Mad About Rock

  Saturday 28th March 2026: Garbage and Placebo put in astounding performances for the legendary Teenage Cancer Trust at the Royal Albert Hall series - at the invitation of guest curator Robert Smith. From March 23-29, other headliners selected by The Cure legend include elbow, Mogwai, Manic Street Preachers, my bloody valentine and Wolf Alice, as well as a night of Robert Smith’s Comedy Favourites. Last One Laughing star Maisie Adam was at the show on Saturday, as was Yungblud, a photo of whom features in Teenage Cancer Trust’s Good Energy exhibition. Legends of alternative rock Garbage - Shirley Manson, Duke Erikson, Steve Marker and Butch Vig - stormed the stage, bursting out with ‘There’s No Future In Optimism’ and ‘Hold’, as well as an explosive ‘Fix Me Now’. Manson said: “I want to thank Teenage Cancer Trust for the incredible work they do for the teenagers of this country, the future of this country, and the greatest musical community in this country. So, first of all, thank...

  Welsh ragga metal legends Skindred, who are universally acclaimed as one of the best live bands on the planet, have today announced a full UK headline tour in support of their brand new album You Got This. Already setting the airwaves and dancefloors of the nation alight with current single ‘Can I Get A’ – which premiered on BBC 6Music, and has just been made Track of the Week on Virgin Radio – Skindred will be bringing the party vibes to Nottingham, Birmingham, Dublin, Belfast and Glasgow later this year, with an extra special show on Halloween at London’s iconic Alexandra Palace. Supporting the band at Alexandra Palace will be nu-metal heroes Alien Ant Farm, along with fellow Californian scenesters Spineshank and Orgy. All three bands will also join Skindred at their Birmingham Academy show on the previous night, with Alien Ant Farm playing additional shows on the tour. Further support acts will be announced for various shows in due course. Arya Goggins, Skindred’s drummer,...

  British metal powerhouse SYLOSIS are preparing to take their monumentally heavy, riff-fuelled live show across the Northern Hemisphere. Next week, the band will be launching head-first into a collosal month-long trek across North America alongside Bleed From Within, Great American Ghost and Life Cycles. To set the stage, SYLOSIS have released a break-neck live video for their track 'All Glory, No Valour', filmed during their career-defining performance last month at The Forum, London, a highlight of their biggest headline tour to-date. SYLOSIS commented: "All Glory, No Valour is a collective favourite from The New Flesh. Since the early demos, the song always stood out as one of the most aggressive that the band has ever put together. Instead of a standard video, we agreed that releasing a live version of it at some point would be best so listeners could really connect with the energy of the track. Filmed at our biggest headline show to date at London's O2 Forum in K...

  Monday 23 March 2026: With less than three months to go, Download Festival has revealed the thrilling line-up for its ultimate playground, District X. Featuring the likes of Five, Electric Six, Dick & Dom, The All-American Rejects, Creeper, MODESTEP, Bat Sabbath, TokenGrass and all sorts of other wild and wonderful delights, District X promises to take Downloaders to another dimension once again. Taking place from 10-14 June 2026 at the legendary Donington Park, Download Festival continues to re-define the traditional festival experience. Weekend camping tickets have now sold out, but final remaining weekend arena and day tickets are available now at www.downloadfestival.co.uk . This year, iconic 90s boyband Five will live up to their lyric “Five bad boys with the power to rock you” by playing Download Festival for the very first time and bringing their high-energy hits like ‘Slam Dunk (Da Funk)’ and ‘Everybody Get Up’ to Donington Park. Five won’t be the only act bringing a...

  No rest for the wicked. Since the release of their latest full-length, The Nothing That Is, FIT FOR AN AUTOPSY has remained in constant motion. Today, the band marks the kickoff of their massive US tour alongside headliners LAMB OF GOD by unleashing a brand-new standalone single: 'The Wretch.' Driven by relentless galloping riffs and punishing percussion, 'The Wretch' features the band's trademark earth-shattering breakdowns balanced by haunting, melodic layers in the chorus. It’s the definitive soundtrack for their return to the stage. FIT FOR AN AUTOPSY's Will Putney states, “True to our general nature, "The Wretch" is another relatively pessimistic and grim glimpse into our worldly outlook. In a time where nothing seems to be getting any better at home or abroad, we find there can always be a moment of comfort in the thought of burning it all down. We hope this song is that temporary oasis for you as well. Thank you for listening.” Stream/purcha...

  KORN have announced their monumental return to the UK, as they are set to play across the UK in October/ November 2026, marking their first UK & Ireland Tour in over a decade. They will be joined by special guests ARCHITECTS and YOUTH CODE. Korn changed the world with the release of their self-titled debut album in 1994. It was a record that would pioneer a genre, and blur others-leading into a larger cultural movement. Since forming, Korn has sold more than 40 million albums worldwide, collected two Grammys, toured the world countless times, and set many records in the process that will likely never be surpassed. Korn has continued to push the limits of the rock, alternative and metal genres, while remaining a pillar of influence for legions of fans, and generations of artists around the globe. The level of Korn’s reach transcends accolades and platinum certifications. They are “a genuine movement in a way bands cannot be now,” attests The Ringer. They represent a new arc...

  Making another major move and breaking down walls once again, the Swedish masters of heavy metal SABATON have joined forces with leading historically accurate naval multiplayer game, World of Warships, and released a brand new single and music video entitled ‘Yamato’ — available in-game and on all DSPs now. It is being released by Better Noise Music on the heels of 2025's Legends, which marked SABATON's first album for the label. ‘Crossing The Rubicon’ (feat. Nothing More) from the album was also the band's first-ever Top 10 single on the Billboard Rock Chart. This song notably marks the second World of Warships collaboration between the band and developer Wargaming following the mega-popular ‘Bismarck’. For the first time, a SABATON-branded Yamato is also available in World of Warships in addition to dialogue by vocalist Joakim Brodén and bassist Pär Sundström. Along with different bespoke items in game, Brodén can take the helm of the ship while the standard battle soun...