Brian Derscha’s “Conundrum” delivers a compelling blend of pop rock energy and thoughtful songwriting, pairing driving instrumentation with an emotionally charged performance. Crisp guitar work lays the foundation, while steady percussion and melodic basslines create a vibrant rhythm that keeps the track moving with confidence. The arrangement strikes an effective balance between polished production and organic musicianship, allowing each instrument to contribute without overshadowing the song’s core message.
Derscha’s songwriting stands out through relatable substance and memorable melodies, giving the chorus a natural lift that keeps you invested. Dynamic shifts between the verses and hook create momentum, adds excitement while maintaining a cohesive flow from start to finish.
The track captures the spirit of modern pop rock by blending infectious melodies with expressive instrumentation and heartfelt emotion. “Conundrum” showcases Brian Derscha’s ability to craft music that feels both accessible and genuine, resulting in a polished release that resonates through its authenticity, strong composition, and engaging musical performance.
Check out Brian Derscha “Cunundrum” below. Stay Global my Friends!
Inside, the four-piece talk all about their brand-new album A Stranger To You: their first studio release in more than five years. They also open up about their story so far, from the British underground to the forefront of modern metal, touring with Korn, Gojira and plenty of other big names.
“When I was younger, I felt very angry at the world,” guitarist/vocalist Erik Bickerstaffe admits. “I had a ‘fuck everyone’ attitude, and a lot of music would be me putting all this resentment out there. I’ve definitely been more self-centred in the past. I was a bit selfish. As I’m getting older, I’m becoming more of a human in the world.”
The issue also features a huge review of A Stranger To You. “Throughout A Stranger To You, Loathe seem hellbent on wildly changing dynamics with daring regularity, such as when the quiet, industrialised, gothic soundscape of (Athena) leads immediately into the mathy rage of Revenant and the sun-kissed dream pop of the funky The Way It Breaks,” writes journalist Stephen Hill.
“It’s to their credit that these sharp left turns feel coherent and consistent with Loathe’s overall vision as a band.”
Elsewhere, we talk with German electro-metal unit Electric Callboy about their new album Tanzneid and how they built their reputation as one of metal’s greatest party-starters.
“At its peak, we had 80 people in this tiny flat. People that we didn’t know were ringing the doorbell,” co-singer Nico Sallach tells us. “They treated our flat like shit. I wanted to go to bed, and there were drinks and liquids that I couldn’t identify all over my bed! Very good memories, even if it doesn’t sound like it.”
We also talk to veteran Slipknot producer Ross Robinson about the 25th anniversary of the nine-piece’s landmark second album, Iowa. “We were looking to help Norway burn some more churches,” he says. “We wanted to join that extreme metal club!”
All that, plus we send a writer into an escape room with zombie-metal sensations Dominum, give I Prevail singer Eric Vanlerberghe your burning questions, discover Judas Priest guitarist Richie Faulkner’s personal playlist, talk to Sharon Osbourne about her efforts to preserve Ozzy’s legacy, and much, much more.
Universal Studios is opening two Ozzy Osbourne haunted houses. Ozzy Osbourne: Prince Of Darkness arrives at Universal Orlando Resort on August 28 and Universal Studios Hollywood on September 3 as part of Halloween Horror Nights, running through November 1 at both parks, with the whole thing built around all 13 of his solo albums. Sharon and Jack Osbourne have given it their blessing. But there’s one detail in the announcement video that fans haven’t stopped asking about — and nobody has answered it yet.
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Scott Penfold breaks down the Ozzy haunted house announcement on today’s Metal Breakdown Daily — the dates, the family’s blessing, and the question hanging over that voice. Download the free Loaded Radio App on Apple iOS and Google Play and take the show with you.
What They’re Actually Building
Two houses. One on each coast. Same concept.
Universal’s press material promises a walk through iconic moments spanning more than four decades of music, imagery and storytelling — which is corporate for “we’re going to build the inside of Ozzy’s head and let you walk around in it.”
John Murdy, who runs Halloween Horror Nights at Universal Studios Hollywood, laid out the concept: the house draws from all 13 of Ozzy’s solo albums, sending guests through the dark, surreal worlds behind the music. Murdy also mentioned that Universal had previously worked with Ozzy directly, which matters — this isn’t a company that bought a name off a shelf. There’s a relationship there.
And honestly? If you were designing a theme park attraction from Ozzy’s solo catalogue, you’d barely have to invent anything. Blizzard of Ozz. Diary of a Madman. Bark at the Moon. The man spent five decades building gothic horror imagery on album covers and stages. The source material is already a haunted house. Somebody just had to put walls around it.
Dates again, because people will ask: Orlando opens August 28. Hollywood opens September 3. Both run through November 1.
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Now, About That Voice
Here’s the thing everyone’s actually talking about.
The promo video features a gothic test-your-strength machine with an enormous bat perched on top, and Ozzy’s voice booming out “Let the madness begin!”
It’s a great line. It’s unmistakably him. And that’s exactly the problem — because nobody will confirm whether it’s archival audio or the AI Ozzy voice that Jack and Sharon caught significant heat over earlier this year.
To be clear about where this stands: it has not been confirmed either way. Universal hasn’t said. The Osbourne camp hasn’t said. We’re not going to tell you it’s AI, because we don’t know, and neither does anybody else running this story today.
But the fact that we can’t tell is the whole conversation, isn’t it? A year ago that question wouldn’t have occurred to anyone. Now it’s the first thing metal fans think when they hear his voice on something new. That’s the world we’re in, and it’s going to keep coming up every single time the Osbourne estate puts out something with Ozzy’s voice attached to it.
If Universal or the family clarifies, we’ll update this piece.
The family statement is warm and, frankly, hard to argue with.
Sharon and Jack said Ozzy never stopped pushing boundaries and loved anything that gave fans a new way to experience his music and the worlds he created. They praised Halloween Horror Nights for capturing that spirit, said fans walking through will recognise moments pulled directly from his music and imagination, and called it a wonderful tribute they hope people enjoy as much as he would have.
Take that at face value, because it rings true. This is a guy who bit the head off a bat, wore eyeliner into his seventies, and built an entire persona out of theatrical darkness. A haunted house is not a betrayal of Ozzy Osbourne. A haunted house is arguably the single most on-brand thing that could possibly happen to him.
There is one line in the announcement that reads a little colder. Barry Drinkwater of Global Merchandising Services, who worked with Ozzy for over a decade, described the partnership as another exciting step in growing Ozzy’s licensing program around the world.
Which is true. It’s just a phrase that hits differently a year on. But it’s also the reality of how any legacy this size gets managed, and Drinkwater’s broader point — that Ozzy’s connection with his fans was the thing that never changed — is genuinely the right instinct.
Twelve months later, his old bandmate has a solo album coming, the Sabbath catalogue is being rediscovered by a whole new generation, and there are going to be teenagers screaming their way through a fake mansion in Orlando this autumn because of songs recorded before their parents were born.
He was 76 when he died, weeks after getting on a stage in his hometown one final time. If you’d told him his afterlife would involve two haunted houses and an army of screaming kids, he’d have laughed for about ten minutes and then asked for the merchandising split.
Universal Studios is opening two haunted houses titled Ozzy Osbourne: Prince Of Darkness as part of Halloween Horror Nights.
Universal Orlando Resort opens August 28. Universal Studios Hollywood opens September 3. Both run through November 1.
The attraction is inspired by all 13 of Ozzy’s solo albums, and Universal says it previously collaborated with Ozzy directly.
Sharon and Jack Osbourne issued a supportive statement calling it a wonderful tribute.
The announcement video features Ozzy’s voice, but it has not been confirmed whether that is archival audio or the AI recreation the family discussed earlier this year.
The announcement comes roughly a year after Ozzy’s death in July 2025.
FAQ
When do the Ozzy Osbourne haunted houses open?
Ozzy Osbourne: Prince Of Darkness opens August 28, 2026 at Universal Orlando Resort and September 3, 2026 at Universal Studios Hollywood. Both attractions run through November 1, 2026.
Where are the Ozzy Osbourne haunted houses located?
There are two, one at Universal Orlando Resort in Florida and one at Universal Studios Hollywood in California. Both are part of Universal’s Halloween Horror Nights event.
What is the Ozzy Osbourne haunted house based on?
According to Universal, the attraction is inspired by all 13 of Ozzy Osbourne’s solo albums, taking guests through the surreal worlds behind his music across more than four decades of his career.
Is the voice in the Ozzy Osbourne haunted house trailer real or AI?
It has not been confirmed. The promotional video features Ozzy’s voice saying “Let the madness begin!”, but neither Universal nor the Osbourne family has clarified whether it is archival audio or the AI recreation of his voice that Jack and Sharon Osbourne discussed earlier this year.
Did the Osbourne family approve the haunted houses?
Yes. Sharon and Jack Osbourne released a statement supporting the attractions, saying Ozzy loved anything that gave fans a new way to experience his music, and describing the houses as a wonderful tribute.
Ozzy faithful — is a Halloween Horror Nights haunted house the perfect tribute to the Prince of Darkness, or does something about it not sit right with you? Let us hear it in the comments, and follow Loaded Radio for daily rock and metal news.
Norwegian prog metal crew TEMIC have revealed details and first single in what will be their sophomore record. Entitled Ceiba, it arrives October 2nd, 2026 via Season Of Mist. Mixed by Chris Edrich and mastered by Pierrick Noël at Atelier Mastering. In support of the release, the four-piece will embark on a short touring run in Europe. Read more…
Post Malone is the latest musical artist to visit Sesame Street. The rapper-turnt-country singer and comedian Michelle Buteau will appear in Storm On Sesame Street, a new special premiering this Monday, Aug. 3 on Netflix and PBS Kids, Billboard reports. The special reportedly follows Elmo, Abby Cadabby, and their neighbors as they prepare for a major storm and clean up in its aftermath.
“They Have Names,” the new song from the Washington, DC hardcore/screamo band NØ MAN, is extremely heavy in all sorts of way. The heaviest part of the song, spiritually if not musically, is the end. The song itself is a fast, furious rager that bandleader Maha Shami, the daughter of Palestinian refugees, delivers with overwhelming passion and conviction: “Deny our death! Doubt our count! Three hundred thirty-five bullets, six bodies found!” As the song winds down from its thunderous conclusion, we hear recordings of loved ones saying the names of people who were murdered in Israel’s ongoing campaign of genocide. I get so sad and so angry when I hear it.
Shores Of Null are presenting a lyric video for “Son Of The Tide”, the latest new preview tune from their upcoming fifth album Homesick, due out on October 16th, 2026 via Dusktone. Read more…
Los Angeles Satanic doo-wop’ duo Twin Temple made their US late night TV debut on The Daily Show last night (July 29) and called for “a little more Satanic Panic” in the modern world.
The husband-and-wife duo, Zachary and Alexandra James, were booked on the show to perform Haunt Me from their forthcoming third album, Doomed Lovers, and to talk about their controversial removal, earlier this month, from two shows with country musician Charley Crockett, who objected to their Satanic presentation.
“We were pretty shocked,” Zachary James admits to host Jordan Klepper.
“I feel like it’s time for maybe a little more Satanic Panic,” adds Alexandra James. “Like, let’s get it going again.”
When Klepper asks the duo what it means to be Satanists in the modern world, Alexandra James replies, “I think a lot of people think that Satanism is going to orgies and you’re nude under the full moon, drinking chalices of blood and hanging out with goats. And, I mean, we’re here to say that’s absolutely true. That’s what Satanism is.”
“I think, on the daily, it’s like living wilfully,” adds Zachary James. “Every day is the day we wake up and we get to live our true will. We get to make art. We get to do what we love. So to us, that is Satanism, being the individuals we are, like, know thyself, and being able to carry that out every day.”
Twin Temple will release Doomed Lovers, produced by Shooter Jennings at LA’s legendary Sunset Sound studio, on October 9 on their own label, Pentagrammaton Records.
“We poured everything into this new record,” the duo said in a press statement when announcing the record. “We wanted to push ourselves creatively and expand the production further than we have before, drawing inspiration from the lush orchestral productions of Roy Orbison, The Ronettes and The Shangri-Las and added in some Countrypolitan flair. We brought in some incredible musicians like Matt Chamberlain and Jay Bellerose and a 37-piece orchestra. We wanted to make something as beautiful as we possibly could – of course with our dark spin on things.
“The truth is, this album was made during one of the darkest periods of our lives,” the pair added. “We had been struggling with grief, health issues, addiction, and depression. But day by day, going into Sunset Sound, making music with incredible people who believed in us, and being surrounded by that creativity slowly brought us back to life.”\
Watch their performance of Haunt Me below.
And watch their interview with Jordan Klepper below.
Rigor Sardonicous is a two-man funeral doom project from my neck of the woods of Long Island, New York, featuring members of Teloch Vovin and Abhorrence. Despite their lurking in the scene since 1999, I didn’t hear of them until Thus Spoke reviewed their seventh album, 2023s Praeparet Bellum. How could a band like this exist right under my nose for so long without me catching a whiff? Well, as Thus summed up in her review, they aren’t exactly tearing a hole in the metalverse with their lo-fi, quasi-industrial style of funerary music. The material on Praeparet Bellum was one-dimensional, plodding, and devoid of the necessary tricks and treats to keep such slogging doom interesting and, well, listenable. I hoped Diatriba Deorum would see the duo elevate their game, and in some ways, I suppose they have. But will it be enough to take them from deep, dark obscurity into the sunlight?
In a word, no. While Diatriba Deorum is a step up from last time and shows some improvement in pacing, atmosphere, and overall execution, this is still an inky grey slab of slow-motion doom without much in the way of engagement. Things do open quite strongly on “With God’s Love,” which is a slightly more aggressive creature for Rigor, rocking a pseudo-industrial, lo-fi hum that feels ominous and eerie. Subteranean vocals belch and burp over simple, plodding riffs and a programmed drum clicks and thumps in the background (I’ll refer to the drummer as “Clanger” henceforth). What helps is that the song is only 2 minutes, and if it was pushed much past that, things would go off the rails. “Death Cult” is a classic funeral-death-doom track with an unmistakably Sabbathian lead riff winding endlessly through a colorless glade of dead spruce as Clanger thumbs along lifelessly and Joseph J. Fogarazzo roars quietly in the mulch of the lo-fi mix. It’s got a certain dark, hypnotic mood that works well enough to let the 6-plus minutes slip by without testing your resolve too aggressively.
There are more tracks here, however, that are all too happy to test your resolve and attention. “I Am” is 8-plus minutes of ugly plodery with very little in the way of change-ups or tempo shifts. It’s an aural experience akin to being slowly chased down a long yellow corridor by Pirate Clark from Backrooms. It starts to feel overlong before the halfway point, and that’s a problem. By the end, even Clanger sounds tired and uninterested. “Commandment” is the album’s bright spot, with riffs evoking a strong Warning flavor as things stagger and shamble around the corpse yard unhurried. Closer “Actus Tragicus” also manages to rise slightly above the standard drudgery heard across Diatriba Deorum, offering enough melody to keep things mildly interesting over 9-plus minutes. The weird thing with Rigor’s music is that any song taken in isolation works as a standard funeral doom piece. It’s when the whole album bum-rushes you that you realize how one-note and monotonous their style and approach can be. At 44:36, Diatriba Deorum feels about a week longer, and it’s nearly impossible to focus intently throughout. That said, I’ve had it on in the background as I worked, and it was almost meditative and somewhat soothing. Go figure. The production is super raw, unprofessional, and soupy, but it does help convey a cold, soullessly industrialized aura. The guitars lack enough raw force to deliver meaningful impact, and the vocals feel like they were recorded under several layers of wet concrete. Other than that, good job!
Joseph J. Fogarazzo handles vocals and guitar. His death groans and grunts are appropriately wet, sticky, and hideous, booming away in the hidden caverns below like some eldritch abomination. His guitar work can best be described as minimalist and simplistic. He’s definitely an adherent to the less is MOAR school, offering rudimentary leads that barely change or morph over long run times. If he offered more (or some) decorative, forlorn harmonies over the leads, we would be getting somewhere, but he’s largely content to slowly riff away as time crawls and fingernails grow. Glenn Hampton’s bass work is there but does nothing to stand out. It’s like he doesn’t want to draw attention away from the threadbare riffs or inelegant drumbeats. Basically, there’s not a lot going on here, even for just two people and a machine.
Though better than Praeparet Bellum, Diatriba Deorum plays out like one long repetitive death march into nothingness. Aside from a few vague bright spots, this is a never-ending morass of bargain-basement funeral doom. I want to love it, but it refused to let me. Instead, I’ll use it as a relaxation tool when the need arises. Rigor Sardonicous are obscure as fook even in their own neighborhood, and now I know why.
While not nearly as progressive and experimental as the 70s Yes albums, the 4 albums that Trevor Rabin was part of, 90125, Big Generator, Union, and Talk, brought a much needed rock edge to the group and produced their biggest hit ever with “Owner of Lonely Heart.” There are some amazing songs in the collection outside of their mega-hit and we decided to look at those here.
10. I Am Waiting (From Talk) – An underrated track from the greatly undervalued Talk album. The album was not promoted enough when it came out due to the label going bankrupt, but it remains one a fan favorite. This track features some outstanding guitar work from Trevor, epic singing from Jon, and somehow sounds better today then when it first came out.
9. Rhythm of Love (From Big Generator) – The second single from Big Generator is a solid rock track that was one of the few from the modern Yes era that was always performed live, even after Rabin had left the band.
8. The Calling (From Talk) – The opening track from Talk is a monster, a powerful track that encompasses everything about that era of Yes: big drums, loud guitars, abundant harmonies and a few twists and turns musically.
7. Cinema/Leave It (From 90125) – “Leave It” sounded like nothing else when it came out and really broke Yes out of being just a Prog group. The harmonies were prototypical Yes but the music behind it really took the song in an unexpected direction. The video helped push the song as well. We also wanted to give a nod to “Cinema”, since it is a great instrumental number (and this line-up’s first band name), even though it is more of an intro to “Leave It” on the album.
6. Shoot High Aim Low (From Big Generator) – This was the standout track from the commercially disappointing Big Generator which was unfairly panned at the time it came out. The back and forth vocals from Trevor and Jon was a great touch here and the explosive chorus really gives this song a cinematic quality. There was early hope ARW would be playing it on their tour but it apparently got cut from the set.
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Rigor Sardonicous is a two-man funeral doom project from my neck of the woods of Long Island, New York, featuring members of Teloch Vovin and Abhorrence. Despite their lurking in the scene since 1999, I didn’t hear of them until 