SNIPPETZ: THURSDAY May 14 2026
This week’s Snippetz includes: Cam Butler, Modest Mouse, Deep Purple, Laguna, Clover, Mono, CYCAD, Holly Hebe, Ocean Sleeper, Jack Raymond, Waiting for Brenda, Kew Court House, The Narrator, Ensiferum, Go-Jo, Carcass, Syncia and CASH ONLY, Far & High, Inkabee, Uncle Acid & The Deadbeats, Edie, Koyo, Movements, Thee Johnny Casino Syndicat, Flotsam and Jetsam, Xandira, Lovebites, Gin Wigmore, The Who, Alice Cooper, Senna, Pinky Beecroft, Lykke Li, Project X, The Lemon Twigs, Sam Fischer, Tkay Maidza, Headwreck, Tom West,
The Jackets, Vacations, Wasia Project, The Strokes.
CAM BUTLER LAUNCHES NEW ALBUM ‘WORLD FOREVER’ AT MELBOURNE TOWN HALL
The album launch for Cam Butler’s new album, ‘World Forever’ will be on Friday May 22 at the Melbourne Town Hall. This is a FREE concert, no bookings required and is for one night only. They’ll be playing the album in its entirety, you’ll be able to hear in its full glory the Melbourne Town Hall Grand Pipe Organ, a 24 piece string orchestra and backing band of Cam on guitar and ex-Ron S. Peno & The Superstitions members Mark Dawson on drums and Andy Papadopoulos on bass!
Very special guests on the night will be The Orbweavers. Doors and bar 7:30pm, The Orbweavers 8pm, World Forever Orchestra 9pm.
The City of Melbourne and Heavy Machinery Records presents the world premiere of World Forever, a new commissioned work for Grand Organ by Australian composer and guitarist Cam Butler, at the Melbourne Town Hall on Friday May 22.
Best known for his work with Silver Ray and Ron S. Peno and The Superstitions, Butler releases his twelfth solo album with a bold new sound. World Forever blends a 28‑piece string orchestra and rock ensemble with the immense power of the Melbourne Town Hall Grand Organ. The result is a sweeping, cinematic journey moving from lush, widescreen beauty to dark, gothic intensity and psychedelic colour. This is Butler’s most ambitious and atmospheric work yet.
MODEST MOUSE Shares New Single ‘Third Side Of The Moon’ From new albumAn Eraser And A Maze, Out 5 June. Single out now via Glacial Pace Recordings / Virgin Music Group
The institution that is Modest Mouse has released another song from its forthcoming new album in the form of the quiet gut-punch ‘Third Side of the Moon’. The track has been a highlight of the band’s live show since it was first introduced two years ago. Frontman Isaac Brock’s vivid lyrical style is the anchor, its poignant minimalism centring on the oversight of small details: “I can’t remember if your eyes were green or brown or red / ‘cause you always spoke in a whisper and I ain’t so good at listening.”
‘Third Side of the Moon’ will appear on An Eraser And A Maze, the band’s first new album in five years and debut on Glacial Pace Recordings/Virgin Music Group. It will be released on June 5th and was produced by Brock with additional production by Jacknife Lee (REM, U2), Suzy Shinn (Weezer), and Justin Raisen (Charli xcx, Kim Gordon, Lil Yachty). Previous single ‘Picking Dragons’ Pockets’ has been the most added on Mediabase’s Alternative chart for two consecutive weeks in the US.
An Eraser And A Maze is available for pre-save and pre-order now. The album will be released on CD and two LPs, with exclusive vinyl variants available from the band’s web site HERE and select retailers HERE.
There’s a theory in physics — the idea that past, present, and future all exist simultaneously, and that the passage of time itself is an illusion. It’s also the best way to understand An Eraser And A Maze, because you can hear every era of Modest Mouse coexisting at once on it. It might mark the end of a timeline. Or the start of one. Or maybe both at once.
Modest Mouse is also celebrating the 30th anniversary of the release of its debut studio album, This Is a Long Drive for Someone With Nothing To Talk About. It remains one of the most critically respected bands of the modern era and one that never really fit anywhere – which is precisely why it has mattered so much.
Modest Mouse – Third Side Of The Moon (Official Visualiser) youtube.com/watch?v=WZ4u6kt5hRQ&feature=youtu.be
Modest Mouse – Third Side Of The Moon. Single out now, An Eraser And A Maze out Friday 5 June via Glacial Pace Recordings / Virgin Music Group
DEEP PURPLE Release Arrogant Boy – The First Single From New Album, Splat! Out On July 3 via EarMusic
“Music For The End Of Humanity (…But Not As Grim As It May Seem)”
Deep Purple have released a new song Arrogant Boy today. The powerful, fast-paced hard rock tune is the first musical statement from SPLAT!, Deep Purple’s new studio album, out July 3rd on earMUSIC.
Watch the official music video here https://youtu.be/SoSr0sStFaE
Deep Purple are currently featured on the cover of Classic Rock Germany, where the magazine highlights Arrogant Boy as “an electrifying song in the style of Space Truckin’ or Highway Star”, adding that it “doesn’t copy these classics; rather, it cleverly varies them.”
Frontman Ian Gillan says of Arrogant Boy: “This is the story of Billy who couldn’t read or write. He is unhappy with things, so he speaks up, and finds a way of irritating, one way or another, the elite. And I can’t think of anything more fun than irritating the elite. It would be a joyous exercise for me every morning after coffee.”
The single arrives one week after Deep Purple announced their new studio album SPLAT!. Once again, the band has teamed up with producer Bob Ezrin, continuing a
collaboration that has shaped the band’s recent studio albums, all of which reached number one on the album charts in multiple countries.
At the heart of SPLAT! is an idea conceived by Ian Gillan. Rather than treating the end as destruction, the album imagines it as transformation: SPLAT! explores the end of humanity not in any crude apocalyptic sense but as a metamorphosis beyond physical existence.
The album concept will be revealed further in the weeks leading up to its release on July 3rd. Follow Deep Purple and earMUSIC on socials to stay tuned.
SPLAT! will be available on July 3rd in multiple formats:
Limited Box Set, containing:
2LP Gatefold (180g)
12-page vinyl-sized booklet
CD Digisleeve
3 exclusive 10-inch vinyl records featuring live recordings from the Deep Purple Tour 2024
Exclusive 7-inch single featuring the bonus track “GUINNESIS” (not included on the studio album and available exclusively in the box set!)
CD (Digisleeve)
2LP Gatefold (black, 180g) + 12-page vinyl-sized booklet
Limited Purple 2LP Gatefold (180g) + 12-page vinyl-sized booklet
Limited Transparent Yellow 2LP (180g) + 12-page vinyl-sized booklet
All LP editions include a rich 12-page LP-sized booklet with illustrations and all song lyrics – available exclusively with the first pressing.
PRE ORDER SPLAT! HERE https://www.deeppurple.lnk.to/SPLAT
MELBOURNE PSYCH-ROCK ARTIST LAGUNA RETURNS WITH NEW SINGLE ‘MYRTLE’
Developing a signature sound that has brought him acclaim, Geelong musician and songwriter JAMES GUIDA has been taking consistent strides with each release under creative moniker LAGUNA.
The project brings together a visceral clash of sounds and energy that draws inspiration from ‘60s psych-fuzz and experimental rock music; speaking to an authentic love for pushing oneself into new and curious sonic territory.
Debuting the project in 2024, Guida has generated momentum that has propelled him into a creative zone that has produced some brilliant new work, namely his new track ‘MYRTLE’.
Created in his home studio, the self-produced work from Laguna matches chaos with insatiable rhythms and pace. A process that Guida himself describes as exhausting but ultimately fulfilling, making ‘Myrtle’ has led to a cathartic final result.
“I think ‘Myrtle’ is a reflection of the times we’re in and that it shows the genius of our influences is still relevant, if not more relevant now.” LAGUNA
The release of ‘Myrtle’ is accompanied by a perfectly-paired, fuzzy VHS-style music video. On the filming process, Guida comments; “From a budget filmmaking perspective, some of these ideas aren’t as easy to execute with 90s handycams and VCRs as you might expect.The fisheye close-ups were a last-minute decision because I was running super short on time and footage. I think it worked out in the end.”
Released via Mountain Girl Records, Guida’s own record label, ‘Myrtle’ is a striking follow up to ‘ZEBRA’ – Laguna’s powerful first single of the year. A spirit of rebellion threads itself throughout the arrangement of ‘Myrtle’; for newcomers to Laguna’s sound, this should present as a great jump off point in exploring a divine catalogue of work.
Perfect for fans of King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard, Orb, Thee Oh Sees and The Murlocs, the latest from Laguna stands to draw you into this kaleidoscopic soundscape, inciting intrigue into what Guida has coming next.
‘MYRTLE’ is released THURSDAY 14 MAY.
LAGUNA: Facebook | Instagram | YouTube | Triple J Unearthed
CLOVR ANNOUNCES EUPHORIC DEBUT ALBUM ‘PAPER ELEPHANTS’
REVEALS SUBLIME SINGLE ‘CLOSER’
Meanjin/Brisbane-based producer Clovr has just announced his exhilarating debut album, ‘paper elephants’, due Thursday, June 11. In addition to this news, he’s releasing the next taste of the album in the single ‘closer’, continuing his prolific run of releases.
‘closer’ is a shimmering, introspective house track driven by an undeniable pulse. It balances a raw, emotive vocal performance with weightless bell-like synths over a foundation of punchy kicks and crisp snares. Equally suited for sun-drenched festivals or quiet commutes, the track is anchored by organic textures and an emotive pull that have become his sonic hallmark.
Clovr shares the inspiration behind the track:
“I went through many versions when I was in Munich. It acts as a soundtrack to my experiences there, as I felt deeply connected to its culture and environment. It’s a stripped-back piece of work that aims to embrace human connection, disengaging from the overwhelming saturation of digital content.”
As well as ‘closer’, ‘paper elephants’ will feature previous singles ‘complicated’, ‘get sum’, ‘Friends’, ‘Say So’, and ‘Cold’, which have received extensive support from the likes of Spotify, Apple Music, triple j, Hit FM, NOVA, iHeart and SYN.
Rooted in a love of early Flume, Caribou and Hermitude, Clovr’s style balances futuristic production with nostalgic textures. “My mum was always blasting Fleetwood Mac in the living room when I was a pup – it ignited a curiosity for music,” Clovr explains. “From that I learnt the drums and dabbled between other instruments before I was hooked on the production bandwagon.”
In the live arena, Clovr has performed alongside artists such as Lime Cordiale, Go-Jo, Bag Raiders, Luude, Wongo, Example, and Hermitude, and has featured on festival lineups including Groovin the Moo, SoCal Festival, Be Social Fest, and Rhythm and The Reef.
‘closer’ is available worldwide now
‘paper elephants’ will be available worldwide on Thursday, June 11
‘paper elephants’ Track Listing:
1. ‘until we meet again’
2. ‘pit viper’
3. ‘friends’
4. ‘in my arms (find love)’
5. ‘get sum’
6. ‘let me go’
7. ‘paper elephant (run tune)’
8. ‘complicated’ w/ Sam Atlast
9. ‘closer’
10. ’02-Ò1. Int§rlµdæ’
11. ‘bright’
12. ‘fux’
13. ‘want it less’
14. ‘cold’ feat. Amela
15. ‘say so’
16. ‘your love’
FOLLOW CLOVR
FACEBOOK | INSTAGRAM | TIKTOK | TRIPLE J UNEARTHED
SPOTIFY | APPLE MUSIC | YOUTUBE | BANDCAMP
LEGENDARY JAPANESE QUARTET MONO SHARE SINGLE & VIDEO ‘GERBERA’ FROM THEIR 13TH STUDIO ALBUM, SNOWDROP OUT JUNE 12 VIA TEMPORARY RESIDENCE. TOURING AUSTRALIA IN APRIL 2027
Japanese instrumental rock group MONO share a new single and video, ‘Gerbera’, from their forthcoming 13th studio album Snowdrop, out June 12, via Temporary Residence. To mark the release, MONO will return to Australia for the first time in four years, playing in Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide and Perth in April 2027.
Snowdrop is the band’s first album produced by Brad Wood (Touché Amore, The Smashing Pumpkins), following the passing of their longtime collaborator and friend Steve Albini. On Snowdrop, the band channels a deep sense of gratitude to those precious people who have walked alongside them on their journey of life, incorporating the messages imbued in flowers given to those who have passed into the album’s song titles.
Speaking about the new single they share, “The language of flowers for the Gerbera is ‘faithful love’ and ‘cheerfulness’. The countless, precious memories I share with you will never be forgotten. I am so glad that I met you. Innocence, purity, joy, beauty—and I will never forget your smile.”
The accompanying video, directed by Yusaku Mitsuwaka, captures the sentiment while showcasing their live talent. Mitsuwaka shares, “During the shoot, the wind swayed the silver grass wildly, resonating with the band’s performance and blowing through as if it were music itself. Guided by the wind, the camera danced, and “Gerbera” became a music video brimming with vitality. Even in today’s fractured world, the act of loving and being loved remains unchanging. I hope this wind reaches the heavens. I would like you to watch this while thinking of someone dear to you.”
When MONO recorded their previous album, OATH with Albini, in 2023, they never fathomed that it would be the final studio album they made together. Albini tragically died the following year, and that loss left an incalculable void in the lives of not just everyone who ever knew Steve, but everyone with an attachment to any of the thousands of records he helped bring into the world over the past four decades. He brought a clarity to the chaos and a selfless sense of service to art and artists that was unrivalled. On both a personal and practical level, MONO was left faced with profound grief and uncertainty. Albini had become a fundamental part of MONO’s unmistakable sound, and the thought of replacing him was daunting, to say the least. Enter: Brad Wood (Touché Amoré, The Smashing Pumpkins)
Chosen for both his familiarity with MONO’s creative and technical working process, as well as his decades-long friendship with Steve Albini, Brad Wood entered Albini’s storied Electrical Audio studios in September 2025 to record what would become Snowdrop. Once again working with Chicago-based conductor and orchestral musical director Chad McCullough, MONO enlisted a 10-piece orchestra as well as an 8-piece choir for the eight massive pieces that make up Snowdrop. With the band performing and Wood recording in the same hallowed space where most of MONO’s records had been made in their quarter-century history, the songs on Snowdrop carry an extra weight. Mixed by Wood at his Seagrass home studio in Los Angeles, the album is equally intimate and enveloping.
Where there could easily be a pall hanging over Snowdrop, there is instead an extraordinary air of gratitude. Rather than steep in heartache, there is a poignant appreciation for the resonance of life well-spent with a dear friend – and the yearning for what may come. Snowdrop is the sound of a band turning shock and sadness into hope and wonder – and finding renewed focus in the freedom of unknowing.
Originally formed in 1999, MONO’s unique approach blends orchestral arrangements with shoegaze guitar noise into memorable, emotional epics. Consistently held in high regard by their peers, their music has been praised by media, including NME proclaiming “This is music for the Gods.” Amongst their fans, they are revered as one of the best live experiences in rock.
MONO AUSTRALIAN TOUR 2027
April 22 Princess Theatre, Brisbane, QLD
April 23 Manning Bar, Sydney NSW
April 24 Max Watts, Melbourne VIC
April 25 The Gov, Adelaide SA
April 27 The Rechabite, Perth, WA
Snowdrop – out June 12 via Temporary Residence
CONNECT WITH MONO WEB | INSTAGRAM | YOUTUBE | SPOTIFY | APPLE MUSIC
MELBOURNE’S CYCAD RELEASE LONG-ANTICIPATED DEBUT RECORD SCOUCH
Striding into 2026 with a brand new collection of music for fans, Melbourne indie/soul group CYCAD proudly present SCOUCH – their debut studio record.
The album is a bold step forward for the group, who have consistently been building a body of work to be proud of, a representation of influences and ideas that have been growing over years spent maturing together as songwriters and musicians.
Led by recent single ‘TASTELESS’, the album takes a number of turns, as CYCAD let themselves become immersed in fulfilling each idea, bringing each sound to its fullest potential. While some material heard on the record stems from ideas that have been bubbling away for years, SCOUCH is a completely fresh venture for the band; one that has taught them much about themselves as a unit.
“The process of making this album was the first time we had worked in a proper studio with a proper producer. Some of the songs we had written years ago and been gigging for a while, and some were written during the recording process, but all of them got the treatment we felt they deserved.
We had the opportunity to add instruments and production effects we hadn’t used before, like a lap steel guitar and a Fender Rhodes keyboard, as well as the addition of some fun synths to give the songs some extra spice. We spent a total of 8 days in the studio across the winter months of 2025, slowly getting more and more excited as everything came together. Overall we are so happy with the outcome, and incredibly proud of ourselves and our producer Ben for bringing this music to life.” CYCAD
Songs like ‘UNDONE’ and ‘FOREVER, AGAIN’ demonstrate the record’s natural groove and emotive storytelling; while ‘CREATURE OF COMFORT’and fellow standout ‘SPACE COWBOY’ are set to land with impact for fans of groups like Spacey Jane and South Summit.
Released alongside SCOUCH, is the official music video for the track ‘GORGE’ – an album cut that is sure to become a favourite for fans as it has become for the band.
“The music video for Gorge was our first ever attempt at making a proper music video, with a $0 budget. We worked with our good friend and videographer Sean Tolan over the course of two days to film everything, coming up with new ideas along the way. We were lucky enough to have an hour to shoot at The Raccoon Club in Preston before they opened, a sick place with incredible decorations that really suited the western vibe we were going for.” CYCAD
To celebrate the release of SCOUCH, CYCAD will be performing a special launch show at The Retreat Hotel this May.
“We are so excited to be back at The Retreat Hotel Brunswick, one of our favourite venues to play and see shows to launch this album. With a combined hundreds of hours between us spent in the bandroom, we are so keen to be back there for a few more.” CYCAD
CYCAD ‘SCOUCH’ LAUNCH SHOW
Friday 22 May The Retreat Hotel BRUNSWICK
with Fiasco, Dirty Gwen TICKETS
SCOUCH is out now
CYCAD: Facebook | Instagram | YouTube | TikTok | Triple J Unearthed
HOLLY HEBE Announces New EP Mood Ring, A Diary of Heartbreak, Colour and Memory
Holly Hebe today announces her forthcoming EP Mood Ring, arriving July 17th a deeply intimate and sonically immersive project exploring heartbreak, superstition, nostalgia and the emotional chaos of growing up. PRE-ORDER
Blending vivid lyricism with layered vocals, shimmering textures and piano-driven songwriting, Mood Ring captures a year of emotional turbulence through a collection of deeply personal songs that each carry their own colour, atmosphere and emotional weight. Leaning into whimsical production, sparkling reversed sounds and raw storytelling, the EP sees Holly Hebe further cement her ability to turn vulnerability into something cinematic and transportive.
“Mood Ring is a collection of songs about clinging onto signs, being desperately hopeful and aimlessly sad, superstition and heartbreak,” Holly shares.
“Every song has a colour paired with it & eventually they all morphed into one giant emotional pinwheel for me that documents the last year of my life.”
The EP moves fluidly between euphoric nostalgia and emotional devastation. From the romanticised slow-burn heartbreak of title track Mood Ring, to the Y2K-inspired rush of Swimsuit, the stripped-back vulnerability of Maybe I’m Growing and the aching intimacy of Birthmark, Holly Hebe creates a world that feels both diaristic and dreamlike. Across the project, themes of longing, growing apart, loneliness and emotional attachment are explored through lush sonic landscapes and deeply detailed songwriting.
At its core, Mood Ring is a coming-of-age record shaped by heartbreak, memory and reflection, an honest snapshot of emotional growing pains wrapped in glittering indie-pop production and melancholic charm.
CONNECT WITH HOLLY HEBE https://www.instagram.com/hollyhebe/
OCEAN SLEEPER RELEASE POWERFUL NEW SINGLE ‘BREAK THE CYCLE’
Regional Victorian metalcore kings Ocean Sleeper return in 2026 transformed – sharper, heavier, and more emotionally resonant than ever before. Following a relentless two-year stretch of international touring and writing, the four-piece now steps into a new age with their most defining release to date – their powerful and defiant new single and video ‘Break The Cycle’ (via BMG/Rise Records). Marked as the shining start of the next Ocean Sleeper era, ‘Break The Cycle’ captures the band’s enduring resilience in the face of adversity.
‘Break The Cycle’ was born from a creative partnership sparked when Ocean Sleeper brought Point North to Australia to support their sold-out 2025 tour. Following this connection, and after landing in the US for their headline tour and attending the Warped tour to watch their friends Lil Lotus, Sace6 & Point North play, they headed into the studio the following day with Jon Lundin of Point North (Falling In Reverse) to co-write the track. The result is one of their most anthemic and emotionally charged releases to date.
Says the band of ‘Break The Cycle’, “This song captures our struggle in breaking out of Australia and into the global touring market as an independent band. It’s fast paced, heavier than before, while still keeping the emotional depth with one of our biggest choruses to date. We instantly knew this song was going to be something special.”
Hailing from Gippsland in regional Victoria, and all working trades by day, Ocean Sleeper’s background is core to their identity and the deep connection they share with fans. Despite hailing from a small country town, Ocean Sleeper have never let geographical limits stand in their way – tearing down barriers and defying expectations at every turn. Through fierce self-sufficiency and brutal persistence, the metalcore four-piece have built a vehemently loyal fan base and following throughout Australia, the US and Europe.
Since their formation in 2015, Ocean Sleeper have been cultivating a reputation for blending crushing metalcore intensity with deeply personal lyricism and anthemic melody. From their 2019 debut album Don’t Leave Me This Way – featuring exceptional cut ‘Light in My Dark’ – through to their 2025 EP Maybe Death Is All I Need – with standouts like title track ‘Maybe Death Is All We Need’, ‘Heaven‘ and ‘Never The One‘ – the band has consistently pushed the boundaries of modern heavy music, connecting with fans through honesty, vulnerability, and explosive live performances.
They’ve sold out tours in both Australia and the US and recently played the Polaris-curated metal festival Life’s A Beach in Melbourne in February this year, alongside We Came As Romans, Thy Art is Murder and Caskets. With local dates likely in 2026, they’ll first play their debut headline European shows in Eindhoven, Prague and Vienna and support US’ Nevertel across the EU/UK throughout June/July as well as appearing at Impericon Festival (Germany). Plus this October will play Hellbound Cruise – a three-day cruise dedicated to heavy music featuring alongside heavyweights Parkway Drive, Polaris, Northlane, and The Butterfly Effect – departing from Sydney Harbour. More to come!
As ‘Break The Cycle’ does just as it says on the packet, and the band’s recent signing to BMG Australia and Rise Records (USA), Ocean Sleeper are tearing into 2026 with thunderous force.
Ocean Sleeper
New single ‘Break The Cycle‘
Is out now via BMG
OCEAN SLEEPER
Website | TikTok | Instagram | Spotify | YouTube | Apple Music | Facebook | X
JACK RAYMOND ‘PRISONER’ (SINGLE)
Independent artist Jack Raymond returns with “Prisoner”, the next single from his forthcoming second studio album Mr. Know It All.
A driving folk roots track built around rhythm, melody and honest storytelling, “Prisoner” explores the feeling of being caught between who you were and who you are trying to become.
Written on the road and shaped by the constant motion of touring, the song captures a restless energy that reflects the life of a travelling songwriter. It sits firmly within Raymond’s Mountain Roots sound, blending folk storytelling with a roots driven pulse that feels equally at home on festival stages and in intimate rooms.
Raised in Victoria’s High Country and now based on the Sunshine Coast, Raymond has built a reputation for grounded songwriting shaped by place, long roads and lived experience. “Prisoner” continues that thread, pairing reflective lyrics with a strong groove and a chorus that feels both personal and universal. It is a song about recognising the patterns we carry and finding the courage to step beyond them.
“PRISONER IS ABOUT THE MOMENT YOU REALISE THE ONLY THING HOLDING YOU BACK IS AN OLD VERSION OF YOURSELF.”
“Prisoner is about those moments when you realise the walls around you are not always built by someone else. Sometimes they are habits, expectations, or old versions of yourself that you have outgrown. Writing this song felt like opening a window.”
Over the years, Jack’s carved his way onto festival stages across the country including Gympie Muster 23 & 24, Woodford 24/25, Tamworth CMF 25, Solar Folk 25, Get Folk’d 25 with supports such as Joe Camilleri & The Black Sorrows, Kim Churchill, , Riley Pearce
WAITING FOR BRENDA ‘DAY OLD ROSES’ (SINGLE)
Waiting for Brenda are thrilled to announce their latest single, “Day Old Roses. Songwriter Brenda Lee Kelly cries out the bittersweet ache of a love past its prime, evoking fading beauty, memories and place with the emptiness of moving on when you’re still looking in the rearview mirror, with the sounds of fiddle, dobro, bass, drums and guitars with a choir of backing vocals driving the song forward.
Waiting for Brenda is the original music of Brenda Lee Kelly who leads the band on vocals with acoustic guitar, joined by friends and seasoned musicians: Garry Bain (guitar), Peter Cheney (bass), John Harrison (dobro), Luke Mysliwy (fiddle), and Craig Tobin (drums).
Their music is a distinctive blend of countrified indie alt-country, with unexpected shades of 80s new wave. It’s raw and heartfelt with a dash of grit.
ABOUT WAITING FOR BRENDA
Waiting for Brenda is the originals band of singer-songwriter Brenda Lee Kelly, weaving lyrics with the sounds of friends on dobro, fiddle, bass, drums & guitar. Waiting for Brenda have been described as a mix of country and western with 80’s New Wave influences.
Brenda released her debut album “Friendly Disposition” in 2023 with three of the 11 songs on the album nominated as finalists in the Tamworth Songwriting Awards (TSA) and one as finalist with the Australian Songwriter’s Association (ASA). Brenda has also facilitated songwriting workshops on behalf of the TSA.
For the past two years Waiting for Brenda have made the Hot 100 in the 4ZZZ Brisbane Community Radio Hot 100 list with two of her songs “Wildhorse Mountain” and “Friendly Disposition”
Waiting for Brenda started as a studio album with Brenda recording and mixing from home with her partner Damir Katic who she met whilst both studying Audio Engineering. Brenda had recorded before and played in bluegrass and rockabilly country bands performing some of her original songs in these bands. Those bands were put to a halt when Brenda found out that she had to undergo 14 months of cancer treatment.
Before undergoing surgery, she was inspired by Neil Young who recorded “Prairie Wind” before his surgery and so began a similar goal, to record a full album of just her original songs. She began recording at home and then was asked to perform at a music festival once her treatment finished. With many of her musical friends waiting for her good health to return, she asked some to join her and from there a band was formed “Waiting for Brenda” and they began to gig regularly.
With a huge back log of musical collaborations between the band members (Garry Bain, Peter Cheney, John Harrison, Luke Mysliwy & Craig Tobin) they are all keen to express something new in each of Brenda’s songs. Waiting for Brenda have been gigging constantly in South-East Queensland since 2023, performing at various venues and festivals (Nimbin Roots, Tamworth) and have had several Sunday afternoon residencies at popular Brisbane venue The Triffid.
“She has a unique vocal tone and style, and it stands out amongst today’s saccharine female country output and rings of genuine country leanings. Maybe file under Alt Country, but that just means this is more country than most of the songs on the radio charts at the moment.” – Jon Wolfe
Tamworth Country Music Capital News (March-April edition 2023)
‘Friendly Disposition’ is a slightly grungy set of songs which remind one of the heydays of alt-country. The band are just on the right side of ramshackle with wayward fiddle and Dobro solos galore while singer Brenda Lee Kelly strikes just the right attitude. File next to The Knitters. Americana UK – Paul Kerr, Album reviews, Columns, Features – March 31st 2023
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/waitingforbrenda
Website: https://brendaleekelly.com/wfb-electronic-press-kit-epk
Insta: @waitingforbrenda
KEW COURT HOUSE LIVE brings Melbourne’s cultural scene to life, featuring Lydia Lunch, Mick Harvey, Henry Manetta, Jude Perl and more throughout May and June
Kew Court House is set to light up Melbourne’s cultural calendar this May and June with a live series of events spanning literature, music and performance. The historic 80-seat theatre in the eastern suburbs will feature an eclectic mix of genres performed by acclaimed artists and emerging talent, with some genre-defying collaborations. The program promises intimate and unforgettable experiences in one of the city’s most unique venues.
The series opened with two highly anticipated sold-out events, presented in partnership with Melbourne Writers Festival. Continuing the momentum, the Thursday 14 May performance by contemporary classical duo Chimæra features innovative Australian chamber music, and the program continues with a rich lineup of performances across genres. On Friday 15 May, jazz luminaries Lillian Albazi and James Sherlock come together for a dynamic collaboration blending jazz, art music and improvisation.
Western swing takes centre stage on Thursday 21 May with The Canyon Callers, delivering toe-tapping classics infused with a country flair, followed by the atmospheric, genre-blurring sounds of >PHASE02: BLUE_ on Friday 22 May.
Audiences can also look forward to the intimate storytelling and musicianship of Kimba and Ryan on Friday 25 May, and a standout performance from Mick Harvey and Amanda Acevedo, rounding out the month on Saturday 30 May, as their collaboration continues to push creative boundaries.
June brings a vibrant continuation of the series, beginning with the energetic Latin stylings of Los Fugitivos on Thursday 4 June, and the historically rich Greek Rhapsody on Friday 5 June. Henry Manetta, alongside Adam Rudegeair, will bring their deep soul and swinging jazz to the stage on Thursday 11 June. Music lovers will be treated to a celebration of Carole King’s timeless catalogue on Friday 12 June, led by Clancye Milne and an exceptional ensemble.
Award-winning performer Jude Perl takes the stage on Saturday 13 June with new material from her upcoming album, followed by the genre-fusing sounds of The Winfield Road Experiment on Thursday, 18 June.
Another highlight of the series, So Real It Hurts, featuring international artist Lydia Lunch with local legend Tex Perkins on Friday 19 June, also SOLD OUT, promising a powerful evening of spoken word and experimental sound.
The series concludes at the end of June with a stellar lineup of jazz talent, including David Jones and Stephen Magnusson and the Tamara Kuldin Trio, delivering a sophisticated finale celebrating the golden era of song.With multiple sold-out performances and a diverse, high-calibre program, the Kew Court House Live series continues to cement its reputation as a vital hub for arts and culture in Melbourne’s east.
KEW COURT HOUSE LIVE – MAY AND JUNE 2026
Thursday 14 May – Chimaera
Price: $25
Friday 15 May – Sherlock Albazi
Price: $25
Thursday 21 May – Canyon Callers
Price: $25
Fri 22 May – >PHASE02: BLUE_
Price: $25
Friday 29 May – Kimba and Ryan
Price: $25
Saturday 30 May – Mick Harvey and Amanda Acevedo
Price: $55
Thursday 4 June – Los Fugitivos
Price: $25
Friday 5 June – Greek Rhapsody
Price: $25
Thursday 11 June – Manetta/Rudegeair in concert
Price: $25
Friday 12 June – Clancye Milne presents Carole King
Price: $25
Saturday 13 June – Jude Perl
Price: $30
Thursday 18 June – The Winfield Road Experiment
Price: $25
Friday 19 June – So Real It Hurts – Lydia Lunch and Tex Perkins
SOLD OUT
Thursday 25 June – David Jones and Stephen Magnussen
Price: $25
Friday 26 June – Tamara Kuldin Trio
Price: $25
All tickets on sale via www.boroondara.vic.gov.au or by phone on (03) 9278 4770.
THE NARRATOR Release Music Video For ‘Iron Grip’ New Album PHOSPHOR Out Now!
Today, modern metalcore wrecking crew THE NARRATOR are thrilled to finally unleash their highly anticipated sophomore album Phosphor, available now for purchase and streaming worldwide.
Serving as the powerful follow-up to their acclaimed debut Lore, the new record delivers ten crushing tracks that channel the emotional weight of a world in crisis into raw intensity and cathartic heaviness. Exploring themes of inner exhaustion, resilience, and the razor-thin line between hope and self-destruction, Phosphor captures THE NARRATOR at their most intense, honest, and uncompromising.
To celebrate the release, the band has also unveiled a brand-new music video for the hulking, groove-laden anthem ‘Iron Grip’ — a track built for the pit and destined to satisfy breakdown worshippers and fans of modern heavy music alike.
Be sure to follow THE NARRATOR and become part of the story as the band enters an exciting new chapter.
Following several appearances at major summer festivals, THE NARRATOR will hit the road for an extensive EU & UK headline tour, bringing the crushing energy of Phosphor to stages across Europe and the United Kingdom.
PURCHASE OR STREAM PHOSPHOR:
https://thenarrator.bfan.link/phosphor
WATCH THE MUSIC VIDEO FOR ‘IRON GRIP’:
https://youtu.be/xE8MvRw7b2Q
THE NARRATOR
Phosphor
Release Date: May 8th, 2026
01 Phosphor
02 Aurora
03 Modern Age Blasphemy
04 Stasis (feat. Avralize)
05 Pills From The Start
06 Agnosia
07 Two Lives
08 Dissection
09 Iron Grip
10 9010
About THE NARRATOR: THE NARRATOR were founded in 2017 in the Ruhr area of Germany and have been captivating audiences with their energetic songwriting and electrifying live performances from the very beginning. After successful tours and festival appearances, THE NARRATOR steadily made a name for themselves in the global metalcore scene.
In September 2024, THE NARRATOR released their highly anticipated debut album Lore – 10 tracks that speak volumes, boasting an impressive 12 million streams across all platforms to this day. Their latest singles, ‘Aurora’ and ‘Pills From The Start’ mastered by Ted Jensen (STERLING SOUND – BRING ME THE HORIZON, GREEN DAY, KORN, and many more), proved once again that THE NARRATOR is essential for every modern metal playlist. With their sophomore album ‘Phosphor’ due out on May 8th and a European headline tour as well as festival appearances later this year, one thing is certain: the best is yet to come!
ENSIFERUM – Australian Tour Rescheduled due to Flight Cancellations
‘’To all our fans in Australia, unfortunately our airline has cancelled all of our return flights due to the routing through the Middle East. We booked these flights back in December, but due to the current conflict, all our flights have been cancelled. This is a huge blow to us and is beyond our control, we tried many other ways to get Down Under, but with only weeks to go until the shows, this has become impossible. The band, management and the promoter have exhausted all options, there simply isn’t anything we can do at such a late stage. Fear not, we are still coming. We have rescheduled the shows to April 2027, so please hang onto your tickets they will remain valid, if the new dates don’t suit you, full refunds will be given. We thank you for your support and we will see you at the new shows.’’
Watch the band video here: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/poB_A6Mt6S4
HARDLINE MEDIA proudly presents
ENSIFERUM – “Winter Storm Over Australia” Tour 2027
ENSIFERUM – One of the world’s leading Folk Metal Bands, return to Australia for their “Winter Storm Over Australia” tour April 2027. With their 9th studio album under their belt “Winter Storm”, and celebrating their 30th anniversary, these shows will be huge. Get your drinking horns and Viking helmets ready.
ENSIFERUM finally return to Australia, with their last visit on the “Two Paths” world tour in 2019, having packed shows in Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne, this time in 2027 the band are adding Perth, Adelaide and Canberra to the mix, touring the new album “Winter Storm”. The last time that Ensiferum left the studio with a new album, the world promptly shut down due to the covid pandemic. The Finnish folk – Metal Melodeath sensation maintained a prolific release schedule since their first demo in 1997, gradually increasing in stature until eighth album Thalassic crowned their ascent in 2020. That nautical opus went on to top Finland’s album chart, reaching #3 in Germany, and top ten in Switzerland, Canada and the USA. Eventually Ensiferum would take Thalassic on two massive world tours and to festivals like Wacken, Hellfest, Summer Breeze and Ragnarök, but the global health hoo-hah ensured that the four year wait for Winter Storm is the longest in the band’s near 30 year history. The wait is over, Ensiferum are on their way back!!
ALL OUR PRE-SALES SOLD OUT – SO GET THESE QUICK, THEY WILL GO FAST TOO!
Don’t miss these Finish Folk Metal legends!!!
TICKETS & INFO: via http://www.hardlinemedia.net
TOUR DATES: APRIL 2027
TUESDAY 6TH ADELAIDE – LION ARTS
WEDNESDAY 7TH BRISBANE – THE BACK ROOM
THURSDAY 8TH CANBERRA – THE BASO
FRIDAY 9TH SYDNEY – CROWBAR
SATURDAY 10TH MELBOURNE – CORNER
SUNDAY 11TH PERTH – AMPLIFIER
SPECIAL VIP MEET & GREETS AVAILABLE, EXTREMELY LIMITED! http://www.hardlinemedia.net
VIP Meet & Greet packages include:
-Meet the band
-A complimentary, Australian Tour Poster which can be signed by the band
-Vip laminate and lanyard
– 3 additional items from your own collection signed by the band
– A photo with the band on your own camera.
-Early access to merch stand
-Please be at venue at 5:45pm
PERTH / SYDNEY / MELBOURNE / BRISBANE / CANBERRA direct link here via Oztix
http://www.oztix.com.au/search?q=ENSIFERUM
Adelaide via Moshtix direct here
https://www.moshtix.com.au/v2/event/ensiferum-winter-storm-over-australia-tour-2026/189465
Watch ‘Victorious’: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NTQRJclygmo&list=RDNTQRJclygmo&start_radio=1
GO-JO TURNS UP THE HEAT WITH EXPLOSIVE NEW SINGLE “SWEAT” OUT NOW + RARE EUROVISION RETURN CONFIRMED!
PRE-ORDER DEBUT ALBUM “THE GO-JO VARIETY SHOW”, (RELEASED JUNE 26) HERE
TICKETS HERE FOR “THE GO-JO VARIETY SHOW: ON TOUR”
Fresh from announcing his highly anticipated debut album The Go-Jo Variety Show (out June 26) and upcoming national headline run The Go-Jo Variety Show: On Tour this June/July, Australia’s most electrifying pop disruptor Go-Jo now unleashes his brand new single “Sweat” out now on all streaming platforms.
A vibrant, high-voltage pop anthem bursting with infectious hooks, charisma and undeniable energy, “Sweat” is the latest taste of what fans can expect from The Go-Jo Variety Show. Written by Marty Zambotto, Amy Sheppard, George Sheppard and Jason Bovino, and produced by Marty Zambotto and Jason Bovino, the track also features powerhouse lead vocals from Go-Jo alongside Amy and George Sheppard, creating an irresistible collaboration primed to make serious waves.
As anticipation builds toward the release of his debut album and national tour, Go-Jo’s global momentum continues to skyrocket, with another major career milestone now confirmed – a highly prestigious return to the Eurovision stage. Go-Jo will perform as an official Interval Act during the Eurovision First Semi Final on Tuesday, May 12 in Vienna – an honour typically reserved for the contest’s most memorable former contestants. In an exceptionally rare move for a former non-qualifier, Go-Jo’s invitation back is a powerful testament to the unforgettable impression he made during the 2025 contest, as well as his extraordinary rise since.
In true Go-Jo fashion, his Eurovision return will be anything but ordinary, joining the two television hosts in a musical parody number playfully teasing the long-running Austria vs Australia confusion – delivering a major full-circle moment on one of the world’s biggest stages.
With “Sweat” out now, The Go-Jo Variety Show arriving June 26, a huge national tour locked in, and an unexpected Eurovision comeback, Go-Jo continues to prove he is one of Australia’s boldest, most unpredictable and globally captivating new pop forces. His breakout rise has seen him amass over 130 million streams, with over 1.8 million monthly listeners on Spotify, 800K TikTok followers (25.9M+ likes), 390K Instagram followers and a rapidly growing global audience.
THE GO-JO VARIETY SHOW: ON TOUR. Tix via HERE
Fri 26 June – Factory Theatre, Sydney (All Ages)
Sat 27 June – Corner Hotel, Melbourne
Fri 3 July – Crowbar, Brisbane
Sat 4 July – Lion Arts Factory, Adelaide (All Ages)
Fri 10 July – Rosemount Hotel, Perth
Fri 17 July – University of Wollongong, Wollongong
Sat 18 July – King St Bandroom, Newcastle
CONNECT WITH GO-JO
APPLE | INSTAGRAM | SPOTIFY |TIKTOK| YOUTUBE | WEBSITE
CARCASS ‘Putrefying Down Under’ with guests BRUJERIA
Australian & New Zealand Tour
September 22nd – October 2nd, 2026
Ferocious and uncompromising in their execution, CARCASS’s ability to intricately dissect the innards of death metal, and display them for us to sonically understand has been their point of excellence for nearly four decades. Whether it was inventing gore-grind or creating the template for melodic death metal, CARCASS has always made records by which bars were set and rules were broken.
Steeped in dense myth, extreme metal’s most notorious antiheroes, BRUJERIA, materialize in Australia after nine years, to spin their tales of anarchic mayhem and lawless fury. They are eternal banditos, prepared to party. Walking along the border of death and grindcore, BRUJERIA are a street-level exercise in performance art, with frightening dramatic effect as well as dark satire.
CARCASS with guests BRUJERIA performing at:
Sept 22nd – Perth, Magnet House
Sept 24th – Adelaide, Lion Arts Factory
Sept 25th – Melbourne, Northcote Theatre
Sept 26th – Sydney, Liberty Hall
Sept 29th – Brisbane, Princess Theatre
Sept 30th – Townsville, The Warehouse*
Oct 2nd – Auckland, The Studio*
*Brujeria not performing
TICKETS ON SALE 9.00am AEST Thursday May 14th at:
PERTH, TOWNSVILE – www.oztix.com.au
ADELAIDE, MELBOURNE, SYDNEY – www.moshtix.com.au
BRISBANE – www.ticketmaster.com.au
AUCKLAND – https://moshtix.co.nz
www.facebook.com/OfficialCarcass
www.facebook.com/Brujeria
https://swdpresents.com
Syncia & CASH ONLY Return With Eljé On New Single ‘Something Something’
Love & Other welcomes Syncia and CASH ONLY with a brand new collaboration, joining forces with rising vocal talent Eljé on their latest single ‘Something Something’. The release marks the third outing from the duo’s evolving bass and Garage-inspired House project and continues to build momentum around their distinct, club-focused sound.
‘Something Something’ leans into a classic UK Garage swing, driven by shuffling drums, and a rolling low end, while maintaining a modern House aesthetic suited to main room settings. The result is a bold record that balances groove and atmosphere, designed to connect both on the dancefloor and beyond.
Syncia comments:
“I had been a big fan of Eljé for a while, and with previous collaborations with Riva Star, Deetron, Notion, and Jack Marlow, I just had to reach out and invite her to a writing camp to see what we could cook up.”
CASH ONLY comments: “The final track is quite different from what we originally wrote musically after I teamed up with Syncia to launch our new project this year, but I think it represents what we are about musically right now. The track itself is House-driven but uses Garage-inspired drums and basslines to keep the energy high. Eljé’s vocals are quite relaxed but emotive and gives the track the edge that captures people’s ears and creates something that I think a lot of people can connect with while also being able to dance to.”
Syncia, known for Beatport chart-topping success on Dense and Pika’s Kneaded Pains and Alan Fitzpatrick’s We Are The Brave, has quickly established himself as a name to watch on the global house circuit. He links up once again with CASH ONLY, who is currently making waves with his CASH ONLY The Chronicles tour, while Eljé adds her unmistakable vocal touch following a run of standout collaborations and over 15 million streams to date, alongside ‘Track of the Week’ support across BBC Radio 1 and 1Xtra.
With ‘Something Something’, Syncia, CASH ONLY, and Eljé deliver a release that reflects their shared vision, combining contemporary production with clear nods to UK underground influences.
Syncia x CASH ONLY x Eljé – Something Something
Official Release: 15th May, 2026
Label: Love & Other
Find Out More & Follow
Syncia: Spotify | Instagram | Beatport
CASH ONLY: Spotify | Instagram | Beatport
Eljé: Spotify | Instagram | Beatport
Love & Other: Instagram | Beatport | Traxsource
Unheard Music Founders Far&High Return With New 5-Track ‘Coda EP’
Unheard Music continues its journey of artistic freedom and underground expression with a new release from founding artists Far&High. They return to the label with the ‘Coda EP’, a five-track release that captures their most refined and dancefloor-focused work to date, sitting at the intersection of Indie Dance, modern House, and subtle Electronica.
Built on driving grooves, rich textures, and a forward-thinking club sensibility, the ‘Coda EP’ showcases Far&High’s signature approach to production, balancing emotional depth with peak time energy. Each track is crafted to move between intimate club environments and larger dancefloor settings, reflecting the versatility at the core of their sound.
Far&High comments: “This is a deeply personal EP for us. The tracks were written in 2025, with some ideas originating back in 2024. The title is no coincidence; it marks a clear line under this chapter of Far&High. In closing one door, we open many more. This is not an end or a beginning, but a moment in time that deserves attention. This is CODA!”
The EP also includes an exclusive Bandcamp-only track titled ‘Repeat It’, offering a deeper cut available solely through the platform, reinforcing Unheard Music’s continued commitment to artist-led releases.
Far&High, who co-founded Unheard Music alongside pizzaaftersex and Mona Chrome in 2025, are central to the label’s identity and philosophy of freedom over formulas. With a creative background spanning over 25 years in electronic music, they continue to push beyond genre boundaries while maintaining a clear focus on club functionality.
Unheard Music continues to build beyond recorded output, developing events, podcasts, video mixes, and upcoming off-site sessions across global locations, including Dubai, London, and New York. These initiatives form part of the label’s wider vision to position music as culture and community rather than content shaped by algorithms.
‘Coda EP’ stands as a clear statement of intent from both Far&High and Unheard Music, reinforcing the label’s commitment to artistic exploration, underground identity, and music without compromise.
Far&High – Coda EP
Released: 22nd May, 2026
Label: Unheard Music
Find Out More & Follow:
Far&High: Instagram | Beatport | Traxsource | Spotify
Unheard Music: Website | Instagram | Beatport | Traxsource | Spotify
14-year-old phenom INKABEE drops debut mixtape, marking a bold new chapter.
Rising Noongar Wongi artist INKABEE today releases his highly anticipated debut mixtape Chapter 14 – his first full body of work – via First Nations Focus. Arriving on his 14th birthday, the project marks a defining moment in his artistic journey.
From Boorloo (Perth), Western Australia, INKABEE first broke onto the Australian music scene at just 10 years old with his debut single Beat the Odds, quickly building a reputation as one of the country’s most compelling young voices. As the son of acclaimed rapper Flewnt, his musical roots run deep, and he continues to carve out his own identity. Blending hip-hop foundations with a growing R&B influence, and backed by a stage presence well beyond his years, he has captivated audiences across Australia and internationally.
Chapter 14 is more than a mixtape – it’s a coming-of-age body of work that documents INKABEE’s evolution both as an artist and as a young person. Spanning music written and recorded between the ages of 10 and 13, the project captures a full creative chapter while signalling a clear shift toward a more melodic, R&B-influenced sound and increased vocal maturity.
Framed as a personal time capsule, the mixtape takes a more conceptual, narrative led approach, incorporating interludes and archival audio, and closes with new material that points toward INKABEE’s next era.
‘When I listen back, I can hear such a change in my voice, the sound, and even just my confidence,’ Inkabee says. ‘It’s like the earlier tracks were the foundation, and now I’m closer to the true sound of my artistry.’
‘Time’s gone so fast, it’s mad, and dropping this on my birthday just felt right. Closing one chapter and starting the next. Though I still love these songs, they still have that energy and value. It kind of proves that time passes but people will still connect, and if the feeling’s real, music still hits no matter when it drops.
‘I love that people are really on that journey with me. And it proves that evolution as an artist just happens so naturally. I can’t believe how much I’ve changed since writing the first track. And I want to show my fans that I’m only getting better, and this is just the beginning of where I’m going.’
A GLOBAL JOURNEY CAPTURED IN ONE PROJECT
The mixtape brings together more than ten tracks from across INKABEE’s catalogue, many of which have already been performed on stages around the world, alongside several songs now officially released for the first time.
Key tracks include his debut release Beat the Odds, as well as Rabbit Proof Fence, presented in two versions recorded at ages 10 and 13, offering a rare insight into his artistic growth. The project also features standout catalogue moments from across his early years, alongside newer material such as Vibez, which signals both sonic and personal evolution, and On The Move. Together, these tracks intentionally blend INKABEE’s early musical journey with a clear forward vision.
Serving as a personal scrapbook, the mixtape reflects the viral moments, standout performances, and defining milestones that have shaped his rise.
INKABEE’s rapid ascent has been marked by a series of standout achievements, including his widely shared viral moment performing for Chance the Rapper. He also became the youngest artist to perform on triple j’s Like A Version, delivering Where Is the Love by Black Eyed Peas. He has amassed millions of views across viral performances, including his triple j Bars of Steel appearance with We Dat Good, and was recognised as their Feature Artist in 2024. His career has already taken him to major international stages, including America’s Got Talent, SXSW Sydney and Austin, the International Indigenous Music Summit, and performances in New York City’s Central Park.
With Chapter 14, INKABEE not only celebrates his journey to date but steps confidently into a bold new chapter – transitioning from a breakout child artist into an emerging teenage voice with a clear creative vision.
INKABEE’S Chapter 14 is out now via First Nations Focus – available on all streaming platforms.
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCnNl7NyKjDEittfg1Pz_y5Q
Uncle Acid & The Deadbeats announce Australian tour
UK psychedelic heavyweights Uncle Acid & The Deadbeats will return to Australia this December, bringing their dark, hypnotic live show to stages across the country.
The brainchild of Kevin Starrs, Uncle Acid & The Deadbeats have spent over a decade carving out a singular space within the global heavy music landscape. Since emerging in 2009 from the depths of the British underground, the band have built a reputation for their unmistakable fusion of warped psychedelic pop, downer blues and doom-metal intensity.
Too bold and idiosyncratic to be easily defined, Uncle Acid’s sound is steeped in haunting melodies, layered vocal harmonies and eerie, cinematic arrangements, offset by crushing riffs and a persistent sense of unease. It’s a sonic world that feels both deeply nostalgic and completely otherworldly.
On stage, that vision comes to life in full force. Their live show channels the spirit of heavy music’s most turbulent eras while remaining utterly unique – equal parts mesmerising and menacing. It’s this balance that has cemented Uncle Acid & The Deadbeats as one of the most compelling live acts in contemporary rock.
With their last visit to our shores in 2020, Australian audiences can expect a set that traverses the band’s cult catalogue, delivered with the immersive intensity that has made them a must-see worldwide.
TICKETS
Presale:
Presale begins Wednesday 13 May at 9am local time
Sign up for access to presale here
General On Sale:
Tickets on sale Friday 15 May at 9am local time
Tickets available via Destroy All Lines
UNCLE ACID & THE DEADBEATS AUSTRALIAN TOUR
Wednesday 2 December
Crowbar
Brisbane, QLD
Thursday 3 December
Crowbar
Sydney, NSW
Friday 4 December
Croxton
Melbourne, VIC
Sunday 6 December
Lion Arts Factory
Adelaide, SA
Tuesday 8 December
The Rechabite
Perth, WA
Presented by Destroy All Lines and XIII Touring
https://www.uncleacidband.com/
EDIE Gives In To Temptation On Dance-Driven Single ‘Garden of Edie’ and Announces EP
Out Now | ‘Garden of Edie’ EP Out Thursday, June 4
There’s a certain freedom in choosing yourself, in letting go of expectation, giving into temptation and rewriting the rules on your own terms. Continuing a bold new era of self-liberation and confidence, Boorloo/Perth-based artist EDIE announces her new EP and unveils the title track, ‘Garden of Edie’ (out Thursday, May 7). Embracing an intoxicating fusion of electronic pop and dance in place of her pop-rock and indie roots, EDIE’s sophomore EP will be released on Thursday, June 4.
Her last single ‘Fall of Man’ (released in March) offered only a glimpse of what lies ahead on this new path for EDIE. Controlled and restrained, it served as a gentle introduction, unfolding through slow-burning, atmospheric electronic textures.
Now, with ‘Garden of Edie’, she opens the gates to something far more immediate. With her signature bite, EDIE delivers a dark, club-ready sound, shaped by brooding synth textures, driving electronic beats and a restless, after-hours energy.
Partnering again with producer Calvin Bennet, EDIE doubles down on her pop instincts, layering glossy melodies and infectious hooks through sleek production. Dangling temptation just within reach, ‘Garden of Edie’ is seductive, testing and liberating, capturing the pull of indulgence, selfishness and the ecstasy of letting go. EDIE shares:
“This song is about letting go of the pressure and expectations that are put on you! I wanted to create a cathartic, feel-good, dance song about creating a world that doesn’t revolve around anyone but yourself. When I was writing it I was at a time in my life where I felt overwhelmed and confused about where I was going, so I decided to let go of that feeling and instead focus on all the good in my life!”
Drenched in Y2K styling, the accompanying music video directed by Stepanie Senior unfolds as a night out defined by indulgence and letting go. Set against neon-lit dancefloors and the alleyways between clubs, flashes of handheld digital cameras are woven throughout, nodding to early 2000s nightlife. Capturing candid, unfiltered moments as EDIE and her girls move through a blur of bodies and light, as a tightly choreographed routine takes shape.
Give in to temptation with ‘Garden of Edie’, a track that sees EDIE bloom into a bold, dance-driven era that is intoxicating, liberating and impossible to resist. Then on Thursday, June 4, indulge in her new EP.
Follow EDIE Spotify | Apple Music | Youtube Facebook | Instagram | TikTok
KOYO NEW ALBUM BARELY HERE OUT NOW VIA PURE NOISE RECORDS
SHARE BARELY HERE MUSIC VIDEO
Koyo have released their sophomore album, Barely Here, out now via Pure Noise Records. Clocking in at ten songs in just 28 minutes, the album is a lean blast of incredibly anthemic punk that packs the firecracker guts of The Movielife, the widescreen hooks of Taking Back Sunday, and the tuneful grit of Silent Majority—but more than anything it sounds like Koyo themselves.
The album’s early singles drew praise from the likes of Stereogum, Alt Press, BrooklynVegan, Uproxx, and more, and now longtime fans and newcomers alike can dive into one of the catchiest punk records of the year. Koyo are also celebrating the release with a music video for the title track.
Watch the video for Barely Here here:
Koyo’s debut full-length, Would You Miss It? drew acclaim from listeners and critics alike for their unabashedly heart-on-sleeve blend of punk, hardcore, and emo, and now Barely Here hones that combination even further. “A lot of bands think their second album has to be this magnum opus epic that sews so many things together, and I think we’d actually taken more of that approach with our first LP. ” explains Chiaramonte. “So with Barely Here we wanted to do the opposite of that trajectory–we wanted to refine our strengths instead of doing this purposeful departure. It’s a snapshot of what our band is in its most no-frills, perfected form.” Produced, engineered, and mixed by longtime collaborator Jon Markson (Drug Church, Drain, The Story So Far), and featuring guest appearances from Sammy Ciaramitaro of Drain and Marisa Shirar of Fleshwater, Barely Here sounds like a confident band who know exactly what they want to make and excel at making it.
Koyo have will be celebrating Barely Here with another round of relentless touring, including upcoming North American runs with Hot Mulligan and Joyce Manor, a Japanese tour, and appearances at Sound & Fury and Louder Than Life.
BARELY HERE – OUT NOW
https://purenoiserecs.lnk.to/Koyo
About Koyo: There are few things more appealing in music than hearing a band who are unabashedly being themselves. It’s a harder feat than you might expect–avoiding contrivance or overthinking while still pouring everything into the art–and it only gets harder as a band progresses. On their sophomore album, Barely Here, Koyo were more than up for the challenge. It’s the kind of album that feels completely instinctual, an airtight blend of emo melodicism and hardcore ferocity where every note is permeated with passion and personality. It’s the sound of a band not only coming into their own, but owning it.
Koyo–vocalist Joseph Chiaramonte, guitarists Harold Griffin and TJ Rotolico, bassist Stephen Spanos, and drummer Salvatore Argento–emerged from the Long Island, NY, underground and quickly earned themselves a reputation for putting their own spin on the sound of their hometown’s legendary music scene. Their 2023 debut album, Would You Miss It?, propelled the band into a whirlwind of worldwide touring that never really stopped. When it came time to make their second album, Koyo found themselves trying to squeeze the writing process in between lengthy tours–even demoing songs from their RV on the road to prepare for the looming recording sessions. Rather than crack under the pressure, the group rose to the occasion by trusting that they’d developed into a well-oiled machine and allowing the songwriting to become completely intuitive. “I think we’d learned so much about our process from making Would You Miss It? that we knew exactly what we wanted going into this one and it came together with more of an instinctual kind of magic to it,” explains Chiaramonte. “A lot of bands think their second album has to be this magnum opus epic that sews so many things together, and I think we’d actually taken more of that approach with our first LP. So with Barely Here we wanted to do the opposite of that trajectory–we wanted to refine our strengths instead of doing this purposeful departure. It’s a snapshot of what our band is in its most no-frills, perfected form.”
Produced, engineered, and mixed by longtime collaborator Jon Markson (Drug Church, Drain, The Story So Far), Barely Here is a lean 10-song, 28-minute blast of incredibly anthemic punk. The band’s familiar Long Island DNA is there–the firecracker guts of The Movielife, the widescreen hooks of Taking Back Sunday, the tuneful grit of Silent Majority–but the sound of Koyo themselves shines through more than ever, a confident band who know exactly what they want to make and excel at making it. “We definitely don’t spend as much time talking about our influences anymore,” says Chiaramonte. “We just know what kind of band we are and do what comes naturally.”
But the assuredness of Koyo’s music didn’t happen overnight, it was hard-earned through those years of intensive touring and the variable lives of full-time musicians. Many of Chiaramonte’s lyrics on Barely Here explore the confusion and disillusionment of being so mentally and physically unmoored. “We played hundreds of shows, and amidst that a lot of life happens back home and a lot is happening around you that you have no control over–and you just have to live with that,” he explains. “I feel very grateful for how things have gone with our band but with that you miss a lot of things and you’re also subject to a lot of disappointment when you see how things operate behind the curtain. It puts your head in a weird place to feel powerless in all of it. You can lose your sense of what you’re doing and why.”
Tracks like the adrenaline rush opening salvo of Barely Here and Jet Stream Wish address the dissatisfaction and distance, with Chiaramonte’s melodic roar still sounding defiant against his circumstances. “I have a real sincere gratitude for what’s happened for us but I don’t want to pretend I’ve been in this awesome headspace the whole time,” he says. “There’s a lot of isolation and misplaced shame for choosing this kind of life.” Chiaramonte delves into these ideas on tracks like the fiery Saying Vs Meaning which features guest vocals from Drain’s Sammy Ciaramitaro, or the propulsive You Hate Me. On Oxidize (a driving duet with Fleshwater’s Marisa Shirar), the challenges back home take on a very real weight as Chiaramonte describes wanting to find more time with his grandmother as she deals with dementia.
Late in the album Chiaramonte brings all of his frustration to a head with What I’m Worth, a two-minute exorcism of negativity overtop of brooding chord changes that push Koyo’s sound into post-hardcore territory. The track is immediately followed by Pace and Loiter, a ray of light that breaks through the dark clouds with one of the biggest choruses Koyo have ever crafted–no small accomplishment for a band regularly trafficking in huge choruses. Its lyrics find Chiaramonte saving himself from the brink by appreciating moments where everything feels right. “It’s about those times when you really lock in and you’re surrounded by people you care about,” he says. “Those times when everyone’s just shooting the shit, everything gets shut off and the worst things all disappear–it’s so intangibly perfect. They’re so finite and I wish I could just catch that in a bottle and enjoy it forever.”
The making of Barely Here seems to have helped Chiaramonte process wild motion and upheaval from the past few years of his life, and ironically it’s also setting the stage for another round of non-stop touring. But this time he seems ready–better equipped to not only weather the chaos, but to also enjoy it more. “I think I’ve recently been able to lift my head up from the trenches and be like ‘hey we’re still here,’” he says. “I’m really grateful for that. I don’t think we’d ever want to be a band that overstayed our welcome and tried to force something to happen, we just want to do it as long as it feels right.”
CONNECT WITH KOYO: https://koyolihc.com/
MOVEMENTS ANNOUNCE NEW ALBUM HAPPIER NOW
ALBUM ARRIVES SEPTEMBER 4 VIA FEARLESS RECORDS
BAND SHARES VIDEO FOR DOUBLE SINGLE
DISSOLVE ME + BACK IN MY WAYS
Southern California’s post-hardcore stalwarts MOVEMENTS are pleased to announce the September 4 release of their new album Happier Now via Fearless Records.
Today, the band has also fired off not one but two new tracks with Dissolve Me and Back in My Ways.
Movements have earned their reputation in the post-hardcore scene with mathy, discordant riffs wrapped in forward-thinking melodies. The band further perfects the formula that has served it so well with Dissolve Me, which features tense and angular riffs wrapped in shimmering, layered vocal harmonies. It’s a hardcore bop that will have the kids in the pit jumping up and down and dancing like no one is watching.
“Dissolve Me, the first track we wrote for this record, set a precedent for our writing process,” explains Miranda. “Nailing the lead single for an album cycle on the first try is a significant accomplishment. It felt like the perfect culmination of energy, emotion, and growth for us sonically. Like much of the record, this song is introspective, and It’s a sort of confession about my own social behaviors and the challenges I face in navigating even the smallest or most ‘normal’ everyday interactions. Those feelings tend to accumulate and worsen over time, to the point where they can become debilitating. Sometimes it feels like the only remedy would be to slam my head into a wall.”
But rather, the band members channel those frustrations into their music!
Movements have also served up a moody and melancholic volley with Back In My Ways. It’s a master class in slow burn sonic storytelling. The tinny riffs and evenly-delivered vocals steadily escalate through to the final third of the song. That’s when the track absolutely erupts in a torrent of riffs and a rush of emotive vocals. Back In My Ways hits you in all of the post-hardcore feels. Ultimately, Back in My Ways was a grower for the band, and one that harks back to the band’s earlier sounds.
“Back in My Ways was a track that I kinda hated at first,” offers Miranda. “I think there was part of me that was hesitant to want to slip back into the ‘sadder’ side of our music. Sometimes the early versions of the songs we write don’t hit right away, but over time it’s become one of my favorite tracks on the record. This song is a slow burn in more ways than one, and it’s really special.”
Most recently, Movements toured Australia nationally supporting Pierce The Veil on their sold out arena run.
DISSOLVE ME – OUT NOW https://ffm.to/movementsdissolveme
BACK IN MY WAYS – OUT NOW https://ffm.to/movementsbackinmyways
HAPPIER NOW – OUT SEPTEMBER 8 https://ffm.to/movementshappiernow
THEE JOHNNY CASINO SYNDICAT RELEASE NEW ALBUM ‘UNE NUIT Á RENNES’ OUT NOW
With Une Nuit à Rennes, Thee Johnny Casino Syndicat deliver the full box and dice – a completely unfiltered, unplanned live recording captured in the heat of the moment.
On Thursday, May 22, 2025, the band took to the stage at Salle de la Cité in Rennes, France. Longtime supporter Bruno Maugendre – known to frontman Johnny Casino from previous Rennes shows – reached out with a simple request: could he film the performance? As always, the answer was a laid-back “sure thing.”
What followed was anything but ordinary.
Positioning himself directly in front of Johnny’s twin guitar amps, Bruno braved a 700-strong crowd to capture the entire set from start to finish. No edits. No tricks. Just a single handheld device documenting Johnny Casino, Dimi Dero, and Vinz Guilluy in full flight.
Watch the live performance of ‘On Your Way On Down’ HERE
When the footage landed in Johnny’s inbox a week later, it revealed something special: a band firing on all cylinders, delivering a wild, untamed rock ’n’ roll performance. The result is a recording that feels alive – volatile, immediate, and unapologetically raw.
This is not a polished live album. There’s no mixing desk, no post-production finesse. What you hear is exactly what happened that night, a chaotic, electrifying document where the sound surges and rattles like a runaway train, at times veering into disjointed, almost psychedelic territory. It’s the kind of experience that recalls the bootleg records of the ’80s and ’90s, prized not for perfection, but for their honesty and intensity.
Consider this fair warning: Une Nuit à Rennes is not for the faint of heart. It’s abrasive, unpredictable, and thrilling in equal measure – an album that might challenge you one moment and completely win you over the next.
Une Nuit à Rennes is officially out via Golden Robot Records and is available now on all major streaming platforms.
Stream ‘Une nuit á Rennes’ HERE
ABOUT JOHNNY CASINO: In music, as in life, some people follow the safe path. Others take chances, roll the dice, and see where the journey leads. Johnny Casino has always been the latter.
A true musical journeyman, Casino has built a career that moves effortlessly between the high-octane energy of Detroit garage rock, the raw simplicity of 50s rock’n’roll, the soul of Philadelphia, and the dusty storytelling of Californian country. Inspired by legends like Chuck Berry, MC5, Berry Gordy and Gram Parsons, Casino has spent decades chasing riffs, melodies and moments wherever they may appear.
His journey began at just 14 years old, performing his first show on the back of a flatbed truck in Mudgee, Australia. Throughout the 1990s he became known as the guitar slinger for Australian garage rock outfit Asteroid B-612, a band that released six albums and earned a devoted international following after a chaotic U.S. tour in 1996.
Casino later formed Johnny Casino’s Easy Action while living in Philadelphia, touring the United States, Australia and Europe and releasing an EP and two acclaimed albums. In 2003 he launched Johnny Casino and the Secrets, a rotating collective of musicians from across Australia that released multiple albums and toured extensively throughout Europe and Australia.
After relocating to Spain in 2015, Casino continued his solo career, releasing several albums and touring across Europe and the United States. His music blends decades of rock’n’roll tradition with his unmistakable songwriting voice, earning praise from fans and critics worldwide.
Wherever there’s a stage, a song, or a risk worth taking, Johnny Casino will be there – guitar in hand and rock’n’roll ready to throw on the table.
https://goldenrobotrecords.com/pages/johnny-casino?mc_cid=086fc34778&mc_eid=677ab1a28d
FLOTSAM AND JETSAM Thrash Legends To Unleash Rats In The Temple via Napalm Records August 28
Can you hear them gnawing? They’re almost through the walls!
American thrash metal pioneers FLOTSAM AND JETSAM are gearing up to unleash their explosive Napalm Records debut album Rats In The Temple, on August 28, 2026.
The legends from Arizona have been a fixture of the metal scene for the better part of the last four decades. With modern renaissance records like The End of Chaos, (2019) and I Am the Weapon, (2024), capturing the glory of their inceptional material, the Kerrang! championed classic Doomsday for the Deceiver, (1986) and No Place for Disgrace, (1988), it’s no wonder they’re still raising hell for their throngs of dedicated fans along festival circuits internationally!
Rats In The Temple lunges out full force with 13 rabid onslaughts of ornate guitarmonies, pummeling double bass kicks, hypnotic bass grooves, and exalted frontman Eric A.K. Knutson’s unmistakably haunting wail. As the temple is besieged by vermin, FLOTSAM AND JETSAM line the walls with grim tales of death, abuse, betrayal, and war, inviting listeners into a dark world not too distant from our own.
Frontman Eric A.K. Knutson said 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
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.
XANDRIA German Symphonic Metal Icons Announce New Album, Eclipse, for August 7, 2026, via Napalm Records
New Single, “The Shannon’s Home”, Unveiled
Chart-topping German symphonic metal icons XANDRIA will release their new studio album, Eclipse, on August 7, 2026, via Napalm Records. The upcoming full-length 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.
With “The Shannon’s Home,” XANDRIA unveils the first offering cut from the upcoming record. The song weaves dreamlike melodies, cinematic opulence, and folk elements, all driven by the soaring vocals of Ambre Vourvahis. Both intimate and epic, XANDRIA once again prove that they belong among the leading acts in the scene! “The Shannon’s Home” is now available on all streaming services worldwide and comes with an official music video that can be seen below.
Band mastermind Marco Heubaum comments on “The Shannon’s Home”:
“A song like a beautiful, slightly dark fairytale – which makes sense, as it is an analogy of life, pictured as the river Shannon, flowing from its source to the sea. And just one of the many colorful facets of our new album, which will be a journey full of diverse elements and surprises. We felt this song had a mysterious magic that captured our hearts from the very beginning. In fact, it was the first song we wrote for this next voyage of wonders—so we instantly knew this was the first song we wanted you all to hear. For all you wonderful people out there—enjoy!”
Watch the official music video for “The Shannon’s Home” https://youtu.be/MytSLqCkfcI
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!
Pre-order your version of Eclipse https://lnk.to/Xandria-Eclipse
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.
As guests, XANDRIA welcomes Subway to Sally’s violinist Ally Storch, who can be heard on “Lore,” while the band’s longtime friend McAlbi is featured on four songs with his Celtic tin and low whistles (“The Shannon’s Home,” “Northstar,” “Masquerade,” and “Lore”). “The Last Generation” features a children’s choir and piano performed by Richard Z. Wang, a Hollywood pianist who has worked at Hans Zimmer’s studio. In addition, the band has once again collaborated with the Sofia Session Orchestra & Choir, known for their work on numerous film and television scores, including His Dark Materials. All songs were orchestrated by two film score composers working in Hollywood: Lukas Geppert, who worked on the scores for Nobody 2 and the latest Final Destination, and Ishaan Tyagi, who has contributed to productions such as Wuthering Heights.
LOVEBITES Japanese Power Metal Quintet Releases New Video Single, “Reaper’s Lullaby”
New Album, Outstanding Power, Out now via Napalm Records
Their impressive show at the legendary Budokan in Tokyo just behind them, Japanese power metal quintet LOVEBITES are ready for the worldwide physical release of their new album, Outstanding Power, with a new video for “Reaper’s Lullaby”. The song ventures into rougher territory: not only do LOVEBITES harshen their sound to be reminiscent of thrash metal, but they also add gang shouts to enhance the stirring character. Delightfully fast, “Reaper’s Lullaby” repeats its lyrics to burn in their meaning, giving the words significant weight and turning the song into another standout showing LOVEBITES’ versatile skills. The accompanying album, Outstanding Power, is out today, Friday, May 8, 2026, via Napalm Records – find physical formats below!
Additionally, the band will embark on a European and UK tour in July and August this year in support of the album, including a festival appearance at Germany’s legendary Wacken Open Air. Tickets are on sale now via https://lovebites.jp/shows/#live79, and you can find the full list of dates below.
LOVEBITES about “Reaper’s Lullaby”:
“While our music is fundamentally rooted in power metal, we embrace a wide range of musical styles. Among them, ‘Reaper’s Lullaby’ can be described as a fast and brutal track at 240 BPM, featuring tremolo riffs that convey a cold, chilling atmosphere and distill one of the most aggressive facets of LOVEBITES’ musical identity. The music video also stays true to the song’s image, depicting us performing within a circle formed by candles, resulting in a dark visual presentation that differs from previous LOVEBITES music videos. We invite you to fully experience the dark side of LOVEBITES.”
Watch the Official Video for “Reaper’s Lullaby”
LOVEBITES showcase their unmatched force on their aptly named Napalm Records debut, Outstanding Power. Coming May 8, 2026, the Japanese power metal quintet is ready to expand their reach with a new heavy-hitting partner by their side for their tenth anniversary as a band. Founded in 2016, LOVEBITES have rocket-launched themselves all the way to the top of the metal scene in their home country—including their debut at the legendary Budokan in Tokyo in March of 2026. Additionally, they have made a name for themselves abroad, gaining early recognition at Metal Hammer UK’s Golden Gods Awards and playing major stages across Europe, from Wacken Open Air, Hellfest, and Graspop Metal Meeting to Download Festival and Bloodstock Open Air.
LOVEBITES level up on passion for their fifth album. Thrillingly adding multifaceted elements to their highly skilled power metal, the women let both their vocalist and instrumentalists shine equally with their latest release. Outstanding Power is exactly what it claims to be: outstandingly powerful.
LOVEBITES about Outstanding Power:
“Unlike the solid ground of land, the sea never offers stability. Yet a ship pushes forward across its surface, never yielding to the crashing waves, raging storms, or roaring thunder. It was with this sense of overwhelming power that we created a truly oneofakind album—something only we could bring into the world. We hope metalheads everywhere will draw strength from the songs contained in Outstanding Power, and we look forward to setting sail together aboard the ship called LOVEBITES!”
Order Your Copy of Outstanding Power
lnk.to/LOVEBITES-OutstandingPower/napalmrecords
Outstanding Power dashes forward with galloping riffs and sweeping pathos in its opening song, “The Castaway”, a speedy power metal hymn extraordinaire, featuring rousing vocals and shimmering guitar and bass solos. Encouraging “Silence The Void” ties in with catchy verses, while “Forbidden Thirst” channels the inner turmoil in its lyrics into heroic storytelling through music, crowned again with impressive solos by guitarists Miyako and Midori. In mature “Blazing Halo”, their dual guitars take the form of AC/DC-esque structures, gifting a classical sense to LOVEBITES’ high-energy approach. “Dream Of King” starts off as a stripped-down, mid-tempo anthem, letting vocalist Asami shine, before crescendoing into an emotional firework—an easy album highlight! Following, LOVEBITES channel some classic genre imagery by dedicating “Phoenix Rises Again” to the mighty mythical creature with regenerative powers, a symbol to outlast and overcome struggles. “Out Of Control” is a true rock hymn, perfectly matching its successor “Wheels On Fire” in its heavy metal vibe. A suspenseful riff builds up tension for “The Eve Of Change”, reminding listeners to raise their voices and stand up for themselves—this is the call! With “Reaper’s Lullaby”, the Japanese five-piece ventures into rougher territory, adding gang shouts to a thrash-reminiscent sound. Delightfully fast, repeating the lyrics burns in their meaning, giving the words significant weight and turning the song into another standout showing LOVEBITES’ versatile skills. Instantly contrasting comes the power ballad “Eternally”, layering Asami’s gentle vocals with tender keys before making room for her ardent vibrato and sweeping instrumentals, before Outstanding Power finds its finale with ever so heartfelt “One Will Remain”.
GIN WIGMORE ANNOUNCES HER LONG-AWAITED FOURTH STUDIO ALBUM ‘BEAUTIFUL MESS’ OUT JULY 17
PRE-SAVE / PRE-ORDER BEAUTIFUL MESS HERE
LISTEN TO THE TITLE TRACK HERE
New Zealand music icon Gin Wigmore today announces that her highly anticipated fourth studio album, Beautiful Mess – her most personal and powerful body of work to date – will be released July 17th.
Capturing the contrast of life’s highs and lows, light and darkness, softness and grit, Beautiful Mess marks Wigmore’s first new album in eight years. The record was largely brought to life during a whirlwind week in the United States, recorded in a remote studio in the Palm Springs desert alongside longtime collaborators Dave Goodison and Steven Padin.
Beautiful Mess chronicles the deepest moments of Wigmore’s past decade – navigating love, loss, divorce, and motherhood – all while expanding her revered artistry to new heights. Yet true to Wigmore’s playful and unfiltered personality, the album never lingers too long in the heavy, balancing its most vulnerable moments with a cheeky wink. The result is a record grounded in growth and vivacity – showcasing Gin Wigmore at her most authentic.
“I’m proud that I still let courage sit in the driver’s seat,” Wigmore says. “The courage to be me, the courage to raise my kids in a really authentic and transparent way, the courage to make music with vulnerability, the courage to try shit, the courage to let it pass me by when it no longer nourishes, the courage to be a good friend and show up. I’m really proud that I haven’t let courage disappear. Not only have I not left it, I’ve let it drive. Courage is underrated – especially for how much of a necessary ingredient it is to embrace life to its fullest potential.”
WATCH THE VIDEO FOR FIRST SINGLE ‘COUNTRY DIAMOND’
A tale told in two halves, the double-sided album explores the duality of beauty and chaos. Side A represents the ‘Beautiful’ – tender, soft soundscapes rooted in country and Americana, inspired by trailblazing women like Lucinda Williams, Loretta Lynn, and Tammy Wynette. Side B reveals the ‘Mess’ – raw, raucous rock anthems that rip the record open with unrestrained, full-throttle energy.
Beautiful Mess is the calm and the chaos, the light and the dark – existing not in opposition, but in harmony.
PRE-SAVE / PRE-ORDER BEAUTIFUL MESS HERE
ABOUT GIN WIGMORE: One of New Zealand’s most critically acclaimed musical exports, Gin Wigmore is a generation-defining artist with a fearless, unapologetic spirit and inimitable voice heard around the world. With over 630 million plus global streams to date, four multi-platinum studio albums in New Zealand and Australia, 6 New Zealand Music Awards, and global sync placements across Grey’s Anatomy, Orange Is The New Black, Teen Wolf, and more, Wigmore has carved an uncompromising path to international success on her own terms. Almost two decades into her career, Gin Wigmore’s lasting impact places her as an undeniable force to be reckoned with.
Connect with Gin Wigmore
Spotify | Instagram | YouTube | TikTok
THE WHO Release ‘You Better You Bet’ Taken From Forthcoming Live Album “Live At Eden Project”
Following the reveal of their upcoming live album Live at Eden Project, earMUSIC is delighted to present the album’s second single: “You Better You Bet (Live at Eden Project)”
This is another chance to witness the energy of that unforgettable July 2023 night in Cornwall.
Listen to ‘You Better You Bet’
https://edenproject.lnk.to/youbetteryoubet
Watch the Live Video ‘You Better You Bet’
Originally released in 1981, “You Better You Bet” became one of The Who’s defining post-Moon anthems, a song where punchy guitars, unmistakable
synth lines, and Pete Townshend’s personal lyrics collide with effortless brilliance. More than four decades later, it still remains a fan-favourite, and at
the Eden Project it once again had thousands singing, dancing, and celebrating a band whose music has shaped generations.
Pre-Order “Live At Eden Project”
https://edenproject.lnk.to/album
Out on May 29th, 2026, Live at Eden Project will be released as a 2CD Digipak, a limited 3LP Gatefold edition pressed on recycled vinyl with plastic-free
packaging, a standard 3LP Gatefold, and on all major digital platforms. Every format captures the emotional scope and sonic power of a remarkable night in The Who’s recent live history.
ALICE COOPER Releases Reissue Albums “Along Came A Spider” & “Welcome 2 My Nightmare” Out Today via earMUSIC
Two nightmares. One legacy. And they’re both back, louder and darker than ever. Alice Cooper returns today with the reissues of Along Came A Spider and Welcome 2 My Nightmare, two chapters from the twisted playbook of shock rock’s original
showman. Fresh formats, bonus material, and that unmistakable bite. If you know, you know. If you don’t, this is a pretty great place to start.
For more than five decades, Cooper has been bending the rules of rock, dragging theatre, horror, and dark humour onto the stage and daring everyone else to keep up. Guillotines. Snakes. Electric chairs. Hooks that stick in your head for years.
It’s not just music. It’s a whole world. And these two albums sit right in the middle of it, telling stories that are as unsettling as they are addictive.
Along Came A Spider drops you straight into the mind of a serial killer. It’s gritty. Tight. No filler. Tracks like “Vengeance Is Mine” hit even harder with Slash on lead guitar, while “Wake the Dead” carries the weight of Ozzy Osbourne behind the
scenes. With Greg Hampton and Danny Saber shaping the sound, the album leans raw and immediate. It doesn’t ask for permission. It just goes for it.
This remastered reissue lands in two formats. A Jewelcase CD and a 2LP Gatefold (45 RPM) vinyl edition. Both come packed with three bonus tracks, giving fans a little extra to dig into.
Turn it up and let it play out. That’s how it’s meant to be heard.
Then there’s Welcome 2 My Nightmare. The return to Steven’s story. The sequel fans waited decades for, and yeah, it delivers. It pulls threads from the original 1975 album and twists them into something new.
Familiar, but not stuck in the past. The guest list reads like the invitation list to a very exclusive nightmare. Desmond Child brings his hitmaking touch, while Ke$ha adds a surprising edge.
Even better, original band members Michael Bruce, Dennis Dunaway, and Neal Smith step back in, reconnecting the sound to its roots.
This reissue comes as a newly mastered 2CD digipak and a 3LP Gatefold (45 RPM) vinyl set, built for serious listening. Seven bonus tracks are included, among them live cuts of “Poison” and “No More Mr. Nice Guy” recorded at Download Festival.
Big stage energy captured properly.
Both albums remind you why Cooper is still standing at the front. The voice. The attitude. The commitment to detail. Nothing half done. Never has been.
The reissues of Along Came A Spider and Welcome 2 My Nightmare are available across all major platforms and in multiple physical formats.
Step back into the nightmare. Or step in for the first time.
Order your copies now and experience both albums the way they were meant to be heard. Loud. Dark. And just a little dangerous.
Pre orders available now from
https://jbhifi.com.au/collections/alice-cooper-reissues
While these reissues bring two standout chapters of Alice Cooper’s catalogue back into the spotlight, Alice Cooper shows no signs of slowing down on stage. He continues to tear through electrifying live shows across the globe.
SENNA RETURN WITH NEW SINGLE OUT OF THE BLUE
German metalcore band SENNA return with their compelling new single Out of The Blue out now via SharpTone Records. The release marks a pivotal moment in the band’s evolution, introducing longtime guitarist Marcel Dürr as the group’s new lead vocalist for the first time.
Speaking on the single, the band shares: “Out of the Blue is about confronting fear of rejection and self-worth with a kind of honesty that turns vulnerability into connection.”
Watch the video for Out of The Blue here:
Originally emerging as a studio side project, SENNA quickly evolved into a fully-fledged band consisting of Marcel Dürr (now vocals, formerly guitar), Fabian Cattarius (bass), and Viktor Warzecha (drums). Drawing their name from the Arabic word for brightness, shine, or glow, the band’s identity reflects both their sonic ambition and their artistic intent — a luminous blend of technical precision, playful experimentation, and a fusion of hard rock, progressive, and post-hardcore influences.
“It was really liberating,” Marcel Dürr recalls of the band’s early creative mindset. “Because we weren’t pursuing SENNA as a proper band at first, we had a lot of time to experiment with our sound. Our goal was to simply write the music that we enjoyed, without being boxed into any one genre.”
This ethos of freedom and exploration has remained central to SENNA’s identity. Their debut EP A Moment of Quiet offered an early glimpse into their creative vision, setting the foundation for what would become their full-length debut album Stranger To Love, released via SharpTone Records in 2025. The record showcased SENNA’s ability to balance intricate melodies with raw emotional depth, capturing the quiet, often overlooked moments that shape human connection.
Following standout singles including High Note, Rain, Blackout, Hurricane and Potential. With Marcel originally positioned as guitarist during this era, the band now enters a new phase with him stepping forward as frontman.
Out of The Blue is out now via SharpTone Records on all streaming platforms.
OUT OF THE BLUE – OUT NOW
https://bfan.link/senna-out-of-the-blue
https://linktr.ee/senna.band
PINKY BEECROFT RETURNS WITH SECOND SINGLE FROM HIS FORTHCOMING NEW ALBUM ‘LONESOME WOLF’
SINGLE ‘MY HEART IS IN THE WRONG PLACE’ IS OUT NOW
Following the release of Band Of Gold – his first new music released in seventeen years – former Machine Gun Fellatio frontman Pinky Beecroft returns with his take on My Heart Is In The Wrong Place, the poignant second single from his forthcoming album, ‘Lonesome Wolf’.
About the single, Pinky explains:
“My Heart Is In The Wrong Place” is a song I first heard at my local pub in the Hunter Valley, watching Ben Salter play a solo show. It was an incredible gig – and half-way through he played this song and it blew my mind. I walked home afterwards and I was humming the melody; it just lodged in my brain.
Some months later I was in a studio on the outskirts of Melbourne recording with Damian Cafarella, a producer, multi-instrumentalist and all-round genius musician. I’d gone there to put vocals on one song for him, on a record he was making — but we ended up recording for days. We accidentally made an entire album together.
At that stage, this song (“My Heart…”) was not part of my plans. By then I’d found out that Ben Salter originally wrote it for Vika & Linda; they’d recorded a version and released it a few years back — I thought well, OK… and I had enough of my own material anyway. But then I kept singing it, in the studio, in between breaks — and Damian said “Can we just quickly record this so you can get it out of your system?” So we did. And I fell in love with the song all over again.
It’s not just the melody, although it is a really simple, beautiful melody. The words of the song struck me – the whole story of friends struggling, trying to stay afloat in a time that can be pretty dark. I think we can all relate to that right now. But Ben turned it into a song of hope. I don’t do a lot of hope, in my own work — it’s hard to do, without being cheesy or saccharine. And I’m not a very hopeful person, by nature. So…. yeah. This song affected me, a lot. It still does, when I perform it. I did a version at a gig in Hobart recently and it was kind of nerve-wracking — playing this song on Ben Salter’s home turf. But I think it went OK. I love it and respect it as a beautiful piece of songwriting. I hope I do it justice.”
My Heart Is In The Wrong Place and Band Of Gold are out now on Bandcamp and all streaming platforms.
Album – Lonesome Wolf will be released August 2026.
Don’t miss Pinky Beecroft & full band performing songs from his forthcoming new album, along with some fan faves, this month:
FRIDAY MAY 29
THE FACTORY THEATRE, SYDNEY | TICKETS
Supports: Pinky (solo), Dave McCormack + more shows to be announced
FOLLOW PINKY BEECROFT BANDCAMP | FACEBOOK | INSTAGRAM | YOUTUBE
LYKKE LI RELEASES SIXTH AND FINAL STUDIO ALBUM THE AFTERPARTY — OUT NOW
Single out now via Neon Gold / Futures Music Group
Lykke Li unveils The Afterparty, her sixth and final studio album and a stunning, 24-minute dusk-to-dawn odyssey that distils the chaos of the human experience into something euphoric and confrontational. Written in Los Angeles and recorded in Stockholm with a 17-piece string section, multiple drummers, and a full chorus of voices, the album is her most sonically expansive to date, disco-glowing, gospel-bright, and Balearic in spirit, while lyrically plunging into shame, revenge, mortality, and the void. “This is an album dealing with your lower self,” Li explains. “Your need for revenge, your shame, despair… a journey through the night, hoping to find dawn—the dawn of yourself.”
Across a career that has quietly but definitively reshaped the emotional language of modern pop, from her breakthrough debut Youth Novels to the global, generation-defining success of ‘I Follow Rivers’, and the stark intimacy of Wounded Rhymes, I Never Learn, So Sad So Sexy, and EYEEYE, Lykke Li has built a reputation as one of music’s most devoted melancholics, a master at navigating the space where love, loss, and longing collide. With The Afterparty, she moves beyond heartbreak and into something more existential, trading romantic fantasy for what she calls “Ram Dass for fuckboys”: a spiritual reckoning filtered through ego and chaos.
The album unfolds as a single continuous scene, the afterparty itself. It’s 4 am. The music is still playing. The bodies are still moving. But beneath the surface, something is shifting. Opening moments feel cinematic and expansive, introducing a world suspended between life and death, where swelling choruses clash against percussion. From there, Li moves fluidly between emotional extremes. Songs that shimmer where ABBA-esque stacked harmonies suddenly rupture into raw, unfiltered rage, anger pushed into the void, only to echo back in cycles of destruction and rebirth. Elsewhere, cascading disco strings and relentless, maximalist arrangements create a sense of lift, of survival as spectacle, before collapsing inward again into moments of stark intimacy: a single voice and a slightly detuned piano.
Visually and conceptually, The Afterparty marks a new chapter for Li. On the album artwork, she appears as a warped, Cindy Sherman-esque figure—her face distorted, her identity unstable, her role somewhere between performer and fool. It’s a deliberate rejection of perfection, an embrace of the grotesque and the embarrassing as pathways to truth. “Especially in pop music, no one really talks about this,” she says. “It’s too disgusting and vulnerable and embarrassing. This passing of time. Having had something and lost it.” And yet, even in its darkest moments, the album pulses with life.
The Afterparty is not just an album about the night. It’s about what comes after: the comedown, the reckoning, the fragile, flickering possibility of becoming something new.
Lykke Li – The Afterparty
Out now via Neon Gold / Futures Music Group
The Afterparty – Track List
Not Gon Cry
Happy Now
Lucky Again
Famous Last Words
Future Fear
So Happy I Could Die
Sick Of Love
Knife In The Heart
Euphoria
PROJECT X: XMusic Artists Unite Again with Heartfelt Cover of Adele’s Hello.
With All Proceeds Donated To The McGrath Foundation and Support Act
Last month several artists on Australia’s fastest growing rock label, XMusic came together under the name, Project X to record their own version of one of the most powerful songs of the early 90’s, Temple of the Dog’s immortal, Hunger Strike.
Scheduled for Mother’s Day they have joined together again for a heartfelt rendition of the
Adele classic, Hello.
The Project X line up for Hello features Damien Kechagias and Steve Hatchman from Dreamkillers/Fractured State who are joined by Chrisgaar Ozborn. With special guest vocalists from Karly Jewell, Tailor Made Rejects and Sound Affliction.
Listen to Hello here
https://lnk.to/nQrghG
Watch the video at
https://youtu.be/-GhXcrNZYl4
Project X is a charity arm of XMusic and a share of the proceeds will go to charities including The McGrath Foundation and Support Act from this track.
Simply we want to give back to the people who help us, Support Act and other charities are very important to the artists from XMusic!
For more info, official merch and music go to
xmusiclabel.bigcartel.com/project-x
The Lemon Twigs (USA) New album Look For Your Mind! out now via Captured Tracks / Civilians
The Lemon Twigs release their anticipated new album Look For Your Mind!, out now via Captured Tracks / Civilians. The Lemon Twigs sixth studio album is the logical next step, but it’s also much more. With the skills they’ve acquired over the last two records, their many outside productions, and time on the road, they’ve imparted a vital but disciplined spirit. At the LP’s core, as always with the Lemon Twigs, is great songwriting, as evidenced by the album’s previously released singles ‘I Just Can’t Get Over Losing You’ and ‘2 or 3’.
New to this album is the inclusion of the live members Reza Matin (drums) and Danny Ayala (bass), as well as Eva Chambers of Tchotchke. With the D’Addario brothers previously having handled everything in the studio themselves, these tracks are filled with a newfound sense of freedom.
Underneath its poppy exterior, Look For Your Mind! contains an undercurrent of paranoia and suspicion. “I do think that now is a time of insanity. You really have to hold onto your own mind if you don’t wanna lose it,” says Brian, adding immediacy to the band’s timeless sound.
The Lemon Twigs’ two previous Captured Tracks albums, A Dream Is All We Know (2024) and Everything Harmony (2023), certainly indicated something of a ground zero in their then five album career. “It was the beginning of making records that we would listen to ourselves,” says Michael D’Addario, the younger Twig brother, now aged 26. By the time of A Dream Is All We Know and the future Michael classic ‘My Golden Years’, The Lemon Twigs’ new era had truly begun.
In 2023, The Lemon Twigs made their return to Australia for the first time in six years, including an appearance at Harvest Rock festival and a run of headline shows in Melbourne, Sydney, and Brisbane. While no new Australian shows have been announced at this stage, the band are currently on an extensive 2026 tour including the US, Canada, UK and Ireland. For full details and dates visit www.thelemontwigs.com.
Look For Your Mind! out now via Captured Tracks / Civilians
Connect with The Lemon Twigs Website | Bandcamp | Spotify | Apple Music | Youtube | Instagram | Tiktok | Facebook
In the midst of a national arena tour, SAM FISCHER returns with powerful new single ‘A HEART DOESN’T HURT ITSELF’
Currently making his way across Australia supporting Guy Sebastian on his 16-date ‘100 Laps Around The Sun’ arena tour, Sam Fischer has today released one of his most honest, goose-bump inducing singles to date in ‘A Heart Doesn’t Hurt Itself’, out as of today.
Sam Fischer had a busy year 12 months – releasing 4 singles (‘Lovelife’, ‘Moonshine’, ‘Conversations We Never Had’ & ‘Sweet Contradiction’) in 2025; touring across the globe with the likes of Brett Young & Alexander Stewart and even having his 2022 single ‘Carry It Well’ covered by Kelly Clarkson.
On his first single for 2026, Fischer’s voice soars in one of his most impressive vocal performances to date on ‘A Heart Doesn’t Hurt Itself’ – a track that carries enormous emotional vulnerability for the Sydney-born singer/songwriter.
“I blamed myself pretty heavily for the erosion of a relationship I thought was unbreakable. It shattered my self-worth when it ended and it’s taken a few years of reflection to realise that maybe I didn’t do that to myself. I hope that if anyone sees themselves in ‘A Heart Doesn’t Hurt Itself’, they can find the strength to realise that your self-worth should always come from within and never be tied to someone else’s approval of you.” – SAM FISCHER
Co-written with UK artist and acclaimed songwriter Frances, ‘A Heart Doesn’t Hurt Itself’ is a powerful ballad that showcases Fischer’s vocal abilities beautifully, with endless layers of harmony and some breathtaking falsetto moments in the song’s chorus. The track comes at a perfect time, with Sam able to perform it across his tour with Guy Sebastian – currently hitting arenas across Newcastle, Canberra, Brisbane, Townsville, Cairns, Gold Coast, Sydney, Wollongong, Adelaide, Perth, Hobart and Melbourne.
Sam’s career has been on the up-and-up since the release of his breakout single ‘The City’ back in 2019, a hit that remained in the UK top 20 for 11 weeks, earning double-platinum status in Australia, triple-platinum in the UK and NZ, and Gold in North American and Switzerland. Since then, the Sydney-born artist has collaborated with the likes of Demi Lovato, Amy Shark, Meghan Trainor and Guy Sebastian; clocking over 2 billion streams along the way.
SAM FISCHER AUSTRALIAN LIVE SHOWS
Supporting Guy Sebastian
Friday May 15 RAC Arena Perth, WA
Tuesday May 19 MyState Bank Arena, Hobart TAS
Friday May 22 Margaret Court Arena Melbourne VIC
Saturday May 23 Margaret Court Arena Melbourne VIC
Sunday May 24 Margaret Court Arena Melbourne VIC
SAM FISCHER: Official Website | Facebook | Instagram | YouTube | X
TKAY MAIDZA RELEASES NEW SINGLE ‘PRESSED’
One of the most kinetic and boundary-warping female R&B/ rap artists in the landscape right now, Tkay Maidza, follows up her attention-grabbing first release of the year ‘Must Be’ with club-ready new offering ‘Pressed’, released via UnitedMasters and Island Records/ Dew Process.
A hypnotic, Afrobeat groove courtesy of Maths Time Joy (Nao, Mahalia) brings an instant mood change, Tkay flexing her authority in relationships, business and fashion. Her staccato, technical bars jump and purr in equal measure, “I been that bitch since flip phones and beads” asserting the aura before she breaks into the siren call of the chorus “I just want my pay now”, Tkay defiant and commanding in equal measure.
Following her standout release ‘Must Be’ last month, ‘Pressed’ continues Tkay’s ascent and trajectory, following 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 Zimbabwe-born, Australia-raised artist now residing in LA asserts her natural prowess and range, dialling up attitude and charisma on ‘Pressed’; the DNA of her 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 underlines her position as one of modern music’s true creative stars, 300M streams and counting.
Speaking on ‘Pressed’, Tkay states, “House Music is a big part of my artistic DNA, and I’ve been really excited by Amapiano (a popular South African subgenre of House Music) lately, as it originates from South Africa like me. I just wanted the opportunity to go explore different types of vocal styles but also come back to the House flows that I was always really excited about.”
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 NEW SINGLE ‘PRESSED’ OUT NOW VIA DEW PROCESS/UNIVERSAL MUSIC
Headwreck partners with EMPIRE as iconic independent label’s first nu-metal partnership
Having earned a reputation as one of Australia’s most electrifying new acts, Headwreck already have their sights set on world domination. Today the Brisbane nu-metal outfit announce their partnership with iconic independent label EMPIRE – the first in their genre to join the roster, which has launched the careers of multi-platinum and award-winning artists including Kendrick Lamar, Anderson .Paak, Shaboozey, and many more.
Of their partnership with EMPIRE, Headwreck say “From the first time meeting, it was clear they genuinely understand our vision, who we are and where we want to go. They’ve built something special by empowering artists to stay true to themselves, and that’s exactly the kind of team we want behind us. We’re very excited for this next chapter. We can guarantee it won’t be boring ;)”
“Headwreck is one of those instinctive decisions—you hear it and just know. There’s a rawness and intensity to what they’re doing that feels both fresh and necessary right now. They’ve got the songs, the identity, and the ambition to break on a global level. We’re fired up to help share their vision with the world.” – Peter Kim, Director of A&R at EMPIRE
“There’s something undeniably compelling about Headwreck – the immediacy of their sound, the clarity of their identity, and the genuine connection they’re building with fans. What really stands out is how intentional everything is – from their fully in-house creative to the chaotic energy of their live shows and the way they channel early 2000s heaviness into something far more expansive, at the intersection of metalcore, alternative and electronic-driven sounds. For EMPIRE, it’s about aligning with artists who are shaping culture in real time, and Headwreck are doing that in a way that feels both raw and authentic.” – Cameron Walsh, Australian Territory Manager at EMPIRE
Alongside the announcement Headwreck have shared their explosive new single ‘Raindrops’, marking their first new music since their ARIA-charting record Attitude Adjustment released in October last year. ‘Raindrops’ debuted on triple j Drive earlier this week to a buzzing textline, immediately addictive with its textured production, mixed vocal delivery and chunky, hard-hitting guitars and drum grooves. “The lyrics explore the feeling of not being able to be rid of someone who negatively impacts your life, but are still delivered in a fun way, true to the Attitude Adjustment style,” says the band. Stream ‘Raindrops’ HERE and watch the music video HERE.
The partnership and new single come as Headwreck kick off their mammoth EU/UK run, including an extensive support tour with Paledusk throughout this month, and a run of headline shows leading into Headwreck’s appearance at Download Festival in June. Headwreck will join We Came As Romans and Thrown on their Download sideshows, before heading back home to support British metalcore band Bury Tomorrow across Australia in September.
After cutting their teeth supporting Australian heavyweights Northlane, The Amity Affliction, Polaris, Thornhill and more, Headwreck embarked on their debut headline tour last month – a highly anticipated and completely sold out run with five shows across Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane. The tour supported their latest record Attitude Adjustment, which made its ARIA debut at #7 on the Australian Album Charts and #9 on the Vinyl Charts. Undeniably becoming an artist to watch, Headwreck have also been identified as one of triple j Unearthed’s Forecast Artists for 2026, cementing their status as one of the most exciting new acts on the scene. Blending glitch-heavy chaos with raw emotion, the quartet – Connor Hickman (vocals), Jamo Benadie (guitar), Dayne Paix (bass), and Colby Horton (drums) – have amassed over 3.5million streams and built a fiercely loyal fanbase through their bold, nostalgic aesthetic, exhilarating music and live performance, and strong creative vision.
Paledusk EU/UK Tour
Thursday 7th May – The Fleece – Bristol, UK
Friday 8th May – Academy 3 – Manchester, UK
Saturday 9th May – The Dome – London, UK
Monday 11th May – Backstage – Paris, FR
Tuesday 12th May – Ļe Rex – Toulouse, FR
Wednesday 13th May – Razzmatazz 2 – Barcelona, ES
Thursday 14th May – Revilive – Madrid, ES
Saturday 16th May – Marche Gare – Lyon, FR
Monday 18th May – Feierwerk – Munich, DE
Tuesday 19th May – Viper Room – Vienna, AT
Thursday 21st May – Cargo Gallery – Prague, CZ
Friday 22nd May – Lido – Berlin, DE
Saturday 23rd May – Gebäude 9 – Cologne, DE
Sunday 24th May – Logo – Hamburg, DE
Tuesday 26th May – De Helling – Utrecht, NL
Wednesday 27th May – Kavka Zappa – Antwerp, BE
Download Festival & Sideshows
Thursday 4th June – Headline @ The Boileroom – Guildford, UK
Saturday 6th June – Headline @ Clwb Ifor Bach – Cardiff, UK
Tuesday 9th June – Headline @ The Facebar – Reading, UK
Friday 12th June – Download Festival – Donington Park, UK
Sunday 14th June – We Came As Romans @ Brunswick Square – Southampton, UK
Monday 15th June – Thrown @ Brighton Concorde 2 – Brighton, UK
Tuesday 16th June – Thrown @ The Adrian Flux Waterfront – Norwich, UK
Bury Tomorrow AUS Tour
Friday 4th September – The Tivoli – Brisbane, QLD
Saturday 5th September – King St – Newcastle, NSW
Sunday 6th September – Metro Theatre – Sydney, NSW
Wednesday 9th September – Northcote Theatre – Melbourne, VIC
Thursday 10th September – The Gov – Adelaide, SA
Friday 11th September – Magnet House – Perth, WA
‘Raindrops’
out now via EMPIRE
Connect with Headwreck Website | Instagram | Facebook | Discord | Merch | YouTube | Spotify | Apple Music
TOM WEST ‘CHICAGO SESSIONS’
About the “Chicago, 3 August ‘25” project:
Recordings from a spontaneous live recording session that took place in Chicago on 3 August 2025 with Tom West and Ethan Philion.
Some of Tom’s most loved and road tested songs recorded (finally) in a stripped back format alongside Chicago’s Ethan Philion on double bass.
Ethan Philion is an award-winning bassist, composer, and bandleader based in Chicago. A graduate of Oberlin Conservatory and DePaul University, Philion has been praised by the Washington Post for his “well honed chops and astounding musicality” and his debut album, Meditations on Mingus, was commended as “a labor of conspicuous love and respect for a musical titan” by Downbeat Magazine.
Of this album release show Tom says: “In August last year I spent a day at Chicago’s Shirk studios recording some of my songs in a stripped back and raw format with Ethan Philion on double bass. Playing live in a stripped back acoustic format is my bread and butter type of gig and prior t this recording session I felt like a lot of my favourite songs to play were spread out over multiple releases with different band arrangements. It felt like it was high time to get some recordings that were reflective of the type of gig I play most nights. So, now, I’m releasing these recordings in the form of a new live album. Ethan will be travelling from Chicago to perform the songs on tour dates in May 2026 with Liv Cartledge, which is a real treat! Love to see you x”
About Tom West: Tom West is an Australian singer, guitarist and songwriter known for his distinctive, androgynous vocal style, fingerpicked guitar, and immersive, story-driven live shows.
Raised among the hills and surf-worn coast of South Australia’s Fleurieu Peninsula, his journey has taken him across Australia and the United States—touring as a musician, tour bus driver, entertainer and guide.
Post-pandemic, West found himself in Chicago, collaborating with some of the city’s finest musicians. From a third-floor bedroom in a historic brownstone, he spent two years writing, recording and producing—absorbing the spirit of the city and pushing deeper into his craft than ever before.
Now, back home in Adelaide, West is preparing to release new music shaped by travels from the Oodnadatta Track to the I-65 and beyond—songs of long roads, small victories, big disappointments, friendships, and a new adventure into fatherhood. Expect music that is emotionally rich, lighter and more curious than his earlier work, still humming with a quiet, strange wonder.
Swiss garage gang THE JACKETS launch new single and video “Rock’n’Roll Band” on back of new album sold-out Australian tour!
Wild Swiss garage psych punk trio The Jackets – fronted by enigmatic vocalist/guitarist Jackie Brutsche, she of the Love It To Death-style eye makeup – have launched a video for their new single “Rock’n’Roll Band”, one of the two new recordings featured on the new collection Essentials. Released on Portugal’s Chaputa Records, Essentials follows their sold-out late Feb/early March first-ever Australian tour.
While the single is a wonderful assertion of a woman’s right to rock, the video for “Rock’n’Roll Band” is something else. Made in Auckland just after the band’s Australian tour, it was conceived and directed by puppeteer Chris Stapp, who built an incredible puppet machine to promote the band’s local show and then took even further, turning it into a full-length music video as a one-shot puppet animation. The video premiered on the weekend on Rage.
Essentials is a celebration of The Jackets’ 18-year band history and features their ten most defining songs alongside two brand-new recordings.
Serving as an Introduction to the band on the back of their first Australian and New Zealand tour, the album is available on LP and digital download direct from Chaptuta’s Bandcamp, and local punters can also order vinyl direct from the band’s friends at Trash Cult Records & Books in Bendigo. Enquiries should be directed to trashcultstore@gmail.com.
Jackie Brutsche: vocals, guitar
Chris Rosales: drums
Samuel Schmidiger: bass
Omar Fra: bass on B1 and B6
Since 2008, The Jackets have been touring internationally with their distinctive blend of Garage Psych Punk music and attitude, performing across Europe, the UK, the USA, Japan, Mexico, and Canada, and now Australia and New Zealand. Known for their explosive live performances, infectious songs, and striking visual identity, The Jackets have earned a reputation as one of Europe’s most compelling live acts and are favourites at iconic garage and psych festivals including Toyko’s Back From The Grave Halloween Ball, Spain’s Funtastic Dracula Carnival and Seattle’s Freak Out Festival.
Founded by creative heads Jackie Brutsche and drummer Chris Rosales, The Jackets also feature bass player Omar Fra. Alongside their intense live presence, The Jackets have released five albums, several singles and multiple music videos.
The Jackets | Instagram, Facebook, TikTok | Linktree
VACTIONS announce their new album, Pursuit of Anything, out October 2nd on Nettwerk, and release the lead single/video, “Holy Grail.”
Watch the video for Holy Grail Here
Stream/share Holy Grail here
Pre-order Pursuit Of Happiness here
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.
This is on display on today’s single, “Holy Grail,” a diamond of a pop song, the sort of music you want to listen to while lying out in the sun. The track is impressionistic and melancholy: “How can I fool myself,” Burns sings in the song’s opening moment. The synths around him twinkle and the song lilts.
“‘Holy Grail’ was based on a stressful Zoom call we had together as a band last year,” Burns reflects. “We were in this period of wanting to write and record new material, but then also being stuck in a loop of unsustainable touring. So many people I know have devoted their entire lives to music, and yet, at times it can feel as if you’re in pursuit of anything just to make it work for you. This push and pull dynamic of something I love so much is fascinating to me. I may struggle at times, but I will always return to it because it brings so much joy and fulfilment and ultimately outweighs any negative.”
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.
This summer, Vacations will embark on their Holy Grail Tour across the U.S., Asia and Australia. The run of dates also includes the band’s very own MATES Festival with the third instalment taking place at Knockdown Center in NYC on Saturday, June 20th. The all-day, full-building, multi-stage event will take over the Main Hall and Ruins at Knockdown Center, and feature Vacations, grentperez, girlpuppy, Mamalarky, Alex Lahey, Horse Jumper of Love, Thelma Plum, and Winter.
Vacations Tour Dates:
Tue. June 2 – Los Angeles, CA @ The Troubadour [SOLD OUT]
Wed. June 3 – Los Angeles, CA @ The Troubadour [SOLD OUT]
Thu. June 4 – Los Angeles, CA @ The Troubadour [SOLD OUT]
Mon. June 8 – Austin, TX @ Antone’s [SOLD OUT]
Tue. June 9 – Austin, TX @ Antone’s [SOLD OUT]
Wed. June 10 – Dallas, TX @ Club Dada [LOW TICKETS]
Thu. June 11 – Dallas, TX @ Club Dada [NEW SHOW ADDED]
Sat. June 13 – Chicago, IL @ Subterranean [SOLD OUT]
Sun. June 14 – Chicago, IL @ Subterranean [SOLD OUT]
Mon. June 15 – Chicago, IL @ Subterranean [LOW TICKETS]
Sat. June 20 – New York, NY @ Knockdown Center (MATES Festival)
Wed. June 24 – Toronto, ON @ The Garrison [SOLD OUT]
Thu. June 25 – Toronto, ON @ The Garrison [SOLD OUT]
Fri. July 3 – San Juan City, PH @ Music Museum
Sun. July 5 – Kuala Lumpur, MY @ Voxlive
Mon. July 6 – Singapore, SG @ Foo Chow Building
Thu. July 9 – Jakarta, ID @ M Block Live House
Sat. July 11 – Perth, AUS @ Freo.Social
Sun. July 12 – Adelaide, AUS @ The Gov
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
Website | Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | Spotify | YouTube
WASIA PROJECT ANNOUNCE DEBUT LP NOCTURNE OUT SEPTEMBER 18TH VIA AWAL RECORDINGS
SHARE NEW SINGLE “BLEEDING GOLD”
Wasia Project, the musical duo formed by siblings Will Gao and Olivia Hardy, today announce their highly anticipated debut album ‘Nocturne’, set for release on 18th September via AWAL Recordings. The album announcement arrives with the release of a new single, ‘Bleeding Gold’.
With Nocturne, Wasia Project chart a new hinterland. Turning coming-of-age angst into catharsis, the debut album unfolds as a kinetic journey steeped in the lore of the night, moving between twilight introspection and the euphoric embrace of the dancefloor where bodies commune and coexist.
A second entry into Nocturne, ‘Bleeding Gold’ is a bittersweet paean to the transience of youth and the fleeting connections made and lost. Pieced together from fragments of a song conceived years ago, it blends both improvised and composed moments into a self-constructed reverie. Olivia’s diaphanous vocals soar over anthemic hooks and shimmering guitar notes, oscillating between plaintive and oceanic. The city is the neon-lit backdrop to a song that, while buoyant and upbeat, continues to reveal the disorienting feelings that come with growing up and moving on. ‘Bleeding Gold’ follows the previously shared first single ‘2515’, a striking return which ushered in a brand new era and sonic world, described by i-D as “moving toward something darker and a little more confrontational.”. The track received its first play as Hottest Record on BBC Radio 1’s New Music Show with Jack Saunders.
LISTEN + WATCH VISUALISER NOW
Wasia Project say of ‘Bleeding Gold’:
“Bleeding Gold is a song about nostalgia, returning to your roots, and understanding that though you can’t go back to your younger self, your past will always be part of you and travel with you as you go forth.”
Nocturne is the voice of youth in flux, both immediate and reflective. It captures the residual haze of the post-COVID years, examining distance, isolation and fractured connection within a disillusioned generation suspended between physical and digital worlds. In response, Olivia and Will lean into a darker, grittier, more nocturnal palette, moving away from the lightness of their earlier work toward something more textured, immersive and emotionally charged. Across 12 tracks, they alchemise classical training with the friction and frisson of club-adjacent dance music, cinematic piano-pop balladry, modern soul and shades of electronica, shaping a sound that feels both intimate and expansive.
Formed in 2019, Wasia Project’s mixed British-Asian heritage and classical training have inspired them to have a global approach to pop, which dynamically melds styles and influences that cut across genre lines — and even entire hemispheres of musical tradition. The duo’s dedicated and dialled in audience has snowballed over the last few years. 2022’s debut EP ‘how can I pretend?’ featured their breakout hit ‘ur so pretty’, and was followed by a series of dewy-eyed standalone singles such as live-favourite ‘Petals on the Moon’. They gestured at a cooler sonic palette on transitional EP ‘Isotope’, released in 2024 and accompanied by a beautiful short film.
Wasia Project’s touring activity has further built a legion of loyal fans and continued into 2026 with a run of intimate early May shows, where they debuted new music live for the first time. This momentum will continue with their upcoming performance at Radio 1 Big Weekend on Saturday 23rd May. Their 2024 UK headline tour sold out in minutes, and their debut US tour supporting Laufey was followed by sold-out headline shows in Los Angeles and New York. The band have been championed by the likes of British Vogue, The Guardian, NPR, GQ, DIY and Rolling Stone, and they’ve graced the covers of NME, BRICKS, Dork and Notion.
With Nocturne, Wasia Project continues to dissolve the boundaries between genres and emotional states, crafting music that feels both deeply personal and collectively resonant. The album marks the beginning of a new creative chapter for the duo, where the interplay of stillness and euphoria, solitude and unity, defines their sonic landscape. Nocturne is more than just an album, it’s a journey through the complexities of youth, identity, and the ever-shifting space between the digital and the real. Stay tuned for more to come in the months ahead.
‘BLEEDING GOLD’ – out now
‘NOCTURNE’ – out September 18th
MORE INFO:
THE STROKES DEBUT NEW SONG “FALLING OUT OF LOVE”
NEW ALBUM REALITY AWAITS OUT IN USA SUMMER,
GLOBAL TOUR STARTS IN JUNE
The Strokes unveil the new single “Falling out of Love” from their upcoming album Reality Awaits today. Listen to the track here and pre-save the album here.
The band will premiere the song tomorrow night on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, one of the show’s last musical performances before its conclusion next week.
“Falling out of Love” follows the single “Going Shopping,” the band’s first preview of the upcoming album Reality Awaits. Recorded in Costa Rica with producer Rick Rubin and finished around the globe, Reality Awaits marks the band’s first new music since 2020’s much-lauded The New Abnormal.
Last month, the band revealed a global tour across North America, the U.K., Europe, South America and Japan, kicking off in June and running through the fall. The tour will see stops including two nights at Red Rocks, two nights at London’s The O2, Toronto’s RBC Amphitheatre, Paris’ Accor Arena, Amsterdam’s Ziggo Dome and more. Thundercat, Cage the Elephant, Hamilton Leithauser, Fat White Family, The Garden, Alex Cameron, Geordie Greep, Promiseland and ÖLÜM will support select dates across the tour.
Following massive performances at Coachella, the band will perform headline sets at Primavera Sound’s return to Buenos Aires, São Paulo and Santiago along with Bonnaroo, Outside Lands, Japan’s Summer Sonic 2026 and more to come.
The Strokes are a band from New York City. Since their 2001 debut, their beloved discography has defined the sound of a generation.
Tour admat
THE STROKES LIVE
June 12—Manchester, TN—Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival
June 15—Clarkston, MI—Pine Knob Music Theatre*
June 17—Chicago, IL—United Center* [SOLD OUT]
June 19—Cuyahoga Falls, OH—Blossom Music Center*
June 21—Toronto, ON—RBC Amphitheatre* [SOLD OUT]
June 23—Boston, MA—TD Garden*
June 26—Philadelphia, PA—TD Pavilion at Highmark Mann* [SOLD OUT]
June 27—Columbia, MD—Merriweather Post Pavilion*
July 12—Richmond, VA—Allianz Amphitheater at Riverfront☨ [SOLD OUT]
July 14—Cincinnati, OH—Riverbend Music Center*
July 15—Noblesville, IN—Ruoff Music Center*
July 17—Milwaukee, WI—American Family Insurance Amphitheater‡
July 19—Saint Paul, MN—Minnesota Yacht Club Festival
July 22—Morrison, CO—Red Rocks Amphitheatre† [SOLD OUT]
July 23—Morrison, CO—Red Rocks Amphitheatre† [SOLD OUT]
August 8—San Francisco, CA—Outside Lands Music Festival [SOLD OUT]
August 14—Tokyo, JP—Summer Sonic
August 15—Osaka, JP—Summer Sonic
August 22—Pasadena, CA—Just Like Heaven
August 25—Bend, OR—Hayden Homes Amphitheater||
August 27—Vancouver, BC—Rogers Arena#
August 28—Seattle, WA—Climate Pledge Arena||
September 12—Tampa, FL—Benchmark International Arena¦
September 13—Hollywood, FL—Hard Rock Live¦ [SOLD OUT]
September 17—Charlotte, NC—Truliant Amphitheater¦
September 18—Atlanta, GA—Shaky Knees Music Festival
September 20—Asbury Park, NJ—Sea.Hear.Now Festival
October 6—London, U.K.—The O2§ [SOLD OUT]
October 7—London, U.K.—The O2§
October 11—Amsterdam, NL—Ziggo Dome§ [SOLD OUT]
October 13—Dusseldorf, DE—PSD Bank Dome§
October 15—Berlin, DE—Uber Arena§ [SOLD OUT]
October 17—Bologna, IT—Unipol Arena§ [SOLD OUT]
October 20—Barcelona, ES—Palau Sant Jordi§ [SOLD OUT]
October 22—Paris, FR—Accor Arena§ [SOLD OUT]
October 25—Newcastle, U.K.—Utilita Arena§ [SOLD OUT]
October 26—Manchester, U.K.—Co-op Live§ [SOLD OUT]
October 28—Dublin, IE—3Arena§ [SOLD OUT]
November 27—Santiago, CL—Primavera Sound Fauna
November 29—Buenos Aires, AR—Primavera Sound Buenos Aires
December 5—São Paulo, BR—Primavera Sound São Paulo
*with Thundercat and Hamilton Leithauser
☨with Hamilton Leithauser
‡with Cage the Elephant and Thundercat
†with Hamilton Leithauser and ÖLÜM
||with The Garden and ÖLÜM
#with The Garden
¦with Geordie Greep and Promiseland
§with Fat White Family and Alex Cameron