Manchester, England, became the starting point for Herman’s Hermits in 1963 when several local musicians formed a group that would soon become one of the most successful acts of the British Invasion. The lineup that carried the band to international fame included lead singer Peter Noone, guitarist Keith Hopwood, bassist Karl Green, guitarist Derek Leckenby, and drummer Barry Whitwam. Noone had already gained attention as a young actor on the long running television program Coronation Street, and his youthful voice and cheerful personality quickly became central to the band’s identity. With the guidance of manager Harvey Lisberg and producer Mickie
Tarja unleashes her brand-new metal album ‘Frisson Noir‘ on June 12th, 2026 via earMUSIC, the heaviest record of her career and a powerful statement of identity, strength and belonging. After years of exploring different musical landscapes, Tarja stands firmly where she belongs: in metal. ‘Frisson Noir‘ reflects Tarja’s ongoing dialogue between cinematic orchestration, classical heritage, […]
When people talk about the Big Four of the genre that Metallica invented (yes, they did), the conversation invariably moves on to who would be the fifth band on the list of Thrash Metal titans. Testament? Overkill? Violence? Dark Angel? Nuclear Assault? Death Angel? All great bands, of course, but this scribe’s choice will always be Bay Area bangers Exodus.
I genuinely believe that if their debut LP, Bonded By Blood, was released in 1984 when it was ready, instead of 1985 due to business and creative setbacks, we would be talking about Exodus in way more revered terms than we do.
I have been fortunate to witness the band a few times over the last ten years or so (with the now departed vocalist Steve ‘Zetro’ Souza), and I have been blown away by the band’s power in a live setting. The band’s previous two LPs, Blood In, Blood Out (2014) and Persona Non Grata (2021), were on heavy rotation in Kendrick towers, absolute Thrash Metal bangers.
Exodus release their 12th Studio Album, Goliath, on 20 March 20 2026, via Napalm Records.
I have been eager to devour the latest LP, appropriately titled Goliath, since it was announced that ex-vocalist Rob Dukes was back in the fray.
In Goliath, we have ten tracks of ferociousness that prove that Exodus are as relevant now as they have ever been. Dukes is like a man possessed. His guttural screams and barking vocal style fit the monstrous riffs and blistering drumming perfectly. The guitar duo of part-time Slayer shredder and Exodus founder Gary Holt with Lee Altus is something to behold. The riffs just keep coming.
From the intensity of the opening track 3111, the album keeps climbing like Alex Honnold [Google him, kids]. Hostis Humani Generis does not give you a chance to draw breath, and while we are on the subject of elite athletes, can we all take a moment and salute drummer Tom Hunting, please? For a man who has been fighting cancer, his performance is astonishing. A true legend of Thrash Metal drumming. Stay well, Tom.
The Changing Me is a mid-tempo headbanging beast of a track with a catchy (yes, I know!) chorus. Promise You This is a guaranteed mosh pit opener with its swirling riff.
The album’s title track is the closest Exodus has ever come to Doom Metal. I am getting Cathedral/Candlemass vibes. Fantastic stuff. We even get a string section courtesy of Katie Jacoby, and it works perfectly.
Beyond The Event Horizon gets us firmly back in the Thrash lane, holy crap, this stuff is awesome. I also love THAT bass sound that you only tend to hear in the Thrash genre. Jack Gibson is as solid as a solid thing. Superb.
2 Minutes Hate stabs and crunches along, another great track. Violence Works has an almost funk feel to it. Yes, I know, it does, honestly! It is also super-heavy at the same time. Do not panic, thrashers.
Summon Of The God Unknown takes us back to familiar ground with a super crunchy riff, complemented by Duke’s spitting out of the lyrics. Final track The Dirtiest Of The Dozen (great title!) has some Maiden-esque twin lead work before we get stamped on by the relentless riffing. It really is powerful stuff.
Exodus – Mohegan Sun Arena, Uncasville, CT – 3 February 2023. Photo: Shannon Wilk/MetalTalk
As you probably gathered, I love this record. The only gripe I have is that the production is missing the Andy Sneap touch. Sneap’s masterful production has been a mainstay since the 2007 album, The Atrocity Exhibition…Exhibit A.
Do not get me wrong. Mark Lewis has done a sterling job with Goliath. It is just missing that Sneap magic dust.
Exodus are currently on the road with Megadeth and Anthrax in the States. They hit UK shores with Kreator and Carcass towards the end of March.
Goliath will be released on 20 March 2026 via Napalm Records. It is available on all formats. Pre-orders are available from lnk.to/Exodus-Goliath/napalmrecords.
March
O2 Academy, Brixton211 Stockwell Rd, London SW9 9SL
German Heavy Metal titans Kreator have unleashed Satanic Anarchy, a brand new single and video from their sixteenth studio album Krushers Of The World, due 16 January 2026 via Nuclear
Event Details
German Heavy Metal titans Kreator have unleashed Satanic Anarchy, a brand new single and video from their sixteenth studio album Krushers Of The World, due 16 January 2026 via Nuclear Blast Records.
Krushers Of The World finds Kreator working once again with producer Jens Bogren at Fascination Street Studios, delivering a huge, modern sound that still honours the band’s raw roots. From the blistering opener Seven Serpents and the horror tinted Tranenpalast to stomping mid tempo crushers like the title track and the anthemic Satanic Anarchy, the record shows a band that remains as hungry and dangerous as ever.
German Heavy Metal titans Kreator have unleashed Satanic Anarchy, a brand new single and video from their sixteenth studio album Krushers Of The World, due 16 January 2026 via Nuclear
Event Details
German Heavy Metal titans Kreator have unleashed Satanic Anarchy, a brand new single and video from their sixteenth studio album Krushers Of The World, due 16 January 2026 via Nuclear Blast Records.
Krushers Of The World finds Kreator working once again with producer Jens Bogren at Fascination Street Studios, delivering a huge, modern sound that still honours the band’s raw roots. From the blistering opener Seven Serpents and the horror tinted Tranenpalast to stomping mid tempo crushers like the title track and the anthemic Satanic Anarchy, the record shows a band that remains as hungry and dangerous as ever.
German Heavy Metal titans Kreator have unleashed Satanic Anarchy, a brand new single and video from their sixteenth studio album Krushers Of The World, due 16 January 2026 via Nuclear
Event Details
German Heavy Metal titans Kreator have unleashed Satanic Anarchy, a brand new single and video from their sixteenth studio album Krushers Of The World, due 16 January 2026 via Nuclear Blast Records.
Krushers Of The World finds Kreator working once again with producer Jens Bogren at Fascination Street Studios, delivering a huge, modern sound that still honours the band’s raw roots. From the blistering opener Seven Serpents and the horror tinted Tranenpalast to stomping mid tempo crushers like the title track and the anthemic Satanic Anarchy, the record shows a band that remains as hungry and dangerous as ever.
Gaerea is one of the bands that has attracted quite a lot of attention in recent years. A young band from Portugal that has managed to draw fresh, youthful and modern sounds from Black Metal, whilst also bringing a fitting stage presence to the table. They’ve done this across four albums, evolving steadily without becoming overly flashy. That’s about to change. Loss is different, sounds different and aims to be different.
One of the clear highlights of the album for me is “Submerged” – what a brilliant track. A wonderful combination of brutal heaviness, calmer, more emotional passages and brilliant lyrics. And if, whilst listening, you find yourself drawn into the depths of the song just as it describes, then they’ve got a lot right here. The penultimate track of the album, “Nomad“, comes close, even though the calmer passages are much more prominent; you can always recognise the black metal running through the song. The same goes for “Cyclone”, although for me it doesn’t quite measure up to ‘Submerged’ and tends to get a bit lost in the mix.
On the other hand, there are tracks like “Uncontrolled”, which leans heavily into Metalcore: charging forward in the genre’s typical, more monotonous style. The following track, “Phoenix“, operates on the same level; I prefer the riffs to those on “Uncontrolled“, but it does end up veering too far into typical Metalcore territory for my liking. And I found the final track, “Stardust”, absolutely wild. They really went all out with the experimental elements here: heavy riffs alternate with electronic piano sounds, aiming to leave the listener with a sense of emotion as the album draws to a close.
So what can be said about Loss overall? It is undoubtedly modern; much of what is currently considered contemporary in the heavier metal genres sounds like this. There are significantly more subdued sections in the songs, which are interspersed with heavier passages. To put it bluntly, with Loss, the band is moving much closer to the mainstream than we’ve been used to so far. This was already the case with their previous album, Coma, but it’s even more pronounced here. They sound more like what appeals to the young mainstream crowd, and as of 2026, that just happens to be Metalcore. So the ‘Blegh’ sound, as in “Phoenix“, is a must. And that won’t be to everyone’s taste; they’ll almost certainly disappoint fans from their early days, but they’ll also win over plenty of new ones. Even though you can still recognise their black metal roots in every song.
In terms of quality, it’s all absolutely top-notch, of course, and I’m sure one or two of the tracks will stay in my daily playlist for a while. But it leaves me torn, just as it will surely divide listeners and fans when it’s released.
The Brits High Parasite are pleased to present you a brand new single, “Drag Me Under”. It was recorded by David Watts, mixed by Lawrence MacKrory and mastered by Tim Turan. Read more…
US power metal outfit Omen has recently confirmed a string of headline shows across the (predominantly) south/southeastern part of the European lands. Read more…
Known as a D.J. at one of Berlin’s most storied clubs, she swerved with an LP of dreamy pop. Now she’s back, cataloging the angst of 30-something creative life.
When the poet Shelley wrote “if winter comes, can Spring be far behind?” – and this will probably be refuted by every academic in the field of Romantic poetry – but I believe he was referring to the fact that – as sure as night follows day, and the sun rises in the east, then the Spring brings Belfast’s finest band, Stiff Little Fingers, out on tour.
For a band whose origin’s lie before the emergence of the punk scene to which they are forever attached, SLF – along with The Stranglers and The Damned – represent a trifecta of artists from a time when the world was in some ways a very different place; yet in others, far too similar for comfort. All those acts are still writing and recording material, are still getting out on the road and are still playing to large audiences, composed of the OG fans and their children, and their children…
It was 2018 when the band last played the fifteen-hundred capacity Ritz, demand means they moved to the substantially larger Academy a year later and, looking around the hall tonight, there seems little sign that the demand for tickets to their Manchester shows is waning.
Never one to skimp on their support band, Stiff Little Fingers like to give themselves a challenge – and the ticket-buyer a bargain – with the Raise Your Voice tour’s opening slot being given to Essex alternative punk duo, The Meffs, who’ve been deservedly experiencing something of a meteoric rise up the genre’s echelons through a combination of cutting records and killer live shows.
Photo Credit: Rich Price Photography
Composed of guitarist/ vocalist Lily and drummer Lewis, the duo’s lack of a bass works to their advantage by giving everything a more DIY and raw sound. Opening tunes have New Wave vibe sitting comfortably next to the thoroughly modern take on punk. Stamp It Out, from the most recent album, What a Life, is intended as a warm-up for the vocals chords of the already impressively-sized crowd. A raucous cover of The Prodigy’s Breathe gets everyone moving, and new tune, Business is a caustic lambasting of the music industry, through some snappy vocals from Lily.
But The Meffs isn’t just about raging at injustice and creating highly danceable beats, as they can also operate in a more refined arena, as with Like Gravity’s more measured moments. All those wearing Meffs’ merchandise are gathered in the pit centre-stage for the twenty-second punk charge that is Fight. Lily even admits to smiling on stage – something she claims not to often do – and Broken Britain, Broken Brain, written before the 2024 election very much confirms the growing realisation that we’re all having to deal with two cheeks of the same bum.
Photo Credit: Rich Price Photography
The Meffs were clearly in their element and that raw, punk energy the band bring, which saw them go from the After Dark stage to halfway up the Empress Ballroom’s stage at Rebellion in just two-years, is a perfect way to kickstart the evening.
I’ve got to admit to being a little disappointed not to get the medley of television themes we’ve had over the past few years. Everyone seemed to love hearing the themes from all those Seventies and Eighties shows that we all forgot but can suddenly remember all the words to.
Photo Credit: Rich Price Photography
It’s night three of the tour, which is unusual as Manchester recently has been toward the end of the trek. The obligatory singalong of the instrumental Go For It – yup, that’s what I said – gets the Academy suitably revved up and ready to go by the time Stiff Little Fingers arrive and crank into a hard-edged Tin Soldiers. Nobody’s Hero features early, as does the cover of Bunny Wailer’s Roots, Radicals, Rockers, Reggae’s Ska-infused classic.
We’ve been getting a new song every tour and this year’s Raise Your Voice is a mid-tempo, more mellow rocker, that features a fierce solo from Ian McCallum. Rather than simply pack the show with the many tunes the fans want to hear, the Fingers like to take a deep dive into their back-catalogue and on this tour they’re including several lesser played songs. Back to Front has been with the band for decades and is only rarely aired, which is a shame as you can hear the Nobody’s Hero influences coming through; another early one, State of Emergency is more familiar live territory, while Guitar and Drum’s Walkin’ Dynamite, inspired by the boxer Sonny Liston, is a sweet ditty with a serious message.
Photo Credit: Rich Price Photography
Jake is a natural storyteller – being a man of Ireland it’s in the DNA, I suppose – and his regaling of his father’s contribution to their one and only ‘hit’ and his wanting royalties, introduces At the Edge. Bits of Kids sees drummer Steve Grantley giving his kit a punishment beating before Now Then…’s Listen makes one of its infrequent appearances.
From there on it’s SLF classic after SLF classic: Doesn’t Make It Alright was lifted from The Specials before the Midlanders had chance to know what they had; Just Fade Away, Wasted Life, Gotta Getaway and the pummelling Suspect Devise brings the show to a close.
Only the encore of Bob Marley & The Wailers’ Johnny Was…, lyrically altered to fit the Finger’s time and place, and the unofficial new Northern Irish national anthem, Alternative Ulster, is the only way Stiff Little Fingers can ever sign off a live show.
Photo Credit: Rich Price Photography
I’ve seen many SLF shows but tonight in Manchester there was something extra-special about this performance. I overheard a couple of lads standing behind me – from north of the boarder judging by their accents – who were in full agreement and couldn’t wait for the Glasgow show on St Patrick’s Day.
Before ending the show, Jake announced they would be coming back to Manchester in July as support to the Sex Pistols. It’s the day after Iron Maiden at Knebworth, but I’ll sleep when I’m dead, and, well, it’d be rude not to. Hello, Mr Ticketmaster….
