Blog
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Threat Signal Premiere New Single & Lyric Video “The Great Tribulation” From Upcoming New Album “Revelations”
Threat Signal have released their new single “The Great Tribulation” streaming via YouTube and Spotify for you now below. A lyric video for the track has also been made available. The song is taken from “Revelations,” the band’s first full-length album in nearly a decade. The ten-track record is set for release next Friday, March 27th via Ag… Read More/Discuss on Metal Underground.com -
Parkway Drive Release Statement on Employee’s Guilty Plea to Underage Sex Charge
This whole situation is gross, but at least Parkway Drive are trying to handle their part of it with… grace? A few days ago, it came to light that Jed Gordon, brother of the band’s drummer Ben Gordon and resident merch dude for the band, pled guilty to having sexual intercourse with a minor. At the time, Parkway Drive had yet to comment, but they’ve now released a statement giving their response to the news.
Parkway Drive’s statement reads as follows:
“We’ve recently learned that someone we’ve been associated with has pleaded guilty to an underage sex offence in 2002.
“This is appalling and we condemn it. We’re gutted and we support the victim.
“This happened before we were a band, however we bear moral responsibility for contracting him from 2003, on and off over the years.
“While he hasn’t toured with us since 2017, more recently he’s been part of our Australian online merch team. When the band heard about this, we terminated his contract immediately. He’s no longer involved with Parkway Drive in any capacity.
“This is heartbreaking on a very human scale.
“This is still ongoing in the courts so we’re closing comments.”
Many social media accounts have shared screen shots and details about the case filings, though a profile under the handle @rorybanwell has played a part in the rollout of the news with what it’s shared and expressed so far.
A post made by the @rorybanwell account shared the following on Wednesday, March 18 in a carousel on Instagram:
“It’s come to our attention that Jed Daniel Gordan, someone deeply involved in the hardcore scene nationally, has pled guilty to the crime of having intercourse with a minor between 14 and 16 years of age 2 days ago.
“He had a prominent placement on the @5qszine podcast up until 2024. We hope he is no longer involved with the zine they publish and are not implying any wrong doing as far as others there are concerned nor do we encourage harassment of this page/people. We hope they address Jed’s unacceptable behaviour in their own way and transparently for the hardcore scene.
“This is an urgent safety alert given the expansion of all ages hardcore shows that we felt needed to be brought to our mates, followers and like minded crews attention.”
The following message was included in the caption:
“DEAR FRIENDS OF AUSTRALIAN HARDCORE..
“Another habitual creep has been caught! Jed Gordon, best known as @parkwaydriveofficial ‘s merch guy has pleaded guilty to “sexual intercourse with a child between the ages of 14 and 16”, aka. the r*pe of a minor.
“We’ve all heard stories, most of us have had experiences. I remember him trying to hook up with me at a Parkway Show when I was freshly 18 and HAD A CONCUSSION. Luckily I had a friend to lead me away.
“I need to implore you to report him if you were unfortunately enough to have an interaction with him when you were under 18. There is no statute of limitations on r*pe in NSW. I’m not sure about the other states, but it’s worth reaching out if something has happened to you. Please, please reach out to them and see what they can do.
“I will be reaching out to the court for the documentation after his sentencing. I hope for the sake of everyone he hasn’t received some sweetheart deal to plead guilty and have zero punitive repercussions. But I also wouldn’t be surprised because of how much he absolutely sucks.
“Please share this and get people talking about it. He doesn’t deserve to go quietly into the night without people being aware. I especially look forward to Parkway’s statement. If they don’t say anything, there’s something deeply rotten occurring.
“Thanks to @0161skinsau for the screenshots! This needs to be spread far and wide.”
This is still a developing case and story, but golly is it gross. As a former teenage girl (obviously, since this is how living works) at shows all the time, seeing and experiencing myself firsthand how disgusting dudes in or associated with bands can be, it is somewhat refreshing to see all these dirty little secrets finally come to light. But, what does justice really look like?
Go fuck yourself, Jed.
The post Parkway Drive Release Statement on Employee’s Guilty Plea to Underage Sex Charge appeared first on MetalSucks.
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Speglas – Endarkenment, Being & Death Review
It’s not uncommon for death metal musicians to mellow and prog out the longer they roam this Earth. Far from a negative connotation, enough songwriting prowess can lead to a tasteful and potent way to carry out said development. One of many collectives in this category is the Morbus Chron expanded universe. These Swedes first went from classic death metal to Sweven, which eventually led to an even proggier Sweven. Now, in a further evolution following the Law of Increasing Hippietude™, we arrive at Speglas. Although predating Sweven by some five years, it took until now for the debut full-length Endarkenment, Being & Death to come to fruition. Their goal of fusing death and black metal with heavy metal, however, has remained the same throughout. With two degrees of staff and sound separation between Morbus Chron and Speglas, where has all this evolution led to?The Sweven presence in the lineup of Speglas is noticeable from the get go. Isak Rosemarin (Sweven, ex-Morbus Chron) acts as half of the guitar crew and all of the vocal crew, lending the album a warm but powerful, raspy growl often reminiscent of Niilo Sevänen (Insomnium). Jesper Nyrelius’s (Sweven) drumming is varied and detailed (“The Spirit Postmortem,” “Hitherto Awry”). Alexi Hedlund’s guitar and Victor Berg’s bass round out the great performances of the lineup. Musically, Endarkenment… tends to fall somewhere between Inconcessus Lux Lucis’s blackened Iron Maiden approach (sadly gone unmentioned on site until now) and Chapel of Disease’s severely underrated deathened dad rock from 2024. Fans of Tribulation’s Down Below era might find a lot to like here as well. The songwriting builds upon their preceding EPs—2015’s Birth, Dreams & Death and 2022’s Time, Futility & Death—but improves on all aspects, nailing down the vocals and crafting a memorable dual guitar tandem (“Incessant Severance,” “Dies Mali”). And while the project’s vision does precede Sweven by a lot, its instrumentation inevitably ends up feeling distantly related (“Dearth”).
Endarkenment, Being & Death flows seamlessly from atmospheric to intense in various styles and tempos. Iron Maiden licks run amok throughout the album’s dual-harmonized guitar work (“Dearth,” “Rage upon the Dying Fire”) of course, but they’re not carrying the record alone. Gorgeous clean guitar parts (“Ailing,” “Dearth”) and sadboi tremolos (“Dies Mali”) accompany the superb rhythm and lead guitar efforts elsewhere. Parts of “The Endarkenment” even resemble Alcest by way of Spiritual Instinct’s fantastic post-black direction. All this leads to Speglas being progressive without it getting in the way of the music. In addition, a stellar production job only lifts up the band’s great stylistic choices. Simon Söderberg’s (whose production credits surprisingly include early Ghost) placement of drums and bass in the mix deserve special mention, as it makes an already good set of instruments sound incredible. Though not a massively layered or complex album, the combination of both songwriting and production depth makes for a highly repeatable experience.
Careful pacing allows Speglas to end their experiment with a triumphant bang instead of a whimper. Though the album could benefit from showing more teeth and grit at its most aggressive, the ending one-two punch of the album in “Dies Mali” and “Rage upon the Dying Fire” is a cornerstone hard to argue against. I wouldn’t be surprised if both end up being among my Song o’ the Year finalists. As for its softer side, the beauty of “Woe” and “Ailing” won’t change the minds of people diametrically opposed to intros and interludes. Some will say Speglas’s style is too watered down, others might think it’s not watered down enough. But I think Endarkenment… strikes a great balance in between, the music being both heavy and beautiful, intricate and addictingly catchy as a result.
You don’t need to reinvent the wheel to craft something that feels fresh and exemplary. Speglas took a long while to fine-tune their writing prowess for the debut, and it paid off in spades. Endarkenment, Being & Death succeeds in its primary goal as a superb example of progressive, deathened and blackened heavy metal. Despite not featuring any cowbell, I reckon it’ll be difficult for future 2026 albums to top this one come year-end. As the final recent n00b remaining who hadn’t broken the Score Safety Counter yet, I’m glad I held out this long for something remarkable. And I wasn’t even originally in charge of covering it!
Rating: Excellent
DR: 8 | Format Reviewed: 320 kbps MP3
Label: Trust No One Recordings | Bandcamp
Websites: Bandcamp | Facebook | Instagram
Releases Worldwide: February 27th, 2026The post Speglas – Endarkenment, Being & Death Review appeared first on Angry Metal Guy.
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SLEEPING WITH SIRENS Drop New Track “An Ending In Itself” Alongside New Music Video
Sleeping with Sirens released their newest single “An Ending In Itself” this past Friday, a “love letter to anyone in the midst of struggle.”
The post SLEEPING WITH SIRENS Drop New Track "An Ending In Itself" Alongside New Music Video appeared first on Metal Injection.
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Interview with Nyctopia – @elricnewby
I interviewed 3 members of the band Nyctoipia at Raven Records during the Dark Clouds Over Camden Festival 2025
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Lee Dorsey’s British tour in October-November 1966
Following two successful British tours earlier in 1966, the first with The Krew as backing band and the second with The League of Gentlemen, promoter Roy Tempest brought Lee Dorsey back for a final tour that autumn.
According to Disc & Music Echo, the tour kicked off on 14 October and the main backing group was The Garden of Eden.
Hailing from Watford, Hertfordshire, they comprised Dave Rodwell (vocals); Dicer Sarney (aka Roger Matthews) (lead guitar); Barry Rich (bass); Tom Hill (organ); Chunky Mo (drums). When The Garden of Eden started working with Dorsey, they had literally just come off another tour backing The Mad Lads.
However, they weren’t the only outfit to provide backing on this tour. Stuart Francis, drummer with Glaswegian outfit, The Scots of St James, says they backed Lee Dorsey on some gigs in late 1966. The line-up at this time comprised James Oakley (lead vocals); Hugh Nicholson (lead guitar); Ian Murray (bass); James Mylchreest (keyboards); and Stuart Francis (drums).
Chris Rodger, sax/trumpet player with London-based group The Noblemen, which became (The) Motivation in late October/early November 1966, says they also did some dates with Lee Dorsey. This is also confirmed by the band’s keyboard player Mick Ketley and bass player Bryan Stevens.
In addition, Martin Barre, the band’s guitarist, mentions backing Dorsey during this time in his recent book about his career, including with Jethro Tull, A Trick of Memory. At the time, the remaining two members of the band were Jimmy Marsh (lead vocals) and Malcolm Tomlinson (drums).
Finally, there is an advert in the Brighton Evening Argus, in its 16 December 1966 issue, that mentions [Australian band] The Groove and has says they are just back from touring in the USA. It also says that they are backing group for Lee Dorsey. We’d welcome any clarity on this.
This is an incomplete gig list
Tour dates:
14 October 1966 – Starlite Ballroom, Greenford, northwest London (Melody Maker/NME)
14 October 1966 – Location, Woolwich, southeast London with The Scots of St James (Melody Maker) Backed by The Scots of St James
Ian Murray says The Scots of St James backed Lee Dorsey at the Scotch of St James through their manager Stan Beadabeck and this date looks the most likely following the Woolwich gig.
15 October 1966 – Toft’s, Folkestone, Kent (Melody Maker/NME) Folkestone, Hythe & District Herald also lists this date but looks like Dorsey was replaced by Guy Darrell Syndicate so it didn’t happen. On this date Garden of Eden played with The Mad Lads at the Dungeon in Nottingham
15 October 1966 – Twisted Wheel, Manchester (Manchester Evening News & Chronicle)
16 October 1966 – Oasis, Manchester with The Wheels (Manchester Evening News & Chronicle)
16 October 1966 – Cavern, Liverpool with The Hideways, The Dark Ages, The Times, Georgies Germs, The Insite and The Gates of Eden (Liverpool Echo) Backed by The Gates of Eden
17 October 1966 – Tiles, Oxford Street, central London with The Gates of Eden and The Sovereigns (Melody Maker) Most likely backed by The Garden of Eden although Chris Rodger, sax player with The Noblemen, says they did back Lee Dorsey on this gig. The Sovereigns were also one of the groups that Roy Tempest used to back visiting US soul acts
19 October 1966 – Saddle Room, central London (NME) Possibly backed by The Noblemen
20 October 1966 – Maple Ballroom, Northampton (Melody Maker) Possibly backed by The Noblemen
Melody Maker article, 22 Oct 1966, page 4 21 October 1966 – Iron Curtain Club, St Mary’s Cray, Kent (Melody Maker)
22 October 1966 – Locomotive Club, Paris, France (Melody Maker/Disc & Music Echo)
23 October 1966 – Club West Indies, Stonebridge Park, Harlesden, northwest London (Melody Maker) Possibly backed by Scots of St James
24 October 1966 – Community Centre, Welwyn Garden City, Herts with The Gates of Eden and The Trekkers (Melody Maker) Backed by The Gates of Eden
25 October 1966 – Sherwood Rooms, Nottingham with The Ivy League, The Jaybirds, Our Young, Zoot Money’s Big Roll Band (Nottingham Evening Post) Melody Maker says Nottingham University
26 October 1966 – Locarno, Stevenage, Herts (Melody Maker/NME) Possibly backed by The Noblemen but they were touring with Alvin Robinson at the time
27 October 1966 – Locarno, Burnley, Lancashire (NME) Possibly backed by The Noblemen but they were touring with Alvin Robinson at the time
28 October 1966 – Golden Star Club, Westbourne Park, west London with The Dynacords (Melody Maker)
28 October 1966 – Northwich Memorial Hall, Northwich, Cheshire (Widnes Weekly News)
29 October 1966 – New Century Hall, Manchester with The Black Velvets (Manchester Evening News & Chronicle/Disc & Music Echo) Possibly with Scots of St James
30 October 1966 – Club Cedar, Birmingham with The Ebonites (Birmingham Evening Mail) Possibly backed by The Ebonites
30 October 1966 – Leofric, Coventry (Coventry Evening Telegraph)
31 October 1966 – Queen’s Hall, Wolverhampton, West Midlands (NME)
1 November 1966 – Palais de Danse, Leicester with The Gates of Eden (Leicester Mercury) Backed by The Gates of Eden
3 November 1966 – Locarno, Streatham, southwest London (Melody Maker)
3 November 1966 – Whisky A Go Go, Wardour Street, Soho, central London (Melody Maker)
4 November 1966 – Bull’s Head, Syston, Leicestershire with The Gates of Eden, The Pilgrims and Sister Jill & The Brethren (Leicester Mercury) Backed by The Gates of Eden
5 November 1966 – Midnight City, Birmingham with Listen and The Ray King Soul Band (Birmingham Evening Mail)
5 November 1966 – Rhodes Centre, Bishop’s Stortford, Herts with The Gates of Eden and The Cortinas (Herts and Essex Observer) Backed by The Gates of Eden
6 November 1966 – Birmingham Hippodrome Theatre, Birmingham with Jerry Lee Lewis and Cliff Bennett & The Rebel Rousers (Birmingham Evening News)
7 November 1966 – Wimbledon Theatre, Wimbledon, southwest London (Melody Maker) Possibly backed by Motivation (formerly The Noblemen) but they were touring with The Coasters at the time
8 November 1966 – Dungeon Club, Nottingham (Nottingham Evening Post) Possibly backed by Motivation but they were touring with The Coasters at the time
9 November 1966 – Community Centre, Welwyn Garden City, Herts (Disc & Music Echo)
10 November 1966 – Ashton Palais, Ashton, Greater Manchester (Manchester Evening News & Chronicle/Disc & Music Echo) Possibly backed by Motivation but they were touring with The Coasters at the time and potentially backed Ben E King today at the Twisted Wheel in Manchester (unless this was 12 November). An advert for Motivation playing Cardiff on 16 December says they are Lee Dorsey’s backing band
11 November 1966 – Top Rank Ballroom, Doncaster, South Yorkshire with three supporting groups (Retford, Gainsborough and Worksop Times)
11 November 1966 – Gaiety Ballroom, Grimsby with supporting groups (Grimsby Evening Telegraph/Disc & Music Echo)
12 November 1966 – Reading University, Reading, Berkshire (Melody Maker/NME)
14 November 1966 – Atalanta Ballroom, Woking, Surrey with The Gates of Eden plus supporting group (Aldershot News) Backed by The Gates of Eden
17 November 1966 – Locarno Ballroom, Bristol with The Gates of Eden (Bristol Evening Post) Backed by The Gates of Eden
18 November 1966 – Blue Moon, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire with The Good Goods (https://garagehangover.com/blue-moon-cheltenham-gigs-july-1965-may-1967/) Says backed by The Good Goods
19 November 1966 – Starlight Ballroom, Gliderdrome, Boston, Lincolnshire with The Gates of Eden and The Ray King Soul Band (Lincolnshire Echo) Backed by The Gates of Eden
19 November 1966 – Dungeon Club, Nottingham with Ben E King plus top line groups (Nottingham Evening Post)
19 November 1966 – King Mojo, Sheffield, South Yorkshire (Melody Maker/NME)
20 November 1966 – Dereham Tavern Club, Dereham, Norfolk with The Johnny Lofty Soul Band and The Gates of Eden (Thetford & Watton Times) Backed by The Gates of Eden and final gig on his tour
Eastern Evening News article on the tour mentioning The Garden of Eden 4 December 1966 – Wimbledon Palais, Wimbledon, southwest London (Disc & Music Echo) This did not happen as he’d already returned to the US
We’d welcome any further information below in the comments
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Poison Suckers – Charmer
It’s crazy that it has already been five years since the first Poison Suckers 7″ came out. Today Jo Jo and Joe are back with a follow-up, and this thing is a stone-cold ripper that will melt your ears clean off your head. Out on Transistor 66, the 4-track EP Charmer finds Poison Suckers doing what they do best: mixing soul music and ’60s girl group stylings with ferociously trashy garage punk rock ‘n’ roll. This band makes an art form out of lo-fi budget production, and the music is all raw energy and thrillingly primitive fury.
“Slash Tires” is pure fire right out of the gate — like Tina Turner fronting the Oblivians playing an MC5 song. This tune explodes out of your headphones, and Joanne’s vocal is just ridiculous. It gives me chills. “Charade” is old school girl group greatness without all the fancy production getting in the way. “Viper Winds” lays down some hip-shaking hillbilly blues stomp — think Southern gothic vibes transplanted to the chilly North. “I’m a Zero” caps things off with full-on garage rock fury. It’s a banger of epic proportions.And that’s that: four perfect songs that give you a little bit of everything you might be craving. I can think of no band that better understands or more fully brings to life the true spirit of rock ‘n’ roll. Of course this band has talent. These two have a great knack for writing songs that hit you in the gut yet also treat you to enthralling hooks. And there’s a very limited number of humans on the planet who can sing like Joanne. But beyond the talent, it’s the feeling and the fire in this music that is just so undeniable. Charmer will hit you deep in your soul. It’s a record made to be played loudly and enjoyed thoroughly. It’s an at-home dance party waiting to happen and a spirited soundtrack to whatever sinful activity you might be compelled to engage in. The EP will be officially released tonight at Times Change(d) High & Lonesome Club in Winnipeg! -
Poison Suckers – Charmer
It’s crazy that it has already been five years since the first Poison Suckers 7″ came out. Today Jo Jo and Joe are back with a follow-up, and this thing is a stone-cold ripper that will melt your ears clean off your head. Out on Transistor 66, the 4-track EP Charmer finds Poison Suckers doing what they do best: mixing soul music and ’60s girl group stylings with ferociously trashy garage punk rock ‘n’ roll. This band makes an art form out of lo-fi budget production, and the music is all raw energy and thrillingly primitive fury.“Slash Tires” is pure fire right out of the gate — like Tina Turner fronting the Oblivians playing an MC5 song. This tune explodes out of your headphones, and Joanne’s vocal is just ridiculous. It gives me chills. “Charade” is old school girl group greatness without all the fancy production getting in the way. “Viper Winds” lays down some hip-shaking hillbilly blues stomp — think Southern gothic vibes transplanted to the chilly North. “I’m a Zero” caps things off with full-on garage rock fury. It’s a banger of epic proportions.And that’s that: four perfect songs that give you a little bit of everything you might be craving. I can think of no band that better understands or more fully brings to life the true spirit of rock ‘n’ roll. Of course this band has talent. These two have a great knack for writing songs that hit you in the gut yet also treat you to enthralling hooks. And there’s a very limited number of humans on the planet who can sing like Joanne. But beyond the talent, it’s the feeling and the fire in this music that is just so undeniable. Charmer will hit you deep in your soul. It’s a record made to be played loudly and enjoyed thoroughly. It’s an at-home dance party waiting to happen and a spirited soundtrack to whatever sinful activity you might be compelled to engage in. The EP will be officially released tonight at Times Change(d) High & Lonesome Club in Winnipeg! -
Friends of Cesar Romero – Songs the Siren Sing
And now it is done. Songs the Siren Sing is the final installment in Friends of Cesar Romero’s Doomed Babe Series, a project that spanned 5,191 days, 24,641 words, 400+ songs, and more than 50 releases. What J. Waylon Porcupine has done with this project is one of the most impressive feats in music that I’ve ever had the good fortune to experience. And now the mystery surrounding the title has been revealed: the doomed babe is J. Waylon himself. “Babe” was his childhood nickname, and this series has documented his failed relationships and allowed him to exorcise some demons. Just releasing 50+ installments in a series would be an achievement in itself. But what’s so remarkable about this one is that the quality never dipped. There were no phoned-in installments. There were never any throwaway tracks. How do you release over 400 songs and never once turn out a dud? But I don’t want to sell this last installment short by turning this review into a retrospective. I am happy to say that this album finds the Doomed Babe Series (and most likely Friends of Cesar Romero) going out on top.A la February’s superb Soul Scouts, Songs the Siren Sing is definitely on the more rocking end of FOCR’s musical spectrum. It has its share of perfect pop songs (such as “Simple XX’s” and “Dying For Dai (A Little More Each Day)”). And it concludes with J. Waylon having his Pet Sounds moment on the beautiful “Plum Cherry,” which is quite possibly the best song in the entire series. But all in all, this album wraps up the Doomed Babe odyssey with a proverbial bang. From the opening jolt of “Elko Speedway” to the garage-rocking fury of “My Cultist Angel” and “Starfucker Qualities” to the thumping power pop of “74 Dart” and “The War on Wednesday,” this album brings an energy that’s thrilling and infectious. This album, like every Doomed Babe installment, is the perfect combination of almost every musical genre I love. Why choose between power pop, punk, and garage rock when you can get it all in shot?We all know of certain series in television and literature that were great for so long but couldn’t stick the landing. Well J. Waylon has absolutely stuck the landing. Songs the Siren Sing doesn’t try too hard to create closure. It just does what you expect any great Friends of Cesar Romero to do: deliver two-to-three minute tales of relationship woes that will tear your heart out yet also have you dancing around the house and humming the melodies all week. If you pay close attention to the lyrics, you understand how personal and intense these songs are. Yet isn’t the beauty of rock ‘n’ roll that you can take these excruciating experiences and channel them into music that’s fun to listen to and deeply reassuring to people who have felt similar pain? I’ll put it simply: if you love garage rock and power pop, you will love this release. It’s a great-sounding record with loud guitars, hooks for days, and genuine soul in the vocals and lyrics. Who would have expected anything different?It’s not fair or even accurate to say that J. Waylon Porcupine is now quitting. He has finished what he started. The last time I checked, that’s the opposite of quitting. I was a latecomer to the Doomed Babe Series and have so much gratitude to J. Waylon for putting this music into the world and to Niek for turning me onto it. Someday, music historians will look back on the Doomed Babe Series with absolute awe. That’s where I already am. Songs The Siren Sing is a free download for now, and the entire Friends of Cesar Romero catalog is a deal and a steal at $111.25! -
Friends of Cesar Romero – Songs the Siren Sing
And now it is done. Songs the Siren Sing is the final installment in Friends of Cesar Romero’s Doomed Babe Series, a project that spanned 5,191 days, 24,641 words, 400+ songs, and more than 50 releases. What J. Waylon Porcupine has done with this project is one of the most impressive feats in music that I’ve ever had the good fortune to experience. And now the mystery surrounding the title has been revealed: the doomed babe is J. Waylon himself. “Babe” was his childhood nickname, and this series has documented his failed relationships and allowed him to exorcise some demons. Just releasing 50+ installments in a series would be an achievement in itself. But what’s so remarkable about this one is that the quality never dipped. There were no phoned-in installments. There were never any throwaway tracks. How do you release over 400 songs and never once turn out a dud? But I don’t want to sell this last installment short by turning this review into a retrospective. I am happy to say that this album finds the Doomed Babe Series (and most likely Friends of Cesar Romero) going out on top.A la February’s superb Soul Scouts, Songs the Siren Sing is definitely on the more rocking end of FOCR’s musical spectrum. It has its share of perfect pop songs (such as “Simple XX’s” and “Dying For Dai (A Little More Each Day)”). And it concludes with J. Waylon having his Pet Sounds moment on the beautiful “Plum Cherry,” which is quite possibly the best song in the entire series. But all in all, this album wraps up the Doomed Babe odyssey with a proverbial bang. From the opening jolt of “Elko Speedway” to the garage-rocking fury of “My Cultist Angel” and “Starfucker Qualities” to the thumping power pop of “74 Dart” and “The War on Wednesday,” this album brings an energy that’s thrilling and infectious. This album, like every Doomed Babe installment, is the perfect combination of almost every musical genre I love. Why choose between power pop, punk, and garage rock when you can get it all in shot?We all know of certain series in television and literature that were great for so long but couldn’t stick the landing. Well J. Waylon has absolutely stuck the landing. Songs the Siren Sing doesn’t try too hard to create closure. It just does what you expect any great Friends of Cesar Romero to do: deliver two-to-three minute tales of relationship woes that will tear your heart out yet also have you dancing around the house and humming the melodies all week. If you pay close attention to the lyrics, you understand how personal and intense these songs are. Yet isn’t the beauty of rock ‘n’ roll that you can take these excruciating experiences and channel them into music that’s fun to listen to and deeply reassuring to people who have felt similar pain? I’ll put it simply: if you love garage rock and power pop, you will love this release. It’s a great-sounding record with loud guitars, hooks for days, and genuine soul in the vocals and lyrics. Who would have expected anything different?It’s not fair or even accurate to say that J. Waylon Porcupine is now quitting. He has finished what he started. The last time I checked, that’s the opposite of quitting. I was a latecomer to the Doomed Babe Series and have so much gratitude to J. Waylon for putting this music into the world and to Niek for turning me onto it. Someday, music historians will look back on the Doomed Babe Series with absolute awe. That’s where I already am. Songs The Siren Sing is a free download for now, and the entire Friends of Cesar Romero catalog is a deal and a steal at $111.25!
