Tom Waits has spent more than five decades turning late-night loneliness, broken characters, strange humor, and battered beauty into one of the most distinctive catalogs in American music. These ten songs trace that journey from the piano ballads of his early years to the theatrical, percussive, and wildly imaginative work that followed. I first got into Tom Waits while I was in high school during the 1970s. A friend of mine played me a song called “Warm Beer and Cold Women.” Just the title alone is going to make you drop everything and take a listen. I was a huge
SEVEN SPIRES is proud to announce the Master Key Edition of their acclaimed recent album ‘A Fortress Called Home,’ set for release on September 4th via Frontiers Music Srl. To mark the occasion, the band also shares the new single “Songs Upon Wine-Stained Tongues (Orchestral Version),” alongside a visualizer, available below. Originally released in 2024 […]
The boundary-busting singer and bassist Meshell Ndegeocello has been getting together with her peers to record cover songs for a very long time. Way back in 1994, Ndegeocello and John Mellencamp had a big hit with their cover of Van Morrison’s “Wild Night.” Today, Ndegeocello announces Synonym, a new album that’s nothing but duet covers. She has rounded up a fascinating core of collaborators to take on some gigantic songs, and it’ll be fascinating to hear with she and her friends do with them.
Today, Darkness Shall Rise Productions announces September 15th as the international release date for Mittags-Abgrund‘s striking debut album, Mittags-Abgrund, on CD, vinyl LP, and cassette tape formats. In lieu of this announcement, Mittags-Abgrund reveal the first track “Портреты моих предков.” An ageing culture and its ossified forms gaze upon man and tower above him. The late man walks among them as through a museum, mistaking this […]
Following the strong response to previous Mark Tremonti Sings Frank Sinatra performances, Mark Tremonti will return to the stage this December for two holiday shows celebrating the music of Frank Sinatra.
The concerts are scheduled for December 16 at the Arcada Theatre in St. Charles, Illinois, and December 18 at the Walt Disney Theater in Orlando, Florida. Once again, Tremonti will be joined by members of Sinatra‘s original touring band, along with local musicians, to perform selections from the legendary singer’s catalog.
Over the past few years, Mark Tremonti Sings Frank Sinatra has grown into an annual event that allows the Creed, Alter Bridge and Tremonti guitarist to showcase a different side of his musical background. The performances combine classic arrangements with Tremonti‘s own vocal style while honoring the legacy of one of the most influential voices in popular music.
As with previous editions of the project, the concerts will also support a charitable cause. A portion of the proceeds from both performances will be donated to the National Down Syndrome Society (NDSS), continuing Tremonti‘s ongoing support for the organization and its work on behalf of individuals with Down syndrome and their families.
Italian melodic death doom masters SHORES OF NULL return with their most ambitious and accomplished work to date. The band’s new album, “Homesick”, will be released on October 16, 2026 via Dusktone, marking another important milestone in the career of a group that has established itself as one of the most distinctive and respected names in the contemporary metal landscape. The […]
Metalcore would not exist in its current form without Detroit legends, WALLS OF JERICHO. With genre defining records like 1999’s The Bound Feed The Gagged and 2004’s All Hail The Dead captivating the underground scene and establishing the model, they went on to break through charts globally with With Devils Amongst Us All, The American Dream, and No One Can Save You From […]
The third and final album from Canadian speed metal cult Witches Hammer is coming! With some of the material dating back 40 years, this is going to be a cult cut from one of the obscure metal universe’s strongest bands. Released by Nuclear War Now Productions.
Heavy bass lines ride in on howling winds as harmonics ring into the distance. Ferocious thrashing riffs and pummelling drums forcefully dominate with that speed metal intensity that Witches Hammer are well regarded for. The bestial vocals suit the extremity of the instruments and overall the rabid carnage is much in the same vein as before; which is a huge complement as I am a massive fan of their other works. Mixing old demo songs, new songs and unreleased songs; this is a veritable feast of the band and encompasses their long and elite history with material spanning their entire career. This mix may sound as thought it may be jarring but for such a consistent band, it all flows smoothly and everything is delivered with utmost fury. From the tightness of the percussion to the lethal guitar work and evil snarling vocals; Witches Hammer are back and this record feels as though it will be an explosive goodbye from the onset…
The production on this album is beefy. The guitars feel massive and the low end punches the gut appropriately while the drums fill things out nicely. Vocals and leads are piercing and cut through gloriously. Everything feels triumphant and like the band spared no expense in ensuring the final chapter of their legacy is up to standard. I adore the speed metal mania of the riffs with a melodic and yet violent assault that we all know Canada shaped with their 80s titans. If the riffing wasn’t powerful enough, those battering drums and scathing solos will surely have you convinced. Equally the bass is profoundly brutal and does not meekly hide behind the guitars, preferring to bulldoze with total might. This might be the most ferocious release from the band yet! Harnessing the true heavy metal power of the early 80s and injecting it with a potent dose of thrash and speed aggression; this record feels timeless and classic while the energy is as fresh as ever. Of course they are no one trick ponies, there are more blackened moments of pure macabre evil. Furthermore we get some doomy and eerie touches to add to the sense of potent dread. But most of all we get total carnage and blistering speed.
Whiplash rhythmic assaults and venomous shredding destruction will have you possessed by the metal madness right ’til the end of this hell-ride. Blasting bombshells and stringed shrapnel will rain fire and blood upon you as the Canadian horde delivers some of their most ripping tracks to date. The muscular songwriting and blasphemous desecration of its delivery is as flawless as ever and a real pleasure to hear so far into their lifespan as a band. A band that has never compromised, cut corners or given us maniacs anything short of killer music. That special spirit that records like “Endless Pain”, “Show No Mercy”, “Obsessed by Cruelty”, “None Shall Defy” and others contain is certainly present on this demonic recording. Not many bands can still authentically do this sound justice (Vomitor springs to mind though); but Witches Hammer certainly do.
This is the proper stuff, hail the Canadian speed metal cult! No nonsense, pulverising metallic fury for the strong and elite. It’s true that the best bands prosper in the underground and Witches Hammer have been one of those obscure gems for decades. “Final Storm” is a dangerous and wild execution of total savagery mayhem. Even the artwork was done back in the 80s (originally intended for their debut LP), so that ancient aura lingers on this record without feeling like some try-hard throwback. Can you weather the final storm? Or will you be electrocuted by metallic lightning and morbid thunder? Find out now – get your copy from Nuclear War Now Productions!
You like riffs? Big, stinky, heavy guitar riffs? Sure, you do. You probably wouldn’t be reading this website if you didn’t. Here at Stereogum, we cover lots of different kinds of music, and plenty of it isn’t riff-centric. But we believe in the riff, and we hope you do, too. If you like the riff, then please allow me to recommend “Apocalypse,” the new song from Austin four-piece Porcelain.
