Mad About Rock

  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

  Bush is back with their unique electrifying sound with their anticipated tenth album, 'I Beat Loneliness', which is released worldwide on July 18th 2025. The album gets off to a gripping start with the striking 'Scars', which has a particularly catchy and powerful chorus. The title track 'I Beat Loneliness' features pleasing and charming vocals, accompanied by driven, commanding riffs, making it a good representation of the album and the band's sound. The already released single 'Land Of Milk And Honey' embodies the signature Bush sound, with alluring vocals and a high-impact chorus, and sports a darker vibe, making it a standout moment. 'We're All The Same On The Inside' is uplifting, dynamic, and relatable. Changing up the tempo and direction, 'Don't Be Afraid' offers a more soothing, mellow moment with emotive vocals, keeping things diverse. 'Footsteps In The Sand' picks up the pace again and is equally ambient an...

  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...

  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...

  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...

  Swing of the Blade follows Brian Slagel's critically acclaimed 2017 book, For the Sake of Heaviness, which offered insight into how Brian, a metal-obsessed teen at the time in California, built the revered Metal Blade Records label. Brian received requests from metal fans eager to hear more of his stories and metal wisdom, and the new book Swing Of The Blade lives up to this promise. The foreword comes from legendary guitarist Kerry King of Slayer to help demonstrate Brian's much-loved and respected reputation in metal. Metal Blade Records was the first label to sign Slayer and was crucial to Slayer's early career. The book offers fond memories of Brian looking back at his career and giving honest insight into running a music business and the realities of it, the good and bad. He is very straightforward and honest in his anecdotes which is refreshing. One of the best things about the book is reading about the start of the LA metal scene in the early 80s, which Slagel help...

  Kreator is currently touring with Lamb Of God as support, but they managed to slot in two UK headline shows, one in Leeds and the other in Brighton on the 11th of March, which I was fortunate to attend. To make the occasion even more unique, this was the first time the German Thrash veterans have played in Brighton, and to top it off, they played a special deep cuts set list, especially for these two shows. The CHALK venue is a small intimate venue; you wouldn’t expect a band of their calibre to play here, which added to the rare thrash metal spectacle. They kicked off with the mighty title track of their latest album ‘Hate Über Alles’ which was released last year, and went on to deliver a colossal set that spanned their career, firing off hit after hit with ‘Hail To The Hordes’, the momentous ‘Satan Is Real’ both taken from their revered fourteenth album, 2017s’ Gods Of Violence, followed by the blazing ‘Hordes Of Chaos’. They also played several tracks from their pivotal 1989 r...

  Front cover of book  Giorgio Gomelsky ‘For Your Love’ Giorgio Gomelsky 'For Your Love' is a biography written by Francis Dumaurier, a French author, actor, host/producer, musician and most importantly, a close friend of Giorgios's for over thirty years. This biography was originally published in France but has fortunately been translated into English, making it available to more music fans worldwide. For those who may not know who Giorgio Gomelsky is, he was at the forefront of the counterculture in 60s London and 70s Paris before running a studio for upcoming and avant-garde musicians in New York. He was impressively the original manager of the Rolling Stones and the Yardbirds (the band has been revered for the legendary guitarists who have contributed to the band's history including Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck and Jimmy Page. Also the book title is named after the Yardbirds first album), then managed the French supergroup Magma and developed the career of Gong. Gomelsky...

  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...

  Progressive Slovenian metal quartet originally started out as a one-man project by Slovenian musician Matic Blagonič but has now evolved into a collective group of musicians keen to thrive in the Slovenian metal scene. They describe their sound as post-progressive-metal, effectively balancing heavy moments with tranquil sections. This is evident in their upcoming debut album 'imago' which will take you to dreamy and enthralling metal soundscapes. The concept album is about a journey through a man's inner hell and the challenge of overcoming inner demons and trauma, so it touches on themes such as depression, loss, and addiction and takes the listener through the circle of trials but endeavours to emerge with a hopeful and positive message through its lyrics and sounds. The opening atmospheric track 'semita tenebrarum' sets the scene and concept with a dramatic despairing spoken voice intro that starts out in a normal voice and then gets more sinister before instru...

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...