Category: news

What seemed like a throwaway lyric tacked onto a catchy Bizkit banger actually had some profound meaning for Fred Durst

Spanish Melodic Hard Rock band XTASY continue the momentum toward their upcoming album ‘Phoenix‘ with the release of ‘Can’t Get Enough‘, their third single with the official video, available now on all digital platforms and YouTube. Stream – here Taken from the upcoming studio album ‘Phoenix‘, scheduled for release on April 10th, 2026 via Art Of […]

The post XTASY Release New Single & Video ‘Can’t Get Enough’ appeared first on ROCKPOSER DOT COM!.

The post Album Review: Engorgement – They Rot Beneath Our Floor appeared first on The Razor's Edge.

It takes an immense amount of talent, courage, and self-confidence to venture out in the music world and release a totally instrumental album. It may be even less common when that instrumentalist happens to be female. Such is the case with Laura Chavez, as her first solo album, My Voice, approaches its official release on March 20.

Laura Chavez is a seasoned veteran of the blues, R&B, and soul music world and has played alongside many popular artists, as well as appeared on numerous recordings. Born in California, Chavez is said to have been drawn toward music because of her mom’s piano playing. At age six or seven, she began taking guitar lessons, but soon stopped and did not begin playing again until she was in her teens. Soon afterward, she became the house band guitarist at a venue called J.J.’s Blues in San Jose, CA. It was there that she met Lara Price, and they played together professionally for eight years. In 2008, Chavez received a referral from Sue Foley and became Candye Kane’s lead guitarist. That led to many other opportunities, as she performed alongside artists such as Deborah Coleman, Nikki Hill, Vanessa Collier, and Big Daddy Wilson. Guitar Player Magazine named her one of the top fifty “Sensational Female Guitarists,” and she won the Blues Music Award for the “Instrumentalist – Guitar” category in 2023, after being nominated in 2019 and 2021. This was the first, and only, time a female had won that award.

My Voice, while entirely instrumental, provides an opportunity for Laura Chavez to sing in a way that is sure to please even the harshest vocal critics, and that is with her guitar. What she cannot, or chooses not to, express vocally, she makes up for with her masterful guitar skills. The album opens with Chavez’s take on the classic Creedence Clearwater Revival piece, “Born On The Bayou.” It is a great opening that highlights her skillful guitar playing. This song rocks. Let me get this out of the way right now: her accompanying musicians on this recording are simply great. I would be remiss if I did not mention them and the outstanding job they do throughout the album.

The very next track is “Mind Your Step,” a funky number that incorporates what makes so many songs successful. The ingredients to that success are three chords, six strings, and a lot of feeling in between. As with each song on this recording, there is a lot of great guitar playing, and if you love to dance, make sure to put your dancing shoes on while listening to this cut.

“So Long Baby, Goodbye” is the sixth tune on Laura Chavez’s My Voice and is her rendition of The Blasters’ 1981 track. It is upbeat and features, in addition to Chavez’s masterful guitar riffs, some very enjoyable keyboard work.

After listening to “La Llorona,” I thought to myself, and even mentioned to my wife, that the guitar sounded like someone crying. Because I do not speak Spanish, I looked up the meaning of “La Llorona.” I found that it translates to “the weeping woman,” “the wailer,” or “the crier.” The track is slow and bluesy, and I felt almost reaffirmed in being able to receive and understand Chavez’s intention. Her guitar here is, no doubt, crying, and the song serves as a great conclusion to this well-crafted recording.

Laura Chavez’s guitar playing on My Voice is one of the most beautiful voices you will ever encounter. Supported by the other excellent musicians on the album, this recording is sure to please not only guitarists but anyone who appreciates great musicianship. Many of the songs from this album can be found on YouTube, along with several of her live performances, so be sure to check those out. She also has upcoming concerts, so take a look at her schedule and experience her playing in a live setting. I would highly recommend listening to My Voice for yourself. I am confident that you will not be disappointed.

The Review: 9/10

Can’t Miss Tracks

– Born On The Bayou
– Mind Your Step
– So Long Baby, Goodbye
– La Llorona

The Big Hit

– So Long Baby, Goodbye

The post Laura Chavez: My Voice Review appeared first on Blues Rock Review.

Nuclear Messiah release new single ‘For Mad Men Only‘ feat. Joe Lynn Turner on vocals & Pat Travers on guitar, out now. Their new album ‘Black Flame‘ will be released on April 24th on  Cleopatra Records.  Nuclear Messiah – built around the visionary guitar mastery of Chris Poland – have released their new single, ‘For Mad […]

The post Nuclear Messiah Release New Single ‘For Mad Men Only’ Feat. Joe Lynn Turner & Pat Travers appeared first on ROCKPOSER DOT COM!.

“Losing Taylor was never meant to be”

McFly have been revealed as one of the first acts who will be playing at a new venue in London, set to open this Summer.

That venue is the British Airways ARC, a new state-of-the-art 3800 capacity room in Olympia, situated above the history-soaked West Hall. A part of a full transformation of Olympia, the renovation will also feature a 1,575-seat theatre, a host of new bars and restaurants, 2 hotels and 550,000 sq ft of office space.

But the music is where we are focusing right now. And McFly will be playing on June 18, following Self Esteem’s two-night stint as the official opening on June 16 and 17. The Zac Brown Band will be playing on June 25 whilst Khalid will be heading over there in the Autumn on October 24. Basically, there’s a bit of everything going on.

Tickets for all shows will go on sale on March 27 from right here.

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The show joins what is set to be a busy Summer for the band. Here are all of the other places they will be playing, too.

MAY

16 – MARLOW Higginson Park

JUNE

07 – SOUTHAMPTON St Mary’s Stadium
14 – LINCOLN Castle
17 – BRANDON Thetford Forest
21 – NORTHWICH Delamere Forest
23 – HALIFAX Piece Hall
24 – HALIFAX Piece Hall
25 – CARDIFF Castle
28 – RUGELEY Cannock Chase Forest

JULY

05 – ROCHESTER Castle

AUGUST

14 – HAYWARDS HEATH Borde Hil Garden
27 – GLASGOW Queens Park Recreation Ground
28 – NEWCASTLE UPON TYNE Leazes Park

The post McFly Announced As One Of First Bands To Play New London Venue appeared first on Rock Sound.

Call Of The Wild Festival returns to Lincolnshire Showground from 28th – 31st May 2026, and the momentum behind this year’s event shows no signs of slowing down. With headliners Florence Black, Onslaught, and Von Hertzen Brothers already anchoring the weekend with three distinct, high impact headline sets, organisers have now unveiled a powerful new […]

The post Call Of The Wild Festival 2026 Line-Up Additions appeared first on ROCKPOSER DOT COM!.

Posted on March 19th 2026, 10:36a.m.

We at MetalTalk are always excited when British prog Metallers HeKz announce a brand new album drop. Many of us prog Metal fans first came across HeKz at the Chiswick Invasion, a yearly event set up by Thomas Gers to raise money for the Nordoff Robbins charity. This set of gigs held in a school hall in London, W4, were endorsed by Iron Maiden and their management team. Us music journo’s were absolutely blown away by the debut of this talented band.

HeKz – Qisma

Release Date: 3 April 2026

Words: Sara Harding

Fronted by the very talented singer/bassist Matt Young, HeKz were as polished as any seasoned old school prog band, and we were all very excited about the future of Matt Young et al.

Fast forward to the now, where HeKz are flying the prog Metal flag with Qisma, their fifth studio album, and it certainly delivers.

From the eerie aural masterpiece that kicks off the album, The Gates of Kybagrad prepares you for the journey ahead, worthy of a cinematic soundtrack. Lucas, Bigelow, Spielberg or the director of Sinners, can you hear me?

Qisma is the title track, which powers into a fast slice of prog with violins, guitars, keys and vocals all clashing into a euphoric sound, stating the future is here.

Visionary bandleader and multi-instrumentalist Matt Young has created what he calls his “boldest artistic statement to date”, in an album designed to captivate prog devotees and welcome newcomers alike into HeKz’s richly textured sonic landscape. Qisma is an evocative Arabic word meaning fate, destiny or divine will.

The Future Is Here is the first single from this Magnus Opus and is the “perfect introduction to Qisma,” says Young. “It sums up exactly what HeKz is about. Music and lyrics working together to tell a story, with no boundaries on where that story can go.”

True that, Matt. This song has everything. The violin is such an instrument to take us to another level with piping keys, hints of global music sounds from almost speakeasy Louisiana vibes to sleazy blues to choral notes to West End anthems and everything in between. Truly epic.

“Qisma takes everything fans love about HeKz,” Matt continues, “soaring melodies, compelling storytelling, theatrical grandeur and amplifies it beyond recognition. We’re exploring exciting new sounds and textures that even surprised us in the studio.”

Defiance shows off Young’s vocal pipes and storytelling. I could literally listen to his voice all night. You can hear the magnificence of legendary John Mitchell throughout. 

Captured is off the scale with crescendos that build and build, then the wonders of the violin chime in. This is truly an adventure in music and catchy as can be. I will never forget first listening to this song – a pinch me moment.

I’m loving the AI soundbites at the end of each track, too, which punctuate each song to perfection. 

Venom kicks off with a violin intro like no other, with notes of mysticalness, fast-paced guitars join in, and are joined by the badass backline of HeKz and the soaring chords of Young’s vocals. 

And then it is time for the biggie, the super long and super indulgent The Great Out There, which is prog luxury. Bliss. Soooooo long, I had to create extra download space on my laptop.

Now onto Disc 2 and The Road Home and another nod to East meets West choon. This is a masterpiece of what a song should be. I want to listen to it over and over again, very, very loud, and sing along at the top of my voice with some ‘air’ violin too. Sorry neighbours.

Break the Spell crashes in with my favourite keys/choral/axe mash-up.  Deep and dark. Then onto Overlord. HeKz are truly spoiling us with another 21 minuter. From classical to Metal in one riff, then onto a multi-layered, all-prog guns blazing production.

Virtual Utopia should be reclassified as Aural Utopia as we carry on the magic musical carpet trip of Qisma. 

As we conclude this mammoth journey, so vast that I feel like I needed my passport, A Leap Of Faith is the ultimate way to end. A joyous and upbeat ending to what has been a trip. I feel like I need a 39p energy drink after this.

Buy, download, Stream, blag, borrow or go to a live show to hear this majestic new drop from the best of British bands. We all need HeKz in our lives. 

Matt Young concludes with palpable pride. “This album is a celebration of the power of doing things your own way. There’s simply no chance we could have made an album like this as part of someone else’s system.

“We’ve made Qisma on our own terms, and I couldn’t be more excited to share it with the world. Long may independent music thrive.”

Presented as a double album, Qisma features guest contributions from prog rock royalty.

• Adam Holzman (Steven Wilson, Trifecta, Jane Getter) – keyboards
• Mark Bogert (Knight Area, Magoria) – guitar
• Moyano el Buffalo (King Lizard, Diamond Black) – percussion
• John Mitchell (Frost*, Asia, Lonely Robot, Arena) – vocals, co-production, mixing and mastering

Qisma releases on 3 April 2026 and will be available on CD, Vinyl and via streaming services. Pre-orders are available from www.hekztheband.com.

HeKz are:

Matt Young – Vocals, Bass, Keyboards, Rhythm Guitar, 12 String Guitar
Tolis Zavaliaris – Lead and Rhythm Guitars, Fretless Guitar
Lucia La Rezza – Violin, Cello, Double Bass
Jerry Sadowski – Drums

Guest Appearances:

Adam Holzman – Keyboards, Moog
John Mitchell – Vocals
Mark Bogert – Lead and Rhythm Guitars, Acoustic Guitar
Moyano el Buffalo – Percussion
Stella D Angelo – Choir
Duncan Greenway – Choir

Produced by Matt Young and John Mitchell

Mix and mastered by John Mitchell

Music, lyrics, sound design and story by Matt Young

Artwork by Cameron Gray

The post HeKz Deliver Qisma, A Dark And Delicious Prog Rock Banger first appeared on MetalTalk – Heavy Metal News, Reviews and Interviews.