Mad About Rock

  We’re excited to announce 22 new band additions and a venue update for Mangata Festival 2026, taking place on Saturday 5 September 2026 in Nottingham. With five stages spread across three city-centre venues, this is shaping up to be the biggest edition of Mangata Festival yet. We’re pleased to confirm that Mangata Festival 2026 will once again feature five stages, working closely with Rescue Rooms, Rock City, and The Tap & Tumbler. Rescue Rooms will host the Main Stage, with the Red Room stage upstairs, located at Masonic Place, Goldsmith Street, Nottingham (NG1 5LB). Just a few minutes away, Rock City on Talbot Street (NG1 5GG) will host the Beta stage and the Black Cherry Lounge stage. Around the corner, the Tap & Tumbler at 33 Wollaton Street (NG1 5FW) will host our fifth stage, which will be free entry with no ticket required. On the Rescue Rooms Main Stage, joining previously announced Raised By Owls, Red Method, and In Search of Sun, we’re thrilled to welcome our ...

  We exclusively caught up with Edinburgh’s masked metalcore outlier OBELISK who releases his debut album, 'Brushed By Darkness', on Friday 12th December. Check out the below track by track breakdown: Slifer the Executive Producer "An instrumental track which shows the beautiful components that can then turn ugly." Where do you end? "This is a song at its core that’s about people that pick and choose. Whether that’s a narcissistic person who can’t admit they’re wrong, or a religious person who likes to pick and choose their morals when they see fit. Lots of energy in this one." Karameleon "This one is about good old karma. I worked in an industry that was full of cliques, and this is what it’s written about. People throw stones in glass houses, talking from a throne when they have no idea others are doing the same. The fitness industry is a callous and cold place." Working Class Zero "Written quite clearly about the disparity of wealth, and ...

  Much-acclaimed Celtic punk artist NO MURDER NO MOUSTACHE (Owen Crawford) returns with his most personal and powerful work yet. His new album, As Everything Else Decays, arrives Friday 27th February, led by the gripping new single and video, 'A Demon In The Dark', out now. Watch the video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s_t6yCi2Ubo Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/0OnpSg0QUzp3ZB4AJDNT4N . Blending energetic rhythms, intricate instrumentation, and heartfelt punk authenticity, NO MURDER NO MOUSTACHE delivers a sound that’s both serious and fun. Expect gripping anthems tackling corrupt governments, anti-fascism, mental health struggles, loss, and bad decisions — all infused with hope — alongside songs about everyday absurdities: being intimidated by teenagers at the skate park, politicians’ bedroom habits, and trying not to be a poser (with a beer in hand, of course). A true DIY punk powerhouse, NO MURDER NO MOUSTACHE handles every aspect of his craft — from...

  The Darkness merrily announce their new single ‘Mistletoe and Wine’ out now via Cooking Vinyl. Arriving on this 5th day of Advent, the beloved British rock band peel open the door to reveal a delicious new take on Cliff Richard’s yuletide song. Listen here / watch the video here . As the cracker pops, synths dance to the unmistakable melody, heavy strung-out riffs plough through as bells ring, and a powerful rhythmic stomp explodes as Justin Hawkins’s passionate vocal performance rings out, all bolstered by delightful choral harmony. Regarding the single Justin says, “Season’s greetings! Children, roasting on an open fire, their eyeballs all aglow, are weeping in awe of our latest seasonal offering. ‘Mistletoe and Wine’ represents a musical departure for The Darkness as we reimagine Richie Clifton’s timeless classic and add a few sprinkles of shoegaze and drone. Jack Frost staring at his toes? You will be too. In a good way.” The release closes out yet another triumphant yea...

  #1 Global Power Metal Band and one of Sweden’s most successful bands SABATON today release their latest video, 'Crossing The Rubicon'. It’s taken from their brand new studio album LEGENDS, out now via Better Noise Music, marking the band’s label debut. SABATON released a special version of 'Crossing The Rubicon' to radio in September featuring singer Jonny Hawkins and guitarist Mark Vollelunga of Nothing More. The track is currently positioned at #17 on the Billboard “Mainstream Rock Airplay” chart and #18 on the Mediabase Active Rock chart. Listen to the album version of 'Crossing The Rubicon' here and watch its corresponding truly epic video here . As bassist Pär Sundström says, it was filmed at a historic location in Italy. “This was one of the most enjoyable music videos we’ve ever made. Everything flowed smoothly thanks to the amazing energy of the actors and the unique charm of the location. We spent two days filming in Sabbioneta, Italy, at the Tea...

  SCRATCH ONE GRUB emerge from the valleys with their debut album One, arriving Friday 27 February. Blending progressive ambition, alt-metal grit, and raw emotion, the Welsh six-piece stake their claim as one of the UK’s most exciting new heavy acts. Their new single, #1, out now, delivers biting rhythms, big hooks, and intricate musicianship — a bold introduction to their sound. Watch the video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2uGqee_0lAY Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/3FET2hG6ku5SehywtEQ2NX Formed in Aberdare, South Wales, SCRATCH ONE GRUB comprises Aled Trigg (Vocals), Lewis Griffiths (Drums/Vocals), Sean ‘The Grub Man’ Barry (Samples/Vocals), Evan Cook (Lead Guitar), Alex Lewis (Rhythm Guitar), and Zac Cross (Bass). Since their formation, the band have quickly earned a reputation for their genre-defying sound and visceral live energy — blending the expansive scope of modern progressive metal with the urgency and heart of the alt scene. Sharing stages with th...

  Legendary metal titans MEGADETH have teamed with Trafalgar Releasing for MEGADETH: BEHIND THE MASK, a cinematic legacy event that will debut on screens worldwide Thursday, January 22—on the eve of the release of the band’s final studio album out January 23. The film will screen in over 1,000 cinemas across 35+ countries. Tickets go on sale Thursday, December 11 at 6am PT / 9am ET / 2pm GMT / 3pm CET with a trailer available for viewing on the same day. For more information and to sign up for updates, fans can visit megadethfilm.com. In MEGADETH: BEHIND THE MASK, Dave Mustaine pulls back the curtain on 40 years of MEGADETH, sharing untold stories of the band’s past and the creative fire that drives them. Interwoven throughout, audiences will get to experience the world premiere of MEGADETH'S new self-titled album in full, brought to life with a 40-year retrospective career-spanning interview and Mustaine’s own track-by-track reflections about the band’s final studio album. This o...

  Evanescence will be hitting the road again in 2026, playing North American dates before heading across the pond for UK and European dates. Special guest Poppy will support on all UK & European shows with Nova Twins opening outside the UK. K-Flay, who features on Evanescence’s latest single, “Fight Like A Girl,” will open the UK shows. The UK dates will be presented by AEG while the European shows, other than Paris, will be presented by Eventim. Paris will be presented by Saloni Productions and AEG. Evanescence has partnered with PLUS1 so that $1/£1/€1 from every ticket sold will support organizations providing humanitarian aid and medical relief to those in need around the world. Fans can access pre-sale codes HERE from 12 p.m. local time on 2nd December while the general on-sale begins at 10 a.m. on 5th December – with all tickets available HERE . Singer Amy Lee said “This year has been so inspiring in so many ways, creating so much new music, playing some bucket-list s...

Diverse thrash metallers DeathAssault are poised to unleash their genre-expanding sound, fusing aggressive riffs with towering, atmospheric soundscapes. The band will release their self-titled debut album, DEATHASSAULT, on Friday, 13th February. Ahead of the album drop, DeathAssault have delivered their explosive new single and video, We Will Remain. Watch the video here: https://youtu.be/kzcOIb0Eqyw?si=GfHZtWeNFAo631J8 Listen to the band on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/5PEMSqx7qRx6RpSrjlcUUT Formed in 2022 in Plymouth, DeathAssault are comprised of Darrell Baker (vocals), Bill Mander (guitar), Jake Ackrell (guitar), Wiktor Osiecki (bass), and Levi Spry (drums). Together, the quintet channel a broad spectrum of influences into a sonic assault that thrives on chaos, emotion, and unpredictability. Known for their erratic, energy-fuelled live performances, DeathAssault have quickly earned a reputation as one of the most visceral and exciting acts to emerge from the UK metal un...

London, UK, 10:00AM Monday 1 December 2025: Arizona rock icons Jimmy Eat World have announced their live return to the UK with their biggest ever UK show to date at London’s Gunnersbury Park on Sunday 16 August 2026, celebrating the 25th anniversary of their classic fourth studio album, Bleed American. Jimmy Eat World will be joined by special guests Rise Against, The Get Up Kids and Jay Som. Artist presale begins on Tuesday 2nd December at 10am GMT - fans can sign up at jimmyeatworld.com . Tickets go on general sale from Friday 5 December at 10am GMT via www.ticketmaster.co.uk . The show will be one of the first chances for UK fans to see Jimmy Eat World perform Bleed American in full, in celebration of its 25th anniversary. Fans can also expect to hear rarities and hits from across the band’s catalogue, presented with a bigger production than ever before. Bleed American stands as a landmark album that helped push alternative rock into the mainstream, cementing Jimmy Eat World as pion...

We have ALFONSO CONSPIRACY, the savage new project fronted by multi-instrumentalist and vocalist Max James, who drops his powerful debut album, The Explicit//The Exploited, on Friday 5th December. Max exclusively talks about the record and gives us this unique track by track breakdown: “The Explicit//The Exploited is an album of two halves, literally. After years of re-releasing old songs, remixes and different projects, it came to taking the next step with Alfonso Conspiracy. I wanted to stare at the two things that have impacted me most in the eyes. I address trauma, play devil’s advocate and tell my story all in one. It is something I genuinely struggle listening to from start to finish, and wanted that feeling to come through not only with the lyrics but within the music also. Viral Infection "Viral Infection sets the theme both musically and lyrically. I like the idea of never really knowing what’s in store for you pressing play on my music. Predictability sells too well, an...

  15 years into their career, Volumes have weathered ups, downs, time, trends, and everything else life could throw at them only to come out stronger on the other side. Against all odds, a devout audience has ridden shotgun and grown with them every step of the way, waiting for this moment. The Los Angeles quartet — Michael Barr [vocals], Raad Soudani [bass], Myke Terry [vocals], and Nick Ursich [drums] —recently announced their fifth album, titled Mirror Touch. It will be released digitally on December 12 via longtime label Fearless Records. The physical album will arrive on February 27 of next year. Pre-order it here . Today, Volumes have shared the video for " Bad Habit ." Watch it here . Here, Volumes ake a stunning sonic left turn. While the track has the guitar girth and grit that is familiar to loyal Volumes fans, the band leans into its melodic sensibilities and synths, trading its usual heavy dose of screams for fully clean verses and choruses. The result is a gorg...

  Liverpool alt groove rock band ATTIC THEORY have just released their explosive new single, 'Savour The Moment', via ThunderGun Records. The release marks an exciting new chapter for the band, coinciding with their much-anticipated performance at Planet RockStock, where they’ll share the stage with Kris Barras’ Hollow Souls and headliners Ugly Kid Joe. Check out the video here - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XRFnVf9xeL4 Listen to the band at - https://open.spotify.com/artist/0oOXpZTNdHDl8M1S3xQhhN Following the success of their 2024 debut album, What We Fear The Most, which charted on iTunes across five countries and earned heavy airplay from Planet Rock, Kerrang! Radio, BBC Radio, and TotalRock, ATTIC THEORY continue to cement their place as one of the UK’s most compelling new rock acts. The band have also been recognised by Planet Rock Radio’s ‘The Rocks’ Awards, underscoring their growing impact within the scene. ‘Savour The Moment’ introduces fans to a heavier, more dy...

  The Darkness have announced their largest headline tour in 20 years and will bring their beloved rock to arenas across the UK in December 2026. The seven-date tour will commence at Glasgow OVO Hydro on December 8th and finish with the band’s debut headline performance at The O2 in London on December 16th. The Darkness will be joined on all dates by support from the GRAMMY-winning, multi-platinum selling, American country rock band Brothers Osborne, as well as the multi-million streamed UK rock band A. Pre-sale starts at 10am Wednesday 26th November 2025 here , and general sale starts at 10am Friday 28th November 2025 here . Regarding the tour Justin Hawkins says: “Powerful rock was designed to be played in huge rectangular buildings. Huge rectangular buildings were designed to house powerful rock bands. The Darkness are a powerful rock band and the arenas listed below are huge rectangular buildings. Except for the exception which proves the rule. Thank you O2 Arena… In Decem...

  UK favourites SOiL will make their long-awaited return in October and November 2026, following the massive success of their sold-out 2024 UK tour, which featured the band’s special All Scars set. This new run expands to 15 dates, marking the band’s longest UK stretch yet, and includes several first-ever stops in cities they’ve never performed in throughout their extensive career. A major highlight of the tour will be their appearance at the legendary Hard Rock Hell Festival XIX on November 5th in Great Yarmouth. SOiL promises a powerful, career-spanning set packed with fan favorites, charting hits, deep cuts, and even long-awaited new material, making this one of their most anticipated UK tours to date. Accompanying SOiL on this trek are Canada’s own Finger Eleven (best known for the hits “Paralyzer” and “One Thing”), and long time friends Adema (best known for the hits “Giving In” and “The Way You Like It”). SOiL bassist Tim King talks about the package: “We are so excited...