations to take point when leading melodies or initiating motifs. Even the dramatic orchestrations lack the showstopping quality they could have if they were either recorded with a full orchestra or more unique in composition or arrangement.

As a result, Embers of a Dying World feels misplaced in time. Were it released in 1996 or thereabouts, it would’ve constituted an instant hit, a direct competitor to the pack leaders at the time. In 2026, it’s one in a million, albeit better made and brilliantly edited. As maligned by songwriting issues and stylistic banality as symphonic power metal often is, competing for acclaim and attention in that crowded place requires a fierce, striking showing. Mystfall have everything they need to make that showing, but Embers of a Dying World falls just short of that elusive threshold. That said, I’m impressed with it enough to wait avidly for what Mystfall might come up with next!

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Rating: Good
DR: 7 | Format Reviewed: 320 kb/s mp3
Label: Scarlet Records
Websites: mystfallofficial.com | facebook.com/mystfallofficial
Releases Worldwide: March 20th, 2026

The post Mystfall – Embers of a Dying World Review appeared first on Angry Metal Guy.

For more than three decades, Grammy and Academy Award-nominated rock band Counting Crows have enchanted listeners worldwide with their intensely soulful and intricate take on timeless rock and roll. In 2026 they return to Australia and New Zealand with The Complete Sweets! Tour – bringing decades of sing‑along moments, deep cuts, and fresh energy to […]