Steve Hackett proudly presents ‘The Lamb Stands Up Live At The Royal Albert Hall’, a stunning audio/visual document of his show at the iconic London venue in October 2024, set for release on July 11th 2025. Watch the band performing ‘The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway’ below.
Steve and his live band celebrate the 50th anniversary of the legendary Genesis concept album ‘The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway’, with a selection of his favourite tracks from that album including ‘Fly On A Windshield’ & ‘Lilywhite Lilith’. The live set also includes other Genesis & solo classics, including music from his most recent acclaimed album ‘The Circus And The Nightwhale’. This special evening saw the band joined by guests including Ray Wilson, Steve Rothery, Amanda Lehmann & John Hackett.
Steve comments: “I was so happy to revisit the Lamb on tour. The Royal Albert Hall evening was particularly memorable. It is my favourite London venue and the atmosphere there that night was absolutely electric… I was really pleased that everyone in the band and the performing guests pulled it off with flying colours!”
Expertly mixed by Grammy-award winning engineer Chris Lord-Alge, and mastered by Ted Jensen at Sterling Sound, the night was filmed by longtime collaborator Paul M Green, and is presented as Special Edition 2CD+Blu-ray Digipak which includes 5.1 Surround Sound & bonus interview content. The vinyl arrives as a deluxe 4LP 180g boxset, including 12-page LP-size booklet featuring photos from the evening.
Steve Hackett & band are currently continuing their Genesis Greats, Lamb Highlight & Solo tour around Europe, before taking it to Japan in July, Italy in September & North America in October & November. For a full list of dates, head to: https://www.hackettsongs.com/tour.html
Earlier this year, Steve Hackett release ‘Live Magic At Trading Boundaries’, featuring live recordings from his annual acoustic shows at Trading Boundaries in the UK. Listen now here: https://stevehackett.lnk.to/LiveMagicAtTradingBoundaries
Danish hard rock/metal powerhouse STATEMENT celebrate the release of their fifth studio album “Sinister Thing”, out today via Mighty Music. Marking a bold new chapter for the band, “Sinister Thing” takes listeners on a darker, heavier ride, while staying true to the band’s unmistakable melodic roots.
This release sees the Danes evolving like never before. Determined to raise the stakes, the band dove deep into their own history, not to repeat, but to challenge themselves artistically. The result? A record that amplifies their core identity with newfound intensity, pushing their sound into more aggressive territory without sacrificing melody.
Crafted through one of the band’s most immersive creative journeys to date, “Sinister Thing” was born from reflection and reinvention. Statement locked themselves away for a dedicated songwriting retreat, resulting in standout tracks like “The Hive,” “Raised in Hell,” “The Right Kind of Love,” and “My Last Goodbye.” The album’s sonic evolution -shifting from drop D to drop C tuning – delivers a deeper, weightier soundscape, reflecting the band’s sharpened artistic vision.
“Sinister Thing” is out now on on LP (black vinyl limited to 200 copies and transparent red vinyl limited to 100 copies), CD and digital, via Mighty Music. It can be ordered via this link.
Lyrically, the album cuts close to home, channeling personal experiences and stories from their inner circle. Every song was meticulously reworked, ensuring each riff and lyric hits with maximum impact – an effort that pushed the band to make some of their toughest creative choices yet.
Teaming up once again with acclaimed producer Tue Madsen (Antfarm Studio), who helmed their first two albums, Statement has crafted a record that captures the full force of their heavier direction. Madsen’s precision production elevates “Sinister Thing” into an album that’s both a nod to the band’s roots and a powerful step forward.
With “Sinister Thing”, the quintet reaffirm their place in the hard rock and metal scene, offering fans a record that is as fierce as it is melodic. Available now on LP and CD formats and on all major platforms, the album promises to resonate with both longtime followers and new listeners alike.
“Sinister Thing” is out now – dive in and experience Statement at their heaviest and most ambitious yet.
Lineup: Jannick Brochdorf – vocals Niels Alex Larsen – lead guitars, backing vocals Lars Ulrik Le Fevre – guitars, backing vocals Martin Poulsen – bass Daniel Nielsen – drums
Emerging from New York’s vile, creature-infested underground, fantasy heavy metal band CASTLE RAT have announced details of their impending sophomore album, The Bestiary. Their follow-up to last year’s critically lauded debut, Into The Realm, The Bestiary will be collaboratively released on September 19th by King Volume Records (US) and Blues Funeral Recordings (UK/Europe).
Since their formation in 2019, CASTLE RAT have created a vivid labyrinth of fantasy lore led by “The Rat Queen” (AKA Riley Pinkerton). Together with “The Count,” “The Plague Doctor” and “The All-Seeing Druid,” the group has carried out countless battles against “The Rat Reaperess” with riffs, swords and spells on stages across the country.
Recorded by Randall Dunn (Sunn O))), Wolves in the Throne Room, Björk) and mixed by Jonathan Nuñez (Torche, Restless Spirit), the band’s latest odyssey features 13 spellbinding tracks of epic carnage and mystical metal.
The Bestiery Tracklist:
1. PHOENIX I: Ardent 2. WOLF I: Tooth & Blade 3. WIZARD: Crystal Heart 4. SIREN: The Pull of Promise 5. UNICORN: Carnage and Ice 6. PATH OF MOSS 7. CRYSTAL CAVE: Enshrined 8. SERPENT: Coiled Figure 9. WOLF II: Celestial Beast 10. DRAGON: Lord of The Sky 11. SUMMONING SPELL 12. SUN SONG: Behold The Flame 13. PHOENIX II: Cinerous
Commenting on the album, The Rat Queen states:
“‘The Bestiary’ is a conceptual book of beasts containing a collection of mystical creatures from a world forgotten. The last remaining souls of each have been gathered and preserved by ‘The Wizard.’ Cautionary tales of each beast and The Wizard himself are woven through the power of traditional heavy metal song and spell.”
With the record’s announcement, CASTLE RAT have unveiled plans for “The Book of Beasts Tour” in late summer in support of The Bestiary. Purchase tickets here: https://bnds.us/jnqiyj
CASTLE RAT Tour Dates: Sep 5 – Boston, MA – Sonia Sep 6 – Elizabethtown, NY – Otis Sep 7 – Montreal, QC – Piranha Bar Sep 8 – Toronto, ON – Lee’s Palace Sep 9 – Columbus, OH – Ace of Cups Sep 10 – Chicago, IL – Reggies Sep 12 – Kansas City, MO – The Ship Sep 13 – Colorado Springs, CO – What’s Left Fest Sep 14 – Salt Lake City, UT – Urban Lounge Sep 16 – Seattle, WA – Clockout Lounge Sep 17 – Portland, OR – Star Theater Sep 18 – Austin, TX – Fantastic Fest Sep 20 – Berkeley, CA – Cornerstone Sep 21 – Los Angeles, CA – Zebulon Sep 22 – San Diego, CA – The Casbah Sep 23 – Phoenix, AZ – Last Exit Sep 24 – Albuquerque, NM – Sister Sep 27 – Houston, TX – Last Concert Sep 28 – New Orleans, LA – Gasa Gasa Sep 30 – Atlanta, GA – The Earl Oct 1 – Asheville, NC – Eulogy Oct 2 – Raleigh, NC – Chapel of Bones Oct 3 – Charlottesville, VA – Southern Cafe Oct 4 – Baltimore, MD – Ottobar Oct 5 – Brooklyn, NY – Music Hall of Williamsburg
About CASTLE RAT:
Castle Rat is a Medieval Fantasy Doom Metal band hailing from NYC, led by “The Rat Queen,” Riley Pinkerton, on rhythm guitar and lead vocals. On her mission to expand and defend “The Realm” from those who seek to destroy it, The Rat Queen is joined by “The Count” (Franco Vittore), on lead guitar and backing vocals; “The Plague Doctor” (Charley Ruddell), on bass; and “The All-Seeing Druid” (Joshua Strmic) on drums. Together they face the relentless wrath of their archnemesis: Death, Herself — “The Rat Reaperess.”
Along their journey, Castle Rat have played in support of Monolord (SE), Acid King (CA), Green Lung (UK), and appeared at festivals included Desertfest NYC, RPM Fest and Hopsmoker, among others.
Since the band’s pre-plague inception in October 2019, Castle Rat have released their debut album, “Into The Realm,” with King Volume Records in April 2024, which has racked up over one million Spotify streams and held the post as the #1 Best-Selling Hard Rock/All Rock Album on Bandcamp upon its release.
The band has cultivated a fiercely loyal following by curating a riveting, interactive, lore-laden live performance, complete with a choreographed battle scene, recruiting fans who crave swords & sorcery; stoner & doom; battle-babes & beasts; Frazetta & Sabbath.
2025 began with an explosive start. Castle Rat launched a record-breaking Kickstarter to fund their second album, fully funding the campaign in just 37 minutes. The month-long fundraiser went on to be the most successful metal Kickstarter in over a decade, closing out at $139K. Just days after the campaign, the band entered the studio to record their second album with producer Randall Dunn (Sunn O))), Wolves in the Throne Room, Björk). Following two sold out tours in late 2024, the band undertook a headlining US tour in March 2025, with a six week stint in Europe featuring numerous festival appearances—including Desertfest, Hellfest, and Copenhell—and performances supporting Conan set to kick off in May 2025.
Castle Rat’s second full length album arrives in September 2025. The album launch will be followed by a two-month long tour across the US and Europe.
Due to popular demand, critically acclaimed psychedelic Montreal four-piece rock and roll band the Damn Truth have added a new date to their November 2025 UK tour. The band will now play Mac Arts in Galashiels, Scotland on Sunday November 16th.
Their concert at Oran Mor in Glasgow has been moved to Monday November 17th (the show was previously on Sunday November 16th).
“We’re very excited to return to the UK for another tour,” says lead singer and guitarist, Lee-la Baum. “We always enjoy performing shows in England. The enthusiasm of UK audiences is incredible.”
In 2021, the band released their critically acclaimed breakout album Now or Nowhere. Produced by legendary Grammy Award winning Bob Rock (Motley Crue, The Offspring, Bon Jovi). On March 14, 2025, the band released their new self-titled album, The Damn Truth (also produced by Bob Rock) which features their current single “All Night Long.”
Rock News calls the new single “A full-throttle rock and roll banger. Imagine The Cult, Led Zeppelin, and The Damn Truth all colliding on a sweaty, beer-drenched stage.” There is no deep philosophy here; this is a hell yeah rabble-rousing party song that may (or may not) be based on real life situations the band has experienced on tour.
The band consisting of Lee-la Baum (vocals, guitar), Tom Shemer (guitar), PY Letellier (bass) and Dave Traina (drums) have toured the UK multiple times and performed at summer festivals including Steelhouse, Winterstorm and Planet Rockstock.
After extensively touring the UK and Europe for the last four years, The Damn Truth return with their self-titled fourth album, The Damn Truth, and, once again, produced by the legendary Bob Rock. The new self-titled album is the culmination of 12 years of hard work and constant touring. The Damn Truth are a perpetual and virtually unstoppable rock and roll machine.
Fuelled by two Top 40 singles on the Canadian Active Rock Charts (“Love Outta Luck,” “I Just Gotta Let You Know”), the new album marks the next level in their relationship with Bob Rock. He has pushed the band in all areas of playing, writing, and refining the Damn Truth signature sound, most evident in the revelatory power of Lee-la Baum’s vocals as evidenced on the mystic, almost Zeppelin-vibed “The Willow;” the full on bittersweet romance of “Better This Way;” the social conscience of “The Dying Dove;” the cautionary “If Don’t Make It Home;” and the hell yeah rabble rousing “All Night Long.”
The Damn Truth have added some extra lanes on their rock’n’roll highway as they explore new musical scenery, but the destination remains the same: organic loud rock experienced best in a crowded concert hall dripping in sweat.
The Damn Truth are regular staples on the UK’s biggest classic rock radio station Planet Rock. They first came to prominence on Planet Rock with the title track single from their 2021 album This Is Who We Are Now” which was also played on BBC Radio 2’s Rock Show. Recently, the band have experienced airplay on Planet Rock with tracks from their latest album with the singles “I Just Gotta Let You Know,” “Love Outta Luck,” and “Better This Way.”
The band have won Tracks of the Week on Classic Rock Magazine’s Louder Sound several times. This month, Classic Rock has published a feature entitled “Six Questions with The Damn Truth.”
The Damn Truth have been championed by the British music press with extensive magazine coverage in Classic Rock, Rolling Stone, Guitarist, Blues Matters, Powerplay, Fireworks, Blues in Britain, HRH, and R’N’R Magazine.
“The Damn Truth are a fresh revivalism of the psyche music scene from the mid 60’s,” says Rock Bands of LA’s editor Jeff Laufer.
“Critics and fans alike praise the Damn Truth’s regeneration of the hard rock sound and values,” continues Laufer. “Bob Rock found a spirit within the band that he hadn’t experienced for many years. He saw something special… an artist with burning talent that needed the right direction to break wide open…like lightning in a bottle.”
The Damn Truth have extensively toured Europe and North America and opened tours for Z.Z. Top (and partied with Billy Gibbons in his pyjamas), The Sheepdogs, Glenn Hughes, Styx, and Rival Sons. In 2021, they were special guests on Joe Bonamassa’s Keeping the Blues Alive Stream-A-Thon. They have just returned from performing on the 2025 Legends Of Rock Cruise with Alice Cooper, Styx, and others; and where the band participated in the end of cruise jam with members of Blackberry Smoke, Jason Bonham’s band, and other rock royalty.
THE DAMN TRUTH NOVEMBER UK TOUR 2025 WITH SPECIAL GUESTS
Finnish Surunaamio, a solo band by At The Hollow’s frontman Kalle Koo, is set to release self-titled debut album on May 30th 2025 via Isosisko Records. The third single ‘Näkymätön voima’ is unleashed today and it’s available on all essential streaming services: https://push.fm/fl/surunaamio-nakymaton
Composed & lyrics by Kalle Koo
ISRC: FIQH12500003
Single cover by Tuomas Vuorensola
Tomi Koivusaari from Amorphis comments the single: “This is a big song. Strong and lovely melodic melancholy a’la Kalle Koo, the wise already know. The playing sounds big in its apparent minimalism, and damn what a drummer! Otherwise, the general atmosphere exudes the presence of the Kingston Wall spirit, which is always tasty. The song is beautiful and the lyrics are meaningful. I like it a lot!”
Matias Rokio from Sargassus, who played the drums on the album: ”Näkymätön voima is personally one of the most important songs on the album. In the song, almost eerily beautiful vocals are combined with the relentless beat of acoustic guitar and drums, which occasionally give way to surprising distortion sections. There are also few songs these days that are as acoustically sensitive as the blast beats familiar from extreme metal!”
-Composed & lyrics by Kalle Koo -Recorded, mixed & mastered by Janne Saksa -Album cover by Tuomas Vuorensola
Behind Surunaamio is a long-time musician and tattoo artist Kalle Koo. In the music scene, Kalle has become known as the frontman and songwriter of At The Hollow. His bright vocals combined with vibrant baritone guitar, double bass, glockenspiel and timpani created something rarely heard on record or on stage. While At the Hollow’s soundscape was serene and sensitive, tranquillity has transformed into rage, anger and power that comes from deep within. The album’s music combines the raw sensitivity and punk attitude of Apulanta’s Kiila with the heavy melodic nature of Dissection’s Reinkaos album. The drums hit hard, the riffs cut deep, and the vocals carry with strength. Despite the heavy surface, Surunaamio also carries a deep blue melancholy, not unlike Juha Tapio. The combination of Surunaamio doesn’t neatly fit into any single genre, but it contains influences from different directions and makes it something entirely its own. Light, shadows and every shade in between.
Newly signed French alternative metal band ODC are thrilled to unveil their new single “Love, I Tore It Apart”, out now via BLKIIBLK.
With its polished production, dynamic structure, and vulnerable lyrics, this new single places ODC firmly in the new wave of genre-bending metal acts.
Commenting on the track, the band stated: “The track blends heavy, syncopated guitar riffs with electronic textures and powerful, emotional vocals – a bold and cinematic take on modern metal. It dives deep into themes of toxic love, identity loss, and emotional struggle, capturing the chaos of a relationship that slowly destroys from the inside”.
ODC is the soundtrack of a hybrid generation. A sonic uppercut, balancing raw power and elegance. It’s also the voice of a generation searching for meaning – standing at the crossroads of styles, cultures, and influences.
Born in Paris in 2017, ODC is the result of two worlds coming together: the world of Celia Do, a vocalist with a striking identity, and that of a composer driven by the same fire – the desire to create an alternative metal project that breaks free from conventions: bold, modern, and uncompromising. From this spark, a true sonic and visual odyssey emerged.
ODC – named after Celia’s stage name acronym – became a totally creative space, where heavy riffs, catchy melodies, and contemporary electronic textures collide in a unique blend of raw energy and polished aesthetic. ODC is a bold blend of metal, modern rock and immersive electronic atmospheres.
Inspired by artists such as Devin Townsend, Breaking Benjamin, Linkin Park and BMTH, ODC doesn’t fit in any box. The band asserts its own voice — powerful, hybrid, sharp and emotional. Their songs are modern mantras, telling stories of freedom, downfall, and resilience. Music that hits hard — and hits deep. A constant dialogue between introspection and explosion.
The band is built around four distinct artistic personalities: Celia Do (lead singer, founder and producer, the rock frontwoman of the band), Sonny, a.k.a. MX MNK (a bassist with roots in hardcore and black metal, and a trash rapper with visceral energy). Then, Raphaël (an 8-string guitarist blending classic rock, hard rock, and atmospheric textures), and Hector (a drummer forged in the death metal scene, delivering explosive rhythmic power).
After a well-received debut EP in 2019 (“Ending The Boredom”), ODC carved their path through a series of powerful singles between 2020 and 2023, asserting their hybrid identity and ability to break genre boundaries. In 2024, the project took a major leap forward: writing their first full-length album, produced in Nashville by Kellen McGregor (Memphis May Fire).
Line Up: Celia Do – Vocals MX MNK – Bass Raphaël – Guitars Hector – Drums
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 ) 