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“L.I.F.T.” is the title of the new Neal Morse Band album, and creating this record was no easy undertaking. This was due to the fact that drummer Mike Portnoy had rejoined Dream Theater. Suddenly, the iconic drummer’s schedule was rather full, but there was an unexpected gap which the NMB used to start working on… Continue Reading →

Story Of The Year are back bigger and better with A.R.S.O.N., marking the next evolution of the band’s signature sound and raw, personal lyricism – elements that have earned the band a dedicated global following. An acronym for All Rage, Still Only Numb, the album channels their trademark energy into a powerful exploration of anxiety, […]

Words by: Courtney Stark Via Solistitium Records Solistium Records is an independent underground label out of Germany, and they’ve sent me a stack of black metal releases that deserve more ears. Here are a few highlights that stood out – Courtney Schattenvald – Alle Hernach (Germany) Out 3 April, 2026 Since 1998, Schattenvald have existed […]

Mount Mural let loose on Out and down with a rush of distortion and momentum that feels gloriously unrestrained. Fuzzy, reverb soaked guitars collide with motorik drumming, creating a garage rock surge wrapped in a hazy shoegaze glow. The energy is immediate, almost reckless, yet there is a melodic sweetness threading through the noise that keeps everything lifted.

The vocals float above the chaos with a dreamy, angelic tone, adding contrast to the gritty instrumental backbone. It is beauty and abrasion in constant motion. Out and down does not sit still for long. It drives forward, head buzzing, heart racing, fully embracing that thrilling space where melody meets mayhem.

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Hexxes arrive with Fragile Things like a storm system rolling in from the industrial underground. Crushing rhythms collide with serrated synth lines and distorted guitar textures, creating a dense, metallic pulse that feels both nostalgic and fiercely current. There is a clear nod to early 90s electro industrial grit, but the execution feels sharpened for now, urgent and emotionally charged.

Scarlett Hexx’s commanding vocals cut through the noise with conviction, transforming uncertainty into defiance. Fragile Things does not wallow in fear. It pushes back against it. Dark, heavy, and theatrically intense, Hexxes make a striking first statement, one that embraces the shadows while refusing to surrender to them.

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The Yum Yum Tree return with Shine, and it instantly feels like a love letter to the golden age of 90s female fronted indie pop. Guitar, bass, drums, and a hook strong enough to carry the whole room. No excess, no gimmicks, just melody and heart. The production keeps things clean and direct, letting the vocals glow with a mix of warmth and quiet ache.

There is a bittersweet undercurrent running through Shine, capturing that complicated space between longing and acceptance. It feels mature without losing its immediacy, nostalgic without sounding dated. After nineteen years between LPs, The Yum Yum Tree prove that timeless songwriting still cuts through the noise.

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Coldsaint strips things back on Fight No More, delivering an emotional hip hop cut anchored by acoustic guitar and unfiltered honesty. The production stays minimal, giving his introspective delivery room to breathe while the narrative unfolds with steady conviction. There is weight in his voice, the kind that comes from lived experience rather than borrowed pain.

Instead of glorifying survival mode, Fight No More focuses on the harder choice, breaking cycles and redefining strength as restraint. It feels reflective without losing its edge, vulnerable without surrendering resolve. A grounded, personal statement that turns pain into purpose and chooses growth over noise.

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Compact Utility’s happy mode hits with an abrasive jolt, channeling the jagged spirit of no wave and that distinctly 80s strain of synth driven discomfort. The guitars scrape, the rhythms twitch, and the production proudly keeps its grime intact. There is a claustrophobic tension running through it, like circuitry overheating in a locked basement.

It feels like a Flipper jam collapsing into a minimal industrial pulse, as if the whole thing were recorded in a dirty cellar under the stern supervision of Test Dept. Confrontational, raw, and unapologetically awkward, happy mode thrives on friction and unease, turning sonic discomfort into something strangely addictive.

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A.S. Fanning’s Now I’m In Love feels like stepping into light after wandering through psychological fog. Opening with shimmering synth textures before that unmistakable baritone enters, the track gradually builds into something both tender and quietly triumphant. There is a gentle self awareness in its tone, balancing vulnerability with a sense of cautious optimism.

Against the more disorienting backdrop of Take Me Back To Nowhere, this single stands out as a moment of emotional clarity. It captures the awkward beauty of starting again, of allowing possibility back into the room. Understated yet deeply affecting, Now I’m In Love reminds us that even in fractured realities, connection can still feel startlingly real.

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Pressure Pointe slow things down on Yes Culture, leaning into a brooding, tension soaked atmosphere that feels heavy in all the right ways. The track unfolds patiently, built on shadowy instrumentation and a restrained pulse that allows the mood to deepen with each passing bar.

There is a quiet intensity simmering throughout, a sense of emotional push and pull that never quite resolves. When the second chorus hits, it lands with amplified weight, elevating the track from introspective slow burn to something more cathartic and expansive. Yes Culture thrives in that dark space between compliance and resistance, delivering a measured yet powerful statement wrapped in moody, immersive alt rock textures.

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