Watch ‘Missouri’, the new video from Howlin Rain

What might happen if you took the rootsier qualities of The Black Crowes, a little of the gritty vocal edge of John Fogerty and a broad love of American rock? Chances are you’d end up with a band that sounded a little like Howlin Rain.

The retro rockers are set to unveil their fifth album ‘The Alligator Bride’, but first a new single… Released a week prior to the album, ‘Missouri’ will be downloadable from the usual outlets on June 2nd, but you can watch the full video clip right now, as it’s streaming in full below.

Continue reading

THE NUTS – Upside Down

In 2014 Italian punks The Nuts released their self titled EP. It gave the world four short and sharp pieces of female-oriented Ramonescore that set the band out as one to watch. Even in a world awash with similar bands, there was something about The Nuts’ gutsy performances and love for the style that made them truly stand out.

Continue reading

Tape Loading Error: Watch the new video clip for ’48K’ by The Fierce And The Dead

It’s been a great year for The Fierce And The Dead.  They’ve played their biggest ever London headliner; they’re about to play an even bigger one; their new album ‘The Euphoric’ – released on May 18th 2018 – has gained the band more press than ever before.  [Real Gone’s review of the album and a full stream can be found here.]

Continue reading

INTO THE STORM / SMOOTH SAILING – Split EP

Metal oriented split releases are great, especially when they feature a couple of cult bands that share a similar musical root. The 2015 split between Cult of Luna and the lesser known Old Wind was interesting, and especially so considering Old Wind absolutely trounced the band most people would have bought the release to hear. Better yet, the 2018 split between Slomatics and Mammoth Weed Wizard Bastard achieved the same fate: after years of championing sludge and doom riffs, Ireland’s finest were outshone at almost every turn by the amusingly named Welsh upstarts. It was a release that no doom lovers should be without and one that proved that Mammoth Weed’s moment of glory had truly come.

A split between Into The Storm and Smooth Sailing is a natural phenomenon. Both bands have a similar approach to heaviness yet have their own style, so it’s easy to favour one over the other. Also – and perhaps this is the deal clincher here – Like Melvins and Fantomas, there’s some crossover with regard to band members. This EP is also a good way to get some previously unheard material out to both long standing fans and new listeners alike.

Continue reading

LIV SIN – Inverted EP

For thirteen years, Liv Sin was the frontwoman with Swedish hard rock/metal band Sister Sin. Armed with various old school riffs and a hard vocal style, the band shared stages with King Diamond and Slayer and drew comparisons with Children of Bodom and Skew Siskin. All things come to an end and after Sister Sin decided to call it a day, Liv embarked upon a solo career. Continuing to plough a classic Euro metal furrow, her first solo outing ‘Follow Me’ (released in 2017) was produced by Accept’s Stefan Kaufmann and featured guest performances from members of 69 Eyes and Destruction. With plenty of high octane riffery and a footing in a late 80s sound, the album had plenty of appeal for those who like Benedictum, Accept and even Sabaton.

As its title suggests, her 2018 EP ‘Inverted’ EP represents a much more low-key, moody artist. In her own words, the original plan “was to do a stripped down acoustic EP”, but the process took the band “somewhere else”. That somewhere else is quite removed from the bombast of ‘Follow Me’, but it’s a recording that long-time fans might find interesting.

Continue reading