It’s been four and a half years since the Montreal post-punk band Ought broke up and two of the four members went on to form a new group called Cola with U.S. Girls collaborator Evan Cartwright. In that time, Cola have hit the ground running, releasing two albums and a bunch of extra tracks like…
The post Cola Announce New Album <em>Cost Of Living Adjustment</em>: Hear “Hedgesitting” appeared first on Stereogum.
Silver Lining Music [Release date : 20.02.26] Michael Monroe is on his 13th album now, with the same lineup as last half dozen or so, Steve Conte, Sam Yaffa, Rich Jones and Karl Rockvist, and so you expect more of … Continue reading
The post Album review : MICHAEL MONROE – Outerstellar appeared first on Get Ready to ROCK!.
It feels like we’ve been talking about this band forever, but it’s finally happened — supergroup Sun Dont Shine (formerly Eye Am) has announced the release date to their debut album From Birth To Death. And live every other time we’ve talked about this band, they dropped a new single from that upcoming release.
Set to drop on April 1 via Corpse Paint Records, From Birth To Death will feature all of the singles they’ve previously released, along with a number of other tunes as well. Normally I’d be able to tell you how many tracks and a little more about the release, but they’ve kept that information close to the chest for some reason…
The doomy, sludgey group is comprised of Crowbar frontman Kirk Windstein on guitar, former Crowbar bassist Todd Strange, and ex-Type O Negative members Kenny Hickey on lead vocals/guitar and Johnny Kelly on drums. So far, it’s been a hell of a project that’s already put out some serious bangers like “Dreams Always Die With The Sun” and “Coming Down”.
This time around, they released a new song with “Power To Live”. Written by Hickey and Windstein, the track apparently came about from a “conversation around the single’s striking cover art, when Hickey remarked how shameful it is that, as human beings, we still haven’t evolved beyond killing one another.”
“The track is a challenge to the times we’re living in. [It’s] an insistence on survival and consciousness in the face of cycles that refuse to break.”
You can check out the newest single “Power To Live” below and hold tight for preorder information for the new record. We’ll share it when we know more.
The post Sun Dont Shine Release “Power To Live”, Announce Debut Album Release Date appeared first on MetalSucks.
Self-releasing an album is a monumental effort. Between production, distribution, artwork, press, yadda yadda yadda, the logistical weight quickly consumes vast amounts of time, money and energy. And that’s before you factor in the arduous task of creating music that’s actually fucking good. Indeed, for a young band, initial encounters are everything, which means it behooves one to ensure everything is as polished and professional as possible. Desoration understands this.1 The Christchurch, New Zealand five-piece submitted their debut album, NON, via AMG’s contact form, catching my eye with their professional-grade press kit. Since their 2020 formation, the group has been refining their identity, with 2024’s Apotechnosis EP introducing Desoration’s techy blend of melodic death metal. NON aims to take this to a new level, weaving symphonic textures into their deathly foundation alongside a narrative that charts a protagonist’s descent from modern despair into an otherworldly transformation, culminating in their emergence as a “nemessiah” who brings about the total annihilation of the corporeal plane.2 Will NON’s ambition be a non-starter? Or will it be a non-negotiable addition to your playlist?
Puns aside, NON frequently oscillates between melodic death and symphonic black metal. Tracks like “Corporealisation Threshold,” “Deadened and Scarified” and “Excoriating Reality” channel the guitar-forward spirit of Omnium Gatherum or Mors Principium Est, while others are forged in the cold 90s-era symphonic black mold of yore (“Black Dawn,” “The Befouled Ziggurat of Non”). Desoration even finds room to pepper in the punchy, rhythmic grooves of Lamb of God (“Beyond the Veil of Sleep”) or the operatic brutality of Fleshgod Apocalypse (“Singularity Ritual,” “Interitus the Herald of Ruin”). Regardless of NON’s stylistic lean, Desoration fortifies every note with pinpoint accuracy, as high-velocity picking, assaulting blasts and syncopated chugging underpin dramatic synchestral flourishes. The orchestral arrangements act as NON’s nexus, fueling the record’s kinetic energy with both urgency and dramatic intensity. Though Desoration’s sound doesn’t break new ground, the formula works as a whole, relying on instrumental prowess to keep the listener locked in.
Great albums live or die by their songwriting, and the writing on NON is solid. “Singularity Ritual,” “Those Who Dwell in Darkness” and “Interitus the Herald of Ruin” thrive on sharp hooks, cavalry-charge gallops and solos brimming with bright, sweeping scales that put Desoration’s talent on full display. “Corporealisation Threshold,” in particular, reaches its zenith during a synchronized closing battery of percussive riffing and double-kick work. It’s a necessary jolt of energy that arrives just in time, delivering the adrenaline spike I found myself chasing through the preceding tracks. While the writing isn’t perfectly consistent across all eleven songs—”Beyond the Veil of Sleep,” for instance, lacks hooks and “Black Dawn” is far too long—NON overcomes these lulls through Desoration’s sheer talent and an obvious command of the melodic death sound.
Favoring a synthetic sheen, NON’s main weakness is its production. While a sterilized production style is a common aesthetic that many bands seemingly adopt for convenience, here it results in an overly digitized sound that quickly becomes tiresome. In fact, I spent my entire time with NON craving the dynamics Desoration abandoned in the editing room. Aean Campbell’s vocals are adept and hit all the standard death beats, but they sit so far forward in the mix that they drown out much of the instrumental nuance, particularly the guitars. The biggest tragedy, however, is the drums. Bennett Jones’ performance itself is stellar, but the tones are a disaster. The toms sound thin, and the cymbals are a wash of static. It honestly sounds like they plugged in a Roland electronic kit, hit “record” and called it a day. It’s a shame that low-effort tones bury such high-level playing. I understand the necessity of working within tight constraints to achieve a pro sound on an indie budget, but production this over-processed takes a toll on my feathery ears.
Desoration is a young act that radiates promise and NON proves these Kiwis possess the pedigree to compete globally. It’s frustrating that the production prevents the album from reaching its full potential. However, if you can look past this blemish, you’ll find a good melodic death record with solid songwriting and impressive performances full of symphonic carnage. NON firmly establishes Desoration as a group to watch.
Rating: Good
DR: 5 | Format Reviewed: PCM
Label: Self-Released
Websites: desoration.bandcamp.com | desoration.com | facebook.com/desorationmetal
Releases Worldwide: February 6th, 2026
The post Desoration – NON Review appeared first on Angry Metal Guy.
Adrian .
The post Adrian Vandenberg open to doing another Manic Eden album at some point first appeared on Sleaze Roxx.
[Album artwork by Mario López]
You would never know the very USPM-sounding Leatherhead are Greek. Yet here we are, reviewing Leatherhead’s sophomore effort, the bluntly titled Violent Horror Stories, which is … you guessed it, eight scary tales delivered in that specifically non-specific power-meets-speed-meets-heavy metal fashion of the band’s American forefathers. Lesser bands might work this formula into something of a tribute. Fortunately, anchored by their high-register and charismatic singer, Leatherhead are no such band, treating tradition-minded devotees to their own brand of well-written and direct heavy metal.
Leatherhead’s curiously uncommon, somewhat amorphous but always quite traditional sound is their pull. That Agent Steel, Riot, Helstar, and Vicious Rumors are frequent cross-references – as opposed to newer bands – isn’t all that surprising. For whatever reason, early USPM isn’t inspiring as many bands as, say, more epic, progressive, or British waves. Thankfully, Leatherhead are so inspired and carry the mantle forward.
More important than the inspiration alone, Leatherhead are adept at writing their own memorable songs. Most, like album-opener “V.H.S.,” are lean in fat, their impression resting more on a few select riffs, a strong hook, and a tasteful lead. Some certainly stand out more than others. “Crimson Eyes,” in particular, finds Leatherhead at their best – Mekras navigating an especially hooky riff on a relatively simple but effective tune. It’s the sort of accessible song that compels repeat listens and often results in listening to the whole album anyway. It’s also Mekras at his best; mostly polished and on target with just a hint of unhinged for flair.
Leatherhead continue to occupy an important and, unfortunately, mostly vacant space in the metal realm. There aren’t a ton of non-legacy bands playing in this specific style. That Leatherhead play this specific style with this amount of aplomb is a benefit to all, but a particular benefit to those who crave original, hooky, and well-written USPM-style songs. With Violent Horror Stories, Leatherhead inch a little bit closer to crafting their own genre classic.
The post Leatherhead – Violent Horror Stories Review appeared first on Last Rites.
SIIICKBRAIN has dropped a new single and video, PALO SANTO.
Following her recent collab with Skrillex on his 2026 EP Kora, the artist otherwise known as Caroline Miner Smith has released a new alt. electro banger via NOWHERE Recordings in partnership with Pale Chord/Rise Records BMG.
If that label sounds familiar to you, it’s because NOWHERE is run by former Code Orange chaps Jami Morgan and Eric ‘Shade’ Balderose under their NOWHERE2RUN banner. Indeed, the frontman told us last autumn that, “We work with and curate other things like SIIICKBRAIN, who was one of the first artists we signed to our NOWHERE Recordings label and she’ll have her own record coming out [in 2026].”
If this is the first taste of that, get excited…
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Posted on February 18th 2026, 2:00p.m.