Zebrahead got their start in 1996 in La Habra, California, and have remained committed to punk rock ever since. After quickly gaining popularity, the band released a steady stream of albums, with their most recent full-length arriving in 2019 under the title Brain Invaders. This was followed by a series of EPs forming a four-release cycle,… Continue Reading →
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Visions of Morpheus Announce Progressive Metal Concept Album Dreaming In Binary
Featuring Guest Vocalist Nils K. Rue of Pagan’s Mind and Lex Legion First Single “I Will Arise” Arrives August 14th, 2026 via Indie Tunz Records
https://distrokid.com/hyperfollow/visionsofmorpheus/i-will-arise-feat-nils-rue
Oshawa, ON — Progressive metal project Visions of Morpheus have announced their upcoming full-length concept album, Dreaming In Binary , an ambitious and immersive journey exploring the intersection of artificial intelligence, technology, and the future of humanity.
Blending cinematic atmosphere with modern heavy production, intricate musicianship, and soaring melodic intensity, Dreaming In Binary presents a powerful exploration of a world caught between innovation and consequence. The album navigates themes of technological advancement, human identity, uncertainty, and the search for hope in an increasingly digital age.
Musically, Visions of Morpheus deliver a dynamic fusion of crushing low-end riffs, expansive layered textures, and unforgettable melodic hooks. The album balances aggression and emotion, combining the precision of modern progressive metal with the sweeping scope and storytelling power of a cinematic experience.
A major highlight of the record comes with the first single, “I Will Arise,” featuring guest vocalist Nils K. Rue , best known as the voice of Norwegian progressive metal powerhouse Pagan’s Mind , along with Lex Legion . Rue delivers a commanding vocal performance that elevates the track’s dramatic intensity, making it a defining moment on the album. “I Will Arise” will be released on August 14th, 2026 via Indie Tunz Records .
Over the coming weeks, Visions of Morpheus will continue unveiling new singles from Dreaming In Binary , revealing the album’s evolving narrative and sonic landscape piece by piece. Each release offers another glimpse into the project’s most ambitious and fully realized work to date.
With Dreaming In Binary , Visions of Morpheus push the boundaries of progressive metal while confronting one of the most important questions of the modern era: as technology continues to evolve, where does humanity end and its own creations begin?
As Australia’s live music industry grapples with rising costs, changing audience habits and the challenge of creating sustainable opportunities for musicians and venues alike, Berry NSW has secured NSW Government funding through Round 4 of the Uptown Grant Program to build on encouraging early results from its collaborative regional live music model. The funding will […]
“Paleomagnetic Resonance” visualizer created by Displaced/Replaced.
Aug. 11, 2026 – Lustmord, the pioneer of modern ambient electronic music, and Dave Lombardo, one of heavy music’s most influential percussionists, have joined forces as Lustmord Lombardo.
The pair release their debut album, The Pulse of Atoms, on Oct. 2 via Ipecac Recordings, offering a taste of their new collaboration with today’s release of “Paleomagnetic Resonance” (https://youtu.be/E0lBb2i-t3Y). “Paleomagnetic Resonance” visualizer created by Displaced/Replaced.
“One thing about an album like this is that you can’t really point it out as being part of any specific genre or hopefully any specific period,” Lustmord explains. “Is it from last year? Is it from 10 years ago, is it from 20 years ago, is it from 5 years in the future? It’s trying to create something that has its own sound, not tapping into whatever musical language or history you’re familiar with. It goes way, way further back. This is the sound of planets dying or of stars being born. It’s about a bigger picture. It’s the sound of the birth of the universe and the death of the universe; it’s not rock and roll.”
The two musicians met backstage at a Fantômas show, introduced by mutual friend Buzz Osborne, around the time that Lustmord and Melvins released their collaborative album. Nearly two decades later, Lombardo and Lustmord convened as Lustmord Lombardo, crafting an album that is as cold and distant as it is frantic and engaging. The Pulse of Atoms showcases an unheard side of Lombardo and brings Lustmord back to his industrial roots.
Rather than composing songs in a traditional sense, Lustmord built evolving walls and vortices of sound, leaving room for Lombardo to add percussion and various synthesizer layers. Once the editing and arrangement was complete, Lustmord mixed and mastered the record, which was a balancing act between the two players’ large, loud musical presences.
“I’m very proud of this collaboration because it’s so different from anything else that I’ve done,” Lombardo adds. “And to create this body of work with Lustmord – this guy is legendary! He rattles the plaster off of venues.”
Album pre-orders, including a pair of limited-edition vinyl variants (Clear and Smoke), CD, and digital pre-saves, are available now: https://lustmordlombardo.lnk.to/pulse.
The Pulse of Atoms cover (photography and design by Stefan Alt.)
Lustmord is widely regarded as one of the pioneers of dark ambient and industrial music. Active since the early ‘80s, his work draws on field recordings, low-frequency drones, and cinematic sound design to create immersive, atmospheric pieces. Lustmord’s catalog spans dozens of solo releases and collaborations, and his influence extends into film and game scoring, as well as experimental electronic production.
About Dave Lombardo
Dave Lombardo is a GRAMMY Award-winning drummer whose playing style helped define the sound of thrash and extreme metal. He is also one of the most versatile percussionists in heavy music, known as a founding member of Slayer, as well as his work with Fantômas, Suicidal Tendencies, Dead Cross, Mr. Bungle, the Misfits, and a wide range of collaborations. In 2023, Lombardo released his debut solo album, Rites of Percussion, which NPR praised as “a very different side of one of metal’s most punishing drummers.”
Summer songs traditionally have an unfair advantage. They get cars with the windows down, imprudent decisions, swimming pools, romances improved by temporary geography. Soft Vein’s new single Another Summer seems suspicious of all that. Justin Chamberlain approaches the season as someone might regard an old photograph found in a drawer: with affection, perhaps, but also with the knowledge that whatever happened there has already escaped its participants. The title suggests recurrence, but Chamberlain sounds interested in what recurrence fails to restore. Another season comes around. The people inhabiting it have changed.
The song, the final single from Soft Vein’s forthcoming All We’ve Known of Heaven, has some of the suave composure of Robert Palmer and the eccentric pop intelligence of John Foxx and Peter Gabriel. A rounded bass line moves beneath clipped vocal phrases and lush synthesizers, which periodically rise around Chamberlain without swallowing him. The staccato chant and hook are especially good, giving an otherwise sumptuous ballad a curious nervousness, as though somebody has prepared the perfect sentence and then discovered that speaking it aloud changes its meaning.
This year, Soft Vein has moved further toward synthpop, although Chamberlain retains a detached, cerebral chill. Another Summer may be the most persuasive argument yet for that development: a beautiful arrangement can make emotional confusion more acute. The bass has an almost tactile roundness; the keyboards occasionally widen into luminous sheets; his voice stays exposed in the middle, stylish without becoming mannered. Every element appears to know exactly how much room it should occupy.
Chamberlain sings softly, often close enough to conversational volume that his restraint becomes part of the song’s psychology. Soft Vein has always been interested in the humiliations of wanting something from another person: reassurance, sex, permanence, an explanation. Another Summer finds him contemplating communication; his delivery has the attractive uncertainty of a person willing to disclose something before deciding whether disclosure was wise.
That divided temperament has followed Soft Vein from 2023’s Pressed in Glassthrough Through Blinds, the 2024 record that brought Chamberlain’s songwriting into sharper focus. The 2025 EP From Another Room, featuring remixes by Twin Tribes and Qual alongside covers of formative artists, offered a useful bridge.
All We’ve Known of Heaven is now available for preorder ahead of its release through Artoffact Records. Soft Vein will mark the album with a September 11 Los Angeles release show at Zebulon, presented by Minty Boi, with Catherine Moan as direct support and Secret Attraction opening. Buy tickets here.
Listen to Another Summer below and order the single here. You can pre-order Soft Vein’s forthcoming new album, All We’ve Known of Heaven,here.
SOOTHSAYER Unleash New Album Chapter IV and Official “Catfish” Visualizer via CDN Records
Quebec City Thrash Veterans Celebrate Their 40-Year Legacy With a New Full-Length Album and New Video
Listen to Chapter IV + Official Artist Page: https://cdnrecords.com/label-artists/soothsayer/ Purchase Chapter IV on Vinyl: https://cdnrecords.com/shop/soothsayer-chapter-iv/
Quebec City old-school thrash veterans SOOTHSAYER have officially unleashed their new full-length album, Chapter IV , via CDN Records . To celebrate the album’s arrival, the band have also released a brand-new official visualizer for “Catfish,” giving fans another vicious taste of the record’s relentless old-school attack.
Watch “Catfish” now.
With Chapter IV officially out, SOOTHSAYER continue a 40-year tradition of delivering raw, aggressive, uncompromising Canadian thrash metal. There is no attempt to chase trends, soften the edges, or dress up the band’s sound for modern expectations. Chapter IV is SOOTHSAYER doing what they have always done best: playing fast, furious, pissed-off thrash with attitude to spare.
“Catfish” follows the previously released single “Kick Throat,” another savage preview of the album that showcased the band’s razor-sharp riffs, breakneck pacing, and venomous vocal attack.
Together, the tracks set the tone for Chapter IV , an album that sounds like it came straight out of the underground but carries the experience of musicians who have spent decades refining their craft.
Formed in 1985 , SOOTHSAYER carved their name into the foundations of the Canadian thrash underground during the genre’s most explosive era. Their infamous 1986 demo To Be a Real Terrorist spread rapidly through tape-trading networks, establishing the band as one of Canada’s most aggressive and uncompromising underground acts.
Songs such as “Death Radiation,” “Troops of Hate,” and “Kill Oppression” helped define SOOTHSAYER’s signature combination of Bay Area-inspired thrash velocity, crossover aggression, and punk-fueled hostility. Their classic-era release Have a Good Time and subsequent underground catalog further cemented their reputation.
After stepping away from the scene, the original lineup, including members from the earliest demo era, reunited in 2007 , reigniting the band’s attack and continuing the legacy they had started decades earlier.
Now, in 2026 , SOOTHSAYER have reached another chapter with the release of Chapter IV .
And make no mistake, this isn’t some nostalgia trip.
This is a veteran thrash band still swinging hard.
With Chapter IV now available and the new “Catfish” official visualizer out now, SOOTHSAYER are proving that four decades of experience haven’t dulled the blade. If anything, they’ve sharpened it.
WATCH “CATFISH” NOW
https://cdnrecords.com/label-artists/soothsayer/
CHAPTER IV IS OUT NOW
Listen to Chapter IV and explore the complete SOOTHSAYER catalog through CDN Records:
https://cdnrecords.com/label-artists/soothsayer/
Physical vinyl copies are also available:
https://cdnrecords.com/shop/soothsayer-chapter-iv/
SOOTHSAYER – Chapter IV . Out now via CDN Records.
Four decades in, the mission hasn’t changed.
No trends. No compromise. No surrender. Just pure Canadian thrash.
Across the vast American sprawl, post-punk and darkwave have taken root in cities throughout the country, with each local scene giving the music its own character. Among the rising bands within that wider movement, Casket Cassette and Stare Away represent two distant geographic poles: Los Angeles and New York City, the City of Angels and Gotham, relentless sunshine and after-dark intensity. This summer, the bands have closed nearly 3,000 miles of continental distance on Casket Cassette’s Reducer Tour, the Los Angeles project’s first headlining run. Constant Laval Williams and Ben Nelson first became friends when Stare Away joined a Casket Cassette bill at Sip Studios in Jersey City, where they discovered common ground in Joy Division’s rhythmic force and Ian Curtis’s songwriting, as well as recovery, poetry, and the desire to exorcise personal damage through catharsis of a crowd.
Both artists entered the tour with their most substantial releases to date. Casket Cassette’s third album, Reducer, released June 12, turns experiences of erasure, constriction, recovery, and the aftermath of the Los Angeles fires into a ten-song study of what survives when a life and community have been pared back. Post-Punk.com followed the record’s development through Kiss Me Awake and Show Me a Sign, songs that brought Williams’s doomed romanticism into sharper electronic relief. On July 31, Stare Away released its seven-song debut, In Absence, via à La Carte Records, drawing on Nelson’s seclusion after sobriety, the depths of addiction, and relationships that continued to exert their pull. Its closing track, Familiar, gave those concerns one of the album’s most immediate expressions.
Onstage, their geographical and musical differences sharpen the pairing. Casket Cassette channels the strange darkness that flourishes beneath Los Angeles sunshine through electronic pressure and doomed pop melody, while Stare Away draws on Gotham’s nocturnal velocity with tensile bass, urgent guitar, and the close physical charge of an early post-punk club. As the tour enters its final stretch, Post-Punk.com spoke with Williams and Nelson about the records that guided Reducer and In Absence, the friendship behind the tour, the cultures of their respective cities, and the collaboration already waiting beyond the final date:
Ben, in absence, feels like a reference to the terms “In Memoriam” or “To Absent Friends”. What kind of absence does the title refer to, and what emotional or thematic thread holds the album together?
The record is a massive reflection on the past couple years of my life. I definitely secluded myself from a lot of aspects of living in New York City so I could just focus and make progress on better finding myself after getting sober. I just disappeared for a while from going out and was working full-time at a job I absolutely hated. I looked at myself & how insane the state of the world currently is, and put everything into my craft to reflect my own mysteries, questions & realizations of isolation, depths of addiction, and relationships I’ve had that were very important to me. I think when you put your heart into something physical and artistic, people will truly relate rather than follow like a cheap social media posting scheme and will feel much more fruitful and fulfilling in the end. I feel like I discovered more about myself throughout the process of writing this record than I ever would if I hadn’t. The title track sums up the entire record and each following track dissects it in its own way musically and lyrically. Sitting with Mike Morello in the studio and putting so much time and emotion into each song really tied it all up with a bow.
Ben, which artists, records, or musical periods were foremost in your mind while making In Absence? Or writers and filmmakers perhaps?
To really narrow it down, New Order’s “Movement” demos and writing sessions, The Cure’s “Faith” home demos, and The Sound’s “Jeopardy” record are in my everyday rotation. When it came down to pure influence, I really wanted to write from a direction as a band involved in the first wave with a maturing mid-80s attitude. The sculpting behind what defined an emerging underground genre is what I’ll always strive for when writing. Experimental films and beatnik writers of the late 50s and 60s called me to think more of vulnerability in expression when it came down to writing the lyrics.
Ben, was there one song that unlocked the direction of In Absence and helped you understand what the rest of the record needed to become?
“I Can’t Escape Myself” by the Sound. Truly a masterpiece of a track in my opinion. The daily hysteria of living life on life’s terms regardless of situation or control over one’s ability to have an answer for everything that shapes our identities and emotions is kind of a beauty in a sense, which makes us all unique in our own ways. The album art shot by Julie Lodhy really captured that reflection literally.
Constant, what first set Reducer in motion, and how did the album develop from that initial idea into the finished record?
I’d been spending most of my time focusing on crafting standout singles (Bouquet, Broken Tomorrow, etc.), and I wanted to return to another cohesive project. Specifically, for album #3, I wanted to respond to the erasure, reduction, and alienation I’d been feeling after returning home to LA from graduate school at the Iowa Writers’ Workshop, and in the wake of the LA fires. In a short period of time, my community of friends and my childhood home had both burned, shrunk, or vanished. It was a period of interpersonal, mental, and physical loss.
I first explored these themes in the context of inward reflection, and then expanded into an examination of my past and my relationship to others. I also chose to incorporate increasingly poetic elements (such as references to Robert Lowell’s Skunk Hour in Kiss Me Awake, a poem in the interlude, and various lyrics that leaned more deeply into nuanced metaphor). The instruments ended up expressing rage, loss, and existential claustrophobia via the use of heavy basslines and aggressive drums, coupled with ethereal anthemic synths and the occasional heartfelt guitar line.
What made me fall in love with the darkwave and post-punk genres to begin with was their ability to honestly express pain and darkness while also transfiguring that same pain into something beautiful and danceable. I can only hope this new album achieved that same duality.
Constant, the word “reducer” suggests compression, subtraction, or stripping something to its essential form. What does the title mean to you, and how does it relate to the album’s songs?
I think that you summed it up nicely. Like the choke-chain collar in the cover art, the title reflects a feeling of constriction (a minimization of self, community and environment). If you have the kind of brain that I have, life can sometimes feel like a series of “reductions” almost like pruning a bonsai tree to try to stay “right sized.” This has always been the case for me (especially as someone in recovery), but to have those reductions unwillingly extend into the world around me was intense.
I think the songs all mirror this differently. I tried to let them be eclectic; sometimes disparate elements in conversation with one another are more comprehensive than similar elements. On songs like Kiss Me Awake and Melting Angels, there’s a wide-open purgatorial feeling that’s at odds with poignant, pared-down lyrics. A song like Pacific Coast Highway (PTSD) is a bittersweet memory, a bleeding echo of a whole. Show Me a Sign and Becoming burst past constriction into raw expressions of existential energy (etc.).
Harmoniously, the album was mixed by Matia Simovich at Infinite Power Studios, who works almost exclusively with analog equipment. The process of mixing with analog machines is also a reduction of the nebulous revisions and additions of modern DAWs; when effects were baked into the stems, they were made singular and permanent. The same is true for Matia’s raw, minimalistic approach to tracking vocals on songs I recorded in-studio such as Becoming. The stems of some songs like Elegy were compressed together onto tape, and then re-digitized.
Constant, which artists and records exerted the strongest influence on Reducer, and where can you hear those influences entering the album?
There is always a plethora of artists within (and outside of) the genre influencing me. These, of course, include the giants whose footsteps we walk in (ie. Joy Division, The Cure, Bauhaus, Siouxsie, etc.) as well as the peers I have walking beside me (check out my Spotify playlist for reference).
If I had to narrow it down for this specific album, I’d say: Charlotte Sometimes by The Cure, But Not Tonight by Depeche Mode (specifically the intro), the body of work by Sad Madona (who I’ve done two collaborations with (including on Reducer), and who I’ve been hanging out with when I visit the EU), the music of my buddy Jamison (aka Gossip Cult), indie and indie-adjacent bands I used to listen to when I was a kid (like Beach Fossils, Surf Curse, The Drums, etc,), The Smiths, Atmosphere by Joy Division, Crystal Castles, experimental acid/trance/house music I used to dance to at illegal warehouse raves downtown, Nitzer Ebb, Pagliacci by Leoncavallo, and various movie soundtracks.
As a result, songs like Pacific Coast Highway (PTSD) blend post-punk and indie/alternative, while songs like Show Me a Sign or Apathy are darkwave with elements of electronica and EBM. All of these influences have allowed me to move in a new direction while staying true to my voice.
Constant, you are also a poet, photographer, and filmmaker. How did those other disciplines shape the lyrics, imagery, or structure of Reducer?
For me, all these disciplines come from the same source but are expressed in different ways, each appropriate for different moments/needs. They all allow us as human beings to try to source meaning from existence and our universe; a meaning we will never fully reach, but a beautiful process regardless.
Photography and film rely on choice of subject and composition to craft visual narrative or provoke thought, while music relies on a similar, auditory gut-instinct. These instincts are also involved in poetry, but the act of writing and editing a poem requires a more microscopic cartography; everything must belong, every word must connect, every image must work against or for the conceit of the poem.
Poetry is my first love. I’m obsessed with it. There’s a beautiful anarchy to it, yet an intentionality that I don’t find to be fully true in music or photography. Sometimes my lyrics are hyper poetic, and sometimes I want a break from the intense scrutiny required of poetry. Sometimes I just want to write an immediately understandable or quasi-cliché lyric for the catharsis of that immediacy; just want to say “I love you” or “I miss you” and not “your shadow lingers in the wake of my delinquent dreams.”
Coming out of the Writers’ Workshop and being in the process of finishing my debut collection of poetry, poetry played a much larger role in this album than in the past. As I previously mentioned, there is a full poem in the Interlude; songs like Elegy and Kiss Me Awake both use rhyme schemes (or non-rhyming free-verse) in their lyrics and poetic imagery that is a new frontier for the fusion of poetry and music for me.
I have a very vivid imagination; it can be very cinematic at times. I daydream a lot. When I was writing Reducer, photography and cinematography also informed the songs for sure—if I can’t imagine a visual narrative in my head while listening back to a song, then it’s probably not a good song. Structurally, I always want my albums to have a narrative arc as well. In the case of Reducer, I wanted to start with a feeling of stasis and constriction that then erupted into defiant forward movement.
Constant and Ben, how did the two of you first meet, and what were your initial impressions of one another, both personally and as musicians?
Ben: We met at the Jersey City date of his first US tour with Blood Club and dustbowlchampion at Sip Studios, it was so cool to be able to meet from being on complete opposite sides of the country, everyone was so inviting and kind and it was awesome being able to appreciate each others music. It was like going to a new school and kicking it off with another kid in class with similar interests.
Constant: Ben and I met a few years ago on my first-ever national tour with Blood Club and Dustbowlchampion. I had already been aware of Ben’s music after finding it online and would religiously listen to “My Cathedral” and “Something Strange” in my car on the way to work, so I was psyched when Ben was booked to play with all of us in Jersey City. I think we hit it off immediately; I could tell Ben just got it, it being the reason we all do what we do as artists. It’s really cool when you meet someone and are on the same wavelength.
Stare Away. Photo by Constant Williams
Constant and Ben, did you initially connect through any shared bands, records, or influences, and what helped that first connection develop?
Ben: Definitely comparing our distinguished sounds to similar bands we both enjoy, I think Joy Division would be a top example because we both love Ian Curtis’ writing from a poetic standpoint, we did hit the exhibit in New York City together which was an awesome experience. I always learn of new books and readings to pick up from him. I also think it’s because I am a bassist and he came from a background of being a drummer, so I think a lot of bands that have that heavy foundation of rhythm sections drove a lot of our similar musical interests.
Constant: For sure, I think most people who make music similar to us can connect over a shared love of many of the same bands (like the ones I mentioned before). I think it also helped that we both come to music at a poetic and existential angle, and we both could relate in terms of recovery from substances and the perspective shift that is required.
Constant and Ben, what first made you want to collaborate musically, and when did the idea of touring together enter the conversation?
We haven’t collaborated yet but we definitely have a song in the works. I think every time we’ve seen each other, we’ve thrown around the idea of touring together because we love each other’s music, and it especially made sense now that both of us are with BLCKJEANS.
Ben, what appeals to you most about Reducer, and which song from the record do you find yourself returning to most often?
I think Constants approach on the arrangements were genius. The drum breaks feel lyrical, the combination of synth selections and vocal melodies reached a part of this genre that hasn’t been touched upon yet, and classic Casket Cassette elements cultivated into his best work. My favorite part of all this is watching and listening as an artist grows musically. It’s hard to put my finger on a single song because each song has its own unique skeleton, but I have to go with “Apathy” as the track that’s always running through my head on this record.
Constant, what do you enjoy most about In Absence, and which song on the album has become your personal favorite?
Beyond how catchy and danceable its songs are, I love how authentic and genuine the album is. I also really enjoy the combination of quintessential 80’s New Wave sounds with dark Post-Punk melodies. The title track and Faithless Hum are my top favorites.
Constant and Ben, your music shares certain post-punk and darkwave foundations while retaining two distinct identities. What do you think makes the bands complement each other so well on the same bill?
Ben: I think our high-energy performances are what make this tour so special; the riffs throughout the night keep the atmosphere intense with movement and bring a great amount of nostalgia you feel at a goth club or punk show that you can’t capture at other shows. Our deep connection with the fans is what’s most important to me, hearing how the music can move through the audience and watching kids get lost in their dancing with their eyes closed while we’re playing on stage is so cool being able to resonate that from the stage.
Constant: I think we complement each other because we both bring a similar energetic performance style, matching high energy with a candid sincerity. Ben’s music leans more towards post-punk with moments of darkwave, while my music leans more towards darkwave with moments of post-punk. I think that also creates a “yin and yang” effect for our live shows; two sides of the same coin.
Casket Cassette. Photo by Aaron Jay Young
Constant, you come from Los Angeles, while Ben is based in New York City. How have the music scenes and cultures of those cities shaped your respective projects, and what similarities do you recognize between them? And what do you think is different?
Ben: I think New York City’s music scene is so diverse, which makes it such a beautiful and thriving location for musicians and showgoers. You can hit a punk show, an electronic show, hardcore show, or jazz club in the same borough in the same night. It’s wicked, I love it. I think LA is quite the same besides the traffic haha, but I think the diversity of people and genres is the best and most important similarity of both cities, keeping live music thriving. New York City in general has a million places to find and take inspiration from. Taking late night subway rides can create a huge narrative story in its own way, walking in the parks and seeing all different types of fashion and taking everyone’s unique sense of expression and sensing love and unfortunate disparities throughout the air can present all kinds of thoughts and ideas to put down on paper, it becomes its own dimension and reality that spews inspiration for lyrics and especially beat and rhythm. The nightlife through dive bars and street festivities is an overwhelming resource of artistic relation. You can simply sit in a moment, look around, and take in so much that you can’t find anywhere else. I try to take the mood and energy of wherever I was that night or night before to the writing process to resemble the city’s grit and hardstyle energy that keeps it alive.
Constant: I think growing up in Los Angeles has informed my music a lot. There’s a strange duality to the shiny movie stars, warm beaches, and perpetual sunshine that is surrounded by industrial decay, violence, and broken dreams. I think my music has a similar duality, being both deeply sad and deeply danceable. That’s a strange combo that (I hope) works. It definitely reflects how I grew up and who I am; I never truly fit into any one box.
On the contrary, despite being visually more gothic and less “shiny” than LA, I feel as though the scene might be a bit less substantial in size in New York City, but I only know a little from my limited experience. It has always made me laugh that the places with the most goths are often the ones that punish us with bright sunlight (ie. Los Angeles, Mexico City, San Antonio, etc., with the exception of Chicago). I love New York, and I do think there is a kinship between the two cities, and certainly they are two of the most important musical hubs in the world.
Constant and Ben, what are you each most excited about on this run, and what kind of experience do you hope audiences take away from seeing both projects in the same room?
Ben: I’m really stoked to finally play these new songs live and also give the fans a chance to sing the songs that got us here with us. My absolute favorite part is inspiring younger showgoers to keep pushing their craft; the young musicians are the main reason I do this 100%. I started going to shows around 12-13 years old at VFWs and want to relive how I felt when people rushed to the stage to snag the mic from the vocalist to scream the lyrics. We want to go against the grain as much as possible so we get sweaty with everyone on stage with us during ‘Parting Ways’. It just started out of a last-minute call-up on our first show in San Diego so I just wanted to try and accomplish that every single night regardless of the size of the audience. I was pretty nervous at first, but I know the fans have such a fun time being able to dance underneath the lights with us, and that’s what matters the most. I hope the audience can take away a fresh new ear for Post-Punk music and can feel like they’re at a Factory or CBGB show. I just want people to feel free in a safe space and take home an amazing show experience.
Constant: I’m excited to play shows with Stare Away and all our awesome local openers because I know the audience is going to have a great experience! As my first headliner tour, I’m also really excited to get to play a longer set for fans; I’m always bummed when someone comes up to say hi and is sad that I didn’t play a specific song; hopefully having a fuller set mitigates some of that disappointment. Another favorite part of tour for me is meeting the amazing people who listen to my music; none of this would be possible without them, and they mean everything to me. All I want is for them to have a night where they can let go and enjoy themselves during these crazy times.
Constant and Ben, once the tour is over and both albums have had time to settle into the world, what does each of you have planned for 2027, and do you envision further collaborations?
Ben: As soon as we get back, I plan on just getting right back to constructing the direction of the next record. I want to find the perfect hybrid kit to add to our live shows and just make something different. I feel like a lot of bands just get trapped in the same sound, playing the same riffs. I definitely want to get my head into a new book and maybe pick up some weird new hobby, but I think I just want to challenge myself towards a new direction to take Stare Away.
Constant: I recently won a literary award, and as a result I will be releasing a book of poetry in 2027 called Elegy with Beautiful Child, available for preorder from Milkweed Editions. My lifelong dream (even before music) has always been to publish a book of poetry, so this is a really important moment in my life!
There is also a Stare Away x Casket Cassette song in the works, and Ben and I are good friends, so it’s definitely not the last you’ll be hearing from both of us.§
Casket Cassette’sReducer is out now. Listen below, and Order Here.
Stare Away’s In Absence is out now. Listen below and Order Here.
The end of the Reducer tour leaves both artists with fresh work already taking shape. Nelson plans to begin developing the next Stare Away record as soon as he returns to New York, introducing a hybrid drum kit while pushing the project toward unfamiliar methods. Williams will turn toward the January 2027 publication of Elegy with Beautiful Child, his debut poetry collection and winner of the 2025–26 Jake Adam York Prize. A Stare Away and Casket Cassette song is also underway, extending a friendship that began on a shared bill into the studio.
Before those plans take over, Casket Cassette and Stare Away have eight dates remaining together on Casket Cassette’s Reducer Tour. The itinerary continues August 12 at Beat Kitchen in Chicago, followed by Minneapolis, Denver, Salt Lake City, Seattle, Portland, and San Francisco before their shared run closes August 22 at Summer Fox Brewing – Tower in Fresno.
Casket Cassette and Stare Away Reducer Tour Dates:
August 12 — Chicago, IL — Beat Kitchen
August 13 — Minneapolis, MN — 7th St Entry
August 15 — Denver, CO — Skylark Lounge
August 16 — Salt Lake City, UT — Kilby Court
August 18 — Seattle, WA — The Black Lodge
August 19 — Portland, OR — Holocene
August 21 — San Francisco, CA — Kilowatt
August 22 — Fresno, CA — Summer Fox Brewing – Tower
James Norbert Ivanyi is about to release his tenth album of instrumental music. After dabbling in keyboard-heavy and acoustic guitar albums, The Phantasm Cozenage is a return to heavy progressive rock and metal. The album is being promoted with a guitar giveway that’s turning out to be more challenging for Ivanyi than creating new music. We caught up with him to learn more.
I just checked out your new single. It’s something to look forward to, if the rest of the album is anything like that.
Thank you, man. I massively appreciate that. I’m excited to share it this afternoon and that’s definitely a good indication of what’s in store for the rest of the album.
Do you have the same musicians on it across the album or have you spread the love around?
The fun fact is I did everything on the album. I did all the instruments, so I did all keys, all the bass, all the drum programming and obviously mixed and mastered the album, as well. I do have a live band that I work with, and those are the guys who feature in the video clip.
You’ve worked with those guys before – you were in a band with the bass player before, but also Liam Weedall is a pretty awesome drummer and a very busy guy.
As any gifted metal drummer is! They’re in 10,000 bands all at once.
So you’ll be out doing shows once the album is released?
Yes, I’m going to. I’m looking at doing some touring early in the new year. I was going to do some stuff this year, but things got derailed, then there was all the spooks because apparently there was going to be no petrol, and whatever was happening. So I’m a bit busy producing and mixing some records – not my stuff, but some clients I work with. But in the new year, once NAMM time is out of the way, which is kind of a thing I’m committed to doing, I’m definitely going to look at doing some Aussie tour dates, and some more. The last time I toured here was 2023, I think, so it’s been a few years. So it’s time. I definitely will be doing some shows, yes.
That’s good to know. Now, you’ve got a pretty unique way of promoting this album. Some artists do giveaways, but you’re giving away guitars!
I’m as shocked as everyone else is that I went along with this crazy plan of mine! So I am doing a solo comp, which is a thing that I got into myself back in the day, and I think it’s a really cool thing for the guitar community to get involved with. We’re doing a comp where I’ve written a track, and I have the impossible task of picking one lucky winner. They will win my brand new signature guitar which will be sent out at the NAMM show in January next year. The first production run it going to be in October this year, so one lucky person out there gets to pick which guitar they can win, which is crazy, even to me.
What are you looking for, then? Have you given yourself some cheat sheets or something so you know what you’re after? There’s going to be a lot of people out there who think they’re hot enough for this, so what are you looking for when someone presents this. How will you choose the winner?
That’s the million dollar question! I’m hideously unprepared, and so many entries have been coming in. I’ve already got, like, ten that I think are the best ones. So what I’m going to do when the entries finish on the 19th, which is the day the album comes out, I’ll then spend a week scraping the internet, going over every single one, listening to them all again… I’m not looking for the most technical one, I’m not looking for the most shreddy one, I don’t care if you’ve filmed it on a potato or you’ve set up a Jerry Bruckheimer rig. It doesn’t really matter. None of those things are what I’m looking for. I think what I’m looking for is something that speaks to me musically as being my favourite. It could be something simple or it could be something technical and flashy. I’m trying not to overthink it until I get to that place where I can look at all of them, and really see what everyone’s done. They’re all wildly different from each other. Everyone has such a different take on it. It’s definitely not a case of, This guy played the best. I guess what I’m looking for is, who did the best music with it? It’s going to be an impossible task, for sure because, as I’ve said, I’ve already seen a bunch that were just really good. That’s what I’m going to be looking for: which one speaks to me, musically, the most.
Knowing as much about guitars as I do, which is that they are a stringed instrument and other people are good at playing them, how do you go about getting an endorsement that leads to a signature instrument? How do you go about being able to design a guitar and have it produced?
To deal with the first bit of that question, it came about because back in my band days, I was playing this particular brand of guitars – Suhr Guitars, a small, boutique, super high-end custom manufacturer based out of California. They contacted me online in the early YouTube days, because I was putting a bunch of videos. I think it was the case that they didn’t have a lot of artists doing what I was doing in the kind of heavier progressive metal or rock space. They found out I was coming to the US and invited me to the workshop. That was back in 2012 or 13 and we’ve been working together ever since, and they’ve been nothing but really supportive of all the highly niche and strange musical choices I’ve made. It was maybe five or six years ago that the conversation came up that they would like to build me a signature guitar. It was a really big honour, and I remember being a kid and looking at the guitar mags and guys with their signature guitars, and how cool it was. It was certainly something that I didn’t think was on the cards. It’s a huge honour. We’ve got three models out now, and I’m still very much in the honeymoon phase with it. I pick it up and it’s like the perfect guitar, which I’ve never experienced before. It’s really, really cool and the new models are just fantastic and the new models were received really well. It’s been a really cool experience.
I guess the next really cool experience for you is going to be letting people hear this album. You’ve been doing this for quite a while now. It’s been a long process.
I’ve been working on it for about three years, I would say. I’ve been working at it pretty consistently, but I’ve had a few breaks. I had a busy year and a bit doing clinic tours all over the world promoting the signature guitar, the previous one. So across a lot of 2025 I was in China, I was in Japan, the US twice. Finished it off in Thailand. So I did have some breaks, but it’s been three years of solid work and in a way it’s been my return to electric guitar. Before that I kind of deviated out of COVID into doing different kinds of things I’d always wanted to. I did a keyboard record and an acoustic guitar album. In a way this was my way of putting my toe back in the water of making a full-on guitar album again. I love it. I had a lot more fun with it and I felt a lot more relaxed making it than with other things I’ve done. I wasn’t really fussing over everything. I just went with the flow and really had fun with it, so I hope that shows in the music.
It must be interesting and exciting for you to be able to travel to places that many people probably don’t get a chance to visit. China is an experience in itself, because I’ve been there, but not as a musician, teaching and demonstrating things to people. It must be incredible to be able to do that.
It’s a trip! It’s so cool. I didn’t have any other reason to go there, and I never thought I’d go there to play guitar. All those things are opportunities that I’m super grateful for. China was amazing. I don’t think I really knew what to expect. First of all I was just so impressed with how incredibly impressive a place it is. Obviously – I don’t know about you, but I don’t hear a lot about the Chinese guitar scene, so it was so cool to see that it was there and it was thriving. All the guys I connected with… I’d ask them, ‘How do you know about these things? Don’t you all not have the internet?’ And they’re all like, ‘We’ve all got VPNs!’ So they were really into the scene and really engaged with it. Doing the clinics, I got to meet a lot of the young generation who are into it, and visit some guitar stores where I was doing some performances. So it was super cool, and it has been a really interesting experience. We also did the clinics in Japan – obviously you know their guitar scene is crazy. They are way into it, so that was really cool. It was almost my first time going to Japan, so that was a double win. I’ve been to the US dozens of times now, that’s always a treat. We finished the last one in October last year. Feels like two minutes ago, but it’s almost October again now! So it’s really good to be able to travel and connect with people who want to see me play. It’s more of a social event, too, the clinic environment. It’s never lost on me, either, because I make such niche music for such a small audience so it’s nice to head out into the world and see that people appreciate it. It’s super nice.
It’s great that this is happening for you because it’s a different path than one some people who are dedicated to their music have been able to take. In a way you must feel quite blessed that your musical path has taken you in this direction.
I do, man! Like any self-respecting young boy, I thought I was going to be AC/DC when I grew up. But here I am making this really specialised, niche music with a very narrow audience and I certainly didn’t think I’d be able to travel the world and release product and do all those kinds of things, but I think I’ve learnt that my fanbase aren’t vaguely into it – they’re super into it. That’s kind of afforded me longevity. I see lots of names that have been there since the beginning, and I think that has a lot to do with why I felt so relaxed doing it this time. I just did a string of records that I was convinced was going to kill off my fanbase in one go, and they stuck around, which is good! So I just felt so much more relaxed putting together a cohesive collection of songs that just showed what I’m all about right now.
Sir Rod Stewart has cancelled his upcoming live shows after undergoing a routine coronary stent procedure. The news arrives just days after Stewart postponed a show at the Riverbend Music Center in Cincinnati, OH, citing an “unforeseen but minor medical procedure.”
“On the advice of his doctors, he will take the next four weeks to recuperate and regain full fitness before returning to the stage,” say Stewart’s representatives. “Unfortunately, this means he will be unable to continue his current tour dates.”
“I’m already feeling better and very much on the mend,” says Stewart. “I want to thank the doctors, nurses and everyone who has taken such wonderful care of me. I’m deeply disappointed to miss these shows and sorry to let my fans down, but I look forward to getting back on stage and having a good time with you all again soon.”
Stewart’s current One Last Time tour has already been affected by the singer’s health issues, with several shows in June cancelled on medical advice and another show in San Diego shelved after Stewart was diagnosed with an acute upper respiratory infection that led to laryngitis.
A complete list of the cancelled shows, which includes a six-night residency in Las Vegas, follows.
Rod Stewart: One More Time Tour (cancelled)
Aug 11: Cleveland Rocket Arena, OH Aug 14: Des Moines Iowa State Fair, IA Aug 15: Kansas City Morton Amphitheater, MO Aug 18: Las Vegas The Colosseum at Caesars Palace, NV Aug 20: Las Vegas The Colosseum at Caesars Palace, NV Aug 22: Las Vegas The Colosseum at Caesars Palace, NV Aug 25: Las Vegas The Colosseum at Caesars Palace, NV Aug 27: Las Vegas The Colosseum at Caesars Palace, NV Aug 29: Las Vegas The Colosseum at Caesars Palace, NV Sep 01: Falcon Heights Minnesota State Fair, MN Sep 03: Mount Pleasant Soaring Eagle Casino & Resort, MI Sep 05: Highland Park Ravinia Festival, IL
Sep 09: Monterrey Estadio Borregos, Mexico Sep 11: Guadalajara Coliseo GNP, Mexico Sep 13: Mexico City Palacio de Los, Mexico
As Australia’s live music industry grapples with rising costs, changing audience habits and the challenge of creating sustainable opportunities for musicians and venues alike, Berry NSW has secured NSW Government funding through Round 4 of the Uptown Grant Program to build on encouraging early results from its collaborative regional live music model. The funding will […]
