KING ULTRAMEGA - The Day I Tried To Live (Single)

November 11, 2025

To commemorate the induction of the legendary SOUNDGARDEN into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, alternative rock collective KING ULTRAMEGA have unleashed a powerful new rendition of "The Day I Tried To Live", featuring SOUNDGARDEN's Kim Thayil, with Alissa White-Gluz of ARCH ENEMY, Mark Menghi of METAL ALLEGIANCE, and Charlie Benante of ANTHRAX. "The Day I Tried To Live" is also featured on a 2-song LP release that also features KING ULTRAMEGA's rendition of the SOUNDGARDEN classic "Rusty Cage". KING ULTRAMEGA crafted this single in loving memory of legendary vocalist Chris Cornell, while raising funds and awareness for MusiCares, which is the Recording Academy’s nonprofit that provides mental health, addiction recovery, and emergency services to those in the music community.

Kim Thayil welcomed this unique opportunity to rediscover his relationship with the song, outside of the familiar context of performing it as a SOUNDGARDEN member. Though the process of sharing his original contributions and interpretations of his guitar performances with other musicians was challenging, Thayil found it to be personally cathartic, capturing the essence of "The Day I Tried To Live", while still bringing a fresh power and beauty to the song.

Thayil comments, "I believe that the personal exploration that came out of my accepting the invitation from Mark, and King Ultramega, to participate in these recordings, allowed me to open myself up to the creative risks of sharing an emotive and artistically intimate experience with other creative individuals, and that this has proved to be rewarding and encouraging, for me, of future similar collaborations."

While Thayil's smooth, soulful lead guitar performance shines on top, bassist and KING ULTRAMEGA creative visionary Mark Menghi keeps the groove of the song true to form. Menghi's precise bass performance gives Thayil a familiar foundation to build upon so that together, KING ULTRAMEGA can do justice to Chris Cornell's legacy.

Menghi comments, "It was a bit nerve racking for me to go in and record this track knowing Kim was going to be on this song, as it's his band's song to begin with. In addition, it was equally important for me to keep it true to the original so Alissa had a strong foundation to deliver her magic. 'What would Chris think?' was the question that kept repeating in my head over and over."

As a longtime SOUNDGARDEN fan, vocalist Alissa White-Gluz cites Chris Cornell's work as highly influential and inspirational to her own, through all of his projects. Her energetic performance carries the song through a range of emotional peaks and valleys, from smooth, dark verses to gritty, soaring choruses. The use of subtle dynamics and textures shows meticulous attention to detail, demonstrating White-Gluz's intent to craft a tribute that remains true to Chris Cornell's style and delivery.

"I felt that I needed to try to embody his unique power and swagger when delivering the vocals here," she comments. "He has always had such a remarkable way of wording things; 'I stole a thousand beggars’ change and gave it to the rich' - just so, so good. He always managed to grab our attention with narrative and keep our interest with thoughtful word choice and intriguing messages."

Finally, drummer Charlie Benante of ANTHRAX lays the beat down with care and intention, closely matching the dynamic structure of the original song. Always playing slightly behind the beat, Benante alternates lighter and heavier playing to recreate the signature sound of "The Day I Tried To Live".

"This is one of my favorite Soundgarden songs," Benante comments. "I just love everything about the song. I especially love the ending, I never expected it to end the way it ends. It's just a beautiful piece of music. Matt’s playing on this tune really compliments the song so much. I just tried to stay true to that."

The LP featuring "The Day I Tried To Live" and "Rusty Cage" is available exclusively on the Reigning Phoenix Music webstore, SOUNDGARDEN webstore, and KING ULTRAMEGA webstore.

A limited run of 500 purple vinyls (available to US purchasers) and 300 lilac vinyls (available to European purchasers) will go on sale beginning November 7, to commemorate SOUNDGARDEN's induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

The vinyl will be available on the Soundgarden, Reigning Phoenix Music and King Ultramega stores.

About KING ULTRAMEGA:

For Menghi and his collaborators, KING ULTRAMEGA is both a deeply personal labor of love and one of the greatest honors of their musical lives. "To be here thirty-plus years later paying tribute to whom I believe was the king of those times is one of the greatest musical honors of my life."

Lineup for "The Day I Tried To Live":
Kim Thayil - Guitar
Alissa White-Gluz - Vocals
Mark Menghi - Bass
Charlie Benante - Drums

BBR Music Group/BMG Nashville Celebrates Nominations for 2026 GRAMMYs

November 11, 2025

BBR Music Group/BMG Nashville is proud to celebrate six nominations for the 2026 GRAMMYs® with both Jelly Roll and Lainey Wilson each picking up three additional nominations this year. GRAMMY Award winning Lainey Wilson, now a 6X nominee, secured nominations in the Country categories for “Somewhere Over Laredo” in the Best Country Solo Performance and Best Country Songand joins Reba McEntire and Miranda Lambert as a nominee in the Best Country Duo/Group Performancewith “Trailblazer,” a release also cowritten by Wilson. Jelly Roll, now a 7X nominee, landed nominations across the County and Christian categories. His Billboard Chart topping album Beautifully Broken scored his first nomination for Best Contemporary Country Album. He also joins Shaboozey with a nomination for their release “Amen” in the Best Country Duo/Group Performance and Brandon Lake with a nomination for “Hard Fought Hallelujah” in Best Contemporary Christian Music Performance/Song. Landing eleven nominations across their writers and artists, BMG Nashville Publishing applauds Buddy Cannon, Jameson Clark, Samantha Fish, Buddy Guy, Tim James, Jelly Roll, Larkin Poe, Aoife O’Donovan (I’m With Her) and Sam Elliot Roman.

Jelly Roll nominations:

Best Contemporary Country Album - Beautifully Broken
Best Contemporary Christian Music Performance/Song - “Hard Fought Hallelujah” Brandon Lake with Jelly Roll
Best Country Duo/Group Performance - “Amen” - Shaboozey & Jelly Roll

Lainey Wilson nominations:

Best Country Solo Performance - “Somewhere Over Laredo”
Best Country Song - “Somewhere Over Laredo” - Writers: Andy Albert, Trannie Anderson, Dallas Wilson & Lainey Wilson
Best Country Duo/Group Performance - “Trailblazer” - Reba McEntire, Miranda Lambert & Lainey Wilson

BMG Publishing nominations:

Best Americana Album - Bloom - Larkin Poe
Best American Roots Performance - “Ancient Light” - I’m With Her
Best American Roots Song - “Ancient Light” - Writer: Sarah Jarosz, Aoife O’Donovan & Sara Watkins
Best Contemporary Blues Album - Paper Doll - Samantha Fish
Best Traditional Blues Album - Ain’t Done With the Blues - Buddy Guy
Best Contemporary Christian Music Performance/Song - “Hard Fought Hallelujah” Brandon Lake with Jelly Roll
Best Contemporary Country Album - Beautifully Broken - Jelly Roll
Best Traditional Country Album - Oh What a Beautiful World - Willie Nelson (Producer: Buddy Cannon)
Best Country Duo/Group Performance - “Amen” - Shaboozey & Jelly Roll
Best Country Song - “Good News” - Shaboozey - Writers: Michael Ross Pollack, Sam Elliot Roman & Jacob Torrey
Best Folk Album - Wild And Clear Blue - I’m With Her

KEEP UP WITH JELLY ROLL

KEEP UP WITH LAINEY WILSON

Alone At The Afterparty: Nate Vickers Reflects On “Feels So Wrong”

November 11, 2025

Alt rock's breakout act to watch, Nate Vickers, bares a new kind of vulnerability on his brand new single, "Feels So Wrong", out now via Oxide Records. Building on his confessional momentum of his previous single "Deja Vu,", Vickers pivots from heartbreak's dizzy aftermath to exploring the complicated costs of personal growth, confronting the uneasy guilt and loneliness that lingers after moving on. Watch the brand new video for "Feels So Wrong" below.

Wrestling with the irony of success, "Feels So Wrong", sees Nate Vickers spotlighting the double-edged nature of achievement. Today's brand new video follows Nate as he moves through an empty room filled with balloons and party decorations that echo celebration, but ultimately underscore his quiet ache of isolation and disconnection. Through honest, introspective lyrics and his signature alt-rock edge, Vickers reflects on the loneliness that emerges when fake friends return, but true support remain elusive.

Setting the scene for "Feels So Wrong," Nate Vickers muses:

"It feels so cool to be successful, but it feels so wrong at the same time. It's about feeling lonely after finding success. How fake friends will hit you up after you're doing well, but weren't there for you when you needed help."

With his smash hit "A Little Too Late" cementing Nate Vickers as a breakout voice and his previous single "Parasite" pushing his sound into a darker, more visceral territory, latest singles "Falling Away From Heaven" and "Deja Vu" build on that rising momentum. Seeing Vickersblending gritty guitars with pain and the pursuit of healing, these latest tracks capture an artist unafraid to bare his scars while reaching for something greater.

Inspired by icons such as Linkin Park, Three Days Grace, and Bad Omens, Nate Vickers has crafted a sound that is unmistakably his own, drawing more than 1.5 million followers to his TikTok and 540K to his Instagram. Between viral, late-night covers and playlist-dominating originals, Vickers has also earned his place as a standout favorite on Pandora and Sirius XM's Octane. What began as a spark has now become an alt-rock wildfire.

Be sure to stay tuned for more Nate Vickers news coming soon.

ABOUT NATE VICKERS

For Houston-born artist Nate Vickers, perfection isn’t a pursuit – it’s a mandate. Guided by an unflinching commitment to total artistic integrity and execution, Vickers has spent years carving out his own lane where raw emotion meets dark, cinematic soundscapes and precision is everything.

Gravitating towards rock and metal from a young age, Vickers found music early. “I was a big fan of Kiss when I was a kid,” he recalls. “I watched their concert on TV and thought, ‘that's incredible.’” Around age five Vickers formed an unlikely friendship with an eccentric older neighbor and musician who sold him his first drum set and taught him guitar chords. From there, the obsession never stopped. In high school, he began to find his voice thanks to screamo youtube covers he recorded in his bedroom. By 18, Vickers began teaching himself to sing. A natural performer, Vickers has since honed a powerfully confident voice defined by depth, raw emotion, and grit. Holding nothing back, he stylistically sells every word he sings – a foundational mentality to his creative identity.

He carried this mindset into the studio when he started recording original music in 2016. Teaming up with producer Robby Joyner after the dissolution of an early band, Vickers launched his solo project. To this day, Robby is his producer and creative partner. “We align really well stylistically and creatively. If we have to do eight vocal sessions for one song, we'll do it. We don't care … whatever makes it perfect. We both have extremely high standards.” Vickers has since garnered more than 16 million streams on Spotify and 1.5 million followers on Tiktok.

Along the way, however, Vickers faced waves of self-doubt. “I was impressionable and cared about other people's opinions a lot. It finally came to a point where I was either gonna quit doing music or fix that.” With newfound inspiration, he’s entering a revived era of unapologetic artistic vision. “I've always known exactly what I wanted to do. What I want to do right now is the same thing I wanted to do when I was 16,” he says.

Sonically, Vickers draws from the emotional grit of Deftones and the moody tension of The Neighbourhood, forging a hybrid of dark, moody alt-rock and more in-your-face alt-metal.

BEAUTY IN CHAOS pays homage to Johnny Cash & Joe Strummer on 'God's Gonna Cut You Down / Get Down Moses'

November 11, 2025

The evolving revolving entity Beauty In Chaos present their latest sonic offering - 'God's Gonna Cut You Down / Get Down Moses', released via 33.3 Music Collectiveand produced by Grammy-nominated producer Michael Rozon (Ministry, Jarboe, Wayne Hussey, The Melvins),

Beauty In Chaos has come a long way since launching in 2018 by Los Angeles-based guitarist Michael Ciravolo (formerly of Human Drama and Gene Loves Jezebel and current President of Schecter Guitars) but his musical road often finds him circling back to visit his roots, celebrating them with new renditions.

The new two-song digital EP single features an enveloping, smokey rendition of the traditional gospel hymn 'God’s Gonna Cut You Down', popularized by The Man in Black himself - Mr. Johnny Cash (who also happens to be a distant cousin to BIC’s own Tish Ciravolo), along with the B-side showcasing Beauty In Chaos' own take on Joe Strummer’s 'Get Down Moses'.

In addition to very familiar territory (guitars and textures), BIC curator Michael Ciravolo contributes vocals on both tracks, joined by Michael Rozon (lap steel guitar, snare drum, voices), as well as Tish Ciravolo, Whitney Tai, Set Miller, Anthony Loveand Tim Perry (background vocals and foot stomps).

“While both of these songs have certainly been covered before, I think we have injected BIC into them … even if we have stretched, what some have come to expect from us sonically,” says Michael Ciravolo.

BIC also unveils the video for 'God’s Gonna Cut You Down', filmed and directed by Vicente Cordero (Industrialism Films) and edited by Ryan Conlon based on a concept by Michael Ciravolo.

Ciravolo shares, “I think the haunted New Orleans’ French Quarter vibe compliments our approach to the song. There is certainly an underlying story-line running through the video, which is left to an individual’s interpretation… but in the end; good indeed triumphs over evil”.

This two-track single follows two solid releases for BIC' - their 'Dancing With Angels' album and the remix companion album ‘Signs In The Heavens Reality Upside Down’, which is available as a limited edition double CD, along with videos for 'Made Of Rain (Almost Acoustic)' feat. Ashton Nyte and Whitney Tai and the double-whammy offering 'Children Of The Revolution' feat. Al Jourgensen and 'Open Your Eyes' (honoring T.Rex / Marc Bolan and The Lords of the New Church, respectively).

Past BIC releases involve members of The Cure, Ministry, Cheap Trick, The Offspring, Gene Loves Jezebel, Marilyn Manson, Human Drama, Bauhaus, Nine Inch Nails, Van Halen, A Flock of Seagulls and dUg Pinnick, ICE-T, Rolan Bolanand Zakk Wylde, among many other luminaries.

The new single is available everywhere digitally, including Beauty In Chaos' store, Spotify, Apple Music and Bandcamp. Beauty In Chaos also plans to release the video for 'Get Down Moses' in December.

CREDITS
Michael Ciravolo – voices, guitars and textures
Michael Rozon – lap steel guitar, snare drum, voices
Background voices & foot stomps – Tish Ciravolo, Whitney Tai, Set Miller, Anthony Love & Tim Perry
Recorded, mixed & mastered by Michael Rozon at SAINTinLA
Produced by Michael Rozon & Michael Ciravolo
Video filmed and directed by Vicente Cordero (Industrialism Films)
Edited by Ryan Conlon. Concept by Michael Ciravolo
Lightning by Anthony Love (SL Lighting)
Hair and Makeup by Dania Ridgeway. Props courtesy of Prop Heaven
Video features Michael Ciravolo (voice), Tish Ciravolo (guitar), Michael Rozon (guitar) & Anthony Love (priest & devil)
EP cover art by Liz Ardman
Video cover by GABB
Publicity by Shameless Promotion PR

Orbit Culture Announce North American Headline Tour Set for Top of 2026

November 11, 2025

Sweden's ORBIT CULTURE are thrilled to announce their forthcoming headline North American tour.

The trek kicks off February 18 and runs through April 10, making stops in most major cities in the U.S. and Canada. It marks the band's first headline tour in support of the new album Death Above Life, out now via Century Media, in these markets.

The tour will feature support from OV SULFUR and ATLAS. All dates are below.

Tickets go on sale on Friday, November 14 at 10am local time. Get tickets here.

"We're beyond excited to return to North America and unleash the 'Death Above Life' tour across the continent, joined by Ov Sulfur and Atlas. We can't wait to see everyone out there," the band states.

ORBIT CULTURE ON TOUR:
WITH OV SULFUR + ATLAS:
2/18 — Roseville, CA — Goldfield Trading Post
2/19 — Portland, OR — Star Theater
2/20 — Seattle, WA — El Corazon
2/22 — Vancouver, BC — Rickshaw Theater
2/24 — Calgary, AB — Palace Theatre
2/25 — Edmonton, AB — Midway Music Hall
2/27 — Saskatoon, SK — Louis'
2/28 — Winnipeg, MB — Park Theater
3/03 — Toronto, ON — Opera House
3/05 — Montreal, QC — Beanfield Theatre
3/06 — Ottawa, ON — The Bronson
3/07 — Buffalo, NY — Electric City
3/09 — Allentown, PA — Archer Music Hall
3/10 — Silver Spring, MD — Fillmore Silver Spring
3/11 — New York, NY — Gramercy Theater
3/13 — New Haven, CT — Toad's
3/14 — Worcester, MA — Palladium
3/16 — Cleveland, OH — House of Blues Cleveland
3/17 — Pittsburgh, PA — Preserving Underground
3/18 — Chicago, IL — House of Blues Chicago
3/20 — Milwaukee, WI — The Rave II
3/21 — Detroit, MI — El Club
3/23 — Lexington, KY — Manchester Music Hall
3/24 — Atlanta, GA — Masquerade
3/25 — Charlotte, NC — The Underground
3/27 — Orlando, FL — House of Blues Orlando
3/28 — St. Petersburg, FL — Jannus Live
3/30 — Houston, TX — House of Blues
3/31 — Dallas, TX — The Echo Lounge & Music Hall
4/01 — Oklahoma City, OK — Diamond Ballroom
4/03 — Denver, CO — Gothic Theatre
4/05 — Salt Lake City, UT — The Grand at The Complex
4/06 — Las Vegas, NV — Brooklyn Bowl
4/07 — Mesa, AZ — The Nile
4/09 — Santa Ana, CA — The Observatory
4/10 — Los Angeles, CA — Regent Theater

Hailing from the small town of Eksjö, Sweden (located between the revered metal cities of Gothenburg and Stockholm), the quartet (guitarist and vocalist Niklas Karlsson, guitarist Richard Hansson, bassist Fredrik Lennartsson and drummer Christopher Wallerstedt) have grown into a global force, melding together riffs that are equal parts thrash, death metal and industrial with arresting hooks and a layered atmosphere that invites comparison to Gojira, Metallica and Static-X while carving out something that is uniquely their own.

ORBIT CULTURE's 2023 album, Descent and its subsequent EP release, The Forgotten topped many year-end lists in 2023 including Metal Hammer who described the album as: "a formidable entwining of modern metal’s most effective and exciting strands into an impressive milestone." Exhaustive worldwide touring and a steady stream of crowd-pummeling festival slots across the globe have set the stage for something much larger.

Orbit Culture are a band poised. They are the sound of metal in the most modern sense.

Nuclear Blast Records Announces Worldwide Signing of HOKKA

November 11, 2025

Nuclear Blast Records is proud to welcome HOKKA, a powerful new force in Finnish rock, to its global roster. The band unites three major names from Finland’s rock legacy: former BLIND CHANNEL frontman Joel Hokka, THE RASMUS founding member and former guitarist-songwriter Pauli Rantasalmi, and phenomenal young drummer Jimi Aslak.

HOKKA makes an explosive entrance with their debut single, 'In the Darkness', available today on all major streaming platforms: https://hokka.bfan.link/inthedarkness

Accompanied by an epic and visually stunning music video, the song introduces the signature elements of HOKKA’s sound: deep, dark, and cold Nordic melancholy fused with a modern rock edge. Their music channels the emotional intensity of early-2000s Finnish rock while pushing boldly into new territory with unapologetic energy and ambition.

Watch 'In the Darkness' now and experience the dawn of HOKKA ,Below

With a magnetic debut and a fearless creative vision, HOKKA is poised to become the next breakout act from Finland’s rich rock scene.
The band will make their first live appearance on Finnish YLE’s major New Year’s Eve TV show, broadcast live from Oulu-halli on December 31st.

"Different generations of Finnish rock are united for this newborn band proud to be part of Nuclear Blast Records roster." comments Joel Hokka

HOKKA is here to stay and slay.

line up:
Joel Hokka - voc
Pauli Rantasalmi - guitar
Jimi Aslak - drums

social media:
Instagram: @joelhokka @jimiaslak @paulirantasalmi
Tiktok: @joelhokka @jimiaslak.
YouTube: @hokkasyndicate.

Alkaloid Perform Bach

November 11, 2025

Since assembling in 2013, Alkaloid have known no bounds. Fresh from the minds who brought metalheads Obscura, Triptykon and Dark Fortress, the supergroup has rearranged the very composition of progressive death metal. Their three studio albums are widely acclaimed for synthesizing seemingly opposing forces. Worldly polyrhythms are bent to shape sci-fi storylines, only to morph into brutally catchy choruses. However, last summer, the quintet conducted a truly one-of-a-kind experiment, the kind that only a maestro an perform.

Today, Alkaloid are announcing their very first live album. Recorded live in the Netherlands during three special performances, Bach Out of Bounds brings the classical world in conversation with the heaviest of underground arts. Joined by an award-winning ensemble of vocalists, accordion and string players, the band present wildly re-imagined arrangements of three compositions from Johann Sebastian Bach, while also infusing the heart and soul of the classic composer into their own songs.

Along with fresh takes on fan favorites from Numen and The Malkuth Grimoire, Bach Out of Bounds introduces two new songs to Alkaloid's cannon. "Haunter of the Void" looks deep into an unknown future, but its far-out tale is guided by the progressive metal maestro's cosmically crushing virtuoso.

"We're always open for an artistic challenge", says Morean, Alkaloid's vocalist and guitarist. "When Bach Out of Bounds, came our way, we fully embraced the adventure to show yet another side of Alkaloid. We were lucky to be supported by guest artists who share our vision and passion for defying boundaries".

"'Haunter of the Void' was especially commissioned for this show", Morean continues. "The song translates Bach and 18th century polyphony into Alkaloid's sonic universe by applying Baroque counterpoint composition techniques to our own scales and harmonies. This 10-minute epic links Bach and Alkaloid without diluting our identity one iota".

Watch Alkaloid perform "Haunter of the Void" live at Bachfestival 2024 below.

Bach Out of Bounds - Live in the Netherlands comes out January 23, 2026 on Season of Mist

Pre-order
https://orcd.co/alkaloidbachoutofbounds

Pre-save on Spotify
https://open.spotify.com/prerelease/2pWtSI1XiPBUoM0TLenyKV?si=VX7Qw3CEQ5ec26ubrYgJiA&nd=1&dlsi=a691e08dbd9948ed

Available Formats
CD Digipack
2x12" Vinyl Gatefold

Even though it was commissioned specially for this performance by the Dutch Performing Arts Fund (FPK), "Haunter of the Void" couldn't have come from any other mind but Alkaloid's. After all, the band has already charted a multi-part saga about a galactic civilization that reaches god-like levels. Their latest space odyssey follows a digitized brain into the void, where it must defy the impossible in order to protect what little hope remains for a long-dead Earth.

"Thrown to the darkness / To survive", Morean and soprano Chrysa Tsaltampasi call out to each other as if drifting into a black hole.

"Haunter of the Void" truly expands Alkaloid's universe. Applying Bach's polyphonic composition techniques has deepened the band's gravitational pull. Accordion, violin and cello streak like shooting stars beneath the meteoric riffs and laser-like solos of new guitarists Max Blok and Justin Hombach. With drums rumbling ahead at warped-speed, the song climbs to a head-banging crescendo that sent the crowd at Bachfestival home happy with their minds fully blown.

“The audience who came and saw these performances went crazy for it”, Morean remembers. “I’m so happy that we can now share them with people everywhere. People aren’t going to know what hit them. Bach Out of Bounds is very different from what other metal bands - or even Alkaloid – normally do”.

The video for "Haunter of the Void" was filmed live at the 2024 Bachfestival in Dordrecht, Netherlands. It was created by Thomas Niehof / Creative Headroom & Lindy Balduk Photography.

With Bach Out of Bounds, Alkaloid deliver a classically innovative performance as only a true maestro can.

Alkaloid is
Morean - Vocals, guitar
Hannes Grossmann - Drums
Linus Klausenitzer - Bass
Justin Hombach - Guitar
Max Blok - Guitar

Guest musicians
Rianne Wilbers - Soprano
Chrysa Tsaltampasi - Soprano
Julija Hartig - Violin
Oene van Geel - 5-string violin
Marieke Hopman - Accordion
Ketevan Roinishvili - Cello

Recording credits
Recorded live in the Netherlands at Bibelot / Dordrecht and Paard van Troje / The Hague
Front of house engineer: Laurens Voois

Production credits
Produced by Alkaloid
Mixed by Hannes Grossman at Mordor Sounds, Germany
Mastered by Victor Bullok at Woodshed Studio, Germany

Songwriting credits
Music for "Allegro", "Adagio - All Is Vanity" and "Agnus Dei" written by Johann Sebastian Bach
Music for "Cthulhu" written by Morean and Hannes Grossman
Music for "Beneath the Sea" and "Haunter of the Void" written by Morean
Music for "A Fool's Desire" written by Hannes Grossman
Music for "The Fungi from Yuggoth" written by Christian Münzner
Lyrics to "Adagio - All Is Vanity" based on "Es ist alles eitel" by Andreas Gryphius and adapted by Morean
Lyrics to "Agnus Dei" taken from John 1:29
Lyrics to "Beneath the Sea", "Cthulhu", "Haunter of the Void", "A Fool's Desire" and "The Fungi from Yuggoth" written by Morean

Available Formats
CD Digipack
2x12" Vinyl Gatefold

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

Follow Alkaloid
Website:https://alkaloid-band.com/
Bandcamp:https://alkaloid-band.bandcamp.com
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/4KMQDFaAsPEKcqKzdvkYKc
Apple Music:https://music.apple.com/us/artist/alkaloid/368935306
YouTube:https://www.youtube.com/c/Alkaloidbandmetal
Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/alkaloid.metal
Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/alkaloid_metal/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/AlkaloidBand

HANABIE. Announce Spring 2026 North American Headliner With Nekrogoblikon + Enterprise Earth As Support

November 11, 2025

Harajuku-core trailblazers HANABIE. have today announced their upcoming 2026 North American headlining run with Nekrogoblikon and Enterprise Earth as support. Produced by Live Nation, the 21-date tour begins on Friday, March 13 in Boston, Massachusetts at Big Night Live, and ends on Saturday, April 11 in Los Angeles, California at The Belasco.

TICKETS: Tickets will be available starting with an artist presale beginning today at 12 pm ET. Additional presales will run throughout the week ahead of the general onsale beginning Friday, November 14 at 10 am local time at livenation.com.

Prior to today, the band released their track "Karu Garu Everyday!!", the theme song for anime series 'Araiguma Calcal-dan' (via Sony Music Japan) and is currently on their headlining tour across the EU/UK before wrapping up 2025 at Knotfest Mexico next month. Be sure to get your North American headliner tickets before they're all gone, and stay tuned for more HANABIE. news coming soon.

HANABIE. Spring 2026 North American Headliner Dates:

Fri Mar 13 - Boston, MA - Big Night Live

Sat Mar 14 - Brooklyn, NY - Brooklyn Bowl

Sun Mar 15 - Silver Spring, MD - The Fillmore Silver Spring

Tue Mar 17 - Montreal, QC - Théâtre Beanfield

Wed Mar 18 - Toronto, ON - The Danforth Music Hall

Fri Mar 20 - Pittsburgh, PA - Roxian Theatre Presented by Citizens

Sat Mar 21 - Philadelphia, PA - Theatre of Living Arts

Mon Mar 23 - Raleigh, NC - The Ritz

Tue Mar 24 - Atlanta, GA - Buckhead Theatre

Wed Mar 25 - Orlando, FL - House of Blues Orlando*

Fri Mar 27 - Cleveland, OH - House of Blues Cleveland

Sun Mar 29 - Detroit, MI - Saint Andrew's Hall

Mon Mar 30 - Chicago, IL - House of Blues Chicago

Wed Apr 01 - Minneapolis, MN - The Fillmore Minneapolis

Fri Apr 03 - Dallas, TX - House of Blues Dallas

Sat Apr 04 - Houston, TX - House of Blues Houston

Mon Apr 06 - Austin, TX - Emo's Austin

Tue Apr 07 - Phoenix, AZ - The Van Buren

Thu Apr 09 - San Diego, CA - House of Blues San Diego

Fri Apr 10 - San Francisco, CA - August Hall

Sat Apr 11 - Los Angeles, CA - The Belasco

*No Nekrogoblikon

ABOUT HANABIE.:

HANABIE. is a Tokyo-based all-girl rock band that has been making waves since 2015, when YUKINA, MATSURI, and HETTSU came together for a high school club activity. With the addition of CHIKA in May 2023, the band has evolved into a force to be reckoned with. Don’t be fooled by their cute, girlish image—their sound is a hard-hitting blend of powerful shouts, heavy riffs, and unique Japanese flair, capturing fans at home and abroad. Their hit single “Pardon Me, I Have To Go Now” has amassed over 10 million views on YouTubeand 5.3 million views on TikTok.

In December 2024, HANABIE. released their latest EP, Bucchigiri Tokyo, further showcasing their dynamic range and signature style.

2023 marked the beginning of their overseas ventures, and in August 2024, they made history as the first Japanese women to perform on the main stage at Lollapalooza in Chicago, USA. With a rapidly growing international following, HANABIE. is actively expanding their presence and making a bold statement on the global stage.

HANABIE. is:

SharpTone Signs Mothica // Singer Releases "Evergreen Misery" Video

November 11, 2025

SharpTone Records is thrilled to announce that the label has signed MOTHICA to its worldwide roster.

To herald the signing, MOTHICA has shared the video for the new single "EVERGREEN MISERY."

Watch it below.

"Writing 'Evergreen Misery' was a journey full of every twist and turn you could imagine," Mothica shares, pulling back the curtain to share details about the song's redemptive factor with her dedicated fanbase. "I was a few months out of rehab and I needed to release this simmering anger and deep melancholy that I was numbing for so long. Getting swept up into the underbelly of the music industry took a huge toll on my mental health. When I checked into a 30-day treatment program, I was ready to leave music entirely. The behind the scenes stirs up a lot of animosity, envy and sorts of ugly emotions. I took a step back to focus on my recovery, and finally felt ready to reconnect with the pure feeling of writing music again.

She continues, "The lyrics are a reflection of some energy vampires I've had in my life. People I let into my life who tried to borrow elements of my story as their own, knowing they didn't experience the pain my art stems from. There's a dark humor in that for me, this idea of 'take what you want from me, my misery is bottomless' — which is a bit dramatic, but that's how it felt."

Mothica finishes, "I knew I wanted to step into a heavier era with this next release, which my fans have deemed 'Rockica' with my releases like 'Nocturnal,' my Polyphia collab, or my Bring Me The Horizon remix. I grew up going to metalcore shows and it finally felt like the right time to pull from that side of myself. I love Nine Inch Nails, Sleep Token, Bad Omens, Wage War, Bring Me the Horizon, Evanescence, and so many other artists in the scene that combine cinematic synths, gritty guitars and big emotional hooks. Working with my producer Elliot Polokoff helped me carve out what this era sounds like, and what flavor of rock felt undeniably true for Mothica."

Renewal and rebirth is what lead the singer to her new label home.

"While writing this new era of music, I knew I was taking a step in a different sonic direction," she explains. "The entire team at SharpTone Records really saw my vision with both the music and the visuals I create. I'm so excited to announce this partnership with SharpTone Records to elevate the next evolution of MOTHICA."

ABOUT MOTHICA:
Rather than immolating in the light of a flame, MOTHICA absorbs the heat and fashions the embers and ashes into anthems rooted in dark alternative soundscapes and hyper-charged by heart-wrenching metal catharsis. The singer, performer, and consummate creative has unfettered herself from the throes of addiction, held back thoughts of suicide, wrestled with mental health, and grew as an artist and as a woman. For the past decade, MOTHICA has woven her multi-sensory sonic cocoon around a diehard audience. The songstress has entangled listeners in the embrace of albums such as Blue Hour [2020], NOCTURNAL [2022], and Kissing Death [2024]. Regarding the latter, Wonderland marveled at how "this raw, vulnerable, and deeply cathartic collection of tracks is paired with expansive, cinematic visuals," while LADYGUNN hailed it as "an innovative audio/visual journey that delves into her intricate relationship with life, loss, and mental health." EARMILK raved "KISSING DEATH is bold, important, and transformative," and KERRANG! christened it "brilliant." Leveraging art school roots, her experience as a sought-after illustrator and graphic designer, and unstoppable D.I.Y. drive, she handcrafted an inimitable world, powering everything from merchandise design to creative direction on videos and photo shoots. Moreover, she has collaborated with Polyphia, Scene Queen, and Papa Roach and toured with Coheed & Cambria, Halestorm, and many others. Along the way, she has tallied hundreds of millions of streams. Projecting her voice with intensity and opening up her heart with intention, MOTHICA sounds reborn on her debut for SHARPTONE and more to come.

TOMBSTONES IN THEIR EYES shares 'Alive And Well', a hymn of revival & tribute to late bandmate

November 11, 2025

LA-based indie rock outfit Tombstones In Their Eyes presents 'Alive and Well', a beautifully raucous psychedelic rock revival hymn, following the brooding lead track 'Under Dark Skies'. This unexpectedly fierce and defiant declaration of strength is the second taste of their 'Under Dark Skies' album, to be released via Little Cloud Records (for North America) and Shore Dive Records (for the UK and EU). This 2-track offering also includes the radio edit.

This song is dedicated to TITE guitarist Paul Boutin, who recently lost his battle with cancer. As Paul Lovecraft, he was a prolific musician, releasing music even after an operation nicked his vocal chords. Having met Tombstones' main-man John Treanor at Kitten Robot Studios about 10 years ago while working on his own projects, they fell into the same orbital realms until Paul eventually joined the band.

The song features John Treanor on vocals and guitar, Paul Boutin on guitar, Nic Nifoussi on bass, Paul Roessler on keyboards, Stephen Striegel on drums and percussion), and Courtney Davies, Clea Cullen and Joel Wasko on backing vocals,

"When our beloved friend and guitar player lost his life on 10/18/25, we were shocked, confused and incredibly saddened. Paul was so kind, generous, intelligent and always optimistic. Being in TITE was a source of pride and joy for Paul. He was so easy to be around and was dedicated, driving many hours for practices and shows, always bringing his cheerfulness and optimism. We miss him greatly and are glad he is all over this record," says John Treanor.

"We were initially going to scrap 'Alive and Well' as a single after Paul's passing (for obvious reasons), but because it was one of Paul's favorites and a song on which he played guitar, we are going ahead with the release. The lyrics are about rising out of desperate circumstances with newfound strength - something Paul himself experienced, having dragged himself out of his own difficulties to ultimately rebuild a life full of joy and purpose. While not planned that way, 'Alive and Well' ended up being a statement of intent - a story of a journey from despair to strength."

The accompanying video was created by Italian multi-arts visionary Francesca Bonci, known for her work with Federale (BJM's Collin Hegna), British bard Philip Parfitt, The Dandy Warhols' Peter G. Holmström a.k.a. Pete International Airport and Slowdive's Rachel Goswell.

A year on from their 'Asylum Harbour' album, this record emerged during a year of intense personal change, before finally moving into a place of light and gratitude. Recorded and engineered by Paul Roessler (The Screamers, Nina Hagen, 45 Grave) at Kitten Robot Studios, this album was co-produced by John Treanor and mastered by multi-platinum engineer Alex DeYoung at DeYoung Masters (Michael Jackson, BTS, Macy Gray, The Linda Lindas, TSOL).

As of November 11, 'Alive and Well' is available everywhere, including Spotify, Apple Music and Bandcamp, where the 'Asylum Harbour' album can also be found on CD and red vinyl. On December 5, the 'Under Dark Skies' album will be released digitally and on vinyl via Little Cloud Records (US) and Shore Dive Records (UK and EU).

CREDITS
Words and Music written by John Treanor
John Treanor - vocals & guitar
Nic Nifoussi - bass guitar
Stephen Striegel - drums & percussion
Paul Roessler - keyboards
Courtney Davies - backing vocals
Clea Cullen - backing vocals
Joel Wasko - backing vocals
Recorded at Kitten Robot Studios in Los Angeles, CA
Produced & Engineered by Paul Roessler
Co-produced by John Treanor
Mastered by Alex DeYoung at DeYoung Masters
Cover design by Robin Gnista
Released by Little Cloud Records (US) LC-136 & Shore Dive Records (UK & EU)
Videos by Francesca Bonci
Publicity by Shameless Promotion PR

Kenny Chesney Takes HEART LIFE MUSIC on SRO Sunshine State Run

November 10, 2025

Heading into the final leg of Heart Life Music: the book event tour, Kenny Chesney is marveling at the places he’s been, the people who’ve shown up and the way a book can come to life talking about it with co-author and National Arts & Entertainment Journalism Awards Independent Journalist of the Year Holly Gleason. As he enthuses, “Coming to see us at the stadiums, I totally understand. But you have to really love someone to come listen to them talk! All the laughter, the cheers and those moments of recognizing each other in the stories? It’s been a wild ride and incredible launch.”

Closing out the last leg with a walk-on opening interview on “Real Time with Bill Maher,” re-airing all week, Chesney heads south for a trio of book events in Florida. Starting with a sold-out-in-minutes appearance at Key West’s iconic Tennessee Williams Theater today, Nov. 10, then going to another sold-out-in-minutes event in Tampa, where he has kicked off so many tours at Raymond James Stadium, on Tuesday, Nov. 11, the East Tennessee songwriter/superstar and recent Country Music Hall of Fame inductee wraps his tour up near the ocean, the sand and places where Heart Life Music was created.

“Beyond all the inspiration and the memories places like Key West, Tampa, West Palm Beach and South Florida hold,” Chesney explains, “an awful lot of interviews, editing and Holly’s actual writing was done in the area, so this seemed the perfect way to conclude bringing Heart Life Music into the world.

“When we were asked to be the final event of the Miami Book Fair’s opening weekend, which is such a big deal, it made me feel like this book really was something that struck a chord with people who know books. In a lot of ways, I feel like I’m going back to the Super Bowl, which anyone who’s read the book, will understand. But it’s David Wegman, Jimmy Buffett’s Keys, my own first headlining tour that kicked off in West Palm and where I signed that contract with my soul, plus all those years rocking the pirate ship at Tampa’s Raymond James Stadium… Like starting the book tour at ETSU, this is a whole other homecoming.”

Having already been named to Barnes & Noble’s “Best Biographies and Memoirs of 2025” list, Chesney’s love letter to the magic carpet ride from a little boy dreaming to dream to Moscow, Myrtle Beach, Nashville, the Caribbean, Cabo Wabo and Jamaica alongside friends and heroes including George Jones, Eddie Van Halen, Alabama, Steve Miller, Sammy Hagar, Grace Potter, Bruce Springsteen, Joe Walsh, the Wailers, Uncle Kracker and Willie Nelson is registering with readers across the country. Whether for beach reading, a snowy afternoon or a commute, Heart Life Music offers an escape through music, sports, boats and points beyond where most of us journey.

Establishing a voice that captured coming of age and living life as fully as possible in the 21st century, Chesney wants each talk to reflect his unique relationship with No Shoes Nation, the music and anyone seeking inspiration to create their own place in the world.

Heart Life Music is available for purchase HERE, along with limited remaining tickets to the Miami Book Fair event. For more information, visit KennyChesney.com.

About The Authors
One of contemporary American music’s biggest names, Kenny Chesney was voted into the Country Music Hall of Fame this year and was named Billboard’s No.1 Country Artist of the 21st Century. Selling out America’s major stadiums for two decades and playing to over a million fans every summer since 2002, Variety pronounced him “country music’s only true long-term stadium act.” The East Tennessee songwriter/superstar has over 105 Platinum certifications, won the prestigious Entertainer of the Year eight times, as well as holding Billboard’s record for the most Country Airplay No. 1s with 36 chart-topping songs that define coming of age in the flyover in the 21st Century. This year, the game-changing superstar became the first country artist to perform at the groundbreaking Sphere, taking No Shoes Nation into a whole new dimension, creating a space to work hard, play hard, love hard and come together in the spirit of celebrating all the moment offers. Heart Life Music is his first book.

Holly Gleason’s work has appeared in Rolling Stone, Los Angeles Times, New York Times, the Library of Congress’ National Registry of Sound Recordings, among other outlets. She was the LA Press Club’s Entertainment Journalist of the Year and the National Arts & Entertainment Journalism Association’s Independent Journalist of the Year. A former Rock & Roll Hall of Fame/Case Western Reserve Fellow, she’s the creator of Belmont Book Award-winning Woman Walk The Line, and co-authored Miranda Lambert’s New York Times best-seller Y’All Eat Yet as well as Prine on Prine: Interviews & Encounters.

Maddox Batson Announces Live Worldwide Tour Set for Early 2026

November 10, 2025

Billboard’s youngest male artist to appear on 21 Under 21, Maddox Batson, announces his 46-show world tour. The Maddox Batson Live Worldwide Tour 2026 kicks off in the United States before heading to Canada, the United Kingdom, Germany, Norway and Sweden.

Maddox Batson’s pre-sale begins Tuesday, Nov. 11 at 12 p.m. local time via MaddoxBatson.com. Spotify pre-sale kicks off Thursday, Nov. 13 at 12 p.m. local time, and public on-sale occurs on Nov. 14 at 12 p.m. local time.

“A lot of people might not remember I got my start on TikTok Live, so this tour name is a nod to those early days,” Batson shares. “We love bringing our live shows to fans – it’s crazy to me that it now means we’re playing around the world. What a blessing to share this journey and new music with y’all!”

Batson’s 2026 tour will donate $1.00 from every North American ticket sold to Music Will, the largest music education nonprofit program for schools in the United States. Through its innovative modern band curriculum, Music Will expands student participation in school music programs and helps drive long-term academic, social and emotional growth.

Citi is the official card of the Live Worldwide Tour in the United States. Citi cardmembers will have access to presale tickets beginning Tuesday, November 11 at 12 p.m. local time until Thursday, November 13 at 10 p.m. local time through the Citi Entertainment program. For complete presale details visit www.citientertainment.com.

Baylee Lynn, Jenna Davis, Just Jayne and Timmy McKeever will support Batson’s 2026 tour on various dates.

Batson recently wrapped his 29-city I Need A Truck Tour along with supporting Lainey Wilson’s Whirlwind Tour on select dates.

Hailed as “A young star, new on the country charts already striking a chord and hitting all the right notes” by NBC Nightly News, Batson recently released the upbeat, sentimental track “Coincidence” in September via Prosper Entertainment / Warner Records.

The 15-year-old also released “No More,” a powerful track that taps into heartbreak and healing with a combination of grit, vulnerability and raw emotional delivery. Fueled by a hook-heavy chorus and defiant lyrics, “No More” highlights Batson’s continued evolution as both a songwriter and performer.

Forbes praises Batson’s stage presence, stating “It’s not only his lyrics and relatable subject matter that’s captured the hearts of young fans, it’s his engaging, high-energy personality that shines through every live performance, music video, and interaction with everyone he meets.”

Following a breakout year that included his Grand Ole Opry debut and a high-profile appearance at Stagecoach, Maddox Batson continues to raise the bar for his young professional career.

ALEXANDRA KAY AIMS “STRAIGHT FOR THE HEART” OF COUNTRY RADIO WITH DEBUT SINGLE, IMPACTING TODAY

November 10, 2025

With over 8.7 million social media followers, an iTunes #1 All Genre Album, two #1 iTunes Country Albums, the viral heart-first songstress and Pandora’s “2025 Artist to Watch: Country” Alexandra Kay just-released her sophomore album, Second Wind, securing both critical acclaim and her debut on Billboard’s Top Country Albums chart. Celebrating the project’s chart-topping success, the Billboard “Rookie of the Month” today impacts country radio with 71 adds on her super-charged debut single “Straight For The Heart.”

This accomplishment puts Kay in the company of Taylor Swift and Carrie Underwood among the Top Five of All-Time first-week debuts by a solo female artist on the Mediabase Country chart.

Upcoming Tour Dates:
Nov. 11 - Colorado Springs, CO - Phil Long Music Hall
Nov. 13 - Wichita, KS - Cotillion Ballroom
Nov. 14 - Lincoln, NE - Bourbon Theatre
Nov. 15 - Clive, IA - Horizon Events Center
Nov. 16 - Milwaukee, WI - The Rave
Dec. 12 - Nashville, TN - Grand Ole Opry
March 14 - Perth, Australia*
March 17- Melbourne, VIC*
March 18 - Sydney, NSW*
March 20 – Willowbank, Australia - CMC Rocks 2026
March 24 - Auckland, New Zealand*
March 26 - Christchurch, NZ*

* with Old Dominion

KEEP UP WITH ALEXANDRA KAY

Shamrock Slaughter 2026 Headliners Announced.

November 10, 2025

SHAMROCK SLAUGHTER's 2026 lineup is here and it slays.

The promoters have announced the full lineup for the 2026 edition, which brings the brutality March 13-14 of next year at Piere's Entertainment Center + Stan's Room in Fort Wayne, Indiana.

A whopping 28 bands will perform across two stages during the course of the two-day event. Get tickets here.

The lineup features iconic acts, rising forces, and fresh blood all under one roof for one of the Midwest's heaviest weekends. If you don't go, you WILL be infected with a major case of FOMO.

Death metal legends INCANTATION will headline Friday night's festivities, while Ohio modern metal merchants SANGUISUGABOGG will close out Saturday night.

Vendor applications are open through January 31. Apply by sending an email here if you'd like to peddle your wares at this can't miss event.

Gravemind Entertainment, LLC is the official promoter of Shamrock Slaughter Fest 2026.

"I grew up in this scene, surrounded by people who live and breathe this music," says promoter Braxton Keyser. "Shamrock Slaughter Fest was built from that same passion — to bring together every part of death metal and extreme music under one roof. For our first year to feature one of the biggest names in metal today, legendary bands that helped shape the genre, and young acts keeping it alive — that says everything about where this scene is right now. My goal is to keep building something the fans, the bands, and the entire community can be proud of, and with their support, take it even further every year."

Other sponsors include DNA Entertainment, Ablated Records, Comatose Music, Obscenery Films, Sweaty Fingers Design, and more.

Dive into Thornhill BODIES X - Out Now!

November 10, 2025

HOWARD JONES TO PERFORM ON ABC’S “JIMMY KIMMEL LIVE” NEXT WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 12TH

November 10, 2025

New wave icon/synth pioneer Howard Jones will grace the stage of ABC’s “Jimmy Kimmel Live” this coming Wednesday, November 12th. This televised performance comes during a year-long celebration of the 40th anniversary of the release of his groundbreaking album, DREAM INTO ACTION. “Jimmy Kimmel Live” airs weeknights at 11:35/10:35C on ABC and streams the next day on Hulu.

Howard Jones continues his global 40th anniversary tour with dates in the United Kingdom and then Europe beginning on November 12th. The United States tour dates in September were met with rave reviews from the media with OC Music News declaring, “Howard Jones must be protected at all costs…Jones is truly an amazing artist…” and Strange Carolinas avowing, “The show was phenomenal…Howard Jones sounded great and his synth playing was top-notch.” The Vinyl District added, “The 16-song setlist was a masterclass in career-spanning excellence...” Please see below for the remaining global itinerary.

Howard Jones’ 1985 album, DREAM INTO ACTION, peaked at #2 in the UK charts and cracked the US Top 10. It went on to spawn global hit singles, “Things Can Only Get Better” (which experienced a resurgence after being featured on an episode of Netflix’s Stranger Things) and “No One is to Blame” as well as “Life in One Day” and “Like to Get to Know You Well”.

1985 was also the year Jones performed at Live Aid, Wembley Stadium, alongside such legendary acts as David Bowie, Paul McCartney, and Phil Collins. Earlier that same year in February, Jones performed live, keytar in hand, at the Grammy Awards from L.A.’s Shrine Auditorium with Stevie Wonder, Herbie Hancock and Thomas Dolby as part of the “Synthesizer Showdown,” performing a medley of their hits.

Electronic music pioneer Howard Jones has been a constant presence on the international touring scene for the past four decades, playing live in a number of different configurations including intimate solo shows and dates with his full high-tech band set-up. He first burst upon the contemporary music scene in 1983, with his very English songwriting and pioneering synthesizers with “New Song”. His first two albums HUMAN’S LIB and DREAM INTO ACTION were worldwide hits. HUMAN’S LIB reached #1 in 1984 in the UK and featured the hits “New Song,” and “What Is Love?” In 1985, Jones released the follow-up, DREAM INTO ACTION, which quickly became a Top Ten Platinum album in the United States and featured the smashes: “Things Can Only Get Better,” “Life In One Day,” “No One Is To Blame,” and “Like To Get To Know You Well.”

Howard Jones has sold upwards of 10 million albums worldwide and continues to make new music and tour the world. Jones has performed on NBC’s top-rated morning and nighttime shows respectively, Today and The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon. His ubiquitous hits can be heard in such high-profile television series and films such as “Stranger Things,” “Breaking Bad,” “Watchmen,” “The Carrie Diaries”, “Superstore” and “Bumblebee”. Howard Jones’ most recent studio album is DIALOGUE, which was released in September, 2022. DIALOGUE is the third album in a trilogy of electronic releases from Jones with multi-media project ENGAGE coming out in 2015 and studio album TRANSFORM out in 2019. DIALOGUE garnered serious coverage in outlets such as Spin, Stereogum and more.

To experience Howard Jones, please visit:

www.howardjones.com

Portland's Rayon unveils 'Shopping' single, a tongue-in-cheek ode to consumerism & survival

November 10, 2025

No-wave, angular post-punk outfit Rayon present their beautifully whacked-out single 'Shopping', a tongue-in-cheek ode to consumerism and travel born from near-burnout and a revitalizing trip south of the border. The video for 'Shopping', filmed with their awesomely nostalgic Super 8 video, showcases grocery store antics before being kicked out, proving that new life can always be found on aisle five.

Along with B-side 'Running', the single is available on 7" vinyl and as a two-track digital release via Little Cloud Records. This is the first in an exciting new series of similar records in the works for Rayon.

The project of long-time North Portland resident and Detroit-area native Eric Sabatino, Rayon now also involves members of Sun Atoms, Yuvees, Pastilla and Martha Stax - namely Anna Sabatino, Riley McLaughlin, Eric Rubalcava and Derek Longoria-Gomez. Recording on rainy weekends in a garage studio packed with old reel-to-reel tape machines, partially-functional tube amps, and leaky British motorcycles, these songs were recorded onto 16 tracks of 1/2” tape, while running the tracks through a slightly-wonky sounding tape echo.

Sabatino broke tradition with this release, deciding to mix it together with famed recording engineer Larry Crane (Cat Power, Sleater-Kinney, The Decemberists, The Go-Betweens, Elliott Smith, Death Cab for Cutie) at Jackpot Recording and Timothy Stollenwerk (Yo La Tengo, Grouper, Morphine) at Stereophonic Mastering.

"Doing everything on film and tape is a bit of a safety check-valve, to make sure we make everything like humans with no autotune, copy/paste or AI. I'm becoming an imperfectionist,” says Eric Sabatino.

“This was the first time we’ve engaged a "professional" to work on our recordings. The education we received was immense, and Larry was kind with his explanations of everything we had previously done "wrong" with our recordings, was willing to work with what we provided and willing to get weird with us."

Written in two parts, 'Shopping' is a tongue-in-cheek song about consumerism and travel, written by a person who travels and consumes quite a bit. 'Running' is an anxious song about the people you love and the addictions that they can't shake - and the sound of a tape echo that's about to stop working.

Rayon spent last winter honing these and other songs through a series of live shows, including an epic trip to Guadalajara, which served as creative fodder for the band's latest inspiration and re-invigoration.

"This EP almost didn’t happen. I nearly walked away from Rayon. The last record wasn’t selling, a lack of decent show offers, festival rejections and a general feeling of burnout was happening. Our second guitarist left, and then our drummer. The addition of guitarist Riley McLaughlin (from Yuvees and Club Deluxe) and Eric Rubalcava (drums) and Derek Longoria-Gomez (percussion and bass) from our "band-in-law" Sun Atoms brought new life and energy to the band," says Eric Sabatino.

"We played some of the first enjoyable shows in a few years, and a new energy emerged. We started functioning as a band, we traveled to Mexico, and came back to record these songs. And another record is in the works. As for the new video, we got kicked out of two grocery stores making it. The Mexican Tienda was cool as hell; they loved it. We shopped and goofed around in stores, drove the old car down to the park under the bridge and had a picnic. Jeff filmed it all on a cute old Super 8 camera."

Before forming Rayon, Eric Sabatino spent years playing with bands in Southern Michigan and Portland, sometimes with as many as six projects on the go at the same time. Self-described as “a guy who grew up on 80’s/90’s post punk and grunge trying to reconcile their love of R&B, Soul and 60’s British Pop”, Sabatino is now fully focused on this one project, built on the experience of years of writing, collaborating, studio work and touring with some of the Pacific Northwest’s hardest working bands.

'Shopping b/w Running' is out now digitally and available as a limited pressing of 150 blue transparent 7" record and 150 black 7" vinyl. It can be ordered in all formats via Bandcamp.

Your Inland Empire Cut to the "Edge of Perfection"

November 10, 2025

From the ashes of Crown, rises a dark new wave of industrial rock. On Your Inland Empire, the duo of Stéphane Azam and David Husser take the heavy electronics that they first donned on Crown’s last album a step further into a dark night of the soul.

Today, Your Inland Empire are releasing “Edge of Perfection” as the third advanced single off their upcoming debut album. With cutting riffs and breakneck beats, the song blurs the thin line between total destruction and pure bliss.

Watch the video for “Edge of Perfection” below.

Your Inland Empire’ self-titled debut album comes out this Friday, November 14, 2025 on Season of Mist.

Pre-order & Pre-save

https://orcd.co/yourinlandempireyie

In 2021, Crown’s The End of All Things revealed a striking metamorphosis. The album shifted the duo of Stéphane Azam and David Husser away from their sludge-laden origins into a cinematic fusion of industrial rock, post-metal atmosphere and darkwave sensibility. Its balance of bleakness and accessibility was praised for expanding Crown’s sonic vocabulary, yet the record ultimately stood as both culmination and chrysalis: the closing of one chapter and the quiet emergence of another.

That emergence is now complete. Your Inland Empire opens a new frontier with their upcoming self-titled debut album. A descendant of the same lineage that begot Godflesh, Nine Inch Nails and Neurosis, “Edge of Perfection” walks the tight rope between pain and control. Swept up in the rush of intoxication that can be found in darkness and chaos, the band’s latest single confronts the wreckage of addiction and emotional dependency.

“This song is for the lost, the broken, the ones who became ghosts through this society”, says Azam. “A blade gleaming in the night, where darkness has become the only refuge, where destruction is no longer a threat but a way to survive”.

Line-up
David Husser — Guitars, Programming, Production, Experimentation
Stephane Azam — Vocals, Guitars, Songwriting, Experimentation
Nicolas Uhlen — Drums
Marc Strebler — Bass Guitar

Production Credits
Recorded & mixed by David Husser at La Grange Studio, France.
Mastered by Jaime Gomez Arellano at Orgone Studio, Porto, Portugal.

Cover Art
Design & layout by Jeffrey V. Daniels.

Photography
Band photos taken by Jennifer Brachet.

Pre-save & Pre-order

https://orcd.co/yourinlandempireyie

INFERNO FESTIVAL NORWAY 2026 Announces Fourth Wave of Bands

November 10, 2025

INFERNO METAL FESTIVAL 2026 is proud to announce the next round of bands to join the already stacked lineup! The festival now welcomes Tormentor, Firespawn, Mork, Carnivore A.D., Møl, Nihilvm, Abhorration, Ruun, Arachno, Gaddavír, Feversea, Homselvareg, Hermit Dreams, and Senti.

Inferno will once again take place across several venues in Oslo (NO) during Easter from April 2 - 5! Tickets and passes can be found HERE.

The iconic Inferno Metal Festival started in 2001 and is the longest running metal festival in

Norway and one of the most important extreme metal festivals in the world. We are very proud

of this position and we will continue fronting Norwegian metal and bringing bands from all over

the world to Norway. Inferno Metal Festival is being held four days at Rockefeller Music Halls’

two stages Rockefeller and John Dee as well as many smaller clubs around Oslo. The festival takes place during Easter in Norway when not a lot of other stuff is happening in Oslo. The festival are usually sold out and more than fifty percent of the audience are from outside of Norway. The ticket sales are from all over the world including China, Australia, Chile, Japan, Taiwan, Canada, USA, Columbia, Argentina and many more.

Links:

Official Inferno Fest Website

OVERT ENEMY Unleash New Lyric Video for “Psychotic Episode,” A Brutal Reflection on the Collapse of Mental Health in America

November 10, 2025

Texas metal juggernauts OVERT ENEMY have released the lyric video for “Psychotic Episode,” a relentless track from their latest album Insurrection, available now.

“Psychotic Episode” channels pure aggression into a blistering critique of the broken mental health system in America. The song dives into the chaos of a fractured mind, told through one person with three distinct voices. The concept draws inspiration from the psychological tension of films like Split and Glass.

The track is a prime example of OVERT ENEMY’s collaborative lyric writing, blending Leo Ortiz’s visceral storytelling with Hahn’s raw emotional delivery. Musically, “Psychotic Episode” is a storm of precision drumming, razor-sharp riffs, and guttural vocals. It is an aural descent into madness that is as technically impressive as it is thematically intense.

Insurrection pushes the band’s boundaries while staying true to their thrash metal roots, merging face-melting riffs, conceptual storytelling, and unrelenting energy across a diverse tracklist. The album cements OVERT ENEMY’s reputation as one of the most powerful forces in modern thrash.

About OVERT ENEMY:

Formed in 2013 in the heart of Mission, Texas, OVERT ENEMY has become a formidable presence in the global metal scene, known for their raw intensity, technical precision, and relentless pursuit of musical evolution. What began as a tribute to SLAYER guitarist Jeff Hanneman quickly grew into something much larger, as the band developed their own unique sound, blending Texas groove with thrash metal’s speed and aggression. Drawing influence from titans like SLAYER, PANTERA, FEAR FACTORY, and SEPULTURA, OVERT ENEMY has crafted a musical identity that pays homage to these greats while pushing the boundaries of modern metal.

At the core of the band’s sound is a dedication to the power of the riff. Whether it’s the crushing, groove-laden guitar work or their innovative dual-lead guitar harmonies, OVERT ENEMY delivers a high-energy, brutal assault that fans of traditional thrash, groove metal, and even modern progressive metal will appreciate. Their triple vocal approach, featuring vocals from Leo Ortiz, Laura Ortiz, and Robert Hahn, sets them apart from many other bands, giving them a diverse range of vocal textures that perfectly complement their hard-hitting instrumentation.

The band's journey has been fueled not only by their passion for music but also by a deep sense of resilience. Despite personal challenges—including Leo “Lizard” Ortiz’s battle with chronic back issues, Laura “Slayerella” Ortiz’s triumph over cancer, and other life-altering obstacles—the members of OVERT ENEMY have continually pushed forward, proving that their commitment to their craft is unwavering. This tenacity is reflected in their live performances, which have earned them the admiration of heavyweights like MAX CAVALERA of SOULFLY, DINO CAZARES of FEAR FACTORY, and ICE-T of BODY COUNT. OVERT ENEMY has also built a cult following through their tireless dedication to engaging with fans, using every opportunity to connect with their audience on and off stage.

The band’s early work, including the critically acclaimed Inception EP (2018) and Possession EP (2019), laid the groundwork for what was to come, demonstrating their ability to blend thrash’s raw energy with groove metal’s more deliberate, headbanging pace. Their commitment to the old-school metal ethos combined with a modern, forward-thinking approach has made OVERT ENEMY one of the most exciting underground metal bands in the post-pandemic era.

While thrash metal certainly runs through their veins, OVERT ENEMY refuses to be confined by genre. The release of Insurrection marks a new chapter for the band, as they delve into broader sonic landscapes and thematic complexity. The album reflects their growth both musically and personally, touching on themes ranging from personal struggle and mental health to global political unrest and conceptual sci-fi narratives. Every track offers something unique, showing the band’s ability to experiment with diverse sounds and ideas without losing their aggressive edge.

Outside of the studio, OVERT ENEMY has built a reputation as a DIY powerhouse, handling much of their own production, marketing, and fan engagement. Their strong DIY ethic has earned them endorsements from leading brands like Sawtooth Guitars, Emperor Cabs, FU-Tone, and GODPS Music. Despite the challenges of the pandemic, the band has used their time wisely, staying connected with their fans through live streams, social media, and consistent content releases. Their music has also found its way into independent films, further expanding their reach beyond the metal scene.

As they look to the future, OVERT ENEMY remains committed to creating music that not only reflects their personal experiences but also resonates with fans around the world. They are driven by faith, family, and a passion for their art, and they continue to be a beacon of the metal resurgence, blazing their own trail in the genre.

OVERT ENEMY is:

Leo “Lizard” Ortiz – Guitar/Vocals
Laura “Slayerella” Ortiz – Bass/Vocals
Robert Hahn – Guitar/Vocals
Saul Castillo – Drums