In a union as unexpected as a teapot on a Marshall stack, classic rock royalty and Sunset Strip legends have come together for a high-seas sonic adventure.
Just try and get your head around this. On four strings, Bob Daisley—the thunderous bassist behind Ozzy Osbourne’s Blizzard of Ozz. On six strings, Mick Box, the eternal guitar maestro of Uriah Heep. At front and back, vocalist Marq Torien and drummer Fred Achingof the glam-leaning, groove-heavy BulletBoys. And powerless to resist their hard rock temptations, the Doobie Brothers’ anthem “Takin’ It to the Streets,” stripped naked and then reimagined in full yacht metal regalia.
The title track to the Doobies’ sixth album in 1976, “Takin’ It To The Streets” was both composed and sung by the band’s newly-acquired frontman Michael McDonald, and swiftly became one of their biggest hits yet, a number 13 Billboard smash. Years later, that same magazine elected it the Doobie Brothers’ third greatest song, and of course, it’s been a yacht rock staple since before there was even a yacht to rock it on.
Well, now it’s on course to become a metal staple too, as the BulletBoys– no strangers to turning up the heat on classic tunes – bring their characteristic Sunset Strip swagger and vocal bravado to the mix, crafting a version that glides as smoothly as a speedboat in Monaco but hits like a bottle of Jack at soundcheck. And with Daisley and Box on the deck alongside them, you know that soundcheck is gonna be loud.
Produced in Los Angeles with a mix of analogue warmth and digital bite, this yacht metal version of “Takin’ It to the Streets” is more than a cover—it’s a seafaring reinvention, custom-built for late-night drives, dive-bar jukeboxes, and yes, possibly the top deck of a very dubious cruise liner.
The track drops today on all streaming platforms, while Yacht Metal itself – a limited-edition vinyl compilation positively overflowing with like-minded reinventions – is sailing closer every day.
So polish your deck shoes, crank up the stereo, and prepare to set sail on the smoothest, loudest voyage you didn’t know you needed.
Belgian post-doom quartet Hemelbestormer have just revealed a new single titled ‘Tinia’ from their upcoming album The Radiant Veil. The new full length will be out on 25th July through Pelagic Records.
Drummer Frederik Cosemans describes The Radiant Veil as “a journey through our solar system as perceived by the Etruscan civilization. Each track bears the name of a planet in the old Etruscan language, starting with the Sun (Usil) and ending with Saturn (Satre).”
For fans of: ISIS, Neurosis, The Ruins of Beverast, Year of No Light
Hemelbestormer has been a commanding entity in the heavy music scene for over ten years, with their idiosyncratic take on the merger of post-rock, doomgaze, and black metal. Made up of veterans from the Belgian hardcore and metal community, the four-piece from Hasselt create intricate sonic journeys through space and time built over punishing riffs and spine-chilling climaxes. With their fourth full-length album, The Radiant Veil, Hemelbestormer take their songwriting and production to new heights, honouring their name as trailblazers on the intersection of dark and light, the crushingly heavy and the hauntingly beautiful.
Having appeared at many of Europe’s finest music festivals – from Roadburn festival to Dunk! festival to Graspop Metal Meeting – Hemelbestormer feel right at home on stages with a wide variety of heavy and experimental acts. The road combining ethereal post-rock with seething black metal has been travelled by many groups, but with Hemelbestormer, that winding path has taken a different turn. Facing away from shoegaze or indie rock influences, the band finds a more sophisticated way of incorporating unsettling melodies, blast beats, and lo-fi synthesizers to emulate the dark void of space and eerie cold light of stars.
Powered by HM-2 pedals and a Lovecraft-ian use of retro synths, The Radiant Veil is driven by an old-school mentality that appears both learned and sincere. Produced by main songwriter Filip Dupont alongside drummer Frederik Cosemans, the eerie space noises coalesce like a celestial respiration between the bouts of metallic riffing and tremolo-picked riffs.
Album opener ‘Usil’ is a compositional masterpiece from start to finish, combining seismic riffing with ice-cold guitar leads, as if Russian Circles had been formed in a small Norwegian fishing village in the early 90s. Meticulously building up to a double kick-driven finale, the band carefully lays the groundwork for the following hour of transformative music.
Hemelbestormer is a sight to behold on stage, and with The Radiant Veil, they penetrate deeper than ever into the farthest reaches of their sonic space ethos. Once more, the Belgians capture the cavernous expanse between the cold lights of the universe, but also our power as humans to explore it, proving their mastery as storytellers in sight and sound.
Tracklisting:
Side A 1. Usil 2. Turms (feat. Philip Jamieson of Caspian) 3. Turan 4. Tiur 5. Cel 6. Laran 7. Tinia 8. Satre
Line-up: Filip Dupont – Guitars, Keys, Vocals Koen Swerts – Bass Jo Driesmans – Guitars Frederik Cosemans – Drums
The fast-rising rootsy British troubadour Connor Selby presents his new album, The Truth Comes Out Eventually, using it as an emotional release valve. It will be released on 29 August via Provogue. To celebrate he has revealed the video for the title track, you can watch it HERE.
Authentic, roots-based voices have penetrated the mainstream in recent years, from the soulful yearns of early Leon Bridges, the groove of Gary Clark Jr., the booming voice of Jacob Banks, the raw and haunting delivery of Ray LaMontagne or the earthy tones of Rag ‘n Bone Man – those voices cut through, and they stand out, they make you take notice because they don’t sound like everyone else.
Selby’s voice echoes these trailblazers, enveloping his music with an emotional integrity. He delves deep into his soul, all the way down into his core and the feeling of belonging. “The songs are about my feelings of being in the world and not really feeling like I belong,” he explains.
Life can often throw you around, leaving you mentally and emotionally battered and bruised, and not all of us know how we deal with these situations. Selby, like many others, has found it difficult to verbalise these feelings and emotions, so this is his way of expressing himself – his emotional communication. “I honestly don’t know why I find songwriting the only way to get these emotions out. It’s just the way it is. Music is the way I’ve always been able to express myself,” he reflects.
The young multi-award-winning musician has collaborated with Mark Knofler; he has supported The Who at Wembley Stadium and shared the stage at London’s Hyde Park Festival alongside the likes of Pearl Jam and Stereophonics. He has toured with powerhouse singer Beth Hart, including a performance at the iconic London Palladium. His glittering tour CV has included shows with Robert Cray, Joanne Shaw Taylor, Kenny Wayne Shepherd, Betty LaVette, and P.P. Arnold.
Unfazed by the big stages, it’s something that he just takes into his unhurried stride, “A stage is a stage. I just shut my eyes when I’m playing, and it’s like you’re just playing another gig. That’s kind of how I wrap my head around.”
When he talks about where his place is in this world and where he belongs, this is where he belongs – evoking a calm and assured confidence with his emotive storytelling dancing along his fretboard as he’s lost in his thoughts.
When you wear your heart on your sleeve and can only live by openness and honesty, you’ll likely get burnt in relationships and life. Sometimes, he feels like an outsider, looking in on the world. “I’ve always felt that feeling of not necessarily being able to live up to people’s expectations,” he opens up. This has become a hurdle that he has had to overcome throughout his life.
This is reflected in the title track. “This song is about the feeling of not knowing or not being able to be the person that others expect of you and the despair and confusion this brings trying to navigate a world where you feel like you’re playing to a different set of rules as everyone else,” he reveals.
Selby almost stands alone in the world of contemporary music, outside the parameters of the genres he touches upon – no one is making the king of music he is; no one really sounds like he does. This all plays into his sense of identity and belonging.
We can all only be who we are. Once you’re happy with yourself, you can be happy with life. But you need to find yourself first. “You can try and fake it, but the truth will come out eventually,” he reflects. “So you might as well make peace with it. That’s the story of the song. I’m particularly proud of this one, and it’s one of my most personal songs.”
The heart-fluttering groove of the album opener and his first single,Someone, sees Selby in full bandleader mode. You’re drawn in when he sings, “When there’s someone you can speak your mind without a care when there is someone that really cares about you.”
This, alongside I Am Who I Am, represents the mental battles that he often feels engaged in. He really spreads his wings on the goosebump-inducing beauty of the folky ballads Amelia and Songbird. “Mental health is a big part of the album’s songwriting,” he continues. “Either my mental health or someone else’s.”
These experiences cannot help but permeate his music, some written over the last twelve months and some old songs given a reinvigorating lease of life. With every release, we’re learning a little more of Selby. On The Truth Comes Out Eventually, he truly explores all facets of his musicality—Is he a ballroom big band leader? Is he a smouldering guitar hero? Or is he a delicate, folky troubadour? In truth, he is all of these things and more.
Track Listing 1. Someone 2. All Out of Luck 3. The Truth Comes Out Eventually 4. (I Am) Who I Am 5. I Won’t Be Hard To Find 6. I’ll Never Learn 7. Amelia 8. It Hurts To be In Love 9. What Else Is There To Say 10. Songbird
2025 Connor Selby Shows – Tickets are available fromHERE.
11 Jul – Burton Agnes Jazz and Blues Festival 20 Jul – Westival, Aldershot 27 Jul – Brezoi Open Air Festival, Romania 30 Jul – New Haven Club, Oxford 01 Aug – Northern Kin Festival 02 Aug – Cousley Woodstock, Tunbridge Wells 20 Aug – Hangar Farm, Southhampton 21 Aug – Eel Pie Club, Twickenem 29 Aug – Blues in Hell, Norway 12 Sep – The Old Riverport Blues, St Ives, Cambridgeshire 17 Sep – The Witham, Barnard Castle 18 Sep – Kings Place 2, London 19 Sep – John Peel Centre, Stowmarket 21 Sep – The Forum, Tunbridge Wells 24 Sep – Voodoo Rooms, Edinburgh 25 Sep – Hallé St Peter’s, Manchester 26 Sep – Metronome, Nottingham 27 Sep – Beacon Hall, Bristol 28 Sep – Guildhall, Axminster
Swedish vocalist Robin Red (Degreed) is pleased share his new single and official visualizer, “Don’t Leave Me (Summer Version)”, out now via Frontiers Music Srl.
The track is a special version of the first Robin Red single, “Don’t Leave Me (With A Broken Heart)”, originally released in 2021.
“Get ready to hear a completely different side of me. This is a lot of fun and perfect for your summer vacation”, Robin commented.
Robin Red is Swedish singer Robin Eriksson’s alter ego. Robin is known for being one of the founding members of melodic hard rockers Degreed. Since then, he has toured all over Europe in support of seven well received studio albums from the band. Additionally, Robin also participated in the Swedish version of American Idol in 2008, finishing in the Top 10.
In 2021, Robin released his first solo album under the name Robin Red. He teamed up with Dave Dalone (H.E.A.T), as producer, guitarist and co-songwriter, to record the album.
“It’s always been a dream for me to be able to do this. Releasing my own album with the style of music that I love the most. Singing for the pure love of it. This is a dream come true for sure”, said Robin.
Now, in 2025, Robin is doing his first live show ever under the name Robin Red. Together with the boys from Wildness, he will perform at Kopparbergs Festivalen in his hometown, Kopparberg, Sweden, on August 8th. Robin’s son Lennon will also join in for a couple of songs.
To celebrate the first show ever, Robin’s releasing three unreleased songs this summer. Following the release of “Don’t Leave Me (Summer Version)”, fans can expect two more songs to drop in the upcoming months.
Line Up: Robin Red – Lead vocals, backing vocals & bass. Dave Dalone – Guitars, synthesizers, backing vocals and percussion. Mats Eriksson – Drums Erik Modin – Percussion Joan Eriksson – Grand Piano, background vocals Jona Tee – Organ Petra Eriksson – Background vocals
While defeating Cthulhu in ‘Necronomicon,’GRAILKNIGHTS have collected all armoury to unleash their empowering new opus titled “Forever,” their first full-length release through PERCEPTION – A Division of Reigning Phoenix Music. Crafted at Sascha Paeth’s Pathway Studios, their sidekick Sebastian Khayat delivered maximally heroic cover artwork for the album, which fans can finally hold their hands on at the beginning of the quintet’s forthcoming “Battle Of Metal” co-headline tour with ALL FOR METAL.
After kicking off the mentioned adventure in Hanover aka Grailham City, the complete Battlechoir shall storm their local stores of confidence from Friday, October 17, 2025 in order to save all “Forever” copies before Dr. Skull claims the victory and commissions their ultimate destruction. The twelve new hymns featured in the seventh chapter of GRAILKNIGHTS’ glorious history (incl. ‘Necronomicon’ and a bold ‘Super Trouper’ cover version) will of course also appear at the digital listening camps of your choice. Put it on endless loop once released that the world can be sure that the group’s smelly arch enemy goes straight to the afterlife on his own. Are you ready for GRAILKNIGHTS’ seventh adventure? – “Yes Sire!”
To make sure that their cape-wearing followers will be able to manage the needed sprints to the record shops of the universe, GRAILKNIGHTS lead them down into their legendary catacombs where their ‘Grail Gym’ is located. It’s the strengthening site where the enormously musical superhero five-piece backs down regularly to recharge their batteries for new challenges. Who wouldn’t easily turn up the heat at a place like that? Here you have the choice of drill: intergalactic spinning, tough battle ropes and power chains or the supreme discipline – bench press! Additional motivation for Sir Optimus Prime, Sovereign Storm, Count Cranium, Duncan MacLoud and Lord Drumcules is provided by four not minorly energising ladies (Anni Quinn, Fuxi, Lady Kikki and Sarah Sparklz) who compete with the GRAILKNIGHTS especially on their bikes. What a sight! But as usual, a well-known guest is just about to make an unpleasant appearance…
“Every inch of skin is aching, iron muscles in the making: our new single is here to turn your sweat into steel. Heavy riffs. Hard reps. Heroic gains. Stream it now and enter the ‘Grail Gym’,” state the power metal heroes.
Video produced by Robert Gruss (Pixobert – Visual Media)
20 – 25.09.2025 DE Kiel – Full Metal Cruise XII (Part I) SOLD OUT 25 – 30.09.2025 DE Kiel – Full Metal Cruise XII (Part II) SOLD OUT
“Battle Of Metal” Co-Headline Tour 2025 GRAILKNIGHTS & ALL FOR METAL w/ special guests Presented by Rock It!, musix, metal.de, Tasmanian Devil Agency, RPM & PERCEPTION
16.10.2025 DE Hanover – MusikZentrum 17.10.2025 DE Leipzig – Hellraiser 18.10.2025 DE Berlin – Lido 19.10.2025 DE Hamburg – Markthalle 21.10.2025 DE Aschaffenburg – Colos-Saal 22.10.2025 CH Pratteln – Konzertfabrik Z7 23.10.2025 DE Bochum – Matrix 24.10.2025 DE Munich – Backstage (Werk) 25.10.2025 DE Schirnding – Gemeindehalle 26.10.2025 CZ Zlín – Masters of Rock Café 27.10.2025 HU Budapest – Analog Music Hall 29.10.2025 AT Vienna – Viper Room 30.10.2025 DE Stuttgart – Im Wizemann (Club) 31.10.2025 DE Cologne – Club Volta 02.11.2025 FR Paris – Nouveau Casino 03.11.2025 ES Bilbao – Sala Groove 04.11.2025 ES Madrid – Revi Live 05.11.2025 ES Salamanca – Sala B Caem 06.11.2025 FR Lyon – Rock n’ Eat 07.11.2025 BE Kortrijk – DVG Club 08.11.2025 DE Löffingen – Rocknacht
If it’s on their 2004 debut album “Across The Galaxy,” its follow-ups “Return To Castle Grailskull” and “Alliance” or their tales of the past 15 years (“Calling The Choir,”“Knightfall” & “Muscle Bound For Glory”), GRAILKNIGHTS’ goal has remained the same – the Holy Grail must be returned to Grailham City! Their mission also led their flight path to stages around the globe, which they boldly dominated as headlining act and shared with acts such as SABATON, FEUERSCHWANZ, BROTHERS OF METAL and TWILIGHT FORCE among others, always supported by their brave fan base aka the Battlechoir.
During the years, some of these equally brave musicians have also lent their additional vocal support to the Hanover, Germany based squad: Tracks like ‘Turbo Boost [feat. FEUERSCHWANZ]’ but especially ‘Pumping Iron Power,’ which was graced by SABATON’s Joakim Brodén, crafted additional intergalactic bondings between the band and metalheads worldwide, and saw GRAILKNIGHTS’ success numbers go through the roof with ‘Pumping Iron Power’ recently hitting 15 million Spotify streams only.
Highly experienced in both studio and live battles, the superheroic metal group have faced and overcome several evil powers over time, and now they are set to oppose Dr. Skull in full length once again with their 7th adventure, followed by yet another journey across Europe. Joining forces with label family members ALL FOR METAL in autumn 2025, the “Battle Of Metal” can actually only end in another victory against all evil.
GRAILKNIGHTS are: Sir Optimus Prime | vocals Sovereign Storm | guitars, vocals Count Cranium | guitars, vocals Duncan MacLoud | bass, vocals Lord Drumcules | drums
Iconic Berlin label Pelagic Records has unveiled the aftermovie for Pelagic Fest 2024, with bands and fans who attended last year’s edition reminding us of the amazing vibes and stunning performances by the likes of A Swarm of The Sun, Year Of No Light, Karin Park, Glassing, The Ocean and many more. It also serves as a great preview for what to expect at this year’s edition on 23rd and 24th August at Muziekgieterij in Maastricht, The Netherlands.
Day tickets are now avilable, purchase day and weekend tickets here: www.PELAGIC-RECORDS.com
Pelagic Fest 2025 has also announced the addition of Sierra Veins, (formerly known as SIERRA) to the lineup. Merging violence with melancholy and gentleness with brutality, Sierra Veins blends contrasting moods and styles to create a singular, overpowering universe inspired by synthwave, EBM and darkwave. After the success of her first singles ‘Gone’ and ‘Unbroken’ getting millions of streams in no time, the French artist released her first album A Story of Anger in 2023 including collaborations with Carpenter Brut, Health, Gunship and The Ocean.
Headlined by blackened progressive metal virtuoso Ihsahn, Pelagic Fest 2025 will feature a standout lineup showcasing unique sounds and experiences. Also headlining are post-rock pioneers This Will Destroy You, known for their evocative soundscapes and God Is an Astronaut, whose cinematic instrumental rock has earned them global acclaim. This two-day event promises to traverse the full spectrum of Pelagic‘s musical universe, where innovation, depth and emotion converge in a truly transformative experience.
Full line up:
Ihsahn This Will Destroy You God Is An Astronaut Bruit ≤ (two sets: The Age Of Ephemerality in full; The Machine Is Burning-centred set with Monolith EP) Psychonaut Hypno5e Gösta Berlings Saga You, Infinite (performing ‘S/T’ in full) Pothamus LO! A Burial At Sea Telepathy Bear Barrens Hemelbestormer TÖRZS The Gorge Astrosaur Blessings Johan G. Winther The Hills Mover Sierra Veins
The lineup’s diversity spans from the engaging post-metal of Belgium’s Psychonaut to the tranquil, instrumental sounds of Hungarian ensemble TÖRZS. Sydney’s LO! will deliver their powerful, intense energy, while Hypno5e combines metal with atmospheric soundscapes. Swedish group Gösta Berlings Saga introduces a dark, krautrock influence. Each act offers a unique voice, collectively weaving a tapestry of emotions, innovation, and musical exploration.
The festival will also feature several exclusive full album sets. French instrumental rock pioneers Bruit ≤ will perform two sets: Sunday’s set will focus on their trailblazingdebut album The Machine Is Burning… alongside material from theirMonolith EP. Saturday’s performance will showcase upcoming album The Age Of Ephemerality, in full, live for the first time ever.
Additionally, the enigmatic You, Infinite will debut their new self-titled album in an exclusive live performance, offering a rare experience of their latest evolution whilst This Will Destroy You will serve some older classics. These performances promise to be both a celebration and a deep dive into the creative depths of these bands.
As a special Artist Focus event, Swedish artist John G. Winther will be sharing the full spectrum of his creative vision at Pelagic Fest. Beyond his performances with his bands Barrens and Blessings, Winther will present a one-of-a-kind solo set centred around his 2021 album The Rupturing Sowle. As a testament to his multifaceted artistry, the festival will also feature an exhibition of his visual artwork, displayed in the venue’s foyer, blending his music and visual art into an experience that invites reflection.
Robin Staps, Head of Pelagic Records, comments, “Pelagic Fest 2025 will continue right where last year’s anniversary edition left off: it’s promising to be a killer weekend loaded to the brim with exceptional music from exceptional artists. I’m happy that we managed to avoid repetitions — NO band on this bill played last year already — whilst still remaining (almost) entirely within the Pelagic roster. Yes, that does include Ihsahn, who delivered a stunning reinterpretation of Lustmord’s Dark Awakening as part of our pandemic Lustmord tribute album, The Others… and God Is An Astronaut’s All Is Violent, All Is Bright was the 3rd album we ever released. “
More information on Pelagic Records:
Founded in 2009 by post-metal spearheads The Ocean and their Berlin collective, Pelagic Records has grown into one of the most influential labels in the realms of post-rock, post-metal, and progressive/left-field heavy music. Over the years, Pelagic has worked with an impressive roster of artists, including MONO, Årabrot, Sugar Horse, Year of No Light, and Bruit ≤, among many others. Celebrating it’s 15th anniversary last year, Pelagic Records is focused on further solidifying its legacy by establishing Pelagic Fest as an annual event, an occasion that removes barriers and brings together artists and fans for a captivating celebration of the music that defines the label’s diverse and forward-thinking sound.
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 ) 