Archive for the ‘Recommended Streams and Videos’ Category

Watch: ‘Bubblegum Party’ by SICKY

Posted: 22 September 2026 in Recommended Streams and Videos, Singles and EPs
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British alternative artist SICKY unveils his new single‘Bubblegum Party’, a playful, infectious slice of indie rock that pairs catchy pop sensibilities with his trademark off-kilter style.  Beneath the bubblegum facade lies a gloriously messy breakup party, served with a crooked grin as sweetness meets spite, chaos and a wicked sense of fun.

‘Bubblegum Party’ offers the first taste of his forthcoming full-length Redland album – his fourth to date. Full of mischief, attitude and a darker sense of humour, here SICKY delivers one of his most fun and irreverent songs to date. ‘Redland’ is an album about friends lost along the way. It’s a good bit darker than its predecessor Troubled Delight.

“Ultimately, ‘Bubblegum Party’ is a tale of sweet revenge. A public humiliation of someone who absolutely had it coming to them. It’s a work of fiction but has a large toe touching reality. We’ve all met the cocky arrogant lowlife type who tries to control someone they’re supposed to be close to. Well, in this song, he gets his comeuppance at our heroine’s birthday party,” says Mick Butler.

“The bubblegum reference is effectively a middle finger gesture by the metaphorical blowing of an exploding gum bubble in someone’s direction. It’s poppy, it’s silly and it’s just a bit of fun amongst some much darker moments on the Redland album”.

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SICKY is the solo project of Mick Butler, whose brand of melodic Britpop-infused indie rock spells good news for fans of Beck, Supergrass and early Blur. Originally from the Black Country region of England, he is now based in Shropshire. 

While Mick Butler has had his run of playing in bands, ranging from the brass soaked pop of Papa Mantra to the dirty stomp of SUMO, he now derives pleasure from banging out tunes and crafting new material. Literally everything you hear in his music is him squeezing noises out of anything that’ll sing.

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Listen: ‘Zero’ by Dismantled

Posted: 21 September 2026 in Recommended Streams and Videos, Singles and EPs
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Founded by US electronic musician Gary Zon in 2000, Dismantled issued five albums over the next decade that blended multi-layered electro-industrial music with melodic trance elements, resulting in a darkly brooding and futuristic sound. 

‘Zero’ is the first single to be lifted from a long-awaited sixth album entitled Endless that is set for release on 20th November via Metropolis Records. A futuristic, cyberpunk dancefloor number crawling with nanowires and melodic synth-pop vocals filled with noise, the song looks back to the halcyon days of 2006 when the third Dismantled album Standard Issue was released and compares it with the general feeling of emptiness felt in society today.

‘Endless’ was primarily recorded in Oregon and completed in Southern California. Zon describes it as his most cohesive work yet and a record that has helped him rediscover the sound that gave the project its unique appeal at the outset. He also states that fans will spot deliberate references to previously released songs.

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Having begun making electronic music in 2000, Gary Zon soon came up with a brand of complex yet melodic electro-industrial and trance sounds that saw him compared to peers such as Front Line Assembly, Haujobb and Wumpscut.

Dismantled signed to Metropolis Records and issued a self-titled album in 2002. It was followed by the acclaimed Post-Nuclear (2004), a record that introduced a clearer vocal style into what was otherwise a grittier and more organic soundscape. Standard Issue (2006) was previewed with Breed To Death, an EP that included remixes of new and already released songs by the likes of Psyclon Nine, Haujobb and Wumpscut, and was then followed by a lengthy period of touring ahead of the release of fourth album, When I’m Dead (2007).

US and European tours with VNV Nation, Apoptygma Berzerk and Combichrist preceded the ‘The War Inside Me’ (2011), the most aggressive Dismantled output to date. Promoted on a tour with Front Line Assembly, it was followed by an EP, Whole Wide World (2012) and two further EPs, The Hero (2016) and No Escape (2020).

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Listen: ‘Fuck the Moon’ by Beaten to Death

Posted: 19 September 2026 in Recommended Streams and Videos, Singles and EPs
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Norway’s grindcore mavericks Beaten To Death are back with another perfectly reasonable contribution to extreme music: a song called ‘Fuck the Moon’.

The new single is the latest taste of the band’s seventh full-length, Vntrve, due October 23 via Mas-Kina Recordings, and follows the wonderfully deranged ‘Sunburnt Satanist’ and saxophone-assisted ‘The Tolerator’.

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Following releases such as Xes and Strokes, Last Maar, Ik Verhuis Naar Het Bos, and Sunrise Over Rigor Mortis, Beaten To Death remain as restless and inventive as ever. Vntrve embraces everything that has made them one of Norway’s most distinctive extreme acts: blistering speed, sharp songwriting, unexpected twists, and an irreverent spirit that refuses to take itself, or the genre, too seriously.

The result is another album that captures the essence of Beaten To Death: grindcore only in the loosest sense of the word, equal parts ferocious, inventive, hilarious, and completely unhinged. Sixteen years on, they’re still proving that the best way to honour the genre is to ignore its rulebook entirely.

Vntrve is out October 23. Pre-orders will be announced soon.

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Listen: ‘dance in Shadows’ by Eva X

Posted: 18 September 2026 in Recommended Streams and Videos, Singles and EPs
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EVA X returns on September 18th with ‘Dance In Shadows’, the preview single for her upcoming album, TURBOPINK (out Nov 6). One part synthpop, one part metal, one part millennial J-pop, and one part 80s nostalgia, ‘Dance In Shadows’ is a primal scream for lost friends and empty spaces on the dancefloor, wrapped in a bright sonic blanket.

‘Dance In Shadows’ is a song born out of grief. EVA X writer, Gaby Gustafson completed the track after a co-worker & friend died from an aggressive form of cancer. She states, “I had written a super sad song originally, but I knew she’d hate that . It was really important to her to find joy wherever she could. So I ended up reworking the track into – Dance In Shadows- our happy little song about death.”

For the B-side of ‘Dance In Shadows’, Stoneburner brings his own styling to the track with a breakbeat remix that captures EVA’s dancefloor edge.

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EVA X started as a bedroom producer. She started releasing her tracks in 2019 and quickly built a cult following in the goth/industrial scene with her fusion of synthwave, industrial, power pop, and even metal elements. She released her debut album, I Dream Of A Reality on Distortion Productions in 2022, landing on several “Best of 2022” lists. She’s been a rising power on the US festival scene, including New Jersey’s Dark Force Fest, Seattle’s Mechanismus Festival, and Calgary’s Terminus. After a couple of years of heavy touring, Eva is back with her second album TURBOPINK and a full band along for the ride.

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Watch: ‘Parasite (Darkest Fear Mix by Kontrol Phreak)’ by Elektrikill

Posted: 17 September 2026 in Recommended Streams and Videos, Singles and EPs
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New Jersey industrial project ELEKTRIKILL, led by musician and producer Steve Vil, has officially released Macabre Masquerade – their second full length album of 2026 through Evol Music Group. The 13-track Halloween album is constructed as a continuous celebration of everything lurking in the dark.

ELEKTRIKILL invites listeners into a celebration where the witching hour never ends, transforming Halloween horror into a relentless collision of industrial rhythms, dark electronics, monsters, and macabre humor.

Macabre Masquerade combines brand-new material with reworked ELEKTRIKILL songs, terrifying interludes, and remixes from Kill Vector, Kontrol Phreak, and SPKTR. Rather than simply assembling a collection of horror-themed tracks, ELEKTRIKILL sequences the album like one long infernal party—complete with vampires, demons, werewolves, parasites, restless ghosts, and enough industrial machinery to wake the dead.

Macabre Masquerade moves between pounding EBM, darkwave atmosphere, industrial-rock aggression, electronic dance rhythms, and cinematic horror. The result is sinister without becoming joyless, balancing menace with enough twisted humor and dancefloor energy to keep the party moving long after the cemetery gates have closed.

Check the video for ‘Parasite (Darkest Fear Mix by Kontrol Phreak)’ from the album here:

 

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Watch: ‘Nightlight’ by Sometime in February

Posted: 16 September 2026 in Recommended Streams and Videos, Singles and EPs
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US-based rising instrumental progressive metallers, Sometime In February, are excited to release a brand new track titled ‘Nightlight’. Coming off the back of a string of Summer US live dates, the track is an exciting taste of what is to come. Check it here:

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Tristan Auman comments: “’Nightlight’ was written in a headspace similar to our 2024 single ‘Hiding Place.’ While in the trenches of writing our next record, we wanted to stretch our legs and write something free from the bounds of a bigger picture, and lean into styles that we may only dip our toes into. For this single, it was early-2010s era progressive metal/djent, something we appreciate but usually avoid when writing. In true SIF fashion, it also includes fun and upbeat highs, melodramatic lows, and singable hooks that might make you forget we’re an instrumental band.”

In 2023, the band introduced themselves with their first single under InsideOut, titled ‘Hiding Place’, which showcased their melodic approach. Now, with a full album of new material, Sometime in February presents 11 captivating tracks, from the fusion-metal opener ‘Palantir’ to the progressive complexity of ‘Outside In’ to the blues-infused, prog-metal closer ‘Funeral House.’

The trio’s connections extend into the progressive music world, featuring collaborations with Between the Buried and Me members Paul Waggoner and Dan Briggs. Tristan had been working for Waggoner in a local coffee shop. After getting to know Tristan, he went to see the band and was impressed by their live performance. He later invited Auman to fill in alongside Paul on BTBAM gigs. In return, Waggoner contributed to the track ‘The Bad Fight’ and appeared in the music video. “I had a part open for him on the song,” Auman recalls. "He sent over some ideas, and they were perfect, as expected."

Briggs added a unique touch, playing textural elements and additional instruments like mandolin, rather than bass. The BTBAM connection also extended to the album’s mixing, handled by engineer Jamie King, who previously worked with Scott’s former band, Trees on Mars. “Tristan knew right away he wanted to work with Jamie, and I was all for it,” Scott says. “Jamie was great in the studio with a positive vibe the whole time.”

To enhance the album’s sound design, the band brought in Eric Guenther, keyboardist for The Contortionist. “We discussed sound design, and The Contortionist was at the top of our list,” Morgan explains. “Eric was our first choice, and he was on board right away. He had seen Tristan on the BTBAM tour, and he elevated the entire project with his contributions.”

For Tristan, Where Mountains Hide represents a step forward, with an uplifting and optimistic feel. “For this album, I wanted the songs to stand alone more, instead of making everything flow together like typical prog albums. But in the end, it naturally felt cohesive. The album has a grand and fantastical vibe, and with instrumental music, it can be challenging to create a specific atmosphere, but that’s what I aimed for.”

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Photo: Eric Smeal

Watch: ‘Blind Smile’ by Cor De Lux

Posted: 15 September 2026 in Singles and EPs, Recommended Streams and Videos
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This Friday sees the release of Year of the Horse, the Ipecac debut from exciting new signings Cor de Lux, which very much gets the Aural Aggravation vote.

Across nine songs, the Kill Devil Hills quartet balances post-hardcore urgency, shoegaze bliss, and guitar-driven catharsis. Recorded and produced by J. Robbins (War on Women, Mary Timony), Year of the Horse preserves the raw chemistry that defines the band while pushing their songwriting into sharper, more immediate territory.

‘Blind Smile’, the track described by Loud Women as “bright, melodic and eccentric” now has a music video. About the video, Dawn says, “The video is about someone stuck in a world of complacency. It’s her journey to break free and show color to the world around her. Much like the meaning of the song it’s about being your true self.”

“The blind man smile, the deaf laugh for all to hear, to be so brave, you can’t hear anyone.”

Watch the video here:

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Photo: Bobo Grunwald

Watch: ‘Intoxication Blues’ by Sundownder

Posted: 14 September 2026 in Recommended Streams and Videos, Singles and EPs
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Adelaide sludge merchants Sundowner are back, and things haven’t gotten any prettier.

Three years after Lysergic Ritual dragged listeners through a feedback-soaked wasteland of nihilism and decay, the Australian quartet have announced their third full-length, Cesspool, due out October 15 via Melbourne’s Disdain Records.

The band are offering the first taste of the album with ‘Intoxication Blues’, a filthy, swaggering slab of NOLA-inspired sludge accompanied by a brand-new visualizer.

Built around poisoned blues riffs, suffocating grooves, walls of feedback and a thick layer of distortion, ‘Intoxication Blues’ provides an appropriately nasty introduction to an album designed to soundtrack a world going up in flames.

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Cesspool sees Sundowner take the caustic, slow-burning sludge that has defined them since their 2021 debut Guns, Knives and Tyre Irons and push it into even more punishing territory across ten new tracks.

The band explain: “Cesspool continues on with our brand of sludge, further melding influences from the classic ’90s pioneers of the genre through our own lens out of Adelaide, South Australia.”

For Sundowner, that lineage has always been clear. The poisoned blues of Eyehategod, the ugliness of Iron Monkey and Buzzov-en, and the smoke-filled grooves of Weedeater remain embedded in their DNA. But Cesspool isn’t interested in simply recreating the past. Instead, those influences are fed through Sundowner’s own distinctly Australian strain of hostility.

The album also sees Sundowner reunite with the production team behind Lysergic Ritual. After handling virtually everything themselves during the band’s early years, Sundowner brought Jason Fuller of Goatsound Studios into the fold to mix their second album, with Dav Byrne of Iridium Audio handling mastering.

“We went with the same production team as our last album, but pushed everything further for a more punishing and abrasive sound,” says the band.

Across its ten tracks, Cesspool doubles down on everything Sundowner do best: filthy blues, crushing grooves, abrasive riffs and pure sludge-soaked hostility. It’s heavier, nastier and more punishing, without straying from the band’s uncompromising roots.

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Watch: ‘Unsound Hero’ by 30,000 Monkies

Posted: 13 September 2026 in Singles and EPs, Recommended Streams and Videos
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Belgium’s most unpredictable noise-rock troublemakers 30,000 Monkies have premiered their new single .Unsound Hero’.

Taken from the band’s forthcoming album Super Rebound, due September 18 via Fvn Kvlt Records, ‘Unsound Hero’ trades instant impact for a six-minute descent into tension, melancholy and crushing sludge.

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The band explains: “‘Unsound Hero’ is about almost wandering off to the dark side when hostile forces keep pushing all the wrong buttons. Unlike a lot of other tracks on the album, this one starts with a slow-burning intro. We had fun layering some deep melodic vocals with uncanny, autotuned choirs, trying to increase the tension with every added layer.”
But restraint was never going to last forever.

“Eventually, of course, we wanted to put the hammer down—BAM! After this, the hero drifts completely off the map, left with nothing but two clean guitars, screaming into an empty space. But then all of a sudden—BAM!—another hammer, arriving unexpectedly, used by our hero to flatten everything in his path once and for all: a reluctant but absolute obliteration for anyone who left him no choice.”

For more than a decade, 30,000 Monkies have occupied a unique place within the European underground. Emerging from the Belgian noise-rock scene, the band built their reputation through a string of increasingly adventurous releases that balanced cathartic chaos with an unmistakable sense of fun. From the dizzying riff storms of Somewhere Over The Painbow to the wild experimentation of I Ate Myself To Grow Twice As Big and HONESTY INTEGRITY FRIENDSHIP PASSION, the band have consistently followed their own path.
With Super Rebound, they may have finally arrived at the destination they have been chasing all along.

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Watch: ‘Remaker Redeemer’ by Then Comes Silence

Posted: 12 September 2026 in Recommended Streams and Videos, Singles and EPs
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Stockholm post-punk trio Then Comes Silence presents ‘Remaker Redeemer’, the second single from their forthcoming Requiem Ballroom album, due in November via Metropolis Records. The music video, filmed by Damon Zurawski of Future Legends Films, captures the song perfectly, descending into the space between death and rebirth, where the final journey into darkness becomes a passage toward transformation, renewal and the possibility of another world.

Then Comes Silence has also just launched their European tour, which runs throughout September and October, bringing them to venues and like-minded music lovers in Belgium, the Netherlands, Germany, France, Italy and Czech Republic, before returning home to Sweden for the final show on this leg.

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A tightly focused trio since 2022, Then Comes Silence was formed in 2012 by vocalist-bassist Alex Svenson in 2012. Drummer Jonas Fransson and guitarist Hugo Zombie, round out the band in its most direct, powerful and uncompromising form. One of the leading names on today’s goth, post-punk and darkwave scene, they are driven by a fascination with horror, the occult and the raw intensity of underground music, having forged a distinctive sound and a devoted international following.

The Requiem Ballroom album itself is divided into two parts: ‘Ballroom’ was mixed by Jon Bordon (Nicole Sabouné, Melody Club, The Exploding Boy) and the ‘Requiem’ half was mixed byTom van Heesch (Rammstein, Apocalyptica, Backyard Babies). Svante Forsbäck / Chartmakers (Rammstein, Amaranthe, Ville Valo, The Rasmus, Apocalyptica) assumed mastering duties.
”Remaker Redeemer introduces the second part of the album ‘Requiem Ballroom’. It’s about new life, and being reborn with the old sins washed away. A kind of cleansing, a fresh start, and the feeling of beginning again. The choice of instruments and sound on this track is a way to explore something different this time,” says Alex Svenson.

“Death is generally regarded, across many cultures, as the final blackout where nothing follows. Yet in another sense, death can also serve as a metaphor for change and transformation. To take the next step, change is inevitable.”

Then Comes Silence earlier released ‘Judgement Day’, a driving anthem that embraces failure, reckless choices and the thrill of living without regrets, embracing a final celebration before the inevitable reckoning. The vivid behind-the-scenes documentary by Marzipan Moonlight offers a glimpse into the video’s creation and the thriving spirit of Stockholm’s goth community.

LIVE DATES
SEP. 11 -  Glain, Belgium @ Deux Ours
SEP. 12 – Rotterdam-Albrandswaard, Netherlands @ Baroeg Open Air 2026
SEP. 13 -  Rennes, France @ Brewklyn
SEP. 14 -  Paris, France @ Le Chinois
SEP. 15 -  Rezé, France @ Cold Crash
SEP. 16 -  Lyon, France @ Rock N’Eat
SEP. 17 -  Marseille, France @ Le Molotov
SEP. 18 -  Torino, Italy @ Ziggy Club
SEP. 19 -  Castelfranco Veneto, Italy @ Sale Improve
SEP. 20 -  Hlavní Město Praha, Czechia @ Subzero
OCT. 24 -  Stockholm, Sweden @ Kollektivet Livet

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