Mad About Rock

  Towering Celtic punk artist NO MURDER NO MOUSTACHE (Owen Crawford) continues to climb from the underground with his stunning new album, 'As Everything Else Decays', out Friday 27th February. The new anthemic single, 'Wasted', is out on Friday 20th February, accompanied by a striking new video. We caught up with Owen and exclusively asked him to name the top five songs that have influenced his sound: The Rumjacks - Bullhead "It’s hard to pick from the tons of Celtic Punk songs that I love and have clearly influenced me, but this one is an absolute favourite. The drop out breakdown in the middle is something I use a lot, and switching from accordion to banjo, as well as writing about the Irish War of Independence as I do in “Rebellion” from my first album." Bad Religion – American Jesus "One of the things that Bad Religion do SO well is vocal harmonies and crossover vocal lines with different melodies and lyrics being sung at the same time between th...

  Canadian heavy music pioneers KITTIE have announced their return to the UK and Europe. Following an incredible 2025 that saw the band perform their first shows on this side of the world in over a decade, the heavy metal queens will be bringing their fierce brand of aggression to five lucky cities across the continent for some intense and explosive shows in August. Since making their long-awaited return to the live circuit, the band have sharpened their teeth all over the world with earth-shattering headline shows and stunning performances at renowned festivals including Sick New World, Welcome To Rockville, Sonic Temple, Louder Than Life, Hellfest, Download Festival and many more. KITTIE have re-established themselves as one of metal's finest live acts, and they're set to reinforce that claim this year. Speaking on the announcement, vocalist and guitarist Morgan Lander shares: “Having the opportunity to come back to the UK and Europe for headline shows this August means every...

  Metal titans Mastodon return to Europe in Summer 2026 for an extensive run of festival appearances and headline shows, cementing their status as one of the most influential and uncompromising bands in modern metal. Mastodon have spent over two decades redefining heavy music with a sound that is both technically fearless and emotionally massive. With multiple GRAMMY® Award nominations, critically acclaimed albums such as Leviathan, Crack the Skye, The Hunter, Emperor of Sand, and Hushed and Grim, and a reputation as one of the most powerful live bands on the planet, Mastodon continues to push creative and sonic boundaries as only they can. The Summer 2026 European tour will see the band performing on iconic festival stages and their own headline shows across Europe and the UK. Be sure to catch Mastodon at one of the following dates: JUNE / JULY Wed 3 Jun – Prague, CZ – O2 Universum (Headline Show) Fri 5 Jun – Nürburg, DE – Rock am Ring Sat 6 Jun – Gdansk, PL – Mystic Festival (...

  Fiery British slayers CARTOONS CAN’T DIE unleash their explosive new album, Rebirth, on Friday 6th February. Ahead of the release, the diverse metal crew have revealed their vicious new single and video, 'Bodysnatchers', out now. Hit up the video at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-rGx-6lzrHo Listen to the band via https://open.spotify.com/artist/5cEIMcDNZTLuZ41eZoYJ9S Already drawing warm comparisons to Lamb of God, Whitechapel, Periphery, Devin Townsend, and Rammstein, CARTOONS CAN’T DIE are as diverse as they are refreshing. Now operating with a fully committed lineup consisting of Mac Gaisford (vocals), Maria Megally (vocals), Dan “Danny 5” Berber (guitar), and Ryan Shepherd (drums), the band are united by a clear manifesto: to break musical boundaries, push modern heavy music into new territory, and create a sound that truly challenges the norm. One of the band’s defining trademarks is their dual-vocal dynamic, Mac’s raw, abrasive fury colliding with Maria’s soaring, ...

  BULLET FOR MY VALENTINE's epochal debut album The Poison truly solidified the band's status as modern British metal frontrunners. But, the scene was set and foundations were laid by their exploratory early recordings, unearthed publicly in 2004's EP Hand Of Blood. An unparalleled and enduring career has since followed and, in doing so, the group changed the landscape and supercharged the trajectory of alternative music. Today, the band have revealed that the Hand Of Blood EP will be reissued as a standalone release, paying homage to the early spark in their career that has now become a roaring flame. “I honestly can't believe it's been twenty years since the release of The Poison and Hand Of Blood, and what an incredible twenty years its been,” says frontman Matt Tuck. “I feel so proud of what we've achieved as a band in the last two decades and it all started with those recordings.” Their meteoric rise saw The Poison hit #21 in the UK album charts, becoming a...

  Towering Polish heavy rockers MISSCORE are back with their breath-taking new single and video, 'Domino', out now, via DarkTunes Music Group. Watch the video here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AsVcDZYS0ec Listen to the band at https://open.spotify.com/artist/6VpeB27vn2cN46LESFuiof . Hailing from Lubrza, Poland, MISSCORE have been steadily building momentum since solidifying their lineup in 2023. Fronted by the commanding vocals of Natalia Rygiel, the band also features Mateusz Dźwigała (bass, keyboards), Maciej Przybylski (guitars), and Jarek Bielecki (drums). Drawing influence from modern heavyweights such as Bring Me The Horizon, Slipknot, and Linkin Park, MISSCORE deliver a powerful modern rock sound infused with electronic textures, crushing riffs, and emotionally charged melodic hooks. The band’s upward trajectory accelerated with the release of their debut full-length album, DRᛜWN, in early 2024. A rapidly growing reputation as a formidable live act has since fuelle...

  The annual ‘Night Before UPRISING’ returns to the Firebug on Friday 22nd May 2026. The night will be hosted by the DJs of TotalRock with guest DJ slots. For those who are unfamiliar, TotalRock — the station was launched in 2000 by Tommy Vance and a group of rock music visionaries, including Programme Director Tony Wilson and Managing Editor Malcolm Dome. TotalRock pioneered the concept of a dedicated rock radio station in the UK, building an enviable reputation for launching the careers of bands and DJs alike. So… who will be bringing the party to ‘The Night Before…’? Headlining the evening is none other than Corby’s finest, VIKING SKULL, originally formed in 2002 with Raging Speedhorn members Frank Regan, Darren Smith and Gordon Morrison. The alcohol-fuelled, rock and roll heavyweights like to party and will deliver a set which will span their 23-year career. Check out their single ‘Blackened Sunrise’, taken from their 2007 album ‘Chapter II’, directed by Bam Margera of Jack...