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all new super sexy girl group vinyl is here xo
includes: 12 inch black vinyl, a sheet with stickers of us on so you can customise your own cover, inner sleeve with lyrics from Think They're Looking, Let's Perform and Little Sticky Pictures which you can read and study for at least 2 hours a day

Neuauflage des zweiten Albums 'You'll Be Fine' (2020) von Hot Mulligan, eine der vielseitigsten und zutiefst bewegenden Bands des US-Emo-Undergrounds, deren Musik ein kathartischer Aufschrei nach Wachstum einer Generation zukunftsorientierter Mittelwestler ist, die - in den Getrieben eines verrosteten Systems gefangen - verzweifelt nach Hoffnung suchen.

El Calefóns 1985er LP "Salir Del Agujero" ist ein seltenes Juwel. Das in Zürich selbstproduzierte und in Eigenregie veröffentlichte Album stammt von einer der wenigen südamerikanischen Bands, die sich zu der Zeit in Europa aufhielten. Gegründet von den Argentiniern Coqui Reca (Komponist, Sänger, Multiinstrumentalist) und Pablo Miguez (Gitarre), bestanden El Calefón aus argentinischen und brasilianischen Musikern, die ursprünglich als Touristen gekommen waren, aber ohne offizielle Genehmigung als Immigranten blieben. Ihre Musik schöpfte aus den vielfältigen indigenen Stilen ihrer beiden Heimatländer und verschmolz sie mit den internationalen Klängen von Rock, Jazz und Pop. Das anspruchsvoll-originelle Album hat auch nach 40 Jahren nichts von seiner Frische eingebüßt und verströmt tropische Wärme und Lebensfreude – ein Zeugnis der unbeschwerten musikalischen Freiheit einer wechselvollen Musikära.

I Made It All Up For You is the new record by Hugo Race Fatalists, their 6th studio album, set for release March 20, 2026 thru Gusstaff Records / Helixed on LP/CD and digital.
"In his 40-year career, Hugo Race has lived a thousand lives and played the role of songwriter, producer, musician, performer, head of a record label (Helixed). His music went from folk to lounge, from "trance industrial blues" to psychedelia, from world music to electronics. Starting from post-punk Melbourne in the 1980s, he took fascinating paths that led him from Africa to Turkey, from Berlin to Romagna…"
Hugo Race returns after highly successful collaborative albums with Michelangelo Russo (100 Years), The Church frontman Steve Kilbey (Speed of the Stars) and Gianni Maraccolo (The Vigil, winner of the prestigious Premio Ciampi) with I Made It All Up For You, an epic album with his Italian band Fatalists - existential songwriting framed by the band's signature fusion of roots music, electronica, Italian soundtracks and desert rock.
"I wanted to create something melodic and beautiful in defiance of our current reality. The songs started as bare acoustic sketches written in a remote mountain cabin in Italy where I had two weeks off during a solo tour. The weather turned into a raging blizzard, the days a struggle to keep the wood fire lit and the smoke out of the house. I wrote about twelve songs, threw them all away, started again with an unplugged electric guitar in front of that
damp fire, searching for the album's theme. When the smoke cleared, I was at the crossroads of a long term relationship unraveling under a blazing antipodean sun.
Fatalists recorded the basic tracks at the floating studio on the Puccini lake an hour out of Florence - Giovanni Ferrario (Scisma, PJ Harvey) on guitars and synth, Francesco Giampaoli (Brutture Moderne) on bass and Diego Sapignoli (Sacri Cuori) on percussion.
Violinist Massimiliano Gallo met me in Sicily for a short tour to learn the new songs, adding layers of his Calabrian magic to the mix. Jennifer Charles (singer of New York band Elysian Fields) and I had been talking for a long time about making new music and this was the occasion when we made it happen. Jennifer's distinctive voice graces this
album on the songs I Collide and Broken Love, the lyrics of which were written by author and designer Alannah Hill. My longtime road brother Michelangelo Russo also dusts the tracks with his otherworldly electric harmonica on Against The World, Born To Fly and Open Field. A lot of joy and pain and reflection went into the making of this album and I hope that comes across; this is about the darkness yes, but also the light. Everything changes and every ending is a new beginning but it's how we experience transformation that really matters. I hope you love this album. I made it all up for you."
Hugo Race, Naples, 2025

Strut Records presents a fresh look at Oblivion Express, the 1971 album that marked Brian Auger’s shift into a new musical frontier. After years spent shaping the sound of British jazz-soul with the Trinity, Auger stepped into the new decade with a leaner, electrified ensemble and a renewed sense of purpose. This record captures the moment that transformation took shape.

Oblivion Express introduced a sound that was distinctly Auger’s own. Rather than echoing the fusion emerging in the United States, Auger developed a language rooted in the UK’s jazz underground, culminating in a spaced out jazz- rock / prog-fusion album awash with larger than life drum fills and Auger’s virtuosic organ playing. Between bassist Barry Dean and drummer Robbie McIntosh the album moves effortlessly between tight, articulated phrases and broader, improvisational passages. The trio’s interplay forms the backbone of the album and sets the tone for the sound that would define the early years of the Express.

Album opener “Dragon Song” launches with a restless drive that immediately signals Auger’s new direction. Auger chose to record this version of John McLaughlin’s piece (his friend and former bandmate in 'The Niddy Griddys') after hearing McLaughlin’s album Devotion during its mix at New York’s Record Plant Studios. Auger was blown away, recalling, “Oh my god, this is amazing. I wanted to record that myself - and I did!”. Pieces like “Total Eclipse” demonstrate the Oblivion Express’ command of dynamic contrast, and title track “Oblivion Express” explores the cinematic and compositional prowess of the group through stripped back, building moments vs. explosive melodic breakdowns. Riff-heavy “The Sword” later became known through Madlib’s usage in 2014 tracks “Yeti Movie” and “Parodies”.

In retrospect, Oblivion Express stands as a jazz leaning, prog-rock masterpiece and foundational moment in Auger’s catalogue. It captures the starting point of a new sound that is more focused, more urgent, and fully committed to the possibilities of jazz-rock at the dawn of the seventies. The album remains a vivid document of a band discovering its identity and setting the stage for the further array of influential releases that would follow.

Released in 1967, Open marked a bold debut for Brian Auger & The Trinity, featuring the dynamic vocals of Julie Driscoll. Music and its makers were rapidly evolving in ‘67, the UK's Jazz and R&B scenes were being influenced by pop and psychedelia and socially, musicians of many styles found common ground in London’s clubs like The Cromwellian and The Scotch Of St James where the The Beatles, US legends Wilson Pickett and Jimi Hendrix mingled with the capitals jazzers and pop stars, often loudly jamming together in even louder 'Lord Byron' shirts. 'Open' fully embraced this spirit by fusing together those genres and attitudes of the era. From the outset Auger displays his jazz rooted approach on the A side with 'In and Out' and 'Isola Natale' (later covered by one of his American jazz heroes Richard ‘Groove’ Holmes). Both showcase the Trinity's musicianship and Brian's improvisational flair. Auger himself takes on vocal duties on the raucous ‘Black Cat’, a track that became a club hit. Open is marked by its eclecticism; 'Lament for Miss Baker' is a tender, piano ballad influenced by Duke Ellington, reflecting Auger’s jazz and classical influences whilst 'Goodbye Jungle Telegraph' is a wild and crazy percussive freak out. Brian displayed not only his virtuosity but also his surrealist sense of humour with bizarre sound effects, inspired by Spike Milligan's The Goons' radio show interspersed between the tracks.

Julie Driscoll’s arrival on the album’s B side brings a sharp shift in tone. Her smoky, emotive vocals inject a soulful depth, notably on covers of Otis Redding & Carla Thomas hit 'Tramp', Aretha's 'Save Me' and The Staples Singers ‘Why Am I Treated So Bad". With original numbers 'Break It Up' and 'A Kind Of Love In' we hear the Auger / Driscoll pop infused R&B at its very best, whilst the version of Donovan’s 'Season of the Witch' stretches out into a slow-burning epic. In 2025, Open is viewed as a cult classic and testament to a unique period when genre boundaries were fluid and artistic risk-taking was the norm. Brian Auger & The Trinity’s debut captures the adventurous energy of the late 1960s. 58 years later, its importance in the development of British jazz fusion and progressive bands that followed is undeniable, with The Charlatans Tim Burgess recently commenting on Auger's Instagram that The Trinity were a 'huge influence'.

Strut Records highlights a landmark in British jazz-rock with Second Wind, the 1972 album from keyboard visionary Brian Auger and his powerhouse group Oblivion Express. Capturing a fully matured lineup, the record finds Auger expanding his fusion language - bridging jazz sophistication, funk-driven rhythm, and soul-infused songwriting with the clarity and fire that defined his early ’70s work.

Though Auger’s roots lie in the lineage of hard-swinging jazz organ and the improvisational fire of the ’60s British scene, he has never been an artist content with tradition. With Second Wind, he moves further into a hybrid language that fuses rhythm with harmonic depth and groove, without sacrificing sophistication. His playing is expansive yet precise, translating the electricity of live performance into a studio work that breathes with immediacy.

At the heart of this era of Oblivion Express is the telepathic rapport among its members. Vocalist Alex Ligertwood (in one of his earliest major recordings before Santana fame) brings a soulful intensity that feels both grounded and forward- looking. Second Wind contains tracks that have become deeply significant in Auger’s discography - original compositions Second Wind, and Truth to name a few - but it was Auger's high octane revisioning of Eddie Harris' Freedom Jazz Dance, (adding new lyrics to the original instrumental) that genuinely broke barriers. The track became a DJ friendly classic and highlighted the groups deeply original approach.

The rhythm section of Barry Dean and Robbie McIntosh balances weight and fluidity, giving Auger the space to stretch across Hammond organ, Rhodes, and keys with characteristic boldness. Their collective sound is one of seamless motion: jazz-inflected lines swelling into rock-driven crescendos, funk-leaning grooves locking with vocal hooks, moments of quiet clarity emerging between bursts of improvisation.

Second Wind stands as a pivotal moment in Auger’s discography: a record that bridges the exploratory spirit of his earlier projects with the more groove-oriented approach that would soon bring international attention. More than five decades later, it remains a vivid document of a band carving out its own language. Music born of instinct, collaboration, and a restless desire to push beyond the expected.

Repress on black vinyl. Goldfoil embossed cover. Alright! 2023, Black Rainbows are back with 12 fresh, brand new tunes! The new album sounds huge, with of a great deal of attention paid to the guitars in the recording, and it seems that the band has finally found the perfect balance and tone for their heavy super stoner sound! This album gives you not only incredible heavy rock-stoner gems, but also: one space acoustic song, one super psychedelic suite and one melodic trippy ballad that adds a perfect mixture of what is sure to be the best album released by the band so far! "Superskull" has been recorded by Fabio Sforza (the same producer of the last two recordings), in May 2022, and after much work and effort by the band in mixing and mastering, the album will see the light of day one year later. The incredible artwork has been delivered by the brazilian artist Pedro Correa.

Repress on black vinyl. Goldfoil embossed cover. Alright! 2023, Black Rainbows are back with 12 fresh, brand new tunes! The new album sounds huge, with of a great deal of attention paid to the guitars in the recording, and it seems that the band has finally found the perfect balance and tone for their heavy super stoner sound! This album gives you not only incredible heavy rock-stoner gems, but also: one space acoustic song, one super psychedelic suite and one melodic trippy ballad that adds a perfect mixture of what is sure to be the best album released by the band so far! "Superskull" has been recorded by Fabio Sforza (the same producer of the last two recordings), in May 2022, and after much work and effort by the band in mixing and mastering, the album will see the light of day one year later. The incredible artwork has been delivered by the brazilian artist Pedro Correa.

Limited to 300 copies. Yellow Vinyl. Approaching Doom is the third album by Monsternaut, a darker and heavier representation of the band's established devotion to groovy riffs and to the point compositions. The songs took shape over several years, during which the arrival of a new drummer opened the door to more adventurous rhythms and riff ideas, pushing the band into new territory while staying true to their roots. Sonically, the album leans toward the grit and weight of early 90s metal rather than polished modern production, giving it a raw and immediate edge. Its lyrics and atmosphere follow a naturally darker direction as well, adding an extra layer of tension beneath the grooves. Recorded entirely the old fashioned way, straight to analog tape with no digital editing, it captures the band playing as they are, relying on performance, chemistry, and feel rather than correction. The result is a record that hits harder, feels more focused, and marks a confident new chapter in Monsternaut's evolution.

Repress on black vinyl. A longtime dream has been to capture YAWNING MAN performing in the very environment that so inspired their music. The opportunity arose in 2020 from the challenges artists and musicians faced during the Covid 19 Pandemic, social distancing forcing artists to creatively adapt to alternatives to express themselves musically and visually. Yawning Man 's answer to this calling is "Live at Giant Rock". This cinematic concert experience is intimately and beautifully captured by videographer Sam Grant in the environment that inspires Yawning Man's spacious, expansive and cinematic music. Filmed live in the early morning hours of May 18th, 2020 in the visually stunning and mysterious landscape of Giant Rock. In the spirit of Pink Floyd's "Live at Pompeii" the performance is shot on location with no audience, just the band performing their instrumental meditations in the rugged beauty of the Mojave Desert. Giant Rock in Landers California has attracted Native American Nomads, Scientists, UFO Researchers, and travelers from all over the world, drawn by its magnetic spiritual energy

Repress on blue jay vinyl, limited to 200 copies. A longtime dream has been to capture YAWNING MAN performing in the very environment that so inspired their music. The opportunity arose in 2020 from the challenges artists and musicians faced during the Covid 19 Pandemic, social distancing forcing artists to creatively adapt to alternatives to express themselves musically and visually. Yawning Man 's answer to this calling is "Live at Giant Rock". This cinematic concert experience is intimately and beautifully captured by videographer Sam Grant in the environment that inspires Yawning Man's spacious, expansive and cinematic music. Filmed live in the early morning hours of May 18th, 2020 in the visually stunning and mysterious landscape of Giant Rock. In the spirit of Pink Floyd's "Live at Pompeii" the performance is shot on location with no audience, just the band performing their instrumental meditations in the rugged beauty of the Mojave Desert. Giant Rock in Landers California has attracted Native American Nomads, Scientists, UFO Researchers, and travelers from all over the world, drawn by its magnetic spiritual energy

Repress on neon magenta vinyl, limited to 200 copies. Portland, Oregon based quartet Hippie Death Cult present their sophomore album "Circle Of Days". An album that serves as a musical bridge to their critically acclaimed debut "111", while being a fresh exploration of sound and vision. "Circle Of Days" is a pensive reflection of frustration and hope, experienced as we evolve from the confinements of self indulgence and into a more altruistic mindset. Listeners new to HDC can expect to hear a band that feels familiar yet also unique. Hippie Death Cult are a group with their own musical identity. One that manages to be influenced by great rock and metal bands of the past while not becoming a blueprint of them.

Nachauflage auf schwarzem Vinyl. 22 Jahre nach ihrer ersten Veröffentlichung und 10 Jahre nach ihrem letzten Album sind Nebula wieder da. Wenn du jetzt "Holy Shit!" denkst hast du es ziemlich genau getroffen. "Holy Shit" ist Nebulas erste LP seit "Heavy Psych" (2009), und beantwortet schnell die Frage die sich stellte, seitdem Gitarrist/Sänger Eddie Glass, Bassist Tom Davies und Schlagzeuger Michael Amster 2017 die Reformierung der Band angekündigt haben: Nebula sind immer noch Nebula. Seit den Tagen der 1998er Let it Burn EP und dem mittlerweile klassischen To the Center Debütalbum waren Nebula immer nur ein wenig gefährlicher. Nur etwas mehr aus den Angeln gehoben. Holy Shit zeigt diesen von vorne nach hinten für den wesentlichen Teil ihres Charakters, der er ist, und doch versucht er nicht, etwas zu sein, was sie schon einmal getan haben, sei es bei diesen frühen Ausflügen oder Heavy Psych or Charged (2001), Apollo (2003) oder Atomic Ritual (2005). Es ist ein sechstes Nebula-Album - etwas, worauf selbst die leidenschaftlichsten Fans kaum gehofft hätten. Die Grundtracks wurden in zwei Tagen aufgenommen, aufgenommen in den Mysterious Mammal Studios in L.A. mit Matt Lynch (ebenfalls von Snail) am Steuer. Leads und Loops und Feedback-Effekte wurden von Glass and Davies live aufgenommen, als sie die Basic-Tracks aufnahmen, genau so, wie sie es auf der Bühne tun würden, und Overdubs folgten bei Bedarf. Eine Fülle von Material wurde produziert und auf den Kern dessen, was man hier hört, reduziert. Ein sechstes Nebelalbum. Und wenn du es hörst, wirst du feststellen, dass du diesen Titel immer wieder sagst. Cover Art von ROBIN GNISTA

Nachauflage auf senfgelbem Vinyl. Limitiert auf 300 Exemplare. 22 Jahre nach ihrer ersten Veröffentlichung und 10 Jahre nach ihrem letzten Album sind Nebula wieder da. Wenn du jetzt "Holy Shit!" denkst hast du es ziemlich genau getroffen. "Holy Shit" ist Nebulas erste LP seit "Heavy Psych" (2009), und beantwortet schnell die Frage die sich stellte, seitdem Gitarrist/Sänger Eddie Glass, Bassist Tom Davies und Schlagzeuger Michael Amster 2017 die Reformierung der Band angekündigt haben: Nebula sind immer noch Nebula. Seit den Tagen der 1998er Let it Burn EP und dem mittlerweile klassischen To the Center Debütalbum waren Nebula immer nur ein wenig gefährlicher. Nur etwas mehr aus den Angeln gehoben. Holy Shit zeigt diesen von vorne nach hinten für den wesentlichen Teil ihres Charakters, der er ist, und doch versucht er nicht, etwas zu sein, was sie schon einmal getan haben, sei es bei diesen frühen Ausflügen oder Heavy Psych or Charged (2001), Apollo (2003) oder Atomic Ritual (2005). Es ist ein sechstes Nebula-Album - etwas, worauf selbst die leidenschaftlichsten Fans kaum gehofft hätten. Die Grundtracks wurden in zwei Tagen aufgenommen, aufgenommen in den Mysterious Mammal Studios in L.A. mit Matt Lynch (ebenfalls von Snail) am Steuer. Leads und Loops und Feedback-Effekte wurden von Glass and Davies live aufgenommen, als sie die Basic-Tracks aufnahmen, genau so, wie sie es auf der Bühne tun würden, und Overdubs folgten bei Bedarf. Eine Fülle von Material wurde produziert und auf den Kern dessen, was man hier hört, reduziert. Ein sechstes Nebelalbum. Und wenn du es hörst, wirst du feststellen, dass du diesen Titel immer wieder sagst. Cover Art von ROBIN GNISTA

Black Vinyl Repress


Das Berliner Indie-/Electro-Wave-Trio Dina Summer meldet sich mit einer ordentlichen Portion Synthpop auf ihrem zweiten Album ‘’Girls Gang’ zurück!

Dina Summer ist ein kollaboratives Projekt, das aus Kalipo, einer Hälfte der legendären Electro-Punk-Band Frittenbude, und dem griechisch-deutschem DJ & Produzenten Duo Local Suicide besteht, die das Label Iptamenos Discos betreiben. Ihre bisherigen Werke umfassen das von Kritikern gefeierte Album „Rimini“ aus dem Jahr 2022, das einen nostalgischen Einblick in Retro-Disco-Vibes bietet, sowie die EPs „Who Am I“ (2021) und „Hide & Seek“ (2024). Seit der Gründung der Band vor fünf Jahren hat Dina Summers Musik mit Millionen von Streams, weltweitem Radio-Airplay und zahlreichen Spotify- und Apple Music-Editorial-Playlists für Aufsehen gesorgt und wurde von DJs wie Charlotte De Witte, The Hacker, Âme, Dixon, Joris Voorn, DJ Hell, Joyce Muniz und Dubfire gespielt. Das neue Album umfasst 11 Songs die sich mit Themen wie Empowerment („No More Tears“ & „Girls Gang“), Außenseitertum („Alien“ & „Zombie“), Vergänglichkeit („Promise Me feat, Curses & Joshua Murphy“), Nostalgie („Halkidiki“) und Beziehungen („Nothing To Hide“ & „Hypnotized“) auseinandersetzen. Legte ihr Debütalbum seinen Fokus eher auf den Club zwischen Italo-Disco und 90ies Elektro, erkundet die neue Veröffentlichung eine größere Sound-Palette, die von New Wave & Post-Punk zu Electroclash und Synth- & Indie-Pop reicht. „Girls Gang“ ist ein gutes Stück songorientierter als das Debütalbum, die Band erweitert ihr Repertoire auf einigen Songs unter anderem um echte (!) Bässe und Gitarren, vorallem aber setzt Frontfrau Dina neben ihrem Markenzeichen - Spoken Word - immer öfter auf ihre Gesangsstimme. Trotzdem knüpft das Album nahtlos an das Erstlingswerk an, man hört wieder jene poppige Melodien und Hooks mit denen sich Dina Summer zuvor schon einen Namen gemacht hat, ausgebreitet auf einem Bett aus Indiepop-Hymnen und Club-Brechern.

"The Thinking of the World Began Pounding in Our Ears the Moment We Hit Shore is a studio-constructed album developed as a project rather than a band.

Created by Florian TM Zeisig between 2022 and 2025, the record draws on sessions and material contributed by a small group of collaborators. Recordings were gathered across different contexts and brought together through an extended studio process, with writing, production, arrangement, and assembly treated as a continuous activity.

The album took shape gradually through selection, editing, and re-placement of material over time. Individual pieces were revisited, reshaped, and recontextualized until they formed a unified body of work.

Contributions to the project include work by Mari Rubio (More Eaze), Róisín Berkeley, Don Lyons, Cal Fish, K, Seán Being, and JQ. All tracks were produced, written, arranged, and mixed by Florian TM Zeisig, with co-songwriting contributions noted per track."

"The Outfit release career defining new album, Preservers of the Pearl, asserting themselves as messengers of the new wave of underground rock and roll, pushing the movement forward alongside fellow trailblazers Mystery Lights, Sheer Mag, Shadow Show, Uni Boys + more.

Everything has been leading here. Daniel Romano shifts from his position as sole writer, opening the floor to Outfit stalwarts Ian Romano and Carson McHone, and welcoming into the fold longtime friend and legendary Canadian rock-n-roller, Tommy Major. The band is functioning as a true collective — multiple voices and perspectives — all serving one creative pulse. The result is both a new beginning and a homecoming, a complete and fearless statement.

Tracked to tape at their own Camera Varda studio, the album captures the band live in the room — breathing, musing, and believing. It’s the sound of human hands and hearts at work, in a shared moment of co-creation, preserved in real time in stunning hi-fi.

Here is music as communion — rock n roll as experience. Preservers of the Pearl rejects the flattening forces in modern times — what the band calls “the mono-agriculture of the mind.” In a “target culture”, condemned to homogeny and banality, The Outfit refuse polish and uniformity, embracing imperfection as truth, and promoting curiosity through creativity. At the center of it all is a deep spiritual current — what The Outfit calls Rock & Roll Magick: the belief that music is a sacred act, a force that can reconnect the individual to what is larger.

The Outfit are making music that is purposeful and profoundly urgent. Preservers of the Pearl is an invocation - it’s fearless in a time of great compromise, and resolute in an age of peripheral bullshit. Here is a band serving something greater than themselves."

"The Outfit release career defining new album, Preservers of the Pearl, asserting themselves as messengers of the new wave of underground rock and roll, pushing the movement forward alongside fellow trailblazers Mystery Lights, Sheer Mag, Shadow Show, Uni Boys + more.

Everything has been leading here. Daniel Romano shifts from his position as sole writer, opening the floor to Outfit stalwarts Ian Romano and Carson McHone, and welcoming into the fold longtime friend and legendary Canadian rock-n-roller, Tommy Major. The band is functioning as a true collective — multiple voices and perspectives — all serving one creative pulse. The result is both a new beginning and a homecoming, a complete and fearless statement.

Tracked to tape at their own Camera Varda studio, the album captures the band live in the room — breathing, musing, and believing. It’s the sound of human hands and hearts at work, in a shared moment of co-creation, preserved in real time in stunning hi-fi.

Here is music as communion — rock n roll as experience. Preservers of the Pearl rejects the flattening forces in modern times — what the band calls “the mono-agriculture of the mind.” In a “target culture”, condemned to homogeny and banality, The Outfit refuse polish and uniformity, embracing imperfection as truth, and promoting curiosity through creativity. At the center of it all is a deep spiritual current — what The Outfit calls Rock & Roll Magick: the belief that music is a sacred act, a force that can reconnect the individual to what is larger.

The Outfit are making music that is purposeful and profoundly urgent. Preservers of the Pearl is an invocation - it’s fearless in a time of great compromise, and resolute in an age of peripheral bullshit. Here is a band serving something greater than themselves."

A mix of metallic doomgaze, epic gothic soundscapes and post punk attitude. Loud and crushing, yet sharp enough to stick in your head for days. There are two kinds of heavy bands: the ones that make a lot of noise and the ones that drag you somewhere you didn't know you needed to go. Cwfen (pronounced 'Coven') are the latter, and Sorrows is a record that doesn't just crush - it haunts long after the final note. The allure of Cwfen's sound lies in contrasts: the glacial ferocity of Amenra, with the velvet-and-razor vocals of King Woman, and the rotting grandeur of Type O Negative. It's as hypnotic as it is harrowing, but somehow even better than the sum of those parts. Since emerging from Glasgow's underground just 18 months ago, Cwfen's reputation is growing, selling out shows and pulling growing audiences into their doom-laden fever dream. Released in October, the band's debut single 'Reliks' was a hit with fans and critics, landing a spot on Kerrang!'s release of the week playlist. And rightly so. Their sound devours and delights in equal measure. "Cwfen have emerged from the darkest depths of the Caledonian underground with a beguiling blend of doom metal and gothic post-punk for those who like to live deliciously." Kerrang! Sorrows lives in the space around doom where the weight of the riffs is matched by the weight in your chest, where the lyrics and the songwriting are as important as the music itself. Loud and crushing, yet sharp enough to stick in your head for days. It builds, burns, collapses, resurrects. Big on riffs, bigger on feeling. The kind of songs you carry with you. Singer and rhythm guitarist Agnes Alder bears her claws one minute, then whispers the next, as the band follows like a storm front, rising, breaking, drowning you in the weight of it. From the guttural Penance to the lush Whispers, to the feral Wolfsbane and the insurrectionist Rite. It includes a long reworking of Embers and Bodies, the two self-recorded demos that launched them into the scene with a bang and their growing legion of fans already adore. Intricate vocal arrangements, heavy and harsh guitars, a mix of atmosphere and heft, it undoubtedly punches above its weight for a debut. As Agnes says: "When we stopped trying to fit into any one space, what came out was this beautiful mix of dark and light. Something visceral and cathartic." This is a band that sits right in the boundaries between the heavy genres, pulling in everyone from the young goths and to the die-hard metalheads alike and 'Sorrows' truly does deliver in spades. Make no mistake, Cwfen are set to be one of the names to watch in 2025. FFO: Chelsea Wolfe, Zetra, King Woman, Type O Negative, Alcest, Faetooth, Liturgy. Limited vinyl pressing, 500 copies in transparent red vinyl. Full colour Gatefold outer sleeve, with a full colour printed inner sleeve, Full download included as well.

‘Call To Arms & Angels’ is the title of the twelfth studio album from South London collective Archive.

 A 17-track double CD / triple LP recorded at RAK studios in London and released on Dangervisit/PIAS.

 Deluxe editions of the album also include a bonus ‘Super8’ album of new and exclusive instrumentals, as featured in the band’s ‘Super8’ documentary that will accompany the release of the album.

 Produced by Archive and long-time collaborator Jérome Devoise, ‘Call To Arms & Angels’ is the band’s first studio set since 2016’s ‘The False Foundation’.

 Talking about the new album, Darius Keeler says, “Writing our twelfth studio album was an extraordinary time for the band. The song writing became an unfolding narrative as the world got stranger and more disturbing every day. With people’s freedoms being pushed to the brink, the suffering Covid caused and the terrible events in the US lead by Trump and the rise of the Right, anything seemed possible.

 “To reflect on these times as artists brought up a darkness and an anger, but also a strange kind of inspiration that was at times unsettling. It really made us appreciate the power of music and how lucky we are to be able to express our feelings in this way.

 “It seems there is light at the end of the tunnel, but there are always shadows within that light.”

 Deluxe 2CD album plus ‘Super8’ bonus CD in 40-page casebound Polaroid bookpack.

 2CD album.

 Deluxe vinyl box set with white coloured vinyl 3LP (exclusive to this box set), ‘Super8’ bonus LP on white vinyl (exclusive to this box set), deluxe 3CD with Polaroid booklet and 12” x 12” art print.

 Triple LP on gold vinyl in triple gatefold sleeve.
 Triple LP on green vinyl in triple gatefold sleeve.
 Triple LP on black vinyl in triple gatefold sleeve.

The beauty, confusion, complexity, and intensity of their youth - lived under the shadow and around the scars of conflict - are entangled in the industrial dance-punk hybrid encoded in the record's DNA, aptly entitled Crystalpunk. "This record is us waving a flag for that generation -- the ones who inherited confusion, resilience, and a fractured sense of self." They're waving that flag as intensely as possible too. For the uninitiated, Chalk mainlines the reaction between genres, eras, and cultures, commuting this collision into their sound. The Belfast group could comfortably power an underground warehouse party after-dark, incite a mid-day festival mosh-pit, or shake an arena on any given evening.

Their power has seamlessly translated to the stage with the group packing venues and delivering alternately sweaty and electrifying performances to a growing rabid fan base. As a group, they've sold out shows across the UK, EU and USA, notched festival performances such as Glastonbury, SXSW, BBK, Trans Musicals and more across 11 countries and were handpicked to tour alongside IDLES and Fontaines D.C.. Coming from dissimilar backgrounds and rallying together naturally, Ben and Ross first crossed paths in film school. As the story goes, Ben had noticed a framed poster of Dublin disruptors Gilla Band in one of Ross's Instagram photos and felt a kinship before ever actually speaking to him.

"Nobody else at our school was into experimental noise guitar bands, so that was all I needed to see," laughs Ben. Emerging in 2022, Chalk initially made waves with songs like "Them," "Velodrome," and "Static." Ultimately, they come-of-age and tell a story that resonates beyond borders. Not just a portrait of the band, but one of their home, a complicated place where the sacrifices made and risks taken by activists, artists, ravers and punks created the only environment that a band like Chalk could emerge from. Crystalpunk is not about choosing a side, it's about choosing the future.

Hardcore thrash punks VITAMIN X return with a new album in 2026 via Svart Records Amsterdam’s hardcore legends Vitamin X are back with their seventh album Ride The Apocalypse, the band’s most intense and ambitious album to date — released by Svart Records in March 2026. Mastered by Joel Grind (Toxic Holocaust, Municipal Waste) and featuring apocalyptic artwork by Andrei Bouzikov (Municipal Waste), the record delivers 16 tracks of pure mayhem: faster, harder, and heavier than anything the band has done before. Everyone who’s heard the early mixes agree — this is the strongest Vitamin X album yet. For over two decades, Vitamin X has been one of the most explosive and influential forces in crossover hardcore punk. Emerging alongside the early wave of modern crossover and thrash-revival bands like Municipal Waste and Wolfbrigade, Vitamin X carved out a sound that is unmistakably their own: ultra-fast, razor-tight, socio-political, fun, and always completely unhinged. They’ve released albums on iconic labels such as Southern Lord, Havoc, and Tankcrimes, and worked with legends like Steve Albini, John Baizley (Baroness) and J Mascis (Dinosaur Jr.). Their video About to Crack reached millions of views. The band has played over a thousand shows worldwide and appeared at festivals such as Hellfest, Maryland Deathfest, EXIT, and Obscene Extreme. With Ride The Apocalypse arriving in March 2026, Vitamin X enters a new chapter — sharper, faster, and more devastating than ever.

Hardcore thrash punks VITAMIN X return with a new album in 2026 via Svart Records Amsterdam’s hardcore legends Vitamin X are back with their seventh album Ride The Apocalypse, the band’s most intense and ambitious album to date — released by Svart Records in March 2026. Mastered by Joel Grind (Toxic Holocaust, Municipal Waste) and featuring apocalyptic artwork by Andrei Bouzikov (Municipal Waste), the record delivers 16 tracks of pure mayhem: faster, harder, and heavier than anything the band has done before. Everyone who’s heard the early mixes agree — this is the strongest Vitamin X album yet. For over two decades, Vitamin X has been one of the most explosive and influential forces in crossover hardcore punk. Emerging alongside the early wave of modern crossover and thrash-revival bands like Municipal Waste and Wolfbrigade, Vitamin X carved out a sound that is unmistakably their own: ultra-fast, razor-tight, socio-political, fun, and always completely unhinged. They’ve released albums on iconic labels such as Southern Lord, Havoc, and Tankcrimes, and worked with legends like Steve Albini, John Baizley (Baroness) and J Mascis (Dinosaur Jr.). Their video About to Crack reached millions of views. The band has played over a thousand shows worldwide and appeared at festivals such as Hellfest, Maryland Deathfest, EXIT, and Obscene Extreme. With Ride The Apocalypse arriving in March 2026, Vitamin X enters a new chapter — sharper, faster, and more devastating than ever.

"The Sophs sind quasi aus dem Nichts aufgetaucht", sagen Rough-Trade-Mitgründer Geoff Travis und Jeannette Lee über ihr neuestes Signing: eine sechsköpfige Band aus L.A. mit dem feinsinnigen Namen The Sophs. Die kompromisslose Ehrlichkeit und der weite Soundkosmos der Band überzeugten sofort. Als Sänger Ethan Ramon ein Demo an seine Lieblingslabels schickte, rechnete er nicht mit einer Reaktion - doch schon am nächsten Tag meldete sich Rough Trade mit der Bitte um ein Gespräch. In den frühen Songs hörte das Label genau jene Kreativität, Vielseitigkeit und den draufgängerischen "Don"t expect me to act pretty"-Spirit, den The Sophs auf jede Bühne bringen: Ethan Ramon (Gesang), Sam Yuh (Keyboards), Austin Parker Jones (E-Gitarre), Seth Smades (Akustikgitarre), Devin Russ (Drums) und Cole Bobbitt (Bass). Die fünf Demo-Tracks bildeten die Blaupause für ihr Debütalbum "GOLDSTAR". Musikalisch bewegen sich The Sophs im Zickzack: Pop-Punk trifft auf Funk, Delta Blues auf ZZ Top. Ramons warme, kraftvolle Stimme wandert dabei wie ein vokales Chamäleon durch die Genres. "Wir versuchen nie, so vielseitig zu sein, wie wir am Ende klingen", sagt Ramon. Songwriting verstehen sie als Pop Art - ein spielerisches Zitieren, Verformen und Neuerschaffen. Oft entstehen Songs aus spontanen Ideen, die im Bandprozess eine völlig neue Richtung nehmen. Der Track "THE DOG DIES IN THE END" erinnert an 2000er-Pop-Punk, getragen von düsteren Gedankenspiralen und Akkordeon. "DEATH IN THE FAMILY" kombiniert sonnigen Rock mit bitterem Humor und der Sehnsucht nach Mitleid als Schutz vor Verantwortung. "GOLDSTAR" stellt dabei einfache, aber unbequeme Fragen nach Anerkennung und Moral. Weitere Highlights wie "SWEETIEPIE" und "BLITZED AGAIN" zeigen die Band zwischen Selbstentlarvung und euphorischer Energie - roh, lebendig und kompromisslos kreativ.

"The Sophs sind quasi aus dem Nichts aufgetaucht", sagen Rough-Trade-Mitgründer Geoff Travis und Jeannette Lee über ihr neuestes Signing: eine sechsköpfige Band aus L.A. mit dem feinsinnigen Namen The Sophs. Die kompromisslose Ehrlichkeit und der weite Soundkosmos der Band überzeugten sofort. Als Sänger Ethan Ramon ein Demo an seine Lieblingslabels schickte, rechnete er nicht mit einer Reaktion - doch schon am nächsten Tag meldete sich Rough Trade mit der Bitte um ein Gespräch. In den frühen Songs hörte das Label genau jene Kreativität, Vielseitigkeit und den draufgängerischen "Don"t expect me to act pretty"-Spirit, den The Sophs auf jede Bühne bringen: Ethan Ramon (Gesang), Sam Yuh (Keyboards), Austin Parker Jones (E-Gitarre), Seth Smades (Akustikgitarre), Devin Russ (Drums) und Cole Bobbitt (Bass). Die fünf Demo-Tracks bildeten die Blaupause für ihr Debütalbum "GOLDSTAR". Musikalisch bewegen sich The Sophs im Zickzack: Pop-Punk trifft auf Funk, Delta Blues auf ZZ Top. Ramons warme, kraftvolle Stimme wandert dabei wie ein vokales Chamäleon durch die Genres. "Wir versuchen nie, so vielseitig zu sein, wie wir am Ende klingen", sagt Ramon. Songwriting verstehen sie als Pop Art - ein spielerisches Zitieren, Verformen und Neuerschaffen. Oft entstehen Songs aus spontanen Ideen, die im Bandprozess eine völlig neue Richtung nehmen. Der Track "THE DOG DIES IN THE END" erinnert an 2000er-Pop-Punk, getragen von düsteren Gedankenspiralen und Akkordeon. "DEATH IN THE FAMILY" kombiniert sonnigen Rock mit bitterem Humor und der Sehnsucht nach Mitleid als Schutz vor Verantwortung. "GOLDSTAR" stellt dabei einfache, aber unbequeme Fragen nach Anerkennung und Moral. Weitere Highlights wie "SWEETIEPIE" und "BLITZED AGAIN" zeigen die Band zwischen Selbstentlarvung und euphorischer Energie - roh, lebendig und kompromisslos kreativ.

"""Sam Salmon & the Grand Manan Bandits is a bare-bones country band made up of beloved Canadian alt-rock band Motherhood and “delta doom” guitarist Keith Hallett (Echodelick Records)

DOWN FOR LIFE features foot-stompin’ tracks like “No One Likes Losing,"""""""" a self-deprecating look at being competitive yet never managing to get ahead, “Waste Your Time,” about the confusion of suddenly losing someone you love, as well as a reflection on familial personality traits, and “If I Needed You Now,” showcasing country music at its finest - three chords and the truth. Or, in this case, two chords.

Sam Salmon & the Grand Manan Bandits features Penelope Stevens (bass/vocals), Brydon Crain (vocals/guitar), Keith Hallet (lead guitar, console steel), and Adam Sipkema (drums).

DOWN FOR LIFE also marks a trifecta of releases this year from Motherhood Music Inc., following the band’s “wildly entertaining!” (Bandcamp) fifth album Thunder Perfect Mind and side-project Penny & the Pits’ “delicate and
demanding” (LOUD Women) debut Liquid Compactor."""

Sweet Pill ist eine Emo-Band aus Philadelphia, deren Songs sich zwischen Pop und Hardcore bewegen. Sie veröffentlichten ihr Debütalbum Where The Heart Is (2022) im selben Jahr, in dem sie bei Topshelf Records unter Vertrag genommen wurden, und seitdem befinden sie sich auf Erfolgskurs. Unter anderem wurde sie von Hayley Williams von Paramore wärmstens empfohlen, der ihr Song "High Hopes" so gut gefiel, dass sie ihn in ihrem Podcast "Everything Is Emo" erwähnte. Das zweite starke Album von Sweet Pill, Still There's a Glow, ist eine widerstandsfähige Antwort auf den zunehmenden Druck nach ihrem erfolgreichen Debüt Where The Heart Is. Angesichts der Erschöpfung verwarf die Band frühe Demos, um ihrer psychischen Gesundheit Vorrang zu geben, und schuf schließlich ein rohes Dokument der Selbstreflexion, das Sängerin Zayna Youssef als "das Schwierigste, was ich je tun musste" bezeichnet. Das neue Album markiert eine bedeutende Entwicklung in ihrer kreativen Dynamik und ist das erste, das vollständig als Gemeinschaftswerk von Youssef, den Gitarristen Jayce Williams und Sean McCall, dem Bassisten Ryan Cullen und dem Schlagzeuger Chris Kearney geschrieben wurde. Aufgenommen im Gradwell House mit den langjährigen Produzenten Matt Weber und Dave Downham, zielt das Album darauf ab, die kinetische Energie ihrer Live-Shows einzufangen - Auftritte, die ihnen die Unterstützung von Stars wie Hayley Williams und Doja Cat eingebracht haben. Das Ergebnis ist eine gehobene Mischung aus komplexem Math-Rock, drängendem Punk und herzlichem Emo. Als woman of color in der Alternative-Szene hofft Youssef, dass das Album und die Tournee eine vorurteilsfreie Community für die Fans fördern werden. Still, There's a Glow ist ein Beweis für das Überleben und Wachstum der Band und lädt die Zuhörer dazu ein, ihr eigenes Licht am Ende des Tunnels zu finden. CD & farbige LP erhältlich

“It’s hard to find your way, following the ghost,” sings Noah Alves on the title track from Middleman’s debut album, as the band explores ideas of how being chained to the past can hinder your forward momentum into the future. This creates a thrilling duality to the debut LP from the London DIY four-piece made up of Alves, Harper Maury, Rory White and Ted Foster. They are all young, in their early-to-mid-twenties, and very much focused in the now, harnessing an energy, urgency and rawness that feels fresh, alive and viscerally present. However, it’s also clear there’s a deep love of music that was made before they were born: the taut, wiry assault of Mission of Burma; the raspy yet melodic charge of The Replacements; the pioneering punk of Wipers, fleshed out via the more restrained and tender moments of Big Star or Neil Young. The result is a beautiful dichotomy of a record that both pays tribute to a rich musical lineage that the band are a part of, while also resisting the urge to get sucked into a dead end of nostalgia, mythology and recycling past glories.

If you could go back in time ten years, what would you want to tell yourself? This was a question Khruangbin posed to themselves when approaching the ten-year anniversary of their debut album, the once cult classic, now genre-defining work The Universe Smiles Upon You. “If we could go back and tell ourselves how much was going to happen to us after that record, what would we want to
celebrate?” asked Laura Lee, bassist, vocalist, and founding member of the band. Instead, they thought: “Let’s do it again.”
The Universe Smiles Upon You ii was recorded on January 4-6, 2025, in the same family barn of guitarist Mark Speer, across the
same dates where TUSUY was first conceived ten years earlier. Though the conditions were the same–dirt floor, brutally cold,
minimal sound isolation, all takes live–the songs aren’t. They’re re-approached, some changed more than others, harnessing the lightning-in-a-bottle energy of TUSUY while discovering what would be unique this time around, in this stage of the band’s life.
The result moves like ripples on the water across ten hypnotizing tracks, the barn creating a sense of spaciousness, serenity and creative freedom, nearby wildlife (listen out for the birds on “August Twelve ii”), rattles and creaks of the barn and all. It’s a tapestry of small movements in nuanced arrangements, slowly revealing the new life, stories and character of someone you’ve met again for the first time in ten years.

Comic Sans are back! The San Sebastián Midwest Emo quartet has finished their second album, "Todas las cosas que nos salieron mal", following" Éramos felices y no lo sabíamos" and the EP "Ojalá fuera mi cumpleaños". However, "Todas las cosas que nos salieron mal" and its opening single mark an evolution within Comic Sans"s perfectly recognizable style. Without abandoning the parameters of midwest emo, the San Sebastián band wants to reach a wider audience and sound more like themselves than their influences. They have matured, and it shows in deeper lyrics, while still remaining honest and direct, and in a more personal choice of structures, effects, and melodies. Everything"s more indie, really; understanding indie no longer as a genre (which it never was) or a classification related to the size of a band"s distribution channels, whether more mainstream or more underground, but as the desire to move away from the conventions of the style in which they emerged and took their first steps in order to develop something genuinely their own.

Solid Ball of Rock is the tenth studio album by legendary heavy metal band Saxon and was originally released in 1991. Five of its eleven tracks were written by new bassist Nibbs Carter, who co-wrote another three songs.

The addition of young bassist Nibbs Carter seemed to inject new life into the group, which unleashed some of its most aggressive songs in years, including the full-on thrashing "Altar of the Gods" and positively scorching "Baptism of Fire."

"For our audience – and without an audience there is no band – our focus returned on Solid Ball of Rock…" noted singer Biff Byford. "Since then, we've been right on it."

Solid Ball of Rock is available as a limited edition of 1000 individually numbered copies on silver vinyl and includes an insert.

Released in 1970 the band's only album, the extraordinary Afreaka!, demonstrates their excellence in playing psychedelic soul, dub- heavy funk, progressive rock, afrojazz and black acid rock. Demon Fuzz these days are amongst the most bootlegged and sampled bands from the early 70s British underground. It was a Billboard "4- STAR" selection in June 1971.

The band's name means "devil's children or bad policemen". They originally played soul, but the music they heard during a trip to Morocco lead to a change in their style to what has been described as a blend of funk, rock, jazz, and African music. Afreaka! is now available as a limited edition of 2000 individually numbered copies on purple translucent coloured vinyl. The sleeve has a nice linen laminate finish

Originally released in 1977 on the obscure North Carolinian WITCH's BREW label. "NO COMMUNICATION" by TRUE TRANSFUSION A.K.A HUMAN BLOOD had long gone unknown until recently. Now with the help of Chicago's very own RAHAAN, we have two smooth edits where the old-meets-new

Luminous Orange Marbled Vinyl Mit ihrer ersten Veröffentlichung seit sieben Jahren kehren MONSTROSITY eindrucksvoll zurück und präsentieren ein Album, das ihre unverwechselbare Mischung aus purer Aggression, technischer Brillanz und ungebändigter Intensität eindrucksvoll auf den Punkt bringt. Angeführt von Drummer, Gründer und Mastermind Lee Harrison, zeigt sich die Band stärker denn je. Mit Langzeit-Gitarrist Matt Barnes, der triumphalen Rückkehr von Originalbassist Mark Van Erp und der markerschütternden Stimme von Ed Webb (ex Massacre) entfaltet Screams From Beneath The Surface eine Energie, die sofort packt und nachhaltig wirkt. Das Album festigt nicht nur MONSTROSITYs Status als Death-Metal-Institution, sondern erweitert das Genre um frische, mutige Facetten - innovativ und dennoch kompromisslos ihren Wurzeln treu. Die zehn Tracks dieses massiven Werkes verkörpern den rebellischen Geist, der MONSTROSITY seit Jahrzehnten definiert. Songs demonstrieren eindrucksvoll das Zusammenspiel aus vernichtenden Riffs, komplexem Drumming und eindringlichen, bildgewaltigen Texten. Gleichzeitig zeigen sie, wie vielseitig und weiterentwicklungsfähig die Band geblieben ist - neue klangliche Ebenen treffen auf ihre charakteristische, rohe Wildheit. Jeder Titel ist ein Statement, ein Beweis für MONSTROSITYs technische Überlegenheit und ihren kompromisslosen Anspruch, Death Metal auf höchstem Niveau zu liefern.

Mit ihrer ersten Veröffentlichung seit sieben Jahren kehren MONSTROSITY eindrucksvoll zurück und präsentieren ein Album, das ihre unverwechselbare Mischung aus purer Aggression, technischer Brillanz und ungebändigter Intensität eindrucksvoll auf den Punkt bringt. Angeführt von Drummer, Gründer und Mastermind Lee Harrison, zeigt sich die Band stärker denn je. Mit Langzeit-Gitarrist Matt Barnes, der triumphalen Rückkehr von Originalbassist Mark Van Erp und der markerschütternden Stimme von Ed Webb (ex Massacre) entfaltet Screams From Beneath The Surface eine Energie, die sofort packt und nachhaltig wirkt. Das Album festigt nicht nur MONSTROSITYs Status als Death-Metal-Institution, sondern erweitert das Genre um frische, mutige Facetten - innovativ und dennoch kompromisslos ihren Wurzeln treu. Die zehn Tracks dieses massiven Werkes verkörpern den rebellischen Geist, der MONSTROSITY seit Jahrzehnten definiert. Songs demonstrieren eindrucksvoll das Zusammenspiel aus vernichtenden Riffs, komplexem Drumming und eindringlichen, bildgewaltigen Texten. Gleichzeitig zeigen sie, wie vielseitig und weiterentwicklungsfähig die Band geblieben ist - neue klangliche Ebenen treffen auf ihre charakteristische, rohe Wildheit. Jeder Titel ist ein Statement, ein Beweis für MONSTROSITYs technische Überlegenheit und ihren kompromisslosen Anspruch, Death Metal auf höchstem Niveau zu liefern. 180g Black

Von der Disco in den Jazz Club - Flore Benguigui ist zurück!
2024 platzte in der Welt des französischen Pop eine Bombe, als Flore Benguigui ihren Ausstieg aus der
erfolgreichen Elektropop-Band L’Impératrice bekanntgab. Mit ihrem ersten Solo-Album ist sie jetzt in
Bestform zurück und verbindet swingende Jazz-Songs mit Pop- und Elektro-Elementen.
Die ausgebildete Sängerin und Pianistin hegte schon immer eine tiefe Liebe zu Evergreens und zu Unrecht vergessenen Klassikern von Nina Simone bis Chanson-Legende Barbara. Ihr erstes Album unter
eigenem Namen greift diese Musik jetzt auf und transportiert sie ins Hier und Jetzt. Ihre unverwechselbare
Stimme, flirrend und mädchenhaft, aber punktgenau und selbstbewusst, ist die Basis der Jazz-Ohrwürmer
mit einer Dosis Indie-Pop, die sie mit ihrer Band The Sensible Notes erarbeitet hat. Für Pop- wie für
Jazz-Fans ist ihr ein sehr hörenswertes Werk gelungen.

Die schwedischen Old-School-Death-Metal-Veteranen GLUTTONY kehren mit ihrem vernichtenden vierten Studioalbum ,EULOGY TO BLASPHEMY" zurück - ein gnadenloser Brocken aus Schmutz, Raserei und Brutalität, direkt aus dem kalten, verrotteten Herzen Skandinaviens. Mit 10 brutalen Tracks plus einem finsteren Intro liefert das Album pure, von Kettensägen-Gitarren getriebene Zerstörung, tief verwurzelt in der klassischen schwedischen Death-Metal-Tradition.Als besonderes Bonus für die CD- und LP-Editionen zollt die Band dem König höchstpersönlich Tribut mit einem exklusiven King-Diamond-Cover, das dem ohnehin schon bedrohlichen Release eine dunkle und verdrehte Note verleiht.Aufgenommen in den Studio Blastbeat (Sundsvall), gemischt von Jonas Jönsson im Studio LV5 und gemastert von Henrik Heinrich in den Nevo Studios, ist ,EULOGY TO BLASPHEMY" eine brutal authentische Produktion, die die rohe Kraft und die faulige Atmosphäre der Band in ihrer tödlichsten Form einfängt. Artwork und Layout stammen von Håkan Sjödin.Fans von GRAVE, FACEBREAKER und LIK werden sich in diesem gnadenlosen Angriff auf klassischen schwedischen Death Metal sofort zuhause fühlen.Bereitet euch auf totale klangliche Entweihung vor. Dies ist ein Nachruf - auf Blasphemie.

With »News from Planet Zombie«, The Notwist return to view after years of exploration and experiment with an album rich in both melancholy and positivity, sketched across a suite of thrilling, fiercely committed pop songs. It’s an album reflecting a chaotic world, but responding with warmth and generosity, to achieve creative and spiritual consolidation. Recorded in their home base of Munich, it reconnects with the security of the local to explore the troubles of the global: a guiding impulse writ large across this album’s eleven songs. It’s also the first studio album since 1995’s »12« that the entire band recorded together in the studio in its expanded live formation.

A new album by The Notwist is always a curious endeavour; their musical language is as consistent and resilient as the contexts for creativity are unpredictable and ever shifting. For »News from Planet Zombie«, the core trio of Markus and Micha Acher and Cico Beck embraced the plural possibilities of writing together, bringing songs to the collective and then arranging, rehearsing and recording that material live, in the studio.

The result is an album that’s energised, fully in ›the now‹, with spectacular moments where you can hear the magic bubbling up in the dynamic between the Achers, Beck, and fellow members Theresa Loibl, Max Punktezahl, Karl Ivar Refseth, and Andi Haberl. If »Teeth« begins »News from Planet Zombie« quietly and reflectively, by »X-Ray« everyone’s supercharged, blasting out future anthems with the collective energy cranked up high. The chiming keys of »Propeller« skim the instrumental’s surface like stones across burbling water; »The Turning« clangs its way into one of the album’s most heartwarming melodies.

»News from Planet Zombie« was recorded over one week at Import Export, a non-profit space for arts and music. You can tell, too; there are some pleasingly rough edges here, as though The Notwist’s striving for hazy perfection means they’re also confident enough to let the songs breathe and mutate between our ears. That openness to chance also takes in guest turns from friends both local and international, reflective of a cosmopolitan Munich: Enid Valu joins in on vocals, while Haruka Yoshizawa guests on taishōgoto and harmonium, Tianping Christoph Xiao on clarinet, and Mathias Götz on trombone.

The Notwist aren’t best known for cover versions, but »News from Planet Zombie« features two: a gorgeous version of Neil Young’s »Red Sun« (from 2000’s »Silver & Gold«), which the group originally developed for a theatre play directed by Jette Steckel, and a take on Athens, Georgia folk-pop gang Lovers’ »How the Story Ends«. They slot into the album’s narrative perfectly, nestling in like old friends, revealing The Notwist as poetic interpreters. Played well, the cover version is both acknowledgement of fellow travellers and act of generosity, and The Notwist nail both aspects here.

And that narrative, the way the album plays out? »News from Planet Zombie« acknowledges the distress of our current geopolitical impasse, while reminding us there are collective ways forward. Fed through the figure of the zombie, Markus Acher explores our anxieties: »In the title and some lyrics I reference B- and horror-movies, which is a reference to the crazy world at the moment, which seems to be like a really bad and unrealistic B-movie.« But there’s a reminder here not to lose the thread entirely, that these things, too, will pass.

»The river here in Munich I often go to has been there forever and will be there long after us,« Acher reflects, pinpointing an important source of succour for him, »always the same but always changing. Very calming, but also always reminding me that like this river time only flows into one direction and you can’t go back. Every moment is very precious.«

Artwork by Marie Vermont

The Notwist:
Markus Acher: vocals, guitar
Micha Acher: bass, sousaphone, euphonium, trumpet
Cico Beck: electronics, keyboards, guitar, recorder, percussion
Theresa Loibl: bassclarinet, clarinet, piano, harmonium, organ
Max Punktezahl: guitar
Karl Ivar Refseth: marimbaphone, vibraphone, glockenspiel, congas, percussion
Andi Haberl: drums, dulcimer
+
Enid Valu: vocals on 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 9, 10, 11
Haruka Yoshizawa: taishōgoto on 6, harmonium on 9, 10, 11
Tianping Christoph Xiao: clarinet on 4, 10, 11
Mathias Götz: trombone on 4, 10, 11