Two Shell use AI. They admitted it. For a while, there have been rumors about the pranksterish London dance duo and their reliance on generative AI to make so much music, and they confirmed it earlier this summer. In a Resident Advisor interview, one of the duo’s two masked, anonymous members said that they’ve used AI “for a couple of years now” and that they consider it to be “just another instrument, really.”
The post Two Shell – “Closer To The Sound” appeared first on Stereogum.
– August 6th, 2026 –
‘Perdition’s Crossing’ feat. Dave Eugene Edwards available on limited 12″ vinyl – LISTEN HERE
New Album Riders of the Setting Sun planned for autumn 2026 release
Colorado’s Wayfarer are back. “Perdition’s Crossing“, the band’s first new music since their widely acclaimed 2023 album American Gothic, is out NOW – and it signals a bold new chapter. Featuring the singular voice of David Eugene Edwards (16 Horsepower, Wovenhand), the track marks the beginning of a journey into territory the band hasn’t explored before: dark, cinematic Americana, more desolate than anything in their catalog, but no less haunting for it.
The track was recorded in Colorado, and was produced by Ben Chisholm (Chelsea Wolfe), engineered by James Barone (Beach House), mixed by Iver Sandoy (Enslaved) and mastered by Alan Douches (Converge etc).
Accompanying the single is a music video directed by Brendan McGowan, known for his visually striking work with Tribulation, Imperial Triumphant, and many others.
Watch it HERE
“Perdition’s Crossing” is a track from Wayfarer‘s forthcoming studio album Riders of the Setting Sun, an eight-track record due for release in late 2026 that sees the band push further into new sonic and emotional terrain. More details to follow.
To mark the occasion, Vesperian is releasing a strictly limited 12″ maxi-single of “Perdition’s Crossing” – 300 copies worldwide, pressed on black vinyl with a foldout sleeve featuring lyrics, band comments, and notes on each track. Artwork by graphic novelist Julian Brier. Side A carries the title track; Side B features two exclusives: a remix by Ben Chisholm of Chelsea Wolfe (who also produced the forthcoming album) and a field recording. 200 copies are available in the US, with 100 reserved for Europe exclusively through the Vesperian webstore, up for pre-order on July 23 and to be released in mid-August.
Wayfarer will perform at Fire in the Mountains this year, where the 12″ maxi-single – along with other Vesperian releases – will be available at the label’s festival stand. For all further details on availability at the festival and beyond, follow Vesperian on Instagram.
The band comments:
“We have long walked a path that was very much informed by Denver Sound legends like 16 Horsepower, and Wovenhand, among many others. To work alongside someone like David Eugene Edwards is not only a bit of a dream come true for us, but also a perfect way for us to start down new roads of the Wayfarer sound that are being fleshed out. We are excited for this collaboration to finally see the light of day.”
Discography:
Children Of The Iron Age (2014)
Old Souls (2016)
World’s Blood (2018)
A Romance With Violence (2020)
American Gothic (2023)
Perdition’s Crossing (2026)
Line-Up (left to right):
Joe Strong-Truscelli: Guitars
James Hansen: Bass
Shane McCarthy: Vocals, guitars
Isaac Faulk: Drums
Links:
https://www.instagram.com/wayfarercolorado
https://www.facebook.com/wayfarercolorado
https://wayfarercolorado.bandcamp.com
Kissin’ .
The post Kissin’ Dynamite share new single “I’ll Be” first appeared on Sleaze Roxx.
(Andy Synn offers up three bite-sized bursts of brutal flavour for you to sink your teeth into) No matter how big of a music lover you are there are always going to be times when you’re just “not feeling it”. Case in point, I’ve been circling the idea of doing another edition of the “Best […]
The post SHORT BUT SWEET: DESPERATE CRY / PRIVATE PRISONS / SILURIAN appeared first on NO CLEAN SINGING.
Steve Earle and Los Lobos are both roots-music institutions who have been leaving their respective marks on the world since at least the ’80s, and they’ve got a lot of shared history. Over the years, Earle and Los Lobos have toured together, and they’ve shared god knows how many stages, but they’ve never collaborated until now.
The post Steve Earle & Los Lobos – “Volver A Celaya” appeared first on Stereogum.
Nikki Sixx has addressed Mötley Crüe’s use of backing tracks during a fan question-and-answer session on X. The bassist confirmed the band does use tracks, explaining that they took the idea from Queen’s use of tape during “Bohemian Rhapsody” and use them to add elements they cannot reproduce onstage, such as orchestras and saxophones. Sixx maintained that the band performs 100% live and that the tracks are synced to what the musicians are playing.
Asked by another fan why the band doesn’t play entirely live, Sixx replied that they do, and that anyone who told them otherwise lied to them. The comments follow years of accusations, circulating fan footage, and a 2023 lawsuit by founding guitarist Mick Mars alleging Sixx played no live bass on the 2022 stadium tour — a claim an arbitrator rejected in full in January 2026.
STREAM THE METAL BREAKDOWN DAILY NOW:On today’s Metal Breakdown Daily, Scott Penfold breaks down the backing track argument properly — the distinction everybody shouts past, the fifty-year-old precedent Sixx is leaning on, and the one small piece of evidence that does more work than any denial. Download the free Loaded Radio App on Apple iOS and Google Play and take the show with you.
Let’s do this one properly, because it’s been argued badly for about four years.
First, the thing most coverage today will get wrong.
Nikki Sixx did not deny using backing tracks. He confirmed it, in detail, unprompted.
Asked by a fan on X why the band uses them, he explained that the idea came from watching Queen use tape during “Bohemian Rhapsody.” That showed them they could bring in elements they physically cannot perform live — orchestras, saxophones and the like — and sync those to what the band is actually playing. His position is that the band plays 100% live, that this lets them deliver onstage what they made in the studio, and that it’s better for fans.
Then a second fan pushed harder, asking why the Crüe don’t play entirely live.
Sixx’s answer was four words. They do. You were lied to.
So there are two separate claims here, and if you don’t split them the argument goes nowhere:
LIVE & LOUD: Stream the World’s Hardest Radio Station 24/7Here’s the thing that turns this from a shouting match into an actual question.
There is a real difference between augmentation and replacement.
Augmentation is a 53-piece orchestra you cannot put on a tour bus. It’s gang vocals recorded by twenty people in a studio. It’s a siren, an intro sting, a keyboard pad. Every arena act on earth does some version of this, and has for half a century.
Replacement is different. Replacement is a musician standing onstage while a recording of that same musician plays underneath them, doing the work.
Sixx and John 5 are both claiming augmentation. Mars alleged replacement. Those are not the same accusation and they don’t have the same answer — which is why online arguments about it never resolve. Two people shouting past each other about different things.
Worth confirming, because Sixx’s reference isn’t a dodge.
Queen have used tape for the operatic section of “Bohemian Rhapsody” since 1975. It isn’t a shortcut and it isn’t a scandal — that passage has something like 180 overdubbed vocal tracks on it. Four people cannot sing it. The band’s solution live was to leave the stage, let the tape run, and come back for the heavy section.
Nobody has ever accused Queen of faking a concert over it.
So the precedent Sixx is invoking is genuine, it’s fifty years old, and it’s about as respectable an origin story as exists in live rock.
Whether Mötley Crüe have stayed on the augmentation side of that line is the part nobody outside the band can verify from a phone video.
Because this is the evidence most people are actually reacting to.
Footage circulates regularly showing Sixx onstage with his hands apparently off the bass while the bassline continues. For a lot of viewers, that settles it.
John 5 addressed exactly those clips on the Thinking About Guitar podcast in May, and he was direct about it. His explanation: Sixx is often fretting a note with one hand while the other arm is in the air, or picking with one hand while gesturing with the other — and people watching a short clip don’t read that correctly.
He went further, saying every note is played by the band. Nikki plays every note. Tommy plays everything. He plays everything. Vince sings. And he conceded the rest openly: backing vocals on track, sirens pumped in, intros pumped in — but the music performed by the musicians.
You can take that or leave it. But it’s a direct response to the specific thing people point at, and it’s on the record.
And then John 5 said the smallest, best thing in the whole debate.
Nikki messes up. You can hear the mistakes.
That’s the argument. Not the denials, not the Queen comparison, not the manager statements. A tape doesn’t make mistakes. If a bassline is running from a hard drive, it runs clean every night, in every city, forever. Audible errors are the one thing a backing track structurally cannot produce.
It isn’t proof. Somebody determined to disbelieve will say the mistakes are in the parts that aren’t tracked. But of everything anybody in that camp has offered across four years of this, it’s the only argument that engages with how the technology actually works.
None of this is new, and it hasn’t been quiet.
Mars announced his retirement from touring in October 2022 due to ankylosing spondylitis, with John 5 stepping in — a hire Sixx has since spoken candidly about, including admitting he still feels bad about how it went down with Rob Zombie.
In April 2023, Mars sued in Los Angeles County Superior Court, and his attorneys alleged he was the only member playing 100% live on the 2022 stadium tour, claiming Sixx did not play a single live bass note. The band and manager Allen Kovac rejected that. Sixx called it one of the silliest things he’d ever read, and made the obvious point — if he isn’t playing the bass, who is?
In January 2026, an arbitrator ruled comprehensively for Mötley Crüe, rejecting every argument Mars’s team presented.
And this is now a recurring fight for Sixx. Just six weeks ago we covered him going after Godsmack over the same subject, after backing track accusations reignited a tour feud going back to 2009.
He clearly regards this as an attack on the band rather than a technical question. Given it’s been aimed at him personally for four years, that’s not hard to understand.
The band’s position is now fully on the record and internally consistent: tracks are used for what can’t be played, the musicians play everything else, and the mistakes are audible because humans are making them.
The counter-position rests on fan footage and a legal claim that was rejected.
Nobody reading this is going to settle it from home. But you’ll be able to check for yourself soon enough — the Carnival Of Sins tour is out on the road right now, marking the band’s 45th anniversary with Tesla and Extreme.
Go and watch his hands.
Yes, and Nikki Sixx has confirmed it. He says they’re used for elements the band cannot perform live — orchestras, saxophones and similar — and are synced to the band’s playing. John 5 has also confirmed backing vocals, sirens and intros run on track.
He says he does, and John 5 has backed that up, stating that every instrumental note is played by the band and that Sixx makes audible mistakes onstage. Mick Mars alleged the opposite in a 2023 lawsuit, but an arbitrator rejected his claims in full in January 2026.
He explained that the band took the idea from Queen’s use of tape during “Bohemian Rhapsody,” said the tracks let them recreate studio elements live, and maintained the band plays 100% live. Asked directly why they don’t play entirely live, he said they do and that fans had been lied to.
John 5 addressed this in May 2026, saying the clips are misread — Sixx is frequently fretting a note with one hand while his other arm is raised, or picking with one hand while gesturing with the other.
Yes. In January 2026 an arbitrator ruled for the band, rejecting every argument presented by Mars’s legal team, including the allegation about live playing.
Four years of accusations, one lawsuit, and a fifty-year-old Queen precedent. Have you seen the Crüe live recently — and what did you actually see? Let us know in the comments.
Follow Loaded Radio for daily rock and metal news.
The post Nikki Sixx Confirms Mötley Crüe Use Backing Tracks But Insists The Band Plays Every Note Live appeared first on Loaded Radio.
It’s been years since I first encountered the music of South London-born artist JGrrey. Her 2019 EP Ugh was a delightful mix of trip-hop, effortless satiny vocals, and stinging lyricism. JGrrey has continued steadily releasing singles and put out a project titled If Not Now? in 2023. But there hadn’t been any word of the London musician’s debut album until today.
The post JGrrey Announces Debut Album <em>you, me and jen</em>: Hear “bedbug” (Feat. Erick The Architect) appeared first on Stereogum.
– August 6th, 2026 –
US + EU/UK Tour Dates Announced
Photo by Eddy Vazquez
Blacklight Media/Metal Blade Records are pleased to announce the signing of heavy rock power trio HIPPIE DEATH CULT.
The band comments, “We are beyond excited to announce our signing with Blacklight Media and Metal Blade Records, a label that has been a pillar of the metal community for decades and has always championed artistic integrity over trend-chasing, which is something we resonate with deeply. We are honored to be part of their esteemed lineage.
“Our journey has always been fueled by passion, creativity, and authenticity and we feel right at home working with a team who understands and shares these values. We can’t wait to unleash some of our most visceral music to date via one of the most respected labels in heavy metal history. Fires are burning and wheels are turning.”
HIPPIE DEATH CULT has steadily become one of the most exciting bands in the modern heavy music scene, pairing massive riffs, deep grooves, psychedelic textures, thoughtful lyricism, and hypnotizing melodies into a sound that feels both classic and contemporary. Formed in Portland, Oregon, the trio – guitarist Eddie Brnabic, vocalist/bassist Laura Phillips, and drummer Harry Silvers – has earned a reputation for delivering dynamic, emotionally charged songs and electrifying live performances that showcase their distinctive sound, transcending traditional genres and captivating fans worldwide.
Since their early releases with Cursed Tongue Records and Heavy Psych Sounds Records, the band has built significant momentum. Their 2019 debut album, 111, and its 2021 follow-up, Circle Of Days, received strong praise from critics and listeners alike, with both records topping the Doom Charts and numerous “Best Of” lists, solidifying HIPPIE DEATH CULT as a standout name in the underground scene.
Following these releases, the band’s evolution into a power trio marked a turning point, with Laura Phillips stepping into lead vocal duties and infusing even more identity and force into the group’s sound and chemistry. This progression came fully into focus on Helichrysum, the band’s first full-length studio album featuring Phillips on lead vocals. Released in 2023, the album was widely praised for its stronger songwriting, greater dynamic range, and the chemistry of the new lineup, becoming their most successful release to date in terms of streams and sales.
The band supported Helichrysum with over 250 shows across North America and Europe, including performances on major festival stages and headlining spots, further showcasing the raw power and intensity that have made their live shows a must-see.
Now signed to Blacklight Media and Metal Blade Records, HIPPIE DEATH CULT is entering a new phase with the most reach and momentum of their career. With a growing international fanbase, an increasingly refined sound, and a new release on the horizon, the band is poised to take the next leap forward. Stay tuned for a new full-length in 2027.
The band will be roadbound for the remaining weeks of Summer and much of the Fall beginning with a US tour that runs from August 14th through September 12th. HIPPIE DEATH CULT will head to Europe and the United Kingdom on September 30th for another stretch of live dates through November 1st.
“After months of dedicated work behind the scenes, transforming our garage into a creative sanctuary and crafting a new album, we’re pumped to finally hit the road again this Summer and Fall,” the band notes. “This tour is all about reconnecting with our incredible fans across the States and Europe, welcoming new recruits, jamming on some classics, and giving everyone in attendance a chance to be among the first to experience some new material before it hits the streets. We can’t wait to share these transcendent moments with you all!“
See all confirmed dates below.
HIPPIE DEATH CULT Live:
8/14/2026 Mississippi Studios – Portland, OR w/ Abronia **
8/20/2026 Sunset Tavern – Seattle, WA w/ Earth Tongue **
8/21/2026 Silver Moon Brewing – Bend, OR w/ Earth Tongue **
8/22/2026 The Dip – Redding, CA w/ Earth Tongue **
8/23/2026 Rickshaw Stop – San Francisco, CA w/ Earth Tongue **
8/24/2026 Zebulon – Los Angeles, CA w/ Earth Tongue **
8/25/2026 Hotel Congress – Tucson, AZ w/ Earth Tongue **
8/26/2026 Whiskey Creek Zocalo – Arenas Valley, NM **
8/27/2026 Copeka Coffee – Grand Junction, CO **
8/28/2026 Green Mountain Ranch – Pine, CO **
8/29/2026 What’s Left Records – Colorado Springs, CO **
8/31/2026 The Sinkhole – St. Louis, MO **
9/01/2026 Raccoon Motel – Davenport, IA **
9/02/2026 X-Ray Arcade – Cudahy, WI **
9/03/2026 Black Circle Brewing Co. – Indianapolis, IN w/ The Well
9/04/2026 Frankie’s – Toledo, OH w/ The Obsessed
9/05/2026 Reggie’s Music Joint – Chicago, IL w/ The Obsessed
9/06/2026 James Ballentine Uptown VFW Post 246 – Minneapolis, MN w/ The Obsessed
9/08/2026 Reverb – Omaha, NE w/ The Obsessed
9/09/2026 Hi-Dive – Denver, CO w/ The Obsessed
9/10/2026 The DLC – Salt Lake City, UT w/ The Obsessed
9/11/2026 The Shredder – Boise, ID w/ The Obsessed
9/12/2026 The Chainsaw Cat – Yakima, WA **
** HIPPIE DEATH CULT headlining date
EU/UK Tour Dates:
9/30/2026 Scumm – Pescara, IT
10/01/2026 Freakout – Bologna, IT
10/02/2026 MKNŽ – Ilirska Bistrica, SI
10/03/2026 Kino – Ebensee, AT
10/04/2026 Up In Smoke – Pratteln, CH
10/05/2026 Brin De Zinc – Chambery, FR
10/06/2026 Le Molotov – Marseille, FR
10/07/2026 Trinità Live Club – Genova, IT
10/08/2026 Hostaria – Castel D’Ario, IT
10/09/2026 Berchtesgaden – Kuckucksnest, DE
10/10/2026 Kulturfabrik – Kufstein, AT
10/11/2026 Camäleon – Vaduz, LI
10/13/2026 Conne Island – Leipzig, DE
10/14/2026 Sunny Red – Munich, DE
10/16/2026 HPS Fest – Berlin, DE
10/17/2026 HPS Fest – Dresden, DE
10/18/2026 Desertfest – Liege, BE
10/19/2026 1001 Bières – Reims, FR
10/21/2026 TBC – Copenhagen, DK
10/22/2026 Geronimo’s – Stockholm, SE
10/23/2026 Høstsabbat Fest – Oslo, NO
10/24/2026 Kulturscenen – Esbjerg, DK
10/27/2026 Mist Rolling Inn – Nottingham, UK
10/28/2026 Parish – Huddersfield, UK
10/29/2026 Voodoo Daddy’s Showroom – Norwich, UK
10/30/2026 Blondies – London, UK
10/31/2026 Moor Beer – Bristol, UK
11/01/2026 Saturnalia Records – Faversham, UK
https://www.hippiedeathcultband.com
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