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When 2024 was close to finish, I was already eagerly waiting for quite some releases that were about to unleash in the beginning of 2025. One of these releases was going to be the third full-length release by Dortmund-based Hardcore Punk outfit Abriss, that marked the return out of factual hibernation after their magnificent sophomore full-length release Dachlattenkult from 2018. Once again, as probably is no surprise anymore, I came across this band as well because of activities over at Lower Rhine Underground in the first place. This was especially due to the ties with booking collective Abmist that sets up strong Punk shows in Münster, which is a point that interconnects the bands Mist and Abriss and made me specifically aware of the output both of these combos spew into the cities. Undoubtedly, only one glance at the current date will signal to you that it once again took me way too long to finally succeed writing about this release, but this is also no longer late news. 

If you are not aware of what to expect from Abriss, it can probably be best described by signalling that this is straight up right in the face and no fuzz Hardcore Punk right on the verge of what could be considered early stages of Powerviolence. Compiled by quite some names that you might know from different bands or projects, the intuition that is broadcasted in this music definitely transports perspectives worth a listen. Having been released via Spastic Fantastic Records, it might be little surprise that Maz who runs the label also takes an active role in the band. However, especially when going a little further into detail about the production of this album, it is also interesting to keep in mind that Alex who runs the Raketenstudio (and is part of The Wolf I Feed) is also part of the band and in charge of the recording. When having followed recommendations on this blog, vocalist Simon might also be a name to you from his other project Chronic Pissed that delivers frontal Powerviolence and is highly recommendable.

Since there is no space for intros and similar knick-knacks, it also only takes a few seconds for the listener to find out that the sound on this release will push you back right into what I expected this to sound like after having seen that barely a single track supersedes the 1-minute-marker for more than 10 seconds. Just after the first 20 seconds on the first track of Kill Your Idyll, fast and snotty Hardcore Punk played right from the heart broadcasts what you need to brush off your dust of your annoying 9-5. When having read about the “Nazitante vom Bodensee” (nazi aunt from lake constance) I have to admit that I assumed this was going to be about the well-kept “secret” of the concentration camp in my hometown Friedrichshafen everyone knows there but no one wants to talk about. Of course, when diving into the lyrics it gets clear quite quickly that we are talking about another fact that I did not really know about – an AfD politician that you certainly know who seemingly started her career in the administrative district where I grew up – urgh. 

Nevertheless, this closer look alone also immediately portrayed the other side of the music that Abriss plays. While sonically delivering fast shots from the hip, the impression might come up that this is also what makes up the lyrical content of this band. Wrong you are, though. While there actually is an intention to write lyrics that shoot right at the center, the notion that is delivered is spot-on. Unfortunately living the exact fever dream of Germany in 2026 that evidently justifies the relevance of the opening track, the current Bavarian prime minister only recently once again marked his spot that he is worthy of what is conveyed on the fifth track with his statements about the financial adjustments between different German federal states as well. To be honest, browsing these lyrics in mid-2026 also does not get any better when reading the lyrics of “Wundgelegen” (bedsore) that addresses the very reformations of healthcare that Germany’s beloved current cabinet passed just two months ago (although having been written in 2025 or before). This pretty much works for almost every track on this album validating the fact that there could be no better time to immediately head off in order to be able to see the next possible Abriss show and yell these lyrics until your head comes off. Finishing with a final stroke that delivers payoff to Punk lyricism that loses itself in cheesy hollow statements, I have to admit that this once again brings back to mind the fact that Haexler already showed me the possibility of packing a huge amount of content into just a few minutes of playtime. We’re back at it again when listening to Kill Your Idyll.

When taking into consideration the progression of musical output of Abriss, I have to admit that the sound on Kill Your Idyll feels different from Abriss I and II. Although there was a strong drive of mids on the first two releases that delivered a certain kind of Metal-esque pressure, this is no longer present on their latest output. However, it is necessary to recapitulate the fact that band member Alex from Raketenstudio was in charge of recording all of the three records, which makes it clear that this is a deliberate decision for the production of this album. The impact of this positions Abriss’ latest output a little further in the spheres of Punk and a little farther away from the productional facettes of Powerviolence, which is refreshing, though. Maybe this comes from Alex’ specific interest in Black Metal environments that other band members outspokenly dislike, we don’t know. Especially when moving within the fast paces of the album, though, there is a damn lot of room to transport the energy that this album brings across.

Apart from the faster paces that are a focal point of showcasing the immediate energy on this album, especially the variation of the vocals also adds up to refresh your rush through this entire album. Yes I know, you might come up with an argumentation about how all of the vocal deliveries are vigorous shouts and screams, but this would be highly soft-pedalling. Connoisseurs of energetic music are well aware of the fact that vocal techniques can vary and it feels as if this is deliberately made use of in order to adjust to the vibe that is brought across on different tracks. 

This chunk of distortion and anger is pure energy. This is also why listening to Kill Your Idyll will grasp your attention. If you reappear once more starting a day and not wanting to check the news, I can highly recommend to just switch right over into blasting this album for a recommended dose and this will brighten your day. Don’t sleep on this.

N.O.R.E. is facing a lawsuit from Carmen Bryan, a former finance officer at Rush Management who shares a child with Nas. She claims the Queens rapper born Victor James Santiago Jr. sexually assaulted her at an album promotion event in 1999.

The post N.O.R.E. Sued For Alleged 1999 Sexual Assault Of Music Exec appeared first on Stereogum.

Self relelease [Release date 30.10.26] Troy Redfern’s ‘Astral Doorways’  is a 6 track instrumental album, spanning 32 and half minutes and includes an opening 11 minute title track suite. It’s a major departure from his usual high energy, barn burning, … Continue reading →

The post Album review: TROY REDFERN – Astral Doorways appeared first on Get Ready to ROCK!.

The three surviving members of Soundgarden reunited Wednesday night, September 9, during halftime of the Seattle Seahawks‘ season opener against the New England Patriots at Lumen Field in Seattle.

Guitarist Kim Thayil, drummer Matt Cameron, and bassist Ben Shepherd performed with The Pretty Reckless singer Taylor Momsen, who handled vocals in place of the late Soundgarden frontman Chris Cornell. The set featured “Outshined” and “Spoonman”, with Pearl Jam guitarist Mike McCready also joining the performance.

McCready had already taken the stage before kickoff for a Jimi Hendrix-influenced rendition of the U.S. national anthem. Discussing the performance with the Seahawks‘ official website, he said:

“It’s way scary in a way, because I want to do it right and I don’t want to mess it up, so that’s going through my head every time. I’ve done it a bunch of times; I just want to do it how I do it, and hopefully it means something, and I do it right, so there’s pressure there.”

The latest collaboration between Momsen and the surviving members of Soundgarden follows their appearance at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony in November 2025. Held at Los Angeles’ Peacock Theater, Momsen and McCready joined Cameron, Thayil, and Shepherd for “Rusty Cage”.

The ceremony also featured Brandi Carlile leading a performance of “Black Hole Sun”, with Momsen providing backing vocals. Chris Cornell‘s daughter Toni Cornell performed “Fell on Black Days” with Heart guitarist Nancy Wilson.

Thayil, Cameron, Cornell, and Shepherd were inducted as members of Soundgarden, alongside original bassist Hiro Yamamoto. Yamamoto was part of the band from 1984 through 1989 and played on its first two EPs as well as its first two albums.

The connection between Soundgarden and The Pretty Reckless also goes back several years. Thayil and Cameron appeared on The Pretty Reckless‘ 2021 album Death by Rock and Roll, playing on the track “Only Love Can Save Me Now”.

The post SOUNDGARDEN Reunite With TAYLOR MOMSEN For Seattle Seahawks Halftime Show appeared first on Sonic Perspectives.

In 1997, Bruce Dickinson returned to hard rock and metal with his fourth solo album, Accident Of Birth. The record brought back the weight and drive of his earlier solo work after the more experimental direction of Skunkworks.

Produced with Los Angeles musician Roy “Z” Ramirez, the album also featured Adrian Smith on guitar while he and Bruce Dickinson were both away from Iron Maiden. Over the years, Accident Of Birth has become one of Dickinson’s most highly regarded solo records, with tracks such as “Man Of Sorrows”, “Darkside Of Aquarius”, “Road To Hell” and “Accident Of Birth” becoming established fan favorites and appearing in his recent solo sets.

The album’s title and Derek Riggs’ cover artwork both draw on Dickinson’s own story. His mother underwent a medical procedure that meant he was not expected to be born, making the title a reference to his survival and the career he had already built by the time the record arrived.

Nearly three decades later, Accident Of Birth remains a major part of Dickinson’s solo catalog. The album has now received a complete remix from Grammy Award-winning producer Brendan Duffey, who also worked on Dickinson’s latest solo album, The Mandrake Project. The new version has been mixed in Stereo and Dolby Atmos, giving the original recordings a fresh presentation while retaining the scale of the songs.

Dickinson says: “It has been a real pleasure to spend time revisiting my solo back catalogue over the past couple of years alongside Brendan Duffey, remixing it all for Dolby Atmos and really bringing the sonic side of the album completely up to date.

“Accident Of Birth was a really important album for me at the time and I think it contains some of my very best work. It lit a fire under me once more, especially as a songwriter, and was a great chance to work with Adrian again.

“I’m so proud of this record, and these new mixes sound fantastic. Turn it up loud and enjoy!”

The new edition of Accident Of Birth arrives in the U.K. through BMG on October 17, released in conjunction with National Album Day UK. The worldwide release follows on October 23. Physical formats include a tri-panel digisleeve CD and double splatter-color vinyl housed in a gatefold sleeve.

Dickinson is also working on his eighth solo album, currently expected in early 2027 through BMG.

Most of the new record was recorded in January and February 2026 at Dave Grohl’s Studio 606 in Northridge, California. Duffey produced the sessions, following his work on a partly re-recorded, remixed, and newly mastered version of Dickinson’s second solo album, Balls To Picasso, which was released in 2025 under the title More Balls To Picasso.

Duffey is currently mixing Dickinson’s follow-up to The Mandrake Project at Brendan Duffey Audio, his high-end mixing and mastering facility in Jupiter, Florida.

The post BRUCE DICKINSON’s “Accident Of Birth” Gets a Remixed & Remastered Dolby Atmos/Stereo Version appeared first on Sonic Perspectives.

Taking advantage of the off-dates from their run with Arch Enemy and The Black Dahlia Murder.

The post SepticFlesh Announce Fall U.S. Headlining Shows appeared first on Theprp.com.

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Robert Plant and his new band Saving Grace have released the official video for “Two Coats”, taken from the EP Saving Grace: All That Glitters…. The digital release is set for October 9 through Nonesuch Records.

Saving Grace: All That Glitters… first appeared as a vinyl EP for Record Store Day, the annual event celebrating independent record stores, which took place on April 18, 2026.

The four-track release continues Plant and Saving Grace‘s exploration of folk and Americana material. The tracklist features the traditional songs “The Blackest Crow” and “Two Coats”, alongside Gillian Welch’s “Orphan Girl” and Bert Jansch’s “Poison”.

Plant has performed “Two Coats” with Saving Grace regularly since 2019, giving the song a place in the band’s live repertoire well before this recording.

“We’ve had these songs that we normally might play on stage that we’ve decided to record. It’s a great Ralph Stanley song called ‘Two Coats’,” Plant said in an interview.

“Bert Jansch wrote a song called ‘Poison’ and we’ve sent that into the very late ’80s, sort of this mortal coil gets happy, happy go lucky, but not too American-y,” he added.

Plant and Saving Grace released their debut album in September 2025 through Nonesuch Records.

The lineup features vocalist Suzi Dian, drummer Oli Jefferson, guitarist Tony Kelsey, banjo and string player Matt Worley, and cellist Barney Morse-Brown. Together, they draw from the long history of roots music while bringing their own approach to material spanning blues, folk, gospel, and country.

The musicians came together through a shared interest in roots music and the styles that connect those traditions, from blues and gospel to folk and country and the sounds between them.

The post ROBERT PLANT & SAVING GRACE Shares Official Music Video For “Two Coats” appeared first on Sonic Perspectives.

It’s been four years since Sampa The Great’s latest LP, 2022’s As Above, So Below. The Zambian singer and rapper is back today to announce her third album Nu Zamrock. It features last year’s “Can’t Hold Us,” and the new single “Simon Says” is out now.

The post Sampa The Great Announces New Album <em>Nu Zamrock</em>: Hear “Simon Says” appeared first on Stereogum.