In June 2025, Brit metallers The Last Bastion released their debut album ‘Who We Are’, a collection of songs driven by defiantly old school riffs. The songs may well have paid homage to the genre’s forefathers, and the material often sounded like something from the late 80s, but at its heart, the album had a lot of power. The ghosts of the slower, black album era Metallica cut through some of ‘Screaming In Silence’s heavier moments; a massive twin lead guitar creating a vital musical hook during ‘Medusa’ drew influence from the New Wave of British Heavy Metal but, when presented with a slower, heavier edge, also gave a nod to Slayer’s slow numbers, and that track’s featured solo showed how tight the band could be when delivering a raft of fretboard melting sounds. Perhaps most importantly, the huge crunch present during the slower parts of ‘Seven Deadly Sins’ suggested The Last Bastion would be a force of nature in a live setting.
Tag Archives: new single
Listen: Josaleigh Pollett shares genre-bending track ‘Radio Player’
Josaleigh Pollett’s ‘Radio Player’ is a rather special recording. Its opening sounds throw the listener into a world of dark synthwave, suggesting something rich in atmosphere. It then takes a somewhat dramatic twist when Josaleigh adds a vocal that, at first, suggests they have a love of classic dream pop, before an increase in volume allows their voice to reach for something much bigger. Hitting a couple of soaring, notes, this presents a talent with a huge, natural sound, drawing the listener further into a world where Pollett’s love of almost cinematic sounds comes into its own.
Listen: Breeze share new single ‘Song For A Sign’
In a year that saw a much overhyped Oasis reunion and an even more unlikely return for Britpop heroes Gene, Breeze mightn’t have been the most talked about band, but the three lads from Hull began 2025 by sharing one of their strongest singles to date.
‘Devils Hymn’ made an instant impression with its bombastic intro, coupling heavy beats with a huge sounding, blues rock influenced guitar sound. The absolutely crushing groove gave a brief insight into how Royal Blood might sound with a fierce lead guitarist, or if The Stone Roses’ ‘Love Spreads’ were to inspire something with a little more muscle. The song’s verses explored a more melodic sound, taking cues from more of an indie rock influence, dropping more than a hint of Embrace into an already potent mix. It’s no wonder the band had built up a reputation as a live act.
Listen: Stephen McCafferty unveils new track ‘I Am The Buffalo’
Scottish singer songwriter Stephen McCafferty is one of the best artists to emerge in 2025. He’s released a succession of great singles, showing off a writing talent that refuses to be pigeonholed.
Listen: Beat Me Outta Me have ‘Nowhere To Hide’ on new track
The second single from Peterborough’s Beat Me Outta Me is a pleasingly downbeat affair. It’s first two minutes comprises slow, acoustic strums and a mournful vocal, drawing the ear very casually. The music isn’t exactly minimalist, but has certainly been arranged in such a way that the listener is made to focus almost exclusively on Annie Dickson’s fantastic voice. This is a smart move; from the outset, she shows an ability to weave a fantastic, almost mournful tone that suits the arrangement perfectly.