Social Distortion New Album 8th May

Social Distortion New Album 8th May

‘BORN TO KILL’ 

NEW ALBUM OUT 8 MAY

 EUROPEAN TOUR THIS SUMMER 

INCLUDING DOWNLOAD FESTIVAL AND LONDON HEADLINE SHOW 

Orange County’s finest are back with a vengeance: Social Distortion’s long-awaited eighth album, ‘Born To Kill,’ will be released on 8 May 2026 via Epitaph Records. The hard-charging title track that’s been lighting up crowds at the band’s shows for the last several months is out now. Pre-order the new album here.

LISTEN HERE

‘Born To Kill’ is more than the conclusion to a 15-year wait between Social Distortion albums, it’s a revelation: 11 songs of pure, unadulterated rock ’n’ roll fury, joy and catharsis, all imbued with the signature blend of defiance and world-weariness that has made founder Mike Ness a poet and sage to the dispossessed for more than 40 years. 

The first Social Distortion album since Ness’ recovery from a bout with cancer, ‘Born To Kill’ brims with aggressive optimism. The album wastes no time letting the listener know where its heart is, with its title track and mission statement dropping nods to Lou Reed (“Rock ’n’ Roll Animal gonna come your way!”) and Iggy and the Stooges (“The agenda is yeah to Search and Destroy”) and an homage to David Bowie (“It’s a Rock ’n’ Roll Suicide”) following a few songs later on “Partners In Crime.” This is a man, a band and a record that wear their influences proudly while creating timeless anthems and ballads that both chart Social Distortion’s path forward and celebrate its storied past: “Tonight” and “The Way Things Were” are emotionally charged reminiscences in the vein of classics like “Story of My Life” from the band’s eponymous 1990 breakthrough and “I Was Wrong” from 1996’s White Light, White Heat, White Trash, the latter containing a potent distillation of the Social D ethos: “I wrote a song with a stolen riff / If you ain’t got a song you ain’t got shit.” 

Co-produced by Ness and Dave Sardy, and featuring guest appearances from Benmont Tench of Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers and Lucinda Williams and collaborative cover art by Ness and Shepard Fairey, ‘Born To Kill’ is the latest installment in a remarkable catalog that spans nearly three generations, including Mommy’s Little Monster (1983), Prison Bound (1988), the RIAA gold-certified Social Distortion (1990) and Somewhere Between Heaven and Hell (1992), White Light, White Heat, White Trash (1996), Sex, Love and Rock ’n’ Roll (2004), and Hard Times and Nursery Rhymes (2011). Social Distortion will support Born To Kill with an extensive European tour this Summer, including two UK dates at Download Festival and London’s Koko. The tour will also cover Norway, Sweden, Germany, Czech Republic, Austria, France, Spain, Italy, Switzerland, Denmark, and Benelux.

03 June – Sentrum Scene – Oslo, Norway
04 June – Sweden Rock – Solvesborg, Sweden
06 June – Rock Im Park – Nürnberg, Germany
07 June – Rock Am Ring – Nurburg, Germany
09 June – Columbiahalle – Berlin, Germany
11 June – Rock For People – Hradec Králové, Czech Republic
12 June – Nova Rock Festival – Nickelsdorf, Austria
14 June – Download Festival – Donington, United Kingdom
16 June – Koko – London, United Kingdom
18 June – Hellfest – Clisson, France
20 June – Azkena Rock Festival – Vitoria-Gasteiz, Spain
23 June – Carroponte – Milan, Italy
24 June – Halle 622 – Zurich, Switzerland
26 June – Vainstream – Munster, Germany
27 June – Copenhell – Copenhagen, Denmark
29 June – Amsterdamse Bos Theatre – Amsterdam, Netherlands
30 June – Docks – Hamburg, Germany
02 July – Les Eurockéennes – Belfort, France
03 July – Rock Werchter – Werchter, Belgium
04 July – Rudolf-Harbig-Stadion – Dresden, Germany

TICKETS AVAILABLE HERE 

PRE-ORDER/PRE-SAVE ‘BORN TO KILL’ HERE

www.socialdistortion.com

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Bruise Control – ‘Bruise Control’ (Republic Of Music)

Bruise Control – ‘Bruise Control’ (Republic Of Music)

Always a pleasure and never a chore to hear bands break through the underground and continue to grow organically and get better and better. One of those bands has to be Bruise Control from the North West of England. This self-titled EP is a jagged, physical, Emotional document of modern punk rock and counter culture born of who and what they are and channelled perfectly through the music and songwriting. It can be exhilarating, joyful and angry all at the same time, but above all its the quality of the songs that these guys create that carries them through.

Bruise Control explore give zero fucks and conveys perfectly their feelings on what’s going on in the world they live in, which translates well across many cities, countries and no doubt continents. In a world where everything is for sale at a price that seems relatively cheap, and what you get for your small investment is a band who are currently on fire and making some of the best music around, that is a fact.

Opener ‘Be Like You‘ is the perfect opener, full of excitement, no easing you in more, blowing off steam with your mates and kicking the living shit out of your speakers like it’s going out of fashion. The song mourns the erosion of creative communities as cities are stripped of character and sold to the highest bidder, driven by explosive rhythms and biting urgency. A super strong opener that sets the tone perfectly.

Not wanting to be a Debbie Downer, but the sense of hopelessness in some of the subject matter is juxtaposed with the brightness of the energy spilling out of the instruments being hit. ‘Gone To Ground’, ‘If You’re Not Mine’, and ‘Spinners Mill’ channel the grinding frustration of daily life, rising rents, stretched relationships, emotional labour and the quiet guilt of struggling to stay afloat while wanting to help others. The energy and excitement captured cannot be overstated. The band are in the moment and on superb form.

The Eps final offering, ‘Jumping Ship’, feels like the release of all that pent up anxst and emotion, and the fact you’re playing this is that very release from real life you need. Recharge and go again whilst disappearing in some awesome music that we all need in life and something very hard for bands to capture, but Bruise Control seem to have hit the pocket where they just get ‘it’ and are that very release with the tunes to back it all up. Live, they manage to deliver the energy these songs demand. It can be brutal, physical and relentless at times, but boy does it feel good and perfectly displayed on side C with th epair of live tracks.

Get hold of this before they’re all gone, and you have to sell a kidney to pick one up and catch them live if you can. Oh, and the vinyl has a whopping extra five songs on side C (yeah, I know side B for Bruise and C for Control, do keep up). Less “produced”, it’s more of the same, like standing in on a live rehersal ‘Nostalgia’ is like a barking rabid dog. A couple of live tracks that give you a flavour of what they deliver live. ‘Bruise Control’ and ‘Dead On Arrival’ (both off their first EP), No More’ sounds like a row in a kebab shop at midnight, and those guitars sound sharp as fuck, it’s all about the energy and pace that delivers in spades. Then we get ‘Left Behind’, the single version, not the EP version off side B, to see us out for what might just be the independent release of the year right here, right now. Bruise Control! Bosh! ave it, buy or be left behind.

Buy Here

Dinked edition with signed poster from here

Michael Monroe – ‘Outerstellar’ (SILVER LINING MUSIC)

Michael Monroe – ‘Outerstellar’ (SILVER LINING MUSIC)

The Monroes are finally back! It’s been nearly 4 years since Michael Monroe’s last studio album, ‘I Live Too Fast To Die Young’, and while the man and his longtime cohorts have toured extensively in that time, it feels like some new music is well overdue, and I, for one, have certainly been missing their brand of high-energy rock n’ roll.

Now, while I feel that aforementioned last album certainly wasn’t his best, it sure had some fine stand-out moments, and I’m glad to report that their brand-new long player, ‘Outerstellar,’ certainly outshines its predecessor and holds a few surprises for those who are expecting more of the same as before. So, without further ado, let’s dig in and see what Monroe, Yaffa, Conte, Jones & Rockfist have in store for us this time around.

Opener and first single ‘Rockin Horse’ is a punked-up, defiant middle finger to the critics and the naysayers, job done. The following ‘Shinola’ rocks to a similar beat, although sounding more instant, more euphoric. The critics will scoff and call them “generic”, but hey, this band are just getting started.

On the first listen, its third track, ‘Black Cadillac’, where things really get tasty. With cool dynamics, NYC-style gang vocals and an uber cool riff, it’s got full-on Hanoi meets Demolition 23 vibes going on, and that, my friends, is exactly what we need from Michael Monroe in 2026. A song that truly makes you take heed and get excited for what else they have in store.

And there is a 1-2-3 of killer tunes on offer to get excited about; ‘Newtro Bombs’ is a frantic blast of punk energy with a Clash-inspired chorus and a nifty little, almost dub breakdown (Sami Yaffa’s influence no doubt). Next up, ‘Disconnected’ is the big, anthemic celebration of live rock n’ roll music, and then the infectious ‘Precious’ has a sugar-coated chorus that will embed in your subconscious after the first play and refuse to leave. Add to that a schizophrenic harmonica break courtesy of the main man, and you have a winner on yer hands.

Elsewhere, the radio-friendly ‘When The Apocalypse Comes’ has that unmistakable Monroe drawl, a chorus that is pure ear candy and killer guitars from Steve Conte & Rich Jones. A word on the production here, while I remember, as the whole album sounds crisp, clear and punchy as fuck, job well done.

They do take things down a notch and get reflective with Lords vibes on ‘Painless’, and the emotive, acoustic-led ‘Glitter Dust’ nods to those quirky Hanoi ballads. Both sound like they will be growers.

Album closer ‘One More Sunrise’ is the curveball many would never expect. An epic trip of a song clocking in at over 7 and a half minutes, it’s a brave attempt to think outside the box, and you know what?… I think it actually pays off!  Starting off like a ‘Nights Are So Long’ outtake, it wastes no time before kicking into a multi-part rocker that takes the listener on a Michael Monroe road trip you never knew you needed. It’s too much to take in with only a couple of listens, but let’s just say if you want an emotive sax solo, a piano breakdown with a killer chorus refrain to take you back to the glory days, then look no further. The Monroes are here to bring cinematic to those who inhabited (or still inhabit) the alleyways and sleazy bars at night, with just a bottle of Jack and a greasy eyeliner pencil for company. Insane, in a very good way.

‘Outerstellar’, the difficult 13th studio album from Michael Monroe, was apparently a labour of love, with some songs dating back to 2018, yet it sounds like it was a fucking breeze from start to finish! It feels like the band has pulled out all the stops here to prove this new album is more than just ‘another Michael Monroe record’. And I feel they have succeeded way beyond their expectations. The live energy has been captured to perfection with a top-notch production to boot. The band are at the top of their game, not only as players but as writers too, and it feels like ‘Outerstellar’ is the make-or-break album this band needed to make in 2026. Essential listening for those who like to rock like fuck!

Buy Here

Author: Ben Hughes

Jay Buchanan – ‘Weapons Of Beauty’ ( Sacred Tongue Recordings)

Jay Buchanan – ‘Weapons Of Beauty’ ( Sacred Tongue Recordings)

Californian singer/songwriter Jay Buchanan retreated to a windowless underground bunker in the Mojave Desert to find inspiration for his first solo album. In isolation, with abandoned gold mines, rivers of sand and just coyotes for company, the Rival Sons frontman found his mojo, sought retribution and wrote a whole album’s worth of material which now comes to fruition in the form of ‘Weapons Of Beauty’.

Produced by long-time collaborator Dave Cobb at his studio in Savannah, Georgia, and featuring a host of Nashville’s finest musicians, ‘Weapons Of Beauty’ is a deeply personal album. The sparse instrumentation, clever use of space and depth of emotion of the melancholy opener ‘Caroline’ sets the scene perfectly. With a heartachingly haunting melody, Jay paints a picture of the emotion of love and loss with a wide-angle lens. This vibe continues on ‘High and Lonesome’ with stunning vocals backed by a gentle beat, slide guitar and piano. The players give just enough to accentuate, not enough to overpower the vocal.

Only on track 3 do things take a sudden upshift. Second single ‘True Black’ is a stunning song, make no mistake, a righteous sermon that embeds itself on first play. The overly familiar gospel-tinged chorus will leave you wondering how you lived your life without it such is the power.

There’s a cinematic feel to the Americana-tinged songs on offer, and the great songwriting and emotive playing will leave the listener enraptured and yearning for more. The stark feeling of isolation and introspection has been magically captured by Cobb, and brings to mind the feel of Springsteen’s ‘Nebraska’ or Bon Iver’s ‘For Emma, Forever Ago’. Nothing is overplayed, and it gives a very ‘live in the studio’ feel. The folky, almost Celtic ‘Tumbleweeds’ and ‘The Great Divide’ have a more commercial, radio-friendly feel with soaring, powerful vocals and life-affirming lyrics that will make the hairs on the back of your neck rise to attention. Elsewhere, ‘Deep Swimming’ brings to mind The Lumineers and ‘Sway’ is a beautiful love song to his wife with a stunning vocal performance.

Leonard Cohen’s ‘Dance Me To The End Of Love’ fits perfectly with the themes of love, loss and retribution and serves as a precursor to the title track that closes the album. The piano-led ‘Weapons Of Beauty’ is as emotive and dramatic as you could wish for. As you wait on Jay’s every word, at times his voice is on the verge of breaking, such is the power and emotion he pours into this performance.

‘Weapons Of Beauty’ is a deeply personal album, a true confessional told by a true storyteller. It is the sound of a man laying his heart on his sleeve and coming to terms with the burdens of loved ones and the reflections of time in self-imposed exile.

Jay Buchanan has created a cinematic landscape that takes the listener on a mystical journey through his soul, covering a range of emotions, and at times, you truly feel you are encroaching on something that wasn’t meant to be shared. And that is a rare thing for an artist to accomplish.

Buy Here

Author: Ben Hughes

A Place To Bury Strangers – New rarities album

A Place To Bury Strangers – New rarities album

 ‘Rare And Deadly’

Out April 3rd via Dedstrange

Photo credit: Heather Bickford

New-York based band A Place To Bury Strangers announce their new rarities album, Rare And Deadly, out April 3rd via Dedstrange, and release the lead single, “Everyone’s The Same.” Following 2024’s Synthesizer, Rare and Deadly cracks open a decade-long vault of raw nerve and sonic chaos from A Place To Bury Strangers. Spanning 2015–2025, this collection of demos, B-sides, abandoned experiments, and forgotten fragments reveals the band at their most unfiltered—caught between breakthrough ideas and beautiful mistakes. Pulled from Oliver Ackermann’s personal archive of late-night recordings, blown-out tapes, and half-finished sessions, these tracks pulse with the unruly energy that has always defined APTBS, but here the interference is closer, the electricity more dangerous, the edges left jagged on purpose.

What makes Rare and Deadly truly unprecedented is that every format tells a different story. The CD, cassette, vinyl, and digital editions each feature their own unique tracklisting, a fractured release strategy that is almost unheard of. No single version contains the “complete” album. Instead, each format becomes its own window into the archive, revealing alternate paths, missing links, and parallel versions of the band’s inner life. It’s a deliberately unstable document: the album shifts depending on how you choose to hear it, mirroring the chaos of its creation.

Across these recordings, you can hear the evolution of Ackermann’s restless mind. Some pieces feel like prototypes for future chaos, seeds that later bloomed on studio albums. Others are dead ends—ideas too volatile, too strange, or too personal to ever fit the frame of a proper release. But together they form a secret history of the band, a parallel world of possibilities that existed just outside the spotlight. The tracks contain riffs mutated by malfunctioning pedals, songs born from gear pushed past its limits, or delicate melodies overwhelmed by walls of feedback until only their ghosts remain, as on today’s single, “Everyone’s The Same.”

Reflecting on the track, Ackerman says: “I had a dream where a man led me to a brook, peaceful and calm. When he turned his head slightly, I saw the most evil smile imaginable. But when I looked directly at him, it was just the back of his head again. Beauty and horror coexisting in the same space. It felt like hell leaking into something serene. Maybe that’s reality sometimes. And maybe pretending otherwise is a kind of survival.”

Stream “Everyone’s The Same”

Rare and Deadly is less a compilation and more a documentary—an aural snapshot of how sound takes shape before it hardens into something finished. You hear the room, the accidents, the restless experimentation, the immediacy of a moment being captured before it disappears. It’s a reminder that A Place To Bury Strangers has always thrived in this in-between space: the tension between control and collapse, melody and noise, beauty and distortion.

Pre-order Rare And Deadly

A Place To Bury Strangers Tour Dates:
Tue. April 7 – Hamburg, DE @ MS Stubnitz
Wed. April 8 – Leipzig, DE @ UT Connewitz
Thu. April 9 – Praha, CZ @ Futurum Music Bar
Fri. April 10 – Brno-město, CZ @ Kabinet múz
Sat. April 11 – Bratislava, SK @ PINK WHALE BAR
Sun. April 12 – Budapest, HU @ A38
Mon. April 13 – Belgrade, RS @ Karmakoma
Tue. April 14 – Sofia, BG @ Mixtape 5
Wed. April 15 – București, RO @ Control Club
Fri. April 17 – Thessaloniki, GR @ Eightball Club
Sat. April 18 – Athina, GR @ Gazarte
Mon. April 20 – Rome, IT @ Monk Club
Tue. April 21 – Florence, IT @ Ex Fila
Wed. April 22 – Bologna, IT @ Social Center TPO
Thu. April 23 – Milan, IT @ Santeria
Fri. April 24 – Zurich, CH @ Bogen F
Sun. April 26 – Brussels, BE @ Magasin 4
Mon. April 27 – Cologne, DE @ Gebäude 9
Wed. April 29 – Utrecht, NL @ De Helling
Thu. April 30 – Deventer, NL @ Burgerweeshuis
Fri. May 1 – Eindhoven, NL @ Fuzz Club Festival 2026


A Place To Bury Strangers online
 Website | Instagram | Twitter | Facebook | Bandcamp

THE CHUCK NORRIS EXPERIMENT – ‘Hot Stuff Vol. 3’ (Ghost Highway Recordings and Chaputa! Records)

THE CHUCK NORRIS EXPERIMENT – ‘Hot Stuff Vol. 3’ (Ghost Highway Recordings and Chaputa! Records)

Hot Stuff Vol. 3 is the third instalment in a very specific side series within The Chuck Norris Experiment catalogue: a carefully curated collection of recordings spanning different sessions, years and contexts, bringing together covers, original songs and lesser-known tracks that sit outside the band’s regular studio albums. One thing we know from listening to this band for donkeys years is they always deliver, be it single splits or albums, they in fact have matured over the years, and since the 7-inch album, they’ve been on fire, delivering their best music in an illustrious career thus far.

Obviously in a band, there are going ot be common loves and styles but collectivly they also share a wide range of influences — from Blue Öyster Cult, Sex Pistols, Dead Moon, New Bomb Turks, Demolition 23 and Electric Frankenstein (all included here) but what they’ve mnaged to do is take these songs and own them knocking out CNE versions and interpretations and owning some very good songs. Alongside the covers, original tracks such as ‘When The Dust Settles’, ‘All Your Bridges Are Burning’ and ‘Let The Wheels Roll’ Showing that the band’s own output stands tall next to some pretty big hitters I guess someone not familiar with the covers or the bands own output would be hard pressed to split the tunes into covers or original. ‘Problems’ gives the Pistols a souped-up Scandi overcoat, and it fits really well. To be fair, the energy they’ve put into these tracks is a real joy to hear, especially when played loud! its what the wah pedal was made for.

The album also features a guest appearance by Jake Starr on ‘In The Doorway’, a name that needs no build-up or introduction to the well-researched Garage rock scene. I adore the Demolition 23 album, and to hear another band I also respect and have most of the music they’ve released covering ‘Hammersmith Palais’ is a highlight on this record. Also, you can add the Electric Frankenstein cover to my top picks. If you know the band’s previous releases, this is a no-brainer. If you’re looking for a new band to delve into, then this is still a no-brainer; Chuck Norris Experiment Hot Stuff is absolutely Hot Stuff. Don’t snooze its limited to only a few hundred copies.

Buy Here

Author: Dom Daley

DEAD PIONEERS PUNCH BACK WITH POWERFUL NEW SINGLE ‘NAZI TEETH’

DEAD PIONEERS PUNCH BACK WITH POWERFUL NEW SINGLE ‘NAZI TEETH’

FEATURING STEPHANIE BRYNE FROM COLORADO FEMINIST PUNK BAND CHEAP PERFUME

STREAM/DL HERE

UK AND EU TOUR STARTS FEBRUARY 26

NOW CONFIRMED TO PLAY THEIR FIRST UK FESTIVAL APPEARANCE AT 2000 TREES IN JULY

TICKETS AVAILABLE HERE:

Dead Pioneers, the Indigenous fronted band from Denver, thump back into action this week with one of their most enraged, powerful and important pieces of work yet. As the upsurge of the far right and white supremacists continues to rise and come out of hiding, Dead Pioneers are ready to fight back with new single ‘Nazi Teeth’, the first track to be lifted from their forthcoming third album, further details to follow…

“While unfortunate that it needs to be done, we’ll never shy away from calling out the elephant in the room,” states frontman Gregg Deal. “Although we didn’t expect this elephant to be the revival of fascists on Amerikkkan soil. Maybe we should have. Frustrated and angry, ready and willing to fight, it’s not lost on us that the need to write a song like this or say these words out loud is grim, ironic, and disconcerting. Nevertheless, here we are, and we’re here to do it.”

The single features a fiery vocal collaboration from Stephanie Bryne of Colorado feminist punk band Cheap Perfume, reconnecting with their fantastic 2016 song ‘It’s Okay To Punch Nazis’. Stephanie’s voice breaks through the song, doubling down on confronting white supremacists throughout the world.

“We are witnessing in real time the violent and horrifying overextension of this administration, while many of our brothers and sisters have been suffering at the hands of white supremacy and colonialism for generations,” says Stephanie. “Nazi teeth is a call to action to hold the line with your friends, family, and community. Keeping Nazis down keeps us all free.”

“The United States of Amerikkka is in disarray, and ‘Nazi Teeth’ is not just our answer to what we’re seeing and experiencing in the streets of the so-called land of the free, but a call to action, fighting the continuing manifestation of forces our grandparents and great grandparents fought some 81-plus years ago,” continues Gregg. “It should be obvious, but for some people it seems this needs spelling out: Fuck Nazis, Fuck Fascism, Fuck ICE, Fuck Pedos, and Fuck Trump and his administration. If violence is the only language they speak, it’s okay to punch Nazi teeth.”

Dead Pioneers have never been afraid to use their art as a vehicle to express their beliefs and anger at the current political landscape in America. Over two albums – their self-titled debut in 2023 and ‘PO$T AMERICAN’ from last year, the band have concocted a unique blend of spoken word and hypnotic post-punk, mixed with the fury and anger of real punk rock.

Dead Pioneers are confirmed to play their first EU and UK headline tour, starting later this month.

Support for all UK shows comes from Yakkie, featuring Janey Starling formerly of Dream Nails.

Go HERE for tickets.

Dead Pioneers emerged as a dynamic extension of vocalist Gregg Deal’s performance art, seamlessly blending music with critical cultural commentary. Rooted in the same themes of identity and resistance that define his visual work, the band’s sound acts as a powerful platform for addressing the complexities of Indigenous experience. Deal harnesses the raw energy of post-punk and alternative influences to challenge prevailing narratives, using lyrics that provoke thought and evoke emotion. Just as his performance art confronts the legacies of colonization and systemic marginalization, Dead Pioneers – completed by Josh Rivera and Abe Brennan on guitars, bassist Lee Tesche (Algiers) and drummer Shane Zweygardt – engages audiences in a visceral dialogue about survival, resilience, and reclamation of voice. This musical endeavour not only amplifies his artistic vision but also creates a space for collective expression and solidarity, inviting listeners to reflect on the intersections of culture, history, and identity in a contemporary context. Through Dead Pioneers, Deal continues to assert that art, in all its forms, can be a powerful vehicle for activism and change. 

See Dead Pioneers at the following dates in the UK and EU.

February

26th UK Bristol, Strange Brew

27th UK Manchester, Rebellion

28th UK Leeds, Key Club

March

1st UK London, The Underworld

3rd NL Arnhem, Willemeen

5th DE Wiesbaden, Schlachthof

6th DE Stuttgart, Juha West

7th DE Cologne, Helios37

9th CH Zurich, Bogen F

11th AT Vienna, Arena

12th DE Munich, Backstage

13th DE Berlin, Cassiopeia

14th DE Hamburg, Hafenklang

Find Dead Pioneers online HERE:

The Molotovs – ‘Wasted On Youth’ (Marshall Records)

The Molotovs – ‘Wasted On Youth’ (Marshall Records)

The Molotovs came about through necessity and boredom during the heady days of Covid lockdown. Teenage siblings Mathew (vocals/guitar) and Issie Cartlidge (bass/vocals) started jamming, wrote some songs and formed a band. When the world opened up again, they gigged, and then they gigged some more. And they haven’t stopped since! 600 plus shows later, and they have a ferocious live reputation and friends in high places. A series of high-quality singles, gorilla gigs on flatbed trucks and shows with The Sex Pistols and Blondie finally led to the release of their highly anticipated debut album ‘Wasted On Youth’.

The Molotovs unashamedly flaunt their influences over the course of the album. There are many short, sharp nods to Mod, Punk & New Wave and a heady dose of Brit Pop going on. Punk is certainly prevalent on gnarly opener ‘Get A Life’, a one-minute and forty-second diatribe aimed at the naysayers and the detractors. This angst-ridden mash-up of Weller and The Clash is just the sort of anthem that the disenchanted youth need to get behind. A perfect album opener, a great single choice, and the perfect introduction to the band.

You can’t help but reference The Jam while listening to ‘Wasted On Youth’, their influence is all over the likes of ‘Newsflash’ and ‘Rhythm Of Yourself’, even the emotive ‘Nothing Keeps Her Away’ brings to mind ‘That’s Entertainment’. While there is already a long line of old punks and journalists ready to bring The Molotovs down, I see no problem with anything they do. If the songs are good, then it’s good enough for me. And The Molotovs have some good songs. For a songwriter who has barely left school, Mat shows talent beyond his years; he has a lyrical suss and an ear for a catchy melody. The poignant and emotive ‘Geraldine’ recalls early Manics, with great use of structure and melody. And the title track is Frank Turner at his acerbic best. All leave their mark and warrant repeat listening. If I really want to be picky, they lose it slightly on ‘Come On Now’ and ‘Popstar’. Although both sound like early Adam & The Ants, they do feel a bit like fillers compared to the other tracks.

But they make up for it elsewhere. With its ringing power chords and urgent beats, ‘More More More’ sounds vital. ‘Daydreaming’ is an anthemic Brit Pop pastiche, and album closer ‘Today’s Gonna Be Our Day’ is a call to arms from one youth to another, a song that earns its crown and should feature in playlists worldwide by the end of the year.

At 17 and 19 years of age, Mathew & Issie Cartlidge are still teenagers, yet the sharp-dressed duo somehow capture the bridge between Punk, Mod and Brit Pop with ease, spread over 11 tracks in just over 35 minutes. They are a testament to hard graft in a business that is getting increasingly difficult to make a living in, and if they can get past the Spinal Tap drummer issues and ignore the jealous old punks who refuse to give a new band a break, then maybe, just maybe, The Molotovs can truly make this day their day.

For now, though, ‘Wasted On Youth’ is essential listening as far as I’m concerned. The Molotovs have just booked a tour for later this year. My advice is miss them at your peril.

Buy Here

Author: Ben Hughes

Jim Jones Allstars get into a Cat Fight

Jim Jones Allstars get into a Cat Fight

HEY ROCKERS!

We’ve got a trio of exciting announcements for you today with a new album, a UK tour and biggest ever headline show all coming your way.

On the 3rd of April, Jim Jones All Stars drop their second studio album, ‘CAT FIGHT’. Produced by The Black Crowes’ Chris Robinson and released on his label Silver Arrow Records, Robinson also provides backing vocals on the infectious lead track ‘Make It Rain’. With CAT FIGHT, the All Stars’ explosive sound has finally been captured and contained in twelve foot-stomping epic tracks, a true highlight of Jim Jones’ storied career. Chuck Prophet provides guest guitar, and there’s a special introduction from the Queen of Northern Soul herself, Gloria Jones!

You can pre-order the album as digital download here.
And physical copies on CD and blood red vinyl from our bandcamp.

CAT FIGHT UK TOUR

The band hit the road in April to support the release of the album. Tickets available here

Sat 4th – The Piper, Hastings
Sun 5th – Joiners, Southampton
Tue 7th – Hare & Hounds, Birmingham
Wed 8th – Bongo Club, Edinburgh
Thu 9th – The Cluny, Newcastle
Fri 10th – Future Yard, Birkenhead
Sat 11th – Parish, Huddersfield
Sun 12th – Esquires, Bedford
Thu 23rd – Waterfront, Norwich
Fri 24th – Cavern, Exeter

Look out for news about festivals and European dates coming soon.

ALL STARS AT THE SCALA

We’re proud to announce that tickets are now on sale for our biggest show to date at London’s legendary Scala venue on October 18th. Don’t hang about as tickets will go quickly for this, the band’s only London show for 2026. Expect an evening of high energy riotous rock ‘n’ roll, special guests and more! 

Grade 2 like to Talk About It

Grade 2 like to Talk About It

UK Punks Grade 2 Announce New Album ‘Talk About It’ Out April 3

via Hellcat Records

Pic By Christopher Bethell

British punks Grade 2 wrestle with a whirlwind coming-of-age on their rollercoaster fourth album Talk
About It, set for release on April 3 rd via Hellcat Records. Frontman Sid Ryan, guitarist Jack Chatfield, and
drummer Jacob Hull bring over a decade of experience to the table, crafting an album that’s both a
reflection of their personal struggles and a rallying cry for a generation. An unflinching exploration of
love, loss, and the emotional toll of growing up in a band, Grade 2 promise to deliver the grit, hooks, and
hard-earned clarity that has made them one of the UK’s most exciting young punk acts.
Today, the trio shares the defiant lead single “Standing In The Downpour,” a steadfast statement
asserting that even if the clouds burst, they’ll be happy to dance in the rain. The band explains:
“’Standing In The Downpour’ is a story through reminiscence, written in a conversational manner as if
between old friends. From a British seaside town upbringing, rowdy nights and reckless decision making,
to finding your feet in early adulthood.”

Pre-save Talk About It HERE

Grief. Growth. Grafting every step of the way. Twelve years since they first cranked amps as schoolkids
rattling their music room out on the Isle of Wight, Grade 2 have plenty to talk about. 
From seeing dreams dangling precariously during COVID, to blasting back with 2023’s self-titled third LP,
the band looked to have claimed their place on top of the world. But storming festivals like Rock am Ring
and rubbing shoulders with heroes like Rancid and Slipknot was only half the story. Offstage, the trio
were dealing with the quiet dissonance of island life back at their parents’ places, finding time for
romantic relationships and plotting the path forward through a world increasingly falling to pieces.
Turbulent fourth album Talk About It is a chronicle of every tribulation and triumph.
“The title-track was initially called Communication, a song about how men don’t talk about the things
that really matter to them,” explains Sid. “But it became ‘Talk About It’, which sums up the whole album,
touching on every emotion that you feel while being in a band, from love to loss to personal turmoil to
ambition. It’s a coming-of-age story about Grade 2 entering adulthood…”
A compelling first step in the next chapter from one of modern punk’s brightest lights, Grade 2 makes it
out of the darkness. “This is everything we’ve been through,” the lead singer smiles bittersweetly, “but
we’re here!”


Grade 2026 Tour Dates
March 20 – Belfast, IRE – The Deer’s Head
March 21 – Dublin, IRE – Lost Land
March 28 – Nottingham, UK – Bodega Social
March 29 – Leeds, UK – The Key Club
March 30 – Manchester, UK – The Deaf Institute
March 31 – Glasgow, UK – The Garage
April 1 – Bristol, UK – Exchange
April 3 – London, UK – O2 Academy Islington

    April 4 – Newport, Isle of Wight – Strings Bar & Venue
    April 25 – Dusseldorf, Germany – Zakk
    April 30 – Jena, Germany – F-Haus
    June 18 – Dessel, Belgium – Plein Air
    June 20 – Zurich, CH – Stadion Letzigrund