The new Hugh Jackman/Kate Hudson movie Song Sung Blue tells the true story of a humble Neil Diamond tribute band that hit it big in the ’90s, even performing with Eddie Vedder at a Pearl Jam concert at the height of their fame. So I guess the timing is right for another Neil Diamond/Gen X convergence from the archives.
The post Neil Diamond Releasing New Album He Made With Rick Rubin 19 Years Ago appeared first on Stereogum.
Their first album since 2009 is finally here.
The post Poison The Well Launch “Weeping Tones” Music Video Alongside Their Comeback Album “Peace In Place” appeared first on Theprp.com.
A little more than a week after unveiling her solo band’s name was Blue Medusa, ex-Arch Enemy vocalist Alissa White-Gluz and company released the band’s new single, “Checkmate”. Written by White-Gluz and guitarists Alyssa Day and Dani Sophia, the track apparently marks a “powerful evolution in both sound and creative vision.”
White-Gluz spoke directly about the new track, sharing how it had just seemingly fallen into place.
“This is a song where everything just clicked. ‘Checkmate’ is an extremely cathartic song for me. It was created in one of those flow states where the lyrics and melodies and rhythms just write themselves and you get the feeling that you’re onto something powerful. It’s probably the heaviest thing I’ve written in terms of lyrics, and probably the lightest of what we have cooking in terms of sound. I wanted to share the intensity of these feelings with fans and give them something to hold onto. I’m so happy to see so much support for Blue Medusa already; fans can look forward to more dark, heavy, brutal and haunting music very soon.”
The accompanying music video was co-directed by White-Gluz and Vicente Cordero, of Industrialism Films. With a direct hand on the video’s final product, White-Gluz said she had a pretty good idea of what she wanted the video to be when working on it.
“I know what every frame is for. I’ll share that someday, but for now, I welcome fans to dive deeper into the meaning and develop their own interpretations. That’s what makes videos and movies fun and interesting, in my opinion.”
As of this moment, we don’t know of any album plans for Blue Medusa, nor do we know of any tour plans other than their planned appearances on Louder Than Life and Aftershock. All we can do now is wait for more details.
The post Alissa White-Gluz’s Blue Medusa Drop Their New Single “Checkmate” appeared first on MetalSucks.
Welcome to the Neurisis era.
The post Neurosis Enlist Aaron Turner (SUMAC, Etc.) For Surprise New Album “An Undying Love For A Burning World” appeared first on Theprp.com.
Way back in the year before the Great Plague, I took a chance and reviewed an unheralded, self-released album by a one-man band from Belgium called Ethereal Darkness. We received the promo from the AMG contact forms without fanfare or fluff, but what I heard on Smoke and Shadows really impressed me. Project mastermind Lars created a monumental slab of melancholic, melodic doom in the vein of Insomnium, Rapture, and Before the Dawn, and the material had depth, power, and gravitas. It seemed like the work of a seasoned and polished group of musicians despite some rough edges. The years have drifted by since that review, and I’d all but given up Ethereal Darkness for dead. Imagine my surprise when Lars reached out recently to alert me to the pending release of his second album, Echoes. 6 years on, the solo project is now a full-fledged band ready to tour in support of their latest release. And what a large release it is! At 60 minutes, Echoes takes the style from the debut and goes way bigger, with much longer compositions and greater ambition in the writing. If that’s not big enough, it also features cover art from Adam Burke and a production from Dan “The Fücking Man” Swanö!1 Is bigger better in this case? Can more really be MOAR? And how are these guys still unsigned?? These are the questions of our time.
It takes ample ballsack to open with a nearly 11-minute song, but Ethereal Darkness do just that with “Gone With the Tide.” If the atmosphere on Smoke and Shadows impressed you, this will knock you into the next multiverse. It’s an epic, sweeping tableau of massive melodoom that holds nothing back as it transports you to majestic forests and towering mountains of snow and ice. It recalls the best works of Be’lakor and Black Sun Aeon, but there’s plenty of Insomnium in the DNA too. The guitarwork is phenomenal, full of sadboi trilling and doomy weight. The death vocals by Lars are very effective, the clean singing by acoustic guitarist Brecht hits the right way, and the lapses into blastbeating blackness are well-timed adrenaline spikes. This is a stupendous song and one of the best so far this year, and it goes by in a flash despite its girth. “The Cycle” continues to maintain the sky-high quality. It’s like a crazy mash-up of Eneferens and modern Amorphis, and you should pay big money for such a potent potable. It’s the kind of song you get lost in and lose track of time, and when you write songs in the 8-10 minute window, this is essential.
Elsewhere, “Winter” moves toward more blackened environs, channeling Saor and Nechochwen as epic soundscapes are raised and explored. The guitars here are beautifully rendered, and it’s another triumph for this unheralded project. Equally monolithic is “On the Edge of the Cliff,” where the music turns more aggressive and urgent, merging black and melodeath idioms adroitly for maximum impact. There’s an epic Viking metal energy here that makes you want to conquer and rule the weak, and it feels dangerously powerful. Despite so much magnificent opulence and aural decadence, there are some weaker moments. “IV” is very, very good and hints at my beloved Rapture, but it ends up feeling too long at 9:45, and trimming it by a few minutes would have helped. Ginormous closer “Realization” runs over 13 minutes, and despite good to great moments throughout, it’s undone by its sheer width and breadth. In its final minutes, I find it increasingly difficult to stay locked in and attentive. At just over 60 minutes, Echoes can be a daunting listen due to its density and length, but the reward is well worth the effort. I can’t find fault with the Swanö-ified production, as everything sounds lush, gorgeous, and heavy without being loud or oppressive.
Lars handles guitar, bass, keyboards, and harsh vocals, and to say he did an amazing job across the board doesn’t begin to cover it. There are some big, emotional moments here courtesy of his 6-string heroics, referencing the works of Tuomas Saukkonen without imitating. His deep death roars punctuate the music with force, and his blackened cackles and screams pierce through like lasers. His restrained use of keyboards should be a case study for other acts in the genre. They add atmosphere but rarely rise out of the distant background. Becht provides soothing acoustic guitar passages and clean vocals that deliver pathos and emotion. Peter’s drumming is a vast improvement over the programmed percussion from the debut, imbuing the material with vibrancy and weight. Applause all around for this crew!
Echoes is a bigger, better album than Smoke and Shadows in every way, with several tracks worthy of Song o’ the Year consideration. The album length and the bloat on a few tracks hold it back from even greater heights, but just barely. This is a sumptuous feast for the ears and mind, and I get the feeling I’ll be spending a lot of time with this over the next few months. Ethereal Darkness are about to get a lot more attention in the metalverse, and they deserve it. Hear this massive monster or be a lesser mortal. Somebody better sign these guys toot-sweet!
Rating: 4.0/5.0
DR: NA | Format Reviewed: WAV
Label: Self-Release
Websites: etherealdarkness.bandcamp.com | facebook.com/etherealplace | instagram.com/etherealdarknessband
Releases Worldwide: March 20th, 2026
The post Ethereal Darkness – Echoes Review appeared first on Angry Metal Guy.
Toxicity is widely considered System Of A Down’s best album due to its balance of chaos, melody, and cultural impact.
System Of A Down has one of the most debated discographies in metal—I’ve revisited these albums more times than I can count, and the order never stays locked.
Five releases. No filler stretch. No obvious drop-off.
Just a catalog that keeps getting reinterpreted depending on when you hit play.
This ranking is based on:
This isn’t about labeling anything as weak.
It’s about where each album lands when everything is stacked together.
Best Song: Holy Mountains
Why It Lands Here:
Hypnotize often feels like a continuation rather than a standalone statement.
There are strong ideas throughout, but the pacing doesn’t always hit with the same precision as the band’s top-tier releases. Some songs take longer to connect, and the overall flow can feel uneven compared to its counterpart.
Still, when it lands, it lands hard. “Holy Mountains” is one of the most emotionally charged tracks the band has ever written, carrying weight that few bands could pull off this effectively. Even at the bottom of this list, the album still delivers moments that stand with their best work.
Best Song: A.D.D. (American Dream Denial)
Why It Lands Here:
Steal This Album! exists in a different lane than the rest of the catalog.
Built from leaked sessions, it carries a raw, almost chaotic energy that doesn’t always follow a tight structure. That unpredictability is part of its appeal, but it also makes the album feel less cohesive when compared to their more focused releases.
Tracks like “A.D.D.” and “Innervision” hit with urgency and intent, showing flashes of the band at full power. It’s an album that rewards repeat listens, even if it doesn’t feel as unified as what surrounds it.
Best Song: Sugar
Why It Lands Here:
The debut is pure instability in the best possible way.
There’s no attempt to smooth anything out. It’s aggressive, unpredictable, and completely unconcerned with fitting into any existing mold. That’s exactly why it stood out immediately.
“Sugar” remains one of the band’s defining tracks, while “Spiders” shows a different side that hinted at what was coming next. It lands here not because it lacks impact, but because the albums above it refined this chaos into something even sharper.
Best Song: B.Y.O.B.
Why It Lands Here:
Mezmerize hits immediately and doesn’t let go.
The pacing is tight, the songwriting is focused, and the balance between aggression and melody is dialed in. It’s one of the most accessible records the band has made without losing what makes them distinct.
“B.Y.O.B.” alone carries massive weight, but the consistency across the album is what pushes it this high. For many listeners, this is the version of System Of A Down that feels the most complete.
Best Song: Chop Suey!
Why It Lands Here:
Toxicity is where everything aligned.
The songwriting is deliberate without feeling controlled. The production gives the band room to move while still sounding massive. And every track contributes to a record that feels complete from start to finish.
“Chop Suey!”, “Aerials”, and the title track didn’t just define the band—they expanded what metal could reach culturally. It’s rare for an album to hit this hard while still being this unpredictable.
This is the record that pushed System Of A Down into a completely different tier.
There isn’t a clear weak point in this catalog.
That’s what keeps this ranking open-ended.
Depending on the day, the order can shift—and that’s part of why these albums still get talked about the way they do.
Fans looking to catch metal bands live can explore current ticket listings here.
Do you keep Toxicity at number one, or does another album take that spot for you?
System Of A Down has released five studio albums.
Toxicity is their most commercially successful and widely recognized album.
They were recorded during the same sessions but released separately in 2005.
Yes, despite its origins from leaked material, it is an official release.
System Of A Down formed in the late 1990s and became one of the most distinctive bands in modern metal, blending political themes with unpredictable songwriting and achieving global success with Toxicity.
The post Every System Of A Down Album Ranked Worst To Best appeared first on Loaded Radio.
In 2024, Dave Grohl made an unexpected public announcement: “I’ve recently become the father of a new baby daughter, born outside my marriage. I plan to be a loving and supporting parent to her. I love my wife and my children, and I am doing everything I can to regain their trust and earn their forgiveness.” His band Foo Fighters canceled a headlining festival set, and he stayed out of the public eye until a surprise Nirvana reunion at an LA benefit a few months later. Now, Grohl is talking about it (or maybe talking around it) for the first time.
The post Dave Grohl Says He’s Been In 430 Therapy Sessions Since Fathering A Child Outside Of His Marriage appeared first on Stereogum.
Starr Special Events announces an all‑Australian, all‑star live music celebration
Ascot Racecourse will come alive with the soundtrack of Australian summers past and present as Starr Special Events proudly presents the End of Summer Concert, a one‑day live music spectacular featuring some of the most iconic and enduring names in Australian music.
Headlined by ARIA Hall of Fame inductee Daryl Braithwaite, the concert brings together a powerhouse lineup that spans generations, genres, and decades of chart‑topping hits. Set against the open‑air backdrop of Ascot Racecourse, the End of Summer Concert promises a feel‑good celebration of live music, nostalgia, and world‑class Australian talent.
Few artists are as deeply woven into the fabric of Australian music as Daryl Braithwaite. From his rise to superstardom as the frontman of 1970s phenomenon Sherbet, with enduring hits like Howzat and Summer Love, to his hugely successful solo career, Braithwaite’s catalogue reads like a greatest‑hits collection of Australian anthems. His landmark album Edge (1988) topped the ARIA Albums Chart and delivered classics As The Days Go By and One Summer, while The Horses from Rise (1990) became – and remains – one of the nation’s most beloved sing‑along anthems.
In recent years, Braithwaite has continued to prove his lasting relevance, from releasing new music such as Love Songs to sharing the stage with global stars, including a memorable duet of The Horses with Harry Styles at Sydney’s Accor Stadium. His performance at Ascot Racecourse is set to be one of the defining moments of the End of Summer Concert.
Joining Braithwaite are Baby Animals, one of Australia’s most successful and loved rock bands. Their self‑titled debut album remains one of the biggest in Australian music history, spending six weeks at number one, achieving eight‑times platinum status, and earning multiple ARIA Awards. More than three decades on, the band’s fire burns just as brightly, delivering timeless tracks like Early Warning, Rush You, and Painless with the same intensity that first captured the nation.
Also taking the stage is Mark Lizotte, better known as DIESEL, a true journeyman of Australian music. With a career spanning decades, multiple ARIA Awards, and a catalogue packed with hits including Tip Of My Tongue, Love Junk, and Come To Me, Diesel’s electrifying live
Thirsty Merc bring their unmistakable blend of pop‑rock hooks and heartfelt songwriting to the lineup. With fan favourites such as 20 Good Reasons, Someday Someday, and In The Summertime, the band remains a mainstay of Australian radio and live stages, still hungry to extend their legacy.
Adding depth and soul to the evening is Wendy Matthews, an Australian music icon celebrated for her expressive, emotive voice and timeless songs. From The Day You Went Away to Token Angels and Let’s Kiss, Matthews’ performances are known for their warmth, grace, and emotional connection.
Rounding out the bill is Jason Ayres, a rising voice blending alternative country, Americana, and rock influences. Known for anthemic melodies and heartfelt storytelling, Ayres brings a contemporary edge to the concert, drawing inspiration from artists such as John Mayer, Ryan Adams, and Keith Urban.
The End of Summer Concert at Ascot Racecourse is designed as a relaxed yet electrifying outdoor experience—an opportunity for music lovers to come together and celebrate Australian talent under the open sky. With a lineup stacked with hits, history, and heart, Starr Special Events promises a night that will resonate long after the final note fades.
For ticketing information, event updates, and announcements, stay tuned to official Starr Special Events channels.
The post End of Summer Concert Set to Light Up WA’s Ascot Racecourse appeared first on The Rockpit.
Internationally acclaimed vocalist Alissa White-Gluz returns with “Checkmate,” a striking new single that marks a powerful evolution in both sound and creative vision.
Beloved for her commanding presence in extreme metal, White-Gluz steps forward here with a renewed sense of freedom, fully embracing the breadth of her vocal range and artistic identity. “Checkmate” showcases a dynamic fusion of melody, heaviness, and razor-sharp precision, delivering a track that is as catchy as it is emotionally resonant. The crushing new single was written by Alissa White-Gluz, Alyssa Day, and Dani Sophia, and mixed and mastered by Kile Odell.
“This is a song where everything just clicked,” says White-Gluz. “Checkmate is an extremely cathartic song for me. It was created in one of those flow states where the lyrics and melodies and rhythms just write themselves, and you get the feeling that you’re onto something powerful. It’s probably the heaviest thing I’ve written in terms of lyrics, and probably the lightest of what we have cooking in terms of sound. I wanted to share the intensity of these feelings with fans and give them something to hold onto. I’m so happy to see so much support for Blue Medusa already; fans can look forward to more dark, heavy, brutal, and haunting music very soon.”
Beyond the music, “Checkmate” also highlights White-Gluz’s expanding role as a visual storyteller. Co-directing the music video with Vicente Cordero of Industrialism Films – whom she previously collaborated with on high-ranking videos for “The Wolf You Feed” with Nita Strauss and “I Am a Machine” with Kat Von D – she brings a cinematic, detail-driven approach that elevates the track into a fully immersive experience.
Built around a unique, outside-the-box concept developed by White-Gluz, the video unfolds within a game of chess, where each move carries deliberate allegory and layered symbolism.
“I know what every frame is for,” jokes White-Gluz. “I’ll share that someday, but for now, I welcome fans to dive deeper into the meaning and develop their own interpretations. That’s what makes videos and movies fun and interesting, in my opinion.”
The result is a release that feels both familiar and refreshingly new, bridging the gap between longtime fans of her work and listeners discovering her for the first time. “Checkmate” balances melody with intensity, offering a thought-provoking and emotionally charged entry point into what promises to be a bold new chapter.
The post ALISSA WHITE-GLUZ’s New Band BLUE MEDUSA Unveils Music Video For New Single “Checkmate” appeared first on Sonic Perspectives.