Mad About Rock

  Brit alternative rockers VERSUS have thrown down a serious marker with the release of their enticing new single and video, 'This Is Everything', which is out now – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uB3XRUJshOk Listen to the band at - https://open.spotify.com/artist/67pt9vgrdK8u8meLF6B0km Making waves with their high-energy blend of post-hardcore grit and emotionally charged songwriting, VERSUS has quickly built a reputation for live performances that go beyond the typical gig, combining dynamic lighting, powerful visuals, and crowd-driven moments to deliver truly immersive experiences. Drawing on influences from grunge, emo, and heavy rock, the Leeds-based alt-rockers balance raw aggression with melodic accessibility. Vocalist, Shortie states: “This track explores the aftermath of a deeply toxic relationship, where prolonged gaslighting and manipulation suddenly become clear. That moment of clarity forces acceptance of the damage done, reshaping the entire mindset and drivin...

  DOWN’s special cover of Dr. John’s 'Right Place, Wrong Time', released in video form for a limited time to celebrate Mardi Gras earlier this year, is currently available on all streaming platforms! New Orleans native Dr. John was an American singer, songwriter, and pianist. His music combined New Orleans blues, jazz, R&B, soul, and funk. 'Right Place, Wrong Time' was the first single from Dr. John’s 1973 album, In the Right Place, and became the most popular single of his career. The song has been featured in various films and television shows, including Dazed And Confused and American Horror Story: Coven. DOWN’s cover of 'Right Place, Wrong Time' is an homage to Dr. John and his appearances on The Midnight Special TV series, a late night musical variety show that aired from 1972 to 1981. Stream DOWN’s rendition of Dr. John’s 'Right Place, Wrong Time' HERE .​ In related DOWN news, the band will serve as direct support to Slayer on the special 40...

  How about a whole host of excellent BLOODSTOCK news that doesn’t announce a single band? BLOODSTOCKers, we know you’ve been asking, and HQ wants you to have pleeeenty of time to plan the most splendid FANCY DRESS outfits, so without further delay, here are the themes for 2026! On Thursday, we know it’s been done before, but with HEAVYSAURUS on the bill and it being SO MUCH FUN, it has to be DINOSAURS again. That costume you bought a couple years back is now excellent value for money, huh? On Friday, we embrace the dark, the macabre, and the creative… we want to see how you interpret TWISTED FAIRYTALES as a theme! Black widow bitten Miss Muffet? Malice in Wonderland? Goth fairies welcome! Saturday rolls back the clock to the 1980’s! Bring out your best ‘80’s fashion (mullets encouraged, neon leg warmers optional), or be a character from your fave ‘80s movie, TV show, or band! There is no such thing as too much leopard print. On Sunday, there’s a special treat in the RAM Gallery, a...

  We checked in with rising UK hard hitters OPENSIGHT and asked the band to exclusively reveal the five songs that have greatly shaped their sound, and here's the lowdown: "Choosing only five songs was difficult, but it was also a really interesting and cool exercise. Opensight has always drawn inspiration from different places: heavy metal, hard rock, cult cinema, vintage video game music, progressive music, spy themes, horror scores and plenty of other corners. Rather than choosing five favourites, we thought it would make more sense to pick songs that connect in some way with the ingredients behind our new album, The Outfit. Of course, that means leaving out a lot of artists who have been hugely important to us, including Faith No More, Iron Maiden, Cynic, Fabio Frizzi, Jerry Goldsmith, Black Sabbath, Henry Mancini, Stelvio Cipriani and many more. Their influence is still there somewhere." OPETH - The Lotus Eater "The entire journey of Opeth has influenced Open...

  London’s NIGHT THIEVES are coming in hard and fast, and they’re not easing up for anyone. The alt-metal four-piece have been building serious momentum off the back of a sound packed with crushing riffs, razor-sharp hooks, and huge, fist-in-the-air choruses. Their debut album 'Metaxis' is out now, and it’s a clear statement of intent. The band have just unleashed a new single 'See You on the Other Side' (featuring Jessie Powell from Dream State), which is also out now - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ek1eL0mu0_ Listen in via - https://open.spotify.com/artist/42azirKNGgnSrqW10zeJju Already picking up heavy support from Metal Hammer, Planet Rock, Kerrang!, BBC Radio One and more, the band are quickly forcing their way into the conversation around the UK’s next wave of heavy hitters. On stage, they’ve been earning their stripes too, sharing bills with the likes of Marisa and the Moths and Chuggaboom. Following 2024’s Polarity EP, NIGHT THIEVES teamed up once again wi...

  FangSlinger, the chief purveyors of 'UNDEAD REDNECK ROCK ’N’ ROLL', unleash their debut album 'Welcome to the Lost Souls Saloon': A band of Vampire Outlaws blending southern grit, gothic atmosphere and cinematic storytelling into a hard rock sound that is rooted in big riffs, blues-soaked grooves and dual-vocal interplay. Their music draws from the swagger of Guns N’ Roses and Black Stone Cherry, with a darker edge that sets them apart from their peers. Released today on 24th April 2026, the 10-track album is available on all major digital platforms and CD format. At the core of FangSlinger is a narrative thread of three outlaws bound by a curse, roaming a fractured Old West in search of souls. While that world adds depth and identity, FangSlinger’s true strength lies in their ability to deliver songs that land just as hard in a packed venue as they do through headphones. Their debut album, 'Welcome to the Lost Souls Saloon', brings that vision fully into f...

  AMONGST LIARS triumphantly return with their brand new single and video, 'Repair Myself' - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bvm4fcbCEgE We exclusively caught up with the band and asked them to throw down the top five tracks that have greatly shaped their sound: Rage Against The Machine - Bulls on Parade "Anything Rage wise kinda helped shape our sound. This is a personal band fave though for sure. So punchy and full of attack! Tom Morello knows how to write a heavy simple riff that sticks in your head. We deffo take some cues from RATM". Bring Me The Horizon - Teardrops "Bit more electronically heavy and very Linkin Park esq I guess both Bring Me and Linkin Park are high up on influences when it comes to style. Bring Me seem ahead of the game all the time making cutting edge tunes and rolling with the times so well. So much respect for that and again it's how we want to be. Keep evolving and never standing still". Highly Suspect - Lydia "H...

  Evanescence are back with a new song “Who Will You Follow” — listen   here  - which was co-written and produced by Zakk Cervini (Bad Omens, YUNGBLD, Bring Me The Horizon, Spiritbox) and Jordan Fish (Bring Me The Horizon, Poppy, House of Protection, Architects). The track is a preview for their forthcoming album Sanctuary, set for release June 5th — pre-order/save here . The album, which features tracks produced by Cervini/Fish as well as songs produced by Nick Raskulinecz (Korn, Foo Fighters, Rush) will be available from June 5th as a Digital Album, Standard CD, Deluxe CD and limited-edition Box Set. A double vinyl of the album will be released on September 4th. Amy Lee said, “This album is over three years in the making, and finally listening back to it all at once, about to release it to the world, I am so damn proud of every second of it. It’s overwhelming. Working on it has been my outlet for so much that feels wrong and out of control, and a place to ignite ho...

  Emerging UK hard rock outfit DEATH WARMED UP are primed to breakout with the release of their blistering debut album Wildcard, arriving Friday 17th April. The band have also just released their electrifying new single 'Inside My Mind'. Watch the video here - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QxiNStOeN6I Listen in at - https://open.spotify.com/artist/7G3tcNolc8GrTX4INNTiHa . Hailing from Nottingham and formed in 2023, DEATH WARMED UP deliver a fierce blend of hard-hitting, riff-driven rock ‘n’ roll. Fusing the spirit of classic ’80s rock with a sharp modern edge, the band have spent the last two years honing a sound that is both nostalgic and refreshingly current. Their high-octane live performances have already earned them a formidable reputation across the UK, sharing stages with the likes of Defences, Paradise Sins, and Circus 66. Behind the scenes, the band have been crafting their debut album, and Wildcard stands as a bold and confident statement of intent. Packed with s...

  Rock and metal icon ROB ZOMBIE has unveiled the music video for his latest single, “The Black Scorpion,” taken from his acclaimed new album, The Great Satan. Bathed in eerie green light, Zombie and his crew rip through the blistering punk-metal track, which clocks in at under two minutes. “The Black Scorpion,” along with recent standouts “F.T.W. 84,” “(I’m a) Rock ’N’ Roller,” “Heathen Days,” and “Punks And Demons,” marks ROB ZOMBIE’s return to the forefront of heavy music, further solidifying his already legendary status. Across more than four decades, Zombie has cemented himself as a singular cultural force. Fusing avant-garde aesthetics with monstrous, groove-driven rock, his work has consistently defied convention. With The Great Satan, Zombie extends that legacy, delivering one of the boldest and most fully realized records of his career. Purchase/Stream The Great Satan: https://robzombie.bfan.link/the-great-satan Follow ROB ZOMBIE: Website | Facebook | Instagram | You...

  Brit hard rockers DA are set to unleash their engrossing self-titled debut album, DA, out on Friday 10th April. With this in mind, we exclusively caught up with vocalist Matt Oakman and asked him for a track by track breakdown of the album: Daisy Chains "The first track on the album looks at the ideals and dreams of young people from the 1960s hippy movement, showing how those hopes were often just wishful thinking and naive when faced with real life and people’s desire for power, money, and control. As the darker sides of people’s characters seem to be getting worse in modern times, the outlook for the future does not seem to be improving." Higher "This is a fairly basic song lyrically, about the excitement and buzz of rock 'n' roll and how it can pull you out of a bad situation, even for just a short while, and make things feel better again. It highlights how music can serve as a form of therapy during challenging periods, something many people can relate to....

  UK alternative rock trio VEINS are back with their imposing new single and video, Sunlight, out now. It’s the first taste of their highly anticipated debut album, A New Forever, which arrives on Friday 5th June. Listen to the single at https://open.spotify.com/artist/3cdB9HVNOGp2gbxMxtDz37 , and watch the video here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h5MIE_W1CPs Formed in Corby, England, VEINS first made waves with their debut single, Ambi, earning national radio support including airplay on BBC Introducing and BBC Radio 1. Blending cinematic scope with raw emotional intensity, the band’s sound sits between post-rock expansiveness and modern alternative edge, all driven by textured guitars, brooding melodies and anthemic crescendos. Their early releases, including Blood On My Hands, helped to build the alt rockers’ growing reputation and sharing stages with the likes of Holding Absence, InMe and Press to MECO, also greatly assisted with their rising live presence. Now with Sunlig...

  IRON MAIDEN’S highly anticipated EDDFEST weekend this summer has just got even bigger with the announcement that Blaze Bayley, who fronted the band from 1994 to 1999, will be headlining the Friday night Maidenville stage. He is the latest name to be revealed, as part of the all-encompassing celebration of IRON MAIDEN’s 50th Anniversary that will be taking place on the iconic Knebworth site. “I’m so excited to be invited to headline Friday night at EDDFEST, celebrating 50 years of Iron Maiden,” says Blaze. “I am so proud of my two albums with the band and I'm really looking forward to playing some of the songs that we recorded together. Can't wait to see you all at the hallowed grounds of Knebworth!” Fans can expect to hear Blaze Bayley and his band deliver a powerful set of songs from The X Factor and Virtual XI, the albums he released during his time as Iron Maiden’s lead singer. Blaze co-wrote some of the songs on those albums with band founder Steve Harris, and Friday ni...