From the garage-band days of Agoura Hills, California, Hoobastank grew into one of the most recognizable alternative rock acts of the early 2000s. The band was founded in 1994 by vocalist Doug Robb, guitarist Dan Estrin, drummer Chris Hesse, and original bassist Markku Lappalainen. They originally went by the name Hoobustank before settling on the spelling now associated with the band. The group spent its early years building a reputation on the Southern California club circuit, playing alongside other emerging acts at venues like the Cobalt Cafe in Los Angeles. In 1998, they independently released their first full-length album, They
Norwegian blues rockers Masheena are back with their 2nd album ‘Let The Spiders In‘ on the April 10th, which is the follow up to their debut ‘West Coast Hard Rock‘ that came out in 2023. The album was recorded in Austin Texas with producer Machine, who has worked with Clutch, Lamb Of God and King […]
The final night of a tour always carries a different kind of weight, a mix of exhaustion, relief, and yet the promise that every band is going to leave absolutely everything on the stage. In Birmingham, Bleed From Within brought their latest run to a thunderous close, backed by a bill that was stacked with ferocity from Baest and Disembodied Tyrant.
Baest wasted no time in igniting the early crowd, kicking off with ‘Colossus’ and immediately locking the room into their crushing, groove-laden death metal assault. Their sound was thick, punishing, and delivered with a precision that made it clear they weren’t here to simply warm the stage, they were here to dominate it. ‘Misfortunate Son’ and ‘Meathook Massacre’ followed in quick succession, each riff landing like a sledgehammer as the pit began to churn for the first time of the night.
There’s something undeniably old-school about Baest’s approach, but it never feels dated, with Simon screeching from the crowd as they circle pit around him! ‘Necro Sapiens’ showcased their ability to blend brutality with groove, while ‘Stormbringer’ closed their set on a high, leaving the crowd fully primed.
Photo Credit: Tim Finch Photography
If Baest laid the foundations, Disembodied Tyrant built something far more chaotic and theatrical on top of it. Opening with ‘Death Empress’, their set felt like stepping into a darker, more cinematic world, one filled with punishing breakdowns, eerie atmospherics, and a palpable sense of menace. The transitions between tracks like ‘Malphasian’ and ‘The Poetic Edda’ were seamless, creating a set that felt less like a continuous descent into darkness.
By the time ‘8.6 BLACKOUT’ and ‘Omenkiller’ hit, the room was fully in their grip. The breakdowns landed harder, the reactions grew bigger, and there was a real sense that the band had won over a significant portion of the audience. It was a commanding performance from a band hitting the UK for the first time, and they helped ignite the night before the headliners set loomed.
Photo Credit: Tim Finch Photography
By the time Bleed From Within took to the stage, the atmosphere inside the venue was electric. Opening with ‘Zenith’, they immediately asserted control, their blend of groove, melody, and sheer power hitting with devastating clarity. ‘The End of All We Know’ followed, and with it came the first true explosion of the night, a sea of bodies moving in unison, feeding off the band’s relentless energy.
Mid-set, ‘A Hope in Hell’ and ‘Dying Sun’ brought a slightly darker, more atmospheric edge, giving the set a sense of depth without ever losing momentum. ‘Levitate’ and ‘Leech’ quickly dragged things back into heavier territory, the riffs tighter, the grooves heavier, and the crowd response louder with every passing minute.
Photo Credit: Tim Finch Photography
During ‘God Complex’ Simon from Baest joined the band on stage for guest vocals, a wonderful moment to round out an explosive tour, adding an extra layer of aggression to an already ferocious track.
Closing out with ‘A Depth That No One Dares’, ‘I Am Damnation’, and ‘In Place Of Your Halo’, Bleed From Within left absolutely nothing behind. It was a finale that felt triumphant and left the fans wondering how soon they might return.
Foo Fighters have shared another piece of their upcoming album ‘Your Favorite Toy’, and it further cements that it’s going to be a thoroughly rowdy listen.
Titled ‘Caught In The Echo’, musically it harks back to the glitzy stomp of 2011’s ‘Wasting Light’ and melodic battery of 1999’s ‘There Is Nothing Left To Lose’, but without ever feeling like a leftover from either era. It’s a savage exploration of rock music at its most catchy and chaotic, flitting between bansee yelps and beautifully considered refrains, a sporadic explosion of noise and feeling.
For the band to still be finding ways to push and pull at their core in such a rampant way is a pleasure to behold, and this is still only the beginning.
Have a listen for yourself.
‘Your Favorite Toy’ will be released on April 24 via Roswell Records/Columbia Records.
You can check out the title track right now as well, which sounds a lot like this:
The band will be hitting the road for a UK and European tour this Summer. Those dates look a lot like this.
JUNE
10 – OSLO Unity Arena 12 – STOCKHOLM Strawberry Arena 15 – WARSAW PGE Narodowy 17 – MUNICH Allianz Arena 19 – PARIS Paris La Défense Arena 25 – LIVERPOOL Anfield Stadium 27 – LIVERPOOL Anfield Stadium
JULY
1 – BERLIN Olympiastadion 3 – VIENNA Ernst-Happel-Stadion 5 – MILAN Ippodromo Snai La Maura (I-Days Milano) 8 – MADRID Mad Cool Festival 10 – LISBON NOS Alive Festival
The K-pop supergroup’s first show in over three years will stream live on Netflix at 7 a.m. Eastern time on Saturday. The New York Times will cover it live from Seoul.
Following their explosive 2025 releases Pony (feat. Heaven Unknown), Heaven and Sober, and a string of high-octance performances across the UK, Bristol-based IOTA are unveiling
The Hu will once again bring their unique sound and their rousing, impressive performances to stages across the UK and Europe: The tour kicks off in September in the Scottish capital and will take the band through 23 cities and nine countries through November. In German-speaking countries, a total of five shows have been confirmed… Continue Reading →
