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  • Snet – V Bazinach Vedomi Review

    [Album artwork by Tomáš Mitura]

    Release date: September 10, 2026. Label: Me Saco Un Ojo Records.
    What I love most about Sněť is that it dips its toes into but never fully commits to doom. That is, Sněť is not a death/doom band. Rather, Sněť is a riffy Czech death metal band that riffs and riffs some more for good measure. That Sněť flirts with doom is not manufactured so much as a natural byproduct of playing a heavy, walloping kind of death metal that mostly just wants to pulverize you, the listener. And that’s exactly what Sněť accomplishes on their sophomore effort, V bažinách vědomí.

    V bažinách vědomí roughly translates to “in the pools of consciousness,” which is an objectively cool title. And if the album title wasn’t a strong enough hint, you should know that all ten of its tracks are in Czech, not English. That most can’t understand a word Rad Zdechlin is spewing—because it’s in Czech, and not because it’s being spewed—won’t stop them from appreciating the sense of dread it imbues. In fact, maybe it’s better most of us don’t know what Zdechlin is saying. The inherent mystery is part of the charm, and I appreciate that Sněť sticks to their linguistic guns. Great death metal speaks for itself. And Sněť’s V bažinách vědomí is great death metal.

    Sněť’s follow up to Mokvání v okovech—its notably strong debut—is biting, serious, haunting, heavy, and, at times, hypnotic. It’s also pretty unrelenting. The fervent bounce of “Kladivo ve tme” is as obvious an example of this dynamic as any of the other nine songs. Brief. Intense. Thoughtfully executed. Sharp guitars. Riffs like needles. This is how death metal ought to be. Sněť understood and executed the mission.

    The slower moments—like the one about a minute and a half into “Ve stinu slunce”—are the aforementioned doom flirtations, in the tradition of Autopsy, Asphyx, and Obituary. Lesser bands draw these slower passages out to no end. But not Sněť. These are, appropriately, moments of relative reprieve from the general assault of most of V bažinách vědomí.

    One word I keep coming back to here is “serious.” Sněť plays serious death metal that is meant to be taken, listened to, and consumed seriously. And everything about V bažinách vědomí—the production, riffs, drumming, album and song titles, and atmosphere—is a product of this seriousness. That it sounds natural, and not clinical, is a serious credit to Sněť, who as a collective seem uniquely committed to seeing that vision through. Though I was somewhat familiar with Mokvání v okovech, this new one delivers a fiercer Sněť with a bigger appetite and tighter songwriting.

     

    The post Snet – V Bazinach Vedomi Review appeared first on Last Rites.

  • Trainspotting director Danny Boyle wanted to reunite the original Undertones and Sex Pistols line-ups to play the 2012 Olympics opening ceremony

    Film director Danny Boyle wanted to reunite the original Sex Pistols and The Undertones line-ups to perform at his opening ceremony for the 2012 Olympics in London.

    And The Undertones came tantalisingly close to reuniting with original frontman Feargal Sharkey for the occasion, drummer Billy Doherty has revealed in an exclusive new interview with eonmusic.

    The Derry punk legends, who are celebrating their 50th anniversary this year, were approached about performing as part of a planned celebration featuring bands representing the four regions of the United Kingdom.

    “They wanted to have bands from England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland,” Billy Doherty recalls.

    “It was us, I think the Pistols, I think it might have been the Manic Street Preachers, and it might have been Simple Minds… [and] Feargal agreed to do it.”

    Although the original idea ultimately fell through, Boyle retained the concept: in the end, the four regions were represented at the ceremony on July 27, 2012, by Duran Duran [England], Stereophonics [Wales], Snow Patrol [Northern Ireland] and Paolo Nutini [Scotland].

    The original proposal represented the most significant opportunity to put Feargal Sharkey back on stage with his former bandmates since The Undertones originally split in 1983. Sharkey went on to embark on a successful solo career, while Doherty, Michael Bradley, John O’Neill and Damian O’Neill returned to the stage in 1999 with new frontman Paul McLoone.

    In his interview with eonmusic, Billy Doherty recalls in the mid-1980s, The Undertones were offered what he describes as “lottery money” for five reunion shows, but Sharkey refused to participate.

    “He didn’t want to know,” the drummer recalls. “We contacted John Peel for John Peel to influence him. That actually made matters worse.”

    A second offer followed the next year, with even more money on the table, but Sharkey again declined.

    The Undertones continue to tour with McLoone on vocals and are marking 50 years since their formation with an extensive UK and Ireland tour this autumn.

    Danny Boyle later fulfilled his dream of reuniting the Sex Pistols… but only in his fictional FX drama Pistol.

    The TV drama caused a huge row among the Sex Pistols, with John Lydon distinctly unimpressed by the director’s love letter to his band, calling the series “the most disrespectful shit I’ve ever had to endure”.

    Lydon’s former bandmates Steve Jones and Paul Cook, took the singer to court after he attempted to ban the use of Sex Pistols songs in the drama, and won.

    Jones, Cook and Glen Matlock are currently touring the US with Frank Carter on vocals.

  • “The Scene Police Story: A Story Of Rebellion, Passion, and Financial Ruin” by Dennis P Merklinghaus

    Let’s be honest for a second, most books about punk rock tend to fall into two unbearable traps.

  • Movements Announce 2027 UK & Europe Headline Tour

    Movements have announced a run of UK & European headline dates taking place in early 2027.

    With the band’s fourth album ‘Happier Now’ out now via Fearless Records, they’ll be returning to this side of the Atlantic for a run of shows throughout February and March.

    Featuring support from Gouge Away, they’ll kick things off in Antwerp on February 21, making plenty of stops across the continent before things finish up with a Glasgow show on March 17.

    Tickets for all shows will go on general sale this Friday (September 18).

    Check out the full list of dates below.

    FEBRUARY

    21: ANTWERP Trix Club
    23: PARIS Trabendo
    24: HAARLEM Patronaat
    26: HAMBURG Fabrik
    27: COLOGNE Kantine
    28: MUNICH Technikum

    MARCH

    2: MILAN Legend Club
    3: SCHAFFHAUSEN Kammgarn
    5: BERLIN Kesselhaus
    6: PRAGUE Futurum Music Bar
    9: SOUTHAMPTON Enginerooms
    10: LONDON Electric Brixton
    12: BRISTOL SWX
    13: BIRMINGHAM O2 Academy 2
    14: MANCHESTER Manchester Academy 2
    16: LEEDS Project House
    17: GLASGOW SWG3 TV Studio

    Rock Sound recently caught up with Patrick Miranda to learn more about the band’s latest album ‘Happier Now’.

    Speaking on the journey to reach the point they’re now at, he told us:

    “I think everything that we have been through as a band, everything that I’ve been through personally – my social life, my relationships – has all got me to where I am right now and where we are right now as a band. I’m obviously extremely appreciative of everything I have gone through, and how even the struggles and the shit have ended up helping me grow as a person and given me a better outlook and understanding of what I want from life and what I want from music.”

    Read the full interview here.

    The post Movements Announce 2027 UK & Europe Headline Tour appeared first on Rock Sound.

  • Dylan Taganas – Rolling Heavy Thunder

     

    Long Island multi-instrumentalist Dylan Taganas is a musical chameleon. At just 21 years old, the New York artist seamlessly fuses classic rock, progressive metal, psych-pop, folk, and jazz into a singular, highly personal sound. Lyrically, his tracks dive into the introspective, detail-oriented mindset of a perfectionist. Having spent years performing in various acts—opening for major international artists like Bamboo, Sharon Cuneta, and Arnel Pineda, as well as sharing the stage with Gin Blossoms frontman Robin Wilson—Taganas is a seasoned performer who currently handles bass duties for punk outfit 2/14, alt-rockers Anything Ever, and indie-alt band Glenn Strange.

    His solo work tracks a captivating evolution: from the hard-rocking grit of his 2020 debut single “Feelings’ Blues” and the solemn, eulogy-inspired tribute “I Hoped, I Wondered,” to the explosive, punk-metal fusion of his single “Drained.” Driven by relentless experimentation and deep musicality, Taganas continues to prove himself as one of the most versatile young talents coming out of the East Coast.

    Rolling Heavy Thunder features a punk energy, hard rock vibes and it’s amazingly performed and produced. It’s got every piece in the right place (including production) and it’s very enjoyable from start to finish. The song is energetic but catchy at the same time, with fantastic vocals and stunning solos, reminding me of Queen and The Darkness. 

    Give it a go by clicking on the Spotify player below and follow Dylan Taganas if you like what you hear.

    https://instagram.com/dylantaganas 

  • Melvins Announced As First Desertfest London 2027 Headliner

    Melvins have been announced as the first headliner for Desertfest London 2027

    Melvins have been announced as the first headliner for Desertfest London 2027, which will take place across multiple venues in Camden Town from 21 to 23 May 2027.

    Formed in Montesano, Washington, in 1983, Melvins are pioneers of Heavy music and one of modern music’s most influential bands. Their appearance will place them at the top of the bill when Desertfest returns to London next spring.

    Monolord will also return to the festival after their packed Ballroom set in 2024. The Swedish trio have spent more than a decade building a reputation around their molten riffs and imposing live performances.

    German duo Mantar will bring their hybrid of blackened death-punk grooves, while Virginia’s Inter Arma will mark 20 years of dissonant, punishing music. British Heavy Metal band Desert Storm will also celebrate its twentieth anniversary at the festival.

    Montreal power trio Dopethrone will deliver what the band calls “Canadian Slutch”, while Seattle duo Year of the Cobra will make their first Desertfest London appearance in eight years.

    Desertfest London 2027 First Announcement

    • Melvins
    • Monolord
    • Mantar
    • Inter Arma
    • Dopethrone
    • Year of the Cobra
    • Desert Storm
    • The Grudge
    • Modder
    • Kanaan
    • Omo
    • Row of Ashes

    Desertfest London 2027 takes place from Friday 21 May to Sunday 23 May across its annual home in Camden Town. Phase one tickets are on sale now through the Desertfest website and Dice. Tickets are on sale at https://www.desertfest.co.uk.

    The post Melvins Announced As First Desertfest London 2027 Headliner first appeared on MetalTalk – Heavy Metal News, Reviews and Interviews.

  • Villagers Of Ioannina City – Venceremos Is Simply Magnificent

    Villagers Of Ioannina City release Venceremos on 18 September 2026

    It was only in 2019 that I discovered Villagers Of Ioannina City with their excellent album Age Of Aquarius. That was followed by the atmospheric live recording Through Space & Time – Alive in Athens 2020, which was released in 2023. The delight that I experienced when Venceremos dropped into the inbox was substantial, and there is nothing to disappoint with the Greek band’s fourth full-length release.

    Villagers Of Ioannina City – Venceremos

    Release Date: 18 September 2026

    Words: Paul Hutchings

    A concept album can put you into a spiral of fear, but there are no such shudders here. Instead, you are quickly drawn into an intoxicating and immersive album that sees Villagers Of Ioannina City move dynamically into a new level of intensity.

    Villagers Of Ioannina City - There is no doubt that Venceremos will feature in my top ten of 2026.
    Villagers Of Ioannina City – There is no doubt that Venceremos will feature in my top ten of 2026.

    It is hard to describe Villagers of Ioannina City’s sound. They are heavy, crushingly so in parts. Yet they combine it with glorious progressive passages, indigenous instruments and clean vocals that blend with Greek narrative. It all combines in an intoxicating mix that really takes some embracing. 

    A journey through exile, resistance and awakening, Venceremos is a rise against a broken world. More topical subject matter is hard to find, and nowhere is it more inspiring than the opening song Home. A massive ten-minute track that combines edges of folk with heavy riffs, traditional bagpipes and zurna contributes fully.

    The uplifting Ghosts In The Sky follows, the first single from the album. Full of groove and pace, you cannot help but nod along to a song that provides another side of the band. Yes, you can hear elements of the Gothenburg ’90s sound, but crafted in a contemporary manner, with the lush keyboards bringing another edge to the sound. 

    The band’s songs are often long, but the title track, which is pivotal to the album’s core, is a racing five-minute track with dynamic shifts, an energy that builds from an impressively already frenetic start and seems superbly placed in the overall pacing of the record.

    It leads into The Ruiner, which provides a different slant, utilising more native instruments and an overall folky flavour which amplifies the band’s liberating approach. 

    Here And Now, however, stands apart from everything else here. It is a dramatic slow burner that builds with emotionally charged passion and hits deep. The sheer intensity of the musicianship, the massive peak around the nine-minute mark and the overall progressive nature of the flowing piece allow Here And Now to rank in one of the top ten songs of 2026. It is simply magnificent. 

    And to close, the final chapter in the story is Requiem. A seven-minute anthemic progressive beast that provides intricate structures, instantly memorable hooks and the conclusion to an emotionally sonic experience. 

    There is no doubt that Venceremos will feature in my top ten of 2026. The six-year wait has been worth it. They may remain underground, but their time is coming. The evolution of the Villagers Of Ioannina City continues.

    Villagers Of Ioannina City release Venceremos on 18 September 2026 via Napalm Records. For more details, visit lnk.to/VillagersOfIoanninaCity-Venceremos.

    The post Villagers Of Ioannina City – Venceremos Is Simply Magnificent first appeared on MetalTalk – Heavy Metal News, Reviews and Interviews.

  • Mirrortalk Announce New EP ‘Where Does Everyone Go When I Need Them Most’

    Mirrortalk have shared all the details of their latest EP, set to be released via the band’s new label home Hassle Records. 

    Set to drop on November 27, the Birmingham band’s upcoming release is titled ‘Where Does Everyone Go When I Need Them Most’.

    With previously shared dark, devastating single ‘Circle The Drain’ and the crushing ‘Wait My Turn’ included on the track listing, the EP will also feature the freshly released ‘Forget My Name’.

    Deeply introspective, it’s a poignant shoegaze-infused alt. rock track that explores the crippling nature of self-doubt, and the tendency to push push people away when you actually need them there the most.

    Speaking on ‘Forget My Name, vocalist Mat Coffey has said:

    “Forget My Name ‘talks to those who fight with themselves. When you don’t like who you are, the easiest mistake to make is to push people away, even if you know you need them. This song is about what it feels like when you want people to forget you.”

    Mat has also spoken about the process of creating the band’s latest EP, and what we can expect from ‘Where Does Everyone Go When I Need Them Most’ :

    “Mirrortalk has always been built on a desire to combine all the music we loved growing up; but ‘Where Does Everyone Go When I Need Them Most’ is our greatest nod to that yet. Elements of metal and hardcore, shoegaze, and pure rock have gone into every track, making it feel like a new offering that is grounded in some familiarity for people who are fans of the same music as us.

    “The recording was done at Lower Lane Studios by our good friend Jonny Price, and if there’s one thing we took seriously while tracking, it was guitar tone. We wanted the release to be driven by the guitar, and throughout the process we dialled in and layered some sounds we feel are hitting the nail on the head for what Mirrortalk wants to sound like.

    “Throughout our other releases we have tackled a lot of topics around mental health and self-battling. This continues through this release, but also touches on some other personal notes we hope people can feel connected to. “Where Does Everyone Go When I Need Them Most” is the best reflection of our direction, and we just hope people want to come along”

    Take a look at the EP’s artwork below.

    To celebrate the EP’s release, Mirrortalk have also announced a special release party taking place at Birmingham’s O2 Institute 3 on November 27. 

    Check out a full list of their upcoming live shows below.

    SEPTEMBER

    19: BIRMINGHAM The Flapper (w/ Spilt Chain)
    26: LUTON Castlefest (w/ False Reality)

    NOVEMBER

    27: BIRMINGHAM 02 Institute 3

    The post Mirrortalk Announce New EP ‘Where Does Everyone Go When I Need Them Most’ appeared first on Rock Sound.

  • Empress Of Rebuilds “Dream House” After Fire

    Empress Of, the electronic musician, layered themes of instability and renewal on “Dream House,” a new album threaded with her mother’s stories about their Altadena home lost in the 2025 wildfire.

  • Nightwish got blamed for ugly Tarja Turunen split “for good reason”, Tuomas Holopainen admits: “It was like we were these evil neanderthals who’d hurt our wonderful ex-singer”

    Nightwish keyboardist, co-founder and songwriter Tuomas Holopainen admits that the band were blamed “for good reason” for how they handled the dismissal of original lead singer Tarja Turunen.

    Turunen, who fronted Nightwish from their 1996 founding until 2005, was let go via a scathing public letter from her bandmates. It alleged that “business” and “money” had become more important to her than the emotion behind the band’s music, and that her “attitude and behaviour” had changed due to the influence of her husband/manager Marcelo Cabuli. The couple denied the allegations.

    Looking back in an exclusive interview with Metal Hammer, Holopainen says that Nightwish “get blamed for what happened, for good reason” but insists that “there was no future” for the band with Turunen: “We were just operating in survival mode and plagued by these dark thoughts.”

    He adds that the remaining members “got completely butchered in the media” after the open letter was published. The split became such a hot-button topic that Finland’s then-prime minister, Matti Vanhanen, was asked to comment on it in parliament.

    “It was like we were these evil neanderthals who’d hurt our wonderful ex-singer,” Holopainen recalls. “I got some really interesting letters, let’s put it that way.”

    The keyboardist now has a civil but distant relationship with Turunen: the pair have exchanged a handful of emails over the years but not had any further interactions. He dismisses the possibility of reuniting with his ex-singer.

    “It was a divorce, and an ugly one at that,” he explains, “so I think we have our own lives now. Someone did say to me if we got Tarja and Marko [Hietala, bassist/vocalist who left in 2020] back in, we could tour just South America for a year straight. That’s not gonna happen.”

    Now fronted by Dutch singer Floor Jansen, Nightwish put out their latest album, Yesterwynde, in 2024. Holopainen revealed to Hammer last month that he has six songs written for the follow-up release.

    “I feel more inspired than ever – proof of that is that I’ve already got six new Nightwish songs done,” he said. “Every time I sit in front of my keyboard, I’m like, ‘Ah yeah, this is great! Just wait till everyone hears this.’ It’s exhilarating.”

    He added that the band have “reserved things” for 2027, hinting that they’ve booked studio time. He also suggested that 2028 will be the year that they end their ongoing hiatus from live shows, which started in summer 2023.

    “Next year is too early to be going back on tour. The year after, possibly? I want to do another album before any live shows, and that’s definitely happening. We’ve already reserved things for that next year.”

    Following her Nightwish exit, Turnen launched a solo career. Her latest album, Frisson Noir, came out in June. She will perform a special show with an orchestra at the Ancient Theater in Plovdiv, Bulgaria on September 18, then tour Europe from September 30 to October 25.