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When it comes to tours that I have been excited about this one was on top of my list. I have been chomping at the bit to see Anthrax with Joey Belladonna. It was a bucket list show. The last two studio albums have been nothing but perfection for me. “Worship Music” and “For All Kings” are essential staples in my music diet even now. I love all eras of the band but the maturity and slight change in style of those later records hit me differently.

Knowing that there is new music sitting waiting to be unleashed has created a painful sense of anticipation today and the chance that we might get a taste of what is to come is also more than I could risk missing.

I chatted with Scott Ian in the weeks leading up to this tour and in his own words he promised the most energetic, minimum ninety minutes of metal you’ve ever seen from any band. How can you not go and check it out and see if the man is of his word? More to the point, was he a man of his word? I will reveal all shortly….

Alien Weaponry have such a big reputation, and they have released a couple of killer albums, and their latest offering ‘Te Ra’ is simply a beast. Live, I have never seen them but have heard legend of their shows. This was all about to change. Alien Weaponry’s set begins with a full-blown Haka led by drummer Henry who is soon joined by bassist Turanga and finally guitarist/lead singer Lewis. This must be one of the most engaging introductions to a band I have ever seen. Powerful and intentional. Perfect.

Their set was simply next level, seeing this trio blast their way through the forty-five-minute set was incredible. Punishing old school trash with a modern twist and that made you move. Lewis amidst his dreadlock windmills threw down some huge riffs and the grooves that Henry and Turanga simply detonated made this such a tight set.

Looking into the crowd it was obvious why everyone was here though. The sea of battle jackets and vintage shirts told you that exactly everyone was here to see. Having said that the crowd reacted perfectly, banging heads, throwing horns and creating some good movement in the mosh pit. Everything I had been told about Alien Weaponry’s intensity, ability and power was true. These three Kiwis are certainly huge torch carriers for the spirit of trash metal.

Alien Weaponry Gallery

As the stage was cleared and the massive Anthrax logo was projected onto the black drop that covered the stage. banner was dropped in front of the stage we were treated to another fine selection of tunes being pushed from the PA The Eagles, Doobie Brothers, tunes you wouldn’t expect to hear at a thrash metal show, but it hit the major demographic as it should. This would all be until Iron Maiden’s Number Of The Beast blasted through the PA firing up the crowd.

This front drop would go on to serve as screen that showed an Anthrax animated movie that took us through Anthrax’s history from the eyes of the band’s mascot Not man. It was an absolute trip, and I hope that this mini movie makes it onto the internet at some stage, it was an absolute blast.

 

The front banner drops to the band ripping into A.I.R. the noise from the crowd is almost louder than the band. Inspiring nothing but goosebumps. The energy coming the stage is incredible. Frank Bello is in full flight, Scott Ian stomps through the track and Joey Belladonna, he looks like the happiest man on the planet right now, pointing at fans, stealing picks from the guitar stands and flicking them out to the crowd. There is just so much to take in, and this just adds to the energy. John Donais is right at home too, leaning into everything, his playing is so effortless but so damn good. Donais too looks so happy taking it all in and Charlie Benante is just a drumming machine, effortless and so damn powerful.

If that intro wasn’t enough, we were then treated to Got The Time and everything again seems to step up energy wise on the stage. Short sharp and to the point we end up at Caught In A Mosh and by this stage there certainly was one happening, fans singing louder than before and just immersing themselves in this show. Anthrax in 2026 show absolutely no signs of slowing down, their run through Canada before Australia tour certainly ensured they were in top form. Metal Thrashing Mad continues to frenzy the crowd and ensures that we all get drawn into the energy. This must be one of the most fun and intense first fifteen to twenty minutes of a show I have ever experienced and the smile on my face reflected that I’m sure.

When Scott Ian promised an incredible show, he wasn’t kidding, but could they hold this pace and energy? We enter a more recent Anthrax era as we get ‘Fight Em’ Till You Cant the old school comes into new, Fight Em’ Till You Can’t has that old school feel with the incredible new energy and didn’t the crowd just love it. Chanting the chorus loud and proud, clapping on command of Belladona, his energy is simply brilliant.

Possibly my favourite song from the new era of Anthrax would have to be Breathing Lightning it’s anthemic chant roars through Festival Hall as Belladona asks for more from the crowd and they gave it. Hands clapping in the air. Watching the band react to the crowd’s response was amazing. In The End from “Worship Music” is so damn good too. The reunited Anthrax that we see today is simply magic. They truly have come back with a vengeance and are making what I think is some of the best music they ever have.

The band leaves the stage for a moment and return with what Scott Ian called a brain fart before he tells us all what we all wanted to know. We have been working on a record for about fourteen years and it’s finally finished. If you were all paying attention after the Not man movie, that thing we opened with, well that was a bit of a new song, now we are going to play a bit of another new song, so pay attention. We get twenty-seven seconds of a new song and that’s it. You will hear the rest in a few months claim Ian as the band launches into the stadium anthem Be All, End All which once again has Festival Hall in full voice chanting. It’s just incredible to be in the thick of this and feeling it at full force.

From the new back to the beginning, we go again as fan favourites Medusa and Indians take us on a thrashing good time. Medusa continues the crowd participation chants and Indians is nothing short of a heavy metal war cry. Both classic cuts are so great to hear. The dual guitar riff of Indians just solidifies Ian and Donais and one of the greatest twin guitar attacks in thrash history. From a rhythmical sense these two are just so in sync and truly does show how solid the band is today. It is the cry of war dance that sends the pit into a moshing frenzy, I cannot tell you how good the energy in the room is right now.

The band leaves the stage, and you just know that they aren’t done yet, Melbourne won’t let them be done as the floor is stomped and the chant of more begins. The band takes to the stage and Ian takes to the microphone stating We have been coming here since nineteen fucking ninety, that like shit you learn about in history class: way back in nineteen ninety it’s been that long. It’s a privilege to come here in twenty-twenty-six. For a bunch of American’s, it feels really good to be seven thousand miles away. I don’t know if there is a word in the English language invented yet to describe it. #unt is a good one, but not nearly strong enough. Event #unt with a K isn’t strong enough. But before we get into that bullshit, and who the fuck wants to talk about that at the metal show. I’m just saying it’s a breath of fresh air for us to be here. Thank you for having us.

The Beladonna takes Benante’s place for a quick run into I’m The Man which has always been a blast. We get taken home with the last two songs of the encore I Am The Law and Antisocial both demand the crowd to give it their all and that is exactly what we do.

I’m smiling, I’m exhausted and I wouldn’t have it any other way. That was ninety minutes of sheer energy. Joey Belladona is in such fine voice and a man that truly loves being on stage, Scott Ian is menacing and energetic, Frank Bello is one hell of a performer and player, he is just such a massive ball of energy, Charlie Benante is a powerhouse ( how I would have loved to have watched a couple of songs behind the kit because he is just a workhorse and John Donais is the bands secret weapon, his playing is incredible, watching him watch the crowd and then giving back what he is being given by the audience is great to watch. Anthrax are five guys who truly want to be on stage playing music together, the magic and chemistry between the band is incredible. This by no means was a phoned in performance. While the songs covered the entire Belladonna eras it didn’t feel like nostalgia at all. It was fresh and fierce. The sound tonight was the best I have heard in Festival Hall and the lighting was superb. This is how you do it after forty plus years people. Ian true to his word backed it all up and then gave us something extra.

Tonight made it so damn obvious that Anthrax deserves their place in the Big 4 of thrash and my guess is that they may be the last men standing too. With new music coming hopefully it won’t be too long before we see them again here in Australia. A bucket list show for me turned into a show I won’t forget anytime soon.

Setlist : A.I.R., Got The Time, Caught In A Mosh, Metal Thrashing Mad, Fight ‘Em Till You Can’t, Breathing Lightning, In The End, New Song Snippet, Be All End All, Medusa, Indians.

Encore : I’m The Man, I Am The Law, Antisocial

Anthrax Gallery

Photos by Shot By Slaidins Photography
With special thanks to John Howarth & Live Nation for the media access.

The post LIVE REVIEW: ANTHRAX With Special Guest Alien Weaponary appeared first on The Rockpit.

Epitaph Records is delighted to announce the signing of breakkaway, who today release their first single under the label’s

Supported by Nails, Exodus and Carcass, the German luminaries reach a new level of pageantry

Supported by Nails, Exodus and Carcass, the German luminaries reach a new level of pageantry

Norwegian progressive trailblazers Enslaved are honoured to reveal their latest creation – two unique recordings of sea shanties, made in collaboration with the Storm Weather Shanty Choir, who hail from Bergen, Norway’s great sailing ship the Statsraad Lehmkuhl. The shanties are titled ‘Fire Marengo‘ and ‘Anna Lovinda‘. ‘Fire Marengo‘ is a traditional shanty, whilst ‘Anna Lovinda‘ was written by the late sailor and Norwegian cultural figure Erik Bye.

Enslaved explained the collaboration: “Enslaved was formed on the western edge of Norway, where mountains fall into the sea and history is carried by wind and tide. Bergen is not simply a coastal city; it is a threshold — between land and ocean, between myth and lived experience. The sea is not scenery here. It is memory, labour, departure and return.

Among the most powerful living symbols of this heritage is Statsraad Lehmkuhl, the great Bergen tall ship that still sails the world’s oceans. Around this vessel lives and breathes the shanty tradition — songs born of rhythm, rope, salt, and collective effort. From this environment emerged Storm Weather Shanty Choir.

Our connection to the ship began in 2014, when the Tall Ships Races concluded in Bergen. We were invited to compose and perform a commissioned piece on the deck of Statsraad Lehmkuhl. Metal echoed across the harbour that evening — a meeting of ancient wind-powered technology and modern amplified ritual. It felt less like contrast and more like continuity.

Since then, a friendship has grown — particularly with Haakon Vatle, director of the ship’s foundation and one of Norway’s most devoted custodians of the shanty tradition. He often remarks that sailors were the first metalheads — people who faced elemental forces daily and answered them with song. There is truth in that. Shanties were not entertainment; they were functional incantations — rhythm as survival.

In November 2025, during the choir’s 20th anniversary concert in Bergen, we joined forces on the traditional “Fire Marengo” and the Norwegian shanty “Anna Lovinda,” written by the late sailor and cultural figure Erik Bye. The collaboration felt less like fusion and more like recognition — two expressions of the same coastal inheritance meeting at the centre.

After the performance, it was clear that this convergence should not remain ephemeral. We met again in early 2026 to record the material — not as novelty, but as continuation. Because at the centre — at mið — we find not isolation, but shared origin. Wind, rhythm, voice. The same pulse that once moved sails now moves amplifiers. The same call-and-response that coordinated labour now shapes modern ritual. The sea remembers. And so do we.”

Stream the tracks here:
https://enslaved.bfan.link/shanty-songs

Watch the visualizer for ‘Fire Marengo‘ here:
https://youtu.be/vwoSK2xytkM

Never faltering, Norway’s iconic Enslaved continue to exist as one of the most original and dependable components in our scene’s indestructible backbone. Possessing the reputation as one of the most riveting live acts around, they never fail to offer us talent of the highest calibre, always doing justice to their signature black/progressive sound. Enslaved was formed in 1991 by Ivar Bjørnson and Grutle Kjellson, releasing their first demo Yggdrasill in the summer of 1992, their legendary mini-album Hordanes Land coming out in 1993, and with their debut full-length Vikingligr Veldi arriving in the spring of 1994.

Enslaved are a band in stellar form – a band at its most existentialist and self-conscious, proud Bergeners bearing the torch of their hometown’s extraordinary musical history. Their most recent material shows Enslaved at their most unleashed and thought-through – a lethal combination unfurling a potential that’s easily rekindling the furor of their early works while dancing gracefully through their most ambitious, most haunting and most musical tunes yet. A contradiction? Life itself is a contradiction. And yet we all live to prove it wrong.

Enslaved are:
Ivar Bjørnson | guitars
Grutle Kjellson | vocals
Arve ‘Ice Dale’ Isdal | guitar
Håkon Vinje | keyboards, clean vocals
Iver Sandøy | drums

Website | Bandcamp | Facebook | Instagram
Twitter | Spotify | YouTube | Apple Music

The post ENSLAVED Reveal Sea Shanties ‘Fire Marengo’ & ‘Anna Lovinda’ + ‘ENSLAVED & STORM WEATHER SHANTY CHOIR’ 2-Track Digital Single Is Out Now appeared first on The Rockpit.

August Burns Red — Jake Luhrs (vocals); JB Brubaker (guitar); Brent Rambler (guitar); Dustin Davidson (bass); and Matt Grenier (drums) — need no introduction. For over two decades, the Lancaster, Pennsylvania-based act has been crafting its own unique brand of metalcore that has established ABR as one of the foremost acts in the genre. Their career milestones speak for themselves: Multiple placements in the top 10 on the Billboard Top 200; tours with everyone from Bullet For My Valentine to A Day To Remember; and an accumulation of 600 million streams.

However, the band — nominated for Best Metal Performance Grammys in 2016 for the song Identity and again for Invisible Enemy in 2018 — has never stopped pushing the limits of their sound.

And that fact has never been more prevalent than on their forthcoming new album SEASON OF SURRENDER, which will arrive on June 5 via Fearless Records, the label to which they recently returned. Pre-order it here.

ABR have also just shared the lyric video for new single The Nameless.

The Nameless accomplishes more in under three minutes than most heavy bands do over the course of an entire album. The track boasts the band’s signature complex rhythm section, alongside dark and moody guitars, with an unrelenting vocal assault. This song is ABR stripped down to the absolute core of their sound: Intricate, crushing, and ferocious.

“The Nameless is a hard-hitting, heavy bruiser that doesn’t let up for one moment,” states Davidson. “It combines classic ABR elements with dark moody technical rhythms, and fast paced vocals to keep the intensity up for the full three minutes of the track. To me it showcases our roots of where we’ve come from, and the future path of where we’re heading.”

Luhrs follows, “Lyrically, The Nameless is a song about not wasting your life away for the sake of acceptance and comfortability. Sometimes it takes detaching from what you’ve been told, or from the beliefs you are no longer aligned with, in order to face your own weaknesses. In doing so you can break free to live a life you are proud of.”

Season of Surrender features guest appearances from The Devil Wears Prada‘s Mike Hranica, Polaris‘ Jamie Hails, and Make Them Suffer.

ABR will hit the road on a co-headline run with The Amity Affliction this April and May in North America.

Season of Surrender Track Listing:

Legions [Feat. Mike Hranica], The Nameless, Behemoth, Den of Thieves, Sonic Salvation [Feat. Jamie Hails], Cerebral Malfunction [Feat. Make Them Suffer], Tear of the Clouds, Whispers Like Splinters, S.O.S., New Horizons, Forged by Failure

THE NAMELESS – OUT NOW
https://agstbrnsrd.ffm.to/thenameless

SEASON OF SURRENDER – DUE OUT JUNE 5
http://seasonofsurrender.net/

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Samuel S.C. (FKA Samuel) continues to bridge the gap between ’90s indie-rock grit and timeless punk. Originally a cornerstone

Melbourne guitarist, singer and songwriter Kathleen Halloran steps forward with fierce new single ‘Wolves Like You’, a powerful rock statement that marks a defining moment in her evolution as a solo artist. The release arrives alongside the announcement of her long-awaited debut album Nobody’s Baby, set for release on Friday May 8, produced by Roscoe James Irwin (The Cat Empire, The Bamboos, Paul Kelly) and engineered/mixed by Ben Edgar (Gotye, Angus and Julia Stone).

LISTEN TO ‘WOLVES LIKE YOU’ HERE

After fifteen years performing on stages and in studios across Australia, Halloran channels her experience into a track that celebrates resilience, individuality and the quiet strength of women forging their own path in a traditionally male-dominated space. Co-written with Adelaide-based producer and musician Dustyn Lee Stephensen, ‘Wolves Like You’ is ultimately about staying true to the music, and to yourself.

A passionate, rock-forward statement piece, ‘Wolves Like You’ stands as a fierce declaration of strength and self-belief. The track leans into Halloran’s signature duality, guitar firepower balanced with emotional depth. Gritty yet controlled, primal yet deliberate, the song captures an artist fully embracing her strengths.

Marking a significant moment in her career, Halloran reflects on a shifting perspective shaped by years in the industry: “Wolves Like You is about the resilience, defiance, and quiet power of women in the music industry. I’ve been playing guitar professionally for 15 years, and for most of that time I rejected the idea of being defined by gender, or even allowing it into the conversation. Comments like ‘I’ve never heard a girl play like that’ were often well-meaning, but complicated. Something has shifted for me. I’ve realised people feel compelled to speak up because what they’re witnessing is powerful, and I’m really proud of that.”

Directed by acclaimed filmmaker WILK, known for his work with Sarah Blasko, Ella Hooper, Jack Ladder, Gotye and Spiderbait, the accompanying video marks a striking visual shift from Halloran’s previous releases. She explains: “The concept for the video came from director WILK, whose vision shaped the entire aesthetic and feel of the clip. Together, we wanted Wolves Like You to feel raw, smoky and unapologetically powerful, a simple, performance-led studio video with a darker edge. Rock-forward with a subtle psychedelic haze, muted primary colours, harsh lighting and layered multiple exposures give it a 70s-leaning, primal urgency. Visually, it’s a deliberate departure from my previous work.”

Set for release May 8, Nobody’s Baby marks the arrival of a fully realised artist stepping confidently into her solo era. The album features previous releases Find Me Again, Free With Me and Cost of Living, exploring themes of self-discovery, freedom and the emotional highs and lows of pursuing a creative life.

Kathleen Halloran effortlessly bridges the gap between her long-standing reputation as a sought-after ensemble guitarist and this exciting new chapter as a solo artist. The electrifying performer has established herself as one of Australia’s most compelling rising talents, known for her swaggering fretboard flair and magnetic stage presence.

Her playing is fearless and precise, fluent in both raw power and restraint. A true shredder, but never at the expense of feeling, Halloran channels the firepower of the guitar greats who came before her while remaining unmistakably her own. Presence, confidence and force define every performance. To celebrate the release of Nobody’s Baby, Halloran will hit the road this May for a national tour, bringing the new material to stages across the country and giving audiences the chance to experience her powerful guitar work and commanding live show up close.

GET SOCIAL WITH KATHLEEN HALLORAN
INSTAGRAM | FACEBOOK | TIKTOK | WEBSITE | SPOTIFY | APPLE | YOUTUBE

The post Guitar Powerhouse KATHLEEN HALLORAN Drops ‘WOLVES LIKE YOU’ Single + Video appeared first on The Rockpit.

Free Throw released their long-awaited new album, ‘Moments Before The Wind‘ via Wax Bodega. Alongside the release, they’ve dropped a

CHLOE STAR storms in with unapologetic energy on her latest single “Emergency Contact”.

A punchy pop rock release that turns heartbreak into pure fuel. The reocrd hits with gritty guitar textures and a driving rhythm that refuses to let up, setting the stage for a bold emotional release. Chloe doesn’t hold anything back with her commanding vocals that are raw, and dripping with attitude as she flips pain into power.

The writing cuts deep, unpacking betrayal and emotional fallout with biting precision, but instead of dwelling in the hurt, Chloe transforms it into a fearless declaration of independence. The chorus lands like a statement that is loud, defiant, and impossible to ignore.

There’s a refreshing honesty here, paired with an edge that feels both modern and rebellious. “Emergency Contact” isn’t just a breakup song but it’s a liberation anthem, proving CHLOE STAR is carving out her own lane with confidence and fire.

Check out CHLOE STAR “Emergency Contact” below and follow them on Instagram. Stay Global my Friends!

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