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The Strain is the second single from Brisbane based, trio outfit, TRACE. Having formed back in 2019, TRACE exploded onto the scene with the anthemic debut single, Burning Bridges. Matched with a strong film clip, and energetic live show, the band have worked tirelessly on their craft, gained momentum through their live shows, and audiences […]

Stevie Nicks has posted a handwritten tribute to the late Dolly Parton, and described working with the undisputed queen of country music as a “masterclass”.

Parton passed away on Tuesday, August 25, in Nashville, aged 80.

Nicks and Parton spent time together in Nashville when Parton was recording songs for her 2023 album Rockstar. The pair collaborated on a new take on What Has Rock and Roll Ever Done For You, which Nicks demoed, but never released, for her 1985 solo album Rock a Little.

In a 2023 interview with USA Today, Parton described the track as “a cute little song”, and recalled working with Nicks as “fun” when asked about the most enjoyable moments of recording the album.

In a new Instagram post, Nicks shares her own thoughts on the experience.

“I spent a week with Dolly in Nashville to record one of my songs with her for her ‘Rock Star’ album,” she writes. “Best week ever.

“A week with Dolly was like a master class for me. I tried to be a sponge ~ and learn everything I could learn from her ~ in a very few days. Learning from her was easy because she was a really good teacher. I think she saw me as a really good student; I just tried to listen.

“She said she could become a rock star ~ and I watched her do it. When I was there she was not even close to being finished gathering more rock & roll songs that she wanted to sing.”

Nicks concluded her post with a remembrance verse for Parton.

“So,
Dolly, Dolly, Dolly ~
Rock and Roll & Country ~
Carry all those songs with you ~
Right up to heaven ~
Sing your songs to all those you meet
This will be their blessing
Dolly, how we’ll miss you
There’ll never be another you ~
And I will always love you
Love Love Love,
Stevie”

A post shared by Stevie Nicks (@stevienicks)

A photo posted by

A host of other musicians, celebrities and public figures have also paid their own personal tributes to Parton.

“Her songwriting, her singing, and her philanthropy were unrivaled in the world of country music and it is hard to imagine living in a world without Dolly,” Paul McCartney posted, calling the singer “the best.”

“Shocked and devastated to hear of Dolly’s passing,” Elton John posted. “A giant of an artist – unique and irreplaceable, with the kindest heart”

“What a wonderful songwriter and singer Dolly was,” Mick Jagger posted. “She brought so many people together, we will all miss her so much.”

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Portland black metal luminaries Spirit Possession are back with their third full length album. As a huge fan of their prior works, I am extremely excited to hear this new work. Out via Profound Lore Records and Sepulchral Voice Records on the 2nd of October.

Opening with lead single and title track “Cathedral Speech” we hear the maniacal fluttering melodics and punishing drum work entwined with savage riffing and vengeful vocals that many, including myself, loved on the bands first two records. The mix is organic and sounds massive with a powerful and spacious feeling to it that conveys the utter madness of the instantly gripping album. Luminous atmospherics and barbaric grooves effortlessly come together in this display of unique, memorable and twisted black metal that is simply astounding from the very first moments. I had no doubts that this would be something special but even within the first song or two find myself awestricken by total rabid possession. Cleaner sections used sparingly add to the monolithic dimensions conjured forth by the album with its ritualistic prowess and sonic sadism always manoeuvring. S.’s wild finger-picking techniques produce some utterly wild results as always and hit the ear in such a fascinating way. Managing to balance these delicate moments with something so bestial and evil is a big part of why Spirit Possession have captivated the underground since day one and continue to master their own techniques. As expected, this record is off to a profoundly mind-blowing start.

The dynamic magnificence between the more ambient and melodic sections barrelling into total annihilation but always with a huge focus on atmosphere never ceases to impress me. A duo of people creating such spectral soundscapes while retaining the urgency and force that a metal record needs is nothing short of amazing. Swirling contortions of electrifying esoteric lunacy emanate effortlessly forth from the band. Colin Marston’s production here is phenomenal with a key focus on textures. Responsible for not only the mixing but also the mastering and even re-amping the guitars, his presence is undeniably a major factor in why this concoction of darkness is so palpably well-crafted. A.’s drumming and synth work is not to be overlooked either. Her drumming is mesmerising and utilises just as many cleverly placed dynamics and subtle details as the guitar work. The same can be said of her synthesiser use. Luciana’s artwork adds a further dimension that is inarguably stunning and more important suits the LP perfectly. There is no detail of this record that has been overlooked and clearly no corners were cut. The use of the same cover artist and producer lends to the consistency across all three releases which works superbly. Aside from them all sounding and looking great, they fit together as a whole beautifully. As we get closer to the heart of this beast, the otherworldly horror only grows more real.

I am not sure if it is intentional but this record feels as though it is in two acts. The first half contains three songs and an interlude while the second seems to form a trinity with its three songs. Whether a conceptual distinction or merely due to the physical limitations of a vinyl / tape release; this does feel pertinent and even intentional. Perhaps I am reading too much into this and it’s just the title similarities being numerical (“First”, “Second” and “Trinity” being the first word in each). Additionally the bracketed portion at the end of each seem to form a start, middle and end. Anyways, without dissecting this too much, it works really well in a triptych manner. Formed of beautiful tapestries through which only the most disturbed horror crawl, these pieces work in unison to span many universes and yet with the most sepulchral, subterranean stench clinging to them. Dancing in the twilight glow, their radiant sounds continue to charge us with menacing electrical currents and possess us with malicious forces while doing so in a way that could not be more enchanting. Taking cues not only from black metal but the greats of heavy metal as a whole and doing something so inventive with it makes for a record that sounds both timeless and never more relevant. Right until its climax you will be held captive by these pieces of music which haunt your very being.

A punishing opus of viscerally evil and yet resplendent black metal lucidity. Spirit Possession live up to the extremely high bar of their first two albums while still moving forward with new ideas, creativity and luminous songwriting. I would say all three records are of equal quality, not because they haven’t grown, but because they started out with an already perfect concept and sound. The self-titled album set the scene, “Of the Sign…” reshaped it into unimaginably brilliant new constellations and “Cathedral Speech” has once more taken us into bold new territories of maddening black metal exsanguination. Whether offering you something stunningly transcendental or outright mean, it all fits seamlessly. This is not “more of the same”, this is the third confirmation of Spirit Possession’s superiority as one of the strongest forces in music today.

On September 18, The Van Pelt will release their new album Remain Obscure on Ernest Jenning Record Co. (pre-order). Today the band is excited

Scandal Tree vocalist Huck has an unusual explanation for the inspiration behind the band’s new  single, Twenty-O-Six. He says the song began after what he describes as a semi-dream  conversation with a Detroit auto worker living in 1976.  “I think he is alive out there somewhere in time – not dead.” Huck explains, “He told […]

Enroll Crimson Glory in Vacation Bible School, and you get Sacred Warrior. Releasing a string of high-quality, God-honoring prog-power from ’88 to ’91, Sacred Warrior shredded and wailed in seriously glorious fashion on underground hits like Wicked Generation and Master’s Command¹, led by the guitar heroics of band leader Jonathan Johnson. But as dust returns to dust, the band burned out quickly, releasing one record in 2013 and, most recently, a single in 2019. However, these dry bones are back up and kicking. Sacred Warrior alumni Johnson, vocalist Erik Schilling, bassist Steve Watkins, and newcomer drummer Michael Feighan (Whitecross) have regrouped under the name Glory of Kings, brandishing their debut album Roots of the Past. Claiming to explore “history, identity, and the enduring influence of the past on the present,” can Glory of Kings reclaim the past glories of Sacred Warrior?

Roots of the Past reaches deep into classic prog metal, offering a solid grounding for Glory of Kings’ debut. Fans of the classic Sacred Warrior sound should find GoK a worthy successor, though they’ve toned down their idolatry of Crimson Glory in favor of a wider array of genre/era touchstones. Roots of the Past boasts a dramatic, yet muscle-bound approach to riffcraft akin to Savatage (“Fairy Tales”), while vocally these Kings took notes from Queensrÿche’s usual operations. It’s not hard to hear Schilling’s crooning on “Mindwar” or the title track and picture a less-washed Geoff Tate there. These Roots draw from slightly fresher influences as well. The calm plucking and grooves of “The Mystery” recalls the softer sides of Symphony X and Pain of Salvation, while the harmonic riffage and layered vocals of “See You in Paradise” evoke Brave New World-era Iron Maiden. None of this is cutting edge, but Roots of the Past shows signs of life in Glory of Kings.²

Unfortunately, Roots of the Past is often a strained and low-energy exaltation. Though Johnson’s capacity for shredding remains untouched (“The Waiting Game,” “Foreshadows”), Roots’ lethargic and muddy compositions feel mechanical, especially in the back half. Songs like “Occam’s Razor” and “The Waiting Game” lack sharp hooks or compelling progressions, made worse by sluggish tempos. Roots’ pacing is also hamstrung by Glory of Kings’ insistence on interludes, interjecting bog-standard movie trailer scores (“Gathering Storm,” “Transcendence”) and “oriental” desert music (“Foreshadows”³) before they can string a couple good songs together and build some momentum. Worst of all, Schilling sounds strained and limited as a vocalist, his voice wavering on the longer phrases (“Mindwar”) and stretched on the higher ones (“The Waiting Game”). All this contributes to a feeling that Roots of the Past isn’t as catchy or exciting as it ought to be, and that Glory of Kings isn’t as potent here as they could be.

Now, the burning question: What kind of Christian metal is this? Is Glory of Kings preachy? Yes, very. Besides the title track, Roots of the Past doesn’t really broach history as much as topical, generic Evangelical talking points. Embracing the mystery of God (“The Mystery”), the promise of Heaven (“See You in Paradise”), the need for repentance now (“The Waiting Game”); Glory of Kings ain’t hiding it under a bush here. This isn’t inherently an issue. Bands like Theocracy and Wytch Hazel have achieved widespread acclaim and connection beyond the Christian world while remaining loud and proud in their faith.⁴ Where Glory of Kings’ lyrical bent becomes a problem is where they engage in tedious Us-vs-Them dynamics. “Mindwar” and “Fairy Tales” hint at it, but “Occam’s Razor” engages in whole-hog, Facebook-rant tirades against secular science as being willfully ignorant of their One Truth.⁵ If it wasn’t clear before, it’s obvious afterwards that Roots of the Past is more concerned with proselytizing than anything authentically artistic. I doubt its potential in speaking to anyone outside GoK’s worldview.⁶

There’s lots of prog-power worse than what Glory of Kings offer on Roots of the Past, but it’s hard to get excited about it whether you buy into Christianity or not. Sacred Warrior could get self-righteous and Bible-thumping too, but their music was vital and electrifying; Roots of the Past is not. Too much of it feels paint-by-the-numbers and tired to merit the sermonizing. If you’re dying for some new prog-power or for a new Sacred Warrior record, give it a listen, for sure. Glory of Kings can spin some metal miracles on occasion, but don’t expect a life-altering transformation from Roots of the Past. Or maybe do. “Mysterious Ways” and all that.

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Rating: Mixed
DR: 7 | Format Reviewed: 256 kbps MP3
Label: Roxx Records
Websites: facebook.com/GloryOfKingsBand | gloryofkingsband.bandcamp.com
Releases Worldwide: August 14th, 2026⁷

The post Glory of Kings – Roots of the Past Review appeared first on Angry Metal Guy.

The singer kicked off a monthslong residency at the venue on Wednesday night before a giddy crowd.

New Zealand based heavy outfit Haast Hunter have just unleashed their highly anticipated debut album Plastique. The album release also features a brand new music video for their track Chrysalis, directed by Colin Jeffs of Ten of Swords. Blending visceral riffs, cinematic production, and emotionally charged storytelling, the album marks a defining moment for the ferocious quartet, with the introduction […]