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The heavy metal underground has spent more than a decade waiting in the shadows, nursing the embers of anticipation. Now, the silence is about to be shattered in the most apocalyptic fashion possible. American heavy metal heavyweights DOWN—a collective whose very name is synonymous with unapologetic, swamp-soaked sonic power—have officially announced the release of their long-awaited new studio album, Volume V, dropping on November 20th via the powerhouse imprint Nuclear Blas

NEW STUDIO ALBUM TUNGL OUT OCTOBER 16TH Faroese visionary artist Eivør has revealed a new song from her upcoming studio album, Tungl, due out on October 16th this year. The track 'Verjugarðar / Walls' is a triumph in dark cathartic soundscaping. Lyrically it inhabits the realms between lament and a devotional nurturing of hope. Eivør reflects on the track: "Verjugarðar / Walls is an epic and dark electronic rock ballad about two people who have lost what once bound them toget

SATURDAY REVIEW Despite having my travel plans derailed by widespread train cancellations from Manchester that slashed my trip down to just Saturday and Sunday, stepping back onto Whitebottom Farm for my favourite outdoor festival, Firevolt, filled my heart with pure joy as I returned to my home away from home. This moderately sized gem truly delivers everything you could possibly want, wrapping you in laughter, contentment, and a euphoric elateness surrounded by friends who

5th July 2026 Venue - Wax & Beans, Bury Label - Metalapolis Records Author - Pixie Photo - Snap Happy Pixie Photography Sunday, July 5th, proved to be another electrifying evening at Wax and Beans in Bury as the UK-based melodic hard rock and AOR band, White Skies, took to the stage. The intimate crowd was treated to an exclusive announcement at 5:45 PM—well before it hit social media—that their track "Money to Burn," taken from their latest album Shouting at the Hurricane r

Credit: Lucy Alienne Visuals Building on the momentum of their acclaimed album DEATHMATCH, Finnish alternative metal trailblazers LUNA KILLS have returned with their searing new single, "LOWER," released via SharpTone Records. The track delves into the existential weight of alienation and the struggle to align one’s authentic self with societal expectations, perfectly capturing the internal tug-of-war between self-acceptance and the paralyzing fear of wrong choices. Renowned

Preparing music festival season.... Its that time of year again! Preparing for a music festival requires a blend of strategic packing and smart logistics to ensure your experience is as enjoyable as it is memorable. Start by prioritizing comfort in your packing; opt for supportive footwear, pack versatile layers like waterproof jackets and hoodies, and load your bag with hygiene essentials like wet wipes, sanitizer, and sunscreen to navigate less-than-ideal bathroom conditio

CD Edition - Cherry Red Release date: 31/07/26 Words by : The Joker Score: 6/10 A Grammy-winner polished the corpse until it gleamed — unfortunately the corpse was alive before he started. The original was offensive enough to matter; this is just expensive enough to disappoint. It didn’t have to be done. Not really. East Bay Ray wanted it. So did Klaus Flouride. And some Grammy-winning engineer who couldn't find anything else to do by way of reworking James Brown's b-sides an

Words By Pixie Dan Byrne Celebrates Landmark Debut Album Launch with Intimate UK Tour, May 22nd marked a monumental milestone in the career of singer-songwriter Dan Byrne, as he officially unleashed his long-awaited debut studio album, This Is Where The Show Begins. To celebrate the release, Byrne has been traveling the UK on a special, whirlwind acoustic record store tour. The run of shows has offered fans a unique, stripped-back experience, featuring live performances, al

Running Firevolt Festival has been a whirlwind journey for founders Bev and Stret, a labor of love that originated from a shared desire to create a more intimate, fan-focused live music experience. The concept sparked from their own experiences as dedicated gig-goers, leading them to curate an event that prioritizes community and atmosphere above all else. When it came to finding the perfect home, they sought a venue that balanced natural beauty with practical accessibility,

Review By: The Joker Sepultura is dying. Literally. It is the name of their farewell tour, Celebrating Life Through Death, the title of which is either the most metal phrase to ever adorn a tour bus whiteboard or the brainchild of a publicity stunt gone awry in a philosophy class. The way out of the business will be this four-track EP, recorded in ten days in Criteria Studios in Miami with Greyson Nekrutman, a twenty-three-year-old drummer who probably rocked up with some jaz

Self Release Release: 17/04/26 Review by: The Joker Score: 7.5/10 - It’s large, it’s bold, and it does sometimes trip up in its own leather pants—but at least that’s better than a bunch of bands carefully inquiring if they could rock. All they need is time and slightly less reverence for their idols, and not only will they sound like themselves but own the stage. This is an interesting one. Nobody really asked for it. No one submitted a proposal, there was no committee discus

Review by - The Joker Darklands Recordings Release: 01/05/26 Score: 7/10 (Would be eight if they'd made it six tracks and we wouldn't have been wrong to want that.) Some bands, after all these years, have lost the ability to properly fade out. This is neither a literal nor a physical question; artistically speaking, the time has come to wind down. A dignified descent into heritage status is required, where the music will live only in memory. After four decades, most groups

Interview by Pixie Today we had the incredible opportunity to sit down with classic rock icons White Skies to discuss the electrifying legacy and creative process behind their latest studio masterpiece, Shouting at the Hurricane. The band opened up about the raw inspiration behind their driving anthems and the sonic evolution that has allowed them to capture the high-octane energy they are famous for. It was a fascinating conversation that peeled back the layers of their song

Review by: The Joker The Eagles - The Eagles Deluxe One of the things that the universe has been quietly filing away under ‘Unresolved Cosmic Ironies’ since approximately 1971 is that The Eagles are simultaneously the most unavoidable band in American rock history and the band that a certain type of music critic—i.e., the type of music critic who owns a hand-me-down corduroy sport coat and has opinions about Gram Parsons—most wants to pretend to despise. Don't be that critic.

Melanie C, the iconic powerhouse formerly known to the world as Sporty Spice, has officially ignited the season with the release of her electrifying new album, SWEAT. With 13 glorious, high-paced tracks, the record is utterly phenomenal full of sonic energy, thoroughly crafted to be the ultimate summer album to play all night and festivals alike. Each song is pumped full of high-volume dance beats, pulsating basslines, and synth-driven rhythms designed to command the dance fl

Wax & Beans, Bury 3rd May 2026 On May 3rd, Melanie C, affectionately known to 90s kids everywhere as Sporty Spice of the legendary Spice Girls descended upon Wax and Beans in Bury for an exclusive album signing and photo opportunity in celebration of her latest record, SWEAT. Throughout the event, Mel was in high spirits, laughing and engaging warmly with fans of all generations who had gathered at what has quickly become Bury’s premier hotspot for music lovers. With Wax and

Wow, what a weekend it has been at Bowlers Exhibition Center! For the Love of Anime turned the venue into a buzzing haven for otaku, with back‑to‑back live Q&A sessions that let fans pick the brains of a dazzling lineup of anime voice actors, while electrifying live music kept the energy soaring. The cosplay competition turned the hall into a runway of color and craftsmanship, and trader stalls from every corner of the UK offered everything from rare figures to handmade merch

Review by: The Joker The Lovin' Spoonful: What A Day For A Daydream - The Complete Recordings 1965-1969, is 170 tracks of what happens when folk musicians from the Village discover a recording budget and decide to use it as a weapon of sunshine and rainbows. This is not your grandmother's trip down memory lane, although she probably gave some guy a handjob to "Daydream" back in some Chevy as Nixon was just a vice president footnote on the horizon of history. This is the whole

I've spent most of two decades keeping diesels running on container ships and keeping temperamental propeller systems running in Force 9 gales, but now I'm landlocked running office administration in a logistics company, and it's slowly draining the life out of me. My office has a view over a car park. A car park. The only waves I get to look at are those people trade in for me down the corridor. The closest I get to fluid tests is refilling the coffee pot, and the most exci

RELEASE DATE - NOV 28TH There's something ironically twisted about a band called Tickles releasing music that would be like waterboarding with broken glass and birthday cake frosting. The Dordogne-born Nantes quartet of noise Machine-punk have devoted the lion's share of seven years to an observed approach of controlled chaos—two EPs into a career based on making Idles sound so elevator-music-esque—and now they've put out Sugar & Plastic Plates , a first full-length that's e