September 2022 – 1st 3 MAGAZINE

Xondra – Speaking Up

30th September 2022

New York-based singer and songwriter Xondra shares, “Dead Girl,” the lead single from her upcoming EP, ‘Tedious & Brief,’ due out this Autumn.

Led by Xondra’s stirring vocals, “Dead Girl” is an anthemic, battle cry that confronts society’s desensitization to violence against women.

She elaborates on the powerful message behind her new single: “Violence against women has, for so much of history and to this very day, been the main plot line to so many movies, shows and podcasts. ‘Dead Girl’ is about how we have become so desensitized that we don’t care about the safety of women. It’s about the fear of being a woman/AFAB person and not knowing if danger is right around the corner. It’s about never feeling safe, even around the men that you know, because all men that have hurt you have been the men closest to you. ‘Dead Girl is me screaming out for someone, anyone to hear me and validate this fear that feels so lonely at times.”

Xondra (she/they) is the musical moniker of Alexondra O’Connell. Born to Cuban/Puerto Rican and Irish parents and raised on Long Island, New York, she found her love for music and songwriting at a young age. As a child she would sit in front of the radio for hours, writing down lyrics that struck a chord with her and creating new songs out of those lyrics. In her teens, she started to write her own songs as a means to process her growing pains and, at 18, Xondra headed to SUNY Purchase’s Music Conservatory to further hone her skills and find her sound.

Listen on Apple Music:
https://music.apple.com/us/album/dead-girl-single/1644884184

Blending elements of pop, rock, R&B and indie-pop, her music explores feminist themes with heartbreakingly honest delivery. Across the six tracks that make up her upcoming EP, ‘Tedious & Brief,’ Xondra shares her experience of being a woman trying to survive in a man’s world. “I wrote this story for all of the people who have been hurt by the people who were supposed to love and keep you safe,” she says. “I wrote Tedious & Brief for all the people learning to speak up even if their voice trembles.”

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The Dears – A Welcome Return

30th September 2022

Music News

The Dears have announced Return To Lovers Rock, an expanded digital edition of their most recent album, Lovers Rock. The new release comes as the Montreal band prepare for a stretch of UK shows.

The new collection adds five acoustic recordings, including the single “I Know What You’re Thinking And It’s Awful (Acoustic)” which is available today for streaming on all digital platforms.

The Dears’ Natalia Yanchak said: “We originally released Lovers Rock in 2020. It was an album we were, and are still, very proud of. Murray and I recorded an acoustic session just before we released the album. Again, back in 2020 we spent the day at Hotel2Tango studio in Montreal — we put out the videos of some of these sessions, but now can finally share the audio on this deluxe upgraded version of the album, Return to Lovers Rock. It’s kind of like Return to the Planet of the Apes: we can’t not go back there. There’s unfinished business down on Lovers Rock, so it’s time for a spin off!”

The release of Return To Lovers Rock kicks off a whirlwind Autumn for the Montreal band. The Dears’ return to the road for a long-delayed tour of the UK and Europe kicks off at the Reeperbahn Festival, followed by a run of newly-announced dates in Mexico.

“After all this time, the re-re-rescheduling of tour dates and the re-re-re-anticipation of playing shows — it’s a little hard to believe these shows in September/October are finally going to happen!” Yanchak added. “We’re looking forward to seeing everyone’s faces out there, and singing some songs together like we did in the old days.”

Marking a triumphant return for the band, The Dears are guaranteed to deliver a cathartic set packed with classics from their 8 albums alongside material from their latest release ‘Lovers Rock’.

The record saw Murray Lightburn (vocals, guitar, “other”) and Natalia Yanchak (vocals, piano) joined by longtime drummer Jeff “Looch” Luciani as well as Steve Raegele(guitar) and Rémi-Jean LeBlanc (bass), and also featured a string section, a cameo from fellow Montrealer Sam Roberts and saxophone from both Alex Francoeur and the E Street Band’s Jake Clemons.

Now, over twenty-five years since the release of their debut album release, the cult band fronted by the husband-and-wife duo of Murray Lightburn and Natalia Yanchak will be returning to the UK for a short stretch of live shows in Autumn 2022.

THE DEARS UK TOUR DATES 2022

FRI 30 SEP 2022 – Cambridge, UK @ Portland Arms

SAT 01 OCT 2022 – Liverpool, UK @ District

SUN 02 OCT 2022 – Glasgow, UK @ Hug & Pint

TUE 04 OCT 2022 – Manchester, UK @ Deaf Institute

WED 05 OCT 2022 – London, UK @ The Garage

THU 06 OCT 2022 – Bristol, UK @ Exchange

THE DEARS – RETURN TO LOVERS ROCK

TRACK LIST

1 – Heart Of An Animal

2 – I Know What You’re Thinking And It’s Awful

3 – Instant Nightmare!

4 – Is This What You Really Want?

5 – The Worst In Us

6 – Stille Lost

7 – No Place on Earth

8 – Play Dead

9 – Too Many Wrongs

10 – We’ll Go Into Hiding

11 – I Know What You’re Thinking And It’s Awful (Acoustic)

12 – Instant Nightmare! (Acoustic)

13 – Is This What You Really Want? (Acoustic)

14 – Too Many Wrongs (Acoustic)

15 – We’ll Go Into Hiding (Acoustic)

www.thedears.org

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www.twitter.com/thedears

www.facebook.com/thedears

SOULDRAINER – Harmonic Aggression

29th September 2022

Mainly Metal

Swedish Death Metallers SOULDRAINER release new music video for “Rats Of The International Race”!

Swedish symphonic death metal outfit Souldrainer is gearing up for the release of the band’s highly anticipated new album “Departure”, which will be coming out on November 25 via Black Lion Records. After the release of the first single “Where Angels Come To Die”, the band follows up today with a brand new music video for the track “Rats Of The International Race”.

Vocalist and guitarist Marcus Edvardsson comments: It’s one of my favorite songs because it has so many elements and details if you listen carefully. The dynamics between parts are carefully thought out and sculpted so it will keep you interested and the hooky verses together with dark lyrics make the blend disgusting and perfect. Enjoy!

It is safe to say that Souldrainer have created their heaviest and most well-crafted album to date. Surely fans of the genre will not be disappointed. With thickly layered rhythm guitars, atmospheric angel choirs, string ensembles, and ripping vocals, Souldrainer create a distinct harmonic aggression that hits you harder than a brick wall in your face.

“Departure” will be coming out on November 25 and is available for pre-order HERE

Tracklist:

1. Council Of Five
2. Where Angels Come To Die
3. Weaver Of Mortal Dreams
4. Paint The World In Lies
5. Rats Of The International Race
6. Departure
7. I Abort You
8. One Last Shot
9. End Of The World

https://www.facebook.com/Souldrainerofficial

DEADLETTER – Finding Their Feet

29th September 2022

Music News

Currently completing their mega UK Tour which included a triumphant sold-out show at London’s 100 Club on 28th September, today DEADLETTER share new single ‘Weights’ as well as announcing debut EP Heat! out 18th November via SO Recordings.

Sonically, ‘Weights’ is a development from the frenetic energy of earlier singles, leaning into deep bass tonality and a more thoughtful arrangement of instrumentation.

Singer Zac Lawrence says, “Weights’ in parts, is a pessimistic musing on the experiences you take with you through life, which can feel like a physical burden to be dragged without reprieve. But it’s also a track of silver linings, as it aims to cement the idea that it’s fine to accept that you’re not always alright, and that you can ask for help should things get too heavy – and that’s often the only way of lessening the load. It’s informed by sorrow and self-loathing, but also joy and healing.”

Debut EP Heat! is out 18th November via So Recordings (Placebo, Enter Shikari, Band Of Skulls), and it’s the sound of a band starting to find their feet in the studio.

Recorded at Hackney’s Pony Studios with producer Elliot Heinrich, there is a notable evolution from their looser, politically-charged early singles, coming as the group matures both sonically and conceptually. From the ominous rumblings of ‘Weights’ to the grooving basslines of ‘Binge’ (video here), Heat! suggests DEADLETTER are more than just another post-punk band, but maybe have a scope wider than any could have first predicted.

Hailing from Yorkshire, now South London rooted, they channel the droll fury of Gang of Four and the lopsided rhythms of Talking Heads into a strain of vehement post-punk, exploring the darker side of existence through a lens of narrative-driven levity. With members being firm friends from birth, there is an instinctive understanding of movement and danceability to their music worth its weight in gold, whilst never cheapening the nuance and grit of their sound.

Childhood friends Zac Lawrence (vocals), Alfie Husband (Drums) and George Ullyott (Bass) graduated from busking around Yorkshire town centres in their early teens, and moved down into a shared house in South London – prompting the necessity, and allowing them the space develop their own personal antithesis to the grind of daily life.

DEADLETTER Zac Lawrence - Singer George Ullyott - Bassist Alfie Husband - drummer Will King - Guitarist James Bates - guitarist Poppy Richler - Saxophonist

After some lineup experimentation, the addition of Will King (Guitar), James Bates (Guitar) and Poppy Richler (Saxophone) completed the group. Bound together by a recognition of frenetic energy and rhythm and leaving any wider ideological goal open to interpretation by the listener, DEADLETTER have toured relentlessly throughout 2021, fostering a reputation as one of the most exciting bands in the UK in the process. With support slots including dates with Do Nothing, Tropical F**k Storm and Yard Act, they are still clearly not a group to be missed live.

Already they have been championed by The Guardian, So Young, HERO, Loud & Quiet and the 6 piece even took to Paris Fashion Week, attending the CELINE menswear S/S 23 launch and playing live at Hedi Slimane’s personal afterparty alongside NYC’s Gustaf and Cumgirl8.

Tour Dates:

28th September – 100 Club, London SOLD OUT
30th September – Studio 9294 w/ Tropical F*ck Storm SOLD OUT
19th October – Supersonic, Paris
20th October – Trix Bar, Antwerp
21st October – Left Of The Dial, Rotterdam
22nd October – Left Of The Dial, Rotterdamn

Tickets available HERE

A VOID – Staying Sick

29th September 2022

Music News

London-via-Paris trio A VOID have unveiled “Sick As A Dog”, the final single to be taken from their awaited new album ‘Dissociation’ (out now).

Clangorous and climactic, ‘Dissociation’ highlight “Sick As A Dog” sees A VOID continue to source inspiration from musical greats like Hole, Silverchair and Babes in Toyland, but with a fresh futuristic spin. With swirling riffs that are as infectious as they are overcast, the track’s message is more optimistic than its stormy sound might suggest.

Vocalist Camille Alexander explains:

“”Sick As A Dog is a cathartic track about the pain of separation and fear of abandonment. Rather than being a dark song, it touches on the idea of channelling pain through several emotional states, with the recurring theme of mental health in our lyrics.”

Following “Stepping on Snails” and “5102” as the final single to be taken from A VOID’s long-awaited new album ‘Dissociation’, the melodic and murky new cut is also the track that gave the record its name. Grappling with tricky mental processes and the harsh disconnect many of us feel from our thoughts, feelings and identities, the album’s title was plucked from the track’s closing lines: “When all the changes make you lose the plot / and bring you to a state of dissociation.”

Out now, ‘Dissociation’ is described by the band as a “pandemic baby” and was written and composed during lockdown by frontwoman Camille Alexander. Later arranged with the help of bandmates Aaron Hartmann (bass) and Marie Niemiec (drums), the album was finally recorded between 2019 and 2021 at Stakeout Studios in London when the band enlisted producer Jason Wilson (Reuben, Senser, Dinosaur Pile-Up).

Taking listeners on an emotional journey through its twelve tracks, and playing out like a snapshot of its isolated and uncertain gestation period, ‘Dissociation’ celebrates everything from heartbreak to womanhood to battles with mental health.

A VOID explain:
“Nothing is all black or white. Dissociation happens when we experience a chain of significant events. We go through different phases, we question our actions and those of others. It’s very human to realise that there isn’t just one version of yourself, they all coexist. When you compose an album like this, each song is a reflection of a different personality at a given moment.”

But despite its more hard-hitting themes the trio refuse to compromise on fun, with absurdity and an inhibited attitude coursing through each track.

The trio add:
“We’re a pretty goofy band. It wouldn’t make sense to do what we do together without having fun. There are so many emotions that go through us on a daily basis, that even in the worst moments we can’t help but laugh. This is what we talk about in “Sick As A Dog”: laughter as a means of overcoming traumatic experiences and events. We don’t hesitate to integrate cheeky things into more serious choruses.”

A VOID
NEW ALBUM: ‘DISSOCIATION’ OUT NOW
LISTEN IN-FULL HERE

After forming in Paris, A VOID evolved on the blistering London scene, delivering riotous live performances that any punk pundit would be proud of and gaining attention from a range of tastemaker names. Gaining praise from the likes of 1883 Magazine, Devolution Magazine and It’s All Indieamongst others, Notion lauded earlier single “Stepping on Snails” and said: “Propelled by driving basslines and drop-dead drum beats, distorted riffs layer with Camille Alexander’s vocals, which echo through the track with impressive range, from angelically affecting to outbursts that are borderline violent.”

Around the release of ‘Dissociation’, A VOID will be playing a number of UK live shows this Autumn and Winter including a recent live performance and signing at Rough Trade East on 14 September and support slots with The Soapgirls and Snake Eyes in Derby and Nottingham. Full dates and details below.

A VOID UK LIVE DATES 2022
14 September – Rough Trade East, London (+ album signing)
21 October – The Hairy Dog, Derby (supporting The Soapgirls)
6 November – The Old Depot, Nottingham (supporting Snake Eyes)
9 November – Rossi bar Brighton
11 November – The Sunflower Lounge, Birmingham
18 November – The Windmill Brixton, London
23 November – Sidney and Matilda, Sheffield
24 November – The Quarry Liverpool
1 December – The Loft @ The Kings, Portsmouth

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HUMOUR – An Unhinged Paean

28th September 2022

Music News

HUMOUR SHARE NEW SINGLE “PURE MISERY”

At the start of the summer So Young Records – whose recent releases have included Vlure, Been Stellar and Lime Garden among others – announced the signing of Humour, a Glaswegian group still in their relative infancy, but one who arrived musically fully-formed, pairing together fragments of off-kilter post-punk, erratic indie-pop and discordant post-hardcore, delivering a sound that is at once disorientating and immediate.

Early shows in support of Do Nothing and Folly Group have already marked them out as a must see live band, propelled by the unhinged lyrical energy of front man Andreas Christodoulidis.

The band’s debut single “yeah, mud!” paired off-kilter, emotive verses in seachange to an immediate, melodic chorus, while its follow-up “alive & well” was propelled by gang vocals that predict a firm future of firing up their audience – these thrilling introductions seeing the band immediately championed by the likes of Radio 1, 6 Music, DIY, Dork, CLASH, Brooklyn Vegan and more.

With their six-track debut EP, “Pure Misery”, set for release on November 25th. (pre-order the record direct from So Young here), the band today share the thrilling title track, a choppy, unhinged paean to the often uncertain process of fronting a band.

The band’s frontman Andreas had the following to say about how the song came together:

“Pure Misery is about finding or putting yourself in a position where you are
expected to have something important to say, and realising that you don’t
really. I wrote the song about being a singer in a band, and standing up to
address lots of people in a very serious way as though I must have something
meaningful to relate; something the audience needs to hear. It feels a little
ridiculous doing that sometimes, especially when the songs are most often
just about stories or feelings. So the narrator of the song is supposed to be
trying to convince the audience that he has something very profound to tell
them, and he’s kind of stalling until he can come up with something.”

Paired to a video that sees Andreas singing from a water tank, the sunroof of a mobile home, a paddling pool and most consistently a hole in the ground, the visuals match the absurdity of the vocal delivery and the idea of a singer as a spokesman for a generation. Sometimes, they’re just words.

Humour live together in Glasgow and formed across the 2021 lockdowns, writing and recording their material at home, with the music intended as a backdrop to Andreas’ lyrics. Sometimes they’re about letting people down, sometimes they’re about pets dying, sometimes they’re about trying to say something when you don’t have anything worth saying. They’re usually just trying to paint a picture, with Andreas drawing sketches to go along with each of their songs, including the EP cover, and the artwork and visuals behind the lyric videos for both “yeah, mud!” and “alive and well”.

They hope that each song looks the way that it sounds.

Humour
Pure Misery EP
Out November 25th on So Young Records

1. yeah, mud!
2. pure misery
3. dogs
4. alive and well
5. jeans
6. good boys remember well

The band have announced a string of further dates in support of their debut EP, including launch shows in both Glasgow and Edinburgh close to release:

SEPT

27th – Sneaky Pete’s, Edinburgh, UK w/ The Lounge Society
28th – The 100 Club, London, UK w/ Deadletter

OCT

8th – Tenement Trail, Glasgow, UK
21st – Left of the Dial, Rotterdam, NL
29th – Dark Arts Festival, Leeds, UK

NOV

3rd – L’International, Paris, FR
4th – La Carene, Brest, FR
5th – Bebop Festival, Le Mans, FR
24th – Sebright Arms, London, UK
25th – Yes, Manchester, UK
26th – Nice N Sleazy, Glasgow, UK

DEC

3rd – Sneaky Pete’s, Edinburgh

Humour are:

Ruairidh Smith – Drums
Lewis Doig – Bass
Ross Patrizio – Guitar
Jack Lyall – Guitar
Andreas Christodoulidis – Vocals

IMHA TARIKAT – PROPHECY FEST SINGLE

28th September 2022

Mainly Metal

IMHA TARIKAT release lyric video of non-album track ‘Son of Ultradevotion’ to be performed at PROPHECY FEST

Only days after announcing their new full-length “Hearts Unchained – At War with a Passionless World” and releasing a stunning first video single ‘Radical Righteousness’, IMHA TARIKAT reveal a new lyric video and the track ‘Son of Ultradevotion’, which the German black metal progenies will perform at Prophecy Fest this week.

‘Son of Ultradevotion’ is an exclusive digital single that will not be released on the forthcoming album.

IMHA TARIKAT comment: “Our surprise single ‘Son of Ultradevotion’ deals with bitterness drowning out sorrow beyond recognition”, Kerem Yilmaz explains. “This sorrow runs so deep and is so full of pain that the battle against darkness has already been lost. This stands in opposition to our new songs on the album, which represent triumph through constructive growth as a person. ‘Son of Ultradevotion’ fails to offer any escape from the voices that whisper solutions like needles stuck into the skin, that twist the stomach, and that break the mind. This is the result of futile decisions. It is a dysfunctional alliance between honesty and the beast. There is no happy end!”

“Hearts Unchained – At War with a Passionless World” has been scheduled for release on December 2.

PRE SALE HERE

Prophecy Fest 2022 will again take place in one of the world’s most fascinating cultural locations, the legendary natural Cave of Balve (“Balver Höhle”) from Thursday, September 29 to Saturday, October 1.

The complete billing of Prophecy Fest 2022 (in alphabetical order):
ALCEST, ANTIMATTER, ARTHUR BROWN, ARÐ, AUSTERE, CAMERATA MEDIOLANENSE, COVEN, CRONE, DARKHER, DOLD VORDE ENS NAVN, EMPYRIUM (Songs of Moors & Misty Fields Show), FIRE + ICE, A FOREST OF STARS, IMHA TARIKAT, MOSAIC, NEUN WELTEN, OF THE WAND & THE MOON, SATURNUS, THE VISION BLEAK, THURNIN, VRÎMUOT, WINTERFYLLETH, and ZWISCHENLICHTEN.

At the present, more than 1,100 tickets have been sold. Provided that any tickets are still available at the end of the pre-sale, we will offer day passes (without the programme book) at the box office for 75 Euro per day. In the case that there will be day passes available, this will be announced before the start of the festival. Please check the festival website as well, where we will provide information about the availability of day passes.

3-day-passes incl. programme book are currently available for 99 Euro (same as last year) at the link below:
http://tickets.prophecy.de/prophecy-fest-29-09-01-10-2022-balve-de

Members of the Grand Supporter tiers of the PROPHECY CLUB will be able to attend the festival free of admission charge. Please check here for availability and conditions (subscribe button under each Grand Supporter paragraph): https://en.prophecy.de/en/Prophecy-Club-Membership/Prophecy-Club-Membership.html

Prophecy Fest was founded in 2015 and even the first edition was already sold out. This singular event for dark and innovative music takes place in the Balver Kulturhöhle (“Balve culture cave”) in the Hönnetal (“Valley of Hönne”) near the town of Balve in the Sauerland region of the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia.

The naturally formed karst cave has been used by humans already during the palaeolithic age. Is is an important archaeological site that yielded remains from many periods up and until medieval times. According to legend and the old Icelandic Thidreksaga, the mythical blacksmith Wayland learned his magical trade from dwarven masters in this cave.

The gravity of its history and the special acoustics of the Balver Cave provide a unique atmosphere that fits the musical programme of the Prophecy Fest perfectly.

For detailed information on accommodation, travel, and parking please consult the Prophecy Festival page: https://fest.prophecy.de

Officer X – It Is Time

27th September 2022

Music News

Officer X conjure up a heavy storm on debut album ‘Hell Is Coming’.

Hell is coming. Look busy. Because the sound rising up from the fiery gates below comes from Officer X, as the Boston heavy rock brigade unleashes debut album Hell Is Coming on Friday, September 30.

A steady storm of hard rock fury and traditional heavy metal brimstone, the quartet’s inaugural record burns through the speakers via a trio of formats – compact disc, cassette, and digital.

The release of Hell Is Coming is a pivotal moment for the band, one unbothered by current musical trends and indifferent to what others think a convergence of hard and heavy music should sound like in 2022. Inspired by the new wave of traditional heavy metal that combines the majesty of Maiden, the dreamworld of Dio, and the power of Priest, Officer X formed a few short years back by a pair of longtime conspirators in vocalist and guitarist Rodrigo van Stoli (Bang Camaro, Gymnasium) and bassist and vocalist Peet Golan (Spring Heeled Jack), rounded out just recently as a proper quartet alongside guitarist Robbie Davis and drummer Dave Barresi.

The timeline leading up to the LP’s release was marked by lineup changes, a pandemic pause, and a series of events and releases that quickly proved Officer X was out on their own shit entirely: A coming out appearance at the 2019 Rock and Roll Rumble; the release of the explosive “Lady Soledad” in Fall 2021, and this spring’s blistering “Moon Man” crashing down to Earth in April. Now, a mad dash to the album is under way: A performance video for “Hellfire” on September 14, a record release party at O’Brien’s in Allston on September 24, and finally, almighty, the unleashing of Hell Is Coming on September 30.

Officer X is: Rodrigo van Stoli: Vocals and guitar Peet Golan: Bass and vocals Robbie Davis: Guitar Dave Barresi: Drums

With the album, Officer X is finally, truly, awakened.

“We are listening to these recordings again after a long break, and it’s good stuff,” admits van Stoli. “There’s a side of the band that people haven’t heard yet, and it will be great to get that feedback. One of the best things about it is that it sets us up to finalize a new batch of tunes. We have progressed as musicians and songwriters in the last few years, and I am excited about where we are going.”

Adds Golan: “I feel like we have been holding on to this for so long. It’s been our little secret from Covid times. We were waiting for things to get back to somewhat normal so we can go out and support the record. So it’s time.”

Across the album’s eight powerful tracks, Officer X take influences from the crackle and hiss of the records and tapes we grew up with, the late nights spent worshiping the metal gods on Headbanger’s Ball, and glossy magazine pages that made titans of the genre appear larger than life. But while they never set out to be a quote-unquote metal band, the sound conjured up by von Stoli and Golan just gravitated to what they shared a love for.

“I know we use the word ‘metal’ a lot, and I am a metalhead for sure, but that was never really the idea behind the band,” van Stoli confesses. “It was more about writing songs, and because of our common influences they turned out to be heavy tunes. My favorite ‘metal’ bands never set out to be metal bands, they just played loud rock with tons of riffs, and the metal label was applied to them later. I see us more as heavy rock n roll, and we definitely achieved that.”

Though this is the debut Officer X album, Golan admits the band has already evolved quite a bit since inception. That’s on grand display throughout Hell Is Coming, from the mountainous chants and magnetic pull of “The Red Prince” to the anti-war sentiment and unrelenting riff brigade of “Incandescent” to the groove lightning and bassline gallop of “Hellfire,” the chorus of which is where the LP’s moniker is derived.

“We were initially going to have the album be self-titled,” Golan says. “We had been making edits to the ‘Hellfire’ video and the hook of that song is ‘hell is coming’… it got in my head from watching it so many times. I hit up Rod and asked what he thought, and he was all for it! I mean, we are not lying. Hell is coming, it could already be here depending on what your situation is.”

Another highlight off the record is “The City and the Stars,” an epic medieval ballad that was inspired by Boston musician and Officer X friend Chad Raleigh (The Rationales, Lonely Leesa & The Lost Cowboys, Ringtail), who posted an acoustic composition on the internet during the pandemic. van Stoli envisioned a melody over it, and Raleigh was gracious to allow the band to expand upon it. Golan wrote a fretless bassline, van Stoli added melody and keys, and soon an Officer X anthem, sure to inspire many a lit Bic lighter to be thrust into the air, was born. “We gave it the Officer X treatment,” van Stoli says, “and I think it’s one of the best things we have done.”

It’s got competition. The new tracks on the record are a kinetic complement to the LP’s two prior singles, the galactic “Moon Man” and soaring “Lady Soledad,” which the band were sure to use as an introductory salute.

“They are two sides of the band that I believe should be represented upfront,” van Stoli confirms. “‘Lady Soledad’ is more NWOBHM metal, with some Queensryche thrown in. Epic, operatic, cinematic. ‘Moon Man’ is more of a straight-forward rocker. I am not sure it’s even metal, it’s just a rock and roll song. We do both, and these singles make sure we don’t get pigeon-holed as either. I am proud of how varied it is. I hope the next album will be even more diverse.”

By then, we’ll all know Officer X by name.

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THE ILLICITS – Keeping On

27th September 2022

Music News

Blackburn four-piece THE ILLICITS have returned with their new single “Feel It”, out 26 September.

A riled-up slice of rip-roaring modern rock, “Feel It” sees The Illicits stride back into the spotlight — paying homage to their northern roots while forging their fiery own path. Blending an earworm bluesy riff with the progressive rock’n’roll sound they’ve become known for, the voltaic new cut has the Blackburn foursome barrelling towards a hopeful new horizon.

Recorded at OX4 Studios and produced by Vince Von Van, the track blends strutting guitar work with incendiary riffs and a riotous live-ready feel. Fusing meticulous musicianship with anarchic rock sensibilities, “Feel It” was written at the band’s rehearsal room in Blackburn and takes inspiration from the landscape of their hometown.

Speaking about the new song Joe Mitchell says:

“The stomping rhythm and punk production helps conjure up familiar Lancashire moods: cold early morning walks, rain-soaked shoes and slow, clattering commutes on buses and trains. The lyrics centre around how the people around us speak — ‘but you have to keep on’ is a well-known Lancastrian phrase, despite modern day life struggles. There are also references to local landmarks such as Winter Hill, and a natural rebelliousness against those who have let the industries around them fall and decline.”

An assured next step for a band already certain in their own sound, the four-piece’s dynamic take on “terrace punk” brings the post-industrial imagery of their own northern towns to the fore, and glints with the optimism of a rising young band determined to keep moving forward.

The Illicits are George Richards (vocals), Brad Hayes (lead guitar), Joe Mitchell (bass) and Matt Cottam (drums). With “Feel It” arriving as their fourth single to date, the four-piece have already amassed a cult following with their electric live shows in their hometown and beyond. As well as support slots with the likes of Liam Gallagher, Primal Scream, DMA’s, The Zutons and Miles Kane, the Blackburn band have performed live on Soccer AM and appeared on both BBC North West Tonight and Steve Lamacq’s show on BBC 6 Music.

The band have also amassed praise from the likes of Gigslutz, Northern Exposure, Louder Than War and Dork, with the latter commending “there’s a lot going on, and a lot more to come.” Making a stir with a run of earlier singles released on sold-out vinyl-only runs via Alan McGee’s Creation 23 label, raucous rock track “Left Behind” also featured Sex Pistols guitarist Steve Jones.

With their first headline show at Blackburn’s Electric Church selling out before they’d so much as released a single, The Illicits will be heading back to the hometown venue for another packed out show this October. The band will also be hitting the road for shows in Nottingham and London over the Autumn, as well as playing a slot at Glasgow’s First Wave Festival.

THE ILLICITS LIVE DATES 2022

OCTOBER

01 – Electric Church, Blackburn (SOLD OUT)

08 – Rough Trade, Nottingham

14 – The Macbeth, London

DECEMBER

07 – Hug & Pint, Glasgow

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THE CLOCKWORKS – A Caustic New Cut

26th September 2022

Music News

THE CLOCKWORKS MAKE A STATEMENT WITH NEW SINGLE: “ADVERTISE ME”

Arriving ahead of an extensive run of UK + European shows throughout the Autumn, the track is also the first new music from the band since the release of their essential debut EP ‘Endgame’ earlier this year.

“Advertise Me” is a scintillating, scathing new track that sees The Clockworks confront the hypocrisy of a sanctimonious society that moans more than it does take action. Recorded at Abbey Road Studios and produced by the band in collaboration with Michael Rendall (The Jesus and Mary Chain, Shed Seven, Black Grape), The Clockworks explain of the caustic new cut:

“The idea for this song started with the line: ‘complain about consumers from the comfort of my Mac’. It got me thinking about contemporary culture and that feeling of dissonance that comes from criticising society while continuing to conform to it. The song is partly a satire in answer to this feeling.”

Simmering with spiky rock energy and once more boasting The Clockworks’ knack for scorching lyrics that hold a mirror up to society, the track plucks influence from a range of decades and genres.

The band add:

“Todd Rundgren was a musical and production influence for this one. David Bowie. The Last Shadow Puppets. Red Hot Chilli Peppers. Interpol. The Cure. Pixies are usually brought up at some point in writing a new song.”

An infectious indie-rock anthem of the kind The Clockworks have made their own, but with an incisive and ominous underbelly that stands it apart from anything they have done before; “Advertise Me” is a fine addition to the band’s impressive repertoire to date and one finds them pushing themselves in intrepid new directions.

Formed in Galway and now living in London, The Clockworks are James McGregor (Vocals/Guitar), Sean Connelly (Guitar), Damian Greaney (Drums) andTom Freeman (bass). Making a unanimous decision to find their break in the UK capital, it proved a good one. Relocating in 2019, the quartet were signed by Creation records founder Alan McGee almost overnight.

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The band have rapidly gained ground ever since with a string of impeccable singles including “Feels So Real”, “Enough Is Never Enough”, “Can I Speak To A Manager?” and more. Also hotly tipped by titles including The Guardian, The Independent, and Hot Press, the band have received frequent support from national radio stalwarts including BBC Radio 1’s Annie Mac on her “New Names” showcase, BBC 6 Music’s Steve Lamacq on his ‘Recommends’ show, received day-time radio play on RTÉ 2FM, and impressed the legendary Rodney Bingenheimer on Sirius XM.

THE CLOCKWORKS – NEW SINGLE: “ADVERTISE ME” – OUT NOW

Delivering exhilarating live slots across Europe, The Clockworks have played at major festivals including Pukkelpop, Eurosonic, Electric Picnic, and The Great Escape. The band have also played a huge support slot at Liverpool’s Sefton Park with Kings of Leon, appeared on Sky 1’s Soccer AM and completed a run of US dates with Pixies and UK support shows with The Reytons and Inhaler earlier this year.

Releasing their long-awaited debut EP ‘Endgame’ earlier this year, the band are now set to hit the road with their new material imminently.. The Clockworks will be touring across the continent with extensive dates throughout this Autumn/Winter, with a string of UK and Ireland dates due to kick off in Brighton on 29 September. Full dates and details below.

THE CLOCKWORKS – 2022 TOUR DATES

SEPTEMBER

29 – Green Door Store, Brighton

30 – Heartbreakers, Southampton

OCTOBER

01 – Rough Trade, Nottingham

6 – King Tut’s Wah Wah Hut, Glasgow

7 – Brudenell Social Club, Leeds

8 – Deaf Institute, Manchester

13 – Electrowerkz, London

14 – Rough Trade, Bristol

NOVEMBER

4 – Ulster Sports Club, Belfast

5 – Dolan’s, Limerick, Ireland

6 – Cyprus Avenue, Cork, Ireland

10 – Whelan’s, Dublin, Ireland

12 – Roisin Dubh, Galway, Ireland

16 – AB Club, Brussels, Belgium

17 – Paradiso, Amsterdam, Netherlands

26 – Super Bock Em Stock, Lisbon, Portugal

DECEMBER

7 Manufaktur, Schorndorf, Germany

8 – C/O Pop Festival, Cologne, Germany

9 – Molotow, Hamburg, Germany

10 – Badehaus, Berlin, Germany

12 – Café V Lese, Prague, Czech Republic

13 – Beatpol, Dresden, Germany

14 – Heppel & Ettlich, Munich, Germany

15 – 806qm, Darmstadt, Germany

16 – Cafe Glocksee, Hannover, Germany

Tickets on sale now: https://www.theclockworks.band

https://www.theclockworks.band/

Monthly Archives: September 2022

Xondra – Speaking Up

New York-based singer and songwriter Xondra shares, “Dead Girl,” the lead single from her upcoming EP, ‘Tedious & Brief,’ due out this Autumn.

The Dears – A Welcome Return

The Dears have announced Return To Lovers Rock, an expanded digital edition of their most recent album, Lovers Rock. The new release comes as the Montreal band prepare for a stretch of UK shows.

SOULDRAINER – Harmonic Aggression

Swedish Death Metallers SOULDRAINER release new music video for “Rats Of The International Race”!

https://www.facebook.com/Souldrainerofficial

DEADLETTER – Finding Their Feet

Currently completing their mega UK Tour which included a triumphant sold-out show at London’s 100 Club on 28th September, today DEADLETTER share new single ‘Weights’ as well as announcing debut EP Heat! out 18th November via SO Recordings.

DEADLETTER Zac Lawrence - Singer George Ullyott - Bassist Alfie Husband - drummer Will King - Guitarist James Bates - guitarist Poppy Richler - Saxophonist

A VOID – Staying Sick

London-via-Paris trio A VOID have unveiled “Sick As A Dog”, the final single to be taken from their awaited new album ‘Dissociation’ (out now).

HUMOUR – An Unhinged Paean

HUMOUR SHARE NEW SINGLE “PURE MISERY”

IMHA TARIKAT – PROPHECY FEST SINGLE

IMHA TARIKAT release lyric video of non-album track ‘Son of Ultradevotion’ to be performed at PROPHECY FEST

PRE SALE HERE

Officer X – It Is Time

Officer X conjure up a heavy storm on debut album ‘Hell Is Coming’.

Officer X is: Rodrigo van Stoli: Vocals and guitar Peet Golan: Bass and vocals Robbie Davis: Guitar Dave Barresi: Drums

THE ILLICITS – Keeping On

Blackburn four-piece THE ILLICITS have returned with their new single “Feel It”, out 26 September.

THE CLOCKWORKS – A Caustic New Cut

THE CLOCKWORKS MAKE A STATEMENT WITH NEW SINGLE: “ADVERTISE ME”

STREAM ON ALL SERVICES HERE

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