It’s a crime that 93-year-old American hero Willie Nelson should even have to consider what the term “data center” means. But Austin, the city that Nelson has called home since 1972, is now a hub of tech-mogul idiocy. Someone is also apparently planning to build a data center near Abbott, the tiny Texas town where Nelson grew up. So now, Nelson has joined the growing choir of voices who take exception to these monstrosities that, in Nelson’s own words, “only destroy the environment around them.”
Motionless In White have taken over Billboard’s Hot Hard Rock Songs Chart following the release of their new album ‘Decades’. Like seriously taken over.
Three of those songs have already had their moment at the top of the chart as singles released in the lead-up to the record’s release. They are ‘Playing God’, ‘Afraid Of The Dark’ and ‘R.I.P.’.
They are now joined by a new Number One, ‘Fight Like Hell’. A song that serves as a tribute to WWE’s own Rhea Ripley, it’s the first non-single to hit those heady heights. The only other song in the top five is Nickelback’s latest single ‘Rattle The Cage’.
But that’s not all, because when you look at the top 20, the band inhabit 12 of those spots.
In terms of the rest of the Top Ten, No.08 is occiupied by ‘Decades’, No.09 by ‘Sunglasses At Night’ and No.10 by ‘log_in//crash_out.
Then ‘Blood Rave’ is at No.11, ‘All That We’ve Known’ at No.13, ‘Love At First Bite’ at No.15, ‘Count Back From Zero’ at No.16 and, finally, ‘Blood Pact’ at No.19.
Quite an incredible achievement, don’t you think?
Waking up today to find out that four songs from Decades have now reached #1 on the @billboard Hot Hard Rock chart was certainly a wild way to start the day! Four songs in the top 5, and twelve songs in the top 20! Never enough thank you’s for everything you keep making happen! pic.twitter.com/vyQTHrV3uD
Motionless In White are on the cover of the latest issue of Rock Sound, chatting all about the creation of ‘Decades’ and what it represents for them as a band.
Preparing to launch a brutal assault for the senses, NYC’s hardcore pioneers AGNOSTIC FRONT will set stages ablaze alongside fierce punk act BÉTON ARMÉ and rising hardcore punk collective RESTRAINING ORDER. This run of show dates across North America kicks off in Pittsburgh, PA, on October 10, 2026.
Vocalist Roger Miret shares:“We are excited to do this quick short run with Baton Armé and Restraining Order to wrap up this years busy World Wide Tour in support of our new record Echoes In Eternity”
BÉTON ARME
Having obliterated stages and festivals around Europe over the summer months, AGNOSTIC FRONT are back on home soil for a short and intense run this fall. The dates see AGNOSTIC FRONT‘s unmissable authentic raw aggression unleashed alongside a line up that showcases a hard-hitting sonic display of hardcore punk from around the US.
RESTRAINING ORDER
AGNOSTIC FRONT October Tour Dates With BÉTON ARMÉ And RESTRAINING ORDER:
Sat. Oct. 10 – Pittsburgh, PA – The Crafthouse Sun. Oct. 11 – Huntington, WV – West Edge Factory Mon. Oct. 12 – Columbus, OH – Ace of Cups Tue. Oct. 13 – Lakewood, OH – Mahall’s Wed. Oct. 14 – Buffalo, NY – Rec Room Thu. Oct. 15 – Syracuse, NY – The Song & Dance Fri. Oct. 16 – Cheshire, CT – Counterweight Brewing
About AGNOSTIC FRONT: Founded in 1982, AGNOSTIC FRONT stand among the most esteemed pioneers of the hardcore genre. No band comes close in sonic and socio authenticity and sincerity, where the struggles of survival on the streets have quite literally given life to a sound that remains as impactful today as it was over four decades ago.
AGNOSTIC FRONT‘s battering, socially critical sounds serve as the foundation of true New York hardcore and helped initiate the emergence of crossover thrash. Following a slew of pummeling offerings, the band, led by the inimitable roar of Roger Miret and Vinnie Stigma‘s legendary charismatic guitar playing, continue to showcase unapologetically honest lyrics and signature aggression in Echoes in Eternity.
Children Of Bodom has quietly begun rolling out festival dates for 2027, bringing back a lineup that honors the band’s storied history while remembering late […]
WHEN
YOU’RE making an album that offers a 21-gun salute to hard rock’s proud
past, its history and its heart,
it makes perfect sense to align with writers and producers who have
played a key role in championing the music worldwide, and who continue
to do so.
Highly fitting, therefore, that Airbourne’s latest single, ‘Here She Comes’, out July 29th,
should and was co-written with Bryan Adams & Mutt Lange –
names responsible for hundreds of millions of sales and for creating
some of rock’s most revered and timeless releases, the likes of
‘Reckless’ and ‘Waking Up The Neighbours’ (global chart-toppers
for Adams, the latter No. 1 in 11 different countries), and ‘Back In Black’ and ‘Hysteria’ (seminal albums produced by Lange for AC/DC and Def Leppard respectively, game-changers for the genre as a whole).
Add in the talents of producer Brian Howes (who helmed 2013’s ‘Black Dog Barking’ for Airbourne),
engineer Mike Fraser (who worked on 2010’s ‘No Guts. No Glory’ & 2016’s ‘Breakin’ Outta Hell’), mixing engineer Zakk Cervini (BMTH, Architects, Evanescence)
and mastering legend Ted Jensen, and you have a track – Single 5 from the forthcoming self-titled studio album, out September4th via Spinefarm –that
manages to both box and charm the ears at one and the same time…
First there was do-or-die anthem ‘Gutsy’, then ‘Christmas Bonus’ (“Ho-ho-ho – let’s go!”),
then ‘Alive After Death (Last Plane Out)’, officially No. 1 at German Rock Radio, and most recently ‘Kid In A Candy Store’, a rite-of-passage rocker in the spirit of AC/DC’s ‘Whole Lotta Rosie’; and now, blowing in hard on a festival-ready chorus
and enough full-blooded ‘woahs’ to lift an arena roof or part the lower clouds, there’s ‘Here She Comes’, complete withguitar solo cranked high in the mix for maximum shoulder-straddling impact.
Lyrics like, ‘Here she comes, raising a hurricane, there she goes blowing my mind’ might sound like they’re
about one of vocalist / guitarist Joel O’Keeffe’s favourite subjects,
women – which, to be fair, they are – but they also nod to the tropical
storm that bore down on Music Farm Studio in Byron
Bay, south-eastern Australia, as Airbourne were recording,
adding to a list of tribulations topped up by dangerous, potentially lethal wild-life and uncooperative vintage gear…
“It was like a hurricane came through,” recalls drummer Ryan O’Keeffe. “I
remember screaming,
‘Get away from the windows!’ Streetie [bassist Justin Street] was
sleeping in an old bus outside the studio, and a tree fell right next to
it and almost crushed him!”
Adds brother Joel: “That’s how the song came about. It’s just out of this storm that blew in. Everyone
was sitting there going, ‘Here she comes!’ Then we flipped it and it became a bit of a double entendre. It’s so much fun.”
WHEN AIRBOURNE – Joel and Ryan O’Keeffe, Justin Street and guitarist Brett Tyrrell –
entered Music Farm Studio to track their new album, they effectively
drew a line in the white Byron Bay sand. This was the moment, the time
was now: to create not just the greatest body of work in the Airbourne canon, the “oracle” to
use
their own words, but to raise the bar as high as possible in the name
of the hard rock community; to seek out new turf, to protect the ground
hard won by heroes past, some sadly fallen, and to both strengthen and
celebrate the special, sacred bond with rock
fans everywhere.
In short, go forth and GET GUTSY!
Ryan: “This record distils everything we stand for into one place. Everything we love. It’s the best
album we could possibly have made.”
“Everything we are as a band, our heart and soul, is in this record,” confirms Joel.
‘Airbourne’ is The Album, the statement recording, that only one band could have created; for proud sons
of Warrnambool, Joel and Ryan, it was all about stepping
up to the mighty task, staunchly protecting their beliefs and keeping
the vision alive – no compromise, no corners cut, still no ballads (or
bullshit); and if that meant staring down deadly
snakes and even deadlier super-sized spiders, then so be it. Bring it on, Big Boy!
‘Airbourne’. Made with passion. Made in Australia. The Great Barrier Riff.
The Beatles have been broken up for well over half a century, and there have been roughly one million vault-raiding reissues since then. It’s crazy to think that there could still be any unreleased Beatles recordings out there, but apparently there are. Some of them will finally see the light of day on an upcoming super deluxe edition of the band’s 1965 masterpiece Rubber Soul.
LA’s visceral dance-punk trio PUREST FORM sign to Dais Records for their next EP RESISTANCE, coming September 4. Vocalist Story Beeson, guitarist / programmer
The final day of Steelhouse Festival 2026 has arrived already, and it is back to it for those who want to soak up all the music. For those who do not, bacon sandwiches and the best view in the world await.
Steelhouse Festival 2026 – Sunday
Hafod-Y-Dafel Farm, Aberbeeg, Wales – 24-26 July 2025
Responsibility for starting the final day sits with Blue Nation.
Blue Nation
Blue Nation are a three-piece from Birmingham whose name has been popping up with regularity in recent times. Their sound is ideal for a Sunday lunchtime.
Blue Nation – Steelhouse Festival 2026. Photo: Paul Hutchings/MetalTalk
Lightweight melodic rock with heart and feel providing those with hangovers the chance to nurse that hair of the dog. It is easy to see why this lot fit in.
They are not going to steal the day, but Neil Murdoch, Luke Weston and Nick Sharman do their best to fill a big stage.
LN
Many folks told me to catch the Pagan Metal of LN. So, I did. They certainly put everything into their set, and in firebrand singer Hirst, they had probably the gutsiest vocalist of the weekend.
LN – Steelhouse Festival 2026. Photo: Paul Hutchings/MetalTalk
Her intensity made up for the limitations in quality, and it was good to hear some proper heavyweight riffs for virtually the first time since King Kraken opened the festival nearly 48 hours earlier.
Shield Wall may not have the bombast of Swedes Amon Amarth, but the turbo driven sound was certainly a welcome addition to a weekend, with a slightly limp circle pit kicking up dust at Hirst’s agitated command.
LN – Steelhouse Festival 2026. Photo: Paul Hutchings/MetalTalk
It has all been done before, see Moonsorrow, Finntroll, Enisferum, Arkona, Draconian etc. But on a day when rock beats Metal, something with this much fire is welcome.
Phil Campbell Tribute
Advertised as a secret set, word has spread around the site over the weekend, and it is the biggest crowd of the entire festival that gathers at 2.15 pm. Mikey Evans and Max Rhead, the two guys behind this brilliant festival, take to the stage, something they rarely do, to introduce a brief tribute to Phil Campbell.
It is an emotional video of the late Motörhead legend playing the Welsh National anthem. A few tears are shed.
Florence Black – Steelhouse Festival 2026. Photo: Paul Hutchings/MetalTalk
Florence Black
It is followed by uncontained joy as Merthyr’s Florence Black roar onto the stage to an enormous welcome. A raw Ace Of Spades is the nod to the Welsh Prince before Tristan, Fozzy and Perry own the afternoon with a set not dissimilar to that seen at Cardiff Castle at Blackbird Festival a month ago.
Florence Black – Steelhouse Festival 2026. Photo: Paul Hutchings/MetalTalk
Breadfan is a no-brainer, igniting the meatier lads in the crowd to pit, before Sun & Moon closes out an epic 40-minute set.
Darren Wharton’s Renegade
It may be a glorious tribute band in many aspects, but having Darren Wharton’s Renegade in the mid-afternoon slot was a stroke of genius.
Renegade – Steelhouse Festival 2026. Photo: Paul Hutchings/MetalTalk
A set of classic Thin Lizzy songs delivered by one of the final members of the legendary band is going to grab the attention, and even though it turned into the Sunday afternoon singalong section, who was going to complain about another listen to Angel Of Death, Chinatown and, of course, The Boys Are Back in Town.
Inspired booking and smiles once again beam around the field.
Tyketto
Another band returning after a long absence, Tyketto are always a touch of class. In as good form as they have ever been, this was the ideal follow-up to Renegade.
Tyketto – Steelhouse Festival 2026. Photo: Paul Hutchings/MetalTalk
Danny Vaughn remains the supreme frontman, both vocally and interactively. The band are no slouches. Guitarist Harry Scott Elliot, keyboardist Ged Rylands, drummer Johnny Lee and bassist Chris Childs have been around a bit, and together they deliver a smooth as silk set.
New songs from this year’s Closer To The Sun sound great, and when the entire arena joins in on Forever Young, Sunday’s line-up is suddenly taking the lead.
Tyketto – Steelhouse Festival 2026. Photo: Paul Hutchings/MetalTalk
Vaughn and co also pull in a fair crowd for the final acoustic set of the day later.
Ugly Kid Joe
We have had a few bands known for one or two songs, and Ugly Kid Joe are forever going to be associated with Cats In The Cradle and Everything About You.
Ugly Kid Joe – Steelhouse Festival 2026. Photo: Paul Hutchings/MetalTalk
There is so much more about the Americans, and in Whitfield Crane they possess one of rock’s most engaging frontmen. Their set flies by and the diehards are word perfect, whilst the casual fan can groove to the likes of Neighbour and Milkman’s Son.
A band I would never play at home, they always hit the spot in the live setting. Tonight they do not let me down again.
Ugly Kid Joe – Steelhouse Festival 2026. Photo: Paul Hutchings/MetalTalk
Alien Ant Farm
Six studio albums, over five million records sold, Alien Ant Farm are heavyweight special guests. Another band known purely for a cover, the band are now into year 30.
Alien Ant Farm – Steelhouse Festival 2026. Photo: Paul Hutchings/MetalTalk
They bring a set that is unfamiliar to many, but a surprising number are fully immersed. Tracks that you may not recognise as AAF fly out of the stage, and then they hit the winner.
Watch a field full of mainly over 40s dancing to Smooth Criminal like it is going out of fashion, and you realise that you do not need much more. In a set that opened a few eyes, it is still the classics that hit the spot best.
Alien Ant Farm – Steelhouse Festival 2026. Photo: Paul Hutchings/MetalTalk
Unfortunately, personal circumstances forced me to leave the festival before Steel Panther. By all accounts, they went down well.
So, another year up the mountain done. We had the wind, a little rain, but mainly sunshine to support a fantastic weekend. Well done to all involved. It was a blast.
2027 tickets are already on sale. Visit steelhousefestival.com for more details. See you next year.
Steelhouse Festival 2026. Photo: Paul Hutchings/MetalTalk
Steelhouse Festival 2026
MetalTalk’s Paul Hutchings is at Steelhouse Festival 2026. You can read all of this year’s coverage at MetalTalk.net/steelhouse.
For the Steelhouse Festival 2023 edition, click here.
Alien Ant Farm – Steelhouse Festival 2026. Photo: Paul Hutchings/MetalTalkFlorence Black – Steelhouse Festival 2026. Photo: Paul Hutchings/MetalTalkRenegade – Steelhouse Festival 2026. Photo: Paul Hutchings/MetalTalkTyketto – Steelhouse Festival 2026. Photo: Paul Hutchings/MetalTalkUgly Kid Joe – Steelhouse Festival 2026. Photo: Paul Hutchings/MetalTalkTyketto – Steelhouse Festival 2026. Photo: Paul Hutchings/MetalTalkSteelhouse Festival 2026. Photo: Paul Hutchings/MetalTalkThe post Steelhouse Festival 2026 Sunday – Another Epic Weekend Comes To A Close first appeared on MetalTalk – Heavy Metal News, Reviews and Interviews.
