Aussie indie rock icons Moler return with Roky a blistering new single lifted from their just released album 69, — the band’s second full-length release since their ARIA-nominated 1997 debut Golden Duck. Built from a guitar riff by JJ McCann inspired by Roky Erickson, Roky fuses fuzzy alternative textures with glam-leaning post-punk energy, exploring unrequited […]
Why oh why is Michael Monroe still playing small club gigs? This is an artist who is still very much at the top of his game. He knows what the people want, and he constantly delivers. Tonight, at Chalk in Brighton, was no exception.
From the moment Michael Monroe leapt on stage, we were in for a head-down, great show. The man is a great songwriter, musician and entertainer. For over forty years, he has been extolling the joys of rock ‘n’ roll.
Michael Monroe – Chalk Brighton – 8 March 2026. Photo: Robert Sutton/MetalTalk
There are so many what if’s relating to Hanoi Rocks which have been gone over a million times, yet here he still is, performing as though he is still twenty years old.
The scarf entwined microphone, a-la Steve Tyler, is swung around, he is on and off the stage, careering along the bar as he cannot climb the speaker stacks due to the low ceiling. He is a man full of abundant energy and enthusiasm.
Michael Monroe – Chalk Brighton – 8 March 2026. Photo: Robert Sutton/MetalTalk
With a new album currently out, it seemed as though we may get a few new tracks, but no, only a couple. The rest of the set was pure greatest hits, be it from his solo material, Demolition 23 material or the very best of Hanoi Rocks.
The flying Fin is at home on the stage. He lives every minute up there, and though, because of the nature of the co-headliner scenario, the time playable is reduced, he makes every single minute count.
Michael Monroe – Chalk Brighton – 8 March 2026. Photo: Robert Sutton/MetalTalk
Quite simply, he blows the club away. It is also quite clear that most of the audience is here to see Michael as the space grows on the floor once he has performed, which made Buckcherry’s job that much harder.
Whether it was because tonight was the last night of the tour or not, Michael was not going out without a bang and a great glam punk flourish.
Michael Monroe – Chalk Brighton – 8 March 2026. Photo: Robert Sutton/MetalTalk
Dead, Jail, or Rock ‘n’ Roll, the song sums up everything about the man. The audience is already enthused, and once Motorvatin’, the first of the Hanoi classics, blasts out, we know where we stand.
With old time compatriot Sammi Jaffa on Bass, and prowling the stage behind Michael it is as though we were back in 1982 once again.
Michael Monroe – Chalk Brighton – 8 March 2026. Photo: Robert Sutton/MetalTalk
The songs themselves even seem to detail his life history. Whether it’s revisiting the Old King’s Road or off to the Hammersmith Palais, or visiting the Boulevard Of Broken Dreams, or even having a Malibu Beach Nightmare, tonight is a consummate exhibition of good time glam and glitz.
Michael Monroe – Chalk Brighton – 8 March 2026. Photo: Robert Sutton/MetalTalk
The new songs are just as catchy and energising as the older classics. Shinola and Disconnected are perfect sing-along material. They fit well in the set, and tonight it is quite impossible not to have a good time.
The band are tight and unforgiving in their approach. They attack the songs with glee and gusto, and Michael provides the perfect foil for them.
Michael Monroe – Chalk Brighton – 8 March 2026. Photo: Robert Sutton/MetalTalk
A cover of the UK Subs Endangered Species is thrown in, and Charlie Harper from the Subs joins them onstage to stir matters up even more.
Unfortunately, the seventy-five minutes are over far too quickly, although there is still time for Hanoi’s cover of the Creedence classic Up Around The Bend to see us through.
What a night, what a performance. The adrenaline is still running through the veins.
Michael Monroe – Chalk Brighton – 8 March 2026. Photo: Robert Sutton/MetalTalk
Swedish speed metal trio Venthiax have been quietly sharpening their claws in the underground, releasing demos, live recordings, and various early material before their first proper mini-album. Clocking in at just over twenty minutes, their debut captures six focused tracks of raw speed metal energy. Drummer Emil Borg talks to us about why the band chose an ancient Egyptian theme, how being a trio shapes their sound, and what it means to push hard while staying true to the old-school spirit of the scene.
Hi! Rites of Ra is a heavy name to put on your first proper release. Why Ra? What pulled you in that direction?
-We wrote the track Rites of Ra before even thinking about releasing this mini-album. I would say that we liked the title-track very much, so we decided to name the MLP after it. Ancient Egypt as a theme is something that fits us and we are happy with the result!
Twenty-one minutes. No filler. Did you cut material to keep it that tight, or was that the natural length of the strike?
– No, we didn’t cut any material to keep it at that length. The whole process has felt very natural and straightforward. It felt right for us to release this as a mini-album. Rather go with six killer tracks in 21 minutes, than with more tracks for filler!
“Speed Metal Mayhem” feels like the core of the record. Is that track a self-portrait of the band right now?
– That is one way to interpret it and I like it. It is more of a portrait of the genuine passion for the genre within the underground scene and could be seen as a hymn to everything that falls under the speed metal swirl. And what falls into the speed metal swirl category in this example is the bands that keep it heavy, old-school with physical copies with an anti-AI mentality and a true passion to the genre.
Everyone claims the ‘80s. Very few actually sound dangerous. What makes the difference?
– Well, the 80’s is very wide in terms of metal as a genre and subculture and was the time where everything “metal” peaked. So, the difference is the different paths that the metal genre expands with where one path is the dangerous sounding one and where others aren’t.
Being a trio leaves everything exposed. Do you feel that pressure when recording, or does it push you harder?
– I tend to see it as an advantage to be a trio in the sense that you have to extend your musical capacities, in that way it is a pressure to do vocals that are satisfactory to all when your main focus is percussions. That also leaves room for development and new ways of discovering vocal styles and what fits with what. So, it is a pressure but at the same time, if you have a passion and are willing to take on something challenging which makes you develop and go forward – then that is what the goal is.
You dropped a demo, an EP, and two live albums before this mini even landed. Were you testing yourselves, or testing the scene?
– No, it wasn’t really about testing, but more of a way of releasing different variants of the songs so that there are several options of listening to it whether it is very underground and dirty sounding or cleaner, which is where the studio recording comes in when wanting the cleaner sounding version. Having live-recording is also a fun way of remembering a certain gig which makes a moment eternal in a way when released on tape.
Two live albums this early on – that’s confidence. Do you feel more at home on stage than in the studio?
– I, the drummer, personally don’t feel more at home. Don’t get me wrong, I still like the stage but the studio gives time to focus on the details on the percussion part that has to be left aside when playing live at times due to the vocals and drumming cooperating at the same time which makes the focus be more on balancing the playing than working with the details that you get done with in the studio.
Sweden has a strong extreme metal identity already. Do you feel part of that tradition, or are you trying to sidestep it?
– Yes, we do, but it is mostly (not always) the bigger Swedish cities that carry all the metal bands in terms of their origin. Being from the Huskvarna/ Jönköping region knowing that many metal bands aren’t from the area is something that we like to emphasize when we are playing live and meeting other bands. Seeing Swedish metal bands that aren’t from the Stockholm or Gothenburg area is always refreshing knowing that the passion is strong in other parts of Sweden as well and not only something that occurs in greater cities.
DYING VICTIMS PRODUCTIONS doesn’t sign half-hearted bands. What does working with them mean in practical terms for you?
– First of all, it’s an honor working with Dying Victims knowing what sort of dedication the label puts into releasing strong metal bands that could carry whole festivals without anyone in their right mind being content once the festival is over. Seriously, Dying Victims is without a doubt one of the best labels for this sort of music out there. Working with Dying Victims means that the community and discovery of more like-minded maniacs expands, giving the prerequisites to know more bands from the label and therefore eventually play gigs with the bands.
You’ve said you want to be the loudest and most ruthless band in your area. What does that actually look like? Bigger shows? Wrecked gear? Word spreading by mouth alone? Thank you for your time!
– Yeah, we would really like to stand out as the dedicated speed/ thrash metal band that is from our area hopefully having more people discover a part of Sweden that people perhaps aren’t too familiar with in terms of knowing other metal bands that are from the Huskvarna/ Jönköping region. Playing bigger shows in that area definitely applies to that, being booked at gigs in the area opening for other greater bands is really something that we are happy to have been part of so far.
Fresh off the successful releases of the last two “Babylon A.D.” albums! ‘Rome Wasn’t Built In A Day’ Perris Records, 2024 and ‘When The World Stops’ Kivel Records, 2025. Derek Davis brings his creative energy to life penning a brand new explosive up-tempo rocker. The funk driven, hard-hitting metal track delivers the angst and vocal delivery for which he is known. Both lyrically and musically the track speaks to the frustration and passion of the forgotten man in today’s ever changing world.
The AI evolution and political divide that shapes our thoughts and lives are explored through his cinematic story telling. “Running Man” is a rock anthem at its core, with an uptempo fist pounding funkifed bass line and searing guitar riffs, the hooks never stop.
Davis’s exploration of combining Hard Rock, old school R&B, and Funk, is awe-inspiring and leaves the listener wanting more. Having played all the instruments, mixing and producing the track, as well as editing and creating the accompanying Video, he once again proves to be a visionary force in the music industry.
Derek Davis is a multi-talented performer, singer, songwriter, musician and producer who delivers it all with Running Man!
When I see a band being labelled as orchestral/jazz/metal, and they back it up with a fabulous name such as Big Band of Boom, then there’s absolutely no way in hell that I’m passing up the opportunity to review it. The PR headline reads “Imagine the Kill Bill soundtrack played by Rage Against the Machine with an orchestra” and from the opening to the end, this is one long party, which we are all invited to.
The band itself are from Birmingham, consisting of twelve members, with trumpets, trombones, saxophones, bass, keyboards, guitars and drums, for our audible pleasure. It is like an explosion of sound, with too many references points to mention, but that big brass sound is magical. The album has 11 original songs and 2 covers, starting with the anthemic bounciness of “Stupid Filthy Rich”, which is laced with humour, and by the time you get that western sound ringing out during “Earthquake” you’ll be emotionally invested in this band.
You can sense they’ve crafted their live sound and produced it on the album, with main vocalist Josh Wunderlich, ably assisted on vocals by Tom Duffy and Tom Hyland, each taking their place in the spotlight with a range of harmonies. If you don’t like trombones and trumpets, then avoid this at all costs because it’s like a sunshine party in your eardrums and will make you want to dance across the room. They’ve deconstructed Pendulum’s “Propane Nightmares” in a fabulous way but it’s the cover of System of a Down’s “Toxicity” that really sticks out. It’s already a powerful song, but the screeching brass sounds give it more weight, followed by the softness of Wunderlich’s vocal.
The band have created a new breed of chaos, with sing along hooks, heavy riffs, punchy brass notes and soaring melodies, which “Energy Vampire” fully demonstrates. The horn sections were recorded with care and reinforced with real power, as their collective sound is sensational. However, it’s the genre mix that impresses me the most, as “Knock at the Door” offers something softer, more controlled with bits of swing in there for a delightful calmness.
“One Night Only” is a firework of a song and an invitation into their madcap world. There’s just so much happening in each track, it’s like they’ve used a palette of soundscapes to create their artistry. That smooth jazz sound comes to the fore on “Thanks Humans” that reminds me in parts of California’s Royal Crown Revue, and they end with “The Longest of Goodbyes” a song full of emotion that by the time it finishes, you’ll want to sit down in a darkened room and play it all again.
Review: Tyketto – Closer To The Sun Silver Lining Music (March 20th, 2026) Reviewer – Jason Hopper Tyketto released their debut album at a special time in my life. A junior in high school, I had just gotten into the music scene with exciting new bands coming to fruition. Like everyone else, I was hooked […]
Interview by Mizzie Maxx Rock sensation THE GEMS return with their second album Year Of The Snake, out on March 13, 2026. The Swedish trio solidifies their position as a strong player in modern hard rock with Year Of The Snake. Their very first single, Like A Phoenix, instantly hit #2 on the German Rock […]
Knocked Loose have added many more tour dates to their summer schedule, and it’s looking like it’ll be one of the most exciting periods in the band’s lives.
As well as joining the mighty Metallica in stadiums between May and July (alongside Gojira), the Louisville titans will be performing at both UK legs of Slam Dunk Festival, plus Slam Dunk Germany and Slam Dunk Italy. And if that’s not enough, Knocked Loose have also confirmed a bunch of their own headline shows – including Belfast Limelight and The Academy in Dublin – with tickets going on general sale this Friday, March 13 from 10am local time.
Speaking to Kerrang! about supporting Metallica and the prospect of meeting and hanging out with their heroes, frontman Bryan Garris joked in the latest print issue: “What am I going to say to James Hetfield?! Like, he’s gonna come up to me and say, ‘What’s up?’ And I’m just gonna freeze, like, ‘I’ve listened to you since I was fucking 10 years old.’ And Metallica is the band for Isaac [Hale]. They’re why he plays guitar, he knows every single song. There’s a lot of layers of excitement for that.”
The band’s full run is as follows:
Knocked Loose European and UK summer tour dates
May
9 Athens Olympic Stadium (supporting Metallica) 11 Sofia Vidas Art Arena 13 Bucharest Arena Nationala (supporting Metallica) 15 Budapest Akvarium NagyHall 16 Linz Posthof 19 Chorzów Slaski Stadium (supporting Metallica) 22 Frankfurt Deutsche Bank Park (supporting Metallica) 23 Hatfield Slam Dunk Festival South 24 Leeds Slam Dunk Festival North 26 Lyon Le Transbordeur 27 Zürich Stadion Letzigrund (supporting Metallica) 28 Zürich Komplex 457 29 Oberhausen Slam Dunk Germany 30 Berlin Olympiastadion (supporting Metallica)
June
1 Milan Slam Dunk Italy 3 Bologna Stadio Renato Dall’Ara (supporting Metallica) 6 Barcelona Primavera Sound 9 Kraków Tauron Arena (supporting Bring Me The Horizon) 13 Budapest Puskás Aréna (supporting Metallica) 14 Hradec Králové Rock for People 16 Nijmegen Doornroosje 19 Dessel Graspop Metal Meeting 21 Dublin Aviva Stadium (supporting Metallica) 22 Belfast Limelight 23 Dublin The Academy 25 Glasgow Hampden Park (supporting Metallica) 28 Cardiff Principality Stadium (supporting Metallica)
In support or their the long-overdue debut album The World Is Not Yours, Melbourne based purveyors of blackened grinding death, MUNT embark on a spiteful nine show Australian east coast throughout March and April of 2026. Supported by death/groove churners Nembutolik, this promises to be a local tour not to be missed. Across thirteen relentless […]
Magnolia Park is unleashing an intoxicating new single DANGEROUS today, the final preview ahead of their NIGHTS AFTER VAMP deluxe album out this Friday, March 13. One of six new tracks that expand the soundscape of their dystopian universe first introduced in last Spring’s ambitious concept album VAMP, DANGEROUS embodies the dark, spellbinding essence the […]
Aussie indie rock icons Moler return with Roky a blistering new single lifted from their just released album 69, — the band’s second full-length release since their ARIA-nominated 1997 debut Golden Duck. Built from a guitar riff by JJ McCann inspired by Roky Erickson, Roky fuses fuzzy alternative textures with glam-leaning post-punk energy, exploring unrequited […]
Interview by Mizzie Maxx Rock sensation THE GEMS return with their second album Year Of The Snake, out on March 13, 2026. The Swedish trio solidifies their position as a strong player in modern hard rock with Year Of The Snake. Their very first single, Like A Phoenix, instantly hit #2 on the German Rock […]
In support or their the long-overdue debut album The World Is Not Yours, Melbourne based purveyors of blackened grinding death, MUNT embark on a spiteful nine show Australian east coast throughout March and April of 2026. Supported by death/groove churners Nembutolik, this promises to be a local tour not to be missed. Across thirteen relentless […]
Magnolia Park is unleashing an intoxicating new single DANGEROUS today, the final preview ahead of their NIGHTS AFTER VAMP deluxe album out this Friday, March 13. One of six new tracks that expand the soundscape of their dystopian universe first introduced in last Spring’s ambitious concept album VAMP, DANGEROUS embodies the dark, spellbinding essence the […]