For more than 30 years, Stinking Lizaveta have pushed the boundaries of multiple genres of heavy music with their doom-jazz-punk style, releasing 10 records since 1994. Their latest record, Cassandra, Prophet of Doom, comes out September 18 but you can tap in to a new single now.
“Champion of My Mind” is a three-minute jammer from the instrumental crew, centering around lively riffs from guitarist Yanni Papadopoulos and upright electric bassist Alexi Papadopoulos. Drummer Cheshire Agusta bashes along with them in a music video filmed at the historic Mahoning Drive-In Theater, located in rural Pennsylvania. At various points in the video, the members of Stinking Lizaveta are shown watching their performance on screen.
Both the song and video highlight the best thing about Stinking Lizaveta—the band has maintained the same lineup with the same energy and charisma for their entire existence. Their live performances are equal parts captivating and intense, and the video for “Champion of My Mind” is just a small taste.
Cassandra, Prophet of Doom is out on September 18 via SRA Records. You can also catch them live at Johnny Brenda’s on September 26 for their album release show.
Some musicians fill a room with sound. Nick Drake filled it with silence. His songs rarely relied on dramatic choruses, powerful performances, or elaborate production. Instead, Drake created music that felt intimate, reflective, and strangely timeless.
Listeners often describe his work as melancholy, yet that word only captures part of its appeal. Many artists write sad songs. Few communicate sadness with such restraint. Drake’s music does not demand attention. It invites it. Through delicate guitar work, understated vocals, and an extraordinary sensitivity to atmosphere, he created songs that continue to resonate long after they end.
His music does not celebrate despair. It listens to it.
Nick Drake and the Sound of Quiet Melancholy
An Outsider in the Folk Revival
Nick Drake emerged during one of the most creative periods in British folk music. The late 1960s and early 1970s produced a remarkable generation of singer-songwriters who blended traditional folk influences with deeply personal songwriting.
Yet Drake never fit comfortably within any movement.
While contemporaries such as Joni Mitchell, Cat Stevens, and Leonard Cohen developed strong public identities through touring and media appearances, Drake remained intensely private. Interviews were rare. Live performances were limited. Fame seemed to make him uncomfortable.
This distance from the spotlight contributed to his reputation as an outsider, but it also shaped the music itself.
Rather than addressing political events or social trends, Drake focused on interior landscapes. His songs often feel like private reflections captured in sound. Listeners encounter uncertainty, longing, memory, and solitude not as dramatic subjects but as everyday emotional realities.
The result was music that never felt tied to a particular moment.
It sounded as though it existed slightly outside time.
The Guitar That Changed Everything
One of the most distinctive aspects of Drake’s music is his guitar playing.
Many casual listeners notice the melancholy atmosphere before they notice the technical complexity hidden beneath it.
Drake frequently used unusual alternate tunings that allowed him to create rich harmonic textures unavailable through standard tuning. These tunings helped produce the dreamlike quality heard throughout songs such as River Man, Northern Sky, and Hazey Jane I.
His fingerpicking style was equally distinctive.
Rather than treating the guitar as a simple accompaniment to vocals, Drake turned it into a complete musical environment. Bass lines, melody, rhythm, and harmony often coexist simultaneously within a single performance.
The effect feels effortless.
In reality, it was extraordinarily sophisticated.
This combination of technical complexity and emotional restraint became one of Drake’s defining artistic achievements.
Melancholy and Atmosphere
Melancholy appears throughout Drake’s work, but rarely in obvious ways.
His songs avoid grand declarations and dramatic emotional climaxes. Instead, they create atmosphere.
A listener moving through Five Leaves Left encounters songs that feel suspended between hope and sadness. Moments of beauty coexist with uncertainty. The emotions remain unresolved.
This quality was enhanced by the elegant string arrangements created by Robert Kirby, Drake’s close friend and musical collaborator.
On songs such as River Man, Kirby’s arrangements add depth and movement without overwhelming the intimacy of the performance. The strings expand the emotional landscape while preserving the quiet center of the music.
That balance became central to Drake’s artistic identity.
The songs feel delicate but never fragile.
Complex but never showy.
Melancholy, in Drake’s hands, becomes something contemplative rather than tragic.
Nick Drake and the Sound of Quiet Melancholy
Some musicians fill a room with sound.
Nick Drake filled it with silence.
His songs rarely relied on dramatic choruses, powerful performances, or elaborate production. Instead, Drake created music that felt intimate, reflective, and strangely timeless.
Listeners often describe his work as melancholy, yet that word only captures part of its appeal. Many artists write sad songs. Few communicate sadness with such restraint.
Drake’s music does not demand attention.
It invites it.
Through delicate guitar work, understated vocals, and an extraordinary sensitivity to atmosphere, he created songs that continue to resonate long after they end.
His music does not celebrate despair.
It listens to it.
Nick Drake and the Sound of Quiet Melancholy
An Outsider in the Folk Revival
Nick Drake emerged during one of the most creative periods in British folk music. The late 1960s and early 1970s produced a remarkable generation of singer-songwriters who blended traditional folk influences with deeply personal songwriting.
Yet Drake never fit comfortably within any movement.
While contemporaries such as Joni Mitchell, Cat Stevens, and Leonard Cohen developed strong public identities through touring and media appearances, Drake remained intensely private. Interviews were rare. Live performances were limited. Fame seemed to make him uncomfortable.
This distance from the spotlight contributed to his reputation as an outsider, but it also shaped the music itself.
Rather than addressing political events or social trends, Drake focused on interior landscapes. His songs often feel like private reflections captured in sound. Listeners encounter uncertainty, longing, memory, and solitude not as dramatic subjects but as everyday emotional realities.
The result was music that never felt tied to a particular moment.
It sounded as though it existed slightly outside time.
The Guitar That Changed Everything
One of the most distinctive aspects of Drake’s music is his guitar playing.
Many casual listeners notice the melancholy atmosphere before they notice the technical complexity hidden beneath it.
Drake frequently used unusual alternate tunings that allowed him to create rich harmonic textures unavailable through standard tuning. These tunings helped produce the dreamlike quality heard throughout songs such as River Man, Northern Sky, and Hazey Jane I.
His fingerpicking style was equally distinctive.
Rather than treating the guitar as a simple accompaniment to vocals, Drake turned it into a complete musical environment. Bass lines, melody, rhythm, and harmony often coexist simultaneously within a single performance.
The effect feels effortless.
In reality, it was extraordinarily sophisticated.
This combination of technical complexity and emotional restraint became one of Drake’s defining artistic achievements.
Melancholy and Atmosphere
Melancholy appears throughout Drake’s work, but rarely in obvious ways.
His songs avoid grand declarations and dramatic emotional climaxes. Instead, they create atmosphere.
A listener moving through Five Leaves Left encounters songs that feel suspended between hope and sadness. Moments of beauty coexist with uncertainty. The emotions remain unresolved.
This quality was enhanced by the elegant string arrangements created by Robert Kirby, Drake’s close friend and musical collaborator.
On songs such as River Man, Kirby’s arrangements add depth and movement without overwhelming the intimacy of the performance. The strings expand the emotional landscape while preserving the quiet center of the music.
That balance became central to Drake’s artistic identity.
The songs feel delicate but never fragile.
Complex but never showy.
Melancholy, in Drake’s hands, becomes something contemplative rather than tragic.
The Rediscovery of Nick Drake
For many years after his death, Nick Drake remained a largely overlooked figure.
His albums developed a devoted following among musicians and dedicated listeners, but widespread recognition remained elusive. Drake’s reputation grew slowly, passed from one admirer to another through recommendations, record collections, and late-night conversations about forgotten artists.
Then something unexpected happened.
In 1999, Volkswagen used the title track from Pink Moon in a television advertisement. The commercial was simple: a group of friends driving at night beneath a moonlit sky while Drake’s song played softly in the background.
The effect was extraordinary.
Millions of viewers heard Nick Drake for the first time. Album sales surged. A new generation began exploring music that had spent decades living mostly on the margins.
The moment has since become one of the most famous rediscoveries in modern music history.
Unlike many artists who achieve fame through constant exposure, Drake’s audience grew through a gradual process of discovery. Listeners felt as though they had uncovered a secret that had somehow been waiting for them.
That sense of personal discovery remains part of his appeal today.
The Influence of Quiet Melancholy
Nick Drake’s influence extends far beyond the world of British folk music.
Many contemporary singer-songwriters have embraced elements of the artistic language he helped refine: intimacy, restraint, vulnerability, and emotional precision.
Artists such as Elliott Smith, Bon Iver, José González, and Iron & Wine all created music that values atmosphere over spectacle and reflection over performance.
Their work differs significantly from Drake’s, yet traces of his influence remain visible.
The connection is not merely musical.
It is emotional.
Drake demonstrated that quietness could carry enormous weight. He proved that songs did not need dramatic climaxes to create lasting impact.
This lesson continues shaping generations of musicians who seek depth through simplicity rather than excess.
Why His Music Still Feels Modern
Many recordings become inseparable from the era that produced them.
Nick Drake’s music largely avoids this fate.
Part of the reason lies in its simplicity.
His recordings depend primarily on voice, guitar, melody, and atmosphere. Because they avoid many production trends associated with specific decades, they continue sounding remarkably fresh.
The emotional themes also contribute to this timeless quality.
Longing, solitude, uncertainty, hope, and reflection are not tied to any particular historical moment. Every generation encounters them.
Drake’s songs address these experiences with unusual honesty.
The music never attempts to be fashionable.
As a result, it rarely feels dated.
New listeners continue discovering the albums because the emotions they contain remain immediately recognizable.
The Sound of Quiet Melancholy
Nick Drake’s enduring appeal ultimately rests on a rare artistic achievement.
He transformed silence, restraint, and introspection into a distinctive musical language.
His songs rarely demand attention.
They invite it.
Through unusual guitar tunings, delicate fingerpicking, understated vocals, and remarkable emotional precision, Drake created music that continues to feel intimate decades after it was recorded.
The melancholy within these songs is never loud.
It arrives quietly.
It lingers.
It reveals itself gradually, much like the music itself.
That quietness is not a limitation.
It is the source of the music’s power.
Few artists have demonstrated more clearly that profound emotion does not require grand gestures.
Sometimes a soft voice, an acoustic guitar, and a moment of honest reflection are enough.
That is why Nick Drake remains one of the most beloved voices of quiet melancholy.
Wear the Darkness
If Nick Drake and the Sound of Quiet Melancholy resonates with your love of introspective music, dark romanticism, and atmospheric art, explore the Edgar Allan Poets store. Our designs celebrate the artists, ideas, and emotions that continue shaping alternative culture.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Who was Nick Drake?
Nick Drake was an English singer-songwriter known for his intricate guitar work, introspective lyrics, and influential albums Five Leaves Left, Bryter Layter, and Pink Moon.
Why is Pink Moon considered important?
Pink Moon is celebrated for its minimalist production, emotional depth, and lasting influence on modern folk and indie music.
How was Nick Drake rediscovered?
A major turning point came in 1999 when the song Pink Moon was featured in a Volkswagen commercial, introducing his music to millions of new listeners.
What makes Nick Drake’s guitar playing unique?
Drake frequently used alternate tunings and intricate fingerpicking techniques that allowed him to create rich, layered arrangements while maintaining a delicate and intimate sound.
Why does Nick Drake’s music still resonate today?
His songs explore universal emotions such as solitude, longing, uncertainty, and hope through timeless arrangements and extraordinary emotional honesty.
Tickets to the 2027 70,000 Tons Of Metal cruise have gone on sale, with 30 of the 60 bands set to play the nautical festival confirmed.
Public sales commenced today (Monday, September 7) at 12 midday Eastern Time and 5pm UK time. Single and group cabins are available. Head to 70000tons.com for details.
The 15th edition of the annual, 3,000-capacity heavy metal cruise will set sail from Miami, Florida on Royal Caribbean’s ship Freedom Of The Seas on January 14. It’ll make its way to Puerto Plata in the Dominican Republic before returning on January 18.
Bands confirmed so far include international melodic death metal favourites Arch Enemy, California thrash metal veterans Exodus, former Scorpions guitarist Uli Jon Roth and Portuguese goth metal outfit Moonspell. The full list is available below.
In addition, it’s been announced that Finnish metal band Wolfheart will premiere their upcoming, as-yet-unannounced studio album at a listening event.
“It is an absolute honour to step on the deck of the mighty 70,000 Tons Of Metal for the third time, on one of the most majestic metal events in this universe,” says bandleader Tuomas Saukkonen. “This time we are bringing something special with us: the world live premiere of our forthcoming album!”
Organisers say that, as well as performances, “the festival offers round-the-clock entertainment, from explosive performances on the biggest open-air stage structure to ever sail the open Seas, to artist-hosted activities and events, meet-and-greets with every band, and the opportunity for fans to mingle with their heavy metal heroes in a unique environment”.
“70,000 Tons isn’t a rinkydink festival on a boat; it’s more like a floating city, the Freedom Of The Seas ship offering an almost insane amount of space for a few thousand metalheads,” journalist Rich Hobson wrote upon his return.
“70,000 Tons is more like a continental festival than your Downloads or even Aftershocks. What that means is, bands go late. This year’s event sees bands starting as early as 10am, and the last band going on-stage at 5am. Ooft.”
(written by Islander) The French progressive death metal band Epitaphe have chosen simple Roman numerals as the sole titles for their albums, an interesting choice because their music is far from simple. One of our writers summed up their debut I as “an eclectic, avant-garde combination of quite intellectual death metal with doom-death shades”, and […]
The fast and nasty Oakland hardcore band Cell Rot put out an album called Parasite last year, the first half of a two-part project recorded with the iconic punk and metal producer Jack Shirley. Soon they’ll drop the second half, Paradise. On opening track and lead single “Paradise/Parasite II,” they hammer home the resemblance between those two words and the relationship between the concepts. “Paradise! Searchin’ for your paradise!” growls vocalist Kyle. “Parasite! You’re feedin’ like a parasite!”
PÆRISH have revealed everything you need to know about their upcoming full-length album, and it is arriving very soon indeed.
Set to be titled ‘Rita’, it will be released on October 16 via SideOneDummy. It serves as the follow-up to 2023’s ‘You’re in both dreams (and you’re scared)’.
Vocalist and guitarist Mathias Court had this to say about what the album represents:
“Rita is an album deeply shaped by childhood memories, the passing of time, and the need to preserve a sense of creative sincerity through the years. Its title refers to a bell tower I could see from the window of my family’s apartment in the South of France when I was a child. Saint Rita, patron saint of lost causes, embodied something both protective and luminous to me, but also the sacrifices and uncertainty that come with having a band and trying to make a living from it.”
The artwork looks like this:
Whilst the tracklisting is more like this:
1. Prince of Darkness 2. Heal 3. Vapor Cloud 4. What You Want 5. Always Assuming 6. Strawberry 7. Crashing In Circles 8. Wait For Dark 9. Hurry Slowly 10. Swamp Monsters Of Malibu 11. Soothe
You can also check out the new video for new track ‘Vapor Cloud’, a high-octane, brilliantly constructed, effortlessly catchy piece of alternative rock greatness.
The band had this to say about putting the video together and what inspired it:
“For Vapor Cloud, we wanted to create a music video that reflected the energy of the track: raw, fast-paced and spontaneous. The idea of featuring us behind the wheel, drifting Japanese cars, quickly became the starting point for the project.
Thanks to Loïc, our drummer, a passionate Japanese car enthusiast deeply involved in the French automotive scene, we were able to bring together a real community of collectors and drifters, along with a line-up of rare and iconic cars. We essentially created our own car meet.
Visually, we drew inspiration from the world of Asian films, video games and anime from the 80s and 90s, and their take on tuning and car culture. We were looking for a graphic, nocturnal and colorful aesthetic, almost dreamlike — a universe somewhere between a very real automotive culture and the fictional worlds that shaped our childhood.
Beyond our personal history, cars also hold a special place in PÆRISH’s story. While touring, particularly in the United States, they contribute to our sense of discovery and displacement: new models, different shapes, unfamiliar colors. Beyond speed and power, the car becomes a symbol of travel, of elsewhere, and of dreams.
With Vapor Cloud, we wanted the car to be much more than a visual element: an object of fascination, memory and dreams, set within an energetic and fast-paced world with a cinematic texture and patina, much like all of our music videos.”
And here is previously released single ‘Wait For Dark’:
Wembley Stadium holds a special place in the history of Bon Jovi. It has been seven years since the band last played the venue, and more than two decades since they famously performed the final concert weekends at the original Wembley Stadium in 2000, before it was torn down and rebuilt. Before that, there was the unforgettable three-night residency in 1995. This was never going to be just another stadium show.
The band’s 2026 global concert dates marked their long-awaited return to live touring, beginning at New York’s Madison Square Garden in July and taking in Dublin and Edinburgh and three sold-out nights in London.
Jon had undergone major vocal cord surgery in 2022, followed by years of rehabilitation, so getting back on tour meant a great deal personally. Paired with the release of the widely praised Forever album, this tour felt like a new chapter for one of rock’s most enduring frontmen.
Bon Jovi – Wembley Stadium, London – 4 September 2026. Photo: David Bergman
That emotional weight was palpable on this first London night as Jon Bon Jovi walked onto the stage wearing a blue military-style jacket, his unmistakable presence seemingly little changed through the decades.
He was joined by core members David Bryan on keyboards, drummer Tico Torres, bassist Hugh McDonald and lead guitarist Phil X, alongside touring musicians John Shanks (rhythm guitar) and Everett Bradley (vocals).
For the fans, it was a moment many had waited years to experience. For Jon, the significance of being back was evident in every greeting, every smile and every moment he took to absorb the packed, sold-out crowd’s response.
The production was suitably grandiose, with spectacular visuals framing the enormous stage. But underneath the spectacle, this was arena rock in its purest form. Bon Jovi and their catalogue of anthems were more than enough to generate the high-octane, larger-than-life atmosphere.
Bon Jovi – Wembley Stadium, London – 4 September 2026. Photo: David Bergman
For a generation of fans who “weren’t there the first time round”, the sound of roaring guitars shaking the upper rafters of a stadium is the very definition of a rock concert. We are lucky to have experienced a night that lived up to it.
Across two and a half hours, Bon Jovi delivered a gloriously indulgent evening spanning the band’s many eras, with a setlist heavily weighted towards the ’80s and ’90s.
Four decades on, the pull of these classics remains extraordinary. Songs that became the soundtrack of generations still feel fresh, current and capable of drawing fans of all ages into the same euphoric moment.
Their longevity is not simply a matter of nostalgia. It is a testament to the strength of the songwriting and the enduring connection these anthems continue to create.
Bon Jovi – Wembley Stadium, London – 4 September 2026. Photo: David Bergman
They opened with a nod to their hosts, a cover of The Beatles’ With a Little Help From My Friends, before sliding into Beautiful Drug, from Forever. We Weren’t Born To Follow, and Lost Highway came next, striking a balance between recent material and old favourites that held for the rest of the night.
“I have too many memories of this place,” Jon told the crowd before counting the audience down into the ’80s. The first notes of You Give Love A Bad Name sent Wembley into a frenzy, and from there it was one highlight after another. Born to Be My Baby followed, lifting the energy even higher.
“It’s good to be in 1986,” he said, and the stadium roared in agreement.
Legendary, from the new album, came with a striking starry visual backdrop, but the crowd was just as much a part of the show as anything on stage. Jon acted as a real-time conductor, orchestrating extended choruses and inviting thousands of voices to take over.
Many of the classics were treated to longer renditions, allowing the crowd to participate while the band delivered stunning instrumental solos, with Phil X’s performance being a particular highlight of the evening. His explosive guitar work added another dimension to the stadium-sized sound.
Bed Of Roses was one of the evening’s most moving moments, with Jon’s vocals shining through. Between songs, he kept pausing to greet the crowd, clearly moved to be back on a UK stage.
“1995 was the first time we played Wembley Stadium,” he said. “Came back in 2019. Forgot how much I missed this place.”
These Days offered a breather from the anthems, letting Jon’s vocal take centre stage again. This House Is Not For Sale gave Phil X room for a standout solo, and Fame landed as another highlight thanks to the interplay between Shanks and Phil X’s guitars.
It’s My Life stole the show outright, its chorus bouncing off every corner of the stadium. Livin’ On A Prayer brought the kind of mass singalong only a song of its size can pull off, topped with a huge vocal performance and an extended solo from David Bryan.
Bon Jovi – Wembley Stadium, London – 4 September 2026. Photo: David Bergman
“Are there any cowboys in London?” Jon asked, leaving little doubt that Wanted Dead Or Alive was about to follow. The song brought another wave of nostalgia, while Bad Medicine turned the whole stadium into one big party.
As the evening drew to a close, the band gathered in a circle, embraced and closed things out with Always. It was perhaps the most magical moment of the night. An emotional finale filled with powerful vocals, extended guitar solos and the unmistakable connection between a band and its audience.
Jon Bon Jovi looked genuinely moved by the response. This was not simply about returning to a famous venue, but about returning to the stage itself and sharing these songs once again with the fans who have carried them through the decades.
A triumphant first night at Wembley, with Jon’s vocal comeback proving every bit as meaningful as the band’s return to the stage, and a performance that promises even more to come.
Silvertomb have released “Graves In The Sky”, the newest single from their forthcoming studio album, The Interpretation Of Nightmares, which is set for release on November 13th through Steamhammer/SPV. You can watch the music video below. Read more…
If you have been yearning for the golden age of Megadeth, then the Dave Ellefson-led Kings Of Thrash may just be the vehicle to transport you back. Tonight in Dublin, alongside his former Megadeth buddy Jeff Young, lead vocalist/guitarist Chaz Leon and drummer Fred Aching, they brought The Mega Years Tour to the banks of the River Liffey for a night of nostalgic ear abuse.
Tonight is marked with a bit of sentimentality for me, as while touring their So Far, So Good….So What! album in 1988, Megadeth’s stop off at the Olympic Ballroom in Dublin was my maiden voyage in Thrash Metal concerts.
I remember the night vividly. I was nervously dropped off in an unfamiliar part of the city, and trusted enough by my Dad to bus it home on the 20B to Beaumont.
The night also saw another first. The breaking of my crowd surfing cherry, an out-of-body and near out-of-jeans experience, something not repeated tonight, I might add.
Kings Of Thrash – The Sound House, Dublin – 1 September 2026. Photo: Steven Maloney/MetalTalk
And while this evening I was minus the mullet and the five quid bootleg t-shirt, when Into The Lungs Of Hell got its pistons pumping, you could have knocked me over with a feather as middle-aged hormones took hold.
Naturally, Kings Of Thrash are not a patch on the all-conquering Megadeth of that time, and it is pointless to overcompare. This is just a no-frills, riotous tip of the hat to a monumental period in Thrash Metal history.
What we got this evening was a prime selection of material from the first four Megadeth albums, which few would deny was the band at their creative best.
Kings Of Thrash – The Sound House, Dublin – 1 September 2026. Photo: Steven Maloney/MetalTalk
Opener Rattlehead could not have kicked it off any better. 41 years on and this tune still makes your fillings rattle.
You have got to hand it to Chaz Leon. With a few nit picking purists always lurking about, taking on the Mustaine role is like wearing a target on your back. But his confident demeanour is backed by a man totally immersed in his role. He took on big boys like The Conjuring and Set The World Afire and did them real justice.
Kings Of Thrash – The Sound House, Dublin – 1 September 2026. Photo: Steven Maloney/MetalTalk
Having ignored the tour’s set list up to this point, I must admit, I was hoping for but not expecting Anarchy In The UK. And to my joy, it was as gloriously ragged as it was in ’88.
While the set list is a generous selection, the fact that they were peppered out in a room with a capacity of about 250 made it a more authentic experience.
Kings Of Thrash – The Sound House, Dublin – 1 September 2026. Photo: Steven Maloney/MetalTalk
Do not get me wrong. It is heartening when Thrash Metal bands get promoted to arena status, but the songs just do not hit home in the same way. But when you are in a tight space like The Sound House in what felt like 40 degrees, golden era tunes like Mary Jane and 502 were only going to land the way nature intended.
As ever, Ellefson takes everything in his stride. There was a look of great contentment in everything he did tonight. Even while Fred Aching was doing his drum solo, the revered bassist and coffee entrepreneur was happy to sign and take selfies without a hint of fuss.
Kings Of Thrash – The Sound House, Dublin – 1 September 2026. Photo: Steven Maloney/MetalTalk
And his buddy Jeff Young looked to be having a jolly old evening too. He appeared at times in his own world, totally immersed in an odd-looking guitar that looked like a modified Steinberger that had grown a dodgy-looking head from somewhere.
Still, it was refreshing to see a guitarist not sticking to the Thrash Metal stereotype. And his odd-looking tool did not make In My Darkest Hour or Hook In Mouth sound any less bruising.
The first sign of a mosh pit sparked off during Good Morning/Black Friday, not a ferocious one though, but hats off to the group of teenagers for getting it going in the first place. This old git was not sacrificing his safe and snug stage right position for anything.
The Rust In Peace album got its moment in the spotlight as Dawn Patrol laid the foundation for Tornado Of Souls to wreak its usual havoc.
Kings Of Thrash – The Sound House, Dublin – 1 September 2026. Photo: Steven Maloney/MetalTalk
There was no leaving and dramatically returning for an encore carry-on tonight. Instead, Ellefson and Young declared their undying love for Iron Maiden, especially the Di’Anno period. That then heralded an impressive and Thrashed up version of Murders In The Rue Morgue.
How do you top that? Simple. You ram out Peace Sells in all its legendary glory. From hearing that immortal Ellefson bass line live for the first time as a young one all those years ago, to watching the video on Mick Wall’s Monsters Of Rock and, of course, hearing multiple plays on Tommy Vance’s Friday Rock Show, seeing it done basically in your face was a joy beyond measure.
I have not seen Megadeth since that memorable night in 1988, and in all honesty, in their current state, I have no great desire to again.
So if it is Kings Of Thrash from here on in, then that will do me just fine.
Lancaster, PA trio American Motors impressed us with their 2024 debut Content. Now they’re back to announce another album of scraping, pounding, ominous underground rock music. For Functional Music, out in November, the band once again recorded with the legendary J Robbins at his Magpie Cage studio in Baltimore, so Alex Steward’s drums thwack extra viscerally. Singer-guitarist Dustin White shared the following:
