CHANGELING Releases Explosive Title Track from Debut Album

Fretless guitar visionary Tom “Fountainhead” Geldschläger is known for his work in Obscura’s Akróasis era, his live work with Defeated Sanity, Belphegor and many others. Now, he's spearheading his very own project: Changeling.

Together with core band members Morean (Alkaloid, Dark Fortress), Arran McSporran (Virvum, Vipassi) & Mike Heller (ex-Fear Factory, Malignancy), Changeling stands at the forefront of a new era for progressive death metal. Following the release of their debut album’s first two singles - the impossibly heavy "Abyss" and the blistering psychadelic melodies of "Falling in Circles"  - today, they're releasing its reality-warping, seven-minute epic of a title track.
 

Watch the visualizer for "Changeling" below.

Changeling is out April 25th via Season of Mist.

Pre-order & Pre-save here

https://orcd.co/changelingchangeling
 

Can't wait for Changeling? Listen to the debut album two weeks before it comes out. Join the Bandcamp Listening Party and chat with Tom Fountainhead while listening to all 10 transformative tracks.

Changeling Bandcamp Listening Party
Thursday, April 10 @ 1 pm Eastern Time 

RSVP
https://changelingofficial.bandcamp.com/ 

The title track serves as the turning point in Changeling's psychedelic narrative. Inspired by Lovecraftian horror, existential philosophy, and the bizarre hallucinations of a consciousness torn apart, its progressive structure mirrors the chaotic beauty of the lyrics, pulling you into an unsettling yet mesmerizing new dimension through the use of microtonal synthesizers, ritualistic vocals, oriental percussion and a full choir.

“Void and vengeance shall beget
A child from below
A changeling of clandestine soul
Comes usurping the holiest of hearts
And no one shall know”

Morean sings as an intricate-but-catchy fusion of progressive death metal, avant-garde jazz, and world music weave into a surreal and immersive tapestry. The dissonant harmonies distort reality, producing an eerie and unsettling atmosphere.

“This song came from a few musical themes that I had written on the oud", Geldschläger explains. "From those few humble notes, it turned into quite the monster - a monster where I think everybody in the core band shines equally. At that point in the album's story, we're beginning to take the frame-work of tech/prog death metal into uncharted territory, so it seemed appropriate to give this song a unique, winding structure where a shorter pumping mid-tempo banger is book-ended by intensely psychedelic blast-beat driven parts that are building towards a quasi-black metal frenzy at the end. It also has some of my favorite Morean lyrics of all time. Not only does he paint a vivid picture of a strange, unfamiliar dimension through his signature wordplay. He also quite literally takes us there in the song's mid-section breakdown, were we envisioned a strange jungle ritual evoking some dark cosmic entity, somewhere between Lovecraft and Peter Jackson's King Kong.

And, as usual, the man took it to another level by adding a multitude of eery, slithering voices, which make the song feel almost like it's breathing. Oh, and this piece also has some of my favorite RIFFS (in capital letters) that I've ever written, as well as some quite extreme guitar shenanigans that I called 'layers of cosmic horror' during production. Get out your best headphones for this one!”

The visualizer for Changeling was created by Martin Matiasovic aka Shaped in Dreams (@martinmatiasovic)

Changeling blends progressive metal, death metal, jazz-fusion, world music and complex orchestration into an hour-long submersion into the subconscious. Players from around the world can follow Tom Fountainhead's lead with a new series of Changeling transcription books. Tom wrote the approx. 500 page guitar transcription book himself, while core bandmate Arran McSporran transcribed the 75 page edition for bass. 

Both the guitar and bass transcription books will come out alongside the album on April 25th. The massive complete transcription book - which includes guitar, bass, drums (transcribed by Fenix Gayed), orchestral arrangements, vocals, lyrics and detailed liner notes from Tom - will come out on May 23rd, the same day as the Dolby Atmos mix of Changeling.

Each transcription book will be available both as a physical book and digitally through Guitar Pro or as a PDF. All physical copies will be personally signed and include a free download of the digital version.

Pre-order: https://changelingmerch.bigcartel.com/

In a significant development in early 2024, Fountainhead, now branded under the name CHANGELING for his new project and album, signed with the label Season of Mist. This venture marks a new chapter in Tom’s career, amplifying his visionary approach to music. Accompanied by an all-star band featuring members from Fear Factory, Alkaloid, and Virvum, the project Changeling showcases a 60-minute concept album that takes all aspects of Tom’s artistry to new heights.

The album, sharing its name with the project, blends progressive metal, death metal, jazz/fusion, and world music, enriched with complex orchestrations by a 50-piece ensemble of guest musicians. It includes the eagerly anticipated “Part 2” to his renowned composition “Weltseele,” an orchestral metal epic from Obscura’s billboard-chart-entering “Akroasis” album, which broadly introduced Fountainhead to the metal community in 2016.

Core Lineup:
Tom Fountainhead (ex-Obscura, Amogh Symphony, Belphegor, Defeated Sanity) - Fretted & fretless electric & acoustic guitars, oud, keyboards, composition and arrangements.
Mike Heller (ex-Fear Factory, Malignancy, Raven) - Drums.
Arran McSporran (Vipassi, Virvum) -  Fretless bass.
Morean (Alkaloid, Dark Fortress) - Lead vocals & lyrics.

Guest Musicians:
Bill Hudson (Trans-siberian Orchestra, Doro, I am Morbid) - Guest guitar solo
Jason Gobel (ex-Cynic, ex-Monstrosity)- Guest guitar solo
Andy Laroque (ex-Death, King Diamond) - Guest guitar solo
Yatziv Caspi (ex-Orphaned Land) - Tabla, hangdrum, dabouka, riq & shakers
Ally Storch (Subway To Sally)- Violins, viola & cello
James Dorton (The Faceless, NeObliviscaris, Black Crown Initate) - Spoken words
Alexander Kerski (Vianova)- Backing & harmony vocals
Matthias Alexander Preisinger - Piano and glockenspiel, violins & viola
Martin Matiasovic - Horns & Wagnerian Tube
Jan Ferdinand - Vibraphone & marimba
Chris Rützel - Flutes
Ivar Ludvig Nitzler - Cello
Shiho Murano - Tuba
Juliane Erding - Wagnerian tube & horn
Eduard Cortez - Wagnerian tube & horn
Tillmann Schulz  - Wagnerian tube & horn
Ava Bonam - Female vocals
Moran Magal - Piano
Cydney McQuillan-Grace, Lauren Gill, Shannon Bedford, Sara Robalo; Tenor and Bari - Ben Francis, John Schaffer,  Alice Williams, Cyd McQuillan-Grace; Alto - Lauren Gill, Sara Robalo; Tenor and Bass - James Schouten & John Schaffer - Choir vocals
Krassimir Jossifov - Trumpet
Brandt Attema - Trombones & bass trombones
Kristian Petkov - Bassoon
Stefan Prost - Church organ
Seonghyeon Park - Clarinet
Arnfried Falk - Oboe
Rouven Haliti - Upright bass
Dalai Cellai - Cello

Recording Studio:
FountainheadHQ, Hellersounds, Saforill, Klanghafen, Landesmusikakademie Berlin, Musikhochschule Carl-Maria-Von-Weber, Muziek Studio Beeld, Sonictrain.

Production Credits:
Produced & Engineered by Tom Fountainhead.
Mixed by Tom Fountainhead at FountainheadHQ.
Mastered by Leon Schmidt at his home studio & FountainheadHQ.

Cover Art:
Aaron Pinto (Gutslit) / KidSquidy
 
Photography:
Alexander Kerski / Comicsans_ultra

Pre-save & Pre-order: https://orcd.co/changelingchangeling
 

Follow Fountainhead & Changeling:
Website:http://www.thefountainhead.de
Facebook:http://facebook.com/tomfountainheadgeldschlaeger
Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/changeling.official
Bandcamp:https://changelingofficial.bandcamp.com/
YouTube:http://www.youtube.com/fountainheadtv
Apple Music:https://music.apple.com/artist/changeling/294821510
Spotify:https://open.spotify.com/artist/4MbRUvwQcEBzryOhWMHkvV

Booking Contact:
Tom Fountainhead
thefountainhead@gmx.net

Available Formats:
Digital Download
CD Digipak
2x12" Coloured Vinyl Gatefold - Crystal Clear w/ Red Splatters
2x12" Coloured Vinyl Gatefold - White w/ Red Splatters

MARILYN MANSON ANNOUNCES FALL 2025 WORLD TOUR

Iconic rock legend MARILYN MANSON has announced his return to the stage this fall for the second leg of the One Assassination Under God Tour.

Ticket presale starts April 2nd at 10:00AM Local Time. General public tickets available April 4th at 10:00AM Local Time at https://www.marilynmanson.com/

MARILYN MANSON’s 12th album, One Assassination Under God - Chapter 1, is available now from Nuclear Blast Records. Stream and purchase at https://mm.bfan.link/oaug-ch-1.

Stream MARILYN MANSON:

Apple Music | Spotify

Follow MARILYN MANSON:

Website | Facebook | Instagram | X | TikTok | Youtube | Store

Archetypes Collide Drop Lyric Video for New Single "The Problem"

Arizona rock band ARCHETYPES COLLIDE — Kyle Pastor (vocals), Brandon Baker and Jared Knister (guitars), Ky Sanders (bass), and Tyler Flamm(drums) — quickly established themselves as a band unafraid to blur the lines between safety and innovation in heavy music. In their songs, soaring vocals, melodies, and heavy grooves swirl with passion and precision. They closed out 2024 by releasing the single "Hollow High." Watch the visualizer here.

They have released the lyric video for the new single "The Problem."

Watch it Below.

On "The Problem," the band has cranked the knobs as far as they can go It's powered by a gnarly riff that comes roaring from the '00s heavy music heyday. But while the song takes inspo from that era, this ain't no retro banger. Archetypes Collide have crafted a contemporary hard rock anthem with furious screams, layered and emotive vocal melodies, and killer, head-nodding choruses. "The Problem" is the logical next step for Archetypes Collide, who are poised to cut their own path in this genre.

"Setting boundaries, putting up walls, cutting off relationships," says Pastor. "It's an unfortunate reality we all have to deal with. But all too often people abuse these habits in the name of 'protecting their peace,' instead of taking responsibility for their actions. I wrote 'The Problem' after having to deal with this head on."

Archetypes Collide are touring the U.S. this spring in support of Fame on Fire and Haloescene. All dates are below.

ARCHETYPES COLLIDE ON TOUR:
WITH FAME ON FIRE + HALOSCENE:
4/1 — Baltimore, MD — Baltimore Soundstage
4/2 — New York, NY — Gramercy Theatre
4/3 — Philadelphia, PA — Brooklyn Bowl
4/5 — Worcester, MA — The Palladium Upstairs
4/6 — Richmond, VA — Amos' Southend
4/7 — Atlanta, GA — The Masquerade Hell
4/11 — Jacksonville, FL — Jack Rabbits Live
4/12 — Orlando, FL — The Beacham
4/13 — Houston, TX — Scout Bar
4/14 — Dallas, TX — Gas Monkey Bar N Grill
4/18 — Phoenix, AZ — Nile Theater
4/19 — Anaheim, CA — The Parish at House of Blues
4/20 — San Diego, CA — House of Blues
4/22 — Sacramento, CA — Goldfield Trading Post
4/23 — Portland, OR — Hawthorne Theatre
4/24 — Seattle, WA — El Corazon
4/25 — Salt Lake City, UT — The Complex
4/26 — Denver, CO — The Marquis Theater
4/29 — Lawrence, KS — Granada Theatre
5/3 — Omaha, NE — The Waiting Room
5/4 — St. Paul, MN — Amsterdam Bar & Hall
5/5 — Chicago, IL — Bottom Lounge
5/8 — Flint, MI — The Machine Shop

ABOUT ARCHETYPES COLLIDE:
ARCHETYPES COLLIDE demand repeated listening, mixing everything from Linkin Park and Bring Me The Horizon to The Chainsmokers, and Stranger Things-style retro synths, into a unique musical identity. A collection of singles and EPs drew a devoted fanbase and the attention of Oshie Bichar, bassist for Beartooth. Bichar enlisted his management, and the pair took Archetypes Collide under their wing. Soon after, SiriusXM's Octane got behind songs like "Your Misery," "Becoming What I Hate," and "Above It All." The band appeared on major festivals like Aftershock, Louder Than Life, and Welcome To Rockville, toured with genre giants The Amity Affliction, and crafted an ambitious self-titled debut album for Fearless Records. Archetypes Collide spent several weeks in the first part of 2022 making their inaugural full-length, with a super team surrounding them to execute their vision. Bichar produced alongside Nick Ingram (Dayseeker, Convictions, Hawthorne Heights) at Capital House Studio in Ohio. Additional production came from Jon Eberhard (Skillet, I Prevail, Until I Wake); The Plot In You frontman Landon Tewers lent a creative hand as well. The resulting album, mixed by Jeff Dunne (Ice Nine Kills, Wage War, Make Them Suffer), captures the vibrant spirit of the 2010s-era Warped Tour with a postmodern edge. It's a diverse but singular mission statement, brimming with authenticity and hope. ARCHETYPES COLLIDE aren't bound by preconceived notions or limitations. As single Kyle Pastor explains simply: "Why not take every shot, in every direction, under the umbrella of hard rock and metal?"

W.A.S.P. Release the Lyric Video for Paint It Black. Announce Sold Out Shows Across Europe

W.A.S.P. announce the release of the lyric video for Paint It Black, taken from the digital release of Bonus Tracks & B-Sides from the W.A.S.P. The 7 Savage boxset.

Watch W.A.S.P. Paint It Black Below.

Purchase or stream the digital release of Bonus Tracks & B-Sides - https://orcd.co/wasp_bonus_listen
 
BraveWords, Sleaze Roxx, Metal Insider and The Metal Voice all picked the W.A.S.P. Album ONE Alive tour as one of the best tours in 2024. W.A.S.P. are bringing the Album ONE Alive tour to South America, Europe and the UK in 2025. Dates and tickets are available at WASPnation.com/tour

About W.A.S.P.
Few Bands in the history of Rock N’ Roll have ever incited the love, the hate, the raw emotional effect this Band has had on the world. From the very beginning, in the small venues of Los Angeles California, and later to the numerous countries worldwide that banned these Winged Assassins from performing live, the Band’s unique style of Shock and Rock caused Religious organizations, Local City Councils, Parliaments, and the Washington D.C. Senate to hold hearings in an effort to bar this group from selling records and trashing stages everywhere they played.

The band’s founding member, frontman Blackie Lawless, has led the group as its lead vocalist and primary songwriter since its beginning. His unique brand of visual, social and political comment took the group to worldwide heights and sold millions of records alongside a legacy of sold out shows across the globe for 4 decades.

https://www.waspnation.com
https://www.facebook.com/W.A.S.P.Nation
https://twitter.com/waspofficial
https://instagram.com/waspnationofficial
https://youtube.com/@WASPNationOfficial
https://www.tiktok.com/@waspnationofficial
https://www.bandsintown.com/a/7553

Chicago's Push Puppets presents 'This Whole Endeavor' + fab video for 'All Together on 3', previewing fourth album

Melodic indie pop-rock outfit Push Puppets presents 'This Whole Endeavor', the second single from their new long-play album 'Tethered Together', as well as a wonderful new video for the cinematic 'All Together On 3', produced by Scott Thiele and Sebastian Gonzales, and edited by Daniele Arcuri. Both sonic gems preview their fourth record, out on May 16 via Flowering Tree Music. 

Based in Chicago, Push Puppets is the creative outlet for singer-songwriter and guitarist Erich Specht. The five-piece creates songs with earworm melodies and shiny production that belie often bittersweet sentiments. Specht (lead vocals, guitar) is joined by a core of Steve Frisbie (backup vocals, guitar), Kyle Magnusson (keyboards), John William Lauler (bass) and Greg Essig (drums). 

Most songs on this album also involve a string quartet, with a horn section on one. We see the quartet's impeccable performance in the video for 'All Together On 3', with Stephanie “Sly” Young on violin, Katherine Andrick on viola, Molly Rife on cello and Kelly Jozwiak on violin (note: Janis Sakai performs in the audio recording).

Its timeless quality and melancholic reflection take us on a sonic trip that is as stimulating as it is emotionally resonant. A moody and musically progressive song about how we’re stronger when we work together, it builds to a cathartic reprise of live strings and harpsichord with a desperate vocal crying for a helping hand as violins punctuate the lines with elegance.

The latest single This Whole Endeavor', a rocker about a relationship that has ended, draws you in with an instantly memorable piano hook. Describing the ebb and flow of a relationship with flowing lyrics, this is sincere yet engaging, the song's reflective bridge and breakdown followed by a driving finale. With the first verse noting love at first sight at a bar - somewhat foreteling the outcome - the story takes a turn and ends in disarray, the author ultimately wishing it was she with him in bed rather than his dog.

"I get a kick out of referring to love at first sight as ‘a trainwreck just about to happen’.  My Pete Townshend fandom might be apparent in this one between the 70s synth phrases and guitar smacks,” says Erich Specht.  “As much as I hate to admit it, after reflecting on the lyrics, it seems clear that this song is somewhat about the relationship with my ex-wife".

The 'Tethered Together' album is graced with impeccable songwriting that shines with lush harmonies, angular guitars, dramatic keyboards and strings backed by a rhythm section to ensure a continually high groove factor. Erich Specht muses on relationships and loss, as well as the weight and joy of life, in a manner that is poetic and seems effortless, his lyrics fitting to the melody like pieces of a puzzle. Wearing his vulnerabilities like a badge of honor, this music takes us on a journey to unexpected places.  

"This album offers a nod to the artistic excesses of the 70s, whether it's a wall of phased vocals or a moment where guitars and strings rip a quick line together between phrases.  The tracks are widely varied yet cohesive - and within a given song, you're likely to be taken elsewhere" says Erich Specht.

'All Together on 3' and 'The Whole Endeavor' are available from fine digital platforms, including Spotify, Apple Music and Bandcamp. The 'Tethered Together' album, now available for pre-order, will be released digitally and on CD on May 16. Push Puppets will hold their album release show at Robert's Westside in Forest Park, IL on May 30.

'THIS WHOLE ENDEAVOUR' CREDITS
Lyrics and music by Erich Specht (ASCAP)
Produced by Doug McBride and Erich Specht
Mixed and mastered by Doug McBride at Gravity Studios
Erich Specht – Lead vocals and guitars
Kyle Magnusson – Keyboards
John William Lauler – Bass
Greg Essig - Drums
Tommi Zender – Backup vocals and guitar

'ALL TOGETHER ON 3' CREDITS
Erich Specht – Lead vocals, guitars, string arrangements
Steve Frisbie – Backup vocals
Kyle Magnusson – Keyboards
John William Lauler – Bass
Greg Essig - Drums
Stephanie “Sly” Young – Violin
Janis Sakai – Violin (Kelly Jozwiak appears in the video)
Katherine Andrick – Viola
Molly Rife – Cello
Video produced by Scott Thiele & Sebastian Gonzales
Video edited by Daniele Arcuri

Cover artwork by Crow Prints
Released & published by Flowering Tree Music (ASCAP)
Artist studio photos by Gintas Zaranka
Artist live photos by Gabi Bucataru
Publicity by Shameless Promotion PR 


Keep up with Push Puppets 
Website | Bandcamp | Facebook | Instagram | BlueSky | YouTube | TikTok | Spotify | Apple Music | Press contact

Keep up with Shameless Promotion PR
Website | Facebook | Twitter |Soundcloud | Instagram | Link edIn | Email

LAINEY WILSON NOMINATED FOR SEVEN AWARDS AT 60TH ANNUAL ACM AWARDS

12x ACM Award-winner and reigning Entertainer of the Year Lainey Wilsonis nominated for seven awards at the 60th Annual ACM Awards: Entertainer of the Year, Female Artist of the Year, Album of the Year (Whirlwind), Song of the Year (“4x4xU,” as an artist and songwriter), Visual Media of the Year (“4x4xU”) and Artist-Songwriter of the Year. The awards ceremony will stream live exclusively on Prime Video on Thursday, May 8 from the Ford Center at The Star in Frisco, Texas.

The nominations add to yet another triumphant year for Wilson, who recently earned her eighth #1 at country radio with “4x4xU,” and is in the midst of her nearly sold-out Whirlwind World Tour, including stops this fall at New York’s Madison Square Garden, Los Angeles’ Kia Forum, Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena, Austin’s Moody Center, Baton Rouge’s Raising Cane’s River Center Arena and Denver’s Ball Arena among many others. The upcoming dates follow the tour’s first leg—a completely sold-out extensive run across the U.K and Europe earlier this month. See below for the complete tour itinerary. Full details can be found at www.laineywilson.com/tour.

Photo credit: Eric Ryan Anderson

The tour further celebrates Wilson’s widely acclaimed new album, Whirlwind, which was released this past summer via BBR Music Group/BMG Nashville (stream/purchase HERE). Produced by Grammy Award-winning producer Jay Joyce (Miranda Lambert, Eric Church), the record earned Wilson her best sales week ever as it debuted at #8 on the all-genre Billboard 200 chart—her first top 10 entry.

In just the past year, Wilson was also inducted into the Grand Ole Opry, performed during the Dallas Cowboys’ Thanksgiving Halftime Show, won Best Country Album at the 2024 Grammy Awards, three awards at the 59th ACM Awards and two awards at the 58th CMA Awards, where she also made her hosting debut alongside Peyton Manning and Luke Bryan. Wilson also received two awards at this year’s ACM Honors: the prestigious Triple Crown Award—presented to those who have won ACM Entertainer of the Year, Female/Male Vocalist of the Year and New Female/Male Vocalist of the Year—and the Milestone Award, which is given to an artist who has had an unprecedented or outstanding year in country music.

A prolific and sought-after songwriter, Wilson has scored eight #1 hits including “4x4xU,” “Watermelon Moonshine” and the 2x PLATINUM Certified “Heart Like A Truck,” and has collaborated with artists such as Post Malone (“Nosedive”), Cole Swindell (“Never Say Never”), Jelly Roll (“Save Me”), HARDY (“wait in the truck”) and Myles Smith (“Nice To Meet You”). She is also a triple threat within entertainment as a singer, songwriter and actor, as she made her acting debut in season 5 of Paramount’s hit series Yellowstone and recently returned for its final episode of the series. Moreover, Wilson wrote and recorded “Out of Oklahoma,” which was featured in the new Twisters movie.

LAINEY WILSON CONFIRMED TOUR DATES

April 3—Brooklyn, NY—King’s Theatre

May 30—Panama City Beach, FL—Pepsi Gulf Coast Jam

May 31—Lexington, KY—Railbird Festival

June 6—Myrtle Beach, SC—Carolina Country Music Fest

June 20—Wildwood, NJ—Barefoot Country Music Fest

June 26—Milwaukee, WI—Summerfest

June 27—Cadott, WI—Country Fest

July 10—Ottawa, ON—Ottawa Bluesfest

July 12—Cavendish, PEI—Cavendish Beach Music Festival

August 14—Phoenix, AZ—Footprint Center*

August 15—Albuquerque, NM—Isleta Amphitheater*

August 16—Denver, CO—Ball Arena*

August 21—Bend, OR—Hayden Homes Amphitheater*

August 22—Sacramento, CA—Golden 1 Center*

August 23—Los Angeles, CA—Kia Forum*

August 28—Calgary, AB—Scotiabank Saddledome*

August 29—Edmonton, AB—Rogers Place*

August 30—Saskatoon, SK—SaskTel Centre*

September 11—Baton Rouge, LA—Raising Cane’s River Center†

September 12—Baton Rouge, LA—Raising Cane’s River Center†

September 13—Bossier City, LA—Brookshire Grocery Arena†

September 18—Austin, TX—Moody Center‡

September 19—Fort Worth, TX—Dickies Arena‡

September 20—Houston, TX—The Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion presented by Huntsman ‡

September 25—Toronto, ON—Budweiser Stage§

September 26—Clarkston, MI—Pine Knob Music Theatre§

September 27—Grand Rapids, MI—Van Andel Arena§

October 2—Nashville, TN—Bridgestone Arena||

October 3—Noblesville, IN—Ruoff Music Center§

October 4—Cleveland, OH—Blossom Music Center§

October 9—Columbia, MD—Merriweather Post Pavilion§

October 10—New York, NY—Madison Square Garden§

October 11—Mansfield, MA—Xfinity Center§

October 16—St. Louis, MO—Hollywood Casio Amphitheatre||

October 17—Rosemont, IL—Allstate Arena||

October 18—Saint Paul, MN—Xcel Energy Center||

October 24—Knoxville, TN—Thompson-Boling Arena at Food City Center#

October 25—Charlotte, NC—Spectrum Center#

November 7—Tampa, FL—Amalie Arena#

November 8—Orlando, FL—Kia Center#

~with special guest Zach Meadows

*with special guests ERNEST and Kaitlin Butts

†with special guests ERNEST and Maddox Batson

‡with special guests Muscadine Bloodline and Drake Milligan

§with special guests Muscadine Bloodline and Lauren Watkins

||with special guests Muscadine Bloodline and Maddox Batson

#with special guests ERNEST and Drake Milligan

KEEP UP WITH LAINEY WILSON
WEBSITE | INSTAGRAM | TIKTOK | YOUTUBE | X | FACEBOOK 

ANCIIENTS Win JUNO Award for Best Metal /Hard Music Album

ANCIIENTS Win Second JUNO Award

Beyond the Reach of the Sun Wins Metal / Hard Music Album of the Year

Listen to an acoustic performance of "Melt the Crown" live on CBC Radio

After soul searching through the Canadian wilderness for the past eight years, once again, Anciients have reached the summit of progressive metal. The heavy, heady and heartfelt Canucks won Metal / Hard Music Album of the Year at the 55th annual JUNO Awards for their latest album Beyond the Reach of the Sun. Spiritbox, Devin Townsend, Kittie and Striker were also nominated.   

"We are completely ecstatic about winning the JUNO Award for Best Metal/Hard Music Album of the Year", says Anciients' vocalist and guitarist Kenny Cook. "Just being nominated alongside the other legendary nominees was huge for us. We never fathomed we could win it, but we are over the moon with excitement and surprised that we did. Thank you to the JUNO Committee for choosing Beyond the Reach of the Sun as Canada’s best Metal/Hard Music Album of 2024/25. It is a massive honor for us.”

Beyond the Reach of the Sun is available now on Season of Mist.

Order & Stream
https://orcd.co/anciientsbeyondthereachofthesun

Listen to Anciients perform "Melt the Crown" live on CBC Radio.

https://www.cbc.ca/listen/live-radio/1-46-on-the-coast/clip/16136935-b.c.-junos-block-party-part-five

While Anciients were on hand to accept this year's award, when the band learned they won their first JUNO back in 2018, they were in Vienna, roughly 8,000 miles away from their Vancouver home base, where they were still wiping the sludge from their eyes after another blazing headline show.

Later this summer, Cook, steady drummer Mike Hannay and the band's new axe men Brock MacInnes and Rory O'Brien are heading back across the pond for Bristol's ArcTanGent Festival. They'll then make their long-awaited return to the States for the 23rd edition of ProgPower USA.  

"The hiatus is over", Cook says. "We're ready to hit it hard".   

BRKN LOVE Release Third Full-Length LP 'The Program' Out NOW via Spinefarm

Today, BRKN LOVE celebrates the release of their third LP 'The Program,' via Spinefarm. The release is heralded by a new single, "Cruel," accompanied by a new music video, available below.



Exuding bravado, mystique, and a whole lot of heart, BRKN LOVE sets the rulebook on fire by plugging in, turning up, and churning out the kind of rock ‘n’ roll that makes you feel a little freer. Their gritty riffs pack enough punch to shake any stage while the grooves quake with just the right amount of hip-swinging gusto. Led by vocalist and guitarist Justin Benlolo, the music drips swagger, soul, and spirit amplified by arena-sized hooks and intriguingly inventive musicality.

About "Cruel," Justin had this to say:

"'Cruel' is one of the most ambitious songs we’ve ever made. We leaned into our R&B influences on this one, breaking free from the boundaries we’d previously set for ourselves. This track marks a new chapter for BRKN LOVE, pushing our sound into brand-new territory. Lyrically, it’s about that moment when you’ve had enough — when someone has mistreated you for too long, and you finally decide to walk away. No second-guessing, no looking back. It is what it is.

"We recorded the song at the legendary Foo Fighters’ Studio 606, capturing the energy and spirit of the greats we’ve always admired. The entire experience brought a new dimension to our sound, and we couldn’t be more excited to share 'Cruel' with the world. Thank you so much and turn it up loud."

Watch the Video for "Cruel"

Stream "Cruel" HERE 

An impromptu 2023 trip to visit a friend in Charleston, SC gave rise to their third studio album, 'The Program.' Justin initially planned on spending a weekend in town. That weekend turned into nine weeks, and he returned to Toronto with the bulk of the album’s material.

“I didn’t have anything else to do, so I brought all of my gear and studio equipment,” he recalls. “I was so inspired by the environment and the friends I made. It’s a big city, but it’s not huge. It’s just beautiful though. The experience inspired the whole record. Instead of being so picturesque and metaphorical, I told stories.”

The album title even referenced the name of the text group for his new friends in Charleston, embedding the experience and the city in the fabric of the music. The vision had already crystallized before he left for Los Angeles where he recorded with longtime producer Anton DeLost (Cleopatrick, The Warning, State Champs, Dead Poet Society). These friends, and a variety of other characters he met, ultimately inspired the concept at the heart of "The Program."

“It was a collective of 10 people I’d never met before, and we kept using the term ‘The Program’ repeatedly like, ‘Let’s go here, because it would be good for The Program’,” he goes on. “It was cool to be surrounded by near-complete strangers, invite them to our place, and play demos. Their opinions were unfiltered and blunt—which was awesome. I was actively searching for inspiration, and I put myself out there in different situations. I was free and unchained to do anything.”

BRKN LOVE fulfilled a clear destiny to be as free as possible on their third full-length LP, 'The Program.'

On the album, BRKN LOVE shares:

"Our new album, 'The Program' started with a completely unplanned trip to Charleston, South Carolina. We had no real agenda, just a need to get away and see where the music would take us. That trip ended up shaping so much of this record, from the name to the overall vibe. More than anything, it helped us break free from the parameters we had set for this band in the past. This time, we just wanted to make the music we love, without overthinking what BRKN LOVEwas supposed to sound like.

You’ll hear elements of funk, disco, pop and R&B in ways we’ve never done before. But at the end of the day, it still sounds like us. The fact that we even get to make a third album is something we don’t take for granted. So many bands don’t get this far, and we’re beyond grateful to still be here, making music that we love. 

Lyrically, this is our most honest and direct record yet. A lot of it is about love and loss. We didn’t want to dress it up or be vague; we just wanted to be straight-up about heartbreak and more importantly, how you move on from it in a positive way.

We made this album with our frequent collaborator, Anton Delost, who absolutely killed it as a producer. A huge part of the sound comes from recording at the legendary Foo Fighters’ Studio 606. Tracking through their iconic Neve console that’s been used on so many classic records. 'The Program' is the record we’ve always wanted to make, and we can’t wait for everyone to hear it."

Order 'The Program' HERE

BRKN LOVE emerged with their self-titled debut in 2020. The group quietly generated over a quarter of a billion total streams. They notched a Top 15 entry on Active Rock radio with “Shot Down,” while their cover of “River” by Bishop Briggs hit critical mass. It inspired over 2 billion-plus views on TikTok. It piled up 28 million Spotify streams. 2022’s 'Black Box' only maintained this momentum. “Like A Drug” notched north of 8.5 million Spotify streams, made waves at Active Rock, and emerged as their third Top 5 at Canadian radio.

Skid Row to Release Remastered "Revolutions Per Minute" on 5/30

American rock band SKID ROW exploded onto the music scene in the late '80s, becoming a predominant force in the hard rock and heavy metal genre. Known for their raw energy, melodic hooks, and a relentless edge, Skid Row earned global success with hits such as "18 and Life," "Youth Gone Wild," and "I Remember You." The band became synonymous with the rebellious spirit of the late '80s and early '90s, selling millions of albums worldwide and solidifying their place in rock history.
 
Following the success of their last studio album, The Gang's All Here, it's easy to recognize the consistent quality that Snake Sabo, Scotti Hill, and Rachel Bolanhave brought to every chapter of their discography.
 
The band's fifth studio album Revolutions Per Minute represents a pivotal moment in the band's career, with Skid Row stepping outside of their comfort zone and bringing new ideas and influences into the fold. The album showcases the band's evolving style, combining their signature grit with a more modern, aggressive tone. 
 
Newly mastered in 2025, this reissue edition of Revolutions Per Minute offers fans the opportunity to rediscover this classic album and appreciate its enduring impact.
 
Pre-order the reissue edition here.  

2006 ALBUM LINEUP:
Johnny Solinger — Lead Vocals
Snake — Guitar + Backing Vocals
Scotti Hill — Guitar + Backing Vocals
Rachel Bolan —Bass + Backing Vocals
Dave Gara — Drums + Backing Vocals 

Ministry Releases First-Ever Music Video For “Everyday Is Halloween”: From “The Squirrely Years Revisited” Album, Out Now Via Cleopatra Records;

For the first time ever, Ministry has an official music video for the eternal hit, “Everyday is Halloween.” Originally released in 1984, Al Jourgensen’s rally cry for the goth community and misunderstood creatures of the night has remained a cult classic over the decades and is finally being given the visual treatment it deserves.

See the video for “Everyday is Halloween” Below.

Says Jourgensen, “I’m amazed and honored that folks are still listening to this song 40 years on. Fly that freak flag proudly.”

“Everyday is Halloween” is one of the cuts on the forthcoming album, The Squirrely Years Revisited, out now via Cleopatra Records that sees Jourgensen making peace with the past. After the incredible reception to Ministry’s With Sympathy and Twitch-heavy set at Cruel World 2024, Jourgensen decided it was time to reexamine his long-dormant synth pop hits and give them a fresh polish 40 years later.

Featuring 9 tracks (3 additional bonus tracks on CD), The Squirrely Years Revisited offers reworked versions of not only “Everyday Is Halloween,” but also “Work For Love,” “I’m Not An Effigy,” and “I’ll Do Anything For You.”

The Squirrely Years Revisited follows the release of Ministry’s 16th studio album in 2024, HOPIUMFORTHEMASSES, and comes ahead of the final new studio album from Ministry in 2026, a record that has Jourgensen teaming up with Paul Barker once again.

The Squirrely Years Revisited will be available in all formats including digital, CD and 4 different vinyl configurations.

Order Digital copies of the album HERE

Order CD/Vinyl copies of the album HERE

To celebrate the album and the new-old era of Ministry, the band — also including John Bechdel (keyboards), Monte Pittman and Cesar Soto (guitars), Pepe Clarke Magaña (drums) and Paul D’Amour (bass) —will embark on The Squirrely Years Tour beginning April 29, with a set dominated by Jourgensen’s earliest works. Opening support will come from Ministry’s old-school comrades, including Nitzer Ebb for the first half of the tour, My Life with the Thrill Kill Kult for the second half of the tour; and Die Krupps on all dates. Tickets are on sale now at MinistryBand.com.

MINISTRY THE SQUIRRELY YEARS TOUR

Joined By Nitzer Ebb, My Life with the Thrill Kill Kult, Die Krupps

*Nitzer Ebb appearing

+My Life with the Thrill Kill Kult appearing

(Die Krupps appearing on all dates except May 8)

April 2025

29  Phoenix, AZ @ Van Buren*

30  Albuquerque, NM @ Revel*

May 2025

2    Austin, TX @ Emo’s*

3    Houston, TX @ House of Blues*

4    Dallas, TX @ Factory*

6    Atlanta, GA @ The Eastern*

8    Columbus, OH @ Sonic Temple Art & Music Festival

9    Chicago, IL @ Riviera*

10  Detroit, MI @ Masonic Cathedral*

12  Baltimore, MD @ Soundstage*

13  Philadelphia, PA @ Franklin Music Hall+

14  Boston, MA @ Roadrunner+

16  Brooklyn, NY @ Brooklyn Paramount+

17  Montreal, QC @ MTelus+

18  Toronto, ON @ History+

20  Minneapolis, MN @ Palace+

21  Winnipeg, MB @ Burton Cummings Theatre+

23  Edmonton, AB @ Midway Music Hall+

24  Calgary, AB @ Palace Theatre+

26  Vancouver, BC @ Commodore+

28  Seattle, WA @ Showbox SoDo+

29  Spokane, WA @ Spokane Live Casino+

31  Denver, CO @ Mission Ballroom+

June 2025

1   Salt Lake City, UT @ Union+

3   San Francisco, CA @ Warfield+

4   Los Angeles, CA @ Palladium+

5   Las Vegas, NV @ House of Blues+

For tickets and more information, visit www.ministryband.com/tour

ABOUT MINISTRY

Born in 1981 in Chicago, Ministry has been the lifetime passion project of founder Al Jourgensen, considered to be the pioneer of industrial music. In its early days, Ministry was identifiable by its heavy synth-pop material in line with the new sounds and technology that were being developed in the ‘80s. Ministry’s output began with four 12” singles on Wax Trax! Records in 1981 before the first LP With Sympathy in 1983 via Arista Records. As time progressed however, so did Ministry, quickly developing a harsher, and more stylized sound that the band soon became infamous for on seminal albums Twitch (1986), The Land of Rape and Honey (1988), and The Mind Is A Terrible Thing To Taste (1989). With the release of Psalm 69: The Way to Succeed and The Way to Suck Eggs (1992), Ministry hit an all-time high in the mainstream musical realm and received its first Grammy nomination. In total, Ministry has been nominated for a Grammy award six times. Eight more albums would follow before an indefinite break in 2013, only to be unearthed again in 2018 with AmeriKKKant, continuing to reflect Jourgensen’s views on the frightening state of society and politics. The 2021 album Moral Hygiene marked a new creative era of Jourgensen and the band. Ministry’s 16th studio album, HOPIUMFORTHEMASSES, was released March 1, 2024 via Nuclear Blast Records.

Find Ministry Online

Website: www.ministryband.com

Facebook: www.Facebook.com/WeAreMinistry

Instagram: www.Instagram.com/WeAreMinistry

Seattle indie rocker AudioGust presents punchy feel-good 'Here We Go Again', heralding new album

Seattle-based indie rock artist AudioGust presents his latest single 'Here We Go Again', the bright and punctuated title track from his forthcoming second album, set for release in late spring. This song kicks things off with an upbeat tribute to the unpredictable nature of creative inspiration.

AudioGust is the solo project of songwriter, producer, and multi-instrumentalist Chris Evans, whose journey started in the 1980s as a guitarist and bassist in various bands. After a decades-long detour in the software industry (including 20 years at Microsoft), he has returned to his true passion, writing and recording in his own studio. He has since released over three dozen songs and collaborated with artists worldwide, drawing inspiration from bands such as Green Day, The Police, and Foo Fighters.
 
'Here We Go Again' captures the artist’s late-night encounter with his muse—an unexpected, almost mystical moment when a song begins to take shape in his mind. As dawn approaches, the rush of ideas intensifies, and he scrambles to keep up, fearing that if he lets them slip away, inspiration may stop visiting altogether. With driving energy and vivid storytelling, Evans sets the tone for the album’s exploration of the highs and lows of the creative process.

This 3 a.m. creative encounter and subsequent search for its significance is a story that fits well with AudioGust's menu of hooky anthems for disenchanted optimists. With a sound vortex imbued with 90’s to 2000’s alternative rock, his guitar-driven music brings in a strong, driving rhythm section, big choruses and even bigger bridge sections.

This first offering is an intriguing introduction to AudioGust's new 14-track album. Deeply personal and universally relatable, this is an ode to the highs and lows of creativity, including some of his most popular singles, along with new material. Blending raw energy with introspective storytelling, the album explores the unpredictable nature of inspiration—both the exhilarating moments when it strikes and the emptiness when it fades.
 
AudioGust explains, "This album is split into songs that describe the extremes of the fickle nature of inspiration and songs that have come to me in both of those places". Offering a deep dive into the creative process, this record features six brand-new songs as well as fan-favorite singles, including 'Tomorrow is Mine', a finalist in the 2024 USA Songwriting Contest.
 
With a knack for crafting memorable melodies and thought-provoking lyrics, underscored by upbeat rhythms and evocative guitar arrangements, AudioGust creates music that speaks to the disenchanted and dreamers alike through sonic exploration of the modern human condition. AudioGust released his debut album 'Walk With Me' in 2023, followed by the 'Hope from Darkness' and 'Love and Pain' EPs.

As of March 31, the single 'Here We Go Again' is available from fine music platforms, including Spotify, Apple Music and Bandcamp.  The full album by the same name will be released on May 30.

ALBUM CREDITS
All songs written by Chris Evans
except 'How You Been?' written by Chris Evans & Liz Rodrigues
Recorded, mixed & mastered by AudioGust on Whidbey Island
Performed by AudioGust
Liliana Tani - vocals on 'Dead to Me'
Leslie Irish Evans - announcer's voice on 'Award Show'  
Cover artwork by Chris Evans
Artist photos by Ernie Sapiro
Publicity by Shameless Promotion PR

Keep up with AudioGust
Website | Bandcamp | Facebook | Instagram | Threads | Twitter | YouTube | Spotify | Apple Music | Press contact

Keep up with Shameless Promotion PR
Website | Facebook | Twitter |  Instagram | BlueSky | Threads  | Soundcloud | LinkedIn | Emai l

Avatar Have Something to Tell You...

THEIR BIGGEST SHOW EVER...

...ON HALLOWEEN.

IT DOESN'T GET ANY BETTER THAN THIS!

MORE TO COME FROM AVATAR.

Renowned Rock Singer RUSS BALLARD Shares New Single “Courageous” + Video

Renowned rock singer RUSS BALLARD premiers his new single and accompanying video “Courageous,” taken from his upcoming double album 'Songs From The Warehouse / The Hits Rewired,' out on April 25, 2025, via Frontiers Music Srl.

This release is a real treat for all rock fans: the first CD contains new songs, which show once again that the inspiration never left RUSS, while the second CD includes brand new recordings of famous hits either penned or performed by him during the years.

About the new single, RUSS BALLARD says:

"Living in a mad world - aren’t we somehow? In a world where a little girl is a 'mother to her brother for so long.' I had this strong story in my mind one day… A dark one with a good end – 'You have the power to stand strong - Long may you shine on.'"

He also expresses his excitement for the album:

“It’s a buzz releasing a new album. What started as my 'Lockdown-tapes' during the pandemic became an album! During lockdown, my studio was a lifesaver for me, and I found new ways of writing and recording. The result gives the listeners a good insight into this time - have a listen!”

Watch the Video for “Courageous”

RUSS BALLARD is simply one of the most renowned and gifted songwriters in pop and rock music. His music career started when he was only 14 years old and he wrote a tune, which was recorded by The Shadows, appearing on their album 'The Sound Of The Shadows' in 1964.

During the 70’s and 80’s, his songs ruled the airwaves and the list of hits is pretty much endless. From “Since You Been Gone” (Rainbow), “God Gave Rock'n'Roll To You” (Argent and Kiss), “So You Win Again” (Hot Chocolate), “New York Groove” (Hello and Ace Frehley), “You Can Do Magic” (America), “Winning” (Santana) or “I Don’t Believe In Miracles” (Colin Blunstone) – just to name a few – everyone who needed a great song knew that with RUSS BALLARD they could not go wrong.

Numerous records/artists were also produced by him, like Roger Daltrey, America, Elkie Brooks, Skindred or Sada Vidoo. In 1974, he started a solo career (after his stint with the band Argent in early 70’s), which had its highest momentum with the 'S/t' album in 1984 (which included the hit single “Voices”) and the follow up “The Fire Still Burns”.

Since then, BALLARD has released 10 studio albums and is still writing and producing hits. Three songs from his 1984 and 1985 albums were featured in the TV show “Miami Vice” and were extensively played on dance floors around Europe.

 Pre-Order 'Songs From The Warehouse / The Hits Rewired' HERE

Female-Led Upon Wings Drop Metalcore Anthem "My Remedy"

Upon Wings are back in full force in 2025, and the female-led band has just released their second single of 2025, "My Remedy," which is a metalcore anthem.
 
On "My Remedy," Upon Wings unleash their heaviest song to date, with hard-hitting breakdowns, loud guitars, and pummeling rhythms backing vocalist Anne Autumn Erickson's angelic, heartfelt vocals. This powerful new song, which is about that one thing in life that gets your through hard times, is available now.

Stream and download the song on all platforms HERE.

Upon Wings were quiet in 2024, but they're enjoying a fantastic 2025.

In January, the band released "Haunting Me," an emotive electronic ballad with  dark beats and production. Meanwhile, their music has been strong on streaming platforms, with their 2022 heavy metal single, "Last Love," garnering more than 26,000 streams on Spotify, and their 2023 single, "Distant Memory," is at nearly 12,000 Spotify streams. Both of those songs feature guitars from Kevin Jardine and pummeling rhythms from Kyng drummer Pepe Clarke Magaña. "Distant Memory" also features a shredding guitar solo from Lita Ford guitarist Patrick Kennison.

Meanwhile, their debut single, "Afterlife" featuring Brett Hestla of Creed and Dark New Day, is also still going strong.

Anne's "Women of Rock and Metal," "Metal and Rock That Slays," and "Fire Tracks" playlists have taken off on Spotify, too.

Find Upon Wings on Spotify HERE and on Apple Music HERE.

Find Anne Autumn Erickson's solo music on Spotify HERE and on Apple Music HERE, and find her work at Audio Ink Radio here.

Manchester's THE SPEED OF SOUND presents 'SS-100-X', a JFK story of intrigue Their 'A Cornucopia' album trilogy, marking their 35-year anniversary, is out now

Iconic Manchester indie rockers The Speed Of Sound present their new single 'SS-100-X', a prime and timely pick from their 'Minerva' album. Titled after the codename for the presidential car that fateful day of JFK's assassination in Dallas, the video for 'SS-100-X' intentionally uses AI-generated images to mix fact with speculation and inference, matching the post-fact world environment of the 21st century.

The band has released their ambitious mega-album trilogy 'A Cornucopia: Minerva, Victory, Bounty' in multiple formats via Californian cult label Big Stir Records, cementing their mark on the legacy they began in 1989. With music that is idiosyncratic and counter-intuitive, The Speed of Sound is always in search of something new. Creating music with lyrical bite, expanding their foundation of 1960s, punk and new wave influences, their dynamic and stylistic variation crossing borders and pushing boundaries at every opportunity.

"Spreading like a virus, conspiracy theories have gone mainstream and it all seems to have started long ago with the Kennedy assassination. The simple and chaotic explanation of anything is now routinely jettisoned in favour of swirling dark forces and a wilful maliciousness to recognise anything as fact, instead everything is an issue of unshakeable faith in the existence of a sinister deeper plot," says frontman and songwriter John Armstrong.

"The opening lines of the song describe the view from a 5th-floor Portuguese hotel balcony, but due to the absence of a Ground Floor in American buildings, that made it the 6th. So my view of the Lincoln convertible passing along the street below was identical to that Oswald had from the Texas School Book Repository."

This single arrives on the heels of the audio-visual trip that is 'Permafrost' and also 'Eight Fourteen Monday', which narrates a dreary commute to explore themes of isolation, detachment, and the contrast between superficial politeness and genuine emotion, while subtly referencing the devastating historical event of Hiroshima.

With overlapping themes of independence - both culturally and artistically - each disc of the 'A Cornucopia' trilogy has its own vibe and personality: 'Minerva' is belligerence in musical form, 'Victory' is a manifesto of artistic creativity and 'Bounty' represents the fruits of artistic freedom, all taking place far from the grasping tentacles of the ‘music industry’.

'A Cornucopia' began with the band’s own love of the album format and a determination to make long-form music rather than merely produce a conveyor belt of unrelated singles. The interlocking themes of 'A Cornucopia' are deliberately made for album listeners to enjoy, each disc being its own standalone entity while also forming part of the larger whole trinity.

Full of ambition, energy and melodic brilliance, this three-album deluxe edition is available on vinyl and CD. Beginning with the 'Minerva' album, The Speed of Sound shared a rich bouquet of thought-provoking compositions, including the hauntingly spacious 'Trickledown', the stratospherically vast 'The Great Acceleration', the uplifting 'Mind Palace' and 'West Wind', where a recklessly fast rhythm merges with a Wagnerian horn section.

The 'Victory' album then brings 14 fresh and unexpectedly shape-shifting grooves, from the supremely danceable 'Underground', the unabashed sensuality of 'Monsoon', gothic lounge jazz of 'Permafrost', the glam-rocking 'E to F', reckless garage punk punch of 'Go For It', post-nostalgia of 'The Same River' and triumphant shimmering elegance of 'Tranquility Falls' to the strangely linked pairing of 'Apocalypse Acropolis'and 'Apocalypse Metropolis'.

The ’Bounty’ album adds to this with another ten ranging from the crunching garage rock of 'No Kicks' to the haunting floating melody of 'Virtual Reality123', acoustic driven rave-up of 'Replicant' and bouncing energy of 'Artificial Paradise'.

Marking their 35th anniversary, 'A Cornucopia' trilogy follows their 2021 critically acclaimed album 'Museum Of Tomorrow', returning triumphant, defiant and redemptive. Most music is never even recorded, and most recorded music remains unheard. ‘A Cornucopia’ is a celebration of all unheard underground music and the whole counterculture itself - music made for the pleasure of making it.

‘A Cornucopia’ is available everywhere, including Apple Music, Spotify and Bandcamp, Physically the full trilogy 'A Cornucopia: Minerva, Victory, Bounty' can be ordered on CD and vinyl at www.thespeedofsounduk.com/shop-2

The Speed Of Sound are:
John Armstrong (songwriting, guitars & vox) – John A has developed a vivid style of guitar playing borne of combining rhythm and lead techniques in a flow that pulls the music like a tide steeped in unresolved chords and entrancing vocals.
Ann-Marie Crowley  (vox & guitars) – Ann-Marie hadn’t performed rock based music before joining The Speed Of Sound in 2015 and has vast experience of Irish, folk and also classical operatic singing.
Kevin Roache (bass guitar) – Kevin has performed with John since 1990, he brings a wide understanding of playing differing genre’s including music of Indian origin, he has a highly individual outlook on the bass.
John Broadhurst (drums) – John B joined The Speed Of Sound in 2018. He has a wealth of skills including jazz, pop, rock and blues and has an ability to play with the spaces, the freedom of playing originals is liberating while the fluid and improvisational sections are something he willingly embraces.
Henry Armstrong (keyboards) – With 16 years of studying improvisational music and an intuitive approach, Henry (John's son) joined in 2018, adding a new dimension to the band's sound.

CREDITS
All songs written by John Armstrong
Recorded, Mixed and Mastered at Vibratone Sound Studio in Manchester by Chris Guest, Adam Crossley & The Speed of Sound
John Armstrong - guitars and vocals
Ann-Marie Crowley - vocals and guitars
Kevin Roache - bass guitar
John Broadhurst - drums
Henry Armstrong - keyboards
Bob Dinn - trumpet and flugelhorn
Chris Guest - harmonium, vibraphone, organ, assorted shakers, tambourine.
Band photographs by Shay Rowan
Publicity by Shameless Promotion PR


Keep up with The Speed of Sound
Website | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Soundcloud | YouTube | Apple Music | Spotify | Press contact

Keep up with Big Stir Records
Website | Bandcamp | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Mixcloud | YouTube

Keep up with Shameless Promotion PR
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Volumes Return With Visualizer for Crushing New Single "Sidewinder"

Los Angeles quartet Volumes — Michael Barr [vocals], Raad Soudani[bass], Myke Terry [vocals], and Nick Ursich [drums] — have just dropped the visualizer for "Sidewinder," their first new track in over two years.

And trust us — it was worth the wait. 

The song is so sonically violent that it's the musical equivalent of the alien bursting from astronaut Kane's chest in the classic horror film Alien. The song is erected on djenty riffs that will loosen your teeth from your gums, industrial crunch, heavy artillery percussion, and the kind of screams that nightmares are made of. So, basically, it's a killer metal track. But the ante has been upped to 11.

Watch the visualizer below.

Volumes also discussed the song in an exclusive interview with Knotfest. Read it here.

"'Sidewinder' is an unapologetic hate letter to a world gone mad, especially the corruption within the music industry," Barr states, sharing insight into the subject matter that's as in your face as the sonics. "It offers an unfiltered perspective on a society in chaos, with no optimism or positivity. It’s a song that captures the feeling of everything unraveling as we know it."

 Volumes have been making a metallic racket since erupting onto the scene in 2010. Armed with a rich catalog spanning three EPs and four full lengths, with over 224 million streams and press praise from Kerrang!, Revolver, New Noise, and more, the band's signature, progressive metalcore style boasts djenty riffs, guttural screams, and crunchy synths. Volumes, who've welcomed singer Michael Barr back into fold twice, have never shied away from experimenting with their dual vocal sound or releasing reimagined and instrumental versions of their songs, demonstrating the depth and breadth of their songwriting prowess. They've hit the road with the likes of Ice Nine Kills, Counterparts, Northlane, Born of Osiris, Dance Gavin Dance, Secrets, and Crown the Empire. Clearly, Volumes cannot be bound by genre parameters and limitations. Now, with "Sidewinder," they are ready for the next era and the Volume(s) is turned all the way up.

Morgan Wallen’s Roisterous Return to SNL

Live from New York, Morgan Wallen returned to NBC’s Saturday Night Live last night (3/29/25) to perform two new songs from his fourth studio album, I’m The Problem, arriving Friday, May 16, 2025.
 
Host and Oscar winner Mikey Madison first introduced Wallen for “I’m The Problem.” Strumming his Martin J40 guitar center stage, Wallen took to the iconic 30 Rock set with an evidence board filled by personal images of the superstar dating back to 2018, as Mark “Taco” Annino on drums set atop a vintage desk riser flanked by his touring band Luke Rice on bass; Dominic Frost on guitar and vocals; Tyler Tomlinson on guitar; Chris Gladden on keys; and Tony Aichele on acoustic guitar. 
 
Three segments later Wallen returned with “Just In Case,” this time kicking off next to a TV console with text periodically flickering, sending fans into a frenzy online about the much rumored album track titles. 

“Just In Case” was written by Wallen, John Byron, Jacob Kasher Hindlin, Ryan Vojtesak, Josh Thompson, Blake Pendergrass and Alex Bak; and “I’m The Problem” was written by Wallen, Ernest Keith Smith, Ryan Vojtesak, Grady Block and Jamie McLaughlin. Both songs were produced by Joey Moi and Charlie Handsome. Listen to “Just In Case” HERE and “I’m The Problem” below.
 
Wallen recently became the first artist ever to have two albums spend over 100 weeks in the top 10 of the Billboard200 chart, with Forbes proclaiming “he’s managed incredible feats that few in his genre before him came close to.” With each album, Wallen has refined his music, but with this one, Wallen digs even deeper, providing a glimpse into his life that feels more intimate, more grounded, and closer to his core.
 
The project sparked Wallen’s 2025 I’m The Problem Tour. Kicking off June 20 at NRG Stadium in Houston, Texas, Wallen’s 20-show run will include stops in Seattle, Washington; Foxborough, Massachusetts; Toronto, Ontario and more. With a second stop recently added in Madison, Wisconsin, Wallen’s appearances will mark the first time an artist has played two consecutive nights at Camp Randall Stadium.
 
A rotating lineup of guests including Brooks & Dunn, Miranda Lambert, Thomas Rhett and Koe Wetzel join in direct support with Gavin Adcock, Corey Kent, Ella Langley and Anne Wilson as first-of-three across select dates. Coupled with Wallen’s Sand In My Boots Festival, these 21 shows are the only place to see the superstar in 2025. 

About Morgan Wallen:
Morgan Wallen sets the pace in, and beyond, country music – with Billboard calling him “the biggest country star in the world” and The New York Times doubling down, declaring he’s “one of the biggest stars in pop, period.” With 17 No. 1 singles at Country radio, 19 Billboard Music Awards to-date, more than 170 weeks spent atop Billboard’s Top Country Albums chart (the most in country music history), the highest selling country tour under his belt and more, Wallen has propelled country music to a global level in less than five years. As Las Vegas Review Journal puts it: “Wallen’s appeal is remarkable as it is fueled by his ability to connect to a crowd.” 
 
With Dangerous: The Double Album, Wallen solidified his place as country music’s “dominant superstar,” with the project recently being named Billboard’s No. 1 Album of the 21st Century. One Thing At A Time’s groundbreaking success saw Wallen’s crossover appeal reach a global scale, as he topped the Australian ARIA charts for the first time, along with a host of other accolades. With two No. 1’s already hailing from his forthcoming album release I’m The Problem, due May 16 via Big Loud / Mercury, Wallen digs even deeper, uncovering a side that’s both more vulnerable and more resolute than ever before.
 
As Wallen prepares a refreshed setlist for his 20-stadium-show I’m the Problem Tour, kicking off on June 20 in Houston, Texas, he’s also highlighting some of his favorite artists by bringing the personally-curated, multi-genre Sand In My Boots Festival to Gulf Shores, Alabama, this May, which sold out in less than two hours.
 
Wallen continues to donate a portion of every ticket sold to his Morgan Wallen Foundation—which supports youth music and athletic programs and gives communities access to essentials in times of crisis. More at MorganWallen.com.

VENDEX Is Back in NYC — KHAOS Returns Next Friday at H0l0

Hailing from Barcelona, Vendex is a DJ and producer who began mixing at just 14 and has since forged his own path in the world of techno. Deeply influenced by Dante’s Divine Comedy and the philosophy of alchemy, he crafts a sound that takes listeners on an intense, otherworldly journey. Blending Dark, Industrial, Acid, and Hard Techno, his music evokes the depths of the underworld, guiding you through the nine circles of hell, purgatory, and ultimately, paradise.

Prepare for a night of relentless energy and unrelenting darkness. Lost Souls—Khaos is coming, and there is no escape.

Event Details

Friday, April 4th

Venue: H0L0 NYC

Time: 22:00 - 06:00

Age: 21+ (Physical ID strictly required)

Lineup: Vendex + More Artists TBA

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The Band Light Debuts With Powerful Single "All I Need" Via Red Van Records

Rising pop-rock group The Band Light makes a bold entrance with their debut single “All I Need,” available now via Red Van Records. The track marks the group’s first release since signing with Red Van Records, Jonas Publishing Group and Jonas Group Entertainment in late 2024. Listen to the song below.
 
Produced by John Fields, the multi-platinum writer, producer and mixer known for his work with Switchfoot, Jonas Brothers, Jimmy Eat World and Demi Lovato, “All I Need” blends timeless rock influences with fresh, modern energy. Of the new music, Fields said, “I had a blast creating studio magic with TBL.” 
 
Formed in Spring Hill, Tennessee, The Band Light – featuring Konnor Dolberry (lead vocals), Jack Glenn (bass/vocals), Garrett Goodrich (lead guitar/vocals) and Trevor Young (drums/vocals) – came together through a high school music production and quickly found chemistry both on and off stage. Since then, the band has amassed over one million streams on their independently released music and spent early 2024 touring across the country, opening for breakout acts Quarters of Change and New Hope Club.

“All I Need” was written backstage during a high school theater production by drummer Trevor Young, capturing the tension and introspection of growing up in a hyperconnected world. The song explores the relationship between youth and technology – personal yet universal in its message.
 
“Excited, determined, and grateful don’t begin to describe how I feel about this release,” says Young. “There’s a magic in this song that’s connected with our fans from day one. ‘All I Need’ was born out of a moment of real emotion and change, and we hope listeners feel that too. It represents a new chapter for us.”
 
With emotionally rich lyrics, soaring harmonies and a nostalgic sound that echoes the best of the ‘60s and ‘70s, The Band Light brings rock credibility and raw charisma to every note. “All I Need” is just the beginning of what promises to be an exciting journey for the Nashville-based group.

Photo Credit: Cole Barnhill

UK electronic duo DRAGON WELDING shares 'Hiding Things For Fun', highlighting fourth album 'The Naughty Step'

UK electro noise-pop duo Dragon Welding has revealed a new video for their ruminative 'Hiding Things For Fun', a more downtempo offering from their fourth album 'The Naughty Step' (out now via Dimple Discs) and also happens to be the first record to feature new vocalist Nik Cockshott (formerly of leftfield indie rockers The Spores and The Keatons).

Dragon Welding is an anagram of Andrew Golding, perhaps best known as multi-instrumentalist and co-founder of Essex-based indie noise-pop legends The Wolfhounds. Initially joining Golding for a one-off show in 2023, Cockshott and Golding soon began working together on new material, resulting in the 2024 single 'These Are Dangerous Times', a radical electronic reworking of Dragon Welding's debut release five years prior, essentially marking Dragon Welding's rebirth as a group.

Dragon Welding also recently shared a captivating 'stop-start' animation video for the title track, created by award- winning graphic artist Andy Royston, who also designed the album's cover. They earlier released the high tempo single 'We Dance Among You', following the video for ‘Up And Away’, released as a 3-track single - a clarion call to a dozing generation.

"This song is on one level about losing ideals as we get older. I try not to 'make do' if I can see a way of sticking to the right path. On another level, losing things deliberately is something I am often accused of. The trick in life is to find a partner who is as good at finding things as you are at mislaying them.” He adds that it is also “a Gen X anthem that dreams of being played live to an auditorium full of ghosts, each holding aloft a misplaced cigarette lighter," says Andrew Golding.

"The lyrical theme of the album overall is me trying to deal with problems that I’ve never quite resolved in my mind, while all the time, new problems appear. It’s never ending and I will continue to write songs about it until I stop caring.

After debuting in 2019 with a well-received eclectic eponymous album, Dragon Welding released the all-instrumental 'Lights Behind The Eyes’ (2021) and then ‘Fictionary’ (2023), which featured guest appearances by Anthony Chapman of Collapsed Lung and Alice Golding of The Othyrs.

With a consistent voice, a solid focus on idiosyncratic and, at times, dark electronic backing, augmented by an increasing plethora of obtuse instrumentation, unpretentious ecologically and socially-relevant lyrics, this incarnation of Dragon Welding is ready to present their new material. The new album continues DW's tradition of blending clever guitar with mischievous sonic and rhythmic manipulations.

'The Naughty Step' album is out everywhere digitally, including Spotify, Apple Musicand Bandcamp. Vinyl and CDs are also available from Rough Trade, Amazon and Resident Records.

CREDITS
Music and lyrics - Andrew Golding
Vocals - Nik Cockshott
Guitars and programming – Andrew Golding
Mixed by Ant Chapman and Andrew Golding
Mastered by Ant Chapman
Recorded in London and Manchester 2023-2024
Cover design and videos by Andy Royston
Images by Andy Royston and Helen Golding
Album released via Dimple Discs
Publicity by Shameless Promotion PR

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