SNIPPETZ: THURSDAY July 16, 2026
This week’s Snippetz includes: Alex Lahey, Eva Under Fire, Hypnosis Therapy, Enslaved, Anthrax, The Huxton Creepers, The Vernons, Asha Jefferies, Empire of the Sun, Talker, Knox, Wattmore, Kayps, Mastodon, Kat Greta, Bring Me The Horizon, Bachelor Girl, Charm of Finches, The Hard-Ons, Just a Gent, Getdown Services, Louella, Ryan Martin John, Adam Lambert, Vacations, Pamela, Redd, Old Mervs, Hayden Phillis, Taylor Felt, Goroda, Defects, Heathen, Visions Of Atlantis and Saltatio Mortis, Brymir, BÜLENT CEYLAN, Villagers of Ioannina City, Walls of Jericho, Eivør, Tkay Maidza, Ruby Rodgers, Sabaton, My Dying Bride, Larissa Lambert, Barb Waters, Joel Havea and more.
ALEX LAHEY DROPS SECOND SINGLE FROM B-GRADE UNIVERSITY (Reunion Edition)
Ahead of the release of her B-Grade University Reunion Edition EP, Alex Lahey has released a second single, this time a version of Lets Go Out, featuring rock band Slowly Slowly. “When I asked Slowly Slowly to be a part of the re-recording of ‘Let’s Go Out’, I told them I wanted “the full Slowly treatment”. And, boy, did they deliver! I think Slowly are one of the greatest Australian bands of all time and it’s such an honour to have them involved in this recording produced by none other than Ben Stewart himself.” – Alex Lahey
Watch the video for Lets Go Out here
Stream/share Lets Go Out here
“Working with Alex was a breeze – it was like we had always been in a band together or something?! I loved being a part of the effort-less recreations of these sentimental and adored songs – the hardest part was trying to honour the originals, but I think we got to a place where they hold their own in a new light. Tegan + Sara was the cherry on top of YDTYLPLM & of course I’m wrapped I got to have a little sing on Let’s Go Out. Thanks for including me in the 10 year celebrations. “– Ben Stewart, Slowly Slowly
In addition to the original EP, B-Grade University (Reunion Edition) includes brand new re-recordings of “You Don’t Think You Like People Like Me” alternate versions of “Wes Anderson” and “Let’s Go Out” taken from Lahey’s 2020 Between the Kitchen and the Living Room EP, plus a version of “You Don’t Think You Like People Like Me” recorded in 2017 live in-studio at triple j in Australia for their Like A Version series. A limited run vinyl version of B-Grade University (Reunion Edition) is available for pre-order now HERE.
Off the back of the release of B-Grade University (Reunion Edition), on July 17th on ADA, and the success of the re-recorded version of B-Grade’s standout lead single, “You Don’t Think You Like People Like Me,” this time featuring Tegan and Sara, Lahey is also thrilled to announce an Australian tour this August.
ALEX LAHEY B-GRADE UNIVERSITY REUNION TOUR
THU 20 AUG – THE TRIFFID, BRISBANE
FRI 21 AUG – CORNER HOTEL, MELBOURNE
SAT 22 AUG – MANNING BAR, SYDNEY
FRI 28 AUG – THE ROSEMOUNT HOTEL, PERTH
SAT 29 AUG – JIVE, ADELAIDE
All tickets at www.alexlahey.com.au Threekingstouring.com.au
Alex Lahey Online:
Website | Instagram | Facebook | X | TikTok | Substack | AL, Kate & All Their Mates
EVA UNDER FIRE Release New Album Villainous via Better Noise Music
Premiere Video For “My Own Name”
EVA UNDER FIRE‘s music is, quite literally, hard rock therapy. As a licensed therapist and powerhouse vocalist/songwriter, Amanda Lyberg blends emotional insight with powerful songwriting and undeniable hooks, delivering lyrics and performances that connect deeply and hit listeners right in the feels.
The Detroit quintet is thrilled to unleash its new album VILLAINOUS via Better Noise Music today, July 10. It’s the follow up to the band’s 2022 debut, Love, Drugs & Misery.
Get it here https://evaunderfire.lnk.to/villainousalbum
The band is premiering the video for “My Own Name,” which is quite the battle anthem.
It goes live at 5am on Sat, July 11 AEST
Set your watches here https://youtu.be/0XqdjNJQ3Dw
“They can call me whatever they want,” Lyberg declares. “I fought my battles and emerged victorious, I reclaimed my own name. I no longer give people a chance and I acknowledge this is a screwed up, unfair world. I will always choose myself.”
Elsewhere, the title track and first radio single, which features In This Moment’s Maria Brink, is a US Top 10 radio smash. Listen to the song here. Watch the video here.
Overall, Villainous feels Eva Under Fire, who’ve been building their reputation brick by brick, melody by melody, lyric by lyric, and show by show, have truly arrived and staked their claim in the hard rock scene.
The album release is only the beginning.
VILLAINOUS TRACK LISTING:
“Awakening”
“My Own Name”
“Survive My Scars”
“Villainous” (Feat. In This Moment’s Maria Brink)
“The Words You Say”
“Don’t Say I’m OK”
“Hello Hollow”
“Dark Soul”
“Gasoline”
“Murder Scene”
“Safe Word”
“Teeth”
“A Violent End”
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For all of EVA UNDER FIRE’s new music, Amanda drew on her career as a licensed therapist to foster open dialogue among the band members, empowering everyone to be heard during the recording. Her work in therapy started in 2018 when she graduated with a Master of Arts degree in Psychology and went on to work at a mental health clinic in Detroit, Transcendence Behavioral Health (owned by Dr. Stephanie Williams). That same year, her father passed away due to a fentanyl overdose. Her mother survived the same batch that killed her father and has been sober for the past six years. In addition to her thriving and busy music career, Amanda is currently a practicing psychotherapist specializing in trauma work, grief, loss, and addiction recovery.
Her story turned into a 2023 short film, My Rockstar, which used EVA UNDER FIRE music throughout and has won over 20 awards at several film fests including Orlando Film Fest, Wild Rivers Film Festival, Toronto WILDfilm Festival, and many others.
Lauded as one of SiriusXM’s 2023 “Ones To Watch,” EVA UNDER FIRE released their critically acclaimed debut album, LOVE, DRUGS & MISERY via Better Noise Music in 2022. Its deluxe version includes the Top 20 Active Rock radio-charting single “Unstoppable” featuring country/rock artist Cory Marks. They’ve toured across the globe with acts including Bush, Bad Wolves, Pop Evil, Skillet, and Finger Eleven, while also appearing at some of rock’s biggest festivals including Aftershock, Inkcarceration, and Rock Fest.
EVA UNDER FIRE—who have amassed over 100 million streams and 10 million YouTube views—substantially expanded their fanbase following their featured appearance in the horror-thriller The Retaliators (Better Noise Films) and the inclusion of their single “Blow (Feat. Spencer Charnas of Ice Nine Kills)” on the film’s soundtrack. Their single “Heroin(e)” was also featured on the soundtrack for the 2020 film Sno Babies (Better Noise Films), which has over 65M global streams. “Heroin(e)” has a combined total of over six million global streams, while “Blow (Feat. Spencer Charnas of Ice Nine Kills)” has over 41.6M global total streams.
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KOREAN UNDERGROUND ELECTRONIC PUNK INNOVATORS, HYPNOSIS THERAPY RETURN TO AUSTRALIA
Seoul’s genre-defying electronic-punk innovators return to Australia following growing international acclaim.
Australian audiences will have the chance to experience one of South Korea’s most uncompromising underground acts when HYPNOSIS THERAPY returns this week for a three-date Australian tour.
Presented by Tiny Minds Agency, the tour will see the Seoul-based duo perform intimate headline shows in Naarm, Melbourne and Eora, Sydney, before joining acclaimed Australian act Full Flower Moon Band for a special Meanjin, Brisbane, appearance.
Comprising of rapper JJANGYOU and producer Jflow, HYPNOSIS THERAPY has builtComprising rapper JJANGYOU and producer Jflow, HYPNOSIS THERAPY has earned a reputation as one of the most exciting names emerging from Korea’s alternative music scene. Blending breakbeats, techno, punk, rave and experimental electronic music, the duo has forged a sound that is as confrontational as it is danceable.
Rolling Stone Australia described the pair as: “Composed of scene veterans vocalist Jjangyou and producer Jflow, the pair have impressed on solo endeavours but really come into their own together.”
Since forming in Seoul in 2022, HYPNOSIS THERAPY has become known for high-intensity live performances that combine underground club culture with punk attitude and socially charged lyricism. Their music explores themes of conformity, identity and resistance, transforming frustration into immersive electronic soundscapes.
The duo has steadily expanded its international profile through tours across Europe and Asia while collaborating with global brands including Converse, Nike and Maker’s Mark. In 2026, they will also perform at Spain’s renowned Primavera Sound festival, further cementing their growing global reputation.
Their latest release, NO, created in collaboration with boundary-pushing electronic artist Alex Wilcox, represents the group’s boldest artistic statement to date. Released in late 2025, the EP fuses big beat, rave, techno, punk and breakbeat into a powerful collection centred on individuality and creative freedom.
Rather than delivering political slogans, NO channels its message through explosive rhythms, irony and infectious energy. It is a celebration of refusing conformity and embracing difference, an approach that has resonated with audiences well beyond Korea’s underground scene.
HYPNOSIS THERAPY’s visual identity is equally distinctive. Their mushroom emblem symbolises life emerging from decay and light growing through darkness, reflecting the duo’s philosophy of transforming chaos into creativity.
With three acclaimed releases already behind them- HYPNOSIS THERAPY (2022), PSILOCYBIN (2023) and RAW SURVIVAL (2024) – the duo continues to push the boundaries between electronic music, punk and performance art.
This is one live show NOT TO BE MISSED!
Tiny Minds Agency presents: HYPNOSIS THERAPY AUSTRALIAN TOUR
Thursday 16 July – The Grace Darling Naarm, Melbourne
Doors: 7.30 pm
Porcelain Boy: 8.00 pm – 8.40 pm
HYPNOSIS THERAPY: 9.00 pm – 10.00 pm
Friday 17 July – The Lord Gladstone Eora, Sydney
With Blair Romance
Doors: 8.30 pm
Blair Romance: 9.00 pm – 9.40 pm
HYPNOSIS THERAPY: 10.00 pm – 11.00 pm
Saturday 18 July – The Tivoli Meanjin, Brisbane
Special guest performance at the Full Flower Moon Band after party
Time: 10.45 pm
Tickets are available via www.tinymindsagency.com
ENSLAVED Reveal Collaborative Track ‘Spirit Helper’ Feat. Kevin Kicking Woman, Elder Of The Blackfeet Nation
Norwegian progressive trailblazers Enslaved are honoured to reveal ‘Spirit Helper’, a unique and deeply powerful collaboration with Kevin Kicking Woman, an Elder of the Blackfeet Nation.
‘Spirit Helper’ has arisen partly from a relationship with Fire In The Mountains, which takes place each year within the Blackfeet Nation, Montana. Enslaved will be returning to the festival later this month to perform. Ivar Bjørnson from Enslaved and Kevin Kicking Woman explain the concept behind ‘Spirit Helper’ and the lengthy process behind it, below.
Listen to ‘Spirit Helper’ here: https://enslaved.bfan.link/spirit-helper
Watch the video for ‘Spirit Helper’ here: https://youtu.be/DNyoawp_tvE
Kevin Kicking Woman (vocals) expressed: “Songs are the Blackfoot way of knowing. Expressing relationship and responsibility, belonging and accountability. The purpose of this song is having the performative expression giving meaning to life. Connecting to the universes through the cosmos, earth beings, water beings and spirit beings. Spirit helper is the physical documentation in this process.”
Ivar Bjørnson (Enslaved) explains the full back-story of ‘Spirit Helper’: “Spirit Helper” began taking shape long before the song itself existed. Its origins lie in years of conversations, festivals, travel, and shared experiences that gradually connected people, traditions, landscapes, and communities.
For Enslaved, the path toward this collaboration began in Colorado in 2019. Through our extended musical family – including shared connections with Wardruna, our longtime management, and the wider community surrounding Fire in the Mountains – we were introduced to one of the festival organisers; Shane McCarthy and the vision behind the gathering that would eventually lead us toward the Blackfeet Nation in Montana. What initially began as conversations around performances and artistic collaboration slowly evolved into something much deeper: an exchange of perspectives, histories, and spiritual traditions shaped by many people along the way.
Those connections continued to grow over the following years through both Fire in the Mountains and the wider community surrounding By Norse Music – the label and artistic platform founded by members of Enslaved and Wardruna together with our manager Simon Füllemann. Through By Norse, new conversations, meetings, and cultural exchanges emerged, eventually helping create the conditions that made “Spirit Helper” possible.
When Fire in the Mountains were to return in 2025 on Blackfeet land in East Glacier, Montana, those relationships deepened further. The festival brought together artists, organizers, elders, and community members in an environment centered around dialogue, music, and cultural exchange. We were welcomed into conversations and ceremonies that left a profound impact on us. Throughout Enslaved’s history, mythology and spiritual traditions have functioned as a language within our music – a way of connecting personal experience with deeper human memory and history. Meeting members of the Blackfeet community felt like encountering another expression of that same search for meaning, continuity, and connection.
During the festival, I got to know Nick Rink of the Blackfeet Nation, and through Nick I was later introduced to Kevin Kicking Woman, elder of the Blackfeet Nation, whose presence became central to the development of the song. Through these friendships – together with the openness and encouragement shown by the wider Blackfeet community and the people behind Fire in the Mountains – conversations gradually developed into mutual trust and eventually the idea of creating music together. Throughout the process, there was a shared understanding that this collaboration needed to be approached with honesty, transparency, and respect.
During a later gathering in New York, attended by representatives from the Blackfeet community, Fire in the Mountains, the Firekeeper Alliance, and Enslaved, Kevin shared a traditional morning prayer song with us – a deeply personal and spiritual piece that he generously entrusted to me and Enslaved as the foundation for a new composition. I immediately recognised the responsibility carried within that gesture. Rather than simply building around Kevin’s contribution, it became important for me to allow the music itself to adapt to the pulse, rhythm, and spirit already present within his song.
Over the following months, we worked to find a musical language where these worlds could coexist naturally – allowing Enslaved to remain fully itself while honoring the cadence, emotional core, and spiritual energy of Kevin’s prayer. The process was guided not only by the collaboration itself, but also by the encouragement, dialogue, and openness shown by the wider community surrounding the project. Gradually, the song revealed its own identity.
That process ultimately became “Spirit Helper.”
For us, the song represents far more than a collaboration between artists from different backgrounds. It reflects what can happen when people meet openly, listen carefully, and allow themselves to be changed by the encounter. The generosity, trust, and wisdom shared with us by Kevin Kicking Woman, Nick Rink, the Blackfeet community, Fire in the Mountains, the Firekeeper Alliance, our partners through By Norse, and everyone who helped shape this journey are things we carry with deep gratitude.
Ultimately, “Spirit Helper” is a song about connection – between past and present, traditions and people, and the spiritual and human worlds. For Enslaved, it stands as one of the most meaningful musical journeys we have undertaken.”
The ‘Spirit Helper’ artwork was created by Nicholas Rink, who explains the meaning and symbolism behind it:
“I see the light blue wave at the bottom as a representation of the ocean between us, but also the background vibration of existence connecting us all and giving birth to existence, life, and of course the song itself.
The red line I imagine connecting us across the globe, representing our shared humanity and brother/sisterhood – the living breathing life in us all. The yellow spiral represents the song moving amongst all of these things.
The “Stars” were part of Ivar’s original conception and I see them come to represent the power and source of the song. The black circle with the lightning bolt represents Kevin’s singing and the spiritual power it carries, and the rainbow of triangles is representative of the musicians.
I wanted to include them symbolically and thought the traditional “triangle man” was a cool way. It took me a bit to decide how I wanted to use it but eventually it came to me to pay homage to Dark side of the Moon by Pink Floyd and included the rainbow colors in a unique way.
All of this is on an old map of Norway that my grandma had saved out of an old National Geographic magazine. I like using maps because LAND is so important in shaping us, our humanity, and how we express ourselves.”
Never faltering, Norway’s iconic Enslaved continue to exist as one of the most original and dependable components in our scene’s indestructible backbone. Possessing the reputation as one of the most riveting live acts around, they never fail to offer us talent of the highest calibre, always doing justice to their signature black/progressive sound. Enslaved was formed in 1991 by Ivar Bjørnson and Grutle Kjellson, releasing their first demo Yggdrasill in the summer of 1992, their legendary mini-album Hordanes Land coming out in 1993, and with their debut full-length Vikingligr Veldi arriving in the spring of 1994.
Enslaved are a band in stellar form – a band at its most existentialist and self-conscious, proud Bergeners bearing the torch of their hometown’s extraordinary musical history. Their most recent material shows Enslaved at their most unleashed and thought-through – a lethal combination unfurling a potential that’s easily rekindling the furor of their early works while dancing gracefully through their most ambitious, most haunting and most musical tunes yet. A contradiction? Life itself is a contradiction. And yet we all live to prove it wrong.
Enslaved are:
Ivar Bjørnson | guitars
Grutle Kjellson | vocals
Arve ‘Ice Dale’ Isdal | guitar
Håkon Vinje | keyboards, clean vocals
Iver Sandøy | drums
ANTHRAX Release 2nd Single and Video ‘The Edge Of Perfection’. From The Group’s Much-Anticipated Album CURSUM PERFICIO Out September 18, 2026
ANTHRAX have released ‘The Edge Of Perfection’, the second single from their long-awaited 12th full-length studio album Cursum Perficio out September 18 via via Nuclear Blast Records and Megaforce Records (North America). The new single is highlighted by clean guitar echoes and cymbals that gently shake until a blastbeat blows open the doors. Guitars buzz like a motorboat on the River Styx, making waves through the darkness. In their wake, a crushing rhythm trails the melody of lead singer Joey Belladonna’s lament, “My heart breaks…I’m on the edge…I’m on the edge of perfection.”
For the video, the multi-GRAMMY® Award-nominated New York hard rock titans – Scott Ian (guitar), Charlie Benante (drums), Frank Bello (bass), Joey Belladonna (vocals), and Jonathan Donais (guitar) – teamed up with director and Academy Award-winner Joel Harlow (Star Trek and Alice in Wonderland) to create a spectacular cinematic experience that takes the hero from a dream into an evening of magic where he encounters underworld evil, interspersed with live performance footage. The clip includes appearances from martial artist Wes Scarpias, actress Ashley Edner-Tancharoen, actor Troy James, actor and Academy-Award winning make-up and special effects creator Rick Baker, actor Rod Maxwell and actor Fedor Steer.
“It’s the apex predator of Anthrax songs,” grins Ian. “I think it’s the best song we’ve ever written and the best thing I’ve ever been a part of creatively. What’s the most powerful emotion that moves me more than anything? Of course, it’s love. Nothing moves me like the deep feeling that I get from my wife and son. I’m living on that edge for the rest of my life. This is mine, but there are a lot of ways to ruin it. I’ve ruined it in past iterations of my life, but it got me to where I am. Love is perfection, and I like being on the edge of it. I don’t want everything to be about all of the same shit. This record has a whole bunch of love, a whole bunch of fun, and a little hate.”
Benante adds, “When I think about songs like ‘Only’ and ‘Indians,’ you know that you hit something and you can feel it. That’s the way I felt about ‘The Edge Of Perfection.’”
‘The Edge Of Perfection’ follows Cursum Perficio’s first single and video, ‘It’s For The Kids’. It’s a classic ANTHRAX ripper locked and loaded with buzzsaw-sharp riffs, explosive drumming, and a howling and head-banging hook. It undoubtedly has all the makings of a future live staple. Listen HERE and watch the official music video HERE.
Listen to ‘The Edge Of Perfection’ HERE and watch the official music video HERE.
Pre-order Cursum Perficio here: https://anthrax.bfan.link/cplp
Stream ‘The Edge Of Perfection’ here: https://anthrax.bfan.link/teopsg
Watch the video for ‘The Edge Of Perfection’ here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uqbhWhN4F74
Cursum Perficio marks the band’s first record in ten years since 2016’s For All Kings, which debuted in the Top 10 of the Billboard 200. The phrase Cursum Perficio is Latin for “My journey has come to an end,” “My journey is over,” or “I complete my journey.” It proves apropos for such a complete body of work.
The band dove into recording Cursum Perficio in earnest during 2022, working out of Dave Grohl’s Studio 606 in Los Angeles. They carefully pieced together what would be this magnum opus, mining their history with reverence, delivering on fan expectations tenfold, and broadening the scope of their signature sound. Produced by Jay Ruston and ANTHRAX, the result is an album that’s as angry, aggressive, and alive as their most celebrated fare.
The CURSUM PERFICIO track listing is as follows:
01. Persistence of Memory
02. The Long Goodbye
03. It’s For the Kids
04. Everybody’s Got A Plan
05. The Edge Of Perfection
06. Infectious
07. NYC93
08. Cursum Perficio
09. T.O.M.B
10. Watch It Go
11. My Victory
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MUCH LOVED AUSTRALIAN ’80s BAND THE HUXTON CREEPERS TO RELEASE NEW SINGLE “OPPOSITES ATTRACT” / “MIDNIGHT TV” JULY 23!
FIRST NEW MUSIC IN OVER THREE AND A HALF DECADES FOLLOWS THE RELEASE OF THE 40TH ANNIVERSARY REISSUE OF DEBUT ALBUM 12 DAYS TO PARIS, AND COMES AHEAD OF THE BAND’S AUGUST 40TH ANNIVERSAY TOUR, WHICH WILL SEE THEM PLAYING THE ALBUM IN ITS ENTIRETY – PLUS MORE – FOR THE FIRST TIME EVER
Beloved Melbourne band The Huxton Creepers, who followed Sunnyboys and the Hoodoo Gurus out of the pubs and into the hearts of many young rock’n’roll and guitar-pop loving Australians in the ’80s, are back with their first new music since 1990. The single features ‘Opposites Attract’ and ‘Midnight TV’, two brand new songs written by original members Rob Craw, Matthew Eddy and Archie Law, with the addition of new guitarist and longtime friend Julian Matthews of the Stems.
Remarkably, the band has managed – arguably better than ever – to capture and distill everything that always made them great in these new recordings. Both tracks are simply glorious in their melody and perhaps bring to mind classic mid-80s Chris Bailey-led Saints in their rich instrumental sound
Of ‘Opposites Attract’, Rob Craw says, “‘Opposites…’ was inspired by the song ‘Save It For Later’ by the British Beat – its melody and feel. One of my favourite songs but in no way did I wish to just slavishly replicate it but rather just let it seep in as an almost a subconscious driver.
“Lyrically, I was reading about the myth of couples being attracted to their opposite and research had proven this as myth. I’m a big believer in factual truth and evidence based science. However, I just wanted to twist this back to the romantic notion. My wife’s a scientist and me……well let’s just say rationality is not my strong suit.
The B-side hearkens back to earlier influences. Says Matthew Eddy: “Stole the riff from New York Dolls’ ‘Lonely Planet Boy’ which morphed into a sort of driving hypnotic rhythm, the chorus a nice little tune with bending strings being played around a bushman’s C chord. The lyrics started as ‘Late night TV’ but Rob thought ‘Midnight TV’ sounded better and he was right, despite it very rarely actually happening these days. No mystery here, just musings on couch time. The middle 8 is a wig out to break things up, before settling back into that driving thing from Arch and Matt. A great vocal from Rob, and Jules’ fantastic noodling over everything tops it off nicely. It was recorded with a fade out in mind but nobody wanted it to end so you get to hear it right to the last note.”
The Huxton Creepers’ “Opposites Attract”/”Midnight TV” will be out July 23 – in time for the band’s tour – on Cheersquad Records and Tapes and available digitally as well as on black vinyl and limited edition coloured vinyl. It can be preordered now from:
Opposites Attract | Huxton Creepers | Cheersquad Records & Tapes
Cheersquad Records & Tapes are beyond chuffed to present the long-awaited first ever vinyl reissue—indeed the 40th Anniversary vinyl reissue—of 12 Days to Paris, the debut album from The Huxton Creepers, one of Australia’s most popular and hardest working guitar bands of ’80s. Out now, the release comes ahead of the band’s first tour since 2011. The shows will see them playing, for the first time ever, 12 Days to Paris in its entirety, as well all their other fan favourites. They’ll be joined by old mates Icecream Hands in Melbourne and The Johnnys in NSW and QLD, with former Screaming Tribesmen front man and his wife, Mick Medew and Ursula, also joining the party in Brisbane.
12 Days To Paris is chock full as it is with classic singles like “My Cherie Amour” and “I Will Persuade You“ and “Autumn Leaves” and longtime crowd pleasers like “King of the Road” and “Don’t Even Think About It’.
Which is not to discount earlier and later gems like “The Murderess”, “Skin of My Teeth”, “Rack My Brains” and “Small Mercies”, and great covers like “Shake Some Action”, all of which fans can expect to hear again in August in addition to the track-by-track performance of 12 Days…
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Loved around the land, the Huxton Creepers first emerged as a sort of teenaged version of both Sunnyboys and Hoodoo Gurus with a bit of ‘80s Saints thrown in for good measure—big guitars and big hooks were the order of the day— and the Sunnys and the Gurus took the fledgling Creepers under their wings from the get-go.
Like the Sunnys, Gurus and Saints, the Creepers were a band that appealed equally to inner-city paisley and Cuban heel wearers as well as rank and file rock fans, and 12 Days to Paris was recorded on the back of a couple of years of constant touring on the country’s then-thriving pub circuit.
“We went into Melbourne’s Platinum Studios at the band’s peak to record our debut album,” says drummer Arch Law. “Steve Berlin from Los Lobos and Chris Copping from Procol Harum were with us. We knew we had the songs and the band was firing on all cylinders. We were creating something special. 40 years on we are really proud of 12 Days and excited to be bringing it back to life”
The vinyl reissue of 12 Days to Paris – which is available on limited edition gold vinyl (100 copies only!) or regular black – also coincides with the album’s first ever release through digital platforms. With the label they were signed to having folded decades back, things were in legal limbo for a long time.
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The Huxton Creepers’ impact was such that members of subsequent generation of major Australian bands, including Powderfinger and You Am I, have cited the band as an influence over the years. And they have played several reunions over the years, including shows with friends Sunnyboys, The Stems and Ups and Downs. Every time they play the fans come out, the feeling comes flooding back and it’s like they never left. With a big anniversary to celebrate this year, original members Rob Craw, Matthew Eddy and Arch Law are joined by new lead guitarist Julian Matthews of longtime pals The Stems. The band is raring to go, and these shows are not to be missed.
Flying Saucer and Cheersquad Records & Tapes Present
THE HUXTON CREEPERS CELEBRATING 40 YEARS OF 12 DAYS TO PARIS TOUR – AUGUST 2026
Fri Aug 7th Sooki Lounge, Belgrave w/ Icecream Hands – Tix
Sat Aug 8th Croxton Bandroom, Thornbury w/ Icecream Hands – Tix
Fri Aug 14th Marrickville Bowling Club w/ The Johnnys – Tix
Sat Aug 15th Marrickville Bowling Club w/ The Johnnys – Tix
Sun Aug 16th (arvo) Hamilton Station Hotel, Newcastle w/ The Johnnys – Tix
Fri Aug 21st Norton Music Factory, Caloundra w/ The Johnnys – Tix
Sat Aug 22nd Crowbar Brisbane, Fortitude Valley w/ The Johnnys + Mick Medew and Ursulla – Tix
Sun Aug 23rd (arvo) Wallaby Hotel, Mudgeeraba w/ The Johnnys – Tix
THE HUXTON CREEPERS’ 12 DAYS TO PARIS – 40TH ANNIVERSARY EDITION IS OUT ON NOW AND AVAILABLE FROM
https://cheersquadrecordstapes.bandcamp.com/album/12-days-to-paris
Limited edition gold 12″ vinyl (100 only) and black vinyl available. Includes digital download, which is also available separately.
Follow the Creepers!!
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/huxtoncreepers/
Instagram https://www.instagram.com/huxtoncreepers?igsh=MXNseWRobng0OTNwNA%3D%3D
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THE VERNONS tease long anticipated new album STRIKE OUT AGAIN with cathartic single ‘DON’T GIVE A DAMN IF YOU DON’T BELIEVE ME’
Gold Coast rock outfit THE VERNONS are making their return in a big way for 2026 with new album STRIKE OUT AGAIN – the band’s first studio album in three years.
Full of moments that speak to the band’s chemistry and a new chapter of creative spark, the album is out August 12th; teasing the energy of the record, The Vernons today share a new single from it in ‘DON’T GIVE A DAMN IF YOU DON’T BELIEVE ME’.
The song is a potent offering from The Vernons, capturing bold indie and blues brushstrokes and weaving them all in with lyrics delivered with emotion and power. As the band describes, ‘Don’t Give A Damn If You Don’t Believe Me’ is a cathartic outpouring of pent up frustration.
“Born from the sting of being doubted by someone whose support should have been unwavering, the track transforms betrayal into a fierce declaration of self-belief. Raw, raucous guitars collide with deliberate moments of silence, creating a dynamic push and pull that lingers long after the final note.” THE VERNONS
‘Don’t Give A Damn If You Don’t Believe Me’ follows on from the release of ‘NIGHTMARE’, the first official taste of the new album from The Vernons, generating more excitement for the group’s return.
For over a decade, The Vernons have continued to dedicate themselves to evolving as musicians and songwriters. Their brand of rock music has garnered acclaim and a fierce following of fans around the country, positioning the band time and again as one of Queensland’s premier live bands.
To date, The Vernons have accumulated over 13 million streams across their catalogue, while numerous sold out shows in Australia have been bolstered by successful performances alongside acts including The Rubens, The Jungle Giants, Gang of Youths and more.
‘DON’T GIVE A DAMN IF YOU DON’T BELIEVE ME’ is released WEDNESDAY 15 JULY
STRIKE OUT AGAIN is released WEDNESDAY 12 AUGUST
THE VERNONS: Official Website | Facebook | Instagram | YouTube | Triple J Unearthed
ASHA JEFFERIES DELIVERS NEW SINGLE ‘COOL GUY’
NEW ALBUM DESIRE IS AN ANGEL OUT 2 OCTOBER VIA NETTWERK
Asha Jefferies today delivers new single ‘Cool Guy’, the next taste of her upcoming album, Desire Is An Angel, out 2 October via Nettwerk.
‘Cool Guy’ is a crescendoing alt-country song that starts out sounding like an intimate home demo and ends sounding like the sort of power ballad that could bring lighters into the air in a packed arena. Says Jefferies; “This song wrote itself very quickly after my first trip to New York. Listening back, I realised I am more often than not, in denial when I’m longing for something or someone. I guess it’s a classic story of unrequited love – yearning feels heavier, more punishing and unproductive when it’s not reciprocated. And it sucks, I’d really like to pretend to be the cool guy if possible.”
The new track comes on the heels of her recent singles ‘Art of Suggestion’ and ‘Backwards Baby’, and intimate solo shows in Melbourne, Brisbane and Sydney, showcasing her new material in its rawest form.
Alongside the new release, Asha also announces her signing to 13 Artists for ROW bookings, home to artists like Radiohead, Tame Impala and Arctic Monkeys.
After releasing her debut album, Ego Ride, in 2024, Jefferies toured the UK, Europe and the US, and supported Courtney Barnett, Soccer Mommy, Hana Vu and Middle Kids, before returning to the UK in late 2025 to record Desire Is An Angel with producer Tom Iansek (Big Scary, Maple Glider). Co-produced by Jefferies and Iansek, the new album showcases Jefferies’ sophisticated indie rock and folk-pop songcraft. It’s both more sonically ambitious and more intimately personal than its predecessor.
Asha Jefferies’ rise earned her a Queensland Music Award and an AIR Award nomination for Best Pop Album, alongside praise from the likes of CLASH, Rolling Stone, Flood Magazine, The Line of Best Fit, and 10 Magazine. She’s received widespread radio support, including airplay on KCRW and KEXP, and performed for triple j’s Like A Version.
Desire Is An Angel track listing:
1. Backwards Baby
2. Lilo & Switch
3. Art of Suggestion
4. Cool Guy
5. Desire is
6. An Angel
7. Why Does Your Girl Look Like Me?
8. Walrus
9. What the Hell
10. Leftovers
https://www.ashajefferies.com/
EMPIRE OF THE SUN UNVEIL FIRST-EVER COLLABORATION WITH DANNY OCEAN ON NEW SINGLE ‘LLEGO’
FEATURED ON THE OFFICIAL FIFA WORLD CUP 2026™ ALBUM (CLOSING CEREMONY EDITION)
Fresh from becoming the first Australian act in history to sell out three headline shows at London’s Alexandra Palace, Empire of the Sun today unveil ‘Llego’, the first-ever collaboration of their career. Joining forces with Latin superstar Danny Ocean, the new single features on the Official FIFA World Cup 2026™ Album (Closing Ceremony Edition), released today.
LISTEN TO ‘LLEGO’ HERE
WATCH ‘LLEGO’ HERE
Bringing together Empire of the Sun’s unmistakable cinematic electronic pop with Danny Ocean’s Latin perspective, ‘Llego’ captures the spirit of unity, hope and shared celebration at the heart of the world’s biggest sporting event. The collaboration marks a significant new chapter for a band that has spent nearly two decades building one of modern music’s most distinctive creative universes.
Reflecting on the song’s connection to the tournament, Luke Steele shares:
“The World Cup is a universal celebration that brings people together in an amazing way just like music does. ‘LLEGO’ felt like the perfect song to live in these moments. The song is about unity and the beauty of home. Hope, courage, love, passion, heartbreak, and celebration.”
Formed by Luke Steele and Nick Littlemore, Empire of the Sun have become one of Australia’s most visionary and globally celebrated musical exports. Since the release of their landmark debut Walking On A Dream in 2008, the duo have forged a singular artistic identity where music, fashion, visual art and performance exist as one immersive creative world. Their era-defining catalogue – including Walking On A Dream, We Are The People, Alive, High and Low and more recently Cherry Blossom – has inspired audiences across generations, while their unmistakable aesthetic has redefined the possibilities of Australian music on the global stage.
The release of ‘Llego’ arrives amid unprecedented momentum for the band. Empire of the Sun recently made history as the first Australian act to sell out three headline performances at London’s iconic Alexandra Palace, performing to more than 30,000 fans across three nights. They have also reached the largest global audience of their career, attracting more than 42 million monthly listeners on Spotify and surpassing 7.5 billion career streams worldwide.
Currently midway through their Ask That God: Afterlife world tour, Empire of the Sun are undertaking their most ambitious live run to date, performing 51 shows across 18 countries throughout 2026 and playing to an estimated 450,000 fans across Europe, the UK and North America. The tour includes landmark performances at Red Rocks Amphitheatre, the Hollywood Bowl and Lollapalooza, further cementing the duo’s reputation as one of the world’s most compelling live acts.
For Danny Ocean, ‘Llego’ follows the release of his latest EP babylona blue and another career-defining milestone as the first Venezuelan artist to headline and perform at the opening ceremony of the FIFA World Cup 2026™, igniting Mexico City’s Estadio Azteca before thousands in attendance and millions watching around the globe.
Featured on the Official FIFA World Cup 2026™ Album (Closing Ceremony Edition), ‘Llego’ stands as a fitting meeting of two globally resonant artists whose music transcends language and geography. For Empire of the Sun, the track not only marks a historic first collaboration, but another bold step in a career defined by imagination, innovation and a continual expansion of their creative universe.
‘LLEGO’ – EMPIRE OF THE SUN & DANNY OCEAN – OUT NOW
LISTEN HERE / WATCH HERE
TALKER SHARES NEW SONG, “STRANGERS” ON JULY 14
New album, RUNAWAY JANE out JULY 31
SHOWS WITH ALEX LAHEY THIS WEEKEND:
7/16 SAN FRANCISCO
7/17 LOS ANGELES
7/18 SAN DIEGO
After a long year discovering what happens after you tell the truth, talker returns with “Strangers,” a new song that realizes the hardest relationships to let go of are the ones you never wanted to lose in the first place. It’s the latest song to be released from Los Angeles songwriter Celeste Tauchar’s upcoming album, Runaway Jane, out July 31, and lands just before a run of shows supporting Alex Lahey this weekend.
Runaway Jane embraces the beauty of a messy transformation, and “Strangers” captures that sentiment perfectly, combining soaring guitars with gritty songwriting that stings in its solace. The track was written alongside members of LA electro-pop trio Moontower.
“There are a lot of reasons that two people can become strangers,” Celeste explains. “Often, time just pulls people in different directions, there’s too much distance, or you just grow apart. This song is about what happens when you want to stay close to someone so badly but the energy it takes to get through to them is more like a dying star than a spark.”
Brought to life with her longtime live band and collaborators Matt Bernstein and JR Kurtz, with mixing from Grammy-nominated producer Sarah Tudzin (illuminati hotties, boygenius) and mastering by Brian Lucey, Runaway Jane is the work of an artist in constant emotional displacement.
That sense of everything-in-motion-always is a dominant aspect of Tauchar’s life; born in Germany, raised in Sacramento, shaped by time in Miami and the past decade in Los Angeles, she now splits her time between the road, LA, and Berlin. She’s long existed in a state of motion and that becomes a major theme in her current songwriting and life, as she weighs a more permanent part-time living situation in Berlin.
US pop-punk breakout KNOX announces debut Australian tour
Heading to our shores in March 2027 off the back of new album My Midwest Best
Nashville-via-Ohio artist Knox will make his first trip to Australian shores in March 2027, bringing the pop-punk sounds of his forthcoming sophomore album My Midwest Best to Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane.
The singer-songwriter broke onto the scene with 2022 single “Sneakers” which surpassed 49 million Spotify streams, with follow-up “Not The 1975” hitting over 63 million streams and his 2025 debut LP Going, Going, Gone drawing global critical acclaim. Knox has performed at Lollapalooza and Hangout Fest, collaborated with Bilmuri and HARDY and earned co-signs from Ed Sheeran and Matt Healy. His live shows are consistently praised for having a palpable stage presence, electric energy and a genuine connection with his audiences.
Raised in New Carlisle, Ohio, Knox grew up on a diet of Fall Out Boy, All-American Rejects, Boys Like Girls, Panic! At The Disco and Hawthorne Heights before relocating to Nashville in 2019 to build a career as a songwriter. My Midwest Best sees Knox return to his roots, both sonically and personally. The album’s 12 tracks channel that early-2000s pop-punk and emo influence into what he describes as material built for the stage.
“My Midwest Best is my proudest work to date,” says Knox. “It’s the culmination of all the music I grew up listening to and all the music I learned how to make along the way. A representation of where I’m from and what it sounded like growing up in the middle of nowhere, Ohio.”
Due for release on Friday 2 October, My Midwest Best uncorks a burst of Warped Tour-appropriate energy tailormade for soundtracking a montage from your favourite teen comedy, the best date you’ve ever been on, or a festival set at sundown.
Absorb it all in Australia for the first time in March 2027.
TICKETS
Presale:
Artist presale begins Tuesday 14 July at 11am local time
Presale begins Wednesday 15 July at 10am local time
Sign up for access to presale here
General On Sale:
Tickets on sale Thursday 16 July at 10am local time
Tickets available via Destroy All Lines
KNOX AUSTRALIAN TOUR 2027
Wednesday 3 March
The Corner Hotel
Melbourne
Thursday 4 March
Factory Theatre
Sydney
Friday 5 March
Crowbar
Brisbane
Presented by Destroy All Lines and XIII Touring
WATTMORE ’15 SECONDS OF FAME’ (SINGLE)
Wattmore Hold Up a Mirror to 2026 with New Single 15 Seconds of Fame
Some songs ask listeners to escape reality. 15 Seconds of Fame holds up a mirror to it.
The latest single from Australian country-rock duo Wattmore, and the title track from their debut album, is a razor-sharp, guitar-driven satire of modern life. Social media. Artificial intelligence. Online fame. Digital addiction. The strange pursuit of validation from complete strangers.
Nothing escapes the band’s wicked sense of humour.
Written by Australian brothers Aiden and Kai alongside legendary songwriter Allan Caswell, and produced by acclaimed producer Lindsay Waddington, 15 Seconds of Fame blends irresistible hooks, driving guitars and clever storytelling into a song that’s as entertaining as it is uncomfortably familiar.
Rather than preaching, Wattmore simply invite listeners to laugh… right up until they realise the joke might actually be about them.
Already becoming a standout moment in the band’s live shows, 15 Seconds of Fame captures everything that has quickly become the Wattmore trademark: fearless observations, memorable melodies, exceptional musicianship and songs that linger long after the last chord fades.
While many artists are still introducing audiences to a debut album, Wattmore are already well into recording its follow-up.
The songwriting partnership between Aiden, Kai and Allan Caswell has already produced more than fifty original songs, with plenty more waiting in the wings.
Some songs capture a moment. 15 Seconds of Fame captures an era.
Socials / Website
Facebook: facebook.com/wattmoreband
Instagram: instagram.com/wattmoreband
YouTube: youtube.com/@wattmoreband
KAYPS SET TO BRING BUNUBA BABY TO LIFE ON AUSTRALIAN TOUR
KAYPS has been steadfastly asserting himself as one to watch, the release of his latest deadly track ‘765’ capturing the attention of audiences and tastemakers alike. A powerful presence behind the mic and a charismatic performer to boot, KAYPS doesn’t take steps forward – he strides.
The young Walmatjarri/Bunuba artist is on track for the release of his long-awaited album BUNUBA BABY (out Friday 14 August via Bad Apples Music) and to celebrate the project, KAYPS today announces a run of Australian live shows set for August and September.
Says KAYPS of this new tour, “I am unbelievably excited to bring this project on tour, it’s such a great opportunity to tell my stories that come from my family who live in a town that the majority of people have never heard of. It’s an opportunity for me to connect with people on a more personal level where I haven’t been able to previously.
We’ve developed a set that feels so organic and homegrown, and we’re trying to convey the honesty of the project to its truest form and I’m so lucky to be joined by Calvin Bennett and Isaiah Quintana as a part of my band for this tour.”
KAYPS has been featured across a number of impressive live events including WAMFEST, SXSW Sydney and Austin, BIGSOUND and more. He was awarded winner of the triple j Indigenous Initiative in 2021, as well as being nominated as a Top 5 finalist in the Triple J Unearthed High competition in both 2021 and 2022.
Signing with Bad Apples Music in 2026, KAYPS is set to grow an already impressive upward trajectory.
KAYPS ‘BUNUBA BABY’ AUSTRALIAN TOUR
August 27 Phoenix Central Park Gadigal Country/Sydney TICKETS
August 29 Bar Open Naarm/Melbourne TICKETS
Co-headline w/ Ricky Neil JR
September 11 Rosemount Hotel Boorloo/Perth TICKETS
September 18 Six Degrees Kinjarling/Albany INFO
September 19 Settlers Tavern Wooditjup/Margaret River TICKETS
October 9 The Roey Rubibi/Broome TICKETS
BUNUBA BABY is released August 14
KAYPS: Facebook | Instagram | X | TikTok | YouTube | Triple J Unearthed
MASTODON ANNOUNCE MARROW DEEP, SHARE SNAKES FOR DINNER FEATURING JOSH HOMME
FIRST FULL LENGTH SINCE 2021 COMING AUGUST 28 FROM LOMA VISTA RECORDINGS
PRE-SAVE / PRE-ORDER NOW
WATCH THE SNAKES FOR DINNER VIDEO HERE
Mastodon have announced their long awaited new album, Marrow Deep is set for an August 28 release via Loma Vista Recordings. The news is paired with the release of blistering new single Snakes For Dinner featuring a guest vocal appearance by Queens of the Stone Age frontman Josh Homme, who also appears in the accompanying music video.
Watch the video for Snakes For Dinner here:
Five years on from the expansive Hushed and Grim, Marrow Deep documents founding members Brann Dailor, Troy Sanders, and Bill Kelliher emerging from years of personal upheaval with a renewed sense of purpose and reinvigorated drive. Inspired by the Three Fates of Greek mythology and the fragile threads connecting life, loss, and destiny, Marrow Deep channels the intense personal experiences of the intervening years into some of the most expansive, adventurous, and emotionally resonant music of the band’s storied career. The album marks the band’s first full-length to feature guitarist Nick Johnston alongside significant contributions from keyboardist João Nogueira. Marrow Deep was co-produced by Mastodon at their own West End Sound in Atlanta with Patrik Berger (Lana Del Rey, Charli XCX) and Kurt Ballou (High On Fire, Converge), was mixed by Andrew Scheps (Adele, Black Sabbath, Metallica), and includes a staggering roster of guests to be revealed soon.
New single Snakes For Dinner (which follows on the heels of last month’s immediate fan favorite Your Ghost Again, which ranked #2 on a Revolver reader’s poll of best songs of 2026 so far) is an emotionally charged epic featuring Josh Homme’s first appearance on a Mastodon recording since his contribution to Colony of Birchmen on 2006’s Blood Mountain. Anchored by crushing riffs, and soaring melodies the song unveils the emotional core of Marrow Deep, reflecting on the lingering absence of those we’ve lost and the winding path ahead. Appropriately, the announcement follows last week’s release of the band’s short film, The Mastodon in the Room, an intimate document of the band as they attempt to process the unresolved grief surrounding the loss of founding guitarist Brent Hinds. The piece presents an extraordinary meditation on the legacy of their remarkable 25-year journey together while staying honest and candid about the relationship dynamic that led to the split.
While the film honored Mastodon’s past and the tragic path that led them to the current moment, Marrow Deep marks the beginning of an ambitious new era. The album preserves the crushing riffs, adventurous songwriting, and emotional depth that have long defined Mastodon, while a renewed sense of purpose pushes the band toward some of the most compelling music of their career. “Bill, Brann, and myself are thrilled that we still have the opportunity to do this, and we’ve got other members who are just over the moon to be in the band with us,” Sanders says. “That’s a magical feeling that makes us keep wanting to go to band practice. It’s reminiscent of the very beginning of our band, where all members are hungry, we’re united, and excited to get to work. And we’re thrilled to have the opportunity to do this record.”
Listen to Snakes For Dinner here: https://i.mastodonrocks.com/snakesfordinner
Pre-order/pre-save Marrow Deep here: https://i.mastodonrocks.com/marrowdeep
Watch the Mastodon In The Room short film here: https://i.mastodonrocks.com/mastodonintheroom
About Mastodon:
GRAMMY® Award-winning band Mastodon have steadily evolved into one of the most influential, inimitable, and iconic rock bands of the modern era. Since emerging in 2000, the Atlanta band has defied both sonic and thematic boundaries with an uncategorizable, undeniable, and uncompromising vision unlike anything else in music. This vision manifested over the course of canonical albums such asLeviathan, which landed on Rolling Stone’s coveted The 100 Greatest Metal Albums of All Time. Following the seminal Crack The Skye [named one of the best albums of 2009 by Time], they earned three consecutive Top 10 debuts on the Billboard Top200 with The Hunter [2011], Once More ‘Round the Sun [2014], and Emperor of Sand [2017].
Out of six career nominations, they received a GRAMMY® Award in the category of “Best Metal Performance” for Sultan’s Curse. They are the rare creative force whose music can be felt everywhere from Game of Thrones, Adult Swim, The History Channel, and DC comics films to Coachella and Bonnaroo. The group reached another critical high watermark via their ninth full-length, Hushed and Grim. Featuring the GRAMMY® Award-nominated Pushing The Tides, it marked the band’s third straight #1 bow on the Billboard Hard Rock Albums Chart. It concluded 2021 on over a dozen year-end lists with Rolling Stone raving, “we get everything from some of the band’s hookiest rockers to date to some of their most awe-inspiring epics.”
In 2024 they embarked on a massive arena tour with Lamb of God, celebrating the 20th anniversary of Leviathan, with the two bands subsequently teaming up for the collaborative single Floods Of Triton which was met with widespread critical acclaim from Rolling Stone, Forbes, Pitchfork, Revolver, and beyond. Most recently they were honored as guests of New York’s Metropolitan Opera for their acclaimed production of Moby Dick, in acknowledgment of the 20th anniversary of the similarly themed Leviathan. The band is working on their highly anticipated new album, set to be released via Loma Vista Recordings in 2026, evolving as they usher rock into new realms, they forever remain the same unpredictable trailblazing beast—Mastodon.
https://www.mastodonrocks.com/
KAT GRETA Masks Grief In Shimmering New Single ‘Audacity’ & Accompanying Music Video
Melbourne/Naarm-based multi-instrumental artist Kat Greta is returns with her new single ‘Audacity’, out now. A melodically driven indie-pop anthem, deceptively enveloped with an underswell of grief, ‘Audacity’ and its accompanying music video are anchored in mourning and bolstered by shimmering electronic textures.
Following the release of her debut EP in November, which highlights Kat Greta’s unbridled pop-senses, ‘Audacity’ takes the pop dial and cranks it up to 10 with vibrant and energetic charisma.
Below the surface of ‘Audacity’s pop rhythm lies the complex feelings and multitudes of grief and acceptance. Written after experiencing immense loss, ‘Audacity’ is a track riddled with mourning and the battle of understanding – masquerading in dance vibrancy.
From the outset, Greta’s vocal distortion emulates speaking through a mask as one uncovers the bitter reality of the lyrics at hand. Accompanied by the instantaneous punch of the drums, high-spirited electronic elements and guitar, Greta’s distinctive artistry takes centre stage, embodying the confidence and conviction that sit at the heart of ‘Audacity’.
Co-produced by Melbourne producer Seetali Mack, this collaboration has allowed for Kat Greta to explore the themes and elements of the world around her unvaryingly as her own collapses in. The track brings light to the blatant absurdity of loss as the days roll in and out – remaining unchanged for the masses while Kat Greta is wondering how this could be. Kat Greta shares:
“‘Audacity’ explores the emotional whiplash of grief, where the world carries on as usual while yours quietly falls apart.”
Backed by the fast-paced neon-lights of Melbourne’s inner CBD, ‘Audacity’s accompanying music video – filmed and directed by Francis Biay – exudes a rapid and dizzy feeling as the video captures the feeling of life moving past. As Kat Greta is composed in the foreground’s juxtaposing stillness, the surrounds emulate a sense of wanderlust and liminality, in turn reflecting the thematic disconnect at the heart of the track.
Honest yet fun, ‘Audacity’ is a tarantella of emotion and vulnerability, adorned in sparkles and shimmering lights – made for those who want an introspective twist to their pop music. Come and ponder life in all its vibrancy, complexity, and ‘Audacity’, out now
Follow Kat Greta
Official Website | Spotify | Apple Music | Youtube
Facebook | Instagram | Bandcamp
BRING ME THE HORIZON COUNT YOUR BLESSINGS | REPENTED
THE 20TH ANNIVERSARY RE-RECORDING OF THE BAND’S SEMINAL DEBUT ALBUM
OUT NOW ON PHYSICAL & ALL STREAMING PLATFORMS
FEATURING BRAND NEW TRACK DEHUMANIZED
THE BAND PERFORM COUNT YOUR BLESSINGS IN FULL FOR THE FIRST TIME EVER AT OUTBREAK PRESENTS: COUNT YOUR BLESSINGS | REPENTED THIS WEEKEND BEFORE TAKING THE SHOW TO FURNACE FESTIVAL THIS OCTOBER
Bring Me The Horizon today release Count Your Blessings | Repented, the fully re-recorded 20th anniversary edition of their landmark debut album, available now on vinyl, cassette and all streaming platforms.
Originally released in 2006, Count Your Blessings became one of the defining records of modern heavy music, introducing a generation of fans to deathcore and laying the foundations for one of the most influential bands of the last two decades. Twenty years on, the Sheffield band return to where it all began, re-recording the album from the ground up with frontman Oli Sykes and guitarist Lee Malia, alongside acclaimed producer and mixer Buster Odeholm.
Talking about the record Oli said “I think a lot of people think that we hate that record or are embarrassed by it because we don’t play it. Really, we were just always disappointed with how it sounded. It was never about rewriting history. It was about making the record we’d always heard in our heads.”
Far more than a remaster, Count Your Blessings | Repented is a complete reimagining of the record. Every track has been rebuilt to capture the ferocity of the original while benefiting from the band’s two decades of growth as musicians, songwriters and producers.
Alongside newly re-recorded versions of fan favourites including (I Used to Make Out With) Medusa, Pray for Plagues, Black & Blue, Slow Dance, A Lot Like Vegas and Dragon Slaying (formerly Liquor & Love Lost), the album also features Dehumanized, the band’s first brand new song written specifically for the Count Your Blessings era. The track went on to reach number 1 on Billboard’s Hot Hard Rock Songs, with the video trending on Vevo at number 4. Written twenty years after the original album, it serves as both a tribute to the band’s roots and a bridge to everything they’ve become since.
To celebrate the release, Bring Me The Horizon will perform Count Your Blessings in full for the very first time this weekend at Outbreak Presents: Count Your Blessings | Repented in Manchester, before taking the performance to Furnace Fest in Birmingham, Alabama later this year. The shows mark a landmark moment in the band’s history, giving fans the rare opportunity to experience the album performed live from start to finish alongside bonus tracks from that era.
From their MySpace-era beginnings in Sheffield to selling more than 7.2 million albums worldwide, earning multiple UK Number One albums and headlining arenas and festivals across the globe, Bring Me The Horizon have continually redefined the boundaries of heavy music. Count Your Blessings | Repented is both a celebration of where the band began and a reminder of why those early songs continue to inspire generations of artists and fans alike.
COUNT YOUR BLESSINGS | REPENTED TRACK LISTING:
01. Pray for Plagues – 2026 Repented
02. Tell Slater Not to Wash His Dick – 2026 Repented
03. For Stevie Wonders Eyes Only – 2026 Repented
04. A Lot Like Vegas – 2026 Repented
05. Black & Blue – 2026 Repented
06. Slow Dance – 2026 Repented
07. Liquor & Love Lost – 2026 Repented
08. (I Used to Make Out With) Medusa – 2026 Repented
09. Fifteen Fathoms, Counting – 2026 Repented
10. Off the Heezay – 2026 Repented
11. Dehumanized
COUNT YOUR BLESSINGS | REPENTED – OUT NOW
https://BringMeTheHorizon.lnk.to/CYBRAUSMR
HENDRIX FRANKENREITER HAWAIIAN-BASED SONGWRITER AND SURFER REVEALS NEW SINGLE ‘WHATCHU IN THE RUSH FOR?’ OUT NOW VIA US LABEL BIG LOUD ROCK
Hawaiian-based singer-songwriter, guitarist and surfer Hendrix Frankenreiter, son of acclaimed musician Donavon Frankenreiter, returns with new single ‘Whatchu In The Rush For?’ – a coastal dream built on sophisticated, percussive guitar work
Produced/co-written by Adam Friedman (Quinn XCII, Mike Posner, O.A.R), ‘Whatchu In The Rush For?’ blends Frankenreiter’s blues, roots and indie rock influences into a track that wades like the evening tide. Like the song’s title, the track finds its strength in restraint, allowing each section to breathe as Frankenreiter’s intricate, blues-inspired guitar work glistens beneath its gentle swell.
In 2025, the 22-year-old artist toured Australia for the first time – performing at Queenscliff Music Festival and Thirroul Music Festival alongside shows at Sydney’s Factory Theatre, The Croxton in Melbourne and more. Frankenreiter also toured through the US with Boorloo/Perth outfit DICE, solidifying his growing connection with Australia.
Born into a creative family, Hendrix spent his childhood traveling the globe – absorbing the sounds, landscapes, and cultures of the world around him – all while being shaped by a deep, lifelong immersion in nature, surf culture, and music. Those wide-ranging experiences have given Hendrix a writing voice that feels genuinely unforced – music that doesn’t try to be anything other than exactly what it is. Honest, instinctive, and alive in the moment it was made.
A skilled multi-instrumentalist, Hendrix played guitar and many of the instruments on his debut recordings himself, bringing a hands-on authenticity to the sound that reflects both his musical depth and his DIY spirit.
https://www.instagram.com/hendrix_frankenreiter
https://www.youtube.com/@HendrixFrankenreiter
BACHELOR GIRL – WAITING FOR THE DAY – ARTIST SESSIONS
Bachelor Girl have just announced Waiting For The Day: Artist Sessions, a complete reimagining of their ARIA-winning debut album featuring 15 collaborations with some of the country’s biggest artists, due out August 7.
The album pairs Tania Doko and James Roche with an extraordinary line up including Delta Goodrem, Suze DeMarchi, Courtney Act, NERVO, Jack Jones and more. Following on from previously released singles Blown Away ft. Tommy Emmanuel and Ella Hooper, Blind ft. Darren Hayes and Treat Me Good ft. Jess Mauboy, Permission To Shine with Guy Sebastian, released today, is the latest reimagined version of one of Bachelor Girls most enduring fan favourites.
With Buses and Trains still among the most-played Australian songs of its era, and the duo currently selling out dates on their upcoming Waiting For The Day Redux Tour, this release marks both a nostalgia moment and a fresh chapter for one of Australia’s defining pop acts/
BACHELOR GIRL – WAITING FOR THE DAY REDUX TOUR DATES
FRI 31 JUL | THE GOLDEN VINE HOTEL, BENDIGO | ALL AGES U18s W ADULT | SOLD OUT
Tickets available from https://events.humanitix.com/bachelor-girl-live-at-the-golden-vine-hotel-bendigo/tickets
SAT 1 AUG | THE STAR HOTEL, YACKANDANDAH | ALL AGES U18s W ADULT
Tickets available from https://events.humanitix.com/bachelor-girl-yackandandah/tickets
SAT 08 AUG | BRUNSWICK BALLROOM, MELBOURNE VIC | 18+ | SOLD OUT
Tickets available from www.moshtix.com.au | 1300 GET TIX | All Moshtix Outlets
SUN 23 AUG | THE TRIFFID, BRISBANE QLD | 18+
Tickets available from www.moshtix.com.au | 1300 GET TIX | All Moshtix Outlets
FRI 28 AUG | THE GOV, ADELAIDE SA | 18+
Tickets available from www.oztix.com.au | | All Oztix Outlets
FRI 04 SEP | CUBE 37 FRANKSTON ARTS CENTRE, FRANKSTON VIC | ALL AGES U15s W ADULT I SOLD OUT
Tickets available from https://artscentre.frankston.vic.gov.au/Home
SUN 18 OCT | THE FACTORY THEATRE, SYDNEY NSW | 18+
Tickets available from https://www.factorytheatre.com.au/ | (02) 7208 4482 | Century Box Office
Stream: PERMISSION TO SHINE FEAT. GUY SEBASTIAN
Pre-save: WAITING FOR THE DAY: ARTIST SESSIONS
KARISE EDEN brings Tell Mama! to Western Australia
A powerful new concert celebrating the music and spirit of Janis Joplin
Freo Social (Thur, Oct 1) | Kalamunda PAC (Fri, Oct 2) | Prince Hotel Bunbury (Sat, Oct 3)
Following two sold-out premiere performances in Melbourne, ARIA Award winner Karise Eden begins the national rollout of Tell Mama! – Janis Joplin by Karise Eden, with three Western Australian dates this October.
Presented by RoadTales, this powerful new concert experience will head to Freo Social (October 1), Kalamunda Theatre (October 2) and the Prince Hotel Bunbury (October 3), with tickets for all Western Australian performances to go on sale Friday July 10 at 8.00am AWST.
Since helping redefine rock more than half a century ago, Janis Joplin has never stopped finding new audiences. In Tell Mama!, Karise Eden revives the songs, spirit and extraordinary legacy of one of rock’s most unforgettable voices in a powerful live concert experience.
Rather than an impersonation, Tell Mama! is Karise’s deeply personal interpretation of the artist whose music has shaped her own journey. With storytelling woven throughout, the show begins with an intimate acoustic set inspired by Janis’s early folk-blues recordings before building into a full-band celebration featuring guitar, bass, drums, keys and a three-piece horn section.
Audiences can expect iconic anthems including Piece of My Heart, Cry Baby, Move Over, Try (Just a Little Bit Harder) and Me and Bobby McGee, alongside lesser-known gems that reveal Janis’s remarkable artistry. The show also features Karise’s original song, Tomorrow, inspired by Janis’s Kozmic Blues, creating a moving bridge between two artists united by fearless emotional honesty.
“I never wanted this to feel like a traditional Janis Joplin tribute,” says Eden.
“I wanted people to feel Janis’s influence throughout the show while still very clearly seeing me inside it too. It’s not costume or impersonation. It’s about honouring the emotional honesty and fearless spirit that drew me to her music in the first place.”
Following its sold-out premiere performance at Memo Music Hall and currently with just a few tickets left at Karralyka Theatre, Tell Mama! now begins its national rollout in Western Australia, introducing audiences to a concert that celebrates the enduring influence of one of music’s most iconic artists through the unmistakable voice of Karise Eden.
Tickets
On sale Friday 10 July, 8.00am AWST
LINKS:
kariseeden.com
roadtalesco.com
TELL MAMA! Janis Joplin by Karise Eden
WESTERN AUSTRALIAN TOUR DATES
Freo Social, Parry St, Fremantle
Thurs, October 1
Tickets via Moshtix
Kalamunda Performing Arts Centre, 48 Canning Road
Friday, October 2
Tickets at kalamundapac.com.au
Prince Hotel, 41 Stephen St, Bunbury
Saturday, October 3
Tickets via Oztix
CHARM OF FINCHES – NEW SONG – BODYSUIT – OUT NOW
NATIONAL TOUR DATES ANNOUNCED
After relocating to Scotland and touring extensively throughout the UK, Europe and Canada, the Melbourne sister duo Charm of Finches return to Australia to tour their haunting new single Bodysuit ahead of their highly anticipated fifth album, created partly in Australia and partly in Scotland.
Catch them for this limited run of shows in October/November 2026.
The sisters Mabel and Ivy Windred-Wornes deliver intricate indie-folk that is simultaneously graceful and darkly bewitching. Their seamless blood harmonies traverse melancholy and wonder in equal measure.
Charm of Finches are winners of the Australian Folk Music Awards Best Folk Album (2022), Music Victoria Best Folk Act (2021) and have been nominated twice for the Australian Music Prize.
“For lovers of tight sibling harmonies, chamber folk, and those who long to be carried-away by a lullaby…” – Ariana Morgenstern KCRW Today’s Top Tune
“Charm of Finches sound like they’re mining something far more ancient and universal” – Rhythms Magazine
ABOUT BODYSUIT: The song was recorded in Point Lonsdale in Victoria with Nick Huggins and then mixed remotely with Daniel Ledwell in Nova Scotia, Canada. The sisters explain that “It’s a song about being drawn to the wrong people and a reflection on being enamoured by the danger in romance with unpredictable characters.”
AUSTRALIAN TOUR OCT/NOV 2026
Tickets at: charmoffinchesband.com
Saturday 10th Oct – Primrose Potter Salon, Melbourne Recital Centre (matinee), Melbourne, VIC
Saturday 10th Oct – Primrose Potter Salon, Melbourne Recital Centre, Melbourne, VIC SELLING FAST
Saturday 17th Oct – Street Theatre, Canberra, ACT
Sunday 18th Oct – The Vanguard, Sydney, NSW
Wednesday 21st Oct – Old Stone Hall, Beechworth, VIC
Sunday 1st Nov – The Bridge Hotel, Castlemaine, VIC
THE HARD-ONS ANNOUNCE LAUNCH TOUR FOR KOREAN LANGUAGE MINI-ALBUM AHEAD OF KOREAN VISIT LATER IN THE YEAR
NEW MINI-ALBUM FINDS BAND REVISTING EARLY HITS WITH KOREAN-BORN BASSPLAYER RAY AHN SINGING IN HIS MOTHER TONGUE
THE BAND, TOGETHER WITH DIRECTOR OF HARD-ONS: THE MOST AUSTRALIAN BAND EVER! DOCUMENTARY MAKER JONATHAN SEQUEIRA, ARE HEADING TO KOREA IN SEPTEMBER FOR SHOWS AND FILM SCREENINGS AS GUESTS OF THE AUSTRALIAN-KOREA FOUNDATION
The Hard-Ons have announced a short launch tour for their new Korean Language Mini-Album, which last week topped the AIR Independent Label singles charts.
HARD-ONS KOREAN LANGUAGE MINI-ALBUM LAUNCH TOUR
Fri Aug 28 – The Stag & Hunter, Newcastle w/Cammy Cautious & The Wrestlers + Laura Panic Tix
Sat Aug 29 – Petersham Bowling Club, Sydney w/Cammy Cautious & The Wrestlers Tix
The mini-album is released in anticipation of the band, together with Jonathan Sequeira, director of the two Hard-Ons films Hard-Ons: the Most Australian Band Ever! and Harder and Harder, travelling to Korea in September for film screenings and live shows. The trip will be happening thanks to the Australia-Korea Foundation 2025-26 grant received by Jonathan Sequeira, producer Nalini Sequeira and Living Eyes Pty Ltd. The AKF is a federal body looking after Korea-Australia relations including culture, trade and art.
Korean Language Mini-Album was released at the same time as the Hard-ons released a new single with Jerry A from Poison Idea, “My One Regret”, along with the announcement of the August 14 release of the Hard-Ons/Jerry A album, both of which followed a European tour which saw Portland punk icon and old friend Jerry fronting of the band.
THE HARD-ONS pay tribute to founding member Ray’s racial heritage by releasing a Korean language 12” EP.
Korean-born bass player Ray handles the lead vocal duties to four re-recorded Hard-Ons classics, digging deep to reacquaint himself with his mother tongue. 100% guaranteed to be free from Google Translate intervention!
This absolutely unique and unusual recording is sure to intrigue and delight Hard-Ons fans and armchair linguists alike.
– Stephen Ahn, the Bass player’s brother
KOREAN LANGUAGE MINI-ALBUM includes the tracks:
Where Did She come From?
Raining
Just Being With You
Suck and swallow
OR:
그녀는 어디에서 왔을까?
비가 내리고 있어
너와 함께 있는 것만으로도
빨고 삼키고
It features Murray on drums, Blackie on guitar and Ray playing bass and singing lead vocals.
The A side incorporates all the songs, while the B side features artwork by Ray etched into the vinyl. It will be available in 4 variants – the colours of the Korean flag – blue, red, white and black.
https://cheersquadrecordstapes.bandcamp.com/album/korean-language-mini-album
Just Being with You (Korean) (Official Audio)
The Most Australian Band Ever! – The Secret Origin of the Hard-Ons is out NOW and available in a range of limited edition coloured vinyl editions, black vinyl, limited edition cassette, compact disc and digitally.
***
The Most Australian Band Ever: Hard-Ons movie FACEBOOK
www.instagram.com/livingeyesfilms
THE HARD-ONS ONLINE:
Instagram | Facebook | Bandcamp | Linktree
cheersquadrecordstapes. bandcamp.com
www.facebook.com/CheersquadRecordsTapesMGMT
www.instagram.com/cheersquadrecords/
www.youtube.com/channel/UCnjniTJZiFfmw8JlsLZU7Bg
soundcloud.com/cheersquadrecordsandtapes/
JUST A GENT RETURNS TO HIS ROOTS WITH EUPHORIC DRUM & BASS SINGLE ‘MY WAY’
FIRST NATIONS PRODUCER LAUNCHES A NEW ERIA WITH LONG-LOST COLLABORATION, OVER A DECADE IN THE MAKING
Australian electronic producer and First Nations artist Just A Gent opens a bold new chapter with ‘My Way’, an uplifting drum & bass anthem that bridges the past and future of one of Australia’s most accomplished independent electronic artists.
Over the past decade, Just A Gent has amassed more than 200 million streams while building a global following through his emotionally rich productions. His career has included a critically acclaimed triple j Like A Version, sync placements in Rocket League and Netflix’s Fair Play, and performances at major festivals including Splendour in the Grass, Groovin the Moo and Shambala Festival. Now, with ‘My Way’, he’s returning to the instincts that first shaped his sound while ushering in a bold new creative era.
Built around an uncredited vocal from longtime friend and collaborator KLP, ‘My Way’ has a story more than a decade in the making. Originally written together in 2014 as an entirely different song, the vocal remained unreleased until now, finding new life in a completely reimagined drum & bass production.
‘I’ve always done things my way. People will always tell you you’re wrong, but if you trust your gut, follow your intuition and make what feels right to you, you can’t really go wrong. That’s what this song is about.’ – Just A Gent.
Originally conceived as a song about escaping the noise of everyday life, ‘My Way’ has evolved into an anthem of self-belief and creative freedom. Fusing warm, nostalgic melodies with soaring vocals and crisp, high-energy drums, the record captures the emotional songwriting that has long defined Just A Gent’s catalogue while embracing the energy of modern drum & bass. ‘I made My Way as a fun ode to myself. I was feeling inspired and nostalgic, and poured all of that energy into the track. It feels like people need uplifting music right now, and after all these years it finally reached a point where it felt finished.’
Inspired by artists such as Sub Focus, High Contrast and Calibre, the single represents both a return to Just A Gent’s melodic roots and a reflection of how his creative process has evolved. ‘I overthink things far less now. I’m just having fun, experimenting and letting the songs create themselves. I used to want my music to help people through things. Now I want it to raise people up.’
‘My Way’ also marks the first taste of Just A Gent’s forthcoming EP, ‘Roots in the Sky’, due for release in September 2026. Described by the producer as the meeting point between his earlier work and everything still to come, the project signals a renewed creative confidence after years of refining his vision.
After twelve years, dozens of iterations and countless hours of experimentation, ‘My Way’ is more than just a new single – it’s a statement of intent from an artist rediscovering exactly why he started making music in the first place. ‘I hope people remember how this song made them feel. Hopefully they come back chasing that feeling.’
About Just A Gent
Just A Gent is an Australian electronic producer and First Nations artist renowned for his cinematic songwriting, genre-blending production and emotionally driven sound. With more than 200 million streams globally, he has become one of Australia’s most respected independent electronic artists, earning acclaim through his triple j Like A Version, performances at festivals including Splendour in the Grass, Groovin the Moo and Shambala Festival, and music featured in Rocket League and Netflix’s Fair Play. My Way marks the beginning of his next chapter, with his forthcoming EP Roots in the Sky arriving in September 2026.
For more info on Just A Gent, visit:
WEBSITE | INSTAGRAM | SOUNDCLOUD | FACEBOOK | YOUTUBE | X
GETDOWN SERVICES Announce New Single ‘Cha Cha Slide’. New Album Massive Champion out August 14 via Breakfast Records
‘Cha Cha Slide’ is the new single from Bristol’s Getdown Services, released ahead of their hugely anticipated debut album, Massive Champion, out through Breakfast Records on August 14th.
An odyssey of anarchic joy, seditious wit and boundless energy, Massive Champion finds Josh Law and Ben Sadler pushing deeper into the singular world they have been building for years, while opening up new emotional and lyrical ground. Written in green rooms, on long car journeys and in the gaps between relentless touring, it stands as their boldest and most expansive statement to date, an ode to childhood, British cultural detritus and the absurd poetry of everyday life, distilling everything that has made Getdown Services one of the most exhilarating and unpredictable bands around.
The intoxicating new single ‘Cha Cha Slide’ is another perfect example of a band that has a seemingly endless ability to write, perform and produce songs that are not only the definition of the word ‘earworm’ but also capture modern life with a uniquely acerbic wit, as Josh explains of the new single:
“This song is about the feeling of everyone else somehow knowing what to do. It’s about a feeling I’d get as a child that has never quite left me; that I just don’t really know what to do at social occasions. It’s about realising that trying to connect with and understand people is a lifetime of trial and error. It’s probably the saddest song we’ve ever written.”
Following triumphant performances at Harry Styles’ Meltdown, on Later… With Jools Holland and live on KEXP, as arena support to Viagra Boys, and a sold-out run of headline US and Australia dates, the duo have now announced some of their biggest shows to date, with second headline shows already added at London’s Roundhouse and Bristol’s Beacon due to overwhelming demand.
With momentum building at a staggering pace, and their live shows already the stuff of legend, Getdown Services are rapidly becoming much more than just one of the UK’s most talked-about new bands. As The Guardian recently put it, their chaotic, high-octane take on modern British life sits somewhere between rave, satire and social commentary – and it is winning them legions of fans all over the world.
LISTEN TO ‘CHA CHA SLIDE’ HERE
GETDOWN SERVICES – MASSIVE CHAMPION
Out August 14 Via Breakfast Records
LOUELLA Navigates A New Land and Old Feelings in Debut Single ‘Before I Go’
Embracing the emotional transience of love and loss, Sunshine Coast-based singer-songwriter Louella delicately ruminates on a relationship left behind with her debut pop single and accompanying music video, ‘Before I Go’.
Watch ‘Before I Go’ Music Video
The Australian singer-songwriter, who draws from folk, soul and R&B, is inspired to turn her personal journeys into vivid, honest, and emotionally driven musical experiences. Louella’s signature layered harmonies and vulnerable lyricism establish her as a compelling storyteller, while collaborations with acclaimed producers shape a sound that is both timeless and contemporary.
A regular live performer who has opened for Ella Hartwig and Table Manners, Louella has received The Women’s College Half Blue Award for Music, collaborated with producers Blake Malone (Amy Shark) and Paul Bromley (Ziggy Alberts), and earned a nomination for the Listen Up Music Songwriting Prize for ‘Before I Go’. She will perform the single at the prize’s Sydney showcase this September.
Set in a foreign land, the cinematic folk-pop ballad tackles the difficulties of letting go of a relationship and the future once imagined. Embodied by rich tones and bittersweet layered harmonies, portions of ‘Before I Go’ were recorded in vast, open halls, giving the track its warm and inviting character.
The song, layered with graceful harmonies and stirring instrumentation, features acclaimed Australian composers and musicians Graham Ritchie (Thelma Plum, Holy Holy) and Louise and Sarah King (Katie Noonan), whose contributions add further depth to the delicate feel and warmth.
These themes of heartbreak and emotional uncertainty are brought to life through the accompanying music video, filmed and directed by Victor Ivanov. Shot throughout Tokyo, the video moves between bustling city streets, the serenity of cherry blossom parks, and the restless motion of the Tokyo Metro.
As Louella manoeuvres through the city with elegant composure and stillness, the video conveys contemplation and loss. The contrast between the stillness of Tokyo’s cherry blossom parks and the city’s bustling streets further reflects the song’s themes of emotional displacement and heartbreak, with Louella stating:
“The contrasting locations reflect the experience of navigating an unfamiliar culture and finding your place away from home.”
Brought to life through heartfelt songwriting, graceful musicianship and the contributions of an accomplished creative team, ‘Before I Go’ marks a poignant debut from Louella. The single and its accompanying music video are out now.
Follow Louella
Official Website | Spotify | Youtube
Instagram | TikTok | Triple J Unearthed
RYAN MARTIN JOHN – BIG LOVE – ALBUM
After the trickling of singles ‘Ways To Fall’, ‘Starline’ and ‘Honey Honey’, Ryan finally brings his second full length album Big Love with the title track being the leading single.
On this second album Ryan explores more folk-centric textures, leaning into a more honest style of songwriting and production. Collaborating with guitarist Tom Kneebone, the pair decided to lean into the sheer minimalism that live tracking affords.
“Because I self-record and mix my own records, I wanted to box myself into a production corner. These days in the studio with Pro Tools you can chop, add and change anything once it’s tracked. But you start second guessing songwriting & production decisions, which is why we recorded most of this live and about 3 meters from each other. If my vocal’s bleeding into Tom’s banjo mic, I can’t redo a vocal I messed up, and I wanted minimal decorating so that the songs would be equally as effective when Tom and I play things scaled back as a duo, so the songwriting decisions themselves had to be dialled.”
RMJ is no stranger to bigger production; on 2023’s debut album ‘Goodness, Gracious, Graceless’ there’s almost the opposite approach to layering and post recording production with layers of harmonies, strings, keys, often double tracked. Big Love exercises the rule that if there’s only two musicians playing, only two harmonies are allowed etc.
Why Big Love?
“Big Love is a universal encompassing feeling of the record. I think all of these songs are songs about feelings, affections, yearning etc, both inward as self love processing change, and as outward love looking at relationships, and the world – it seems appropriate. For about a year I wanted to call it ‘My Romeo’ after track 3 cause it’s a personal growing album in some ways, but decided to call it Big Love (after track 1) since it underpins every song and feels more communal. “
Some of the songs on the album have been kicking around for a short while now. Big Love and Honey Honey have experienced a life on stage and now the quintessential versions of these live on the record. Some songs have were written the day before they were recorded:
“I remember writing Happy because most of the record lives in this deliberately achey, introspective frame. We needed a little exclamation mark! Tom and I tracked that one the morning after I wrote it, so that recording is maybe the 4th time I sang it ever and the first time Tom played it.”
Ryan is no stranger to a self depreciative stint, as a can be heard on songs like the jaunty Favourite “can I compare my share of eggshells in the yolk? Can I compare the measuring stick that’s in our spokes?” and the countrified One Trick Pony “I’m a dying Christmas tree, I’m tired record machine, but when I run out of mystery, I can still be your everything”. In an album often drizzled in earnest, Ryan’s ability to paint himself in an unserious light balances out the aftertaste of deep contemplation.
On Big Love there’s an obvious window into all facets of love. But one of the standouts is the failed title track ‘My Romeo’, but not for obvious reasons:
“I want to draw a bit of light on that song, because it’s maybe the best song I’ve ever written, hence why I wanted to name the album after it until I reconsidered. My Romeo is actually a trojan horse in a song. I wrote it deliberately to sound like a typical love song – perhaps a marriage song for a couple newly in love. But the truth of it is it’s a song I wrote for myself. In 2023 just as I released my debut album, I figured out my own neurodivergence, and went on a journey to basically reconfigure my whole self perception with this newly diagnosed lens. So this song is about self love and me discovering and therefore finally accepting myself midway into a lifetime, something I’ve quietly struggled with forever. I’ve spoken to many other people with a similar experience, after going through their own neuro journey.”
The record ultimately is a series of love songs; new love, old love and self love. Fans of Americana, Folk and Country music will find something familiar and enjoyable here no doubt!
RYAN MARTIN JOHN – ARTIST BIO
Ryan Martin John is a country folk singer-songwriter with a penchant for dreamy harmonies and intimate guitar playing. Based on Kaurna Country, his songs walk the line between inward self reflection and outward curiosity of the world, nestled in the familiar tones of 70s era Laurel Canyon songwriters.
Live performances feel like a hang with a friend you feel you’ve known forever, with Ryan often warmly playing down the seriousness of his songs whilst asking “does anyone else feel this way?”.
Usually playing alongside main collaborator and acclaimed guitarist, Tom Kneebone, (and sometimes upright bassist Tasha Stevens) the gang weave their voices and guitars around each other resulting in an inviting folk & country sound that’s as detailed as it is spacious.
In 2023, Ryan released his debut album ‘Goodness, Gracious, Graceless’ to notable acclaim (Winning SCALA ‘Best Performance’, Folk Alliance nomination for ‘Best Artist’, Adelaide Roots & Blues Association ‘Best Roots Album’ nomination, SA Music Major Award nomination for ‘Best Solo Artist’).
Drawing influence from Gram Parsons, Neil Young and Paul Kelly, the album is a full country band affair. With big drums, big harmonies, and a sound that’s very nostalgic of a golden era of country folk-rock crossovers.
Since then Ryan’s songwriting has transformed into the more current sparse and intimate sound audiences have become familiar with. In 2025, Ryan unveiled the first of many singles ‘Ways To Fall’ and ‘Starline’, showcasing a closer, warmer style of writing that garnered high rotation on ABC Country and national radio airplay.
Ryan was also a semi-finalist in the Nashville-based International Songwriting Competition of 2025.
TICKET LINKS https://www.ryanmartinjohn.com/tour
Dates!
17 JULY QLD The Nook Cooroy with Tin Town
18 JULY NSW Pearces Creek Hall with Tin Town
19 JULY QLD The Junk Bar with Tin Town
24 JULY SA Three Brothers Arms
25 JULY SA Ern Malley with Tin Town
13 AUG VIC Merri Creek Tavern (VIC Headline show) w/ Emmy Ryan
20 AUG VIC Stanley Pub, Stanley (Supporting The Audreys)
21 AUG VIC Brunswick Ballroom, Melbourne (Supporting The Audreys)
22 AUG VIC Barwon Club, (Supporting The Audreys)
ADAM LAMBERT RELEASES SIXTH STUDIO ALBUM ADAM – OUT NOW
NEW OFFICIAL MUSIC VIDEO FOR TRACK “CLOUD 9” HERE
GRAMMY-nominated international superstar and LGBTQIA+ trailblazing icon Adam Lambert today releases on all music platforms his sixth studio album, ADAM, via his own label and distributed via The Orchard.
Featuring twelve diverse songs, the self-titled LP is an expansive project that blends distorted electronics with live instrumentation to create a timeless body of work that defies any one genre. In addition, Lambert releases the official music video for his tension-filled new track “CLOUD 9” AEST tomorrow. Featuring Adam wearing the iconic archival FW96 Alexander McQueen “Dante” mask, the stroboscopic video evades the constraint of time as it evokes both a nostalgic and futuristic longing. You can watch the video then HERE which was directed by Robin Hunter Blake and first premiered by Nick Knight’s SHOWStudio in tandem with Lambert’s appearance on their Fashion Radio podcast.
Executive produced by Pete Nappi (Jon Bellion, Jon Batiste, Jonas Brothers, Rihanna, Pharrell Williams) and featuring artwork by renowned fashion photographer Nick Knight, ADAM was largely inspired by the 90s alternative and electronica and marks a fully realized exploration into all facets of Lambert’s humanity and otherworldly artistry.
Previously released songs include the “alluring” (Billboard) and “powerful” (NME) desire-driven track “EAT U ALIVE” as well as the “infectious” (Associated Press) anthem of resilience “UNDER THE RHYTHM” which samples ATC’s “Around the World (La La La La La).” In addition to “CLOUD 9,” new tracks include Lambert’s love letter to the gritty New York City he now calls home, “RAT CITY” featuring Isaac Dunbar; the introspective ballad, “AM I OK” which Lambert vocal-produced himself; “PORCELAIN” featuring Lexie Liu which captures an underlying message about toxic masculinity and societal pressures; and the powerful album closer “DO YA SEE ME NOW.”
To celebrate the release of ADAM, Lambert will perform can’t-miss album release shows and signings in select cities across the U.S. and U.K./E.U.. Tickets are on sale now for the special live shows that kick off on release day, July 10, in Los Angeles before making stops in Brooklyn, London and more before concluding July 23 in Berlin.
ADAM LAMBERT – ADAM TRACK LIST
1. “RAT CITY” ft Isaac Dunbar
2. “NECKLACE”
3. “EAT U ALIVE”
4. “PORCELAIN” ft Lexie Liu
5. “SANITY”
6. “CLOUD 9”
7. “AM I OK”
8. “UNDER THE RHYTHM”
9. “RAGE”
10. “REAL LUV”
11. “DON’T STOP DRIVING”
12. “DO YA SEE ME NOW”
ABOUT ADAM LAMBERT
Adam Lambert is a GRAMMY-nominated singer, songwriter, actor, and LGBTQ+ trailblazer who rose to global fame on American Idol in 2009. He has since built an international career defined by powerhouse vocals and bold artistry, earning multiple Top 10 albums including For Your Entertainment, Trespassing, and The Original High, along with hit singles like “Whatya Want From Me” and “Ghost Town.” His album Trespassing made history as the first No. 1 on the Billboard 200 by an openly gay male artist, and beyond his solo work, Lambert has captivated audiences worldwide as the frontman for Queen, performing sold-out stadium shows across the globe.
His creative reach spans film, television, and stage, with standout roles in Glee and his acclaimed Broadway debut as the Emcee in Cabaret. In 2025, he starred as Judas in Jesus Christ Superstar at the Hollywood Bowl alongside Cynthia Erivo, earning rave reviews. A passionate advocate for the LGBTQ+ community, he founded the Feel Something Foundation to support global human rights initiatives. Constantly evolving, Lambert continues to push artistic boundaries as he prepares to release his highly anticipated sixth studio album, ADAM.
VACATIONS Release New Single/Video, I See Myself In You.
Currently on their first Australian tour in 2 years, Vacations today release “I See Myself In You,” the second single from their new album, Pursuit of Anything, out October 2nd on Nettwerk. Their tour kicks off in Perth on Saturday July 11 and ends in their hometown of Newcastle on July 19 (full run of dates below).
Watch the Video for “I See Myself In You”
Following the lead single, “Holy Grail,” “I See Myself In You” was inspired by a conversation Burns had with his parents in Sydney before flying back to New York City. He reflects, “I was going through something personal at the time, and they were there for me in a way that felt like I was talking to my best friends, because I was. My relationship with my parents has changed so much over the course of my life and it made me pause and realise how similar we are and our experiences. I also started to wonder if one day I’ll be in their position, having a similar conversation with my child.”
Pursuit of Anything captures Vacations at a turning point as Burns reflects on the disorienting, often contradictory experience of growing up, tracing his path from Newcastle (Australia) to Los Angeles and New York—caught between ambition and the more traditional lives unfolding back home. Written by the band and produced by Burns, the album finds Vacations operating as a fully creative force with Burns drawing constant inspiration from his bandmates’ lives and perspectives: exploring how they’re each living out different lives yet share a common experience, all in their own “pursuits.”
Mixed by Beatriz Artola (Geese, Caamp), the result is a richer, more intricate, and emotionally expansive sound. Pursuit of Anything arrives as the band solidifies their place as one of the most globally resonant indie acts of their generation with sold-out world tours, double-platinum certified hits, and over 3.5 billion streams. The record turns inward, driven by the push and pull of devotion to music, relationships, and self-discovery. It is this tension that fuels an earnest, dreamy pop album that feels instantly classic.
Pursuit of Anything is a labor of love, the product of a group of friends who have been making music together since they were barely out of their teenage years. On it, there are weddings, families, reflections on the past, and hope about the future. “It’s about happiness as a feedback loop,” says Burns of the record’s title, “How you keep chasing the next thing.” It’s a record that feels classic the first time you listen to it, it feels like chasing that rush, that sense of self discovery and rediscovery. And it shows Vacations at the height of their songwriting powers. It’s a pop record that takes pop music seriously. Lovely, earnest, dreamy and hopeful as they come.
Last month, Vacations completed the first leg of their Holy Grail Tour, an entirely sold-out run of dates including multiple nights in Los Angeles, Austin, Dallas, Chicago, Toronto, and a blow-out show at Warsaw in Brooklyn. The Holy Grail Tour continues on this month across Asia and Australia. Tickets for all remaining dates are on sale and available here.
Pre-Order/Pre-Save Pursuit of Anything
Watch/Stream:
“I See Myself In You”
“Holy Grail”
Vacations Tour Dates:
Thu. July 16 – Brisbane, AUS @ The Triffid
Fri. July 17 – Melbourne, AUS @ 170 Russell
Sat. July 18 – Sydney, AUS @ Metro Theatre
Sun. July 19 – Newcastle, AUS @ The Act at Earp Distillery
tix available here
Vacations Online:
Website | Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | Spotify | YouTube
PAMELA RELEASE DEBUT EP ‘IT’S NICE TO SEE YOU HERE’
LISTEN HERE
SHARE VIDEO FOR NEW SINGLE “PANDEMONIUM”
WATCH HERE
HEADLINE SHOWS IN JULY & AUGUST EU > UK > AUS
DATES & TICKETS HERE
Sydney indie duo Pamela today release their long-awaited debut EP, It’s Nice To See You Here – a six-track introduction to a band carving out their own distinct space in modern indie pop. Listen HERE. Alongside the release, the duo unveil the video for EP opener “Pandemonium” and announce their first-ever headline tour, taking them across the UK and France this July before returning home for Australian dates throughout August.
Written by Sarah Ellen and Josh Kempen, It’s Nice To See You Here captures the contradictions of modern relationships with effortless charm. Across hazy guitars, groove-driven hooks and dual vocals that feel both detached and deeply intimate, Pamela move between romance, heartbreak, lust and uncertainty with a confidence that feels refreshingly understated. It’s a record that doesn’t try to make too much sense of the moment – instead, it simply moves through it, playfully, romantically and with a self-aware wink.
Rather than chasing trends, Pamela have quietly built a world entirely their own – one informed as much by cinema, fashion and visual art as it is by music. Their self-directed visuals, unmistakable aesthetic and instinctive songwriting have seen the duo emerge as one of Australia’s most exciting new alternative acts, blending the carefree spirit of early-2000s indie with a distinctly contemporary perspective.
Opening the EP is “Pandemonium” – a rush of garage-rock guitars, shimmering pop melodies and flashes of psychedelic electronica that captures the exhilarating chaos of falling for someone new. It’s playful, cinematic and immediately infectious, setting the tone for a record that embraces life’s emotional contradictions rather than trying to resolve them.
The accompanying video expands Pamela’s ever-evolving visual universe. Directed by Sarah Ellen and produced by Georgia White, the film was shot across Sydney, Athens and the surreal black sands of Reynisfjara Beach in Iceland, weaving together dreamlike landscapes with the duo’s signature blend of understated style and playful storytelling.
“The ‘Pandemonium’ video explores meaning through unexpected connection. Inspired by Bonnie and Clyde, I wanted to celebrate unconventional partnerships and create a film that feels like the trailer for a movie that doesn’t exist – surreal, cinematic and held together by the beautifully absurd spirit of the song.” – Sarah Ellen
WATCH THE “PANDEMONIUM” VIDEO HERE:
Pamela’s creative backgrounds have become foundational to the project’s multidisciplinary vision. Together, Sarah and Josh conceptualise, direct and edit every music video themselves, driven by a deep personal investment in every aspect of the band’s creative world. Sarah’s background in creative direction and production, combined with Josh’s lifelong obsession with cinema, shapes a visual language that feels as distinctive as their music. Each release exists as part of a broader creative universe, where film, fashion and music are inseparable.
The release follows a breakout year for the duo. Recent singles “Skin Contact”, “Chain Reaction” and “Better Than Before” introduced Pamela’s hook-filled indie pop to an ever-growing audience, while showcases at The Great Escape marked their international live debut. Since signing with EMI Music Australia, Polydor UK, Sony Music Publishing and WME, Pamela have continued to establish themselves as one of Australia’s most compelling new acts, building momentum through immersive live performances and a fully realised creative vision.
Now, with It’s Nice To See You Here, Pamela arrive with a debut that feels both effortless and unmistakably self-assured. To celebrate the release, they’ll embark on their first-ever headline tour, performing in London & Paris this July before bringing the EP home for a run of Australian headline shows in August.
IT’S NICE TO SEE YOU HERE TOUR ON SALE NOW – TICKETS HERE
July 1 – Supersonic Club, Paris, FR
July 7 – Élysée Montmartre, Paris, FR *supporting Don West*
July 9 – Bus Palladium, Paris, FR
July 15 – The Shacklewell Arms, London, UK
July 21 – The Lower Third, London, UK
August 9 – La La Las, Wollongong, NSW, AU
August 13 – The Workers Club, Melbourne, VIC, AU
August 15 – Eureka Hotel, Geelong, VIC, AU
August 20 – The Lansdowne Hotel, Sydney, NSW, AU
August 21 – Black Bear Lodge, Brisbane, QLD, AU
August 22 – Elsewhere, Gold Coast, QLD, AU
PAMELA – NEW EP IT’S NICE TO SEE YOU HERE – OUT NOW – LISTEN HERE
WATCH THE ‘PANDEMONIUM’ VIDEO NOW – WATCH HERE
REDD RELEASES FIRST SINGLE FROM NEW PROJECT ‘LIFE’
‘LIFE’ FREE LAUNCH PARTIES
JULY 17th (MELB) & JULY 18th (SYD)
ANNOUNCES EUROPEAN HEADLINE SHOWS &
FESTIVAL APPEARANCES AT OBSTWIENSEFESTIVAL (GER) & REEPERBAHN (GER) PLUS PLAYING NYE ON THE HILL (AUS)
Returning with bold new single ‘life’, its accompanying video and a pair of just-announced launch shows, REDD. steps confidently into a bigger, bolder chapter. This next era tracking the evolution of an artist whose fearless creativity, momentum and instinct for pushing boundaries has quickly made them one of the most compelling new voices in Australian music.
Written in London and co-written and produced by acclaimed producer Dan Carey (Wet Leg, Fontaines D.C. , Kylie Minogue), the new single explores themes of gender dysphoria, coming of age and identity. Abstract and punchy, ‘life’ slips into taut, wiry new wave verses before switching gears into a half speed chorus and a squealing synth solo before gently floating off into the cosmos. Weird, wacky and unmistakably unique, the track vibrates on a freak-quency of its own.
REDD. shares, “When I first wrote the song I had a completely different verse one and two. The only thing that stuck was the chorus. It’s very fitting how Frankenstein-ed this whole song was, seeing as that was the main message in the chorus “stitching all the pieces that make me”. I believe that’s what a huge part of life is. Learning, experiencing and discovering new things about who you are, to create and form your sense of self. “
‘life’s writing process kicked off as a jam in the recording session with Dan on guitar, REDD. on bass and good friend Eric Zulic on drums. After 10 minutes of playing, Carey went through the recording, chopped it up and resampled the recording, with the jagged pulse heard throughout the verse.
‘life’ is unique in both sound and construction capturing REDD., at their most confidence and clear-eyed. Directed by Cole Surrey, the creative force behind many of the visuals from REDD.’s debut mixtape, RAUNCH., the official video sees REDD. trying to find their identity in search of something that feels truly them.
With over 3.3 million global streams in their first year of releasing music, REDD. has quickly established themselves as one of Australia’s most exciting emerging artists. Named on Rolling Stone’s Future of Music 2026 list, they’ve built a community of over 49,000 social followers and their music being featured in the world of film, television and gaming. Their single ‘MESSY.’ was recently included in Prime’s global hit series, Off Campus, and the #1 box office film Scary Movie 6, where REDD. attended the Red Carpet Premiere event in LA and watched the sync placement for the very first time.
An unmissable live act, REDD. is set for a run of European appearances this August and September, with today’s announcement adding headline shows at Paradiso in Amsterdam (NLD) and at Cross in Prague (CZE). These new dates join an already confirmed schedule that includes Germany’s Obstwiesenfestival and Reeperbahn Festival. REDD. will also appear at NYE ON THE HILL Festival in South Gippsland, Victoria.
To celebrate the release of ‘life’, REDD. will play two FREE launch parties in Melbourne on July 17 and Sydney on July 18 before heading to the UK for 3 months.
REDD. LIVE
life release party – FREE
Fri Jul 17 – Lulie Tavern – Abbotsford, Melbourne
Sat Jul 18 – Dead Set – Darlinghurst, Sydney
Headline Shows
Thur Aug 20 – Paradiso – Amsterdam (NLD)
Tues Sept 15 – Cross – Prague (CZE)
Festivals
Sat Aug 22 – Obstwiesenfestival (Tent Stage) – Dornstadt (GER)
Thu Sep 17 – Reeperbahn Festival – Hamburg (GER)
Thu Dec 31 – NYE ON THE HILL – South Gippsland, VIC
ABOUT REDD.
Melbourne/Naarm artist REDD. has quickly emerged as one of Australia’s most exciting new artists. Named one of Rolling Stone’s Future of Music 2026 artists, REDD. first drew widespread attention of their release of their 2025 Mixtape RAUNCH. Recorded across Melbourne, Sydney, Los Angeles and New York, the mixtape moved fluidly between pop-punk, lush indie-R&B and party-starting hip-hop, spotlighting REDD.’s lithe vocal delivery and razor-sharp lyricism.
A string of releases have since earned support from of BBC Radio 1 and 6 Music, Radio X, triple j and Unearthed, 3RRR, SYN Radio, RTR, FBi Radio, 4ZZZ, Radio Adelaide, The Music, RAGE, Billboard, Rolling Stone Magazine, Kerrang, Apple Music and Spotify, while REDD. has also built a reputation as an in-demand songwriter. Their writing credits include Baker Boy’s singles ‘Peacekeeper’, ‘Freakout’ and ‘Lightning’, as well as ’Tell Me It Ain’t Over’, the lead single off Pacific Avenue’s recently released new album.
REDD. has previously shared stages with Glaive (US), Soft Play (UK), and Teen Jesus & The Jean Teasers (AU), and have performed at major festivals including Beyond The Valley (Australia), The Great Escape (UK), and Pretty Pissed (Netherlands).
REDD. ‘life’
OUT NOW VIA ISLAND RECORDS AUSTRALIA
OLD MERVS ANNOUNCE NEW ALBUM CARPARKS RELEASED FRIDAY OCT 2nd
SHARE NEW SINGLE SHE SAID + MORE US & CANADA TOUR DATES ANNOUNCED!
Australia’s favourite indie-rock duo Old Mervs are wasting no time. Just over a year from the release of their Top 5 ARIA debut album, the WA pair have announced their second album Carparks will land Friday October 2nd via Dew Process / Universal Music. Pre-save and pre-order now from here.
Coinciding with the announcement, Old Mervs have announced more US and Canadian Tour Dates and shared new single ‘She Said’, the third release from Carparks and the follow-up to fan favourites ‘Tether’ and ‘Heavy In The Morning’. Inspired in part by Henry Carrington-Jones’ long-running obsession with MJ Lenderman and a shuffle beat he’d been quietly teaching himself, ‘She Said’ lands with an effortless Britpop-adjacent swagger that neither of them fully planned.
“You could argue it’s a bit like She’s Electric,” Dave House says. “Oasis kind of has a similar sort of feel.” At the time, Old Mervs were deep into Oasis and it shows, and it suits them.
Reuniting with producer Chris Collins (Royel Otis, Ruby Fields, Matt Corby), the arc for Carparks was built around one guiding idea, “we just wanted it to sound like a band,” Dave says. Songs were tracked without a click where possible, performances kept close to the room, and a beautiful Japanese vintage handmade acoustic guitar, Henry’s father had stumbled across, ended up on nearly every track. Again, not by design exactly more by the fact that every time they put it on something, they’d look at each other and knew it belonged there.
Collins mixed on the fly throughout the sessions, meaning the band left each day with bounces already close to the finished. It kept the energy of Carparks honest. “You’d drive home and listen and be like, that was sick,” Henry says. “Or, hang on, that’s not working.” The ability to critically assess things in real time, rather than waiting months for a mix to come back, changed how they moved through the record. A second block of sessions, roughly six months after the first, gave them unexpected distance from the earlier material and let them bring everything into alignment. What started as a practical necessity turned out to be one of the smarter decisions they made.
Released alongside ‘She Said’ is the official video, shot on film by Perth-based videographer Andrew Briggs, who also directed and produced the clip across the backdrop of coastal towns Indijup and Yallingup in WA’s South West.
With the first half of their huge global tour now officially in the rear-view, Henry and Dave are back home home for a brief breather before Old Mervs hit the road again for another massive run of headline shows and festival appearances across the UK, US and beyond. The next leg kicks off on July 29 at The Forum in the UK, before the band roll into major events including Kendal Calling (UK), Boardmasters (UK), Florida Fin Fest (Florida) and Shaky Knees Festival (Georgia), just to name but a few. From there, Old Mervs will bring their live show back to the Southern Hemisphere, taking on Rolling Sets Festival (Tweed Heads & Newcastle), Handpicked Festival (Langhorne Creek), Le Currents Festival in New Zealand and the freshly announced NYE On The HILL (South Gippsland). More local shows to be announced soon.
OLD MERVS TOUR DATES
Wednesday July 29 – The Forum, Tunbridge Wells, UK
July 30 – August 2 – Kendal Calling, Lake District, Cumbria, UK
Thursday July 30 – The Boileroom, Guildford, UK
Friday July 31 – Trades Club, Hebden Bridge, UK
Saturday August 1 – Bootleg Social, Blackpool, UK
Tuesday August 4 – Clwb Ifor Bach, Cardiff, UK
Wednesday August 5 – The Dead Famous, Newquay, UK
Friday August 7 – Boardmasters, Newquay Cornwall, UK
September 3 – Ocean Mist, South Kingston, RI **NEW SHOW
September 4 – The Drake, Amherst, MA **NEW SHOW
September 5 – Levitate Backyard, Marshfield, MA **NEW SHOW
September 6 – Wonder Bar, Ashbury Park, NJ **NEW SHOW
September 8 – The Camel, Richmond, VA **NEW SHOW
September 9 – The Southern, Charlottesville, VA **NEW SHOW
September 10 – Bowstring, Wilmington, NC **NEW SHOW
September 11 – 12 – Florida Fin Fest, Jacksonville, FL
September 13 – The Social, Orlando, FL **NEW SHOW
September 16 – Heartwood, Gainesville, FL **NEW SHOW
Thursday September 17 – The Windjammer, Isle of Palms, SC
Friday September 18 – The Windjammer, Isle of Palms, SC
Saturday September 19 – Shaky Knees Festival, Atlanta, GA
September 21 – Hollywood, Vancouver, BC **NEW SHOW
September 22 – The Sunset Tavern, Seattle, WA **NEW SHOW
AU & NZ FESTIVALS
Saturday November 14 – Handpicked Festival, Langhorne Creek, SA **NEW FESTIVAL
Saturday November 28 – Rolling Sets Festival, Tweed Heads, NSW
Saturday December 5 – Rolling Sets Festival, Newcastle, NSW
December 27 -28 – Le Currents Festival, Riverside Park NZ
December 30 – January 1 – NYE ON THE HILL – South Gippsland, VIC
For tickets and event information HERE
OLD MERVS NEW ALBUM ‘CARPARKS’
OUT FRIDAY OCTOBER 2nd
NEW SINGLE ‘SHE SAID’ OUT NOW
VIA DEW PROCESS/UNIVERSAL MUSIC
ABOUT OLD MERVS: Old Mervs have an unbreakable bond shared between lifelong mates, David House and Henry Carrington-Jones, who hail from a tiny farming community of Kojonup, a town three hours south of Perth, Western Australia. Starting out as school friends and rehearsing in a makeshift space in an old farm shed, Old Mervs are a far cry from their humble beginnings. Turning heads in the industry and among fans alike with their sunny sound, the duo have a string of headline shows under their belt and have shared stages with Liam Gallagher, The Wombats, Spacey Jane, and King Stingray. A festival favourite, Old Mervs have played slots at Lollapalooza, Splendour in the Grass, Yours & Owls Festival, Beyond The Valley, Groovin the Moo, Rolling Sets and more.
In 2025 Old Mervs placed at #38 in triple j Hottest 100 with ‘What You’ve Lost’ and placed 105 with ‘Parched’ and 128 with ‘Forget It’ in the Hottest 200. The duo have received airplay support across triple j, Triple M, Radio Adelaide, SYN Radio, RTR and strong support across Spotify, and Apple Music. They have received praise from tastemakers and industry including Rolling Stone Australia, Tone Deaf, The Music, Beat Magazine, The West Australian, Scenestr, Forte Magazine, Music Feeds, X-Press, The Note and more.
With over 93 million+ global artist streams, and a rapidly growing global fan base, Old Mervs are quickly becoming known for their infectious, hook-heavy singalong anthems and high-energy live shows, with a dash of charismatic casual, mates-next-door banter.
HAYDEN PHILLIS DIGS DEEP INTO MESSY MODERN LOVE WITH NEW SINGLE ‘STICK POKE TATTOOS’
Emerging Australian country artist Hayden Phillis unveils his gripping new single ‘Stick Poke Tattoos’, an energetic, roots-driven country rock release that blends gritty storytelling with magnetic emotional honesty.
For Hayden, the song came together in an unusually organic way, sparked by equal parts musical inspiration and real life unfolding in real time.
“I wrote the chorus right after seeing Tyler Childers in concert. I’d gotten home late and wanted to play something up tempo that still had a bit of darkness about it. So, I pulled up voice memos and while playing saw my friend had been messaging about rather problematic behaviours from a girl he was casually dating and just reading through the story of what was going on with him was enough to spark the song idea.”
Over time that idea grew almost on its own.
“After that I kept adding to it whenever something new would happen with him or with someone else and eventually those stories came together, and I finally ended up with ‘Stick Poke Tattoos’. The tale of my friends’ failing relationships and their fears that came with it.”
The release marks the first taste of new music from Hayden’s forthcoming second album, recorded earlier this year at The Rabbit Hole Recording Studio, where Brandon Dodd once again stepped behind the desk after producing Hayden’s acclaimed debut record ‘Too Young’.
Built with a live-band philosophy that prioritised chemistry and feel, the sessions featured an impressive cast of musicians including drummer Syd Green, bassist and mastering engineer Jeff McCormack, Brandon Dodd on electric guitar, and Hayden himself tracking with his trusted Maton Messiah Jumbo.
One late addition would prove to be the finishing touch.
“This song was a bit of a problem child for a while at the mixing stage. I felt like something was missing when it first came out of the studio, and I just couldn’t quite figure out what it was. We messed around with volumes and dynamics and eventually decided to add some fiddle, and it just clicked!”
That final layer came courtesy of fiddler Claire O’Meara, helping push the track toward its full-bodied Americana character – somewhere between modern country rock, folk grit and the Appalachian influences Hayden has increasingly embraced as his songwriting continues to evolve.
While still only early in his career, Hayden’s rise across the Australian country scene has been rapid.
A three-time graduate of the CMAA Academy of Country Music, Hayden first found recognition busking on Peel Street during the Tamworth Country Music Festival before building momentum through a string of acclaimed releases from debut album ‘Too Young’.
Those early releases landed editorial playlist support across Apple Music playlists including ‘Southern Craft’, ‘New in Country’ and ‘Aussie Country’, while his singles consistently charted through Play MPE download and streaming charts. Industry praise quickly followed.
ABC Country described him as “the voice of an angel and the heart of a troubadour proving you’re never ‘Too Young’ to impress”, while Country Music News International praised his songwriting as “a compelling arrival that promises a significant and impactful career.”
The accolades have continued stacking up, with Hayden named a Top 10 Finalist in Tamworth’s Best of Buskers, a Top 12 Finalist at both the Gympie Music Muster Mothertone Talent Search and the EKKA Country Music Showdown, while also performing at major festivals including the National Folk Festival and Boots N’ Beats.
Along the way he has shared stages with Australian country artist including James Johnston, Wicker Suite and Felicity Dowd.
The foundations of Hayden’s storytelling, however, stretch back much further. His parents first met at the Tamworth Country Music Festival in 1996, long before Hayden would eventually carve out his own place within the same community decades later. Raised in southern Sydney but carrying a family lineage shaped by coal miners, farmers, shearers and musicians, that deep connection to working-class Australian stories has become central to his writing.
Outside music, Hayden spends much of his downtime building online video games, with one of his creations currently outperforming his streaming numbers. As he puts it with characteristic humour, some fans might still be deciding whether that says more about the games…..or the music.
With ‘Stick Poke Tattoos’ now introducing a bold new chapter sonically, Hayden is preparing for a huge second half of 2026, including an appearance at the upcoming Hats Off To Country Festival from 10th – 12th July, before heading to Nashville later this year for an extended ten-week stay immersed in the songwriting culture of Music City.
“I’m heading to the United States in August for quite a while and really wanted to get a first single from this catalogue out into the world. I’ll be spending about 10 weeks living in Nashville from September till November. I’m heading across with family, so it’s not a ‘work trip’ as such, but I’ll be there soaking up everything that Music City has to offer.”
CONNECT WITH HAYDEN PHILLIS https://www.facebook.com/haydenphillis.music
TAYLOR FELT BLOSSOMS OUT OF HEARTBREAK ON NEW EP ELECTRABLOOM – LISTEN HERE
Dance-pop artist Taylor Felt releases her sophomore EP, ELECTRABLOOM, via ADA. Leading the project is euphoric opener “FALL 4 U,” Taylor’s declaration to surrender to love. Structured like a rollercoaster, the song begins soft and hypnotic with Taylor’s chant vocals before erupting into a laser-filled drum breakdown that makes it impossible not to move. It sets the tone for the whole project, learning to embrace every part of yourself you fear, even the parts you don’t want people to see, and love them.
“This song was written as a love letter to my higher self and manifesting my future lover,” says Taylor. “After years of feeling fearful of losing myself again in love, I used this song to manifest falling headfirst for someone who I felt safe to let go and surrender.”
The 7-track project, executive produced by Deion Gill (USHER, Miguel, French Montana), is the long-awaited follow-up to her debut EP Dead Flowers. Where Dead Flowers documented heartbreak and the grief of letting go, ELECTRABLOOM is its answer. Taylor is healed, powerful, and fully in bloom. Written as a love letter to herself, the EP is a study in duality, the ELECTRA and the BLOOM, the electronic and the organic, the chaos and the peace. Sonically, it blends hyperpop production, recession pop energy, and confessional lyricism into a world that feels nostalgic yet futuristic.
ELECTRABLOOM arrives with momentum, following editorial support for summer synth-pop anthem “TANLINES” on Spotify’s All-New Pop and “MOVE A LITTLE” on its New Dance Pop playlist. To celebrate the release, the Connecticut-born artist will take over MINIPNG, the popular vintage clothing store in New Haven, CT, on Saturday, July 11, performing an acoustic set of the EP for her home state fans at 2:00 p.m. ET, broadcasted live on Twitch.
Taylor’s rise is backed by a series of high-profile achievements that bridge the gap between viral stardom and industry prestige. Chronicled in the likes of Ones To Watch and Wonderland Magazine, she has performed the National Anthem for the NFL’s San Francisco 49ers and the NBA’s Los Angeles Lakers, serves as a Yamaha Ambassador and SXSW 2026 panelist, and was the only music artist selected as an official TikTok Ambassador in 2020, representing the platform at the Grammys. With an audience of over 3.2 million followers and daily Twitch streams as a Partner, Felt remains a fiercely independent multi-hyphenate focused on empowering her listeners through raw storytelling and lush, runway-inspired production.
ABOUT TAYLOR FELT
The rebellious nature of Taylor Felt is woven into the DNA of her music. Her unapologetic lyrics are embedded into every song she writes, while the production lays the foundation for everything from electrifying anthems to sentimental songbook moments from the heart. Taylor’s newest EP, ELECTRABLOOM arrives with momentum, following editorial support for summer synth-pop anthem “TANLINES” on Spotify’s All-New Pop and “MOVE A LITTLE” on its New Dance Pop playlist. Her debut EP, “Dead Flowers”, exceeded 250K Spotify streams in its first month, and Taylor has organically grown a highly engaged audience of 3.2M+ followers across platforms such as TikTok, YouTube, Instagram, Snapchat, and Twitch. In 2020, she was recognized for her efforts and was selected as an official TikTok Ambassador, the only music artist chosen, and attended the Grammys on behalf of the brand. Taylor was also the co-writer and featured artist alongside Jaden Smith in the title track of “Life In A Year,” a film starring Jaden Smith and Cara Delevingne. She recently performed the National Anthem for the NFL San Francisco 49ers this past December, where she delivered powerful highs and sultry lows that took listeners on an emotional journey.
GORODA Release New Single + Video “Do Something Wrong” feat. Bobby Amaru of Saliva
GORODA Teams with Bobby Amaru for a Hard-Hitting Anthem That Challenges Convention and Inspires Change
Hard rock band GORODA have unleashed their new single and music video, “Do Something Wrong,” featuring Bobby Amaru of Saliva, available now via Judge & Jury Records.
After GORODA opened for Saliva at a sold-out show earlier this year, the bands connected. The mutual respect and appreciation they developed led them to join forces and create “Do Something Wrong.”
“Our song ‘Do Something Wrong’ showcases our creative potential and highlights the genres in which we particularly excel in. The track features a striking musical break, as well as a collaboration with a band that has inspired us for many years. In many ways, the song is a scream, not so much for help, but rather as a response to the tense situations unfolding in the modern world. Through this piece, we aim to show that there is always another way to act…that things can be done differently,” shares the band.
Bobby Amaru adds, “When they sent me the song idea, the first thing that grabbed me was the message. From the lyrics alone, I knew they were writing for the world, not just for themselves. It carried a powerful message of unity and hope, and I felt connected to it right away. I also have a lot of respect for their work ethic and the passion they put into everything they do, so it was an easy yes for me.”
Lyrically, “Do Something Wrong” challenges the notion that people should be forever defined by where they come from, the mistakes they’ve made, or the history they’ve inherited. Instead, the song emphasizes that what truly matters is where you stand today, what you stand for, and who you choose to stand beside. Through its message, GORODA encourages listeners to connect across differences, reject division, and embrace shared humanity. “Do Something Wrong” captures that spirit while introducing the band to an even broader audience through their collaboration with Bobby Amaru.
Musically, GORODA has carved out a sound all their own. Drawing from influences that span synth-wave, progressive jazz, classical music, and modern hard rock, the band blends technical musicianship with emotionally charged songwriting to create an unmistakable sonic identity. Their songs serve as vehicles for collective reflection, urging society to confront its mistakes and resist the corrupt officials and institutions of power.
“Do Something Wrong” feat. Bobby Amaru of Saliva is available now on all major streaming platforms!
STREAM “Do Something Wrong”
https://ffm.to/dosomethingwrong
DEFECTS return with new album Artificial Icons and reveal the dystopian single ‘Signs’ featuring Matt Heafy
Check out ‘Signs’ ft. Matt Heafy – WATCH | STREAM
Pre-order/pre-save HERE.
Released 16 October via Mascot Records
Also check out the videos for Artificial Icons | Heresy | All For Nothing
Defects have announced their new album, Artificial Icons, due 16 October via Mascot Records, alongside the dystopian single ‘Signs’ featuring Matt Heafy.
Artificial Icons—produced by Jim Pinder (Sleep Token, Bring Me the Horizon)—fizzes with anger, frustration, and the balance of survival. These songs aren’t just stories; they’re personal fights via homelessness and addiction, messed-up systems, and broken connections.
2024’s Modern Error documented singer Tony Maue’s anguish at being taken into care at a young age. Grief and trauma don’t vanish overnight; they twist and evolve, indifferent to who you are or what you face. Still, you push forward—because you have to. Pandora’s Box has been opened. This continues to chronicle that journey.
One of the album’s standout moments is ‘Signs’ featuring Matt Heafy. ‘Signs’ places the listener in a war-torn setting. “I want to write songs that matter. To make people think,” he affirms. People are dying. This needs to be addressed. It’s about looking for meaning. Trying to find a place to belong. There’s frustration, but also determination, even when the world feels like it’s crumbling. I’m so excited that this one features Matt.”
They hit the road hard in 2024-2025, sweeping across Europe with Trivium, Northlane, Of Mice and Men, Orbit Culture, and Funeral for a Friend. Their festival checklist was epic, Download, Slam Dunk (UK), Mystic (Poland), Rock Im Park, Rock Am Ring, Impericon, Rockharz, Summer Breeze (Germany), Rock For People (Czechia), Jera On Air (Netherlands), Graspop, and Parkpop (Belgium).
Summer 2025 shifted to autumn, uncertainty hung over the band like a looming storm cloud and the heavens metaphorically opened, almost drowning Maue as life complications piled up, threatening to pull him under, reflected on ‘The Other Side’ and ‘Afterglow.’
“‘Afterglow’ was saying, go on without me. I don’t know if I’ll be able to fix myself. The second verse talks about the justification of suicide. Accepting that I’m flawed, and I’ll never change. It was a goodbye message, almost.” “I’m fine now,” he reassures. “The number of times I haven’t been is still outbalanced.”
“Modern Error was built from the very first songs we ever crafted from the moment of getting into a studio together,” says Threadwell. “On this album, we really had the space to develop and grow into ourselves. It’s an exciting metamorphosis.”
The album careers through the socio-political, ‘Artificial Icons,’ and ‘Heresy‘, a confrontation with blind faith and false hope. ‘All For Nothing,’ is aimed inwards. “When I was younger, overthinking led me to drugs. I nearly died. The worst part was feeling alone.” He continues, “When I did drugs, I gave up. If I stop moving forward, I fall back.”
Artificial Icons goes deeper than before, tethering itself to profound life experiences. 2026 offers Defects a bright light, and Tony Maue (vocals) and James Threadwell (guitar) welcome Rowan Jack (drums) and Orlando Morris-Winmill (guitar).
Music continues to light the path. “I can’t give up. I’ve given up before. I know what that looks like, and I’m not doing that again,” Maue reflects, with Threadwell adding, “There’s no limit at this point. We have a vision, and there’s nothing out of reach.”
Defects Online
Website | Facebook | Instagram | TikTok | X | YouTube | Spotify
HEATHEN Bay Area Thrash Legends Cover Iron Maiden’s “The Prisoner” for 50th Anniversary
“Not a prisoner, I’m a free man” – Iron Maiden’s “The Prisoner”
Quickly following their triumphant returning single “Never A God” earlier this year, Bay Area thrash legends HEATHEN break back out with another offering.
In celebration of the mighty Iron Maiden’s 50th anniversary, HEATHEN has taken a stab at the Number of The Beast classic, “The Prisoner”. Pulling samples from the TV show of the same name, enlisting artist Dan Goldsworthy (known for his work with Accept, Inhuman Condition, and Haken) to Eddie-ify the goblin from “Goblin’s Blade”—a callback to their HEATHEN’s 1987 record Breaking The Silence—and reworking their logo to look like Maiden’s, HEATHEN pull out all the stops to ensure this was more than just homage. Performing the track with a studied reverence for the subject material, HEATHEN unleashes metal greatness with a modern edge and seasoned orchestration.
About the track guitarist Kragen Lum says:
“What can we say about the legendary Iron Maiden that hasn’t already been said? They’ve given us 50 years of energetic, melodic metal that’s inspired HEATHEN and legions of other bands in the genre. “The Prisoner” was an easy choice for us to cover, with its heavy intro, up-tempo verses, catchy chorus, and classic instrumental section. We added a few touches to “Heathenize” the song while staying true to what made it so great when it was first released in 1982. Enjoy this recording as we celebrate the 50th anniversary of one of heavy metal’s greatest bands. Up the Irons!”
Watch the Official Video for “The Prisoner” https://youtu.be/pRdVpBCNhbU
FLOTSAM AND JETSAM Unleash Incendiary Second Single “Harvesting The Hate”
New Album Rats In The Temple Out via Napalm Records August 28, 2026
Touring Australia Sept/Oct
Shortly following the release of their triumphant returning single and title track “Rats In The Temple”, thrash legends FLOTSAM AND JETSAM offer fans a second taste of the fury that lies within Rats In The Temple, out August 26 via Napalm Records. The incendiary album opener, “Harvesting the Hate”, is built upon methodical machine gun kicks and standout guitar performances from virtuoso guitar duo Michael Gilbert and Steve Conley.
Frontman Eric A.K. Knutson says about the track:
“Another heavy, dramatic beast of a song from our arsenal of madness. This one asks you to look in the mirror, to find the true problem in your life. And stop harvesting the hate!”
Check out the Official Video for “Harvesting The Hate” https://youtu.be/MKYJ1hX_fIg
Thrash metal icons FLOTSAM AND JETSAM, known for their trailblazing blend of blistering thrash and soaring power metal—established on breakthrough records like the Kerrang! championed classic Doomsday for the Deceiver, (1986), No Place for Disgrace, (1988), and Cuatro, (1992) and refined in their current renaissance with the German chart climbing The End of Chaos, (2019), Blood in the Water, (2021), and I Am the Weapon, (2024)—are back with their newest diamond, and Napalm Records debut, Rats In The Temple, out August 28, 2026. With nearly four decades on the scene, countless world tours, and appearances at prestigious festivals like Wacken, Graspop, Bloodstock, Alcatraz, and Rockhard, they’ve carved their sound down to a fine point, piercing listeners with earth-shattering blast beats, scorching guitars, epic string arrangements, and exalted frontman A.K. Knutson’s unmistakably haunting wail.
Frontman Eric A.K. Knutson about the album:
“This record is a BEAST, truly our best effort to date!! Do yourself a favor. Dim the lights, grab a drink, put the headphones on, and crank this up. You will not be sorry you did!!!”
Pre-Order Your Copy of Rats In The Temple
lnk.to/FlotsamAndJetsam-RatsintheTemple/napalmrecords
Rats In The Temple opens strong with the stadium-ready hooks and dizzyingly precise performances of “Harvesting The Hate” and “Damnation”, before delving into thrash virtuosity on “Absolution”. The iconic guitar duo of Michael Gilbert and Steve Conley paint vividly ghoulish images on tracks like “Blame The Knife” and “Rats In the Temple”, then continue to flex their metal muscle on “The Ghost Behind My Door” and “First on the Spike”, invoking pure first-wave excellence with a pummeling modern menace. “The Edge of Nowhere” builds inescapable suspense before firing listeners out of a gun, full throttle into “Last Rites”, another standout track for the band. The legendary rhythm duo of drummer Ken Mary and bassist Bill Bodily take center stage on the anti-war anthem “A Taste For War”, their methodical syncopation invoking images of tanks and boots on the ground. “Her Blood Your Pain” brings ornate, medieval guitarmonies before “Anthem For The Broken” goes full balls to the wall, and “Going Down That Way” hits listeners with heavy riffs and even heavier truths. Rats In The Temple remains enthralling throughout, giving listeners entry to numerous of the band’s metal chambers, sampling a refined and eclectic serving of influences.
Churning like magma beneath the Earth, FLOTSAM AND JETSAM have only been growing more and more fiery with time, and Rats In The Temple sees the band exploding to the surface in a magnificent and awe-inspiring blaze. For fans new and longstanding, you cannot escape them; they’re through the walls.
TOUR DATES
Wednesday, Sept 30: Crowbar, Brisbane
Thursday, Oct 1: Lion Arts Factory, Adelaide
Friday, Oct 2 : Max Watt’s, Melbourne
Saturday, Oct 3: Crowbar, Sydney
Tickets and info available at:
VISIONS OF ATLANTIS and SALTATIO MORTIS
Unveil the new Single “Reckless Sailor (Black Flag Rises)” for ASSASSIN’S CREED – BLACK FLAG RESYNCED
Symphonic metal pioneers VISIONS OF ATLANTIS set sail alongside German medieval metal titans SALTATIO MORTIS on the brand-new single, “Reckless Sailor (Black Flag Rises)”. Reimagining the legendary sea shanty “Drunken Sailor”, the track arrives together with an official music video and was created in collaboration with Ubisoft Germany to celebrate the launch of Assassin’s Creed™ Black Flag Resynced.
With the unmistakable vocal performances of Clémentine Delauney and Michele Guaitoli, VISIONS OF ATLANTIS bring their signature cinematic symphonic metal spirit to the newly arranged classic. Blending driving guitars with maritime melodies, SALTATIO MORTIS transform the iconic shanty into a powerful anthem of freedom, courage and life beyond convention—an epic musical adventure that perfectly captures the spirit of Assassin’s Creed™ Black Flag Resynced.
Watch the Official Music Video for “Reckless Sailor (Black Flag Rises)” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ztTZuGPyFks
Following the critically acclaimed albums Pirates (2022) and Pirates II – Armada (2024), VISIONS OF ATLANTIS have firmly established themselves among the leading forces of modern symphonic metal. Their collaboration with SALTATIO MORTIS unites two bands driven by a shared passion for adventure, freedom and captivating storytelling, breathing new life into one of the most iconic sea shanties of all time.
About SALTATIO MORTIS:
Founded in 2000, SALTATIO MORTIS have become one of Germany’s defining medieval rock acts. Blending traditional instruments such as bagpipes, hurdy-gurdy and drums with modern rock elements, the band has earned a reputation for spectacular live performances and songs exploring themes of freedom, unity and change. Over the years, they have conquered the stages of major festivals including Wacken Open Air, M’era Luna and Summer Breeze.
BRYMIR Finnish Melodic Death Metallers Announce New Album, What We Leave Behind, For October 2, 2026 via Napalm Records. Sweeping Title Track Released as First Single
Helsinki-based BRYMIR make a strong case for melodic death metal with What We Leave Behind, coming October 2, 2026 via Napalm Records! In a darkening world full of existential dread, the Finnish band—singer Viktor Storm Gullichsen, guitarist Joona Björkroth, bassist Jarkko Niemi, and drummer Patrik Fält—takes a stand with their most sinister album yet. Again heavily influenced by their singer’s main job as a movie sound designer, BRYMIR create vast cinematic soundscapes around their sometimes bleak, sometimes hopeful, but always honest messages.
Along with the album announcement, BRYMIR share the title track as the first single. The keys-driven “What We Leave Behind” reveals the theme of the Finnish melodic death metal band’s darkest album to date: between an ever-so-catchy chorus and aggressive high-speed verses, BRYMIR make a strong case against war and for humanity. Painting the world in flames, the four-piece takes a leap into outer space as a result in the accompanying music video while diving into existentialism on their way.
BRYMIR about “What We Leave Behind”:
“There are defining moments in our lives when we need to choose if we keep walking along the same trajectory or take a leap into the unknown. These choices, sometimes life-changing, often need to be made in an eyeblink, and the consequences can only be cherished or despised when viewed in retrospect. This is a song about our regrets—may these haunting melodies help you reflect on yours and hopefully show some solace in the beauty of the journey.
For this music video, we wanted to boldly go into the sci-fi aesthetic we’ve been hinting at for a while now. It may seem drastic to some of our fans, but the undercurrents have definitely been there for a long while already, and this video and lead single we feel is the final ripping off of the proverbial band-aid. We’re bending and breaking our boundaries and definitely any preconceptions of BRYMIR as just a ‘folk metal’ band. Thematically and musically, the title track, of course, is the summation of the whole of the very diverse upcoming album, stretching through epochs of time and the very core existential drive of humanity. What do we leave behind? What is the legacy we wish to leave for those who come after? Or is our obsession over legacy the poison pill for our present? Our blindness to make the progress that truly matters in the end, so very near us… We boldly engage the warp-drives, but maybe we leave the truly important things back home after all.”
Watch the Official Music Video for “What We Leave Behind”
Strongly tied to current societal developments, BRYMIR deliver an equally raw and fantastical album. Their darkest output yet, the band’s fifth album hits especially hard—and leaves absolutely no open questions behind. As introspective as it is outspoken, What We Leave Behind is an epic plea for humanity.
BRYMIR about What We Leave Behind:
“Since our previous album, the world certainly hasn’t gotten any lighter—and as art reflects life, our fifth album, What We Leave Behind, is the darkest creation we’ve made so far. Both musically as well as thematically… ‘What We Leave Behind?’ is the core question explored from many perspectives: from personal hopes, dreams, and fears to societal developments to dark sci-fi and existential despair. Join us on this dark emotional journey, at times violent, at times beautiful, and always honest in baring the soul of what is BRYMIR – no compromise, everything raw and real.”
Get Your Copy Of What We Leave Behind
lnk.to/Brymir-WhatWeLeaveBehind/napalmrecords
The atmospheric instrumental intro, “Slaying Star”, moves right into its faster counterpart, “Sleipnir”, opening up the album with the speed and fury of the eight-hooved horse companion to Allfather Odin it is named after. Keyboards and choirs carry BRYMIR’s epic death metal to new heights. Following “Tempestbound” shifts the focus to speedy guitar work while unveiling the overarching theme of What We Leave Behind. Wrapped in the cloak of mythology, BRYMIR deliver a message clearly translatable into our society: No matter the belief system, the Gods are all the same—and none of them is worth dying for at the hands of moribund mankind. The keys-driven title track, “What We Leave Behind”, hammers in the pacifist message: “Midgard lies in flames”, the four-piece exclaims regretfully about the realm of people, the reason following right behind in the ever-so-catchy chorus, whose calmness serves as a stark contrast to the high-speed verses: “Vanity paves the road to Hel”, the meaning of which is clear even without knowledge of the Edda. “True Darkness” moves down a gloomier path, taking a particularly creative approach to BRYMIR’s signature orchestral sound: following the stages of grief, it offers its chorus only in melody to keep up with the progression of the lyrics. After dismal passages, it closes with hopeful clean vocals and a bittersweet spoken word outro—truly cinematic. Aptly named instrumental breather “Moment Of Silence” beautifully prepares for “Buried Legion”, a contrastingly sweeping song powered by choirs that paint a martial image. Inspired by German composer Johann Sebastian Bach, “Thy Self The Highest Love” serves as a liturgical prelude to “The Roaring King”, in which BRYMIR turn down the speed while losing none of their vigor. The lengthy epic “Broken Dawn” picks up right where the preceding track left off: a waltz, this track closes the album majestically, showcasing the band’s knack for film-like build-ups. For everyone wanting to end on a lighter note, the band adds an out-of-the-box bonus cover to What We Leave Behind. Scooter’s eurodance classic “How Much Is The Fish” is reworked into a rousing melodeath track—an additional nod to BRYMIR’s stance against ocean pollution, “Herald of Aegir”, from the previous album, Voices In The Sky (2022), live performances of which regularly see salmon plushies in the audience.
BÜLENT CEYLAN Releases New Single “Wolfsherz” feat. Doro Pesch. New Album B.L.N.T. Out September 11
Following the release of the hard-hitting singles “Diktatürk” and “Stumpf ist Trumpf”, BÜLENT CEYLAN reveals a more emotional side of his upcoming second studio album, B.L.N.T., with today’s new single, “Wolfsherz”. For the album’s third single, the Mannheim-born artist teamed up with none other than Heavy Metal Queen Doro Pesch. Together, they deliver a powerful metal ballad packed with intensity, emotion and soaring melodies, accompanied by a stunning official music video featuring real wolves. Doro Pesch’s unmistakable smoky vocals add even more emotional depth to the track, making “Wolfsherz” one of the album’s most touching highlights. B.L.N.T. will be released on September 11, 2026 via Napalm Records.
BÜLENT CEYLAN on the new single:
“I’m more than excited that the wonderful Doro Pesch is singing this special song with me. It’s an absolute honor, and filming the video together was absolutely unforgettable!”
Watch the Official Music Video for “Wolfsherz” feat. Doro Pesch https://youtu.be/KBSrym6DYQ4
From the comedy stage straight into the mosh pit! German comedian and entertainer BÜLENT CEYLAN unleashes his second heavy metal album, B.L.N.T., on September 11, 2026, via Napalm Records. As one of the country’s best-known comedians and entertainers, BÜLENT CEYLAN has been performing on the nation’s biggest stages for over 25 years and holds a very special place in the hearts of his fans, thanks to his humor and down-to-earth manner. Alongside comedy, he is devoted heart and soul to metal, and not just as a fan. Bülent is a metalhead through and through! In 2024, the Mannheim-based artist released his debut album, Ich liebe Menschen (Translation: I Love People), followed by the tour of the same name with his four-piece band. With B.L.N.T., he now cements his place in the ranks of heavy metal!
BÜLENT CEYLAN comments:
“For me, this album is an absolute dream come true, and I hope metal fans will celebrate it just as much as I do. There’s a lot of Bülent in this album—Bülent the person and Bülent the musician. Thanks as well to Napalm Records for believing in me so strongly and joining me on this journey.”
Get your copy of B.L.N.T
https://lnk.to/BuelentCeylan-BLNT/napalmrecords
Following performances at the legendary Wacken Open Air, at the Scorpions’ anniversary concert, and at Metal Holidays, as well as through his collaboration with the German edition of Metal Hammer—at whose 2024 awards ceremony BÜLENT CEYLAN hosted the evening—he once again proves his standing as a serious musician with B.L.N.T.! It has humor, brains, and above all else, one thing in particular: plenty of heavy sounds. An album for heavy metal fans and for all those who share Bülent’s passion, openness, and keen eye for society.
VILLAGERS OF IOANNINA CITY Release Haunting Music Video for Album Title Track “Venceremos”
New Album Out September 18, 2026 via Napalm Records
Greek heavy rock torchbearers VILLAGERS OF IOANNINA CITY have unveiled an official music video for their monumental new single, “Venceremos”, the powerful title track of their forthcoming studio album, set for release on September 18, 2026 via Napalm Records.
Standing at the emotional core of the record, “Venceremos” surges forward with dynamic shifts, crystal-clear vocal delivery and a commanding crescendo that masterfully balances tension and release. Blending crushing heaviness with soaring bagpipe melodies and an unrelenting forward momentum, the epic title track captures the band’s signature sound while delivering a powerful message of resilience, hope and perseverance.
The band comments: ““Venceremos” is a promise that even in the darkest moments, hope endures. Venceremos isn’t about winning, it’s about refusing to break. It’s about resilience and overcoming fear, choosing to stand your ground, and believing that freedom, no matter how distant, it will come in the end.”
Watch the haunting music video for “Venceremos” now premiering here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q0b2l62ml1U
Set in a dystopian future shaped by illusion, control and fear, Venceremos unfolds as a journey through exile, resistance and awakening. It follows those who rise against a broken world, rejecting gods and modern kings in order to reclaim freedom and meaning. Through struggles, hopes, fears and deep reflections on existence, one truth remains constant: the quest is one, and its name is freedom.
Rather than bending to trends, VILLAGERS OF IOANNINA CITY sharpen their identity. The upcoming album presents itself as heavy, direct and intense, driven by a raw and immediate energy. It leans decisively into heavy rock and metal, pushing into more aggressive territory while unfolding with a genuinely progressive spirit, where each composition evolves with purpose and depth.
Ritualistic rhythms, expansive arrangements and traditional instrumentation such as bagpipes and zourna are not mere embellishments, but essential elements of the band’s sonic language. Folk and Hellenic elements meet powerful riffs and dynamic structures in a sound that feels direct, distinctive and entirely their own.
Produced and recorded by Alex Karametis at Magnanimous X Studio in Greece, and mixed and mastered by Jacob Hansen at Hansen Studios, Venceremos captures clarity and depth in equal measure. With this release, VILLAGERS OF IOANNINA CITY deliver a powerful statement and a journey through darkness, defiance and the unbreakable force of rebellion. As one of the key names in post-stoner and heavy prog rock, the band once again reinforces their place within the scene, with Venceremos standing as a defining step in their ongoing evolution.
Pre-order Venceremos HERE:
http://lnk.to/VillagersOfIoanninaCity-Venceremos
WALLS OF JERICHO Metallic Hardcore Legends to Make Triumphant Studio Return
New Album System Error: Humanity, drops November 13, 2026
Metalcore would not exist in its current form without Detroit legends, WALLS OF JERICHO. With genre defining records like 1999’s The Bound Feed The Gagged and 2004’s All Hail The Dead captivating the underground scene and establishing the model, they went on to break through charts globally with With Devils Amongst Us All, The American Dream, and No One Can Save You From Your Self thoroughly cementing their prestige.
After years of gigging relentlessly, decimating prestigious stages at Louder Than Life, Hellfest, Tied Down, and Furnace Fest amongst others, they finally return with a new studio offering, System Error: Humanity, dropping November 13, 2026 via Napalm Records. Pummeling, confrontational, and uplifting, WALLS OF JERICHO remain steadfast to the values and sound their legacy was built on.
Frontwoman Candace Buckingham on System Error: Humanity:
“System Error: Humanity is a raw, unapologetic, and most aggressive record to date. We set out to capture the chaos, intensity, and raw energy of our live show rather than chase perfection. Lyrically, it’s a rebellion against the modern forces that fracture identity: comparison, conformity, distraction, and the endless pressure to perform instead of live. At its core, this album is about reclaiming your attention, owning your choices, and becoming who you were before the world told you who to be. Kill the noise. Reclaim yourself.”
Alongside the album announcement, the band unleashes the menacing first single “The Ascent”. Tense from its opening notes, the track hurls discordant breakdowns at the listener, leaning on dissonant chugs with glacial weight guaranteed to kick you back a reading level.
Candace continues on “The Ascent”:
“‘The Ascent’ is a crushing blend of dissonant riffs, massive breakdowns, and raw intensity.
Lyrically, it’s about confronting yourself one hard truth at a time, shedding ego, silencing the noise, and discovering that real strength isn’t found at the summit, but in the discipline and honesty it takes to climb. Because growth begins where comfort ends.”
Watch the Official Video for “The Ascent” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pSvKmWOGKqk
Order Your Copy of System Error: Humanity lnk.to/WallsOfJericho-SystemErrorHumanity/napalmrecords
Clobbering listeners out of the gate with “True Til’ Death”, the band affirms the triumph of their comeback with rabid aggression: iconic frontwoman Candace Buckingham immediately commands listeners with her gargantuan growls. The discordant violence of tracks like “The Ascent” and “Untouchable”
EIVØR Announces New Studio Album TUNGL For October 16th Unveils Song Drekafljóð / Dragon Maiden
Transcendent Faroese artist Eivør has unveiled the next phase of her remarkable artistic journey. On October 16th this year, Eivør will release her new studio album, Tungl, the Faroese word meaning ‘moon’.
Eivør has offered a deeper glimpse into her newest musical vision with the release of new song Drekafljóð / Dragon Maiden accompanied by a breathtaking video filmed in Svínadalur, Iceland, by director Krassasig (Kristinn Arnar Sigurðsson). Watch here.
Eivør imparts about the song:
“I’m excited to share my new song, Drekafljóð / Dragon Maiden, with you.
The song is a tribute to the fierce, intuitive force that lives within us all. While my previous single, Healer, explored resilience, Dragon Maiden feels more like an awakening, a reminder of the power that has always been within you.
The song began as a poem that had been quietly living in the back of my mind for a long time. I wanted to capture that beautiful, liberating feeling of letting go of the need to control everything and opening yourself to whatever life may bring. I invited one of my favourite poetic minds, Marjun S. Kjelnæs, to finish the poem with me, and I’m so proud of what we created together.
I produced and recorded the song with my partner in crime, Tróndur Bogason, and my band. I wanted it to feel playful and danceable, while still carrying an undercurrent of melancholy. I love the contrast between movement and stillness, light and shadow, and I think this song lives somewhere between those worlds.
Dragon Maiden is about trusting your intuition, embracing uncertainty, and finding the courage to surrender to life’s unfolding. Sometimes the strongest thing we can do is stop trying to control everything and simply allow ourselves to be carried forward. I hope this song encourages people to reconnect with that part of themselves.”
Pre-order Tungl here: https://eivor.bfan.link/tungl
Listen to Drekafljóð / Dragon Maiden here: https://eivor.bfan.link/drekafljod
Watch the video for Drekafljóð / Dragon Maiden here: https://youtu.be/xwxgGrPnzPU
Tungl will be available in the following formats:
•CD Jewelcase
•Digipack – Artist Exclusive
•1LP gatefold (crystal clear vinyl)
•1LP gatefold (white & black marbled vinyl) – Nuclear Blast & Independent Stores
•1LP gatefold (transparent & black marbled vinyl) + 7″ bonus vinyl – Artist Exclusive
Speaking about the remarkable video shoot for Drekafljóð / Dragon Maiden, Eivør has divulged:
“Filming the video for Drekafljóð / Dragon Maiden was such a special experience. We spent two days in the beautiful landscape of Svínadalur, Iceland, staying with our friends Mattias and Brynhildur, who generously opened both their home and woodland to us.
One of the central ideas for the video was a rotating platform that Kiddi designed and built especially for the shoot. I spent days rehearsing with my Icelandic sister and choreographer, Aðalheiður Halldórsdóttir, who somehow taught me to sing while spinning without falling over.
I loved performing the song on the rotating platform. It almost felt like travelling through time. It was physically demanding, but once I stopped trying to control it and surrendered to the movement, everything fell into place. That felt deeply connected to the meaning of the song itself.
The entire process was driven by creativity, determination and a willingness to try something that felt almost impossible. I’m incredibly grateful to everyone who helped bring this vision to life, and I can’t wait for people to experience the finished film.”
Director Krassasig also expressed:
“I first met Eivør after her concert in Amsterdam last autumn. We spent the evening with her band and crew, had a lot of fun, and quickly realised we shared a similar creative energy. By the end of the night, we both knew we wanted to make something together.
When I first heard Drekafljóð, it immediately pulled me into a dreamlike world. I was fascinated by the contrast between its intimacy and its immense force, and I wanted the visuals to carry that same feeling. The concept came to me almost instantly: a large rotating platform in the middle of a forest, a simple but expressive spatial instrument that could transform movement and create strange, disorienting body dynamics. Rather than relying on visual effects, we wanted to create something tangible that Eivør could physically inhabit.
Bringing that idea to life became an engineering project in itself. The platform was built primarily from standard stage units, but with some important alterations to enable it to rotate. We first constructed it in my studio in Reykjavík, rehearsed there, then transported it into the forest piece by piece and assembled it on location before we could begin filming. Once Eivør stepped onto the platform, her presence and performative energy brought the mechanical structure to life, unleashing the song’s immense energy.”
TUNGL out 16th October 2026
01. Og mánin græt / And The Moon Cried
02. Drekafljóð / Dragon Maiden
03. Verjugarðar / Walls
04. Spøkilsir / Revenants
05. Hinumegin / The Other Side
06. Healer
07. Eon
08. Tann tú saknar / The One You Long For
09. Fangað (feat. Elinborg) / Trapped
10. Everyone But Me
For over two decades, Faroese artist Eivør has been regarded as one of the most bewitching and fearless voices to have emerged from the Nordic music scene. Ranging across rock, pop noir, jazz and folk to electronica over the course of 11 solo albums, various collaborations, live albums and soundtrack work including The Last Kingdom, God of War and God of War Ragnarök, her musical path has revealed both a restless, explorative spirit and a singer deeply connected to her Faroese roots, earning her the Nordic Council Music Prize along the way.
It’s testament to the singular yet universal nature of her music that her fanbase has grown to include metalheads and the Norse pagan folk scene – for whom her startling voice, hide drum and throat-chant incantation, Trøllabundin, has become an unofficial anthem – as well as the mainstream, all instinctively understanding that music coming from a place of true authenticity knows no boundaries.
If Eivør’s last album, Enn, marked the beginning of a darker, more atmospheric phase, her forthcoming release, Tungl – the Faroese word for ‘moon’ – and her first for the powerhouse German metal label Nuclear Blast, sees her reach further into elemental realms than ever before. Immersive, unmoored and steeped in a sense of time-stretched drama where familiar marker points give way as an inner compass emerges over its 10 searching tracks, it’s an album also in tune with a very contemporary need for navigation, self-belief and rejuvenation in the most uncertain of times.
As Eivør herself says:
“Tungl explores the ever-changing cycles of life – its songs move between moments of tenderness and heartache, love and loss, and the emotional tides that shape us. Like the moon that inspired its title, Tungl serves as a gentle guide through life’s darker passages, illuminating the beauty, resilience, and transformation found along the way.”
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TKAY MAIDZA RELEASES NEW SINGLE ‘ROMANTICIZE’ FT. JENEVIEVE
PLAYING YOURS & OWLS FESTIVAL IN OCTOBER
Visionary pop/ R&B/ rap artist Tkay Maidza follows up her attention-grabbing singles ‘Must Be’ and ‘Pressed’ this year with an exquisite new nostalgia-laden banger ‘Romanticize’ ft. Jenevieve out now via Island Records/ Dew Process.
‘Romanticize’ ft. Jenevieve arrives on the heel of its first play this morning on triple j breakfast with Abby and Tyrone, as well as the recent announcement that Tkay Maidza will return to Australia this October for the Yours & Owls Festival in Wollongong. LISTEN
Pushing into inspired new soul/ disco territory, the grooved-out, funk-heavy bassline is crafted by Trackside and the idiot and brings a whole new dimension and texture into Tkay’s established sonic universe.
A bold and exciting new direction that feels fresh and somehow completely organic, the tapping of US R&B and soul hotshot Jenevieve is a typically artful choice that points to the kind of high-grade, considered experimentation and collaboration to be showcased on Tkay’s upcoming new studio album due later this year.
Tkay and Jenevieve’s twin flame vocal performances dance around each other to electric effect – Jenevieve’s pitch-perfect control and Tkay’s slow unfurling of bars creating something sensual and substantial, pitched up by the subtle gloss and funk of Trackside and Kieran Watters’ production that makes this another standout moment in Tkay’s celebrated discography so far and one that will continue the attention around an artist that constantly seeks to evolve, carefully and thoughtfully leveraging new sonic terrain to hitmaking effect.
Speaking on “Romanticize” ft. Jenevieve, Tkay states:
“‘Romanticize’ is about reaching a plateau in a relationship or also life in general. I felt everything around this period of my life was reaching a complete halt going back and forth, and I found myself listening to old music trying to tap into creative ideas in ways I haven’t in a long time.
I was listening to Unknown Mortal Orchestra and Pale Jay a lot around this era as well as a lot of 90s R&B music, I started to go for long hikes & reconnect with nature. It’s a moment of wanting to go back to the better time period of life but I’m fighting with myself to acknowledge what is occurring and that the current changes are affecting me – that’s why it’s really tongue cheek in terms of the writing. It’s to find the light heartedness in the whole experience. There’s a curiosity of going through the same cycle but having too much pride at the same time.”
Following her releases ‘Must Be’ and ‘Pressed’ this year, ‘Romanticize’ keeps the heat on full as the third offering from Tkay’s upcoming new body of work, continuing to show her fearlessness and flair following on from her album Sweet Justice securing the 2024 ARIA Award for Best R&B Soul Release, a standout turn on Adekunle Gold’s ‘Attack’ and her Spotify Singles rework of ‘Electric Feel’.
The DNA of Tkay’s influences remains, refracted through something sharper and more personal. It’s this convergence that has defined her rise – from becoming the first female rapper signed to 4AD to touring with both Billie Eilish and Dua Lipa, her collaborations with Kaytranada, JPEGMAFIA and Charli XCX positioning Tkay Maidza at the apex of the ‘artists’ favourite artist’ matrix and as one of modern music’s true creative stars, 300M streams and counting.
Marking the start of a new era, Tkay steps into independence on her own terms. Now based in Los Angeles, she shifts gears with intention, choosing herself over the noise as a form of retribution. “People shouldn’t count me out or underestimate my abilities. They should be afraid when I’m quiet, as I come back more evolved,” she says. That pursuit feels less like momentum than precision – balancing chaos and clarity, intuition and design. What emerges is beyond reinvention. It’s alignment: a world pulled into focus, edges sharpened until nothing feels accidental.
TKAY MAIDZA APPEARANCES
Oct 3rd & 4th – Yours & Owls Festival – Wollongong NSW
TKAY MAIDZA NEW SINGLE
‘ROMATICIZED Ft. JENEVIEVE’
OUT NOW VIA DEW PROCESS/UNIVERSAL MUSIC
RUBY RODGERS ANNOUNCES NEW EP SIXTEEN TO BE RELEASED NOVEMBER 6 – PRE ORDER HERE
SHARES TITLE TRACK AS THE LEAD SINGLE
RUBY WINS 2025 ENVIRONMENTAL MUSIC PRIZE PEOPLE’S CHOICE AWARD,
NAMED LEAD YOUTH PATRON OF THE NEXT UP MUSIC AWARDS
Ruby Rodgers today announces her forthcoming EP, Sixteen, and shares its title track – listen HERE. Set for release on November 6, the EP follows her recent Environmental Music Prize People’s Choice Award win for Hits the Heart and news she will serve as Lead Youth Patron of the Next Up Music Awards.
Written across five songs, Sixteen pairs richly textured, immersive arrangements with lyrics that explore identity, power, adolescence and the complexities of growing up. Throughout the EP, Ruby places deeply personal experiences alongside broader social questions, allowing intimacy and observation to exist in equal measure.
At the centre of the project is lead single Sixteen – a song that reflects on girlhood and the expectations placed on young women. It considers the contradiction of being told you’re “just a kid” while simultaneously being viewed through an adult lens.
“The song came from thinking about what it means to grow up in a world that’s constantly trying to tell you who you are,” Ruby says. “I wanted to write about this uncomfortable obsession our society has with young women – the idea that innocence and youth are somehow the most desirable things a girl can possess. So many girls grow up feeling that tension, and I just wanted to put words to it.”
As the EP’s opening track, Sixteen sets the tone for the songs that follow. Its themes of identity, vulnerability and changing perspective reappear throughout the record, introducing a body of work that sits as comfortably in personal reflection as it does in wider social observation.
WATCH THE OFFICIAL ‘SIXTEEN’ VIDEO HERE:
Drawing inspiration from artists including Phoebe Bridgers, Radiohead and Ethel Cain, the Sixteen EP unfolds through rich, textured arrangements that create an immersive backdrop for Ruby’s songwriting. Written alongside collaborators Alex Hope, Aubrie Mitchell, Rhys Lewis, Nick Kingswell, Jem Cassar-Daley, Jessica Mauboy, Shane Nicholson and Benjamin Rodgers, with production by Benjamin Rodgers, the EP broadens Ruby’s songwriting without losing the intimacy that defines her writing.
“I think the thread connecting these songs is growing up and realising the world is a lot more complicated than you thought it was,” Ruby says. “The EP is about becoming disillusioned with the world without becoming cynical. It’s choosing joy, staying connected and believing things can still change.”
Beyond the title track, Father’s Daughter, For You, Suicide Doves and I’ll Be In The Sun move between family, identity, human rights and the search for optimism in an increasingly fractured world. While deeply personal, the songs consistently widen their lens, placing individual experiences alongside broader social and political realities. Across its layered arrangements and intimate songwriting, Sixteen returns to questions of identity, power, human rights and what it means to grow up in a world that rarely offers simple answers.
The announcement comes just days after Ruby was awarded the latest Environmental Music Prize People’s Choice Award for her 2025 single Hits the Heart. Written following her participation in Damon Gameau’s youth-led documentary Future Council, the song explores climate anxiety through the perspective of young people and was chosen by public vote from listeners across 61 countries.
Alongside the release, Ruby will also serve as Lead Youth Patron of the Next Up Music Awards, working alongside a national Youth Council to help ensure young people play a central role in shaping Australia’s newest music awards platform. Nominations are open HERE now.
Alongside her own artist project, Ruby has become an increasingly sought-after songwriter and topliner, collaborating with artists across Australia and internationally. Earlier this year she featured on SWEATBABY’s Switch, while her recent TEDx talk explored songwriting as a way of making sense of an increasingly complex world – an idea that also sits at the heart of Sixteen.
RUBY RODGERS – NEW EP ‘SIXTEEN’ RELEASED NOVEMBER 6 – PRE ORDER HERE
LEAD SINGLE ‘SIXTEEN’ OUT NOW – LISTEN HERE – WATCH HERE
SABATON Announce The Last Stand (10th Anniversary Edition) Out On September 11th
Swedish metal heavyweights Sabaton have officially announced that on September 11th 2026, their definitive blockbuster album, The Last Stand, will be re-released as a limited 10th Anniversary Edition via Nuclear Blast Records.
To do justice to this incredible milestone, the album will not only be released for the first time with all bonus tracks, but there will also be limited editions available featuring alternative artwork, along with live videos recorded at Sabaton Open Air 2016.
First released in 2016, The Last Stand conquered the world, cracking the Worldwide Top 10 and hitting #1 in multiple countries. The grand-scale concept album delivered Sabaton’s signature, explosive heavy metal, unleashing fan-favourite tracks and setlist favourites such as ‘The Last Stand’, ‘Winged Hussars’, ‘Shiroyama’ and many more!
Pär Sundström commented: “Who would have believed that 10 years could fly by so fast? We have so many great memories tied to “The Last Stand”, so we’re really happy to celebrate its 10th anniversary with the special edition vinyl and digibook with all the extras.
If you get your hands on the digibook, you’ll find bonus video footage that captures Thobbe – our guitarist – playing his final show with us at Sabaton Open Air in 2016 before stepping away for an eight-year vacation. In a way, it became his own “Last Stand”! Of course, none of us knew at the time that he’d eventually return to the band in 2024, which makes looking back at those moments even more meaningful. It’s a poignant chapter in our history, and the perfect thing to share as we celebrate the album’s 10th birthday.”
Pre-order The Last Stand (10th Anniversary Edition) here: https://nblast.de/thelaststand_10y
The Last Stand (10th Anniversary Edition) will be available in the following formats:
** CD+DVD Digibook (w/ bonus DVD feat. live clips from Sabaton Open Air 2016)
** 2LP Gatefold Vinyl (Disc One: Natural Red Marbled (Bloodstone marbled) / Disc Two: Trans Orange Black White Splatter)
The Last Stand (10th Anniversary Edition) tracklisting:
01. Sparta
02. Last Dying Breath
03. Blood Of Bannockburn
04. Diary Of An Unknown Soldier
05. The Lost Battalion
06. Rorke’s Drift
07. The Last Stand
08. Hill 3234
09. Shiroyama
10. Winged Hussars
11. The Last Battle
12. Camouflage *BONUS TRACK (Stan Ridgway cover)
13. All Guns Blazing *BONUS TRACK (Judas Priest cover)
14. Afraid To Shoot Strangers *BONUS TRACK (Iron Maiden cover)
15. Burn in Hell *BONUS TRACK (Twisted Sister cover)
The Last Stand (10th Anniversary Edition) DVD tracklisting:
01. Counterstrike (Live at Sabaton Open Air 2016)
02. The Art of War (Live at Sabaton Open Air 2016)
03. Resist and Bite (Live at Sabaton Open Air 2016)
04. To Hell and Back (Live at Sabaton Open Air 2016)
05. Sparta (Live at Sabaton Open Air 2016)
06. Gott Mit Uns (Live at Sabaton Open Air 2016)
07. Night Witches (Live at Sabaton Open Air 2016)
08. Shiroyama (Live at Sabaton Open Air 2016)
09. Primo Victoria (Live at Sabaton Open Air 2016)
10. Metal Crüe (Live at Sabaton Open Air 2016)
ABOUT SABATON
In over two decades since their launch, Swedish metallers Sabaton have carved out a reputation as one of the hardest working bands in the business – gaining a legion of loyal fans across the globe, delivering eleven highly-rated studio albums (including two certified platinum-sellers), and scoring multiple industry award wins and nominations.
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MY DYING BRIDE: ANTHOLOGY OF SOMBRE REFLECTIONS
A Deluxe 8-LP Boxset Featuring A Comprehensive Collection Of The Early Works Of The Doom Legends
Includes Newly Half-Speed Mastered Albums, Additional 48-Page Book, Plus Posters And Prints
Set For Release On Peaceville On August, 21 2026
‘Anthology of Sombre Reflections’ is an expansive and comprehensive collection of the early and much-celebrated works of the Doom Gods My Dying Bride.
From the formative deathly rawness of the revered ‘Towards the Sinister’ demo, ‘God is Alone’ 7” tracks and subsequent debut album, ‘As the Flower Withers’, through to the gothic-tinged funereal seductive delights of 1996’s highlight, ‘Like Gods of the Sun’.
With the addition of all-time genre classic opuses ‘Turn Loose the Swans’, and ‘The Angel and the Dark River’ also representing My Dying Bride’s much-loved early to mid-90’s period, the band’s three cult EPs are also featured in this deluxe eight-vinyl boxset, with each record presented on 180gm heavyweight black vinyl. The four studio albums themselves have also been treated to new half-speed masters courtesy of Air Studios.
Accompanying the audio is a 48-page book featuring photographs and artwork, plus new interviews with Andrew Craighan and Aaron Stainthorpe conducted in 2025 exploring some of the influences and thought-processes behind the creation of such cherished works of the 90s, as well as reflections of their output over this period.
‘Anthology of Sombre Reflections’ also contains 2 large posters depicting the ‘Turn Loose the Swans’ CD artwork image, plus the original poster included in ‘As the Flower Withers’. A selection of photo prints of the band from this era are also included.
Watch The Trailer For Anthology Of Sombre Reflections
Pre-Order Anthology Of Sombre Reflections, out August 21
https://mydyingbride.lnk.to/sombre_reflections
Disc 1 – The Grief Of Age
Side A
Symphonaire Infernus Et Spera Empyrium (1990 demo) – 08:53
Vast Choirs (1990 demo) – 07:35
The Grief Of Age (1990 demo) – 04:08
Catching Feathers (1990 demo) – 03:42
Side B
5. God Is Alone (1991 7″ version) – 04:57
6. De Sade Soliloquy (1991 7″ version) – 04:39
7. Unreleased Bitterness – 07:44
8. The Sexuality Of Bereavement – 08:04
Disc 2 – Symphonaire Infernus Et Spera Empyrium
Side A
Symphonaire Infernus Et Spera Empyrium – 11:36
Side B
2. God Is Alone – 04:48
3. De Sade Soliloquay – 03:41
Disc 3 – As The Flower Withers (Half-Speed)
Side A
Silent Dance – 02:14
Sear Me – 09:06
The Forever People – 04:09
The Bitterness And The Bereavement – 07:37
Side B
5. Vast Choirs – 08:16
6. The Return Of The Beautiful – 12:50
7. Erotic Literature – 05:14
Disc 4 – The Thrash Of Naked Limbs EP
Side A
The Thrash Of Naked Limbs – 06:10
Side B
2. Le Cerf Malade – 06:28
3. Gather Me Up Forever – 05:17
Disc 5 – Turn Loose The Swans (Half-Speed)
Side A
Sear Me MCMXCIII – 07:25
Your River – 09:18
The Songless Bird – 06:57
The Snow In My Hand – 07:05
Side B
5. The Crown Of Sympathy – 12:13
6. Turn Loose The Swans – 10:06
7. Black God – 04:50
Disc 6 – I Am The Bloody Earth EP
Side A
I Am The Bloody Earth – 06:35
Transcending (Into The Exquisite) – 08:39
Side B
3. The Crown Of Sympathy (remix) – 11:09
Disc 7 – The Angel & The Dark River (Half-Speed)
Side A
The Cry Of Mankind – 12:13
From Darkest Skies – 07:47
A Sea To Suffer In – 06:11
Side B
4. Black Voyage – 09:47
5. Two Winters Only – 09:01
6. Your Shameful Heaven – 06:59
Disc 8 – Like Gods Of The Sun (Half-Speed)
Side A
Like Gods Of The Sun – 05:40
The Dark Caress – 05:59
Grace Unhearing – 07:19
A Kiss To Remember – 07:32
Side B
5. All Swept Away – 04:17
6. For You – 06:37
7. It Will Come – 04:28
8. Here In The Throat – 06:21
9. For My Fallen Angel – 05:55
After a career spanning over thirty-five years, from UK underground upstarts and outliers, to major success on the international stage – including tours with UK icons Iron Maiden and genre legends Dio – My Dying Bride have themselves become a firmly established pillar of metal history with a refined and influential brand of Death/Doom metal. With enduring popularity across subsequent decades, My Dying Bride remains a productive and captivating vessel for tragedy and despair, with their studio output spanning fourteen full-length albums to date.
As part of the “Peaceville Three”, along with fellow countrymen Paradise Lost and Anathema, My Dying Bride truly became a primary force in highlighting Britain as an epicentre of this Doom revolution of the time, creating a highly distinguishable sound assisted by the inclusion of violin & a more poetic approach to the delivery of morbid and salacious topics, lending an additional air of eccentricity and eloquence to the darkness.
MY DYING BRIDE
LARISSA LAMBERT Unveils Bold New Single ‘Tunnel Vision’ as the Next Chapter of Her Highly Anticipated Debut Album
Yearning releases 18 September
Following the announcement of her first-ever U.S. headline shows, the Australian singer-songwriter reveals the most sonically commanding chapter of Yearning yet.
Single out now via New Levels
Larissa Lambert continues the rollout of her highly anticipated debut album, Yearning, with the release of ‘Tunnel Vision’, the fourth single from the project and its most sonically commanding chapter to date.
With each release, Yearning has invited listeners deeper into Larissa’s emotional world, from the fearless devotion of ‘I Love You Out Loud’, to the self-reflection of ‘Blood On The Strings’, and the romantic anticipation of ‘So Close’. Now, ‘Tunnel Vision’ shifts the energy once again, introducing a more hypnotic sound while exploring the intoxicating feeling of becoming completely consumed by love.
Driven by booming 808s, fresh production, and a distinct Trap & B influence, ‘Tunnel Vision’ marks a striking evolution in Larissa’s sound. While her previous singles floated through dreamy, ethereal soundscapes, this record arrives with undeniable weight and momentum, pairing hard-hitting production with the emotional vulnerability that has become her signature. Bold, immersive, and impossible to ignore, the track proves the sonic world of Yearning is far more expansive than listeners might expect.
“I co-wrote this song with Trey Campbell about that feeling of being completely consumed by someone when you’re in love,” says Lambert. “When you’re truly into a person, it’s like everything else becomes invisible and they become the only thing you can see. It captures that intense fixation and the way love can narrow your focus until all your attention is drawn to one person.”
As the fourth chapter of Yearning, ‘Tunnel Vision’ reveals another emotional layer of an album intentionally designed to unfold like a story. Rather than presenting love as a single emotion, Yearning explores the many forms it takes: devotion, longing, obsession, healing, desire, and ultimately acceptance, with each release serving as another chapter in Larissa’s unfolding narrative.
The release arrives just after Larissa announced her first-ever U.S. headline performances, marking a major milestone as she prepares to introduce Yearning to U.S. audiences this September.
Upcoming U.S. Headline Shows 2026
Wednesday 22 September
Peppermint Club: Los Angeles, CA
Wednesday 29 September
Mercury Lounge: New York, NY
Tickets on sale here
As anticipation continues to build toward the release of Yearning on September 18th, Larissa is quickly establishing herself as one of contemporary R&B’s most compelling new voices. With co-signs from SZA and Justin Bieber, a rapidly growing international fanbase, and a distinctive blend of nostalgic R&B, cinematic visuals, and emotionally rich storytelling, she continues carving out a lane entirely her own.
Larissa Lambert – Tunnel Vision
Single out now, debut album Yearning out 18 September via New Levels
Yearning debut album artwork
1. Jaded (Intro)
2. Say It’s Mine
3. Tunnel Vision
4. So Close
5. I Love You Out Loud
6. Yearning
7. Blood On The Strings
8. Mmm
9. Hard
10. Damaged Goods
11. Do It To Me
12. Body
13. Only 4 U
14. Free World
Connect with Larissa Lambert https://www.instagram.com/larissalambert/
BARB WATERS RELEASES NEW SINGLE WITH VAN WALKER ‘CHALET LIGHT’.
TOGETHER WITH ‘FARMER’S WIFE’, LAST MONTH’S DUET WITH DAUGHTER JEANIE PILKINGTON, THIS IS BARB’S FIRST NEW MUSIC IN A DECADE.
TO CELEBRATE THE TWO SONGS WILL BE RELEASED TOGETHER ON A LIMITED-EDITION VINYL 7″, AND BARB WILL PLAY A SPECIAL DOUBLE SINGLE LAUNCH IN AUGUST
Esteemed Melbourne singer-songwriter Barb Waters returns today with the new single “Chalet Light”, a superb duet/co-write with Van Walker and the country rock-tinged duet banger of the year!
Together with last month’s single “Farmers Wife”, a duet with Barb’s daughter Jeanie Pilkington from Folk Bitch Trio, “Chalet Light” is the first new music Barb has released under her own name in 15 years.
The new single was recorded at Melbourne’s Audrey Studios together with a stellar line-up of rock legends, including Chris Tabone, Bruce Haymes and Ashley Naylor, and they were produced, engineered and mixed by Craig Pilkington.
Along with the digital release of “Chalet Light”, a special 7” version will be available for pre-order as of today. The double A side single of ‘Farmer’s Wife/Chalet Light’ will be available on limited edition translucent teal 7” vinyl and black 7” vinyl through Cheersquad Records & Tapes and will be released on August 13, 2026.
https://cheersquadrecordstapes.bandcamp.com/album/chalet-light-farmers-wife
The 7″ release will come in time for Barb’s launch gig. .A special matinee show, the Double Single Launch at the Brunswick Ballroom, 16 August at 1pm will see Barb joined by mighty band and guest vocalists playing songs from Barb’s last decade or two of music making. Van Walker will open the show.
Buy BARB WATERS @ THE BRUNSWICK BALLROOM tickets, VIC 2026 | Moshtix
‘Chalet Light’ digital cover / ‘Farmer’s Wife’/’Chalet Light’ 7″ sleeve
Of the new song “Chalet Light”, Barb says, ‘I had this song going around in my head – based on the true story of some friends of mine who lived in NE Victoria, one of whom had passed away. But I felt the original song was too sentimental. Van and I had talked about collaborating and knowing that Van has a strong connection with the place (in the song), I sent him a sketch. Within days he came up with the missing ingredients. I can be guilty of second – guessing with song-writing, so when the other person gets the song, and takes it next level, well it’s immensely pleasing..’
Chalet Light is available on Bandcamp through Cheersquad.
https://cheersquadrecordstapes.bandcamp.com/album/chalet-light-farmers-wife
Barb Waters – vocals, guitars
Van Walker – vocals, guitars
Ash Naylor – guitar
Bruce Haymes – organ
Justin Vilchez – mandolin
Chris Rogers – bass
Chris Tabone – drums
Produced, engineered and mixed by Craig Pilkington Audrey Studios 2026. Mastered by Joe
About “Farmer’s Wife”… A duet with her daughter Jeanie Pilkington of Folk Bitch Trio, “Farmer’s Wife” was produced by Barb’s partner and Jeanie’s dad Craig Pilkington (who also played bass on the recording), making for a real family affair.
Says Barb, “‘Farmer’s Wife’ came about after I was driver for my daughter’s group Folk Bitch Trio, when they played Port Fairy several years ago. On the journey home I made a bet we should use the festival inspiration to all write a song.
“I played an early version of the tune at a Writers Block show in Melbourne, and Folk Bitch Trio performed the song with me for the vinyl launch on Cheersquad of Rosa Duet at the Brunswick Ballroom in 2024.
“Later we headed into Real World Studios in the U.K to capture a duet version of the song, with the two voices being the points of view of a mother and daughter.
“Set in the English countryside and surrounded by huge glass windows looking out onto the garden and brook draped in mist and rain, the outlook was perfect for the song’s introspective, Wintery vibes. We laid down opened-tuned acoustic and reverb-infused guitars and our voices. Chris Tabone played drums later at Audrey Studios in Melbourne.
“Produced, mixed and mastered by Craig Pilkington, and featuring our daughter Jeanie, ‘Farmer’s Wife’ is somewhat of a family affair.”
BARB WATERS…
Barb Waters has been a feature of the music landscape for many decades. Through her work with Chris Wilson’s Crown of Thorns, The Hollowmen, and fronting her bands, Barb Waters and the Rough Diamonds, Bad Audrey and the Mothers of Pearl, Barb has significantly contributed to Australia’s roots-country-rock movement. Barb has released the albums, Til the Morning Comes and Buffalo Mountain Girl, as a singer-songwriter and guitarist, receiving favourable airplay and reviews. Barb’s album of duets, Rosa Duet made in-roads into the European radio network, garnering airplay across the UK and Benelux countries, spending weeks in the Euro-American charts, and leading to a headline show at London’s Borderline.
Barb Waters has played guitar with Australian legends Archie Roach and Chris Wilson and continues to collaborate with Melbourne artists of the highest calibre. In 2024 and celebrating 20 years, Barb Waters’ Rosa Duet was released on vinyl through Cheersquad, backed with several sold out shows in Melbourne, including the Brunswick Ballroom and Out on the Weekend.
With a music project always on the go, in recent years, Barb has reunited with the Crown of Thorns, toured with Archie Roach, played with The Killjoys, and collaborated with Kerri Simpson, Alison Ferrier and Suzannah Espie on the Bluebirds album. She also curated a series of concerts, ‘And Introducing…’ for emerging artists and The Writers Block.
Barb’s early work with Chris Wilson and current association with Cheersquad lead to her playing in the house band and featuring on vocals at two sold out shows at Northcote Social Club for Cheersquad Records Presents the Songs of Chris Wilson in 2025.
www.facebook.com/barb.waters.73
www.instagram.com/barb.waters/
cheersquadrecordstapes. bandcamp.com
JOEL HAVEA – MASS FORMATION (EP)
“After a long time in the making, my new EP Mass Formation is finally out,” says Joel!
“It explores four different perspectives over the pandemic years, ending with “The Year That Music Died”, which many of you got an early preview of earlier this week. Thank you to everyone who listened and sent me your thoughts.
If you enjoy it, one of the biggest ways you can support independent artists is simply by streaming the EP, saving it to your library, adding a song to one of your playlists, or sharing it with a friend. Every little bit helps the music reach more people, especially in the first few days after release.
I would also love to know which song connects with you most?
Thanks so much for being here and for supporting what I do. It genuinely means a lot.
Chat soon,” Joel
P.S. I’ll also be touring Germany in September and have a few Australian shows coming up. You can find all the dates below.
UPCOMING SHOWS (TICKETS)
Aug 20 Ararat Town Hall, Ararat
Sep 03 Hot Jazz Club, Münster, Germany
Sep 04 Goslarsche Höfe, Goslar, Germany
Sep 09 Haus am Walde, Bremen, Germany
Sep 10 Kulturkirche Kaiserswerth, Düsseldorf, Germany
Sep 11 Stummsche Reithalle, Neunkirchen, Germany
Sep 12 Bad Salzunger Kultursommer, Bad Salzungen, Germany
Sep 13 Birdland, Hamburg, Germany
Oct 2-3 River Folk Festival, Warburton
Oct 9 Paris Cat Jazz Club, Melbourne