Category: news

Parma punk rock band Shonan releases “Junkies,” a high-energy anthem celebrating wild nights out, concerts, and rowdy company.

I am sitting in the dark
Staring at nothing
Caged by the shadows I become rotten
My emotions go to another stage
Escape from this cave 

Plato’s allegory of the cave begins with one of philosophy’s most unsettling propositions: human beings may spend their lives confusing appearances for reality. His prisoners, chained underground since childhood, know the world through forms projected across stone. To encounter the world beyond their enclosure would require a painful revision of everything they believed to be true. Knowledge, in this conception, begins with the terrifying possibility that the mind has mistaken confinement for the universe.

Berlin-based Brazilian artist Daniel Knutz brings that ancient problem inward on The Cave, turning Plato’s cavern into an enclosure built from memory, fear, exhaustion, and emotional paralysis. The walls possess their own acoustics. Thoughts return altered by repetition; tears strike stone; a heartbeat seems to travel through chambers where time has become difficult to measure. Knutz presents consciousness as something almost geological, with experience deposited layer upon layer until the past acquires the weight of rock.

Musically, The Cave belongs to the grander tradition of darkwave and gothic rock represented by Clan of Xymox, Fields of the Nephilim, Danse Society, and London After Midnight. There is breadth in its atmosphere and a sense of scale suited to Knutz’s subject. The production treats space as an instrument: distant sounds, cavernous resonance, and deliberate repetition make the listener aware of imagined dimensions beyond the speakers. It feels less like observing someone’s isolation than occupying its architecture.

Memory is rarely an archive from which we retrieve pristine records. Each recollection passes once more through the mind that remembers it, altered by present fear, desire, guilt, and age. Knutz’s cave therefore becomes an enormous resonating chamber in which consciousness continually encounters itself.

“The Cave is a journey into the depths of my own mind,” says Knutz. “The cave symbolizes the hidden places within us where memories echo, fears grow, and emotions remain trapped in darkness. The atmosphere of the song is shaped by the sounds of the cave itself: distant echoes, dripping water, and tears falling onto stone. These sounds represent memories and emotions repeating through time, creating a feeling of isolation and reflection. Even the heartbeat feels as if it is resonating through the cold walls, emphasizing the loneliness and weight of the moment.”

The accompanying video, conceived and directed by Streykatt, extends this idea into mountains and an underground cavern rendered in drained, earthen tones. Knutz moves through terrain that seems older than individual suffering, reducing one person’s crisis against the immense scale of stone and geological time. The imagery gives his solitude a strange, almost prehistoric quality.

Watch the video for The Cave below:

Yet Plato’s prisoners were offered the possibility of ascent. Daniel Knutz leaves that possibility painfully open: self-knowledge as illumination is earned through confrontation, when the mind finally recognizes the walls surrounding it. Somewhere beyond the cold stone, another conception of the self remains possible. The first evidence of freedom may simply be realizing that the cave has an exit.

The cave is included on Daniel Knutz’s latest album, Echoes. Listen to The Cave below and order the album here.

Follow Daniel Knutz:

• Facebook
• Bandcamp
• Spotify
• Instagram

The post “Caged by the Shadows” — Berlin-based Darkwave Artist Daniel Knutz is Trapped in “The Cave” appeared first on Post-Punk.com.

Don Henley didn't know Dolly Parton very well, but he recalled working with her very fondly. Continue reading…

Flotsam and Jetsam started out as the ultimate underdog act, and somehow, they’ve retained that workaday everyman vibe over a 40-plus-year career. Gaining more fame from having their founding bassist poached by Metallica than they ever would from their excellent debut, their early years resulted in some high-flying platters. As with most metal bands, the early 90s shift in the American music scene toward grunge and grunge-adjacent sounds put them in a difficult position, and Flotsam did their best to adapt to the changing tastes without selling out. Through the 90s and the aughts, they had up-and-down moments, culminating in the utter train wreck dumpster fire of 2012s Ugly Noise where obituaries were penned, including by Yours Steely. But something strange happened when the band hit absolute rock bottom. They simply refused to go quietly into that good night. 2016 saw them rebound muchly with their self-titled album, and since then they’ve had a late-career upswing that can only be described as remarkable. Three more successful albums followed, proving there was still plenty of fuel in their war machine, and that brings us to their 16th release, Rats in the Temple. Can the little band from Arizona that could keep right on coulding? I always root for them, but eventually the biscuit wheels have to come off this unlikely gravy train, right?

That bad train day will not be today, however. Rats in the Temple is another rock-solid release from a band that seems to have figured out the formula for keeping things sounding fresh and vital. When I saw that Rats clocked in at a whopping 56-plus minutes, I had grave concerns, but the truth is, there isn’t much extra padding on these here bones. With every song sitting in the 3-4 minute window and the band showing serious veteran writing savvy, everything comes up Flotszilla. Opener “Harvesting the Hate” is a great initial shot to the brain stem with the classic Flotsam working-class thrash/trad metal hybrid sound intact and as toothsome as ever. There’s a nifty Middle Eastern vibe and unexpected symphonics before things really kick into gear, and things feel more epic and sweeping than the usual Flots-y material. Eric A.K.’s voice has aged like fine hobo wine, and he can still command the arena like a 20-something brash monkey. He powers the song through a big chorus backed by punchy guitar lines from Michael Gilbert and Steve Conley, and all is good. There’s a bit of an alt-rock vibe to some of the riff phrasing, but this is straight-up metal all day long, and it has real bite. Subsequent cuts like “Absolution” and “Blame the Knife” deliver geeked-up, extra-crunchy rowdy chowder that would have fit on the early albums. Then they hit you with the grandiose and large-scale “The Ghost Behind My Door,” which flirts with melodeath riffage as well as Brainstorm-esque epic trad metal. It’s just a killer tune.

Ripper after ripper fly by, and though you keep waiting for things to get stale, it never happens. Later tunes like “Last Rites” and “A Taste for War” are straight-up badassery with high energy and hooks. In fact, the last 4 tracks are some of the album’s strongest material. Penultimate cut “Anthem for the Broken” could be mistaken for a Brainstorm or Primal Fear song, and it has curb-stomp appeal. The gritty closer “Going Down That Way” feels like a return to the flawed but fun Drift album, but the writing is better, with the heaviness amplified. Nothing feels skippable, but given the album’s mammoth runtime, they probably could have cut either “Damnation” or “The Edge of Nowhere” to tighten the experience a bit. That being said, Rats doesn’t feel like a long listen, and the songs all fly by and demand replays. That says A LOT about the songwriting.¹

With the same lineup from the last few albums returning, you get a seasoned, battle-tested crew who know what they’re about. I’ve been a fan of Eric A.K.’s voice since the beginning, and during their darker days, he was the only reason I kept checking out the band’s releases (High through My God). He sounds as good as ever here, and though I miss those laser-like high notes from the olden days, I don’t expect them from a man 40 years into his metal career. Michael Gilbert and Steve Conley seem to have gotten their hands on some kind of unregulated pre-workout powder prior to recording, because their riffs feel WAY more beefy, burly, and brawly. On tracks like “Absolution” and “First on the Spike,” they sound possessed by fire and ribeye, and that’s the recipe for getting the Steel ov Approval stamped on your head. I also appreciate how they blend thrash, traditional, and power metal elements into their playing to keep things feeling fresh and forceful so late in their career.

I hoped Flotsam and Jetsam could keep their recent winning streak going, and lo and behold, Rats in the Temple may be the best of their string of comeback albums. It flirts with greatness, and leaves me little room to complain. For a band sitting on so many releases over so many years, that’s a fookin’ miracle of science and art! Get down with these temple rats.

---

Rating: 3.5/5.0
DR: NA | Format Reviewed: Fucking STREAM!
Label: Napalm
Websites: flotstildeath.com | facebook.com/flotsamandjetsam.official | instagram.com/flotsamandjetsamofficial
Releases Worldwide: August 28th, 2026

The post Flotsam and Jetsam – Rats in the Temple Review appeared first on Angry Metal Guy.

South Australian alt-rock band Gernz releases “OW!”, a 90s-inspired single turning physical toe-stubs into emotional metaphors. South Australian

Swedish skate punk group Mistakes Were Made release their 3-track EP Corporate Punks, blending 90s melodies with themes

As It Is have revealed that they are going to be releasing a new live EP titled ‘So A-Live!’, their first-ever release of this kind.

It will be yours on September 04 via FLG, and was recorded at Marshall Studios alongside the sensational vocal group that is Espera.

The artwork looks like this:

Whilst the tracklisting is more like this:

1. I’m So Alive! (LIVE)
2. Do You Remember (LIVE)
3. Live Laugh Love Los Angeles (LIVE)
4. Marilyn (LIVE)

Vocalist Patty Walters had this to say about putting the project together:

“We’re incredibly excited and proud to release the ‘So A-Live!’ EP, our first-ever collection of live recordings. This is a project that we’ve all wanted to bring to life for years, but the right time never presented itself, until now. I feel like this album and these songs were the perfect moment to celebrate the songwriters, performers, and lifelong friends we are today.

It was such a joy and a true privilege to spend the day performing alongside such talented and passionate musicians. The new embellishments and the absolutely unreal talent that Lyns, Mattie, Paige, Pete, and Blue brought to this session truly took these four songs to a new level. We’re so humbled, appreciative, and proud to have created this EP with each of them, and we’re thrilled to be sharing it with the world today.”

Whilst Lynsey Ward of Espera had this to say about being involved in the project:

“Writing and recording our feature on ‘I’m So Alive!’, the opening track on such a significant record in As It Is history, was already incredibly exciting. But there really is nothing quite like being in a room together and making it all happen live!

The ‘So A-Live!’ session at Marshall Studios was chock-full of infectious joy and camaraderie. Patty, Ben, Ali and Foley demonstrated such trust in asking us to write and perform additional vocal arrangements for ‘Do You Remember?’, ‘Live, Laugh, Love, Los Angeles,’ and ‘Marilyn’, making it all the more meaningful that they now feature on this very special live EP release! Mattie, Paige and I are so proud to contribute towards such a powerful era for As It Is.”

You can hear the live version of ‘Do You Remember?’ right now too, just click play below.

As It is were on the cover of Rock Sound earlier this year, talking all about the making of their new album ‘As It Is’.

You can grab a copy alongside an exclusive vinyl variant of the record and exclusive merch now from SHOP.ROCKSOUND.TV

The post As It Is Announce New Live EP ‘So A-Live!’ appeared first on Rock Sound.

There was always something retiring about Dinosaur Jr. Their name alone – appended with that suffix of inferiority, necessary to avoid legal action by way of ‘60s supergroup Dinosaur – was indicative of something slightly less than greatness.  

Seeing Dinosaur Jr. live is similarly lacking in pomp – their bashful frontman J Mascis usually appears unanimated to the point of motionlessness. Remember though that Dinosaur Jr. arrived in the ‘80s at a time when post-punk (over)intellectualising was eschewed, with the underground instead favouring something altogether hazier, distant and static. Simon Reynolds discusses much of this in his recent book ‘Still in a Dream: Shoegaze, Slackers and the Reinvention of Rock, 1984–1994’ – including the triumphant understatedness of Dinosaur Jr.  

That’s a lot of background, but it matters because Dinosaur Jr. never changed all too much. Their new album continues this trend. Much of the material here could pass for late ‘80’s Dinosaur Jr., not least due to J’s voice remaining ever-youthful – or did he always sound slightly older that he was? Either way, ‘There Near’ is everything that could be expected of a Dinosaur Jr. album in 2026. It’s a fuzzy display of untamed indie rock ennui – and it’s damn good fun too. 

J was always one of the more likely ‘80s rockers to, well, rock out. Here however he appears happier than ever to appease his inner-Hendrix. His soloing on songs like ‘Clam Along’, ‘Put It Down’ and ‘No Friends’ is raucous, with licks and riffs that evoke a 16-year-old who’s just discovered pentatonic scales.  

Some of the songwriting more generally sounds surprisingly youthful. Opener ‘Several Got Away’ is staggeringly catchy, evoking the slacker pop discernment of ‘90’s contemporaries Pavement. ‘No Friends’, with its melodramatic plea for companionship, is even more inclined towards pubescent emo-isms. Yet when filtered through J’s world-weary vocals, the central conceit of loneliness feels bleakly earnest.  

‘Take Me With You’ is sadly not a Prince cover. It is instead a vehicle for one of many riffs that splinter their way through ‘There Near’ like J’s been playing them for years – ‘Gone Off’ even has a guitar lick that’s singable in a Beatlemania head wobble sort of way.  

The album’s lead single is also its catchiest. But ‘Blowin Up’ is far more memorable for non-musical reasons. “You’re about as dumb as they come” sings J, before declaring that “there’s nothing quite as bad as a bored edgelord.” It’s perhaps not the most subtle piece of sloganeering, but given the album’s anachronistic sonority, hearing J take on edgelord culture is a fun and unexpected digression.  

Other than this mildly surprising takedown, ‘Near There’ feels like it exists within its own world, where the type of music Reynolds writes about in ‘Still in a Dream’ was the endpoint of contemporary music’s want for perpetual progression. None of this necessarily matters, of course, and there are several positives to this. For one, it makes the album easy to recommend to existing fans of the band, and it’s a decent enough entry point for newcomers (even if ‘You’re Living All Over Me’ and ‘Without a Sound’ are more logical examples).  

Whether ‘Near There’ is a success largely depends on whether the familiarity of these songs is perceived to be pleasant or regressive. That’s a vexed topic that Simon Reynolds (there he is again) would probably have a lot to say about. Either way, only the stuffiest of grumps would deny that Dinosaur Jr. have for the umpteenth time channelled meandering riffs of distortion, a hybrid of indie and hardcore – and a sympathy for the emotional – into another pleasingly raw series of rockers.  

BEN WILLIAMS

Posted on August 26th 2026, 12:00pm

Jack White paid tribute to queen of country Dolly Parton by covering the late singer’s timeless 1973 single Jolene at his show at London’s Eventim Apollo last night (August 25).

Although The White Stripes regularly performed Jolene, which they covered in 2000 as a B-side, and released as a live single in 2004, White hasn’t performed the song live since 2007, according to Setlist FM.

The country superstar’s passing, at home in Nashville, Tennessee, was announced just a few hours before White took to the stage in Hammersmith last night. Pre-show, White, who also lives in Nashville, posted a photo of Parton on Instagram with the caption ‘Instant Sainthood’.

White’s record label Third Man also saluted the much-loved musical icon in an Instagram post.

“Dolly’s legacy goes far beyond the music,” the caption read.

“For decades, she’s used her voice, her success, and her heart to make a difference. From the Imagination Library putting millions of books into children’s hands to supporting education, literacy, disaster relief, and communities in need.

“An incredible artist, philanthropist, advocate, and human being. Thank you, Dolly, for a lifetime of giving back and making the world a little brighter. Rest in peace 🦋🤍”

A post shared by Jack White (@officialjackwhite)

A photo posted by on

A host of other musicians, celebrities and public figures have also paid their own personal tributes to Parton.

“Her songwriting, her singing, and her philanthropy were unrivaled in the world of country music and it is hard to imagine living in a world without Dolly,” Paul McCartney posted, calling the singer “the best.”

“Shocked and devastated to hear of Dolly’s passing,” Elton John posted. “A giant of an artist – unique and irreplaceable, with the kindest heart”

“What a wonderful songwriter and singer Dolly was,” Mick Jagger posted. “She brought so many people together, we will all miss her so much.”

“Devastating news,” Garbage posted. “The Queen of light itself. A one of one. A once in a lifetime. A sparkling rhinestone for all eternity. A true gift to humanity and the very best of us. Rest in peace sweet Dolly. Thank you for sharing your power, wisdom and spectacular song with us all.
We will always love you.”