American death metal pioneers SIX FEET UNDER will unleash their Next To Die full-length on April 24 through Metal Blade Records. Next To Die marks a new creative high for SIX FEET UNDER, its dozen songs marking the band’s fifteenth album since 1995’s Haunted. “It started out as an album full of death metal songs […]
Melbourne-based progressive rock project Fleeting Joy has unveiled debut single, Unravel, featuring Amariah Cook of Future Static. The debut is an energetic and chugging introduction to the collaborative vision of songwriter, guitarist and creative mastermind Jordan Lalchand. Blending progressive rock, metalcore and alternative influences into something cohesive, Unravel tackles the weight of carrying other people’s […]
Shat out of hell? Indeed. The epically unpronounceable, utterly indecipherable and altogether uncompromising gore merchants, Sanguisugabogg, are returning to Australia in June 2026 with special guests PeelingFlesh. And fans are loving it. Perth and Brisbane recently had their venues upgraded to fit more miscreants in and now Melbourne’s huge 170 Russell has officially Sold Out! […]
When old-school Traditional Heavy Metal looks fondly upon its family tree, it sees that it has birthed a host of sub-genre descendants as numerous as the stars of the sky and the grains of sand on the seashore. And like most ancestors, it looks out upon its progeny with both pride and revulsion. For instance, it seriously doubts that “progressive dissonant blackened metal” can actually be related to it and eyes that genre’s mail/milk person with suspicion. But then it sees the New Wave of Traditional Heavy Metal and smiles at the straightlaced apple that didn’t fall too far from the proverbial tree. But even then, the Old Timer sees two different shades of its mini-me, one that incorporates all the bells and whistles of today’s newfangled production values, and one that wears the thrift shop aesthetic of olden days. I really dig bands that can pull off the latter effectively, bands like Century, Lord Mountain, and the gold standard of my recent memory, Legendry. 1
Quebec’s Ravenspell is hoping to join that mighty new-olde company with their debut full-length effort, Obsidian King. Sample the embedded single and album opener “God the Watcher”, and you’ll hear Ravenspell chain its pocket watch to its three-piece suit as it tries to sound as long in the tooth as possible. The song blasts off like a saint out of hell with some rapid riffing and a siren wail from vocalist Alisander the Seer. Clocking in at under four minutes, it sets a blistering tone for an album that will constantly walk the line between classic and speed metals.
Like genre leaders Visigoth and Eternal Champion, these guys channel old granddads of metal Manilla Road and Iron Maiden as they serve up sword and sorcery sermons with sweet earworm choruses. Good luck getting “Onwards We March” or “Book of the Dead” out of your head—the latter earns bonus points for kicking things off with a sample from Army of Darkness. Interspersed throughout the more balanced tracks are sub-three-minute, cocaine-fueled speed racers(“Hellstorm” and “Battleaxe Apocalypse”) that hit you and disappear before you even know what happened.
This war wagon nearly made it to the finish line before one of the wheels began to fall off. “Atilla” positions itself to be the Obsidian King’s epic finale, and while it has some cool musical ideas, it ultimately falls flat. Literally. The main vocal lines and backing vocals try to harmonize, but end up clashing in a really unpleasant way. The track also breaks Ravenspell’s winning formula, the one they spent the previous 32 minutes perfecting: classic metal songs at four minutes, speed metal at three. “Atilla” is eight minutes, and in its current form, it just doesn’t work, hun. Production-wise, Obsidian King aims for that old-timey aesthetic of yesteryear, and it mostly hits, despite sounding overly loud to my ears.
Overall, Ravenspell has done the old geezers of metal proud. Obsidian King sounds like it could have been released in the 80s, and for the most part, it delivers the goods. While it may end with a doozy of a misstep, there is over half an hour of quality music here that should please fans of geriatric metal.
Korn have announced their return to the UK and Europe, where they will play some absolutely massive shows with an absolutely massive supporting cast.
The band are making their first trip over since last Summer, where they headlined several festivals, including Download, Rock Im Park and Rock Am Ring. It’s their first proper run across the UK since a co-headliner with Limp Bizkit way back in 2016.
And to make up for the time away, they are bringing along some very special guests this time.
Support will come from Architects, Youth Code and Pixel Grip.
So that’s a bit of this for the second half of the tour:
Or a bit of this, for dates on the first half of the tour:
Before a whole load of this:
And then a whole load of this brilliance:
Here are all the stop-offs you need to know.
OCTOBER
18 – STUTTGART Hanns-Martin-Schleyer-Halle 19 – MUNICH Olympiahalle 21 – COLOGNE Lanxess Arena 23 – PARIS Accor Arena 26 – LEEDS First Direct Arena 28 – BIRMINGHAM Utilita Arena Birmingham 30 – NEWCASTLE Utilita Arena Newcastle 31 – MANCHESTER AO Arena
NOVEMBER
02 – DUBLIN 3Arena 04 – LONDON The O2 08 – AMSTERDAM Ziggo Dome 09 – ANTWERP AFAS Dome 11 – HAMBURG Barclays Arena 13 – HANOVER ZAG Arena 14 – BERLIN Uber Arena 16 – PRAGUE O2 Arena Prague 17 – KRAKÓW Tauron Arena 19 – VIENNA Wiener Stadhalle 21 – MILAN Unipol Forum
There’s a version of reality where this is YONAKA’s last hurrah. The Brighton trio’s foundations were wobbling a few years ago, as they questioned whether or not they had a future, but the thought of bringing the axe down on the band brought a sense of terror rather than relief. Ultimately, that fear of the end has defibrillated them. Arriving six years after debut Don’t Wait ’Til Tomorrow, this second album is an act of both recentering and rediscovery. Above all, it finds them sounding brilliantly alive.
After darting into new realms across 2021 mixtape Seize The Power and 2023’s Welcome To My House, arguably with mixed results, the band have drilled down to the essence of what made them unique in the first place. They sound rawer, more organic, while preserving every gram of their catchiness.
Problems is a gritty exploration of the ugly side of intimacy with a buzzing, firecracker-like chorus, while the vivacious Miss Millennial fizzes with barbed riffs, sassy melodies and percussion that practically pops. Cruel, meanwhile, sensuously glides between the dirty and the digital sides of their sound, and Trouble Follows’ strutting basslines hit like sugar to the bloodstream.
The first half of the album is slightly stronger than the second, and there’s a couple of moments that don’t quite land. Best Of Me doesn’t escape the box of textbook arena balladry, for example, and Do It For You drifts in the middle lane without making a tremendous impact.
Still, these are far outweighed by the successes, especially where their upbeat moments are concerned, from the dancefloor-born Stay A Little While Longer to the breezy indie of At The Beach. All of these add up to create some of the best music that YONAKA have created in years.
If you have heard the swagger of Higher Than High, the first single from the new album by Tyketto, then you will know exactly what is coming. Higher Than High is, as singer and founder member Danny Vaughn states, “classic Tyketto.” The song and the album shout, play me loudly and take me for a drive.
Closer To The Sun is Tyketto’s first album for a decade and comes at a time when the band are experiencing a resurgence in popularity. Indeed, the whole classic rock movement seems in rude health, with the band very much part of the plethora of shows and festivals that straddle the calendar.
Whilst I would argue that Tyketto bring little new or innovative to the table, what they do they do incredibly well. It is hard not to sing along to Starts With A Feeling, with its ’80s vibe. The music is polished. Ged Ryland’s keys play an integral part in the band’s rich sound, and it is evident that his participation is essential.
Ultimately, though, Tyketto live and die by Vaughn’s voice, and if you have seen this band live in recent times, you will know how Danny Vaughn is one of the best around. He is also blessed with vocal qualities that place him in the same camp as legends as diverse as Nev McDonald and David Coverdale in his heyday.
Bringing a heavier crunch to the album, Johnny Dee’s reliable drumming anchors the whole album with a solidity that one expects of such an experienced drummer. He locks in with Thunder’s Chris Childs with an ease that only high-calibre musicians possess. This allows some moments for Harry Scott Elliot’s fine guitarwork.
Tyketto will always be associated with their anthem Forever Young, and whilst there is no such earworm here, there are plenty of tracks that allow the ‘arms aloft’ moments.
We Rise provides the anthemic ballad that will have those attending the likes of Planet Rockstock gushing into their beer. It is a track that works well, despite it being very typical of a thousand other songs.
Now, you will probably be getting a negative vibe from me, but far from it. It is almost impossible to hear an original song these days, such is the saturation of the market, and the one that Tyketto operates in is swamped with hundreds, if not thousands, of soundalikes.
So, on the one hand, there is nothing new as I have already said, but whilst the wheel is not reinvented at any time here, there is a ballsy approach that certainly puts this band in the top tier.
Donnowhuddidis, with its bombastic swing, is great, whilst the title track demands your attention, even if just to appreciate the crafted approach which echoes bands like Thunder in their prime.
Interestingly, it is when the band go a little left field, as they do on Harleys & Indians (Riders In The Sky), with uptempo percussion, that things get a bit more interesting. Vaughn’s vocals are smooth as silk, his harmonica blends into the song with panache, and it brings a new shine to the song.
Similarly, Hit Me Where It Hurts has a bit more grit, and Scott Elliott really does get the opportunity to let rip. The inevitable ballad comes in the shape of The Picture. Not my bag, far too emotional, but it is a quintessential part of an album in this genre, and once again, the boys do it well.
There is also an opportunity to strip it back a bit, and Far And Away does that particularly well. Some lovely acoustic guitar leads the song, with beautiful harmonies and some subtle keys that add a Celtic flavour.
The album ends with The Brave, and although I understand the sentiments, it is one of the weakest here and unsurprisingly is not included on vinyl versions of the record. Far too cliched in every respect, I imagine some will love it.
Overall, Closer To The Sun is an enjoyable listen, superbly played and with a fine production. I am sure that Tyketto’s loyal army of fans will be ecstatic with this release.
After ten years waiting, it is understandable indeed.
Tyketto release Closer To The Sun through Silver Lining Music on 20 March 2026. The album will be available on Deluxe Limited Edition 12″ Sunburst Vinyl, Limited Edition 12″ Red Vinyl, 12″ Black Vinyl, CD Digipak, Digital Download, Streaming and special D2C bundles.
Tyketto release Closer To The Sun through Silver Lining Music on 20 March 2026. In support of the album’s release, Tyketto have announced a string of dates for 2026, kicking off at Planet
Event Details
Tyketto release Closer To The Sun through Silver Lining Music on 20 March 2026. In support of the album’s release, Tyketto have announced a string of dates for 2026, kicking off at Planet Rock’s Winter’s End festival in Porthcawl, Wales and with a full UK Tour set for the spring and European shows to be revealed soon, fans should keep their eyes peeled for what’s coming next.
For a full list of upcoming shows and tickets visit Tyketto.com.
Tyketto release Closer To The Sun through Silver Lining Music on 20 March 2026. In support of the album’s release, Tyketto have announced a string of dates for 2026, kicking off at Planet
Event Details
Tyketto release Closer To The Sun through Silver Lining Music on 20 March 2026. In support of the album’s release, Tyketto have announced a string of dates for 2026, kicking off at Planet Rock’s Winter’s End festival in Porthcawl, Wales and with a full UK Tour set for the spring and European shows to be revealed soon, fans should keep their eyes peeled for what’s coming next.
For a full list of upcoming shows and tickets visit Tyketto.com.
Tyketto release Closer To The Sun through Silver Lining Music on 20 March 2026. In support of the album’s release, Tyketto have announced a string of dates for 2026, kicking off at Planet
Event Details
Tyketto release Closer To The Sun through Silver Lining Music on 20 March 2026. In support of the album’s release, Tyketto have announced a string of dates for 2026, kicking off at Planet Rock’s Winter’s End festival in Porthcawl, Wales and with a full UK Tour set for the spring and European shows to be revealed soon, fans should keep their eyes peeled for what’s coming next.
For a full list of upcoming shows and tickets visit Tyketto.com.
Tyketto release Closer To The Sun through Silver Lining Music on 20 March 2026. In support of the album’s release, Tyketto have announced a string of dates for 2026, kicking off at Planet
Event Details
Tyketto release Closer To The Sun through Silver Lining Music on 20 March 2026. In support of the album’s release, Tyketto have announced a string of dates for 2026, kicking off at Planet Rock’s Winter’s End festival in Porthcawl, Wales and with a full UK Tour set for the spring and European shows to be revealed soon, fans should keep their eyes peeled for what’s coming next.
For a full list of upcoming shows and tickets visit Tyketto.com.
Tyketto release Closer To The Sun through Silver Lining Music on 20 March 2026. In support of the album’s release, Tyketto have announced a string of dates for 2026, kicking off at Planet
Event Details
Tyketto release Closer To The Sun through Silver Lining Music on 20 March 2026. In support of the album’s release, Tyketto have announced a string of dates for 2026, kicking off at Planet Rock’s Winter’s End festival in Porthcawl, Wales and with a full UK Tour set for the spring and European shows to be revealed soon, fans should keep their eyes peeled for what’s coming next.
For a full list of upcoming shows and tickets visit Tyketto.com.
Tyketto release Closer To The Sun through Silver Lining Music on 20 March 2026. In support of the album’s release, Tyketto have announced a string of dates for 2026, kicking off at Planet
Event Details
Tyketto release Closer To The Sun through Silver Lining Music on 20 March 2026. In support of the album’s release, Tyketto have announced a string of dates for 2026, kicking off at Planet Rock’s Winter’s End festival in Porthcawl, Wales and with a full UK Tour set for the spring and European shows to be revealed soon, fans should keep their eyes peeled for what’s coming next.
For a full list of upcoming shows and tickets visit Tyketto.com.
Tyketto release Closer To The Sun through Silver Lining Music on 20 March 2026. In support of the album’s release, Tyketto have announced a string of dates for 2026, kicking off at Planet
Event Details
Tyketto release Closer To The Sun through Silver Lining Music on 20 March 2026. In support of the album’s release, Tyketto have announced a string of dates for 2026, kicking off at Planet Rock’s Winter’s End festival in Porthcawl, Wales and with a full UK Tour set for the spring and European shows to be revealed soon, fans should keep their eyes peeled for what’s coming next.
For a full list of upcoming shows and tickets visit Tyketto.com.
Tyketto release Closer To The Sun through Silver Lining Music on 20 March 2026. In support of the album’s release, Tyketto have announced a string of dates for 2026, kicking off at Planet
Event Details
Tyketto release Closer To The Sun through Silver Lining Music on 20 March 2026. In support of the album’s release, Tyketto have announced a string of dates for 2026, kicking off at Planet Rock’s Winter’s End festival in Porthcawl, Wales and with a full UK Tour set for the spring and European shows to be revealed soon, fans should keep their eyes peeled for what’s coming next.
For a full list of upcoming shows and tickets visit Tyketto.com.
Tyketto release Closer To The Sun through Silver Lining Music on 20 March 2026. In support of the album’s release, Tyketto have announced a string of dates for 2026, kicking off at Planet
Event Details
Tyketto release Closer To The Sun through Silver Lining Music on 20 March 2026. In support of the album’s release, Tyketto have announced a string of dates for 2026, kicking off at Planet Rock’s Winter’s End festival in Porthcawl, Wales and with a full UK Tour set for the spring and European shows to be revealed soon, fans should keep their eyes peeled for what’s coming next.
For a full list of upcoming shows and tickets visit Tyketto.com.
Tyketto release Closer To The Sun through Silver Lining Music on 20 March 2026. In support of the album’s release, Tyketto have announced a string of dates for 2026, kicking off at Planet
Event Details
Tyketto release Closer To The Sun through Silver Lining Music on 20 March 2026. In support of the album’s release, Tyketto have announced a string of dates for 2026, kicking off at Planet Rock’s Winter’s End festival in Porthcawl, Wales and with a full UK Tour set for the spring and European shows to be revealed soon, fans should keep their eyes peeled for what’s coming next.
For a full list of upcoming shows and tickets visit Tyketto.com.
American death metal pioneers SIX FEET UNDER will unleash their Next To Die full-length on April 24 through Metal Blade Records. Next To Die marks a new creative high for SIX FEET UNDER, its dozen songs marking the band’s fifteenth album since 1995’s Haunted. “It started out as an album full of death metal songs […]
Melbourne-based progressive rock project Fleeting Joy has unveiled debut single, Unravel, featuring Amariah Cook of Future Static. The debut is an energetic and chugging introduction to the collaborative vision of songwriter, guitarist and creative mastermind Jordan Lalchand. Blending progressive rock, metalcore and alternative influences into something cohesive, Unravel tackles the weight of carrying other people’s […]
Shat out of hell? Indeed. The epically unpronounceable, utterly indecipherable and altogether uncompromising gore merchants, Sanguisugabogg, are returning to Australia in June 2026 with special guests PeelingFlesh. And fans are loving it. Perth and Brisbane recently had their venues upgraded to fit more miscreants in and now Melbourne’s huge 170 Russell has officially Sold Out! […]
When old-school Traditional Heavy Metal looks fondly upon its family tree, it sees that it has birthed a host of sub-genre descendants as numerous as the stars of the sky and the grains of sand on the seashore. And like most ancestors, it looks out upon its progeny with both pride and revulsion. For instance, it seriously doubts that “progressive dissonant blackened metal” can actually be related to it and eyes that genre’s mail/milk person with suspicion. But then it sees the New Wave of Traditional Heavy Metal and smiles at the straightlaced apple that didn’t fall too far from the proverbial tree. But even then, the Old Timer sees two different shades of its mini-me, one that incorporates all the bells and whistles of today’s newfangled production values, and one that wears the thrift shop aesthetic of olden days. I really dig bands that can pull off the latter effectively, bands like Century, Lord Mountain, and the gold standard of my recent memory, Legendry. 1
