The Twilight Sad seem to be one of those bands that remain niche and somewhat divisive. But those who are into them are really into them, and with good reason. They’ve been long championed by Robert Smith and have access to a huge, huge audience following epic tours supporting The Cure, but they obstinately refuse to tone down their overt Scottishness, and they stubbornly refuse to bend to any kind of commercial leanings, or to cheer the fuck up. They’re also one of the most emotionally intense bands around: their live shows are quite simply something else.
‘Designed to Lose’ is the second single from their next album, and simultaneously harks back to the blistering welter of noise that was their second album No One Can Ever Know, while pushing forward on the trajectory of their last album, It Won/t Be Like This All The Time, which was both glorious and harrowing as fuck.
It Won/t Be Like This All The Time was released in 2019, so it’s been a long wait for new material. Oh, but this is worth it. The Twilight Sad aren’t a band to rush-release something sub-par, and ‘Designed to Lose’ is classic Sad on first listen, and just gives more with each play.
French progressive rock collective HamaSaari today unveil a brand-new lyric video for ‘Lost in Nights,’ another evocative chapter taken from their forthcoming album Pictures, out January 23rd via Klonosphere.
Following the recent release of lead single ‘Frames’ (featuring guest vocals from Christelle Ratri), ‘Lost in Nights’ dives even deeper into the album’s introspective essence. The track unfolds slowly and deliberately, guided by HamaSaari’s signature balance of cinematic build-up, emotional restraint, and expansive release, a nocturnal journey through doubt, memory, and inner landscapes.
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Rooted in modern progressive rock and drawing inspiration from the likes of Pink Floyd, Porcupine Tree, and Karnivool, HamaSaari craft music that is rich in atmosphere, emotional depth, and cinematic movement. Born from the ashes of their former project Shuffle, the band embraced a more serene and melancholic identity, allowing their sound to unfold like a stormy ritual, dark clouds, falling rain, and slowly emerging light.
Their 2023 debut album Ineffable introduced this balance with striking clarity: delicate yet powerful compositions flowing through shifting shades of darkness and color, built on organic interplay between polyrhythmic bass and drums, reverb-soaked guitars, and a clear, expressive vocal presence.
Now, nearly three years later, Pictures picks up where that journey left off and expands it into a fully realized conceptual statement. The album explores images, paintings, and dimensions, what we choose to frame, conceal, or confront. Inspired by myths, ancient civilizations, dreams, reality, and fiction, Pictures reflects on belief systems, fears, desires, and the fundamental questions that shape the human experience.
Following the release of Pictures, HamaSaari will take the album to the stage with an extensive European tour throughout spring and summer 2026. The tour will see the band bringing their captivating, emotionally charged live show to clubs and festivals across France, Germany, Spain, and the UK, culminating in major festival appearances later in the year.
HamaSaari – Pictures EU Tour 2026 (selected dates):
• March 12 – Le Mans (FR) – Le Bar’ouf • March 19 – Lyon (FR) – Rock ’n Eat • March 21 – Stuttgart (DE) – Club Zentral • March 22 – Munich (DE) – Substanz • March 24 – Kronach (DE) – Kulturclub Kronach • March 27 – Kleve (DE) – Radhaus • April 10 – Perpignan (FR) – L’Anthropo • April 11 – Zaragoza (ES) – Sala Creedence • April 12 – Badalona (ES) – Estraperlo – Club del Ritme • April 17 – Murcia (ES) – Sala Revólver • April 18 – Málaga (ES) – ZZ Pub • April 21 – Coslada (ES) – The RockLab • April 22 – Ponferrada (ES) – Sala La Vaca • April 24 – Tolosa (ES) – Bonberenea
Festival appearances:
• July 4 – Woodbunge Festival (DE) • July 18 – Prog For Peart – Abingdon (UK) • July 25 – Rhine Entertainment Festival – Xanten (DE)
Where were you when…? That’s the question that is so often asked when it comes to moments in history. Whether it’s the assassination of John Lennon or JFK, or 9/11 (I was at work on the third floor of an office in Glasgow, and as the news broke, it didn’t seem real. At some point, people may ask ‘where were you when America invaded Venezuela, abducted their president and declared that they would be running the country and taking their oil?’
Me, I was starting preparation for a pasta bake ahead of a visit from my elderly mother whose mental capacity is in severe mental decline, and my stepfather, whose mental capacity has been questionable for the thirty years I’ve known him, stressing over how much grief I would get over being vegetarian, yet again, or similar.
I found myself faced with the dilemma – did I actually want to write about music in the face of this? Was it even appropriate? The answer was that I needed to immerse myself in music, to take myself out this hellish unreality by retreating to someplace safe. Someplace safe, for me, is my office, with some candles, a large vodka, and the challenge of articulating the impact of new music in words.
Back in 1992, The Wedding Present undertook the task of releasing a single a month, on 7”, and each one hit the UK top 40, and scored the band a record number of chart singles in a year – beating Elvis Presley. A couple of years back, I covered the progress of Argonaut as they released a single a month to assemble their next album. Again, it was a great example of how deadlines and confines can push creative output, although I was rather glad I didn’t have to get busses into town after school and rush round the various record shops to source a copy of said monthly singles.
And now UK industrial/electronic artist j:dead are on a trip of twelve singles in twelve months, perversely starting in December, making this the second in the series.
For a moment, I shall step aside and share from the accompanying bio for expanded context:
‘Where opening single “Pressure” confronted the crushing weight of expectation, “Disgusting” turns the lens inward, addressing the uncomfortable realization of having slipped into complacency. Through candid, visceral lyrics, the track embodies the feeling of awakening to one’s own laziness, comfort, and decline; expressed symbolically through the erosion of physical appearance. It’s a raw, self-critical reflection delivered with the intensity that defines j:dead’s work.’
‘Disgusting’ is a slice of high-energy electronica with a gothy / industrial edge which hits hard. Pumping beats, processed vocals and buoyant dance derivative synths dominate this single release which has alternative clubnight rager written all over it. And it’s the perfect escape.
The debut single from Nottingham band KEE. is a rare beast – it does something different. Sure, they’re an electro act who’ve been described as ‘Portishead on steroids’, but there’s a whole lot going on here. Yes, there’s a noirish aspect to the sound, and a haunting female vocal which has undeniable shades of Beth Gibbons about it. It’s also muted, low key, with something of a vintage analogue feel. But then there’s some twanging guitar soaked in reverb and it’s more desert rock than country, and suddenly, as if from nowhere, an urgent drum ‘n’ bass beat pumps in, jittery, frantic, like a fibrillating heart, an anxiety attack arising inexplicably in a moment of tranquillity.
The accompanying video – shot in part artful black and white, naturally, the rest blurry – captures and enhances the tense, dark atmosphere.
The groove builds as the track progresses, but so does the tension, and the abrupt finish seals it. It’s exciting, and promising, and I want more.
When is a Christmas single not a Christmas single? When it’s released on New Year’s Eve, has nothing to do with Christmas, and it’s new work from Mr Vast. It’s been a while since we’ve heard from the king of cack in terms of releases: Touch & Go was seven years ago now.
It’s feast or famine when it comes to output from Henry Sargeant, the maniac behind the weirdness: Wevie Stonder had been mute and seemingly dormant since their compilation The Beast of Wevie (the title of which may or may not have been an influence on my own retrospective release, The Beast of Noisenibor, released in the autumn of this year. If you think environmentalism and social conscience is only about recycling papers, glass, and plastic, think again, and start recycling puns and jokes too) in 2017, only to drop a fresh dose of warpedness in the shape of Sure Beats Living in June.
Meanwhile, he’s spent the summer on the road around the UK bringing a ‘vast’ array of outfits and strangeness to venues around the country – and now, ahead of the release of a new Mr Vast album – Upping the Ante – due for release in March, he’s dropping ‘This and That’, a real banger for your New Year’s Eve party. And because it’s Mr Vast, he’s gone and picked the album’s longest track for the single.
It’s a whopping six minutes of strange – a hyped up slab of lo-fi electronica that’s big on repetition and bubbling bursts of synth. It has many of the features of 90s rave woven (or Wevien, if you will) into its fabric, and it straddles the space between a bona fide dance tune and a parody of one. But as Hugh Dennis’ embarrassing dad character used to say on The Mary Whitehouse Experience, it’s got a good beat…
Artisans of a sound that is at once massive and delicate, French prog-rock collective HamaSaari return this January with their long-awaited new album, Pictures, set to be released on January 23rd via Klonosphere.
Just recently, the band have unveiled a new video for the haunting track ‘Frames’, featuring guest vocals from Christelle Ratri, offering a first glimpse into the record’s thematic heart.
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Rooted in modern progressive rock and drawing inspiration from the likes of Pink Floyd, Porcupine Tree, and Karnivool, HamaSaari craft music that is rich in atmosphere, emotional depth, and cinematic movement. Born from the ashes of their former project Shuffle, the band embraced a more serene and melancholic identity, allowing their sound to unfold like a stormy ritual, dark clouds, falling rain, and slowly emerging light.
Their 2023 debut album Ineffable introduced this balance with striking clarity: delicate yet powerful compositions flowing through shifting shades of darkness and color, built on organic interplay between polyrhythmic bass and drums, reverb-soaked guitars, and a clear, expressive vocal presence.
Now, nearly three years later, Pictures picks up where that journey left off and expands it into a fully realized conceptual statement. The album explores images, paintings, and dimensions, what we choose to frame, conceal, or confront. Inspired by myths, ancient civilizations, dreams, reality, and fiction, Pictures reflects on belief systems, fears, desires, and the fundamental questions that shape the human experience.
The newly released video for ‘Frames’ (feat. Christelle Ratri) embodies this vision beautifully, pairing HamaSaari’s cinematic progression with an added layer of emotional intimacy and vulnerability.
Following the release of Pictures, HamaSaari will take the album to the stage with an extensive European tour throughout spring and summer 2026. The tour will see the band bringing their captivating, emotionally charged live show to clubs and festivals across France, Germany, Spain, and the UK, culminating in major festival appearances later in the year.
HamaSaari – Pictures EU Tour 2026 (selected dates):
• March 12 – Le Mans (FR) – Le Bar’ouf • March 19 – Lyon (FR) – Rock ’n Eat • March 21 – Stuttgart (DE) – Club Zentral • March 22 – Munich (DE) – Substanz • March 24 – Kronach (DE) – Kulturclub Kronach • March 27 – Kleve (DE) – Radhaus • April 10 – Perpignan (FR) – L’Anthropo • April 11 – Zaragoza (ES) – Sala Creedence • April 12 – Badalona (ES) – Estraperlo – Club del Ritme • April 17 – Murcia (ES) – Sala Revólver • April 18 – Málaga (ES) – ZZ Pub • April 21 – Coslada (ES) – The RockLab • April 22 – Ponferrada (ES) – Sala La Vaca • April 24 – Tolosa (ES) – Bonberenea
Festival appearances:
• July 4 – Woodbunge Festival (DE) • July 18 – Prog For Peart – Abingdon (UK) • July 25 – Rhine Entertainment Festival – Xanten (DE)
SLAUGHTERDAY drop the lovingly animated lyric video ‘Dethroned’ that features Pär Olofsson’s horror cover art. This heavy, groove-ladden track with a subtle punk attitude has been taken from their forthcoming new album Dread Emperor. The sixth full-length of the East Frisian death metal veterans has been chalked up for release on February, Friday the 13th, 2026.
SLAUGHTERDAY comment on ‘Dethroned’: “This track is Slaughterday at our most unusual and adventurous – an explosive collision of groove, punk energy, and death metal brutality”, axeslinger Jens Finger states. “We explore new musical territory while sticking to our roots by combining heavy grooves and infectious hooks with relentless aggression.”
Bernd Reiners continues: “Lyrically, ‘Dethroned’ is a manifesto of rebellion and resistance, a clarion call against tyranny where no gods and no masters hold sway”, the growler emphasises. “This song is catchy and ferocious as well as uncompromising, and we see it as a powerful statement of defiance and raw energy.”
Legendary Italian experimental trio Zu recently announced their return with Ferrum Sidereum (produced by Marc Urselli), a big and bold double album arriving on House of Mythology on the 9th January.
The music combines the complexity of progressive rock, the grit of industrial music, the precision of metal, the spirit and energy of punk, and the freedom of jazz. The result is a sonic journey that is as cerebral as it is visceral, defying easy categorisation while remaining unmistakably Zu.
Today they share the new single and video for ‘Kether’ – about which the band comments,
“Kether is the crown, the halo, the nimbus, the corona. Since it has been symbolically attacked, we symbolically take it back.The golden crown became the sign of kings, but it is a much older and deeper symbol, and it is at anyone’s reach to reactivate the crown.”
Swiss death & thrash metal fanatics TOTAL ANNIHILATION unveil the music video ‘Beneath the Cross’ as the final advance single taken from the forthcoming new album Mountains of Madness. Their fourth full-length is slated for release in the band’s 20th anniversary year, on January 16, 2026.
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TOTAL ANNIHILATION comment on ‘Beneath the Cross’: “When we wrote this song, the topic of the lyrics was very important to me”, guitarist Jürgen Schmid states. “I felt an urgent need to put this old story back on the table again. This song deals with religions selling hope to their clients in order to manipulating them and filling up their treasuries in the basements of their temples. This one goes out to all those holier-than-thou Christians. There is no paradise! In death there is only darkness – so better take care of your own life and stop telling others what is right or wrong! As a fun fact for all music nerds: The melody that stands out in the middle of ‘Beneath the Cross’ is actually quite old. I wrote this tune at the age of twelve or thirteen and ever since I have been searching for the perfect match to put it in. Here we are – and I am very happy with the result. Hopefully, you will like it too!”
Progressive rock quartet Dhärä return today with their expansive new single ‘A PLACE IN TIME, (the entities, divided)’, offering the next glimpse into their forthcoming full-length album Elemental Four, arriving January 11, 2026.
Known for their immersive instrumental storytelling and dynamic compositions, Dhärä continue to push beyond strict genre boundaries on ‘A PLACE IN TIME, (the entities, divided).’ The track unfolds with patience and atmosphere before erupting into driving rhythms, soaring guitar interplay, and a powerful sense of momentum—highlighting the band’s signature balance between precision, emotion, and scale.
The band shares: “This is the opening of our concept album Elemental Four. ‘A PLACE IN TIME, (the entities, divided)’ introduces many themes that are heard throughout the album. This album is also a concert movie that features five ballerinas who perform modern lyrical dance to the music. Elemental Four is a journey of four entities whose world is shaken by a meteor which threatens their existence. They are separated by a great earthquake, and the only path to saving the planet and themselves is to unify and summon The Conduit, whose power can hopefully vanquish the threat.”
Watch the video for ‘The conduit, A PLACE IN TIME’ here:
Aural Aggravation 