Maynard James Keenan remains awfully busy with his various bands and side quests. Tool have headlined a few festivals this year, and Puscifer’s album Normal came out in February. Now, Keenan seems to be kicking things into gear with his long-running act A Perfect Circle, now officially a duo with guitarist Billy Howardel. They released the rock radio hit “Starless” back in May, and now they’re dropping another new song and announcing a tour.
Death doomsters Dream Unending have shared details and first single in what will be their third full-length instalment. Dubbed Certain Uncertainties, it will hit the streets on October 30, 2026 via 20 Buck Spin. Drums recorded by Arthur Rizk at Solomon’s Gate, Easton, Pennsylvania. Guitars and bass recorded by Sean Pearson at Boxcar Sound, Hamilton Ontario. Mix and mastering handled by Arthur Rizk. Read more…
I don’t remember the first time I went to Saint Vitus Bar — the original Vitus, at 1120 Manhattan Ave. in Greenpoint. It can’t have been long after I moved to New York in the summer of 2013. The bar had just opened in 2011, and already, it was considered one of the best metal venues in the country. Word traveled, via photo slideshows on Brooklyn Vegan and dispatches from friends who were already in the city, and my jealousy swelled. Vitus wasn’t the only thing luring me to leave my Midwestern college town and my first post-grad job for the uncertainty of a studio apartment in deep Queens, but it was a major draw, and once I arrived in the city, I seamlessly integrated the club into my life. I think the reason I can’t remember the first time I went to Vitus is because it never felt like a landmark moment to me. It was more like one day I lived in Indiana, and the next, I was at Vitus all the time.
German black metal purveyors Verheerer have announced that they will only play three more shows before going on indefinite hiatus. The band’s full statement can be read below. Read more…
A Perfect Circle has released “To Whom It May Concern” (apc.lnk.to/TWIMC), their second new single this year and the follow-up to “Starless,” which just reached #1 at Active Rock radio. Billy Howerdel and Maynard James Keenan have also announced an extensive North American tour launching April 13 in Vancouver, with stops including Red Rocks Amphitheatre and the Hollywood Bowl.
Puscifer will join A Perfect Circle for all Canadian performances as well as Detroit, (April 13 to April 23, and April 25), while The Cult will support on the remaining U.S. dates (April 27 to June 13).
Billy Howerdel comments: “It’s exciting to finally get some new music out into the world, and seeing ‘Starless’ reach #1 at rock radio this week has made it even sweeter! The outpouring of support is so very much appreciated. ‘To Whom It May Concern’ is next up! More to come.”
“Very much looking forward to pulling double duty through Canada with A Perfect Circle and Puscifer,” Keenan adds. “Been way, way too long. New tunes, new dance moves, new hair hats. Figure it out. #figureitout”
“To Whom It May Concern” was written earlier this year and recorded at Howerdel’s Lankershim Ranch Studio in Studio City, Calif. Howerdel produced the track, “Matty Green” (U2, Florence + the Machine, TV on the Radio) mixed it, and longtime collaborator Josh Freese plays drums.
Tickets go on sale Friday, Oct. 2 at 10 a.m. local time with an A Perfect Circle pre-sale running from Wednesday, Sept. 30 at 10 a.m. local time through Thursday, Oct. 1 at 10 p.m. local time (Password: PERFECT). Local pre-sales begin Thursday, Oct. 1 and run from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. local time. The Elizabethtown, Ky. show will go on sale at a later date, with additional details to come.
A Perfect Circle and Puscifer spend this fall on the road, trekking across Latin America, Australia, New Zealand, and Japan, before closing out the tour on Dec. 19 in Hawaii. Tickets for all previously announced shows are available now here. Dave Hill appears on fall 2026 dates.
Formed in 1999 by guitarist Billy Howerdel and vocalist Maynard James Keenan, A Perfect Circle released their debut album, Mer de Noms, in 2000. The collection debuted at #4 on the Billboard 200 and became the highest-charting debut rock album of its time. Featuring fan favorites “Judith,” “3 Libras,” and “The Hollow,” the platinum-selling release remains a defining album. Their catalog has continued to resonate, from Thirteenth Step (2003) and eMOTIVe (2004), to 2018’s Eat the Elephant, which debuted at #3 on the Billboard 200.
A Perfect Circle have headlined festivals worldwide, sold out iconic venues including the Hollywood Bowl, Madison Square Garden, and Red Rocks Amphitheatre, and appeared on late night television shows including “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” and “The Tonight Show.”
If you’ve never heard Live The Storm, the 2008 album from the great Swedish crust punk band Disfear, I would advise you to change that immediately. Live The Storm is an absolute beast of an album, and it remains one of my favorite heavy albums of this century. I got to see Disfear when they toured the US behind that album. They kicked ass, and I hold onto the memory. I’ll never get to see them again.
Held’s Standby hits with a heavy shoegaze sound that pushes dense guitars and post hardcore intensity into a more atmospheric space. The riffs carry real weight, drawing from metal and hardcore without losing the hazier side of the arrangement, while ethereal synth textures add contrast around the heavier passages. There is a strong sense of tension throughout the track, with the vocals keeping things relatively sparse and allowing the instrumentation to shape much of the emotional character. Held balances distortion, melody and atmosphere effectively, creating a sound that feels both aggressive and immersive. The production gives the guitars plenty of presence while leaving enough room for the synth elements to widen the track beyond its heavier foundations. Standby works particularly well in the way it brings together crushing riff work and dreamier textures without softening either side.
Heavy riffs, hazy synths and shoegaze turned up loud.
Paying direct homage to the golden eras of ’80s and ’90s rock, Toys That Bïte channel the supercharged spirit of heavy metal titans like Judas Priest, Iron Maiden, Dio, Aerosmith, and Alice Cooper. Adored by a dedicated fanbase dubbed “Biters,” the outfit builds their signature sound on a foundation of thunderous guitar riffs, bone-crushing drums, and massive, addictive vocal hooks that stay locked in your head for days. Delivering pure nostalgia with a modern, high-voltage edge, Toys That Bïte hit with unapologetic power and unstoppable energy.
I love the pure classic metal vibes of their new single Pour Me A Whiskey. It starts melodic and slow and explodes in fantastic guitar riff NWOBHM with some deep purple vibes in the vocals. The song has an unexpected tempo change at 3.40, followed by a fantastic solo section. If you love the names in the first part of the article, you will love this one. Give it a go by clicking on the Spotify player below and follow Toys That Bïte if you like what you hear.
Today, Australian metalcore heavyweights Northlane announce an expansive North American headlining tour in support of Anemoia, out everywhere October 30th via independent release.
The upcoming tour, supported by Allt, Aviana, and Reliqa, kicks off in Sacramento, CA on February 12th, hitting cities across the US and Canada before concluding in Portland on March 18. Tickets go on sale Friday, October 2nd at 10am local. The tour follows the band’s largest Australian headliner to date, as well as a run supporting Dayseeker across the UK and Europe this winter. A full list of dates can be found below, and fans can purchase tickets here.
Executive produced by Jordan Fish, the idea for Anemoia was sparked by a mind-altering set from UK producer and DJ Evian Christ, which inspired songwriter/guitarist Jon Deiley to explore how trance – in all its emotional intensity and physical scale – could work naturally with guitars and the catharsis of heavy music. Throughout the album, Northlane’s hallmark electronic metal takes on many forms, shapeshifting through euphoric trance, seismic breakdowns, brain-bending grooves, drum-and-bass, jungle and pop, coalescing into Northlane’s own sonic singularity.
Following on from their #1 album Obsidian (2022), Anemoia toys with the concept of feeling nostalgia for a time or place one has never known. The nostalgic yearning coursing through Anemoia opens up a dichotomy of darkness and light that underpins the record. Buoyed by the sense of freedom in eras past, there’s a light and carefree energy running through tracks like the bright Britpop-tinged “Start Again,” the 2000s cheekiness of “CUT_it”, the kinetic exhilaration of “Evian,” and widescreen interplay between Bridge and guest vocalist Rory Rodriguez (Dayseeker) on the album’s title track.
“There’s darkness here, but it’s not nihilism – and there’s hope, but it’s not naivety,” adds Bridge. “We weren’t interested in writing a record that projects something beyond ourselves with a prophetic statement, or pretending the world is better than it is. What we made instead is something that feels like it was written by real people living through the same experience as everyone else.”
More than 15 years into their career, Northlane continue to stand at the forefront of heavy music globally with a singular sound that shifts the genre’s landscape with every release. With multiple chart-topping albums, awards and over 500 million streams, the band has built a legacy defined by the restless pursuit of innovation. On Anemoia, they have not chosen between the worlds that shaped them – they have finally found where they meet.
Swedish d-beat bruisers Disfear return with a new album, posthumously featuring two members, including Tomas Lindberg (At the Gates). Continue reading…
