Playing with acts such as ELO, Elton John, Glen Campbell, Lee Aaron and John Waite, amongst a plethora of other platinum selling pop and rock icons not only makes you an in demand sideman, it also helps you develop your creative side. And, silly name aside, that’s exactly what the three members of THE SQUIRTS have capitalized on.
Formed while they were on tour as Rick Springfield’s backing band two decades ago, Matt Bissonette (Bass / lead vocals), George Bernhardt (Guitars, backing vocals) and Rodger Carter (Drums, percussion) aka THE SQUIRTS came to life as a way to burn up some creative energy – and wound up becoming Rick’s opening act before turning around and playing alongside the headliner himself.
Releasing two albums in short order – 2003 and 2005, respectively – they had intended to release a third album to round things off but life took them all in sorts of different directions.
Two decades later that third album, creatively titled, III surfaces on independent label F-Bomb Records, which is realizing it’s own resurrection of sorts, releasing it’s first string of new albums since 2006.
III sees THE SQUIRTS deliver ten tracks of bombastic, high energy no-holds-barred power pop nirvana as only they can.
Boundary-pushing 3x-Grammy-nominated outfit NOTHING MORE recently achieved a new career milestone when “HOUSE ON SAND” (feat. Eric Vanlerberghe from I Prevail) became the third single from their critically acclaimed CARNAL album via Better Noise Music to hit the #1 spot on the Billboard “Mainstream Rock Airplay” and Mediabase “Active Rock” charts following “ANGEL SONG (feat. David Draiman)” and “IF IT DOESN’T HURT.”
Yesterday (May 13), NOTHING MORE—Jonny Hawkins (vocals), Mark Vollelunga (guitar), Daniel Oliver (bass), and Ben Anderson (drums)—build on this momentum by announcing new headlining shows throughout the U.S., Canada and Europe. The dates in Europe, with support by Catch Your Breath, Solence, and Ankor, launch November 7 in Tampere, Finland, while the U.S. and Canada shows, with support by Catch Your Breath, Archers, and Doobie, begin January 14, 2026 in Silver Spring, MD.
NOTHING MORE’s fan presale will began Tuesday, May 13 at 12pm ET for North America and Wednesday, May 14 at 10am local time for Europe on their official website along with VIP Meet and Greet packages. General tickets will be available Friday, May 16 at 10am local time on the band’s official website.
This touring news from one of rock’s most electrifying bands comes as the deluxe edition of CARNAL (DELUXE) will physically be available on CD and vinyl this Friday, May 16 HERE. It was originally released across all digital outlets on March 28 via Better Noise Music.
CARNAL (DELUXE) adds on five bonus tracks, including a new version of the bracing “FREEFALL,” featuring 6x Platinum-certified rock artist Chris Daughtry, available now on all digital outlets, while the moving video can be seen on Better Noise Music’s official YouTube page. In connection with the song and video release, the band is featuring pet-related merchandise on its official website, with a portion of proceeds supporting organizations like K9s For Warriors. Additionally, a donation link is included in the video, allowing for donations to be made directly to the organization’s website.
Four other bonus tracks on CARNAL (DELUXE) include a live version of the “ANGEL SONG” recorded from the band’s set at Aftershock Festival 2024 where NOTHING MORE was joined onstage by guest vocalist David Draiman of Disturbed; two remixed songs from Matt Good (Hollywood Undead, Asking Alexandria) and Justin “JD” Deblieck (Ice Nine Kills, Motionless In White); plus a new song that was released February 7, “WE’RE ALL GONNA DIE.” Fans can view the lyric video for “WE’RE ALL GONNA DIE” HERE and stream/download the song HERE.
CARNAL underlines NOTHING MORE’s full-on assault with soaring melodies and unique soundscapes in songs that unflinchingly embrace raw emotion, which to date amassed 133 million streams. The album received praise for being “one of the band’s most eclectic releases to date” (Blabbermouth) and having 15 “energized rock anthems that capture the band’s infectious live prowess” (Knotfest).
NOTHING MORE is currently on the final leg of their nationwide tour with DISTURBED and Daughtry, which has included headlining shows throughout the trek. Tickets and VIP meet-and-greet packages are still available on the band’s official website.
Check out NOTHING MORE at any of the following stops, with more to be announced in the coming weeks:
Thu 5/15 Phoenix, AZ – Footprint Center # Sat 5/17 Las Vegas, NV – MGM Grand Garden Arena # Wed 6/4 Soelvesborg, SE – Sweden Rock Festival * Fri 6/6 Nurbrgring, DE – Rock Im Park * Sat 6/7 Nurbrgring, DE – Rock Am Ring * Thu 6/12 Nickelsdorf, AT – Novarock * Fri 6/13 Hradec Kralove, CZ – Rock For People * Sun 6/15 Derby, U.K. – Download* Sun 6/22 Dessel, BE – Graspop Metal Meeting* Fri 6/27 Ysselsteyn, NL – Jero On Air * Sun 6/29 Helsinki, FI – Tuska Festival *
#with Disturbed and Daughtry *festival date
Headlining with Catch Your Breath, Solence, and Ankor:
Fri 11/7 Tampere, Finland – Tavara-Asema Sat 11/8 Lahti, Finland – XXL Metalli Mössö Festival Mon 11/10 Stockholm, Sweden – Göta Lejon Tue 11/11 Oslo, Norway – Vulkan Arena Wed 11/12 Copenhagen, Denmark – Amager Bio Fri 11/14 Hamburg, Germany – Docks Sat 11/15 Berlin, Germany – Astra Kulturhaus Sun 11/16 Warsaw, Poland – Progresja Tue 11/18 Prague, Czeck – Roxy Fri 11/21 Munich, Germany – Backstage Sat 11/22 Stuttgart, Germany – Lka Longhorn Sun 11/23 Zurich, Switzerland – Komplex 457 Wed 11/26 Paris, France – Elysee Montmarte Fri 11/28 Frankfurt Am Main, Germany – Batschkapp Sat 11/29 Cologne, Germany – Essigfabrik Sun 11/30 Antwerp, Belgium – Trix Tue 12/2 Glasgow, Scotland – SWG3 Galvanizers Thu 12/4 Manchester, U.K. – O2 Ritz Fri 12/5 London, U.K. – O2 Forum Kentish Town Sat 12/6 Bristol, U.K. – O2 Academy
Headlining with Catch Your Breath, Archers, and Doobie:
Wed 1/14 Silver Spring, MD – The Fillmore Fri 1/16 Raleigh, NC – The Ritz Sat 1/17 Charlotte, NC – The Fillmore Mon 1/19 Lake Buena Vista, FL – House of Blues Tue 1/20 Tampa, FL – Jannus Live Wed 1/21 Atlanta, GA – Buckhead Fri 1/23 Dallas, TX – South Side Ballroom Sat 1/24 Austin, TX – ACL Live Mon 2/2 Albuquerque, NM – REVEL Tue 2/3 Oklahoma City, OK – Criterion Fri 2/6 Nashville, TN – Marathon Music Works Sat 2/7 Indianapolis, IN – Egyptian Room Thu 2/19 Montclair, NJ – The Wellmont Fri 2/20 Boston, MA – House of Blues Sat 2/21 Bethlehem, PA – Wind Creek Mon 2/23 Montreal, QC. – L’Olympia Tue 2/24 Toronto, ON. – History Wed 2/25 Detroit, MI – The Fillmore Fri 2/27 Grand Rapids, MI – 20 Monroe Sat 2/28 Chicago, IL – Riviera Theatre Sun 3/1 Madison, WI – The Sylvee Tue 3/3 Minneapolis, MN – The Fillmore Wed 3/4 Winnipeg, MB. – Burton Cummings Fri 3/6 Edmonton, AB. – Midway Sat 3/7 Calgary, AB. – Grey Eagle Casino Mon 3/9 Vancouver, BC. – Commodore Tue 3/10 Seattle, WA – Moore Theater Wed 3/11 Portland, OR – Crystal Ballroom Fri 3/13 Salt Lake City, UT – Union Event Center Sat 3/14 Denver, CO – Fillmore Auditorium Mon 3/16 St. Louis, MO – The Pageant
BLUTGOTT release the cover version of Judas Priest’s “Painkiller” as new single.
Thomas Gurrath says about this song: “For me, Judas Priest is the embodiment of metal – an absolute legend and a huge inspiration for my own music. And Painkiller? The holy grail of metal.
Of course, you can never fully do justice to a monster of a song like that, but hey – I’m a fan and a musician. I already covered the track with Debauchery back in 2015, but for the new music video, I wanted a fresh BLUTGOTT version. Very close to the original – just with an extra dose of viciousness.”
The new version will also be part of the upcoming Legions of Metal album (release date: October 10, 2025).
FESTIVALS 12.07.2025 Dalmstöckle Open Air 22.08.2025 Kaltenbach Open Air (AT)
Legendary Chania Rock Festival, one of Southern Europe’s most important summer rock and metal festivals, returns for its 2025 edition on July 26 and 27 at the stunning Eastern Moat Theatre (Theatro Anatolikis Tafrou) in Chania, Crete. Set in one of the world’s most beloved summer vacation destinations, this is more than a music festival – it’s a unique opportunity to combine an unforgettable holiday with the energy and power of live rock and metal music from around the world.
Chania, Crete, isn’t just a picturesque city with a rich history and vibrant culture – it’s one of Europe’s most in-demand summer holiday spots, known for its sun-drenched beaches, traditional cuisine, Venetian harbor and lively nightlife. What better way to escape the ordinary than to enjoy an exotic island getaway and experience a world-class metal festival under the stars?
This is your chance to turn your summer vacation into a full-on metal pilgrimage. Chania Rock Festival 2025 has everything you could ask for: international headliners, rising underground acts and an unforgettable summer vibe.
Since its inception in 2002, Chania Rock Festival has welcomed some of the biggest names in the rock and metal world: Blind Guardian, Sabaton, Paradise Lost, Tarja, Demons & Wizards, W.A.S.P., Sisters of Mercy, Soulfly, U.D.O., Anathema, Moonspell, Destruction, Blaze Bayley, and many more. This year, the festival’s international spirit shines brighter than ever, featuring 10 bands from 7 different countries – and possibly its strongest lineup to date.
Saturday, July 26
STRATOVARIUS (Finland) – Power metal legends and one of Finland’s most celebrated bands make their long-awaited first appearance in Crete as Saturday’s headliners!
GEOFF TATE (USA) – The iconic former frontman of Queensrche will deliver a powerful “Big Rock Show,” featuring hits from across his career.
ELYSION (Greece) – Gothic/symphonic metallers known for their emotional atmosphere and melodic power.
DEVISER (Greece) – Greek extreme metal pioneers with a history stretching back to 1989, bringing their dark, mystical aura to the stage.
ARS NOTORIA (Cyprus) – Winners of the “Giorgos Manouselis” Music Contest.
Sunday, July 27
KREATOR (Germany) – The biggest band to ever grace the Chania Rock Festival stage. Thrash metal royalty, ready to tear the island apart!
ROTTING CHRIST (Greece) – The most iconic name in Greek metal, in an exclusive show for Crete.
LECKS INC. (France) – Industrial metal for fans of Marilyn Manson and Rob Zombie.
MADVICE (Italy) – A hard-hitting extreme metal act influenced by Swedish death, black, and thrash metal.
FLAMECORE (Greece) – Melodic death metal with local roots and a fierce presence, opening Sunday’s lineup.
Metal Up Your Summer – This year, only Crete. This year, only Chania Rock Festival. Don’t miss the most electrifying rock event of the summer – set in paradise!
In the lead up to the release of new album ‘From The Wreckage’ on 13th June, STAR CIRCUS continue their campaign this year with their stunning new track ‘One Hit Wonder’. This uptempo rocker packs a real punch with riffs and hooks galore, a showcase of the sheer talent this band possesses.
‘From The Wreckage’ sees the band take a huge step forward, pushing boundries and themselves, and the end result is an absolutely storming rocker of an album that’s guaranteed to delight fans and gain many more!
Dave comments on the new album:
“Feeling invigorated following the positive response to our first album and many national tours, we set aside the first half of 2024 to write and record our second album as a band. However, most of last year proved to be a challenging time for us. Cancellations, lineup and management issues plagued us, along with fear and disbelief at the state of the world in general.
As a consequence, ‘From The Wreckage’ is definitely a heavier, darker and more aggressive beast both lyrically and musically than it’s predecessor. On the other hand there’s definitely both light and shade, and a positive outlook depicted in the title; that we’re coming back stronger than ever. First and foremost, we’re really proud of all the songs, but it’s also a landmark in our evolution from our little project into a fully-fledged rock n’ roll animal!”
Star Circus are a London-based rock band led by Dave Winkler and Sophie Aurelia Young, influenced by classic rock artists including Queen, Thin Lizzy, Cheap Trick, Def Leppard and Alice Cooper.
The band was formed in 2019 by frontman Dave, who’s songwriting caught the attention of radio legend Tony Wilson. The pair worked together on creating the debut album ‘Separate Sides’ which Tony produced, and was released in December 2022 to an overwhelmingly positive critical response.
Following the album release and several UK tours supporting a host of international acts, the Star Circus lineup has now become a collaborative band-project, with other musicians contributing to the songwriting. As well as the added influences of other songwriters, the new album also features various accomplished guest guitarists including Tom Draper (ex Carcass, Spirit Adrift) and Ritchie Mohicano (Dobermann), and the notable addition of Sophie’s vocals (including lead vocals on Masquerade). The band also landed a global distribution deal with the Arizona-based record label Renaissance Records. Their sophomore album “From The Wreckage” is due for release on 13th June 2025, and will be available on all the popular streaming and download platforms, on CD and vinyl.
“Possessing an eclectic range of influences stretching from classic hard rock, through AOR, 80s Glam Metal, 90s American power pop… these fuse faultlessly to form a sound that is stacked full of infectious melodies, grandiose vocal and instrumental harmonies plus colossally catchy choruses” – Sophie James, METALTALK
Live shows: 24th May – Chesham Fringe Festival, Generals Arms Chesham 25th May – Breaking Bands Festival, Bromsgrove 7th June – The Cart And Horses, London – acoustic show, with Eric Martin (Mr Big) 21st June – The Underworld, Camden – Album launch show 3rd October – Cornwall Rocks Festival, Tencreek Holiday Park 14th November – Rockmantic Weekender, Yardbirds Grimsby
Tonic Breed, the metal project led by Norwegian musician Patrik K. Svendsen, is gearing up to release “Anew” on June 19th, 2025, a crushing new single featuring none other than legendary drummer Chris Adler (Lamb of God, Megadeth).
“I was quite curious when I got an email — and some riffs — from Patrik,” says Adler. “Clearly he’s done some cool shit and I was flattered to be on his radar… I researched it for a minute and agreed.”
Patrik originally sent over a rough demo of the song, a storm of riffs strung together with placeholder drums and a suggested structure. “Chris was actually on board right away,” Patrik explains. “We worked together on a new structure for the song, and Chris took the lead on shaping it into something far more unique and effective than my original draft.”
“His riffs are fucking sick,”Adler continues. “We did have to take a minute to both feel good about what this would be — meaning I beat up his song like a fucking Rocky movie — but I knew it had the parts and strength.”
The final version of “Anew” is a precision-crafted, high-energy track that fuses Patrik’s Norwegian riff work with Adler’s unmistakable rhythmic drive. “To me, this is the most Lamb of God-style drumming I’ve heard from Chris since he was in Lamb of God,” Patrik says. “I’m sure some metal guitarists would kill to hear Chris Adler’s drumming behind their riffs — I’ve been lucky enough to experience that firsthand.”
By the end of the collaboration, Adler described the finished product as “sounding like an action movie that’s fun to watch,” a nod to the song’s explosive dynamics and cinematic flow.
“It’s been a privilege to work with Patrik,”Adler says. “Humbling. You’ll know what I mean when you hear it.”
The track was mixed and mastered by acclaimed producer Machine, who also handled Lamb of God’s Ashes of the Wake and Sacrament. “The sound is brilliant,” says Patrik. “Machine absolutely nailed it.”
“Anew” will drop June 19th, 2025 as a stand-alone single and is also set to appear on the next full-length Tonic Breed album. The new release continues the project’s series of high-profile collaborations, which already include Dirk Verbeuren (Megadeth), Michael Gilbert (Flotsam and Jetsam), and Björn Strid (Soilwork).
Until “Anew” is released, check out Tonic Breed‘s latest collaboration with Flotsam and Jetsam guitarist Michael Gilbert for a guest solo on the new single “The Die Is Cast”.
Straight to the point. No fluff, no filler, “The Die Is Cast” is pure, hard-hitting thrash from start to finish, with a touch of melody woven in. The song is about a powerful war machine that lies broken and abandoned, surrounded by the wreckage of others like it. Its silence feels heavy, as if it’s aware of the destruction it once brought and the emptiness that followed.
“The Die Is Cast” was performed, written, and produced by Patrik K. Svendsen with mixing by Adrian Bjerketvedt in Sarpsborg, Norway, and mastered by Steve Kitch.
For more info: https://tonicbreed.com https://facebook.com/tonicbreed https://instagram.com/tonicbreed
THE ROCK ALCHEMIST – Italian Rock Band from Turin with a strong sonic identity that blends modern rock with progressive, hard, alternative, and pop elements!
Kimmo Kuusniemi’s SARCOFAGUS return with a Historic 2010 Concert Video Premiere on YouTube! Click image to watch the video
Metal Shock Finland (World Assault ) 