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British rock band Cats In Space will release their seventh studio album, Suit Of Armour, on 6 November 2026 through Cherry Red Records’ Esoteric Antenna label. The album will be available on CD, classic black vinyl and streaming platforms. It follows Time Machine, the band’s first album for the label, and arrives after more than 18 months of recording.

“Our last album, Time Machine, was our first for the label, so we were testing the water carefully,” guitarist Greg Hart says. “This time, however, the gloves are off. We have spent more than 18 months recording what we truly believe is our finest and most grandiose record yet.

“Emotionally charged and shaped by the many facets of the human condition, we guarantee this conceptual journey will blow everyone away. The fans want epic Cats In Space? Well, hold on to your hats, because this album is full of it. Time Machine was merely the starter. Suit Of Armour is the full banquet… a medieval banquet of epic rock, if you will.”

Suit Of Armour is the first Cats In Space album to feature Chris Childs of Thunder and Tyketto on bass, and Sam Wood of Black Star Riders and Uriah Heep on lead guitar. Julie ‘The Duchess’ Maguire contributes backing vocals, with Damien Edwards on lead vocals.

The record combines harmonies, orchestration, piano and powerful drums with influences including Queen, ELO and Styx. The band also points to a stronger Thin Lizzy flavour, carried by layers of harmony guitars. Three singles and accompanying videos will precede the album. Lead track Miracle is due in September, while a UK tour will follow in March and April 2027. More information is available from catsinspace.co.uk.

Cats In Space – Suit Of Armour Track Listing

1. Miracle
2. We Breathe In Stereo
3. White Knight
4. Never Big In Japan
5. Mister Showbiz
6. Suit Of Armour
7. Analogue Kid
8. The Bloodsucker’s Waltz
9. Don’t Spare The Horses
10. Twenty-Seven

Bonus CD Tracks

1. Cathedral
2. From Time To Time

The post Cats In Space Announce Seventh Album Suit Of Armour first appeared on MetalTalk – Heavy Metal News, Reviews and Interviews.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
MATT ZANE RESPONDS TO STATIC-X LAWSUIT: “THIS WON’T STOP ME”
Filmmaker Addresses Lawsuit Seeking More Than $1 Million Over Disputed Wayne Static and Tera Wray Documentary

LOS ANGELES, CA — September 4, 2026 — Filmmaker Matt Zane is speaking out following a lawsuit filed by Static-X, bassist Tony Campos, and vocalist/manager Edsel Dope that seeks more than $1 million in damages and stems from an ongoing dispute surrounding Zane’s documentary project focusing on the lives of late Static-X frontman Wayne Static and his wife, Tera Wray.
The lawsuit, filed in California on August 20, 2026, represents the latest escalation in a dispute that has developed around Zane’s documentary project and his previous work with the Static-X camp. The lawsuit includes multiple claims, including copyright infringement, false light, breach of contract, breach of confidence, and alleged violations of California law. Those claims remain allegations and have not been adjudicated by a court.
Zane maintains that the origins of his documentary project go back years and that he had discussed the concept and received support for the project before circumstances surrounding his relationship with the Static-X camp changed.
According to Zane, the situation shifted once he was prepared to move forward with actively developing the film. He says Static-X subsequently withdrew its support, while the Wayne Static estate issued a cease-and-desist concerning the project.
Zane characterizes the lawsuit as the latest attempt to prevent the documentary from being completed and released.


“This is just another tactic to get me to stop making the documentary. It’s ridiculous. This won’t stop me,” said Zane.


Zane: “I Know What Wayne and Tera Wanted”

Zane says the documentary is intended to focus primarily on Wayne Static and Tera Wray, their relationship, and the final years of their lives, rather than functioning as another documentary about Static-X as a band.
The filmmaker has previously stated that he had discussed the concept with members of the Static-X camp and believed the projects could exist independently, with the official Evil Disco documentary focusing on Static-X while his film centers on Wayne and Tera as individuals. Zane has also publicly maintained that he had a longstanding personal and creative relationship with the couple.
Zane says he has attempted to communicate directly with members of both Wayne Static’s and Tera Wray’s families in an effort to explain what he describes as the documentary’s actual purpose and intentions.
“I believe Wayne and Tera’s family were lied to about my intentions,” said Zane. “I’ve talked to various people in both families. Tera’s family thankfully saw enough of what Static-X were trying to do and pulled permission for Tera to be used in their movie Evil Disco . Unfortunately, Wayne’s family won’t directly correspond with me anymore.”
Zane has previously described his documentary as a separate project from Evil Disco , stating that he believes both films can exist because they tell fundamentally different stories.
Documentary Project Continues Despite Litigation

The lawsuit now adds another legal chapter to a dispute that has been publicly developing for more than a year. Zane has continued to defend his decision to pursue the documentary and has repeatedly stated that he intends to finish the project.
Despite the litigation, Zane says his position has not changed.


“This won’t stop me,” Zane reiterated.


The lawsuit is ongoing, and the allegations made in the complaint remain disputed. Zane maintains that he intends to continue pursuing his documentary and telling the story he believes Wayne Static and Tera Wray wanted told.
FOLLOW MATT ZANE

For ongoing developments, updates, and statements from Matt Zane:
Instagram: @lordzanerising
Telegram: https://t.me/+CBD8iGc35NA4N2I5
Zane Discusses the Lawsuit: https://www.instagram.com/reel/Dc1e8R3P4gR/
Want to understand Zane’s relationship with Wayne Static and Tera Wray?
https://www.tiktok.com/@lordzaneproductions/video/7681485184021073165
About Matt Zane:
Matt Zane is a filmmaker, producer, musician, and longtime chronicler of the rock and metal world. His film work has included music videos, documentaries, and projects connected to some of the most recognizable names in heavy music. Zane is currently continuing work on his documentary project focusing on Wayne Static and Tera Wray.
 Photo Credit: Barry Brecheisen / WireImage via Getty Images.

Music artists have completely different lives than the rest of us mortals. They encounter outlandish situations almost every day. Among other things, metal artists have the money to try out various interesting hobbies.

Some of them fly planes, and others take care of bees and horses. So, no wonder most of us are fascinated and star-struck by these performers.  

1. James Hetfield (Beekeeper)

It’s hard to make any metal list without mentioning Metallica and its founding members. In this particular instance, we want to talk about the group’s vocal and rhythm guitarist, James Hetfield. While guesting on Joe Rogan’s podcast in 2016, he shared with the fans that he’s enamored with bees.

Hetfield has a large range in California where he keeps these adorable insects, a hobby he picked up from his father. According to him, this sometimes relaxes him and isolates him from all the outside noise. It gives him time to reflect and prepare new albums.

2. Anders Friden (DVD Collection)

Anders Friden, a long-lasting lead vocal of In Flames, is known as a major DVD collector. Having one of the biggest collections of movies and series in Sweden, he’s the guy to visit if you’re looking for new digital content. To make things even funnier, Anders said on several occasions, “The one with most DVDs when he dies is the winner.”

But Friden’s passion doesn’t stop there. Like many metalheads, he is completely crazy about alcohol and, specifically, whiskey. Although he has a massive collection of premium blands, he consumes the liquid in moderation.

3. Kerry King (Reptile Breeder)

With a bald head and braided beard, Kerry King is someone who you can’t miss in a crowd. The Slayer’s lead guitarist and songwriter is synonymous with thrash metal and everything dark and gloomy. So, it doesn’t come as a big surprise that he’s a major snake lover.

As a professional breeder, he specializes in carpet pythons. Kerry runs a herpetology nursery and reptile house called Psychotic Exotics, where you can find all sorts of frogs and snakes. So, if you’re looking for a heavy metal pet, you might as well give Mr. King a call.

4. Floor Jansen (Horse Riding)

Since she was a little girl, Floor had a major crush on horses. She was lucky enough to practice riding from early age and became quite proficient over the years. On several occasions, her uncle even promised to buy her a horse when she grows up a bit.

Unfortunately, when Jansen reached adulthood, her parents and uncle backed up on their promise. Luckily, this didn’t budge her and she would continue with lessons as if nothing has happened. When she finally had her Nightwish breakthrough, Floor had enough money to buy herself a haflinger mare.

5. Bruce Dickinson (Airplane Pilot)

Bruce Dickinson is a man of many talents. At one point, he was considered one of the best fencers in the world, winning two silver medals at World Championships in 1998 and 1999. He even had the opportunity to compete in the Olympics in Sidney (2000), finishing 5th.

However, the thing that struck us the most was the fact he is fully capable of flying big commercial airplanes. Since 1990s, Dickinson holds a commercial license and would drive around fans and band members on several occasions. Bruce usually flies Boeings 747s and 757s.

6. Steve Harris (Football)

Interestingly enough, metal wasn’t Steve Harris’ first love. Instead, he was completely captivated by football and was dreaming of playing for local West Ham United. Steve even attended tryouts for his favorite club but couldn’t make the cut. At 17 years of age, he turned to music, and the rest is history.

Nowadays, Harris still visits the pitch. He plays in a local rec league and has a lot of fun doing so. While not as accomplished an athlete as his fellow band member Bruce, he can still break ankles.

7. Henkka Seppala (Languages)

Henkka was a former bass player for Children of Bodom, now a member of Moon Shot. As a well-versed, eloquent person, he handles most of the PR activities for Moon Shot. The fact he speaks Finish, English, Swedish, Russian, French, and Spanish definitely helps with this task.

However, his interests and hobbies don’t stop there. Seppala is also into sports, being a recreational swimmer and football player. It’s also worth mentioning that he studied political sciences at Helsinki University, where he received his Master’s Degree in 2012.

8. Brann Dailor (Clown Collection)

Heavy metal teeters on the edge of morbidity. Whether we’re talking about nudity or gore, there is always something for general public to criticize. One of these themes were clowns who are often associated with horror movies.

Brann Dailor from Mastodon doesn’t have this type of issue. In fact, he embraces the clown stuff, having one of the largest collections in the US. Dailor’s entire home pays homage to these circus professionals, and, as you can presume, he also loves dressing up as a clown in his spare time.

9. Shavarsh Odadjian (Art)

Bassist for System of a Down, Shavarsh  “Shavo” Odadjian is a man who loves art, music, and acting. Besides being a part of the heavy metal group, he also DJs under stage names DJ Tactic and DJ DecompozeR. You might’ve even seen Shavo in a few movies and series, including the documentary “Screamers.”

The cool thing about this hobby is that Odadjian found a way to implement his artistic skills into System of a Down content. He’s the one creating backgrounds for concerts and videos, using abstract motifs instead of the usual violent mental imagery.

10. Dave Mustaine (Horse Breeder)

Similar to Floor Jansen, Dave Mustaine is big on horses. Not only does he ride them, he also breeds them. If you’re keeping track of his social media, you might’ve seen a few beautiful colts Mustaine grew on his ranch. In fact, Dave even rescued a few horses over the years, providing them with a safe home and excellent living conditions.

11. Kirk Hammett (Horror Memorabilia)

Metallica guitarist Kirk Hammett has always had a fascination with the darker side of pop culture, so his favorite hobby fits him almost too perfectly. Away from the stage, Hammett is an obsessive collector of classic horror and science-fiction memorabilia, particularly vintage movie posters and artwork.

This is much more than a few Frankenstein figures sitting on a shelf. Hammett’s collection became substantial enough to form the museum exhibition It’s Alive! Classic Horror and Sci-Fi Art from the Kirk Hammett Collection. He has spoken about how horror imagery influenced him both personally and creatively, making the hobby another extension of the atmosphere he brings to Metallica.

Considering how much of metal’s visual language comes from monsters, skeletons, and horror movies, Hammett basically found the perfect pastime. When he isn’t playing one of metal’s most famous guitars, there is a decent chance he’s thinking about something that would have terrified moviegoers in the 1930s.

12. Alice Cooper (Golf)

Given Alice Cooper’s stage shows, you might assume his free time involves collecting guillotines or raising boa constrictors. Instead, one of shock rock’s most theatrical performers is absolutely obsessed with golf.

Cooper became serious about the sport after getting sober in the early 1980s. He threw himself into it so completely that he says he played 36 holes a day during his year away from music and worked with two PGA professionals. By the end of that year, he had already become a nine-handicap golfer. Decades later, he has said he still plays around six times per week while touring.

The contrast is what makes the hobby so entertaining. At night, Cooper can appear onstage covered in makeup surrounded by snakes and horror props. A few hours earlier, he might have been calmly working on his short game. Apparently, even the godfather of shock rock worries about three-putting.

The post 14 Metal Artists With The Weirdest Hobbies Ever appeared first on Metal Shout.

There’s something powerful about running into a superstar at the mall. The pre-internet shopping, pre-social media, mundane phenomenon doesn’t exist anymore. But it’s surreal to think about that time, say a time before Beyoncé was Beyoncé, but a Texas teenager who encountered Tejano icon Selena at the Galleria Mall in Houston. Bey has talked about the Mexican-American singer’s influence, and that scene has been immortalized in a Netflix series. With a special extended release of 2006’s B’Day, we’re once again reminded of Selena’s impact on pop music.

The post Beyoncé Shares <em>B’Day</em> Selena Mashup Amid Escalating Dispute Between Late Singer’s Siblings appeared first on Stereogum.

As the lead guitarist of iconic rock band Queen, Brian May’s legacy speaks for itself. You’ve heard the triumphant solos in songs like “Bohemian Rhapsody,” “We Are the Champions,” and “Hammer to Fall,” and you’ve basked in the glory of classic records like Sheer Heart Attack (19740, News of the World (1977), and The Game (1980). And surely, you’ve seen all sorts of footage of May and his bandmates in Queen dominating stages worldwide. But over the years, May has also found himself in several guest spots. Collabs with Eddie Van Halen for Star Fleet in 1983 and Feedback 86

The post Brian May of Queen: The ClassicRockHistory.com Interview appeared first on ClassicRockHistory.com.

A few days ago, the great Mary J. Blige appeared in a Suno advertisement, and the internet did not react well. The ad circulated in various edited forms, each seemingly stripping away context from a video designed to look like a candid studio session, in which Blige was shown all the wild things you could do with Suno. The video’s circulation coincided with the release of Suno Studio 2.0. Now, the ad has been taken down after Suno said that Blige had never officially authorized the campaign.

The post Suno Pulls Reviled Mary J. Blige Ad, Claims They Were Misled About Her Approval appeared first on Stereogum.

Roger Waters has responded to Sharon Osbourne for the first time since their feud began thirteen months ago, and he did it in five words. Speaking exclusively to Far Out Magazine on September 3, the Pink Floyd co-founder said: “Sharon Osbourne is best ignored. R.” The response came after Osbourne left a comment on one of the outlet’s Instagram posts telling Waters to jump in the water with a brick tied around his neck. It is the first thing Waters has said about her directly in a dispute that has now produced a podcast tirade, a diss T-shirt, and a box of faeces she decided against posting.

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What happened this week

On August 31, Far Out Magazine posted on Instagram about Waters becoming an executive producer on an upcoming documentary called Freedom Theater.

Osbourne liked the post. Then she commented on it.

Her comment, per Far Out: “Jump in the water please with a brick tied around your neck.”

Far Out contacted Waters and his representatives, and on September 3 received a reply directly from the musician:

“Sharon Osbourne is best ignored. R.”

That’s the whole statement. Five words and an initial.

Both quotes are Far Out’s exclusive reporting — the comment appeared on their own post, and Waters responded to them directly. Neither has been independently corroborated at the time of writing.

Neither party has said anything further.

Why five words is the right answer

Worth pausing on, because the brevity is the point.

Waters is not a man historically known for restraint. He is one of the most argumentative figures in rock — a man who has spent five decades feuding with his own bandmates, in public, at length, in interviews that run for hours. If he wanted to escalate this, he has the appetite and the vocabulary.

He gave it five words instead.

“Best ignored” does something a longer statement couldn’t: it declines the fight while making clear he considers himself above it. Which will infuriate the other side considerably more than a paragraph would have.

And the lowercase “R” sign-off is very Roger Waters. It’s the kind of thing you write when you want the response to look like it cost you nothing.

How this started

The feud is thirteen months old and it began with Waters, not Osbourne.

August 2025. Weeks after Ozzy Osbourne’s death on July 22 at the age of 76, Waters appeared on the YouTube channel The Independent Ink. During a broader conversation about how pop-culture figures can distract from political issues, he brought Ozzy up unprompted.

He said Ozzy had been all over television for hundreds of years with his idiocy and nonsense. He said he had no idea about the music and couldn’t give a damn. He said he didn’t care about Black Sabbath, never did, and had no interest in biting the heads off chickens or whatever they do.

For context: Ozzy had died three weeks earlier, after a farewell show in Birmingham that reunited the original Black Sabbath lineup in front of a global audience.

The response was immediate. Jack Osbourne posted publicly, telling Waters exactly where to go and adding that his father had always thought Waters was a certain word — thanks for proving him right.

On The Osbournes podcast, Sharon called Waters a sad, irrelevant, old, miserable, ugly human being. In a separate episode she said he has no charisma, looks like Frankenstein, is sick in the head, isn’t relevant, is boring, has no stage presence, is envious, and is just a bad seed.

December 2025. Ozzy’s official merch store released a limited-edition T-shirt, available for 48 hours at $41. The front read “OZZY RULES” spray-painted over Waters’ name. The back showed Ozzy urinating on the artwork from Waters’ The Wall: Live In Berlin, with the words “Another Prick in the Wall.”

Also December 2025. On Piers Morgan Uncensored, Sharon revealed she had seriously considered mailing Waters a box of her own faeces. She decided against it — her reasoning being that it would be a waste, because he’s insignificant.

January 2026. Waters was asked about the whole thing and said he had no regrets about any of it.

August 31, 2026. The Instagram comment.

September 3, 2026. Five words.

We Also Recommend – Zakk Wylde’s Ozzy Albums, Ranked

The part that explains everything

There’s a detail that makes this less of a celebrity spat than it looks, and it’s the thing worth holding onto.

Sharon Osbourne was married to Ozzy for over four decades and managed his career for most of them. He died in July 2025. Three weeks later, a man who had never worked with him, never toured with him and by his own admission never listened to his music went on a podcast and called his life’s work idiocy and nonsense.

Everything since — the podcast, the T-shirt, the box she didn’t send, the comment on Instagram — comes from that.

None of which makes the comment defensible. Telling someone to drown themselves is not a thing you can file under grief, and Waters is under no obligation to absorb it.

But it does explain why a woman who has spent fifty years in the music industry, and who is not remotely a stranger to saying exactly what she thinks, has spent thirteen months unable to let this one go.

She was also publicly defending Marilyn Manson earlier this week, which suggests the current mode is broadly unfiltered.

Check Out – Ranking the 13 Ozzy Osbourne Solo Songs That Built a Heavy Metal Throne

Two men who never had anything to do with each other

The strangest thing about this feud is that there was never any overlap to fall out over.

Waters and Ozzy occupied opposite ends of British rock. Pink Floyd built cerebral, politically conscious concept albums for people who read the sleeve notes. Black Sabbath invented heavy metal in a Birmingham factory town and built a career on volume, riffs and theatre.

They never toured together. They never collaborated. They barely shared an audience.

Ozzy went on to a solo career that ran nearly five decades, outlasting every guitarist who passed through it and turning him into one of the most recognisable figures the genre ever produced. Waters built The Wall and has spent the years since on political activism and increasingly acrimonious relations with his former bandmates.

Two enormous careers, no intersection — until one man decided to say something about the other, three weeks after he died.

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A post shared by Far Out Magazine (@faroutmagazine)

TL;DR

• What’s new: Roger Waters responded to Sharon Osbourne for the first time, telling Far Out Magazine on September 3: “Sharon Osbourne is best ignored. R.”
• What prompted it: Osbourne commented on a Far Out Instagram post about Waters producing a documentary, telling him to jump in the water with a brick tied around his neck.
• How it started: in August 2025, weeks after Ozzy’s death, Waters said on The Independent Ink that Ozzy was “all over the TV for hundreds of years with his idiocy and nonsense” and that he never cared about Black Sabbath.
• What followed: Jack Osbourne posted publicly against Waters, Sharon called him “sad, irrelevant, old, miserable” on The Osbournes podcast, and Ozzy’s estate released an “Another Prick in the Wall” T-shirt in December 2025.
• The escalation: Sharon told Piers Morgan she had considered mailing Waters a box of her own faeces, deciding against it because he’s “insignificant.”
• Waters’ position: he said in January 2026 that he has no regrets about the original comments.
• Both new quotes are Far Out exclusives, not yet independently corroborated. Neither party has commented further.

FAQ

Thirteen months, a diss shirt, a box of faeces that never got posted, and a five-word reply. Keep it locked on the Loaded Radio stream — follow Loaded Radio for daily rock and metal news.

The post Roger Waters Breaks His Silence On Sharon Osbourne With Five Words appeared first on Loaded Radio.

The post <em>Yellow House</em> Turns 20 appeared first on Stereogum.

We’re back with a brand new Tracks Of The Week! This week we’ve got another seven new and diverse slices of progressively inclined music for you to enjoy.

A big well done to Dikajee, who won a very tight race in last week’s Tracks Of The Week with Home Of The Wind, and with both Chimpan A and Kalandra tying on equal votes in second place. A first for Tracks Of The Week, if we’re not mistaken!

The premise is simple – we’ve listened to a batch of new releases by bands falling under the progressive umbrella, and collated them together in one post for you – it makes it so much easier than having to dip in and out of various individual posts, doesn’t it?

The idea is to watch the videos (or listen if it’s a stream), enjoy (or not) and also to vote for your favourite in the voting form at the bottom of this post. Couldn’t be easier, could it? We’ll be bringing you Tracks Of The Week, as the title implies, each week. Next week, we’ll update you with this week’s winner and present a host of new prog music for you to enjoy.

If you’re a band and you want to be featured in Prog‘s Tracks Of The Week, send your video (as a YouTube link) or track embed, band photo (please, don’t forget the photo!) and biog with quotes to us here.

NORTH SEA ECHOES – GOOD ENOUGH

If, for some reason, you’ve not checked out North Sea Echoes, then surely the poignant ballad, Good Enough, is the track to make you investigate further! Fates Warning duo Jim Matheos and Ray Alder walk a different musical path to Fates Warning’s intricate prog metal, but it’s no less rewarding. Good Enough comes from the pair’s secind album as North Sea Echoes, How To Cast A Shadow, out now on Metal Blade Records. It’s got ‘crossover hit’ written all over it!

“Good Enough was one of the first songs written for How To Cast A Shadow,” singer Alder says. It‘s a simple yet beautiful song, and it quickly became one of my favourite songs that Jim and I had written together. While we never intended for it to be released as a single or video, we decided that while we were together for a photo shoot, we would also shoot a video for this. I think that we both agreed that this song was just too nice not to be shared with others.”

BOSS KELOID – LANDSLIDE

Wigan’s prog rockers Boss Keloid will release their sixth studio album, Float & Aperture, through Church Road Records on October 23. The sprawling nine-minute Lanslide is the first music they’ve shared from the upcoming album, an intricate workout full of knotty rhythms and challenging and twisting time signatures, which bodes well for the new album.

“This song has many meanings throughout its lyrical content. The main story is about learning to accept that we are all our own worst enemy, and that when you realise this, life does get easier,” the band say of the tracj=k, before adding that the album is all, about “embracing life, rolling with the punches and the waves of beauty, and not being afraid to channel and express those experiences through art, music, love, anger and wisdom. Experience tells a story if you don’t mind sharing it.”

DOWNES BRAIDE ASSOCIATION – HELLO HELLO

There’s no doubting the songwriting ability of Geoff Downes and his DBA partner, Chris Braide, whose honeyed tones bring Hello Hello, the band’s latest single, to life in blissfully melodic fashion. The pair release their latest album, Truama, through Cherry Red Records on September 25. Given Downes has a new Asia album landing in November, it’s a wonder where he finds the time. He also celebrated his birthday last week – happy birthday Geoff!

“Hello Hello is a deceptively upbeat song about how our own psychology can sometimes work against us,” Chris Braide explains. “We can retreat into ourselves, build walls and become isolated, and that isolation can have a devastating effect. At its heart, the song is about having the self- awareness and courage to reach out and say, ‘I’m scared, I need help, is there anyone there?’ When we say ‘love can open doors’, that begins with learning to love and accept yourself. Sometimes opening that first door is what allows the rest of the world back in.”

CLIVE NOLAN – FROST UPON THE LONGSHIPS

Sounds like Clive Nolan’s been listening to Wardruna, Heilung, and their ilk, if new single, Frost Upon The Longships, is anything to go by. It heralds the arrival of Nolan’s new solo album, Song Of The Winter Throne – The Saga Of Håkon Håkonsson, due for release on October 2 via WLR (We Låve Rock) and Oskar Records, and which tells the story of one of medieval Norway’s most remarkable kings!

“Having immersed myself in the world of Beowulf, I found that the pull of the North had not loosened its grip on me,” Noilan explains. “The sagas, the stark beauty of Norway, the rhythm of old stories carried across crackling fires and ocean spray… all of it continued to echo in my imagination long after the final notes of ‘Wildlands’ had faded. There were more stories to tell… and perhaps, this time, something based in history, rather than myth. The more I explored Haakon’s world, the more I realised that this was not simply the story of a king’s reign. It was a story of survival. This was the perfect story for me to set as an album!”

GODSTICKS – HOLD BACK

Welsh proggers Godsticks released their seventh album, VOiD, earlier this year, and now present a guitar and bass playthrough of the track Hold Back for your enjoyment. Featuring guitarists Darran Charles and Gavin Bushell and bassist Francis George. The hard-working bunch are out on the road again at the moment, later in November and also have dates lined up in February and April next year too!

“Hold Back is a particularly tense song for us, both lyrically and musically,” they say. “It’s about those who provide an emotional crutch for a friend who constantly demands being the centre of attention, and isn’t afraid of manufacturing dramatic scenarios to ensure the focus on them never wavers. We’ve all had experience of these characters and it’s draining. The quick pace and precision of the riffs is something we really had to work on to nail in the studio. We of course rarely give any consideration to any potential difficulty performing songs live when writing, preferring instead to kick that proverbial can as far as we can down the road (that’s a problem for future Godsticks and we don’t care much for them!), and indeed this song is one that required a disproportionate amount of rehearsal. That hard work certainly paid off when we first began playing the new songs live, and the joy of the band locking in for this track is almost indescribable.”

THE OCEAN – ULTIMA ESPERANZA

German prog collective The Ocean flex their ‘epic’ muscles to dramatic effect on the 11-minute Ultima Esperanza (Spanish for “last hope”), which itself is part of a 20-minute title track and closing piece, Solaris, from their upcoming album, which they release through Pelagic Records on September 25. The track takes its name from the southernmost province on the South American continent, named after the inlet known as Última Esperanza Sound. The inlet was given its name by Spanish navigator Juan Ladrillero in 1557, who hoped it would offer a passage to the Strait of Magellan. Instead, it leads to a glacier – and ultimately, a dead end.

“Ultima Esperanza explores the intrinsically human notion of hope as the driving force behind all explorative endeavours, and loss thereof,” the band state. “It is a reflection on mental resilience, tracing the different stages of losing hope and the mind’s remarkable tendency to keep projecting it even onto the most dire realities, as an instinctive means of survival.”

RAPHAEL WEINROTH-BROWNE – DISSOLUTION

Canadian cellist Raphael Weinroth-Browne gets introspective on the delightfully moody Dissolution, with its dramatic black-and-white video, shot in Cornwall! It’s a piece originally composed for a contemporary dance company’s production BACH Reimagined, itself reimagining Sarabande from Bach’s Sixth Cello Suite, and which now forms part of Weinroth-Browne’s third solo album Empyrean, which is out on September 11. You can catch him supporting Einar Solberg on the latter’s upcoming solo tour.

“Dissolution was originally composed for the contemporary dance production BACH Reimagined with UK-based company James Wilton Dance,” Weinroth-Browne explains. “It is the centrepiece of the Empyrean album, and is most certainly its emotional apex. Of everything I have released as a solo artist, this is at once my most classical and experimental work to date.”

Recorded overnight at EMI, this track was their ode to "Long Tall Sally." Continue reading…