Alt-country singer-songwriter Jobi Riccio released her debut album Whiplash back in 2023, and we named it one of the best country albums of that year. She’s announced its follow-up Face The Feeling, which she’s also previewing this week with the proper lead single “Pilar, NM.” Face The Feeling sees Riccio adopt a more indie-rock influenced sound, as…
The post Jobi Riccio Announces New Album <em>Face The Feeling</em>: Hear “Pilar, NM” appeared first on Stereogum.
Yes — but not in raw demo form. Alex Van Halen says unreleased recordings are being carefully reconstructed into a fully realized album.
Alex Van Halen confirms album in progress
Project developed with Steve Lukather
Music sourced from unfinished Van Halen sessions
Focus remains on quality, not archival release
For years, Van Halen fans have asked the same question:
What about the unreleased music?
Now, Alex Van Halen has provided the clearest answer yet.
Speaking in a new interview, the legendary drummer confirmed he is actively working on a new album built around previously unreleased, unfinished Van Halen recordings, alongside longtime friend and Toto guitarist Steve Lukather.
But Alex made one thing unmistakably clear:
This will not be an “embryonic” demo dump.
Alex explained that he and Eddie Van Halen created a substantial amount of material that never saw release.
However, he refuses to issue those recordings in incomplete form.
“It wouldn’t make any sense.”
Instead, the goal is to deliver music that reflects:
The band’s original standards The sonic level where they left off A fully realized listening experience
This is reconstruction, not excavation.
Alex describes Lukather as the project’s “connective tissue.”
Not just a guest.
Not just a collaborator.
But the musician capable of translating Alex’s musical ideas into finished form.
Alex praised Lukather’s ability to:
• Instantly grasp arrangements
• Shape structure and flow
• Build transitions and dynamics
• Provide the “glue”
“He can facilitate things that would’ve taken me ten times as long.”
Perhaps the most jaw-dropping revelation:
These tracks were intended for the next Van Halen studio album.
Alex confirmed:
Drums already recorded
Guitar already recorded Bass already recorded
What was missing?
A vocalist
Final refinements and cohesion
“The drums, the guitar and the bass are already in there.”
Alex revealed that most of the bass tracks feature Wolfgang Van Halen, Eddie’s son and former Van Halen bassist.
This firmly anchors the material within the band’s final creative era.
Alex referenced the emotional response to “Unfinished,” the final piece of music he and Eddie wrote together.
Despite lacking vocals and remaining incomplete by design, fan reaction was overwhelmingly positive.
“The feedback was incredible.”
The title itself carried meaning, inspired by Schubert’s Unfinished Symphony — a nod to their father’s musical influence.
Alex shared that Paul Rodgers was among the band’s top choices for vocals.
But Rodgers ultimately declined, acknowledging he could no longer commit.
Alex’s response was candid:
Respectful
Disappointed
Understanding
Better an honest no than a compromised yes.
Now comes perhaps the most intriguing chapter.
Alex and Lukather are actively seeking a vocalist.
But Alex isn’t chasing trend relevance or chart positioning.
His criteria:
Shared musical lineage Similar generational experience Emotional depth Wisdom over mere technical ability
“I’m 72. We gotta find somebody in that age group.”
Alex framed the distinction with humor:
“Knowledge is knowing a cucumber is a vegetable. Wisdom is knowing where to put it.”
Behind the joke lies a serious artistic philosophy.
When Robert Plant’s name surfaced, Alex was full of admiration.
“Brilliant.”
But also pragmatic.
“If it’s meant to be, it’s meant to be.”
Nothing etched in stone.
In 2025, Lukather publicly stated he would not play guitar on Van Halen songs, emphasizing his role as a facilitator, co-producer, and structural contributor.
“I will NOT EVER play a guitar note on a VH song.”
The distinction remains important:
Respect for Eddie’s irreplaceable style
Support without imitation
Completion without intrusion
Alex previously hinted there could be enough unreleased ideas for:
Three
Four
Possibly more records
But he continues to stress patience and precision.
“You wanna do it right.”
Eddie Van Halen’s impact remains immeasurable.
One of rock’s most revolutionary guitarists
Ranked among the greatest ever
Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame inductee
His passing in 2020 left not just a void — but unfinished creative chapters.
This isn’t:
A tribute album A remix package A label-driven archival release
This is Alex Van Halen pursuing closure, continuity, and artistic integrity.
The most striking element of Alex Van Halen’s revelation isn’t the existence of unreleased Van Halen music.
It’s his refusal to treat it like nostalgia merchandise.
No shortcuts
No demo cash-ins
No diluted legacy
Only completion worthy of the Van Halen name.
If this record reaches fruition, it won’t be framed as “lost tapes.”
It’ll be heard as the album that almost was.
Alex Van Halen confirms an album built from unfinished recordings is in progress.
Lukather previously stated he will not perform guitar parts but is assisting structurally and creatively.
Most bass tracks feature Wolfgang Van Halen.
No — the search is ongoing.
No. Alex insists on full-quality completion.
Alex Van Halen is the co-founder and drummer of Van Halen, one of the most influential rock bands of all time. Known for his powerful, groove-driven playing and unmistakable swing, Alex helped shape the band’s sonic identity across decades of multi-platinum success.
Formed in 1972, Van Halen revolutionized hard rock through Eddie Van Halen’s groundbreaking guitar work, arena-sized songwriting, and a catalog of era-defining albums. The band was inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame in 2007.
The post Alex Van Halen Confirms Album With Steve Lukather & Wolfgang Van Halen Built From Unfinished Eddie Van Halen Recordings appeared first on Loaded Radio.
They’ll be making their way overseas in July.
The post Of Mice & Men’s 2026 Summer European/UK Touring Includes Shows With Unearth & Vended appeared first on Theprp.com.
Sylosis has been quietly plugging along in the background for years, a band that, in my anecdotal experience, many have heard of, but few listen to. When I go to shout about the greatness of albums like Monolith or Dormant Heart from the highest peaks, it seems to fall on deaf ears. No more, I say! Lead vocalist and guitarist Josh Middleton has led the band since Edge of the Earth. As the last remaining original member, he became the de facto songwriter and soul of a group that has seen many members over the years and near dissolution during Middleton’s time with Architects. After returning to Sylosis full-time, the band is on their third release in this latest era, The New Flesh. Marking the second album since Middleton purposefully set a new direction with A Sign of Things to Come. While the title references David Cronenberg’s Videodrome, is The New Flesh transformative for the band or a refinement?
Dormant Heart was the closing chapter on a trio of unfuckwithable albums that deftly melded viscous thrash, modern core sensibilities, and instrumental tangents with guitar heroics rivaling the best bands out there. Post 2020 put the band on a new path, and The New Flesh offers a continuation and evolution of their previous record. For a band with so many past members, their latest shows zero signs of flagging. Clearly, Middleton’s direction has been a north star for the band, and nothing on The New Flesh will surprise longtime fans.
Sylosis’s obsession with riffs remains intact, and The New Flesh is chock-full of them like every record before it. Middleton’s vocals are as powerful as ever, and his range remains impressive. The band seems almost always to avoid the worst parts of metalcore clean singing, and there is so much pathos in his delivery that you can hear the venom dripping from every word. “All Glory, No Valour” is a drumming tour de force for Ali Richardson, whose feats keep up with Middleton and Conor Marshall’s barreling riffs. It isn’t all roses, though, and Ben Thomas’s low end gets lost in the overly clean modern metal production. While there is enough there to give the riffs proper weight, the bass only occasionally shines and is rarely present without straining your ears.
The New Flesh’s creative focus only occasionally falters, and any song that has one or two individual weak spots has twice as many head-banging turn-arounds. The slightly uninspired chorus of “Erased” is quickly forgotten amid the song’s infectious groove, chest-thumping ethos, and refrain of “Here’s your parting gift,” before it drops into delirious riffing and devastating pick-scraping. Album closer “Seeds In The River” features a bit of tired metaphor, but also has some of the best riffs on the record, and more than enough to keep listeners coming back. The only real blemish on The New Flesh is a tale as old as time, a misplaced ballad. While Sylosis has never shied from clean singing or big melodic swings, “Everywhere At Once” may be the band’s first true “ballad,” and it shows. It lacks the atmosphere of similar songs on past albums like Dormant Heart’s “Quiescent” or the soaring riffs and bombasticity of “Abandon” on Cycle of Suffering. It is entirely skippable, with generic musings about missing family when touring that feel trite compared to Sylosis’ usual lyrical targets and vitriolic delivery.
Outside of those few stumbles, The New Flesh is nearly spotless. “Circle Of Swords” feels like a makeup track after dropping a ballad on the listener, giving some much-needed headbanging whiplash. “Beneath The Surface” kicks things off in wild fashion, “Lacerations” is a stadium melter, and “Spared From The Guillotine” is one of Sylosis’ most unhinged tracks in the last decade. Sans ballad, The New Flesh, is ten tracks of furious, solid, and infectious metal that feel essential in an era lacking in just good old-fashioned headbangers. The band finds a spot where the speed and technical sensibility of thrash meld with the belligerent energy of core and the hooky riffs of groove metal. For modern metal fans, Sylosis deserves a spot at the forefront. Where older acts like Lamb of God seem to have basically lost the creative energy that originally drove them, The New Flesh is here to offer up a no frills heavy metal record that leaves all pretense at the door after kicking it down. Sylosis has more than earned its seat among the modern metal greats, and The New Flesh only further cements that legacy.
Rating: Very Good
DR: 6 | Format Reviewed: 320 kbps mp3
Label: Nuclear Blast
Websites: www.sylosis-band.com | Bandcamp
Releases Worldwide: February 20th, 2026
The post Sylosis – The New Flesh Review appeared first on Angry Metal Guy.
Listen to the best in new, heavy music every week with HEAVY‘s new weekly HEAVY AUDIO MAG, featuring music from our weekly cover artist plus new premieres, hit predictions, and killer tracks we just know you want to listen to from bands featured over both digimags and some just because we want to put them […]
The tour unites two visually and sonically intense live acts whose legacies helped define alternative metal, industrial metal, and shock-driven performance.
Mushroomhead and Fear Factory announce Fall 2026 U.S. tour
Tour titled “Soul Of A New War Machine”
Nine Treasures confirmed as support
Run kicks off October 13
Few tour pairings feel this naturally volatile.
On one side, Mushroomhead, Cleveland’s masked metal institution built on theatricality, layered vocals, and genre-defying darkness.
On the other, Fear Factory, pioneers of industrial metal precision — mechanical riffs, dystopian atmosphere, and cybernetic aggression.
Together, they form the “Soul Of A New War Machine” tour, a title that reads less like branding and more like a warning.
Fear Factory on tour — check ticket availability!This isn’t nostalgia booking.
Both bands enter 2026 carrying momentum:
Mushroomhead continue pushing forward following Call The Devil Fear Factory advance into a new era with Milo Silvestro
For fans of heaviness with atmosphere, groove with menace, and performance with impact — this tour checks every box.
Support comes from Nine Treasures, the Chinese Mongolian progressive metal outfit known for blending traditional instrumentation with modern heaviness.
Translation:
Expect sonic contrast
Expect curiosity
Expect early crowd conversion
Oct. 13 – New Haven, CT – Toad’s Place
Oct. 14 – Portland, ME – Aura
Oct. 15 – Hampton Beach, NH – Wally’s
Oct. 16 – Harrisburg, PA – Capitol City Music Hall
Oct. 17 – Stroudsburg, PA – Sherman Theater
Oct. 18 – Leesburg, VA – Tally Ho
Oct. 20 – Glenside, PA – Keswick Theater
Oct. 21 – Pittsburgh, PA – Preserving Underground
Oct. 22 – Harrison, OH – The Blue Note
Oct. 23 – St. Charles, IL – Arcada Theater
Oct. 24 – Green Bay, WI – Epic Events Center
Oct. 25 – Belvidere, IL – Apollo Theater
Oct. 27 – Hobart, IN – The Art Theatre
Oct. 28 – Cadillac, MI – Venue Event Center
Oct. 29 – Flint, MI – Machine Shop
Oct. 31 – Cleveland, OH – Agora Theater (Annual Halloween Show)
Nov. 01 – Ft. Wayne, IN – Pierre’s
Nov. 03 – Lexington, KY – Manchester Music Hall
Nov. 05 – Houston, TX – Scout Bar
Nov. 06 – Austin, TX – Come And Take It Live
Nov. 07 – Corpus Christi, TX – Brewster Ice House
Nov. 08 – Dallas, TX – AM/FM
Nov. 10 – Sauget, IL – Pop’s
Nov. 11 – Nashville, TN – Basement East
Following 2024’s Call The Devil, Mushroomhead reinforced their creative identity while embracing lineup fluidity.
Steve “Skinny” Felton framed the band’s evolution as less “traditional group” and more cinematic universe:
Comedy
Drama
Violence
Surprise
A comparison to Quentin Tarantino’s creative world wasn’t accidental.
Mushroomhead isn’t built on predictability — it thrives on reinvention.
Fear Factory’s next studio album is expected in 2026 — their first full-length featuring:
Milo Silvestro Pete Webber
After nearly three years on the road, Silvestro has earned strong fan approval.
Dino Cazares described Milo as:
“Reminiscent of Burton in the mid-‘90s”
But Silvestro’s approach goes deeper than imitation.
Silvestro has been candid about stepping into Fear Factory’s enormous legacy.
His philosophy:
Honor the original performances
Replicate nuance
Introduce subtle personal touches
“I try to sneak in some bits of my vocal personality — but not too much.”
For longtime Fear Factory listeners, that balance matters.
This tour works because both bands occupy complementary but distinct lanes:
Mushroomhead → theatrical, chaotic, visual
Fear Factory → precise, mechanical, dystopian
Shared DNA:
Atmosphere
Intensity
Emotional weight
Live impact
Oct. 31 – Cleveland, OH – Agora Theater
Mushroomhead’s annual Halloween show remains one of their most mythic live traditions.
With Fear Factory attached?
Expect madness.
Some tours feel like scheduling.
Others feel like chemistry.
Mushroomhead + Fear Factory lands firmly in the second category — a pairing that blends spectacle and sonic violence in ways modern heavy tours often struggle to achieve.
This one feels dangerous in the best possible way.
October 13, 2026.
Nine Treasures.
Yes — tentatively expected in 2026.
Call The Devil (2024).
October 31 – Cleveland Halloween show.
Formed in Cleveland, Ohio, Mushroomhead built a reputation on masked imagery, theatrical stagecraft, and a genre-blending sound spanning metal, industrial, and alternative elements. Over decades, the band has maintained a fiercely loyal fanbase while continually reinventing its sonic and visual identity.
Fear Factory emerged as pioneers of industrial metal, merging mechanical precision, dystopian themes, and aggressive riff architecture. With landmark releases like Demanufacture, the band helped define a generation of futuristic heavy music and continues evolving with a revitalized lineup.
The post Mushroomhead And Fear Factory Announce “Soul Of A New War Machine” Fall 2026 U.S. Tour appeared first on Loaded Radio.