Outside the venue, a replica of the Blues Brothers car sat parked that set the authentic vibe before you even walked in. The Blues Masters walked onstage at Knuckleheads Garage in Kansas City with smiles, with front and center noticeably empty. The opening music began, and lead singer Elwood stepped out with a briefcase handcuffed to his wrist, perfectly reenacting the familiar moment from the film.
The band wailed into Blues Brothers classics before adding in some covers not in the film. “Hold On, I’m Comin’,” originally recorded by Sam & Dave, set the rhythm early and got people moving near the stage. “Mustang Sally,” made famous by Wilson Pickett, pushed the room from swaying to actual dancing. By the time they played “The Letter” by Jim Crocker, the floor had stopped functioning as a place to stand and turned into a dance space. At one point, the iconic black hats were handed to people who were already dancing, immersing the audience.
Elwood called for a dance contest and pointed directly to the twist contest scene from the movie Pulp Fiction. Couples and singles alike stepped forward and understood the assignment. At the end, they handed out shirts to the winners.
In ninety minutes, Elwood & The Blues Masters built the night around familiar songs, hilarious references, and constant interaction with the room. It was truly a barroom blues revue with the audience was completely immersed.
Reliance is definitely different from its predecessors. But Martin Lopez and Joel Ekelöf draw comparisons with Selling England By The Pound in their defence
Heavy metal doom giants Spirit Adrift have returned with a cathartic, crushing new single, “Eternal Celestial Energy,” out today via 20 Buck Spin. The long-awaited new music from revered songwriter and frontman Nate Garrett follows the band’s critically acclaimed 2023 album “Ghost at the Gallows” and arrives ahead of their March 20th appearance in San… Continue Reading →
RAINSONG’s when you were leaving drifts through a lush shoegaze haze while carrying a quietly bittersweet emotional core. Layers of shimmering guitars and soft, reverb-soaked textures create a dreamy sonic atmosphere, where melody and mood blend seamlessly. Beneath its bright, floating sound lies a reflective story about saying goodbye to someone important. The vocals sit gently within the mix, adding to the track’s immersive, almost nostalgic feeling. Balancing melancholy with a sense of warmth, when you were leaving captures that fleeting moment where memory, loss, and beauty dissolve into a shimmering wall of sound.
MacGregor Burns’ and Kosta G‘s Never Leave Me Alone unfolds as a hypnotic slow-burn that bridges vintage soul with gritty indie storytelling. Anchored by a deep, steady bassline, the track channels the warmth of early ’70s Motown and Stax grooves while carrying a raw, modern edge. Burns’ vocal delivery feels both intimate and reflective, letting the song’s emotional weight settle naturally over the stripped-back arrangement. Produced by Luke Temple, the production keeps things lean yet evocative, allowing the groove and melody to breathe. Never Leave Me Alone lingers like a rediscovered soul gem with a contemporary heart.
Today, Spanish heavy metallers Whirlwind premiere the new track “Winds of Ash and Dust” at heavily trafficked web-portal Metal.de. The track is the second to be revealed from the band’s highly anticipated second album, 1640, set for international release on April 24th via Dying Victims Productions. Hear Whirlwind‘s “Winds of Ash and Dust” in its entirety exclusively HERE. Whirlwind was originally conceived as a studio-project by Mark Wild, from Körgull The Exterminator […]
Rooted in dystopian themes and extreme, yet melodic black metal ferocity, “Seed Corrupted” introduces listeners to the opening chapter of CELESTIAL DEATH’s larger conceptual narrative that explores corruption, power, and the cyclical nature of destruction and rebirth. Musically, “Seed Corrupted” merges modern melodic black metal with dark, post-metal atmosphere. A distorted lead melody establishes a […]
Louisville thrash metal miscreants BELUSHI SPEED BALL have announced their fourth album, Toxic Waste Was Everywhere In The ’80s, arriving June 5, just in time for the band to celebrate by terrorizing audiences the following day at Milwaukee Metal Fest.
The band’s latest shameless cash grab features artwork by Andrei Bouzikov (known for his work with Municipal Waste, Toxic Holocaust, and High on Fire) and packs 12 ball-busting tracks guaranteed to leave your jaw broken while you claw your way out of the pit at some questionably ventilated basement show.
Commenting on the record, vocalist Vinny Castellano says:
“We are so excited to drop our strongest album to date! Toxic Waste Was Everywhere in the ‘80s is guaranteed to melt faces into a plutonium level pizza pit. For context: We will have to release a blank greatest hits album prior to this drop. We ain’t had a hit yet, and this entire album will be nothing but banger hits after banger hits. In addition, we are proud to announce Belushi’s newest additions: Bassist, Justin McClure and drummer, Ben Cotton (Rose Funeral, SIDS) will be joining the chaos for their recording debut. Making this LP a must have for any crossover thrash fan.”
First revealed at Lambgoat, BELUSHI SPEED BALL has also unleashed the album’s first single and video, “I Ought Not Know.” The song serves as a deeply philosophical dissertation examining one of modern music’s most pressing questions: how exactly did Dave Coulier respond to Alanis Morissette’s immortal breakup anthem “You Oughta Know”? The band may not have the answer, but they’re more than happy to thrash about it for three minutes anyway.
Castellano adds about the song:
“Allegedly, this is the song Dave Coulier would have wrote (if he liked Pizza, Thrash, and had musical talent). At least pretty sure this is the response to Alanis writing “You Oughta Know”. Which has been the highlight of Uncle Joey’s career up until this point. We also want to congratulate Dave Coulier on his recent cancer remission. Proudly, Belushi Speed Ball, presents a music video with stop motion clay chaos, thanks to artist Adam Laughlin. And before anyone asks, No AI has been used! Enjoy.”
Toxic Waste Was Everywhere In The 80’s – Track List:
01. I Ought Not Know 02. How Tough Am I? 03. That’s a Mighty Fine Wayne Gretzky 04. What’s Funnier Than 24? 05. All Pete’s Exes 06. Kellaway’s Wife 07. D.E.N.N.I.S. System 08. It’s a Green Day (You Know… Still Like Stocks) 09. Terminator Lava Factory 10. I’m Not Your Buddy, Guy 11. Belushi Speed Ball 12. Captain Planet Still Can’t Stop Us
Fans can catch Belushi Speed Ball live this spring. Tickets available HERE.
BELUSHI SPEED BALL – Tour Dates: April 17 – Dayton, OH @ Cosmo Joe’s Atomic Lounge April 18 – Atlanta, GA @ 529 June 6 – Milwaukee, WI @ Milwaukee Metal Fest
Photo Credit: Brittenay Johnson
Belushi Speed Ball Lineup:
Vinny Castellano – Vocals Brian Desper – Additional Vocals Jamison Land – Guitar Derrek Tipton – Guitar Justin McClure – Bass Ben Cotton – Drums
About BELUSHI SPEED BALL:
Belushi Speed Ball is a Kentucky-based band founded in 2013 as a studio project amongst friends with a penchant for cliché crossover thrash. Their first live performances came soon after, enthralling a rapidly growing fanbase with a uniquely interactive brand of theatrics and unorthodox approach to releases and merch.
Dubbed “one of the funniest fucking things I have heard this year” by The Needle Drop’s Anthony Fantano, Belushi Speed Ball are inspired by bands from Toxic Holocaust and Anthrax to Gwar and Municipal Waste, to whom they simultaneously play homage and satirize a mean comment from a fan in their song “Ripping off Municipal Waste”, which was voted one of Leo Magazine’s top 20 songs of 2022. With a reputation for both trashing venues and meticulously cleaning them up after each individually themed performance, Belushi Speed Ball are masters of executing the unthinkable.
From playing out of a Mad Max-esque moving van and starting Terminator-inspired 300-person Nerf gun fights to releasing entire albums in N64… or Furby… formats, nothing is sacred as they continue evolving as, in the words of Metalsucks, “a freakshow of blistering thrash dedicated to laughing its ass off at blistering thrash.”
I’m pleased to announce that the documentary “Rozz Williams: Romeo’s Distress”, dedicated to the life of Roger Alan Painter, better known as Rozz Williams, the iconic leader of the legendary gothic rock band Christian Death, will premiere Saturday, April 18, 2026 at 7:45 PM at The United Theater on Broadway in Los Angeles.
Rozz Williams: Romeo’s Distress – A Documentary on the Life of the Christian Death Leader Premieres in Los Angeles
The United Theater and Cult Epics present the event. The evening will also feature a live performance by former Christian Death members. It will be a special gathering for fans of gothic rock and underground music.
The documentary is written, produced, and directed by Nico B. It explores the life and mind of one of the most influential figures in American gothic rock.
I, Christian Mariotti, leader of Edgar Allan Poets, worked as cinematographer and witnessed the birth of the project from the very beginning. I also contributed to finalizing parts of the editing.
Nico and I traveled into the desert to visit the Painter family home. That was where the story of the film truly began. That journey introduced me to the Los Angeles music scene. It also revealed the deeper stories behind its underground artistic movement.
The documentary explores Rozz Williams’ life from his earliest years. It reveals his unconventional personality and visionary artistic spirit. The film follows his rise in the underground scene with Christian Death. The band helped define the sound and aesthetic of gothic rock.
The documentary also explores his other artistic projects. These include Shadow Project and Premature Ejaculation. These works show the experimental side of his creativity. They also reflect the unique vision he brought to his art. The film ultimately leads to the story of his tragic passing.
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Los Angeles Turned Gothic for the Romeo’s Distress Premiere
The documentary carries the same spirit that defined Rozz himself: raw, punk, introspective, and deeply artistic.
Many musicians, friends, and family members took part in the documentary, sharing personal memories and reflecting on the influence Rozz had on their lives and on the evolution of the gothic rock movement.
Among the key contributors interviewed in the film are:
Steve Darrow, Jill Emery, Victoria Grey, Paul Roessler, John Albert, Don Bolles, Rikk Agnew, Lisa Fancher, Ron Athey,Gitane Demone, Eric Westfall.
The documentary also includes contributions from members of the Painter family, offering a more intimate perspective on Rozz’s personal life.
This film is a journey into the darker side of gothic rock, following a controversial yet brilliant personality who left a profound mark on American underground music and culture.
For me personally, it was a great honor to be part of this project. As a musician myself, discovering the backstage dynamics of the Los Angeles music scene helped me understand that beyond the artistic vision there are also very human and business realities that shape the music world.
Sometimes the industry can feel like a place where everyone fights to protect their own interests. Yet stories like Rozz Williams’ remind us why music and art continue to matter.
If you are passionate about gothic rock, underground culture, and the stories behind artists who shaped entire movements, this is a documentary you should not miss.
ATAVISTIA embrace an adventurous spirit in the magical new single “Seeker of Time“. Accompanied with a lyric video this is the latest offering to land ahead of the forthcoming album Old Gods Awaken, set for release on May 15th, 2026 via Blood Blast Distribution. Leaning further into folk metal realms, ATAVISTIA‘s new compositions delve into an array of folk […]
