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When in skilled hands, death and grind go together like all the finest combinations, whether it’s peanut butter and chocolate, beer and pretzels, or good old mac and cheese. The tasty combo applies to the musical inclinations of Illinois wrecking crew Melting Rot, as they unleash their second LP and follow-up to 2021’s Blood Delusions debut. Admittedly unfamiliar before dredging this one up from the promo sump, the trio feature combined underground experience with various lesser-known acts, forming way back in 2017. Citing the likes of Regurgitate and Excruciating Terror as comparisons, and featuring a guest spot from Exhumed legend Matt Harvey, can these unheralded deathgrind loonies make a sizable impact in the ever-crowded realms of the underground?

Following a short sample, right off the bat, Melting Rot lay their gnarled cards on the table, unleashing a rugged, relentless frenzy of old school grind values and groovy, gnashing brutal death, complete with incomprehensible, uber low vox and occasional deeper variations or grindy highs. It’s a tight, violent, take-no-prisoners approach, done and dusted in a mere eighteen minutes. Melting Rot flip between d-beaten bursts and blasts of crusty grind, to thuggish brutal death depravity with raucous energy and tight musical chops. Revelling in the relative uncomplicated nature of their sound, Melting Rot draw influence from the likes of Exhumed, Carcass, and a more straightforward Benighted.

Sporting a robust, extra beefy production job, Infatuation with Premeditation boasts a killer guitar tone, cutting a nasty swathe of distortion and welcome oomph to the ample supply of meaty riffs and piledriving grooves littering the album. At their most potent, Melting Rot dish out gnarly examples of their bruising deathgrind attack. Barnstorming cuts like the viciously grinding, punkish throes and infectious riffs of “Human Pavement Splatter,” crunching grooves and ripping powerplays of “The Surgeon was Comatose,” and thrashing melodicism cutting through the otherwise blunt force savagery of “Aiming for Construction Workers” highlight Infatuation with Premeditation’s stronger writing. Not to be discounted, “Open Casket Vomit Spew” injects Necroticism-esque flair and crunch, while “Morbid Infatuation” adds buzzsawing Swedeath riffs into its punky grind skirmishes. It’s nasty, unsanitized stuff, refreshingly free from modern polish, ensuring the material retains its dirty, rusty edge.

There are no glaring weak links, just a handful of moments where the writing bleeds together slightly, leading to fleeting moments of faceless brutality. Meanwhile, the vocals are a mixed bag. The multi-pronged attack largely defaults to the predominant gurgling lows, while serviceable, they lack variation and are fairly one-dimensional and monotonous in delivery. When occasionally cut with the shattering highs and other lower growl variations, the vocal impact is more effective. Shifting the balance would have worked wonders. Otherwise, Infatuation with Premeditation ticks all the boxes for a rollicking good time for deathgrind fiends. The brevity leaves you wanting more, and while long-term mileage is debatable, overall, Melting Rot swing hard and largely nail the impact. The subtle dynamic shifts between their higher gears are well executed, while the album is fueled by relentless energy and filthy, bludgeoning riffs, packing a mean, headbanging punch.

Melting Rot delivered a punchy, efficient blast of deathgrind goodness on Infatuation with Premeditation, featuring a short, sharp collection of nuggety brawlers falling in the solid to very good bracket and hinting at potential greatness to come if Melting Rot continue to sharpen and hone their songwriting skills. As it stands, Infatuation with Premeditation is a strong 3.0, an entertaining platter and recommended listen for deathgrind enthusiasts who like their deathgrind extra riffy and their grooves bloody and beaten.

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Rating:3.0/5.0
DR: 5 | Format Reviewed: 320 kbps mp3
Label: Hells Headbangers Records
Websites: Bandcamp | Facebook
Releases Worldwide: March 27th, 2026

The post Melting Rot – Infatuation with Premeditation Review appeared first on Angry Metal Guy.

Posted on March 27th 2026, 11:07a.m.

DICE kick off 2026 with the release of their new single and music video ‘COOLER’, a blissful and expansive

Band:	Chalk Hands
Album:	The Line That Shapes the Coast of Us
Genre:	Post-Hardcore, Screamo
Country:	England
Release Date:	27th of March 2026
Released via:	Dog Knights Productions

Four years after their magnificent debut Don’t think about death Chalk Hands are back to deliver another blow for the open hearted. This album screams figuratively and literally evolution with every note.

The Line That Shapes the Coast of Us is the effort of a band that has been on the road. Chalk Hands have toured extensively across the UK and Europe – including Touché Amoré and Frail Body – and have performed at festivals such as ArcTanGent and Sonic Rites. Songs like the opener “Ember Lane” or the epic “Day Glow” work like a magnifying glass on what I really liked about the debut: those tender guitar intros and the emotional weight that kicks in once the songs get moving. Man, those four songs leading into the album are an impressive demonstration of great Post-Hardcore in this day and age.

“The Bridge” from the predecessor was a highlight for me. On The Line That Shapes the Coast of Us it is the nearly instrumental “A Surefire Way To Disappear“. You can just drown yourself in the atmosphere this piece of art provides. The same can be said about “Your Skin is Gold“. Those instrumental passages are truly “gold” on .this record. The band once described their music as “loud sad songs” and there could be nothing more fitting.

Together with the Death of Youth album The Line That Shapes the Coast of Us serves as a great start to the Post-Hardcore of 2026. The whole album at times feels like walking into a tornado. At first, you’re hit by intense winds that throw everything above and below into chaos. In the middle, there’s a strangely beautiful calm, which—once you leave it again—turns back into the familiar and beloved turmoil.

Hot on the heels of releasing its recent parody, “hardcore fusion” PPEP in February, My Cousin’s Girlfriend’s House settles back into a

Posted on March 27th 2026, 10:26a.m.

A powerful blend of melodic punk and metal, created by The Dead Krazukies between rage and reflection. Mixed

Posted on March 27th 2026, 10:05a.m.

To this day, because of the Murderer’s Row of ’80s Bay Area thrash masterpieces, someone, somewhere, is plugging a cheap guitar into an old amplifier for the first time. And someone, somewhere, is cutting the sleeves off their favorite denim jacket. And someone, somewhere, is cutting their hair in the style of James Hetfield’s classic silhouette.

A continent away, Newcastle’s Venom was making waves in their own regard. Welcome to Hell and Black Metal procured an equally fast yet darker rendition of thrash and speed metal that paved the way for one of the scene’s most sinister and notorious subgenres – you know which one.

Then, there’s, well…Motörhead. And they play rock ‘n’ roll, as you know.

Roughly five decades later, those bands still pollute the minds of Earth’s youth. Now in his 30s, Scotland’s James McBain fell victim to the intoxicating gallops and fury of each. The mastermind behind the blackened thrash project Hellripper, McBain, emulates the sounds of his influences. Now four albums in – we’ll get to No. 4 momentarily – it all started with the first three: Coagulating Darkness, The Affair of the Poisons, and Warlocks Grim & Withered Hags. It was clear early on – Hellripper is astoundingly fun and worth your while.

The latter was by far his best effort, both in performance and in theme. McBain is talented. There’s no denying that. And again, the albums are a blast. And as much as I enjoy Hellripper and preach the good word, I can understand why some folks may see the blackened thrash tag and bounce. It’s been done before, time and time again. For that simple reason, I cannot fault them. But shouldn’t we want more bands to crack beer cans over our heads to? Shouldn’t we be rooting for the next Midnight to listen to while breaking the speed limit in our ’86 IROC-Zs? After all, there’s something to be said about keeping tradition alive and well. McBain does just that – and more – on Coronach, his first release since leaving the legendary Peaceville Records for metal juggernaut Century Media.

In its own weird way, Coronach is just as dark as it is triumphant. “Hunderprest” fires away almost immediately. Based on the legend of the vampire of Melrose Abbey, the opener is a mashup of everything from Rotting Christ to more d-beat influences. McBain even adds some cool synths in the vein of something off Tribulation’s The Horror. Speaking of which, you can hear a lot of Johannes Andersson in the vocal shrieks, but you probably already knew that if you’re familiar with Hellripper. If not, enjoy! While north of five minutes, McBain conjured up a track for those of us with a case of ADHD. Chaotic, sure, but weirdly organized in how it bounces around. And, of course, it wouldn’t be Hellripper without a sweet solo to round it out. Then, “Kinchyle (Goatkraft and Granite)” opens with a riff that would have fit perfectly on Midnight’s Satanic Royalty. In other words, cue up the kegstands. McBain does a nice job adding layers to break up the black ‘n’ roll with some acoustic instrumentation, too. They add more pizzazz to the second half of the track, which eventually becomes the most anthemic song on the record.

“The Art of Resurrection” bestows what really separates Coronach from its predecessors. Over the years, McBain has continued to chisel away at pacing and sonic storytelling. The third offering starts softly, following the party-thrasher before it, featuring keys that build up to a hellish scream and a Kreator-ridden riff. Some splashes of color fall into the hands of beautiful arpeggios that you’ll really appreciate with a nice set of headphones. In its own regard – and a bit shorter – it reminds me of the escalation from Agent Steel’s “Chosen to Stay”. Moreover, at the album’s halfway point, “Baobhan Sith (Waltz of the Damned)” sticks out like a necrotic thumb. Not just because it’s arguably the most obliterating track for the majority, but there’s a ’70s-style guitar solo/transition in its final minutes that almost sounds like something Kansas would’ve conjured up on Point of Know Return. It’s such an epic, proggy conclusion to the A-side. What’s more – selfishly – it proves my earlier point that McBain continues to scale as a songwriter. Clearly, he wanted to throw some more ideas into the mix this time around, and, man, they work flawlessly.

From the debut to now, there’s a substantial difference. It’s almost like someone else is behind the fretboard. That said, the crust-punkish “Motorcheyn” throws nods to bands like Skitsystem, with brushes of Watain.

While there are new ideas thrown in there, old Hellripper fans will find songs like Slayer’s “The Antichrist”-inspired “Sculptor’s Cave” or the Motörhead-esque “Blakk Satanik…” much to their liking.

Coronach concludes with the title track. Much slower in BPM than the prior seven songs, there’s a more dreary vibe. The harmonized leads, the deep growls, and power metal-like epic passages all combine for McBain’s greatest feat yet. He may have learned a thing or two from those Maiden guys and saving the best for last and whatnot *insert face with monocle emoji*.

Before Coronach, I may have recommended Hellripper solely for fans of the blackened thrash niche. But now, it seems – to me at least – that if McBain continues progressing at this pace, Hellripper has all the makings of a metal powerhouse. He still fits within his respective subgenre, of course, but songwriters like him eventually tend to thrive outside of their realm.

This is a phenomenal release, and as you might have guessed, the project’s best yet. No longer just a band for fans of blackened thrash, Hellripper is for those of you caught in the sounds of yesteryear, but also for those seeking stellar contemporary metal. Years down the road, I expect this one to be the album folks look back on, pinpointing it as the moment the Hellripper name really started making waves. That first U.S. tour – whenever it may be – won’t hurt either. But, for now, do yourself a favor and bask in one hell of an album in Coronach.

The post Hellripper – Coronach Review appeared first on Last Rites.

After a huge 2025 performing at Glastonbury and supporting Ziggy Alberts across the country, the South African sensation returns for his most ambitious tour to date

TEG MJR is excited to announce that South African folk-pop sensation, Jeremy Loops, will be returning to Australian and New Zealand shores in July 2026 for his most ambitious tour to date.  Following the global success of his latest album, Feathers And Stone, Loops is set to bring his signature high-energy “modern folk” sound and world-class musicianship to deliver four headline shows across Australia.

Jeremy Loops’ tour kicks off Friday 10^th July at The Triffid in Brisbane, before heading to Manning Bar on Saturday 11^th July in Sydney, 170 Russell in Melbourne on Wednesday 15^th July and finishes up in Perth’s Magnet House on Friday 17^th July. Fans can be first to buy tickets via the presale commencing at 9.00am on Monday 30^th March.

After a massive 2025 that saw him grace the Acoustic Stage at Glastonbury and support Ziggy Alberts across Australia, Jeremy Loops is heading back to his “home away from home.”  This tour marks a significant evolution for the Cape Town artist; while fans can expect the foot-stomping, loop-pedal wizardry that defined hits like Down South and Waves, the 2026 show introduces a more mature, soulful depth. Cantered around the themes of his new record—balancing the “heaviness” of life with the “lightness” of human connection—the performance is designed as a transformative “homecoming” experience.

The show itself is a masterclass in live looping, blending acoustic folk, alt-pop, and urban grit to create a soundscape that feels both massive and intimate. Attendees will witness the live debut of tracks from Feathers and Stone, including the anthemic single Wolves and the deeply personal Deep Cuts.

Known for his infectious charisma, Jeremy has a unique ability to turn cavernous rooms into communal gatherings, encouraging fans to kick their shoes off and feel the music. To round out the experience, the tour will feature local support acts that mirror his soulful, organic energy, ensuring every night is a celebration of the Southern Hemisphere’s vibrant music scene.  Tom River will open for Brisbane, Sydney & Melbourne shows.  For Perth, it will be Salt Tree and there will be a single release with Jeremy and the duo later to come.

Tom River is an Australian folk artist and producer from Margaret River, also known as one half of the internationally successful duo Salt Tree. His new solo project leans into intimate storytelling, anchored in delicate acoustic work, airy harmonies and subtle pop melodies in songs which have emerged from years of performing around the world. Releasing new music monthly throughout 2026 and hot off a 10 date European tour, Tom River is emerging as one of Australia’s most compelling new voices.

Australian duo Salt Tree was born where the forest meets the sea. Keen surfers and nature lovers Tom and Nath have a unique chemistry that shines through in their songwriting, soaring harmonies, and magnetic live performances. Their music, infused with their love for the outdoors, real life experiences and storytelling has become the perfect soundtrack for summer road trips and warm nights around the campfire.

Since their first release in 2022, the self-produced act has released three EPs, amassed over 100 million streams, and sold-out headline tours across Europe the past two years. Following this success, they returned to support Ziggy Alberts in Australia and joined Jeremy Loops for his 2025 European tour.

Hot off the heels of an Australian Tour, Salt Tree are set to release Simply the Best — a fresh reimagining of the Tina Turner classic, recorded in collaboration with Jeremy Loops. The track brings their signature harmonies and acoustic warmth to an iconic song.

TICKETING INFORMATION:

Sign up for the TEG MJR Presale here

Jeremy Loops, TEG MJR & TEG Live Presales

Monday 30^th March at 9.00am

General Public on sale:

Tuesday 31st March at 9.00am via:

 www.teglive.com.au 

Connect with Jeremy Loops

Website | Instagram | Facebook |  TikTok | Spotify

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About Jeremy Loops

From cult live act status in his hometown Cape Town, to a chart-topping album domestically, Jeremy Loops career’s been characterised by breaking through glass ceilings. His international breakout saw him open for Twenty One Pilots on the road, headline a sold out 30,000-ticket tour of his own, and soon followed by a sold-out headline show at London’s iconic O2 Academy Brixton.  His sleeper hit debut album Trading Change produced the mega single Down South and launched a household name in South Africa, but it was his second album, Critical As Water, that put the rest of the world on notice. The list of collaborators, including Will Hicks (Ed Sheeran’s Perfect) and Jake Gosling (The Libertines, Shawn Mendez), signalled he’d earned the respect of his peers and contemporaries. And the singles Waves and Gold, which received heavy airplay across Europe, cracking Germany’s Top 200 Airplay charts and the latter being playlisted on BBC2 and repeat, showed that his recordings had the big-ticket commercial prospects to back up the fast-growing audiences at his live shows.  As the singer-songwriter prepares for the next phase of his career, signing a worldwide licensing deal with Universal music, working on his as yet untitled third album with a growing list of A-list co-writers and producers, he looks to stick to the same fundamentals.

The post JEREMY LOOPS Announces Headline Australian Tour appeared first on The Rockpit.