Mad About Rock

  UK pop-punkers LOOK WHAT HAPPENED have just dropped their brand new single and video, 'Make It Real'. The track is taken from their new EP, Weak Minds For The Weekend, out this Friday the 30th October. We exclusively caught up the band and asked them for this track breakdown of the new EP: Make It Real "This anthemic & raucous banger centres on the struggles with inner truth and de realisation. An honest admission focusing on neglecting personal growth and clinging to bad habits, inevitably breeding failure & apathy. It questions whether these shortcomings are a result of self sabotage or a faulty brain." Masochist "This unfiltered love letter reveals a tantalising synergy of pleasure and agony. The story explores self worth through the eyes of a damaged soul that is faced with a juxtaposition of how pain can make you feel alive under the right circumstances. Fierce passion and undeniable devotion distorts an already nihilistic world view of a forever...

UK metallers FAIL THE ENEMY return with a heavier, synth-driven sound on their engrossing new single and video, 'Drowning Deep', out now. Watch the video here – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c14yTreyr4o Listen to the band on Spotify here – https://open.spotify.com/artist/2dpWoATZA8JQULzO82q9uA  The track is lifted from their upcoming EP, 'Sandcastles', arriving on Friday 9th October. With the band gathering momentum, we exclusively asked which tracks that have greatly inspired their sound ahead of their upcoming EP: Depeche Mode - Enjoy The Silence Elliot: "This song has been a staple in my life for as long as I can remember. What I love about it is the simplicity of it. It has a basic structure but it constantly remains interesting throughout. I also love how it seems to have been written to play live. It’s one of the best live tracks ever and the main riff is so iconic that as soon as that kicks in, everyone goes mad. I also love how the synths sound emotio...

  Brighton rock trio BELA FOOL have released their new single and video, Up To Me, out now, followed by their debut EP, Fool Me Once, on Friday 2nd October. The releases introduce BELA FOOL’s world of sharp contrasts, loud guitars, and human contradictions, taking an honest, reflective look at personal relationships, obsession, and the patterns we fall into. Blending vivid narrative songwriting with engaging melodies, the record pairs thoughtful storytelling with memorable hooks, exploring real-world events and everyday emotional friction with nuance and heart. We spoke exclusively with the band, and they offered up this track-by-track run-through of the debut EP: 'Up To Me': "Captures the emotional exhaustion of a relationship built on constant complaint and zero change. Through endless conversations that lead nowhere, it reflects the frustration of knowing nothing will improve when accountability is constantly shifted elsewhere." 'The Ballad of Billy Jesus...

  Scottish alt-rock crew STAY FOR TOMORROW will release their forthcoming album, 'When Hope’s Gone', arriving Friday September 25th. The record is jam packed with a host of singles, including their new track ‘The Fallout’. With the band climbing high, we exclusively asked them for a track by track breakdown of the album: “"In The Way" is a relentless expression of frustration and drive, capturing the tension between ambition and resistance. Every line hits with precision, balancing aggression with determination. The song demands movement, urging listeners to make a choice: commit to the fight or step aside." “Restart” is an empowering anthem about breaking free from the confines of everyday life and emotional struggle. It captures a longing to escape routine and rediscover direction, resonating with anyone feeling stuck. The song offers a hopeful message of transformation, encouraging listeners to take control and begin again." “Nonsense” follows brea...

  i-ATLAS have unveiled their new single and video, Touch The Sky, out now, ahead of the release of their debut EP, 'Beyond The New Horizon', out on Friday. Watch the video, 'Touch The Sky', here - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_3MzcA8C1kY With the band on the rise, we exclusively spoke to Ondy and Andre about the tracks that have helped shape their sound: Ondy’s choices: Limp Bizkit – Gimmie the Mic "I picked this song, coz I love Limp Bizkit’s phat riffs and even phatter beats, but I thought this song was a missed song by most people. Being on the Results May Vary album, surprisingly, it’s not even a Wes Borland riff, as he’d left the band then. I think the DJ effects are awesome; that kinda give a small mellow breakdown, just for a few bars at the end of the verses, before then going mental again. I love it!" Muse – Unravelling "In my opinion, by far the most amazing Muse track ever. My Mrs and I quite often rock out to Muse very early in the...

  Scottish alt-rockers STAY FOR TOMORROW have released their new single and video, 'Nonsense', out now. The track is taken from their forthcoming album, 'When Hope’s Gone', due Friday 25th September. Check out the video for Nonsense, here - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OFdj-ROonnQ Bat Out of Hell by Meat Loaf "I feel a song that has influenced part of our sound and the way we write music is Bat Out of Hell by Meat Loaf. You might think that’s an unusual choice, but I feel we aim to bring that same anthemic and theatrical feel to our songs, with big production and a sense of scale. No two songs are the same, and we always try to make each one as big and full as possible. We really focus on getting the most out of the production and theatrical elements, which helps give our music its own identity and makes our sound difficult to pin down" - Gemma  Wickham - (Piano/Synth/Bass Synth/Backing Vocals) Blind Man by Black Stone Cherry "Black Stone Cherry have ...

  Brit alternative rock duo LOST VELVET drop their debut album Dark Cells, out on Friday 4th September. Mixed by Michael Patterson, whose credits include Trent Reznor & Atticus Ross and Puscifer, Dark Cells finds LOST VELVET somewhere between post-rock atmosphere, shoegaze haze and industrial unease — combining distorted guitars, darkwave textures, subtle electronics and intertwined vocals. We exclusively caught up with the band and asked for this track by track breakdown of the album: 2003 “2003” blends shimmering guitar, enthralling piano and commanding drums into an almost euphoric dream-pop pull before collapsing into waves of dark rock, dissonance and unsettling tension. Built around sharp dynamic shifts between light and heavy, the track captures the spiral of unspoken thoughts and the feeling of becoming lost inside your own head." Dark Cells “Dark Cells” is the heaviest and most immersive track on the album, combining thunderous guitars, hypnotic dual vocals and shadow...

  Brit heavyweights XENITH are close to unleashing their debut album, 'To No Avail', on Friday 28th August, which showcases their deadly blend of melodic death metal and thrash. Ahead of the album release, they have dropped new single/video 'Incite The Tragedy'. See the video for the track below. We exclusively asked the band to give us the top five tracks that have greatly influenced their sound and debut offering: Opeth - The Moor "The influence of Opeth on Xenith can’t go overstated. They really showed me  that you can incorporate as many influences as you want into a song and still  make it cohesive. The Moor in particular really inspired us to open our album  with a folky acoustic passage." Panopticon - A Superior Lament "Similar to Opeth, Panopticon is another band that really helped me think less about staying within confined genres. A Superior Lament opens with such a ballsy riff but its also so beautifully melancholic, this was key inspirat...

  Scottish rock band KELOWNA unveil their debut album, 'Superstar', on Friday 28th August. With the band growing and momentum building, we exclusively asked the guys for the songs that have greatly shaped their sound: Rival Sons - Nobody Wants To Die "The song's powerful blend of blues, soul and modern rock struck a chord with vocalist Davy Wilson, while still echoing the timeless influence of Free and Bad Company, two bands that have shaped him enormously as a singer-songwriter. That combination of raw emotion, dynamic musicianship and classic rock spirit is something we strive to capture in our own music. Our track ‘Midnight Rider’ in particular was heavily inspired by this". The Datsuns - Harmonic Generator "The Datsuns debut album was the first album bought by guitarist Paul Mooney with his own pocket money as a kid. He was drawn in by the simplicity of the guitar riff, and how rather than using complex chords or melodies, it's the static rhythm of...

  Brit hard hitters GARROW HILL charge onwards with their potent new single and video, 'Eaten by Crows', which will be followed by their new EP, 'IX', out on Friday 31st July. Check out the video here - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=89ZCS97bxC0 We exclusively asked the band to give us the top five tracks that have greatly influenced their sound: Anthrax – Belly of the Beast "The bass tone on Belly of the Beast—that snarling mid-range grind and relentless rhythmic punch—has become a core influence on Garrow Hill. It shaped how we approach low-end presence: aggressive, articulate and always driving the song forward. That sound pushed us toward tighter arrangements, stronger dynamics and a more commanding sense of groove throughout our music." Dead Kennedys – Nazi Punks Fuck Off "The confrontational lyrical attack of Nazi Punks Fuck Off showed us the power of direct, uncompromising songwriting. That influence pushed Garrow Hill toward bolder writin...

  We exclusively caught up with Brit alternative rock trio VEINS who are poised to drop their long-awaited debut album, 'A New Forever', due Friday 5th June. The band have given us this track by track breakdown of the album: “ Criminal is about how life can shift in an instant. Perceptions change with the press of a button. Good becomes evil, and public opinion rules, regardless of the facts. In a world where clickbait is king, reality becomes distorted and the truth is ignored". " Reign Down is about defying the hand you’ve been dealt. Inspired by frontman Stevie Rees’ sister’s battle with neurofibromatosis type 2, a genetic disease causing tumors on the brain and spine, the song explores survival, resilience, and the relentless urge to embrace life fully, cherishing every fleeting moment." "I Keep Falling is inspired by the short film Nuit Blanche by Arev Manoukian. It captures a fleeting, magical moment between two strangers, revealing an intense yet...