Blending progressive rock, reggae grooves, and hip hop energy into a sound entirely their own, They Went Ghost have released their brand new single and music video, “Smitten.”
Serving as a companion piece and prequel to the band’s latest video “Better Off,”“Smitten” captures the emotional rush and uncertainty that comes with falling in love for the first time. The track showcases the band’s signature fusion of atmospheric melodies, rhythmic experimentation, and emotionally driven songwriting.
“We are excited to share Smitten with everyone,” the band shares. “It is a prequel to our latest video Better Off. Smitten is a more positive situation. It’s about a beautiful panic of first love.”
Produced by Joe Johnston at Pus Cavern and brought to life visually by director Brendon Bush, the video highlights the band’s evolving creative vision while expanding the story introduced in “Better Off.”
The current lineup of They Went Ghost seamlessly fuses an inspired blend of progressive rock, reggae, and hip hop influences, capturing the attention of audiences everywhere they perform. Pulling inspiration from artists such as Deftones, Incubus, Minus the Bear, Matisyahu, and Sublime, the band continues carving out a distinct lane with their energetic live performances and skillfully crafted songs.
With “Smitten,”They Went Ghost deliver a vibrant and emotionally charged anthem that balances vulnerability with infectious energy, further solidifying their growing presence in the alternative music scene.
It was back in summer 1977 that Larry Wallis – already ex-Pink Fairies and the first incarnation of Motörhead – delivered “Police Car,” his first solo single, but also one of that select collection of 45s that truly soundtracked 1977.
It was the year of punk, of course, but Larry fit in perfectly. It was he who produced the first two singles by The Adverts, including the hit “Gary Gilmore’s Eyes”; he who first captured the wonders of The Members’ “Sound Of The Suburbs”; he who handled Wreckless Eric’s debut album. He even called Eddie and the Hot Rods’ rhythm section in to play on “Police Car” itself, and toured alongside Nick Lowe, Elvis Costello, Ian Dury and Wreckless.
The news that he was back in the studio to record a solo album was among the most exciting stories of the age. Only that’s all it was, a story. First the years, and then the decades, passed and there was no sign of the album. True, a few of the songs that he wrote and recorded for it would resurface for future projects… a killer single here, a tremendous album there, a Pink Fairies reunion somewhere else. One or two tracks from the original sessions even made it onto sundry Wallis anthologies.
But the complete tapes remained locked in the cupboard and, as Larry was so fond of saying whenever he was asked about them, “I’m not an archivist.”
The tapes were there, however, and on June 12, not far off 50 years after it was recorded, an album that long ago disappeared into the realms of myth and legend will finally be revealed. Taking its title from Larry’s own remark, I’m Not An Archivist excavates (as far as we know!) Not only the full album but also a round up of out-takes and alternate versions… everything, in fact, that was completed before Larry moved onto other projects.
A few tracks are clearly incomplete – he never got around to adding vocals to his cover of Wreckless Eric’s “There Isn’t Anything Else,” for example. But even there, Larry and his band – Deke Leonard of Man, Attractions drummer Pete Thomas and bassist Big George Webley – shine with almost blinding brilliance. As Larry himself put it, “We went into Eden Studios ready to lay down taped dynamite.”
Other surprises include a version of George Gershwin‘s “Rhapsody in Blue” described by Larry as “a load of wasted individuals” playing the tune, while Webley and Thomas had “what they considered to be a ‘New York Argument’”; and author Mick Farren’s “Godzilla,” rampaging unapologetically through the studio. (Larry later retitled the song, aptly, “I Think It’s Coming Back Again”).
Elsewhere, Larry revisited “As Long As The Price Is Right,” a song he’d already seen Dr Feelgood take into the UK Top 40; and debuted a clutch of songs that would see fresh service throughout his subsequent career. “Leather Forever” and “Seeing Double” would be re-cut for a 1986 single; while a new version of “Crying All Night” surfaced (alongside a virtual stretch-limo reinvention of “Police Car”) on Larry’s 2001 Death In The Guitarfternoon album. Also available from Cleopatra records, incidentally.
Today, however, you can hear the original – released as the first single from this epochal album, it is a reminder that Larry was not only one of the coolest guitarists of his era, he was also one of its most forthright songwriters… in other words, he may be best known for “Police Car” (present here in two previously unheard versions), but if I’m Not An Archivist had been released at the time, you’d have been whistling its contents for almost half a century.
Thankfully, with the full album’s June 12 release date getting closer every day, it’s not too later to start now.
1. Police Car Overture (Instrumental) 2. On Parole (Alternate Version) 3. Godzilla 4. As Long As The Price Is Right 5. I Can’t See What It’s Got To Do With Me 6. Seeing Double (Alternate Version) 7. There Isn’t Anything Else (Instrumental) 8. Story Of My Life 9. Crying All Night 10. Leather Forever 11. Rhapsody In Blue (Instrumental) 12. Police Car (Alternate Version) 13. Godzilla (Version 2) [CD ONLY] 14. Crying All Night (Version 2) 15. I Can’t See What It’s Got To Do With Me (Version 2) [CD ONLY] 16. As Long As The Price Is Right (Version 2) [CD ONLY] 17. Leather Forever (Version 2) [CD ONLY] 18. Story Of My Life (Version 2) [CD ONLY] 19. Seeing Double (Version 2) [CD ONLY] 20. Rhapsody In Blue (Instrumental) (Version 2) [CD ONLY]
Defects have revealed their brand-new single ‘All For Nothing,’ out now on Mascot Records, which you can listen to HERE. The song’s lyrics focus on questioning your place in the world and grappling with personal dissatisfaction, as vocalist Tony Maue flies out of the traps, snarling, “Now I’ve grown tired of the same routine, life it takes and it’s never given again, the lies of the dream are dead, and everything i lived for is failing me instead, so give me an answer or I’ll just keep on asking, I wanna feel like a have a purpose.”
The band offers a deeply personal perspective, peeling back emotional layers to reveal struggles with meaning and purpose. Recognising when you’re spiralling takes years to master. “When I was younger, overthinking led me into drugs, and I nearly died. The worst part was feeling alone. I’ve changed since then, and now I feel better than ever.” He continues, “When I did drugs, I gave up. If I stop moving forward, I fall back— why give up the very thing I fell in love with in the beginning?”
“All for Nothing came from a time in my life when it felt like nothing was really moving. No matter how much I was putting in, it seemed like I was stuck in the same place. I wrote it from that frustration—that exhaustion of wondering if everything I was doing was even leading anywhere,” explains Maue. “More than anything, though, the song became my way of letting all of that out. It’s me being honest about those hard moments, facing that feeling that it was all for nothing, and working through it until I found my way past it.”
‘All For Nothing’ is the latest single to be released, following the socio-political barb, ‘Artificial Icons,’ and ‘Heresy‘, a brutal confrontation with blind faith and false hope. They create a volatile mix of crushing riffs, thunderous breakdowns, and soaring choruses, surging between savage screams and anthemic vocals.
These three songs hint at the band’s future and are their first new music since debut album Modern Error, released in 2024. Defects have swept across Europe with Trivium, Northlane, Of Mice and Men, Orbit Culture, Bullet For My Valentine, In Flames and Funeral for a Friend. Their festival appearances include Download (UK), Slam Dunk (UK), Mystic Festival (Poland), Rock Im Park/Rock Am Ring (Germany), Impericon Festival (Germany), Rockharz (Germany), Summer Breeze Open Air (Germany), Rock for the People (Czech Republic), Jera On Air (The Netherlands), Graspop (Belgium), and Parkpop (Belgium). “Modern Error was built from the very first songs we ever crafted from the moment of getting into a studio together,” says guitarist James Threadwell. “On these new songs, we really had the space to develop and grow into ourselves. It’s an exciting metamorphosis.”
Defects are: Tony Maue (Vocals), James Threadwell (Guitar), Orlando Morris-Winmill (Guitar), and Rowan Jack (Drums).
You aren’t ready for this! Aussie extreme metal cohort King Parrot, will be returning to UK shores, bringing their no holds barred, off kilter live experience back to the UK in September in support of their new album “A Young Person’s Guide To King Parrot”.
The last time we welcomed the quietus quartet, they were decimating stadiums nationwide and all over Europe opening for Pantera and Power Trip in 2025. In the summer of 2026, the boys from down under are excited to announce their return with a 9 date run of headline shows all over the UK.
The new album has received a rousing reception by the metal community with tracks like “Fuck You and the Horse You Rode In On” and “It’s A Rort” and their accompanying videos being lapped up by old and new fans alike. King Parrot recently completed a monstrous 39 date US tour alongside Gwar and Soulfly and are firing on all cylinders leading up to their return to the UK and Europe. Most recently the band have enlisted the services of veteran bass player Derek Engemann (Scour, Philip H Anselmo and The Illegals, ex-Cattle Decapitation) and he will be joining the band again as he did on the US tour.
Matt Young, vocalist for King Parrot says “We’re really excited to be returning to the UK after our massive run with Pantera and Power Trip last year.” Commenting on what fans can expect from the upcoming UK dates, “We can’t wait to bring our full headlining set out and we’ll be delivering cuts from every album including a whole swag from the new record. Looking forward to seeing our UK mates this September!”
King Parrot are recent additions to festivals in Europe like Summer Dying Loud (PL), Metal!!! 2026 (CZ) and Get Lost Fest (DE) and they are putting the finishing touches on their more extensive European jaunt, however wanted to get the news out to fans of their return to the UK immediately. Get down with the crown and shit on your liver as King Parrot comes to destroy venues across the UK as only they know how!
KING PARROT – UNITED KINGDOM – SEPTEMBER 2026
THUR 10TH – COBBLESTONES – BRIDGWATER FRI 11TH – THE BUNKHOUSE – SWANSEA SAT 12TH – VICTORIA INN – DERBY SUN 13TH – CASTLE AND FALCON – BIRMINGHAM MON 14TH – DISTRICT – LIVERPOOL TUE 15TH – 1865 – SOUTHAMPTON WED 16TH – NAMBUCCA – LONDON THUR 17TH – BRICKMAKERS – NORWICH FRI 18TH – IVORY BLACKS – GLASGOW
Swiss hard rock veterans Shakra are thrilled to announce their return with a new album, “Just Live Loud!”, set for release on September 4, 2026, via Frontiers Music Srl.
To coincide with the announcement, the band share the title track, along with an official music video, available below.
The band described the new single as “a powerful track for everyone who has waited too long, hesitated too often and held themselves back too many times. The song is a call to break out of your shell, shake off the doubts and stop postponing life. It is not about simply being loud. It is about living out your own freedom, dreaming big and finding the courage to take the next step – even when the perfect moment has not yet arrived”.
“Musically, “Just Live Loud!” brings together everything we stand for: driving guitars, a strong hookline, raw energy and that unmistakable blend of hard rock, melody and clear attitude. The song sounds like a new beginning, like adrenaline, and like the feeling of finally being fully alive again. Stop waiting. Live your freedom. Now. Just Live Loud!”, they continued.
Shakra return with renewed fire and unstoppable energy on “Just Live Loud!”, their explosive new studio album and the band’s very first release through Frontiers Music Srl. Fuelled by massive riffs, soaring melodies, and the unmistakable chemistry that has defined Shakra for decades, the album captures the spirit of classic European hard rock while pushing the band into a heavier, more modern sonic territory.
Vocalist Mark Fox commented: “Becoming a father has changed the way I look at many things. When I watch my daughter grow, discover the world and face every day with this incredible curiosity, I find myself asking even more consciously what life is really about. For me, the answer can now be summed up in three words: JUST LIVE LOUD! Don’t live halfway, don’t wait forever, don’t hide. I recorded the vocals for this album on my own in my basement. It was a very intense process that strongly confronted me with myself, my self-criticism and my responsibility. At the same time, it showed me that true freedom always comes with responsibility. For me, this tension is exactly what lies at the heart of this album.”
Guitarist Thomas Muster added: “Over the last 30 years, I’ve written many songs for Shakra. Heavier stuff, sometimes even poppier songs, and some really soft tracks. And even though I was ultimately always happy with the albums, I still always had this feeling inside me that musically, there simply had to be a little more. An even better riff, an even better hookline, simply even better songs. With ‘Something You Don’t Understand’ from the Snakes & Ladders album, I had that feeling of the perfect song for the first time”.
“And now comes “Just Live Loud!”, the Shakra album I always wanted to write, but somehow never quite managed to until now. And it comes with 12 great songs! If I could take only one Shakra album to the famous desert island, it would definitely be this one”, he continued.
Produced with a raw yet polished approach, “Just Live Loud!” delivers a powerful mix of thunderous anthems, emotionally charged ballads, and adrenaline-fueled rockers designed for both festival stages and late-night highway drives. From razor-sharp guitar work and pounding rhythms to towering vocal hooks, every track reflects the band’s commitment to authenticity, passion, and pure rock’n’roll attitude.
Lyrically, the album celebrates resilience, freedom, brotherhood, and the determination to live life at full volume – themes that resonate deeply with the band’s own journey through the international hard rock scene. “Just Live Loud!” also marks an exciting new chapter for Shakra, combining the experience and songwriting strength of their legacy years with a fresh creative momentum that feels more vital than ever.
The band proudly stated: “For over 30 years, we have been walking this path with Shakra. We have always worked on ourselves, put many things aside and given everything to push this band forward – without compromise, without a safety net. We have dared, we have taken risks, and we still do. But this very path has also given us our freedom: to find our purpose away from the ordinary, to lose ourselves in it, and to do what we burn for”.
“Just Live Loud!” brings all of that together in one album: origin, attitude, energy and the view ahead. As long as this fire is still burning, we will keep moving, keep daring and keep giving everything. Living louder is hardly possible – JUST LIVE LOUD!”, they added.
With this landmark release, Shakra reaffirm their status as one of Switzerland’s premier hard rock exports and prove that true melodic heavy rock is alive, loud, and ready to conquer a new generation of fans.
“Just Live Loud!” Tracklist:
1. Let The Show Begin 2. Wasteland Warriors 3. Just Live Loud! 4. Left Outside Alone (Feat. Seraina Telli) 5. Demon Of The Night 6. Legends Never Die 7. Lost Generation 8. When We Were Young 9. Another Day In The Universe 10. New Tattoo 11. High Above The Storm 12. Screaming Silence 13. Left Outside Alone (Solo Version)
Line Up: Thom Blunier – Lead Guitars Mark Fox – Vocals Thomas Muster – Guitars Cyril Montavon – Bass Roger Tanner – Drums Follow SHAKRA: Website Facebook Instagram
Two-time JUNO Nominee ‘Samantha Martin & Delta Sugar’ released their new live album A Beautiful Buzz via Gypsy Soul Records on May 22, 2026. Captured during the band’s Love Is All Around tour across Western Canada in 2022, the album documents the raw power, soul, and communal energy that have made Samantha Martin & Delta Sugar one of Canada’s most electrifying live acts.
The CD and limited-edition gatefold double vinyl editions of the album are available via www.samanthamartinmusic.com/store with the digital edition available on all streaming platforms HERE.
The album is preceded by the singles “My Crown,” “The Shape I’m In,” and “Them Changes” — an irresistible first taste of the sweat-soaked, soul-driven performances that define A Beautiful Buzz.
Samantha Martin & Delta Sugar occupy a rare space in modern roots blues music: deeply reverent of soul and gospel tradition, yet unafraid to push those forms into something louder, sweatier, and fiercely alive. Led by Martin’s unmistakable, powerhouse vocal delivery, the band has earned a reputation as one of Canada’s most commanding live acts, equal parts grit, grace, and emotional force.
A two-time JUNO Award nominee and seven-time Canadian Blues Award nominee for Female Vocalist of the Year, Samantha Martin has long drawn comparisons to the great soul shouters of the past. As Rhythm & Booze put it, “Samantha Martin’s name can be talked of in the same sentence as Etta James, Tina Turner, and Aretha Franklin. It’s soul for the modern age with a turbocharger.” Paris Move (France) went further, calling her “indispensable, Samantha Martin, the new Southern soul tornado.”
Those comparisons aren’t casual. Over the course of their catalogue, discerning listeners will hear echoes of Mavis Staples, Sharon Jones, Otis Redding, Booker T. & the MG’s, and the Memphis Horns, all filtered through a modern, road-hardened sensibility. It’s classic soul DNA delivered with contemporary urgency and volume. As Glide Magazine noted, “a jaw-dropping display of vocal prowess that highlights this band’s brand of supercharged blues. Comparisons of soul greats run rampant, but like Brittany Howard, Samantha Martin might be the next musical game changer.”
Mixed by Renan Yildizdogan and Ross Hayes Citrullo, the in-house team at Gypsy Soul Records, A Beautiful Buzz marks a first for the band: a long-overdue live album capturing the raw electricity that has defined Samantha Martin & Delta Sugar onstage for over a decade.
Recorded during the band’s Love Is All Around tour across Western Canada in 2022, A Beautiful Buzz was born under extraordinary circumstances. Originally scheduled for January and repeatedly delayed by the final wave of COVID-era disruptions, the tour finally launched in November, with Martin six months pregnant. Undeterred, a 13-person touring party loaded into a sprinter and rental car and pushed west from the sub-zero cold of Saskatoon toward the West Coast.
Night after night, the shows carried a heightened emotional charge, but one final performance stood apart, crackling with urgency, joy, and the awareness that one chapter was closing just as another was about to begin. That moment became A Beautiful Buzz, a testament to resilience, love, and transformation, capturing a band at full throttle and an artist on the edge of profound personal change.
For many listeners, the album lands somewhere in the lineage of Joe Cocker’s Mad Dogs & Englishmen, a communal, unrestrained live soul revue where horns, grit, gospel, and sweat collide. It’s not a polished live souvenir; it’s the sound of a band at peak intensity, feeding off the room and giving it everything back.
With a new studio album already in development for 2027, A Beautiful Buzz stands not as a detour or placeholder, but as a deliberate statement, finally committing to record the live force that made Samantha Martin & Delta Sugar essential in the first place.
The Love Is All Around tour, initially set for January 2022, faced the trials of postponement until November 2022—marking the closing chapter of COVID-era delays.
“By the time the tour kicked off, I was six months pregnant with my son,” reflects Samantha. “I’ve never been one to be easily deterred. So, clad in a winter jacket that barely zipped, our 13-person touring party loaded into a sprinter and a rental car and embarked on a tour from the sub-zero temperatures of Saskatoon to the balmy West Coast of Canada.”
“Each show was a whirlwind of energy and emotion, but one stood out above the rest. Perhaps it was the excitement of the final show, or it was the realization that my life was about to change in a big way. Whatever the reason, the atmosphere was electric, filled with a beautiful buzz that I wanted to share with you. This album captures the magic I felt, and is a testament to resilience, love, and the power of music amidst life’s transformations.” – Samantha Martin
A BEAUTIFUL BUZZ – ALBUM TRACK LISTING
1- Love is All Around – 3:35 (S. Martin, J. Chisholm) 2- Don’t Have To Be – 3:02 (S. Martin, A. Beer-Colacino, A. Warner) 3- You’re The Love – 3:37 (S. Martin, C. Chaffey) 4- Good Trouble – 3:18 (S. Martin, S. Vinnick) 5- All Night Long – 4:39 (S. Martin, C. Chaffey, M. McCallum, D. Yates, D. Nash, S. Marriner) 6- The Shape I’m In (feat. Steve Marriner) – 3:58 (Robbie Robertson) 7- I’ve Got a Feeling – 6:58 (S. Martin, C. Chaffey) 8- My Crown – 5:53 (Rench) 9- Loving You Is Easy – 7:25 (S. Martin) 10- “Band Intro” – (1:48) (S. Martin) 11- Pass Me By – (3:31) (S. Martin, C. Chaffey) 12- Them Changes – 3:54 (George Buddy Miles) 13- Loving Cup – 6:25 (M. Jagger, K. Richards)
PRODUCTION CREDITS
Recorded November 26, 2022 @ A.C.T. Theatre in Maple Ridge, BC Mixed by Renan Yildizdogan and Ross Hayes Citrullo at RHC Music in Toronto, ON Mastered by Phil Demetro Mastering in Toronto, ON
Lead Vocals & Acoustic Guitar: Samantha Martin Background Vocalists: Tafari Anthony & Sherie Marshall Electric Guitar: Curtis Chaffey Bass: Ian McKeown Drums: Will Fisher Keys: Jeff Heisholt Trombone: Emily Ferrell Saxophone: Andrew Moljgun Trumpet: Brian Walters Special guest vocalist and acoustic guitar on “Shape I’m In” and 2nd electric on “Them Changes” and “Loving Cup”: Steve Marriner
Kimmo Kuusniemi’s ASA unveil the long-overdue release of "Collective Failure" + first music video for title-track! Check it out and stay tuned for more news! Click image to watch the video
Kimmo Kuusniemi’s SARCOFAGUS return with a Historic 2010 Concert Video Premiere on YouTube! Click image to watch the video
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Visionary artist KIMMO KUUSNIEMI's ANCIENT STREAMING ASSEMBLY (ASA) have released “Aurora Nuclearis”, a powerful 12-minute audiovisual experience, dedicated to the Late Keyboardist Esa Kotilainen. - Click image to watch the video
Click image to watch the video
Metal Shock Finland (World Assault ) 