Mad About Rock

  BULLET FOR MY VALENTINE's epochal debut album The Poison truly solidified the band's status as modern British metal frontrunners. But, the scene was set and foundations were laid by their exploratory early recordings, unearthed publicly in 2004's EP Hand Of Blood. An unparalleled and enduring career has since followed and, in doing so, the group changed the landscape and supercharged the trajectory of alternative music. Today, the band have revealed that the Hand Of Blood EP will be reissued as a standalone release, paying homage to the early spark in their career that has now become a roaring flame. “I honestly can't believe it's been twenty years since the release of The Poison and Hand Of Blood, and what an incredible twenty years its been,” says frontman Matt Tuck. “I feel so proud of what we've achieved as a band in the last two decades and it all started with those recordings.” Their meteoric rise saw The Poison hit #21 in the UK album charts, becoming a...

  Towering Polish heavy rockers MISSCORE are back with their breath-taking new single and video, 'Domino', out now, via DarkTunes Music Group. Watch the video here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AsVcDZYS0ec Listen to the band at https://open.spotify.com/artist/6VpeB27vn2cN46LESFuiof . Hailing from Lubrza, Poland, MISSCORE have been steadily building momentum since solidifying their lineup in 2023. Fronted by the commanding vocals of Natalia Rygiel, the band also features Mateusz Dźwigała (bass, keyboards), Maciej Przybylski (guitars), and Jarek Bielecki (drums). Drawing influence from modern heavyweights such as Bring Me The Horizon, Slipknot, and Linkin Park, MISSCORE deliver a powerful modern rock sound infused with electronic textures, crushing riffs, and emotionally charged melodic hooks. The band’s upward trajectory accelerated with the release of their debut full-length album, DRᛜWN, in early 2024. A rapidly growing reputation as a formidable live act has since fuelle...

  The annual ‘Night Before UPRISING’ returns to the Firebug on Friday 22nd May 2026. The night will be hosted by the DJs of TotalRock with guest DJ slots. For those who are unfamiliar, TotalRock — the station was launched in 2000 by Tommy Vance and a group of rock music visionaries, including Programme Director Tony Wilson and Managing Editor Malcolm Dome. TotalRock pioneered the concept of a dedicated rock radio station in the UK, building an enviable reputation for launching the careers of bands and DJs alike. So… who will be bringing the party to ‘The Night Before…’? Headlining the evening is none other than Corby’s finest, VIKING SKULL, originally formed in 2002 with Raging Speedhorn members Frank Regan, Darren Smith and Gordon Morrison. The alcohol-fuelled, rock and roll heavyweights like to party and will deliver a set which will span their 23-year career. Check out their single ‘Blackened Sunrise’, taken from their 2007 album ‘Chapter II’, directed by Bam Margera of Jack...

  SCRATCH ONE GRUB hail from the valleys of South Wales and are set to deliver their debut album 'One', arriving 27 February. The record blends progressive ambition, with alt-metal grit. We exclusively caught up with Lewis Griffiths (Drums/Vocals) and Sean Barry aka The Grub Man (Samples/Vocals) from the band, and asked them to talk about five songs that have greatly influenced their sound: Slipknot - Eyeless "The chaotic nature of this song captures everything that we love about metal. The musical technicality especially the drums and blood curdling vocals, sonically projects an unfathomable level of hatred and aggression. The random lyrics in the chorus are unorthodox yet very catchy, which ensures us that it's possible to go down a similar path creatively, as it has worked well for others." Children Of Bodom - Living Dead Beat "Alexi Laiho was a creative and technical genius, especially when it comes to the music theory he applied to his endless catalo...

  Belfast heavy rock outfit FOREIGNWOLF are back with new music, announcing their stunning new EP, Merely Mortal, due out on Friday 3rd April. The band have just released their superb new single and video, 'Imposter Syndrome'. Watch the video here: Listen to the band at - https://open.spotify.com/artist/7l7RZ5zg0uqfvmay1Adin0 Formed in 2019, FOREIGNWOLF have been steadily building momentum with their huge riffs, honest lyrics, and powerful vocal delivery. Based in Belfast, Northern Ireland, the band’s sound pulls from influences like Alexisonfire, Alter Bridge, and Deftones, blending true substance and melody into something that feels both heavy and deeply personal. The four-piece, which features: Gerard McCann (vocals, guitar), Dave Brady (lead guitar, backing vocals), Conor Forbes (bass, backing vocals), and Max Couhig (drums), are a close-knit group brought together by a shared love of rock and metal. Since forming, they’ve played shows across the UK and picked up support ...

  UK hard hitters PREMIER JESTER just can’t be stopped. The dynamic quintet have unveiled their towering new single and video, 'Pac’d Out'. Check out the band on Spotify at - https://open.spotify.com/artist/4k5uMt8u8HbmXHzaVWJmnj and watch the video for ‘Pac’d Out’ here - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZqkzWxtMvXU Formed at the start of 2025, the five-piece have wasted no time making noise, quickly building a loyal following off the back of a run of hard-hitting singles. Taking influence from Electric Callboy, 3OH!3 and Lorna Shore, PREMIER JESTER blend modern metal aggression with the high-energy bounce of European electronicore. Expect crushing riffs, tongue-in-cheek lyrics, massive breakdowns and hooks that stick. The new single, Pac’d Out, shows the band pushing things further. Co-vocalist Jimmy Martin explains: “The song started with a synth that instantly made us think of retro video games. We wanted to do something more fun and different, so we used the idea of a gam...

  With the release of MEGADETH’s final studio album out now (January 23), the metal titans have shared the final single “Puppet Parade” from the much-anticipated album released via DAVE MUSTAINE’s Tradecraft imprint in partnership with Frontiers Label Group’s new BLKIIBLK label. Listen to the track HERE . “‘Puppet Parade’ is about somebody's mundane life and how they go through life with everyday being the same as the day before,” MUSTAINE says. “It is about a person who has a dead-end job, a dead-end relationship, a dead-end life. Many of us are going through this monotony, even right now. I wanted to share ‘Puppet Parade’ to try and illustrate how we often show people what we want them to see, instead of how we really feel.” Up next for MEGADETH, they’ll kick off their farewell tour in North America with a cross-country headlining tour of Canada launching February 15 in Victoria, BC and include stops in Calgary, Winnipeg, and Ottawa before wrapping March 6 in Quebec City, QC. Le...