Side-One – Be Happy Be Lucky (CD) Japan, Land des Rock’n’Roll und des Rockabilly. Ernsthaft! Die Anzahl Bands aus diesem Genre ist erstaunlich und viele

This year has sucked so bad. Sure, there have been some good times. I got to attend two weddings and see some of my favourite people get married. I’ve been to great festivals and gigs and got to cross two bands I had never seen before off of the bucket list. But unfortunately those good times have been heavily outweighed by the bad. However, like always, when times are hard I turned to music. “When I’ve got the music, I’ve got a place to go” etc. etc. 

When I started CPRW all those many years ago, it was to give back to a community that had given me so much. I used to get really frustrated by other websites/blogs/zines that started out as a way of supporting DIY punk rock and then got (in my opinion) quite rubbish. Taking the DIY punk approach to things, if you don’t like something then do it yourself.

Before writing this next bit, I want to preface it by saying that I am fully aware that music and all other forms of art are subjective and that’s the beauty of it. I love a chat about my favourite music with people who think I’m talking nonsense. It’s a big part of the fun, especially coming from a genre of music that is quite niche and not what most people would consider cool. But I read some end of year lists recently and it got me frustrated again. Where is all the DIY punk rock that these sites used to champion? Who’s shouting about the true scene these days? I had had a bad day and for some reason this put me in a really bad mood. Full on stroppy Colin. It was an overreaction from a nearly 40 year old man I am happy to admit. However, it did inspire me to do my own list of my favourite albums of 2025.

Whereas I haven’t listened to over 500 albums released this year, like I did the year previous, I have managed to listen to well over 100 punk rock albums. So I think I’m pretty well placed to give an opinion on what I think are the top releases of the year. And I am going to mention, once again, before anyone shouts at me that I am fully aware that music is subjective. My list will definitely be different to yours, and yours will be different to Belinda in the post office, and Belinda’s will be different to Rhea’s at the supermarket, and so on and so forth. I always liked to do these lists to inspire people to go and check out any albums that they may have missed and shout about some bands and releases that I love. Giving back to the community that has supported me so much.

Fight Me IRL. by Fight Me IRL. (Denmark)

This year has sucked so bad. Sure, there have been some good times. I got to attend two weddings and see some of my favourite people get married. I’ve been to great festivals and gigs and got to cross two bands I had never seen before off of the bucket list. But unfortunately those good times have been heavily outweighed by the bad. However, like always, when times are hard I turned to music. “When I’ve got the music, I’ve got a place to go” etc. etc. 

When I started CPRW all those many years ago, it was to give back to a community that had given me so much. I used to get really frustrated by other websites/blogs/zines that started out as a way of supporting DIY punk rock and then got (in my opinion) quite rubbish. Taking the DIY punk approach to things, if you don’t like something then do it yourself.

Before writing this next bit, I want to preface it by saying that I am fully aware that music and all other forms of art are subjective and that’s the beauty of it. I love a chat about my favourite music with people who think I’m talking nonsense. It’s a big part of the fun, especially coming from a genre of music that is quite niche and not what most people would consider cool. But I read some end of year lists recently and it got me frustrated again. Where is all the DIY punk rock that these sites used to champion? Who’s shouting about the true scene these days? I had had a bad day and for some reason this put me in a really bad mood. Full on stroppy Colin. It was an overreaction from a nearly 40 year old man I am happy to admit. However, it did inspire me to do my own list of my favourite albums of 2025.

Whereas I haven’t listened to over 500 albums released this year, like I did the year previous, I have managed to listen to well over 100 punk rock albums. So I think I’m pretty well placed to give an opinion on what I think are the top releases of the year. And I am going to mention, once again, before anyone shouts at me that I am fully aware that music is subjective. My list will definitely be different to yours, and yours will be different to Belinda in the post office, and Belinda’s will be different to Rhea’s at the supermarket, and so on and so forth. I always liked to do these lists to inspire people to go and check out any albums that they may have missed and shout about some bands and releases that I love. Giving back to the community that has supported me so much.

Fight Me IRL. by Fight Me IRL. (Denmark)

In 1990, I was in Portland, Oregon, visiting a friend. I read in the local paper that a band I worked with in the past was in town for a gig. Should we check out? Why not. So, I made a phone call to the drummer, who told me he’d leave a pair of tickets at will call. “Get there early because we’re on first,” he advised me. They were opening for a new group on the rise called NELSON and it was sold out.

After watching the opener’s set, we went backstage to pay our respects before venturing back out into the theater for the main attraction. I knew absolutely nothing about NELSON aside from the fact that they were headed up by the twin sons of rock pioneer Ricky Nelson. By the looks of it, they had a massive female following, very much on the young side.

My friend and I felt a bit out of place, and in a few minutes, it became apparent why. The lights went down, and NELSON emerged with brothers Matthew and Gunnar out front, their long flaxen hair glowing in the lights. The place erupted with prepubescent screams. We looked at each other and agreed: it was time for us to leave.

Flash forward to 2024 and I was aboard the On The Blue cruise enroute to the Bahamas. Among the schedule acts were Matthew and Gunnar Nelson performing a tribute to their dad. I decided to check them out and was pleasantly surprised by how good they were. Like so many, I didn’t realize there was something more to the family name and the blonde locks — which they still have to a lesser degree.

I suspect one of the reasons the Nelson brothers decided to write their memoir What Happened To Your Hair? was to dispel the many preconceived notions people like me have about them. Four hundred pages later, and your own hair may well be standing up on end.

On the surface, Matthew and Gunnar Nelson could be characterized as trust-fund babies, poster children for nepotism, heirs to great and grand fortunes. Afterall, their dad co-starred, along with his parents Ozzie and Harriet and brother David, on The Adventures of Ozzie & Harriet, a wildly successful, long-running sitcom of the 1950s and 60s. Together, the Nelsons were revered as “America’s family,” a “family that could be trusted.” Once you read through the achievements of not only Ozzie and Harriet, but also those of Matthew and Gunnar’s maternal grandparents, Heisman Trophy winner Tom Harmon and actress Elyse Knox, you’d think these boys hit the gene pool lottery and were meant for acclaimed celebrity greatness in every way possible. If only it were that easy.

The book is broken down into three acts: Before The Rain, A Perfect Storm, and After The Rain. The weather metaphor applies as much to their life as much as it cleverly lifts its third act’s title from the brothers’ multi-platinum 1990 debut album. Rain or shine, the Nelson brothers dodged any number of obstacles.

Each chapter is written by either Matthew or Gunnar (they share a handful of chapters), though Gunnar takes on the lion’s share. In fact, Matthew doesn’t pipe in until the New Year’s Eve chapter, which vividly captures two somewhat differing memories of the night in 1985 when their father, along with six others, perished in a plane crash just outside of Dallas.

In the first act, Before The Rain, you immediately get the sense that the Nelson brothers were subjected to a series of incredible highs and lows during their formative years. Gunnar, in particular, has the wit and writing chops to move the narrative forward during this period. His brutal honesty is brimming with humor, confidence, and a smidge of self-deprecation to keep it real. His development as a musician — a drummer who became a guitar player and lead singer — is almost as fascinating as his and his brother’s childhood. Almost.

Their childhood was idyllic in some ways. Growing up in Laurel Canyon, Gunnar proudly names Bob Dylan, George Harrison, and Cass Elliot as friends, neighbors, and babysitters. Later on, he talks about meeting Paul McCartney and Prince under glowing circumstances. Coming up in this environment and seeing their dad perform helped to fuel their musical ambitions.

EXCLUSIVE: Gunnar Nelson talks about ‘What Happened To Your Hair?’

The downside to all this were their parents and a very troubled marriage. Dad Rick Nelson was this famous personality and musician constantly on the road with seemingly good intentions…and access to the usual sundry of privileges, pleasures, and bad decisions that come with celebrity. Mom Kristen Harmon was initially cast as the perfect paramour to beloved Ricky. She channeled her frustrations as the wife of a teen diol by becoming a promiscuous alcoholic with an artistic streak who squandered away too much of her husband’s earnings. Her younger brother, actor Mark Harmon, called her an “unfit” mother. Gunnar takes a more clinical approach, calling her a “vindictive narcissist.” As the middle children, the twins were caught in the crossfire of their parents’ self-absorbed indulgences and neglect. Which is why Gunnar suggests he and Matthew were “raised by wolves.”

Even as the ‘War of the Roses’ escalated at home, the boys did manage times of normalcy as Southern California teenagers growing up in the 1970s and 80s. They became avid skateboarders and rode Schwin Stingrays. The plot begins to thicken once the music business becomes their focus. Forget the Nelson name; the struggle was real.

In the midst of playing LA clubs and trying to gain a foothold, the night of Rick Nelson’s passing and its aftermath brings both Matthew and Gunnar’s emotions to the fore. Reading separate accounts says a lot about how close they are amidst disparate reactions and responses to the situation.

Later, as the book points out, they found out their father was broke at the time of his death. “How’s that for trust fund kids?” Gunnar asks. A few paragraphs later, he reminds us that the book isn’t about “wallowing in the pain” of his father’s demise; it’s about “rising out of the ashes of your fire-gutted old life and making your new life your bitch.”

That’s exactly what happened when the wheels of success started turning for Matthew and Gunnar Nelson. Having witnessed the band at presumably the height of their success, I would have thought they were swimming in profits and taking the Nelson legacy to new, unexplored peaks. With a few key TV appearances and the rakish power of Geffen Records, NELSON made their mark. In the process, they were subjected to endless pawning and promises while a new movement called Grunge quickly unseated them from their short-lived throne. It only gets uglier from there.

Still, there were some incredible moments during NELSON’s brief reign as rock gods, and both brothers share those with a tone of triumph and challenge. In the middle Act II: A Perfect Storm, Matthew recalls in the “Valley Girl” chapter just how rabid the Nelson fan base was. Specifically, he goes back to NELSON’s appearance at the Sherman Oaks Galleria where thousands of screaming teenage girls gathered to catch a glimpse, get an autograph, and, if possible, a piece of them. An all-out riot broke out and the band made a quick escape. “That day, with thousands of girls screaming for us, I knew we were in for it,” he notes after explaining how they had no idea what was awaiting them, later adding: “Gunnar and I were now human catnip for a million kitty cats.”

What with everything else including budgeting videos, writing and recording more music, touring, sickness, paying off debts, and trying to make ends meet, the adulation was almost meaningless. Almost.

The one thing you can’t deny is the genuine appreciation both Matthew and Gunnar have for those who loved them (their fans), as well as those who helped and supported them. At the same time, they’re not shy about sharing disdain for those who stood in their way. Not so much bitterness as it is a few choice matter-of-fact expletives as a form of circumspect closure. Various collaborators, record executives, and a couple of well-known musicians all catch a dose of their venom. Ex-wives get a couple of blank pages. Their parents get their own chapters examining the whys, hows, and what ifs of their relationships.

You could say that Act III: After The Rain addresses the axiomatic equation of “Whatever happened NELSON?” Out of step with Seattle, label chief David Geffen summarily declared the group as “over.” Other promising record deals that followed fell flat. They finally took things into their own hands by forming their own label and establishing the long-running Ricky Nelson Remembered show. Those rays of sunshine reinforce Matthew and Gunnar Nelson’s perseverance, determined positivity, and sense of humor, which never wavers throughout the book.

This is not your garden-variety rock and roll tragedy. This is more about correcting a false perception, changing assumptions, countering misappropriations. Matthew and Gunnar Nelson faced off a litany of family, financial, personal and career issues, and came out on the other side with a smile, an ongoing career as recording and touring musicians, families of their own…and their hair no less blonde yet slightly shorter.

What Happened To Your Hair? is therapy, an emollient in enabling the Nelsons to at last find peace with the weight of their family’s legacy and their place in it. For the rest of us, it offers clarity into what happens when you look like “a pair of hot Swedish chicks” with a famous namesake, a record deal, a smack in the face, and an indomitable spirit to succeed.

~ Shawn Perry

Purchase
What Happened To Your Hair?

The word protégé gets thrown around any time an artist breaks through early, usually before some arbitrary cutoff age. But in the rare cases where the label actually fits, New York–born blues-rock virtuoso Joe Bonamassa is the real deal—a phenomenon who’s been operating on a different level for decades.

He opened for B.B. King at just 12 years old. He’s since notched eleven No. 1 albums on the Billboard Blues chart through his own independent label, J&R Adventures. Add in multiple Grammy wins, and you’re still only scratching the surface of a career that now stretches across 36 years.

Bonamassa’s studio output and accolades are only half the story. Over time, he’s built a signature approach to songwriting and live performance; shaped by his obsession with vintage guitars and amplifiers, and by a deep affinity for the British and Irish blues lineage as much as the older American scene. The result is a show that still feels soulful, improvisatory, and rooted in the genre’s earliest spirit. But it’s also unusually polished and curated, helped along by a rotating arsenal of instruments, often with a different guitar featured for nearly every song. The influence of players like Eric Clapton, Paul Kossoff, Gary Moore, and Rory Gallagher isn’t hidden; it’s part of the point.

This date at Hard Rock Live in Hollywood, Florida, marked the final stop of Bonamassa’s 2025 American tour. The room was packed, and the mood carried the celebratory energy of a successful run. Still, there was a bittersweet undercurrent: longtime touring keyboardist Reese Wynans — also known for his work with Stevie Ray Vaughan — had announced a while back he would be semi-retiring from live performance, and this was his final performance with Bonamassa. Thankfully, Wynans left the door open for select live and studio appearances down the road.

What followed felt less like a standard victory-lap finale and more like a heartfelt tribute to the blues itself. Over a two-hour set, Bonamassa leaned heavily on his guitar to do the talking, mixing several originals with an even larger batch of blues staples stretched into extended jam formats. Drummer Lamar Carter and bassist Calvin Turner provided a rock-solid foundation, while special guest guitarist Josh Smith served as a sharp counterweight to Bonamassa’s commanding presence.

But the secret weapon of the night might’ve been the backing vocal team: Jade MacRae and Danni DeAndrea. Both were locked in from the start, adding punch and soul to the arrangements and elevating choruses with charisma and control. A sweet detail didn’t go unnoticed, either: MacRae and DeAndrea wore tees with Wynans’ name printed on the front, matching the shirts worn by Carter and Turner.

The atmosphere was set before the band even appeared, with The Fabulous Thunderbirds’ “Tuff Enuff” blasting through the PA as a playful overture. When Bonamassa and company hit the stage, they were immediately all business. They opened with two newer originals — “Breakthrough” and “Trigger Finger” — a one-two punch of modern, high-energy burners with sticky hooks and big choruses, both appearing in his last studio album Breakthrough. MacRae and DeAndrea’s vocals sat confidently on top of Bonamassa’s gritty melodies, while the guitar work nodded to that sweet spot where Cream-style swagger meets Led Zeppelin-sized heft.

From there, the set pivoted hard, both in tempo and era, into a run of extended covers that traced the genre’s DNA. Bonamassa occasionally circled back to originals, and the most affecting of those was a melancholy version of “Self-Inflicted Wounds,” which landed with real weight amid the larger, freer jams.

The cover choices pulled from the American pioneers who built the blues, but Bonamassa reinterpreted much of it through the more structured British template he clearly loves. That hybrid approach came through especially well in the closing rendition of Rory Gallagher’s “A Million Miles Away.” Along the way, highlights included a modernized take on Guitar Slim’s “Well, I Done Got It Over,” a laid-back, barroom-styled read of Bobby “Blue” Bland’s “Twenty-Four Hour Blues,” and a searing tribute to Freddie King on “Pack It Up,” which flowed directly into band introductions.

At his best, Bonamassa doesn’t just play the blues; he channels the feeling behind it. The lyrical angst, the weary defiance, the downtrodden bite: it all showed up again and again, mirrored in passionate lead breaks that felt deliberate without ever losing their edge.

Traditions begin with innovators, but they survive through the fans who pick up instruments and carry the torch forward. In every respect, Joe Bonamassa has earned his place as a modern master of the blues. More importantly, he continues to treat the genre like something sacred: a living tradition with deep American roots and an equally meaningful transatlantic legacy.

The post CONCERT REVIEW: JOE BONAMASSA’s Final 2025 Tour Night Was A Two-Hour Blues Extravaganza With A Bittersweet Twist appeared first on Sonic Perspectives.

Good Day Noir Family,
Daedric Death is presenting Dark Templars, an EP that uses modern creative tools without losing the raw instinct that defines heavy music.

Dark Templars is Daedric Death’s EP Out Now

The project demonstrates how an artist can harness technology while still grounding every idea in human intention, resulting in a release that feels aggressive, mythic, and surprisingly atmospheric.

The EP opens with “Magnicide,” a track that hits like a charged storm. The guitars slice through the mix with gritty edges, creating a wall of tension that pushes the listener straight into the heart of the piece. Shortly after, a vocal tinted with a megaphone-like effect cuts in and delivers a sense of urgency. It’s sharp, rough, and immediate, yet never loses musicality. As the drums rise behind it, the song grows into something energetic and immersive. Although the arrangement is heavy, it remains clear that every layer has been placed with purpose.

Next arrives “Dark Templars,” the title track and the emotional anchor of the EP. Here, Daedric Death leans into a medieval-tinged guitar riff, creating a mood that feels ancient and cinematic. The contrast between the cutting rhythms and the colder melodic lines evokes the image of a lone warrior facing a snow-covered horizon. The vocals switch between forceful delivery and more melodic passages, which enriches the track and shows the artist’s ability to move across emotional registers. Because of this interplay, the song feels like a narrative rather than just a collection of riffs.

“Into the Darkness” follows with one of the strongest atmospheres of the EP. The rhythm is heavy and deliberate, almost ritualistic. It walks with the weight of something stalking in the woods, adding tension through its dark pacing. The guitars brood, and the slower development makes the eventual expansions feel even more powerful. This track may be the most evocative on the release; it creates a sense of place so strong that the listener can almost feel the night closing in.

The journey closes with “Dark Gods,” which begins with a slightly fuzzy guitar tone that recalls classic metal intros. Yet the song quickly turns into its own beast, driven by cold winds of distortion and a vocal presence that feels relentless. The arrangement breathes between its heavier bursts and its moments of restraint, building an epic finale that ties the EP together. Even with its intensity, it keeps the musical structure tight and intentional.

What stands out across Dark Templars is how naturally the EP blends modern tools with traditional metal ethos. Although some AI elements support the visuals and conceptual worldbuilding, the music itself retains a very human grit—every riff sounds played, every shift in dynamics feels intentional, and every scream arrives with emotional weight rather than digital texture. Instead of replacing the artist, the tools expand the world he can build, proving that technology can enhance authenticity when used thoughtfully.

Daedric Death has crafted a release that feels like a story and a strike. It is forceful, atmospheric, imaginative, and rooted in a clear creative vision. Anyone who loves metal with a cinematic, shadowed edge will find a lot to enjoy here.

Dark Templars is Daedric Death’s EP Out Now!

---

Epic!

---

Daedric Death is a black metal project created by the Spanish musician behind Conjuro Nuclear (2012–2025). All music—composition, guitars, vocals, and core arrangements—is entirely his own, with drums and bass synthesized. Though he uses AI-assisted tools to clean stems, update parts, and refine production, nothing is AI-generated; the creative process and performances remain fully human.

Musically, Daedric Death channels a “second-era Bathory” epic black metal spirit, supported by dark-fantasy lyrics and aesthetics inspired by The Elder Scrolls. With a full discography and more than 200 unreleased WIPs, the artist now seeks feedback, playlist support, and wider visibility for a decade of work.

---

Find Daedric Death Here:

Spotify
Instagram

---

Discover New Bands Click Here

---

The post Dark Templars is Daedric Death’s EP Out Now appeared first on Edgar Allan Poets – Noir Rock Band.

Toto, Christopher Cross, and The Romantics have announced plans to tour North America next summer. Produced by Live Nation, the run will commence on July 15 in Bethel, New York, at the Bethel Woods Center for the Arts, with 32 appearances planned before the final event on August 30 in Toronto, Ontario, at the RBC Amphitheatre. The general on-sale begins on Friday, December 12, at 10 a.m. local time at this location.

This past year has been one of the strongest in Toto‘s 48 years of existence, with more than half a million fans coming out to see them perform, alongside over a billion streams counted this year alone. The weekly average is more than 20 million plays at the DSPs, which has triggered additional certifications throughout this past year. Total streams at Spotify exceed four billion and seven billion across all platforms.

Toto‘s largest hit, “Africa,” has achieved the milestone of two billion plays at Spotify alone, while “Hold The Line” exceeds one billion streams. On the sales side, “Africa” has been certified diamond by the RIAA (10 million sold), with cumulative sales now approaching 11 million. Additionally, “Hold The Line” has been certified triple platinum for sales of three million copies, while “Rosanna” hit the milestone of double platinum for sales of two million copies. Cumulative Toto album sales are over 50 million copies.

For all members past and present, one of the most exciting details to celebrate is the continual aging down of the band’s audience. Consistently, more than half of the billion annual streams are plays from those 34 years or younger. The live audience present night to night has truly become a celebration of three generations coming together.

Individually and collectively, the band’s family tree can be heard on countless Grammy Award-winning albums across all genres. Toto are one of the few 1970s bands that have endured the changing trends and styles while continuing to remain relevant. Led by Steve Lukather and Joseph Williams, the band features a collection of lifelong friends, many of whom are deemed amongst the best players on planet Earth.

Special guest Christopher Cross and the members of Toto have been friends and collaborators for more than four decades. On September 1, 2024, Christopher performed as direct support for TOTO at the Hollywood Bowl. Subsequently, the two artists have toured the world together performing across Europe, Australia, New Zealand, and the U.S. this past summer. In December, they’ll travel to Chile, Argentina, and Mexico with one another.

Christopher Cross burst on to the music scene with his 1980 self-titled debut album winning five Grammy Awards, including — for the first time in Grammy history — the “Big Four” most prestigious awards: “Record Of The Year” (for the single “Sailing”), “Album Of The Year”, “Song Of The Year” (“Sailing”), and “Best New Artist”. In a career spanning more than four decades, Cross has sold more than 12 million albums. His music has garnered five Grammys, an Oscar, a Golden Globe, an Emmy nomination, and five Top 10 singles.

The Romantics formally became a band on Valentine’s Day, 1977. Bred on the streets of Detroit’s east side, they were inspired by American roots rock, the British Invasion, and their hometown music scene. Nearly 50 years later, they are still celebrated for having created some of the most influential and beloved rock songs of all time.

They are known for their MTV video hits, including “What I Like About You”, “Talking In Your Sleep”, and “One In A Million”, along with fan favorites “Rock You Up” and “When I Look In Your Eyes”. Their hits are a staple on classic, new wave, and contemporary terrestrial rock radio, as well as numerous television commercials (Budweiser, Toyota), movie soundtracks (“Shrek”, “Grown Ups 1” and “2”, “Five Nights at Freddy’s”), and hit series (“Stranger Things”). The Romantics have also been enjoying airplay courtesy of Little Steven’s Underground Garage radio show on SiriusXM, 80’s On 81st Wave, and Classic Vinyl. The Romantics — Wally Palmar on lead vocals, Coz Canler on lead guitar, Bruce Witkin on bass, Joey Malone on guitar, and Mike Rizzi on drums — are currently touring across the world in 2025 and 2026.

TOTO, Christopher Cross & The Romantics Tour Dates:

07/15 – Bethel, NY – Bethel Woods Center for the Arts
07/16 – Saratoga Springs, NY – Saratoga Performing Arts Center
07/18 – Holmdel, NJ – PNC Bank Arts Center
07/19 – Wantagh, NY – Northwell at Jones Beach Theater
07/21 – Boston, MA – Leader Bank Pavilion
07/23 – Bangor, ME – Maine Savings Amphitheater
07/25 – Syracuse, NY – Empower Federal Credit Union Amphitheater at Lakeview
07/26 – Philadelphia, PA – TD Pavilion at Highmark Mann
07/28 – Charlotte, NC – PNC Music Pavilion
07/29 – Raleigh, NC – Coastal Credit Union Music Park at Walnut Creek
07/31 – West Palm Beach, FL – iTHINK Financial Amphitheatre
08/01 – Tampa, FL – MIDFLORIDA Credit Union Amphitheatre
08/02 – Alpharetta, GA – Ameris Bank Amphitheatre
08/04 – Orange Beach, AL – The Wharf
08/05 – Brandon, MS – Brandon Amphitheater
08/07 – Houston, TX – The Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion
08/08 – Austin, TX – Germania Insurance Amphitheater
08/10 – Albuquerque, NM – Isleta Amphitheater
08/11 – Phoenix, AZ – Arizona Financial Theatre
08/12 – Chula Vista, CA – North Island Credit Union Amphitheatre
08/14 – Long Beach, CA – Long Beach Amphitheater
08/15 – Mountain View, CA – Shoreline Amphitheatre
08/16 – Wheatland, CA – Toyota Amphitheatre
08/18 – Auburn, WA – White River Amphitheatre
08/19 – Bend, OR – Hayden Homes Amphitheater
08/21 – Salt Lake City, UT – Utah First Credit Union Amphitheatre
08/22 – Denver, CO – Ball Arena
08/24 – Kansas City, MO – Morton Amphitheater
08/26 – Shakopee, MN – Mystic Lake Amphitheater
08/28 – Grand Rapids, MI – Acrisure Amphitheater
08/29 – Clarkston, MI – Pine Knob Music Theatre
08/30 – Toronto, ON – RBC Amphitheatre

The post TOTO Announces 2026 North American Tour With CHRISTOPHER CROSS & THE ROMANTICS appeared first on Sonic Perspectives.

– December 8th, 2025 –

Watch NINE TREASURES’ “Seeking The Absolute” HERE

Chinese Mongolian progressive metal outfit NINE TREASURES are pleased to unveil a video for the title track of their outstanding Seeking The Absolute full-length, out now on Metal Blade Records.

The title track fully embraces the spirit of Eastern playing techniques, “especially glissando, over and over again,” notes vocalist/guitarist Askhan, “which is why the song’s working title was simply ‘Slide.’ By that time, our creative process had become completely free. We no longer cared about rules or boundaries; we just followed our instincts and poured everything out. The dual solo in the middle, between the morin khuur and the slide guitar, is one of my favorite moments – two instruments, two textures, playing the exact same notes. It’s a perfect fusion.”

Photo by Hattoo

In a groundbreaking creative step, the band partnered with Matthew Medney and Alex Kane of Gungnir to incorporate animation drawn directly from the forthcoming installment of the official NINE TREASURES comic series. The “Seeking The Absolute” music video seamlessly blends live performance with stylized sequences pulled from the comic’s visual mythology, merging art, music, story, and culture into one unified expression. The animated moments don’t just accompany the track; they expand the band’s world, bringing Mongolian folklore, spiritual symbolism, and progressive-metal energy to life in a bold new medium. This cross-media approach marks the first time NINE TREASURES has intertwined their musical narrative with their visual storytelling, building a fully connected artistic universe spanning albums, comics, and now animation.

Watch NINE TREASURES‘ video for “Seeking The Absolute” HERE.

Watch the band’s previously released video for “Real Dream” HERE and “Until Now” HERE.

Seeking The Absolute out now! Find at: metalblade.com/ninetreasures

Formed by vocalist/guitarist Askhan in 2010 in the autonomous region of Inner Mongolia in China, NINE TREASURES delivers a unique combination of heavy metal and traditional Mongolian instrumentation, utilizing both conventional vocals and Mongolian throat singing. Guitars, bass, and drums collide with indigenous string instruments including the morin khuur (horsehead fiddle), the tovshuur, and the balalaika, resulting in a sonic kaleidoscope that follows no set template. NINE TREASURES moves easily from a straight-up headbanging style to the more atmospheric progressive style. Guitar-wise, Askhan infuses a lot of Mongolian playing techniques and songwriting logic into his playing and is excited for the “fresh blood” it adds to the band’s sound. The quintet’s varied approaches and universal messaging will allow them to tour with any musically progressive band, be it Amon Amarth or Tool.

Playing 100-plus festival shows and headlining gigs per year in Asia, to audiences of up to 50,000, and with four albums to their name, NINE TREASURES are at the top of their proverbial game and ready to conquer the Western world. Seeking The Absolute is their first record for Metal Blade, and first LP to have a worldwide release.

“…one of the most unique and effortlessly enjoyable albums of 2025.” – Louder Sound

“…anyone who gets involved will be treated to a whole new musical world. With exciting twists and turns, furious tempo changes, and a fascinating journey through Mongolian folklore, metal – and sometimes even punk.” – Metal Hammer Germany

“…if you pride yourself on being an adventurous music devourer with a particular predilection for all things progressive folk metal, do yourself the considerable favor of checking out NINE TREASURES and the very rewarding, notably spirited Seeking The Absolute.” – Last Rites

“NINE TREASURES was always good, but “Seeking the Absolute” sounds like what the band was always meant to be. Like Pantera with Cowboys From Hell, NINE TREASURES exudes confidence in their transformation, crafting a fun, approachable chunk of metal without compromise to their new vision.” – Angry Metal Guy

“…a transcendent album that has to be fully experienced, mind, and soul.” – Asphyxium

“An ancient corner of the world is brought to life once again and given extreme justice for all that it can be to make Seeking the Absolute not just a record hoping to tap into its heritage, but, rather, a gorgeous creation that takes into consideration so much and executes it all with staggering flair and glory.” – Headbanger Reviews

NINE TREASURES:
Askhan – guitars, vocals, balalaika, tovshuur
Orgil – bass, backing vocals
Saina – balalaika, backing vocals, guitars
Namra – drums
Nars – morin khuur, backing vocals

https://ninetreasures.net
https://www.facebook.com/ninetreasuresofficial
https://www.instagram.com/ninetreasures
https://x.com/NineTreasures

Buy iTunes Artist Page Artist News

During a December 5 visit to SiriusXM’s “Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk“, Megadeth frontman Dave Mustaine opened up about the group’s newly revealed farewell tour. The run is set to begin officially in 2026 under the name “This Was Our Life”. It will support Megadeth’s upcoming final self-titled album Megadeth, due out in January, closing a career that has stretched across more than 40 years for the 64-year-old singer-guitarist.

When Eddie Trunk asked whether the band might wrap the final show with an expanded lineup featuring all living former members, Dave Mustaine explained why that scenario likely won’t happen (as transcribed by Blabbermouth): “Well, I can’t really do that, because of the behavior of one of the band members in the past. I just can’t — I can’t. Because, first off, it would be unfair to the other band members if I didn’t play with them as well.”

“But the thing about what we did with [former Megadeth guitarist] Marty [Friedman] in Japan [in early 2024], that was a no-brainer. That was brilliant. And I love Marty. We had our separation, and he went his way, and we went our way. But it was a very, very intense relationship I had with Marty, because that was the first relationship I had with a guitar player,” Mustaine continued.

“My relationship with [former Megadeth guitarist] Chris [Poland] was really great, but it wasn’t as good as it was with Marty. My relationship with [former Megadeth guitarist] Jeff [Young] was good, but it wasn’t as good as it was with Marty. And I probably wouldn’t have a problem playing with any of the members of those two lineups, except the fact that [former Megadeth drummer] Gar’s [Samuelson] is deceased, and [I’m] just not gonna do anything that is gonna, in any way, seem unfair to the other bandmembers,” he added.

The host then asked if fans should expect a clearly announced last-ever concert or a quieter end to touring. Mustaine said he still isn’t sure how the final moment will be handled: “I don’t know. I was joking around with our management and said, ‘You guys should probably book some fake dates at the end of the tour that I don’t know about so I won’t go out there on the last date and just blubber like a fucking 175-pound wuss.”

When the conversation shifted to why Megadeth is intended to be the band’s final album and why the farewell decision is happening now, Mustaine pointed to ongoing physical issues: “It had been a long time coming — just physical stuff that was going on with my hands… My hands were letting me down. And there were other things that were difficult because of all the stuff going on in my neck and my trunk. The entire area there has arthritis, and it has discs that are bulging. I’ve got a broken lumbar bone. Of course, you know I have my back fused, up by my shoulders, by my neck. And just a lot of stuff.”

He added that he’s long believed the right time to step back is when he can’t meet his own standard night after night: “I always said when it got to the point where I was unable to give a hundred percent every night, that’s when I was gonna start considering winding down. And it wasn’t that I was unable to give a hundred percent, because we finished the record, and I think we did a good job on it, but there was a period when we were working, and I said to my manager, I said, ‘I don’t know how much longer I can do this. My hands are really hurting.’”

“And I didn’t mean to set the ball rolling. Honestly, I was just making conversation, and it turned into me talking to the band guys and sleeping on it, and talking to my family and praying on it. And the answer was clear to me that by the time we’re done with the record, I’m gonna know how the record’s gonna do,” he further added.

“If the record does really well, then I’ll be able to have one last really good tour. And the part about the farewell thing, it’s kind of like the same thing, isn’t it? We’ve got some dates that we wanna play to say goodbye to our friends.”

From his perspective, a proper farewell also means a serious global schedule rather than a small handful of appearances: “The thing is, we’re an American band, but we play everywhere. So it’s not like we just are weekend warriors, as country acts here in the States. We’ve got a lot of touring to do in order to do our farewell properly.”

After Eddie Trunk noted that some veteran acts continue too long even when they can’t fully deliver, Mustaine agreed that Megadeth shouldn’t do that if the performance standard slips: “I don’t think there’s any reason [for us] to [keep playing when we are not able to deliver a hundred percent],” he said. “I mean, unless you’re financially in a bad way and you need to keep playing, which, by the grace of God, I’ve been successful. I’ve been able to pay all my bills. All the band guys, they get their paychecks on time. We do everything right by the book.”

“So, some people, as I said, may have to keep playing, because there’s nothing else for them to do. Now, when I think about what I gonna do after I hang the guitar up, that’s in relation to touring, and I believe that I’m going to keep doing music in some way, shape, or form,” Mustaine concluded.

But not in the fashion that I was doing with Megadeth because if I can’t do it and I need to stop playing with my first love, I’m not gonna go out and try and do it again with someone else.”

The post DAVE MUSTAINE Explains Why MEGADETH Reunion During Farewell Tour Won’t Happen, Expands On The Reasons About Timing For Final Album appeared first on Sonic Perspectives.

Take in the latest episode of The Mighty Decibel  on Wild Dogs Radio ! We’ve taken over the Home | Wild Dogs Radio  airwaves every Saturday at 2PM EST where we’re playing the best in new underground metal and hardcore punk … along with some select older material that’ll get that head bangin’. Here’s the December 6th episode if you missed it, which includes an  Best Hard’N’Heavy of 2025 segment. Wallow in the decibels!!! Wild Dogs Radio VIDEO AUDIO NEW RELEASES SEGMENT…