We’re just a few days away from the release of Julia Holter’s next album. On Friday, the gauzy, expansive singer and composer will share her new LP Materia, and we’ve already posted her tracks “The Laugh Is In The Eyes,” “Fantasy,” and “My Lost One.” To tide us over until the full-length arrives, Holter shares one more track today, and it’s a sequel of sorts.
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Last year, fish narc shared his latest album frog song, which was one of many amphibian-themed releases at the time. Today, the ’90s-influenced GothBoiClique-member-turned-rocker is announcing his new LP.
The post fish narc Announces New Album <em>Uncle</em>: Hear “Much Less Me” appeared first on Stereogum.
(What follows is TheMadIsraeli’s review of an EP announced as the final release by Sepultura. It came out in April of this year via Nuclear Blast.) Some of us here at NCS are believers in modern Sepultura. I’ve always come to bat for them because the thing that spoke to me of a band who […]
The post SEPULTURA: “THE CLOUD OF UNKNOWING” appeared first on NO CLEAN SINGING.
The Professor of Shred Joe Stump returns with the pedal firmly to the metal on his new solo album, ‘Lord Of The Strings‘, set for release on October 16th via Silver Lining Music. Pre-orders available from August 18th – here. The first single taken from ‘Lord Of The Strings‘, aptly titled ‘Full Throttle’, kicks off […]
The post Joe Stump Announces New Solo Album ‘Lord Of The Strings’ appeared first on ROCKPOSER DOT COM.
There are finished Megadeth songs sitting somewhere that nobody outside the band has heard, and Dave Mustaine isn’t committing to doing anything about them. Speaking to Metal Hammer, he named at least two tracks that didn’t make the cut on the band’s self-titled final album — “Bloodlust” and “Farewell My Love” — plus a possible third. Possible, because he isn’t sure whether that one exists or whether he invented the title. The explanation he gives for that uncertainty is the part of this story that actually stops you.
STREAM THE METAL BREAKDOWN DAILY NOW:Scott Penfold digs into the Mustaine interview on today’s Metal Breakdown Daily — the two songs nobody’s heard, the third one he can’t verify, and why the reason he gives for not releasing them collides head-on with the reason the band is ending. Download the free Loaded Radio App on Apple iOS and Google Play and get it every weekday morning.
“Bloodlust.” “Farewell My Love.” Those are the confirmed ones, both left off the self-titled record that closed out the band’s career in January.
Then he offers a third: “When Robots Rule.”
And immediately walks it back. He might be mixing things up, he says — and then explains why. It’s a byproduct of the chemotherapy and radiation he went through for throat cancer in 2019. He calls it chemo brain. You have a really hard time remembering things.
Read that again, because it’s a hell of a thing to volunteer in a magazine interview. The man is trying to list his own unreleased music and can’t fully trust his own recall on whether one of the songs is real.
He says it completely matter-of-factly. No drama, no bid for sympathy. Just: this is what the treatment did, this is where I’m at.
Seven years clear of the diagnosis and it’s still shaping the way he talks about his own catalogue.
LIVE & LOUD: Stream the World’s Hardest Radio Station 24/7Here’s where it gets genuinely frustrating, and genuinely poignant, depending on how you look at it.
These tracks aren’t polished leftovers waiting on a mix. They’re part of a much larger pool of unfinished ideas that Megadeth have accumulated across 43 years — the sort of thing every long-running band has stacked up on hard drives and cassettes somewhere.
And Mustaine’s position on digging into them is straightforward. If he could play old songs, he asks, why wouldn’t he want to focus on new songs instead?
On its own, that’s the right answer. That’s the answer you want from a songwriter. It’s the instinct that produced seventeen albums and kept this band from becoming a nostalgia act — the same instinct behind him ruling out a full alumni reunion for the farewell run rather than turning the last lap into a victory parade.
Except.
He’s retiring. And the reason he’s retiring is that he’s losing the ability to do the thing he just said he’d rather be doing.
Mustaine announced the band’s wind-down last August, framing it as going out on their own terms and telling fans not to be mad or sad but to come and celebrate. In December he revealed the actual medical driver: Dupuytren’s contracture, a condition that pulls one or more fingers inward toward the palm. His words on it — it makes it really painful to play.
So the guy saying he’d rather write new material than revisit old material is watching the window for writing new material close. And there are at least two finished songs, maybe three, sitting in the vault.
That’s not a criticism of him. It’s just the shape of the situation, and it’s why this story lands heavier than a standard “unreleased tracks” headline. Every other band in this position is sitting on offcuts. This one is sitting on offcuts with a clock running.
If you’ve followed the full arc of this man’s career — the Metallica firing, the addiction, the 2002 arm injury that doctors said would end his playing, the cancer — you know he’s beaten longer odds than this. But the pattern with Mustaine has always been that he tells you exactly what’s happening rather than managing the message.
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Worth remembering how the final record actually did, because it reframes the whole thing.
The self-titled Megadeth arrived January 23 via BLKIIBLK, and it debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 with 73,000 units. Seventeen studio albums into a 43-year career, and it’s the only one that ever topped that chart. The closest they’d previously come was Countdown To Extinction at number two, back in 1992.
That’s a band going out at the absolute top, which almost never happens in this genre. It’s also the only Megadeth album featuring Finnish guitarist Teemu Mäntysaari, and the first since 2009’s Endgame with James LoMenzo back on bass.
We ranked the complete Megadeth discography from worst to best earlier this year, final album included — and it lands higher than most farewell records deserve to.
The other thing that record gave us: Megadeth’s own version of “Ride The Lightning”, the Metallica track Mustaine co-wrote before he was thrown out, recorded as a tip of the hat to Hetfield and Ulrich and debuted live in Bogotá in April. Forty-three years to close that particular circle.
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The tour is nowhere near finished. Mustaine has said all along this would be a three-to-five-year global run rather than the usual eighteen-month lap.
North American dates resume Saturday, August 22 at the Alaska State Fair. From August 29 through September 29 they’re supporting Iron Maiden on the North American leg of Run For Your Lives, the 50th-anniversary tour, then joining them again for the Australia and New Zealand shows in November. A European headline run follows in March and April.
And his third memoir, In My Darkest Hour, lands September 8 via De Capo, co-written with Joe Layden. That one’s focused on the cancer fight — the squamous cell carcinoma diagnosed in February 2019, revealed to fans that June, and cleared by doctors in October of the same year.
Which means the chemo brain comment isn’t a one-off aside. It’s the subject he’s about to spend a whole book on.
Dave Mustaine has named at least two tracks left over from the sessions for the band’s final self-titled album: “Bloodlust” and “Farewell My Love.” He also mentioned a possible third, “When Robots Rule,” while acknowledging he may have invented that title. All three are part of a wider pool of unfinished material the band has accumulated across 43 years.
Mustaine hasn’t committed to it. Asked about revisiting the material, his position was that if he could play old songs, he’d rather focus on new ones instead. No release plan has been announced for any of the unreleased tracks.
He attributes it to what he calls chemo brain — a byproduct of the chemotherapy and radiation he underwent in 2019 for throat cancer, which he says makes it difficult to remember things. He was diagnosed with a squamous cell carcinoma at the back of his tongue in February 2019 and given the all-clear that October.
Mustaine announced the band’s retirement in August 2025, saying he wanted them to go out on their own terms. In December he revealed he has Dupuytren’s contracture, a condition causing fingers to bend inward toward the palm, which he says makes playing guitar painful and was a major factor in the decision.
It’s ongoing and Mustaine has said it will run three to five years. North American dates resume August 22, 2026 at the Alaska State Fair, followed by a support run with Iron Maiden from August 29 to September 29, Australian and New Zealand dates with Maiden in November, and a European headline tour in March and April.
Two songs nobody’s heard, a third that might not exist, and a man who’d rather write new ones than release them. Do you want to hear them, or is a clean ending better? Tell us in the comments. And keep it locked on the Loaded Radio stream — follow Loaded Radio for daily rock and metal news.
The post Megadeth Have Unreleased Songs Dave Mustaine May Never Let You Hear appeared first on Loaded Radio.
Formed in Hartlepool, County Durham, in 2024, Rumination may be a relatively new name on the rise, but the musicians within the band bring years of experience from across the North East of England’s Death Metal underground.
Release Date: 25 August 2026
Words: Matty Hunter
Evolving from Dawn Of Chaos after the band reunited briefly before ultimately dissolving, Rumination emerged, and the current lineup features Paul Hartburn (vocals), TJ Fallon and Ross Dunn (guitars), Liam Wales (bass, backing vocals) and Joey Rutherford (drums). They are already proving themselves a force to be reckoned with.
Following their self-titled four-track debut EP last year, a two-track promo earlier this year and an independently released cover of Cannibal Corpse’s Disfigured, Rumination now return with Maelstrom Of Epithelium, released through Vile Tapes Records physically on 25 August and on streaming platforms in September.
The EP has several guest appearances, and this in itself adds depth. Having caught the band live at their hometown Vulgarfest appearance in July, I had already heard several of these tracks delivered with devastating weight. On record, they hit just as hard.
The title track opens the EP with a short sample of what appears to be a conversation between a couple with distinctly local Hartlepool accents, before the instruments explode into life after around 20 seconds.
From there, the riffs immediately grab your attention, with Hartburn’s insanely deep gutturals sitting over fast, technical passages before the song suddenly slows into dragging slam riffs. The track then accelerates again before closing with intricate guitar work and unrelenting drumming.
At just under three minutes, it is a phenomenal opener and a perfect introduction to Rumination’s sound for those uninitiated.
Shredded Meat, featuring Jon Burr of Omnipresent Hysteria and formerly of Colpocleisis, is next up, and it was previously released as a single in April. This time there is no sample preceding the instrumentation, with the track building before launching straight into chaos.
Both Hartburn and Burr provide deep, unintelligible gutturals over intricate riffing and relentless drumming, and this element of the track makes you want to stomp around with the caveman-like vocals. The technicality reminds you of Defeated Sanity throughout, making this track especially a strong showcase of the band’s technical side.
As readers may know, my favourite genre is brutal Tech Death, and this song is a perfect embodiment of a top track in the genre. At just over three and a half minutes, it is superb.
Track three L.E.D, (what that stands for I will let you look up), featuring Twitch Of The Death Nerve vocalist and guitarist Tom Bradfield, wastes absolutely no time bursting into action. The fast, technical guitar throughout has a Necrophagist-esque quality, while another brief sample adds an effective touch to the brutality.
The vocals shine again once more, and after several listens, this has become my favourite track on the EP. It is a genuine standout across an already excellent release.
The penultimate song, Deathcamp, takes Rumination back to their roots, being a modern recording of a Dawn Of Chaos track originally released in 2009 on the Northern Discomfort split EP with Neuroma.
This track has a real deathgrind character about it, while sounding suitably devastating in an updated form. At several points, it reminds me of early Aborted, particularly the Goremageddon era. Clocking in at three and a quarter minutes of relentless brutality, it drags you through its entirety with barely a moment to catch your breath.
The closing track, Only Hands, maintains the ferocity, combining blistering speed with crushing slams. Rutherford’s drumming particularly shines, with blast beats driving the song forward while the technical guitars and bass lines provide flashes of early Cryptopsy.
Just as the pace seems destined to remain relentless, the track breaks down towards its conclusion and then you get a chance to catch your breath.
What makes Maelstrom Of Epithelium particularly impressive is how much experience and confidence Rumination display despite being formed only two years ago. They have already acquired guest musicians across the EP, their influences are clear, and they have taken those and created something that feels distinctly their own.
Their discography is going from strength to strength. The production deserves praise too. It is raw enough to retain aggression but clear enough for the musicianship to shine. It never feels overworked or polished, and you can tell the effort that has gone into making the EP.
Rumination are truly a hidden gem of the brutal Death Metal scene, and this EP is a serious statement of intent. I have already found myself returning to the EP repeatedly, and fans of brutal and Technical Death Metal should do the same.
Crushing and packed with character, this is a killer release from a band adding another release to their discography, who are only getting started on their upward rise from the underground.
Maelstrom of Epithelium releases on Vile Tapes Records physically on 25 August 2026 and on streaming platforms in September. For more details, visit the band on Bandcamp.
The most overrated bass brands is a difficult topic. It depends greatly on the player’s preferences and efficiency when using the instrument. However, there is no denying that some companies do have running problems.
And said problems can take a toll on the player. We’re going to see some of these issues here. Moreover, this list goes in no particular order.
This company has made a name for itself when it comes to its guitars. But they also happen to be one of the most overrated bass brands.
One of the most notorious reasons is the lack of variety. Gibson have struggled to reinvent itself in the bass department. Therefore, a lot of its products can’t compete in the modern market. That is ironic when considering that their catalogue has over eighty models in stock.
One of the few exceptions when it comes to Gibson is the Thunderbird. It is usually regarded as the best bass they have made. However, even that one comes with the caveat of the weight. It is one of the heaviest basses out there. Therefore, it can be quite challenging to use for some players.
Some other types of basses, such as the SG Bass, make it difficult to play slap. And from an aesthetic perspective, they are usually not the most visually pleasing instruments.
This company made itself famous thanks to The Beatles’ Sir Paul McCartney. He has used a Höfner 500/1 during the bulk of his career. This has resulted in a lot of people calling it “The Beatles bass”.
That doesn’t stop it from being one of the most overrated bass brands out there.
One of its biggest problems is the lack of sound variety. A lot of buyers have complained about how complicated it is to get different sounds from this bass. It is often described as “one-note”, which is a significant problem for a lot of musicians.
Then there is the violin shape of the Hofner bass. That can be a problem for a lot of musicians. Some may find them uncomfortable to play with. And since they are so light, they could perhaps lack the weight some musicians need. It is a matter of taste, of course, but a lot of people have had issues with this.
A great example of reputation coming first. The Rickenbacker has become quite known because of the musicians who have used it. Some of them include Rush’s Geddy Lee, Motorhead’s Lemmy, and Yes’ Chris Squire. Great bassists, great musicians. However, the Rickenbacker is still one of the most overrated bass brands in the market.
The thin body and neck are one of the most obvious problems. It can be quite burdensome for a lot of players.
The sound of these basses tends to be quite light. Depending on the type of music that you play, this can be a problem. It can cause problems when it comes to cutting through the mix.
A Rickenbacker bass usually has a very specific sound. This is hard to describe, but it explains why some professional musicians may use them. It depends greatly on your preferences since these basses lack variety of sounds.
Add to all of this that they are one of the most expensive brands in the market. Thus, it is a combination of factors that make these basses a bit of a risk. They are not bad by any means, but not as good as some people think. The very definition of overrated.
Here’s the thing about Fender basses. They were one of the first mass manufacturers of basses. There is also the fact that they were once the dominant force in the market. Moreover, they were also among the most accessible. It was easy to buy a Fender bass. However, today they are part of the most overrated bass brands because of that.
Why? Because all of that is a thing of the past. These days, they are a good, albeit overrated brand of basses. In many ways, they have become a lot more notorious for their guitars.
A major reason for that is that they have become quite standard. Nothing wrong with that, especially if you are starting out. But if you are a seasoned bassist, you want an instrument that can do more for you. And Fender these days isn’t that.
Moreover, the neck profiles can be quite hit or miss. It depends greatly on the player and you can be stuck with an instrument that doesn’t suit you. That could be a major problem.
Fender is still good. They are simply not as good as some people think.
This one is a bit complicated. When it comes to overrated bass brands, you have to mention Rogue. And the reason is quite obvious: they are simply not up to the required standard.
A Rogue bass is usually among the cheapest in the market. This can be great for a lot of people. If you want to start out in music, a cheap bass can be helpful if you don’t have a lot of money. The problem is that you are not going to get a lot from this brand.
The knobs tend to be a problem, which can make a setup quite difficult to structure. The P pickup in its models can also be a bit inaudible, depending on the user.
There is also the problem that, as of this writing, they can only be bought online. This is a big problem because it means that you can’t try it prior to buying. Therefore, you are basically going in blind with this purchase.
These basses are not durable. On average, they tend to last about two years. That can also be a problem if you don’t have a replacement lined up. So, it’s a useful starting point, but nothing to write home about.
Unlike other overrated bass brands, the Fodera is quite good. Great sound, it looks beautiful, and it’s made of great material. It is a very good purchase if you are a musician. There is only one issue and that is the main reason why it’s here: the price.
Fodera basses are expensive. Very expensive. And sure, you are getting a quality product, but it’s not worth the pricing. So, it gets to a point where you are better off going for something else. It doesn’t matter how great it sounds, Fodera basses are far too expensive. They are usually ranging from $2000 to $6000.
It is overrated simply because of the cost. It is a great brand, but far too expensive.
One of the elements that puts Warwick among the most overrated bass brands is the weight. They are usually very heavy basses. This is something that can be a dealbreaker for a lot of buyers. If you cannot use it properly, you are not going to get the most out of it. This factor makes all the other positive elements irrelevant in that regard.
There are also the fretted Warwick basses. These are quite precise when it comes to sound. This means that a lot of newcomers might struggle to find the sound they are looking for. They are not bad per se, but it is something for more seasoned players. Bear that in mind.
There is also an issue with the early models, which is the battery department. If they have a separate battery compartment, the lid is bound to fall off. This could be quite frustrating if you are not informed about this beforehand.
The clubby necks of the Warwick basses are also a problem. They can make the process of playing a bit more difficult. Therefore, you need to assess that before buying.
All in all, these are still quality products. They are usually among the best basses in the market. But this doesn’t mean they are not overrated to a degree. It also means that you need to be careful when choosing a bass from this brand.
Regarding overrated bass brands, Markbass is certainly up there. And the reasons could be considered a mix of several that have been mentioned so far.
The tone of the basses can be quite unlikable for a lot of bassists. They are quite difficult to work with in that regard. Therefore, you need to go for a Markbass in case you are looking for a very specific kind of sound. If you want the instrument to play a lot of different stuff, then this is not the best choice for you.
The mids are usually quite aggressive in the setup. This is another factor that can make the experience of using them all the more frustrating. Especially if you are not an experienced bassist. Not a very good choice if you are barely starting out.
There is also the perception among bassists that it sounds lifeless. Not bad per se, but lacking the oomph factor that some basses need. If you are a musician looking for something special, then this might not be a good choice. That is why a lot of people tend to have a problem with this brand.
Moreover, they are usually quite expensive. So, you are getting a decent, albeit lifeless and complicated piece of musical instrument. It is not the best option, and not one suited for a flexible musician. You are better off looking elsewhere.
A prime example of how you shouldn’t meet your heroes. The Steinberger basses were usually among the most popular instruments a few decades ago. These days, though, they are among the most overrated bass brands. And for a good reason too.
The neck is one of its biggest weaknesses. It stands too far to the left, making the act of playing those notes a lot harder. This is something that can be a challenge for a novice player.
The sound is nothing to write home about. Its tone is a bit dry, which could be a problem for a lot of new players. It would require a lot of setups, which is not suited for everybody. So, take that into account.
There is also the variable of the materials. A Steinberger bass is made of denser material than the typical wood body. Therefore, this means that they are quite heavy to carry. This has resulted in a lot of players feeling uncomfortable while using it. Whether sitting or standing up, it is a running problem with these basses.
Then you have the fact that the older models tend to be quite expensive. When considering the aforementioned details, they are not worth the hassle. All in all, it is not the best brand out there.
One of the kings of the market when it comes to guitars. But also one of the most overrated bass brands out there. And there are a lot of reasons for that.
Perhaps the biggest reason is the preamps. They have been a weak link in their basses in recent decades. Some people have even mentioned that it is their biggest problem. They tend to be very noisy and dark, thus stifling the player’s sound. It is a big issue and one that is a running problem with their basses.
The stock pups and electronics in general tend to be lacking with Ibanez. This is a big problem because it means you are going to need an upgrade. Moreover, the pickups can be quite noisy, which can be a dealbreaker for some. If you are looking for a cleaner sound with the pickups, then an Ibanez might not be for you.
There is also a matter of Ibanez basses not being cut out for professional musicians. If you are a newcomer, they might be good for you. But if you are a seasoned musician, then this could be a problem. As the years went on, other brands found stronger niches for bassists. Ibanez remained a jack of all trades, which is not always the best choice.
The post 10 Bass Brands That Are Way More Overrated Than You Think appeared first on Metal Shout.
Wishy love to have fun. The fuzzy, catchy indie rockers always sound like they’re having the time of their lives, especially on the Nature’s Pill singles “Lovesick” and “All The Rage.” Now, the band is unleashing another ecstatic anthem called “Sensational.”
The post Wishy – “Sensational” appeared first on Stereogum.
If you’re unfamiliar with God’s Hate, the gloriously violent chug-mosh heavy hardcore band from California’s San Fernando Valley, the main thing you need to know is that their singer is a big fucking wrestler. In 2014, when God’s Hate released their debut EP Divine Injustice, the man known as Brody King hadn’t yet begun his pro wrestling career. In hardcore circles, though, King was known as one of the most fearsome and reckless moshers out there, and his friend Colin Young, who has about a million other bands, decided that King needed a band of his own. This was a good call. God’s Hate have continued to make guttural riff-stomp mosh music even as King’s wrestling career has taken off, to the point where he’s now a crowd favorite in All Elite Wrestling.
The post God’s Hate Return With Brutally Heavy New EP <em>Won’t Be Disgraced</em> appeared first on Stereogum.