Sunderland’s RYDER crash onto the scene with their debut single ‘Broken Footsteps‘ — a sharp hit of indie rock energy featuring Zak Starkey on drums and artwork by visionary cover work artist Gareth Halliday. It’s raw, anthemic and full of intent — the sound of a band already finding their stride.
RYDER blend the timeless energy of brit pop with the raw edge of indie rock, crafting anthemic melodies and reflective lyrics that resonate with anyone seeking authenticity. With catchy riffs and unique style, they stand out by staying true to their roots while pushing musical boundaries. Single ‘Broken Footsteps‘ is a stomping tune that showcases the songwriting swagger of this Sunderland band and features a cameo appearance by Zak Starkey.
Signed to producer Nick Brine’s Flip Flop Records and managed by the Mancunian McGee Kyle Dale of Bittersweet Home, RYDER have wasted no time. 11 months together, 4 months recording their debut album — Broken Footsteps is the first taste of what’s coming, and it lands with real weight.
“The debut album from Sunderland group Ryder is packed full of anthems from start to finish. Combining the influences of Oasis and Kasabian together leads to an album brimming with heart.” Humbug North East “Urgent, melodic and unapologetically alive — RYDER sound like a band with somewhere to be.” – Rob from Adored Music
Ryder are: David Cuthbertson – Lead Vocals, Guitar Steven Dorward – Guitar, Backing Vocals Des Clark – Lead Guitar, Backing Vocals Dave Lowton – Bass Guitar Phil Hughes – Drums
ANOTHER REALM have released their new album ‘Origin‘, out now on Demolition Records.
Another Realm is a new symphonic rock/metal project created by guitarist/composer/producer Steven Morrison (Tysondog) and vocalist/songwriter Philip Stuckey (Stuckfish).
Their second album ‘Origin’ has been created with a dark fantasy driven story concept based on the creation of the world and its subsequent evolution. ‘Origin’ follows on from the release of their debut, self titled album ‘Another Realm’.
Phil has released four highly acclaimed albums of melodic prog rock with UK based Stuckfish and the current release, Stuckfish IV, has been voted a top ten album of 2024 by the readers of Prog Mag. Stuckfish is signed to Rob Reed’s White Knight Records. www.stuckfish.net
Steve has been with NWOBHM stalwarts Tysondog for ten years releasing three albums with them, signed to Danish label, From The Vaults.
Another Realm‘s collection of symphonic rock and metal compositions in ‘Origin‘ is a journey of philosophical fantasy rooted in a blend of historical fact, myth and legend.
Tracklisting: 1. Let There Be Light 2. New World Odyssey 3. Whore Of Babylon 4. Sands Of Time 5. Empire Of Darkness 6. If Worlds Collide 7. Crusader 8. Awaken 9. After The Fire
November 14th, 2025, marked the official beginning of a new and powerful international adventure, driven by the most modern and impactful metal!
AS WE STRAY, a Turin-based band with deathcore roots and contemporary metalcore influences, release today their brand-new single “Fill the Distance”, now available on all major digital platforms under Wanikiya Record/Promotion.
With a powerful, sharp, and modern sound enriched by deep lyrics and existential themes, AS WE STRAY continue to impress both audience and critics, carrying on with their Project: IRIS, an artistic journey that includes the release of several singles leading up to February 2026.
Following the success of “BRØKEN BØNES” and “THE REMEDY”, which quickly reached thousands of listeners in a very short time, the band now returns with a new, devastating production bound to leave a strong mark on the European metal scene.
On the live front, AS WE STRAY continue to confirm their rising notoriety with sold-out shows in their hometown, high-profile openings alongside bands such as Crystal Lake, Meshuggah, Jinjer, Soilwork, and Nergal, as well as appearances at international festivals including the renowned We Are Deathcore.
The release of “Fill the Distance” represents an important milestone for the band, who—together with Wanikiya Record/Promotion—aim to further expand their national and international presence through interviews, reviews, radio rotations, and global collaborations with media, webzines, and festivals.
“Fill the Distance” is available now on all digital platforms! Prepare yourself for a sonic wave that will take no prisoners.
Follow AS WE STRAY on all social media, YouTube, and major streaming platforms.
For The Metal Voice Neil Turbin spoke to Guitarist and solo artist GEORGE THOROGOOD at this years Bowl For Ronnie 2025.
When asked about his level of performing
“ Do it to the best of your ability, whatever that may be. Fear is a great motivator, my friend. You know, because if I don’t play great, they’ll go to somebody else.”
When asked about the song BAD TO THE BONE’s success
“Classic rock radio picked up that song slotted Bad to the Bone right in there next to Stairway to Heaven and Jump Jack Flash. So as that grew and our song got played around those artists, young people growing up were saying, “Oh, this guy Thorogood may be something.”
This year’s BOWL FOR RONNIE Celebrity Bowling Party, benefiting the Ronnie James Dio Stand Up and Shout Cancer Fund (www.diocancerfund.org), has sold out in advance. Thursday, November 13, 2025 at PINZ Bowling Center in Studio City, California, the event once again hosted by television and radio personality Eddie Trunk, who is heard on SiriusXM’s 103 Faction Talk channel.
100% of the net proceeds from the BOWL FOR RONNIE will go to the Dio Cancer Fund (www.diocancerfund.org). Pinz Bowling Center is located at 12655 Ventura Blvd in Studio City, California.
SAMURAI PIZZA CATS, Germany’s metalcore mavericks known for their mostly fun leaning music, flip the script with their new single “City of Gold”, releasing November 14th, via Century Media Records. Dreamy and cinematic, the newest work of the quartet feels like it’s welcoming the colder, darker days while still pulsing with energy and a positive, warmth feel. Still recognizable by their signature sound, “City of Gold” might surprise fans and new listeners alike. The single is paired with a cinematic music video, showcasing the feel of a night drive through city lights. “City of Gold” follows the band’s prior releases “Super Zero”, “Pandastruck”, and “Fear No Slice”.
28.03.26 Germany Cologne – Samurai Pizza Fest 04.04 – 05.04.26 Germany Oberndorf a. N. – Easter Cross Festival 2026 20.08 – 22.08.26 Germany Lich – Music Forge Festival 2026
About Samurai Pizza Cats
Samurai Pizza Cats is a German metalcore band formed in 2021 in Castrop-Rauxel. The band consists of vocalist Sebastian Fischer, guitarist Daniel Haniß, bassist Stefan Reufer, and drummer Stefan Buchwald. Their name is a nod to the 1990s anime series of the same name. The band quickly gained a loyal fan base thanks to their energetic live performances and unique sound that blends metalcore, deathcore, and trancecore elements. Samurai Pizza Cats released their debut album, “You’re Hellcome,” in September 2023, and established themselves in the German metalcore scene. The band is signed to Century Media Records since February 2025.
Samurai Pizza Cats are Sebastian Fischer – Vocals Daniel Haniß – Guitar Stefan Reufer – Bass Stefan Buchwald – Drums
Southern California band Of Mice & Men have released their new album Another Miracle via Century Media Records. The band have teased the album with 4 of the LP’s singles including this week’s “Flowers,” and before that “Troubled Water,” Another Miracle’s title track and “Wake Up,” which hit #17 on the Active Rock Radio chart.
The album’s 12 tracks find Of Mice & Men at their most personal and most expansive. The album was crafted entirely in-house – written, produced, and engineered by the band themselves. “The process of self-recording and self-producing this album as well the last two has seen us really trying to one up what we’ve done in the past – and it’s on us to do that,” drummer Valentino Arteaga explains. “On this album in particular, we wanted to push the boundaries of what that sounds like for our band.”
Watch the video for “Wake Up” here. Watch the video for “Another Miracle” here. Watch the video for “Troubled Water” here. Watch the video for “Flowers” here.
Another Miracle tracklisting:
A Waltz Troubled Water Safe & Sound Hourglass Wakeup Flowers Another Miracle Contact Parable Somewhere In Between Swallow Infinite
Of Mice & Men will celebrate the release with a set on Sunday, November 16, at Warped Tour in Orlando. Later this month the band will head to The UK and Europe run with dates kicking off November 27 and concluding December 14. They have also announced a tour of Australia in 2026. All shows are listed below and tickets are available at ofmicetickets.com. The tour dates are listed below.
With Another Miracle, their most explosive full-length yet, Of Mice & Men deliver a masterclass in modern heavy music – balancing bone-crushing breakdowns with arena-ready
rock anthems that hit just as hard. The unifying characteristic is the fact that the band are always authentic to themselves while they take creative chances that will likely surprise even their most dedicated fans. “We’re always pushing the boundaries of what excites us musically,” vocalist/bassist Aaron Pauley explains. “We never thought we would get to our ninth album, so the only way to progress forward is to challenge ourselves and utilize what we’ve learned from working with different producers over the decades.” Correspondingly, this is the third album that the band – which also features drummer Valentino Arteaga as well as guitarists Phil Manansala and Alan Ashby – self-produced and engineered, with Pauley mixing and mastering the album in order to fully realize the band’s collective vision.
“The process of self-recording and self-producing this album as well the last two has seen us really trying to one up what we’ve done in the past – and it’s on us to do that,” Arteaga explains. “On this album in particular, we wanted to push the boundaries of what that sounds like for our band.” From the electronic accents of “Troubled Water” to the unfiltered aggression of “Hourglass,” Another Miracle sees Of Mice & Men leveling up without retreading the sonic formulas that have been successful in the past. “We wanted to create songs that didn’t have the predictability of what we were going to do next to keep the fans on the edge of what’s going to happen next,” Manansala adds. Listeners may not expect that the brutal breakdown at the end of “Hourglass” would lead into the acoustic guitar introduction of “Wake Up,” but in the context of the album these unlikely transitions make sonic sense.
It’s no surprise why “Wake Up” is also one of the album’s singles. With its soaring chorus and atmospheric arrangements, the song truly transcends genres and shows Pauley stretching out vocally in ways that compliment the carefully syncopated instrumentation. While the band’s vocalist likes to leave the meaning of his songs ambiguous, he says “Wake Up” is open to interpretation when it comes to whether the lyrics are talking about the mental state of dreaming, hallucinating or having a psychedelic experience – and that undisclosed liminal state that is mirrored by the music. “That song is really an imperative to live in the present because you have the opportunity to dictate your own experience in a lot of ways,” he explains. “You don’t get to control a lot of things in life, but you can control your consciousness in a few interesting ways.” That spirit of pushing himself and the band’s audience out of their collective comfort zone is a theme of Another Miracle, an album that will undoubtedly have a unique meaning to each listener.
“I feel like on our last three albums we’ve really dove into layering tons of production and other instrumental elements into the background of our music,” Ashby says about the sonic textures of these songs that unfold themselves more deeply on each subsequent listen. “On the last two records people have said we sound a little more experimental, but to me that just means there were more elements of parts that weren’t just a guitar riff or a singing part,” he continues. Another Miracle undeniably features Of Mice & Men’s signature sound that fans have come to love, but if you are willing to take the time to really listen, there’s a level of depth lurking beneath the surface that keeps these songs from ever sounding stagnant or dated.
In addition to having two gold-selling singles, Of Mice & Men have racked up countless accolades throughout their career: Having their 2014 album Restoring Force chart at number one on the Billboard independent chart and being certified Gold, touring alongside Linkin Park or taking home the Best International Newcomer Award at the Kerrang! Awards. While these accolades are nice, the band are most proud of the fact that their current lineup, which has been together since 2016, has been able to forge a relationship that allows them to keep creating powerful music. “I think we’re more locked in than ever,” Pauley says. “There’s less friction than ever before and I think that friction is what keeps people inside of a box because it gives it its shape,” he continues. “When you get rid of that, you open it up to allow for a bunch of different ideas that you may not have come up with if the group dynamic wasn’t the same.”
That expansive sense of opportunity informs every second of Another Miracle – and while the album won’t delude listeners into thinking they’ll never face adversity, it illustrates that we have more in common than we do separating us from each other. “A lot of the time, we feel that the uniqueness of our circumstance prevents us from connecting with others: ‘How could anyone possibly know what it’s like to go through what I’m going through?’” Pauley says. “That being said, everyone, and I mean everyone, knows what it’s like to wish for a miracle during a time when everything seems hopeless. It seems to be one of those core human experiences that ties us all together,” he adds. “That’s exactly what Another Miracle is about and we hope you enjoy it.”
Of Mice & Men Tour Dates
11/16 – Warped Tour 2025 – Orlando, FL 11/27 – Docks – Hamburg, DE 11/28 – Hole 44 – Berlin, DE 11/29 – Anker – Leipzig, DE 11/30 – Meet Factory – Prague, CZ 12/02 – Progresja – Warsaw, PL 12/04 – Backstage – Munich, DE 12/05 – Essigfabrik – Cologne, DE 12/06 – Kulturfabrik Kofmehl – Solothurn, CH 12/08 – Bataclan – Paris, FR 12/09 – 013 – Tilburg, NL 12/11 – Electric Ballroom – London, UK 12/12 – Academy 2 – Manchester, UK 12/13 – Bristol Electric – Bristol, UK 12/14 – The Garage – Glasgow, UK 1/24 – Riverfront Revolt, WI, USA 5/2 – Hammersonic, Jakarta 5/5 – Magnet House – Perth, AUS 5/7 – Lion Arts Factory – Adalaide, AUS 5/8 – 170 Russell – Melbourne, AUS 5/9 – Manning Bar – Sydney, AUS 5/10 – The Triffid – Brisbane, AUS 7/24 – Hills of Rock, Bulgaria 7/27 – Rockstadt Extreme Fest, Romania 8/6 – Leyendas del Rock, Spain 8/8 – Bloodstock Open Air, England 8/9- Alcatraz Festival, Belgium
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