After dominating 2025 with their explosive new album I Feel The Everblack Festering Within Me (named one of the best of the year by Kerrang, Metal Hammer and Loudwire), Lorna Shore is ready to do it all over again in 2026 with a massive global tour that kicks off January 23 in Germany and heads into the spring with newly announced dates just added for North America.
Lorna Shore will be joined by Paleface Swiss and Signs Of The Swarm for the North American run, which begins April 17 in Buffalo, NY and runs through May 22 in Montclair, NJ, alongside festival appearances at Welcome To Rockville and Sonic Temple Art & Music Festival. See the full tour dates below.
Tickets for the North American dates will be available starting with an artist presale beginning Tuesday, January 20 at 9AM ET. Additional presales will run throughout the week ahead of the general onsale beginning Friday, January 23 at 9AM local time at LiveNation.com. For more info and tickets you can also visit lornashoreband.com.
Alongside today’s tour announcement, Lorna Shore also releases the latest taste of their critically acclaimed new album with the single and video for “In Darkness.” See the music video, directed by David Brodsky for My Good Eye,HERE.
Says frontman Will Ramos of the song, “’In Darkness’ is about growing up feeling distant from everyone, a song about anxiety and being an outcast (as many of us metal fans grow from). It’s a song about embracing that outlandish and ostracized feeling. Knowing that we have grown in the shadows, the darkness of the world, but accepting that through that darkness we have become.”
I Feel The Everblack Festering Within Me, out now via Century Media Records, is Lorna Shore’s fifth album and the first in three years since 2022’s Pain Remains and continues the band’s reputation as one of the most impressive extreme metal acts to emerge in recent memory.
The quintet, also including lead guitarist Adam De Micco, drummer Austin Archey, rhythm guitarist Andrew O’Connor and bassist Michael Yager, have hit the viral Spotify charts, racked up hundreds of millions of streams, embarked on highly successful tours and in the process, galvanized a significant fanbase that hangs onto the band’s quest for stylistic inversion. But by virtue of physical onslaught and wanting to divine truth from their music, Lorna Shore have kept themselves fired up by torching the metal rulebook at every turn, practically demanding that other genres step up their game.
I Feel The Everblack Festering Within Me is now available in multiple formats including digital, CD and limited-edition vinyl variants. Fans can stream the album HERE and find their preferred physical and digital retailer HERE. Fans can also shop a merch collection, available HERE.
LORNA SHORE 2026 GLOBAL TOUR
European Dates with Whitechapel, Shadow Of Intent, Humanity’s Last Breath
01/23 Frankfurt, Germany @ Jahrhunderthalle
01/24 Leipzig, Germany @ Haus Auensee
01/25 Prague, Czech Republic @ O2 Universum
01/27 Warsaw, Poland @ COS Torwar
01/29 Budapest, Hungary @ Arena
01/30 Wiener Neustadt, Austria @ Arena Nova
01/31 Munich, Germany @ Zenith
02/01 Padova, Italy @ Kioene Arena
02/03 Zürich, Switzerland @ Samsung Hall
02/04 Lyon, France @ Halle Tony Garnier
02/05 Paris, France @ Zenith
02/06 Brussels, Belgium @ Forest National
02/08 London, UK @ Alexandra Palace
02/09 Birmingham, UK @ O2 Academy 1
02/10 Manchester, UK @ O2 Victoria Warehouse
02/12 Amsterdam, Netherlands @ AFAS Live
02/13 Düsseldorf, Germany @ Mitsubishi Electric Halle
02/14 Hamburg, Germany @ Inselpark Arena
02/15 Copenhagen, Denmark @ K.B. Hallen
02/17 Gothenburg, Sweden @ Partille Arena
02/18 Oslo, Norway @ Sentrum Scene
02/19 Stockholm, Sweden @ Hovet Ice Hall
02/21 Helsinki, Finland @ Ice Hall
02/22 Turku, Finland @ Logomo
North American Dates withPaleface Swiss & Signs Of The Swarm
In a new interview with Chile’s Futuro, Dream Theater drummer Mike Portnoy weighed in on the news that Rush’s surviving members, Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson, recruited fusion drummer Anika Nilles to cover the drum chair for their surprise “Fifty Something” reunion tour.
For Portnoy, it lands on two levels: lifelong fan excitement and a personal connection to Neil Peart, who shaped his playing and later became a friend.
“It’s extremely exciting. I, as a fan, can’t wait to see how they do this and what it’s gonna be like. Neil Peart was not only one of my biggest drum heroes, but he was somebody that I was honored to become friends with in the last decade or so of his life. So, yeah, as a fan of the band and as a friend of Neil’s, I’m very happy to see them doing this, and I can’t wait to hear what they do,” he shared (via Blabbermouth).
He also talked about Nilles specifically. Portnoy said he hasn’t caught her live yet, but he went straight to the clips after the announcement: “I have “never seen” Anika play in person, but like everybody else in the world, as soon as the announcement was made, I started pulling up videos on YouTube and saw her playing with Jeff Beck and doing the jazz fusion kind of stuff she does,”
“She’s obviously a tremendous drummer, so I’m really curious to see how it sounds,” he said.
One thing that’s followed Portnoy around for years is the hypothetical: would he ever step in with Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson if they asked? He said that question came up constantly, and he’s relieved the band went another direction, because the weight of expectation would be brutal.
“Before [Lee and Lifeson] announced their return, it was a question that I would get asked in almost every single interview for the last decade: ‘Would you ever play with Geddy and Alex? Would you ever?’ Of course. Those guys are my heroes. But in all honesty, I’m kind of glad that they didn’t even ask me, because that would be way too much pressure, way too much pressure. So, it’s much better this way. I get to enjoy it like a fan,” Portnoy revealed.
The respect behind that answer connects to how Portnoy has talked about Peart for years. In an older interview, he broke down exactly what grabbed him early on, down to obsessing over kit details like other people obsess over something else.
“I spent 20 to 30 years idolizing him and being his biggest fan. And all those years, it was mainly the drum kit — the drum kit was such a fascination for me. He always built such amazing kits and put so much thought into it. I’d always get the tour programs where he’d write about the kit and what the new things were on it, and I would just look at those photos. Most other kids were looking at Playboy centerfolds; I was looking at Neil Peart drum kits. And then, obviously, his playing — it goes without saying. I learned how to really develop parts and orchestrate drum parts to build, change, and develop within the song. So that was the biggest thing for me as a fan. And then later on, once I got to know him, I was so inspired by what a gracious person he was,” he remembered.
And when Portnoy described Peart the person, he didn’t lean on mythology. He talked about boundaries, privacy, and how kind Peart was once you were in his circle.
“He had this reputation that he was sort of quiet and isolated and private, and he was, and it was very important for him to guard that. But once you were somehow allowed into that inner circle, he was always so sweet and kind and generous. He’d always send me holiday e-mails,s and he would always send me his new books and stuff like that. It was a relationship that I’ll always cherish, and I was honored to have.”
After dominating 2025 with their explosive new album I Feel The Everblack Festering Within Me, Lorna Shore is ready to do it all over again in 2026 with a massive global tour that kicks off January 23 in Germany and heads into the spring with newly announced dates just added for North America.
Lorna Shore will be joined by PalefaceSwiss and Signs Of The Swarm for the North American run, which begins April 17 in Buffalo, NY, and runs through May 22 in Montclair, NJ, alongside festival appearances at Welcome To Rockville and Sonic Temple Art & Music Festival. See the full tour dates below.
Tickets for the North American dates will be available starting with an artist presale beginning Tuesday, January 20, at 9 AM ET. Additional presales will run throughout the week ahead of the general onsale beginning Friday, January 23 at 9 AM local time at LiveNation.com. For more info and tickets, you can also visit this location.
Alongside today’s tour announcement, Lorna Shore also releases the latest taste of their critically acclaimed new album with the single and video for “In Darkness.” See the music video, directed by David Brodsky for My Good Eye, below.
Says frontman Will Ramos of the song, “’In Darkness’ is about growing up feeling distant from everyone, a song about anxiety and being an outcast (as many of us metal fans grow from). It’s a song about embracing that outlandish and ostracized feeling. Knowing that we have grown in the shadows, the darkness of the world, but accepting that through that darkness we have become.”
I Feel The Everblack Festering Within Me, out now via Century Media Records, is Lorna Shore’s fifth album and the first in three years since 2022’s Pain Remains, and continues the band’s reputation as one of the most impressive extreme metal acts to emerge in recent memory.
The quintet, also including lead guitarist Adam De Micco, drummer Austin Archey, rhythm guitarist Andrew O’Connor, and bassist Michael Yager, has hit the viral Spotify charts, racked up hundreds of millions of streams, embarked on highly successful tours, and, in the process, galvanized a significant fanbase that hangs onto the band’s quest for stylistic inversion.
But by virtue of physical onslaught and wanting to divine truth from their music, Lorna Shore have kept themselves fired up by torching the metal rulebook at every turn, practically demanding that other genres step up their game.
North American Dates with Paleface Swiss & Signs Of The Swarm:
4/17 Buffalo, NY @ Buffalo RiverWorks 4/18 Grand Rapids, MI @ GLC Live at 20 Monroe 4/19 Madison, WI @ The Sylvee 4/20 Omaha, NE @ Steelhouse 4/22 Bozeman, MT @ The ELM 4/24 Edmonton, AB @ Edmonton Convention Centre 4/25 Calgary, AB @ Grey Eagle Event Centre 4/27 Winnipeg, MB @ Burton Cummings Theatr 4/29 Green Bay, WI @ EPIC Event Center 5/1 Waukee, IA @ Vibrant Music Hall 5/2 East Moline, IL @ The Rust Belt 5/3 Wichita, KS @ The Cotillion 5/4 Kansas City, MO @ The Midland Theatre 5/6 Memphis, TN @ Graceland 5/7 Dothan, AL @ The Plant 5/8 Daytona Beach, FL @ Welcome to Rockville* 5/9 Birmingham, AL @ Avondale Brewing Company 5/11 Raleigh, NC @ The Ritz 5/12 Myrtle Beach, SC @ House Of Blues 5/14 Gary, IN @ Hard Rock Live 5/15 Columbus, OH @ Sonic Temple* 5/16 Bethlehem, PA @ Wind Creek Event Center 5/18 Virginia Beach, VA @ The Dome 5/20 Syracuse, NY @ Sharkey’s Event Center 5/21 Brooklyn, NY @ Brooklyn Paramount 5/22 Montclair, NJ @ The Wellmont Theater
Every Monday morning, Still in Rock kicks off the week with an article featuring a bunch of new releases. At the end of each month, I dedicate a playlist to the best of these articles (link). Don’t miss out and join Still in Rock on Facebook (here), WhatsApp (here), and Instagram (here). Cheers.
***
Geese – Getting Killed
LP, Partisan Records / Play It Again Sam, 26 September 2025
[indie rock]
In one sentence: What power and originality: I resisted Geese for far too long, and when I finally gave in, my self-imposed abstinence came back to haunt me; this LP is unforgettable, let’s just hope Geese doesn’t get lost in the fame ahead.
***
Harry W – “4 And A Half Songs“
EP, 28 December 2025
[diy pop]
In one sentence: With Harry W, we’re right in the sweet spot of what DIY does best: a kind of bedroom pop with a gently swaying feel, straight out of the early 2010s.
***
Anytime Cowboy – Slab Songs
LP, 5 January 2026
[country punk]
In one sentence: Country punk is usually all rage, bucking broncos, and pedal to the metal, but Anytime Cowboy blows up those codes with a superb LP that’s more relaxed than the Pope on his toilet.
***
Doe St – Same Day
EP, Legless Records, 8 January 2026
[garage rock]
In one sentence: Legless is back with Doe St: garage rock the way only Australia makes it; sun-drenched riffs, glorious chaos, a mess you’re happy to get lost in.
Acclaimed singer, songwriter, and frontman of Christian rock icons Stryper, Michael Sweet, has announced his new solo album, The Master Plan, perhaps his most personal and spiritually resonant solo album yet.
Set for release on April 3, 2026, via Frontiers Music Srl, this deeply worship‑inspired record marks a bold departure from his previous solo work — blending heartfelt devotion with fresh musical textures and melodic depth unlike anything Sweet has done before.
To celebrate the announcement, Sweet has also shared the album’s title track alongside an official lyric video – directed by Wayne Joyner – which you can watch below.
“I can’t tell you how long I’ve wanted to make this record. I think I subconsciously started making it when I was a kid. All the music that has influenced me over the years is revealed on this album. It’s certainly not cookie-cutter by any stretch of the imagination. It’s one of a kind and very eclectic and unique, but that’s exactly what I wanted. It has something for everyone, and I hope you all are as excited about this one as I am. The title track is quite a song musically and lyrically. The goal is to inspire and encourage, and give people hope. I hope this one does just that. I want to personally thank you all for your patience and for your undying support for everything that I do. Much love to you all,” he shared.
Musically rich and lyrically uplifting, The Master Plan journeys into new acoustic‑oriented landscapes, built on warm harmonies, intimate vocal layers, and heartfelt expressions of faith. Sweet‘s unmistakable voice leads a tapestry of heartfelt worship, inviting listeners to reflect, celebrate, and draw closer to the timeless truths at the heart of his message. With sweeping arrangements and a sincere spiritual core, the album offers both comfort and inspiration for moments of prayer, praise, and quiet contemplation.
Recorded with a stellar ensemble of musicians and co‑produced by Michael Sweet and Jeff Savage, The Master Plan also features lush keyboards, evocative guitar work, and memorable vocal moments that elevate each song into something deeply personal yet universally uplifting. Mixed by Danny Bernini at Spirithouse Studios, the album balances polished production with the warmth of true worship expression.
With its heartfelt lyrics and spiritual sincerity, The Master Plan is designed to inspire peace, faith, and encouragement — music that comforts the weary, uplifts the spirit, and celebrates the profound love at the center of Sweet‘s faith journey.
Sometimes, a truly novel experience can come from the unlikely coupling of two disparate eras in music’s long and complex history, and few combinations could be considered more unlikely than that of Bach’s High Baroque compositions and one of the Teutonic metal scene’s more unconventional projects.
At first glance, these two contrasting styles would seem to share little in common apart from the nation that birthed them, as the signature compositional style typical to Alkaloid’s brand of progressive metal rests in a curious middle ground between the dark expressionism of the German avant-garde composers and the subsequent Neo-Romanticism of the later 20th century, a far cry from the Baroque world of common practice tonality and grandeur.
Yet when all elements are considered, the 62-minute concert experience captured on audio that is Bach Out Of Bounds showcases a brilliant synchronicity that reveals a level of ingenuity by those involved in its creation that few could hope to rival.
Though much of the material of this album’s namesake covers was likely intended for a larger orchestra, to speak nothing of the massive sound that comes with any shade of death metal, this is a very up close and intimate affair that resembles an 18th century chamber music performance.
Accompanying the guttural vocalizations and explosive guitar work of frontman Morean, the bombastic kit work of ex-Obscura drummer Hannes Grossmann, and the virtuosic bass gymnastics of scene veteran Linus Klausenitzer is a highly accomplished troupe of instrumentalists bridging the nostalgia of the 1700s with the modern bombast of the 2020s.
Guitar shredder and recent Pestilence member Max Blok and highly competent six-string slayer also of Eternity’s EndJustin Hombach fill out the metallic end of things in a live capacity, while an ensemble of classically trained players round out the rest of the arrangement, consisting of 2 soprano voices, 2 violins, a cello and an accordion (likely standing in the place of Bach’s organ or harpsichord).
In many respects, the marriage of two sounds that were born roughly three centuries apart results in a veritable rollercoaster ride of sound, but the necessary guardrails manifest at each jarring twist and turn. Kicking things off are high-dynamic performances of the first two movements of Bach’s famed “Keyboard Concerto No. 1 in D minor (BWV 1052)”, reflecting both the technical skill of every musician involved and the genius of Morean in adapting a classic from a bygone era into a modern context.
Between the expressive and impassioned vocal deliveries of sopranos Rianne Wilbers and Chrysa Tsaltampasi, the wildly reworked and elaborated cadenza that blazes from Max Blok’s fret board, and the dynamic balance that faithfully approximates the terraced dynamics of the Baroque era, true homage is paid to the original. By way of contrast, the later performance of the “Agnus Dei (BWV 232” from Bach’s Mass in B minor strikes a consistently orthodox and solemn tone, falling far closer to the way a traditional concert hall would perform it and avoiding any metallic add-ons.
While carrying the name of Bach in its title, this live offering is still predominantly an Alkaloid concert in a somewhat unconventional setting, and along for the ride are 5 offerings from the band’s three-album catalog performed in a manner that can be best described as Alban Berg meets death metal.
Extended excursions into the realm of the Lovecraftian, like “Beneath The Sea” and “Cthulhu,” mix intermitted bursts of riff-centered brutality with machine gun drumming galore, bringing to mind the analogy of dark jazz meeting expressionist collage of sound, bolstered by the expanded arrangement of instruments and voices.
On the latter aforementioned entry and the closing fit of technically charged death metal “The Fungi Of Yuggoth,” there are zero punches in the aggression department relative to the band’s studio material in spite of a litany of bow-string noodling being along for the ride. But in terms of a total experience that blurs the lines between what Alkaloid’s existing fan base expects and the intimate chamber setting in play here, the apex performance belongs to that of “Haunter Of The Void”, which over its 10-minute run dwarfs what many symphonic bands accomplish with 5 times this many instruments.
Though the concept of merging the musical timbres of the 18th and 19th century into an extreme metal context has come a long way in the near 40 years since Celtic Frost’s Into The Pandemonium pioneered the concept, there is something truly surreal about hearing the raw, explosive fury of death metal adapted into a medium more readily associated with the tranquility of a 1730s chamber music event.
It may prove a hurdle in terms of accessibility for those that prefer their metal straight out of the bottle rather than mixed with the sweetness of a fruit juice or soda, yet it’s pretty easy to picture classical music enthusiasts and metal heads observing this spectacle side by side in a rare state of shared camaraderie given the avid yet politely measured applause following each performance.
It’s an interesting variation on the usual studio output of bands associated with Hannes Grossmann, like Obscura and his ongoing solo project bearing his name, and a fairly close cousin to Triptykon, but more than anything else, it’s a highly complex undertaking that may bear repeated listens before its full character is revealed.
Release Date: January 23rd, 2026 Record Label: Season Of Mist Genre: Progressive Metal
Christian Olde Wolbers (ex-Fear Factory) is set to fill in once more for Overkill bassist D.D. Verni on the New Jersey thrash vets’ upcoming U.S. tour, where Overkill supports Testament. The trek launches in March, and German thrash metal band Destruction is also on the bill. It’s being promoted as the “Thrash Of The Titans” run.
On Sunday, January 18, Olde Wolbers posted tour promo art and added a simple note to fans: “See you guys and gals out there on the ‘Thrash Of The Titans’ Tour!”
This is a familiar setup. Olde Wolbers already covered for Verni in fall 2024 when Overkill hit the road in North America supporting King Diamond, with Verni dealing with an ongoing “shoulder issue”.
For a stretch of European dates in September 2024, Overkill brought in another temporary replacement: ex-Kreator bassist Christian “Speesy” Giesler.
The band has been open about what’s going on physically. In a 2024 interview with Portugal’s Caminhos Metálicos,Overkill frontman Bobby “Blitz” Ellsworth explained how long the issue has lingered and how it affects touring: “D.D.‘s got a shoulder issue that’s been going on for this entire time, even back to [2019’s] The Wings Of War [See image gallery at www.sonicperspectives.com] , it was beginning back then. So I think that the number of shows that we did was actually a light amount. We would normally do more shows if he was healthy enough to do them. And he’s gotta rehab that shoulder, so he can only do so much, put so much stress on it.”
The situation already forced Verni off the road earlier in 2024. He sat out Overkill’s April 2024 Latin American tour while recovering from shoulder surgery, with former Megadeth bassist David Ellefson stepping in for those dates.
Later that same year, Verni addressed the issue directly in a July 2024 interview with That Metal Interview, describing why the repetitive nature of touring is the real problem: “It’s not so much playing, ’cause I can play; it’s really just tours where I have to play night after night after night, ’cause that’s what kind of did the damage in the first place. So, we’ll see, I’ll keep working as hard as I can, but if I have to keep doing little bits and pieces till I can get up to full strength, that’s what I’ll do.”
Poison’s rumored 40th-anniversary victory lap sounds like it hit the brakes before it ever left the garage. According to Page Six, the band walked away from previously floated 2026 tour plans tied to the 40th anniversary of their 1986 debut, Look What the Cat Dragged In. The report claims the sticking point was money, specifically, an alleged pay split that frontman Bret Michaels wanted heavily tilted in his favor.
Poison drummer Rikki Rockett laid it out in blunt terms while speaking to the outlet: “We had a great offer [for a tour this year], I thought. But we left the table; it didn’t work.”
From Rockett’s perspective, the rest of the group was ready to move, but the financial structure became a non-starter: “Really what it came to was [guitarist] C.C. [DeVille], [bassist] Bobby [Dall] and I were all in, and I thought Bret was, but he wanted the lion’s share of the money, to the point where it makes it not possible to even do it. It’s like $6 to every one of our dollars. You just can’t work that way.”
Rockett also pushed back on the idea that this came down to greed on his end. For him, the work has to feel worth it for everyone involved, especially when the band would be committing to the grind that comes with touring.
“I don’t do this just for the money; I do have a love for this, absolutely. But at the same time, you don’t want to go out and work really hard just to make somebody else a bunch of money.”
Even with the frustration, Rockett framed the situation as something closer to a family dispute than a scorched-earth band breakup. He said the history and what each member has contributed still matter, even when business talks turn sour.
“Every member of this band has given me so much privilege in life, it’s like hating your parents.”
As for what comes next, Page Six raised the obvious question: could Rockett, C.C. DeVille, and Bobby Dall take the songs out with another singer? Rockett didn’t shut the door, but he also made it clear that the route comes with a cost, and it’s not his preferred move.
“It’s not out of the question. But doing that is like surgery: it’s the last resort. I don’t want to do that. I’m not quarreling with Bret… We just didn’t come to agreement. I don’t like it, and I’ll say that, but it’s not like, ‘Let’s put up our dukes.’ I don’t think there’s a better frontman for Poison.”
Routing options support complex and unconventional chains
Visual feedback plays a large role in shaping sounds
Producers who enjoy deep customization and pattern-based workflows often prefer FL Studio’s plugin philosophy.
Workflow and Plugin Usability
Plugin usability influences speed, creativity, and long-term comfort during production sessions.
Ableton Live Workflow
Ableton Live integrates plugins directly into a single-window environment, a clean and focused interface, much like how varifocal glasses let you see clearly across different distances without switching lenses.
Devices chain visually without floating interfaces, keeping focus inside the Session or Arrangement View.
Production tools operate directly on clips and tracks:
Freeze and flatten functions save CPU instantly
Resampling happens without leaving the arrangement
Clip-based workflow supports improvisation
Sessions favor producers who value speed, consistency, and uninterrupted creative flow.
FL Studio Workflow
FL Studio relies on floating windows, allowing multiple plugin interfaces to remain visible simultaneously.
Mixer channels, synths, and piano roll often coexist across screens.
Workflow encourages choice and customization:
Multiple methods exist for similar tasks
Piano roll offers deep control for melodic programming
Step sequencer excels in pattern-based writing
Customization options suit producers who enjoy granular control across every production stage.
What Can We Say About Stock Instruments?
Stock instruments often determine how far a DAW can go without external plugins.
Both platforms provide powerful synths and samplers, though scope and intent differ significantly.
FL Studio Stock Instruments
FL Studio ships in four editions, with instrument access depending on license tier.
Fruity Edition offers limited tools, while Producer, Signature, and All Plugins Bundle unlock full instrument collections.
Instrument selection covers a wide synthesis spectrum. Notable options include:
Plugin Name
Synthesis Type
Short Description
Harmor
Additive with subtractive-style control
Advanced sound design synth focused on harmonic shaping and resynthesis.
Morphine
Additive synthesis
Harmonic-based synth with sample resynthesis and spectral morphing.
Ogun
Harmonic / FFT-based synthesis
Metallic and complex tones using a large harmonic series.
Sytrus
Hybrid FM, additive, subtractive
Versatile synth suited for FM leads, pads, and basses.
FLEX
Multi-engine preset synth
Preset-focused instrument for fast, polished sounds.
GMS
Hybrid synthesis
Multi-layer synth combining FM and subtractive techniques.
3xOsc
Subtractive synthesis
Lightweight three-oscillator synth for basic tones.
Plucked!
Physical modeling
String-style sounds using pluck modeling algorithms.
Harmor and Sytrus focus on advanced additive and FM synthesis, while FLEX delivers preset-driven sounds aimed at fast production.
Genre flexibility becomes apparent through workflow tools:
Channel Sampler enables quick audio triggering
Channel Rack supports step-based sequencing
Pattern system favors loop-driven composition
Strength comes through sheer breadth and immediate access to many synthesis styles suited for hip hop, trap, and EDM production.
Ableton Live Stock Instruments
Ableton’s instruments focus on expressive control and integration rather than sheer quantity
Ableton Live arrives in three tiers: Intro, Standard, and Suite.
Suite unlocks the full instrument collection, totaling over 90 devices paired with more than 70GB of sound content.
Core instruments include:
Instrument
Synthesis
Primary Function
Operator
FM synthesis with subtractive elements
FM-based synthesis with flexible routing
Wavetable
Wavetable synthesis
Wave scanning with advanced modulation
Drift
Subtractive synthesis with MPE support
Expressive analog-style synthesis
Analog
Virtual analog synthesis
Classic analog synth modeling
Sampler
Advanced multi-sample playback
Deep sample mapping and modulation
Simpler
Single-sample playback
Fast sample playback and editing
Drum Rack
Instrument and sampler container
Pad-based instrument and sample routing
Granulator III, added in Live 12, expands granular processing possibilities for experimental textures and evolving sound design.
Instrument workflow focuses on interaction and control:
Seamless MIDI mapping with controllers and Push
Racks enable layered instruments and macro control
Audio and MIDI manipulation feel tightly connected
Strength centers on sound design depth, unconventional textures, and advanced MIDI transformation.
Mixing, Mastering, and Creative Processing
Stock effects shape how far a mix can progress without external processors.
Both DAWs cover essentials while also leaning into creative sound shaping.
FL Studio Effects
FL Studio includes a large catalog of categorized effects designed for both technical processing and creative manipulation.
Core tools include Fruity Parametric EQ 2, Fruity Compressor, Fruity Reverb, and Fruity Delay Bank.
Higher-tier bundles add advanced processors such as:
Plugin Name
Primary Function
Typical Use Case
Gross Beat
Time and volume-based audio manipulation
Glitch effects, stutters, rhythmic gating, live beat edits
Ableton Live offers a streamlined yet powerful effects lineup built around minimal interfaces with deep internal control.
Devices include:
Effect Name
Category
Typical Uses
Glue Compressor
Dynamics processing
Drum buses, mix cohesion, punch control
Echo
Delay effect
Rhythmic repeats, stereo delays, ambience
Amp
Amp simulation / distortion
Saturation, tone shaping, distortion
Corpus
Physical modeling
Resonant textures, metallic tones
Spectral Time
Spectral delay and freeze
Glitch effects, ambient textures
Hybrid Reverb
Reverb
Spatial depth, creative reverb
Effects favor fast interaction rather than visual complexity. Audio Effects Racks allow chains to behave as single devices with macro control mapped across multiple parameters.
Automation integrates smoothly with live recording
Effects respond well to real-time manipulation
Editions and Plugin Access
Licensing structure plays a major role in long-term value and access to advanced creative tools
Edition structure affects long-term value and plugin availability. Ableton Live offers Intro, Standard, and Suite tiers.
Intro includes roughly 1,500 sounds, 5GB of content, and 33 devices.
Standard expands effects and sound count. Suite unlocks over 5,000 sounds, more than 70GB of content, full instrument access, and Max for Live.
FL Studio editions range from Fruity to All Plugins Bundle.
Fruity Edition includes around 82 stock plugins, while All Plugins Bundle unlocks over 102 instruments and effects.
Update policies differ significantly:
FL Studio includes free lifetime updates
Ableton Live requires paid upgrades
Sound Libraries and Presets
Sound libraries influence how quickly ideas take shape during early production stages.
Ableton Live provides curated sound collections ranging from 5GB to 70GB, depending on the edition. Organization relies on tagging, color-coded collections, and searchable categories.
Downloadable Packs integrate tightly with device workflows and performance tools, focusing on instruments, effects, and playable setups.
FL Studio ships with lighter native sound libraries and often leans on external platforms such as Loopcloud.
Preset growth thrives through community sharing and third-party expansion packs, offering constant variety for producers who enjoy sourcing sounds externally.
Final Thoughts
Both DAWs offer demo versions suited for hands-on evaluation. FL Studio provides a time-unlimited demo with restricted project reopening. Ableton Live offers a 30-day full Suite trial.
No universal best DAW exists. Creative flow, plugin usability, and workflow preferences ultimately determine which platform feels stronger for individual producers.
Testing both environments remains essential before committing to a purchase.
Good Day Noir Family,
Listening to Downtown Patriots and their album World On Fire for the first time feels like diving into a vivid, restless journey that moves confidently across different shades of rock without losing its identity.
World On Fire is Downtown Patriots’ Album Out Now
The record opens with the title track, “World On Fire,” and it grabs attention through a catchy groove and a guitar rhythm that carries a swagger reminiscent of a rebellious pirate chant.
At the same time, the energy feels modern, and the momentum pulls you forward without hesitation.
Then, “Say Goodnight” keeps the intensity alive, yet it shifts direction. The rhythm becomes more intricate, and the melody grows darker and heavier. In several moments, it echoes the mood and weight associated with Soundgarden, especially in the way the guitars and vocals interact. Still, the band avoids imitation and instead uses those influences as a foundation to build something personal.
“I’m On My Way” changes the pace again, and the harmonica intro performed by Steve Andrews adds a raw, expressive layer. Because of that choice, the song leans into a vintage rock ballad feel. Moreover, its emotional tone evokes the atmosphere of “Since I Don’t Have You” by The Drifters, though it maintains a stripped-down and honest approach. The track feels intimate and unpolished in a positive sense.
After that, “Smile” brings warmth and lightness. It carries an easygoing, sunlit mood that might remind listeners of Jack Johnson. As a result, the album briefly ventures into beachy territory, showcasing the versatility of Downtown Patriots. Meanwhile, “Drunk” pulls the listener back into a more mysterious zone. The syncopated rhythm and subtle noir touches suggest a strong 90s influence, yet the arrangement feels fresh and intentional.
“My Friend” closes the album on a reflective note. The song feels nostalgic and sincere, wrapping the record with an alternative ballad that lingers emotionally. Overall, this album thrives on contrast. It shifts moods often, yet it stays cohesive through strong songwriting and confident performances. In the end, World On Fire proves that Downtown Patriots know how to balance energy, emotion, and variety without losing their core voice.
World On Fire is Downtown Patriots’ Album Out Now!
Intense!
World On Fire is Downtown Patriots’ Album Out Now
Downtown Patriots, hailing from Woodbridge, England, is Danny Watts, a talented writer, performer and producer. Drawing inspiration from a wide array of musical genres, from rock to folk, classical and pop.
