Category: news

North Carolina progressive alt-metal outfit STELLAR CIRCUITS have unveiled their latest single, ‘Wounded Healer,’ available now via Nuclear Blast Records.

Continuing the creative momentum established by their acclaimed album Phantom :: Phoenix and recent standalone single ‘Spotlight,’ ‘Wounded Healer’ fuses crushing heaviness with melodic and dissonant tension, mirroring the struggle between decay and redemption. Driven by themes of inner sickness and fragile transformation, it confronts the breaking point—where healing and destruction collide, and survival demands you make your move before you dissolve away.

Following the success of Phantom :: Phoenix, which further solidified the band’s reputation for crafting immersive and emotionally resonant modern metal, STELLAR CIRCUITS continue to demonstrate why they remain one of the genre’s most exciting and forward-thinking acts.

Stream ‘Wounded Healer’:
https://sc.bfan.link/wounded-healer

‘Wounded Healer’ Lyric Visualizer:
https://youtu.be/nLaJFgP3Q1E

Released in late 2025 to widespread praise from fans and critics alike, Phantom :: Phoenix represented a defining moment for STELLAR CIRCUITS, showcasing the band’s ability to seamlessly merge progressive complexity, crushing heaviness, and cinematic atmosphere with deeply personal songwriting. The album explored themes of rebirth, perseverance, and self-discovery through tracks such as ‘I See Your Spirit,’ ‘Corridor,’ and ‘Bury The Ashes,’ further establishing the band’s reputation for creating emotionally resonant music without sacrificing technical prowess or intensity.

Stream/Purchase Phantom :: Phoenix:
https://sc.bfan.link/phantom-phoenix

Stellar Circuits has rapidly become one of the most compelling voices in modern progressive metal. Following their acclaimed 2023 Nuclear Blast debut, Sight To Sound, the band has continued to push boundaries with a sound that balances crushing heaviness, immersive textures, and deeply personal songwriting. Known for their dynamic live performances, Stellar Circuits have toured extensively alongside acts such as Chevelle and Arch Echo, earning a reputation as one of the genre’s most captivating rising acts.

Follow STELLAR CIRCUITS:
Website | Facebook | Instagram | X | TikTok
Youtube | Bandcamp | Spotify | Apple Music

The post STELLAR CIRCUITS Release New Single ‘Wounded Healer’ appeared first on The Rockpit.

On July 24, NYHC icons MADBALL return with their tenth studio album, Not Your Kingdom, via Nuclear Blast. Seamlessly bridging the gap between old-school grit and the modern heavy music landscape, MADBALL remains an unrivalled force. Not Your Kingdom pairs the band’s trademark tales of street survival with a deeper, introspective edge, cementing the fact […]

In 1970, the Grateful Dead released two special albums — Workingman’s Dead and American Beauty. Together, these records redefined the Grateful Dead as more than just a relic of the Summer of Love. They had matured into a full-bodied unit capable of subtlety and introspection, laid out over crisp, harmonically sound melodies. Various reissues have come out over the years. As for new ways of listening, 5.1 surround sound mixes of both albums came out in 2001. Twenty-five years later, Rhino has reissued Workingman’s Dead on vinyl,  reel-to-reel tape (!), and Blu-ray Disc featuring Dolby Atmos, DTS 5.1, and DTS-HD stereo mixes overseen by Grateful Dead drummer Mickey Hart.

Setting their psychedelic ramblings to the side, the Dead embraced elements of country, blues and folk — all of which inspired them to write some of their most memorable songs, played with extreme precision and care. Workingman’s Dead is the first to unearth this stylistic change. Among the eight, mostly Robert Hunter-Jerry Garcia compositions are the radio-friendly “Uncle John’s Band” and “Casey Jones.” Other such long-lasting concert staples as “Dire Wolf,” “Cumberland Blues,” and “Black Peter” beautifully round out the most realized Grateful Dead album to date.

As a multi-channel recording, the variances between the new mixes is striking. Quite interesting that one of the band’s drummers has mixed an album with very little drums. Percussion of any kind practically drops out just before the bridge of “Uncle John’s Band,” then returns with more rhythm to bring it to a close. Listening back in Atmos, the guitars and bass warmly swarm the room. From the bouncing acoustics of “High Times” and “Dire Wolf” to the sweeping harmonies of “Cumberland Blues” and tight interplay of “Casey Jones,” the Atmos mix is the clear winner of the mixes and best reason to own this disc. The disappointing 5.1 mix is overburdened with reverb and fails short of capturing the essence and nuance that embody the original recording.

No matter how you play it back, Workingman’s Dead stands out as an important step in capturing the Grateful Dead at the beginning of a decade when they evolved into a world-class band with a wealth of material and the chops to keep it together and then some. Once American Beauty arrived five months later, there was no question that the band known for their live performances was capable of making A-league studio albums that contributed to their larger-than-life legacy.

~ Shawn Perry

Purchase
Workingman’s Dead

 

Priya .

The post Priya Panda reveals Diemonds never “really broke up” and open to playing shows including hometown one first appeared on Sleaze Roxx.

With just two weeks to go until Thrashville kicks off on Saturday, June 27, we’ve received sad news that American punk pioneers FEAR have been forced to cancel their first Australian tour. The band’s frontman, Lee Ving, has been advised by his doctors not to travel at this time. We send Lee our very best […]

Platinum-selling, Scranton, PA powerhouse MOTIONLESS IN WHITE are just over one month away from releasing their new album DECADES, which arrives on July 17 via Roadrunner Records. Pre-order it HERE. Motionless In White are at home in the dark. For over 20 years, the quintet — Chris Motionless [vocals], Ricky Olson [guitar], Ryan Sitkowski [guitar], […]

It was the announcement of the year. Four-fifths of the King Diamond lineup that recorded the legendary “Them” album reunited and started working on new material. As soon as this news spread, excitement in the metal world was palpable. Mikkey Dee, Pete Blakk, Andy La Rocque, and bassist Hal Patino joined forces with Nils K…. Continue Reading →

Generation .

The post Generation Landslide to release new album ‘Existence’ on July 3rd first appeared on Sleaze Roxx.

The super deluxe version of Cream’s Wheels Of Fire: Now available in triple vinyl or quintuple CD

All the constituent parts are in place – but there’s no real spark, no moment when the band sound like they might attain musical nirvana