Nashville-based modern rock artist J NOIRE has officially signed to Vaux Records, one of the first acts to join the newly formed label created by former Rise Records founder and owner Craig Ericson.
Commenting on joining the label, J NOIRE says:
“When the owner of Vaux Records moved onto my mom’s street, I had no idea it would lead to where we are today. It’s a total dream come true, feels like a scene from a movie.“
The signing marks a major milestone for both J NOIRE and Vaux Records, sparking early excitement fueled by Ericson’s enduring impact on the rock and alternative scene and his reputation for cultivating artists into international successes.
J NOIRE introduces his sound with the debut single “Radiate,” a preview of what’s to come from his forthcoming EP, Prometheus, due out later this year.
Blending elements of modern rock, pop, metal, and industrial influences, J NOIRE crafts a sound that is both emotionally resonant and sonically commanding. Drawing inspiration from artists such as Nine Inch Nails, A Perfect Circle, and Bad Omens, the project also appeals to fans of Bring Me The Horizon and Breaking Benjamin, while maintaining a distinct identity rooted in authenticity and intensity.
Giving context to the track, J NOIRE adds:
“It’s a song about hope, and these days I feel like we need songs to remind people that there’s ALWAYS hope, love, and purpose in life. We all deserve that spark, something that radiates.“
J NOIRE’s journey has shaped the project’s creative direction. Raised on rock music and beginning guitar at the age of five, he spent years developing his craft before relocating to Nashville, where he performed professionally as a guitarist on Broadway. While that experience sharpened his musicianship, he ultimately sought a more personal artistic outlet.
A pivotal connection with Ericson helped bring the vision to life, resulting in the launch of Vaux Records and the development of the project’s debut material. Working alongside producer Ryan Furlott, he created a collection of songs that balance vulnerability with striking production.
Now joined by bassist Stevens Stokes and drummer Danny Laverde, J NOIRE’s vision has come to fruition, ready to introduce his dynamic sound to a wider audience.
With “Radiate,” J NOIRE delivers a powerful first statement, an introduction that signals both artistic intent and a bold new chapter ahead.
I have admired George Lynch’s guitar playing ever since I first listened to Dokken’s “Under Lock and Key”. He added a lot to the album and was a fundamental part of Dokken’s success. Later on with Lynch Mob, the guitar virtuoso continued to produce timeless classics, with the debut album remaining a career highlight. What… Continue Reading →
Almost any night spent at LA’s Wiltern Theater is a good one. You can tell you’re getting close to a good time when the aqua blue terra cotta tile building with the huge neon marquee comes into view. The 95-year-old art deco venue holds 2300 people for concerts, has pristine sound, and has hosted everyone – Madonna, David Bowie, Prince – and countless others – tonight’s artist would be a little louder.
Sepultura
You could tell Friday was a big night, because the line on fans waiting to get in stretched down Wilshire Blvd and around the block. There was obvious excitement in the air, and looking at the Wiltern’s massive neon marquee and seeing SEPULTURA – SOLD OUT provided the explanation. This was Sepultura’s last-ever show in America, and people were beyond excited to see the last stop on the “Celebrating Life Through Death” tour, before it heads to Europe for the summer, and culminates in one final show in Brazil in November – if you lived in North America and wanted to see Sepultura, this was your last chance.
Sepultura formed in Brazil in 1984, and have made a huge impact serving as Brazil’s metal ambassador to the rest of the world. There have been lineup changes through the years, and the current roster isn’t the same one that started things off 40-plus years ago, but people want to hear these songs live, and they were delivered beyond expectation on Friday.
For all of its art deco finery, and seemingly hoity toity environment for which it was built, the Wiltern Theater is no stranger to heavy shows, and Friday night was no exception. The mosh pits were ferocious, and only limited by the confines of the space. People were there to say goodbye to their favorite band in grand style, and enjoy the show in all the various ways metal fans do. In return, Sepultura delivered a blistering nineteen song set featuring songs from nine albums. Dave Grohl added to the night by playing a floor tom during the drum-circle-esque rendition of “Kaiowas”, but celebrity musicians aside, the night was rightly about Sepultura. They were in amazing form all night, and appropriately finished off both the night and their incredible history of playing live in America with an explosive rendition of “Roots Bloody Roots”
Sepultura is:
Andreas Kisser – Guitar
Derrick Green – Vocals
Paulo Jr. – Bass
Greyson Nekrutman – Drums
Setlist:
1) Inner Self
2) All Souls Rising
3) Desperate Cry
4) Kairos
5) Means to an End
6) Attitude
7) Against
8) Choke
9) The Place
10) Escape to the Void
11) Kaiowas
12) Dead Embryonic Cells
13) Slave New World
14) Beyond the Dream
15) Territory
16) Refuse/Resist
17) Arise
18) Ratamahatta
19) Roots Bloody Roots
Exodus
You know you’re at a great show when people are just as excited to see the opening bands as they are the headliner, and that was the case tonight. Pioneers of Bay Area thrash, Exodus formed in 1979, and crushed it on Friday just as hard as they did back in the day. Their new album Goliath came out a couple of weeks ago, and fans were treated to two new songs from the album – “3111” and “Goliath”.
Exodus is known for blazing fast guitar shredding, raw aggression, and sticking to their thrash roots – there was never a phase where fans complained about them cutting their hair, or selling out – Exodus was only interested in getting heavier, faster, and pushing the boundary of musical brutality.
When the lights came up and guitar legend Gary Holt emerged from the darkness on stage left, it was impossible to look away, except that in addition to Gary’s bludgeoning guitar pyrotechnics, four other uber-talented musicians were holding down their own section of stage real estate. Rob, Lee, Jack, and Tom all added their vital parts to the mix that is Exodus – a band with the sole goal and purpose of kicking ass. Song after crushing song went by, and the fans responded as only Exodus fans do – take a look at the photo with the long-exposure of the mosh pit – it’s a timelapse of a constantly moving sea of circling fans driven by the music screaming out of the amps and PA system, and perfectly sums up what the night was about. This is what the crowd came for, and Exodus was more than happy to deliver.
Exodus is:
Gary Holt – Guitar
Rob Dukes – Vocals
Lee Altus – Guitar
Jack Gibson – Bass
Tom Hunting – Drums
Setlist:
1) 3111
2 Bonded by Blood
3) Deathamphetamine
4) Blacklist
5) Goliath
6) A Lesson in Violence
7) The Toxic Waltz
8) Strike of the Beast
Biohazard
Biohazard first came on my radar when I shot their video for “Authority” in 1996. They had started in Brooklyn a decade prior, and were pioneers in fusing genres not often associated with each other. Years before Nu metal bands like Limp Bizkit and Korn came on the scene, Biohazard was ripping it up with Onyx and Cyprus Hill, and creating new sounds and beats out of seemingly disparate music like hardcore punk, metal, and hip-hop.
Biohazard had a relatively short set, but they made the most out of it. Five of the six songs played were from 1992’s fan favorite Urban Discipline, and the band played them like there was no tomorrow. This is music that was made to be played loud, and shared in the dark with thousands of metal friends, and Biohazard delivered on this promise in spades. These guys have been playing together for decades, and understand that it’s important to not only deliver on the music, but also to put on a show. Billy with his jumps, a shirtless Evan looking like he’s reporting to central casting for a Marvel movie, Danny killing it behind the kit, and Bobby burning up his fretboard song after song. Biohazard is a fantastic live band, and they showcased what it is that makes them so special after all of these years.
Necrosonic Festival returns to the Mansfield Tavern on Saturday, August 22 2026, and the full lineup has been revealed to the masses! With dual headliners Rivers of Nihil (USA) and our very own Psycroptic, alongside exclusive reunions, one-off performances and long-awaited resurrections ~ this year’s ritual is the most formidable yet. With a massive deference […]
Melbourne hard rock outfit Riff Raiders return with Broken Halo, the latest single from their long-awaited third album Welcome To Mars, due out June 7.
Blending modern hard rock with big hooks, sharp riffs and an unmistakable live energy, Riff Raiders have quietly built a strong reputation on the Australian scene since forming in 2017. Their explosive live shows and relentless early run of gigs saw them shortlisted for Best Punk / Rock Act at the 2021 Music Victoria Awards, while support slots alongside acts including D-A-D, Baby Animals, The Poor and The Lazys helped cement them as one of Melbourne’s most dependable live bands.
The band released their debut album, Live Like You Mean It, in 2017 and their second album, Rock and Roll Daydream, hit just as the world went into lockdown in 2020 and it wasn’t until 2024 that they released the first single, Nothing To Lose from their forthcoming third album. The two-and-a-half-minute banger came complete with amazing music video shot at ABC Southbank using some of the original lights that cooked guests on Australia’s favourite music television program, Countdown (1974-1987).
February this year saw the second single and title track of the album, Welcome to Mars drop, much to fans’ delight, with over 30,000 views on YouTube in the first month. A tongue-in cheek flavoured rock track that plays with the band’s absence from the scene and society’s lack of concern about the planet.
And that brings you up to date.
Broken Halo explodes from the get-go with a huge riff, massive guitar hooks and a chorus that lifts you up out of your seat by the hair. A gritty, darker side to the band is exposed with this tune, exploring themes of greed, infidelity and gluttony.
“Give me all the love you’ve stolen / Bring me all the apples in the cart” and “No one seems to care, but I’m not going there, Too many bitches gonna spoil the party”…
The Trailer for the video which prior to release had ignited plenty of controversy with its AI generated visuals. One comment stated: “The music is 100% real – raw, atmospheric, and built for impact. The AI clip? Straight-up next level. Perfect example of how AI visuals can elevate real artists without replacing them. If you’re into AI video generation, cinematic prompting, or just discovering music that actually slaps, this one’s worth your time.”
And who knows where this will take their music for future releases as they embrace GenAI visuals?
Welcome To Mars the album will be released on June 7 and as the band’s raiding name suggests, it features 11 tracks from almost every rock flavour. From the darker depths of Broken Halo to the punchy title track, swampy rock of Climbing the Walls, three-part power pop smoker, Feels Like Something, then on to touch the sides of psychedelic grunge with Sound Mirror, you’ll have a new favourite song every time you spin it.
Riff Raiders will play their first show since 2023 with a special appearance at the Rock Is Not Dead 3 Festival
Friday, August 28: Prince of Wales, Melbourne Tickets
Riff Raiders are for fans of: Halestorm, The Darkness, Muse and Cheap Trick
Reviewed: June 1, 2026 Released: April 24, 2026, Non Serviam Records Rating: 4/5 Reviewer: The Elitist Metalhead Blackened death metal is a funny thing sometimes. […]
Reviewed: June 1, 2026 Released: May 22, 2026, Nuclear Blast Records Rating: 5/5 Reviewer: The Elitist Metalhead I have a confession, I love Dimmu Borgir. […]
Reviewed: June 1, 2026 Released: June 12, 2026, Rotted Life Records Rating: 4.5/5.0 Reviewer: The Elitist Metalhead Some of the blends of styles and sub […]
Reviewed: June 1, 2026 Released: April 24, 2026, Hammerheart Records Rating: 4.5/5.0 Reviewer: The Elitist Metalhead 2026 is going to wind up being the year […]
Necrosonic Festival returns to the Mansfield Tavern on Saturday, August 22 2026, and the full lineup has been revealed to the masses! With dual headliners Rivers of Nihil (USA) and our very own Psycroptic, alongside exclusive reunions, one-off performances and long-awaited resurrections ~ this year’s ritual is the most formidable yet. With a massive deference […]