HEAVY HALO - "Bloodrush"

HEAVY HALO: alt-industrial alchemists channel Depeche Mode on new single "Bloodrush"; summer tour with Light Asylum announced

Heavy Halo has revealed new single "Bloodrush" from its forthcoming album, Damaged Dream.

Stream the track, here: https://youtu.be/RWHCUqkZqEg

Pre-order the album, out July 25th on Silent Pendulum Records, here: https://silentpendulumrecords.com/collections/heavy-halo

Based in New York City, Heavy Halo is the duo of vocalist/guitarist McKeever and producer Gosteffects. Working out of Spellsound Studios, located inside a historic, 19th-century Brooklyn hospital building, the pair meld metallic guitars, frenetic beats, and yearning vocals into industrialized alt-rock anthems for the next generation. Reference points include Nine Inch Nails, Smashing Pumpkins, and HEALTH. 

New Noise describes the new single, "Bloodrush," as "a pulse-pounding, fast-paced industrial rock track that brings together the power of rock, the slickness of electronic elements, and McKeever’s clean, crisp vocals."

McKeever states: "'Bloodrush' embodies everything we want a Heavy Halo song to be: shot through with adrenaline and sexuality and searching for an alchemy of industrial noise and melody. We took a cue from our heroes Depeche Mode’s 'Enjoy The Silence' which warns about how words can ruin the moments of intoxicating desire... 'Words are very unnecessary, they can only do harm.' But because we lack British charm, we expressed it way less elegantly: 'Don’t talk just touch, don’t think just fuck.'"

Heavy Halo will tour the East Coast in July with darkwave powerhouse Light Asylum. Purchase tickets, here: https://linktr.ee/lightasylum_heavyhalo_tour

July 15 - Brooklyn, NY @ TV Eye
July 16 - Philadelphia, PA @ The Dolphin
July 17 - Baltimore, MD @ Mobtown Ballroom
July 18 - Pittsburgh, PA @ Spirit
July 19 - Richmond, VA @ Cobra
July 21 - Raleigh, NC @ Kings
July 22 - Washington, DC @ Pie Shop
July 23 - Medford, MA @ Deep Cuts
July 24 - Providence, RI @ Gettie’s
July 25 - Kingston, NY @ Tubby’s
July 26 - Montreal, QC @ Cabaret Fouf’s

Photo by Tori McGraw

PYGMY LUSH - "It Wasn't a Compliment (Martial Law Blues)"

PYGMY LUSH: reunited Pageninetynine offshoot releases rocking new single "It Wasn't a Compliment (Martial Law Blues)" from long-lost masterpiece "TOTEM"

Virginia collective Pygmy Lush has revealed new single "It Wasn't a Compliment (Martial Law Blues)" from its upcoming album TOTEM.

Stream the song, here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2uZQh9q87VE

Founded in the mid-2000s as an experimental offshoot of the band Pageninetynine, Pygmy Lush has existed as an outlier from the start, following no script, with output ranging from Pageninetynine-caliber screamo to fragile Americana. After a long hiatus, the band is active again, making recent appearances at festivals such as Roadburn, Dark Days Bright Nights, and Prepare the Ground.

Recorded with Converge's Kurt Ballou at GodCity Studio in 2016, TOTEM was initially shelved by the band and never saw the light of day until now. The album will finally be released for the first time, July 11th via Persistent Vision Records. Pre-order the album, here: https://persistentvisionrecords.com/products/pygmy-lush-totem

Although it was recorded nearly a decade ago, TOTEM is a monumental work of art that feels absolutely fresh and vital in 2025. A feast for the ears and the heart, TOTEM is an engrossing display of musical freedom, backed by authentic emotion. There are songs that rage, songs that rock, and songs that cruise hypnotically. From bruising noise rock, teetering on the edge of hardcore, to meditative refrains that roll along like trains through moonlit valleys, it moves in its own ways, unhindered by genre.

Pygmy Lush guitarist Mike Taylor describes the new single, "It Wasn't a Compliment (Martial Law Blues)," as "a noise rock grunge laden punk ripper by a bunch of punkers who were on a steady diet of Sebadoh, Born Against and Nirvana in 1994" – a contrast to the album's first single, the lush, melancholy "February Song."

With TOTEM set to be released to the world on July 11th and effectively closing the book on that chapter of the band's history, Mike Taylor states: "Yes, we will be writing new music ASAP."

Photos by Elulu Photos

CAR BOMB - Tiles Whisper Dreams

CAR BOMB: extreme metal innovators celebrate 25th year with new EP "Tiles Whisper Dreams"; first single "Paroxysm" streaming now; tours of Europe and Australia announced

Founded in 2000, Car Bomb celebrates its 25th year with the August 1, 2025 release of new EP Tiles Whisper Dreams.

Consisting of three new tracks, Tiles Whisper Dreams is the band's first new music to be released since 2019's Mordial album.

Stream the EP's first single, Paroxysm," here: 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HIiw_IzJZFM

Pre-order the EP, here: 

https://carbomb.bandcamp.com/album/tiles-whisper-dreams

In a genre built on shock and awe, it is tough to be shocking or awe-inspiring these days. With metal in its sixth decade, making an impact is an increasingly difficult feat. The ceiling is red with the blood of straight-line shredders futilely competing for the attention of desensitized ears.

Car Bomb is that rare metal band that has found a pathway through the ceiling – a wormhole, if you will – and has occupied a position of radical transcendence for a quarter-century now. In its 25 years of existence, the New York City-area quartet has been sculpting its own signature sound and cementing its identity as an outlier, above the fray, inspiring a legion of younger musicians in the process.

Car Bomb's sound is that of perpetual transformation: a spiraling flurry of rhythm and texture that congeals, fleetingly, into planet-pulverizing death-grooves and fragments of haunting melodies. Baffling rhythmic modulations and deep-space guitar effects appear to warp time completely. Disorientation is the rule, not the exception. 

"Their psychotic turbo-thrash is disgustingly disorienting," reads one Kerrang! review. "One relentless onslaught of time-chopping violence."

A Stereogum review describes the style as "a rhythmically abstruse variety of extreme metal... hallucinatory time-stretching."

Car Bomb guitarist Greg Kubacki puts it like this: "When someone asks me what we sound like, I always ask them ‘what’s the heaviest band you listen to?’ and then I say it’s either 10x, 100x, or 1,000x crazier than that, depending on their answer. We aspire to create our own style of heavy music by bending everything: the notes, time signatures, tempos, sonic quality of the guitars, etc. We’re always pushing and pulling everything, ripping ideas apart and then squashing them back together. And as a result our songs might sound chaotic at first, but as they progress the patterns, grooves, and motifs embedded inside all of the mangling and warping will reveal themselves and evolve in unexpected ways. Most people won’t get that deep into our stuff and will just hear a pile of noise, which is fine with us. We’re creating the kind of music we want to hear and that’s all we care about.”

"Paroxysm," the first single from the new EP, Tiles Whisper Dreams, reveals a revitalized Car Bomb, seemingly chomping at the bit with all the fury of a band half its age. "This is our first release since before COVID," states Kubacki, "and we really tried to put our 100% into these songs." 

In under 3 minutes, the aptly-titled "Paroxysm" delivers a barrage of semi-automatic drum-fire and viscous guitars, conjoined in inscrutable patterns. Vocalist Michael Dafferner mostly roars but lets his singing voice shine in one brief, glistening moment. The song is about "the never-ending struggle with power and control," he says.

One could spend weeks trying to calculate the twists and turns of Car Bomb's compositions but, zoom out, surrender to the chaos, and there is another experience to be had: complete catharsis. While there is joy in trying to dissect the elite chops and maniacal arrangements that Dafferner, Kubacki, bassist Jon Modell, and drummer Elliot Hoffman put forth, there is also joy in reveling in the ineffable, unknowable spaces their confounding music explores. The fact that this band continues to explore, 25 years in, makes it one of the real treasures of today's metal scene.

Drum tracking and vocal pre-production for Tiles Whisper Dreams were done at Silvercord Studio in Queens, New York, the studio owned by Joe Duplantier of Gojira. Kubacki describes Silvercord as "our home away from home." Guitars, bass, and vocals were recorded at the band members' respective home studios. The album was mixed by Johann Meyer at Silvercord and mastered by Grammy Award winner Ted Jensen (The Eagles, Green Day).

Car Bomb will tour Europe and the UK in August, including dates with Gojira, Between the Buried and Me, and Imperial Triumphant, followed by a September tour of Australia, supporting Animals as Leaders – Car Bomb's first time ever in Australia.

Aug 7 - Jaromer, CZ @ Brutal Assault Fest
Aug 8 - Berlin, DE @ Cassiopeia
Aug 9 - Karlsruhe, DE @ P8
Aug 10 - Utrecht, NL @ Pandora *
Aug 12 - Oberhausen, DE @ Turbinenhalle Δ
Aug 14 - Nottingham, UK @ Rock City Beta
Aug 15 - Bristol, UK @ ArcTanGent Fest
Aug 16 - London, UK @ Oslo
Aug 18 - Copenhagen, DK @ Vega #
Aug 19 - Stockholm, SE @ Bar Brooklyn #
Aug 20 - Oslo, NO @ Goldie #
Aug 21 - Aalborg, DK @ SH35 #
Aug 22 - Kiel, DE @ Kieler Schaubude #
Aug 23 - Haarlem, NL @ Complexity Fest #
Sep 12 - Adelaide, AU @ Hindley Street Music Hall ∞
Sep 14 - Brisbane, AU @ The Tivoli ∞
Sep 18 - Melbourne, AU @ Forum ∞
Sep 19 - Sydney, AU @ Enmore Theatre ∞
Sep 21 - Perth, AU @ Magnet House ∞

* = Between the Buried and Me
Δ = Gojira
# = Imperial Triumphant
∞ = Animals as Leaders

Tiles Whisper Dreams tracklist:
1) Blindsides
2) Paroxysm
3) Tiles Whisper Dreams

Lineup:
Michael Dafferner - vocals
Greg Kubacki - guitar
Jon Modell - bass
Elliot Hoffman - drums

Discography:
Tiles Whisper Dreams (2025, Self-Released)
Live in Santa Cruz (2023, Self-Released)
Mordial (2019, Self-Released)
Meta (2016, Self-Released)
w^w^^w^w (2012, Self-Released)
Centralia (2007, Relapse Records)

JOLIETTE - "Limítrofe"

JOLIETTE: Mexico City post-hardcore dynamo reveals new single "Limítrofe"; European tour enters UK

With its new album, Pérdidas Variables, coming June 20th on Persistent Vision Records, Mexico City-based post-hardcore dynamo Joliette reveals the album's second single, "Limítrofe."

Stream "Limítrofe," here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5UGAKmvySWk

Pre-order the album, here: https://persistentvisionrecords.com/products/joliette-perdidas-variables-lp

Founded in 2011, Joliette has become a force in the Mexican scene, playing shows with the likes of Converge and Touché Amoré and releasing music via Zegema Beach Records. On the upcoming new album, Pérdidas Variables, the quartet takes the urgency of scene heroes like Saetia and Raein and laces it with the brooding, post-metal grandeur of Neurosis or Cult of Luna. Screaming in his native Spanish, Gastón Prado's earnest voice transcends language barriers, transmitting universal angst.

Announcing the new album last month, BrooklynVegan praised Joliette's "ability to fuse passion, aggression, and melody in classic-yet-fresh screamo fashion." The band has revealed that the album is a meditation on their home of Mexico City. 

Of the new single, guitarist Juan Pablo Castillo states: "'Limítrofe' is about the feeling of living on the edge, both physically and emotionally. It captures that moment of uncertainty when you're caught between two spaces, unsure of where you stand. The lyrics reflect the tension that comes with being on the threshold of something new, yet also trapped in the pull of what’s familiar. It’s a track that wrestles with personal, societal, and even geographic boundaries, while asking the listener to consider where they belong and how they navigate that liminal space."

Joliette is currently entering the final stretch of a month-long tour of the UK and Europe, with these dates remaining:

May 22 - Norwich, UK @ Voodoo Daddy’s
May 23 - Nottingham, UK @ JT Soar
May 24 - London, UK @ Portals Festival
May 25 - Bristol, UK @ Exchange Basement
May 27 - Paris, FR @ Le Klub
May 28 - Aromas, FR @ A la Vieille Ecole
May 29 - Cassano d´Adda, IT @ Solidar Rock Fest
May 30 - Zurich, CH @ Ebrietas

Photo by Alejandra Juangorena

Live photo by Alberto Rondin

CATERWAUL this weekend

CATERWAUL: 2025 festival kicks off Friday in Minneapolis; Pissed Jeans, Uniform, Young Widows set to perform

After months of planning, the fourth installment of the annual Caterwaul is here, kicking off Friday, May 23rd in Minneapolis. 

Across four days and three Minneapolis venues – 331, Mortimer's, and Zhora Darling – Caterwaul promises a full immersion into the noisy, iconoclastic fringes of rock, with performances by Buildings, Deaf Club, FACS, Kowloon Walled City, Pissed Jeans, Uniform, Young Widows, and dozens more.

In a new feature about the festival, posted this month, New Noise Magazine states: "Caterwaul season is upon us... The fest brings together some of the best underground rock acts in existence today."

Interviewed by New Noise, Young Widows’ Evan Patterson enthuses: “All non-corporate festivals are vital for all music scenes. Caterwaul is bringing together bands with similar aesthetics that may or may not be aware of one another. It’s exciting.”

The Minnesota Star Tribune placed Caterwaul on their "Critics' Picks" list this week, stating: "This fourth annual, four-day noisemakers’ fest is proof positive weird things can still thrive in the music biz... Genres range from sludgy metal to experimental electro-punk and basically anything loud and on the fringe."

Local Minneapolis scene authority Racket reports: "The noisiest music fest in the North returns on Memorial Day weekend, serving up a plethora of loud guitars and great band names."

Caterwaul founders Conan Neutron, Rainer Fronz, and Melanie Thomas say they are intent on fostering a sense of community that transcends any one musical genre, viewing Caterwaul as a means to unite all people on the loud and eccentric side of the fence. "In a world of Coachellas, be a Caterwaul," they proclaim.

Tickets can be purchased at this location: https://www.ticketstripe.com/caterwaul2025

This year's official poster was created by Minneapolis designer Miss Amy Jo.

The full schedule is as follows:

Friday, May 23 @ Mortimer's

1:00 am - FACS
12:00 am - Eye Flys
11:15 pm - Pinko
10:30 pm - Wipes
9:45 pm - Violenteer
9:00 pm - Something Is Waiting
8:15 pm - Virga
7:30 pm - Blacklighter

Saturday, May 24 @ Zhora Darling

1:15 am - Naw
12:15 pm - ¿WATCHES?
11:30 pm - In Lieu
10:45 pm - Plot

Saturday, May 24 @ 331

9:15 pm - Young Widows
8:15 pm - Kowloon Walled City
7:25 pm - Fotocrime
6:30 pm - The Cell Phones
5:45 pm - Bridesmaid
5:00 pm - Upright Forms
4:15 pm - Vincas
3:30 pm - Fashion Week
2:45 pm - Moon Pussy
2:00 pm - Pillcutter

Sunday, May 25 @ 331

8:15 pm - Pissed Jeans
7:15 pm - Buildings
6:30 pm - Big'n
5:45 pm - Suckling
5:00 pm - Conan Neutron & the Secret Friends
4:15 pm - Lung
3:30 pm - Tonguecutter
2:45 pm - Unstable Shapes

Monday, May 26 @ 331

9:15 pm - Uniform
8:15 pm - Deaf Club
7:30 pm - Elephant Rifle
6:45 pm - Mr. Phylzzz
6:00 pm - Vile Bees
5:15 pm - Gaytheist
4:30 pm - powertakeOff
3:45 pm - Mr. Clit & the Pink Cigarettes
3:00 pm - Miracle Blood
2:15 pm - Spit Takes

PYGMY LUSH - TOTEM

PYGMY LUSH: reunited Pageninetynine offshoot announces release of lost album "TOTEM" via Persistent Vision Records; first single streaming now

Persistent Vision Records announces the July 11th release of Pygmy Lush's TOTEM.

Recorded and mixed by Converge's Kurt Ballou in 2016, the album has remained unreleased for nearly a decade. Active again now after a long hiatus, the revitalized band has made the decision to unearth this lost masterpiece.

Stream the first single, "February Song," here: https://youtu.be/leDxRQ-sP8o

Pre-order the album, here: https://persistentvisionrecords.com/products/pygmy-lush-totem

Pygmy Lush was founded in Northern Virginia in the mid-2000s by brothers Chris Taylor and Mike Taylor as an experimental offshoot of their band Pageninetynine. Beginning with the debut album, Bitter River, released on Robotic Empire in 2007, Pygmy Lush's output ranged from Pageninetynine-caliber screamo, to fragile Americana; from the basement show to the campfire and back again, the songs all hit with equal conviction.

Following the release of 2011's Old Friends album on Lovitt Records, Pygmy Lush faded from view, reemerging in 2024 to many fans' surprise and delight. Reentering the limelight by way of an NPR Tiny Desk Concert in August 2024, the newly reignited band was a standout of the inaugural Dark Days Bright Nights festival in September of that year, and went on to wow the crowd at this year's Roadburn.

With an appearance at Toronto's Prepare the Ground festival booked for May, and shows in the works with the likes of Young Widows, Pygmy Lush now prepares to reveal the long-buried TOTEM. Mike Taylor explains why this nine-year-old masterpiece has not yet seen the light of day: "Frankly, we lost momentum shortly after recording the album. It was a very transitional time for Pygmy Lush where we were trying hard to figure out what this group wanted to do."

He describes the upcoming 2025 release of TOTEM as a necessary step in Pygmy Lush's progression toward its next phase: "I personally have wanted to release TOTEM as a document of this era of the band, in order to continue moving forward."

While TOTEM's belated release might give the Taylors a sense of closure on the past, it is more than a snapshot of bygone days. It is a monumental work of art that feels absolutely fresh and vital in 2025. A feast for the ears and the heart, TOTEM is an engrossing display of musical freedom, backed by authentic emotion. There are songs that rage, songs that rock, and songs that cruise hypnotically. From bruising noise rock, teetering on the edge of hardcore, to meditative refrains that roll along like trains through moonlit valleys, it moves in its own ways, unhindered by genre.

"The album became a bridge between the two completely different sounds of the band, the quiet and the loud," states Mike Taylor. "It was very collaborative. We were all trying out as much stuff as we could. It’s a very eclectic album." He offers up Born Against, PJ Harvey, and Brian Eno as three reference points. First single "February Song" is a heavy, haunting lullaby that ravages, serenely, evoking the quieter moments of Sonic Youth and Pavement alike.

The common denominator beneath TOTEM's songs is the urgency, the realness, fueling every note and lyric. Chris Taylor states: "The lyrics desperately look for answers that aren’t there, and deliberately mock themselves. We sing and we write and we play, as the world becomes more and more obviously horrific. We admire, or argue over, the patterns of our battle flags while the fort is burning."

Furthermore, TOTEM's rich, warm production unites the disparities into one whole. With longtime collaborator Kurt Ballou overseeing the recording and mixing at his hallowed GodCity Studio, mastering was handled by the great Carl Saff (Bambara, Bonnie Prince Billy). 

The cover art, created by Paul Nitsche, consists of hand sculpted organic elements and mixed media collage, photographed using traditional tintype photography and darkroom methods. Nitsche is known widely for his artwork for Dazzling Killmen's Face of Collapse album.

With TOTEM set to be released to the world on July 11th, the path is cleared for whatever Pygmy Lush chooses to do next. "Yes, we will be writing new music ASAP," declares Mike Taylor.

Tracklist:
1) House of Blood (Butch’s Monster)
2) It Wasn’t a Compliment (Martial Law Blues)
3) A Little Boy and His Bulldozer
4) Algorithmic Mercy (Prayers Printed Directly into a Shredder)
5) A Famous Jock (The Rest of Us)
6) February Song
7) Band-Aid on a Bullet Wound
8) The Puppeteer
9) Post-Punk in the Wrong Hands
10) Artistic Blood / Blanket Out the Sun (in a world of better things)
11) Nonsensical Whimper

TOTEM recording lineup:
Chris Taylor - vocals, bass
Mike Taylor - guitar

Mike Widman - guitar
Erin McCarley - bass, vocals
Andy Gale - drums

2025 lineup:
Chris Taylor - guitar, vocals
Mike Taylor - guitar

Mike Widman - guitar, bass
Johnny Ward - guitar, vocals
Andy Gale - drums

Upcoming shows:
May 30 - Toronto, ON @ Prepare the Ground (w/ Baroness, Yob)
June 8 - Richmond, VA @ The Warehouse (w/ Young Widows)

Discography:
TOTEM (2025, Persistent Vision Records)
Demos / B-Sides (2016, Self-Released)
Old Friends (2011, Lovitt Records)
Cold World / Guilt 7" (2011, Lovitt Records)
Split w/ Turboslut (2009, Exotic Fever)
Mount Hope (2008, Lovitt Records)
Bitter River (2007, Robotic Empire)

Live photo by Michael Thorn

HEAVY HALO - "Final Fall"

HEAVY HALO: NYC alt-industrial alchemists go acoustic on new single "Final Fall"

Brooklyn-based alt-industrial duo Heavy Halo have revealed their latest single, “Final Fall."

Stream the official music video, here: https://outburn.com/all-features/heavy-halo-final-fall/

Outburn Magazine reports: "Heavy Halo is a NYC-based duo mixing alt-rock and industrial elements. The new album Damaged Dream will be released July 25, 2025 on Silent Pendulum Records. While much of Heavy Halo's work has an alt-industrial vibe, in the spirit of artists such as Nine Inch Nails or HEALTH, the new single 'Final Fall' has a gentler acoustic sound, inspired by bands like Smashing Pumpkins."

Heavy Halo vocalist McKeever states: “When your future looks bleak and your past continues to wilt you from the inside you’re trapped in the prison of the present, desperately trying to hold it all together. Are you resigned to this nightmare, one long final descent into oblivion? Or will you awaken and escape the ground somehow? 'Final Fall' is the bruised and vulnerable closer of Damaged Dream that asks this eternal question.”

Pre-order Damaged Dream here: https://silentpendulumrecords.com/collections/heavy-halo

Photo by Michelle LoBianco

Out today: BRONSON ARM - Casket Schwagg

Casket Schwagg, the sophomore album by Bronson Arm, is out today on Learning Curve Records.

From Kalamazoo, Michigan, Bronson Arm consists solely of baritone guitarist/vocalist Blake Bickel and drummer Garrett Yates. Ominous like Sonic Youth, explosive like Fugazi, the duo delivers austere anthems that swell with tension and burst with cathartic hooks. 

Casket Schwagg was mixed by Brandon Eggleston (Swans, Helmet). Across nine hard-rocking songs, Bickel and Yates fully mesmerize with a mix of martial rhythms, doomy tones, and euphoric melodies. 

Stream and buy the album, here: https://bronsonarm.bandcamp.com/album/casket-schwagg

"Debauched sludge rock stompers chock-full of noise-rock quirks; fans of The Jesus Lizard, ’68, and the like will fall in love instantly."

–Bandcamp

"'Casket Schwagg' is a strong return which showcases Bronson Arm hitting their stride. The band finely fuses weight, rhythm, and tension into a compelling sound which grabs attention from the very first listen."

–Destroy//Exist

"Bronson Arm, the noise rock minimalists, have got a new album coming out called 'Casket Schwagg.'"
–Getting It Out

"Blake Bickel’s baritone guitar churns like a machine chewing gravel, Garrett Yates’ drums slam down with cold precision, and Bickel’s voice rises above, sharp and unyielding."
–Idioteq

"Kalamazoo noise duo Bronson Arm are ready to serve up some surprisingly catchy noise rock on their upcoming sophomore album 'Casket Schwagg'... Consisting of baritone guitarist and vocalist Blake Bickel and drummer Garrett Yates, the group packs a huge punch with just two members."
–New Noise

"Michigan’s Bronson Arm dazzled with their self titled debut only a year ago and are back with a bigger, bolder, and more aggressive beast on 'Casket Schwagg'... This is noise rock for those who love the genre but also for those who are adventurous and enjoy hearing something fresh and new."
–Nine Circles

"One of the things that makes me happy, when I'm listening to the album... I go, 'You know what this sounds like? This sounds like a Bronson Arm record.' It's a fresh set of songs, but it's a fresh set of songs by a band whose sound I like and I recognize."
–Whatever Comes Next 

Out today: TONGUECUTTER - Minnow

Minnow, the new album by Tonguecutter, is out today on Learning Curve Records.

The trio, based in Iggy Pop's hometown of Muskegon, Michigan, delivers intense and unorthodox punk-metal bangers – equal parts riot grrrl and thrash. Boasting jubilant riffage, prog tendencies, and almighty howling rage, DRI, Voivod, and Babes in Toyland are all valid reference points. Vocalist/guitarist Chantal Roeske is a formidable bandleader with a soaring voice and a propensity for odd time signatures, whose path in music began more than 30 years ago; Minnow puts her passion and talent on full display.

Stream the music video for "Big 'Ol Tree," a song which Roeske describes as "an ode to bodily autonomy for women," here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L2xNvXlV95M

Stream the album, here:
https://www.scenepointblank.com/news/records/2025/05/01/spb-featured-stream-tonguecutter-minnow/

Buy the album, here: 

https://tonguecutter.bandcamp.com/album/minnow

"With short-form, snakey Quicksand grooves and a ‘tude set to Courtney Love covering 'Facelift'... Tonguecutter [delivers] punky odes to bodily autonomy and tongue-out anthems to perseverance."

–Angry Metal Guy

"Blending the heavier side of grunge with powerful guitars and dynamic vocals, the band's sound is both intense and hard hitting, delivering an electrifying energy that demands attention."

–Destroy//Exist

"This album has been over 30 years in the making. Well, not literally... What I mean is, we don’t get to 'Minnow' by Tonguecutter without first going through Hole, DRI, maybe a little Soundgarden and Cave In, definitely a bit of Kathleen Hanna and Bikini Kill... For something to so expertly call back to memories and the past without getting lost in itself is praiseworthy alone – stack fierce and emblematic writing and performances on top of it and you have an album representing the best 2025 has to offer."
–Everything Is Noise

"Although their grunge tendencies are rooted in the most metallized of the genre’s variants—namely, the Alice in Chains sort – its meld with bouts of harrowing noise rock, D-beat, and even sludge is at once deliciously idiosyncratic and bizarrely fun, helped in large part by self-assured and convincing delivery of vocalist/guitarist Chantal Roeske. Add to that the fact that they can really write a tune and have the right feminist attitude to boot and it becomes clear that the trio have got a winner on their hands.

–PopMatters

"[Tonguecutter] is a trio from Muskegon, MI, with a sound that is heavy and aggressive... A myriad of influences sneak into the songs, sometimes mixing up time signatures and drawing from thrash to riot grrrl to punk and noise rock."
–Scene Point Blank

Out today: PLQ MRX - Cumgitsum

Cumgitsum, the debut EP by PLQ MRX, is out today.

From Philadelphia, PLQ MRX is a motley (and often, masked) crew rumored to include members affiliated with Swans, Unsane, Ecstatic Vision, Author & Punisher, and more. The sound is a raw, grimy, sludgy brand of punk with an acid-fried aesthetic. Reference points include Flipper, Butthole Surfers, and Chat Pile... but the band members prefer to credit Funkadelic as an influence.

Stream the EP, here:
https://plqmrx.bandcamp.com/album/cumgitsum

Buy the EP, here:
US: https://reptilianrecords.bandcamp.com/
EU: https://totemcatrecords.bigcartel.com/
Canada: https://fuzzedandbuzzed.com/

Shows:
April 26 - Philadelphia, PA @ Kung Fu Necktie (w/ Season to Risk)
April 27 - Queens, NY @ TV Eye (w/ Season to Risk)

"There once was a group of Philly noise rockers called Plaque Marks... Plaque Marks are gone but PLQ MRX have risen to take their place, pushing the band’s raucous noise rock in new, Funkadelic-inspired directions."
–Decibel

"A sludgy, psychedelic-tinged brand of punk, laced with rich instrumentation, infectious grooves, and a wild unpredictability."
–Destroy//Exist

"Enter PLQ MRX's bizarre circus of deviance... 'Cumgitsum' is a bizarre ode to bands like Butthole Surfers, Flipper and, to some extent, Don Van Vliet’s works. This is all contained within the package that includes various references to drug use and the dark side of what clowns can be."
–Invisible Oranges

"Emerging from the back alleys of Philadelphia’s noise rock underbelly, PLQ MRX is a masked collective of sonic delinquents who sound like Flipper got lost in a Funkadelic bender... If noise rock is entering a more performative, psychedelic phase, PLQ MRX are here to set the stage on fire, douse it in cough syrup, and sell the ashes as merch."
–It's Psychedelic Baby

"This is some twisted, heavy, and acid-damaged 'noise' rock. In an age where most bands give you the bare minimum, or routine formulas, it’s refreshing to hear a band that goes all-out in pursuit of their vision, especially when it is something as out-there as this one."

–New Noise

JOLIETTE - Pérdidas Variables

JOLIETTE: Mexico City post-hardcore dynamo to deliver new album "Pérdidas Variables" via Persistent Vision Records

Persistent Vision Records announces the June 20th release of Pérdidas Variables, the new album by Mexico City post-hardcore band Joliette.

Pre-order the album, here: https://persistentvisionrecords.com/products/joliette-perdidas-variables-lp

Stream the album's first single, "Nimbus," here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xX1kfOQwEjI

Described by BrooklynVegan as "a raw-yet-beautiful dose of screamo," Joliette has been a force in the Mexican scene since 2011, playing shows with the likes of Converge and Touché Amoré, and releasing music on labels such as Zegema Beach Records. 

On the upcoming new album, Pérdidas Variables, the band's debut for Persistent Vision, the quartet takes the urgency of scene heroes like Saetia and Raein and laces it with the brooding, post-metal grandeur of Neurosis or Cult of Luna. While some bands in the genre use sloppiness as their medium, wielding chaos to convey emotional fragility, Joliette moves as steadily as a freight train. The rhythm section of Hugo Madrid and Matías Acuña bangs and growls in perfect, propulsive unity, while the guitars of Gastón Prado and Juan Pablo Castillo combine into apocalyptic storm clouds of sound. 

Screaming in his native Spanish, Gastón Prado's earnest voice transcends language barriers. Loud in the mix, his raspy pleas demands attention as they transmit universal angst.

Pérdidas Variables is an album inspired by Joliette's hometown. "It’s a meditation on Mexico City," states Juan Pablo Castillo, "as both a physical space and a psychological one, a place constantly shifting under your feet, full of layers, ruins, and noise. The lyrics are rooted in very real fears, earthquakes, collapse, systems failing, but they’re also about the quiet, daily sense of disconnection and mourning that urban life can bring. Each song looks at a different fragment of that experience."

Castillo gives this statement on the album's first single: "'Nimbus' explores the quiet, almost hypnotic beauty of a rainy night in the city. It’s about how the rain blurs the line between the external world and the internal, creating a sense of isolation and introspection. The song captures that moment when the city feels both distant and close, as the rain transforms the landscape into something dreamlike. It’s a meditation on the passage of time, memories, and how everything seems to fade into a soft, gray atmosphere."

Pérdidas Variables was recorded by Matías Acuña and Fernando G. Esteve, mixed by Hugo Madrid, and mastered by Paolo Riffo.

In addition to performing relentlessly across its native Mexico, Joliette has traveled the world, touring Europe, Central America, South America, the United States, and Canada. An extensive European tour kicks off April 30th.

Based in Richmond, Virginia, Persistent Vision Records is quickly making a name as a beacon of compelling sounds from across the globe. Joliette joins Habak as the second Mexican band on the label. Other recent releases include albums by Pageninetynine, La Quiete, Blind Girls, and Fórn. Persistent Vision founder Paul Hansbarger is also co-founder of Dark Days Bright Nights, an annual music festival whose upcoming 2025 lineup boasts City of Caterpillar, Uniform, Sleepytime Trio, Dazzling Killmen, and more.

Tracklist:
1) Todos Pierden
2) Arsénico
3) Limítrofe
4) Cielo Sordo
5) L'uomo Mangia la Mela
6) Pérdida Variable
7) Nimbus
8) Gris Protagónico

Lineup:
Gastón Prado - guitar, vocals
Juan Pablo Castillo - guitar
Hugo Madrid - bass, synth
Matías Acuña - drums

Guests:
Almendra Gallegos - vocals on "Pérdida Variable"

Tour:
Apr 30 - Hilversum, NL @ Vonk In De Wijk
May 01 - Hamburg, DE @ Gängeviertel
May 03 - Gothenburg, SE @ Sekten
May 07 - Jonkoping, SE @ Kulturhuset
May 10 - Odense, DK @ Ilter Festival
May 12 - Berlin, DE @ Neue Zukunft
May 13 - Bamberg, DE @ Autumn Kids
May 15 - Vienna, AT @ Venster99
May 16 - Venezia, IT @ Venezia Hardcore Fest
May 17 - Munich, DE @ Kafe Kult
May 18 - Wiesbaden, DE @ Kreativfabrik
May 19 - Trier, DE @ VillaWuller
May 20 - Metz, FR @ La Chouee
May 22 - Norwich, UK @ Voodoo Daddy’s
May 23 - Nottingham, UK @ JT Soar
May 24 - London, UK @ Portals Festival
May 25 - Bristol, UK @ Exchange Basement
May 27 - Paris, FR @ Le Klub
May 28 - Aromas, FR @ A la Vieille Ecole
May 29 - Cassano d´Adda, IT @ Solidar Rock Fest
May 30 - Zurich, CH @ Ebrietas

Photo by Alejandra Juangorena

Cover art by Daniela Vergara

BRONSON ARM - "To Live Deliciously"

BRONSON ARM: noise rock minimalists condemn con men on new single "To Live Deliciously"; Tonguecutter's Chantal Roeske stars in official music video

The official music video for new Bronson Arm track “To Live Deliciously” is streaming now: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ADfXk2k3sWY

From Kalamazoo, Michigan, Bronson Arm consists solely of baritone guitarist/vocalist Blake Bickel and drummer Garrett Yates. Ominous like Sonic Youth, explosive like Fugazi, the duo delivers austere anthems that swell with tension and burst with cathartic hooks.

Sophomore album Casket Schwagg was mixed by Brandon Eggleston (Swans, Helmet) and will be released May 9th via Learning Curve Records. Across nine hard-rocking songs, Bickel and Yates fully mesmerize with a mix of martial rhythms, doomy tones, and euphoric melodies. Pre-order the album, here: https://bronsonarm.bandcamp.com/album/casket-schwagg

The "To Live Deliciously" video features fellow Michigan rocker Chantal Roseke of Tonguecutter in the role of a surprisingly violent karaoke performer.

Bickel says this about the new song: “This track is a condemnation of all con men. A scornful rant of contempt and a rally cry to burn it down. Intentionally short and repetitive, to drive the simple message home.”

May 15 - Kalamazoo, MI - Bell’s Back Room
May 16 - Minneapolis, MN - Cloudland Theatre
May 17 - Milwaukee, WI - MKE Ultra
June 07 - Michigan City, IN - Burn ’Em Brewing

Photos by Brady Olson

TONGUECUTTER - "Dust Collector"

TONGUECUTTER: thrash and riot grrrl influences shine on Michigan power trio's new single "Dust Collector"

Tonguecutter has released "Dust Collector," the new single from the band's upcoming debut full-length, Minnow.

Stream the "Dust Collector" music video, here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=czPUNrWrd9s

Pre-order the album, out May 2nd on Learning Curve Records, here: https://tonguecutter.bandcamp.com/album/minnow

A power trio hailing from the remote lakeshore town of Muskegon, Michigan, Tonguecutter initiates a spectacular collision of thrash and grunge on Minnow. Meaty riffage and sly rhythmic shifts lay a base over which vocalist/guitarist Chantal Roeske lets loose an irradiant display of angst. The jubilant riffage of Suicidal Tendencies, the progressive bent of Voivod, and the almighty howling rage of Hole are all present. But the real greatness lies in Roeske's melodic sensibility, as a singer and songwriter, with each song taking unexpected twists and blooming with unforeseen hooks.

A recent review from Destroy//Exist reads: "Blending the heavier side of grunge with powerful guitars and dynamic vocals, the band's sound is both intense and hard hitting, delivering an electrifying energy that demands attention."

The second single to be released from Minnow, "Dust Collector" is a stomping thrasher crowned by Roeske's soaring vocals. Roseke reveals that the song is an ode to a maternal figure from her past: "I wrote the lyrics for 'Dust Collector' about my first neighbor as a young adult, Mary Beth. She was a hell of a character and taught me how to cover up the taste of alcohol with rum, and treat cat wounds. The song represents those weird neighbors that are protectors of wild youth."

Roeske's musical journey goes back more than 30 years. "I started my first band as a teenager in 1994, with influences like DRI, Anthrax and Babes in Toyland," she states. "It was fast as hell but had a lot of grunge and riot grrrl flavor."

A town of only 40,000 people, Tonguecutter's base of Muskegon possesses a wealth of punk lore. It is the birthplace of James Osterberg, Jr., a.k.a. Iggy Pop, and it was the home of The Disappointments, a unit that served as GG Allin's backing band for a stretch in the late 1980s. Today, Tonguecutter thrives amidst a Michigan scene that includes bands such as Cloud Rat and Bronson Arm.

Photo by Viki Stark

HEAVY HALO - "Failure."

HEAVY HALO: alt-industrial dream team delivers new single "Failure."; music video pays tribute to computer viruses of the 1990s

Alt-industrial dream team Heavy Halo has revealed "Failure.," the new single from its forthcoming album, Damaged Dream.

Stream the official music video for "Failure." – consisting entirely of footage of actual computer viruses from the 1990s, bearing ominous names such as Crucifixion, Fear, Ithaqua, Morphine, and Possessed – here: https://youtu.be/IKeg0-36ZNU

Vocalist McKeever gives this statement about the new single: "'Failure.' is the heaviest and most severe song on Damaged Dream. It’s about how nihilism is a cognitive virus that spreads when your ideals shatter at the hands of cold reality. When you watch everyone you know suffer at various points in their lives you have to face the wreckage of your own innocence. So once that’s gone, what do you have left? Well there’s power and resilience in desperation and catharsis. For us, we’re just trying to write our way out of hell. Creating in spite of the void is its own victory."

Based in Brooklyn, New York, Heavy Halo is the duo of McKeever and producer Gosteffects. Working out of Spellsound Studios, located inside a historic, 19th-century Brooklyn hospital building, the pair meld metallic guitars, frenetic beats, and yearning vocals into industrialized alt-rock anthems for the next generation. New album Damaged Dream will be released July 25th on Silent Pendulum Records.

Revolver Magazine has praised Heavy Halo's "chunky riffs and EBM-panicked beatwork" and "nihilistic yet melodic vocals about diving headfirst into the chaos that surrounds us every day."

Post-Punk.com recently delivered this assessment of the band's sound: "Built on a backbone of industrial-techno rhythms, its serrated guitars slash through raw electronics, a collision of sweat and circuitry... a machine with a beating heart, nodding to Nine Inch Nails and KMFDM with the raw urgency of Smashing Pumpkins and the aching howl of The Cure. The ghosts of ‘90s rebellion flicker in its DNA, yet its spirit is welded to the digital age, where raw emotion fuses with cold machinery. In this, Heavy Halo also finds kinship with HEALTH and Poppy, reveling in that chaotic crossroads where flesh meets electric power."

Pre-order Damaged Dream, here: https://silentpendulumrecords.com/collections/heavy-halo

Photo by Tori McGraw

PLQ MRX - "Lead Poisoning"

PLQ MRX: Unsane, Ecstatic Vision members drop acid-fried "Lead Poisoning" single and video

Head over to Decibel Magazine now to stream the new PLQ MRX track, “Lead Poisoning,” by way of a trippy music video, and read a new interview with vocalist Cleetus Alreetus Alrightus: https://www.decibelmagazine.com/2025/04/01/track-premiere-plq-mrx-lead-poisoning/

From Philadelphia, PLQ MRX puts forth an extremely grimy, sludgy, acid-fried version of punk, in the spirit of Flipper, Butthole Surfers... and Funkadelic. Pounding mid-tempo drums and walls of guitars are peppered with clown samples and detuned trombones in a dizzying blast of noise rock, psychedelia, and gallows humor.

Members are rumored to hail from such bands as Swans, Unsane, Author & Punisher, and Ecstatic Vision.

New EP Cumgitsum drops April 25th on Reptilian Records (US), Totem Cat Records (EU), and Fuzzed and Buzzed (Canada).

Connoisseurs of the dangerous and depraved might recall a Philadelphia band known as Plaque Marks which surfaced initially in 2017, releasing one EP, Anxiety Driven Nervous Worship, and touring the US with Unsane. Stereogum's review of that EP described it as "primitive and feral... smashed-to-shit vocal distortion, gravel-throated bass tone and a couple guitars that sound like they're being picked with glass shards." Like a crazed phoenix rising from those ashes, PLQ MRX picks up where Plaque Marks left off. Amidst the current noise rock boom, exemplified by the ongoing success of Chat Pile and festivals such as Caterwaul, PLQ MRX puts forth a spectacle that pushes the genre into a more theatrical and psychedelic realm.

Pre-order the EP, here:
US: https://reptilianrecords.bandcamp.com/
EU: https://totemcatrecords.bigcartel.com/
Canada: https://fuzzedandbuzzed.com/

Photos by Gene Smirnov

BRONSON ARM - "Permitted to Be Omitted"

BRONSON ARM: noise rock minimalists drop anthemic new single "Permitted to Be Omitted"; music video streaming now

Bronson Arm has released "Permitted to Be Omitted," the second single from its upcoming album, Casket Schwagg.

Casket Schwagg will be released May 9th on Learning Curve Records. Pre-order the album, here: https://bronsonarm.bandcamp.com/album/casket-schwagg

Stream the official "Permitted to Be Omitted" music video, here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=udMgPpeopL0

"This track was the first to be written for the new album," says Bronson Arm baritone guitarist and vocalist, Blake Bickel. "It explores feelings of confusion and dread… being lost, and building up the nerve to start over on a monumental task."

Set in one location – a white room in the duo's hometown of Kalamazoo, Michigan – the "Permitted to Be Omitted" video commands attention without bells and whistles. Clean and minimal, just like the band's sound, the video captures the interplay of Bickel and drummer Garrett Yates as they pound through the song with intention and control.

Just one year ago, Bronson Arm rattled the underground with the release of their self-titled debut album on Learning Curve. Using only baritone guitar, drums, and voice, the Kalamazoo, Michigan pair boldly introduced its singular style: austere anthems that swelled with tension before bursting open into cathartic hooks. Ominous like Sonic Youth, explosive like Fugazi, Bronson Arm's songs penetrated deep and ultimately sounded like no one else's.

Recorded by Addison Eilers at Analog Time Machine in White Hall, Michigan, mixed by Brandon Eggleston (Swans, Helmet), and mastered by Bickel himself, whose mastering credits include Soft Kill and King Dude, Casket Schwagg is a glorious follow-up that sees this unique band come into full bloom. Across nine hard-rocking songs, Bickel and Yates fully mesmerize with a mix of martial rhythms, doomy tones, and euphoric melodies.

Bronson Arm, live:

April 04 - Grand Rapids, MI - Pux Cider
April 05 - Kalamazoo, MI - Papa Petes
May 15 - Kalamazoo, MI - Bell’s Back Room
May 16 - Minneapolis, MN - Cloudland Theatre
May 17 - Milwaukee, WI - MKE Ultra
June 07 - Michigan City, IN - Burn ’Em Brewing

Photo by Brady Olson

Out today: MERCY TIES - Reflections and Criticisms

Reflections and Criticisms, the new album by Mercy Ties, is out today on The Ghost Is Clear Records.

Reflections and Criticisms is the Pacific Northwest band's first new music in 10 years. Regrouped and revitalized after a hiatus that saw one member relocate to Europe and another commit himself to competitive powerlifting, Mercy Ties has returned with its strongest work yet. Engineered and mixed by Scott Evans (Kowloon Walled City, Sumac) and Chris Common (These Arms Are Snakes, The Mars Volta), the new album is a slab of supremely intense, rain-soaked hardcore that Revolver Magazine compares to "a more brooding Botch."

Stream the album, here: https://mercyties.bandcamp.com/album/reflections-and-criticisms

Buy the LP, here: https://theghostisclearrecords.limitedrun.com/products/863124

Mercy Ties will hit the road in April for a West Coast tour with Throes:

April 18 - Boise, ID @ Realms
April 19 - San Francisco, CA @ Neck of the Woods
April 20 - Fresno, CA @ Destructive Warehouse
April 21 - Los Angeles, CA @ Genghis Cohen
April 22 - Merced, CA @ The Partisan
April 23 - Sacramento, CA @ Cafe Colonial
April 24 - Eugene, OR @ Wandering Goat
April 25 - Portland, OR @ Commonwealth
April 26 - Seattle, WA @ The Black Lodge

"Mercy Ties’ new album, 'Reflections and Criticisms'... [RIYL] original wave screamo ragers Pageninetynine, evil math rockers Botch and French noiseniks Birds in Row."
–Decibel

"With their return, Mercy Ties brings a potent and gripping blend of intense hardcore, infused with elements of sludge and a deep, brooding darkness which permeates their sound."
–Destroy//Exist

"Are you keeping up with The Ghost Is Clear Records? Last year they were voted, by a panel of one, Record Label of the Year, here at Getting It Out, and this year they seem to be doing everything they can to retain that title, as the deluge continues and Mercy Ties is another piece of that."
–Getting It Out

"Tension and release, packed with raw, biting energy... Honesty is the core of 'Reflections and Criticisms,' a work that unpacks themes of human frailty, societal collapse, and existential reckoning."
–Idioteq

"A particular kind of Pacific Northwest-made heaviness (think a more brooding, less mathematically groove-driven Botch)."
–Revolver

Out now: SPIRITWORLD - Helldorado

Helldorado, the third album by SpiritWorld, is out now on Century Media Records. 

The band hits the road April 18th for a North American tour with Obituary, Nails, Terror, and Pest Control: https://thechainworld.blogspot.com/2025/03/out-today-spiritworld-helldorado.html

Purchase the new album, here: https://spiritworld.lnk.to/Helldorado-AlbumPR 

Visit the band's official merch store with exclusive vinyl and Helldorado merch, here: https://spiritworldprophet.com/ 

Stream the latest music video, "Waiting on the Reaper," here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xlVkav1Sf9s

"'Helldorado' is just fun as hell. SpiritWorld’s riffage is front-and-center, but you’ll also be singin’ these songs into the moonlight with a clunky guitar and a cup o’ cowboy coffee, pardner."
–Angry Metal Guy

"As concepts go, SpiritWorld's is rock solid. 'Helldorado' is the Las Vegas crew's third album, and the most potent demonstration yet of their unique blend of brutish thrash and sun-scorched Americana."
–Blabbermouth

"Heavy, hard-rockin’ Western twang."
–BrooklynVegan

"No one else out there is blending rockabilly, metal, horror films and quality prose in one place... 'Helldorado, the third album, is a cultural mash-up perfect for these apocalyptic times."
–Decibel

"'Helldorado' is just a ton of fun. The story is packed with mature philosophical asides and campy B-movie allure, like the Coen Brothers collabed with Robert Rodriguez. The heavy instrumentation calls back to the death and thrash metal pantheon, accented extraordinarily well with a keen, finely executed country music aesthetic."
–Everything Is Noise

"Thrash metallers SpiritWorld are back... ['Helldorado'] blends H.P. Lovecraft and Western pulp for one hell of a wild ride."
–Fangoria

"Combining country music and bedazzled outfits with punk aggression and thrash metal riffs, the Las Vegas act are a sight to behold and they return with a vengeance on third full-length album "Helldorado.'"
–Ghost Cult

"Helmed by mastermind Stu Folsom and visualized by artist extraordinaire James Bousema, 'Helldorado' stands tall as a journey navigating all ends of the metal, punk, Western, and hardcore arenas, never settling on linear conventions."
–Heaviest of Art

"'Helldorado' ruthlessly delivers a collection of groovy, raw riffs that ignite the bloodiest mosh pits while also bravely exploring Western themes through folk-punk and alternative country tunes."
–Heavy Music HQ

"Functioning as the completion of his overarching, acid western headtrip, the album bookends what Folsom began with 'Pagan Rhythms' and further built with 'Deathwestern.' More importantly, 'Helldorado' seems to showcase Folsom as a songwriter in the truest sense of the word."
–Knotfest

"The third in what's their calling their 'death-western trifecta' has plenty of twang but is able to dip a toe in a lot of metal flavors still. If you've ever been curious about this band's deal, this would be a great place to sample them and them travel backwards into a whole unique world."
–Metal Injection

"Proudly displaying the dichotomy of his Native American heritage with his old west cowboy lineage as part of the band’s iconography, Folsom braids this seamlessly into the band’s sound that takes from outlaw country, early crossover, and filthy hardcore. Buckle up, buckaroo, because this here’s the wildest ride in the wilderness!"
–New Noise

"I’ve always had a soft spot for Westerns... And, I love me some abrasive deaththrash. So imagine my elation upon finding SpiritWorld who puts these things together as effortlessly as breathing... The band’s third full length 'Helldorado' finds them supremely comfortable with their brand but comfortable enough in their own skin to try new things and shed their bulletproof exterior."
–Nine Circles

"Their ability to churn out absolutely disgusting riffs and fuse them with their Old West aesthetic makes them the most relevant cowboys from Hell since Dimebag did it 30 years ago."
–No Clean Singing

"While Spiritworld’s new 'Helldorado' concludes the band’s gothic-horror-themed album trilogy with some of the most tumbleweed-tumblin’ country sounds of their career thus far, the Las Vegas, Nevada, genre-hoppers are still metal and hardcore kids at heart."
–Revolver

"On their first two albums, 2020’s 'Pagan Rhythms' and 2022’s 'Deathwestern,' Stu Folsom’s Las Vegas punk-metal crew SpiritWorld explored the darker, grimier side of the cinematic myth of the American West. Both records are full of twangy, guttural riffage and demonic cowboys, and they’re a lot of fun... Stu Folsom has long sought to find room for old-school country music influence in his kitsch-damaged hot-rod metallic roar, and 'Helldorado' [steers] further in that direction."
–Stereogum

"Spiritworld is back and leaning hard into some cowboy shit... I only have two albums on my Album of the Year shortlist, and 'Helldorado' is one of them. Well fucking done, gentleman!"

–Teeth of the Divine

"Reverend Horton Heat one moment, the next second Slayer. But the beauty of Spiritworld, never more evident than on 'Helldorado,' is that you don’t hear the static between the musical styles. They flow so seamlessly, your head doesn’t spin a millimeter."

–Treble

Out today: SPIRITWORLD - Helldorado

SPIRITWORLD releases third album "Helldorado"; cinematic new "Waiting on the Reaper" music video streaming now

Helldorado, the third album by SpiritWorld, is out today on Century Media Records.

Purchase the album, here:
https://spiritworld.lnk.to/Helldorado-AlbumPR

Visit the band's official merch store with exclusive vinyl and Helldorado merch, here:
https://spiritworldprophet.com/

With the album officially released today, the band has revealed its latest music video. Directed by longtime collaborator Todd Hailstone, the "Waiting on the Reaper" video is a delightfully cinematic clip that brings SpiritWorld's nefarious Western narrative to life. In the spirit of Sergio Leone and Quentin Tarantino, the video depicts a cursed preacher's bloody escape from from an Old West jail. Fans will recognize the clip to be a prequel to SpiritWorld's recently released "Abilene Grime" video, which illustrates that same preacher's ultimate descent to hell.

Stream "Waiting on the Reaper," here: 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xlVkav1Sf9s

Led by iconoclastic frontman Stu Folsom, SpiritWorld thrives in its own realm, purveying a sound and vision entirely its own. A Las Vegas native whose grandfather worked as a rodeo clown and ranch hand, Folsom has built a universe where thrashy hardcore and country-western stylings coexist in macabre harmony, bonded by a supernatural horror storyline. Stereogum has described the unique project with these words: "A gory symphony that owes as much to Slayer as Cormac McCarthy... A whole fleshed-out universe of pulpy sonic violence inspired by Westerns, horror, outlaw country, the occult, and the heavy metal classics of the late 20th century."

Third album Helldorado sees SpiritWorld indulge in metallic hardcore blitzes, world-weary country-punk stomps, and even a wistful, finger-picked lament. Folsom explains the diversity of the music: "This record, more so than the last two, I think you hear way more fearlessness and confidence in the choices... Maybe it is a risk to incorporate things that will be pretty far out there for the casual punk or metalhead, but having the opportunity to make a record comes with a responsibility to me. I dreamed of making records for so long. I only want to do things in life that I am all in on. If that makes me an outcast or even more fringe than your average underground music act then that's okay. The stench of being genuine is beautiful." 

Guests on the album include Sgah’gahsowáh (Black Braid), Zach Blair (Rise Against), and Frederic Leclercq (Kreator).

Clad in matching Western suits, Folsom and his boys will tour North America this spring with Obituary, celebrating the 35th anniversary of the death metal legends' Cause of Death album.

Obituary, Nails, Terror, SpiritWorld, Pest Control:

Apr 18 - San Antonio, TX @ Aztec Theatre
Apr 19 - Dallas, TX @ Granada Theater
Apr 21 - Albuquerque, NM @ Sunshine Theater
Apr 22 - Mesa, AZ @ The Nile Theater
Apr 23 - Las Vegas, NV @ Fremont Country Club *
Apr 24 - San Diego, CA @ House of Blues
Apr 25 - Anaheim, CA @ House of Blues
Apr 26 - Los Angeles, CA @ The Bellwether
Apr 27 - Berkeley, CA @ The UC Theatre
Apr 29 - Portland, OR @ Roseland Theater
Apr 30 - Seattle, WA @ The Showbox
May 01 - Boise, ID @ Treefort Music Hall *
May 02 - Salt Lake City, UT @ The Depot
May 03 - Denver, CO @ The Oriental Theater
May 04 - Omaha, NE @ The Waiting Room **
May 05 - Minneapolis, MN @ Varsity Theater
May 06 - Chicago, IL @ House of Blues
May 07 - Detroit, MI @ The Majestic Theatre
May 08 - East Islip, NY @ AMVETS Post 18 **
May 09 - Montreal, QC @ Club Soda
May 10 - Toronto, ON @ The Concert Hall
May 12 - New Kensington, PA @ Preserving Underground
May 13 - Covington, KY @ Madison Live **
May 14 - Nashville, TN @ Brooklyn Bowl
May 15 - Atlanta, GA @ The Masquerade
May 16 - Tampa, FL @ The Orpheum *
May 17 - Jacksonville, FL @ Underbelly **
May 19 - Louisville, KY @ Mercury Ballroom
May 20 - Asheville, NC @ The Orange Peel
May 21 - Harrisonburg, VA @ Golden Pony **
May 22 - Maspeth, NY @ Knockdown Center
May 23 - Philadelphia, PA @ First Unitarian Church *
May 24 - Worcester, MA @ The Palladium
May 25 - Reading, PA @ Reverb
May 26 - Baltimore, MD @ Baltimore Soundstage +

* Nails headline, no Obituary

** Terror headline, no Obituary

+ Memorial Day Meltdown w/ Nails, Terror, Incendiary, Drug Church, Soul Blind, Pest Control, Doubt, Out To Destroy

Photo by Jasmine Garcia

TONGUECUTTER - Minnow

TONGUECUTTER: thrash and grunge collide on "Minnow," the towering debut album by Michigan power trio; first single "Urgency" streaming now

Learning Curve Records announces the May 2nd release of Minnow, the debut full-length album by Tonguecutter.

Stream the official music video for the first single, "Urgency," here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1W0WDQDE1FA

Pre-order the album, here: 

https://tonguecutter.bandcamp.com/album/minnow

A power trio hailing from the remote lakeshore town of Muskegon, Michigan, Tonguecutter initiates a spectacular collision of thrash and grunge on its debut full-length, Minnow. Meaty riffage and sly rhythmic shifts lay a base over which vocalist/guitarist Chantal Roeske lets loose an irradiant display of angst. The jubilant riffage of Suicidal Tendencies, the progressive bent of Voivod, and the almighty howling rage of Hole are all present. But the real greatness lies in Roeske's melodic sensibility, as a singer and songwriter, with each song taking unexpected twists and blooming with unforeseen hooks.

The album's opener and first single, "Urgency," opens with grumbling bass, uppercutting drums, and a bouncing riff that might easily boost the global sale of Pepsi this year. Roeske then takes charge with a voice that commands like the best wailers of the grunge era, culminating in a powerhouse six-second scream that sends the song into a new dimension of odd-time signatures and mesmerizing melodies. Casual listeners might have no idea that the band has cruised discreetly from 12/8 to 11/4 to 5/8 to 7/8, but they will certainly feel the power of Chantal's soaring voice in their chests as she brings the song toward its heart-melting conclusion.

Reflecting on "Urgency," Roeske states, "Last year we had a chemical spill in Muskegon and it inspired us to write this song about escaping chemical warfare." Her lyric, "Pull me out of it before we get sick," delivered with maximum conviction and repeated twice, is especially haunting in the context of the song's story.

"Urgency," along with the other ten songs on Minnow, reveal Roeske to be a rare musical talent with a fully-formed aesthetic. While it is initially shocking that a debut album could be this good, Roeske has in fact been honing her craft in relative obscurity for decades. She gives a glimpse at the long road that led here, as she discusses the mix of influences that initially fueled her more than 30 years ago: "I started my first band as a teenager in 1994, with influences like DRI, Anthrax and Babes in Toyland. It was fast as hell but had a lot of grunge and riot grrrl flavor. Guitar was always really important for me. I loved bands like Seven Year Bitch and L7. I've been a Pixies and Breeders fan since the beginning of time too. Kim Deal is the reason I picked up a guitar."

In Tonguecutter, Roeske is flanked by two strapping collaborators – bassist Addison Eilers and drummer Cam Polidan – whose muscular playing provides the perfect foundation on which to build. The three are proud to be part of a thriving Michigan scene that includes bands such as Cloud Rat, Bronson Arm, and Them Teeth and, despite occasional chemical spills, they have pride in their hometown, a municipality containing less than 40,000 people and a surprising wealth of punk lore. "Muskegon is the jam," declares Roeske. "It’s gritty, real and accessible. It might be small but the people here are legit and authentic. We have an incredibly beautiful lakeshore on Lake Michigan. We’ve got quite a punk legacy here with legendary clubs like The Ice Pick whose owner played drums in GG Allin's band. And Iggy Pop was born here in 1947!"

Minnow was recorded and mixed at Analog Time Machine and mastered by Bronson Arm's Blake Bickel at Dynamic Sound Service. Also making an appearance on the album is Something Is Waiting frontman Eddie Gobbo, who lends his unmistakably sassy, snarling vocals to the track "Antipode."

Tracklist:
1) Urgency
2) Dust Collector
3) Tupperware Party
4) Big Ol' Tree
5) Minnow
6) Do You Play Leads
7) RATAP
8) Bitch Ass Energy
9) Antipode

10) Yarn Horse

11) Bone to Pick

Lineup:
Chantal Roeske - vocals, guitar
Addison Eilers - bass
Cam Polidan - drums

Discography:

Minnow (2025, Learning Curve Records)

Tupperware Party EP (2023, self-released)

Photo by Viki Stark