This week’s Snippetz includes: Kingfishr, Ella Hooper, Taylor Moss, The Ocean, Stellar Circuits, TURMION KÄTILÖT, Blacklist Union, The Eternal, HARBOURLIFE, Joel Green Band, Suzi, ILLAN KAAPAN, Meanies & Dad Fight, Bruce Cockburn, Unicorn, Prong, Ignea, Exumer, The Night Eternal.
IRISH INDIE FOLK PHENOMENON KINGFISHR RELEASE ‘THE SUNNYSIDE OF THE STREET’ FROM HIGHLY ANTICIPATED ALBUM “20TH CENTURY PADDY – THE SONGS OF SHANE MACGOWAN”
The tribute project celebrates the timeless genius of one of Ireland’s greatest songwriters, brought to life by an emotive new reinterpretation from Kingfishr.
Irish indie folk powerhouse, Kingfishr who have firmly established themselves as one of the most exciting breakthrough acts in modern music have officially released their stirring new single, ‘The Sunnyside of the Street.’ The track is a standout contribution to the upcoming tribute album, ‘20th Century Paddy – The Songs of Shane MacGowan’, honouring the legendary Irish singer songwriter, Shane MacGowan. Bringing their signature emotional depth to Shane MacGowan’s iconic storytelling, Kingfishr delivers a version that is both deeply respectful and uniquely their own.
‘20th Century Paddy – The Songs of Shane MacGowan’ is a curated, fierce collection dedicated to celebrating the enduring genius of the legendary Irish singer songwriter, Shane MacGowan. Bringing together an array of exceptional musical talent, the project serves a powerful cause while shining a fresh light on Shane MacGowan’s poetic storytelling. The album acts as a cultural bridge, proving that Shane MacGowan’s grit and literary brilliance continues to heavily influence and inspire the next generation of global music icons.
Honouring Shane Macgowan’s lifelong legacy 50% of artist royalties from the album will be donated to the Dublin Simon Community who actively provide life saving housing and healthcare initiatives for people experiencing homelessness across Dublin.
The album navigates Shane MacGowan’s entire creative arc, moving from the high velocity punk of his early years to the haunting, literate depths of his later work.
Here is the full tracklist of iconic songs:
Amble – The Snake With the Eyes of Garnet
Bob Geldof – St. John Of Gods
Bruce Springsteen – A Rainy Night in Soho
Camille O’Sullivan – You’re The One
Cronin – London You’re A Lady
Damien Dempsey – Sally MacLennane
David Gray – The Old Main Drag
David Keenan – The Sick Bed of Cuchulainn
Dropkick Murphys – The Body of an American
Garron Noone – White City
Glen Hansard – Bottle of Smoke
Hozier & Jessie Buckley – Fairytale of New York
Jimmy Artache – USA
Johnny Mac and The Faithful – Fiesta
Johnny Depp & Imelda May – Haunted
Kate Moss – Lonesome Highway
Kingfishr – The Sunnyside of the Street
Liam Ó Maonlaí – The Broad Majestic Shannon
Lisa Moorish & Another Day – Rain Street
Lisa O’Neill – Dark Streets of London
LYRA – Streets of Sorrow / Birmingham Six
Madra Salach – Turkish Song of the Damned
Moya Brennan – Mother Mo Chroi
Mundy – Victoria
Picture This – Aisling
Pinch of Snuff – Donegal Express
Primal Scream – A Pair of Brown Eyes
Steve Earle – If I Should Fall From Grace With God
The High Kings – Streams of Whiskey
The Jesus And Mary Chain – I’ll Be Your Handbag
The Libertines – Sayonara
The Murder Capital – The Song With No Name
The Pogues – Gabrielle
Tom Creagh – Paddy Public Enemy No. 1
Tom Waits – Summer In Siam
U2 – Yeah, Yeah, Yeah, Yeah, Yeah
The release is part of a stratospheric, record breaking year for Kingfishr. The band’s smash single ‘Killeagh’ became a certified cultural phenomenon, spending 17 weeks at #1 on the Irish charts, while their debut album ‘Halcyon’ also debuted at #1. The band has spent the year playing to packed rooms worldwide. They completed their first ever headline tour of Australia alongside a long list of sold out UK dates, including two nights at London’s O2 Academy Brixton. In addition to playing to over 100,000 fans at massive outdoor Irish shows, they hit major European festivals including Pinkpop, Hurricane, Southside, and Rock Werchter. Kingfishr have just begun their completely sold out US headline tour starting July 29, which features a landmark performance at The Fonda Theatre in Los Angeles on August 8. Looking ahead, they have just announced three massive Irish outdoor shows for Summer 2027, set to play to 90,000+ fans across Belfast, Dublin, and Limerick.
“We picked Sunnyside of the Street because of how surprisingly sad the lyrics are when you focus in on them. We thought the song deserved to be shown in a light that reflects that. Shane made an incredible contribution to music and it’s an honour to be included in the project with so many talented people, especially given the cause it serves.” – Kingfishr
As ‘20th Century Paddy’ prepares to introduce Shane MacGowan’s timeless songbook to a new era, Kingfishr’s contribution stands as a powerful testament to the enduring, cross generational impact of Shane MacGowans songwriting.
WATCH THE LYRIC VIDEO HERE https://youtu.be/LB6Yh_FYHQM
‘The Sunnyside of the Street’ is available now on all major streaming platforms. https://found.ee/kingfishr_thesunnysideofthestreet
ELLA HOOPER SHARES DISARMING NEW SINGLE WHEN THE SHIT WENT DOWN
ANNOUNCES NEW FULL-LENGTH ALBUM OVERNIGHT SUCCESS OUT OCTOBER 2
NATIONAL ALBUM LAUNCH TOUR KICKS OFF THIS OCTOBER
A glowing new era for beloved Australian singer-songwriter Ella Hooper will unfurl in 2026, set to release her third studio album Overnight Success on October 2. Weaving Americana charm with authenticity and poise, the announcement of Ella’s new upcoming album also arrives today with a warm and disarming new single When The Shit Went Down, along with a national album launch tour set to kick off in October in Victoria before heading through Brisbane, Melbourne, Adelaide, Newcastle, Sydney and Canberra.
Balancing intimate subject matter with glossy twang, warm melodies and Ella’s magnetic vocals, When The Shit Went Down was fittingly recorded in the Americana capital of Nashville. Ella tells how recording this track offered deep catharsis, capturing real-life experiences helping her work through them in real time – “It feels scary and amazing to be sharing such a personal track as a single,” Ella shares, “a blow by blow of some of the crazy shit me and my family went through in the last few years. I feel liberated, exhilarated, proud, wobbly, emotional, staunch. Yes, that’s a real mixed bag! But it’s the vibe I was trying to nail. It might just be my favourite song off the album…”
Teaming up with Australian-born, Nashville-based producer LOLLIES to bring When The Shit Went Down to life, Ella also unlocked a sought-after creative aesthetic in the process. “Recording When the shit Went Down with my producer LOLLIES at the helm was a ride!” says Ella. “She had access to some of the coolest players and studios, where a lot of the alternative country and Americana that I love is made – like working with Jon Estes at his studio, he also engineered and played bass on the track – and recording at the Bomb Shelter in East Nashville where all the hip cats hang. The track really came alive to my ear when Trevor Bahnson added the Byrds-esque 12 string electric guitar line, I love how wonky it is.”
“I’m always chasing an aesthetic that I call ‘shitty shimmer’ which basically means that the sound or song is rough but beautiful,” Ella adds, “and Trevor nailed it with that guitar line. I literally jumped for joy. When a song cracks open for you, in the studio, there’s no better feeling.”
Drawing to mind the likes of Linda Ronstadt, Sheryl Crow and Lucinda Williams, fused with Ella Hooper’s signature flair, Overnight Success also ultimately reflects the very foundations of Ella’s artistry, with enthusiasm, authenticity and wit beating deep at the core of the album’s 11 tracks. Opening with the poignant toe-tapper Growing Up Is Hard To Do, Ella journeys through tracks ready to soundtrack a whiskey-soaked saloon soiree (I Got Eyes (On You), bluegrass by way of alt-pop (Bad Word), and tongue in cheek country-soaked delights (Cowboy Man) From here Overnight Success dabbles between stripped-back ruminations (Let It Fall), languid beauty (Slow Morning), luminous melodies and glowing Americana backdrops (Just Along For The Ride), poetic narratives and glistening arrangements (When The Shit Went Down), sparkling percussion and intimate vocals (2B or Not 2B (Light Grey)), and open-veined vulnerability forged with Americana synths (Die Happy). And it’s on the album’s closing and title track that Ella soars to beautiful heights, backed by stripped-back acoustics, serene harmonies and old-world, with an old-world, single spotlight worthy melody that will radiate deep within you long after the album has concluded.
“I’ve been itching to announce and release this album,” shares Ella, “trying to stay calm through delays, changes of team, a few one step forward two steps back moments; which I’m learning are just par for the course for an independent self-managed muso… but I’m ecstatic that it’s coming into focus now and that in a few months the people who have been following along will get to explore the whole ‘Overnight Success’ world, and hopefully a few new folks too”
An undisputed icon in the Australian music scene, Ella Hooper’s acclaimed career has seen her tick off a #1 album, sold out tours, multiple award wins, Rolling Stone covers, radio and TV hosting and hit singles along the way that have helped shape and shift the course of Australian pop culture forever. Fronting Killing Heidi and catapulting into superstardom with their debut single Weir, the group would go on to take home four ARIA Awards for their 2000 debut full-length Reflector, while Ella herself went on to become the first-ever female, and youngest person, to receive APRA’s Songwriter of the Year Award in 2001.
Ultimately releasing three studio albums with Killing Heidi, Ella later branched out into an equally acclaimed solo career, seamlessly pivoting away from her heavier roots into synth folk, rock, country and Americana. Most recently, Ella released Small Town Temple in 2023, which showcased Ella’s love and proficiency for country and Americana and also debuted at #1 on the Australian Country chart. Splitting her time between Melbourne and Nashville, where the new album was recorded, Ella is set to wow Australian crowds by hitting the road for ‘The Overnight Success Tour’ this October.
“Playing live is my happy place and what I feel I do best,” shares Ella. “I’m definitely a seasoned road dog now, but when I have a brand new album to tour, create a detailed world with and really curate the evening to reflect that, that’s the best version of touring to me.”
“I can’t wait to hit up old venues and new ones with this music that I’m so incredibly excited to play,” Ella continues. “Every gig’s going to feel like an un-boxing! My kick arse live band have been with me for a while now and we’ve been itching to bring this album to life. We’re in a purple patch as a live outfit thanks to playing so much these last few years and we always make it a party.. which is kinda the theme of Overnight Success, tinsel curtains and mirror balls oddly make the perfect background for some deep and personal sharing, and of course for the party tracks and midtempo rockers that we love to pepper throughout to keep a set humming.” someone called my live aesthetic ‘Shambolic Fairy Prom’, and I’ll take it..”
Entering a brand-new chapter of her creative journey with the upcoming release of Overnight Success, Ella Hooper resoundingly cements her status as one of the most enduring and endearing artists of her era on album #4. And, as she explains, she has truly found her voice and her home in the Americana realm.
“I worked really hard on this record,” shares Ella, “took risks and fought for things, sent myself broke a few times – making it over multiple trips to Nashville, but also met some incredible talents along the way and I couldn’t be more confident and stoked with the end result. Worth every sleepless night and grey hair!”
“It definitely feels like a level up, in my writing especially,” Ella concludes. “I’m exploring my voice and my relationship to Americana, the sounds, the genre, it’s parameters. I’m not an easy act to pigeonhole; but God I feel like myself on this record.”
When The Shit Went Down is out today.
Overnight Success is due out October 2.
ELLA HOOPER – OVERNIGHT SUCCESS TOUR DATES:
Supported by Ruby Mae
THU 01 OCT – THE ELTHAM, ELTHAM NSW
FRI 02 OCT – BLACK BEAR LODGE, BRISBANE
SAT 03 OCT – BRUNSWICK BALLROOM, MELBOURNE VIC
SUN 04 OCT – TRINITY SESSIONS, ADELAIDE
THU 08 OCT – STAG & HUNTER, NEWCASTLE
FRI 09 OCT – PETERSHAM BOWLO, SYDNEY NSW
SAT 10 OCT – SMITHS ALTERNATIVE, CANBERRA ACT
Stream: WHEN THE SHIT WENT DOWN
BUY TICKETS: OVERNIGHT SUCCESS TOUR
TAYLOR MOSS SPEAKS UP WITH NEW SINGLE ‘MEGAPHONE’
The heartbeat of country music is stronger than ever as Taylor Moss returns with Megaphone, a bold new single that marks the dawn of her boldest era yet. An upbeat, foot stomping country classic urging us all to stand up and back ourselves.
Megaphone is a declaration: Taylor isn’t just evolving, she’s reinventing herself after a period of self-reflection. “It’s a song about finding your voice, backing yourself, and learning to trust your gut,” says Moss. “As kids, we’re often told to listen to our instincts, but somewhere along the way, many of us stop”.
After navigating a challenging period of personal health issues, Taylor found herself having to advocate for herself more than ever before. “Coming out the other side, I realised just how important it is to speak up, trust your intuition, and be your own biggest supporter”.
Megaphone was written as part of her own healing journey. Both deeply personal and universally relatable, “it’s a reminder to listen to that inner voice, because more often than not, it already knows the way,” says Moss.
Award winning producer Michael De Lorenzis captured the essence of the song perfectly by harnessing Taylor’s confidence during a period of uncertainty.
Already one of Australia’s most electrifying independent voices, Taylor’s ARIA nominated debut album Firecracker not only topped charts but earned a further three Golden Guitar nominations, including Best Female Artist and Album of the Year.
Taylor solidified her reputation as a powerhouse performer, from main stage triumphs at CMC Rocks and The Gympie Music Muster, to representing Australia as the only female artist at CMA Festival Nashville. Her first solo headline tour along the east coast was capped off with ‘The People’s Choice Award’ at Groundwater Music Festival, and a national arena tour with international country music icon, LeAnn Rimes.
With three No.1 hits on Australian Country Radio including Get it Girl, Country Proud, and The Women Who Raised Me, and with over 16 million streams (the second highest by an Australian female country artist), Taylor Moss stands as a rising icon in Australian country music.
“I have a lot more to say and share, and I truly believe songs are born when they’re ready. So buckle up, there’s a lot more music coming”.
Megaphone is out today.
STREAM: MEGAPHONE
TAYLOR MOSS – UPCOMING SHOWS
Tickets available www.taylormoss.com.au
THURS 27 – SUN 30 AUG | GYMPIE MUSIC MUSTER, GYMPIE QLD
FRI 4 SEP | BACHELOR GIRL SUPPORT
FRANKSTON ARTS CENTRE VIC
FRI 03 OCT | SAVANNAH IN THE ROUND OLD |
FRI 08 OCT | DENI UTE MUSTER , NSW |
SAT 16 JAN | TAMWORTH COUNTRY MUSIC FESTIVAL |
FRI 21 JAN – SUN 23 JAN | LONG HAUL FESTIVAL
THE OCEAN Berlin Atmospheric Post-Metal Visionaries To Release New Album, Solaris, On Sept 25 New Single, Belligerence Out Now
Berlin atmospheric post metal visionaries The Ocean will release their twelfth studio album, Solaris, on September 25 via Pelagic Records.Solaris follows 2023’s Holocene and marks the beginning of a new chapter for the band, introducing an expanded international lineup while returning to the cinematic, crushing sound that made albums like Pelagial and Phanerozoic modern progressive metal landmarks. Following from Light Pollution, the band have unveiled the album’s second single, “Belligerence.”One of the heaviest songs on the record, Belligerence examines the culture of conflict, questioning how anger, power and relentless ambition shape political leaders, explorers and even artists themselves.Robin Staps explains: “Belligerence is a song about the culture of arguing and about the destructive force of contained anger and belligerence as a trait of character, often transfigured as an attribute of reason and a critical mind.”
The Ocean recently played their first show ever with the new lineup in Morocco, and recorded a live in studio session at Studio Hiba in Casablanca the day after the show.
Watch Belligerence from the session here
https://youtu.be/qlb9HT5ikpg
The themes of Solaris pick up where Holocene left off. With Earth rendered increasingly uninhabitable, humanity embarks on a desperate voyage into space aboard a celestial rescue vessel. Drawing inspiration from Andrei Tarkovsky’s classic 1972 film Solaris, alongside the journals of explorers including Magellan, Vasco da Gama and Ernest Shackleton’s contemporaries, the album examines humanity’s obsession with discovery, progress and power, asking whether exploration is driven by curiosity or conquest.
Solaris also marks a significant evolution for The Ocean themselves. Following major lineup changes after the Holocene touring cycle, founding guitarist Robin Staps has assembled a revitalised collective featuring new vocalists Enrico Tiberi and Lane Shi alongside new guitarists Emmanuel Jessua and Marco Gennaro. The refreshed lineup combines familiar sonic weight with new textures and dynamics while retaining the unmistakable identity that has defined The Ocean for more than two decades.
The album was recorded at Berlin’s legendary Hansa Studios and mixed by Jens Bogren, whose previous work with The Ocean includes Pelagial and both Phanerozoic albums. Guest appearances include Tangerine Dream’s Thorsten Quaeschning, Playgrounded’s Orestis Zafiriou and Spurv trombonist Simen Eifring.
SOLARIS TRACK LISTING
52°30’11” N, 13°26’12“ E
Departure Song
Light Pollution
Simulacra
Belligerence
Ultima Esperanza
Milk Of My Dreams
51°28’30” S, 73°6’11” W
Solaris will be released on September 25 via Pelagic Records.
Pre-orders are available now:
https://orcd.co/theocean-solaris
Merch, Bundles and Boxsets available here
wildthingmusic.com/collections/the-ocean
DISCOGRAPHY
Fogdiver (2003) • Fluxion (2004) • Aeolian (2006) • Precambrian (2007) • Heliocentric (2010) •
Anthropocentric (2010) • Pelagial (2013) • Phanerozoic I (2018) • Phanerozoic II (2020) • Holocene (2023)
The Ocean are
Robin Staps – guitar, vocals
Mattias Hägerstrand – bass
Jordi Farré – drums, percussion
Enrico Tiberi – vocals, keys
Lane Shi – vocals
Emmanuel Jessua – guitar
Marco Gennaro – guitar
In addition, the following musicians performed on this record:
Thorsten Quaeschning – keys
Orestis Zafiriou – keys
Simen Eifring – trombone
Jiawei Zhang – vibraphone
The Ocean are for fans of
Massive Attack, Tool, Lorn, Archive, Karnivool, Trentemöller, old Moderat, Portishead, Isis,
Nine Inch Nails, Mastodon, Katatonia, The Pineapple Thief
Follow The Ocean Web | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram
STELLAR CIRCUITS Release New Single ‘In The Smoke’
North Carolina Alt-Metal Standouts Continue Their Run of Powerful Standalone Release
Alternative metal innovators STELLAR CIRCUITS have unveiled their powerful new single, ‘In the Smoke,’ alongside an official visualizer, available today via Nuclear Blast Records.
Following an impressive run of standalone releases throughout 2026, including ‘Spotlight,’ ‘Wounded Healer,’ and ‘Stargazer,’ ‘In the Smoke’ finds STELLAR CIRCUITS continuing to expand their signature blend of crushing heaviness, immersive atmosphere, and emotionally charged songwriting. Equal parts forceful and introspective, the track further demonstrates the band’s ability to balance technical precision with deeply expressive composition.
Moving between driving intensity and moments of fragile restraint, ‘In the Smoke’ explores the uneasy space where clarity dissolves into fixation. Crushing riffs give way to disoriented calm as the song lingers in themes of failure, surrender, and obsession, capturing the feeling of becoming consumed by something that clouds every thought until nothing else remains in focus.
Stream ‘In The Smoke’: https://sc.bfan.link/in-the-smoke
‘IN THE SMOKE’ VISUALIZER: https://youtu.be/MIjjuY4FHzs
Released in late 2025 to widespread praise from fans and critics alike, Phantom :: Phoenix represented a defining moment for STELLAR CIRCUITS, showcasing the band’s ability to merge progressive complexity, crushing heaviness, and cinematic atmosphere with deeply personal songwriting. Exploring themes of rebirth, perseverance, and self-discovery through tracks such as ‘I See Your Spirit,’ ‘Corridor,’ and ‘Bury The Ashes,’ the album further cemented the band’s reputation for crafting emotionally resonant music without sacrificing technical prowess or intensity.
Building on that momentum, STELLAR CIRCUITS have spent 2026 on an impressive creative run, releasing a string of standalone singles including ’Spotlight,’ ‘Wounded Healer,’ ‘Stargazer’ and now ‘In The Smoke.’ Each release has further expanded the band’s sonic palette while reinforcing the dynamic songwriting and emotional depth that continue to define their evolution.
About STELLAR CIRCUITS: Stellar Circuits has rapidly become one of the most compelling voices in modern progressive metal. Following their acclaimed 2023 Nuclear Blast debut, Sight To Sound, the band has continued to push boundaries with a sound that balances crushing heaviness, immersive textures, and deeply personal songwriting. Known for their dynamic live performances, Stellar Circuits have toured extensively alongside acts such as Chevelle and Arch Echo, earning a reputation as one of the genre’s most captivating rising acts.
Follow STELLAR CIRCUITS: Website | Facebook | Instagram | X | TikTok | Youtube | Bandcamp | Spotify | Apple Music
TURMION KÄTILÖT Announce 12th Studio Album RESODANCE Watch The Fierce Video For ‘Raivotarjonta’
High-octane Finnish industrial metal masters TURMION KÄTILÖT have officially announced their highly anticipated 12th studio album, Resodance, scheduled for global release on October 23, 2026, via Nuclear Blast Records.
Produced by Mikko Tegelman alongside the band, the upcoming record perfectly captures the ferocious, raw energy of the band’s legendary live performances. Musically and lyrically, Resodance dives deep into sonic experimentation, exploring dark, interconnected themes of universal cycles, resonance, and personal transformation.
To celebrate the announcement, the band has unleashed the album’s fierce first single, “Raivotarjonta,” accompanied by a high-octane, sweaty, fast-paced music video. The track serves as a perfect blueprint for the album’s overall direction: crushing guitar riffs meet pulsating electronic beats, while aggressive vocal deliveries collide head-on with unforgettable melodic hooks.
Known for wrapping dark, heavy subject matter in an irresistible sense of rhythm and theatrical spectacle, TURMION KÄTILÖT promises that Resodance will be their most electrifying and transformative chapter yet.
Watch the video for ‘Raivotarjonta’ here: https://youtu.be/WwoSiiiPGdM
Listen to the single: https://turmionkatilot.bfan.link/raivotarjonta
Pre-order Resodance: https://turmionkatilot.bfan.link/resodance
The album comes in following formats:
CD jewelcase
1 LP sleeve red & black marbled vinyl
1 LP sleeve transparent red & black marbled vinyl
Vocalist Shag-U comments on the single: “The lyrics started from the saying, “It can’t really hurt if it doesn’t even draw blood,” which took on a life of its own as I watched the strange world of social media and the way people speak to one another. The idea that words can’t destroy someone is absurd. Most of us know, at the very least, of someone who ended up doing something irreversible because of them.
From there, the story began to take shape around a person who finally snaps. Rage boils over from beneath despair as the situation hurtles towards its inevitable breaking point. Pain doesn’t need a face. All you have to do is look in the mirror. Add a touch of personal experience, the title Raivotarjonta suggested by MC Raaka Pee, and there it was.”
MC Raaka Pee adds: “Raivotarjonta doesn’t move forward – it breathes. Driven by restless rhythms and stripped-back harmonies, it draws inspiration from the cold, uncompromising machine music of the late ’90s and early 2000s, where simplicity becomes overwhelming through tension, contrast and sheer weight.
About Turmion Kätilöt:
Formed in 2003, Turmion Kätilöt (Midwives of Destruction) have carved out a unique legacy as the undisputed kings of Finnish industrial metal. Melding fierce metal instrumentation with danceable electronic beats, the band has earned gold records, topped national charts, and built a reputation for delivering some of the most chaotic, energetic, and visually spectacular live shows in the European heavy music scene.
Line up:
MC Raaka Pee – vocals
Master Bates – bass
Run-Q – keyboard
DQ – drums
Shag-U – vocals
Bobby Undertaker – guitar
Social Media:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/turmion_katilot_official
Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@turmion_katilot
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/turmionkatilot/
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQtMLgHI32rJZO4ph6YMpbw
BLACKLIST UNION Release New Single “Madame Butterfly”
New Music Video Features Rock Icon Lorraine Lewis of Femme Fatale
Band Set to Tour Europe This September with Faster Pussycat
Los Angeles hard rock band Blacklist Union released their new single, “Madame Butterfly,” available now on all streaming platforms. Accompanied by a seductive new music video featuring rock icon Lorraine Lewis of Femme Fatale, the release captures the band’s signature blend of swagger, grit, and modern rock energy.
The official video for “Madame Butterfly” was filmed, edited, and directed by Michael Sarna of Inmotion Entertainment in Hollywood, California, delivering a cinematic visual experience that perfectly complements the song’s dark allure and raw intensity. Lorraine Lewis brings her unmistakable charisma and signature sensuality to the video, making for a memorable collaboration between two enduring forces in rock music.
Following the release, Blacklist Union will head overseas this September for a European tour alongside legendary glam rockers Faster Pussycat and Lorraine Lewis, bringing their high-energy live show to audiences across the continent.
Tony West says, “Everything that is happening right now is like walking through the keyhole to my biggest dreams. I’m here to bring the wow factor and the fire to the firefight… so let’s rock this shit.”
Lorraine Lewis adds, “Working with Tony has been icing on the cake for me. Having newly signed with Cleopatra Records, FEMME FATALE is slated to release our full album in August, produced by Steve Brown. The timing couldn’t be more perfect for the FASTER PUSSYCAT / BLACKLIST UNION tour.”
With Femme Fatale’s upcoming Cleopatra Records release produced by Steve Brown — known for his work with Trixter and Ace Frehley — and Blacklist Union gearing up for a massive European run, all signs point to a breakout moment for both camps.
“Madame Butterfly” is available now on all digital streaming platforms. Watch the official music video now and stay tuned for additional tour announcements and more new music from Blacklist Union.
Please get in touch if you would like to interview the band!
Stream “Madame Butterfly” HERE
Tony West formed Blacklist Union because he wanted to play music that he wanted to hear. They put out the first Blacklist Union record, After the Mourning, in 2006. The band’s name comes from getting the best musicians in town with the worst reputations. With a shamanistic blend of Stone Temple Pilots, Guns N’ Roses, Warrior Soul, The Cult, and Mother Love Bone… Blacklist Union was born.
Blacklist Union have built a reputation on their explosive live shows and unapologetically bold sound. Their previous record, Letters from the Psych Ward, racked up over two million streams, setting the stage for the band’s new album. The band’s latest release was Slay the Dragon that came out in September 2025.
Frontman Tony West, known for his larger-than-life presence, took time out to dive deep into several transformative ayahuasca journeys in the heart of the Amazon, preparing for this next era of music.
As West put it, “Ayahuasca isn’t a drug—it’s powerful spiritual medicine from another realm. It helped me heal in ways I never thought possible, releasing layers of trauma, heartache, and sorrow. I’m not perfect—not Gandhi or anything—but it changed everything. My entire view of myself, love, the world, people, and my children changed because of those experiences.”
West was raised in the Bronx on The Ramones, Bad Brains, and NYHC. Hearing the call of the wild west, he made his way to Los Angeles at 19 years old. West took a break from L.A. to try out Memphis in 1998. While he was there, he attended the first Saliva gig with Paul Crosby on drums. This marked the beginning of a lifelong friendship between Crosby and West, leading to management, song collaborations, and guest video appearances. West collaborated with guitarist Todd Youth (Murphy’s Law /Danzig) and Malfunkshun, which was kept active by Andy Wood’s brother Kevin Wood. Andy Wood is West’s muse, and he was honored to sing in his hero’s band.
For More Information Please Visit: Blacklist Union
Official Website
Facebook
X
Instagram
TikTok
YouTube
Lorraine Lewis of Femme Fatale
Official Website
Facebook
Instagram
TikTok
YouTube
THE ETERNAL Release Striking Music Video For New Single ‘Colours Fade’ From Upcoming Studio Album Obscured Horizons
Arriving on September 18 Via Reigning Phoenix Music
Australian/Finnish progressive dark metal collective THE ETERNAL has unveiled a captivating new music video for their latest single, ‘Colours Fade,’ offering another compelling glimpse into their forthcoming studio album, Obscured Horizons, set for release on September 18 via Reigning Phoenix Music (RPM).
Blending haunting melodies with emotional depth and cinematic atmosphere, the track further showcases the band’s signature ability to fuse epic heaviness with introspective songwriting. Exploring themes of memory, perception, identity, and the passage of time, ‘Colours Fade’ captures the emotional tension between illusion and reality.
As vocalist Mark Kelson explains, “‘Colours Fade’ is about the shifting nature of perception, how memory, emotion, and time constantly reshape the way we see our lives. For me, it reflects that internal conflict between what we want to believe and what we know to be true. There’s a recurring sense that we construct these emotional ‘masks’ to protect ourselves, but over time they become part of the illusion that holds us back. The imagery of colours fading speaks to that loss of clarity or meaning, where everything starts to feel muted or indistinguishable, yet at the same time those colours don’t disappear completely, they rearrange, suggesting that nothing is ever truly lost, only transformed. ‘Colours Fade’ is about navigating cycles of emotion, of identity, of time and learning to exist within that flux without losing yourself entirely.”
Stream the new single ‘Colours Fade’: https://theeternal.rpm.link/coloursPR
Album pre-orders are available at: https://theeternal.rpm.link/horizonsPR
Watch ‘Colours Fade’: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ezWhsK0mZUQ&list=RDezWhsK0mZUQ&start_radio=1
Following the widespread acclaim of their 2024 full-length Skinwalker and the evocative companion EP Celestial, THE ETERNAL return with Obscured Horizons, an album that stands as both culmination and evolution.
Where Skinwalker was hailed for its emotional weight, cinematic scope and seamless fusion of melancholic atmosphere with crushing heaviness, and Celestial further expanded the band’s sonic palette with its introspective depth and dynamic intensity, Obscured Horizons pushes even further into uncharted territory. The album refines THE ETERNAL’s signature blend of doom-laden textures, progressive sophistication and haunting melodic resonance, while embracing a broader, more expansive sound that feels both intimate and monumental.
At its core, Obscured Horizons is an exploration of disillusionment, fractured identity and the struggle to reclaim clarity in a world saturated with distortion. The album moves through states of emotional collapse, liminal transition and existential unrest, confronting deception, both external and internal, before emerging into renewal and self-awareness. Rather than surrendering to decay, Obscured Horizons charts a defiant ascent, refusing numbness, rejecting illusion and ultimately reclaiming light from the shadows that threaten to eclipse it.
With Mark Kelson (vocals/guitars) and Richie Poate (guitars) in Melbourne, alongside Niclas Etelävuori (bass; ex-Amorphis/Flat Earth) and Jan Rechberger (drums; Amorphis) in Helsinki, THE ETERNAL remain a truly international collaboration, unified across continents yet bound by a singular artistic vision.
Their sound continues to resonate with listeners drawn to the emotional gravity of dark metal while carving a path distinctly their own. As they enter a new creative chapter with their gaze fixed firmly on the unseen, Obscured Horizons represents a bold statement from a band continuing to evolve while remaining true to its artistic identity.
THE ETERNAL Australian Live Dates, with AMORPHIS:
September 23, 2026 The Croxton Bandroom, Thornbury, VIC
September 24, 2026 The Triffid, Newstead, QLD
September 25, 2026 Liberty Hall, Moore Park, NSW
September 26, 2026 The Basement, Belconnen, ACT
Tickets: GA and VIP Tickets Onsale now from www.yourmatebookings.com
THE ETERNAL is:
Mark Kelson / Guitar & Vocals
Richie Poate / Guitar
Niclas Etelävuori / Bass
Jan Rechberger / Drums & Percussion
More on THE ETERNAL:
Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/TheEternal
Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/theeternalofficial/
X | https://www.twitter.com/theeternalband
TikTok | https://www.tiktok.com/@theeternalofficial
YouTube | https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC4vJAnrZbwUesT_FlY03mdw
HARBOURLIFE RETURNS FOR 2026 WITH HONEY DIJON, MAX AND LUKE DEAN, AND A NEW LOOK
STARRING (A-Z)
HONEY DIJON (USA)
MAX DEAN (UK) B2B LUKE DEAN (UK)
PLUS (A-Z)
BEN STERLING (UK) B2B OMAR+ (UK)
HONEYLUV (USA)
JORDAN BRANDO (AUS)
MORGAN SEATREE (UK)
PLUS (A-Z)
BELLA BACKE (AUS)
SAMANTHA LOVERIDGE (AUS)
Across three decades, HARBOURLIFE has remained one of Sydney’s defining summer events. Returning to Fleet Steps at Mrs Macquarie’s Chair on Saturday 21 November, the 2026 edition arrives with a new visual identity, a bigger and better sound than ever before and a lineup spanning global house icons and the names shaping dancefloors right now. Framed by Sydney Harbour from day into night, Harbourlife continues to occupy a lane of its own: world-class electronic music in one of the world’s most iconic settings.
Raised on the south side of Chicago during the birth of house music, HONEY DIJON has spent three decades building something that goes well beyond the booth. Her sets move between house, disco and euphoria with a fluency that only comes from truly living it. Riding high on the release of her new album The Nightlife, featuring an incredible cast of collaborators including Chlöe, Mahalia and Greentea Peng, she arrives at Harbourlife at the peak of her powers.
Fresh off their Coachella debut together at the Yuma Tent, London cousins MAX DEAN and LUKE DEAN bring one of the most exciting b2b sets in the game to Harbourlife. Their joint single Can’t Decide has clocked 63 million Spotify streams and spent nine weeks in the UK Top 40. They have been in each other’s ears their whole lives and it shows.
Already collaborators on this year’s Out of My Mind, BEN STERLING and OMAR+ arrive with a chemistry already road-tested. Sterling’s raw acid-flecked house production wrapped around Omar+’s RnB-inflected vocals is a combination that hits differently in a booth than it does on record.
Named BBC Radio 1 Future Star of 2023, HONEYLUV has built her reputation on sets that move between bass-heavy house, baile funk, garage and spoken word with a restless, room-reading instinct that is entirely her own. Fresh from releasing Don’t Stop with Grammy-winning Muni Long, she is an artist crossing into new territory without losing what made her special in the first place.
Rooted in club culture and years of long sets across Australia and Europe, JORDAN BRANDO’s releases on Life and Death and No Art have made him one of Melbourne’s most respected exports. And for the final name of Harbourlife’s international contingent, Manchester’s MORGAN SEATREE is on one of the sharpest upward trajectories in UK house music right now, his single Beat Is Jumping one of the most played tracks on dancefloors so far this year.
Rounding out the bill, BELLA BACKE and SAMANTHA LOVERIDGE represent the sharp end of Sydney talent, two artists who have been steadily building their reputations on Australian dancefloors.
Alongside the 2026 lineup comes Harbourlife’s first full rebrand in more than two decades, introducing a refined new visual identity and major upgrades to sound across the site. Inspired by the energy and atmosphere of Sydney Harbour itself, the new look marks a new chapter for one of Australia’s most iconic open-air dance events. Summer starts with us.
Tickets go on sale from Wednesday 3 June via Moshtix, with Ticket Request opening Tuesday 26 May and presale Tuesday 2 June.
EVENT DETAILS
[ HARBOURLIFE 2026 ]
Fleet Steps, Mrs Macquarie’s Chair, Sydney
Saturday 21 November 2026 | 2pm – 10pm
fuzzy.com.au/events/harbourlife
Tasmania’s JOEL GREEN BAND returns – New single ‘Drifter’ out now
With his heart plainly on his sleeve, Nipaluna/Hobart stalwart Joel Green returns with a new Joel Green Band single, ‘Drifter’, hitting Bandcamp and DSPs via No Sleep
Born while listening to Jimmy Carter and Dallas County Green on a plane trip, ‘Drifter’ is a shamelessly romantic serve of psych-tinged southern rock, bearing all the hallmarks of a classic western movie. No matter how far the nomadic protagonist might wander, or for how long, the burning love they harbour for that one special person never fades – and of course at the end of the story they grow old together. How could it end any other way?
Wearing his influences loud and proud, Green says: “This song feels to me like the closest I’ll get to being in Lynyrd Skynyrd.”
‘Drifter’ follows on from Joel Green Band’s debut release, Raspberry House Cake, earlier this year. Not only was the three track EP Green’s first solo release and his first ever release on vinyl, it was also the first 7” to be printed on local artist-run label No Sleep.
On Raspberry House Cake, Green took an express route through psych rock, garage punk, and stop-you-in-your-tracks acoustic vulnerability – stating undeniably that he is an artist to watch. As you would expect of someone moving through their late teens and early twenties, Green’s musical and personal evolution over the last few years has been constant, and significant – and the time was right for his rebirth as a solo artist. Revelling in his new-found artistic freedom, on Raspberry House Cake, Green delivered three strikingly different songs, a testament to his versatility as a writer.
The EP received widespread Australian community radio support, featuring on stations such as 4ZZZ, 3RRR, PBS FM, SYN FM, Edge Radio, and Radio Adelaide, and scored airplay across the ditch on RDU 98.5FM in Christchurch.
ABOUT JOEL GREEN BAND
A fixture of the nipaluna/Hobart music scene for the best part of a decade, at 23, Joel Green is one of the youngest veterans of an arts community that you’ll encounter. From cutting his teeth in Legal Noise, the fuzz rock band he formed in high school, to the endearing cow punk of Funeral Jeans, and many other projects in between, Green is no stranger to Hobart’s venues. Over the years he has supported a slew of visiting artists including Eddy Current Suppression Ring, C.O.F.F.I.N., The Mark of Cain, DZ Deathrays, and many more.
Off stage, Green is known for his DIY ethic, enthusiasm and generosity. Working to constantly develop his mostly self-taught engineering skills over the years, Green has always been keen to share his knowledge and resources, never hesitating to jump in when his peers need help recording a track.
Taking inspiration from the fluidity and prolificity of Ty Segall, amongst others, Green’s main focus at this time is to record as much music as possible – to create with more immediacy and less hesitation. Impressed by the way Segall’s live line-up regularly changes to match different musical phases, Green expresses that the way he works “seems…like a cool, fun, healthy way to have a band”.
Currently, Joel Green Band live consists of Joel Green on drums and vocals, Jude Hastings (The Spooky Eyes, Gobzilla) on guitar, and Piper Rayner (The Spooky Eyes) on bass.
Joel Green Band’s next live show will be a free gig at MONA, at 1pm on Saturday the 14th of August, 2026.
Follow Joel Green Band: Instagram ▪ Bandcamp ▪ Streaming ▪ Unearthed
MEET SUZI THE AUSTRALIAN DIY INDIE ROCKER YOUR FAVORITE BANDS ARE ALREADY OBSESSED WITH NEW SONG “SHORT LIVED” OUT NOW
Melbourne-based indie rocker Suzi has become one of Australia’s most exciting independent success stories, building a following through her DIY mentality and knack for turning hyper-specific experiences into universally relatable anthems.
Out August 5, her latest, “Short Lived,” is a punchy, guitar-centric track that blends the emotional immediacy of artists like Soccer Mommy and The Beths with Suzi’s own witty, self-aware perspective. Through shimmering guitars and crunchy hooks, she writes these effortlessly memorable moments––”it makes no sense, I should have run by now––that capture what it’s like to feel flirtatiously and reluctantly optimistic.
click here to listen to “Short Lived”
“Suzi’s special. I don’t really know how else to put it,” raves Dan Campbell of The Wonder Years, who took Suzi out on the road in Australia last year. “Her melodies are so immediate and infectious, and her lyrics are such an open display of humanity that it really feels like these songs have lived in your head for years before you ever heard them.”
Growing up in a city where indie, emo, and pop-punk are fluid––and also frequently find their way to mainstream radio charts––Suzi developed a her own take on the sound that feels at home across all three genres. It’s made her an instant pick for support when bands like The Wonder Years, Tigers Jaw, Mom Jeans, and more tour through Australia, and earned her a reputation for being one of the country’s buzziest new voices.
ILLAN KAAPAN RELEASE VISUALS FOR TWO BLISTERING NEW SINGLES
UNDENIABLE EP OUT AUGUST 31
WATCH: “THE RISING TIDE / KEEPS ME ALIVE”
Naarm, Melbourne-based Sri Lankan hardcore band ILLAN KAAPAN return with 2 blistering singles, serving up their heaviest hitting material to date. Tough, harsh and full of energy, the band are delivering the high-impact sound ILLAN KAAPAN are known for, whilst sonically pushing boundaries, with the addition of traditional Sri Lankan thammattama drums.
The songs are the first taste from ILLAN KAAPAN’s upcoming EP, UNDENIABLE, out 31st August on Reason and Rage Records and Life.Lair.Regret. Records. “Our new tracks THE RISING TIDE and KEEPS ME ALIVE are songs about two homes- one’s for Melbourne and one’s for Sri Lanka” explains vocalist Asela Marcelline.
Speaking on the deeply personal meaning of the two tracks, Asela Marcelline shares:
THE RISING TIDE was written about this weird, intense and intimate scene and what it means to be part of it. KEEPS ME ALIVE is very much about being an immigrant. Especially being Sri Lankan and brown. Being Lankan is such an important part of who we are. For me, to move somewhere after you’ve fully formed your life and personality without losing that sense of where you came from, despite how much the world tries to mute that part of you is everything. Being Sri Lankan and being an immigrant kept me alive, and it never kept me down.
From over-capacity DIY shows to church domes and living rooms, ILLAN KAAPAN take every opportunity they can to put on an explosive and unforgettable show. With the help of Prad Sen, a Sri Lankan director, ILLAN KAAPAN have captured the energy of their high-powered live set, dropping visuals filmed directly from a recent all-ages Melbourne show.
The video moves straight from the stage to an after-set traditional meal- with the band feeding over seventy people with homemade Sri Lankan food. Vocalist Asela explains “I feel like I go into every show and walk out with a hundred stories and experiences – ranging from absolute joy to total hurt – from the Rising Tide of people in these rooms”.
You can watch the video for “THE RISING TIDE / KEEPS ME ALIVE” HERE
WATCH: “THE RISING TIDE / KEEPS ME ALIVE”
Following on from last year’s debut, The Demo, these tracks pave the way for ILLAN KAAPAN’s new chapter. The new 6-track EP features unmistakably sincere and raw lyrics, interrogating the idea of community and belonging. The cover features the artwork Cultural Death by Sri Lankan artist Thilini de Simon.
Off the back of support for Orthodox (US), the band will continue to champion DIY venues and all-ages shows, teaching a masterclass in controlled chaos.
Balancing the raw integrity of hardcore with a modern take, the band are asserting their authority, proving to be both a vital and refreshing piece of the Australian hardcore scene. Asela states; “That is what this whole record is about lyrically – the undeniable power of being part of something.”
ILLAN KAAPAN is Asela Marcelline – vocals, George De Silva – guitar, Githmi Wettasinghe – guitar, Ko Regunathan – bass, and Prince Jayasundera – drums.
UNDENIABLE EP out digitally August 31
Pre-order CD HERE
UNDENIABLE EP vinyl available September
Pre-order Vinyl HERE
MEANIES & DAD FIGHT ADD MELBOURNE & FRANKSTON SHOWS TO TOUR
VIC SHOWS FOLLOW RELEASE OF SPLIT-SINGLE AND A RUN TOGETHER IN QLD LAST WEEK
The old bull and the young calf together! VIC heavyweights THE MEANIES have joined forces with QLD chainsmokers DAD FIGHT to bring you something truly dangerous; a split 7″ vinyl featuring one track each and a joint tour to match.
Following a run of QLD shows over the weekend, it’s THE MEANIES’ turn for some home ground advantage, and the rematches are set for Thursday 24 September at Young St Tavern, Frankston and Friday 25 at the Curtin Bandroom. Dad Fight will also play at the Last Chance Bar Nth Melb on Wed 23.
Hard copies of the split-single will be on sale at the merch desk if there’s any left!
THE MEANIES & DAD FIGHT
Thu Sep 24 – Young Street Tavern, Frankston
with Jake & the Snakes – tix
Fri Sep 25 Curtin Band Room, Melbourne
with Operation Karma – tix
– Dad Fight also play Wed Sep 23 at the Last Chance Rock’n’roll Bar, North Melbourne –
***
The Meanies’ side of the single, ‘Blacklist’, was recorded 25 years ago by Shane O’Mara at his studio Yikesville, and is seeing the light of day for the very first time. Sharp and catchy ‘Blacklist’ is quintessential Meanies. As Link says “Blacklist was always one of my favourites but it it never made it into the live set for some reason. That’s gonna change or my name isn’t Link Meanie.
Well, my name isn’t really Link Meanie but that doesn’t change the fact that we’ll be hearing it at Meanies shows from now on. Short and sweet.”
The ‘Blacklist’/’Reality Check’ single is now available from Artist First. It is available in limited edition (100 copies of each) translucent orange, translucent blue and black. There are also The Meanies/Dad Fight t-shirts and a limited edition single & t-shirt bundle – get in quick.
artistfirst.com.au/collections/the-meanies
The Meanies Official Website | Facebook | Instagram
Dad Fight Official Website | Facebook | Instagram
BRUCE COCKBURN Honours the Songs That Shaped Him on New Album ‘The Blood of Others’ Out October 16 on Sunset Boulevard Records
Bruce Cockburn has spent more than five decades writing some of the most enduring songs in Canadian music, and on his new album, ‘The Blood of Others,’ released October 16th through Sunset Boulevard Records, he turns his attention to the songs that shaped him long before he wrote a single lyric of his own.
The album gathers material written by others, tracing a musical lineage that stretches from the gospel and blues records he heard as a child in Ottawa to the folk clubs and coffeehouses where he first found his voice. “What began back in the eighties as a vague notion grew over time into a strong desire to put together a collection of material, written by others, that I found sticking to the edges of my musical landscape,” Cockburn explains. “The accumulation of these songs started in the sixties, before I’d even begun to try to create my own.”
The album’s title comes from an unexpected literary source, Simone de Beauvoir’s novel of the same name, written during the Nazi occupation of France. “Among other things it deals with personal responsibility in the face of scary oppression, and the kinds of choices people make,” he says. “I have borrowed the title because it seems perfect for an album of songs I didn’t write.”
‘The Blood of Others’ opens with “Wish I Was in Heaven Sitting Down,” a Robert Wilkins gospel number Cockburn first encountered on an early ‘70s compilation. “Wilkins’ powerful bottle neck guitar and passionate singing made this conversation with God instantly memorable,” he says, noting he reworked the arrangement using the angular harmonies of his DADGAD tuning. From there, the album moves into “As Time Goes By,” the Herman Hupfeld standard forever tied to Casablanca. “Who doesn’t love the scene in Casablanca in which Dooley Wilson plays this song, Ingrid Bergman at his side?” Cockburn says. “I thought I should include the original preamble, which gives the familiar part of the song a context, but it seemed to want an update. Hopefully Herman approves.”
The album also traces Cockburn’s early fascination with jazz and ragtime through “Buddy Bolden’s Blues,” a song he learned not from a record but from a book. “My friends were singing country blues and old timey music,” he recalls. “I was drawn to the somewhat more sophisticated style of ragtime and early jazz.” That thread continues on “You Belong to Me,” a song Jo Stafford’s voice carried into his childhood home. “Jo Stafford’s gorgeously true voice was all over the radio with this when I was five,” Cockburn says. “The geographical references were exciting, awakening the travel bug in me years before On the Road lit a fire under it.”
Elvis Presley’s influence looms large on ‘The Blood of Others’ as well, most directly on “That’s Alright.” “Elvis Presley hit the radio in Ottawa right when I was hitting adolescence,” Cockburn says. “He was captivatingly charismatic of course, but the guitar. Scotty Moore’s leads, by turns raucous and tender, bred a burning desire to play the instrument.” Cockburn notes his own version leans closer to Arthur Crudup’s original recording than to Presley’s.
A hometown connection surfaces on “Four Strong Winds,” the youngest song on the record. Cockburn credits Le Hibou, the Ottawa coffeehouse he calls his spiritual home, for introducing him to the song’s writers, Ian and Sylvia, who played the venue regularly through the sixties. “We were all very excited when their song showed up on the radio,” he says.
The album’s emotional core runs through several songs tied to formative personal memories. “God Bless the Child,” the Billie Holiday and Arthur Herzog standard, dates back to a record Cockburn bought with his Sunday collection money as a teen. “A couple of years later I got to hear Billie Holiday’s original version,” he says. “Theologically a bit off base, but a deeply moving expression of disappointment with the human species.” “Louis Collins,” the Mississippi John Hurt classic, arrived through an afternoon Cockburn still remembers in vivid detail. “Barbie Luther invited me to her parents’ house to listen to music,” he recalls. “She opened a bottle of Mateus wine and put on Mississippi John Hurt’s rediscovery album. I was blown away by the sweetness, the idiosyncratic phrasing and the way he put voice and fingerpicked guitar together.”
Cockburn also revisits “Yellow Dog Blues,” a song he first heard on a Bessie Smith collection as a youth boy. “Right away I fell in love with the lyrics,” he says, tracing the song’s origins to WC Handy’s time in Clarksdale, Mississippi. “Fare Thee Well” carries its own full circle story, one that connects Cockburn’s earliest musical memories to a career highlight decades later. “It came back to mind when I got to perform it with the McGarrigle sisters at Pete Seeger’s ninetieth birthday event in NYC,” he says.
Few songs on the record carry the personal resonance of “I’ll Be Seeing You.” Cockburn describes hearing a version on the radio in the nineties, in the aftermath of what he calls “a brief but heart opening relationship,” and mishearing a lyric that reshaped how he understood the song. “I thought that version ended with the line, I’ll be looking at someone, but I’ll be seeing you,” he says. “That’s not in the original lyrics. They only refer to the moon, but it hit me in a powerful way.” That memory led him to give the song a rhythmic treatment inspired by “I Only Have Eyes for You.”
The album also carries a story about the road not taken. Cockburn recounts a night in Ottawa when he and friends dressed up to see blues guitarist Lonnie Johnson, whose 1964 Paris recordings had captivated him years earlier, and requested “Laplegged Drunk Again” from the stage. “He shook his head and smiled, and said, Oh, I can’t play that song in a place like this,” Cockburn remembers. The record closes out its story arc with “One for My Baby,” a Johnny Mercer and Harold Arlen standard Cockburn traces to Frank Sinatra’s 1958 recording, “Les Feuilles Mortes,” the French original of “Autumn Leaves” that Cockburn discovered through the poetry of Jacques Prévert, and “Peace in the Valley,” a Thomas A. Dorsey gospel song Cockburn first heard through Elvis Presley.
‘The Blood of Others’ marks Cockburn’s 39th album, a milestone that speaks to the remarkable consistency of a career that began in 1970. Along the way, he has earned 13 Juno Awards, been inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame and the Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame, received the Governor General’s Performing Arts Award for Lifetime Artistic Achievement, named an Officer of the Order of Canada, and awarded 9 Honourary Doctorates including the Berklee School of Music. His songs, including “Lovers in a Dangerous Time,” “Wondering Where the Lions Are,” and “If I Had a Rocket Launcher,” remain touchstones of Canadian songwriting, covered by artists from the Barenaked Ladies to Jimmy Buffett to Jerry Garcia.
That legacy was still growing as recently as his previous studio release, ‘O Sun O Moon,’ recorded in Nashville with longtime producer Colin Linden. “Time takes its toll, but in my soul I’m on a roll,” Cockburn sang on that album’s opening track, a line that could just as easily describe the restless curiosity behind ‘The Blood of Others.’ Speaking about his songwriting at the time, Cockburn put it simply: “I just don’t want to ever keep doing the same thing.” With this new record, he proves that philosophy extends even to the songs he didn’t write himself, each one chosen and reshaped with the same care and instinct that has defined his catalogue since 1970.
Website I Spotify I YouTube I Facebook
PERTH INDIE-GRUNGE OUTFIT UNICORN RETURN WITH HEAD-TURNING NEW SINGLE ‘SWEET RIDE’
Having firmly established themselves within the WA scene as creators of music that hits hard and fast with emotion and craft, four-piece rock outfit UNICORN are back with a new dose of the above in a blistering fresh track: ‘SWEET RIDE’.
Driven by sharp guitars and buoyed by rhythms that make way for moments of primal and euphoric release, the song marks an exciting step forward for the band, who had a solid year in 2025 with releases including ‘Wonderful Wonderful’ and ‘Spirals’. For songwriter and frontwoman Jenna Hardie, ‘Sweet Ride’ is a song about “determination and perseverance”.
“I often write messages to myself when I write lyrics to songs — almost like journal entries. ‘Sweet Ride’ is about determination and perseverance. Working towards what you want. Having the belief in yourself that you can do it — and refusing to take on board the noise and negativity of others.” JENNA HARDIE, UNICORN
‘Sweet Ride’ stands strong as a song that takes on an anthemic feel for those looking to purge any feelings of self-doubt or frustration within themselves when things get tough. Taking a look at naysayers and those who often underestimate or undermine, the track is meant to be taken as a personal mantra for those who need it. Raw, urgent and memorable, the latest single from Unicorn positions the band as one of the West Coast’s finest rock forces.
Unicorn have had a big 2026 already – earning themselves two WAM Song Of The Year nominations in 2026 (for ‘Spirals’ in the Rock category, and ‘Wonderful Wonderful’ in the Blues/Roots category).
Since their debut in 2021, Unicorn have become fast fixtures on the WA rock circuit, expanding their audiences with standout performances supporting the likes of Jebediah, Clouds and Def FX; and performing at events such as the RTR FM Winter Music Festival and Spliffs n Riffs. On the airwaves, Unicorn have had plenty of support across the globe – with radio play across Japan, UK, Canada, Brazil and Mexico.
To celebrate the release of ‘Sweet Ride’, Unicorn will launch their new single in Fremantle at The Buffalo Club on Saturday 22 August. They will then be performing in Bunbury and Albany throughout the month!
UNICORN ‘SWEET RIDE’ LIVE SHOWS
SATURDAY 22 AUGUST The Buffalo Club FREMANTLE
Supports Flora Road, Shadow Planet
SATURDAY 29 AUGUST Six Degrees ALBANY
Supports Arthur Stewart, Simon London (solo)
Free Entry
FRIDAY 4 SEPTEMBER Prince of Wales Hotel BUNBURY
Supports Beth Chia Duo, Bec Dawson (solo)
Free Entry
UNICORN: Facebook | Instagram | YouTube | TikTok | Triple J Unearthed
XANDRIA German Symphonic Metal Icons Presents New Album’s Title Track, “Eclipse”. New Album, Eclipse, Releases this Friday, August 7, via Napalm Records
Just a few days ahead of the release of their new album, Eclipse, dropping this Friday, German symphonic metal icons XANDRIA unveil the record’s title track and final single alongside an official music video. “Eclipse” showcases the exceptional versatility of vocalist Ambre Vourvahis, highlighting the full range of her remarkable voice: from soft, emotional passages and powerful rock vocals to intense growls and soaring operatic sections. Bringing all of these vocal styles together in a single metal song, performed by one singer, is a truly rare achievement.
Driven by heavy guitars and dramatic orchestral arrangements, the German band, with a career spanning more than 30 years and numerous high-charting releases, continues to raise the bar. They demonstrated exactly that last weekend with their appearance on Germany’s ZDF-Fernsehgarten, one of the country’s most popular television shows.
Fans can experience XANDRIA’s captivating live performance this Saturday on the main stage at Germany’s M’era Luna Festival, where the band will celebrate the release of Eclipse. They will then embark on an extensive European tour, kicking off this September.
Band mastermind Marco Heubaum comments on the title track:
“‘Eclipse’ is fast, heavy and full of fire. The sun represents the light of civilisation, while the moon slowly moves in front of it and leaves the world in darkness. Musically, the song turns this image into an epic battle, with Ambre moving between powerful rock vocals, operatic singing and growls in a performance that still leaves me speechless. But an eclipse does not last forever. The song is about refusing to accept the darkness as the new normal: ‘No, we won’t let them win this war.’”
Watch the official music video for “Eclipse” https://youtu.be/p-a_6KZPV1w
With their latest album (2023) being XANDRIA’s most successful release to date, entering the Official German Album Charts at #9, the upcoming Eclipse, releasing this Friday, August 7, 2026 via Napalm Records, is taking the band on their most diverse path yet. It features eleven tracks that represent the most diverse body of work in the band’s discography so far: every song has its own identity—a journey full of discoveries—yet they all belong to the same world. Classic, ‘80s-inspired metal riffs stand alongside low-tuned modern metal guitars, cinematic orchestral sounds meet Celtic folk influences, and dark electronic elements blend with intimate rock moments, even including a guitar solo that owes more to Pink Floyd than to any metal genre.
Eclipse marks XANDRIA’s most outspoken and cinematic album so far: a dark, colourful, and defiant statement for reason, empathy, and democracy in times when all three are under attack, brought to life by a band fueled with new energy, new ambitions, and a clear artistic direction, aiming higher than ever and not looking back!
Get your version of Eclipse
lnk.to/Xandria-Eclipse/napalmrecords
While The Wonders Still Awaiting (2023) marked the rebirth of XANDRIA with a new line-up—an album that opened the door to a new era—Eclipse goes further. It is more focused and direct, the lyrics are more outspoken, dealing almost entirely with what is happening to our civilization right now. The contrasts are stronger, and the different musical and vocal colours feel even more naturally integrated into the songs. As XANDRIA’s sole composer, Marco Heubaum musically draws inspiration from all aspects of his surroundings: music, stories, and emotions that have shaped him since childhood. It is no secret that film scores have always been another major influence, especially composers like Hans Zimmer and John Williams.
PRONG Unleash Explosive New Single “The Banner”
Prong is Out November 6, 2026
Following the announcement of their forthcoming self-titled Napalm Records debut, out November 6, New York alternative metal legends PRONG return to give fans their first taste of blood off the new record with “The Banner”. The incendiary album opener takes off at full throttle, with machine tight riffage propping up frontman Tommy Victor’s vicious barks with commanding stature. Mean and biting as the band has always been, this track sets the stage for the flurry of fury waiting within Prong.
About “The Banner” Tommy states:
“We are unbelievably excited to share the first single, ‘The Banner’, from our upcoming self-titled record. Andy Sneap’s mix and master is absolutely blistering and ferocious. This is just the beginning and we hope you enjoy it.”
Check out the Official Music Video for “The Banner”
Order Your Copy of Prong
lnk.to/Prong-Prong/napalmrecords
As the band’s mission statement, Prong incorporates the well of styles their legacy is built on. Blistering thrash sections, open into lush choruses on opening anthem “The Banner”, before somehow pushing the intensity even further on “New Commission”. “The Uprising” reintroduces the band’s industrial edge, weaponizing textured synths over a pulsating two-step, before “Uncertain Truth” flexes its melodic chops, offering a transcendently sweet hook. Immediately the band dropkicks listeners in the chest with the pummeling “Fear The Sun” inciting classic New York Hardcore pit violence. Iconic vocalist and guitarist Tommy Victor’s chops come out in full swing on “Proportionate Response”, a smoldering incitement of retaliatory justice, before the blistering kicks of “Simulated Drowning” propel us forward. Album closer “Our Continuance” brings things to a cataclysmic close with its menacingly methodical pulse and pummelingly discordant breakdowns, tied together with a lush chorus amplified with swelling synth textures.
Mixed and mastered by Andy Sneap, the album sounds crisp and punchy, Victor’s biting lyrics confrontational and infiltrating, driving listeners to contemplate complex matters like the validity of truth, self-inhibitors, and altruism. Dynamically bold, ideologically driven, and melodically infectious, Prong honors their legacy, reminding us why the band has had such a successful longevity.
IGNEA Ukrainian Modern Metal Architects Explore Eerie Comfort of Urban Nostalgia with Second Single “Darkness”. New Album, Monumental, Releases October 23, 2026, via Napalm Records
Echoing nostalgia for a future that never arrives on Monumental!
Ukrainian modern metal architects IGNEA further open the doors to their upcoming album Monumental, out on October 23, 2026 via Napalm Records, with the second single, “Darkness”. The song sets the emotional foundation for the album, which is set around the concept of nostalgia. “Darkness” explores finding comfort in memories even if they reveal cracks. Native to Kyiv, IGNEA have their own fair share of those, so the new song inevitably takes a bittersweet turn. Shifting between eerie, melancholic verses and grandiose, uplifting choruses before crescendoing into a live choir set against raw blast beats, the new song mirrors the emotional swing of nostalgia itself, the drift into shadow followed by sudden bursts of longing.
“Darkness” is paired with a music video shot in Ukraine’s capital city. The walk through Kyiv captures an additional theme of the album – the walk past modernist buildings representing a future that never arrived. Part of the video was filmed at the Kyiv National University of Construction and Architecture — symbolically vital for an album about urban nostalgia, as its halls carry the energy of generations of students who trained there to build the very structures the video mourns.
With the very same buildings that once only held innocent memories of the band’s upbringing now being destroyed by the war, the imagery adds a second, bitter layer to the nostalgia. It’s not just longing for the past, but grief for what is disappearing in real time. In a cruel coincidence, IGNEA shot the video for “Darkness” in the literal darkness of the largest missile and drone attacks on Kyiv that hit the night before shooting.
Helle Bohdanova about “Darkness”:
“‘Darkness’ is about the rides we take into nostalgia when the present gets too heavy — and how bittersweet it is to realize you can never actually go back. As all IGNEA members are from Kyiv, we wanted to make a nostalgic ode to our city, walking through its memory — the same modernist buildings that once promised a future, the subway stations, the same streets that hold our childhoods, our first kisses, people we’ve lost.
The war, in its turn, adds its own layer of darker nostalgia, watching those buildings burn in real time — and it heavily affected both days of filming.
On the first day, one of the worst missile attacks on Kyiv hit the night before — we hadn’t slept at all, running on nothing but adrenaline, and the city was still on fire as we drove to the location. On the second, we filmed through the city with sirens and drones overhead.
Considering this, we’re living in literal darkness, longing for the peaceful, trouble-free days… Can we ever get back?”
Watch the Official Music Video For “Darkness” https://youtu.be/igs7oZpalaA
Monumental is IGNEA’s second full-length album that was written during the full-scale war in Ukraine. The recording process mostly took place in the winter of 2025-2026, during icy temperatures and long power outages in Kyiv.
Helle Bohdanova says about Monumental: “Back in the 17th century, nostalgia was considered a deadly disease—and in many ways, it still is. It’s a universal feeling experienced by every human being, pulling us toward a past that felt gentler than it truly was, especially during the bitter moments of the present. Much of this album was inspired by modernist architecture—concrete giants built to signal progress and a brighter future, now slowly decaying. They’ve become a sort of memory box: monuments to unrealized dreams, where the future that was once imagined never arrived, yet continues to echo through the ruins and bright mosaics.”
Pre-order your copy of Monumental
lnk.to/Ignea-Monumental/napalmrecords
On Monumental, IGNEA takes the listener on nostalgic rides, with all their ups and downs, expressed in music and lyrics, carrying a sense of gentle sadness and reflection, as nostalgia can bring back beautiful memories, darkened by the awareness that these moments will never happen again.
Following Dreams of Lands Unseen (2023), the band navigates through unique facets of the past across nine tracks—from the grandeur and ambition of Cold War space dreams to the melancholy of urban decay and forgotten modernist structures, all the way to the emotional weight of personal and collective memory. All lyrics on Monumental were written by vocalist Helle Bohdanova. The music was composed by keyboardist Yevhenii Zhytniuk, with additional contributions from Helle Bohdanova. Mixing and mastering were handled by Grammy Award-nominated producer Jacob Hansen, known for his work with bands such as DELAIN, Amaranthe, Volbeat, Amon Amarth, Arch Enemy, and Epica.
Musically, Monumental blends technical metal riffs, industrial textures, atmospheric interludes, grandiose choruses, and melodic passages to mirror “nostalgic rides,” where darkness, reflection, and awe collide. Visually and conceptually, IGNEA drew inspiration from retrofuturism, modernist and monumental architecture, and industrial design, creating a world where sound, imagery, and memory converge. The album stands as an ode to the past, a meditation on lost and unrealized futures, and a celebration of the enduring beauty hidden within forgotten places.
EXUMER German Thrash Veterans Drop Waco, Texas-Inspired New Single, “Allocated Savagery;” Death Mask Messiah To See Release August 28 On Metal Blade Records
“Allocated Savagery” is the latest single from veteran German thrash legion, EXUMER. The track comes by way of the band’s latest studio album, Death Mask Messiah, set for release on August 28th through Metal Blade Records.
Death Mask Messiah is inspired conceptually by US politics of the last decade, the pandemic, the use of misinformation to stir up cultural divides, etc. Vocalist Mem V. Stein also explores the 30-year anniversary of Waco, Texas and the standoff with the Branch Davidians.
“‘Allocated Savagery’ delivers a brutal musical and lyrical account of the event,” comments Mem. “The track captures the intensity of the confrontation with the ATF, while reflecting on themes of misinformation and division that still resonate today.”
Stream EXUMER’s “Allocated Savagery”
Watch EXUMER’s previously released video for “Death Mask Messiah” HERE.
Death Mask Messiah serves as EXUMER’s first new studio output in seven years and further cements the band’s legacy as a dauntless thrash metal institution. A logical and compelling progression from their three previous albums, the 11 ferocious songs, produced by Dominic Paraskevopoulos (Kreator, Caliban) and mixed and mastered by Arthur Rizk (Soulfly, King Diamond), take a more brutal and direct musical approach.
Recorded from December 2025 through January 2026, Death Mask Messiah is also the first EXUMER LP recorded with the rhythm section of drummer Jerome Reil and bass player Alex Voss. “You can feel their young energy, coupled with our trademark aggression and experience,” says Mem. “The band sounds more focused and yet raw, thanks to their addition to the lineup.”
The sequencing of Death Mask Messiah mirrors the intended lyrical and conceptual narrative to the music guitarists Ray Mensh and Marc B. composed for the album. The result is an auditory and emotional rollercoaster ride worth repeating. “I think we are heading toward a thrash renaissance, with legacy bands like us, Exodus and Kreator dropping new albums, and younger bands becoming very popular with younger fans,” Mem observes. While it’s been a few years since EXUMER’s last album, Death Mask Messiah is doubtless worth the wait, the band believes that, “it’s always quality over quantity for EXUMER, and we hope and believe people appreciate that approach.”
As a bonus, Death Mask Messiah includes a guest and a cover song: Nasty Ronnie Galletti from American metal legends Nasty Savage sings on EXUMER’s version of his band’s track “Unchained Angel.” EXUMER supported the band in 1988 on their first European tour.
Death Mask Messiah features front art and layout by Björn Gooßes of Killustrations (Sodom, Vomitory)
Find preorders at
THE NIGHT ETERNAL German Melancholic Heavy Metal Outfit Release “The Veins Of Time”. New Album; Cold Velvet, Out Aug 21 On Metal Blade Records
Up-and-coming German melancholic heavy metal outfit THE NIGHT ETERNAL is pleased to present their latest single, “The Veins Of Time.” The consuming new track comes by way of the band’s forthcoming Metal Blade debut, Cold Velvet, set to drop on August 21st.
The band’s third single opens the B-side of Cold Velvet and immediately signals a new shade of THE NIGHT ETERNAL. From its very first seconds, the track draws the listener in with a hypnotic, post-punk–infused goth intro that steadily builds momentum. What follows is a journey through melancholy and dreamlike atmospheres, grounded in heavy rock. The song culminates in an epic finale, marked by a dramatic interplay between Ricardo Baum’s outstanding lead vocals and a powerful, expressive guitar solo by Rob Richter.
Watch THE NIGHT ETERNAL’s “The Veins Of Time” video
Watch THE NIGHT ETERNAL’s previously released videos for “Where This World Ends” HERE and “Caught In A Spell” HERE.
With Cold Velvet, THE NIGHT ETERNAL has ultimately carved out its own subgenre, weaving darkness, dreamlike unease and deep melancholy into a dramatic yet untainted heavy metal rock ’n’ roll attitude. Recurring trademarks such as hypnotic, ritualistic rhythms, mesmeric guitar riffs and melodies, and irresistibly catchy choruses permeate every track drawing the listener into a trance-like state and unleashing a relentless surge of dark energy and dopamine.
Cold Velvet was recorded between May and December 2025 at Church Of Sound Studios in the greater area of Munich, Germany. Production, recording, and mixing duties were handled by Michael Zech — guitarist of black metallers Secrets Of The Moon and a highly respected producer known for his work with Sulphur Aeon, Triptykon, and The Ruins Of Beverast, among others.
As a musician and guitarist himself, Zech brought a deep understanding of the artistic vision behind the material. For the first time during an album recording process, there was a genuine sense of being fully understood on a musical and emotional level. At a certain point, he felt less like an external producer and more like an additional band member — a connection that can clearly be heard throughout the record.
The band comments, “One particularly exciting aspect of our collaboration with Michael was that he has predominantly worked with black and death metal bands in recent years. This gave the entire recording and mixing process fresh and distinctive energy, as many of his ideas felt both renewed and uniquely inspired, marking one of his first returns to an ’80s-inspired classic heavy metal sound in quite some time.”
Cold Velvet will be released on CD-digipak and digitally as well as vinyl