NOAHFINNCE is back and kicking off a new era in fitting style with a insanely catchy and wonderfully thoughtful new song.
Titled ‘MR OVERWHELM’, and centres in on the feeling of thinking you’re on the right track in this wild life, but then having the rug pulled again and again. Realising that everything isn’t as it seems and escaping into the realms of makebelieve as a way of coping, it not only pushes on the emotional resonance of Noah’s music but also the sound. Taking steps into heavier pastures, with guitars that rip and tear over manic bleeps and whizzes, it’s a new style and a new outlook on things.
The start of something very big indeed.
Noah had this to say about the track and where its roots lie:
“Mr Overwhelm as a character is the manifestation of the anxiety, fear and hopelessness that comes with experiencing the world in its current dystopic state. The song explores both the realisation that the world full of promise and justice that you’re sold as a kid doesn’t exist, and the natural desire to retreat into fantasy as a result of that. It delves into anemoia – a deep nostalgia or a yearning for a time or place that never existed.”
The track is the first new music from Noah since the release of the deluxe version of their 2024 full-length album ‘GROWING UP ON THE INTERNET’. Here is ‘PET WITH THE TISM’ from that very release:
NOAHFINNCE is set to support Twenty One Pilots at their special All Points East all-dayer later this Summer. He will be joined by Honey Revenge, Royal & The Serpent, Mouth Culture, Half Alive, Red Leather, Teen Jesus And The Jean Teasers, Artio, Emi Grace, Reece Young, Gang of Youths, Jessie Murph, Wunderhorse, REN, BBNO$, PVRIS, Nova Twins, Dead Pony, Kid Kapachi, and LEAP.
The event will be taking place on August 30 at London’s Victoria Park. Tickets are available right now from www.allpointseastfestival.com
Nothing holds Download back. Not the mud that covers our boots long before the arena opens, not the 100-metre-long queue for the merch superstore, and definitely not our heavy heads the morning after 5ive’s completely unironic cameo at District X. Download XXIII kicks off with a Friday of wildcards united by a sense of fun: bring it on!
Words: Kate Allvey // Photos: Emma Stone and Graham Finney
Scene Queen
The feral monarch of Bimbocore finally gets her main stage moment, and unholy growling, family support and a ‘twerkle pit’ bedazzles a performance which attracts “a shocking number of men” to the crowd. Her doll-shaped love of vengeance flows freely on ‘Mutual Masturbation’, as does her support of the LGBTQ community. The sight of hardened metalheads gleefully singing along to ‘18+’ while Scene Queen skips across the sunlit stage in pink tassels gives us hope for the future, kicking off the day in perfect bimbo style.
Silly Goose
We’re “rocking with the goose” and their nu-nu-metal energy packs out the Avalanche stage. ‘Live It Up’ prowls on the chorus, adding a dash of seriousness that splashes against their moniker, while ‘Tsunami’ scorches with blistering Korn-style guitar playing. Jackson Foster raps like a doberman straining at the leash, albeit with surprisingly thoughtful drops, and new song ‘Goodnight’ is vicious and explosive – their chaos barely contained within the tent. Surviving the pit that’s ignited by the incendiary ‘Set It Off’ is an early-game achievement for this weekend, and that’s the baptism of fire we need today.
James And The Cold Gun
Soulful, motoring, and filled with authenticity – in contrast to P.O.D., who are playing on the Apex stage at the same time – James And The Cold Gum brings a breath of fresh air with their crashing, rushing and completely honest rock. ‘Fragile’ beams casual cool with James Joseph’s vocals dropping like an ice cube into a fizzing glass of guitar, and the bounce they can conjure from the mid-afternoon Dogtooth crowd is remarkable.
Paleface Swiss
Vocalist Zelli is hangry. If not snacking enough is what drives Paleface Swiss’s thunderous and compelling set, we’d advise him to skip more meals. They’re the kind of band that keeps up the Opus Stage’s reputation of being the home of heaviness, especially with tracks like ‘Hatred’; its live-wire innovation sparks a pit for the metal purists. ‘Please End Me’ is blunt and direct, a scathing scream into the void – as if the lava on every banner has been transmuted into sound; and we’re living for ‘Everything Is Fine’s unexpected melodic breaks.
Creeper
It’s the first of a few outings for the vampires, and their Opus set feels like a sampler for the uninitiated that focuses on the hits. ‘Mistress Of Death’ is as majestic and polished as ever as it careens through theatrical solos. Meanwhile, ‘Blood Magick (It’s A Ritual)’ practically roars over the slopes of Donnington like a lit firework – Will Gould’s intonation burned into our minds. ‘Lovers Led Astray’ strikes the balance between drama and the type of metal we expect from this weekend, with vast wailing on the chorus from what seems like half the entire festival.
Pendulum
Watching 100,000 people losing their minds to ‘Propane Nightmares’ is an unforgettable image, but that’s all in a day’s work for the mighty Pendulum. We’re loving the absolute musical departure that they bring to their Apex Stage set, and the cheer that signals the start of ‘Voodoo People’ is probably large enough to register an earthquake reading in Derby. ‘Tarantula’ as a closer will go down as a core memory for most of us raving, as we finally and definitively answer the question of whether Pendulum are truly metal.
Lake Malice
The electronica continues at the top of the hill, albeit with a far harsher edge. Dancers in holographic tutus usher in a cool breeze to the scorching Dogtooth Stage, and new single ‘Ghost In A Hell’ feels like jumping off a cliff with its bass-heavy depth and crystalline synth. Alice Guala’s furious screams channel an inner rage far greater than her fairy-like form, and their entire set is a hypnotic catharsis that deserves a bigger crowd.
Electric Callboy
It’s been a long time coming. Finally, however Electric Callboy take to the Main Stage. It’s worth the wait too, as ‘Tanzneid’ is an instant party starter. We’re then swept from a relatively loyal cover of Sum 41’s ‘Still Waiting’ into the top-notch silliness of ‘Tekkno Train’. The peppy Germans bring the musical equivalent of Haribo to a relatively serious day and we’re dancing like there’s no tomorrow to their collab with the Offspring, ‘Let The Good Times Roll’. At this rate, and judging by the overwhelming love they’re getting, Electric Callboy will be headlining within the next few years.
Sleep Theory
Sincere and deep, Sleep Theory’s set is a haven for those in search of emotional release. Their set is the point in the weekend where the Avalanche Stage begins to feel like a secret club for those revelling in the more intriguing bands on the bill, and the near acoustic regret that permeates ‘Words Are Worthless’ captures our voices for a mass singalong. The sweetness lurking at the edges of ‘Numb’ proves these guys are a band more complex than we first realised, and they’ll find themselves with a far bigger fanbase after this show.
Story Of The Year
Dan Marsala’s gorgeous vocals on ‘Tear Me To Pieces’ cements Story Of The Year as the band who’ll make you cock your head with lyrical interest while you’re slamming in the pit.“We’re the fourteenth best band of the entire show, give or take,” he jokes before dropping ‘Anthem Of Our Dying Day’; the sound of determination sweeping away loneliness distilled into a rapid few minutes. We’re staring in awe at the needle-sharp longing that fills ‘In The Shadows’, and Story Of The Year are the reminder that sometimes what your day needs is just a smart, honest rock band, playing their hearts out.
Halestorm
An oxygen-defying yell from Lzzy Hale kicks us into ‘Fallen Star’ and Halestorm’s next-level set on the Opus Stage. The classic rock levers are out in force for the Sabbath-influenced ‘Love Bites (So Do I)’, and when they push the metal chug in their sound to the forefront, we sense that this is a band who can take on anything with style. We’re treated to their cover of ‘Bad Romance’, played for the first time in the UK, which just proves that they not only have a sense of humour, but that whatever they touch turns to gold.
Limp Bizkit
Some bands would cancel a set if they learned that their longtime friend and crew member had passed away while en route to Download. We wouldn’t begrudge any band taking the space to grieve, especially one whose former bassist died only months beforehand. However, that’s not exactly Limp Bizkit’s style. From the very start of their set, Fred Durst and co were determined to honour the memory of their friends by putting on the biggest party of the weekend. Yes, the set was marred by a medical emergency in the pit, a band who were clearly going through a tough time, and, errrr, the suggestion that crowdsurfing was a good way to remember your deceased loved ones, but when they slapped down the hits? – there’s nowhere in the world we’d rather be.
“We’re about to turn it on like it’s 1999,” yells Durst, before a sea of circle pits erupts for ‘My Generation’. Meanwhile, the immaculate vibes for ‘Rollin’ show that we’ve got enough dance in us to power an explosive time machine. Freestyling and innovating is the name of the game that brings a freshness to a guitar-filled celebration of all things Bizkit. ‘Behind Blue Eyes’ is a pure lighters-up moment, and the old school mosh that rips through the beyond packed-out arena on the reprise of ‘Break Stuff’ is the fuel that festival dreams are made of. There’s enough highlights, enough camaraderie built with rapping to the stranger next to you, and enough massive beats to excuse any extenuating circumstances. This is the kind of set which explains Limp Bizkit’s enduring appeal and will go down as a Download memory that’ll go rollin’ home with us.
Hellfest 2026. Clisson, France. Bumped to Main after Volbeat cancelled, Behemoth showed they are more than worthy of the honour. They have more pyro than pretty much anyone, inverted crucifixions on both sides, and sound like they want you to join their war. Alongside Satan, of course.
You would imagine that something this extreme would not have a place on a massive stage. And you would be wrong. The Poles deserve all they have coming to them.
Led by Nergal, Behemoth go through one anthem of pure rebellion after another, and the stage is simply drenched in flames.
The crowd is completely sold. Everyone is yelling the choruses, and when you hear this many people scream “We are the shit of God!”, to flames jumping from all over that stage, you feel that they have the popularity to be this high up on the bill.
These guys can put on a show. The massive imagery behind, as ritualistic as the music, completes what Nergal and the band are doing. It feels like a proper Satanic mass.
Prepare to be consumed by the relentless energy of the most influential bands in Heavy Metal as they ignite the Hellfest stages with blistering performances. The immersive atmosphere of Clisson will immerse you in a dark, captivating experience like no other.
With its unparalleled lineup and unwavering commitment to the spirit of metal, Hellfest 2026 promises an unforgettable journey into the depths of sonic mayhem. Read all the Heavy Metal News at MetalTalk.
Ex-Slipknot percussionist Chris Fehn has looked back on the “intimidating” talent of late founding drummer Joey Jordison in a new interview.
Talking to Meltdown, the 53-year-old, who joined the nu metal nine-piece in 1998 and departed in 2019, remembers trying to fit his parts in between Jordison’s “madness” while writing and recording music.
“It’s very intimidating to be a percussionist with Joey Jordison,” he says (via Blabbermouth). “I’m in the studio watching this guy, like, ‘What am I gonna do? This guy can cover everything. He’s just a phenomenon!’”
He adds: “But yeah, it’s cool, ’cause he realises that the percussion was a big part of it also. So he’d work up some parts or somebody would come up with some parts and we’d just fit it in there within his madness. And it was cool to do. Really cool. I miss that dude a ton.”
Elaborating on Jordison’s technique, Fehn calls it “unbelievable”.
“[It was] unbelievable how hard he hit, but yet how smooth he could be and technical,” he continues. “In soundcheck, he’d just whip out some jazz and you’re just like,’Well, is there anything you can’t do?’ He was amazing.”
Jordison co-founded Slipknot with percussionist Shawn ‘Clown’ Crahan in 1995 and, alongside late bassist Paul Gray, was one of the band’s key songwriters for their first four studio albums. He had a composer credit on such successful singles as the Platinum-selling Wait And Bleed, the Grammy Award-winning Before I Forget, and Duality, the band’s most-streamed song with more than a billion Spotify listens.
Jordison was let go from Slipknot in 2013, three years after Gray died of an overdose, aged 38. The drummer revealed in 2016 that towards the end of his Slipknot tenure he had been struggling with transverse myelitis: a rare neurological disorder which greatly affected his ability to play.
After Slipknot, Jordison played drums with the metal bands Scar The Martyr, Sinsaenum and Vimic. He died in his sleep on July 26, 2021, aged 46. His cause of death has never been disclosed.
Meanwhile, Fehn and Slipknot parted ways shortly after the percussionist filed a lawsuit against the band in spring 2019. The suit alleged that Fehn was receiving less money than his bandmates, due to the existence of other Slipknot-related business entities of which he was unaware. The case was voluntarily discontinued in October 2020.
In 2014, Slipknot replaced Jordison with Jay Weinberg, who was himself replaced by ex-Sepultura member Eloy Casagrande in April 2024. Fehn was replaced by Michael Pfaff, who, due to his longtime anonymity and the potato-crisp-like design of his mask, was nicknamed ‘Tortilla Man’ by fans.
Global Beatles Day takes place on June 25 – a fan-created event that celebrates the anniversary of the first international satellite TV broadcast of The Beatles classic All You Need Is Love, which was beamed to an estimated 400 million people live from Abbey Road Studios back in 1967
And with the Prime Day savings n full swing, it seems only right to highlight some of The Beatles discounts that are available on Amazon right now – including massive savings on the The Beatles: Get Back hardcover book. The 240-page volume has been reduced from $60 to $23.24 in the US, while in the UK, it’s down 68% from £40 to just £12.75.
There’s 68% off the price of The Beatles: Get Back hardback book on Amazon UK, and 61% off the price in the US, making this an ideal time to pick up the 240-page volume if you haven’t managed to get it already. It’s the official account of the creation of The Fab Four’s final album Let it Be and is chronicled by the band themselves and contains hundreds of images by Linda McCartney and Ethan A. Russell.View Deal
The Beatles may have split up in 1970, but the legendary four-piece seem to be as popular now as they ever were. And with loads of discounts available for Prime Day, I’ve highlighted some of my other favourite deals below.
If you’re in the US, there’s a nice saving on The Beatles: 1967-70 vinyl box set, which has been reduced by 16% from $75.98 to $64.12.
American fans also have access to the Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band short-sleeve t-shirt which is down from $22.99 to $18.39 – and if you think you know everything about the George, Paul, John and Ringo, you test your knowledge with the officially licensed Beatles Trivial Pursuit game – down from $21.99 to $17.49. With over 600 themed questions, answering everything is going to take you a very long time indeed.
Across in the UK, you can get your hands on the The Beatles: Yellow Submarine graphic novel which is down in price from £26.99 to £21.99.
The 8CD Beatles Anthology Collection is also on sale for Prime Day, with Amazon taking the price down from £87.32 to £76.02. The collection includes a total of 191 tracks, including live songs and studio outtakes.
My final pick foes to this Abbey Road hoodie which Amazon have cut from £33.99 to £28.78. It’s available from sizes S- XXL and you can order it in a variety of colours.
These are just some of many Beatles-themed discounts this Prime Day and to discover even more bargains, head on over to Louder’s Prime Day music deals page which we’re updating throughout the week. And don’t forget to visit our pages highlighting the best Prime Day turntable deals, and we’re also collecting our favourite Prime Day vinyl deals too.
Hellfest 2026. Clisson, France. The sun is starting to take its leave as A Perfect Circle follow Anthrax on the other Main Stage. Could this be more different from Anthrax, which my colleague Sean covered? Hardly. Does it work well? More or less.
I mean, there is a rainbow in the sky the instant they come on stage, and the playing is absolutely splendid. Josh Freese on drums could play nursery rhymes and still sound good doing it. Maynard James Keenan’s vocals are absolutely great.
The issue here is that they are sandwiched between Anthrax and Megadeth. And, honestly, context is as important as anything in this business. Well, said context does not work well here.
A Perfect Circle – Hellfest 2026. Photo: Bogdan Bele/MetalTalk
A Perfect Circle’s trippy tracks fall flat in the moment, and the very calm, for lack of a better word, setlist, certainly does not help. Pretty much everyone seems sleepy and waiting for this to end.
And the visuals, essentially, their logo throughout, with the occasional image of one of the guys on stage, do not help.
So Dave Mustaine & co. can resume normal programming. I doubt they would have ever imagined getting such a head start.
HELLFEST 2026
Prepare to be consumed by the relentless energy of the most influential bands in Heavy Metal as they ignite the Hellfest stages with blistering performances. The immersive atmosphere of Clisson will immerse you in a dark, captivating experience like no other.
With its unparalleled lineup and unwavering commitment to the spirit of metal, Hellfest 2026 promises an unforgettable journey into the depths of sonic mayhem. Read all the Heavy Metal News at MetalTalk.
Long before celebrity skins, virtual concerts, and soundtrack collaborations, musicians were getting full video games built around their images, songs, and stage mythology.
Old-school musician games could be inventive, awkward, or blatantly commercial. Some had real artist involvement. Others felt like marketing tie-ins built around a famous name.
Modern musicians usually appear in games as skins, soundtrack contributors, rhythm-game subjects, or virtual concert performers.
Full console or PC adventures centered on one artist are far less common now.
Let’s check them out.
1. Escape-Era Arena Rock Meets Arcade Weirdness
One major arena-rock band entered games early with two adaptations tied to its Escape-era fame.
Journey Escape arrived in 1982 for Atari 2600 and was based on the hit album Escape.
One year later, Bally Midway released an arcade game while the band was still riding the success of Escape, which included “Don’t Stop Believin’,” “Open Arms,” and “Who’s Crying Now.”
Arcade version had a bizarre plot. Wild alien Groupoids stole the band’s electro-supercharged instruments, so players guided Steve Perry, Neal Schon, Steve Smith, Jonathan Cain, and Ross Valory across five galaxies to recover them.
Key presentation choices made the cabinet feel closer to a rock novelty item than a normal arcade release:
Digitized black-and-white band photos appeared on tiny cartoon bodies.
Five separate musician stages turned each band member into a playable arcade character.
A final Galactic Stadium concert rewarded players after the instruments were recovered.
Gameplay was not really about performing music. It turned band fame, album imagery, and tour mythology into arcade spectacle.
Completing the game led to a concert at Galactic Stadium, where a looped cassette tape inside the cabinet played “Separate Ways” off Frontiers.
2. Revolution X
Aerosmith’s arcade shooter transformed rock music into a loud, chaotic symbol of rebellion
Aerosmith became the center of a dystopian arcade shooter with Revolution X.
Midway released the game in 1994. Earlier, it had reportedly been pitched as a Jurassic Park arcade tie-in before shifting into an Aerosmith on-rails shooter.
Story placed players in a future controlled by New Order Nation, a government and corporate military force that hates youth culture and rock music.
Aerosmith gets kidnapped by NON, led by the leather-clad Headmistress Helga.
Enemy design leaned hard into exaggerated arcade chaos:
NON soldiers filled the screen as constant targets.
Rollerblade gunmen added a strange 1990s action-movie texture.
Ninjas and other enemy types made the anti-rock regime feel cartoonishly overbuilt.
Players shoot through NON forces while fighting to rescue the band.
Anyone interested in other fast, arcade-style entertainment can also check out PowerPlay here, though Revolution X belongs to a very different kind of coin-op chaos.
Console versions sent players to destroy three NON installations in the Amazon Jungle, the Middle East, and the Pacific Rim before heading to London for a final fight with Helga at Wembley Stadium.
Steven Tyler provides a vocal cameo after large explosions, similar in spirit to the “Toasty!” cameo in Mortal Kombat II.
Revolution X turned rock music into rebellion, but it also showed how easily a band name could be attached to an existing arcade concept.
SNES version later ranked 10th in Electronic Gaming Monthly’s “20 Worst Games of All-Time.”
3. Michael Jackson’s Moonwalker
Moonwalker worked because it turned Michael Jackson’s performance style into actual gameplay
Michael Jackson’s Moonwalker remains one of the most famous musician-led games.
Released in arcade and Sega Genesis/home console versions around 1989 and 1990, it loosely followed the 1988 film Moonwalker.
Its story had Michael rescuing kidnapped children and fighting Mr. Big, an evil record executive.
Arcade version used a three-quarter-view style. Home console version played as a 2D action game loosely comparable to Shinobi.
Several recognizable Jackson trademarks became combat language:
Dance routines worked as attacks.
Fedora, white suit, and spins helped define the character on-screen.
Magic effects turned stage movement into action-game spectacle.
Synthesized 16-bit versions of Jackson hits, including “Beat It,” gave the game a direct musical identity.
Moonwalker worked because it translated Jackson’s performance style into action. Music was not just background. It powered the fantasy.
4. KISS: Psycho Circus: The Nightmare Child
KISS always looked ready for video games. Makeup, costumes, fire, blood-spitting, and comic-book personas already made the band feel like fantasy characters.
KISS: Psycho Circus: The Nightmare Child arrived for PC and Sega Dreamcast in 2000.
It was tied to the band’s 1998 Psycho Circus multimedia push, which also included a 31-issue comic book series and action figures.
Instead of letting players directly control KISS, the game follows Wicked Jester, a fictional band whose members gain magical powers and fight the Nightmare King.
Band mythology appears through character structure rather than direct control:
Each Wicked Jester member has a KISS counterpart.
Each character gets a separate section to complete.
Armor upgrades can make players resemble Gene Simmons’ Demon persona.
First-person shooter design gives the game horror corridors, monsters, weapons, and supernatural threats.
KISS imagery gives the game its look, but the band elements mostly function as visual dressing for an average shooter.
5. Queen: The eYe
The eYe used the band’s music as the backbone for a dystopian story about control and forbidden rock
The next game on this list of ours is Queen: The eYe, which used the band’s music to build a futuristic dystopian CD-ROM adventure.
Destination Design developed it, and Electronic Arts published it. It spanned five CDs, largely because the discs were packed with remixed and remastered Queen songs.
Players control Dubroc, a secret agent working for an Orwellian organization called the Eye. After discovering banned rock music, Dubroc is sentenced to death in a Running Man-style television show called The Arena.
Design appears influenced by Resident Evil, with 3D character models over pre-rendered backgrounds and tank controls.
Gameplay pulled several late-1990s adventure ideas into one package:
Room navigation relied on fixed camera angles.
Puzzle solving sat beside hand-to-hand combat.
Platforming added another layer to an already crowded structure.
Critics disliked its dated graphics and forced Queen references.
Still, Queen’s theatrical and anti-authoritarian music made sense for a sci-fi story about banned rock, control, and spectacle.
Unlike games that put musicians directly on screen, Queen: The eYe used the band as atmosphere and story fuel.
6. Beatles: Rock Band
Beatles: Rock Band set a higher standard for musician-based games.
Released on September 9, 2009, for PlayStation 3, Wii, and Xbox 360, it was developed by Harmonix, published by MTV Games, and distributed by Electronic Arts.
It was the fourth Rock Band installment and the series’ first band-centered game.
Rock Band’s core formula used instrument-style controllers and microphones, letting players perform guitar, bass, drums, and vocals.
Beatles version added three-part vocal harmonies, matching a key part of the band’s sound.
Game launched with 45 tracks and recreated the band’s career through famous live settings and psychedelic dreamscapes.
Career structure moved through major phases of the band’s public image:
Cavern Club captured early club-era performances.
Ed Sullivan Show, Budokan, and Shea Stadium covered global fame.
Rooftop concert material gave the game a natural finale.
Release also coincided with remastered Beatles album collections.
Instead of forcing the band into action gameplay, it centered performance, rhythm, harmony, and musical history.
7. AVICII Invector
AVICII Invector feels more like a musical tribute than a traditional celebrity tie-in
AVICII Invector shows a more modern approach to musician-focused games.
Centered on the late DJ and producer Avicii, it is a rhythm game packed with his songs.
Players move through bright, fast tracks while hitting beats and reacting to tempo changes. Music controls the structure, pace, and visual energy.
Several design choices separate it from older musician tie-ins:
Rhythm mechanics carry the experience instead of combat.
Concert-like visuals match the scale of electronic dance music.
Avicii’s catalog shapes each stage rather than sitting behind unrelated action.
Older musician games often turned artists into superheroes, rebels, mascots, or sci-fi figures. AVICII Invector focuses on sound, rhythm, and concert-like immersion.
Its tone feels more like tribute than novelty branding. Players are not asked to control Avicii as an action hero. They play inside the pulse of his music.
Closing Thoughts
Musician-based games are fascinating because they try to turn sound, image, personality, and stage presence into mechanics.
Older games often chose spectacle. Arena rock became alien instrument recovery. Michael Jackson became a dance-powered hero.
Aerosmith fought an anti-rock regime. KISS became horror-shooter mythology. Queen’s catalog became a five-disc dystopian adventure.
Results varied wildly. Some games were creative.
Some were awkward. Some felt like commercial tie-ins. Many are still memorable because they captured pop culture ambition at its strangest.
Best musician games know what fans love about the artist. Weirdest ones show what happens when fame itself becomes game design.
