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It was a day like any other at the AMG water cooler when someone mentioned Necrosexual had a new album coming out. Ha, I ought to myself. I vaguely remembered reviewing the Philadelphia band’s Grim1 debut back in 2018, which I had slapped with a 1.5 due to its sloppy execution and lackluster production. Perhaps I expected too much from a band led by vocalist, guitarist, and bassist “The Necrosexual,” whose main claim to fame was doing interviews for Metal Injection and MetalSucks while clad in corpse paint. Let someone else take their new album, I thought to myself. I’m sure someone will get enticed by that band name. But week after week went by, and Road to Rubble sat in the promo bin like an unflushed quarter-turd in the office bathroom stall. Somewhere in my heart, I felt it had to be covered, and before I knew it, I had assigned it to myself. That color vomit artwork is certainly worse than the first album’s cover (which was already pretty bad), but given that The Necrosexual has taken eight years to release this second album, perhaps taking the plunge would be worth it?

Stylistically, not much has changed since Grim1. Necrosexual still play a comedic, sleazeball form of blackened punk-thrash that sounds something like a snottier version of early Celtic Frost or a PG-13 version of Shitfucker. On songs like the opener, “High Times in Hell,” the band deliver big, confident riffs over battering mid-tempo drums, all while The Necrosexual delivers his sneering roar. A few tracks also feature brief forays into genuine black metal, complete with frosty riffs underlaid by blast beats. In a move that vaguely calls to mind Devil Master, much of the album also features twinkling synth lines in the background, an effect that makes the second track, “The Brimstone Brothel,” sound like a Venom-inspired carnival ride from hell.

For all my gripes about Grim1, variety wasn’t one of them, and Road to Rubble features a similar level of diversity with a much higher level of quality. “Kiss the Knife” stands out with its catchy, sinister verses that feature the track title sung in a King Diamond-style falsetto, while the more straightforward “Lubricator” sounds like an alternate version of Morbid Tales where the dethroned emperor has become a sex slave. As the album progresses into its final third, things get more rock-esque, with the rhythms getting stompier, the leads getting more flamboyant, and the vocals getting more adventurous. “Damned Romance,” for example, is like a blackened 80s cock rock anthem that culminates with a chorus of deep crooning cleans that are impossible not to sing along with. The closer, “Hard Leather Woman,” gives off similar vibes while reminding me of Midnight with its gruff, semi-clean vocals.

If there’s any gripe I have with Road to Rubble, it’s that stacking so many slower songs in the album’s second half saps a bit of the energy generated by the quicker songs earlier in the record. By the time I’ve reached the eighth of these nine tracks, hearing another slow song like “Nocturnal Ignition” isn’t going to make me have a nocturnal emission anytime soon. Fortunately, the stellar production outweighs this quibble, with the guitars sounding full and vibrant, and the overall sound having a slightly raw edge while balancing everything well. The guitar solos are plentiful, colorful, and rocking, and the band sound like they’re enjoying the hell out of themselves over the entirety of these 35 minutes.

In revisiting Necrosexual with Road to Rubble, I initially wasn’t sure whether my taste had gotten worse or the band had gotten better. Turns out, it’s probably a little bit of the former and a whole lot of the latter. With this album, the band has maintained their penchant for variety while stepping things up in every way, with better songs, better performances, and a better production job. Beyond all that, this album just feels incredibly endearing, with a genuine, fun, and oddly timeless quality that makes Necrosexual sound like a band you want to both listen to and root for. For those who don’t mind a little humor and playfulness in their blackened thrash, I’d say this Road to Rubble is worth taking a ride down.

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Rating: 3.5/5.0
DR: 6 | Format Reviewed: PCM
Label: Black Metal Archives
Websites: necrosexual.bandcamp.com | facebook.com/grimmestofalltime
Releases Worldwide: February 27th, 2026

The post Necrosexual – Road to Rubble Review appeared first on Angry Metal Guy.

Today, Amor Fati Productions announces March 21st as the international release date for Aerdryk‘s highly anticipated second album, Onzuiver, on ​CD and vinyl LP formats. After a debut album released in 2022, steeped in the mischievous aura of ’90s atmospheric black metal, with a strong emphasis on ethereal keyboards and a deeply melodic bassline, Aerdryk – the solo project of C.V.B. […]

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The upcoming debutalbum from Kárlsen “Nannámii” is out the 17th of April – Pre-sale has started now The third single from Kárlsen’s upcoming album is his first collaboration with Ivar Beddari – the powerful work of art “Mátki – Matka – Mäʹtǩǩ – Ferden”. The title means “The Long Journey” in four languages: Northern Sámi, […]

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It is interesting how seeing an act live can put things in their music into a different perspective. The Smith/Kotzen show in London’s O2 Shepherd’s Bush Empire certainly did that for me. You will soon understand why.

Smith/Kotzen

O2 Shepherd’s Bush Empire – 21 February 2026

Words: Bogdan Bele

Photography: Steve Ritchie

Smith/Kotzen’s Glory Road

To use a Smith/Kotzen song title as a metaphor, the road to tonight’s show has not, as it usually does for this writer, involved a train. Due to the fact that the wonderful people maintaining the British rail system chose this specific Saturday for some works that stopped all trains on this route in their tracks (pun very much intended), this ended up being a drive.

It proved to be a blessing in disguise, as I got to have our editor, Mr. Steve Ritchie, the man responsible for the great visual side of this piece, along for the ride as my navigator. So we got to discuss all things music and MetalTalk. Not a bad way to travel at all, and living proof that something as trivial as trains will not stop MetalTalk.

We made our way to the venue in time for what certainly was a night to remember.

Smith/Kotzen made their way to the stage after Bad Company’s titular song played in the speakers and went straight into the excellent Life Unchained, from their new album, aptly called Black Light / White Noise.

And this is where what I was saying in the intro part hit me. This project is a sum of contrast and synergy. Adrian Smith and Richie Kotzen are both phenomenal guitar players, as well as excellent singers.

However, they are also very different in style, while complementing each other perfectly in a way that simply pulls you in. On one hand, you have the Iron Maiden axeman’s bluesy overtones, both vocally and as a guitar player. If you come into this purely as a Maiden fan, you certainly are in for a surprise.

On the other hand, you have Kotzen’s effervescent technique and incredible vocal range. All these things mix together in a band that has a very interesting structure, in the sense that it has two lead singers, both doubling as lead guitarists.

They duet or alternate vocals on all the songs, and the different styles of singing work incredibly well together.

There is also no sign of the clash of egos that happens when two monster guitar players are in the room. Smith/Kotzen songs are designed to allow them both a lot of space to shine, while remaining songs, rather than technical showcases.

Now, it is very obvious that a lot of the people following this project have landed here from the two gentlemen’s day jobs. They might come from the Iron Maiden crowd, in Smith’s case, or Richie Kotzen’s solo stuff, or The Winery Dogs, or Mr. Big even, for that matter.

It would be simple to take the easy way and throw in a lot of material from any of those. However, Smith/Kotzen is a band in its own right, without ignoring its roots (more on that later).

The setlist is almost exclusively formed of tracks from this project’s two albums and one EP (so far, as there is no reason to let it go, to loosely paraphrase a line from Taking My Chances).

The latest record gets a proper showing, with six tracks played. Richie Kotzen does remark how great it is to finally be out on the road with this latest record. It has been close to a year since its release, after all. It is perfectly understandable that their other lives get in the way, but it would have been a shame not to, with how good the record is.

Apart from the ones mentioned, I love the live version of White Noise, a song talking about making oneself heard in the digital white noise around us all.

The sound is not fantastic to begin with, but it does not take very long to improve. Life Unchained, followed by Black Light, allows everyone on stage to show what they can do.

One must remark that it is easier to shine when you are sitting on such a great groove platform, provided by the exceptional rhythm section of Julia Lage on bass and excellent backing vocals at a few points (also happening to be Mr Kotzen’s wife), and Bruno Valverde on drums.

The show just comes to demonstrate the diversity of what these two gentlemen create when they work together. From bluesier numbers like Glory Road to proper rockers like Got A Hold On Me, it is all in there, with proper catchy tunes, like Taking My Chances, as well as Hate &
Love, in between.

And since I mentioned Got A Hold On Me, it is admirable how they make their way through Julia’s bass amp deciding to stop cooperating mid-song. They soldier through the track while attempts to repair things are made, to no avail.

As Adrian Smith remarks, these things happen when everything is live. And indeed it is. After a short break and a Marshall head being put in the place of the fallen hero, everything resumes and sounds just fine.

One of my highlights is definitely Scars, an emotional track, and the one that truly got me into Smith/Kotzen.

But the night is not over without a surprise. Last time I saw them, some three years ago, Nicko McBrain joined on drums as a special guest. So why ruin a great tradition of having Maiden guests in London?

Some in the room seem to have noticed what was about to come, but Smith jokes that there are no guests and goes into the next track.

However, right after that, they invite the one and only Bruce Dickinson on stage, for a Wasted Years to remember, sung together with everyone in attendance.

To top it all off, we also get a great rendition of what is probably Richie Kotzen’s best-known solo track, You Can’t Save Me.

If there is a conclusion to all this, it is that that is how rock ‘n’ roll should be. Truly and entirely live, with great playing and exceptional vocals.

Adrian Smith On 2026 Smith/Kotzen Tour, Knebworth And Urchin

The post Smith/Kotzen Ignite O2 Shepherd’s Bush Empire With True Synergy first appeared on MetalTalk – Heavy Metal News, Reviews and Interviews.

Turnstile have announced that they will be playing a special UK headline show this Summer, hopefully in the glorious sunshine.

The band will be taking over Halifax’s Piece Hall, a 5500 capacity outdoor venue, on August 26. It is an exclusive headline show from the band, who will also be playing at All Points East on August 28 as support for Tyler, The Creator.

Tickets will be on sale from February 27 at 10am

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A post shared by The Piece Hall (@thepiecehall)

The announcement comes hot on the heels of the band’s wonderful GRAMMY achievements. Hardcore’s biggest exports picked up two awards, Best Rock Album for ‘NEVER ENOUGH’ and Best Metal Performance for ‘Birds’. When it came to Best Rock Album, they were up against Deftones’ ‘Private Music’, Haim’s ‘I Quit’, Linkin Park’s ‘From Zero’ and YUNGBLUD’s ‘Idols’

Whilst collecting the statue, vocalist Brendan Yates celebrated the community that raised them, saying, “The community we found through punk and hardcore music has given us a safe place to swing in the dark and land somewhere beautiful. So to our family, our friends, our partners, our peers, to Baltimore – thank you, we love you.”

They also won Best Metal Performance for ‘BIRD’, which was up against Spiritbox’s ‘Soft Spine’, Sleep Token’s ‘Emergence’, Ghost’s ‘Lachryma’ and Dream Theater’s ‘Night Terror’.

The post Turnstile Announce UK Outdoor Headline Show appeared first on Rock Sound.

Posted on February 23rd 2026, 12:00p.m.

If you’ve been digging through the scene looking for something that defies simple categorization, Collector’s Edition is a name you need to memorize. Their latest single, “Sucking Me In,” is a marvelous blend of alternative rock, soul, and R&B, feeling like a breath of fresh air in a scene often stifled by genre tropes. This […]

If you’ve been digging through the scene looking for something that defies simple categorization, Collector’s Edition is a name you need to memorize. Their latest single, “Sucking Me In,” is a marvelous blend of alternative rock, soul, and R&B, feeling like a breath of fresh air in a scene often stifled by genre tropes. This […]

Joe Clancy – drummer with the magnificent Vardis – messaged me about another band he’s involved with called Melodic Meltdown. Quite timely given the recent news about the upcoming Vardis 100MPH 79 Revisited album coming in April and we have the New Wave of British Heavy Metal connection with Melodic Meltdown given Joe’s drumming for […]

The post Melodic Meltdown: Touching Eternity first appeared on New Wave of British Heavy Metal.

If you’re on the hunt for a track that captures the raw essence of the underground while maintaining a sophisticated edge, My Computer has delivered a massive statement with “Bed Song.” This is an incredible piece of music that refuses to be pinned down to just one subgenre. Instead, it expertly bleeds the lines between […]