Alternative metal band Stitched Up Heart have premiered the official music video for their track “MEDUSA”, coinciding with the release of their newly issued album of the same name.
The song serves as the title track of the record and features a guest appearance from Lyric Noel. The album itself also includes contributions from a range of gue… Read More/Discuss on Metal Underground.com
Strange things are afoot with art imitating art tonight at The Roundhouse as Keanu Reeves, the actor in the band Wyld Stallyns, from the movie Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure, appeared in his real band, Dogstar. Queues stretch far down to Camden Market for this performance. It is an impressive turnout when the rock and Metal community have upped sticks en masse to take over Castle Donington, at Download Festival, where Dogstar are also due to play.
A well-behaved, orderly but clearly excited crowd roars as the band comes on stage, silhouettes in black with an inevitable extra uplift of a cheer as the tall Keanu takes the stage. It is a stripped-back set, no backdrop to speak of, with a basic lighting arrangement and just the three-piece all in black, made up of Bret Domrose (lead guitar/vocals), Keanu Reeves (bassist) and Robert Mailhouse on drums.
Drawing on material from their 2023 album Somewhere Between the Power Lines And Palm Trees and substantially from their new album All In Now, which was released this second week of June 2026, the set built in intensity from melodic rock to something that by the end was crossing the line into melodic grunge rock.
Dogstar – The Roundhouse, Camden – 13 June 2026. Photo: Manuela Langotsch/MetalTalk
There were some bodacious, beautiful and interesting lead guitar moments and a brief Keanu Reeves bass solo on the final song, which lasted nowhere near long enough.
However, the crowd spoke volumes, never once really moving, forget mosh pits, dancing in the aisles or even the familiar nodding dog to a strong beat. While the crowd was certainly obeying the Bill and Ted’s mantra, be excellent to each other, the atmosphere was more bogus than most triumphant in terms of energy.
Sure, they were appreciating the music, and there were orchestrated clap-alongs and the ubiquitous modern ballad with the camera phone torches out, but almost no spontaneous riotous fun, the hallmark of almost any live rock and Metal performance.
Dogstar – The Roundhouse, Camden – 13 June 2026. Photo: Manuela Langotsch/MetalTalk
One clue to the conundrum of the almost full house but the lack of momentum was when Domrose yelled to the crowd who had listened to the new album, which generated a fairly lacklustre response to which he suggested the crowd should “go out and get it”.
It is a fair guess that a lot of the crowd were there because of their love for Keanu Reeves, and maybe less due to passion for the band. If this were true, the band had no intention of giving them Keanu Reeves, the movie star, so they did not get what they may have wanted.
Judging by some cries of “I love you, Keanu,” and “take me on a date,” some were keen on more than just some crowd banter. Taking up the style of a classic grunge rock slacker bassist, think Nirvana, with a low-slung Fender bass and not moving more than a few paces back and forth on the same side of the stage, Keanu’s stage performance was traditional but downplayed to the max.
Dogstar – The Roundhouse, Camden – 13 June 2026. Photo: Manuela Langotsch/MetalTalk
This felt like a missed opportunity. Reeves croaked “Thank you” into the microphone, which was the only words he spoke all night, not even one “Party on Dudes”.
Yes, they had achieved being a band, not a one-man ego machine and who Reeves is did fade a little into the background. But to audience members brought up on Bill And Ted’s Excellent Adventure, this was a far cry from the act that promised to “put an end to war and poverty”, “align the planets and bring them into universal harmony”, “allow meaningful contact with all forms of life” and be “excellent for dancing”.
Possibly the bar was set a little high. Whilst they may not have aligned the planets tonight, for the fans, it was still a most excellent adventure.
Dogstar – The Roundhouse, Camden – 13 June 2026. Photo: Manuela Langotsch/MetalTalk
Fletchr Fletchr
Fletchr Fletchr, supporting Dogstar, are a British act playing catchy and at times genuinely powerful and moving rock. Hailing from Hertfordshire, Fletchr Fletchr acknowledged it was “their dream to play at the Roundhouse.”
This was an acknowledgement Dogstar also gave later, giving respect to the venue that gave early platforms to Pink Floyd, Jimi Hendrix, The Doors, Led Zeppelin, David Bowie, The Rolling Stones, The Ramones, and so many others.
Fletchr Fletchr – The Roundhouse, Camden – 13 June 2026. Photo: Manuela Langotsch/MetalTalk
Smart-casually dressed they played to a full audience. Maybe benefiting from the fact that no support act had been advertised, for me, this was the better band of the night.
Playing a short, less-than-half-hour set, drawn from a set of singles including the very newly released Fucking With My Head and songs from their 2025 EP We All Feel The Same, the crowd rapidly warmed to them and the visceral punch of a song about the grief of a band member losing their father, tangibly hit the audience.
Fletchr Fletchr – The Roundhouse, Camden – 13 June 2026. Photo: Manuela Langotsch/MetalTalk
A rock band, maybe alt rock, clearly, there were other influences, including jazz, at one point, a saxophone was played. Fletchr Fletchr are a group who will go on to make bigger waves.
Multi-platinum post-hardcore outfit Sleeping With Sirens have officially released their eighth studio album, “An Ending In Itself”. Alongside the album's arrival, the band have also premiered a new music video for “House Of Matches”.
The video was once again directed by Max Moore, whose previous work includes collaborations with A Day To Rem… Read More/Discuss on Metal Underground.com
Canadian technical death metal innovators Archspire recently took part in Musora’s ‘On The Spot’ series, a challenge-based program that tasks artists with learning, arranging and recording a cover song in a single day.
For their contribution, the tech death speedsters selected “APT.”, the massively successful 2024 K-pop hit originally record… Read More/Discuss on Metal Underground.com
Cabaret Voltaire Amsterdam, Paradiso 13th June 2026 Cabaret Voltaire play a sharp and at times transcendental set, albeit without Chris Watson at Amsterdam’s legendary Paradiso. There’s a particular spot in the Paradiso where everything makes sense. I’m not going to tell you where it is, because I want it to remain “my spot” when I […]
After selling 45,000 tickets and playing sold-out open-air shows in Germany in the summer of 2026, Foreigner will return to the country’s largest indoor arenas in October 2027 with their 50th Anniversary Arena Tour—featuring Europe as a special guest. The tour is a direct continuation of the sold-out open-air campaign celebrating the band’s anniversary and… Continue Reading →
Denver doom metal outfit Khemmis have officially released their new self-titled album, through Nuclear Blast. Coinciding with the album’s arrival, the band have also unveiled a music video for the track “Gilded Chambers”.
The song was first introduced to fans during a live performance in December 2025 at a hometown show in Englewood, Colorad… Read More/Discuss on Metal Underground.com
Emo rock favorites My Chemical Romance have released their rendition of Pulp’s classic Britpop anthem “Common People”, offering fans another preview of the bonus material included with the upcoming 15th anniversary deluxe edition of “Danger Days: The True Lives Of The Fabulous Killjoys”.
The cover was originally recorded during a BBC Radio 1… Read More/Discuss on Metal Underground.com
Stoner/doom metal trio Bastardane have unveiled a new music video for their single “Mother’s Tongue”. The clip was directed by Calum Palmer and arrives several months after the song's initial release.
While the video is making its debut now, “Mother’s Tongue” first surfaced online in February and has already become a familiar part of the ban… Read More/Discuss on Metal Underground.com
