“The Storm”, the third and final single from Skuggor‘s upcoming studio release The Expanse, has surfaced online. Swedish atmospheric black metal operatives will put out the new album on September 4, 2026 via Nordvis. Read more…
Following the international success of his celebrated fourth solo studio album ‘Traces of the Flood‘ (released May 15th, 2026 via BFD/The Orchard), South African singer-songwriter Steve Louw returns with a passionate new live recording of the album’s second single, ‘Across the River (Live in Nashville)‘. ‘Across The River (Live in Nashville)‘ is available on all […]
DIY generated atmospheric Blackened Death Doom from Shrewsbury. Yep, sitting amidst the Tudor tea shops, the medieval market town appears a bit too sleepy to produce such filth. Alongside the River Severn, this link between Wales and England has brewed up something a little unseemly as Drowning Hour release The Pain Of Loss.
Drowning Hour – The Pain Of Loss
Release Date: 19 August 2026
Words: Paul Hutchings
Two big slabs of misery hold the centre of this four-track EP together. After the introduction, The Visitation, it is the slow, glacial pace of The Longing that takes the attention.
Now, there is nothing here that did not feature in the early ’90s. Think some early Opeth, Katatonia, Anathema, My Dying Bride and Paradise Lost, and you are in the right ballpark. The riffs are crushing, lumbering, almost grinding to a halt whilst Kieran Scott, yes, him of Death Collector and Ashen Crown, roars his way across them.
Scott is joined by Kelly Gobold on clean, ethereal vocals, and she adds a nice contrast to what is a rather routine delivery.
Yes, plenty of energy and enthusiasm went into this, and there is nothing wrong with the lumbering beast that is The Inheritance. It is, however, nothing new, though Scott’s bristling death growls are well suited to the devastating slumber that the songs induce.
These are no spring chickens after all. It is punishing, at times a wall of noise that brings a sludgy corrosion to the ears. It is downright nasty yet bristles with a pleasing melody that contrasts and confuses. Am I loving it? Well, I certainly am enjoying it, despite the brooding malevolence that festers in the darkness. Intimidation? Sinister threat? Probably both.
Two big numbers that rely on brute force, then, which echo the melancholy of the finale, The Farewell. This clearly eases out the story and closes the EP, and works fantastically well. Enchanting in its melancholic delivery, the contrast is stark.
It is this final switch that really pushes this EP into the upper echelons. The bruising death elements are of limited impact but throw in a shimmering vision with all the fragility of an ice sculpture, and I am gone. It captures the lot.
Huge potential then from Scott, Kelly Gobold, Craig Gobold (Rhythm Guitar, Bass, Drums and mix/master) and Dan Ashley (Lead Guitar). The Pain of Loss is well worth checking out.
Drowning Hour release The Pain of Loss on 19 August 2026. For more details, find them on Bandcamp.
The Upsides return with Pretending It Fades, a compelling indie rock track that balances emotional weight with a more expansive, guitar-driven sound. Built around melodic hooks, a strong bass presence, and a memorable chorus, the song explores the aftermath of a breakup while looking beyond the obvious pain of loss. Rather than simply portraying heartbreak as something to overcome, the lyrics suggest that difficult relationships can reshape a person, leaving behind a different version of themselves. The New York City four-piece brings together jangly guitar influences, energetic rhythms, and a heavier edge that reflects their evolving sound. With Matt and Dan Fullam joined by Matt DaSilva and Hart Mechlin, The Upsides continue moving beyond their earlier guitar-pop roots toward a bigger, more ambitious alternative rock identity.
VENUS GRRLS are looking to make a huge stir with the release of a new EP, brimming with intrigue and intensity.
Titled ‘To Die As Lovers May’, it will be released on October 16 via Killabop.
The band had this to say about the release:
‘To Die as Lovers May’ is an exploration of death, love, and viscera. Drawing heavily on dark romanticism, it explores the beauty amongst the macabre and the vision that lives amidst the fog. Combining the melancholy of 90s grunge with haunting 80s goth, ‘To Die as Lovers May’ is an ode to the more peculiar and darker corners of the human experience, both in life and after death. With influences from 19th-century literature and twisting the tales of mythology, the story told is one of romance, decay, and acquiescence.”
The EP will feature the already unleashed ‘Eve’, as well as the freshly unveiled ‘Mother Knows’.
An atmospheric, riff-heavy, seductive slice of enrapturing rock and roll, it is a track inspired by the legend that Frankenstein author Mary Shelley once had sex on top of her mother’s grave.
Vocalist GK had this to say about it, explaining, “There’s a lot of discourse and nuances to whether this truly happened, but the alleged event really struck me visually and immediately inspired me to narrate it lyrically. Toying with some imagery in her iconic novel, Frankenstein, I wanted there to be a double entendre within the lyricism. Her written character, Victor Frankenstein, brought flesh to life, and I liked the idea of passion and sex also metaphorically bringing flesh to life, too.”
Whilst guitarist Eliza Lee had this to say about the instrumental:
“I got to channel some of my inner 70s rock god by bowing the guitar on the bridge, “ she says of one of the more ethereal moments in the track. “I’ve always loved the haunting effect you can get with a violin bow that I don’t really think you can replicate with gadgetry, it felt like the right move for the graveyard ambience of the song.”
The band will also be heading out on a headline tour to see out the year in style. Here are the dates:
Melodic Hard Rockers Crusader return with new single ‘Breaking Out‘, having left everyone speechless in 2025 with their EP ‘In For The Kill‘. Now there’s some news and updates from the British band: “To thank you for your support and to celebrate the imminent vinyl & merch release for ‘In For The Kill‘ we’re releasing […]
Interview by Ali Williams If you call yourself a true-blue supporter of the Australian heavy music landscape, then the name Segression shouldn’t just ring a bell—it should trigger absolute, unadulterated audio warfare in your eardrums. For three decades, these Wollongong legends have stood as one of the country’s most relentless and enduring metal forces, a […]
Frank Beard, the longtime drummer of ZZ Top and the foundation behind some of rock’s most recognisable songs, has died at the age of 77 at his ranch in Richmond, Texas. The cause of death has not been disclosed.
“Today, Elwood and I lost a great friend and collaborator,” Billy Gibbons said, “and the world lost one of the most naturally innovative drummers and a great and true son of Texas. His signature backbeat was key to keeping ZZ on top.”
ZZ Top – OVO Arena Wembley – 11 July 2024. Photo: Robert Sutton/MetalTalk
Born Frank Lee Beard in Frankston, Texas, on 11 June 1949 and raised in Irving, Beard began playing drums as a teenager. Beard played with bassist Dusty Hill in groups including The Cellar Dwellers, The Warlocks and American Blues.
In late 1969, Beard joined Billy Gibbons and recommended Hill for the bass position, completing a lineup that would remain together for more than half a century.
A rhythmic chemistry can be heard throughout ZZ Top’s songs, from the raw blues rock of the band’s early records to the polished, technologically adventurous sound that made them global stars during the ’80s, when the band achieved international success with Eliminator in 1983.
Gimme All Your Lovin’, Sharp Dressed Man and Legs all became major hits, helped by a series of videos that made ZZ Top fixtures of the MTV era.
Frank Beard brought the disciplined beat that allowed a little old band from Texas to become one of rock’s most enduring institutions. He is survived by his wife Debbie Meredith and his three children.
Interview by Ali Williams If you call yourself a true-blue supporter of the Australian heavy music landscape, then the name Segression shouldn’t just ring a bell—it should trigger absolute, unadulterated audio warfare in your eardrums. For three decades, these Wollongong legends have stood as one of the country’s most relentless and enduring metal forces, a […]
