Lipstick Vibrators – ‘Falling Down’ (Wanda Records)

Lipstick Vibrators – ‘Falling Down’ (Wanda Records)

I know punk rock ‘n’ roll happens in cycles, and whilst you wait for a void to be filled when one band of reprobates falls, you tend to hear several bands rise to the surface, and there’s no time like the present for a sleazy band of rock ‘n’ rollers to kick down the door with some rampant, distorted, sleazy rock ‘n’ roll. Lipstick Vibrators hail from the Seine and have been peddling their rock and roll since 2006, give or take a few hiatuses, but their brand of self-styled “Savage Rock’n’Roll” is most welcome from the dark, dank underbelly of Paris.

This, their third long player, is full to the brim of reckless wild riffs pushing their amps to the limit as they hack and slash through the weeds of rock n roll. The opener is a perfect example of what they’re all about, whereas ‘Revolution Baby’ enters Hip Priests territory with a thumping Stooges engine powering the rhythm along with some sleazy vocals barked out of a distorted speaker spitting punk rock n roll all over the listener. It’s suitably aggressive and wild, which is exactly what the rock ‘n’ roll doctor ordered for these wild times. It’s drinking music baby, dark and dangerous and bloody loud!

What’s not to like about the thunderous intro of ‘Partners In Crime’? It’s like pure Scabies- and James-inspired noise, and we totally approve. ‘Vivid Dreams’ is giving me UK Subs vibes on the intro, and then all hell breaks loose after the choppy guitar interlude.

‘Two Fisted Drinker’ is a beautiful, reckless noise; this album just gets better and better. In fact, it’s so sweet it could eat itself. Twelve songs in thirty-five minutes from top to bottom are loaded with bangers. ‘Burning Inside’ is a savage beast before the full-throttle whiplash of ‘Workers’ cuts loose.

Before we’re done, there’s the ragged ‘Do The Pop’ something of a Cramps-meets-Ramones speed paying homage to those who paved the way in some uber-cool punk rock genres. The Johnny Thunders guitar breaks are most welcome over the solid backbeat.

It’s not all crash bang wallop (almost but not quite). ‘Lockdown’ is a hypnotic rhythm and a more restrained charge with an emphasis on the groove and melody. Then, just to remind you what these cats are all about, they pull out all the stops for one last attack, and ‘Amphetamine’ is unleashed before we go back in for seconds. What a great record and a fine example of high-octane sleazy punk rock ‘n’ roll. Viva la Revolución, brothers. Go get a copy of this before it’s all gone.

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IST IST – I AM THE FEAR

IST IST – I AM THE FEAR

“I Am The Song Stuck On Repeat… I Am The Fear”, warns frontman Adam Houghton, his baritone oozing with its trademark ominousness.

But rest assured, listeners, there’s nothing to worry about. Piled high with oscillating synth strokes, meteoric basslines, and stacked guitar tones, “I Am The Fear” is a single from the Manchester band that more than bears repeating.

The track arrives with an artistic official video directed and edited by Black Rock Creative and produced by Tom White & Mat Peters. Captured amidst the crumbling surroundings of a Victorian theatre, it features a captivating performance from actor Oliver Marson, alongside on-stage footage of IST IST.

Confident and catchy, ‘I Am The Fear’ arrives as the band’s first new recorded material since 2024’s ‘Light A Bigger Fire’. Produced by Joseph Cross and mastered by Robin Schmitt, it marks yet another bold step forward for a band who demand your attention more with everything they put their name to. 

With the promise of a new album looming, standby for further news on that front very soon…

Over the years, IST IST have forged a formidable reputation on word-of-mouth excitement, amassing a dedicated cult following in the process. Operating with a fierce northern DIY work ethic, the band have an ever-growing back catalogue of successful studio and live releases. Self-releasing their entire repertoire through their own Kind Violence Records label, the band’s output has been championed by BBC Radio 1 and BBC 6Music, Radio X, XS Manchester, KINK FM in the Netherlands, The Times and more.

Their acclaimed fourth record ‘Light A Bigger Fire’ reached 25th in the UK Official Album Charts in 2024, with John Robb praising the record as “glorious yet introspective 21st-century pop music” in a five star review on Louder Than War.

Taking the record out on the road last year, over 8,000 people across thirteen countries turned out in force at iconic venues such as the Paradiso in Amsterdam and New Century Hall in Manchester to support the band in what stands as one of their most successful European tours to date.

Riding this wave into 2025, IST IST returned to Europe for further dates including their SOLD OUT debut Italian shows, and subsequently released two live albums ‘ON FIRE’ and ‘Live In Italy’. The band are book-ending this year with a run of major shows back in the UK – in Leeds, Glasgow, London, and Birmingham across late November and December – as they celebrate their 10th year in business.

And in the last few weeks, IST IST announced their biggest hometown show to date. In 2026, the band will play the salubrious Albert Hall show; a show that presents both an unmissable opportunity to revel in the career high points of their decade long career, while getting a glimpse of their eagerly awaited new album.

Catch IST IST at the following UK shows:

IST IST – 2025/26 TOUR DATES

Friday 28th November – Leeds – Warehouse

Saturday 29th November – Glasgow – Oran Mor

Friday 5th December – London – 229

Saturday 6th December – Birmingham – O2 Academy2

Friday 1st May 2026 – Manchester – Albert Hall

w/ Support from DESPERATE JOURNALIST + THE YOUTH PLAY

Tickets for all shows are on sale here:

Carnage Inc. – ‘Carnage Inc.’ (Independent)

Carnage Inc. – ‘Carnage Inc.’ (Independent)

Indian thrash mongers Carnage Inc. have been around since 2011. They have built up a steady following through gigging intensely. Carnage Inc. have released an EP and a full album in the form of Tenebris, which was unleashed in 2019.

The band’s latest effort is a self-titled EP consisting of five tracks of molten metal. Carnage Inc. sounds like a combination of early Anthrax, Exodus and Testament, and there are tinges of more traditional heavy metal; Judas Priest, Savatage and Queensryche come to mind.

There are some absolute bangers on display here. The band are more than competent musicians, and they can write a metal tune or two. Pounding double kick drums, crunchy riffs and tasty guitar solos are the order of the day. The tracks are well constructed with great production. Epik is my favourite song on the EP. It reminds me of Fistful of Metal era of Anthrax with its raw production and full-on headbanging effect. I’ve played the EP many times since sitting down to review it. It really is fantastic. I’m off to check more of Carnage Inc.’s back catalogue!

If you love your ‘80s metal, be sure to check out Carnage Inc. and you’ll see that thrash is alive and thriving. Horns up!

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Author: Kenny Kendrick

New Saints – ‘V 1.0’ (Lux Noise)

New Saints – ‘V 1.0’ (Lux Noise)

Long time readers will be fmiliar with Bitch Queens and  Harry Darling & Melchior Quitt well the Queens are no more but Harry and Mel moved on and didn’t stand still and New Saints were born. Having seen the pair perform at the Hip Priests finale its great to finally get my ears around their synth drenched adjit punk pop hybrid thats thumping away at my skull.

Kicking off with the nasty bruising ‘Top Tier Lizard’ its more an amped up Depeche Mode with a bad attitude , no make that a stinkin attitude. Hot on the heels is the polished brain worm of ‘Probem Child’ with its twitching samples and pulvarising heavy riffs its a mash up of styles that shouldn’t work but it dovetails perfectly. Now if only Manson heard these two he’d have them writing for him all day long.

In a dark sweaty electronic club or in a smelly bar that sells Maidens brew this would work perfectly as long as its dark dank and the dry ice is plentyful New Saints are pulversing as ‘Shitsphere’ takes centre stage waving the middle finger in your face, excellent.

The MO is simple, polished production that hits the sweet spot time after time with well constructed songs that mix and mash electronic with hard rock riffage but the songs weave very nicely. ‘Born Annihilated’ begins with some well executed rapping before th ebeats are joined by that riff and Boom!

Put the Ket and MDMA down its not needed here this album will fuck your brain up if you play it loud and hard enough. The format is simple rince and repeat pen a great riff, accesorise it with tweaks and blips then turn the fucker up – ‘Billionaire Schmillionaire’ is a perfect example and oh I forgot great lyrics.

Its not all crash bang wallop mind, oh no sir. ‘City Of Thieves’ is like 80s Scorpions balladeering but a bit darker even if does a handbreak turn when the guitars go to be replaced by synths. Before the head fuck of the last minute. Huge.

‘Fck The Algorithm’ is punk as fuck but in a futuristic world – when worlds collide into a chaotic meltdown but one that is very appealing and highly addictive. Twelve tracks brought to a crashing halt as ‘Pitch Black’ is a war of the worlds spoken words address before one last hurah! and we slam dance into the distance with our glow sticks on fire hailing these New Saints as the future, All hail New Saints, and long live New Saints you mad pair of noisy bastards. Buy it!

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Author: Dom Daley

The Wildhearts – December Tour and new video

The Wildhearts – December Tour and new video

https://thewildhearts.tmstor.es

The Wildhearts, fronted by the endlessly inventive Ginger Wildheart, are hitting the road for a brand new headline tour. 

Renowned as one of UK’s most fearless and prolific songwriters, Ginger and his band will bring their explosive live energy to venues across the country this December.

“I can’t wait to get this band onstage in front of people. I want to bring this line-up’s energy and spirit for audiences to take home with them.I’m so very excited to share this with everyone.

“We’re also playing some songs that we don’t get to play too often, so that always makes things even more fun.

“I’m honestly buzzing about getting back onstage again. I can’t fucking wait for this!”” 

– Ginger Wildheart 

To celebrate the announcement, the band has released a video for “Kunce”, a track from their current, acclaimed studio album, Satanic Rites of The Wildhearts.

Produced by Jim Pinder (Bring Me The Horizon, While She Sleeps, Bullet For My Valentine) and mixed by Pinder and Carl Bown (Trivium, Machine Head), Satanic Rites Of The Wildhearts is a ferocious reminder of why The Wildhearts remain such a vital force in rock.

🎧 order the album here: https://thewildhearts.lnk.to/SROTW

For over three decades, The Wildhearts have been at the beating heart of the rock scene. Their incendiary live shows, packed with passion and chaos, have secured their reputation as one of the greatest bands of their generation. This tour promises to underline this fact – miss it at your peril.

The Wildhearts UK Tour December 2025

4th  Chester The Live Rooms

5th Preston Blitz

6th Pontypridd Muni Arts Centre

7th Torquay  Arena

9th Southend Chinnerys

10th Brighton  Concord2

11th London O2 Academy Islington

13th Bradford Nightrain

14th Nottingham Rescue Rooms

15th Newcastle NX

🎟 Tickets on sale here : https://www.thewildhearts.com/tour/

HOME FRONT – ‘Watch It Die’

HOME FRONT – ‘Watch It Die’

NEW ALBUM ‘WATCH IT DIE’ COMING 14TH NOVEMBER 2025 VIA LA VIDA ES UN MUS DISCOS

HOME FRONT holds on to a particular kind of passion. The sort of thing that guides you – like a climbing vine steadily blanketing your bests and worsts, cutting through changes and impasses; victory and loss. This passion, their drive, is what makes a record like Watch It Die, their latest full-length for La Vida Es Un Mus, feel just right. For decades the duo’s Graeme MacKinnon and Clint Frazier have embedded themselves in grass roots music making, community building, and the overpowering ebbs and flows of diy punk.  With Home Front, formed in 2020, they’ve given their lifetime of experience a chance to distil and then power into this musically omnipotent project which equally conjures textured Tangerine Dream sounds in a film montage, or the pummelling soundtrack to the first steps taken towards winning the fight of your life.

Its lead single “Light Sleeper” sends energy waves rattling through speakers with all the urgency and volume of post punk/new wave/street punk. The track is available alongside its video which features a cast of characters including Home Front touring members Brandi Strauss (bass), Ian Rowley (guitar), and Warren Oostlander (drums).

Home Front’s nod to influences and the themes of their lyrics are direct and detailed while maintaining enough creative distance to feel universal and unique. The production has again been bolstered by a team of long time confidants making a huge and unique record under the humble and hard working circumstances of remote pre-production and choosing to do their recording in home studios in their home town in Edmonton, Alberta.

The architecture of ‘Watch It Die’ is simple – 12 songs of danceable, hummable, rousing and honest music that only Home Front could make. The emotion of this LP is what solidifies these musical notions into meaningful art. “For us, ultimately, this is music that comes out of loss and heartbreak and failure, but I hope people have a good time listening to us. You can get rowdy, you can get emotional, you can do whatever you want, but maybe with all of that freedom, we all take a second to reflect on all our fallen brothers and sisters and friends who may have slipped away.”

On previous revered recordings Games of Power (2023) and Think of the Lie (2021), Frazier and MacKinnon gave us a snapshot of a cynical and alienating world. A place where hope was tempered by insignificance, exhaustion takes us, and where 2,000,000 voices screaming in unison can still go unheard. Watch It Die instead of asking us why and how we got here, struggling to cope with the sadness of a desperate world, brings us their “step forward” moment. A dose of optimism and ownership in the bleakest of times in which maybe it doesn’t have to feel so bad to be alone or desperate. Where the passage of time is not coloured by the nostalgia of a lost youth but more toward the celebration of wisdom earned. Watch it Die owns the ills it describes and catapults us alongside its creators who have the confidence and presence of mind to live beyond their limitations.

Watch It Die continues along the path of Games of Power, but it isn’t just a sequel. It is a road map of hope. MacKinnon and Frazier state, “For all of us in Home Front, ‘Watch It Die’ comes at a very transformative time. Geopolitically, musically and in our personal lives. With friends and close family members dying, to massive uncertainty around the world, this album encapsulates what it’s like for us to step into a ‘new world’ where all the old adages of ‘everything is gonna work out fine’ feel like a joke. We watch rich people get richer while the rest of us struggle just to get by. We watch colonisers kill without consequence, and in an age of information at our fingertips we watch people choosing to be ignorant to what’s going on around them. ‘Watch It Die’ speaks about our own humanity, a rebirth into a new world and how we can never go back to the way things were. We suffer for their dreams, but in saying that we must recognise the importance of our own community and look to energise them to build a better way of life. We have always been an anti-war, anti-genocide, pro-peace band. We are against crimes to human rights and all of those struggling through the horrors of imperialism. We stand with the people of Palestine and we stand with the Canadian Indigenous communities who struggle to uphold treaty rights as well as basic human rights like clean drinking water and generational trauma. One takeaway from our music is to make a safe space where our community can come together to air out grievances and find a better way to a new future.”

Pre-Order / Pre-Save Watch It Die

 The band will play two shows in LA later this year:

Sat Nov 22 – Los Angeles, CA – Hollywood Paladium w/ Cock Sparrer, Dillinger Four and Castillo
Sun Nov 23 – Los Angeles, CA – Hollywood Paladium w/ Cock Sparrer, Dillinger Four and Generacion Suicida



‘WATCH IT DIE’  WILL BE RELEASED 14TH NOVEMBER 2025 VIA LA VIDA ES UN MUS DISCOS

PUNCHDRUNK SAINTS -DEBUT SELF-TITLED ALBUM – OCTOBER 24TH VIA CADIZ MUSIC

PUNCHDRUNK SAINTS -DEBUT SELF-TITLED ALBUM – OCTOBER 24TH VIA CADIZ MUSIC

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FEATURING COCKNEY REJECTS GUITARIST MICKY GEGGUS

As 2023 drew to a close, The Cockney Rejects’ guitarist and founder, Micky Geggus, after much soul searching, decided to leave the band that he created in 1979.

Along with original Rejects’ bassist, Vinny Riordan, Mick decided to break free from the confines of punk rock and to embark upon a project that encompassed his first love: hard, heavy, and at the same time, melodic, Rock. Mick’s love of rock music will be of no surprise to any fans of the Rejects, as the band confirmed their passion for more traditional rock sounds as far back as their Pete Way (UFO) produced album ‘The Wild Ones’ in ’82. 

Having already written several songs, Mick began a series of trips to producer Kevin Poree’s Canterbury studio where he began to lay down the tracks that would become the basis of the Punchdrunk Saints’ debut album.

Along with bassist, Riordan, and drummer, Reg Downer, the songs began to take on a distinct personality and feel, ranging from hard ‘n’ heavy anthems to searing, soulful ballads. This was exactly the mix that Geggus had envisaged. Now the search for a singer who could do justice to the material began.

Acting on a tip from Mick’s East London guitarist friends, (former Iron Maiden and Lionheart guitarist) Dennis Stratton, and Dave Edwards (who played in Remus Down Boulevard with Dennis Stratton and in Ramrod with Rory Gallagher), Mick discovered inexperienced but brilliant vocalist, Marc Salmon. The pair soon took the trip down to Poree’s studio in Canterbury and the results were phenomenal. “He’d done his homework,” said Geggus. “I was blown away by the control and power he demonstrated in that first session. I thought ‘fuck me, we really got something here. This band is gonna be incredible!’”

Fast forward a year, and the debut Punchdrunk Saints album is here. From the opening stomp of “Holy Mother” to the anthemic first single “I Wanna Know What It’s Like” and the heartfelt, uplifting “Come Home”, the Punchdrunk Saints debut is a 10-track masterclass in anthemic hard rock with every song a crafted gem in its own right. This album is refreshing, vital and new and if there’s any justice in this world it deserves to be heard at maximum volume in stadia across the globe!

Sadly, neither Vinny nor Reg could commit to the band long term, but Mick and Marc were soon blessed with the arrival of powerhouse drummer, Chris Nedzynski, and brilliant bass player for Leader of the Down, Tim Atkinson. Tim is the co-founder of Leader of the Down, who up until his passing in 2011, featured the late, great Würzel from Motörhead, and he has worked in the past with legends such as Lemmy, Whitfield Crane from Ugly Kid Joe and Bruce Foxton from The Jam, to name just a few). Tim and Chris both constitute a mighty rhythm section in what is now a unique outfit.

Punchdrunk Saints recently played their debut show at London’s legendary 100 Club to an ecstatic audience in an incendiary performance that surpassed already lofty expectations and included a guest appearance on guitar from former Iron Maiden six-stringer, Dennis Stratton.  

Make no mistake, the Punchdrunk Saints are here to stay. And then some.

Robert Kane- ‘Blues Is Blues’ (Conquest Music)

Robert Kane- ‘Blues Is Blues’ (Conquest Music)

Life is full of surprises. It seems like just the other day I was reviewing ‘Damn Right’, the first Dr Feelgood album to contain all original songs, and damn fine it is too. That was an unexpected treat. And in March, I finally got to see the band live, in France, with Robert Kane in his element. Now, after an illustrious career, I’m listening to his debut solo album, ‘Blues Is Blues’.

 The blues can be a tricky one. Simple, yes. Easy, no. I freely admit that, as a young man, I really overdid my blues obsession, and, rhythm and blues aside, don’t listen to that much now. I am, inevitably, a bit of a snob, musically speaking. I like my blues rough, economical and from the heart. Thankfully, this was pretty much Robert’s instruction to the musicians involved in the recording.

So, we have 11 songs, mainly originals that he hadn’t previously recorded, but felt that they deserved to be heard. Every track was nailed on the first or second take, predominantly live, and this is partly why they really stand out. Lead single, ‘Halfway To Memphis’, hits out with some slide guitar and his wailing harmonica, which are also both present on ‘Heart Attack Baby’. A fine way to start. ‘Staying Home’ really pares things back, just a lone vocal and a picked guitar melody. Suitably mellow for the subject matter; “Life ain’t easy, but life is good. Gonna stay home and live the way I should”. I hear you.

‘How Many Times’ uses a refrain you will indeed have heard many times before, but we are dealing with a medium that generally uses three chords, so it shouldn’t be a surprise. What counts is that, when done properly, as here, that’s all you need. ‘Man Who’s Got The Blues’ broadens the blues palette, with some classy keyboard playing, yet never overplayed. Perfect for a smoky club.

‘Baby, Please Come Home’ is essentially a rewrite of ‘Baby, Please Don’t Go’, and Robert’s version of ‘The Ballad Of Staggerlee’ has added some new verses to the blues classic. But, rawest of all is the album closer ‘Jawbone’. A lone vocal describes the mythical character, which could easily be a lost blues traditional. I’ve always said that Mr Brilleaux was the greatest white rhythm and blues singer ever. After 26 years and counting with Dr Feelgood, it’s clear that Mr Kane is a blues voice to be reckoned with. He is steeped in the music, assured in his place, and it’s a pleasure to hear.

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Author: Martin Chamarette

Monty Oxymoron – ‘The Piano Plays ‘Til Midnight’ (The Songs Of The Damned) (Damaged Goods)

Monty Oxymoron – ‘The Piano Plays ‘Til Midnight’ (The Songs Of The Damned) (Damaged Goods)

Monty has been a valued member of The Mighty Damned since 1996 and has contributed to the songwriting process, and has also written and played with the Captain, but did you know he is a trained Psychiatric nurse and Psychotherapist

Now its fair to say The Damned have been the pioneers of Punk since its inception and have easily weaved their magic through many of its subgenres as the pioneers never afraid to take a chance and always had diversity in th e records introducing keyboards and having songs with synths so it might only have been a matter of time before someone in the camp inspired Monty to get in a studio and lay down his parts or interpritations for many of the bands best loved songs adding another flavour to many classics and some not so classic. Join Monty on this magical mystery ride.

Now I’m not sure if his tongue is firmly in his cheek or this is a deadly serious project, either way I was intrigued to investigate all nineteen tracks. Sure, we would all agree there are some quite beautiful songs that either already have significant piano parts or involve keys in some fashion, so beginning with ‘Beauty Of The Beast’ is safe territory, but having no vocals and just piano and no synths is very interesting. ‘Blackout’ had me upright and not sure whether to laugh out loud or to appreciate the majesty of the melody or scratch my head at the blasphemy of hearing it like this. Sure, the breakdown sounds wonderful, but whatever gets you through, I guess.

Monty often has me scratching my head as he dances on the side of the stage or leaps up and down, but when the band do the huge songs like ‘Absinth’ I see his worth and like what I hear. There are some safe tunes like ‘History Of The World’ where it works, and others like ‘Smash It Up’ that sound like it belongs on Blackpool sea front, amusing old punks in their kiss me quick hats.

‘Life Goes On’ sounds fantastic, and is it rude of me to prefer Captain’s performance of ‘Just Can’t Be Happy’? ‘Shadow Of Love’ works as does ‘Limit Club’, a song the band should get back in the set and leave it there in place of ‘Eloise’ if anyone’s asking. ‘The Dog’, ‘Disco Man’, ‘Generals’, ‘Natures Dark Passion’ and the beautiful ‘Under The Floor’ make this all worthwhile.

Saying that the tribute pieces to end this album, dedicated to Cap, Dave, Paul, Stu, and Pinch, are lovely, but not something I will be returning to, (Jazz just goes over my head or on this case right through it) even if the one for Paul sounds like the same amount of notes Paul hits every song hes ever played on. For Damned completists, no doubt a lovely piece of curio from a maverick figure in the most glorious and wonderful punk rock band that ever made a note of music. Long live The Damned and everything they do, even the bat shit crazy piano lounge albums with no words just piano. Respect to Monty and whoever commissioned this crazy album. I await the tour dates as Monty heads out on a solo tour with this bad boy.

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Author: Dom Daley