We Are Bodies is the British duo of Dave Pen and Robin Foster. They create anthemic electro-prog soundscapes that combine guitars and electronics with lyrical subjects inspired by love, loss, paranoia and…. robots.
Dave Pen is a south coast-based vocalist and guitarist who is also one half of the alternative/electronic group BirdPen and co-frontman with the experimental trip-rock collective Archive, who have built a huge continental fanbase during three decades of activity that has seen them sell out arenas and achieve significant album chart success in multiple territories.
Based in north-west France since the late 1990s, Robin Foster is a composer, songwriter, producer and multi-instrumentalist with a penchant for creating brooding soundscapes packed with lush cinematic textures, underpinned with his signature guitar sound. He has written scores for award nominated movies, Netflix and Amazon Prime dramas, numerous TV commercials and has released several acclaimed solo records with guest vocalists that have included Pen.
The duo began collaborating in 2011 and released an eponymous debut as We Are Bodies in 2015. Its long-awaited follow-up, the genesis of The Love Was All We Had was as a pandemic project with ideas emailed back and forth across the Channel themed around what was occurring in the world at that time. Its focus then switched to the present, with the lust for power and war taking centre stage. The album finally took shape, its songs primarily concerned with love and loss, both on a personal level and for mankind as a whole.
The music is a mixture of the stridently luxurious and atmospheric, with Pen’s lyrical subject matter describing love from different perspectives. This includes new single ‘Dancing In The Midnight Howl’, a song about a pair of lovers torn apart, with the male protagonist having a recurring image in his mind of his partner dancing and longing to escape the mess of modern society to be with her. It follows ‘Lost’, an upbeat earworm about a twisted relationship that was released in early October.
You may not require any introduction to the members of ROACH SQUAD, or at least one or two of the band. Needless to say, Hugo Mudie (The Sainte Catherines), Frankie Stubbs (Leatherface), Graeme Philliskirk (Leatherface) have all graced the Paradise Gutters around the Punk Rock world for some time. Joining them is Alex Keane (The Murderburgers), along with another local Sunderland Lad, Sim Robson.
As with many of the members previous works, a DIY approach to writing and recording their new album was taken. The bulk of the recording took place at their own Rocket Studios in Sunderland, UK with the exception of Hugo laying down the vocals at Mixart Studios, Montreal (Quebec, Canada).
Little Rocket Records are absolutely bouncing at releasing the lyric video for ROACH SQUAD’s first single ‘Wax & Dust’ off their upcoming debut album which will be available for pre-order starting Monday 3rd of February, 2025.
What’s that? A new song from the Jesus Lizard that isn’t on RACK?
‘Cost Of Living’ is out now on streaming platforms.
“Simply because I wrote the words to ‘Cost of Living’ doesn’t mean that I know exactly what it’s about. I think it has to do with the dread and self-loathing that addicts experience on a very regular basis. You can pick whichever type of addict you choose.” – David Yow
“A friend asked me if we had any tricked-out, odd timing type things with twists and turns, and I said ‘Yeah, I think so….’” – Duane
Benefits have a new album, Constant Noise, due for release on 21st March 2025 on Invada Records. ‘Relentless’ is the first taste of it. It certainly marks a progression from Nails. Who would have predicted a collaboration with Pete Doherty even just a few short months ago?
Industrial rock band, HEAVENLY TRIP TO HELL has just unleashed their ferocious new single & video, ‘Millions Of Flowers’.
Drawing inspiration from the darker side of the rock and roll lifestyle, the band’s new single, ‘Millions Of Flowers’ is an unflinching exploration of real stories and tragedies. “Rock and roll can be really dangerous,” the band explains. “No money, fast drugs, fast women, fast death. These songs reflect that reality.”
This fast-paced, hard-hitting track dives deep into the gritty realities of life, bringing forth an uncompromising hardcore energy that fans have come to expect. Prepare for a journey into the depths of sound and storytelling with ‘Millions of Flowers.’
Check it here:
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Emerging from the sun-soaked chaos of Long Beach, California, Industrial Metal band, HEAVENLY TRIP TO HELL embodies the raw essence and palpable danger of rock and roll. With unforgettable performances—including most recently sharing the stage with Guns N’ Roses, Billy Idol, Slipknot, Muse, and Helloween At The Hell in addition to the festivals, Heaven Music Festival—one of the world’s biggest metal festivals in Mexico, HEAVENLY TRIP TO HELL continues to make their mark in the heavy music scene.
HEAVENLY TRIP TO HELL’s relentless dedication to their craft has allowed them to share stages with legends such as The Dead Kennedys, Soulfly, Body Count, Transmetal, L.A. Guns, Bang Tango, and Too Short. Their music has even made waves in the documentary, Road Dogs, which chronicled the wild adventures of extreme L.A. bands over four years of touring.
Starting out with dreams of the road band life, HEAVENLY TRIP TO HELL quickly learned that true evolution came from hitting the pavement. With thousands of gigs under their belts—alongside festival appearances—they’ve honed a sound that resonates with audiences nationwide.
Looking ahead, the band is set to embark on a new tour with a setlist that promises a mix of fresh tracks and fan favorites. Fans can catch them live and experience the electrifying energy that has captivated audiences from coast to coast.
HEAVENLY TRIP TO HELL band consists of lead singer, Gerardo Christ, Sergio Natas on bass, Vicky Vicious on keyboards, Kurt Thompson on lead guitar, Frank Transer on rhythm guitar and Jose Soto on drums.
German Synth pop trio BEBORN BETON unveil the video single ‘Ticket to the Moon’, which is a cover track from the ELECTRIC LIGHT ORCHESTRA album Time and taken from the forthcoming new EP To the Stars. The EP has been slated for release on November 22, 2024.
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BEBORN BETON comment: “The song ‘Ticket to the Moon’ was originally released by the British rock band Electric Light Orchestra on their 1981 album Time, which is one of our favourite records from that era”, vocalist Stefan Netschio writes on behalf of the trio. “We have been thinking about recording a track from that album for quite some time. Given the context of the EP, we felt that the appropriate moment had finally arrived. Alain De Grox aka Synth Heaven once again supported us in the creation of the video. He uitilised amazing excerpts from the CGI Animated Short ‘Ad Astra’ with kind permission of these ArtFX School students: Lauric Bonnemort, Clementin Massin, Pierre Vallerich, and Florian Coquaz. We would like to express our sincere gratitude to everyone who made this project happen.”
German avant-garde metal pioneers DISILLUSION release and stream the limited instrumental edition of their acclaimed current album Ayam released on November 8, 2024.
DISILLUSION commented: “We are stoked that our first instrumental album ever is finally seeing the light of day”, singer and guitarist Andy Schmidt wrote. “The idea for this concept already came up during the recording of Ayam. We wanted to metaphorically let the music do all the talking. An abundance of details and intricacies within the tracks have now shifted to the foreground. This allows a quite different perspective on the album and illuminates previously hidden facets. Hopefully, you will find this as exciting as we do. Enjoy!”
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Two years after the release of Ayam, the fourth DISILLUSION full-length will have spun on record and CD players, and also been streamed countless times. Every melody, rhythm pattern, and note will have been listened to again and again. And yet, there are still many musical ‘secrets’ waiting to be uncovered and treasures to be found. With Ayam (Instrumental), DISILLUSION offer their most dedicated followers a beautiful map to find some of the hidden gems. Without the magnificent vocals, other aspects of the songs begin to shine, and new aspects of each track come to the fore. Nothing has been added from the original songs, only the vocals have been taken out of Ayam.
Who are we? Where do we go? These are the kind of existential questions that have arisen for many of us during these last years and that have also been haunting DISILLUSION during the creation of "Ayam". Without a chance to perform live and their personal lives also being affected by many restrictions the focus of the German avant-gardists shifted fully towards their band and the creation of new songs as well as recording. The effect is audible: Ayam sounds richer, even more multi-layered, and fully matured compared to the already highly praised previous releases. Yet the intricacies of their music are never just a means to an end, but more than anything all the complexity is subjugated to serve the inner feeling and cinematic aspect of each song itself.
The thematic questions and multi-dimensional layers of the songs are also reflected in the album title Ayam. The word derives from Sanskrit and means "This One". Pronounced in English it sounds like "I am", while reading it backwards turns it into "Maya", which is neither an accident nor explained by the band that obviously likes to offer riddles.
While DISILLUSION stuck closer together, they were also searching their hearts whether it was time to change old habits and try out something new. This led to the excellent decision to leave the mix of the album to different ears than the bands’ for the first time. Their choice could not have been better as renowned producer Jens Bogren (OPETH, KATATONIA, MOONSPELL) once again worked his exciting magic and enhanced their already unique sound by shining a sonic spotlight to the most important aspects such as the vocals.
Founded around singer and guitarist Andy Schmidt in the East Germany city of Zwickau in 1994, DISILLUSION pulled the rare trick of already becoming a staple in the field of avant-garde melodic death metal with the release of their full-length debut Back to Times of Splendor in 2004. The Germans have always been driven to seek new challenges and find new ways to evolve their music, which was exemplified by the following album Gloria that took radical musical steps in several directions at the same time. Gloria was far ahead of its time in terms of composition and sound, which becomes apparent when compared to GOJIRA’s masterpiece Magma for example that came out a decade later.
Despite their early success, DISILLUSION took a creative hiatus until suddenly returning in 2016 with the single ‘Alea’ and a new line-up that had changed in several positions. Quite likely even to the band’s surprise, a large and loyal fan base had formed during the decade of their absence, which showed in sold out shows and a highly successful crowdfunding campaign to realise a new album, which the Germans repeated for Ayam.
When The Liberation was released in 2019, critics described the album as a logical continuation of Back to Times of Splendor. Its songs reflected 15 years of additional experience in the musical development of Andy Schmidt. The Liberation turbo-charged all of DISILLUSION’s best qualities: the perfect interplay of massive metal with moments of pure euphoria and quiet introspection that create a sonic rollercoaster ride of passionate emotions.
With Ayam, DISILLUSION again sail among the stars to new stellar constellations of heavy sounds. While staying true to their general course, the German avant-garde pioneers also continue dropping anchor to explore new planets sparkling in space with a multitude of radiant sounds. Ayam offers exciting evolution rather than radical revolution, and DISILLUSION’s new musical forms and means are most beautiful and astonishing to behold. This album is a golden ticket to join the extraordinary journey of a life-time. Please feel free to check-in anytime you like. And with Ayam (Instrumental) you can even take the scenic route!
Shoegaze band Mondaze will release their second album Linger on 22 November via Bronson Recordings.
The opening track, ‘Lines of You’, showcases the recurring tension between presence and absence, reflecting how this internal struggle is ever-present in daily life. Haunted by lingering ghosts and memories that refuse to fade, Mondaze’s melancholy isn’t merely a stylistic element—it’s a deep exploration of the collective labyrinths faced by a generation longing for connection. It sounds as powerful as it is necessary in our times. There’s a strength that stems from reflection and observation.
The video was directed by Clement Pelo, and it stars Yannis Beck and Benedicte Bonpunt.
Watch it here:
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The band have previously released two singles: album title track ‘Linger’, a song that explores memory and nostalgia. and ‘Son of the Rambling Dawn’, a track that creates an immersive experience with intricate layers, smoothly blending different influences to convey a modern sensibility.
Since forming in 2018, Italy-based Mondaze have defined themselves as “heavy shoegaze”, taking inspiration from bands like genre-giants Swervedriver and Ride, but also contemporary bands pushing through the limits of the genre like Nothing and Ringo Deathstarr. With Linger, they aim to amplify the melancholy tones of their frustration and rage. These sonic characteristics drove them to work with Chris Fullard (Idles and Boris) on mixing, and Maurizio Baggio (The Soft Moon, Boy Harsher) for mastering. The result is an album with roots, yet distinctly modern featuring arrangements that skilfully blend contemporary styles with dreamy and eerie atmospheres.
Legendary artists Peter Murphy and Boy George have combined forces for a gorgeously majestic new single entitled ‘Let The Flowers Grow’. Produced and co-written by Youth, their duet on what is a profoundly emotional orchestral masterpiece is available from today on Metropolis Records. Murphy recalls: “I was recording my new album in Spain with Youth and, while listening to a playback of a song, I heard another piece of music coming from his mobile phone. It caught my ear for its melodic beauty as well as a Roy Orbison-like voice that was singing it.” Upon learning that it was an unfinished demo written by Boy George, he was intrigued and asked Youth if he could work on the partial song. “In a matter of twenty minutes, we had ‘Flowers…’ finished.”
“When I heard the mix, I was satiated in every way,” beams Boy George. “I have always loved Pete’s voice and his writing on this adds a beautiful darkness. The production feels very epic, like Scott Walker.”
Check it here:
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‘Let The Flowers Grow’ carries an air of elegance, the iconic voices of both singers delivering a message of hope and tolerance. Originally written by Boy George, its initial message was one of personal acceptance about being gay. As the song developed, it took on a more expansive and universal scope, its lyrics extending beyond sexuality and embracing race, gender, creed and religion. “With everything going on in the world about identity, it feels very powerful,” he explains.
The mutual adoration between the duo has spanned decades. “I first met Boy George when he asked to be allowed backstage to meet Howard Devoto when Bauhaus were supporting Magazine,” recalls Murphy. “He struck me as a super-original, self-styled 17th Century fop. The second time I met him was when we walked into the BBC to do ‘Ziggy Stardust’ on Top of the Pops where Culture Club were also making their debut on the show. George greeted me very warmly and I discovered he was a Bauhaus fan.” With the single unveiled, Boy George adds:“It makes me dizzy and proud,” while Murphy concludes: “Boy George loves it and I’m so glad.”
PETER MURPHY : photo by Jolene Siana | BOY GEORGE : photo by Dean Stockings
BAIKAL is excited to announce the release of their new music video for the track ‘Rorschach,’ the first single from their upcoming project. At the origins of BAIKAL are guitarist Jérôme Colombelli (formerly of Uneven Structure and Cult Of Occult) and singer Matthieu Romarin (from Psykup and Uneven Structure). The project was initiated by Jérôme, who began crafting the first compositions in 2020.
Amid the global pandemic and a time characterized by confinement, the duo, along with other contributing musicians like bassist Julien Turrin, combined their diverse influences and backgrounds. This collaboration resulted in a unique sound that blends dark trip-hop atmospheres with powerful post-metal guitars driven by Sunn amplifiers, accented by electro-industrial elements and hints of post-black metal. In 2022, the band officially took on the name BAIKAL and made their live debut in Lyon, performing alongside Céleste.
The video created for ‘Rorschach’ vividly illustrates the imagery present in the lyrics and develops the aesthetic BAIKAL aims to present. Jérôme adds, “For us, music is inseparable from visuals. When I listen to music, images always come to mind, and when I watch a film, I need music that truly complements what I see to fully immerse myself in it.”
