By: Evan J. Thomas
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️☆ (4/5)

I have a soft spot in my heart and ears for the Foo Fighters since they have been my favorite band for nearly two decades.  There’s something fitting about Foo Fighters titling their latest record Your Favorite Toy. After decades of arena dominance, lineup changes, and personal loss, this is a band that understands both the joy and the weight of returning to what you love and making it feel new again. The result is an album that leans into their strengths while taking just enough risks to keep things interesting.
From the first track, Your Favorite Toy wastes no time. The opening stretch is classic Foo Fighters... punchy, melodic, and built for massive singalongs but there’s an underlying urgency here that gives it extra bite. The guitars feel sharper, the rhythms tighter, and Dave Grohl’s vocals carry a grit that suggests reflection as much as release.
Tracks like “Window” deliver that signature Foos balance of introspection and explosive payoff, building from restrained verses into soaring, cathartic choruses. It’s familiar territory, but it hits for a reason as they’ve mastered the formula without letting it feel stale. Elsewhere, the band stretches out sonically, weaving in subtler textures and moodier dynamics that show a willingness to evolve without abandoning their core identity.
Lyrically, the album feels more grounded than some of their past efforts. There’s a sense of looking back while pushing forward... grappling with change, memory, and resilience. It never gets overly heavy, but there’s enough emotional depth to give the record weight beneath its stadium sized hooks.  For me, there are a few tracks that have that grit and grunge feel along with their punk influences.  
That said, Your Favorite Toy isn’t without its flaws. A few tracks in the middle section blur together, leaning a bit too comfortably into the band’s established sound without offering a standout moment. It’s the only place where the album dips slightly, but not enough to derail the overall experience.
What ultimately makes Your Favorite Toy work is its balance. It’s not a radical reinvention like "Sonic Highways", nor does it try to be. Instead, it’s a confident, well crafted record from a band that knows exactly who they are and how to deliver the goods. The highs are strong, the energy is undeniable, and even its safer moments are still undeniably Foo Fighters.
Four stars feels right for this album. Not because it’s perfect, but because it proves Foo Fighters still have plenty left in the tank and they know exactly how to make it hit.

TRACK LIST:
1. Caught in the Echo 
2. Of All People 
3. Window 
4. Your Favorite Toy 
5. If You Only Knew 
6. Spit Shine 
7. Unconditional 
8. Child Actor
9. Amen, Caveman
10. Asking for a Friend

By: Philip Sayblack / Phil's Picks

Gus G. is a busy musician.  The famed guitarist, who is a founding member of the hard rock act Firewind has just released his fifth solo album, Steel Burner.  Released Friday via Metal Department Records, the 10-song album came roughly four years after the release of his then latest solo album, Quantum Leap and only two years after the release of Firewind’s latest album, Stand United 2024.  That record was supported by a global tour that spanned 2024 and 2025.  Somehow Gus G. (whose real name is Konstantinos Karamitroudis) was able to keep the stress of it all from negatively impacting this 38-minute album.  From its beginning to its end, the record offers audiences plenty to appreciate both from its instrumental and “full” songs.  Among the most notable of the instrumental numbers is the record’s midpoint, ‘What If.’  The “full” songs (those that include vocal performances) actually make up half of the album’s body and are sequenced well throughout the whole.  One of the most notable of those tracks comes early in the record in the form of ‘Nothing Can Break Me.’  One more of the more notable of the instrumentals comes in the form of the late entry, ‘Confession.’  When this and the other songs examined are together, they paint a clear picture of why this record is so successful.  When the trio is considered alongside the record’s seven remaining songs, the whole makes Steel Burner yet one more of this year’s top new hard rock and metal albums.
Steel Burner, the latest full-length studio recording from Gus G. is another strong new offering from the veteran musician and guitarist.  This is proven throughout the course of the album’s nearly 40-minute run time both in its instrumental and “full” tracks.  One of the most notable of those instrumentals comes in the record’s midpoint, ‘What If.’  Clocking in at just under four minutes, it takes elements of works from Dream Theater guitarist John Petrucci and from another fellow legendary guitarist, one Joe Satriani, and makes for a fully engaging, entertaining and in turn immersive presentation.  Gus G. shines here in this work that even with the noted comparisons still maintains its own identity.  This is even as he performed and recorded not only the guitar line but also the bass and drums.  The whole of his varied performances makes the song such a solid composition that is certain to engage and entertain audiences in its own right.
Looking at the album’s “full” songs, one of the most notable of those entries comes early in the form of ‘Nothing Can Break Me.’  This song takes listeners in a different direction from ‘What If.’  In the case of this song, it is more intense, more power metal in its approach.  Famed vocalis Doro Pesch delivers the song’s uplifting message of perseverance here while Gus G.’s overall work offers so much musical enjoyment.  It should be noted here that Dennis Ward handled the bass duties on this song while Gus G. continued to handle the guitar and drums once again. 
The song’s noted uplifting lyrics send that noted clear message as Pesch sings, “In my heart/I’m strong and proud/But this world just gets me down/And it’s time I’m acting now/’Cause you know I’m feeling/Hurt/And pain/And blood/All around me/Hurt/And pain/And blood/It cannot break me/Even though it breaks me down/I will turn it all around/Can you hear me screaming/Nothing will break me down.”  Pesch adds in the song’s second verse, “I was feeling safe and sound/And it’s turning all around/Am I bleeding inside out/Getting cold and freezing/Hurt/And pain/And blood/All around me/They cannot break me/Even though it breaks me down/I will turn it all around/Can you hear me screaming/Nothing will break me/Nothing will break me/Yes, I feel it in the air/Desperation/And I hope that you care/Nothing will break me/Nothing can break me down!”  This uplifting message is as welcome as so many of its counterparts from so many other rock and metal acts out there.  We all get to that point of burnout, just as Pesch sings about here, but we have to remind ourselves that as she noted, “nothing will break me down.”  Keeping that in mind, this positive message pairs with the song’s heavy musical arrangement for a whole that makes it one of the album’s highest points (and there are plenty of high points throughout this record). 
One more of the most notable of the instrumental tracks here comes in the form of the late entry, ‘Confession.’  Coming in at just under four minutes (three minutes, 52 seconds to be exact), ‘Confession’ is another deeply emotional work (performed entirely once more by Karamitroudis) that easily lends itself to works from fellow guitarists John Petrucci and Joe Satriani.  He has taken the best elements of their works here – huge but controlled solos and more swelling “verses” – to make the whole another unique work that easily holds its own here.  The subtlety in the bridge, for instance, makes for a wonderful counter to the more bombastic moments of the verses while the drumming and bass work once more add their own richness to the whole.  The whole is one more work that audiences are certain to appreciate.  When this and the other songs examined here are considered alongside the rest of the album’s entries, the whole makes fully clear just how strong this latest entry from Gus G. is.  It is a presentation that unquestionably holds its own alongside all of the other hard rock and metal albums released to date this year.
Steel Burner, the latest solo album from Gus G. is another solid new offering from the veteran guitarist and musician.  This is proven in its instrumental works and its “full” tracks.  Each of the songs examined make that clear.  When those songs are considered alongside the rest of the album’s offerings, the whole makes Steel Burner one more welcome addition to this year’s field of new hard rock and metal albums and another work that reminds audiences of why Gus G. remains one of the rock and metal communities’ top guitarists.
Steel Burner is available now.  More information on the album is available along with all of Gus G.’s latest news at:
Website: https://gusgofficial.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/officialgusg
Twitter: https://twitter.com/gusgofficial

By: Philip Sayblack / Phil's Picks

Late next month, hardcore metal act Pro-Pain will release its first new album in more than a decade when it drops Stone Cold Anger.  The record will be the band’s first for its new label home, Napalm Records.  Clocking in at roughly 31-minutes across 10 songs, this record packs a big punch in that short run time from beginning to end.  Its success comes in part through its featured musical arrangements, which will be discussed shortly.  The lyrical themes that accompany said content add to the record’s appeal and will be examined a little later.  The record’s production puts the finishing touch to the whole.  Each item noted is important to the whole of the record.  All things considered they make Stone Cold Anger a mostly positive return for this veteran hardcore outfit.
Stone Cold Anger, the latest album from Pro-Pain, is a strong new offering from the band.  That is saying a lot considering that more than a decade has passed since the release of the band’s then latest album, Voice of Rebellion (2015).  The album’s appeal comes in large part through its featured musical arrangements, which offer audiences a blend of the band’s familiar hardcore style compositions that are easily likened to works from the likes of Hatebreed, Madball, Earth Crisis, etc.  with more melodic metal a la Prong’s heavier, melodic works.  Hearing those more melodic moments with front man Gary Meskil actually sounding somewhat like Prong front man Tommy Victor in those more melodic moments.  The sequencing of those songs, taking that variety into mind, does plenty to keep things interesting throughout the record’s run time.  That is because the sequencing thereof changes things up just enough from one track to the next to keep things interesting.
The songs that are included in Stone Cold Anger make for a strong starting point for this album and are just part of what makes the album worth hearing.  The lyrical themes that accompany the album’s musical body make for their own interest.  The lyrical themes vary a bit more than the musical arrangements, presenting a wider range of content.  The album’s lead single, ‘Oceans of Blood’ for instance, is a clear socio-politically charged work.  Meskil made that clear in an interview about the single, noting, “The frustration of people worldwide regarding the rampant corruption and criminality of their governments has reached a breaking point.  Wars are being waged in their name without any consent, funded by their own hard earned tax dollars.  With rising living costs and inflation eroding the value of money, tensions are rising.  We’ve already seen this reach a critical level in countries, like Sri Lanka, France, and more recently, Nepal, where citizens have taken drastic actions against corrupt politicians, even resorting to violence and destruction of property…”  Such material is nothing new to the rock and metal communities and honestly is no less impacting here than in other cases from Pro-Pain’s contemporaries.
Another notable theme comes in another of the album’s singles, ‘Scorched Earth.’  Instead of the political fare from the album’s lead single, this song’s theme is more social.  As Meskil pointed out of the song that it “explores what happens when ordinary are pushed to their breaking point.  Drawing inspiration from films, such as the 1990s Michael Douglas drama Falling Down, the lyrics examine how pressure, frustration, and a sense of powerlessness can build over time.  The song speaks to themes of reckoning, consequence, and genuine accountability.”  So what audiences get here is a powerful, hard hitting musical arrangement coupled with a lyrical theme that is fully relatable and in turn accessible.  The resultant therapeutic impact thereof makes this song yet another important addition to the album’s presentation. 
‘Rinse & Repeat,’ is yet another key addition to the album’ in regard to its lyrical content.  The opener to the album’s second half, this “deep cut” seems to deliver a message of protest against the control that religion has on the world.  Being that this is not one of the album’s singles (at least not at the time of this review’s posting), lyrics are not available.  From what can be understood from a close listen, Meskil makes mention early in the song that “evil lurks in the church.”  That certainly seems to be a cut and dry statement.  He later states, “We’re all baptized in guilt/So wash away those sins/Come clean and ask yourself/Should God save us now/When Salvation’s close?”  This is pretty straight forward.  That mention of there being “evil in the church” includes a statement about the evil being there “to divide/divert and deceive.”  Again, this is very true.  This certainly comes across as a damning indictment of religious leadership in America today.  If it is not then one would certainly be interested to learn the truth of the theme.  If it is the theme, then it is another familiar topic that resonates with audiences just as much here as in so many other cases.  To that end, when this theme is considered alongside the others examined here and that trio with the rest of the album’s lyrical themes, the whole therein makes the record’s lyrical body just as important as its musical side.  Keeping all of that in mind, the content featured throughout Stone Cold Anger more than gives audiences reason to take in this album.
Putting the final touch to the album is the record’s production.  It goes without saying that Stone Cold Anger is a heavy record.  It is intense.  Those behind the boards are to be applauded for ensuring the balance of each song’s balance of instrumental and vocal performances.  From one song to the next, each performance sees the performances complimenting one another expertly.  The result is that each song hits listeners with an intense “punch” with the result being a presentation that audiences new and established alike will appreciate for this aesthetic element.  When the positive impact of the record’s production is considered alongside all of its content, the whole makes Stone Cold Anger a solid return for Pro-Pain that shows this band has not lost a single step even having been away for such a long time.  It makes itself a record that is one more welcome addition to this year’s field of new hard rock and metal albums.
Stone Cold Anger, the forthcoming brand-new album from Pro-Pain, is a solid new offering from the band that firmly re-establishes the band and its place within the hard rock and metal community.  That is proven in part through its intense musical arrangements, which offer listeners something familiar and something slightly newer but still familiar in its own right.  The record’s lyrical themes are just as heavy as the record’s musical arrangements and as accessible as ever.  The record’s production puts the finishing touch to the whole, ensuring its easiness on the ears.  Each item examined is important in its own way to the whole of this record.  All things considered they make Stone Cold Anger arguably one of the best of this year’s new hard rock and metal albums so far.
Pro-Pain has an extensive European tour planned to support its new album. The tour is scheduled to launch May 13 in Essen, Germany and to run through Nov. 21 in Eindhoven, The Netherlands. The tour’s schedule is noted below:
PRO-PAIN LIVE 2026:
5/13 — Essen, DE — Turock
5/14 — Osnabrück, DE — Bastard Club
5/15 — Alkmaar, NL — HAL25 Herrie Festival
5/16 — Halle, BE — Skallyfest
5/22 — Loburg, DE — Wir Leben Laut Festival
5/23 — Malle, BE — Kemphe Onderstroom
6/5 — Emmen, NL — Pitfest
6/6 — Tilburg, NL — Little Devil
6/12 — Leipzig, DE — Red Bull Arena
6/13 — Leipzig, DE — Red Bull Arena
6/14 — Kassel, DE — Goldgrube
6/19 — Fehrbellin, DE — Protzen Open Air Festival
6/20 — Lübeck, DE — Riders Cafe
6/26 — Szczecin, PL — Hells Bells Festival
6/27 — Avesta, SE — Krylbomangel Festival
7/2 — Trutnov, CZ — Obscene Extreme Festival
7/3 — Frankfurt, DE — Deutsche Bank Park
7/4 — Frankfurt, DE — Deutsche Bank Park
7/10 — Cologne, DE — MTC Club
7/11 — Gelsenkirchen, DE — Veltins Arena
7/16 — Nottertal-Heilinger Höhen, DE — G.O.N.D. Festival
7/17 — Marienberg, DE — Rock Auf Dem Berg Festival
7/18 — Marburg, DE — KFZ Marburg
7/24 — Munich, DE — Free & Easy Festival
7/25 — Olomouc, CZ — Pod Parou Festival
8/21 — Schmelz, DE — Heartcore Island Open Air Festival
8/22 — Freiburg, DE — Crash
8/29 — Wallesau, DE — Wallesau Ist Blau Festival
11/14 — Eindhoven, NL — Helldorado Festival
11/21 — Eindhoven, NL — Revolution Calling Festival
Stone Cold Anger is scheduled for release May 15.  More information on the album is available along with all of Pro-Pain’s latest news at:
Website: https://pro-pain.com
Facebook: https://facebook.com/propainhardcore
Twitter: https://twitter.com/propainarmy

By: Evan J. Thomas

Stealing Handshakes – Stealing Handshakes (EP Review)
⭐⭐⭐⭐½ 
​(4 1/2 out of 5 Stars)

There’s something refreshingly unfiltered about Stealing Handshakes, the self-titled EP from the Pampa, Texas four piece that’s carving out their space in modern alternative rock. Blending the raw edge of ’90s alt-rock with a more current, emotionally charged approach, this release feels both nostalgic and forward moving at the same time.  I felt the grungy mixed with a pop element throughout this EP. 
From the first track, the band leans into what they do best gritty guitar tones, driving rhythms, and vocals that carry equal parts urgency and vulnerability. There’s a clear influence from the golden era of alternative rock, but it never feels like imitation. Instead, Stealing Handshakes channel that spirit into something that feels personal and alive.
What stands out most across the EP is the songwriting. These aren’t just loud, high energy tracks they’re structured with intention, building tension and release in a way that keeps you locked in. The hooks hit when they need to, but it’s the emotional undercurrent that gives the songs staying power. There’s a sense that every lyric has weight behind it, adding depth to the band’s already punchy sound.
Sonically, the EP balances polish with grit. The production is clean enough to let every instrument breathe, but it still holds onto that rough-around the edges feel that makes alternative rock hit harder. Guitars cut through with purpose, the rhythm section keeps everything grounded, and the vocals sit front and center exactly where they should be.
If there’s any critique, it’s that the EP leaves you wanting more and not in a bad way. At its core, this feels like a strong introduction to a band that’s still building momentum. You get a clear sense of their identity, but also the feeling that they’ve only scratched the surface of what they can become.  I'm looking to see how the band plays off this EP for their future music. 
This EP captures that intensity while giving listeners something they can come back to. It’s the kind of release that proves Stealing Handshakes isn’t just another regional act, they’re a band with the potential to break well beyond Texas and i'm here for it. 

Stealing Handshakes is a confident, emotionally driven EP that bridges past and present alt rock with authenticity and punch. If this is the foundation, what comes next could be something even bigger.

By: Philip Sayblack | Phil's Picks

Exodus, one of the greatest names in thrash metal, officially returned late last month with its latest album, Goliath.  The band’s 13th album, it is a powerhouse presentation that established and new fans alike will find appealing thanks to its musical arrangements and its lyrical themes, as its singles – ‘Goliath,’ ‘3111’ and ‘Promise You This’ – have already proven.  They are just a snapshot of how much the album has to offer.  ‘Hostis Humani Generis,’ does just as much to make this clear, as does ‘Beyond The Event Horizon’ with its own powerhouse musical body and unique social commentary.  ‘The Dirtiest of the Dozen,’ which closes out this standout album, also enhances its presentation.  Each song noted does its own share to engage and entertain audiences.  When they are considered alongside the album’s singles, and other songs, such as ‘Violence Works’ and ‘The Changing Me,’ (and the rest of the album’s entries) the whole therein makes Goliath easily one more of this year’s top new hard rock and metal albums.
Goliath, the latest full-length studio recording from Exodus, is a presentation that just as with each of its records, continues to fully exhibit just what makes this band one of metal’s elite acts.  The singles that this record has produced have already proven that to be the case.  They are just some of the songs that make that clear.  ‘Hostis Humani Generis,’ one of the album’s early entries, is another example of what makes this album so impacting.  Clocking in at just under five and a half minutes, the song’s musical arrangement is everything that audiences have come to expect from Exodus throughout the years.  It is a searing, full-throttle composition that is just as much the band’s own work as it is a presentation that is comparable to works from fellow thrashers Slayer.  The cutting guitar solo, the precision in the time keeping, the equally powerful vocals and even the bass line here make the song in whole fully immersive.
The fire in the song’s musical arrangement is perfect companion to the song’s lyrical content, which centers on a person who is just hateful, evil, and vile.  It explains why the song’s title translates from Latin to ‘Enemy of Humanity.’  The person addressed here certainly sounds like a certain hate filled, evil individual in the White House.  This as front man Rob Dukes states of the person, “Forsaken/Villainous/Despicable/Impulsive/Volatile/Unpredictable/Descriptions all the rats have used for me/the word that’s never used is empathy/I couldn’t give a f*** about how I act/My actions/Or the ones that they impact/My hostility brings peace of mind/I am the enemy of all mankind.”  The current “President of the United States” certain sounds a lot like this individual.  Whether that was the intent here is anyone’s guess.  The thing is that there are lots of people out there just like that person, so it could apply to anyone.  Having that in mind, the fire in this presentation does well to help people deal with such people. 
Dukes continues of the person, “I wanna paint the town red/In chaos and bloodshed and revelry/I wanna kill the fatted calf/Bathe in the bloodbath and the applause/I wanna set the town on fire/And do what I desire/And end them all/I wanna give what they deserve/Exterminate them all and have a ball/Go on a tear/ Without a care/Live it up and celebrate/I choose hate.”  That last line, “I choose hate” sounds just like the convicted felon in the White House, considering he has openly said “I hate my enemy” while also claiming himself to be deserving of the Nobel Peace Prize and a Christian.  Again, whether the band was addressing said individual or others like him, the song is still hard hitting just as much for this damning indictment of personality as for the equally fiery musical arrangement that accompanies the song. 
‘Enemy of Humanity’ is just one of the many songs presented in Goliath that makes the album memorable and powerful.  Another notable entry to the record comes later in its run in the form of ‘Beyond The Event Horizon.’  The opener for the album’s second half, this song’s musical arrangement is just as intense as anything else on this record.  The band wastes absolutely no time jumping into the fire here.  The group’s performance is like a musical whiplash on listeners that lasts just over five minutes.  Even in the moments when the song slows down and turns into a more trudging metal style presentation its impact is not lost at all.  The whole is a work that rests easily on its own merits.
The musical arrangement featured here is just part of what makes the song stand out.  The social commentary contained within its lines adds even more to its impact.  The commentary in question is centered, interestingly, on the destructive power of a black hole, believe it or not.  This sounds odd, perhaps, even nihilistic, but it makes sense.  As Dukes sings here, “Black hole of death/The destroyer of life/Air turns to fire/It’s the end of mankind.”  He further adds of the black hole’s power, “Forever the darkness/With silence/The death/Universe collapses/Under weight of the black/Gravity explodes/Bones turn to dust/Everything is nothing/Existence is crushed.”  Again, this certainly sounds nihilistic, but it is meant to make a point as Dukes later states, “Wars fought for nothing/The religion and lies/Holocaust of the heavens/Of all space and time/Crushing weight of the darkness/A vice on your cerebral mass/Beyond the event horizon/You are gone.”  What Dukes is saying here is that yes, there is something big and bad out there that has the ability to wipe out all humanity without even trying.  To that point, all of the wars that humanity has ever fought have been for nothing.  All of the negative that religion and its lies have brought have been for nothing because ultimately there is something far greater and scarier out there.  The whole thing is meant to make a person stop and really think existentially to a point.  It is meant to make a person really contemplate the idiocy of all of the hate and negativity and how little it has really accomplished.  Keeping that in mind, this song becomes even more notable to the whole of this record.  It further shows just how much this record has to offer audiences and does so in full.
Yet one more example of how much Goliath has to offer audiences is ‘The Dirtiest of the Dozen.’  This song, which barely tops the five-minute mark (five minutes, nine seconds to be exact), is unique in that throughout that run time, it does not come across as the typical thrash style work for which the band has come to be known.  The guitar riff performed throughout the arrangement’s first roughly 90 seconds actually feels almost surf rock in style.  Audiences who really actively take in the song and focus on the riff will catch that unique touch.  From there, it turns to a more late 80s, almost fun thrash style than something intense. 
Interestingly enough, that approach makes some sense, considering the song’s lyrical theme, which actually comes across as being quite familiar and accessible.  It’s that almost celebratory type message.  This is inferred as Dukes sings here, “Straight from the gutter/We are the brothers of the blood/Creators of the violence/In an unrelenting flood/We started out with nothing/When the s*** hit all the fans/We begged, borrowed, and stole/To support our f****** band/We dove headlong into the belly of the beast/A never ending story/A life on which we feast/The time too vast to measure/At night our greatest pleasure/Is the rage that we let out/It’s not about the fortune/Even less about the fame/It’s all about the crushing/That’s etched upon our name/A gang of super heavy/Dysfunction absolute/The dirtiest of the dozen/We proudly give to you.”  Again, this is a familiar theme that so many bands have hit on throughout their careers.  It is that celebration of the past while looking to the future, noting they do it not for the money and fame but for the love of what they do.  And Exodus has done a lot, needless to say.  From there, Dukes goes on to note the band has gone through the worst, is still here and will keep going until it cannot do it anymore.  It is a love letter of sorts to fans, letting fans know this band is here to be here for as long as it can keep going.  This is a statement that audiences are sure to appreciate along with the more lighthearted vibe of the song’s musical arrangement.  When the whole is considered along with the other songs examined here and that whole along with the album’s singles and the rest of the record’s body, that whole makes Goliath easily one more of this year’s top new hard rock and metal albums.
Goliath, the latest full-length studio recording from Exodus, is a record that is sure to please the band’s established audience base and new listeners alike.  This is proven through the record’s musical and lyrical content alike.  Each of the songs examined here make that clear, as do its trio of singles and the rest of the record’s entries.  All things considered, this record is easily just as powerful and memorable as any of Exodus’ existing records.  Additionally, it is easily one of the best new hard rock and metal albums released so far this year.
Goliath is available now.  Exodus is touring Europe in support of the album and will bring its tour to North America beginning Apr. 29 in Montclair, NJ.  The tour is scheduled to run through May 29 in Los Angeles, CA and includes stops in cities, such as Greensboro, NC; Denver, CO and las Vegas, NV.  The band’s tour schedule and more information on Exodus’ new album is available along with all of the band’s latest news at:
Website: https://exodusattack.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/exodusattack
Twitter: https://twitter.com/exodusattack

By: "Hollywood" Rob Denis

Crobot is a world-renowned hard rock band, hailing from Pottsville, Pennsylvania. It has
been nearly two years since the release of their last album, Obsidian (White Rabbit
Deluxe Edition), and now they are back with even more attitude and swagger. The band
is gearing up to drop their new full-length album, Supermoon, arriving on all streaming
platforms on May 1, 2026.
​
This 12-track release delivers a heavy blend of ‘80s and ‘90s hard rock energy, packed
with powerful riffs and crushing vocals. Fans of Guns 'N Roses and Alter Bridge will find
plenty to love here. The album channels the magic of classic ‘80s guitar work
reminiscent of Slash, paired with vocal intensity that echoes the unmistakable style of
Myles Kennedy; and that is definitely not a bad thing.

With tracks like “Low Life” and “Gasoline” making waves back in 2019, Crobot has not
missed a beat picking up right where they left off. On Supermoon, the band cranks
everything up a notch, delivering powerful riffs, hard-hitting drums, and soaring melodic
vocals that feel bigger and more refined than ever.

The album kicks off with “Gun to My Head,” a standout track driven by poetic lyrics and
explosive energy. While only “Gun to My Head” and “Foot Off” are currently available,
the full 12-track experience is just weeks away and it is shaping up to be one worth
putting on repeat.

The lyric video for “Gun to My Head” is already out on YouTube, offering an early
glimpse into what Supermoon has in store. After hearing the full album, this track
remains a clear highlight and one that immediately grabs your attention and sets the
tone for what is to come.

For over a decade, Crobot has been crafting a distinct brand of hard-hitting musical
artistry. From Something Supernatural (2015) to now, the Pottsville natives have built an
impressive catalog, and Supermoon stands poised to be their latest standout release.
With ten tracks still waiting to be unleashed, there is plenty more for fans to get excited
about, and if the early singles are any indication, Crobot Nation is in for something
special. You can stay up to date on all their news, tour updates, EP releases, etc. by
giving them a follow. Clicking here will take you to their website and other social media
links. Horns up!

Bruises, Scars and Serenity from Chemical Tribe is a gritty, emotionally-charged EP that walks the line between melody and mayhem.
From the first track, "Wasting Time" Chemical Tribe establishes a sound rooted in pop-punk and modern rock, but they don’t stay in one lane. There’s a raw, almost experimental edge to the EP that keeps you guessing, blending catchy hooks with darker undertones and heavier textures. 
Sonically, the EP thrives on contrast. You’ve got infectious melodies paired with shadowy atmospheres, creating a push-and-pull that gives the music real depth. Tracks carry a natural, almost live energy, something the band leaned into during recording, allowing the songs to “come naturally” rather than feeling overly polished or forced.  The grit and passion shines through. 
Lyrically, Bruises, Scars and Serenity lives up to its title. There’s a sense of reflection, struggle, and release woven throughout, balancing vulnerability with attitude. "So Sick", "Over Before" and "Wear Me Down" are the kind of songs that feels personal without losing its edge, making it easy to connect with while still hitting hard.
What really stands out is Chemical Tribe’s ability to blend accessibility with unpredictability. You’ll find moments that feel radio-ready right alongside sections that push into darker, more alternative territory. It’s that duality that gives the EP its finger print and keeps it from feeling generic in a crowded scene.
Bruises, Scars and Serenity is a strong statement from a band that’s clearly finding its voice while not being afraid to experiment. It’s raw, catchy, and just unpredictable enough to keep you coming back for another listen. 

​LISTEN TO IT HERE

By: Philip Sayblack / Phil's Picks

This past weekend, Corrosion of Conformity released its latest album, Good God/Baad Man.  The band’s 11th album, it was released via Nuclear Blast Records just as with its predecessor, No Cross, No Crown (2018).  The record is a mostly successful new offering from the veteran hard rock act.  That is due in no small part to its general presentation, which will be discussed shortly.  The musical arrangements featured across this presentation add their own engagement and entertainment.  The lyrical themes that accompany the record’s musical arrangements put the final touch to the whole.  Each item noted is important in its own way to the whole of this record.  All things considered they make Good God / Baad Man another interesting addition to Corrosion of Conformity’s expansive catalog. 
Good God / Baad Man, the latest album from Corrosion of Conformity, is another mostly positive offering from the veteran hard rock act.  The record’s interest comes in part through its general presentation.  For those who may not know, while the record is being marketed as one album, it is in fact two separate albums.  According to information in a news release promoting the album’s release, front man Pepper Keenan is quoted as explaining that because the band wrote so much material for the record following the album’s predecessor that “We knew we had to split it into two different albums.”  Keenan added, “Each album is its own tiny universe, has its own identity.  Good God leans toward the heavier/pissed end of the spectrum.  Baad Man is more on the throwdown rock scope.  As we went along, it became clear which songs went on which album.”  In other words, audiences get two distinctly different albums from COC this time out for the price of one; two albums with two distinctly separate sounds and styles.  Understanding where those different sounds and styles came from only makes for even more appreciation for said works.
Staying on that matter of the record’s sounds and styles, audiences who actively take in each record will be able to clearly hear each.  The heaviness from the first album (which consists of the record’s first six tracks) hits right from the outset in ‘Good God Final Dawn.’  The fuzz from the guitars and the richness in the sound immediately conjures thoughts of works featured in the band’s older records.  That heavy/stoner metal approach is something that established audiences are sure to appreciate.   The heaviness carries on from there right to the end of the album’s 31-minute run time, with sounds that at points could even be compared to more recent works from the likes of Metallica.  That overall approach taken to the songs here makes for more than enough reason for audiences to take in these songs.
The songs that make up the presentation’s “second” album (eight in all) exemplify throughout, the noted straight forward rock sound that Keene noted.  ‘Baad Man’ immediately presents itself as a great, blues based garage rock composition that is just as infectious as the rest of the album’s entries.  ‘Lose Yourself’ brings back the fuzzed stoner rock approach taken in much of the record’s “first album” while giving the song an overall modern rock approach that is its own infectious work a la works from Monster Magnet.  ‘Mandra Sonos,’ the record’s third entry, clocks in at just over a minute long and clearly changes things up.  From the simple acoustic composition that makes up the majority of its body to the heavier portion in the final bars, this instrumental track is its own unique addition to the record that holds its own easily among its counterparts.  The band’s familiar blues-based stoner rock styling comes through loud and clear in the remainder of the record, each composition being its own unique presentation even with that familiar stylistic approach.  It is the minute details of each work that make them stand on their own merits.  Case in point are ‘Brickman,’ the record’s penultimate entry and ‘Forever Amplified,’ the record’s closer.  The prior is a deep, subdued composition, almost melancholy in its mood.  The latter is a rich, heavy work whose slow burn approach ensures listeners’ engagement and entertainment in its own right.  Between this pair of works, the rest of the record’s songs and everything presented in the presentation’s “first album,” the whole makes Good God / Baad Man’s musical body even more reason for audiences to take in the album.
Putting the final touch to Good God / Baad Man is the album’s lyrical contents.  The lyrical themes featured throughout the album are somewhat diverse and are also relatively familiar and accessible.  Case in point is the song, ‘Lose Yourself.’  According to Keenan, this song, lyrically, is “kind of about not taking life too seriously.  If things are getting in the way, just get away for a while, lose yourself, get your head straight.”
Keenan’s statement is made clear as he sings, “I am you/You are me/Livin’ life just like we wanna be/Because the way we ran/had us on the run/Full blast ahead/Won’t ever be unsung/We got nowhere else to roam/We’re a million miles from home/Lose yourself.”  In other words, “we are doing us.  We are making the most of things, away from life’s negativities.”  It is a wonderful , uplifting song that everyone needs to hear and that is sure to inspire those who take in this song. 
‘Gimme Some More,’ which is featured in the “first album,” is another self-empowerment type of song.  This is inferred as Keenan sings, “Don’t care what you do/Never cared what you say/More is what I need/***damn blessings indeed/When your life is short/And when your life is speed/You can have all you want, old lady/You got nothing I need/Struggle is worth the fight/Leather, chains and spikes.”  The song’s third and final verse drives home that message of empowerment as Keenan sings, “This is how the story ends/The boy who lost is the boy who wins/You know you can’t live twice/Burn like hell/Roll the devil’s dice/Abandon all your hope/You better f*****’ aim for broke/Your last chance is gone/Better pissed off than to be pissed on/Struggle is worth the fight/Leather, chains and spikes/The future/It don’t look bright/Leather, chains and spikes/You’re just another overdose/Gimme some more.”  That line, “Better pissed off than to be pissed on,” is important.  That is because as Rage Against the Machine front man Zach de la Rocha once said, “Anger is a gift.”  If you are pissed off, then you are empowered.  To be pissed on is to be people’s welcome mat.  Making the most of life, “the struggle is worth the fight,” is that anthemic call.  Let yourself be angry.  Let yourself be empowered and not let people walk all over you.  Be you.  It comes across, as noted, as that empowerment message, a familiar message of being proud of oneself.  To that end, this is another lyrical theme that shows the importance and strength of this album’s lyrical content.
‘Baad Man,’ which opens the “second album,” is yet one more song whose lyrical theme is sure to resonate with audiences.  As Keenan stated of the song, “It’s about a guy who thinks he’s a badass, but he really ain’t.”  Everyone knows someone like that and has known someone like that.  As a matter of fact, not to get too political but the convicted felon in the White House is one of those people. 
Keenan sings of this person, “He gonna get a lil’ wicked/But he don’t want the truth/Here comes the man/With the fists on fire/I think they about to turn him loose.”  Again, this certainly sounds so much like the narcissist in the White House, that grifter in charge.  Given, it is a generalized statement herein but there is not denying it certainly applies to him.  That is because he is one of those personality types of whom Keenan sings here.  To that end, it is yet one more key addition to the overall album’s lyrical body.  When it and the other lyrical content examined here is considered along with the rest of the album’s lyrical content, that whole joins with the record’s overall musical content to make the whole a presentation that will positively impact audiences from beginning to end.  It and the record’s general presentation work collectively to make the record in whole a presentation that Corrosion of Conformity fans will appreciate and that is another welcome addition to this year’s field of new hard rock and metal albums.
Good God / Baad Man, the latest album from Corrosion of Conformity, is another solid new offering from the veteran hard rock band.  It is a presentation that audiences established and new alike will appreciate.  This is proven in part through the record’s general presentation, which essentially offers audiences two albums for the price of one.  The familiar musical styles and sounds presented throughout the album add to the engagement and entertainment, as will the familiar and accessible lyrical themes presented from beginning to end.  Each item examined is important in its own way to the whole of the album’s presentation.  All things considered they make Good God / Baad Man one more welcome addition to this year’s already crowded field of notable new hard rock and metal albums.
Good God / Baad Man is available now.  More information on the album is available along with all of Corrosion of Conformity’s latest news at:
Website: https://coc.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/corrosionofconformity
Twitter: https://twitter.com/coccabal

“Go Fish” by Adia Clark Lay is a refreshing, attitude-packed country track that hooks you from the first listen and doesn’t let go. With a clever title and an even sharper message, the song blends playful sass with emotional honesty in a way that feels both modern and rooted in classic country storytelling.
Adia’s vocal delivery is the real standout, confident, expressive, and full of personality. She knows exactly when to lean into the humor and when to let the emotion cut through, giving the song a dynamic edge that keeps it engaging from start to finish. There’s a natural charisma in her voice that makes every line feel believable and lived-in.
Lyrically, “Go Fish” shines with its relatable theme of calling out games and refusing to settle for anything less than real. It’s empowering without being heavy-handed, striking that perfect balance between fun and fierce. The wordplay adds a memorable twist, making it the kind of chorus you’ll catch yourself repeating long after the song ends.
Musically, the production keeps things crisp and radio-ready, with a blend of traditional country elements and a modern polish that gives it crossover appeal. It’s upbeat enough to feel good, but grounded enough to carry the message with weight.
Overall, “Go Fish” is a standout release that showcases Adia Clark Lay as an artist with both voice and vision. It’s catchy, confident, and undeniably authentic, a strong step forward for a rising name in country music.

By: Philip Sayblack / Phil's Picks

2026 is only two full months old and in that short time, has seen the release of plenty of notable new releases for rock and metal fans.  The year got off to a solid start in January with Alter Bridge’s new self-titled album.  Death Dealer and Course of Fate both followed with their own solid new releases.  Late last month, The Veer Union released its long-awaited new album, Reinvention, and early this month, Prong brought audiences its latest live recording, Live and Uncleansed.  So, as noted, the rock and metal community has had plenty about which to be excited in this young year.  Lamb of God added even more to that reason Friday with the release of its latest recording, Into Oblivion.  The band’s 10th full-length studio recording, this 40-mnute record is some of the veteran metal outfit’s solid material to date.  That is due in part to the album’s musical presentation, which will be discussed shortly.  The lyrical content that accompanies the album’s musical arrangements adds its own interest to the whole.  The record’s production rounds out its most important elements and will also be addressed later.  Each item noted is important in its own way to the whole of this record’s presentation.  All things considered they make Into Oblivion one more of the best of this year’s new hard rock and metal albums.
Into Oblivion, the brand-new album from Lamb of God, is some of the band’s strongest work to date.  It is a record that is sure to appeal equally to the band’s established audiences and new listeners.  That is proven in part through its featured musical arrangements.  From beginning to end, the band exhibits plenty of growth from the familiar groove metal approach that made it a fan favorite over the course of its life this far.  Yes, there is some clear groove metal lean right off the top in the form of the record’s title track, but from there the band really branches out throughout the rest of the record.  ‘Parasocial Christ,’ the record’s second entry, blends the band’s groove metal lean with a more thrash-oriented approach for a composition that is wholly unique both among the album’s songs and the compositions featured throughout the rest of the band’s catalog. 
‘Sepsis,’ the album’s third track is something of a post hardcore type work that oddly enough, conjures thoughts of some of Project 86’s earlier works, what with front man Randy Blythe’s spoken word style vocals against the thick, heavy guitar line and the rhythm section.  The intense, up-tempo presentation that eventually builds into the whole changes things even more with that punk connection that post hardcore typically exhibits.  The whole is a composition style and sound that is a welcome, heavy change from the band that, again, audiences are sure to appreciate.
On another note, ‘El Vacio,’ the album’s midpoint, is yet another example of how much growth and change the album shows through its musical arrangements.  The juxtaposition of the more contemplative versus and the heavier chorus sections that make up the arrangement’s whole is so much unlike anything else the band has composed to date.  It still encourages engagement and entertainment even being so different from so much of the band’s work, proving that much more how much it adds to the album’s musical body.
‘Bully,’ one of the album’s later entries, changes things even more as it takes the album in an almost sludge metal direction.  Again, the band’s familiar groove metal lean is present, but listeners can hear that much heavier but equally intense sound for a whole that is, again its own unique composition.  It is yet another work that when considered alongside everything else noted, adds so much depth to this record, at least musically speaking.
‘A Thousand Years’ and ‘Devise/Destroy,’ the album’s penultimate and final tracks respectively continue to display that growth and change from the band, putting the final touch to the album’s musical side.  When they and the other songs examined here are considered alongside the rest of the album’s works, which are more pure in their groove metal approach, the whole makes the album’s overall musical presentation a solid foundation and more than reason enough for audiences to take in this album.
As much as Into Oblivion’s musical content does to make this record engaging and entertaining, it is just one part of what makes the album a success.  The lyrical themes that accompany the album’s musical arrangements make for their own interest.  Front man Randy Blythe has spoken on the album’s lyrical content already in the release of its current singles, ‘Into Oblivion,’ ‘Sepsis,’ and ‘Parasocial Christ.’   He stated of the album’s overall lyrical theme, “In general, the album is about the ongoing and rapid breakdown of the social contract, particularly here in America.  Things are acceptable now that would’ve horrified people just 20 years ago.”
All three of the noted singles have already shown how that overarching theme resonates throughout the album.  They are but a sample of its exhibition.  ‘Bully,’ one of the album’s later entries, is another pure example of what Blythe discussed.  This song points right at Donald J. Trump in a powerfully damning indictment as Blythe writes, “Incite a massacre/Then game the system for your grift/A poisoned legacy/Spawned another nepotist/Hammers at the steeplechase/A race to suicide/Failling up to last place/Drunken fratricide/Stripped/Broken branches on a tree of promises/Strife/Treachery/And the pursuit of damages/Collapsing/Imploding/Aligning/Reloading/Dancing with the devil/Now the bill is due/Everything you tricked for/Is coming right back to you.  That very line that opens this song certainly points back to the Jan. 6 riot and attempted coup led by none other than Trump, especially what with the added note of someone gaming “the system for your grift.”  We all know that Trump is a grifter, so this sure seems to point at him.  The “tree of promises” being “broken” and the “strife, treachery and pursuit of damages” points to everything that Trump and his cultists have caused and brought about.  That latter line that, “Everything you tricked for is coming back to you” points at this being a warning; a warning that what goes around comes around.  And if the election of Democrats across the country in recent special elections is any indication, what he tricked for certainly is coming back for him and will come back for him even more come November 2026 and the midterm elections.  If this interpretation is right or close to being right, then dated or not, it certainly is a work that will resonate with any listener about there who hopefully has not been turned by the grifter in chief.
‘The Killing Floor’ is another example of the clearly socio-politically charged lyrical content featured herein.  This is clearly another indictment of Trump and his whole cult.  This is made clear as Blythe writes at one point, “This is what you wanted/Reflect a little harder/They threw away the hammer/But the sickle’s cutting sharper/A puppet god dancing at the end of icy strings/Of cognitive dissonance/Purchased tyranny/A red Caesar rising/And history does rhyme/In brutal resurrection of propaganda crimes/Bow down to the butcher/Slaughtering your future/On the killing floor/Now watch the empire rot from the inside/On the killing floor.”  This comes across as a pretty clear statement.  Right from that line telling people, “This is what you wanted/Reflect a little harder.”  The people who voted for Trump are now being negatively impacted by everything that he and his sycophant crones have done and are second guessing things.  Well, this is what they wanted.  Trump is that “puppet god dancing at the end of icy strings of cognitive dissonance.”  The note of the “purchased tyranny” would seem to point at the role of one Elon Musk and his money, how it helped to fund Trump’s campaign.  That final statement of watching the empire burn is a direct reference to Nero playing his fiddle as Rome burned just the way that Trump dances as America goes down the tubes as his minions bow down to him like he is some king.  To that end, this song’s lyrical content further strengthens the overall impact of the album’s lyrical content.
‘St. Catherine’s Wheel’ is yet one more example of the impact of the album’s lyrical content.  Throughout this song, listeners continue to get commentary on everything happening in America, just as Blythe noted in his comments about the album.  This is clear as Blythe states, “Lie until nothing is real/Pathological idolatry/Bear witness and ride with me.”  It seems today that nothing is real anymore because lies have become the reality for so much of America instead of the truth.  Case in point, the Trump administration’s FCC head threatening networks with their broadcast licenses if they do not report on the Iran conflict the way he wants.  In other words, “Lie until nothing is real.”  Blythe adds in later, “Consequences ever dire/Overloaded and rewired/Until we don’t fight back at all/But a rising tide can swell/To wash across the barren hell/The last option an easy sell/When there’s not left far to fall.”  That note of the “consequences ever dire” is again, directly tied into what is going on now what with the FCC head’s threats to networks who refuse to just become state media.  They want to force us to do their bidding and believe their lies until we no longer fight back.  At the same time, listeners are being reminded that a judgement of sorts can happen especially when nothing is left as a result of everything that has happened.  This is another powerful statement that resonates just as much as the material delivered in each of the other songs examined, the album’s singles, and the rest of its works.  All in all, what audiences get here is lyrical content that is just as heavy and hard hitting as the album’s musical arrangements.  Keeping that in mind, the overall content featured herein gives audiences more than enough reason to take in this record.
Putting the final touch to this record is its production.  Needless to say, the production of this album is solid from beginning to end.  Whether in the heavier moments or the moments that are heavier through their contemplative nature, the production ensures that each song expertly balances the instrumentation and vocals.  What’s more the subtleties of various other atmospheric elements within the arrangements also come out clearly.  The result of the painstaking efforts made to balance everything results in a fully positive aesthetic for audiences.  The positive impact of the production works with the album’s overall content to make the album overall a fully successful, engaging, entertaining work that every Lamb of God fan will appreciate.
Into Oblivion, the latest album from Lamb of God, is a work that established and newer Lamb of God fans alike are sure to appreciate.  That is proven in part through its musical content, which shows exceptional growth from the band throughout its 40-minute body.  The clearly socio-politically charged lyrical content that accompanies the album’s musical arrangements adds its own appeal through its hard hitting nature.  The album’s production puts the finishing touch to its presentation, ensuring every piece of each song is expertly balanced, resulting in a listening experience that keeps listeners fully engaged and entertained.  Each item examined is important in its own way to the whole of this album.  All things considered they make Into Oblivion easily one more of this year’s top new hard rock and metal albums.
Lamb of God is set to launch a tour in support of Into Oblivion Tuesday in National Harbor, MD. The tour is scheduled to run through Apr. 26 in Boston, MA and includes stops in cities, such as Raleigh, NC; Austin, TX and San Francisco, CA. Following the upcoming North American run, a European festival run will take place. All of those dates are noted below:
Into Oblivion North American tour dates:
March 17 National Harbor, MD The Theater MGM National Harbor
March 19 Montreal, QC Bell Centre
March 20 Toronto, ON GCT Theatre
March 22 Detroit, MI Fox Theatre
March 24 Minneapolis, MN Armory
March 25 Chicago, IL Byline Bank Aragon Ballroom
March 27 Denver, CO Fillmore Auditorium
March 28 Salt Lake City, UT The Union Event Center
March 30 Portland, OR Theater of the Clouds
March 31 Seattle, WA WAMU Theater
April 1 Vancouver, BC PNE Forum
April 3 San Francisco, CA The Masonic
April 4 Inglewood, CA YouTube Theater
April 5 Phoenix, AZ Arizona Financial Theatre
April 7 Albuquerque, NM Revel Entertainment Center
April 10 Austin, TX Moody Amphitheater
April 11 Irving, TX The Pavilion at Toyota Music Factory
April 12 Houston, TX 713 Music Hall
April 14 Nashville, TN War Memorial Auditorium
April 15 Atlanta, GA Coca-Cola Roxy Theatre
April 16 Raleigh, NC Red Hat Amphitheater
April 18 Reading, PA Santander Arena
April 19 Virginia Beach, VA The Dome
April 21 Buffalo, NY Buffalo RiverWorks
April 23 Brooklyn, NY Brooklyn Paramount
April 25 Uncasville, CT Mohegan Sun Arena
April 26 Boston, MA MGM Music Hall at Fenway
Additional 2026 tour dates:
May 9 Daytona Beach, FL Sonic Temple Art & Music Festival
May 17 Dayton, OH Welcome to Rockville
May 20 San Juan, PR Coliseo de Puerto Rico
July 24 Istanbul, TR Bonus Parkorman
July 25 – 27 Plovdiv, BG Hills of Rock
July 27 – 31 Râşnov, RO Rockstadt Extreme Fest
August 1 Wacken, DE Wacken Open Air
August 3 Leipzig, DE Haus Auensee
August 5 Lisbon, PT Vagos Open Air
August 6 – 9 Kortrijk, BE Alcatraz Open Air
August 7 Walton-on-Trent, UK Bloodstock Open Air
August 11 Copenhagen, DK K.B. Hallen
August 12 – 16 Dinkelsbühl, DE Summer Breeze
August 13 – 15 Sulingen, DE Reload Festival
August 14 – 16 Eindhoven, NL Dynamo Metalfest
October 30 – November 3 Miami, FL Headbangers Boat
Into Oblivion is available now.  More information on the album is available along with all of Lamb of God’s latest news at:
Website: https://www.lamb-of-god.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lambofgod
Twitter: https://twitter.com/lambofgod