Mad About Rock

  Old-school German thrash metallers Bitterness return with their new nine-track album, marking their first time featuring guest musicians. The opener ‘WWH8’ makes for a gripping start with its stomping riffs, while ‘AMOK: KOMA’ uncovers devilish vocals and imbues an ominous, murky sound. ‘Hypochristian’ adds more diversity, featuring audio clips to aid its effect. Track ‘High Sobriety’ features robust vocals from Andreas “Gerre” Geremia (Tankard) and a guitar solo from Michael Goldschmidt and is a changeable offering with shifting tempos, making for a melodic, hard-hitting dose of thrash. Michael Goldschmidt also plays the solo on ‘Win-Windustry’. The title track starts off on an eerie, resonant note and does its job, representing the band and the album superbly. ‘Magnum Innominandum’ is a sombre yet hopeful-sounding instrumental, and they decide to end the album on the unexpected but brilliant Misfits cover with ‘Scream!’, which works well and makes for a different and fun ending...

  Diverse Alternative quartet Opensight are back with their highly anticipated follow-up to 2022's 'Mondo Fiction'. With their new album 'The Outfit', they exhibit more purpose and creativity, expanding on their unique and engaging sound. The first full song, 'Killer Outfit', is very diverse, enthralling, and incredibly catchy, especially aided by the wah-wah guitars, making it hard to resist. 'In Plain Sight' is a fun, infectiously melodic offering that embraces a 70s vibe and is highly memorable, getting its hooks in. Changing the tone with the cinematic 'Defying Eye' with a more dark sound, which is vast and immersive. Further in, they mesmerise with the atmospheric 'Mantra', which is a striking and intriguing track. The alarming and alluring 'Heist' is an eerie yet beautiful progressive track which is very reminiscent of Opeth, and you can easily lose yourself in. The final track, 'Delusion' is rich and layered, so...

  Scottish heavy rockers The Tempilstiks are back with their second single, 'Number 1', following the release of their debut song 'Over and Over' as they gear up to release an EP early in 2026. The second single 'Number 1' is a stomping, gritty and defiant offering, its raw sound gives it an extra hefty edge and leaves you eager to hear more from them in the future! 'Number 1' is released 14th November 2025. Pre-save/listen to 'Number 1' here: https://distrokid.com/hyperfollow/thetempilstiks/number-1 Listen to their debut single 'Over and Over' here: https://ffm.to/thetempilstiks For more on The Tempilstiks: https://www.instagram.com/thetempilstiks https://www.tiktok.com/@the.tempilstiks https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61574473101840

  Swedish metal band Sabaton's "The Tour To End All Tours" concert film aired in theatres in Europe, the UK and Australia on October 11, 2024. As a huge Sabaton fan, I visited my local UK cinema to check out this heavy metal concert experience. I was fortunate enough to attend the London date of "The Tour To End All Tours" last year on April 15, 2023. It was a spectacle, especially since it was my first time seeing Sabaton. It was a memorable and fantastic show with fire, guns and dramatic theatrics. It is one of my favourite shows so far, so I was excited to relive that experience in this cinematic experience. The concert aired was filmed during their European part of the tour at Amsterdam's iconic Ziggo Dome Venue in 2023 on May 3. If, like me, you attended the tour, this was essentially the same show, but I can see why they picked the Amsterdam crowd for the unique recording, as they were a particularly impressive and lively crowd that exceeded expectatio...

  Formed in 2020, Manchester-based Luna Marble describes themselves as a contemporary classic rock band inspired by the blues and psychedelia of the 1970s. With supercharged stadium-ready tunes, the band marries its anthemic choruses with ethereal textures and enchanting melodies, taking this well-loved genre to its own territory. The band has been compared to acts like Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, Fleetwood Mac, Rival Sons, and Soundgarden. 'Sea of Sorrow' is Luna Marble’s second single ahead of their debut album. 'Sea Of Sorrow' is a dynamic classic rock offering, from its broody, hard-hitting verses to uplifting choruses with varied and delightful vocals that soar throughout. It's accompanied by charming swagger aided by slick guitar work and melodies. It's a very textured, deep track that conveys the struggle of being stuck, wanting to take matters into your own hands, and getting lost in that process, with the sound matching this ebb and flow of emotions. So d...

  Multi-platinum-selling New Zealand rockers DEVILSKIN soar on their recently released massive cover version of "Barracuda," originally released by HEART in 1977. The song is known by all and is regarded as one of the most iconic rock tracks. Pulling off a cover version when the original song is so popular can be challenging, but Devilskin more than deliver impressive results. Their ravenous energy exudes tremendously, driving the classic song while stamping it with their signature sound, with powerhouse vocalist Jennie Skulander shining with her superb range and talent, which fits the song's essence wonderfully. The galloping riffs, pitch-perfect vocals, and passionate spirit that drive Devilskin's version of 'Barracuda' will get anyone who listens to it moving, pumped, and eager to return for more! Have a listen to Devilskin's version of 'Barracuda' below! “This is one of those songs that so many people have tucked away in their favourites and ...

  Danish teenage trio Ashes Of Billy delivers a sound beyond their years with the new EP 'Obscene', which will be released on March 7th through Prime Collective. The feel-good opener, 'Down The Hill,' is immediately upbeat and nostalgic, and it's a great way to kick things off. 'Feel You Around' is an angsty and edgy offering with impressive vocals, slick guitarwork, and an awesome solo. The whole track oozes swagger. 'Something about your smile' is another catchy track and may be the most anthemic featured. The EP closes with the title track 'Obscene,' which is infectiously melodic and ends on an exhilarating note, leaving you eager to hear more from the talented trio. The 'Obscene' EP is a diverse, lively, and delightful rock grunge-infused listen. It offers nostalgic hints of 90s grunge while sounding fresh and powerful. Given how young the band is, they are certainly ones to watch, and it will be exciting to see what the future ho...

  Midlands melodic metallers The Black Hounds return with the release of their sophomore album titled, 'All Kingdoms Fall', which explores the concept that everything, whether good or bad, comes to an end. The band have hit the decade milestone and, since their inception, has had several line-up changes, but the new release and follow-up to their debut 'Colossus' is a testament to the band expanding their sound and finding their groove. The opening track, 'Foundations, ' is a melodic, powerful track with soaring guitars and varied, clean and fierce vocals, which leaves you eager to hear more. The crushing 'Tyrant', although bleak lyrically as it is about confronting abuse and heavier in stature, remains vibrant and tuneful and stomps throughout with some great headbanging moments. The melancholic instrumental 'Unrest' is dynamic and progresses intensely as it unfolds, leading us abruptly into the third swift and charging single 'Breaking The ...

  The biggest metal band in the world, Metallica, took their M72 World Tour to a new level by streaming the two live shows from Arlington, Texas on August 18th and August 20th via Trafalgar Releasing to audiences worldwide in cinema screenings. The band played two completely different setlists, with songs from across the group's 40+ year career, ranging from 1983's debut 'Kill' Em All' to 2023's new release '72 Seasons'. Audiences who attended both nights wouldn't have witnessed the same song twice, presenting Metallica fans with a unique opportunity to experience - or relive - the band's acclaimed M72 World Tour and offered an excellent opportunity for those who couldn't make their tour in person or attend both nights of their World Tour. As I wasn't in Texas for the in-person event, I attended my local cinema in South East England, UK, for night two on Monday, August 21st, due to the time differences worldwide. It was great seeing Metal...

  Guns N' Roses, one of the biggest rock bands in the world, played to 60,000 fans at the sold-out BST Hyde Park London event that they were headlining on Friday the 30th of June and what a night to remember. The BST event had a great festival vibe with food and drink vendors galore and is the perfect setting for hosting massive music events in the revered Hyde Park. The amount of Gun N' Roses t-shirts amongst the crowds was impressive. Although expected as the headliners, it was still a sight to behold with all ages donned in merch; all united and there for the same reason. Typical British weather, although it's recently been extremely sunny and hot. The day saw a cloudy and drizzly display, but that didn't spoil things for the fans or the band. Before Gun N' Roses even came on the stage, the set-up was impressive, which helped build up the hype, and then the band came out right on time at 7.20 pm easing everyone in with "It's So Easy" and followed up...

THE UNDAUNTED are a Brighton-based, four-piece electronic metal band that take inspiration across a variety of genres (drum n bass, dubstep, punk and metal) to fuse their own creation of 'loud, angry music for an unbalanced society' with their debut track, 'Chihuahua', smashing through over 7K spotify streams and their second release, 'Intoxicated', reaching over 2K. They're considered something of a mystery; having only formed as of August last year, but with all of them having an abundance of previous experience in other bands prior, certain individuals even cutting their teeth on the mainstage of Download Festival…  Their new single, R.I.P., tells a story of two best friends burning their friendship to the ground, re-opening the wounds of a final melody of a musical journey they embarked on together from the very first note. Expect rageful notes of betrayal with countering synth melodies screaming at each other and melancholic undertones expressing a deep...

  Thrash metal quintet Mur.Doc 104 from Malta was formed in 2015 and is heavily influenced by the Bay area Thrash metal such as Exodus and Death Angel, giving them an old-school thrash sound. Their debut EP offering, "The Undying", asserts this sound and comprises four main songs and an extra bonus song if you get the physical CD. To kick things off, the punchy title track roars into action with heavy and crushing riffs and pounding drums and shows Luke Debono's distinct and varied vocals, adding more attitude and power to the weighty backdrop. The second track is named after the band's name and is more sinister, featuring winding, ominous melodic riffs and more powerful group chants, making it a standout track.  The dynamic "Ignorant Masses" is mighty and memorable, keeping the thrash metal force ablaze.  The final blow, "Thrashing The Boat", is a thunderous and extensive way to end, being the longest and most diverse track to leave a lasting impr...

  Rook Road was formed in 2020 and brings the nostalgic rock vibes of the 70s to their sound but with a modern flair which they describe as diversity rock. Their self-titled debut album is a gleaming example of this and is a worthwhile and fun journey. The opener, 'Talk Too Much', is a brilliant attitude-packed track that hits hard with its swagger, making for a great one to kick off with and 'Sick To The Bone' follows and keeps momentum high with its strong, catchy melodies. 'Sometimes' changes the place up, as it's a slower ballad, but it's equally as powerful as their faster tempo tracks and executed brilliantly, being smooth and rich. 'Kindo Glow' is groovy and alarming in a great way, with the Hammond organ driving the track, and it is hard to resist its charm and melody. 'Celebrations (Feels Like)' opens with striking organs, and some soulful yet strong vocals make an effective combo. It is a must-hear track that sums up their sound...

  Front cover of the book Pop Rock Icons Pop Rock Icons is a book that captures the movement and creativity of British Rock music over two decades, the 60s and 70s using iconic photos from that era and text from esteemed French music writer Philippe Margotin. The book starts with a compelling foreword from British musician and journalist David Sinclair. The book takes you on a wonderful journey into the history of British rock music, specifically focusing on the freedom and trends in the country's capital city, London. It starts and takes you through the 60s with game changers who led the musical revolution in the early 60s, which was marshalled by The Beatles and further erupted by The Rolling Stones, amongst others. Philippe has done a sublime job of collating the best and signature photographs to embody the time for musical significance, culture, and fashion. It takes you on a nostalgic trip, offers an insightful look into the spirit of that time, and demonstrates the crucial mi...

Living in the South East of England, I would usually have to go to Brighton or London to see a metal show. So it was an unexpected and pleasant surprise to see that Diamond Head and Saxon, two very influential metal bands, were playing in the small seaside town of Bexhill. Diamond Head has already played at the venue in the past (something not many metal bands can claim!), in 2019, supporting Uriah Heep. Although a relatively small venue, the De La Warr Pavilion is a great venue with brilliant sound, and it was good to see a sizeable turnout for this rare occasion. We need more rock/metal bands to play at this venue, but we have been fortunate to have bands such as Bullet For My Valentine with While She Sleeps and Enter Shikari play in the past, and next near Devin Townsend and Joe Satriani are playing, so let's hope this continues to increase! The powerful Diamond Head  formed in 1976 and played a massive part in the new wave of the British heavy metal movement, and legendary ban...

  UK’s heaviest metal festival, Bloodstock, returned to Catton Park during a heatwave, but that didn’t stop thousands of metal heads clad in primarily black clothing. The festival keeps getting bigger and better, initially starting as an indoor event, and now it’s an open-air event with a capacity of 20,000. 2022 was hot as hell, both in terms of the impressive line-up of big well-known acts to upcoming rising stars of metal and, of course, the scorching temperatures. Unfortunately, I couldn’t make it to the opening day of the festival on Thursday 11th, which saw Swedish melodic death metallers Dark Tranquility headline the Sophie Lancaster stage. Friday 12th August I Fight Bears - Photo Credit: Leigh van der Byl The first band of the day for me was the Welsh modern metalcore act I Fight Bears on the New Blood Stage, who won the South Wales Grand Final of the Metal 2 The Masses competition, earning the prestigious slot. Anticipation for this rising act was high as they had an exce...