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(Here is a new monthly roundup of album reviews by Daniel Barkasi, which includes recommendations for six albums released in September 2026.) With the fall season having officially started, the cool air has been refreshing. With that comes the start of football season – well, no, the other kind of football for this fella. The […]

The post OBSCURITIES – VOLUME XXXII: 99.130%… GUILTY appeared first on NO CLEAN SINGING.

US black metal duo STORMRULER will return with their new full-length, Morning Nautical Twilight, on 4 December via DISTORTION MUSIC GROUP (DMG), powered by Reigning Phoenix Music. The announcement arrives alongside first single “Chapter II: In The Eye Of Umbria”, which opens the door to the album’s expansive fantasy narrative. The record is structured as […]

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
SECOND BRAIN UNLEASH NEW SINGLE “ABOVE AND BELOW” AHEAD OF UPCOMING ALBUM BLACKSHINE

Rome’s Dark Thrash / Progressive Metal Trio Reveal First Taste of Their New Chapter With Atmospheric New Single and Official Visualizer

For Fans Of: Coroner, Kreator, Melechesh
ROME, ITALY — Rome’s Second Brain have officially unleashed “Above and Below,” the first single from their upcoming third full-length album, Blackshine , due for independent release on December 10, 2026 .
Marking the beginning of a new chapter for the Italian trio, “Above and Below” captures Second Brain’s distinctive collision of dark thrash and death metal riffing, atmospheric synths, progressive rock elements, and an eclectic melodic sensibility. The single offers the first full glimpse into Blackshine , an album built around contrast, complexity, and the dichotomous nature of reality.
LISTEN TO “ABOVE AND BELOW”

Stream / Listen: https://ditto.fm/blackshine
WATCH THE OFFICIAL VISUALIZER

“Above and Below” Official Visualizer:

The accompanying visualizer expands upon the dark and atmospheric character of the track, providing a visual introduction to the world Second Brain have created around Blackshine .
Originally formed in Rome in 2010 by guitarist, vocalist, and programmer Agravain alongside co-vocalist Lala Gabarth , Second Brain released their debut album, Synthesis , in 2014. The band expanded its lineup with bassist Anagoor , drummer Mishu, and rotating lead guitarists before making their live debut in 2015. A series of performances throughout central Italy followed through 2018.
In January 2020, Second Brain released their second full-length, The Mind Awakes . The album was followed almost immediately by a hiatus brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic. By late 2023, Agravain, Anagoor, and Gabarth had reformed Second Brain as a three-piece, using the opportunity to refine their musical identity and develop a new body of material.
That evolution ultimately became Blackshine .
The forthcoming album explores the dichotomous nature of reality , pairing aggressive and intricate metal foundations with atmospheric textures and progressive arrangements. Rather than confining themselves to a single stylistic lane, Second Brain embrace contrast as a fundamental part of their identity, moving between dark and forceful riffing, melodic passages, electronic atmosphere, and expansive progressive territory.


“With Blackshine, we feel we’ve created an album that truly captures Second Brain’s diverse and complex artistic identity. It’s dark, eclectic, melodic yet powerful. It’s a statement about who we are as a band and marks the beginning of an exciting new chapter.”


The album was mixed and mastered by Alex Ecker at Pearlsound Studio in Germany , with Ecker also contributing additional drum arrangements. The striking cover artwork comes from renowned visionary artist Costin Chioreanu , whose work has become closely associated with the darker and more experimental corners of the international metal scene.
With “Above and Below,” Second Brain begin the road toward Blackshine , introducing a record that reflects both the band’s history and its evolution into its current three-piece incarnation.
The full album, Blackshine , will arrive independently on December 10, 2026 .
BLACKSHINE

Second Brain
Independent Release
December 10, 2026
First Single: “Above and Below”
Single Release Date: October 1, 2026
Stream / Listen: https://ditto.fm/blackshine
CURRENT LINEUP

Agravain – Vocals, Rhythm & Lead Guitars, Programming
Anagoor – Bass
Lala Gabarth – Vocals, Synth
PRODUCTION

Mixed & Mastered by Alex Ecker at Pearlsound Studio, Germany
Additional Drum Arrangements by Alex Ecker
Artwork by Costin Chioreanu
For Fans Of: Coroner, Kreator, Melechesh
Above and Below by Second Brain


Connect: 



https://www.facebook.com/secondbrainband/
https://www.instagram.com/sekbrain/
https://ditto.fm/blackshine
https://secondbrain.bandcamp.com
Contact: sekbrain@gmail.com

THICK are fucking back, baby. The Brooklyn quartet, which we dubbed a Band To Watch in 2018, have returned with a new single “Heavy Metal.” It’s their first new music in two years, following their 2024 singles “Mother” and “Father.”

The post THICK – “Heavy Metal” appeared first on Stereogum.

Following years of tumultuous restructuring, Yasmin Williams isn’t going to let the music stop at the Kennedy Center if she can help it. Last year, after a mass exodus of artists from the center’s committee in protest of Trump firing several board members and installing new ones who then elected him chairman, Williams continued to fight for the center’s integrity and its union members. That included playing a show there last September, where she was heckled by Trump supporters. This summer, Ben Folds brought the episode back into the spotlight while testifying before Congress about Trump’s takeover of the institution.

The post Yasmin Williams Explains Why She’s Still Booking Shows At The Kennedy Center appeared first on Stereogum.

Shock rock icon’s psychiatrist gave him a perspective that helped him fight off his addiction issues 43 years ago. Continue reading…

When THE PRETTY THINGS transitioned from their original rhythm-and-blues to fanciful psychedelia of “S. F. Sorrow” in the late ’60s and then heavy glam of “Silk Torpedo” in the following decade, they more than ensured the ensemble’s immortality, and yet … Continue reading →

The post THE PRETTY THINGS Chart Alternative Trips In Massive Box Set appeared first on DMME.net.

Kelly Clarkson was the most recent guest on the culture/comedy podcast Las Culturistas, hosted by Bowen Yang and Matt Rogers. Towards the end of each episode, there’s a segment called “I Don’t Think So Honey,” where the guest has one minute to fire off a hot take or rant about whatever they choose. On Clarkson’s episode, which dropped yesterday, Sept. 30, she talked about loving AI but argues that humans should have a separate Billboard chart from, in her words, “AI artists.”

The post Kelly Clarkson Loves AI For Music, But Thinks “AI Artists” Should Compete On Separate Charts appeared first on Stereogum.

Dublin indie rockers Pillow Queens were a Stereogum Band To Watch back in 2021, and their most recent album Name Your Sorrow came out in 2024. That same year, they became a trio with the departure of drummer Rachel Lyons, and they started messing with drum machines and loops. Last year, they released the one-off single “Be A Big Girl.” Yesterday, they came back with “Kiss Kiss,” another one-off that mixes ragged guitars with gleaming keyboards. I probably don’t need to tell you that it’s not a Chris Brown cover. Here’s what the band says about it:

The post Pillow Queens – “Kiss Kiss” appeared first on Stereogum.

If you’re a fan of blistering, heartfelt hardcore that deftly juggles and synthesizes spastic chaos, melodic harshness and fierce political stance rooted in hands on, visceral experience, then, as the band’s PR people said to me, and I’m saying to you, “You gotta check out NØ MAN!” The quartet hail from Washington, D.C. — if living that close to the epicentre of the mess the US is currently mired in wouldn’t spurn a ferocious political bent, then what would?! — and stirred up a storm in the punk scene with their 2024 debut Glitter and Spit and are about to return with follow-up, Between the Sword and the Neck. Today, we’re giving y’all a sneak peak into the new record, which is set to be issued by Iodine Recordings on October 30th, with the lead single, “In Spite.” Of the song, vocalist Maha Shami says: “This is a love song to Kat Hidalgo of FAIM and Jenna Pup of HIRS. It’s about being erased or gaslit out of your own narrative, refusing to disappear anyway, and surviving in spite of the people trying to write you out.”

Info, preorders, etc. here.

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The post Track Premiere: Hey, Man! Check Out Washington, D.C. Punk Rippers, NØ MAN appeared first on Decibel Magazine.