Category: news

Welcome to Trollywood! Norway’s undisputed masters of True Norwegian Balkan Metal, TrollfesT, are back! The band has officially announced their tenth studio album, “Trollywood”, which will be released on November 6th, 2026 via Reaper Entertainment. With Trollywood, TrollfesT invite listeners into a bizarre world where trolls chase fame, Hollywood myths crumble under satire, and the entertainment industry devours itself—all wrapped in the […]

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For the past year, RIP Magic — Marco Pini, Felix Bayley-Higgins, Beth Boswell-Knight and Pedro Takahashi — have been routinely dropping singles. It started with “Loot” and “Dox.” Since then, the London underground electronic pop wizards started to gain traction, which led to supporting major acts like Tame Impala and LCD Soundsystem. Their January single “5words” was even produced by James Murphy. They continued their stride with “Screwdark,” and return today with new single “Light Over There.”

The post RIP Magic – “Light Over There” appeared first on Stereogum.

The Nashville-based singer-songwriter Nicole Atkins has been making really good music for a long time. It’s the kind of sharp, classicist pop music that’s easy to take for granted, but you shouldn’t do that. Every time I hear a new Atkins song, I’m surprised at how good it is. At this point, I shouldn’t be surprised anymore.

The post Nicole Atkins – “Singing In The Mirror” appeared first on Stereogum.

The Finnish progressive folk/black metal band Jotungrav are set to release their debut album ‘Elegi’ on August 20th 2026 via Inverse Records. The only single ‘Återfödd‘ is unleashed today and it’s available here: https://push.fm/fl/jotungrav-aterfodd The band comments: “Återfödd” (Swedish for “reborn”) sees Jotungrav embrace its folk metal roots more than on any other song from the […]

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The official trailer for Ghost’s new concert film, 2 Big To Rig, has been released. The movie marks the band’s second project with Trafalgar Releasing and brings the final shows of the first Skeletour run to the big screen.

Shot on 16mm film during two sold-out nights at Palacio De Los Deportes in Mexico City, the feature places viewers in front of nearly 40,000 fans who witnessed the performances in September 2025.

Unlike 2024’s Rite Here Rite Now, which mixed concert footage with a narrative, 2 Big To Rig centers entirely on Ghost’s live production. The film combines behind-the-scenes footage of the crew responsible for bringing the band’s elaborate stage show to life with the only professionally filmed material from Papa V Perpetua and the Nameless Ghouls recorded during the phone-free Skeletour. The result is a complete document of one of the band’s biggest touring productions.

The title 2 Big To Rig refers to the conclusion of Skeletour, which wrapped up in February 2026 after 70 performances across North America, Europe, and Mexico. The film was created to give fans in regions the tour could not reach a chance to experience the production, while also serving those who missed the original opening night in Mexico City after the first of three scheduled concerts was canceled because of illness, leaving two performances instead.

Presented in IMAX where available, the concert film captures material spanning all six Ghost studio albums, including tracks from Skeletá alongside fan favorites “Mary On A Cross”, “Kiss The Go-Goat” and “The Future Is A Foreign Land”.

Kymberli Frueh, EVP content acquisitions and programming at Trafalgar Releasing, said: “Ghost captured the final nights of the legendary Skeletour’s first leg on 16mm film in Mexico City — creating a nostalgic experience and a fitting farewell to an era for fans. We’re proud to share it with cinema audiences worldwide before Ghost takes a well-publicized break. It’s the perfect way to close such a significant chapter in the band’s history and give fans a chance to relive this moment together.”

2 Big To Rig will arrive in cinemas and IMAX worldwide for a limited run beginning Wednesday, August 26. Tickets are already on sale.

The post GHOST Unveils Trailer For “2 Big To Rig” Concert Film, Coming To Cinemas & IMAX In August appeared first on Sonic Perspectives.

He cites classics AND modern-day epics. Continue reading…

In 2017

In his time capsule capture as the leader of Bread, David Gates is forever seen as an extremely mellow fellow, the man behind the feel-good West Coast ballads Everything I Own, If and Make It With You – gauzy, grown-up love songs full of sun-kissed confidence; just add soft-focus.

However, all is not always as it seems . There was a little grit in his softcore oyster. “People always associate me with the ballads and pretty things, but I did quite a lot of rhythm ‘n’ blues and rock stuff early in my career,” he told writer Graham Reid in 2003.

The Tulsa-born Gates had been a key session man and producer in the 60s, playing with the likes of Phil Spector and Brian Wilson. He’d forever be a footnote in rock’s underground for his production of two singles for Captain Beefheart at A&M in 1966. He wrote the A-side Moonchild for the good Captain, sweetening his sound for the label’s hierarchy. Bread would also have their heavier moments, calling the style ‘Bread Zeppelin.’

By 1973 Gates was a household name as Bread had become world superstars – but his tension with co-leader James Griffin put the band on hiatus, allowing him to release his debut solo album.

First was made, unsurprisingly, with the cream of LA session players, and showcased all his sweetness and craft. However, at the end of its first side there’s a slice of proper prog – Suite: Clouds, Rain is a rumination on life and love inspired by a plane journey home. It’s two songs joined together, with epic synths and a piano motif redolent of Jimmy Webb’s MacArthur Park.

Gates played keyboards and guitar over a rhythm section of Larry Knechtel (bass) and Russ Kunkel (drums). Sleeve essayist Alan Robinson noted: “It’s a splendidly atmospheric concoction… making for a mini-masterpiece of subtly shaded mood and tone, and the way that the sharp tang of electric guitar pierces the carefully-created atmosphere is illustrative of how many years of studio technique he could bring into play.”

Clouds, the first part of the song, ends with a portentous thunderclap. A section was taken for a single, reaching the US Top 50, and striking a chord with a lot of British fans when it was used as a closing theme for Samantha Dubois’ show on Radio Caroline.

Gates returned to Bread, and when he had later solo success with the track Goodbye Girl, he put together a compilation of his first two albums, and Suite: Clouds, Rain (re-titled the less proggy Clouds Suite) featured prominently. He was duly proud of his work.

Gates big copyrights remain staples of oldies programming; but for those who prefer something a little deeper, a visit to this quite wonderful track is thoroughly recommended.

Less than a year after delivering one of my favorite albums of 2025,¹ Sallow Moth flutters in to unload another monstrous helping of progressive death metal. Thematically, Hydrophilous Brood continues exploring the quantum entanglements of the Mossbane Lantern, a capriciously powerful artifact that can transport users across planes of existence—often with horrific consequences. I thoroughly enjoyed this backdrop on Mossbane Lantern, and learning that Sallow Moth’s new platter would once again fathom the inscrutable fickleness of the Lantern made me equal parts giddy and nervous. With expectations unfairly inflated, I slipped off my skivvies to bathe in the marvels of Hydrophilous Brood.

Compared to Mossbane Lantern, Hydrophilous Brood luxuriates in murkier, more organic tones than its predecessor. Largely, the differences between them condense into two observations. First, Garry Brents’ addition of drummer Allen Gingerich pays off big time. Second, most of the electronic embellishments heard on Mossbane Lantern have dwindled significantly, even though their spirit periodically reemerges via guitar or bass reprisals. What stands out most against Mossbane Lantern is the new LP’s commitment to more traditional instrumentation, even if the compositions themselves remain wildly unpredictable. Rather than abrupt shifts between crushing death metal, trip hop shimmers, and electronica-infused breaks, Hydrophilous Brood suggests most of these moods without pulling the rug out from listeners, and the end result impresses with more streamlined, delightfully lawless musical hooliganism.

Performance-wise, Sallow Moth doesn’t miss a beat as Brents and Gingerich glide through Hydrophilous Brood’s runtime. Most immediately, Gingerich’s drums supply an enormous boost to Sallow Moth’s compositions. The percussive elements on Mossbane Lantern never disappointed, yet Hydrophilous Brood quickly reinforces the magic that a skilled technician can add. Robotic rolls and precision snare abuse (“Driftmoth Vivisector”) may give the impression of programmed drums, but Gingerich also imparts slick sticksmanship and jazzy spasms (“Polymorphic Gnaw,” “Serene Aqueous Leech”) that leave me reeling with whiplashing wonder. In addition to the drums, Gingerich discharges a couple of guitar solos on “Arcane Benthic Umbilicus” and “Polymorphic Gnaw” that hew closer to more traditional fretwork, adding further depth to Sallow Moth’s arrangements. Brents, meanwhile, rekindles the aural anarchy from Mossbane Lantern, especially the crisply shred-infested riffing interspersed with brief passages of Cynical bass noodling and subtle synth atmospherics. Vocally, Brents strikes with a varied attack, assaulting listeners with brown-note toilet burps in line with this year’s Lureplasm (“Nebulous Appendages of Vacillant Seafoam,” “Polymorphic Gnaw”),² aggrieved caveman roars (“Arcane Benthic Umbilicus”), and several brief guest cameos, including Corey Peterson (Thætas) and Evan Sadler (Labyrinthine Heirs).

In all, Sallow Moth throws a dizzying spread of instrumentation at listeners, making Hydrophilous Brood so dense and tangled that it can be difficult to navigate at first. It’s a bit like a several-thousand-piece puzzle, where the first listen is just flipping all the pieces over the right way. With more time, though, the album takes shape and reveals the overarching vision beneath the madness. Melodic phrases regularly trade the spotlight with tumultuous chugs and squealing guitars, never allowing songs to lock in before lurching to the next. I understand how it can be jarring, but catching the quick-flitting melodies as they dance to the fore then fade into the background without dissipating altogether demands appreciation. Thematically, the whimsical nature of the Mossbane Lantern artifact persists on Hydrophilous Brood, exerting wicked fun throughout.

After delivering one of my favorite death metal slabs of 2025, Sallow Moth follows up with another gloriously depraved contender. As I reflect on the music I’ve loved over the last couple of years, I find that what appeals to me mostly falls into one of two camps: flawless executions of proven recipes and novel explorations of metal. Sallow Moth lands squarely in the latter, and though novelty for its own sake often falls flat, the stories embedded within Hydrophilous Brood amplify the music, giving form to its chaos. Sure, there are things I miss from Mossbane Lantern, particularly the electronica-infused injections, and there are things I wish had been utilized more, like Ola’s noir-coded trumpet on “Serene Aqueous Leech.” Yet in the end, my critical comments mostly boil down to what I wish they’d done more of rather than faulting what they did. It takes patience to unravel and appreciate Sallow Moth’s latest, but after marinating in its waters for spins on end, I’m unashamedly glued to the Brood.

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Rating: Great
DR: 7 | Format Reviewed: 320 kbps mp3
Label: Willowtip Records
Websites: Bandcamp | Facebook | Instagram
Releases Worldwide: July 24th, 2026

The post Sallow Moth – Hydrophilous Brood Review appeared first on Angry Metal Guy.

The Hu could have easily been a novelty. When Mongolia’s folk metal horde stormed the mainstream with 2018 single Yuve Yuve Yu, their ‘gimmick’ of playing Western rock with native instruments would have quickly got dull without the songwriting to back it up. Instead, the four-piece have refused to give in.

Hun comes four years after predecessor Rumble Of Thunder, the members’ feet having seldom touched the ground during that time as they toured with Iron Maiden, played Glastonbury festival and lent songs to a Star Wars videogame (for the second time!). In the more distant past, they’ve also collaborated with Metallica, had guest features from Jacoby Shaddix and Lzzy Hale, and received the Order Of Genghis Khan: the highest state honour in Mongolia. To question their staying power at this stage is like pooh-poohing how much money Avengers: Endgame made.

The Hu’s third album shows that they’ve taken mostly the right lessons from engaging with their hard rock heroes. The Real You gallops like The Trooper and evokes Maiden’s double-lead-guitar histrionics with its horsehead fiddle melodies. Universe is a nine-minute juggernaut, the hulking mid-section having more than a whiff of the Black Album about it.

Yet, for all the advancing chops and stylistic hat-tips, The Hu are still The Hu. Warrior Chant bellows their characteristic ‘Hu! Hu! Hu!’ cries within 30 seconds of starting, while Echoes Of My Father straddles the border between windswept folk and crowd-seizing power ballad. The only time ambition exceeds capability is during Lost Soul, as the sterilised electronics and lines from Nothing More radio-rocker Jonny Hawkins pull in two directions too many.

Hun reiterates that The Hu are a serious rock band with serious skill, worthy of all the endorsements they’ve picked up. A good gimmick opens the door but it’s good songs that push you through, and this is another enjoyable platter.

This article originally appeared in the new issue of Metal Hammer, available to order now. Hun is out via Better Noise on Friday, July 24. The Hu will tour Europe and the UK from September to November.

Doing for Cymru what Darkthrone’s A Blaze In The Northern Sky and Immortal’s Sons Of Northern Darkness once did so territorially for Norway, Ysbrydnos’s latest album, Welsh Mythical Darkness, drives another blade deep in the black metal map.

“It’s a declaration,” claims the project’s inscrutable architect, Ysbryd. “A statement that Wales and its legends are to be celebrated. For the last few years, I’ve been using Ysbrydnos as a vehicle to forge personal connections with the Welsh landscape, and this album revisits places important to me, such as Twmbarlwm in Risca and Carmarthen, tying them to fictional versions of their histories.”

Ysbryd’s treatments of his country’s past owe much to the visionary approaches of author-cum-mystics such as Alan Moore and late Welsh supernaturalist Arthur Machen.

“These guys use local legends to create their narratives,” Ysbryd explains. “I hope to remind people that magic is alive in the everyday, in nature and in the places where we live.”

Fully conscious of the problematic relationships between myth, history and nationalism, Ysbryd is quick to distance himself from “the flag-waving, beer-bellied fascists using ‘pride’ as a synonym for intolerance”.

Instead, enhanced by folkish melodies and dungeon synth atmospherics, his fantastical tales – full of wraith-inhabited castles, blood-harvesting hobgoblins and cryptids descended from Madoc, a 12th-century Welsh prince – conjure an alternative medievalism doubling as allegories in support of a marginalised people.

“Tracks such as A Fallow Harvest focus on divisions between rich and poor, exposing the myth of menial work as the peasant’s lot in life,” explains Ysbryd.

“Welsh Mythical Darkness is a rallying cry for Welsh culture – a haunted shriek boldly proclaiming that even after being invaded, our language being banned and every effort being made to remove local culture from the minds of people, we still exist, and are proud to be Welsh.”

This article was originally published in Metal Hammer issue 415, July 2026. Welsh Mythical Darkness is out now.