Hailing from Cologne in Germany, Sweet Electric have not been around long, but they have already achieved a lot. They formed in 2022, were invited to play Rockpalast in 2023, released their debut album, The Monsters Are Rising, in 2024 and have since slogged the live circuits. The combination of their good-time rock ‘n’ roll and stage charisma often nicks the headlines from the headliners.
The Monsters Are Rising opened with the attention-grabbing pumping rhythm and frantic vocal line of Heir To The Throne, and they have come up with a similar number, Sick In The Head, with an added furious guitar riff. to kick-start this album.
Sweet Electric – Something Something Disco – 10/10 in all departments
Catching your breath four minutes later, they settle down with Mexico, a straightforward rocker with a hooky chorus that is guaranteed to get any audience dancing.
These Guns is more in the AC/DC and Guns N’ Roses vein and then they throw Something In The Middle at you, a blues rock, chugging singalong.
Influences and different rock genres come and go throughout. Get Up will throw you another curveball, and taken as a whole, it is a superb piece of work. In short, do not try to categorise Sweet Electric under anything other than rock. They know no genre limit.
Clocking in at about five and a half minutes, the final track Psycho is the icing on the cake. They throw everything into this song, including some great production and a dynamite mix.
There have been lots of songs written on this subject matter, but I have never heard one as good as this that captures the manic thoughts of what we imagine a psycho’s mind is like. Scary, powerful and genius, it is an unnerving freak-out.
Second albums are often a bit throwaway in that bands ride the success of the first and then suddenly find themselves in the position of having to come up with a set of songs to match the first.
Pressure on, nine times out of ten, they fail. Not in this case, where Something Something Disco far exceeds expectations. The songs are better, the performances are a step up from their debut, and the variety is off the charts. Consistent from beginning to end, every track will be somebody’s favourite.
This album stands to be one of the best rock albums of 2026. Add in the energy the band put into their live performances, and they are sure to be selling out a decent-sized venue near you soon. They will be bunked up the bill on festivals as well.
10/10 in all departments. This one is going to be on heavy rotation in my house for quite a while.
Sweet Electric independently released Something Something Disco on 10 September 2026. Fore more details, visit sweetelectricofficial.com.
Born in Canada, Devin Townsend found fame at 21, fronting Steve Vai’s band in 1993, before playing with The Wildhearts and pursuing numerous self-driven projects. Now in his mid-fifties, Townsend is currently touring Europe to promote his orchestral-metal epic The Moth.
How are you, Devin?
I’m okay now, thanks, but a couple of years ago my life went sideways for a while. These days I live off-grid in a cabin that’s about three hundred square feet and I garden for a lady whose property I live on. That’s how I pay the rent, and I love it. I’m fortunate to have a studio, and whenever I have a musical idea that’s worth pursuing, I can. But this album, The Moth, almost became the soundtrack to a mental breakdown.
The Moth is orchestral metal. It’s still mind-bogglingly heavy, but in a different way.
Yeah. The emotional components are the foundation of anything. The process of writing and then going through the articulation is like changing its state; in its formative state it’s like a gas, and then when you record it’s like a liquid. Once finished, you’ve got a solid. You’re trying to distil a period of time into something that maybe your audience doesn’t have a vocabulary for.
The idea for The Moth had been on the backburner of your mind for a decade, but it was a chance meeting with the head of the North Netherlands’ Orchestra And Choir that made it possible.
Marcel [Mandos] presented me the idea of new versions of music that had already been done, but I wanted to make new material. They only had a small window for the choirs and orchestra, and the scores were due on a certain date. And thus began the whirlwind.
It sounds complicated.
Usually, making a record is linear. With this one, such and such had to happen before so and so, before another person became involved. The logistics were far from simple.
I had gone through a separation after forty years, and my son had moved out, so I was also dealing with empty nest syndrome. This was a shocking transition that happened concurrent to The Moth.
Several years ago I remember telling somebody that The Moth was going to be about penis and vaginas. But it wasn’t until these things coalesced that I realised: “Oh, it’s about my relationship.”
The concept is “a loose story following someone who realises that old patterns of behaviour are no longer serving them”. Was making The Moth therapeutic?
No. It provided closure. Which isn’t to say my relationship is now terminated; it has just changed. The Moth is less about therapy and more about catharsis.
It sounds like you are now in a much better place.
Dude, where I am now could not be any further away than where I was during The Moth and [its 2024 predecessor] PowerNerd.
Presenting The Moth live in its entirety would require sampling the orchestral parts and choir, which, of course, are fundamental elements of it all.
We are talking about doing one-off shows around the world using local orchestras and choirs. Right now I’m not driven to do it. I don’t have much of a desire to push it into people’s consciousness. [Laughs] I’m such a shit salesman, dude.
The Moth is out now. The UK leg of Devin Townsend’s European tour begins on October 1. For dates and ticket links, check the Devin Townsend website.
Serving as the follow-up to 2025’s chart-topping album ‘Don’t Tell The Dog’, ‘Warning Signs’ is set to feature the shimmering grooves of recent single ‘Burn Down The Disco’ alongside ten brand-new tracks.
Here’s what James had to say about what to expect from ‘Warning Signs’:
“This album, it’s all ‘moment-based’ for me… For a song to latch into my head, there has to be a moment where I think, ‘Oh yeah, this is amazing.’ I can pick out something in every track on the record that gives me that feeling.”
Take a look at the album’s artwork and tracklisting below.
1. Sleepwalker 2. Double Bed 3. Kiss 4. Lovestruck 5. Burn Down The Disco 6. Déjà Vu 7. Madeline 8. Come Back To Me 9. Lights Out 10. Hell 11. Five Year Plan
The country store that was a hub for rock musicians like Jim Morrison and Graham Nash faces challenges and change. Supporters are trying to make it a landmark.
Hard Rock band Great White‘s founder & guitarist Mark Kendall is set to release his memoir, ‘Soul Of A Man‘ in Autumn 2027. ‘Soul Of A Man‘ will be released via Diversion Books. Earlier this month Mark sat down with Jeffrey Mangus and Tim Jacobs to discuss the book: Catch Mark and the rest of […]
Greek dark atmospheric metal band Elysion have released a Jonas Sommer-directed video for “Dead Loves”, the third single taken from their upcoming studio album, Identity, due out on October 16, 2026 via Massacre Records. Read more…
The members of the band hailing from the Wallers‑Arenberg region grew up in a corner of northern France where headframes, slag heaps, industrial ruins and the long‑carried traditions of mining families still shape the landscape. Galibot channel that heritage straight into melodic black metal: the underground darkness becomes hell, the machinery’s clatter hardens into rhythm, […]
There is a certain point where rock ‘n’ roll stops being something you listen to and becomes something you feel in your soul and bones. Split Dogs have spent the last few years hammering that point home, touring relentlessly and dragging their riotous blend of garage punk, ’70s boogie and full-throttle rock ‘n’ roll everywhere they go.
Now, following 2023’s self-titled debut and 2025’s Here To Destroy, the four-piece return with Nice N’ Rough and thirteen tracks, 32 minutes and 35 seconds of absolute pedal-to-the-Metal mayhem.
Split Dogs – Nice N’ Rough: Loud, Fast, Filthy and Seriously Fun
Produced by Fucked Up’s Jonah Falco, it releases on 25 September 2026 via Venn Records, and it is the sound of a band who have found the sweet spot in their sound, crafting it over the years.
And make no mistake, Split Dogs are having an absolute blast doing it. Since forming around half a decade ago, Harry Martinez, Mil Martinez, Chris Hugall and Suez Boyle have built themselves a reputation for kicking out the jams with an infectious lack of restraint, even catching the ear of punk royalty Iggy Pop, who dubbed them “the sound of trouble” on his 6 Music show.
“We’ve not lost what we were,” guitarist Mil said, “but we’ve evolved and tightened the screws, cleaned it up, made it a little slicker. The songs are more thought-out, and everyone’s had a hand in them. The lyrics are brutal and funny, like great rock’n’roll is supposed to be.”
Nice N’ Rough takes everything that made Split Dogs so much fun and tightens the screws, bolder, brassier, slicker, but never polished to the point of losing its teeth.
Be Somebody kicks off, and it is the album’s second single, released back in May. A catchy, simple riff powers the track forward, while the chorus is equally infectious and very singalong. The punk influences are immediately apparent, but the closing 45 seconds bring an AC/DC-esque riff into proceedings that is seriously memorable.
It makes for a great opening number and immediately sets the tone for what is to come.
Born Too Loose is up next, with Chris Hugall’s drums a particular highlight throughout on a very fast-paced number that barely gives you a minute to catch your breath. There is a Sex Pistols feel about this song, especially in the rawness of it, while another singalong chorus makes it incredibly easy to get swept up in. At just two and a quarter minutes, it flies over almost as quickly as it arrives.
Track three, Breaker, is even shorter at just a minute and a half, but Split Dogs manage to pack plenty into its brief runtime. It is very punky once again, with a riff that is catchy as hell and that now familiar fiery punk-rock sound firmly in place. Despite being so short, it does not feel out of place on the record and instead continues the momentum perfectly.
Get The Look is the grooviest track yet and sees the band proudly wearing their rock ‘n’ roll influences on their sleeves. Harry Martinez’s vocals particularly shine here, especially when a scream arrives that is very similar to that of Tom Araya’s delivery on Angel Of Death. The pacing is excellent, and it makes for a really good track that shows there is more to discover about Split Dogs as the album progresses.
Speed Demon is very akin to the Bon Scott-era of AC/DC sound, particularly during its early stages. There is also the interesting inclusion of a harmonica, which adds another layer to the sound without taking away from its stripped-back character.
Harry’s vocals are high and raspy here, sounding fantastic against the riff, and after a few listens through the whole record, this has become my favourite track. Just under three minutes long, it is an absolute belter.
Leave It Alone reiterates the fast-paced, stripped-back sound that Split Dogs have established, with a distinctly ’70s punk feel running through it. A mesmerising riff powers the song along and, once again, the band demonstrate how much energy they can squeeze out of relatively simple ingredients.
Shake Sum Action follows and keeps the speed firmly intact, with an earworm of a chorus that is practically impossible not to sing along with and includes amazing musicianship.
Rock ‘N’ Roll Business, the lead single and the first released from the record back in March, brings Harry’s accent out particularly strongly in their delivery. There is also a chaotic piano embedded into the lightning-paced track, adding to its wonderfully unhinged character.
The chorus feels made for audience participation, with another huge singalong moment and a tongue-in-cheek style that suits the band perfectly.
Mamma Said brings a heavier guitar sound than much of what has come before it. At just under four minutes, it is the longest track on the album, but it retains your interest throughout and feels like one that you simply have to crank the volume up for.
There is something here that feels like Amyl And The Sniffers would be proud of, while all of the instrumentation comes together to make this an excellent musical number.
The album’s fourth and final single, Suffer, was released in July and initially sounds like a completely different beast. It starts with a slow, doomy riff that is very Black Sabbath-esque before breaking back into the speed that has been prevalent across the album shortly afterwards.
The pacing goes up and down throughout, and I really dig what Split Dogs have done with this one. It takes you on a journey rather than simply sticking to one pace from beginning to end.
Next comes I Wanna, which features backing vocals that complement the song particularly well. This is a perfect example of the fast, visceral and completely no-nonsense rock ‘n’ roll that Split Dogs have built their sound around. It does not overcomplicate things, instead delivering exactly what you want from a band operating at this speed.
The penultimate track Dirty Denim changes things slightly, with Harry’s vocals sitting lower, gravelier and raspier than they have elsewhere on the record. The high energy remains firmly intact, though, and there is still plenty of attitude packed into the track. That in-your-face drive is something that has been evident across Nice N’ Rough, but this song really brings it to the forefront.
Everything comes to a close with Power Out, a punk-rock rager that sounds tailor-made to soundtrack some serious slam-dancing. I can already see this one translating incredibly well to the live setting, with sections to dance, clap, sing along to or simply enjoy as the band tear through it. It makes for some conclusion to a record on which Split Dogs have crafted expertly.
Nice N’ Rough is an amalgamation of genres in uncomplicated form. Loud, fast, filthy and fun, what Split Dogs do very well on this record is short, punchy songs. And after listening to this album, you would be hard-pressed to find a reason why they should stop doing their thing.
This is a band in the form of their lives, constantly on the road and showing no signs of slowing down.
With a rebellious attitude and a whole lot of swagger, Split Dogs are firmly at the top of their game. They have clearly worked very hard to make this great album, and you can tell.
Split Dogs release Nice N’ Rough on 25 September 2026. Pre-orders are available from lnk.to/nicenrough.
Split Dogs – Instores
25-Sep-2026 UK Leeds Crash Records 26-Sep-2026 UK Glasgow Blitzkrieg 27-Sep-2026 UK Liverpool Rough Trade 28-Sep-2026 UK Coventry Just Dropped in 29-Sep-2026 UK Bristol Rough Trade 30-Sep-2026 UK Nottingham Rough Trade 01-Oct-2026 UK Rough Trade East
If you’ve been paying any attention at all to the breeding ground of chaotic, beer-soaked, sweat-drenched rock and roll coming out of the Sydney and Central Coast underground over the last few years, then the name NFÏ should already be permanently tattooed onto your brain. These local punk rock lords have built a reputation as […]
If you’ve been paying any attention at all to the breeding ground of chaotic, beer-soaked, sweat-drenched rock and roll coming out of the Sydney and Central Coast underground over the last few years, then the name NFÏ should already be permanently tattooed onto your brain. These local punk rock lords have built a reputation as […]