Bristol-based indie noir-pop artist Emily Breeze returns with a bitter-sweet new single Ordinary Life, dripping with brit-goth nostalgia and sad-pop synth lines via Sugar Shack Records on September 23rd 2022.
Emily’s previous single ‘Confessions of an Aging Party Girl’, received airplay from Lauren Laverne, Don Letts and Tom Robinson alongside continued support from BBC Radio Bristol and BBC Introducing in the West. Ordinary Life continues in this vein, a reflection on a gloriously misspent youth and a celebration of the magic, misery, miracles and monotony that are sewn into the fabric of everyday existence where you are the hero of your own mythic quest.
Speaking of the inspiration for the song Emily says, “It’s a quest that involves biblical first loves and tragic one night stands, epic all nighters and the quiet desperation that follows as your dreams disperse like the fronds of a dandelion clock in the cold morning air. You blink, two decades have passed and you become the thing you always despised, a three dimensional, functional adult with reasonable expectations… Or perhaps it’s the theme song to the end of a John Hughes movie set twenty years after Prom night, except it’s not prom night, it’s Butlins and Mike Leigh is directing but Simple Minds and Souxsie Sioux are still sparkling in the spotlight, and so are you.”
Ordinary life is the opening track to Emily’s third solo album Rapture which she describes as “A collection of coming-of (middle) age stories which celebrate flamboyant failure, excess and acceptance”, due for release January 2023.
Main Stage: Motherland, Cassyette, Death Blooms, Static Dress, Vukovi, Boston Manor, Creeper, Frank Carter & The Rattlesnakes.
Fireball Stage: Mally, Kidpunk, Rituals, Hometruths, Zand, Lebrock, Modern Error, As December Falls, Higher Power.
For the galleries of the bands who performed at the festival, follow this link.
Taking place over the course of the day at Northumbria SU, Newcastle; Rise Fest. This is a brand new music festival for the heavier audiences of the North East but… a heavy music festival in Newcastle? It’s not something you’d normally credit the city for, expect says few select venues but with it rearing to go with some standout bands from the last few years as well as the established mainstays on the scene, it was time to unleash the energy on the fans!
Rise Fest was composed of two stages at Northumbria Students Union, the Main Stage with Frank Carter & the Rattlesnakes headlining in addition to Creeper performing an exclusive ‘Weeping Widow’ set where keyboardist Hannah Greenwood stepped into the main vocals role as their regular lead vocalist Will Gould sadly couldn’t be there on the day.
Kicking things off were a band from the local scene in Newcastle, Mally, where they stepped in at the literal last minute to replace Superlove and I have to say they brought their absolute best energy with them to kick start things on the day, pulling a great crowd over to the Fireball Stage and starting the day off with a bang. They were quickly followed up by Motherland, an ambitious five alt piece from down the road in Middlesbrough warming up the stage for the utter madness that would ensue.
Switching over we had the always fantastic Kidpunk, one band who are already establishing themselves as the next big ones to watch, especially with the recently released track, ‘Tanners Arms‘ Next up on the day, Cassyette. It’s probably a good thing this artist was switched from the Fireball Stage to the Main Stage because over the course of the last year, she’s one that has been nothing short of excellent, gaining more and more attention to become one of the largest names in alt music in lockdown. With that, she pulled in what looks like everyone who was there at one glances leading to a blinding powerhouse performance which is always managing to topple every subsequent appearance.
Heading over to the Fireball stage for a moment, Rituals bring the head banging heaviness for which they’re known for, the quartet are assisted by some of their best new material where their rising progression is just hammered by by the refined collective they have become over the last few years. Special shoutout to the track ‘Oceans Subside’ because that is one tracks which showcases all the energy the band bring to the table.
Now Death Blooms. If Cassyette gave the crowd the energy, then this band takes it to a whole new level and being one of the heavier bands on the bill, they had to live up to the reputation (which they did). What’s more is that Death Blooms just kick everything up every single time I’ve had the pleasure to watch them play and this one tops the bill quite literally with a majority of the crowd singing back ‘Shut Up‘.
Now to switch genres up a little here, you have some more tremendous local talent in Hometruths that give and give so much where their boundless potential matches against their ambitious melodies showcasing just what the North East is offering at this festival and why they won’t go ignored for much longer.
I’ve witnessed Static Dress before and there’s just something about them, their refined sense in the pride of their music or the attention to detail. Whatever it is, it’s that which unlocks the pent up energy we’ve all had in lockdown, they take it out of us to really get things started. They’re a band who know how to play with their audience, taking their time with their songs and peaking just at the right time to give you that little bit extra you never expected from a performance.
Zand is just Zand. Before a note is every even played or a word uttered, all attention is on this artist. The crowd is just silent and then you’re captivated by the shaved green headed person which stands before you, which leads into a record for most eagworms you’ll ever have during a set. It’s a very refreshing set to say the least which is what makes Rise Festival so spectacular in bringing the many different genres of rock and metal together because you never know whom will surprise you on the day.
Now Lebrock. I honestly hadn’t heard anything from this particular group before and wasn’t sure what to expect, in fact it was a little weird to begin with because they were a band which seemed a little bit of a mismatch to everyone else I’d seen so far. But it’s this difference which made the performance all the more memorable as much as it was powerful. Their synth vibes completely captivated me to a point where I was just fixed on the spot and couldn’t look away. This was one of the most unique artists I’d come across in a long while.
Scottish mainstays Vukovi are the next band to grace the MainStage, showcasing their undeniable rage with their amazing confidence, making them one of the best bands on the day where a little bit of the mix from their older material fires up the crowd well as some of their material from their second record, ‘Fall Better‘, especially ‘C.L.A.U.D.I.A‘ is one track which the crowd identifies with and loses their collective minds over.
Another band which are hard to place on the day, flickering the line of heavy are Modern Error. To myself, they’re a band which are just that little bit more mysterious which adds tot he mystique of their performances which always seem to make them a highlight, no matter what lineup they’re a part of. ‘Their latest record, ‘Victim Of A Modern’ age and some of those track live just hit a little bit differently live where each and every band member matches the energy in a way most bands don’t, they exceed it at every turn.
Keeping things going, Boston Manor just had every banger on their repertoire going, opening with ‘Carbon Mono’ off the Desperate Times, Desperate Pleasures EP delighting fans much to the excitement of what’s to come on their upcoming release ‘Datura‘. Creeper though, we didn’t know what to expect. This is because Keyboardist and backing vocalist Hannah Greenwood was stepping into their frontman Will’s shoes for their ONE NIGHT ONLY Weeping Willow performance but by the sounds of everything I heard, I think there’s a lot of people who would want to see that again due to how strong her vocals were on the night and how grand her stage presence was. Safe to say, she absolutely smashed it! From effortlessly ripping into ‘Suzanne’ and having the audience participate in ‘Down Below’, this will go down in the bands history as a fan favourite set.
*Below is some fan shot footage from the festival.
As December Falls, one UK pop-Punk band always on an upward trajectory. Last year they delivered a SOLD OUT UK tour and this year it’s just continuing their success with appearances at festivals, not to mention a headlining UK tour which will see them at larger venues this time around. But for Rise Fest? The gave an absolutely solid performance where if there had been room on that Main Stage, I’m sure ADF would’ve definitely filled it because some of their latest material, the effortlessly catchy ‘Go Away’ as well as the guitar driven powerhouse ‘Ride’ are always two you want to hear live again and again.
Now for the final bands, Frank Carter & The Rattlesnakes, I had to dash off after the first three songs into the set because of the trains which meant I did miss quite a bit of their set and the entirety of Higher Power so I can’t say much on these final two acts but from what I did experience and view via Social Media, Frank Carter led his band into a high octane energy fuelled set which not only smashed through anything people witnessed but also it dwarfed any expectation which was set on the day to end the first ever Rise Fest on a high note which made everyone want so much more.
For its first iteration, Rise Fest was nothing short of an absolute success from my standpoint, showcasing the best of the locals scene to the talented up and coming acts as well as the established in the UK. It was such a fantastic space which has been created and hopefully this isn’t the first and only iteration of the festival that we’ll end up watching.
Rating 5/5.
Now the last question I’ll ask on Rise Fest is that will it return for 2023? At the time of writing a post was made a day ago on the Rise Fest account which teases the 2023 edition of the festival. So I guess we’ll have to keep an eye on what happens until sometime in the future.
After receiving enormous praise for their previously shared effort ‘Chair’, which was regularly circulated on Amazing Radio upon its release, London-based outfit Third Party Incidents make their stunning return with the rip-roaring new single ‘Vest’.
Bringing back more of that bold and energetic indie-punk vibe they are building for themselves, ‘Vest’ makes for a wonderfully fresh and driven release. Jam-packed with swaggering hooks, a soaring atmosphere, and killer vocals littered throughout, they are certainly looking to cement themselves as one of the more engaging new bands on the rise right now.
The bands second release, ‘Vest’, their second release, is a short/snappy rock ‘n’ roll banger with a catchy chorus and erratic rhythm that will keep you on your toes. The remainder of the 5 track EP will be drip-fed to the public over the course of the next 7 months, leaving them salivating for more with each intoxicating bite.
The Video: Showfield’s moving out of his Brick Lane flat after 8 years, a celebratory send-off? Perch The Flying Ganesh perilously on the ‘balcony’, fire up some amps on the lane, hail some percussion on the pavement, arm TC Free & Showfield with wireless guitars, and you have the potential for a spectacle. A helping hand from one of the OG fans ‘The Robster’, responsible for causing a traffic diversion added a je ne sais quoi… This was followed by a two- year hiatus, during which time Showfield developed a number of new songs with a vision to rebuild the band as a four-piece. Thankfully, the stars were on his side, and soon enough, meets TC Free, a fresh-faced Australian in the heart of London, while on their respective dates at a bar.
Indie-rock trio Goldpark have announcing their sophomore EP, Goldpark Two, out October 21st on Hazel Street Records. Alongside the announcement, Goldpark are also presenting the final pre-release single, “Summer In My Head,” a glistening, feel-good track about being young and reflecting on all the moments that have made up your life so far.
In a statement about the EP, Goldpark write: “This EP is special for so many reasons. We had the right songs, the right producer (Jeremy Lutito), and the right spirit. This body of work is the best representation of who we are and where we are going. We hope this EP makes people smile.”
Check out the latest track, ‘Summer In My Head’ below.
Finnish Avant-garde metal band Wyrmwoods released a new single Year of Dearth. The track is taken from the band’s upcoming fourth album No Sun Nor Moon which is set to be released on November 4th 2022 by Inverse Records.
The band’s sole member Nuurag-Vaarn comments: “Wyrmwoods’ fourth album No Sun Nor Moon is a continuation of the last album’s progressive avant-garde metal in a more focused and polished package of nine tracks. There are plenty of the familiar ambient and progressive rock influences heard on the album, which can be heard for example with some mixed meter time signatures and more use of the saxophone in the tracks. There’s still plenty of room for more straight-forward and intense Black Metal parts on the album as well. The production is cleaner and less chaotic when comparing to the previous releases. There are also more Death Metal influences heard this time, most so on the single release Year of Dearth, for example the vocals are now primarily low growls.”
Check out the single, ‘Year Of Dearth’ via your preferred streaming service.
Doro Pesch is celebrating 40 years in music in 2023! The highlight though? That’ll be her anniversary hometown show, taking place on October 28th, 2023, in Düsseldorf.
The metal queen already has another surprise up her sleeve. She has released a very unique single, never-before-heard in the musician’s long and successful career: a soulful adaptation of her classic metal anthem ´Raise Your Fist In The Air‘.
The single has been made possible by the new ZDF (national German TV channel) music show ‘Music Impossible‘. In a new episode premiering today, viewers can watch DORO compete against German pop singer Mike Singer. Both artists were faced with the challenge of arranging and performing their own song, but in the opposite genre! This meant that DORO had to transform one of her heavy hits into her opponent’s trendy pop sound.
DORO commented: “It was incredibly difficult to find the right song for this format. Making a metal anthem sound pop, yet cool, was even harder. A real balancing act, which I think we managed very well.“
In addition to planned appearances at some of the world’s biggest festivals, next year, in time for her 40th anniversary, DORO is also working on a new album, certain to include ear-worm anthems, metal hits and wonderful ballads.
Check out ‘Raise Your First In The Air (In Heaven Mix)’ below.
Off the back of a rapturous summer of festival dates, and looking ahead to their highly anticipated UK headline tour in November/December, indie pop heroes Sea Girls have dropped their exquisite new song ‘Falling Apart’.
Coming as a brand new track, recorded with producer Pete Robertson (Beebadoobee, Alfie Templeman) in just one day, front man Henry Camamile said “I got the idea for ‘Falling Apart’ after watching Jimmy Fallon and seeing Steven Van Zandt playing guitar in Springsteen’s E Street Band. That same day I had watched him in character as Sil in The Sopranos, so the inspiration was to write a song from that character’s mother’s point of view, along with mine, watching him play guitar on the TV and letting the art blend with reality. The emotion radiates loss and revenge in a murky underworld.”
‘The Hometown Tour’ kicks off mid-November with recently added shows due to phenomenal demand, and culminates with a massive show at London’s Alexandra Palace on December 1st.
Check out the touring dates below.
Lauran Hibberd main support + Abbie McCarthy DJ Set (Ally Pally only) November Thu 17th Nottingham, Rock City (Sold Out) Fri 18th Birmingham, O2 Academy 1 Sat 19th Glasgow, O2 Academy (Sold Out) Sun 20th Middlesbrough, The Empire (Extra date added) Tue 22nd Cardiff, University Great Hall Wed 23rd Southampton, O2 Guildhall Thu 24th Torquay, The Foundry (Extra date added) Sat 26th Manchester, O2 Victoria Warehouse (Sold Out) Sun 27th Liverpool, O2 Academy (Extra date added) Mon 28th Hull, University (Extra date added)
A few months after the official release of their sophomore album ‘The monumental pandemonium’, Progressive & Groovy Death-Metal practioners Post-Mortem unveiled a new official music video illustrating (live) the song “Opening of the Underworld’s Gates” from the effort and available right now on YouTube.
Check out the video for ‘Opening Of The Underworld’s Gates’ below.
Soul Blind pushes the boundaries of alternative rock with a rich collage of sounds and emotionally charged lyrics.
The band have announced their first full-length album, Feel it All Around, set for release November 11th on Other People Records. Written during the pandemic, Feel It All Around follows the band’s 2021 EP, Third Chain, and deals with emotional strain and taking on the world around you. When it came time to record the LP, the band knew they wanted to work with someone who could challenge them to be their best selves. Entering the studio in early 2022 with Grammy-nominated producer Will Yip (Title Fight, Turnover) at Studio 4 Recordings provided just that. The eleven songs on the album are filled with layers of melodies, ranging from grunge heavy tracks to fuzzy, shoegaze moments.
On the lyrical content behind the track, vocalist Cen expanded:
“This one tackles someone sucking the life out of you, but instead you reflect that feeling and actively bring about the change you wish to see within them by removing yourself. It’s about the personal progression out of situations that don’t do anything for you anymore.”
Check out the Cover Art, Tracklisitng and pre-order options for ‘Feel It All Around’ below and stream ‘System (Failing)’ as well.
1. Seventh Hell 2. Bruise The Sore 3. Stuck In A Loop 4. Tribe 5. Everyday Evil 6. Ain’t Hard To Tell 7. System (Failing) 8. In The In Between 9. All In Time 10. Sparkle 11. Feel It All Around
Pre-orders for ‘Feel It All Around’ via the following link.
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